TL: Moonlit
Lin Feng accompanied Chen Yi to wander around the banquet hall and had a conversation. However, he used the excuse of going to the restroom to avoid him.
It’s not that Lin Feng thought Chen Yi, a gentle and soft young female, was not good, but he felt like something was missing.
It was evident in Chen Yi’s eyes that he admired him. Although he hadn’t thought about what kind of partner he wanted in the future, he was certain that he wouldn’t choose a fan who admired him.
Loosening his slightly tight tie, Lin Feng entered the public area of the restroom and saw Yan Qi standing in front of the mirror, having just washed his face. Lin Feng’s tense heart inexplicably relaxed, “What a coincidence.”
Hearing a familiar voice, Yan Qi paused for a moment, then watched Lin Feng walk over from the mirror. He lightly bit his lip and said, “Yes, quite a coincidence.”
Lin Feng smiled and said, “There’s still water on your cheeks. If you don’t dry it, you might catch a cold when the wind blows.”
After saying that, he pulled out a tissue and handed it to Yan Qi, who took it and said, “Thanks, I’m fine now. I’ll go out first.”
A hint of surprise flashed in Lin Feng’s eyes as he nodded gently, “Alright.”
Yan Qi’s distant behavior made Lin Feng feel a bit uneasy.
They might not have the closest relationship, but they had been through so much together. He didn’t expect this level of indifference.
When Yan Qi came out of the restroom, he sat on the sofa in the banquet hall. Yan Shan noticed that he seemed worried and wanted to come over and ask how he was, but he couldn’t leave as someone approached him to chat.
Yan Qi felt a bit dizzy, and the alcohol he had just drunk was taking effect.
The lights in the large banquet hall were flickering, and although everyone had a smile on their face, he felt inexplicably irritable.
Unbuttoning the top button of his shirt, he saw the young female called Chen Yi, who had been with Lin Feng just now, approaching him, “Hello.”
Yan Qi looked up at him and replied, “Hello.”
Chen Yi, seeing Yan Qi’s response, smiled and said, “Can I sit here? It’s my first time here, and I don’t know anyone. I saw you sitting alone and thought about coming over to accompany you.”
“Didn’t you have someone with you just now?” An Qi felt a bit unclear in his mind at the moment. Normally, he wouldn’t say such things, but right now, he genuinely felt a bit jealous of this young female.
“Oh, so you noticed me just now too, hehe. It’s Lin Feng. You should know him, right? He’s very outstanding. My father brought me here for a blind date with him, but I feel like he doesn’t really like me.” Chen Yi said with a hint of distress, “By the way, are you older than me? I have half a year left until I enter the compulsory matching pool. What about you?”
“I have three more months.” Yes, he had three more months left. If he couldn’t find a suitable partner by then, he might have to enter the compulsory matching pool.
“Oh, that’s soon. Brother, do you already have a suitable partner in mind?”
“I’m sorry, I’m feeling a bit unwell. Excuse me.”
Yan Qi didn’t want to answer that question and got up, walking towards the outside of the banquet hall.
Chen Yi watched him leave and pursed his lips slightly.
The wedding banquet started on time, and when Lin Te and Leng Tang appeared in their formal attire, everyone applauded enthusiastically.
Lin Yue lightly nudged Lin Feng’s arm and asked with a smile, “Second brother, do you have any thoughts about what you see?”
Lin Feng glanced at him, “What thoughts do you want me to have? Tell me when I stand up there someday!”
Lin Yue: “…”
Was that the point of his question?
Sipping his drink, Lin Feng scanned the large venue with his dark eyes, but unfortunately, he didn’t see the figure he wanted to see.
His arm was nudged again, “Second brother, what do you think of the young female from the Chen family that Female Father introduced to you just now?”
“No feelings.”
Lin Yue didn’t find his response surprising, “Then what about Yan Qi?”
The hand holding the drink tightened suddenly, and Lin Feng turned his head to look at Lin Yue with a teasing glint in his eyes, “Mind your own business.”
Instead of getting annoyed by this response, Lin Yue laughed, “Oh, Second brother, something’s not right with you. You didn’t refute me but told me to shut up. What does that mean?”
“It doesn’t mean anything.”
“No, this is enough to show that you’re getting interested.” Lin Yue gently patted Lin Feng’s shoulder. “Don’t blame your little brother for not reminding you. Yan Qi seems to be coming of age soon, with only a few months left. During the remaining time, his family will surely arrange more blind dates for him. Even if they all fail, he will enter the compulsory matching pool in a few months. By then, it might be too late for you to do anything.”
Lin Feng finished the drink in his cup. “Why are you so annoying tonight!”
Lin Yue nodded and made a zipper-pulling motion across his lips, as if saying, “I won’t say anything, you figure it out.”
But in reality, his words had already disturbed Lin Feng’s mind.
Lin Te and Leng Tang’s wedding banquet went smoothly.
Lin Su leaned against William, quietly watching Lin Te and Leng Tang standing on the stage with happy smiles on their lips.
Feeling his waist tighten, he turned his head to look at William, silently asking what he was up to.
William just lowered his head slightly and whispered in his ear, “Don’t envy them; you’ll have it too.”
Lin Su’s ears instantly turned hot, and his dark eyes sparkled. “I’m not envious; I’m just happy for my elder brother and Leng Tang because they, like us, have found someone they love.”
William kissed his forehead, not saying anything, and just held onto his little female as he looked at the two newlyweds on the stage.
It’s getting close; he will be ready soon.
Lin Yue didn’t stay until the end and left early since he couldn’t be away from Xia Jue for too long.
However, shortly after he left the banquet hall, he received a message from a former classmate, asking if he wanted to join a class reunion.
In the past, Lin Yue could easily decline such invitations, but this time the person was insistent on him attending, and he didn’t want to reject them outright. So he reluctantly agreed, noted down the time, and planned to show up for a short while.
Not long after Lin Yue left, Lin Feng also came out of the banquet hall. He didn’t see Yan Qi inside, so he subconsciously wanted to check outside.
However, just as he came out, he heard a soft and gentle voice saying, “Brother Lin Feng, so you are here. I’ve been looking for you for a while.”
Lin Feng turned his head to see Chen Yi walking toward him and nodded slightly, “What do you want?”
Chen Yi didn’t expect Lin Feng to ask like that, and his expression froze for a moment. But he quickly recovered and smiled, “It’s just that it’s my first time here, and I don’t know anyone except you, so…”
“You can go to your father; it might cause misunderstandings if you stay with me, which won’t be good for you.”
Lin Feng’s words were clearly a rejection, rejecting him, rejecting this blind date altogether.
Chen Yi was completely taken aback by this sudden turn of events, and he never expected Lin Feng to be so straightforward. For a moment, he didn’t know how to react.
Lin Feng called a waiter over and asked him to take Chen Yi to find his father.
Faced with Lin Feng’s rejection, Chen Yi’s eyes reddened.
Not long after Chen Yi left, Qin Yi came out.
Seeing him, Lin Feng knew that Chen Yi must have complained to him, “I’m sorry, Female Father, I might have been a bit too direct with my words just now.”
Qin Yi looked at him, “Even if you don’t like him, you can politely decline after the event.”
“Yes, but…” He couldn’t quite explain why he felt disappointed when he saw someone else calling out to him instead of the person he had hoped for. At this moment, he even felt a bit confused.
Seeing that something was amiss with Lin Feng, Qin Yi didn’t blame him. After all, this whole situation was a last-minute idea, and he hadn’t discussed it with Lin Feng beforehand. “Let it go. I should have talked to you earlier. But Lin Feng, it’s also time for you to find a partner. If there’s a female you like, you can bring him home.”
He lightly patted Lin Feng’s shoulder and didn’t say much before turning back to the banquet hall.
Lin Feng ran his hand through his hair, about to head back when he saw Yan Shan rushing out from the banquet hall.
His pupils dilated for a moment, and Lin Feng almost instinctively walked over, “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
“Yan Qi is missing again. This little brat has disappeared, and he’s not answering any calls.” Since the last incident, the Yan family members hadn’t fully recovered from the trauma, and now, even including Lin Feng, they felt tense upon hearing that Yan Qi was missing. “Let’s split up and look for him.”
“We can only do that.” Yan Shan patted Lin Feng’s shoulder, “Thanks.”
With that, Yan Shan rushed forward, and Lin Feng didn’t delay either, going in the opposite direction to search for Yan Qi.
Ai Su Gourmet Restaurant was originally a small estate, and since Lin Su purchased it, the landscaping in the courtyard had been redone, with lush trees adorned with various sparkling lights, making it beautiful and dazzling.
Lin Feng searched this area multiple times but couldn’t find Yan Qi. Just as he was thinking whether Yan Shan had found him, he saw Yan Qi sitting under a large tree, fast asleep.
At that moment, the heavy stone in Lin Feng’s heart seemed to crack open, and relief washed over him.
Growing up, he had never experienced so many moments of nervousness, unease, and even fear because of one person.
Exhaling a breath, Lin Feng sent a message to Yan Shan, telling him not to worry as he had found Yan Qi.
Yan Qi was deeply asleep, and he hadn’t awakened even when Lin Feng approached.
His eyes had noticeable dark circles, indicating that he hadn’t rested well for quite some time.
Lin Feng couldn’t bear to wake him up, so he sat beside him and took off his own jacket to cover Yan Qi, preventing him from catching a cold.
Yan Qi seemed to be having a restless dream, frowning and looking uneasy in his sleep.
Lin Feng watched him, and an unknown tenderness welled up in his heart.
Something seemed to be gradually sprouting deep within his soul.
Yan Shan rushed over and sighed in relief upon seeing Yan Qi, “Why did he come here to sleep? Thanks, Lin Feng, for helping out again. I’ll take him home.”
As he was about to wake Yan Qi up, Lin Feng raised his hand to stop him, “Don’t disturb him; he looks pretty tired.”
Yan Shan glanced at him subconsciously and nodded.
Handing back the jacket that was covering Yan Qi, Yan Shan took off his own jacket and put it on Yan Qi, then lifted him up, ready to leave. But just as they were about to go, Lin Feng suddenly asked, “How much time does Yan Qi have left until he enters the matching pool?”
Yan Shan paused his steps, “Three months.”
After saying that, Yan Shan didn’t pause and directly left with Yan Qi.
Lin Feng watched them disappear into the lights, gently biting his lip. Only three months left.
When Yan Qi woke up, he felt a bit disoriented and had a slight headache, probably due to drinking too much.
He came out of the room, and Yan Shan hadn’t gone to work yet. Seeing him come down, Yan Shan asked, “How are you feeling? Any discomfort?”
Yan Qi nodded and took a sip of water, “You brought me back yesterday?”
“Of course! You were sleeping outside for no reason. Do you know how long I looked for you? I almost reported it to the police, do you know that?”
Faced with Yan Shan’s reproach, Yan Qi felt guilty and didn’t retort, “I just wanted to get some fresh air outside, didn’t expect to fall asleep. I’m sorry!”
With Yan Qi apologizing like this, Yan Shan, who had many things to say, suddenly found it difficult to continue. He pursed his lips and hesitated for a moment before speaking, “Last night, it wasn’t just me who was looking for you. Lin Feng also helped. I wasn’t planning to tell you, but I felt it wouldn’t be right to keep it from you since he did this.”
Hearing Lin Feng’s name, Yan Qi’s heart trembled slightly, “What did he want from me?”
“He saw me running out and thought something happened to you, so he lent a hand. Don’t think too much about it; I can tell that Lin Feng is a kind-hearted person.”
Yan Shan selectively withheld the fact that Lin Feng asked about Yan Qi’s coming of age. He felt it was better not to give too much hope to his younger brother about that matter. Otherwise, if things didn’t go as hoped, it might lead to greater despair, and he might not be able to console him.
“Oh,” Yan Qi blinked, seemingly not taking this matter to heart. Yan Shan breathed a sigh of relief.
After drinking some water, Yan Qi felt a bit better. He ate something and said, “I’m going to talk to Uncle Su Jin today about the franchise for Ai Su Dessert Shop. Brother, can you give me a ride on your way out?”
“Sure, I’ll drop you off directly. Figure out your way back on your own; I’m a bit busy today and don’t have time to pick you up.”
“Okay, then I’ll go upstairs and change clothes.”
“Go ahead; I’ll wait for you outside.”
As Yan Qi went upstairs to change, he couldn’t help but think of what Yan Shan had said earlier. No wonder when he was half-conscious yesterday, he felt like he saw Lin Feng, but he thought it was just a dream and didn’t confirm it.
It turned out it really was Lin Feng.
The thought of him made Yan Qi’s heart inexplicably ache. He quickly blinked his eyes, trying not to dwell on it any longer. After changing clothes, he went downstairs and coincidentally met his female father walking in from outside. He smiled and approached, “Xiao Qi, do you have time this afternoon? I’ve arranged a meeting with the Zhao family, and Zhao Xun will be there too.”
This was a matchmaking arrangement for him. Yan Qi went over and hugged his female father, “I’m sorry, Female Father, I have a meeting with Teacher Su Jin about the franchise today, and I’m not sure how long it will take. Can we do it another day?”
“Another day is fine, but Xiao Qi, time is running out for you. You don’t want to be matched with some random male, do you?”
Yan Qi knew that his marriage was always the most concerning matter for his female father. He nodded, “I understand. Give me a bit more time, Female Father.”
“Alright, but you need to be aware of the time.”
“I know.”
Without saying much more to his female father, Yan Qi left home and saw Yan Shan waiting in the car. After getting in, Yan Shan asked, “Did female father tell you?”
“I already told him, I don’t have much time today. Let’s meet another day,” Yan Qi replied, not showing much resistance to the idea, which relieved Yan Shan.
After driving Yan Qi to Ai Su Dessert Shop, Yan Shan left. Inside, Lin Su was discussing matters about the fast-food factory with Su Jin. When he saw Yan Qi coming in, he waved with a smile, “Yan Qi, come here.”
“Lin Su, Teacher Su Jin, are you discussing something? It’s fine; I can wait for a while,” Yan Qi said.
“It’s not something urgent. Come over,” Lin Su smiled and pulled a chair for him. “We are discussing matters about the fast-food processing factory. Would you be interested to listen?”
“Fast-food processing factory?” This term was somewhat unfamiliar to Yan Qi.
Su Jin explained it to him, and Yan Qi’s eyes lit up, “That sounds great! It’s so convenient. Even for those with average cooking skills, they can buy the food and turn it into something delicious with simple preparation.”
Just hearing about it, Yan Qi couldn’t wait to try these fast-food products, let alone imagine the potential impact when they were officially launched.
“Yan Qi, are you here to discuss joining Ai Su Dessert Shop?” Su Jin smiled and pushed the franchise contract toward him. “Have you already selected the location?”
“It’s almost done. I’ll go over to finalize the remaining payment later,” Yan Qi picked up the contract and glanced through it. “Do I sign here, Teacher Su Jin?”
“If you have no objections, then yes, you can sign it here.”
As Yan Qi was about to sign, Lin Su suddenly reached out to stop him, “Wait a moment. Have you thought about operating a fast-food sales store alongside the dessert shop?”
“Fast-food sales?” Yan Qi’s eyes brightened, and he could tell that Lin Su was giving him an opportunity. “Of course, I’d be willing. But I’m not very knowledgeable about sales, so I’m afraid…”
“Don’t worry about that. After the fast-food products are processed, there will be a uniform price set. You just need to sell them in the shop.”
With a fixed price, there would be no need to worry about calculating prices separately, making it easy for Yan Qi. “I’m willing to do it.”
Lin Su looked at Su Jin and said, “Let’s prepare a separate contract for Yan Qi for the fast-food product sales. In the future, the dessert shop can also sell fast-food products produced by the factory.”
This way, they avoided the trouble of managing a separate fast-food store, creating a win-win situation.
Having never expected the outcome, Yan Qi was pleasantly surprised and had a smile on his face when he left Su Jin’s office. Before leaving, he even made a special visit to Xie Bai.
When Xie Bai saw him, he walked over with a smile, “Is everything settled?”
“Yes, and I even got an unexpected gain,” Yan Qi said, hinting at the fast-food opportunity.
“Fast-food products?” Xie Bai seemed to have known about Lin Su’s plan early on, so when Yan Qi mentioned it, he had a guess. “Work hard, following Lin Su will surely bring success. By the way, Yan Qi, is your compulsory matching day approaching?”
“Yes, it’s getting closer.”
Xie Bai’s smile froze for a moment, “Do you already have a partner?”
“Not yet.”
The smile on Xie Bai’s face stiffened further, “Then why are you still so relaxed? I thought you were all prepared for it. What if you don’t hurry up?”
“I’ll go with the flow. There’s nothing to be afraid of with compulsory matching. Look at Lin Su and Prince William. They matched together, didn’t they?”
“Do you think everyone has the luck of Lin Su and the Prince? Forget it, talking about this won’t help. You have to figure it out yourself. Let me know when the new shop is opening, I’ll come to help.”
“Thank you. I’ll definitely need your help.”
Who would have thought that one day he would become friends with Xie Bai? Thankfully, he made the right choice.
After leaving the dessert shop, Yan Qi didn’t rush home. He first went to the new shop location to pay the remaining amount and then strolled around the area. Just as he was about to head home, he suddenly received a message from Lin Feng. Seeing the name, he was somewhat surprised.
His calm mood involuntarily rippled, and he opened the message to read, “Yan Qi, do you have time? There’s something I want to talk to you about.”
His fingertips felt a tingling sensation because of these words. Yan Qi pressed his lips together and replied, “Sure, where should we meet?”
After Lin Feng asked about his location, he specially drove over.
The two of them found a place to sit near the shopping mall. “What do you want to talk to me about?” Yan Qi tried to appear more relaxed, but in reality, his heart was beating fast. His hands resting on his lap unconsciously clenched into fists.
Lin Feng smiled faintly, “It might be a bit abrupt, but I asked Yan Shan yesterday and found out that you have only three months left before entering the compulsory matching pool. I apologize for prying into this matter privately.”
Yan Qi’s eyes showed surprise that Yan Shan had kept such information from him, but why did Lin Feng ask about it?
“It’s alright, but why did you…”
“How do you feel about me, Yan Qi?” Lin Feng looked at him, his eyes serious. “I’ve given it serious thought. I think I have decent qualifications in all aspects, and we have a certain understanding of each other. The only thing lacking might be that I am a bit slow in matters of the heart, so sometimes I might not be able to handle your emotions and feelings better in my words and actions. I’ll try my best to improve, so can you consider me?”
The unexpected surprise left Yan Qi at a loss for words. He stared at the tall male sitting across from him, who had a slightly worried expression on his face.
“Can I ask, do you like me?”
Lin Feng blinked, “I hope my marriage partner is you. I’m not sure if that counts as ‘liking,’ but I don’t want you to be with someone else. You don’t have to rush to answer me. I just hope you can seriously consider it. I’ll be leaving for North Star the day after tomorrow, and I hope to get an answer from you before your compulsory matching. During this time, you can also go and…”
Lin Feng didn’t want to say the part about Yan Qi meeting other people but didn’t want to selfishly tie him down either.
However, Yan Qi interrupted him before he could finish, “No need to consider, when should we apply for the certificate?”
The sudden directness surprised Lin Feng this time.
“Aren’t you going to think about it? I might not be your best choice.”
“But you are the most suitable one. After all, we do have a certain understanding of each other.”
“Do you have time to apply for the certificate later?” Lin Feng couldn’t help but smile, and his eyes sparkled.
Yan Qi relaxed his tightly clenched hands and nodded gently, “Of course!”
Hearing those two words, Lin Feng couldn’t help but think that he finally understood why things had moved so quickly with Lin Te.
Indeed, the sooner, the better.
Lin Feng stood up and grabbed Yan Qi’s hand, “Let’s go.”
Yan Qi was pulled up by him, his ears showing a noticeable blush, and a smile in his eyes. He held Lin Feng’s hand in return and leaned in with a smile, “Let’s go.”
TL’s note: I feel so single huhu T~T
