By the time they returned to Haidu, it was nearly three in the afternoon.
Xia Xi took them back to Lu Rang’s company, as a brand representative wanted to discuss renewing their contract for the next year.
The chill of winter grew increasingly palpable, with cold winds sweeping the roadside and stirring up piles of withered, yellow leaves.
Luo Ying didn’t go upstairs with Lu Rang, only mentioning that he needed to return to his father’s company to handle some matters.
It was clear that Lu Rang genuinely wanted to keep Luo Ying by his side at all times. His dark eyes betrayed reluctance, as if fearing that once Luo Ying left, he might never return.
Lu Rang’s thin lips moved slightly, but in the end, he only lowered his gaze and said, “Come home early.”
The headquarters of Luo Ying’s father’s company was located within Haidu’s Third Ring Road, not far from Guangxin Tower. By the time Luo Ying arrived, there was still a long while before the employees finished work.
The receptionist at the entrance seemed to be new and didn’t recognize Luo Ying. Just as he was being stopped and questioned, he ran into Fei Yan, the marketing director, who was also arriving at the company.
Fei Yan wore a crisp black suit, his hair styled into a sleek, mature back-swept look. His face was lean, and he always wore a pair of thick-rimmed black glasses with heavy lenses.
He had been poached by Luo Xiaohe at great expense from a rival company and had been with this firm for nearly six or seven years. It was said that his performance each year was exceptionally impressive.
However, despite being only in his early thirties, he deliberately dressed like a composed man approaching forty.
“Xiao Luo.”
“Brother Fei.”
“Care to come to my office for a chat?”
Fei Yan patted Luo Ying’s back, as if he had something to say.
Luo Ying happened to have something he wanted to ask as well. “Sure.”
Fei Yan pulled down all the blinds in his office and instructed his secretary not to disturb them.
He boiled a kettle of water at the tea table and gestured for Luo Ying to take a seat in the chair opposite.
Crossing his hands and resting his chin on them, Fei Yan asked, “Xiao Luo, has your father… Chairman Luo been in touch with you recently?”
Luo Ying shook his head. “No, he’s gone silent. What about on your end?”
“No news either.” Fei Yan frowned, his cautious gaze piercing through the thick lenses. “Xiao Luo, the media is making a big fuss about this. I’ve done my best to help conceal your personal information. The company’s operations are still running smoothly. As for the shareholders, you can rest assured—they’re all the veterans who helped your father build the company. Chairman Luo never mistreated them, and they won’t take advantage of this situation to kick you while you’re down.”
Hearing these words, Luo Ying’s tangled emotions eased slightly, and he let out a sigh of relief through his nostrils.
These past few days, he hadn’t just been worried about his father’s safety—he also feared the company would descend into chaos.
The boiling water bubbled and steamed, filling the air with mist.
Fei Yan poured Luo Ying a cup of tea. Its fragrance was subtle yet refreshing.
He briefly reported on the company’s marketing performance over the past week and offered some comforting words, trying to help Luo Ying relax.
“The bank’s seizure process is moving unusually fast. We’re also investigating what’s going on.”
Luo Ying nodded. “Brother Fei, did my father discuss a land reclamation project earlier this year? Were you involved in that?”
Fei Yan thought for a moment. “I recall it, but I wasn’t the one handling it. Why do you ask?”
Luo Ying handed over his phone, the screen displaying Wen Qian’s shell company and contact information.
“Brother Fei, the amount involved in this project is enormous. How could my father have entrusted it to a company with no qualifications, assets, or credibility for underwriting? Moreover, the funds specified in the contract were transferred long ago, but the project has yet to break ground.”
Fei Yan’s brow furrowed slightly. After reviewing the various pieces of information, he quickly grasped Luo Ying’s thoughts and said sternly, “I’ll investigate.”
Luo Ying had intended the same.
If he were to investigate personally, first, his status was too conspicuous and could easily alert the target; second, his name wasn’t affiliated with this company, so he had no legitimate reason to approach Wen Qian about this project.
“Brother Fei, keep me updated as soon as you have any news.”
“Don’t worry, I will.”
Luo Ying then brought up the company’s personnel situation, and Fei Yan took him out for an inspection.
Across the more than ten floors of the office building, everyone was busy with their own work—public relations, planning, legal affairs, administration, and more—all operating in an orderly manner. Aside from the visibly declining market value in the stock market, there was almost no abnormality within the company.
Upon returning to Fei Yan’s office, Luo Ying’s phone suddenly rang.
It was Lu Rang calling.
Lu Rang’s voice on the phone was magnetic and elegant: “Are you done? I miss you.”
Luo Ying was so startled by the words “I miss you” that he nearly dropped his phone.
Coincidentally, the call was slightly audible to others. Fei Yan politely smiled, said he had other matters to attend to, and tactfully left the office for Luo Ying.
Luo Ying feigned composure: “Just finished.”
Lu Rang said, “I’m downstairs at your father’s company.”
Luo Ying’s heart skipped a beat. He hadn’t been talking with Fei Yan for long, so it seemed Lu Rang had come straight to find him after finishing the contract renewal.
So clingy?
Was it because of what happened last night?
“I’ll come down now.”
Luo Ying left a message for Fei Yan saying he was heading back first.
He walked quickly, only realizing something was off after stepping out of the elevator.
It seemed he was genuinely eager to see Lu Rang.
Through the main entrance, Luo Ying spotted a white Saleen parked ostentatiously at the entrance. The security guard on duty couldn’t help but steal glances at it. Luo Ying had seen this car in Lu Rang’s garage and liked it too, but it had been discontinued before he could buy one.
The sky was gradually darkening, with the orange glow of the sunset casting over the earth.
Luo Ying tightened his collar against the draft and slipped into the car.
“Luo Ying, let’s go on a date tonight.”
Lu Rang had changed into a casual round-neck sweater, revealing his fair neck. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he spoke.
“Huh?” Luo Ying stared at the Adam’s apple, momentarily dazed. “…Okay.”
Luo Ying had never been in a relationship before. He thought dating was like what was shown in TV dramas—having a meal, watching a movie, and then aimlessly strolling around.
And indeed, Lu Rang took him to dinner, but it was on a yacht in Haidu’s inner river.
Melodious piano music drifted from the cabin. Lu Rang held his hand as they boarded the yacht. The deck was strewn with vibrant flower petals, and several waitstaff stood respectfully at the cabin entrance to welcome them.
Inside the cabin, a round table was set, adorned with beautiful roses in a vase. A few scattered petals decorated the exquisite table setting.
Not far from the table stood a piano, where a pianist, with their back to them, played an elegant melody.
In the past, Luo Ying had only attended wild parties on yachts—crowded and lively. This was his first time experiencing such a quiet, romantic atmosphere.
It felt novel and unique.
In any case, he didn’t dislike it.
The waitstaff served the dishes in order according to the menu. Every dish brought to the table suited Luo Ying’s taste perfectly. Even the final nourishing soup was so good that he drank it down to the last ginseng and goji berry.
Lost in eating, Luo Ying looked up and met Lu Rang’s gaze.
Lu Rang rested his chin on his hand, his bright eyes clear and gentle, like a tranquil pool of water.
His eyes held a smile, as if the moonlight of the night had been shattered and scattered within them.
Luo Ying’s face seemed to have the reflection of starlight cast into that clear pool.
The piano music had changed at some point, now lighthearted and cheerful.
Their gazes met, and Luo Ying nervously licked his lips. The more he looked at Lu Rang’s face, the more captivated he became—it was as if this face had been crafted to perfectly embody his definition of beauty and handsomeness over the past twenty years.
A faint smile curled at the corner of Lu Rang’s lips. “Full?”
Luo Ying nodded. “Full.”
Lu Rang asked, “Was it good?”
Luo Ying, always honest in his assessments, replied, “Not bad.”
Lu Rang stood up and walked over to him, taking his hand. “Come with me. I want to show you something.”
Luo Ying stared blankly at their intertwined fingers, suddenly realizing that not only was his hand being held by Lu Rang, but his heart was too.
The yacht sailed away from the city and anchored in the middle of the river. The dark, flood-protected banks were an uninhabited area.
A little farther away was a vast open space, rumored to be where a developer was building a new amusement park.
The wind on the deck carried a chill, sobering Luo Ying’s slightly flushed face.
They leaned against the railing, admiring the starry sky.
“The sky in the suburbs is so much clearer and more beautiful than in the city,” Luo Ying couldn’t help but marvel, tilting his head back.
Lu Rang wasn’t admiring the night sky—his deep, captivating eyes were fixed solely on Luo Ying.
“Luo Ying, close your eyes.”
His vision was suddenly covered by a pair of large hands. His fluttering eyelashes were enveloped by warm palms, and Luo Ying’s breath hitched for a moment.
Time seemed to stop, the wind fell silent, and the world grew utterly still—only Luo Ying’s heart raced wildly.
He reached up to touch Lu Rang’s hands, trying to reclaim a bit of his sight.
“Don’t move,” Lu Rang’s voice was low and husky. “It’ll be quick.”
A massive explosion sounded in the distance. Lu Rang released his hands, and what filled Luo Ying’s vision was a sky full of blooming blue fireworks.
The blue light illuminated the night sky and the river’s surface. Sparks swirled in the air, forming one circle after another before bursting into countless fragments, drifting down from the night sky like dreamlike tassels.
As the ash in the sky dissipated, several more explosions followed. Golden flames leaped into the air before soaring upward.
A massive cluster of light bloomed outward into a dazzling silver flower, blossoming into more flowers within itself. Fireworks filled the entire sky, falling like a shower of stars against the dark backdrop.
At this moment, the stars in the sky paled in comparison.
Lu Rang’s gentle voice whispered in his ear, “Luo Ying, this time, the fireworks are just for you.”
Before the awe of the spectacle could fade, clusters of brilliant fireworks bloomed one after another.
His thoughts drifted back to that New Year’s Eve many years ago, when the city of Haidu had hosted a grand fireworks show.
Luo Ying and Lu Rang had skipped their holiday tutoring class and squeezed into the dense crowd to join the excitement.
The fireworks that night were magnificent, and the cheers and screams of the crowd nearly drowned out the sound of the explosions.
Uncomfortable in the crowded space, Luo Ying had been carefully sheltered in Lu Rang’s arms.
All he remembered was that, on the way back after the show, he had murmured how nice it would be to enjoy fireworks alone.
Back then, Lu Rang had simply walked quietly beside him, as silent as ever.
It turned out that all these years, Lu Rang had kept his words in his heart.