Sure enough, losing Duan Linrang’s protection meant Wen Qi hit wall after wall while trying to find a job.
The requirements either demanded at least three years of work experience or stipulated that applicants must be over twenty years old, with exceptionally stellar communication and teamwork skills.
Having just finished the college entrance examinations, Wen Qi had stepped only halfway into society. Yet, aside from rigid, textbook knowledge, his practical experience was minimal. At that moment, he finally understood why people always seemed to be on a path of setbacks and failures.
“Young Master, don’t worry. You can take your time finding a job,” Ding Tong said.
Wen Qi squatted in a corner of the shopping mall, holding a beverage that Duan Linrang had ordered for him from afar, and looked around at the passing crowd.
The volume of foot traffic was frighteningly large.
“Assistant Ding, how much do you make in a month working by Duan Linrang’s side?”
Ding Tong replied, “Our salaries are calculated on an annual basis.”
“Annual salary, huh?” Wen Qi nodded.
“Yes, an annual salary of three million.”
Wen Qi’s lips twitched slightly as he slowly raised a thumbs-up. “That just shows Assistant Ding has remarkable capability.”
“Not at all. My abilities still have room for improvement,” Ding Tong said.
“Then can you help me think of a way?”
Ding Tong answered immediately, his speech picking up speed. “In the short term, Young Master, you are much better suited to work related to gaming. For example, you could consider applying for a position at the fourth-floor gaming city. Since you have a deep understanding in this area, I am sure you can adapt very well.”
“Really?” Wen Qi had never thought playing games could be considered an advantage, but he decided to give the interview a try anyway, relying on his years of competitive gaming experience.
To his surprise, he passed the interview, and the salary was ten thousand.
The job duties were extremely simple: doing operations promotion and companion gaming for the gaming center, with the option to work either remotely from home or on-site at the office.
Unable to believe it, Wen Qi walked out of the gaming center in admiration. “I actually passed just like that? Assistant Ding, you really pointed me in the right direction.”
“You flatter me. Your bright spots will naturally be discovered. No matter how long you can walk down the path where your talents shine, you will always hold the greatest advantage.”
“The way you talk…” Wen Qi tilted his head. Ding Tong’s speaking style carried a very strong trace of Duan Linrang.
“What is it?”
“Nothing. You speak very nicely.”
As Wen Qi finished speaking, they took the escalator down to the first floor of the mall. Halfway down, it finally dawned on Wen Qi why he suddenly thought Ding Tong’s way of speaking resembled Duan Linrang’s.
Didn’t this indirectly reflect just how badly he missed Duan Linrang?
Wen Qi massaged his brow. Once Duan Linrang’s face surfaced in his mind, it could no longer be erased.
His brain seemed to generate an urge not to be separated from Duan Linrang for even a single second.
It was simply… driving him crazy.
Upon reaching the mall lobby, Wen Qi spotted a familiar face and stopped in his tracks.
The other person saw him, too.
A trace of a smile hung on Wen Wenyan’s lips, his charm radiating vividly through his eyebrows and eyes.
“Long time no see, Older Brother.” Wen Wenyan walked toward Wen Qi step by step.
Wen Wenyan’s appearance was a complete inheritance of Lu Ning, and his figure and height were just as slender and tall as Wen Qi’s. Before Wen Qi left the Wen family, whenever they attended any banquets, they inevitably became the focal point of the entire venue.
A cold, beautiful older brother and a bright, delicate younger brother—standing side by side, they were flawless.
Wen Jiangwu took immense pride in this; standing shoulder to shoulder, his two sons won him a great deal of glory. Yet, as for the so-called paternal love behind closed doors, Wen Qi never got to enjoy even half of it.
Wen Qi gave a faint smile. “Long time no see.”
Wen Wenyan patted Wen Qi’s shoulder, his voice filled with a faint sorrow. “Older Brother, you’ve lost weight again.”
“You don’t need to worry about that,” Wen Qi said, stepping back. “I’m leaving now.”
Wen Wenyan lowered his gaze, his slender hand grabbing hold of Wen Qi. “Goodbye, Older Brother. If you have time, please come home to visit, alright?”
“Sure, once I have time,” Wen Qi said. “Have fun.”
“Dad will be coming to keep me company, so I think I’ll be happy.” Wen Wenyan let go of him. “Your college entrance exam scores should be out by now, too. If you do well on the exam, Dad might agree to let you come back for a short stay.”
Without a word, Wen Qi walked out of the shopping mall.
Ding Tong drove the car over from the underground parking garage to Wen Qi and opened the door for him.
“Are you alright, Young Master?”
“I’m totally fine. It was just an ordinary greeting; I couldn’t care less.”
“I failed to speak up for you. This is my fault.”
Wen Qi shook his head. “It’s family business, you don’t need to blame yourself. Besides, he didn’t say anything harsh it was nothing more than flaunting his father.”
After twists and turns, Wen Qi finally returned home.
Duan Linrang had been waiting at home for a long time. The moment Wen Qi stepped through the door, Duan Linrang put down his work and stepped forward to greet him firmly. “Welcome home, Qiqi.”
In an instant, Wen Qi regained his breath. The gloom he had carried all the way melted away, and a ray of sunshine broke through.
The corners of his eyes curved into crescents. “What time did you get off work?”
“Just now. Ding Tong told me when you guys started heading back,” Duan Linrang answered. “Did you find a suitable job? Are you happy?”
“I am happy,” Wen Qi lifted his chin. “It’s just that too many things happened today; my brain capacity feels like it’s going to explode.”
Duan Linrang stroked his head, leaving the sentence unfinished.
Wen Qi spoke up first, “But coming back here and seeing you makes all the people and things I encountered fade away and vanish in an instant.”
It was Duan Linrang’s turn to be surprised. That wave of astonishment was hidden deep within his eyes, quickly replaced by a tender affection as he spoke softly, “So Qiqi wasn’t happy, right?”
Wen Qi pressed his lips together, and after a moment, he spoke up:
“I can’t really say whether I’m happy or not.”
Taking the initiative, Wen Qi expressed the general situation of what had happened.
Duan Linrang sat on the sofa, hooking his finger around Wen Qi’s pinky as he listened to every shade of emotion carried in Wen Qi’s words.
“Do you hate Wen Wenyan?” Duan Linrang gazed at the boy’s downcast eyes, which blinked continuously, breathtakingly beautiful.
Wen Qi blinked, pondering for a long time before letting out a long sigh.
“I don’t know. I can’t say I have to hate him just because Lu Ning is his mother, nor can I say I have to dislike him just because Wen Jiangwu loves to play favorites. What he said wasn’t wrong; he and I are even. If I hate him, I have to hate Xixi and their entire family.”
The capacity to love others was ultimately determined by Wen Jiangwu.
In the end, all of Wen Qi’s paternal love had been forcibly doubled and given to Wen Wenyan instead.
“It’s not like that,” Duan Linrang hooked his finger tighter. “Just as Qiqi said, you won’t hate the next person connected to someone simply because of that someone. Independent individuals give rise to different people. Similarly, if an independent individual you are dealing with does something that makes you repulsive, you will inevitably continue to feel an added hatred toward them.”
Wen Qi understood vaguely, speaking his mind candidly, “Talking to him—I hate that kind of feeling.”
Duan Linrang responded with a soft hum. “That means you don’t like this person. His mildness is just preparation for aiming his sharp thorns at others. The gentleness you saw was likely just a prelude.”
The pressure blocking Wen Qi’s chest dissipated with extreme speed, and he relaxed. “I think I… kind of get it now, huh.”
Duan Linrang’s attitude was earnest. “Our Qiqi is still too pure and kind.”
Wen Qi gritted his teeth. “No, I’m not.”
“Don’t be in such a rush to deny it.” Duan Linrang leaned closer to his blushing cheeks. “How can being pure not be a good thing?”
“I am not pure…” Wen Qi stammered, “You forgot what I said to you the day we met.”
“That’s different.”
“What? Pure in other ways?” Wen Qi tilted his head, his small head filled with massive confusion.
Duan Linrang’s voice was melodious, sounding so delightful that Wen Qi had reason to suspect he was trying to seduce him.
Duan Linrang said, “That’s right, pure to the point where I don’t even need to use sweet words.”
“Huh?”
Wen Qi looked at him.
Duan Linrang pinched Wen Qi’s warm cheek:
“For example: I like you so much. I love your kindness, your purity, and your beauty.”