Hiss.
Wei Chun kept gasping in pain as he followed [him] upstairs. Having overexerted himself earlier, it was not only the places where he had been hit that hurthis lower abdomen throbbed, too.
The little sprout inside him, which had refrained from causing trouble during his fight, chose this moment to settle old scores. It threw his lower belly into a violent turmoil, twisting so painfully that Wei Chun’s porcelain-white skin drained of all remaining color. Under the lights, he looked almost translucent, the only vivid color left on his face being the streak of wiped blood near the corner of his lips.
With his shoulder-length hair loosely falling over his shoulders, he resembled an exquisite ghost that only crawled out in the dead of night from afar.
That was precisely the sight that greeted Huo Yuanzhou when he saw him.
There’s a new surprise every time we meet, isn’t there?
Wei Chun gave an awkward smile. After glancing around nervously, he raised the lunch box he had brought with him.
He had not forgotten his persona as a virtuous spouse. When the head server offered to take him upstairs, he had deliberately turned back to retrieve the lunch box from his car.
Well, actually… I came to deliver a meal.
Huo Yuanzhou ignored his words and turned to ask the head server, Did all the chefs in the kitchen at Water Reflection Villa collectively resign?
The head server answered solemnly, No, sir.
Did you hear that? Only after receiving the answer did Huo Yuanzhou turn back to look at Wei Chun, saying, Come, let me see if your cooking skills can qualify you for a job in the kitchenand drive all our chefs out of Water Reflection Villa.
Obviously, they could not.
After opening the lunch box, Huo Yuanzhou fell silent for a long time while staring at the indescribable mass inside, feeling not the slightest urge to pick up his chopsticks.
Do you… believe in Cthulhu?
No, Wei Chun answered candidly. I believe in science.
Huo Yuanzhou glanced at him again, then back at the lunch box. I thought this box of indescribable matter was promotional material you prepared to recruit me into your cult.
Wei Chun gave another awkward smile. Well, how about we just order off the menu? I don’t think the kitchen staff has off-work yet.
Huo Yuanzhou did not address his suggestion. Instead, he turned his head to speak to Xue Mengchuan, who was still dazed and stunned aside, telling him to take the medical kit brought up by the head server and treat all of Wei Chun’s exposed wounds.
Xue Mengchuan moved quickly. Once he finished treating the injuries, he struck up a conversation with Wei Chun.
Hey, little guy, what’s your name? How old are you? Where do you live? How many people are in your family? What are your usual hobbies? What kind of person do you like? He was genuinely curiouswhat kind of Omega could make Huo Yuanzhou relent and admit was a suitable match?
However, Huo Yuanzhou kept a close eye on them the entire time. Seeing that the wounds were treated, he immediately kicked Xue Mengchuan out, abandoning his helper after getting what he needed.
Hey, wait! Can’t you just let me ask one more question?
No. Get out. Huo Yuanzhou gave him no chance to speak further and had him escorted straight out the door.
Hiding behind him, Wei Chun quietly let out a breath of relief. Xue Mengchuan was indeed a bit too enthusiastic; he could hardly handle it.
He looked up at Huo Yuanzhou. Who was that just now?
A lunatic. Huo Yuanzhou spared no face for Xue Mengchuan as he instructed Wei Chun, If you see him on the street next time, stay far away. Be careful he doesn’t go wild and bite you.
Oh.
Silence fell upon the room once more. Both men had their own thoughts and were pondering how to break the ice, resulting in a moment where neither spoke. In the empty private room, apart from the sound of running water beneath the bridge, there was only the soft breeze from the air vent.
Wei Chun pondered for a moment. Since he was the one asking for a favor after all, he could not expect Huo Yuanzhou to speak first. Pressing his fingers lightly against his wine glass, he weighed the matter he wanted to discuss before asking, Um… are you going home to stay tonight?
Huo Yuanzhou: Yes.
Not working overtime today?
No, Huo Yuanzhou said. I’m going on a business trip tomorrow, so I’m going home tonight to pick up some things.
Oh, I see. Wei Chun tried his best to engage in awkward small talk. Where are you going?
Nancheng.
Nancheng?!
His tone was so surprised that Huo Yuanzhou could not help but cast a glance at him. What’s wrong?
N-nothing, Wei Chun subconsciously shook his head, then hurriedly nodded again. Wait, actually, I do have something.
What is it?
Wei Chun looked at him, biting his lower lip again as he weighed in his mind whether now was a good time to bring it up.
He had originally planned to bring the lunch box to put on an act of being a virtuous spouse, boost his good impression while Huo Yuanzhou was slightly tipsy after socializing, and then take the opportunity to make his request and ask about the Nancheng project.
Now, however, the plan was completely ruined. Not only had the meal delivery failed, but his fight outside had also been caught red-handed. The image of a virtuous spouse had failed to materialize entirely.
If he brought up wanting to join the Nancheng project now, would Huo Yuanzhou really agree to it?
Yet if he did not mention it, Huo Yuanzhou would head straight to Nancheng for his business trip tomorrow. By the time Huo Yuanzhou returned, the die might already be cast, and it would be too late for him to do anything.
Seeing his conflicted expression, Huo Yuanzhou did not interrupt him. He raised his hand and casually stirred the sautéed greens on the table with his chopsticks, paused, but ultimately refrained from picking up any food, putting the chopsticks back down instead.
He then shifted the topic, I heard from Cheng Yu that you’ve been asking about Nancheng?
Wei Chun froze for a moment. Ah…
Huo Yuanzhou laid it out directly, Is it because the Wei family is among the candidate partners?
There was no point in hiding it. Wei Chun hesitated for a moment before nodding honestly. I heard from others that the person responsible for the project coordination is my sister?
Mm. Cheng Yu told you, right? Huo Yuanzhou had already thoroughly investigated the Wei family members when Wei Chun first showed up at his door. His secretary had specifically drawn a circle around Wei Zhen’s name with an added note: Extremely close relationship. Wei Chun’s question at this moment further corroborated that notetheir relationship was extremely close, which was why she was always the first person he thought of.
He did not continue discussing the project, merely pushing the tableware to the side. Have you had dinner yet?
Wei Chun shook his head. No, I’ll eat when I get back. He needed to manage his weight, so he had refrained from eating outside for a long time; even at the Huo residence, he stuck to reduced-fat meals arranged with the chef.
Huo Yuanzhou pushed the menu tablet on the table toward him. Eating too late is bad for your health. Eat here.
Unable to refuse, Wei Chun could only take the tablet, scrolling through it with his less injured hand. Though his head was lowered to look at the screen, his thoughts had long drifted back to Huo Yuanzhou, his mind consumed with how to get him to peel off his inhibitor patch.
Having met its biological father, the little sprout inside him was no longer as restless as it had been in the afternoon, but the faint scent of pheromones leaking into the air would not last much longer.
What’s wrong with your left hand?
Noticing that his left hand had remained completely motionless the entire time, Huo Yuanzhou’s brow furrowed tightly. The surveillance footage had not been very clear; by the time he turned on the monitor, the fight was already ending, showing only Wei Chun crooking his finger to provoke everyone. Can’t you lift your left hand?
It’s nothing serious. Wei Chun did not really want to elaborate on it, fearing that another disagreement would result in being dragged to the hospital again. I just bumped it a moment ago. I’ll just rest for a few days when I get back.
Huo Yuanzhou said, Go to the hospital after ordering. I’ll have the chefs prepare the dishes and send them straight there.
Wei Chun said, There’s really no need. When I was younger and still lived down there, I used to fight with people all the time, so I learned how to gauge my injuries long ago. I know what I’m doing; it’s just a bump. It won’t hurt in a few days…
Huo Yuanzhou lifted his eyelids to look at Wei Chun. He had a classic deep-set facial structure with prominent brow bones and a high nose bridge, making him look somewhat intimidating when expressionless. At this moment, his brow was furrowed into a tight frown, his dark pupils staring silently at Wei Chun.
Under his gaze, Wei Chun’s voice grew smaller and smaller as he offered a pale explanation, I already tried it myself on my way upstairs. Once the initial shock wore off, I could lift my hand normally. It just hurts a little, probably a soft tissue contusion…
Probably? Huo Yuanzhou’s voice was deep and slightly raspy, his tone ambiguous as to whether he was angry or not. He simply stared at Wei Chun for a moment before reaching out to touch Wei Chun’s left hand on his own initiative. Does it hurt?
It did hurt, but seeing Huo Yuanzhou’s expression, Wei Chun did not dare to tell the truth. Holding it in, he said, It doesn’t hurt.
How about now? He applied a bit of force.
Hiss… Wei Chun could not help but gasp.
Huo Yuanzhou released his grip and stood up. Let’s go. The assistant’s car is downstairs. If you don’t want to go to the hospital, go back and have the private doctor look at it.