Huo Junnian watched from the side for a while before leaving silently. It was not until midday, when it was time for lunch, that he reappeared.
He went out again but did not see Jiang Ling at the secretariat. Just as he was about to make a phone call, the youth’s clear voice rang out from behind him.
“Hey, are you looking for me?”
Huo Junnian turned around to see Jiang Ling with one hand in his pocket, leaning lazily against the doorway.
“Yes, I was looking for you,” he said. “It is time for lunch. I am taking you to eat.”
He walked toward Jiang Ling as he spoke.
Jiang Ling tilted his chin up and said with a bit of swagger, “Let us go then.” Having worked for half the day, he was already hungry and lacked the energy to keep up his persona. He acted however felt comfortable, giving off a relaxed, casual air.
Huo Junnian raised an eyebrow slightly. “Wait a moment.”
“Who else are we waiting for?” Jiang Ling frowned, a hint of dissatisfaction in his tone.
Huo Junnian’s expression remained unchanged, but his hand gripped the youth’s arm. With a slight tug, he pulled him over, locking him in an embrace. While the youth was in a state of panic, Huo Junnian used his index and middle fingers to pinch and gently tug at the soft flesh on Jiang Ling’s cheek.
Jiang Ling was momentarily stunned.
The slight sting of the pull on his cheek snapped him back to his senses. He began to struggle, but then Huo Junnian’s lowered, warning voice sounded near his ear. “Little fellow, who are you calling ‘hey’?”
The man’s voice was hoarse and magnetic, yet it carried an inexplicable hint of danger. Jiang Ling’s body stiffened, and his struggling grew weak.
“It seems your uncle needs to personally teach you a lesson in etiquette.”
Jiang Ling’s pupils trembled. He swallowed nervously, his eyes filled with panic. “How, how do you plan to teach me?”
The door to the secretariat was not closed. Through the frosted glass, figures could be seen moving about. If anyone walked by, they could easily see what was happening inside. To have such words whispered in his ear at this time and place felt inexplicably suggestive.
His cheek felt a bit sore from the pinch, and the flesh over his heart suddenly began to throb with a strange, aching sensation. Blood slowly rushed from the soles of his feet upward. The sound of the man’s breathing in his ear was like a feather constantly stroking his heartbeat.
As a high school student who had never been in a relationship, this was an immense challenge.
Thump-thump, thump-thump!
“Ahhhh!” He could not take it anymore.
Jiang Ling raised a hand to cover his nose, broke free from the man’s hold with great force, and bolted outside as if fleeing for his life.
He ran straight to the restroom. After turning on the faucet, he looked at himself in the mirror. Fortunately, he had not embarrassed himself by having a nosebleed in front of the man this time. However, it was not much better; the youth in the mirror had a flushed face and a chest heaving with heavy breaths.
“Dammit!” Jiang Ling lowered his head and immediately splashed cold water on his face.
He quickly steadied his breathing, knowing he could not stay in the restroom for too long. Just as he stepped out, he ran into Huo Junnian, who had followed him and was staring at him silently.
Jiang Ling’s scalp went numb under the gaze. He steadied his mind and feigned composure. “What is it?”
“Why did you run just now?”
If he did not run, was he supposed to stay there and make a fool of himself?
“Were you not about to deal with me?” Jiang Ling said expressionlessly. “If I do not run, am I supposed to just stay there and let you do whatever you want? Am I that obedient?”
That reasoning was flawless. Jiang Ling continued, “Besides, there are so many people outside. It would be embarrassing if someone saw!”
Huo Junnian looked at the youth’s self-righteous expression and pushed aside the doubts in his heart. “Then why did you run to the restroom?”
Jiang Ling looked over with a strange expression. “To use the toilet, obviously. Why else would I come to the restroom? It is not like I came here to…”
“Alright, stop talking.” Huo Junnian interrupted him before he could finish. “It is late. Let us go downstairs to eat first.”
After Jiang Ling’s explanation, Huo Junnian stopped doubting him. Jiang Ling let out a secret sigh of relief. He cleared his throat and said, “Let us go. I am hungry too.”
He followed behind Huo Junnian toward the elevator, his eyes cast down at the floor. Luckily, he had reacted quickly enough.
Inside the elevator, Huo Junnian asked, “Do you want to go out to eat, or stay here at the company?”
“Does the company have a cafeteria?”
Huo Junnian nodded. “Yes, the food is quite good.”
“Then let us not go anywhere. We will eat here. I worked for you for half the day without pay; it is only fair that I get an employee meal out of you.”
Huo Junnian laughed. “Fine, let us go then. If you find staying here suitable, you can come for an internship during the summer break after your exams.”
Jiang Ling was pleasantly surprised. “Will I get paid? I do not work for free.”
Huo Junnian had not expected Jiang Ling to care about that. He chuckled and said, “Of course. You can rest assured your uncle will pay you.”
“That is more like it.” Jiang Ling tilted his chin up, looking a bit haughty with his hands in his pockets. “I am telling you now, I will not come if the salary is too low.”
While they were talking, the elevator doors opened. Just as Jiang Ling raised his foot to step out, a large palm pressed against his back, fingers steady against his spine.
“Stand properly. Do not slouch.”
Jiang Ling’s body stiffened instantly, and he instinctively straightened his back. He quickly reacted, frowning and trying to nudge the man away with his elbow, but it had no effect.
Huo Junnian did not miss these small movements. He tapped his finger against the stiff spine and said, “Were you not quite obedient before? I actually wish you would keep pretending. Be good. Take your hands out of your pockets.”
Huo Junnian withdrew his hand. Because of the angle, he could not see the expression on the youth’s face.
“You have to control everything,” he heard the youth mutter with a hint of impatience. However, he also noticed that despite his impatience, Jiang Ling quickly took his hands out of his pockets. Even his posture became much more upright than before.
A bit reckless, but quite obedient. The corners of Huo Junnian’s mouth curled up involuntarily, and his eyes filled with a trace of a smile.
“Hurry up, I am starving,” Jiang Ling urged, walking toward the cafeteria counter.
Because he had used a lot of brainpower that day, Jiang Ling took a lot of food. Huo Junnian looked at the table full of dishes and felt a flash of surprise. “Can you finish all that? Is this not a bit much for the two of us?”
Jiang Ling looked up at him. “Are you looking down on me?”
Huo Junnian laughed and explained, “Of course not. If you can finish it, you can eat as much as you want.”
Jiang Ling started eating with his chopsticks, saying confidently, “Do not worry. I can finish it.”
During his time away, he had done a lot of manual labor at the shop. He ate a lot and burned a lot. Plus, he was still growing, so he digested quickly and got hungry easily.
Huo Junnian finished one bowl of rice and stopped, sitting quietly to accompany Jiang Ling. When he saw Jiang Ling clear every plate on the table, he suddenly realized that when Jiang Ling had gone out to eat with him before, the boy had never actually eaten his fill.
So even his eating was part of the act? Huo Junnian wanted to laugh. He can really put on a show. He had to admit, the kid was quite meticulous.
“Are you full?”
Jiang Ling resisted the urge to burp, thinking it would not be aesthetic. He nodded, took a large gulp of water from the glass next to him, and said, “I am full.”
Huo Junnian pulled a napkin and handed it over with a smile. “Here, wipe your mouth.”
Jiang Ling took it naturally. “Thanks.”
“Now that you are full, do you want to go back and rest? There is a lounge inside the office where you can take a nap.”
Jiang Ling’s eyes lit up. “Sure!” He knew it; his father’s office had a lounge, so how could Huo Junnian’s not have one? He was curious where the lounge was hidden. He had not noticed it during his previous visit.
Back in the office, Jiang Ling watched Huo Junnian press a spot on the smooth wall, and a hidden door quickly appeared.
Jiang Ling’s eyes widened. “That is quite well hidden!” Thinking of something, he suddenly turned his head and looked at Huo Junnian strangely. “Why make the lounge so hidden? Are you planning to keep a mistress here?”
The moment he finished the sentence, he felt a flick on his head. Jiang Ling clutched his head and looked at the man accusingly. “Why did you hit me?”
Huo Junnian could not help but laugh. He really wanted to see what went on inside Jiang Ling’s head all day. “Is that all you think about? What ‘mistress’? Do not use idioms blindly just because you know a few. Do you not think this design fits the overall style? I do not like people prying into my privacy; a lounge needs a private and quiet environment.”
Jiang Ling entered the lounge and looked around curiously. It was a one-bedroom suite. He went into the bedroom and noticed the decor was much warmer than the office. He sat down on the large bed in the middle of the room and even pressed it with his hands. It was quite soft; it should be comfortable to sleep on.
His gaze swept across the soft, clean bed and then landed on Huo Junnian. He asked without hesitation, “Has anyone else ever slept on this bed besides you?”
“…”
Huo Junnian did not know what to say. He frowned slightly and called the youth by his full name. “Jiang Ling!”
Jiang Ling knew when to stop. “Okay, I got it.” The bed was clean; no one else had slept on it. At the thought of this, Jiang Ling’s mood improved significantly. He fell backward and lay down. “I must say, this bed really is comfortable.”
Huo Junnian laughed at the youth’s happy expression. He nudged the boy’s sneakers with his foot and said with feigned seriousness, “You can sleep on the bed, but you must take off your shoes. Go change into slippers and wash your feet.”
“Am I that unhygienic?” Jiang Ling was indignant. He did a kip-up, jumped off the bed, and stood directly in front of Huo Junnian.
Their eyes met. Jiang Ling looked into those deep, gentle eyes and soon looked away. “I will wash them then.” He walked to the door to change into slippers.
When he returned, he saw Huo Junnian walking toward the door and instinctively grabbed him. Huo Junnian turned around, surprised. “What is it?”
“Where are you going?” Jiang Ling pursed his lips and looked down, not daring to meet the man’s eyes. “This, this bed is quite large. I cannot take up all this space by myself.”
Huo Junnian understood what Jiang Ling meant. He smiled and said, “Do not worry about me. I am not sleepy right now, and I have some work to finish. You rest here first, and I will come in to wake you up when it is time.”
That made sense. Jiang Ling said with a hint of disappointment, “Go to your work then.”
Huo Junnian saw this and a slight smile appeared on his lips. Although the youth said he should go to work, there was no smile on his face, and he had not let go of the man’s clothes. This did not look like he was willing at all.
Perhaps because the youth was showing a rare bit of obedience, Huo Junnian’s heart softened. He reached out to pat the youth’s black hair and said softly, “What, are you afraid to sleep here alone?”
“As if!” Jiang Ling wanted to argue, but the moment he looked up, he was met with those gentle eyes. The words died in his throat. He felt the warm palm gently stroking his head, over and over, with the same gentleness one would use on a kitten.
The expression on Huo Junnian’s face reminded Jiang Ling of how he looked when he was petting Bai Mo.
So, is Huo Junnian cherishing me right now?
Jiang Ling was not sure, but his feelings were complicated. He quickly changed his mind. Resisting the scalp-numbing reaction to being petted, he recalled Bai Mo’s usual reactions and decided to act.
Since their height difference was not that large, Jiang Ling could not hug the man’s leg like Bai Mo did, so he hugged his arm instead. The movement was a bit stiff. Jiang Ling did not speak; he just kept getting closer, deliberately lowering his head and burying it in the man’s shoulder. He used his hand behind his back to pinch his own thigh hard, biting his lip and letting out a muffled groan.
Huo Junnian was already at a loss when Jiang Ling leaned in silently. The hand that had been patting the boy’s head was now suspended in mid-air. He looked down at the youth buried in his shoulder, and hearing that muffled groan, he immediately asked with concern, “Ah Ling, what is wrong?”
“I am afraid!” The youth’s voice was thick, sounding as light as a whisper, as if he were suppressing something. Although it was only three words, Huo Junnian’s heart skipped a beat.
Jiang Ling felt the timing was right and looked up. His clear eyes were rimmed with a bit of moisture. He looked directly into the man’s eyes and said, “What kind of boss is so busy he has to work overtime every day? Do not lie to me. Even if you have work, it will not hurt to take a little time. If you leave, there is no point in me staying here to rest. I might as well work overtime with you.”
Huo Junnian looked at the stubbornness in Jiang Ling’s eyes and did not know what to say. He let his hand fall back onto the youth’s head and said with a pampered tone, “You, I really cannot do anything with you. Go lie down on the bed.”
Having achieved his goal, Jiang Ling’s face broke into a smile he could not hide. He immediately let go and happily walked toward the bathroom.
“Maybe I will take a shower. I got quite a bit of dust on me today. Since Uncle loves cleanliness so much, I would be embarrassed to get your bed dirty.”
“Suit yourself,” Huo Junnian said, raising an eyebrow. “Pajamas and robes are in the closet. Do what you like.”
“Alright!”
Jiang Ling opened the closet, and a faint woody fragrance immediately wafted out. He closed his eyes and inhaled; it was the same scent as Huo Junnian. There were not many clothes in the closet; just three sets: a suit, pajamas, and a robe hanging on the outside.
His gaze lingered between the pajamas and the robe, and his ears began to burn.
So, when it is time to put on an act, I still have to do it.