Xiaoyun was taking a shower in Zhaofu’s office.
The facilities in Wen Zhaofu’s office were complete. Yunfan thought while showering that if it weren’t for the old butler insisting that Wen Zhaofu come home for meals, he would probably just live at the company.
While Yunfan was showering, Wen Zhaofu sat in the outer room the entire time. He looked at the stock market information on the computer screen, the red and green lines making his eyes dizzy.
He pinched the bridge of his nose, realizing that Yunfan had stirred his desire. He wouldn’t be ashamed to admit it he was just afraid of scaring Yunfan.
No one would come looking for him at this hour. He had arranged for his assistant to guard the door, and no one was allowed in.
The sound of water was too clear, pounding against Wen Zhaofu’s eardrums. An image of Yunfan, drenched and wet, flashed before his eyes. He quickly shut them, not daring to think further.
Since Yunfan had come to his side, he had seen a vibrant life. Yunfan loved life and was full of whimsy he liked that kind of vitality.
From childhood to now, Wen Zhaofu had followed too many rules. Rule-abiding people only struck him as normal, but Yunfan made his heart surge.
He envied the sense of ease Yunfan carried. Perhaps he would never be able to achieve that state in his lifetime.
So before today, Wen Zhaofu had thought of Yunfan as a treasure that had suddenly descended into his life.
But today, he realized he had developed other, more intimate thoughts about Yunfan. Then Yunfan was no longer just a treasure he was a precious gem.
“Mr. Zhaofu, I’m done washing!” A cheerful voice rang out. Wen Zhaofu looked up and smiled at his precious gem.
“Just a moment the clothes will be here soon.” Wen Zhaofu picked up the phone and asked again whether the new clothes had been purchased.
In Wen Zhaofu’s presence, Yunfan didn’t dare act out of line. He obediently sat down and drank a cup of hot tea at just the right temperature.
He had assumed Wen Zhaofu was busy with work, but when Yunfan set down his cup, he noticed Wen Zhaofu was looking at him.
“Sir?” Yunfan tilted his head slightly, looking over with a puzzled expression.
Only then did Wen Zhaofu snap back to attention: “About the afternoon tea don’t be nervous. Don’t put pressure on yourself because of me.”
Yunfan was quite surprised. Wen Zhaofu had actually seen right through him. But he couldn’t bring himself to say anything about slacking off right now after all, Wen Zhaofu had treated him well.
Well, to be honest, Wen Zhaofu was the one holding the purse strings.
“You’ve done very well in the days since you arrived. The Wen residence truly needs new vitality.” Wen Zhaofu smiled faintly.
Yunfan had never seen Wen Zhaofu stand up, yet he had never felt that the man who remained in his wheelchair was any different from anyone else.
On the contrary, he always felt that Wen Zhaofu was so imposing, possessing an immense sense of control.
Yunfan had never met anyone like this before, and he didn’t know whether he could handle it.
“Alright, sir. I’ll work hard.” Yunfan replied.
The new clothes arrived, and Yunfan went into the inner room to change quickly. Now that he was warm and cozy, Yunfan was in a good mood and unconsciously began humming a tune.
When he walked out of the inner room, he saw that Wen Zhaofu wasn’t working. He was holding a black bow tie in his hand, lost in thought.
“Come here let me put it on for you.” Wen Zhaofu smiled at Yunfan.
Yunfan paused in surprise, then after a moment of mental preparation, walked toward Wen Zhaofu. He bent down slightly, looking into Wen Zhaofu’s eyes.
As he drew closer, Yun Fan noticed that Wen Zhaofu’s eye color was slightly lighter than most people’s. Yun Fan thought, no wonder when he watched him smoke cigars or talk to others, there was always a hint of nonchalance about him. But now that they were the only two in the room, that gaze became unusually focused.
It was deep too deep for Yun Fan to see through.
Having weathered several years in the corporate world, Yun Fan wasn’t intimidated by his boss, but at this moment, meeting Wen Zhaofu’s eyes, his heart gave a sudden tremor.
He thought, he probably couldn’t withstand this man.
Wen Zhaofu raised his hand and pressed it against the back of Yun Fan’s neck. Though his expression betrayed nothing, he knew well that there was a hint of restlessness in his heart.
“Come, a little closer.” The words Wen Zhaofu spoke remained gentle.
Yun Fan lowered his eyes, no longer meeting Wen Zhaofu’s gaze. Wen Zhaofu let out a soft chuckle, and with nimble fingers, he fastened the bow tie for Yun Fan in a few quick moves.
Throughout this process, Wen Zhaofu remained seated in his wheelchair, only straightening his upper body slightly.
“Xiao Yun.” Wen Zhaofu’s fingers pressed on one corner of the bow tie a position very close to Yun Fan’s Adam’s apple.
“Yes, sir.” Yun Fan responded instinctively, lifting his eyes to look at Wen Zhaofu.
Wen Zhaofu met Yun Fan’s gaze once more. Those bright, dark eyes made it impossible for him to look away. With an air of casualness, he traced a circle on the bow tie with his finger.
“Recently, have you been in contact with Cheng and Liu?” Wen Zhaofu asked.
So that’s what this was about. Yun Fan breathed a sigh of relief, though he couldn’t explain what he had been nervous about just moments before.
Wen Zhaofu withdrew his hand, and Yun Fan straightened up: “Yes, Young Master Liu sends me messages every day.”
“What does he send?” Wen Zhaofu raised an eyebrow, his left hand clenching into a fist.
Yun Fan smiled: “Some funny videos.”
Wen Zhaofu nodded knowingly: “You two really do get along. What about Cheng Yu?”
Yun Fan tilted his head: “Young Master Cheng asked me for the recipe for the smoked fish. He said it tasted better than what he’d had in Shanghai.”
Liu Erxing’s actions didn’t surprise Wen Zhaofu, but he hadn’t expected Cheng Yu to take the initiative as well. He smiled again: “Let’s head out. The timing is just right.”
Stepping out of the Wen Group building, Yun Fan hurriedly took deep breaths. Good heavens, if he hadn’t known the plot, he would have thought Wen Zhaofu was about to start an office romance with him just now!
The Golden Crown Restaurant, under the Wen Group’s umbrella, was located in the most bustling district crowds coming and going, business thriving.
This was the enterprise that Wen Zhaofu’s great-grandfather, Wen Zuhua, had built when he made his fortune in Hong Kong. Over the years, no matter what the Wen family had gone through, they had never considered selling this place.
No matter what signature dishes the Golden Crown Restaurant’s new chefs had before, once they arrived here, they all had to first learn the restaurant’s traditional recipes.
Because Grandma loved to eat, she would come from time to time, sitting by the window on the second floor, staying for an entire afternoon.
The staff at the restaurant passed down the story through generations, how Grandma used to sit right there, watching her husband bustle about.
As soon as he arrived at the Golden Crown Restaurant, Yun Fan heard this story. Honestly, he was quite moved, because having interacted with Grandma, he could feel the affection within this tale.
But seeing that the old butler and Uncle Man showed no reaction, he could only smile.
The Golden Crown Restaurant had undergone several renovations over the years, yet it still maintained its original layout and decor. Business remained decent, but compared to the Wen Group’s other ventures, it wasn’t particularly outstanding.
“Master Zhaofu says he won’t shut this place down,” the old steward murmured. “Even if the matriarch passes away, he won’t close it.”
Yun Fan thought of Wen Zhaofu’s eyes, deep as an ancient well, and shuddered. “Maybe coming here is how you understand where the Wen family comes from.”
“What, has the eldest young master said the same to you?” The old steward paused mid-step and looked up at Yun Fan. “That’s exactly what he said.”
“No, no, I was just guessing.” Yun Fan quickly shook his head.
The restaurant had arranged for their head chef of tea snacks and desserts to receive them. Uncle Man knew him well he came here often to learn.
Brother Lu was on a completely different scale of build from Uncle Man; standing beside him, he even looked somewhat petite. But Brother Lu spoke with great vigor and clear logic. Yun Fan absolutely adored him. Compared to his former bosses and colleagues, Brother Lu didn’t waste a single word.
“Actually, the old lady’s keeping the mansion’s afternoon tea is indeed her way of missing Old Master Wen. In the past, they’d work together from dawn until noon, then sit down for something to eat in the afternoon that was their most relaxed time.”
“And now, the old lady uses this method to unite the Wen family. So, she takes it very seriously.”
Yun Fan nodded. The old steward patted his arm. “You understand now, right? This time, you carry a heavy responsibility. So, follow the requirements closely and don’t do anything reckless.”
Before they left, they even got to eat durian pancakes. The skin was thin yet chewy, and the filling of fruit and cream was sweet and delicious.
The old steward refused to eat any, saying he’d never liked durian since childhood. So Yun Fan ate his portion too, so fragrant he nearly burped.
“Food lasts but a moment; what remains is the memory of eating it,” Brother Lu said meaningfully as they were leaving.
Thinking about those words, Yun Fan sat again in the cramped back seat of the sports car. Once in the car, he told the old steward, “Uncle Cheng, please don’t open the sunroof again! The sky looks like it’s about to rain.”
“I know, I know!” the old steward replied, starting the engine.
Along the way, all kinds of scenery rushed past. Drifting seawater, dense trees, and hurried pedestrians weren’t all there was to this place. Behind the rows of towering high-rises stood low village houses. Many images overlapped here the memories of different people.
Memories,
When they arrived at Wen Yanlan Manor, Yun Fan had an idea. He patted the driver’s seat. “Uncle Cheng, I want to make afternoon tea blind boxes!”