Hearing Lü Yuanyuan’s words, Lin Zhao recalled the messages Lü Yuanyuan had sent him previously.
At the time, Lü Yuanyuan had also told him to be vigilant against the people around him.
It was just that there were too many messages back then, most of which were sent by people inquiring about Lin Zhao’s identity.
So Lin Zhao hadn’t replied to any of them, choosing to hide away for some peace and quiet.
Now that he was asked, Lin Zhao felt a bit embarrassed.
“Sorry, these past few days I…” Lin Zhao’s voice carried an apologetic tone, but before he could finish speaking.
He saw Lü Yuanyuan waving his hand dismissively toward him.
After all, this wasn’t Lü Yuanyuan’s first day knowing Lin Zhao.
Lü Yuanyuan’s previously downcast brows and eyes quickly brightened up again the moment he saw Lin Zhao in front of him:
“It’s nothing, Zhaozhao, I believe you weren’t doing it on purpose.”
“I’ll take you to find a waiter first; the waiter should know where the private room is.” Lü Yuanyuan proactively offered to lead the way.
His pair of eyes looked at Lin Zhao all bright and sparkling, leaving Lin Zhao with no way to refuse a second time.
Lin Zhao merely felt that this would trouble Lü Yuanyuan somewhat, since Lü Yuanyuan was in the middle of a gathering, and leaving midway like this seemed rather inappropriate.
“How about you tell me the general direction, and I’ll go myself? Your friends are all still waiting for you!”
Lin Zhao proposed softly.
Yet he never expected Lü Yuanyuan to directly reach out and grab his wrist, boisterously leading Lin Zhao back the way they came while saying nonchalantly: “No need, Zhaozhao needs me more right now, they’ll have a better time without me!”
The corridors here were intricate and winding, coupled with the villa’s expansive mountainous terrain; only areas with frequent foot traffic had schematic diagrams and road signs.
If Lin Zhao kept walking like this, he probably wouldn’t find his bearings even after searching for an hour or two.
Lü Yuanyuan had been here for two or three days already, and had memorized most of the routes.
“Then sorry to trouble you, Yuanyuan!”
The further back they walked, the more Lü Yuanyuan noticed that the corridors Lin Zhao had traversed were quite numerous, plus the surrounding artificial rockeries and bamboo groves all looked nearly identical.
It was no wonder he got lost.
Lü Yuanyuan led Lin Zhao out of this area.
Different sounds gradually began to emerge around them.
Such as the murmuring of stream water and the occasional bird call.
Only then did Lin Zhao snap back to his senses.
They had finally made it out.
“Zhaozhao, before I sent you a message, I went to look for you, but the Lin family said you were at the Fu family’s… Are you alright? Are you really planning to leave the Lin family?”
Lü Yuanyuan’s voice carried a hint of inner conflict.
He knew Lin Zhao might not want to discuss this issue.
Yet what Lü Yuanyuan ultimately desired was to be able to gradually get closer to Lin Zhao and understand what was on Lin Zhao’s mind.
At the very least, he would first become a trusted friend of Lin Zhao’s.
“Yuanyuan, I’ve already left the Lin family, and furthermore, I’m doing quite well right now. Brother Fu gave me a job and also let me stay at the Fu family residence.” Lin Zhao glanced at Lü Yuanyuan.
In Lü Yuanyuan’s eyes burned intense worry. Catching sight of the person before him, Lin Zhao’s heart softened, and he told Lü Yuanyuan about his recent status.
Lin Zhao genuinely felt that things were pretty good right now.
Yet in Lü Yuanyuan’s eyes, this kind of life was treating Lin Zhao with injustice.
Clearly, he was the pampered young master of the Lin family, but now he had become an employee living under someone else’s roof.
Lin Zhao ought to be held in the palms of people’s hands.
Loved and looked up to by everyone.
“Zhaozhao, I know you and President Fu have known each other since childhood, but I always feel…” Lü Yuanyuan looked anxiously at Lin Zhao in front of him.
“Zhaozhao.” Fu Yansheng’s voice came drifting over from not far away.
Hearing the voice, Lü Yuanyuan immediately cut off his sentence, his gaze falling upon Fu Yansheng. Even though the man was wearing an overcoat and looked quite casual, lacking the oppressive aura typical of the business world.
Catching sight of Fu Yansheng, Lin Zhao’s eyes lit up with a hint of pleasant surprise, the entire demeanor about him becoming vibrant and animated.
“Brother Fu!”
Remembering that Lü Yuanyuan seemed to want to say something just a moment ago, Lin Zhao turned his head and asked with confusion in his eyes: “Yuanyuan, what were you wanting to say just now?”
With the person in question right here, what dared Lü Yuanyuan say?
He could only purse his lips and shake his head.
“Then I’m heading off first, Yuanyuan, thank you so much! If it weren’t for you, I’d probably still be wandering around for another hour or two.” Lin Zhao said sincerely, smiling at Lü Yuanyuan.
“Then I won’t disturb your return to the gathering anymore, bye-bye~”
Watching Fu Yansheng wave at him, Lin Zhao walked briskly over to Fu Yansheng’s side, then turned around and waved at Lü Yuanyuan.
As if bidding farewell to Lü Yuanyuan.
Lü Yuanyuan waved back with a smile, watching as Fu Yansheng led Lin Zhao away.
The smile on his face gradually faded and turned cold as the two of them walked further and further away.
Growing calm once more.
Fu Yansheng glanced sideways at Lin Zhao beside him.
“I waited for you for quite a while, but when you didn’t show up, I had someone check the surveillance footage and found out you had walked this way.”
Hearing this, Lin Zhao pouted, looking somewhat aggrieved as he gestured with his hands to describe the corridor he took when he first came out.
“I clearly remembered turning right, but when I came out, I found the path was wrong.”
Watching Lin Zhao gesture, Fu Yansheng’s brows and eyes softened with a touch of gentleness: “It’s all my fault for letting you go out alone.”
Hearing this, Lin Zhao hurriedly refuted: “No way, there aren’t even any road signs on this path; if there had been just one, I would have found it!”
He didn’t mention at all that he had wandered around for such a long time.
Pinning all the blame on the road signs.
Lin Zhao was still gesticulating about all the various encounters he had while getting lost.
Fu Yansheng listened to Lin Zhao talk the entire time, chiming in with an occasional “en,” showing no dissatisfaction whatsoever.
“Brother Fu, are we heading back to the courtyard?”
Lin Zhao looked at the surrounding path, which looked similar to the paths near their courtyard, but since Lin Zhao had been lost for a short while, he wasn’t entirely certain now.
Hehe.
Fu Yansheng let out an “en”: “I had someone send the meals over to the courtyard. It’s going to get foggy in the mountains later, so we might take the wrong path if we go back then.”
Hearing that they might take the wrong path, Lin Zhao merely let out an “oh.”
Then, he cautiously inquired: “Will the waiters walk the wrong path too?”
Fu Yansheng gave an “en”: “I heard that after opening, it gets foggy at night, and quite a few waiters took the wrong paths.”
Hearing this, a smile bloomed on Lin Zhao’s face.
Fu Yansheng just had to take one glance to understand what Lin Zhao was thinking.
Since even the waiters would take the wrong path, then as a mere newly arrived guest, taking the wrong path was nothing to be ashamed of!
Thinking along these lines, Lin Zhao’s heart felt slightly more balanced.
Lanterns were lit up in the courtyard, and mist rose on all sides.
Having changed into his bathrobe, Lin Zhao pushed open the door and gazed at the scenery outside. The biting cold air poured into the room, causing Lin Zhao to shiver, and he shifted his focus to the private hot spring in the courtyard.
A screen stood in the middle of the private spring, separating it.
Hot mist billowed over the pool. Just by getting a little closer, the heat chased away the chill surrounding Lin Zhao.
Holding a tablet in his hand, Fu Yansheng was dealing with urgent documents sent over by his assistant’s office. Hearing the door open and then feeling the cold wind blow in.
Lin Zhao’s health wasn’t good; Fu Yansheng was just about to tell Lin Zhao not to court the cold.
Lifting his gaze, he saw Lin Zhao sitting by the edge of the pool, his exposed calves fair and smooth, the tips of his toes resting on the surface of the private spring, causing ripples to spread across the calm pool under the mist.
Lin Zhao dangled his feet, propped his hands behind him, and looked up at the sky just like that.
Fu Yansheng watched quietly for a moment, then withdrew his gaze and rapidly processed the documents in his hands.
Hearing the soft sound of entering the water from the private spring side, Fu Yansheng raised his gaze to look over once more, only to see that Lin Zhao was already sitting fully inside the private spring, his gaze glowing slightly as he watched the distant mist rolling in.
It was just a pity that tonight the fog was a bit thick, so stars couldn’t be seen.
Fu Yansheng’s private spring was on the other side, and the man’s voice from behind the screen carried a slight chill.
“We’ll watch the sunrise tomorrow, you need to rest early tonight.”
Coming back to his senses, Lin Zhao realized he didn’t know when Fu Yansheng had gotten into the pool.
By now, Lin Zhao was soaked all through and feeling thoroughly warm, his brain somewhat muzzy: “Alright then. What a pity though, no stars today.”
Lin Zhao let out a yawn, gazing up at the sky.
The sky was a hazy expanse; forget about stars, even the moon was nowhere to be seen.
Listening to Lin Zhao’s voice, Fu Yansheng looked toward the screen. Light and shadow cast upon the screen, giving Fu Yansheng a crystal-clear view.
He imagined that Lin Zhao right now must be tilting his head up to look at the stars, trying hard to pick out a single star.
Yet autumn inherently wasn’t a good time for stargazing.
The night in the small courtyard was exceptionally quiet. Aside from the sound of the private spring’s flowing water, Lin Zhao didn’t hear any other sounds.
Just as Lin Zhao felt bored soaking and intended to get out.
He heard the sound of Fu Yansheng leaving the private spring next door. Water droplets splashed noisily, and Lin Zhao subconsciously looked over.
Through the screen, he caught sight of the man currently putting on his bathrobe.
Lin Zhao instinctively turned his head away.
“Next time, I’ll take Zhaozhao to see the stars.”
Fu Yansheng’s voice carried a hint of cool detachment. With those words spoken, he returned inside the room.
Hearing this, Lin Zhao’s eyes lit up slightly, and he blinked.
Then he couldn’t help but hurriedly leave the hot spring pool, change into his bathrobe, and head back to his room.
When Lin Zhao returned to his room, he only saw Fu Yansheng sitting on the sofa with wet hair looking at his phone, his expression solemn and looking rather not-so-good.
Yet clearly just a moment ago, Fu Yansheng had been doing quite fine!
“What’s wrong, Brother Fu?”
Lin Zhao stepped close, his eyes filled with concern as he softly inquired.
Seeing Lin Zhao walk over, Fu Yansheng casually placed his phone aside. Hearing Lin Zhao’s inquiry, Fu Yansheng merely shook his head slightly: “Nothing.”
Lin Zhao let out an “oh.” Confirming that Fu Yansheng was fine, he walked over to the room doorway.
He waved and said goodnight to Fu Yansheng.
Then returned to his room.
The soundproofing of the room was quite good. Once Lin Zhao went back inside, all sounds disappeared.
The door was left unclosed, and the cold wind kept pouring in, making Fu Yansheng’s mind all the more lucid and calm.
Thinking about the background information on Lü Yuanyuan he had just looked at.
Friends?
The way Lü Yuanyuan looked at Zhaozhao was certainly not the look of a friend.
Fu Yansheng on the sofa waited for a moment to confirm there were no sounds coming from outside, then took out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from his bag.
Just as he lit one, Lin Zhao’s door was suddenly pushed open.
Lin Zhao wore a look of vigilance as he looked toward Fu Yansheng.
Brother Fu is acting all stealthy; feels like he’s up to no good.
Sure enough, stealing a peek by opening the door, Lin Zhao caught sight of the cigarette pinched between Fu Yansheng’s fingertips at a single glance.
Caught red-handed, Fu Yansheng, under Lin Zhao’s gaze, put the cigarette into the ashtray beside him.
“Didn’t smoke.”
He genuinely hadn’t smoked yet.
Lin Zhao stared fixedly at Fu Yansheng without speaking.
Fu Yansheng’s hair was still dripping with water. Lin Zhao walked over holding a hairdryer in his hand, plugged it in, and sat cross-legged next to Fu Yansheng: “Hair.”
Fu Yansheng offered no explanation, simply taking the hairdryer from Lin Zhao’s hand while observing Lin Zhao’s puzzled gaze.
He stood up and reached out to blow-dry Lin Zhao’s hair for him.
Lin Zhao’s hair wasn’t very wet.
It dried after blowing for a little while.
Watching Fu Yansheng turn off the hairdryer, Lin Zhao stared at him and pointed at the cigarette inside the ashtray nearby.
“Didn’t Brother Fu promise me you wouldn’t smoke?”
Lin Zhao didn’t scold him; he simply frowned, worry filling his dark emerald-green eyes.
“Didn’t smoke.” Fu Yansheng was speaking the truth; he hadn’t smoked yet.
Lin Zhao grabbed Fu Yansheng’s hand, leaning in slightly to sniff the scent on Fu Yansheng’s fingertips.
The tobacco smell wasn’t strong; it rather felt like it had just been lit a short while before he discovered it.
Half-doubting, Lin Zhao glanced at Fu Yansheng.
A smile danced in Fu Yansheng’s eyes as he reached out to stroke Lin Zhao’s blow-dried, pale silver hair.
White makes things look darker, yet on Lin Zhao’s head, it inexplicably reminded Fu Yansheng of a Samoyed.
“Really, I just lit it and looked at it, didn’t plan to smoke. Zhaozhao doesn’t believe me?”
Fu Yansheng lowered his gaze, explaining to the Lin Zhao before him.