When I opened a certain short video app, a notification for an update from “Wanwan Yiren” immediately popped up.
I clicked on the “Friends” section below, and the stunning photo I had taken of my mom in the morning sunlight appeared on the screen.
Checking the time, I saw that Mom had already posted it in the morning.
I clicked the “Expand” button below the text, and a passage appeared: “During breakfast this morning, my son casually took a photo of me. The sunlight was like sprinkled gold, and it truly brightened my eyes. In this murky world, only clear and pure eyes can discover true beauty.”
Every time I open Mom’s homepage, I feel like my soul gets a little cleansing.
I’m really lucky to have such a perfect mom.
I skillfully hit the like button, then canceled it, because I remembered that I seemed to have liked every single one of Mom’s videos.
Would that get her restricted?
But then I thought, I don’t want Mom to get too much traffic anyway, so I liked it again.
I opened the comments.
There were quite a few comments, but most of them were all over the place.
A user named “One Bite of the World” commented: “If I could marry her, I’d give up all the wealth in the world willingly.”
[Pfft, dreaming of marrying my mom? Keep dreaming. But it’s pretty funny—I only got it after watching it a second time.]
Someone with a username full of sun emojis commented: “I want to say you’re intellectual and sexy, but deep down, you’re hiding a little wildcat.”
[Little wildcat? More like a big tiger to me. Damn, scumbags like this, I wish a tiger would just eat them one by one.]
A user named “Spring’s Passing in the World” commented: “A beauty at sixteen, soft as cream, follow me into the wondrous room. If heads must roll, let them roll; if bones must wither, let them wither/kiss/kiss.”
[Whoa, whoa! I was totally against this guy being kicked out of the literary world back then, but I still reported him anyway.]
A user named “Universe Under Heaven” commented: “In this bustling world, it’s your sharing that lets me feel your beauty, and at the same time, I can sense the beauty of the world you perceive. Thank you for being here/heart.”
And Mom replied to this comment: “Thank you. I hope you can also make others feel beauty.”
Mom is always so gentle.
“What are you looking at? Smiling to yourself over there.” Jingyan leaned in close to me, and I showed her Mom’s video.
“Wow~ Aunt Liu is so beautiful~ I hope I’ll look that good when I’m older, and she’s so elegant too,” Jingyan said.
“You’re already very elegant. Aunt Ouyang is so graceful, and if you come to my place more often to hang out with my mom, you’ll only get more elegant. You know, you become like the company you keep,” I said.
“Hmm… that makes sense, but I suspect you’re just tricking me into coming to your house, hmph!” Jingyan said.
“Hehe, you’ll have to come sooner or later anyway~” I said with a sly grin, suddenly recalling the phrase “you become like the company you keep.” I asked Jingyan, “By the way, where’s Mu Qianning? She didn’t cling to you today?”
“Why are you asking about her? Oh, I see—holding one in your arms while thinking about another, huh?!” Jingyan poked my forehead, pretending to be angry.
“No, no, I was just asking,” I said.
“I don’t know. She disappeared after dinner tonight,” Jingyan said.
“Bang! Bang! Bang!”
After a brief silence, the sound of repeated thumping came from the other side again.
[Can’t you guys switch positions for once? All you do is bang against the wall—are you woodpeckers or something?]
Jingyan and I exchanged a glance, then simultaneously pressed our ears to the wall.
“Ahhh ahhh ahhh…” Faint but continuous moans reached our ears.
Even with the wall in between, I couldn’t imagine how loudly the woman on the other side was crying out if there were no barrier.
I looked at Jingyan, and her cheeks had visibly reddened.
I quickly pulled her into the covers, leaned in, and kissed her on the lips.
Jingyan responded passionately.
“One more time? Baby?” I asked.
“Hmm… let’s not~” Jingyan actually refused.
“Alright. Then let’s just chat.” I respected Jingyan’s wishes completely.
“Let me tell you, something happened today.” I told her about what had happened earlier with Zhao Chenyu.
“Zhao Chenyu? That name sounds so familiar?” Jingyan frowned.
“You know him? He’s in the sports department, a junior,” I said, a bit surprised.
“Hmm… I don’t know him, but the name rings a bell.” Jingyan pouted, looking adorable.
“Alright. What do you think I should do about this?” I asked.
“Is he close to you?” Jingyan asked.
“We just play ball together sometimes, and we’ve had meals a few times,” I said.
“It seems like you don’t want to help, so just say no. I don’t think it’s a good idea either,” Jingyan said.
“It’s not that I don’t want to help, but I don’t know how. I’ve dealt with stuff like this before, but it’s the first time someone so random has come to me. Sigh, I’m like my dad—I really hate these kinds of things,” I said.
“Then here’s an idea: you could introduce him to a tougher opportunity. That way, even if he can’t handle it, it’s his own problem,” Jingyan said, her eyes darting thoughtfully.
“Hey, that’s a great idea! You’re so smart, baby! Mua~” I gave her a big kiss.
“So, the question is, where?” Jingyan said.
I scratched my head and suddenly remembered the conversation Mom had with Aunt Ouyang earlier.
I quickly said to Jingyan, “Oh right, didn’t Aunt Ouyang say she needed a driver? Zhao Chenyu happens to know how to drive. What do you think?”
“A driver? My mom does need one,” Jingyan said.
“But we’re not really looking for a driver—just let him give it a try,” I said.
“What if it actually works out?” Jingyan asked.
“Do you think your mom would pick a college student who hasn’t even graduated yet as her driver?” I countered.
“True! My mom probably wouldn’t go for that. A driver should be more mature,” Jingyan nodded.
“Alright, then it’s settled. I’ll take him to check it out when I have time,” I said.
“Okay.”
“Bang! Bang! Bang!” The thumping from the other side continued.
“Ugh, seriously.” I couldn’t help but grumble, holding Jingyan as we drifted off to sleep.
…
The next day, hand in hand, we went downstairs for breakfast, feeling refreshed.
But we ran into a familiar face—Mu Qianning, dressed in a JK-style outfit, sitting there eating.
“What are you doing here!!!” The three of us exclaimed in unison, drawing the attention of others in the dining area.
Jingyan and I hurried over to her.
I looked at Mu Qianning, and her first reaction wasn’t to greet us but to pick up her phone and type something.
By the time we reached her table, she had already put her phone away, constantly brushing her hair as she looked at us.
“You… what are you two doing here?” Before we could ask, she beat us to it.
“It’s normal for us to be here. But you—what are you doing at a hotel alone instead of staying in the dorm?” Even though it was obvious we were all here for the same reason, it felt like I, as the guy, should be the one to bring it up.
“I… I… I was out having fun, and it got too late, so I stayed here,” she said, lifting her chin, her eyes darting around, her voice loud but shaky.
“Really?” I set my tray down and sat across from her.
“Yeah! Yes!” she said, pouting, her pretty face slightly flushed, adding a touch of tsundere cuteness to her already beautiful features.
“Is that so~ I thought I saw a guy looking for you earlier.” I covered my mouth, eyeing her with a scrutinizing gaze, thinking this was a rare chance to catch her off guard and have a little fun teasing her.
“Ah, who?” She suddenly exclaimed nervously, drawing a few more glances our way.
“Looks like there really is a guy,” I whispered to Jingyan, who covered her mouth, giggling.
“No! What’s wrong with you?! Talking nonsense! I’m ignoring you!” Mu Qianning shouted, her tone a mix of anger and grievance.
Then, with a crisp “snap,” she slammed her chopsticks onto the tray, grabbed her bag, and stormed off in a huff.
“Hey?” I watched her retreating figure, frowning in confusion.
She wasn’t usually this petty.
What was up with her today?
“Ugh, you’re such a jerk. I’ll go check on her. You head back on your own later~” Jingyan patted me and quickly got up to chase after her.
I wanted to follow too, but I figured showing up in front of her again might make things worse, so I deliberately waited a bit before heading out.
By then, they were already gone.
Back at school, I messaged Jingyan, and she replied with an “OK” emoji, which put me at ease.
In the morning, while I was looking up papers, a message came in on my phone.
It was from Mu Qianning.
Mu Qianning: “Is Young Master Lin around? Hope I’m not disturbing you.”
Me: “Uh, I’m here. What’s up?”
Mu Qianning: “Hmm… about this morning, I want to apologize. I shouldn’t have lost my temper with you/pitiful/pitiful”
Me: “It’s fine. And don’t call me young master—it sounds like some feudal leftover/helpless”
Mu Qianning: “Hehe, if you’re not the young master, who is? You’re the big young master.”
Me: “Sigh, fine.”
Mu Qianning: “That’s more like it. If I don’t call you big young master, what should I call you? Big dummy?/snicker”
Me: “I’m done. Suit yourself, okay?”
Mu Qianning: “What are you doing? I’ll have you know I’m pure as ice and clean as jade—you can’t do anything to me, especially not the second word.”
Me: “…I think forgiving you was a mistake.”
Mu Qianning: “/tongue out/tongue out/tongue out”
I closed my phone and didn’t reply.
Sigh, I wonder which guy got tangled up with this little minx.
I really hope Jingyan doesn’t get influenced by her.
The day passed quickly.
Dragging my tired body and rubbing the hickey on my neck, I returned to the dorm.
The graduate dorms at N University were pretty nice—double rooms with a bed on top and a desk underneath.
As soon as I walked in, I saw someone sitting in front of a computer, the keyboard and mouse clacking away, cursing under his breath.
That was my dorm mate who’d also gotten into N University for grad school—Chu Yun.
Despite the name, he was actually a burly, chubby guy over 1.8 meters tall.
“Oh, look who it is—the great Xuan Yu himself,” he said, taking off his headphones when he heard the door.
But there was an uncharacteristic, almost resentful tone in his voice.
I walked over behind his desk and gave his fleshy shoulders a few hard pinches.
Grad students at N University started a few days earlier than undergrads, and even though we’d only known each other for a few days (during which I was often out), I felt like this easygoing roommate and I got along pretty well.
“Gaming again~ Whoa, how are you zero and three again? You really are—ah, zero and four now, haha.” I watched his screen go gray and laughed from behind him.
“It’s your fault for pinching me—I would’ve killed the guy on the other side otherwise,” he said, turning around.
“Yeah, right. Still gaming? Did you forget what Demon Li said about you at the group meeting today?” I climbed onto my bed and said to him.
Demon Li was our advisor, Li Jin, and he lived up to his name—famously strict and serious.
“Sigh~ What I don’t get is why he’s so lenient with you. I saw you slacking off for ages, and he didn’t say a word. Is there some bias between those who got in through exams and those who were recommended?” he said.
“No, I knew Professor Li before. He even taught some of our undergrad classes,” I said.
Actually, the reason Professor Li was so good to me had another layer—he was classmates with my dad.
Before college, I used to call him Uncle Li.
But obviously, that kind of connection wasn’t something to broadcast.
And of course, the fact that we called him Demon Li behind his back couldn’t get out either.
“Ah, there’s a difference between close and distant, a difference indeed~” he grumbled bitterly, then started another game.
I ignored him because my phone vibrated—it was a message from Jingyan.
Qin Jingyan: “Are you in the dorm?”
Me: “Just got back. Miss me already after such a short time?”
Qin Jingyan: “Hmph, I did not! I was just worried you might get lost since you don’t know the way /left pout”
Me: “Alright, alright, thank you for your concern, Princess.”
Qin Jingyan: “So bored, I’m the only one in the dorm.”
Me: “Mu Xianning isn’t there?”
Qin Jingyan: “No idea, she went out and hasn’t come back yet.”
Qin Jingyan: “Hmph, don’t you dare think about anyone else! /knock /knock”
Me: “I’m not, you’ve been saying that for years. Have you ever seen me show any interest in her? No one compares to my beautiful Jingyan.”
Qin Jingyan: “Oh? So you’re saying if someone better than me comes along, you’d just dump me? /thinking”
Me: “How could that be! Oh no, I feel like I’ve stumbled into one of those impossible ‘who would you save first, your mom or me’ questions.”
Qin Jingyan: “Haha, okay, I’ll stop teasing you. My dad just told me he’s coming home tomorrow, and since it’s the weekend the day after, he wants your whole family to come over for dinner tomorrow night.”
Me: “Uncle Qin finally finished up with work.”
Qin Jingyan: “Yeah, he’s been like this as long as I can remember /sigh”
Me: “Alright, alright, from now on, I’ll be here with you.”
Qin Jingyan: “Hmph, you’re taking advantage of me!”
Me: “Hehe.”
Qin Jingyan: “You big jerk, I’m not talking to you anymore!”
Me: “Okay, okay, since that crazy Ning isn’t around, enjoy some peaceful time to yourself.”
Qin Jingyan: “Mm, I know you’re off to play games, go ahead, go ahead~”
Me: “/laughing crying /laughing crying.”
I closed the chat window with Jingyan and noticed a red dot on the chat interface—it was Zhao Chenyu from the afternoon, asking me to play basketball, which I had ignored.
[Ugh, what ‘asking me to play basketball’? He just wants to pry into his own business. Forget it, looks like if I don’t sort this out for him, he’ll keep pestering me. Better get it done quickly. I’ll find Aunt Ouyang and let him see what real disparity means.]
With that thought, I opened his chat window.
Me: “Was busy with experiments this afternoon, didn’t see it.”
I replied with that line, and to my surprise, he responded instantly.
Zhao Chenyu: “Yeah, senior, grad school life sure is hectic.”
Me: “It’s alright. I’ll take you for an interview tomorrow, you free?”
Zhao Chenyu: “Huh? So soon?”
Me: “No?”
Zhao Chenyu: “Yes, yes, yes, if you arrange it, senior, I’ll make time even if I don’t have it. I just didn’t expect it to be this fast—you’re amazing, senior /thumbs up /thumbs up”
Me: “As long as you’re free.”
Zhao Chenyu: “What kind of job is it, senior? I’ll prepare.”
Me: “Something like an assistant, maybe some driving too. How’s your driving?”
Zhao Chenyu: “I got my license right after middle school, and during high school breaks, I helped my family haul goods, so I drive often. But it’s all been small trucks. I just got my B2 license recently, though I haven’t driven medium trucks yet.”
Listening to him, I felt a wave of speechlessness.
[I’m sending you to be an assistant, driving sedans, and you’re going on about trucks… Letting you drive Aunt Ouyang’s car would really be a waste. Oh well, at least it shows he’s got some skills.]
Me: “With that, you could clearly keep working for your family or even find a job on your own. Why come to me?”
Zhao Chenyu: “Just wanted to see if I could make it in a big city.”
Me: “Fine, tomorrow at 9 a.m., school gate.”
Zhao Chenyu: “OK, thanks, senior!”
Me: “No problem.”
Without reading his last message, I exited the chat, thinking about telling Aunt Ouyang.
Suddenly, Chu Yun shouted from below, “Xuanyu, hurry up and log in!”
I reconsidered—since I was just brushing him off anyway, not telling Aunt Ouyang might be for the best.
So I flipped over and climbed out of bed.
“Log in, watch your big bro carry you to victory!”
It went on until midnight, staring at the gray screen with the huge “Defeat” letters, Chu Yun and I fell into deep thought.
“Damn! No way, I’m not sleeping until we win one!” Chu Yun slammed the table behind me, shouting, and the three empty soda cans on his desk all toppled over from the impact.
“Enough already, you keep playing, I’m going to sleep,” I told him.
“Didn’t you say you’d carry me? We’ve been on a losing streak all night!” Chu Yun glared at me indignantly.
“I got Svp every single game, okay? Whose fault it is, you know deep down.” I pulled the blanket over myself and turned away from him.
“Damn! I don’t believe this!”
Amid the clatter of mouse and keyboard, I drifted off to sleep.
…
The next day, at the school gate, I spotted someone pacing back and forth from a distance.
As I got closer, sure enough, it was Zhao Chenyu.
“Senior!” He saw me and jogged over a bit awkwardly.
The reason for his awkwardness became clear when I saw his outfit—he’d changed into a black suit today, even wore leather shoes.
But the cuffs covered his wrists, even his hands, the collar was crooked, and the shirt button under his tie wasn’t fastened.
I walked around behind him and saw the back of the suit jacket almost covering his butt.
The pants, though, fit decently.
“What’s up, senior?” he asked, puzzled.
“Uh… nothing, it’s fine like this.” I’d thought about advising him, but forget it, it wasn’t a big deal.
“Let’s go, I’ll take you there.”
In the taxi.
“Senior, what do you think of my resume?” He pulled a piece of paper from a backpack he’d brought and showed it to me.
I thought to myself, he’s really taking this seriously.
But I had to keep up appearances.
“Mm… it’s fine, you haven’t graduated yet, it’s just an internship,” I said, glancing at his messy resume before handing it back.
“Actually, for our department, it’s pretty much the same as graduating now, almost no classes,” he said.
“Mm…”
“Senior, what’s this company? Can you tell me about it?” he asked curiously.
“Nothing special, just a company run by an elder I know, needs an assistant or something. Give it a try yourself,” I said.
The whole ride, he kept asking questions, and I just brushed him off.
Until the taxi stopped in front of a luxurious building.
“Whoa! Senior, isn’t this ** Company? It’s pretty famous in our city, this…” He looked up at the tall building, swore, then turned to me, hesitating.
I walked up to him and muttered, “Watch your behavior,” before heading straight inside.
Without any hindrance, he followed me into the elevator.
I pulled a black-and-gold card from my pocket, swiped it, and amid some quiet gasps and Zhao Chenyu’s questioning gaze, pressed the button for the top floor.
The elevator stopped at a middle floor, everyone else got off, and when the doors closed again, only Zhao Chenyu and I remained.
I glanced at him and saw him nervously tugging at his tie.
I smirked disdainfully.
“Ding-dong.”
The elevator reached the top floor.
Unlike the lower areas, the top floor wasn’t very large.
Aunt Ouyang’s company’s top floor was divided into two sections: one side had her office, the assistant’s office, and storage for important documents.
The other side was Aunt Ouyang’s private space for working out, yoga, bathing, and even a bed—a cozy little retreat for her.
Actually, Aunt Ouyang didn’t like it much and rarely stayed here; she preferred the atmosphere of working alongside everyone else.
But as the company owner, some ceremonial displays of authority were necessary, hence this separate top floor.
I led Zhao Chenyu toward Aunt Ouyang’s office.
Looking out the window, the cars on the ground looked like neatly lined-up snails.
He stared down, and I could clearly feel his steps growing unsteady.
“I wondered who it might be—long time no see, Young Master Lin.” A beautiful woman in a professional suit approached us, tall and alluring, with a high ponytail and rimless glasses, smiling sweetly at me.
The key thing was her face—it was identical to Mu Xianning’s, because she was Mu Xianning’s twin sister—Mu Lingze.
Both sisters were Qin Jingyan’s close friends, but one chose to pursue graduate studies, while the other, thanks to Qin Jingyan’s connections, started working right after graduation and was called over by Aunt Ouyang to be her secretary.
“I told you not to call me Young Master~” I covered my face.
“And this is?” Mu Lingze noticed Zhao Chenyu behind me.
“Ah…”
“A junior of mine, also from our school. I brought him to try an interview, see if he can be a runner or something for Aunt Ouyang,” I said before Zhao Chenyu could react.
“Ah—yes, that’s right! Hello, senior, I’m a junior in the sports department,” Zhao Chenyu stepped forward, slightly bowing as he introduced himself, his eyes showing a strange glint as he looked at Mu Lingze.
[Is he frozen at the sight of a beauty?] I thought, my disdain growing a notch.
“I see. Well, wait a moment then. And you’ve come at a really bad time,” Mu Lingze hummed, ignoring him and turning to me instead.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“Recently, a few of the company’s managers have had some minor issues. Director Lan is handling it right now, giving someone a dressing-down in her office.” Mu Lingze even pointed to the door of the adjacent office.
“Ah? Then this…” Before I could say anything, Zhao Chenyu spoke up, sounding a bit flustered.
I ignored him, thinking it was perfect timing—let him be a punching bag for Aunt Ouyang.
Before we could chat much, the office door opened, and a man holding a folder backed out, nodding and smiling apologetically.
I noticed the papers inside the folder were all crumpled and askew.
He spotted Mu Lingze and forced a smile, then glanced at me and Zhao Chenyu before walking away with a gloomy face, head hung low.
Mu Lingze and I exchanged looks, and she gave Zhao Chenyu a pitiful glance, which only made him more nervous.
“Xiao Ling, make me a cup of coffee.” From inside the room came the voice of Aunt Ouyang, so familiar to me, though the tone was one I wasn’t used to at all.
“Sure!” Mu Lingze responded and walked in, with Zhao Chenyu and me following behind.
Aunt Ouyang’s office was divided into an outer and inner section.
The outer area was Mu Lingze’s workspace, and further inside, there was another door leading to Aunt Ouyang’s room.
Mu Lingze quickly prepared a cup of coffee and was about to pick it up when Zhao Chenyu suddenly stepped forward and said, “Senior, let me do it.”
Mu Lingze looked at him in surprise.
I also gave this junior a second glance.
Zhao Chenyu took the coffee tray from Mu Lingze’s hands and glanced at me.
I noticed his hands were trembling slightly, causing the spoon in the coffee cup to clink against the porcelain with a crisp sound.
Mu Lingze looked at me, and I shrugged at her before walking ahead of Zhao Chenyu and opening the door.
“Aunt Ouyang, I’m here~” I entered and saw Aunt Ouyang, dressed in a black suit and white shirt, leaning back in her boss chair with her legs crossed.
One hand rested on the armrest, while the other was massaging the bridge of her nose.
Her suit was slightly open due to her posture, and the shirt hugged her perky chest, hinting at her allure.
I called out to her.
“Oh, it’s my darling~ This…” Aunt Ouyang’s previously troubled expression vanished the moment she saw me.
She was about to stand up with a beaming smile when she noticed Zhao Chenyu following closely behind me.
She sat back down, pulled her suit together with both hands, and put on a serious expression, frowning slightly as she looked at me with a puzzled gaze.
The room fell silent.
None of us spoke.
Zhao Chenyu slowly placed the coffee from the tray onto the desk in front of Aunt Ouyang, then held the tray behind his back, stepped back a few paces, glanced at me, and addressed Aunt Ouyang.
“Director… Director Lan, hello. My name is Zhao Chenyu, a junior in the sports department at N University. I know Senior Lin, and I asked him to help me find a job. I heard you were looking for a driver, so I asked the senior to bring me here to boldly apply. I have a B2 driver’s license with six years of driving experience. I can also handle some assistant-type work. At school, I participated in the *** project and served as a planner…” Before long, Aunt Ouyang and I had heard his entire self-introduction.
Throughout it, Aunt Ouyang never once looked at him, just slowly sipping her coffee.
Silence descended again.
Zhao Chenyu, his already small eyes squinting, stared at the floor, his throat moving slightly as he nervously swallowed.
When he finished, Aunt Ouyang’s gaze shifted back to me, and I repeated my earlier gesture—shrugging.
I looked at Zhao Chenyu, thinking, *You fool, where’s your resume?*
But then I reconsidered—either he was too nervous and forgot, or he didn’t want to bring it out.
In this situation, it wouldn’t have mattered anyway.
Aunt Ouyang took another sip of coffee, then looked at me, pointed at him, and tilted her chin toward the door.
I understood immediately and pulled Zhao Chenyu out.
“Xuanyu, you stay~” Aunt Ouyang’s voice came from behind.
I told Zhao Chenyu to wait outside with Mu Lingze, then turned around, went back in, and closed the door.
As soon as I shut the door and turned around, I saw Aunt Ouyang already getting up and walking over.
She took my hand and led me to the sofa nearby, pressing my arm to make me sit down.
She sat close beside me, then shifted her body, draping her two suit-clad, beautiful legs over my lap.
She reached out with her slender fingers, pinched my cheek, and pulled it outward, saying with a hint of menace.
“Well, well, you little rascal. Spill it—what’s this guy about?”
“Ouch, Auntie, that hurts!” I didn’t dare resist, instead wrapping my hand around her waist from behind.
“Hold tighter!” Aunt Ouyang let go of my cheek and said.
I quickly complied, pulling her closer with the hand around her waist, feeling the softness of her chest pressing against one side of mine.
“Talk!” Though Aunt Ouyang sounded a bit fierce, the fragrance from her body made me feel very comfortable.
“Ah… he’s just a junior who asked me to help him find a job. I thought since you needed someone, why not let him give it a try,” I said, rubbing my cheek and putting on a pitiful act.
“Is he a close friend?” Aunt Ouyang asked.
“Not really, but we do play ball together often,” I said.
“If you’re not that close, why bring him to me, you little scoundrel!” Aunt Ouyang pinched me again.
“Ouch! But honestly, Auntie, it seems like you really do need a few assistants to keep the people below from upsetting you like this,” I said, recalling the dejected man from earlier.
“Sigh, you’re right. My darling is the best, always thinking of me. Mua~” Aunt Ouyang kissed the cheek she had just pinched.
“So, what do you want me to do about this young man?” Aunt Ouyang asked.
“What do I want you to do?” I said, surprised.
“Exactly, you decide. It’s up to you,” Aunt Ouyang said, wrapping her arms around my neck.
For a moment, I felt less like a nephew and more like Aunt Ouyang’s man.
“Hmm… I was planning to just wing it. If you think he’s suitable, keep him; if not, just say a few words and send him off,” I said after thinking for a moment, only to realize I had once again left the decision to Aunt Ouyang.
“You really are a little rascal. You were just going to wing it, yet you brought him to me. You could’ve easily passed him off to someone lower down,” Aunt Ouyang said, pinching the cheek she had just kissed.
“Well, what if you actually needed a driver?” I argued.
“If I wanted to hire a driver or a bodyguard, I’d have plenty of candidates. I don’t need you, young master, to worry about that,” Aunt Ouyang said.
“But my darling is the best, always keeping me in his heart. Mua~” Aunt Ouyang kissed my pinched cheek again.
What did this half of my face ever do to deserve this?
A mix of stick and carrot.
“Then let’s forget it. I’ll take him away later,” I said.
“Whatever. But you, come keep me company whenever you’re free. Work is so boring every day. If it weren’t to earn money for you, I’d have handed the company over long ago,” Aunt Ouyang said.
“Earn money for me? Isn’t it for Jingyan?” I widened my eyes, staring at Aunt Ouyang’s stunning face so close to mine.
“Is there a difference? You and Jingyan will get married sooner or later. Once you’re married, I’ll give all this to you. I’ve wanted to get rid of it for a long time,” Aunt Ouyang said.
“Ah… but what about you and Uncle Qin…” I started but stopped.
“That thing? That was just a joke for you and Jingyan, to push you two to have kids and get married quickly,” Aunt Ouyang said.
I almost blurted out, “Didn’t you also say that to my mom?” but I quickly covered my mouth, realizing it would reveal I’d been eavesdropping on their conversation.
“Why cover your mouth?
Don’t be shy with me.
You’re a young man, and you can’t even talk to me about these things.
What’s the big deal?
Don’t think of me as your mother-in-law; just treat me like your older sister.
Let me tell you, darling, Jingyan said you two would wait until after your master’s degrees to get married and have kids.
But I’m telling you, put your studies aside for now.
Over the next few years, seduce her!
Sleep with Jingyan more!
No condoms!
Get her pregnant quickly so you can get married.
Don’t worry about getting weak—I’ll do everything I can to replenish you,” Aunt Ouyang said, staring at me intently.
My mouth hung open, eyes wide, utterly speechless at Aunt Ouyang’s bold and explosive words.
“Pfft, look at you~ Did you hear what I said?” This time, Aunt Ouyang didn’t pinch my cheek but instead twisted my chest, and by sheer coincidence, she pinched my nipple.
“Ah! I… I heard,” I said, clutching my chest.
“Look at your skinny frame—too thin. Eat more. That guy just now was shorter than you, but you could tell he had a decent build,” Aunt Ouyang said.
Even though Aunt Ouyang hadn’t really looked at Zhao Chenyu, such a conspicuous person had still appeared in her line of sight.
I thought to myself, *She’s right—I need to work out and get a physique like Zhao Chenyu’s.*
“Alright then, Auntie, I’ll take him and go. I won’t disturb your work any longer,” I said, preparing to stand up, only to be pushed back down by Aunt Ouyang.
“Do you really dislike spending time with me that much?” Aunt Ouyang said, a hint of resentment in her voice.
“No… not at all. Aren’t you at work right now?” I said.
“So what if I’m at work? Work isn’t more important than my darling. Besides, no one’s looking for me right now,” Aunt Ouyang said, wrapping her arms around my neck and resting on my chest.
I thought to myself, *Maybe Aunt Ouyang is just too tired from work.
It’s only right that I keep her company a bit longer—it’s the least I should do.*
I gently held her, staying still.
Aunt Ouyang’s figure was truly perfect; even through her shirt, I could feel the slender, smooth curve of her waist.
I don’t know how many minutes passed.
“Buzz buzz buzz…”
Aunt Ouyang’s phone on her desk vibrated.
She got up reluctantly and answered the call.
“What’s up?”
[Who’s on the other end? Aunt Ouyang didn’t even say “hello.”]
“Hmm~ Really? They’re all there?”
“Me go?! Can’t I skip it?”
[What’s making Aunt Ouyang so angry?] I watched as she sat down in her chair, speaking into the phone with evident frustration.
I got up and walked over to her, but I couldn’t hear the voice on the other end.
“Isn’t it just a few dealers below? Do we really have to show up?”
[Looks like it’s business-related. But who’s on the line to make Aunt Ouyang react like this, and say “we”?]
“Yes, yes, you’re right, okay? We need to value the grassroots and keep people united, but I really don’t want to go. I’ll just end up reeking of alcohol again,” Aunt Ouyang said, annoyed.
“Sigh~ Can’t I send someone from below?” Aunt Ouyang said.
“Fine, fine.
You win!
I’m hanging up!” Aunt Ouyang ended the call angrily and tossed the phone onto the desk, where it landed with a loud “smack!”
I watched Aunt Ouyang slump into her boss chair, hand on her forehead, sighing.
My heart ached for her, so I walked behind her and started massaging her shoulders.
Aunt Ouyang knew it was me and just enjoyed it, the gloom on her face easing a bit.
As I massaged her, I glanced at the desk.
Aside from the computer, folders, a bell, and essentials like paper, pens, and a cup, the only personal item of Aunt Ouyang’s was a photo frame.
I’d seen the photo inside before—it wasn’t a family portrait of Aunt Ouyang’s family, but a picture from a trip, showing Aunt Ouyang, Jingyan, me, and my mom together.
After a while, Aunt Ouyang touched my hand, signaling me to stop.
“Whose call was that, Aunt Ouyang, to make you so upset?” I asked.
“Who else? Besides your Uncle Qin, who else could boss your aunt around like this?” Aunt Ouyang said, frowning.
“I see.” I had wanted to say more, but hearing it was Uncle Qin, I suddenly didn’t know what to say.
“Are they asking you to go to a dinner party?” I asked.
“Yep, a boring dinner party,” Aunt Ouyang said.
“How about I go with you? If you need to drink, I’ll cover for you,” I offered.
“No need, darling. Watching you get forced to drink would be harder on me than drinking myself,” Aunt Ouyang said, stroking my hand.
My heart warmed, but I also felt a sense of helplessness.
I racked my brain, trying to think of a way to help Aunt Ouyang.
Suddenly, someone came to mind.
“Aunt Ouyang, how about letting Zhao Chenyu go? He can hold his liquor,” I said.
I knew this from a previous gathering I’d attended with him.
“…Alright, then call him in,” Aunt Ouyang said after a moment’s thought.
I quickly walked out of the office.