Lu Yubai nodded obediently.
After rolling down his sleeves, Yan Chi picked up his coat and headed downstairs. Lu Yubai followed closely behind.
The staff from the Institute of Cultural Heritage were already waiting downstairs, but Lin Lan was nowhere to be seen. Upon seeing Yan Chi descend, the staff immediately greeted him, “Director Yan!”
“Mm.”
Yan Chi merely gave a cold, indifferent nod.
Lu Yubai handed over a laptop. “Here is the collection list and the appraisal report. Sorry for the trouble.” After handing the items to the lead man, he quickly caught up with Yan Chi’s pace.
He followed Yan Chi to a nearby convenience store where Yan Chi purchased a lighter.
“Where is your car?” Yan Chi asked.
Lu Yubai did not know what Yan Chi was up to, but he led him back to the car regardless. Once inside, Yan Chi locked the doors and handed a piece of paper to Lu Yubai, gesturing for him to hold the edges and unfold it.
Lu Yubai obeyed.
Yan Chi used the lighter to heat the paper from a distance underneath. Soon, words gradually began to appear on the surface.
Lu Yubai’s eyes widened in astonishment, and his hands began to tremble. “This, what is this?”
Yan Chi quickly grabbed Lu Yubai’s hand, his expression tense. “Do not move. Be careful not to get burned.”
“This is a special ancient technique for hiding text,” Yan Chi explained. “Characters written with a brush dipped in sugar water disappear on paper but reappear when exposed to heat.”
Lu Yubai was surprised and deeply impressed. “So, that sticky substance earlier was,”
“Sugar water.”
Yan Chi extinguished the lighter. After putting it away, he leaned in to read the words on the paper. In a moment of accidental synchronicity, their heads collided.
“Ow,” Lu Yubai clutched his head in pain.
Almost instinctively, Yan Chi reached out to pull Lu Yubai’s head into his embrace, gently stroking it. His voice was exceptionally tender. “Does it hurt?”
Lu Yubai’s eyes lit up at first, but then he narrowed them slightly, his gaze filling with feigned grievance. “It hurts, it hurts, it hurts! I am going to have a concussion!”
“You have to compensate me!”
“You absolutely must!”
Preferably by spending the rest of your life paying me back!
Yan Chi was speechless. Realizing his actions were inappropriate, he released his hold on Lu Yubai’s head.
“Then I will take you to the hospital for an X-ray,” Yan Chi said.
Lu Yubai gave an awkward laugh. “That will not be necessary.”
He unfolded the paper again and continued reading. Yan Chi leaned in as well, though his movements were much slower and more careful this time.
It was a letter, specifically a letter from Yang Shu to his son. The general content urged Yang Zhi to stop engaging in dangerous activities, to quit while he was ahead, and to conduct his business honestly from then on. Beyond that, it was a long-winded apology. Between the lines, it was not hard for the two of them to see the guilt and self-reproach Yang Shu had carried all these years.
After reading the letter, Lu Yubai knew exactly what his mission was. Presumably, it was this letter.
Clutching the letter in his hand, he asked tentatively, “Can, can I have this?”
Yan Chi frowned at him, a hint of confusion in his eyes. “What do you want this for?”
“I think he had a compelling reason for framing Jinghua. This letter is likely Old Mr. Yang’s dying wish, and I want to deliver it to Yang Zhi for him.”
Lu Yubai’s expression was complex. Yan Chi remained silent for a long time, the look in his eyes shifting inch by inch. Finally, his thin lips parted. “Have you forgiven him?”
Lu Yubai shook his head.
“Regardless of the reason, his framing of Jinghua caused irreversible and significant losses. Moreover, the act of framing someone was his own emotional choice.”
“From Lu Yubai’s perspective, I can understand his choice. But from the perspective of Jinghua’s CEO, I have no reason to forgive him.”
Yan Chi nodded at Lu Yubai’s words. After taking a photo of the text on the paper, he said nothing more. He knew that Lu Yubai had always been able to keep things clear.
Over Jiangcheng, dark clouds hung low, and a torrential rain began to fall. A biting wind howled wantonly, shaking the branches of the trees lining the streets. Autumn rain was always like this, arriving passionately and leaving abruptly. A trace of chill seeped into the heart, soothing the day’s restlessness.
North Court, the home of Fang Lingqiu.
Lu Yubai had fallen asleep in the car. By the time he woke up, the rain outside had stopped. Looking at the unfamiliar surroundings, he turned to Yan Chi with a puzzled expression.
“It is my teacher’s house. I promised to come over for dinner tonight,” Yan Chi explained as he got out of the car.
Lu Yubai’s mind was full of questions. Once he regained his composure, he sat uneasily in the passenger seat, readjusting his tie in the mirror while his palms sweated from nerves.
Yan Chi walked around to the passenger side and opened the door for him. As if remembering something, Lu Yubai straightened his cuffs again before finally stepping out. The moment his feet hit the ground, his eyelashes fluttered with nervousness. His lips were pressed thin, and his hands were stiff, unsure of where to rest.
These small signs of vulnerability did not escape Yan Chi’s notice. Lu Yubai was usually fearless and habitually overbearing; it was rare to see him this tense. Yan Chi raised an eyebrow, his cold gaze slanting toward him. “Are you nervous?”
“No! I am not nervous at all!” Lu Yubai immediately denied it.
Nervous? Why would he be nervous? It was not like he was meeting his in-laws! But this was indeed the first time he was meeting Yan Chi’s teacher.
“I, I am just thinking about what capacity I am here to eat in.” Lu Yubai looked up, his eyes fierce.
With one sentence, he reclaimed his dominance. Seeing Yan Chi’s face darken slightly, he gave a playful smirk.
“Your wife?”
“Or your husband?”
As he spoke, he naturally hooked his arm through Yan Chi’s. He added seriously, “Usually, when a couple attends an event together, they walk arm in arm like this.”
Yan Chi was silent as he pushed Lu Yubai’s hand away.
The two walked into the villa side by side, though Yan Chi’s stride was always half a step faster. Lu Yubai was not happy about it. So, what if your legs are long?
Despite his internal grumbling, Lu Yubai wore a face full of smiles the moment they entered. Fang Lingqiu heard the commotion and emerged from the kitchen, spatula in hand and face covered in soot. The moment he saw Yan Chi, it was as if he were seeing a savior.
“Xiao Yan! You are finally here! Lin Lan and I are being tortured to death by a fish! Quick, quick, come help!”
As soon as Fang Lingqiu finished speaking, Lin Lan’s voice drifted out as well. “Is Brother Chi here? Come in and lend a hand, I am about to be choked to death by the smoke!”
At that moment, Lu Yubai thought to himself: Can you all not live without my husband? What a bunch of useless people!
But on the surface, he remained cheerful and obediently extended his hand. “Are you Yan Chi’s teacher? It is an honor to finally meet you!”
Fang Lingqiu sized Lu Yubai up. The black suit should have made him look mature and steady, yet he detected a hint of roguishness and rebellion. His skin was fair, and his amber eyes held a soft warmth, while the tear mole beneath his eyelid added a touch of sensuality.
“And this is,” Fang Lingqiu looked at Yan Chi, puzzled. This was the first time he had seen a friend by Yan Chi’s side.
Lu Yubai looked at Yan Chi expectantly. Out of Fang Lingqiu’s line of sight, he winked frantically: Say it! Hurry up and say I am your husband!
Yan Chi acted as if he saw nothing and gave a faint, indifferent smile. “A freeloading guest.”