Jiang Wu looked up at the grand, luxurious building, feeling a sense of awe. It was no wonder Shen Yifeng worked so hard; this building clearly cost a fortune, and it was located in the city center.
Thinking to himself, he walked toward the building. Upon entering the lobby, he looked around at the golden, extravagant decor, frowning slightly. He did not know which way to go, and Uncle Liu had not told him. After a few seconds of thought, he walked toward the reception desk.
“Hello,” Jiang Wu said politely.
The receptionist had noticed him as soon as he entered. Jiang Wu was exceptionally beautiful, as if he belonged to a different world than everyone else. Dressed in his pink outfit, he was impossible to ignore. Seeing him walk toward her, the receptionist felt a surge of excitement. Who could resist someone so beautiful?
“Hello. How may I help you?” she asked with a standard smile and a gentle tone.
Jiang Wu replied, “May I ask where I can find Shen Yifeng’s office?”
Shen Yifeng? Looking for the boss? The receptionist was surprised and took a moment to re-evaluate Jiang Wu, but she kept her professional smile. “May I ask if you have an appointment?”
Jiang Wu shook his head. He had no appointment; Uncle Liu had not mentioned needing one. The receptionist’s expression remained unchanged as she said, “I am sorry, but you cannot go up without an appointment.”
“I understand. Thank you,” Jiang Wu said. Seeing a sofa nearby, he asked, “May I sit over there for a while?”
“Of course. Would you like me to bring you a glass of water?” she asked with a smile.
“No, thank you.”
Afterward, Jiang Wu carried the food box to the sofa and sat down. He took out his phone and called Uncle Liu. It was strange that after knowing Shen Yifeng for nearly two months, they still did not have each other’s contact information.
Once the call connected, Uncle Liu’s voice came through. “Little Jiang, what is wrong? Is something the matter?”
“Uncle Liu, I am downstairs at Mr. Shen’s office, but I cannot get in because I do not have an appointment,” Jiang Wu explained.
Uncle Liu exclaimed, “Oh, Little Jiang, that is my fault. I forgot. Please find a place to sit; I will call the young master.”
“Okay,” Jiang Wu replied.
After hanging up, Jiang Wu observed his surroundings out of boredom. Two minutes later, Uncle Liu called him back. He said that he could not get through to Shen Yifeng, likely because he was in a meeting. He gave Jiang Wu Shen Yifeng’s number and told him to try again in five minutes.
Jiang Wu did as he was told, but there was still no answer. His phone battery was also dead; he had forgotten to charge it last night and again this morning, and the final bit of power had been used up calling Shen Yifeng. Without his phone, he could only stare blankly. Fortunately, he was used to it from his previous life, and he actually found a certain comfort in it. He enjoyed the feeling of emptying his mind; it gave him a light, floating sensation, as if he were resting on soft clouds.
Shen Yifeng had just stepped out of the conference room and checked the time; it was 11:30 AM. He returned to his office, intending to ask Qi Gui to order him some food. As soon as he opened his phone, he saw two missed calls, one from Uncle Liu and one from an unknown number. Uncle Liu had called twice, ten minutes and five minutes ago. He ignored the unknown number and called Uncle Liu back. Uncle Liu rarely called him unless it was regarding a major family issue or his grandfather.
The call was answered immediately.
“Uncle Liu,” Shen Yifeng said.
“Young master, you finally answered,” Uncle Liu sighed.
“I was in a meeting and did not have my phone,” Shen Yifeng explained briefly. He had great respect for the housekeeper who had watched him grow up.
Uncle Liu said, “It is nothing major. Since your secretary had an accident, I asked Little Jiang to deliver your lunch. I forgot that your company staff would not recognize him, so he is currently being blocked at the lobby.”
When he heard that Jiang Wu had come to deliver lunch, Shen Yifeng paused his file-flipping. “I understand.”
“Good. I will not disturb you further,” Uncle Liu said, then remembered something. “I forgot to tell you, Little Jiang brought enough for two. He has not eaten yet, either.”
“Understood,” Shen Yifeng replied.
After hanging up, Shen Yifeng picked up his office phone to call Qi Gui, but he hung up before the call went through. He stood up and strode toward the door. Qi Gui’s office was right outside his, and when Qi Gui saw him come out, he put down his game and stood up, ready to speak. Shen Yifeng simply waved him off. As his long-time secretary, Qi Gui knew this meant he did not need to intervene, so he sat back down to slack off until the end of the day.
Shen Yifeng took his private elevator to the first floor and walked to the lobby. He spotted Jiang Wu immediately. Jiang Wu was still wearing his pink outfit, sitting on the sofa with his head tilted, looking out the window. Shen Yifeng looked in the direction of his gaze, but saw nothing except high-rise buildings and greenery.
He turned his gaze back to Jiang Wu. His exposed skin looked incredibly fair against the sunlight, reminding Shen Yifeng of the clouds he had noticed earlier. Looking at him in that pink outfit, Shen Yifeng’s mind went back to the honey peach from earlier that morning. Jiang Wu and the peach were similar, yet different. Shen Yifeng could not quite articulate the difference, but he felt it. It was only much later that he solved the mystery: he did not like the sweetness of the honey peach, but the sweetness of Jiang Wu was something he found endlessly addictive and memorable.
The receptionist had watched the beautiful boy sitting on the sofa for over ten minutes. He sat quietly, looking outside, his phone left on the table. Seeing him sitting there all alone, she felt a pang of sympathy. She thought about taking some snacks she had brought for the afternoon to go over and talk to him, but before she could, she saw her boss walking toward them.
She immediately realized that since the boy had mentioned the boss’s name and made that call, he must know him. She began to wonder what their relationship was. Seeing her boss approach, she focused on her work, though she kept a close watch on the sofa out of the corner of her eye.
Jiang Wu had been lost in thought and did not notice anyone approaching until he felt a shadow fall over him. He looked up to find an incredibly handsome face. Shen Yifeng was striking, with a high nose bridge and deep-set eyes that gave him a slightly Western look, though his narrow, cold eyes added a hint of sternness. When he kept his face impassive, he looked quite intimidating. Jiang Wu had once suspected he was mixed-race, but Uncle Liu had told him otherwise.
“Uncle Liu asked me to deliver your lunch, but I could not get in,” Jiang Wu said, pointing to the food box on the table and explaining softly.
Shen Yifeng showed no expression and said in a calm tone, “Uncle Liu told me. Let’s go.”
“Okay,” Jiang Wu replied.
He stood up, picked up the food box, and followed obediently behind Shen Yifeng. The two walked toward the elevator, one after the other, neither speaking a word.