Bai Yun was speaking with his assistant when he turned around, and his words stopped for a moment without him even noticing.
The figure standing by the window caught the sunlight, making him look almost unreal.
The soft light turned his outline faint and bright, like a small red fox wandering into a field of ice, out of place yet impossible to ignore. But his posture stayed calm and distant, like frost that never melts.
Bai Yun lowered his eyes and smiled slightly.
When the assistant left, he closed the door behind him. Lu Mingyang stood up right away with a forced friendly smile and patted Lu Jiu on the shoulder, pretending the gesture could make things warmer.
Lu Jiu looked at him once, then lowered his eyes to the hand on his shoulder.
Bai Yun’s tone was polite and even. “Mr Lu, please have a seat.”
The office was high above the city, surrounded by glass walls that caught the sunlight. The wide windows showed the skyline stretching far to the sea. Every line of the view looked clean and bright.
Lu Jiu sat quietly near the edge of the room. The low voices of the two men floated past him. Bai Yun’s words were measured, smooth, polite, but never soft.
There was always something sharp underneath, a kind of quiet control. It was the same as before, only now Bai Yun spoke with even greater ease. Lu Mingyang, however, heard only praise.
Lu Jiu smiled to himself. He could not help but wonder how his father had kept the family business alive for so long.
Then he remembered the marriage that tied their family to power. Without that, everything would have fallen apart years ago.
The room went quiet.
Realizing he had been lost in thought, Lu Jiu straightened his face, his expression blank.
Bai Yun’s soft laugh broke the silence. “Mr Lu, shall we continue?”
Lu Jiu pressed his lips together. Could anyone pay attention for once?
He shifted slightly, covering his mouth with his hand as he looked out the window. His ears felt a little warm. The silence pressed against his chest, slow and heavy.
After half an hour, Lu Mingyang stood up. “I’ll step out for a moment. Xiao Bo, you can talk with Jiu Jiu for a while.”
He patted Lu Jiu’s shoulder again before leaving. Lu Jiu did not move.
When the door closed, the quiet became even deeper. Every small sound seemed louder, even their breathing.
Then came a soft sound, the turning of a page, light and clear. It brushed across the air like a thread.
A pen cap clicked against the desk a few times. Click. Click. Click. The sound was sharp in the silence.
The voice that followed was calm and familiar.
“Jiu Jiu,” Bai Yun said, his tone carrying a trace of helplessness, “today’s meeting was not arranged by your father.”
Lu Jiu blinked, realizing he had been staring out the window too long. He turned his gaze from the flower beds below to the bicycles parked across the street.
“So why did you come here with him?” Bai Yun asked.
“For the money,” Lu Jiu said quietly after a pause. His throat felt dry. “My mother’s share has not been given to me yet.”
Bai Yun nodded slightly, as if understanding. That explained everything.
If that was his goal, there was no need for argument. The matter could be handled easily and cleanly.
He leaned forward a little. “So, as long as you came here, he will give it to you?”
Lu Jiu sat up straighter but still looked at the floor. “Yes. You don’t need to agree to anything for him.”
“The Lu company is struggling,” Bai Yun said calmly. “Without help, it might collapse soon.”
Lu Jiu lifted his eyes for a moment. “Then that would be good news.”
“Are you sure there is nothing I need to do?” Bai Yun asked again.
“If you are really bored,” Lu Jiu said with a faint smile, “you can destroy him for me. Make him lose everything. If he ends up broke and wandering the streets, I hope some people beat him up.”
At that same moment, in the restroom, Lu Mingyang sneezed loudly and felt satisfied for no reason.
In the office, Bai Yun’s smile widened. “Jiu Jiu, I’ll take you seriously.”
Lu Jiu looked back at him and smiled. “You should. I’m serious too.”
“You are finally looking at me,” Bai Yun said softly.
The words made Lu Jiu freeze. He turned his head away again at once, his lips pressed tight.
Bai Yun laughed quietly. “After you left last Saturday, I called Dr Gao.”
Lu Jiu’s pupils shrank. He stared at him.
“She did not tell me anything, of course,” Bai Yun went on. “She was chosen by you after all, careful, capable, very discreet.”
Lu Jiu frowned. What is that supposed to mean?
“But she did tell me that if I really want to understand what happened to you, I should come for a full check with you,” Bai Yun said, sounding almost thoughtful.
Lu Jiu wanted to bury his face in his hands. In his mind he sighed, “Dear Dr Gao, what were you thinking? Why would you tell him that?”
He took a deep breath and asked carefully, “Did you go?”
“Yes,” Bai Yun said. “Yesterday. Everything is normal.”
He leaned closer, voice soft. “So what is it, Jiu Jiu? Can you tell me?”
Lu Jiu nearly blurted out the truth but stopped himself just in time. “Don’t even try,” he muttered. “You are setting a trap.”
Bai Yun looked slightly disappointed.
Lu Jiu clenched his teeth.
“My body is fine,” Bai Yun said calmly. “So what are you still worried about?”
Lu Jiu looked at him for a long moment, then said, “We are the same kind of people. When we like someone, we go for it. It doesn’t have to mean anything serious. It is just comfort, just something to do. Once the feeling fades, it ends. There is no plan for the future. It is only for fun. So if you are like me, stop asking.”
Bai Yun tilted his head slightly. “And if I am not like you?”
Lu Jiu smiled, but his eyes were cold. “Then what are you? The kind of man who feels responsible after one night?”
Bai Yun’s eyes darkened. “If I said yes, that I am that kind of man, would you treat me differently?”
Lu Jiu’s hands tightened into fists. His mind was a mess. This man was impossible. Always digging, always too clever.
Shame and anger mixed in his chest. He had never wanted to talk about this. Saying it out loud only made everything sound smaller, uglier.
He forced a calm smile. “And are you?”
Bai Yun’s eyes stayed on him, quiet and deep. He opened his mouth to answer.
Before he could speak, the office door swung open. Lu Mingyang came back, loud and cheerful.
Both men fell silent.
Lu Mingyang looked at them and smiled with pride. “Looks like you two are getting along. That’s good. Clear the air, talk it out. Young people should not hold grudges.”
He was sure the company would be saved.
Lu Jiu looked at him.
Bai Yun looked at him.
Then, at the same time, both of them started laughing. Sharp, quick, and almost the same.
✦ ✧ ✦
Cressilia
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
(¬‿¬ ) the Ko-fi button is looking at you
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
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ChaptersChapter 1 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (1)Chapter 2 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (2)Chapter 3 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (3)Chapter 4 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (4)Chapter 5 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (5)Chapter 6 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (6)Chapter 7 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (7)Chapter 8 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (8)Chapter 9 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (9)Chapter 10 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (10)Chapter 11 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (11)Chapter 12 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (12)Chapter 13 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (13)Chapter 14 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s room (14)Chapter 15 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (15)Chapter 16 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (16)Chapter 17 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (17)Chapter 18 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (18)Chapter 19 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (19)Chapter 20 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (20)Chapter 21 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (21)Chapter 22 Part 1 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (22)Chapter 22 Part 2 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (22)Chapter 23 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (23)Chapter 24 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (24)Chapter 25 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (25)Chapter 26 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (26)Chapter 27 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (27)Chapter 28 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (28)Chapter 29 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (29)Chapter 30 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (30)Chapter 31 Part 1 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (31)Chapter 31 Part 2 · After Breaking into the Big Boss’s Room (31)Chapter 32 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (1)Chapter 33 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (2)Chapter 34 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (3)Chapter 35 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (4)Chapter 36 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (5)Chapter 37 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (6)Chapter 38 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (7)Chapter 39 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (8)Chapter 40 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (9)Chapter 41 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (10)Chapter 42 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (11)Chapter 43 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (12)Chapter 44 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (13)Chapter 45 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (14)Chapter 46 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (15)Chapter 47 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (16)Chapter 48 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (17)Chapter 49 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (18)Chapter 50 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (19)Chapter 51 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (20)Chapter 52 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (21)Chapter 53 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (22)Chapter 54 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (23)Chapter 55 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (24)Chapter 56 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (25)Chapter 57 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (26)Chapter 58 · The Empire’s Number One Beta Crown Prince (27)Chapter 59 · Hatching Baby Zombies (1)Chapter 60 · Hatching Baby Zombies (2)Chapter 61 · Hatching Baby Zombies (3)Chapter 62 · Hatching Baby Zombies (4)Chapter 63 · Hatching Baby Zombies (5)Chapter 64 · Hatching Baby Zombies (6)Chapter 65 · Hatching Baby Zombies (7)Chapter 66 · Hatching Baby Zombies (8)Chapter 67 · Hatching Baby Zombies (9)Chapter 68 · Hatching Baby Zombies (10)Chapter 69 · Hatching Baby Zombies (11)Chapter 70 · Hatching Baby Zombies (12)Chapter 71 · Hatching Baby Zombies (13)Chapter 72 · Hatching Baby Zombies (14)Chapter 73 · Hatching Baby Zombies (15)Chapter 74 · Hatching Baby Zombies (16)Chapter 75 · Hatching Baby Zombies (17)Chapter 76 · Hatching Baby Zombies (18)Chapter 77 · Hatching Baby Zombies (19)Chapter 78 · Hatching Baby Zombies (20)Chapter 79 · The Mermaid on the Shore (1)Chapter 80 · The Mermaid on the Shore (2)Chapter 81 · The Mermaid on the Shore (3)Chapter 82 · The Mermaid on the Shore (4)Chapter 83 · The Mermaid on the Shore (5)Chapter 84 · The Mermaid on the Shore (6)Chapter 85 · The Mermaid on the Shore (7)Chapter 86 · The Mermaid on the Shore (8)Chapter 87 · The Mermaid on the Shore (9)Chapter 88 · The Mermaid on the Shore (10)Chapter 89 · The Mermaid on the Shore (11)Chapter 90 · The Mermaid on the Shore (12)Chapter 91 · The Mermaid on the Shore (13)Chapter 92 · The Mermaid on the Shore (14)Chapter 93 · The Mermaid on the Shore (15)Chapter 94 · The Mermaid on the Shore (16)Chapter 95 · The Mermaid on the Shore (17)Chapter 96 Part 1 · The Mermaid on the Shore (18)Chapter 96 Part 2 · The Mermaid on the Shore (18)Chapter 97 · The Mermaid on the Shore (19)Chapter 98 · Give me a drop of blood (1)Chapter 99 · Give me a drop of blood (2)Chapter 100 · Give me a drop of blood (3)Chapter 101 · Give Me a Drop of Blood (4)Chapter 102 · Give Me a Drop of Blood (5)Chapter 103 · Give Me a Drop of Blood (6)Chapter 104 · Give Me a Drop of Blood (7)Chapter 105 · Give Me a Drop of Blood (8)Chapter 106 · Give Me a Drop of Blood (9)Chapter 107 · Give Me a Drop of Blood (10)Chapter 108 · Give Me a Drop of Blood (11)Chapter 109 · Give Me a Drop of Blood (12)Chapter 110 · Give Me a Drop of Blood (13)Chapter 111 · Give Me a Drop of Blood (14)Chapter 112 · Give Me a Drop of Blood (15)Chapter 113 · Give Me a Drop of Blood (16)Chapter 114 · Give Me a Drop of Blood (17)Chapter 115 · Extra 1: A Little Conversation After Drinking (1)Chapter 116 · Extra: A Little Conversation After Drinking (2)Chapter 117 · Extra: A Little Conversation After Drinking (3)