“Does it hurt a lot?” In the back seat of the sedan, Huo Boyan chuckled lightly, amusement dancing in his eyes and at the corners of his brows. “Then next time, I’ll bite a little lighter.”
“Aaaah, don’t say it!” Zhu Ran exploded in an instant, but since he was hiding in the bathroom stall, he didn’t dare make a loud noise. He could only speak very softly, which carried no intimidation at all and instead sounded like he was coquettishly whining.
“Are you really hurt? Did it break the skin?” Huo Boyan’s tone turned sincere as he apologized. “Sorry, it was too dark at the time, and I didn’t notice. When you get back, I’ll take a look for you.”
“Don’t even think about it,” Zhu Ran rejected him outright. “I won’t video call with you!”
Huo Boyan said with dead seriousness, turning the tables on him. “I know you have strong needs, but since your body isn’t feeling well right now, you should still hold back a bit.”
Zhu Ran: “…”
Shameless bastard.
Zhu Ran: “I’m hanging up!”
“Wait a second,” Huo Boyan reined in his smile and said solemnly. “I haven’t left yet. I’ll buy some ointment and have it delivered to you.”
“Don’t come,” Zhu Ran said immediately. “My mom is right outside. She’ll see you if you come over.”
Huo Boyan: “I’ll have the server pass it to you.”
“It’s not that serious,” Zhu Ran finally relented, his cheeks flushing as he said, “No broken skin, no injury. It’s just that the clothes are chafing and don’t feel comfortable…”
After hearing this, Huo Boyan fell into an eerie silence. Zhu Ran was already embarrassed, and this silence from Huo Boyan made his sense of shame explode. He immediately said, “Huo Boyan, I’m really hanging up…”
“I miss you.” Huo Boyan suddenly said. “I want to stay with you all the time.”
Zhu Ran froze, and surprisingly, he blushed again.
He had never heard such straightforward sweet talk in his life. He really wanted to roast Huo Boyan for being cheesy, but instead, he obediently said, “Actually, I miss you too…”
Huo Boyan sighed and glanced down at his own disheveled state, feeling a vague urge to go insane from holding back.
He closed his eyes and replayed the image of Zhu Ran being bullied by him in his mind, then said without any gentlemanly demeanor, “Next time we meet, stay over for the night.”
Zhu Ran caught the implication in his words and nodded with a flushed face.
Huo Boyan handled twenty minutes of work before returning to the company, where he once again resumed his elite image of refined elegance. His subordinates sighed once more over the boss’s graceful poise, unaware that their impeccably cultured president had nearly been driven mad.
Buzz—
At that moment, a message came from Zhu Ran: I can take Wednesday off.
Before Huo Boyan could reply, Zhu Ran added: If it’s convenient, I can come over Tuesday night and leave Thursday morning.
Huo Boyan had Chen Jiaming cancel two unimportant meetings and had the vice president attend three others in his place before replying to Zhu Ran: Okay, I’ll pick you up at the Art Gallery Tuesday evening.
Before Zhu Ran could respond, someone knocked on Huo Boyan’s office door. Chen Jiaming entered to report on work. “Boss, Zhang Jinhua’s daughter’s surgery was very successful and has now entered the recovery phase. I’ve arranged for Zhang Jinhua to return to Hong Kong, expected to arrive tomorrow night. Do we need to arrange a meeting?”
“Meet her,” Huo Boyan composed his expression, his tone turning a bit more serious. “Set her up at safehouse number four. I’ll go the next day.”
At the same time, a sedan drove along the familiar roads of Shallow Water Bay. Zhu Ran gripped his phone tightly and looked up at the fiery red Phoenix Flowers outside the window, unable to stop his mind from wandering.
It was Sunday today, and he had an appointment with Huo Boyan on Tuesday, which meant they could meet again the evening after next.
The sedan stopped at the villa entrance. Zhu Ran returned to his bedroom with flushed cheeks and looked at his neatly organized wardrobe, somewhat regretting not buying that skirt the sales assistant had recommended. Mainly because he hadn’t thought there would actually be an occasion to wear it…
No, no, even if it was to see Huo Boyan, dressing like that would be too much.
Zhu Ran got up and dug out the business card the sales assistant had slipped him. He added her contact and explained his intent, but she told him it was out of stock.
Fine, he didn’t have to wear something so flashy anyway. He didn’t have a skirt fetish to begin with.
Zhu Ran tossed aside his phone, went downstairs to clean the yard to distract himself, but his heart had already flown to two days later.
The next day at work, Zhu Ran went with Vivian to visit that emerging artist again, returning empty-handed once more. On the way back, she bought him a cup of coffee and said they’d come again next time.
Zhu Ran had been running around with Vivian, achieving nothing and even freeloading coffee, so he felt a bit embarrassed.
To be fair, Zhu Ran felt he couldn’t do this kind of work. Though he wasn’t famous, he prided himself on being a creator with a bit of an artist’s arrogance. He was always the one giving others attitude; it was impossible for him to keep lowering his pride to beg people repeatedly.
But now he was just a tag-along, with no pressure on himself, so he didn’t feel much genuine investment. He just thought Vivian had a great mindset.
Vivian noticed his expression and smiled as she asked, “Why the long face?”
Zhu Ran paused, then said with some confusion, “Is it really useful? We’ve come twice now, and they still won’t agree.”
Vivian smiled. “What, feeling bad for me? Or do you think I’m wasting my effort on this?”
That was exactly what Zhu Ran thought, but saying it outright would be too hurtful. He hesitated for a moment before saying, “I just don’t get it. Since they keep rejecting us, why do we keep going?”
Vivian: “Because signing a tough one gives such a sense of accomplishment!”
Zhu Ran was stunned. You could think of it that way?
“The first visit, I didn’t even get to see her. The second time, you came with me, and we at least got personally rejected. The third time was today—we even got invited in to see her works.” Vivian said enthusiastically. “Judging by her softening attitude, I think we’ll close the deal soon.”
