“Look at you. Only those of us who know you realize you’re pursuing someone. Who courts like this—dragging them to the office every day? Aren’t you afraid of scaring them off?”
“The new project is on track now, right? You don’t need to oversee it constantly. Use this opportunity to play the gracious host. The Imperial Capital has plenty of fun spots. Xiao Juan grew up in the mountains, so he’s bound to be interested in lots of novel things. Take him around.”
“Young people like what? You won’t make this old man teach you, will you?”
“Father is right. I didn’t think it through.” Lu Yanzhou didn’t deny pursuing Lin Juan—he saw no reason to.
“Be more youthful,” Old Master Lu said, his anger easing now that his son was on board. “Don’t just bury yourself in work every day. You’re a family man now—pay more attention to the people around you.”
“I understand.”
Having figured it out, Lu Yanzhou took the invitation back and asked Lin Juan if he wanted to go.
“Why ask if I want to? If I say no, you won’t go?” Lin Juan was puzzled. Before, Lu Yanzhou had always brought him to meetings as a matter of course.
Lu Yanzhou hummed in affirmation. “If you don’t want to, we won’t go.”
“Where to?” Lin Juan thought back. Since coming to this world, the two places he frequented most were Lu Garden and the company. Later, to protect Lu Yanzhou, he’d gone out even less. He hadn’t thought about it before, but now that it was mentioned, he actually wanted to explore a bit.
Experience the new world.
“Yuhe Garden—an eco-farmstead. You can ride horses, fish, play golf… lots of activities.”
“You can ride horses there?” Lin Juan’s eyes lit up. “I want to ride a horse!”
“Do you know how?”
“No…”
“I’ll teach you.”
“Great!” Lin Juan bounced with excitement. “I learn fast.”
“Is that so?” Lu Yanzhou said meaningfully. Who was it that fell asleep learning business knowledge?
Lu Yanzhou didn’t voice the latter sentence. Nowadays, he gave Lin Juan three lessons a week, each time after Lin Juan finished washing up and lay down on the bed. Lu Yanzhou felt that Lin Juan had already turned this into a regular sleep aid routine.
Lin Juan pretended not to catch the implication in his words. “If I can’t learn it, it certainly isn’t this student’s problem.”
On the weekend, Lin Juan headed to Yuhe Garden with Lu Yanzhou.
Upon learning that Lu Yanzhou was coming, Mr. Zhou personally came out to greet them. “President Lu, your presence truly honors my humble abode.”
Seeing the long-haired young man standing beside Lu Yanzhou, Mr. Zhou’s attitude grew even warmer. “This must be Assistant Lin. Truly young and promising.”
Before they could respond, Mr. Zhou rattled off a string of compliments.
Lin Juan always felt that Mr. Zhou was even more enthusiastic toward him than toward Lu Yanzhou.
Mr. Zhou praised him thoroughly from head to toe, not even sparing his hair.
Lin Juan returned the courtesy. “Mr. Zhou, your hair is quite lush too.”
Mr. Zhou was a plump middle-aged man with a kindly face and a head of thick black hair that particularly stood out.
Lin Juan’s attention had been drawn to his hair several times.
“Really?” Mr. Zhou touched his hair and chuckled. “This hair of mine is transplanted. The results aren’t bad, right?”
“Transplanted?” Lin Juan was surprised. “You really can’t tell.”
Mr. Zhou burst into laughter. “Please, both of you, come on in.”
The Zhou Corporation was an old established enterprise in the Imperial Capital, mainly in clothing. Its scale was far inferior to Lu Corporation, especially after the rise of online shopping, which dealt a heavy blow to its business.
Many people hadn’t expected to see Lu Yanzhou here. Upon spotting them, they first showed disbelief, then quickly apologized to those around them and hurried over.
After fending off two groups, Lin Juan pulled Lu Yanzhou to a secluded spot. “Does this happen every time?”
People kept coming up to chat, finding all sorts of ways to flatter him.
Lin Juan had grown tired of listening.
“Not every time,” Lu Yanzhou allowed Lin Juan to pull him along. “Next time, I’ll take you somewhere else. It won’t be like this.”
“Alright.” Feeling utterly uncomfortable, Lin Juan sighed. “Can I still go horseback riding?”
He hadn’t forgotten the purpose of coming here.
“Yes.”
Lu Yanzhou took Lin Juan to ride horses.
Yuhe Garden had a large horse ranch. When Lin Juan and Lu Yanzhou arrived, a few people were scattered around riding.
Lu Yanzhou first took Lin Juan to change clothes. The riding outfits had been prepared by the steward—one black, one red. Lu Yanzhou wore black, and Lin Juan wore red.
Lin Juan emerged from the changing room, holding a part of his outfit. “Lu Yanzhou, take a look at this for me. What’s wrong here?”
The riding outfit was ornate yet form-fitting. Once put on, it perfectly accentuated Lin Juan’s figure—his slender waist, straight legs, and the boots reaching his calves that made those legs appear even longer.
With his hair tied up high, revealing his refined features, Lin Juan had a pair of exceptionally beautiful eyes. Their outer corners slanted slightly upward, and when they swept over, they were breathtakingly alluring.
Lu Yanzhou stared at him without blinking.
Until Lin Juan walked right up to him.
No reaction?
Lin Juan waved his hand in front of Lu Yanzhou’s face. “Lu Yanzhou?”
Lu Yanzhou snapped out of it, reining in the amazement in his eyes, and sighed. “This outfit suits you perfectly.”
“Am I too good-looking? Did I leave you stunned?” Lin Juan teased.
“Mm.” Lu Yanzhou didn’t deny it.
His frank admission caught Lin Juan off guard, making him a bit embarrassed. A faint pink tinged his cheeks.
Damn it! Lu Yanzhou hadn’t even said much, so why was he blushing?
Lin Juan decided to strike back. “You look handsome too.”
Lu Yanzhou wore a black riding outfit adorned with red accents. Standing together with Lin Juan, it was obvious they were wearing matching couple’s outfits.
“Did Xiao Juan get stunned looking at me?” Lu Yanzhou lowered his gaze, a unfamiliar emotion flickering in his eyes toward Lin Juan.
He was much taller than Lin Juan. Standing close, when Lu Yanzhou looked down, he could see the other’s long lashes fluttering like dancing butterflies.
Meeting those deep eyes, Lin Juan inexplicably felt his cheeks heat up. He quickly looked away. “There’s a part of the outfit I can’t fix. Help me check it.”
“Let me see.”
A gentle breeze brushed by. Lu Yanzhou leaned down to straighten Lin Juan’s clothes. His hands were steady, and the accessories Lin Juan had messed up were quickly restored to their original state.
Lin Juan stared at his hands in a daze. For a moment, neither spoke.
It was quiet, but not awkward.
After fixing the accessories, Lu Yanzhou smoothed out the rest of Lin Juan’s outfit as well. “All set.”
Lin Juan snapped back to attention and averted his gaze as if fleeing. “Let’s go riding.”
Lu Yanzhou let go of his hand and naturally took hold of Lin Juan’s dangling one at his side. “If you like it, the Lu Family has a horse ranch too. I’ll take you next time.”
His fingers felt slightly warm. Lu Yanzhou’s grip wasn’t tight—Lin Juan could shake free anytime if he wanted.
Whether Lin Juan forgot or something else, he let Lu Yanzhou lead him all the way to the stables. Only when they saw people did he pull away.
Spotting the horses, Lin Juan set aside the odd feeling rising in his heart and strode forward. “So many horses. Can I pick any?”
His eyes immediately locked onto a sleek, glossy black stallion.
“Sir, be careful! That horse is very fierce!” The staff member tending the horses warned as he saw Lin Juan heading toward the black stallion.
He moved to stop him, but the notoriously temperamental black stallion that ignored everyone else docilely lowered its head before Lin Juan and even nuzzled him.
The staff member’s eyes widened in shock.
“Can I ride it?” Lin Juan stroked the black stallion’s mane.
“Yes, yes, but please be careful. It’s very fierce.” The staff member came over to lead the horse.
The black stallion was indeed fierce. As soon as the staff member approached, it snorted at him and refused to cooperate.
The staff member was speechless. “You ungrateful little thing—who takes care of your food, drink, and everything every day?”
He handed the reins to Lin Juan. The moment they touched Lin Juan, the black stallion instantly calmed down.
Lin Juan led the horse over to Lu Yanzhou. In front of Lu Yanzhou, the black stallion seemed a bit fearful and didn’t dare act up.
Under Lu Yanzhou’s guidance, Lin Juan mounted the horse.
His posture wasn’t standard, but he looked good. Every movement had an indescribable charm that was pleasing to the eye.
Lu Yanzhou led the horse and taught him techniques. As Lin Juan had said, he learned quickly, grasped concepts fast, and could even extrapolate, giving his teacher a strong sense of accomplishment.
Before long, Lin Juan could trot on horseback.
Lu Yanzhou selected a horse too and rode alongside him.
“President Lu?”
After riding for a distance, Lin Juan heard someone call Lu Yanzhou.
“Lu Yanzhou, is someone calling you?”
He heard approaching hoofbeats.
They stopped, and soon a man on horseback galloped toward them.
“It really is you.” The man looked surprised. “I didn’t expect to run into President Lu here.”
“President Qi.” Lu Yanzhou greeted him.
Lin Juan curiously looked at the man.
Qi Ruilin—Lu Yanzhou had mentioned him before. He was Lu Yanzhou’s senior from their time studying abroad, and they had a good relationship with ongoing contact over the years.
“You’re here too, President Qi?” He’d been in touch with Qi Ruilin yesterday, who was still in Rong City then.
“I just arrived today. I was planning to look for you and heard you were here, so I came over.” Qi Ruilin looked puzzled. “But you—why come to an event hosted by Mr. Zhou?”
When the Zhou Family business started declining, they’d considered a marriage alliance with the Lu Family, but it fizzled out somehow. Qi Ruilin had always assumed Lu Yanzhou had warned them off.
“I’m just bringing Xiao Juan here to have some fun.”
Qi Ruilin glanced at the young man beside Lu Yanzhou.
He’d heard that Lu Yanzhou had personally selected an assistant to keep close at hand. Since his own operations centered on Rong City, and the other executives who knew kept it quiet, he was unaware of the company incident that day.
Lin Juan had ridden enough, so the three of them moved to another area.
Yuhe Garden had private rooms, and the trio settled in.
Throughout, Qi Ruilin witnessed his friend’s attentive care toward the long-haired young man.
In all the years he’d known him, he’d never seen Lu Yanzhou so invested in anyone.
Moreover, he’d heard that Lu Yanzhou had given away Radiant Star Technology.
That was Radiant Star! Established not long ago, yet it had skyrocketed to become a leading domestic tech company!
Even for someone of Lu Yanzhou’s wealth, handing over Radiant Star wasn’t as simple as pocket change.
Qi Ruilin subtly observed Lin Juan.
Very beautiful.
He wouldn’t deny it—the young man was very beautiful, in a uniquely captivating way. But with Lu Yanzhou’s background, he’d seen plenty of beauties from childhood to now. Not to mention others, just during their study abroad days, plenty of beauties had crushed on Lu Yanzhou.
It wasn’t like no one had tried to get close to Lu Yanzhou by leveraging their looks. Lu Yanzhou never paid them any mind and had stubbornly remained single until now.
He’d thought his friend would stay single forever, but the iron tree had bloomed!
Though he was single now, having dated several times himself, how could he miss the obvious signs of Lu Yanzhou falling in love?
Who would’ve thought—a trip to the Imperial Capital, and such a shocking discovery.
“If I may be so bold to ask—what’s your relationship?” Qi Ruilin couldn’t help his curiosity.
A fast-growing company, one personally founded by Lu Yanzhou, given away just like that.
It didn’t match the Lu Yanzhou he knew.
“We’re married.” Lu Yanzhou slowly set down his wine glass.
“Pfft—” Qi Ruilin, who had just taken a sip of water, sprayed it out.
He hurriedly grabbed a napkin to wipe his mouth.
He stared at Lu Yanzhou, who showed no signs of lying. In fact, he sensed a subtle possessiveness from him, like staking a claim.
No way?
After knowing him so long, who knew you were a hidden romance addict!!
