But…
“Your offer—how’s it different from free money?”
“Doing zilch for six million a year?”
After taxes, even.
What distinguished it from pie falling from the sky?
Lin Juan eyed him suspiciously. They weren’t setting some trap, were they?
Director Liu broke out in a cold sweat under his skeptical gaze and hurriedly explained, “Mr. Lin, don’t you know? In the hearts of ability users, you’re practically a god. We invited you to be the principal mainly to borrow your reputation. In the early stages of founding the school, we might publicize some of your feats to attract more ability users to enroll.”
That made sense.
Six million bucks.
Lin Juan wasn’t short on money these days. The wealth generated by Yaoxing Technology was no small sum, not to mention the research projects in collaboration with the Anomalous Affairs Agency. Once they got on track and started turning profits, in a world overrun by anomalies in the future, the earnings would be substantial.
But it was still six million.
Free six million!
Hesitating for even a minute would be disrespectful to six million!
“Alright, but publicly, just use the title ‘Mr. Lin.'”
“Good, good.” Hearing Lin Juan agree, Director Liu let out a sigh of relief.
Lin Juan hadn’t expected that dropping off a student would land him a principal position.
He thought of something and asked, “Does that make me a public servant now?”
“It won’t interfere with me running my company outside, right?”
“It won’t interfere at all. In fact, Mr. Lin, if you’re willing, we could even give you a nominal position at the Anomalous Affairs Agency. It’d just be one more title on your resume, with no other changes.”
“Oh, sure, why not.”
“You don’t want to…” Halfway through his words, Director Liu suddenly realized what he had heard. “You agreed?”
“Yeah.”
Director Liu was overjoyed and immediately reported the news up the chain.
The higher-ups hadn’t expected that offering an honorary principal position would yield such an unexpected bonus.
They held an emergency meeting at the Anomalous Affairs Agency to decide what position to give Lin Juan.
The school was still under construction, so there wasn’t much for Lin Juan to do. Aside from collecting two paychecks, his life didn’t change much.
Lu Mingxuan had awakened his ability and joined the special training. Knowing Lin Juan could enter the training base at any time, the eldest brother and sister-in-law of the Lu family invited him to dinner and asked him to check in on their son from time to time.
Dr. Zhuang’s prophecy still lingered like a scar in their hearts.
They worried that the prophecy’s outcome would play out in real life.
Even if they hadn’t asked, Lin Juan would have kept an eye on things.
Because of Lu Mingxuan, Lin Juan visited the training base more frequently than before. Lu Mingxuan didn’t reveal his relationship with Lin Juan, and the instructors who knew his identity kept quiet about it.
After a period of training, Lu Mingxuan underwent a huge transformation.
It was as if he had grown up overnight, shedding his boyish innocence and even getting a bit tanned.
During training, everyone wore work vests. In his downtime, Lin Juan noticed that Lu Mingxuan’s muscles had become much more toned than before.
As expected of uncle and nephew, Lu Mingxuan shared many similarities with Lu Yanzhou.
Lin Juan was the only one whose focus had shifted to the training base lately, so he spent less time at the Lu Residence.
Sometimes when Lu Yanzhou returned home, he didn’t see Lin Juan there.
Lin Juan entered the room, steaming with heat, and saw the man in a black shirt sitting on the sofa. “You’re off work early today?”
“A new restaurant opened near the company. I came back to pick you up for dinner, but you weren’t home.” Lu Yanzhou missed the days when he could see Lin Juan the moment he got home.
At some point, he had started looking forward to coming home on his commute.
Unfortunately, with Lu Mingxuan becoming an ability user and joining the Anomalous Affairs Agency, he might not be able to devote himself fully to the group anymore.
Thinking of this, Lu Yanzhou felt a pang of regret.
“I ate over there before coming back,” Lin Juan said as he walked, peeling off his clothes. “I’ll go take a shower first. I’m covered in sweat.”
He pulled his short-sleeved shirt over his head. Caught off guard, Lu Yanzhou glimpsed a glimpse of his supple waist and two patches of pink on his expanse of pale skin. The words he was about to say stuck in his throat.
His Adam’s apple bobbed as Lu Yanzhou forcibly looked away.
Oblivious, Lin Juan kicked off his pants with one foot and padded barefoot into the bathroom.
Lin Juan’s legs were straight and long, brimming with power. Lu Yanzhou couldn’t help imagining the sensation of those legs wrapped around him.
Water sounds came from the bathroom. Lu Yanzhou grew hotter and hotter. He tugged at his tie, but the heat kept rising. In the end, he undid the tie and unbuttoned his collar, exhaling a breath of hot air.
The youth’s complete lack of guard around him left Lu Yanzhou unsure whether to be happy or worried.
The water stopped, and Lin Juan emerged wrapped in a bath towel, his hair dripping water.
Lu Yanzhou stood up, grabbed the hairdryer, and started blow-drying Lin Juan’s hair.
He was very skilled at this now. Lin Juan’s hair was long, and he lacked the patience to dry it often, so it usually air-dried after washing. Lu Yanzhou had taken over the task, blow-drying it for him every time.
At first, Lin Juan resisted, but after being held down and dried a few times, he was like a cat that had been petted smooth—no more objections.
Mainly because Lu Yanzhou did it for him without any effort on his part and even gave him a scalp massage. It was pure bliss.
Wet strands slipped through his fingertips, sending tingles from his fingers straight to his heart.
Lu Yanzhou’s expression was serious, as if he were closing a billion-dollar deal instead of blow-drying hair.
Under the perfectly measured massage, Lin Juan squinted his eyes, looking just like a cat enjoying a blow-dry.
Lu Yanzhou looked down at the youth, his eyes filled with unmatched tenderness.
Unfortunately, the one being watched remained oblivious.
“Juanjuan, come to the company with me tomorrow.”
In his drowsy haze, Lin Juan suddenly heard the man’s voice.
Lin Juan blinked. “?”
“Why do you suddenly want me at the company?”
“We can have lunch or dinner at that new restaurant nearby. Everyone at the company says the food there is great.”
To spend more time with Lin Juan, Lu Yanzhou decided to lure him to the company.
Deeply aware of Lin Juan’s preferences, Lu Yanzhou had him pinned.
“I can come find you at noon or in the evening.” Unbeknownst to himself, Lin Juan leaned into the man’s embrace, enveloped by his scent. Because he was so familiar with it, he didn’t notice how close they were.
“A lot of people have been asking why Assistant Lin hasn’t been coming to work,” Lu Yanzhou said seriously, making it up. “As the president’s personal assistant, doesn’t Juanjuan think it’s bad to skip work so often?”
Lin Juan remembered the extra salary he got every month. Yeah, it did seem like he was taking money without doing the work.
Besides, he had been neglecting Lu Yanzhou a bit these past few days. Today, Lu Yanzhou had come back early to take him to dinner, but he wasn’t home.
Even without Lu Yanzhou saying it, Lin Juan sensed the hidden disappointment on the man.
If it were him specially inviting someone to eat and they weren’t there, he’d feel disappointed too.
The more Lin Juan thought about it, the guiltier he felt. “Alright, I’ll go with you tomorrow. Remember to wake me up.”
He agreed readily now, but the next morning, after staying up late the night before, Lin Juan started acting spoiled and refused to get up.
“Just ten more minutes.” Lin Juan pulled the covers over his head. “Or you go ahead. I’ll come find you later. I’m so sleepy. Can’t you bear to make your Assistant Lin drag himself to work half-asleep?”
“Really,” Lin Juan said, stretching a hand out from under the covers and patting Lu Yanzhou randomly. “I’ll bring you lunch at noon, okay?”
Lu Yanzhou caught the youth’s hand and squeezed it. “Juanjuan promised. Don’t go back on your word.”
“Mm-hmm.” Lin Juan just wanted to keep sleeping right now, so he agreed to anything. “I promise.”
Lu Yanzhou tucked his hand back under the covers, patted the big lump there, and left.
The room fell quiet.
To let him sleep well, Lu Yanzhou hadn’t opened the curtains. In the dim room, Lin Juan quickly fell back asleep.
When he woke up, it was already dark outside.
“Open the curtains.”
The curtains slid open automatically, and blinding sunlight poured in.
Lin Juan glanced outside at the brightness and had a bad feeling. He instantly woke up fully.
Now that he was awake, his mind cleared too. Lin Juan remembered his promise to Lu Yanzhou. He checked his phone—not too much, not too little, exactly 11:11.
How was it so late?!
Lin Juan jumped out of bed, rushed through washing up, changed clothes, and bolted out.
He dashed to the kitchen. “Uncle Qiu, is there any extra food from today?”
Uncle Qiu was the head chef at the Lin Residence. Skilled in all kinds of cuisines and especially Chinese pastries, he had gotten familiar with Lin Juan, who loved snacks and often snuck into the kitchen for treats.
“There is. What would you like, Mr. Lin? I made a new pastry today, fresh out of the pot. Have some to tide you over.”
Lin Juan checked the time—it was almost noon. The drive from the Lin Residence to Lu Group headquarters took about forty minutes. He needed to hurry.
“I’m not eating now. Pack some for me. Are there any cooked dishes? Pack some of those too. I need to bring them to Lu Yanzhou.”
“Wait one moment. I’ll pack them right away.”
While anxiously waiting, Lin Juan was drawn in by the pastry’s aroma and couldn’t resist picking one up.
Delicious!
Soft, glutinous, and sweet—not for nothing from the lineage of imperial chefs.
Lin Juan’s eyes lit up. He decided to pack extra pastries for Lu Yanzhou to try too.
Once packed, Lin Juan grabbed the insulated box and rushed out, calling back, “Uncle Qiu, tell Uncle for me that I’m heading to the company and won’t be home for lunch today!”
“Got it.”
Uncle Qiu’s response was left far behind.
Lin Juan had contacted the driver in advance. They sped all the way to the headquarters building. Lin Juan didn’t stop for a moment and headed straight inside.
Lu Yanzhou had given instructions ahead of time. Upon seeing Lin Juan, someone immediately approached. “Assistant Lin, this way.”
The elevator rose. It was already past one. He wondered if Lu Yanzhou had eaten.
He knocked on the office door. Without looking up, Lu Yanzhou said, “Come in.”
Lin Juan walked in carrying the lunchbox.
The footsteps grew closer. Sensing something, Lu Yanzhou suddenly looked up.
“Juanjuan?”
The irritation in his eyes vanished the instant he saw Lin Juan.
Lu Yanzhou stood up, took the lunchbox from Lin Juan’s hand, and swept the files on his desk aside.
“Have you had lunch yet?” Lin Juan knew he was late and felt guilty.
He had promised, but he couldn’t deliver.
“No…”
“Juanjuan,” Lu Yanzhou interrupted his apology. “No matter what time it is, you never need to say that to me. I’m just happy you’re here.”
Lin Juan felt even more guilty. “I brought Uncle Qiu’s new creation. It’s really good. Try it.”
He opened the lunchbox, took out chopsticks, picked up a piece of snow-white pastry, and held it to Lu Yanzhou’s lips. “It’s lychee flavored.”
The rich lychee aroma filled his nostrils. Lu Yanzhou gazed at the youth so close by and parted his lips slightly.
“How is it?”
Lin Juan was a bit shorter than Lu Yanzhou, so he had to tilt his head up slightly to meet the man’s eyes.
Lu Yanzhou chewed slowly. “Very sweet, Juanjuan.”
Under the man’s gaze, Lin Juan had a strong intuition.
The sweetness he meant was him.
