“No!” Tao Zhi refused immediately. “Then Friday it is.”
He paused, then asked puzzled: “Why Friday? Saturday wouldn’t work?”
Fu Si Heng: “Stay over two nights. I’ll drop you at school Sunday.”
Tao Zhi: “……”
Staying over at Fu Si Heng’s house sounded terrifying.
Without thinking, Tao Zhi blurted: “No—”
“It’s just staying over. Two rooms, no bedding.” Fu Si Heng’s tone was calm. “I’ve stayed over before, and I kept my promise.”
He was at it again… Whenever there was an embarrassing word, Fu Si Heng picked it to say.
Tao Zhi struggled to speak: “Can you not say that word?”
Fu Si Heng: “No problem, pure college girl.”
Tao Zhi: “……”
“Coming or not?” Fu Si Heng said. “I have something to tell you too, by the way.”
“What is it?” Tao Zhi perked up immediately.
Fu Si Heng: “The thing you’re most concerned about.”
Huh?
The thing he cared about most? What was that?
Even Tao Zhi himself didn’t know, leaving him even more confused.
Fu Si Heng: “Coming or not?”
“Fine.” Curiosity got the better of him, and Tao Zhi was easily reeled in. After thinking for half a minute, he agreed: “Don’t pick me up. I’ll come to you myself.”
“How are you getting here?” Fu Si Heng wasn’t reassured. “Subway? Takes two hours.”
“If you don’t want me to pick you up, I’ll send my assistant.”
“No need. I can manage.” He had to go to Rong Huai’s shop first to do makeup and change anyway.
“Don’t come pick me up.” Tao Zhi gripped his phone and told him solemnly.
“Alright.” Jokes aside, as a mature man and a CEO with years in the business world, he knew exactly which words were serious and which he could tease about.
“See you Friday.” Fu Si Heng said.
–
On Friday, Tao Zhi felt quite anxious when it was time to leave.
Suddenly disappearing for two days—how was he supposed to explain it to Fu Zheng? His job was to take care of Fu Zheng’s daily life. Without him, how would Fu Zheng manage over the weekend?
Tao Zhi had come up with many excuses over the past few days. Unexpectedly, Fu Zheng approached him first, saying he had no time this week. He had to go out Friday, wouldn’t be back Saturday, and would return Sunday afternoon.
He asked if Tao Zhi was free Sunday afternoon, around six.
Tao Zhi slowly turned his head: “You’re going out too?”
“Yeah.” Fu Zheng was preoccupied with his own plans and didn’t catch the “too” in Tao Zhi’s words.
Last weekend, he had gone to 178k. 178k’s advice was to confess—straight-up confess.
No beating around the bush with all that nonsense. Just confess directly.
Confess and start dating sooner. Happy ending for everyone, and then never come to him again.
Cut ties immediately, never speak again.
Fu Zheng wasn’t satisfied at first, thinking 178k was brushing him off, but that line about confessing and starting to date early pleased him.
Dating Tao Zhi…
Damn.
He was weirdly looking forward to it.
Fu Zheng got all worked up by the idea, like they would be together the next second.
He really wanted to date.
Couldn’t wait.
Direct confession was indeed best.
But how to confess was a huge problem.
Fu Zheng held back his excitement and discussed it with them for five days. In the end, he decided to hold a confession ceremony on an outdoor lawn. He booked it for two days, hired a studio to plan and decorate the site.
Today, he was going to check the venue and discuss the style with the studio. Tomorrow and the day after, they’d set it up.
If it got too late, he might not return tonight or tomorrow.
Only two days left.
Once this was done right, he could date Tao Zhi.
Fu Zheng took a deep breath and exhaled, then asked again: “You free? Sunday at six.”
“Probably…?” Tao Zhi thought about it.
He’d return from Fu Si Heng’s in the afternoon, perfect timing to meet Fu Zheng in the evening.
Sigh.
So busy.
But no helping it—his boss.
Taking two days off already felt guilty, especially since Fu Zheng had left him 3000 yuan this week. 3000 in earnings, and he hadn’t done much. It felt embarrassing to take it.
With that in mind, Tao Zhi immediately confirmed, turning his hesitation into certainty: “Yeah, yeah I am.”
“Got it.” Fu Zheng said. “I’ll pick you up Sunday afternoon then.”
Tao Zhi: “Mm-hmm.”
And just like that, it was settled.
After talking with Tao Zhi, Fu Zheng left quickly.
Tao Zhi finished his last class of the afternoon and left school at six.
He went to Rong Huai’s first, then took nearly two hours on the subway during rush hour. By the time Tao Zhi arrived at Fu Si Heng’s home, Fu Si Heng had already prepared dinner.
“You can cook?” Tao Zhi was surprised and walked over to see a lavish spread of three dishes and a soup.
Fu Si Heng hummed: “Just learned this week.”
Tao Zhi blinked, not asking why he learned.
Fu Si Heng: “Eat first.”
Tao Zhi: “……Oh.”
After dinner, Tao Zhi helped clear the table.
Once everything was done, he washed his hands and came out asking: “What was the thing you said last week you needed to tell me?”
Tao Zhi had been curious about this for a long time.
But Fu Si Heng deliberately strung him along, not saying. He just sat on the sofa and told Tao Zhi: “Come here.”
