Chapter 40: “Say You’re Mine?”

Indeed, the tasks had progressed smoothly lately—almost unbelievably so.

Shen Ju had been wondering how to brush up his image with Pei Yan, and now the chance for some alone time had arrived just like that.

Now, the study held only him and Pei Yan.

It was a golden opportunity.

Shen Ju finished another problem, then sneaked a glance at Pei Yan.

These past few days, he couldn’t help but observe Pei Yan constantly.

Perhaps because Pei Yan’s “positioning” in his mind had shifted.

So the image of Pei Yan in his eyes seemed to have changed more concretely.

Shen Ju realized he was looking more closely than before.

For instance, his gaze always lingered on Pei Yan, noting what clothes he wore today, his hairstyle, and even—when leaning in close—his scent seemed different.

Like tonight, at home, Pei Yan wore deep gray loungewear with a soft, fuzzy texture that looked incredibly cozy.

Shen Ju scratched his chin.

Why does Pei-ge seem to love these fluffy fabrics lately?

Not a good time to interrupt, right?

Shen Ju watched Pei Yan for a while, but Pei Yan kept his head down over documents, probably tackling some major project.

996 cleared its throat lightly and whispered: 【This is exactly when you interrupt—be totally oblivious about it…】

These days, it even spoke softly for fear of being too loud.

Shen Ju hummed in acknowledgment, said 【Got it】, then cleared his throat.

“Um…”

Shen Ju straightened up from the desk: “Pei-ge, what are you working on?”

The page in Pei Yan’s hand flipped.

Then he looked up: “Getting antsy?”

“Not really, just curious what you’re doing.”

He was totally making conversation out of nothing.

If Pei Yan was dealing with important files, he probably felt a bit helpless right now.

Even Little Stone knew not to bother Pei Yan at a time like this.

Shen Ju fiddled with his pant leg, his gaze drifting again.

“If you’re curious, come take a look yourself.”

Who says that?

In Shen Ju’s mind, it auto-translated to: If you don’t value your life, come take a look yourself.

Uh…

One of Little Stone’s ears flopped down, the other perked up, a chew toy still in his mouth. After locking eyes with Shen Ju, he thudded back into his dog bed, paws covering his eyes.

That’s it?

Shen Ju hesitated, glancing at Pei Yan.

And if he wasn’t mistaken, this looked like the first page—had Pei-ge flipped to it specially for him?

“You think it’s almost the New Year, so the company has no KPIs left to chase?”

Pei Yan chuckled, spreading the document open on the desk: “Gao Chuanbai dumped this on me. Said since I’m ‘idle’ enough to tutor you all, I might as well screen the gala programs too. But these are giving me a headache.”

“Why?”

If it were any other document, Shen Ju wouldn’t care at all, but a year-end gala program? He was curious.

So Shen Ju leaned in closer without thinking—

“Sit down and look.”

“Sit?”

Shen Ju glanced around—where?

The study was spacious, their tutoring desk wide, but Pei Yan’s side was a single workstation. The desk was a meter long and 80 cm wide, but only one chair sat there—and Pei Yan was in it.

So where was he supposed to sit?

Drag over another chair?

Shen Ju was already thinking of obediently fetching one.

But the next second, a pair of hands reached out and hoisted him onto the desk.

Shen Ju: “!!!”

He hadn’t even reacted!

“Just sit on the desk and look.”

Pei Yan said casually, settling back into his chair: “Since I can’t exactly have you on my lap.”

“…”

Shen Ju’s mouth opened, but nothing came out.

What the hell?

Wasn’t he supposed to be the one seducing here?

Why did it feel so backwards…

Like the Tech R&D Department’s electronic light show, Marketing’s skit All the Empty Promises We’ve Painted This Year, Tech Support’s “Firefighting” Heroes League, Sales’ Client vs. Contractor, Finance’s The Final Line of Defense… Shen Ju read on, engrossed. What kind of company is this? So many “talents.”

“Interested?”

A voice asked from beside him.

Shen Ju didn’t look up, just hummed twice.

“Want to come watch?”

“Hm?”

Shen Ju finally registered, lifting his head and pointing at himself: “I can go?”

“The company gala isn’t just for employees.”

Pei Yan sat across from him, elbow on the armrest, hands steepled.

He was in a slightly lower position than Shen Ju, but it didn’t diminish him at all—like Shen Ju was the little assistant and Pei Yan the boss issuing orders—

“Besides, I do have the authority to bring a few people.”

Shen Ju blinked, suddenly feeling oddly “formal.”

He realized that despite knowing Pei Yan so long, he’d never seen him working at the company.

Not in the study, but at Star River Technology.

Sure, he’d called him “uncle” at first sight, but Pei Yan was only four years older. He’d finished school early, started his own tech firm—now booming. Even before the Guan Family recognized Shen Ju, Yude School kids had buzzed about it when Star River Technology burst onto the scene. Its founder had been hot gossip for ages.

Business wunderkind, young and accomplished.

Shen Ju had overheard back then, but paid little mind—it was a world apart from his.

And now…

The business wunderkind sat right in front of him.

The boss.

He pressed his feet together, wondering why he felt so awkward around Pei Yan lately… So weird.

Lost in thought, a shadow suddenly fell over him.

Pei Yan had stood without him noticing, leaning in close—

“Wanna go?”

Uh.

Shen Ju watched Pei Yan draw nearer.

“But if I bring you, how should I introduce you?”

Pei Yan murmured, as if asking: “Say you’re mine…”

“Tutoring student?”

Shen Ju blurted in the moment.

Pei Yan: “…”

996 was exasperated: 【Host, listen to yourself! You should’ve played it flirty—tease him! Don’t humans have a word for it, “picking someone up”? Come on, flirt already—】

It wasn’t sure if it was an illusion.

But 996 felt like the one doing the flirting was someone else.

Impossible.

Must be an illusion.

Shen Ju 【oh-oh】ed twice. Sensing Pei Yan about to pull back, he didn’t think—just instinctively grabbed Pei Yan’s collar and yanked forward.

Snap.

Oh no.

Does Pei-ge finally hate me now?!