Chapter 64
“I hear CEO Yu has suffered a setback in love?” Fu Ling arrived earlier than agreed.
He couldn’t miss this opportunity for some firsthand gossip.
After all, this was the first time Yu Congyan had actively sought his help.
Their previous interactions were limited to polite greetings and toasting each other at banquets, never discussing their business dealings, maintaining a superficial courtesy.
Although they weren’t close, they both knew the other wasn’t just a pretty face.
Fu Ling was simply luckier, not having to deal with internal family conflicts while managing his company.
“You should already know the situation, let’s discuss the terms.” Yu Congyan got straight to the point.
This wasn’t a formal business setting, there was no need for pretense.
“What do you want to know?” Fu Ling asked, slowly stirring his coffee with a stirrer in a clockwise direction, “If you want advice, you better provide more details.”
He had a smug “look who’s down on their luck now” expression.
“…There’s no need to be so happy about it.” Yu Congyan sat down.
He couldn’t reveal Xia Wansheng’s transmigration secret, but he could explain the general situation.
Fu Ling listened thoughtfully.
The development of their relationship was rather unusual.
“But judging by the current situation, Xia Wansheng doesn’t seem to have strong feelings for you. Your current dynamic resembles that of ordinary friends.” He concluded.
He had only witnessed Yu Congyan’s one-sided pursuit.
Yu Congyan pretended to be indifferent, but he was clearly smitten.
“You don’t understand him.” Yu Congyan refused to accept this assessment.
Xia Wansheng had even chosen to stay in this world for him, just to be his friend?!
Impossible.
Fu Ling took a sip of his hot coffee and, adopting his usual business negotiation demeanor, prepared to systematically dismantle his friend’s defenses.
“Has he confessed his feelings to you?”
“…”
“Has he ever been jealous of those rumors about you?”
“No.”
“Has he ever publicly displayed affection towards you?”
“…I don’t recall.”
“That means no,” Fu Ling declared, “What’s the difference between you two and ordinary friends?”
Yu Congyan fell silent.
He had thought they were just one step away from breaking through that final barrier, how had his progress been reset to zero?
He wanted to argue, but he realized the special treatment he had felt might have just been because of their initial dynamic.
He had simply been lucky.
“You’re right.” Yu Congyan sighed, reluctantly admitting defeat.
“Giving up so easily? It seems my brother was right,” Fu Ling said smugly,
“You’ve truly fallen hard this time.”
Being able to reach this stage meant there must be some feelings, perhaps the other party simply hadn’t realized it yet.
“You can’t drag this on, the longer you wait, the fewer opportunities you have. Today is a good day,” Fu Ling glanced at the sky,
“I just invested in a new technology company in the suburbs, want to go take a look?”
Then he would abandon him halfway.
“Visiting his new apartment would be a perfectly reasonable excuse, and with the sudden downpour tonight, staying over would be natural.” He glanced at the weather forecast.
He was always good at using every advantage to his benefit.
The luxury car sped along, the trees outside blurring.
At the orphanage entrance.
“Please let me know when you’re coming next time, I’ll make the necessary arrangements!” The director shook Xia Wansheng’s hand enthusiastically, her face beaming.
She hadn’t expected this young man to actually donate such a large sum!
“You’re too kind,” Xia Wansheng said, “I actually have a question for you, has this orphanage ever relocated?”
The director released his hand and thought for a moment, “We haven’t moved, but we did consider relocating to a more convenient location closer to the city center.”
“But for various reasons, the plan was shelved, and the location we were considering became a nursing home in a wealthy neighborhood, it’s all in the past now.”
“Could you tell me the address of that location?” Xia Wansheng asked.
He wanted to confirm something.
Could it be… he had also experienced such a time-space distortion?
“Of course, I’ll go find it.” Li Suchan hurried back to search for the old documents, but after a long time, she only found a yellowed envelope.
“We didn’t have proper archiving back then, this is all I could find, the address is written beside the postmark.” She pointed at the faded ink.
“Can I have this envelope?” Xia Wansheng asked.
“Of course, it’s an old item, no use anymore,” the director waved her hand dismissively, “I’m glad it can be of use to you.”
A car horn blared outside.
Fu Ling pointed at the sign, “Qingshan Orphanage, I heard you donated twenty million without hesitation?”
Such generosity, not even seeking fame or recognition, quite noble.
“Xia Wansheng donated the money. The old man intended to give him a hard time, but the donation made the media think I was the chosen heir.” Yu Congyan recalled the incident, a faint smile playing on his lips.
“That’s not a good sign,” Fu Ling clicked his tongue, “He’s not even interested in your money, and you expect him to be interested in you?”
That was sophistry, absolute sophistry.
Yu Congyan refused to accept this preposterous notion.
But as he looked out the car window, he frowned.
The figure talking to a group of people at the orphanage entrance, it looked like Xia Wansheng.
“Wait a minute, I’ll go ask.” Yu Congyan was about to get out of the car when Fu Ling stopped him.
“Wait, leave your phone.” He confiscated his communication device, tossing him two coins.
“Take bus number 35 to the Science Park tomorrow to discuss the collaboration, get off at the last stop, then turn left.”
Fu Ling closed the car door without hesitation, thinking, finally, someone else could experience the struggles of public transport.
He had even had to learn how to buy a subway ticket.
It was a long and arduous journey.
Xia Wansheng, his back to Yu Congyan, was listening to the director’s polite remarks, unaware of his presence.
“There’s an awards ceremony in town next month, you must attend!” Li Suchan insisted he make an appearance and be an example for the children.
“I’ll contact you later, I might not be here next month.” Xia Wansheng said, thinking Old Man Feng might have another round of devil training scheduled then.
A familiar voice came from behind him. He turned around to meet Yu Congyan’s unreadable gaze, “…Are you leaving again?”
He wasn’t questioning him, just confused about how things had turned out this way, as if he could never keep him.
As if everything they had experienced was just a dream, and it was time to wake up.
“What are you doing here?” Xia Wansheng asked, looking around at the rural surroundings, “Is there a new project here?”
Had Yu Congyan, like other tycoons, finally decided to venture into the resort and real estate industry?
“Still under consideration, I just happened to be passing by,” Yu Congyan kept his explanation brief, then asked the question that had been on his mind, “Where are you planning to go next month?”
Could it be that Xia Wansheng, tired of his current life, was planning to leave and return to his ordinary life after settling everything?
“I’m not sure yet, it depends on the schedule,” Xia Wansheng replied after some thought, “Why do you ask?”
They had walked out of the orphanage gate, a row of lush green pine trees lining the path.
“What I’m about to say might trouble you, but I’ve been thinking about this for a long time,”
Yu Congyan stopped, seemingly having made a difficult decision, pausing for a few seconds before finally asking, “Do…do you have someone you like?”
“Huh?” Xia Wansheng looked at him, puzzled.
Yu Congyan seemed genuinely concerned about his answer.
His initial intention to joke around faded, and he said softly, “Yes, and it seems to be unrequited.”
If he had known Yu Congyan was so oblivious, he should have drawn a red heart on the birthday cake and told him it was a symbol of good luck.
