Lu Xingyan quickly went downstairs after delivering the application to Lei Dechang’s office, expecting to catch up with Chen Ningxi in the parking lot, but instead ran into Wang Qing.
Ever since their last showdown, Lu Xingyan had been deliberately avoiding her. He planned to pretend he hadn’t seen her, but just as he opened the car door, he heard a voice calling out from behind.
Wang Qing: "Lu Xingyan."
Lu Xingyan got straight into the car. Just as he was about to start it, Wang Qing walked to the driver’s side and knocked on the window.
Through the car window, Wang Qing shouted at him from outside, "Lu Xingyan, what are you hiding from? Are you even a man? Are you scared of ?"
A young man filled with blood and fire couldn’t stand being mocked. Lu Xingyan rolled down the window. "What do you want?"
Wang Qing sneered sarcastically, "Don’t say I didn’t warn you. You’d better stop running to Manager Chen’s office all the ti."
After saying that, she started to walk away, but sensing sothing off, Lu Xingyan called after her, "Wait a minute, what do you an?"
Wang Qing replied, "What do I an? You know what I an."
Lu Xingyan said impatiently, "Are you crazy? I know what? I’ve told you before—Manager Chen and I have absolutely nothing going on. Don’t spread rumors."
"Who spread rumors?" Wang Qing retorted, even more self-righteously than him, "You keep going to her office all the ti. It’s not like I’m the only one in the office; who wouldn’t notice?"
Lu Xingyan frowned. "Who’s been saying stuff?"
Wang Qing said, "I’m just being nice and reminding you."
Lu Xingyan didn’t believe it was that simple. "You definitely heard sothing. What’s going on?"
Wang Qing replied, "You’re such a smart guy. Don’t you know what people are saying? Just watch yourself."
With that, she turned and walked away.
Lu Xingyan didn’t leave imdiately. He lit a cigarette in the car and watched Wang Qing’s red Porsche drive past.
He was pondering who might be spreading rumors within their office. Based on everyone’s reactions, he still hadn’t noticed anyone looking at him strangely. So who was Wang Qing referring to?
After finishing the cigarette, Lu Xingyan stubbed it out and started the car, driving away from the office.
But Wang Qing’s warning made him more cautious, reminding him to maintain his distance from Manager Chen.
He, as a man, didn’t mind, but for a married woman—especially the office’s top leader—he couldn’t let people gossip about questionable conduct.
Before he got ho, his childhood friend ng Jingbo called.
"Lu, I’m in Danjiang."
"You’re here?" Lu Xingyan slowed down. "Why didn’t you give a heads-up?"
ng Jingbo said, "Tsk, it was a last-minute decision—to surprise you."
"Did you tell your mom?"
"Don’t bring her up. She nags so much that I got fed up and left." ng Jingbo, sitting at the flower bed by the train station exit with a cigarette between his fingers, shivered in the cold weather. "Get over here and pick up at the train station."
Lu Xingyan turned the steering wheel and headed for the train station. "Wait there."
Feeling bored while waiting, ng Jingbo started scrolling through short videos. The content was either gaming or borderline suggestive—clearly, the algorithm had his taste locked down.
Two honks from a car brought his attention back to reality.
ng Jingbo stood up with a grin, jogging into Lu Xingyan’s car.
"Man, it’s freezing today." ng Jingbo rubbed his hands together and brought them near the heater vent. "If you hadn’t co, I’d have turned into an icicle!"
Lu Xingyan said, "I just called your mom and told her you’re with ."
"Ugh, why’d you call her?!" ng Jingbo looked out the car window, annoyed. "At ho, she lectures ; I leave, and she still can’t leave alone."
Lu Xingyan said, "Be reasonable. You’re old enough now. No work, staying ho all day and night gaming, sleeping through the mornings. When she asks you to eat, you throw a tantrum. She’s worried you’ll starve, so she brings food to your room—and you’re still annoyed by her. Anyone would think she’s raising so sort of ungrateful parent figure instead of her own son."
ng Jingbo pursed his lips, his face full of irritation. "You nag even more than my mom. Had I known, I wouldn’t have co to you."
Lu Xingyan glanced at him fleetingly. "Should I drive you back to the train station now?"
ng Jingbo fell silent, turning to face the car door and refusing to engage.
Out of kindness, Lu Xingyan tried to reason with him. "Your family doesn’t need your inco, but you can’t just lie around at ho doing nothing. You’ll waste away. If you don’t want a regular job and hate being managed, help out at your dad’s company. He’s getting older—you’d get familiar with the business early and share so of his burden. That way, your mom would worry less too."
ng Jingbo said indifferently, "My dad can handle himself for a few more years. I’m the only one in the family, so the company’s mine to inherit. No one else can get it anyway. I’ll enjoy life for a couple more years before dealing with it."
Lu Xingyan shook his head—hopeless case.
"How long do you plan to stay?" he asked.
ng Jingbo thought about it. "A week, maybe."
Lu Xingyan nodded. "What do you want to eat?"
"Haha," ng Jingbo laughed. "I knew coming to you wasn’t wrong. Tell what’s good—give so recomndations!"
Lu Xingyan asked, "What are you in the mood for? Hot pot, barbecue, or stir-fry?"
ng Jingbo said, "Stir-fry. Which place has the best stir-fried dishes?"
Lu Xingyan said, "Let’s go to Xiangfeng Restaurant. Their dishes are on the spicy side—you like spicy food."
At the restaurant, the two took a window seat. ng Jingbo accepted the nu from the server and started ordering.
"Pan-fried crispy tripe, fish head with diced chili, black bean chili, Xiangxi grandma’s dish, two bowls of rice, and two bottles of beer."
Lu Xingyan said, "I’m driving—I can’t drink."
ng Jingbo: "Then one beer."
While waiting for the food, ng Jingbo began to chat.
"How’s your office? Things going smoothly?"
Lu Xingyan said, "Quite smoothly."
"Oh, about that woman you ntioned last ti—any progress?" ng Jingbo grinned, eyes sparkling.
Lu Xingyan took a sip of tea. "Stop making stuff up. She’s married."
"Tsk, didn’t I say so? Married won are better," ng Jingbo thought Lu Xingyan was too uptight. "Just have so fun."
Lu Xingyan shook his head. "She’s not that kind of person, and I really respect her. Let’s drop it."
He finished the remaining half cup of tea, then picked up the teapot to refill it.
ng Jingbo pulled out his phone and started scrolling again. The first video was of a dancing girl. "Those long legs—they outlast my lifespan. So good. Hey... I’m telling you, the more proper they look, the better they are when you finally get them. Just go for it."
"Go for what? Shut up already. Aren’t we eating?" Lu Xingyan unwrapped his chopsticks and placed them on the plate.
ng Jingbo asked again, "Does Danjiang have any nightclubs?"
Lu Xingyan said, "Yeah, I don’t go. You want to?"
ng Jingbo finally looked up from his phone, gazing at Lu Xingyan across the table. "You—good looks and a great physique—and you don’t use them at nightclubs? What a waste. Trust , just step into one, and girls will be all over you, trying to hook you with their charm."
Lu Xingyan glanced toward the kitchen without engaging and called out to the server, "Could you rush the dishes, please?"
"Tsk," ng Jingbo smirked. "The straight-laced guy who secretly likes the wholeso types."
Lu Xingyan’s face turned cold. "Say one more word and I’ll send you back."
To him, Chen Ningxi was like an unattainable flower atop a high mountain. No one could sully her—not even his best friend.
Reviews
All reviews (0)