Chapter 56#
The boss is probably in love.#
This was the fourth meeting held this week, and the third time working overtime.
After Wen Xing was fired by the Qin family, he was recruited by Qin Mu and joined this mysteriously rising company. Because of this, he caught a glimpse of a side of Qin Mu that was completely different from his outward appearance.
Unlike his playful and cynical exterior, Qin Mu’s work ability was extremely seasoned and serious. Take the recent “medical robot” project, for instance; the entire company had been working non-stop for over a month.
Inside the conference room, Wen Xing was taking notes. Someone knocked on the door to deliver several boxed meals, and everyone began eating dinner at the conference table.
Qin Mu’s portion was set aside. He was staring at the projector screen, his brows furrowing tighter and tighter.
On the podium, the person in charge saw Qin Mu’s increasingly sour expression, and their voice gradually grew faint.
“You’re bringing me something to listen to that even you aren’t confident in?”
When the cold voice sounded, everyone’s movements stopped in unison.
Only Ji Weiyi smiled, opened his own boxed meal, and pushed it in front of Qin Mu. Everyone in the company addressed Qin Mu as President Shan. “President Shan, after all, you only gave him one night, so it’s not bad that he managed to come up with something. Everyone has been working hard during this time; let’s eat first.”
Qin Mu glanced at him. Before he could say anything, a sharp ringtone suddenly erupted.
Qin Mu hated being disturbed during meetings; everyone wasn’t even allowed to bring their phones into the conference room. At this moment, the one ringing could only be his own.
He glanced at the caller ID on the screen, paused, and answered.
Qin Mu didn’t avoid anyone. In front of everyone, he drawled in a lazy tone toward the other end, “Hello?”
Wen Xing’s pen tip paused, leaving an ink blot on the crisp white paper.
He didn’t know if he had heard wrong, but he actually detected a hint of doting in Qin Mu’s languid tone.
Remembering how Qin Mu had mockingly ripped apart the proposal they had worked on all night, he couldn’t help but shiver involuntarily.
The person on the other end said something, and the arc of Qin Mu’s lips became more pronounced. He hummed a laugh, his tone dragging out long and slow, as if he had no choice: “Tsk, why are you so clingy?”
Yet, his expression didn’t look that way at all; a smile hung on the corners of his lips, and his brow was full of smugness.
Everyone in the meeting room: “……”
After only a few words, Qin Mu hung up the phone. He lifted his eyes to scan the proposal still on the screen, and the smile in his eyes cooled. “Next time you produce something like this, don’t bring it to me. It’s a waste of everyone’s time.”
“We’ll adjourn for today. Go back and revise it.”
Qin Mu stood up and left. The people in the conference room looked at each other—half with the relief of getting off early, and half with the agony of having to redo the project.
Wen Xing packed his things silently, thinking to himself that the boss was probably in love.
As soon as Qin Mu went downstairs, he headed straight back to his apartment. Just as he stepped out of the elevator, he saw a dark shadow huddled with its head down in front of his door. He walked over with one hand in his pocket and ruffled the person’s hair.
“Waiting for me?”
Jian Yunchen looked up.
Qin Mu leaned over slightly, looking at him with a smile in his eyes, a smile that made his heart pound wildly.
He seemed to have waited for a long time; his voice was incredibly dry. He stared blankly at Qin Mu for a long while before softly calling his name.
Qin Mu raised his eyebrows slightly, still keeping the hand on his hair, and squatted down to look at him quietly. “What’s wrong? Was someone bullying you?”
Otherwise, why was he looking at him with such a pitiful gaze?
Jian Yunchen was silent for a moment, looked into his eyes, and shook his head lightly.
“Qin Mu, I’m so cold.”
He said softly.
Qin Mu’s hand, which was playing with his hair, paused and slid down, brushing against his cold earlobe. Jian Yunchen’s ear twitched, and he pursed his lips to look up at him.
He touched the back of Jian Yunchen’s hand; it was bone-chillingly cold. Wrapping his larger hand easily around Jian Yunchen’s, Qin Mu pulled him up.
He turned around, entered the passcode, and brought Jian Yunchen inside.
The interior was tidy, not much different from when he had left last time. No matter how absurd the rumors about Qin Mu’s philandering were in the outside world, Jian Yunchen had never seen a suspicious man or woman by his side.
He was more familiar with the place after coming in than he had been at the Jiang house. Without needing Qin Mu to greet him, he had already slipped into the familiar guest room and entered the bathroom.
After washing, the chill in his body was dispelled. He came out wearing the set of clothes Qin Mu had prepared for him earlier.
Damp black hair hung over his forehead, his dark, bright pupils veiled with a thin layer of mist, making him look clean and harmless. His open collar revealed a large expanse of blindingly white, delicate collarbones. Qin Mu glanced at them lightly before averting his gaze.
He poured another glass of warm milk. This time, when Jian Yunchen took it, he didn’t resist like he did last time.
He obediently took it and drank it in small sips, finishing half the glass.
Qin Mu rubbed his fingertips, feeling that something was wrong.
The problem was with Jian Yunchen.
He was being suspiciously obedient today.
It was like he was possessed.
He decided to test it.
Qin Mu reached out and took the glass from Jian Yunchen’s hand. Jian Yunchen’s reaction was half a beat slow, his hand still suspended in mid-air holding the glass. He looked up at him in a daze and suddenly collided with Qin Mu’s smiling eyes.
His Adam’s apple rolled, and his eyelashes trembled slightly.
Qin Mu rested his chin on his hand. Seeing that Jian Yunchen didn’t react, his mischievous side amplified. He suddenly leaned in, set the glass aside, wrapped his arm around Jian Yunchen’s waist, and pulled him in, causing their breaths to mingle.
The body under his hand stiffened abruptly and began to tremble minutely.
The central air conditioning blew silently, and the temperature in the living room was at the ideal human comfort level of 26 degrees Celsius.
Yet, Jian Yunchen acted as if he were freezing; even though he was just being held gently, he kept trembling finely, yet he always obediently lowered his eyes, indulging Qin Mu’s behavior.
The playfulness in Qin Mu’s eyes gradually faded, and he began to feel genuinely confused.
According to Jian Yunchen’s temperament, he should have fought back long ago.
He wouldn’t be trembling without resisting like this.
He let go, but Jian Yunchen tightened his arms around his neck, actively nestling into his embrace.
Qin Mu paused, then placed his palm on his spine.
His warm palm smoothed out his stiff body stroke by stroke. Deep down, Jian Yunchen knew very clearly that this was Qin Mu, and this thought made him slowly begin to relax.
He thought of the woman who had come to find him in the afternoon.
His throat was dry, but his heart felt a warmth spreading through it.
He spoke softly: “Qin Mu… why didn’t you tell me?”
The hand on his spine stopped. Qin Mu frowned slightly and tilted his head to look at him: “What?”
Jian Yunchen pursed his lips and lowered his eyes: “Today… my aunt came to see me.”
Aunt…?
Qin Mu pondered for a moment and remembered the uncle who was still locked up in prison.
He sneered, a flash of cold light passing through his eyes.
“What did she come to you for?”
“Begging you to let Jian Jinbao go?”