Chapter 42#
Lin Fengyi immediately stopped being angry.
It’s shampoo!
He quickly clicked into WeChat.
In the photo was a white bottle, an incredibly pure white bottle.
Lin Fengzhi clicked on the image, zoomed in with his thumb and forefinger, and looked at it repeatedly. ???
There’s nothing!
He immediately dialed Yan Heqing’s voice call.
Yan Heqing had just finished cleaning the kitchen. He had cooked a few dishes, but Lu Lin hadn’t returned, so he ate alone.
Coming out of the kitchen, he went into the bathroom and took a picture of the shampoo bottle.
No logo.
He already knew.
Yan Heqing answered the call.
“Brother, what did you send, shampoo?” Lin Fengzhi asked eagerly as soon as the call connected.
“Mm.” Yan Heqing put the shampoo bottle back in its place.
“What’s going on…” Lin Fengzhi complained, “Is the label torn off?” He still didn’t give up, “Then just ask your friend directly.”
Yan Heqing walked out of the shower room, entered the guest bedroom, “It’s not convenient.”
“No way! Just ask casually.” Lin Fengzhi was very anxious. He had been searching for so long, and finally found the brand Lu Lin used. He had to use it!
Closing the door, Yan Heqing said indifferently, “It’s not a casual question for me.”
Only then did Lin Fengzhi hear Yan Heqing’s refusal. He immediately felt wronged. How hard could it be to ask for a shampoo brand? It was clearly that he wasn’t willing to help him. If he wouldn’t help, then he wouldn’t. He knew it was shampoo now, he’d find it himself!
“I’m hanging up.” He hung up abruptly.
Yan Heqing didn’t care. He put down his phone, walked to the bed, pulled back the covers, got into bed, picked up the new book he bought today, and leaned against the headboard to read.
Time ticked by. It was almost 12 o’clock, and there was still no movement outside the door.
Lu Lin wouldn’t be back tonight.
Perhaps Lu Lin wouldn’t return as long as he was there.
Yan Heqing thought of Lu Lin’s words from the morning.
“I don’t stay here often.”
It was probably the truth.
It wouldn’t change just because he was there.
Yan Heqing closed the book, gently placed it on the bedside table, then slid under the covers, turned off the light, and went to sleep.
In the downtown business district, the lights gradually dimmed. On the top floor of Lu’s headquarters, the CEO’s office was incredibly dark, with only a flickering crimson glow in the darkness.
Lu Lin held a cigarette between his fingers.
The daily necessities he used were from a product line developed and then cut by Lu’s daily necessities brand, exclusively for his use, never circulated on the market.
The bruised but resilient young man carried too many secrets.
There was still a stub of the cigarette left, but Lu Lin stubbed it out forcefully in the ashtray.
Then he stood up, took his coat, and left the office.
Returning to the Lu residence, it was unexpectedly brightly lit.
Lu Lin entered the house, and in the living room, Lu Changcheng’s booming scolding echoed, “Useless! You lost a living person!”
The tall, strong bodyguard bowed his head, not daring to utter a single word.
Lu Han supported Lu Changcheng, quietly persuading, “Dad, Xiao Chi likes to play, maybe he went off to play somewhere.”
“He’s the only grandson of the Lu family. Disappearing for a day, and his phone can’t be reached. If something happens to him, none of you will have an easy time!” Lu Changcheng was so angry his chest hurt. He sat back on the sofa, picked up the landline receiver, and dialed.
Lu Lin didn’t react, changing his shoes and going upstairs.
Lu Changcheng caught sight of Lu Lin, exchanged a few words with the person on the phone, quickly hung up, stood up, and called out to him, “A-Rin!”
Lu Lin stopped, glancing sideways, “What is it?”
Lu Changcheng was angered by his attitude, stomping his cane forcefully, “Your nephew is in trouble, and you’re completely unresponsive?”
Lu Lin still didn’t react, “He’s an adult. It’s normal not to be able to reach him for a day.”
“Don’t make excuses! You don’t even consider him your nephew!” Lu Changcheng’s blood rushed to his head, and he swayed, “You don’t acknowledge me as your father from the bottom of your heart! If it weren’t for your grandfather’s dying wish, you wouldn’t even come back to this house!”
Lu Han quickly supported Lu Changcheng, helping him calm down, “Dad, don’t get agitated. The doctor just told you to rest well.”
Lu Changcheng looked at Lu Lin, “His not angering me is the best rest for me.”
Lu Han glanced at Lu Lin, also displeased, “A-Rin, work is important, but family is also important. Dad thinks about you every day. If you just go along with him a little, everything will be fine.”
Just then, the landline in the living room suddenly rang. The butler quickly answered. A few seconds later, he covered the receiver and said excitedly, “Master, we found Young Master! He’s back at his villa.”
Lu Changcheng’s expression finally softened. He leaned on his cane and sat back on the sofa. Lu Han also sat down, smiling, “Now you can rest assured, Dad. You can go rest now, right?”
Lu Changcheng nodded, then looked towards the stairs. Lu Lin was no longer there. He was once again angered, his blood pressure rising, “Unfilial son!”
Lu Muchi searched for Yan Heqing for a day and a night. He searched the entire capital. He had also been to Yan Heqing’s home, but still no sign of him.
He checked all the hotels, big and small, including train stations, airports, and bus stations. Yan Heqing seemed to have vanished into thin air, with no news whatsoever.
Lu Muchi slammed the car door, feeling uneasy for the second time.
The first time was when Xu Qiaoyin disappeared.
He came home from school, and the figure that always waited for him at the door was not there.
At first, he didn’t care, but by the second day, Xu Qiaoyin was still nowhere to be seen. The third day, the fourth day… The next time he saw her was the day before yesterday.
But he didn’t have time to be happy before Yan Heqing disappeared.
Afraid of being discovered by his grandfather and father, he had someone send Xu Qiaoyin to his holiday villa, and he drove around looking for Yan Heqing. He even went to the Rainbow Bridge Orphanage, but Yan Heqing didn’t show up at all!
Lu Muchi hadn’t rested for a day and a night, his eyes were bloodshot. He returned to the villa to rest briefly. At the door, his shoe hit something, and he irritably kicked it away.
Thud! It was the sound of a heavy object falling.
Lu Muchi didn’t care at all and pushed the door open.
In the bathroom, hot water poured down, and Lu Muchi’s mind kept replaying the scene of him grabbing Yan Heqing’s neck the day before yesterday.
“…Why didn’t you explain!”
He was clearly concerned about him, helping him find Xu Qiaoyin, but Yan Heqing was like a mute, saying nothing.
Lu Muchi angrily punched the wall. His knuckles were scraped, but he didn’t feel it. He cursed under his breath, but in his heart, he was worried, Yan Heqing wouldn’t get into trouble, would he?
He was already sure that Yan Heqing liked him.
So he didn’t want to be Lin Fengzhi’s substitute. Knowing that he missed Xu Qiaoyin, he silently helped him find and care for her.
Idiot.
Lu Muchi ran his hand over his head, pushing the water away.
Did he think this would make him feel touched, make him like him?
The snowy night flashed before his eyes again, the young man walking towards him with an umbrella. Lu Muchi abruptly turned off the shower. The sound of water instantly disappeared, and his increasingly frantic heartbeat echoed and expanded in the bathroom.
Lu Muchi couldn’t control himself; he desperately missed Yan Heqing.
If Yan Heqing were in front of him at this moment, he swore he wouldn’t do anything, just look at Yan Heqing.
He had never missed even Lin Fengzhi this much.
Closing his eyes, then opening them again, Lu Muchi strode out of the bathroom, grabbed a towel to casually dry himself, then changed into clothes and set off again to find Yan Heqing.
——
Over the next few days, Yan Heqing stayed at Lu Lin’s residence, not going out, quietly reading those few books.
Lu Lin, as he expected, didn’t return.
Two days before the New Year, Yan Heqing packed his belongings, thoroughly cleaned Lu Lin’s residence. Every tile, every piece of glass, he polished until it shone.
As dusk fell, Yan Heqing went downstairs and withdrew five brand new hundred-yuan bills from the ATM, then went to the supermarket to buy a red envelope.
Returning to Lu Lin’s residence again, Yan Heqing neatly placed the five banknotes into the red envelope, left a note, and placed them together on the dining table, weighted down by a tissue box.
Finally, he checked the kitchen and bathroom again, making sure the stove and faucets were all tightly closed without any omissions. Yan Heqing carried his belongings, entered the elevator, and left.
Stepping out of the building, a damp, cold chill assailed him. Yan Heqing tilted his head slightly. Fine, fragmented snowflakes fell from the sky, not large, melting as they landed on his eyelashes.
He caught the last subway train. By the time he reached Jingda subway station, it was almost ten o’clock.
The snow was falling harder, blurring his vision. Someone was selling umbrellas at the subway exit.
Very cheap transparent umbrellas, a bargain at 10 yuan each.
Yan Heqing bought one.
Perhaps it was too cold, or perhaps the flower sellers had gone home for the New Year, but the roadside was unusually deserted. Only the small lanterns hanging on the trees on both sides glowed brightly.
Yan Heqing walked slowly with his umbrella.
He wasn’t sure if Lu Muchi would be waiting at the door at this time.
But if not today, then tomorrow.
Having exhausted all methods to find him, Lu Muchi had no other option but to wait.
Entering the residential area, the security guard was very surprised to see him. He hadn’t seen him come and go recently and thought he had gone home for the New Year! The security guard greeted him warmly, “Long time no see.”
Yan Heqing politely replied, “Hello.”
Walking into the residential area, there was still some distance to Yan Heqing’s building. He was not in a hurry, taking his time.
Most of the workers in the residential area had gone home for the New Year. Only a few scattered households still had lights on. Approaching Yan Heqing’s building, it was completely dark, not a single light on.
Yan Heqing quietly closed his umbrella, gently shook off the remaining snow from the surface, and then entered the unit building.
The sensor lights lit up floor by floor. Approaching the third floor, Yan Heqing stopped.
Lu Muchi was standing in front of his door.
One was on the steps, the other below. This time, Lu Muchi no longer looked down at Yan Heqing. Instead, he was like the one standing in the low ground, only able to look up.
He gazed at Yan Heqing almost greedily.
During this time, the young man who constantly invaded his mind, he couldn’t deny it, was different. Yan Heqing, in his heart, was somewhat different.
As for how he was different, he needed time to slowly figure it out.
He spoke, his voice incredibly hoarse.
“Yan Heqing, how about we get to know each other again?”
The air was still.
In those light-colored, breathtaking pupils, there was a calm, unruffled gaze, quietly looking at him.
Lu Muchi’s heart stopped for a moment. He then realized that the entire stairwell was filled with the thunderous sound of his own heartbeat.
Lu Muchi had never been so nervous. His lips were dry and peeling. He nervously licked his lips, his Adam’s apple bobbing violently, just about to speak again.
A voice colder than the falling snow of a winter night sounded.
“How do we get to know each other again?”
It was so simple, how could Yan Heqing not understand? Lu Muchi frowned, “From today, this second, forget everything from before, and start anew.”
Yan Heqing slightly raised his eyes. He looked at Lu Muchi, and the calm corners of his mouth suddenly curved, very lightly, very subtly. He smiled, and his voice held a hint of amusement, “Lu Muchi, are you kidding me?”
Lu Muchi was dazzled by this brief smile.
It was the first time he had seen Yan Heqing smile.
It turned out to be so different from Lin Fengzhi.
Yan Heqing had no dimples.
Lu Muchi held his breath, “I’m not kidding.”
“Then your memory is really bad.” Yan Heqing’s smile faded, his tone indifferent, “How can a commodity reserved for 100,000 yuan get to know you again?”