Chapter 55#

[Did you agree to him?]

Yan Heqing stared at those words, and a sudden wave of nausea rose inside him.

It wasn’t the physical urge to vomit, but a deep revulsion surging up from the bottom of his heart, from the depths of his soul.

He turned off the screen and lifted his gaze forward.

Lu Lin was carrying his tools and putting them into the trunk.

They were some distance apart; the faint morning light fell on him, blurring his outline slightly.

Yan Heqing stood there quietly for a long time. Only when Lu Lin closed the trunk did he walk over, his eyes curving faintly as he spoke. “Are you in a hurry to head back?”

Lu Lin asked, “Still want to fish?”

Yan Heqing shook his head. “I’m sleepy. Can I take a nap before we leave?”

The intense nausea was still churning inside him. He was overwhelmingly drowsy now—once he got in the car, he would definitely fall asleep.

The corners of Lu Lin’s lips lifted slightly. “Do you think I’m Anor Stark?”

Confusion flickered in Yan Heqing’s eyes.

Something heavy suddenly rippled through Lu Lin’s chest.

A layer of hazy morning mist covered the lake, and his voice seemed to dissolve into it as well—ethereal, low, and gentle.

“He’s a comic character. Born with a genetic disease, he survives by relying on machines and can’t move on his own.”

“At the same time, he’s a super genius. He rewrote his own cells, repaired his body, and can even go without sleeping forever.”

Lu Lin rubbed his temples. “I’m an ordinary person. I need to get some sleep before driving.”

Suddenly, Yan Heqing said, “You’re not an ordinary person.”

Lu Lin looked at him.

Yan Heqing’s eyes were clear, and a slow smile bloomed at his lips. “You’re a workaholic—you don’t even rest during Spring Festival.”

“I’m not a workaholic. I’m just interested in my work.” Lu Lin gave him a deep look, turned, and opened the rear door. “If it were something else, it’d be the same.”

What that “something else” was, he didn’t say. Yan Heqing didn’t ask.

Lu Lin let go of the door handle. “Sleep in the back.” He walked a few steps, opened the driver’s door, and got in.

Yan Heqing bent down and got into the car. The back seat was very spacious—wide enough for an adult man to lie flat. Two black jacquard cushions were placed there.

In the front, Lu Lin was taking off his coat. The soft rustle of fabric echoed inside the car. He didn’t turn around. “Don’t forget to take off your shoes, or your feet will swell when you wake up.”

Yan Heqing lowered his head. He was wearing short boots.

After removing his coat, he took off his shoes as well and set them neatly together. He picked up a cushion, lay on his side, and covered himself with his coat.

The heater was turned up high; wrapped up like this, it felt as though he were under a blanket—safe and secure.

Exhaustion seeped through him from the inside out. Yan Heqing lifted his eyelids and stared at the seatback in front of him, which still hadn’t been lowered. He took out his phone and set an alarm.

One hour.

He only needed to sleep for one hour.

Not long after, his eyelids fell shut, and he drifted into a deep sleep.

The back seat was quiet. After some time passed, Lu Lin finally turned around.

In his narrow field of vision, Yan Heqing was curled up, hands folded over his chest, chin tucked into the crook of his wrist. A small portion of his side profile was visible. His long legs were bent, his coat had slipped onto the floor, and a phone lay beside it.

Lu Lin took a cashmere blanket, unfolded it, leaned back slightly, and gently draped it over Yan Heqing.

As if sensing something, Yan Heqing stirred, shrinking further into the blanket. His long, brush-like eyelashes barely grazed Lu Lin’s fingers.

Soft. Slightly ticklish.

Lu Lin’s dark eyes deepened.

Yan Heqing curled fully into the blanket, gripping it tightly with both hands, judging by the outline.

Lu Lin withdrew his hand and bent down to pick up Yan Heqing’s coat.

At that moment, the phone screen lit up.

An incoming call—a local number.

Lu Lin didn’t answer. He waited for it to end. When it rang a second time, he picked up, in case it was something urgent for Yan Heqing.

The screen quickly went dark, then lit up again—same number.

Lu Lin picked up the phone along with the coat, hung the coat over the passenger seat, and got out of the car holding the phone.

He hadn’t put on his coat. The temperature difference hit him immediately. He closed the door softly, walked a few steps forward, and swiped to answer.

As soon as the call connected, the person on the other end complained rapidly, like pouring out beans. “Why didn’t you answer the phone! I delivered the car—at the flower nursery, the owner—”

Lu Lin cut in calmly, “Explain clearly. Say it again.”

His tone wasn’t harsh—if anything, it was even mild—but it carried an unquestionable authority. The other person’s breathing grew heavier before he spoke again, his tone now respectful.

“It’s like this. The car you purchased from our dealership yesterday—I delivered it to Xiumei Flower Nursery according to the address. If you have any further questions, feel free to contact me anytime.”

Lu Lin said evenly, “Got it.”

He hung up. Only then did the other party dare to end the call.

Lu Lin put away the phone. Just as he was about to turn back, it rang again—this time with sound and vibration.

An alarm.

Yan Heqing had set an alarm for 8:00.

Lu Lin pressed stop.

At the same time, a WeChat notification popped up.

sep12 [Ge? Still not awake?]

Ge?

Lu Lin’s brows moved slightly.

At first, Yan Heqing slept very uncomfortably. Gradually, he began to feel warm—like returning to the womb, that completely unguarded place filled only with safety and warmth.

He slipped into deep sleep.

When he opened his eyes again, Yan Heqing felt unusually dazed. He stared at the car ceiling for four or five seconds before his memory cleared.

He was in Lu Lin’s car.

Yan Heqing lowered his head to feel for his phone. The alarm hadn’t gone off yet.

He only saw the cashmere blanket. His coat and phone were gone.

He looked up again, his gaze going first to the driver’s seat. The seatback was still upright. He could only see the top of Lu Lin’s head.

Did Lu Lin sleep sitting straight like that?

Hearing the movement, Lu Lin opened his eyes and raised his hand to check his watch. He had slept for several hours too.

He opened the armrest compartment, found a packet of dried pineapple, and handed it back without turning around. “Eat something first. There’s a fishing lodge down the mountain—we’ll have lunch there.”

Yan Heqing froze slightly. Lunch? He took the dried pineapple, his voice hoarse from sleep. “What time is it now?”

“13:23.”

He’d slept that long… no wonder he felt so refreshed.

Yan Heqing propped himself up on the soft seat and sat up.

Lu Lin started the car and said simply, “I answered a call for you. The car you bought has been delivered.”

Yan Heqing tore open the packet. “Okay.” He pulled out a slice. “Want some pineapple?”

“No.” As the car pulled onto the road, Lu Lin added, “Hard to chew.”

Yan Heqing chewed the thin slice and suddenly asked, “Do you have bad teeth?”

The car fell silent. Lu Lin’s fingers rubbed lightly over the steering wheel—solid wood, smooth, almost like fine skin. After a moment, he said slowly, “My teeth are fine. The pineapple is just hard.”

Yan Heqing chewed a second piece. To him, it felt neither too hard nor too soft—just right.

After descending the mountain, it was another half hour’s drive to the fishing lodge.

Lu Lin had been there many times and drove straight into the courtyard. At this hour, the parking area was already quite full.

There was a river nearby, with many people fishing. For a small processing fee, the lodge would cook the fish for you.

The owner recognized Lu Lin and jogged out from the office, personally leading them upstairs to a private room.

Once inside, the owner held the menu and discreetly observed Lu Lin’s expression. This was the first time Lu Lin had brought someone here to eat.

With good intuition, he handed the menu to Yan Heqing first. “It’s your first time here. I recommend our signature fresh fish hotpot. The fish was caught this morning—it’s still swimming in the pond and will be killed fresh. The vegetables come from our own garden. It’s all about freshness.”

Yan Heqing wasn’t picky. He looked at Lu Lin. “Fish hotpot?”

Lu Lin nodded. “Anything’s fine.”

Yan Heqing handed back the menu. “Then fish hotpot.”

The owner left the room and gently closed the door, hurrying downstairs to prepare the fish himself.

During the wait for the dishes, Yan Heqing went to the restroom. When he returned, Lu Lin went out next.

Only then did Yan Heqing have time to think about Lin Fengzhi. He took out his phone.

Lin Fengzhi had sent another message that morning.

[Ge? Still not awake?]

The timing was close to the call from the dealership.

Lu Lin must have seen it.

Yan Heqing didn’t care. Lu Lin didn’t know Lin Fengzhi, and he certainly wouldn’t know about sep12.

He unlocked the screen and replied: [What do you think?]

A counter-question.

Lin Fengzhi seemed to be holding his phone; he replied quickly. “I don’t know. I…”

The message showed typing, then another popped up.

[I hope not.]

At that moment, the owner came in carrying the soup pot, followed by a server pushing a cart.

Yan Heqing replied: [If you want to know, go ask Lu Muchi. I don’t want to bring it up.]

He turned off the screen.

Lu Lin came back shortly after.

The owner waved off the server and personally arranged the dishes before quietly leaving.

This Mr. Lu liked peace and quiet.

“This is different from the fish hotpot I’ve seen before,” Yan Heqing said first. “It’s more like sashimi.”

The soup pot held a milky-white broth. Aside from tofu, there was only a fish head gazing upward. The fish meat had been sliced paper-thin and arranged on plates, translucent and glossy—five large plates in total.

“Yes, this is for swishing the fish.” Lu Lin picked up a slice with his chopsticks and dipped it into the soup for about one second. When he lifted it, the meat had turned milky white and curled into a small cluster. He placed it on Yan Heqing’s plate. “Try it.”

Yan Heqing picked it up and put it in his mouth.

Surprisingly crisp. “It’s good.”

Lu Lin smiled slightly. “Next time, if we bring fish we catch ourselves, it’ll be even better.”

Next time. Yan Heqing swallowed the fish and smiled faintly. “I think so too.”

They ate quietly. The private room was filled only with the bubbling of the soup. The fresh greens tasted subtly sweet, different from market vegetables. Slowly and unhurriedly, they finished a large basket of vegetables and all five plates of fish.

Yan Heqing didn’t rush to pay.

When they were back in the car and on the road again, he sat in the passenger seat this time. Lowering his head to fasten his seatbelt, he said softly, “Next time, it’s my treat.”

Lu Lin rested one hand on the steering wheel, picked up his thermos with the other, took a few sips, and said, “Do you always calculate things so clearly?”

After fastening his seatbelt, Yan Heqing looked up. Adjusting his posture, he gazed forward. “No. There was no one before who needed me to calculate things clearly.”

Lu Lin set down the thermos and pressed a finger lightly against his Adam’s apple. “Shall I take you home?”

“No,” Yan Heqing replied. “If it’s convenient, take me to Rainbow Bridge Welfare Institute.”

First, they had run into each other at the hospital yesterday—there was a good chance Lu Muchi had gone to his place.

For now, it wasn’t time for Lu Muchi to meet Lu Lin.

Second, he needed to go to the welfare institute to check on Xu Qiaoyin’s current situation.

Lu Lin drove Yan Heqing to Rainbow Bridge Welfare Institute.

Stopping at the entrance, Lu Lin didn’t get out. Yan Heqing opened the door and stepped down, not taking his fishing bag.

“Can I leave my fishing bag and bucket in your trunk?” he asked. “My driver’s license won’t be ready for another month and a half. If we go fishing next time, I’ll have to hitch another ride.”

Instead of answering, Lu Lin asked something else. “On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the welfare institute is invited to attend the opening of the Lu Group amusement park. Are you going?”

Yan Heqing smiled. “I’ve never been to an amusement park. If the ticket’s free, of course I’ll go.”

Lu Lin said, “See you next week.”

Then he reversed and drove away.