Chapter 67#
Yan Heqing finished feeding Xu Qiaoyin the porridge, chatted with her for a few more sentences, and then left.
When he went down to the first floor, Lu Muchi stopped him, “It’s ten o’clock, stay here tonight.”
Yan Heqing glanced at him.
It was a plain glance, but Lu Muchi couldn’t help but think of the past.
He did see that it was late today and asked Yan Heqing to stay overnight. Yan Heqing didn’t say a word, but he felt guilty himself and immediately explained, “No other meaning, you can rest assured.”
Yan Heqing had no expression, “I don’t trust you.”
“…” Lu Muchi choked.
After a moment, he took a deep breath, “I’ll take you back.” He prepared to change his shoes.
“Can someone else do it?” Yan Heqing asked in a questioning tone, “Does it have to be you? Just drop me off somewhere I can take a taxi.”
Lu Muchi’s good mood vanished completely.
Yan Heqing liked him but was also guarded against him. He empathized with this feeling. Just like how he felt towards Xu Qiaoyin, he craved motherly love but also deeply remembered the feeling of being abandoned by her.
That was a wound to the soul, not something that could be healed overnight.
What he needed to do now was to show through actions that he would respect Yan Heqing in the future.
Lu Muchi stopped changing his shoes, even took a few steps back to maintain a distance, and called the butler to send Yan Heqing off.
“Watch carefully.” Lu Muchi looked at him affectionately, “I will never treat you like before again.”
At this moment, Yan Heqing received a call.
He knew it was Lin Fengzhi, so he took it out and let Lu Muchi see it.
Lu Muchi’s face instantly looked like he had swallowed a fly. He almost wanted to stop Yan Heqing from answering the call.
It was ridiculous to say.
Before, he was worried about Lin Fengzhi contacting Yan Heqing. Now he was also worried, but the object had flipped. Back then, he was afraid Lin Fengzhi would be angry; now he was afraid Yan Heqing would be angry.
Yan Heqing answered the call on the spot.
“Brother, did you go?!” As soon as the call connected, Lin Fengzhi asked urgently.
Yan Heqing’s expression remained unchanged, “Mn.”
Lu Muchi pricked up his ears, his heart in his throat.
The courtyard was quiet, and Lin Fengzhi’s voice was quite clear, “Did you pass on the message?”
“Word for word.”
Lu Muchi cursed in his heart. It was Lin Fengzhi talking nonsense, making Yan Heqing misunderstand that he still liked him.
“Great!” Lin Fengzhi was obviously happy, “Thank you, brother! You are so good to me!” Pausing, he said seriously again, “Brother, seriously consider what I said last time.”
Yan Heqing knew which sentence Lin Fengzhi was referring to, but he wanted Lin Fengzhi to say it himself, “What did you say?”
Lin Fengzhi was oblivious, thinking Yan Heqing really didn’t listen. He emphasized his tone, “It’s useless no matter how much you like Lu Muchi. He won’t like you. You have to learn to give up, otherwise you will only get hurt more.”
Lu Muchi’s anger flared up, and he was about to snatch the phone to confront Lin Fengzhi. Yan Heqing looked at him first, his eyes clearly saying, be quiet.
Lu Muchi forcibly withdrew his hand, but the fire in his heart was only temporarily suppressed.
Before, he thought Lin Fengzhi was cute everywhere. Now, he even found his voice disgusting. He was only allowed to like his uncle, but not allowed for his brother to like him. Who did Lin Fengzhi think he was?
With a few simple sentences from Yan Heqing, Lin Fengzhi hung up the phone.
Lu Muchi couldn’t wait to explain, but Yan Heqing got into the car, and he almost hit his nose on the car door.
The butler didn’t dare to breathe in the driver’s seat. Lu Muchi was extremely depressed. A few seconds later, he ordered the butler with a cold face, “Send him back safely. If he loses a single hair, you know the consequences.”
The butler agreed repeatedly, got permission, and quickly drove down the mountain.
Back seat.
Yan Heqing took out his phone and quickly noted down the missing villa surveillance points in detail.
——
It was almost eleven o’clock, and the lights were still on on the top floor of the Lu Group headquarters.
Going out to sea on the weekend meant leaving on Friday afternoon. Work had to be handled in advance. Lu Lin finished processing the last document, and the dinner brought by the assistant was already cold.
The employees had all left work. Lu Lin picked up the lunch box, went to the pantry to microwave it for two minutes, and made a cup of coffee while he was at it.
There were two dining tables in the pantry. Lu Lin ate on the spot and finished quickly. He took out his phone and sent a message to the small group chat with him, Chu Ziyu, and Xie Yunjie.
[Meet at Jinwan Port on Friday, going out to sea.]
Chu Ziyu replied instantly, “?????? President Lu posted in the wrong group??? This isn’t the fishing group! Asking us to go out to sea???? Didn’t you dislike me for being stupid and not knowing how to bait!”
Xie Yunjie replied after a few minutes, “How many people?”
Lu Lin, “Four.”
Chu Ziyu sent a big question mark, “Besides the three of us, who else???”
Xie Yunjie laughingly scolded Chu Ziyu for being an idiot. Who else could make Lu Lin organize a gathering? His big treasure, of course. Xie Yunjie typed, “How romantic a two-person world at sea is. Bringing us two light bulbs, how bright.”
Chu Ziyu was still confused, “Holy shit! What’s the situation? Old President Lu and who in a two-person world? Did I miss something?”
Realizing later, “I know! Master Xiao Yan!”
Chu Ziyu directly initiated a video call.
Xie Yunjie cut it off, “My wife is asleep.”
Lu Lin didn’t answer either, posting in the group, “Still pursuing, don’t scare him.”
Xie Yunjie, “…Brother, I haven’t been this innocent since junior high. I really bow down to you!”
Chu Ziyu was itching with curiosity, “How much did I miss! What exactly is the situation! Can it be Friday immediately, right now!!!!!!”
Lu Lin didn’t reply anymore; he exited the group.
Pinned chat bar, 52 Hertz hadn’t moved for a long time.
On Thursday, a red dot unexpectedly appeared on the pinned chat.
Lu Lin had just arrived at the office. Clicking it open, it was a transfer, 4850, 500 more than the installment amount, indicating it was—the second installment and the second medical fee.
Today was the next 10th.
Lu Lin clicked accept. Just as he was about to reply, Yan Heqing sent another message, “I passed Subject 2 and Subject 3 in one go yesterday.”
Deleting the “Received” in the chat box, he retyped, “Want praise?”
Yan Heqing received the reply. Just as he saw it clearly, another message popped up, “You are great. I’m going to a meeting. I’ll pick you up after school on Friday.”
Yan Heqing watched quietly for a while before replying, “One class in the afternoon, school ends at three.”
Lu Lin didn’t reply; he should have gone to the meeting.
Yan Heqing put away his phone.
Gradually, classmates arrived, and the classroom was almost full. Only Yan Heqing’s row was empty; he sat in the first row.
Class was about to start. Hurried footsteps ran closer, and Gu Xingye rushed in.
Someone at the back of the classroom shouted to him, “Brother Gu, saved a seat for you!”
Yan Heqing didn’t look up, continuing to write the application materials.
A few seconds later, someone sat down next to him. Gu Xingye put down his schoolbag, turned his head, and said with a smile, “No one sitting next to you, right?”
Yan Heqing replied: “No.”
Gu Xingye took out his textbook and put it down. Glancing at Yan Heqing’s materials, he raised his eyebrows slightly, “You want to apply for a laboratory?”
Yan Heqing didn’t answer him, closing the materials.
Gu Xingye didn’t feel awkward either, “Are you usually this quiet?”
The difference between Yan Heqing and Lin Fengzhi was really too big. Lin Fengzhi was a chatterbox. When they were assigned as deskmates, he talked to him every day. He euphemistically expressed that he needed quiet, but Lin Fengzhi still talked.
His objection was invalid, so he remained silent.
Probably getting used to it, one day when Lin Fengzhi was quiet, he wasn’t used to it and initiated a conversation.
The two started their friendship from then on.
Yan Heqing was just too quiet. He had never seen such a quiet person.
Gu Xingye was thinking when Yan Heqing suddenly turned his face. Their eyes met, and Gu Xingye’s breathing quickened for a second. Yan Heqing’s eyes, actually looking closely, were also very different from Lin Fengzhi’s.
Yan Heqing’s eye color was lighter, and also more… like a fox’s eyes.
With a cold and holy face, his eyes were soul-hooking.
Yan Heqing asked back unhurriedly: “Are you usually this talkative?”
Gu Xingye was stumped.
Yan Heqing didn’t mean to listen to his answer either. After asking, he turned back to look at the podium.
The professor came in with the lesson plan.
Halfway through the class, Gu Xingye laughed incredulously. He said slowly: “Depends on the person. I’m not always this talkative either.”
Don’t know if Yan Heqing heard it, anyway, he didn’t reply.
It took four hours by car from the capital to the nearest port. Plus going out to sea, it definitely wouldn’t be a round trip on the same day.
Yan Heqing brought a change of clothes. There was half a bucket of soaked bait left, and he brought it all.
At three o’clock on Friday afternoon, he walked out of the school gate on time.
Just out the door, the phone rang.
It was Lu Lin.
“To your upper left.”
Lu Lin changed to another car. Yan Heqing didn’t understand brands. From the outside, it was just an ordinary black sedan. After getting in, he found there was a universe inside, spacious and comfortable, with exquisite interior.
The armrest box was full of snacks, and there were several food bags emitting the aroma of food.
Lu Lin started the car and set off, “Catching the sea trip at eight, not finding a place to eat. Bought some casually, make do to fill your stomach.”
Yan Heqing wasn’t hungry. Actually, except for that period of growing body, he rarely felt hungry. He nodded, “Mn.”
Lu Lin said again: “Have to drive for four hours. Sleep if you are sleepy, don’t mind me.”
“Mn.” Yan Heqing nodded again.
However, halfway through the drive, he still didn’t rest, lowering his head and reading a book intently. Lu Lin glanced at it; it seemed to be about plants.
Lu Lin didn’t disturb him. Instead, Yan Heqing suddenly spoke, “Just the two of us going out to sea?”
Lu Lin replied: “Also my two friends, you’ve met them, Chu Ziyu and Xie Yunjie.”
Yan Heqing placed the bookmark properly, closed the book and said: “Mr. Chu and Mr. Xie also love fishing?”
“Those two have no patience, just hitching a ride to dive.”
Yan Heqing said after a while: “I can’t swim.”
“If you want to learn, I’ll teach you.” Lu Lin spoke in a tone that made people comfortable, without preaching or feeling superior, “The bottom of the sea is another beautiful world. Being able to swim is the key card to open it.”
“Also very dangerous.”
Lu Lin laughed low, “Dangerous so beautiful, just like extreme sports, life and death on the line, fascinating.”
Yan Heqing wasn’t sure if Lu Lin meant something else. He pretended to be hungry, took a bag of dried pineapple, and avoided this topic by eating.
The four-hour drive passed in a flash, and they arrived at Jinwan Port.
Chu Ziyu and Xie Yunjie had arrived early. The captain had already driven the boat over and moored it on the water. It was dark, and the three-story yacht had all its lights on, very spectacular and beautiful. As Lu Lin said, it was a big boat that could accommodate hundreds of people to go out to sea.
Seeing them, Chu Ziyu waved first, “Master Xiao Yan, long time no see!”
Yan Heqing wasn’t used to shouting from a distance. When he got close, he politely greeted Chu Ziyu and Xie Yunjie, “Mr. Chu, Mr. Xie, good evening.”
Xie Yunjie smiled, “Master Xiao Yan, don’t be so polite. You are Ah Lin’s friend, so you are our friend. Call me Yunjie, Ah Jie is fine. As for him…” He lifted his chin towards Chu Ziyu, “Old Chu is fine.”
Chu Ziyu quit, “Xie Yunjie, have some shame. You are 23 days older than me. How can you call yourself Ah Jie? Uncle Xie is more like it.” Facing Yan Heqing, he put on a sunflower smile again, “Right, Master Xiao Yan, we look like peers.”
Lu Lin interrupted them, “Don’t waste time, get on the boat and set off.”
Chu Ziyu then thought to ask: “Old President Lu, are you driving the boat this time?”
Lu Lin got his yacht driving license at the age of 20.