The tires screeched against the asphalt.
Lu Jin Wen slammed on the brakes. The car, which had only just started moving, skidded sideways across the road. He tore Jiang Shao’s hand off his collar and snapped, “What are you getting so worked up for? Are you trying to get us killed?”
Jiang Shao also realized that he had lost control. He quickly regained his composure, averted his gaze as if to cover it up, and said, “You’d only just started the car. We hadn’t even reached twenty kilometers an hour. There was no way we’d crash.”
Lu Jin Wen said sarcastically, “I thought hearing that your boss was going on a blind date had broken your heart so badly that you’d decided to kill yourself.”
Jiang Shao gave a cold laugh. “Don’t be ridiculous. Do I look like the kind of person who would kill himself over love?”
Lu Jin Wen looked surprised. “So you’re not denying that your heart’s been broken?”
Jiang Shao restrained the urge to punch him in the face. Knowing he could not fall into the trap of trying to prove himself, he abruptly changed the subject and demanded coldly, “I told you not to investigate Qi Mu anymore.”
Lu Jin Wen spread his hands. “I didn’t investigate him. I only happened to hear about it.”
Jiang Shao scoffed.
“What’s that attitude supposed to mean? You don’t believe me? Am I really that untrustworthy?” Lu Jin Wen raised his voice.
Jiang Shao looked at him. “Then tell me—how did you find out?”
Lu Jin Wen’s expression was perfectly open. “I’ve had dinner with President Yang of Weizhi Motors a few times recently. He told me about it over dinner. President Yang thinks very highly of Qi Mu. He and Qi Xiang Ming are also old friends, and both families want to bring their children together. He said they’d finally managed to persuade his daughter to meet Qi Mu on New Year’s Day. He was so delighted that he simply had to share the good news with the rest of us.”
Jiang Shao did not believe him. “Qi Mu needs to go on blind dates?”
Lu Jin Wen chuckled, looking inscrutable. “This is where you don’t understand. Do you think Qi Mu has a terrible reputation like you? He’s one of the most sought-after men among City C’s wealthy second-generation circle. Not only is he handsome and successful at a young age, but he’s also steady and dependable—the exact type elders love. Who knows how many people want him as their son-in-law? The aunts and uncles waiting to arrange blind dates between him and their daughters could probably form a line around… Hmm, around that place up ahead.”
Jiang Shao followed Lu Jin Wen’s gaze.
The massive complex ahead was a factory. It covered an absurdly large area!
Still, Lu Jin Wen’s explanation sounded convincing enough. At the very least, the blind date was probably real.
That inexplicable irritation rose in Jiang Shao’s chest again. Hadn’t he already decided to stay away from Qi Mu? Why did he still care about what that man was doing?
Besides, Qi Mu probably did not want to see him now either.
He had been on leave for so many days, and Qi Mu had never called him again. If Jiang Shao had any tact, he should stay away and spare them both the awkwardness.
His reason knew what he should do, but his emotions refused to obey.
Jiang Shao had no patience to untangle the confused feelings in his chest. He looked at Lu Jin Wen and simply asked the question on his mind. “Where is the blind date?”
Lu Jin Wen looked innocent. “How would I know? You told me not to investigate him.”
Jiang Shao fixed him with a penetrating stare. He knew this old fox always had something held in reserve. Since Lu Jin Wen had brought it up, there was no chance he did not know the location.
After enduring Jiang Shao’s stare for several minutes, Lu Jin Wen finally raised his hands in surrender and gave him the address. Then he could not resist adding, “But what good will knowing do you? You won’t make it there in time now…”
Jiang Shao held out his hand.
Lu Jin Wen looked puzzled. “What?”
Jiang Shao did not waste words. “The car keys.”
This time, Lu Jin Wen was genuinely stunned. Was Jiang Shao planning to drive there?
It was too late to take a plane or high-speed train. As for a private jet, the necessary arrangements had not been made in advance, and using one would attract too much attention and risk exposing him. Driving really was the only feasible option…
But City C was a long way from here. He would have to drive nonstop for several hours.
Seeing Lu Jin Wen frozen in place, Jiang Shao repeated impatiently, “The car keys.”
Lu Jin Wen silently handed them over.
Only after being driven out of the car did he suddenly realize something. “Then how am I supposed to get back?”
Seated behind the wheel, Jiang Shao looked at him with cold indifference. “Walk.”
Lu Jin Wen: Fuck your old man.
…
Yang Ke looked at the handsome man before her and held out her hand with easy confidence. Smiling, she introduced herself. “Yang Ke.”
Qi Mu politely shook her hand. “Qi Mu.”
Yang Ke’s eyes curved with amusement as she regarded him thoughtfully. “Were you tricked into coming here?”
Caught completely off guard, Qi Mu froze. He asked in surprise, “Were you tricked too?”
Yang Ke smiled. “No.”
Qi Mu: “…”
Qi Mu lifted his glass and took a sip of water to hide his embarrassment.
Yang Ke watched him at her leisure. Seeing how awkward and uncomfortable he looked, she could not help laughing.
She had not been tricked into coming, but before arriving, she had only intended to humor her father so that the old man would stop nagging her.
Her father had praised Qi Mu to the skies. She had dismissed it at first. She had met plenty of men, after all. Yet seeing him in person today really was an unexpected surprise.
It was rare for her to meet such a clean-cut, refreshing man who was handsome, courteous, and not the least bit arrogant. On top of that, he embarrassed so easily…
It was genuinely difficult to dislike him.
Yang Ke abandoned her original plan to bluntly admit that she had no interest in a blind date, explain that she had only come as a formality, and leave within half an hour.
She took out her phone and asked Qi Mu, “Want to add each other on WeChat?”
Qi Mu had not expected Yang Ke to be so direct and immediately found himself in a difficult position. He genuinely had no intention of dating and did not want to waste anyone else’s time…
Noticing his hesitation, Yang Ke asked, “Do you have a girlfriend?”
“No,” Qi Mu replied.
Yang Ke asked again, “A boyfriend?”
Qi Mu was speechless. “…No to that either.”
Yang Ke smiled frankly at him. “I only want to be friends. Don’t overthink it. Besides, my father and yours are former schoolmates, so our families already have some connection. Even if we don’t become a couple, we can still be friends. The more friends you have, the more doors open for you, right?”
It was not as though she had fallen in love with Qi Mu at first sight. She simply appreciated a handsome man and wanted to add another good-looking guy to her WeChat list while she was at it.
Qi Mu was single anyway. It was not as though adding a woman would make a partner jealous.
With Yang Ke being so forthright, it would have been awkward for Qi Mu to continue hesitating. Since their fathers were friends, he could simply treat her as another friend. They might even have an opportunity to work together in the future.
Slipping back into his composed, client-facing manner, Qi Mu smiled and added her. “All right.”
…
Jiang Shao pulled the car over at random, then strode into the teahouse with a dark expression.
The host stepped forward with a smile. “Sir, do you have a reservation…?”
Before he could finish, Jiang Shao had already vanished from sight.
The host: “…Why is he running so fast? He looks like he’s here to catch someone cheating.”
Whatever. It was none of his business.
Jiang Shao strode swiftly into the teahouse, his sharp gaze sweeping across the main hall. He quickly spotted Qi Mu and was about to walk over when he abruptly came to his senses. He had driven for hours just to reach this place—but what exactly was he going to say to Qi Mu?
Jiang Shao’s feet froze where he stood.
His face was so cold it seemed coated in frost. Only after a long while did he quietly edge closer to Qi Mu.
Although the booths in the teahouse were open, numerous hollow-carved screens had been placed between them. Hanging baskets and assorted plants provided additional cover, partially shielding the seats from one another so that everything was not exposed at a glance.
Jiang Shao moved behind one of the screens. Peering through its carved openings, he saw… Qi Mu smiling as he and the woman added each other on WeChat.
Crunch.
It sounded as though someone had ground his teeth.
Jiang Shao’s knife-sharp gaze fell on the man and woman chatting and laughing together.
When Qi Mu was with him, he had never shown this side of himself. He was always so solemn and proper, putting on that prim, serious act. Yet in front of another woman, he suddenly became witty, humorous, and full of smiles.
Hah.
Qi Mu usually had so many people circling around him, flirted indiscriminately, and maintained an ambiguous relationship with Jiang Shao, his own employee. Yet today, he had calmly come on a blind date as though none of that mattered.
What a playboy.
No wonder Qi Mu had not contacted him at all lately. Apparently, he had already found another target.
Jiang Shao finally seemed to understand why he was angry.
Qi Mu was very likely gay—scheming to take advantage of Jiang Shao while simultaneously deceiving other women’s feelings.
Naturally, Jiang Shao could not turn a blind eye.
He despised insincere, fickle people who played with others’ affections.
But he could not simply walk out and stop them. After all, he and Qi Mu had no defined relationship, and he had no grounds to interfere with Qi Mu’s blind date… More importantly, he could not let Qi Mu discover that he had come here.
Otherwise, Qi Mu would certainly become suspicious of him.
Jiang Shao’s eyes shifted slightly. He calmly took out his phone and called Qi Mu.
Qi Mu was chatting with Yang Ke.
Yang Ke was straightforward and open-minded, and her insights into business were remarkable. Qi Mu admired her greatly. Setting aside the misunderstanding of the blind date, meeting a new friend like her was not a bad outcome.
They were having an enjoyable conversation.
Suddenly, the phone Qi Mu had placed on the table began to ring.
It was a number he had not saved.
But the instant Qi Mu saw it, his expression changed slightly.
Although he had never saved Jiang Shao’s number, Qi Mu had called it once and would not forget it.
Why would Jiang Shao suddenly call him?
Qi Mu’s expression immediately became grave.
Seeing that Qi Mu had not answered for some time, Yang Ke asked doubtfully, “A scam call?”
Qi Mu came back to himself and forced a smile. “No.”
He answered the phone in front of Yang Ke, pretending not to know that it was Jiang Shao. “Hello?”
Jiang Shao’s deep voice came through the receiver. “It’s me.”
Hearing how low and serious Jiang Shao sounded made Qi Mu even more nervous. He did not dare let down his guard in the slightest and immediately became fully alert. “What do you need me for?”
“I’ll wait for you outside the company. We’ll talk in person,” Jiang Shao said.
Then he hung up immediately.
Qi Mu listened to the beeping from his phone in utter confusion. He had no idea what this formidable ancestor was up to. Hadn’t Jiang Shao been planning to resign? What was he doing now?
Even so, this was the first time the Long Aotian had ever called him. It certainly could not be anything minor, so Qi Mu did not dare take it lightly.
Besides, his conversation with Yang Ke had nearly reached its natural end. Qi Mu stood. “I’m sorry. Something has come up, and I need to return to the company.”
Yang Ke gave him an understanding smile. “All right. Go ahead.”
Qi Mu nodded, picked up his coat, and quickly drove away.
He remained distracted throughout the journey.
He kept wondering why Jiang Shao had called him.
His brows were drawn tightly together.
Could Jiang Shao have remembered what happened that day, become furious out of humiliation, and decided to kill Qi Mu to silence him?
But the Long Aotian had been delirious with fever. Did he truly remember what had happened?
With complicated and heavy feelings, Qi Mu returned to the company.
The moment he stepped out of his car—
He saw Jiang Shao standing outside the company from a distance.
Qi Mu quickened his pace and hurried over. He had walked so quickly that his breathing was still uneven as he asked urgently, “What did you need me for?”
Jiang Shao looked at Qi Mu.
In truth, he himself had only just arrived.
He wanted to see whether Qi Mu would leave his blind date behind and come back for him.
Qi Mu had not kept him waiting.
He must have rushed over the moment he received the call, which was why they had arrived only moments apart.
The man stood before him, breathing hard.
He had been in such a hurry that his hair was slightly disheveled, one loose lock falling across his forehead. Behind his gold-rimmed glasses, his gentle eyes held worry and anxiety, his expression drawn tight with concern. The way he looked at Jiang Shao made it seem as though… Jiang Shao were the most important person in his world.
As though Qi Mu could abandon everything and come running for him.
The gloom that had accumulated in Jiang Shao’s heart inexplicably dissolved.
He slipped back into his usual lazy manner, shrugged, and said, “I took too much leave last month and had so much of my pay deducted that I can barely cover my living expenses. I want an advance on next month’s salary.”
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