When the interview result arrived, Mai Ding could barely believe his eyes. He read the email again and again to confirm the message. First he sent Human Resources all the materials requested in the attached instructions. Then he closed the computer and quietly switched on the stereo. Fierce rock music instantly filled the apartment. Mai Ding shook his head and waved his arms wildly, except he had no sense of rhythm and not a single movement matched the beat.
Once he calmed down, he immediately pulled out his phone, desperate to call An Zi Yan with the news. He dialed, then hung up before it connected. It was work hours after all. Mai Ding had no choice but to settle for calling his mother instead. “Mom! I found a job!!”
“Still asleep? Calling your mother this early to lie to me.” Mai Ding’s mother turned and called to his father, “Ding Ding says he found a job, hahaha~” Mai Ding could hear both parents laughing through the phone. He knew the difference between a warm smile and ridicule. Gritting his teeth, he said, “I’m serious, and it’s even at the same company and department as An Zi Yan.”
“You and Little Handsome are at the same company? I heard that company is impressive. How did you get in? And are you sure you’ll be okay in Public Relations? I think Logistics suits you better.”
“I’m your biological son, right?! Wait, how do you know where An Zi Yan works and know so much about the place?” Until recently, if Mai Ding had not secretly seen the address himself, he would not even have known where An Zi Yan’s company was.
“Of course my dear Little Handsome told us. Unlike a certain ungrateful child who almost never calls home. Your dad wanted to see the company, so a few days ago Little Handsome even came personally to pick us up and take us there. Your father and I learned quite a lot.”
Too much. This was simply too much. Mai Ding had known nothing. Even if it had been inconvenient for him to appear at the company then, did they have to exclude him like an outsider? He was about to complain when his mother continued, “Finding a job is a good thing. I’ll cook you something nice so the family can celebrate. Hey, stop reading the newspaper. Go out and buy some good ingredients. Shrimp, steak, fish, something like that. The kid hardly ever comes home to eat.”
“That’s more like it. I’ll come back right away.”
“What about Little Handsome?”
“It isn’t the weekend. He’s working. Forget him. I’ll come back by myself.”
“I forgot about that.” Mai Ding’s mother turned toward his father again. “Little Handsome’s too busy to make it, so just buy some pork.”
“At least cover the phone so I can’t hear you!! You two, as parents…” Mai Ding actually started lecturing his own parents. His mother was having none of it and became fiercer than him. “Do you think pork is cheap these days? How did I raise a child who doesn’t know how to save money?” Then she hung up. Sigh. Mai Ding no longer even felt like going home. He had been hoping to find family warmth from the An family, but his own family had none to spare either.
Not long after getting home, Mai Ding was already helping his parents clean and sighing over his fate. This was all thanks to his mother’s training. He did not even dare talk back, because every time he did, she folded her arms and said, “If I hadn’t had the foresight to teach you all this, even if my original goal was helping you find a wife, think about it. Without these abilities, Little Handsome might not have been able to live with you. Shouldn’t you thank me?” Her words only made Mai Ding feel even more miserable.
Putting all that aside, it was still nice to come home and spend time with his parents once in a while. His mother thoughtfully prepared dinner early. Mai Ding had just finished eating and was about to leave when his father stopped him, holding a bag that looked like one of those giant New Year gift packs.
“Zi Yan hasn’t eaten yet, right? Take these back for him.”
Mai Ding looked inside. It was all delicious food. Dissatisfied, he pouted. “I can’t watch this anymore. You two are way too biased.” His mother rushed from the kitchen with dish-soap foam still on her hands and chopped him on the head. “We know perfectly well who deserves the credit for you getting that job.”
“Ow! I was just saying. Why take it seriously?” Mai Ding rubbed his head. “I’m leaving then. Take care of yourselves.”
After the door closed, Mai Ding’s mother muttered, “Complaining that we’re biased, as if he isn’t the one glued to Little Handsome every day and refusing to come home. Still… wow, Little Handsome really is handsome.” Mai Ding’s father watched her return to the kitchen and mumbled, “I’m not that bad either.”
Mai Ding rushed back downstairs before An Zi Yan got off work, panting as he waited by the stairwell and kept looking around. The moment he saw the familiar figure, he dashed over in two strides and jumped onto An Zi Yan. “I passed the interview! I can start tomorrow!”
An Zi Yan caught Mai Ding against him and said coldly, “Do you know how hot it is?”
“The company and car have air-conditioning. Of course it’s hot outside.”
“I meant because of what you’re doing. Get down.”
Mai Ding jumped off. As they walked upstairs, he swung the bag in his hand. “I went back to my parents’ place today. They were afraid you’d go hungry, so they made me bring this.” Then he started laughing to himself. An Zi Yan glanced over. “Your illness acting up again?”
“No! And I’m not sick! It’s just strange. Now I keep calling that place ‘Mom and Dad’s house.’ It feels like that’s my parents’ home, while this is my home.”
“It’s only a rental.”
“Mood killer.” Mai Ding took out his key and turned the lock. “All the warmth from my family and yours goes to you. That’s unfair, so I can only steal warmth from you.” The door had barely opened when An Zi Yan patted Mai Ding’s arm. Confused, Mai Ding turned around and saw An Zi Yan gesture for him to stand aside. Not understanding, Mai Ding obediently moved. Then he stood there like a butler while An Zi Yan entered like some young master.
“I can’t give you warmth, but I can give you something else.” That wicked expression again.
“Pervert!” Mai Ding cursed, blushing.
God, are you really not going to do anything? An Zi Yan is being obscene again.
Before starting work, Mai Ding, who needed to plan absolutely everything, naturally spent a long time thinking things through. Most important, he could never drag An Zi Yan down and absolutely could not let anyone discover their relationship. Otherwise he might be transferred to another department, or worse, fired. They might even uncover that An Zi Yan cheated to get him hired, and favoritism like that could ruin An Zi Yan’s career, maybe his entire life!! The more Mai Ding thought, the more catastrophic it became. His conclusion: he had to make this secret affair succeed even if it killed him.
First, he removed the ring from his ring finger and placed it in the drawer. But he could not bear to leave it behind, so he found a black cord and wore the ring around his neck. He would be wearing a suit to work, so tucked underneath his clothes, it would stay hidden.
Next, he practiced his gaze and expressions in front of the mirror. Under no circumstances could he reveal even the slightest trace of affection or lovesickness.
Then he drew up an entire series of confidentiality measures. He could not ride to work in An Zi Yan’s car. They had to enter the company at different times and leave separately too, guaranteeing there would be no mistake.
Finally, and most important, he needed a serious talk with An Zi Yan. Mai Ding’s side was completely prepared. The biggest bug in the whole operation was still An Zi Yan. Mai Ding had spent years watching him ignore lectures and treat everything casually at school. He could already imagine what An Zi Yan was like at work: doing nothing, playing with his phone, listening to music, reading, or sleeping.
“An Zi Yan, we need to talk.”
“About what?”
“At work, absolutely don’t mess with me or say strange things, and don’t take special care of me or give me preferential treatment. We need to make a battle plan. Don’t worry. If you follow my arrangements, nothing will go wrong.”
An Zi Yan switched off the light and pulled up the blanket. “No time.”
“Hey, hey…” Mai Ding turned the light back on. “You can’t be like this, do you understand?”
“I said I don’t have time. What do I have to do before you understand?” The threat had appeared. Mai Ding turned the light off and cowardly smoothed the blanket for him. “Then sleep.”
God, look at An Zi Yan. He’s threatening me.
God, why are you ignoring me? Pay some attention to my feelings too.
God, I start work tomorrow. With An Zi Yan.
God, thank you.