Shen Yun didn’t know what he was thinking, so he only raised the corners of his lip and smiled wickedly: “President Zhou is used to killing in the business world, used to intrigue and deceit, how can he believe what I say? So naive?”

Zhou Lan was silent. No matter how stupid Shen Yun was, he could see that something was wrong. He let go of Zhou Lan, endured a headache, and went to pick up his clothes.

Zhou Lan, however, pressed down on his shoulders and stared into his eyes coldly: “Shen Yun, until I get tired, you are not allowed to have anyone else.”

Shen Yun frowned, with a little mocking smile in his eyes, and looked at him: “I don’t remember us having this condition.”

Zhou Lan stroked the peach blossom mole at the corner of his eye with his fingertips and said, “I’ve just added it.”

Shen Yun smiled coldly: “Doesn’t President Zhou feel that he has crossed the line?”

Zhou Lan did cross the line, but he didn’t plan to change anything. His gaze was firm and calm, with a sense of oppression of someone superior.

Squeezing Shen Yun’s shoulder, unlike his usual domineering way, he said, “Get up and eat first.”

Shen Yun kept looking at him with burning eyes, without speaking, stubbornly waiting for an answer.

Boredom, doubt, exhaustion, helplessness, all flowed out of those eyes, drowning him.

Zhou Lan looked at him; such a tender young man, but he showed tiredness and world-weariness of someone who had been through the vicissitudes of life. Yes, it was world-weariness.

He couldn’t help but feel a tightness in his chest. He bent down to pick up Shen Yun’s clothes, helped him put them on piece by piece, took his hand and walked out.

There was millet porridge and scrambled eggs with tomatoes on the table. The millet porridge was too thick. Left for a while, it was already solid.

Zhou Lan poured boiling water into the bowl, stirred it well with a spoon, and shoved it into Shen Yun’s hands: “Eat it.”

Shen Yun stuffed the food into his mouth silently. The millet porridge lost its original taste when it was diluted with water, and the scrambled eggs with tomatoes were too salty to eat.

He ate one bite at a time, with his head and his eyes down, silently, and his heart was bitter as hell.

Zhou Lan watched him eat a big mouthful after a big mouthful, satisfied, picked up the dishes and chopsticks, and frowned as soon as he tasted it.

He stretched out his hand to take away Shen Yun’s chopsticks, and stared at the half-empty plate: “Don’t eat it, it’s so salty, how can you eat it?”

Shen Yun looked at him; his tone was very light, but his words were sharp: “If President Zhou gives you poison, you have to eat it, don’t you? Can I refuse?”

His words were meaningful, and he stared sharply at Zhou Lan.

Knowing that he was losing his temper, Zhou Lan couldn’t help but purse his lips tightly. He got up early in the morning to check the recipes and make porridge, what for?

Wasn’t it because his heart ached for this person? But how come Shen Yun was so stubborn?

Other people couldn’t wait to please him. But Shen Yun was giving him the stinky eye all day long!

He pursed his lips, with anger, picked up the rest of the dishes and threw them into the trash along with the plates and chopsticks: “Let’s go, I’ll take you to work.”

Shen Yun walked to the door in silence, but finally stopped by the door.

He looked up at Zhou Lan, his eyes full of incomprehension: “Why?”

He really didn’t understand Zhou Lan. Everything was obviously fine. Why did he have to make everyone unhappy?

Zhou Lan didn’t answer, but raised his hand and stroked back Shen Yun’s bangs, rubbed them and let them fall down again.

Shen Yun shook his head helplessly, lowered his eyes, and said softly: “I’m sorry, I can’t agree to your unreasonable request.”

He bit his lip: “If you…”

He wanted to say, if you can’t accept it, then let’s end this relationship.

But his latter words didn’t come out. Zhou Lan bent over and kissed his lips, swallowing all he was going to say.

***

Shen Yun and Zhou Lan were truly estranged, even though they had never been close.

At the end of the year, all companies were at their busiest.

In addition to drawing with Ding Ning all night long, Shen Yun took Ding Ning to communicate with the owners in all aspects.

Sometimes he has to stay up all night to adjust a wall decoration and improve the light.

During this period, Xu Moran asked him out several times, but Shen Yun refused.

After the unpleasantness of the last time, Xu Moran was both a little embarrassed and a little expectant of Shen Yun, and couldn’t help but pay attention to him secretly.

But he was not too anxious, he had the patience and time to grind with Shen Yun slowly.

The busy days passed especially quickly, and it was the end of the month in a blink of an eye.

That day Shen Yun received a call from Li Huan.

Li Huan said on the phone that Moxi’s design drafts had been handed over to Zhouquan’s Project Department, and the project department handed them over to the management office after the preliminary examination.

But there were no drawings of Shen Yun .

Shen Yun frowned and asked, “Has President Zhou seen it?”

Li Huan said: “President Zhou just finished the bidding project for the land in the western suburbs yesterday, and he hasn’t returned to the company yet. I don’t know if he will come today.”

Shen Yun tapped on the table: “Thank you, Senior.”

He didn’t want to drag Li Huan into this, so he said, “I’ll think of a way by myself. If it doesn’t work, I’ll trouble Senior to help.”

Li Huan said: “Good, this matter must be done as soon as possible. President Zhou has accumulated a lot of work recently. He may not take a closer look. After all, the project department has already passed it. In case he signs the document, it is impossible for you to add anything.”

Shen Yun hung up the phone in silence; he didn’t expect Moxi to come up with such a trick.

He was a little confused thinking about the image of Moxi, which he personally created with his own hands.

It used to be his home, his dream, his child, his future, how did it come to be like this?

Unbearable things make people sad and helpless.

He could be sure that it was not Xu Moran who did this.

He ran his fingers through his messy bangs and couldn’t help but smile bitterly. Even now he still believed in Xu Moran instinctively.

If it was not Xu Moran, then it was Zhao Chun.

Shen Yun rubbed the phone screen with his fingertips. After a long time, he closed his eyes and dialled the number.

The call was quickly connected, and Zhou Lan’s low voice came over: “Hello?”

Shen Yun smiled: “Is President Zhou free today?”

Zhou Lan was silent for a while, his tone a little cold: “Something wrong?”

“Nothing much,” Shen Yun said, “Didn’t I say I’d treat you to a good meal last time?”

Zhou Lan was silent and didn’t say anything, his steady breathing brushing across Shen Yun’s ears.

After waiting for a long time and not getting the other party’s reply, Shen Yun bit his lip: “Then… forget it.”

“I’m free.” Zhou Lan said a little quickly, paused for a moment and then added, “I’ll pick you up from work tonight.”

Shen Yun hummed softly; Li Huan should be able to hold on for a day.

He hooked the corners of his lips, despising himself a little. He thought about ending it last time, but look, now he was going to turn for help at the drop of a hat.

Shen Yun wore a black woollen hat, a long black down coat and a camel scarf around his neck. He stood at the intersection, covering his face with his hands to keep warm. The wind blew over, and he couldn’t tell whether his face was colder or his hands were colder.

Zhou Lan saw him from far away and couldn’t help but feel funny. He was wrapped up like a zongzi; only his small face, so white and tender, was exposed, but he covered it with his hands.

Shen Yun didn’t see Zhou Lan until the car stopped in front of him. He smiled and opened the door: “President Zhou changed cars?”

Zhou Lan didn’t answer, and asked with a smile: “So cold?”

Shen Yun nodded: “Yeah.”

The car was heated enough. Shen Yun took off his hat and scarf, and sighed contentedly: “It’s so warm.”

Zhou Lan took his hand, very cold, and couldn’t help frowning: “Wearing so many clothes and still freezing like this?”

Shen Yun smiled: “Maybe the last time I was sick, my physique deteriorated. This year I am particularly afraid of the cold.”

Zhou Lan thought of Shen Yun’s “home” like an ice cellar, and wanted to say something, but held back.

“What are we going to eat?” Zhou Lan asked.

“Let’s go to the Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion, I want to eat their lamb pot.” Shen Yun said.

He really had a craving after he didn’t get to eat it with Xu Moran last time.

Lamb pot, drunk crab (a dish made of crabs and rice wine), chicken stew with mountain mushrooms, Xishi stew…

Zhou Lan looked at a table of meat dishes and couldn’t help laughing: “How much do you want to eat meat?”

Shen Yun blinked. He was really craving meat. While eating, he said, “Don’t you like it? Why didn’t you order when I asked you?”

The corners of Shen Yun’s lips were wet with soup, and Zhou Lan stretched out his hand to wipe it, rubbing his thumb over the corner of his lips for a moment.

“Shen Yun,” he said, “The cars in the garage are idle, so you can pick up one and drive it.”

Shen Yun’s chewing speed slowed down significantly, and he smiled: “Forget it, those cars of yours, how can I afford to raise one?”

“You don’t need to raise it.”

Shen Yun smiled: “President Zhou, I found that you really have a talent for destroying the atmosphere.”

He wiped his mouth: “I don’t dare to drive, I’m a little afraid of that thing.”

Zhou Lan looked at him: “If you want to refuse, find a reliable reason.”

“It’s true.” Shen Yun said, “I’m really afraid.”

“Besides being afraid of cars, what else are you afraid of?” Zhou Lan asked.

“I’m afraid of you, President Zhou.” Shen Yun smiled, “I’m afraid of you.”

Zhou Lan snorted coldly: “I think you actually fear neither heaven nor earth.”

Shen Yun also laughed after he finished speaking: “Never mind, let’s not talk about this anymore. I heard that the design drafts have been submitted. Can President Zhou give some advice?”

Zhou Lan added a ladle of soup to Shen Yun: “I haven’t had time to take a look yet.”

Shen Yun smiled: “Those are the three drawings I put my heart and soul into. Will President Zhou give me some comments after looking at them? I’m begging for advice!”

He blinked innocently and looked at Zhou Lan expectantly.

Zhou Lan also smiled: “I’d like to see what you can do with your heart and soul.”

Shen Yun achieved his goal, so he smiled and lowered his head to eat.

After eating, Zhou Lan was one step ahead to settle the bill.

Shen Yun smiled: “What should I do? Still owe President Zhou a meal?”

Zhou Lan bit his ear and said, “Tonight, I will get you to pay back, believe it or not?”

Shen Yun blushed, pushed Zhou Lan away and looked around in panic: “What are you doing in public?”

Zhou Lan nudged him outside, and as soon as they got into the car, pressed him down and kissed him fiercely.

Shen Yun pushed him anxiously: “Hey, hey, hey!”

Zhou Lan couldn’t help laughing, let him go, stroked back his bangs and kissed his little widow’s peak.

Shen Yun looked at him in shock. This man was probably crazy, right?

“Go to my place.” Zhou Lan ordered softly and started the car.

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