Chapter 68
“Assistant Lin.”
“Assistant Lin?”
Yan Yang leaned a hand on Lin Zheng’s desk and tapped it lightly.
Lin Zheng, who had been resting his chin on his hand with a goofy grin, was jolted back to reality. He looked up to see Yan Yang standing over him.
Yan Yang’s expression was teasing. “Tsk, Assistant Lin, what are you spacing out for during work hours? Daydreaming about someone special? Spring hasn’t even sprung yet, are you getting an early start?”
Lin Zheng shot him a look. “You’re the one daydreaming. You’re daydreaming all day long.”
Faced with Lin Zheng’s weak, childish comeback, Yan Yang perched on the edge of the desk and let out a chuckle. “What do I need to daydream for? My springtime is right in front of me every day. I can see him whenever I want.” Yan Yang leaned in closer to Lin Zheng. “Unlike some people, who can’t seem to find the courage to break through that paper-thin barrier in their relationship. You could call them lovers, but itâs not official. You could say theyâre not, but they’re always giving each other goo-goo eyes and being all flirty. It’s making me anxious just watching.”
As soon as Yan Yang said that, Lin Zheng thought of what happened after the movies the other night, when Gu Lin had kissed him in the park. He took a sip of water and immediately choked. “Cough, cough! Whoâwho’s giving each other goo-goo eyes and being all flirty?”
He had to admit, there was a bit of that going on.
Yan Yang grinned. “Look at my little chickadee getting all worked up. I didn’t even say any names. Why are you outing yourself?”
The water had gone down the wrong pipe, and Lin Zheng was struggling to breathe. Suddenly, a thought struck him. “Yan Yang, are you just trying to kill time because you have nothing better to do?”
Yan Yang snorted. “What are you talking about? Do I look like I have nothing to do? As a dedicated employee of this company, I give my all for its success. I’m not the type to waste time while on the company’s dime.”
Lin Zheng crossed his arms, leaned back in his chair, and gave Yan Yang a scrutinizing look for a few seconds. Then, he narrowed his eyes slightly. “Ah, I just remembered something.”
Yan Yang looked at him with interest. “What’s that?”
“Someone just said his ‘springtime’ is right in front of him every day, and he can see him whenever he wants. But from what I know, that someone’s ‘springtime’…” Lin Zheng deliberately dragged out the words, pausing for a few seconds before giving Yan Yang a sidelong glance, “…went on a business trip abroad yesterday.”
Yan Yang didn’t respond.
Lin Zheng propped his face on his hand and sighed dramatically. “Looks like your springtime won’t be back for a while. Otherwise, a serious boss like you probably wouldn’t be free enough to come and tease me. Oh, and let me guess one more thing.”
Lin Zheng looked up at Yan Yang, his expression confident. “You also had a fight with your springtime.”
Bullseye. Yan Yang was speechless.
Yan Yang clapped a hand on Lin Zheng’s shoulder, making him lurch forward. “Not bad, little chickadee, you’re a quick learner,” he said with a laugh. “You’ve been around that guy Gu Lin for too long. You haven’t picked up any of his good habits, just his knack for reading people’s minds.”
The last part came out through gritted teeth.
Lin Zheng sniffed. “Do I need to learn that? I was born with this talent.”
“Look at you, getting all cocky.”
Lin Zheng touched the tip of his nose with his thumb. A thought occurred to him. “But seriously, did you and your guy really have a fight?”
“Yeah.”
“Did you go chasing other fish again?”
“Are you asking for a beating?”
“Haha, just kidding.”
Say what you will, but Lin Zheng had seen a change in Yan Yang since he’d gotten with that young boyfriend of his. He was acting more like a normal boyfriendânot perfect, maybe, but at least he was passing in all the important areas and had become more faithful. As for fighting, that was normal. Every couple fights. But fighting wasn’t unavoidable.
“Yan Yang, I think when it comes to couples fighting, I should give you some advice…”
“Give me a break. You’re a total rookie when it comes to romance, so don’t go giving out bad advice.”
“…”
“Alright, alright, I’ll handle my own business. Never mind me, let’s talk about you and Gu Lin.”
At the mention of Gu Lin, Lin Zheng’s eyes darted away.
“Me and Gu Lin? There’s nothing to talk about.”
“Do you think I’m an idiot? Or blind?” Yan Yang said. “You think I didn’t just see you giggling at a picture on your desk?” As he spoke, Yan Yang’s gaze shifted to Lin Zheng’s desk. Lin Zheng followed his eyes. The final destination of their gazes was a phone, which was displaying a picture of Gu Lin sleeping against a pillow.
The next second, with the speed of a lightning strike, Lin Zheng flipped the phone over.
“You didn’t see anything.”
Yan Yang raised an eyebrow and deliberately raised his voice. “What? You want me to pretend I didn’t see Gu on your phâmmph.”
Before he could finish, a hand clamped over his mouth.
Lin Zheng shot him a fierce look.
Yan Yang immediately surrendered.
Lin Zheng put his phone in his pocket. Yan Yang lowered his voice and asked, “Hey, little chickadee, how long are you planning on keeping this up with Gu Lin? A few months? A few years?”
Lin Zheng knew what Yan Yang was asking. “Soon,” he said.
“Oh, soon, soon…” Yan Yang said, then paused, realizing what he’d heard. He replayed the word in his mind, his face suddenly full of surprise. “Soon? For real?”
“Yeah, soon.”
Before, when he hadn’t realized his feelings, Lin Zheng didn’t think much of it. But now, he had realizedâno, he had confirmed that he had fallen for Gu Lin. It wasn’t simple admiration, nor was it just a good impression. It was the kind of affection that made him want to possess the other person.
That feeling was like a wildfire, and in a short time, it had completely consumed him.
He couldn’t run from it, and he couldn’t hide.
Hearing this, Yan Yang was more excited than Lin Zheng. “Since you’ve already realized it, what are you waiting for? Go and tell Gu Lin right now! He’ll be ecstatic if he finds out. I bet if you asked for the moon tomorrow, he’d find a way to pluck it from the sky for you.”
“I can’t do that,” Lin Zheng said with a smile. “I have to wait until he’s fully recovered before I tell him.”
Yan Yang didn’t understand. “Why do you have to wait until he’s better? This is killing me.”
“Because it wouldn’t feel right to tell him now,” Lin Zheng said calmly.
“?”
Lin Zheng brought his hand to his mouth and whispered to Yan Yang, “He’s sick right now. He can’t even pick me up.”
“What?”
“That just doesn’t fit the feeling I’m going for.”
“Are you kidding me? You barely weigh anything. How could he not be able to pick you up?”
“It’s true. He’s too weak right now.”
Yan Yang finally understood. Lin Zheng wanted to wait until Gu Lin was better before confessing.
He stood up straight and paced back and forth beside Lin Zheng.
Lin Zheng asked, puzzled, “What are you doing?”
Yan Yang put one hand on his hip and pressed the other to his mouth. He glanced at Gu Lin’s office next door. After a moment, he said, “Lin Zheng, I have to tell you something. Don’t get too worked up when you hear it.”
Yan Yang knew Gu Lin was faking his illness.
But Lin Zheng didn’t.
And that guy Gu Lin had no idea what he was missing out on because of his act.
And now, Yan Yang had decided to give them a little push.
Lin Zheng asked, “Should I be worked up?”
Yan Yang said, “Maybe not, but it’s best if you don’t get angry either.”
Lin Zheng: “What is it?”
Yan Yang steeled himself and said, “Actually, Gu Lin has already…”
Before Yan Yang could finish, a couple of heavy coughs came from the office next door.
He turned his head, and the person who had been in front of him was gone.
Yan Yang: “?”
Yan Yang walked to the door of the president’s office. The person who had been sitting in front of him just a moment ago was now diligently helping his boss, patting his back and fetching him water, looking absolutely heartbroken.
“Weren’t you doing much better these past two days? Why does it seem like it’s gotten worse now?”
“Maybe I caught a chill last night. It’s nothing, I’ll be fine soon.”
At the doorway, Yan Yang looked with pity at his brother, who was putting on the performance of a lifetime.
Forget it. He couldn’t help him.
Recommended Reads
