Chapter 48: Yan Yan’s Excitement
“Teacher An, what do you think of Lin Qingyan? Should we keep him or not?”
Everyone else thought the contestant was good. Regardless of his skills, his looks and temperament were unique. Standing on stage, he would attract everyone’s attention.
And he sang very well. It wasn’t about the technical skill but his ability to move people—something many couldn’t do. He won over the judges from the first note.
But Teacher An didn’t seem very satisfied?
Under everyone’s gaze, An Jing simply smiled casually. “I think this kid is interesting. Keep him. The audience will like him.”
He admitted that after hearing An Nanyi talk about Lin Qingyan—stealing and fighting—he had formed a negative impression, expecting a small thug. But the person he saw was different from his expectations.
At first glance, the young man’s demeanor was clean, and he looked obedient. His every move was also gentle, not at all like someone who would do such things.
He even felt a strange sense of familiarity with Lin Qingyan, perhaps because of their similar appearance? An Jing stared thoughtfully at the small ID photo.
Lin Qingyan thought he had no chance, but ten days later, he received a message that he had passed the audition. He was sitting at his desk, struggling with a math problem, and after receiving the message, he immediately solved the problem that had troubled him for half an hour.
Because of his leg injury, he hadn’t gone anywhere these days, just staying in his room to study or livestream to his fans. The content of his livestreams…? Studying.
“…”
For some reason, his fans liked watching him study, even skipping class to watch him. He didn’t livestream often, but his fan count had increased rapidly, reaching over 100,000.
After learning he’d been selected, the first person he wanted to tell was Gu Fei. He wanted to tell him immediately, even in person.
Two hours later, he appeared at the Gu Corporation headquarters, carrying a bag with a food warmer containing his homemade meal.
This was his first time at Gu Corporation. He hadn’t contacted Gu Fei beforehand. The receptionist didn’t recognize him, but seeing how handsome and well-behaved the young man was, her tone softened. “Hello, how can I help you?”
Lin Qingyan politely smiled. “Hello, sister. I’m looking for Gu Fei… uh, your CEO?”
The receptionist almost got lost in the beautiful young man’s smile, then was slightly surprised that he was looking for Mr. Gu. Was this handsome young man trying to approach Mr. Gu, like those handsome men and beautiful women who had been thrown out by security?
This had happened many times before.
They all ended up being thrown out.
She said hesitantly, “Um, you need an appointment to see Mr. Gu. Do you have one?”
Lin Qingyan honestly shook his head. He hadn’t told Gu Fei he was coming. He thought for a moment and said, “Sister, can you call Assistant Yang Jing? He knows me.”
The receptionist was once again mesmerized by the “sister” and the boy’s youthful appearance. “Okay, please wait. I’ll call Assistant Yang.”
“By the way, what’s your name?”
“My name is Lin Qingyan.”
The receptionist didn’t really believe the young man knew Assistant Yang, but she still called him, mentioning Lin Qingyan’s name. Assistant Yang, who had been calm just moments ago, was immediately flustered.
“Watch him carefully. I’ll be down right away!”
Then he hung up. A few minutes later, Assistant Yang rushed down from the elevator, even more hurried than when receiving important clients. Of course, the young man at the front desk was far more important than any important client.
He had witnessed how Mr. Gu treated this young man. The image of Mr. Gu sitting in the car, looking at his phone with a spring-like smile, was still vivid in his mind.
Yang Jing, as Gu Fei’s personal assistant, had seen many things. His image in the company was usually steady and composed. But now, he quickly approached the front desk, greeting the young man warmly. “Young Master Lin, how did you get here? Mr. Gu is still in a meeting. I’ll take you up.”
“Okay, thank you, Brother Yang.”
“Let me take your bag.”
“Thank you, Brother Yang. I can carry it myself.”
The receptionist, who witnessed everything: “???”
What was going on?
The handsome young man wasn’t thrown out?
Why was Assistant Yang so obsequious?
The handsome young man wasn’t here to brown-nose? He really knew Mr. Gu? Who exactly was this enigmatic person?
Yang Jing brought Lin Qingyan to the CEO’s office on the top floor, politely leading him to the sofa. “Young Master Lin, please have a seat. Mr. Gu is still in a meeting; it should be over in about half an hour.”
“Okay, Brother Yang, you can go busy yourself. Don’t worry about me.”
“Would you like something to drink or eat? I can get it for you.”
Although Lin Qingyan said no, Yang Jing still brought over drinks, fruit, and desserts before leaving, secretly gossiping to himself about Mr. Gu’s reaction when he saw Young Master Lin here.
Lin Qingyan took a bite of the small cake, curiously looking around the office. This was the largest and most impressive office he had ever seen—a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Nancheng’s most prosperous area. Even the CEOs in TV dramas couldn’t compare.
Mr. Gu must work at that desk, Lin Qingyan thought. A scene flashed in his mind:
A stern-faced man in a custom-made suit, sitting upright and serious at his desk, focused on the documents. The man’s face would be expressionless, but he might occasionally frown…
Lin Qingyan swallowed. He was probably infatuated.
About half an hour later, Gu Fei finished the meeting. He rubbed his temples, looking tired.
He had rushed back to find Lin Qingyan, then continued his trip the next day, only returning from out of town this morning. He hadn’t gone home, going straight to the company for a meeting, too busy to rest.
He didn’t even want to eat lunch, wanting to sleep for two hours in the office rest area, but when he entered, he saw a familiar figure.
The young man stood with his back to him in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, wearing a light blue tie-dye t-shirt and black straight work pants, looking youthful and energetic. His slender back was straight and tall, like a tender green onion.
Gu Fei recognized the clothes; he had bought them.
Hearing the noise, the young man turned, giving the man a joyful smile. His beautiful peach blossom eyes curved slightly. He called out, “Ge Fei, are you finished with the meeting?”
Seeing him, the tiredness in Gu Fei’s brows lessened. He hummed. “When did you get here? Why didn’t you tell me?” He walked towards the young man.
“I wanted to surprise you. It wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you.”
They hadn’t seen each other for about ten days. Lin Qingyan couldn’t help but stare at the man, dressed as he imagined—a custom-made shirt and trousers.
A gray shirt tucked into his trousers, the buttons neatly buttoned to the top, the fabric outlining his tall and fit figure, though the clothes were slightly wrinkled, and his face looked tired, it didn’t detract from his charm.
Lin Qingyan learned from Steward Shen that the man had just returned from a business trip, with no time to rest, going straight to work. As the boss of such a large corporation, Gu Fei was indeed very busy.
Lin Qingyan felt sorry for him.
The young man’s feelings were written all over his face, and Gu Fei couldn’t help but notice. His heart softened, and he touched the boy’s soft black hair. His thin lips moved: “I’m indeed surprised.”
He asked, “How’s the wound?”
“It’s almost healed. It’s almost completely closed.”
“Let me see.” Gu Fei knelt down and lifted the young man’s trouser leg, revealing a section of white, porcelain-like skin. The wound on his calf was indeed almost healed, but it was still noticeable.
The man’s fingertips lightly touched the area. “This… will it leave a scar?”
Lin Qingyan felt a tingling sensation where he was touched, his heart trembling slightly. He pursed his lips, his voice soft. “The doctor said it’s healing well; scar removal cream can be used. It’ll be fine after a while.”
Gu Fei hummed, then stood up.
Lin Qingyan shyly looked away, then couldn’t help but smile. “Ge Fei, I came to tell you that I passed the audition. I can participate in the show!”
Gu Fei acted as if he already knew, his expression unchanged, except for a hint of amusement in his eyes. “Mm, Yan Yan is amazing.”
His low, magnetic voice was like an electric current, making Lin Qingyan’s heart beat faster. To cover his reaction, he quickly walked to the sofa. “You haven’t had lunch yet, right? I brought food. Would you like some?”
Gu Fei followed, watching the young man take out the dishes from the food warmer, placing them on the coffee table. They were home-cooked dishes, still warm, emitting a fragrant aroma.
It was clearly not made by the family chef or Steward Shen. A subtle smile played on the man’s lips. He asked, “You made this? Why did you suddenly cook for me?”
“Um…” Lin Qingyan sat stiffly, hesitating before saying, “Didn’t you say I should repay you with actions? It’s not very good, but I hope you don’t dislike it.”
“I won’t.” The man looked at the young man with his deep, calm eyes, a hint of unclear emotion flashing in them. Then he said, “Perhaps… there are other ways to repay me.”
Lin Qingyan: “Huh? What else?”
Their eyes met.
Gu Fei suddenly raised his hand, pointing to the corner of his lips.
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