Chapter 24 (1)
In the original book, Gu Lin saw the protagonist’s painting, liked his work, and therefore liked the protagonist.
Although the timeline in reality was earlier than in the book, the location was indeed here.
Because his life had been too smooth, Lin Zheng almost forgot the plot.
A City’s Nanyan Road Art Museum.
This was where Gu Lin first met and fell for the male protagonist.
The male protagonist grew up in Yinlu County with his grandmother. Later, he went to A City for his studies. By chance, his painting was chosen by Gu Lin’s business partner, and he participated in this exhibition. It was at this exhibition that they met.
This was the beginning of their romance.
The next day.
After finishing a meeting, Lin Zheng placed the documents on his desk and picked up his white porcelain cup, heading to the break room.
As soon as he entered, he heard several employees whispering.
“Did you see? Yesterday, Secretary Lin was waiting for the bus alone at the company entrance.”
“What’s the situation? Aren’t he and CEO Gu…together? Would CEO Gu let him wait for the bus alone?”
“What are you thinking? Although their relationship is obvious to everyone in the company, who knows if CEO Gu is just playing with him?”
“Right, CEO Gu used to be known for being a player.”
“But don’t they usually come and go together?”
“I guess he must have accidentally offended CEO Gu, so CEO Gu left him behind. It’s probably just that he doesn’t like him anymore.”
Lin Zheng stood at the entrance of the break room, thinking, “They say that the company break room is the birthplace of gossip and rumors, and it seems to be true.”
Bang!
Just then, a loud sound like a door hitting a wall came from the break room, startling him.
Inside, the door connecting the break room to the adjacent rest room was pushed open. Although not forceful, the thin door hitting the wall made a considerable noise.
The sound startled not only Lin Zheng but also those gossiping inside.
Yan Yang pressed one hand against the door frame, his shirt haphazardly on, his messy hair looking like he had just woken up, but the expression in his eyes was frighteningly serious. “Annoying, I can’t even sleep properly. Can’t you be quiet for a moment? If you don’t want to work here and want to switch to being paparazzi, I can help you ask around. Do you need me to?”
The several people who had been chattering immediately fell silent. One after another, they filled their water cups and hurried out of the break room.
Lin Zheng was initially enjoying the show, but as people left one by one, they all made eye contact with him.
Everyone: “…”
Lin Zheng: “…”
Lin Zheng felt utterly embarrassed.
Yet he had to pretend he wasn’t embarrassed.
After everyone walked past him with their heads down, Lin Zheng breathed a sigh of relief and entered the break room.
Seeing him, Yan Yang clicked his tongue, “When did you get here?”
Lin Zheng calmly said, “Since you slammed the door.”
Lin Zheng placed his cup on the counter. Seeing that the instant coffee was empty, he tiptoed to get a new box from the high cabinet, opened it, and carefully poured some into his cup without spilling a drop.
Yan Yang came up behind him, teasing, “Whose so thoughtful and diligent little wife is this? I wonder who will be so lucky to marry such a cute little wife?”
Lin Zheng scoffed at him.
Yan Yang bumped him with his shoulder, and when Lin Zheng turned his head, he made a V-sign with his thumb and index finger under his chin, looking smug. “Chicken-nest head, my heroic defense of you just now was pretty cool, wasn’t it?”
Lin Zheng thought, “How can this person change his demeanor in a second?” Then he couldn’t help but laugh and praised him, “Cool, cool, cool, okay?”
Yan Yang became even more proud, putting a hand on his shoulder, “See? I’m not just good at deceiving you. As Gu’s wife, you’re practically family. I won’t let others bully you.”
Lin Zheng was slightly stunned.
He knew that Yan Yang could be quite mischievous, but he was actually a good person.
“But Yan Yang,” he continued adding hot water to his cup, then pushed the cup toward Yan Yang, his eyes fixed on him, his voice laced with a terrifying aura, “You know what the consequences will be if you send me strange things again, right?”
The threat was clear. Yan Yang removed his hand from his shoulder, stepped back, and chuckled nervously, “Haha, no, I won’t send anything again.”
Lin Zheng finally took back his cup.
Yan Yang’s shirt was messy. Thinking that Yan Yang had been sleeping soundly, but had rushed out because he heard others say bad things about him, Lin Zheng felt a little touched.
Just as he felt touched, he saw a blushing young man with glasses and an ID card around his neck coming out of the rest room.
Lin Zheng saw the young man go to Yan Yang, say something, and Yan Yang, not treating him like an outsider, pulled him in and kissed him on the face, patted his butt, and let him go.
Lin Zheng: “Huh?”
Lin Zheng looked at Yan Yang, then at the young man who had left.
After realizing what happened, Lin Zheng exclaimed, “Whoa, what were you two doing in the rest room just now!”
Yan Yang lit a cigarette, “Nothing, nothing happened yet. I rushed out because of you.”
Lin Zheng slapped his forehead.
He was too naive to think that Yan Yang was simply resting in there.
Yan Yang held his cigarette, propped his arms on the counter, and looked at him sideways, “But I’m curious, what did you and Gu Lin do?” He asked with concern, “Did you use the gift I sent you? How was it?”
Speaking of the thing Yan Yang sent him, the vibration he felt seemed to still linger in his palm, and after it fell from his hand, it vibrated again on the sofa—or rather, on his leg.
Thinking about it, Lin Zheng’s ears involuntarily turned red, but he still insisted, “I advise you to shut your mouth.”
He wouldn’t use that thing now, nor would he ever.
No, he would never use it!
Yan Yang softly persuaded, “Try it, it’s fun.”
“Stop it.”
Seeing Lin Zheng’s slightly furrowed brows, Yan Yang suddenly understood why Gu Lin liked to tease him so much—because it was so fun to watch Lin Zheng about to lose his temper but not quite.
Tsk, it’s over, Yan Yang found he had unlocked an incredible attribute.
They chatted in the break room for a while before leaving together.
There was a corridor connecting the break room and the office. Walking down the corridor, Lin Zheng said to Yan Yang, “By the way, I have a question.”
Yan Yang had one hand in his pocket, the other holding coffee, his clothes neatly arranged again, but he still didn’t look like a good employee who worked hard. “Hmm?”