Chapter 99: Cherishing the Present
The gathering was held at a newly built mountain resort that Shen Yao had carefully selected. Located in the suburbs, the air was fresh and the scenery beautiful.
The only drawback was the distance.
The drive was long, and Wen Yan grew drowsy in the car. He leaned his head against the corner between the window and the seat, instinctively seeking a comfortable and secure position. Pei Zhouye had turned off the interior lights. The cabin was dark, illuminated only by the passing streetlights and the glow from the laptop on Pei Zhouye’s lap. Even the notification sounds from the laptop had been silenced.
It was a quiet, harmonious scene.
Pei Zhouye rarely thought about the future, but in this brief moment, a thought of forever flickered through his mind. If Wen Yan were willing, it would be forever.
He cut the thought short, his lips twitching into a slight, self-deprecating smile. He would take it one day at a time; he shouldn’t be greedy for the future.
The car came to a stop. As the door opened, a loud “Surprise!” echoed from outside.
Wen Yan, having just woken up, was startled by the commotion. When Shen Yao saw Wen Yan’s bewildered expression, his smile stiffened, and a look of tension immediately shifted to Pei Zhouye’s face. Sure enough, the man’s face was ice-cold as he shot Shen Yao a glare.
“I just wanted to give you guys a surprise~” Shen Yao said with exaggerated flair, gesturing for them to step out with respectful formality.
Wen Yan said nothing and stepped out of the car, followed by Pei Zhouye.
It had to be said that Shen Yao’s strengths and weaknesses were both glaring. One of his greatest assets was his ability to lighten the mood in any situation. A guide was waiting ahead, standing with Wang Shu. Wen Yan paused, looked back at Pei Zhouye and Shen Yao, and then stepped forward to join Wang Shu, giving the two behind them space to talk.
Wang Shu was a bit surprised. He shared a glance with Pei Zhouye, and after receiving a confirming look, he smoothly led Wen Yan away.
The two left behind stood in place. Shen Yao grinned sheepishly. “Brother, you won’t blame me, right?”
As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized where he’d heard that before. One of his friends had a calculating girl around him who would always say that after pulling a stunt.
In short, a “Green Tea.”
Pei Zhouye likely thought of the same thing and gave him a meaningful look. “Speak quickly.”
“It’s just been a while, and I missed you. How are you and Sister-in-law? I heard that before…” Shen Yao trailed off.
Not many people knew that Pei Zhouye had used his resources to send Cheng Shangshi back to Jing City, but Shen Yao and Wang Shu were bound to know. They didn’t care about Cheng Shangshi, but if Wen Yan hadn’t been willing, there was no way the man would have had the chance to get close to him, let alone nearly succeed in running away, given how closely Pei Zhouye watched him.
The two ahead had already walked far. Pei Zhouye and Shen Yao talked as they followed.
Pei Zhouye’s tone was natural and casual. “He isn’t willing to be with me. It’s not like you don’t know.”
“Isn’t there any other way? Brother, you should try more, find the right ‘medicine’ for the ‘symptoms.’ Look at what Wen Yan likes and just…” Shen Yao stopped mid-sentence.
What did Wen Yan like? He liked research, but he couldn’t even attend school now. He liked money only because his relatives were ill, but they were fine now. He’d heard his family had even lost their jobs because of the stunt Lin Seran pulled. He liked the type like Gu Yulan, but that turned out to be a piece of trash.
Shen Yao’s lively tone died out. They walked in silence for half a minute.
“So what are your plans for the future?” Shen Yao asked dejectedly.
The current situation was hardly a solution. Pei Zhouye stopped at the entrance and placed his belongings on the tray held by a waiting waiter, looking off into the distance.
After a moment of silence, he replied:
“Cherishing the present.”
Inside.
“They don’t have anything to say that they need to hide from us, or do you just find Shen Yao annoying?” Wang Shu chatted casually.
The fact that Wen Yan had been willing to walk over meant he didn’t dislike Wang Shu—or rather, he trusted him more than the other two. Wang Shu made a mental calculation, thinking of the phrase: picking the tallest out of the dwarves.
“Shen Yao is a good person.” Wen Yan didn’t call out his probing, but his answer showed he saw through it.
Wang Shu breathed a sigh of relief. Realizing there was no point in hiding it, he asked with a smile, “Then why do you walk around him? With that brain of his, he probably thinks you hate him…”
Wen Yan lowered his eyes to the beautifully patterned floor. When he looked up at Wang Shu again, his answer was serious. “I don’t hate him, but I don’t trust him.”
Wang Shu’s lips twitched; he couldn’t think of a single rebuttal. Shen Yao was so close to Pei Zhouye they might as well share the same pair of trousers; if anything happened, he’d tell Pei Zhouye the next second. Wen Yan’s attitude was a clear case of “hating the house and its crows” (guilt by association).
Wang Shu raised an eyebrow in acknowledgment. He noticed Wen Yan’s gaze was fixed on a certain spot and followed his line of sight.
It was a young man with a clean appearance and bright eyes. He was tall, and at first glance, he bore a slight resemblance to Wen Yan. But compared to the real Wen Yan, he paled in significance.
“That’s Ming Qing. One of his classmates is among our friends today.” Wang Shu recalled the somewhat unfamiliar face.
“I didn’t ask who he was,” Wen Yan said quietly, his voice a bit muffled.
“What did you say?” Wang Shu was trying to remember and didn’t catch it, but he knew Wen Yan wouldn’t repeat himself. Noticing Pei Zhouye approaching, he finally remembered, “Right, he’s also the new assistant Master Pei arranged for Zhouye.”
“His assistant is quite good-looking.”
Those words sounded a bit sour at first. Wang Shu’s eyes lit up.
What Pei Zhouye and Shen Yao saw was Wang Shu looking in their direction with a strange, inexplicable smile. Shen Yao’s eyes widened, and his brows knit together. “Wang Shu! What’s with that face? Disgusting!”
He didn’t speak quietly; half the people in the room turned to look at Wang Shu. Wang Shu froze, surrounded by staring eyes, feeling his temples throb. He really should learn from Wen Yan and stay away from this guy.
Wang Shu gritted his teeth, but he still gave a gentlemanly nod to Wen Yan before walking over to Shen Yao and giving him a sharp shove with his shoulder. Shen Yao hissed in pain.
That felt better.
Wang Shu’s smile finally held a hint of sincerity. He lowered his voice and spoke carefully to Pei Zhouye.
“Brother Pei, I think Wen Yan cares about you quite a bit. The atmosphere is good today; maybe it’s an opportunity?”
Pei Zhouye’s brow furrowed slightly, but he remained silent. He didn’t know how Wang Shu had developed such a delusion in just those few minutes.
Ignoring the two behind him bickering like elementary schoolers, Pei Zhouye walked straight to Wen Yan. He reached out to take Wen Yan’s hand, but Wen Yan took a step back. He even intentionally avoided the hand closest to him, his resistance blatant.
For some reason, Wang Shu suddenly felt a chill down his spine. He pulled his coat tighter and sniffed. Seeing the look of disdain from Shen Yao, he replied dismissively, “It’s autumn. Is it a crime for me to dress warmly?”
“At your age and already so physically weak? I bet in that department you’re also…” Shen Yao curled his lip. “Tsk.”
That “tsk” was thick with provocation.
Wang Shu didn’t even react at first. When he did, he was so angry his smile turned forced. “How would you know?”
The two of them bickered, their atmosphere completely different from the stagnant tension of the couple behind them.
“Let’s take a walk together,” Pei Zhouye said, withdrawing his hand naturally as if the earlier awkwardness had never happened. “The resort was just finished; it hasn’t opened to the public yet.”
After saying it, he felt like he was just making conversation. It was late and getting cold outside—hardly the time for a stroll.
“Alright,” Wen Yan replied unexpectedly.
The corners of Pei Zhouye’s mouth lifted. His good mood was visible to the naked eye.
In a corner.
Someone nudged a companion, whispering, “Ming Qing, that’s President Pei. The handsome chairman you like…”
Ming Qing frantically covered the person’s mouth, looked around, and then whispered with reddened ears, “It’s admiration! Admiration, do you understand? Do you want me to lose my job?”
The person, struggling to breathe, patted Ming Qing’s hand until he let go. “Got it, got it! If you don’t stop, you’re going to suffocate me.”
“Is there a need to be so nervous?”
Ming Qing lowered his head, his ears burning. “You don’t understand at all.”
The person beside him was one of his best friends, Qiu Yuan, one of the architects of this resort. Having received an invitation, he had dragged Ming Qing along.
In the distance, Pei Zhouye was smiling as he spoke to the resort owner in the front hall. His aura wasn’t as cold and fierce as the rumors suggested. He truly was young, handsome, and wealthy. It wasn’t surprising that someone as prudent as Ming Qing would have a crush on him.
When Ming Qing spoke of Pei Zhouye, he exaggerated, saying that anyone with the same sexual orientation who spent a long time around Pei Zhouye would fall for him.
As Qiu Yuan was thinking, the person beside Pei Zhouye seemed to sense his gaze. They turned and met his eyes. That person had been facing away the whole time; now that he saw his face, Qiu Yuan was stunned.
It was an exceptionally beautiful face. It wasn’t overly masculine or feminine; it was just pure, unadorned beauty. His skin was a sickly, cold white, his pupils were dark, his nose was straight and narrow, and his lips were perfectly shaped.
Three words came to Qiu Yuan’s mind: Aloof, clear, and soul-stirring.
The person seemed to be observing him. Qiu Yuan felt awkward under the gaze, and just as he was wondering what to do, the person gave him a slight smile before looking away.
“What is it?” Pei Zhouye noticed Wen Yan turning his head. He stopped his conversation with the owner, intending to follow Wen Yan’s gaze.
“Nothing.” Wen Yan replied quickly this time, even shifting his body slightly as if to hide something.
Pei Zhouye pursed his lips, his eyes darkening. He still looked in that direction.
The silhouette was so thin. Qiu Yuan was still lost in thought as he stared at the spot. Ming Qing didn’t know what he was looking at, but seeing him staring, he assumed he was looking at Pei Zhouye. Seconds before Pei Zhouye turned his head, Ming Qing hurriedly pulled Qiu Yuan away.
All Pei Zhouye saw was a vase—uniquely shaped with vibrant patterns and colors. His gaze softened as he asked gently, “Do you like that vase?”
Wen Yan had no idea which vase he was talking about. He didn’t care to explain or investigate, so he simply followed the lead and gave a slight nod. “Mm.”
Pei Zhouye gave a soft “Mm” in response and continued his chat. Fearing Wen Yan would be bored, he had someone lead him to a seating area to rest.
Wen Yan sat not far away. He was lost in thought when he heard the owner’s hearty laugh from behind and a phrase like “This is too much trouble.” Before long, he saw a servant packaging that relatively small vase.
This victory party was for Wang Shu, and Shen Yao had put effort into the guest list, including people who could help Wang Shu’s career. Once Pei Zhouye finished talking to the owner, others tried to approach him, but his people subtly blocked them. Understanding the message, no one else tried to strike up a conversation.
Wen Yan felt the sofa beside him sink. He didn’t need to look up to know it was Pei Zhouye. He shifted further away.
Pei Zhouye was nearly laughing with frustration. “What’s wrong? What did I do to upset you?” He softened his voice, sounding like a completely different person.
“Nothing.”
Wen Yan’s voice sounded muffled, but the fact that he was willing to answer was a good sign. Pei Zhouye’s eyes crinkled, and he decided not to force Wen Yan to be close to him. He could tell Wen Yan’s mood was off, but it didn’t seem like anger.
“If you like it here, we can stay a few more days, Wen Yan.”
“No need.” Wen Yan looked down as if thinking about something before saying, “I want to walk around. Don’t follow me.”
A moment of silence.
Pei Zhouye’s smile vanished. “Alright.”
He leaned back casually on the sofa as someone leaned in to listen to his orders. He didn’t lower his voice; Wen Yan heard him clearly.
“Take good care of him. Don’t let anything go wrong.”
The person in the black vest and white shirt nodded. He glanced at Wen Yan before quickly looking away. “This way, please.”
Wen Yan stood up and glanced down at the man on the sofa. Pei Zhouye was leaning back, his eyelids drooping. His striking features were intense, his whole face written with displeasure.
Wen Yan stood there for a few seconds before following the waiter’s lead. Pei Zhouye’s regular shadows followed immediately.
The low pressure around the sofa lasted for a long time; no one was brave enough to approach.
“Brother Pei.” Wang Shu sat down, greeting him before speaking. “Not going well?”
Pei Zhouye let out a frustrated laugh. “You’ve been spending too much time with Shen Yao, haven’t you?”
He was implying Wang Shu’s IQ was dropping. Wang Shu immediately realized it and looked up to see Shen Yao watching him with a smug expression.
“No, Wen Yan said today that your new assistant is quite good-looking. I thought…” He trailed off.
He couldn’t exactly say that Wen Yan had complimented an assistant for no reason.
“I know.” Pei Zhouye’s mood seemed to improve slightly. He picked up his phone with his large hand and tapped the screen with his thumb. “That’s the one Pei Mingcheng arranged.”
Wang Shu froze before replying, “I know, Brother. I told Wen Yan.”
“Mm.”
Judging by his tone, Brother Pei was in a good mood. Wang Shu let out a soft breath and sat down comfortably beside him, temporarily escaping the center of the noise. Pei Zhouye didn’t look at him, simply pushing an untouched glass of water toward him. “Hiding from the noise?”
Wang Shu didn’t answer. Having been a young master for so long, dealing with a crowd of people and politics was mentally draining; he couldn’t be bothered to pretend.
Pei Zhouye picked up his own glass and lightly clinked it against Wang Shu’s water.
“Regarding Wen Yan—thanks.” He took a sip of his drink, as if just making small talk. “If you don’t want to deal with them anymore, just push them my way.”
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