I didn’t respond to Dad’s offer to transfer the shares to me. As for Lin Yusen’s side, without Dad’s obstruction, the share transfer process proceeded smoothly.
Meanwhile, company affairs continued in an orderly fashion. The expanded factory area was about to be completed, requiring arrangements for final touches and a series of inspections. The company had purchased two second-hand production lines from a struggling photovoltaic component manufacturer in Chengdu—the contract was signed before the New Year, but the equipment hadn’t arrived yet, so we needed to recruit technical staff first. We also needed to arrange a time to visit the D University Photovoltaic Research Institute in Shanghai and discuss establishing a joint laboratory in Suzhou, among other things…
Of course, I was just an observer in these matters, with my main job still being as a small accountant. Bustling with activity, time entered April.
The first weekend of April, Lin Yusen was going to Shanghai for a three-day neurosurgery forum and asked if I wanted to come along, adding “You might find it boring.”
“I’m going.”
Having just survived the end-of-month financial hell, I was desperate for an outing. As for boredom—what could be more boring and torturous than spending an hour trying to reconcile mismatched financial statements?
Since the first lecture was on Friday morning, we left after work on Thursday, for which I even used my precious comp time.
On the way, Lin Yusen proactively brought up the matter of where I would stay in Shanghai.
“Of course, I’d prefer you stay at my place. I’d worry about you staying alone in a hotel for three days, but if you stayed with me, your mother might worry. Her peace of mind is more important.”
I seized on the key point: “So my safety is less important than my mom’s good opinion of you, right?”
“…” Lin Yusen surrendered immediately without struggle, “I spoke too much, my mistake.”
Hehe~
So you see, if you find the right angle, the boyfriend is always wrong.
Having settled where to stay, I secretly pondered. The hotels near Lin Yusen’s home had cost two to three thousand yuan per night when I stayed there during New Year’s. Even though it wasn’t a holiday now, it probably wouldn’t be much cheaper. Three days… might cost more than my monthly salary.
Although I could afford it, and Lin Yusen would probably insist on paying, it still felt like such a waste—that money could buy so much food. Thinking about this, I suddenly found my courage and, after careful consideration, sent a message to Mom.
“Mom, I reported to you that I’m going to Shanghai with Lin Yusen for a few days, right? Your apartment isn’t ready yet, and I don’t want to stay alone in a hotel—I’m a bit scared, and it’s too expensive. His house is very big, with guest rooms that have private bathrooms. Can I stay at his place? I promise to be safe!”
After much editing and revising, I finally sent it, then anxiously waited for a reply. I’d been mentioning Lin Yusen’s words and actions to Mom frequently lately, hoping he’d earned some goodwill…
After ten minutes with no reply, just when I thought there was no hope and I was about to get scolded, Her Majesty my mother’s message arrived—four words: “Don’t make it a habit.”
That means she agrees, right?!
I read the reply twice, then excitedly told Lin Yusen the good news: “Reporting good news, I just messaged my mom asking if I could stay at your place, and she agreed! She said not to make it a habit. We can save money now!”
“What?” Instead of being happy, Lin Yusen’s expression changed while driving, “What did you say? Read me the message you sent.”
What’s going on?
“…Just that I’m going to Shanghai and want to stay in your guest room.”
Lin Yusen sighed while driving: “Nie Xiguang, let me give you some advice—next time when making such high-risk decisions, could you discuss it with me first?”
I was bewildered: “How is it high-risk?”
“What if your mother thinks I was behind this suggestion? My rating would drop, maybe even reset to zero.”
“…You’re overthinking it.”
“Not at all.” Lin Yusen remained worried, “Though I’m very happy Auntie trusts me this much. I feel we shouldn’t betray this trust. Xiguang, let’s keep some distance these few days at home.”
Me: ???
Fine, you said it yourself.
“So you came to Shanghai to accompany your boyfriend to lectures? Then how do you have time to come out for afternoon tea with me?”
The next afternoon, at a famous courtyard café in Shanghai, Xiaofeng asked curiously.
I complained with a bitter face: “I think maybe doing accounts is easier. I could still follow the morning lecture about robotic surgery, but looking at the afternoon’s description—it’s like every word makes sense individually but together it’s complete gibberish. And one speaker is a foreigner, so of course I had to escape!”
“Can you just go to these forums?”
“It’s an invitation from Lin Yusen’s doctor friend in Suzhou who couldn’t make it last minute. I saw people getting in on the spot too, the venue was big with empty seats.”
“Oh. But why is your boyfriend still attending medical forums? Hasn’t he switched to being a domineering CEO?”
I hesitated before saying: “He’s thinking of returning to medicine—please don’t mention this to Rongrong and the others.”
“I definitely won’t say anything, but why?” Xiaofeng was shocked, “Being a doctor is exhausting, and surely doesn’t pay as much as being a boss.”
“Not as a doctor, probably research. He has extraordinary talent in medicine! There are bosses everywhere, but genius doctors are rare—I’m willing to contribute to the country.”
Xiaofeng forgot to eat her cake, staring at me in amazement, “Xigua, how did I never notice you were this thick-skinned before? Even if your boyfriend goes back to medicine, it’s his contribution—what does it have to do with you?”
I looked at her silently, speaking with profound meaning: “Feng, you should date someone.”
Xiaofeng shook her head repeatedly: “No, no, I’m doing fine on my own. Anyway, if you’re bored these days just call me. I can take you to an amazing restaurant near our school in the evening.”
“Lin Yusen already made dinner reservations for tonight, you should join us. Tomorrow he has a dinner meeting, so I’ll find you. Let’s call the boss too.”
“Married people are never free, I’ve called her several times…” Xiaofeng was about to complain when her phone rang. She looked at it, “Oh, it’s Siliang’s call.”
She answered, “Siliang… I’m not busy, having afternoon tea with Xigua… Yeah, she came to Shanghai and called me out for tea, been showing off her relationship the whole time… I have time tomorrow, no classes on Saturday… Oh, it’s your birthday? Haha… Haven’t forgotten, just hadn’t remembered yet… I’ll come… Oh, here, I’ll give her the phone.”
Xiaofeng handed me the phone, and I hurriedly swallowed my cake, completely unprepared.
“Hello, Xiguang.”
“Siliang.”
“So you come to Shanghai and only look for Xiaofeng, not me?” Siliang teased.
“It’s not the weekend, you must be working!”
“True. But tomorrow night I’m having a birthday dinner with everyone, you must come.”
Siliang spoke so quickly, giving me no chance to refuse, “You’ll be in Shanghai for the weekend, right? Don’t make excuses about going back. Rongrong and Zhuangxu can’t make it, if you don’t come too, my birthday dinner will be too quiet.”
Siliang had always been clever, effortlessly sweeping away all my concerns. I couldn’t decline anymore, “Okay, what time? Where?”
“I’ll send the address to your phones.” Siliang’s tone brightened, “If your handsome boyfriend has time, bring him along too. Xiaofeng says she’s stuffed with dog food, let everyone else taste what flavor it is.”
“It’s flavorless.” I laughed, “He has plans tomorrow night, next time.”
“Stingy. Well, see you tomorrow then, a working person needs to get busy.” Siliang hung up efficiently.
Xiaofeng took back her phone, “You won’t blame me for mentioning you, right?”
“It’s fine, Lin Yusen has dinner plans tomorrow night anyway, so I’d be free regardless.”
“I was just worried you didn’t want to see Rongrong and the others. But you’re dating now, so what if you meet? Besides, Rongrong is different from before.”
I was curious: “What happened to Rongrong?”
Xiaofeng ate her cake and thought for a while: “Hard to describe, seems like she’s become gentler, even spoke well of you.”
I was shocked and quickly asked: “Really? What exactly did she say?”
“Said she wronged you before graduation and feels quite sorry about it, wants to apologize when there’s a chance. Siliang said she didn’t mean it intentionally and such.”
Xiaofeng clasped her hands: “My mistake, apologizing to you again.”
“It’s all in the past, and you went around explaining the truth to everyone at the time.” This was also why I was more willing to keep in touch with Xiaofeng. Sometimes mistakes are unintentional, but not everyone is willing to face them and try to make amends.
But Rongrong saying such things was incredible. I thought for a while and guessed: “Did she win the lottery?”
Xiaofeng shrugged: “Maybe! I can’t describe it well, you’ll see for yourself tomorrow.”
“Ah, but Siliang said Rongrong isn’t coming tomorrow.” I felt a bit disappointed saying this.
Seeing the cakes on the table were mostly finished, I waved over the server to pay, “Let’s go buy a gift.”
We shopped until almost dinner time when Lin Yusen came to pick us up. Xiaofeng was summoned by her advisor at the last minute, missing out on a meal with CEO Lin.
After dropping Xiaofeng off at her school, we drove to the restaurant. On the way, I remembered to report to Lin Yusen: “You’re having dinner with your professor tomorrow night, right? I’ve got dinner plans too—going to a classmate’s birthday party, with KTV singing afterward and stuff.”
Siliang’s text had included very detailed arrangements.
Lin Yusen frowned, thinking of something, “University classmates?”
“Yeah, Siliang—you met her at the boss’s wedding.”
“Oh.” It took Lin Yusen quite a while to respond.
I secretly smiled, “I actually didn’t want to go, since we’re just classmates, well, casual ones, but fortunately the casual ones aren’t coming.”
The driver’s brow relaxed a little.
“So, tomorrow we’ll do our things, but you have to message me whenever you’re free—every hour, no, every two hours, at least one message every two hours. You have to tell me what you’re eating, send me photos, and come pick me up after dinner.”
The honorable driver’s brow completely relaxed, though his tone pretended reluctance: “So many demands?”
“You brought me to Shanghai, aren’t you responsible?”
“Yes, yes.” He looked helpless, “I’ll set an alarm tomorrow to send messages on time, but how about paying some message fees first? One message for ten cents is a bit expensive.”
“Wha—”
Before I could finish speaking, someone took advantage of the red light to kiss me.
Then the light changed and he started driving again.
Me: “Keeping distance?”
Lin Yusen righteously declared: “We’re not at home right now.”
Alright, the Lin-style way of keeping distance.