14
Lying in bed in Lục Từ Niên’s guest room, my mind was still a little foggy.
I hadn’t expected that “being by his side” meant moving into his house and living with him.
Even as Lục Từ Niên helped me pack up my things at home, I was still in a daze. It wasn’t until he wished me good night and closed the bedroom door that I pinched my cheek hard—and finally began to feel like this was real.
The progress we’d made in the past three months was faster than anything in the previous three years.
At first, I’d planned to slowly work my way into his social circle over the course of a year, then take things from there. But now our relationship was moving at rocket speed, and I’d gone straight to moving in with him.
Living together? We were living together?
I chewed over those suggestive words, rolling around in bed for another two turns.
The consequence of being too excited was that I got up ten minutes later than usual the next morning.
Still groggy, I stepped out of my room to find Lục Từ Niên setting a plate of food on the table. He looked up at me and smiled faintly. “Good morning.”
“Good morning…”
Wait! I hadn’t even washed my face or brushed my teeth!
My expression changed at once, and I hurried back to the bathroom.
Only after making sure I looked presentable did I calmly step out of my room.
Lục Từ Niên was sitting at the table waiting for me, his chopsticks still untouched.
Early in the morning, Lục Tiểu Hà was still fast asleep. We were the only two awake in the house.
Unease crept through me, but Lục Từ Niên didn’t seem to notice. His voice was gentle. “The noodles are still hot. They’ll get cold if you leave them too long.”
I sat down at the table and picked up my chopsticks. Under Lục Từ Niên’s sparkling gaze, I picked up a bite of noodles and put it in my mouth.
So good!
My eyes suddenly lit up.
I didn’t look up until I’d finished my noodles, and then I realized the man across from me was propping his chin on his hand and smiling at me. His phoenix eyes curved at the corners, making him look even more approachable.
And the way I’d been eating just now… had been okay, right?
I wiped my mouth with a napkin and gave a little cough. “How about I do the dishes?”
“No need.”
He picked up the plate in front of me and headed for the kitchen. “I’ll take care of it.”
Hearing the sounds from the kitchen, I tiptoed closer and quietly pressed my ear to the doorway to watch him wash the dishes.
Lục Từ Niên was tall and slender, wearing loose-fitting loungewear as he bent his head to wash the dishes.
At work, with him as my boss, I’d always felt there was a certain distance between us, even though I’d known him for nearly ten years.
From high school classmates to college classmates, and then to when I parachuted into his company.
We’d stayed up all night confiding in each other, raised our glasses to celebrate together, and shared moments of soaring emotion.
But compared with friends who’d known each other for years, our relationship seemed a little more distant.
Because I hesitated, I always wanted to get closer to him, only to pull back out of fear.
Taking hesitant little steps, I seemed destined to remain on the edge of intimacy with him.
But I didn’t dare get any closer.
The porcelain dishes clinked against each other in the sink.
Lục Từ Niên turned and put a bowl in the cabinet. As he turned, I quickly looked away.
I leaned against the wall, my heart racing, and closed my eyes.
Because I was afraid.
I was afraid that rushing to get closer would only drive us further apart.
15
Lục Từ Niên went to work with me.
As I sat at my desk typing, I couldn’t help glancing at the red string on my wrist.
But it still hadn’t lit up by lunchtime. Relieved, I went to the cafeteria for lunch, then got ready to lie down on my desk and rest for a bit.
A knock suddenly sounded at the office door. I called, “Come in.” The door opened, and a tall figure appeared.
The person who came in was a young man with bright eyes, as full of energy as sunshine. Just looking at him brought back the lovely days of youth.
He was a recent addition to our department, Chiêm Kinh Minh.
He seemed able to get along with everyone. He was always beaming, and people found him very likable.
“Khê.”
He didn’t call me “Nhiếp” like Ân Hiểu Hiểu and the others did.
The young man shook the bag in his hand. “You like cheese milk tea, right? The second one was half off, so I got an extra. Would you like it?”
I got along well with Ân Hiểu Hiểu and the others, so people often brought snacks to my office and sometimes stayed to eat with me.
I usually didn’t turn them down, and this time I smiled and nodded too. “Thanks, then.”
“You’re welcome.”
When the young man smiled, two slightly crooked teeth showed, giving him a boyish look.
He was completely different from Lục Từ Niên.
Even back in high school, when the young Lục Từ Niên smiled, he only turned up the corners of his mouth slightly—careful and restrained.
The thought that suddenly flashed through my mind startled me, and I found it a little amusing.
What was there to compare, anyway?
Chiêm Kinh Minh set the bag on my desk, reminding me to drink it soon before the cheese melted, then politely left.
He’d barely left when Ân Hiểu Hiểu came in. Seeing the milk tea on my desk, she said, “Nhiếp, that’s so mean! You ordered milk tea and didn’t even invite me!”
The pouty little brat was adorable, and I knew she was only teasing me. “Kinh Minh gave it to me. He ordered an extra, so he gave it to me. When are you going to be that nice?”
“Oh, please,” Ân Hiểu Hiểu pouted. “No one could be nicer to you than I am, Nhiếp.”
I laughed.
“But Chiêm Kinh Minh isn’t usually like that. I’ve never seen him give anyone a gift before.”
“Really?” I recalled how warmly Chiêm Kinh Minh treated everyone. “I thought he was pretty nice to everybody.”
“Not exactly. He’s pretty friendly, but he always keeps his distance from women. The women in the other department invite him to dinner, and he always turns them down. Everyone says he’s a ‘straight guy.’”
She rolled her eyes. “But why would a ‘straight guy’ buy an extra milk tea to give someone? I think he’s definitely pretending to be straight.”
“Maybe it’s because… I’m especially kind?”
The little girl’s expression froze for a moment. I could just make out the doubt in her eyes about my emotional intelligence.
“Sis, I’ve never heard anyone call themselves a good person before.”
Ân Hiểu Hiểu sighed, then changed the subject. “Still, it’s probably best that you don’t get it. Just pretend he thinks you’re a good person.”
???
Why did that sound like I was getting lectured?
I was about to say something else, but Ân Hiểu Hiểu had already gone outside.
16.
When it was time to leave work, a light drizzle was falling.
Lục Từ Niên was still in a meeting, so I texted him and headed downstairs by myself.
A few people were still standing outside the entrance. I saw two girls stopping Chiêm Kinh Minh. They looked unfamiliar; they must have worked in another department.
The young man turned slightly, the smile on his lips faint. It wasn’t his usual bright smile, just a polite one.
“…You just have to walk us to the subway station.”
“My umbrella’s too small to fit that many people.”
“But your umbrella is huge. We’re all coworkers. Can’t you even help us with this?”
“How could I do that?” Chiêm Kinh Minh scratched his head, looking innocent. Then he turned to call to a male coworker who was holding an umbrella and about to leave. “Mr. Triệu! Ms. Trương says she didn’t bring an umbrella. Could you share yours with her for a bit? Just to the subway station.”
The man he’d called gave a goofy smile and nodded. Everyone in the lobby turned to look at the two girls, so they had no choice but to leave with Mr. Triệu.
As they left, they muttered a curse: “Damn straight guy.”
Chiêm Kinh Minh smiled as he watched them go, then turned around. The moment his eyes met mine, his expression changed and he broke into his bright smile again. “Sis, do you have an umbrella?”
Still a little dazed, I shook my head.
“Then I’ll walk you home!” The young man’s eyes suddenly lit up like a kitten spotting a fish.
He shook the black umbrella in his hand. “Mine’s really big, so you don’t have to worry about getting wet.”
The way he kept contradicting himself made me want to laugh.
“I think he’s definitely pretending to be a ‘straight guy.’”
Ân Hiểu Hiểu’s words from that afternoon echoed in my mind again.
I looked at his sparkling eyes and shook my head slightly. “I don’t want to trouble you. I…”
“Nhiếp Khê.”
A voice like polished jade rang out behind me. I turned and saw Lục Từ Niên striding toward me.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
I smiled. “It wasn’t long.”
“President Lu.”
Chiêm Kinh Minh suddenly spoke. Lục Từ Niên looked at him and gave a slight nod, then turned back to me. “What were you talking about?”
“Taking her home.”
Chiêm Kinh Minh spoke up suddenly.
Lục Từ Niên looked at him again, his voice indifferent. “No need. I’ll take her home.”
I nodded and gave Chiêm Kinh Minh an apologetic look. “I made plans with President Lu this morning. Sorry.”
“It’s okay, sis.” Chiêm Kinh Minh smiled again, showing his two crooked teeth. “I’ll be quicker next time.”
I was about to say something else, but he said goodbye and stepped out into the rain.
“What’s wrong?”
Lục Từ Niên asked casually, as if it were just an idle question.
“Nothing.”
I shook my head.
“Are you two close?”
The question startled me, and I answered at once. “We’re just ordinary coworkers.”
Lục Từ Niên nodded, then suddenly smiled. “Then let’s go home.”
I could tell he was in a better mood, but I didn’t understand why. “Okay.”