On Friday, Lu Boyan got off work on time. It was one of those rare days where the staff of the president’s office did not have to do overtime. Shen Yuechuan was already making plans for tonight. While doing so, he kept thinking back to the incident that had happened in G City.
The text he had sent to Lu Boyan had been discovered by Su Jianan, causing Lu Boyan’s big secret to be revealed. But Su Jianan did not want him to tell Lu Boyan that she had found out.
If Lu Boyan somehow found out that he had been lied to, then Shen Yuechuan was pretty sure he would be sent off to Nepal for yet another business trip.
“Hey, Boss Lu. Have you ever thought of coming clean to Jianan about everything?” Shen Yuechuan asked, testing the waters. “I mean about all those things you did during the past few years and the stuff you did recently. I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to carry on like this. Especially when you’ve made it clear that you’ll be divorcing her two years later. A woman like Jianan might seem like she doesn’t care at all on the surface, but in reality, she’s probably hung up over the whole thing, keeping everything bottled up inside. I bet she’s constantly reminding herself that you guys will be divorcing two years later and then using that as an excuse to hold herself back and keep you at arm’s length.”
After a pause, Shen Yuechuan went on, “But if she did that, then I guess you two are made for each other. After all, aren’t you using the same excuse to hold yourself back too?”
Lu Boyan did not give two hoots about Shen Yuechuan’s lengthy speech. He shot Shen Yuechuan a dangerous look. “What the hell did you do?”
Chills careened down Shen Yuechuan’s spine. He hurried out a denial. “No. I’m just giving you a suggestion, one that’d be beneficial for both you and Jianan. A woman like Jianan is easily moved. The moment she finds out about all the things you’ve done? Bam! I guarantee, nothing could ever tug her heartstrings as much. Who knows she might lose herself and fall head over heels for you?”
“… The right time hasn’t come yet,” Lu Boyan said.
Keeping Su Jianan by his side through sacrifices and emotive gestures was not what Lu Boyan had in mind at all. To build a lasting bond, there had to be genuine feelings between them. Otherwise, all his sacrifices and gestures would just be a burden to Su Jianan.
If he were to bring Su Jianan into his world and she still ended up choosing that man she loved, then he would rather hide his true feelings. That way, she could leave him easily without feeling burdened.
Shen Yuechuan sighed and handed Lu Boyan the car keys. “Between you two, I really don’t know who is the bigger fool.”
Lu Boyan’s cold gaze swept towards Shen Yuechuan. Shen Yuechuan bolted like a scared bunny, just in case Lu Boyan decided to kill him and then destroy his corpse.
Lu Boyan headed to the garage and retrieved his car. He was just about to drive off when his phone rang. The caller ID on the screen said, “Jianan”.
“Have you got off work?” Su Jianan asked.
“Mm,” Lu Boyan said. “Was just about to head home. What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
“I’m here at mom’s. Do you want to come over?” Su Jianan kept her tone light. “Dinner’s ready. Now we’re just waiting for you.”
Daytime was longer during summer, which was why the sun was still bright and glaring at 5 p.m. Rays of sunlight pierced through the car’s windscreen and fell upon Lu Boyan’s upturned lips, rendering his smile exceptionally radiant.
Casually, Lu Boyan placed one hand on the steering wheel while holding the phone on the other. His face wore a relaxed and leisurely expression.
He never thought there would be a day where he received a phone call like this. Su Jianan’s tender voice penetrated his ear through the phone’s speaker. She had asked him whether he had got off work. Then, with barely-concealed zest, she had let him know that dinner was ready and that she was waiting for him to come home.
Right then, he realized that these trivial things, these little fragments of one’s life, could be good simply because it involved her.
“I’m heading over right now. 40 minutes. Wait for me.”
He hung up and stepped on the accelerator. Soon, the car was speeding towards the Orchid Gardens.
The desire for home had rendered his heart like an arrow about to be released from a bow: desperate and filled with anticipation.
What Lu Boyan did not know was that Su Jianan had made the call after hesitating for a very long time. From the moment she was scrolling through her contacts in search of his number, Su Jianan’s heart had been on tenterhooks.
She was afraid that Lu Boyan would not pick up, that she would end up disturbing him while he was working. She was terrified at the prospect of his cold, aloof response.
But Lu Boyan had told him to wait for his return.
It was as if those very words had filled her entire world with wonder.
“It was the same for me too, back in my younger days when I tried to call Boyan’s dad.” A smiling Tang Yulan walked over. “When I was dialing his number or speaking with him, I was nervous to death. But by the time we hung up, I was swooning. And yet there hadn’t been any sweet-talk at all. It was just a normal conversation.”
Su Jianan did not expect Tang Yulan to suddenly appear behind her. “Mother, I…” Su Jianan trailed off awkwardly.
“I get it,” Tang Yulan said, patting Su Jianan’s shoulder. “Usually, courtship comes before marriage. But you and Boyan have it backwards, which sounds pretty fun too. Remember to tell me if there’s anything interesting.”
Su Jianan blushed. “I’ll go serve up the dishes.”
When Lu Boyan arrived, the redness had not subsided from Su Jianan’s face. He grabbed Su Jianan’s hand and held her still. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Su Jianan said, placing her palm on her cheek. “Just feeling a little warm.”
It was true that the weather had been turning warmer this time around. Plus, she was still wearing her sweater, so Lu Boyan did not find her words suspicious. He relieved her of the fruit platter she had been holding and carried it all the way to the dining table.
A servant, who had noticed the interactions between Lu Boyan and Su Jianan, smiled and spoke to Tang Yulan in a low voice, “The Young Master and Young Madam seem rather chummy with each other. Old Madam, I’m guessing you’ll be holding grandchildren very soon.”
“There’s no rush regarding grandchildren. They’re newlyweds, so it might be good to let them get used to each other for the next two years. After all, Jianan is still young,” Tang Yulan said, grinning. “For now, I just want them both to be safe and for them to love each other.”
After dinner had ended, Tang Yulan asked Lu Boyan whether they would like to stay for the night.
Su Jianan remembered how things had gone during their previous stay here. She had sworn never to allow herself to go through something similar again. She kept signaling Lu Boyan with her eyes while praying for Lu Boyan to refuse the invitation.
“Mom, tomorrow I have to take Jianan somewhere,” Lu Boyan said. “We’ll stay next time.”
Even though Tang Yulan felt a little disappointed, she did not push. “That’s okay. Go home, rest early.”
In the car, Su Jianan heaved a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”
“You don’t have to thank me,” Lu Boyan said. “I would’ve refused even if you had wished to stay.”
Something in his words did not sit right with Su Jianan. After a moment of thought, she realized what it was. “Oh, so he’s saying that he doesn’t wish to stay in the same room as me,” she thought.
Her lips curled downwards and she turned away to face the side window. “Don’t bother. I wouldn’t have wished it in the first place!”
It took Lu Boyan a short while to notice Su Jianan’s strange tone. He turned his head and noticed her pink cheeks, which were slightly puffed. “So, she’s mad,” he thought.
He had already figured out why she was mad. It was because she had misunderstood his words. Lu Boyan mulled over his next move. After a moment, he asked, “Jianan, tell me something that you like?”
When asked such a question by someone she was in love with, a normal girl would have gone with some lame answer like reading, or traveling, just because she wanted to maintain her image in front of the person she admired.
Su Jianan would never do that!
“Eating!” she said, not fearing at all that Lu Boyan might find her distasteful. “Pretty sure Lu Boyan already finds me distasteful,” she added in her mind.
Lu Boyan chuckled. “Well, think about it, then. What if I parade your favorite food in front of you and then refuse to let you eat it? How would you feel?”
“That’s just outright inhumane! It’d be impossible to resist!” she thought.
Su Jianan turned and met Lu Boyan’s gaze with a glare. “Then you might as well not put the food in front of me!”
Lu Boyan hummed. “Exactly,” he said. “I’m of the same opinion.”
That was precisely why they had to go home and sleep in separate rooms. Otherwise, he would no doubt fall victim to something far too inhumane.
If he was not allowed to touch her, he might as well stay away. Nobody could endure, without considerable anguish, the pain of looking at food but not eating it.
He hoped that Su Jianan would understand.
“So you’re saying…” Su Jianan looked at Lu Boyan doubtfully, “that I’m not allowed to eat in the future?”
“…”
He should not have expected her to get it, even if the hint was outright blatant.
“Su Jianan,” he growled. At this point, he was pretty close to grinding all his teeth into powder. “You’re a much bigger idiot that I thought you were.”
“Can’t you speak nicely if you have something to say?” Su Jianan turned to look out the window. “Why do you have to go as far as insulting my intelligence?”
Lu Boyan barked out a cryptic, bitter laugh.
“If only you have enough IQ points in the first place for me to insult,” he thought.
Shortly, the car pulled up in front of the house. Su Jianan opened the door, leaped off the car, and made a beeline into the house. She headed straight upstairs into her bedroom. She refused to see Lu Boyan until the next day.
Lu Boyan did not give her behavior much thought. When he was about to enter the house, Uncle Qian, the driver, suddenly approached him. “Young Master, something happened to Young Madam today when she was having lunch at the restaurant. I think it’s something you should know.”
“What happened?”
“Jiang Xueli and Su Yuanyuan were also at that restaurant,” Uncle Qian said. “After Mr. Su left, they approached Young Madam. I’m afraid they had spoken some… unkind words.”
Lu Boyan frowned. “What did they say?”
Uncle Qian told Lu Boyan everything, putting extra emphasis on Su Yuanyuan’s barb about the lack of wedding ring on Su Jianan’s finger.
Su Jianan had not mentioned any of this to Lu Boyan at all. In fact, it did not seem like she had any plans to do so.
On the way back to his room, Lu Boyan passed by Su Jianan’s door. His strides halted and his slender hand was raised in preparation to knock on her door. When he remembered the way she had sulked back in the car, he smiled and lowered his hand.
Su Jianan probably did not want to see his face before tomorrow came. She probably did not care much about Su Yuanyuan’s remarks regarding the wedding ring, either.
Whatever. He already had plans for that anyway.
Su Jianan could have sworn that she had heard Lu Boyan’s steps pausing in front of her door. She had held her breath and waited. But there was nothing. Just when she was thinking that she had imagined everything, she heard his footsteps once again, which were growing weaker and weaker as he moved away.
“What’s he thinking about?” she wondered.
Realizing that she could never figure out the answer to that, Su Jianan decided she might as well go wash up and head to bed.
After a good night’s sleep, it would be a brand new day. Su Jianan had banished yesterday’s happenings from her mind. She descended the stairs a fully revitalized woman.
Lu Boyan was nowhere to be seen.
The man was a creature of habit. The phrase ‘sleeping in during a weekend’ did not exist in his book. Yet, there were no signs of him at all in the kitchen and dining room.
“Young Master is at the home gym,” Uncle Xu said.
Uncle Xu had emerged out of nowhere and was now standing behind Su Jianan. He pointed at the front. “The gym’s that way.”
More than anything, Su Jianan felt curiosity. When she headed over, it was as if she had discovered a new world.
The gym was more spacious than the living room of any normal house and was equipped with all kinds of equipment. There was a French window, which opened straight into the backyard where the swimming pool was. To get to the pool, one only had to walk through the French window. With such a layout and all the facilities that it had, this place would definitely be heaven on earth for any gym rat.
Su Jianan saw Lu Boyan on the treadmill.
She had seen Lu Boyan in business suits and casual attire. This was the first time she saw him in sports attire.
It nearly killed her to see that he had made the loose and altogether unfashionable sports attire look so enticing. Sweat dripped down his body, tracing the lines of his taut muscle. If sexiness were a form of disease, then he would be utterly incurable.
Su Jianan swallowed a mouthful of drool in secret.
Lu Boyan had noticed Su Jianan the moment she walked in. “Jianan, grab me a towel,” he said, powering off the treadmill.
Su Jianan stood stock still at the doorway without showing the slightest bit of reaction. He looked at her strangely.
That was when Su Jianan snapped out of it and saw a bunch of towels stacked beside her hand. She reached out and grabbed one before handing it to Lu Boyan.
“I’ll take a shower,” Lu Boyan said as he wiped himself down, “wait for me. I’ll join you for breakfast.”
Su Jianan did not even react until he had already left the gym. When she did, what came out of her mouth was a lame “oh”. She caught a glimpse of her own reflection in the window. She found that her face was slightly flushed.
Because… Lu Boyan looked totally hot when wiping his sweat.
