The residents of Jinsa Manor were all elites in the art industry and were considered the best of the best in their respective fields.
There were also a few famous oil painters and painters who specialized in traditional Chinese art that lived in the same area.
Yu Pingchuan also had a unit in the area, but it was more like a holiday home.
This time, he had returned to Jingcheng and moved into Shuiyuan Shijia because he had wanted to look after Ning Li.
So, why would he be at Jinsa Manor now?
As these thoughts ran through his mind, he took his phone out and sent a message to Ning Li.
[Lili, are you home? Would you like to have lunch with me?]
Ning Li replied almost instantly.
[Second Brother, I’m outside. I don’t think I can make it.]
[Are you alone?]
[I’m with Mr. Yu and Uncle Lin.]
[Send me your location. I’m free later in the afternoon. Maybe I can drop by.]
Ning Li found herself in a rather awkward situation after reading Lu Huaiyu’s message.
She gave it careful consideration before she replied.
[We’re having lunch now. I’m afraid we’ll have to take a rain check.]
Ning Li had just entered the neighborhood, but had to pause awhile in order to reply to the message.
From the car, Lu Huaiyu could see her typing on the phone with her head down. He tapped his slender fingers on his phone softly and chuckled.
‘The little girl is all grown up now.’
The chuckle somehow sent chills down Yi Bin’s neck.
His boss was obviously amused, but inexplicably, the aura around him felt slightly oppressive.
Yi Bin slowly looked outside the window. He tried to see what had amused his boss, but all he saw were people walking about.
‘What is the Second Master looking at?’
“Let’s go back to the company,” Lu Huaiyu said.
Startled, Yi Bin said, “The company? Second Master, I thought you were going back to the house later this afternoon.”
Lu Huaiyu had already spent a year in Yunzhou and had now finally decided to officially return to Lu Corporation. However, he had been drowned in work as soon as he had come back.
Fortunately, the man’s efficiency in work had allowed him to finish all his work that very same morning. He usually spent his afternoons at home, resting, which was similar to how he spent his days in Yunzhou.
However,…
“I’ve got some free time on my hands now,” Lu Huaiyu said.
The atmosphere in the car suddenly felt colder.
Yi Bin answered immediately, “Yes, sir.”
He swiftly turned the car around and drove off.
…
The people of Lu Corporation had been feeling tired and stressed lately, especially as they waited for Lu Huaiyu’s return.
After a long wait, the Second Master had finally returned. To everyone’s surprise, he had been in a great mood.
His great mood had spread throughout the company and boosted the morale of everyone, causing everyone to be in a celebratory mood.
However, the relaxed atmosphere did not last for long.
At noon, a board meeting had been held in the main meeting room that lasted for an hour.
It was said that several of the board of directors and executives had come out of the meeting with terrified looks on their faces.
Later that afternoon, upon the Second Master’s orders, every department had gotten their respective tasks, which caused everyone’s workload to surge.
More frighteningly, the Second Master had stayed back at the office!
The entire company was suffused in a tense and nervous atmosphere.
In the company chat group, almost everyone had tagged Yi Bin, requesting an answer.
[Assistant Yi, what happened to the Second Master today?!]
[Assistant Yi, I thought the Second Master was in a great mood! What caused the change?!]
[Assistant Yi, I thought the Second Master went to the exhibition this morning. What happened? Tell us!]
[Assistant Yi, you are the reason that I have to stay back to work today!]
Yi Bin was speechless because he had no answer either.
…
In the office, Lu Huaiyu closed the document file in his hand. He glanced at his watch.
4.00 p.m.
He should be sleeping at this hour. He had gotten so busy earlier that he had lost track of time.
He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.
‘I think… I should be fine.’
He was a lot better than he used to be. Moreover, he needed to take the initiative to tackle the problem so that he could recover faster.
Chaotic thoughts started to flood his mind, his ears even starting to ring.
The space around him felt as if it was imploding on him, trying to suffocate him.
He took a deep breath before opening his eyes and then calling Yi Bin through the desk phone.
“Second Master?”
Lu Huaiyu leaned back slightly and loosened up his tie, but the suffocating feeling remained.
His voice sounded tense as he said, “Go back to my house and bring me the book that’s by my bedside, The History of Time.”
Yi Bin was surprised. Why would the Second Master want to read ‘The History of Time’ now?
Besides, there was a bookstore in the area and it would be faster to buy a new one than to retrieve it at his house.
However, since his boss had given the order, Yi Bin had to obey.
“Okay, sir.”
Lu Huaiyu hung up the phone and shut his eyes.
…
Yi Bin was efficient.
40 minutes later, he brought the book back to the office.
He knocked on Lu Huaiyu’s door. “Second Master?”
There was no reply from inside.
He knocked on the door again, stronger this time.
“Second master?”
A while later, Lu Huaiyu’s cold voice came from inside.
“Come in.”
Yi Bin went in.
Lu Huaiyu’s back was to Yi Bin as he stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window.
“Sir, here’s the book that you wanted.”
Lu Huaiyu turned around and walked to the book.
“Mhmm, you can go out now.”
Yi Bin went out as directed and closed the door softly.
After Yi Bin went out, Lu Huaiyu picked up the book and flipped to a particular page.
There was a sketch inside the book.
He took it out and stared at it for a long while.
He felt as if there was a pair of invisible hands soothing his frustration and anxiety.
He sighed. The rigid look on his face softened.
After Yi Bin left the room, he suddenly recalled the sight of his boss as he stood in front of the window. That somehow worried him, so he went back and knocked on the door.
“Second Master?”
Lu Huaiyu put the sketch back into the book.
“Come in.”
He looked at Yi Bin. “What’s wrong?”
Yi Bin asked, “Second Master, there’s a cocktail party at 8 p.m. later at the LeTuie Winery. Are you still keen on attending?”
If the Second Master was feeling unwell, it would be better for him to skip the party.
The cocktail party was expected to host the elite businessmen of the industry, and it would be the first social event for Lu Huaiyu since his return to Jingcheng.
Lu Huaiyu put the book away and said, “I’ll go.”
