Chapter One Hundred and Thirty-Six: The Hideously Adorable Design

Although they were still discussing company-related matters, Yan Jin still teased his lover whenever possible.

Xiao Yu blushed noticeably from the praise. Even the issue of salary faded from his mind. “That’s all just boasting. Whatever, I’ll believe you for now.”

“I’m only telling you the truth honestly,” Yan Jin responded.

“So you’re really prepared to allow me to sign this contract?”

“I thought that was obvious.”

Xiao Yu suddenly felt these few thin sheets of paper weighed more than thousands of pounds of gold.

This was the first time in his life he’d seen a contract worth more than ten million.

After pondering for half a day, Xiao Yu still chose to think for a few more days. “I’ll go directly to YL to sign the contract in a few days. You can keep the contract for now.”

He’d wait until Monday to visit YL’s Human Resources in person to see what was the situation.

Yan Jin understood Xiao Yu’s motives but chose not to say anything. He simply smiled and stored the contract safely away.

……

That evening Yan Jin forcefully convinced Xiao Yu to come down for dinner. It was only too reasonable to stay for the night then… or not?

“Absolutely not.” Xiao Yu was unmoved.

“We can go together to the company tomorrow morning to sign the contract.”

“It’s not like I’m physically incapable of travelling. I can go by myself.”

“Your apartment is so far from YL. It would be so inconvenient.”

Yan Jin’s words caused Xiao Yu to exhale coldly. “You even know where my apartment is?”

Chairman Yan hadn’t meant to reveal this and studiously avoided Xiao Yu’s eyes.

“Hurry up, tell me the truth!”

Gesticulating wildly, Xiao Yu moved to sit directly next to Yan Jin.

“Stop messing around.” Yan Jin grabbed Xiao Yu’s worked up hands and threw them behind his body.

Suddenly the distance between them was extremely close.

Fortunately, Xiao Yu’s reactions were fast enough this time to block Yan Jin with his hands and barely avoid a devious kiss.

“Don’t change the subject! Spit it out!”

Unable to escape Xiao Yu’s eyes, Yan Jin chose not to hesitate and truthfully said, “After I discovered your identity, I wanted to contact you so I had a friend investigate your background, so…”

Seeing something strange in Xiao Yu’s eyes, Yan Jin hurriedly added, “It was only to find you faster. See, if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have been able to arrange personnel to prevent you getting hurt.”

“Bull**.” The principled Xiao Yu wouldn’t accept those excuses and demanded, “What else did you research? Hurry up and tell me everything!”

“Not much really, just some basic information.” Yan Jin was just like any other person who fell in love – when his lover got mad he had no idea what to do.

“You even know where I live and you still dare to say ‘just some basic information?’” Xiao Yu seethingly jabbed Yan Jin in the waist. He swelled in anger like a balloon.

“I’m sorry, what I did was wrong.” Yan Jin blinked apologetically.

“Hurry up, spit it out! What else did you find?!”

Xiao Yu was both angry because Yan Jin had delved into his private matters and scared that Yan Jin wouldn’t regard him as highly because of the things he had discovered.

If it were anyone else, Xiao Yu wouldn’t mind as much. Lovers being honest with each other was not a bad thing. But this was Yan Jin! The Yan Jin who was outstanding to the point of piercing through the heavens! For most people, even successfully inviting him out for a meal could be considered as Yan Jin giving you face. Even now, Xiao Yu couldn’t help but feel inferior to Yan Jin. Other than the difference in their societal status and upbringing, Xiao Yu’s largest worry was his simple yet complicated familial relationship.

In the first place, gay couples already had heavier societal and familial pressure. Xiao Yu felt even more pressured because of his partner’s prestigious background. After Xiao Yu had clarified his relationship with Yan Jin, he’d always worried about their families’ expectations. No matter what Yan Jin said, if he wanted to be with Yan Jin he’d have to break ties with Mdm Fang. There would be no turning back after that.

Xiao Yu couldn’t do that.

If that day came, Xiao Yu wasn’t sure what he would choose.

So, he was really scared that Yan Jin would find out about his household situation and his vacillating determination.

Yan Jin didn’t expect to be questioned to this degree. He felt there was something strange behind Xiao Yu’s questions. Perhaps Xiao Yu was hiding some personal issues? Yan Jin had always been more sensitive than most to others’ concealed troubles.

“I saw your employee record at SI,” Yan Jin chuckled as if there were no issue. He joked lightly, “Not only did I see your address, I also saw your bank account number.”

“The account number is useless; it’s not like it’s a pin number.” Xiao Yu exhaled heavily, relieved to the point of cracking a joke in return.

Yan Jin pondered for a moment before replying, “We could use it as a joint account. I can put all of my salary in there too.”

“Who needs your salary? Go away go awayyyy~~~”

This time Xiao Yu didn’t successfully push Yan Jin away and Yan Jin seized the opportunity to lean directly into him. Xiao Yu couldn’t escape as Yan Jin pressed his body into him and kissed him as if sealing their fate together.

After their fight, Yan Jin wrapped Xiao Yu in his arms, saying earnestly, “It’s so late already. I wouldn’t feel comfortable about your safety going home alone. It’s better to stay here.”

“What do you mean late? It’s only eight. S City is the city that never sleeps. I’m not a little girl either.”

“Don’t say stuff like that.” Yan Jin parted Xiao Yu’s bangs before kissing him on the forehead. “If you acted cute, those little girls wouldn’t matter at all.”

“Stop spouting rubbish!”

Xiao Yu raised his voice to cover his embarrassment while searching for an escape from Yan Jin’s evil clutches.

With things going the way they were, if he stayed tonight, undesirable things would definitely happen. For the sake of his own chastity, he should find a way to escape.

Ahhh think, think, hurry up and think of a way~~~

Xiao Yu’s inflexible mind couldn’t think under the gaze of Yan Jin all while surrounded by Chairman Yan’s pheromones. They were so close…

And it was in this instant that a small item fell from Yan Jin’s neck.

“Hm?” Amazed, Xiao Yu grabbed the exceedingly ugly pendant. With an expression like one who had discovered the New World, he said, “Isn’t this the golden walnut you gave me that first month? Didn’t you say all my stuff was entirely burned and buried away?”

“There’s only this left. I couldn’t bear to part with it.” Yan Jin eyelids drooped. No one could stay unmoved at this sight.

Kings don’t need weaknesses. This was the first lesson taught to Yan Jin in the Yan household, but he hadn’t learned this lesson properly. He’d also believed this was the only lesson he had learned incorrectly. Only when he felt the heart-rending sorrow of separation did he finally understand. He firmly decided that he didn’t need this unnecessary lesson.

Xiao Yu’s heart ached, but he still kept a brave face. “Who told you to burn everything? Serves you right.”

Yan Jin helplessly chuckled.

To Yan Jin, Fishy escaping without injury was of the utmost importance. The rest of the burned belongings were simply worldly possessions. Yan Jin could burn all his possessions every day for fun and still be able to purchase new ones.

“Speaking of this, I had wanted to ask you this before, but who designed such an ugly thing?” Xiao Yu disparaged the walnut that was so ugly it was cute. It seemed like he disliked it, but actually he had grown quite fond of it.

Yan Jin couldn’t move his entire body. He stammered, “I-it’s really ugly?”

“The ugliest of them all.” Xiao Yu unclasped the pendant from Yan Jin’s neck and easily attached it to his own instead. He joked, “This one actually isn’t so bad, but the later ones got progressively worse. Especially the tomato one, that one makes me laugh. Compared to one I used to wear made by a freshman undergraduate, this one is even…”

Xiao Yu abruptly stopped halfway.

Yan Jin hadn’t realized when he let go of Xiao Yu. He was now sitting two strides away from Xiao Yu with his proud head lowered at the ground without speaking. His entire body spoke of loneliness.

“Hey, I’m talking…” Xiao Yu was astonished. “This wasn’t designed by you, was it?”

Yan Jin swayed. His large body seemed like it would collapse any moment.

“Yan Jin, Yan Jin, I’m wrong. I’m wrong.” Xiao Yu went to hug Yan Jin and repeatedly apologized. “I didn’t know this was made by you. I thought a professional designer made this. I’m beyond honored that Chairman Yan would personally design my birthday gifts.”

Even after much pampering and groveling, Yan Jin still looked miserably lonely. Xiao Yu felt guiltier than ever and hurriedly assured him, “I was comparing it to professional designer standards. You’re the chairman; for someone who has never delved into designing this is already amazing. You’re simply the most gifted designer I’ve ever encountered. If you were ten years younger I’d definitely take you as my private disciple.”

But hearing this made Yan Jin more miserable. He looked at Xiao Yu with almost tangible grief. “I studied precious stone design when I was a child. It’s not that I have no experience.”

“Eh?”

Xiao Yu felt this was somewhat unexpected. As a designer, he instinctively asked, “Then who was your mentor?”

“My uncle. He was once SI’s chief designer.”

Xiao Yu exhaled a cold breath.

Many years had gone by without a new chief designer. Only when Xiao Yu came along did this long forgotten position reopen.

The Yan Family, Yan Jin, Yan…

The name stood out clearly.

Xiao Yu calmed himself down before asking haltingly, “My master went by Master Zuo.”

Yan Jin was confused. He didn’t understand what this had to do with anything, but he could sense Xiao Yu’s inner turmoil.

“He called himself Wangyan. Zuo Wangyan.”

This time, Yan Jin exhaled a breath of cold air.

He didn’t even need to wonder if they had been taught by the same person. Without a doubt, this was the truth.

In a flash, all those things Yan Jin couldn’t understand immediately became crystal clear after hearing this name.

The reason why his uncle didn’t tell anyone about his illness, why Xiao Yu’s resume contained a gap of three years, the reason why Master Hacker Liu Ye couldn’t find where Xiao Yu had gone for that time, why he felt Xiao Yu’s designer style was so familiar, why SI threw all they had into suppressing this prodigy of a designer…