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nChapter One Hundred and Sixty-Three: At Every Step

nYan Jin who landed himself in this sticky situation, took a glance at clock as it struck twelve midnight and slipped back into his blanket all alone.

nHow can this be possible?

nYan Jin thought as he naturally accompanied his lover to stay up for the night, with the bedside lamp switched on and a book in his hand. Then…

n“It’s half past midnight.”

nRight on the dot, and even more accurate than an alarm.

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nXiao Yu’s hand movement stopped for a moment.

n“Give me another thirty minutes. You can sleep first.”

nYan Jin did not reply.

nCreativity talks a lot about having the right chance. When one was without inspiration, he could end up with nothing on his papers even if he were to sit in front of the computer all day. But when there’s inspiration, he could easily complete an entire drawing in just four to five hours. Xiao Yu’s current situation was obviously the latter – he felt inspired to the fullest that he had absolute confidence he could finish this particular drawing before sunrise.

nYep, before the sunrise.

nIn other words, Xiao Yu had no intention to sleep at all. He had been haggling with Yan Jin since ten p.m. and successfully got the chairman onto bed at eleven in hopes that he would eventually tire himself out and fall asleep. When that happened, he could crawl back to bed in the morning, wake Yan Jin up and pretend like nothing had ever happened.

nXiao Yu did not think that there would be any problem with the plan. However, even with his planning, he did not expect Yan Jin to be such a pester and remain undeterred with all the “insulting exchange”.

nAnd so, he became the person who got deterred.

nXiao Yu finally sensed that Yan Jin’s determined attitude from his time report this time. The chairman was firm about waiting for him till they get into bed together.

nIf it was in the past, even if it was for a company that oppressed him until he overworked, Xiao Yu would never waste this rare spur of inspiration. Even if he did not have a tiny bit of inspiration, it was very common for him to burn midnight oil for the sake of the company’s projects and the superior’s assignments. Xiao Yu was very familiar with how S City’s skyline looked like from one a.m. to six in the morning.

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nLiving alone in the empty apartment, the air is still with loneliness during night time that every ounce of air he breathed was chilling.

nSometimes, he would work till midnight, get up with his sore, aching body and get himself into his cold blanket all alone. Sometimes, when he looked up, it was already in the morning and no matter how hard it was to keep his eyes open, he would have no choice but to buck himself up and deal with the new day of work.

nXiao Yu was used to all that long time ago.

nCompared to walking alone in desolation, exhaustion had become secondary. There would be times when Xiao Yu would feel thankful instead that it was this kind of high intensity work that could make him forget the fact that he was all alone.

nIn his previous apartment, Xiao Yu’s work desk was just beside his window. Whenever he could not continue drawing anymore, he could look up from the table and watch the view outside. He could see the magnificent nightscape this lively night city had that even the star could not outshine.

nIt was beautiful. A beauty that one could only appreciate when he was alone.

nAnd this was probably the first time for Xiao Yu was holding his digital drawing board in such a place so far away from the dark nights. Not for the sake of the company but for the rare spur of passion and inspiration.

nThe windows are covered with thick curtains, blocking out all lights. The air-conditioning was not switched on, but the temperature felt comfortable. He was in a thin knitted blouse and beside his hand was a cup of warm milk that had appeared an hour ago. Behind him was the bed with a dimly-lit lamp and a person that had been waiting for him since hours ago.

nAll these were things that Xiao Yu had never dared to dream of.

nXiao Yu had often worried because of unfinished work. In the past, it was a kind of desperation that was helpless and anxious feeling that left him with no choice. Yet this time round, the feeling he felt was a happiness that was filled with sweet and puckery.

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nIt would be troublesome to give in or to persist.

nNo choice then.

nXiao Yu looked at the drawing that was not even half-finished in his hands and felt strongly reluctant to let go.

nit was a rare spur of inspiration that may not appear for the second time within this month…

nHe may not even remember it when he wakes up in the morning…

nJust give him another thirty minutes…

n“It’s one a.m.”

nThe voice announced behind him right on time.

nIf the voice that could be heard every half an hour before this was half-hearted, the voice he heard this time felt extremely heavy in Xiao Yu’s heart that it made the pen in his hand felt equally heavy.

nOn top of feeling helpless from having his thoughts cut off, it was the softheartedness that he felt from being monitored and silently cared by someone from the background.

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nNo choice then…

n“Ahhhhh I’m sleeping, I’m sleeping.”

nXiao Yu threw his digital drawing board onto the table and shut off his expensive notebook. He jumped onto bed while making threatening gestures. He did not look like a person going to bed but more like a person preparing to eat someone up.

nYan Jin let out a big sigh of relief.

nSilent perseverance always comes with reward. That light touch of concern finally moved Xiao Yu’s not-so determined softheartedness.

nYan Jin understand that it was not difficult to make someone feel moved. However, after so many years, Xiao Yu was the only one that he would go through all troubles at every step he took.

nThankfully, the results were not that bad after all.

nYan Jin happily caught his lover who threw himself into his arms. After messing around for a while, both quietly laid back on the bed.

nYan Jin was combing his hand through Xiao Yu’s curled locks as he pulled his lover closer into his embrace.

nHe was prepared to play war of resistance till two in the morning. He was glad that Xiao Yu’s gave in quicker than he originally thought.

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n“If I can finish the drawing, there won’t be anything to present for the meeting tomorrow.” Xiao Yu muffled his complaint as he buried his head into the chairman’s hug.

n“You can draw it in the office.” Yan Jin pressed his lips on his lover’s hair.

n“But, but maybe I’ll lose my memories tomorrow and forget all the inspirations I had tonight?” Xiao Yu said worriedly: “If that really happens, you need to take three-quarter of the blame.”

nYan Jin laughed silently and quickly hid his amusement away before Xiao Yu noticed it.

nWhen facing his unreasonable little lover, Chairman Yan always takes the soft approach.

nHe lifted Xiao Yu’s head up from his chest, look straight into his eyes and plant a soft kiss on that worrisome gaze.

nXiao Yu’s cheeks turn red very quickly.

n“Alright, I’d gave you the marking.” Yan Jin lightly tapped on Xiao Yu’s forehead and continued with his low voice: “When you remember this kiss tomorrow, you will remember all the inspirations you had tonight.”

n……

n“Wow, my goodness. Chairman Yan actually approve such project?”

nHe Xinjia exclaimed as she looked at the latest work arrangement.

n“It’s definitely because of Chief no matter how you looked at it. Where’s the rest?” Jing Mo asked.

n“Speaking of the devil, they’re here.” He Xinjia waved at the office doors direction: “Over here.”

n“Have you guys looked at the contents of the latest project?” Xiao Yu also arrived because of the project.

n“We sure did. We were talking about it right now.” He Xinjia answered: “Besides the fact that there’s nothing to benefit from this exhibition, it may even affect the collaboration with Master Andy. If I’m the chairman, I’ll be an idiot for approving this project.”

n“Even the best man stumbles?” Jing Mo suggested.

n“Hey, could you not insult our ancestor’s wisdom?” He Xinjia retorted unhappily: “It’s not about the best man stumbling, this project is a clear act of covering up for a hidden motive.”

nJing Mo subconsciously looked at Xiao Yu.

nXiao Yu responded calmly: “I also think that it’s not appropriate to approve this project. But since this is the company’s decision, I’d say we all go with it.”

nHe Xinjia and Jing Mo shared a gaze as they both looked puzzled.

n“Say, this project has nothing to do with you?” He Xinjia asked bluntly, not even caring if she was inappropriate just because of her close relationship with Xiao Yu, “SI is going participate with in this exhibition, right? It looks like personal grudge no matter how I looked at it.”

n“It’s not me. I don’t have any personal grudges with SI. Yan Jin said that he had been planning on taking this exhibition for a long time and he even personally signed on the contract.”

nXiao Yu answered very calmly.

nSpeaking of this incident, he too felt that it was all too coincidence. This exhibition project was the document that he had tampered with when Yan Jin was not around the other time. It was initially placed with the disapproved proposals but ended up placed together with the approved proposals after he had stamped on it. It was only later when Yan Jin randomly mentioned about the exhibition and said that he had accidentally categorized it wrongly and he was unsure if Secretary Fang had corrected it for him. He also mentioned about the importance for YL to take on this project, that it would be troublesome if he had accidentally messed it up.

nBack then, Xiao Yu was had already confirmed the business meeting details and had already taken over all the work from Director Wang, all prepared for his attempt to deceive everyone in the process. When he heard Yan Jin talking about it, he quickly told the chairman that everything was on track, nothing was amiss, and they were about to sign the contracts. On the spot, Yan Jin decided to personally attend the business meeting to discuss about the details, which resulted in both Xiao Yu and him attending the meeting together.

nIt was a pity that Xiao Yu’s wish to catch Lin Zhou on the spot had not happen. SI’s representatives were his ex-colleagues when he had worked with before. Currently, Lin Zhou had took over the post of the chief designer and this ex-colleague who was in close terms with Lin Zhou all along had naturally become SI’s newest director of the design department, representing SI to discuss on contract details.

nAlthough it was a pity that he did not meet Lin Zhou, but they did successfully agree on a satisfactory contract. With Yan Jin around, the entire process was incredibly smooth and played a critical role in this event with YL taking the lead. When it comes to the actual exhibition date, Xiao Yu was sure that Lin Zhou will definitely make an appearance.

n“Hmmm, it seems…”

nHe Xinjia hesitated after hearing Xiao Yu’s explanation.

n“Since it’s Chairman Yan’s decision then let’s work hard on it.” Jing Mo smiled understandingly, “Fortunately, this exhibition will be happening before the collaboration with Master Andy. If we settle this perfectly, it should make that grand master have a whole new level of respect for us.”

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