"First..." Xu Zhuo cleared his throat, "let's warm up first."
He climbed out of the pool, his recently restored exercise routine showing clearly delineated chest muscles and eight-pack abs, forming an inverted figure-eight, disappearing into his swim trunks. Droplets of water glistened on his wheat-colored skin under the light.
Du Ziyou felt the sight of that body too glaring and turned away, unable to look again.
As Xu Zhuo approached closer, Du Ziyou's heart pounded, luckily Xu Zhuo stopped three meters away, turned his back, and said, "Follow my lead."
Du Ziyou nodded, then realizing that he couldn't see his back, said, "Okay."
Starting with the most basic stretches, Xu Zhuo's muscles were not overly bulky, but rather the kind that looked slim when clothed but had flesh when undressed. With each movement of his limbs, his muscles pulsed, exuding a masculine aura.
He also had long legs, well-toned calves, powerful thighs, and a narrow waist that led to a firm back, the weakest point for ordinary people, but covered in layers of muscle, brimming with boundless strength.
Du Ziyou was transfixed; he had never seen such... such a man's body.
Coming back to his senses, a deep blush spread from his ears to his cheeks. He forced himself to focus on following Xu Zhuo's movements.
Although usually so friendly and amiable, when he took off his clothes, he became so commanding, making people's hearts quiver and legs weak.
Du Ziyou took a shaky breath.
He remembered the first time he saw Xu Zhuo, it was in the employee elevator at Binging Restaurant.
He didn't usually pay attention to ordinary employees, but when he sneaked a glance at Xu Zhuo, who had caught his eye, he remembered him.
It was because Xu Zhuo was extremely attractive—tall stature, handsome face with a faint smile, bright and sincere eyes, exuding vibrant energy and capturing the trust of strangers at a glance.
When Xu Zhuo left after reaching the work floor, Du Ziyou felt an imperceptible sense of loss.
When they met again, the thunderstorm made him irritable, and the sudden accident frightened him out of his wits, leaving him with a blank mind, and he just flung himself at the nearest living thing.
Xu Zhuo not only didn't push him away, but also held him and comforted him patiently.
At that moment, he even had the illusion that as long as he stayed in this person's embrace, even if the sky collapsed and the ground gave way, it wouldn't hurt him.
But he quickly came to his senses; the man holding him was a stranger, and he was also his employee.
He knew nothing about his character, and his most vulnerable side was exposed, which could become leverage for the other party.
He immediately grew cold and even began to resent him.
Not only because he had been caught in a compromising position, but also because he effortlessly gained his trust, and he acted like an incompetent fool, rushing to dedicate himself.
Logic told him that things might not be as pessimistic as he thought, but he couldn't control the self-pitying thoughts, stubbornly wanting to negate all positive thoughts.
After all, without hope, there is no disappointment.
He guessed that there was something wrong with his psychology - willful, paranoid, lacking in a sense of security.
How could someone raised in such a family possibly be psychologically healthy?
After escaping from the elevator, he immediately investigated this person upon returning home, learning his name, education and work history, and what others thought of him.
A vague image of Xu Zhuo formed in his mind.
He was conscientious and capable at work, warm and friendly, and deeply loved by colleagues and clients.
A faint hope rose in his heart, maybe... maybe this person really was different.
Surprisingly, their third encounter came so quickly.
As the flashing blade waved in front of his eyes, he was petrified, but then Xu Zhuo descended like a prince saving a princess, vanquishing the dragon, driving away the onlookers, wiping away his tears, gently bandaging his wounds, and finally sending him home.
He secretly observed that there were no unfavorable rumors circulating within the company.
Xu Zhuo did not publicly disclose his own affairs.
Those days were the most anxious and yet the happiest days for him.
Every subsequent encounter, Xu Zhuo played the brave and fearless prince, rescuing him from boring gatherings, rescuing him from excessive joy and intoxication, and rescuing him from emotional breakdowns in the rain.
Thinking of the sudden kiss in the rain, Du Ziyou's face turned red all at once.
Why did I act so boldly at the time!
When Xu Zhuo pushed him away, his heart almost stopped, thinking he had misunderstood, about to face the embarrassment of rejection.
But the next moment, the other party pressed something against him, and amidst Du Ziyou's panic, he also found relief - Xu Zhuo desired him!
Finally, in the tearful confession in the bedroom, Du Ziyou felt both shy and as if he had honey in his mouth, so sweet.
Although he had felt uncomfortable at the time and initially rejected the other's request to be together, deep down he had still tacitly accepted their relationship, otherwise he wouldn't have indulged in their intimacy.
Now, Du Ziyou stared at Xu Zhuo's strong back and saw Xu Zhuo in a new light.
Yes, he thought, with Xu Zhuo's confidence and optimism, his effortless ability, his warm embrace, and his strong, charming physique, what's so surprising about it?
This is what people in love are like, eager to use all the beautiful words on their lovers, feeling that their lover can match all the wonderful things in the world.
Du Ziyou was still thinking when Xu Zhuo finished warming up.
"Alright, let's get started," he turned to him, "You really have no foundation at all, do you?"
Du Ziyou nodded silently.
With his hands on his hips, Xu Zhuo said, "Then we'll start with breath control, and later I'll teach you the essentials of the breaststroke. Don't worry, the pool isn't deep, you'll be able to touch the bottom."
With that, he lunged like a nimble fish into the water, splashing water onto Du Ziyou's fair feet.
Coming up from underwater, wiping the water from his face, Xu Zhuo said, "Put on your goggles and come down from the ladder."
The temperature of the pool water was not cold, so there was no need to adjust. Du Ziyou went straight into the water. With the white poolside lights shining on him, his skin looked even more fair and translucent.
Xu Zhuo was afraid that he might lose control, so he dared not get too close. He stayed two or three meters away to demonstrate for him.
Du Ziyou had a very strong learning ability; after watching only once, he was able to grasp the key points and began practicing on his own.
Xu Zhuo watched closely as he dove under the water, the sparkling ripples skimming across his handsome face, enchanting as a dream; and when he resurfaced, his wet hair stuck to his forehead, just like when he had gotten drenched in the rain before, revealing his breathtaking vulnerability.
Xu Zhuo swallowed hard, quietly taking a step back.
After completing a few sets of breath-holding exercises, Du Ziyou looked to Coach Xu for the next instruction.
Xu Zhuo said, "Next, we'll work on the basic movements of the breaststroke. I'll demonstrate first and you can just get a general idea by watching."
Du Ziyou nodded, but then climbed the ladder to sit on the edge of the pool. "I can see better from up here," he explained.
Xu Zhuo forced himself to look away, not wanting to see his slender body glistening in the water. "I'm starting now, keep watching," he said.
With his right foot against the pool wall, Xu Zhuo bowed his head, clasped his palms together, then with a sudden push of his feet, he darted out like a dolphin.
He had long arms and legs, a natural swimmer since the age of 12, achieving a magnificent feat of swimming several kilometers with bound hands.
Not only was he fast, he also swam with great grace. The movement of his arm muscles, the arch of his back as he arched out of the water to breathe, were all so delightful that Du Ziyou felt both envious and proud—
See, this is the person I love.
The private indoor pool was not large, and in the blink of an eye, Xu Zhuo had stopped, not even out of breath, and asked, "Did you notice anything?"
Du Ziyou thought for a moment and said, "Flex the legs, extend, then clamp tight, and repeat in a continuous motion. The hands and legs are not synchronized. That's about it."
Xu Zhuo knew he was clever, but this was the first time he had experienced his intelligence so directly.
"You've grasped the key points very well," he praised, "But we'll still take it step by step, starting with the leg movements."
If it were an ordinary person, Xu Zhuo would have them practice lying on shore first, but Du Ziyou's comprehension ability was too strong, and he should be able to master it in one go.
And indeed he did. Though the leg movements of tucking, flipping, and kicking may not seem difficult at first glance, mastering them in a standard manner, while also maintaining their rhythm, was a challenge.
Perhaps because of his musical studies, Du Ziyou had a good sense of rhythm. After a few practice attempts with hands on the edge of the pool, Xu Zhuo took his hand and let him practice while swimming.
Then it was time to work on the arm movements.
"The most important thing in breaststroke is the legs, the standard arm posture is relatively difficult to master, unless you are a professional athlete," Xu Zhuo said, "So my advice is to learn a general swimming posture."
These things can't be seen just by looking. Du Ziyu, smart as he is, still needs someone to guide him.
Xu Zhu demonstrated the small swim once, and once Du Ziyu became proficient, Xu Zhu cleared his throat, finally getting to the inevitable point.
"I'll support your waist and abdomen," he said, "while you move your hands and feet to find the feeling."
Reciting the sutra silently, he pressed his hot palms against the cool skin of Du Ziyu's abdomen. Du Ziyu shrank, trying to suppress the trembling of his body, to make a floating posture cooperatively.
With a little force, Xu Zhu managed to lift him up with the help of buoyancy.
"Let's begin," his voice was slightly hoarse.
Du Ziyu, so clever, at this moment began to be clumsy, either moving his hands too early or taking too long to change his breath, as if he had completely forgotten what he had just learned.
Xu Zhu remained silent, just supporting him, not reprimanding him for his abnormal performance—after all, Coach Xu himself was full of secret intentions.
Luckily, apart from being clever, Du Ziyu also had resilience and refused to give up.
After struggling in the water for a long time, he finally got used to the hot sensation in his abdomen. His mind calmed down, and he tried to regain his normal standard.
But while he was composed, the coach beside him became more and more agitated.
His beloved one wearing only a pair of shorts lay across from him, and he could not touch or hold him. Was there a man in the world more aggrieved than him?
Du Ziyu quickly coordinated his hand and foot movements, and his timing for changing breaths was also good. Xu Zhu gradually let go and let him float with the buoyancy generated by swimming.
Du Ziyu tightened his nerves and swam to the edge of the pool in one breath, panting heavily. He turned back to Xu Zhu with a smile, "I did it!"
His joy was infectious, and Xu Zhu couldn't help but smile too, "You should build on this, refine your skills further," he cleared his throat at the end and said, "I need to go to the bathroom."
Swimming, unlike other sports, doesn't make you sweat buckets, but the exercise is still considerable. Xu Zhu was afraid that Du Ziyu's strength couldn't keep up, so he only practiced for an hour and a half before asking him to rest.
Du Ziyu climbed ashore panting heavily, his legs weak from gravity, almost causing him to kneel on the ground.
Xu Zhu pulled him up, saying, "Let's stretch a bit, otherwise you won't be able to walk tomorrow."
"Tired," Du Ziyu bent over with his hands on his knees, looking up at Xu Zhu, pursed his lips, "Don't feel like moving."
"Be good, hold on for a bit, better a brief pain than a prolonged one," Xu Zhu advised, "otherwise your walking posture tomorrow will become a hot topic in the company."
Du Ziyu glared at him, and Xu Zhu, smiling, said, "In a few days, there will be a celebration for the successful acquisition, and you'll have to give a speech on stage."
Reluctantly, Du Ziyu did the stretches with him.
In fact, he was good at assessing the situation, understanding what was urgent and what was not. Just now, he was just being playful.
Unfortunately, Xu Zhu also liked to see him being playful and wished he could pamper him. But he understood that Du Ziyu was not weak, and he had to be subtle.
*
The next few days, after work, he used the excuse of "teaching swimming" to eat at Du Ziyu's place.
Du Ziyu was already quite good at swimming, and both of them tactfully avoided discussing the plausibility of this excuse.
On Friday night, Xu Zhu returned to his own place.
The hallway light was still broken and hadn't been fixed, with only a streak of moonlight streaming in.
Xu Zhu had just stepped out of the elevator when a dark figure by his door suddenly moved, making him jump in fright.
"It's me," the dark figure spoke, it was Yi Peiran.
Xu Zhu cried and laughed, "Why are you squatting by my door? If you have something, call me."
Yi Peiran stood up and watched him open the door. He said, "It's better to say it in person."
Xu Zhu went inside, turned on the lights at the entrance, and asked, "Is it about the advertisement?"
"Yes," Yi Peiran followed him into the room, changing his shoes, "What will you say if my mom calls you?"
"Tell the truth," Xu Zhu threw his backpack on the couch and went to the kitchen, opening the refrigerator, "What do you want to drink? Beer? Sprite?"
"On a diet, thank you."
Without taking anything, Xu Zhu closed the refrigerator. Recently, Ziyu had been diligently training his body, and he couldn't fall behind either; giving up beverages and the like was for the best.
"Did you blacklist Auntie Yi?" Xu Zhu asked.
"She's the one who blacklisted me," Yi Peiran collapsed on the sofa, "If she contacts you, just hang up the phone, no need to listen to her nonsense."
Xu Zhu shrugged without agreeing or disagreeing, and went into the bedroom.
They lived close by, grew up together since they were kids, and Xu Zhu knew that Auntie Yi had a bad temper. Fortunately, she had some dignity. This time, Yi Peiran openly displayed his female attire to the public, offending her sensitivities, and the already fragile relationship was in danger of falling apart.
From the closet, Xu Zhu took out a T-shirt and shorts to use as pajamas, changed, and then brought out his clothes to toss into the washing machine.
Yi Peiran, like a hunting hound sniffing out gossip, sat up from the couch and stared keenly at him, asking, "You've just bathed and come back, went to the gym?"
Keeping a straight face, Xu Zhu took out his laptop.
Yi Peiran squinted at him before suddenly jumping up, leaping over to sniff deeply at his neck.
"Hey!" Xu Zhu's entire body broke out in goosebumps, "What are you doing?"
Yi Peiran retreated back to the sofa, smirking, and said, "The bath gel at that gym doesn't have this scent."
Xu Zhu looked at him, his face expressionless.
"You have a yearly membership, it's impossible to waste money going to another gym," Yi Peiran played detective, analyzing, "I've been to Sunyo's public bath, and that's not the scent, not to mention you never shower at the company."
The phone vibrated, indicating a new message. Xu Zhuo picked it up.
"So, you either showered at a hotel or someone else's place," Yi Peiran continued, "wherever it was, you couldn't have gone alone. So, the conclusion is, you are in a relationship with someone, and it has reached a serious stage!"
Xu Zhuo looked at the phone screen, it was a message from Du Ziyou, complaining in a small voice: "Aunt Wei made stewed snow pears again, with very little sugar, so bland in taste."
Xu Zhuo smiled, Du Ziyou had a sweet tooth, but never revealed this preference in front of others, even Aunt Wei thought he had a mild taste.
Yi Peiran saw him smiling at his phone, with a tender gaze, which surprised him.
"You're smiling so... so..." he couldn't find the right word, so he gave up and said bluntly, "Is she your girlfriend?"
"Half of what you said is wrong," Xu Zhuo said as he typed, "Yes, I am in a relationship with someone, but it hasn't progressed to that stage yet. We've only kissed once."
As he finished typing, he paused, thinking back, and nodded, "Soft and sweet."
Yi Peiran shuddered. Oh my, what had he just seen! Xu Zhuo, in the throes of love!
That always calm, extremely rational, and highly self-controlled Xu Zhuo had been affected by love, just like a silly boy.
"Who could capture your wandering heart, a colleague at the company?" Yi Peiran was very curious. "Bring her along for a meal when you're free."
Xu Zhuo admitted with a grunt, the boss could also be considered a colleague.
After typing another sentence, he clicked "send": "Aside from green bean cakes, Ye Shuoyou can make other desserts. What do you like? I'll have him make it, I guarantee it'll be sweet."
After waiting for a while, Du Ziyou didn't reply, but Yi Peiran spoke instead: "So, when is the right time?"
"Huh?" Xu Zhuo looked up at him, "Oh, dinner. It's not the right time yet. We'll have to strengthen our relationship before making it public."
It's also possible that it may never be made public in this lifetime.
Thinking this, Xu Zhuo couldn't help feeling a little downcast.
There were so many obstacles between them, their families, and their hierarchical relationship.
Forget it, just let the closest family and friends know, and whether they support it or not, who cares?
Then he remembered something else and asked Yi Peiran, "Are you going to Mingyou's party tomorrow?"
Yi Peiran replied, "I received the invitation, and since I'm free, I'll go to join in the fun."
Xu Zhuo nodded, "This party is quite grand. The recent cooperating clients have all received invitations."
"Even if you didn't get an invitation, it's okay," Yi Peiran said, "you can bring family members, so I'll just go with you."
"No," Xu Zhuo firmly refused, "My partner is my family, so don't get any ideas."
Yi Peiran jumped off the couch, pretending to be fierce and ready to fight.
"Forgetting your friends for the sake of love!" he scorned.
*
The next night, they drove together to the hotel.
This grand party was being held at the city's largest five-star hotel, semi-open to the media, with a special media meet-up halfway through.
People from all walks of life attended the party, and there were even many people from the entertainment industry. Everyone was dressed brightly with excited smiles on their faces.
The on-site security was quite strict. Xu Zhuo and his friends had invitations and were able to enter the hotel. Yi Peiran looked around, "Where's your partner? Can't see them anywhere."
"Boss!" "Xu Ge!"
Luo Yuanshan and Ji Wenfei, both wearing high heels, approached. They wore heavy makeup and were dressed in rarely seen formal attire, Xu Zhuo almost didn't recognize them.
Yi Peiran signaled to him, which of these two beauties is your partner?
Xu Zhuo was speechless, "Forget about it, neither of them is."
"Who's this?" Luo Yuanshan pointed at Yi Peiran, she hadn't dared to casually matchmake since being criticized by Xu Zhuo last time.
Yi Peiran was still dressed as a woman that day, in a backless black dress, carrying a small handbag, with fiery red lips and a charming demeanor.
"He's a friend who came with me," Xu Zhuo said, "Anyone else here yet?"
"Not yet," Ji Wenfei replied, "It's still early, only a few of us are here. Oh, isn't that Brother Fei and his wife?"
They turned to look. Another team member, Fei Bohou, entered through the main entrance, arm in arm with a petite curly-haired woman, busy taking selfies with her phone.
Fei Bohou noticed them and quickly walked over. His wife stumbled along, pouting and smacking him on the arm.
Xu Zhuo felt a pang of jealousy.
How he wished he could walk hand in hand with his beloved under the spotlight, openly showing affection.
With thoughts of Du Ziyou flooding his mind, he sent a message from his phone, "I'm here, where are you?"
The reply came immediately, "Upstairs."
Xu Zhuo asked, "Are you waiting to come down when the event officially starts?"
After a while, Du Ziyou replied, "Yes. I'm alone now," and then sent the floor number and elevator.
Xu Zhuo was so delighted, he told the others, "I have something to do, you guys can go up to the venue first. Let's catch up when everyone's here."
"Okay, go ahead and do your thing," Luo Yuanshan agreed.
Yi Peiran watched his departing figure thoughtfully, sneering inside, pretending to go see his lover, right?
Xu Zhuo took the private elevator to the top floor and stopped outside the presidential suite, sending a voice message to Du Ziyou: "I'm at the door."
The door immediately opened.
Thinking that the other person was standing by the door waiting for him, Xu Zhuo felt a sweet sensation in his heart.
After entering the room and closing the door, Du Ziyou opened his arms to showcase his appearance to Xu Zhuo, asking, "What do you think?"
Dressed in a smart black suit, a white handkerchief peeking out from his chest, with a large back-combed hairstyle and an openly delicate face, Xu Zhuo particularly liked seeing him in a suit, the high-quality fabric wrapping his tall figure exuding a naturally captivating sexiness.
"Looks good," he smiled, "you will definitely be the center of attention tonight."
Du Ziyou enjoyed hearing his praise, blushing slightly as he turned and sat on the sofa.
"What's your schedule tonight?" Xu Zhuo sat down next to him with one leg crossed, one hand resting on the back of the sofa, and turned towards him.
"I will give a speech at the opening, then chat with a few important guests, and I'll be able to leave in an hour and a half," Du Ziyou said.
Xu Zhuo carefully observed his expression, then suddenly reached out and grabbed his hand, which felt cool, easily enveloped by his own warm hand.
Du Ziyou's hand trembled for a moment, but he didn't pull away, allowing Xu Zhuo to hold it quietly.
"Are you not in a good mood?" Xu Zhuo gazed at his finely sculpted profile.
Du Ziyou remained silent, pursing his lips with a subtle melancholy in his eyes and brows.
Xu Zhuo hesitated, "Last time I met Lin Ruzhe..."
Du Ziyou looked back at him.
"Are you two college friends?"
Du Ziyou nodded, "He's a year older than me."
"How old were you when you started college? There's quite an age gap between you," Xu Zhuo asked.
"About fifteen years old, not too early," Du Ziyou replied.
"I was nineteen," Xu Zhuo played with his slender fingers, smiling, "Why, did you repeat a year?"
Du Ziyou looked at him, "That's why..."
Xu Zhuo looked at him with pitiful puppy eyes, "Am I really so unreliable in your eyes?"
Du Ziyou mumbled, "Then why..."
"When I was six, I broke my leg and was hospitalized, I missed the start of the school year," Xu Zhuo recalled, "My dad was so angry he almost broke my leg too, fortunately my mom stopped him."
Du Ziyou furrowed his brows, scanning his entire body as if looking for signs of injury, "Are you okay? Do you need to go to the hospital for a check-up? I know some very good doctors."
Xu Zhuo was at a loss, "This was over ten years ago, even if my bone was broken, it has long since healed. Don't worry, kids have strong resilience. After I left the hospital, I could run and jump, and my dad chased me down the street every day."
Du Ziyou showed a worried expression, "Is your father very fierce?"
"Not really, just a little hot-tempered, but quick to cool down, he's a good person," Xu Zhuo said.
His large hand covered the back of Du Ziyou's hand, intertwining his five fingers with the other's.
"In the future, when I take you home," he continued, "if he wants to hit someone, you can hide behind me. I'm taller and stronger than him now, he can't beat me. And my mom will help to intervene, once he cools down, everything will be fine."
Du Ziyou's ears turned red and he lowered his head. He hadn't expected Xu Zhuo to be planning to meet his parents.
With the preamble nearly complete, Xu Zhuo finally got to the point, "Lin Ruzhe told me a bit about your time at school."
Du Ziyou responded with a "hmm."
"I heard you were quite popular and charming in college," Xu Zhuo smiled.
Du Ziyou gave him a sidelong glance.
Xu Zhuo became more serious, looking into his eyes, and said softly, "Lin Ruzhe mentioned that in the college competition, you used Oya as a case study."
Du Ziyou paused, slowly looked away, unwilling to discuss further.
Xu Zhuo felt extreme heartache. Du Ziyou was burdened with too much, but he dared not press him too hard. There would be opportunities in the future; he wanted Du Ziyou to open up to him on his own.
Xu Zhuo looked at his watch, "Is it time?"
"I need to go down," Du Ziyou stood up. his hand still tightly held by Xu Zhuo. He shook it off and left.
"I'm leaving too," Xu Zhuo also stood up, "I'll come and cheer you on."
Without waiting for his reaction, he leaned in and pecked him on the corner of his lips.
Du Ziyou's face flushed, and he trembled as he scolded Xu Zhuo, "How am I supposed to go on like this!"
"I'm sorry, it's my fault, my fault," Xu Zhuo quickly reassured him, lowering their eyes to meet, "Do you want to take revenge? I won't resist."
Pointing to the corner of his own mouth, he added, "Take your revenge on me here."
Du Ziyou felt both embarrassed and angry, unwilling to show weakness. He closed his eyes, raised his flushed face, and leaned up - a soft sensation pressed Xu Zhuo's lips, immediately left with a "pop", accompanied by a provocative gaze, staring fiercely at Xu Zhuo.
Du Ziyou turned and walked away, and Xu Zhuo hurriedly followed, saying, "There's only one elevator, let's take it separately."
"…can be changed to single-point autofocus," Ye Peiran said to the ladies around him, "If it's multipoint focus…"
Xu Zhuo passed through the crowd, carrying a plate of food. He hadn't eaten dinner yet, and his stomach was growling.
"Xu ge," Ji Wenfei, who was listening to Ye Peiran, saw him and waved, "Come over here."
Ye Peiran also stopped to look at him, asking, "You've been gone for so long, and the show is about to start."
Xu Zhuo waved the fork in his hand and said, "I made it, didn't I? Are you guys having a good chat?"
"Ran-Ran sister is so amazing," Ji Wenfei seemed to have become a fan of Ye Peiran, "She's teaching us some photography techniques. I never knew there were so many tricks before."
"Alright, you guys take your time," Xu Zhuo said, "I need to quickly fill my stomach."
After saying that, he shoved a piece of beef into his mouth, and the meat juices burst between his lips and teeth, filling his entire mouth, extremely satisfying.
"Hey, look, boss," Luo Yuanshan squeezed to his side, pointing towards the stage, "It's Director Du. His appearance is as stunning as ever tonight!"
Du Ziyu was talking with a few people offstage. He had a slender figure and outstanding looks, standing there like a cock among hens, rightfully the center of attention.
Luo Yuanshan opened her phone's camera and took a picture, sending it to the group.
Xu Zhuo ate a few bites of barbecue while admiring his sweetheart, and the host went on stage. The audience's attention shifted to the stage.
First, there were some welcoming remarks, followed by applause from the audience. Then, a director gave a speech, and finally, it was Du Ziyu's turn to take the stage, receiving the most enthusiastic applause from the entire audience.
Du Ziyu was both the most feared and respected person by the employees of Bingyou Corporation.
Xu Zhuo stopped eating, swallowed his food, and stared at the person on stage without blinking.
This event cost a fortune, and even the stage was decorated very gorgeously, almost resembling an awards ceremony at a film festival. The lights dimmed throughout the venue, leaving only a beam shining directly on Du Ziyu.
His skin was naturally fair, with a healthy and textured whiteness, and now, under the lights, his face, neck, and hands all shimmered like diamonds, and his dark hair also gleamed with luster.
His lips were as red as flower petals, and even though Xu Zhuo was far away, he could still see the thin lips parting and closing, the outer edges dry, and the inner parts moist, more forceful kisses would leave a light wet mark on his own lips.
Unconsciously, Xu Zhuo licked his lips, only tasting the salty and savory flavors of the food sauce, feeling a sense of loss in his heart.
Wait, he thought, after Ziyu finishes his speech and deals with everything else, I'll take him to a place where no one will disturb us and give him a good kiss.
The internal speech at Bingyou Corporation ended, and the management team headed to another venue for a media reception. Xu Zhuo couldn't go, so he reluctantly watched Du Ziyu leave.
He thought for a moment, then sent a message to him: "If you're leaving, tell me, let's go together."
"Ran-Ran sister," he patted Ye Peiran's shoulder, "You don't need to wait for me to leave. I'll go back by myself." Ye Peiran had driven him to the hotel.
Ye Peiran looked at him with a playful look in his eyes, "Are you going to have a tryst with your partner?"
Xu Zhuo nodded and pretended, "You don't understand, this is the dilemma of having a family."
Ye Peiran's lips twitched with a smile, "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were a very experienced person. But you're just a little brat who's just tasted the flavor of first love, and you still dare to boast in front of me."
"Hey, you don't need to be jealous," Xu Zhuo's gaze passed over his shoulder and saw a figure in the distance, then waved at Ye Peiran, "I'm going to greet someone else, you do as you please."
Lin Gaohan had just broken away from two of his fans and was stopped by Xu Zhuo.
"Long time no see," he raised his glass elegantly to Xu Zhuo.
"Mr. Lin's appeal is still as strong as ever," Xu Zhuo casually clinked glasses with him, "Your advertisement is about to air. I wish you success."
"Let's not talk about work tonight," Lin Gaohan eyed him, "What does Manager Xu want from Lin?"
His gaze was sharp, honed by the trials and hardships of life. It seemed capable of stripping away all pretense when it landed on someone else.
Xu Zhuo smiled calmly, not beating around the bush with him, "The question you asked me last time, Mr. Lin, I've pondered a different answer. I wonder if it's right."
Lin Gaohan paused for a moment before remembering what he meant by "question."
A few days ago, when shooting at Bingyou Corporation, Lin Gaohan had asked him, "Can you see the commonality between the three of us?"
At that time, Xu Zhuo's answer had been very official, "You are all outstanding in your respective fields."
Lin Gaohan smiled as he picked up a lemon slice from his drink and said, "Alright, I'll listen."
"Wu Dao has resisted the family's arrangements, insisting on entering the film industry, and has made a successful break from the shackles," Xu Zhuo said, "Mr. Lin, while it may not have been voluntary, you too have successfully broken away from your original circle."
Lin Gaohan nodded and took a bite of the lemon slice, making a face at its sourness.
He swallowed the sourness before speaking, "So, Ziyu has told you all this. It seems your relationship with him is quite good."
"Oh," Xu Zhuo made a sound, "It's okay."
He kept a close eye on the other's expression.
They had discussed it with Ziyu before, but he had a gut feeling that things weren't so simple. He wanted to fish for more information from Lin Gaohan.
Lin Gaohan was shrewd and could see through all the twists and turns.
"But you—" he pointed at Xu Zhuo and said leisurely, "our relationship isn't at that level yet. If you want to know something, I'm sorry, but I have nothing to disclose to you."
He tossed the lemon slice back into his glass and added, "Manager Xu, your curiosity is quite heavy, with such a keen interest in Du Ziyu. Maybe I had you wrong before, I thought you were a good person. Let me give you a piece of advice, one must have boundaries in life and work. Taking shortcuts always comes with risks, so be careful."
Xu Zhuo sensed the meaning in his words and couldn't help but smile wryly.
He thought he was uncovering the Du family's secrets to gain an advantage with this information.
Lin Gaohan patted him and said, "This is today's act of kindness."
Xu Zhuo watched him leave and shrugged helplessly. Well, the cliché didn't completely fail, at least now he knew there was something fishy going on.
He wandered around the venue, greeted a few clients, occasionally took out his phone to check if there were any messages from Du Ziyu.
"Why are there suddenly so many messages?"
He saw that several work groups had 99+ unread messages, and the phone screen displayed a series of alarming red dots.
Muttering to himself, he opened one of the groups. Message after message repeatedly displayed the same keyword: "Du Zong is furious."