My Weekend Lover Turned Out To Be My Boss - Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Six Months Ago V. “The Spring Breeze Blows”

Following Phoebe’s wishes, Qing Fan was taken back to the ancestral home to be cared for by the housekeeper. I had successfully been cut off from Phoebe’s life. Aside from the cleaning and cooking aunties who came to talk to me, I spent most of my time in silent solitude, and even Xiduo, the dog roaming the garden, seemed listless. Later, I simply told the aunties not to come anymore. I packed some clothes, deciding to move back to my own little flat on an auspicious day.

Unknowingly, it was already the middle to late August. I still hadn’t heard back from Phoebe, and her replies to my messages were perfunctory. I got up early, slipped on my slippers, grabbed a box of milk, and ate breakfast while taking a walk in the garden.

Just as I was about to leash Xiduo to go for a walk in the community, a long-unseen figure suddenly appeared in my sight. Surprisingly, Su Wei was alone. Usually, she and Phoebe’s second older brother, Lan Feijun, were inseparable and deeply affectionate, wanting to spend every moment together. Today was truly rare.

Standing across the iron gate, Su Wei carried a designer bag, her smile as gentle as ever: “Good morning, Feifan.”

I quickly opened the gate and led her toward the living room: “It’s quite a drive from the ancestral home, isn’t it? How early did you have to wake up!”

“Qing Fan has been staying back there for a while. You haven’t gone to see her at the ancestral home. The little one keeps muttering that her mother doesn’t visit her, and now Da Fan doesn’t look after her either. She’s very sad.”

I lit a cigarette, showing my helpless heartache: “These are all Phoebe’s arrangements. What can I do?”

Su Wei frowned slightly and asked cautiously, “What exactly happened between you two?”

“We’re probably hovering on the verge of breaking up.”

“Don’t let your mind wander. You two have been through so much. How could you just break up?”

I led Su Wei into the kitchen and brewed a pot of rich Blue Mountain coffee using the machine. Su Wei watched my skillful movements and teased, “It looks like Phoebe often drinks your coffee.”

I shook my head bitterly, looked seriously at Su Wei, and said, “Who doesn’t know how to brew coffee? It’s like cooking: prepare the ingredients, remember the steps. Stir-fried tomato with egg or egg fried with tomato—it makes no difference once it’s in your mouth.”

“Is it because of that woman named Guan Shuyun?”

Su Wei probably thought for a long time before finally saying that name. I fiddled with the cup in my hands and nodded faintly: “If we really have to separate, I would rather it be because our feelings for each other faded than because of the appearance of a third party.”

Picking up her coffee, Su Wei closed her eyes and took an appreciative deep breath. She quipped, “The most wonderful moment of drinking coffee is never the instant you drink it, but the moment you wait, smelling the subtle, rich aroma.”

I didn’t quite understand what Su Wei meant, but her meaningful words must have contained some hidden mystery. I was truly at my wit’s end and had to plead bitterly, “What should I do to win Phoebe back?”

Su Wei turned her head and looked at me seriously, sighing: “There might be many people in this world named You Feifan, but you are you, and Phoebe will only ever love one You Feifan. This means no one can replace you. You won’t lose her. From the moment she decided to spend her life with you, you should have given her your trust wholeheartedly.”

“So? Does that mean I don’t have to do anything, just wait quietly? Guan Shuyun doesn’t think that way. She…”

Su Wei cut me off, signaling for me to calm down: “But have you ever considered that the more you argue with Phoebe, the more you fall into Guan Shuyun’s trap? Isn’t this the result she wants?”

‘I’m not some malicious devil; this is a kind warning: going forward, I will try not to harm you as I slowly take her away.’ Guan Shuyun’s words echoed in my ears. Su Wei’s words were a sudden realization, and I stared at her in shock.

Su Wei patted my shoulder and walked toward the living room. I followed her closely. She pointed at the luggage in the living room: “What? Are you moving out already?”

I gestured with my hands: “The house is too big. It’s really inconvenient for me to live here alone now.”

“Phoebe is just too busy, and you should try to understand her. Find a good day to invite her home. Have a peaceful meal together. You two are ‘an old married couple.’ Don’t you understand the saying about making up after a quarrel?”

“Alright, alright, I get it.”

“I just came over to see you today, and incidentally, to tell you that Qing Fan has a cold and hasn’t been to school.”

I immediately grabbed Su Wei’s arm and asked anxiously, “Is it serious?”

“The weather is so hot, and the air conditioning at home hasn’t stopped running. With the switch between hot and cold, the little darling caught a heat-induced cold. Do you want to go take a look?”

“Let’s go.”

“You should at least change your shoes.”

“No time, let’s go quickly.”

Sitting in the car, Su Wei rested one hand on the passenger seat: “Look how anxious you are.”

“I’ve been taking care of Qing Fan for so many years. The little one rarely gets sick. You all just spoil her too much.”

“My poor little darling. Her biological mother doesn’t dote on her, and her stepmother doesn’t love her. How can she not get sick?”

…

Driving straight back to the Lan family ancestral home, just as I parked the car, I noticed a vehicle following behind that flashed its high beams at me. I pulled out the car key. Su Wei also turned to look in the rearview mirror. She reached out and grasped my arm, giving me a knowing look, then shook her head. I understood her meaning and smiled tiredly, “Don’t worry.”

Getting out of the car, Guan Shuyun smiled and greeted me from a distance: “Hi, Miss You, what a coincidence, we meet again.”

Phoebe stepped out of the passenger seat. Su Wei greeted the guests before I could: “That must be General Manager Guan. It’s your first time here at the Lan family. Please forgive any lack of proper hospitality, please come in quickly.”

With that, Su Wei left the time and space to Phoebe and me. Without waiting for Guan Shuyun’s reply, she enthusiastically led her into the residence. The atmosphere became a bit awkward. I didn’t know what to say, so I just silently reached out to take Phoebe’s designer bag.

I walked a few steps forward, but Phoebe’s hands circled my waist. She buried her head against my back. She always held me silently like this when she was tired. I raised my hand and stroked the back of her hand, which was surprisingly cold. I turned around and looked at her seriously, tidying her slightly messy long hair: “Is there something you’re hiding from me?”

“No.”

Phoebe was always quick to recover her composure. She let go, but I hugged her back, rubbing her long hair to show weakness: “I was wrong. I shouldn’t have argued with you. If you’re tired, just come home, okay?”

“Da Fan!!! Mama!!!”

Qing Fan, still wearing a fever-reducing patch on her forehead, stood at the doorway, shouting loudly. The small figure ran toward us. Seeing her face flushed red, my heart ached terribly. I quickly jogged toward her and picked her up: “You’re sick! Why are you running around instead of sleeping properly?”

The little girl hugged my neck, while her other hand didn’t forget to wrap around Phoebe. Phoebe also took Qing Fan into her arms, holding her tightly with a pained look: “Go back inside and rest.”

Walking through the large living room, Guan Shuyun was chatting with Su Wei, holding a teacup. Seeing our family of three enter, her expression changed slightly, but she quickly stood up, smiling: “The little one ran so fast just now, like a gust of wind.”

I wrapped my arm around Phoebe’s shoulder, adopting the posture of someone who owns the space. I replied with a smile: “Thank you, General Manager Guan, for taking time out of your busy schedule to visit Qing Fan.”

“Miss You is too polite. I was just at Phoebe’s company discussing business, and when I heard that Qing Fan was sick, I just dropped by. I didn’t have time to bring the little darling a gift, I’m so sorry.”

“General Manager Guan, please don’t be a stranger. Phoebe and I will go upstairs to settle the child first. Please excuse us for a moment.”