My Weekend Lover Turned Out To Be My Boss - Chapter 69

Chapter 69: Awakening. “Handclap”

Jian Yumeng knew I had descended into a state of mental frenzy and wouldn’t be able to accept the facts immediately. She simply gave an order: “I’m taking He Mu with me first, to keep you from losing your mind again.”

She then looked at Lin Chen to continue the arrangements: “You stay here and watch You Feifan. Don’t let anything happen to her.”

Lin Chen leaned against the wall with his arms crossed and nodded coldly. “Understood.”

In less than an hour, my worldview had been effortlessly trampled into dust. From breaking up with Phoebe to meeting Qiao Xin, and now discovering this elaborate scam—I felt like a brave soul in the front row of a roller coaster. One sharp turn after another, never giving me a chance to catch my breath. Does everyone love thrills this much? Does it have to be me they torture?

I curled up weakly on the small side sofa. Lin Chen wasn’t idle; he spent some time studying the doorway, then sat on the sofa pretending to watch TV, even simulating how the intruders might have taken Qiu Qi. I suppose that kind of deduction was more interesting to him than my silence.

I couldn’t be bothered with him, so I stood up to head to the balcony. Lin Chen’s reflexes were incredibly sharp; like an arrow released from a bow, he dashed in front of me. Like a cold robot, he asked, “What are you doing?”

Jian Yumeng must have installed a human-shaped surveillance camera around me. I didn’t have the energy to argue. I pulled the cigarette pack from my pocket and shook it in front of him. “Want one?”

He stared into my eyes, scrutinizing me for a long moment before stepping aside to let me pass. “I don’t smoke.”

I pulled out a cigarette, leaned against the balcony railing, and said as I lit it, “It’s a good thing. One, it’s better for your health. Two, it proves you don’t have worries. You don’t need to burn away the loneliness.”

I knew people with Lin Chen’s personality too well—cold on the outside, earnest on the inside, a man of few words. He paused his movements and looked up at me. After a long silence, he spoke: “Miss Jian sent me a message before she left. She wants me to confirm with you again: Are you going to save the person who was kidnapped or not?”

I exhaled a cloud of smoke as if I hadn’t heard a word. I dragged my feet back to the bedroom, not forgetting to inform him before closing the door: “Everything outside the master bedroom is your territory. Do whatever you want, I’m done with you.”

The moment the door closed, all the negative energy that had been suppressed broke through the valves of my heart. I slid down against the door until I was sitting on the floor. I took a deep drag of the cigarette and held the smoke in my lungs until I was gasping for air. When I finally exhaled, I collapsed sideways on the floor, coughing and laughing hysterically. Tears leaked out—I looked like a drunkard, completely out of control.

The only things that could make me laugh like this were my own stupidity and kindness. My anger stemmed from my own cowardice, a life that hadn’t been treated well, a lover’s neglect, and a friend’s betrayal.

Ironically, I didn’t hate my enemies as much. Do you know why? Because their appearance made me see clearly that my so-called “peaceful years,” “steady stream of happiness,” and “growing old together” were all self-deceptive and fragile. Despite the time I had invested, everything was pathetically weak.

Do you know what it feels like when the heart is wounded over and over? After the sharp pain fades, it’s a numb sensation that isn’t itchy or painful. This numbness is actually quite nice. When the accumulated pain turns into a thick callus that wraps tightly around my heart—a callus I can’t peel off or dissolve—I finally don’t have to fear being hurt again. My soul is already flayed, my heart full of holes. What kind of pain could possibly devastate me now?

The answer is simple: the heart is dead. What’s left to hurt? I just need to throw away my kindness and stop loving so hard. Naturally, no one can hurt me then. I’m no longer afraid of losing, because I have nothing left to lose.

I thought about it for a long, long time. Even if I was a million times unwilling, Qiu Qi had to be saved. There would be plenty of chances to settle scores with her and He Mu later; there was no rush. But I couldn’t let either of them fall into the hands of a greater enemy. That would only give them more leverage to threaten me.

Obviously, the person who kidnapped Qiu Qi was Qiao Xin—otherwise, the intruders wouldn’t have mentioned the business card. Unfortunately, Phoebe had shredded it. To find her now, the only path was through Guan Shuyun.

My phone began to vibrate, pulling me back from my thoughts. I opened it to find the WeChat group of my former cellmates was buzzing. Watching them chat about their daily lives, a spark of inspiration flashed in my mind.

If the whole world says You Feifan is a loser, trash, and a piece of scum who only survives because of Lan Feiyi, then how should You Feifan slap the world back in the face? Everything became clear in an instant. I thought of a plan—a plan that required careful calculation and had to be executed alone.

Sorry, world. Don’t blame me for not having loved.

The next morning, I specifically put on a suit that was completely different from my usual style. Since I was going to the Guan Corporation today, I couldn’t look a mess. Being formal meant fewer verbal attacks from Guan Shuyun. When I stepped out, Lin Chen was sitting cross-legged on the sofa in meditation. Hearing me, he slowly opened his eyes. “Going out?”

“Yeah, got things to do.”

“Okay.”

He got off the sofa and went straight to the foyer to change his shoes. We didn’t exchange a single word all the way out of the complex. This was fine; I liked the quiet. At a breakfast stall, he stopped and said briefly, “Eat breakfast.”

Thinking he was hungry, I ordered several baskets of soup dumplings for him. I had no appetite, taking only two sips of porridge before putting my spoon down. Lin Chen stared at me, somewhat dissatisfied. “Every grain is the essence of the seasons and the sweat of labor. If you aren’t hungry, don’t buy. Why waste?”

“…”

Seeing me unmoved, Lin Chen actually poured my porridge into his own bowl and gulped it down. I discovered a merit in him. I smiled helplessly; I was starting to take a liking to this cold-blooded creature. He wiped his mouth with a tissue and told me, “Miss Jian said you would provide three meals a day and a place to stay. She also ordered me not to carry a cent, so that I must stay close to you at all times to protect you.”

Jian Yumeng and her endless rotten ideas! I was impressed. I called the owner over to pay and took two hundred-yuan bills from my wallet, pushing them toward Lin Chen. “She really went that far? If I didn’t feed you, you’d starve to death… Take this two hundred for today. Remember, I am the real employer now.”

Lin Chen didn’t hesitate or decline. He immediately tucked the cash into his waist bag. “As long as you are safe and don’t try to ditch me, I’ll listen to you on everything else.”

We went back to get the car. It was past 9:00 AM; there was no time to lose. I drove my newly hired “shadow” toward the Guan Corporation. Entering the lobby, I instructed Lin Chen: “I’m going in to discuss business, it’s not convenient to take you. Sit in the lounge and wait for me.”

I expected him to be stubborn, but he sat on the sofa sensibly. “I trust you.”

Having settled him, I went to the front desk. The receptionist gave me a polite smile. “How can I help you?”

“Please inform your CEO, Guan Shuyun, that I am here to see her.”

Hearing the big boss’s name, she froze for a second, then picked up the phone while asking, “Do you have an appointment?”

“No. Just tell the secretary that You Feifan is here.”

“Alright. Please wait a moment in the lounge.”

Returning to Lin Chen, he tilted his head. “Hit a wall?”

I also tilted my head to look at him. “I suddenly want to give you a nickname.”

He raised an eyebrow, looking quite relaxed. “Let’s hear it.”

“Lin Three-Words.”

“Why?”

“Because you like saying exactly three words per sentence.”

“Not funny.”

“See? Exactly three words.”

While we were joking with serious faces, the receptionist didn’t give me a response. Instead, a group of people emerged from the elevator at the back of the hall, drawing everyone’s attention. It wasn’t exactly a massive crowd, but it had a strong presence.

Walking at the front was Phoebe. She had her usual cold expression, one hand in her coat pocket and the other holding her bag. She ignored the people following her, her pace swift and decisive, as if she wanted to leave as quickly as possible. Following behind her were Guan Shuyun and a beautiful woman, the two of them chatting and laughing.

As I recognized the woman next to Guan Shuyun, Phoebe felt my gaze and looked over. She stopped in her tracks, a flicker of panic obvious on her face before it vanished. At that moment, I was confused. Why was Mu Duoran here?

The sudden stop made Guan Shuyun and Duoran follow Phoebe’s gaze toward me. Guan Shuyun’s smile became meaningful, as if she had been waiting for me. Phoebe changed direction and walked straight toward me. Guan Shuyun didn’t join in, choosing to keep talking to Duoran.

Approaching, Phoebe asked with a hint of displeasure, “Why are you here?”

The same old interrogation. I looked at her impatiently and replied coldly, “Why is it that after all this time, you still like asking such boring questions? I’m here because I have business.”

Seeing my hostile attitude, she knit her brows slightly. I looked past her at Mu Duoran. Duoran saw me too, but when our eyes met, she acted as if she didn’t know me at all, turning away to continue her conversation with Guan Shuyun. It was clear Phoebe and Duoran had a plan of their own.

Phoebe grabbed my wrist, showing a rare sign of weakness. Attempting to test our old chemistry, she whispered, “That lady is Doris. She is Guan Shuyun’s partner and, on some level, she is against me.”

I threw Phoebe’s hand off and whispered back coldly, “I don’t care who she is. What does it have to do with me?”

Phoebe looked into my eyes, her expression softening. She leaned closer, her voice filled with a tired plea: “Feifan, can we stop this? Come home with me, okay? You shouldn’t be here…”

I gave her a tiny smile and whispered into her ear: “Lan Feiyi, I’ll say it one more time: we are broken up. Whoever I see from now on has nothing to do with you, and you have no right to care. Also… stop making that pitiful face. It’s annoying.”

Phoebe’s expression was a mix of emotions. She stood frozen, her jaw tightening as she choked back a sob. Her outstretched hand trembled slightly before she tucked it back into her pocket. Finally, her eyes turned red with disbelief. As I walked past her, I added one last thing: “You’re the famous CEO Lan. If you cry in this setting, people will laugh at you.”