Your Boyfriend is Great! He's Mine Now - Chapter 17

Gu Linyuan didn’t see the message until the next morning. He had actually managed to get to sleep early the night before, and he decided to attribute the credit for that to the person who had made the pork rib congee.

“Manager Shen, you’re quite free, aren’t you? That’s already your second cup of coffee this morning.”

“Are you nursing a secret crush on me?”

Huang Zihua looked as though he had just swallowed something foul. “What kind of nonsense are you spouting?!”

“Otherwise, why would you be paying such close attention to my every move?”

Shen Xubai looked him over with a look of bored disappointment. “Sorry, I’m really not interested in you.”

“You!”

As a straight man, Huang Zihua was so insulted by this that his face turned a sickly shade of gray, rendering him speechless. The sound of stifled laughter from the surrounding coworkers reached their ears.

So, that’s what it feels like to talk nonsense and disgust others, Shen Xubai thought with interest. It really is quite satisfying.

“Your mouth is sharp enough, but if you’re so capable, why did your client cancel their order?”

“You really are paying close attention to me.”

Shen Xubai sighed, feigning distress. “Manager Huang, I really don’t like your type.”

“Shen Xubai!”

Footsteps echoed at the entrance. Following closely, a playful voice rang out: “President Xu, your company is quite lively today.”

A hint of embarrassment appeared on Xu Jun’s face. He shot an angry glare at the two men before offering a forced smile as an explanation. “Our corporate philosophy is ‘wolf-pack’ competition. My apologies, Young Master Gu, for letting you see such a spectacle.”

Gu Linyuan appeared perfectly accommodating. “I understand.”

“Right, right. This way, Young Master Gu, let’s go inside to talk.”

Gu Linyuan didn’t seem to notice; his gaze was fixed intently on Shen Xubai. Despite them both wearing the same black suits, the man looked dazzling and outstanding just standing there. His snow-white shirt was buttoned all the way to the top, accentuating his sexy Adam’s apple and neck. The rimless glasses perched on the bridge of his nose created a contradictory yet strangely harmonious blend of sexiness and restraint.

Perhaps his gaze was too intense, as Shen Xubai shot him a warning look.

Gu Linyuan reined himself in appropriately, smiling gently. “Actually, no need. I’ve come based on your reputation. Why don’t you let Manager Shen draft a few proposals for me?”

Most people who climb to this level are savvy, and Xu Jun immediately summoned Shen Xubai, his attitude suddenly enthusiastic. “Xiao Shen, make sure to take good care of Young Master Gu.”

Shen Xubai had no choice but to accept, putting on his professional demeanor. “Young Master Gu, please follow me.”

For someone who could command such flattery from Xu Jun, and who bore the surname Gu—anyone with a bit of sense could guess which “Gu” this was. If one could handle such a major client well, the year-end top sales award and the position of Chief Consultant would be as good as in the bag.

No one expected Shen Xubai to be the one to stumble upon such a lucky opportunity.

Huang Zihua felt a mix of jealousy and resentment; all sorts of malicious thoughts began to bubble up. With bloodshot eyes, he stared intensely at Shen Xubai’s back, wishing he could pierce right through him.

Suddenly, someone turned around, and a gaze as cold as a blade locked onto him.

The Young Master Gu, who had been so approachable and gentle moments ago, seemed like a different person. The warmth had vanished, leaving only an bone-chilling coldness.

The moment the office door closed, the chill that had been clinging to him finally dissipated. Even in the middle of June, with the office at a constant 26 degrees Celsius, Huang Zihua’s back was soaked through.

“What are you here for?” Once they were in the office, Shen Xubai dropped his professional mask and said impatiently.

Gu Linyuan looked around the office first. Instead of choosing the sofa, he plopped himself down directly across from Shen Xubai’s desk, his posture lazy. “What else would I be here for? To discuss investments and wealth management, of course.”

“Find someone else. I’m not taking your account.”

“Is this how you treat all your other clients, Senior?”

Shen Xubai had no time to play games with him. “I already made myself very clear yesterday.”

“The congee was delicious, and the water was sweet. I slept very well last night. Thank you, Senior.”

Shen Xubai choked, his brow furrowing slightly. “Are you even capable of understanding what I’m saying?”

Gu Linyuan watched him for two seconds before suddenly rising. He braced his hands on the desk and leaned forward aggressively, his tall, broad frame looming over him from above.

The distance, and the suddenness of it, made Shen Xubai tighten his grip on his pencil, his pupils constricting. Quickly, he calmed himself. If he retreated now, it would look like submission. Besides, this was the office; Gu Linyuan wouldn’t dare do anything.

Refusing to lose the upper hand, Shen Xubai endured the discomfort of the close proximity and stared back coldly. Gu Linyuan had a bold, masculine face; with the lazy, gentle smile now gone, his deep eyes carried a powerful impact. In those ink-black eyes, Shen Xubai saw himself reflected.

Thump, thump-thump—

Their breaths were only two fists apart. For a moment, Shen Xubai couldn’t tell whose heartbeat was sounding so powerful, so chaotic, and as rapid as a drumbeat. He couldn’t care less about whether he was losing the psychological battle; his instinct was to flee.

“Senior, has anyone ever told you that you look very good in glasses?”

Almost simultaneously, the rimless glasses were plucked from the bridge of his nose.

Shen Xubai went completely stiff.

Gu Linyuan leaned in even closer, so close that their breaths were blending together. He swallowed, his voice becoming gravelly and hoarse. “It gives me the urge to pull you down from your pedestal.”

What kind of nonsense is this?

He wore glasses for two reasons: he was nearsighted by about two hundred degrees, and he wanted to project a reliable image. How had it turned into something about “looking good” or “pedestals” with Gu Linyuan? Even if he didn’t fully understand it, he knew it wasn’t anything good.

Shen Xubai quickly snatched his glasses back, put them on, and retreated to a safe distance. “Get out!”

Just moments ago, he had been very tense. The mere act of leaning in had caused Shen Xubai’s eyes to widen, his dark, cool-looking eyelashes trembling uncontrollably, his whole body tensed up like someone who had been badly bullied. It made a person’s resolve soften and triggered an instinctive reaction. Compared to his current cold, “keep people at a distance” demeanor, the contrast was staggering.

Can’t push him too far.

In a split second, Gu Linyuan tucked away all his aggression. “Senior, the truth is, I’m here today because I need your help with something.”

Shen Xubai retorted sarcastically, “Is there anything a young master of the Gu family doesn’t have? I’m just an ordinary person; I’m afraid I can’t help you.”

Gu Linyuan sat up straight. “Senior, even though my last name is Gu, you should know that I’m an illegitimate child. It’s not that easy to survive in a wealthy family, and I can’t trust the people around me.”

“So? You think you can trust me?”

They had only met a few times; what kind of trust could there be?

“Yes, I believe in you, Senior.”

The answer came without a hint of hesitation, and it lacked the previous flippant tone. Gu Linyuan’s sincere tone and open attitude forced Shen Xubai to swallow the sarcasm that had been on the tip of his tongue.

“Older brother, you’ll help me, won’t you?”

“…”

“Stop talking nonsense!” Shen Xubai almost knocked over his cup. His mood, which had just barely calmed down, spiked instantly, and his tone turned sharp. But he didn’t realize that his ears were so red they were impossible to look at.

Gu Linyuan felt his throat tighten. Although he desperately wanted to strip the man bare, lock the door, and do everything he had been imagining, his remaining shred of rationality reminded him of the persona he had to maintain.

Can’t push him too far. Keep the mask on.

He bit down on the soft tissue inside his cheek and offered a faint, miserable smile. “As an illegitimate child, I have to plan for my future. I have a sum of idle money on hand, and I want to find someone I can trust to help me invest it.”

The feeling of being trusted was heavy, very heavy. Shen Xubai scrutinized his expression carefully, but besides a flicker of sincerity mixed with distress, he couldn’t detect anything else.

“Did you hear the conversation between me and Xiao Yu yesterday?”

Gu Linyuan didn’t deny it. “I heard a little.”

Just as I thought.

A mocking curve touched the corner of Shen Xubai’s mouth, and his eyes seemed to be covered in a layer of frost. “I don’t need your help.”