Lu Chen hadn’t guided He Xiaoyuan like this in a while. The relaxed atmosphere, coupled with a bit of wine, encouraged He Xiaoyuan to open up.
Turning slightly in his chair toward Lu Chen, he explained: “When I made my plan earlier this year, I didn’t initially think about networking or drinking practice. I just wanted to do my projects well.”
Lu Chen tilted his head, listening patiently.
He Xiaoyuan pressed his lips together, then continued: “It was at the last report meeting… I really wanted to perform well on stage. I was a bit impulsive—I didn’t even know why I was so eager to show off.”
“And after the report ended, I realized… maybe it was because you were in the audience.”
Lu Chen raised a brow, slightly surprised: “Me?”
He Xiaoyuan nodded, slowly: “Yes. I wanted to do well in front of you.”
Lu Chen smiled: “And you did.”
“No, that’s not it,” He Xiaoyuan muttered internally.
It was only in the last few days that he had understood. His desire to perform well wasn’t about his own pride—it was about Lu Chen, about how Lu Chen perceived him.
He Xiaoyuan continued: “I was afraid of disappointing you.”
Lu Chen followed his thought: “You’ve never disappointed me.”
“No…” He Xiaoyuan clarified. “I was afraid of embarrassing myself in front of you.”
Lu Chen raised an eyebrow, intrigued but unsure.
“Embarrassing?”
He Xiaoyuan nodded, searching for the right words: “It’s… really embarrassing.”
Lu Chen still didn’t fully grasp it—so Xiaoyuan was worried about disappointing him, worried about looking foolish in front of him?
“You really feel this way?” Lu Chen asked softly. “Why?”
He Xiaoyuan hesitated, feeling he might be overcomplicating things. Finally, he countered: “And if you… did something embarrassing in front of me?”
Lu Chen nodded slowly. “Yes… that would be pretty embarrassing.”
He Xiaoyuan replied quietly, “See?”
But it wasn’t just him.
Lu Chen’s gaze sharpened on the young man before him—of course, he could never allow himself to be embarrassed in front of He Xiaoyuan. Couldn’t, wouldn’t, shouldn’t.
He was older, expected to carry himself with poise and composure, to act appropriately, even to seem all-knowing. Only then could he present a “perfect image” to He Xiaoyuan.
Why?
Because he liked He Xiaoyuan.
In front of someone you care about, who wants to appear foolish or fail? Who doesn’t want to show their best side?
Xiao Yuan…
He Xiaoyuan, unaware of the intensity and the quiet scrutiny in Lu Chen’s eyes, turned to sip his wine, then took another small sip, lips glistening.
He continued, “Anyway… that day, I really wanted to perform well.” Especially, especially badly.
“And after that day…”
He Xiaoyuan sipped slowly, glancing toward the cabinet across the table, voice and expression deliberate: “After that day, I felt like I needed to hurry.
Hurry to grow. Hurry to move forward.
Hurry to expand my network and career.
Hurry to become more mature.”
He looked at Lu Chen earnestly. “I can’t expect you to always teach me, right?”
“I can’t keep relying on you every time I don’t know something, can I?”
Lu Chen stared at him for a moment, then said suddenly, “Why not?”
He Xiaoyuan froze—of course he wasn’t…
But Lu Chen didn’t give him a chance to explain, cutting to the heart of it with precision: “You think this ‘can’t’… what’s really behind it?”
“Do you feel you should be independent at work?”
“Or that you need to prove yourself?”
He Xiaoyuan was caught in the rhythm of Lu Chen’s questioning. “Of course I want to prove myself.”
Without pausing, Lu Chen pressed on: “You prove yourself, work hard… then?”
He Xiaoyuan blinked. “Then… then I become stronger, so the gap between us isn’t so big.”
Lu Chen leaned closer: “What if the gap is big? What if the gap is small?”
He Xiaoyuan murmured, feeling Lu Chen’s tone oddly forceful: “If the gap is big… it’s embarrassing.”
“Small?” Lu Chen pressed.
He Xiaoyuan hadn’t really thought that far. But when pressed, he muttered, “Small… uh… smaller… better, I guess.”
Better how? Why better? He didn’t say.
Lu Chen’s eyes held a deep meaning, and he offered words for He Xiaoyuan: “If the gap is small, it means your abilities aren’t too far apart. You could belong to the same world.”
He Xiaoyuan thought for a moment and nodded. That sounded about right.
Lu Chen leaned in slowly, gaze steady: “Xiao Yuan, do you want to belong to the same world as me?”
He Xiaoyuan froze—partly because the phrasing felt strange, partly because of Lu Chen’s serious tone.
“I’ll put it another way,” Lu Chen said.
He Xiaoyuan listened.
Lu Chen looked into his eyes. “Do you want to be with me?”
He Xiaoyuan froze again, startled in the way someone is by a sudden question.
With his face fully captured in Lu Chen’s gaze, every flicker of emotion visible, he realized the weight of the question.
“Together?”
“Together?!”
The kind of together he had imagined?
Lu Chen added gently, “I mean, in terms of ability, closeness.”
Ah. That was what he meant.
He Xiaoyuan’s eyes softened. He nodded slowly: a smaller gap, closer in skill, belonging to the same world—it made sense.
Lu Chen’s gaze lingered. “And what kind of ‘together’ did you think I meant?”
Serious, seeking an answer—definitely not joking.
He Xiaoyuan felt a little guilty, murmuring, “The one you just said…”
He rose. “I’m going to the restroom.”
He Xiaoyuan left the table, walking toward the restroom, heart racing. Lu Chen watched his retreating figure, gaze deep and thoughtful.
Inside, He Xiaoyuan exhaled, closing the door behind him. A sense of relief, as if escaping, washed over him.
He didn’t need the restroom. He washed his hands at the basin, thinking: he was overthinking again.
Since that night of the report, a recurring series of thoughts had invaded him—impossible, he told himself.
Impossible.
He looked at his reflection in the mirror, repeating the word like a mantra.
Impossible.
Impossible meant impossible.
Back at the table, Lu Chen leaned against the chair, quietly sipping his wine. He thought about how he’d returned today—his original plan had been to come back in two days, but he’d handled matters early and caught a flight in the afternoon.
Bad weather grounded his private jet; the tower wouldn’t clear it for takeoff. Time slipped late into the night, so he chartered a business plane that could take off anyway.
Impulsive?
More than that.
Lately, he’d been like this all the time, barely capable of rational thought.
At this very moment, he realized, he had specifically returned on Valentine’s Day to be with Xiao Yuan.
Xiao Yuan…
He thought of the boy’s worry about looking foolish in front of him, the shocked expression when he mentioned “together,” the way he had hesitated after their sudden quiet during the report meeting’s playful moment.
Thinking back a bit further, ever since the Spring Festival holiday, the two of them had been spending more time together, growing closer, and Xiao Yuan had become increasingly proactive in showing his feelings.
Xiao Yuan…
Lu Chen downed the last of the red wine in his glass, mind made up.
Not long after, He Xiaoyuan emerged from the restroom, expression returning to normal, and even commented, “Whoever did the renovation here… they put a dragon’s head on the faucet. Pretty impressive.”
Lu Chen replied casually, “Must’ve been the design company that Guan Xingping hired.”
He gestured to the chair beside him. “Come, sit.”
He Xiaoyuan moved over, hand brushing the wine glass, glancing at Lu Chen—sensing that he had something to say.
Lu Chen’s tone was gentle: “I want to talk to you about something. Find a comfortable spot to sit.”
He Xiaoyuan: ?
Lu Chen suggested, “Shall we go to the sofa? There are cushions—it’ll be more comfortable.”
He Xiaoyuan’s first thought: Lu Chen had something serious to say.
He got up, carrying their wine glasses and the bottle, moving as he spoke, “It’s probably not about work, right?”
Lu Chen stood as well. “No.”
He unbuttoned his open suit jacket, removed his wristwatch and cufflinks, rolling up his sleeves in a slow, deliberate manner.
He Xiaoyuan sat on one side of the long sofa, glancing up to see…?
Lu Chen walked over while rolling up his sleeves. “It’s more relaxed this way,” he explained.
He Xiaoyuan smiled, teasing lightly, “You’re not about to tell me a joke, are you?”
Lu Chen reached the single-seat sofa beside He Xiaoyuan, tugged lightly at his trousers, and sat down. “Probably not funny.”
He leaned to pick up the bottle of red wine He Xiaoyuan had placed on the coffee table and refilled their glasses.
He Xiaoyuan hugged a pillow, leaning back, ready.
Lu Chen handed over the glass. “Have some.”
He Xiaoyuan laughed. “Weren’t you just telling me to drink less?”
“You’re not drinking much.”
Lu Chen lifted his own glass. “A little buzz is fine.” Perfect for what was to come, making it easier to listen.
He Xiaoyuan guessed, “You’re not about to tell me bad news, are you?”
Lu Chen, sitting upright and ready to speak, took a sip and said slowly, “I wouldn’t call it exactly ‘bad’.”
He Xiaoyuan prompted, “Good news?”
Lu Chen swirled his glass. “Sort of?”
He Xiaoyuan’s eyes lit up at the possibility. “You didn’t get promoted, did you?”
Lu Chen smiled. “Nope.”
The mood felt right—no need to tense up. Nothing serious, just casual, light conversation.
Lu Chen let the moment linger, chatting casually with He Xiaoyuan, letting the easy atmosphere settle in.
He Xiaoyuan, enjoying the conversation, laughed freely, drinking a little more, his face flushed.
He touched his own cheek, murmuring, “Okay, I’m getting drunk.”
Curious, he looked at Lu Chen. “So… what is it you want to tell me?”
Lu Chen smiled. “Just chatting.”
Feeling the moment was right, he decided it was time.
Just then, He Xiaoyuan’s phone buzzed on the coffee table.
He glanced down—it was a voice call from Xu Ruomeng.
Lu Chen missed his opening, so he said, “Someone calling? Take it.”
He Xiaoyuan answered, speakerphone on at first. “Hello?”
Xu Ruomeng’s cheerful voice: “Hey, are you home alone?”
“Rushing in at the last hour of this tragic day for all lonely people, I have a momentous announcement for you!”
Lu Chen sipped quietly, watching. He Xiaoyuan leaned forward, elbows on his thighs, hand holding the phone. “Go ahead.”
Xu Ruomeng continued rapidly: “I have a stunningly beautiful, career-savvy, well-off, 25-year-old alumna, owns a house, car, and cat, whom I want to set you up with as a girlfriend!”
The moment the words dropped, He Xiaoyuan hung up immediately.
On the other end, Xu Ruomeng: ???
He Xiaoyuan glanced at Lu Chen, who was raising an eyebrow, expression calm. He said softly, “Don’t look at me.”
Then added, “I’m not your gorgeous, accomplished, well-off 25-year-old alumna friend setup, okay?”
He Xiaoyuan: “……”
Unsure what to think, he almost blurted out, quickly clarifying: “I didn’t ask her to introduce me.”
Lu Chen, calm and measured, reminded him: “You should call her back. You just hung up on her.”
He Xiaoyuan straightened. “Really!”
Lu Chen nodded calmly. “Call her back.”
He Xiaoyuan dialed again, instinctively turning away from Lu Chen, stepping a few paces toward the window.
By the window, he held the phone to his ear, voice low: “What do you want?!”
Xu Ruomeng shouted: “How dare you hang up on me?! Do you know our friendship is at risk?!”
He Xiaoyuan kept his voice low, hand covering his mouth. “I’ll call you back later.”
Xu Ruomeng: “Why so quiet? Acting sneaky?”
Then suddenly loud: “Is someone with you?! You’re not spending Valentine’s Day with someone else, are you?!”
He Xiaoyuan was speechless, could only think: keep your voice down, it’s practically on speaker.
He instinctively turned to look at Lu Chen—and saw him standing up, walking toward him, closing the distance in just a few steps despite Xu Ruomeng’s shouting on the line.
Lu Chen walked up to He Xiaoyuan and held out his hand, signaling for the phone.
He Xiaoyuan: ?
He slowly handed it over. Lu Chen took it, lifted it, and calmly addressed the voice on the other end: “Hello, this is Lu Chen.”
Then, polite yet composed, he added, “Would it be alright if I spoke to Xiao Yuan first? You can call back afterward.”