On Monday at noon, Pei Qingjian went to bring Lin Xingchen his lunch as usual.
Lin Xingchen’s secretary was already used to this, and Pei Qingjian had grown accustomed to it as well. Lin Xingchen noticed that Pei Qingjian seemed to have almost forgotten the awkwardness of the day Lü Jing had seen him running out in his pajamas, and wondered if he could let Lü Jing stop leaving work early to eat.
After finishing his meal and taking a nap, Pei Qingjian was ready to leave.
Lin Xingchen had a meeting to attend, so Pei Qingjian didn’t ask him to walk him out. He went downstairs on his own and headed toward the parking lot.
But before he even got there, he saw Tang Wenzhen getting out of his car and walking toward him.
Pei Qingjian: … Why is he still hanging around like a ghost?
“Long time no see,” Tang Wenzhen said as he approached.
Pei Qingjian was speechless. “It hasn’t really been that long.”
“Maybe it’s because I’ve missed you so much that a day without seeing you feels like three autumns.”
Pei Qingjian: … So cheesy, so gross.
“But I don’t want to see you,” he said flatly.
Tang Wenzhen nodded. “Alright then. Since you don’t want to see me, I won’t force myself on you. How about this—add me on WeChat?”
Pei Qingjian: ???
“Why do you want to add me on WeChat?”
“To be friends with you, of course.”
Pei Qingjian: ……
“But I don’t want to be friends with you.”
Tang Wenzhen hadn’t expected him to be so blunt. Just as he was about to speak, he heard a mocking voice from behind him: “You really do want to be friends with everyone you meet.”
Tang Wenzhen turned around. It was Xu Ya.
Pei Qingjian was also a bit surprised. Why was he here too?
Xu Ya saw him, raised his chin, and gestured, “You should go back. Be careful on your way.”
Was it that he didn’t want to go back?
It was Tang Wenzhen who didn’t want him to go back!
But judging by his tone, was he trying to help him?
Pei Qingjian nodded and immediately headed toward his car.
Tang Wenzhen wanted to chase after him, but Xu Ya stopped him.
“What are you doing?” Tang Wenzhen was confused. “What’s going on? You’re not worried about Xu Jianian anymore—now you’re worried about Pei Qingjian?”
“I should be the one asking you that,” Xu Ya said, looking at him. “Why have you been coming to see Little Pei time and time again?”
“What’s it got to do with you?”
“It has nothing to do with me, but it also has nothing to do with you. Pei Qingjian is Lin Xingchen’s boyfriend. He’s different from Jianian—he’s not single. He has a boyfriend. Do you understand?”
Tang Wenzhen understood perfectly well. If Pei Qingjian weren’t Lin Xingchen’s boyfriend, he wouldn’t have given him a second glance. But since he was, that changed everything.
“You’re suddenly concerned about Lin Xingchen? What about before? What about when Lin Xingchen was busy starting his business?”
Tang Wenzhen scoffed. “I actually thought the two of you were so close. So it turns out it’s nothing special after all?”
“Weren’t you pretty upset with him during that dinner? Didn’t you have a really low opinion of him and Pei Qingjian back then? How come now you’re acting like you’re thinking of them—of Lin Xingchen? Your face changes faster than a Sichuan opera.”
Hearing this, Xu Ya felt as if a thorn had been driven deep into his flesh.
He looked at Tang Wenzhen but said nothing.
Pei Qingjian got into the car and glanced back from a distance. Seeing Xu Ya with his back to him, blocking Tang Wenzhen, he slowly started the engine.
He didn’t quite understand why Xu Ya was here, but he had undeniably helped him.
What was he trying to do?
Pei Qingjian scratched his head, deciding to wait until Lin Xingchen returned to discuss the matter with him.
Seeing that Pei Qingjian had left, Tang Wenzhen couldn’t be bothered to waste any more words on Xu Ya and turned to walk toward his own car.
Xu Ya also returned to his car.
This was the fifth day he’d parked his car here.
Ever since last Tuesday, when he’d noticed Tang Wenzhen seemed interested in Pei Qingjian, he’d come by every day around noon.
However, Tang Wenzhen hadn’t shown up at all from last Wednesday through Friday. Xu Ya had assumed it was just a passing whim and that he’d given up, but to his surprise, he’d reappeared today.
He clearly had ulterior motives toward Pei Qingjian. But what about Xu Jianian? Had he stopped liking Xu Jianian?
Xu Ya made a call and asked Xu Jianian, “Has Tang Wenzhen been in touch with you lately?”
“Yeah,” Xu Jianian replied. “We had dinner together last night.”
Xu Ya frowned. On one hand, he wanted to get close to Pei Qingjian, yet on the other, he was still hitting on Xu Jianian.
“Don’t see him anymore. He’s not sincere with you.”
Xu Jianian was already used to hearing this from him. He said, “I know you’re looking out for me, but even the best of friends can’t take away someone else’s right to socialize, can they?”
After saying that, he added, “Of course, I’m still very grateful to you. I know you’re saying this because you care about me.”
“If you know I’m looking out for you, then why won’t you agree?” Xu Ya asked, puzzled.
Xu Jianian paused, seemingly taken aback by the question.
He fell silent for a moment before answering, “Because I think Tang Wenzhen is a decent guy. He’s helped me out many times. He’s done me a favor, and I can’t very well repay kindness with ingratitude.”
Is that so?
Then why did those favors even exist?
If Xu Jianian had listened to him from the start—if he hadn’t interacted with Tang Wenzhen and had come to me whenever he needed help—then those favors would never have arisen in the first place.
Because of the interaction, the favors were created; and because of the favors, he couldn’t stop interacting with him. It’s a vicious cycle, repeating endlessly.
“I’ve got things to do. I’ll hang up now,” Xu Jianian said.
Xu Ya nodded, murmured “Mm-hmm,” and hung up.
Seeing that Pei Qing had already left, there was no point for him to wait any longer. He started the car and drove back.
Cao Jie was knitting a sweater.
When Xu Ya got home, he saw her sitting on the couch, watching TV while knitting.
Xu Ya walked over and asked curiously, “Why did you suddenly start knitting?”
“I saw a video a few days ago teaching how to knit. The finished product looked pretty nice, so I decided to give it a try. It’s almost fall anyway, and if it turns out well, I can bring it to Xing Chen when I see him in a couple of days.”
Upon hearing this, Xu Ya remained silent.
Cao Jie looked at him and, noticing he seemed a bit downcast, smiled. “What’s wrong? Are you upset? Don’t worry—do you think Mom is the kind of person who plays favorites? You get one too; one for each of you.”
Hearing this, Xu Ya smiled. “I know.”
How could he possibly be upset over something like this?
To Xu Ya, Cao Jie giving Lin Xingchen a gift was simply the most natural and ordinary thing in the world.
After all, when they were kids going to school, Cao Jie would pack snacks and fruit into his backpack—always two identical portions—and tell him, “One’s for you, and one’s for Xingchen.”
Their parents had a close relationship, and as a result, they often looked out for each other’s children.
Later, when Lin Xingchen’s parents passed away, Xu Ya’s parents grew even more attentive toward Lin Xingchen. Xu Ya knew all this and wholeheartedly agreed with it—in fact, he had always acted this way.
From elementary school through high school, Xu Ya was always in the same class as Lin Xingchen. Even when it came time to apply for college after high school graduation, Xu Ya planned to apply to the same university as Lin Xingchen.
It was Lin Xingchen who noticed this early on, stopped him in time, and talked to him at length before finally convincing Xu Ya to apply to the school of his own choosing.
Back then, they were truly inseparable. Even though they weren’t at the same school, Lin Xingchen would often come to visit him.
When exactly did they stop being so close?
It seemed to be those three years after he went abroad. Their schedules were out of sync; when he was awake, Lin Xingchen was already asleep, and when Lin Xingchen was awake, he hadn’t gotten out of bed yet.
Even when they were both awake, he was busy with his studies and Lin Xingchen was busy with work. They barely exchanged a few words before their conversation ended in a hurry.
And even those few words they exchanged mostly revolved around Xu Jianian.
Xu Ya blinked and lowered his eyelashes.
For a long time—or rather, until Lin Xingchen told him they were done—he hadn’t thought there was anything wrong with wanting Lin Xingchen and Xu Jianian to be together.
Because he knew very well that he was doing it for Lin Xingchen’s own good; he believed his intentions were pure. So he couldn’t understand why Lin Xingchen wasn’t willing to give it a try with Xu Jianian.
His parents were gone, his grandparents had passed away, and his only uncle had gotten married during his freshman year of college.
He deserved someone who would love him wholeheartedly and be willing to stay with him forever.
Xu Jianian was exactly that person.
He had harbored a secret crush on Lin Xingchen for four years. Since they knew each other so well, Xu Ya felt Xu Jianian was the most suitable and best choice.
They knew each other inside and out, and Xu Jianian was deeply devoted and loyal.
And so, even though he was a senior and vaguely sensed his own feelings for Xu Jianian, he never made a fuss about it, but steadfastly worked to bring Lin Xingchen and Xu Jianian together.
This was Lin Xingchen’s happiness; Lin Xingchen needed a wholehearted partner far more than he did, so Xu Ya willingly swallowed his own feelings and told no one.
Later, Xu Jianian, heartbroken, went abroad to study.
Seeing him so distraught, Xu Ya was torn: on one hand, he was worried and wanted to take care of him; on the other, he feared Lin Xingchen might change her mind and try to get back together with Xu Jianian—only to find that Xu Jianian had already moved on.
So, he chose to go abroad with Xu Jianian.
He knew, of course, that Lin Xingchen was furious about it, but at the time, he felt as if he’d lost his mind.
He felt guilty, so he wanted to leave his money behind to invest in the business.
But Lin Xingchen refused; he didn’t need it.
Looking back now, Xu Ya couldn’t help but feel regret. From that moment on, the fork in the road between them had already appeared.
Seeing his mood sink again, Cao Jie asked with concern, “What’s wrong? Did something upset you?”
“Nothing,” Xu Ya replied.
He didn’t tell Cao Jie about the situation between him and Lin Xingchen. For one thing, he still couldn’t accept that their friendship had come to an end; for another, if his parents found out, they would surely be furious.
If he himself couldn’t accept this reality, how much less would his parents—who didn’t care about Xu Jianian at all—be able to?
Seeing that he didn’t want to talk about it, Cao Jie didn’t press him further. She simply asked, “Has Xingchen been busy these past few days?”
“Busy,” Xu Ya replied softly.
Cao Jie sighed. “I figured as much. That’s how it is with startups. Even with his uncle and your dad backing him, it’s still a new company, so there’s just so much to worry about.”
As she spoke, an idea suddenly struck her. “Since he’s so busy, why don’t you go help him out?”
Xu Ya: …
Cao Jie laughed. “Anyway, working at your dad’s company isn’t exactly exciting. You’d be better off going to Xingchen’s place. Don’t use your connections—just submit your resume properly and start from the bottom. First, you’ll be helping Xingchen out; second, you’ll gain some work experience; and third, you can keep an eye on things for him and see if any of the mid-to-upper management are two-faced.” ”
At that moment, Xu Ya thought of a phrase he’d learned in school—“a revelation.”
That was exactly how he felt right now. He had never considered this path before—even though he regretted abandoning Lin Xingchen back then and not starting the business with him, and even though he went downstairs to Lin Xingchen’s building every day at noon, wondering how he could salvage their friendship. But this path had never crossed his mind.
So much time had passed. He knew time couldn’t be turned back; he could never return to his senior year and start a business with Lin Xingchen.
Yet he’d forgotten that he could join now—not as a partner, but simply as an employee—and do everything in his power to contribute value.
“You’re right,” Xu Ya said.
Cao Jie also felt she had a point. “If you hadn’t wanted to study abroad back then, I would have urged you to start a business with Xingchen, just like your father and Uncle Lu did. But there’s no harm in studying, so going abroad was a good decision. In fact, now that you’re a returnee, it might even help you land a better job.”
The “Uncle Lu” she was referring to was Lin Xingchen’s father, Lu Yinkong.
Xu Ya laughed. “Then I’ll go submit my resume in a bit.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“As for my dad… I promised him I’d start at the company next week.”
“Hey, what’s the big deal? Like he’s going to compete with his own nephew for a job? Don’t worry, leave it to me.”
“Okay.” Xu Ya looked at her mother and felt a weight lift from her shoulders.
She wasted no time and quickly put together a resume.
It was late summer, the peak season for college graduates looking for jobs, so many companies were still hiring—including Lin Xingchen’s firm.
He chose a position that matched his major, sent his resume to the appropriate email address, and waited anxiously for a reply.
When Pei Qing came to bring Lin Xingchen his lunch on Friday, she unusually chose to take the staff elevator instead of the executive one.
As soon as she stepped into the elevator, she overheard people inside discussing:
“That new guy, Xu, is so handsome!”
“Look at the watch he’s wearing—he seems pretty wealthy.”
“If he’s rich, why is he working as a low-level employee?”
“Maybe he’s here to experience life.”
“I don’t think so. He was busy all day yesterday, working really hard, and I think he even stayed late.”
“Wow, he must be a workaholic!”
“No way! Xu Ya, Xu Ya… Isn’t being a runner-up good enough? Does he have to be the king and win the championship?”
Pei Qingjian: ??? What are they talking about? Xu Ya?
Pei Qingjian glanced at the group without giving anything away. When their floor arrived and they started to walk out, he quietly followed them.
Lin Xingchen’s company occupied three floors of this office building. Every time he went there, he headed straight to the top floor, so the employees on the two lower floors didn’t recognize him.
Pei Qingjian blended into the crowd and soon spotted Xu Ya, sitting at his desk, typing away on his computer.
Pei Qingjian: ???
Pei Qingjian quickly made a beeline for Lin Xingchen’s office.
“Why is Xu Ya at your company?” he asked in surprise.
Lin Xingchen: ???!!!
Lin Xingchen was even more surprised than he was.
“What did you say?!”
“She’s on the 27th floor. I just saw her.”
Lian Xingchen: ???!!!
“If you don’t believe me, go check for yourself.”
Lian Xingchen: …
Of course, Lian Xingchen wasn’t going to go down there himself. He immediately contacted the HR manager and asked her to send him the list of recent hires.
In no time, the HR manager sent it over, along with the new hires’ resumes.
Lin Xingchen opened the file and, sure enough, saw Xu Ya’s name and photo.
Lin Xingchen: …
Pei Qingjuan leaned in and asked, puzzled, “Didn’t you know about this before?”
“Of course not,” Lin Xingchen replied helplessly. “He wasn’t applying for a management position.”
Ordinary staff like that are handled by middle and lower-level managers.
Plus, with one of them on the 29th floor and the other on the 27th, it was even less likely he’d know.
Even when taking the elevator, he used the executive elevator, unlike Xu Ya, who had to squeeze into the staff elevator.
The HR manager waited a moment. Seeing that he hadn’t replied, she asked, “What’s wrong, President Lin? Is there a problem?”
Lin Xingchen: …
Lin Xingchen stared at Xu Ya’s resume on his computer. “What is he trying to do?”
“Maybe he wants to make up with you, so he came to your company to help you out?”
Lin Xingchen: …
“Do you remember what I told you on Monday? That day, he even specifically stopped Tang Wenzhen to help me leave. He didn’t show any of the resentment he had when he first met me.”
Lin Xingchen: …
“In that case,” Pei Qingjian looked at him, “I’ll go test him out for you.”