Fang Dinghao didn’t even mention the practical matters—joining Zhongshi and discussing the contract terms and benefits—right then.
He Xiaoyuan left the riverside toward the car. Fang Dinghao followed him like a hyperactive squirrel, never stopping his chatter:
“What’s going on with your big boss?”
“You’re barely in your twenties, just graduated from college, right? And he’s a big boss. How could you, a newbie, even meet him?”
“Did he… turn you?”
“Straight men can’t like men, right?”
“Hey! Tell me!”
“I’m about to join your company, and I can’t even know these inside details?”
“Hey, He Xiaoyuan!”
The sun was bright, a gentle breeze blew—it truly felt like spring had arrived.
He Xiaoyuan ultimately succeeded in recruiting Fang Dinghao.
After confirming Fang Dinghao’s intention to cooperate, two days later on the weekend, Lu Chen personally took He Xiaoyuan and Fang Dinghao to the office of the technical team in a certain industrial park.
It consisted of two small white buildings, which didn’t look different from others in the park from the outside, but the security was tight. Inside, there were three layers of access control.
The team’s main leader personally gave them a tour, explaining the team’s general situation, then led them to a newly prepared office on the third floor specifically for Fang Dinghao.
The contract negotiations regarding benefits and shares would take place there, with the team’s lawyer present to coordinate and assist.
Fang Dinghao fiddled with his phone: “My lawyer is also on call remotely. If nothing is disputed, we can sign the contract today.”
The team leader: “Of course.”
He Xiaoyuan noted that Fang Dinghao also had a lawyer present and realized that in formal business, it was wise for both the company and the individual to have legal representation.
He hadn’t thought of this before, hadn’t asked Fang Dinghao, and realized he had been careless.
He Xiaoyuan quietly made a mental note to correct this in the future.
At that moment, Fang Dinghao walked past a few empty office doors and curiously asked: “Is nobody working today?”
The whole building felt completely empty.
The team leader explained that everyone was usually very busy on weekdays—some leaving at eight or nine in the evening, others working straight through to one or two in the morning.
In the past, weekends still had a fair number of people working, but after one colleague collapsed in the office after working over twenty hours straight, Mr. Lu prohibited employees from consecutive overtime at this office. Weekday schedules were flexible, but weekends had to be off.
Fang Dinghao thought to himself that Lu Chen, this capitalist, didn’t seem entirely heartless.
The four of them went to the office prepared for Fang Dinghao.
It was a decent-sized office, equipped with desks, chairs, cabinets, computers, and even a sofa with a tea table by the window.
Fang Dinghao sat in the chair, lounged on the sofa, and walked to the window to look outside, seemingly satisfied.
Not long after, the lawyer arrived with a folder and a tablet. Upon entering, he greeted Lu Chen: “Mr. Lu.”
Then the team leader acknowledged He Xiaoyuan with a nod, before turning to Fang Dinghao and extending his hand: “I’m Xie.”
Fang Dinghao shook hands and nodded: “Lawyer Xie.”
He added: “I hope you don’t mind my lawyer working remotely.”
Xie smiled, loosened his suit, and settled on the sofa: “No problem, that’s fine.”
…
Lu Chen and He Xiaoyuan stepped out of the office—they hadn’t participated in Fang Dinghao’s negotiations regarding compensation. Since it wasn’t directly He Xiaoyuan’s business, Lu Chen left it entirely to the lawyer and the team leader.
A few steps away, He Xiaoyuan jokingly whispered to Lu Chen: “Hope Fang Dinghao isn’t asking for the moon, right?”
Lu Chen glanced at him, silent, but remarked: “Do you call everyone older than you ‘brother’?”
He Xiaoyuan raised an eyebrow: “I don’t.”
Lu Chen explained: “Calling him ‘Haoge’ is flattering him—he’s my case.”
“You’re my bro.”
Lu Chen smiled, clearly pleased.
As they headed to the elevator, Lu Chen asked if He Xiaoyuan wanted to explore further.
“No, it’s fine,” He Xiaoyuan replied. Nothing interesting to see—just offices, computers, and server rooms, all empty. They could just wander around outside until Fang Dinghao finished signing the contract.
Stepping into the elevator, He Xiaoyuan asked curiously: “Is this team a subsidiary or a newly registered company?”
“A newly registered company,” Lu Chen answered.
The elevator doors slowly closed.
The recent days had been sunny, the warmth of sunlight on their bodies pleasant. Behind the building, a large lawn had green shoots already sprouting from winter-bare branches, and a nearby pine stood lush and full.
He Xiaoyuan and Lu Chen strolled across the lawn.
He Xiaoyuan remarked: “It’s already March. Time flies.”
He still remembered celebrating Valentine’s Day with Lu Chen not long ago, and it was only mid-to-late February when he first met Fang Dinghao.
Fishing had brought them into the early days of spring.
He casually said: “This season seems perfect for traveling.”
Lu Chen walked leisurely beside him and asked: “You want to go?”
He Xiaoyuan thought for a moment: “A little.”
Then quickly added: “But maybe later, when we have time. Let’s focus on work first.”
Walking side by side, Lu Chen glanced at him: “Fang Dinghao has been recruited. This ‘project’ is done—you could take a break, maybe go on a trip.”
He Xiaoyuan thought: That’s a ways off.
Strictly speaking, this wasn’t a proper case yet.
He had always been diligent at work—once Fang Dinghao’s part was done, he’d still need to continue working. How could he rest? His seniors, Mr. Chang and Mr. Xue, never said that finishing a project meant taking a holiday. At most, he could slack off a little.
“I need to think about the work I have coming up,” he muttered.
Lu Chen watched him, silently noting how hardworking and ambitious his young boyfriend was.
“You need balance,” Lu Chen gently advised.
He Xiaoyuan spoke casually: “I’ve been fishing and chatting outside every day recently, way too relaxed.”
Lu Chen: “Then we’ll move over the weekend.”
He Xiaoyuan froze.
Move…
He turned to Lu Chen, realizing the man wasn’t joking.
Move… live together…
He pressed his lips together and looked up at Lu Chen with pleading eyes.
Lu Chen met his gaze calmly: “Hmm?”
He Xiaoyuan, for a moment, looked like a very obedient little lamb.
The sunlight made his face porcelain-like and soft, his long eyelashes and light brown eyes catching the light. His features outshone the spring flowers.
Lu Chen’s heart melted.
He suddenly felt hesitant to push him—like he’d be bullying a little lamb into cohabitation.
How could he dare? He felt too protective.
So Lu Chen first spoke, patiently and gently: “Is it that you don’t want to? Or is something troubling you?”
He felt that He Xiaoyuan’s silence was already expressing reluctance to live together.
He Xiaoyuan blinked, dragging out a long “Mm—” as if thinking, hesitating. Finally, looking into Lu Chen’s eyes, he asked: “Do you really want to live together?”
“Of course, I want to,” Lu Chen replied plainly.
He Xiaoyuan truly felt conflicted.
He didn’t really want to—he felt he probably couldn’t handle it.
But since Lu Chen said he wanted to, He Xiaoyuan felt he couldn’t say no.
He sighed inwardly: Sigh… he really can’t help it.
He could only admit: “I… I can’t.”
“No?”
Lu Chen didn’t understand for a moment.
“What?”
He Xiaoyuan looked even more awkward, because it was really a bit hard to say.
“Well… that… maybe, maybe not.”
“Hm?”
Lu Chen asked softly, “Which one?”
He Xiaoyuan: You know… that one.
Lu Chen’s expression shifted for a moment. Then he understood and paused, a trace of surprise showing on his face.
He Xiaoyuan: ?
What was that reaction?
Lu Chen smiled, looking at He Xiaoyuan, and said directly, “You thought it was that?”
“Living together automatically means… sex?”
He Xiaoyuan’s face immediately turned red at the last two words.
Who says things like that so directly?
Those two words… can you even just say them out loud? Understanding them silently should be enough. Why say it?
His ears burned bright red.
Lu Chen: “Is that how you understood it?”
He Xiaoyuan: “If not?”
Living together doesn’t mean sleeping in the same place?
Sleeping in the same place doesn’t mean doing… that?
Lu Chen: “So that’s how you understood it.”
He Xiaoyuan: “Then how else am I supposed to understand it?”
Isn’t that the only way to understand it?
Now He Xiaoyuan’s entire face was blushing, not just his ears.
“Isn’t it?”
He blinked, his eyes clear and innocent as sunlight sparkled in them.
Lu Chen smiled and explained, “I just want you to move in. I’ll leave the second bedroom for you. Nothing else.”
“I want to be able to see you before going to sleep—not through messages, but in person, to say good night.”
“And I want to see you first thing in the morning, to say good morning in person, and have breakfast together.”
Lu Chen said slowly, word by word, “I want to establish intimacy with you.”
“Get in bed?”
When did living together mean that?
He Xiaoyuan finally understood, and almost wished he could dig a hole and bury himself in it.
For a moment, he didn’t know what to say, only letting his face grow redder and looking at Lu Chen with those sunlit, crystal-clear eyes, innocent and unguarded.
Lu Chen lifted a hand and pinched He Xiaoyuan’s chin. “Where are your thoughts going?”
He pinched again, then realized, “Ah, I get it now. In straight male logic, living together means that.”
He Xiaoyuan: “…”
What straight male logic?
They’re both men, they should both understand. Living together among men means that.
Not his fault for misunderstanding.
He Xiaoyuan was about to speak when Lu Chen stepped closer and said first, “So what you meant by ‘not possible’… you meant ‘that’ isn’t possible.”
His voice lowered, dark and subtle. “Really not possible? We haven’t even tried.”
He Xiaoyuan: “…”
Lu Chen stepped even closer, voice dropping further, “Actually, even if you can’t, it’s not a big deal. I’m still quite capable.”
He Xiaoyuan: “…”
Lu Chen: “You’ll see once you try.”
He Xiaoyuan: “…”
He Xiaoyuan’s entire upper body was flushing.
In broad daylight… what kind of conversation is this?
He waved Lu Chen’s hand away from pinching his chin. “Stop talking!”
Lu Chen withdrew his hand, but leaned closer again. “No ‘that’ for now—will you move in?”
“Wasn’t it agreed? Within two weeks, find someone and move in.”
Lu Chen added, “Don’t feel pressured. I’m not impatient about that stuff. Just because you move in doesn’t mean I expect anything to happen.”
He Xiaoyuan’s face felt like it was boiling.
He turned away, walked a few steps, and fanned his face with his hands. Broad daylight, under the sun… what kind of things are we even talking about?
Upstairs in the office, Fang Dinghao tossed his phone to Xie Lü, letting the two lawyers talk while he wandered to the window out of boredom.
He glanced down and saw the two of them, then quickly pulled the window closed, peeking out cautiously. Eyes wide, ears on full alert—what are they saying? Why are they so close? Speak up a little, can’t hear a word!
Fang Dinghao leaned further out the window, eventually leaving his entire upper body outside, only his backside stuck on the ledge.
At that moment, the office door opened. A tall, broad-shouldered man wearing glasses and a white shirt, exuding a reserved aura, stepped in.
As soon as he entered, he glanced toward the window and first saw… a round, firm backside.
“President Meng,” the person in charge greeted.
President Meng responded with a brief “Hmm,” then scanned the sofa area before returning his gaze to that same backside.
This was the rumored Fang Gong?
—
Fang Dinghao successfully signed the “contract,” officially joining the Zhongshi project.
He Xiaoyuan happily followed Lu Chen’s car as they left.
In the car, He Xiaoyuan was no longer blushing. He thought carefully and seriously told Lu Chen, “Give me two weeks too. I’ll give you an answer within two weeks.”
An answer on whether he would move in and live together.
Lu Chen: “Okay.”
Now they needed to meet with Xu Ruomeng, as they had arranged for today. He Xiaoyuan was officially introducing his boyfriend to his good friend.
He Xiaoyuan had originally wanted to meet at a restaurant, but then realized that if Xu Ruomeng knew who the boss of Sipu was, meeting Lu Chen at home might be safer. Otherwise, Xu Ruomeng might scream in surprise right there, so home was more convenient.
So now, they were on their way to Xu Ruomeng’s house.
Xu Ruomeng sent a message, asking where they were and if they were close.
He Xiaoyuan: [“Had a little thing to deal with, just leaving now, about forty minutes.”]
Xu Ruomeng: [“OK.”]
Xu Ruomeng: [“I’m already wearing my prettiest dress, and my makeup is done.”]
He Xiaoyuan smiled: [“No need to be so formal.”]
After a moment’s thought, he added: [“Xiaomeng, can I ask you something?”]
Xu Ruomeng: [“Hm? Go ahead.”]
He Xiaoyuan: [“Do you know who the boss of our company is? I mean the founder, the actual owner of everything.”]
Xu Ruomeng: [“Of course—President Lu, right?”]
As expected, she knew.
He Xiaoyuan: [“You better prepare yourself mentally in advance.”]
Xu Ruomeng: [“??? Why? You’re not bringing the big boss to meet me, so what do I need to prepare for?”]
Xu Ruomeng: [“Wait… your Lu-ge also has the surname Lu. He’s not related to the big boss, is he?”]
He Xiaoyuan: [“Nope.”]
Xu Ruomeng: [“Phew. .jpg”]
He Xiaoyuan typed, originally thinking of just telling her directly, but realized that without meeting in person, Xu Ruomeng might not believe it. So he decided to wait—after all, they were about to meet anyway.
Meanwhile, back in Lu Chen’s car…
He Xiaoyuan glanced at the back seat and saw a pile of large boxes stacked there. He quickly turned his gaze forward and looked at the passenger seat. “Do we really need this many?”
Do we really need to buy this many luxury bags at once?
Lu Chen, driving: “Of course.”
“This is the first meeting. Etiquette should be thorough, and your good friend should be left with a good impression.”
He glanced at the passenger seat again. “Besides, you’re taking two weeks to decide whether to move in.”
“I’ll give extra gifts to win you over. And if you still reject me after two weeks, I can have someone persuade you.”
He Xiaoyuan gritted his teeth and finally said, “Even if I don’t understand luxury goods, I know these are Hermès.”
Hermès isn’t cheap… right?
All of this combined must be close to a million!
He Xiaoyuan asked again: “Do we really need this?”
Lu Chen shrugged calmly, as if saying: It’s fine, just a splash of water—pennies.
He Xiaoyuan: “…”
Fine, whatever.
He Xiaoyuan sent another message to Xu Ruomeng: [“Prepare yourself mentally.”]
Xu Ruomeng: [“?”]
Xu Ruomeng: [“What now, does your boyfriend have three heads and eight legs?”]
He Xiaoyuan thought for a moment, then decided to warn her in advance, fearing she wouldn’t be able to handle it later: [“He bought Hermès gifts for you.”]
Xu Ruomeng sent a ten-second voice message.
He Xiaoyuan clicked to play it, hearing her scream: “Ahhhhhhh! He’s my dad! You’re my real mom!”