He fanned himself with his hand, muttering to himself, “Is it really that hot today?”
Li Jichuan gave him a sharp look. This fool was truly something else.
“What are you two doing here?” he asked.
“Oh,” Ouyang finally remembered why they were there, tearing his gaze away from the wall of display cases, “these are the survey results from last time—9,327 responses, way beyond our expectations!”
Li Jichuan took the papers with a calm tone. “Hmm, that’s a lot. Thank you both. I appreciate it.”
Ouyang’s cheeks reddened slightly, his boyish earnestness showing. “It’s mostly Su Ge. He really cared and drove the whole thing forward.”
Hearing Su Pu’s name made Li Jichuan’s ears flush again. His emotions rarely showed on his face, so the heat rose only to his ears and neck.
“Thanks… uh, Su Pu,” he said stiffly.
“Wow, you two live together and still call each other by your full names?” Ouyang teased with a laugh. “I was curious how you’d address each other.”
Our little Pu.
Su Pu thought to himself, recalling the time Li Jichuan had called him “our little Pu” when confronting Su Fengxian. That bold, intimate gesture—pulling him onto the same side—always warmed Su Pu’s heart.
Though perhaps it was just a tactic Li Jichuan used with his family. Nothing real.
Li Jichuan, a bit overwhelmed by Ouyang’s carefree frankness, accepted the papers and was about to see them off when the office door opened again.
“Lee!!”
The newcomer had striking blue eyes, blonde hair, fair skin, and a high nose bridge—classic European looks.
“Wish me a happy birthday! You can’t skip my party tonight!”
He bounded across the desk, mixing Chinese and English as he went, throwing an arm around Li Jichuan’s shoulder.
“Last year you didn’t come, I was heartbroken. This year, no excuses, you little pup!”
Li Jichuan instinctively tried to dodge him, pushing him away. “John, I’m busy…”
“Busy? Busy doing what?”
John pouted, yet had already grabbed Li Jichuan’s wheelchair handles, steering him outside without waiting for an answer.
“If it’s money-making, take a break! The company won’t collapse just because you rest an afternoon. But my birthday? Miss today, and it’s gone forever!”
The loud, energetic foreigner stormed in, amusing Ouyang and Su Pu as he peppered his Chinese with English.
Suddenly, John turned to Su Pu.
“You’re Lee’s partner, right?”
Su Pu, caught off guard, blinked and nodded.
“Oh, the quiet little sweet angel!” John dubbed him on the spot.
“John Hansen Willson!” Li Jichuan barked, stern. “Leave him alone!”
John rolled his eyes at the air. “Wow, you’re so fierce! Married so long and haven’t introduced your partner? I’d be mad!”
“They’re just delivering the survey results,” Li Jichuan said, signaling Su Pu and Ouyang to step aside. Better not let John fixate on him.
But John immediately revered them like saviors upon learning they initiated the survey.
“You don’t know, since you showed up, Lee’s been so much calmer!” he said, winking at Su Pu. “He really values your work and mentioned it to us many times!”
Ouyang’s cheeks burned; he scratched the back of his neck shyly. “Wow, really?”
“Interesting!” John pointed at them. “You two should come to my party, join in…”
Su Pu instinctively glanced at Li Jichuan, who looked helpless.
John pinched Su Pu’s chin, inspected him, and nodded with satisfaction.
“Sweet little angel, believe me, if you come, your husband will follow too…”
Su Pu: ?
Li Jichuan: “John!!!”
Half an hour later, John’s birthday party began.
He’d rented a hotel garden, set up a lavish inflatable castle on the lawn, lit a bonfire, and placed several barbecue grills.
Li Jichuan looked helplessly at the little mute busy with the grill.
“So, you gave up an afternoon just to barbecue?”
Su Pu didn’t reply, smiling as he held up a skewer of freshly grilled beef, gesturing for Li Jichuan to blow on it before eating. He went back to grilling more.
Li Jichuan gripped the skewer reluctantly, feeling unamused. Call them over and make him serve first—was this proper?
Yet the aroma of the barbecue filled the air, rich with the smell of beef fat. He bit into a skewer—delicious! Perfect seasoning, juicy beef, slightly spicy, with a hint of white pepper. His lips tingled, the flavor lingering.
Seeing Li Jichuan eat, Su Pu smiled and grilled with even more enthusiasm. In a short while, several items were added to Li Jichuan’s personal “food catalog.”
Though he complained, everything fed to him was consumed happily, every bite savored.
After over half an hour, Su Pu had fed Li Jichuan and saved some for himself.
During this, Li Jichuan took a work call, quietly moving his wheelchair aside.
Su Pu, holding a plate of skewers, was about to find a spot to eat when he felt a weight on his shoulder.
“Lee’s partner, come here, I need to talk to you…”
John, more drunk now, leaned heavily on Su Pu, dragging him to a quieter corner.
“Lee’s a good guy. I hope you two are happy together. This kid’s reputation isn’t great…”
John plopped onto the lawn, gazing at the darkening skyline as a magnificent sunset unfolded overhead.
“As Lee’s friend, I thank you for choosing him, for being with him.”
Then he laughed, lying back in the grass. “Congratulations! Congrats!” he bowed to Su Pu.
“Ah, he’s drunk…” a man wearing a Li Corp badge said, coming over to support John and explaining to Su Pu. “He rambles when drunk. Don’t take it to heart…”
Su Pu shook his head. He didn’t mind.
John hadn’t said nonsense yet, only blessings.
Suddenly, John sat up with a mischievous grin at Su Pu.
“Little angel, want to know Lee’s secret?”
Su Pu tilted his head, curious.
The staffer tried to cover John’s mouth, awkwardly saying, “He’s drunk.”
John swatted his hand away and made a face at Su Pu.
“Lee has a boyfriend he never forgets. His wallet has that guy’s photo. I’ve seen it…”
He hiccupped, eyes glazing. “All these years, he’s been waiting for that boy.”