Chapter 219
The others all looked at them with smiles, but Qingqing’s face was stiff and somewhat pale. He quickly said, “I’ll go place the order,” and turned to leave the private room as if escaping.
The private room was on the second floor, and as Qingqing was about to reach the first floor, he heard footsteps behind him. Looking up, he saw that Wen Shu had followed him. Qingqing tried to steady his nerves and smiled, asking, “Is there anything missing?”
“No, I just wanted to greet your father. It’s been a while since I last saw him,” Wen Shu replied, his eyes lingering on Qingqing’s face for a couple of seconds.
“Oh.” Qingqing handed him the order slip. “Great timing, can you give this to my dad? I’ll go get the wine for you.”
Wen Shu took the slip from him, and as Qingqing was about to leave, he suddenly said, “They were just joking around. I have no interest in Miss He.”
Qingqing was stunned, his long eyelashes trembling as their eyes met.
He couldn’t remember exactly when he had started having feelings for this man. Perhaps it was because he hadn’t thought about his last relationship in a long time, or maybe it was when he saw Cheng Yanzhou with his wife and felt no more heartache, instead feeling joyful every time Wen Shu came around.
Wen Shu was different from the other men Qingqing had met. His gentle shyness didn’t clash with his military demeanor. He was kind and responsible, not particularly skilled in conversation or humor, but he would share interesting stories to avoid awkward silences. Yet, he could be fierce when dealing with wrongdoers, once effortlessly breaking the wrist of a guest who harassed Qingqing.
One thing after another, by the time Qingqing realized it, he had already fallen for this man.
But he was not “clean.”
He had once been kept for money, used and discarded, and just thinking about those debauched past experiences filled him with shame and guilt. He even thought poorly of his own character, believing he had succumbed to the allure of money unnecessarily.
So he felt “dirty.”
He was not worthy of the man in front of him.
Seeing the situation clearly, his heartbeat gradually returned to normal. Qingqing smiled and said, “Actually, I think you and Miss He make a good match.” Not waiting for Wen Shu to respond, he quickly added, “I need to take orders from other customers. I’ll get busy now.”
With that, he hurried away from the stairs as if fleeing.
Wen Shu watched his back, looking somewhat troubled.
Everyone in Huo Youqiao’s team was quite young. Huo Youqiao himself was only in his thirties, and his secretaries and assistants were mostly in their twenties, except for Lin Xiuming, who was slightly older but still only in his early thirties.
Lin Xiuming was also the only one in the office, besides Huo Youqiao, who was married.
So, when faced with emotional troubles, Wen Shu first thought of him.
“How did I win over my wife?” Lin Xiuming laughed as he quickly understood Wen Shu’s question. “Found someone you like? Now looking to pursue them?” He rubbed his chin. “But I remember Miss He likes you too, and she’s made it pretty obvious. What more do you need to do? Just break the ice.”
Wen Shu sighed, “It’s not Miss He.”
“Then who?”
Wen Shu hesitated, and Lin Xiuming laughed, “If you don’t tell me who it is, how can I give you advice? Or do you prefer asking the boss?”
Wen Shu immediately dismissed that idea and said quickly, “It’s Qingqing.”
Lin Xiuming’s expression froze, his brow furrowing slightly. “Mr. Ye’s friend, Qingqing?”
Thinking of Qingqing, Wen Shu’s heart skipped a beat, and he nodded.
Lin Xiuming’s brows remained furrowed for a long time, his expression complex. “When did you start liking him? Personally, I don’t think you two are very compatible.” He spoke awkwardly, the hint of his true meaning not very clear. Having been by Huo Youqiao’s side longer than any other assistant or secretary, he knew about Huo Youqiao’s private life and relationships. He had witnessed the development of Huo Youqiao and Ye Zhi’s relationship and thus paid extra attention to Ye Zhi’s friends.
