Just now, when Fu Xiaoqing was working and receiving his salary, he thought it was perfectly normal, and the same applied to the one who paid the salary. However, Huo Qijun showed no sign of sympathy for Fu Xiaoqing’s hard work. He didn’t want to wait any longer and even refused to let him help.
This gave Lin Wei a very subtle feeling, as if he was merely fulfilling the duties that came with liking Fu Xiaoqing, but for the details that require genuine affection, he couldn’t muster even a bit of concern. Maybe the eldest young master’s love was just that disconnected and uncertain; he would have to observe further.
As for whether to move or not, Lin Wei ultimately agreed: “Okay, it’s up to you.” When Fu Xiaoqing found out about this, the indescribable expression of being unable to criticize face-to-face nearly made Lin Wei laugh. Huo Qijun, unable to tolerate their harmonious interaction, urged Lin Wei to hurry and pack his things.
Huo Qijun’s home was just a short walk away, so there was no need for a grand uproar. After assuring Fu Xiaoqing to settle down here, Lin Wei casually took a few necessary items and followed Huo Qijun next door.
Upon stepping inside, he was struck by how minimalist and lifeless the place felt, almost like a model room; Lin Wei suddenly remembered that this person disliked outsiders entering his personal space. However, since the room Huo Qijun prepared for him was directly opposite his own master bedroom, it seemed that among those counted as “outsiders,” he currently did not fall into that category.
After Lin Wei had set down his things and came downstairs, he saw Huo Qijun sitting on the sofa in the living room waiting for him, with two cans of beer on the coffee table.
“Have a drink with me,” said the self-unaware patient with a stomach ailment.
Lin Wei wasn’t going to indulge him; he walked over, took one of the bottles, and replaced it with a cup of warm water. Huo Qijun clearly wasn’t happy about it, but Lin Wei wasn’t going to let him drink alcohol while trying to adjust his stomach, especially since there wasn’t even a box of milk in the fridge—he would just have to make do!
“Why haven’t I seen you care this much before?” He grumbled quietly, feeling irritated. However, for reasons unknown, he stared at the cup of warm water for a while and did not insist on getting the beer back.
Lin Wei recalled the original story and casually replied, “Wasn’t it always after you had already acted up and were in stomach pain that you called me over to bring you painkillers? How would I have cared?”
Huo Qijun thought for a moment that it really was like that, so they skipped over that topic.
One was drinking, and the other was staring at the water, and for a moment, they both found themselves at a loss for words. After a while, Huo Qijun couldn’t stand the strange atmosphere any longer. He glanced at Lin Wei and, after hesitating for a moment, couldn’t help but ask, “Why do you…”
“Why do I like men?” Lin Wei raised an eyebrow, understandingly completing his unfinished sentence.
He thought to himself that this was certainly just to appease this walking jar of jealousy, but outwardly he said, “Of course, it’s natural!”
Huo Qijun adjusted his glasses uneasily: “How come I never noticed you had this tendency before?”
“There are many things you haven’t noticed.” Lin Wei chuckled softly: “You’re really asking me why I kept it from you, right?”
Huo Qijun did indeed have that thought. Once his initial shock faded, he couldn’t help but feel that Lin Wei had kept this from him, which somewhat suggested that Lin Wei didn’t consider him one of his own. Did Lin Wei think he was also one of those worldly people with colored glasses?
“You don’t trust me,” he accused.
“This has nothing to do with trust,” Lin Wei scoffed softly, smiling as he said, “I just wanted to avoid trouble.”
“Are you worried I’ll blab about it everywhere?” Now Huo Qijun truly looked displeased.
Lin Wei shook his head in denial but said softly, “I worry that you might be overly confident and think I have feelings for you!”
“…” Huo Qijun choked on his words and sheepishly took a sip of the plain water he had just been disdainful of.
The tone of accusation he had just held dissipated at once. He really had thought that way before, although he quickly dismissed it due to Lin Wei’s overly casual attitude towards him.
However, the comment about being overly confident left him feeling both shame and anger, and he unconsciously gripped the cup tightly enough that the tips of his fingers turned white.
Seeing Huo Qijun’s reaction, Lin Wei deliberately sighed: “You don’t really think that way, do you?”
“…” Now the eldest young master’s face turned embarrassingly red.
Seizing the opportunity, Lin Wei shifted the topic: “What do you think about Xiaoqing? You always have such an unfriendly face towards her. If you keep this up, it’s going to be tough to make her like you.”
“I… honestly don’t know how to get along with her,” Huo Qijun sighed when this topic came up.
“She’s not that hard to get along with; don’t you feel a little guilty saying that?”
“She’s always impatient with me, running off after just a few words. Tsk! She jokes and laughs with you!”
Goodness! Lin Wei forced himself to smile politely: “You really don’t reflect on yourself at all.”
Huo Qijun fell silent; he wasn’t completely unreflective, but changing one’s nature is inherently difficult.
After thinking for a long time, he managed to squeeze out a sentence: “Why can’t she be like you?”
Lin Wei slowly blinked: “…?”
Huo Qijun actually began comparing seriously: “I can’t speak, she always gets angry; why don’t you get angry?”
“Because there’s nothing worth getting angry about.”
“Then you can teach her?”
“… You should stay single for now!”
Lin Wei was getting harder to keep a straight face as the system in his mind was laughing non-stop, comparable to an irritating sound, while he patted the eldest young master’s shoulder, bringing this fruitless night talk to an end.
He got up to go upstairs, and Huo Qijun initially didn’t move. After a while, he heard footsteps and, without turning his head, added, “Don’t go find more alcohol. If the number of drinks in the fridge decreases, I’ll have Fu Xiaoqing scold you.”
“…” Huo Qijun thought, doesn’t she dare scold me? Yet, hearing Lin Wei’s warning, he strangely stayed put.
Lin Wei didn’t bother with him anymore. After driving for a few hours earlier, he was feeling a bit drowsy after drinking a little, so he quickly returned to his room, took a shower, and entered sleep mode.