On the other side, Huo Qijun had already run back upstairs to his room, locking the door tightly. He took a few steps but didn’t bother to take off his suit jacket. Instead, he loosened his tie and flopped onto the bed, pulling the quilt over himself, hastily completing the action.
He lay there, feeling overwhelmed and suffocated for quite a while. Eventually, the paralyzing feeling of embarrassment gradually faded.
It was at this moment that he realized he was still holding the ring box tightly in his hand, instinctively glancing at it once more…
Ahhhhhh!!!
Some crises are such that just recalling them can trigger a fresh wave of despair.
Finally, unable to bear the oppressive atmosphere any longer, he abruptly threw off the quilt and sat up.
His hair was a wild mess from tossing and turning, and his face was flushed, whether from suffocation or shame. In any case, he looked like a mix of chaos, with the sharpness of his originally deep and handsome features significantly dulled.
Huo Qijun stared intently at the box in his hand for a moment, before he couldn’t help but open it.
The room was dark without the lights on, only the faint moonlight streamed in through the window. Despite the dim light, the platinum and diamonds inside still sparkled.
Lin Wei was right; if he had not been lazy and had attended the auction, upon seeing his parents’ engagement ring, he would definitely have wanted to bid for it. But he didn’t go, and instead, Lin Wei spent money to buy it and give it to him.
He recalled that day in the office when Lin Wei seemed to want to persuade him to go. In hindsight, he realized Lin Wei must have been hesitating about whether or not to tell him about the rings. However, he had inadvertently sidetracked the conversation with a joke, and it was never mentioned.
So Lin Wei had known all along; it wasn’t the spur-of-the-moment decision he claimed while explaining in the car. They had talked about the auction that day, and once it was confirmed that he wouldn’t attend, Lin Wei had already planned to bid for it himself to give to him.
Huo Qijun gazed at the wedding rings, feeling a whirl of emotions.
“If I were to treat a man with a warm and affectionate attitude, there would only be one possibility.”
“I want to pursue him.”
“I’m worried that you are overly confident and think I have feelings for you!”
“You wouldn’t believe that, would you?”
With a snap, Huo Qijun expressionlessly closed the ring box forcefully, placing it into the bedside drawer to avoid seeing it again. He then flipped off the quilt and got out of bed to wash up, forcing himself not to dwell on such thoughts.
Regardless of Lin Wei’s intentions, he himself had no interest in men, so why was he getting so entangled in this?
He thought he had it all figured out, only to be met with insomnia throughout the night.
The next morning, he predictably felt sluggish and couldn’t get out of bed. Lin Wei had been waiting but had not seen him come downstairs. Likely, he was still frustrated about last night’s embarrassment, so Lin Wei thought it best to give him some space and let it be.
Yet this was just the beginning; Huo Qijun began to unconsciously find excuses to avoid going home for meals. Fu Xiaoqing had asked several times, reflecting if the dishes she made really didn’t match his taste, but Lin Wei told her not to worry about it.
He had noticed that due to his involvement, the conflicts of societal barriers between the leads had diminished. Fu Xiaoqing had no intention of changing her mind, but she seemed to have softened her attitude toward Huo Qijun, leaving him utterly baffled.
Previously, this young master had been somewhat inconsiderate, yet it was evident to anyone that he particularly cared about Fu Xiaoqing. Now, facing her warm demeanour, he seemed to have suddenly lost the ability to express affection, and their interaction began to feel more like that of ordinary friends.
Whether the leads got together didn’t affect the completion of the task, as his only requirement was to ensure Huo Qijun didn’t do anything bad. Once the time came, he could gracefully retreat.
Thus, what should naturally be Huo Qijun’s responsibility—concern for Fu Xiaoqing’s future—Lin Wei found himself having to clear up the mess.
Otherwise, if Huo Qijun slowly adjusted his worldview while the originally kind-hearted Fu Xiaoqing fell into darkness due to Mrs. Huo’s unreasonable suppression, that would be problematic.
So, Lin Wei assured himself that Huo Qijun most likely wouldn’t stir up any trouble for the time being and shifted his attention to the female lead. After all, the task of cooking wouldn’t last forever; perhaps he could provide Fu Xiaoqing with a position as a nutritionist at the care facility where Fu Tianlan stayed.
He tried to discuss this topic with Fu Xiaoqing, voicing his concerns: “You will need to learn some relevant knowledge and take a certification exam. Are you willing to do it?”
Of course, Fu Xiaoqing was willing. Her previous job was just a mundane clerical position lacking competitiveness, and she had no firm attachment to returning to that role.
Lin Wei’s suggestion allowed her to escape the shadow imposed by Mrs. Huo while also being able to care for Fu Tianlan, which was ideal in her eyes.
Thus, during those days when Huo Qijun was coming home late and disappearing, Lin Wei became focused on arranging tutoring for Fu Xiaoqing and planning her exam schedule.
Initially, Huo Qijun was worried that Lin Wei might send meals to the office again, but he quickly realized he was overthinking. This time, Lin Wei seemed to stop caring about him entirely. He had eaten nothing but biscuits in the office for three days, and Lin Wei hadn’t even called him once.
It felt like he was intentionally avoiding him…
Yes, avoiding him.
Huo Qijun realized too late that his obvious avoidance behaviour could lead Lin Wei to think he was distancing himself because of that misunderstanding, and his heart sank heavily.
He hadn’t meant that at all!
Now, he was no longer concerned about losing face. Huo Qijun wrapped up the work at hand and headed home directly.
After Lin Wei had dinner at his own home, he usually answered some professional questions for Fu Xiaoqing. The system reminded him that Huo Qijun had returned home early today, but he wasn’t in a rush to go back and offer psychological support to that prideful young master. About half an hour later, he slowly made his way back to Huo Qijun’s place.
Upon entering, he saw Huo Qijun sitting on the sofa in a contemplative manner, dressed in a tailored suit, one hand supporting his head with shirt sleeves slightly rolled up, revealing his watch. Just by looking at the scene, the mature and imposing aura emitted from him could be quite intimidating.
Unfortunately, Lin Wei had long seen through this contrast in his character.
“Done with work so early today?” Lin Wei decided to save him some face and offered him a way out.