Chapter 28
Translator: Aafkee
Proofreader: Superclubs2
Yuan Ning never thought he would see such an awkward scene by chance.
He has invited a few famous stocks and bond analysts out for dinner today and the venue chosen is this high-end western restaurant that is located on the top floor of a bustling shopping centre.
Halfway through his meal, Yuan Ning was heading for the toilet and yet, when he was walking through the corridor, he coincidentally ran into a familiar silhouette at seats near the observation deck.
Yuan Ning pauses in surprise, isn’t that Mr Lu?
Lu Chuiqing is sitting on the side of the table that is facing him. There is a man impeccably dressed in a suit sitting opposite him. There are no main meals on the table, there are only two glasses of red wine and some small desserts.
Yuan Ning assumes that Mr Lu is probably having a meal with his friend here. Since he has run into him, he might as well go ahead and greet him.
Just as Yuan Ning is about to go forward, he realises Lu Chuiqing’s expression that lacks the leisure and relaxation that one would have when meeting a friend. His lips are slightly pursed and his eyes are filled with apology and sadness.
The conversation between those two seems to have just ended. Lu Chuiqing stands up, says something to the man opposite him in the end and turns to leave. However, that man stands up suddenly, grabs Lu Chuiqing’s wrist and reaches out to embrace him in his arms.
At that moment, Yuan Ning clearly sees the side profile of that man and a hint of astonishment flashed across his face.
Yuan Ning recognises the other party, he is Sheng An Insurance’s market department’s manager, Chen Yuan. Since he and Manager Qian are pretty close friends, and on top of them being ex-classmates, Yuan Ning and Chen Yuan have met before in a business setting. Although, they are only at the stage where they have only exchanged name cards.
The hug lasted very briefly. Lu Chuiqing merely nodded his head at Chen Yuan after the hug and turned to leave straight after.
Yuan Ning stays on the spot awkwardly. Although he does not want to make assumptions without any basis, it is difficult for him to not overthink things after witnessing such a scene. Yuan Ning would rather he did not witness such things at all as he walks past the corridor hurriedly, avoiding Chen Yuan’s line of sight.
Even when Ning Yuan comes out of the toilet, Chen Yuan is still seated there. Ning Yuan lifts his head and glances at him. Chen Yuan does not look like the shining elite in his memory, he merely looks like a normal man whose eyes are full of sorrow.
Even until Ning Yuan is done with his business dinner and is leaving the restaurant with his group of friends, Chen Yuan is still sitting there alone.
Yuan Ning drove and sent those few people back to their hotel before he drove home himself. He receives a call from Xiao Zhan on his way back, asking about his discussion during the business dinner.
After rounding up their conversation about work, Ning Yuan hesitates for a short moment as the scene he saw in the restaurant appears in his mind. No matter what, such things are considered Xiao Zhan’s private matter. As his subordinate, he should not comment on it as he pleases.
But he has been working so long for Xiao Zhan, plus he sincerely thinks that he should not be keeping his boss in the dark in matters regarding Mr Lu. What if Mr Lu has some sort of trouble and could not conveniently tell his boss about it?
After pondering over it for a while, Ning Yuan finally decides to tell Xiao Zhan, albeit in a roundabout way, “Oh right, CEO Xiao… I ran into Mr Lu when I was at the restaurant just now.”
“Xiao-Qing?” Xiao Zhan asks, “He told me that he was going to meet his friend.”
Upon hearing that, Ning Yuan feels even more uncertain, “Do you know Sheng An Insurance’s market department’s manager, Chen Yuan?”
“I know of him, but I can’t say we’re acquainted.” Xiao Zhan pauses, his voice becoming unhurried, “Is he Xiao-Qing’s friend?”
Ning Yuan sighs internally as he replies, “Yes.”
“Hn, I got it.” Xiao Zhan responds indifferently, “Thank you for your hard work today, have an early rest.”
At this very moment, Lu Chuiqing has no idea that during the interval when he was showering, the very thing he wanted to hide was already revealed completely to Xiao Zhan, who is currently dealing with his business matters in his study room, by just a single phone call.
Lu Chuiqing took a comfortable shower and only realised that he had forgotten to take his underwear into the bathroom when he was about to change into his pyjamas. Lu Chuiqing purses his lips, embarrassed, as he stares at the empty rack.
Although Xiao Zhan did tell him to call him if he needs anything, Lu Chuiqing is really not thick-skinned enough to shout for Xiao Zhan just to ask him to help deliver his underwear.
Xiao Zhan is still working in his study room, he should not be back too soon. Besides, the cloakroom is right outside of the bathroom, there is no problem if Lu Chuiqing hurries to find his underwear.
Lu Chuiqing is wearing oversized pyjamas with his bottom completely bare as he opens the bathroom door lightly. As he steps on the matted floor of the cloakroom with his bare feet, his naked lower half feels cold, especially since he has just come out of the bathroom filled with hot air.
He walks towards the wardrobe and opens up the drawers to rummage through them. However, there are a total of two big wardrobes that cover two sides of the wall and there are more than one set of drawers. Lu Chuiqing rummages through all kinds of clothes Xiao Zhan has and yet, he can not seem to find the new underwear Xiao Zhan mentioned.
Lu Chuiqing tries to look through the wardrobes and drawers another round and finally finds two drawers underneath the wardrobe door. Just as he bends down to open up the drawer, the bedroom door, which was not closed tight, is suddenly pushed open by someone outside.
Lu Chuiqing did not notice the bedroom door was being pushed open, he was still busy looking for his underwear in the paper boxes in the drawer. Just as he was preparing to take one out to wear it, Xiao Zhan’s voice sounded behind him without any warning, “You’re done with your shower?”
Lu Chuiqing was so surprised that he dropped the underwear in his hand. He turns around in an instant while he pulls down his pyjamas subconsciously, trying to cover his thighs as much as he can.
Xiao Zhan was leaning on the door frame with his arms crossed in front of him as he looked at Lu Chuiqing, calm and unruffled.
Recalling how he is currently naked from his waist down and how he bent down with his butt facing the door, the tip of Lu Chuiqing’s ears flushed red. Although he is blushing hard, he tries his best to control his facial expression and pretends to be unperturbed. Besides, there is nothing for him to hide from Xiao Zhan anyway. His being overly embarrassed would only make him seem pretentious instead.
Lu Chuiqing lets out a slight cough, “Hn… I forgot to take my underwear when I went for a shower so I’m trying to find it now.”
Xiao Zhan walks towards him, bends down and retrieves the underwear which Lu Chuiqing just dropped before he sits on the sofa right in the middle of the room. He extends and straightens both legs, completely relaxed, as he stretches the underwear on the edge with his long and lean fingers, indicating for Lu Chuiqing to come over to wear it.
Lu Chuiqing stares blankly for two seconds. His face, which was slowly returning to its normal colours, begins to warm up again.
Xiao Zhan, “Don’t catch a cold now.”
Even though Xiao Zhan’s current expression is not much different from his usual expression, Lu Chuiqing somehow feels diffident. He hesitates for a few seconds before his bare feet step on the soft mat as he slowly walks over.
He lifts one of his legs unhurriedly, pointing his toes slightly as he puts his leg through the thin fabric, the skin on his thigh rubs against Xiao Zhan’s finger inevitably, causing him to feel a bit itchy.
The hem of his pyjamas lifts up lightly along with his movement and posture, his soft and supple buttocks faintly discernible under the fluttering fabric.
After both his legs are in, Xiao Zhan pulls up the underwear and even smoothes the fabric of the underwear on both sides with his fingers, covering his butt.
Xiao Zhan then slides down his palms, which remained on Lu Chuiqing, finally stopping on his butt, causing Lu Chuiqing to fall forward involuntarily, both his arms on Xiao Zhan’s shoulders as he stumbles onto Xiao Zhan’s lap.
Lu Chuiqing stutters slightly, “... What’s wrong?”
Xiao Zhan reaches out and adjusts the position of Lu Chuiqing's knees, which are kneeling on both of his sides so that Lu Chuiqing can sit on his lap more comfortably before he asks, “How was the dinner?”
Lu Chuiqing, “Huh? It went pretty well.”
“Which friend?”
Lu Chuiqing’s eyes flashes. Since he can not tell Xiao Zhan the truth, nor does he want to lie to him, Lu Chuiqing can only go with half-truth, “Quite an old friend… I have known him since I was a research student. He’s working in the insurance industry. We’ve decided to meet up since we have not seen each other for so long.”
“Your classmate?”
Since he said that they met when he was a research student, it seems more logical to say that they are classmates. Therefore, Lu Chuiqing replies, “Hn.”
Xiao Zhan raises his brow slightly and asks again, “Do I know him?”
Lu Chuiqing finds something fishy the moment that question leaves Xiao Zhan’s mouth. Under normal circumstances, a person would not intentionally think about whether or not he knows his lover’s friend, especially when they were from different circles back then.
There is an extra hint of uneasiness in Lu Chuiqing’s expression. He does not think it possible for Xiao Zhan to know who he met tonight. As for Chen Yuan, given how big and wide the social circle is for this industry, it would not be surprising if Xiao Zhan really does know him.
Since he has already used “classmates” as an excuse, Lu Chuiqing can only cover his lie with another lie, “I don’t think you know him… The chances of you knowing my classmates are too slim.”
Xian Zhan sniffs lightly around Lu Chuiqing’s collar. It smells like the body soap he used from his shower, as well as another faint scent. Xiao Zhan says in a low voice, “When you entered the house just now, there was a scent of pheromone from an unfamiliar alpha, there is still some of it even now.”
Lu Chuiqing gasps, his head going blank in an instant. Alpha’s pheromone? Is it Chen Yuan’s? When did it get on him?! Perhaps, from that hug?
Lu Chuiqing feels like he can not explain himself anymore. He feels so ashamed that he just wants to dig a hole and hide in it. If he had known, he would have just told Xiao Zhan the truth!
Having another alpha’s pheromones on your own lover? How can that be acceptable? To think that Xiao Zhan did not ask him about it immediately when he entered. If it was him who noticed another omega’s pheromone on Xiao Zhan, he would have been furious immediately!
Alphas and omegas do not only release their pheromones when they are sexually excited, but they will also release their pheromones when they undergo huge emotional fluctuation, especially when an alpha could not control their desire to mark an omega with their own scent. The scent left behind by such pheromone is usually extremely difficult to get rid of with mere cleaning products.
“Besides, this ‘classmate’ of yours, that manager from Sheng An Insurance, he should be around my age, isn’t he?” Xiao Zhan stares at Lu Chuiqing’s anxious eyes, his arms tightening around him as he lowers his voice further, “Are you still not going to tell me the truth?”
Lu Chuiqing wilts completely, his heart feels both puzzled and guilty. He replies sulkily, “Alright, I’m sorry. I lied to you just now. How did you know who I met just now… But Xiao Zhan, I guarantee nothing had happened! Really! Don’t misunderstand!”
Xiao Zhan embraces him and lifts his chin, clearly waiting for his explanation.
“I first met Manager Chen at the anniversary celebration and ran into him again during my business trip. Afterwards, he told me that he was interested in me.” Lu Chuiqing can only speak the truth this time. He can not help but glance at Xiao Zhan as he continues, “But I have always planned on rejecting him, tonight’s meeting was also because I wanted to tell him what I thought clearly. He gave me a hug before I left… I guess it was a farewell hug, his pheromone must have gotten on me then… And that’s it, there’s nothing else. If you don’t trust me, I can show you our chat history!”
Lu Chuiqing wants to get off Xiao Zhan to retrieve his phone but is pulled by Xiao Zhan back into his embrace again. He asks again, “Why must you meet up with him?”
Lu Chuiqing seriously admires how Xiao Zhan can always ask all the important questions. Indeed, a text message is enough when rejecting a person you are not familiar with, there really is no need to meet up face to face just to make it clear. If he has to meet up with him, it can only mean that they have a special relationship, or there must be a specific reason why he must meet up in person.
Lu Chuiqing, “No matter what, he is my superior’s friend, it’s more polite for me to meet him in person… Oh, right, you have yet to tell me how you knew about who I met tonight!”
“Ning Yuan had dinner at the same restaurant. He said he saw you by chance.”
Lu Chuiqing widens his eyes in surprise. How lucky must he be to be able to run into his boyfriend’s subordinate when you are trying to reject another person’s confession in secret? He might as well stop his career now and buy a lottery ticket!
He stares at Xiao Zhan as he thinks it through. He decides to apologise sincerely in the end. Nervously, he says, “It is my fault for keeping you in the dark… Are you angry with me?”
Xiao Zhan stands up from the sofa, his hands remain wrapped around Lu Chuiqing’s waist. Lu Chuiqing hugs his shoulders nervously as an irrelevant thought flashed through his mind; Xiao Zhan seems to… like carrying him like this?
Subsequently, Lu Chuiqing can smell an indistinct scent of wine gushing out, refreshing yet biting, it is the smell of Xiao Zhan’s pheromone.
“Are you planning to wash away the scent of the other person’s pheromone,” Xiao Zhan carries Lu Chuiqing to the bed, kissing the back of his neck neither lightly nor strongly, a dim light seems to be sparkling in his eyes, “Or do you want me to cover it?”
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