CH 75

Chapter 75: Nian Nian, don’t always look at me

After waiting for a while, Yu Nian discovered that Xie You’s lips were still lingering on the tip of his nose, kissing gently. He called out in confusion, “Xie You?”

Xie You’s suit, which was draped over his arm, had somehow fallen to the floor. The hallway was bathed in warm light, and Xie You’s warm palm rested on Yu Nian’s slender waist. Their body heat melded through the soft fabric of their clothes.

Xie You replied, “It’s Nian Nian who wanted to kiss me.”

He purposely emphasized the words “Nian Nian wanted.”

Yu Nian chuckled.

Xie You’s ears turned red, and he leaned closer to Yu Nian’s ear, whispering softly, “It’s Nian Nian who wanted it.”

Yu Nian leaned back against the wall, watching Xie You’s trembling eyelashes, and playfully kissed him, saying, “I just wanted to kiss once, and now I’m done.”

Xie You pursed his lips as if feeling a little aggrieved, “It’s not like that.”

Yu Nian asked in response, “Then how is it?”

Xie You didn’t say anything, hesitated for two seconds, then as if determined, he placed his long, muscular legs between Yu Nian’s and moved his hand to the back of Yu Nian’s head. He leaned in and kissed him deeply. Their tongues explored each other’s lips, teeth, and soft inner walls, their breaths intertwining. Xie You mumbled, “It should be like this.”

After the kiss, their foreheads touched. Xie You’s palm caressed Yu Nian’s cheek, and in a hoarse voice, he said, “I have to go back for a meeting.”

Their lips brushed together again, and Yu Nian’s breath became unsteady as he asked, “Did you come out in the middle of the meeting?”

Xie You averted his gaze and nodded sheepishly.

“I’ll accompany you.”

Hearing this, Xie You froze for a second, then his eyes lit up as if illuminated by a bright light. “Can you?”

“Why not? I’ve finished everything I needed to do. Whether I stay home alone or with you, I’m still thinking about you. So, I’d rather go with you. That way, whenever I want to see you, I just need to look up.” Yu Nian kissed the corner of Xie You’s lips again and smiled, “But will it affect your work efficiency if I follow you?”

Xie You said, “Of course not!”

“Really?”

“… Yes,” Xie You quickly added, “It will affect me, whether you’re by my side or not.”

Feigning surprise, Yu Nian asked, “Even if I’m not by your side, I’ll still affect your work?”

Xie You couldn’t resist kissing the corner of Yu Nian’s eye, “Mm-hmm, I’ll keep thinking about you.”

After putting on masks and caps, Yu Nian grabbed a light jacket and followed Xie You out the door. The evening traffic was smooth, and they soon arrived at the company. Entering the private elevator with Xie You, Yu Nian took off his mask and cap.

Xie You raised his hand to tidy up Yu Nian’s slightly messy hair and then held Yu Nian’s hand, placing his fingers on the fingerprint scanner.

Seeing Yu Nian looking at him, Xie You explained, “This way, you can come here to find me anytime in the future.”

The fingerprint was successfully scanned, and Xie You reluctantly let go of Yu Nian’s hand. But the next second, Yu Nian grabbed his hand.

Neither of them looked at each other, and their gazes coincidentally fell on the changing floor numbers, but their fingers intertwined slowly, one by one, until they clasped each other’s hands. In that moment, it felt as if every ridge and line of their palms perfectly matched each other.

This is the first time that Yu Nian has come to Xie You’s office.

The entire floor has been deconstructed and redesigned. The secretarial team’s and assistants’ work areas were allocated to one side, while the other side’s spacious space belonged exclusively to Xie You.

In the spacious office, two functional areas, work and rest, have been delineated. Plants and collectibles were tastefully arranged, and the overall style was restrained and calm, devoid of bright and vibrant colors. Behind the desk was a huge glass wall, offering a clear view of the neon lights of the city and the faint mist in the night.

Xie You led Yu Nian to sit on the sofa, noticing Yu Nian’s gaze fixed on the glass wall, and said, “I used to stand by this wall and look down, warning myself that one wrong step or the slightest carelessness would lead to a fall off the cliff, resulting in a tragic end.”

Understanding what Xie You meant, Yu Nian looked up at him and kissed the back of Xie You’s hand without offering any words of comfort.

“But one day, when I stood by the glass wall again, I suddenly realized that the view outside was incredibly beautiful. I thought to myself that someday I must bring you here to see it together.”

Yu Nian held Xie You’s hand tightly and nodded in agreement, “Yes, it’s indeed very beautiful.”

Xie You leaned down and kissed the mole at the corner of Yu Nian’s eye.

Afterward, Xie You sat behind the desk, put on Bluetooth earphones, and started an online video conference. Yu Nian sat cross-legged on the sofa, taking out pen and paper to write and draw.

But the air was filled with the faint scent of cedar, making it impossible for Yu Nian to concentrate. Yu Nian wrote two melodies and then got distracted, glancing at Xie You.

Xie You’s demeanor while working was different from his usual self. His facial features were already distinct, with deep-set eye sockets that appeared even more profound during work. He looked serious, devoid of any unnecessary expressions, and his gaze was sharp as if it could penetrate through anything. He spoke sparingly, issuing instructions that left no room for disagreement.

Like a decisive and resolute ruler.

At this moment, Yu Nian’s phone suddenly vibrated. When he opened it, he was surprised to see a message from Xie You.

The message read, “Nian Nian, don’t always keep your eyes on me.”

Yu Nian raised his head and observed Xie You carefully. Only then did he notice that Xie You’s expression remained serious while he attentively listened to the voice coming through his earphones and made decisions, but his ears had turned slightly red.

Putting the phone aside, Yu Nian wrote two words on the paper – “Not okay,” and raised it to show Xie You.

Upon seeing it, Xie You smiled and sent another message.

“Well, I’ll listen to Nian Nian.”

The next day, Yu Nian sat in the chauffeured car and yawned. Sitting in the front seat, Shi Rou asked with concern, “Did you stay up late last night, Nian Nian?”

“No, I just slept a little later than usual.”

The phone rang, interrupting Yu Nian’s words. Seeing that it was a call from Rong Yue, Yu Nian quickly answered it.

“Uncle Rong?”

Without beating around the bush, Rong Yue said directly, “The news is confirmed. The three children of the Zhen family have jointly entrusted Yuan Jia Auction House to hold an auction on the afternoon of May 12th. Just as estimated before, Yuan Jia has directly arranged a ‘Zhen Family Library Collection’ themed auction. By then, there will be quite a number of people from both domestic and foreign countries attending.”

Yu Nian responded, “Yes, the attendance will undoubtedly be substantial since the Zhen family’s library has always been mysterious, and what treasures it holds have always been a puzzle.”

“Indeed, one of my good friends even lamented that this time, who knows how many treasures will emerge!”

Yu Nian sensed a hint of regret in Rong Yue’s words and chuckled, “Uncle Rong, do you have quite a few targets in mind?”

“This is the key issue! I discussed it thoroughly with some idle friends. At the moment, we can confirm that the Song edition of the ‘Flower Manual,’ Zhao’s ‘Mount Tai Travelogue,’ and the Southern Song edition of the ‘Spring and Autumn Annals’ with commentaries should all be in the Zhen family’s library. There’s also a high probability that rare items such as ‘View from Jianglou Tower,’ ‘Thousand Peaks and Myriad Valleys,’ ‘Seeking the Path Amongst Heavy Mountains,’ and the Phoenix-patterned bronze wine vessel is also in the Zhen family’s possession!” Rong Yue pounded his chest with regret, “But alas, I don’t have that much money!”

Yu Nian deeply agreed, “Yes, we can only hope for a sudden windfall!”

“Exactly, nothing else matters, just hoping for a sudden windfall!” Rong Yue sighed, “In the next two days, I’ll send you the invitation letter, and you go there as scheduled. I won’t be there on the day, so I’ll ask someone else to help with the bidding; we won’t meet.”

“Alright, Uncle Rong, you’ve always been considerate.”

“It’s not a big deal. Besides this, there’s not much else I can do to help.” Rong Yue reminded Yu Nian to take care of his health before ending the call.

Yu Nian immediately called Meng Yuan, asking him to clear his schedule for the whole day on the 12th.

“On that day, you only have one interview and a dance class. You can take leave for the dance class, and I’ll reschedule the interview to the 13th; no problem.” Meng Yuan balanced Yu Nian’s personal and professional matters and didn’t ask further. He added, “The new judges for ‘Let Me Sing’ have been confirmed: you, Bai Yan, Sun Mengze, and Wei Lu, who took the place of someone else.”

“Wei Lu? I remember him clearly; I did a talk show with him before, alongside Feng Yiyang.”

“Yes, Wei Lu has been singing with his guitar for twenty years; his talent is unquestionable. Bai Ya]n is also a strong female singer, never lip-syncs, and has never missed a high note on stage. Sun Mengze plays rock and is quite temperamental, but he’s a good person and knows his place; he has been a judge a few times and is experienced.” Meng Yuan evaluated, “Overall, the judging panel for the show is quite reliable!”

He mischievously added, “In any case, they are all more reliable than Tang Xiaoke.”

Hearing Tang Xiaoke’s name, Yu Nian said, “Brother Meng, I have a feeling that given Tang Xiaoke’s personality, he might not just accept this easily.”

“Are you saying he might cause trouble?”

“Yeah, that’s a possibility,” Yu Nian chuckled, “It’s better to be cautious, but maybe I’m just overthinking.”

Meng Yuan pondered for a moment, “Alright, I’ll be cautious. You can rest assured!” He continued, “Let’s not talk about this now; finish your schedule, and come back early. In the afternoon, go and sign the contract for the luxurious series of Oumo watches; then you’ll have more money in your account.”

Meanwhile, a bright red sports car stopped at the entrance of Ningcheng University. After a while, a young man with black-framed glasses knocked on the car window.

The car window rolled down, and Tang Xiaoke, with his hands on the steering wheel, looked at him, “Qi Zhe? Yu Nian’s senior?”

Qi Zhe’s brow furrowed, clutching his backpack strap tightly, he nodded, “Yes, it’s me.”

Snapping his fingers, Tang Xiaoke rolled up the car window again, “Alright, come in.”

On the morning of May 12th, Yu Nian took an early flight to Suizhou. The weather was excellent, with the sunlight piercing through the thin morning mist, creating a pleasant mood.

However, as soon as he got into the car sent by Yuan Jia Auction House, Yu Nian received a call from Rong Yue.

“My friend from Yuan Jia told me that troublemaker Xiao Ting, the Canadian businessman who is obsessed with buying ‘Intoxicated Horse Traveling in Spring,’ is here too.”

Yu Nian was looking at the street scenery outside, “Troublemaker? Who?”

“The one I mentioned to you last time. He’s persistently trying to acquire ‘Drunken Horse Roaming in Spring.’ His name is Xiao Ting. He’s here this time as well, still asking around about it.” Rong Yue sounded worried, “Nian Nian, don’t get caught up with him. Be careful and avoid him; otherwise, you’ll have a bunch of troubles.”

Yu Nian perked up, “Alright, Uncle Rong, don’t worry, I’ll be careful.”