CH 20

An Wuyang ripped off a few tissue lines and wiped them after urinating. Then, he stepped on the trash can’s lever by his feet and threw the tissue in. Only then did he tie the laces of the sweatpants. 

Habitually, he kicked up the water switch, swiveled around, and his heart almost jumped when An Wuyang saw Huo Yunchuan behind him. He said, confusion written on his face, “… Okay.”

‘When did this guy follow up….’

“Hm.” Huo Yunchuan tugged his collar and opened the cubicle door as he turned around. The scene just now filled his mind daze right now. For sure, he felt hot. 

‘Although I don’t recall how I looked when I was seventeen to eighteen, it’s impossible… being so delicate and clean. Tsk, I just said he was still a boy with no hair.’

Huo Yunchuan moved to the side to let An Wuyang out first. The latter straightened the T-shirt’s crumpled hem as his last fix. His foot had not even touched the bathroom’s tiled floor when he heard his father’s voice approaching. 

Frightened, An Wuyang retreated hastily and closed the door. He inched his head up and met Yunchuan’s puzzled eyes. “That…” his mind went blank. 

“En?” Huo Yunchuan watched him as he calmly waited.

Having to sit in a cramped space, not overlooking the silent, ambiguous mood it emanated, would make anyone’s heartbeat race inexplicably -– looking forward to what the other party would utter next. 

“That’s right. Thank you for taking care of me,” An Wuyang breathed while his ears listened to Father An’s movements outside the cubicle. 

Huo Yunchuan stared at the youthful face, took a lungful of breath, and whispered too, “This is what I ought to do.” After all, what they were dealing with was no trivial matter.

‘Can’t this guy understand what it means to have a child together?’

“Right.” The sounds of turned-off tap water, footsteps to cubicles, and doors closing reached An Wuyang’s ears. 

He felt relieved and showed a small smile. “Then, let’s go out.”

A smile that bloomed only once, even if short-lived and pinned on the corner of the mouth, made Young Master Huo’s heart twitch. 

The boy who loathed him beamed at him. 

He suddenly felt the urge to take a swig of a strong alcoholic drink and puff on a cigarette to suppress his shock.

“—” 

But on the outside, Huo Yunchuan was still indifferent. He reached down to open the door and tipped his chin at the youngster. 

The nobleman’s pride manifested vividly. 

An Wuyang hastened his actions and headed to the sink to wash his hands. 

Noticing the flushing from behind, An Wuyang shot out and grabbed Huo Yunchuan’s wrist, pulling him outside with his head lowered. 

Huo Yunchuan, still recovering, became more astonished and dazed the entire walk to the office. And only regained his reason when they returned. He pretended anger and lectured, “Next time, you can’t walk so fast.”

“Okay.” An Wuyang realized that the other’s hands were still dripping wet. He promptly searched for a tissue and handed it with a bowed head. “I’m sorry.” He did not mean to haul him away before he could wash his hands.

“…” Only then did it become known to Huo Yunchuan that he had not finished rinsing, so he received the tissue and wiped it. 

After discussing with Gao Yan again, the latter raised, “Mr. Huo, would you like to have a meeting with the management?”

“Farewell, lah, it’s getting late now.” An Wuyang kicked Huo Yunchuan’s polished leather shoes and whispered to him, “I want to go to a pastry shop.”

Gao Yan: “…” Honestly, can you shut up and let Huo Yunchuan decide?

“Then, ’til next time.” Huo Yunchuan added, “Don’t be in a hurry to conduct a meeting; you should 

familiarize yourself with the work first.” Afterward, he picked up his “nanny bag,” packed with cups, tissues, umbrellas, a tiny electric fan, and snacks.

As they walked out of the air-conditioned room, An Wuyang held a small fan. He hovered it right across his face, relishing the cool air.

Having received a social signal earlier at the lavatory, Huo Yunchuan could not help but lean closer to the youngster. Close enough for the emptiness between their arms to disappear.

“The weather is already hot. Let’s not lean too close, ah.” An Wuyang shrugged as he boarded the elevator, finally unafraid of being discovered by his father. Meanwhile, Mister Huo became a nuisance, oblivious to being used as a blockade. 

Huo Yunchuan: “…”

Today’s mood fluctuates with considerable differences.

At the door of Huajia Bakery

By the time they arrived, it was already noon, and the sun outside could burn someone to a crisp. 

“Stay still.” Huo Yunchuan glared at the boy about to open the car door. He unfastened his seatbelt and took out an umbrella before stepping out of the car to open the latter’s door. 

“Seriously, you can’t be like this….” An Wuyang reasoned, “Appropriate sun exposure is good for the body.”

“Get out.” Huo Yunchuan knocked on the car’s roof. 

This guy’s skull is not fully grown at all. Such a fierce ultraviolet ray, to bask in the sun is a mere fart. 

An intense heat wave hit them like a truck outside, making one’s noses perspire. 

An Wuyang led Huo Yunchuan across the road. The glare was so intense that he could not open his eyes, and he was grateful that he had an umbrella above his head. 

‘Honestly, I was just muttering earlier since I thought Huo Yunchuan cared for me frivolously—it was uncomfortable.’

“Welcome… er…” The lady at the cashier immediately recognized An Wuyang. “Xiao An? Are you coming back to work?”

“Sister Wen. No,” An Wuyang said. “I’ve come to speak to the store manager.”

“He’s at the back.” The lady pointed to the lobby while her eyes drifted to Huo Yunchuan with curiosity. 

She felt that this gentleman accompanying An Wuyang was… odd.

“Will you be waiting for me here?” An Wuyang raised an eyebrow.

“None of your concern.” Huo Yunchuan replied and cocked his chin.

An Wuyang nodded and walked in. 

He explained his purpose for coming smoothly, which was understood very well. 

An Wuyang burrowed another inch deep in guilt when the store manager quickly packed some snacks and bread when he heard An Wuyang was leaving. Apparently, all staff who quit before him had received the same farewell. 

It was indeed a unique and humane pastry shop.

An Wuyang thought that if it wasn’t for his unexpected pregnancy, he would have been attending university now. 

“I’ll carry it.” Huo Yunchuan took the brown paper bag, which weighed about two pounds.

Once settled inside the car, he turned to face the young man—his face donning a weird contemplative expression. “If you want to eat similar refreshments, I’ll take you to buy a variety that suits you. Your family should have these for now.”

An Wuyang snorted, “Oh, I know—these things are high in sugar and calories.”

Huo Yunchuan’s eyes quivered, and he replied with a suave: “Well.”

After lunch, Young Master Huo, in a good mood, carried the babysitter bag in his left hand and a fruit preservation box in his right. He walked down the company’s hall with his usual gait and became even more of a focus. 

“The lounge is in the left corner.”

“Okay,” mumbled the dog-tired An Wuyang. After entering Huo Yunchuan’s office, he dallied no further toward the lounge area and leaped on the bed to sleep.

Meanwhile, President Huo set his things away before following into the room and adjusting the temperature for the already dozing-off youngster. In passing, he took off the other’s shoes and placed his feet neatly on the bed. 

Mister Huo, who had been absent from work the entire morning, tackled his work at noon. 

He would jump on his feet every half an hour to check on the other. He would linger for 30 seconds, never exceeding 40, then continue working. 

An Wuyang slept until half-past three in the afternoon and was roused by a phone call. 

“Wuyang, let’s go out tonight, yah. I’ll introduce you to a girl.” The voice belonged to his classmate, Fatty, which brimmed with uncontained excitement. 

Being woken up in the middle of sleep, An Wuyang felt quite annoyed. He rubbed his eyes and said, 

“What, girl? You pick up a girl when you haven’t lost weight still?”

“The one from the senior high school next door is pure and beautiful,” Fatty said, “Don’t talk fucking rubbish! We’re short in the attractive index here. So, if you don’t come here, the girl won’t go too.”

“You used my photo to ask a girl again?” An Wuyang’s forehead creased. He got up and added, “I won’t go. Do it yourself.” 

Little Fatty scratched his head. “Damn it.” Back then, if An Wuyang came out, he would also join him. 

If one wanted to pick up girls, the other would offer his full support. 

“Just this time, okay? I’ve already praised air much, so you must not let me fall from the stage,” Little 

Fatty implored. “Please, Yang-ge. I’ve managed to get in touch with great difficulty.”

“I honestly cannot go. It’s… inconvenient.” An Wuyang wiped his face in stress and said, “I have resigned from the part-time job. Sick.”

Little Fatty was silent, and An Wuyang could vividly imagine his vexed, fatty face. 

“Alright. You rest well, man. I’ll think of a way myself.”

“Yeah.” After hanging up the phone, An Wuyang placed his arm over his closed eyes. But he could not fall asleep with the turmoil in his heart. 

“Sigh…” Little Fatty was one of his handful of close friends. He was very loyal and had helped him several times before. 

That love-mad demon dreamed of having a girlfriend for so long. Unfortunately, all girls thought him to be too fat. Thus, he never found the love he continued to look for. 

An Wuyang knew that 90% of pretty girls dislike Little Fatty. Still, his sitting idly by and remaining 

indifferent disgusted him more.

— Fatty-ge, time, and address. 

— !! Ji Xiang Road, near Nanhui River. Waiting for you at the entrance at half past 6!

— So early?

— We’ll be eating, watching movies, and drinking all in one stop. So, it’s straightforward and excellent.

An Wuyang glanced at the time. The arrows had just ticked past four o’clock. It seemed that he had to lie again. 

Telling the truth was not an option. Even if he did, the other would certainly be there surveilling.

An Wuyang mused upon it. Then, he got up on the bed and wore his shoes.

“Mister Huo,” An Wuyang said. “I am going to the bathroom.”

The man, who did not even lift his head to his arrival, promptly put down the object in his hands, got up, and ushered An Wuyang. “Go ahead.”

“…” An Wuyang itched to confirm. He looked back as he walked and said, “Did you read any guide?” 

‘Then, followed it strictly onto the very last detail?’

“Eyes on the road.” Huo Yunchuan gave an indirect answer. 

“Would you like to have an early meal tonight?” An Wuyang threw casually while his eyes fluttered. “I have something to do at home today. I need to be at home early.”

Huo Yunchuan deferred for a long time. He walked into the lavatory and said, “Sure.”

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An Wuyang flashed a smile at him. “Then go out.”

Huo Yunchuan raised his eyebrows and remained stationary. “I’ll wait for you.”

“Leave.” An Wuyang grumbled, “I-uh-fine.”

A few seconds later, Young Master Huo stood before the lavatory door with a splendid expression. His heart suffered a tremendous blow and tremors.

He actually felt like it wasn’t worth sweating it. When it’s pounding like a lunatic. 

Around six o’clock in the evening, An Wuyang arrived home. 

“Bye-bye.” He stood before the elevator doors and waited for Huo Yunchuan to go down. 

The man held down the elevator door button and motioned An Wuyang to enter the flat. 

The latter could do nothing, so he did what he was told. 

Two minutes later, he carefully opened the door and vamoosed down when he spotted no one. 

— Little Fatty, wait for me for a little more. I’m on the way.

Seated inside the car, Huo Yunchuan, who rolled the car windows down for a smoke, caught sight of a figure emerging from the community gates. It was as clear as day. It was the young man he had just delivered.

“Boss, to Nanhui River,” An Wuyang stepped into the car and breathed.

Witnessing the other hitching a lift, Huo Yunchuan narrowed his eyes dangerously. He brought the cigarette butt to his lips, dragged a long hard breath, then threw it away before stepping on the gas to follow the taxi.

The author has something to say:

Mr. Huo is going to be sad