I Fell In Love With My Friend's Younger Brother Who Has A Low Sense Of Presence. - Chapter 17:
Chapter 17: Bring Me Breakfast
Su Shixiao: “He drove me to the hospital.”
“He actually drove you to the hospital?” He Junsui sounded very surprised. “I didn’t think he was that kind-hearted.”
“It’s probably for my brother and Xiao Bei’s sake.” Su Shixiao dried his hair with a towel and walked into the bathroom as he spoke. “Alright, I’m hanging up. Talk to you later.”
He hung up the phone and then received a message from Nan Yanzhou.
Seeing the message pop up on his screen, his heart skipped a beat, and he clicked it open.
Nan Yanzhou: I have something to do at the company tomorrow. Bring me breakfast.
Nan Yanzhou: Consider the dinner invitation settled.
Nan Yanzhou: OK?
Su Shixiao stared at the screen for a few seconds before typing his reply.
Yuan Xiao: OK.
Downstairs, he bumped into his grandpa and smiled slightly. “Grandpa.”
“Xiao Xiao, why are you just coming down now? Didn’t you go out?” Grandpa Su asked, a little surprised.
Su Shixiao replied, “No, I just woke up.”
Grandpa Su explained, “Oh, you usually get up early for breakfast. We didn’t see you this morning, so we all thought you went out early.”
Su Shixiao’s hand paused. He didn’t see Xiao Bei or his brother and asked, “Where are my brother, and Mom and Dad?”
Grandma Su came in from outside and heard his question. She smiled. “Your brother is on a business trip. Your parents and Xiao Bei went to your maternal grandmother’s house.”
“Then why didn’t they ask me to go along?” Su Shixiao pursed his lips, his voice slightly strained. “Is it because I got up late today, and they all thought I went out to play early?”
“Yes, you usually get up early. We didn’t see you all morning, so we all thought you went out. Didn’t you?” Grandma Su said as she walked until she stood in front of him.
“No, I just woke up.” The emotion in Su Shixiao’s eyes flashed, and he curved his lips into a smile. “Grandpa, Grandma, I’m starving. I’ll go get something to eat.”
Grandma Su stroked his head. “You must be hungry. Grandma will make you noodles to eat.”
Su Shixiao leaned back slightly. “Okay, thank you, Grandma.”
“Go sit on the sofa for a bit. Grandma will be quick.”
“Mmm.”
Su Shixiao sat on the sofa in silence for a few minutes. He took out his phone and aimlessly scrolled through his Moments. As he scrolled, he saw a photo his brother posted of himself with his maternal grandparents.
His fingers paused. He looked at the photo for a moment, then expressionlessly scrolled past it. Forget it. Whether I go or not, it’s the same. The same favoritism, the same neglect.
Monday.
Because Su Shixiao had promised to bring Nan Yanzhou breakfast, he got up early and helped the maid make it.
He could have just told the maid, but he inexplicably felt compelled to make the breakfast for Nan Yanzhou himself. He packed the breakfast, finished his own before his family woke up, and went straight to the company.
When he arrived, the company doors hadn’t opened yet, so he wandered around nearby.
At his desk, thinking Nan Yanzhou wouldn’t arrive so early, he opened his computer and continued working on the game character modeling from before.
About an hour passed before he knew it. He looked up and saw that everyone in the department had arrived, and he also saw Assistant Cheng walking toward their department.
“Su Shixiao, Mr. Nan is asking for you to come to his office.”
Instantly, everyone in the department looked at him, their faces filled with gossip.
“Okay.” Su Shixiao ignored them, picked up his backpack, and left.
He also grabbed his phone and turned on the screen, seeing two messages Nan Yanzhou had sent him half an hour ago.
This made him quicken his pace. At the elevator, Assistant Cheng said, “Young Master Su, you go up first. I have something else to attend to.”
He paused, surprised at the way Assistant Cheng addressed him. “Oh, okay. You go busy yourself.”
He reached the CEO’s office door and knocked. A steady, magnetic voice came from inside, “Please come in.”
Su Shixiao took the insulated lunch box from his backpack and pushed the door open to walk in. Nan Yanzhou was still looking down at documents. Su Shixiao walked up to him, placed the lunch box on the desk, and explained with some annoyance, “Mr. Nan, I didn’t look at my phone just now. I apologize.”
“It’s fine.” Nan Yanzhou looked up, took the lunch box, examined it, and joked, “I thought Young Master Su wasn’t going to prepare breakfast for me.”
Su Shixiao blurted out, “How could that be? I already promised you.”
Nan Yanzhou was amused by his anxious explanation and laughed. “I heard from Shizhi and Xiao Bei that you’re quite cold outside but better at home. You look aloof, too, so why do you seem so obedient in front of me?”
After their previous encounters, he genuinely felt that Su Shixiao was quite compliant around him.
Su Shixiao was caught off guard by his gaze. He steadied his racing heart, tried hard not to look away, and said in a somewhat flat voice, “No, that must be your misconception.”
Seeing that Nan Yanzhou seemed about to say something else, he quickly cut him off. “Mr. Nan, please eat breakfast. I’ll go back to work now.”
He finished speaking and quickly slipped away.
Nan Yanzhou watched his retreating figure and curved his lips into a meaningful smile. Interesting.
Su Shixiao, after leaving the office, felt like he had been scared to death, then smiled to himself.
Back in the department, a few people he was more familiar with gathered around him, gossiping, “Xiao Xiao, why did you come back so quickly?”
“What did Mr. Nan want with you?”
“Could it be that you and Mr. Nan have some kind of relationship?” a fellow female colleague asked with a wide smile.
“Nothing. Go back to work.” Su Shixiao shooed them all back to their desks.
Seeing that Su Shixiao wasn’t saying anything, they looked at him playfully. “Alright, alright, you don’t have to talk.”
As it was nearing the end of the workday, Nan Yanzhou walked into the Art Department holding the cleaned insulated lunch box.
The employees near Su Shixiao saw him and their eyes widened. “Mr. Nan.”
Others also looked up and were surprised to see the CEO, who rarely came to the department. They greeted him, “Hello, Mr. Nan.”
“Mmm, don’t mind me. Keep working. I’m here for Su Shixiao,” Nan Yanzhou said with a smile as he walked toward Su Shixiao.
Su Shixiao watched him approach step by step, feeling a little confused until he saw the lunch box in his hand.
Nan Yanzhou placed the lunch box on his desk, leaned slightly toward him, and said, “The breakfast was delicious. Thank you.”
Everyone else pretended to be working, but their ears were fully tuned to listen to what they were saying.
The tips of Su Shixiao’s ears turned red. “You’re welcome. This was supposed to be a thank you for taking me to the hospital the day before yesterday.”
Nan Yanzhou smiled. “OK. Keep up the good work. I’m leaving now and will be back at the company tomorrow.”
Su Shixiao nodded. “Oh.”
“Didn’t understand my hint?” Nan Yanzhou leaned closer to him, his tone teasing.
Su Shixiao felt his ears getting even redder. He leaned back and shook his head. “Mr. Nan, could you be clearer?”
“Bring me breakfast again tomorrow,” Nan Yanzhou stroked his head. “I want to eat that egg pancake again. Oh, and remember to bring me a drink.”
“Oh, I understand.” Su Shixiao reluctantly agreed.
“Thanks. I’ll take you out for some good food tomorrow.”
Nan Yanzhou said this and then left.
Leaving Su Shixiao behind with a pounding heart.