My Boss Always Flirts With Me - Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Off-Topic

He Chi had given him a few options. Fang Ci leaned against the bed and searched online. The options were all very personal and couldn’t be used as a team gift. His question on the way home had been so casual that he couldn’t get any valuable feedback, much like their relationship.

It seemed like a serious discussion, but it was a thousand miles off-topic.

As he lay down, his phone vibrated twice. Fang Ci unlocked it and saw it was their gaming group chat. No one was working overtime tonight, and they had planned to get online for a few rounds. Since last week, Fang Ci had barely shown up in the group. When he did, he would occasionally say something and tell them to start without him because he had something to do.

A few people in the group raised their hands to say they were online. Fang Ci, wanting to clear his head, also sent a “+1.”

Shen Liu and his other two roommates formed a line, sending a question mark.

[Dude! I thought you had disappeared!]

[I’m different. I thought your man had sold you off.] Shen Liu sent a dozen exclamation marks.

Most of the roommates in the group had heard about Fang Ci’s marriage and joined in on the teasing. Then, since everyone was there, they quickly started a round. As the countdown began for takeoff, Fang Ci put on his headphones, burrowed into his blankets, and pulled the covers over his head.

He hadn’t played in a while but was still good. The darkness stimulated his senses. Fang Ci quickly got into the zone and took down two enemies. The team was looking for a car and was about to jump in when he heard Shen Liu yelling, “Six o’clock! There’s a sniper!”

Fang Ci immediately went prone, threw a grenade, and made a series of lightning-fast moves. The group got in the car and drove into the safe zone.

“Damn, why are there so many people tonight? I saw the gear on the team next to us!”

Fang Ci also caught a glimpse. It was the latest limited-edition Stellar jacket, which was ridiculously expensive. Shen Liu had wanted to buy one last week, but it was still sold in a limited release. Even without the typical scarcity marketing, it was still an unreachable item.

“If we get a chicken dinner tonight, I’ll buy it for you,” Fang Ci said grandly.

Shen Liu screamed on the other end of the phone. “You’re my real brother! I can tell you’ve been doing well lately!”

Fang Ci thought of his product. “Our AP prototype is coming out soon. I’ll let you test it out once we start mass production.”

Shen Liu was instantly filled with strength and became even more ruthless. “Ci-tian, you’re my family!”

This round was unusually difficult. The nice gear on the people around them meant they were skilled. Shen Liu was also obsessed with getting the air-dropped supplies to restock ammo, so Fang Ci and the other two helped him keep watch.

The fight was intense, and they had to keep an eye on the clock. Fang Ci kept urging Shen Liu. “If you don’t get in the car now, we’ll all die!”

They almost missed the final showdown.

“Hurry, just a little bit more!” Fang Ci was out of bullets and was chasing someone with a frying pan. Shen Liu was laughing like an idiot.

“You idiot! You got all those airdrop supplies for nothing?” Fang Ci said angrily.

They were just one shot away from victory when suddenly, the room lit up. Fang Ci’s blanket was lifted from his head. The “chicken dinner” he was about to say died in his throat.

“What chicken?”

Fang Ci: “…”

A loud wail came from his headphones. Shen Liu moaned, “Ci-tian, what are you doing! It’s over! My new gear is gone!”

Fang Ci looked up into a pair of eyes. He Chi, wearing black pajamas, was kneeling on the bed. He had pulled Fang Ci’s head out from under the covers, and his entire face was magnified in front of him.

Shen Liu was still yelling. Fang Ci put his phone face down on the pillow.

“Why were you covering your head?”

Fang Ci: “No reason.”

Shen Liu’s voice in the headphones suddenly stopped.

Fang Ci said, “I was texting.”

He Chi looked at him for a few seconds. Fang Ci’s heart was racing, like a child secretly watching TV, afraid of being caught by his parents. Luckily, He Chi didn’t pry. He just said, “The light is too dim; it’s bad for your eyes. Next time, turn on the bedside lamp when you use your phone.”

Fang Ci: “Okay.”

With that, He Chi went to the living room to get something. Fang Ci texted Shen Liu. “Okay, I’m going to sleep.”

Shen Liu sent a long string of question marks in the game chat and a voice message in their private chat. “Since when do you go to bed at 10 p.m.? What about your nightlife? And was that the legendary person you married?”

Fang Ci: “Yeah.”

Shen Liu: “His voice is handsome, but his tone… I almost thought it was your dad.”

Fang Ci: “…”

Fang Ci told Shen Liu he was logging off.

He put his phone down and then picked it up again, sending a message to Shen Liu on WeChat: [Are you working overtime tomorrow? Let’s get dinner!]

Shen Liu didn’t reply. He was probably already teaming up with others.

The bed sank slightly. He Chi had gotten into bed. Fang Ci waited for him to say goodnight. They didn’t talk much, but He Chi was always very formal with a lot of little details.

But today he didn’t. He Chi turned to face him and suddenly asked, “Are you afraid of me?”

Fang Ci was stunned. “Why would you think that?”

He Chi said, “I just get that feeling.”

Fang Ci felt this perception was wrong. He Chi was undoubtedly intimidating, but at the company, whether he was angry or his demanding nature created pressure, Fang Ci didn’t feel it too much. Sometimes when he made a mistake, he could hold his head high and look He Chi in the eye to get to the bottom of it.

It had been this way since he was a product manager. His seniors had commented that he was “a newborn calf not afraid of a tiger.” He wasn’t afraid even after he got promoted, and he had even argued passionately for his ideas.

He Chi was a very reasonable boss who was willing to help his subordinates.

“It’s not fear; it’s respect,” Fang Ci finally concluded. This word was more accurate.

He Chi: “Okay, I understand.”

Fang Ci nodded and said, “Well… goodnight.”

He Chi’s eyes looked deep in the dim light. He replied, “Goodnight.”

The bedside lamp was extinguished. The two of them both turned around in the dark, their backs to each other. Fang Ci looked under the covers to see if Shen Liu had replied. He Chi opened his phone’s photo album and looked at their wedding photos.

He scanned the expressions on both their faces in the photo, feeling that he was indeed a bit too serious and that seriousness seemed to be contagious.

…

Shen Liu only replied the next morning: [I’m not working overtime today. Where should we meet?]

Fang Ci sent him the address of a restaurant: [See you tonight.]

It was a popular restaurant. Fang Ci was interested in the new ice cream they had.

A little later, Shen Liu sent another message: [I’ve had my fill last night, so no public displays of affection.]

Fang Ci stared at the message, puzzled.