Surprise! My online crush turned out to be... - Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Two more days passed in the blink of an eye. Shu Yang automatically ignored Francis on the other end of the phone. After the inexplicable call that morning, Francis hadn’t called again.

The phone sat on the table for two days. Shu Yang would often pass by it as he walked around the living room, then, seeing no messages, he could ignore it again.

Today, Shu Yang was about to go out for the dinner that his boss, Shu Zhiyi, had mentioned, and for some reason, he had put the phone in his pocket again.

He was now in his assistant’s car.

“Shu Yang, President Shu is at the office. Let’s go get you a haircut first, then pick him up.” The assistant, wearing gold-rimmed glasses and checking his schedule on a tablet, looked very reliable.

Shu Yang had always known this assistant was a capable person; otherwise, he wouldn’t have stayed with Shu Zhiyi for so many years, his salary increasing year by year, and his tactics becoming increasingly powerful.

He hummed a soft nod and dozed off in his seat.

Seeing he didn’t want to talk any more, the assistant turned back to himself, concentrating on the road ahead.

Shu Yang had even chosen a blazer for the day and washed his hair before leaving, looking youthful, energetic, and formal. He really couldn’t understand why he needed a haircut.

Shu Zhiyi hadn’t learned much else in recent years, only this messy styling.

Throughout the process, Shu Yang was drowsy, and by the time his haircut was complete, he hadn’t been able to see what he looked like. He knew Shu Zhiyi would never allow him to embarrass himself in such an occasion.

So trusting his assistant was a form of “obeying Dad.” Shu Yang scoffed, then spoke to the assistant for the first time.

“Shu Zhi, uh, when did Dad get back from abroad?”

“Just when I messaged you a while ago, he had just gotten off the plane.” The assistant adjusted his glasses and, as he answered, turned back to look Shu Yang in the eye. This made Shu Yang feel awkward. Shu Yang looked away. “When will he go abroad again?”

“This time, Mr. Shu’s short trips are all within China.”

“Oh.”

Shu Yang had nothing else to ask.

Silence reigned all the way.

Until Shu Zhiyi got in the car.

The atmosphere became even more eerie.

Shu Yang looked at Mr. Shu, who sat beside him. There were a few gray hairs on his temples, but it didn’t detract from his appearance at all. Instead, it added an indescribable charm.

After not seeing each other for so long, Shu Yang was at a loss for words. Even when Shu Zhiyi got in the car, he simply nodded and listened to his assistant’s briefing on the post-dinner schedule.

Shu Yang listened for a moment. Shu Zhiyi was truly busy. Even though the banquet might not end until ten o’clock, he still had a meeting to attend to and paperwork to deal with.

…

Shu Yang turned his head silently, gazing out the window at the scenery. Because it was already the end of July, even though it was almost seven o’clock, the sky wasn’t particularly dark. Instead, a hint of evening light shone through, allowing one to clearly see the buildings and pedestrians outside.

Shu Yang knew, in fact, that he was relatively happy. Even though he had never seen his mother and received little attention from his father, he believed his father loved him.

And for eighteen years, his material and spiritual life, aside from the lack of family, had been perfectly adequate. He could do whatever he wanted.

Shu Yang’s lips twisted, trying to force a smile, but gazing at his reflection in the car window, he found it difficult to do so.

He felt a complex situation. He wished Shu Zhiyi would be less busy and make more time to talk, but he also dreaded talking to him because he simply didn’t know what to say.

For years, the two hadn’t seen or interacted, and they had long since lost common ground. The only things connecting them were their bank cards and the assistant sitting in the passenger seat.

Shu Yang was about to think more when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned and saw Shu Zhiyi smiling at him, the fine lines at the corners of his eyes clearly visible.

Everyone says that a man in his forties is in his prime, and Shu Yang now deeply believed that. Look at Shu Zhiyi, dressed in a formal suit and tie, his watch looking expensive, his features still intact. Having fathered a child like Shu Yang, he surely wouldn’t have found out much. With the years and the test of time, even the fine lines on his face exuded a mature charm.

But these thoughts were fleeting. Shu Yang looked at the hand on his shoulder. “Dad?”

“Did you check your college entrance exam scores yourself?” Shu Zhiyi smiled, retracting his hands and crossing them in front of him, as if negotiating.

“No.”

“491 points, not bad, just above the passing score.” Shu Zhiyi then turned to his assistant and said, “Help him sort out the majors and colleges, and send them to him.”

“…” Shu Yang acquiesced to this behavior. He didn’t have anything interesting to offer, and he didn’t bother to sort through them. Besides, studying was truly painful for him.

After the interruption, Shu Yang’s thoughts drifted off.

Instead, his assistant spoke to him after a while.

“Shu Yang, tonight’s dinner is being hosted by the Qiao Group. We’ve invited senior executives from various companies, and many of them have brought their families. There should be many children your age.”

At this point, the assistant seemed to remember that Shu Yang didn’t like interacting with strangers, so she continued.

“Tao Zi is here too. If the socializing gets busy, President Shu and I won’t be able to take care of you, so you can go out on your own. By the way, President Qiao’s younger brother, Xiao Qiao, married someone with the surname Tao, so there’s a little girl in the Qiao Group who’s a cousin of Tao Zi.”

Oh. Shu Yang remembered the loud and dramatic girl from the competition that day. His eyebrows twitched, and he had a bad feeling.

The three of them stayed silent until they entered the banquet.

Although Shu Yang and Shu Zhiyi had been apart for years, having grown up among the wealthy, he had seen plenty of occasions like this. Not as many as Fatty Shen, but more than enough to avoid embarrassment.

He followed Shu Zhiyi half a step behind him, and with his assistant, there was another half-step gap. The three of them entered the banquet hall.

Shu Zhiyi’s company was growing, so this place had something of a status symbol. They were late. When they entered, many people were already chatting and socializing in the hall.

However, as soon as they appeared, President Qiao immediately came to greet them. Those who noticed his gesture stopped talking and looked over, and a brief silence fell in the hall.

“Mr. Shu’s arrival is such a delight to our humble home! We’re sure to have a great time and a great meal today. Is this the young master? He’s truly a handsome man. Kids these days, one better than the other.” Mr. Qiao raised his voice so that most people nearby could hear him. At the end, he gave Shu Yang a thumbs-up.

“I’ll definitely come to your cocktail party, haha. My son is much lazier, so don’t praise him…” Shu Zhiyi naturally followed Mr. Qiao’s words. The two walked side by side inside. Shu Yang only had time to say, “Hello, Uncle Qiao,” before he finished his speech.

However, listening to the two men’s awkward business exaggerations, Shu Yang held back a smile to prevent himself from accidentally laughing.

After walking for a while, seeing Shu Zhiyi about to enter Mr. Qiao’s study to discuss project collaboration, Shu Yang quickly signaled to his assistant and stopped at the next corner.

Finding a quiet spot, he watched the dazzling bustle of drinking and socializing in the lobby downstairs. This, in fact, was truly a “desire paradise.”

Shu Yang took a sip of his juice.

“You’re here!” a lively, crisp female voice rang out.

Shu Yang nearly spit out his juice at this remark. The more you don’t want to see someone, the more you’re likely to run into them. Who else could this be but Qiao Jianxue?

He’d thought they’d never contacted each other again after the competition, but who could have imagined they’d run into each other at just a random party?

Qiao Jianxue’s eyes narrowed, as if she saw through his thoughts. “I’ve been looking for you for a long time.”

“What did you want from me?” Shu Yang took two steps back, keeping a safe distance. He’d known for five or six days that this girl wasn’t someone to be trifled with. She was full of drama.

“I came to you to ask about someone.” Qiao Jianxue didn’t care at all that the boy in front of her treated her like a monster. Instead, she pouted and continued, “Who was that guy you video chatted with the other day? How come I’ve never seen him before?”

In fact, it wasn’t just that she hadn’t seen him before. She had even gone out of her way to look him up these past few days. It wasn’t that there weren’t any people who met her description, but none of them were as good-looking and charming as that guy. Besides, the world was so big, she didn’t even know where he was from or how to find him.

She had asked people to find out, but they hadn’t responded for several days. It was obvious that Shu Yang was too tight-lipped and wouldn’t say anything.

“Why are you looking for him?” Shu Yang looked at the girl before him. There was definitely more to her than meets the eye, even in her pristine white dress.

“He’s handsome, and I want to be his friend,” Qiao Jianxue said openly, her matter-of-fact tone almost making Shu Yang laugh. “Did I tell you the other day? He’s gay.”

Qiao Jianxue tossed her hair and smiled sweetly. “But I heard your explanation later. You’re not a couple at all, so it’s okay for me to pursue him, right?”

“No.” Shu Yang’s face darkened. He had never met anyone like him.

Despite Shu Yang’s usual cheerful demeanor and his impeccable temper with his friends, he became aloof and distant with strangers and those he didn’t necessarily need to socialize with.

Not to mention his nickname, Heimeimei, a man full of malice. Anyone who dared to cross him would surely face a bitter end.

“You say no, so no? Did you ask his opinion? Who are you to him?” The sweeter Qiao Jianxue’s smile, the more ruthless her words became.

Without waiting for Shu Yang to reply, Qiao Jianxue ran past him, smiling, “Cousin!”

Shu Yang looked back and saw Tao Zi coming up the stairs.