The October morning breeze was cool and clear. The temperature brushing against the surface of his skin was enough to make him shiver, but unfortunately could not extinguish the silent, burning flame in Pei Xi’s heart.

After exiting the winding villa community and before going to work, he had to return home first and change out of his overly youthful clothes.

Emails and messages had piled up after just one day. He briefly scanned the subject lines in the car and did a quick review of the backlog of messages.

Simple policy decisions and planning mandates had already been made on his behalf. Assistant Xiao Gu had handled the situation very well, and did not create any trouble for him nor any messes that needed to be dealt with.

In the end, there was nothing that was not satisfactory.

He put down his phone and rubbed the space between his eyebrows with his fingertips, trying to diffuse the worries accumulated there.

However, his success was minimal.

Before exiting the car, he called Xiao Gu and informed him in advance that he would be arriving at the company in half an hour, and asked him to move all of his afternoon meetings to the morning.

And in addition, to collect all of the projects that needed to be finalized by him personally. He would handle it all within the day.

“All of it…..today?”

Xiao Gu couldn’t help his astonishment, and confirmed again: “President Pei, there are two meetings today, a partner who needs to see you in person, five project plans, and annual financials—”

“All of it.”

Pei Xi interrupted him in a low voice: “Send the reports to my email. Don’t make me ask a second time.”

“Oh, yes, of course, of course.”

Xiao Gu responded hastily. Listening to the sound of the phone being hung up neatly, he could only wipe the non-existent sweat from his forehead.

It was here.

The long-unseen pressure of his immediate boss in a bad mood had come once more.

*

*

The feeling of an empty stomach was not pleasant. When he got home, Pei Xi had originally planned to eat something to hold him over before changing his clothes and going out.

But as soon as he stepped into the kitchen, he saw two sandwiches in various degrees of mutilation on a plate at the far side of the counter, and the anger that had just been deliberately numbed by a busy work schedule rekindled with raging momentum.

Before today, he had never felt so ridiculously naive.

Had he actually thought He Chuzhou was a good person?

Short-term obligation fundamentally did not represent long-term good behavior. It was very possible that this was just his psychological adjustment due to extreme exhaustion and overindulgence.

A person who went to nightclubs to drink with a gang of scoundrels, how good could he be?!

For people like He Chuzhou, who had long-frequented the red-light district, there was no bottom line or lower limit. There was no telling how many companions he had gone through in bed. No wonder he could deal with people so easily and skilfully.

It was unknown how many times he said those sweet words, how many people had been coaxed using the same tricks, how many occasions he spent so much money, and how many little companions he cooked dinner for with endless attentiveness and patience.

He truly couldn’t accept that after losing his memory, he could be coaxed by these tricks.

There were so many unsettling emotions, not just the anger of being deceived, but even more so the humiliation of being teased at will when his self-awareness was weak.

The transfer of memories went one way, and he remembered everything that happened when he was confused, frame by frame, with incomparable clarity.

But it was precisely because of this that the intense emotions he felt then were so hard to get rid of now.

He was like an inexperienced fool, a dunce, believing that everything was real, actually believing in full that that person was really…..really…..

His dislike for that person had reached a whole new level!

The congested and stuffy feeling in his chest persisted, spreading throughout his body as he breathed. It seemed that even his empty stomach was full to the brim, leaving him with no appetite at all.

He closed his eyes, exhaled a heavy breath, and neatly tipped the two cold sandwiches into the trash can.

He went back to the bedroom and changed clothes, doing up his tie. Before he finished up and left, his gaze happened to land on the rubber pig beside the bed.

On four short hooves, it stood silently on the edge of the bedside table, and at this moment, its originally innocent and naive look revealed an incomparable mocking ridicule.

Pei Xi fixed his eyes on it for two seconds, his expression frosty.

When this person left and quickly closed the door, the bedside table was empty.

The rubber pig lay silently inside the trash can, a foolish smile on its face.

*

*

“President Pei, the minutes for yesterday’s meetings have been sorted out and sent to your mailbox.”

“The plans for several recent projects are on your desk, and the modified areas need your reconfirmation.”

“The list of visitors with appointments is also there. I’ve rejected all of the unnecessary ones for you.”

“In addition, some developers from tech companies want to recommend some new products to you…..”

Inside the office, Xiao Gu methodically conveyed the current work progress to Pei Xi.

Afterwards, the latter’s attention was focused on things unrelated to work.

Yesterday had to be the last time.

He absolutely could not let himself go looking for that bastard today.

If he entered a nightclub with pools of wine and forests of meat, who knew if he would be coaxed by a night of soft whispers, or whose bed he might wake up in.

“The projects that have begun are progressing smoothly, and the workload is much lower than before. You can have a good rest…..”

Xiao Gu’s speech gradually slowed. As he spoke, he carefully observed his boss’s face.

Hm…..it wasn’t very good.

Had that plan been poorly revised?

Why did he need to stare at it for so long?

The paper was crumpled.

“……President Pei?”

He hesitated for a moment, then asked tentatively: “Is there a problem with the project?”

“President Pei? President Pei?”

Pei Xi returned to his senses and looked up. The light reflecting from his lenses made it difficult to see the emotion in his eyes: “What?”

Xiao Gu could only ask again: “Is there something wrong with the project? Does it need to be revised?”

“No need.” Pei Xi set the documents aside and removed his glasses, rubbing the bridge of his nose: “Just act according to the above and make adjustments during the follow-up. I have nothing else, you go and get to work.”

Xiao Gu nodded, and couldn’t help but express his concern before leaving: “President Pei, you don’t seem to be feeling well. Would you like to rest first?”

“No need.”

The last thing he should do now was rest. “Make me a cup of coffee, no sugar.”

Xiao Gu delivered the coffee quickly and went out again. Steam wafted from the coffee cup, and the bitter scent filled Pei Xi’s nose. He took a small sip and put it down with a frown.

The feeling of dizziness grew increasingly worse. Excluding lack of sleep, it could only be a cold.

He gripped the table to stand up, planning to go to the lounge and find the medicine left there last time. It took him two steps to realize that his limbs felt weak, and so did the rest of his body.

This anything but reassuring premonition caused him to endure the discomfort and persist in walking to the sofa.

Unfortunately, he didn’t even have time to sit down before his vision went black and he fainted onto the carpet.

The afternoon sun shone through the gaps in the thick clouds, striving to form radiant shapes that spread from the floor-to-ceiling windows to the lounge in straight lines.

As time went by, the area of light spread inch by inch.

Just as it was about to climb onto the smooth back of his hand, the owner of the hand slowly opened his eyes.

In the empty lounge, he gasped softly and tried several times before he finally raised his upper body to recline on the sofa.

His eyes circled around blankly, and finally landed on the cell phone lying silently on the floor.

An indescribable feeling of fatigue enveloped his entire body. He leaned into the sofa and closed his eyes for a while, then reached out for the phone and dialed a familiar number.

*

*

“President He, this is our latest developed robotic arm. It has adopted the most advanced smart chip technology, and it is also equipped with an infrared sensing function, face scanning, and QR code scanning……”

His pocket vibrated several times, and He Chuzhou took out his cell phone. Above was Wu Qing’s urging message: 

[What time do you get off work? Come here quickly, I’ve ordered everything.]

[/picture]

[There’s not only duck heads, but also marinated spicy crayfish that Laurel’s chef purchased at a high price. The taste is different from outside. It’s so delicious.]

[/picture]

[There’s a new gadget, smart 4D projection glasses. Wear it, and there will be countless handsome guys and beauties partying around you!]

[Hurry up, ah, they’re waiting for you!]

He Chuzhou actually didn’t quite understand why this guy was so fond of going to bars to eat duck heads and crayfish.

He exited the image, and had opened the keyboard to reply when a sudden call came in.

When he saw the caller, he raised his eyebrows without a hint of surprise. There was a hint of a smile in them that he didn’t even notice, and he said with self-satisfaction after the call connected: “Xiao Pei, where did you run off to again?”

The promoter of the robotic arm had recommended himself for the job. He had full confidence in the research and development, and had made sufficient preparations before coming, so he was bound to be able to sell it.

But who could have known that unplanned changes would occur.

Just as he was about to announce the climax, where the robotic arm would mix drinks, the important audience member hastily left the venue after receiving a phone call, leaving only one sentence: “Further details should be directed to my assistant.”

Directed…..to the assistant…..

The promoter withdrew his stunned gaze from where He Chuzhou’s back had disappeared and turned to look at Yun Ji, who was smiling but obviously not easy to fool.

“…….”

He was fucked.

*

*

Pei Xi couldn’t remember why he was here, nor could he take out his employee card and use the special elevator.

He Chuzhou had no choice but to take this person down the employee elevator, and in front of Pei Group’s employees, “swaggeringly kidnap their president.”

Thus, unsurprisingly, the gossip groups on both sides contributed new information: 

[President He came to the door and took my President Pei away!]

[What’s the situation? Have they actually been to the Civil Affairs Bureau?]

[Ahhhhhhhh, screaming and running wildly. I set loose 800 wild boars!]

[No, I don’t agree with this marriage]

[Commander-in-chief He has returned, but the best dowry for a man is chastity, ah, my people! He is not worthy of him!]

[Then you are appointed to break them up. Are you going or not?]

[President He is moving too fast. How long has he been in pursuit? President Pei, President Pei can’t keep up, ah!]

[The good crop~is being eaten~by a pig~]

[Plus, they were holding hands when they went out. Okay, President He must be satisfied to death, right?]

*

*

His life arranged beyond recognition, He Chuzhou stood before the door of the car. He looked at the person in the passenger seat, who refused on his life to go to the hospital from beginning to end, and looked at him from head to toe. He asked repeatedly: “You’ve really recovered? You’re not dizzy anymore?”

Pei Xi drank some energy water and ate the chocolate cake He Chuzhou had brought at the last minute, gradually gaining strength. Although he was mentally distressed, his expression wasn’t as bad as before.

“How could you have hypoglycemia?”

Frowning, He Chuzhou helped him hold the water: “Don’t tell me you haven’t eaten all day.”

Heavens knew how alarmed he was when he received the call just now and heard Pei Xi say pitifully that he had just fainted and woken up. His heart was beating so fast.

On the way here, he accidentally ran a red light and was probably slapped with an electronic ticket.

It was a pity that Pei Xi couldn’t remember.

He didn’t even remember why he was alone in his dad’s office.

“Maybe he wanted you to go over and deliver some documents or something.”

He Chuzhou randomly made up an excuse and leaned down to touch his face. It was still cold: “Are you hungry?”

Pei Xi nodded.

After that, he seemed to feel that he hadn’t expressed his hunger well, so he added rigorously: “Very hungry.”

Okay, it seemed that he hadn’t eaten all day.

He Chuzhou was so angry that his teeth itched. It was difficult not to act fiercely, but he could only grind his back molars and rub his hair hard: “You’re so worrisome!”

He couldn’t tell which was more important, work or his body.

Pei Xi lowered his head and said nothing. When He Chuzhou finished venting his anger, he silently pulled the other’s hand down and buried his face in it.

Long eyelashes fluttered across his palm, tickling slightly.

Now he couldn’t even be angry anymore.

He Chuzhou let out a resigned sigh and held that face with both hands, giving it a comforting squeeze: “Forget it. Finish the cake first and then think about what else you want to eat. I’ll take you to get it.”

Pei Xi thought seriously, then shook his head: “Chuzhou, I have no appetite.”

That said, he handed the cake in his hand to He Chuzhou: “I don’t want to eat anything.”

He was very hungry, and still didn’t want to eat?

How could this be?

He Chuzhou quickly ran through the restaurants he knew in his mind, but before he could narrow them down, Wu Qing sent another message:

[What are you doing?]

[I’ve been waiting until all the flowers have withered, why haven’t you come?]

He Chuzhou didn’t have time to deal with him at the moment. But just when he was about to turn the phone off, he had a sudden flash of inspiration.

He scrolled up in his chat history and clicked on the image of spicy duck head on a platter, showing it to Pei Xi: “Do you want to eat this?”

It looked excellent in color, aroma, and taste, and could very easily whet the appetite.

Pei Xi stared at it for a few seconds, and his curiosity was greater than his appetite: “I haven’t eaten it before. Is it tasty?”

“Definitely.”

Seeing that he had fallen into the trap, He Chuzhou raised his lips in a smile and put away the cell phone. He ate the cake that Pei Xi couldn’t finish in a few bites and shut the car door: “I’ll take you to have a taste.”

---

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Chapter 18 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 20