He Chuzhou was very surprised that Pei Xi had been in a state of confusion for two consecutive days.

Was it because he’d fallen asleep on the plane and been awoken by a flight attendant or an announcement?

What was even more surprising was that Pei Xi had actually come to find him.

Of course, regarding this point, he was more pleasantly surprised than anything.

“Didn’t you say you were worried about Xingxing and Yueliang?” He Chuzhou joked. He had happily rushed to the airport to pick him up.

“The auntie can do the food and poop-scooping. They have a good relationship and don’t need me to stay with them,” Pei Xi said. Then he realized that his tone was too polite, and thought for a moment before adding: “I’d rather be with Gege than with them.”

After saying this, he gave He Chuzhou a slightly hurried hug, then quickly opened the car door and took refuge in the passenger seat.

He Chuzhou: “ ? ”

That was just what he liked to hear.

But why did it sound a little strange today?

Why did it seem like it had less emotion and more technique?

Halfway through the drive to the hotel, he finally realized something wasn’t right.

Pei-calico was particularly clingy today for some reason. He spoke very sweetly and was very shy.

He fully acknowledged this when he looked in the rearview mirror and saw the other party shyly turn his head away after calling him “gege” again.

Ai, so cute!

But what was that saying?

Reunion syndrome?

It hadn’t happened last time though.

He went to the hotel with a head full of doubts. After parking the car, he went around to the passenger side and opened the door, then saw Pei Xi automatically start walking toward the hotel.

He Chuzhou took his luggage from the trunk and followed without complaint.

After just a couple of steps, the person in front seemed to suddenly remember something and stopped, turning around.

He Chuzhou thought he’d left something in the car. Just as he was about to ask, he watched at Pei Xi walked a few steps back to him, raised his hands, and quickly hugged him as if completing a task.

“…..? ? ?”

A string of question marks slowly appeared over He Chuzhou’s head. He didn’t understand what was going on: “What’s wrong?”

Pei Xi: “It’s been twenty-eight minutes since our last hug. The cooldown time was over, so I hugged you again.”

Having said this, he calmly stepped back, turned, and resumed walking toward the hotel entrance.

It’s come to this point, he thought with smoke coming out the top of his head. There’s no way I’ll be exposed, right?

He Chuzhou walked behind him with a baffled look on his face.

Was there something on the plane that triggered a hidden attribute of his sequelae?

Why had Pei-calico suddenly become like a windup toy, a clockwork lover?

He Chuzhou’s suite was on the 20th floor.

When he returned to the room, the first thing he did was not to unpack the luggage, but to pull Pei Xi over and carefully check if there was anything wrong with him.

“You didn’t fall at home, did you?”

“Did the plane get trubulent on the way here?”

“Did you catch a cold?” He held Pei Xi’s face, then touched their foreheads together and murmured to himself, “No fever either, ah.”

Pei Xi was struck dumb as he watched the other’s face slowly approach him. When their breaths entangled at a distance of just a few inches, his face instantly turned red like a popped sequin balloon.

He Chuzhou noticed his abnormality at once and hissed. “Shy again? Xiao Pei, we’ve only been apart for a few days. You shouldn’t be so unfamiliar with me, right?”

“I’m not!”

Pei Xi swiftly denied it. He met He Chuzhou’s teasing gaze, and after a brief silence, raised his head and gave him a quick kiss on the chin. He hid his face in his shoulder, whispering in his ear: “Some of us easterners tend to be more reserved when we’re in a foreign country.”

It…..was like this?

He Chuzhou was unsure. In any case, it didn’t apply to him.

All he knew was that this reserved Pei-calico was adorable ! ! !

He didn’t want to go to work at all now. He wanted to take him around this country right away and let this sticky-sweet Pei-calico try everything.

But no matter how much he wanted to, he was on a business trip and still had to handle his obligations.

After settling Pei Xi in and preparing to leave, He Chuzhou looked back every few steps from the small living room to the door, which was less than a ten meter distance. It wasn’t clear if he was uneasy or reluctant to part with him.

Ultimately, he couldn’t bear it and turned around to give Pei Xi a tight hug, nuzzling his face affectionately: “Baby, how about you come with me to work?”

Go with him to work?

Pei Xi was stunned by this question.

He opened his mouth hesitantly, unsure how to answer.

He wanted to decline. What was there for him, an outsider, to do by following He Chuzhou to work?

But if he put himself in Pei-calico’s shoes, it seemed like he…..might agree?

His hesitation was written all over his face, so He Chuzhou naturally interpreted his silence as him wanting to go, but being too embarrassed to say it.

So after a little consideration, he made the decision for him: “Let’s go. I’ll just say you’re my accompanying translation assistant. You don’t have to do anything, just follow me.”

Pei X: “……”

It was over. He would have to pretend all day.

*

*

Yun Ji was puzzled when He Chuzhou came to borrow his clothes: “My clothes are too small for you. Don’t you have your own?”

However, when he saw He Chuzhou leading Pei Xi, who was wearing his clothes, out the hotel entrance, he was completely numb.

“Let me introduce you.”

After getting in the car, He Chuzhou first said to Yun Ji with great joy: “This is my accompanying translation assistant, Pei Xi. He’s your new colleague today, please take good care of him.”

Then he turned to Pei Xi: “This is my assistant, Yun Ji. You can just call him Xiao Yun. If you have any difficulties and can’t find me, please go to him.”

Yun Ji: “……”

Pei Xi: “……”

The two exchanged glances in the rearview mirror and tacitly looked away.

Thank goodness Pei-calico didn’t have the habit of showing affection in public, otherwise he would be in a difficult situation.

The destination this morning was the raw material processing factory, and the person who received them was the company’s boss. They weren’t late, but the other party was already waiting at the entrance.

This sort of processing factory was actually not worth inspecting. Hygiene compliance was the most basic requirement. Other advanced mechanical research and development had been addressed in the previously delivered documents, so what they were looking at today was just the specific operating process.

Throughout the process, the other party was responsible for giving explanations and they were responsible for listening, so there wasn’t much communication.

The highlights were all at the next destination, a farm outside the city. They needed to accurately negotiate the import price of raw food ingredients, which was their main purpose today.

“After some investigation, this farm was determined to be the largest, with the most stable supply source and the best raw material quality. The only drawback is that the price is so high, more than half the price of other farms.”

On the way to the farm, Yun Ji looked through the various introduction documents: “But even with all these advantages, the price is unreasonable. I suppose they’re relying on their superiority to raise the prices, thinking that we’re certain to choose them.”

He Chuzhou: “What about the one in the southern outskirts?”

Yun Ji: “It’s relatively small in scale, and is partnered with two large shopping malls at the same time. If we experience large demand in the future, there may be a supply shortage.”

He Chuzhou: “Let’s go over and take a look at the situation first. It would be best if we can reach an agreement on the price. If not, we can consider other companies.”

. . . . . . 

Pei Xi listened to bits and pieces. He also had a few documents in his hands, which He Chuzhou had given to him for show. They contained the purchase price ranges provided by the staff at He Group headquarters after analysis.

Yun Ji saw Pei Xi looking through the documents in the rearview mirror and asked casually: “President Pei, what do you think?”

Pei Xi subconsciously thought of an answer, but fortunately realized in time that he wasn’t the right personality to manage company affairs at the moment.

Thus, he abruptly changed the subject: “What ‘President Pei?’ Call me Assistant Pei.”

Yun Ji: “……”

Yun Ji: “Okay. Assistant Pei, what do you think?”

Pei Xi saw He Chuzhou looking at him from the corner of his eye. He adjusted his state and said calmly: “The diagram of the farm structure looks good. The site should be more beautiful than the diagram.”

Yun Ji: “……”

He Chuzhou covered his lips and laughed out loud, asking him: “You like this kind of thing, ah?”

Pei Xi nodded.

He Chuzhou: “This kind of building structure also exists in China. I’ll buy one for you when we return.”

Pei Xi: “…..I don’t know how to raise animals.”

He Chuzhou’s indulgence had no bottom line: “That’s okay, Boss He will hire someone to help you, and you can go over any time you want to see them.”

Yun Ji: “……”

He looked in the mirror at his older cousin who was planning to buy a farm, then at Assistant Pei’s red face and uncertain eyes. Forcing a smile, he took out his phone and messaged He Aiyue:

Yun Ji: [I can’t take it anymore!]

Yun Ji: [Have you ever met such a couple who drag innocent people into their roleplay? ? ?]

Yun Ji: [What the hell is wrong with your brother!]

*

*

Twenty minutes later, they arrived at the entrance to the farm.

Once they went in, they first met with the farmers, and then entered a meeting room along with several holding members one after another.

No agreement was reached during the first round of negotiations. The farmers showed some slight signs of compromise during the halftime, but were reined back in by the tough attitudes of the holding members.

The assistants didn’t participate in the second round. Yun Ji followed the employees to receive a safety inspection report, and Pe Xi stood in the corridor, looking at the foals in the pasture as he quietly waited.

He heard the sound of hoofbeats approaching and looked back to see a farmer riding a white horse. When he arrived, he dismounted and turned on the water pipe next to him, brushing the horse’s hair.

“Are you guys Chinese?”

The farmer spotted him and struck up a conversation in slightly-accented English.

Pei Xi responded affirmatively and praised the beauty of his horse.

Everyone enjoyed their children being praised. The farmer was very happy to hear this, and patiently told him about the horse’s origins. He also talked about the purchasing channels and breeding methods of many of the animals on the farm.

Afterward, he brought up today’s business: “You see, we even select the best feed. I’m sure there’s no farm better than ours.”

Pei Xi: “The price is too high though.”

The farmer sighed: “There’s nothing to be done. There are too many shareholders.”

Pei Xi: “But the farm is yours, isn’t it?”

The farmer stopped brushing the horse and looked up: “What do you mean, kid?”

Pei Xi: “The price we’re offering isn’t low. It’s within a reasonable range to ensure the farm’s profitability, and we offer long-term, stable demand, which is difficult for the companies you’ve negotiated with before to guarantee.”

The farmer nodded: “That’s true.”

Pei Xi: “By partnering with us, the huge cost of the farm will sustain a stable turnover. If negotiations fail due to an excessive price hike, we still have more options in other regions or even other countries. But it may not be easy for the farm to wait for a suitable partner.”

“I see that those shareholders only have the ability to hold shares and inject capital, but don’t know how to manage and operate a farm. Therefore, to show our sincerity, we are willing to sign a separate contract with you in addition to the two-party contract.”

“I know you’re apprehensive, so we can promise that each time the import goods reach a fixed quantity, we’ll pay you an additional thank you fee.”

The farmer’s expression changed. It was as if he was hearing this phrase for the first time: “Thank you fee?”

Pei Xi: “The thank you fee will go to your personal account, with no need to share it externally. Coupled with the stable export income, I believe you will soon be able to buy back most of the farm’s shares and take full control of its future development.”

The farmer got Pei Xi’s meaning. His smiling expression faded, and he stroked the white horse in front of him as he thought for a long while.

Pei Xi quietly watched it graze on the grass without urging the farmer.

After some time, the farmer came to a decision and gave him a firm nod. Without speaking further, he turned off the water and immediately left the pasture with the white horse.

Pei Xi knew he would succeed. Many capitalists had limited abilities when it came to things other than money, so they couldn’t avoid being controlled by those who were capable.

The pastures were wide and the wind was strong. Now that his goal had been achieved, there was no reason for him to stand here in the cold breeze.

He straightened his cuffs and turned back, but found He Chuzhou and Yun Ji looking at him with varying expressions not far away.

They were in a blind spot from the farmer’s position. Pei Xi hadn’t noticed them, and neither had the farmer. It was unknown how long the two of them had been listening.

Pei Xi’s eyelid twitched, and he had a bad feeling.

When Yun Ji was certain that the farmer was long gone, he rushed over excitedly and gave Pei Xi a starry-eyed look of admiration: “Pei-ge, you’re amazing! Why didn’t we think of starting with the farmers first? I feel like this could work!”

Pei Xi was currently in no mood to accept compliments from a fanboy.

His brain raced as he watched He Chuzhou approach slowly behind him. He hastened over to him before he could speak and braced himself before leaning against his shoulder: “It’s a little cold. Are you done? When are we having dinner?”

Following this appeasement came Yun Ji’s look of impressed respect.

Pei Xi closed his eyes with mixed feelings and silently lifted the documents to cover his face.

*

*

As expected, the negotiations were concluded at last, which also meant that the business trip was concluded successfully one day in advance.

The hosts provided dinner that evening. Yun Ji couldn’t be bothered to go, and planned to take this morning to go to the streets and buy all the things his mother had tasked him with.

He Chuzhou was happy to take Pei Xi along.

As for Pei Xi, although he’d been able to get away with it on the farm before, he still couldn’t help feeling uneasy.

He wasn’t sure if He Chuzhou harbored any suspicions, or if he might suddenly come up with a question Pei Xi couldn’t answer. Even moreso, he didn’t believe that He Chuzhou could be so easily fooled.

But facts proved that He Chuzhou could indeed be so easily fooled.

Not only did he brush things off without asking a single question, he also boasted all the way about how amazing his wife was. And when they reached their table, he didn’t eat much, but busied himself helping Pei Xi cut his steak and pour the sauce.

Pei Xi: “……”

Was this person so carefree?

So did he need to put so much effort into playing Pei-calico or not?

He Chuzhou’s unusual behavior soon drew the attention of a white senior executive.

The other party asked curiously: “Why is Mr. He so considerate of his assistant?”

Pei Xi was afraid that He Chuzhou would say, “What assistant? This is my wife,” and directly reduce the other party’s trust in He Chuzhou’s professionalism.

Fortunately, He Chuzhou still remembered that he had a brain, and spoke convincing nonsense: “It is a traditional Chinese virtue for employers to treat hard working employees well, ensuring the long-term success of the company.”

Pei Xi: “……”

The white man believed it completely. With an expression of admiration, he followed suit by helping the young, beautiful assistant at his side cut a piece of dark steak.

The female assistant’s mouth twitched, and she pushed the steak aside in disdain after her boss finished cutting it.

What could Pei Xi say?

He could only go along with He Chuzhou’s nonsense in silence. At the same time, he didn’t forget to hold a big, warm, dry hand under the table in order to maintain his complex personality of being aloof on the surface but clingy deep down.

There was fortunately no troublesome drinking culture, and the dinner ended quickly. After brief goodbyes at the door, everyone went home.

Back at the hotel, Pei Xi moved to tiredly massage his shoulders. His hand was halfway raised when he met He Chuzhou’s gaze and hesitated.

Helpless, he could only turn around and hook his arms around He Chuzhou’s neck. Leaning against him, he lowered his voice: “Chuzhou, I’m so tired.”

It truly was tiring to pretend.

The corners of He Chuzhou’s mouth curved uncontrollably.

As expected, whenever he looked at him, Pei-calico would immediately hold his hand or hug him. Even if there were a lot of people around, he would secretly hook the fingers hanging by his side.

His heart had been soft and full all day, and now that they were alone, he finally didn’t have to hold back anymore.

Bending down, he easily picked him up and set him on the bed, nuzzling his nose affectionately: “Thanks for your hard work, Assistant Pei. I’ll run a bath for you soon, so you can have a good rest tonight.”

Having said this, he rubbed Pei Xi’s head and retracted his hand. He smoothly and naturally helped Pei Xi take off his suit jacket and set it aside, then helped undo his tie.

He initially thought that Pei Xi might not understand in his current state, but when he happened to see the red neck and ears of the person in front of him, the idea of teasing him came to mind, and his intentions became impure.

Pei Xi had been having trouble breathing ever since He Chuzhou had leaned forward and nuzzled against him.

He admitted to himself that reading too much into it, but he couldn’t resist such direct teasing from the other party without arousing suspicion.

Especially in such close proximity, helping him remove his clothes and tie. Even though he knew the other party had no other thoughts, he couldn’t help the way his heart beat wildly.

He could only pray that He Chuzhou would finish untying it quickly and move away. The atmosphere around him was too heavy, and he wasn’t able to breathe freely.

But gradually, he found that He Chuzhou seemed to want to help him with more than just this…..

The tie was undone, but the other party didn’t stop there. He put his hand on the top button of his shirt, slowly unbuttoning the first button, the second, the third…..

Then he lifted the fabric of the shirt with his fingertips, exposing the greater part of his cold white shoulders.

Pei Xi couldn’t take it anymore. He grabbed the other’s hand and raised his head in a fluster, his eyelashes trembling like they were about to fly away. But he didn’t forget to keep his voice low: “N-no need. Chuzhou, I can do it myself.”

He Chuzhou stroked his palm, saying vaguely with lowered eyes: “I know you can. But Xinxin, I want…..can I?”

Huh?

Want what? 

What else was there to want in this situation?

Pei Xi’ face flushed. His breathing was extremely chaotic, and the lack of oxygen caused his brain to temporarily lose its normal processing ability: “No, at least not today.”

“Why not?” He Chuzhou asked.

Pei Xi frowned: “Because…..because…..”

He Chuzhou: “Just because we’re abroad, I can’t even help my wife take off his shirt?”

“Right! Just because—”

Pei Xi’s words cut off abruptly. He looked up in a flash, and didn’t miss the fleeting mischief in He Chuzhou’s eyes.

He Chuzhou couldn’t hold back anymore, and a smile immediately filled his eyes, almost overflowing: “Am I misunderstanding? Or did Xinxin think I wanted to do something else?”

Pei Xi finally realized he was being teased, and the blush on his face instantly faded.

He pushed the other’s hand away expressionlessly and pulled up his shirt: “I wasn’t thinking anything. I want to take a bath.”

He Chuzhou suppressed the sound of his laughter. When he took his pajamas and went into the bathroom to get dressed, his shoulders could still be seen shaking faintly.

“……”

He closed his eyes tightly and gritted his teeth, looking down at his messy shirt.

Something suddenly occurred to him, and his eye gave a slight twitch.

He Chuzhou soon came out and told him that the water was ready, and also reminded him to soak well after washing up.

Pei Xi gave a hum, then crouched down and rummaged through his suitcase.

He Chuzhou: “Hm? What do you need?”

“I forgot to bring pajamas, so I’ll wear yours.” Having said this, he took the articles of clothing and turned to go to the bathroom.

He Chuzhou sat back down on the bed and logged into Pei Xi’s mailbox to see if there was any important work that needed to be dealt with, simultaneously accepting the shopping lists of the two ladies in the family.

The lists were long, and contained many specialized subject terms that he didn’t understand.

It was mind-boggling. He suspected that the mother and daughter were colluding to play a trick on him.

He wracked his brains for a good while before he heard the bathroom door open. He consciously moved to the other side, leaving a warm sleeping spot for Pei Xi: “Done soaking? Come over here and help me look over Mom and Aiyue’s—”

His unfinished words were automatically swallowed back into his stomach when he raised his head.

Pei Xi came out of the bathroom enveloped in steam, wearing only a loose shirt that didn’t belong to him, the hem of which stopped at a subtle length.

The row of buttons were fastened sporadically in the middle, leaving his slender neck and shoulders exposed. A hint of white fabric could be seen on his lower body, and his chest was slightly red from the heat.

He walked over barefoot with a hair dryer, casually raising one leg to kneel on the bed as he handed it over: “Chuzhou, my hands are too tired to lift it. Can you blow dry my hair?”

A pair of cool eyes looked over at him. He Chuzhou felt a buzzing in his brain, along with a hot current that flowed down his nasal cavity.

---

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Chapter 58 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 60