The clear, jade-like voice instantly brought Lin Jindu’s somewhat muddled mind back to clarity.

“No problem. It’s my fault for coming back early without informing you. Did I scare you?” Lin Jindu didn’t feel embarrassed about being seen shirtless by Ji Chengyi; instead, he felt that his current state was a bit impolite.

As he spoke, he quickly got out of bed, walked to the wardrobe, and took out a pajama top to put on.

Once he buttoned up all the buttons on his shirt, the lazy, sexy vibe he had been giving off instantly transformed back into his usual composed and restrained demeanor.

Ji Chengyi replied honestly, “Not really, just a bit surprised.”

“Rushing around for business trips is exhausting. As soon as I got home, I fell asleep,” Lin Jindu explained as he walked over. “Do you prefer this room? I can have someone come and clean it up again.”

Ji Chengyi quickly shook his head. “No need for that. I was just checking out the room. Please, continue resting. I’ll use the other room.”

Lin Jindu could tell Ji Chengyi was being polite. He didn’t call him out on it, only asking, “Are you hungry? I could make some late-night snacks for us.”

Ji Chengyi was a bit surprised that Lin Jindu could cook, but since he wasn’t in the habit of eating late-night snacks, he declined, “Thank you, Mr. Lin, but I’m not hungry.”

Lin Jindu didn’t press the matter, nodding. “Alright, then. Have a good rest.”

“Thank you,” Ji Chengyi responded courteously. “Enjoy your meal.”

…

Back in the other room, Ji Chengyi briefly surveyed the layout before setting down his suitcase and lying on the wide sofa.

His brownish eyes stared blankly into space.

During this time, he wasn’t thinking about anything, just letting himself relax.

This was his usual way to unwind after a long day of work.

Normally, he would lie down like this for two to three minutes and feel rejuvenated.

But today, knowing there was another person in the house, he found it hard to fully relax.

Unconsciously, he ended up lying there a bit longer.

After about ten minutes, Ji Chengyi finally got up from the sofa.

While taking off his jacket, he walked towards his suitcase, pulled out a set of clothes and his usual shower gel, and went into the bathroom.

After a quick shower, Ji Chengyi felt refreshed and lay down on the bed.

At twenty-nine, Ji Chengyi didn’t have the habit of falling asleep immediately. Like many people, he picked up his phone and started browsing.

However, he wasn’t watching short videos but checking various reports sent to him via WeChat and emails.

After responding to the necessary messages and emails, Ji Chengyi habitually opened Weibo.

He hadn’t had the habit of checking Weibo before, but after being with Yu Heyan, he gradually picked it up.

Although he and Yu Heyan were no longer together, it was hard to break a habit developed over time.

So he didn’t force himself, simply doing what he felt like.

As soon as he opened Weibo, his feed pushed Yu Heyan’s latest post to him.

Yu Heyan v: [Heartbroken.jpg…….]

The post was accompanied by a heavily made-up selfie with a very sad expression.

The bedroom was dimly lit, with only a floor lamp casting warm light on Ji Chengyi, adding a touch of softness to his calm face.

Seeing this post, Ji Chengyi’s eyes showed no trace of emotion.

He routinely clicked into the comments section of the post.

[What’s wrong, bro? Come into my arms, let me hug you. Hugging.jpg]

[This expression and caption… did Yan break up?]

[Seriously? If you don’t reply, I’m going to start spreading rumors!]

[No way? I haven’t even seen the mysterious significant other, and you’re already breaking up?]

[What’s there to see? I heard they’re nobody. How good could they look… Picking nose.jpg]

“That’s good news! Now our brother is ours again!!”

Yu Heyan, being an idol and a skilled actor, has over twenty million fans. A single emotional post with a selfie immediately attracted a lot of attention, with the comment count exceeding a hundred thousand.

Ji Chengyi didn’t have the time to go through all of it, so he briefly glanced at the top comments before exiting the comment section.

During their three years together, Ji Chengyi and Yu Heyan never deliberately hid their relationship, but no one dared to publicize it without Ji Chengyi’s consent. Moreover, Yu Heyan himself never intended to make it public.

Ji Chengyi understood why Yu Heyan didn’t want to make their relationship public. Although Ji Chengyi never cared about Yu Heyan’s family background, Yu Heyan’s pride and sense of masculinity prevented him from revealing their relationship until he had achieved something substantial on his own. He didn’t want people to think that his success was solely due to Ji Chengyi’s influence as the CEO of Keao.

Indeed, some of the top resources Yu Heyan received were because of Ji Chengyi’s connections. However, Ji Chengyi didn’t mind and never bothered to calculate how much he had helped Yu Heyan.

But Yu Heyan was now a part of Ji Chengyi’s past. He unfollowed Yu Heyan’s Weibo, briefly checked the day’s news, and then put down his phone to sleep.

Just as he was about to drift off, a gentle knock sounded at the door.

Realizing it wasn’t his imagination, Ji Chengyi got up and walked to the door, turning the handle.

Standing outside was the tall figure of Lin Jindu.

Ji Chengyi, bathed in the warm light from the hallway, looked at Lin Jindu. “Mr. Lin?”

Lin Jindu’s gaze briefly paused.

Ji Chengyi had changed out of his mature suit and shirt into a light gray cotton pajama set. His black hair was slightly tousled, and the warm light from the hallway added a touch of softness to his relaxed face.

Overall, Ji Chengyi appeared casual yet surprisingly gentle.

Additionally, Lin Jindu couldn’t help but notice a faint, sweet fragrance that seemed to emanate from Ji Chengyi as soon as the door opened. Although the scent was subtle, Lin Jindu, who wasn’t fond of sweet aromas, couldn’t help but frown slightly.

Ji Chengyi didn’t notice Lin Jindu’s slight reaction. Seeing him standing silently, he called out again, “Mr. Lin?”

Lin Jindu slowly regained his composure, relaxing his furrowed brow.

Realizing that knocking on Ji Chengyi’s door so late was somewhat impolite, Lin Jindu apologized, “I’m sorry to disturb you. I wanted to ask if you have any specific requests for the signing ceremony?”

Since both Keao and Shengda are prominent companies, a strategic partnership requires a formal signing ceremony to boost their corporate image.

Ji Chengyi had no particular requests, trusting that Lin Jindu would handle everything comprehensively. He shook his head, “I don’t have any requests. Please handle the arrangements.”

Lin Jindu nodded, “Alright, I’ll have my assistant follow the usual standards.”

Ji Chengyi also nodded, “Alright, thank you, Mr. Lin.”

Lin Jindu pursed his lips, “It’s my duty.”

Then he fell silent, making no move to leave.

Ji Chengyi, thinking Lin Jindu had more to say, waited quietly.

After a while, realizing Lin Jindu had no intention of speaking further, Ji Chengyi blinked and asked, “Is there anything else, Mr. Lin?”

Lin Jindu’s eyes flickered slightly, his gaze momentarily shifting away before returning to Ji Chengyi’s eyes. “No, nothing else. Ji, please get some rest.”

“Mm.” Ji Chengyi smiled lightly. “Good night, Mr. Lin.”

Lin Jindu also smiled faintly. “Good night, Mr. Ji.”

……

Lin Jindu worked quickly, and within a couple of days, he informed Ji Chengyi that the signing ceremony was scheduled for Friday at 1 PM.

Upon receiving this news, Ji Chengyi notified the planning department to draft an introduction and product presentation for the new product, to be released at the signing ceremony.

The planning department worked swiftly, submitting three proposals to Ji Chengyi that same evening.

Ji Chengyi selected one and sent it to Lin Jindu.

Lin Jindu responded with: [Alright, it’s good to go.]

With everything arranged, Friday arrived.

That morning, Ji Chengyi got up early to go to the company for a meeting.

As he descended the stairs, he ran into Lin Jindu, who had just returned from his morning run.

The autumn morning was already a bit chilly, but Lin Jindu was still sweating from his run.

After living under the same roof for a few days, Ji Chengyi was aware of Lin Jindu’s routine of running in the morning and exercising in the evening.

So he wasn’t surprised.

Nor did he find the slightly sweaty and breathless Lin Jindu particularly attractive.

He simply greeted calmly, “Good morning, Mr. Lin.”

Lin Jindu looked up warmly, the morning sunlight streaming through the glass brick windows, forming colorful beams.

Dressed in a white shirt, with a suit jacket draped over his arm, Ji Chengyi walked down the stairs through the prism of light, creating a picture so beautiful it seemed surreal.

Lin Jindu, who usually had no concept of beauty, had to admit in this moment that Ji Chengyi’s appearance and figure were indeed striking.

Out of a subjective appreciation for beauty, Lin Jindu looked for an extra couple of seconds before stepping in to change his shoes.

After taking a few steps, he retreated to the entryway, grabbing a towel to wipe the sweat from his forehead and neck, before walking back. “Good morning, Mr. Ji. Have you had breakfast?”

Ji Chengyi reached the bottom of the stairs and approached. “Not yet. I was planning to eat at the office.”

Lin Jindu suggested, “If you’re not in a rush, why not stay and have breakfast with me? I have something I need to discuss with you.”

Ji Chengyi hesitated for a couple of seconds before agreeing, “Alright.”

“Then please have a seat. Breakfast will be served shortly,” Lin Jindu said, pointing upstairs. “I’ll go take a quick shower.”

Ji Chengyi nodded, “Alright.”

Lin Jindu went upstairs.

When he came back down, he had changed from his workout clothes into a well-tailored black suit, and his hair was neatly styled with some hair spray.

He was the epitome of a business elite.

Hearing him come down, Ji Chengyi looked up from his iPad. “Perfect timing, Mr. Lin. Breakfast just arrived.”

Lin Jindu noticed the untouched breakfast on the table and didn’t question why Ji Chengyi hadn’t started eating.

From observing him over the past few days, Lin Jindu had noticed that Ji Chengyi was not only cultured and composed but also mastered the nuances of social etiquette perfectly.

If Lin Jindu could be described as a sharp, hidden beast, then Ji Chengyi was like a piece of gentle jade—unassuming but inherently radiant.

In summary, he was an excellent partner.

Lin Jindu nodded, walking over and casually draping his suit jacket over the back of a chair before sitting down. “Let’s talk while we eat.”

Ji Chengyi put down his iPad and agreed, “Sure.”

Yet, he made no move to pick up his chopsticks and start eating.

Seeing Ji Chengyi’s adherence to principles, Lin Jindu also refrained from eating and said directly, “The thing is, my parents would like to meet you. If you’re not busy tonight, we could have dinner at my place. If you are busy, we can arrange another time.”

Ji Chengyi was momentarily taken aback but quickly understood.

Although their marriage was based on cooperation, they were legally married.

Therefore, it was only right for him to meet Lin Jindu’s parents.

However, since Ji Chengyi’s mother had passed away and he had mercilessly driven his father out of Jincheng… it was practically as if he had no father either.

So, he hadn’t considered this detail.

Hearing Lin Jindu’s suggestion, Ji Chengyi, adhering to the principle of prioritizing their cooperation, immediately apologized, “I’m sorry, I overlooked this matter.”

Lin Jindu was about to say it was fine when Ji Chengyi quickly added, “Okay, I have time tonight.”

After a brief pause, he asked, “Is there anything Mr. Lin and Mrs. Lin prefer that I should prepare?”

Lin Jindu wanted to say there was no need to prepare anything, but knowing Ji Chengyi was a principled person, he replied, “My parents are into health maintenance these days. Just prepare some health teas.”

Ji Chengyi understood, “Alright, I will.”