Chapter 2

After spending most of the afternoon busy at the company, Xu Zhou had just handed over the files he had finished to his assistant when Shen Yan called.

Seeing the incoming call, Xu Zhou was a bit surprised. He hadn’t expected Shen Yan to reach out to him.

So how should he handle this? He couldn’t act like before…

Back in school, Shen Yan always wore that indifferent, almost sulky expression, and Xu Zhou used to love teasing him—making him show some reaction on his face before quickly slipping away. Their classmates often joked that Xu Zhou’s antics were like “pulling a tiger’s tail.”

But that was in the past. Now that Xu Zhou had something to gain from Shen Yan, he definitely couldn’t do anything to offend him.

As for their relationship now… “old classmates” was accurate, but the only bond between them was that of classmates. And even that single thread of friendship had now changed in nature…

Staring at the screen for over ten seconds, Xu Zhou’s mind ran through a jumble of thoughts before he finally answered the phone, slowly, deliberately.

With a smile, he asked, “President Shen, is there something you need?”

Hearing Xu Zhou’s voice, Shen Yan’s lips curved slightly. He set down the iPad he had been browsing and asked, “Have you eaten?”

Xu Zhou was confused but smiled back. “Not yet. How about you, President Shen?”

“I haven’t. I’ve been waiting for you.”

“Waiting for me?” Xu Zhou was slightly stunned.

“Mm, downstairs at your company.”

“…?” “Are you joking?” Xu Zhou paused for a moment before cautiously asking, “You want to treat me to a meal?”

Shen Yan responded with a simple, “Mm.”

Xu Zhou hadn’t expected Shen Yan to personally come to him. He stood there for a long moment, considering all the possibilities. After all, someone like Shen Yan, at the absolute forefront of the business world, valued time even more than money.

Originally, he thought about offering some polite words, but then realized it was unnecessary. Shen Yan had already come to his company, and not going would look like he was avoiding him.

Moreover, after the recent troubles at Qingchuang, Xu Zhou had poured all his assets into covering losses. His wallet was emptier than his face, and it was already a miracle he had survived this long.

Downstairs, a Rolls-Royce worth hundreds of millions sat on the street.

Inside the car, a man in a crisp suit leaned back against the luxurious leather seat, legs crossed, occasionally glancing out the window.

“President Shen, the meeting with Yunmeng Group is set to start in an hour,” whispered Shen Yan’s personal assistant, Lin Feng. He didn’t know why his boss had personally come down today.

It was the first time in years following Shen Yan that he had seen him wait so patiently for someone.

“Push it to tomorrow,” Shen Yan replied, still staring out the window, as if nothing else mattered.

“Understood.”

Shen Yan had an impeccable sense of timing and was decisive at work. It was unusual for him to postpone a meeting he personally arranged, which made Lin Feng even more curious—who could be so important to make President Shen break his own rule?

It was rush hour, and passersby couldn’t help but glance at the Rolls-Royce parked at the company entrance.

“Two Rolls-Royces here?! Which rich kid is arriving?”

“Maybe picking up his wife?”

“Yeah, must be. Marrying a rich guy is nice—coming back from work in a luxury car.”

“Never thought rich people’s wives worked here too. Thought they just stayed home doing flowers and makeup…”

“Maybe they just want to experience life among the commoners…”

“…”

When Lu Feng walked into the office carrying coffee he’d bought outside, his face was full of envy.

“Do you know what I saw outside the company?” he said without waiting for Xu Zhou to respond.

“It was a top-of-the-line Rolls-Royce, starting at 300 million. A car like this, I could never afford even working at Qingchuang my whole life. I can only admire it from afar… and I have no idea who the big shot inside could be.”

Xu Zhou, changing his clothes, didn’t correct him.

“You’re wrong. Even if you sold Qingchuang, you still couldn’t buy it.”

Lu Feng nodded in resignation. True enough—comparing yourself to others can be infuriating.

He put down the coffee, pulled out his phone, and started browsing takeout options.

“Should we try somewhere different today…”

His sentence trailed off when he noticed the red marks on Xu Zhou’s neck.

“Your neck… what happened?” he asked casually.

Damn. That question made last night’s memory flash in Xu Zhou’s mind—Shen Yan had bitten his neck like a dog, and no matter how much he begged, Shen Yan hadn’t let up…

Steadying himself, he offered a casual excuse.

“Just an allergy.”

“An allergy?” Lu Feng frowned. “I didn’t know you were allergic to anything.”

He didn’t probe further. Xu Zhou had always been a unique sort of person.

Xu Zhou quickly put on his jacket, walked over, and sipped his coffee.

“I won’t order today. I have plans to go out.”

Lu Feng froze. Plans? Without him? He felt a pang.

…

Shen Yan glanced at the man who had been silently staring at his phone since getting in the car.

Xu Zhou’s skin was flawless, pale as ever, unchanged from his youth, though now there was a trace of maturity in his expression. Back then, he’d had a hint of roguish charm.

“What do you want to eat?” Shen Yan asked.

Xu Zhou put down his phone, trying to appear natural and nonchalant. “I don’t mind.”

Shen Yan told the driver, “Yuemàn Restaurant.”

“Got it, President Shen,” Lin Feng replied, keeping his eyes on the road while sneaking a glance at the rearview mirror. The young man was very attractive, with flawless skin and nearly perfect features, delicate yet refined. He had a hint of elegance.

Lin Feng couldn’t tell the exact nature of their relationship, but the atmosphere between them felt… intimate.

Hearing the destination, Xu Zhou let out a small, almost inaudible sigh.

Yuemàn Restaurant, located in the city center, was a luxurious high-end establishment inspired by French palace-style design. The average bill was tens of thousands, and only the top-tier wealthy and elite could usually enter.

Shen Yan, of course, was a regular there.