Chapter 13: Wow~

All was silent, and the wind passed without a sound.

The atmosphere suddenly changed, and the group of people hadn’t reacted yet.

Only the younger sister pursed her lips and looked straight ahead, her eyes shining like a pair of searchlights in the night!

“…” Jian Mingzhou felt that Xie Jing was also looking at him.

He pressed the phone screen with determination, his face calm and composed. Inside, his heart was pounding. He should have answered naturally, right? No one should have detected anything wrong, right?

Indeed. The deepest wounds often come from betrayal!

In the midst of silence, Xie Jing’s hand on the table moved.

Jian Mingzhou felt a slight tension in his chest, just about to say something, when another voice came from the other end:

“Was that Chief Xia just now?”

Turning his head, he saw He Luchen holding a teacup, elegantly crossing his legs. He seemed completely unaffected by the current atmosphere, immersed in his own world, exclaiming:

“He actually answers colleagues’ calls on a weekend evening!”

“…” Jian Mingzhou.

“…” The group of people.

“Cousin.” He Yi couldn’t help but speak. “Do you never answer colleagues’ calls after work?”

He Luchen was surprised. “Why should I answer the phone after work?”

“What if it’s work-related?”

“I’m afraid it’s work, so I don’t answer!”

“So you’re afraid it’s work, and that’s why you don’t answer!”

—Makes sense!

The topic was inexplicably led astray by He Luchen, and no one paid attention to the previous phone call issue. Jian Mingzhou secretly breathed a sigh of relief, not expecting He Luchen to be so bourgeois in his approach to work!

At the same time, he was more puzzled.

Why had Xia Ye never done anything to He Luchen?

“Uncle.” Suddenly, someone called him.

Jian Mingzhou turned his head and saw Xie Jing casually leaning on the chair, looking at him. His throat moved. “Hmm?”

Xie Jing bent his lips and asked casually, “Why did you hang up the phone just now?”

Jian Mingzhou, “…”

Countless reasons flashed through his mind in an instant.

In the end, he picked up the cup and took a sip of water. “I felt that, considering the other party’s mental state, it wasn’t suitable to continue the call.”

—

The gathering ended after nine o’clock.

Jian Mingzhou and Xie Jing took a taxi home.

Upon reaching home, Jian Mingzhou asked Xie Jing to take a shower first, then threw both their changed clothes and the clothes soaked during the day into the washing machine.

When Xie Jing finished his shower and came out, he saw that the clothes were already washed.

Xie Jing was on the balcony, hanging them to dry.

With a tall figure, he stretched his long arm to hang the clothes above.

The night breeze blew in through the open window. In a row of half-dried clothes, two identical black T-shirts hung side by side on the rack, gently swaying in the wind.

Jian Mingzhou walked over with a towel draped over his shoulders and “mixed them up.”

Xie Jing looked over. “Should make a mark.”

“If you mind…”

“It’s fine.” Xie Jing, without caring, spoke indifferently. “They are the same anyway.”

…

Xie Jing said he didn’t mind, and Jian Mingzhou didn’t think much of it.

Considering that the T-shirt was a bit small for Xie Jing, he probably wouldn’t wear it again.

After a rich and exciting weekend, Monday arrived.

After the morning meeting, as usual, Jian Mingzhou walked behind Xia Ye.

“The joint book signing event this Saturday is your responsibility. Have you coordinated everything? Remember to arrive at the venue one hour in advance.”

Jian Mingzhou replied, “Of course.”

Xia Ye nodded. “That’s good. I’m mainly afraid that you had too much fun last weekend and forgot about work.”

“…”

Jian Mingzhou halted his steps, silently looking at him. His eyes clearly conveyed:

How dare you mention last weekend?

Xia Ye strategically adjusted his glasses, “…What’s wrong?”

Jian Mingzhou, after taking a deep breath, humbly inquired, “Have you never heard of party games? And, ‘After getting drunk, my roommate…’ What is that?”

Xia Ye, with a meaningful smile, said, “That was me ringing the alarm bell for you.”

“What alarm bell…” Jian Mingzhou turned his head and continued walking. “You’ve watched too much BL manga. Both Xiao Jing and I are straight.”

“Ah!”

…What does that mean? Jian Mingzhou glanced at him and said, “You are indeed suitable for the BL manga department.”

“I’ve told you this is a forbidden topic!”

The pen made several back-and-forth strokes in the air.

Jian Mingzhou’s movements suddenly paused.

He looked at Xia Ye’s somewhat flat face and tasted the unkind things he had done… Driven by curiosity and a taste for wickedness, a thought suddenly popped into his mind.

“Call Chief He over the weekend.”

“?” Xia Ye was puzzled. “Why should I call him?”

Jian Mingzhou began to brew an idea: “Just call him. After you call, I’ll tell you.”

After saying this, he patted Xia Ye and leisurely left.

—

These days were busy preparing for the book signing event.

On Wednesday evening, when Jian Mingzhou returned home, he saw Xie Jing sitting on the sofa, scrolling through his phone.

Hearing him come back, Xie Jing turned his head and said, “Uncle.”

“Oh, what’s up?”

“There’s a new handmade hamburger shop on the pedestrian street. I finish training early on Saturday afternoon. Do you want to try it together?”

Jian Mingzhou hesitated for a moment.

Their tastes were similar, and this shop served something they both liked. But unfortunately, it was this Saturday…

“Xiao Jing, I have work this Saturday. I don’t know how long it will take; maybe I can’t make it.”

Xie Jing’s gaze lingered for two seconds, then he put away his phone and said, “Next time then.”

Seeing that he didn’t seem displeased, Jian Mingzhou continued, “If you really want to eat there, you can go with friends first.”

A noncommittal sound came from behind: “Hmm.”

The book signing event on Saturday started at two in the afternoon.

Jian Mingzhou had to leave at noon.

As the person in charge of today’s book signing, he wore formal attire, a neat white shirt tied at the waist, accentuating a smooth and beautiful waistline. Compared to his usual casual dress, he exuded a more mature aura, giving off a different vibe.

To use the praise from He Chi’s clever mouth, he is truly a jade-like corporate slave.

Jian Mingzhou took it as mockery, with kindness and tolerance.

After getting ready, Jian Mingzhou took a taxi to the book signing event.

By the time he arrived, many people were already there.

There were manga artists who arrived early and readers who had started queuing on the other side.

Jian Mingzhou was coordinating with the staff when he heard a familiar voice across the venue:

“Zhou—Editor—! Editor Zhou—!”

“…?”

He turned around, and Xiao Lu was waving at him from the other end of the seat.

Being too conspicuous, quite a few eyes had turned their way. After explaining things to the staff, Jian Mingzhou walked through the venue toward the signing area.

As he passed the line of readers, he heard fragmented discussions:

“Wow, look…”

“So handsome; is he also a teacher?”

“I heard he’s an editor, like a character from a manga…”

He didn’t pay much attention to the small talk, his mind full of Xiao Lu’s “Zhou Bian” surrounding him in 3D.

Reaching Xiao Lu, he asked, “What’s wrong?”

Xiao Lu wailed, “Editor Zhou, I’m so nervous! I’m about to meet my fans. What if there are very few people coming to get my signature?”

Jian Mingzhou comforted her: “Then bring two boxes of snacks. While the teachers on your left and right are still popular, sell melon seeds and soda to the front row.”

“…”

Xiao Lu clapped her hands lightly and said, “You’re really good at strategizing.”

During their conversation, other authors also arrived.

Watching the slightly wilted Xiao Lu, Jian Mingzhou couldn’t help but smile, then patted her shoulder and said, “Be confident. There might be more people who like you than you think.”

…

At two o’clock, the book signing event started on time.

After briefing the on-site staff, Jian Mingzhou returned to the second-floor office.

The office on the second floor faced the entire venue, with a one-way mirrored window that allowed the responsible person to see the situation inside, making it convenient to handle any unexpected events.

Jian Mingzhou sat in the office, monitoring the situation inside while taking the opportunity to review manuscripts.

While doing so, he suddenly noticed a familiar pair of twin tails in the crowd…

“?” Jian Mingzhou fixed his gaze, and indeed—

It was probably a day without tutoring classes for He Yu. She carried a large backpack, wore a little skirt, and cheerfully rushed into the book signing. She probably brought her own signing board.

But this book signing wasn’t specifically for Boys’ Love, and it was jointly organized by several publishers.

There wasn’t much risk of exposure.

Jian Mingzhou calmly sat back and continued to review the manuscript.

Not long after, his phone on the table vibrated. He opened it to see that He Yu had sent him a WeChat message.

【Happy Xiao Yu】: Brother Mingzhou! I’m here for the signing today, and I got your signature~ [Picture]

After some thought, Jian Mingzhou replied to her: I’m here too.

【Happy Xiao Yu】: ??? Where are you?

【Mingzhou】: Second-floor office; I’m a staff member.

Once the message was sent, cheers erupted from the opposite side. He Yu immediately asked if she could come and play. Across the window, Jian Mingzhou vaguely saw a pair of twin tails jumping up in the crowd…

He replied, “I’ll have the staff bring you up.”

Not long after, the office door opened.

He Yu joyfully peeked in, “Brother Mingzhou! I’ve come to find you!”

“Come in.”

With a backpack on her back, she looked around, excitedly exclaiming, “Wow, this is what the studio looks like; it’s amazing!”

Jian Mingzhou stood up to get her some snacks and water, also taking two merchandise items as gifts. “Want some?”

“I want, I want, thank you, Brother Mingzhou!”

He Yu exuded a happy aura.

She happily looked around for a while, then took a photo of the snacks and sent it to the group. “I’m showing my big brother and his friends.”

【Happy Xiao Yu】: [Picture]

【Happy Xiao Yu】: Hehe! I’m with Brother Mingzhou (^o^) / Brother Mingzhou even treated me to something delicious.

Jian Mingzhou turned his head. “His friends?”

“Well, my big brother and his friends added me to their WeChat group. Look.” She generously showed Jian Mingzhou her phone screen. “See—”

〖He Yi and his friends and his useless big cousin (12)〗

Jian Mingzhou: …

Unbelievable, He Luchen was actually classified separately.

Messages were popping up on the screen in a lively manner.

【Song】: How come you’re with Brother Mingzhou?

【nini】: Wow! On a big Saturday, Brother Mingzhou is actually treating you to food! [Cat spear pokes you]

【Jiang】: Wow~

【He Yi】: Wow!

【Zhou Xuyang】: Wow!!!

…

As Jian Mingzhou was looking at the messages, a familiar nickname suddenly appeared below—

【Jing】: Wow