Chapter 40

Jiang Chen was stunned until Ling Sheng opened the car door, and the cold wind rushed in. He quickly reached out and grabbed his hand, “I’ll go up with you.”

Ling Sheng turned his head, with a trace of the previous tenderness and desire still lingering in his eyes, but the expression on his face was indifferent, with a hint of reprimand: “If you can’t control yourself, then abstain for a week.”

He had just tasted the meat and was immediately asked to become a vegetarian. This was even more painful than directly making him a monk. Jiang Chen’s face changed instantly. His body was still hard, but his mind had collapsed: “No, I won’t dare again.”

Ling Sheng didn’t soften at all, just glanced at the hand he was holding: “Let go.”

Jiang Chen quickly unbuckled his seat belt and tried to open the car door, but Ling Sheng spoke again: “If you don’t listen, it will be extended to a month.”

This time, Jiang Chen quickly let go of his hand and watched as Ling Sheng put on his clothes and closed the car door. Jiang Chen quickly got out of the car, ran over to grab him, and drooped his eyebrows, pitifully making a final plea: “I really know I was wrong. I will never kiss you outside again.”

The indulgence during this period made him more and more presumptuous. Ling Sheng was determined to restrain him, so naturally, he wouldn’t compromise so easily. He stroked his face with the back of his hand but said nothing, moving the hand that was being held to signal him to let go.

Jiang Chen was like a big dog about to be abandoned. He wanted to pounce on him and hug him, but he had just been punished, so he didn’t dare to be presumptuous. He could only reluctantly let go of his hand, his eyes glued to Ling Sheng.

Ling Sheng touched his head and went directly into the residential area.

Jiang Chen felt as cold as he had been hot just now. He sat back in the car and warmed up for a long time before his body warmed up. His phone vibrated with a message from Ling Sheng.

Baby: 【Go back.】

This nickname was changed after their intimate night. Now, the more he looked at it, the more pitiful he felt. He couldn’t help but find a crying emoji in the newly downloaded dog emoji pack and sent it.

Baby: 【I’m going to sleep.】

Jiang Chen now knew Ling Sheng’s personality quite well, and at this point, he no longer avoided anything: 【Aren’t you going to take a shower?】

Baby: 【Yes, but I won’t let you watch.】

Jiang Chen looked at his pants with embarrassment, the shape still clearly visible. A twenty-year-old young man, teased like this, couldn’t easily calm down. The atmosphere from just now seemed to linger in the car. Jiang Chen resisted the urge to comfort himself and replied: 【I’m going back.】

In the end, he could only drive back.

In the following week, Ling Sheng was busy with the company’s annual meeting and year-end summary meetings. Jiang Chen was also busy. On the one hand, the final exams were coming soon, and on the other hand, his little nephew was having his 100-day banquet.

His little nephew was born on a good day, October 1st, celebrating with the nation. Originally, he was going to have a full moon banquet, but his sister-in-law said that she had just come out of confinement and was still swollen all over, so she didn’t want to see anyone. So she didn’t have a full moon banquet, but a 100-day banquet.

After some discussion, they decided to hold it together on New Year’s Day. But they didn’t want a big event, so they found a hotel and invited some relatives and friends for a simple celebration.

Jiang Chen didn’t need to worry about the trivial matters, but Jiang’s father intentionally wanted him to make some connections and pave the way for him, so these past few days, he took him with him whenever he had time, and at the same time, he had to remember everyone who came to the 100-day banquet.

So, when it came to abstinence this week, he didn’t feel it too much. After all, he was really busy, and before he knew it, a week had passed.

Most of those who came to the 100-day banquet were political figures, as well as close family friends like the Xu family. Jiang Chen had familiarized himself with the information of these people in advance, so he was able to handle them relatively easily. After all, he was the second son of the Jiang family, and Jiang Chen’s seniority here was not high, so most people were very tolerant.

The baby was breastfed, very attached to his mother, but not afraid of strangers. He smiled at everyone, white and chubby like a large glutinous rice dumpling. When he smiled, drool dripped down. When Xu Peiya held him, he drooled all over her collar. Xu Peiya didn’t mind and took a lot of photos.

Jiang Chen found it fun and also took a lot of short videos, all of which he sent to Ling Sheng. Ling Sheng was at Coco’s house with Little Little Wu and also took a lot of videos of Little Little Wu playing basketball at home and sent them to Jiang Chen. The two sent messages to each other like parents with children, and they were having a great time.

Baby: 【Little Little Wu wants you to teach him how to play basketball. He wants to enter the NBA.】

JC: 【No problem, I’ll teach him next time. Can’t you play basketball too? I haven’t even played with you.】

Baby: 【That’s simple. We can play together next time.】

JC: 【When is next time?】

Baby: 【After the annual meeting.】

The annual meeting was a big project, mainly because of the model incident before the new year, coupled with the plagiarism incident. After Director Chen was fired, he also cleaned up some people in the company. A big turmoil could easily lead to instability. Recently, they recruited some new people, who also needed to integrate.

These things were handled by the administration. In previous years, the general manager of the East China region would come, and at most the head of the China region would come to congratulate them. But perhaps because Jiang City had too many changes this year, they were notified that someone from the head office would come, so this year was especially important.

“Jiang Xiaohua?” Xu Peiya walked into the lounge and sure enough saw Jiang Chen there. She rolled her eyes when she saw him holding his phone and sending messages. “This is a place for my sister-in-law to rest, not for you.”

Jiang Chen saw that it was her, didn’t stop his hands, and responded perfunctorily before continuing to tap on his phone.

Xu Peiya walked over, glanced at the nickname on the screen, and was surprised and disgusted. “Baby? I didn’t know you were so cheesy?”

Jiang Chen didn’t even lift his head. “You wouldn’t understand.”

Xu Peiya really admired him. In the past, she thought Jiang Chen was just a righteous and upright straight man. She didn’t expect that once he was turned gay, he could become so infatuated. But after all, they were good friends, and seeing him so invested, she couldn’t help but worry. “Are you serious?”

They were born in an enlightened family, and their parents were highly educated, so they didn’t insist on arranged marriages or marriages for profit. Moreover, they knew their own children and wouldn’t have bad taste. So, they hardly put too much pressure on them in terms of love. But if Jiang Chen brought a man home…

That would be a different story.

Ling Sheng happened to not reply to his message. He looked up at her. “When have you ever seen me not be serious about relationships?”

She had never seen it, because he had never been in one before.

There happened to be no one here for the time being. The joking look on Xu Peiya’s face lessened, and she said seriously, “I ship your CP, and I’m happy to see lovers get married, but your aunt and uncle’s hurdle won’t be so easy to overcome. I was almost scared to death when Jian Ge called last time.”

Jiang Jian was like that too. Without saying his name, she just asked if Jiang Chen had been getting close to a boy recently, and that boy was gay. At that time, she thought Jiang Chen had come out to his family. If she hadn’t been on the phone, she would have confessed on the spot.

Later, she found out that it was a misunderstanding, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

Jiang Chen also looked at Xu Peiya seriously. He always had a clear and organized way of doing things, with clear goals. He rarely changed his decisions after making them. And this time, he was even more certain. “I like him. One day, I will take him to see my parents. No matter what my parents think, I won’t change my mind.”

Xu Peiya was stunned by his serious expression. She knew he was serious and felt that there was no need to worry prematurely. So, she relayed Jiang Jian’s words and told him to go out.

When Jiang Chen went over, they were talking about Jiang City’s recently highly valued real estate development project. Jiang Jian saw him coming and took him with her to listen.

Jiang City had been developing well in recent years, and this project was the largest in the past five years. Naturally, it had attracted attention from all parties. Several major domestic consortia intended to participate in the cooperation, so many big figures had come to Jiang City recently.

Jiang’s father and several people were chatting there, but they didn’t talk deeply in public. Jiang Jian pulled Jiang Chen aside and briefly explained to him: “The He family, the Zhou family, the Gu family, and your classmate, Lu Sheng, the Lu family also wants to participate. Now is a critical period. The project’s evaluation has already been completed. Now, it’s just a matter of choosing a partner from these families. The initial investment in this project is at least 600 million yuan, and the subsequent capital investment will only be more. There can’t be any mistakes. Be careful at school these days. Don’t get tricked.”

“Lu Sheng didn’t even mention this to me.” Jiang Chen recalled that his relationship with Lu Sheng was actually quite ordinary. He mainly had more friendship with Yan Huan. Lu Sheng was a thoughtful person and generally didn’t bring company matters to school.

But speaking of the Zhou family, he had seen the Zhou family’s playboy at Fang Xing’s place last time. He heard Fang Xing say that he was calling his sister over. So the Zhou family’s current head, the Zhou family’s eldest sister, should have also come to Jiang City.

These matters were all handled by his father and his brother, and they didn’t have much to do with him.

What he was more concerned about now was that after the New Year’s Day holiday, the one-week agreement would be over, and he could go to Ling Sheng again.

When Ling Sheng came out of the shower, he could faintly hear the sound of fireworks outside.

Fireworks were prohibited in Jiang City’s urban area, but they couldn’t stop people’s enthusiasm for celebration. So, they had designated areas where fireworks could be set off. Looking out the window, he could see fireworks being set off continuously and could hear a little bit of noise. It was very lively.

Ling Sheng sat on the bed and opened his WeChat Moments. It was already 10 p.m. The first post that was refreshed was from his boyfriend’s Moments: 【Happy 100th day to my little nephew.】

There was only one picture. In the front were Jiang’s father and Jiang’s mother, holding a chubby baby in their arms. On the left and right sides stood the two Jiang brothers, handsome and spirited. Jiang Jian looked refined and gentle, while Jiang Chen was smiling happily, open and cheerful.

What a happy family.

Ling Sheng gave him a like, and the corners of his mouth curled up unconsciously.

Less than a minute after liking it, a message came.

JC: 【I’m coming to see you tomorrow.】

There was no tone, but from these few words, Ling Sheng could imagine the expression on his face when he sent the message: excited, excited, and eager.

Today was the last day of the one-week agreement. Ling Sheng replied to his message: 【Okay, bring a change of clothes.】

The next day, Ling Sheng was in a good mood, but when he walked into the company, he found that many people were secretly looking at him.

He was wondering what was going on when he opened the door to his office and found that someone was sitting in his seat.

Slightly long hair, handsome face, a blue striped suit, he was sitting casually, leaning on the chair, his hands crossed in front of him. When he saw him, he showed a charming smile. The teardrop mole on the right corner of his eye moved slightly with his smile, flowing with a different kind of bewitching. His voice had a hint of coquettish complaint: “Ling Baby, why are you only coming now?”