HR Chapter 3
by VolareThe living room was designed with enormous floor-to-ceiling windows, offering a wide-open view. Outside the windows was a garden facing a pond, with gnarled plum branches and interspersed peach branches complementing each other. Orchids were nestled among them, and climbing roses covering the flower trellis provided a pleasant coolness. A pomegranate tree, as thick as a rice bowl, was topped with a tree full of fiery-red blossoms, burning brightly on the branches. Lotus leaves were just emerging from the water in the pond, and gardenias on the bank were sprouting new green leaves. Sweet osmanthus leaned on wintersweet, chrysanthemums hid among hibiscus, and daffodils were delicately pretty. Xiao Qi carefully counted them all, finding that flowers bloomed and fragrances wafted every month.
Xiao Qi, wearing oversized slippers and draped in yesterday’s baggy pajamas that could fit two of him, strolled through the garden. Inhaling the floral fragrance and listening to the birdsong, the morning dew was cool and the sunlight was warm, making him feel incredibly comfortable.
Lu Qinyuan came downstairs relatively late, catching sight of Xiao Qi flitting about in the garden through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The overly large pajamas made him look like a little flying squirrel ready to take off at any moment.
Bai Ze, dutiful as ever, came forward to inquire, “Should I call Jian Qilu back?” After speaking, he quietly observed Lu Qinyuan’s reaction, unsure if Lu Qinyuan accepted his way of addressing Xiao Qi.
“Let him play a while longer.” Fortunately, Lu Qinyuan didn’t seem to mind, yawning with a frown. “Call Qi Yue.” He wasn’t in the habit of waking up late. His years of ingrained biological clock meant that no matter how tired he was or how late he slept, it wouldn’t change, unless he was drugged. And the only one bold enough to drug him secretly without informing him was his personal physician, the esteemed Dr. Qi.
Bai Ze, holding his phone, listened with a blank expression to the sounds of harmony emanating from within, mentally cursing Qi Yue. If he was busy, he shouldn’t answer the phone; and if he answered, not saying anything and letting someone listen to pornography—what kind of behavior was that?
Hanging up, Bai Ze reported to Lu Qinyuan with a straight face, “Dr. Qi is busy.” Lu Qinyuan’s gaze swept over coldly. Bai Ze smiled and persistently continued calling people.
Sha Tang, taking off his apron, came to invite Lu Qinyuan to breakfast. Lu Qinyuan grunted in acknowledgement and instructed, “Call Xiao Qi in.”
Xiao Qi, with his head full of dew and his body radiating coolness, ran in and obediently sat to Lu Qinyuan’s right. Lu Qinyuan, holding the cutlery, said coolly, “After handling some matters, I’ll take you to buy clothes.” He called out to Bai Ze, who was still dialing, “Bai Ze, come eat first.”
“Oh, coming.” Bai Ze walked in while dialing, still smiling.
The phone placed on the bedside table kept ringing incessantly, like it was urging him to die.
“Hurry up and answer the phone, it’s so annoying.”
With a loud “Bang!” Dr. Qi was kicked out of bed again by his significant other. Qi Yue rubbed his buttocks and sat up, grinning foolishly as he gazed at his disheveled lover on the bed, “Min Jia, you look even sexier like this.”
“Get out!” Min Jia glared fiercely, but in Dr. Qi’s eyes, it was a blatant seduction. Instantly, Qi Yue very pathetically swallowed his saliva.
“Aren’t you going to answer the phone? Is your skin itching again?” Min Jia’s eyes were misty, and he reminded Qi Yue with a slightly hooked lip, his lazy voice low and alluring.
Qi Yue shamelessly climbed back into bed, grabbed Min Jia’s hand and pressed it against his chest, saying shyly, “I knew it, Min Jia, you care about me.” As he spoke, he began to get handsy, entangling himself with Min Jia once more.
Qi Yue, embracing his lover, answered the phone, his words filled with satiated laziness, “Bai Ze, do you know what the consequences are for ruining my good time?”
Bai Ze held up the phone to Lu Qinyuan. Lu Qinyuan, knowing the call had gone through, snorted coldly, “Get over here immediately.” Bai Ze took the phone back and held it to his ear, saying into the phone, “Did you hear that? Hurry up.”
After finishing breakfast, Lu Qinyuan sat on the sofa reading to pass the time. Xiao Qi huddled beside him, borrowing the light, occasionally nudging Lu Qinyuan’s hand, which was blocking the words. By the time Qi Yue arrived, he had finished a chapter and was transitioning to the next. Bai Ze, fearing being affected, hid far away, and also cleared away the servants guarding the surroundings.
“Brother Lu.” Qi Yue smiled brightly, immediately spotting the soft gem nestled in Lu Qinyuan’s embrace. He eagerly sat down next to Xiao Qi, crossed his legs, folded his arms, and stared at Xiao Qi for a long time, pinching his chin and saying, “Skin like congealed cream, so delicate it could be broken by a breath, lips like cherry blossoms, eyebrows like slender willows. This pretty boy isn’t bad looking. It’s just that those two eyes are like picking up two big glass marbles and stuffing them into his eye sockets, a bit too big, a little creepy.”
Xiao Qi leaned closer to Lu Qinyuan and kicked Qi Yue unceremoniously, “Stay away from me.”
Qi Yue was kicked a little distance away but still wanted to move closer. Lu Qinyuan called out his name, his voice slow and measured, but unable to suppress the authority in his tone, “Qi Yue, you drugged me.”
“Injustice, Brother Lu!” Qi Yue cried out in distress, leaping far away like a monkey, explaining obsequiously, “I didn’t drug you, it’s just that the medicine has a sleep aid component. If you don’t like it, I’ll change it for you immediately.”
“Change it. Next time you act on your own initiative, I’ll invite Min Jia over for tea.” Lu Qinyuan put the book in Xiao Qi’s hand, raised his eyes and saw Shu Xiu enter the door. He waved at Qi Yue, and Qi Yue fled as if escaping, hurriedly greeting Shu Xiu who was entering, and disappeared like a whirlwind.
“Like a monkey, what a pity for Min Jia, how could he be so completely dominated by him?” Shu Xiu looked down on Qi Yue very much, a complete beast in clothes. He sat down opposite Lu Qinyuan, glanced at Xiao Qi who was looking down at the book, and said seriously, “The matter has been investigated. Brother, you guessed right, it was Lu Qingshuang who did it. Lu Chun Jun didn’t escape either. Recently, several of our establishments have been completely smashed. The two sides clashed a few days ago, but there were no deaths or injuries. Should we still remain still for the time being?”
“No rush, let them play for now.” Lu Qinyuan turned his head to look at Xiao Qi, reached out and lifted his hair upwards, “Don’t look down too close, it’s bad for your eyes.” Xiao Qi straightened his back slightly, raised his head, and dodged to the side. Lu Qinyuan placed his hand on top of Xiao Qi’s head and rubbed it forcefully, saying to Shu Xiu, “I want to go out, arrange it for me.”
Shu Xiu immediately looked as if he was facing a great enemy, “What for?”
“A change of scenery, and also to buy a few clothes for Xiao Qi.” Lu Qinyuan looked at Shu Xiu with a meaningful gaze, “What are you nervous about? Afraid I’ll run away? Just follow me.”
Shu Xiu had originally returned to rest, but now how could he dare to rest? Lu Qinyuan even dared to shamelessly say that he was afraid he’d run away. Who knew that a few years ago, on Christmas, he’d had a sudden whim to see Santa Claus, and upon leaving, he said he was going out for a change of scenery, and in the blink of an eye, he’d gone all the way to the United States, not even answering the phone, making all his subordinates so anxious that they almost collectively committed suicide by slitting their throats.
Lu Qinyuan stared at the dark shadows under Shu Xiu’s eyes, and said very considerately, “Let Zhu Yan follow, you stay home and rest.”
“No, I’m not tired.” Shu Xiu hurriedly refused. Last time it was Zhu Yan who followed, and what was the result? He came back with a gunshot wound.
Zhu Yan was very remorseful the last time Lu Qinyuan was injured, and this time he insisted on following. Zhu Yan was a big guy, with a broad back and a thick waist, towering like a mountain, with fierce eyebrows and glaring eyes, looking very ferocious. Lu Qinyuan was unwilling to take him, and Zhu Yan was very distressed, and couldn’t help but ask Shu Xiu for help. Seeing his index finger quietly pointing to one side, following the direction of Shu Xiu’s finger, he saw a weak and thin figure tiptoeing to reach for a wooden long sword hanging on the wall, waist-length hair tied behind him with a black hairband, setting off a slender waist like a willow, swaying from side to side, trembling, with a tenacity that suggested he wouldn’t give up until he got it.
Zhu Yan had seen this young boy once in the morning. He had returned to discuss matters with Bai Ze, and happened to see the young boy admiring the flowers in the garden. The golden morning light shone on the young boy, bright but not dazzling. He was unconsciously attracted to the sight, forgetting to walk, and the young boy, noticing his gaze, looked over and smiled slightly. That smile, although light and faint, was dazzlingly bright, and even he couldn’t help but feel a slight flutter in his heart.
Seeming to sense Zhu Yan’s gaze, Xiao Qi turned his head and called out to him, “Uncle, come quickly.”
Zhu Yan walked over almost without hesitation, bending down to look at the young boy, who was not even up to his shoulders, at eye level, “Is there anything you need, Master Jian?” He heard Bai Ze mention that this was the Doll Master Cheng had sent to Master Lu, Master Jian.
“Lift me up, I want to see that sword.” Xiao Qi turned his back to Zhu Yan, and when Zhu Yan didn’t move for a long time, he turned his head to urge, “Hurry up, uncle.”
No matter how slow Zhu Yan was, he wouldn’t dare to do such a presumptuous thing, especially in front of Lu Qinyuan. Zhu Yan knelt on one knee, patted his supporting knee and said, “Stand on it and take a look.”
Xiao Qi looked at his raised knee and reached out to touch it, “Is it okay?”
Zhu Yan nodded, “Yes.”
When Xiao Qi stood on it, Zhu Yan sighed in his heart, so light.
The material used to make the long sword was not precious, but the carving technique was very outstanding. Xiao Qi stroked the patterns on the sword with delight, exclaiming in admiration. After looking at it reluctantly, he jumped off Zhu Yan’s knee, stroked the knee he had stepped on, bent his eyebrows and thanked him, “Thank you, uncle, you are such a good person.”
It was the first time someone praised him as a good person, and Zhu Yan felt like it was the first time he had met a girl he was attracted to who praised him. His heart beat very fast, and he was very embarrassed and didn’t know whether to accept it or not.
Lu Qinyuan, seeing the embarrassment, called out to Xiao Qi, “Come here.”
Hearing Lu Qinyuan calling him, Xiao Qi ran happily to Lu Qinyuan’s side and said as if offering a treasure, “I know, that is an ancient famous sword.”
Lu Qinyuan raised his eyes to size him up, his voice neither cold nor warm, “I told you to change your clothes, not to run off and play.” He also knew that Xiao Qi had no clothes to change here, but Shu Xiu’s old clothes could barely be put together: “Shu Xiu, give him your old clothes to change into.”
Shu Xiu took the order and took Xiao Qi upstairs, leaving Zhu Yan and Lu Qinyuan alone. Lu Qinyuan looked like a weak scholar on the surface, but his imposing manner was no less than Mount Tai pressing down. Recalling his embarrassing actions just now, Zhu Yan couldn’t stay for even a minute longer. Just as he was about to make an excuse to escape, he heard Lu Qinyuan say, “If you want to follow so much, then follow.” Zhu Yan agreed and fled.
Shu Xiu and Xiao Qi came downstairs quickly, and the car outside had been waiting for a long time. Lu Qinyuan stood up and walked out, sitting in the car and waiting for Xiao Qi to get in before ordering to leave.
Xiao Qi was wearing overalls with a beige loose-fitting thin sweater. The sweater was too loose and occasionally revealed his delicate collarbones. The waist was too big, and even if the sweater was tucked into the waist, it still looked very empty. The trouser legs were rolled up several times and heavily dangled above the ankles, revealing black short socks. The shoes were also a little big, and he took a step and they fell off, and he didn’t allow anyone to help him, but he walked steadily.
That kind of mismatched outfit revealed a clumsy cuteness.