Chapter 14: Close at Hand

Hearing Qi Yingzhu pretentiously asking for his opinion, Chu Fuxuan subconsciously grew guarded, and his calf, which had just been nudged, also tensed up.

He reluctantly met his gaze. Unfortunately, under his condemning stare, Qi Yingzhu did not locate his conscience. He even happily added fuel to the fire, directing an expectant expression toward him.

Chu Fuxuan felt his entire body go numb: “.”

Qi Yingzhu’s pupils were deep black. Even illuminated by the bright lights right now, they remained like a bottomless pool, making it difficult for the outside world to guess what exactly he was thinking.

However, Chu Fuxuan saw it very clearly and could guarantee that while Qi Yingzhu looked tender and affectionate at first glance, it wasn’t mixed with any genuine emotion. Stripping away the disguise, it was entirely a restless, mischievous heart.

He shifted his gaze and answered with a strong underlying meaning: “Lately I’ve been prone to kicking the blankets. I’m afraid it would be dangerous for you to sleep next to me.”

Qi Yingzhu gave a very shallow smile and said unhurriedly, “Thank you for the reminder. It’s okay, this time I’ll allow you to take advantage of me.”

Feeling deeply wronged, Chu Fuxuan: “…”

He wanted to give a few more excuses, but after trying hard to formulate his words, he suddenly swallowed them back down.

A couple who hadn’t even been registered for half a month would be exactly at the stage where they couldn’t bear to be apart. His hasty refusal in a moment of desperation could be seen as shyness, but any further rejection wouldn’t stand up to scrutiny.

Moreover, under the watchful eyes of everyone, with his parents actively urging him to stay to this extent, Qi Yingzhu was primarily trying to save face for the elders.

Chu Fuxuan wasn’t so ignorant of the situation. He changed his tune and asked his father, “Do we have pajamas at home that he can fit into?”

Father Chu said, “Yes, we do. Your mom just bought a set for you online. After receiving it, the size was a bit too big, but we didn’t return it because we couldn’t figure out how the return process works.”

Chu Fuxuan dawdled and gave an “Oh,” knowing that Qi Yingzhu was taller and larger than him. Who knows, clothes that hung loosely on himself might even be considered too small when put on the other man.

There was no alcohol served at the family dinner; everyone just drank some beverages, so there was no need for exchanging formal toasts. When it was wrapping up, Chu Fuxuan saw the guests out on behalf of his parents, and received congratulations and blessings from everyone one after another.

Chu Fuxuan had nowhere to pour out his bitter grievances. They thought he had carefully selected his partner and met his true love, but in reality, he had stumbled blindly into trouble.

Muttering to himself in his heart for a while, Chu Fuxuan felt a great sense of world-weariness as he returned inside, only to see Qi Yingzhu teaching his parents how to process an online return.

“So that’s how it is. I’ll try it next time.” Mother Chu learned earnestly.

Chu Fuxuan strolled over and joined them, telling her that if there was anything she didn’t understand, she could come to him, and absolutely shouldn’t worry about being bothersome.

Mother Chu’s surname was Song, named Song Yanyi. Her ancestors did business at the port, and being influenced by her environment, she was also good at commerce. She had always been shrewd and capable externally, but technology updated too quickly, making it inevitable that she had to rely on young people for help.

She pushed her glasses up and indicated she understood. She then added that the nanny had just tidied up the bed, and since it was getting late, she urged the two of them to quickly go upstairs and rest.

As her voice fell, Chu Fuxuan and Qi Yingzhu both stiffened in unison.

“Okay, then bye-bye.” Chu Fuxuan dawdled as he headed toward the stairs, his tone extremely reluctant to part, as if he were bidding a final farewell to his loved ones.

With the situation upon them, every cell in Qi Yingzhu’s body was also intensely resisting, though the expression on his face didn’t show much difficulty. He followed Chu Fuxuan, walking awkwardly with his same-side arm and leg moving together.

Biting the bullet and arriving at the bedroom, a waft of fragrance immediately hit their faces. Chu Fuxuan was even more surprised: “Why did the Auntie light candles?”

Qi Yingzhu paused speechlessly and commented: “She must have worked in a hotel before. The only thing missing is flower petals scattered on the bed.”

Chu Fuxuan’s cheeks were taut as he threw a verbal jab: “If you want some roses, that works too. There are a few bouquets arranged in the vases downstairs.”

Realizing he was nitpicking, Qi Yingzhu scoffed languidly: “Don’t. To suit the occasion, there should be a potted cactus placed instead.”

After speaking, Qi Yingzhu went to take a shower first. Once the bathroom door was closed, Chu Fuxuan suppressed the sound of his slippers and hastily blew out the aromatherapy candles on the nightstand. The warm, romantic atmosphere that had been created instantly cooled down.

Then he noticed the drawer wasn’t closed tight. He peeked in and pulled it open to take a glance. Good heavens, the nanny had even prepared two boxes of condoms.

Although Chu Fuxuan was an adult, he had never used these things. Caught off guard by the sight, his brain instantly went blank for a moment.

Immediately after, he realized the nature of the supplies, and the tips of his ears couldn’t help but burn a little.

Hearing the sound of water flowing from the showerhead, Chu Fuxuan frantically closed the drawer. Because he was absent-minded, he almost pinched his own fingers.

When Qi Yingzhu came out after blow-drying his hair, he saw Chu Fuxuan pass by him without a word, clutching his clothes tightly.

Because it was someone else’s bedroom, Qi Yingzhu didn’t sit on the edge of the bed. He paced distantly to the front of the bay window.

There was a multi-functional sofa placed by the window. He fiddled with the remote control and found that the backrest could be adjusted and reclined.

Seeing this, Qi Yingzhu felt like he had grabbed a lifeline, breathing a heartfelt sigh of relief. Excellent, this would be his safe haven for tonight.

Later, Chu Fuxuan came out carrying the moisture from his shower. Seeing Qi Yingzhu planted by the window, he quickly stopped by the corner of the wall. The scene of their standoff was as if they were both undercover agents; even if the lights were turned off, neither side would dare to close their eyes with peace of mind.

The nanny had laid an extra layer of lamb fleece blanket on the bed. Qi Yingzhu picked it up on his own accord and spoke, “I’ll make do with the sofa. You do as you please?”

Although the other party showed an intention to yield, because of his prominent temperament and overly intense presence, Chu Fuxuan still felt a sense of aggressiveness coming from Qi Yingzhu.

His first reaction was the farther away the better, so he eagerly gave an “Mhm”. Then, feeling awkward, he added: “Or how about you come over and sleep on the bed?”

After all, Qi Yingzhu was very tall, and squeezing onto the sofa would inevitably be a sorry sight. Furthermore, the man was his boss at the company. Troubling him to this extent was already incredibly audacious; wouldn’t it be going too far to make him sleep like this?

However, Qi Yingzhu said, “What, do you have trouble falling asleep and need your leader to stay by your pillow and tell you bedtime stories?”

Chu Fuxuan: “…”

Before he had time to retort, Qi Yingzhu asked again with a fake smile, “Or are you worried you’ll catch a cold without a blanket, and need your leader to huddle together with you for warmth?”

Chu Fuxuan: “……”

Too lazy to continue dealing courteously but insincerely with Qi Yingzhu, he slightly raised his chin: “Rest well, be careful not to fall off.”

Qi Yingzhu accepted the remark smoothly: “Thanks for your concern.”

Chu Fuxuan added: “My parents live downstairs right below this. I’m afraid you might disturb their rest later.”

Qi Yingzhu’s emotions remained very stable after being provoked. He patiently explained: “I don’t have any habits that could possibly disturb others, such as kicking the blankets.”

Hearing this, Chu Fuxuan was amazed. No wonder this guy was able to climb to the top. During every presentation, who could possibly stump him with questions?

Tsk. Chu Fuxuan then thought, he was about to onboard soon. Shouldn’t he grasp this opportunity to build a good relationship with Qi Yingzhu and inquire about more internal information?

He didn’t quite know how deep the waters were at Hongni, but Qi Yingzhu was crystal clear about it. Thinking of this, he didn’t agonize over it anymore.

“Boss, do you have a nightlife?” Chu Fuxuan found a topic.

The night was pitch black at the moment. If he could see Qi Yingzhu’s expression, he would discover that the boss had a rare moment of choking on his words.

Then, Qi Yingzhu guessed his thoughts: “I do proper, decent work. I don’t open for business at night. I gracefully decline the reporter’s invitation.”

“Let’s just chat. It’s only a bit past eleven.” Chu Fuxuan didn’t feel sleepy at all. “Has anyone asked you about me? Do the people in the studio know who their new Lead Planner is? Is everyone feeling satisfied or dissatisfied?”

Hongni operated under a studio system. Every game was an independent group, and projects ran parallel to each other without interference.

Bonuses and dividends also depended entirely on their respective revenue performance. Therefore, the atmosphere and treatment varied greatly. Sometimes, different studios felt like completely different companies, even though they were signed under the same group.

The project Chu Fuxuan was entering was a core project. There was no need to worry about funding. The main questions were what the culture was like, and how he should get started.

Qi Yingzhu answered, “They’ve asked. They’ve heard about it and are waiting to see your performance.”

At the same time Chu Fuxuan was confused about the situation within the group, the members were naturally also curious about their newly appointed supervisor. Just knowing his resume wasn’t enough to get a clear picture of his true depths, so it couldn’t be said that they held any specific attitude yet.

“The development team for this game was personally assembled by upper management back in the day. It blew up as soon as it went online, and it’s been running for several years now. The recruitment threshold has always been kept very strict; even campus recruits are the best of the best.”

Qi Yingzhu introduced the situation, saying, “They all got in here based on their abilities, and they truly want to achieve some results. Therefore, the system is actually very simple: as long as you are capable enough, they will submit to you.”

Mingling well with the team wouldn’t necessarily make people obey, but if his abilities were recognized, even if he was hard to get along with privately, his word would still be law in official matters—as long as Chu Fuxuan’s commands could bring value.

Chu Fuxuan beat around the bush: “Since everyone gets along so well, isn’t there anyone who clicks better with certain people?”

Qi Yingzhu asked back, “It’s understandable if there are factional struggles at the top, but what is there to fight about at the bottom just for that bit of salary?”

With the business scale spread so large, and an environment containing money, fame, and resources, it was impossible to completely isolate intrigues and scheming. However, it seemed the culture within the group was relatively pure.

Chu Fuxuan murmured, “True. If energy is spent on infighting, it’s hard to produce anything good.”

During this period of idling at home, he had spent no small amount of time lurking and watching players’ livestreams and playthroughs. He had also read through several technical sharing sessions. The project’s current status was basically steady with room for growth.

For a game that had been running long-term for so long, maintaining this level was not easy. The profits hadn’t been halved, and there was even an influx of new audiences. The participating staff had definitely poured a lot of heart and blood into it; at the very least, everyone had devoted their full efforts to the work.

Feeling both longing and apprehensive in his heart, Chu Fuxuan peeked out tentatively: “Did you join the chatter groups? Have you seen discussions about me?”

Qi Yingzhu was very self-aware of being the boss: “If I were in the group, would they even speak?”

Chu Fuxuan: “.”

The two of them were speechless for a long moment. Qi Yingzhu asked Chu Fuxuan if he hadn’t been granted forum access yet; there were probably some discussions in the company forum.

“No, I don’t know many people here. The only ones I can contact are you and HR,” Chu Fuxuan said pitifully.

Sensing that Chu Fuxuan didn’t plan to settle down anytime soon, Qi Yingzhu clicked into the forum and gestured for Chu Fuxuan to browse it himself.

Chu Fuxuan held the phone with both hands: “Can I just scroll through it directly?”

Qi Yingzhu lay back down on the sofa: “It’s very boring inside. There aren’t many living people talking. I don’t usually read it.”

Chu Fuxuan curled up and lay on his side, cautiously searching a few keywords.

There were indeed posts discussing the new Lead Planner about to take office, but since no one had even seen a shadow of the Lead Planner, the discussions hadn’t expanded further.

Since he was already in, Chu Fuxuan poked into the casual chat section, only to see thousands of people online at this moment. The group had a total of over a hundred thousand active employees. No matter how you looked at it, this ratio couldn’t be considered “no living people,” right?

Then, as he fixed his eyes on the content on the front page, he couldn’t help but hold his breath.

Although no one was bad-mouthing his arrival, and he was currently extremely safe, everyone was exclaiming over Qi Yingzhu’s sudden revelation that he was married.

[No matter how I think about it, I can’t figure out which day in his schedule he went to get the certificate, and what does his other half look like?]

[Exactly which person with weird tastes actually ate him? Are there cobwebs growing on his bed? Be careful falling down at home and having no one help you up for three years, ahhh.]

[Teacher Qi, don’t lurk. Come and give everyone a proper explanation. You were on a business trip for so long this time, could it be you went to do the traditional formal marriage customs?]

Scrolling down and noticing this comment, Chu Fuxuan’s heart leaped into his throat, and he silently bit his lip.

Fortunately, someone in the comments below raised a doubt: [Then don’t talk nonsense. He went to meet suppliers this time. There are reports on the official website. Moreover, he was responsible for interviewing the new senior executive for X17.]

Then the onlookers shifted their focus: [HR said the new executive is very handsome. Are there any photos?!]

Learning there was a handsome guy, everyone’s attention was derailed. They stopped talking about who on earth Qi Yingzhu’s partner was and started inquiring whether the new executive was single.

His head spinning, Chu Fuxuan returned the phone to Qi Yingzhu, indicating he now understood the situation at his esteemed company.

Qi Yingzhu inexplicably heard a sense of concealment in his tone, but didn’t look into it deeply. After a while, Chu Fuxuan’s breathing gradually became weaker and slower, probably having fallen asleep in a daze.

And this counts as poor sleep quality? Qi Yingzhu remembered Chu Fuxuan’s earlier excuses.

Immediately after, he suddenly heard Chu Fuxuan take a few sharp sniffles. The surroundings were completely silent, making this noise exceptionally clear. Being close at hand, the exhalations could brush past the tips of one’s hair.

Qi Yingzhu almost suspected Chu Fuxuan was crying. Then he noticed the other party had wrapped the quilt tightly around himself and pressed against the headboard, his brow furrowed. It was highly likely he was having a nightmare.

Muffled up so tightly, is it because he’s cold?

Qi Yingzhu had no experience taking care of people. However, with the industry’s perennial high pressure and high intensity, there were plenty of people who couldn’t sleep peacefully. Having nightmares wasn’t a rare occurrence either; he himself frequently woke up with a start.

Therefore, he rolled over, no longer facing Chu Fuxuan. Constrained by the narrowness of the sofa, his space for movement was extremely limited. The genuine leather material let out a fine rustling sound from the friction.

Almost simultaneously, Chu Fuxuan seemed to feel something and let out another muffled groan. Qi Yingzhu thought he had accidentally disturbed the other party and turned his head back to glance over.

Chu Fuxuan’s sleeping posture was curled up into a ball, like an animal abandoned outside its nest. He then unconsciously shrank back toward the head of the bed.

It turned out to be a false alarm, just purely tossing about. Qi Yingzhu pinched the bridge of his nose, planning to wake the person up and ask where the floor heating switch was.

But when he walked to the bedside, he ultimately didn’t do so.

Qi Yingzhu casually picked up the fleece blanket and very lightly draped it over Chu Fuxuan’s body.