MHWFYYTMDF Chapter34

On the way back, He Muyan was on the phone the entire time. Judging by his tone, he went from cold to gradually impatient and finally ended up on the verge of losing his temper, only hanging up once they arrived home.

Although he looked terrible, his expression softened considerably when he faced Song Li. He said in a low voice, “I’m going to handle some work. Why don’t you go get some rest?”

Song Li nodded repeatedly. “Okay, go ahead.”

He Muyan turned and went into the study. As the door closed, it cut off the raised volume of his voice as he picked up the phone once again.

Song Li stood in place, dazed for a moment. He had never seen He Muyan so furious before.

In the few months he had known He Muyan, the emotions he saw most often in him were indifference and detachment as if no person or thing could ever stir a ripple in those eyes of his; at worst, it was just a darkened face when he was displeased.

A situation like today, where he could practically be described as enraged, was truly a first.

Li Xiu put the things in his hands on the table. Looking at Song Li’s expression, he smiled and said, “Mr. Song, you rarely see the boss like this, right?”

Song Li looked back at him and nodded gently. “It’s my first time.”

Li Xiu looked a bit surprised, then nodded in understanding. “The boss is really good to you. Don’t be fooled by how he acts in front of you, his temper isn’t actually very good. He’s famous as the ‘cold-faced King of Hell’ and is extremely strict with his subordinates at the company. Once during a regular meeting, he even scolded our Operations Director to tears.”

Song Li’s mouth parted slightly in disbelief. “Really?”

He Muyan scolding someone to tears? He truly couldn’t picture that scene. How could a person who usually couldn’t even be bothered to say a few extra words actually scold people?

Li Xiu nodded. “Still, the boss is quite fair. He only comes down hard on employees when they make mistakes, and when it comes to bonuses, he’s always generous and never stingy. So overall, employee satisfaction and loyalty to the company remain pretty high.”

Song Li nodded with an “oh, oh.” He rarely chatted with Li Xiu, and a dull wooden block like He Muyan was even less likely to tell him these things, so hearing about his conduct at the company today felt quite novel.

This was another side of He Muyan that he had never seen at home.

Before long, Li Xiu also received a phone call. Looking as though he had an urgent matter to attend to, so he hurriedly said goodbye to Song Li and rushed off.

Ever since Song Li became pregnant and He Muyan moved back to work from home, Li Xiu seemed to have become extraordinarily busy, running around constantly, looking a whole circle thinner than before.

Song Li shook his head, thinking that people in the corporate world really had it tough.

After Li Xiu left, Song Li was alone once again. He glanced at the study, figuring that He Muyan definitely wouldn’t be coming out anytime soon. Feeling bored and not particularly sleepy anymore, he pulled out his pad, intending to finish the movie he hadn’t finished watching a few days ago.

It was a Bollywood comedy. Lately, Song Li had become obsessed with comedic shows and movies; including nonsensical, slapstick humor that, while mostly mindless, could truly let one empty their mind and chuckle for a long time, making it quite nice for stress relief.

The director of this movie was very talented; the entire film was packed full of jokes and gags without leaving the viewer feeling exhausted. Even after the hour-and-a-half runtime was over, he still felt left wanting more.

Song Li took off his headphones, raised his arms to stretch, and unconsciously glanced toward the study. The door was still closed. He Muyan had not come out since going in, and there was no sound from inside either; it had been nearly two hours.

He really wanted to go in and check on him, but was afraid of disturbing his work. After thinking it over, he took out his phone and sent him a WeChat message.

[Song Li]: Are you still working?

[Song Li]: Are you tired? I can brew you a cup of coffee.

[Song Li]: If this disturbs your work, just pretend you didn’t see it and don’t reply.

After sending it, Song Li still felt a bit uneasy. Although he knew He Muyan might be too busy to notice his messages, he still hoped to see a reply, even if it was just a single word like “en” as before.

Song Li didn’t even know what had gotten into him. He seemed to have become far too dependent on He Muyan. Even though they were under the exact same roof right now, and even though it had only been a few hours since they last saw each other, he just felt an empty void in his heart, along with a deep sense of restlessness.

He wanted He Muyan to look at him constantly and be aware of his presence, was this perhaps a bit too willful?

Before he could overthink any further, his phone actually vibrated twice.

Song Li hurriedly picked it up to take a look; it was a reply from He Muyan.

President He: I’m not tired.

President He: Okay.

Each of his questions received a single, straightforward answer, without a word of unnecessary nonsense; classic President He, as expected.

Song Li smiled. Although he didn’t get the answer he wanted, for some reason, he actually felt a sense of relief instead.

Tossing his phone to the side, he stretched his legs out and collapsed onto the sofa, flipping over comfortably.

This sofa was newly bought by He Muyan, a bit wider than the previous one, making it much more comfortable for him to sleep on. Sometimes when He Muyan held him while they slept together, it didn’t even feel particularly cramped.

He Muyan held him while they slept together…

Song Li’s heart, which had finally managed to calm down, began to wander again. He really wanted He Muyan to hold him and sleep.

Sigh, he really missed He Muyan.

The two of them were truly an odd pair; a newlywed couple living together under the same roof, so close to one another, yet he was left with no choice but to fantasize about him on his own.

Couldn’t he just be a bit bolder and walk right in!

Song Li puffed out his chest, but within three seconds, he slumped right back down.

Alright, he couldn’t.

He was afraid that if he went in, He Muyan would just look up and say, “What are you doing here? I’m still working.”

If that actually happened, it would be extremely awkward.

Song Li sighed. To save himself the awkwardness, he decided to play dead and take a nap.

Wrapping himself in his little blanket, he forced himself to close his eyes.

Once asleep, he slept for a good while. By the time he opened his eyes, the sky had already gone dark. Song Li yawned and turned over, only to realize that he was actually sleeping in bed now. He snapped awake instantly, He Muyan must have carried him upstairs.

He reached for the alarm clock to check the time, only to find that it was already nearly five o’clock.

He hurriedly threw off the quilt, got out of bed, and went downstairs in his slippers.

The first thing he did downstairs was run over to check the study. The door actually had a crack open, and there didn’t seem to be any sound coming from inside. Song Li went to the kitchen to brew coffee, then carefully carried it over and knocked on the door.

After a moment’s pause, he heard He Muyan’s voice, “Come in.”

Song Li pushed the door open and walked in, seeing He Muyan leaning against the back of his chair, smiling as he looked at him. With his glasses on, he looked so handsome that Song Li’s heart skipped a beat.

“I brewed coffee for you. You weren’t working the entire afternoon, were you?”

He Muyan nodded. “An issue came up with a project, so I had to personally oversee it.”

Song Li thought back to the way he lost his temper on the phone this afternoon. Holding the tray, he nodded. “That must be so exhausting.”

He Muyan took a glance at him, reached out, and pulled him over. “You slept for so long. Feeling more refreshed now?”

Song Li looked down at him, “Much better. So energized I could go outside and practice two martial arts routines right now.”

He Muyan chuckled softly, “Do you want to go out?”

“Huh?”

He Muyan squeezed his hand, “I asked Auntie Chen not to come today. We’re going out to eat.”

Song Li found this rather novel. Ever since he got pregnant, He Muyan rarely let him eat food from outside. He was overly meticulous, always feeling that outside food wasn’t good for the baby in his belly, which was why Auntie Chen had been coming to the house to cook much more frequently lately.

“What are we having?”

“What does Lili want to eat?”

Song Li pondered for a moment, “Nothing in particular, but I feel like everything I’ve been eating lately has been a bit bland. Can I have something with a stronger flavor?”

He Muyan recalled what Dr. Fang had told him this morning and shook his head, “You can’t eat overly stimulating food right now; it’s not good for you or the baby.”

Song Li let out an “oh”, “Then it doesn’t matter, anything is fine.”

He Muyan stood up, taking his hand and leading him toward the door, “Go change your clothes.”

It was around six o’clock when the two finally left the house. Seated in the passenger seat with his seatbelt securely fastened, Song Li turned to him and asked, “Where are we going?”

He Muyan started the car and stepped on the gas, “There’s a restaurant that makes good Cantonese cuisine; we’ll eat there today. A few friends will also be joining us later, I’m taking you to meet them.”

Song Li nodded, finally understanding the reason why He Muyan insisted on taking him out for dinner today. Eating wasn’t the main goal, meeting the friends he mentioned was the real purpose.

So, He Muyan was… introducing him to his friends?

What did this mean? What could it possibly mean?

Song Li tried not to overthink it, but He Muyan’s action really left him with no choice but to overthink. He turned his head away, only to catch a glimpse of his own reflection in the window, his lips curled high up in a smile.

What to do? He seemed to be feeling quite happy.

As soon as they arrived at the restaurant, someone came over to greet them, “Mr. He, your private room is over here. Mr. Gao, Mr. Lian, and the others are already inside waiting.”

He Muyan nodded, “Let’s go.”

Song Li walked beside him. Hearing the waiter mention ‘Mr. Lian,’ he figured it must be the Lian Jiu he saw at the hospital today. Judging from past experience, he wondered if this ‘Mr. Gao’ was also a strikingly handsome guy.

The waiter opened the private room door, bowing slightly and extending an arm, “This is it, Mr. He.”

He Muyan looked down, took Song Li’s hand, and said, “Let’s go.”

Even before they stepped inside, they could hear voices coming from within, and it was immediately obvious that the loudest one belonged to Lian Jiu.

As soon as they saw He Muyan and Song Li enter, the voices stopped immediately. Lian Jiu stood up first, greeting them boisterously, “Brother Yan, Sister-in-law, you’re here!”

Here we go again, Song Li faced his “Sister-in-law” offensive once more, nodding at him with a slight sense of embarrassment. Sitting beside Lian Jiu was another man dressed in dark clothes, his presence almost blending into the shadows of the already dimly lit private room. His appearance wasn’t as eye-catching as expected, but his features were sharp and deep-set. His most striking feature was a pair of sharp, keen eyes; being looked at by him gave one the sensation of a prey being targeted by a falcon.

Song Li felt that this person gave off a slightly uncomfortable vibe.

Moreover, unlike the seemingly younger Lian Jiu, who was always respectful toward He Muyan, calling him “Brother Yan” at every turn and even deliberately getting up to welcome him when he entered, this man was completely different. He didn’t seem to pay any special mind to He Muyan; not only did he remain seated, but his greeting was merely a symbolic nod as well.

He Muyan seemed used to his attitude. Holding Song Li’s hand, he introduced him, “Song Li, my spouse. This is Gao Ming.”

The man named Gao Ming raised his eyes to look at them, focusing mostly on Song Li with a hint of an ambiguous smile in his eyes. Moments later, he spoke up slowly, “Now that you’re here, hurry up and sit down. A married man really is different, keeping Xiao Jiu and me waiting for so long. You sure put on big airs.”

Although he said it jokingly, hearing those words from him made them feel far from simple, it almost sounded like genuine reproach. Seeing the atmosphere turn awkward, Lian Jiu hurriedly gave him a subtle wink, “Brother Ming, Brother Ming, what’s going on? Didn’t we agree not to bring this up?”

Gao Ming ignored him, still looking at He Muyan and Song Li with a faint smile.

Song Li looked at the person beside him with a bit of worry.

He Muyan didn’t have much of a reaction, however. Holding Song Li’s hand, he sat down, picked up a wine glass from the table, filled it to the brim, and raised it toward Gao Ming. “We got caught in traffic on the way here, so we were delayed a little and kept you waiting. I’m at fault, so I’ll take the penalty and have a drink first.”

“Where’s the fun in drinking alone?”

Just as He Muyan raised his glass to drink, Gao Ming interrupted him with a smile again. He also picked up his own wine glass, but raised it toward Song Li, who was sitting next to He Muyan, “Xiao Song, why don’t you join in on the drink too? Oh right, you don’t mind me calling you that, do you?”

Song Li took a glance at him. Although he really didn’t like his tone, considering that this man was ultimately He Muyan’s friend, he still shook his head gently with a smile, “Anything is fine, it’s just a form of address.”

“Xiao Song is a straightforward person too, I like it. Come, a toast to you.”

Song Li froze, feeling a bit conflicted. It was just a glass of wine, so he shouldn’t be overly sensitive, but his physical condition was special right now after all. Besides, today was the first time He Muyan brought him to meet his friends, if he refused this drink, he was afraid it might put He Muyan in an awkward position.

In those few seconds of hesitation, a hand reached out and blocked the space in front of him. He Muyan raised his wine glass again, intentionally or unintentionally using half of his body to shield Song Li, “Brother Ming, Song Li isn’t feeling well today, so he can’t drink. I’ll drink on his behalf. If you think one glass isn’t enough, I can take a few extra as punishment.”

Gao Ming looked at him with an ambiguous smile that wasn’t quite a smile, making Lian Jiu, who was sitting nearby, feel nervous as well. Pouring himself a glass of wine, Lian Jiu chimed in with a laugh to smooth things over, “Yeah, yeah, Brother Ming, you don’t know, Brother Yan took Sister-in-law to our family’s hospital for a checkup today. He’s really not feeling well, so let’s stick to drinking among ourselves. Before Brother Yan arrived, didn’t you say you were definitely going to drink him under the table today? Come on, come on, we can start right now.”

With two people raising their glasses to him, it would be a bit pointless if Gao Ming kept obsessing over Song Li. So he merely chuckled and shifted the direction of his glass, “Alright then, come on. It’s been a while since the three of us brothers had a good get-together, hasn’t it? Xiao Jiu, don’t just talk about Muyan, you won’t be escaping today either.”

“Brother Ming, please spare me!” Lian Jiu pleaded loudly, “You know my alcohol tolerance. How could I ever compare to two drinking masters like you? I can only handle pouring wine for you guys.”

Gao Ming burst out laughing and raised his glass, and the three of them clinked glasses together.

For the rest of the gathering, the conversation was essentially dominated by the three of them. Song Li simply stayed to the side, eating the dishes while listening to them discuss stocks and the market. Occasionally, when the topic drifted toward him, he would look up and answer with two or three sentences.

However, it was always just a matter of two or three sentences before He Muyan would intentionally divert the conversation.

Song Li felt that He Muyan didn’t seem to want him to have too much involvement with Gao Ming.

After three rounds of drinks, all three of them were a bit tipsy, speaking with flushed faces and slurred speech. Song Li was familiar with He Muyan’s alcohol tolerance; the more he drank, the paler his face became, though his mind would grow hazy.

At this moment, he was unconsciously leaning half his body weight against Song Li.

Song Li poured him a cup of hot tea and whispered to him, “If you’re feeling uncomfortable, don’t drink so much. Have some tea first.”

He Muyan let out a soft hum, his breath coming out scalding hot.

Having sat in the private room for a long time, Song Li felt somewhat stifled. Seeing that they didn’t seem to have any intention of wrapping up soon, he had no choice but to turn his head and whisper to He Muyan that he was going to the restroom.

He Muyan held his hand, “Do you want me to come with you?”

Song Li smiled softly, “It’s just the bathroom, I’m fine. I’ll be back in a moment.”

Perhaps due to the alcohol, He Muyan held onto his hand and refused to let go for a long time, stubborn like a child, “Then come back quickly.”

Looking into his eyes, which were extraordinarily dark and deep, even more so than when he was sober, Song Li’s heart skipped half a beat. Looking at him, he nodded gently, “Okay.”

Song Li pushed the door open, stepped out into the hallway, and followed the signs, taking two turns to reach the restroom.

Although no one was smoking in the private room, the smell of alcohol was still too strong. Song Li raised his hand to sniff his clothes, feeling like some of it had clung to his shirt.

Fortunately, his morning sickness had mostly passed recently; otherwise, he might have been vomiting uncontrollably long ago.

Turning on the faucet, he cupped a handful of water to wash his face. In October weather, the icy water instantly cleared his sluggish mind. He shook his head, tossing the damp strands of hair aside, then lifted his gaze and caught sight of a pair of intense, burning, slightly somber eyes staring back at him from the mirror.

It was Gao Ming.

Song Li was startled, turning around abruptly while pressing against the sink, “Bro… Brother Ming.”

He Muyan had always called him that, so he had no choice but to follow suit.

Gao Ming had drunk a lot of alcohol and looked sloshed, yet for some reason, the pair of eyes Song Li had just seen in the mirror seemed completely clear, carrying a touch of ruthlessness and a chill that made his spine tingle as he recalled it now.

“Xiao Song, hic, we were so busy drinking just now that I didn’t even get to talk to you much. Hic, were you satisfied with the meal today?”

“It was very good, the food at this restaurant tastes great.”

Gao Ming nodded, swaying as he walked over to wash his hands, “You and Muyan haven’t been married for very long, right? When I first heard the news about Muyan getting married, it gave me quite a shock. This kid does everything so quietly. Out of nowhere, he went and got a marriage certificate without even telling us good brothers, so we didn’t even get to congratulate you or ask for a wedding drink.”

Song Li smiled awkwardly, “Neither of us particularly cares for lively occasions, so we kept things as simple as possible. When there’s a chance, we’ll definitely make up for the wedding drinks.”

Gao Ming chuckled and turned off the faucet. As he reached for a paper towel, his damp fingers, whether deliberately or not, lightly brushed against the back of Song Li’s hand resting on the sink.

Song Li’s hair stood on end, and he instinctively pulled his hand back before stepping backward.

Gao Ming, however, acted as if it were nothing, laughing boisterously “This… I really drank too much. My eyes can barely focus anymore. Don’t be mad at me, Xiao Song.”

Song Li twitched the corner of his mouth, feeling as disgusted as if he had swallowed a fly.

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