This morning before heading out, Sang Lu had specifically instructed Aunt Zhang to inform her when Feng Yan returned home.
Upon receiving Aunt Zhang’s message, she estimated the timing and sent Feng Yan a flurry of texts.
Lately, ever since Feng Yan had begun breaking through his emotional barriers, he had been speaking more frequently.
Though "frequently" was only relative to his previous near-silence.
If counted carefully, he still wouldn’t say more than ten sentences in a whole day.
Mostly short, aloof CEO-style phrases.
"Mm," "Yes," "Okay," "Whatever"...
That sort of thing.
She had gradually grown accustomed to the sudden sound of Feng Yan’s magnetic voice and no longer reacted with surprise as she once had.
But not everyone was as unfazed as her.
She suddenly recalled a scene from a few days ago at the dinner table.
Feng Yan had stood up to fetch water and casually asked what she wanted to drink. The moment he uttered a single word, a loud clatter of kitchenware hitting the floor echoed from the kitchen.
Then, both Aunt Zhang and Aunt Li poked their heads out, staring in shock from the kitchen doorway toward the dining room.
Their expressions were so stunned, it was as if they’d seen a mummy come back to life.
Thinking of that scene, Sang Lu couldn’t help but chuckle.
Suddenly, her phone vibrated.
Snapping out of her thoughts, she opened WeChat.
[Feng: Why did you give me a gift?]
Sang Lu’s eyes curved into crescents. She had initially planned to answer honestly: Because it’s polite to reciprocate.
But after typing it out, she remembered what Grandpa had said the other day.
A playful idea struck her, and she deleted the drafted message.
Instead, she sent:
[Ahem, do I need a reason to give you something? (Grandpa’s tone)]
Worried that the "Ice Block" might not catch her joke, she specifically added the parentheses.
Then, for good measure, she gave him a couple of playful taps.
A lighthearted, friendly gesture.
[You patted "Feng"]
[You patted "Feng"]
After receiving so many lavish gifts from Grandpa, a small token in return didn’t need any special justification.
The message sent successfully.
Sang Lu watched as the chat displayed "Feng is typing..."
For a long, long time.
So long that she grew a little impatient.
Still, no new message appeared.
Is he writing a thank-you essay?
Why is it taking so long to type?
Finally, after what felt like ages, her phone lit up.
[Feng: Mm, then I won’t say thank you either.]
"?" Sang Lu’s brow lifted.
That’s barely any words…
Did it really take that long to type?
Still, Feng Yan’s reply surprised her—it carried a hint of "human warmth," unlike his usual icy demeanor.
She was just about to respond when—
Suddenly, another notification popped up.
[“Feng” patted you and said: I am Xu Junda (sobbing)]
"..." Sang Lu froze for a split second.
Then, the next moment—
She burst into roaring laughter, tears nearly springing to her eyes.
This was the "pat" message she had changed to last week.
Now, seeing it paired with Feng Yan’s pitch-black WeChat avatar and name, the absurd contrast was hilariously jarring.
This is too funny.
At this point, she was 100% certain:
The usually frosty "Ice Block" had genuinely absorbed some "human vitality"!
He’d actually learned to pat her back and interact with her~
Sang Lu beamed, already plotting to change her "pat" message more often.
Ambushing him with unexpected humor like this would surely bring them closer~
Meanwhile, on the other side—
In the luxury villa of Qinghe Bay.
The cold-faced man’s temple twitched.
He lowered his gaze to his phone screen, lost in thought.
Xu Junda?
Feng Yan rarely ever wore a look of confusion.
Yet now, that expression lingered on his cold, aloof face for a full thirty seconds.
After a long pause,
he finally stepped toward the kitchen to fetch some water.
Standing in front of the refrigerator, he stared thoughtfully for a few seconds.
Then he reached out,
pulling out one bottle from the top three rows of colorful sodas.
One of the kitchen windows was slightly ajar.
The crisp scent of grass and trees drifted inside.
After several spring rains, the city had been revitalized.
The washed-out plants gleamed with fresh green, brimming with life everywhere.
Feng Yan turned his face toward the window, gazing outside for a moment.
It was dusk, and the sunset cast an orange glow.
The golden light reflected off the kitchen’s tiled walls.
Even his thick black hair was gilded with a golden halo.
Leaning against the kitchen island,
he curled his fingers slightly and popped open the soda can with one hand.
A sharp hiss—
the sweet aroma of orange soda mingled with the fresh air.
He tilted his head back and took a sip.
His throat moved as the cool sweetness slid down.
Suddenly, the air seemed to freeze for a second.
As if struck by a thought, he picked up his phone again.
Opened WeChat, scrolled to the green Powerpuff Girl avatar’s Moments.
His fingers swiped upward, skimming through posts.
The motions were practiced, almost automatic.
After a while, his calloused thumb stopped scrolling.
He had found the one he was looking for.
……
Ten minutes later.
Fang Assistant’s work phone chimed with a “ding-dong.”
That notification tone was reserved exclusively for messages from Feng Yan—
so he could respond immediately.
He hurriedly tapped the screen and saw that Feng Yan had sent him instructions to order a car.
This was something he had done many times before. In a year, he’d arrange at least four or five purchases for Feng Yan, so he was well-versed in the process of selecting models and customizing specs.
Fang Assistant continued reading,
checking the specific requirements.
Which model had Feng Yan set his sights on this time?
When the words “Ferrari” appeared on the screen, Fang Assistant’s eyes widened instantly.
Ferrari?
Feng Yan’s garage housed almost every top-tier luxury brand—except Ferrari.
He had pondered this before.
Perhaps it was because Ferraris were flashier, with bolder color schemes, clashing with Feng Yan’s usual understated and composed demeanor.
Nine out of ten of Feng Yan’s cars were black; even white or brown were rare.
Lost in thought, his finger swiped down.
In an instant,
Fang Assistant’s expression twisted in shock.
He rubbed his eyes vigorously.
Two words—he read them three times over before he could be sure he wasn’t hallucinating.
“O-orange… Orange?! ORANGE??”
Feng Yan suddenly wanting a Ferrari was bizarre enough, but orange of all colors?
The world had truly become something he could no longer comprehend.
Hands trembling, he typed out a reply:
[Understood, Mr. Feng. I’ll proceed with the order right away.]
The moment he hit send, before his shock could even settle,
“Ding-dong”—another notification.
A new message—
[There’s some information I need you to look into.]
Fang Assistant forced down his bewilderment and swiftly replied with practiced efficiency:
[Of course, Mr. Feng. Please go ahead [smile.jpg]]
The next second,
the words that appeared on his screen
shattered any remaining composure he had left.
He stood frozen, hand clamped over his mouth, staring unblinkingly at the screen—utterly bewildered.
He would never have imagined in his wildest dreams receiving such a task from President Feng Yan—
["Look into Xu Junda."]
