It was only before Duan Yan left that he learned the young man he had mistaken for his younger brother was actually one of the most distinguished guests at the wedding.
Huang Lin’s company, Qianyuan Real Estate, had once been the leading force in the real estate industry in Qian. It had enjoyed several glorious years, but in the past two years, the property market had begun to decline, and the chill had grown increasingly palpable. The tide was no longer in its favor. Still, even a starving camel was bigger than a horse. With the deep foundation Qianyuan had built up in its early years, it was more than capable of holding its ground, calmly changing course, and opening up new avenues.
Yet a company as massive and deeply rooted as this was still merely a subsidiary of Shuo Feng Group.
Shuo Feng Group had its hands in a wide range of industries. In the property sector, it relied on subsidiaries like Qianyuan to cultivate regional markets. From residential developments to commercial complexes, from urban renewal projects to industrial parks, there was hardly a plot of land it could not acquire.
In finance, it held controlling stakes in banks, securities firms, and private equity funds, with enough capital to move projects worth tens of billions.
Beyond that, it also had interests in energy, healthcare, culture and tourism, and many other diversified fields.
The strikingly handsome young man who looked somewhat frail was none other than the legitimate heir apparent of Shuo Feng Group.
After listening to Huang Lin and Duan Yan’s mother introduce him to the guest who had come over to offer a toast, Duan Yan thought, No wonder Song Fengsui is seated at the main table. And no wonder everyone here looked so strange whenever they spoke to or interacted with him, secretly sizing him up as though they had something to say but did not dare say it.
Huang Lin was getting married today, and for the heir apparent of the group to be willing to attend the wedding was already an immense honor for him.
The only reason Song Fengsui had come was because Huang Lin’s years of diligent service and unwavering loyalty to the Song family had earned him this favor.
Old Master Song had come by before Duan Yan arrived, but he had left early because of an urgent matter. Song Fengsui had been left behind by the old master and was not permitted to leave until he had attended the ceremony and eaten the wedding banquet at the Huang residence.
Anyone who knew about the Song family knew, more or less, that this heir apparent did not much care to deal with people. At today’s wedding, countless guests had their eyes on him. Unfortunately, after the first two people had shamelessly tried to curry favor with him and received not even the slightest bit of warmth in return, no one else had the nerve to court disaster.
Duan Yan, however, had immediately poured tea and served food to the heir apparent, his tactics so crude that they startled all the guests who had been harboring similar intentions. They had expected to watch a good show. Who could have guessed that the heir apparent would not only fail to lose his temper, but actually seem to enjoy it?
Who knew he liked being treated this way?
After realizing he had caused such a ridiculous misunderstanding, Duan Yan—who had always been as unshakable on the outside as Mount Tai even when the heavens collapsed—was nevertheless galloping internally with ten thousand horses.
He shamelessly stayed until the banquet was over, then followed his original plan and told Duan Yan’s mother and Huang Lin that he was preparing to leave. The couple naturally tried their best to keep him there. Duan Yan promised that once he had settled down, he would come visit whenever he had the time. Only then did they reluctantly agree to let him go.
By the time Duan Yan stepped outside, it was almost dark.
As luck would have it, a black Maybach stopped right in front of him. Huang Lin and Duan Yan’s mother had insisted on arranging a car to take him home, and he was hesitating over whether this was the car they had arranged when the window slowly rolled down.
Song Fengsui’s pale face appeared at the window. The young man glanced at him without saying anything, but his eyes clearly indicated that Duan Yan should get in.
Now that he knew Song Fengsui’s identity, Duan Yan was not foolish enough to think Huang Lin and his mother would arrange for the heir apparent of the entire group to drive him home. Of course, they did not have the authority to arrange such a thing anyway.
“How could I trouble you? The hosts have already arranged a car for me.”
Song Fengsui’s lips lifted faintly. “It’s on the way.”
Duan Yan gave Song Fengsui a long look. On the way to where, exactly...? Still, he said nothing and ultimately followed the heir apparent’s wishes.
He walked to the back seat and tugged at the door, only to find that it would not open.
Song Fengsui said nothing either, merely watching him in silence. Duan Yan then turned and tried the passenger-side door.
That one opened.
“Where do you live?”
After the car glided out of the private road, Song Fengsui asked the question.
Duan Yan looked at the young man beside him. “Wasn’t it on the way?”
Song Fengsui smiled but did not answer. The two fell silent.
About twenty minutes later, Song Fengsui spoke again. “I’m hungry.”
Duan Yan’s brow twitched. Hadn’t he eaten dinner not long ago?
The person beside him seemed to see what he was thinking and said, “You’re the one who left halfway through the banquet. I didn’t get enough to eat.”
Duan Yan coughed lightly. Spotting some snacks in the car, he picked up a box of bread and handed it to Song Fengsui. The young man shook his head. Duan Yan set the bread down and took out a piece of chocolate. The young man shook his head again.
Next came ready-to-eat braised fish maw, shrimp crackers, fruit gummies...
Duan Yan was remarkably patient. One by one, he nearly asked about every snack in the car. In the end, the heir apparent nodded toward a packet of dried meat.
Duan Yan tore open the package and held it out. Song Fengsui did not take it, so Duan Yan had no choice but to bring it to his mouth.
The strip of dried meat was barely the length of half a little finger. Song Fengsui opened his mouth and bit off a piece, but did not finish it. Duan Yan held the rest in his hand, waiting until Song Fengsui had swallowed before offering it to him again.
More than ten minutes later, the heir apparent was finally full.
The car pulled over by the side of the road once again. Duan Yan leaned forward and looked outside. They had not yet reached the city.
“I feel so tired. Why don’t you drive?”
Duan Yan turned to look at him. After a moment of silence, the two switched places.
Once Song Fengsui had settled into the passenger seat, his entire body became remarkably relaxed. He took off his shoes, curled up in the seat, and pulled out his phone to fiddle with it.
From the sound, Duan Yan guessed he was playing a tile-matching game.
The game sounds did not continue for long. Duan Yan saw the brightly lit road ahead and realized they were about to enter the city. He was just about to ask where Song Fengsui lived when he turned his head and saw that the man beside him had already fallen asleep against the backrest.
Duan Yan hesitated over whether to wake him. But looking at that nearly bloodless, fragile face, some selfish impulse he could not explain rose within him, and he found himself unwilling to disturb the man.
He silently watched him for a moment, then turned the steering wheel and drove away from the city.
When Song Fengsui woke, everything around him was pitch-black.
He reached out and turned on the car’s interior light. He saw a thin fleece blanket draped over him, and the seat had been adjusted to a position suitable for resting.
Outside the car stood a tall, slender figure, accompanied by a small orange-red glow.
Song Fengsui opened the door and got out.
They seemed to be on a mountaintop at a relatively high elevation, because when he looked up, he could see the brilliant city lights in the distance. The wind was strong, rustling through the darkness. Song Fengsui’s body looked somewhat slight, and he pulled the blanket more tightly around himself.
Duan Yan stubbed out the cigarette in his hand and walked toward the person beside the car. His build was large enough to completely envelop the young man.
A nameless mountaintop at night, with a stranger whose identity was unknown.
“Are you afraid?”
Song Fengsui lifted his eyes to the handsome man whose face was half-melted into the night. “Are you going to kidnap me?”
“It would probably be quite easy right now.”
Song Fengsui let out a quiet laugh. “Then you probably aren’t much of a businessman.”
He stared straight into those eyes. “If you kidnap me, you’ll only get paid once. But if… you hook me, you’ll be able to get money from me endlessly.”
Duan Yan frowned and shifted two steps to the side, letting Song Fengsui out from beneath his shadow. “You’re too young to be talking like that.”
Song Fengsui took a step forward, slipping back into Duan Yan’s shadow.
He clicked his tongue. “As expected of someone who just retired from the military—so upright.”
“I heard you haven’t found a job yet. Do you have any plans?”
There was a hint of suggestiveness in Song Fengsui’s voice. “How about coming to work as my personal bodyguard?”
“Although you don’t want to kidnap me or hook me, there are plenty of people who do. I’m on edge every day.”
“I can barely eat or sleep~”
Duan Yan felt that half of what Song Fengsui said was true and half was nonsense. Still, working for a family as wealthy as the Song family was indeed a good opportunity.
He even seriously asked about the benefits for Song Fengsui’s bodyguard. He had originally made an agreement with two close comrades to start a security company together after they left the military. But starting a company was no easy matter, and funding was one of the most important concerns.
Although he had some money in his hands now, his comrades still had another year before they were discharged. Finding a decent job to tide him over during that year would be ideal.
“Don’t worry. The Song family has never had a habit of shortchanging its employees.”
Song Fengsui smiled meaningfully.
………
Six months later, as Duan Yan helped the man in bed into a silk pajama top, he wondered whether he had been cheated by a capitalist.
The important part of this “personal bodyguard” job wasn’t “bodyguard.” It was “personal.”
At the time, Song Fengsui had offered him a salary higher than the market rate and painted him a picture of endless possibilities. But he had only received a proper paycheck for a few months.
Now, whenever Song Fengsui was displeased at night, he would deduct his pay. By this point, Duan Yan’s entire salary had already been docked. Not only that, even his bank account had been emptied into the bargain.
No matter how hard your fists were, they still couldn’t stand up to a businessman’s deep bag of tricks.
Still half-asleep, Song Fengsui raised an arm and hooked it around the neck of the man dressing him. He leaned forward and kissed Duan Yan on the chin.
His brows immediately drew together. “Why didn’t you shave? It’s prickly.”
Duan Yan pulled him into his arms and rubbed his chin against Song Fengsui’s neck instead. “I’ll do it in a bit. I just went downstairs to check on your breakfast.”
Song Fengsui buried himself against Duan Yan’s chest. “What were you thinking about just now?”
Duan Yan answered honestly, “I was thinking that some of the duties in the employment contract I signed back then weren’t clearly stated, and the boss is always finding excuses to dock my pay. Do you think I was cheated?”
Song Fengsui narrowed his eyes. “Is the bonus the boss gives you not generous enough?”
He lifted a hand and patted Duan Yan’s shoulder lightly, like a beautiful yet crafty fox. “Xiao Duan, jobs are so hard to find these days. It’s only natural for a boss to be a little difficult to deal with. Besides… there are plenty of people outside who’d love to take your place.”
Duan Yan immediately covered Song Fengsui’s mouth. “Young people shouldn’t be using crude language all the time. It doesn’t sound good.”
Song Fengsui widened his eyes slightly and bit down on Duan Yan’s hand.
Who exactly was twisting the facts here?!
—The End—
