"What are you doing standing here? Don't you have the key?"
Chen Yansen walked up and teased her with a smile.
His enhanced sense of smell easily caught the faint scent of gardenias—Mengjie had sprayed perfume. He glanced up and down. In the dim corridor light, he could make out a pair of legs wrapped in white stockings. From her outfit to her makeup, she had clearly put thought into this.
"It's cooler outside," Mengjie said. She wanted to tell him she had waited here on purpose, but the words caught in her throat.
"It's even cooler inside."
Chen Yansen ruffled her hair, took out his key, opened the door, and led her into the living room.
"There's beer and braised food in the fridge. Want some?" He set down his stack of books, flopped onto the sofa, and gestured toward the refrigerator.
"Are you learning Java?" Mengjie glanced at the books in his hand—he was casually flipping through one—and asked in surprise.
"That's right. Even a boss needs to understand the tech. Otherwise, it's too easy to get fooled by subordinates."
Chen Yansen's tone shifted to something more serious.
"Oh. So that's why you haven't come to see me lately." Mengjie's lips curled into a slight smile. She clasped her hands behind her back, her face brightening.
Seeing her standing there lost in thought, Chen Yansen chuckled and shook his head. He got up, grabbed some braised food and two bottles of beer from the fridge, and set them on the coffee table.
Pop!
He cracked open a can, took a sip, and looked at Mengjie. "You dressed up so nicely today just to come here and daydream?"
"No." Mengjie snapped out of it. Meeting Chen Yansen's ambiguous gaze—one that made her feel like he could see right through her—she felt her cheeks flush involuntarily.
"Oh! Duck wings and duck necks too? You've been hiding the good stuff and not sharing with me!"
Mengjie grabbed a can of beer, sat down across from him at the coffee table, and started chatting face-to-face.
"I gave you a key, didn't I? You just never came."
Mengjie fell silent.
She had come once after getting the key. But the moment she stepped into the bedroom, Chen Yansen's ulterior motives became crystal clear. Fortunately, he never forced her. Otherwise, she would have been "conquered" long ago.
"Cheers!" Not knowing how to respond, she raised her beer and clinked it against his.
"The stockings are nice."
Chen Yansen took a sip of beer, then casually placed his hand on Mengjie's calf, stroking it gently like he was kneading a plush toy.
Mengjie's face turned crimson. She tried to retreat, but the coffee table was behind her—nowhere to go.
Chen Yansen's face drew closer.
Remembering why she had come tonight, Mengjie suddenly set down her beer, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him first.
"That's a bad habit. You need to fix that."
Chen Yansen gently stopped her, teasing softly. Before Mengjie could react, he pressed his lips to hers.
Mengjie wasn't exactly voluptuous, but she had everything she needed—and a figure to match.
Their two bottles of beer sat untouched on the coffee table, each only a single sip gone.
From the living room to the bathroom, and then to the bedroom—Chen Yansen carried her the whole way.
To him, Mengjie weighed less than ninety pounds. She was as light as a large doll, which only made her more... maneuverable.
Throughout the night, faint cries could be heard.
The teacher in Unit 4 wondered why that little rascal was so restless tonight, making noise until one in the morning before finally settling down.
The next morning.
Birdsong and cicadas outside the window pulled Chen Yansen from his dreams. He slowly opened his eyes, feeling somewhat helpless.
Having such sharp hearing wasn't entirely a blessing. He could clearly pick up the faintest sounds within a twenty-meter radius. Even earplugs did little to help.
Mengjie lay bare-shouldered against his chest, her breathing steady, fast asleep.
Chen Yansen reached under the covers and explored a little. Soon, Mengjie's breathing rhythm changed.
"I heard that if you lift a sleeping person's arm, it won't fall on its own. Let me test that."
He deliberately pulled his hand back.
"I'm not stupid." Mengjie stopped pretending and opened her eyes, staring directly at him.
"What are you looking at? Never seen someone this handsome before?" Chen Yansen wrapped an arm around her, a mischievous grin on his face.
"Yeah. My roommates all say I eat well." Mengjie giggled, making no effort to hide it.
As she spoke, she propped herself up on her elbows, completely unaware that her upper body was now fully exposed.
Chen Yansen had good stamina and recovered quickly. And mornings were when his energy peaked.
"Stop!" Mengjie felt her strength drain away.
Just as Chen Yansen was about to sit up, a knock came at the door.
"Who is it?" Mengjie's heart skipped a beat. She asked softly.
"How should I know?"
Chen Yansen grabbed a bath towel, wrapped it around himself, and shuffled into the living room in his slippers. He shouted toward the door, "Who is it? This early—can't a person sleep in?"
His morning exercise had been interrupted. His tone wasn't pleasant.
"Brother Sen, it's me! Uncle Chen is here to see you!" Wang Zihao called from outside.
Uncle Chen?
Oh no.
Why is Chen Guobin here?
The last time Chen Yansen drank with his father, he had joked that other parents, even if they didn't come home for holidays, would at least visit their kids at school. But Chen Guobin was different—he had never once come to Xucheng.
Chen Yansen had only been teasing. He never expected his father to actually show up.
"Wait a minute!"
Chen Yansen rushed back to the bedroom, grabbed his clothes from the floor, and threw them on. He didn't forget to warn Mengjie. "My dad's here."
Mengjie panicked and immediately burrowed under the covers. Then, after a couple of seconds, she peeked out again. "What do I do? Should I hide?"
"It's fine. I'll keep the bedroom door closed. You stay here. I'll take Old Chen to the startup park."
Chen Yansen gave his instructions, then went back to the living room and opened the door.
"Brother Sen, it's already nine. You're still not up?" Wang Zihao chatted casually, about to step inside.
"Give me last night's campaign data. I need it urgently." Chen Yansen blocked the doorway, making up an excuse to get rid of him.
"Last night's? It's only been a few hours. What's the point?" Wang Zihao looked confused.
"Just go."
"Alright. I'll head to the startup park then. Uncle Chen, let's eat outside the school for lunch. I'll book a private room first."
Wang Zihao didn't press further and cheerfully offered to Chen Guobin.
"Okay, Zihao. You go ahead and get busy. Uncle Chen will treat today." Chen Guobin replied with a smile.
Wang Zihao waved and headed downstairs.
"What's hidden in there? Why did you have to send Zihao away?"
Chen Guobin stepped into the living room, eyeing the tightly closed bedroom door suspiciously.
"Old Chen, do you think you're Sherlock Holmes or Conan? What could I possibly be hiding?"
Chen Yansen denied everything flatly. He wasn't afraid of Chen Guobin—he just didn't want to listen to him nag.
"Is that so?" Chen Guobin looked him up and down, then started walking toward the bedroom.
Chen Yansen quickly blocked him, raising an eyebrow with a grin. "Old Chen, the living room is where guests belong. The bedroom is my private space."
"I'm your father!" Chen Guobin was getting agitated. He was afraid his son, now flush with money, might go down the wrong path. The more Chen Yansen tried to stop him, the more worried he became.
"My girlfriend's inside." Seeing his father was determined to barge in, Chen Yansen had no choice but to tell the truth.
Girlfriend?
Chen Guobin's momentum instantly deflated. He plopped down on the sofa and pointed at Chen Yansen, almost ready to swing.
But then he remembered—Chen Yansen was at that age. Almost ready to marry. The anger faded.
"Is that Mengjie?" Chen Guobin asked in a low voice.
"Who else? And by the way, I'm not complaining, but you could've at least called before showing up." Chen Yansen grabbed a bottle of water from the cabinet and handed it to Old Chen.
"Hmph! You're the one who said it. 'As a father, I should surprise my child.' I was just following your orders."
Chen Guobin glanced at the bedroom door, knowing Mengjie was inside. He muttered to himself, Huizhen, your son has grown up.
"That's called a scare, not a surprise." Chen Yansen said irritably.
"Alright, I'm going to the startup park to find Zihao. You and Mengjie get up. I'll treat you both to lunch."
Chen Guobin couldn't sit still any longer. He gave his instructions quickly and hurried out.
"Do you even know the way?" Chen Yansen called after him.
"It's a straight road. How could I get lost?" Chen Guobin waved without looking back and disappeared in a flash.
Chen Yansen smiled, closed the door, and returned to the bedroom. Mengjie was lying in bed. He pounced.
By the time they finished getting ready, it was almost eleven. Wang Zihao had already called twice.
Chen Yansen and Mengjie finally went downstairs and headed out of the school.
"Uncle Chen, he..." Mengjie hesitated.
"Don't worry. Old Chen's tight-lipped. He won't say anything." Chen Yansen reassured her.
"That's good." Mengjie's face was still flushed. Being caught at the door by Chen Yansen's father had terrified her.
"I'll send him home tonight." Chen Yansen said with a look of mock disdain.
"You're so filial." Mengjie covered her mouth and chuckled softly. She had heard Chen Yansen mention before that the father and son addressed each other by their full names—no manners at all.
Three minutes later, they got out of the car and entered the private room.
"Hello, Uncle Chen." Mengjie greeted him politely.
"You must be Mengjie. Uncle has seen you before. You've really grown up—more beautiful than ever."
Chen Guobin was very pleased with Mengjie and praised her generously.
Mengjie wore colored contacts instead of glasses. Her features were delicate and petite. Sitting next to Chen Yansen, she looked like a little bird nestled against him.
It was a far cry from the tomboyish girl Old Chen remembered—the one who used to chase boys around with table legs.
Wang Zihao sat to Chen Guobin's right, treating him like Old Chen's own son.
They ate and chatted for over three hours.
When it was time to pay, before Old Chen could even get up, Wang Zihao snatched the bill.
"You kid!" Chen Guobin protested, slightly annoyed.
"Uncle Chen, Brother Sen always pays when he eats with my dad. This time, it's my turn to show some respect." Wang Zihao grinned, his words smooth.
Chen Guobin didn't insist further. He nodded in satisfaction.
That morning, he had visited the startup park and seen over two hundred employees—all Chen Yansen's people. He truly felt that his son had matured, had become more stable.
"Old Chen..." Chen Yansen was about to persuade him to head home when Chen Guobin spoke first.
"I bought your mother a bigger house last week. Don't worry about things at home. I'm leaving this afternoon."
"So soon?" Chen Yansen was caught off guard.
Chen Guobin didn't answer. Instead, he pulled him aside and discreetly slipped something the size of a cigarette pack into his pocket. He said earnestly, "You're both young, still in university. You need to take precautions."
Chen Yansen pulled it out. The packaging clearly read "Jissbon."
He thought for a moment, then handed it back. "I don't need this."
"I'll break your legs, I swear. You will use it!" Chen Guobin glared and shoved it back into his son's hand.
"I mean... this brand is kind of low-end. I usually use better ones." Chen Yansen said seriously, then added, "Keep this one for yourself."
"Who am I supposed to use it with?"
Chen Guobin almost cursed. But in the end, he reluctantly stuffed the item back into his own pocket and hailed a taxi to the bus station.
This trip had really just been to see his son. A quick look, and then he was gone.