TuxedoTranslations

Chapter 13

The next day at work, Zhuang Yanyu submitted his new plan for the automated smart control system for the container docks to Manager Xu.

He had initially intended to inform Wen Chenxi first, but last night, before they hung up, Zhuang Yanyu sensed that Wen Chenxi seemed a bit down.

Maybe he was just tired from work.

After considering that his proposal was still work-related, Zhuang Yanyu decided to go by the book and follow the official process.

Though he wanted to help his good friend’s company profit, any plan required proper reporting and approval to determine if it would proceed.

Manager Xu was surprised when he saw the proposal and asked, astonished, “Can this really increase speed by that much?”

Zhuang Yanyu: “Yes.”

Manager Xu gave him a long look.

He had sensed Zhuang Yanyu’s exceptional talent from the start, which is why he’d been eager to transfer him to the Engineering Department.

But he hadn’t realized Zhuang Yanyu was even more remarkable than he’d thought.

After reading the proposal, Manager Xu grew excited. “If this works… we could make quite a bit! Have you tested it? How much faster does it run, and how much does it cut costs?”

Zhuang Yanyu remained calm, as if he hadn’t achieved anything extraordinary. “There’s no data report yet, and the technical service computers can’t handle the test. I’ll need to use Engineering’s equipment.”

Manager Xu waved his hand. “Approved! Go ahead. Once we have the data, I’ll submit it immediately!”

Then he added, “See? I’ve been saying you should come over to Engineering! But no, you stayed in Tech Services… Okay, okay, I’ll stop nagging. Just get the data, and I’ll have someone stay late to help you if necessary.”

Zhuang Yanyu didn’t budge, replying seriously, “I’m not working late tonight. I have plans.”

Manager Xu faltered, “But… we need the data ASAP.”

Zhuang Yanyu went to get started.

Manager Xu watched him leave, walking unhurriedly with his usual stride and waving with his usual precision, feeling both frustration and admiration.

Young people these days just don’t put in enough effort! Don’t they want to make money and buy a house as soon as possible?

And what’s going on with upper management? His transfer request for Zhuang Yanyu still hadn’t been approved. Was Wen always going to stand by and watch talent slip away?

Unaware of Manager Xu’s thoughts, Zhuang Yanyu acquired the necessary equipment and began running the new program.

His friend was getting him a raise, so he’d help his friend’s company make more money.

He figured this mutual support counted as a two-way friendship, right?

He thought back to his previous life mentoring a protagonist. Although the protagonist was a bit rough at the start, when they rose to the top, most of their close friends became major players.

They either gave the protagonist money, equipment, rare treasures, or granted them high status and influence.

Zhuang Yanyu could only help his friend earn a little more money.

After work in the afternoon, the program’s data collection was incomplete, but Zhuang Yanyu didn’t stay late. Instead, he headed to the underground parking lot to find Wen Chenxi’s designated parking spot.

Tonight, Ji Zhiyuan was hosting a dinner, and Wen Chenxi had offered to drive him there, agreeing to meet him at this spot.

Zhuang Yanyu thought he might have to wait a while, but just as he reached the car, the window rolled down to reveal Wen Chenxi’s face—he had been waiting.

Zhuang Yanyu’s face lit up. “Ah Xi!”

Wen Chenxi’s eyes lingered subtly on Zhuang Yanyu’s face for two seconds behind his glasses before saying, “Get in.”

“Okay!”

Zhuang Yanyu got into the back seat and sat next to Wen Chenxi.

The driver waited until he was in, then started the car, slowly exiting the basement.

Zhuang Yanyu asked, “Have you been waiting long?”

Wen Chenxi shook his head. “No, I just came down too.”

Zhuang Yanyu continued, “Where are we eating?”

Wen Chenxi shook his head again. “Not sure yet.”

It didn’t take long for Zhuang Yanyu to notice Wen Chenxi’s low spirits, similar to how he’d sounded at the end of their call last night.

Caring for his friend, Zhuang Yanyu asked directly, “What’s wrong?”

Wen Chenxi remained silent.

He glanced over and saw the concern in the younger man’s eyes, open and sincere, with an unmistakable trace of worry.

So genuine and straightforward.

Wen Chenxi took off his glasses, rubbed his brow, and explained gently, “Maybe just tired from work.”

Zhuang Yanyu had guessed it might be work-related, so he didn’t doubt him but showed full understanding.

After all, Azure Technologies was such a large company with many subsidiaries, each with different projects. Wen Chenxi was responsible for major decisions—of course it was exhausting. If the company’s performance declined, it would affect salaries and impact the countless families relying on the company!

The weight of this responsibility wasn’t something an ordinary person could bear.

Zhuang Yanyu grabbed Wen Chenxi’s hand and said earnestly, “Don’t worry, I’ll help you make money.”

He added, “A lot of it.”

Wen Chenxi’s body stiffened slightly.

The other’s hand was slender and cool, smaller than Wen Chenxi’s, and somehow exuded a soft, reassuring vibe.

His body temperature was indeed like a fish’s, comparatively low. Against Wen Chenxi’s warmer hand, it felt like holding a piece of cool jade, calming an unsettled heart.

The phone rang, breaking the calm. It was Wen Chenxi’s phone, a call from Li Xi.

Wen Chenxi said quietly, “I’ll take this.”

He didn’t pull his hand away from Zhuang Yanyu’s grip, instead using his left hand to answer the call.

Li Xi asked, “Old Wen, are you off work?”

Wen Chenxi replied, “Yes, I am. Where are we eating?”

Li Xi chuckled, “Old Ji says we’re going to your place; he wants you to cook.”

Wen Chenxi paused, glancing at Zhuang Yanyu. “My place?”

Zhuang Yanyu perked up, excited that they’d be eating at his friend’s place instead of at a restaurant.

Seeing Zhuang Yanyu’s curiosity, Wen Chenxi put the phone on speaker so he could listen too.

Li Xi laughed. “No choice—Old Ji says he won’t forgive you unless you cook him a feast to console his soul.”

Wen Chenxi’s expression remained neutral. “Oh, he’s dreaming.”

Li Xi had also turned on the speaker, so this comment reached Ji Zhiyuan, who shouted, “How dare you! You promised me you’d be home with fruit after work yesterday! I waited at your place for an hour, and you never came! I called you, but you were on the phone forever. I figured you were busy, so I messaged you, only to find you’d blocked me! Do you have any idea how that made me feel? Now all I want is a meal—what’s wrong with that?”

Li Xi was laughing on the other end, amused. He’d had a last-minute commitment yesterday and messaged Wen Chenxi to let him know he’d be late. He hadn’t realized Ji Zhiyuan had waited so long and ended up shut out.

He tried to mediate. “Old Wen was busy; that’s normal. He’s not like you, with all the free time in the world.”

Ji Zhiyuan exclaimed, “Then why did he block me?! No way—Old Wen, you have to cook me dinner and apologize!”

Yesterday?

Zhuang Yanyu’s eyes flashed.

So Ji Zhiyuan had actually invited him for dinner yesterday?

Because he’d already made plans with colleagues, Ah Xi hadn’t told him about it.

Wen Chenxi, now feeling a headache from Ji Zhiyuan’s complaints, ended the call without another word.

He turned to Zhuang Yanyu and said, “Sorry, I thought we were going to a restaurant. Looks like we’re heading somewhere else now.”

“No problem!” Zhuang Yanyu looked at him eagerly, eyes bright with anticipation. “I’d love to eat at your place too.”

Eating at his friend’s place—a real upgrade in their relationship!

Wen Chenxi looked at him, and seeing Zhuang Yanyu didn’t mind, he replied with a simple “Mm” and instructed the driver to head to his home.

The car’s back seat was spacious, but Wen Chenxi’s tall, long-legged frame made the space feel tighter.

Their attire was worlds apart as well. Wen Chenxi wore a custom-tailored suit, flawless even in the summer heat.

Zhuang Yanyu, meanwhile, wore casual pants and a short-sleeved shirt. Azure Technologies didn’t have strict dress codes, so employees wore whatever felt comfortable.

But Wen Chenxi couldn’t help but notice that, just like his need for order, Zhuang Yanyu’s clothes were always neat, with barely a wrinkle—he probably ironed them after each wash.

Because Wen Chenxi was dressed warmly, the air conditioning in the car was relatively low, which explained why Zhuang Yanyu’s hand felt so cold.

Wen Chenxi asked, “Are you cold?”

Zhuang Yanyu replied, “Not at all.”

Wen Chenxi reminded him, “Your hand is a bit cold.”

Only then did Zhuang Yanyu realize he was still holding his friend’s hand.

Wen Chenxi observed his reaction.

It was a bit odd for two men to hold hands like this.

But after Zhuang Yanyu noticed, his expression didn’t change. He simply pulled his hand back, pressed it to his face, and shook his head. “Normal temperature.”

Wen Chenxi: “…”

That reaction was… so blunt.

When they arrived at Wen Chenxi’s house, Ji Zhiyuan and Li Xi were already waiting at the door.

Wen Chenxi’s house was very spacious, a two-story duplex flat, with each floor around 200 square meters. It was decorated simply, low-key yet luxurious.

Ji Zhiyuan warmly pulled him along, “Zhuang, it’s your first time here, right? Come! I’ll show you around.”

Zhuang Yanyu didn’t refuse, “Okay.”

Zhuang Yanyu’s eyes were like a scanner, each place he looked at seemed to store all the data about it.

By the time the tour was over, he already had a mental map of the house, like a renovation schematic, remembering every detail of what was where.

After the tour, they returned to the kitchen, where Zhuang Yanyu saw Wen Chenxi preparing the vegetables Ji Zhiyuan had bought. He proactively offered, “Let me help you.”

Wen Chenxi was about to say it wasn’t necessary when he saw Ji Zhiyuan and Li Xi had already started playing a game. Worried that Zhuang Yanyu might get bored, he asked, “Can you chop vegetables?”

“I can.”

“Then help me chop the carrots and potatoes.”

“Sure.”

Wen Chenxi had learned to cook in school, but hadn’t done much cooking since graduation, though his skills were still there.

Occasionally, he would glance up and see Zhuang Yanyu seriously chopping vegetables, feeling a bit unusual.

Zhuang Yanyu noticed his gaze and looked up, “What’s wrong?”

Wen Chenxi quickly averted his eyes and muttered, “Nothing, I’m going to change clothes. This outfit isn’t convenient.”

Zhuang Yanyu glanced at his suit and nodded, “Okay.”

He was quite obedient.

Wen Chenxi went to change. In the living room, Ji Zhiyuan, who had just lost the game, glanced over and decided not to let Zhuang Yanyu, the guest, stay in the kitchen alone. He walked over and asked, “Zhuang, need help?”

Zhuang Yanyu responded, “No need.”

Ji Zhiyuan looked down, then exclaimed, “Wow, Zhuang, did you do this?”

The potato strips Zhuang Yanyu had cut were so uniform they looked machine-made. Every single strip was identical in size, length, and thickness.

Zhuang Yanyu replied, “I cut them.”

Ji Zhiyuan exaggerated, “If I didn’t know better, I’d think a machine did this! Your knife skills are amazing!”

Curious, Ji Zhiyuan stayed in the kitchen to watch Zhuang Yanyu chop. Seeing that it really was Zhuang Yanyu doing it, he couldn’t help but praise him even more.

Eventually, Ji Zhiyuan ran out of compliments and started complaining about how Wen Chenxi treated him poorly, blaming Wen Chenxi for being difficult.

But to his surprise, Zhuang Yanyu put down his knife and said, “That’s nice. I envy you.”

Ji Zhiyuan was stunned. “Envy me? Why?”

Zhuang Yanyu replied, “Everything you said is because you and Ah Xi have a good relationship.”

Ji Zhiyuan nodded, “Of course.”

Zhuang Yanyu continued, “So, I envy you, because I also want to be the most important person to Ah Xi…”

Just as Wen Chenxi walked into the kitchen, he froze when he heard that sentence, his heart suddenly tightening.

The next moment, he heard Zhuang Yanyu add, “…Brother.”

Wen Chenxi’s heart dropped instantly.

A truth he wasn’t quite ready to admit was now right in front of him.

Zhuang Yanyu… had no such feelings for him.

—

Author’s Note:

PS—  

Zhuang Yanyu: I really envy you. I want to be Ah Xi’s brother too.  

Ji Zhiyuan: Dream on! I’ll always be Old Wen’s number one, right, Old Wen?  

Wen Chenxi: Let’s cut ties.  

From today, Yu Yu is number one.

Ji Zhiyuan: ??

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