TuxedoTranslations

Chapter 46

Zhuang Yanyu indeed hadn’t arrived yet — he was still in the car.

And the “General Manager Shen” that the secretary had said was already waiting in the private room was, in fact, not at the restaurant.

He had gotten into the car halfway through the drive.

The secretary who’d gotten into the car with Zhuang Yanyu, along with the others, had already gotten out.

Now, only General Manager Shen, Zhuang Yanyu, and the driver remained in the vehicle.

Zhuang Yanyu’s instincts told him something wasn’t right.

As soon as Shen got in, he’d put on an apologetic face and said, “You must be Zhuang Yanyu, yes? Engineer Zhuang, I truly owe you an apology. I really overreacted earlier — please don’t take it to heart.”

Zhuang Yanyu frowned. “Apologizing to me doesn’t help.”

Shen quickly said, “Yes, yes, of course — I’ll go to the restaurant later and apologize to that assistant of yours, Xiao Zhou.”

Zhuang Yanyu picked up on a key phrase: “later.”

That phrase could mean two things.

One — he would apologize once they got there.

Or two — he wasn’t going right now.

Zhuang Yanyu’s gaze lingered on Shen’s face as he tried to determine which meaning he intended.

If it was the second one…

His eyes swept across the inside of the car and landed on the driver’s hands.

Sitting behind the driver’s seat, he couldn’t see the man’s face — but he could tell the driver was well-trained. His grip on the steering wheel was steady; his fingers were calloused, his forearms thick and muscular. His suit was stretched tight around his biceps.

Zhuang Yanyu slowly lifted his head and began flexing his wrists slightly — preparing, just in case.

Meanwhile, Shen kept talking: “But since you’re the chief engineer on this project, I wanted to personally apologize first. You’re young, Engineer Zhuang, but I can tell you’re broad-minded. I’m sure you won’t hold a grudge against me, right?”

Zhuang Yanyu asked flatly, “So, where exactly are we headed?”

Shen hesitated. “Ah? To the restaurant, of course…”

Zhuang Yanyu nodded and said nothing more.

The quieter he was, the more nervous Shen became.

When the car finally pulled up in front of the restaurant, Zhuang Yanyu didn’t say a word — he simply opened the door and got out.

Seeing this, Shen hurriedly reached out. “Engineer Zhuang, wait, I—”

But before his hand even fully touched Zhuang Yanyu’s arm, Zhuang suddenly twisted, using a precise burst of strength to pin the two-hundred-pound man right back into the car seat.

Shen’s body slammed hard against the car door — his face smacking into the window with such force that the glass almost shattered.

He was completely stunned for a moment before stammering, “M-misunderstanding! It’s all a misunderstanding! I really just wanted to apologize!”

Zhuang Yanyu stared at him for a second, then slowly released him and said in a calm, emotionless voice — as if a robot were speaking: “Sorry. Reflex.”

After carrying so many hosts in his system, he might not know how to cultivate immortality, but he had mastered self-defense.

He repeated, “You don’t need to apologize to me. I wasn’t the one you insulted.”

Just then, a surprised voice came from behind him.

“Yuyu?”

Zhuang Yanyu froze and instinctively turned around — and there stood Wen Chenxi, not far away, staring at him in astonishment.

It seemed Wen Chenxi had just witnessed Zhuang’s move — his eyes darted over Zhuang’s slim arms and legs, finally returning to his face.

Then Wen suddenly remembered how, that day, he’d kissed and hugged this same “Yuyu,” who had always been soft and gentle in his arms.

He felt… a sudden, unexpected warmth in his chest.

Yuyu’s so good to me, he thought — he’s never treated me the way he just handled that Shen guy…

Zhuang Yanyu was also stunned. He blinked at Wen Chenxi. “Why are you here?”

Wen smiled, about to answer — but Shen hastily cut in, “Mr. Wen! I already apologized to Engineer Zhuang! I sincerely, truly apologized! But he—he hit me—”

Zhuang Yanyu: “?”

Wen Chenxi gave him a cool glance, interrupting Shen’s words. “You fell, Mr. Shen? Looks like you weren’t careful enough. Don’t worry — I’ll speak to your chairman tomorrow and have him grant you a day off.”

Shen opened his mouth, wanting to protest that he’d been hit, but when he heard Wen mention his chairman, he swallowed his words immediately.

Wen Chenxi reached out, took Zhuang Yanyu’s hand, and said, “Let’s go.”

Zhuang turned back slightly to glance at Shen. “Him?”

Wen replied, “I told him to apologize to you.”

Zhuang looked puzzled. “How did you know what he did?”

“I didn’t,” Wen said. “I was passing through S City and wanted to see you. I didn’t want to disturb your work, so I chatted with the board here, casually asked about the project’s progress to find out when you’d be free. I even sent a bodyguard to the dock to pick you up.”

That bodyguard, however, had a bit of professional over-dedication.

He was used to following his boss at a distance, always ready to protect him.

So when he arrived at the dock, he parked the car and followed Zhuang Yanyu — keeping just far enough away, while reporting back to his boss about Zhuang’s situation.

And that was how he found out about the whole thing.

According to the bodyguard, when President Shen left, he even looked over at Zhuang Yanyu several more times.

Wen Chenxi was petty and a little possessive — he was afraid people would get ideas about Zhuang Yanyu, and also didn’t want anyone “getting ideas” about him in that way.

He didn’t know who this general manager was, but that didn’t stop him from having a little chat with the other party’s chairman first, just as a precaution.

They didn’t talk about much — just that he’d been “cruel” enough to push his good brother out into the world to gain some experience.

But he hadn’t expected that the “world” in City S would truly be that big.

The chairman immediately knew something must have happened. He sent someone to look into it, and only then learned that President Shen, snobbish as he was, had scolded an employee of Azure Technology.

Since the chairman didn’t know which employee Shen had yelled at, he assumed it was Wen Chenxi’s “good brother,” and that was why he made Shen go apologize to Zhuang Yanyu.

Seeing Zhuang Yanyu listening in stunned confusion, Wen Chenxi smiled and asked:

“Yu-yu didn’t notice the driver was my bodyguard?”

If it had been anyone else’s car, how could Wen Chenxi have felt at ease letting Zhuang Yanyu get in?

Zhuang Yanyu shook his head honestly.

“My brain only records your physical data. I didn’t record anyone else’s.”

Hearing that, it was Wen Chenxi’s turn to be stunned.

“Only… mine?”

Zhuang Yanyu: “Yes.”

Wen Chenxi: “How do you record it?”

If he explained that, it would get a little too specific. So Zhuang Yanyu could only give an analogy.

“Even if I only saw one of your fingers, I’d still know it was you. But with other people, I wouldn’t be able to tell.”

Wen Chenxi’s heart felt as though something had grabbed it all at once, leaving him breathless.

The feeling was like being struck, shocked — and like a tightened string being plucked again and again.

Such special treatment, belonging only to him — how could he not be moved?

Seeing Wen Chenxi silent for so long, Zhuang Yanyu glanced at him, puzzled.

“Do you… not believe me?”

Wen Chenxi: “No — I believe you.”

He tightened his hold slightly around Zhuang Yanyu’s hand.

“I’m just… really touched.”

Zhuang Yanyu didn’t understand what there was to be so moved about.

Wen Chenxi chuckled.

“The world is so big, and yet Yu-yu only records me. How could I not be touched?”

Zhuang Yanyu hesitated.

Wen Chenxi said gently, “If there’s something you want to say, you can just say it.”

So Zhuang Yanyu said it directly:

“Because I don’t need to record Dad’s data — I can recognize him anyway.”

And the fact that Wen Chenxi still needed to be “recorded” meant they weren’t familiar enough yet — so he had needed to take the extra step to memorize him.

Wen Chenxi: “…”

He immediately regretted asking.

But then again — if his position was already so close to Old Zhuang’s, wasn’t that still something worth being happy about?

If only these feelings came from love…

They entered the restaurant, and Wen Chenxi brought Zhuang Yanyu to the private room he’d reserved.

Zhuang Yanyu asked him,

“Why did you pass through City S?”

Passing through on the way home he could understand — but between different cities, how could that still count as “passing through”?

Wen Chenxi said,

“I’m going to City B tomorrow — so I passed by.”

A map of China flashed through Zhuang Yanyu’s mind. City B wasn’t actually that far from here… but it didn’t really make sense to take two flights.

He wanted to say something — but somehow, he already knew the answer.

A-Xi had come to see him.

Because he was in City S — so A-Xi came.

Wen Chenxi handed him the menu and told him to take a look.

“This restaurant is the closest to the docks. Its reputation’s pretty good. See if there’s anything you want to eat.”

But instead of looking, Zhuang Yanyu set the menu aside and slowly scooted over to Wen Chenxi’s side.

Wen Chenxi: “Xiao Yu?”

Zhuang Yanyu suddenly reached out, wrapped both arms around Wen Chenxi’s waist, and pressed his head against him — listening for the familiar heartbeat.

Wen Chenxi’s heart skipped a beat.

This was their first time seeing each other since he’d confessed.

Afraid of making Zhuang Yanyu uncomfortable, he’d only dared to hold his hand — and even then, only briefly. Once they entered the private room, he politely let go.

He’d never imagined Zhuang Yanyu would hug him first. It stunned him for quite a while.

Wen Chenxi unconsciously softened his voice.

“Yu-yu?”

Zhuang Yanyu gave a quiet “mm.”

In his heart he thought, hugging the real thing really does feel different from hugging a body pillow.

Wen Chenxi wondered whether today’s incident had made Xiao Yu feel wronged.

His body stiffened at first, then he gently patted Zhuang Yanyu’s back.

“If you don’t like this job… why don’t you come to City B with me tomorrow?”

Zhuang Yanyu looked up at him silently. He wasn’t that irresponsible of a “system.”

Wen Chenxi said seriously,

“I already make enough money. If earning from this project is going to make you unhappy, I don’t want the money at all.”

Zhuang Yanyu: “I’m not unhappy.”

Wen Chenxi: “Then what is it?”

Zhuang Yanyu pursed his lips, quietly picked the menu back up, and began ordering.

Wen Chenxi suddenly noticed — it looked like his little Yu’s ears were red.

He froze for a moment, sweetness blooming in his chest like honey.

Was Xiao Yu just too happy to see me… so he hugged me? But then got embarrassed afterward?

Wen Chenxi, who’d always been good at finding his own “candy,” simply chose to believe it.

He even pushed further and asked,

“Yu-yu… can I hug you again?”

Zhuang Yanyu glanced at him.

“No.”

Wen Chenxi: “Why?”

Zhuang Yanyu replied earnestly:

“Qin Yiyuan said that even between men, there should still be boundaries.”

Wen Chenxi immediately switched “modes.”

“But right now, I’m your good brother.”

Zhuang Yanyu: “…”

Smiling, Wen Chenxi opened his arms to him.

“Bro — want a hug?”

You had to admit — for Zhuang Yanyu, the temptation was really strong.

This was his brother, after all!

He tried to hold back, and held back some more — but in the end, he still couldn’t resist. He gritted his teeth, quietly threw himself into Wen Chenxi’s arms, and even made a condition:

“Then from now until tomorrow, you have to be my brother.”

Wen Chenxi laughed, and even changed the way he addressed him:

“Okay, little Yu-bro.”

Zhuang Yanyu: “…”

He felt his face heat up again.

What was going on — it was just a way of addressing him!

Wen Chenxi asked,

“Doesn’t it feel nice?”

Zhuang Yanyu: “What does?”

Wen Chenxi:

“If you marry me, you’ll have both a boyfriend and a brother.”

Zhuang Yanyu’s eyes slowly widened again.

“?”

Just then, the private room door was kicked open.

Qin Yiyuan and Zhou Quan rushed in.

“Brother Zhuang! Don’t be scared! We’re here to save you!”

Qin Yiyuan was even holding a chair, looking fierce.

“Shen — if you dare touch our Xiao Yu, I’ll smash your little brother!”

Wen Chenxi: “…”

Zhuang Yanyu: “?”

Qin Yiyuan: “Pres— President Wen?”

Zhou Quan was also dumbfounded.

“????”

Wait — why was the big boss here?

—-

Author’s note:

PS —

Yu-yu: Though, to be fair… what he said does make sense. Boyfriend and brother — both at once!

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