What To Do When The Boss Takes A Liking To You chapter 52
Golden Glasses, Bathrobe, Pectoral Muscles
Xu Le was going back to school for his thesis defense. He specially asked Lucy to approve three days off and decided to stay at school for two more days.
His university was in the neighboring city, only half an hour away by high-speed rail, so he could easily buy a suitable ticket to go back to school anytime.
Because Li Dongming had resigned, he returned to school a few days earlier than Xu Le. Since he was sure to stay in the coastal city and had enough money on hand, he simply bought a car and agreed to pick up Xu Le at the high-speed rail station.
As soon as Xu Le got off the high-speed train, he saw a tall, sturdy, handsome young man waving at him, and he was ecstatic, waving back excitedly at the man.
“Lele, I’m over here!”
Li Dongming was tall and looked good. He stood out in the crowd, and his low, hoarse voice attracted the attention of the people around him.
With just a bag on his back and no suitcase to drag, Xu Le quickly followed the crowd through the ticket gate and soon ran to Li Dongming, who took the initiative to give him a big hug.
Several young girls passing by couldn’t help but gossip excitedly when they saw this scene.
Li Dongming had good hearing and heard what several girls were saying about being a “good match” and “so jealous.” He laughed and casually pulled Xu Le into his arms, leaning close to his ear and saying, “Some girls are saying we’re a good match again, Lele, I also think we’re quite a good match. What do you say we get together?”
If it were any other time, Xu Le would have joked around happily, maybe even thrown a couple of sarcastic remarks, but now…
It was hard for him not to recall the time when he was actually pursued by a man, even kissed by him, and that man happened to be the elegant and refined President Lan.
Xu Le pushed Li Dongming away nervously and said, somewhat frustrated, “Cut it out! I… am straight!”
Even if he had kissed a man before, he was still straight! He tried to convince himself.
Li Dongming paused for a moment, but his easygoing nature made him shrug it off, “Just kidding, don’t be mad.”
Xu Le knew Li Dongming was just teasing, so he grunted in response.
The new car Li Dongming bought was a Volvo XC60, a mid-size SUV with spacious interior and good performance. He wasn’t into flashy cars; he valued practicality.
Xu Le knew Li Dongming’s family wasn’t short on money, but still, he was a bit surprised by the purchase of a four hundred thousand car, “Are you really planning to go to Hai City with me?”
Li Dongming skillfully started the car, “Yeah, I found a partner and we’re planning to open a gym together, be our own bosses, it’s better than slaving away for someone else.”
Xu Le sighed, “Are you trying to attract trouble? I’m the one slaving away!” He emphasized the last words intentionally.
“Haha, isn’t your company great? Good atmosphere, lots of pretty female colleagues, and decent pay. I almost feel like joining.”
“Sigh, don’t even mention it. I might be packing my things and getting fired any day now…” Xu Le muttered under his breath.
“What?” Li Dongming, focused on the road, didn’t catch his words.
“Nothing, uh…” Xu Le tactically coughed to cover it up.
Li Dongming was familiar with the roads of Guangshi and didn’t need navigation, so the car was filled with just their voices and the slight sound of movement, making it quiet.
With the new car came the distinct smell of leather. Li Dongming, not very particular, didn’t bother with air fresheners. Xu Le couldn’t help but think of Lan Qing’s car, which had a subtle yet pleasant scent, making the atmosphere very comfortable.
Realizing he was again thinking about something he shouldn’t, he slapped his forehead in frustration, muttering a disgruntled “tsk” under his breath.
Li Dongming glanced at him, “What’s wrong? Work stressing you out, or worried about tomorrow’s presentation?”
Xu Le shook his head, “Neither.”
“Neither?” Li Dongming pondered for a moment, then widened his eyes, “It’s not about what you told me last time, is it? That guy who’s been bothering you?”
Xu Le coughed vigorously a few times. He couldn’t just say that the man bothering him was his boss…
“Don’t overthink it. I’m not someone who can be easily swayed.” He mumbled vaguely, “I’m tired, I want to take a nap, Li.”
“Okay, you go ahead and sleep, I’ll wake you when we arrive.” Li Dongming didn’t delve deeper into it.
With a heavy heart, Xu Le closed his eyes.
Hai City International Airport.
Lan Qing followed Qin Yaguan expressionlessly, carrying her carry-on luggage, with two bodyguards and a driver trailing behind, each handling four suitcases.
Qin Yaguan, on the other hand, was fully geared up from head to toe, her face concealed behind oversized sunglasses, revealing only a small portion of her fair and delicate features.
“Do you really need to bring so much stuff to the US?”
Under her sunglasses, Qin Yaguan’s beautiful eyes squinted as she smiled, “This time, the couple I’m collaborating with are both Chinese. Their only son, whom I met a few times in the US years ago, was just a sophomore back then, shy as could be. But his face was truly delicate and beautiful. Now he’s taken over the family business, I think it’s a good opportunity for us to reconnect.”
Lan Qing remained indifferent. No wonder she was in such a hurry to go to the US this time, the reason was clear.
As they approached the security check, Lan Qing halted, handing her carry-on luggage to the accompanying bodyguard.
Qin Yaguan removed her sunglasses, looking at Lan Qing and scrutinizing his handsome face.
Lan Qing remained unchanged, “What are you looking at?”
Qin Yaguan leaned closer to his face, staring at his lips. Though the scars on them had nearly faded, they still caught her attention.
“It seems you’re quite the sharp-tongued little dog!” She teased, laughing gorgeously and boldly.
Lan Qing, unexpectedly, took her teasing in stride, nodding, “Indeed, that’s the case. I’m leaving now.”
Qin Yaguan’s smile froze on her face as she watched her brother turn and walk away without hesitation. She turned to her bodyguard beside her, dazed, “Did he just respond to me?”
The bodyguard didn’t understand a thing but nodded vaguely, “Yes, Madam Qin.”
Qin Yaguan’s slender fingers touched her chin, her beautiful eyes filled with contemplation.
….
The dazzling sunset illuminated the rows of trees, casting a golden hue over the entire university. The leaves shimmered, reflecting the light, enveloping the campus in a golden glow.
On the narrow asphalt road, students passed by from time to time—riding bicycles, strolling, or jogging—each with a youthful and radiant face, shining even brighter than the setting sun.
With a snap!
As Xu Le pushed off, executing a graceful leap, his skateboard flipped over smoothly, landing with a thud as he continued gliding forward, occasionally performing some difficult tricks.
Once back at the school, he felt much more relaxed, dragging Li Dongming downstairs to unwind.
It had been a while since he last skated, but surprisingly, his skills hadn’t diminished. Li Dongming was filming him as he did so.
“You looked really cool just now, I’ll edit the video and send it to you later!” Li Dongming intentionally used a stabilizer to capture Xu Le looking extra cool.
Xu Le gave a thumbs up, “Sure, send it to me later!”
Beside them was a basketball court, where a few guys were playing. Li Dongming felt the itch to join in; he was quite good at basketball. He waved to Xu Le, “Lele, I’m gonna go play over there. You have fun, call me if you need me.”
“Sure thing.” Xu Le nodded, holding onto his equipment, planning to shoot some footage and later edit a cool skateboarding video to upload to A station.
Glancing over at the nearby playground, Li Dongming quickly integrated himself with the group of unfamiliar guys, happily playing basketball together.
Xu Le seemed a bit lost in thought. Originally, he didn’t feel much sadness about graduating, but seeing this scene, he suddenly felt a heavy sense of confusion.
As if noticing Xu Le’s gaze, Li Dongming looked over at him, greasily blew a kiss, and Xu Le couldn’t help but laugh, flipping him off. “Go to hell!”
“Senior?”
A familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar voice, crisp and sweet.
Xu Le turned in surprise to see a delicate and handsome boy walking towards him not far away. He wasn’t a stranger, quite familiar actually. It was the junior from the Fine Arts Department who had confessed to him before.
“It’s you, Xiao Zhao?” Xu Le felt a bit awkward.
“What a coincidence, senior. Long time no see. I heard you’re working in Hai city, how’s the job market over there?” Xiao Zhao asked with a smile, seeming even more charming than usual.
Xu Le, upon seeing him, felt a bit awkward. He scratched the back of his neck. “It’s okay, after all, Hai city is a first-tier big city, there are many good companies.”
“Oh, I see. Then if I go to Hai city in the future, I can ask you for advice.” Xiao Zhao’s perfume was a sweet fruity fragrance, quite strong. As he approached, the scent became even more pronounced.
Xu Le suddenly felt a tightness in his chest. “Of course, no problem, haha. But, I might—”
“Xiao Zhao? Who are you talking to?”
Before Xu Le could finish his sentence, he heard an unfriendly male voice interrupting him.
He looked towards the voice. It was a tall, handsome boy with dark skin, wearing sportswear and holding a soccer ball. He was giving Xu Le a warning look.
He walked over, pulled Xiao Zhao into his arms. With one tall and one short, their skin color and body shapes contrasted sharply. One was pretty, the other handsome, and they seemed to have an indescribable harmony.
Xu Le: Why do I feel like these two are a bit ambiguous?
Xiao Zhao smiled as he introduced, “Senior, this is my boyfriend, a sophomore from the Sports Department.”
Xu Le understood, feeling relieved at the same time.
“That’s great, you two look very compatible.” Xu Le sincerely blessed, speaking the truth.
The two of them indeed looked complementary.
The sports junior relaxed his guard slightly at Xu Le’s words, but still stared at him intensely, like a dangerous wolf cub.
Xiao Zhao pushed his sturdy arm and coquettishly said, “I’m so thirsty, can you buy me bubble tea?”
“Sure, wait here.”
In front of Xiao Zhao, the sports junior seemed like a tamed beast with its claws and fangs removed, showing a soft belly. However, before leaving, he still gave Xu Le a cold glare.
Xu Le: … This guy is too possessive.
As he walked away, Xiao Zhao approached him. Xu Le subconsciously took a step back, the hug from last year still left a deep impression on him.
But Xiao Zhao stood firm and said seriously to Xu Le, “Senior, I want to apologize to you in person.”
“Huh?” Xu Le was puzzled.
“I didn’t know you were straight before, so I confessed to you. Can we just be friends like normal from now on?” Xiao Zhao’s round eyes were sincere.
Xu Le was a bit shocked. “Do I not look straight?”
Xiao Zhao furrowed his delicate brows. “Senior, you’re so handsome, always clean-cut, still single, and there were no rumors about you dating girls. I subconsciously thought you were like me.”
“Huh?” Xu Le’s bright eyes widened. Was this really a reason for being suspected of not being straight? He found it ridiculous.
Then, hesitating for a moment, he asked curiously, “So, how do you and your, uh, boyfriend usually get along?”
Xu Le really didn’t understand what the interaction between two boys in a relationship was like. Was it similar to dating between a boy and a girl? It seemed a bit strange.
Speaking of his boyfriend, Xiao Zhao’s eyes lit up. “We’re just like any other couple. We do whatever we want, we’re happy together every day. Even if we can’t see each other, getting messages, hearing each other’s voices, even playing games online together makes us happy.”
Listening, Xu Le seemed to understand. “Oh, I see…”
“When we’re together, we do even happier things, like kissing, holding hands, hugging. There’s no difference from other couples. And, my boyfriend studies sports, his physique is great, we’re very harmonious in that aspect too!” Xiao Zhao said with a smile.
“Huh? That aspect, which aspect?” Xu Le asked bewilderedly.
Xiao Zhao blushed. “I mean, we, uh, in bed, he’s really good in that aspect!”
Xu Le finally understood and blushed furiously. He quickly waved his hand. “Oh, that, you don’t need to be so specific, cough cough, I understand, I wish you happiness, hahaha…”
He forced a laugh, trying to hide his embarrassment.
“Senior, you’re so cute.” Xiao Zhao smiled, his almond-shaped eyes forming crescent moons.
At this moment, Xiao Zhao’s boyfriend came over, holding a cup of bubble tea. Xiao Zhao happily took it but was pulled into his arms by the other.
“What were you guys talking about just now?” The sports junior asked with a serious face.
“Oh, why are you always jealous, baby? I was just talking to senior about future work stuff,” Xiao Zhao turned his head, waved to Xu Le, “Senior, goodbye! Good luck with your graduation!”
Before leaving, the sports junior possessively wrapped his arm around Xiao Zhao’s shoulder, giving Xu Le a stern look.
Xu Le: …?
However, as he watched the two figures embracing each other and gradually walking away, he felt a bit dazed.
Two boys together seemed just like normal couples. After all, Xiao Zhao and his boyfriend had such a good relationship…
Just as his thoughts wandered, a large hand patted him on the shoulder, startling him. He nervously turned around, it was Li Dongming.
“Aren’t you playing anymore?” Xu Le asked.
“I’m afraid you’ll be bored alone. Let’s go, to the cafeteria for dinner!” Li Dongming hooked his arm around Xu Le’s shoulder, and the two of them went to the cafeteria laughing and joking.
The undergraduate defense was not difficult, so they ended smoothly. After spending another day at school, they packed up and took Li Dongming’s car back to the Hai city.
Sending Xu Le back to the residential area, Li Dongming came to the house where he lived for the first time and was quite surprised, “Wow, you live in this area, with this decoration, and it’s so spacious. Your rent must be expensive, right?”
Xu Le hesitated, “Well, this is my boss’ house, I’m temporarily staying here.”
Li Dongming slapped his forehead, “Right, I forgot. Then why are you sharing the apartment with me? It seems good for you to live here, close to the subway and the company.”
“I feel awkward staying here all the time. Anyway, I’ll talk to my boss tonight.”
Li Dongming clicked his tongue but didn’t ask further, respecting Xu Le’s opinion.
He looked around at the decoration and furnishings, seeing the cat litter box and cat toys in the corner, “Hey, where’s your lucky cat?”
“I asked a colleague to take care of it. I’ll pick it up tomorrow.” Xu Le entrusted the cat to Cao Xinyi because she also had experience in taking care of a cat and a dog at home.
Li Dongming stayed for a while longer, playing games and chatting with Xu Le before returning to his rented apartment hotel.
“Lele, I’m leaving now. I’ll keep an eye out for a suitable place for you and let you know when I find one. Just focus on your work.”
“Okay!”
After Li Dongming left, the empty house was left with only Xu Le.
He looked at his phone screen, hesitated for a while, and then sent a message to Lan Qing.
[President Lan, I want to discuss something with you about the house.]Originally, he wanted to send a cute emoji, but he remembered that the other party had once mistaken his use of emojis as being coquettish, so he suppressed the impulse.
As a result, after waiting for more than ten minutes, Lan Qing still hadn’t replied.
Xu Le thought that perhaps Lan Qing was busy, so he decided to freshen up first.
After taking a shower, he shook his wet hair, draped a towel over his head, picked up his phone, and still didn’t see a message from Lan Qing, so he anxiously browsed Weibo while waiting.
Ten minutes later, Lan Qing finally replied.
[Do you have time?]Xu Le quickly replied saying he did.
The next moment, the video call rang suddenly.
Xu Le hurriedly took off the towel from his head, wiped his still dripping hair a few times, then removed the towel, and finally pressed the answer button.
On the screen, there was initially a full screen of white fabric. Before Xu Le could see clearly, the white fabric swiftly moved up, crossing a small, firm, pale chest, and then settled on a face that could be described as perfectly mixed-race beauty.
It was a close-up shot.
Lan Qing’s deep blue beautiful eyes looked through the thin gold-rimmed glasses at the camera, appearing even calmer and more restrained than usual.
Because his features were so naturally superior, Lan Qing gave Xu Le a sense of illusion, a feeling that Lan Qing didn’t seem like a real person from the three-dimensional world.
“You said you had something to discuss with me, why aren’t you speaking?” His low voice was as enchanting as a glass of rich red wine.
Xu Le’s expression was stunned, forgetting what he was originally going to say.