Chapter 15: CH 15

The next day, Lu Jingshen unusually woke up late and opened his eyes after half past seven.

Feng Si came over and knocked on the door, then directly entered the closet and helped him choose a tie while he was changing.

“You didn’t sleep well last night?” Feng Si asked, his brows furrowed. His gaze glanced over, and he said, “Alex, can’t you handle it? Isn’t it a fact that one sleeps better after releasing their sexual tension? Why are you experiencing insomnia instead?”

Lu Jingshen replied calmly, “Your aromatherapy doesn’t work.”

“Well, that’s my fault,” Feng Si walked over and stood behind him. He compared a chosen tie in front of him and said satisfied, “This one will do.”

Lu Jingshen looked up and met his eyes in the mirror. Feng Si smiled and threw a flirtatious look at his reflection.

Lu Jingshen’s gaze flickered slightly as Feng Si quickly tied his tie for him.

That day, Feng Si used a different knotting method, not as fancy but something Lu Jingshen had never tried before.

In the end, Feng Si placed both hands on his shoulders, looking at their reflection in the mirror and curving his lips.

The somewhat intimate atmosphere made Lu Jingshen feel uncomfortable. He turned away and said, “Let’s go.”

In the office, Liu Jie, as usual, had someone bring coffee to Lu Jingshen. Feng Si, who came along, saw it and reached out to take it. “I’ll have this instead. Our boss has trouble sleeping, so don’t give him coffee anymore.”

Seeing that Lu Jingshen didn’t object, Liu Jie couldn’t be bothered to say anything either. After all, their boss always indulged Feng Si in particular.

Liu Jie reported on the day’s work to Lu Jingshen, mentioning an invitation letter for a technology cooperation and investment trade negotiation meeting in Northern Europe next Thursday. She asked Lu Jingshen if he would personally attend or send someone else.

Lu Jingshen pondered for a moment and said, “I’ll go.”

Liu Jie nodded, “Okay, I’ll make the arrangements.”

After she left, Feng Si walked over to Lu Jingshen’s side and casually asked, “Going to Europe next week?”

Lu Jingshen responded, “Yes, you should prepare as well.”

Feng Si didn’t have much to prepare. Flying a plane was as easy as eating for him. “Aren’t you tired? Do you want to go on vacation?”

Lu Jingshen frowned, “You just came back from vacation, and now you want to go on another one?”

“I’m talking about you,” Feng Si reminded him. “You rely on coffee every day to keep going, and then you can’t sleep at night. Is that a healthy way to live? Why not take a vacation in Europe and relax? What’s wrong with that?”

With his hands clasped together behind his desk, Lu Jingshen absentmindedly rubbed his fingers, hesitating.

Feng Si leaned forward and lightly touched his long, dark lashes, feeling their constant trembling. “I heard that you go on vacation alone in Europe for a week every year?”

Lu Jingshen turned his face away in annoyance. “Who told you that?”

Feng Si withdrew his hand. “Well, I heard it. I thought you never took a break throughout the year. So you do give yourself a vacation. How about taking me with you this time?”

Lu Jingshen asked irritably, “Why should I take you with me?”

“In that case, let me put it differently,” Feng Si said nonchalantly. “You go on vacation, and I, as your personal bodyguard, accompany you to fulfill my duties. How about that?”

There was a moment of silence before Lu Jingshen said, “We’ll see.”

The topic ended there, and Feng Si stayed in Lu Jingshen’s office for half an hour. When people came to report work to Lu Jingshen one after another, he would leave the office and pass the time in the secretary’s office.

Around ten o’clock, Lu Qing hurriedly arrived, ignoring everyone else and going straight into Lu Jingshen’s office. Feng Si saw her hurried figure and followed after her.

Lu Qing entered, and Lu Jingshen raised his head from the documents. expressionless, he asked her, “What’s the matter?”

Lu Qing approached his desk in anger and asked, “Did you force Uncle Wen Zhong to retire early? Specifically, choosing those two days when I was away on a business trip?”

“Dad knows,” Lu Jingshen explained. “I talked to him, and he agreed.”

“Was it on Mom’s birthday? You came back early just to tell Dad about this?”

Lu Qing almost immediately realized and became more angry. “You all knew, and you kept it from me?”

Lu Jingshen handed her a document, containing evidence of the illegal profits made by Li Wen Zhong over the years in the company. It took several months to investigate and gather all the evidence.

“I originally wanted to report it to the police, but Dad said to let it go because of his past contributions. It’s better not to make it a big deal.”

Lu Qing stopped flipping through the document after two pages. “What I’m asking is why you didn’t tell me. Do you think I’m not trustworthy, that I would favor him and stop you?”

Lu Jingshen explained earnestly, “I was worried that he would use you and didn’t want you to get involved.”

Lu Qing felt both angry and helpless. “You just don’t believe in me. Although I’m closer to him, we’re still family, aren’t we?”

“I didn’t mean that,” Lu Jingshen shook his head slightly.

After Lu Qing left, Feng Si followed her as before, standing outside the office.

Lu Qing didn’t want to pay attention to him, but Feng Si took the initiative to stop her. “President, I think Mr Lu doesn’t distrust you. There’s no need to be angry with him.”

Lu Qing was somewhat annoyed. “How do you know? Did he tell you?”

Feng Si smiled. “Just a gut feeling.”

“Intuition?”

Feng Si nodded. “Yes, he loves you as his sister. President, don’t misunderstand him.”

Lu Qing scrutinized him and suddenly asked, “Do you think you know him so well?”

“Rather than knowing him, I trust my intuition.”

Feng Si’s arrogant tone made Lu Qing very displeased. Remembering what she saw in her brother’s office just now, Lu Jingshen wore the tie their mother gave him for his last birthday, a dazzling rose red. It should have been his first time wearing it, and he tied it in a different way.

Although she came to question him, she noticed the changes in Lu Jingshen, which could only be because of Feng Si in front of her, his cohabitant.

Lu Qing’s expression darkened slightly, and she warned him, “Remember your place and don’t have any inappropriate thoughts towards Ah Shen.”

Feng Si felt more amused. The siblings were truly like twins, even their words were the same.

After Lu Qing left, he turned around and went to find Liu Jie in the secretary’s office.

“How many days is the boss’ trip to Europe for the conference?”

Liu Jie was instructing her assistant to plan the itinerary and casually replied, “It will take about four or five days, plus the travel time, so at least a week.”

Feng Si said, “Give me a copy of his schedule for the second half of the month. Any work that can be postponed should be postponed, and for the ones that can’t, you figure out a solution. Don’t assign any work to him until the end of the month.”

Liu Jie: “Huh?”

Feng Si: “the boss plans to take a vacation over there. He won’t be back until the end of the month.”

Liu Jie couldn’t believe it. Going on vacation at this time?

It was true that Lu Jingshen would take a week off for himself every year, but it wasn’t usually at the busiest time. And every time, he would plan the work in advance, never suddenly deciding to push everything aside and be away for half a month.

Liu Jie’s head was spinning. “But with so many things, how can I handle them without the boss being here?”

“Liu Secretary,” Feng Si patted her shoulder. “I heard you wanted to be transferred to a subsidiary company as a general manager and come back for a promotion. Now it’s time to show your work capabilities.”

Liu Jie immediately stopped complaining. “Fine, I’ll see what I’ll do. I will handle it.”

Feng Si reminded her with a smile, “For matters you can’t decide, you can discuss them with the president.”

Before Liu Jie could frown, Feng Si continued, “It’s all for the company and the boss won’t have any objections. You still haven’t grasped your boss’s thoughts well enough. Keep working hard.”

Liu Jie widened her eyes, and after Feng Si finished his instructions, he waved his hand and returned to Lu Jingshen’s office.

As he pushed the door open, Lu Jingshen lifted his gaze upon hearing the footsteps.

“Just had an argument with your sister?” Feng Si walked up to him.

Lu Jingshen didn’t respond and glanced at the time. He put away the documents in his hand, and when he stood up, perhaps due to the aftermath of last night, his legs trembled for a moment. Subconsciously, he leaned on the desk for support.

Feng Si approached him, extending his hand to support him.

Feng Si pushed him back into his seat and leaned against the desk, looking at him. “Do you know what the president said to me before leaving?”

Lu Jingshen raised his chin slightly, signaling him to speak directly.

“She said,” Feng Si’s lips curled up with a playful smile, “to remember my place and not have any inappropriate thoughts about you.”

Lu Jingshen’s expression stiffened slightly, but Feng Si acted as if he hadn’t seen it. “Alex, why is it that your sister and your secretary both think I have ulterior motives toward you?”

Lu Jingshen coldly replied, “I should be asking you that”

“Well, I admit I do,” Feng Si candidly admitted, “but I’m curious. Your younger brother talks about his boyfriend, and your sister approves of it. Why does your sister look so guarded when it comes to you?”

Lu Jingshen tensed his face and didn’t want to answer that question.

Feng Si asked, “Are you angry?”

Seeing Lu Jingshen frown again, he said, “Give me your hand.”

He didn’t move, but Feng Si directly grabbed his right hand, pressing their palms together and quickly rubbing past it.

A fleeting surprise flashed in Lu Jingshen’s eyes as a rose appeared in his hand, seemingly conjured out of nowhere by Feng Si.

“The secretary outside received flowers from her boyfriend, so I asked her to give me one.”

Feng Si explained with a smile.

“… Were you doing magic just now?” Lu Jingshen asked somewhat uncertainly.

“It’s just a little trick,” Feng Si proudly said. “Is it interesting?”

Lu Jingshen was somewhat absent-minded. He knew Feng Si could do these things. It was the same in the past. He always unexpectedly pulled out some small gadgets to amuse him, satisfying himself when he saw Lu Jingshen’s surprised expression.

Returning to his senses, he stood up and inserted the rose back into Feng Si’s chest pocket. Feng Si’s composed gaze showed a slight ripple, seemingly surprised as well.

Lu Jingshen said casually, “Keep the gifts given to you by others for yourself.”

After saying that, he left first and went to the meeting outside.

Feng Si lowered his gaze to the vibrant red rose in his pocket, smiled, and then turned around to follow.