Exclusive Supply

Everything was going smoothly until Lin Jingshang got to a certain key indicator and suddenly paused. He remembered there was a particular issue with this data that required special attention, but he couldn't recall the specific details. Just as sweat was about to bead on his forehead, he felt something lightly touch his calf.

He subconsciously looked down, and Xie Dang's shoe tip subtly tapped twice to the left under the table.

left?

Lin Jingshang immediately remembered that the note about this data in the document was marked in red on the left side of the page!

He quickly realized what was going on and continued, "Regarding this indicator, we need to clarify the statistical scope..." He operated the computer, brought up the red notes page, and perfectly explained the problem.

The people in the audience nodded in agreement, accepting his explanation.

Lin Jingshang secretly breathed a sigh of relief and continued his report.

In the following process, whenever a hint was needed, the Morse code hidden under the table would appear, and the two of them, one on the stage and one below, would collaborate in secret across the conference table.

Lin Jingshang gradually calmed down from his initial tension. It felt like someone had secretly slipped you a piece of candy on a battlefield.

The report concluded successfully. Xie Dang summarized the event, affirming the project team's efforts and especially mentioning the solid and reliable data support.

After the meeting, several senior executives came over and patted Lin Jingshang on the shoulder to express their appreciation.

The crowd gradually dispersed, leaving only the two of them in the conference room.

Lin Jingshang was packing up his computer when he couldn't help but glance at Xie Dang, who was organizing files, and a smile involuntarily crept onto his face.

"What are you laughing at?" Xie Dang asked.

"It's nothing," Lin Jingshang walked over and lowered his voice, "I just feel... Mr. Xie, your ability to command from behind the scenes is truly remarkable."

Xie Dang paused in his work, looked up at him, his eyes deep: "Effective communication is all that matters, regardless of the form."

Lin Jingshang laughed even harder when he saw his serious expression.

Okay, you're handsome, so you're right.

---

A new intern named Zhou Yu joined the department. He is sunny and cheerful, with a particularly sweet tongue. He calls Lin Jingshang "Brother Jingshang" very affectionately. He is also very perceptive and often takes the initiative to help Lin Jingshang with some trivial tasks.

Lin Jingshang quite liked this diligent young man, and would occasionally bring him some afternoon tea.

That day, Lin Jingshang noticed something strange: the glass jar of lemon candies on his workstation was running out of lemon candies much faster. Before, when he and Xie Dang ate one occasionally, it would last for about half a month, but now it was almost empty in less than a week.

He didn't pay much attention at first, until that afternoon when he saw Zhou Yu walk over with a grin, take two candies from his candy jar, and wink at him: "Thanks, Brother Jing Shang! These candies are really delicious!"

Lin Jingshang: "..."

He belatedly realized that Zhou Yu seemed to be treating the jar of candy as public property.

Xie Dang bought this candy.

Although Xie Dang never explicitly said it, he subconsciously always felt that this jar of candy was a little secret between them. Now that a third party was using it so casually, he felt inexplicably uncomfortable.

When Lin Jingshang was video chatting with Xie Dang that evening, he couldn't help but mention, "Our department's intern seems to really like the lemon candy you bought."

His words were tactful, but Xie Dang immediately picked up on the key information: "He took your candy?"

"Hmm... I've taken it quite a few times." Lin Jingshang's tone was a little muffled.

Xie Dang on the other end of the screen was silent for a few seconds, then said, "Understood."

The next day, as soon as Lin Jingshang arrived at the company, he noticed that the lemon candy jar on the windowsill was missing. Just as he was wondering about it, Xie Dang's assistant, Xiao Chen, came over carrying a box: "Mr. Lin, Mr. Xie asked me to give you this." Xiao Chen placed the box on his desk.

When Lin Jingshang opened it, he found a whole box of lemon candies inside, exactly the same as the one he had before, probably dozens of them.

The assistant suppressed a laugh and added, "President Xie specifically instructed that this is your personal supply and asked me to remind you to take good care of it."

Lin Jingshang stared in disbelief at the box of candy.

At that moment, Xie Dang's message also arrived.

[Xie Dang]: The candy is under your seat. Take it yourself when you're done.

[Lin Jingshang]: A whole box? How long would it take to finish that?

[Xie Dang]: I've calculated your daily intake, and it's enough to last until the expiration date.

Lin Jingshang looked at the message, then at the large box of candy under the table, and thought back to how he had been a little awkward over a few pieces of candy. He suddenly felt a bit childish, and couldn't help but laugh. Xie Dang's way of solving problems was really simple, crude and effective.

During lunch break, Zhou Yu wandered over again, reached out to touch the windowsill, but found nothing.

"Hey? Brother Jing Shang, where's your jar of delicious candy?"

Lin Jingshang took out a new can from under the table, handed it to him, and said with a smile, "Oh, the previous can is finished, this one is for you, take it and share it with everyone."

Zhou Yu happily accepted it: "Thank you, Brother Jing Shang!"

After he left, Lin Jingshang bent down and patted the large box of exclusive supplies under the table. The little bit of unease in his heart had long since vanished.

---

Xie Dang unfortunately caught the cold virus and was infected.

Compared to Lin Jingshang's listless state when he was sick, Xie Dang's cold symptoms were completely different. He went to work on time, handled his work, his face was paler than usual, his voice was nasal, and he coughed occasionally.

Lin Jingshang felt sorry for him, so he slipped out during his lunch break to buy pears and rock sugar, and secretly stewed rock sugar pears for him in the tea room.

When he carried the stew pot into the president's office, Xie Dang was frowning at the computer screen, with a cup of black coffee beside him.

"Don't drink coffee if you're sick."

He moved the black coffee aside and pushed the warm stew pot over: "Have some of this to soothe your throat."

Xie Dang glanced at it, said nothing, picked up the spoon and took a bite.

"How is it?" Lin Jingshang asked, a hint of anticipation in his voice.

"The sweetness is just right, and the pear chunks are cooked to the perfect firmness," Xie Dang commented objectively, adding, "It's a success compared to the last coffee."

Lin Jingshang: "..."

Is this a compliment or an insult?

He watched Xie Dang finish eating, and the sense of accomplishment he felt overwhelmed his urge to complain.

"Go home and get some rest early tonight, don't stay up late," he said, tidying up the empty stew pot.

"Okay." Xie Dang responded, looking up at him. "Stay away from me."

Lin Jingshang was taken aback: "What?"

"To avoid cross-infection, the probability of virus transmission is inversely proportional to the distance of contact," Xie Dang said calmly.

Lin Jingshang looked at his serious expression, feeling both annoyed and amused: "You're only bringing this up now? If it were contagious, it would have been contagious already!"

He moved closer and reached out his hand to Xie Dang's forehead.

Xie Dang instinctively tried to turn his head away, but Lin Jingshang's hand was already on top of his.

"You have a slight fever." Lin Jingshang frowned. "Did you take any medicine?"

"I ate," Xie Dang replied.

His gaze fell on Lin Jingshang's face, which was so close to his own. Lin Jingshang frowned slightly with worry, and his breath gently brushed against his cheek.

Lin Jingshang belatedly realized that the distance was a bit too close, and just as he was about to withdraw his hand, Xie Dang raised his hand and gently grasped his wrist. Xie Dang's palm was a little warm, but the pressure was not strong.

"I told you, stay away." Xie Dang looked at him, his voice hoarse, his eyes deep.

"Then let go."

Lin Jingshang felt his wrist getting hot where the other man was holding it, and his heart was racing.

Xie Dang gently rubbed the inside of his wrist with his thumb before slowly releasing it.

"I'll take you home after get off work." He looked back at the computer screen.

Lin Jingshang withdrew his hand, his fingertips curling slightly, still retaining the warmth of the other person's skin.

"oh……"

He responded softly, picked up the empty stew pot, and slowly walked out of the office.

Back at his workstation, Lin Jingshang looked at his wrist, which had just been gripped.

What virus spreads, and what safe distance?

When that time comes, who will remember?

---

The system seemed to realize that conventional methods were no longer effective in shaking these two individuals.

Late that night, Lin Jingshang was working on a report in Xie Dang's apartment. His own computer had been sent for repair, so he had to borrow Xie Dang's. He ended up writing and lost track of time.

Suddenly, the entire apartment was plunged into darkness, and all the electrical appliances stopped working.

The power is out.

Lin Jingshang paused for a moment, then fumbled for his phone and turned on the flashlight. He walked out of the guest room and saw Xie Dang just coming out of the master bedroom, holding an emergency flashlight.

"Did the power trip?" Lin Jingshang asked.

“It doesn’t seem like it.” Xie Dang walked to the electrical box and checked it. “The main switch is normal; it’s probably a regional fault.”

He tried to contact the property management with his mobile phone, only to find that the signal bars were empty and the network was down.

“Communication base stations may also be affected,” he concluded.

The two stood in the pitch-black living room, looking at each other in the light of their flashlights. Outside the window, large areas of the city, which had been brightly lit, were now shrouded in darkness.

"Now we can't even finish the report," Lin Jingshang sighed.

Just then, the subtitles in front of them lit up simultaneously, their soft pink glow standing out starkly in the darkness: [Ultimate Scenario Simulation Activated: Interdependence in Adversity.]

[Task: Survive the next three hours without water, electricity, or internet by relying on each other.]

[Mission Reward: Unlock the "Bound by Life and Death" achievement badge, and permanent system silence (to be determined).]