Chapter 70
In the second semester of their sophomore year, Jiang Huaiyu and Lu Mingxiao each formed their own small teams on opposite sides of the world, working towards a common goal. Lu Mingxiao had an old acquaintance, classmate Fu Yucheng, while Jiang Huaiyu had a half-baked acquaintance—a curly-haired boy who made Xiao Ge (Lu Mingxiao) jealous.
It's Christmas again.
“Fyodor already has a boyfriend…” Jiang Huaiyu and Lu Mingxiao were discussing platform optimization via video call when, during a break, the curly-haired boy, wearing flashy shorts, asked Jiang Huaiyu if the shorts looked good, as he was going on a date with his boyfriend.
Lu Mingxiao's head was buzzing. Was this the proper, authentic old Londoner? He could never get this feeling in his entire life.
Seeing him pinching his brow with a headache, Jiang Huaiyu thought he was jealous of Xiao Juanmao again, and couldn't help but speak up for Xiao Juanmao: "Besides, you know Fyodor's professionalism, he's very good."
Lu Mingxiao, who wasn't usually jealous, now felt a little sour: "Jiang Xiaoyu, there are eight people in our team, two of whom have had feelings for you, and one is your boyfriend. Sigh? You know, teams with too much personal emotion are usually a disaster, and ours..."
Jiang Huaiyu: "Hmm?"
“You definitely have a bright future,” Lu Mingxiao said. “I’ve always kept my personal and professional life separate, Mr. Jiang.”
Jiang Huaiyu chuckled, picked up the cup on the table and drank some water. Business was over; now they could talk about personal matters.
That year, Jiang Huaiyu moved into the student dormitory and became roommates with Xiao Juanmao. He also found two computer science students to join them, officially bringing their plans from paper to reality.
The project is in its initial stage and there are not many profits yet, but it is the most tiring stage. Lu Mingxiao and Jiang Huaiyu, as the leaders, are working day and night. Now the platform is running normally, and although we haven't seen much return on investment yet, we can finally breathe a sigh of relief.
"Mom and Dad said they're moving to Shanghai. How's the packing going?" Jiang Huaiyu asked.
"Houses in Shanghai are so expensive. Old Song said why buy a house? He has so many houses under his name, he can just move here. But Chairman Jiang said that this way people would feel like they are living under someone else's roof, which would be very uncomfortable. So the two of them discussed it for a long time. They decided not to give away the villa, but bought a small two-bedroom apartment instead. It was like lending money to their parents. Anyway, paying off the mortgage with the bank is the same. They don't charge interest and there is no repayment deadline. Old Song found someone to introduce his mother to a job. Her income will increase a lot. She feels more at ease earning her own money."
Song Jingliang and Jiang Lan are always very thoughtful people, and this arrangement has taken all aspects into consideration.
Starting a new life in a city where you are unfamiliar with the place in your middle age is not an easy thing.
Li Qing has a cheerful personality, but she is also very thoughtful. Yesterday, she called Jiang Huaiyu via video chat to talk about moving.
“It’s the age to be adventurous, what’s there to be afraid of?” Her eyes were full of optimism as she comforted Jiang Huaiyu, “Xiaobao, don’t think too much. That’s how parents are. Wherever their children are, that’s where their hearts are. When you become a father… oh, I don’t think you can.”
Jiang Huaiyu: ...
Who says it can't be done? He and Lu Mingxiao are like father and son.
“Jiang Xiaoyu, I’m planning to rent a studio…” Lu Mingxiao said, “It was fine when we had meetings in the school’s discussion room before, but next year we might have to meet with clients and partners, and we can’t exactly invite them to the school. What about your place?”
“I was thinking the same thing.” Jiang Huaiyu got up and stretched, carrying warm water and his phone to the window. It was snowing outside. He flipped the camera over and showed the campus outside the window: “It’s snowing heavily today.”
"It snowed in Beijing today too." Lu Mingxiao asked, "Aren't you planning any celebrations for Christmas this year?"
“I’m ready. I didn’t go. Most of the attendees are freshmen…” Jiang Huaiyu sipped warm water while Lu Mingxiao organized data. The quiet was suddenly broken by a discordant voice.
It was 2 a.m. on Lu Mingxiao's end. In order not to disturb his roommate, he found a hotel near the school. Today was Christmas and the weekend, and the young couple was relaxing. Their faint voices were transmitted through the walls and the receiver to the other side of the ocean.
Lu Mingxiao: ...
Jiang Huaiyu: ...
The two looked at each other across the screen, and then burst out laughing awkwardly.
Lu Mingxiao lowered his voice unconsciously: "Who's having trouble sleeping tonight, Jiang Xiaoyu?"
Jiang Huaiyu smiled and said, "Anyway, it's not me. I've always had good sleep quality and don't have trouble sleeping."
Lu Mingxiao stretched, turned off his computer, and lay on his side chatting with Jiang Huaiyu: "Where's that really nice, huge sock rug?"
Jiang Huaiyu: ...
A stocking rug, a rug with a strong Christmas feel, with a cute, rounded stocking shape and Christmas colors. Last Christmas, it really gave Jiang Huaiyu the gift she wanted.
But later...
He was pressed down on the carpet by a huge gift, which rubbed his groin and knees sore, and the carpet got dirty.
"How dare you bring this up?" Jiang Huaiyu's ears burned. "It was so badly damaged that I was too embarrassed to take it to the dry cleaners, so I just threw it away."
"That's such a pity." Lu Mingxiao looked at the pair of delicate, reddened ears on the screen, wishing he could crawl out like Sadako and pinch Jiang Xiaoyu's ears. He yawned, "What's there to be embarrassed about? Little Yu was so proactive all day..."
The heat on her ears seemed to be spreading to her face, and Jiang Huaiyu felt a little embarrassed when she recalled that day.
For the first time, he truly understood what it meant to be unable to control one's emotions. The desire to hug, kiss, and be close was so strong that, looking back now, there was indeed an element of... deliberate seduction.
but……
“Brother Xiao…” Jiang Huaiyu smiled faintly, “I’ve been so proactive, and you still remain unmoved? That makes me very suspicious…”
"I can do it, I can't, you've already touched it..." Sleepiness crept in, and Lu Mingxiao mumbled with his eyes half-closed, "I was... not very good at it... Before we went, I didn't plan to go all the way with you, it's your first time, so I definitely wanted to make you feel comfortable..."
The voice faded as the speaker fell asleep, but didn't forget to finish the last sentence: "When you come back, just wait and see..."
The hotel bedside lamp cast a warm yellow light. Lu Mingxiao's face was half-buried in the pillow. Since starting university, he no longer had to scrutinize his hairstyle with magnifying glasses, so he had grown his hair a little longer. He had taken a shower before meeting with Jiang Huaiyu, and now his half-dry hair hung between his eyebrows and eyes, softening the sharpness of his features.
He suddenly realized he was still a boy.
Jiang Huaiyu admired it silently for a while before whispering:
"Wait for me to get back, Brother Xiao."
...
Peking University's School of Economics and Management encourages students to start their own businesses, as does Jiang Huaiyu's business school. However, objectively speaking, most students do not have the same unique advantages they do.
In the second semester of their junior year, the platform they were running started to generate revenue, and the number of users began to surge. Considering the need for legitimate operations and attracting investment, Lu Mingxiao and Jiang Huaiyu registered their first company.
"Shenan Zhiyu Technology Co., Ltd., huh? Old classmate, I must say, both of your sons are quite remarkable!" The professor from Peking University already knew about the relationship between Song Jingliang and Lu Mingxiao. He had a scholarly air about him, and it wasn't that he was trying to flatter Song Jingliang; he genuinely thought Lu Mingxiao was a capable young man. After having a few extra drinks at the dinner table, he became quite talkative: "It's just that this kid... why is his surname Lu? Tell me, it's confusing me."
“Whatever his surname is, he’s still my son, isn’t he?” Song Jingliang smiled. He was proud of his two children, but he didn’t show it on his face. He humbly said, “It’s just children’s little squabbles. Many of their ideas are still immature and they need to be tested a few more times.”
“Hey, look at what you’re saying. Young people need to be energetic. What we fathers and teachers do is lend a hand when they run too fast, right? Your excessive modesty is just arrogance. I’ll contact Mingxiao’s senior brothers and sisters later…”
...
The banquet, which had been a pleasant affair for both host and guests, came to an end. Song Jingliang got into his car and instructed the driver to drive. He had come to Beijing on a business trip and, having paved the way for CEO Lu, he figured he had to go and see how CEO Lu's company was doing.
He knew the address of the studio Lu Mingxiao rented, and he planned to go there secretly to give the little wild boar a surprise.
It was already 8 p.m., but many young people were still working overtime in the office building. Lu Mingxiao didn't keep his subordinates working overtime; he himself was video chatting with Jiang Huaiyu while working overtime.
It was noon, and Jiang Huaiyu was eating lunch. The two of them were discussing adding an online meeting function to the platform. However, Jiang Huaiyu was talking too fast and almost choked on his soup. His eyes turned red from coughing, and Lu Mingxiao quickly told him to focus on eating.
After Jiang Huaiyu finished eating, he deliberately teased her, "Look at you, tears are streaming down your face. Hurry up and wipe those little golden beans off your face, or people will think you're crying because you miss me..."
Jiang Huaiyu: "Have you no shame, Mr. Lu? What happened to keeping business and personal matters separate?"
"It's after get off work hours. I don't even get overtime pay for working overtime." Lu Mingxiao put down the mouse, stretched, and casually unbuttoned one of his shirt buttons. "Ever since I heard I could issue internship certificates, my WeChat has been flooded with friend requests. I need to register a secondary account for our office use. I won't add Comrade Song Jingliang on the secondary account, so my WeChat Moments background can officially announce that I have a girlfriend, hahaha...ga!"
Jiang Huaiyu laughed: "President Lu, why are you braying like a donkey?"
The next second, he couldn't laugh anymore.
"Oh, Mr. Lu, I've heard you. What should we do?"
Lu Mingxiao: ...
Jiang Huaiyu: ...
The next second, the phone screen shook, and Jiang Huaiyu had the illusion that his father was picking him up.
Lu Mingxiao hurriedly stood up: "Um, Lao Song, please don't scold Jiang Xiaoyu..."
Song Jingliang glanced at him coldly and said, "Shut up."
Lu Mingxiao awkwardly shut his mouth.
Jiang Huaiyu's guilty conscience could be felt even through the screen. He habitually, like when he made a mistake as a child, whispered:
"dad."
What else can I do? My heart softened when someone called me that.
"What's the difference between you two being like this and not being separated at all?" The old father sighed deeply. "Come back for the New Year this year."
Lu Mingxiao: "...Dad, I love you."
Song Jingliang: "Pah!"
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