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When the two arrived at the restaurant, it was lunchtime and the restaurant was full of people. As soon as they entered, they were greeted by a wave of hot steam, which was very warm.
Song Zicheng's glasses fogged up, blurring his vision. He had just taken off his glasses to wipe them with a tissue when suddenly someone pulled his arm and dragged him around the corner.
“There’s an empty seat here,” Lu Zhize said as he pulled him inside.
"Senior, the sweet and sour pork here looks delicious, want some?"
"good."
"Senior, do you have any dietary restrictions?"
"No."
"Okay, I want candied sweet potatoes, braised chicken, sauerkraut stew with glass noodles, and handmade dumplings..."
Lu Zhize ordered all the restaurant's signature dishes, and after finishing, he held up his phone and looked at Song Zicheng, asking, "Senior, is there anything else you'd like to eat?"
"This is enough, we won't be able to finish it if we order any more."
"Okay, another drink, senior. What would you like to drink?"
"Dayao, please."
The restaurant was crowded, so the food was served a little slowly. After ordering, the two sat down and chatted face to face. Most of the time, Lu Zhize started the conversation, and Song Zicheng responded.
Song Zicheng wasn't very familiar with this new acquaintance and didn't say much. Perhaps Lu Zhize was just too outgoing and lively, which helped to liven up the atmosphere.
"Senior, this sweet and sour pork is so delicious!"
"Senior, this braised chicken in a clay pot is delicious too!"
"And this, the stewed glass noodles are delicious too. Wow, what a hidden gem of a shop, how come I didn't even know about it!"
Lu Zhize ate a dish and said a sentence, he was extremely excited. Song Zicheng was amused by his reaction: "It's not too late to know now."
Just as he was enjoying his meal, Song Zicheng's phone rang.
He opened his phone and saw a message from Lu Zhiyan asking what he was doing.
"Have a meal."
What did you eat?
"Northeastern Chinese cuisine".
"show me."
Song Zicheng impatiently opened his camera. Most of the food on the table had already been eaten. He casually took a picture and sent it over, not caring whether it looked good or not.
"Who did you eat with?"
"friend."
Which friend?
If Lu Zhize hadn't been sitting across from him, Song Zicheng's face would probably have already fallen. Lu Zhiyan was asking so many questions during a meal; what was there to say?
"You don't know them, they're classmates from school."
"What's wrong, senior? Is something urgent?" Lu Zhize asked, looking at Song Zicheng who was constantly replying to messages.
"No, it's nothing, let's eat." Song Zicheng immediately put his phone on silent and placed it face down on the table.
"By the way, why don't you call me by my name? I feel a little awkward hearing you keep calling me 'senior'."
"Really? That's great! I'll call you by your name from now on, Zicheng. I feel more comfortable calling you by your name too," Lu Zhize said with a smile, blinking his eyes.
kind?
Song Zicheng frowned when he heard those two words. He seemed to have misunderstood his meaning; he just found them awkward to hear.
"Were you texting your girlfriend just now?" Lu Zhize suddenly asked.
Song Zicheng paused, his hand holding the chopsticks still, and froze for a moment. Then he realized what was happening and chuckled softly, "No, just a friend." After saying that, he lowered his head and continued eating.
Lu Zhize gave an "oh," his eyes narrowed as he stared at Song Zicheng in front of him. His pupils moved slightly, and his right hand fingers dangled on the table, stroking it slowly and unconsciously. His expression was completely devoid of the innocence and purity he had shown before. Every frown, every smile, every move was full of calculation and cunning, making him look like a jackal or tiger that could kill its prey with just a glance.
Unfortunately, Song Zicheng did not witness this scene.
The moment Song Zicheng looked up after finishing his meal, he saw Lu Zhize smiling at him. The gaze was so direct that Song Zicheng felt a little uncomfortable. He frowned, his eyes darting around, and asked in confusion, "What's wrong? Did I not wipe my face clean?"
Lu Zhize shook his head: "No, I just think you are very good-looking and have a great presence."
Song Zicheng smiled and said, "Really?"
"Mmm," Lu Zhize nodded repeatedly in response.
After finishing his class in the afternoon, Song Zicheng went home and cooked dinner for Song Zian. Afterwards, he rode his bike to the bar.
Since he fell ill last time, he has been absent for a week, during which time he has learned several new songs.
Perhaps because he hadn't sung on stage for a few days, Song Zicheng was especially excited tonight, singing several songs in a row, switching between different styles. But no matter what, his voice and tone remained steady, without the slightest mistake.
The dynamic music and atmospheric stage lights made Song Zicheng, who was in the center of the stage, even more dazzling. The lights shone on his face, reflecting his strong and handsome features, which made people's hearts tremble and they could only see him.
"Mr. Zhao, what do you think? I told you so, didn't I? Isn't he outstanding and talented?" Wang Shu said cheerfully to Zhao Huaizhen sitting in his chair.
Zhao Huaizhen stared intently at Song Zicheng, never looking away. He took a sip of wine, savoring it slowly in his mouth. After a moment, he nodded and hummed in agreement.
Tonight was a great time for Song Zicheng. After two hours of singing, he didn't feel tired at all, only happy and relaxed. He felt like he had come back to life and was full of energy.
He was drinking water in front of the vanity mirror when suddenly there was a light knock on the door. Then, he saw Wang Shu and a strange man walk in together in the mirror.
"Little Song, are you tired?" Wang Shu asked as he walked up to Song Zicheng.
"fine."
“Xiao Song, this is Zhao Huaizhen, the deputy general manager of Xinghui Entertainment,” Wang Shu introduced Song Zicheng to the person next to him. “General Manager Zhao heard your singing and admires you. He would like to talk to you about whether you are interested in becoming an artist in their company.”
Without much thought, Song Zicheng immediately declined. He turned his head slightly to look at Zhao Huaizhen and smiled, "Mr. Zhao, thank you for your appreciation, but I have no intention of becoming an artist. I'm sorry."
Wang Shu didn't expect Song Zicheng to refuse so quickly. His smiling face fell instantly, filled with disbelief. Just as he was about to speak and persuade Song Zicheng, he saw Zhao Huaizhen hand over a business card and say, "It's alright, Mr. Song. This is my business card. If you change your mind or have any questions, you can contact me anytime."
Song Zicheng took the business card, said thank you, said goodbye to Wang Shu and Zhao Huaizhen, and then turned and left.
Zhao Huaizhen watched Song Zicheng's departing figure, her eyes flickered, and one corner of her mouth twitched upwards, as if deep in thought.
If it were Song Zicheng three years ago, he might have considered and accepted Zhao Huaizhen's suggestion. But the current Song Zicheng doesn't have the time or energy to do these things. In the past three years, he has been worn down by life. Having a part-time job as a singer is already a ray of light that life has given him.
Besides, he was already exhausted from dealing with Lu Zhiyan, which had taken up most of his time.
The day Lu Zhiyan returned from his business trip was a Saturday. He sent a message to Song Zicheng early in the morning, asking Song Zicheng to pick him up at the airport.
When Song Zicheng saw the message, he was returning from the aquarium with Song Zian and had just sat down on the sofa to rest for a minute or two when Lu Zhiyan's message came through.
When Song Zicheng saw the message, he sighed, his face full of annoyance and dissatisfaction. He was annoyed that time had passed so quickly, annoyed that Lu Zhiyan had returned so early, and annoyed that he had to pick him up!
Despite his reluctance, he had no choice. What could he do? Did he have a choice?
"knew."
The three words were devoid of emotion; he was simply mechanically completing what he was supposed to do.
Lu Zhiyan, sitting in first class, smiled slightly upon seeing the message. He switched his phone to airplane mode and placed it aside. He leaned back wearily in his seat, tilting his head to look out the window, seemingly in a good mood.
The business trip only lasted five days, which was very short compared to his previous business trips that would last for half a month or even one or two months. But for some reason, Lu Zhiyan felt that these five days were extremely long.
In the past, no matter how far or how long he traveled, he would never think of his apartment in Beijing. But this time, he actually did, which Lu Zhiyan found somewhat unbelievable.
The sun was shining brightly today, but it couldn't ward off the sub-zero temperatures. Song Zicheng bundled up early, preparing to take the subway to the airport. Just before leaving, he received a message from Cui Junyu: "Mr. Song, I'm downstairs at your place. I'll take you to the airport."
"Okay, I'll be right down."
As soon as he stepped out of the building, he spotted the familiar Rolls-Royce. Song Zicheng opened the car door and got in: "Secretary Cui, thank you for your help."
Cui Junyu glanced at the rearview mirror: "President Lu sent me to pick you up."
Song Zicheng didn't say anything, but silently rolled his eyes and cursed inwardly, "You already sent Secretary Cui to pick you up, and you still want me to go? Are you out of your mind, Lu Zhiyan? Do you think I'm bored?!"
Since meeting Lu Zhiyan, Song Zicheng, who rarely swore, has started to swear frequently without realizing it. Most of the swearing is done in his mind or in his heart, and of course, the target is always Lu Zhiyan.
Song Zicheng couldn't openly express his dissatisfaction and resentment towards Lu Zhiyan. Even though he was doing things against his conscience, he still had to appear indifferent and nonchalant. He could only vent his emotions by cursing Lu Zhiyan.
Cui Junyu, with his sharp eyes, immediately caught the barely noticeable eye roll. He paused for a moment, then looked at the road ahead with a normal expression and started the car.
The two waited at the airport for more than half an hour before they saw Lu Zhiyan walking towards them in a long black coat. His black and brown suit pants made his legs look incredibly long, and his superior figure attracted a lot of attention. Even Song Zicheng was stunned for a few seconds.
"President Lu," Cui Junyu's words brought Song Zicheng back to his senses.
He looked up and saw Lu Zhiyan standing in front of him. He nodded to Cui Junyu, then focused his gaze on Song Zicheng, scanning him from top to bottom before staring intently at him.
Song Zicheng felt uncomfortable under Lu Zhiyan's gaze and was about to turn around and walk back when suddenly, a pair of hands wrapped around his waist and with a gentle pull, he was pulled into Lu Zhiyan's arms.
The familiar taste, the familiar touch, the familiar embrace.
The scent emanating from Song Zicheng made Lu Zhiyan's heart itch. From the first moment he saw Song Zicheng after coming out, he inexplicably wanted to hug him. Now that the person he hadn't seen for several days was in his arms, Lu Zhiyan sighed with satisfaction.
The sudden hug startled Song Zicheng, and Cui Junyu, who was standing next to him, also showed a hint of surprise on his face. He quickly regained his composure and stood aside with his head down.
The people walking back and forth in the airport made Song Zicheng's scalp tingle. The thought of Cui Junyu being right next to him made him immediately raise his arm and push against Lu Zhiyan's chest, whispering in his ear, "Let go of me. There are so many people watching. Let go."
Lu Zhiyan ignored him, his face showing no concern. He only wanted to hold Song Zicheng tightly until he had had enough before letting go of him.
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