Deep in the Night - Chapter 25

After the financial conference concluded, Gu Yuan left Hong Kong with several major contracts signed during the event, and Fang Jin returned to the familiar environment of the office with him.

What was different this time was that Gu Yuan truly began pursuing him.

Gu Yuan’s method of action was rather primitive—he had never pursued anyone before. His past relationships were all transactional, money for service. When emotional adjustment was occasionally needed, the other party was eager to cooperate fully, and he merely enjoyed the experience.

This was his first time actively pursuing someone. He employed no tactics of delay, pacing, or strategic holding back. He was simply trying his best to please Fang Jin and win him over.

That morning, when Fang Jin went downstairs to drive to work as usual, he saw a black Maybach prominently parked there. Gu Yuan was wearing a crisp black suit with a matching ruby cufflink and tie-clip set. He held a coffee cup in one hand and checked emails on his phone with the other. He was focused yet extremely dashing. Anyone who passed by inevitably looked at him, some turning their heads back even after walking a good distance.

Fang Jin paused. Gu Yuan looked up and waved at him: “Morning! Hurry up, I’ve been waiting for you for a long time!”

“…CEO Gu, why are you…”

Gu Yuan smiled at him without answering, opening the passenger door himself:

“Get in.”

As a result, Gu Yuan drove to work that day, with Fang Jin sitting in the passenger seat. Fang Jin didn’t know what to say throughout the drive, maintaining silence and staring intently at the road. Gu Yuan, perhaps finding the awkwardness in the car to be charming and romantic, thoroughly enjoyed the moment of togetherness. Only when they drove into the company garage did he pull the handbrake and turn to Fang Jin:

“From now on, I’ll pick you up for work every morning. Be sure to be downstairs on time.”

“…”

“I waited too long for you today.”

Gu Yuan pushed open the car door and stepped out elegantly, while Fang Jin sat stunned in the passenger seat for a long time.

Only when he entered the office did Fang Jin realize why Gu Yuan had only bought coffee for himself and not brought one for him.

—A steaming platter of Western breakfast sat on his desk. The bread was perfectly toasted to a golden-yellow crisp, and the eggs, mushrooms, and bacon emitted an irresistible aroma. A freshly brewed coffee in an exquisite bone china cup released white steam.

“…CEO Gu said to time it so the breakfast is placed on your desk just before you enter the office. Too late, and you might not eat it; too early, and it might get cold…” The new female assistant stood behind the desk, her mouth twitching slightly. “That bone china cup was sent to the office by CEO Gu’s driver last night. It’s an English Royal collection-grade porcelain with a certificate. Please, be careful not to break it…”

Fang Jin was speechless. The assistant cautiously observed his expression and finally couldn’t resist asking:

“Is CEO Gu planning to dismiss you by giving you this gift, or fatten you up for the slaughter?”

“…” Fang Jin was silent for a moment, then waved his hand, palm inwards and back facing forward:

“Leave. Don’t mention a word of this to anyone.”

However, even if Fang Jin wanted to keep it secret, it was difficult, because this was not the end.

Fang Jin had eaten a substantial plate of bread, eggs, and bacon that morning. He was completely unhungry by noon. After a meeting, he planned to go downstairs for some light soup at the staff cafeteria, but another set of high-end takeout was delivered to his office. This time it was A5 Wagyu steak from the city’s top steakhouse, served with garlic cream sauce, fresh lemon, and a vegetable salad. It was packed in a specialized insulated, moisture-controlled container, and the temperature hadn’t dropped at all when placed on Fang Jin’s desk.

The restaurant staff member even carried a small wine rack, taking out a bottle of red wine and a tall crystal glass, politely pouring half a glass:

“This is a selected 1989 vintage of Château Pétrus, which pairs exquisitely with our A5 Wagyu. Please enjoy.”

Fang Jin stared at the lunch on his desk, which could cost a regular employee half a month’s salary, speechless for a long time.

He looked towards the inner window, wanting to see Gu Yuan’s expression, but the office opposite was empty. The female assistant cautiously reminded him: “CEO… CEO Gu went out for a meeting at noon. He said he didn’t need you to follow and told you to eat properly in the office…”

However, Fang Jin’s unfinished breakfast was still weighing down his stomach. He could only cut half the steak and give it to the assistant. Even so, he had to force the food down. After eating, he felt incredibly full all afternoon, his burps even smelling of an expensive $9,000 bottle of red wine.

—

As the workday was drawing to a close, Gu Yuan returned from his meeting outside. He walked straight into Fang Jin’s office, leaned against the doorframe, and watched him with a smile.

One hand was tucked into his suit trousers pocket, his posture handsome and unrestrained. His thick, sharp eyebrows were slightly raised, his eyes playful yet affectionate, and his smile made him look like a heart-stirring male lead from a youth idol drama.

Fang Jin had never watched any TV dramas, but for a moment, his heart actually skipped a beat.

“How was lunch?”

“…Thank you.” Fang Jin paused, forcing his eyes back to the computer screen: “But please don’t do this again next time.”

Gu Yuan acted as if he hadn’t heard, strode over, and snapped Fang Jin’s laptop shut: “Stop working—I have a dinner engagement tonight that I need you to accompany me to. Hurry up and come with me.”

Fang Jin had planned to stay in the office all day, so his attire was casual. He didn’t even have time to change his jacket before Gu Yuan pulled him out of the company and immediately put him into the eye-catching Maybach. Gu Yuan drove again. After more than half an hour, they stopped in front of a quiet, luxuriously decorated French restaurant. When Fang Jin got out, he saw the restaurant was brightly lit and magnificent, and even the doormen were exclusively white men in tuxedos.

“This restaurant is membership-only and only accepts eight tables of guests per day. Today’s reservations were full, but I used some connections to open up a spot.” Gu Yuan said, walking up the steps. He looked back and saw a look on Fang Jin’s face that suggested he wanted to say something, so he asked, “What is it?”

“…They probably require formal attire.”

A dinner engagement at a restaurant of this caliber would certainly require formal wear. Gu Yuan chuckled at him, saying, “You don’t need to.”

Fang Jin was slightly puzzled. Then he heard Gu Yuan add, “You’re good-looking, so the rules are relaxed for you.”

“…”

Gu Yuan laughed and took Fang Jin’s hand, entering the door and forcibly leaning close to his slightly red ear, whispering, “Look, the doorman was just looking at you, and the waiter carrying the wine is also looking at you. Oh, over there, the pianist turned his head… Do you know what they are thinking now? They’re thinking, where did such a handsome person come from? If he’s coming to eat, we’d welcome him even if he wore a sack…”

Fang Jin vigorously pulled his hand free and turned his head away, expressionless.

However, the flush on his cheeks was very obvious, completely unable to be concealed even under the warm, orange candlelight of the dining table.

Gu Yuan didn’t seem to mind, skillfully ordering their meal and asking the waiter to bring the white wine he had pre-deposited there.

The “dinner engagement” was clearly just an excuse. The table by the floor-to-ceiling window seated only the two of them, and a live indoor band was playing a gentle serenade nearby. Gu Yuan sat in the high-backed armchair, his two long legs gently hooking Fang Jin’s shins under the table, feeling the other man immediately stiffen:

“—CEO Gu.”

Gu Yuan slowly unfolded his napkin and said, “I have one month to pursue you. Did you forget?”

He raised an eyebrow and met Fang Jin’s gaze. Fang Jin stared at him for a long time, his eyes seemingly holding an indescribable emotion, before he finally lowered his gaze and said faintly:

“…I know.”

In truth, Fang Jin was genuinely full. He had spent the entire day in the office with hardly any activity to digest the food. However, the dishes in this restaurant were served course by course. Gu Yuan had also ordered a very rare sea fish. To maintain its succulent and tender texture, it was prepared only as sashimi, served with wasabi and a large platter of shaved ice placed in front of Fang Jin.

Fang Jin gently poked the plate with the tip of his knife, whispering, “I thought places like this served very small portions…”

“Oh, I got used to fish and chips in England. I’m not used to French cuisine where a finger-sized piece on a plate counts as a dish. So, I asked them to fill the plate for every course. You can leave whatever you don’t finish.”

Fang Jin: “…”

However, the flavor was genuinely good. Gu Yuan was very proud of the sea fish he had personally selected and kept forking pieces onto Fang Jin’s plate. Fang Jin had already eaten a variety of rich, oily foods that day. When stimulated by the icy wasabi, he began to feel subtly unwell in his stomach. A moment later, when the French butter escargot soup arrived, Fang Jin looked at the bits of escargot floating in the butter and suddenly covered his mouth and stood up.

“Excuse me, I need to use the restroom…”

Without waiting for Gu Yuan’s reply, Fang Jin quickly rushed out, going straight into the restroom, staring calmly at the sink.

A few seconds later, he finally vomited, bringing up all the wasabi and raw fish.

Gu Yuan pushed the door open, aghast: “What are you—”

“Don’t come near!”

Fang Jin didn’t want Gu Yuan to see him vomiting. He immediately turned on the water to flush the contents away and cupped water to wash his face.

However, when he looked up, he saw Gu Yuan standing beside him in the mirror, frowning as he closely examined the remaining traces of vomit that hadn’t been completely washed away: “Are you allergic to raw fish?!”

Fang Jin, slightly embarrassed, reached out to block the sink: “No, don’t come over. It’s disgusting…”

“—Oh, good, as long as it’s not an allergy.” Gu Yuan looked him up and down. Seeing that Fang Jin seemed better after vomiting, he dropped the subject.

However, a mischievous thought crossed his mind. He deliberately glanced sideways at Fang Jin and said slowly with a smile, “—Actually, if you were a girl, you might be pregnant with my child right now. Not only couldn’t I be disgusted with you, but I’d have to wait on you. Why are you so embarrassed?…”

Fang Jin’s expression suddenly froze, and then his eyes changed.

Gu Yuan was closely monitoring his reaction, expecting him to turn red, get angry, and perhaps even cry. Instead, he saw a strange calmness in his eyes and immediately realized he had said the wrong thing:

“Wait, that’s not what I meant. I mean, don’t be so thin-skinned. What’s wrong with letting me see? We’ve already slept together…”

Fang Jin interrupted him: “I know.”

His “I know” sounded similar to his previous replies to Gu Yuan but had a subtle difference that Gu Yuan couldn’t quite pinpoint.

Gu Yuan looked at him. Fang Jin took a long breath, looked up, and gave him a slight smile:

“You’re just cracking a joke. I know.”

—

Gu Yuan pondered the incident for a long time after they returned, sensing that something was wrong. However, a wealthy scion who had never pursued anyone could only be described as inexperienced, even clumsy, in this regard. After much thought, his animalistic intuition still told him that Fang Jin liked him, so he ultimately relaxed and dismissed the thought.

Gu Yuan’s pursuit continued. He drove different luxury cars to pick up Fang Jin for work every day. Unlike the first day, Fang Jin was always ready and waiting downstairs when he arrived—workaholic CEO Gu’s time management was precise down to the minute, and even while pursuing someone, he didn’t want to be late for work, so he was particularly satisfied with Fang Jin’s punctuality.

He personally managed Fang Jin’s three meals a day, ordering different restaurant takeouts every day, literally causing the female assistant to gain weight. However, the force-feeding was effective. The somewhat sickly pallor Fang Jin had in Hong Kong slowly disappeared. One day, Gu Yuan inadvertently saw him giving instructions to someone. The way he slightly tilted his head and played with his pen made it clear that he had gained a little weight on his cheeks, looked much healthier, and even seemed younger.

Gu Yuan sat in the conference room, seemingly listening intently to his subordinate’s report, but his gaze went through the glass to the unaware Fang Jin in the hallway outside. He watched him for a long, long time.

The one-month deadline was quickly approaching, yet both of them seemed to have an unspoken agreement not to bring up the final answer.

Gu Yuan had no doubt about the outcome. He had secured several major projects at the financial summit and his entire focus was on the company’s rapid expansion and resource reorganization. For him, pursuing Fang Jin every day was simply a way to express his affection and would not affect his future, predetermined status as his partner.

However, Fang Jin knew that the moment he had been patiently waiting for, for many years, had been silently delivered to him by the hand of fate after the trip to Hong Kong.

Some things only happen once in a lifetime.

Gu Yuan’s promise and affection gave him the courage to place his bet. If he didn’t win this time, he would never have another chance to turn the tables in this life.

—

The KTV was unusually noisy that night. Walking through the corridor past the rows of private room doors, various popular music mixed together, penetrating the soundproof walls and shaking the eardrums with loud singing.

An ordinary-looking, stocky middle-aged man, dressed in a plain hoodie and jeans, stopped in front of a private room door in the corridor. He lifted his unremarkable face, which would be impossible to find in a crowd, and carefully checked the room number.

He pushed the door open and immediately closed it behind him.

Inside the private room, the audio system was playing Teresa Teng’s “When Will You Return,” a popular hit from decades ago, melodic and soothing in the dim light. A young man was leaning back deeply on the sofa with his eyes closed, seemingly appreciating the song intently. Only when the song ended did he open his eyes and gesture toward the opposite sofa:

“—Sit down, Manager Wang.”

Wang Yu remained standing, staring coldly at the young man’s calm profile: “Why did you call me here, Assistant Fang?”

Fang Jin waited patiently for him. The two men faced each other in the small KTV room, as if an invisible, enormous mouth was quickly draining the oxygen.

After a long while, Wang Yu finally stirred in the stiff, oppressive atmosphere, walked to the sofa opposite Fang Jin, and sat down without a word.

“What exactly do you want?”

Fang Jin was wearing a shirt and jeans, gold-rimmed glasses, and black deerskin gloves on his hands. His expression seemed faintly emotionless. However, Wang Yu knew that he possessed a formidable side. This young man, personally raised by Gu Mingzong, was not merely the weak, pretty pet kept for amusement that Wang Yu had once thought.

His identity was too complicated.

If possible, Wang Yu would have preferred not to cross paths with such a person.

“No need to worry, Manager Wang. I won’t take up much of your time.”

Fang Jin clearly saw through Wang Yu’s thoughts but seemed uninterested in addressing them. He simply picked up his phone from the coffee table, opened the gallery, selected a video, and tossed it onto the table in front of him.

The moment Wang Yu saw the frozen first frame of the video on the screen, his pupils suddenly contracted!

“—Watch this first,” Fang Jin said, leaning back deeply into the sofa, his voice perfectly natural and casual:

“After you finish watching, tell me how much it will cost to buy you out to betray Gu Mingzong.”