Chapter 22 Inappropriate Hug

Chapter 22: An Inappropriate Hug

After burning with fever all night, the high fever finally subsided by early morning.

It was Sunday, and Lin Haoda turned off his alarm. When he got off the sofa, it was nearly nine-thirty. He sat there slowly regaining his senses, like a system rebooting, before slowly remembering to check the hand that had the IV last night.

The IV needle had been removed at some point; Lin Haoda had slept so deeply he hadn’t felt a thing.

He pushed aside the thin blanket, stepped barefoot onto the carpet, and boldly walked toward the bedroom. The door was ajar, and the room inside was empty.

Guan Junshan had already left. The electronic clock on the bedside table ticked steadily.

The room was silent. The floor-to-ceiling window was open a crack, and the white gauze curtains rustled softly in the breeze.

Lin Haoda stood outside the door, silently staring at the bed for a moment, then let out a sigh.

It might have been the relief of not having to face Guan Junshan, mixed with a hint of disappointment at not being able to wish him good morning. In any case, all the words Lin Haoda had prepared earlier were suddenly rendered useless.

There were extra toiletries in the bathroom. He had just finished tidying up when the doorbell rang. Guan Junshan’s assistant, Yang Yue, stood in the hallway. Seeing Lin Haoda open the door, he showed no surprise and greeted him.

“Morning.” Lin Haoda stepped aside to let him in, noticed the cleaner behind him, and asked, “Are they checking out?”

“Of course not,” Yang Yue explained casually. “It’s just Mr. Guan’s personal habit.”

He walked inside and then asked for Lin Haoda’s permission: “Is now a good time?”

Lin Haoda nodded and stepped back to let the cleaner in. “It was a bit late last night, and I fell asleep halfway through the IV.”

He turned and walked to the sofa, folded the blanket, and put it back in its place, then added, “That’s why Mr. Guan didn’t wake me up.”

Yang Yue understood and replied, “Mr. Guan rarely shares a room with anyone. Next time, I’ll have housekeeping prepare an extra set of bedding.”

Lin Haoda had slept too long and wasn’t fully alert yet. He looked up at Yang Yue dazedly, not catching the issue, and missed the chance to question it.

He was silent for a couple of seconds, then nodded absently again.

After packing up, he was about to leave when Yang Yue called him back, asked about his flight time, and offered to have the driver take him to the airport.

Lin Haoda politely declined, saying he would take the company’s tour bus.

“There was a car accident on the ring road this morning, so the road is closed,” Yang Yue said gently, not insisting further. “If you need anything, Mr. Lin, just give me a call.”

He handed over a business card—simple design, light background, with only his name, title, and phone number.

Lin Haoda took it and thanked him.

As an assistant, Yang Yue was quite meticulous. He also reminded Lin Haoda that he could go downstairs for breakfast and put it on his own name or the suite number.

Lin Haoda didn’t say whether he would go. The company had given him a breakfast voucher, but it was quite ordinary, offering only basic items like steamed buns and porridge.

The restaurant Yang Yue mentioned, Lin Haoda knew well, was the only buffet on the top floor, open only to guests in business and executive suites.

Lin Haoda was self-aware enough to realize he had already received more than enough favor from Guan Junshan and didn’t entertain any thoughts of taking further advantage.

The return flight was scheduled for the afternoon. Lin Haoda went back to his room, packed his bags, and went downstairs to wait for the bus as instructed.

Colleagues gathered in the lobby, chatting in small groups. When they saw Lin Haoda appear, there was a brief silence, then it returned to normal.

Lin Haoda pretended not to notice and sat down alone in a corner. He replied to a few messages on his phone, then opened a video app out of habit and put on his earphones.

After scrolling through two or three videos, someone came over to chat—two female colleagues who had been nice to him over the past few days.

They talked for a while about the weather in the capital, the food, and their vacation plans after returning. Perhaps noticing that Lin Haoda’s lips were still a bit pale, they didn't chat for long.

At the scheduled departure time, the bus that was meant to pick them up still hadn’t arrived. Someone in the work group couldn't help contacting the driver. The driver sent a voice message, explaining he was still stuck at the exit of the ring road; the accident was unexpected, and they had to wait for traffic to clear.

Fortunately, there was still enough time and some leeway. The anxiety and worry soon subsided.

After about another hour, Lin Haoda and the others were told to wait at the main entrance of the hotel. The bus had entered the city and would arrive soon.

Lin Haoda was at the end of the line, preoccupied—on the one hand worried about missing his flight, and on the other hand anxious about having to sprint to the boarding gate after getting off the bus, especially since he was still weak and might hold everyone else up.

It had cooled down after the rain. It was windy under the awning, and Lin Haoda shrank his neck. Cars passed by one after another, the sound of tires on the ground creating a harsh, noisy sound.

Then a black sedan pulled up right next to him. The door opened, and Guan Junshan stepped out.

He was wearing light casual clothes. He took a black golf bag from the driver, put on dark gray sunglasses, his hair without product, bangs loose and blowing in the breeze, falling across his forehead.

The driver ran to his side. Guan Junshan turned and said something to him, then slipped the golf bag over his shoulder and walked toward the revolving door.

The sunlight was weak, barely breaking through the thick clouds, making the surroundings bright but not harsh. Because of his height and his aura of aloofness, Guan Junshan stood out even among a crowd, effortlessly handsome.

He took long strides, climbing the steps in a few strides. Lin Haoda, pressed at the back of the crowd, kept looking his way.

A cold wind hit his face. Lin Haoda couldn’t help but sneeze. Three meters away, Guan Junshan suddenly looked up and saw him.

Lin Haoda rubbed his reddened nose. Seeing Guan Junshan take off his sunglasses, he gave an awkward smile.

Guan Junshan stopped, frowned, and was about to walk toward him when a graceful figure emerged from the car and practically flew toward him.

“Junshan.” A petite, pretty girl hung on Guan Junshan’s arm, asking coquettishly, “Why didn’t you wait for me?”

Lin Haoda was about to step forward, but paused. He tactfully stepped back half a step.

“Is there something else?” Guan Junshan smoothly withdrew his arm, keeping distance. “I’m going back to my room.”

“Did you have fun this morning?” The girl pulled her hand back awkwardly and followed him up the steps. “Do you have time at noon? I know a new French restaurant. I think you’ll like it...”

“No need.” Guan Junshan stopped and turned to face her. “I have other things to do. Get in the car first. The driver will take you back.”

The girl wanted to say more, but seeing his expression, she stopped talking and reluctantly got into the car.

Lin Haoda had witnessed the whole thing. He smiled, his pale cheeks seeming to flush a little. “Mr. Guan,” he teased in a low voice as Guan Junshan approached, “She’s gorgeous.”

Guan Junshan’s usually impassive face finally cracked, revealing a hint of real emotion.

“Lin Haoda,” he folded one temple of his sunglasses and hung them on his collar, his tone slightly impatient, “I didn’t know you enjoyed watching the show so much.”

Lin Haoda pretended to stop smiling, pursed his lips, and quickly apologized, “Sorry.”

“Why haven’t you set off yet?” Guan Junshan had probably learned about his flight time from Yang Yue. He glanced at his watch: “Delayed?”

Lin Haoda honestly told him the situation. Guan Junshan stared at him for a long moment, then said flatly, “This morning, Yang Yue offered the driver to take you—”

He stopped there, as if something occurred to him, and didn’t continue.

Lin Haoda remained silent. He couldn’t deny his regret, so he just stood there with his head bowed. Fortunately, Guan Junshan didn’t force him to admit fault. He took out his phone and made a call. About five minutes later, an MVP slowly pulled up in front of the hotel.

The driver had just been sent away, and the person getting out of the driver’s seat was Yang Yue.

Lin Haoda was still a bit dazed when Guan Junshan, standing behind him, gently pushed his shoulder as if urging him: "Get in."

Lin Haoda stood still. Seeing him spacing out, Guan Junshan lowered his voice again: "Lin Haoda."

Lin Haoda turned his head to look at him. His nose was red, and there was a faint redness in his eyes.

His lips, moistened by the wind, opened and closed in Guan Junshan's view: "Mr. Guan, I..."

Guan Junshan thought he was about to say another astounding expression of gratitude. Lin Haoda's mind really works differently from most people. He thought for a long time, his expression slightly troubled: "Not only did I not repay this time, but I've also owed you so much more."

Guan Junshan asked, "What?"

Lin Haoda looked sincere: "A favor."

"No need." Guan Junshan looked away and told him: "It’s just parked in the garage."

Lin Haoda was silent for a moment, then asked again: "Can I bring a few colleagues along?"

"Up to you."

Lin Haoda didn't delay long. He let the two female colleagues he got along with get into the car.

Yang Yue put their suitcases into the trunk and closed the door. Lin Haoda walked over to Guan Junshan, this time standing very close, so close that when Guan Junshan looked down at him, he could smell the scent on him.

It was a faint, sweet fragrance that didn't belong to any big-name perfume on the market. Mixed with the faint fruity scent of perhaps body wash or facial cleanser. Unlike the vague impression of the mousse ice cream at first, this time Guan Junshan sensed a more subtle scent, one he seemed to have only ever smelled on Lin Haoda.

Lin Haoda slightly raised his face, his lips constantly moving, saying something trivial. The wind was cold, but the fingers he reached out were warm, the scent intimate and pleasant, making it hard for Guan Junshan to concentrate, and he wasn't keen on making out the words Lin Haoda was saying.

"Mr. Guan, I'll be going then."

Perhaps because Guan Junshan hadn't answered all along, finally, Lin Haoda quickly and briefly opened his arms and gave him a quick hug.

Lin Haoda's hug was so natural that Guan Junshan forgot to push him away at first. Calling it a hug wasn't quite accurate, because Lin Haoda merely leaned slightly towards Guan Junshan and briefly touched his wrist.

Even someone as slow and oblivious as Lin Haoda could gauge the right boundaries for such a hug.

Before Guan Junshan could judge whether he had crossed the line, the hug ended, and Lin Haoda straightened up.

A fleeting touch—he had retreated before Guan Junshan could react. Just right—the body that leaned in was warm and soft. A brief touch—merely a goodbye, without any lingering or reluctance.

Guan Junshan looked at him for a few seconds, calmly said, "Okay." Lin Haoda opened the car door and sat in the passenger seat.

The car drove off, into the sunlight. Guan Junshan's gaze followed it for a few seconds, then he turned and walked into the hotel lobby.

He took the elevator alone back to his room. It had been cleaned, spotlessly tidy, like an unoccupied room.

Lin Haoda had stayed overnight here, but now the traces had faded and completely disappeared. Guan Junshan remembered seeing him sleeping in a contorted position on the sofa when he left in the morning, his neck almost hanging in midair, one arm and one leg hanging down to the floor.

A crumpled thin blanket covered his stomach, and the hem of his shirt had ridden up due to his restless movements, revealing a sliver of his waist.

In the dim morning light, that small patch of skin was startlingly pale in the dim light. Guan Junshan glanced at it, then looked away the next moment.

Guan Junshan stood in the living room for a moment, put down his golf bag, changed clothes, and got ready to shower.

The bathroom sink had been cleaned. Under the warm light, the lapis lazuli countertop was covered with a layer of steam. Something glittered in the corner.

Guan Junshan walked over. A hair clip lay quietly there. It was pink, adorned with tiny sequins that sparkled like stars.

It had been carelessly left behind.

The owner was Lin Haoda.

Guan Junshan gazed at it for a moment, then did something very unlike him.

He casually tucked the hair clip into the pocket of his bathrobe.

Even though the trash can was right there, he didn't throw it away immediately.

It's hard to say why. He just didn't.