Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Tan Ping was a bit displeased, and he said with a hint of sarcasm, "It's fine if you don't want to do it. Manager Jin won't hold it against you. Did you just graduate this year?"

Jiang Yicen nodded. "Yes."

Taking the initiative to pour coffee for a superior could be seen as brown-nosing at work. Jiang Yicen indeed needed to learn from experienced people, but he wasn't at the point of needing to flatter them.

Tan Ping glanced at him, putting on a senior act. "That explains it. First, register on the company's internal software as requested by HR. We'll figure out the rest once you're done."

Jiang Yicen didn't know the full picture yet, so he just went along with it.

Nanyuan Group operated with an open-plan office. Jin Huanxin had a private office, while everyone else worked at open desks, so you could easily find someone to talk to if there were issues.

Right then, the folks from Marketing Planning Department Two were just starting their workday, some still eating breakfast while typing on their keyboards.

Jiang Yicen caught the scent of youtiao. He hadn't had authentic youtiao in a long time.

Feeling like he'd been shown up by Jiang Yicen, Tan Ping left him at his desk and went about his own business, leaving him to his own devices.

The desk was made up of four tables joined together in a circular shape. Jiang Yicen had never seen such a layout—it was quite stylish, making the area feel spacious while still giving employees some privacy.

To his left was Tan Ping, and to his right was a young woman with shoulder-length hair and frameless glasses. Across from him sat another woman of similar age.

He silently marveled at how common it was for women to work nowadays. Women made up more than half of the staff, while men were actually in the minority.

The two colleagues cast curious glances at him.

Jiang Yicen took the initiative to greet them. "Hello, I'm Jiang Yicen."

The colleague with frameless glasses said, "I'm Peng Yijia. You can call me Jiajia."

The colleague across from him held up her badge. "Shen Bing, or you can call me Dabing."

Jiang Yicen noticed their desks each had their own style—one had dolls on it, the other had little plants. Pretty cute.

Not just them; from the moment Jiang Yicen entered the Marketing Center, people in all the group chats started guessing which department this good-looking, elegant young guy would land in. After Tan Ping took him, everyone got curious about who he was and where he came from.

By the time Jiang Yicen spoke to Peng Yijia and Shen Bing, they had already exchanged hundreds of messages in internal groups.

Without exception, everyone agreed he was handsome and had good taste. His clothes weren't flashy, but the combination was comfortable and classic. The Marketing Center often interacted with celebrities, and the male stars who had come to Nanyuan for promotional events paled in comparison up close. This new guy was definitely top-notch.

After chatting with the two women, colleagues from the adjacent circular desk also gathered around.

"Where are you from? I can't detect an accent."

"Oh my god, you're so handsome. Have you ever thought about going into the entertainment industry?"

"Are you a recent graduate?"

"Which school did you go to?"

Jiang Yicen answered their questions one by one calmly and sincerely. He even subtly asked a colleague to help him download the office software, all while watching how they used the computer.

"I've never considered the entertainment industry. I can't act or sing."

"I just graduated this year."

"I studied in the U.S. before, majoring in..."

"Jiajia, can you show me where to download the company's communication software?"

Jiajia: "Sure, you need several. Let me download them all for you."

Jiang Yicen: "Thank you so much."

Jiajia: "Oh, no big deal."

He had learned how to use phones and computers, and could boot up Jiang Yicen's laptop, but he wasn't very proficient at typing on a keyboard. Learning wasn't too difficult, though—he picked things up quickly, and the more modern knowledge he encountered, the better his acceptance became. Simple operations came quite naturally.

To avoid stumbling over questions about his studies abroad, he reviewed English for a few days, combining it with modern grammar rules. Since he had originally learned from an English teacher, at least he wouldn't make mistakes in language.

In America, Jiang Yicen had studied at a business school, majoring in Marketing Science—a field that didn't require hardcore technical skills like computer science. For now, he could muddle through, but later, if data analysis or other tasks were needed, he might have to learn more. Fortunately, phones were convenient. If professional knowledge came up, he could record conversations and review them later, noting unfamiliar terms to look up and understand.

Although he grew up with his maternal grandfather, he had never missed modern courses. His father had even hired a foreign teacher for him, and he basically picked up English in three months. The English teacher said he had a knack for languages. Later, he tried learning other languages and found it wasn't too hard. Thanks to those language skills, when he later took over Yongjiang Restaurant, he wasn't totally clueless.

Jiang Yicen wasn't one to sweet-talk, but he communicated with genuine sincerity, always having a polite smile and carrying himself with class. Though he hadn't really clicked yet with his colleagues, everyone had a very good impression of him.

That morning, Jiang Yicen received market product materials from colleagues that Tan Ping was supposed to give him.

Monday mornings were packed with meetings of all sizes. Everyone was busy, so no one was watching him. His back was to the window, and no one walked by there, giving him time to practice his typing. He had learned Zhuyin as a child, and now Zhuyin could directly type simplified characters, so it wasn't a big deal.

By the end of the morning, his typing had gotten much smoother.

At noon, coworkers asked him to go to the company cafeteria for lunch, though some ordered takeout instead.

Jiang Yicen learned that food delivery was incredibly convenient in this era—you could order hot food on your phone and it arrived fast. Not just food, but also fruit, bubble tea, and even delivery services.

From his coworkers, he found out that phones could be used for everything from buying things to shipping packages. Online shopping was deeply integrated into daily life, with distinctions like free shipping zones and non-free shipping zones.

The conversation turned to shipping, and someone brought up Jiang Yicen's time in the U.S., prompting comparisons.

"I heard receiving packages abroad is super slow. When I was a kid, I kind of wanted to go there, but now that I know it takes half a month to a month for delivery, I don't want to go at all. I'd totally be unable to adjust."

"Everything's slow there."

Back in those days, horses and carriages were slow, but having something was better than nothing.

Jiang Yicen found their conversation interesting. He only chimed in when someone mentioned him, mostly just listening. When he didn't understand something, he quickly searched on his phone, allowing him to keep up with conversations while building his general knowledge.

After this interaction, he realized that engaging with people was the fastest way to fit into this era.

He really liked the liveliness of young people in this age. Even when they complained or joked about themselves, it was part of the times.

A time without war, where people could eat their fill and even afford to travel the world—back in his day, they wouldn't have dared to dream of it.

This world was wonderful. He loved it.

As they ate, the conversation was casual. Dabing suddenly asked, "Did you guys see what was trending on Saturday?"

Jiang Yicen didn't know what "trending" meant, so he stayed quiet.

Jiajia said, "Yeah, I saw! So Nan Shao's spouse is a man—I was shocked."

Jiang Tian said, "Too bad there's a photo showing Nan Shao's face, but the photographer didn't catch the other person. I'm dying of curiosity. Anyone have connections? Didn't anyone at the wedding film it? Nothing leaked?"

Jiajia: "Who isn't curious? Is his partner too ashamed to be seen in public?"

Dabing: "They're keeping him under wraps."

Jiang Yicen: "..."

Are they talking about his and Nan Shuyi's wedding?

Does "hot search" mean something like the headline on a newspaper?

Yicen wanted to hide his identity, but he was curious about what others thought of Nan Shuyi, as if everyone knew him.

"What kind of person is Young Master Nan?"

People are always curious about the lives of the wealthy second generation, especially the Young Master of Nanyuan Group. Before today, he was rich, handsome, and single, but now he's rich, handsome, and married, though that doesn't mean there aren't ways in. Still, most people are just curious about how the rich live.

When it came to Young Master Nan, there were endless gossip stories.

Jiang Tian: "What kind of person is Young Master Nan? Handsome, rich, knows how to party, but he's aloof. He's got a social media account but barely posts. Everyone is super curious about him."

Dabing: "I know he's into cars—sports cars, motorcycles, off-road vehicles—anything exciting. I remember one time, a celebrity was on vacation and bumped into Young Master Nan, took a photo, and posted it on social media. That celebrity wasn't very popular before, but after that photo came out, he went from a supporting role to a lead. People say Young Master Nan had his back."

Yicen: "He backs actors?"

Back in the Republican era, he knew a lot of famous actors had backers, and so-called confidantes were actually an open secret.

He felt a bit down. Nan Shuyi didn't seem like that kind of person. He came home every night and said he had never shared a bed with anyone else.

But these were things before we got married. He shouldn't overthink it.

Dabing: "We don't really know how the rich live. It's all gossip. Not necessarily true. Nowadays, online media can make up dozens of scandals from a single photo. Young Master Nan is somewhat famous, and many people try to jump on his coattails. If they take a photo with him, they'll say they dated him. There are too many fake stories."

Jiajia: "Although Young Master Nan has some run-ins with celebs, I think he's a pretty decent guy. Once, an old man on a tricycle accidentally scratched his sports car, but he didn't ask for compensation and let him go without a hassle. Someone filmed the whole thing, and when the video came out, it got millions of likes. The next day, Nanyuan's stock went up."

Yicen: "So he has a big influence on Nanyuan."

Jiang Tian: "Exactly. Young Master Nan doesn't work at Nanyuan, but his stories are everywhere."

Yicen just listened. If he cared, he'd just ask him directly. Husbands should be honest with each other.

After lunch, Yicen added colleagues on WeChat. He learned to check their Moments feed, and everyone seemed to have such full lives.

In the afternoon, Yicen stayed in the background in the department. Various meetings were held, but no one called him. Jin Huanxin seemed to have completely forgotten about him, and he was happy to slowly learn how to use the computer and look through product info Nanyuan had already launched.

Right before quitting time, Nan Shuyi sent him a message.

"Nan Shuyi: I'll pick you up from the company after work."

In the morning, he didn't know any transportation to get to the company and didn't want to be late on his first day, so he asked Nan Shuyi to drive him. But today he noticed that each colleague had a different way of commuting—some took the bus, some the subway, some rode bikes, and some drove.

He wanted to try taking the subway home himself and experience the billion-dollar ride (the subway).

But before he could reply to Nan Shuyi, Jin Huanxin, who had ignored him all morning, suddenly appeared. He had a sour look on his face, clearly pissed off.

Jin Huanxin said: "Team Two, come to a meeting. Jiang Yicen, you too."

He looked at Yicen without expression.

Actually, he hadn't planned on letting Yicen, a new hire, attend this meeting, but Assistant An had specifically mentioned Yicen. That was a telltale sign this guy, who hadn't even had an interview, was probably another trust-fund kid from a partner company.

The marketing center basically had to approve all hires. Of course, the interview process for regular employees might not require his involvement, but the final decision on whether to hire someone was his call.

Yicen was an exception. HR hadn't asked for his opinion or whether he wanted the person; they just stuck him in. His department was hiring, but that didn't mean they could just slot someone in. He disliked these trust-fund kids who used connections. Who knew whether he actually earned his diploma or his family bought it?

Didn't companies usually place trust-fund kids in logistics positions? As long as they were in, it was fine; they didn't have to hit performance targets anyway.

He had planned to keep Yicen out of things, but since Assistant An specifically mentioned him, he might as well give him work. Let him see if he can cut it, and maybe he'd quit on his own. His department had no room for spoiled rich kids who didn't know anything.

Yicen didn't know what Manager Jin was thinking. He went to the conference room with Team Two.

At the meeting, Manager Jin first criticized one of the previous product plans, saying the execution was a mess. If they couldn't come up with a good plan, they'd all be fired.

Yicen thought Manager Jin was quite strict, but he didn't know the specifics of the plan or the results, so he kept his mouth shut.

Then Manager Jin jumped to the meeting's main point.

"These are our three candies. The New Year is the best marketing opportunity, but after our marketing plan came out, our sales were totally crushed by Company A's sales. Where's the problem? Did you actually look at the data? Why can't our products attract customers?"

"Tan Ping, Jiang Yicen, you two each need to come up with a marketing plan for the three candies. Send it to me by end of day Friday. Jiajia, you and Dabing work on the marketing plan for the new product launch. Send it to me by Saturday."

Although Manager Jin had a problem with Yicen, he was professional in work and made his assignments clear. He just wanted to use this method to reasonably kick Yicen out of the marketing center.

Peng Yijia and the others looked tense. After the meeting, everyone's face was full of worry. At quitting time, everyone was still sitting at their computers. Some ordered coffee delivery and asked Yicen if he wanted to join in a group order—two cups for the price of one.

Yicen didn't quite understand this group ordering method, but he respected it. After thinking for a moment, he decided to stay and work on the plan.

On his first day, he experienced the overtime culture of the modern workplace.

·

"Xiao Liuzi: Working late tonight. Might be a bit later getting home. I can take the subway back by myself."

Nan Shuyi expressionlessly leaned back in his chair, put down his phone, and didn't want to reply. But then he picked it up again, hesitated for just two seconds, and opened the input box.

Zhou Yi's voice came from above his head.

"Hey, Nan Shuyi, I'm talking to you. Did you hear me? Want to go out and have some fun tonight? Since you started working, I can't find you!"

"We just met two days ago at my wedding. Why are you in such a rush to find me?" Nan Shuyi glanced at him and moved back, not letting him see his phone screen.

Zhou Yi plopped down on his desk: "The wedding is over, you've started working seriously. You should find time to relax. You're not really going to live a married life with that Jiang guy, are you? Tell me, have you two...?"

"Nan Shuyi: What do you want to eat tonight? I'll order some food for you and your colleagues and have it delivered."

"Xiao Liuzi: Let me ask them."

Nan Shuyi gave Zhou Yi a look: "It's just an arranged marriage. How could I possibly have anything with him? By the way, you mentioned before there's a great food stall near Nanyuan. Do you have their delivery number?"

Zhou Yi: "Why order delivery? Let's go out to eat."

Nan Shuyi did as he pleased: "I have my reasons. Don't worry about it."

Zhou Yi: "..."

·

"Yicen, the stir-fried crab with Typhoon shelter you ordered is so delicious! I've worked at Nanyuan for three years and never found such a great food stall."

"I love the dry-fried beef ho fun."

"This garlic stir-fried water spinach is so crisp and tender. Local chefs in Lincheng always cut it into small pieces, which is completely bland. This method of cooking it is really good."

The colleagues who stayed late in Marketing Department Two gathered in the break area sharing dinner.

Jiang Yicen hadn't expected Nan Shuyi to send so much food either, and his coworkers were also surprised by how resourceful the new colleague was.

Jiajia gnawed on a crab leg and said, "Yicen, I'll take you to eat good stuff too in the future. You must rarely get to eat Chinese food in the U.S., right?"

Jiang Yicen smiled. "Sure, thanks, Jiajia."

Jiang Yicen got along very well with Peng Yijia and a few other female coworkers.

Unlike He Nuanqing, who acted coy, they ate heartily without pretension. He felt that modern women were truly great, so different from the women of his era. They had gender equality ingrained in them, whereas women back then fought hard for it but still faced a harsh society.

China is a food paradise. Although young people today reject the culture of drinking at business dinners, they have continued the food culture. At least when it came to food, he found common ground with them.

Jiang Yicen was grateful for Nan Shuyi's timely rescue. Writing a proposal in four days was extremely difficult for him—he didn't even know how to use software like PowerPoint and had to learn everything from scratch.

The most important thing now was to first understand the product for the proposal and then study the competitors. Their department was essentially half product department; they dealt with products the most and had no shortage of product samples, both their own and competitors'.

After dinner, everyone returned to their desks and started typing.

With Peng Yijia's guidance, Jiang Yicen obtained the three types of candies for the proposal, as well as similar milk candies from two competing companies.

The competitor's product was a gift box with seven colors and seven flavors, while Nanyuan's had eight colors and eight flavors.

Typically, marketing plans are tied to holidays, but none of the upcoming holidays seemed suitable for candy marketing.

Jiang Yicen was worried about this, and his colleagues were equally at a loss.

Tan Ping, who also needed to work on a new proposal, wasn't in the office. He had left with Jin Huanxin at the end of the day, apparently heading to a dinner gathering.

Peng Yijia and Shen Bing seemed to know something but didn't bring up the unspoken workplace rules in front of Jiang Yicen. He didn't need their hints to see that Jin Huanxin valued Tan Ping highly, likely grooming him as a key talent.

Right now, Jiang Yicen just wanted to learn how to use PowerPoint at the company. He didn't want Nan Shuyi to find out he knew nothing; he didn't want to be a fraud, even though none of this was his intention.

He hadn't cared much before, but over the past couple of days, he had inexplicably started to care about it.

Since he couldn't find the other candies needed for the proposal in the office, he decided to leave for the day. He asked Peng Yijia, who told him he could probably find them at a nearby supermarket.

Jiajia said, "You need to hurry. Supermarkets in shopping centers usually close by ten, and it's already 8:30 now."

Jiang Yicen: "Thank you. I'll go now. You all should head home early too. It's late, and it's not safe for women to be out alone so late."

Jiajia was startled. By the time she snapped out of it, Jiang Yicen had already shut down his computer and left the company. His desk was neat and tidy, the only thing he had taken was the thin blue striped notebook issued by HR.

When Jiang Yicen reached the first floor of the company building, the area outside the company was still brightly lit. As he stepped out, he saw many people still working overtime. It wasn't easy being a modern person, he thought—everyone treated the company as home, with almost no personal time.

The supermarket was two kilometers away, so he'd need to take a cab. He also had to learn how to use a ride-hailing app.

Just as he was about to request a ride on the app, he received a message from Nan Shuyi.

"Nan Shuyi: Not off work yet?"

"Jiang Yicen: I've left the office, but I'm going to the mall to buy Brand C milk candies."

"Nan Shuyi: Why do you need candies?"

"Jiang Yicen: Need them for the product proposal. I haven't tried them yet, so I want to taste them first."

"Nan Shuyi: Where are you now? I'm near the company. I'll take you to get them."

"Jiang Yicen: Great. I'll wait for you at the company entrance."

Nan Shuyi, still sitting at the dinner table, couldn't bear it, remembering how Jiang Yicen had waited for him in the cold before.

"Nan Shuyi: It'll take me about ten minutes to get there. Wait for me on the first floor."

There was a lounge area on the first floor of Nanyuan's building.

Zhou Yi looked puzzled as Nan Shuyi grabbed his phone and got up to leave.

"You're not eating again?" Don't ask why he used the word "again."

"You guys go ahead. I have something to do."

Tonight's seafood dinner was Zhou Yi's idea. He had gone all the way to Nan Shuyi's company to find him, waited for him to finish work, and then accompanied him to this seafood spot. He wanted to drink, but Nan Shuyi refused, saying he had to drive. Zhou Yi suggested a designated driver, but Nan Shuyi said he didn't want anyone else in his new car. In the end, Zhou Yi invited a few friends over to drink with them.

Zhou Yi had invited several friends to drink and eat grilled seafood. Except that Nan Shuyi, who almost never drinks cola, was drinking cola tonight, it was the same as before.

Before he could finish his thoughts, his buddy grabbed his jacket and left, not sparing a second glance at the delicious food on the table.

Jiang Ruolin, the high‑profile lawyer, had finally managed to find time to come out. Puzzled, he asked, "Nan Shuyi, why are you leaving early again?"

Nan Shuyi raised his cola as if toasting. "I really have something to do. Tonight's on me. Order whatever you want."

Zhou Yi: "It's not about who pays!"

Waving them off without even looking back, Nan Shuyi walked away quickly, not wanting to argue.

Jiang Ruolin: "Something's off with him."

Cheng Chen, a friend from a prominent political family, asked, "Where's he off to? He rarely goes out lately. What's up with Nan Shuyi?"

Zhou Yi shook his head. "No idea."

Jiang Ruolin smiled meaningfully, picking up his chopsticks to sample the rare fresh king crab.

"Once a person gets married, it's hard to hang out with friends anymore."

Cheng Chen: "You make it sound like he's pregnant!"

Jiang Ruolin: "Have you ever been in love?"

Zhou Yi: "You all don't think he's actually fallen for Jiang Yicen, do you? They have no emotional foundation—it's just a marriage of convenience."

Jiang Ruolin: "Didn't you notice anything on his wedding day?"

He Mingshuo, an architect and from the same social circle, usually didn't hang out with them much. He had only met Nan Shuyi recently, and today was the first time he'd seen him in person. Before he could exchange more than a few words, Nan Shuyi was already gone. He felt annoyed at himself for arriving too late.

With his own agenda in mind, he proposed, "It's been a while since we all gathered. How about I invite everyone to Linlong Hui this weekend for some fun?"

Zhou Yi, always up for a good time, immediately agreed. "Sounds good. It's getting warmer these days—perfect for horseback riding and archery."

Jiang Ruolin was also curious. "I've never had dealings with that Fourth Master Jiang before."

Cheng Chen: "Didn't you see him at the wedding?"

Jiang Ruolin: "Did you see Nan Shuyi give us a chance to meet him?"

Cheng Chen: "I drank too much that day. I don't remember anything except that he seemed refined and was a handsome kid, and he didn't look much like Jiang Yiting."

They were basically the same age as Nan Shuyi, while Jiang Yicen was only in his early twenties, like a little brother to them. They hadn't paid much attention to Nan Shuyi's marriage partner; it was just mere curiosity.

Nan Shuyi drove as fast as the city allowed and rushed to the entrance of Nanyuan Group.

If Nan Anru found out he came to Nanyuan twice in one day, he’d probably wake up in the middle of the night, call him, and arrange for him to work there. You know, before this year, the number of times he came to Nanyuan in a year could be counted on one hand.

Jiang Yicen saw Nan Shuyi's car through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the building. At this hour, there were few cars coming to pick someone up at the Nanyuan entrance.

Nan Shuyi sarcastically said: "Why aren't you waiting outside today?"

Jiang Yicen quickly got into the car and buckled his seatbelt. He put on a look of mock anger: "Nan Shuyi, please forget about me getting lost last time. Thank you."

Nan Shuyi smiled: "You sure ask a lot of me."

Jiang Yicen: "If you're annoyed that I ask you for things, then I won't trouble you next time?"

Nan Shuyi: "I actually like hearing you ask me."

Jiang Yicen tilted his head to look at him: "Do I get the privilege to ask you?"

Nan Shuyi turned the car: "Of course you do."

Jiang Yicen watched Nan Shuyi drive past the company supermarket and head to a mall closer to home.

Jiang Yicen was very familiar with this bustling street.

The commercial buildings along the street were familiar from his memories—except in his memories, they were newer. Now, this mall wore layers of decorations to hide its age.

Seeing him lost in thought with a hint of nostalgia in his eyes, Nan Shuyi asked: "You haven't been here in a long time?"

Jiang Yicen nodded: "Yeah, after many years, these commercial buildings have aged, but they've also become more beautiful. They've been well maintained."

Nan Shuyi: "This place was renovated. During the war, the exterior walls were damaged."

Jiang Yicen's voice dropped, and his mood also sank: "In times of war, nothing is spared—not people, not buildings."

Nan Shuyi looked at him intently: "When you encountered a shooting in America, were you really scared?"

Jiang Yicen nodded: "Very scared. I like the peace now. It's wonderful to live in such a peaceful and prosperous time."

Nan Shuyi said sincerely: "Then don't go to America anymore."

Jiang Yicen nodded: "Mm, I won't go. It's not safe." He couldn't go back even if he wanted to, and he didn't want to return to the war era.

Now when he chatted with Nan Shuyi, he would secretly use "America" as a stand-in for his past. Occasionally, he also wanted to share everything from before with him; otherwise, he would be too lonely. In this world, no one else shared his memories of a previous lifetime.

The car pulled into the parking lot. Nan Shuyi, familiar with the place, led Jiang Yicen into a large supermarket inside the mall.

Candy from Brand C was displayed in the most prominent position, while their Nanyuan brand milk candies were hardly noticeable. Passersby, including Jiang Yicen, were easily attracted by Brand C's signage and candy packaging.

Nan Shuyi took down a gift box printed with colorful characters meaning "grow old together." He opened the box without hesitation and took out a white heart-shaped chocolate candy.

He held up the candy and asked Jiang Yicen: "Want to try it?"

Jiang Yicen was still looking at the ingredient list of the candy. He nodded in response: "Yes."

Nan Shuyi held out the candy: "Open your mouth."

Jiang Yicen obediently opened his mouth, and Nan Shuyi popped a sweet white chocolate candy, still in its wrapper, into his mouth.

Nan Shuyi was still holding the freshly torn candy wrapper in his hand, and the softness of Jiang Yicen's lips lingered on his fingertips.

He had noticed earlier that Jiang Yicen's mood had been low since entering the mall. They say eating candy can boost your mood.

Nan Shuyi asked him: "How is it? Sweet?"

Jiang Yicen couldn't help but bite the chocolate in half. His ears turned red, and he looked down at the ingredient list, whispering: "Pretty sweet."

It seemed he had never been fed candy like this before; that was way too intimate. But if it was Nan Shuyi, it was okay. Nan Shuyi was his husband, and he didn't mind it.

Nan Shuyi probably also felt a bit embarrassed. He put the candy box into the shopping cart and continued pushing the cart without looking back.

He asked as he walked: "Which other brand do you want to buy?"

Jiang Yicen saw that the candy packages in the mall were all ones he had never seen before. A bag with a green monster drawing caught his attention.

"Can we buy this one?"

Nan Shuyi: "Sure. This brand is relatively niche. The candy flavors are very unusual, not the conventional chocolate, milk, or fruit flavors. They're all strong flavors, like durian, cilantro, chive, garlic, and even Luosifen (snail noodles) flavor."

Jiang Yicen smiled and put the candy box into the cart: "That's quite a novelty."

After that, no matter which brand of candy he saw, Nan Shuyi could tell him the brand philosophy behind the company, and even knew who the founders were. He also took the opportunity to educate Jiang Yicen on the types of candy.

From little things like this, Jiang Yicen realized that Nan Shuyi had never actually given up on Nanyuan. He wasn't the playboy everyone thought he was. Perhaps he had a reason for acting like a "playboy," but it just wasn't known yet.

In the end, the two bought a bunch of candies and went home. On the way, Jiang Yicen sampled a few flavors. Seeing that Nan Shuyi was driving and his hands were busy, he opened a few and seized the opportunity to pop them into Nan Shuyi's mouth.

"Jiang Yicen, don't give me the wasabi flavor!"

"What does wasabi flavor taste like?"

"Taste it yourself."

"There's only one in there. I gave it all to you."

"It's a bit pungent." Nan Shuyi grabbed a tissue and spat out the candy, frowning. "And kind of disgusting."

Jiang Yicen took an orange-flavored one for himself, then picked a cilantro-flavored one and handed it to Nan Shuyi.

"What about this one?"

Nan Shuyi immediately saw through Jiang Yicen's little trick: "Are you doing it on purpose? Giving me all the weird ones."

Jiang Yicen smiled sheepishly, not denying his little scheme. He really had no interest in these weird candies.

Nan Shuyi spat out the candy and warned: "Don't give me any more weird candies, or you'll have to walk home yourself."

Jiang Yicen put away a ginger-glucose candy looking regretful: "Fine."

After arriving home, Nan Shuyi looked at the two large bags of candy and couldn't help but worry about Jiang Yicen's teeth: "Are you going to eat all of them?"

Jiang Yicen shook his head: "I'll just pick a few to taste."

Nan Shuyi reminded him: "Remember to brush your teeth before bed."

Jiang Yicen squatted on the floor, arranging the candy boxes, and asked: "Have you tried all of these before?" Actually, he wasn't that fond of sweets. "I can't taste them all at once. Why don't you just tell me the flavors?"

Nan Shuyi still had the lingering taste of cilantro in his mouth, looking at Jiang Yicen with a grimace. "How could I possibly eat such a bizarre flavor?"

Jiang Yicen looked up and smiled at him. "But you even know that the boss stole his employee's design draft."

Nan Shuyi casually took two boxes of candy that they had already opened and lightly tapped them on the top of Jiang Yicen's head.

"You know too much. Careful, I might have to silence you."

Jiang Yicen covered his head and muttered, "Don't knock me stupid."

Nan Shuyi: "Better a little dim—easier to keep secrets."

Jiang Yicen thought to himself that no one had ever called him stupid, but he knew Nan Shuyi didn't mean it that way, so he gave a light snort.

Nan Shuyi felt as if that little nose scrunch had hit him right in the soul, his heart inexplicably fluttered.

Jiang Yicen looked at the candy boxes in his hand. "Why are you taking so many? I thought you didn't eat these?"

Nan Shuyi: "I'll take them to the office tomorrow for the employees to eat."

Jiang Yicen counted the candy boxes beside him and found that the ones Nan Shuyi had casually taken were exactly the flavors he didn't like—his aim was spot on.

For once dropping his young master's reserve, as Nan Shuyi stepped onto the stairs, he called out after him and declared flatly, "Nan Shuyi, I'll sleep in the guest room tonight and definitely won't disturb your rest!"

Hearing this, Nan Shuyi nearly missed his step.

Who even asked for that!