Chapter 23: A Good Man Fears a Persistent Suitor

Chapter 23: A Good Man Fears a Persistent Pest; A Fierce Man Fears a Clinging Lover

Pei Du was very unhappy.

Anyone with eyes could tell he was in a bad mood.

Even though he didn't let it affect his work, he gave off a "stay away" vibe that made anyone who tried to approach him back off.

Since the warehouse and the workshop were far apart, Chu Lanting had no idea what had happened in the warehouse after he left.

When he went to the warehouse to look for him during the lunch break, he was told the guy had already left the warehouse the moment the break started.

"He left? Did he say where he went?"

Chu Lanting was still wearing his white uniform, his features delicate and handsome.

When he wasn't talking, he had an aloof air about him, but the moment he opened his mouth, his soft voice naturally drew people in.

The worker next to him scratched his head: "He didn't say. He already looked sour this morning. Oh, and Supervisor Feng too."

"What about Supervisor Feng?"

Everyone in the factory knew that Feng Xingyun had a crush on the original him.

A few days ago, because of Pei Du, Feng Xingyun had barged straight into his house and ended up getting beaten so badly by Pei Du that he couldn't get out of bed.

When he heard his colleague mention Feng Xingyun, Chu Lanting's first thought was that Feng Xingyun had gone to pick a fight with Pei Du again.

His lips pressed into a thin line, Chu Lanting's eyes half-closed, his thin eyelids hiding the displeasure welling up in his eyes.

"It seems he got beaten up by your guy—pretty badly too. Xiao Chu, Supervisor Feng is the factory director's partner after all. If the factory director finds out your guy hit him..."

Upon learning that Pei Du wasn't injured, Chu Lanting breathed a sigh of relief, thanked the guy, and walked straight out of the factory gate.

Pei Du hadn't been here long and didn't know the town yet—there were only a few places he could go.

Thinking back to what he'd said to him that morning, Chu Lanting let out a soft sigh and turned toward home.

He must have been upset all morning, and maybe Feng Xingyun's words had provoked him into throwing a punch.

Chu Lanting had always believed in "love at first sight," and he also believed in its other meaning—lust at first sight.

He was just an ordinary guy, at best with decently regular features.

One day he'd age too, lose his youth, and his looks would change.

By then, Pei Du would probably have gotten his memories back—and what would he feel for him then?

He was an adult, and he should at least be responsible for himself, not diving headfirst into infatuation over one confession like some kid.

He raised a hand to pat his cheeks, forcing himself to stay clear-headed, and hurried toward home.

Meanwhile.

Pei Du sat blankly on the sofa, his dark eyes fixed on the water glass in his hands without blinking.

His mind was still replaying what Uncle Tian had just told him.

"What is liking?"

"Liking is wanting to get close to him, to be near him, to protect him—without even realizing it."

Did he want to get close to his wife? Obviously.

Did he want to be near his wife? Of course.

Did he want to protect his wife?

Only he could protect his wife!

But...

"But... my wife doesn't like me."

With a soft *plop*, a barely audible drop of water fell into the cup and merged with the water.

Pei Du looked up with tearful eyes, his voice choked with sobs: "Uncle Tian, my wife doesn't like me."

"Wait, why are you crying? If your wife doesn't like you, then cling to him!"

When he first saw Pei Du's tearful face, Uncle Tian thought he was seeing things, but after a closer look, he realized his eyes weren't playing tricks on him.

His eyes twitched hard. Facing those eager, questioning eyes, Uncle Tian pinched the bridge of his nose.

"As the old saying goes: a good man can't hold out against a persistent pest, and a fierce man can't hold out against a clinging lover. If you keep clinging to him, one day he'll soften up and give in!"

"Really? Will my wife really like me?"

"Of course! If this trick doesn't work, come back and I'll give you a new one."

The town in the afternoon wasn't as lively as it had been in the morning.

In the town's only clinic, two men were discussing in hushed tones, and most of what they said drifted into the ears of the slender figure standing at the doorway.

Watching Pei Du stand up, full of confidence, and give Uncle Tian a solemn bow,

Chu Lanting, who'd been standing at the door for who knows how long, felt his head spin.

"Wife? How did you know I was here?!"

Pei Du had just turned to leave when he saw the person he'd been thinking about all morning standing behind him.

Having just discussed strategies on how to "cling to his wife" with Uncle Tian, he immediately stepped forward, arms raised, ready to pull the guy into a hug.

But the moment he stepped forward, before he could even wrap his arms around him, a finger pressed against his forehead.

"Wife, what's wrong?" Pei Du blinked his tear-swollen eyes innocently. "Wife, I missed you."

Chu Lanting didn't answer. Instead, he tilted his head and looked helplessly at Uncle Tian, who was gleefully enjoying the show.

"Uncle Tian, what exactly are you doing?"

"Why, I'm just trying to help you two get closer! You have no idea how much this kid likes you—he likes you so much he came running to me crying!"

Uncle Tian had never seen such a tall man cry before, let alone someone with a face like Pei Du's—he didn't seem like the type to cry.

He inwardly lamented how outdated the tech in 207 was—otherwise, he really should've recorded that scene on a light screen.

After hearing what he said, Chu Lanting instinctively looked up at the man before him.

Seeing his damp lashes and tearful eyes, Chu Lanting let out an even louder sigh.

"You'd better forget what happened today, or I can't guarantee what'll happen next."

Uncle Tian immediately understood that by "later," he meant after Pei Du regained his memories.

Clicking his tongue softly, he muttered to himself, "That can't be right—the kid doesn't seem that hard to get along with."

But his muttering wasn't quiet at all—every word reached Chu Lanting and Pei Du's ears.

Chu Lanting pulled his finger back from Pei Du's forehead, then raised his hand to pat his shoulder and said softly, "Sit here for a bit—I need to talk to Uncle Tian."

Pei Du parted his lips as if to speak, but a single "be good" from him shut him up, and he obediently sat down in the chair.

But his gaze never once left Chu Lanting the whole time.

When Uncle Tian was pulled aside to the corner, he caught sight of this scene and immediately teased, "Little Chu, you can't be too harsh on him. Look at how clingy he is with you—once he regains his memory, he'll definitely take you with him."

"No matter how he treats me later, staking my future on someone so unpredictable isn't wise."

A cool, clear voice echoed from the corner.

Uncle Tian turned back to look at him in surprise.

Chu Lanting glanced over at Pei Du not far away.

"This A Du isn't the real A Du. If he makes mistakes now, the future him might correct the errors he's created."

"Uncle Tian, even people living under the same roof have their own agendas, let alone A Du and I, who aren't even from the same planet."

"I'll handle things between A Du and me. Uncle Tian, please stop teaching him those things... okay?"