Chapter 29 - Losing Control (1/2)
Chapter 29: Losing Control
Translated by Shiya of Exiled Rebels Translations
After the internship, Li Sui began focusing completely on preparing for his exams. Li Sui was a quick learner, plus he had learned a lot from the intern period. Being able to combine field experiences and knowledge allowed Li Sui to improve exponentially.
Lu Shang was also serious in training him; he would specifically ask Uncle Yuen to give certain simple tasks to Li Sui, training his skills in the field. The tasks were all simple ones, they ranged from checking for typos to replying work emails. During the process, Li Sui would find that all the tasks only seemed easy, but in truth, had many tiny details that required attention. After he had finished writing the reply, the contents of the received email would still be in Li Sui’s mind. After repeated exposure, he’d find that he could begin using similar tones in his writing.
In the morning, the sky was dark, and it looked like it was going to snow soon.
“Have you finished correcting the cooperation agreement document I gave you last night?”
“Yes, I’ve changed it. I stamped it with your name and sent it to assistant Yang already.”
Lu Shang said a light “Hm,” then he continued, “I have to set a meeting to discuss next year’s budget.”
Li Sui followed him out of the room, “Uncle Yuen mentioned that already, so I’ve made a template according to last year’s budget. You can see if there are any problems when you have time.”
Lu Shang laughed, “You’re becoming more thorough in your job.”
Li Sui didn’t reply; his thoughts had already gone off the rails seeing Lu Shang’s smile.
“It’s eight already, don’t you have tutorial classes?” Lu Shang stood at the door looking back at Li Sui.
Li Sui replied, “I’m having an exam today.”
Lu Shang remembered, “Do you need me to bring you there?”
“No thanks. I will drive myself to the venue.” Li Sui picked up the car keys, placing them into his pocket. Before Li Sui left, he reminded Lu Shang in a worried tone, “It’s cold outside, and it might also rain today, so please don’t go out.”
Inside the house, Lu Shang replied vaguely. Li Sui wasn’t sure if he actually listened.
Before Li Sui got to the examination venue, snow began drifting down. Snowflakes fluttered as the wind picked up. Most of the examination attendees were graduates from local universities; amongst the people with a similar age to Li Sui, none had their own car. Li Sui instantly stole the limelight. Along with his naturally good looks, everyone thought he was one of those rich second-generation kids.
Li Sui had three exams today, two in the morning and one in the afternoon. As they were packed together, Li Sui didn’t go home for lunch, he just bought a boxed lunch near the examination venue.
Li Sui had been studying and preparing very hard, so he wasn’t too worried about the results. During the lunch break, he just sat on the side listening to some English recordings. Opposite of him, there were a few other examinees; they seemed to lack confidence, as they were still holding onto the textbooks. Seeing Li Sui passing by, the two females hid behind the books they were holding and began mumbling to each other.
T/N: On a side note, I think if Lu Shang were to record the English listening audios himself, Li Sui would be very motivated.
Li Sui didn’t look at them, he was staring at his mobile phone as one of the girls walked over. With a blushing face, she asked, “Hello handsome, may I have your number?”
Li Sui had never been approached by girls before, so in the heat of the moment he just stared at her. Li Sui’s gaze then went to the girl behind her, after grasping their intents, he gave a polite smile, “I’m sorry, but I have someone I like already.”
The girl froze a bit, then she just waved her hand and returned to her group.
Sounds of disappointment came from the group, Li Sui put his headphones back on, looking at the snow outside. Li Sui suddenly had a thought, and picking up his phone, he began writing a text to Lu Shang.
“Lu Lao Ban, someone asked me for my contact info, do you think I should?”
No reply came from the other end—Lu Shang was probably having a nap or something. Li Sui turned his phone off, then he calmed himself for the upcoming test.
Though Li Sui was confident in his preparation and results, he still felt relieved after all the exams were over. Li Sui wasn’t the only one, the atmosphere around him was obviously lighter than it was prior to the exams. When the doors were opened, all the examinees rushed out ecstatically.
Li Sui didn’t have to catch the bus, so he just stayed at the seat, waiting for the crowd to disperse. After the crowds were gone, Li Sui walked towards the parking lot leisurely.
It was still snowing outside; the chilly air filled his lungs the second Li Sui left the building. As he walked down the stairs, he saw a person standing by a leafless tree. The person was wearing a long black coat, he had a wool scarf loosely hung on his neck. Seeing Li Sui walking down the stairs, he immediately smiled.
Li Sui basically ran over to him, “Why are you here? I thought I said not to go out today?”
Lu Shang smiled, “I had nothing to do, so I came to pick you up.”
Li Sui sensed the coldness from Lu Shang’s hands, and that made Li Sui worried sick. He immediately led Lu Shang to the car, “How long have you been waiting? Did Uncle Yuen drive you here? It’s cold outside, you know…”
“I’m fine. I have just arrived.” Lu Shang continued, “You’re here, so I sent Uncle Yuen back.”
Li Sui opened the car door, only feeling reassured after Lu Shang had got on safely. After Lu Shang got on, he turned the air-conditioning to warm mode.
“How did the exam go?”
“It’s fine. Most of the questions were quite simple.” Li Sui kept rubbing his hand against Lu Shang’s, hoping to give him some more warmth, “Next time don’t go out when it’s snowing. Your health isn’t good, what if something happened to you?”
Lu Shang only smiled, “I heard someone asked for your contact info. Was it a male or female?”
Li Sui didn’t know if he should laugh or cry, he said, “Don’t tease me.”
After a bit, he added with a softer voice, “I don’t differentiate between their genders. In my book there are just two types of people—you and all the others.”
Lu Shang stared at Li Sui trying to ascertain what Li Sui was insinuating, then he started laughing as if he couldn’t hold it back, even his shoulders trembled.
“What are you laughing at?”
Lu Shang looked really happy, his mouth formed a smile as he said, “I never said you can’t make friends. Getting new friends is a good thing.”
Li Sui had to back down with how much Lu Shang was laughing, so he forcibly changed the topic, “From today onwards, I have no more lessons, so I can go help you out.”
“There’s no rush.” Lu Shang stopped laughing, after coughing a few times, he said, “Let’s head back.”
There were a lot of students, so many walked on the car roads with umbrellas. With so many people on the roads, their car was driving at a snail pace. Li Sui didn’t press the horn; he just drove slowly through the crowd.
Looking at the gleeful faces of the students outside, as if Lu Shang remembered something from the past, he said, “When I was studying in America, I always saw others’ parents picking their kids up from the exams. I’ve always hoped that my family could come too back then, but that was never once fulfilled.”
Li Sui seldom heard Lu Shang talk about the past, so he turned his head around to ask, “Were you living by yourself back then?”
“There were servants and doctors too.”
Li Sui thought, Lu Shang had to be still very young back then. Having to leave home alone at such a young age, with only servants to talk to, that must be how Lu Shang became so desolate.
As they were talking, Lu Shang’s phone rang, it was from Xiao Zhao.
“Director Lu, the document you wanted—can I deliver it to you tonight instead?”
“Why?”
Xiao Zhao sounded awkward and evasive, “I… I promised my girlfriend I’d go out on a date with her on the holiday.”
Lu Shang looked at the time and date on his phone, that was when he realized that today was Christmas Eve.
“It’s fine. You can deliver it tonight.”
“Thank you. Director Lu!”
Days passed by so fast; Lu Shang was never sensitive towards holidays, and neither was Li Sui. No wonder there were so many people on the streets today—a lot of shops were having sales.
“What’s wrong?” Li Sui asked after seeing Lu Shang in deep thoughts.
Lu Shang put his phone back, then he smiled and said, “Let’s go, I’m bringing you somewhere.”
That ‘somewhere’ was a restaurant atop a skyscraper, a revolving restaurant to be specific.
Li Sui didn’t expect Lu Shang to bring him somewhere so grand; instead, he would expect Lu Shang to bring him to a quiet, little restaurant.
“This restaurant has been here for over ten years.” Lu Shang added in lamb meat into the rock hotpot, “Try it, it tastes quite good.”