Chapter 57 (1/2)
Translated by Karcessel of Exiled Rebels Scanlations
With the XiQin restaurant’s construction finally complete, the designer, Xiao Liu, was burning with anxiety to settle the contract and wrap up this project.
On the day the rebuilding was complete, when he would have his final discussion with his client, Xiao Liu didn’t even see Lin ShuYi’s face, but rather took an opportunity when Lin ShuYi was away from the site to give him a call.
“Well… now that everything’s finished, and since you came to take a look in the morning, are there any last requests? Anything you’re dissatisfied with?”
Lin ShuYi thought about it. When he went to take a look in the morning, there wasn’t anything he didn’t like. In fact, he liked the design very much. Despite the designer’s young age, he really was famous in the design world for a reason. It seemed as if he understood Lin ShuYi’s mind perfectly, knowing exactly what he wanted out of the restaurant’s redesign.
“There’s isn’t anything. Everything’s good, I’m very satisfied.” Lin ShuYi took a drink of water, and lowered his voice a bit.
Shen Fu was lying beside him, eyes closed and presumably asleep. Lin ShuYi didn’t know what Shen Fu was busy with all night last night, on his phone until well past midnight. He made several hushed calls that Lin ShuYi didn’t hear clearly and didn’t ask about.
In the morning, when Lin ShuYi was trying to sneak out, he unexpectedly woke Shen Fu up. And, upon hearing that Lin ShuYi was headed to the restaurant, Shen Fu got dressed sleepily and insisted on going with him. As soon as they got back, however, Shen Fu collapsed on the couch, eyes closed before he even hit the cushions.
Hearing that Lin ShuYi was satisfied with his work, Xiao Liu left go of a held breath and said, “Then, if there aren’t any issues, I’ll be leaving with the crew. Over half of the money has been paid already, so just forward the rest to my account.”
Before Xiao Liu began this project, all the financial details were discussed well in advanced. Excluding any money required for materials in the reconstruction, only two thirds of the total sum was paid in the beginning, the rest was to be paid when he completed his work.
This was, of course, just how hired work went. Money paid, and the professionals moved on. But thinking about it, Lin ShuYi still couldn’t just let the designer and the crew go without at least saying goodbye in person. Quietly, he put the cup in his hand down, and asked, “Have you left the site yet?”
On the other end, Xiao Liu shouted a few orders in the background, before replying to Lin ShuYi’s question, “Not yet, aren’t I still settling the details with you? I could only leave if my clients are satisfied with my work.”
Lin ShuYi nodded. “That’s good then. I’m at home right now, but I’ll be over there immediately. Please wait a few minutes for me.”
As Lin ShuYi spoke on the phone, he made his way outside the room to go grab his jacket. The weather was getting colder now, and the temperature difference between inside and outside was getting pretty significant. Going outside without a jacket now would chill anyone to their bones.
When Xiao Liu heard that Lin ShuYi was coming over, his voice suddenly rose several degrees. “That, That, d-don’t come over here!”
Belatedly, Xiao Liu realised how rude he must have sounded, so he took a deep breath to calm himself and amended, “Grandfather Yang is already here, so you don’t need to come. We’ll just settle a few things and I’ll be on my way, there’s no need for you to trouble yourself coming all the way over here.”
Lin ShuYi paused with one hand on the front door’s handle. As if fearing that Lin ShuYi wouldn’t believe him, on the other end of the line Xiao Liu could be heard calling Old Man Y over in the background, and then old man Yang’s voice came through the phone. “Hello? Xiao Yi?”
“Mn.” Lin ShuYi made a sound of confirmation.
Lin ShuYi couldn’t hear what Xiao Liu said to Old Man Yang on the other side, but he heard Old Man Yang agree a few times, then say, “I’m taking care of everything here, you don’t need to worry. There aren’t any issues. Xiao Liu and the crew are getting ready to leave now, you don’t need to come send them off…”
Lin ShuYi was silent for a moment. It seemed that this designer really didn’t want to see him. He said goodbye to Old Man Yang and hung up.
Only after the line clicked off could Xiao Liu let out a sigh of relief. He really was afraid of that cousin who kept hanging around Lin ShuYi. It would probably be best if he didn’t see Lin ShuYi, right?
And then, after packing up, Xiao Liu stepped out the front door of the restaurant to come face to face with Lin ShuYi, standing outside talking to Old Man Yang, with that terrifying cousin casually by his side.
Xiao Liu felt his stomach doing backflips in his body.
Lin ShuYi noticed Xiao Liu, and waved his hand, beckoning Xiao Liu over. Now Xiao Liu couldn’t even act as if he didn’t see them. Slowly and sullenly, Xiao Liu made his way over, staring intently at a rock down by his feet.
Lin ShuYi was perplexed. Didn’t Xiao Liu really like talking to his before? How come recently he didn’t even want to look at him?
Shen Fu just stood by Lin ShuYi’s side, arms crossed casually and a slight smirk on his face. He didn’t say anything.
“Since you’re leaving, I thought that I should come and say goodbye. Especially since I haven’t seen you around these past few days.”
Xiao Liu nodded, and snuck a glance at Shen Fu. Seeing that Shen Fu didn’t look very threatening at the moment, he managed to relax a bit. Saying a few words to Lin ShuYi before he left should be okay, right?
“Mhm. Your restaurant is complete, and I have another project to head to tomorrow, so I should get going soon.” To tell the truth, Xiao Liu was actually very reluctant to part with Lin ShuYi. It was rare to find someone as naturally talented in design as Lin ShuYi. If only that scary cousin wasn’t around. Shen Fu might be very handsome, but he was still terrifying.
Although Lin ShuYi didn’t understand why Xiao Liu was suddenly speaking to him again, he still handed over the gift he brought. “I bought this a few days ago, it’s one of a kind. It’s a parting gift for you.”
It was a carved wooden horse, it’s head raise high and his feet standing among a fog of clouds, with a phrase wishing good fortune carved in one corner. Lin ShuYi bought it from Old Man Wen’s.
Xiao Liu’s eyes lit up as he saw what Lin ShuYi was holding out to him. Forgetting Shen Fu’s presence, he quickly stepped forward to take Lin ShuYi’s hand, and the carved horse sculpture. “It’s so beautiful! So vivid and lifelike! And look, even the hairs on the mane are so detailed! Are you really giving this to me?”
Lin ShuYi nodded.
Xiao Liu was so excited, he hugged the horse close, cradling it carefully, and thanked Lin ShuYi profusely. He absolutely loved it. It wasn’t until he felt a chill tingling down his spine that Xiao Liu realised that he was standing very close to Lin ShuYi, with a hand still on his shoulder.
Shen Fu’s dark look reminded him of a claw that was about to rip out his tongue. Alarms immediately went off in Xiao Liu’s head, he was so excited that for a moment he forgot who was here!
He knew that seeing Lin ShuYi would be a bad idea!
Quickly, Xiao Liu backed off, daggers following him from Shen Fu’s gaze. After saying a few quick goodbyes, he almost ran off, gathering his crew and leaving quickly, all the while giving Lin ShuYi a wide berth.