FIO CH21

Chapter 21: I’m Almost in a Relationship

As soon as it hit six o’clock, Lu Fangchi left work on time, grabbed his keys, and headed to the underground garage. He started his car and drove towards the fast-food restaurant.

Upon entering the restaurant, Lu Fangchi took out his phone and read out the dishes to the screen: “Spicy shredded pork, Sichuan-style hand-torn chicken, pineapple pork ribs, braised eggplant, shredded potatoes, and stir-fried lettuce. To go, please.”

The cafeteria aunt nodded in response and swiftly packed the dishes into a takeout box.

Lu Fangchi had been a regular customer for several days. His outstanding demeanor and superior appearance had sparked the aunt’s matchmaking intentions. However, after a brief conversation revealed that Lu Fangchi was buying the food for someone else, she dropped the idea. When handing over the takeout, she joked, “Your partner really loves greasy food, huh?”

Lu Fangchi paused for a moment, puzzled by the aunt’s misunderstanding, but not in the habit of explaining himself to strangers, he took the food with a smile and politely said, “Yes, he does.”

After paying, Lu Fangchi drove back and entered the elevator with the takeout.

“Ding,” the elevator arrived at the eighth floor. As soon as Lu Fangchi looked up, he saw Zhou Zheng waiting by the elevator door.

Lu Fangchi stepped out of the elevator, and Zhou Zheng naturally reached out to take the takeout bag from him. The two walked together towards the office.

Zhou Zheng took out the takeout boxes and arranged them neatly, inviting Lu Fangchi to sit down and eat together. This had become their routine over the past few days. To improve efficiency and avoid unnecessary time wastage, Lu Fangchi had simply started buying meals for both of them and eating together with Zhou Zheng.

Zhou Zheng snapped a pair of chopsticks and handed them to Lu Fangchi first, then opened a can of cola, inserted a straw, and placed it in front of him. Only then did he snap a pair for himself, took a few bites of rice, and in between, looked up at Lu Fangchi and said, “You don’t need to bring food tomorrow. I’m almost done here.”

This was the fourth day Lu Fangchi had brought food, and it matched the time Zhou Zheng had initially estimated, which was just right. Lu Fangchi nodded, picked up a piece of egg, and asked, “What about tonight?”

Zhou Zheng looked up and caught a glimpse of the silver-black woven bracelet on Lu Fangchi’s wrist as he ate. It was very familiar, resembling the one he had lost on New Year’s Eve and hadn’t given away.

Zhou Zheng didn’t respond for a while. Lu Fangchi glanced at him and saw that his eyes were fixed on the bracelet on his wrist. He realized it then.

Lu Fangchi casually raised his hand to take a tissue, letting the silver-black chain sway in front of Zhou Zheng, and raised an eyebrow, questioning with a “Hm?”

Zhou Zheng finally snapped out of his daze from the small brown mole near the wrist, and with a start, said, “I have to do a preliminary test later. It’s likely going to be late again. If there are no surprises, the press conference tomorrow means I can leave work earlier.”

“Got it,” Lu Fangchi nodded.

Lu Fangchi had the habit of not talking while eating. Usually, it was Zhou Zheng who initiated conversation, but today he was unusually quiet. His deep eyes seemed even more profound, and he ate more slowly, seemingly lost in thought.

When the meal was over, Lu Fangchi wiped his mouth with a tissue and it was time to leave.

Zhou Zheng was preoccupied with cleaning up the takeout boxes.

On the short walk to the elevator with Lu Fangchi, Zhou Zheng’s Adam’s apple kept moving. He opened his mouth several times to ask something but swallowed his words each time.

His hesitant expression didn’t escape Lu Fangchi’s notice. Seeing the numbers on the electronic screen steadily climbing, and the number about to jump to “8,” he knew if Zhou Zheng didn’t speak up now, he would miss his chance.

Without looking at Zhou Zheng, Lu Fangchi took the initiative and said, “Go ahead, what do you want to ask?”

Zhou Zheng rubbed his nose tip with his hand and said, “Your bracelet…”

He left the sentence half-finished, but the implication was clear.

Lu Fangchi shifted his feet, turned sideways to face Zhou Zheng, and raised his hand again, letting the silver-black chain sway, “You mean this?”

“Yeah,” Zhou Zheng’s gaze was a bit wandering. He thought it looked like the one he had lost, but he was afraid he was just imagining things.

Seeing the anxious expression on Zhou Zheng’s face, Lu Fangchi suddenly felt mischievous and exclaimed, “Ah,” before answering, “It was given to me by someone else.”

Someone else, who?

So it wasn’t the one he had lost. After all, that one was never given away. But he had given one, identical in style, only differing in color—red and black were not that different, and red would have suited him better. But it was returned.

The same chain, different fates. The one given by someone else was now worn on his wrist.

It looked good, but it wasn’t the one he had given.

Zhou Zheng blinked, feeling a pang of jealousy, and replied in a small, pitiful voice, “Oh.”

The drooping corners of Zhou Zheng’s eyes clearly showed his disappointment. Lu Fangchi retracted his teasing and explained, “It was the one you gave, right? I found it on the office carpet.”

Zhou Zheng, who could light up with just a little encouragement, saw the dimness in his eyes disappear instantly. He looked up, his eyes sparkling, “Oh, oh, it was mine. I lost it, so I switched to a spare one.”

“Figured,” Lu Fangchi said, waving his wrist with the bracelet, the silver-black chain gleaming in the dim light, before stepping into the elevator.

The elevator doors slowly closed, and the numbers on the electronic screen kept changing. Zhou Zheng stood there, still smiling foolishly.

He accepted it, he wore it! Zhou Zheng covered his mouth with his hand and rejoiced inwardly. What did this mean?

The answer was on the tip of his tongue when a hand suddenly landed on his shoulder and patted him.

Zhou Zheng, immersed in his own world of joy, was startled out of his wits by this unexpected attack from behind. He shuddered violently, his hair almost standing on end.

Turning around and looking closely, he saw it was Xiao Liu.

Not only did the culprit show no sign of apology, but he also pushed up his glasses with a face full of disdain and complained, “Could you please stop smiling so disgustingly at the elevator?”

In a good mood and not wanting to argue, Zhou Zheng straightened his jacket and said with a smug expression, “I’m about to have a boyfriend.”

“Who? Where?” Xiao Liu spun around on the spot, exaggeratedly searching around.

“You’re crazy,” Zhou Zheng retorted mercilessly, then added with a lift of his chin towards the elevator, “He just left. He just brought me food and is wearing the bracelet I gave him.”

He emphasized the words “wearing” and “I.”

Xiao Liu snorted with laughter, his face full of contempt, “Is that all you’ve got? You gave it to him, not the other way around. What are you so happy about?”

“You wouldn’t understand. He’s not wearing a bracelet given by someone else, only the one I gave him. That means he loves me,” Zhou Zheng declared arrogantly.

Xiao Liu was stunned by Zhou Zheng’s self-deceptive remarks. Seeing the genuine sweetness and pride on the alpha’s face, he changed from mockery to seriousness, grabbing Zhou Zheng’s arm and confirming, “Zheng, don’t tell me that after living together for almost three months, all you’ve achieved is that he’s wearing the bracelet you gave him.”

Zhou Zheng’s handsome face turned red at the words, and he stubbornly defended himself, “I’ve also slept in his bed!”

“Oh?” Xiao Liu raised his eyebrows, emphasizing the word “slept”: “Slept?”

Clearly, the two were talking about different things. Zhou Zheng interrupted Xiao Liu’s insinuations, “Cleanse your mind.”

Xiao Liu: “Then have you kissed?”

Zhou Zheng: “Kissed what? We’re not even together yet.”

Oh, so nothing has happened.

Xiao Liu shrugged and shook his head, sharply commenting, “The adult pursuit rule is to flirt but not chase. You need to hook him. While others can ignite passion with just a glance, you’re still hesitating there.”

Zhou Zheng clearly disagreed with Xiao Liu’s statement and turned to leave.

Xiao Liu shouted at the tall and sturdy back, “Don’t say I didn’t warn you. With your method, you’ll never catch him in a hundred years. Three months are almost up, and you won’t be able to stay at his place for long.”

Zhou Zheng’s steps visibly halted. After hesitating for a moment, he turned back.

“So what do you suggest I do?”

Lu Fangchi stepped out of the elevator, took out his keys to unlock the car, and swung his leg into the vehicle.

He reached for the steering wheel, his gaze falling on the silver-black woven bracelet on his wrist.

It had to be said that Zhou Zheng had good taste. The bracelet was understated yet stylish, adding a touch of sophistication to his wrist. It was one of the few accessories that Lu Fangchi could appreciate.

In fact, both red and black were good-looking.

Lu Fangchi reached out and caressed the silver metal of the bracelet, recalling the moment he found it.

It was indeed discovered on the office carpet, but not by Lu Fangchi himself.

Shortly after arriving at the office today, the cleaning staff had pushed the door open and handed him a bracelet, saying it was found in the corner of the carpet’s hidden layer while cleaning.

Lu Fangchi was meticulous in his thinking, and almost instantly, he pieced together the details of that day, the reason for the quarrel between Xie Xing and Zhou Zheng.

With his understanding of the two, he could roughly reconstruct the scene: Xie Xing found the bracelet, picked it up to play with it, and might have made some provocative remarks. Zhou Zheng, angered, tried to grab it back, and in the struggle, the bracelet fell and disappeared into the carpet because it was too small. Zhou Zheng, thoroughly provoked, grabbed Xie Xing’s wrist.

In fact, Lu Fangchi hadn’t intended to take Xie Xing’s side at the time. He knew Xie Xing’s petty nature well and was aware that he wasn’t entirely innocent.

He was just being objective and realistic in solving the problem, adhering to the gentlemanly demeanor—alpha should not lay a hand on omega.

It wasn’t until he saw the bracelet that Lu Fangchi realized the unspoken grievance in Zhou Zheng’s hesitation.

After staying up late for several nights to help with work, creating the fireworks mini-program, and buying the bracelet to win his favor, all he got was a demand for an apology.

What happened next?

Unable to get a taxi, he walked for an hour to get home, sulking late into the night, only to come and make amends, only for the second bracelet to be returned.

Lu Fangchi pressed his lips together, feeling a pang of pity for the silly dog in his heart. He was too well-behaved.

So he put on the bracelet. Wearing it wouldn’t hurt, and it was only polite to return the favor. In a way, it was like he bought it himself.

That’s right, Lu Fangchi justified his actions, ignoring the slight odd feeling in his heart, started the car, and drove out of the underground garage.

Many things can’t bear close examination; if you dig too deep, it becomes a horror story. Lu Fangchi took a hot shower when he got home and lay in bed, where his heart still thumped heavily in his chest.

Lu Fangchi reached out and pressed his hand over his heart, wondering if he had been staying up too late and was experiencing arrhythmia at such a young age?

But at twenty-eight, he wasn’t that young anymore… No, stop. Lu Fangchi shook his head. Why was he thinking of him again? What did he have to do with him?

Counting to two thousand eight hundred and ninety-nine, Lu Fangchi gave up in frustration and realized he was becoming more and more awake. He opened his eyes and stared at the dim ceiling, reaching for his phone.

The moment the phone screen lit up, Lu Fangchi squinted his eyes, which took a moment to adjust before he could see the time clearly—05:35.

Damn it, it was this late.

Lu Fangchi turned off his phone and lay back down, forcing himself to sleep. He had to attend the company’s annual meeting tomorrow; if he didn’t sleep now, he wouldn’t be able to get up in the morning.