He spoke to Su Huaiming only replied to him briefly during breaks in the game.
As for why he didn't go downstairs to eat, it probably wasn't because he was in a bad mood or had no appetite, but rather... he was so engrossed in playing the game that he forgot it was mealtime.
Although the butler didn't know the specifics of what had happened between the two, he felt that revealing it would only exacerbate the conflict and make Fu Jingfan's expression even worse, which wouldn't be good for his fragile heart. For both personal and professional reasons, he should remain silent.
Fu Jingfan clearly hadn't guessed any of this. He looked upstairs, still wearing his coat, and hurried forward, taking three steps at a time. His back view revealed tension and panic, a stark contrast to his usual aloof and dignified image.
When Fu Jingfan arrived at Su Huaiming's door, his once-sharp suit was now full of wrinkles, his neatly styled hair was disheveled, his breathing was unsteady, and his chest was rising and falling slightly.
He paused for a second, composed his expression, and then gently pushed open the door.
The room was quiet, the curtains were drawn, and the light was dim, so only the small bump on the bed could be vaguely seen.
Fu Jingfan Fu Jingfan and stood by the bed, looking at Su Huaiming.
Su Huaiming was nestled in the soft bedding, his sleeping face peaceful and his breathing steady, not at all like the haggard and sad sight he had imagined.
Fu Jingfan finally relaxed, letting out a long sigh of relief, and sat down on the edge of the bed, exhausted.
He had encountered many things, from the hardships of his childhood to the difficulties he faced in starting the Fu Group from scratch, but none of them had ever made him so flustered.
In front of Su Huaiming, his once proud composure and self-control crumbled instantly; even the smallest thing about Su Huaiming could cause his emotions to fluctuate wildly.
The short minute he spent going upstairs felt incredibly long to him. He couldn't care about anything else; all he wanted was to get to Su Huaiming's side as quickly as possible.
Knowing that Su Huaiming was alright made him even happier than if he had just landed a deal worth over 100 million.
Before Fu Jingfan could compose himself, he heard a soft, indistinct voice:
"Fu Jingfan?"
Fu Jingfan's thoughts were interrupted, and he immediately turned his head to see Su Huaiming looking at him sleepily, even yawning.
"Are you done with your work?" Su Huaiming was still a bit groggy. Seeing the quiet room, he vaguely thought it was already evening. "Go to sleep early."
Su Huaiming and Fu Jingfan had been sharing a bed for many days and were already used to it, so he shrank back a bit to make room for Fu Jingfan.
Although the gesture was unintentional, it carried a sense of invitation.
Fu Jingfan sat on the edge of the bed, looking down at the unguarded Su Huaiming, all the emotions in his heart were soothed.
He curled the corners of his mouth into a smile, laughing at himself.
"Wake up, get up and eat dinner."
Upon hearing the word "dinner," Su Huaiming's DNA immediately stirred, and his sleepiness dissipated somewhat. He asked, puzzled, "Dinner?"
"Yes, it's only dinnertime now."
Su Huaiming lay on the bed staring at the ceiling, only then realizing that he had just taken a nap and hadn't eaten dinner yet.
Su Huaiming didn't want to leave his warm bed, so he rolled around a few more times before sitting up at Fu Jingfan's urging.
He treated Fu Jingfan like family, getting off the bed with his clothes all wrinkled and his hair a mess, giving it a fuzzy texture.
Fu Jingfan helped Su Huaiming fix his hair very naturally, his movements much more skillful than before.
Su Huaiming also fully woke up and sat on the edge of the bed looking at Fu Jingfan.
Fu Jingfan paused, then adopted a serious demeanor, as if he were discussing business. "There's something I'd like to ask you for a favor."
Su Huaiming's attention was drawn to the question, and he perked up. "What is it?"
"I've thought about it carefully, and I agree with most of what you said last night. But I don't think you can leave right now." Fu Jingfan's tone was calm, as if he had no ulterior motives whatsoever.
Su Huaiming didn't suspect anything, but simply asked, "Why?"
"You've spent so much time with Xiao Xiao's very attached to you and likes you a lot. If you suddenly leave, it might cause him psychological trauma," Fu Jingfan continued. "I'd like to ask you to give Xiao Xiao some time to adjust and gradually accept the fact that you're leaving."
"How long?"
Fu Jingfan pondered for a full ten seconds before saying, "Is a month okay?"
Su Huaiming wasn't worried about wasting another month, and since he was also missing Fu Xiaoxiao, he nodded, "Okay."
After calming Su Huaiming down, Fu Jingfan didn't give him time to recover and immediately made his next move, "By the way, there's something else I'd like to ask you."
"What is it?" Su Huaiming had just woken up and was at his most relaxed, completely unprepared.
"You're a designer, you know more about clothing coordination than I do. What kind of tie do you think would be the most suitable match for this suit I'm wearing?"
It was just a small favor, Su Huaiming didn't refuse. He looked Fu Jingfan up and down, thought for a moment, and said, "I notice that the colors of your suits are all on the darker side. While that makes you look more composed, it's also too monotonous and creates a sense of distance. I suggest you choose a slightly more casual color and style for your tie, or..."
Su Huaiming thought about it very seriously, then said, "Actually, you could choose the collar button; the gemstone embellishment would make it look more luxurious."
Fu Jingfan nodded in agreement, "As expected of a professional, the suggestions are very constructive."
Su Huaiming was a little embarrassed by the praise and said with a smile, "Actually, it depends on personal preference. I'm fine with whatever you like."
"I'll start tomorrow..." Fu Jingfan suddenly frowned, looking as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.
Su Huaiming's curiosity was piqued, and he couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"
"I don't usually wear belt buckles, so I don't know much about them." Fu Jingfan changed the subject, looking at Su Huaiming, "Could you buy one for me tomorrow? Also, Xiao Xiao can't stay at home, you could take him to the children's playground there."
Su Huaiming, who happened to have nothing to do and was now being burdened with the name Fu Xiaoxiao, immediately nodded, "Okay, what kind of collar buttons do you like?"
Fu Jingfan gazed intently at him, "I'll like anything you choose."
The implication of those words was too obvious. Su Huaiming stared blankly at Fu Jingfan, his expression puzzled.
Fearing that Su Huaiming might become wary, Fu Jingfan continued, "You're more professional than me, and your aesthetic sense is better too. I trust you."
Su Huaiming, unsuspecting, smiled and said, "Leave it to me."
He was completely unaware that he had fallen into a trap carefully dug by Fu Jingfan.
Fu Jingfan followed Song Hanyu's advice, hoping to use this to increase contact and bring the two closer.
Regardless of the purpose, gifts always have special meaning. He often wore Su Huaiming's collar buttons, which could have a subtle influence on him. Moreover, he could also give Su Huaiming a gift in return to make him happy.
Fu Jingfan always liked to be fully prepared, to have things under control, and to leave no detail overlooked, so as not to cause any deviation.
He was halfway through his thought when Su Huaiming, who was walking ahead, suddenly stopped and turned to look at him. "I forgot to ask, what happened to you last night?"
Fu Jingfan had already prepared his response, so he didn't reveal any flaws and said calmly, "I'm sorry, something happened at the company last night, and my emotions weren't directed at you."
Su Huaiming accurately grasped the key point. "So it's company matters that affected your mood, and you took it out on me?"
Fu Jingfan: "..."
Su Huaiming's logic left him speechless, so he could only sincerely say, "I'm sorry, I won't do it again."
Su Huaiming felt wronged and aggrieved, having been implicated for no reason. His gaze toward Fu Jingfan, the instigator, became unfriendly.
Su Huaiming snorted through his nose, using an accusing tone, but because he had just woken up, his voice was soft and sweet. In addition, his eyes were round, so when he glared at people with accusatory eyes, it had a kind of coquettish feeling.
"You were so fierce last night!"
QAQ
Author's Note:
"The Little Black Was Too Big, But the Male Otaku Didn't Realize It"
Chapter 78
The next day, Su Huaiming took Fu Xiaoxiao to the mall.
This is a shopping mall under the Fu Group's name. The brands on the top floor are carefully selected, and there are special times for VIP customers. Security is tight, and all personnel entering are registered, so there is no risk of paparazzi taking photos.
Su Huaiming specifically took Fu Xiaoxiao shopping at this time because he was afraid that Fu Xiaoxiao would be affected.
It was fine for him, an adult, to wear a mask and sunglasses, but Fu Xiaoxiao particularly disliked having anything on her face. She would always try to rub it off with her little hands and keep her mouth open under her mask.
After trying two or three times, Su Huaiming simply gave up on putting a mask on Fu Xiaoxiao and just gave him a pair of decorative sunglasses.
Fu Xiaoxiao thought wearing sunglasses was cool, and even dressed up in all black from head to toe, all sparkly. Before going out, she squatted on the ground and huffed and puffed as she polished her leather shoes for five minutes. Her walking posture was also quite unnatural, with her chubby little bottom swaying back and forth. When she stopped, she would deliberately strike a pose.
Fu Xiaoxiao thought he was incredibly cool and awesome, but Su Huaiming thought he was just adorably silly, which made him itchy to pinch Fu Xiaoxiao's chubby little face.
Fu Xiaoxiao jumped up and patted Su Huaiming's hand, feeling that Su Huaiming had ruined her handsome look. She puffed out her cheeks in grievance and glared at Su Huaiming through her sunglasses.
Su Huaiming wasn't afraid at all. He couldn't resist touching Fu Xiaoxiao's hair again, which made Fu Xiaoxiao bristle and whine like a puppy, complaining incessantly.
After Su Huaiming promised not to touch her again, Fu Xiaoxiao reluctantly forgave him and continued to maintain her cool and edgy style, as if she wanted to charm all the children within a five-kilometer radius.
Once at the mall, Su Huaiming took Fu Xiaoxiao's hand and laid down three rules. "Xiao Xiao, come with me to buy things first, then I'll take you to get ice cream, and then we'll go to the children's playground upstairs, okay?"
Upon hearing the second half of the sentence, Fu Xiaoxiao's eyes widened, and she nodded like a chick catching rice.
Su Huaiming gently pinched his little nose. "When I'm shopping, you have to follow me obediently. You can't run around, you can't be impatient, and you definitely can't lie on the ground and throw a tantrum."
Just six months later, Fu Xiaoxiao felt like a mature big kid. When Su Huaiming brought up his past grievances, she complained angrily, "Don't talk nonsense! I wouldn't lie on the ground and throw a tantrum!"
Su Huaiming raised an eyebrow, immediately took out his phone, and deliberately teased him, "I recorded a video, see who's throwing a tantrum in there?"
Fu Xiaoxiao didn't expect her stepfather to be so ruthless, and immediately became unwilling, stretching out her chubby arm to try to snatch the phone.
Su Huaiming held it a little higher, standing easily to the side, no matter how much Fu Xiaoxiao jumped, she couldn't reach it.
Fu Xiaoxiao's little face was puffed up with anger, her lips were so pouty they could hang a sesame oil bottle on them, she crossed her arms and looked at him with a "what am I going to do with this naughty adult" look.
Su Huaiming was both amused and exasperated by Fu Xiaoxiao, unable to understand why this little guy always acted like he was the older one. After ruffling his hair, he put his phone away.
Fu Xiaoxiao sighed deeply, tidied her hair with her small hands, glanced at Su Huaiming, lowered her head, and mumbled something unintelligible.
Seeing this, the butler couldn't help but smile, feeling that the atmosphere between the father and son was particularly good.
The brand had received advance notice and was waiting for Su Huaiming at the entrance. According to Su Huaiming's request, they took him to the collar buckle section.
This was also Su Huaiming's first time buying a collar button. After leading Fu Xiaoxiao around for a while, his gaze fell on the counter, and he stopped involuntarily.
The collar button has a simple design; the silver wire bends into the shape of ocean waves. It is not complicated, but the lines are extremely smooth and beautiful, exuding the vitality of ancient life. Sapphires hang on both sides, their color deep and becoming even more intense as they converge in the center. They are crystal clear and sparkling under the light.
Seeing this collar button, Su Huaiming recalled the scenes of him and Fu Jingfan standing side by side in front of the Beluga Whale Pavilion, and time seemed to rewind to that moment.
He reached out, took the collar button in his hand, and was immediately captivated.
Fu Jingfan would look great wearing it.
The saleswoman was very good at reading people. She praised the design concept of the collar button to the skies, and then quickly wrapped it up for Su Huaiming.
Seeing this, the butler smiled and said, "Sir, would you like to choose one for yourself?"
Su Huaiming happened to be interested and browsed around the store again, finding one he liked, but was deterred by the price.