Carrying It Is a Burden

"Sit down," Old Master Gu said, lifting his teacup and blowing gently across it. The whiskers on either side of his mouth twitched.

Haha, those little whiskers are so cute.

"Ahem." Gu Lin could not hold back a light cough.

Lin Su glanced sideways at him, drawing Old Master Gu's displeasure as well. The old man slammed his teacup heavily onto the table with a loud clatter. "You're already this old, yet you're still so rash."

"You refused to join Gu Corporation. Look at your cousin—he's already become the general manager. And you? You've been sitting as some little CEO all this time, and you're satisfied with that?"

Huh? What did I just hear? Sure enough, old people can't live in places like this—their information is far too outdated!

How can that lousy little Gu Corporation compare to their company?! Besides, we only have a president and shareholders. Who wants to compare themselves to the manager of your tiny trash company?

Gu Lin's gloomy mood vanished in an instant, replaced by a faint warmth in his heart.

"People have to see the bigger world. Don't be content just because you have some insignificant little thing."

What a brilliant move—insulting someone by beating around the bush. And I actually understood every word.

"I think you should just merge your funds. It's better to work together than stay in some small place. You should broaden your horizons too."

The last few words were clearly directed at Lin Su.

The female lead was so favored by Old Master Gu. Why has this turned into some mother-in-law-and-daughter-in-law melodrama when it comes to me?

Why isn't Gu Lin saying anything? He's actually sipping his tea so happily. Hmph! Grandpa's boy.

Lin Su set down his teacup. His expression was gentle as he spoke softly, his voice clear and soothing. "Old Master Gu, this tea is truly excellent. Even its fragrance is light and rich."

That's right, I'm talking about your tea.

"What a coincidence. I happen to have several tins of premium Longjing at home. If Old Master Gu likes it, shall I have someone deliver them in a few days?"

How can your Duyun Maojian compete with my Longjing!

"But Old Master Gu, please don't mix them together. Maojian brews a clear yellow liquor; if they're mixed, the color won't look good, and the flavor will suffer greatly as well."

Everything had its own value. Lin Su did not believe putting them together would produce a better result. Besides, Old Master Gu clearly wanted to swallow up Gu Lin's company.

With the contract in hand, Gu Lin won't dare fire me. At worst, if he breaches the contract, I can take double compensation and leave. Thinking about it that way, I'm not losing out at all!

Lin Su practically wanted to applaud his own cleverness. After all, he had graduated from a prestigious university—of course he was this proud!

The other two wore completely opposite expressions. The man who was usually as cold and indifferent as frost now looked relaxed, a trace of amusement clear in his dark eyes. Even his body, usually held tense, had loosened.

Bang!

As for the other one, his wrinkled old face had turned liver-colored with anger. He kept patting his chest to calm himself, and the two whiskers above his lips nearly flew up.

The cute whiskers are back~

"You're just an Omega. Is it your turn to speak?"

"A child from an orphanage truly has no manners or upbringing."

The gentleness vanished from Lin Su's face, and a cold gleam flashed through his peach-blossom eyes. "Old Master Gu, you're joking. Although we grew up in an orphanage, we still understand propriety and shame."

"Naturally, we would not speak words that insult others."

"And I don't think Alphas are anything special."

"It's getting late. Old Master Gu, please take care of your health. I'll be leaving first."

With that, Lin Su rose and gave a slight nod. His bearing was elegant and proper; compared to the irritable Old Master Gu, he looked more like the heir of a wealthy family.

For some reason, Gu Lin, who had been ignored throughout, felt uneasy. At this moment, he could not hear even the slightest sound from Lin Su's thoughts.

Despite the torrent of insults behind him, Lin Su never turned back. There was no need to argue with someone unreasonable. He had always disliked such verbal disputes.

He sat quietly in the car, waiting with a calm expression. His fingers unconsciously rubbed the ring on his ring finger.

To be honest, he did not like these people. Whether this world was fictional or real, Lin Su only wanted to live out his life simply. Getting entangled with Gu Lin was probably the greatest variable in his plans.

The orphanage was his bottom line. No one was allowed to insult it.

Lin Su stared silently at the silver ring for a long time before slowly slipping it off.

Something that doesn't belong to me is a burden to carry.

Gu Lin froze with his hand on the door handle. An inexplicable bitterness rose in his heart. He got into the car with an unchanged expression, but failed to draw the attention of the person beside him. Gu Lin noticed that the slender finger was bare at last, and finally understood what Lin Su meant.

The car moved along the road. Just as on the way there, neither of them spoke, but this time Gu Lin felt that something was off.

The drive was short. After they got out at the villa, the driver slammed on the accelerator and sped away as though fleeing from a flood or a beast.

Driver: That was terrifying. It was absolutely the most thrilling experience of my career!

After entering, Lin Su was the first to speak.

He looked at Gu Lin, his expression mild and his voice clear and calm. "Today's events weren't mentioned in the contract, so this doesn't count as a breach on my part."

Gu Lin still wore the same expression. His lips moved slightly, but he said nothing. His gaze remained fixed on the smiling man before him.

"Since President Gu has no objection, I'll take that as agreement with what I said." Lin Su undid the constricting button of his suit jacket, let out a soft breath, and smiled. "President Gu, good night."

As soon as he finished speaking, he turned and headed upstairs.

He would not apologize, nor would he use this matter to say anything else. The relationship between him and Gu Lin had been a transaction from the beginning.

Lin Su would not forget that again.

Even after his figure disappeared, Gu Lin still could not hear his thoughts. He frowned irritably.

The feeling was unpleasant, but he could not explain what exactly was wrong.

A cupboard in the kitchen that had been "sealed away" for ages was opened, and the things inside were taken out. Gu Lin took off his suit jacket and opened the door before walking outside.

In the darkness, the man leaned against the garden railing, a glowing red ember held between his fingers. As the clouds parted and moonlight fell, he exhaled slowly, his dark eyes resting on the roses.

All the roses were still buds, as though sleeping. Only one had silently bloomed in the long night.

Gu Lin stared quietly. The drifting smoke before his eyes pulled his thoughts back, and only then did he realize that the cigarette had already burned down to its end.

He took out another cigarette and held it between his lips, tilting his head slightly to light it. Just as he took a drag, the sound of brakes came from the entrance.

When he was about to investigate,

the front door opened, and Lin Su walked out in black pajamas. The light from his phone shone across his face. His usually neat hair had fallen over his forehead, making him look more real, and a little softer.

He accepted the items, thanked the person, and hurriedly turned back inside. He was especially hungry and had to turn his anger into appetite.

The front door closed again. The clouds parted once more, moonlight falling over the man who blended into the darkness.

Had he done something wrong tonight? He raised his eyes toward the sky. No matter how he looked at them, those clouds seemed to have done it on purpose.