Meeting

After hanging up, Li Ping thought it over and over and felt that something was off. He called several college classmates to ask about Zhao Danshi, wondering whether anything unusual had happened to him.

Zhao Danshi had been in the same club as them in college, so they had more or less kept in touch. Yet no one knew what had happened to Zhao Danshi.

After passing through several people, the news reached Wei Borong, the eldest in Zhao Danshi's old dorm.

Wei Borong was baffled and sent Zhao Danshi a WeChat message: Danshi, what happened over there? Why did I hear that you were being threatened by a woman?

Zhao Danshi did not know whether to laugh or cry. No such thing. Where did you hear that?

—It seemed to have come from Senior Li Ping. Don't tell me there's some misunderstanding between you two?

—No, there's no misunderstanding between us.

Wei Borong cautiously asked: Did you two have a fight?

—How could that be? How could Senior and I possibly fight?

—That's good. You scared me. I thought something had happened between you two.

Zhao Danshi changed the subject. How are those vegetables I mailed you? Want me to send another batch?

—They're delicious, all the flavors of home I remember. But forget about another batch; the shipping is expensive. Say, Sixth, your vegetable-growing business is doing pretty well. How much do you expect to make this year?

—It's too early to talk about making money. As long as I don't lose any, that'll be enough. Facepalm.jpg

—Even if you don't make money right away, don't worry. Just treat it as slowly building up experience. I'll be going home for the New Year, and I'll come see you then. We can have a drink.

Zhao Danshi calculated the timing. By the New Year, his child would already have been born. If all went well, there would be no harm in meeting up with his eldest dormmate.

—I might have some big news to tell you during the New Year.

—Why are you being so mysterious? Spill it already.

—This really has to stay secret. You'll know when the New Year comes.

After chatting for a while, Zhao Danshi touched his stomach, and an inexplicable sense of anticipation rose within him for the child there.

After his call with Zhao Danshi, Li Ping went to work early the next morning. He instructed his secretary, Huang Shaoan, to arrange his schedule more tightly over the next few days. He had personal matters to handle that weekend and the following Monday.

It was only midyear, and they did not have much work. Huang Shaoan reviewed the work schedule, then nodded. "No problem."

After thinking for a moment, Li Ping said, "Don't turn down that social engagement this weekend. We can't neglect a major client. Take it to my brother and have him handle it."

"Understood." Huang Shaoan wrote it down in his notebook, then placed that day's documents on Li Ping's desk.

Li Ping waved him out and began handling the day's documents.

Li Ping was two years ahead of Zhao Danshi in college and had been working for more than three years. He was thoroughly familiar with company affairs and handled them with ease.

At eleven thirty in the morning, Li Ping finished his work for the morning and got up to exercise in the gym downstairs.

He was accustomed to working out for forty minutes at noon and an hour and a half at night. His life was highly regimented.

Halfway through his workout, while he was fully focused, he caught sight of his brother entering through the door with a stack of papers in hand. Li Ping had no choice but to release the machine and stop. He wiped away his sweat with a towel and went over to meet him.

At that hour, Li Ping was the only one exercising in the gym, so the brothers did not need to find another place to talk.

Once they sat down in the lounge area, Li Ping poured his older brother a cup of water and took an energy drink for himself. "What is it, Brother?"

"What else could it be? The Hengshi project." Li Sheng handed him the documents. "Dad wants you to try taking charge of this project. Look over the materials first, and tell me right away if you run into any difficulties."

A wave of irritation suddenly rose in Li Ping's heart.

When he had first entered the company, he had started at the bottom. By now, he was at least a general manager, and his ability had long since proven itself.

But the old man did not see it that way. He always felt Li Ping still lacked polish and wanted him to "train" whenever an opportunity arose. He also frequently summoned him to the study for lectures.

The Hengshi project was not within his area of responsibility at all. He had handled a similar project last year. If he took this one on again, he would have to work day and night for another two or three months.

Li Ping's expression darkened. "Didn't I say I wasn't taking this project? Is there no one else in the company who can handle it?"

Li Sheng sighed helplessly. "I tried talking to Dad too, but he insisted that you take it. It probably can't be settled right now. In a couple of days, he'll send out an OA notice to the entire company."

Li Ping took a deep breath. "I have personal matters to deal with. I need to take leave this weekend and next Monday."

Li Sheng was surprised. "What could possibly take you away for three days?"

"Personal matters. Don't ask. In any case, I need three days off."

Li Sheng said, "How about I cover for you first, and you take over the project next week?"

Li Ping rubbed his brow helplessly. "Fine. Brother, cover for me for two weeks first. Also, transfer Vice President Zhao over to handle this with me. He knows the Hengshi side well. Next time there's a project this large, help me talk Dad out of it. It's not as if there's no one else in the company capable of carrying that burden. Stop piling everything onto me."

"Got it." Li Sheng remembered something else. "Oh, right. Mom wants you to meet the Huang family's daughter tomorrow evening. Don't forget."

Li Ping's face immediately went dark. "Brother, it's not like you don't know I lean more toward men. I'm not going."

"If you don't go, just wait for Mom to nag you to death." Li Sheng sighed. "So what if you like men? It's not like you can't get hard for women."

"I'm a grown man, not a breeding stallion. Why do I need to go mate just because the time has come?"

"Mom says you're still young now. When you get old and don't have children around to keep you company, you'll feel lonely."

Li Ping scoffed. "I have money and free time. What kind of life couldn't I live? Why the hell would I want kids? Stop worrying about my business, Brother. I know what I'm doing."

"You know shit," Li Sheng said disdainfully. "You think I wanted to come persuade you? Mom nags me every day, saying she wants to force you into marriage."

Li Ping had a headache. He muttered, "Sooner or later, I'm moving out and setting up on my own."

Li Sheng patted his shoulder. "Accept reality. I'm going to lunch. Want to come with me?"

"No. I'm working overtime." Li Ping stood up, grabbed his towel, and headed for the locker room.

He was tall and long-legged, dressed in sportswear. The muscles on his body were solid and lean, making him strikingly handsome.

Li Sheng watched his retreating figure and silently sighed.

The Li family's business had grown quite large, but the more successful they became, the more traditional the family's mindset was.

Li Sheng's marriage had followed a conventional path. After graduating, he broke up with his former girlfriend. Two years into work, he went on blind dates at his family's request and eventually married his current wife. She was a good match for his family, and they had a son and a daughter. She was now a full-time homemaker, gentle and virtuous.

His parents were quite satisfied with his wife and wholeheartedly wanted Li Ping to marry a woman like her, someone who could support her husband and raise children.

Li Ping showered, returned to his office for lunch, and worked another two hours of overtime. That afternoon, when he thought of his family and work, he still felt stifled.

He was a rather self-disciplined person. He did not flirt with women or men, and he would not even arrange a hookup once a year. Why the hell should he go on blind dates?

Thinking of this, Li Ping recalled those clear eyes. Actually, when Zhao Danshi had come to pick him up, he had not been unconscious. He had merely been in a bad mood and had not wanted to deal with anyone.

That day, he had had a huge fight with his family. It had all revolved around the matter of his marriage again, and in a burst of anger, he had gone to the bar he often visited in college to drink.

He drank a little too much, and before he knew it, it was late. He had wanted to call his driver to pick him up, but unexpectedly, the bartender called Zhao Danshi instead.

He knew Zhao Danshi liked him, and he had a fairly favorable impression of Zhao Danshi as well, but that was all. He had never considered dragging Zhao Danshi into his family, which was like a mire.

That day, Zhao Danshi had eagerly taken care of him. Li Ping did not know what came over him, but in a moment of impulse, he pulled Zhao Danshi down and kissed him.

That kiss was unexpectedly sweet, and Li Ping reacted immediately.

Zhao Danshi did not resist either. Everything afterward followed naturally. Spurred on by the alcohol, Li Ping's desire had gone from one part to seven, and the two of them had muddleheadedly slept together.

Early the next morning, Zhao Danshi slipped away. Li Ping had assumed he was merely embarrassed and had not thought much of it. At the time, he had a project that kept him busy from morning till night. Even in his dreams, he was thinking over problems with the project. Once it reached a stopping point, he finally found time to deal with what had happened between him and Zhao Danshi.

Unexpectedly, after asking around among their college acquaintances, he discovered that Zhao Danshi had already resigned and returned to his hometown.

Li Ping had felt somewhat guilty then. He did not know whether that accident had affected Zhao Danshi somehow, or whether Zhao Danshi had already planned to return home. But after doing something like that, he felt something was off and wanted to make it up to him.

Then he recalled Zhao Danshi's hesitant words and suspected that Zhao Danshi might already have a child with another woman.

His chest felt tight, so he asked his good friend Yao Jingming out for drinks.

Yao Jingming could not stand seeing him like this. "What's the big deal? If you like him, go after him. If you don't, pretend you never heard about it. He's never been in a relationship with you. Whether he had a girlfriend before, or gets one afterward, has nothing to do with you."

Li Ping drank in silence. It was not that he did not understand that reasoning. It was simply that Zhao Danshi had secretly loved him for years, and everyone around them knew it. Now that Zhao Danshi had suddenly fallen for someone else, Li Ping felt sour inside and could not quite bear it.

His friend snorted disdainfully. "Give me a break. You don't have the fate of a straight man, but you've caught the disease of one."

Li Ping gave a bitter smile. He really did have a bit of that straight-man chauvinism.

Yao Jingming leaned closer and asked, "What are you planning to do next? Is your family still forcing you to go on blind dates? If you really intend to go on blind dates and get married, then don't go provoking him."

"No, I won't go on blind dates." Li Ping sighed. "Let me think about it some more. This week, I want to go see him first."

Yao Jingming did not approve. "Danshi seems like someone serious about building a life. Before you've made up your mind, you should leave him alone."

Yao Jingming had gone to school with Li Ping and had met Zhao Danshi a few times before. He had a fairly good impression of him.

Li Ping shook his head. "I'm afraid he's being deceived. I won't be at ease unless I go see him."

Yao Jingming could not help but let out a long sigh. "If you knew it would come to this, why did you make him wait for you all these years?"