Chapter 5

Owen remained impassive. "They are quite new. Do you want to know what these poems mean?"

Xin Chun blinked. "Will you read them to me?"

"If you are willing to listen."

Xin Chun quickly burrowed beneath the covers and pulled the blanket up. His face, still flushed from the steam of his bath, was fair with a rosy tint, making him look especially well-behaved. "I'm ready. Read, Owen."

A smile unconsciously touched Owen's lips at Xin Chun's actions, and then his deep, pleasant voice began to speak.

The poem was beautiful and melodious, utterly captivating.

Xin Chun gradually drifted into sleep, his breathing slowly becoming steady.

Seeing the person beside him fall sound asleep, Owen stopped and gently closed the book.

He leaned close and whispered a nearly inaudible good night beside Xin Chun's ear. Then he turned off the lights and lay down to rest as well.

Early the next morning, the rain stopped. Ivy and Li Ze brought Owen a brand-new set of clothes.

Xin Chun told Ivy about Miko, and Ivy left her phone number.

After Li Ze drove Owen and Xin Chun away, Ivy went to deal with the car trouble.

However, when she arrived at the repair shop, the mechanic said, "There's nothing wrong with your car. It's in great shape."

Ivy said, "It wouldn't start last night. I couldn't get the engine going."

The mechanic got into the car, turned the key, and demonstrated it for her himself. "No problem. It starts."

The engine roared to life at once.

Ivy said, "...Maybe it fixed itself after sitting overnight. Please wait a moment, sir. I'll call our boss first."

The mechanic gave her an OK sign.

Ivy walked to the other side, made the call, and explained what had happened.

Owen's voice sounded perfectly normal on the other end. "Mm. Since there's no problem, just drive it back."

"Okay." Ivy hung up thoughtfully.

Miko had studied her field well. After Ivy questioned her for a while, she quickly secured an internship.

To thank Xin Chun, Miko said she wanted to treat him to a meal.

Xin Chun said, "There's no need to treat me. I didn't really do anything. Besides, it just rained, and I want to go into the forest to pick mushrooms."

Miko's eyes lit up. "Senior, let's go together. I'll help you pick them, and that can count as repaying you for your help."

Picking mushrooms sounded fun, and the mushrooms in Jingu Town were delicious too.

Xin Chun had no objections.

They did not avoid the others while talking. Li Ze was both envious and curious; he had never seen mushrooms growing from the soil before, much less picked them himself.

Xin Chun asked, "Do you want to come too? The forest is beautiful after the rain."

"Sure, sure." Li Ze nodded happily.

Ivy asked, "Mind if I join?"

Owen looked over.

In the end, the outing turned into a company team-building event.

Chapter 5

The forest after the rain was beautiful, with lush green branches and leaves and fresh air. But the soil was slick, and it was easy to fall if one was not careful.

Miko nearly slipped. Owen happened to be beside her and held out his arm for her to brace herself against, allowing her to steady herself.

Afterward, Miko thanked him, and Owen said there was no need to be so polite. His words and actions were filled with the manners of a Y Country gentleman.

Miko had learned from Ivy that they had only come to Jingu Town to cultivate special medicinal herbs and establish a company branch. As the

CEO

, Owen would not remain here forever, nor would Ivy and Li Ze.

Once the herbs had been successfully cultivated, another person would be appointed to take charge.

If Miko performed well during that time, she could choose to develop her career elsewhere.

While she was thinking, Miko slipped again. This time, Xin Chun caught her and said, "You can hold onto my arm. Step where there's grass, and be careful."

"Thank you, Senior," Miko said gratefully.

Xin Chun led the way, and the two of them walked side by side at the front.

Li Ze glanced at them a couple of times from behind and quietly muttered to Ivy, "Sis, I think Mr. Xin and Miko get along pretty well. Do you think they could work out?"

At that, Ivy discreetly glanced at Owen before quickly looking away. "Unlikely."

Li Ze could not help feeling puzzled. "Why unlikely?"

"Woman's intuition."

Xin Chun called from ahead at that moment, "We're here."

Owen, Ivy, and the others stopped.

Xin Chun turned back and pointed at the area. "All the mushrooms here can be picked. If you don't recognize one, come ask me."

Ivy and the others spread out. Xin Chun also found a spot and crouched down, loosening the soil around him before starting to dig up mushrooms. Still, he remembered to lift his head and look around. Owen was not far from him.

In his previous life, he had gone to Y Country with Owen and learned that Owen came from an extraordinary family. He was an aristocrat. His family had horse ranches and golf courses, and they could even hunt legally. Behind the manor was a stretch of forest.

Given Y Country's climate, there was certainly no shortage of mushrooms there.

Moreover, Owen was highly knowledgeable, and mushroom soup was one of the foods he loved.

But looking now, Owen's basket was full of inedible mushrooms...

Tsk. This man was playing tricks on him.

Xin Chun pursed his lips and secretly chuckled. He stood and went to Owen's side. "What kind of mushrooms have you picked?"

Owen handed him the basket to look at.

Xin Chun pointed them out. "This one and this one can't be eaten. You picked the wrong ones."

Owen began asking questions, and the two naturally started chatting. The atmosphere between them was especially harmonious.

At least, that was how it appeared to Miko, who casually remarked, "The boss and Senior have such a good relationship."

It was as though no one else could wedge their way into the atmosphere between them. They occasionally smiled at each other, and their movements were in perfect sync.

Ivy's suspicions became a little more certain. She asked Miko, "What do you think of Mr. Xin? After that blind date, did you want to continue seeing him?"

Miko's face reddened slightly. She was shy about the question.

She replied, "Senior is very nice, but when we first met, he told me he currently had no plans to date. Actually, neither do I. I mainly want to focus on work first."