After Ji Zhenting left, Ji Yanzhi returned to the President's Office and stayed there alone until late into the night.
When he went to the Laboratory in the early hours, Ji Ting was still working, just as he had expected.
Ji Yanzhi merely watched him through the glass. He neither went inside nor called out to him, and after standing there for a few minutes, he left alone.
It was only as dawn began to break that Ji Ting returned to his office, rubbing the back of his neck. As soon as he pushed open the door, he saw Ji Yanzhi lying on the mattress.
He watched him for a moment and was about to go wash up when Ji Yanzhi slowly opened his dark eyes. "Ji Ear, come here."
Ji Ting walked over and crouched down. "Did I wake you?"
"No. I wasn't asleep."
Ji Yanzhi reached out from under the covers and took his hand, his thumb gently stroking the back of it. "Ji Ear, do you think it's better to swallow your anger for a while and devise a foolproof plan, or to stake everything when you can't take it anymore?"
Ji Ting lowered his gaze to their hands, then looked up. "Whatever you choose is best."
Ji Yanzhi gave a languid laugh, then sighed. "Sometimes I honestly can't tell whether you're pursuing me or I'm pursuing you."
Ji Ting's brow shifted slightly. "Why would you be confused about that?"
"Because you always affirm everything I do and give me an unlimited sense of security. That's hard to build even in many relationships where two people love each other. Ji Ear, do you know how rare that is?"
Ji Ting clearly did not. He only said, "Even without me, you'd still become the owner of Shili someday."