In the end, Yan Jinyue finished the porridge himself. Even he found it amazing. He had eaten food from Xue's plenty of times, but this time was especially different.
What made this time different was Ji Hanxing.
Yan Jinyue's gaze settled on Ji Hanxing. Ji Hanxing was still looking out the window with his head tilted. Sunlight spilled through the window, as though embroidering a golden border around him, making him glow.
Yan Jinyue's eyes darkened. An impulse suddenly rose in him to find out what Ji Hanxing was thinking at that moment.
He couldn't help acting on it. Yan Jinyue reached out and gently rested his hand on Ji Hanxing's shoulder. The instant he touched him, he heard:
[Ji Hanxing! You're actually lusting after his body! You shameless bastard!]
[Is Yan Jinyue someone you can fantasize about? You've lost your mind.]
It was so much to take in that even Yan Jinyue froze. Ji Hanxing suddenly felt the touch on his shoulder and turned his head, only to see Yan Jinyue standing beside him.
Then he saw Yan Jinyue's hand on his shoulder, which startled Ji Hanxing even more. He shrugged, shaking off Yan Jinyue's hand.
[Why does he always have to get so handsy?]
His irritated internal complaint reached Yan Jinyue's ears.
"President Yan, standing beside me without making a sound like that is really frightening."
Ji Hanxing patted his chest as though still shaken. Yan Jinyue immediately withdrew his hand, slowly curling it into a fist. A flash of chagrin passed through his eyes. What he had just done had been far too presumptuous.
"I'm sorry I scared you just now."
Yan Jinyue lowered his eyes. "I just noticed something stuck to your shoulder."
Ji Hanxing looked suspicious. Hadn't Yan Jinyue said the same thing last time? Could there really be such a coincidence?
But on closer inspection, Yan Jinyue seemed very sincere. The retort Ji Hanxing wanted to make stuck in his throat, and he couldn't get it out. In the end, he could only wave a hand. "It's fine."
With his eyes lowered, there was no telling what Yan Jinyue was thinking. He took a step back, putting some distance between himself and Ji Hanxing, and gently unclenched his fist.
He looked earnestly at Ji Hanxing. "I was presumptuous, after all. To express my apologies, the Yan Group is holding an auction dinner the day after tomorrow. Would you do us the honor of attending, President Ji, and joining us then?"
At the mention of an auction dinner, Ji Hanxing immediately felt a headache coming on. An auction? What did he know about any of that? He would probably just end up being a sucker handing over money.
Was Yan Jinyue trying to set him up?
Besides, all Ji Hanxing wanted now was to stay away from Yan Jinyue. He didn't want even the slightest connection to this villain.
Just as Ji Hanxing was about to refuse, Yan Jinyue continued, "This auction dinner is a charity event for the children in orphanages across the city. The proceeds from the auction will be tallied by the Tomorrow Charitable Foundation under our Yan Group, then donated collectively to the orphanages in City A."
"We'll also publish the donation account's transaction records on the Tomorrow Charitable Foundation's official website."
When Ji Hanxing heard that the donations were for children in orphanages, he swallowed the refusal he had been about to voice.
Even if he was going there to be a sucker, he was willing. That money was for the children in orphanages, and he now had the means to help them.
"All right. I'll be there on time."
Seeing Ji Hanxing agree, Yan Jinyue's lips curved slightly upward. Just as he had expected, Ji Hanxing had agreed.
Inviting Ji Hanxing to the charity auction dinner and mentioning the orphanages had both been deliberate on Yan Jinyue's part. He was testing Ji Hanxing.
Taking into account Ji Hanxing's previous strange work history and his admirable frugality, he had deliberately tested just how softhearted Ji Hanxing was.
Softer than he had imagined.
Yan Jinyue found Ji Hanxing increasingly contradictory. He knew Ji Hanxing had a good reputation in the business world. Young and highly capable, he was a rising star in business.
By that reckoning, Ji Hanxing was a competent businessman, and businessmen pursued profit. Most sought to maximize their gains.
Even though many businessmen took on some social responsibility while acquiring wealth, more did it for tax reductions and better corporate publicity, building their companies' reputations.
For instance, the Tomorrow Charitable Foundation under the Yan Group was the Yan Group's way of giving back to society.
Yan Jinyue prided himself on being able to see through most people in the business world, but he couldn't see through Ji Hanxing.
Whether it was Ji Hanxing's inner thoughts that contradicted his words, Yan Jinyue's own impressions when spending time with him, or Ji Hanxing's work experiences that didn't match his status, Yan Jinyue found all of it strange.
On the surface, he was like a cunning fox, but inside, he was like a rabbit with its fur bristling.
Yan Jinyue recalled the thought he had heard when he touched Ji Hanxing just now: Ji Hanxing was lusting after his body.
If that was the case, why was he so secretive about what had happened between them that night, and why did he avoid Yan Jinyue like the plague?
Still, there was no rush. Yan Jinyue felt they would have plenty of opportunities to spend time together in the future. He would figure it out.
Even if there were no opportunities, he could create them.
For now, he needed to thoroughly investigate who had gone behind his back and tampered with things that night at the Grand Prosperity Hotel.
As for Ji Hanxing... judging by Ji Hanxing's own thoughts and Yan Jinyue's intuition, Ji Hanxing probably knew nothing about this and might even have been an innocent bystander caught in the fallout.
"Knock, knock, knock."
There was another knock at the door. Xue Hui had returned.
When Xue Hui came back, he saw one man sitting upright on the bed, scrolling through his phone, while the other sat in the chair beside him, reading a book. They looked quite harmonious.
"President Ji, the discharge paperwork is all done."
Ji Hanxing nodded, his eyes still on his phone. There were many missed calls on it.
"Deputy General Manager Wang has finished his business trip and returned to City A?"
Xue Hui glanced at Yan Jinyue beside them and nodded, his eyes narrowing with his smile. "Yes. You've already taken direct action against Minister Huang. I imagine Deputy General Manager Wang couldn't sit still after that."
Ji Hanxing threw back the covers and walked toward the bathroom with the change of clothes Xue Hui had brought, tossing out a remark as he went. "This is only the beginning."
While Ji Hanxing changed in the bathroom, Yan Jinyue continued idly flipping through the magazine in his hands.
"Was it because of this Deputy General Manager Wang that he worked himself into the hospital?"
Xue Hui froze, then realized Yan Jinyue was speaking to him and hurriedly nodded. "Yes."
Yan Jinyue tossed the magazine onto the small table beside him and glanced toward the bathroom.
"Does he often work through the night?"
Xue Hui nodded. Of course he did. As far as Xue Hui was concerned, their President Ji was a model worker.
"Working overtime all night is normal for our President Ji. He often forgets to eat, too, and has serious stomach problems. Ah..." Xue Hui watched Yan Jinyue's expression as he spoke. "Please try to talk some sense into President Ji, President Yan."
Had Ji Hanxing been there, he would certainly have delivered a triple denial: No, he wasn't, he hadn't!
However, Ji Hanxing was still busy in the bathroom and knew nothing of Xue Hui and Yan Jinyue's conversation.
Yan Jinyue lightly tapped his forehead. "Contact me the next time he does this. You have Fu Fangxi's contact information, don't you?"
Xue Hui grinned. "I do."
The moment Ji Hanxing opened the door, he saw this scene and raised his eyebrows. "What are you talking about with my assistant, President Yan? You look so happy."
Yan Jinyue turned to look at him. "I was saying you have a good assistant."
Ji Hanxing lifted his chin slightly. Of course. Assistant Xue was an ace special assistant.