Chà Chà Novel

Only after entering his office the next morning and locking the door did Lin Huaiqing dare reconnect his phone to the internet.

Several messages Shen Jingyi had sent the night before immediately appeared.

Had she grown anxious waiting so long for his reply? He hurried to type.

「Jingyi, Qin Fan was right beside me last night, so I didn’t dare reply. Are you staying somewhere safe? I heard Qin Feng hired private investigators to search the whole city for you.」

A reply arrived shortly after he sent it.

「Don’t worry, Brother Huaiqing. I’m staying with my best friend. Qin Feng probably won’t find me anytime soon. I wanted to ask you for a favor.」

「Tell me.」

「I heard your family bought a private jet a few years ago. Could you use it to send me abroad?」

Had Shen Jingyi not mentioned it, Lin Huaiqing would never have known that his family owned a private jet registered in his grandfather’s name.

A few years earlier, when the family business was thriving, Lin Zhen had given the aircraft to Old Master Lin as a birthday present.

Back when his health was still good, the old man had loved traveling around the world. Buying a private jet had seemed like a way to make those trips more convenient.

Only afterward had they discovered that flight-route approval was required before each departure, and the application could take ten days or a fortnight to process.

At that rate, taking a commercial flight was quicker.

As his grandfather’s health declined, the private jet had gradually been forgotten.

Maintenance alone cost over a million a year. It really was a money pit.

「How did you know my family had one? Even I didn’t know!」

「I think I read about it in a newspaper when I was still at school. It happened to stick in my mind.」

「Brother Huaiqing, please help me leave this place.」

Even reading those words made Lin Huaiqing’s heart ache. Qin Feng truly had no heart, driving the heroine to this point.

「All right! I’ll help you! But we need flight-route approval and a professional pilot. Give me another fortnight. I promise I’ll get you wherever you want to go.」

「Thank you, Brother Huaiqing. If I didn’t still have you, I honestly wouldn’t know what to do.」

Lin Huaiqing locked his phone and called a secretary he had found reasonably reliable into his office.

“Xiao Wu, how long have you been with the company?”

“F-four years.”

“Then you’re one of our long-serving employees. I have a personal matter I’d like your help with, but it must remain confidential from beginning to end. Once it’s done, I’ll double your salary.”

At the words “double your salary,” the employee’s eyes lit up.

“Young Mr. Lin, whatever you need, just leave it to me! I promise I’ll handle it properly! But…”

Lin Huaiqing immediately understood his concern.

“Relax. It’s all legal and aboveboard. Go sign a confidentiality agreement in a moment. The company will give you a month off. Just focus on taking care of this one matter.”

With the arrangements for the private jet underway, Lin Huaiqing’s mood improved considerably.

The past few days had been stifling, and he had not had any chance to unwind. Tomorrow was Saturday, so he decided to invite Yu Wenle to a hot spring that evening.

He had not seen his friend since the incident at the bar. He wondered how things were going between him and Dr. Gu.

To his surprise, Yu Wenle replied instantly.

「OK! Send me the location later.」

Apparently, the guy really did have far too much free time.

When work ended, Qin Fan once again came to pick him up himself. A Rolls-Royce parked outside their company was bound to attract attention.

It was rush hour, and employees were gathered around the entrance. Everyone passing by stole another look.

The moment Lin Huaiqing stepped outside, he spotted Qin Fan’s customized Rolls-Royce.

Did he have to make such a spectacle every time he picked him up?

Lin Huaiqing awkwardly rubbed the bridge of his nose. He really did not want to get into Qin Fan’s car in front of so many people.

Instead, he lowered his head and tried to slip around behind it.

But he had only taken a few steps when the man inside spotted him and started honking.

That only drew more attention.

Seeing that Lin Huaiqing still refused to approach and was even trying to slip away through the crowd, Qin Fan simply lowered the driver’s window and called:

“Huaiqing! Over here!”

“…”

There was truly no escaping now.

Under the employees’ surprised and envious gazes, Lin Huaiqing reluctantly climbed into the passenger seat.

“Could you be a little less conspicuous next time? Why not park right inside my office while you’re at it?”

He began complaining the moment he got in.

“I just wanted to save you the walk.”

“It doesn’t look good.”

Qin Fan pouted and said nothing more.

“Oh, don’t go home yet. Take me to the Wanhao Jinsha Hot Spring Hotel. I arranged to meet Yu Wenle for a soak.”

Without a word, Qin Fan switched on the music, pressed the accelerator, and drove out of the bustling city center.

After dropping him off, he showed no intention of leaving. Instead, he sat down beside Lin Huaiqing as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

“I can wait on my own. Yu Wenle will be here soon.”

“Lin Huaiqing, have you forgotten that you’re the lover I’m paying for? Since when did you get to tell me what to do?”

Perhaps Qin Fan was usually so easygoing with him that Lin Huaiqing had begun to forget the nature of their arrangement. Secure in Qin Fan’s affection, he had grown increasingly bold.

One sentence was enough to leave him speechless.

There was nothing wrong with having Qin Fan join them, really.

He simply had not told Yu Wenle that Qin Fan would be coming too.

After all, bathing together was fairly private. He could only hope his friend would not mind.

“Huaiqing, sorry I’m late!”

A tall man was following Yu Wenle. Only when they came closer did Lin Huaiqing recognize Gu Chengyun.

After the way things had blown up last time, he had thought those two were beyond reconciliation. Apparently not…

“Dr. Gu?”

Qin Fan looked surprised too. He had not expected to meet his family’s private physician here.

“Young Master Qin. What a coincidence.”

Lin Huaiqing and Yu Wenle exchanged a smile, each seemingly recognizing the questions in the other’s eyes.

The room they had booked contained a secluded private hot spring pool, large enough for ten people to bathe together.

Lin Huaiqing no longer felt particularly self-conscious. He stripped off his clothes, wrapped a towel around his waist, and stepped into the water.

Yu Wenle followed right behind.

The two moved to a corner of the pool, away from Qin Fan and Gu Chengyun, to exchange a few private words between friends.

“Wenle, didn’t you tell me you and Dr. Gu had broken up? How come you’re…”

“Ah, it’s a long story. Looks like we won’t be breaking up anytime soon.”

Yu Wenle let out a long breath, leaned against the edge, and comfortably closed his eyes.

Only half understanding, Lin Huaiqing relaxed as well.

“But what about you? Since when have you been so close to the Qin family’s second son? You’re even coming to the hot springs together. Back at school, weren’t he and his brother the two people you hated most?”