Recently, Ruan Cunyun didn't dare to look Qin Fanglu in the eye, for fear that his eyes would reveal his shameless thoughts, so he could only look at him secretly.
While Qin Fanglu was concentrating on his work or talking to others, Ruan Cunyun would quickly glance at him, and then again, and gradually collected a lot of information.
For example, when Qin Fanglu took off his glasses with one hand, the bend of his fingers looked very beautiful; when he was working seriously on the computer, the corners of his lips were relaxed, not as sharp as usual; his eyelashes were actually very thick, and when he lowered his eyes, they would cast a small shadow, adding a bit of softness to his handsomeness.
When I get home at night, recalling my boss’s handsome face has become a way to replenish my energy.
Ruan Cunyun skillfully prepared some home-cooked dishes for himself and ate them while sitting cross-legged on the lazy sofa.
There was a laptop on the low coffee table, and on the screen were photos of Hanfu taken in Maple Valley. My sister had edited them in the later stage, and they had to discuss them one by one, and then discuss issues such as typesetting and video editing.
The four of them were talking on the phone in the group, chatting about the issues of color tone and brightness. Xu Feifei was threatening so much that Ruan Cunyun's ears hurt.
Suddenly, a second WeChat call came in. Ruan Cunyun was stunned and said to everyone: "My mother called me on video."
Bai Qiangwei and Xu Feifei were still arguing over a small detail. Qi Chang's steady voice pierced through the smoke and said to Ruan Cunyun, "Go answer the phone at home first. They won't be able to stop arguing for a while."
Ruan Cunyun said "OK", hung up the group chat, looked at his mother's WeChat avatar for a few seconds, and then pressed the answer button.
A woman appeared on the screen, with soft, wavy hair and well-maintained skin. Ruan's mother sat in a rattan chair in the yard of her home, with mature grape vines behind her.
"Work is fine, let's wait for the holiday." Ruan Cunyun lowered his eyes.
Mother Ruan smoothed her hair and said, "Xiaoyun, are you busy at work? When will you be home? The grapes at home are ripe."
Father Ruan could guess from Ruan Cunyun's expression: "You didn't dare to tell your colleagues about your hobby because you were afraid they wouldn't accept you. Then why do you think we parents should accept it?"
Ruan Cunyun asked: "What are you going to do?"
"You are almost 22 years old. Don't be a child who makes trouble. You should think about your future," said Ruan's father.
"… Why don't you grow up, kid?" asked Ruan's mother, not caring about her beautiful hair being messed up by the wind.
Sister Rain smiled and said, "The specific content will be sent to your email. For new colleagues, this is mainly an event to broaden their horizons and to communicate with other excellent companies and teams. Experienced old employees will have intensive business cooperation negotiations at the exhibition, which is an opportunity to expand their visibility."
His father owed him an apology for six years.
-
Zhu Fang will participate in a global artificial intelligence brand exhibition in the near future. This year the event will be hosted in China, and Zhu Fang has been invited to attend.
Ruan Cunyun raised the bowl to show his mother: "I'm eating now."
Father Ruan said angrily: "You kid, figure out who needs to apologize to whom!"
Father Ruan's masseter muscles moved, and Mother Ruan seemed to pull his sleeve from the side, but he blocked it.
"Mom and Dad, I'm still watching anime, collecting action figures, and cospying, and I'm dressing up as a girl." Ruan Cunyun looked directly at the camera and saw his parents' expressions change little by little.
Ruan's mother said in a negotiating tone: "Go back to Hai City and stay for a few more days. There are several girls who want to meet you. They are all excellent girls. Go and talk to them. What if you meet one you like?"
"You are ruining your own future." Father Ruan said sternly, "Do your colleagues know what your so-called interests are? On the surface, they smile at you, but behind your back they discuss you, saying that the new kid is childish and unreliable - and what does it look like for a man to wear women's clothes? Do you know how they look at you!"
Ruan Cunyun said word by word: "I am thinking about my future every moment."
Ruan's mother hurriedly called him: "Xiao Yun, when will you come home? Can we have a good talk?"
The conversation in the group of four was still going on. Ruan Cunyun did not go back immediately. He stared at the photo of Hanfu for a while, then got up, put the bowls in the kitchen, and turned on the faucet to wash the dishes.
Ruan Cunyun raised his mouth sarcastically: "What are you talking about?"
Before Ruan's mother could continue speaking, the screen shook and turned to a different angle, revealing Ruan's father.
Ruan Cunyun glanced at the photo of himself on the computer screen wearing female Hanfu, with light red makeup and swaying necklaces. Then he looked around the small room filled with comics and smiled sincerely.
"this
It's just a normal hobby, and you should update your ideas. Many people like these now. I won't give up my hobbies just because I have a job. If nothing goes wrong, I will go to comic conventions when I'm 50."
"Want me to recall it for you?" Father Ruan frowned. "Comic books, cartoons, messy plastic figurines, weird clothes, and skirts."
This was a stab in the heart. Ruan Cunyun was afraid to reveal the truth in front of his colleagues because of this. How would his colleagues and leaders see him
Without waiting for another second, Ruan Cunyun hung up the phone.
"I've grown up." Ruan Cunyun took a deep breath, his voice trembling unnoticeably. "In high school, I was ignorant and used your money to buy idle books. Now I make my own money, I have the right to control my own property, and I have the ability to choose my own interests."
The speed of the sponge scrubbing the bowl wall gradually slowed down. Ruan Cunyun supported himself on the table, with his head lowered, and the empty bowl swirled in the water.
The bowl contained a combination of meat and vegetables, and was colorful. Mother Ruan nodded approvingly, "Not bad."
"I'm your father and I can't control you?!"
Ruan's mother quickly interrupted: "Why are you talking about this? Xiaoyun has been working for several months. He is an adult now. How could he still play these games? Don't ask me anymore."
"Hey... You eat alone all day, do you have a girlfriend? A girl you like?"
"I didn't ask you to accept it!" Ruan Cunyun's voice cracked. "It's my money, my life, just don't worry about it."
"Why is your face so thin? What do you eat every day?"
Ruan Cunyun looked up at the screen and said clearly, "My dad needs to apologize to me first, then I'll go home."
Ruan Cunyun felt tired from the bottom of his heart. There was no point in continuing this conversation: "I'm hanging up first."
Ruan Cunyun frowned, knowing that this was going to return to the eternal topic, and said stiffly: "No, I don't have such plans."
The man asked solemnly, "Ruan Cunyun, are you still playing with those things?"
The man sat next to Ruan's mother, wearing loose home clothes, which could not hide the businessman's temperament accumulated over decades.
"No." Ruan Cunyun said coldly and firmly, "Don't go on a blind date for me."
Ruan Cunyun shouted, "Mom."
Sister Rain held up the business trip list and said to Ruan Cunyun, "The company discussed it and selected two colleagues to participate in the 'Rising Star Cultivation' program, one from the technology department and one from the marketing department. You are one of them. Do you have any suggestions for this arrangement? It's okay if you don't want to go."
She pointed at the meeting schedule and said, "Boss Qin will be there too. He will be giving a speech on the opening day. You can look forward to it."
Looking at the rich exhibition arrangements, Ruan Cunyun nodded: "Okay, I really want to go. Thank you Sister Rain."
"It's okay." Sister Rain clicked the mouse and forwarded the relevant email to Ruan Cunyun. "This is your first business trip. You can look up the arrangements for reimbursement and accommodation. If you don't understand, you are welcome to ask me."
This was the first time Ruan Cunyun received a business trip assignment, and he was secretly excited.
He looked at the business trip schedule carefully, and his eyes slowly fixed.
The exhibition was held in Hai City, the city where his family lived.
The fire in his chest was extinguished into a cold river. Ruan Cunyun frowned slightly, pursed his lips and did not blink, and it took him a long time to turn to the next page.
Haishi is so big, he definitely won’t be able to meet his parents.
The company booked business class for everyone. Zhu Han and the new colleague from the marketing department sat in one row, two female colleagues from the technology department sat in another row, and Ruan Cunyun and Qin Fanglu sat together.
Zhu Han turned on a movie in front of him and started to enjoy it with his headphones on. Qin Fanglu beside him put his glasses on his nose.
On the beam, he lowered his head and read the report.
Ruan Cunyun didn't want to move at all. He felt uncomfortable all over. He just turned his head and looked at the large white clouds outside the window.
Ruan Cunyun thought, although his name contains the word "cloud", it would be great if he could be as free as a cloud.
His father was the owner of a furniture company. The business had a difficult first few years, but it grew bigger and bigger and he even took the company public. He was definitely a successful man in the traditional sense.
My mother is a partner in a law firm. She is gentle and calm in daily life, but her work style is quite ruthless and she is quite famous in the industry.
Strictly speaking, Ruan Cunyun can be considered a second-generation rich. Both his parents are rich, and he has never had to worry about food and clothing since he was a child.
Successful parents always think that they can also be successful in raising their children.
In their expectations, Ruan Cunyun should become a business genius who is able to strategize, act flexibly, and be unfathomable, and who will be able to manage the family business in the future.
But Ruan Cunyun was introverted by nature, and since childhood he was forced by his father to give toasts at banquets and perform at family banquets during the Chinese New Year. Ruan Cunyun suffered every time.
He was forced to develop a set of special skills so that he could appear generous in front of strangers. It was like a hard shell, but the clam meat inside just wanted to escape far away.
Ruan Cunyun started to be exposed to animation in elementary school and has been obsessed with it ever since.
It's a perfect world out there, with no toasts, no talent shows.
Virtual characters fight passionately and happily in various fantasy worlds. Ruan Cunyun often thinks that they should be real, and it would be great if he could go to that world to have a look.
In a home where only pianos, violins, textbooks and research reports are allowed, Ruan Cunyun can only hide the comics and figures he bought with his saved money deep in his bookcase.
Until high school, Ruan Cunyun only dared to like her secretly.
Xu Feifei is Ruan Cunyun's high school classmate. The two met in the anime club.
One Saturday during my freshman year in high school, the anime club organized an event. The seniors and juniors from the 2D community took them to a comic convention. The seniors and juniors brought very beautiful cospy clothes.
Xu Feifei had never played with this before, and she was so greedy that she shamelessly asked for a chance to try it on.
"Do you want to try the skirt and twin tails too?" the senior asked him.
Xu Feifei stiffened her neck and said, "I can do it!"
The senior student took one look and said with a smile, "Xu Feifei, it's a bit of a waste for you to wear this. I think this suit is more suitable for Ruan Cunyun!"
At that time, there were already quite a few "cross-dressing guys" at the comic conventions, and it was not uncommon to see young ladies in puffy skirts going straight to the men's restroom.
Ruan Cunyun was a little curious and a little scared, but finally tried a set under the urging of everyone. Fluffy twin ponytails, sailor suit, and black socks.
Everyone was surprised when she put on the costume. Although she only wore light makeup, she looked very good. The senior student immediately said, "You wear it, I won't wear it." Ruan Cunyun refused.
The final solution was for Ruan Cunyun to take a photo at the entrance of the comic exhibition wearing the clothes, and then return the clothes to the senior. Just before the photo was taken, the senior who was in charge of bringing the camera slapped his head and said that he forgot to bring the camera!
He apologized repeatedly and almost knelt down in front of everyone.
This was not a big deal. Ruan Cunyun's home was nearby and he happened to have a camera at home, so Ruan Cunyun said he could go back home to get it.
The group took a taxi and went to Ruan Cunyun's house.
Ruan Cunyun remembered that his parents were out today and the nanny was on break, so the house should be empty. She was too lazy to remove her makeup and change clothes, and she walked into the yard with her hair in two ponytails and a little skirt.
He suddenly rushed into the front yard and found his father sitting by the woods drinking tea with another man in a cloth shirt.
The footsteps could not be retracted, and the two adults looked over at the same time, with different expressions.
The man smiled playfully and asked Mr. Ruan: "Is this your daughter? I remember that Mr. Ruan has no daughter."
Father Ruan poorly hid his shock and said with a bad look, "It's my son."
The man shook his head: "Mr. Ruan is good at business, but he is not so good at educating his son. As the saying goes, if you can't clean up your own house, how can you clean up the world? Your son is almost turning into a demon.
Strange, are those people in your company going to cause a big fuss?"
The man was a big client that Ruan's father wanted to win over very much. He had no interest in cooperation from the beginning, but Ruan's father would not give up until the last moment.
Originally, I invited him to my home in the hope of making a final effort to have a talk, but Ruan Cunyun showed up in strange clothes, which put an end to this cooperation.
Although even if Ruan Cunyun did not show up, this business would most likely not succeed.
That night, Ruan's father was furious. He took out all the comic books and figures from the bottom of Ruan Cunyun's bookcase and asked him with red eyes, "What are these? What are you wearing today?"
No matter how harsh and merciless the words were, Ruan Cunyun argued passionately at the beginning, but in the end he was left with only despair.
Ever since his father picked up a Gundam model and smashed it to pieces on the ground, Ruan Cunyun thought that he had to grow up quickly and leave this home.
This Gundam was Ruan Cunyun's first work after spending many days and nights thinking about it. It was not exquisite, but it was of great significance. In a flash, it was destroyed by his father like garbage, which was no less than stepping on Ruan Cunyun's heart.
"I gave you money, I raised you up, I let you learn piano and social skills, not to make you lose your ambition and become androgynous! Tell me, what's the fun of these plastic things? They will only make others despise you!"
When talking about "neither male nor female", the expression of disgust on Ruan's father's face was like a knife stabbing into Ruan Cunyun's heart, leaving a scar that would never heal in his lifetime.
Ruan Cunyun shouted, "You never ask me what I like! Why should I live my life according to your requirements?"
"Just because you're my f**king son!"
Ruan Cunyun did not show any weakness: "First of all, I am a person with independent consciousness. You can't control my life just because of that blood relationship!"
They quarreled one sentence after another, their anger piled up and they became hysterical.
Treasured comic sets, collected action figures, and Gundam fragments were all smashed to the ground.
The tornado passed through and the room was as quiet as death.
Ruan Cunyun stood in the middle of the ruins with his head down for a long time without shedding a tear.
Since then, family relations have been strained, with quarrels happening from time to time, and each one ending in a miserable way.
Ruan Cunyun was waiting for an apology from his father, but his father never opened his mouth.
He simply stopped waiting.
Now he has money, a job and his own house, and that apology that was too long overdue is meaningless to him.
Due to his personality, Ruan Cunyun was used to swallowing his anger, and he didn't even tell Xu Feifei about these things.
Xu Feifei's family is open-minded. On his birthday, his mother even gives him anime peripherals. This is a life that Ruan Cunyun could not even imagine.
Every family is different, and Xu Feifei may not understand Ruan Cunyun's predicament, so even if she tells him, there will be no solution, and it will only add to her friend's troubles.
Therefore, he subconsciously hid the traces of these interests at work, for he was afraid that another person who did not understand the second dimension would come and step on his heart and trample on this world.
There is no need for everyone to agree.
“… Cunyun, Ruan Cunyun.”
A voice sounded.
"Hmm?" Ruan Cunyun sat up straight. Qin Fanglu looked at him through the lenses. The stewardess smiled.
"What would you like to drink?" Qin Fanglu asked on behalf of the flight attendant.
"I, I'm fine with anything..." Ruan Cunyun randomly ordered one, "Orange juice."
The orange juice was brought over, but Ruan Cunyun only took a sip as he really had no appetite.
The sour juice slid into the esophagus, and Ruan Cunyun saw Qin Fanglu still reading the documents attentively, and couldn't help but think.
What would his current boss think if he knew that he was a man who liked to wear girls' clothes
Would Qin Fanglu look down on him, despise him, and say that he was "neither male nor female" and a "monster" as his father said
Just imagining the expression of disgust that might appear on Qin Fanglu's face, Ruan Cunyun's heart ached as if it was being cut by a knife.
It was even more painful than being scolded by my father.
Ruan Cunyun endured the bitterness and drank half a cup
Orange juice. I can’t figure out why this is happening. My head hurts.
"If you don't want to drink, don't force yourself." Qin Fanglu looked over with a gentle gaze.
Ruan Cunyun himself might not have realized how tightly his brows were furrowed.
Qin Fanglu picked up a glass of milk from his desk and handed it to him: "Drink this, it's new, I haven't touched it yet."
Ruan Cunyun took it slowly, and his fingers touched the back of Qin Fanglu's hand.
"Thank you, Mr. Qin."
Qin Fanglu looked at him quietly for a while, then asked without any context, "Have your hands always been this cold?"
Last time on the cable car in Maple Valley, Ruan Cunyun’s legs were also cold.
"No, maybe..." Ruan Cunyun felt the chill belatedly, "The air conditioner is too cold."
The flight attendant came over and bent over to hand Qin Fanglu something: "Mr. Qin, this is the blanket you requested."
Qin Fanglu shook out the blanket and covered Ruan Cunyun, who had not yet come to his senses, from chin to ankles, tightly.
"It should be fine now."
Ruan Cunyun sat in his chair, a little dazed, and couldn't even utter a word of thanks. Qin Fanglu moved too quickly.
This round of confusion was not over yet, Qin Fanglu took out a blindfold from his bag and stuffed it into Ruan Cunyun's hand.
Ruan Cunyun picked it up and saw that the plush eye mask was actually in the shape of a cat, with two small pointed ears on it.
Mr. Qin's things are so cute... Ruan Cunyun couldn't help but curl his lips and asked, "Mr. Qin, do you like cats? I remember your WeChat avatar is three cats."
"I raised those three," said Qin Fanglu.
Ruan Cunyun couldn't help but exclaim "Wow", what a wealthy family!
"They are all so cute." Ruan Cunyun said in a low voice.
"They are all good-for-nothings." Qin Fanglu said, "I'll take you to meet them when I have the chance."
Ruan Cunyun opened his eyes slightly and didn't think too much: "Really?"
Qin Fanglu said, "They will like you very much."
"Put on the eye mask and take a rest." Qin Fanglu gently changed the subject and skipped the previous sentence.
Ruan Cunyun obediently put on the eye mask. His eye sockets felt furry and his whole body was wrapped in a blanket, warming him from head to toe.
This time he clearly felt a large hand landing on the top of his head and rubbing it gently.
The warmth of the man's palm made Ruan Cunyun's scalp numb.
“No matter how big the problem is, it can always be solved. If you get stuck, just let it go for now and don’t rush.”
Qin Fanglu said slowly.
The hand pressing on the top of the head was withdrawn, and the man's voice seemed to have a soothing magic.
"Have a good sleep. I'll call you when the plane arrives."
Ruan Cunyun was glad that he was wearing an eye mask because his eyes were feeling sore and hot.
After so many quarrels and seeing so much hard work turned into a mess, Ruan Cunyun didn't shed a single tear.
But now, because of Qin Fanglu's simple words, he wanted to burst into tears.
The moment before falling asleep, Ruan Cunyun thought that even if Qin Fanglu knew about his hobbies that were not accepted by most people, he would not say such vicious and hurtful words.
Because Qin Fanglu always has the power to see through him and tolerate him.
(End of this chapter)