Chapter 85: Four Days Without Seeing

On the other side, C Shi.

Jiang Consortium.

Jiang Liangjin hadn't seen Mu Youyu in person for four days.

He leaned in the recliner of the top-floor CEO's office.

The wide seat made the boy's slightly slender frame look even more upright, yet it also revealed a hint of loneliness incongruous with his age.

His fingertips idly tapped the edge of his phone.

His pale knuckles rose and fell slightly with the motion, as if silently tracing a contour hidden in his heart.

The phone screen showed the album interface, almost all of it about Mu Youyu.

Jiang Liangjin's fingertip hovered over the album icon for a moment, then he simply turned off the screen.

"Just four days..." he murmured softly, his voice light as a sigh.

The Special Assistant's knock broke the silence; Jiang Liangjin withdrew his gaze, his tone returning to its usual aloofness: "Come in."

"Young Master."

The Special Assistant entered, still holding a document, and spoke more softly than usual: "The cooperation plan with the Gu clan needs your review; the other party's person in charge is already in the meeting room, and by convention you need to go over to liaise."

Jiang Liangjin gave a faint "uh," his voice flat; he finally moved his fingertip away from the screen and slipped his phone into his suit pocket.

He was familiar with the Gu family's female CEO, who was none other than Gu Xingnan's sister.

They had cooperated with the Jiang family for over ten years, handling matters efficiently.

Although Jiang Liangjin had only recently taken over the Jiang clan, he had occasionally overseen it since childhood.

Thus he also knew that the Gu clan's CEO always came in person to oversee Jiang family collaborations; this time, however, it was unusual for them to send only a representative.

He strode toward the meeting room with long legs, but his mind wandered uncontrollably.

Just as his thoughts latched onto that soft figure, the Special Assistant pushed open the meeting room door.

The next second, Jiang Liangjin's steps halted; the loneliness in his eyes was instantly replaced by a hint of surprise, and his brow involuntarily rose.

By the conference table sat not the decisive Gu clan CEO, but a boy in a black hoodie.

The boy sat upright against the chair back, his jawline cold and smooth, his eyes bearing a hint of aloofness that kept strangers at bay, his nose bridge high, lips lightly pressed—it was Gu Xingnan.

"Why are you here?"

Jiang Liangjin walked over and sat opposite him, fingertips casually resting on the table edge, his tone unusually carrying a ripple: "Didn't you say you were going abroad to play with A Ci for at least a week?"

Gu Xingnan lifted his gaze at him; the coldness he had shown toward others instantly vanished, his black eyes calm and waveless.

His voice softened considerably: "A Ci found that place boring, kicked up a fuss to come back, so he returned early."

His gaze swept over the lingering fatigue and barely concealed low spirits in Jiang Liangjin's eyes; he paused, then added: "He just came back yesterday."

Actually, when he learned a few days prior that Jiang Liangjin had taken over the Jiang clan, he had been quite surprised.

His sister Gu Xingluo knew he got along well with Jiang Liangjin, and also thought this cooperation was nothing new to them.

So she had him come over to handle the liaison.

... In short, it was just to have Jiang Liangjin sign a document and go through the motions.

Jiang Liangjin acknowledged with a sound, his fingertips beginning to tap the tabletop again, only this time the motion was slower, carrying a hint of absentminded laxity.

Just as the Special Assistant was about to hand over the cooperation documents, he raised his hand to stop him.

"Just leave the documents here." Jiang Liangjin leaned back against the chair, his gaze on Gu Xingnan, his tone languid: "Anyway, it's not our first collaboration; there's no rush."

Gu Xingnan glanced at him and happened to see the wallpaper that lit up on his phone screen.

He remained silent for a few seconds, then spoke: "Miss her?"

Jiang Liangjin's fingertip motion stalled; he lifted his eyes to look at him, the aloofness in his gaze fading a bit—unusually, he didn't deny it, merely letting out a soft "tsk."

His tone carried a hint of grievance: "Four days without seeing her."

No matter how formidable Young Master Jiang appears to others, he can't hide his emotions when faced with longing.

His hard contours softened somewhat, the lingering low pressure around him dissipating a little, leaving only an inescapable sense of emo and irritability.

Gu Xingnan looked at his state, a flicker of helplessness crossing his eyes; he didn't say much, just kindly asked: "Want me to keep you company going out?"

Anyway, there's nothing to do right now.

Jiang Liangjin, however, gave him a dismissive glance, his tone disdainful: "... Get lost."

Gu Xingnan: "..." Just a moment ago he wasn't in a hurry, and now he's telling him to get lost.

He waved his hand helplessly, not bothering to argue, simply sitting upright and pushing the contract toward him.

His tone softened again: "A Jin, quit throwing a tantrum; come sign the paper, then do whatever you want after."

Only then did Jiang Liangjin reluctantly lift his eyes and reach out to take the pen.

He bowed his head and signed his name swiftly; the strokes were sharp and flamboyant, yet betrayed a hint of careless haste.

He casually tossed the pen onto the table.

Gu Xingnan watched his distracted state and couldn't help but say: "If you miss her, just give her a video call."

Jiang Liangjin glanced at him, his tone muffled: "It's midnight over there now; don't disturb her sleep."

He had long calculated the time difference, staring at his phone screen each day to track Mu Youyu's time there.

In the morning he would silently send one line: 【Good morning】

At night he would wait for her daytime to pass, then send one line: 【Good night】

Jiang Liangjin only makes video calls to her when it's daytime where she is.

He never makes video calls when she might be resting, because her phone doesn't silence calls.

Otherwise, waking her up would be bad.

"A Jin is really thoughtful."

Gu Xingnan's words carried a hint of teasing, his tone slightly rising at the end, yet without any trace of mockery.

"Right."

Gu Xingnan seemed to suddenly recall something, speaking casually: "Next week our city has a recommendation qualification match for the National Physics Competition; you didn't already sign up for it?"

"Hmm, I haven't forgotten." Jiang Liangjin's motion paused at his words, he lifted his eyes to look at him, the gloom in his eyes fading a little: "Next Friday, at Shi Yi Zhong auditorium, it starts at nine in the morning."

The top three prizes of this Art Competition can directly secure recommendation spots at various top universities, and this happens every year.

It was something he had put in his schedule since May.

"You, a perfect-score all-rounder who only occasionally loses points in Chinese, entering this competition is basically a dimensional strike."

Gu Xingnan leaned back in his chair, took the contract, and said: "Come to think of it, you already have victory in the bag, yet you're preparing so seriously—what are you aiming for?"

In mid-May, he had already noticed Jiang Liangjin occasionally doing physics competition problems.

He had already formed a guess in his heart.

But he still wanted to ask.

Jiang Liangjin lowered his eyes: "I want to settle it sooner."

"To settle the future path, to settle the qualification to stand higher, to settle…… so that later, I can walk toward her without any hesitation."

Gu Xingnan folded the contract, lifted his eyes to look at him, and smiled: "All right, then let me congratulate A Jin in advance on obtaining the recommendation spot."

Jiang Liangjin made a "tsk" sound: "You're welcome."

Gu Xingnan was used to his way of speaking, waved his hand: "My sister originally wanted me to go make up the numbers to get a recommendation spot, but I have to accompany A Ci for the exam……"

The words trailed off.

"Do you need me and A Ci to accompany you?" Gu Xingnan raised an eyebrow: "Anyway, we're idle anyway."

After the two returned to the country, they hadn't really thought about going anywhere fun.

Jiang Liangjin glanced at him, his tone tinged with slight disdain, yet he didn't directly refuse: "No need, I can go myself."