Lin Yi stared at the man in front of her with a steady gaze. His expression was calm and composed. Regardless of the truth, at this point, it seemed that her proud appearance held no attraction to Lu Qin.
She picked up her bag and stood up, saying, “Sorry, I need to use the restroom.”
The sound of the wooden door sliding echoed. Pei Rong subconsciously pressed against the wall, as if the door was opening on his side.
His heart was beating fast, torn between past guilty actions and the current tempting thoughts.
He knew that “impotence” could be an excuse, but what if it wasn’t?
Reflecting on the past, apart from the irreconcilable differences in elite and ordinary ideologies, Lu Qin had been considerate enough. He never caused trouble for Zhou Hang later on, showing a broad-minded attitude.
Pei Rong believed he hadn’t wronged anyone, but if Lu Qin developed a physiological aversion to that act because he abandoned medical ethics during his most painful withdrawal period, then he had truly committed a significant wrongdoing.
Lu Qin, still inside, hadn’t left yet. Pei Rong doubted if standing by the wall would make his heartbeat resonate, making Lu Qin hear it clearly. He quickly took a few steps, used the boss’ authority to open the most luxurious private room door, closed it, and sat in the built-in bathroom to cool down.
The estate was an ancient-style building, and the private rooms were arranged in a “回” shape. Each room had folding screens internally and open windows externally, providing a view of distant mountains when all were open.
The cool breeze of early autumn was pleasant, gently brushing the sleeves.
The journey from the city center to this place took up Lu Qin’s overtime, and now, if he went back to work, it’s likely that the secretary has already left.
He picked up the menu again, checking if there were dishes that suited his taste.
Apart from the couple’s set meal, the majority of the options were for individual orders. The accompanying images all showcased generous portions, highly appealing and suitable for family gatherings or outings with friends.
Lu Qin was quite satisfied with the place and decided to rest here after dinner, planning to rush back to the company before dawn tomorrow.
Apart from necessary social obligations, Lu Qin rarely went to a place to eat alone. He lacked the time and willingness because the empty seat across from him constantly reminded him of the absence of someone. This forced him to confront the fact that he still had a vulnerable spot.
Especially when he found food he enjoyed. It was often something that person liked too. They could have shared a meal, but they never sat together.
Lu Qin instinctively felt Pei Rong was somewhere nearby in the country, perhaps not too far away.
Exactly five hundred years ago, from September 1519 to September 1522, humans completed the first-ever global voyage, taking a total of three years.
Lu Qin’s patience could last for a maximum of three years.
Pei Rong could travel by plane, train, or ship, given the availability of these advanced tools. Subtracting half a year was acceptable.
Therefore, there were two and a half years left of Lu Qin’s patience.
In the mysterious twists of fate, it was destined to be this September when the autumn wind would blow.
At the airport, when he heard the broadcast calling the name “Pei Rong,” he knew that this “journey” had come to an end.
Today was the seventeenth day of the lunar calendar, and a slightly crescent-shaped moon hung in the sky. Lu Qin stared at it intently, like a wolf king anticipating the next full moon. On that day, he would commence a siege that had been planned for two years.
After ordering his dishes, Lu Qin suddenly felt like having a drink to pass the time on this seemingly endless night without work.
He asked the waiter, “Do you have any special drinks to recommend?”
Lu Qin’s presence was quite commanding, causing the waitstaff to momentarily falter like a student caught off guard by a teacher. The estate didn’t specialize in wines; the alcohol they provided was just ordinary and didn’t have any unique characteristics.
For those with a silver tongue, they could confidently claim a unique feature by pairing a specific type of wine with a particular dish. However, the first instinct of this waiter was to seek help from the big boss.
Tonight’s customer was too important. Even if the waiter hadn’t seen much of the world, he knew that Lu Qin held a higher status than the previous Miss Lin.
Manager Zhao had instructed them that if they couldn’t decide, seek advice from Mr. Pei.
So, in the restroom, the composed Pei Rong received the inquiry from the employee.
“Something special?”
Pei Rong was about to suggest getting two bottles of beer to pass the time, but just as he mentioned the word “beer,” a sudden thought crossed his mind.
Oh, President Lu couldn’t really be impotent, right? Bringing up a sad matter and wanting to drown his sorrows in alcohol?
Offering him beer would be too disrespectful to Lu Qin.
“Go to cabinet 001 in the basement, take out two bottles of the wine I stored there, and say it’s estate-brewed wine.”
The year he held Pei Ge in his arms was filled with abundant sunshine. Nearby, a vineyard had a plentiful harvest with sweet and large grapes, and he enjoyed them every day.
Jiang Yan reminded him then. “Watch your blood sugar.”
Pei Rong: “The little guy loves to eat.”
Jiang Yan: “It won’t enter the mouth of my nephew.”
One day, he suddenly had the whimsical idea of making “Nu’er Hong” wine for Pei Dundun, thinking that this way, they could enjoy this year’s large grapes together. (T/N: It is often used to refer to a type of Chinese rice wine or a style of wine associated with a celebration.)
Pei Rong personally selected the highest quality grapes, learned how to brew, and made two crates of grape wine. After testing for food safety, he transported these two crates back.
After bringing it back, he decided to store it directly in the estate’s basement, avoiding keeping it at home. He feared that Pei Ge’s dog nose, with its sharp sense of smell, might discover and devour it sooner or later. That kid could find food wherever it was hidden and was curious to taste everything. Consequently, there’s nothing in the house marked as “for adults only, not for children” until now.
Pei Rong hadn’t actually tasted the wine, so he didn’t know its flavor.
There were only two boxes in total, the gifts he gave to Pei Ge. Considering the child, he wouldn’t dare to say they tasted bad.
If Lu Qin was truly upset tonight due to “impotence,” Pei Rong hoped he can “bask in” the brilliant sunshine of that year.
The waiter retrieved two bottles of wine from the basement, wiped them clean, and placed them in front of Lu Qin. “President Lu, Greenwood Manor’s homemade wine, complimentary two bottles for you. Hope you enjoy.”
Lu Qin took one to inspect. The production year was two years ago, and the bottle had a “Ge” character on the label, presumably Greenwood Manor’s logo.
Decanting the wine, pouring it—as long as he desired, he could execute this ritual with sophistication. It appeared that the value of the red wine bottle had remarkably surged in his hands, perhaps by several thousand times.
The clear, dark red wine slid into his lips, the fragrance stimulating his taste buds just right. Lu Qin suddenly recalled the fleeting tenderness when he fed wine to Pei Rong.
He lowered his eyes slightly, scrutinizing the red wine in his hands. The sharp eyes that were usually piercing were now reflecting a long-lost tenderness in the liquor.
The wine was too young, the craftsmanship mediocre, not comparable to those of top-notch wines he usually indulged in. Nevertheless, it carried a gentle and lingering essence, as if it held the shadow of someone special in his heart.
After a brief moment, Lu Qin started to feel that the wine had some issues. Considering it as a pastime to kill time, he decided it wasn’t worth dwelling on too much.
While he thought about it this way, Lu Qin didn’t dismiss the matter. He looked up and said, “Change to a room where I can stay overnight.”
