A President’s Out-of-Body Experience

After lunch, Shu Jingyi brought Gu Xiaoshan and Renzi on a tour around the manor, and explained a little about the construction of the english-style manor. Renzi was a little stupefied by the explanation, and did not understand most of it, only feeling that the manor was beautiful. They walked for about twenty minutes, and Renzi started feeling sleepy again listening to Shu Jingyi talked. Shu Jinyi smiled, “I still have something to discuss with President Gu, why do you go to the pavilion there to rest a bit first?”

Renzi agreed, but Gu Xiaoshan was a little worried, and so asked the driver to accompany him.

Shu Jingyi then joked, “President Gu keeps a pretty tight leash on President Ren, as though you’re afraid he’ll get stolen.”

“This is the gold chalice of the Yu family.” Gu Xiaoshan joked back. “I wouldn’t be able to afford it if I lose him.”

Shu Jingyi pointed at the high wall with ivy creeping over it. “We’re fairly well guarded here, how would you lose him?”

Gu Xiaoshan did not bother to continue explaining, and started discussing work with Shu Jingyi. Since it was work, Shu Jingyi also displayed his professionalism, and no longer mentioned Yu Yunren. Although, when he thought about Renzi’s flushed face after drinking, his heart did itch.

However, Renzi was someone who could even try “steeping himself in wine”. His alcohol tolerance was pretty good, only that it showed up easily on his face. Also, he did not like this sort of crude, spicy alcohol.

In comparison, the wine from the Yu family’s high-end line was more to his preference.

At the pavilion, Renzi discovered that the butler had already prepared some exquisite snacks and tea. It might have been specially prepared as Renzi did not eat much during lunch, due to the food not being to his taste. Renzi thanked him, then started glutting himself. With enough wine and food, he then nested in the couch of the pavilion and fell asleep. The driver was using his phone, and did not bother him as well.

Gu Xiaoshan and Shu Jingyi discussed their business partnership professionally. Without the involvement of their personal and private feelings, Gu Xiaoshan did find Shu Jingyi quite pleasant. Unexpectedly, Shu Jingyi did not use his “home advantage” to suggest many unreasonable requests. It seemed like Shu Jingyi was very understanding about the balance between the partnership, and his requests all fell within the acceptable limits of Gu Xiaoshan. In conclusion, this discussion was quite successful.

As there were many details to pound out, the discussion only ended when the sun started to set.

Gu Xiaoshan was preparing to leave, but Shu Jingyi said, “The road near your hotel will be undergoing overnight construction. Why don’t you both stay overnight here instead?”

Gu Xiaoshan then recalled about this thing, “The repairs aren’t complete yet?”

Shu Jingyi smiled, “The speed of construction is like this over here, you have to get used to it.”

Gu Xiaoshan did not plan on being as impulsive as last night to use the helicopter, and agreed to spend one night in Shu Jingyi’s manor. At dinner time, Gu Xiaoshan and Renzi both had something more elaborate for dinner — fresh clam chowder, tender lamb cutlets, a sweet wine, and delicious handmade ice cream. Shu Jingyi even told Renzi seriously, “How’s the meal this time?”

Chewing on the lamb cutlet, Renzi gave a thumbs-up. “It’s fantastic!”

Gu Xiaoshan smiled at Renzi, “Then I’ll have to thank you, if not I’ll still be drinking bitter liquor and gnawing at beef bones tonight.”

Shu Jingyi laughed, “Nonsense! Without President Ren, would I even ask you to stay for dinner? Haha!”

“Hahaha!” Gu Xiaoshan laughed too.

“Hahaha!” Shu Jingyi smiled as he clinked his glass with Gu Xiaoshan, and Gu Xiaoshan too toasted him, “Hahaha!”

Such harmonious laughter, but Renzi instead felt that something was not quite right. However, he could not understand why, and since he could not understand it, he might as well not just think of it, and continue enjoying his meat.

Renzi buried his head in the food, moving on to the ice cream after the lamb. This dinner naturally only ended after Renzi said he was full, and Shu Jingyi and Gu Xiaoshan were already done eating for quite some time, only that Renzi had not noticed it.

After the meal, Shu Jingyi walked to the piano in the dining room and took a seat, playing a melody smoothly. Unfortunately Renzi, stuffed to the gills, was sprawled in his seat in satisfaction, in a food coma, and did not get affected by Shu Jingyi’s artistic air.

After he finished playing, Shu Jingyi looked at the object of his objection. From the other person’s blank look and burps, he realised that he had just cast pearls before a swine. However, he was not very bothered by it, as this was one of Renzi’s many adorable quirks.

Gu Xiaoshan too noticed Shu Jingyi’s look, and was even unhappier that he had played a song with a woo-ing implication for Renzi. His only consolation was that Renzi did not catch on to it.

Of course, he was still on guard, afraid that a mishap would happen that night.

As though he had seen Gu Xiaoshan’s vigilance, Shu Jingyi then gave a very considerate suggestion, “The two of you are so close, would you like to have rooms next to each other?”

Gu Xiaoshan laughed, “It doesn’t have to be next to each other, we can also stay in the same room.”

Shu Jingyi laughed back, “No, it’ll make me seem like I’m very stingy, that I can’t even give my esteemed guests their own rooms.”

Renzi and Gu Xiaoshan were given rooms next to each other. Gu Xiaoshan confirmed that they were not on the same storey as Shu Jingyi, and were also in different wings. They were pretty much on the opposite ends of the manor — and this was even something told to them by Shu Jingyi “carelessly”, like he wanted to prove his “innocence” to Gu Xiaoshan, so that Gu Xiaoshan need not be so vigilant against him.

As they headed to their rooms, Shu Jingyi purposely told Gu Xiaoshan, “You can sleep without any worries, it’s very safe here. Our regulations are very strict, no one from the manor would come knock on your doors at night.”

Gu Xiaoshan never believed in gentlemen’s agreements, but he still smiled back with a gentleman’s wave, “I also feel that there wouldn’t be any unruly thieves and rascals here.”

Shu Jingyi laughed, “There’s a hunting gun in every room. Whoever comes in, you can just shoot them.”

Renzi turned pale, “So vicious?”

Listening to Gu Xiaoshan and Shu Jingyi’s discussion, Yu Yunren was silently worried, with wolves and thieves around, the security here is too terrible.

Renzi was still seriously considering whether to hug the hunting rifle to sleep, but as he thought about it, according to his character, he would probably end up shooting himself instead of the thief, and so gave up on that idea.

Gu Xiaoshan saw the anxiousness on Renzi’s face, and laughingly asked him, “Why? You’re still scared?”

Renzi mumbled, “Mr Shu and you made it sound so scary.”

“You should also be more cautious.” Gu Xiaoshan said grumpily. “Do you remember what I said?”

“Yes.” Renzi gave a firm nod. “Don’t go out at night, I’ll be carried off by a wolf.”