GT chapter 6

Duan Xingchi returned to bed, resting an arm under his head and staring at the opposite wall until he felt slightly sleepy. Then he turned off the bedside lamp and put on an eye mask.

The eye mask had been given to him by Luo Jin, who said maybe it would help him sleep better.

He lay quietly for about ten minutes. Just as he was about to drift off, he suddenly opened his eyes and adjusted his morning alarm an hour earlier.

….

The next morning, he took ten minutes to fully wake up and get out of bed, then another ten to wash up. By the time he opened his bedroom door, most of his sleepiness had faded.

Yawning as he walked downstairs, he leaned against the kitchen doorway and watched Luo Jin, who was focused on arranging sandwiches to look more appealing.

“Morning.”

His voice was still husky from sleep, even deeper than usual. Luo Jin turned around. “Morning. Why didn’t you sleep a bit longer today?”

Rubbing his brow, Duan Xingchi lied without blinking. “Woke up early, so I just got up.”

“Breakfast’s almost ready. Go sit down and wait a bit.”

“No need. I’ll just stay here.”

“Alright.”

Luo Jin finally decided which went on top—the cheese slice or the steak—then warmed up the sandwich, wrapped it in plastic, and cut it in half.

That was the last item for breakfast; the rest were already laid out on the table, a mix of Chinese and Western dishes.

Duan Xingchi glanced over everything but, inevitably, his gaze came back to Luo Jin.

The black apron was tied around his bare torso.

The muscles on his back flexed and relaxed with each movement of his arms, and Duan Xingchi watched long enough to trace the ridges and valleys between the muscle groups in his mind.

Luo Jin probably hadn’t expected him to wake up this early—or maybe he just didn’t want his clothes to absorb the smell of cooking—so he hadn’t bothered putting on a shirt.

Turns out, getting up early had its perks, Duan Xingchi thought to himself.

“All done, Xing Chi, come eat.”

“Okay.”

They sat face to face, identical breakfasts in front of them.

Luo Jin had taken off his apron but still hadn’t put on a shirt. Duan Xingchi glanced up a few times, and when he realized Luo Jin was eating quietly with his head down, showing no sign of looking up, his gaze became even more brazen.

Because he was distracted, he ate much slower than Luo Jin. By the time Luo Jin finished his last bite of sausage and sip of milk, Duan Xingchi was only halfway through his sandwich.

Luo Jin checked the time, put on a black shirt, fastened his watch, and stood holding two neckties, undecided.

The shirt he wore was simple and unadorned. Duan Xingchi casually suggested, “The one in your left hand. The right one’s too plain.”

Luo Jin looked back at him. The young master hadn’t even turned around—he was facing away—but somehow had noticed the ties. Luo Jin decided to take his advice and even matched his cufflinks to the tie.

“It’s not too hot outside today. You could go out for a walk. I’ll have the driver bring lunch around noon.”

“Got it.”

As Luo Jin stepped out the door, he paused. “Do you feel more adjusted to this routine now than before?”

“I do.”

“That’s good. I’m heading to work.”

“Okay.”

Duan Xingchi turned slightly to see him off. Once Luo Jin left, he finished the rest of his breakfast in a few bites, washed the dishes, and placed them neatly into the sterilizer.

Luo Jin’s driver was very punctual — when he said noon, he didn’t make him wait even a minute longer.

Steamed pork with rice flour, spicy squid, fish-flavored eggplant fritters, and bacon-wrapped asparagus — Duan Xingchi unpacked each dish one by one and set them neatly on the table. At the very bottom, he found a bowl of white fungus and lotus seed soup, along with two custard buns.

Four dishes, one soup, and a dessert — all of which Luo Jin had specifically arranged.

The young master was quite pleased with the meal. Just as he was about to message Luo Jin to tell him so, his phone rang — it was Luo Jin calling.

When the call connected, the first thing Duan Xingchi heard was the sound of rapid typing. After a few moments, the clattering stopped and Luo Jin’s voice came through:
“The lunch was delivered, right? Was there enough rice?”

Duan Xingchi looked at the two full boxes in front of him — one with white rice, one with purple rice. It was enough for two meals.

“There’s plenty. Thank you.”

“No need to keep thanking me. As long as the food’s delivered, that’s fine. Go ahead and eat — I still have some work to finish.”

“Okay,” Duan Xingchi replied, and after a pause, he added softly, “Remember to eat, too.”

Hearing the dial tone after the call ended, Luo Jin went blank for a second. Did the young master just… show concern for him?

That was a good sign.

Luo Jin really did worry that he wouldn’t eat enough. Duan Xingchi tried his best, but still couldn’t finish everything — half was left. He carefully wrapped the leftovers in plastic and put them in the fridge.

When he’d been abroad in Country Y, his mother Qi Qing had handled leftovers the same way. When he was little, Qi Qing used to tell him that food shouldn’t be wasted, but it also shouldn’t be kept too long. If it still couldn’t be finished by the next meal, then it could be thrown away.

He had remembered that rule ever since — and later found out that Luo Jin did the same thing.

…..

If not for the young master’s reminder, Luo Jin probably wouldn’t have eaten lunch at all. When working, he disliked interruptions and preferred to divide his day’s tasks into several parts — only resting after finishing one. As a result, he rarely managed to eat on time.

But since the young master had told him to — and he had agreed — out of a sense of keeping his word, he stretched in his leather chair and headed downstairs to the staff dining hall.

Along the way, employees greeted him one after another. Luo Jin walked around the buffet counter twice with a tray in hand.

Many of the dishes were already half empty. Unsure of what to pick, he ended up choosing the same items as Duan Xingchi’s lunch menu and found a quiet spot to sit down.

It was hotter now than in the morning. The sunlight streaming through the window was dazzling. Though Luo Jin had lived in G City since childhood, he still wasn’t used to the fierce southern sun — it always felt like it was trying to roast people alive.

He finished eating quickly. On his way back to the office, he tried to recall what fruits Duan Xingchi had eaten most yesterday and made a note in his phone to buy more of those later that evening.

Just as he sat down and opened his computer, Lin Beibei came in.

“Mr. Luo, are you personally going to inspect that piece of land in City B?”

“Of course. Next Tuesday, right?”

“Yes.” Lin Beibei’s report was fluent and concise. “Director Zhang has already been there once. The location is great — good environment, excellent feng shui, large area, close to the business district, and subway access in all four directions. Within ten kilometers, there’s a shopping mall, a plaza, and a high school; within fifteen kilometers, two junior highs and one primary school. It’s one of the few prime plots we can still get in City B. A lot of real estate companies have their eyes on it. So your main purpose this time isn’t inspection — it’s the upcoming auction.”

“An auction, huh.”

Luo Jin spun half a turn in his leather chair.

Since it was an auction, getting the land would definitely cost more than expected — but that was how all high-demand properties were sold these days. Understandable.

“What did my father say?”

“The chairman is very optimistic about it. We’re planning to launch another housing project in City B, and this is the best possible site. But he said the final decision is up to you.”

The reason Luo Hui had said that was because he knew his son thought the same way. If they wanted to expand in City B, buying that land was the smartest move — it’d be hard to find another location with better geography and conditions. Paying a high price now would only mean greater profits later. No matter how you looked at it, it was a sure win.

“Alright, I understand.”

After they finished discussing business, Lin Beibei’s tone lightened. “Mr. Luo, you’ll be gone for at least a week this time. Will Young Master Duan be okay on his own at home?”

“Oh right, there’s still him at home,” Luo Jin said with a small laugh. “It’s fine — I’ll have the driver deliver his meals three times a day. He’s an adult; as long as he doesn’t go hungry, he’ll manage.”

“Good, then I’ll get back to work.”

Lin Beibei thoughtfully closed the door behind her. Luo Jin kept working until five minutes before closing time, then took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, sore from staring at the screen too long. Leaning back in his chair, he started thinking about what to cook for the young master that evening.

The house really did feel different with two people in it — like there was always someone on his mind.

Duan Xingchi was sitting on the sofa, casting a movie from his phone to the TV. Luo Jin came home earlier than usual that day. When the door opened, Duan Xingchi quickly switched to another movie.

“You’re early today.”

“Traffic wasn’t bad, so I got home a bit sooner.”

As Luo Jin bent to change shoes, his fitted slacks outlined the firm curve of his hips. Duan Xingchi licked his dry lips unconsciously, imagining how that might feel to the touch.

“By the way,” Luo Jin said, straightening up, “it’s Saturday tomorrow. I don’t have to go to work. What time do you usually wake up? I’ll make breakfast a bit later.”

“You can cook whenever you want. Don’t worry about me.”

“How could I not?”

Luo Jin removed his tie in front of the mirror. Hearing that, he turned to glance at Duan Xingchi. The young man stretched lazily and leaned against the mirror. “I’m already bothering you by staying here. I can’t keep making you accommodate me.”

Luo Jin was a little surprised to hear such a long, sensible sentence from the young master. For some reason, he felt a bit proud. “Ge and Jie asked me to take care of you — of course I’ll do it properly.”

Duan Xingchi suddenly frowned, several expressions flickering across his face in just a few seconds. “You called my parents… ge and jie?”

“Otherwise, what should I call them?”

Luo Jin couldn’t help but laugh, teasing him playfully, “Technically, you should be calling me uncle.”

“…Impossible. Don’t even think about it.”

The young master turned away a little awkwardly, going back to the sofa to continue watching his movie. But his attention was already scattered — he had no idea what was even happening on screen.

Luo Jin stopped teasing him. “What do you want for dinner?”

“Anything’s fine.”

“Really? Nothing you’re craving?”

“No.”

“Really nothing?”

“…I want noodles.”

“Got it, my little young master.”

Luo Jin’s cheerful voice floated from the kitchen. Everyone in the Duan household called him “young master,” but somehow, when Luo Jin said it, it sounded different from the others — softer, warmer.