Chapter 007: Can You Tell That I Like You?

Early in the morning, they stood facing each other across the iron fence separating their homes—an indescribable awkwardness hung in the air. Tang Yu felt uneasy under his gaze, deep and swirling like a vortex threatening to pull her in. She turned to retreat inside the door—

“Miss Tang,” Lou Xizhou called out from a distance, a faint, almost imperceptible smile in his tone.

Tang Yu swore this was the most rushed move she had ever made, and the poorest decision as well! Was it still possible to cancel the lease?

After a long moment, she turned sideways to look toward Lou Xizhou, forcing a somewhat strained smile.

“President Lou, what a coincidence!”

Lou Xizhou stepped closer to the iron fence; standing nearly 1.85 meters tall, he was just a little shorter than the barrier between their homes.

“It is quite a coincidence. Our fate is even more remarkable—broken, then reconnected. Isn’t that right?”

But was that truly the case?

In reality, it was Secretary Xing who had casually learned that Tang Yu was looking for a place to live—a perceptive secretary who earned the trust of their boss, just like Secretary Xing. So it followed naturally that Tang Yu ended up living right next door to Lou Xizhou.

Hearing his words, Tang Yu understood the implication.

Wasn’t it just that she had blocked him on social media…?

Since that was the case, she might as well lay everything out in the open!

Out of courtesy, Tang Yu walked over to the iron fence, tilting her head up to look at him. “President Lou, are you in a hurry? If not, shall we talk?”

Lou Xizhou raised an eyebrow as he looked at her. “Will you come over, or shall I come to you?”

“I’ll come over,” Tang Yu replied politely.

Lou Xizhou turned to open the door, and Tang Yu quickly stepped outside.

Now, standing face to face with no barrier between them, the feeling was entirely different.

After several days apart, Lou Xizhou’s commanding presence remained unchanged, making Tang Yu feel even more unsettled, desperate only to escape.

She dared not hold his gaze for long, stealing a quick glance before looking away.

“President Lou, sorry to bother you for a few minutes,” she said, then stepped inside his home.

Lou Xizhou casually closed the door and followed behind her.

“No bother at all. I just got back from Luocheng.”

Luocheng?

Tang Yu’s eyes showed surprise, and she turned back to look at him.

“President Lou, you didn’t go to Shacheng?”

Lou Xizhou stopped before her, serious and focused, looking down without a trace of humor: “Miss Tang didn’t go. It’s not interesting there.”

Such blunt words were clearly some kind of hint or message.

His gaze was like a blazing furnace, scorching and intense.

Pretending not to understand, Tang Yu turned her head to look at the pavilion in the courtyard. “President Lou, can we talk there?”

“No,” Lou Xizhou said, “there’s no tea there. Come inside. Don’t worry, I won’t eat you, Miss Tang.”

His words carried an unmistakable ambiguity, and Tang Yu could only steel herself to follow him inside.

While Lou Xizhou went to prepare tea, Tang Yu sat in the living room and took a brief look at the decor.

It was surprisingly similar to the place she rented, except the courtyard was a bit different.

Lou Xizhou handed her the tea and then sat on the sofa opposite her, crossing his long legs out of habit before speaking.

“Miss Tang, what did you want to talk to me about?”

Tang Yu didn’t want to beat around the bush. She got straight to the point.

“I don’t think I’m suited to be a special correspondent for the Lou Corporation. President Lou can consider finding someone else. Is that alright?”

“No,” Lou Xizhou replied bluntly, “your avoidance is obvious and shows immaturity. I happen to have a place where you can gain experience.”

Immaturity?

Tang Yu didn’t understand what he meant, a note of displeasure creeping into her tone. “In what way am I immature?”

He was clearly mature—anyone could see that!

Lou Xizhou detected this and smiled softly, radiating the aura of a wise man, leaving Tang Yu momentarily stunned, unable to look away.

But in his eyes, beyond the focus, there was a deeper, inscrutable tenderness.

“It’s not immaturity in other areas, but in matters of the heart. You sense that I like you, so you do everything possible to avoid me—even deleting my contact information. Now you suggest I replace your special correspondent. It’s all too obvious.”

“I’ll be straightforward. I want you to be the special correspondent for my company because I want to see you often. The house next door is one I bought for my sister. Since she’s gone, it’s been empty. Huainan lives with me. I only put it up for rent when I saw you looking for a place.”

“Do you understand what I mean, Tang Yu?”

His gaze held hers unblinking, and the more she listened, the more flustered she became. Tang Yu’s heart fluttered uncontrollably.

“You should have the ambition to ride the winds to success. Those who can help you aren’t only benefactors but also fated companions. Those who can’t help you but drag you down are karmic burdens. Choice is crucial.”

“So why can’t you choose me? I didn’t ask for anything except to see you more often. You’re giving up an opportunity that others would kill for. Are you a fool, Tang Yu?”

Tang Yu blurted out, “You call that not asking for anything? You’re cunning—I can’t afford to provoke you, but I should at least be able to avoid you!”

“Have you really avoided me?”

Lou Xizhou chuckled softly, finding her reply rather endearing, and nothing more.

“I’m cunning, but I haven’t harmed you. What’s there to fear? Be brave and move forward.”

“...”

“Move forward,” he repeated, and Tang Yu felt the conversation was going nowhere.

There was no need to continue—things only got more twisted!

She couldn’t outwit him—enough already.

“President Lou, let’s just pretend I never came in. We didn’t talk at all!” She said, standing up to leave.

Lou Xizhou rose as well, his long legs taking three strides to reach her. He grasped her arm, then let go.

“It’s not like sleepwalking. How can we pretend it never happened when you’ve already stepped into my home?” He looked down at her and pulled out his phone, bringing up a QR code. “We’re neighbors now. If you need anything, just find me. Anytime.”

Tang Yu looked at the QR code he handed her but remained unmoved.

“I don’t think we need to add each other as friends.”

Hearing this, Lou Xizhou put away his phone, slipped one hand into his pocket, and said sincerely, “Please take care of me, Miss Tang.”

Tang Yu gave a bitter, inward chuckle and responded with a forced smile, “I have a bad temper, so please bear with me, President Lou.”

She said this deliberately, hoping to discourage him—what a headache he was!

Lou Xizhou followed behind her with a faint smile, exuding an air of tolerance.

Once outside his door, Tang Yu’s taut nerves finally relaxed, and she exhaled deeply.

Back in her own place, just settling onto the sofa, her phone rang.

She answered it promptly. “Hello, Secretary Xing.”

“Miss Tang, I forgot to mention earlier—you need to personally deliver your news drafts to President Lou for review. If I hand them to him, it can be bothersome to relay any needed changes. With you present, they can be revised on the spot.”

“I sincerely apologize, Miss Tang. That was my oversight,” Secretary Xing added, apologizing once more.

Tang Yu suspected this was all the doing of that cunning Lou Xizhou.

So she asked Secretary Xing bluntly, “Did President Lou instruct you to say that?”