The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant
Translator: Jury
Editor: NomNom
First Published on Chaleuria
—
Chapter Eighty-three
“This is the answer.”
That was Yan Li’s blog post, alongside five photos. Su Yuyang looked through the photos and understood what Ji Linxi had drawn. He’d made his and Yan Li’s story into a comic for all Yan Li’s fans to see.
“It’s straightforward, clean, and saves us trouble,” Yan Li said, yawning. “As for the rest, we’ll discuss it when I wake up.” Yan Li stumbled into her room. Su Yuyang picked Ling Miao up and prepared to go to bed, too, but then he remembered Ji Linxi was still here and said, “Ling Miao usually sleeps on the floor. His blanket and sleeping mat are over there—you can use them for tonight.”
“I thought you’d chase me away,” Ji Linxi said with a hint of teasing.
Su Yuyang looked down at Ling Miao sleeping in his arms and said mock-fiercely, “As long as you don’t have designs on Ling Miao, we can still be friends.”
“If I had designs on Ling Miao, he’d already be mine. Would you even have had the chance to get to him?” Ji Linxi said dismissively.
Su Yuyang huffed and went silent..
Aside from Su Yuyang, everyone else slept well that night. As for why Su Yuyang didn’t sleep well—the reason was evident from the look of resentment in his eyes.
Yan Li usually slept past noon, but she had to visit Feng Ji today so she woke up early and helped Ling Miao make breakfast.
Su Yuyang walked out, prominent dark circles under his eyes. Ji Linxi teased: “Did you sleep late last night? Or are you listless because some of your needs are unmet?”
Su Yuyang slumped on the table and said weakly, “Try being kicked for an entire night and see if you sleep well or not.”
Pah—
The sound of dishes hitting the table.
Su Yuyang raised his head. Ling Miao was looking at him threateningly.
“I’ll get rice.” Su Yuyang fled into the kitchen.
Breakfast was filled buns, steamed bread, and congee.
The table was silent except for the sounds of slurping congee. The atmosphere was so tense Ling Miao couldn’t keep eating. Su Yuyang looked at him with concern and Ling Miao sighed, “Hey, everyone. Can we not act like it’s the end of the world? It’s so miserable, I don’t even want to eat any more.”
Su Yuyang drank the last gulp of congee, then took a steamed bun, ripped off a corner, and tossed it in his mouth. He asked, “Yan Yan, what are you and Ji Linxi planning to do?”
“I’ve already announced that he’s my boyfriend, so he’ll go back with me.” Yan Li briefly explained their plans. “He doesn’t have a job now, anyway, so I’ve arranged for him to be my assistant. To everyone else, he’s my boyfriend and my assistant. To insiders, he’s just my assistant—insiders meaning the five of us, of course.”
‘Five of us’ meant Yan Li, Ji Linxi, Su Yuyang, Ling Miao, and Feng Ji.
“When are you leaving?” Su Yuyang asked hopefully.
Yan Li read Su Yuyang’s intent. She hemmed and hawed like she was still considering it. Ji Linxi had figured out Su Yuyang’s hopes too and smiled slyly. “Of course, we’re leaving next month. What do you say, A-Li?”¹
“A-Li?” Cough—Whether Ling Miao was shocked by Ji Linxi’s term of address for Yan Li or had choked on his congee, Ling Miao’s violent coughing made Su Yuyang sympathetic. He stroked Ling Miao’s back and said gently, “Are you all right?”
“What’s with this ‘A-Li’ thing?” Ling Miao coughed.
Ji Linxi grimaced. “A certain someone insists I call her that. She says it’s more intimate.”
“Linxi, if you don’t like it, then you think of one,” Yan Li said crossly.
Ji Linxi consoled, “It’s not that I don’t like it. I’m just not used to it.”
“Use it a few more times, then you’ll be used to it.” Yan Li rolled her eyes at Ji Linxi.
Ling Miao inhaled sharply. The scene before him was just too strange. It’d already be good if Ji Linxi and Yan Li didn’t strangle each other—now, they were even acting intimate, like they really were lovers. This performance was Oscar-worthy and it really was a waste of talent that they didn’t pursue a career in acting.
After breakfast, Ling Miao and Su Yuyang left the house. They were going back to Ji Linxi’s apartment to pack up Ji Linxi’s things and terminate his lease. Su Yuyang asked Ling Miao to pack his own things, too. Ling Miao said that he’d pack but would continue to lease the apartment so that when he dumped Su Yuyang he’d still have a place to go.
Su Yuyang just replied that he’d never give Ling Miao the chance to dump him.
Yan Li had publicly announced Ji Linxi’s status, but many reporters still wanted to interview her and crowded around the base of Ji Linxi’s apartment.
As Ling Miao opened the door, the reporters’ eyes all shone like wolves seeing a fat sheep.
“Damn,” Ling Miao cursed from the depths of his heart. His hands trembled as he unlocked the door.
Ji Linxi didn’t have many things; they all fit in one suitcase. As for Ling Miao, he didn’t have anything aside from his case of books.
The moment Su Yuyang and Ling Miao left, the reporters rushed up.
The reporters asked about their relationship to Ji Linxi, whether they knew when Ji Linxi had started the relationship with Yan Li, and other such questions.
Su Yuyang and Ling Miao had discussed this already. No matter what the reporters asked, they wouldn’t say anything—they’d pretend to be mute.
They left the rented apartment but didn’t head home. They went to W&S—Yan Li and Yang Lin had decided that they would leave that day.
In order to reduce trouble, Feng Ji had placed Yan Li in a separate room. Su Yuyang and Ling Miao arrived at the same time as Yang Lin.
Yang Lin didn’t go into the room. She waited in the main hall for Yan Li.
Yang Lin didn’t know Su Yuyang and Feng Ji didn’t introduce them, so her gaze only lingered on Su Yuyang for a brief moment before she looked away.
Feng Ji dragged Su Yuyang and Ling Miao into the room.
“Ah, I haven’t even finished using my vacation,” Yan Li said reluctantly as she looked at the suitcase.
Su Yuyang smiled and said, “You can still rest once you’re back in Beijing.”
“Either way, the way back won’t be calm.” Yan Li’s head started to hurt as she thought about Yang Lin.
Ling Miao put the suitcase in Ji Linxi’s hands and suggested, “If you can’t be Yan-jie’s assistant, go be with Yan-jie’s manager…”
“Ling Miao, be careful I don’t tell your parents about you and Su Yuyang.” Yan Li glared at Ling Miao.
“Stop!” Ling Miao was about to retort when Feng Ji made a halting motion. “If we keep dragging this out, the reporters are going to get here.”
Yan Li hugged Su Yuyang, then Feng Ji. She put on her cap, took Ji Linxi’s arm, and left the room.
Looking at their departing backs, Ling Miao couldn’t tell if he was feeling happy or frustrated. Su Yuyang saw that Ling Miao seemed unhappy and asked, “Missing Ji Linxi already?”
“What’s there to miss?” Ling Miao laughed. “Only… I’m glad that I fell for a web novelist and not a singer like Yan Li who’s in front of crowds day and night.”
“It’s because I can’t sing. Or I might have signed at the same company as Yan Li, at the same time.”
“If that happened, we wouldn’t have met, would we?”
“That’s why I’m glad!”
[Table of Contents] | [Chaleuria is on Twitter!] | [Buy us a coffee?]
Translation notes: