His Honey Chapter 24

Chapter 24

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Yu Zhinian stood on the side of the road, wooden. It wasn't until a passing uncle kindly patted his shoulder, "Young man, is that your mobile phone ringing?" that he finally came back to his senses. "... Thank you."

Yu Zhinian picked up the phone, and on the other end was Nan Weiping. "Zhinian, what's wrong? It took so long to answer the phone?"

"... Nothing." He steeled himself, "How's it going on the client's side?"

"I stepped in, everything is fine."

What Yu Zhinian didn't know was that his actions with Xiao Yichi in the lobby had been filmed and spread throughout almost the entire central business district – After all, he was a male god, and the speed of the spread could be even more insane. In the short video, although it was unknown what the two were chatting about, it was clear at a glance that it was something very serious. At the end of the video, Yu Zhinian held Xiao Yichi's hand, and the two of them quickly walked out to hail a taxi and leave.

The dignified white-collar workers had already exploded in the discussion group – When had the consistently strong and calm Lawyer Yu ever looked so anxious, helpless and red-eyed? This aroused everyone's strong interest in searching for Xiao Yichi.

Nan Jing knew at a glance that this was Xiao Yichi, and he was so surprised that he couldn't keep his mouth shut – Wasn't Reporter Xiao the object of a certain "client's" attention? What was Lawyer Yu doing?! He quickly turned around. That "client" wouldn't be Lawyer Yu himself, right? After sending the client away, Nan Weiping caught wind of the incident. He called Nan Jing to ask him about it, and Nan Jing quickly organised the fragments from his mind and repeated them to Nan Weiping. "So he is Xiao Yichi ah..." Nan Weiping muttered. Nan Jing naturally didn't know that Xiao Yichi had a dignitary behind him, but Nan Weiping knew that he had even advised Yu Zhinian to foster a good relationship with the other party, never imagining that the relationship would be so good that it would even transcend. He originally hoped that Yu Zhinian would rely on Xiao Yichi to take a steady road to promotion, but with this resignation and public entanglement, it wasn't too much to say that it was a disaster brought on by a captivating partner. Nan Weiping immediately called the internal public relations department and asked them to find a way to suppress public opinion. Fortunately, that side was already working.

Nan Weiping called Yu Zhinian again. The other party's voice didn't sound very spirited, and the old man sighed softly.

"Yu Zhinian is not a person who will easily hand over his true heart. This time, although I don't know exactly what happened, you must be sad." Nan Weiping asked, "... Have you finished your personal business? Where are you now?"

Yu Zhinian looked around, "... It's done. I'm on the side of the road."

"Send your location over, I'll have Nan Jing go over and pick you up. You can rest at home today."

There was no need to look at his watch to know that it was still business hours. How unprofessional of him. But he also knew that he was about to lose his footing. There was a big hole in his heart, and the wind whistled through the tunnel from all directions as he swayed on the verge of collapse.

"Thank you Lawyer Nan." Yu Zhinian bowed his head.

"Zhinian, the road is still long, cheer up." Finally, Nan Weiping cheered him up.

Ending the call, Yu Zhinian gently covered his eyes with his hand.

He was like a bird that had been in a stable cage for too long, seemingly beautiful and confident that it could win over the other birds, but that was all; when a greater external force came, it would be knocked back to its original form, weak and helpless, trembling. Compared to Xiao Yichi, he was really too far away – Xiao Yichi's cheeky and thick-skinned appearance made it look like he had to worry about everything behind his back, but when he got serious, his heart and spirit were very far beyond compare.

"Boss?" Nan Jing's car had arrived. He lowered the window and looked towards Yu Zhinian.

Yu Zhinian raised his eyes at the sound. When he saw that it was Nan Jing, he nodded and got into the car.

On the road, Nan Jing looked in the rearview mirror, worried, "Boss, are you okay?"

"Mhmm." Yu Zhinian was looking at the street scene.

Nan Jing weighed it and honestly said, "You and Reporter Xiao were talking about things in the lobby, and someone took a video and spread it, our public relations department is already working on it."

Yu Zhinian turned his head to look at him, "I've caused you guys trouble."

He took out his cell phone, "I'll talk to the public relations department, just tell the public that it's my personal matter, don't waste manpower and resources."

"What exactly are you and Reporter Xiao?" Nan Jing's inquiring eyes were reflected in the rearview mirror.

"A couple, the kind that has marriage in mind." He should have given him a status a long time ago.

Nan Jing blinked. Although he had guessed almost everything, hearing it with his own ears was still a big shock. He simply hated that he didn't have any extra hands that could immediately make a confirmation post in the discussion group! He carefully took a step forward to probe, "So what happened... to you guys?"

"... It's nothing, we're okay." Yu Zhinian responded.

Yes, they are okay. When Xiao Yichi comes back, he will confess his love to him and propose down on one knee, and then they will live happily ever after.

But tonight, it was destined to be a sleepless night.

Late at night, Yu Zhinian sat in front of his computer and clicked on the link to the video of Xiao Yichi giving his acceptance speech. It was his only public video.

In the video, Xiao Yichi was wearing a suit, his hair was waxed and he was smiling, confidently and calmly thanking the camera.

The award he received was rather niche, given by a foreign journalists' organisation.

This was the second time Yu Zhinian watched this video. This time he noticed that the watch that flashed twice on Xiao Yichi's wrist should be a Patek Philippe.

But it wasn't as shocking as listening to what he said all over again.

He spoke in English, "People instinctively have a fear of death, and I'm no exception. What keeps me going are the ordinary but great lives I see in the war zones. Suffering befell them and they had no choice. Some lived with pain, some lived with numbness, some lived with hope in their suffering, some found meaning and joy in their suffering, and some rose to fight their suffering. I have lived through them, in different perspectives, over and over again, experiencing over and over again how life is either bleak, or open-minded and optimistic, or how it is better to die than to give in – Ultimately, all of these have made me who I am now.

"This award represents not only me but also the life that has been superimposed on me. If you ask me if I have ever been hysterical, yes. It is the little bits of goodness in others that have gradually settled in me and helped me resist great anxiety and emptiness. There will surely be many journalists who will succeed me, and I hope that I can be part of the experience in other people's lives. Allow me to conclude in my mother tongue."

"I would like to share the words of a great man with all of you – while ice still covered the North Sea, I saw plum blossoms in full bloom."

After saying this, Xiao Yichi bowed, and the venue erupted in applause.

Yu Zhinian looked at him on the screen.

If people are born and die alone, what is the meaning of love?

Admiring him, liking him, and wanting to be with him might not be the whole meaning of love. Taking him as an example, with him as a source of strength, you make yourself more understanding, more tolerant, more fulfilled, and more powerful, grinding away the unnecessary edges and corners of your body, leaving behind the necessary ones deeply embedded in the earth, deep enough to withstand the storms that will come later on and guarding yourself against the love you have with your important ones. Such a process of change requires a heroic spirit.

Back in the bedroom, Yu Zhinian lay down on the bed, with an empty space beside him. He turned his head and glanced at Snoopy in the chair.

Old friend, thank you for being there for so many nights in the past. From now on, I will learn to fall asleep slowly like this.

Beside you, he will keep me company.

The next day, Yu Zhinian went to the law firm.

A few minutes before the morning meeting, a familiar colleague approached and asked, "Zhinian, I heard that your partner was a war correspondent before?"

Yu Zhinian nodded, "That's right."

Although he didn't know what had already been talked about in the discussion group, Xiao Yichi's identity as his significant other had already been confirmed, so the rest didn't matter to Yu Zhinian.

Seeing his frank attitude, his colleague released his courage and gave a thumbs up, "This profession is remarkable!"

Yu Zhinian smiled a little, "Who says it isn't?"

"How did you guys meet?"

"We met on a blind date."

"Then..." The colleague wanted to ask more but saw that Nan Weiping had already come to the door of the conference room, so he said softly, "Our union will organise family activities in the future, let your partner also come to participate, so that we can all get to know each other! "

"Okay, wait until he's finished his work." Yu Zhinian answered.

At noon, Yu Zhinian met with Tang Wancheng at a nearby cafe.

"The little video of you and Yichi is spreading like wildfire." Tang Wancheng got right to the point, "I called him, but his phone has been turned off. What happened to you guys?"

"He," Yu Zhinian realised that he hadn't digested reality very well, so much so that he needed to sort out his emotions before telling the truth. "... he took an interview assignment and went to the Middle East."

Tang Wancheng froze, then smiled bitterly, "I should have guessed."

"Back then, we were having a good time in New York, but one day, he told me that he was leaving in two days and going back to continue his work as a war correspondent." Tang Wancheng recalled, "I advised him that it would be better to stay in New York, he wouldn't need to worry about work or anything, I would help him; being a war correspondent is too dangerous, who knows what will happen." Tang Wancheng looked at Yu Zhinian, "He just smiled and shook his head."

"Yichi has a bit of untameable determination in him, just a bit, not too much, which is one of the sources of his charm; if you really want to say that he has any shortcomings, this is also his shortcoming, and it could be fatal to those who love him."

It was Yu Zhinian's turn to smile bitterly, "It's a pity that I realised it too late." There was no turning back.

"Falling in love with Yichi may only take a moment, but it takes guts to love him forever." Tang Wancheng raised her coffee cup, "To you."

Yu Zhinian raised his cup, "To myself." He did need the courage to face every day of waiting in the future.

Before leaving, Yu Zhinian mentioned Nie Sangning, "What happened between Yichi and I didn't make things difficult for you regarding him, did it?"

"Don't worry," Tang Wancheng was calm, "I've already explained to him that I knew nothing about your business before, and also made it clear that I will uphold a business-like attitude in the future. As for what he thinks, I have no intention of probing, after all, we have a work contract and my status is there, he won't do anything."

Yu Zhinian nodded, "That's good."

"The sisters at Fangya Ji like him a lot. It seems like they are actively introducing him to people recently, so maybe he'll have good news even before the two of you." Tang Wancheng joked.

As for the "someone" that Nie Sangning mentioned that wanted to break them up, Yu Zhinian had no interest in pursuing it now, he only hoped that Xiao Yichi was doing well on his side.

At night, Yu Zhinian slept uneasily. Suddenly, his cell phone rang, cutting through the quiet. Startled, he got up and grabbed his cell phone to look at it, it was a special string of numbers.

Hesitating for a moment, Yu Zhinian picked it up, "Who is it?"

"Hello, is this Mr. Yu Zhinian?"

"Yes."

"Mr. Yu, this is an odd request. This is a dedicated line, and I am the secretary of Commissioner Zhao Huaimin. May I ask if it is convenient for you to meet with the commissioner now? His schedule is rather tight, he can only spare time now."

Yu Zhinian was cautious, "Excuse me, how can I be sure of the authenticity of your call?"

"Come to the rest house, report your name at the door and someone will show you the way."

"Okay, thank you."

Yu Zhinian immediately got out of bed and got ready.

Inside the rest house. Yu Zhinian passed through the security check, and then there was a special person to lead the way for him.

The small side hall was bright, and the solid wood desk was filled with documents.

When Zhao Huaimin saw that he had arrived, he took off his glasses and made a 'please sit down' gesture. "Lawyer Yu? Come, please sit down."

"Thank you, Commissioner Zhao." Yu Zhinian sat down in front of him.

Zhao Huaimin closed the file, and his secretary quickly came over to clean up and handed them hot tea before quietly withdrawing.

"I'm sorry for inviting you over at this hour. You weren't startled, were you?" Zhao Huaimin asked with a smile.

"I have shallow experience and need to refine myself." Yu Zhinian responded modestly, "On the contrary, you are the one who is working so late, you've worked hard."

Zhao Huaimin shook his head and went straight to the point, "I invited you here, I think you have probably guessed that it has something to do with Yichi. Before he departed, he asked me to look after you on his behalf. I think it would be better for me to explain the details of his mission this time to you."

After listening to Zhao Huaimin's explanation, the boulder weighing on Yu Zhinian's heart became heavier.

"At present, Yichi has already converged with the team of experts, and everyone is in the process of intensively formulating a plan."

Yu Zhinian understood that this was not something he could intervene in, but his heart ached for Xiao Yichi. He looked at Zhao Huaimin and tried to say, "... Yichi has PTSD, and his sleep has just improved recently, I wonder if... the expert team can take this into consideration when formulating the plan? "

Zhao Huaimin looked at him, then summoned his secretary, "When you correspond with the other side later, explain to the psychologists that Yichi has PTSD and his sleep has just improved."

The secretary made a note, "Understood."

Yu Zhinian was grateful, "Thank you."

"Thank you also for your support and understanding of our work."

Yu Zhinian smiled bitterly without saying anything.

"Because the international situation is changing rapidly, and some of the content involves confidentiality, we can't provide you with immediate news of the situation ahead, but we will do our best to ensure Yichi's safety."

"... I understand." Yu Zhinian nodded, "No news is good news."

Zhao Huaimin agreed, "That's the truth."

Yu Zhinian fought, "... If, I mean if the situation becomes clearer and the situation becomes better, I wonder if... I can go over there to pick him up?"

"You are a citizen of our country, and we have the responsibility to protect the personal safety of our citizens. This request of yours, please forgive me for not being able to comply"

Yu Zhinian had expected that reply.

"This period will indeed be more torturous for those who are in the rear." Zhao Huaimin sighed lightly.

"... I will live well and wait for him to return to me." The frontline was already treacherous enough, he didn't want him to come back and see his emaciated self then blame himself.

When Yu Zhinian got up to say goodbye to Zhao Huaimin, Zhao Huaimin mentioned something else, "Fangda has been actively seeking opportunities for wider and deeper cooperation in our country, and we need to grasp a certain amount of say, for this reason, we need a go-between. I wonder if Lawyer Yu is willing to become a member of Fangda's global management committee?"

Without a certain degree of certainty, a person of Zhao Huaimin's level would not casually mention this. This was supposed to be a big joyous event, but Yu Zhinian was wary, "... Commissioner, please forgive me for my indecency, may I ask, has anyone mentioned this matter to you?"

Zhao Huaimin didn't hide it, "Before Yichi left, he mentioned it to me."

Xiao Yichi. He knew about the matter of Fangda's global management committee.

Yu Zhinian was internally shocked.

How did he know about it? When did he know?

‿︵‿︵ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ・❉・ ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ‿︵‿︵

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Translator Notes

Please feel free to comment any mistakes I made so I can improve and do better as I go through the book.

Translated: February 23, 2024