Mistaken Canary Chapter 28 (Part 2)
TL Note: Hello my lovelies, great news! An amazing individual has stepped up to help me proofread this novel! Everyone, please welcome bob! They will be here for the long ride, and will helped me by bettering my grammar, wording, and consistency. Super duper grateful for it
All the while—-I am still looking to recruit an editor, so if you have some free time to spare, please out! I’m more than halfway done with the story but it needs perfecting!!
Edited by megane-kun (ko-fi)
Proofread by bob
Chapter 28.2
After Ying Tongchen reassured Zhuo Shu several times that he wouldn’t speed, they finally set off. Ying Tongchen glanced at the navigation route on his phone when a message popped up.
[Liu Li’ang]: Chairman Zhuo, are you free today? I’d like to treat you to a meal OVO
Zhuo Shu, focused on the road ahead, suddenly felt a chill. He glanced at Ying Tongchen, but the latter's face remained unreadable.
"What’s wrong?"
"You received a new message," Ying Tongchen said, his face impassive as usual.
"Really?" Zhuo Shu reached out, his fingers brushing against the steering wheel, took the phone off the mount, and began typing a response, his thumbs moving rapidly across the screen.
Ying Tongchen: "...."
Half a minute later, the car stopped at an intersection. Ying Tongchen sighed wearily, the sound heavy with suppressed frustration. "Give me the phone."
"No," Zhuo Shu replied, his eyes still fixed on the screen, "I’m busy."
"How am I supposed to navigate without it?"
Zhuo Shu quickly scanned the road. "Turn left."
Ying Tongchen turned left. At the next intersection, Zhuo Shu was still typing. "Turn left again."
After a few more left turns, the car stopped at a red light, the silence in the car thick with tension. Ying Tongchen, his patience worn thin, could take it no longer.
"Ow! It hurts, it hurts..." Zhuo Shu’s ear was suddenly pinched, the sharp, unexpected pain jolting him. "What are you doing? Who gave you the galls to do this?!"
Ying Tongchen gritted his teeth. "Look properly, where are we now?"
Zhuo Shu, wincing through the pain, glanced outside. "Ah, looks like we’re going in circles? Do you even know how to drive?!"
"...."
"Ow ow ow! That hurts! Argh, stop pulling!"
Once the phone was finally returned, Ying Tongchen placed it carefully on the mount.
"Wait, you could use your own phone for navigation, why did you insist on using mine?" Zhuo Shu asked.
"It's out of battery."
"Oh."
The navigation app recalculated the route, and Ying Tongchen followed the directions, glancing at the phone occasionally.
A moment later, more messages popped up on the phone.
[Mrs. Cyberholic]: K.F.C just won the championship! Ahhhhhh! K.F.C GOAT! Dinner tonight is my treat!
[Ms. Starstruck]: K.F.C GOAT! I’m about to board my plane, mom, can you pick me up later?
[Dad]: K.F.C GOAT! I’ve canceled my dinner plans tonight, rushing to catch a flight back.
Ying Tongchen: "...."
"Are they still chatting?" Zhuo Shu asked, hearing the message notifications. "What are they talking about?"
Ying Tongchen replied, "Mrs. Cyberholic said the K.F.C team won."
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhuo Shu grabbed his phone again to reply: {K.F.C GOAT!}
“Are you chatting with your family? Are you all fans of K.F.C.?” Ying Tongchen asked, puzzled.
“Of course not. I don’t even know who’s in K.F.C.,” Zhuo Shu replied, setting his phone back down. “But my mom likes them.”
Ying Tongchen raised an eyebrow and gave him an unexpected glance. “Everyone seems pretty close in your family.”
“Yeah, it’s alright. My mom hasn’t had it easy...” Zhuo Shu sighed deeply, a touch of sentiment in his voice. “She got talked into investing in some no-name team, and now she spends her time fussing around those players like a nanny. But, finally, they’ve won.”
Ying Tongchen: “...”
At that point, Zhuo Shu grabbed his phone again, his eyes suddenly alight with excitement. “Oh right, let me check the ROI (return on investment). We’re going to make bank on this one.”
Ying Tongchen: “...” This family is something else.
After a bit more back-and-forth, the two of them finally arrived at their destination: the western suburb villa area.
The real estate agent, dressed in a crisp shirt and tie, had been waiting for some time and politely opened the car door for Zhuo Shu.
Stepping out of the car, Zhuo Shu first glanced at the agent, then turned to eye Ying Tongchen, who was similarly dressed. "You two wouldn't happen to be long-lost brothers, would you?" he asked with a smirk.
Before Ying Tongchen could respond, the agent smiled broadly and answered in his stead, "Oh, that’s definitely not possible! How could someone so handsome be related to me?"
Zhuo Shu appraised the agent with a look of approval. "Lead the way."
The agent, pleased with his successful flattery, subtly glanced back at the elegant man following behind, already calculating his next moves.
The villa was a three-story house with a basement, boasting a private courtyard and swimming pool. It faced north, ensuring ample natural light and optimal feng shui.
Zhuo Shu stood in the living room, looking around with his head tilted upwards. He then turned to Ying Tongchen and asked, "What do you think?"
"It’s pretty nice," Ying Tongchen said, casually glancing around. He walked out onto the second-floor balcony, admiring the distant view, the swimming pool visible below in the backyard. "Planning on buying it?"
Zhuo Shu appeared beside him silently, resting both hands on the railing as he casually asked, “Do you like it?”
“Who wouldn’t?” Ying Tongchen sighed, tilting his head back to close his eyes, inhaling the scent of wealth and basking in the warmth of the sun.
Then, suddenly, someone blocked his sunlight.
“...” Ying Tongchen slowly opened his eyes, looking at the large hand placed in front of him. “What are you doing?”
“You’ll get a tan and turn ugly,” Zhuo Shu said, his gaze fixed on Ying Tongchen’s fair, clean face. The sunlight illuminated the fine hairs on his face, making them appear even more noticeable, creating an undeniably warm atmosphere.
“...” Ying Tongchen rolled his eyes at him, then turned to head upstairs to continue his tour of the house.
The agent had been watching from a distance, particularly noting the interaction on the balcony. It was clear that the boss’s gaze toward the handsome man was anything but ordinary—so tender it could be squeezed for water.
With years of experience, the agent quickly adjusted his approach and walked over. “So, boss, what do you think of this house?”
“It’s alright,” Zhuo Shu replied nonchalantly.
“Let me give you a proper tour of this house,” the agent said, leading him to the second-floor rooms. “The original owner was Jiang Qing, you know, the movie emperor? You should have heard of him, right? He moved out after he started dating someone, so the house became vacant.”
Zhuo Shu’s steps faltered. “Boyfriend?”
“Yep,” the agent smiled. “This house is in high demand, with top-notch amenities. But the real selling point is that it's a lucky home—not only does it support career success, but it also guarantees happiness in love.”
Zhuo Shu’s expression hinted that he was starting to be swayed.
“Here’s the master bedroom. Plenty of space—perfect for two people. And this is the guest room. Perfect for two. This is the study...which is also perfect for two.”
“Ahem.” Zhuo Shu cleared his throat. “Why would two people live in a study?”
The agent pointed upstairs, shooting Zhuo Shu a meaningful look. “With a house this big, two people can live anywhere they want~”
Zhuo Shu couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at the corner of his lips.
The agent opened another door. “This one used to be a toy room. If you ever have kids, it’ll be perfect for them.”
Zhuo Shu: “It can wait.”
Agent: “Better safe than sorry.”
Zhuo Shu: “You are truly professional.”
Upstairs, after finishing his tour, Ying Tongchen heard the sounds of hushed laughter drifting from below. He called out, “What are you two talking about? Have you decided yet?”
“Yes. We’ll take it.”
“How much is this place?”
“That’s not something you need to worry about,” Zhuo Shu replied casually.
Ying Tongchen shrugged, agreeing with the unspoken truth—he really didn’t need to worry about it. He was merely the companion in this situation.
After finalizing everything with the agent, the two of them finally set off to head back.
“Got the location down for this place?” Zhuo Shu remarked. “From now on, this will be our meeting spot.”
Ying Tongchen: “Isn’t this place a bit far?”
“Far? What are you talking about? Don’t you know cars are a thing now?” Zhuo Shu shot him a glance. “Alright, alright, I get the hint. You can keep this car for a little while longer, just try not to be too reckless.”
“Really?”
“Mm,” Zhuo Shu answered, giving a mysterious smile playing on his lips. “By the way, I heard that this house is ‘blessed’. Do you know who the previous owner was?”
“No, who?”
“The movie emperor. And then he got himself a boyfriend.”
Ying Tongchen’s expression froze for a moment, his fingers tightening slightly on the steering wheel. His voice dropped low, “So what?”
Zhuo Shu stared pointedly at him. “So, do you think there’s a chance you could become a movie emperor?”
Ying Tongchen: “...”
What movie emperor?!
With a firm press on the gas pedal, Ying Tongchen shot the car forward, the speed accelerating to an alarming rate.
Zhuo Shu: “!!!”
W-Wh-Wha-What the f*ck?! Why???
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Author’s note: Why are you even surprised?