Ch68 - (II). Misunderstanding

The municipal government where Yan Chen worked was not far from the National Assembly building where Rong Jun was stationed. Under normal circumstances, they left home together each morning and returned at roughly the same time in the afternoon.

But during this particularly hectic period, their schedules had begun to drift further and further apart.

At around 8:40 a.m., Yan Chen pulled up at the entrance of the National Assembly Hall.

Because of the tension lingering from that morning, Rong Jun hesitated after unbuckling his seatbelt. He didn’t open the door right away. Instead, he turned back, closing it again, and looked at Yan Chen who sat silently with his eyes fixed ahead.

“Yan Chen…” Rong Jun said softly, unease trembling in his voice. He reached out and lightly grasped Yan Chen’s arm carefully.

That unfamiliar tone softened something in Yan Chen. He leaned back, the cold mask on his face slowly slipping away, and finally he turned to look at him.

Yan Chen rarely showed him that kind of distance, and when he did, it made Rong Jun’s chest tighten unbearably.

The moment their eyes met, the emotions Rong Jun had been suppressing surged forward. His vision blurred slightly.

He leaned in, resting his forehead against Yan Chen’s shoulder, biting his lower lip to hold himself together.

“Don’t be angry with me…” he whispered.

“Then take better care of yourself,” Yan Chen replied quietly, his hand coming up to cradle the back of Rong Jun’s neck, his fingers stroking him gently to pacify him.

The last traces of coldness in his expression had finally melted away.

Rong Jun lifted his head, still dazed. “That’s why you were angry?”

“WCNm JLIJ?”

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“DIt.”

“W NTd df BTGQBT TaTipdIQJN?”

“DIt!”

“rYiQNId.”

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“This is the Capitol entrance,” Rong Jun stammered, his cheeks burning.

“The law doesn’t say you can’t kiss here,” Yan Chen replied lazily. He pulled Rong Jun’s hand away and kissed him again, this time slower, deeper, and more insistent.

Rong Jun’s resistance quickly dissolved under the warmth and familiarity. The lingering tension from the morning faded, replaced by a sense of security he hadn’t realized he’d been missing.

…

By the time Rong Jun entered the building and made his way toward Councilor Fung’s office, his mind had barely settled when someone brushed past him, knocking into his shoulder.

The man didn’t apologize, instead he hurried straight inside.

Rong Jun followed just in time to catch the door before it shut, hearing the man’s urgent voice:

“Councilor, something’s happened in your constituency…”

After listening, Councilor Fung’s expression darkened. He glanced at Rong Jun seriously and muttered with a commanding voice.

“Pack your things. You’re coming with me to H City. Be at the entrance in an hour.”

“Yes.” Rong Jun turned and stepped into the empty elevator.

The moment the doors closed, his expression sank. A deep crease formed between his brows.

Damn it! He had just managed to ease things with Yan Chen and now he was being sent out of town without warning. The promised “vacation” was practically gone before it even began.

He had no idea how to tell Yan Chen.

Suppressing the urge to kick the elevator doors, he rode down to the first floor, hurried outside, and hailed a car, trying to organize his thoughts before making the call.

…

At City Hall, Yan Chen stood by the fish tank, casually scattering fish food while humming under his breath. The guppies darted eagerly, nibbling at the floating flakes.

The rare sight of his bright mood didn’t go unnoticed. Nearby colleagues exchanged glances, whispering among themselves.

“Why’s he so happy today?”

“No idea—he’s been ignoring me lately.”

“Should we… talk to him?”

“You go first.”

As they hesitantly approached, Yan Chen glanced down at his phone when it buzzed. And in an instant, the smile on his face disappeared.

Without a word, he set the phone aside and stared at the tank for a moment, then, suddenly, poured the entire box of fish food into the water.

“Ah—my little blue guppy!” one colleague shouted, rushing over with a net.

“My fish—!” another cried.“Save them!”“Don’t let them overeat!”“Forget the food, save the fish first!”

The office erupted into chaos around the tank.

Amid the noise, Yan Chen quietly picked up his phone again and looked at the message from Rong Jun: “Sorry, Yan Chen. I have to go to H City for a while. I don’t know when I’ll be back. I’ll contact you when I get there.”