MTY chapter 32

Liu Yuwen, familiar with the place, led them through a series of turns and into the employees’ backstage area of the amusement park.

“The art museum previously had a collaboration with the park, so I know some of the staff here,” Liu Yuwen explained.

Lin Yu looked around curiously.

The backstage area was a dressing room for the performers. The storage room was filled with various costumes and props, while makeup artists were busy applying vampire makeup to the NPCs to match the festive atmosphere.

To be fair, the male NPCs were all tall and handsome, each standing at least 185 cm, with broad chests and slim waists.

The makeup artists weren’t just working on their faces—they were also shading their chests and abs to enhance their muscle definition, making them look even more seductive under the night lights.

Liu Yuwen turned to Lin Yu. “So? Want to feel some abs? See anyone you like? I can call them over for you.”

Lin Yu quickly waved his hands. “No, no, I’m just here to look around. I’ve never been backstage before.”

That’s what he said, but when his eyes landed on the NPCs’ bodies, he couldn’t help but swallow slightly.

As a single man nearing thirty, faced with a lineup of tall, lean, muscular young men, how could he not feel a little stirred?

The NPCs’ abs looked undeniably firm and well-defined…

Even from a purely aesthetic standpoint, they were pleasing to the eye.

“Are you sure you don’t want to touch?” Liu Yuwen teased in his ear. “Once the night shift starts, they’ll be out working. When the fans and tourists swarm in, it’ll be much harder to get close.”

“Right now, while they’re free, if you pick one you like, I can have a word with their manager, and—”

“We appreciate the offer, Mr. Liu, but we don’t need it,” Lu Ziqing’s voice cut in, steady yet firm. “You don’t have to go through all that trouble. By the way, are we interrupting your fun?”

Liu Yuwen straightened up. “Not at all. I was just wandering around out of boredom.”

Lu Ziqing smirked. “So when you’re bored, you come here to feel up random men? I wouldn’t have guessed—Liu Yuwen, you seem so refined, but your hobbies are quite… unique.”

Liu Yuwen shot back lazily, “Work is exhausting. Naturally, one has to find ways to relieve stress. Appreciating beauty is just human nature. Your Director Lin seems to like it too—he’s just a bit shy for now. That’s alright, it just takes a few more visits to get used to it.”

Lin Yu flushed. “No, no, I—”

Even as he denied it, his eyes kept sneaking glances at the NPCs’ abs.

Lu Ziqing subtly stepped to the side, blocking Lin Yu’s view. “Director Lin, you just said you were tired. Are we heading back, or do you want to look around some more?”

Lin Yu reluctantly pulled his gaze away.

He didn’t remember saying he was tired, but he couldn’t be bothered to argue, so he muttered, “Either way is fine.”

Liu Yuwen smirked, just about to say something when a sharp voice interrupted.

“Liu! Yu! Wen!”

The voice was young, carrying a hint of gritted teeth. “So you came to grope NPCs again while I was on break, huh? Thought you could sneak around without me finding out?”

For the first time, Liu Yuwen’s usual cool and teasing demeanor faltered—just for a split second—before he quickly covered it up.

He looked at the person walking over indifferently. “Stop talking nonsense. How would I know when you’re working?”

The person was a young man, his black hair streaked with a touch of silver dye. He wore a black tank top and cargo pants.

His sharp jawline, high brow ridge, and youthful face made him look no older than his early twenties. But with his tall frame, he carried a strikingly fierce presence.

The young man’s hair practically bristled with anger. “Still pretending, huh? I’ve been texting you for half a month, and you ignored every single one. I purposely came in on my day off to catch you red-handed—and sure enough!”

“If you’re sick, go see a doctor. Don’t throw a tantrum here,” Liu Yuwen said coolly. “I have friends with me, so cut the nonsense.”

“I’m not the one embarrassed here, you are,” the young man snapped. “Funny how you’re suddenly so shy, when the first time we met, you tricked me into going home with you and grabbed my ass!”

The entire room fell silent.

The makeup artists, the NPCs, Lin Yu, Lu Ziqing, and the staff—all eyes were now on the two of them.

For once, Liu Yuwen couldn’t keep up his usual unbothered act. He muttered something about needing to deal with this, grabbed the young man by the wrist, and dragged him away, his expression stormy.

With Liu Yuwen gone, Lin Yu felt too awkward to linger in the staff area, so he quickly slipped out with Lu Ziqing.

Lin Yu had a complicated expression.

Lu Ziqing started humming cheerfully.

Lin Yu glanced at him. “You seem… in a good mood?”

“Huh? Not really.” Lu Ziqing whistled. “Or maybe it’s just because we just watched a great show. Way more thrilling than any of these amusement park rides.”

Lin Yu hesitated. “Do you think everything will be okay?”

“What could happen? The park has security everywhere,” Lu Ziqing said casually. “You should worry about yourself instead. Now that the Zhou Youyu case is wrapped up, what’s your plan?”

Lin Yu replied, “I’m not sure yet. I’ll go with whatever the company decides.”

“That’s a real PR answer. Are you hosting a press conference or something?” Lu Ziqing side-eyed him. “Come on, drop the act. You can barely hold back your smile.”

Both of them knew Lin Yu had been running the company smoothly for the past few months. And now, having successfully handled the Zhou Youyu case, he was practically guaranteed a promotion.

Lin Yu had originally wanted to be modest, but with Lu Ziqing calling him out so directly, he couldn’t help but grin.

“I’m not expecting anything big, but if I can return to headquarters, that’d be nice,” Lin Yu admitted. “I haven’t been back in months. I wonder if things there have changed much.”

“If I go back, I’ll have to rent a place again. I wonder if my old apartment has been rented out—I really liked that neighborhood. The greenery is nice, and a lot of people have cats and dogs. You can pet them anytime you run into them on the street.”

Lin Yu wasn’t usually a talkative person, but with a major task finally completed, he felt relaxed, and words just started flowing.

After spending so much time with Lu Ziqing, he had gotten comfortable enough to be more casual when speaking.

“Ah, I hope this time I can settle down for good. My family has been urging me for a while now to find some stability so I can start looking for a partner and get married.”

Lu Ziqing listened silently. When he heard the words “looking for a partner,” his eyelashes trembled slightly.

He turned to Lin Yu. “…Looking for a partner?”

Lin Yu didn’t notice anything unusual and continued, “Yeah. In a few years, our engagement will probably be dissolved, right? By then, my salary should have increased. If I save for a few years, I’ll be able to buy a house. You need a house before you can find a partner.”

As he imagined his bright future—career advancement, a happy life—Lin Yu felt so cheerful that even the exhaustion from work seemed to fade.

“Someone like you, with money, probably doesn’t have these worries,” Lin Yu joked. “But with your high standards, I bet there aren’t many people who meet your expectations.”

Lu Ziqing: “…”

Lu Ziqing didn’t say anything, but Lin Yu didn’t think much of it.

“Actually, from what I’ve observed as an assistant over the years, the Wu family’s young master and the Xu family’s daughter both seem like good matches for you. They’re devoted to you, have compatible family backgrounds, and come from reputable businesses. You should consider them,” Lin Yu said sincerely. “Or if you already have someone in mind, you can tell me, and I can help you observe them.”

This was purely Lin Yu’s work habits kicking in. He figured that since he was about to return to headquarters, he should find a way to maintain his connection with Lu Ziqing, the future head of the Lu family.

This was someone countless people wanted to get close to but couldn’t.

But.

But.

Can someone tell him why Lu Ziqing’s face was getting darker and darker?