Chapter 289: HE WAS DOING JUST FINE

Fu Pei arrived at the studio less than twenty minutes later, dressed head to toe in black, expression set into something between exhaustion and lingering fury.

The moment he spotted Guiying, he pointed a finger straight at his chest.

"Next time you forget me, I’ll break your legs." His tone stayed flat, entirely serious. "Both of them. I won’t even feel bad about it."

Guiying raised both hands in surrender. "Noted. So calm down, bro; you’re embarrassing me."

Fu Pei held the glare for another second before turning smoothly toward the rest of the room, his entire demeanor shifting instantly.

"Good afternoon." He bowed his head politely toward Jiang Wenxi, Bai Zichen, and the rest of the staff gathered nearby. "Apologies for interrupting. I’m Fu Pei, Guiying’s assistant."

Bai Zichen’s mouth fell open slightly.

Jiang Wenxi’s brow lifted, something amused flickering behind her composed expression as she glanced between Fu Pei’s polite bow and the murderous look he’d aimed at Guiying only seconds earlier.

"You’re not what I expected. You switch up fast." Bai Zichen recovered first, studying him with open curiosity.

"None of you did anything to me." Fu Pei’s tone stayed even, matter-of-fact. "I had no reason to be rude to any of you. Unlike the dumbass standing behind me."

Guiying sighed.

"Are you done with him for today?" Fu Pei turned to Jiang Wenxi directly. "He has an advertisement to film."

"We’re finished." Wenxi nodded, closing her sketchbook. "We’ll send over the runway rehearsal schedule once it’s finalized. Make sure he prepares properly before then."

"I’ll make sure of it." Fu Pei’s gaze slid back toward Guiying. "Grab your things. Let’s go; we don’t have all day."

Guiying gathered his jacket and bag quickly, then paused, studying Fu Pei’s outfit properly for the first time since he’d walked in.

"Why are you dressed like you’re heading to a funeral?" He tilted his head. "You’re a grown man. Are you still going through your emo phase?"

"Excuse you." Fu Pei’s jaw tightened. "It’s a lifestyle. Not a phase."

"Whatever it is, wear brighter colors tomorrow." Guiying headed toward the door. "You’re my assistant now. You need to look approachable; you fucking look like some back alley predator."

-_-

Fu Pei said nothing, though the look he shot Guiying’s back promised retaliation in the end.

They climbed into the car together, Haiyan already pulling away from the curb the moment both doors shut.

A thought struck Guiying halfway through settling into his seat.

"Wait." He turned toward Fu Pei. "How did you know the advertisement was today?"

Fu Pei didn’t even glance over. "I gathered information."

"Were you spying on me?"

"Why the fuck would I do that?" Fu Pei’s brow furrowed, genuinely offended by the accusation. "I gathered information. I have every right to do that. I’m your informant, remember? That’s literally the job."

-_-

"Right. Right." Guiying crossed his arms. "I’ll be sure to tell you my dealings from now on, then, save you the trouble."

"Appreciated."

Guiying huffed, though some of the earlier tension between them had already dissolved into something easier.

"Let’s grab lunch after the shoot." He glanced out the window. "I wonder if Uncle Li would let us eat ramen. He’s a stickler for healthy food; he might actually throw it away if he catches us."

"Then we’ll just have to hide it well."

Guiying laughed under his breath, some genuine warmth threading through the sound.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he pulled it out, scrolling through a fresh batch of notifications from the ORF group chat.

Weekly check-ins on the omegas currently under the foundation’s protection, each case assigned a specific volunteer for follow-up.

Song Rongquan’s name sat near the top, the single father Guiying had knocked some sense into months ago.

The check-in was scheduled for Friday.

He had a few days yet to prepare, plenty of time to make sure the visit went smoothly.

It would be fine to see how he and his children were faring; he had been curious since he found out he had decided to take his life by the reins.

Guiying set the phone down on his knee, glancing over at Fu Pei, who’d already pulled out his own phone and was scrolling through something with sharp, focused attention.

"What’s the advertisement for again?" Fu Pei asked without looking up. "The paperwork Wang Chengli gave me only had the shoot time, not the client."

"Ramen brand. ChuanXiang." Guiying leaned back against the seat. "Second campaign with them, actually. Their first one did well enough that they wanted a follow-up. And call him Uncle Wang next time; you have to respect your elders."

"I’ve seen their ads." Fu Pei’s mouth curved slightly. "Genuinely good work, for once. Most food companies churn out the same tired concept every single time, steam rising off a bowl, someone smiling as if they’ve never tasted anything better in their life. ChuanXiang actually puts thought into the storytelling."

"Their last campaign was focused entirely on comfort." Guiying nodded, remembering the shoot fondly. "Home-cooked feeling, family gathered around a table, that kind of warmth. This one’s supposed to be different. More about connection, sharing a meal with someone you care about."

"That tracks." Fu Pei tapped something into his phone. "Their target demographic skews toward people living alone in the city. Making food feel like a connection instead of just sustenance is smart marketing."

Guiying raised a brow, genuinely impressed. "You research advertising trends too?"

"I research everything relevant to keeping you and this household running smoothly." Fu Pei finally glanced over, something almost like pride flickering behind his usual flat expression. "That’s the job. Might as well do it properly."

"Fair enough." Guiying smiled, watching the city pass by outside the window, oddly comforted by having someone this thorough, this blunt, this entirely unwilling to sugarcoat anything, riding beside him for whatever came next.

He didn’t expect Fu Pei to be this serious; he almost felt guilty about leaving him behind that morning.

And he was worried about not being a people person; he was doing just fine.