Tomb Raider: What the hell is this strange commission?

This is the third year that Xie Yuchen and Chi Yu have known each other, and Xie Yuchen is about to have his last birthday party before he becomes an adult.

As usual, he dialed the number that he had already memorized.

If Chi Yu had not placed herself in a place where she could not receive a signal, the call would have been connected on the third ring after it was dialed.

But if Chi Yu is in an environment with no signal, Xie Yuchen will choose to go to the study, process documents while dialing the number on the landline to ensure that he can contact the other party as soon as Chi Yu's signal is restored.

Of course, the frequency of dialing has not reached the level of phone bombing. Xie Yuchen is not that kind of person, and he is not that idle.

Beep...beep...beep.

connected.

"What's the matter?" asked the other party.

"Next Tuesday is my birthday," Xie Yuchen said, "Do you have time to attend?"

Chi Yu did not respond to the invitation quickly. His silence represented that he was thinking about something, but Xie Yuchen did not understand why this invitation, which was the same as the previous two years, required extra consideration.

But he has always been patient enough to wait for an answer, even if that answer may not be what Xie Yuchen wants -

"I can't go." Chi Yu said, "You can celebrate your birthday by yourself this year."

It’s hard to describe what kind of feeling he was in, Xie Yuchen sighed softly.

His gaze lingered on the window curtain for a while, thinking that Chi Yu's answer was actually very interesting: it was not that he didn't want to come, but that he couldn't come at that particular time.

Chi Yu had left Beijing earlier, and Xie Yuchen also knew about this.

It was said that he was traveling with a few bosses with whom he had business dealings, but Xie Yuchen did not expect that Chi Yu had not returned for almost half a month, and it sounded like he might not be back until next month.

Where did they run to?

Xie Yuchen was a little puzzled. He turned the information he had obtained over in his mind again and began to suspect whether it was the overseas distributor who took them out to sea.

So how did the call go through? Xie Yuchen sat there and let his thoughts wander for a while, but in the end he followed his heart and chose to ask Chi Yu the question that troubled him: "Where are you?"

Chi Yu didn't think this question was difficult to answer, and gave the answer without hesitation: "Medog."

Xie Yuchen found the point representing Medog on the map and was silent for a moment: "...There's no car access to that place, how do you have a signal?"

"Although this place is indeed quite closed, it was successfully opened to traffic three years ago." Chi Yu said slowly, "You are stereotyping, Boss Jie."

Xie Yuchen raised his eyebrows and said, "Then I have to correct you. That line is now a high-risk section. It is still under repair and no car can pass."

"That's true."

Chi Yu's voice was a little distorted after being converted by the communication equipment. At this moment, he sounded nonchalant: "So some people just can't sit still. They want to prove that they are still as good as ever by hiking over the snow-capped mountains."

Hearing this, Xie Yuchen smiled and said, "Didn't you stop him at that time?"

"Because I just happened to be in the mood for hiking, and I thought it would be nice to just walk around with them." Chi Yu said, "But I overestimated the physical strength of those bosses. It took them a week to get to the four-day journey. I can't openly dislike them, and I can't say anything."

Listening to Chi Yu's complaining words, Xie Yuchen's smile never faded: "You are now in Medog, but you haven't decided to return. Did those bosses have a new idea?"

"They met a youth travel group on the road. After chatting for a while, they naturally became interested and agreed to visit all of Medog. Yesterday, they went to visit the canyon together. The scenery was pretty good."

"So you're just going to abandon your company for these views?"

"My staff can handle everything." Chi Yu said, paused, and asked him in return, "You ask so many questions, are you jealous that I can travel?"

Xie Yuchen straightened his lips and repeated the question: "Am I jealous of you?"

"For example, I can put aside the company affairs and go on a trip for more than a month, and you can only stay at Xie's house to deal with those messy follow-up affairs. I remember there is another batch of reviews at the end of the year. How are your arrangements? Can you handle it, Boss Xie?"

"..."

Xie Yuchen took a deep breath: "You should know that even if we have a good relationship now, if you say this on purpose, it will make people angry, right?"

"I know."

Chi Yu paused and asked him, "Are you angry then?"

Xie Yuchen took away the phone, lowered his eyes and looked at the screen which showed that he was on a call.

A thick shadow fell on his face, making it impossible to see his true thoughts. Xie Yuchen was pulled back to reality following Chi Yu's words, but who could he blame?

Xie Yuchen answered this question with indescribable complex emotions, and his tone was hard: "No."

Chi Yu laughed softly on the other end of the phone. The sound was very shallow, almost indistinguishable from short breaths, but Xie Yuchen knew that he was laughing.

So at this moment, all the anger in Xie Yuchen's heart suddenly disappeared.

In the background, someone knocked on the door. The wooden door knocked twice. Xie Yuchen listened carefully and heard someone reading Chi Yu's name. Then everything returned to calm.

It looks like their call is about to end, Xie Yuchen thought.

"The weather in Medog is good today, suitable for hiking and enjoying the snow. I can send you photos if you need them." Chi Yu said, "But the premise is that you have to work hard, be the head of the family, and don't let your shareholders down."

"I won't let down those who stand by my side." Xie Yuchen said, "Let's talk again."

Chi Yu hung up the phone.

Xie Yuchen glanced at the screen that automatically returned to the dialing interface and put the phone aside.

Xie Yuchen felt a little regretful that Chi Yu could not come to his birthday party, thinking that perhaps this birthday would go back to the way it was before Chi Yu appeared - nothing new and boring, with nothing to look forward to except the possibility of exchanging some resources which was better than nothing.

So when his assistant came to ask him how to arrange this year, Xie Yuchen threw the question back and let the other party figure it out on their own. But not long after, he received a second inquiry from his assistant:

"Master Lin said that he injured his hand and cannot cook for a while. He wants to replace him with his two apprentices to make snacks. Let me ask your opinion, boss."

Xie Yuchen rubbed his brows and said, "Forget it if you can't come."

"What about Mr. Chi..."

He is not coming.

Xie Yuchen swallowed the words that came to his lips. He thought for a moment and said, "Let's ask the two disciples to come over. It would be nice to have some snacks at the banquet."

Although these snacks lost their greatest significance after Chi Yu refused to attend, they could at least serve as decoration.

Besides, he still wanted to be prepared just in case.

Unfortunately, this thought was never put into practice. Until late Monday night, Xie Yuchen had not received any news that Chi Yu had returned to Beijing.

Xie Yuchen looked at the clock on the wall. The three hands overlapped at that moment and then separated.

It was twelve o'clock midnight, a new day had begun, but he was still in his study, dealing with work that seemed to never be finished.

A bird landed outside the window, and then there was the sound of its beak tapping on the glass: "Tap, tap."

Xie Yuchen shifted his gaze to the window, squinted his eyes, and did not move.

"Tuk, duh."

The bird knocked on the window again. This little creature, unable to use human language, could only use this method to inform the owner of the house that there was a guest visiting.

Xie Yuchen walked over and drew open the curtains. A falcon with a mailbox was standing by the window, looking at him with its head tilted.

It seemed to confirm something, let out a cry, raised its paw, and stretched out the leg with the mailbox tied to it towards Xie Yuchen, indicating that he should take the things inside.

Who would send him a letter in this way? What was in the mailbox?

Xie Yuchen looked at the falcon and had a vague guess in his mind, which was waiting for him to confirm.

——He took out a rolled-up photo.

Xie Yuchen smoothed out this photo. There was a vast expanse of desolate mountains, and the glaciers in the distance could only be vaguely seen under the cover of fog. But even if there was only a ray of sunshine pouring down, it would make the clouds tinged with heart-warming colors.

Yes, Chi Yu mentioned before that she would send him photos.

Xie Yuchen pursed his lips and turned the photo over. On the back was a row of neat little words:

"Happy birthday, Xie Yuchen."

-

"Daily Life" · To be continued