Her gaze then landed on the steering wheel, specifically the hand that was on it. His long fingers were well-groomed, while his skin was fair and his bones were distinct. The joints closest to his palm had a small number of soft hairs, adding another layer of masculinity to him.
She thought about his considerable popularity in the company. He used to work with Qi Chengzhi at the general headquarters, and it was there that he earned the reputation of being an in-demand bachelor.
Be it in Qilin Technology or Qilin Properties, the higher-ups were all somewhat of age, bar only Qi Chengzhi and Qi Chenglin. Even someone of Jian Yi’s age was uncommon amongst the departmental managers—the youngest there was around forty, and even so, that person was already married.
Cheng Dongge was a thirty-year-old who was the director’s special assistant, and rumor has it that Qi Chengzhi identified him as a potential candidate for the position of Qilin’s general manager. As a bachelor who was previously engaged, that did not stop female employees from secretly crushing on him.
Having reverted to being a single man, the women who desired him would definitely increase in number.
He stood out prominently whether it was in his capabilities or his looks. It was not surprising that so many female employees took a liking to him.
For those women, Qi Chengzhi and Qi Chenglin were the most perfect of Mr. Perfects. They were too high to reach, and even though those female employees were secretly in love with them, none of them bore any hope that they would one day become Cinderella.
Cheng Dongge however, was different. He was tangible, and the chance to grab him was within reach. With the requisite effort, the possibility of success was there.
Qi Chengyue retracted her gaze unconsciously and faced the outside mirror. Her mind was wandering about when a fruit shop entered her field of vision.
“Wait, is it okay to stop the car here?” Qi Chengyue asked abruptly.
Cheng Dongge thought she wanted to get something, so after looking at the car behind them, he pulled over to the side of the road.
“Wait for me,” Qi Chengyue uttered quickly and went down. She ran toward the fruit shop that they just passed by.
Cheng Dongge watched from inside the car as she stood in front of the shop with her back facing him. She pointed at a few of the fruits and allowed the shop owner to weigh them.
He then went down and walked toward her.
When he finally reached, the shop owner had finished weighing everything, leaving Qi Chengyue to pay for them.
Sensing that there was someone beside her, she looked to the side unwittingly and asked, “Why did you come down?”
Cheng Dongge took the fruits from the shop owner. There were quite a few bags, containing watermelon, strawberries, kiwis, and some table grapes. All of it was rather heavy.
Qi Chengyue explained, “It’s not nice if we go for dinner at your home but show up empty-handed.”
The shop owner returned the change, and Cheng Dongge then brought the fruits to the car. He looked at Qi Chengyue half-smilingly and said, “It’s not like you’re going to meet your in-laws. You don’t need to be so formal.”
Qi Chengyue, “…”
‘What do you mean it’s not like that?’
“Help me take out the keys from my pants pocket,” Cheng Dongge said as they were approaching the car. His hands were occupied with those fruits and he had no way of taking his keys.
Qi Chengyue wanted to take the fruits from him so he could get the keys by himself. Cheng Dongge however, dodged her and said, “You won’t be able to carry them.”
“…” Qi Chengyue face was red and hot when she looked at his pants.
He continued to walk without stopping, and every single movement seemed to goad her into looking at his privates.
Qi Chengyue gulped nervously and felt her scalp go numb. It was extremely awkward, and her hand trembled like a leaf when she stretched it out toward his pocket.
With great effort, she mustered up the courage to stick her hand into his pants. The rhythm of his gait made it inevitable that she would come into contact with his thigh time and again.
Despite the fabric separating their skin, the lining of his pocket was so thin that he could feel his robust thigh muscles as well as his heat. Just like that, she was repeatedly and involuntarily rubbing against his thigh.
Qi Chengyue’s face was so red that she might emit smoke anytime. She rummaged through it for such a long time, but she still could not locate his keys.
Cheng Dongge then looked at her confusedly. “The keys are in the other pocket.”
Qi Chengyue, “…”
His expression seemed to be insinuating that she was the one who wanted to feel him up.
“Why didn’t you say so earlier then!” Shy but angry, Qi Chengyue glared at him furiously.
Cheng Dongge looked at her baby face and considered it to be very adorable even when she was glaring irksomely at him. She was like a tigress that bared its teeth, but the appearance of her dimples muted the indignant energy significantly.
The more he looked at her, the more lost in her he was. Heat began to surge up in the lower part of his body, causing him to walk rather stiffly.
He let out a dry cough and looked away uneasily. He fixed his eyes up ahead because he knew he would make a fool of himself in public if he continued looking.
Qi Chengyue was so preoccupied with her embarrassment that she did not notice his atypical behavior. She went to the other side and, having had prior experience, steeled herself to rummage through his pockets. She managed to feel the keys on her second try, and in one swift motion she fished it out. As she was preparing to unlock the car doors, she noticed that there was no car beside them.
“Where’s the car?” a startled Qi Chengyue asked.
Cheng Dongge frowned, then turned around to look before replying sheepishly, “We walked past it.”
Qi Chengyue, “…”
Cheng Dongge’s face turned red as well. He kept quiet, carried the fruits, and turned back.
A tingling heat was forming on Qi Chengyue’s scalp as she ran back to unlock the car. Cheng Dongge placed everything on the rear seat before joining Qi Chengyue in the car to continue their journey.
Cheng Dongge’s parents’ home was located in a neighborhood that had a rather good environment. Though it was situated in the city center, it was fairly quiet there. Surrounding it was a myriad of high-class residences, while large-scale supermarkets had been set up amongst a few of the housing areas there. Sports centers were also present, as well as gyms, and various restaurants that served a plethora of regional cuisines. Living there was not only peaceful but incredibly convenient as well.
The car was parked in an area that did not affect the flow of traffic. Cheng Dongge brought the fruits down from the car and led Qi Chengyue to his home.
A lady that was about the same age as Cheng Dongge’s mother walked over. She looked at Cheng Dongge for a long time before exclaiming in surprise: “Isn’t this Dong Zi? It’s not time for the holidays, is it? Why are you back?”
Cheng Dongge was about to open his mouth when the lady looked at Qi Chengyue. She smiled at once and said, “Oh my, this is your wife! You’re bringing your wife back home! That’s nice! That’s very nice!”
At first, Cheng Dongge wanted to explain, but after hearing what the lady had to say, he swallowed back his words and simply smiled in silence.
“…” Qi Chengyue shot him a glance. She was in no position to say anything if he did not explain, but there was no doubt that being regarded as his other half made her feel shy.
“My, that must be really heavy! You’d better get going. If you have the time, bring your wife over to visit.”
He smiled, waved goodbye to the lady, then brought Qi Chengyue to the entrance of the building. He entered the password for the main gate and led Qi Chengyue in.
The building had six floors, but fortunately, there was an elevator.
Cheng Dongge’s parents stayed on the fifth floor, and the closer they were to reaching that floor, Qi Chengyue’s nervousness increased as well.
She felt far more nervous than when she first went to Jian Yi’s home and met his parents.
Knowing that their son was coming home, Cheng Zhaohui waited by the window when it neared his expected arrival time. By the time Cheng Dongge and Qi Chengyue walked out of the elevator, the door to his parents’ home was already wide open. Cheng Zhaohui and his wife, Sun Shaoyun, were waiting by the door.
When Cheng Zhaohui was waiting by the window moments ago, he saw Cheng Dongge coming in with another woman. Cheng Dongge never mentioned anything about bringing anyone home during the phone conversation earlier.
They knew about Cheng Dongge’s breakup with his fiancée, so seeing him bring another woman back home roused suspicion in them. The two of them stood by the door and started guessing amongst themselves about the identity of that woman.
“Stop making wild guesses. Maybe it’s just a coincidence that he went in with our son. The two of them might not even know each other!” Sun Shaoyun opined.
The sound of the elevator door opening sent them into silence. They watched as Cheng Dongge brought the rather pretty girl over.
“Dad, Mom.” Cheng Dongge was still carrying those fruits, so he let Qi Chengyue enter the house before him. He told his parents, “This is my colleague, Qi Chengyue.”
For the first time ever, Cheng Dongge addressed her by her full name. He always called her Miss Qi in the past.
Hearing her name coming out from his mouth was a very strange thing indeed. It was like an electric current surging through her heart, making her go numb and turning her face scarlet.
“Uncle, Auntie,” Qi Chengyue blushed and greeted them.
Her blushing face was particularly adorable. Cheng Zhaohui and Sun Shaoyun took a liking to her immediately. Sun Shaoyun smiled immediately and said, “Miss Qi, please come in.”
“Uncle, Auntie, just call me Chengyue,” she said while blushing.
Cheng Dongge went in soon after and handed the fruits over to his father. “She bought all of these. She didn’t know that I’d be bringing her here today, and she didn’t want to come here empty-handed on her first visit.”
Qi Chengyue took off her shoes and slipped her feet into a pair of slippers that Sun Shaoyun prepared. Her face reddened because she felt that Cheng Dongge’s words could potentially stir up a misunderstanding. In fact, there was nothing inherently wrong about what he said, and perhaps the only reason she found it misunderstanding was because she felt something in her heart. It did not necessarily mean that Cheng Dongge’s parents would notice it.
She was just thinking of all that when she heard Sun Shaoyun exclaim, “Showing up is good enough. You don’t need to bring anything when you come next time!”
Thinking about the words ‘next time’, Qi Chengyue’s heartbeat began increasing. She walked in with the slippers and looked at Cheng Dongge’s parents while Cheng Dongge was changing his shoes.
His parents appeared to be educated folks. They spoke well-articulated Mandarin that did not have any hint of a Southern accent. They had ample Chinese temperament, as though they were educators or researchers of some sort.
Having thought about it, she realized that Cheng Dongge never mentioned his parents’ occupation.
“Come and sit down. I’ve prepared everything while waiting for you to come back. All it needs is a quick fry. It won’t be long,” Sun Shaoyun said. She told Cheng Zhaohui to take out the fruits that they had already cut. Then she told him to wash and slice the fruits that Qi Chengyue brought over.
Qi Chengyue was left to wait in the living room while Cheng Dongge went into the kitchen to help out. Sun Shaoyun took the opportunity to bring him to the deepest part of the kitchen, whispering to him, “Tell your mom the truth. Is this girl your colleague or your girlfriend? I’ll tell you this right now. You’ve only just broken up with Huang Ziyue. If this is to shake off the suffering of a breakup or to show off to Huang Ziyue that you couldn’t care less because you have plenty of women to choose from; if you enter into a relationship with her just for the sake of filling the void, I won’t allow it. She’s a good girl and you can’t do that to her.”
Qi Chengyue sat alone in the living room but felt that it was improper not to help when the rest of the Cheng family were busy doing stuff. She was about to enter the kitchen and help them but when she reached the door, she heard Sun Shaoyun’s exact words.
Stopping her footsteps right then and there, she hid at the door and remained out of sight.
She heard Cheng Dongge say, “What are you talking about, Mom? Am I that that much of a scumbag in your eyes? You were the one who raised me as a son, don’t you know what kind of person your son is? She’s also been hurt before, and no matter how much of a scumbag I am, I won’t take advantage of her. I really do like her and I plan to pursue her properly. That’s why I brought her here with me today.”
Sun Shaoyun finally breathed a sigh of relief, saying, “That’s good then. If you like her, then you must treat her well. It’s not a pity at all to break up with a gold digger like Huang Ziyue. It’s best to set things straight now because it’ll be an even bigger headache if you realized her true nature only after getting married. In the end, you’ll argue every day and it’s just going to lead to divorce.”
Embarrassed, Sun Shaoyun then patted Cheng Dongge on the back. “My dear son, I’m so sorry for doubting you!”
Cheng Dongge smiled and said nothing, but Sun Shaoyun then thought of something and asked, “This girl isn’t the type that only likes money, right? Where is she from? What do her parents do?”
“Mom, I’m just about to go after her. We’ll talk about this after she and I are together,” Cheng Dongge said. He then turned around and took the grapes out to wash them.
Qi Chengyue quietly made her way back to the living room. Her heart was beating madly after she heard Cheng Dongge’s words.
Not long after she sat down, Cheng Dongge and Cheng Zhaohui brought out the cut fruits. Sun Shaoyun began cooking in the kitchen, but a few moments later, she came out with her spatula in hand and her apron still on her. She asked, “Chengyue, do you take spicy food?”
“I do. I love spicy food,” Qi Chengyue responded immediately.
“That’s great then. The spiciness is what makes Li City’s cuisine so special. It’s delicious only if it’s spicy.” Sun Shaoyun chuckled. “Can you take it if it’s really spicy?”
“Mm. I have no problem eating Sichuan or Hunan-style cuisine,” Qi Chengyue answered. “I usually don’t enjoy my food if it’s not spicy.”
“Alright then, I’m not worried anymore,” Sun Shaoyun remarked and turned to go back into the kitchen.
Qi Chengyue stood up too, saying, “Auntie, let me help you.”
“No, no, it’s fine,” Sun Shaoyun said. “Just sit there. But don’t eat too many fruits. Dinner will be ready soon, and you won’t have enough room in your stomach if you eat too much fruit. Everyone praises my cooking, so you have to save some space in your tummy.”
Qi Chengyue remembered her pre-marriage and post-marriage visits to the Jian family. She always had to bring them out for meals, and Zhou Mingyan never once cooked for her.
Zhoug Mingyan did usually cook, but whenever Qi Chengyue went over, Zhou Mingyan did not do any cooking.
In retrospect, Zhou Mingyan was always waiting to take advantage of her by asking her to bring them to high-class restaurants.
She felt a pull on her arm and was led back down to her seat by Cheng Dongge. He told her, “Just sit here and don’t worry about it. If my mom’s around, she never lets anyone do any work.”
Cheng Dongge sat beside her, and the sudden lack of distance between them made her recall the words that Sun Shaoyun said earlier. Qi Chengyue’s breathing turned erratic and the part that came into contact with his hand was scorching hot.
He later retracted his hand and gave her a piece of Hami melon, as though his earlier physical contact with her was completely natural.
After a while, Sun Shaoyun called everyone for dinner. Cheng Dongge went to the kitchen and took out a bottle of white wine from the liquor cabinet. “Dad, it’s been so long since I came home. I’ll drink a few glasses with you.”
“Sure, sure, sure!” Cheng Zhaohui nodded in delight.
After the meal, both father and son drank considerably.
Qi Chengyue joined them for some post-dinner fruits, but as soon as she looked at the time, she figured it was appropriate for her to say her goodbye and return to the hotel.
Li City was Cheng Dongge’s hometown, and since his home was there, he did not book a room at the hotel. He picked up the keys and trailed behind her, frightening Qi Chengyue. She held him back and asked, “What are you doing?”
“Sending you back!” he exclaimed. He proceeded to walk toward the door.
“How are you going to drive after drinking so much! I’ll drive myself there.” Qi Chengyue grabbed the keys from his hand.
“It’s late. You’re not familiar with the place too. I’ll be worried if you go alone.” Cheng Dongge frowned.
“I’m a grown-up, okay. And it’s not that late…” Qi Chengyue could not finish her sentence.
“If the sky’s dark, then it’s late.” Cheng Dongge stated unequivocally. His tone was so serious that Qi Chengyue did not dare to try and refute him.
As his mother, Sun Shaoyun knew that Cheng Dongge was trying to suggest, so she offered, “Chengyue, how about you stay here for the night! We have enough rooms.”
“Oh, no, I can’t possibly. My luggage is at the hotel and all my clothes are in it,” Qi Chengyue said while waving her hands.
Cheng Dongge was gently touching her shoulder when he suggested, “If you want to go back to the hotel, let me send you. I’ll take a taxi on the way home. Is that okay?”
Qi Chengyue had no problems about such a compromise. She said her goodbyes to both Cheng Zhaohui and Sun Shaoyun, then left with Cheng Dongge.
Uneasiness began manifesting within the cramped-up space of the elevator. Qi Chengyue recalled the things she heard him say back in the kitchen, and no matter what she did, she could not resist stealing glances at him.
The two of them came out of the elevator and walked out of the entrance, but Cheng Dongge stopped suddenly and remained motionless.
Qi Chengyue turned around in suspicion and saw him leaning against the entrance. He was looking down, and the only thing she could notice was his frown. The rest of his face was obscured, but it seemed like he was not feeling very good.
“Cheng Dongge, are you okay? You feeling okay?” Qi Chengyue leaned over worriedly. Her soft hands were holding his arm.
Following her closeness, the scent from her body was blown to him by the cool night breeze. It cleared his mind considerably.
He massaged his temples for a bit and his crisp voice turned husky. “I’m fine.”
He completed his sentence, straightened his body, then began walking. Qi Chengyue held his arm tightly to stop him from leaving. “What do you mean you’re fine? Are you feeling unwell because you drank too much?”
She placed her hand on his forehead as she said that.
Her cool palm was placed against his forehead, and the comfort of it all made him close his eyes involuntarily. He did not move an inch and simply let Qi Chengyue continue touching him.
Her hand was clearly unmoving when placed on his forehead, and although nothing was charming about it, his heart was enticed by it completely. A great effort was needed on his part to restrain himself from just pulling her into his embrace.
“It’s nothing. My head just hurts a bit.” Cheng Dongge’s tone was very dull and he seemed not to care at all. “I think it’s because I was exposed to wind after wine. The drunkenness must’ve risen to my head.”
“Then don’t send me.” Qi Chengyue retracted her hand, much to Cheng Dongge’s dismay. That cozy feeling on his forehead was gone. “Go back home and rest. It was a rushed flight this morning followed by a whole afternoon stuck in a meeting. We even spent so much time visiting the site in the evening. Plus, you had drinks again tonight. I’m sure you’re feeling much more uncomfortable than usual.”
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Her gaze then landed on the steering wheel, specifically the hand that was on it. His long fingers were well-groomed, while his skin was fair and his bones were distinct. The joints closest to his palm had a small number of soft hairs, adding another layer of masculinity to him.
She thought about his considerable popularity in the company. He used to work with Qi Chengzhi at the general headquarters, and it was there that he earned the reputation of being an in-demand bachelor.
Be it in Qilin Technology or Qilin Properties, the higher-ups were all somewhat of age, bar only Qi Chengzhi and Qi Chenglin. Even someone of Jian Yi’s age was uncommon amongst the departmental managers—the youngest there was around forty, and even so, that person was already married.
Cheng Dongge was a thirty-year-old who was the director’s special assistant, and rumor has it that Qi Chengzhi identified him as a potential candidate for the position of Qilin’s general manager. As a bachelor who was previously engaged, that did not stop female employees from secretly crushing on him.
Having reverted to being a single man, the women who desired him would definitely increase in number.
He stood out prominently whether it was in his capabilities or his looks. It was not surprising that so many female employees took a liking to him.
For those women, Qi Chengzhi and Qi Chenglin were the most perfect of Mr. Perfects. They were too high to reach, and even though those female employees were secretly in love with them, none of them bore any hope that they would one day become Cinderella.
Cheng Dongge however, was different. He was tangible, and the chance to grab him was within reach. With the requisite effort, the possibility of success was there.
Qi Chengyue retracted her gaze unconsciously and faced the outside mirror. Her mind was wandering about when a fruit shop entered her field of vision.
“Wait, is it okay to stop the car here?” Qi Chengyue asked abruptly.
Cheng Dongge thought she wanted to get something, so after looking at the car behind them, he pulled over to the side of the road.
“Wait for me,” Qi Chengyue uttered quickly and went down. She ran toward the fruit shop that they just passed by.
Cheng Dongge watched from inside the car as she stood in front of the shop with her back facing him. She pointed at a few of the fruits and allowed the shop owner to weigh them.
He then went down and walked toward her.
When he finally reached, the shop owner had finished weighing everything, leaving Qi Chengyue to pay for them.
Sensing that there was someone beside her, she looked to the side unwittingly and asked, “Why did you come down?”
Cheng Dongge took the fruits from the shop owner. There were quite a few bags, containing watermelon, strawberries, kiwis, and some table grapes. All of it was rather heavy.
Qi Chengyue explained, “It’s not nice if we go for dinner at your home but show up empty-handed.”
The shop owner returned the change, and Cheng Dongge then brought the fruits to the car. He looked at Qi Chengyue half-smilingly and said, “It’s not like you’re going to meet your in-laws. You don’t need to be so formal.”
Qi Chengyue, “…”
‘What do you mean it’s not like that?’
“Help me take out the keys from my pants pocket,” Cheng Dongge said as they were approaching the car. His hands were occupied with those fruits and he had no way of taking his keys.
Qi Chengyue wanted to take the fruits from him so he could get the keys by himself. Cheng Dongge however, dodged her and said, “You won’t be able to carry them.”
“…” Qi Chengyue face was red and hot when she looked at his pants.
He continued to walk without stopping, and every single movement seemed to goad her into looking at his privates.
Qi Chengyue gulped nervously and felt her scalp go numb. It was extremely awkward, and her hand trembled like a leaf when she stretched it out toward his pocket.
With great effort, she mustered up the courage to stick her hand into his pants. The rhythm of his gait made it inevitable that she would come into contact with his thigh time and again.
Despite the fabric separating their skin, the lining of his pocket was so thin that he could feel his robust thigh muscles as well as his heat. Just like that, she was repeatedly and involuntarily rubbing against his thigh.
Qi Chengyue’s face was so red that she might emit smoke anytime. She rummaged through it for such a long time, but she still could not locate his keys.
Cheng Dongge then looked at her confusedly. “The keys are in the other pocket.”
Qi Chengyue, “…”
His expression seemed to be insinuating that she was the one who wanted to feel him up.
“Why didn’t you say so earlier then!” Shy but angry, Qi Chengyue glared at him furiously.
Cheng Dongge looked at her baby face and considered it to be very adorable even when she was glaring irksomely at him. She was like a tigress that bared its teeth, but the appearance of her dimples muted the indignant energy significantly.
The more he looked at her, the more lost in her he was. Heat began to surge up in the lower part of his body, causing him to walk rather stiffly.
He let out a dry cough and looked away uneasily. He fixed his eyes up ahead because he knew he would make a fool of himself in public if he continued looking.
Qi Chengyue was so preoccupied with her embarrassment that she did not notice his atypical behavior. She went to the other side and, having had prior experience, steeled herself to rummage through his pockets. She managed to feel the keys on her second try, and in one swift motion she fished it out. As she was preparing to unlock the car doors, she noticed that there was no car beside them.
“Where’s the car?” a startled Qi Chengyue asked.
Cheng Dongge frowned, then turned around to look before replying sheepishly, “We walked past it.”
Qi Chengyue, “…”
Cheng Dongge’s face turned red as well. He kept quiet, carried the fruits, and turned back.
A tingling heat was forming on Qi Chengyue’s scalp as she ran back to unlock the car. Cheng Dongge placed everything on the rear seat before joining Qi Chengyue in the car to continue their journey.
Cheng Dongge’s parents’ home was located in a neighborhood that had a rather good environment. Though it was situated in the city center, it was fairly quiet there. Surrounding it was a myriad of high-class residences, while large-scale supermarkets had been set up amongst a few of the housing areas there. Sports centers were also present, as well as gyms, and various restaurants that served a plethora of regional cuisines. Living there was not only peaceful but incredibly convenient as well.
The car was parked in an area that did not affect the flow of traffic. Cheng Dongge brought the fruits down from the car and led Qi Chengyue to his home.
A lady that was about the same age as Cheng Dongge’s mother walked over. She looked at Cheng Dongge for a long time before exclaiming in surprise: “Isn’t this Dong Zi? It’s not time for the holidays, is it? Why are you back?”
Cheng Dongge was about to open his mouth when the lady looked at Qi Chengyue. She smiled at once and said, “Oh my, this is your wife! You’re bringing your wife back home! That’s nice! That’s very nice!”
At first, Cheng Dongge wanted to explain, but after hearing what the lady had to say, he swallowed back his words and simply smiled in silence.
“…” Qi Chengyue shot him a glance. She was in no position to say anything if he did not explain, but there was no doubt that being regarded as his other half made her feel shy.
“My, that must be really heavy! You’d better get going. If you have the time, bring your wife over to visit.”
He smiled, waved goodbye to the lady, then brought Qi Chengyue to the entrance of the building. He entered the password for the main gate and led Qi Chengyue in.
The building had six floors, but fortunately, there was an elevator.
Cheng Dongge’s parents stayed on the fifth floor, and the closer they were to reaching that floor, Qi Chengyue’s nervousness increased as well.
She felt far more nervous than when she first went to Jian Yi’s home and met his parents.
Knowing that their son was coming home, Cheng Zhaohui waited by the window when it neared his expected arrival time. By the time Cheng Dongge and Qi Chengyue walked out of the elevator, the door to his parents’ home was already wide open. Cheng Zhaohui and his wife, Sun Shaoyun, were waiting by the door.
When Cheng Zhaohui was waiting by the window moments ago, he saw Cheng Dongge coming in with another woman. Cheng Dongge never mentioned anything about bringing anyone home during the phone conversation earlier.
They knew about Cheng Dongge’s breakup with his fiancée, so seeing him bring another woman back home roused suspicion in them. The two of them stood by the door and started guessing amongst themselves about the identity of that woman.
“Stop making wild guesses. Maybe it’s just a coincidence that he went in with our son. The two of them might not even know each other!” Sun Shaoyun opined.
The sound of the elevator door opening sent them into silence. They watched as Cheng Dongge brought the rather pretty girl over.
“Dad, Mom.” Cheng Dongge was still carrying those fruits, so he let Qi Chengyue enter the house before him. He told his parents, “This is my colleague, Qi Chengyue.”
For the first time ever, Cheng Dongge addressed her by her full name. He always called her Miss Qi in the past.
Hearing her name coming out from his mouth was a very strange thing indeed. It was like an electric current surging through her heart, making her go numb and turning her face scarlet.
“Uncle, Auntie,” Qi Chengyue blushed and greeted them.
Her blushing face was particularly adorable. Cheng Zhaohui and Sun Shaoyun took a liking to her immediately. Sun Shaoyun smiled immediately and said, “Miss Qi, please come in.”
“Uncle, Auntie, just call me Chengyue,” she said while blushing.
Cheng Dongge went in soon after and handed the fruits over to his father. “She bought all of these. She didn’t know that I’d be bringing her here today, and she didn’t want to come here empty-handed on her first visit.”
Qi Chengyue took off her shoes and slipped her feet into a pair of slippers that Sun Shaoyun prepared. Her face reddened because she felt that Cheng Dongge’s words could potentially stir up a misunderstanding. In fact, there was nothing inherently wrong about what he said, and perhaps the only reason she found it misunderstanding was because she felt something in her heart. It did not necessarily mean that Cheng Dongge’s parents would notice it.
She was just thinking of all that when she heard Sun Shaoyun exclaim, “Showing up is good enough. You don’t need to bring anything when you come next time!”
Thinking about the words ‘next time’, Qi Chengyue’s heartbeat began increasing. She walked in with the slippers and looked at Cheng Dongge’s parents while Cheng Dongge was changing his shoes.
His parents appeared to be educated folks. They spoke well-articulated Mandarin that did not have any hint of a Southern accent. They had ample Chinese temperament, as though they were educators or researchers of some sort.
Having thought about it, she realized that Cheng Dongge never mentioned his parents’ occupation.
“Come and sit down. I’ve prepared everything while waiting for you to come back. All it needs is a quick fry. It won’t be long,” Sun Shaoyun said. She told Cheng Zhaohui to take out the fruits that they had already cut. Then she told him to wash and slice the fruits that Qi Chengyue brought over.
Qi Chengyue was left to wait in the living room while Cheng Dongge went into the kitchen to help out. Sun Shaoyun took the opportunity to bring him to the deepest part of the kitchen, whispering to him, “Tell your mom the truth. Is this girl your colleague or your girlfriend? I’ll tell you this right now. You’ve only just broken up with Huang Ziyue. If this is to shake off the suffering of a breakup or to show off to Huang Ziyue that you couldn’t care less because you have plenty of women to choose from; if you enter into a relationship with her just for the sake of filling the void, I won’t allow it. She’s a good girl and you can’t do that to her.”
Qi Chengyue sat alone in the living room but felt that it was improper not to help when the rest of the Cheng family were busy doing stuff. She was about to enter the kitchen and help them but when she reached the door, she heard Sun Shaoyun’s exact words.
Stopping her footsteps right then and there, she hid at the door and remained out of sight.
She heard Cheng Dongge say, “What are you talking about, Mom? Am I that that much of a scumbag in your eyes? You were the one who raised me as a son, don’t you know what kind of person your son is? She’s also been hurt before, and no matter how much of a scumbag I am, I won’t take advantage of her. I really do like her and I plan to pursue her properly. That’s why I brought her here with me today.”
Sun Shaoyun finally breathed a sigh of relief, saying, “That’s good then. If you like her, then you must treat her well. It’s not a pity at all to break up with a gold digger like Huang Ziyue. It’s best to set things straight now because it’ll be an even bigger headache if you realized her true nature only after getting married. In the end, you’ll argue every day and it’s just going to lead to divorce.”
Embarrassed, Sun Shaoyun then patted Cheng Dongge on the back. “My dear son, I’m so sorry for doubting you!”
Cheng Dongge smiled and said nothing, but Sun Shaoyun then thought of something and asked, “This girl isn’t the type that only likes money, right? Where is she from? What do her parents do?”
“Mom, I’m just about to go after her. We’ll talk about this after she and I are together,” Cheng Dongge said. He then turned around and took the grapes out to wash them.
Qi Chengyue quietly made her way back to the living room. Her heart was beating madly after she heard Cheng Dongge’s words.
Not long after she sat down, Cheng Dongge and Cheng Zhaohui brought out the cut fruits. Sun Shaoyun began cooking in the kitchen, but a few moments later, she came out with her spatula in hand and her apron still on her. She asked, “Chengyue, do you take spicy food?”
“I do. I love spicy food,” Qi Chengyue responded immediately.
“That’s great then. The spiciness is what makes Li City’s cuisine so special. It’s delicious only if it’s spicy.” Sun Shaoyun chuckled. “Can you take it if it’s really spicy?”
“Mm. I have no problem eating Sichuan or Hunan-style cuisine,” Qi Chengyue answered. “I usually don’t enjoy my food if it’s not spicy.”
“Alright then, I’m not worried anymore,” Sun Shaoyun remarked and turned to go back into the kitchen.
Qi Chengyue stood up too, saying, “Auntie, let me help you.”
“No, no, it’s fine,” Sun Shaoyun said. “Just sit there. But don’t eat too many fruits. Dinner will be ready soon, and you won’t have enough room in your stomach if you eat too much fruit. Everyone praises my cooking, so you have to save some space in your tummy.”
Qi Chengyue remembered her pre-marriage and post-marriage visits to the Jian family. She always had to bring them out for meals, and Zhou Mingyan never once cooked for her.
Zhoug Mingyan did usually cook, but whenever Qi Chengyue went over, Zhou Mingyan did not do any cooking.
In retrospect, Zhou Mingyan was always waiting to take advantage of her by asking her to bring them to high-class restaurants.
She felt a pull on her arm and was led back down to her seat by Cheng Dongge. He told her, “Just sit here and don’t worry about it. If my mom’s around, she never lets anyone do any work.”
Cheng Dongge sat beside her, and the sudden lack of distance between them made her recall the words that Sun Shaoyun said earlier. Qi Chengyue’s breathing turned erratic and the part that came into contact with his hand was scorching hot.
He later retracted his hand and gave her a piece of Hami melon, as though his earlier physical contact with her was completely natural.
After a while, Sun Shaoyun called everyone for dinner. Cheng Dongge went to the kitchen and took out a bottle of white wine from the liquor cabinet. “Dad, it’s been so long since I came home. I’ll drink a few glasses with you.”
“Sure, sure, sure!” Cheng Zhaohui nodded in delight.
After the meal, both father and son drank considerably.
Qi Chengyue joined them for some post-dinner fruits, but as soon as she looked at the time, she figured it was appropriate for her to say her goodbye and return to the hotel.
Li City was Cheng Dongge’s hometown, and since his home was there, he did not book a room at the hotel. He picked up the keys and trailed behind her, frightening Qi Chengyue. She held him back and asked, “What are you doing?”
“Sending you back!” he exclaimed. He proceeded to walk toward the door.
“How are you going to drive after drinking so much! I’ll drive myself there.” Qi Chengyue grabbed the keys from his hand.
“It’s late. You’re not familiar with the place too. I’ll be worried if you go alone.” Cheng Dongge frowned.
“I’m a grown-up, okay. And it’s not that late…” Qi Chengyue could not finish her sentence.
“If the sky’s dark, then it’s late.” Cheng Dongge stated unequivocally. His tone was so serious that Qi Chengyue did not dare to try and refute him.
As his mother, Sun Shaoyun knew that Cheng Dongge was trying to suggest, so she offered, “Chengyue, how about you stay here for the night! We have enough rooms.”
“Oh, no, I can’t possibly. My luggage is at the hotel and all my clothes are in it,” Qi Chengyue said while waving her hands.
Cheng Dongge was gently touching her shoulder when he suggested, “If you want to go back to the hotel, let me send you. I’ll take a taxi on the way home. Is that okay?”
Qi Chengyue had no problems about such a compromise. She said her goodbyes to both Cheng Zhaohui and Sun Shaoyun, then left with Cheng Dongge.
Uneasiness began manifesting within the cramped-up space of the elevator. Qi Chengyue recalled the things she heard him say back in the kitchen, and no matter what she did, she could not resist stealing glances at him.
The two of them came out of the elevator and walked out of the entrance, but Cheng Dongge stopped suddenly and remained motionless.
Qi Chengyue turned around in suspicion and saw him leaning against the entrance. He was looking down, and the only thing she could notice was his frown. The rest of his face was obscured, but it seemed like he was not feeling very good.
“Cheng Dongge, are you okay? You feeling okay?” Qi Chengyue leaned over worriedly. Her soft hands were holding his arm.
Following her closeness, the scent from her body was blown to him by the cool night breeze. It cleared his mind considerably.
He massaged his temples for a bit and his crisp voice turned husky. “I’m fine.”
He completed his sentence, straightened his body, then began walking. Qi Chengyue held his arm tightly to stop him from leaving. “What do you mean you’re fine? Are you feeling unwell because you drank too much?”
She placed her hand on his forehead as she said that.
Her cool palm was placed against his forehead, and the comfort of it all made him close his eyes involuntarily. He did not move an inch and simply let Qi Chengyue continue touching him.
Her hand was clearly unmoving when placed on his forehead, and although nothing was charming about it, his heart was enticed by it completely. A great effort was needed on his part to restrain himself from just pulling her into his embrace.
“It’s nothing. My head just hurts a bit.” Cheng Dongge’s tone was very dull and he seemed not to care at all. “I think it’s because I was exposed to wind after wine. The drunkenness must’ve risen to my head.”
“Then don’t send me.” Qi Chengyue retracted her hand, much to Cheng Dongge’s dismay. That cozy feeling on his forehead was gone. “Go back home and rest. It was a rushed flight this morning followed by a whole afternoon stuck in a meeting. We even spent so much time visiting the site in the evening. Plus, you had drinks again tonight. I’m sure you’re feeling much more uncomfortable than usual.”
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