Cen Miao happily accepted the card, a faint dimple appearing at the corner of his lips.
Qin Zelin felt a pang in his chest, stuck between up and down, and looked at Cen Miao, whose attention was clearly elsewhere. He asked casually, “Were you just on the phone?”
Cen Miao, carefully holding the card, didn’t lift his head and replied nonchalantly, “Mm.”
Qin Zelin: “……..”
His voice lowered slightly, emotionless: “Cen Family called you?”
Cen Miao shook his head. “It was Cheng Cheng! He said I should go with him to Senior Xu’s place to do a part-time job!”
Qin Zelin: “…….” Cheng Cheng? No last name?
And who was Senior Xu?
Qin Zelin thought for a moment. “You’re only in your second year. Focus on school; you don’t need a part-time job.”
“But I really like that job.” And if he used the money he earned to buy jerky, Qin Zelin wouldn’t be able to control how much he ate!
“Are you very familiar with them?” Qin Zelin paused, then said, “I’m just worried you might be deceived, and then I’d have to deal with it for you.”
“Mm, Cheng Cheng wouldn’t trick me!” Cen Miao lifted his round eyes and stared at him.
Qin Zelin’s words caught in his throat. He murmured, “Mm. Fine, I’ll go to the study to work. If anything comes up, tell Uncle Lin.”
“Okay.” Cen Miao replied, then returned his attention to his phone.
“You can come to the study if it’s urgent.”
“Mm.”
Qin Zelin paused for a moment. Seeing that Cen Miao had nothing more to say, he ignored the vague, nagging frustration in his chest, and turned to leave the living room for the study.
In the study, Qin Zelin sat in his chair, pondering briefly before contacting Assistant Fang. As usual, the person on the other end answered quickly.
“President Qin.”
“Mm,” Qin Zelin replied as usual. “Add Cen Miao on WeChat. Check what he needs in his studio and prepare it for him.”
“Understood, President Qin.”
Assistant Fang noticed that the boss hadn’t ended the call abruptly as usual, and tentatively asked, “President Qin, regarding Cen Xiao Young Master’s lease termination, we have already communicated with the landlord. Is there anything else you’d like to assign?”
Qin Zelin didn’t answer immediately. He leaned back in his chair, lifting his long left leg to rest on his right knee.
In a low voice, he said, “Check for any rumors about Huanyu’s mismanagement or being on the brink of bankruptcy.”
“?” Fang was clearly taken aback before replying, “…Understood.”
After hanging up, Qin Zelin set down his phone and opened his computer on the desk.
In the past two years, the group had rapidly expanded overseas. Qin Zelin preferred hands-on management, so even on weekends he usually worked in the study. The servants knew the rules and never disturbed him.
The study remained quietly still all morning, as usual. The little monster hadn’t come to disturb him, yet Qin Zelin’s work efficiency was unusually low.
He closed his files, rubbed his brow, and went to the window.
In the yard below, the electric bike had already been delivered to the villa.
Perhaps due to the muscle memory of his original body, Cen Miao quickly got the hang of it and rode the small electric bike in circles around the yard.
Sunlight fell on his smiling face, dazzlingly bright.
Qin Zelin watched silently for a while. When that lively figure turned again and disappeared behind the fountain, he slowly returned to his desk.
His fingers tapped lightly on the desk. Though his eyes were on the computer screen filled with dense charts and data, none of it registered in his mind.
He attributed this unusual distraction to having a stranger at home, someone he hadn’t yet adjusted to.
Downstairs, Auntie Wang had prepared lunch. Old Lin, wanting the young couple to bond, handed the task of calling Qin Zelin upstairs for lunch to Cen Miao.
The study door was knocked on, and Cen Miao’s characteristic 2G-speed voice sounded outside:
“Young Master, Uncle Lin asked me to call you for lunch.”
“…………???”
Qin Zelin opened the door, frowning at Cen Miao, his gaze a mix of shock and confusion.
“Why are you calling me that?”
Cen Miao’s heart skipped. He had heard Uncle Lin call him Young Master. Had he called it wrong and exposed himself?
He also remembered the driver’s words in the car yesterday.
Looking up at Qin Zelin, he said cautiously, a little guilty: “President Qin?”
The person in front of him frowned even deeper.
Cen Miao: “…….” He… wasn’t supposed to call him President Qin either!
Being human was hard!
“Oh, lunch smells so good. Let’s hurry down and eat!” Cen Miao’s eyes twinkled. He looped Qin Zelin’s arm with his own and tugged him toward the elevator, trying to change the subject.
The fluff from his white pajamas stuck all over Qin Zelin, standing out against his black loungewear.
Qin Zelin: “……..”
Why was he acting coquettishly again?
In the elevator, Qin Zelin looked at his arm being held and cleared his throat: “Cen Miao, you can consider me your elder brother. I can provide for you and treat you well, but beyond that, I really can’t do anything else.”
……..? Clothes all stuck… what was this human rambling about?
“Rippity!” Cen Miao lifted his shirt and tore off the heat pack Auntie Wang had stuck on him while riding the bike, and began sticking the white fluff onto Qin Zelin’s black loungewear.
Halfway through speaking, Qin Zelin looked down in shock, seeing Cen Miao lift and release his shirt, and a glimpse of a slender waist flashing by.
Was he trying to distract him from his earlier words with these small antics?
“Rippity~ rippity~”
“……..”
“Rippity~ rippity~”
The high-quality cashmere loungewear instantly became covered in adhesive fuzz.
(._.)
Cen Miao touched it, guilty, and hurried Qin Zelin down the elevator.
“Let’s go! Let’s go! Lunch… lunch will get cold.”
“……..”
At the dining table, Cen Miao grabbed a small beef rib and gnawed on it with all his might. Qin Zelin thought he even heard a little “ao” sound as he opened his mouth, like a puppy chewing a bone.
He looked at the fuzz-covered sleeve of his own loungewear, shook his head slightly, and set down his napkin.
“Crunch, crunch~” Cen Miao’s eyes lit up as he reached the crispy bones.
Being human was wonderful!
He had to work hard and buy lots of meat!
Qin Zelin had just pulled meat off one rib when Cen Miao eagerly picked up another, sweat forming on his forehead.
He brushed his hair back indifferently and lowered his head to bite into the rib.
“Eh….” Qin Zelin saw his hair getting greasy and paused, trying to stop him.
Cen Miao: Huh? Did he… think I was eating too much again?
“?????”
“I… I… I won’t eat after this one, okay?” Cen Miao’s eyes showed a hint of grievance.
Qin Zelin didn’t notice and assumed he just couldn’t eat anymore. He nodded.
Cen Miao furrowed his delicate brows: “…….” He really thought I was eating too much!
Before the registration, he had said I could eat as much as I wanted. Did he have enough money to buy all this food?
Bad human!
A bad human tricking a good zombie!ヽ(｀⌒′)?
Seeing Cen Miao frown, Qin Zelin looked troubled. “?”
Couldn’t even finish this one?
“Leave it, don’t eat anymore.” Qin Zelin said.