The pot looked as though it were covered in a layer of red oil, but it was not spicy at all; it had a unique, distinct flavor. A layer of fine sweat broke out on Cheng Luo’s forehead, caused by the heat of the boiling pot. She used her hand as a fan, vigorously waving it to create a breeze.
Noticing her movements, Zhai Qing asked, “Do not fan yourself, as it is easy to catch a cold. How about we turn off the stove for a bit?”
Cheng Luo shook her head like a rattle upon hearing this. She had not had enough yet and quickly picked up a few more morsels with her chopsticks.
Zhai Qing stood up silently. A moment later, she brought out two cups, placing one in front of herself and one in front of Cheng Luo. She produced a bottle of cola from somewhere and filled them both.
Cheng Luo nodded at her with satisfaction. Upon taking the first sip, she was surprised to find it was ice-cold, even though she had not seen a refrigerator in the room.
“I left it outside. The temperature is low out there. It is a natural refrigerator.”
Cheng Luo had been hot for a long while. Finding a cold drink was a rare treat, so she could not help but finish it in one gulp. She then pushed her empty cup toward Zhai Qing.
She wanted more.
Zhai Qing placed her hand on the cola bottle and shook her head quite ruthlessly.
“Why?” Cheng Luo was shocked.
“It is too cold. Do not drink too much.”
“I want to drink it. The hot pot is hot, so it balances out perfectly.”
“No. It will easily give you a stomachache.”
“But I want to drink it.”
Zhai Qing looked at those pleading, almond-shaped eyes and remained completely unmoved. She simply pushed her own cup outward and warned, “This is the last cup.”
Like a rewarded puppy, Cheng Luo’s eyes sparkled as she took the cup. This time, she cherished it, holding the cup with both hands and taking small sips, terrified that it would be gone if she drank too fast.
Zhai Qing took a sip from the bottle. The icy liquid slid down her throat, but it could not extinguish the small flame burning in her heart. Those light brown, glowing pupils seemed imprinted on her heart, lingering and refusing to fade.
This meal lasted a long time. Cheng Luo did not reluctantly put down her chopsticks until her stomach was completely round and full.
“If you like it, I will bring you here again next time.”
Zhai Qing was wearing a fitted white shirt today with a grey midi skirt. The hem of the skirt was asymmetrical, cutting across Zhai Qing’s calf like a blade. During the day, she looked professional with a hint of sharpness. However, as she bent over to clear the dishes now, she looked incredibly gentle and virtuous. Cheng Luo lay paralyzed on the sofa, rubbing her stomach, unable to look away.
Seeing that the dining table was cleared, Cheng Luo stretched and prepared to stand up. “I will do the dishes.”
However, Zhai Qing was very quick. She moved without stopping and placed the dirty dishes under the faucet. “No need. You ate too much. Lie down for a while to help your digestion.”
Cheng Luo made a face upon hearing this but stopped arguing. At most, she would be the one to clean up and wash the dishes next time.
The only question was, when would next time be?
Cheng Luo lay on the sofa feeling melancholy, the sound of flowing water continuous in her ears.
Zhai Qing put the dishes back in their places and walked into the living room while wiping her hands with a paper towel. She wanted to ask Cheng Luo if she wanted to continue playing games, but as she approached, she realized the person on the sofa was already motionless.
Cheng Luo had slid down at some point, curled up on her side on the small sofa with her hands folded near her face. Her lips, reddened from the hot pot, were slightly parted. Her thick, long lashes cast a small shadow on her face, making her look innocent and harmless.
Zhai Qing instinctively became silent. She approached quietly, gently lifted Cheng Luo’s foot, and helped her remove her shoes. As expected, the injured area had turned slightly pale from being stifled. Zhai Qing took a tube of ointment from her pocket. After she had applied the medicine for Cheng Luo earlier, she had tucked it into her pocket by some strange impulse. She had not expected it to actually come in handy.
After applying the medicine, Zhai Qing put Cheng Luo’s foot back. She stood there watching for a moment before getting a blanket to cover Cheng Luo’s feet. In winter, feet are most susceptible to the cold.
Once everything was done, there was no room for her on the sofa. She dragged a folding lounge chair out from some corner. After lying down, she picked up the controller and continued playing.
At seven o’clock in the morning, the sun emitted a faint light. The surrounding area consisted of old residential districts with no tall buildings to block the view, so even a little light could shine unreservedly into the glass room.
Cheng Luo felt the light and instinctively tried to cover her eyes with her arm. However, as soon as she raised her hand, it was blocked by a wall, and she could not stretch her arm. She opened her eyes dizzily, thinking she had rolled to the edge of the wall as usual. But when she opened her eyes and saw that this was not her home at all, she immediately woke up and checked her clothes. They were all still on.
She sat there for a while to clear her head before remembering what had happened yesterday. She had only intended to rest on the sofa for a while last night, but she had unexpectedly fallen asleep and actually slept until the next day. But if she was sleeping here, where was Zhai Qing?
Cheng Luo walked a few steps barefoot and quickly found the person still sleeping on the lounge chair. Zhai Qing was covered by the long trench coat she had worn. Half of her face was hidden under the garment, leaving only two well-shaped eyebrows visible.
Cheng Luo took out her phone, which had not been opened all night. There was only one call from her mother and no other messages. She called back with a bit of bitterness in her heart, but no one answered until the call disconnected. Cheng Luo thought wryly that she should have known this would happen.
Zhai Qing was awakened by a pleasant aroma. She had played late last night and had only slept for a few hours, so she was still very sleepy.
“I bought breakfast. You should eat some while it is hot. I saw there was nothing here, so I also bought some toiletries that you can use in a bit.” Two large bags of items were placed on the table. Cheng Luo had just bought them, and she still carried the cold air from outside.
Zhai Qing checked her watch. It was already late. She said thank you and went to wash up. When she returned, she saw Cheng Luo gnawing on a large meat bun that was almost as big as her face. The bun was still steaming. Cheng Luo took a bite and was burned, sticking out her tongue and panting several times before taking another bite, only to be burned again. She repeated this cycle with great enjoyment.
Zhai Qing could not help but let out a soft laugh. Only then did Cheng Luo realize she had finished washing up. She quickly called her over. “Come and eat. These are pork and mushroom buns. They are delicious, and it is the first time I have seen buns this large.”
Zhai Qing pulled out the chair opposite her. “Did you buy them at the bun shop next to the supermarket? That owner has a very bold personality, and the buns they make are much larger than ordinary ones. Of course, the taste is also good.”
“They are just too big. I only bought two. Otherwise, I could have tried other fillings.”
“Next time. The three-fresh filling is also delicious.”
After eating, the two left the place and headed straight to the company. They were both still wearing yesterday’s clothes, and if one smelled closely, a residual scent of hot pot could still be detected. Zhai Qing could not stand the smell. After reaching the office, she immediately changed into a spare set of clothes. Then, using the excuse that Cheng Luo also smelled, she forced her to change into her clothes as well.
Cheng Luo’s refusal was not approved, so she awkwardly put on Zhai Qing’s clothes: a casual plaid shirt and a pair of light-colored straight-leg pants. These were clothes Zhai Qing had tucked away at the bottom of a trunk at some point. She only realized she had them after finding them. However, seeing that Cheng Luo looked good in them, she felt the clothes had finally served a purpose.
Cheng Luo could only feel that the material was very comfortable and did not think it looked too strange, so she did not give it much thought. However, when she went down once to get some documents, the eyes of the supervisor she passed seemed glued to her, and the look in those eyes was very strange.
She thought it was an isolated case, but for as long as she walked through the office area, she received constant stares. If she had not lacked eyes in the back of her head, she probably would have fled in panic.
She returned to the top floor full of doubt and happened to run into the supervisor who was coming to report on work. She quickly pulled the person to the wall. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
The supervisor quickly blinked. “I am not.”
“Stop pretending. You just looked at me exactly like that.”
The supervisor’s gaze moved down to her clothes. After hesitating repeatedly, gossip finally triumphed over reason. “Ahem. Where did you buy those clothes? Why are they exactly the same as the ones the Boss wears? The Boss wore this outfit on her first day at the company. Back then, she looked very innocent and kind, but now everything has changed. She has become a cold and ruthless big boss.”
The supervisor went off-topic for a few sentences, immersing herself in the sadness of the Boss changing from a little white flower into a man-eater. But Cheng Luo understood the reason; after all, these clothes actually belonged to Zhai Qing.
“By the way, what exactly is your relationship with the Boss? Why are you in the same office as her? Seeing each other every day, it is so easy for something to happen. Moreover, the Boss looks like she could charm both men and women. Many people in the company have secretly given their hearts to her. However, I think you have a much better chance than them. Good luck! Once you become the Boss’s wife, remember to give me a few more days off. Hehe!”
After finishing her gossip, the supervisor slipped away quickly. Naturally, she did not see Cheng Luo’s flushed face. Cheng Luo uncomfortably tugged at the slightly oversized clothes on her body, leaning down to sniff the collar slightly, as if there really were a scent of Zhai Qing.
The Boss’s wife… did she really have a chance? What strengths did she have?
Near noon, Cheng Luo’s phone suddenly rang. She picked up her phone and quickly moved outside the door under Zhai Qing’s gaze.
“Hello, who is it?” Cheng Luo asked into the phone. She had not seen the caller clearly just now.
“Who is it? I am your father! Do you not even recognize your own father anymore?” A roar came from the phone.
Cheng Luo’s lips moved a few times, but she eventually lowered her voice. “I am sorry, Dad. I just did not—”
Before she could finish, she was interrupted by a sharp female voice.
“Cheng Luo, you must help your brother! Your brother is threatening to jump off a building! If he jumps, how are we supposed to live!” By the end, Mother Cheng was already sobbing.
Hearing it was about her brother, Cheng Luo’s heart turned cold.
“How much money does he want this time?”
“One hundred thousand! Just one hundred thousand!”