Yesterday’s chaos had gone on so late that by the time Shi Yi woke up, the sun outside the window was nearly overhead.
Because he’d had the hangover tea, the headache and dizziness from drinking were already gone.
He fished his phone out from under his pillow to check the time, and several unread messages appeared before his eyes.
He didn’t even need to open them to know who they were from.
08:00
【Lu Huaiqian: I’ve gone to the company. You went to sleep so late last night, I figured you probably wouldn’t get up too early today, so I put breakfast in the fridge. Make sure you eat breakfast when you get up, if it’s too much trouble to heat it and you don’t want to, just message me and I’ll order delivery for you. Please don’t skip breakfast, okay?】
【Lu Huaiqian: The eel rice from yesterday is also still in the fridge. I wasn’t sure if you’d want it for lunch today, so I didn’t take it to the company, if you want it, just microwave it for two minutes, it’ll go dry and won’t taste good if you heat it too long.】
09:00
【Lu Huaiqian: Shi Yi, are you awake? Did you eat breakfast?】
10:00
【Lu Huaiqian: Still not awake? I have a meeting to attend in a bit, probably around two hours, so I might not be able to see your messages right away. If you’re hungry, you can call Xiao Zhou’s office and have him order delivery for you.】
11:56
【Lu Huaiqian: Still not awake? Did you eat breakfast?】
【Lu Huaiqian: Let me know once you’re up, okay? I’ll have the cleaning staff come do the housework.】
【Lu Huaiqian: Shi Yi, I’m going to lunch.】
Disgusting.
Shi Yi gave a cold snort of disgust, cleared all the messages with one tap, tossed his phone aside, and rolled over to go wash up in the bathroom.
Half an hour later, having finished washing up, Shi Yi went downstairs planning to go out to find something to eat and, while he was at it, some fun. As he entered the living room, he suddenly sensed something was off.
Something about this living room looked unfamiliar, no matter how he looked at it.
Like something had been added?
Or maybe something was missing?
Shi Yi looked carefully around the room, and only then realized the sofa had been swapped out.
The brown leather sofa had become a black one.
He’d actually rather liked that sofa. The leather was soft, and the amount of stuffing inside had suited him well too, it was comfortable to lie on.
The color had also suited his taste, unlike this black one, which was irritating just to look at.
【Shi Yi: Who told you to swap out the sofa? Did I tell you to?】
【Lu Huaiqian: You’re awake?】
【Lu Huaiqian: The sofa somehow got a cut in it yesterday from something. I asked the repairman, and he said it wouldn’t look very good once patched, and I thought you might not like something that’s damaged.】
【Lu Huaiqian: Sorry, do you not like the color of the new one? They’re the same brand, it’s just that the brown one is out of stock right now, only the black one’s available. The shop said the brown should be restocked in about a month, once it’s back, I’ll switch it over again, is that okay?】
Is that okay? Is that okay? Is that okay?
Nothing but “is that okay” all day long.
Is that okay my ass!
【Shi Yi: This afternoon, before I get back, I want to see the sofa switched back. If it can’t be switched back, then don’t bother coming back either.】
Just go die outside!
【Shi Yi: And another thing, let me tell you how that sofa got cut. It was obviously from me doing certain things with someone, and things got a little too rough and it accidentally got cut.】
【Shi Yi: Want to know what those things were? I can tell you.】
After that last message went out, Lu Huaiqian, who always replied within seconds, suddenly went silent, as if he’d vanished.
He knew he’d struck a nerve again.
He liked watching Lu Huaiqian in pain.
As long as Lu Huaiqian was hurt and sad, then he was happy.
In quite a good mood, Shi Yi changed into a pair of sneakers and went to the garage to pick out a car.
Just as he opened the door of the Lamborghini, the phone in his hand suddenly buzzed.
【Lu Huaiqian: Don’t be angry, I’m sorry. Next time before I move anything in the house, I’ll discuss it with you first. I’ve already contacted the movers who brought the sofa over this morning, they’ll switch it back this afternoon.】
【Lu Huaiqian: What do you want for lunch? Are you going out to have fun this afternoon?】
【Lu Huaiqian: Have fun. I’ll make you dinner when I get off work.】
What a freak.
Who wants his stupid dinner?
Even a dog probably wouldn’t eat food made by some gay man.
Shi Yi muttered a few curses under his breath, tossed the phone onto the passenger seat, started up the sports car, and drove straight out of the villa.
Shi Yi went to a private Chinese restaurant and leisurely finished lunch, then went to browse a nearby mall.
He swiped Lu Huaiqian’s card for two Patek Philippe blue-dial complication watches and a Hermès handbag, then, carrying two bouquets of flowers, left the mall and headed straight for Lu Corporation.
Lu Huaiqian was in the middle of reviewing a contract when Li Zhou knocked on the door to tell him Shi Yi had come to the office.
Although he knew Shi Yi’s visit was certainly not to see him.
Still, in the three years since they’d married, Shi Yi had come to the company on his own initiative only a handful of times, so Lu Huaiqian was genuinely happy.
Happy enough to set the contract aside at once and stand up, eager to rush out right away to bring Shi Yi over himself.
“Where is he now?”
Li Zhou said, “The front desk called three minutes ago to say Young Master Shi had already gotten into the elevator, so he should be here any moment. President Lu, would you like me to prepare anything for Young Master Shi now?”
Lu Huaiqian waved a hand, declining. “Not yet, let me ask him once he’s here before we get anything ready. He’s rather particular, and if it’s prepared ahead of time and he doesn’t like it, he’ll get angry, and I can’t always coax him out of it quickly.”
Li Zhou pretended not to notice the doting fondness hidden in his boss’s tone, and nodded with great professionalism. “Understood, President Lu, I’ll head back out then. Call me if you need anything.”
“Mm.”
Just as Li Zhou turned to leave, the closed door of Lu Huaiqian’s office was pushed open from the outside.
Shi Yi had a bouquet cradled in each arm, with two Patek Philippe gift bags hooked over the ring and pinky finger of his right hand, walking with considerable difficulty.
“Young Master Shi.”
Before Li Zhou could recover and go help take the things from Shi Yi’s hands, Lu Huaiqian had already stepped past Li Zhou and walked up to Shi Yi, taking the flowers and gift bags from him.
“What made you think of coming by all of a sudden?” Lu Huaiqian’s cold, stern face broke into a gentle smile as he gazed at Shi Yi with deep affection. “You came all this way, are you hot? Want something to drink? Some juice? Or would you like ice cream? I’ll have Xiao Li go buy some.”
Lu Huaiqian said all this excitedly, but Shi Yi didn’t respond at all.
It could be said that from the moment he walked in, he hadn’t so much as glanced at Lu Huaiqian.
Instead, as Lu Huaiqian took the things from his hands, he turned his gaze to Lu Huaiqian’s assistant, Li Zhou, who was waiting quietly off to the side, ready to fetch drinks or food for Shi Yi at any moment.
“Oh, Xiao Zhou, you’re here, good, saves me the trouble of hunting you down specially.”
Shi Yi’s upturned phoenix eyes curved slightly, and a beguiling little smile spread across his soft, moist lips as he looked at Li Zhou and said, “I was out shopping this morning and saw a watch in the store that would really suit you. Want to see if you like it?”
Shi Yi picked up one of the gift bags Lu Huaiqian had set on the desk and opened it.
Inside was a piece of luxury worth a considerable sum, even someone like Li Zhou, Lu Huaiqian’s assistant, would need half a year’s salary to afford it.
“No, no, no, Young Master Shi…”
The moment Shi Yi ignored Lu Huaiqian yet said he wanted to give him a watch, Li Zhou’s expression changed.
And once he saw the brand on the watch, Li Zhou wished he could find a crack in the floor to crawl into, or slap himself unconscious right there.
“This, this is far too valuable, I can’t accept it, I really can’t.” Li Zhou waved his hands in panicked refusal.
Everyone in the whole company knew just how devoted their President Lu was to their young lady of the house.
Their young lady of the house came to the company and ignored their President Lu, fine, that was one thing. But then he turns around and gives him such an expensive gift right off the bat, wasn’t that basically trying to get him killed?
“What’s so valuable about it? It’s just a watch, isn’t it?” Shi Yi said dismissively. “Besides, valuable things should of course go to people who are even more valuable. Xiao Zhou, you’re so handsome, you deserve something this fine.”
“Here, let me help you put it on.” As he spoke, Shi Yi reached to grab Li Zhou’s hand, which was raised in midair.
Off to the side, ignored, Lu Huaiqian watched this glaring scene unfold, the gentle smile freezing at the corners of his mouth.