Chen Leyan truly had not expected that the “special situation” Qiao Qingman mentioned would turn out to be sleeping.
Sleeping in broad daylight, before lunch had even been eaten?
And it was said just as Aunt Zhuang explained, “Sorry, Mr. Chen. Our young lady has been rather exhausted lately, so she’s still resting.”
Exhausted lately?
Why was she exhausted? Was being kissed by Gu Qianshi that exhausting?
A layer of gloom settled in Chen Leyan’s eyes.
Yet when Aunt Zhuang expressed her intention to go upstairs again to wake Qiao Qingman, Chen Leyan stopped her, his voice gentle and clear.
“It’s fine, Aunt Zhuang.”
A faint, soft smile lifted at the corners of Chen Leyan’s mouth, with none of the airs of a big figure in the culinary world. “Since Miss Qiao has been working hard, let her rest properly. If Aunt Zhuang doesn’t mind, I’d like to prepare dinner as well. Would that be alright?”
Aunt Zhuang naturally did not mind. She readily agreed.
Who would complain about getting paid without having to work?
What was more, Chen Leyan’s cooking skills were truly excellent. She had finally caught an opportunity to spend more time learning from him, so how could she possibly push him away?
“Alright, alright. Thank you so much, Mr. Chen.”
Aunt Zhuang smiled warmly. “Coincidentally, I still have many questions about dessert-making. I wonder if Mr. Chen would be willing to give me some guidance?”
Chen Leyan, who had originally hoped to find an opportunity to spend time alone with Qiao Qingman while staying here: “……”
He maintained a gentle smile. “Of course.”
Thus, for the entire afternoon that followed, Chen Leyan not only failed to see the Qiao Qingman he had been longing for, but also ended up spending his time on a household aunt.
“Mr. Chen, you’re truly amazing,” Aunt Zhuang said with heartfelt admiration.
In just a few short hours, Aunt Zhuang felt that under Chen Leyan’s guidance, her cooking skills had improved by leaps and bounds. It would not be an exaggeration to say she had undergone a complete transformation.
Most of the techniques she had previously taken pride in had various shortcomings, which was precisely why her cooking had always been mediocre, never quite reaching a level that truly satisfied her.
What did it mean to say, “Listening to you for one moment is worth ten years of reading”? Aunt Zhuang had truly gained insight today.
She also grew even fonder of Chen Leyan as a chef instructor.
Seeing Chen Leyan glance toward the upstairs bedroom and then at the table full of delicious dishes, with an unreadable expression in his eyes, Aunt Zhuang volunteered to go upstairs again to wake her young lady.
To be honest, her young lady really had slept for quite a long time.
She was rather worried.
But before she could act, Chen Leyan’s phone rang.
He cast an apologetic look and answered the call.
Very soon, the gentle crease between his brows deepened slightly. After hanging up, he said, “Sorry, Aunt Zhuang. Something has come up at my company, so I probably can’t wait for Miss Qiao to taste the dishes.”
He then took out a cheque he had prepared in advance from his pocket. “Please help me pass this to Miss Qiao.”
Aunt Zhuang accepted the cheque in surprise and quickly replied, “Then please take care on your way, Mr. Chen. I’ll let our young lady know. Thank you for today, Mr. Chen.”
Chen Leyan replied, “It’s only what I should do.”
He lifted his chin slightly and looked once more toward the tightly closed door on the second floor.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the little kitten phone charm on the dining table. His grip on his phone tightened.
There was plenty of time ahead.
One day, Qiao Qingman would be his.
After Chen Leyan left, the second-floor bedroom, which had been quiet for most of the day, finally began to emit faint rustling sounds.
Qiao Qingman woke up from hunger.
When she awoke, it was already dark outside.
Warm orange lighting inside the villa mixed with the bright moonlight streaming in through the window. Qiao Qingman groggily picked up her phone and saw that it was already past eight in the evening.
Past eight?
No way. Had she slept for more than ten hours straight?
Qiao Qingman sat bolt upright in bed, instantly wide awake. “……”
This was it? And the system still had the nerve to say that kissing the male lead would not make her sleepy?
Was it joking with her?
Sensing Qiao Qingman’s resentment, the system said, [……Host, that’s what the higher-ups told me.]
If she wanted to scold someone, she should scold the higher-ups. It had nothing to do with a small working system like itself.
Qiao Qingman: “……”
Forget it. Next time, she would have to test again exactly how this drowsiness worked.
But no matter what, kissing the male lead absolutely could not happen during the day. Otherwise, it would be far too much of a waste of her precious time.
It was all that male lead’s fault anyway. Why did he have to kiss her so hard and for so long?
Even after a quick wash-up and heading to the dining room on the first floor, Qiao Qingman was still grumbling about the male lead in her heart.
Seeing that her young lady, who had slept for over ten hours, was finally awake, Aunt Zhuang felt the worry she had been holding onto finally ease.
“Miss, you’re finally awake. You must be starving, right? Hurry and eat.”
Qiao Qingman had skipped lunch and was famished by now. As soon as the dishes were set on the table, she began eating heartily.
While eating, she praised, “Aunt Zhuang, your cooking just keeps getting better. This is so delicious.”
Aunt Zhuang smiled. “Miss, you’re praising the wrong person. These were all made by Mr. Chen Leyan.”
Qiao Qingman paused mid-bite. “Mr. Chen?”
Aunt Zhuang said, “Yes. Mr. Chen waited here the entire afternoon. He even made lunch. He said that since he accepted such an expensive tuition fee, he couldn’t just do nothing.”
“It’s a pity you were sleeping at the time, Miss. Mr. Chen even told me not to disturb you. Later, he received a phone call. I suppose something came up at his restaurant. After preparing dinner, he left.”
Qiao Qingman: “……”
To be honest, she had not expected Chen Leyan to wait here for so long.
Although she clearly knew that Chen Leyan’s “liking” for her was, in all likelihood, just like the way she had liked Gu Qianshi before her awareness awakened, something set by the plot, she still felt a little uncomfortable inside.
Then Aunt Zhuang took out a cheque from her pocket, her tone faintly tinged with admiration. “Oh right, Miss. This is the cheque Mr. Chen left for you. He said that since he only worked for one day today, he could only take one day’s pay. The rest should be settled after your lesson tomorrow.”
Qiao Qingman froze. “?”
What did that mean? One-day settlement?
Was Chen Leyan afraid she would find another excuse not to study tomorrow?
Qiao Qingman immediately asked the system: [If Chen Leyan only accepts today’s fee, does that count as completing the plot? It’s not that I didn’t spend the money. He returned it.]
The system mercilessly denied her: [It doesn’t count, Host. You have to spend the full designated amount for it to count.]
Qiao Qingman: “……”
So that meant she still had to learn to cook tomorrow?
No way—
After thinking it over, Qiao Qingman helplessly picked up her phone, approved Chen Leyan’s WeChat friend request, and sent him a message:
[Thank you, Mr. Chen, for lunch and dinner. When are you available tomorrow? You can suggest a suitable place for the lesson. I’ll go directly, so you don’t have to make another trip.]
Qiao Qingman’s thinking was simple. It was not very appropriate for Chen Leyan to come to her home; after all, she was a young woman living there.
Today had caught her off guard, so she could not just drive him out.
But tomorrow’s “lesson” absolutely could not take place at home.
Soon, the chat box showed “The other party is typing…”. After a moment, the words disappeared. A while later, they appeared again.
Just as Qiao Qingman wondered whether WeChat was malfunctioning or something else was going on, he finally sent a message:
[Okay. Then… at my restaurant? Is that alright? If it is, can I come pick you up tomorrow?]
Every word carried uncertainty, anticipation, and nervousness.
Qiao Qingman understood. He had probably not expected her to approve the friend request from a few days ago, let alone take the initiative to message him. That must be why he kept typing and deleting.
Her chest felt faintly stifled. She thought to herself that once this plot was over, she would definitely keep her distance from Chen Leyan, so he would not, under the influence of the plot, continue to give more meaningless devotion.
To be honest, as a former victim of a “top-tier love-brained” setting, Qiao Qingman understood too well the obsession of loving someone who did not love you back. It was deeply frustrating.
Because once characters like them, as NPCs in a novel, encountered their so-called destined love, they could only sink deeper and deeper. There was no way to refuse.
With the matter settled, Qiao Qingman did not continue chatting. She simply replied:
[No need. Just send me the address. Thank you.]
Then she suddenly felt that her phone seemed oddly bare.
A closer look startled her.
Where was her phone charm?
“Oh right, Miss. This was given to you by a Mr. Gu,” Aunt Zhuang said, taking out a familiar phone charm from her pocket.
It was exactly the one she had always kept attached to her phone.
Qiao Qingman took the charm and fastened it back onto her phone.
But inwardly, she was puzzled.
Mr. Gu? Gu Qianshi?
Gu Qianshi gave it to her? Where had he gotten it?
Could it have been in his car?
Wait.
Had she forgotten something important?
For a moment, everything that had happened that morning inside the car of the male lead she knew replayed over and over in Qiao Qingman’s mind.
First, the male lead kissed her first. Then she questioned him about why he kissed her.
And then? She got so sleepy that she fled from the car.
So after all that back and forth, she had not gotten a single piece of concrete information?
Let alone any so-called cooperation.
So in the end, did the male lead actually have a task that required him to kiss her or not?
Did she even have a cooperation partner at all?
This was all the male lead’s fault.
Look at how he kissed her. He kissed her so much that she got so sleepy she could not even properly finish what she was supposed to do.
Qiao Qingman felt stifled and miserable.
Meanwhile.
A few minutes earlier.
Chen Leyan was sitting at his desk, his expression cold and stern as he reviewed documents in his hand while listening to his assistant report from the side.
“President Chen, the newly opened high-end resort in the northern part of the city has contacted us several times already. They hope our restaurant can move in.”
Hearing this, Chen Leyan said nothing and continued flipping through the materials.
After a moment, he picked up a pen, marked several key details on the important document, handed it to the assistant, and said in a calm, clear voice, “These points must be thoroughly investigated. There can be no carelessness whatsoever.”
Assistant Han replied, “Yes, President Chen.”
“President Chen, as for Zian International’s—”
Before Assistant Han could finish speaking, two WeChat notification sounds rang out.
To his surprise, Assistant Han saw that his boss, who was always fully focused at work, immediately raised a hand to signal him to stop as soon as he saw the message on his phone screen.
Right after that, Assistant Han saw something even more shocking.
The boss, who was decisive at work and gentle as jade, was actually frowning at his phone, yet the corners of his mouth could not help but lift. It was an extremely contradictory expression.
After quite a while, the boss finally put down his phone and gave instructions in a pleasant mood. “The city center branch will be closed for one day tomorrow.”
Assistant Han was stunned. “Y-Yes… did something happen?”
The city center branch was the one the boss valued the most. Most of the time, he personally oversaw its operations, and its daily revenue could easily exceed several hundred thousand.
How could it just close without warning?
Then he heard the boss continue, “Also, inform everyone that all employees at that branch are considered on leave tomorrow. Double pay.”
Assistant Han: “……”
Boss, if you’re being coerced, blink twice.
“You may leave.”
“…Yes, President Chen.”
After Assistant Han left, the entire office was left with only Chen Leyan.
He looked at the WeChat message on his phone, recalling everything that had happened that day at the Qiao family villa, as well as that invisible force that had struck his leg.
Although what that force actually was remained unclear, one thing was certain. It was definitely not his imagination.
So what exactly was it?
Chen Leyan lowered his gaze slightly, glanced at the row of cat-shaped phone charm icons at the top of the computer screen, and his clear eyes turned dark and unreadable.
At the same time.
Inside a massive, ultra-luxurious villa not far from the Qiao family villa.
In the spacious and imposing study on the second floor, Gu Qingshan sat at his desk. After handling the company’s urgent matters, he closed his laptop, crossed the vast study, and stepped onto the balcony, one hand in his pocket as he looked into the distance.
His brows and eyes were cold and stern, his lips pressed tightly together.
The white shirt beneath his suit was buttoned all the way up to the top, neat and immaculate, his whole presence radiating an aloof authority that made others instinctively wary.
The direction he was looking at was a villa less than two kilometers away.
A knock sounded on the door.
After receiving permission, Secretary Jiang pushed the door open and entered.
“President Gu, this is information on Chen Leyan.”
Secretary Jiang reported respectfully. “According to our findings, Miss Qiao has recently been learning to cook… with Chen Leyan.”
Learning to cook?
According to the investigation, Qiao Qingman had been doted on and pampered by her parents since childhood. Let alone cooking, every aspect of her food, clothing, housing, and transportation during her school years had been handled by household staff.
There was even a time during an overseas trip when she did not want to eat food prepared outside. The aunt in charge of her meals had flown in from the country just to cook for her, so she could eat well and enjoy her meals.
How could Qiao Qingman possibly be learning to cook?
And why with Chen Leyan of all people?
Recalling the undisguised, gloomy, and cold look in Chen Leyan’s eyes when they happened to make eye contact outside the Qiao family villa earlier that day, Gu Qingshan’s brows knit slightly.
The man’s deep eyes seemed coated with frost, exuding a chilling coldness.
*
Qiao Qingman had no idea that her decision to stop Chen Leyan from coming to her home to teach cooking had sparked cheers of celebration among certain restaurant employees.
After eating and drinking her fill at dinner, Qiao Qingman comfortably curled up on the sofa, played on her phone for a while, watched some television, then returned to her room to rest.
She needed to conserve her energy. After learning to cook with Chen Leyan tomorrow, she would still have to go kiss the male lead late at night.
Yes. After what happened today, Qiao Qingman decided that before midnight tomorrow night, she would find a chance to properly talk with the male lead about “kissing at night in the future,” and conveniently complete the kissing tasks for tomorrow and the day after.
Although she was still not sure whether the male lead actually had a deep-kiss task, the fact that he did not reject her kissing him and even kissed her back was already enough.
No matter what, she had decided that she would stay far away from the male lead during the daytime. That way, she could do whatever she wanted during the day, instead of wasting all her precious time sleeping.
Besides, sleeping too much during the day meant she could not fall asleep at night at all.
“I wonder whether the male lead also gets sleepy after kissing me?”
Qiao Qingman unilaterally decided that starting tomorrow, she would stay as far away as possible from the male lead, Gu Qianshi, during the day.
She truly did not want to suffer from insomnia again.
Wait, that was not right. She could not fall asleep now anyway. Should she just sneak into Rongjing Villa again tonight?
Take advantage of the male lead being asleep and steal a kiss?
That way, she could complete tomorrow’s kissing task in advance. And since the male lead would not know she had kissed him, he might even come looking for her on his own while she deliberately stayed away?
Would that not turn the passive into the active?
Simply perfect.
Having made up her mind, Qiao Qingman grabbed her car keys and went out at once.
However, an hour later, Qiao Qingman stood outside the second-floor bedroom balcony at Rongjing Villa, staring at the locked balcony door in front of her, completely stunned.
Gu Qianshi had locked the balcony door? He actually locked it?
What did that mean? Was he retaliating because she had locked her balcony door last night?
But she had not done it on purpose. How could the male lead be like this?
Qiao Qingman felt indignant.
She could not help but complain to the system: [Your male lead is such a jerk.]
The system, innocently caught in the crossfire: [……]
Complaining as she might, Qiao Qingman could not exactly smash the glass balcony door with a punch and charge into the room.
Left with no choice, she jumped down from the balcony and quickly disappeared into the soft moonlight.
Just after Qiao Qingman left, the tightly shut balcony door was opened from inside.
Dressed in dark blue pajamas, Gu Qianshi removed his earpiece and casually tossed it onto the nearby sofa.
He walked out from the bedroom and braced his hands on the balcony railing.
The moonlight was bright, and a cool breeze drifted by. Gu Qianshi, who was unable to sleep, gazed ahead with a dark, unfocused expression.
For some reason, he thought he saw, beyond the tall villa wall in the distance, a somewhat familiar figure—Qiao Qingman?
Gu Qianshi: “……”
He must be losing his mind. How could he possibly see Qiao Qingman at this hour and in that place?
Could Qiao Qingman really climb over his villa’s wall?
Gu Qianshi frowned irritably, losing any desire to enjoy the night breeze.
He turned and went back into the bedroom, closing the door with a loud bang.
*
Without the male lead’s kiss as a boost, and after sleeping for most of the day, Qiao Qingman unsurprisingly suffered from insomnia.
Thus, early the next morning, as she got up to learn cooking and “advance the plot,” Qiao Qingman rubbed her tired eyes and swore that she would absolutely never kiss the male lead during the day again.
Only after drinking a cup of coffee and barely managing to feel a little more alert did she head out, still in a bad mood.
However, the moment she parked her car in the underground parking lot of the address Chen Leyan had sent her in advance, she saw a familiar figure.
The man was dressed in a dark, custom-made high-end suit, elegant and refined, exuding an extraordinary air of nobility.
He was striding straight in Qiao Qingman’s direction.
With just one glance, Qiao Qingman was so startled that she turned and ran.
Good heavens. If the male lead managed to kiss her, would she even be able to complete today’s cooking plot?
And he had even changed into a dark suit in advance? Was he prepared to kiss her at any time?
No, this man had locked the balcony door in retaliation last night, and now he was planning to kiss her anytime, anywhere?
As if.
What she did not know was that behind her, Gu Qianshi, who had arranged to meet a business partner nearby, looked utterly baffled.
He had not expected to see Qiao Qingman the moment he got out of the car. And at the very first sight of him, she had fled in panic, even bypassing the VIP elevator and running toward the stairwell instead.
Was he really that frightening?
Thinking back to yesterday morning outside the Qiao family villa, when Qiao Qingman had left without a word, leaving him standing foolishly at the villa gate for quite some time, almost interrupting a couple who were kissing, and preventing him from proving anything to his cousin…
Gu Qianshi’s emotions churned, and his brows knitted tightly together.
“Qiao Qingman—”
This woman ran the moment she saw him? Was she playing hard to get again?
Did it never end? Was she not tired of it?
“President Gu, what’s wrong?”
Secretary Shen’s reminder from the side reached Gu Qianshi’s ears, putting a stop to his rising irritation.
Realizing that his emotions had once again been stirred by Qiao Qingman, Gu Qianshi’s expression froze for a brief moment. Before that inexplicable force within him could take hold, he quickly composed himself and said indifferently, “It’s nothing. Let’s go.”
No matter what Qiao Qingman intended to do, he would not respond anymore.
He would never again allow that woman to stir his emotions.
He would use his actions to tell Qiao Qingman that no matter what she said or did, in his eyes, she would forever be the one who was ignored.
Meanwhile, the startled Qiao Qingman hurried all the way to the restaurant where Chen Leyan was.
She patted her chest to calm her racing heartbeat, only to see two staff members at the entrance politely ushering customers away one by one.
“We’re very sorry. Our boss has something to attend to today, so we’re temporarily closed.”
“What? Why are you closed? I came all this way just to eat your black truffle baked silver cod.”
“We sincerely apologize.”
“Will you be open tomorrow?”
“Yes, we will. You’re welcome to come back tomorrow.”
“Alright then…”
Qiao Qingman looked puzzled.
Chen Leyan’s restaurant was closed?
A thought suddenly flashed through her mind.
Could it be that Chen Leyan had suspended business just to focus on teaching her to cook, creating a quiet environment for her lesson?
No, that could not be, right?
Just then, Chen Leyan walked out. When he saw Qiao Qingman at the entrance, about to be habitually turned away by the staff, a flicker of discomfort crossed his eyes. He immediately said to the two employees, “You’re dismissed.”
Then he turned to Qiao Qingman and smiled gently. “Miss Qiao, please come in.”
Qiao Qingman did not miss his unease.
She stopped in her tracks. “I just heard the staff say the boss has something to attend to and the restaurant is closed. You wouldn’t have…”
Chen Leyan could afford to lose a day’s revenue, but she could not bear the thought of blocking his income.
Besides, the “large sum” cheque she had given him yesterday might not even match a single day’s revenue at such a high-end restaurant.
Yet Chen Leyan simply smiled and said calmly, “Miss Qiao, you’ve misunderstood. The restaurant has undergone adjustments recently. Today just isn’t suitable for business.”
“That’s why I suggested we learn here instead.”
“Really?” Qiao Qingman asked, half believing, half doubtful.
“Really.” Chen Leyan’s reply was gentle yet firm.
Qiao Qingman did not press further.
She followed Chen Leyan inside the restaurant and into the open kitchen facing the main dining hall, where customers could see the entire cooking process.
The kitchen was serene, filled with a rich yet pure classical atmosphere. It was the kind of place where even cooking felt relaxing and pleasant.
Chen Leyan was a top-tier chef, handsome and tall, with an upright figure. Watching such a good-looking man cook would undoubtedly be a visual pleasure for anyone.
Unfortunately, Qiao Qingman had no interest in learning to cook, and she certainly could not show any interest in Chen Leyan either.
All she could think about was how to negotiate a compromise location for kissing with the male lead.
Otherwise, driving back and forth in the middle of the night every day was too exhausting. Moreover, every time she kissed the male lead, she became extremely sleepy.
Driving under those circumstances was not safe.
But how could she bring this up without revealing the existence of the task or probing his task?
If she directly invited him to come near her house every two days, would that sound too strange?
After all, her current persona was that of someone who liked the male lead so much that she wanted to kiss him every time they met. She was not supposed to be the one summoning him at will.
Qiao Qingman could not help thinking, “I wonder if Gu Qianshi would be willing to come near my house.”
Heh. Ideally, just like yesterday morning. After the male lead deeply kissed her, she could hurry home and fall asleep instantly.
No dangerous driving. No struggling against drowsiness.
And no running to his house in the middle of the night only to find the balcony locked and returning empty-handed.
Simply perfect.
“Miss Qiao, what did you just say?”
A man’s voice suddenly sounded in Qiao Qingman’s ear.
Qiao Qingman froze. She looked up and saw that Chen Leyan, who had just finished making a black truffle baked silver cod, was holding the plate and looking at her with his bright, innocent, beautiful eyes, sincere and puzzled.
Only then did it occur to Qiao Qingman that she might have accidentally spoken her thoughts out loud.
“It’s nothing, it’s nothing,” Qiao Qingman hurriedly denied.
Chen Leyan, dressed in a clean white shirt, nodded. “Oh. By the way, this dish is ready. Miss Qiao, would you like to try it?”
His gaze was earnest, his voice pleasant, and a soft, humble smile lingered at the corner of his lips.
The dish, emitting a rich and fragrant aroma, was presented before Qiao Qingman.
The little glutton in her stomach was instantly awakened. “…Can I?”
At the same time, she was genuinely curious how someone as seemingly honest and harmless as Chen Leyan had managed to become the president of a nationwide chain of ultra-high-end restaurants.
If he encountered unscrupulous business partners, would he not suffer losses easily?
Yet at that moment, Chen Leyan gently nodded again, his clear smile tinged with a faint blush. “Of course you can.”
The sight almost made Qiao Qingman unable to resist reaching out and pinching his cheek.
Goodness. Chen Leyan was far too soft and adorable.
Just as she was about to take a bite, Qiao Qingman mentally slapped herself.
Serves you right for being greedy. Serves you right for asking that extra question.
How could she hurt such a gentle, sunny big brother type?
And by not rejecting him, she was hurting him.
She could not.
She absolutely could not.
“Um, I…” Qiao Qingman hesitated. “Maybe I won’t eat it after all…”
Her hesitation, however, carried a different kind of allure in Chen Leyan’s eyes.
The kitchen lights were bright.
The warm orange glow fell upon Qiao Qingman, outlining her in a soft halo and accentuating the delicate pink on her fair cheeks, making her look gentle and captivating.
Such a gentle and captivating girl was going to reject him?
Chen Leyan’s prominent Adam’s apple bobbed.
Recalling the words she had murmured to herself earlier, a flash of hostility flickered in his bright eyes where Qiao Qingman could not see.
It was quickly smoothed over.
At that moment, out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a figure outside the restaurant. His gaze shifted slightly.
Gu Qianshi? Why was he here?
In the next moment, Chen Leyan withdrew his glance from outside. The handsome, open-browed man seemed to suddenly muster courage. He picked up a fork, speared a piece of fish, and brought it to Qiao Qingman’s lips.
With a sincere yet slightly nervous smile, he said, “Miss Qiao, please try it and see if it tastes good. If you get familiar with this flavor, you’ll better understand where the deliciousness lies when you make it yourself.”
Qiao Qingman: “……”
When she said “try,” she meant she would pick up a knife and fork herself, not this kind of “try,” brother.
Then Chen Leyan added, “By the way, have you learned this dish yet? If not, I can teach you again.”
“It’s not difficult. Miss Qiao is so smart. If you learn it twice, you’ll definitely get it.”
Qiao Qingman, who had no desire to cook at all and was only here to complete the plot: “……”
Help. Why was there someone who did not even want the money and insisted she learn to cook?
And did Chen Leyan know that she was learning to cook in order to deliver a loving lunchbox to his so-called romantic rival, Gu Qianshi?
“I…”
Qiao Qingman, filled with complicated emotions, opened her mouth but did not know how to refuse.
At that moment, the tall figure outside the restaurant, whom she had ignored, walked straight in from the entrance toward them.
The man was tall and upright. The well-tailored dark blue suit he wore exuded an indescribable cold and noble aura.
His gaze was sharp. When he looked at someone, there was a faint laziness in his indifference, yet his presence was overwhelming, carrying an immense sense of pressure.
Perhaps it was just an illusion, but Chen Leyan felt that his cousin Gu Qianshi’s aura today seemed stronger than usual.
No, not just a little stronger.
Far stronger.
Was it because he saw Qiao Qingman here with him, and his position as the object of her affection was being challenged?
The scene from yesterday morning in the car outside the Qiao family villa surfaced once again in Chen Leyan’s mind.
The anger in Chen Leyan’s eyes surged uncontrollably.
In an instant, his body tensed, like a child caught doing something wrong.
“Cousin? Y-Why are you here?”
“I… I’m just teaching Miss Qiao how to cook. Cousin, this is my profession and my responsibility.”
The underlying meaning was clear. He was simply doing his job. As a cousin, Gu Qianshi had no right to interfere again.
The scene left Qiao Qingman momentarily stunned.
She turned her head and met a pair of cold, deep eyes tinged with danger.
It was the male lead, Gu Qianshi.
He was dressed in a dark blue, handmade high-end suit, aloof and noble, his aura imposing.
He cast a detached glance at Chen Leyan, as if looking at an object of little consequence, from a position of superiority.
After a moment, the man’s icy gaze shifted to Qiao Qingman.
His lips parted slightly as he spoke in a calm tone.
“Qiao Qingman, come here.”