20. It Looks Like She’s Forcing Him to Take the Initiative? …
After getting out of the car, Ling Xi pushed two suitcases and followed Zhou Mingye into his courtyard.
She set her own carry-on suitcase down at the foot of the steps and lifted Zhou Mingye’s with both hands.
Zhou Mingye’s suitcase was slightly larger than Ling Xi’s. She thought it would be a bit heavy, so she exerted some effort when lifting it, but it turned out to be very light.
Clearly, he could have carried it up with one hand, all right?
Ling Xi looked up. Zhou Mingye had one hand in his pocket, while his right hand entered the password to unlock the door.
Hah. Showing off again. What, is his left hand disabled?
Ling Xi glared at him from behind and carried the suitcase into the living room.
The lights were on at the entryway. There was a pair of women’s leather shoes by the door. Ling Xi heard the refrigerator door close in the kitchen, and a middle-aged woman walked out with a warm smile.
“Young Master Zhou is back.”
Zhou Mingye did not allow Luo Yongxia to call him “Sir,” as it sounded too awkward.
But she also felt it was inappropriate to call him by his given name, so she had always addressed him this way.
Ling Xi turned her face slightly away and secretly curled her lips.
Luo Yongxia came to Zhou Mingye’s home two to three times a week to clean, restock daily supplies, and make an afternoon meal.
She had worked here for three years, and this was the first time she had seen Zhou Mingye bring a girl home.
The girl had her hair half tied up, her skin looked clear and bright, and she was wearing a white knit top. She looked gentle.
Seeing her come out, Ling Xi smiled and greeted her. “Hello, Auntie.”
Ling Xi set down the luggage and muttered inwardly that since there was someone at home, she could have just come out to help carry the luggage from the yard. Instead, he had insisted on using her like a beast of burden.
“Hello, hello.” Luo Yongxia hurried over to bring slippers, then turned to Zhou Mingye and asked, “Young Master Zhou, this is your girlfriend, right? She’s very pretty.”
Ling Xi quickly explained, “No, I’m not. I’m President Zhou’s secretary. My name is Ling Xi.”
Zhou Mingye lowered his head to change his shoes. From the corner of his eye, he saw Ling Xi smiling faintly. Being mistaken for his girlfriend, she must be secretly delighted, right?
Seeing that Zhou Mingye did not say anything, Luo Yongxia did not ask further.
She thought of another employer, Young Master Xue. Back then, he had also brought a girl home, saying she was a colleague, and within days they had become boyfriend and girlfriend.
Luo Yongxia could not understand young people. She greeted Ling Xi. “Come in and sit down. I’ll pour you a glass of water.”
“No need, Auntie.” Ling Xi looked at Zhou Mingye. “President Zhou, if there’s nothing else, I’ll head back.”
In the span of a single sentence, Luo Yongxia had already brought over a cup of warm water.
Zhou Mingye looked at Ling Xi. “Not going to rest for a bit? You’ll still have to wait if you call a car.”
That was true. Seeing the aunt holding the water with both hands, Ling Xi politely accepted it and said thank you.
She walked into the living room. Zhou Mingye spoke to her while taking off his coat. “Sit wherever you like. I’ll go upstairs and change.”
“Okay.”
There were several large shopping bags on the kitchen island. As Luo Yongxia organized the refrigerator, she chatted casually with Ling Xi. “Xiao Ling, stay for dinner tonight. I bought ribs. You young people work hard. You should nourish yourselves a bit.”
Ling Xi smiled. “I’ll be heading back later. Thank you, Auntie.”
After filling the refrigerator, Luo Yongxia washed a plate of fruit and brought it over. She suddenly asked, “Xiao Ling, why do I feel your voice sounds a bit off? Are you catching a cold?”
After getting soaked in the rain the night before last, Ling Xi had felt a bit unwell. The symptoms were not severe, so she had not paid much attention.
“It’s nothing, Auntie. I might’ve just caught a chill.”
Luo Yongxia topped up her hot water, went to the cabinet, and took out a box of cold medicine. “Do you want to take one? The temperature has dropped a lot lately. Don’t let it drag on and get worse.”
On the plane, Ling Xi had already felt a dull headache, and she still had to work the next day.
She took it. It was the common household brand. In the past, whenever she had mild symptoms, taking one pill would suppress it.
Ling Xi popped one out. “Thank you very much.”
After taking the medicine, she leaned against the sofa and scrolled on her phone to pass the time. Luo Yongxia was busy in the kitchen, and the clatter of pots and pans formed a kind of white noise.
The room was warm, and as the cold medicine gradually took effect, Ling Xi hugged a cushion and actually fell asleep.
*
As dusk settled, the remaining sunlight streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling windows and spilled across the carpet.
Zhou Mingye finished showering and changed into a fresh set of clothes. When he came downstairs, the aunt was preparing dinner in the kitchen.
In the living room, Ling Xi’s upper body was sunk into the spacious sofa, sleeping soundly.
Zhou Mingye stood beside her, took the blanket he usually used, spread it out, and draped it over Ling Xi.
Seeing her legs dangling off the edge, he really could not bear to look at it.
Through her jeans, he pinched her ankle and lifted her legs onto the sofa. He gave a soft snort. “So skinny, like a stick.”
Ling Xi slept extremely deeply during this nap. Someone placed a cushion under her head and covered her with a blanket, yet she felt nothing.
When she woke up, she felt a little dazed.
When she opened her eyes, the environment was unfamiliar. The crystal chandelier overhead was not turned on, and only the strip lighting emitted a soft glow.
A faint sound came from the direction of the kitchen, and Ling Xi instinctively looked over.
The man had his back to her, standing within the dim yellow halo of the kitchen light.
He was wearing a casual shirt, broad-shouldered and narrow-waisted, with his sleeves rolled up to reveal a lean, powerful wrist. He seemed to be cutting fruit.
Three words inexplicably popped into Ling Xi’s mind: husband energy.
In her hazy vision, his silhouette looked a little unreal, yet the scene was far too warm and intimate.
Ling Xi suddenly realized, had she somehow crossed into one of those domineering-CEO short dramas?
Hearing movement from the sofa, Zhou Mingye washed the knife clean, put it away, then turned and walked toward her. “You’re awake?”
The moment she saw his face, Ling Xi snapped fully awake. What domineering-CEO drama? She had just finished being a corporate workhorse and had come back.
She propped herself up and sat upright. “After taking the cold medicine, my eyes felt heavy, so I fell asleep.”
“Auntie told me. Did you sleep well?”
“Yeah.”
Ling Xi folded the blanket neatly and set it aside. She stood up, glanced around, and asked, “Where’s Auntie?”
“She left after finishing the food. Let’s eat together.”
The dining table was already set with bowls and plates, the dishes covered with lids of different sizes to keep them warm.
Zhou Mingye walked over and lifted one of the covers. The aroma of the food drifted out, and Ling Xi felt her stomach twitch.
She was hungry. She did not stand on ceremony, pulled out a chair, and sat down. “Thank you.”
Luo Yongxia was good at home-style cooking. On the table were glossy braised pork ribs, stir-fried broccoli, loofah stewed with white mushrooms, and a mildly spicy Kung Pao chicken.
Light but flavorful dishes, clearly adjusted to suit Ling Xi’s taste.
Ling Xi lowered her head and ate seriously. The rice in her bowl quickly disappeared.
Zhou Mingye glanced at her from time to time. “Does it taste okay?”
Ling Xi nodded. “It’s really good.”
Zhou Mingye passed her a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. “Have some. Don’t choke.”
After eating and drinking her fill, Ling Xi saw that Zhou Mingye was still chewing slowly.
She put down her chopsticks. “President Zhou, your sofa is really comfortable to sleep on. And the blanket, too.”
Zhou Mingye tugged at the corner of his mouth. What did she mean? First praising the food, then the sofa, now even the blanket. She clearly liked his place.
If she went on, she might as well confess to him outright.
“The sofa is indeed comfortable. I often sleep on it at night.”
Ling Xi looked surprised. “You don’t go to the bed?”
“Sometimes I can’t fall asleep.”
“Why?”
Ling Xi remembered that Zhou Mingye had poor sleep. Unless she had something on her mind, she could fall asleep the moment she lay down. She truly could not understand people with insomnia.
“When I first started my business, there were too many things to worry about. I stayed up late all the time. Later on, falling asleep became difficult.” Zhou Mingye picked up a piece of food. “Not like you. Big-hearted. You can sleep anywhere.”
Ling Xi pouted slightly. She really was big-hearted; she had already fallen asleep in front of Zhou Mingye twice.
After Zhou Mingye finished eating, Ling Xi helped him carry the bowls and chopsticks into the kitchen.
Zhou Mingye rinsed them one by one, then put them into the dishwasher.
Ling Xi wanted to help, but Zhou Mingye shot her a sideways glance. “Go rest outside. You’ll affect my efficiency here.”
Ling Xi was happy to be idle and stepped out of the kitchen.
The host was still busy, and she felt embarrassed to just leave right after eating.
She stretched lazily by the window and caught sight of a small white blur darting across the yard. She pushed the door open and went outside.
Seeing the unfamiliar girl, the little cat first stayed still, observing her for a few seconds, then meowed at her.
After that, it rubbed against her pant leg and ran toward the window.
Following the cat’s gaze, Ling Xi saw cat food and a bowl placed in the corner beneath the window.
She poured some cat food into the bowl and set it on the lawn. The little cat quickly buried its face in it.
After Zhou Mingye finished tidying up the kitchen and came out after washing his hands, he saw two white shapes in the yard.
Under the warm yellow corridor light, the outlines of Ling Xi and the little cat squatting face-to-face were softly traced.
Ling Xi watched the cat eat attentively, gently stroking its head, her voice soft. “Kitty, how are you so well-behaved? Do you come here often to eat?”
Zhou Mingye was charmed by the scene. Quite cute—he meant the cat.
After the cat finished eating, Ling Xi placed it on her knees. The little cat rubbed its face against the back of her hand, and her heart practically melted.
She looked up and saw Zhou Mingye standing under the corridor light by the steps, hands in his pockets, leaning casually against the doorframe as he watched her.
When had he come out? Had he heard her baby voice just now?
Ling Xi’s ears warmed slightly. She lowered her head and continued stroking the cat, asking softly, “Boss, does this cat come here often?”
“Yeah. Didn’t you see it even has its own bowl?”
“Have you really not considered giving it a home? It seems to really like this place.” Ling Xi pulled the little cat into her arms.
Zhou Mingye walked closer and suddenly squatted down.
It was the first time Ling Xi had looked closely at Zhou Mingye’s eyes. His eyelashes were so long…
Their foreheads almost bumped into each other, and both felt a bit awkward.
Zhou Mingye turned his face aside and widened the distance slightly.
“I’ve thought about adopting it, but I’m usually busy and often on business trips.” He paused, lifted a hand to rub the back of his neck. “If someone could come by a few times a week to keep it company, then I could consider it.”
Ling Xi pondered this and asked, “Can’t the aunt keep it company?”
“Auntie only comes twice a week. She works elsewhere the rest of the time.”
Ling Xi stroked the cat’s head regretfully. “Then that really wouldn’t be suitable.”
Adopting a small animal could not be done on a whim. If one could not take responsibility and provide companionship, it was better to let it find another good home.
Ling Xi liked this little cat. Her parents were not against small animals, but the couple often went out traveling. There was no way they could be relied on to take care of it.
She had a cold today and had no energy to take the cat for a bath or vaccinations.
After her grandmother returned from traveling, Ling Xi planned to discuss it with her.
She asked Zhou Mingye, “If it hides and sleeps in your yard, you wouldn’t chase it away, right?”
Zhou Mingye looked incredulous. “Do I look that cold-blooded? Who do you think bought the cat food?”
Right.
Today was the first time Ling Xi showed Zhou Mingye a smile. “You’re really a good person.”
Zhou Mingye abruptly froze. What was wrong with her? Every time she praised someone, it was always so sudden.
He rubbed the bridge of his nose and straightened up, rising to his feet.
It was already completely dark. Ling Xi reluctantly said goodbye to the little cat and even added, “Mommy will definitely come pick you up. Wait for me, okay!”
She went inside to pack her bag and heard Zhou Mingye ask, “How are you getting back? Is someone picking you up?”
Ling Xi lifted her phone and shook it slightly. “I called a car.”
“Alright. Let me know once you’re home.”
Ling Xi lowered her head to change her shoes. When she stood up, she caught sight of a family photo placed on the cabinet by the entrance.
Previously, it had been tucked in a corner, and Ling Xi had not noticed it. It was probably put out properly today after Aunt Luo cleaned.
There were four people in the photo. Besides Zhou Mingye’s parents, there was also a boy who looked quite young. Ling Xi guessed he was Zhou Mingye’s younger brother.
The whole family was good-looking.
Ling Xi’s gaze landed on the woman standing in front of Zhou Mingye in the photo. The woman had permed hair and an elegant temperament. Why did she look somewhat familiar?
She pondered it all the way home. In the car, Ling Xi suddenly slapped her thigh. She remembered why she looked familiar.
Taking out her phone, Ling Xi opened her chat history with Su Wanwan.
She enlarged the screenshots Su Wanwan had sent earlier. Exactly the same.
Han Zhao’s chat partner was Zhou Mingye’s mother?
After arriving home, Ling Xi reported her safe arrival to Zhou Mingye, then sent a message to Su Wanwan to tell her about this major discovery.
Su Wanwan did not reply.
Han Zhao’s mother was having surgery the next day. Su Wanwan had to get up early and had already gone to sleep.
Ling Xi tossed and turned, having already made up several dramatic scenarios in her head.
Version one: Han Zhao and Zhou Mingye were a couple, discovered by his mother. Mother Zhou threw fifty million in Han Zhao’s face and said, “Leave my son!”
Version two: Han Zhao was the Zhou family’s illegitimate child who had been left outside. Now that his adoptive mother had encountered difficulties, the Zhou family quietly extended a helping hand.
Scene after scene played through Ling Xi’s mind, to the point that she even dreamed about these plots that night.
Zhou Mingye was also tossing and turning.
Late at night, he sent a message to Xue Yang: “Did you ever raise a cat before?”
Xue Yang: Planning to raise a cat with your girlfriend?
Zhou Mingye: Cut the crap.
Xue Yang: Then forgive me for not telling you. I don’t want to talk to single dogs.
Zhou Mingye: Get lost.
He lay on the sofa, picked up his phone, and searched: What preparations are needed to adopt a stray cat?
*
Because she had dreamed too much the night before, Ling Xi did not sleep well. When the alarm rang in the morning, she turned it off, planning to lie down for a few more minutes. When she opened her eyes again, half an hour had already passed.
She did not even have time to put on makeup. She rushed out the door and ran toward the subway station.
Arriving at the company just in time, Ling Xi took a few breaths and went to the pantry to grab some snacks to stave off hunger.
The company pantry was a great place for gossip.
When Ling Xi walked in, two girls from the administration department were talking with their backs to her. “Assistant Han hasn’t been around lately. I heard the boss won’t eat the breakfast prepared by anyone else.”
The other lowered her voice. “No wonder we’ve never seen the boss date anyone. Turns out he doesn’t like women.”
Ling Xi was dumbfounded. When did the company suddenly start spreading rumors like this?
She had never said anything nonsensical.
The information she got last night threw Ling Xi into confusion again.
Back at her workstation, she checked her phone several times and could not focus on work at all.
In all her life, she had never been so curious about someone’s sexual orientation.
Su Wanwan only sent a message at noon: Han Zhao’s mother’s surgery is over. Everything went smoothly.
Immediately after, several exclamation marks appeared, and then a call came through.
Worried about being overheard, Ling Xi slipped into the corridor.
Su Wanwan asked, “You’re saying the person Han Zhao chats with often is Zhou Mingye’s mother?”
“Yes. I analyzed several possibilities last night.” Ling Xi explained each one to Su Wanwan.
Su Wanwan glanced toward the hospital room. Through the window, Han Zhao was by his mother’s side, wiping her hands.
She lowered her voice. “My train is tonight. I’ll go back to work first. When Han Zhao comes back next week, I’ll ask him face-to-face.”
Zhou Mingye did not see Ling Xi at all that morning. The coffee was delivered by Xu Jing.
In the afternoon, when he passed by Ling Xi’s workstation, she was already gone.
Who knew what she was busy with all day?
The next morning, Jiang Huai went to report for work. After finishing, Zhou Mingye stopped him. “I’m meeting a client this afternoon. Have Ling Xi prepare.”
“Alright.”
After lunch break, Jiang Huai carried his bag into Zhou Mingye’s office. “President Zhou, Ling Xi isn’t feeling very well today. I’ll go with you.”
Zhou Mingye paused. “She’s sick?”
“She said she has a headache. I told her to take leave, but she said it wasn’t serious.” Jiang Huai smiled. “She’s worried her condition won’t look good when meeting a client with you.”
Zhou Mingye’s expression darkened slightly. He did not say anything.
On the way back after meeting the client, Zhou Mingye leaned against the seat back. He recalled that day at his house, after Ling Xi took the medicine, she looked fine. A few days had already passed. Could it really have gotten worse?
He picked up his phone and connected to the company’s internal surveillance system. As the boss, caring about employees’ health was perfectly reasonable.
The software launched. He switched the feed to the President’s Office area and lightly swiped to zoom in.
Under the high-definition camera, Ling Xi was huddled with Xu Jing in front of a computer, discussing something. She was holding a cup of milk tea, her cheeks rosy. When she got excited, she even gestured animatedly. There was not the slightest sign of illness.
Pretending to be sick just to avoid going with him to meet a client?
Zhou Mingye slowly leaned back into his chair, lightly tapping his fingers on his knee.
First, keeping him at arm’s length, then deliberately being absent from work. It seemed this was to force him to take the initiative?
So confident that he would fall for it?
There were still half an hour before getting off work. When he had come out earlier, Zhou Mingye told Jiang Huai to just get off work directly.
Jiang Huai sent a message to his wife, saying he would be home early today. He put away his phone and suddenly heard the boss give a cold laugh.
Turning around, he saw Zhou Mingye already looking out the window.
He did not dare ask more. A moment later, he heard the boss tell the driver, “Take me back to the company first.”