Has the Boss Bost His Temper Today? - Chapter 9

“Pretend to be my partner, and I’ll…”

At lunchtime, the restaurant was alive with the hum of overlapping conversations and the drifting aroma of food.

Duan Shiming was stuffing his mouth with everything in sight, but his eyes weren’t actually on his food. To his colleagues sitting across from him, he looked adorably dazed as he ate.

Xin Lei waved a hand in front of his face. “Xiao Duan?”

“…Mm?” Duan Shiming snapped back to reality, his cheeks bulging with food. He looked at Xin Lei blankly and mumbled, “Wha’ is it?”

Xin Lei was amused by his expression. “How can you daydream and eat at the same time? You’re just like those toddlers who can fall asleep mid-meal.”

Seeing his colleagues laughing, Duan Shiming quickly swallowed his food and lowered his head to continue devouring his lunch with cool determination.

However, his mind couldn’t help but drift back to what had happened earlier.

“There is two million here. I want you to tell me about his usual schedule, where he goes for business trips, what he eats for breakfast and lunch, what his favorite foods are, and who he meets. Especially which Omegas he sees.”

“I won’t ask about anything involving company secrets. You just need to tell me these things, report to me daily, and help me out from time to time. Once everything is settled, I’ll give you another two million as a thank you.”

“Could you consider it? Please help me.”

“I don’t want to break up with him.”

“I really love him.”

Duan Shiming bit his chopstick, propping his head up as he stared off into space, lost in thought. “…”

A breakup?

Was that what they were discussing last night? Why the breakup?

While helping a romance blossom was usually a good thing, if both parties were willing, they wouldn’t need to resort to this kind of method. Could that great beauty be suffering from a one-sided, bitter love?

Besides, telling someone about Chu Yanzhou’s itinerary felt wrong. It touched on professional ethics. No, no—he had to remember his professional integrity.

As he thought about it, he scratched his head in frustration.

His colleagues looked at one another and shook their heads helplessly. They all felt that Duan Shiming was quite a handful even during a simple meal, just like a child.

“Eat your food, Xiao Duan,” Xin Lei reminded him again.

Duan Shiming snapped out of it once more and nodded obediently. “Oh, okay.”

As dusk fell, the midsummer evening breeze carried the residual heat of the day, clinging to the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Ding-dong.

Scratch, scratch, scratch.

Duan Shiming was stuffed, lying on the sofa and rubbing his stomach, when he heard the doorbell ring followed by the sound of claws scratching the door.

“Woof, woof!”

It was Cullinan’s voice.

Duan Shiming: Work was calling. His nighttime gig.

Supporting his rounded belly, he struggled to sit up and walked toward the entryway. “Coming!”

When the door opened, he saw Chu Yanzhou standing there in black sportswear, holding Cullinan’s leash.

Cullinan got excited the moment he saw Duan Shiming. He ran straight to Duan Shiming’s feet and started rubbing against him. Without his muzzle on, he was even more bold, sticking out his tongue to lick Duan Shiming’s ankle.

The slender, white ankle bones were well-defined, glowing with a jade-like warmth under the soft light of the foyer.

Caught off guard by the wet sensation against his ankle, Duan Shiming’s body trembled slightly. Startled, his slipper hung halfway off his foot as he stepped back. He looked at Chu Yanzhou in surprise.

His round, clear eyes were moist, reflecting a hint of a fright.

“Cullinan.”

Chu Yanzhou snapped back to reality and spoke sternly. As he bent down to grab the leash, his gaze swept over the foot that had instinctively pulled back. The slender ankle, wet with Cullinan’s saliva, shimmered under the light like it had been brushed with honey.

It needs to be wiped clean.

“Whimper!” Cullinan wanted to move forward again, but Chu Yanzhou had already slipped the muzzle on him. His large ears flopped side to side in annoyance.

Chu Yanzhou looked away and turned to Duan Shiming. “Did he bite you?”

Duan Shiming rubbed his ear. “He didn’t bite, just a lick. It’s fine.” After saying that, he reached out toward Chu Yanzhou. “Give him to me. I’ll go walk him as soon as I put my shoes on.”

Chu Yanzhou didn’t hand over the leash immediately. “It’s covered in slobber. Wipe it off first.”

“Fine, wait for me a second.”

Duan Shiming turned around to grab his shoes, only to find he had kicked them all over the place. He glanced back and saw Chu Yanzhou watching him, so he gave an embarrassed smile.

He quickly retrieved his shoes, then sat on the shoe bench to wipe his foot and put them on.

His slender, white lower leg rested on the bench as he roughly wiped his delicate ankle with a wet tissue.

After cleaning up, he started putting on his socks. His five-point shorts rode up slightly with the movement. His actions were casual and unrefined, and the way his leg muscles tensed gave off a youthful energy.

Only when both feet were tucked into his sneakers did a certain gaze finally pull away.

“All set!” Duan Shiming stood up and reached for the leash, but he realized Chu Yanzhou had no intention of giving it to him.

Seeing Chu Yanzhou staring at him, he waved a hand in front of the man’s face in confusion. “What’s up?”

Suddenly, his hand was gripped.

Duan Shiming froze. “?”

“Are you short on money?” Chu Yanzhou asked.

Duan Shiming: “?”

Chu Yanzhou let go of his hand. “It’s like this. I want to ask you for a favor.”

Duan Shiming wondered if he looked like a particularly reliable person. Why was everyone coming to him for help? “What kind of favor?”

“The Omega you saw last night is my fiancé by agreement. Originally, we were in a partnership for mutual benefit. However, I recently discovered his private life is a mess and he is involved with multiple men. I can’t tolerate it, so I want to end the agreement early.”

“To prevent him from playing tricks, eyeing my ‘purity,’ or dragging me down with him, I need someone to protect me.”

Duan Shiming: “?”

“If you are willing to help me and pretend to be my partner, I will give you ten million.”

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