After the Young Master’s Death, He was Kissed by His Mortal Enemy! - Chapter 43

“I came to get the keys — and pick up your boss for lunch,” Cheng Yi said.

Xiao Lin hesitantly pointed outside, looking a little nervous, as if afraid that Cheng Yi might be angry.

“B-but President Cheng, our boss is… um… with… with…”

Cheng Yi sighed inwardly.

No surprise there — an employee trained by Shen Ran himself. Even the stammering when flustered was exactly the same.

“I know,” Cheng Yi interrupted Xiao Lin bluntly. “That’s exactly why I’m here — to steal your boss back.”

With long fingers toying with the cold metal keyring, one hand tucked into his pocket, Cheng Yi turned and strolled off with flair.

“I’m off. You go have lunch early too — consider it time off from Shen Ran, on my orders.”

Little did Cheng Yi know, his words left Xiao Lin even more heartbroken.

Xiao Lin stared blankly as Cheng Yi’s figure disappeared past the gallery door, then sank into his chair like a man defeated.

“This is so unfair! There’s no justice left in the world!”

Scratching his head in frustration, Xiao Lin groaned, “Why did I get dumped by my girlfriend, but our boss is being fought over by two people? Ah, my heart… it hurts!”

In short, while waiting for the elevator, Cheng Yi was burning with impatience.

By the time he dashed toward Shen Ran’s car, he was moving so fast he practically left afterimages behind him.

He yanked the door open, started the engine, and in two swift moves pulled up at the roadside near the tea house.

Looking up at the second floor, he saw Shen Ran already on his way down.

Timing it perfectly, Cheng Yi lowered the car window just as Shen Ran came into view.

——

By the time Cheng Yi fully processed what had happened, he was already seated face to face with Shen Ran at the restaurant, eating lunch.

Shen Ran was focused on his food, engaged in a fierce battle with the dishes in front of him — full of energy and appetite.

Seeing that, Cheng Yi silently let out a breath of relief.

With everything that had happened these past few days, most people would’ve crumbled under the pressure.

Thankfully, Shen Ran hadn’t become someone he didn’t want to see.

Watching him now, Cheng Yi had several moments where he wanted to say something — but in the end, he said nothing at all.

After the meal, he naturally got up to pay, naturally picked up the car keys…

Only to meet Shen Ran’s suspicious gaze.

With a guilty conscience, Cheng Yi gave a light cough even before Shen Ran could speak.

“…Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Cheng Yi… have you forgotten? I’m the one who invited you to lunch today. Why are you paying the bill?”

Cheng Yi said nothing.

“And another thing,” Shen Ran pointed at the keys in Cheng Yi’s hand, “You said you didn’t sleep well. We agreed I’d be the driver today. Why are you the one driving again?”

Cheng Yi: “…”

“And also—”

Before Shen Ran could finish his sentence, Cheng Yi finally had enough. He reached out and pinched Shen Ran’s lips shut.

Shen Ran’s eyes widened in shock, glaring at him, his look shifting from stunned to indignant protest.

Cheng Yi wanted to say “shut up,” but that sounded too cold, too harsh — not quite what he meant.

So instead, what came out was:
“No more talking. Looks like you didn’t eat enough — even after all that food, your mouth’s still running.”

“Mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm!” (You ate just as much, okay?!)

“I paid, so I have the final say,” Cheng Yi lifted an eyebrow. “You got a problem with that?”

“Mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm!” (I wanted to treat you, but you rushed off to pay first!)

“I can’t just let you pay. You think I don’t know how much you’ve got in your bank account? Save that money for building your grand artistic empire, Boss Shen.”

“Mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm!” (Cheng Yi, you bastard! You son of a—)

“My father is perfectly healthy, thanks for your concern.”

Somehow, even with one of them grumbling through pinched lips and the other calmly firing back, their conversation flowed without a hitch.

It was honestly… baffling.

Lunch break, as always, was a fleeting kind of happiness. The dreaded afternoon meetings still loomed.

The two returned to their familiar office building and, at their usual spot, prepared to go their separate ways.

Cheng Yi stared at Shen Ran for a long moment, lost in thought.

There was something he’d been wanting to do.

Shen Ran, unnerved by the intense stare, backed up warily. “Cheng Yi, what are you trying to do? You look like you’re plotting something!”

“Plotting? No, nothing like that,” Cheng Yi said with a faint smirk. “But—”

Under Shen Ran’s watchful and wary gaze, Cheng Yi suddenly reached out — and gave his head a good ruffle.

Left, right, again and again. Cheng Yi didn’t hold back, turning Shen Ran’s carefully styled hair into a messy, fluffy disaster.

“Ahh! Cheng Yi, what the hell?! My perfectly styled, ultra-cool hair! You ruined it!”

Shen Ran let out a dramatic wail, grumbling indignantly — but he didn’t pull away.

—He didn’t dodge like he did with Chen Xu, full of disgust and resistance.

“No reason,” Cheng Yi withdrew his hand casually. “I just felt like touching it. Feels nice.”

“You wanna touch something? Touch your own head! Why is yours too precious, but mine’s up for grabs?!”

Only after Cheng Yi retracted his hand did Shen Ran finally step back, hands clutching his disheveled hair, clearly unhappy — and, on closer inspection, a little red in the face.

Cheng Yi knew that Shen Ran was quick and alert.

If Shen Ran really didn’t want to be touched, there was no way he’d even get close.

“Stupid Cheng Yi!” Shen Ran’s blush seemed to deepen, and with a huff, he turned on his heel. “I’m done dealing with this shameless man! I’m leaving!”

Cheng Yi watched as Shen Ran stalked off, fussing over his hair and muttering angrily under his breath. He stroked his chin, thoughtful.

Shen Ran hadn’t really gotten angry at his teasing. He hadn’t tried to guard himself either.

All that loud protesting… was just an act.

So could Cheng Yi interpret Shen Ran’s reactions as… maybe, just maybe, a little affection?

Suddenly, Shen Ran stopped in his tracks and spun around sharply.

Cheng Yi spread his hands and feigned innocence. “What is it now, Boss Shen?”

“I want McDonald’s for dinner tonight! You — handle the delivery and the driving!”

With that, Shen Ran threw open the gallery door, stormed inside, and slammed it shut behind him — emphatically, furiously, dramatically.

The echo of that slammed door lingered in the hallway.

Cheng Yi stood there for a moment, dumbfounded, then burst into quiet laughter.

Shen Ran was practically turning into an angry little bird… and all he said was that he wanted McDonald’s?

Honestly, Cheng Yi half expected him to demand that he buy the entire McDonald’s downstairs.

This Shen Ran… was getting way too easy to please.

And that realization? Put Cheng Yi in an exceptionally good mood.

So good, in fact, that he spent the entire afternoon meeting wearing a smile.

But that smile of his… left his employees breaking out in cold sweat.

Is it time? Has winter come? Is President Cheng about to start firing people?!

They’d never seen him smile like that in their lives.

In fact, every time President Cheng wore that calm, friendly smile — it usually meant some other company was about to go down in flames.

But this time, no companies were crushed, no employees were reprimanded.

No one in that meeting room had a clue that Cheng Yi’s sunny mood was, in reality…

He was falling in love. Spring had arrived — for him.

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