Married, but Still Strangers - Chapter 9

After eating a late breakfast, Zhuang Yan felt either a carb crash or the effects of only getting a few hours of sleep; regardless, he went back for a second nap.

Spring brings lethargy and autumn fatigue. Even after sleeping until the afternoon, Zhuang Yan still felt exhausted. Since he had nothing to do today, he simply lay back down and slept a bit longer.

A single autumn rain brings a layer of cold.

It had rained so hard yesterday that Zhuang Yan felt a chill today. He had to wrap himself tightly in his quilt while sleeping, or he’d be woken up by the cold. Suddenly, a spark of inspiration hit him. He ran to Yue Lu’s room and found a windbreaker that looked plain but was likely worth a fortune.

It’s cold out; of course one should wear an extra layer.

He wondered if the outfit Yue Lu wore this morning was too hot? Probably not. Would a man of Yue Lu’s status have an office without air conditioning? His type of office should stay at the same temperature year-round.

Zhuang Yan remembered his college internship when he went to a primary school to be an art teacher. That school had no air conditioning! Not in the classrooms, and not in the faculty offices. Luckily, he had gone in September when the weather was cooling down, otherwise, he would have ditched the internship report and the salary just to flee.

Back then, his mother was bedridden with illness, Chi Xiaocheng was away on a film set, and his father was getting older. Zhuang Yan had specifically stayed home to take care of them, which was the only reason he’d interned at such a rugged school. “Big cities have more opportunities and better conditions” wasn’t just a saying.

Thinking about it that way, Zhuang Yan’s act of bringing a coat felt like “taking off your pants to fart”—completely redundant.

So, what excuse should he use to go to the company?

Technically, he was the Young Master’s spouse. Why did he need an excuse to go see his own husband? But since they weren’t that familiar yet, showing up directly felt… a bit inappropriate.

What if Yue Lu had some ambiguous relationship with a staff member? With Yue Lu’s father as a cautionary tale, no matter how well Yue Lu behaved now, it was hard for Zhuang Yan to trust him completely. He’d have to make Yue Lu get a health check-up before they even thought about having kids. Health is a priority.

But before figuring out how to trick Yue Lu into a check-up, he had to find an excuse for a “surprise inspection” at the office.

Got it. He’d make him dinner.

When he woke up, Zhuang Yan saw a message from Yue Lu saying he had to work late today and would be home a bit delayed. His “Guide to Pursuing a Partner” stated clearly: Make the other person get used to your taste in food, so they can never leave you. It seemed logical, so he decided to follow it.

However, deciding what to cook was a struggle. He knew Yue Lu’s old dietary restrictions, but people change. He wasn’t sure if Yue Lu’s tastes had shifted over the years. After hesitating, Zhuang Yan decided to make two dishes he liked himself.

Zhuang Yan had to eat too, after all. Even if he didn’t know Yue Lu’s current favorites, he knew his own. You can mistreat someone else’s palate, but never your own.

Thus, he made Braised Spare Ribs, Muxi Pork (Stir-fried Pork with Eggs and Wood Ear), and since time was running short, he added a Beef and Shrimp Paste Pot. Considering Yue Lu’s large appetite, he made three portions of rice and grabbed two steamed buns. He’d eat one portion, and Yue Lu would eat two. If Yue Lu was still hungry, he could have the buns.

At the Company

Zhuang Yan arrived at Yue Lu’s company via subway just as the dinner hour was passing. Employees were either leaving or heading out for food. Stepping inside, only one word filled his mind: Big.

Why was the lobby so massive? What was the point? It was a waste of space.

He didn’t know where to find Yue Lu. If he asked the front desk, according to the tropes in novels, he’d definitely be asked for an appointment or flat-out rejected. So, Zhuang Yan found a sofa, sat down, and sent Yue Lu a message. He wasn’t even sure if Yue Lu would see it.

Five seconds later, Yue Lu’s reply popped up: “Wait there, I’m coming down to get you.”

Wow, look at that prestige! The eldest Young Master Yue coming down personally. It was a good thing Yue Lu checked his phone, otherwise, this meal would have been a midnight snack or more likely, ended up in the trash.

In a few moments, Yue Lu emerged from the elevator, locking his gaze onto the dazed Zhuang Yan on the sofa. He strode over and naturally took the lunchbox from his hands. “Why did you come so suddenly?”

“Didn’t I tell you in the message? I’m here to deliver food.” Apparently, Yue Lu had replied so fast he hadn’t even read the text. Does that explain why bosses reject proposals several times only to pick the first version? Because they skim-read?

“Sorry.”

“I should have told you earlier. Have you eaten?” Although Yue Lu had a big appetite, eating two dinners might be a stretch.

Yue Lu shook his head. “Not yet. You?”

“Me neither. Let’s eat together.” How lucky; he had arrived just in time.

“Okay.”

“Next time I come, I’ll let you know in advance. I won’t be so sudden,” Zhuang Yan said with a well-behaved facade.

Is it that I don’t want to do a surprise check? No, it’s because I literally can’t! Yue Lu’s office was on the top floor, accessible only by a keycard. Zhuang Yan didn’t have one. He had to find a way around that, otherwise, what if Yue Lu fell for someone else? Would that count as a breach of contract? Would he have to return the money?

Probably not. A company this big had so much money; a few million wouldn’t matter to Gao Ying.

The Office Dinner

The elevator reached the top floor. Yue Lu led him into his office, offered Zhuang Yan his own chair, and went to fetch another one for himself. Being rich was great the office had a massive floor-to-ceiling window with a stunning view of the bustling city lights.

However, the giant window reminded Zhuang Yan of the greenhouses used for vegetables back home. Was the principle of a greenhouse the same as this office? Wouldn’t it be freezing and sunny at the same time? He didn’t dare ask. A CEO’s office design surely had its own logic.

Wait, was Yue Lu already the CEO? Zhuang Yan had seen “CEO’s Office” on the door. Why was Gao Ying worried about his status as the heir being unstable? He didn’t understand. Or did he find the wrong person? Was Gao Ying’s son actually someone else named Yue Lu?

That would be bad. But even if he had the wrong guy, this Yue Lu was already a CEO; he must be better than the other one. If things went south, he’d just divorce, cling to this Yue Lu for help gathering evidence, and then live happily with him. That wouldn’t be too bad either.

“Quick, taste it! How is it?” Zhuang Yan opened the containers one by one, the aroma instantly filling the office.

Yue Lu picked up a piece of spare rib, tasted it carefully, and praised it sincerely: “The taste is excellent.”

He had actually already eaten at the cafeteria, but since Zhuang Yan made this himself, he’d finish it even if he burst. Just like the noodles from the other day.

“I’m glad you like it.” Zhuang Yan propped his face in his hands, watching Yue Lu eat with “starry eyes.” If you like it, then the trip wasn’t a waste.

“CEO Yue, please look over this file and sign it if there are no issues.” A secretary knocked and entered, her movements stiffening when she saw the person sitting in the CEO’s chair.

“Okay.” Yue Lu saw no problem with it. He flipped through the file and signed.

As she was leaving, the secretary couldn’t help but stop. “CEO Yue, do you need some digestive tablets? It has only been ten minutes since your last meal. I wouldn’t suggest eating another one so soon.”

Yue Lu’s hand, reaching for the beef, paused. But he quickly and calmly put the beef into his mouth. “I didn’t eat much earlier and wasn’t full. Just having a bit more now.” He tried to salvage his image.

This secretary is so tactless! I need to increase her training; this can’t happen again.

“Alright… Understood, CEO Yue.” She said no more, took the file, and closed the door.

“You already ate?” Zhuang Yan looked up cautiously, observing Yue Lu’s expression.

Yue Lu’s face remained neutral. “Yes. The company food tonight wasn’t to my taste, so I only had a few bites.” He made up an excuse. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper. He usually didn’t eat much at night, so this wasn’t too overwhelming.

“You’re the boss. You should give the chef some feedback. You can’t let them keep making bad food.” Why pay money just to be a “sucker”?

“Mhm, I’ll tell the chef next time.” Yue Lu savored the dishes. If his ‘Bei Bei’ could bring him food every day, everyone in the company would be dying of envy.

“Why are you only eating? What about me? Can’t you give me a piece?” Zhuang Yan complained.

“Sorry… I…” He was so focused on the food Zhuang Yan made that he forgot the crucial task of serving him. Yue Lu pulled his hand back nervously, but Zhuang Yan interrupted him.

“What are you apologizing for? In the time it takes to say sorry, you could have eaten three bites.” Zhuang Yan pushed his bowl toward Yue Lu. The hint was obvious. Yue Lu is such a blockhead; at this rate, when will we ever make progress?

“Here, have a shrimp ball.” Yue Lu tried to pick one up, but he clearly hadn’t mastered these chopsticks. The shrimp ball fell onto the table and bounced like a little ball.

“Sorry… I didn’t mean to.” This time, the awkwardness was real. It’s not my fault, it’s the chopsticks. Tomorrow I’m buying a chopstick factory to produce the best ones in the world so this never happens again.

“It’s okay! We can use the spoon.” Zhuang Yan picked up the only spoon. He had intentionally only brought one, precisely to share it with Yue Lu. Bringing only one pair of chopsticks would be too obvious, but one spoon was easier to explain away.

“Is there only one spoon?” Yue Lu asked, as expected.

“Sorry, I think I forgot one,” Zhuang Yan lied flawlessly. “Do you mind if we share?”

Yue Lu shook his head. “I don’t mind.” He didn’t just not mind he was thrilled.

“Open up. You haven’t had any of the shrimp balls yet, have you?” Zhuang Yan scooped one up and held it to Yue Lu’s lips.

Yue Lu ate it. After that, the spoon stayed in Zhuang Yan’s hand, and he occasionally fed Yue Lu a mouthful of something. Every time he ate, Yue Lu’s face turned red like a traffic light.

The Aftermath

After dinner, Zhuang Yan sat on the office sofa for a while, planning to catch a ride home when Yue Lu finished. This was called “The Authority of the Main Spouse.” But looking at this work environment, could Yue Lu even interact with any Omegas? No wonder he’s “not functioning.”

Back home, Zhuang Yan lay in bed scrolling through his phone. Having slept too much during the day, he was now full of energy he felt like he could run a kilometer. Though, once he actually started running, he’d probably regret it.

The “Unrequited Love” blogger he followed had posted again: “He came to the company to bring me food and even fed me.”

No wonder the nickname today was “Sunny.”

Thomas the Rotating Pig: “Are you sure he’s the ‘pure little white flower’ you claim? It sounds more like he’s seducing you. And delivering food? That’s such a cliché tactic, and you actually fell for it?”

• • • • Zhuang Yan thought: What’s cliché about food? Everyone has to eat!

Sweet Breeze: “Did the OP try testing him? It looks like your crush might actually like you back!”

I Hate You Mr. Zhai: “Listen to me. Ask him out to a movie. Preferably a horror movie. In the dark, you can just dive into his arms.”

Thomas the Rotating Pig: “@I Hate You Mr. Zhai, didn’t you think the OP was a liar? Why are you giving advice now?”

I Hate You Mr. Zhai: “When have I ever had a grievance with the OP? Don’t talk nonsense!”

Thomas the Rotating Pig: “Heh, you think you’re Emperor Yongzheng now? ‘Never had a grievance’? Your avatar, homepage, and nickname haven’t changed. Do you think I’m blind?”

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