My Elite Boss Is Carrying My Child - Chapter 10

What exactly did Qu Mingluo mean by this?

Qi Jiezhi was truly at a loss for words. He could clearly see there was only one bed in the room. If he were to sleep there, then… where would Qu Mingluo sleep?

“I don’t usually sleep at this hour. If you need to rest, you can stay here,” Qu Mingluo told him. “Don’t feel awkward, I was the one who invited you up in the first place.”

Qi Jiezhi didn’t know what to say. The man had anticipated every objection he could possibly raise, making any further refusal seem like empty politeness. While he felt deeply grateful, he also felt he shouldn’t make himself too much at home.

“Everyone already knows you’ve come up here anyway, so there’s no need to worry about what others think.”

Qi Jiezhi realized then that the other man truly wanted him to stay and rest.

“Should I change into disposable sheets and pillowcases?” Qi Jiezhi asked. “It wouldn’t be right for me to just lie down like this, would it?”

He was simply stating the practical issue at hand, to which Qu Mingluo replied, “I’ll have someone bring them over.”

Qi Jiezhi was genuinely stunned. Even if Qu Mingluo viewed him as a younger brother, this level of hospitality felt extreme. It was as if the man were genuinely willing to share his personal space and possessions with him, despite their relationship being nothing more than employer and… employee.

“Thank you, President Qu.”

“Since you called me ‘Brother’ last night, I don’t mind doing a few small favors for you today,” Qu Mingluo said. “After all, we really do seem to be quite fated.”

Qi Jiezhi nodded. If one were to speak of fate, this certainly felt like it. Looking back, the number of times they had crossed paths was becoming hard to ignore.

As he stood there, he watched Qu Mingluo take out his phone to send a message.

“Brother Ming,” he couldn’t help but ask, “why… why did you let me come up here?”

Qu Mingluo’s fingers paused for a moment. He didn’t look up. “What?”

“To the lounge,” Qi Jiezhi said. “You could have easily let me go back downstairs.”

Qu Mingluo set his phone down and looked at him. In the dim light, those eyes looked like deep pools, calm on the surface but hiding something turbulent and hidden underneath.

“You’re tired,” he said, his voice soft. “I could tell.”

Qi Jiezhi blinked, startled. “I…”

“No need to explain,” Qu Mingluo interrupted. “I’m tired too.”

Looking at the man’s profile, Qi Jiezhi suddenly realized that this admission was a rare moment of genuine honesty. While he was lost in thought, the assistant arrived with a pair of pajamas.

Qi Jiezhi had a fixed routine for his lunch breaks, and being able to sleep comfortably here was a luxury he was very thankful for.

“I won’t message you tomorrow, just remember to come upstairs yourself,” Qu Mingluo told him.

Having received the instruction, Qi Jiezhi didn’t argue further and simply agreed.

“Same time tonight?” Qi Jiezhi asked before heading downstairs.

“Don’t worry,” Qu Mingluo replied. “Even if I have unfinished business, I won’t make you stay late with me.”

Qi Jiezhi smiled at that. It seemed Qu Mingluo was truly considerate of his employees’ well being. He felt a bit sheepish, considering he was already receiving a high salary and using the man’s private driver. Now, even his meals and rest were being taken care of.

He told himself this was only because Xi Xingyu’s parents were out of the country, and the boy needed his help. Once they returned, things would surely go back to normal.

When he returned downstairs, no one questioned him. If it had happened only once, people might have found it strange, but as it became a pattern, they accepted it as the new normal. Besides, many already suspected there were unspoken secrets between him and Qu Mingluo, so they kept their distance.

“Xiao Qi.”

Qi Jiezhi looked up immediately upon hearing his name.

“We all think you have the most potential.”

He was stunned by the sudden comment. Why were they saying this out of the blue?

“What happened?”

Everyone in the office was looking at him.

“Nothing, we just think your future looks incredibly bright.”

It was clear they meant no harm. Qi Jiezhi didn’t mind chatting with them, but since even he couldn’t explain the current situation, it was only natural that others found it curious.

Just like the day before, he headed downstairs as soon as it was time to clock out. When he arrived, Qu Mingluo was already in the car, though things were slightly different today, he had a laptop perched on his lap.

Clearly, he still had work to handle, but he hadn’t wanted Qi Jiezhi to wait around until he finished.

“Brother Ming,” Qi Jiezhi greeted him.

“Let’s go, we’re heading back,” Qu Mingluo said.

Qi Jiezhi nodded. He had no objections; if Qu Mingluo wanted to go back, he would follow. This was how they had been getting along lately, and the other man’s preferences were naturally the priority.

“Since you’re working, I won’t talk and disturb you,” Qi Jiezhi said.

“It’s fine. If you have something to say, just say it. I’ll answer you,” Qu Mingluo said with such confidence it seemed as though nothing could distract him.

“Are you really that good at multitasking?”

“It’s not quite that, I just enjoy handling multiple things at once,” Qu Mingluo said. “It won’t hinder me.”

Qi Jiezhi nodded, surprised that the man was so willing to share these personal traits. He noticed that Qu Mingluo’s working persona was different from his usual state, he was more focused, projecting an aura of someone who had everything under control.

He wasn’t even the owner of this company, which meant the workload he handled was likely immense. Qi Jiezhi didn’t pry into the specifics of the work, he only reminded himself to stay focused on his own goals.

After a while, Qu Mingluo reached a stopping point in his work. By the time he closed his laptop, they were almost home.

“That was amazing…” Qi Jiezhi murmured under his breath.

During his remote meeting, Qu Mingluo had been incredibly focused. Since some of his clients were international, he spoke in English, and his fluency was flawless. He seemed to have every detail memorized, providing perfect answers without needing to consult any references.

“You’ll be the same when you reach this position,” Qu Mingluo told him. “Don’t rush, just take it step by step.”

For a moment, Qi Jiezhi didn’t know how to respond. He used to think his spoken English wasn’t good enough, so he had spent a long time practicing. After a lot of effort, he had finally reached a level where he could hold his own.

To hear Qu Mingluo, who came from a completely different background, share a similar philosophy was unexpected. His words gave Qi Jiezhi a sense of hope and something to look forward to. It felt as though, as long as he was willing to put in the time and effort, he would eventually reach those heights and get what he wanted, even though Qu Mingluo had never asked what his heart truly desired.

Qi Jiezhi had always admired the man’s professional ability, but now he felt that the man himself was quite decent. Suddenly, he realized this evaluation felt familiar. It was exactly how Xi Xingyu felt about him.

Qu Mingluo was Xingyu’s brother, so it made sense for the boy to feel that way, but for an employee like himself… it felt inappropriate.

Qi Jiezhi looked out the window, finally realizing what felt “off.” The weight of their interaction was becoming too heavy, as if there was a deeper connection forming.

“Brother Ming,” he couldn’t help himself, “why are you being so good to me?”

Qu Mingluo’s fingers tightened on the armrest. He turned to look at Qi Jiezhi, his eyes flickering with an unreadable emotion before turning flat again.

“I told you,” he said quietly, “it’s because you’re good to Xingyu.”

“Just that?”

“Just that.”

Qi Jiezhi smiled and didn’t push further. He decided this was a perfectly fine reason and that there was no need to overthink his fleeting, strange emotions.

The car pulled up at Seaview Bay, and Xi Xingyu poked his head out of the second floor window. “Brother! Brother Qi! You’re back!”

Qi Jiezhi got out of the car and looked up at the small figure. Xingyu’s smile was bright and full of pure, uncomplicated joy. He suddenly felt that maybe this really was the answer, Qu Mingluo was kind to him because of Xingyu.

“Brother Qi!” Xingyu ran down and grabbed his sleeve. “I’ve been waiting for you for so long.”

“Then the three of us will go up together, Xingyu,” Qi Jiezhi said, ruffling the boy’s hair.

Just like the day before, after dinner, Qi Jiezhi helped Xingyu with his homework while Qu Mingluo handled emails in the study. They didn’t disturb one another. Over the past few days, they had all fallen into this comfortable routine.

Xingyu had been on his best behavior lately, all in anticipation of the amusement park trip this weekend. As the date drew closer, he could hardly contain his excitement.

“Thinking about going out with two such handsome brothers makes me feel so happy!” Xingyu exclaimed. “Once school is over tomorrow, we can play all day the day after!”

“That’s right!” Qi Jiezhi mirrored his excited tone.

Qu Mingluo came out of the study with a glass of water. Hearing their conversation, his footsteps faltered slightly.

“Xingyu,” he said, “is your homework finished?”

“All done!” Xingyu held up his notebook. “Brother Qi checked it, everything is correct!”

Qu Mingluo walked over, glanced at the notebook, and set it aside. His gaze lingered on Qi Jiezhi’s face for a second before shifting away.

“Your recent craft projects, have you been doing those with Teacher Qi as well?”

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