When the Male Lead Finds Out I’m the Transmigrator Trying to Win Him Over - Chapter 33

After putting the cake base into the oven, Yun Ruo took some fruit out of the fridge and started slicing. The cream wasn’t ready yet—she had to hurry.

Han Qi didn’t leave. He just sat back in a chair behind the island counter, watching her. He wanted to help but she refused.

How could the birthday boy make his own cake?
Her movements were neat and efficient, thankful she still remembered the steps of baking. Inside the kitchen, aside from the sound of chopping fruit and whipping cream, there was nothing else.

“Why did you want to make me a cake?” Han Qi’s voice suddenly rang out. After drinking, it was a little husky, his gaze deeper.

Yun Ruo had tied up all her hair, but strands around her forehead had come loose. She tucked them back behind her ear.
“I remember one year I brought you to buy a cake. You looked pretty happy eating it.”

Of course Han Qi remembered that. He chuckled.
“You brought me to buy cake?”

Her face turned a little red—what she said was reversed. Clearly it was Han Qi who had taken her to buy it to cheer her up.

But… there was no need to divide things so clearly.

“President Han rewarding himself with a little cake after a long day isn’t unreasonable, right?”

Han Qi: “I could’ve gone to a shop to buy one. Why trouble yourself to do it by hand?”

Yun Ruo ducked her head lower.
“As a friend, making it by hand shows more sincerity.”

Han Qi stood up. “Friend? Sincerity?”

Yun Ruo kept beating the cream. “Mm.”

Her hair slipped loose again. Han Qi stared for a long time, fingers itching to move.

The sound of the whisk echoed in the air. Hard to describe the feeling in his chest, Han Qi braced a hand on the counter.
“Yun Ruo. Look up.”

Yun Ruo’s busy hands paused. He didn’t push her, just waited. After a few seconds of stalemate, she gave in.

She lifted her head and looked at him as if nothing was out of the ordinary. “What is it?”

There wasn’t the slightest trace of drunkenness on Han Qi’s face. He never flushed when he drank, and his alcohol tolerance was excellent. In Yun Ruo’s memory, he’d never once lost control from drinking.

In the past, at gatherings, when Feng You and the others were drunk out of their minds, even Meng Tingmo would be staggering, yet Han Qi was always the one left clear-headed.

The two of them would call designated drivers for everyone, Han Qi even helping to carry them to cars. Only after making sure everyone left safely would he go.

He was always reliable.

Han Qi still didn’t speak. Yun Ruo asked again, “What is it?”

Outwardly calm, but her fingertips pressed tight.

Han Qi looked at her for a long while.

This morning, he’d already received Feng You’s birthday greeting. Though he didn’t care much about celebrating, many people remembered. At least those with business ties to him did.

Throughout the day, messages kept coming in wishing him a happy birthday, along with gifts delivered to his company. He’d been too busy to unwrap them, didn’t bring any home tonight.

Among all those people, two hadn’t said anything—Meng Tingmo and Yun Ruo.

Meng Tingmo he could understand. He was trying to steal his wife, after all. If Meng Tingmo wished him a happy birthday, that would be stranger. Wishing him to drop dead would be more likely.

And as for the cake—it was always Meng Tingmo who ordered one for him in past years… but that was still connected to Yun Ruo. This year, there was no cake.

Han Qi wasn’t disappointed. He’d already expected as much.

But with Yun Ruo, she hadn’t said anything at all. He thought she’d forgotten.

Even though she had handled receiving all the day’s gifts, even with that reminder in front of her, she made no move. Han Qi could only pretend it didn’t matter.

A day only has meaning if there’s something to hope for.

He reached out, tucked that stray strand of her hair behind her ear. His finger brushed her skin—Yun Ruo shivered.

He pulled back his hand. “Thank you.”

“That’s it?” Yun Ruo asked.

Han Qi sat back down. “For now, that’s it.”

For now? Yun Ruo bent back to her task. What an interesting choice of words.

The cream was ready, the cake was baked. She filled a piping bag and spread it on the base. This part wasn’t smooth. “You can’t complain if it looks ugly.”

Han Qi glanced at the uneven layers—thicker here, thinner there—and chuckled. “How would I dare?”

Yun Ruo shot him a glare, then added fruit decorations.

“All done.” She checked the time. Just a few minutes before midnight.

Hurriedly, she lit candles and set the cake in front of him before the day ended.
“It’s still your birthday. Blow out the candles and make a wish.”

Han Qi set the cake on the table. Yun Ruo switched off the kitchen light. The room dimmed, the flickering candles the only glow.

He put his hands together, as if ready to wish. Yun Ruo looked on in eager anticipation.

But only he knew—he never closed his eyes.

He was looking at Yun Ruo the entire time.

The candles went out. The room went dark. Yun Ruo cheered and clapped, turning to find the switch.

Not knowing where it was, she fumbled for a while. Just as she was about to flip it, Han Qi stepped up behind her.

The summer heat radiated clearly from him.

Her hand froze on the switch.

“Yun Ruo. What you said before—was it true?”

“Which part?”

“That you want to pursue me.”

“It’s true. Not a joke. No need to confirm again.”

“And Meng Tingmo—you’ve really let him go?”

“……”

“Forget it. Doesn’t matter.”

【Ding~ Target’s favorability +70%】

The next morning, Yun Ruo saw Han Qi’s social media post—a photo of the crooked little cake she’d made, topped only with plain cream and fruit.

Han Qi rarely ever posted.

Last night, after they’d taken a picture and eaten half the cake, it was almost one by the time she got home. He had sent her with his driver.

Xitong was still awake.
“I almost thought Han Qi had trapped you in his house for the night. But seriously—it was so late and he still let you go home alone?”

Yun Ruo explained that Han Qi had offered her a guest room. “He said he’d had drinks, couldn’t drive, and the house had plenty of rooms. Told me to pick one.”

“You didn’t?”

“It felt weird, so I didn’t stay.”

“Thank goodness for the driver. Han Qi said he’d give him a bonus.”

After washing up, she’d crashed into bed, not realizing Han Qi still went on to post online.

Their mutual friends were mostly from the same circle. Likes poured in. Feng You was the nosiest:
“What’s going on here? That cake clearly isn’t store-bought. Which pretty sister made it?”

Han Qi replied: “You know her.”

Yun Ruo buried her head in her quilt.

It didn’t matter. Sooner or later, people would know she was pursuing Han Qi. Maybe this was actually a good opportunity to go public—better than being caught off-guard in public.

Feng You’s curiosity only grew.
“Who? Who??”
“Han Qi, are you awake? If you’re awake, hurry and answer me.”
“You’ve got me so worked up I can’t sleep!”

The next moment, Han Qi’s reply popped up:
“Don’t talk nonsense. You and I are pure and clean.”

Yun Ruo burst out laughing.

Feng You’s “worked up, can’t sleep” did sound pretty suggestive.

At work the next day, Yun Ruo dragged her tired body up with dark circles. Life assistants apparently didn’t get weekends or holidays—she hadn’t had a single day off since she started.

According to Zhang Ji, her schedule depended on Han Qi’s. If he rested, she rested.

…Did Han Qi ever rest?

She resolved to bring up vacation with him today.

Meanwhile, at Meng Corporation.

Meng Tingmo had seen Han Qi’s post. He’d already suspected. When Han Qi commented “you know her,” it confirmed everything.

Who else could it be but Yun Ruo?

Great. They’d gotten to the stage of handmade cakes. And worse—it was late at night. Good for you, Han Qi.

He regretted not ordering a cake for Han Qi yesterday.

Was it because Han Qi didn’t have one that Yun Ruo had felt sorry and made one herself? If he’d sent it, she wouldn’t have needed to step in. But why should he? Why should he send Han Qi a cake? Han Qi was stealing his wife—what was he, Han Qi’s lapdog?!

And of course Feng You had to stir things up.

“Old Meng, who do you think made Old Han that cake? He’s seeing someone and I don’t even know? I’m supposed to be the circle’s news hub!”

He lounged on the sofa, legs crossed, more relaxed than Meng Tingmo himself.

“Zhang family’s daughter seemed interested in him, but not enough to bake by hand. Maybe the Wang family’s girl?”

“Didn’t think Old Han would finally blossom. I gotta send him a congrats message, haha.”

Meng Tingmo: …

Feng You happily typed out his congratulations, then glanced at Meng Tingmo—only to be met with a face black as coal, eyes full of murderous intent, suffocating with rage.

Feng You jumped. “What the hell, Old Meng? I didn’t offend you, did I?”

Meng Tingmo didn’t reply.

Feng You scratched his head. “I mean, it makes sense. Oh—I get it! You must feel emotional. Old Han’s got a girlfriend, but you and sister-in-law got divorced, so you’re upset, right? I understand, I do.”

A heavy ashtray flew past his head.

Feng You dodged, fuming. “Meng Tingmo, what’s wrong with you?! So your friend falls in love and I congratulate him—what’s the problem? Just because you’re divorced doesn’t mean others can’t be happy! It’s not like Han Qi’s girlfriend is your wife—why are you—”

He froze mid-sentence.

Old Meng divorced. Old Han blossomed. Every time Old Han was mentioned, Old Meng’s face turned dark. Old Han’s girlfriend was someone he also knew…

“Old Meng,” Feng You’s voice trembled as he pointed to the social media post. “Tell me it isn’t Yun Ruo.”

Meng Tingmo smashed his own phone.

Yun Ruo overslept. She arrived twenty minutes later than usual at Han Qi’s. He’d already eaten breakfast, leaving hers packed on the table.

The housekeeper was in the kitchen packing the cake. “Don’t know where this was bought, but the handiwork’s average—the cream wasn’t even spread evenly.”

Yun Ruo touched her hair awkwardly.

They’d only eaten half the cake last night. She thought Han Qi would throw the rest out. But no—he not only kept it, he was bringing it to the office.

“Afternoon tea,” Han Qi said, taking the box toward the door. Yun Ruo followed with her breakfast, climbing into the car with him.

On the way, he brought up travel.
“I’ll be on a business trip Wednesday, probably back by the weekend. Tomorrow, no work. Take the day off. Meet me at the airport Wednesday.”

Yun Ruo lit up. “A holiday?”

She’d been agonizing about how to bring it up.

“A holiday,” Han Qi confirmed, catching her delight. He teased, “You’ve worked this long without a break. Been cursing me out in your head, haven’t you?”

“How could I?”

Though truthfully, her driving had gotten much better working as his assistant. At first, she couldn’t even back the car into a spot and had to ask him for help. Zhang Ji joked she was the real boss here.

“I already said I’d pursue you. Of course I want to spend every day with you. Otherwise, how can feelings grow?”

Such flirty words rolled off her tongue, but delivered too smoothly, they lacked conviction.

Han Qi got out of the car. Yun Ruo was still opening her breakfast package. After a moment, he knocked on her window. She rolled it down. “What is it?”

Han Qi: “Work will keep me busy for three days. By Friday I’ll be done. The assistants will head back directly.”

Yun Ruo tilted her head. “Didn’t you just say the weekend?”

“Yeah,” Han Qi’s lips curled, “a friend over there wants to host me properly. I plan to stay for the weekend before coming back. You’ll come with me.”

Yun Ruo blinked. Did she understand correctly?

“Just the two of us?”

“Just the two of us.”

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