Chapter 16
Translator: Aafkee
Proofreader: Superclubs2
Startled, Lu Chuiqing looks at Guan Xiaoluo who came back with a face filled with anger, curious as to why he is back so early from his five-day holiday.
Judging from the few sentences Guan Xiaoluo said just now, Chui Luqing can kind of guess the situation pretty accurately.
“Whatever,” Guan Xiaoluo is clearly trying to control his anger, “I’m hanging up.”
Guan Xiaoluo hangs up and lifts his head to see Lu Chuiqing, only then did his eyes soften and expose a hint of disappointment. Guan Xiaoluo opens his mouth, but he does not know what to say. Instead, turns to walk into his room with his luggage and begins unpacking irritably.
Lu Chuiqing pushes open the door slightly and says softly, “Xiao-Luo, are you in an argument with your boyfriend?”
“He is a stupid cunt!” Guan Xiaoluo takes out his clothes angrily from his luggage and throws them on the bed, “He literally has phone calls every single day from work even though it was supposed to be a holiday! He even left me in the hotel alone to meet a client! And just this afternoon, his boss contacted him to ask him to go back to the company for some urgent matters, saying that he has to go back. Well, whatever. He can go back all he wants! Who cares! Screw off!”
Guan Xiaoluo ranted his heart out for a while but gradually stopped talking. Guan Xiaoluo unpacks silently, a stark contrast to the previous time when he would talk to Lu Chuiqing about this topic so happily while packing his luggage. Lu Chuiqing can tell that he is indeed extremely disappointed.
Lu Chuiqing sits down beside Guan Xiaoluo and asks, “Xiao-Luo, have you talked to him about this issue?”
“Of course we have.” Guan Xiaoluo’s face is filled with dejection, “I know he is really busy with his work, it is not that I don’t understand his situation, but I have also been together with him for three years, such incidents happen way too many times! There is a limit no matter how understanding I am!”
Lu Chuiqing lets out a light sigh, “Xiao-Luo, have you thought of how you can solve this problem?”
Guan Xiaoluo stops talking and sits on the bed listlessly.
At that moment, Guan Xiaoluo’s phone rings. It is from his boyfriend, but Guan Xiaoluo is not in the mood to talk to him now so he declines the call straight away and turns off his phone.
Seeing how dejected Guan Xiaoluo is, Lu Chuiqing consoles him for a while and suggests going out for dinner together.
Guan Xiaoluo says hesitantly, “Brother Lu, isn’t your heat during these few days? Is it okay to go out now?”
“It’s fine now, it’s my third day today.”
Not wanting to stay shut indoors, Guan Xiaoluo thinks that it is a good choice to eat to his heart’s content as a way to relieve his depression in his heart, so he decides to go out together with Lu Chuiqing for dinner.
The two went to a food street about a twenty minutes walk away. There are all sorts of restaurants at different price points.
Lu Chuiqing and Guan Xiaoluo decide to eat some small lobsters. Guan Xiaoluo continues his rant about his boyfriend while eating, filling up bowl after bowl with lobster shells. Lu Chuiqing is pretty sure Guan Xiaoluo has eaten at least two and a half kilograms of small lobster. He is genuinely worried about whether Guan Xiaoluo can fall asleep tonight with all the food he has taken in.
After his tragic experience with weight gain in his previous life, Lu Chuiqing no longer dares to overeat without control. His body constitution is the type that would get fat quickly if he overeats and gets skinny quickly too if he starves for only a bit, which explains why he lost quite a bit of weight when he was busy preparing for his exams. Although he got much busier once he started working, he continues to pay attention to his health and diet, perhaps due to his past experience with pregnancy, which is why he can maintain his peak body condition.
After dinner, the two take their time strolling back home. Guan Xiaoluo has cheered up quite a bit after having a chat with Lu Chuiqing, even his steps are lighter on his way back home.
Coincidentally, the restaurant on the opposite side of the road near the crossroad is a popular high-class Thai restaurant. Their business is good every day, it is common to see a long line outside of the restaurants waiting for their turn.
Lu Chuiqing happens to glance at the opposite side of the road and stops his steps suddenly, a hint of astonishment on his face.
On a street filled with people, Lu Chuiqing spots Xiao Zhan, who is wearing a white shirt paired with a pair of slacks, talking to another person that seems like his friend. Seemingly to have just left the restaurant, Xiao Zhan is smiling lightly and nodding his head at the other party while sending him off to a car parked at the side of the road.
Even without wearing fancy clothes, it is not difficult to spot him amongst the crowd.
Guan Xiaoluo was talking when he noticed Lu Chuiqing had stopped. With doubt, he asks, “Brother Lu?”
Lu Chuiqing collects himself, a hint of restlessness flashes in his eyes. After a slight internal struggle, Lu Chuiqing says, “Xiao-Luo, I see my friend on the opposite side and I happen to have something to discuss with him so you can go ahead first.”
Guan Xiaoluo, “I can wait for you.”
“It’s okay, it’ll probably take a while.” Lu Chuiqing smiles, “You should go home first.”
Guan Xiaoluo did not insist. He said his farewells and went home alone.
Seeing that Xiao Zhan is about to leave, Lu Chuiqing takes a deep breath and briskly walks towards Xiao Zhan, shouting, “CEO Xiao!”
Xiao Zhan pauses his steps and turns around to see Lu Chuiqing. The latter stops in front of Xiao Zhan and realises that he was being looked at from head to toe.
Only then does Lu Chuiqing realise that he is only wearing a t-shirt and jeans, with a pair of sports shoes, since it is his rest day today and he has been staying at home throughout the day except for his dinner just now.
Although he is not dressed too shabbily, Lu Chuiqing looks like a young lad that has just graduated from university when standing next to Xiao Zhan, who is very well dressed in his white shirt and slacks.
Up until today, Lu Chuiqing has met Xiao Zhan during his work, or when it was something related to work. He has always dressed properly in his work attire. This is the very first time Lu Chuiqing has met Xiao Zhan dressed so casually.
Xiao Zhan asks, “Are you out for dinner?”
“Yeah, with my housemate.” Lu Chuiqing’s face is slightly flushed. He scratches his cheeks, somewhat embarrassed. After an unsure pause, he squares himself and says, “CEO Xiao, may I have a bit of your time? There is something I want to tell you.”
Xiao Zhan, “Let’s go to my car.”
Lu Chuiqing gives an affirmative and follows Xiao Zhan to a public car park not too far away. Lu Chuiqing lifts his head and looks at Xiao Zhan’s back, feeling a wave of emotions mixed with a slight sense of loss in his heart.
Like the previous time, Lu Chuiqing smells the faint and soft aroma from Xiao Zhan’s car perfume the moment he enters the car.
Xiao Zhan switches on the air conditioning and lights in the car, and asks, “What’s the matter?”
“...CEO Xiao, I am extremely grateful for the name list you have provided, as well as for bringing me along to the discussion forum.” Lu Chuiqing’s voice is slightly hoarse, “But I feel ashamed to be receiving what I don’t deserve. I did not give you anything, so there is no need for you to do all these for my sake. As for what you mentioned at the hotel, I have thought it through… CEO Xiao, I am really sorry, but I have to decline.”
After finally saying all that, Lu Chuiqing feels as if he has finally completed an extremely important task that has been bothering him, letting out a long sigh of relief.
Xiao Zhan listens to Lu Chuiqing quietly, there are barely any changes in his facial expression as if he has expected Lu Chuiqing’s decision. However, he still asks, “Why?”
Since Lu Chuiqing has already made clear his intentions, he has no other qualms. Besides, he genuinely wishes to be truthful towards Xiao Zhan. He replies unhurriedly, “CEO Xiao, even if I do accept you, will you… stop having others?”
Xiao Zhan did not answer the question, but Lu Chuiqing considers it a silent acknowledgement. Although Lu Chuiqing has expected such an outcome, he can not help himself but feel bitterness filling him up, his heart tightening unintentionally and feeling a sense of pain that he has not experienced in a long while.
“CEO Xiao, I admit that I do indeed worship and like you.” Lu Chuiqing continues with his slightly hoarse voice, “But I have no intention of going through with such types of meaningless games… I don’t want games. I know I have no right to get myself involved, but those people around? I do mind. I don’t want to see such things… nor do I want to become one of them.”
Lu Chuiqing takes a deep breath, “CEO Xiao, I trust the words you have said last time, that you will not make things difficult for me at work. As for the help you have provided me with, I will definitely find other ways to repay you. This is all I wanted to say. I will not occupy any more of your time, good night.”
The car doors remain unlocked, but when Lu Chuiqing is about to open the car door, Xiao Zhan suddenly presses down on the main lock on the driver’s side, locking the car instantly with a clear click resounding in the silent car.
Shocked, Lu Chuiqing begins to become nervous. Instead of hastily trying to force the door open, Lu Chuiqing turns around to look at Xiao Zhan and asks softly, “Is there anything else you wish to ask?”
In contrast to Lu Chuiqing’s nervous self, Xiao Zhan’s body is relaxed. Xiao Zhan raises his hand and combs back his hair with his fingers, displaying his forehead above his sharp brows. Despite it being a relaxed movement, Lu Chuiqing’s heart skips a beat, feeling an indescribable sense of pressure.
“You should be well aware,” Xiao Zhan says calmly, “that when you are talking to others, you should not only care about speaking out your mind one-sidedly. Sometimes, people stay silent as a form of acknowledgement, while others stay silent because they wish for you to inquire further. Do not make assumptions before you are absolutely clear which one it is. And you should not avoid your eyes. These two points are very important, especially when the other party is above your own status. And you, you did not inquire of me further nor did you look at me.”
Lu Chuiqing was stunned momentarily. He turns his head to look at Xiao Zhan wanting to explain himself subconsciously, but the moment his eyes meet with Xiao Zhan’s, he anxiously avoids his eyes again, his face gradually becoming red, “I am sorry, CEO Xiao. I know this is impolite of me, but to look at you… I really do feel nervous. Also, about me inquiring further, do you mean…”
“I do like you sexually, this is an important reason, no one can avoid it.” Xiao Zhan looks at Lu Chuiqing and says slowly, “but that was not the reason I noticed you.”
Lu Chuiqing is surprised. The first time Lu Chuiqing met Xiao Zhan was during the company’s new year’s gathering, but he suspects that Xiao Zhan probably did not have much of an impression of him then. That was the reason why he introduced himself when they met the second time. Naturally, Lu Chuiqing thought it must have been their second meeting during his business trip that has left an impression on Xiao Zhan.
Did he do anything that would make Xiao Zhan notice him during his business trip?
“I overheard your discussion with your colleagues during the new year’s gathering. Your assessment of Qifu Provisions’ stocks was very accurate.” Xiao Zhan says, “I was pleasantly surprised to see that a new researcher, that has just entered the company, was able to make such an assessment.”
Lu Chuiqing’s eyes widened, to think that that was the reason!
i wonder what will be the reaction of CEO Xiao to the perfume~ hahahaha thank u for the chapter!!
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