If It’s Wrong, Then It’s Wrong - Chapter 57
Chapter 57: The Twentieth Day
The faint, familiar scent on the jacket stopped Cheng Liu in her tracks.
She picked it up, brought it closer, and sniffed. There were other lingering scents, likely from Ji Chaozhou's perfume blending in the living room, but beneath them, his unique fragrance was unmistakable.
Could leaving her jacket in his living room for a while have infused it with his scent?
CEO Cheng, after a moment’s thought, hatched a plan: She would have to find more excuses to leave her clothes next door.
“Senior.”
He Bai’s voice came from outside.
Cheng Liu turned around and saw He Bai standing at the gate, her car parked behind him.
Cheng Liu was used to He Bai’s alternating forms of address. He called her “CEO Cheng” for work-related matters, but usually addressed her as “Senior.”
The titles didn't matter to her, as long as he did his job.
Cheng Liu held out her hand: “My car keys.”
“Senior, do you have a headache?” He Bai asked, handing her the keys, then lifting the insulated container in his hand. “I had our housekeeper make you some porridge. You didn't eat much yesterday, and you drank so much. This will be good for your stomach.”
“Thanks, I’m fine,” Cheng Liu said. “Have you eaten?”
He Bai shook his head: “Not yet.” He was hoping to eat with her.
As expected, once they were inside, Cheng Liu got another bowl and chopsticks, poured half of the porridge into it, and handed it to him.
He Bai took a few photos with his phone.
“What are you doing?” Cheng Liu asked, putting down the insulated container and sitting across from him.
He Bai smiled: “The housekeeper wanted to know if you liked the porridge. She’ll make it again next time. I just took a few photos.”
Cheng Liu tried a spoonful: “It’s good, but you don’t have to go to so much trouble. I can just order takeout.”
“It’s no trouble at all. The housekeeper simply made extra,” He Bai said, pushing the side dishes towards her. “She made these too. Try some.”
Cheng Liu shook her head: “I’m not drinking with Feng Shi again. It interferes with my work.” She wished she had been sober when Ji Chaozhou had called.
But then again, if she hadn’t been drunk, he wouldn't have called.
A brilliant idea struck CEO Cheng: Next time, she should drink, then pretend to be drunk!
They sat across from each other, eating porridge, both lost in their own thoughts.
He Bai, on his phone, sent a friend request to Ji Chaozhou on WeChat.
He had gotten Ji Chaozhou's WeChat contact from one of the perfumers at Ranshan a few days ago.
He Bai typed a message in the friend request: [I’m He Bai, Cheng Liu’s chief assistant.]
There was no response.
“Any news from the company?” Cheng Liu asked, looking up.
He Bai quickly flipped his phone screen down: “The PR manager asked if we should suppress the online discussions about you.”
“Discussions about me?” Cheng Liu asked. “What discussions?”
She had assumed the online focus would be on Shenyin Technology and the open-sourcing of their technology.
He Bai glanced at her left wrist. The man’s watch was gone: “Netizens are curious about your watch, wondering who gave it to you.”
Hearing this, Cheng Liu immediately took out her phone. Netizens were so observant!
“Why are so many people guessing it was you?” Cheng Liu asked, scrolling through the comments, a hint of dissatisfaction in her voice. This was a gift from her beloved!
“Did Ji Chaozhou give you a watch before the press conference?” He Bai asked.
“Mm,” Cheng Liu said, glancing up, a hint of pride in her voice. “He also chose this outfit and these shoes. Don’t they look good together?”
He Bai’s jaw tightened. So she had specifically worn that outfit because Ji Chaozhou had chosen it?
“Senior, if you need help choosing clothes, I can do that for you,” He Bai said, looking at Cheng Liu. “That’s part of my job as your chief assistant. There’s no need to trouble your neighbor.”
Cheng Liu, still scrolling through the comments, said casually, “You’re my assistant, not my nanny. Just focus on work.”
“Helping you choose clothes for work is also part of my job,” He Bai said. “One outfit isn’t enough. I can accompany you to choose more next time.”
“No need,” Cheng Liu said, looking up. “The online discussions are dying down anyway. Don’t worry about it. Let’s go to the company.”
“…Okay.”
They finished their breakfast and prepared to leave.
He Bai had driven Cheng Liu’s car. His own was parked at the company, so he got into the passenger seat.
Cheng Liu started the car, turned around, and, as usual, lowered the window. Just then, the gate of Villa Number Five opened, and Ji Chaozhou walked out.
“Are you going to Ranshan today?” Cheng Liu asked, seeing Ji Chaozhou, her usual calm demeanor replaced by a bright, eager smile.
Ji Chaozhou, glancing past Cheng Liu, his eyes falling on He Bai in the passenger seat, thought: So anyone could sit there.
“Senior, should we give Mr. Ji a ride?” He Bai asked, turning to look at Ji Chaozhou, a smile on his face.
His posture, his tone, everything about him projected an air of intimacy with Cheng Liu, making Ji Chaozhou seem like the outsider.
Cheng Liu, of course, wanted to spend more time with Ji Chaozhou, but before she could speak, he glanced at her, a cold look in his eyes, yet also…something else.
That single glance sent shivers down Cheng Liu’s spine, a strange mix of coldness and a tingling warmth, an unsettling feeling.
“I’m going to the company then. See you tonight,” Cheng Liu said, not overthinking it, waving goodbye to Ji Chaozhou and driving away.
Halfway there, He Bai took out his phone, checked WeChat, and smiled slightly: Ji Chaozhou had accepted his friend request.
Once they reached the company, He Bai posted a Moments update visible only to Ji Chaozhou, with photos of their breakfast – two bowls of porridge, the insulated container, and one photo with Cheng Liu’s hand in it.
He Bai: [Senior said the porridge our housekeeper made was delicious. We’ll have to ask her to make it again. photo.jpg x4]
He posted it, then repeatedly checked his phone.
Cheng Liu, standing in the elevator, noticed He Bai constantly checking his phone through the reflection in the elevator doors. It wasn’t work-related; he wasn't simply replying to messages.
“Are you waiting for someone’s message?” Cheng Liu asked, raising an eyebrow. “Did you get a girlfriend?”
She also constantly checked her phone when she was waiting for a reply from Ji Chaozhou.
It seemed Assistant He had found someone. Perhaps Shenyin Technology's spring had finally arrived.
He Bai put away his phone: “…I don’t have a girlfriend.”
The elevator doors opened. Cheng Liu turned around, patted him on the shoulder, and said sincerely, “Good luck.” She was already friends with her beloved, on the verge of something more.
He Bai hadn’t received a reply from Ji Chaozhou, but simply knowing he had seen the post was enough to lift his spirits.
…
Ji Chaozhou had indeed seen He Bai’s Moments post.
He never looked at Moments before, but after seeing Cheng Liu's feed, and now this obviously targeted post from He Bai…
Ji Chaozhou stared at the photo with Cheng Liu’s hand in it, his eyes cold, then he silently walked into his lab.
…
Cheng Liu spent the day at the company, finishing up some work. By 7 pm, it was completely dark outside.
She instinctively messaged Ji Chaozhou: [Have you had dinner?]
About ten minutes later, Ji Chaozhou replied: [Have you?]
He was asking about her!
Cheng Liu's heart fluttered. She quickly replied: [Not yet. Want to eat together?]
Ji Chaozhou: [I don’t want to go out.]
CEO Cheng, surprisingly quick-witted, seized on the opportunity: [Then let’s eat at home? It’s not good to skip meals.]
Ji Chaozhou didn’t reply.
But Cheng Liu was used to his silence.
No direct refusal meant there was still a chance.
Cheng Liu: [What do you want to eat? I’ll go to the supermarket later.]
As she typed, she walked out of her office and said to He Bai, who was sitting at his desk, “I’m leaving. You should head home early too.”
He Bai looked up, frowning as he saw Cheng Liu hurrying to leave. Was she going to see Ji Chaozhou again?
Just then, Cheng Liu received a reply from Ji Chaozhou: [Nothing complicated.]
She quickly typed: [Then we’ll have something light and easy.]
She didn't care what they ate, as long as she could have dinner with her beloved.
When Cheng Liu reached the parking garage, Ji Chaozhou finally sent another message: a photo of a recipe for shredded chicken and vegetable porridge.
Cheng Liu, of course, agreed. She drove to the nearest supermarket, ready to buy the ingredients.
Their second time cooking together, even if it was just porridge, CEO Cheng saw a glimmer of hope.
So, while at the supermarket, she bought a pair of double happiness paper cuttings to celebrate!
Cheng Liu, carrying the groceries and the paper cuttings, drove back to her villa, parked, and hurried next door.
“I’m back,” Cheng Liu said, walking in, grocery bags in hand, her face beaming as she looked at Ji Chaozhou, who was sitting on the single-seater sofa.
Ji Chaozhou was reading. He seemed to have been home for a while, dressed in a soft, comfortable loungewear set, looking more relaxed than usual.
He closed his book, placed it on the coffee table, stood up, took the grocery bags from her, and walked towards the kitchen.
Cheng Liu followed.
Shredded chicken and vegetable porridge shouldn't be difficult to make. Just chop the vegetables, add them to the rice, and cook.
However, Ji Chaozhou was doing the chopping today, leaving Cheng Liu no opportunity to participate.
She stood beside him, watching as he worked, wearing the blue cartoon apron, his tall, slender figure, his broad shoulders and narrow waist, his meticulous movements, captivating.
Cheng Liu realized that anything he touched seemed to transform into art.
She took out her phone and started taking photos.
—This was her beloved, chopping vegetables.
Ji Chaozhou, noticing her actions out of the corner of his eye, didn’t stop her.
After chopping the vegetables, he added them to the rice and started the rice cooker.
They returned to the living room.
Cheng Liu instinctively sat on the single-seater sofa. She didn’t notice anything amiss, but Ji Chaozhou glanced at the single-seater, then sat on the larger sofa instead.
“Are you free this weekend?” Cheng Liu asked, looking at Ji Chaozhou, hoping to make plans, to further their relationship.
Ji Chaozhou didn’t reply, picking up his book and reading for a while before suddenly saying, “Your car is old. I don’t like the smell.”
Cheng Liu paused. Her car was indeed old. Remembering Ji Chaozhou's sensitive nose, she didn’t doubt his words.
“Then…”
“You can drive mine,” Ji Chaozhou said, turning a page, his gaze on the book, his voice calm.
Not having been rejected, Cheng Liu immediately agreed: “Okay.”
She would buy a new car in a few days.
The porridge was ready. Ji Chaozhou stood up and brought it over.
He filled two bowls and placed one in front of Cheng Liu.
Porridge served by her beloved!
CEO Cheng happily snapped photos and posted them on her Moments, nine pictures in total: [Porridge made by a friend. Delicious! photo.jpg]
She didn't realize that the placement of the bowls and their seating arrangement were identical to that morning’s breakfast.
Damn
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