If It’s Wrong, Then It’s Wrong - Chapter 106
Extra 5: I Skipped Work!
Recently, Cheng Liu had been a bit exasperated with Ji Chaozhou, subconsciously avoiding him.
It was just a conversation with a young actor at a banquet, and he had started getting jealous again. Cheng Liu couldn't stand it.
Whenever he got jealous, he would try to seduce her. Every time she came home, Cheng Liu felt like Ji Chaozhou, from head to toe, even his hair, was trying to tempt her.
Who could resist that?
Although she enjoyed it, she couldn't handle it every day! She was starting to feel exhausted.
The usually energetic CEO Cheng never thought she would feel tired.
So, she made up her mind. Tonight, she wouldn't fall for his tricks. She would shower, turn off the lights, close her eyes, and sleep, resisting all temptations!
However, Cheng Liu hadn’t expected Ji Chaozhou to pick her up from work this afternoon.
Hearing the assistant's call, Cheng Liu immediately put down her documents, turned off her computer, announced she was leaving, and vanished from her office.
The glass door, slammed shut with excessive force, rattled for a few seconds before settling.
Assistant: “…”
Ever since the CEO got married, she had been leaving work earlier and earlier. Especially recently, she had been radiating happiness, a constant smile on her face from morning till night.
Of course, Cheng Liu was completely unaware of the assistant’s observations. She hurried downstairs, composing her expression as she reached the lobby.
CEO Cheng, standing around the corner, looking at the tall, handsome young man, felt a pang of annoyance: He had actually come to her company! Well, she would just have to graciously accompany him.
So, Cheng Liu rushed towards Ji Chaozhou, taking his hand, asking casually, “What brings you here today?”
He must have missed her, wanting to strengthen their bond.
Actually, there was nothing between her and that young actor. She had simply heard he had a piece of rare fragrant wood she wanted to buy for Ji Chaozhou, as a birthday gift.
CEO Cheng, thinking to herself, although their life together had been a bit…intense lately, she would explain later.
“Just passing by,” Ji Chaozhou said, looking at Cheng Liu. “Are you off work?”
“Yes,” Cheng Liu replied.
He definitely wasn’t just passing by!
Chaozhou had used this excuse before. He had come specifically to see her.
Cheng Liu, secretly pleased, thought making him jealous occasionally wasn't a bad thing.
“Did you drive?” Cheng Liu asked.
“No,” Ji Chaozhou replied. He had come out with Ranshan’s marketing manager to handle some business. He had taken the manager’s car, and seeing Shenyin Technology nearby on their way back, had walked over.
As expected!
He hadn’t even driven. He must have wanted to go home with her.
As Cheng Liu pulled Ji Chaozhou towards the parking garage, she resigned herself to another sleepless night.
It wasn't that she couldn't resist temptation, it was just that Chaozhou was too good at it.
…
They drove home together. Cheng Liu parked the car in the garage. Before getting out, she looked at Ji Chaozhou through the rearview mirror. He quickly looked away, but Cheng Liu felt like his gaze had lingered, a silent invitation.
CEO Cheng’s heart pounded. Was he planning to…do it in the car?
Well, it wasn’t impossible. The car was big enough.
So, Cheng Liu unbuckled her seatbelt and climbed over to the passenger seat, straddling Ji Chaozhou.
Ji Chaozhou froze, his hand, reaching for the door handle, retracting to rest on her waist, the other carefully supporting her head.
Consumed by desire, Cheng Liu didn't notice, reaching down to press the button to recline the seat.
“…Cheng Liu,” Ji Chaozhou said, frowning slightly. He wasn't comfortable in such a confined space, but he didn’t stop her completely, only preventing her from fully reclining the seat, maintaining a position where he could still hold her.
Cheng Liu, leaning down to kiss him, her eyes sparkling, was very busy. One hand pressed the window button, the other reached for something hidden in the car.
Ji Chaozhou, used to indulging her, let her do as she pleased, his hands carefully supporting her, making sure she didn’t hit her head.
…
Cheng Liu’s cheeks were still flushed, her hair slightly damp, but her eyes sparkled with a familiar brightness. She looked at Ji Chaozhou, “I’ve taken care of everything at the company. We can go to Snow City in a few days.”
Ji Chaozhou’s long eyelashes were also damp. He reached out, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face, his voice soft, “…Okay.”
“So, stop being jealous,” Cheng Liu said, cupping his face in her hands. “There’s nothing between me and that actor.”
Ji Chaozhou was momentarily confused. Jealous of what?
Cheng Liu, feeling the intimate atmosphere, thought this was the perfect time to explain. Although she enjoyed the benefits of his jealousy, she didn’t want him to be unhappy.
So, Cheng Liu continued explaining, carefully omitting the part about the business transaction with the actor.
Ji Chaozhou, sitting in the passenger seat, suddenly pulled Cheng Liu closer, his chin resting on her shoulder, a low chuckle escaping his lips.
His voice, usually clear and aloof, was now husky, the sound sending shivers down her spine.
Ji Chaozhou’s face was buried in her neck, the amusement lingering in his eyes. He had known about her transaction with the actor all along.
The actor’s family collected fragrant wood. Ji Chaozhou had been negotiating with him for that rare piece, but somehow, Cheng Liu had found out and intervened.
The actor had told him, and Ji Chaozhou had decided to step aside, letting Cheng Liu have it.
But he didn’t understand why she had mistaken his actions for jealousy.
He couldn’t quite grasp it. If she thought he was jealous, why had she become even more…bold lately, constantly pulling him into their passionate entanglements?
“There’s only you in my heart,” Cheng Liu whispered.
“Mm,” Ji Chaozhou replied, looking down. If she thought he was jealous, then he would be jealous.
…
On Ji Chaozhou’s birthday, they arrived at the Snow City villa. Snow fell heavily outside, while inside, a warm fire crackled in the fireplace.
“I have a gift for you,” Cheng Liu said, covering Ji Chaozhou’s eyes, leading him towards the living room.
Even though he had already guessed what it was, Ji Chaozhou’s heart still skipped a beat.
“Here we are.” Cheng Liu led him to the center of the living room, stopping, then removing her hands. “Happy birthday, Chaozhou.”
Ji Chaozhou opened his eyes. Before him was an exquisite ebony box, a seal engraved in the center. Even the box itself was made of rare wood.
“Open it,” Cheng Liu said, standing beside him.
Ji Chaozhou did as he was told. Even though he had already seen the piece of fragrant wood, the sight of it still filled him with joy.
Perhaps because it was a gift from Cheng Liu.
“I bought it from that actor,” Cheng Liu explained. “I heard he had a rare piece of fragrant wood. Someone else was interested in it as well, but thankfully, they backed out.”
Ji Chaozhou reached out, touching the wood, turning to Cheng Liu, his voice sincere, “I really like it.”
Cheng Liu breathed a sigh of relief. She had searched everywhere for a suitable birthday gift for Ji Chaozhou, finally finding that actor.
As long as he liked it.
Ji Chaozhou carefully put the box away. The fragrant wood, although rare, hadn't initially been that important to him. But now, as a gift from Cheng Liu, its value had increased significantly.
The snow continued to fall outside, the villa warm and cozy. Cheng Liu made coffee, adding extra sugar and milk to Ji Chaozhou's cup. He liked it sweet.
A movie played on the large screen in the living room. Ji Chaozhou sat on the soft carpet, barefoot, his legs slightly bent, leaning against the sofa.
Cheng Liu brought over two cups of coffee, handing one to Ji Chaozhou before sitting down beside him, watching the movie with him.
It was an art film. Cheng Liu rarely watched such movies. She held her coffee, watching intently.
Anything that Ji Chaozhou liked, she would try to understand, these movies included. Knowing his preferences meant knowing what to choose for them to watch together.
“Cheng Liu,” Ji Chaozhou called her name, holding his coffee cup in one hand.
“Mm?” Cheng Liu looked away from the movie, turning to him.
“Your phone,” Ji Chaozhou said, holding out his hand.
Cheng Liu instinctively retrieved her phone from her pocket, handing it to him without a second thought, returning her attention to the movie.
Ji Chaozhou took the phone, going straight to the photo album. There was nothing there, except for two private albums.
One was labeled "Work," the other "Baby," although he wasn’t sure if it was an adjective or a noun.
He didn’t open "Work," choosing "Baby" instead. The password prompt appeared. He entered his birthday. The album opened.
Most of the photos were of him, a few of them together. Many he had never seen before. Cheng Liu must have taken them secretly. But unlike what he had expected, the photos in Cheng Liu’s private album weren’t as…explicit as the ones she had hidden on his phone.
There was a photo of him blending fragrances, the afternoon sun casting a golden glow on him, his shadow on the cabinet behind him like an angel's wing. There were photos of him sleeping, taken from the most flattering angles.
Especially the solo photos of him, just looking at them, one could sense the photographer’s affection.
If the photos on his phone represented desire, the ones on Cheng Liu’s phone represented a pure, unspoken love.
He had taken photos of Cheng Liu as well, but only one, which he kept in his favorites, often looking at it when he was tired from work.
Ji Chaozhou, looking at Cheng Liu’s profile, his heart filled with a bittersweet joy, exited the album, returning her phone.
“Let’s go to the beach for a while,” Cheng Liu said, casually placing her phone aside, looking at the characters in the movie, making plans. “I like that scene.”
“Okay,” Ji Chaozhou replied softly.
He would go anywhere with her, as long as they were together, alone, away from the world.
…
Perhaps it was the warmth from the fireplace, but after finishing her coffee, Cheng Liu felt a wave of drowsiness. She tried to stay awake, watching the movie, thinking it was unusually long.
“Sleepy?” Ji Chaozhou asked softly.
Cheng Liu wasn't truly sleepy, but the comfortable environment, the snow falling outside the large window, the warmth from the fireplace, the soothing movie, had lulled her into a state of relaxation.
She put down her cup, turning to him, smiling, “A little.”
Ji Chaozhou, who had been sitting beside her, shifted slightly, turning to face her.
Before Cheng Liu could react, he started unbuttoning his shirt.
Ji Chaozhou looked at her, his amber eyes fixed on hers, asking, “How about now?”
The scene was both unfamiliar and familiar.
Cheng Liu’s breath hitched, her drowsiness completely gone.
Even though it was his birthday, he had chosen to give himself to her as a gift.
Whatever she liked, he would give her.
Ji Chaozhou took her hand, pulling her down with him as he lay back on the carpet. His dark hair contrasted sharply with the creamy white fur, his handsome face even more striking against the pale backdrop. His bare chest, even paler than the carpet, seemed to glow in the firelight.
The flames in the fireplace flickered, casting a warm glow on them, creating a world of their own, separate from the snowy landscape outside.
…
It was on their way back from Snow City that Cheng Liu realized Ji Chaozhou might have discovered her private photo album.
Their time there had been so blissful, her mind only for him, that she hadn’t thought of anything else. Only on the way back did she realize his seductive gestures, mirroring their honeymoon, all tailored to her preferences.
Cheng Liu glanced at the sleeping Ji Chaozhou. Even though it was supposed to be his birthday celebration, she had been the one enjoying herself the most.
He was always so reserved, his emotions hidden, rarely expressing his feelings openly, but everything he did was to make her happy.
After returning to S City, they resumed their normal lives and work, the passionate days in Snow City tucked away as a shared secret.
The grapefruit saplings in the front yard had grown considerably, blooming sparsely in the spring. Ji Chaozhou often stood beneath them, enjoying the scent of the leaves.
Sometimes, he thought of Aunt Yun.
A few months after their wedding, Yun Se had passed away.
Ji Chaozhou and Yun Fei had been with her.
She had asked Ji Chaozhou to take her to the garden one last time, to see the flowers Yun Ran had planted.
By then, Yun Se was frail, only skin and bones, but she still insisted on maintaining her appearance.
“Cheng Liu came to see me a few days ago. She understands you very well,” Yun Se said, sitting in her wheelchair.
Ji Chaozhou knelt beside her, silently listening.
Although Yun Se hadn’t initially liked Cheng Liu, seeing Ji Chaozhou’s improving condition, so different from before, she had gradually let go of her reservations.
“Chaozhou, take care of yourself.”
“Mm.”
Yun Se had no regrets. Being able to attend her nephew’s wedding had been beyond her expectations.
She sat in her wheelchair, reaching out to pluck a flower, tucking it behind her ear.
“I’ll be seeing your mother soon,” Yun Se said, a childlike joy on her face. She looked at Ji Chaozhou. “I’ll tell her you’re doing well now.”
Ji Chaozhou, after a moment of silence, replied, “…Okay.”
A gust of wind blew past, the flower falling from her ear, as Yun Se breathed her last.
Ji Chaozhou didn’t remember much of what happened afterwards, only Cheng Liu waiting for him outside, her concerned expression as she turned to look at him.
He had trouble sleeping during those days. Cheng Liu stayed by his side.
Whenever he woke up in the middle of the night, he would hold her, silently gazing at her.
His only stroke of luck, perhaps, was her loving him.
Over the past two years, because of Cheng Liu’s collaboration with Tianqi, there had been more interaction between Ji Chaozhou and Ji Mushan, their relationship thawing slightly. Ji Mushan even came over occasionally to have dinner with his son.
Ji Chaozhou didn't want Cheng Liu to feel awkward.
…
Ji Chaozhou, having finished blending a new fragrance, walked out of the lab, standing in the front yard, looking up at the grapefruit trees, a smile appearing in his eyes. He remembered Cheng Liu complaining a few days ago that if the trees didn't bear fruit next year, she would uproot them.
A familiar car horn sounded. Ji Chaozhou turned around and saw Cheng Liu driving back, the window down, calling out, “I’m home!”
Ji Chaozhou glanced at the time. It was only 3 pm. She usually didn't return from Shenyin until 5 pm. “Why are you back so early?” he asked.
Cheng Liu, a smug look on her face, declared, “I skipped work!”
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