If It’s Wrong, Then It’s Wrong - Chapter 99
Chapter 99: The Thirty-Sixth Day
As Cheng Liu reached her villa, her phone rang. It was Ji Chaozhou, asking where she was.
She replied, saying she had gone to get breakfast and was back now.
Ji Mushan hadn't followed her, and she didn't mention their encounter.
She paused at the door, then entered.
Ji Chaozhou, dressed in casual clothes, a loose white shirt and trousers, stood at the kitchen island, drinking water. Hearing her, he turned around, his face calm, his lips slightly moist.
Cheng Liu, holding up the bag, smiled: “Come have breakfast.”
Ji Chaozhou put down his glass, walking over to her, his voice low, “You smell like Ranshan.”
He wouldn’t have been so direct before, preferring to observe and analyze, confirming his suspicions internally.
Cheng Liu, puzzled, sniffed her hand, smelling nothing. Then she realized, “I ran into CEO Ji on the way back. We talked for a bit.”
Ji Mushan?
Ji Chaozhou’s feelings towards his father were complicated. He had intended to maintain some contact, for Yun Se’s sake, but after Ji Mushan had learned about his relationship with Cheng Liu and shown his support, their relationship had eased slightly.
“He told me…some things about your family,” Cheng Liu said, pulling Ji Chaozhou over to the table.
She hadn’t wanted to mention it, but since he had noticed, there was no point hiding it.
Ji Chaozhou’s expression changed. He instinctively took her hand, looking at her, about to explain. He wouldn’t have reacted so strongly before last night. He would have kept those things buried deep inside.
But…Cheng Liu had seen his vulnerability, his self-destructive tendencies.
He was afraid. Afraid she would leave him.
“I don’t want to speak ill of CEO Ji,” Cheng Liu said, meeting his gaze, a hint of amusement in her eyes. “But I’m not like him.”
She reached out to him: “I don’t like…running away.”
Ji Chaozhou paused, understanding dawning in his eyes.
He looked down as her warm fingers gently wiped the water from his lips.
He turned his head, his lips parting, taking her finger into his mouth, his eyes meeting hers, his usual coldness replaced by a focused intensity. It was early morning, but the intimacy in the air was palpable.
Her earlier complaints vanished, a smile spreading across her face as she opened the breakfast bag.
Ji Chaozhou knew exactly how to captivate her, his occasional aloofness making her crave him even more.
He had promised not to hurt himself, but he hadn’t promised not to use other tactics.
Sometimes, a little manipulation, with someone you cared about, could strengthen a relationship.
…
At Shenyin Technology, Cheng Liu swiped her card, walking through the gate, employees greeting her as she passed. She entered the elevator, alone, checking her reflection in the mirror, her smooth neck, and sighed.
Chaozhou, with his possessiveness, why did he only leave marks in places no one could see? How could she show them off?
He was too restrained, unlike her.
Cheng Liu reached her office on the twenty-sixth floor and started working. After dealing with a few urgent matters, unable to focus, her mind on Ji Chaozhou, she messaged Li Dong, asking for recommendations for custom-made rings.
Li Dong: [I have some! Of course!]
He immediately shared the gossip in his middle-aged men’s group chat, asking for recommendations.
This Cheng Liu was different. Even getting married, she was faster than others. And to CEO Ji’s son, no less!
“I didn’t think they were a good match at first,” Li Dong said to his wife, sharing the latest gossip. “Cheng Liu is so dominant, and that Ji Chaozhou doesn’t seem easygoing either.”
“No matter how dominant she is, she’s still wrapped around his finger,” Yang Fanyu said, her face covered in a face mask, leaning back on the sofa. “She agrees with everything he says.”
Li Dong, also wearing a face mask, didn't argue. When he said “dominant,” he wasn’t referring to her work style or her behavior. On the contrary, Cheng Liu was often indirect, taking circuitous routes, as long as she achieved her desired outcome. He simply meant that Cheng Liu was inherently dominant, determined to get what she wanted.
And in reality, there wasn't much she couldn't obtain.
Although it seemed Cheng Liu was completely smitten with Ji Chaozhou, who could say he wasn't also under her control? After all, she could manipulate a group of seasoned businessmen.
Relationships were like business negotiations, a constant give and take.
Li Dong, looking at his phone, sent the list of recommendations to Cheng Liu: [Remember to invite me to be a witness at your wedding.]
Cheng Liu: [Definitely.]
She started contacting the jewelers, looking for suitable rings.
She hadn't discussed marriage with Ji Chaozhou yet, but that didn't stop her from preparing. It was always good to be prepared.
…
It was almost lunchtime. Cheng Liu was debating whether to go back, but she had a meeting at 1 pm. She wouldn't make it in time.
Just as she was about to message Ji Chaozhou, she received a call from her assistant team.
“CEO Cheng, there’s someone…waiting for you in the lobby.”
Cheng Liu frowned. Why was the assistant being so vague? They hadn't mentioned who it was, or why they were there. They should have at least described the person's appearance. What was the point of having assistants if they couldn't even provide basic information?
And why were they whispering? And why were they using their personal phone instead of the office line?
Cheng Liu, suppressing her frustration, asked, “Who is it?”
“That’s…well…do you want to come down and see?”
Cheng Liu: “?”
The assistant, still whispering, “CEO Cheng, it’s…the Ranshan CEO.”
Cheng Liu paused, then, realizing, stood up abruptly: “Chaozhou’s here?”
“Yes,” the assistant confirmed. “He’s been in the lobby for a while.”
Their relationship was still based on speculation. No one knew for sure if they were dating. Cheng Liu had always seemed like a workaholic.
Even though rumors of her having a boyfriend circulated within the company, few people actually believed them. It was like celebrity gossip, something to talk about, but not to be taken seriously.
The assistant had been on their way to lunch when they saw Ji Chaozhou. He was so striking, everyone in the lobby stealing glances at him.
He hadn’t gone to the reception desk or asked for anyone, simply sitting in the waiting area, so no one had approached him.
The assistant, after some hesitation, had decided to call Cheng Liu.
“You’ll get a raise next month,” Cheng Liu said, her earlier frustration replaced by magnanimity, as she quickly left her office, taking the elevator down.
The lobby was unusually crowded today, employees gathered in small groups, ostensibly chatting, but their eyes kept drifting towards the waiting area, where a single figure sat.
Cheng Liu spotted him immediately. He was too striking, even sitting quietly on the sofa.
Shenyin Technology’s lobby had high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows, a grand and impressive space. The midday sun streamed through the glass, illuminating the young man, like a beautiful painting.
“Chaozhou,” Cheng Liu said, hurrying towards him.
Ji Chaozhou, hearing her, looked up: “I was just passing by. Thought I’d…stop by and see you.”
The high ceilings, the vast expanse of glass, the feeling of being suspended in mid-air, made him uncomfortable. He had stayed in the waiting area.
Cheng Liu took his hand: “The cafeteria’s on the first floor. Let’s have lunch.”
Around them, people gasped, seeing them holding hands. He had come to her company! This wasn't a red carpet event. Holding hands like this…there had to be something going on.
“Will this…affect your work?” Ji Chaozhou asked softly.
“No, it won’t,” Cheng Liu said, her fingers intertwining with his. “I’m happy.” She had been wondering how to get him to come to her company, just to see her, not for anything else.
As they walked towards the cafeteria, Cheng Liu greeted every employee she knew, introducing Ji Chaozhou, a hint of pride in her voice. They hadn't officially confirmed their relationship, but Cheng Liu preferred a different title. She looked at him, then, her voice clear, “This is…my fiancé.”
The usually confident Cheng Liu felt a sudden nervousness, afraid he might deny it.
Even though she knew it was unlikely, the mere possibility of rejection filled her with anxiety.
“Hello,” Ji Chaozhou said, nodding at the employee, acknowledging the title.
The department manager, stunned, could only stare, his mind reeling: Fiancé! He’s her fiancé!
Cheng Liu, reassured by his acceptance, a smile spreading across her face, straightened up, embarking on her mission of showing off, pulling Ji Chaozhou along, greeting everyone, introducing her fiancé. Ji Chaozhou played along, politely acknowledging each introduction.
CEO Cheng, secretly pleased, thought: She needed to buy an engagement ring. She wasn't prepared enough.
She is shameless lol I love it
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