Eight Years, One Love — Chapter 4

“It doesn’t count. You didn’t do anything while we were asleep.”

Instead of letting go, he pulled me back into his arms.

I reminded him, “Ahem. I still owe you 10.14 million. Are you sure you want to keep going?”

He froze, then reluctantly let me go. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead.

“Get up.”

I was impressed by his self-control.

He’d already taken a bite, yet he could stop himself from eating the whole thing and put it back.

I leaned close to his ear. “Don’t do that again next time, or I’ll deduct another million.”

His gaze darkened. “I can give you another million, but you can’t deduct it.”

I thought, what difference is there between deducting a million and giving me a million?

I heard his thoughts:

[Of course there’s a difference. She can’t take away my benefits.]

[I’ve been holding back this long. I want to save the chances and use them slowly.]

[If I’d known, I would’ve lent her a few hundred million more from the start. If I transfer a few hundred million to her now, could I add it to her debt?]

I turned over Lu Shizi’s words in my mind. Was he really willing to lend me a few hundred million more?

He’d already written off more than ten million, and he’d still lend me more?

He really was rich and stupid.

But I didn’t want to borrow any more money from him.

If I did, I’d never be able to pay it off.

When we got back to work, I deliberately avoided taking the elevator with Lu Shizi.

He usually took the private elevator reserved for the CEO. Today, he followed me into the staff elevator.

Two colleagues from the design department were inside.

They greeted him respectfully. “Good morning, Mr. Lu.”

Lu Shizi gave a slight nod. “Mm.”

In the mirror, the two colleagues spotted the hickey on his neck. Their eyes lit up at once; they were clearly eager for gossip.

Only then did I realize: had Lu Shizi taken the staff elevator on purpose?

His thoughts answered for me:

[I can’t hide my desire to show off at all.]

[The hickey my wife left on me. Of course I want the whole world to know.]

[It’s fine if she won’t give me a title. I’ll claim one for myself.]

Me: “...”

Even if my coworkers saw a hickey on his neck, why would they suspect me?

Thinking that, I deliberately stepped aside to widen the distance between us.

I didn’t even dare look him in the eye. I was afraid that if our gazes met, I’d remember how he’d lost control the night before.

Or how the yacht had rocked in the bay all night, sending ripples across the water.

The elevator doors opened, and another coworker stepped in.

Lu Shizi took the opportunity to grab my arm and pull me closer.

All our coworkers saw it.

The corners of Lu Shizi’s mouth lifted without him realizing.

[That felt good. Surely everyone knows the hickey on my neck came from Jiang Yu now.]

Who would’ve thought that the CEO of the Lu Group, a business genius in everyone else’s eyes, could be so childish in private?

If my coworkers started gossiping about our relationship, it could affect my work.

I had to correct this behavior.

When we stepped out of the elevator and saw no one in the hallway, I lowered my voice. “Mr. Lu, we’re creditor and debtor. Please remember your place.”

Lu Shizi’s expression stiffened. “I know.”

I headed back to my desk, and heard his thoughts behind me:

[My wife is so heartless.]

[She was so close to me last night. Today, at the office, she’s pretending we’re strangers.]

[And she went out of her way to say we’re only creditor and debtor.]

Before the morning was even half over, gossip had spread through the company’s chat groups.

[I saw a hickey on Mr. Lu’s neck. I bet Secretary Jiang left it.]

[They walked into the elevator one after the other today, and Mr. Lu broke his usual routine to take the staff elevator. He clearly wanted to show off the hickey.]

[He even held Jiang Yu’s hand in the elevator. His protective instincts were off the charts.]

[I heard they grew up together. Before the Jiang family went bankrupt, she was a rich heiress.]

[Looks like Jiang Yu is about to become Mrs. Lu.]

I was in the gossip group myself.

I logged on to correct the rumor:

[Jiang Yu and Mr. Lu aren’t close in private. Stop making things up.]

…

The gossiping coworkers dispersed.

At lunchtime, I received a message from Lu Shizi.

[You said you and I aren’t close?]

[What part of your body haven’t I touched? If that doesn’t count as close, what does?]

So there was a mole in the gossip group who’d reported back to Lu Shizi.

I had no words.

Lu Shizi: [Come here.]

It was lunch break.

But a competent CEO’s secretary had to be ready at all times.

I got up and headed to his office.

Lu Shizi pushed open a hidden door and said gently, “You didn’t sleep well last night. Go inside and take a nap.”

Behind it was his private nap room, with a bed, a sofa, and even a bathroom.

I politely declined. “No need, Mr. Lu. That wouldn’t be appropriate.”

He coaxed me. “Be good. Get enough sleep so you have energy for work this afternoon.”

“What about you?”

He pointed to the sofa. “I’ll sleep here.”

His thoughts added:

[I want to hold her while we nap, too. But I know I can’t be greedy.]

He had some self-awareness, at least.

I went into the secret room and took a nap on his bed.

His distinctive, cool, understated cologne lingered in the blankets, surrounding me with his scent. It felt like the way he’d held me as we slept the night before.

It was an especially good nap.

By the time work ended, another gossip group was buzzing.

[I saw Secretary Jiang go into Mr. Lu’s office at lunch, and she didn’t come out for an hour.]

[That’s solid proof. They’re secretly dating.]

As luck would have it, I was in that group, too.

This time, there was no way to explain it.

Fine. I wouldn’t explain.

Lu Shizi wasn’t rushing to deny it. Why should I care?

After work, I was packing up at my desk when Shen Yunchen came over.

“Miss Jiang, can we talk?”

“Sure.”

We went up to the rooftop.

Shen Yunchen asked cautiously, “There are rumors spreading around the Lu Group. Do you know about them?”

“I do. I don’t care.”

“Miss Jiang, I heard from my mother that you owe Lu Shizi more than ten million. Is he forcing you to do something you don’t want?”

Shen Yunchen said bluntly, “I have money. Can I help you pay off the debt?”

I shook my head. “No need, Shen Yunchen. Actually, I should call you Lu Yunchen from now on.”

“He isn’t forcing me to do anything I don’t want. You don’t need to worry.”

I was doing this willingly.

Even if it weren’t to pay off the debt, I’d still be willing.

After all, he was the man I’d secretly loved.

Life was short. If something made me happy, why shouldn’t I do it?

Lu Yunchen took my hand and suddenly confessed, “Jiang Yu, let’s get married. I’ll turn twenty-two in six months. As soon as it’s my birthday, we can register.”

I laughed. Lu Yunchen hadn’t even graduated from college. He was a year and a half younger than me.

Marriage was a huge decision. He was too excited.

Besides, I only thought of him as a little brother.

I was about to turn him down when Lu Shizi hurried over and pushed Lu Yunchen’s hand away.

He said coldly, “Lu Yunchen, Jiang Yu is your future cousin-in-law. Know your limits.”

Future cousin-in-law?

My family had gone bankrupt. Was Lu Shizi still planning to marry me for an alliance?

Lu Yunchen frowned. “Cousin, stop lying to yourself. Jiang Yu said in the group today that the two of you aren’t close in private.”

As soon as Lu Yunchen finished speaking, Lu Shizi lowered his head and kissed me on the lips.

As he kissed me, he looked over at Lu Yunchen, his gaze full of provocation.

When he finally pulled away, he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and said gently, “Be good. Tell him whose husband you called out to last night.”

The night before, in the heat of the moment, I really had let “husband” slip.

I didn’t want to lead Lu Yunchen on.

So I played along with Lu Shizi.

I told Lu Yunchen, “Yunchen, your cousin and I are together. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear what you just said.”

Lu Yunchen lowered his eyes in disappointment. “I understand.”

Lu Shizi settled into my apartment as if he’d always lived there.

After work, he stayed home with me, doing all the cooking and housework.

I never would’ve guessed how domestic he could be.

But for two nights in a row, he didn’t touch me.

On the third night, after I’d fallen asleep, he secretly kissed me and whispered in my ear.

“Jiang Yu, do you still hate me?”

“Am I so outstanding and yet still unable to reach your heart?”

“What do I have to do for you to love me? Hm?”

I wanted to wake up, but I couldn’t.

Lu Shizi held me for a while, then got up and went into the bathroom.

He was taking a cold shower.

I struggled awake from my dream and saw his shadow through the frosted-glass door of the downstairs bathroom.

He’d rather take a cold shower to put out his desire than touch me.

Had Lu Shizi gotten tired of me?

After his cold shower, he slipped back under the covers.

I opened my eyes and asked him outright, “Are you tired of me? Why else wouldn’t you touch me?”

He pulled me into his arms. “No. I’ve just been a little tired lately.”

His thoughts said:

[Sweetheart, why I’m not touching you should be obvious, shouldn’t it?]

[I’m afraid I’ll use up my last chance and have to move out.]