Chapter 2

As his secretary, I sometimes went to his home early.

I helped him choose his clothes and made sure he ate breakfast.

I knocked.

"Mr. Lu."

"Come in."

The first thing I saw was a devastatingly handsome man fresh from the shower.

His gray bathrobe hung open. Water clung to his abs, and his damp hair fell softly over his forehead.

Broad shoulders. Narrow waist. Lethal combination.

I turned slightly, struggling to keep my eyes from wandering.

"Good morning, Mr. Lu."

He nodded and tossed his towel aside.

"Morning."

Then he passed me and went into the dressing room.

【I want to change in front of my wife. Put this handsome face to work.】

【What's the point of a body this good if I never get to use it? So annoying!】

【Shouldn't she be throwing herself at me? Am I not attractive enough? No. Next time I need a new outfit for battle.】

The more I heard, the worse it got. My cheeks burned and my heart raced.

Once he'd changed, I tied his tie.

He opened his arms slightly.

I rose onto my toes in front of him, the tie slipping around his neck and winding through my fingers.

【This color looks so good with my wife's lovely pale skin.】

【Hehehe.】

I stamped hard on his foot.

He lowered his eyes to me and drew a sharp breath.

I apologized sincerely.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Lu."

His gaze deepened. He said nothing.

【She's a little fierce today. I like it.】

【Like an adorable angry kitten.】

I stamped on his other foot and glared.

He frowned.

"Another accident?"

I nodded with an apologetic smile.

That's right. Entirely accidental.

Looking at breakfast on the table, he curved his lips.

"You had time to make me breakfast today, Ms. Yu?"

"A thank-you."

For the flats at the mall, and for rescuing me at the hospital.

He looked at me teasingly.

"A little lacking in sincerity, isn't it?"

Give him an inch.

【The present I want most is my wife herself.】

"Then shall I take you to dinner?"

"Will you cook?"

I looked into those dark eyes, softened and agreed.

【Another legitimate reason to go to her place. Now, what should I wear?】

He genuinely spent the entire day thinking about it.

I took a deep breath and tried to steer him back to work tactfully.

"Mr. Lu, I think you look good in anything."

With that face and figure, how could he not?

"Any style?"

I nodded earnestly.

【Clothes sorted. Now I need to choose accessories and shoes.】

Then he mentally inventoried every accessory and pair of shoes he owned.

Even his choice of cologne became a private dilemma.

Was it sufficiently... irresistible?

When the weekend arrived, I got up early to buy groceries.

Once the soup was simmering, I cleaned the apartment.

I'd just finished when the doorbell rang.

Lu Ye and Assistant Zhou stood outside.

Assistant Zhou was loaded with bags.

Lu Ye's look today was rather... flirtatious.

A light-green silk V-neck shirt, casual white trousers, hair neatly parted to one side.

Every detail was immaculate.

A far cry from his usual stuffy-official style.

I stared for several seconds.

"Mr. Lu. Assistant Zhou. Come in."

Assistant Zhou put down the bags and immediately tried to leave.

I politely invited him to stay.

Lu Ye's face darkened. He shot his assistant a warning look.

【Stay, and I'll make your working life miserable. Hmph.】

Once Assistant Zhou left, Lu Ye visibly brightened.

This man really was childish.

【I put on a new outfit just for today. Why hasn't she told me I'm handsome?】

【Three buttons undone, and she's still not looking!】

Um... how exactly was I supposed to compliment him?

"Well, you look very handsome today, Mr. Lu."

"Only today?"

"Of course not. You look handsome every day."

Satisfied, he nodded, his eyes curving slightly.

"Then make yourself comfortable. I'll get back to the kitchen."

"No need. I'll help."

I looked at him doubtfully.

【What's that look? Does she doubt my potential as a househusband?】

【No. Today I'm showing her what I can do.】

Honestly, I wasn't expecting much.

In the kitchen, he picked over and washed the vegetables while I cooked.

We didn't talk much, but worked together effortlessly.

【She's so beautiful. I'm a lucky man.】

【I want to marry her. Spend our lives like this, like an old married couple.】

Looking at his utterly composed face, I had nothing to say.

We sat at the table and quietly ate.

【I want to talk to her, but what about?】

【This suffocating silence is killing me.】

【Office gossip? But then my domineering-CEO image would collapse.】

That image had collapsed the moment I'd heard his thoughts.

"Mr. Lu, are you enjoying the meal? Is this thank-you sincere enough?"

He nodded with an air of gravity.

"Thank you for having me, Ms. Yu. Your cooking is as accomplished as ever."

"You're too kind."

"You can call me by my name in private."

"Lu Ye."

【That sounds lovely. But I still want her to call me darling.】

For some inexplicable reason, after hearing that, I said it.

"Darling?"

Lu Ye choked on his soup and coughed violently.

Apparently, he hadn't expected his wish to come true so suddenly.

I hurried to give him a tissue and pat his back, scolding myself for speaking without thinking.

He stared at me, something gathering in the depths of his eyes.

His ears had turned peach pink.

My heart beat faster at the sight.

【That sounds so good when she says it.】

After that meal, his thoughts became increasingly impossible to listen to.

Outwardly, he was a respectable workaholic. In secret, he played every variation of the lovesick puppy.

Every day, I fought the urge to give him a good thump.

Lu Ye's childhood friend—the one rumored to be involved with him—burst into the office with red-rimmed eyes.

Her furious, wounded appearance set the company gossip chat alight.

Naturally, as his secretary, I had a front-row seat.

She pushed open his door, wiping her tears, and tried to throw herself into his arms.

Lu Ye stepped aside.

【Close call. If she'd actually landed on me, no amount of explaining would save me.】

【My wife's staring. The pressure! What do I do?】

The girl glared at him.

"Lu Ye!"

He frowned.

"What do you want?"

"I'm hiring you to play my boyfriend. A hundred yuan a day."

"No."

She pouted and sniffled.

"A thousand. That's my final offer."

I helpfully handed her a tissue.

He looked at her helplessly.

"Didn't you bring this on yourself? I told you not to chase that stray dog. You wouldn't listen."

Her voice caught.

"I wanted to run into the wall myself before turning back. And I wanted to make him jealous."

Lu Ye gave her a disdainful glance.

She bristled instantly.

"At least I dare go after the person I like! Unlike you, coward! Who are you to look down on me?"

His eyes darkened.

She pouted, turned and flung herself against me, clinging to my arm.

"Youyou, look how mean this Lu jerk is being!"

I looked between them, caught in the middle.

【She's slandering me in front of my wife!】

【And hugging her!】

"What are you glaring at, Lu Ye? With that rotten attitude and nonexistent emotional intelligence, no wonder you can't win her over."

【Have I spoiled her too much?】

【She's actually mocking me!】

He lowered his voice.

"Didn't you want my help? Come here."

"No."

"Are you coming or not?"

I frowned and moved slightly in front of her.

"Mr. Lu, you are being rather fierce."

He glanced at me with wounded eyes.

Exactly like a large dog scolded by its owner.

Without speaking, he turned, picked up the iPad on his desk and handed it to her.

She took it reluctantly.

After a few swipes, the light gradually left her eyes.

Large tears fell. She went utterly silent.

After a minute, she gave a bitter little laugh. The iPad slipped from her hands and struck the floor with a heavy thud.

I hesitated, then bent to retrieve it.

I scanned the screen and fell silent, too.

This little rose ought to have been blooming brightly. Not diminishing herself for a man still in love with someone else.

I hugged her and gently patted her back.

Meanwhile, the emotionally inept Lu Ye twisted the knife.

"Stay away from that unprincipled stray dog."

She ignored him.

"Youyou, will you come to a bar with me?"

"No," Lu Ye said.

【Now she's trying to lure my wife to a bar! Absolutely not.】

The girl's eyes shone with tears.

"If you come, I'll tell you a secret that'll help you keep this Lu jerk in line."

Her smile looked worse than crying. I softened and agreed.

Lu Ye clenched his hands. Inside, he was exploding.

We went to the bar.

But not alone.

Lu Ye sat on the sofa in the VIP area, glaring at us. The air around him was positively ominous.

Half an hour earlier, after his objections failed, he'd grudgingly tagged along.

The girl drained glass after glass as though it were water.

She glared at Lu Ye.

"Youyou, ignore him. We're not at work. He doesn't get to boss you around."

【What's that supposed to mean? Is she turning my wife against me?】

【No. I'm definitely keeping my wife away from this woman.】

"Li Yang, if you're going to drink, drink. Stop talking nonsense."

She clicked her tongue and pushed a glass toward me.

"Ignore him. Let's drink."

As I reached out, Lu Ye caught my wrist.

"I'm thirsty."

We held each other's gaze for a few seconds.

Then he quietly withdrew his hand.

Li Yang's lost expression was exactly like mine seven years ago.

Seven years ago, Shen Lin had given in to temptation and betrayed his promise.

That boy with the clear eyes had once sworn he'd never abandon me.

Those days had been pure, like a brimming stream flowing happily along, never considering what love had to do with reality.

Then betrayal struck without warning, straight through the heart.

He'd explained with red eyes and blamed the alcohol.

He hadn't understood how laughably weak that excuse was.

Time gradually smooths the creases in a heart.

Someone once unforgettable can be buried. Even pulled out like a weed.

I drank quietly with Li Yang.

Lu Ye watched us, his brows drawn tight.

【Damn it. Is this reminding my wife of that wretched ex?】

【No. I need her whole heart. Not even a corner left for him.】

【That bastard hurt her for so long. How did he dare?】

As she drank, Li Yang suddenly began to cry. Alcohol stripped away her defenses.

She tugged my sleeve.

"Youyou, it hurts..."

I gently patted her back.

"Get through this once, and it'll be all right. It's a big forest. We'll find the tree that's ours."

"Have you found yours?"

Lu Ye's back went rigid. He strained to listen while pretending not to care.

Seeing his nerves, I couldn't help smiling.

"I think I have."

【She's found him?! All these years beside her, and I still haven't won her over. Who the hell stole her from under my nose?】

【No! No, no, no! She's mine!】

【Turn around and look at me, sweetheart. I'm really quite good.】

That night, Lu Ye drove me home.

He stood in my doorway, his lips moving as though he wanted to ask something.

In the end, he asked nothing.

He only turned sadly and left.

What a stupid dog.