Chapter 3

Had I ever felt anything for Lu Ye in our seven years together?

Of course I had.

Seven years ago, Ji Shu had schemed to force me out of my company. I couldn't find work anywhere. Lu Ye had given me an offer.

In the face of all the rumors, he'd treated me with respect.

He hadn't pried into my private life. Instead, he'd quietly dealt with the gossip at work and stood behind me.

When people teased me at business dinners, he protected me without making a show of it.

He valued my ability and gave me trust and opportunities.

He'd criticized me during those seven years, too.

From him, I'd learned to review my work and developed all kinds of professional skills.

His words were hard, but his heart was soft. He cared for me awkwardly when I was ill and prepared gifts for my birthday.

Every bit of warmth he'd given me had helped me find courage in this unfamiliar city.

I remembered each arrogant yet tender gesture for a long time.

Like sweets I'd saved away, taking one out whenever I felt sad.

I'd grown up with my grandmother. I'd seen enough of my parents' preference for sons and of people's indifference.

I could tell who was genuinely good to me.

For seven years, I'd watched him build the Lu Group, watched him mature and grow more compelling.

Not to mention that extraordinary face.

It was hard not to dream about a man like him.

But those feelings hadn't given me the courage to cross the line between boss and subordinate.

Now things were different.

The weekend came after my drinks with Li Yang.

I didn't see Lu Ye for two days.

When Monday arrived, he looked like a dog with its tail between its legs. Listless, with a storm cloud hanging over him.

Assistant Zhou spoke and worked with extreme caution, terrified of setting him off.

In the break room, he asked me miserably if I knew why.

I smiled, nodded, then shook my head.

A moment later, I saw Lu Ye standing in the doorway, staring at us.

His face was cold, his gaze dark and icy.

Assistant Zhou immediately bowed his head and began backing away.

【Why is she smiling at him?】

【I'm obviously better-looking. And richer!】

【That little brat's been harboring designs on her right under my nose!】

【I'm so hurt. Sob.】

He gave us a cold glance, turned and left without a word.

Once he was gone, Assistant Zhou came back to life, patting his chest in relief.

I brought some documents into Lu Ye's office.

He bent over his work. His fountain pen scratched across the paper.

【Does she really like Zhou You? I want to break them up, but what if that makes her unhappy?】

【Should I learn to play the innocent, scheming guy?】

Li Yang was right about his emotional intelligence.

This man's biggest flaw was his inability to open his mouth.

I took a deep breath.

"Mr. Lu, if you like a girl, you have to tell her."

He looked up at me in silence.

I met his eyes.

"Some girls aren't very confident. You have to make it clear. Say it loudly enough."

"If you don't tell her, she'll never know what you've done for her behind the scenes. She won't know whether you feel the same way she does."

"Actions matter. But words matter just as much."

He stared at me, then nodded blankly.

A week went by.

That idiot still did nothing.

Every day, he tied himself in knots.

How to win me over.

He asked his friends for advice on his social feed and scoured the internet for confession tips.

If he'd applied even a fraction of his business decisiveness to romance, he wouldn't have been single so long.

Before we left work on Friday, he stopped me.

"Ms. Yu, could I take you out this weekend?"

He looked at me with dark, damp eyes.

【Please. Please don't say no.】

【Say yes. She has to say yes.】

【If she doesn't, I'm going to roll around and throw a tantrum.】

I looked at him and nodded.

On Saturday, I put on a carefully chosen dress and got up early to do my makeup.

Lu Ye opened the car door and held a hand above my head as I got in.

In the driver's seat, he looked so tense his handsome face was practically crumpled.

I sipped my milk tea and watched him out of the corner of my eye.

A black shirt, the collar slightly open over his finely shaped collarbones. A Rolex at his wrist.

Light fell across his face, sharpening its clean lines.

His fingers kept tapping the steering wheel, betraying his nerves.

I looked away, smiling.

We stopped outside an elegant, traditional restaurant.

At the table, I tilted my head and watched him expectantly.

【She's looking at me. I'm so nervous!】

【Her dress is so pretty today!】

"Only the dress?"

He blinked, then answered, "The dress is lovely. But you're lovelier, Ms. Yu."

Not entirely hopeless.

But we finished the meal and left without him saying anything else.

On the drive back, I looked at this blockhead in frustration.

I took it back. He was an idiot.

The car went farther and farther off course, then drove straight into the company parking garage.

He covered my eyes and guided me up to his office.

In the dark, my heart fluttered wildly, a bird caught in a trap.

When he took his hand away, candlelight stung my eyes with tears.

The overhead lights were off. Candles cast a hazy glow, and rose petals covered the floor.

He held my hand and looked down into my eyes.

"Yu You, I spent a long time thinking about where to tell you. Everyone said it had to be somewhere meaningful. In the end, I chose here."

"Why?" My voice was rough.

His expression was utterly serious.

"Because this is where we've spent the most time together. Only here could I openly keep you to myself, even if it was only as your boss.

"Do you know? The moment work ends, I start looking forward to tomorrow. I hate weekends most of all. They mean two whole days without seeing you.

"Whenever I'm tired, I look toward you without thinking. Then I feel ready to go on earning enough to marry you."

"Yu You, I like you. I've liked you for seven years."

"I have a house and a car. No bad habits. I've had two girlfriends, but there's no lost love I'm still pining for. Would you consider letting me be your boyfriend?"

"I've had my eye on your heart for a long time. Could you let me move in?"

His words were earnest and full of feeling.

Tears slipped down my cheeks to the corners of my mouth.

They tasted sweet.

I threw myself into his arms and nuzzled his chest.

"Miss Yu You, is that a yes or a no? Give me an answer."

Holding his shirt, I stepped back and looked up.

"Lu Ye, I've been waiting so long for you to say it."

"My fault."

"If you hadn't said anything today, I was going to."

Before I'd finished, he pulled me back against him.

I listened to his heart, its pounding trembling through his chest and into me.

His kisses began at my forehead, moved over my eyes and the tip of my nose, then reached my lips.

Gradually, I surrendered to that gentle onslaught.

After his confession, we began dating in secret.

At first, he flatly refused. He wanted to announce it to the whole world.

He wasn't like those other single dogs anymore. He had a wife now.

But with enough gentle pleading, I persuaded him.

A relationship was private. Besides, we'd only just begun.

A secret office romance inevitably meant stolen moments.

One second, he had me pinned in his desk chair, kissing me, his forehead against mine as he caught his breath.

The next, I'd smoothed my hair and was standing soberly to one side.

Lu Ye pressed his lips together and gave Assistant Zhou an icy look. There was an edge of gritted teeth to his voice.

Outside the office, the poor assistant looked at me miserably.

"Ms. Yu, has something upset Mr. Lu lately?"

I shook my head at this innocent victim.

"I don't think so."

"Family pressuring him to marry? Forcing him on blind dates?"

Another shake of my head.

"Probably not."

He sighed.

"Who can fathom a man's heart? Oh... your lips look a little swollen."

Without blushing or missing a beat, I said, "Extra-spicy hot pot last night. It hasn't gone down yet."

He scratched his head and walked off, muttering, "How spicy does it have to be to last all night...?"

When I handed Lu Ye some documents, he secretly traced my palm with a finger, looking aggrieved.

At lunch, he grumbled.

I sat beside him and kissed his cheek.

"All right. Don't be cross."

He pouted and imperiously offered the other cheek.

Laughing, I kissed that one, too.

He took my hand and gently stroked it in his palm.

"Youyou."

【I just want an official place in her life.】

【I want to hug and kiss my wife without hiding.】

That big-dog expression made me laugh outright.

I coaxed him softly.

"Be good, and I'll grant you one wish."

His eyes lit up.

"Really?"

"Really."

【I want her to wear those pretty things in the wardrobe for me.】

【I want her to call me darling. Call me her husband.】

【I want her to...】

His thoughts veered farther and farther off course.

I set down my chopsticks and looked at him seriously.

"Lu Ye, we've only just started dating. We can take our time. There's no need to rush."

He looked at me, gave an obedient "Oh," and went back to peeling shrimp for me.

At the office, he lingered over letting go of my hand, his mouth drooping pitifully.

I sighed, took his hand and laced our fingers.

He looked puzzled.

"We're at work."

"I know. Aren't I giving you that official place you wanted, Mr. Lu?"

His lips curved. He swung our joined hands, his eyes full of laughter.

Even the biggest dog needed reassurance.

That afternoon, the office gossip chat exploded. Everyone congratulated me on finally getting my happy ending.

Lu Ye spoke up.

"I had to work hard to win her over."

A month into our relationship, his grandfather's birthday celebration came around.

From the moment I learned I'd be attending, anxiety began nibbling at the walls around my heart.

Lu Ye held my waist and smiled.

"It's not your first time meeting them. No need to be so scared, Ms. Yu."

I irritably pushed away his wandering hand.

"This time is different!"

"How? Is the fearless Ms. Yu finally afraid to meet the in-laws?"

I turned away, unwilling to entertain him.

He moved closer and hugged me.

"Don't worry. They've been wanting me to bring you home for ages. Worst comes to worst, we elope."

"No. I can't afford to keep you. I've still got a mortgage."

He looked wounded.

"Really can't?"

I pushed his forehead away with a finger.

"No using your looks on me!"

Heartbroken, he leaned on my shoulder and kept nuzzling.

At the party, his arm stayed firmly around my waist, keeping me possessively close.

His actions announced exactly who I was to everyone present.

【God knows how long I've waited for this.】

【At last, I can tell the world Yu You is mine!】

Beneath the bright lights, countless looks crossed one another.

Admiration. Envy. Appraisal.

His friends respectfully called me their sister-in-law.

Blushing under the chorus, I looked to Lu Ye for help.

He patted my waist fondly.

"All right. You're scaring my girlfriend."

They teased him about being afraid of his woman.

He wore it as a badge of honor and mocked them for being single.

They immediately covered their noses and pretended they couldn't stand the sickly sweetness of love.

When I gave Grandpa Lu his birthday present, my hands were shaking.

He accepted it with a kindly smile and looked at me happily.

I lowered my head in embarrassment.

"All right, Grandpa," Lu Ye said. "I'll bring her back another day so you can have a proper look."

...

While Lu Ye discussed business, I went outside alone for some air.

And ran into Ji Shu.

Her gaze was as sharp as her words.

"Yu You, you really are something. You actually managed to land Lu Ye."

I gave her a bland glance.

"I am rather capable.

"You ought to be pleased. Now you don't have to worry about me taking Shen Lin back.

"Isn't that why you hate me? Because I once had a place in his heart? Let me make this clear: I don't go back to exes."

Her expression twisted. Her fingers clenched white.

"Don't celebrate too soon, Yu You. You may not get through the Lu family's door. Don't fall so hard you become everyone's joke."

Before I could answer, someone spoke for me.

Lu Ye's mother stepped in front of me.

"Oh? I didn't realize you had such wide authority, Ms. Ji. Or that you knew our family so well."

Ji Shu lowered her head.

"I wouldn't presume."

Auntie Lu glanced at her, then took my hand.

"Youyou, don't worry. If that brat Lu Ye ever mistreats you, I'll break his legs. If you're happy together, we'll be your in-laws. If you can't stay together, we'll be your own family instead."

Protected like that, I felt both aching and warm. I nodded softly.

She linked her arm through mine, leaving Ji Shu behind.

"Tell me how Lu Ye courted you. I pushed him so many times, and he never dared. Usually, he'd get cross if I even mentioned it.

"I knew there was something going on ages ago. Every time he looked at you, his eyes stuck as though he wanted to swallow you whole."

...

At last, I understood where he'd got his personality.

After the party, she added me to the family group chat.

To welcome me, everyone sent a shower of cash gifts.

Then they dug up his embarrassing childhood stories, making him protest furiously in the chat.

He hugged me and sulked for comfort.

I thought fate had been rather kind.

It had brought me Lu Ye.

And his family.

Two months into dating, he went away on business. This time, I didn't go.

For the entire month, he video-called every night.

We set our phones aside and worked quietly, keeping each other company.

Sometimes, I was so sleepy I drifted off mid-conversation.

He didn't hang up. The call stayed connected all night.

He sent pictures of all three meals and told me the little details of his day, like a big dog longing for a pat.

A month was too long.

Missing each other was too hard.

Every time we ended a call, neither wanted to let go.

When he came back, I went to the airport myself.

He abandoned Assistant Zhou on the spot, caught my wrist and led me to the car.

His assistant looked furious but didn't dare complain.

Lu Ye drove silently to the apartment, something held tightly behind his dark eyes.

I twisted my fingers together, my heart racing.

The door had barely closed when his kiss swept over me, overwhelming as a storm, enclosing me like a net.

The air grew heavy.

And harder to breathe.

My legs weakened. My waist softened. I seemed to melt into his arms.

"Youyou."

"Mm."

"Sweetheart."

"Mm."

"Can I sleep with you?"

"Mm."

...

As it turned out, a person shouldn't be too softhearted.

Otherwise, they're the one who suffers.

After that trip, he became even clingier.

He even had the nerve to suggest moving in.

I refused immediately. Any hesitation would have been a betrayal of my poor waist.

But some people really were dogs. Shameless ones who clung to me and refused to leave my apartment.

Scold him a little, and he'd pout, bite his lower lip and look at me with wounded eyes.

The moment I softened, he'd brighten and burrow enthusiastically under the covers to warm my bed.

Every night, I fell asleep in his arms.

Every morning, I woke there.

The last person I saw before closing my eyes was him.

The first person I saw when I opened them was him, too.

This life wasn't so bad.

The day I agreed to move in together, he was as happy as a puppy.

He held me close. My eyes curved with laughter.

From then on, we shared one roof.

We never parted again.

* * *

Seven years ago, I met a very special woman.

At work, she was capable and commanding.

Unfortunately, she wasn't my employee.

That day, it was raining hard. She huddled under an awning, staring blankly at the passing crowd, like a stray kitten.

For reasons I couldn't explain, I drove her home.

And offered her a job.

When people slandered her, she gritted her teeth and built herself a thick shell.

She was strong. Even after I scolded her, she'd bend over her proposal and carry on revising, her eyes red.

She was so good that everyone envied me for having such a capable secretary.

But at holidays, a faint loneliness always hid in her eyes.

She was always alone.

Seeing her like that felt like a thorn in my heart.

At some point, every smile, every glance began to affect my mood.

I'd grown used to days when I only had to look up to see her.

When someone praised her, I felt honored, too. An inexplicable pride rose inside me.

When I saw her alone, I wanted to rush over, hold her and give her all the warmth I could.

I thought perhaps I'd truly fallen for her.

Later, I finally gave my little kitten a home.

She could curl up in my arms and ask for affection without fear.

She could even show me her soft, unguarded belly.

THE END