Chapter 5. Little Boyfriend

She, who had never lost a battle in the business world, has suffered a major setback in love.

She stared at the two bills for a moment, laughed silently, and put together a red packet.

In less than two seconds, a row of small letters appeared on the screen.

[C has claimed your red packet]

The action was quite fast. He Shuyu raised an eyebrow, thinking of the look of the little kid with his lips tightly pursed and every penny counted.

Naturally, he is good-looking, and none of the fresh meat in the entertainment industry can compare [1].

Speaking of which, he seemed to be quite short of money. With his appearance, if he was willing to enter the entertainment industry, there would be many people who would be willing to promote him.

As He Shuyu thought about this, she suddenly saw another red packet pop up in the message box, and the top left corner also showed that he was typing.

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Gqvla y pbsav obkzl, vbl xlppytl ekpyrrlyale.

[U: Geele 14 xsal.]

G elnldv alrzu, okvb y hlau pvaknv qwzz pvsr. Tl oyp dsv&dcpr;vyjkdt yehydvytl sq vbl pkvwyvksd.

Tl Fbwuw vbswtbv vbyv kv oyp bla ynvksdp yv vbl ekddla ryavu yde vbl osaep pbl bye pyke zypv dktbv vbyv bye pnyale vbl nbkze, obs oyp&dcpr;kdkvkyzzu oyau.

Rv oyp vkxl vs vyjl vbkdtp pvlr cu pvlr.

Fbl nzknjle sd vbl ale rynjlv, yde Ubk Dkwuwyd pldv ydsvbla xlppytl.

[U: Valpkeldv. Tl, R byhl vs zlyhl Kkydtnbldt. R osd’v cl cynj wdvkz vbl plhldvb eyu sq vbl qkapv xsdvb. Uyd R alvwad uswa nya vs usw vsxsaaso xsadkdt?]

Mblu olal hlau rszkvl osaep, cwv vblu yzps alhlyzle y pldpl sq elvynbxldv.

The smile in He Shuyu’s eyes faded, remembering that tomorrow was New Year’s Day.

She lost her interest in chatting and simply replied with a yes, along with a string of addresses. She then quit WeChat.

The villa was brightly lit but cold. Her body, warmed by the cup of porridge, was gradually becoming colder.

Sitting at the edge of the bed, He Shuyu looked out of the floor-to-ceiling window and could see her neighbour playing with fairy wands in the courtyard with her two children.

The sister was holding her brother’s hand, and her mother and father were watching carefully from the sidelines, warm and happy.

***

Chi Xiuyuan was not used to being too close with others, and he really did have to leave Jiangcheng tomorrow to go home.

He Shuyu seemed to be suddenly cold.

He waited until the bowl of dumplings was finished and didn’t bother to wait for her to send another message. He stared at the address in the message box for a while before exiting the dialog box.

A message popped up in the list.

[Zhang Tingting: Brother Xiuyuan, Grandma Chi asked me to ask you what time you’ll be back tomorrow so she can cook. Sorry, I forgot to send you a message after I left during the day. I hope I didn’t disturb you.]

Chi Xiuyuan’s neighbor was Zhang Tingting, and they were the same age.

After Chi Xiuyuan went to Jiang University to study, he asked his neighbors, Uncle Zhang’s family, to take care of his grandmother. Uncle Zhang’s family was very welcoming, and Zhang Tingting would often pass on messages to his grandmother, telling him how she was doing.

[C: It’s fine. I’ll probably be home tomorrow evening, thanks]

The top right corner showed that it was being typed in. Chi Xiuyuan waited patiently for a minute but got no response. He frowned, and went into the kitchen with the bowl.

Only when he came out after washing the bowl did the word OK pop up in the dialog box.

After organising the things he wanted to take home, Chi Xiuyuan got up at six o’clock the next day to talk to Uncle Ji about going home for New Year’s. To the latter’s smile, he pulled his suitcase and went to the car park to take out He Shuyu’s car.

He planned to return the car and then go to the station to take the 10 o’clock train back home.

His hometown, Bai County, was not far from Jiangcheng, and it only took half an hour by train. But the station in Bai County had not been built yet, so he had to take a long bus ride to get home after getting off the train.

At half past seven, He Shuyu was still drowsy when her phone rang, urging her to answer it. “Who?”

She had a wake-up call, not a serious one, but not much better. Usually she disciplined herself to get up very early.

She didn’t have to work on New Year’s Eve, and she had fallen asleep late yesterday. Yet she was woken up early this morning. He Shuyu was in a bad mood 

Chi Xiuyuan heard that her tone was not very good and her voice was a bit slurred, so he guessed that he had woken her up.

He had actually wanted to return the car quietly before leaving, but He Shuyu lived in a very strict neighbourhood. He had to have the owner’s permission to enter.

Chi Xiuyuan glanced at the security guard who was staring at him warily, the tip of his tongue resting against the groove of his teeth.

“Ms. He, I’ve come to return the car, but the property won’t let me in. I need your permission. “

Hearing Chi Xiuyuan’s voice, He Shuyu didn’t react for two seconds before getting up from the bed. Her voice still a little soft, she said, “You wait.”

She hung up the phone and sent a message to the property management office, and Chi Xiuyuan was then allowed to enter.

Luanghuan Xianju was one of the most luxurious villa areas in Jiangcheng, with greenery in place and lush vegetation, like a botanical park.

Chi Xiuyuan had come here for the first time, but he easily found the eighth building.

He wanted to return the car and leave but saw that the villa’s door was open.

He Shuyu was wearing a fluffy white bear pajama top. She was leaning against the door with her arms over her chest, her eyelids drooping, looking exhausted.

It was hard to imagine that she would ever wear such cute pajamas that looked so completely out of place in the boardroom.

It was not good to go straight away when you saw someone.

Chi Xiuyuan parked her car in the parking space and only opened the door when he saw that his view was blocked by the white fluffy pajamas.

“Why did you come over so early?” He Shuyu didn’t feel the least bit ashamed of her image. She strutted over to block Chi Xiuyuan in the driver’s seat.

The latter gripped the car keys and shifted his gaze.

“I’m going back home today. The train is at ten o’clock, I’m afraid I won’t be able to make it. I’m sorry I’m disturbing you so early. “

He Shuyu thought for a moment with her eyes dazed, recalling that he had said on WeChat yesterday that he was leaving Jiangcheng.

“The train is at ten o’clock. It’s only seven-thirty. Are you going to sit and shiver in the station so early? Come in and cook me a bowl of congee. I’ll take you to the station later. “

He Shu Yu let go of the hand on the car door and slowly walked towards the house with her hands in the wide pockets of his pajamas.

Chi Xiuyuan hurriedly got out of the car and said, “Ms. He, no need, I-“

“It isn’t easy to get a taxi here unless you want to walk to the train station. It will be billed on time and you won’t miss the train. “

He Shuyu didn’t give him a chance to speak, so he stared at the open door of the villa. He placed his suitcase there and hesitated to enter.

He Shuyu’s place was not as luxurious as one would expect. The living room was large, yet the decoration was very simple, leaning towards cool tones, and she was the only one living there.

The curtains in the living room were all drawn. It had snowed in the past two days, so it looked a bit crunchy outside, but it didn’t feel too cold.

Chi Xiuyuan stood at the entrance door, hesitating a little.

“What are you standing there for?” He Shuyu yawned lazily. “Can I eat you? The ingredients are in the fridge. The kitchen is over there. Just cook me a bowl of congee, I’ll come down and eat it later. “

She stopped after a few steps and turned back. “Find your own shoes and remember to close the door.”

Chi Xiuyuan watched her go upstairs and let out a breath. He thought better of it, took off his shoes, and went into the kitchen.

The kitchen was huge, bigger than his small rental house, with all the kitchen utensils and plenty of ingredients in the fridge. All of which were fresh.

He plucked a bowl of rice, took some eggs, some greens, and cut off a small piece of lean meat. He cooked a bowl of porridge with the ingredients.

He listened to the sound of the pot puffing and stood in the kitchen, dazed.

He didn’t know how long it had been, but he noticed a gaze falling on him, and when he looked back, he met He Shuyu’s smiling eyes.

She had changed out of her pajamas and was wearing a long white jumper with a high collar, and he could see her legs were straight and slender thanks to her bare legs.

When Chi Xiuyuan looked away, he saw that she was still wearing the dazzling ruby ring from the party on her index finger, which was resting on her arm.

She seemed to wear it everywhere she went, but with her slender fingers, the ruby didn’t look gaudy. It complimented it.

Leaning against the kitchen door, she met Chi Xiuyuan’s gaze and lifted her chin, “Are you almost done? I’m hungry. “

The question was rightfully asked, like if she were a proud white swan.

Chi Xiuyuan looked at the fire and nodded, “It’s almost ready. You… can go to the dining room first.”

It wasn’t that he hadn’t been gawked at before; no one had ever been as blunt and bold as He Shuyu.

He didn’t know if she could tell he was uncomfortable, but He Shuyu smiled softly and replied in kind.

When Chi Xiuyuan came out with the porridge, He Shuyu was fiddling with her phone, a little smile on her lips. She was completely devoid of her usual detached indifference.

After she sent the last message, she turned off her phone, and Luo Zhiyao, who had sent her a message at the end of her hospital shift, stared at the phone screen with wide eyes.

[Sister: Be good. Let your little boyfriend pick you up. Sister has something to do this morning. The car will be returned to you next time. You can also come to me to drive if you need it urgently.]

Dr. Luo: He Shuyu, f*ck you! I knew you couldn’t be trusted! What can you do in the early morning?

[Sister: Ms. He is the busiest woman in Jiangcheng. Bye]

Even if Luo Zhiyao had the best brain, she would never have imagined that her half-sister would pigeonhole [2] her for a man.

Turning off her phone, He Shuyu smelled the porridge and shrugged her nose, saying, “It smells so good!”

After some thought, Chi Xiuyuan put the congee in front of her and said, “Ms. He, the congee is ready, so I’ll…”

“What’s the rush? I’ll take you to the station after I’ve finished eating, so you go and get a bowl and eat with me too.”

How could He Shuyu not know what he had in mind? It wasn’t easy to trick the little friend into coming to the house and spending more time together. How could she let him go alone?

Chi Xiuyuan felt that the two of them were not yet familiar enough to eat together.

When He Shuyu saw him not move, she lowered her eyes and her face fell more than a little.

“I’m sorry, it’s me being abrupt. I’ve been alone for a long time and would like to have someone to have a meal with… you go home, drive the car to the station car park, I’ll have someone pick it up later. “

Her eyebrows were tinged with loneliness, and she ate her porridge in silence after the words were spoken.

Chi Xiuyuan looked at her silently, thinking of her lonely back, standing alone by the river last night.

The villa was so big and empty.

The night before, she was like a homeless stray cat, curled up in a ball, waiting for someone to take her home.

Chi Xiuyuan’s eyelashes fluttered, and he whispered, “I’ll go and wash the pot.”

As the man went into the kitchen, He Shuyu’s fingertips hanging on the table tapped the tabletop once or twice, her nude manicure revealing a slight hint of cunning.

Children were just soft-hearted.

It was like that last night, and it was still like that.

Good.

After dawdling over breakfast, it was almost nine o’clock and a few snowflakes were falling from the sky.

The car was too quiet, but He Shuyu did not feel embarrassed and casually asked, “Where is home? How come you only went back on New Year’s Eve?”

“In Bai County … ” Chi Xiuyuan’s wooden-like answer came. For the latter question, he hesitated for a moment before saying, “I … lack money. “

She could see that. If an eighteen or nineteen-year-old was working part-time jobs if it were not because of a lack of money, what else could it be?

“Haven’t you ever thought about making a career as a star? ” He Shuyu asked him with a raised eyebrow.

Chi Xiuyuan had an excellent appearance, and the subsidiaries of the He Group were also involved in the entertainment industry, so she could recommend him if needed.

She had asked her question casually, but the air choked for a moment as the shrill ringing of his mobile phone sounded abruptly.

Chi Xiuyuan said, “Sorry.”

The caller ID was Zhang Ting Ting. He Shuyu unintentionally glanced at the word Ting, her eyebrows slightly adjusted. “Girlfriend?”

The former shook his head and explained, “It’s my neighbor.”

He picked up the phone and only heard one sentence before hurriedly saying, “How is Grandma now? Where is she hurt? Did you go to the hospital? I’ll be right back! “

He didn’t know what the other party had said again, so he responded haphazardly before hurriedly hanging up the phone. Before he could speak, he felt He Shuyu increase the speed of her car.

The latter’s voice was gentle and slightly reassuring: “What’s wrong at home? Don’t worry, it will be fine. The station will be here soon. “

Chi Xiuyuan quietly said, “Thank you.” When he looked out, he saw that the snow outside the window was getting heavier and heavier, unknowingly covering the highway and turning the world into a blanket of silver.

It wasn’t long before he arrived at the station. Chi Xiuyuan carried his suitcase and thanked He Shuyu. Before he entered the station, his phone rang with a message alert.

He thought it was another message from Zhang Tingting and hurriedly opened WeChat, only to see a transfer message in the dialog box with He Shuyu.

Chi Xiuyuan counted the zeros twice, not quite believing it. He wanted to make sure it was 50,000 yuan, the maximum amount that could be transferred in a single day by WeChat.

A message popped up.

[President He: Breakfast hourly rate in comparison to what my chef gives and receives]

Chi Xiuyuan stared at the dialog box for a while, his eyes a little hot.

He curled his fingers and typed several messages back and forth in the dialog box, finally deleting them all and sending only the word “thank you.”

He Shuyu replied with a cat’s head touch.

The tip of Chi Xiuyuan’s tongue was pressed against his teeth as he carried his suitcase inside when news of the suspension of trains due to heavy snow suddenly came over the radio at the train station.

[1] Young, good-looking men, particularly in the entertainment industry, are generally referred to as such.

[2] Pigeon-hole – To strand someone.