Chapter 60: “Expensive” Watches (Part 2)

The car drove smoothly into the apartment building's basement garage. Zhao Chen parked the car and unbuckled his seatbelt, but didn't get out immediately. The dim light inside the car outlined his deep features. He turned sideways, his gaze fixed on the blue box that Yu Ling treasured like a treasure.

"Lingling." His voice rang out in the silent space, low and clear.

Yu Ling's heart skipped a beat. She looked up and met his bottomless eyes. They were filled with a complex emotion she couldn't understand: surprise, shock, and a tenderness so thick it made her heart burn.

"Why?" he asked, his voice soft and cautious, probing. "This watch... is very expensive." He paused, his eyes glancing at the box in her arms. "It's a limited edition Horizon."

Yu Ling's cheeks instantly burned, and she gripped the box even tighter, her knuckles turning pale. She avoided his scorching gaze, her voice as soft as a mosquito's, a touch of shyness:

"I...I just saw your old watch. I've worn it for so long, it's worn out...I wanted to...I wanted to give you a new one..." Her voice got softer and softer, and finally it was almost a whisper. "I...I bought it with the money I saved!"

With the last sentence, she seemed to want to prove something. She suddenly raised her head and mustered up the courage to look at him, with a bit of stubbornness and subtle grievance in her eyes.

The car was completely silent. Zhao Chen said nothing, simply staring at her. His gaze, tangibly warm, traced every inch of her reddened ears, her nervously pursed lips, and those eyes that feigned composure but betrayed all her thoughts. Time seemed to freeze for a few seconds.

Then, without warning, he leaned forward.

The warm fingertips, covered with thin calluses, gently touched her cheek, the gesture as if he were touching a rare treasure. Yu Ling's breath caught, and her body stiffened instantly.

"Lingling," his voice was as low as the strings of a cello, trembling in the small space, and every word struck Ling's heart clearly, "I have a lot of watches. Gold, platinum, diamond-studded, limited edition, custom-made..."

His fingertips slid slowly along her jawline to behind her ear, gently caressing the sensitive skin and bringing a slight shudder.

"But none of them," he paused slightly, his amber eyes locked on hers, a surging tenderness surging in the depths of his eyes that almost drowned her, "can compare to this one."

His voice was lower and hoarse, carrying a kind of magic that made one's heart tremble. "Because this is a gift from you. You gave it to me with the money you saved up bit by bit."

He leaned closer, his warm breath caressing Ling's hair, carrying his unique, clear and steady scent. With his other hand, he carefully, almost reverently, took the dark blue watch box from her stiff arms.

"It's not just a watch anymore, Lingling." He opened the box. The dark blue dial shone mysteriously in the dim light. He took out the watch and gently untied the old watch that had been with him for many years. The worn strap of the old watch slipped off silently and was casually placed aside.

Then he lifted Yu Ling's slightly trembling hand.

Yu Ling's fingertips were icy cold. Zhao Chen lowered his head, and his warm lips gently and tenderly kissed her slightly cool fingertips. The touch was like a faint electric current, instantly running from his fingertips up Yu Ling's spine, causing her entire body to tremble slightly.

"This is a token of your love." He murmured softly, his lips leaving her fingertips, but he still held her hand, guiding her to slowly and steadily put the new, deep blue "Deep Space Gaze" on his sleek left wrist.

The cold platinum case touched his warm skin, bringing a subtle stimulation. Zhao Chen raised his wrist. The deep blue dial shone in the dim light, and against his cold white skin and clear wrist bones, it felt a thrilling sense of fit.

He lowered his head, concentrating on the new watch on his wrist for a long moment. When he looked up again, all the complex emotions in his eyes had subsided, leaving only pure, inextricable joy and cherishment. He reached out the hand wearing the new watch and gently cupped Yu Ling's cheek, his thumb gently caressing the corner of her lips.

"Lingling," he called her name, his voice overflowing with sweetness and satisfaction, "Thank you."

He leaned over, resting his forehead against hers, his nose rubbing against hers, like two little animals snuggling together for warmth, their breaths blending together. "This is... the most precious gift I've ever received. I will always wear it, every day."

His breath was so close, carrying a scalding warmth. His undisguised joy and cherishment, like the sweetest honey, instantly melted Yu Ling's anxiety and pain.

A warm current surged from the depths of her heart, spreading to every part of her body. She looked at his handsome face, the watch on his wrist that she had gritted her teeth to buy, and the reflection of her in his eyes. An unprecedented feeling of happiness, a mixture of sweetness and satisfaction, enveloped her tightly.

She couldn't help but curl up the corners of her lips, and the blush on her cheeks deepened, as if the sunset had dyed the clouds.

On Monday morning, Zhao Chen, true to his words, wore his deep blue "Deep Space Gaze" to work. The platinum case glowed a discreet silver-gray matte in the morning light, and the deep midnight blue dial complemented his dark suit cuffs, creating an understated yet undeniably luxurious feel.

Yu Ling looked at his back as he walked out the door, and her heart felt like there was a warm little sun in her heart.

However, this warmth didn't last long. During lunch break, Yu Ling and several familiar female colleagues went downstairs to the coffee shop next to the company to buy drinks. As soon as they stepped out of the elevator, they ran into Manager Wang, who was notorious in the department for flattering others and gossiping.

Manager Wang was in her late 40s, well-maintained, dressed in designer clothes and clutching the latest luxury brand handbag. Her chin was perpetually raised. She casually glanced at Yu Ling and the others, and just as she was about to pass by, her gaze suddenly fixed on Yu Ling's wrist—it was empty.

Manager Wang paused, his lips curled up in an undisguised, contemptuous arc. His voice rose, with a deliberate surprise: "Hey, Yu Ling! Why aren't you wearing your 'precious' watch today?"

Her shout successfully attracted the attention of several colleagues around her, and they all looked over at her.

Yu Ling's heart skipped a beat, but she tried to remain calm: "Manager Wang, I don't quite understand what you mean."

"Don't understand?" Manager Wang scoffed, her eyes scanning Yu Ling like a searchlight. "It was last Friday, when I got off work, I saw you holding a big Horizon box with my own eyes! Tsk tsk, that brand is not cheap!" She deliberately dragged out her tone, the mockery in her eyes almost overflowing. "What? You've only worn it for two days, and you can't bear to wear it anymore? Or..."

She paused deliberately, took a step forward, and lowered her voice, enough for her colleagues who were listening closely to hear: "You bought a fake piece of fake stuff, and you're afraid people will find out and expose your mistake?"

The air around them instantly fell silent. Several female colleagues looked at each other, their expressions somewhat awkward. Everyone knew Manager Wang's character, but no one wanted to offend her at this time.

A surge of anger suddenly surged to Yu Ling's head, and her cheeks flushed crimson. She clenched her fists, digging her nails deep into her palms, suppressing her anger. "Manager Wang, please be more careful with your words! It's not your place to judge whether my things are real or fake!"

"Oh, you're anxious?" Manager Wang seemed to have caught something, feeling even more smug and his voice even louder. "Are you feeling guilty? A limited edition Horizon watch, how could you possibly afford it? And the 'Deep Space Gaze' watch? Serial number 007? Do you know how much that watch cost? Even if you sold yourself, you wouldn't be able to afford a fraction of it!"

She curled her lips, her eyes like poisoned needles. "You're so young, why not learn something else? Why do you imitate others and buy fake things to show off? Aren't you afraid of being embarrassed? Wearing a fake watch, what? Who are you trying to seduce?"

The harsh words were like a cold knife, piercing Yu Ling's heart. She was so angry that she trembled all over, and her eyes instantly turned red. The glances from her colleagues around her made her feel a burning sensation of embarrassment. She bit her lower lip and was about to retort -

"Oh? Horizon's 'Deep Space Gaze', number 007?"

A deep and pleasant male voice with a hint of a lazy smile suddenly sounded in the slightly tense corridor.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound.

Zhao Chen had unknowingly stood at the elevator entrance. He stood tall and straight, dressed in a well-tailored dark gray suit. He wore no tie, his collar casually unbuttoned by one button, revealing a hint of his cool, pale collarbone. He tucked one hand into his trouser pocket, his posture relaxed, as if he had just finished a leisurely meeting. The afternoon sun filtered through the vast glass curtain wall, illuminating his handsome features and the deep blue watch on his left wrist.

He stretched out his long legs and walked a few steps to Yu Ling's side. He stretched out his arm very naturally, wrapped it around her slightly trembling shoulders, and protected her by his side. He had a gentle smile on his face, but his eyes were like an ice-hardened blade, accurately cast at Manager Wang, whose face changed slightly.

"This... Supervisor?" Zhao Chen's tone was neither hurried nor slow, with a sense of pressure that only a superior could give, making one hold their breath. "You seem to know my watch very well?"

Manager Wang was startled by his seemingly gentle but actually penetrating gaze, but relying on the fact that he was in his own territory, and seeing the brand-unidentified suit on Zhao Chen (actually a top-notch custom-made suit), he concluded that the other party was just Yu Ling's "ordinary employee" husband who was also trying to be rich, and he felt more confident.

She puffed out her chest, raised her chin, and glanced critically at the watch on Zhao Chen's wrist, her tone even more disdainful:

"Humph, that couple is quite good at acting. One bought fakes to impress, and the other dared to wear them out so brazenly? Birds of a feather flock together!"

She scoffed and pointed at Zhao Chen's wrist. "This one? And it's numbered 007? It's a very realistic imitation, but it's a shame. A genuine product is an A product, and the details are far off! Do you really think everyone else is blind?"

You could hear a pin drop in the hallway. All eyes were focused on Zhao Chen's wrist. The deep blue dial shone mysteriously in the sunlight, and the sapphires at the ends of the hands reflected a fine, brilliant light.