Chapter Four

She coughed lightly, and when she looked up, she met Lu Runxu's dark eyes. She wondered if it was just her imagination, but she actually saw a sense of grievance in Lu Runxu's eyes.

Xing Bei thought to herself, "I must have seen wrong. This is the last time. I will never be fooled by his eyes again."

Xing Bei sighed softly, "I'll allow you to stay for a few days."

Having obtained her consent, Lu Runxu smiled triumphantly and pulled her into his arms when she wasn't paying attention: "I knew Mingzhu was the most understanding."

Xing Bei was so focused on pushing him away that she didn't notice that Lu Runxu called her by her nickname both times.

She usually likes to buy clothes and jewelry. When she bought the house, she didn't buy a studio apartment, but chose a normal two-bedroom apartment. She took Lu Runxu to the second bedroom.

"You'll be sleeping in this room for the next few days." As she spoke, she took clothes out of the closet and hung them on the other side. "Except for the last shelf, you can use whatever you want in the closet."

Lu Runxu stood by the door watching her tidy up, his gaze falling on her, and he couldn't help but reveal a different kind of emotion.

Xing Bei turned to meet his gaze, which seemed to hold even the trash can in deep affection, and felt a little disgusted.

Even though it was only a temporary arrangement to let him stay, it shouldn't have been this touching.

After tidying up the room, Lu Runxu offered to cook, but when he opened the refrigerator, he found nothing but a few eggs and a few bottles of drinks.

He looked at the kitchen again; the utensils looked brand new, and his brows furrowed slightly.

So clean, is she planning to cultivate immortality at home?

Lu Runxu turned to the side and pointed to the empty refrigerator, looking at Xing Bei: "How do you usually manage your three meals a day?"

Xing Bei glanced at the empty refrigerator and smiled sheepishly, "I can't cook, I usually order takeout."

You really can't blame her for this; she genuinely has no talent when it comes to cooking.

Thinking back to her experience of almost blowing up the kitchen the first time she cooked, and the scalded fingers she suffered, she now has a bit of a fear of the kitchen.

Lu Runxu closed the refrigerator and glanced at her indifferently: "Let's go to the supermarket together while we still have time."

He left a message and turned to go to his room to change into some casual clothes.

Xing Bei sat on the sofa staring at him. When Lu Runxu came out after changing his clothes, he saw the expression on her face. He knew without guessing that this person did not believe that he could pick vegetables.

Lu Runxu walked over and took her hand, his gentle voice carrying a hint of teasing laughter: "Mrs. Lu, you don't need to distrust me so much."

Xing Bei stared at the hand he had taken, and before she could shake it off, she heard him call her Mrs. Lu. Xing Bei's lips twitched.

Did she have a hearing problem just now?

She actually heard Lu Runxu call her Mrs. Lu.

Are you crazy?

Lu Runxu looked at the bewildered woman in front of him, chuckled softly, and took her hand, saying, "Mrs. Lu, what are you standing there for?"

Xing Bei's mind hadn't yet recovered from his sudden calls of "Mrs. Lu," and she mechanically followed his steps.

This person really just spouts whatever comes to mind; is it something you can just call someone by any name?

She looked up at the person beside her and realized that he had changed into a hoodie, which was the complete opposite of Lu Runxu's usual suit and tie.

Wearing a suit, he's a refined and aloof young nobleman, but now, dressed in a casual hoodie, Lu Runxu looks just like a young college student.

He's still a shameless male college student.

However, after spending so much time together, this was the first time she had seen him wear such ordinary clothes, and he looked much gentler than usual.

Wearing a suit, Lu Runxu, perhaps due to his upbringing in etiquette, speaks gently while always carrying a faint sense of aloofness, like the snow that never melts on a high mountain, upright and cold.

She looks much better now, and more approachable. If I met her in college, I might really want to date her.

Arriving at the nearby supermarket downstairs, she, who rarely sets foot in the kitchen, could only follow Lu Runxu around aimlessly.

Lu Runxu was very careful in his selections, while she was responsible for observing and evaluating them. Their interaction gave off the vibe of a typical couple shopping at the supermarket after get off work.

After browsing the fruit and vegetable section, Xing Bei excitedly headed to the snack section. She usually enjoys watching dramas and always has snacks with her.

She stood in front of the shelf, seriously considering which flavors of potato chips to choose. She had been feeling a bit feverish lately and needed to reduce the amount of potato chips she ate.

To her surprise, Lu Runxu, who was standing behind her, simply reached out and filled the top layer of the shopping cart without any hesitation.

She stood there staring blankly at him, then reminded him, "Actually, there's no need to buy so much; eating too much will cause internal heat."

Lu Runxu glanced at her and said indifferently, "Can't I eat it?"

Sure, of course. You're a young master, you can buy the whole supermarket.

She thought to herself, forced a smile, and silently followed behind him.

But that's fine too. Given her indecisiveness, she'll definitely agonize over something for more than half an hour.

After paying, they pushed their shopping carts out, and a man in a black suit saw them and quickly walked over.

Assistant Lin, who was standing some distance away, was stunned for a couple of seconds when he saw his boss's outfit.

If it weren't for those fox-like eyes and that familiar sense of aloofness about him, he wouldn't have recognized him as his boss.

He exudes the aura of a young, handsome college student, making it impossible to look away.

He was transferred from Old Master Lu's side and had been working alongside Lu Runxu for several years. This was the first time he had seen President Lu so down-to-earth.

It seems we still have to rely on Miss Xing; perhaps we'll see more of the boss's personal style in the future.

Lu Runxu handed the items to him, and carried some more for himself. The items that ended up in her hands were just light snacks.

She looked at Assistant Lin, who was carrying the most bags, and couldn't help but sigh that these days, even secretaries have to take on these kinds of tasks.

As expected, the novel was right; a CEO's secretary must be an all-rounder and always on call.

The thought of bringing those CEO tactics to Lu Runxu made her feel sorry for Assistant Lin.

Lu Runxu turned his head and saw her looking at Assistant Lin with a sympathetic gaze. He said, "Secretary Lin is the company's chief secretary. His monthly salary is three times yours. You don't need to sympathize with him."

Upon hearing that it was three times her salary, Xing Bei's face fell, and she instantly felt no sympathy for Assistant Lin in front of her.

Is she the only poor working woman in the world who works nine-to-five and earns a pitiful salary?

She protested that the world was not fair at all.

After returning to Platinum Mansion, Lu Runxu carefully put everything away and started cooking in the kitchen himself.

Xing Bei saw that he was wearing a pink apron, and it was rare to see Lu Runxu in such a contrasting state. She had to take a few pictures to keep them.

The man, who is usually aloof and detached from worldly affairs, looks perfectly at home in the kitchen wearing an apron.

Dinner was quite lavish, with three dishes and a soup, and it looked pretty good.

Xing Bei took a small bite and was quite surprised; the taste was comparable to that of her private chef at her home in Qingyang.

She originally thought that a young master like Lu Runxu would never lift a finger and that he wouldn't amount to anything, but she was quite surprised.

Appearances can indeed be deceiving.

Lu Runxu sat opposite her, watching her with her eyes slightly upturned and her thin lips curving into a smile. It seemed that the items suited her taste.

He remembered how his mother used to nag him: "If you learn to cook, your girlfriend will never break up with you."

Lu Runxu originally didn't like learning to cook, but his mother kept nagging him about it, so he had no choice but to give in.

Looking back, he should really thank his mother for all the nagging he went through back then.

After dinner, Xing Bei sat on the sofa watching TV, and Lu Runxu finished cleaning up the kitchen and sat down on the sofa with her.

Just as the show reached an exciting part, there was a sudden knock on the door. Xing Bei didn't even look up, and patted Lu Runxu's arm, saying, "Go open the door."

Lu Runxu put down the book in his hand and walked slowly towards the door. After pushing open the door, he was greeted by a handsome man. Lu Runxu raised an eyebrow.

What a coincidence!

When Zhou Xuzhe saw that the person who opened the door was the same man who had been chatting and laughing with Xing Bei that day, the smile on his face completely disappeared.

How did he end up here?

What exactly is the relationship between Xing Bei and him?

Lu Runxu's cold expression turned into a wicked smile: "Mr. Zhou, if you're here to see Mingzhu, then please go back. She doesn't want to see you."

Bright pearl.

Did Xing Bei tell him his nickname?

He frowned slightly. He had only learned that it was Xing Bei's nickname when her best friend called her Mingzhu. Now Xing Bei was telling this man so easily.

Zhou Xuzhe silently looked behind him, where Xing Bei was sitting on the sofa, leisurely eating fruit and watching a TV series.

He looked away and then at the nonchalant man in front of him, feeling a sense of inexplicable disappointment.

Does she really not want to see him?

Zhou Xuzhe lowered his eyes in disappointment and handed over the box in his hand: "This is what Mingzhu left at Xihai International. Please give it to her."

Return the pearl.

It's really annoying that they're still calling each other so affectionately even after breaking up.

A hint of displeasure flashed in Lu Runxu's eyes. He took the box and chuckled, "No problem. But there's one thing I need to remind Mr. Zhou: now that Mingzhu is married to me, please don't use any titles that might cause misunderstandings."

He paused, and a cold tone escaped his lips: "I'm a very petty person."

"marry?"

Zhou Xuzhe's tone unconsciously rose considerably, his face filled with disbelief as he looked at the person in front of him.

Hearing a slight noise outside, Xing Bei, who was sitting on the sofa, looked towards the door in confusion: "Lu Runxu, who is it?"

Lu Runxu glanced at the man in front of him with his brows furrowed, then turned to look at her, a slight smile curving his thin lips: "An insignificant person."

Xing Bei leaned back and saw a familiar figure; her peach blossom eyes darkened slightly.

"It's getting late, my wife is urging me to get back to work." Lu Runxu said in a somewhat casual tone, "If you don't believe me, we can exchange contact information. You can come to me with any questions you have, and I'd be happy to talk to you."

Zhou Xuzhe gripped the hem of his clothes tightly with both hands, looking at him hesitantly. For some reason, he finally took out his phone and added Lu Runxu on WeChat.

Lu Runxu smiled slightly at him while holding the cardboard box. Xing Bei only looked away from the projection wall after hearing the door close.

Seeing Lu Runxu return carrying a large box, Xing Bei frowned as she stared at the box in his hands: "Did Zhou Xuzhe send this?"

Lu Runxu placed the cardboard box beside her, a cold smile curving his lips: "Mrs. Lu, you're so lucky. Even after breaking up, your ex-boyfriend still comes to give you a gift."

Tsk, this weird smell is almost rising to the top of my head.

When Xing Bei opened the box, she found it was full of dolls and jewelry that Zhou Xuzhe had given her when they were together.

She felt it was pointless to take it with her when she left.

She closed the box and pushed it aside: "It's all trash. Just leave it outside. A cleaner will come to collect it tomorrow."

Upon hearing her words, Lu Runxu picked it up without hesitation and walked out: "It really should be thrown away; it looks quite unlucky."

Xing Bei: "..."

There's no need to be so proactive.

However, she thought that if Zhou Xuzhe heard this, he would be furious.

Zhou Xuzhe, who hadn't gone far, heard the sound and turned around to see Lu Runxu throwing the box he had just taken inside out.

Her hands, hanging by her thighs, gripped the hem of her clothes tightly. Her heart felt like it had been pinched, a dull ache rising within her.

Late at night, a light rain suddenly began to fall in Chanjing, and the dazzling neon lights outside the window gradually faded away.

Looking at the contact Lu Runxu had just added, Zhou Xuzhe noticed that Lu Runxu's Moments were very simple, with only two posts made today.

One post was announcing their marriage, and the other was a candid photo of them shopping at a supermarket together; they really looked like a couple who had just gotten married.

If he weren't Xing Bei's ex-boyfriend, he would also think the two of them are a good match and might even send them his blessings.

Zhou Xuzhe opened the chat box with Xing Bei, wanting to ask her again why she wanted to break up with him.

But he forgot that Xing Bei had already blocked him. Seeing that conspicuous red exclamation mark, Zhou Xuzhe lowered his head and laughed coldly.

He clearly felt that he had never liked Xing Bei, but now he was troubled by her.

He thought he was probably sick.