Chapter Eleven
"Tiger, what's wrong with you?" Lu Nan asked, puzzled, as she was dragged out of the restaurant.
"It's nothing," Cheng Xiangbei said, touching his nose. "I'm just a little scared."
"What are you afraid of!" Lu Nan couldn't help but swear, pointing her finger at his nose and asking, "What are you afraid of? Afraid that the woman over there will take a liking to you?"
"Nannan, what nonsense are you talking about!" Cheng Xiangbei secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that Lu Nan hadn't noticed the strange look in Meng Tianze's eyes. "Look at me, I'm completely yours inside and out. Even if she likes me, I wouldn't like her, right?"
"You still dare to look at her?!" Lu Nan sneered.
"No, no, no, look, you're all I see and feel in my eyes, look, look..." He leaned closer to Lu Nan, insisting that Lu Nan see who was reflected in his eyes.
"I'm telling you, if another Guan Yijia comes along, I'll castrate you!" Lu Nan made a scissor gesture with her hand and snapped a picture.
Cheng Xiangbei chuckled and said, "Don't worry, there won't be such a day."
"That's good." Lu Nan glanced at him sideways and patted her stomach. "I'm hungry, you owe me a big meal!"
"Great! My wallet's bulging today, so Nan Nan can eat whatever she wants!"
"Alright!" Lu Nan finally smiled, pointing to the seafood restaurant in front of her. "That's it!"
"Alright, Your Majesty, let me show you the way..." Cheng Xiangbei bowed, and Lu Nan took the opportunity to jump onto his back. The two of them crossed the road laughing and joking, having already forgotten their earlier unpleasantness.
After a delicious meal, Lu Nan, with a slightly protruding belly, returned to her dormitory with Cheng Xiangbei.
As soon as they entered, Cheng Xiangbei saw Liu Fei staggering off the bed. Seeing that he couldn't even stand properly, Cheng quickly helped him. "Hey? Fei, why are your hands so hot?"
"...It's nothing." Liu Fei withdrew his hand as if to cover up his embarrassment. Lu Nan rushed over and reached out to touch his forehead. "Fei, you have a fever!"
"I'm fine." Liu Fei forced a smile and was about to sit down to put on his shoes.
"Afei, you really have a fever!" Cheng Xiangbei frowned, seeing his flushed face. "Where are you going?"
"I also have... tutors," Liu Fei said in a low voice.
Cheng Xiangbei crossed his arms and said, "It's very cold now, and you're not even wearing a cotton coat. Are you looking to die?"
Liu Fei lowered his head and said after a long while, "If I don't tutor, I won't even be able to afford the fare home."
"Huh?" Lu Nan exclaimed in surprise. He knew Liu Fei's family situation was average, but he didn't expect it to be this bad. Cheng Xiangbei patted his head, signaling him to be quiet. "Fei, you're burning up like this. What if you collapse on the way? Besides, going to tutor like this will only cause trouble for the other person, won't it?"
“But…” Liu Fei leaned against the railing and gave a bitter smile. “If you take leave twice, you’ll be replaced. I’ve already taken leave once.”
Cheng Xiangbei sighed and said, "Write down the address for me, I'll go for you. Also, go to the school hospital with Lu Nan later."
"I've taken my medicine," Liu Fei said, waving his hand.
"Bullshit! Am I the boss or are you the boss?!" Cheng Xiangbei roared, while Liu Fei lowered his head and remained silent. "Nannan, you stay here and watch over him. I'll call Dezi and Luo Ming, and we'll take Afei to see a doctor when they get back, understand?"
Lu Nan nodded obediently and sat down in front of Liu Fei, blocking his way.
Cheng Xiangbei took the address Liu Fei had copied down, picked up his schoolbag, and went out. He made a phone call as he walked, and Li Weide and Luo Ming assured him they would be back soon, so he felt relieved and rode his bike to help Liu Fei with his tutoring.
Liu Fei was pushed to the school hospital by three people to get an IV drip, and his fever basically subsided.
Lu Nan ran to buy him some white porridge and stood by Liu Fei's bedside, urging him to eat.
Liu Fei held the bowl, looking at Lu Nan's expectant eyes, and felt a little embarrassed. "Thank you, Lu Nan."
Lu Nan touched Liu Fei's blanket and said, "Fei, your blanket is all damp from sweating. Use mine!" After saying that, she ran downstairs and gave Liu Fei her own blanket.
Liu Fei stared at him blankly. "Lu...Lu Nan, you gave me your blanket, how are you going to sleep tonight?"
"Huh?" Lu Nan was stunned; he had forgotten about this.
"Lu Nan, Lu Nan, could you be any less clever?" Li Weide laughed loudly, lying on the table, his finger shaking as he pointed at Lu Nan.
"I...I..." Lu Nan blushed, and Liu Fei was about to return the quilt to Lu Nan.
Just then, Cheng Xiangbei returned. "Hey, what's all this commotion about?"
"Boss, your Lu Nan is so selfless!" Luo Ming exaggeratedly wiped away his tears and laughed, "He gave his own blanket to Liu Fei, and I don't know how he'll sleep tonight."
"Oh?" Cheng Xiangbei raised an eyebrow, a smile playing on his lips. "Then sleep with me!"
"Cough, cough!" Li Weide choked on his water and exclaimed, "Boss! You guys are all living happily ever after, but what about us lonely souls?"
“Yes, under the beautiful moonlight, I heard the bed next door creaking, Dede…” Luo Ming rushed over and grabbed Li Weide’s hand. “Or, how about we just make do? Hmm?” He even gave her a big wink.
Li Weide shuddered. "Your Majesty, please spare me! I'm so pitiful, I've been tormented to the point of near death by you. Where will my son be born now!"
After laughing and joking around for a while, Lu Nan actually fell asleep on Cheng Xiangbei's bed.
The bed was small, with railings on the outside, further limiting its usable area. Lu Nan was held in Cheng Xiangbei's arms, their limbs intertwined, pressed tightly together.
"Boss, are you sure you can handle this? Don't squeeze Lu Nan like a tofu!" Li Weide joked.
"Yeah, yeah, look how fair and delicate Lu Nan's skin is," Luo Ming chimed in. "Do you guys get used to sleeping there?"
Cheng Xiangbei glared at them. "We've been sleeping in the same bed for over ten years, what do you think?"
"Ahem, ahem..." Li Weide made a "sorry" gesture. "You're quite skilled at your job, huh? Hehe, hehe."
Lu Nan chuckled softly, nestled against Cheng Xiangbei's neck, and closed her eyes. Cheng Xiangbei's bed was connected to Liu Fei's, and with the lights off, they could hear each other's breathing, so neither of them dared to make any small movements, simply cuddling under the covers.
"Nannan, do you feel cramped?" Cheng Xiangbei asked softly.
"Hmm, it's alright." Lu Nan whispered in his ear. "Why are you back so early today?"
"Don't even mention it, something really rare happened." Cheng Xiangbei chuckled.
“Tell me about it,” Lu Nan said, perking up.
“Uh…” Cheng Xiangbei hesitated for a moment, then touched Lu Nan’s lips. “I’ll tell you tomorrow, sweetie, go to sleep.”
"Okay, goodnight, Tiger." Lu Nan gently kissed Cheng Xiangbei on the cheek, placed her hand on his chest, and closed her eyes.
Cheng Xiangbei stared blankly at his sleeping face, his eyes overflowing with tenderness. He listened as Liu Fei's breathing grew longer, and gently touched Lu Nan's forehead with his lips, feeling Lu Nan pinch him lightly. Cheng Xiangbei smiled and whispered, "Goodnight, baby."
"What did you say?" In the restaurant, Lu Nan and Cheng Xiangbei sat facing each other, listening in surprise as the other recounted his experience from the previous night. "Is the company where Afei works a subsidiary of your family?"
"You could say that," Cheng Xiangbei said while peeling an egg for him. "Yesterday I went to that house, and before I could even say anything, the man of the house called out my name."
"That's amazing?" Lu Nan's eyes widened.
"Yes, I don't know anyone else in Haicheng besides Brother Han and his group. And that person was quite respectful to me, which I find strange. I have to find out what's going on, right?"
Lu Nan nodded. "Yes, yes."
"Do you remember when Uncle Li brought us here, he arranged for a car from the branch office here?" Cheng Xiangbei put the peeled eggs into Lu Nan's bowl. "It was this Vice President Wang who brought the car over. He saw me at the time, but I didn't recognize him."
"I see!" Lu Nan nodded. "Will this make things easier for A-Fei's tutoring?"
“That’s not all,” Cheng Xiangbei said with a smile. “I talked to him about Afei’s situation, and he made a suggestion.”
"What suggestion?" Lu Nan asked curiously.
"Eat the eggs first."
"Okay, okay, tell me quickly!" Lu Nan obediently scooped up the eggs, and Cheng Xiangbei patted his head approvingly. "Cheng's has a targeted training program, which is actually a disguised way of subsidizing poor students. Cheng's provides tuition and necessary living expenses for four years of university, but after graduation, students must work for Cheng's for two to four years."
"That's good!" Lu Nan nodded. "Hey? Will I get paid after I start working? I can't work for free!"
Cheng Xiangbei poked his forehead. "Of course we'll pay! The salary and benefits are all written in the contract, but it depends on the individual's wishes and requires parental permission."
"I don't think Afei will refuse," Lu Nan said urgently. "Let's go talk to him right now!"
Cheng Xiangbei quickly grabbed him. "What's the rush? When Afei goes to class next time, Vice President Wang will naturally talk to him. Let's just pretend we don't know anything."
"Why?" Lu Nan asked, puzzled.
Cheng Xiangbei sighed and said, "Nannan, there's a right way to help others. Afei is pushing himself to tutor despite his illness because he has his pride. So, don't wear your sympathy on your sleeve, okay?"
Lu Nan nodded, looking at Cheng Xiangbei with admiration. "Tiger, you're such a good person."
Looking at him like that, Cheng Xiangbei felt the air around him thin, and he felt so beautiful he could fly away. "Hehe, now you know how amazing your husband is!"
Lu Nan kicked him under the table. "Bastard! Who's my husband?!"
"Oh, oh." Cheng Xiangbei quickly suppressed his smile and pushed the small plate of dishes towards Lu Nan. "Let's eat!"
Lu Nan glared at him again before lowering her head and slowly drinking her porridge.
"Ah, I just remembered something else," Cheng Xiangbei blurted out while eating.
"Why are you making such a fuss?!" He kicked her again.
"That Vice President Wang told me that the regional general manager's child is in the same cohort as us," Cheng Xiangbei said mysteriously with a smile. "Guess who he is?"
"How should I know?" It's none of his business.
Cheng Xiangbei smiled and whispered a name in Lu Nan's ear.
Lu Nan's eyes widened in surprise. "Yu Mufeng?!"
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