Chapter 75 The Uninvited Guest
For the next two days, Wen Xue continued to visit frequently, often staying in Lu Ming's office for a long time before leaving. As a result, whispers and gossip began to circulate about their relationship within the company.
Many long-time employees had heard rumors that the boss had a crush on Miss Wen. A few sharp-eyed people recognized Wen Xue's identity, and then the gossip started to spread.
Everyone's talking about how the boss's former sweetheart has returned, and whether Miss Wen Chu will break up with him.
Especially since Wen Chu has been frequently absent from the office these past few days, leaving as soon as Wen Xue arrives, it's clear to outsiders that something is definitely going on.
Wen Chu didn't get back to the company until 2 p.m. today.
She was unaware that she had been relegated to the role of a pitiful backup by her employees, who were all worried that Lu Ming would do something to betray her, and spoke to her with concern and indignation at his injustice.
However, she was indeed trying to avoid Wen Xue; out of sight, out of mind. Who wanted to see the two of them develop feelings for each other?
A private club recently opened near the company. Since she had nothing else to do, she went to check it out and had a pretty good experience. So she got a membership card. Whenever Wen Xue appeared, she would go there to play tennis, take a bath, and exercise to improve her health and cultivate her mind.
Exercise stimulates dopamine secretion, and after sweating profusely, taking a shower and then going out to eat at a restaurant she likes—this whole routine helps Wen Chu feel much better.
When she was in a better mood, she would come back to work for a while longer. She had just changed her clothes and reached the office door when Lu Ming happened to push open the door of the office next door and the two of them unexpectedly looked at each other.
Wen Chu didn't intend to greet anyone. She pushed open the door to go in, but then heard someone behind her ask, "Where have you been these past few days since you left the office?"
Wen Chu paused as she pushed the door open, and said irritably, "Didn't you say you'd never interfere with where I wanted to go?"
Lu Ming clearly didn't intend to waste any more time arguing with her. He simply nodded, said "Then pretend I didn't ask," and walked past her into the elevator. His curiosity about her seemed to be fleeting, quickly fading away.
Wen Chu gave a slight twitch at the corner of her mouth and went into the office.
As soon as she entered the office, she regretted it. Her willfulness and sulking would not get her anything back; they would only push people further apart and make their relationship better, making it take her longer and longer to get home.
Regardless of the circumstances, completing the mission and returning home is the most important thing.
Half an hour later, Lu Ming returned. Wen Chu heard the noise, took a deep breath, walked to the glass wall and knocked three times rhythmically, asking him if he was busy.
She wasn't sure if he would respond, but after a few seconds of silence, he knocked lightly, indicating he was available. Wen Chu then opened the door to his office and went out.
"If you need anything in the future, just come to me directly. You don't need to do that." As soon as she came in, Lu Ming said bluntly, his expression becoming even more indifferent.
Wen Chu ignored him and placed the cake she had bought on his table: "Did you have any problems with the budget?"
Lu Ming glanced at the cake box; it was from the same store as the one he had asked Luo Wen to buy before, but not the same one. "You don't need to do these things for me anymore. No matter how good you are to me, it won't change anything."
"What I'm asking is, are there any problems with the budget?" Wen Chu repeated expressionlessly.
"Yes." Lu Ming put the cake aside, flipped out the form, and asked about the reasons for choosing several ingredients.
After Wen Chu answered Lu Ming's question in a formal and straightforward manner, the two fell silent again. Wen Chu couldn't think of anything else to talk about, so she stood up and said, "What you said makes sense. I'll go and revise it. If you don't want the cake, just throw it away. You don't need to say anything more to me."
After saying that, she paused in her steps as she turned to leave, and added, "But I want to eat Aunt Sun's crayfish, otherwise they'll be out of season. There's no need to airfreight them, I can just buy some fresh ones at the market."
They were still in a relationship, and Lu Ming had no reason to refuse Wen Chu's reasonable requests.
"knew."
After Wen Chu left, Lu Ming first dealt with the work at hand, and only after he finished did his gaze fall on the cake box.
He felt the packaging looked familiar, even though he had never bought it before.
For some reason, he reached out and opened the box. Inside was a rare pink, layered cake shaped like a cat's paw, with half a bright red strawberry on each paw.
Wen Chu worked late that night and was temporarily held up by the technical staff to fix a bug. Lu Ming wanted to stay and help her solve it, but Wen Chu stopped him.
"You can go back now, I don't need you. I'll be right back. If you feel guilty, help me peel the crayfish and tell the aunt not to put too much garlic and a little less vinegar."
Lu Ming frowned, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.
Wen Chu stepped forward, getting closer to him, a hint of her usual cunning returning to her eyes: "What's wrong? If I haven't lost my memory, you should still be my boyfriend, right? Peeling shrimp for me isn't part of your responsibility to 'take care' of me?"
Lu Ming ultimately said nothing: "Hurry up and resolve this. If there are still problems, call me."
"Okay, don't miss me." Wen Chu slapped the man's face nonchalantly, earning him a glare in return.
The repair took longer than she expected. By the time she got back, it was completely dark. Twenty minutes before she was home, Wen Chu received a text message from Lu Ming asking when she would be back.
It's really strange that the other party would actually ask this; it's probably because the food is already prepared.
Wen Chu figured they were almost there anyway, so she didn't turn back and stepped on the gas pedal a little harder.
Twenty minutes was shortened to fourteen minutes before she appeared at her door and knocked.
The door opened much later than usual today. Aunt Sun was probably busy, and Lu Ming is not the same Lu Ming as before, so he probably wouldn't come to open the door for her on his own initiative.
Wen Chu didn't think much of it. The door opened quickly, and Aunt Sun greeted her, but opened the door slowly and her eyes darted around, as if she had done something wrong.
Wen Chu was a little puzzled, but before she could ask, she saw Wen Xue standing up from the dining table.
The moment she saw him, she found it hard to breathe. A sharp pain shot through her chest, as if something hard was pressing down on it.
In just a few days, the two of them had already progressed to this point behind her back?
Is this a blatant provocation against her?
As soon as Wen Xue saw her come in, she immediately stepped forward to explain, as if she had prepared her words in advance, which only made her seem more like she was trying to cover up her mistake: "I had something to do nearby, and I had a contract that I had just finished drafting and left in my car. I thought it wasn't far from here, so I just brought it over. I was originally planning to mooch a meal... I didn't know you were coming too. In that case, you guys eat. I'll be going now."
Wen Xue had been gone for half a minute, but Wen Chu was still standing at the door with a calm expression, staring at Lu Ming at the dining table without making a move.
The atmosphere suddenly became heavy, making it almost impossible to breathe.
“She really did come to deliver some documents,” Lu Ming finally said.
"You asked me when I'm coming back. Are you afraid I'll see her, or afraid she'll see me?" Wen Chu asked calmly.
"I just wanted to confirm when you'll be back for dinner."
"Yes, knowing when I'll be back will prevent me from running into her, and you can spend more time with her."
Lu Ming moved his lips as if he wanted to explain, but then chose to remain silent.
Silence is consent. Wen Chu chuckled, "You shouldn't have asked me when I'd be back. You should have asked if I could stay away, so you two could have a candlelight dinner. Or did you already have one while I was away? It was just a spur-of-the-moment decision today, and you two didn't have time to discuss it, which is why I saw it?"
Lu Ming looked up at her: "Do you still believe what I'm saying now?"
Those eyes seemed to say, "How far are you going to go with your unreasonable behavior?"
"That's what I should be asking you. Can I still believe what you say?"
They remained locked in a stalemate, with the rest of the family members holding their breath and retreating to the background.
The taut string, seemingly about to snap, suddenly relaxed. Wen Chu's expression softened, and she walked to the dining table, sat down, and said in a muffled voice, "Fine, let's eat. Auntie worked so hard to make this; it would be a waste if I didn't eat it. Where are my shrimp?"
"Wen Chu."
Lu Ming called her name in a serious and solemn tone, as if he was about to give her a long lecture about understanding her own identity. Wen Chu frowned in annoyance and interrupted him directly: "Shut up!"
Lu Ming, who had already been on the verge of saying something, couldn't bring himself to say it because of the woman's expression. He turned to Aunt Sun and said, "Auntie, could you please peel the shrimp for her?"
Wen Chu gave a slight twitch at the corner of her mouth, lowered her eyes, and took a sip of soup. "No need. I can do it myself."
After finishing the bowl of soup, she calmly said, "Can you let me know directly when she comes here? I don't want to see you catching up under the guise of work; it's disgusting."
Lu Ming wasn't angry at her harsh tone; he simply said in a low voice, "After a while, we won't need to maintain this relationship anymore. It'll be better for both of us."
"It's good for you and her, but how is it good for me?"
In the kitchen.
"Oh no! Young Master and Sister Wen really had a fight!" Xiao Yuan cried out from the kitchen, her face flushed with anger. "How could Young Master do this?! He's breaking up with Sister Wen just because Miss Wen Xue is back?! That's so awful, Auntie!!"
Aunt Sun was wiping the kitchen counter, her face was not good, but she didn't know what to say.
Unable to get a response from Aunt Sun, Xiao Yuan started complaining on her own: "He was just like that with Miss Wen Xue, and now he's having dinner with Sister Wen Chu. What is the young master trying to do! I really want to tell on him! I'm so angry!!"
Twenty minutes ago.
Lu Ming had just sent a text message to Wen Chu and, seeing no reply, put on two layers of gloves and started peeling shrimp. He'd just finished peeling two when the doorbell rang. Unable to free his hands, he asked Aunt Sun to open the door.
Someone walked in. Lu Ming opened his mouth, about to ask if the problem was solved, when he realized it wasn't Wen Chu's footsteps. He fell silent, looked up, and saw Aunt Sun's surprised expression.
The woman walked in from outside. Wen Xue looked around the living room and said with a smile, "You haven't changed much here. It's still the same as before. Even the paintings on the wall haven't been changed."
Lu Ming paused for two seconds before asking, "What are you doing here?"
“I just met a client from China nearby. We’ve always communicated via email, but I thought it would be good to meet in person since I’m back. I suddenly remembered that our contract is ready, and you live nearby, so I came straight here. Oh, did I bother you?” Wen Xue said as she walked, her gaze falling on the table full of dishes.
"Are you eating all this by yourself? You've become extravagant, Lu Ming," Wen Xue teased.
Lu Ming didn't explain, "Just put the contract on the coffee table."
"Can I have a meal with you? I haven't eaten yet."
Lu Ming frowned slightly: "You shouldn't have come to my house without telling me. Work-related matters should be discussed during work hours."
Wen Xue's gaze lingered on the large bowl of crayfish on the table, then she noticed the plastic gloves Lu Ming was wearing and the peeled shrimp meat in the bowl next to him. Her smile faded slightly. "I think I really did bother you? Are you having guests coming over later?"
Aunt Sun, who was tidying up her things, couldn't help but interject, "They're not guests, Miss Wen Chu is coming to eat."
"Wen Chu?" Wen Xue found it hard to believe: "You two are already... living together? Did you prepare this dish for her?"
Seeing the man's tacit agreement, Wen Xue was even more surprised: "You have a severe seafood allergy, yet you peeled shrimp for her? You've really fallen for her?"
“I didn’t.” Lu Ming frowned and took off his gloves. “This is something I owe her. She has helped me a lot, and I don’t want to fuss over such a small thing. She occasionally comes to stay in the guest room, but we don’t sleep together.”
Wen Xue placed her hands on the table and said seriously, "Lu Ming, I know you have your principles, but this will only make her like you more and more. I didn't expect that my sister, who is usually only interested in things for three minutes, could like you for so long. But since you haven't been interested in her for so long, then don't drag it out any longer! If you are soft-hearted towards her and keep indulging her to get closer to you, it will only make her more and more heartbroken later."
Lu Ming countered, "Then what about you? Since you understand this principle, why did you come looking for me? Weren't you going to leave anyway?"
Upon hearing this, Wen Xue's arrogance immediately subsided. She hesitated for a few seconds, then revealed a troubled expression: "Lu Ming, you know I have feelings for you, but I also need my career. I can't accept entering into marriage without achieving anything. I must rely on my own hands to achieve success. I need to have my own place in this world so that my soul can have a home. I don't want to be just your wife and my father's daughter. I have my own name."
She stepped forward and said earnestly, "And I'm working hard. If you give me a little more time, once I finish my product, maybe I can bring it back to develop the business."
Lu Ming gave a slight smirk: "If your company hadn't suddenly run into problems this time, you wouldn't have come back at all. You've said these nice things far too often these past few years."
Wen Xue suddenly covered his hand on the table: "So you really don't plan to trust me one more time? Before you fall in love with someone else, can you continue to wait for me?" She spoke in a pleading tone, but her eyes shone with a confident light.
Lu Ming stared at their clasped hands in silence for a few seconds.
His mind was in a mess, and he couldn't figure out what he was thinking.
When Aunt Sun came out of the kitchen and saw the scene, she reminded him in a somewhat hurried and impulsive tone, "Young Master, Miss Wen Chu may be back soon."
Lu Mingru's eyes flickered as if he had heard some key words, and he withdrew his hand.
"Xiaoxue," Lu Ming called out the name he remembered for women, "I used to think that I liked you, and that I would like you forever. But now, I feel that this idea seems a bit too naive. I can't be that noble. My feelings also need to be maintained. I..."
Lu Ming hesitated, his mind suddenly went blank, and he didn't know what to say next. After two seconds, he said, "I still like you, but I can't promise you a longer timeframe."
Wen Xue's heart skipped a beat, but she then smiled and pretended not to care, saying, "Then let's keep in touch. Once I've dealt with this and am less busy, how about we video chat every day? I can fly back to see you when I have time, and you can make time to see me too."
Lu Ming lowered his eyes, tacitly agreeing, and his tone softened considerably: "I will talk to Wen Chu and make things clear, but now... you have to go. She'll be back in a little while, and when she sees you, you two will start arguing again."
Wen Xue sighed knowingly, "She's never liked me, no matter how good I am to her. Even after I've been gone for so long, her attitude towards me hasn't improved much. I can tolerate her in other things, but you can't force feelings."
"You must be having a headache dealing with her, right? Although I know you were forced to be with her, and it was partly because of me... to be honest, I'm still a little jealous. But I trust your character. Once you break up with her in front of others, I want you to comfort me." Wen Xue bent down to look at him at eye level and said with a smile.
Lu Ming stared at the woman so close to him for two seconds without showing any emotion, then looked away and gave a soft "hmm," as if he were shy or absent-minded.
“You can…” Before he could finish speaking, the doorbell rang.
Everyone inside the house was startled by the sudden knocking on the door.
--
"What if I don't agree?" Wen Chu silently put on her gloves, lowered her eyes, and started peeling shrimp by herself, without looking at him. "You think you can just break up like that? Since when did you get the right to decide? Did you even ask me?"
Lu Ming sighed: "Wen Chu, what do you think of things like this—"
“Interesting.” Wen Chu interrupted him directly, looking at him. “This is quite interesting.”
"Are you suggesting I obediently step aside and let you two be together just because she's back? Don't be ridiculous. You've known me for a long time. Do you think someone as awful as me, who can't stand seeing others happy, would do such a thing?"
"I told you, Lu Ming, you can only love me. As long as you and I don't break up, you can't go to her. If I find out that you and she have any intimate contact outside of work, neither of you will get away with it. You can try me if you don't believe me." Wen Chu's tone and expression were calm, but they conveyed a sense of madness and a strong threat to those who heard her.
“We are now a community of shared interests. If you don’t want the project you’re about to get and Baiyue’s nascent reputation to be ruined by your scandalous news, you should think twice before you act.”
"You..." Lu Ming was speechless after hearing her words.
The woman had been acting normally for so long that he almost forgot how recklessly she had pursued him before.
Wen Chu stopped pretending to be a good person. If she tried to act gentle and considerate in front of others now, she would only earn a "good person" card. She had accumulated too many of those cards; she couldn't hold onto them anymore.
"I've changed my mind." She threw the half-peeled shrimp shell into Lu Ming's bowl, the oil splattering mercilessly onto Lu Ming's expensive silk shirt. She showed no remorse and continued, "You were so engrossed in chatting with her that you forgot to peel it for me, weren't you? It's okay, I have plenty of patience. Peel it for me now."
"These shrimp shells are too hard and prickly, but with a little external force, you can always open them." Wen Chu began to leisurely pick up her chopsticks and eat the other dishes.
Lu Ming looked down at the splattered soup in the bowl, clenched his fists, and finally relented, putting his gloves back on and peeling the soup for her.
The meal felt incredibly long. Lu Ming peeled a piece of food, and Wen Chu would pop it into her mouth. After enjoying her meal, she smiled and rested her chin on her hand, asking him, "What were you guys talking about just now? Can I join you next time? I want to hear?"
Lu Ming remained silent with a cold expression.
Wen Chu wasn't angry and continued talking to herself, "Aren't you shameless? She dumped you here for three years and hasn't cared about you at all. Why are you still paying attention to her?"
Lu Ming finally couldn't help but reply, "I told you, I like her, and it's beyond my control."
Wen Chu chuckled again. What she said was true; it was indeed beyond her control.
"Then think about what you like about her. When you need her help, she definitely won't be able to come back. When she finally comes back, she still needs you to help her, which is actually for her own sake. In this world, I am the only one who treats you the best, so you should like me."
Lu Ming lowered his head and put the peeled shrimp back into the bowl without saying a word.
Seeing this, Wen Chu turned her chopsticks around and used the tip to press against Lu Ming's chin, forcing him to raise his head. Lu Ming frowned, moved his chin away from her chopsticks, and glared at her angrily.
Wen Chu put down her chopsticks, then neatly clasped her hands together like a good student, placing them flat on the table. Leaning forward slightly with her shoulders hunched, she leaned closer and said, "That's more like it. Why were you looking down the whole time I was talking to you? Don't you know that you should look people in the eye when you speak? Did you hear what I just said? I said, you should like me. You like me." She said each word clearly, trying to make sure the person remembered it.
In Lu Ming's eyes, her behavior was no different from a little girl throwing a tantrum.
He said helplessly, "How long are you going to keep deceiving yourself?"
"Until you fall in love with me again."
What does "again" mean?
"Mind your own business, I just want to use this word."
Throughout the meal, Lu Ming barely touched his chopsticks. A bowl of crayfish was almost empty. Wen Chu, feeling full, took a tissue to wipe her mouth, then waved her hand towards the house and called out to Aunt Sun in a relaxed tone, "Auntie~"
Aunt Sun exclaimed "Oh!" and quickly came out with a warm smile: "Is there anything else you need, Miss?"
"Your cooking is still fantastic today! I'm so full! But I can't finish this dish by myself. If you don't mind, could you help me eat some? Also, I'd like to discuss something with you."
Aunt Sun exclaimed, "What is it? Just tell me, there's no need to be so formal!"
Wen Chu smiled and took her hand, saying, "It's nothing, I just hope that when I don't eat here anymore, you can take some time to come over and cook me a few meals. I'll pay you a salary then~"
After she finished speaking, the atmosphere in the room froze again.
Aunt Sun was stunned for a moment, her smile faded, and her eyes showed more reluctance and heartache.
She understood the woman's implication, of course. If it weren't for the problems in her relationship with Lu Ming, she wouldn't have needed to cook for both families. The other woman had clearly suffered a great injustice today, but she still chose to end things gracefully and even offered Wen Xueteng a seat.
Aunt Sun's eyes welled up with tears as she looked at the girl's smiling face. She knew she couldn't say much about the affairs of this wealthy family; she could only make her own decisions.
So without even asking Lu Ming's permission, she agreed on her own: "Okay, I'm not busy! I don't need any salary! If you want to eat my cooking, just give me a call. It won't take long to cook a few dishes."
"You're so kind! I still need the salary! Thank you in advance~ Could you please leave me your phone number?"
Wen Chu exchanged phone numbers with Aunt Sun, then stood up and waved to her and Xiao Yuan, who was watching eagerly inside, saying, "I'm done eating, I'm leaving now."
Throughout the entire process, she completely ignored the person sitting to the side who had been "diligently" peeling shrimp for her.
After Wen Chu left, Aunt Sun closed the door, turned around, glanced at Lu Ming who had also gotten up, hesitated, and looked like she had something on her mind.
"Take these away." Lu Ming turned and went upstairs with a nonchalant expression.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
