Xia Xiaobing's desire to work overtime again didn't surprise Lu Zhe. After all, she had already said that future overtime would often be just a pretext. Others would genuinely work overtime until after nine o'clock, while he only needed to stay in the office for an extra hour and then follow the boss.
Of course, this will result in less overtime pay than those colleagues who work regular overtime, but considering the projects that will follow the boss, it is undoubtedly worthwhile.
In the following period, Lu Zhe continued to work and received a red envelope from the company for everyone, as well as public praise in the company's group chat.
Xia Xiaobing: [Lu Zhe's suggestions were very valuable, so he will receive an extra bonus in his salary next month. Please feel free to contact me with any suggestions regarding the promotion and operation of the AI Xiao Qiu. Bonuses will be considered based on the actual value of the suggestions.]
Algorithm Department Head: [President Xia is brilliant!]
Marketing Manager: "How about Lu Zhe considers switching to a different position? Our marketing department is quite short-staffed lately, and the compensation is pretty good."
Mao Kai: [Screw you!]
Lu Zhe couldn't help but chuckle as he watched his boss berate the head of the marketing department. Just then, Xia Xiaobing sent him a private message:
I just spoke with the finance department, and she suggested I not send you a red envelope directly, as it could be considered tax evasion. I think that makes sense, so is it okay if I send it along with your salary at the beginning of next month?
The question "Is it okay?" sounded hesitant, as if afraid he might object. But Xia Xiaobing was clearly the boss.
Lu Zhe immediately replied: 【Of course, whatever you say.】
Xia Xiaobing: [Don't use the word "you" when you talk to me. Also, please cook me dinner tonight. I want to eat your cooking.]
Lu Zhe: [Is this what working overtime entails?]
Xia Xiaobing: [You don't want to?]
Lu Zhe: [With utmost pleasure.]
Xia Xiaobing sent a cute little tiger smiling emoji.
Lu Zhe responded with an OK sign.
This conversation ended there.
However, looking at the adorable little tiger, Lu Zhe couldn't help but feel a little strange.
He muttered almost silently to himself, "No matter what kind of tiger it is, it still needs to eat meat, right?"
————
At 7 p.m., Lu Zhe had already left the company with Xia Xiaobing and headed towards the familiar apartment building. However, after entering the building, the elevator they took did not stop at the floor he was most familiar with, but went up one floor.
Then Lu Zhe followed Xia Xiaobing into her new home.
Xia Xiaobing led him to the kitchen and said, "I haven't used the kitchen here in the few days since I moved in. I'm not very good at cooking, and I don't have the time or energy for it."
Lu Zhe: "Order takeout or eat out?"
Xia Xiaobing: "We have everything, and I spend more time at the company than here. So the kitchen probably doesn't have anything, so I'll have to ask you to buy it for me. I'll buy it for you..."
Lu Zhe waved his hand, interrupting, "No need to give me any more money. The big red envelope from this morning is more than enough."
Xia Xiaobing: "There are quite a lot of things to buy: rice, flour, oil, seasonings, and all sorts of ingredients..."
Lu Zhe: "It adds up to at most a few hundred yuan, which is just a drop in the ocean compared to the money you gave me. I really don't need it. By the way, why do you always like to give me money?"
Xia Xiaobing leaned against the kitchen door, arms crossed, still maintaining her dashing posture. However, a hint of shyness flickered in her beautiful eyes.
She said softly, "Because I like you and want to be good to you."
Lu Zhe paused for a moment, then immediately replied, "Then there's even less need for money. I'm happy that you can be with me and enjoy this time alone with me."
Xia Xiaobing was stunned.
Such a heartfelt answer clearly surprised her. Because one of them carried memories of their past life while the other lacked those feelings, Xia Xiaobing knew from the beginning that their pace was unequal. She was trapped in this relationship, unable to escape, while Lu Zhe hadn't even truly experienced it before being forced into it.
But now it seems this kid has... hit the rhythm?
Xia Xiaobing stared intently into Lu Zhe's eyes. She couldn't detect a trace of falsehood or perfunctoriness in his gaze, but it wasn't the kind of deep affection typical of an idol drama protagonist. Lu Zhe simply blinked, scratched the back of his head, and looked somewhat embarrassed.
In that instant, Xia Xiaobing suddenly felt that this guy was even cuter than in her previous life!
The mature woman suddenly hugged him and kissed him.
After a deep French kiss that lasted more than twenty seconds, Xia Xiaobing moved her red lips away and whispered in his ear, "I don't want to eat dinner now, I want to eat you."
Lu Zhe: "No, I still need to order groceries, and it takes time for them to deliver..."
Xia Xiaobing's voice wasn't loud, but her tone was exceptionally domineering: "I don't care."
Lu Zhe: "Then let's go to the bedroom..."
Xia Xiaobing: "No need."
Lu Zhe: "No, it's right here? This is the kitchen!"
Xia Xiaobing stared at him, like a beautiful cheetah eyeing its prey.
The mature woman licked her lips and smiled, "The kitchen, isn't it just a place for cooking?"
Lu Zhe: "But..."
The mature woman said, "Stop talking, you're just a vegetable, a meat vegetable."
Then everything went black for Lu Zhe. His vision was blocked by his clothes that had been flipped up.
————
More than forty minutes later.
Xia Xiaobing left the kitchen and went to the sofa in the living room, where she sat down against the cushions. Lu Zhe helped her from the kitchen to the sofa.
Lu Zhe joked, "You were like that at first, I thought you'd be really strong this time... but in the end I still had to help you up?"
Xia Xiaobing looked up at him, but her voice was weak and listless: "You play soccer, so you naturally have good stamina!"
Lu Zhe: "Don't you play football too?"
Xia Xiaobing tried to argue, "But I didn't kick for as long as you! Besides, this kind of thing is all about feelings and love. Talking about physical strength and endurance is vulgar!"
Lu Zhe: "Alright, alright, let's talk about something more mundane. It's already eight o'clock, what are we going to do for dinner?"
Xia Xiaobing: "Is it too late to do it myself?"
Lu Zhe: "I will place an order on a fresh food app, wait for it to be delivered, and then cook. If I'm lucky, I can finish cooking before 10 o'clock."
Xia Xiaobing said frankly, "Then let's not cook, let's just order takeout."
Lu Zhe: "So you didn't intend for me to make dinner in the first place today, right?"
Xia Xiaobing smiled and shook her head: "No, you're here to cook dinner."
Lu Zhe paused for a moment, then pointed to his chest: "Am I dinner?"
Xia Xiaobing smiled rather slyly: "It's part of dinner."
Looking at her smiling red lips and her eyes filled with laughter and affection, Lu Zhe suddenly felt something again. However, he was always a calm person and knew how to restrain himself, so he immediately picked up his phone and ordered takeout.
————
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
