Chapter 33: The Incompetent and Malicious Ex-Boyfriend
Wu Mu’s gaze was burning with a piercing intensity.
Shen Ci instinctively turned his head.
Their gazes collided unexpectedly.
Although Shen Ci didn’t have much of a favorable impression of Wu Mu, the man was his “God of Wealth,” so he couldn’t exactly give him a cold shoulder.
Straightening his posture, a polite smile pulled at the corner of Shen Ci’s lips. “Mr. Wu, care for a smoke?”
Wu Mu snapped back to reality, a trace of almost imperceptible annoyance flashing in his eyes. He hated this feeling of losing control over his emotions.
“No, thanks. I have business to attend to.” His voice was cold, and the sense of distance around him was almost palpable.
Shen Ci wasn’t about to waste effort sucking up to him.
Only after Wu Mu’s figure disappeared at the end of the hallway did it belatedly occur to Shen Ci that the man seemed to have come from the direction of the restrooms.
So…
Had he heard the phone call with Ye Qi?
That was… honestly quite embarrassing.
It was nearly 4:00 AM again by the time Shen Ci got home.
He walked into his room and turned on the light, only to see Ye Qi sleeping in his bed.
The man was curled up under the pale yellow duvet, only half his face visible.
A few stray hairs fell over his smooth forehead. Even in sleep, his beauty was undeniable.
He looked quite well-behaved.
The moment the thought appeared in Shen Ci’s mind, he startled himself.
The next second, he mentally spat twice.
How could he think a man was “well-behaved”?
His tongue pressed against his canine tooth.
Shen Ci stepped forward to wake him up, but looking at his peaceful, sleeping face, he hesitated.
Finally, Shen Ci ran a frustrated hand through his hair.
Forget it.
If he wants to sleep here, let him.
Anyway, the bed is big enough; there’s plenty of room.
…
It wasn’t until the bathroom door opened and then closed that Ye Qi slowly opened his eyes.
He took Shen Ci’s pillow and buried his face deep into it.
…
Shen Ci was woken up by hunger.
He reached for his phone and squinted at the time—it was 10:00 AM.
Ye Qi was gone, and he was alone in the room.
Shen Ci let out a yawn, got out of bed, and headed to the bathroom to wash up.
He had just taken off his shirt.
The bedroom door was suddenly pushed open without warning.
Ye Qi’s gaze landed on Shen Ci—
A dark glint flashed in his eyes.
Shen Ci snapped back to reality and hurriedly threw his shirt back on. “Why didn’t you knock?”
“I thought you were still asleep.” Ye Qi’s voice sounded perfectly normal, but his gaze drifted slightly downward, avoiding Shen Ci’s eyes.
Shen Ci: “…”
“Get dressed. I made breakfast for you.”
Only then did Shen Ci notice that Ye Qi was wearing a light blue apron.
The hair on his forehead was tied into a small top-knot.
He actually looked quite cute.
Ye Qi had cooked a bowl of dumplings for Shen Ci.
There were even a few sprigs of green vegetables in there; it looked quite decent.
Shen Ci took a glance and asked casually, “Frozen dumplings?”
“I mixed the filling myself according to an online tutorial. I bought the wrappers from the fresh market this morning. Try them, see how they taste?”
Ye Qi’s eyes were sparkling with anticipation as he looked at Shen Ci.
Shen Ci didn’t hold back; he was truly hungry.
But as he took the first bite…
Shen Ci froze.
What a—
Bizarre flavor.
It was sweet yet salty, and the saltiness was wrapped in a greasy richness. It was a pure assault on the taste buds.
He fought the urge to spit it out. After forcing it down with great difficulty, he looked up at Ye Qi, his tone full of uncertainty.
“Did you put sugar in the dumpling filling?”
Ye Qi blinked and nodded honestly. “I read that sugar brings out the flavor, so I put in a few spoonfuls.”
Shen Ci: “…”
“How many spoonfuls is ‘a few’?”
Ye Qi spoke cautiously. “About five or six… Why? Is it terrible?”
Shen Ci had never been a picky eater, but that didn’t mean he could handle “dark cuisine.”
But seeing Ye Qi’s nervous, careful expression…
As if possessed, he shook his head. He couldn’t bring himself to offer a fake compliment, so he only managed to say,
“It’s okay.”
Wasting food was a sin, and after all, it was the thought that counted.
At the risk of a stomachache, Shen Ci forced himself to finish the bowl.
Fortunately, Ye Qi hadn’t cooked too many.
Seeing Shen Ci finish, Ye Qi looked delighted, his beautiful features full of joy.
“Husband, don’t eat out tonight. I’ll cook for you.”
Shen Ci’s expression shifted drastically.
He suspected Ye Qi was trying to poison him, but he had no evidence.
“No, a shipment is coming in this afternoon. I’ll be staying late at work, so I’ll just eat at the company.”
Ye Qi looked disappointed. “Oh, okay then.”
Shen Ci let out a sigh of relief.
On Monday evening,
Shen Ci heard the long-awaited voice of the System again.
[System: Host, please head to Xiaoxiang Pavilion immediately. Private Room 666.]
Shen Ci’s spirit was instantly renewed.
The mission line finally had progress again.
He quickly changed his clothes, grabbed his car keys, and headed out.
Shen Ci had never been to the Xiaoxiang Pavilion the System mentioned.
He followed the GPS and circled around several times without finding it.
Finally, he had to ask an elderly man sweeping the street to find the place.
Xiaoxiang Pavilion was a private restaurant. The main doors were made of dark brown ebony, without any intricate carvings. There was only a plain jade plaque embedded above the lintel with the words “Xiaoxiang” engraved on it.
The ink-like veins of the jade were hidden within the wood grain; without a close look, it seemed as if they were one with the wood.
The moment he entered, the humid scent of vegetation mixed with a faint orchid fragrance hit him—it was like walking into a rainy spring day in the Jiangnan region.
Shen Ci arched an eyebrow.
Had a commoner like him actually come to such a high-end place?
The class of this place was off the charts. He just wondered if the food was any good.
“Sir, hello. Do you have a reservation?” A beautiful waitress in a cheongsam stepped forward to inquire politely.
Shen Ci let out a silent “Wow.”
Even the waitresses were this beautiful!
He let out a light cough. “No reservation. I’m here to find a friend. He’s in Room 666.”
The smile on the waitress’s face grew even warmer.
The prominent figure upstairs had instructed that if his friend arrived, he should be brought up immediately.
The man before her was dressed simply, but his face clearly didn’t belong to an ordinary person. He had even pinpointed the room number precisely; he was obviously the friend.
“Sir, please follow me.”
Shen Ci was there to “crash the party,” so naturally, he didn’t want a waitress following him.
“Where is the room? I’ll find it myself.”
The waitress, of course, wouldn’t refuse a guest’s request.
“Sir, it’s at the very end of the hallway on the sixth floor. I’ll take you to the elevator.”
“Thanks.” Shen Ci thanked her politely.
“You’re welcome.” After helping Shen Ci press the floor button, the waitress waited until the elevator doors closed before turning to leave.
Ding—
The elevator soon reached the sixth floor.
Exiting the elevator, Shen Ci followed the directions and headed straight inside.
He soon saw Room 666.
He rubbed his face, took a deep breath, and—acting like a man catching a cheater—kicked the door open.
It looked furious.
But in reality, he had held back.
He wasn’t stupid. If he broke the door, he’d have to pay for it!
One look at the place told him the door wasn’t cheap.
The door was soon opened from the inside.
Two men in crisp suits picked him up as if he were a small chick and hauled him inside.
Shen Ci: “?”
“Wait… wait a minute!”
Recommended Reads
