Chapter 67: My Lord Doesn’t Like Him
I’ve heard that the Leader’s spouse is pampered and doted on wherever he goes. Now that he’s being neglected by his own husband, he probably doesn’t feel very good, Ruan Chenxin thought.
Ye Zhile didn’t say a word as he finished his food and went upstairs to accompany Dudu. Dudu had been very easy to look after since birth; he rarely cried and was extremely sensible, as if he were afraid of troubling his Papa.
Ye Zhile played with him the whole time. Once Dudu started yawning, the nanny came to coax him to sleep, and only then did Ye Zhile leave.
When Ye Zhile returned to the bedroom, Ji Shuohan had just come out of the bathroom. He froze when he saw him. Ye Zhile didn’t notice the man’s gaze and grabbed a towel to head into the bathroom, but the man suddenly grabbed him, a look of confusion on his face. “What are you doing?”
“I’m taking a shower.” Ye Zhile was even more confused. Ji Shuohan looked back at the bed. “You’re going to sleep with me?”
“We’ve always slept together before.” Ye Zhile didn’t think anything was wrong.
Ji Shuohan let go of him. “Sorry, I’m not used to sleeping with someone else.”
Ye Zhile stood frozen on the spot. He asked foolishly, “So… My Lord wants me to sleep somewhere else?”
“There are many guest rooms in the Leader’s Manor,” Ji Shuohan said without changing his expression.
Ye Zhile stood there blankly until Ji Shuohan walked out. Only then did he snap out of it. Finally, he looked at the closed door, hid the disappointment in his eyes, and took his clothes to his old room.
After winter started, the weather grew cold. The Leader’s Manor kept the heating on all day, but he still had to wear thick clothes. This room of his hadn’t been lived in for a long time. When he entered, the chill hit his face, but Ye Zhile felt that nothing could be colder than his heart.
After washing up, Ye Zhile crawled into bed, wrapping himself up tightly. He thought he could have a good sleep now that the person he missed was back, but it was the same as before—he didn’t fall asleep until very late, and even his dreams were filled with immense sadness.
Ye Zhile had always been a late riser. When he got up, Ji Shuohan and Ruan Chenxin were already eating breakfast. Ji Shuohan was not yet familiar with the operations of the Leader’s Department, so the department had decided he should first stay home to familiarize himself with all the sections and business before returning to office.
Thus, Ji Shuohan would be staying home for the next few days.
Ye Zhile sat down at the table. He smiled. “Good morning, My Lord. Good morning, Mr. Ruan.”
“Morning,” Ji Shuohan said.
“It’s not early anymore; it’s almost eleven o’clock,” Ruan Chenxin said. “When I was taking care of Brother Shuohan, he used to get up very early.”
Hearing this, Ye Zhile sipped the seafood congee in his bowl and smiled faintly. “Then Mr. Ruan must be very busy. I have nothing to do, so there’s no use in getting up early.”
Ye Zhile’s unhurried retort left Ruan Chenxin speechless. The words clearly implied that he had to get up early because he had work to do, whereas Ye Zhile was pampered and had no need for such things.
Ruan Chenxin was so angry he almost cursed out loud, but with Ji Shuohan there, he didn’t dare be reckless for fear of ruining his image. Looking at Ye Zhile’s fair, smooth hands where the veins were slightly visible, he felt even more disgruntled.
Ye Zhile didn’t know what Ruan Chenxin was thinking, nor did he want to argue with him. The previous retort was just something he said because he thought it, though his heart was indeed uncomfortable and carried a hint of spite.
After Ye Zhile finished breakfast, the nanny brought Dudu down to play. He sat on the sofa and clapped his hands. “Dudu~ Papa hug~”
The nanny handed Dudu to him. As soon as Dudu saw Ye Zhile, he was so happy he couldn’t close his mouth, laughing with “giggle-giggle” sounds. Ye Zhile was infected by his good mood, and his frustration was swept away. He teased Dudu’s soft white face with his finger, delighted. “Dudu is so cute~”
“Giggle!” Dudu waved his little hands. Ye Zhile grew even happier. His brows were dark and his eyes curved; the youth’s face had gained some color, as if dusted with pink rouge, making it hard to look away.
Ji Shuohan sat on the other side. He looked up from his newspaper and saw the youth’s delicate, beautiful face. A trace of something strange flashed through his heart, but it was too fast for him to catch.
“Is this Brother Shuohan’s child?” Ruan Chenxin leaned over. Seeing Dudu look at him, he immediately gave an exaggerated smile. “Hi! Little baby.”
“Woo…” Dudu took one look and looked like he was about to cry to his Papa. Ye Zhile’s heart immediately ached. He gently patted his back. “Dudu be good, don’t cry.”
“Wah!” Dudu burst into tears, wailing very sadly. Ye Zhile had never experienced this; Dudu’s crying made his heart ache. Dudu had always been very good and had never cried or made a scene like this. He felt a moment of panic and wanted to take the child to the nanny.
“Give him to me.” Ji Shuohan stood up. Ye Zhile hurriedly handed Dudu over. “Dudu be good, Father hug.”
Dudu howled twice in Ji Shuohan’s arms before gradually stopping. His wet, wide eyes stared curiously at Ji Shuohan. Ye Zhile smiled. “Dudu recognizes My Lord.”
Ji Shuohan’s body stiffened as Dudu watched him. He reached out and stiffly patted him. Dudu immediately started babbling in his arms. A certain part of Ji Shuohan’s heart seemed to soften.
Ye Zhile was very happy, his eyes moving between the baby and the man. At least My Lord didn’t reject Dudu; otherwise, he didn’t know how he would have held on.
Watching the warm family of three, Ruan Chenxin’s teeth were almost crushed.
This child cries the moment he sees me. Am I some kind of monster? How ridiculous.
In the afternoon, Dudu needed a nap. Ye Zhile stayed by the small bed for a while. When he went out, the man had gone into the study. Ye Zhile went downstairs, intending to make some snacks.
Ye Zhile carried a tray of pineapple shortcakes and knocked on the study door.
“Enter.”
Ye Zhile walked in and placed the pineapple shortcakes on the desk. “Please try these, My Lord. I made these pineapple shortcakes.”
Ji Shuohan was currently looking through the materials about the Leader’s Department organized by Wei Xichu, his brows furrowed. Hearing the voice, he looked up, took a bite of a pineapple shortcake, and then put it down.
“Does My Lord not like it?” Ye Zhile asked him.
“It’s too sweet.” Ji Shuohan frowned. “There’s no need to make things specifically for me next time. I don’t like eating things that are too sweet.”
“But…” Ye Zhile wanted to say something, but Ji Shuohan interrupted him coldly. “I’m a bit busy. Can you go out first?”
Ye Zhile opened his mouth, but in the end, he said nothing. He nodded and left.
This scene felt as if it had returned to the second day after they were first married. Back then, My Lord didn’t like him and told him that if he was bored, he could go to the tea parties of the other wives. But Ye Zhile didn’t like those social gatherings, and back then, My Lord had also left without listening to him finish.
If he had known back then that My Lord didn’t like him, he would probably be as sad as he was now.
Ye Zhile walked out of the study. He looked at the pineapple-shaped shortcakes in his hand and said in a low voice:
“But you used to say they were delicious…”
Translator’s Note: The “too sweet” comment is such a knife to the heart! When people have amnesia, their tastes sometimes change, but it’s more likely that Ji Shuohan is just trying to distance himself. Poor Lele is being treated like a stranger in his own home.
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