I Texted My Online Girlfriend But It Appeared On My CEO's Screen | Manhwa Recap

The company was in a meeting. I was bored out of my mind, so I texted my online girlfriend, "Babe, tonight I want to see you in that black slip dress. Can you send me a pic?"

But the very next second, that exact same message suddenly popped up on the meeting room's big screen. It was clearly the text I had just sent. And what's even scarier, the contact name was saved as hubby.

My current online girlfriend and I met on some crappy dating app. We've never sent each other face pics, but because we hit it off so well, we quickly made our online relationship official. And I always had these little requests, often getting bold and asking her to send some spicy pics. The first time she sent me a body shot, I was completely stunned. What kind of goddess-like figure is this? Especially those long, slender legs. Absolute perfection. I could play with them for a year and never get bored.

"Holy crap, did you see that? That text was sent by the CEO's hubby. He's even asking for pics in a black slip dress. Hey man, wake up. Did you see it? That message just now. That's the juiciest gossip of the year."

I was still in shock. My coworker thought I was dozing off and even told me to look up at the screen. When I raised my head, I met the CEO's eyes dead on. Seeing her ice-cold glare, I forced an awkward smile and quickly ducked my head again. Soon enough, under the CEO's piercing gaze, the commotion died down. I kept my head down, my heart pounding nonstop.

A moment later, I got a text, "Okay, I'll wear it for you when I get home tonight. I'm in a meeting right now. Let's talk later. Be good. Mwah." This strict, ice-cold CEO actually knows how to act cute. You never expected her to be so wild in private.

The meeting ended in a hurry. I walked back to my desk in a daze. "Babe, why are you ignoring me?" I was seriously in a meeting. "Are you mad because I didn't reply fast enough? I'll make it up to you. Okay?" My phone was blowing up with unread messages, all from my online girlfriend. She thought I wasn't replying because I was mad. Little did she know, I just didn't have the guts to.

Soon after, a picture of her in black pantyhose came through. Wait, isn't this the CEO from this morning? Are these the same black pantyhose she wore during the meeting? Even the heels are exactly the same.

Just then, the manager walked over to my desk. "Chen Zi, what are you spacing out for? The CEO wants you in her office." I am so dead. Walking right into the line of fire. Clutching my phone tightly, I hurried over and stood before her. "Boss, did you need me for something?" At this point, any illusions I had about this online romance were shattered. If she finds out I'm just her subordinate, she'll definitely dump me.

I had no idea what the CEO was doing on her computer, but my phone kept buzzing non-stop. She quickly looked up, shooting me a displeased glance. "Sorry for disturbing your work, boss. I'll mute it right now." This tense atmosphere lasted for almost 20 minutes before the CEO finally stood up from her desk with a disappointed look, staring at me coldly. "You looked completely out of it during the meeting this morning. You didn't absorb a single word. On top of that, there were serious errors in last month's project. You know, this company doesn't keep dead weight around, right?"

Hearing her say that, my whole body shivered. Is she trying to fire me? "I'm truly sorry. My family has been going through some issues lately, so I haven't been fully focused. Rest assured, boss, it absolutely won't happen again." But the truth was, I was on the phone all night with the very woman standing in front of me. The conversation got so spicy that I barely got any sleep.

"If you make another mistake like that, pack your bags and leave." With that, she waved me out of her office.

He returned to my desk, still shaken. Seeing dozens of unread messages from the CEO, I rubbed my aching temples. "Babe, say something, please. I'm so frustrated today. That useless employee of mine messed up a project last month and cost the company a ton of money." >> "What?" >> Looking at my phone and reading her last message, I was completely speechless. Isn't she talking about me? "Who are you calling useless?"

"There, there. My boss just yelled at me, so I didn't dare check my phone. You should be gentler with your subordinates. It's best to give them a little raise to boost their loyalty to the company." I smirked wickedly and hit send, already imagining an extra zero on my paycheck next month.

The very next second, I got a reply. "What company does your boss work for? Let me handle them for you. How dare they be mean to you?" I let out a long sigh. Turns out she only cared about the part where my boss yelled at me. Did she completely miss the part about the raise? Whatever, I'll just let nature take its course.

After hours, I stayed behind at the office alone, planning to redo the project I messed up last month. At least in real life, he can't look like a total failure in front of the CEO. Otherwise, how am I supposed to win her over? If I can perform exceptionally well at work and make the real-life CEO fall for me, too. Thinking about her smoking hot body, I couldn't help but grin like an idiot.

"Why are you grinning like an idiot instead of going home?" A cold voice rang out from behind me. Goosebumps instantly covered my arms. "Oh, boss, you haven't left yet. I just wanted to put in a little extra effort since I messed up last month's project. I wanted to make up for it." Hearing this, she didn't say another word and just turned to leave.

Watching her haughty silhouette, I chuckled to myself and texted, "Babe, are you off work yet?" I sent the message to the CEO. A quick reply came back. "I'm just about to leave the office. Heading out to grab dinner. Aren't I a good girl?"

Seeing the CEO text me in this tone, it was hard to imagine that she and that ice-cold boss lady were the same person. "Yeah, very good. Giving you a kiss." She quickly snapped a pic of her lips and sent it over, being very careful not to show her work clothes. Come to think of it, we've known each other for a while now.

"I want to meet you." The CEO suddenly texting me this caught me a bit off guard. Is playing around online every day not enough for her anymore? Does she want to take this to real life? "It's not the right time to meet yet. We still don't know each other that well."

"You're so mean. How do we not know each other well enough? You already know all my measurements." She didn't press the issue of meeting up any further, and so I stayed at the office writing up client proposals while flirting with the CEO. It definitely had its own unique thrill.

Unexpectedly, she came rushing back, didn't even bother talking to me, and went straight into her office. "Babe, I'm sorry. I left that slip dress you like at the office, and I couldn't find it in black. I only have a purple one. Do you like it?" Right after, a photo came through. I zoomed in to get a better look, and almost had a nosebleed. You call this a slip dress? It's literally just a few scraps of fabric. Aside from covering a few sensitive spots, the rest was >> Nope, I can't keep thinking about this. >> I shook my head, forcing myself to calm down. "I'm at the office right now, and there's an employee working overtime outside. I can't call you today. It's so annoying."

>> "He just had to insist on working overtime today." Seeing that message, I instantly bristled. We're literally the same person. So, why the double standard? Thinking about this, I got an idea. He smirked wickedly, and sent a text. "Remember when you said you'd be a good girl and listen to me?"

Reading the message in her office, the CEO's cheeks flushed red. "Here is your first order. Put on that slip dress, then throw a trench coat over it, and take your employee out for dinner." After sending that, I put my phone down, and quickly pretended to be hard at work. But, I couldn't hide my excitement.

>> "Does this count as some kind of role play?" >> "That's not a good idea. I'm not close with that employee. What if he accidentally sees something?" >> "Didn't you say you wanted to play something exciting? Or, should we just forget about it?"

Honestly, when I first found out, I was shocked, too. I never expected my online girlfriend to have such a submissive streak, and knowing she was my CEO only made it more thrilling. Thinking about all the opportunities I'd have in the future, I couldn't help but make my move.

>> "Right, I got it. Don't be mad." >> Getting that text, I immediately shut down my computer. Soon, the entire office fell dead silent. He pricked up my ears to listen, and quickly heard rustling sounds coming from the CEO's office. I fought the urge to barge right in.

Once the noise stopped, he hurriedly stood up, pretending I was about to leave, and started packing my things. Right on cue, the CEO stepped out of her office. I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye. Sure enough, she was wearing a trench coat. Thinking about how she was only wearing that flimsy little thing underneath, I got a little excited again.

>> "Oh, you're heading out, boss?" >> "I'm pretty much done here, so I'll be taking off." Wait. Suddenly, the CEO called out to me. I played dumb, looking at her curiously.

>> "It's late. I haven't eaten yet. Come grab dinner with me." >> She practically forced those words out through gritted teeth. >> "No, no, no. You're too kind, boss. I was just working overtime. I couldn't possibly let you spend money on me. I'll just grab something at home."

>> "Cut the crap. If you don't come with me today, don't bother showing up for work tomorrow." >> With that, she didn't give me a chance to refuse and turned to leave.

>> "Ding-dong." >> My phone chimed with a text, "Babe. What should I treat him to?" >> "I've never taken anyone out for dinner before."

Seeing the CEO walking ahead looking so adorable, I almost burst out laughing. >> "Why don't you ask your employee?" >> "Listening to others' opinions isn't a bad idea." >> I followed the CEO downstairs and got into her car.

>> "Um, boss, thanks for treating me." >> "Don't worry." >> "I'll definitely work hard and make sure to" >> "What do you want to eat?" >> The CEO cut my impassioned speech right off, asking coldly. >> He felt a twinge of annoyance, thinking about how much she likes me online, yet in real life, I'm not even worthy of carrying her shoes. >> An idea popped into his head. >> "Time to mess with her a little." >> "Let's get hot pot." >> "Sweating a bit in this weather and taking a shower afterward feels amazing."

Hearing hot pot, the CEO seemed hesitant. Seeing her reaction, >> "I added fuel to the fire, or should we go somewhere else?" >> "Somewhere a bit cheaper." >> "Is hot pot too expensive?"

Who would have thought the moment I said that, >> the CEO turned and shot me a vicious glare. >> Then she slammed on the gas, >> and the car sped off. We didn't say a single word to each other the whole ride.

>> Looking at her expressionless face, >> he definitely pissed her off, but inwardly, I was smirking. >> "That's what you get for acting so cold. That's what you get for acting so aloof. Just you wait." >> "My little mission of love has only just begun."

Soon after following my directions, the CEO pulled up to a famous hot pot joint nearby. Stepping out of the car and seeing the packed restaurant with the rich aroma of broth wafting through the air, the CEO hesitated again. She stood frozen at the entrance for a long time. Meanwhile, I strutted right into the restaurant. I found a seat by the window and sat down, then grabbed the menu to order.

10 minutes later, the CEO finally stepped cautiously inside and sat across from me looking incredibly uncomfortable. "Boss, see how hot it is in here and you're still wearing your coat. Why don't you take it off to cool down?" Saying that, I took off my work jacket revealing my t-shirt underneath. The CEO didn't say a word, just shot me a fierce glare. But when she saw the t-shirt I was wearing, she clearly froze for a second. Noticing her strange look, I looked down and instantly panicked. The shirt I was wearing right now was the exact same one I wore during my video call with her before. Am I about to get busted?

"No," the CEO replied coldly, then looked down to play with her phone. I breathed a sigh of relief. Soon after, I got a text, "Babe. That employee at my company is the wearing exact same shirt as you, but my hubby still wears it better." Seeing that message, I was completely speechless. Sure enough, no matter who it is, once they're simping, there's no saving them.

"So, do you think he looks a lot like me?" I gathered my courage and sent a text. "How could he? In my heart, you're the best, babe. No matter who wears it, they don't look as good as you." And just like that, the CEO and I sat there without saying a word to each other. Both of us glued to our phones. Even the waiter nearby was giving us weird looks.

"I feel so weird right now. A little embarrassed, actually." I was drinking water when I saw that text and instantly did a spit take. Then I started coughing violently, almost choking to death. My commotion caught the CEO's attention. He hurriedly apologized. I thought to myself, this girl's choice of words is getting bolder by the minute. Sending such provocative messages in the middle of a crowded place. She definitely has a submissive kink.

Soon, the food was brought to the table. I put my phone away and started stuffing my face with the food in front of me. Seeing that her online boyfriend stopped replying, the CEO also put her phone away and began to eat. As time passed, the temperature around us kept rising. Even in a t-shirt, my back was drenched in sweat. He could only imagine how hot the CEO must be wearing that thick trench coat.

"I'm going outside for some fresh air. You go ahead and eat." Dropping those words, she rushed out of the restaurant. Looking through the glass, he could even see her fanning her coat to let the cool air in. For some reason, in that moment, I felt a huge sense of accomplishment.

"Hey, babe, are you feeling hot and bothered? Need us to help you cool down?" Just then, from the street stall next door, three drunk guys stumbled over. "Get lost." The CEO was in no mood to deal with them. She just threw out a cold remark and turned to walk back into the restaurant. But, those three guys wouldn't let it go. They lunged forward and ripped her sleeve. The CEO's coat was torn open, exposing her pale skin to the three men. Seeing that, the three guys practically drooled with lust. "Playing innocent with us, huh? Dressing like a Aren't you just begging for it?" The bald leader lunged forward and grabbed her arm, trying to drag her away by force. The CEO slapped him hard across the face. Unfortunately, the strength difference was too great, so it didn't do any real damage. Instead, it only excited him more. "Feisty one, aren't you? But, I love taming wild horses." The three of them quickly moved to carry her off.

That's when I dashed out, right before they could lay another hand on her. I pulled the CEO into my arms, holding her close. I said to the three guys, "Listen here, boys. If you're drunk, go home, take a shower, and sleep it off. Pulling this crap, aren't you afraid of getting your asses kicked?" The CEO tried to struggle, so I gave her a firm smack on the butt. Only then did she settle down. "Where the hell did you pop out from? Let me tell you, don't ruin our fun, or I'll put you in a wheelchair for the rest of your life."

I was getting pissed off, too. I brought the CEO out here. How could I let you punks lay a finger on her? "She's my woman. It's not your turn to touch her." I saw the CEO shoot me a glaring look. Not backing down, I glared right back. I'm saving you, boss. And you're giving me that look. Still feeling annoyed, I gave her butt another hard smack. "Listen here, you little punk. Whoever we set our sights on belongs to us. I suggest you mind your own business. Otherwise? We'll definitely make you suffer today."

Those three didn't waste any more breath. Fueled by liquid courage, they lunged forward to drag the boss away. I didn't waste any words, either. I pushed the boss behind me. I grabbed the bald guy's arm and twisted it hard. Instantly, he let out a bloodcurdling scream like a slaughtered pig. "If you two take one more step, I guarantee his arm is going to snap in half. Don't move. If you move, my arm is really going to break. Next time you get drunk, just go straight home. If you ever act this blind again, I'll make sure you leave missing a few body parts."

Watching those three scurried away in a panic, I smiled and tilted my chin toward the boss. "See that, boss? If it weren't for me today, you'd be in serious trouble. Want to consider giving me a raise or something?" I was feeling pretty good about myself right then. I stepped forward, about to throw an arm over her shoulder.

The next second, my entire world spun upside down. By the time I came to my senses, I was pinned flat on the ground and the boss was straddling me. A flawless grappling hold made it impossible for me to move. One arm was locked tight. My other hand frantically tapped the ground in surrender, but the boss had absolutely no intention of holding back. "Lady, you know martial arts? Why didn't you say so earlier? Look, isn't this all just a big misunderstanding? You just smacked my butt twice back there."

Left with no choice, I had to back down. "That was a special situation. Look, boss, there were three of them and they were so aggressive. I was just worried you'd get hurt. I just wanted you to calm down a bit." Faced with my explanation, the boss didn't listen to a single word. The grip on my arm only tightened. "Boss, please, spare me. Ow. Ow. Ow." Wanting to move, but not daring to, is seriously the worst feeling ever. This woman is absolutely ruthless.

"You crossed the line. Remember, you're just an employee." I was about to retort, but suddenly realized the two of us were pressed together in an incredibly awkward position, and my eyes just happened to catch a glimpse of something I shouldn't be looking at. "Boss, you like the color purple?" I really need to learn to shut my mouth. If I'm going to look, I should just look. Why did I have to say it out loud? Now I've done it.

Hearing that, the boss froze for a moment, then noticed my perverted gaze fixed right on her. Half an hour later, I was at the hospital. My left arm was in a cast hanging from my neck in a sling. I looked as pathetic as humanly possible. "See, boss, wasn't I right? Anger really makes people lose their minds. Now look what happened. Your star employee has completely lost his ability to work."

"Then you don't need to come in tomorrow. You're fired." Even though she said that, I could catch a hint of guilt in her eyes. Seeing that, I grinned and leaned in closer, looking at her as I said, "Everyone says you treat your employees so well. I don't believe you'd fire me that easily. Besides, I even helped you burn some calories back there. You really are a busybody."

After saying that, the boss stood up and walked toward the nearby emergency exit. I watched her walk away, the corners of my mouth curling up into a smirk. Just as I expected, I pulled out my phone and sent a text. "Hey, babe, I'm sorry. I can't be with you tonight. I've got some things to take care of on my end." Almost immediately, a reply from the boss came through. "Did something happen?"

As I typed my reply, I glanced at my bandaged left arm and chuckled helplessly. "It's nothing. Just a minor issue with a company project that needs sorting out. It'll be really busy tonight, so don't wait up for me. I'll definitely make it up to you next time." Inwardly, I couldn't stop grumbling. I didn't breathe a word about my boss breaking my arm and just blamed it on a company project. I'm really saving her face today.

Before I knew it, the boss had appeared right in front of me. "What are you smiling about?" Seeing my smug grin, her face darkened as she spoke coldly. I quickly wiped the smile off my face and shook my head, pretending it was nothing. "Where do you live? I'll take you home. You're on paid leave. Don't come back to work until your arm is fully healed." She turned and walked away immediately, not giving me a chance to say a word. Left with no choice, I trailed behind her out of the hospital.

Sitting in the car, she said, "Give me your address. I'll drop you off." It seemed she was in no mood to talk to me, probably because my little stunt ruined her chance to chat with her online date tonight. So, she was taking all her frustration out on me. I dug one hand into my pocket, then looked at her with a helpless expression and said, "I lost my keys. I don't know if they fell out when I was fighting for you or what." "They probably dropped when you were riding me back there. Now, I can't even go home."

Hearing the word riding, the boss's face instantly flushed bright red. She glared at me fiercely. The next second, she grabbed my casted arm tight. "If you ever dare bring that up in front of me again, I'll shatter this arm into pieces. Got it?" Seeing her ferocious expression, I couldn't help but gulp, nodding instinctively. She pulled her hand back, thought for a moment, and said, "I'll take you to a hotel. You can recover there. I'll cover the expenses."

"No way." Ouch, my arm hurts so much. It's too inconvenient to do anything alone in a hotel, and there'd be no one around to take care of me. No good deed goes unpunished, huh? Hearing that she planned to dump me at a hotel, I was the first to object. If I went to a hotel, how was I supposed to get close to her? So, I started throwing a pity party. "I kindly helped you out and spent the whole night dealing with this mess, and you have the heart to leave me all alone in a hotel. Seriously, no good deed goes unpunished."

"Fine, you can come to my place. I'll call a locksmith for you tomorrow." "Once it's done, you're going straight home. Don't cause me any more trouble." Finally, worn down by my relentless whining, the boss couldn't take it anymore and decided to take me to her place for the night, even though it wasn't exactly the outcome I'd hoped for. I was originally planning to crash at her place indefinitely, but this wasn't too bad, either. At least I'd get to see the boss's private sanctuary. I'm probably the first person in the company to get this privilege. I was more than satisfied with this result.

The boss drove with a dark expression, while I lounged comfortably in the passenger seat. Before long, she pulled into a high-end residential complex. As soon as we passed through the gates, I looked around in awe. Even though it was night time, the landscaping here was as beautiful as a royal estate. The scenery was absolutely picturesque. A country bumpkin like me couldn't help but gape. The boss stormed over with a scowl, grabbed my arm, and dragged me along because in her eyes, I was being completely embarrassing.

"Old Lou, was that the woman everyone calls the ice queen CEO of our complex. I've never seen her bring a stranger home before." "What's so strange about that? When a woman reaches a certain age, she needs some companionship. It's just that the kid looks a bit too pathetic." She seemed to be dragging me by the arm the whole way. "It's fine. I don't mind. I won't tell anyone you're taking advantage of me." I stood next to her and teased. It was obvious that if she wasn't feeling guilty about my arm, she would have slapped me to death by now.

Watching her take out her keys to open the door, my heart was pounding with excitement. I was finally about to be the first man to step into her house. When the lights flicked on and I saw the entirety of her place, I was completely stunned. Who would have thought her interior design taste would be exactly like my grandpa's? Living alone in such a huge house and the decor is this minimalist. That's right. The home of a listed company's CEO had nothing but a few basic pieces of furniture. There was absolutely nothing else. It made the whole place feel unusually empty.

"Your room is on the first floor to the left, right next to the bathroom. You'll sleep there tonight. Don't go wandering around. If I catch you sneaking upstairs, don't blame me for calling the cops." The boss laid down a few ground rules, then headed straight upstairs. The sound of running water soon echoed from the bathroom. With nothing better to do, I sat down on the living room sofa and started observing the place. A minimalist black and white decor without even a single potted plant. For a girl, having a few pink decorations in the living room should be completely normal, right? At that moment, I suddenly felt a pang of sympathy for her. In real life, she is the CEO of a company having to manage the big picture, but online, she's just a fragile girl venting to me every day about her life's frustrations. Right then, a thought popped into my head. I had to change her. I needed to completely unleash the lively, outgoing, and shy girl hidden deep inside her.

Just then, my empty stomach growled at the worst possible time. I was originally planning to go eat hot pot, but then all that crazy stuff happened, leaving me absolutely starving right now. I was about to get up and find something to eat, but suddenly, I wanted to see the cooking skills of my online date. So, I decided to endure the hunger and wait for her to finish showering.

An hour later, just as I was about to pass out from starvation, the boss finally came out. Seeing me sprawled on the sofa looking half dead, she stood on the second floor and asked why I hadn't gone to bed yet. "I'm hungry. I'm so starving I can't sleep." The boss looked at me helplessly, walked downstairs, grabbed a carton of cold milk from the fridge, and tossed it in front of me. "Drink this and go to sleep. I'll take you home tomorrow."

"Boss, are you really trying to brush off your star employee with this? You could at least make me a bowl of noodles. Neither of us had a proper meal tonight. Doing this isn't just mistreating me, it's mistreating yourself, too." Hearing that, her face darkened. Suppressing the urge to strangle me, she opened the fridge, pulled out a bunch of ingredients, turned on the stove, and started boiling water. I closed my eyes, listening to the clattering sounds of her bustling about while pondering what we should name our future kids. Come to think of it, even now, we still haven't told each other our real names.

Just as I was fantasizing about our kids going to elementary school, I suddenly smelled something burning. I quickly sat up and saw the boss dumping the noodles from the pot straight into the trash can, then starting to wash the pot. She's a CEO, she doesn't cook often. It's totally normal to mess up the first time out of nervousness. Completely understandable. I tried to comfort myself with that thought. But, when I saw her grab unwashed greens, snap them a few times, and toss them straight into the pot. Then, as the water boiled, she grabbed a handful of noodles and threw them right in. The veggies must have been washed before going into the fridge, right? What you don't see won't hurt you. It's fine. I continued to reassure myself. However, when I saw her crack an egg, dropping half the shell into the pot, and completely ignoring it, I instantly sprang up from the sofa. This woman is definitely trying to poison me. I couldn't let her keep cooking.

"Uh, hey boss, how about I do it? You don't seem very experienced." I had to rack my brain just to come up with the word experienced. Let me try again. "Next time, next time it'll definitely be fine." At that moment I realized she wasn't just inexperienced. She literally had no idea how to cook. Seeing her like this touched the softest part of my heart. "Go get some rest, boss. I'll handle this." With that, I took over the cooking from her and sent her to the side to rest. On one hand, I felt a bit bad for her. A girl who's clearly never done a day of chores in her life was actually trying to cook for me. On the other hand, I was seriously starving to death.

I expertly washed the pot and filled it with water. Once it boiled, I dropped the noodles straight in. Meanwhile, I started washing the vegetables. The boss was sitting right behind me, watching me skillfully handle utensils she didn't even know how to use. She was completely mesmerized. She probably never imagined that cooking could look so effortless in my hands. Oblivious to her staring, I moved at lightning speed, cracking two eggs into the pot in the rolling boil. I counted to 10 and scooped them right out. I placed the eggs over the cooked noodles, then gave them a gentle poke with my chopsticks, letting the golden yolk ooze out. Finally, I added a few drops of sesame oil. In an instant, a mouthwatering aroma filled the room.

"You're hungry, right? Come try this. I usually cook for myself, so I'm absolutely confident in my skills." I brought the bowl over and set it down in front of the boss. A simple bowl of instant noodles, after passing through my hands, looked incredibly appetizing, especially with that soft-boiled egg on top. It elevated the whole dish to a whole new level, perfectly garnished with some fresh greens. I said that as I placed my own bowl on the coffee table, grabbed a chopstick full, blew on it, and stuffed it into my mouth. I was seriously starving.

"Do you cook often?" Her tone was no longer cold. Instead, it was full of curiosity. >> "Yeah." >> "I live alone, so if I don't cook and order takeout every day, it gets way too expensive. Plus, takeout isn't very hygienic. You have no idea, boss, what kind of stuff they put in there. It's much safer to just cook for yourself."

Watching me eat with such relish, the boss couldn't resist taking a bite herself. Instantly, her eyes lit up. It had been a long time since she had had such a delicious bowl of noodles. It even reminded her of her mother's cooking. "Boss, when you're done, just head upstairs and rest. Leave the rest to me. I'll clean everything up before I go to sleep." In that moment, I felt like a real man in front of her. My confidence was through the roof.

"What about your arm?" Looking at my casted left arm, the boss couldn't help but look a little worried. I didn't expect her to actually care about me. I turned and smiled at her, signaling that it was no problem. I did already cause her so much trouble. I couldn't just sit around and do nothing. With my urging, the boss headed back to her bedroom. I cleared the dishes from the table and put them in the sink.

Just as I was washing up, my phone buzzed with a text. "Good night, babe. Sweet dreams."

The next morning, the boss stepped out of her room only to see a man wearing an apron in her kitchen, busily cooking. My forehead was already beaded with sweat. I had been at it since 6:00 a.m. and finally, [clears throat] this hearty breakfast was almost ready. "What are you doing?" Her face no longer had that vulnerable look from last night. Instead, she was back to her usual icy demeanor, "Making a lovely breakfast for you, boss. Since you clearly don't know how to cook, you probably never have time to eat in the mornings. And since I don't have any work to do right now, I figured I'd whip something up."

The boss listened without a hint of emotion, sitting at the table and watching me work. Then, she suddenly said, "Hubby, take me home after we ate." I was frying an egg and flinched in surprise. I still can't stay here. "All right, sorry for the trouble, boss." I brought over the freshly fried eggs, turned around, and walked over with a smile. The boss didn't say a word. She just picked up a slice of bread, sandwiched the egg inside, and took a bite. Immediately, I noticed a change in her eyes. It was a look of absolute astonishment.

"You don't have any plans today, do you?" This sudden question caught me completely off guard. "Nothing important. If you need me, boss, I can work from home." "Actually, I thought about it last night. Since you got injured because of work, the company will naturally cover your food expenses. Coincidentally, I never have time to cook. I'll pay for the groceries, and you cook. Just consider it my way of paying for my meals. How about that?"

The CEO kept a straight face. Speaking while eating her sandwich, how could I not understand what she meant? It must be because of that bowl of noodles last night. I've already conquered her stomach. Oh, right. If she hadn't mentioned it, I would've almost forgotten. The wound on my hand still needs someone to help change the dressing. How about I just crash at the CEO's place for a while? What if I become the boss's private chef? The two of us instantly clicked. One wanted to stay and never leave. The other wanted delicious food every single day. And just like that, I ended up staying at her place.

After breakfast, the CEO headed to the company for work. While I stayed home, cleaning up with just one hand. Then I sprawled out on the sofa and texted her. "Good morning, babe." She didn't reply much because right now, she was feeling incredibly conflicted. It felt almost like she was having an affair. She clearly already had a boyfriend. Yet, she let another man move into her house. To shake off these thoughts, she worked like crazy all morning. After signing the final document, she was completely exhausted. She even had to lean on the desk just to stand up from her chair.

"Hubby, work is so tiring. My back hurts so much." The CEO texted starting to complain. Actually, she didn't realize it. Ever since I showed up at her house, the two of them hadn't exchanged a single sweet nothing online all day. She might not have noticed this little detail, but as the person involved, I could definitely feel it. "Then you need to pay attention to your posture, okay? Don't sit for too long. Stand up and stretch when you have a moment. [clears throat] Be a good girl. Love you."

The CEO sat on the sofa rubbing her waist. What came to her mind was actually the cooking scene from last night. That was the first time she had ever shown her vulnerable side to an outsider. Her perfect image shattered in that instant. Her facade of strength and stubbornness crumbled completely in front of him. "Hello, is this the official store? I'd like to order a waist support belt, preferably one with a heating function for the stomach."

Putting the phone down, I lounged leisurely on the sofa. This feeling was exactly like using a cheat code in a game, knowing everything in advance for the entire day. The CEO didn't talk to her online boyfriend at all. As for me, I grabbed a pen and paced around the room taking notes. The goal was simple, to give the CEO's place a makeover. A girl living in such a stark black and white color scheme is bound to develop psychological issues if she stays here too long.

And so, the CEO and I were both busy all day when I finally got a call. To my surprise, it was a video call from her. "Come downstairs and help me carry some stuff." When I went down and saw the scene before me, I honestly didn't know what to say. Flanking the CEO were two shopping carts overflowing with groceries. "I didn't know what you needed, so I just bought a bit of everything. I want to eat grilled fish tonight." When she said this, she looked a little shy, but I knew this was a good start because she was finally voicing her desires.

Since I only had one good arm to use, the two of us had to work together. And even then, dealing with this mountain of food was a huge struggle. It took a Herculean effort for the CEO and me to move all this stuff. Inside the house, looking at the living room packed with groceries, now this finally looks like a home, not empty and desolate like before. The CEO sprawled on the sofa, completely abandoning her image. Massaging her temples, it was obvious she was exhausted today. As I put the groceries into the fridge one by one, I said, "Look, boss, you don't have to work yourself to death like this. You need to give yourself a breather."

She didn't say a word. I thought she was just ignoring me, but when I finished putting everything away and turned around, I realized she had already fallen fast asleep on the sofa. I walked over, carefully grabbed a blanket nearby, and draped it over her. I also grabbed the heating belt I bought today and placed it right where she had see it as soon as she opened her eyes. Then, humming a little tune, I started making today's grilled fish. I have to admit, right now, it really felt like I was cooking for my wife who just got home from work.

After bustling about for an hour, I finally got the grilled fish onto the tray. The CEO woke up. When she noticed the blanket covering her, she sat up abruptly. Seeing me busy in the kitchen, she breathed a sigh of relief. She had never slept so soundly in front of an outsider before. Could it be that she felt that safe around me? Very quickly, with just a glance, she spotted the heating belt sitting on the coffee table. "I ordered that for you. Seeing you carry all those heavy things, I figured your back must be killing you. Plus, looking at the date, I guess your time of the month is coming up in a few days. So, I went ahead and bought this heating belt for you. I've got brown sugar ready for you, too. While you can still eat savory and heavy foods these next few days, I wanted to make you something delicious." I didn't even turn my head while speaking. My hands kept busy, but I could already imagine just how touched the CEO would be hearing those words.

Just as I predicted, she looked at the heating belt in her hands and the brown sugar prepared right next to it, and just sat there in a daze, completely flustered. For so many years, she had always fought her battles alone, with no one to care for her. Even her online boyfriend only offered empty words of comfort, but the man right in front of her was so incredibly thoughtful. She just kept staring at me. She didn't even realize that she was completely lost in a trance.

"Done." With the final step complete, today's grilled fish was ready to serve. Grilled oysters, white rice. I set the grilled fish and the main dishes on the coffee table. The CEO still hadn't snapped out of it, still staring blankly at me. "Hey, what are you doing?" "Time to eat." "It's not like there's food on my face." I waved a pair of chopsticks in front of her, seeing her finally snap back to reality. I took my bowl and chopsticks and sat on the other side. She's the boss, and I'm just the guy she hired to cook. Obviously, I couldn't sit right next to the homeowner. Yeah, I know my place very well. With that, I ignored her expression and casually picked up my bowl, feeling quite triumphant.

She picked up a piece of fish and put it in her mouth. The next second, her eyes lit up. Just as she was about to shower me with praise, she turned her head and saw me resting my chin on my hand, watching her with a beaming smile. "You can praise me now. Tastes amazing, doesn't it?" Seeing my smug look, she scoffed. "It's all right. Just slightly better than street food." Hearing that, my smile froze. A wave of defeat instantly washed over me. From an angle I couldn't see, the CEO saw my reaction and her tightly pursed lips curled into a faint smile.

Just as I was doubting my own culinary skills, I suddenly noticed her bowl was already empty. Her cheeks were slightly flushed. Beads of sweat were forming on her forehead and she kept panting from the heat. I was thrilled inside. What a stubborn mouth. Let's see how long the boss can keep up this act. "Is it a bit spicy? You never told me you couldn't handle spice." With that, I stood up and walked over to the fridge. "Who says? It's just a little hot, that's all." By now, her lips were swollen and red from the spice, looking incredibly alluring. I walked over and placed the can of peanut milk I just grabbed from the fridge right in front of her. "Stop being so stubborn. Drink up, missy. Your time of the month is in a few days. Eating so much spicy and stimulating food isn't good for you."

She looked at the peanut milk in front of her and hearing me mention her period, her cheeks instantly flushed even redder. "How do you know it's almost that time?" "Right there, hanging on the wall." I pointed. "Eat the calendar hanging on her wall. I was wondering before why there were circles on it every month. After doing a little math, I figured out those were the days of your period. You haven't circled anything for this month yet, but based on the timing, it should be coming up soon." She didn't say another word, just lowered her head. She complained it wasn't good, but she polished off half the fish all by herself.

After eating her fill, she sprawled out on the sofa. And then, like ordering a servant around, she pointed at the leftovers on the table. "Clean this up. I'm very satisfied with tonight's dinner. I expect you to keep up the good work." I cleaned everything up and put it all away. I brewed a cup of brown sugar water and set it in front of her. "Remember to drink this when it cools down a bit. If you start nourishing your blood and qi now, it won't be as uncomfortable when the time comes." She was lying on her stomach on the sofa, just murmuring an "Mhm" without saying anything else. But, this habit of hers was really bad. Her back clearly hurt, yet she was still lying on her stomach.

"Don't, you know you shouldn't put too much pressure here." I don't know where I got the nerve, but as I spoke, I placed my hand on her waist. I pressed down firmly with my right hand, and her spine let out a satisfying pop. She looked at me curiously because the pain had actually lessened. "Compressing your bones for a long time will lead to misalignment. You need to be careful from now on. Even a CEO needs to take care of her health. If you get sick, who's going to pay my salary?" With that, I turned around and started cleaning the kitchen. I knew I couldn't keep going like this. Being too eager would only backfire and push her away. Maintaining this lukewarm attitude was the only way I could keep living here. After all, distance makes the heart grow fonder. I at least understood that much.

"Baby, are you feeling any better? I was so busy today. I didn't have time to chat with you." >> "Yeah, I'm feeling much better, but it still hurts sometimes. You're not by my side, so when it hurts, there's no one to take care of me. I really don't know when I'll get to see you. Lately, whenever I want a voice call, you refuse, and you won't even show your face on video calls. It's like we're having some secret illicit affair. I really, really want to see you."

Looking at the messages she sent, my head felt like it was going to explode. I had clearly taken such good care of her that even I was moved by it. Plus, these past few days, I hadn't even dared to tease her like I used to. I was living right in her house. If I turned on voice chat, my cover would be blown instantly. "Have you eaten yet? What do you want? I'll order it for you." "No need. I've been learning to cook lately. I made grilled fish."

all by myself today. Impressive, right?" A photo of the grilled fish popped up on my phone. I made that. That was me. At this moment, I felt like a total simp. This girl was taking the food I made to win over another man, even though that other man [clears throat] was also me. It still felt pretty damn annoying, no matter how I looked at it.

Oh, right. I might have to go on a business trip soon. Work requires me to go deep into the mountains for a field survey. The signal there is terrible, so I might not be able to contact you for a week or two. So, I wanted to ask for a leave of absence for a while.

After sending that message, I casually picked a photo from the very bottom of my album, a picture taken in my hometown, and sent it. I had already planned this all out last night. I wanted to see if I could use this half month to make the CEO fall for the real me instead of that virtual phantom online. Just last night, I even gave this plan of mine a name, Old Man, I want to eat fish.

Because of my sudden request for a leave of absence, the CEO and I chatted a lot that night. From how we met to how we got to know each other, all the way to interesting stories from our lives. I even sent her a bunch of photos from my hometown to prove I was heading there for work. The consequence of staying up all night chatting was that I had to sport panda eyes while making breakfast for her.

Once she left for work, I quickly sprawled out on the sofa to catch up on sleep. When I opened my eyes again, I saw her holding a stack of documents standing right in front of me. "You're back? Is it time to make dinner already?" Seeing her back, I instinctively stood up to grab my apron, but she stopped me.

"From today on, you'll be working from home. Remember that project you messed up last month? The client specifically requested that you be the one to finish it. So, your return to work has been moved up. This partnership is extremely important, so you need to finish the proposal by tonight. Tomorrow, I'm taking you to negotiate with them." It was clear she took this partnership very seriously. Her tone was noticeably stricter.

"What about dinner?" To my surprise, she rolled up her sleeves and marched right into the kitchen. "I'll handle dinner tonight. Just focus on finishing the proposal." I was pretty skeptical of her words, but I didn't refuse because this proposal really was crucial.

Just as I was fully focused on revising it, a piercing scream shattered my train of thought. I looked up and saw her flailing her hand around screaming non-stop. A scallop had clamped down hard on her finger. In a panic, I I grabbed her hand and told her to stop moving. Then, using two fingers, I forcefully pried the scallop open. With a bit of effort, I pulled her hand free.

"You're a grown woman. How can you be so careless?" I pulled her hand and found the first aid kit in the cabinet nearby. I took out some gauze and iodine and started disinfecting her finger. First, I used a cotton swab to wipe the bleeding finger dry, even blowing on it like I was comforting a child. Next, I applied the iodine to disinfect it and carefully wrapped it in gauze. After finishing all this, I noticed her face was as red as a boiled lobster. That's when I realized I was still holding her hand. "Sorry, I didn't mean to. Ill just handle dinner."

After dinner, the CEO took on the heavy responsibility of cleaning up while I sat at the coffee table continuing to revise the proposal. In my opinion, this client was completely brainless. Their benchmark proposals were all based on the most popular and trending software right now. Yet, their demand was to beat those very apps and surpass the industry giants in traffic. The very first time I held this proposal, I thought it was an impossible mission. I had no idea which idiot impulsively accepted this request. The other party was paying a massive amount of money, so much that there was basically no reason to refuse. But, the penalty for breaching the contract was also astronomical, so high that the entire company couldn't afford it. I had no choice. This time, the CEO personally gave the order and the client specifically asked for me, so I just had to bite the bullet.

Based on the original plan, I added a few customer acquisition strategies. "Here you go. Get some rest once you're done." I didn't even notice when, but she had brewed me a cup of coffee and placed it in front of me. Then, she turned and went upstairs. I watched her long legs disappear from sight and for some reason, I felt a real warmth in my heart right then. I wrote and rewrote this proposal, revising it over and over again. It wasn't until the early hours of the morning that I finally went to bed. Honestly, I already guessed the outcome. Tomorrow, they still wouldn't be satisfied and they'd find every excuse to make us pay the breach of contract penalty.

Early the next morning, I saw saw CEO already dressed in her business attire. She even tossed me a new uniform, but the problem was my arm was still in a cast, so I couldn't dress myself at all. And so, I got to experience what it was like to have the female CEO of a listed company personally dress me when my shirt was taken off, revealing my eight-pack abs, I could clearly feel her stealing glances at them. After I caught her looking, she practically kept her eyes squeezed shut the whole time while helping me finish changing.

"Let's go." I got into her car heading straight to the negotiation venue. The meeting place for this partnership was a private room in a luxury hotel. When the CEO and I opened the door and walked in, we saw the clients beaming with smiles. "I've long heard that your company's CEO is as beautiful as a flower. Seeing you in person today, you truly live up to your reputation." They fixed all their eyes on her. As for my appearance, it was met with nothing but mockery. Only then did I notice there wasn't even a seat for me in the room.

"Please, have a seat. We need to thoroughly discuss the details of our collaboration today." The guy leading them was a greasy middle-aged man. From the moment we stepped into the room, his eyes never left her, glued entirely to the CEO. Because I didn't have a seat, I stood next to the CEO like a clown. The two employees from the partner company even looked at me and sneered. At this point, my anger was boiling over, but out of respect for the CEO, I held it in and just stood there with my head down.

"I've long heard of your esteemed company's reputation. Meeting you today, it really lives up to the rumors. Don't you even understand the most basic rules of hospitality?" Who would have thought, before I could even lose my temper, the CEO picked up her cup, took a sip of water, and then looked at everyone present.

">> Watch your mouth. >> Don't think just because you're the boss of your company, you can talk whatever nonsense you want. >> How do we not understand the rules of hospitality? >> He's just a sales rep. What right does he have to sit with us? >> Can the two pets beside you speak on your behalf? >> Unexpectedly, the CEO's queen-like aura exploded. She didn't even bother to look up. Standing beside her, my blood was pumping. I never expected that when the CEO got bossy she'd be this badass.

">> Shut up, you two useless trashes. My sales rep is still an employee of my company. What? Are you two not sales reps yourselves? It was our oversight. Please don't be angry." They originally planned to assert dominance over me the moment we walked in. After all, they weren't satisfied with my previous proposal. But I didn't expect that the dignified CEO of the company would actually step up to defend an employee. Very quickly, a waiter brought over a chair and placed it next to the CEO. Just like that, the negotiation officially began.

"Start your performance." The CEO looked at me and said, she looked exactly like a queen giving orders to her knight. "All right, it's not our first time working together. We're all old acquaintances here, so I'll keep this brief. Your demands are fundamentally impossible to fulfill." Hearing me say that, the greasy man was the first to jump up and protest.

"Look at this, President Lynn. We sincerely want to collaborate, but the competence of your sales rep is just too poor. Would you consider this a breach of contract?" The greasy middle-aged man's grin was practically stretching from ear to ear. Because if our company couldn't deliver the product according to their requirements, we would have to pay a massive penalty for breaching the contract, and that number was no small sum. It could easily cause the entire company to collapse.

"Don't be so hasty. What's wrong? Is middle-age treating you so poorly that you can't even keep your cool anymore?" Seeing that greasy guy's smug look made my blood boil again, especially the way he looked at the CEO. It made me incredibly uncomfortable.

"What did you just say? I mean, this collaboration can continue. But as the commission party, I need to make a demand of you. Keep in mind, it's not a request, it's a demand. According to the contract, the commissioning party must provide the commission party with the complete contract, the project plan, product requirements, and legal documents." I said while flipping through the documents in my hand, deliberately showing them that there were absolutely no legal documents from their company.

"It's been exactly 2 months now, and we've only received the contract you provided along with the product requirements. However, as for your company's legal documents, we haven't received a single thing." Hearing this, the greasy man grabbed a wet wipe from the table to wipe the sweat off his forehead without saying a word. Meanwhile, the two employees beside him continued to yell, "We already paid you the commission fee. What you need to do now is deliver a product that satisfies us. What legal documents? You took the money, so do the work. Isn't that what you're supposed to do?"

I looked at them as if I were looking at two idiots. I threw the contract in my hand right in front of them. "What we signed before was just a signature confirming the contract, as well as the signature on the product design. But regarding the legal documents in the contract to verify your company's capability, we haven't signed off on that yet. We can meet your product requirements, but first I need to confirm whether your company actually has the capability. In other words, if you want to surpass the traffic of the top-tier products on the market, then you need to provide our company with full legal documents proving your capability. That means your registered capital, project plan, and your total estimated investment."

At this point, I picked up the glass of water in front of me and took a big gulp. Then I caught the CEO's eye because the glass I just used was the exact same one the boss had just drank from. I coughed awkwardly twice. "How embarrassing. "Based on the product design concept you provided, you must provide us with at least proof of an estimated investment of around 1.5 billion yuan. If you have no way to prove that you have the capability to sustain this project, we can unilaterally terminate the contract." As soon as those words came out, the other side was instantly speechless. Not even knowing what to do next, they had never considered this issue. They wanted to use this impossible task to extort a massive breach of contract penalty.

"Oh right, I forgot to tell you, from the moment the contract notice was signed, the deadline is 3 months. You need to present your proof of capability to us. Looking at it now, you only have 1 month left. Of course, I also hope you can produce this proof of capability. After all, our collaboration is a win-win project. But I still have to remind you, it's almost the end of the year. The notary office is about to go on holiday, so you'd better hurry up. If you can't produce it within the specified time, we have reason to suspect you're trying to scam us out of the penalty fee. But, I figure a big company like yours wouldn't do something so shameless, right?" I stood up, bowed slightly, and extended my hand very politely. The CEO also played along perfectly.

"If there's nothing else, we'll be taking our leave. I hope there's still a chance to collaborate, but that's after you get your proof of capability. Otherwise, for unilaterally breaching the contract, you'll be the ones paying up." With that said, the CEO and I left the private room. Honestly, that felt so damn good. Back in the car, I pumped my fist hard in the air. The gloom in my heart had completely vanished. Not only did we resolve the company's crisis, we even managed to turn the tables.

"So, you were busy until midnight yesterday just to find their loophole." The CEO's tone, which was cold at first, had become quite a bit gentler. After all, with this matter resolved, the company had essentially survived a major crisis. I leaned back in the passenger seat and said smugly, "Of course, "We fundamentally couldn't design this product. It's obvious they were deliberately looking for trouble. Plus, there's definitely a mole of theirs in our company. That's the only way that contract got signed." I was busy until midnight yesterday reviewing the contract five or six times before I finally found the loophole.

"Within a month, making them prove their company has 1.5 billion yuan in assets is practically a pipe dream. But, let's just wait until after the new year to deal with it. By then, you can hire a legal team to sue them. Oh, and remember to fire the employee who signed that contract. There is definitely something wrong with them." I just kept rambling on, completely oblivious to the CEO beside me, who was glaring at me.

"Are you giving me orders?" Hearing the shift in the CEO's tone, I got scared and quickly sat up straight, looking at her and shaking my head repeatedly. "I wouldn't dare. It's just a suggestion. Just a tiny little suggestion. Ultimately, it's still up to you to decide what to do next. After all, you're the boss of the company." Seeing my deliberate attempt to suck up, the CEO actually burst out laughing.

"Good job. Your year-end bonus will be increased by 60%. I want sweet and sour ribs for dinner tonight." Seeing the CEO's attitude, I was so excited. I practically danced in my seat, waving my arm forward like a commander. "No problem. Let's go. Let's go home." Hearing that, the CEO turned to look at me, and I smiled back at her. In her heart, it seemed like it had been a very long time since anyone had said, "Let's go home to her."

Ding dong. Ding dong. I took out my phone to check. And surprisingly, it was a video call from my mom. "Son, it's almost the new year. When do you get time off? Is that psycho boss of yours going to make you work overtime again?" As soon the call connected, my dear mother's kind face appeared on the screen. But her words were honestly worse than killing me. Because the psycho boss I had mentioned was sitting right next to me.

"What are you talking about? Our boss is brilliant and mighty. A masterful leader. When did I ever say she was a psycho? She takes great care of me. You must have misheard." At this moment, I used every word of praise I could think of to flatter my boss, denying it with all my might. Hearing this, my mom looked completely confused.

"What did you tell me yourself last time? That because you made a tiny mistake last month, your boss deducted so much of your pay. You even said she was a total demoness. And you even went around gossiping about her having irregular periods." I think I did say that, Mom. Please, stop talking. If you keep talking, I won't be able to come home for the new year at all.

"Son, is there someone next to you so it's not convenient to talk? Okay. Okay. Okay. I won't say anymore." I wanted to cry even more. Mom, if only this cleverness of yours had come a few minutes earlier, it would be been great. What's the point of not talking now? She already heard everything.

"Mom, come home a bit early for the new year. We're raising a whole house full of cats now. Didn't you say you like cats the most? Your dad is making pretty good money breeding cats now. If things aren't going well at the company, just come back and work with your dad. You won't have to put up with your boss anymore." What goes around comes around. Just a ago, she said she wouldn't complain because someone was next to me. And not even two sentences later, she's back to badmouthing my boss.

Then, my mom turned the camera. It quickly showed our front yard. There were at least 100 ragdoll cats in the yard, meowing at the camera. Looking at the yard full of cats, I actually felt a bit sad. I thought finding a good job would let me provide for my parents, but unexpectedly, I still had to let the two of them start their own business to pave the way for their unambitious son.

"Mom, don't work yourselves too hard. You're both getting older. Just enjoy your retirement and get some rest. Oh, right, son. I almost forgot to tell you, your dad got elected as the village chief. You're practically a rich second generation kid now." Hearing my mom say that, I turned my head to look at the CEO. I noticed she was pursing her lips, secretly laughing.

The first thing your dad did after taking office was renovate the old city god temple in the village. A lot of the villagers really respect him. In a while, he's even planning to have them all raise cats together to get rich. After saying that, my mom sent a picture of the village's city god temple. By the time I wanted to stop her, it was already too late. The newly renovated city god temple appeared right before my eyes and the CEO's. When the CEO saw the photo, she didn't pay much attention at first, but she quickly reacted, took out her phone, scrolled through her chat history, opened a photo as well, zoomed in, and started comparing them.

"Mom, if there's nothing else, I'm going to hang up now. I'll come visit you during my annual leave." With that, I turned off the video call and sat in the passenger seat pretending nothing happened while actually peeking at her out of the corner of my eye.

">> Zhen, zai look. >> Is this the city god temple in your hometown?" Unexpectedly, the CEO suddenly handed her phone over, zooming in on the city god temple in the photo for me to see. "Probably not. Basically, every village has these kinds of city god temples. It can't be such a coincidence that it's exactly the one in my village. I know. Let's go home. Let's go make sweet and sour ribs." The CEO didn't dwell on it any further.

After dinner, I was cleaning up in the living room. The CEO had gone back to her room early. "Are you there? I saw a building today that looks just like the one in your photo. It feels very similar. I wonder if you're there. It's been 3 days since you replied to my messages. Are you doing well over there? I want to come find you, even if it's just to see you once." The phone in my pocket kept vibrating. I took it out and saw these messages sent by the CEO. For a moment, I didn't know what to say. At this moment, I despised myself a little. Even to the girl I like, I didn't have the courage to face her and say it. I wanted to be brave just once. But what happens after I'm brave? The result might be a breakup. Maybe we'd never see each other again. Or even lose all affection for the rest of our lives. And so, two people carrying their own secrets fell asleep in their rooms until midnight when I was woken up by a flurry of knocks on my door. I opened the door to check, and surprisingly, it was the CEO in her pajamas. Her eyes were red, which made my heart ache looking at her. I didn't even have the mind to admire her perfect figure.

"Can we go to your hometown tomorrow?" This sudden question left me at a loss for words. Before I could even react, the CEO pulled out a laptop from behind her. "I went out of my way to look it up. There are a total of 246 villages with a city god temple. I gathered them all and compared them one by one. The result is that the one exactly like the photo, that city god temple is only in your village. Take me there." Hearing the CEO say that, my heart felt like it was being squeezed. I never expected that a photo I took casually would make her put in so much effort.

"Boss, why are you so fixated on the city god temple in my village?" "There are plenty of sacred temples in the city now, whether it's for wealth, love, or children. I want to meet someone." Before I could finish, the CEO cut me off saying with a lost expression, "Does that person owe you money?" I asked her half joking. The CEO nodded, and the next second, her eyes grew slightly red, tears welling up ready to fall. "That person owes me more than just money. I want to find him. Can you go with me to your hometown to check?" At this moment, I truly couldn't think of a single reason to refuse. A high and mighty CEO was actually using a pleading tone to ask me. Seeing me agree, she finally went back satisfied. As expected, the CEO style was very decisive.

Early the next morning, as soon as I woke up, I found two large suitcases in the living room. The CEO had already changed her clothes and was sitting on the sofa. "I'll give you half an hour to wash up and change. I've approved your leave request. We're heading out today." The CEO didn't give me any chance to react. Just sitting there looking at her watch, I knew the countdown had started, so I frantically rushed into the bathroom. Brushing my teeth, washing my face, and taking a shower took less than 15 minutes. After changing my clothes, I stood at the door and smiled at the CEO.

"Hey, hey. Take the suitcases downstairs. It's my first time visiting your home, and I didn't know what gifts to bring for your parents. So, I haven't bought anything yet." It took a tremendous amount of effort for me to lug the two suitcases into the car. Then I caught the car keys the CEO tossed to me. "We're going to your home, so you drive." With that, the CEO sat in the passenger seat.

"What are you thinking about?" A few minutes passed, and seeing that I hadn't moved, she rolled down the window and looked at me. I stood outside with an awkward expression, hesitating. "Uh I don't know how to drive." As soon as I said that, the CEO took off her sunglasses and looked at me in shock. I said defensively, "Boss, don't look at me like that. I really don't know how to drive. I ride a public bike to work every day. Besides, I've worked at the company for so long. Have you ever seen me with a car?" Then I pointed to my injured left hand. "Besides, there's no way I can drive in my current state. Unless you want us to die together, Boss." I held my head high, looking at the CEO smugly. My message was loud and clear. "What are you going to do about it, Boss?" Seeing my punchable face, the CEO looked like she wanted to strangle me with her bare hands. She helplessly rubbed her temples. She had genuinely forgotten that I was injured. After all, I'd been cooking so nimbly these past few days that she just assumed I was perfectly fine.

"Switch seats." The CEO snatched the car keys from my hand with a the expression, then started the engine, and drove toward my hometown. I glanced at the GPS navigation. It would take about 4 hours to get home. Along the way, the CEO and I chatted. I told her a bunch of fun stories from my childhood in the village, like how I used to catch frogs in the river and go fishing with my friends, and about the giant yellow dog at the village entrance that always tried to bite me whenever it saw me. The CEO listened with rapt attention because she had never experienced such a carefree life. Raised from a young age to be the heir, she had no playtime, no childhood, only endless studying and business networking. At this moment, the dynamic between the CEO and me underwent a subtle shift. We no longer felt like boss and subordinate, but more like two close friends. The 4-hour drive flew by quickly with my company. Finally, in the afternoon, I arrived at the village where I was born and raised.

"Whose luxury car is that? It looks so majestic, right? Just look at it. It even has a matte finish." Last month, my daughter told me, "Her boss just bought the exact same model." As soon as we entered the village, a crowd gathered around us, pointing and gossiping about the car. For years, people have only ever left this village. No one ever comes back to visit. So, when we showed up, we instantly became the center of attention.

"Oh my, isn't that Auntie Leah's boy? Goodness, I haven't seen him in years. He's so successful now." Surrounded by the onlookers, the CEO felt awkward and couldn't keep driving. So, she stopped the car and rolled down the window. The villagers immediately recognized me. "All right. All right, we won't bother you anymore. Hurry up and go see your parents. If they know you're back, they'll definitely be grinning from ear to ear." Amidst the enthusiastic crowd of villagers, the CEO drove toward my house.

From a distance, I could hear a cat meowing from the courtyard. A man had his back turned to us, continuously scattering cat food. His posture didn't look like he was just feeding a cat, but rather like he was seeking comfort. "Dad." I stepped out of the car, calling out with a choked voice. My dad turned around, stunned at first. "You little brat. So, you still know how to come back and visit me. Honey, come out here quick. Our son is back." Seeing the gray hair at his temples that had grown over the years, tears unconsciously welled up in my eyes. Hearing his shout, my mom rushed out of the house still wearing her apron. Seeing me, she was overwhelmed with emotion and ran over to pull me into a tight hug, but that pressed right against my injury.

">> Mom. >> Gentle. >> Be gentle. >> Your son is injured." Hearing me cry out in pain, my mom quickly let go to check on me. Seeing my left arm in a cast, she almost burst into tears. "What? What happened here? How did you get hurt so badly, son?" I scratched my head and just told her I took a bad fall. The CEO lowered her head guiltily, not saying a word.

Following my gaze, my mom finally noticed the beautiful woman I'd brought home. "This girl is so pretty. You must be Xiao Ze's girlfriend, right?" "Mom, this is >>" "We're friends." >> The CEO quickly cut me off and explained. Unfortunately, my parents weren't listening at all. They just kept nodding knowingly. Their expressions practically screamed, "You're young. We get it."

">> Old man, we have a guest. >> Hurry up and cook something good. I'll make an exception and let you have a little drink tonight." Hearing he could drink >> my dad instantly perked up like he'd been injected with chicken blood. "Why don't you ever let me drink normally?" >> I carried the bags into the house and asked about it. >> A few days ago, your dad had a checkup and they found some liver issues. The doctor strictly forbade him from drinking. So, I've been keeping a tight leash on him lately. But since you're back today, I'm letting him have a little. >> Now, I understood. No wonder my dad was as excited as a kid earlier.

">> Auntie, I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Lin Ao Xue. I'm Chen Ze's friend. I heard he was coming back to visit you for the holidays, so I tagged along. I hope I'm not intruding." "Oh my, what are you saying? You have no idea. Your uncle and I are absolutely thrilled to have you here. This boy hasn't brought a girl home in years. You're the very first, and I hope you'll be the last." I stood to the side not wanting to say another word. The more I explained, the messier it would get.

Soon enough, my My bought a whole tableful of food. The four of us gathered around the dining table. My mom kept piling food into Lin Aoxue's bowl while recounting stories from my childhood. She only occasionally turned to ask how I'd been doing lately, acting as if Lin Aoxue was her actual biological daughter. It was only now that I learned the CEO's name. After dinner, I originally intended to help clear the table, but my mom used my injury as an excuse to refuse and told me to take Lin Aoxue out for a walk. Left with no other choice, I took her for a stroll around the village.

While we were walking, a yellow blur suddenly lunged at me. "Da Huang, stop messing around. You used to chase me down to bite me, and now you've switched to licking, huh?" I struggled to my feet holding the yellow dog back. I smiled and rubbed its head. When I was a kid, Da Huang was the most energetic dog in the whole village. But as I grew up, Da Huang grew old, too. Even his whiskers and eyebrows had started turning white. As I was feeling nostalgic, I pulled the remaining half of a sausage from my pocket intending to feed it to him. But when I looked down, Da Huang was nowhere to be seen. By the time I reacted, he had already dashed over to Lin Aoxue's feet, wagging his tail non-stop to curry favor.

"You heartless traitor. You're not even this enthusiastic when you see an old friend. I was just about to feed you, and yet a pretty girl shows up for the first time and instantly wins you over. You horny dog." Even though I said that, I still tactfully stepped aside watching Lin Aoxue and Da Huang play together. Faced with Da Huang's enthusiasm, Lin Aoxue was terrified at first, but out of curiosity, she crouched down and couldn't resist rubbing Da Huang's head. At this, Da Huang wagged his tail even more joyfully.

"He really seems to like you." Seeing the girl and the dog playing so happily, I couldn't help but sigh. After playing for a while, Lin Aoxue stood up, looked at me and said, "Take me to see the City God Temple in your village." So, I really couldn't escape this, huh? There was no way around it. Since we were already here, I had to lead Lin Aoxue through a few winding turns up to the City God Temple on the small hill. I remember when the village was was quite populated, the incense at the City God Temple never stopped burning, but as more and more young people left the village to build their careers in the city, the City God Temple grew increasingly deserted. But fortunately, when my dad became the village chief, he had the place renovated, which helped restore the temple to its former vitality.

The CEO walked around the City God Temple twice, then took out her phone and zoomed in on the photo from before. Although the City God Temple back then was dilapidated and run-down, making it look like night and day compared to now. Some of the architectural structures remained unchanged. Lin Xiaoxu held up the photo to compare. She quickly confirmed that this was indeed the place. After looking for a while, Lin Xiaoxu turned around and suddenly said to me, "Could you take a picture for me?" I nodded flusteredly and took the phone from her hand. I adjusted the angle and snapped a photo of her. Lin Xiaoxu took her phone back and quickly sent the photo out.

"I'm here. This is the place. If you're here, can you come see me?" The evening breeze blew through Lin Xiaoxu's flowing hair. Seeing her lonely expression, I couldn't help but want to step forward and embrace her, to tell her out loud that I was right here, that I loved her. But until the very last moment, I still couldn't take that step.

Actually, the moment we arrived at this village, I knew my previous lie had definitely been exposed because the village already had 5G signal coverage. There was absolutely no way I couldn't receive messages. As smart as Lin Xiaoxu was, she must have figured it out, too. Her online date didn't fail to receive her messages. He just didn't want to reply.

"Chen Ze, if a friend of yours kept avoiding you and refused to see you, what do you think the reason would be?" Lin Xiaoxu put her phone away, her face full of disappointment. She turned to look at me and said, "If he's not trying to scam you out of your money, then maybe he has some hidden difficulties." With my answer, she didn't seem very satisfied. She walked straight into the City God Temple. There was fresh incense placed on the altar. She casually grabbed a handful, lit them, and placed them in the incense burner. She closed her eyes and prayed sincerely.

"I hope he can appear before me, even if it's just to see him once, that would be enough." Lin Xiaoxiu stood there for a long time, then opened her eyes and turned around, meeting my gaze right at that moment. Actually, the City God Temple in the village wasn't very big. I looked at her and smiled. Lin Xiaoxiu let out a long sigh, walked over and took the initiative to grab my arm.

"Let's go back." Seeing her so downcast, I didn't feel it was right to say anything else. So, I just obediently let her drag me back. As soon as we got home, before we even stepped into the courtyard, we heard my parents talking. "Tell me, do you think that girl is our son's girlfriend? How could she be? One look at her and you can tell she's either rich or from high society. She's definitely rich. I don't even know what half the stuff she brought is. Most of it is in English." Hearing their conversation, Lin Xiaoxiu didn't walk in right away. Instead, she pulled me aside to eavesdrop at the gate.

"If those two really are a couple, then our Chen family ancestors must be smiling down on us. I just don't know if this girl will demand that their kids take her last name." Listening to my parents talk, I just wanted the ground to swallow me whole. Lin Xiaoxiu, on the other hand, maintained a calm expression. But the way that girl looks at our son, I can feel that she definitely likes him. Hearing this, I turned to look at Lin Xiaoxiu in shock, but from her eyes, I couldn't read a single thing. I stood at the gate and coughed twice, interrupting their conversation. If I let them keep talking, who knows what kind of wild rumors they'd come up with next.

Seeing me lead Lin Xiaoxiu in, my parents hurriedly stood up to welcome us. Then they brought out some fruit from the house for us to eat. "Oh, right. Uncle Chen Ze took me to see the City God Temple in the village. I heard it was renovated not too long ago. Was that your doing?" "The village elected me as the director, so I figured I should do something good for everyone. Besides, it wasn't recently renovated, it's been almost half a year." Lin Xiaoxiu nodded upon hearing this, saying nothing more. As for me, I knew my cover was completely blown this time, because the old photo of the City God Temple I had just sent to Lin Xiaoxiu 3 days ago. In other words, the timeline didn't match up at all. But thankfully, she didn't press the issue.

That evening, my parents prepared a room for the two of us. Late at night, just as I was sleeping soundly, I was suddenly woken up by a knock on the door. I rubbed my eyes and went to open it. Sure enough, Lin Aoxue was standing at the door in her pajamas. "Boss, it's one thing to knock on my door at your place, but now we're at my house. Aren't you afraid of the villagers gossiping?" Lin Aoxue didn't care at all. She walked straight into my room, found a place to sit down, and then stared at me without saying a word.

"Boss, what are you trying to do? I'm exhausted. Can you just let me sleep?" I had no idea what kind of fit this crazy woman was throwing in the middle of the night. By tomorrow morning, the whole village would probably be buzzing with rumors about a girl barging into my room in the dead of night.

"I just sent you a file. Accept it." I groggily took out my phone, unlocked the screen, and prepared to accept the file. The next second, a video call came through. At that moment, I still hadn't realized what was happening. So, I answered it out of pure reflex. When Lin Aoxue's face appeared on my phone screen, I knew it was too late. I had absolutely no idea what to say, and didn't even dare to look up at Lin Aoxue. I could only keep my head down, staring blankly at my phone screen, enduring Lin Aoxue's scrutinizing gaze.

"How about you give me a chance to explain, Boss?" Who would have thought she wouldn't say a single word, and just turned around and left, leaving me standing there alone, completely dumbfounded. "I'm dead." In that moment, I felt like my whole world had collapsed. I didn't know how I was going to face Lin Aoxue after this.

The night passed in silence. Early the next morning, I stepped out of my room just in time to see Lin Aoxue walking out as well. "Morning, Boss." To my surprise, Lin Aoxue just shot me a cold glare and turned her head away. I awkwardly rubbed my nose. It seemed that coaxing her was going to be impossible anytime soon.

During breakfast, upon hearing that Lin Aoxue was preparing to leave, my mom blurted out, "What? You two have to leave today already?" "An urgent matter came up at the company that needs to be handled. Plus, Chen Ze is an outstanding employee. We can't do do without him." Even though Lin Aoxue said that, she didn't spare me a single glance the entire time. My mom looked at me, then at Lin Aoxue, seemingly figuring something out.

">> You're probably not used to being here, right? >> You two are usually always together. So, suddenly being separated must feel weird. In that case, as your mother, I won't stop you. Finish your food, pack up, and head back. But, you have to take back all the stuff you brought. I appreciate the thought, but your dad and I could never finish it all." We couldn't stop my parents' enthusiasm at all. So, exactly as those gifts were brought here, they were packed right back up for us to take home.

"Just listen to me explain." The drive was completely silent. Finally, I couldn't hold it in anymore and spoke up. "Listen to you explain what? Explain how you lied to me." Even though I didn't know when Lin Aoxue had started suspecting me. If she really forced me to explain, I truly had nothing to say. And just like that, for the entire 4-hour drive, we didn't say another word to each other.

When we arrived downstairs at her place, I reached out to grab her luggage. To my surprise, Lin Aoxue pulled her hand away first. Seeing her resolute attitude, I had to let go and step aside. But, the very next second, she lost her balance and fell. Seeing this, I rushed over to help her up. "Get lost." Lin Aoxue snapped angrily. She stubbornly got to her feet and dragged her heavy luggage step by step into the building. Watching her silhouette fade away, I knew I would probably never be able to come back here again.

I returned home in a daze, then took out from my pocket the bunch of keys I had hidden earlier. I had hidden them before just to trick Lin Aoxue. But, now, looking back at everything I'd done, I realized I was nothing but a clown. I spent so much effort hiding my identity only to end up with absolutely nothing. Back home, looking at my empty apartment, I felt like I'd lost my soul. I sat on the couch for who knows how long. Finally, I got up and went to the bathroom to wash my face. Staring at my haggard reflection in the mirror, I couldn't help but slap myself across the face.

"Chenze, you're not even a real man. If you like her, then go after her. What's the big deal?" With that thought, I immediately cleaned myself up, then brought a gift, and went downstairs to Lin Ao Xue's apartment building. "Ao Xue, I like you." Standing in the middle of lit candles arranged in a heart shape, holding a bouquet of fresh flowers, I shouted up to her floor, "Give me a chance to pursue you." My shout echoed throughout the entire apartment complex, but I received no response.

"Ao Xue, even if you want to give me the death penalty, at least give me a chance to say my last words. I know I lied to you, but at the time, I really didn't know who you were. I never expected that the person I liked would turn out to be my boss." As soon as I said that, I heard a window upstairs being pushed open. I looked up. It wasn't Lin Ao Xue, but a guy wearing an apron.

"Keep going, bro." I stared at him completely speechless. This dude was actually holding a handful of sunflower seeds. "Because of the difference in our status, I was terrified you'd find out. I was afraid that if you knew, you'd leave me." Right after I said that, a few more windows popped open. The apartment residents all poked their heads out.

"And then what? What happens next?" Seeing so many people suddenly appear, I felt a bit embarrassed, but I knew that if I backed down now, I'd never get another chance. "I admit I lied to you, I'm a coward, I'm useless. But when I was cooking for you at your place, I knew I had already fallen for you watching you smile while you ate. Do you have any idea how happy I was in that moment?" My words won the sympathy of quite a few women in the crowd. They all started scolding their own husbands at home.

"I've thought it through now. Even if you're my boss, I still want a chance. A chance to prove that I love you. I won't even ask for a salary from now on, okay?" As soon as those words left my mouth, the nosy onlookers all burst out laughing. Some even found my foolishness kind of endearing. "If you don't come down today, I'll just stand here forever." Having said my peace, I steeled my resolve. Holding the bouquet, I stood there motionless. More and more onlookers gathered around. Words spread like wildfire. Some watched from their balconies, others crowded around me. Soon enough, a massive crowd had packed the area downstairs.

Time ticked by. Half an hour later, quite a few people were losing patience. "Hey bro, maybe you should just give up. I don't think she has any intention of coming down." Many people nearby tried to persuade me. "If it's not meant to be, just let it go." I looked up, shouting at the top of my lungs toward the upper floor. "Do I really have no chance left?" The surroundings suddenly fell dead silent. Staring at the building's entrance, there was no sign of anyone coming out. I knew that maybe I really was out of chances. As the last candle burned out, my hopes shattered with it. I hung my head in defeat, ready to head back. The crowd automatically parted to make way for me. I could clearly see the expressions on everyone's faces. Some were sympathetic, some disappointed, and some were just gloating.

Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out. "What are you doing here?" I snapped my head up and met Lin Ao Xu's equally shocked gaze. Looking at the fully loaded shopping cart next to her, I realized she had just come back from grocery shopping. She wasn't even home to begin with. All that emotion earlier was completely wasted, and I had no intention of doing the whole confession over again. I tossed the bouquet aside and rushed over, pulling Lin Ao Xu into a tight hug.

"What are you doing? Let go of me right now. Did you hear me?" "Don't struggle so hard. My arm still hurts. Just let me hold you for a bit. Just for a bit." I buried my face in Lin Ao Xu's shoulder, taking in the faint scent of her hair. The crowd around us started cheering, chanting non-stop, "Get together. Get together."

"Let go of me first. We'll talk when we get inside, okay?" Being stared at by so many people, even Ao Xu couldn't handle the embarrassment. So, she had to beg me to let her go first. Hearing that we were going inside, I quickly stood up, nodding eagerly. Then, I took the initiative to grab the shopping cart from her and pushed it toward the

building. Seeing this, Lin Ao Xu hurried after me because she really couldn't afford to lose any more face. "Thanks, everyone. When we get married, I'll definitely send you all invitations."

Lin Ao Xu marched over, grabbed me by the ear, and hissed, "Haven't you embarrassed us enough? Just wait till we get inside. See how I deal with you." Even though my ear was throbbing, my heart felt incredibly sweet in that moment.

Once we got inside her place, as soon as she sat down on the sofa, I walked straight over and dropped to my knees with a thud. "I know I was wrong," I said, lowering my head pitifully. But very quickly, I noticed Aoxi's long legs and black pantyhose right in front of my eyes. I instantly forgot everything I was about to say.

Lin Aoxi was waiting for me to continue, but when she saw me staring intently at her legs, she immediately pulled them back and sat cross-legged on the sofa. "Keep looking where you shouldn't, and I'll gouge your eyes out." I jolted in surprise, hurriedly wiped the drool from the corner of my mouth, and said, "I'm not looking anymore. I swear."

"You came looking for me today, so I guess you're here to propose. So, will you be my wife?" I tried to use that as an excuse to stand up. Who knew Lin Aoxi would just kick me right back down? This time, I didn't dare joke around anymore.

"I know I lied to you and played with your feelings, but before I knew your true identity, I really wanted to spend the rest of my life with you." I dropped my usual playful demeanor, looked straight into Lin Aoxi's eyes, and spoke. Lin Aoxi didn't react at all. Her meaning was crystal clear. "Keep talking. If you don't explain yourself properly, don't even think about getting up."

Later during the meeting, I finally found out who you were. I was scared to death. You're the high and mighty CEO, and I'm just a lowly employee under you. I felt like we had no hope left. Hearing my explanation, Lin Aoxi's face flushed bright red.

"And you even made me wear such an embarrassing outfit to go out to eat with you." The more Lin Aoxi thought about it, the angrier she got. And she delivered a swift kick that sent me tumbling. "What was that for? Everything I said was from the bottom of my heart." I looked at her in confusion. "Nothing. I just felt like kicking you."

"Cut the crap and keep confessing." I sat up feeling wronged, and continued to list my crimes. "Didn't you injure me after that and take me home? Seeing how adorably clumsy you were while cooking, I just You just what?" I looked at Lin Aoxi, and answered with a serious gaze. "I just wanted to take care of you for the rest of my life."

Lin Aoxue was a bit flustered by my intense stare, especially after hearing my last sentence. Her face grew even redder. Smooth talker. Lin Aoxue shot me a playful reproachful glare. I've thought it all through now. No matter who you are, everyone has the right to pursue their own happiness. I don't expect you to say yes right now. I just hope you can give me a chance to court you. I'll prove it to you that I love you.

At this moment, my expression was incredibly serious. So much so that Lin Aoxue's cheeks burned under my gaze. After hearing my words, Lin Aoxue looked at me. She said in a haughty tone, "Whether I give you a chance or not depends entirely on your performance. I want to eat something delicious tonight."

Hearing Lin Aoxue say that, I quickly jumped up, mimicking an ancient tavern waiter, and replied right away. "Just wait and see, my lady." Very quickly, I took the pile of ingredients Lin Aoxue had bought, organized them neatly, picked out a few dishes she liked, and started bustling around the kitchen. This was a very good start. She was willing to give me a chance, instead of kicking me out right away. If I performed well, my chances of success were still very high.

"Put this on, or you'll get your clothes dirty." I didn't know when, but Lin Aoxue had appeared behind me. Her hands gently wrapped around my waist, tying the apron strings for me. Smooch. Before I could even react, a pair of slightly cool lips brushed against my cheek. Then Lin Aoxue darted to the side, sat down on the sofa, and stared at me. "Ah, can I get another one on this side?" I pointed to my right cheek. "That depends on your performance. If dinner isn't good tonight, you can sleep on the first floor."

As a man, how could I not understand what Lin Aoxue meant? The implication was crystal clear. If I did well, I could sleep in the same room as her tonight. I felt a surge of energy and gave it my all, showing off all my culinary skills. Behind me, Lin Aoxue just sat quietly on the sofa watching me.

When she first got home, Lin Aoxue was furious. She felt like I had played with her feelings, and she couldn't accept it at first. But thinking back, the guy she liked online was the exact same man standing right in front of her. Not to mention, after spending a few days together, she realized I wasn't as annoying as she thought. So, she had decided to find me tomorrow to clear the air. If we really weren't meant to be, then breaking up early would be best for both of us. But, she never expected that while she was out buying groceries, I would rush straight to her apartment building. Then, faced with my sincere confession, Lin Xiaosu finally let her guard down. No matter who the person she liked was, it was still me in the end.

What are you looking at? Is there something on my face? During dinner, I kept staring at Lin Xiaosu, staring so much that even she felt shy. I nodded and chuckled saying, "You're my wife. I could look at you forever and it still wouldn't be enough." "Tch, who's your wife? I haven't even said yes yet."

Seeing Lin Xiaosu's bashful look, I pulled my phone out of my pocket and hit play. "Hubby, if we end up together, you have to cook delicious food for me every day." "Okay, your wife is a total foodie. Got it." Hearing the recording, Lin Xiaosu threw her chopsticks down in embarrassment and snatched my phone away. "Stop playing that. I'm dying of embarrassment."

Just then, she noticed the notes app on my phone's home screen and curiously opened it. Soon after, she was left speechless. "Met a girl online today. We had a great time chatting. We really clicked. She made me call her baby. Honestly, I'm still a bit shy about it. After all, this is my first time dating. I gathered my courage and asked her to send some spicy pics. I didn't expect her to actually send them. She has an amazing body. I was secretly thrilled. She said she likes grilled fish and my signature dish just happens to be grilled fish. Is this a match made in heaven?"

Lin Xiaosu scrolled through my notes and soon her eyes grew red. "Today I found out that the CEO is actually my online girlfriend, but am I worthy of her? I want to pursue her. I want to be by her side, but would she ever look twice at a regular employee like me? Whatever. I'm going to gather all my courage and go after her. This brat has some serious arm strength. She practically broke my arm. If we get together, I can't let her keep abusing me like this."

Lin Xiaosu flipped through many pages. Everything was recorded so clearly. From the moment we met online to all the little details that followed. I remembered every single one vividly. I've been found out. Shay is not talking to me anymore. Is this really how it ends for us? I can't accept this. I want to be brave just this once. I have to go find her. And that was where the notes ended because I was right there in front of her.

I smiled as I watched Lin Aoxue wipe away her tears. She picked up the phone and typed a sentence, then showed it to me. He and I are finally together. Today is our anniversary. I looked at the phone, then back at Lin Aoxue seeing her nod shyly. I was so overjoyed that I lunged forward and hugged her tight holding her with all my strength. Wishing I could just melt her into my very being. "I won't let you down. I love you." I whispered into Lin Aoxue's ear. "Yeah, I know." Lin Aoxue replied softly.

I held her shoulders with one hand. In that moment, our eyes locked. Unable to hold back any longer, I cupped the back of her neck and kissed her passionately. Lin Aoxue kissed me back just as fiercely. It felt like all the time that had passed was just a test for our love and today it had finally blossomed into something real.

With the mood set perfectly, I was about to scoop Lin Aoxue up and carry her to the bedroom, but she stopped me. "What's wrong? Didn't you say you'd wear that sexy purple lingerie for me? Are you backing out?" But no matter what I said, Lin Aoxue used my injury as an excuse to reject my advances. That night, we lay in the same bed. We didn't do anything. Just quietly held each other and poured our hearts out. We talked like that until we both drifted off to sleep.

Early the next morning, I was woken up by Lin Aoxue's panicked scream. As soon as I opened my eyes, I saw her frantically rummaging through the room for her clothes. "What's wrong, babe?" Lin Aoxue glared at me getting dressed while snapping, "This is all your fault. You just had to keep me up talking until late. I have a regular meeting today and I'm going to be late."

Lying in bed feeling the soft sheets and watching Lin Aoxue rush around, I really felt like a kept man. "You're the CEO of the company. They can't start without you anyway. Good luck, babe. I'm going back to sleep." With that, I rolled over and went back to sleep.

By the time I woke up, it was almost noon. I got out of bed, tidied up a bit, and started cooking. Once everything was ready, I packed the food into a bento box and took a taxi to the company building. Under the receptionist's shocked gaze, I pushed open the door to the CEO's office. "Did you miss me, babe? I made you a lovely lunch." I burst in with an incredibly dramatic entrance, but froze in my tracks the very next second because the office was completely packed with people. I suddenly remembered that after the regular Monday meeting, the CEO would gather all the core staff in her office for a detailed briefing.

Later on, Lin Xiaosu took me back to her hometown to meet her parents. At the dinner table, my future father-in-law and I drank happily. We were dragging each other around, almost kneeling down to become sworn brothers. If Lin Xiaosu hadn't stopped us, I probably would've become her uncle by now. When we were leaving, her parents shoved two bank cards into my hands. They said it was their life savings. One card was for our wedding, the other was for our future child. Unable to refuse, I had no choice but to accept the two cards. Then I headed home with Lin Xiaosu.

That night, I hugged Lin Xiaosu with a wicked grin, a look that made her very uneasy. "Wifey, look, your parents already gave us money for our future baby. Shouldn't we hurry up and make one? Otherwise, we won't have anywhere to spend this money." Lin Xiaosu scolded me, calling me a hooligan. Then she slipped out from under the covers. That's when I realized she was wearing that exact same purple nightgown. At that moment, I couldn't hold back anymore. I had held it in for so long. Today, it was finally happening. With a roar, I lunged at her. Unsurprisingly, Xiaosu got pregnant soon after.

Shortly after that, we held our wedding. To fulfill my past promise, I invited all the residents from the apartment complex to attend. At the wedding, my parents cried tears of joy. They kept muttering that the pig they raised had finally dug up a fine cabbage. When my father-in-law walked Lin Xiaoxi down the aisle in her wedding dress and handed her to me. Looking at the woman before me, as beautiful as a fairy descending to Earth, I felt like I was dreaming. "I love you. Will you be my wife?" In that moment, I got down on one knee, holding our wedding ring in my hand, and looked at Lin Aoxue with deep affection. Lin Aoxue took the microphone and loudly declared, "I do." for everyone to hear.

After getting married, we went on our honeymoon to many different places. During that time, I felt like the happiest husband in the world. Seeing Lin Aoxue's belly grow bigger day by day. To make it easier to take care of her, I brought my parents up from the countryside to live with us in our apartment. The two of them looked at Lin Aoxue's belly, overjoyed beyond words. As for Lin Aoxue, she went into full maternity leave mode. As a result, all the pressure from the company fell squarely on my shoulders. I was swamped with work every single day. After finishing up at the company, I dragged my exhausted body home from work to cook nutritious meals for Lin Aoxue. For half a month straight, she never ordered the same dish twice. After all that running around, Lin Aoxue actually put on some weight. Meanwhile, I lost over 10 lb from all the stress and exhaustion.

Before we knew it, the day of Lin Aoxue's delivery arrived. The whole family and I stood guard outside the delivery room, waiting anxiously. It wasn't until the doctor walked out holding a baby, so tiny and adorable, that we finally breathed a sigh of relief. The doctor was about to hand the baby to me, but I asked my parents-in-law to hold him instead and immediately rushed straight into the ward. Seeing my reaction, the elders on both sides nodded in satisfaction. Under our devoted care, little Chen Lin grew up healthy and strong.

After becoming a mother, Lin Aoxue stepped back from the front lines of the company and became my personal secretary. Today is Monday again, and I'm leading the regular staff meeting in the conference room. This used to be Lin Aoxue's job, but now I'm taking over for her. During the meeting, I started discussing the company's future direction as well as our current objectives. Suddenly, a message popped up on the projector screen. The sender was my beloved wife, "Transfer me 50 yuan and I'll give you a second kid tonight."