Chapter 9

Lu Yongzhang smiled as he quickened his pace towards her. “I happened to be passing by.”

The autumn sun shone brightly but not too hot, casting a warm glow on his face, softening the overly rigid lines and making him look just as the others praised him: a model young man.

Zheng Xiaorou’s heart was in turmoil. The anger stirred by the team leader’s taunts, the shock of him sending a pile of movie tickets, and the bold suggestion from Xiao Rujuan the night before to “give it a try” all mixed together, leaving her unable to distinguish whether she felt happy or embarrassed at that moment.

“Oh.” She clutched the meal ticket in her hand.

In front of so many people, asking where he got all those tickets was inappropriate.

Moreover, why was he doing this?

Lu Yongzhang casually took the lunch box and bamboo chopsticks from her hands. “Since I’ll have no lunch to eat later, why don’t you treat me to lunch? I just happen to have something to discuss with you.”

“Sure.” Zheng Xiaorou smiled, feeling a mix of emotions.

The two chatted naturally, one tall and handsome, the other bright and charming.

From their figures to their looks, they were a perfect match, instantly capturing the attention of everyone in the unit, who whispered among themselves.

Tian Xiao’e lingered at a distance in the crowd, watching Lu Yongzhang’s back and shaking her head.

She had been required to “deliver intelligence” daily during this time. It was her first time seeing this introverted cousin go so far for someone else!

Serves him right!

—o—o—o—

After getting their meals, the two sat in the far corner of the cafeteria, facing each other across a table.

Only after sitting down did Zheng Xiaorou realize that now the gazes directed at them would be even more daring.

She felt like she was sitting on pins and needles.

Lu Yongzhang easily read her expression and lightly tapped the table. “Let’s talk after we finish eating.”

His words carried a calming power.

Zheng Xiaorou lowered her head and responded with a soft “Mm.”

They both finished their meal quickly but politely, then left the cafeteria one after the other.

Once they stepped outside, she relaxed completely.

Lu Yongzhang held her used lunch box and said, “Let me show you around.”

The publishing house and the two adjacent buildings were all part of the Cultural Bureau, surrounded by a large garden.

Lu Yongzhang seemed even more familiar with the place than Zheng Xiaorou, leading her through a bamboo grove to the garden’s backyard, across a winding bridge over the lake, and up to a pavilion in the center of the lake.

It was quiet here with no one around.

Finally, Zheng Xiaorou spoke, her voice trembling slightly. “Why did you send the movie tickets to my workplace?”

Because of those tickets, the rumors about her “dating one and hooking another” were thoroughly debunked, and everyone knew the team leader’s earlier comments were false.

She understood that there was no such thing as a free lunch in this world; even among relatives, unconditional love was not a given.

“I knew you’d be confused,” Lu Yongzhang said, leaning slightly forward. His expression remained as gentle and calm as usual, but his lowered gaze concealed his emotions from her. “My dad’s workplace distributed movie tickets, but coincidentally, half of the staff had tasks and couldn’t come back today. The tickets are for tomorrow. I took some and conveniently delivered them. Half of them I brought to you, and the other half I’m taking to my mom.”

So that was the case…

He did not deliberately buy the tickets to rescue her; it was not the kind of adult favor she had imagined.

This realization relaxed Zheng Xiaorou’s mind, and then she saw him extend another ticket toward her. “My dad usually follows this style; he always picks the worst ones. These two tickets for today belong to my dad. If we don’t use them, it would be a waste. Let’s go see the movie together?”

Today?

Watch a movie together?

Zheng Xiaorou raised her eyes to look at him, her hands nervously clutching the thin fabric of her pants at her sides. “Is that really a good idea? Besides, I still need to…”

He patiently replied, “Won’t your colleagues find it strange? They all have tickets and are going to watch it, and you’re the only one not going? Plus, the time is different, so you don’t need to worry about running into someone you know.”

Seeing her still hesitating, he softly added, “Even if it’s acting, it has to look real, right? Not only do you need a shield, but I do, too. So, can you honor my request?”

After Lu Yongzhang finished speaking, he straightened up as if he were a student waiting for the teacher’s criticism.

Zheng Xiaorou felt deeply embarrassed by his few short sentences; he had done so much while she was hesitating in an embarrassing manner.

However, she still sensitively caught the words in his speech: “Why do you also need a shield?”

Lu Yongzhang smiled faintly. “In the eyes of outsiders, we appear to be a couple. If we are not close at all, suspicions might arise. You may not know the nature of my father’s work; if he wants to, he can always keep track of my whereabouts. So, I also need you to be my shield.”

Zheng Xiaorou felt very guilty after just a few short sentences.

She had initiated the matter, yet she had not considered him at all.

Instead, Zheng Xiaorou became more composed. “Alright, what time? I’ll go home and tell my parents.”

Lu Yongzhang’s eyes brightened as he replied: “At six. There won’t be time to go home; I’ll take care of everything at my place, so you don’t have to worry.”

After discussing the plan, he walked her back to the front yard and then turned to leave through the backyard.

As Zheng Xiaorou exited, she unexpectedly ran into a large group returning from dinner. She felt a bit embarrassed after just having caused a scene in the front yard.

At the moment of their encounter, the crowd suddenly fell silent, each person feeling a bit awkward.

Some had heard the gossip about Zheng Xiaorou from the leader of the Proofreading Department, and some had even participated in the rumor-mongering.

However, having received help, it was clear from the guard’s earlier comment that the person who had come that morning was running an errand for someone’s boyfriend, suggesting that the previous bit of gossip was just another misunderstanding.

Instantly, the group resumed their chatter, but now they all shifted to friendly greetings toward Zheng Xiaorou.

People are like that; once they realize that the other person is not someone they can easily manipulate, they unconsciously show friendliness.

In the world of the strong, the weak must treat everyone they meet with kindness.

“Did you finish eating, Xiao Zheng? Take a break.”

“Is your boyfriend leaving now? Don’t be shy! There’s plenty of time during the lunch break; why not go out for a stroll? The main road is right outside.”

“That’s great! I was just looking for you.” Tian Xiao’e squeezed through the crowd and intercepted her. “How’s your arm doing?”

Today, she had carefully observed Zheng Xiaorou standing with her cousin. It was an understatement to say they were a match made in heaven; they looked like a pair of celestial beings!

She finally developed a genuine fondness for her daily “spying” work.

Zheng Xiaorou smiled. “I had almost forgotten about it until you mentioned it. Really, it’s nothing.”

With timely treatment and some ointment applied, there was no visible sign of any problem now.

“Was that just now your boyfriend?” Tian Xiao’e’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.

After Lu Yongzhang’s matchmaking had come over, Zheng Xiaorou had learned to respond naturally to the curiosity of strangers. She smiled and said, “Yes, we’ve only been dating for a little while.”

“Oh…” Tian Xiao’e dragged out her tone. She saw the tiny, bright sparkles in Zheng Xiaorou’s dark, shiny eyes and suddenly understood her cousin’s “dog guarding its food” demeanor.

This girl was indeed endearing.

“Were you childhood sweethearts?” Tian Xiao’e dutifully played the role of a curious stranger, her desire to pry into the other side of her cousin igniting fervently.

She could hardly imagine how exhilarating it would be to reveal unknown details about her cousin in front of that chubby Pang Haifan and how victorious she would feel.

Zheng Xiaorou lowered her thick eyelashes, hiding the embarrassment in her eyes. “No, he… I only got to know him after cutting in line to come back to the city.”

As they spoke, the two had already turned to the front yard.

“Does that mean you two fell in love at first sight?” Tian Xiao’e said excitedly, her heart racing even more.

Oh my, a true love at first sight with her great “silent” cousin, who had such a “poker face”!

Zheng Xiaorou felt even more embarrassed. What kind of love was she talking about with Lu Yongzhang at first sight?

She had forced the relationship upon him.

For reasons she couldn’t quite understand, even though she didn’t need to care about what a stranger thought of her relationship with Lu Yongzhang, she still felt the need to clarify seriously: “It was me who took the initiative. The chairman said that young people should be daring and fight for what they want.”

Upon hearing this, Tian Xiao’e was completely stunned.

What she had heard in her entire life paled in comparison to this short lunch break.

She thought she had finally found a reason to mercilessly mock her cousin, but unexpectedly, it turned out that this celestial being had pursued him instead?

So, who was her cousin’s humble demeanor meant to impress?

—o—o—o—

Lu Yongzhang had said he would notify his family, so Zheng Xiaorou waited with peace of mind for the end of the workday to come.

The Team Leader suddenly checked her attendance card when she clocked out after work. “Xiao Zheng, you need to try to come in a bit earlier in the future.”

Zheng Xiaorou had an excellent attendance record; she had never been late or left early. She was a bit confused and replied, “Team Leader, my attendance is fine, right?”

The Team Leader raised her eyebrows. “What do you mean it’s fine? If you’re eating breakfast at the office, you should be aware of the need to come in earlier! Eating breakfast doesn’t take up time, does it?”

At that moment, it was the end of the workday, and people were coming and going to the office entrance so everyone could hear the reprimand Zheng Xiaorou was receiving.

People couldn’t help but whisper among themselves—who was she talking about? Was this a case of killing the chicken to scare the monkeys? If that were the case, did it mean everyone eating breakfast at the office was shameless?

Today, everyone had benefited from Zheng Xiaorou’s situation, and since the Team Leader’s words were indeed unpleasant, someone stepped in to defend her. “Team Leader Song, under these circumstances, the office shouldn’t make things difficult for employees. It’s clearly allowed, so there’s no need to exaggerate.”

The phrase “exaggerate” struck a nerve with the Team Leader, and her eyes widened in disbelief, her eyelids reddening. “I’m thinking of the company’s interests! I can’t stand this behavior of taking advantage of the office and milking the socialist system! I don’t care about other departments, but I’ll set the rules in our Proofreading Department. From now on, anyone eating breakfast in the office must clock in ten minutes earlier!”

The Proofreading Department shivered like a chilly autumn wind had blown through.

Facing the many ambiguous gazes, Zheng Xiaorou disliked this collective punishment approach. She felt wronged, but her words were resolute and unyielding: “I’ve caused trouble for everyone. I declare that starting tomorrow, I won’t eat breakfast in the office anymore!”

After saying this, she pulled back her attendance card and clocked out.

As she walked out of the office, she immediately spotted Lu Yongzhang waiting at the door. The guard raised the cigarette box in his hand, and from his lips, she could read that he was saying thank you to Lu Yongzhang.

His smile was bright and gentle, causing the bit of anger in Zheng Xiaorou’s heart to swiftly transform into a sense of grievance, which then quickly turned into self-blame.

How could she think of confiding her troubles to Lu Yongzhang? He shouldn’t have to bear the burdens of her life.

After a few bells rang in her mind, she calmed down and offered him a faint smile. “Sorry to keep you waiting.”

Lu Yongzhang lifted his sharp gaze and glanced at the office building before looking down at her and gently asking, “Who was that thing who was barking at you just now?”

—o—o—o—

T/N: BROOOOOOOO! LYZ basically called her a dog.