Chapter 36

Ji Qingyu wouldn’t let Feng Chengze turn on the light. She didn’t need a mirror to guess how disheveled she looked now. Today’s dress was made of delicate, soft fabric that wouldn’t wrinkle easily, but she was still worried. Her makeup was probably smudged, and she didn’t want to face Feng Chengze in the light, making the situation even more awkward.

“Okay.” His voice was low and good-natured as he responded, “There’s a rest area in the office where you can freshen up.”

After she accidentally knocked over the photo frame on his desk, he carried her to another place. Now, she was half-lying on the sofa, catching her breath, while he leaned against the desk with his back to her. Despite the distance, it seemed they could still clearly hear each other’s breathing.

Some people had been kissing for more than half an hour, finally realizing that they were here late at night not to fool around but to solve her late-night snack problem.

Feng Chengze, without his glasses, raised his hand and glanced at his watch in a low voice in the dim light. He reminded her, “It’s not too late for a snack.”

“…” Ji Qingyu was filled with resentment.

Every time she faced Feng Chengze, she couldn’t control herself. Her usual rationality seemed to be mostly drained away, which was very unscientific.

“Should I pack something for you?” Feng Chengze asked, “What would you like to eat?”

Although Ji Qingyu was very satisfied with his current posture, it didn’t stop her from giving him a hard time, “Whatever, you decide.”

In the darkness, Feng Chengze frowned.

What does ‘whatever’ mean?

He wanted to ask for more specifics but swallowed his words, “Okay.”

“I’ll go out first,” he instructed, “The rest area is just…” He paused, “Behind the desk, there’s a hidden door. Just push it. Call me if you need anything.”

Ji Qingyu almost wanted to order him not to mention the desk for at least half an hour tonight. She couldn’t stand hearing the words “dirty things.”

Feng Chengze walked away steadily without a trace of embarrassment.

After he left, Ji Qingyu turned on her phone screen, groped her way into the rest area, and found the switch on the wall. Looking around, compared to the luxurious and comfortable style of the office, this place was almost simple.

The washbasin and shower area were separated, and besides that, there was only a bed that could fit one person. The area was estimated to be no more than twenty square meters. She could understand this because the current owner of this office, as well as the previous one, seemed to have boundless energy and didn’t look like someone who would take a nap during lunch breaks. She suspected that Feng Chengze had used this rest room no more than five times over the years.

Standing in front of the sink, she looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair was a mess, so she used her fingers as a comb to smooth it out. The lipstick on her lips had long been eaten away by someone fearless, revealing her natural lip color.

While washing her hands, details that should have been deleted long ago crept into her mind. Her palms still seemed to retain the scorching, hard touch. Feng Chengze was serious in front of others, but in private, he hit all her spots. He wasn’t as rigid and boring as she had imagined, but he wasn’t overly indulgent either.
…

After leaving the office, Feng Chengze didn’t go straight to the restaurant but detoured to the restroom to tidy up a bit. His tie had long been thrown on the sofa, and everything else was fine except for a small wet spot on his trousers where she had sat. It was barely noticeable unless you looked closely. There was also a smudge of lipstick on the inside of his shirt collar. He adjusted his collar in the mirror, ensuring his appearance was impeccable, before leaving the restroom and taking the elevator to the restaurant.

Many departments at Yisheng Group had flexible working hours. As long as the work assigned was completed, it didn’t matter if employees came to the office at three or four in the afternoon.

Because of this, even though it was past ten, quite a few employees were still in the restaurant, selecting food with trays in hand, and a few were chatting softly by the coffee machine. At this hour, the employees initially didn’t notice Feng Chengze. He took a disposable box from the cutlery area and lined up behind the employees, scanning the food options while recalling what she liked to eat.

They hadn’t spent much time together, and apart from knowing she liked sweets, he knew little about her preferences. He followed the employees’ choices, picking the dishes they took the most.

A young man with black-framed glasses noticed someone behind him and politely handed over the food tongs.

Feng Chengze was stunned but accepted them, “Thank you.”

The young man was about to say, “You’re welcome,” with a smile when he saw Feng Chengze’s face. His expression froze for several seconds before he exclaimed, “Mr. Feng?!”

Not every employee at Yisheng Group had interacted with Feng Chengze, but no one would be unfamiliar with his face. After all, his photo was on the official website, and he had appeared in financial magazines.

His exclamation wasn’t loud, but it caught the attention of the surrounding employees, who all turned to look.

After some thought, Feng Chengze nodded without changing his expression and continued to fill the takeaway box with snacks. He planned to be quick, mostly picking sweet items, and before leaving, he grabbed a bottle of juice from the beverage cabinet. He came and went in a hurry.

After he left, a few people shared a table, and one of them regretfully tapped the work badge on the table, “I should have stuck it on my face. Working overtime until ten and being seen by the boss without seizing the opportunity, I regret it!”

“Calm down, hard work is never noticed, but as soon as you slack off, you’ll get caught. That’s life. But why did Mr. Feng come to the restaurant so late?”

Senior executives also came to the restaurant for meals, but Feng Chengze was not among them. He was too busy. Even if he needed something, he would call the kitchen directly to have it delivered to his office, even for late-night snacks.

What happened today?

“I’ve met Mrs. Feng a few times,” a young woman said, sipping her coffee. “She really likes that juice.”

Everyone understood. Mrs. Feng must have accompanied Mr. Feng to work overtime, but the question remained, why didn’t Mr. Feng call the kitchen to deliver?
…

When Feng Chengze returned to the office, the light was on. Ji Qingyu was sitting in his office chair, holding her face in her hands, looking at the photo on the desk. He knocked on the door with his knuckles, and she glanced at him.

“See if you like it.” He walked over, hesitated for a few seconds, and then placed the takeaway box on his desk.

Even in those few seconds, Ji Qingyu sensitively noticed.

Perhaps Feng Chengze had unfathomable depths, but he was always genuine to her. Most of the time, his emotions were calm and steady. He wasn’t pretending; it was just that, given his position and experiences, he viewed many things indifferently. But occasionally, he would inadvertently reveal his likes and dislikes.

It only took a little effort to discern. Like now, if she had a special ability to hear his thoughts, Mr. Feng would definitely be saying coldly in his mind, “Does this woman have to eat on my desk? Fine, I’ll tolerate it.”

Fine.
I’ll tolerate it, too.

Under Feng Chengze’s gaze, Ji Qingyu stood up and picked up the takeaway box—he didn’t think she could eat at this desk, did he???

Just thinking about what had happened on it earlier, even without being a clean freak, it would be impossible to eat there, right?

Feng Chengze looked at her unexpectedly and asked, “Not to your taste?”

But she didn’t even open it. Ji Qingyu smiled and walked to the seating area, avoiding the double sofa she had used earlier. “No, Mr. Feng, actually, I have eyes, and my vision is particularly good, you know that, right?”

Feng Chengze understood the hidden meaning in her words and walked towards her. Unfortunately, she was sitting on a single sofa, leaving no room for him. “…Thank you.”

In other words, they are not that ‘ripe’ yet. Otherwise, looking at Feng Chengze’s composed and self-restrained attitude, Ji Qingyu would have wanted to ask him, if you can’t eat on the desk, then can you do other things on it? His likes and dislikes were too flexible and changeable.

Feng Chengze finally found a place to sit. He sat leisurely on the armrest of the single sofa, very close to Ji Qingyu, and could see the top of her head when he looked down.

Ji Qingyu opened the takeaway box. At this moment, she felt more thirsty than hungry and reached for the bottle of juice.

He noticed and was about to help her, but she easily twisted off the cap and drank half the bottle.

“By the way.”

Now fully conscious and in a good mood, Feng Chengze took the initiative to bring up today’s matter, “Don’t worry, I’ve already told the driver and Uncle Yang that from now on, except for Sister Liu, me, and you, anyone else who wants to pick up Yuan Bao will need our consent first. A Yu picking up Yuan Bao was the first and last time. I don’t think he’ll do it again, but I’ll still have someone keep an eye on it.”

Ji Qingyu, eating honey-glazed ribs, responded, “I know, I’m absolutely confident in Yuan Bao’s travel safety.”

She could see how reliable Feng Chengze was in handling things. But besides that, she also believed that no matter what had happened in the past, Feng Yu wouldn’t harm a child.

“And you.”

Ji Qingyu looked up at him, puzzled, “Me?”

Feng Chengze pondered, “If you don’t mind, from tomorrow until the end of the celebration, you should let your original driver drive you.”

This driver wasn’t just a driver but also had some skills, like Yuan Bao’s driver.

Ji Qingyu nodded in agreement but still asked, “Why? Did something happen?”

“No.” Feng Chengze reached out and touched her smooth hair. This time, it wasn’t in the dark; they were looking at each other clearly, “Partners and regional heads will be coming. Being cautious isn’t a bad thing, but you don’t need to be nervous.”

I am here.

Ji Qingyu wasn’t foolish. Why bring this up now? It must be related to Feng Yu. She didn’t know if it was because Feng Yu’s behavior today annoyed him or if he was also wary of her having any contact with Feng Yu. If it was the latter, she could understand from his perspective. As he said, many people would be coming for the group’s celebration. If she and Feng Yu were used by someone with ulterior motives, who would be affected in the end?

It would be her, Yuan Bao, the group, and the Feng family. Since he didn’t say much, asking wouldn’t help, so she softly replied, “Okay, I’ll listen to you.”

The little wrinkle in Feng Chengze’s heart was completely smoothed out by her. His hand held her neck, slowly and lovingly caressing, comforting her, “It will be fine after the celebration.”

“Mm.”

Ji Qingyu thought the same. She ate a few bites of the late-night snack he brought, feeling quite full, put down her chopsticks and took a sip of juice. She pondered and said, “Nothing will change, right?”

Feng Chengze paused, “Yes.”

She nodded, lightly touching her wedding ring with the pad of her left finger. In everyone’s eyes, she had a husband, a daughter, and a happy, warm family. She wasn’t the only one who wanted to maintain the status quo.
…

Late at night.

Ji Qingyu was so tired that she fell into a deep sleep within minutes of lying down. Feng Chengze, citing work, was still in the study, replying to emails. The only sounds in the house seemed to be his mouse clicks and the vibration of his phone. It was a call from Chen Xiuren. He answered, lowering his voice even though everyone else was asleep, “When did he return to the country?”

Chen Xiuren was also surprised, “From the information I could trace, he has been back for at least five days.”

Not one or two days, but five days. Feng Yu had clearly returned but hadn’t come home, keeping it so secret that even Feng Chengze hadn’t received any news. This puzzled Chen Xiuren, who was usually even calmer than Feng Chengze. What was this kid up to?

“And?” Feng Chengze asked calmly, “What else has he done?”

“…” Chen Xiuren was silent for a long time, but Feng Chengze was even more patient. At this moment, trying to persuade Feng Chengze to let it go would be heartless. As a long-time friend, no one knew better than him how important Ji Qingyu was to Feng Chengze.

“He drove to Meijing Tiancheng one or two nights,” Chen Xiuren said in a low voice.

Feng Yu wasn’t just anyone; he was still a member of the Feng family. Even Chen Xiuren couldn’t find out more.

Feng Chengze fell silent, dark emotions growing in a secret corner of his heart.

In the silence, Chen Xiuren was about to say something when he suddenly heard the sound of a cup being heavily placed on the table.

“What’s wrong? Should we keep an eye on A Yu?”

“Nothing.” Feng Chengze gripped the cup tightly, his voice restrained and controlled, as usual. “No need.”

He understood his brother. Once things were laid out, he wouldn’t easily give him another handle.

A Yu wanted to see her but didn’t dare, so he could only use such underhanded methods.

What was he afraid of? They both knew.

Chen Xiuren sighed, “Anyway, if there’s anything, don’t handle it alone. Leave the inconvenient tasks to Shaoqin and me.”

After all, when the two brothers fought back then, he was the one who handed them the handy tools.

Feng Chengze raised his hand to rub his brow, “He…”

“Forget it,” he said.

Chen Xiuren could sense his helplessness and hung up the phone after a few simple words.

Feng Chengze sat in the study with a stern face, remaining there until one or two in the morning before getting up and returning to the master bedroom. He lifted the quilt; Ji Qingyu had long since fallen into a deep sleep, lying on her side. He carefully hugged her from behind, lowered his head slightly, and inhaled the sweet but not cloying scent of her hair. In that instant, all the turbulent emotions dissipated completely.