Chapter 14

With his sudden arrival, Wei Lai spent a few seconds digesting it. Perhaps it wasn’t sudden to Zhou Sujin because he was here in Jiangcheng for a meeting.

She didn’t hesitate at all. “Let’s meet tonight.”

Zhou Sujin responded, “Okay.”

He asked her where she was so he could come to pick her up.

At the moment, Abai was still out running errands and hadn’t returned to the office yet. She glanced out of the window. “Are you still staying at the same hotel? I can meet you there.”

She added, “I’m near the hotel, so it’s convenient for me to come over.”

But Zhou Sujin said, “I’ll wait right here.”

Wei Lai found a parking spot and sent him the exact location. In less than ten minutes, a black Bentley turned the corner.

Seeing the familiar Beijing license plate, she pushed open the car door.

Almost at the same time, Zhou Sujin also got out of the Bentley.

After beingseparated Separated for three weeks, they finally met again, but because they weren’t truly a couple, she couldn’t just run over and ask if he missed her.

Of course, it wasn’t just a matter of acting. His cold and reserved demeanor made her hesitate.

As they made eye contact, Abai smiled and greeted him. But for some reason, her smile felt forced, like when she greeted a client, not genuine.

She turned to the man beside her, Uncle Yan, and smiled genuinely. “Uncle Yan.”

Uncle Yan returned the smile with a nod.

Zhou Sujin walked up to her and reached out. “Car keys.”

Abai handed him the keys. His fingers were slender and distinct, and she couldn’t help but take an extra look.

Then it was their private time together. He sat in the driver’s seat of the Bentley, and Wei Lai naturally took the passenger seat, the first time she was in a car he drove.

Before, it was always Uncle Yan driving, which made it inconvenient for her to talk to him. Now that it was convenient, she didn’t know what to say.

“I’ll treat you tonight,” Wei Lai broke the silence in the car.

Zhou Sujin replied, “I’ll have plenty of chances to treat you. Today, I came to see you.”

“What do you want to eat?” he asked.

Abai didn’t insist on who should treat whom anymore and blurted out, “I feel like having hotpot.”

Zhou Sujin’s response was unexpected. “…”

Abai really wanted to have hotpot, but seeing his reaction, she realized that he probably had hotpot with his blind date. It seemed like everything about his blind date was talked about in their circle.

She chuckled. “Let’s go to a different place. If I’m seen going to have hotpot, they’ll say I’m copying someone.”

Zhou Sujin glanced at her. It seemed that someone had told her everything about that night.

“Will you accompany me to have local cuisine here in Jiangcheng?” she suggested.

“Sure,” Wei Lai mentioned a well-known local restaurant, a century-old brand that had been in business for decades. It was authentic and affordable, loved by locals.

The restaurant was on the same street as her office, about a ten-minute walk from there.

During the past few days when the designer was in Jiangcheng, she had lunch with him at various local restaurants, trying all the specialties. The designer even said that he must visit again next time he comes to Jiangcheng.

Zhou Sujin entered the destination into the navigation system, and a supermarket named “Wei Lai Supermarket” appeared on the screen.

“How big is your family’s supermarket?” he casually asked.

“They vary in size from a few hundred to a few thousand square meters,” Abai pointed to the one on the screen, “This one is the largest, and my office is on the second floor.”

The latter part was a bit redundant, but she had already said it and couldn’t retract it like a message.

She could always quickly change the topic, mentioning the SUV, “Why didn’t you choose the panoramic sunroof?”

Zhou Sujin responded, “What’s the point of having that? You can see the real stars in the sky for free.”

Wei Lai: “…”

Not romantic at all.

But in the next moment, he glanced at her. “Do you want a panoramic sunroof?”

How was she supposed to respond to that?

They weren’t really in a romantic relationship.

Wei Lai could only avoid the main point. “Panoramic sunroofs look nice.”

He didn’t pursue the topic further, and the conversation shifted.

When they were close to the restaurant, Wei Lai realized she had neglected the parking issue. At this time, it was mealtime, and the restaurant was busy. Parking spaces were hard to come by. The only convenient place to park was near her family’s supermarket, which had an underground parking lot and outdoor parking spaces.

“I have to park at the entrance of my family’s supermarket,” she explained, “We’re a bit late, so there definitely won’t be any parking spots available now. I’m sorry, I didn’t consider it thoroughly just now.”

Zhou Sujin didn’t mind where the car was parked, as it would only mean a few more minutes of walking, which didn’t bother him.

He asked her, “Do you want to walk? If you don’t, I’ll drop you off at the restaurant first.” Then he added, “You don’t have to be polite if you don’t want to walk.”

Before this moment, it was hard for Wei Lai to imagine that he could also have a considerate side. Still, she declined, “No need. I’ll walk with you.”

It wasn’t about being polite; how could she let him, someone unfamiliar with Jiangcheng, go park alone and then walk from the supermarket parking lot to the restaurant by himself?

Zhou Sujin signaled and turned into the supermarket parking lot along with the traffic flow.

The office area on the second floor of the supermarket was brightly lit, and someone was standing by the window, taking a break and drinking water. Suddenly, that person turned excitedly and called out, “Mr. Cheng, come over here! Quickly! Lai Lai seems to have a boyfriend!”

“A boyfriend?”

Cheng Minzhi almost dropped the mouse and rushed to the window.

The single-glazed window didn’t allow visibility from outside to inside, but she pressed against it to look downstairs. She saw her daughter standing in front of the car, talking to the man she was with, and then the two of them walked towards the parking lot exit.

“Lai Lai’s boyfriend seems quite classy!”

“He’s not her boyfriend,” Cheng Minzhi affirmed decisively.

She understood her daughter well. Her daughter was very clingy and had seen her with Zhang Yanxin before, casual and relaxed. But now, her daughter seemed very tense in front of this man, which was not the demeanor of being in love.

She watched her daughter walk away until she was out of sight before returning to her computer.

The two of them walked along the sidewalk towards the restaurant.

Zhou Sujin handed her the car keys. “This car will be yours to drive in Jiangcheng from now on.”

Only then did he notice her outfit for the night. She was wearing a gray-pink gradient sweater on her upper body, loose and soft, paired with brown shorts and short boots in the same color.

It was too hot for sweaters in Jiangcheng at this time of year, and wearing shorts would be cold at night.

What was she wearing?

Should he ask if she was hot or cold?

“Mr. Zhou, how long will you be staying this time?” In Jiangcheng?

Before the second half of the sentence was out, Abai glanced at a familiar license plate, unsure if the person was inside the car or not. She discreetly withdrew her gaze and grabbed Zhou Sujin’s arm, leaning closer to him.

His arm muscles were smooth and well-proportioned, and holding onto them gave her a strong sense of security.

Zhou Sujin remained composed, and he had experienced being taken advantage of by her holding his hand before. He glanced at her with a calm tone, “Who did you see again?”

Abai told him the truth, “It’s Zhang Yanxin’s car.”

Even before she finished speaking, Zhou Sujin had guessed who it was.

It could only be Zhang Yanxin and Mu Di. She would only be so flustered if she encountered them, and her vanity and desire to win would soar uncontrollably.

But if she wasn’t vain and didn’t care about losing face, she wouldn’t have casually mentioned that she was dating a big shot from the Beijing circle at that dinner.

He wouldn’t have had any intersections with her.

Abai held onto Zhou Sujin’s arm and walked all the way to the restaurant.

In the eyes of passersby, they appeared to be a close couple.

When they arrived at the restaurant, the first wave of customers had finished eating, and there were still empty tables on the second floor after turnover.

Because of the crowd, the dining environment could only be considered average.

The last time Zhou Sujin ate in such a lively and noisy place was when he was a child. At that time, his aunt often took him and his older brother out to eat. They didn’t go to high-end restaurants but rather to places like this, with some history and affordable roadside eateries.

His aunt often lamented that it was better when they were young, obedient, and not annoying.

After scanning the QR code, Zhou Sujin handed his phone to Wei Lai.

Abai didn’t take it. “Mr. Zhou, you go ahead and order.”

Zhou Sujin said, “You recommend something.” Then he reminded her, “In public places, it’s better to change the way you address me.”

Abai nodded, indicating that she would pay attention to it in the future.

But what was the appropriate way to address him?

They weren’t a real couple who could just call each other’s names. In their absurd relationship, and given his extraordinary identity, calling him by his name would be too ambiguous.

She decided not to address him at all.

Not knowing his preferences, she picked a few of the restaurant’s most popular dishes.

Among them was a dish she had had since she was a child. She had eaten it a few days ago when she accompanied the designer, and it still tasted the same as it did years ago.

Seventeen or eighteen years ago, the restaurant was not as large as it is now, and orders had to be handwritten. At that time, her parents hadn’t divorced yet, and both of their careers were just beginning. Neither of them had time to cook dinner, and they ate out five or six days a week.

The closest to the restaurant and the first store opened by her mother was the Wei Lai Supermarket where they had just parked. At that time, there was no dedicated office area, and there were only a few dozen employees. Her mother did the work of two or three people alone, and she never left work before ten o’clock at night.

Her father chose the law firm’s address in the office building next to the supermarket for the convenience of picking up her mother on the way and for the family to have meals conveniently.

So, the restaurant they frequented the most for eating out was this one. Every time, her mother would order the dishes, and she would write down the menu. If there were any words she didn’t know how to write, her father would patiently teach her hand-in-hand.

After the meal, each of her parents would hold one of her hands. Her mother would return to the supermarket to continue working, while her father would take her back to the law firm to do her homework.

Many years had passed, but the first supermarket opened by her mother was still at the same address, with a business area expanded to more than three times its original size. The business of this restaurant was even more bustling than before, and the signature dishes still tasted the same as they used to, but there was no need to handwrite the menu anymore. Her father’s law firm, however, had moved away after the divorce.

“How many questions did you ask me on the way?” Zhou Sujin’s voice interrupted her thoughts.

Abai was slow to react, her mind was still elsewhere.

Half of them were questions?

Zhou Sujin was calmly rolling up his sleeves, providing her with a hint, “Interrupted by Zhang Yanxin’s car.”

Abai remembered the question she had asked halfway, “How long will you stay in Jiangcheng? Is there anything I need to prepare in advance?”

She had to admit that she was a great partner. She never bothered him, never pretended or hid anything, and all her thoughts were laid bare.

Zhou Sujin replied, “I’ll stay for a while.”

He didn’t specify how long, and Wei Lai didn’t ask further.

Perhaps Jiangcheng cuisine didn’t suit his taste, as he didn’t eat much.

By the time they had almost finished their meal, they hadn’t exchanged many words. The people around them were chatting and laughing, making their table feel conspicuously quiet.

“Why don’t you like hotpot?” Wei Lai tried to start a conversation.

Zhou Sujin raised his gaze and asked, “Don’t you also dislike seafood?”

Why so many “whys”?

He only drank half a bowl of the soup he ordered, and the rest was drunk by Wei Lai.

She loved that soup the most; she had liked it since she was a child. Later, when she went abroad to study, she couldn’t have it often. She tried to make it herself, but the taste was still a bit different from the restaurant’s.

After drinking a big bowl of soup, her back felt warm.

When they left the restaurant, she rolled up the sleeves of her sweater, still feeling hot, but her legs felt chilly.

It would take about ten minutes to walk to the parking lot, during which she had to endure the heat and the cold.

“Wei Lai.” Someone called her from a light brown sedan parked by the roadside.

Even with a voice turned to ashes, she could tell who it was.

But she didn’t expect him to call her.

“Your clothes.” Zhang Yanxin’s voice had no fluctuation. “They were left in my car before.”

Wei Lai forgot what clothes they were wearing and turned to confirm.

It was a thin suit.

She had left it on the back seat of his car when she celebrated his birthday that night. She hadn’t eaten dinner that night and they broke up without eating, so who would remember to take clothes?

After that, various things came up, and she hadn’t thought of that piece of clothing until now.

If he sincerely wanted to return her clothes, there were a hundred ways to do it. Waiting on the roadside and returning it to her in front of Zhou Sujin was deliberately using a piece of clothing to provoke her and sabotage her new “relationship”.

Fortunately, she and Zhou Sujin weren’t in a real romantic relationship. Otherwise, with this sly move from him, even if she didn’t break up with her boyfriend, there would be resentment in her heart.

The most satisfying and face-slapping thing to do at this moment was to refuse it, saying she didn’t want it, and ask him to throw it away.

But she really liked the fabric and cut of that suit. She hadn’t worn it many times since she bought it, and it cost tens of thousands of yuan. She couldn’t bring herself to say she didn’t want it just like that.

Zhou Sujin asked in a low voice, “Do you want it?”

Abai nodded. There was no need to seek temporary satisfaction and throw it away. She decided to go over and take it openly. She was just about to take a step forward.

“Wait here.” Zhou Sujin instructed her, and then walked straight to the car a few meters away.

Zhang Yanxin was sitting in the car, holding Wei Lai’s suit in his hand. His face changed slightly, looking at Zhou Sujin walking towards him in disbelief.

He had been waiting here for Wei Lai for over an hour. During this time, two men had been standing guard at the restaurant entrance, dressed casually but sharp-eyed, as Zhou Sujin’s personal bodyguards.

When Wei Lai hesitated about whether to take the suit, Zhou Sujin had leaned over to talk to her. Zhang Yanxin couldn’t hear what they were saying, but he thought Zhou Sujin would let the bodyguard come over and take it. He didn’t expect Zhou Sujin to come over personally.

Zhou Sujin walked a few steps to the front of the car, took the suit, and straightened it out. When facing Zhang Yanxin, his demeanor was as usual, “Thank you for that.”

Zhang Yanxin had no choice but to get out of the car, even though there was no need to do so.

“It’s no trouble at all.”

In previous social gatherings, they would always exchange a few words. However, tonight, there was no unnecessary communication between them. Zhou Sujin picked up the clothes and turned to leave, nodding towards Wei Lai, “Let’s go.”

He kept the suit in his hand and didn’t let her take it.

Zhan Yanxin withdrew his gaze and instructed the driver, “Drive.”

Even he couldn’t understand why he patiently waited for her for more than an hour after seeing Wei Lai enter the restaurant, waiting for her to finish dinner with another man.

When Zhan Yanxin’s car drove away, Wei Lai thanked him repeatedly, “I’ll take it myself.”

Zhou Sujin didn’t say a word and handed her the clothes.

At that moment, a black Bentley slowly pulled up, and the front window rolled down, revealing Uncle Yan in the driver’s seat.

Zhou Sujin glanced at Wei Lai’s legs, “Get in the car.”

Wei Lai expressed her gratitude, “Thank you.”

Finally, they didn’t have to walk back to the parking lot, and their legs didn’t have to endure the cold anymore.

Sitting in the car, she placed the thin suit on her legs. She never expected Zhou Sujin to graciously retrieve the suit from Zhan Yanxin.

Without any special instructions, Uncle Yan drove the car directly to the hotel.

Looking outside the car, Wei Lai realized they weren’t heading towards her apartment.

When they arrived at the hotel room, there were only the two of them. How should they interact to avoid awkwardness?

“Do you prefer living in a flat or a villa?” After contemplating for a while, Zhou Sujin asked.

Wei Lai turned to face him, surprised, “Are you buying a house in Jiangcheng?”

Zhou Sujin nodded, “Yes.”

Rarely did he explain further, “It’s inconvenient to stay in a hotel.”

In the future, when he visited Jiangcheng to see her, if she always went to the hotel and only visited him without staying overnight, it would eventually arouse suspicion. Staying in her own house wouldn’t risk exposing their supposed relationship.

Wei Lai thought for a moment, “A flat, I suppose.”

She preferred houses with a wider view, although she might not stay in them very often.

Uncle Yan glanced at the rearview mirror and marveled at the speed at which the two’s relationship was heating up.

They settled down after just one meal?

As the boss, Zhou Sujin couldn’t possibly explain every detail to the driver. He didn’t mention the matter of pretending to be Wei Lai’s boyfriend to appease his family. Uncle Yan, however, naively believed that the two were really in love.

It wasn’t until they were alone in the hotel elevator that Wei Lai asked, “Does Uncle Yan not know? Do I need to be careful about what I say in front of him in the future?”

Zhou Sujin nodded, pressing the floor button, and added, “If Uncle Yan doesn’t suspect anything, then it’s possible to deceive my family.” especially his aunt, who knew him too well. A fake relationship could easily be exposed.

Wei Lai felt the pressure; if she didn’t perform well one day, Uncle Yan might become suspicious.

Arriving at the suite door, Zhou Sujin swiped the card to enter and turned to her, “Close the door. I still have work to do, feel free to make yourself at home.”

He went to the study, leaving her alone in the spacious and quiet living room.

Wei Lai sat on the sofa and looked at the design drawings sent to her by the designer. She communicated the details with the designer. Her phone’s battery was running low, and she didn’t bring a charging cable in her bag, so she saved the battery.

Being alone was too boring. Wanting to go home early, she went to find Zhou Sujin.

“Mr. Zhou,” in the absence of outsiders, she still habitually called him that, “When can I leave approximately? How much longer do I have to stay?”

Zhou Sujin was reading documents and didn’t lift his head, “How long do you think is appropriate for you to stay?”

Wei Lai hadn’t thought deeply about other aspects yet; how would she know how long is appropriate to stay? If she knew, she wouldn’t have asked him.

Seeing that she didn’t respond, Zhou Sujin continued, “You’ve only been back for half an hour. You figure out the time yourself.”

Wei Lai: “…”

Suddenly, she understood what he was implying. Normal long-distance lovers wouldn’t meet for so long; if they were in the room, they would definitely engage in intimate activities. Half an hour was definitely not enough.

Zhou Sujin glanced at her, “You’re clear on the service standards of the Presidential Suite. You come and go as you please, and they’ll definitely keep track of it.”

Wei Lai made a vague “Mm” sound, “I got it, you can get back to work.” As she was about to close the door, she pushed it open again, politely asking, “Can I go see the bathroom here and your bedroom?”

Zhou Sujin’s instinctive reaction was that she couldn’t. It was his private area, and he couldn’t casually let a woman enter.

But considering that she was now his ‘girlfriend,’ sooner or later she would have to understand his life, including his clothing preferences. In fact, by bringing her back to the hotel tonight, he had already tacitly allowed her into his life.

Wei Lai wasn’t insistent on checking the bedroom, “It’s okay if it’s inconvenient. I’ll look somewhere else.”

Zhou Sujin replied, “It’s not inconvenient.”

“Thank you,” Wei Lai assured him, “Besides the hotel items, I won’t touch your personal belongings.” She quietly closed the door to the study and left.

Zhou Sujin finished all his work close to dawn. Two hours had passed, and Wei Lai didn’t disturb him again.

Not finding her in the living room, he figured she hadn’t left yet, and her women’s suit was still on the chair.

“Wei Lai?”

There was no response from inside the room.

Zhou Sujin made his way to his bedroom, where the tap in the bathroom was running. It was quickly turned off, and Wei Lai emerged from the bathroom, wiping her hands leisurely with a towel.

“Are you done with your work?” Wei Lai gestured to the sofa and the bed, “I rearranged a bit. Since we’re acting, we need to be meticulous and not overlook any details. Only then can we be foolproof and withstand any suspicion.”

Zhou Sujin looked over. The sofa was messy, with cushions scattered, and a wrinkled towel lay on the armrest. Turning his gaze to the bed, the situation was even worse.

A packet of tissues on the bedside table had been opened and half-used, and the waste bin was filled with crumpled tissues soaked with lubricant, among which were three plastic wrappers from tools.

She had fabricated the scene of love so convincingly, even down to the smallest details.

So, that’s why she went into his bedroom to look around.

Zhou Sujin glanced again at the bed linen, unable to bear looking directly at it. It was even messier than the sofa. He couldn’t get angry, nor could he scold her.

Looking at her, he wanted to be angry but couldn’t help but hold back his laughter. Suppressing his smile, his voice was calm, “How do you expect me to sleep? Hm?”

Wei Lai, maintaining her composure, albeit with noticeably reduced volume, replied, “I’m sorry, Mr. Zhou, I didn’t consider that. Fortunately, the bed is large enough; I’ll just sleep on the side and avoid the messy part in the middle.”

The hotel staff will come to clean the room tomorrow morning. These were evidence of their genuine relationship, enough to pass scrutiny.

She blushed and her heart raced as she fabricated the scene of love, but when she thought about having to stay with him in the future, inevitably under the same roof, and the risk of embarrassment, she decided it was better to start getting used to it now. She just treated herself as an actress, honing her acting skills.

Her task was successfully completed. “I suppose it’s about time for me to leave?”

As she passed by him, Wei Lai’s heart inexplicably quickened a few beats.

Being an actor is really not easy.

Coming out of the bedroom, Zhou Sujin watched her back and said, “Let Uncle Yan take you.”

Wei Lai didn’t refuse. It was too late, and her phone’s battery was already low. In case it ran out of power halfway, she wouldn’t be able to pay.

On the way back, she received a call from Zhou Sujin.

She always kept in mind his words, “If Uncle Yan doesn’t suspect anything, then it’s possible to deceive my family.” Now Uncle Yan was right in front of her. She couldn’t call him Mr. Zhou anymore. “You’re not asleep yet?”

“No.”

“I haven’t reached home yet, but I’m almost there.”

Zhou Sujin replied with an “Mm” to indicate he understood. He called her to inform her, “You forgot to take your clothes. Should I keep them here for you?”

She had a good memory, but the situation just now was special, and she forgot everything in a panic.

“Okay, keep them with you for now. I’ll come get them when I have the time tomorrow.”

Zhou Sujin checked his schedule for the next few days. He had meetings all day tomorrow. “I’ll be at the hotel the day after tomorrow morning. If you want to come over, I’ll have Uncle Yan pick you up.”

Jiangcheng was her base. If she needed to be picked up, it was just a matter of stepping on the gas pedal.

“No need, I’ll drive over myself.”

Zhou Sujin said, “In the future, if you want to see me, you don’t need to come over yourself. Just call me, and I’ll send someone to pick you up.”