Chapter 9: From Now On, Eat With Me

“Huh?”

Thinking back on the last two “transactions,” Li Qingqing couldn’t shake the feeling that being alone in a room with this man might lead to some unexpected incidents.

But the high salary was really tempting.

“Forget it, then,” Lu Yan said coolly, withdrawing his gaze. His tone had turned cold, and Li Qingqing instantly panicked.

“Okay, I agree.”

Hearing her response, the corners of Lu Yan’s mouth lifted into a barely noticeable smirk of satisfaction.

At this point, Li Qingqing no longer cared what kind of dragons or tigers lay ahead. At the very least, this way she could save up for Xie Ze’s surgery faster and continue her studies. She wouldn’t have to settle for a mere high school diploma in the end.

Besides, she had already “sold herself” to Lu Yan twice now—how much worse could things get?

“This is the address of my apartment. Pack your things and move in later.”
Lu Yan opened the chat on WeChat and sent her an address.

“But I haven’t resigned with Madam Lu yet. She said she really liked the food I made. I should at least—”

“I’ll speak to her. You don’t need to worry about it.”

“…Okay.”

That afternoon, Li Qingqing packed her few belongings into the same worn suitcase she had brought when she first arrived. She followed the address Lu Yan had sent and took the subway there.

It was a high-end apartment complex. As soon as she arrived at the entrance, she saw a man in a suit waiting there.

“You must be Miss Le?” the man asked, walking toward her.

“Yes… I am.”

“Hello, Miss Le. I’m the property manager for Wan Hua Apartments. President Lu personally asked me to escort you to the unit.”

As he spoke, the manager took her suitcase from her hands.

Li Qingqing felt embarrassed by his enthusiasm and could only keep thanking him.

The manager gave her an access card and registered her fingerprint. The elevators here required fingerprint authentication. After escorting her upstairs, he tactfully took his leave.

Lu Yan’s apartment was on the eighth floor. After unlocking the door with her fingerprint, Li Qingqing couldn’t help but marvel—this was her first time opening a door this way.

“Wow…” she breathed as she stepped inside.

The apartment was huge, every detail exuding luxury and taste. There was a display cabinet near the entrance filled with specimens of marine life.

The enormous living room sofa and the open-concept kitchen were things she’d only ever seen on TV.

Dragging her worn-out suitcase to the guest bedroom, Li Qingqing felt overwhelmed. When she had passed over the plush living room rug, she had even lifted the suitcase off the floor, afraid of dirtying anything in here.

Her own shabbiness seemed completely out of place in such a high-class setting. Strangely, she had felt much more at ease in the small attic room at the Lu family home. Maybe, deep down, she believed she didn’t belong in a place like this.

After settling in, Li Qingqing went to school to complete her re-enrollment paperwork.

Just one week of working had shown her that campus life was far more comfortable. That feeling of being looked down upon by the wealthy—whether intentional or not—was truly awful.

When Shen Lu saw her back at school, she asked why Li Qingqing had quit working for the Lu family after only a week.

Li Qingqing didn’t dare admit she was now working as Lu Yan’s personal housekeeper. She simply said she had found a part-time job with better pay.

That evening, after class, Li Qingqing sent Lu Yan a message on WeChat:

[Young Master Lu, will you be at Wan Hua tonight? What kind of food would you like me to prepare?]

A short while later, Lu Yan replied:

[Yes. Up to you.]

Li Qingqing went to the market to buy some meat and seafood, along with some seasonal vegetables, and returned to the Wan Hua apartment.

This was her first official day as Lu Yan’s private housekeeper. She had to make a good impression—jobs like this didn’t come around often.

Just as she finished cooking, she heard the door open.

Lu Yan had come home.

“You’re back. Dinner’s just ready—please eat.”
Li Qingqing placed the last dish on the table and started cleaning the kitchen.

“You’re not eating with me?”
Lu Yan’s voice held a hint of displeasure.

“I’ve already eaten.”

Li Qingqing really had eaten earlier. Back at the Lu household, the servants and masters ate separately, so naturally she assumed it would be the same with Lu Yan now.

“Come eat with me,” Lu Yan said in a commanding tone.

Though she didn’t like being ordered around, he was her boss. So she had no choice but to return to the table and symbolically took a few bites.

“From now on, eat with me. Understand?” Lu Yan looked up at her.

“Mm.” Li Qingqing nodded slightly, biting her chopsticks.

Lu Yan had already experienced Li Qingqing’s cooking—it wasn’t just delicious, it also had a distinct flavor of its own. That taste gave him a sense of home, something he hadn’t felt in years.

“You went back to school today?” Lu Yan asked in a low voice.

“Yes, I’ve officially re-enrolled.”

Buzz buzz. Buzz buzz.

The phone Lu Yan had placed on the table started vibrating—it was a call from Song Jihe.

“Hello? Ah Yan, I heard from Butler Liang that you fired Li Qingqing? I finally found a nanny who could cook the way I like—why did you let her go?”

Lu Yan: “Mom, I need someone who suits my taste too. I’m taking your person.”

Song Jihe: “…”

Li Qingqing listened to the mother and son talking over the phone, her face turning pale, then flushed. She felt like an object being passed back and forth.

After hanging up, Lu Yan noticed her awkward expression and said, “You do realize I’m helping you, right?”

Although Li Qingqing felt a little uncomfortable, she understood that Lu Yan was indeed trying to help her. What she didn’t understand yet was—why was he helping her?

“Li Qingqing, why are you so desperate to make money?” Lu Yan suddenly asked.

…

Li Qingqing lowered her head, unsure how to answer. She didn’t like talking about her sad family situation. Even Shen Lu didn’t know the details—let alone Lu Yan. They were just employer and employee. She didn’t want to have a heart-to-heart with him.

“Just to be prepared,” she replied with a vague answer.

Seeing she didn’t want to talk, Lu Yan didn’t press the issue.

“Oh, right—those fifty thousand yuan. You still haven’t accepted them,” Li Qingqing suddenly remembered.

Lu Yan gave her a meaningful look and said, “Consider it grocery money. If it’s not enough, ask me for more.”

After dinner, Lu Yan returned to his study to continue working. Lu Mingqi hoped he would quickly mature and take over the business, so Lu Yan had no choice but to force himself to learn the business knowledge he didn’t care for.

That night, after taking a shower, Li Qingqing noticed that the light in the study was still on. She poured a glass of water and knocked on the door.

“Come in.” A deep male voice replied from inside.

She entered and set the water down on the desk. Lu Yan was frowning at some documents.

“Tired? Do you want to take a break?”

He had been working non-stop for several hours since dinner.

Lu Yan put down the papers and looked up at her. She had just showered and was now wearing a plain white nightgown. Her bare face was clean and fair.

“I know a bit of massage. I can help you relax,” Li Qingqing offered, a little shyly.

Lu Yan nodded slightly, motioning for her to come over.

“Did you learn it professionally? It feels good.”
Lu Yan closed his eyes and relaxed. The sweet scent of the girl drifted into his nose in rhythm with her massage.

“I just know a little about pressure points,” Li Qingqing replied.

She was getting into it when suddenly she felt a tight grip around her waist. The next second, she lost her balance and fell right into the man’s arms.

“You—”

Before she could finish, Lu Yan lowered his head and kissed her lips.