Chapter 052

Lu Jin cooked two dishes: one with meat and one with vegetables, plus grilled fish.

While he was busy, He Ye quietly walked to the entrance, noticed Lu Jin’s shoes, and placed her father’s slippers beside them to compare.

They looked similar.

Realizing what she was doing, He Ye put her father’s slippers back in the shoe cabinet. Since dinner was almost ready, she sat in the dining room, facing the kitchen.

Lu Jin glanced over at her a couple of times.

He Ye just scrolled through her phone. When Lu Jin came out, she quickly turned off the screen, put the phone aside, and focused on Lu Jin’s white shirt.

“Why aren’t you wearing an apron? Aren’t you afraid of getting splattered with oil?” she asked.

“It doesn’t fit,” Lu Jin replied.

He handed her chopsticks and sat across from her.

When it was something serious, He Ye felt less nervous around him, especially with the delicious braised fish in front of her, which reminded her of the one Lu Jin had made back in high school.

She watched as Lu Jin picked up the third pair of chopsticks and helped her choose a piece with the least bones in it: “Try this; I wonder if I’ve improved.”

He Ye thought, even if he had improved, it had been six years since she tasted it. All she remembered was that there had been a memorable incident that excited her during her teenage years.

She took a piece and found the fish very tender and fresh—delicious.

Curiously, she asked, “Have you cooked for yourself often in the past few years?”

Lu Jin replied, “I was too busy with school, so I usually ate in the cafeteria.”

He Ye lowered her gaze, realizing he had probably been very busy.

Even though they attended different universities, He Ye kept track of the college student robotics competition every year. She saw reports about Lu Jin’s team winning awards, which sometimes included interviews with team members. So she knew Lu Jin completed his undergraduate and master’s degrees in computer science in just four years.

As a top student, he must have made the most of every minute to achieve this at Tsinghua University.

“Do you still keep in touch with your college roommates?” she casually asked.

Lu Jin replied, “I rented a house instead of living in a dorm.”

He Ye looked surprised.

Lu Jin avoided her gaze, saying, “I’m not used to dorm life.”

He displayed her photos around his home, so he could see them anytime. Living in a dorm would attract attention and gossip from his roommates.

He Ye thought about his wealth; it made sense that he would want good living conditions.

“How’s your relationship with your roommates?” Lu Jin asked in return.

He Ye smiled and said, “They’re all pretty good, but none of them came to Ancheng to work, so we haven’t gotten together much since graduation.”

Some friendships fade over time, just like her relationship with her high school desk mate Wu Yuanyuan, which diminished after they went to different colleges.

Suddenly, Lu Jin received a call. He glanced at the screen and then at He Ye.

It was Zhou Xiangming calling.

Lu Jin asked, “Do you want to answer it?”

He Ye fiddled with the fish in her bowl: “It’s up to you. If you tell him, just remind him not to say anything to my dad and the others.”

She simply wanted a low-key relationship with Lu Jin. If she told her elders too soon, they might pressure her about marriage.

He Ye didn’t want to be asked about marriage, even if it was just casual conversation.

Lu Jin answered the call from Zhou Xiangming.

“Have you eaten? Want to get together tonight?” Zhou asked, sounding a bit tired.

Lu Jin glanced at He Ye sitting across from him and replied calmly, “She’s eating.”

Zhou then asked, “At Xiaofeng’s or Wangchao Mansion?”

Lu Jin smiled and answered, “At Dangui Garden.”

Zhou was surprised. “Ah! The small restaurant outside Dangui Garden?”

Lu Jin replied, “Inside.”

He Ye shot him a glare. If he wanted to be open, he should just say it directly instead of beating around the bush.

Zhou finally realized and started cursing in disbelief. Lu Jin frowned and interrupted, “Speak softly; He Ye can hear you.”

Zhou exclaimed, “He Ye, why did you agree to him so quickly? He’s just a grandson…”

Lu Jin hung up the call.

When Zhou called again, Lu Jin hung up once more. After several childish attempts, Zhou finally gave up and sent a voice message to He Ye.

Before she could listen, He Ye saw Lu Jin typing a message to Zhou. She tried to sneak a peek, but Lu Jin blocked her view.

Looking back at her chat, He Ye noticed that all of Zhou’s messages had been deleted.

“Did you ask him to take those back because you were afraid he’d spill your secrets?” He Ye teased.

Lu Jin pursed his lips, and He Ye felt a rush of curiosity. “Is there really something scandalous?”

Lu Jin suddenly smiled and said, “You’re probably the only one who knows my biggest secret.”

He Ye didn’t want to pry and just focused on her food.

After dinner, Lu Jin took the dishes to wash. Just then, the doorbell rang.

Lu Jin turned around, and He Ye explained, “I ordered a takeaway.”

He quickly wiped his hands and went to the door. The delivery guy was waiting outside, and Lu Jin pressed the unlock button. 

“What did you buy?” he asked.

He Ye replied, “Daily necessities. I’m going back to my room to charge my phone. You can answer it.”

She walked to the master bedroom, leaving Lu Jin wondering what she had ordered that made her want to avoid him. The only thing he could think of was women’s menstrual products, but he doubted she would let him help with that.

Soon, hurried footsteps were heard outside.

Before the delivery guy rang the bell, Lu Jin opened the door.

“Mr. He?” the delivery guy confirmed.

Lu Jin realized she must have used her father’s name for the order.

He nodded, took the shopping bag, and thanked the guy before closing the door.

Inside the bag was a pair of black men’s slippers.

Lu Jin stared at the slippers for a minute before calling out to the master bedroom, “Your dad’s slippers are here. Can I put them in the closet?”

He Ye appeared at the door, glaring at him. “Say that again?”

Lu Jin smiled, tore open the plastic ring between the slippers, and pretended to try them on.

“Don’t change yet; let me wash them first,” she said, knowing new slippers usually have a smell.

Lu Jin took off the disposable slippers and offered to wash them. 

“You go rest; I’ll do it myself,” he insisted.

He Ye’s face felt hot as she retreated to the bedroom.

While Lu Jin cleaned up, He Ye sat on the sofa, browsing through movie options.

After mopping the kitchen floor, Lu Jin joined her.

“Are you busy tonight?” He Ye asked.

Lu Jin replied, “Not busy. Want to watch a movie?”

“It’s just past seven; we can’t go to bed now,” she said.

“How about a walk?” he suggested.

He Ye raised her injured foot, showing the ankle that had been treated with medicine.

“I can carry you on my back and show you around. Ancheng has changed a lot,” Lu Jin offered.

She considered it but asked, “Don’t you like watching movies?”

Lu Jin replied, “As a boyfriend with a past, I have to be careful.”

He Ye felt uncomfortable with the reminder of the past. 

She quickly grabbed the remote and said, “We’re not going anywhere. Let’s just watch a movie.”

She thought it would be nice to enjoy Lu Jin’s company since he went through the trouble to cook for her.

“Don’t bring up old stuff!” she said, embarrassed.

Lu Jin paused and asked, “Does that mean you trust me now?”

He Ye nodded, realizing how foolish he must feel, acting like that so soon after getting back together.

He sent her a message: [You can trust me, but you need to keep some distance. Just because someone is on a diet doesn’t mean they don’t want cake.]

After reading it, He Ye felt her cheeks flush.

Team Leader: [Put on a coat. I’ll take you to see the night view of Ancheng.]  

He Ye remained sitting sideways with her back to him and replied: [No.]  

Team Leader: [Then let’s watch a movie.]  

He Ye: [I don’t want to watch it.]  

Team Leader: [Stop messing around. Where is your coat? I’ll get it for you.]  

He Ye couldn’t help but look at the clothes hanger at the other end of the sofa, where a thick coat was hanging.  

Lu Jin also saw it, stood up to get the coat, and then walked over to her.  

He Ye took it and put it on while looking down.  

After she finished putting on her shoes, Lu Jin took her little white shoes, squatted in front of the sofa, untied the shoelaces, and helped her put her feet in, like a salesperson in a shoe store.  

With a boyfriend like this, who could really stay angry?  

He Ye put her feet in one by one.  

Lu Jin turned around again and faced away from her.  

He Ye suddenly thought of a question: “Did you walk here?”  

Lu Jin: “I drove to the supermarket and parked my car by the east gate.”  

He Ye: “…I’ll tell the security guard to drive the car to my parking space so you don’t have to carry it so far.”  

It was quite embarrassing for her to carry it around the community.  

Lu Jin: “Okay, then you wait at home first.”  

Ancheng is very large, and there are many places with night views worth seeing. When they found a particularly beautiful spot, Lu Jin would park the car, carry He Ye on his back, and find a chair to sit down.  

They strolled around until after ten o’clock at night, and Lu Jin finally sent He Ye back.  

When entering the elevator, he put He Ye down, and when getting out of the elevator, he carried her back on his back.  

There are only a dozen steps from the elevator to the entrance of 901.  

Standing on the ground again, He Ye looked at her feet and whispered, “I hope it won’t hurt tomorrow morning.”  

The boyfriend standing opposite didn’t say anything.  

He Ye looked up and met his dark, narrow eyes.  

She felt defeated instantly, glanced at the fingerprint lock, and asked in a panic: “More…”  

After saying two words, she couldn’t continue because she thought of his cake theory.  

Lu Jin automatically answered, “It’s too late. Go to bed early. Let me know when you wake up tomorrow morning, and I’ll bring you breakfast.”  

He Ye nodded.  

Lu Jin reminded: “Come in, I’ll leave after you go in.”  

He Ye unlocked the door and pushed it open.  

He just watched from behind without saying anything, and she felt like she had no reason to delay any longer.  

After entering, He Ye turned around and looked at his chest.  

“Good night.”  

Lu Jin whispered, then took the door handle and closed it for her from the outside.  

He Ye: “…”  

She heard his footsteps leaving outside.  

He Ye laughed, turned on the light, and walked inside slowly.  

After washing her face and brushing her teeth, He Ye crawled into bed. She wanted to put down her phone and open an app, but the homepage showed a weight loss recipe.  

He Ye wondered if these apps were eavesdropping.Otherwise, why hadn’t they sent messages before? But today, when Lu Jin mentioned “weight loss, cake,” the message appeared?  

He Ye put down her phone.  

Thinking back on Lu Jin’s various behaviors since they got back together, she suddenly felt like laughing.  

Lose weight? She wanted to see how long he could last.