Chapter 51: Chapter 51 After Running Away, the Disabled Tycoon Stopped Pretending 13
She sent a message to Lu Peijin.
Soon, the reply came from the other side.
[I’ll be back late today, don’t wait for me, you can eat first]
She put away her phone, then prepared some dishes and stewed a soup based on the ingredients she had.
After the soup was ready, she checked the time, eight o’clock in the evening.
Since it was already this late, she might as well wait a little longer for Lu Peijin; otherwise, there was too much food to finish by herself.
With that thought, she carefully covered the dishes with their lids and then sat down to browse her phone.
Maybe it was the quiet atmosphere or perhaps the aroma of the food that made her drowsy.
What Lu Peijin saw when he returned was this scene:
Dim, warm yellow lighting, the air filled with the scent of food, and the girl, not knowing when, had fallen asleep on the table.
Her phone screen was still lit in front of her, her entire head fluffy, her long hair slightly curled, casually draped over her shoulders, shimmering under the light in beautiful gleams, seemingly fast asleep, her breathing even and steady.
In front of her, several delicate dishes were covered, probably to keep them from cooling, a set of chopsticks and bowl in front of her, and another set beside it, both neatly arranged, waiting for him.
Suddenly, his heart softened a lot.
It was as if a cold pond suddenly thawed and warmed up, gradually turning into a steaming hot spring.
He stared at this image for a long, long time, as if time was frozen in this moment.
Although Lu Peijin lived with the Lu Family, the Lu Family was a place where the weak were prey to the strong; one had to leave if they lacked the strength.
Even though his mother was a lady from a reputable family and the legitimate wife, the old man Lu had been promiscuous in his youth, and he had a large number of illegitimate children both male and female.
Over the years, he had dealt with many of them, but in the process, his views on so-called marriage and family had become especially indifferent, subtly believing that the relatives who were supposedly closest to him might sometimes harm him in the shadows, with smiles hiding knives.
Yet, without knowing when, he had started to see a place as his home to return to every day, knowing someone was waiting for him, experiencing a previously unknown sensation.
It was like someone who had been walking in the dark for a long time suddenly found light, a glimpse of a possible future.
For a moment, he felt a mix of timidity and hesitation. He knew deeply that this scene did not belong to him, that it could not include him, just like a thief who has unwittingly stolen a treasure but doesn’t know what to do with it. Just then, his phone, clenched in his hand, suddenly rang.
When he turned off the ringtone, he found Su Zhiruan rubbing her eyes, sitting up from the table. She looked around, dazed, and finally focused on him, stood up and called to him, “Mr. Lu, you’re back.”
“Shall we eat together?” Su Zhiruan said as she casually opened the lids, the dishes still warm, “I was planning to wait for you, but I accidentally fell asleep.”
“Next time you eat first, don’t wait for me,” said Lu Peijin, his usually cold tone softening.
The two sat opposite each other and began to eat.
Maybe because the atmosphere was good today, they chatted leisurely for a while, surprisingly enjoying the conversation, and after the meal, Lu Peijin took the initiative to clean up the dishes, placing them inside the dishwasher.
That evening, although Su Zhiruan was sleepy-eyed, she was ready to take the initiative again, but Lu Peijin stopped her, “Let’s go to sleep early today, you already stayed up so late yesterday, no need for exertion tonight.”
Su Zhiruan agreed as well, and just nodded vaguely, wrapping herself in the blanket.
Afterward, she felt a light touch at the corner of her mouth, a kiss.
Gentle, devoid of any lustful desire, was the kiss.
The man spoke, then turned off the bedside lamp and closed his eyes to sleep.
Su Zhiruan, however, widened her eyes in the darkness.
What… what did he mean by that?
Why had he suddenly done that?
It would have been fitting in a past life, but now—they were in a contract relationship!
This development seemed somehow amiss.
Unable to fall asleep, Su Zhiruan toss and turned, unable to stop thinking. Eventually, it was Lu Peijin who couldn’t handle her restless fidgeting. He pulled her close half-heartedly, but they didn’t go all the way, which helped Su Zhiruan settle down considerably.
When she awoke the next day, Su Zhiruan’s condition was even worse than the previous day when she had stayed up until two in the morning.
In contrast, Lu Peijin seemed to be in a surprisingly good mood. Looking at the neatly dressed Su Zhiruan, he said, “Are you off to work at the hotel? I can give you a lift on my way.”
“Thank you, General Manager Lu.” She yawned, still sleepy.
After reviewing his documents, Lu Peijin, noticing her limp state, raised his eyes curiously and said, “I’m curious, you didn’t do it yesterday, so how come you look so out of it now?”
“I couldn’t sleep last night,” Su Zhiruan replied helplessly from the couch.
With a thoughtful look, Lu Peijin put down his laptop and sat beside her, “Then tonight…”
When the time came, Lu Peijin’s secretary drove up to the villa and, seeing Su Zhiruan, he showed no surprise. He opened the door, letting both of them into the car.
Lu Peijin’s car had a dedicated parking spot, and there was even a private elevator, so Su Zhiruan wasn’t worried about being seen by others as she prepared to go up with him.
She still had half an hour before her work began; there was plenty of time.
the woman who boasted about attaching herself to a wealthy man wore a smile of confidence as she strode into the room where the staff changed clothes and took breaks.
“I have some explosive news for you all!!” As soon as the woman entered, she announced loudly to everyone.
The others were used to her so-called news and kept busy with their tasks, showing no interest in what she deemed to be explosive.
Only the waitresses who usually flattered her approached with ingratiating smiles, “What’s the news, sis?”
“This morning, I saw General Manager Lu—the owner of this hotel and the head of the Lu Group,” the woman said, seeing the crowd around her grow, a rising sense of satisfaction within her. She spoke as if she was already a part of the Lu Family, proudly beginning, “His car passed in front of the hotel, and I recognized it immediately! There was someone else in the car, probably his secretary. If we go to the elevator now, we might even catch a glimpse of this legendary figure!”
At her words, everyone became tempted.
To catch a glimpse of the president of the Lu Group, a company ranked among the top 500 globally, was certainly something to talk about.