Country Y
The evening was enveloped by a persistent drizzle and swirling mists.
"This lousy weather."
A soft grumble blended with the sound of the door opening.
Xinuo Gu shook off the raindrops from her clothes and closed the door behind her as she entered the house.
Turning around, she spotted the man erging from the kitchen.
His casual howear could not conceal his tall, upright figure, lazily handso.
"Achen, when did you get back?" Her head-shaking motion paused as she stared, startled, at the suddenly returned Chu Chen.
"Things with the F country are almost sorted out." Chu Chen’s brow furrowed as he noticed her drenched state.
"Why are you all wet?"
"It started raining on my way back. The car broke down halfway, just my luck." Gu Xinuo kicked off her shoes, stepping barefoot onto the cool floor, and made her way upstairs.
"Wait." Chu Chen reached out to grab her arm, placing her slippers by her feet, "The floor is cold, wear your shoes."
Gu Xinuo smiled, obediently slipping into her slippers, and teasingly said, "Achen, if Aqian sees this, he’s going to be jealous."
Bringing up the old joke again, Chu Chen flicked her forehead with two curled fingers, his tone quite helpless, "How many tis do I have to tell you, that was a misunderstanding, and I’ve said it was Ji Mingqian’s deliberate doing."
With a Ji Mingqian plus a trouble-seeking Ye Jiuliang, he’d never clear his na, even if he jumped into the Yellow River.
"Got it, got it." Gu Xinuo had a face of "I understand."
Unable to clear up the misunderstanding, Chu Chen quickly changed the subject. "Hurry and change your clothes. Dinner will be ready soon."
"Wow, our big boss Chu is cooking himself?" Gu Xinuo teased.
Chu Chen said, "It seems like you don’t want dessert then."
"You made dessert?" Gu Xinuo’s eyes lit up, eagerly gazing at him.
God knows, among the four of them, Chu Chen had the most talent for cooking, first-rate indeed.
Chu Chen humd in affirmation.
"I’ll be down in a flash." With the promise of dessert, Gu Xinuo didn’t waste ti bantering with him and bolted upstairs.
Only after her figure vanished on the staircase did Chu Chen shift his gaze away.
Just as he was about to head back to the kitchen, the phone on the living room table suddenly rang.
He walked back and picked up the phone, feeling an urge to hang up as soon as he saw the caller ID.
Still, it was just a fleeting thought. He held the phone to his ear, and Ji Mingqian’s voice ca through.
"Achen, how are things with the i Organization?"
"Almost done, I’m back in Country Y," he replied.
Ji Mingqian was curious, "Has the Dark Hall swallowed up the i Organization completely?"
"Are you looking to get a share?" Chu Chen asked, his tone half-mocking.
"No way, I’m not Ajiu." Who liked stirring up trouble when bored.
"Since you’re back, doesn’t that leave only you and Anuo at ho?" For them, that house was the ho of all four.
Chu Chen, "Is there a problem?"
"Alone together, a single man and woman..." Ji Mingqian laughed with a aningful tone.
"Don’t tell when Jiuliang and I return, we’d witness your wedding celebration."
Chu Chen sneered through gritted teeth, "Thanks to you, Anuo is now convinced we are a couple."
"..."
On the other end of the line, Ji Mingqian was drinking coffee and nearly spat it out.
Imdiately after, he burst into laughter.
"Hahaha."
"Ji Mingqian, it seems like you want to stay at the headquarters," Chu Chen threatened darkly.
Ji Mingqian backed off while flattering, "No, no, big boss, I was wrong. Next ti I see Anuo, I will definitely clarify everything."
"Get lost." Chu Chen cursed and hung up on him.
As Gu Xinuo descended the stairs, she was greeted by a rich aroma.
Walking into the dining room in her slippers, she saw Chu Chen coming out with the dishes and cutlery.
"Poached Sliced Fish." Gu Xinuo pulled out a chair and sat down, her eyes curving happily at the sight of the steaming dish.
"If Ajiu were here, that would be great."
Chu Chen’s smile froze at the corner of his mouth, "..."
He had gone to the trouble of making a whole table of food, and the first thing she ntioned was Ajiu. He really was...
Forget it, forget it. His own wife, he’d pamper her even if he had to kneel down to do it.
Having consoled himself, Chu Chen ladled out a bowl of soup and placed it in front of her.
"Thanks, boss," Gu Xinuo said with a sly smile.
Chu Chen laughed in a hoarse voice and sat down beside her.
"Anuo."
"Hmm?" Gu Xinuo, focused on her soup, casually responded.
"I have a question for you," Chu Chen said, resting his arms on the table, "if , Mingqian, and Ajiu all fell into the sea at the sa ti, who would you save?"
"All three of you know how to swim, so I wouldn’t save a single hair," Gu Xinuo mumbled through a mouthful of ribs.
Chu Chen, undeterred, asked again, "But what if soone got a cramp?"
"Save Ajiu." Without a second thought, Gu Xinuo answered directly.
Chu Chen felt a surge of tragic anger, nearly spitting out blood.
"Why?" A hint of jealousy seeped out.
Gu Xinuo took a sip of soup, narrowing her eyes contentedly, "You and Aqian are too heavy. Besides, Ajiu is my most beloved, of course I would save my Little Liangliang first."
Chu Chen, "..."
If Jiuliang is her most beloved, then what is he?
This is outrageous.
This al was like it had been fed to an ingrate.
Gu Xinuo glanced at him, asking curiously, "Achen, why are you asking such a silly question? It’s not like you at all?"
Chu Chen’s dark eyes deepened, he said aggrievedly, "Eat your boiled fish."
Gu Xinuo, imrsed in the deliciousness of the boiled fish, completely missed his jealous expression.
She uttered an "oh" and continued to eat her al.
Chu Chen was utterly dejected, in a foul mood.
He actually didn’t match up to that Jiuliang guy.
After finishing the al, Gu Xinuo conscientiously slipped away to the living room to watch TV.
At ho, cooking was Chu Chen’s task, dishwashing was Ji Mingqian’s, and the two girls just had to take care of eating.
With Ji Mingqian absent, the task of washing dishes naturally fell on Chu Chen.
In the living room, Gu Xinuo hugged her laptop, processing docunts from headquarters, and occasionally chatting with Ye Jiuliang.
She didn’t even notice when Chu Chen ca up behind her.
Watching her ssaging Ye Jiuliang from behind, Chu Chen grew even more jealous.
He stomped heavily, deliberately walking past her.
Out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly caught sight of her right leg pressed beneath the pillow, and his expression changed drastically.
A large bruise was visible on her calf, flushed with red and swollen, stark against her pale skin.
He sat down next to her and took the pillow off her leg.
"What happened to your foot?"
Gu Xinuo glanced at it nonchalantly. "Got into a bit of boxing with the gang at headquarters yesterday, and just bumped it."
"Don’t roughhouse with them," Chu Chen said, pulling open a drawer and retrieving a jar of ointnt.
"I thrashed them all together yesterday," Gu Xinuo said cheerily, "looks like I’ve been too lenient with them lately, it’s ti to ramp up the intensive training."
Chu Chen made a non-committal noise, his gaze fixed on the bruise on her leg.
"Hey, what are you pulling my foot for?" Gu Xinuo asked, puzzled as he tugged at her foot.
"Applying dicine," he said.
Unscrewing the lid, Chu Chen grasped her foot, steadying it on his leg, and dabbed so ointnt on the bruised area.
The faint scent of dicinal herbs filled the air, and a cooling sensation spread on the skin. His calloused fingertips expertly massaged the bruise.
Gu Xinuo winced in pain, pushing his hand away, "Hey, stop it, it hurts like hell."
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