novelraw Chapter 446: Happiness is Having You by My Side (Second Update)
Chapter 446: Happiness is Having You by My Side (Second Update)
"What’s wrong? Are you cold?" The man straightens up and examines her apprehensively under her eyelids.Le Tong rubs her nose with the back of her hand and shakes her head, "No, just my nose is a bit itchy."
Ji Rui glances into her eyes, half-believing, then lowers his head to continue buttoning her shirt.
"You, don’t think you’re Wonder Woman. Doctor Fu said your constitution isn’t great, so take care of yourself."
Le Tong’s eyes warm up, she rubs them gently and bends slightly to rest her chin on the man’s head.
"Mr. Ji, since when did you become a housekeeper?" Le Tong teases playfully as she gently closes her eyes.
The man’s hair is quite stiff, poking her a bit painfully, but she doesn’t intend to move away, instead taking a deep breath, inhaling the faint scent of mint. Since a while back, this unique aroma from the man always calms her inexplicably.
Ji Rui was still struggling with the row of stubborn buttons on her overcoat. Hearing her soft voice float above his head, his hand freezes mid-air, and after a moment, he decisively abandons the stubborn buttons, wraps his arms around her waist, and gently pulls her into his embrace.
"Does your family need a housekeeper? I’m applying, will you hire me?"
Le Tong lifts on her toes, rests her cheek on Ji Rui’s shoulder, tilts her head, watching the usually aloof man gaze at her with a question in his eyes, his eyes carrying a playful but slightly tense and anxious look.
Le Tong raises her hand, her fingertips tracing the distinct features of his face, carefully drawing the lines she finds captivating.
"Not hiring..."
Maybe in the near future, we’ll hire a male owner. Would you like to apply?
Le Tong silently recites this in her mind but doesn’t speak aloud, instead, she secretly uses her cool fingertips to memorize the contours of his features, imprinting them deeply into her mind.
Ji Rui’s eyes show a hint of disappointment but quickly, a smile arises. He kisses her eyelid, using his magnetic voice to half coax and half deceive her, "Really not hiring? Hire one, get one free..."
Perhaps infected by Baobao and Le Tong, Ji Rui’s mindset has grown younger; even his way of speaking has subconsciously converged towards theirs.
Le Tong’s palm lands with a "slap" on his cheek, "Hey, Baobao is my son!"
The force of this slap is light, instead of a warning, it feels more like flirting.
Ji Rui turns his head, grazing her wrist with his lips, gazing deeply and unwaveringly at her.
"Alright, Ji Yu is yours, not part of the offer, just a handsome single uncle available, interested?"
Ji Rui, lately teased by his son as an old-fashioned and dull uncle, now thick-skinned, self-mocks.
His persistent self-promotion, in Le Tong’s eyes, is an outright temptation.
You must know, she has little immunity against this man’s charming appearance. Now, as he both coaxes and winks theatrically, he’s essentially captivated her deeply, despite unwillingness to concede, she can’t help but be intoxicated by his allure.
"Interested..."
The man’s lips move from her wrist down to her face.
Le Tong turns her face away, dodging his lips with a serious expression, "But I’m quite poor, can’t afford a salary."
"Oh, I forgot to mention, besides being quite handsome, I’m very wealthy, enough to provide you several lifetimes’ worth of roasted sweet potatoes!"
Le Tong inwardly rolls her eyes at President Ji’s modesty; with his wealth, not just sweet potatoes, even if she ate abalone, sea cucumber, and shark fin daily, it’d likely last her several lifetimes!
"I don’t want to eat roasted sweet potatoes for several lifetimes, but right now, it’s making me drool!"
Le Tong curses herself for letting desire overshadow gourmet food, shoves him away, and quickly fastens the remaining buttons herself.
This time, Ji Rui refrains from assisting, instead leaning leisurely against the wall, watching her with arms crossed.
"I was wondering, why does Baobao love food so much, turns out, it’s because of you."
Le Tong raises her eyelids, glaring at him, "Yes, I’m a foodie, scared?"
Ji Rui reaches out to pinch her cheek, feigning a stern tone, "It’s fine, I have plenty of money, might as well marry you early, so you won’t plague others."
Le Tong is amused to the point of tears, slaps away his hand and crossly heads toward the door, holding the door handle, twisting it open, "Wealthy man, are we leaving? If you keep babbling, you’ll wake Baobao, and we won’t be going anywhere."
Ji Rui steps swiftly outside, feeling slightly excited in his heart.
Not knowing if it’s from leaving behind the brightness comparable to a ten thousand watt bulb of Baobao, or from this act akin to a youthful couple sneaking out behind family’s back for a date he’s never experienced before...
"Le Tong, have you ever snuck out secretly late at night to hang out?"
Ji Rui grips the steering wheel, his eye lingering on the sitting Le Tong in the passenger seat.
"Of course I have!" Le Tong answers swiftly without thinking.
Ji Rui’s gaze dims and his heart sinks, didn’t she claim she hadn’t dated before? How could she have such experience?
"With whom?"
Ji Rui’s voice noticeably lacks the previous joy.
His hardheaded tone almost makes Le Tong laugh.
Biting her lip, she barely holds in her amusement, intending to tease him but seeing even his shoulders tensed in an instant, her heart stirs with compassion.
"With Yuan’er..."
"You!" Ji Rui abruptly turns his head to glare at her.
"What?" Le Tong blinks at him innocently.
Ji Rui grits his teeth, his hand on the steering wheel reaches over to pinch her cheeks, "Your knack for vexing people is growing!"
Le Tong recalls that classic line often appearing in recent eight o’clock soap operas, raises her chin, and chuckles with a hum, "That’s because you spoiled me!"
Ji Rui stills for a moment, retracts his hand awkwardly, and pulls a strained smile.
"Saying I spoil you, I’m unworthy!"
If not for him, she might have suffered less, so claiming he spoils her, he’s truly guilty.
But the easily satisfied Le Tong doesn’t share that view.
"Usually, you’d think curling up in bed for a good night’s sleep is the best happiness, yet you’re up just because I want sweet potatoes, climbing out of bed to accompany me!"
In Le Tong’s eyes, this is spoiled, a spoil devoid of reason. After all, even she feels that waking up on such a chilly autumn night is quite cruel, and if this isn’t spoiling, she’d truly be ungrateful.
"Accompany you?" But Ji Rui’s grasp of key points seriously deviates.
"Ah?!" Le Tong simply can’t keep up with his thoughts, tilting her head to look at him in confusion.
"Having you with me is the greatest happiness. No matter if it’s in bed or on the streets!"