Chu Yi’s face fell. “What did he say?”
“You know, that President Yu doesn’t trust him and personally visits the set or whatever. Paparazzi even snapped them sharing a room…” Shu Ling covered her mouth before finishing, then noticed Chu Yi’s expression and paused. “Chu Yi, what’s wrong?”
Chu Yi’s face was expressionless. “Nothing.”
President Yu had glanced over, and he had felt a bit guilty at first, but now not at all. Hmph!
Chu Yi and Shu Ling stood still like most of the onlookers, figuring President Yu would at least greet him as he passed. But the man didn’t even look his way, just strode past all aloof and noble.
Chu Yi frowned. Even if actors and the General Manager needed to keep distance in public, President Yu didn’t have to completely ignore him, right?
They had chatted quite pleasantly last night… uh, pleasantly, right? Even when he asked for President Yu’s birth chart and got brushed off, he hadn’t pushed. Was there any need to give him the cold shoulder today?
Chu Yi had already forgotten that he had decided first to keep his distance from President Yu. He watched as Yu Qingxian and Kang Zeyu chatted while picking food, then sat together to eat. Kang Zeyu even considerately got soup for Yu Qingxian, all fawning like he was about to feed it to him…
Damn, that pissed him off!
Good thing President Yu had refused, or he would have slapped a Misfortune Talisman right on Kang Zeyu’s forehead!
Chu Yi had completely forgotten his principles and was glaring daggers over there with a sour face. Luckily, lots of people were doing the same, so he didn’t stand out.
But one thing was very obvious…
“Uh, Chu Yi, you haven’t gotten any food yet?” Shu Ling suddenly turned back and saw that most of the line at the serving window had cleared, but Chu Yi’s tray was still empty.
Chu Yi snapped back to reality, noticed his empty tray, and lied through his teeth. “I don’t like any of those dishes.”
“Really?” Shu Ling clearly didn’t buy it. “But last time with the boxed meal, you seemed to love the chicken drumsticks, and the braised pork, stuffed eggplant—you ate them like crazy…”
Chu Yi: “…”
Did this girl have to have such a good memory? How long ago was that, and she still remembered!
“I, uh, I’ve been eating too much of that lately. Want to switch it up.” Chu Yi said calmly, then in front of Shu Ling, he quickly loaded up his tray with several dishes.
But when he saw what he had grabbed—cold bitter melon salad, stir-fried kohlrabi, boiled edamame—his face turned as green as the veggies.
He wasn’t picky—having gone hungry one meal and stuffed the next so many times, every bite of food was precious. But that didn’t mean he didn’t love meat!
While Shu Ling wasn’t looking, Chu Yi quickly added braised chicken chunks, a big pork knuckle, and a steamed fish to his tray, even shoving in front of the people behind him.
Across the way, Yu Qingxian pretended to seriously discuss Kang Zeyu’s contract renewal with him, but he wasn’t listening to the nonsense at all. His attention had been on Chu Yi the whole time. He saw Chu Yi reach the end of the line, then go back for more food, drawing a chorus of complaints, and Yu Qingxian lowered his eyes, chuckling secretly.
But when he saw Chu Yi wolf down his food and leave alone ahead of everyone, his face darkened again, and his appetite vanished instantly.
Kang Zeyu, ever the concerned one, asked, “Qingxian, why aren’t you eating? Is it because the food’s no good? I told you we should go out, but you insisted on the cafeteria…”
Yu Qingxian pressed his lips together. “It’s fine. Let’s continue talking.”
Back at home after finishing up, Boss Feng had a servant find the Body-Protecting Talisman in his coat pocket. He didn’t pay it much mind and casually gave it to his curious wife.
Then he spent the next few days busy at Chu Yi’s place. He watched as all the herbs were planted. The villa’s soil wasn’t great, and the herbs looked all wilted after planting. He shook his head every time he saw them.
But Chu Yi had paid in full, so he couldn’t back out. He washed his hands of it and left everything to the Medicine Garden administrator Xiao Wang.
Just two days after letting go, Xiao Wang suddenly called him. “Boss, it’s a miracle! Overnight, all those herbs came back to life—they’re all thriving!”
“What? Alive!” Boss Feng was shocked.
“Yeah, I don’t know how to explain it to you. Come see for yourself.”
Out of a sense of responsibility, Boss Feng drove over immediately. As soon as his car entered the villa, he felt invigorated and couldn’t help taking a deep breath.
It felt just like entering a forest right after rain, with moist mist lingering and the air filled with a fresh, pleasant scent.
He kept walking straight to the backyard, where he caught whiffs of various mingled herbal fragrances, rich and potent, rivaling the greenhouses in their nurseries that had been tended for years.
When the obstructions cleared completely, Boss Feng was stunned. The freshly turned soil was now covered in a layer of grass reaching his ankles, interspersed with medicinal herbs glistening with fresh dew—Fleeceflower Root, Ginseng, Dang Gui, Wu Zhu Yu… Not only had they not been robbed of nutrients, they looked two or three centimeters taller than when he had left!
“What… what’s going on?!” Boss Feng gaped, unable to believe his eyes.
Xiao Wang opened his mouth. “You’re asking me? I want to ask you…”
It hadn’t been like this when he left yesterday morning. He had almost thought he entered the wrong villa when he arrived!
