Chapter 19
“No,” Murong Cheng denied nervously.
Murong Yan didn’t press the issue. “Are you hungry? Shall we get something to eat?”
The auction had just begun, and dinner wouldn’t be served for a while. Besides, the food at these events was usually cold, and he wasn’t sure if the young man would like it.
Murong Cheng nodded, then shook his head.
Murong Yan had responsibilities tonight. He didn’t want to be a burden. And he wasn’t keen on dining in the hotel restaurant or any other fancy establishment. Too formal, too uncomfortable, and never enough food.
“I’ve left the auction to Duan Shao. He’ll bid for me,” Murong Yan said, taking his hand before he could protest. “What do you want to eat? We’ll drive there.”
Duan Shao had arrived in Yu Qi’s Rolls-Royce, while Murong Yan had driven himself, specifically so he could take Murong Cheng out for dinner.
He had noticed the young man’s discomfort at breakfast, so he wanted him to choose a familiar restaurant.
“What are you in the mood for?” They walked to the parking lot behind the hotel and got into Murong Yan’s car. He opened the navigation app.
“Anything is fine,” Murong Cheng replied obediently.
Murong Yan: “Where’s your favorite restaurant in A City, the one you frequent with your friends?”
Murong Cheng thought for a moment. Since graduating, he and Mu Haoqiong mostly ate at the Guangyu cafeteria, and he usually met Chi Yu at the bar, neither of which was appropriate.
Before graduation, however, there was one place: the Sichuan hot pot restaurant near S University. Mu Haoqiong, a spice lover and hot pot fanatic from M City, had introduced him and their roommates to the restaurant. Murong Cheng hadn’t been used to spicy food, but he quickly became addicted, as did their other roommates. They celebrated almost every exam there, as well as other occasions.
“There’s a good hot pot restaurant near my university.”
As soon as he said it, he regretted it. While he loved hot pot, Murong Yan, in his expensive suit and sports car, didn’t seem like the type to frequent such a casual establishment.
To his surprise, however, Murong Yan simply said “Okay” and set the navigation to S University.
He had only mentioned the restaurant was near his university, not specifically S University.
Murong Yan knew he had graduated from S University.
He stared at the CEO’s profile, lost in thought, until Murong Yan looked at him.
“What’s wrong?”
Murong Cheng shook his head, a smile playing on his lips.
So… Murong Yan really did like him, right? He had even looked at his resume.
Then he realized how silly that was. Of course, the CEO had read his resume. It was standard procedure for hiring an assistant.
The hotel wasn’t far from S University, both located in the city center.
The hot pot restaurant was tucked away in a small alley near the university gate, accessible only by scooters. Murong Yan parked on campus and walked with him to the restaurant.
It was just past 8:00 pm, peak dinner time for students. The restaurant was packed.
This small establishment clearly didn’t offer VIP treatment. Murong Cheng squeezed inside, took a number, and rejoined Murong Yan at the entrance.
There were over twenty tables ahead of them. The wait would be at least half an hour.
Murong Cheng hesitated. “Yan-ge, the wait is too long. Should we go somewhere else?”
Murong Yan: “Are you hungry?”
Murong Cheng nodded.
Murong Yan: “Alright, where do you want to go?”
Besides the restaurants, the street near the university was lined with food stalls selling all sorts of snacks. The aroma of fried skewers, dumplings, and grilled wraps filled the air. Murong Cheng swallowed, his stomach rumbling.
Unlike the area around Guangyu, this street was bustling with students. Since graduating, he hadn’t had any of these street foods.
But taking Murong Yan to a cheap hot pot restaurant was already pushing it. He couldn’t imagine the CEO eating street food.
He shook his head, dismissing the incongruous image, and pointed to a cafe across the street. “How about some dessert there?”
Murong Yan nodded. “Okay.”
Murong Yan didn’t like sweets. At the cafe, Murong Cheng ate an entire slice of cake by himself.
He should have just suggested the street food.
But the cafe was warm and cozy, much more comfortable than waiting outside in the cold.
The turnover at the hot pot restaurant was fast. Just as he finished his cake, his phone buzzed, notifying him their table was ready.
“Yan-ge, are you sure about the hot pot?” he asked one last time.
The CEO raised an eyebrow. “Why?”
Murong Cheng smiled. “Just making sure.”
They followed the waiter to their table. Murong Cheng looked around the restaurant, noticing the pungent aroma of chili oil. He hoped it wouldn’t cling to the CEO’s expensive suit.
The narrow aisles meant their clothes brushed against the tables as they walked. He hoped he wouldn’t stain the CEO’s clothes.
The spiciness of the hot pot couldn’t be adjusted. It was a pre-made broth. He hoped the CEO could handle spicy food. He decided to order a split pot with two different broths.
Plain water for the other half would be too bland. He wasn’t sure about the mushroom broth either. What if the CEO didn’t like it and just watched him eat? That would be awkward.
Would he get a performance review deduction for being a bad boyfriend?
Lost in thought, he struggled to decide what to order. The impatient waiter hovered nearby. He quickly ticked off a few items and handed the menu to Murong Yan.
“Yan-ge, what would you like?”
The pencil looked dirty. Murong Yan didn’t take it, just shook his head gently.
“Anything is fine.”
Murong Cheng nervously handed the menu back to the waiter. “We’ll have this, then.”
The hot pot ingredients arrived quickly.
Murong Cheng went to the sauce station and prepared two bowls of dipping sauce, placing them in front of Murong Yan.
“This is sesame sauce, and this is a chili oil dip, popular in Sichuan. I got you both. The chili oil is especially good with the spicy broth,” he explained, his eyes sparkling.
Seeing Murong Yan nod and accept the sauces, he prepared two identical bowls for himself.
Despite his earlier worries, he felt much more relaxed in the familiar setting.
The spicy broth started boiling first, bubbling happily. He dumped the entire plate of beef into the pot.
Then he realized he hadn’t left any for the mushroom broth. “Oh, Yan-ge, I forgot to ask, can you handle spicy food?”
“Yes,” Murong Yan nodded.
Taking a bite of beef, Murong Cheng relaxed further, becoming more talkative.
Seeing Murong Yan delicately picking up small pieces of meat, he couldn’t help but ask, “Yan-ge, have you… ever had hot pot at a place like this before?”
Murong Yan only answered partially, “I’ve had hot pot.”
Of course, the CEO wouldn’t eat at a cheap restaurant like this.
“What do you think of this place?” Murong Cheng asked, his eyes shining with anticipation.
Murong Yan nodded again. “It’s good.”
His tone was flat, almost indifferent. Murong Cheng pouted.
“Not amazing?” He looked at the dishes, realizing he hadn’t ordered their signature pork belly. “I’ll order some more. Waiter!”
He dipped the cooked pork belly in chili oil, the spice tempered by the oil, leaving only a savory flavor. He eagerly offered a piece to Murong Yan.
“Try this.”
Murong Yan ate it politely and smiled. “Delicious.”
“My college roommates and I used to come here almost every month,” Murong Cheng said, his lips slightly red from the spice, his eyes sparkling. “One of my roommates recommended it. Authentic Sichuan flavor. He also works at Guangyu now, in the R&D department. We’re roommates. His name is Mu Haoqiong.”
He talked about his roommates, university life, and funny anecdotes. Murong Yan listened attentively, occasionally taking a bite of food, his gaze fixed on Murong Cheng.
They ate until they were full.
This was the most relaxed he had ever felt with Murong Yan. Even last night, sharing a room, lying on the same bed, hadn’t felt this intimate.
He smiled unconsciously, and Murong Yan smiled back.
“What are you thinking about? You seem happy.”
Murong Cheng shook his head, smiling. What was he thinking about? His incredibly handsome, cool, and powerful CEO boyfriend, of course.
Then he suddenly remembered something and looked around, his heart sinking.
Engrossed in the delicious hot pot, he had forgotten how conspicuous the CEO was, especially in a place like this, near a university, a breeding ground for gossip.
Most of the nearby tables were occupied by S University students, and many of them were staring at him and Murong Yan.
He accidentally made eye contact with a girl and quickly looked away, feeling strangely guilty.
Sensing his sudden tension, Murong Yan followed his gaze.
“Don’t like being stared at?”
Murong Cheng nodded, then shook his head, worried that the CEO might clear the restaurant, like in those cheesy novels.
“What’s wrong?” Murong Yan asked patiently.
“Being seen with you… it’s a bit uncomfortable,” Murong Cheng admitted after a moment of hesitation.
Murong Yan was silent for a moment. “You don’t like it?”
Murong Cheng carefully chose his words. “It’s not that. I’m just not used to it.”
Murong Yan: “Is that why you didn’t want Duan Shao to know about us earlier?”
Murong Cheng nodded. “Yes.”
He studied the CEO’s expression. “Is it okay… if we keep our relationship a secret for now?”
He didn’t like being treated differently.
At Brand Marketing, everyone assumed he was the CEO’s brother and never gave him any real work. Now, on the 28th floor, Duan Shao, Yu Qi, and Xia Jie treated him like a normal junior colleague. He didn’t want to be isolated again.
He didn’t realize that everyone in the CEO’s office was far more perceptive than he thought. They had all witnessed the CEO’s special treatment, and they knew something was going on.
Seeing his insistence, Murong Yan simply said, “Okay.”
“Really?” The easy agreement surprised him.
Murong Yan’s expression didn’t change. “Yes. I’ll have someone remove any photos of us from tonight from the internet.”
So that was how the Murong family maintained their privacy. They had people scrubbing the internet.
Murong Cheng looked at him. “Yan-ge… are you angry that I asked this?”
Murong Yan raised an eyebrow.
Murong Cheng: “I don’t want people to know about us… not because I’m playing the field! I would never do that to you, haha. I just… I don’t know how to explain…”
“It’s alright,” the CEO smiled gently, pouring the last of the soy milk into Murong Cheng’s glass. “I respect your decision. We’ll keep it private until you’re ready.”
His gaze was warm and reassuring.
Declining the offer to stay at the hotel, Murong Cheng went home.
Staying last night was understandable, given the CEO’s inebriated state. But tonight, both of them were sober. Sharing a room… felt too intimate.
Besides, his clothes were a mess! Murong Yan had changed into fresh clothes, smelling clean and crisp. He couldn’t possibly stay looking like this.
Murong Yan drove him home, stopping at the entrance of his apartment complex. He quickly got out, almost running away, not even looking back.
The CEO had driven him home before, but back then, they were just boss and employee. He hadn’t minded being seen, even by Mu Haoqiong. It was just a ride home after work.
But tonight was different.
He was terrified of running into Mu Haoqiong.
And of course, that’s exactly what happened. Just as he entered the building, Mu Haoqiong caught up with him.
“Dude, why did you run off like that? I saw you at the entrance, and then you disappeared. I had to chase you all the way here.”
“At the entrance?” Murong Cheng’s face paled.
“Yeah, why? I didn’t see you downstairs at the company. Did you come straight from there?” Mu Haoqiong frowned, confused.
“Yes,” Murong Cheng lied. “I didn’t see you either.”
It was a dark winter night. It was possible they had simply missed each other. Mu Haoqiong didn’t question it further and stepped into the elevator.
He scrolled through the news on his phone, then exclaimed, “Whoa!”
“What?” Murong Cheng jumped, his nerves on edge.
Mu Haoqiong showed him his phone. “CEO Murong! He was at our university tonight!”
“What?” News traveled fast.
Mu Haoqiong glanced at him. “You didn’t know? I thought you were his assistant.”
Murong Cheng tried to search for Murong Yan on his phone, but the signal was weak.
He leaned closer to Mu Haoqiong’s phone. “What was he doing at the university?”
The elevator reached their floor. Mu Haoqiong stepped out.
“It doesn’t say. Just that he was spotted near S University. Maybe he was just passing through? Let me check the university gossip group—holy crap!”
He switched to a chat group, his voice rising in excitement.
“Big news! CEO Murong was at that hot pot restaurant near the university gate! That place… it’s nothing special, is it? Why would he eat there?”
“Really? Any pictures?” Murong Cheng feigned ignorance, hoping Mu Haoqiong wouldn’t notice his unusual behavior.
“Pictures… no pictures yet. Let me check,” Mu Haoqiong scrolled through the messages. “Someone said the internet was bad, so they couldn’t upload pictures. He wasn’t alone! He was with another guy! Apparently an S University student! How does CEO Murong know an S University student? Hey, do you think…”
Murong Cheng held his breath.
“…do you think his brother, the one everyone thinks you are, actually studies at S University?”
Mu Haoqiong, having considered all the “facts,” had reached a completely wrong conclusion.
Murong Cheng was both relieved and amused.
They hadn’t acted intimately at the restaurant. Being mistaken for brothers was understandable.
As expected, most people in the gossip group shared Mu Haoqiong’s theory, embarking on a quest to find the hidden “CEO’s brother” among S University students.
[LuckyZhang: What about that hot guy from Finance 2401? I forgot his name. The one who gave a speech at the freshman orientation.]
[SirBai: I know who you mean. His last name is Wang, not Murong. Definitely not him.]
[=.=: Murong Yan’s brother doesn’t necessarily have the same last name! Maybe one took their father’s last name, and the other took their mother’s.]
[SirBai: It’s the Murong family! They can choose whatever last name they want? Don’t be ridiculous.]
Mu Haoqiong clicked his tongue. “So even S University has its hidden gems. Murong Yan’s brother isn’t very bright, coming to our school, haha.”
As he was about to go to his room, he suddenly turned around. “Wait, that doesn’t make sense. CEO Murong was out with his brother tonight, and you weren’t with him. Why were you working overtime?”
