What to Do When Mistaken for the CEO’s Brother? 21

Chapter 21

Lost in the depths of the CEO’s dark eyes, Murong Cheng readily accepted the offer.

Murong Yan said this was his home too.

Their home.

“Want anything else to eat?” Murong Yan asked, leading him inside.

Murong Cheng shook his head. He was full from dinner.

Murong Yan: “Then what would you like to drink?”

He led him to a wooden cabinet stocked with various bottles and cans. Beside it was a drinks fridge filled with sodas and colorful imported beverages.

Not wanting to embarrass himself by getting drunk at the CEO’s apartment, Murong Cheng reached for a grape-flavored drink.

Murong Yan took the can from his hand, opened it, inserted a straw, and then handed it back.

He hadn’t expected the CEO to do something so thoughtful. “Thank you, Yan-ge,” he said, blinking.

Murong Yan glanced at him and took an identical can for himself.

The grape drink was sweet, with bits of grape pulp.

“Shall we go inside?” Murong Yan asked.

The dining room was on the right, the living room on the left. Murong Cheng had thought the dining room was spacious, but the living room was even more impressive. A small bar area was set up near the drinks cabinet, as if a section of a bar had been transported into the apartment. Further inside, a large screen and projector faced a plush, light gray sofa. Two exercise machines, a treadmill and a weight machine, were also in the living room. A display cabinet showcased a collection of bonsai trees and ceramic vases, each looking incredibly expensive. The balcony offered a panoramic view of the city, with Guangyu’s twin towers standing prominently in the distance.

Murong Cheng walked onto the balcony, resting his hand on the cool railing.

Murong Yan followed, standing close behind him.

His warm breath brushed against Murong Cheng’s neck. He shivered slightly and turned to look at him.

“What’s wrong?”

Expecting an embrace, Murong Cheng’s heart pounded, but Murong Yan simply stood there.

A flicker of disappointment crossed his face. He shook his head and turned back to the view.

The city lights twinkled below, the streets bustling with traffic.

Despite the underfloor heating, the night air was chilly. He sniffled. A moment later, he was enveloped in a warm embrace.

Murong Yan gently hugged him from behind, his familiar scent filling the air. His arms were loosely draped around him, as if testing his reaction. Murong Cheng could easily pull away if he wanted to.

But he didn’t move, not wanting the embrace to end, but also afraid of encouraging anything more.

He wasn’t experienced in relationships. Chi Yu often teased him for being slow and oblivious.

They had only been dating for three days. If Murong Yan tried to… initiate something, should he refuse?

Would Murong Yan misunderstand his rejection? Would he be angry? Would he stop liking him?

The fact that Murong Yan, the CEO of Guangyu Group, liked him, a lowly new employee, still felt surreal, even now, standing in this luxurious apartment, held in the CEO’s arms.

“What are you thinking about?” Murong Yan asked, his chin resting on Murong Cheng’s shoulder, sensing his distraction.

It was an intimate gesture, the air thick with unspoken tension.

Murong Cheng felt that if he turned his head, his cheek would brush against Murong Yan’s lips.

Soft, cool lips.

The memory of the kiss in the lounge resurfaced. He wanted to feel that softness again. He turned his head.

Murong Yan’s lips brushed against his ear.

The light touch made his legs weak. He almost collapsed against the CEO.

Was Murong Yan experienced in relationships? A simple hug was making him lose control.

He looked up, their eyes meeting.

Murong Yan leaned in, his soft lips gently pressing against his.

A gentle, tender kiss, as if afraid to hurt him.

No tongue, no further exploration, just a soft press of lips against lips, his arm still loosely around his waist.

Murong Cheng felt like he was falling, his world narrowing to Murong Yan’s handsome face, his intoxicating scent. All his senses focused on him.

The cold air disappeared, the city noise faded.

Only Murong Yan remained.

As his lips parted, the softness and warmth receding, Murong Cheng felt a pang of loss.

He didn’t want the moment to end.

He reached up, his arms circling the CEO’s neck, and stood on tiptoe.

The kiss deepened. He wanted more but didn’t know how to initiate it.

Murong Yan gently stroked his hair and then pulled away.

“It’s getting late. I’ll take you home.”

Murong Cheng pouted but nodded.

The cool night air cleared his head slightly.

He followed Murong Yan to the car and lowered the window a crack.

Too shy to look directly at the CEO, he stole glances at his reflection in the window, lost in thought, until the car stopped in front of his apartment complex.

Murong Yan turned off the engine, the soft interior lights illuminating the car. The young man in the passenger seat was still staring out the window, his cheeks flushed. He reached out and gently caressed his face. Murong Cheng blinked, startled, and turned to look at him.

“We’re here,” he said, his voice filled with disappointment. He slowly closed the window and reached for the door handle.

“I might be busy for the next few days, not at the company,” Murong Yan said, looking at him.

“Oh…” Murong Cheng’s disappointment was evident.

He was leaving for Europe in a few days, for two weeks, and he might not even be at the company before that.

“Is this… the last time I’ll see you before you leave?” he asked, realizing the implications.

Murong Yan didn’t answer, his silence a confirmation.

So that was why he had brought him to his apartment, registered his fingerprint, called it “their” home… and kissed him.

Murong Cheng’s cheeks burned, but his heart ached.

They had just started dating, and he was already leaving. Why was he so busy? This wasn’t how CEO romances were supposed to be.

He withdrew his hand from the door handle.

Murong Yan gently stroked his hair again, his eyes filled with both affection and amusement.

Murong Cheng: “When is your flight? Can I see you off at the airport?”

Murong Yan: “It hasn’t been finalized yet. It might be a red-eye flight. I don’t want you to go through the trouble.”

Murong Cheng: “But I want to see you again.”

He turned to look at Murong Yan, his gaze unwavering.

Murong Yan pointed to his phone. “If you miss me, send me a message. Or we can video chat.”

Murong Cheng: “But you’ll be busy. You might not have time to reply…”

“I will,” Murong Yan replied firmly. “There’s Wi-Fi on the plane. Even with the time difference, I’m a light sleeper. I’ll reply to your messages immediately.”

His gaze was intense, his promise sincere.

Murong Cheng felt a wave of warmth. He smiled.

“Okay, I don’t expect you to reply in the middle of the night. But promise me you’ll message me as soon as you arrive, so I know where you are and can adjust for the time difference. I don’t want to disturb your sleep…”

“Silly,” Murong Yan chuckled, his eyes filled with warmth. “I promise.”

“I’ll be going then,” Murong Cheng opened the car door and grabbed his backpack. He paused, leaning back in. “Yan-ge!”

“Hmm?”

“Nothing, just wanted to say your name,” he grinned, his eyes sparkling. “I’m really leaving now! See you in two weeks!”

Murong Yan nodded. “Okay.”

He tossed and turned all night, arriving at work the next morning with dark circles under his eyes.

He was exhausted but strangely energized.

The CEO’s kiss hadn’t felt particularly earth-shattering, just a slightly faster heartbeat. But lying in bed, replaying the scene in his mind, he could almost feel the lingering warmth on his lips.

He had stared at the ceiling until dawn.

“Ah Cheng, rough night?” Yan Xiaoling asked, as he was about to enter his small office.

“Yeah, didn’t sleep well,” he replied, forcing a smile.

With no work to do, he decided to nap at his desk.

Just as he was drifting off, he heard footsteps and sat up abruptly. Yan Xiaoling entered, carrying a blanket.

He squinted. It looked like the blanket from Murong Yan’s office.

“CEO Murong isn’t coming in today. Why don’t you go home and get some rest?” she suggested.

Murong Cheng: “Huh?”

She handed him the blanket. “Or you can sleep in the lounge next door. Just cover yourself up so you don’t catch another cold.”

Murong Cheng hesitated. “Is that okay…?”

Had Yan Xiaoling figured out his relationship with Murong Yan? But how? They had only been dating for three days! And he had only been back at work for an afternoon.

“It’s fine,” she said casually. “CEO Murong and Mr. Duan aren’t here. You’re in charge on the 28th floor.”

He had assumed she was joking, but a few days later, he realized she was serious.

She was treating him like the acting CEO.

With both the CEO and his secretary absent, Guangyu’s operations continued as usual.

Although most matters were handled by the department heads, some issues still required the CEO’s approval.

When Duan Shao was around, Yan Xiaoling collected the reports, and Duan Shao scheduled meetings with the CEO.

Now, with both of them gone, and a significant time difference, scheduling online meetings was difficult. Yan Xiaoling simply emailed everything to the CEO.

But some urgent matters couldn’t wait. That morning, shortly after Murong Cheng arrived at the office, Xu Yayun from Brand Marketing came upstairs with an urgent advertising issue requiring the CEO’s immediate decision. Unable to reach Duan Shao, Yan Xiaoling brought her to Murong Cheng’s office.

“Manager… Manager Xu,” Murong Cheng stammered, startled by the unexpected visit. He quickly stood up.

“Ah Cheng, please, have a seat,” Xu Yayun smiled, getting straight to the point. “We recently signed an advertising deal, and we just learned that a competitor also signed with the same platform, and their ad might conflict with ours…”

Completely unaware of the situation, Murong Cheng listened as Xu Yayun explained the problem.

“So, should we increase our budget to override their ad, or should we ask CEO Murong to inquire about their plans?”

She presented him with two options.

Murong Cheng: “I’ll contact Duan-ge…”

Yan Xiaoling: “I can’t reach him. I’ve tried calling several times.”

He was still hesitating whether to call the CEO directly when Yan Xiaoling said, “You decide. CEO Murong said that if there’s an urgent matter and he’s unavailable, you’re authorized to make the decision.”

Murong Cheng: “What???”

Who was he? Where was he? What was he supposed to do?

While it was a simple A or B question, in reality, Murong Yan might choose neither and propose a different solution altogether.

“I’ll… I’ll ask CEO Murong,” he said.

Yan Xiaoling reminded him gently, “It’s past 2:00 am in Europe right now.”

He winced.

That was an ungodly hour. No wonder even the workaholic Duan Shao wasn’t answering his phone.

“How much would we need to increase the budget?” he asked tentatively.

Xu Yayun held up a finger.

Murong Cheng hesitated. “100,000 yuan?”

Xu Yayun: “One million.”

Murong Cheng: I’ll make the call.

He had only exchanged brief messages with Murong Yan since they started dating, asking if he had arrived at his hotel and if he was busy. This was his first time calling him.

2:00 am. He hoped Murong Yan would answer so he could deal with Xu Yayun. But he also hoped he wouldn’t. If the CEO answered his call at this hour, his “insider” reputation would be solidified.

Worried about the CEO saying something inappropriate, he didn’t put the call on speakerphone.

He underestimated the volume.

Murong Yan answered after a few rings.

“What’s wrong?”

His voice was husky with sleep, but gentle, without a hint of annoyance.

His voice wasn’t loud, but Xu Yayun and Xiaoling were standing close by. He noticed them exchange a knowing look.

He was doomed.

“CEO Murong,” he said, clearing his throat, using the formal address to signal that this was a work-related call.

“Yes,” Murong Yan replied. He seemed to be close to the phone. Murong Cheng could hear his breathing.

He couldn’t help but remember the CEO’s lips on his.

He shook his head.

What was he thinking? He was at work!

“CEO Murong, Manager Xu from Brand Marketing has an urgent matter,” he said, putting the call on speakerphone, gesturing for Xu Yayun to speak.

“CEO Murong,” she said, then proceeded to explain the situation.

Murong Cheng stepped back, his mind wandering.

He wasn’t sure if Murong Yan was listening attentively or also zoning out. Xu Yayun talked for several minutes without a response from the other end.

He yawned discreetly.

Xu Yayun finally finished, repeating the question she had asked him earlier, then waited for an answer.

Silence.

“CEO Murong?” she finally asked, looking at Murong Cheng and Yan Xiaoling.

A voice finally came through the phone.

“Either is fine.”

Xu Yayun: “What?”

Murong Yan’s voice sounded slightly impatient. “Which option do you prefer?”

Xu Yayun started explaining again, “CEO Murong, if we increase the budget… I’m also trying to find out what our competitor is planning…”

This time, Murong Yan interrupted her. “Fine.”

He hung up.

The three of them looked at each other, bewildered.

Murong Yan had chosen “Fine.”

What did that even mean? A or B?

Murong Cheng could sense Xu Yayun’s frustration.

She looked at him expectantly. He shrugged. “I think CEO Murong means it’s up to you.”

He quickly left the office before she could ask any more questions.

The office was a dangerous place. The rooftop was much safer.

He had discovered this hidden gem during the CEO’s absence.

The rooftop was on the 28th floor, accessible only through Murong Yan’s office, which probably explained its tranquility.

Being a CEO wasn’t easy, being woken up in the middle of the night like this. He sighed and closed his eyes.

Being a small fry was much easier.

His phone buzzed. He pulled it out.

A message from Murong Yan.

[Y: Did you need something?]

He licked his lips.

He had assumed the CEO had gone back to sleep after the call.

[Cheng: Nothing important.]

[Cheng: Manager Xu needed your approval urgently.]

[Cheng: Sorry for waking you.]

He typed and deleted the message several times.

Perhaps noticing his hesitation, Murong Yan called him.

He answered the call.

“Yan-ge.”

“Yes, I’m here,” his voice was gentle and patient.

Murong Cheng touched his nose. “Sorry for calling so late. I’ll try to handle these things through Duan-ge next time.”

“You can make those decisions yourself,” Murong Yan said gently. “I’ve told the receptionist that while Duan Shao and I are away, you’re authorized to handle any uncertain matters at Guangyu.”

“But Manager Xu mentioned increasing the budget by one million yuan. I can’t approve that…”

Murong Yan: “If you don’t want to decide, just defer the decision back to them. It’s alright. I’ll handle any problems when I return.”

“Okay, Yan-ge,” he nodded obediently.

“Besides work, did you need anything else?”

“No, go back to sleep,” he said quickly.

Murong Yan: “Really?”

“Not entirely,” he sniffled. “Yan-ge…”

“Yes?”

“I miss you.”

The winter sun felt warm on his skin.

His heart fluttered.

Murong Yan’s voice, even warmer than the sun, filled with affection, replied, “Ah Cheng, I miss you too.”