Chapter 44
Murong Yan’s gaze hardened.
Then, his long lashes fluttered, and the tension around him dissipated. He lowered his head.
“Yes. Guangyu has been facing some challenges recently, and I’ve been temporarily removed from my position. I’m sorry, Ah Cheng. It’s my fault.”
Murong Maohua waved his hand dismissively. “Xiao Yan, that’s not what we meant. We’re just worried about you and Xiao Cheng.”
Murong Yan looked up, his expression serious. “Uncle, please don’t worry. I’ve mostly resolved the situation. It will take some time, but everything will be fine. I assure you, the company’s issues won’t affect my decisions, or my relationship with Ah Cheng.”
Murong Maohua and Xing Li exchanged a look, then nodded. “We believe you. But you and Xiao Cheng were in a superior-subordinate relationship. He was your assistant. If you go public with your relationship, as the CEO, you won’t face much scrutiny, but Xiao Cheng…”
This was their main concern.
Murong Yan had wealth and status. A relationship was just a part of his life, not a defining factor. But as a high-profile CEO, his personal life would inevitably be subject to public scrutiny and judgment, especially a relationship with a seemingly “unequal” power dynamic. While Murong Yan could easily weather the storm, they worried about the impact on Murong Cheng, a simple, ordinary employee whose every action would be magnified and analyzed.
“If Ah Cheng doesn’t want to work for me anymore, I can help him find another job,” Murong Yan said, glancing at Murong Cheng. “If he chooses to stay, my secretary will mentor him. I’ll do everything I can to help him achieve his goals.”
Murong Cheng’s heart warmed. This was the first time Murong Yan had spoken about his career development. He had sometimes felt like a kept man, a mere ornament in the CEO’s office, serving only as a companion. Murong Yan had initially kept him out of pity, not wanting him to be unfairly dismissed because of Murong Jing, and later, because of their relationship. He had never demanded the same level of dedication as Duan Shao and rarely asked him to work overtime. His presence as an assistant was almost superfluous.
Murong Yan’s words reassured his parents.
They exchanged another look, then turned to Murong Cheng. “Xiao Cheng, how are the renovations coming along? When are you planning to return to A City with Xiao Yan?”
Their sudden change in attitude surprised him.
He looked at Murong Yan.
“Uncle, Auntie, I can’t return to A City just yet. I still have some matters to attend to,” Murong Yan replied.
Xing Li: “Do you have a place to stay here?”
Murong Yan: “I just arrived yesterday. I stayed at the hotel near the entrance of your complex last night.”
“That one…” Xing Li frowned. “Doesn’t your family have a house here in H City?”
The Murong family was wealthy. They should have properties everywhere.
Murong Yan’s answer was carefully worded. “I don’t personally own any property here.”
Due to the conflict over the arranged marriage and his dismissal from Guangyu, he was essentially homeless.
Xing Li suddenly felt sympathy for the young man, barely older than her own son. “Then why don’t you stay with us?”
Murong Cheng: ???
Murong Yan’s eyes lit up. “Would that be alright?”
“Of course,” Murong Maohua chimed in. “We run a homestay. We have plenty of space. The units are under renovation, but there’s a small courtyard house, Xiao Cheng’s grandmother’s old place. It’s empty. You can stay there.”
Xing Li nodded. “Yes, the one by the beach. It’s not a luxury hotel, but it’s much better than that hotel near the entrance. You two should have said something last night. You could have stayed with us. That hotel is terrible. Didn’t you sleep well, Xiao Yan?”
“I slept fine, Auntie,” Murong Yan said politely. “Thank you for the offer.”
Xing Li turned to Murong Cheng. “Xiao Cheng, take him there. Help him clean up. It’s been empty for a while. You can stay there with him tonight if you want.”
Murong Cheng: “Mom, he hasn’t even finished eating yet. And you kept plying him with alcohol.”
“Oh, right, right, let’s eat,” Xing Li said with a smile, her face beaming. “We were just so excited. Finish your food. Which dish is cold? I’ll reheat it.”
After lunch, Murong Cheng drove Murong Yan to his grandmother’s old courtyard house by the beach.
He had somehow mastered driving after being forced to drive Murong Yan’s sports car. His skills had improved significantly during his trips to the government offices and furniture stores.
The afternoon sun shimmered on the golden sand and the blue sea, a picturesque scene.
Walking along the beach, Murong Cheng took Murong Yan’s hand. “You convinced my parents so easily. They seem to like you.”
“Of course, they do. Don’t you know who your husband is?” Murong Yan said, a rare display of arrogance. “Don’t I deserve a reward?”
Murong Cheng stood on tiptoe and kissed his lips. “Is this enough?”
“It is,” Murong Yan licked his lips, “but not quite.”
He pulled Murong Cheng closer, deepening the kiss.
He finally released him, Murong Cheng’s lips slightly swollen and reddened.
“My feelings for you are real. Your parents love you. Of course, they wouldn’t object.”
Murong Cheng, slightly breathless, leaned against him. “I’ve always wondered something…”
Murong Yan’s voice was low and gentle. “What is it?”
“Why do you like me?” he asked, looking at Murong Yan intently. “I mean… Yan-ge, why me? I’m ordinary. Average grades, got into S University by pure luck, barely passed my classes, no real work experience… besides being somewhat presentable, I don’t have anything special to offer.”
He felt inadequate, especially compared to the brilliant Murong Yan.
“Yan-ge, why me? I’m so ordinary, so different from everyone else in your world,” he repeated, pouting slightly.
“Why would you think that?” Murong Yan asked, his gaze softening. “You’re intelligent and hardworking. You just lack experience because you’re younger than me.”
Murong Cheng shook his head. “Don’t try to make me feel better. I’ll never be as capable as you. Not even close. I can’t even compare to Duan-ge.”
Murong Yan gently stroked his hair. “A few years ago, when I founded Guangyu, no one believed in me. They thought we would just be a small company trailing behind Lingyu. Many asked me why I chose this path. Duan Shao wrote numerous press releases, but the real reason was my belief in this industry, my confidence in my resources and connections. I believed I could succeed, and I did.”
“And now, I’ve fallen for you, Ah Cheng. My judgment is rarely wrong. I believe in myself, and I believe in you. I’m older and more experienced, so you see me as someone exceptional, unattainable. But in reality, we’re the same, just in different fields. You just need time, time to discover your passion, to become who you want to be. You have many admirable qualities. You love life, you’re loved, and you love others. I can feel it.”
“Ah Cheng, love is a feeling. It doesn’t need to be proven or analyzed, only felt. And I feel it, Ah Cheng. I love you.”
When had he realized it?
He wasn’t sure.
This was his first time feeling this way about someone.
His heart raced whenever he saw Murong Cheng. His mind went blank when their eyes met. He couldn’t bear to be away from him.
The gentle sea breeze carried a salty scent, his eyes tearing up slightly in the warm sunlight. He blinked.
“Yan-ge, I’ll work hard. I won’t disappoint you.”
“Baby, you’re missing the point,” Murong Yan chuckled, his voice filled with affection. He kissed Murong Cheng’s forehead. “That’s not what I meant, not what I told your parents either.”
“I support your ambition, and I’d love for you to be my partner, my equal. But if you’re tired, you can rest. Life is a long journey. There’s no need to rush. I’m capable of supporting you. I want to. You don’t need to grow up too quickly. Just follow your own pace and be happy.”
He looked into Murong Cheng’s eyes, those beautiful, innocent eyes that held his reflection. “What I’m trying to say is, Ah Cheng, I’ll love you no matter what.”
Chapter 45
After strolling along the beach, Murong Cheng and Murong Yan returned to the small courtyard house.
It was his grandmother’s old home, a two-story house with a fenced yard, the living room and dining room downstairs, the bedrooms upstairs.
Similar houses, mostly dilapidated, lined the street, homes of the local villagers.
The house had been empty for a while, and a musty smell greeted them as they opened the door.
Murong Cheng opened the windows upstairs and downstairs, then fetched a bucket of water and a mop.
“I’ll mop the floor. You can sit down,” he said, then looked around, realizing both the sofa and coffee table were covered in dust.
He went upstairs, found a rag, washed it, and then wiped down the coffee table. “You can sit here now.”
But Murong Yan didn’t sit down. He picked up the mop. “I’ll help.”
Murong Cheng looked at him skeptically. “You know how to use a mop, right? Have you ever mopped a floor before?”
A surprisingly difficult question. Murong Yan hesitated.
“Yes,” he replied, a hint of uncertainty in his voice.
As if to prove himself, he started mopping.
Murong Cheng chuckled. “Finally found someone even less domestically capable than me. I have to tell my mom.”
But mopping was a simple task. Murong Yan quickly got the hang of it.
“From the inside out, in one direction. Don’t step on the wet areas. Yes, like that,” Murong Cheng instructed, then went upstairs to get another mop.
After the first round of mopping, they removed the covers from the sofa, wiped down the leather, and then collapsed onto it, exhausted.
Murong Yan: “This house is bigger than it looks.”
Murong Cheng chuckled, imitating a robotic voice. “System detected: User actually meant, ‘This house looks small, but cleaning it is surprisingly tiring.'”
Murong Yan touched his nose sheepishly. “I didn’t say that.”
Murong Cheng: “You were thinking it.”
Murong Yan raised an eyebrow and pulled him into a hug, his kiss not as gentle as usual, but more demanding. Murong Cheng, caught off guard, melted against him, his eyes fluttering closed, his cheeks flushing.
He slid down until his head rested on Murong Yan’s chest, his body weak and trembling.
“Yan-ge… stop… the door’s unlocked…”
He couldn’t bear to imagine what would happen if someone walked in, especially his parents.
“Hmm?” Murong Yan murmured against his lips, not letting him go.
“Hubby… hubby, I’m sorry,” Murong Cheng pleaded, his hands pushing weakly against Murong Yan’s chest.
“Good boy,” Murong Yan said, finally releasing him, licking his lips. “Tired? You can rest on hubby’s chest.”
“No, I’m fine,” Murong Cheng shook his head, his face burning. He stood up, his legs slightly unsteady. “Let’s… mop the floor again. I’ll go get more water.”
“You sit. I’ll get it,” Murong Yan said, pushing him back down onto the sofa.
After mopping the floor twice and wiping down every surface, it was almost dark.
Only the bedding remained.
They went upstairs to the bedroom. Murong Cheng checked his phone. “My mom said dinner will be ready soon. About half an hour.”
Murong Yan nodded. “Okay, let’s finish here and then go back.”
They had brought clean sheets, duvet cover, and pillowcases from their apartment.
They stood on opposite sides of the bed, carefully rolling up the dusty bedspread.
Putting on the fitted sheet was easy, especially with two people.
But changing the duvet cover proved to be more challenging than expected.
“Hold this corner,” Murong Cheng instructed, tucking one corner of the duvet into the cover and handing it to Murong Yan.
“Okay,” Murong Yan said, but then let go, trying to help with the other side.
Murong Cheng, not noticing, finished another corner and handed it to him. “Here, hold this one too.”
Murong Yan: “Okay.”
Having finished all four corners, they realized the duvet was still bunched up inside the cover. Murong Cheng looked up and saw Murong Yan’s hands empty.
Murong Cheng: “I told you to hold the corners.”
Murong Yan: “I was holding them. Wait, where did they go?”
He frowned, touching his nose sheepishly.
“Here, let me do it.” He had been watching Murong Cheng, and he thought he knew how to do it.
He leaned over, his head disappearing inside the duvet cover.
“Let me help,” Murong Cheng said, also leaning in.
Inside the dark confines of the duvet cover, their heads bumped together.
“Ouch…” Murong Cheng said, stepping back and rubbing his forehead.
Murong Yan also straightened up. “Sorry, baby, did I hurt you? Let me see.”
He gently rubbed Murong Cheng’s forehead, then blew on it softly.
“Does your forehead hurt?” Murong Cheng looked up and accidentally bumped his head against Murong Yan’s chin. “Ouch…”
Murong Yan rubbed his forehead again, a smile playing on his lips.
“What are you smiling about?” Murong Cheng asked, also smiling, despite his pout.
“You’re so cute,” Murong Yan said, leaning in slowly this time and kissing his lips.
They tried again, with Murong Yan taking charge of the duvet cover. After securing all four corners, they smoothed out the duvet.
“Finally done!” Murong Cheng said, sighing contentedly.
He impulsively hugged Murong Yan and kissed him.
“Hubby, cleaning and changing bedsheets together, we’re like a newlywed couple,” he chuckled, amused by the thought.
Murong Yan looked at him intently. “Does my baby want to marry me?”
Murong Cheng froze. “I didn’t mean it like that…”
Murong Yan’s gaze darkened. “I wouldn’t mind.”
