Chapter 012: Ximen Lu Apologizes

Chapter 012: Ximen Lu's Apology

"Chu Fei, you haven't had breakfast yet? Let me see what you're holding—potstickers? How could you eat such junk food? Throw it away, here, eat my biscuits! I made them myself this morning, nutritious and hygienic..."

"And try my egg tart, it’s good for your complexion, too—"

"Chu Fei, don't just eat dry food, I've got chicken soup here. I simmered it all night, it'll warm you up..."

"I've got something too..."

As soon as Chu Fei stepped into the office, a crowd of dazzling beauties surrounded him, each holding a lunch box or a thermos, fussing over him with excessive enthusiasm...

Two bold and confident women directly reached out, holding biscuits and egg tarts to his lips, filling his mouth so completely that he had no chance to speak...

It wasn’t just his own team, but others as well—even two women from the neighboring technical department...

Chirping voices, radiant smiles, a riot of fragrance...

Chu Fei was utterly submerged in this sea of admirers, his vision full of pretty faces and ample bosoms, even glimpsing deep cleavage that danced before his eyes...

His nose was filled with an intoxicating mix of perfumes and alluring scents...

Alarmed by this extravagance, Chu Fei finally managed to send the fiery crowd of women away under the pretense of starting work, but his desk was now piled high with lunch boxes and thermoses, a veritable feast that made him laugh and cry—he felt he could set up a stall selling breakfast himself...

"Weiwei, what's wrong?" Chu Fei looked up to see Murong Wei glaring at him, her teeth clenched, and asked curiously.

"Hmph!" Murong Wei huffed, sitting angrily at her desk. She hadn’t even reacted before being shoved aside by that swarm of crazed women. This was her seat, wasn’t it?

"What are you holding?" Chu Fei noticed the thermos clutched tightly in Murong Wei's hand.

Before she could react, Chu Fei deftly snatched it away, opened it, and took a sniff. His eyes lit up. "Plum soup! I drank too much last night and my head is still spinning—this is just what I need." He tipped his head back and gulped it down.

Murong Wei's eyes widened.

"Tastes great! Did you make it yourself?" Chu Fei smacked his lips in praise, then drained the thermos in one go, finishing with a satisfied burp.

Murong Wei's face broke into a happy smile, her earlier resentment vanishing. But when she heard Chu Fei's question, she grew embarrassed. "I bought it downstairs," she said in a small voice, casting a guilty glance at the pile of gourmet breakfast foods on Chu Fei's desk. For a moment, Murong Wei suddenly felt inadequate...

"You bought it?" Chu Fei was taken aback, then laughed. "Buying is just fine. Our Weiwei is a precious lady—her delicate hands shouldn’t be doing rough work."

"You—who’s your Weiwei? If you keep talking nonsense, I’ll ignore you..." Murong Wei snapped, glaring at Chu Fei with a fiery blush, utterly enticing...

Could this girl really like him?

Chu Fei sighed inwardly and was about to change the subject when he turned to look behind him...

"Chu Fei, Sister Lu wants you in her office." Ximen Lu’s secretary, Xiao Ai, had appeared behind him without him noticing...

"Alright, I’ll go now."

Not knowing how to deal with Murong Wei’s bashful advances, Chu Fei seized the chance to escape...

——

"Knock knock."

Standing at the door to Ximen Lu's office, Chu Fei knocked.

"Come in," came Ximen Lu’s soft, seductive voice from inside...

That voice made Chu Fei silently marvel—Ximen Lu truly was a temptress, not only with her sultry figure and alluring face, but even her voice was as enticing as a cat’s purr...

He pushed open the door and entered, immediately dazzled. Today, Ximen Lu wore a red business suit. Red was a difficult color for most to pull off, but on her it exuded a noble, flirtatious charm...

They say clothes make the person, but Chu Fei disagreed. Someone like Ximen Lu would look stunning in anything; she was born to be a model. Such was the advantage of a beauty...

Ximen Lu sat behind her desk, busy with paperwork. Hearing the door, she didn’t look up. "Chu Fei, wait a moment, let me finish reading this document."

"Sure, take your time."

Chu Fei smiled and naturally took a seat opposite her, idly surveying the office. It was his first time here. The space wasn’t large—maybe thirty or forty square meters—not as grand as a major corporation’s president’s office, but the decor was tasteful and elegant, revealing a woman’s meticulous touch...

After a cursory glance, Chu Fei’s gaze returned to Ximen Lu, and then—instinctively—drifted downward to her shapely legs under the desk. His eyes squinted unconsciously. Today, she wore no stockings, her bare feet slipped into red stilettos, legs crossed, and from Chu Fei’s angle he could vaguely glimpse the black lace trim beneath her skirt...

She sat restlessly, her crossed legs gently swaying, the upturned foot bobbing, making Chu Fei feel parched and tongue-tied...

He was lost in his daydream when Ximen Lu’s voice suddenly sounded.

"Does it look nice?"

"It does."

The moment Chu Fei spoke, he knew he’d slipped up. He looked up to see Ximen Lu’s icy gaze fixed on him, making even his thick-skinned face burn with embarrassment...

"Chu Fei, do you think you can ogle me just because we’re old classmates?" Ximen Lu’s voice was cold, her expression unfriendly.

Chu Fei had been embarrassed, but now, spurred by her accusation, he retorted, "Why else would you dress like that, if not to be admired?"

"You—"

Ximen Lu ground her teeth, and just as Chu Fei thought his old classmate was about to explode, she suddenly burst out laughing, leaving Chu Fei bewildered. Was this woman crazy?

Her beautiful eyes roved up and down Chu Fei, her gaze strange. "Chu Fei, I remember you weren’t like this before. When did you become so shameless, peeking at women’s legs?"

Ximen Lu looked at him in puzzlement...

"No choice—life’s forced me here. At my current level, all I can do is sneak a look at beautiful legs and chests..." Chu Fei, thick-skinned as ever, even glanced at Ximen Lu’s full bosom as he spoke. Her chest was indeed generous, with a deep cleavage, he reckoned...

"So this is your roundabout way of complimenting my looks?" Ximen Lu wasn’t angry, but smiled slyly. "The Chu Ba—Chu Madman who once scoffed at every girl now ogles me? Should I be flattered?"

"So what did you want to see me about?" Chu Fei ignored the banter and smoothly changed the subject, realizing Ximen Lu was a true enchantress—he was hardly able to hold his own...

Ximen Lu hadn’t expected him to switch topics. She gave him a meaningful look, but didn’t press on. Instead, she grew serious. "Chu Fei, I called you here to apologize."

"Apologize? Did you do something to wrong me?" Chu Fei looked at her in confusion.

Ximen Lu glanced at him, then said, "Last night I got carried away and impulsively told Xu Shiqi about running into you." She looked at Chu Fei, her pretty face betraying a guilty expression...

"Really?" Chu Fei was startled, but then laughed. "So you told her—so what? I bet Class President Xu barely remembers who I am now." His tone was unconcerned...

"Xu Shiqi forgot you?" Ximen Lu looked at Chu Fei as if he were an alien. "That woman liked you desperately in high school—how could she possibly forget you?"

"Xu Shiqi liked me?" Chu Fei’s eyes widened, as if he’d just heard the biggest joke in the world...

"If she heard you say that, she’d bang her head against the wall. Yesterday, when I told her you still remembered her, she was so excited she cried and laughed at the same time—almost flew straight back from overseas..." Ximen Lu slapped her forehead in frustration.

"Are you kidding? How could Xu Shiqi like me? I never knew." Chu Fei found it unbelievable. His impression of Xu Shiqi was of a stern, bespectacled disciplinarian, always chasing him down and scolding him. How could she like him? Surely she hated him...

"Chu Fei, you really don’t understand girls." Ximen Lu’s gaze was speechless. "Didn’t you notice Xu Shiqi was always after you in high school, chasing you everywhere?"

"Wasn’t that obvious?" Chu Fei shot back.

"Yes, but did you ever wonder why she only chased you, and not anyone else?" Ximen Lu’s expression was exasperated.

"Huh?" Chu Fei stared, dumbfounded...

"Forget it, I won’t meddle in your mess. She’ll be back soon anyway, you two can sort it out yourselves." Ximen Lu stretched lazily, exposing a patch of pale skin at her waist...

Chu Fei didn’t press further, nor did he let his imagination run wild. He still couldn’t believe Xu Shiqi liked him. How could that be? Watching Ximen Lu’s languid pose, he couldn’t help making a half-serious, half-joking remark: "What about you? Did you like me back then?"

"What do you think?" Ximen Lu rolled her eyes. "You were so popular—handsome, great at basketball, a fighter, nicknamed Chu Ba and Chu Madman. I bet every girl in the class liked you."

"Was I really that cool?" Chu Fei broke out in a cold sweat—he never realized he’d been so admired in high school.

"Of course you were. The truth is even more impressive than I described." Ximen Lu nodded solemnly. "But back then, you only had eyes for Duanmu Jing, you didn’t even glance at other girls..."

Chu Fei’s smile froze...

"Sorry, I didn’t mean to..." Ximen Lu realized she’d misspoken and immediately apologized.

"It’s alright, it’s all in the past..." Chu Fei sighed, pulling out a cigarette and putting it in his mouth...

Ximen Lu bit her lip, watching him smoke in silence, and didn’t try to stop him. After a long pause, she asked softly, "Chu Fei, is this the real you now?"

Ximen Lu looked at him seriously, her eyes full of confusion and complex emotion...

The Chu Fei before her was a far cry from the arrogant, domineering boy she remembered. Was this truly the same person?

[Someone asked why there isn’t a Mur Qingcheng-type beautiful wife or heroine. Who said there isn’t? There’s a top beauty fiancé—have you guessed who it is yet? And she’s not the only one. Just keep reading. As always, you understand Xing’er’s style. The word count is still low, so feel free to bookmark and save up. Also, this novel is participating in a competition, don’t forget to vote. Thank you!]