Chapter Forty-One: Good Morning

She had sworn to herself that she could keep her composure, but as it turned out, he never had any such intentions at all.

She did not know how much time had passed before she eventually drifted into a deep sleep.

"I am not the kind of man who would let his girlfriend pay rent."

Pei Jiayin put down the documents in his hand, walked out of the study, and gave Yu Youchu a morning kiss.

Yu Youchu touched the soft sensation still lingering on her forehead, her heart beginning to race once more.

"Would you like porridge or soy milk?"

"Soy milk."

Pei Jiayin laid out the breakfast and added a plate of the pastries Yu Youchu loved.

"Today it's lotus-root pastries. What would you like to eat tomorrow?"

Yu Youchu took a bite, feeling completely satisfied by the fragrant, crispy taste. "I'd like mung bean ice cakes tomorrow."

Pei Jiayin nodded. "Eat more."

Yu Youchu was so frail and thin; she really needed to be well-nourished.

"By the way, Pei Jiayin, can I discuss something with you?" Yu Youchu swallowed the last bite of her deep-fried dough stick.

"Go ahead, as long as it's within my power."

She swallowed hard. "It's about... our relationship. Could we keep it a secret for now?"

As expected, Pei Jiayin’s expression darkened, though he asked calmly, "Why?"

"Because there is such a huge gap between our positions... and I'm about to become a permanent employee. If people start gossiping, it wouldn't be good for either of us, right?"

Pei Jiayin’s expression softened slightly. If she knew she was effectively the mistress of Huasheng, she would likely be terrified. Looking at it from another angle, if the boss's wife were working diligently among the interns, her colleagues would probably be quite uneasy. It was hard to say who might react negatively the next day.

Pei Jiayin imagined Yu Youchu's expression and decided against scaring her off; the loss would outweigh the gains. He knew how much she valued this job, and he could not strip her of the right to gain experience and work just for his own selfish reasons. That wouldn't be right.

With that thought, his expression returned to normal. "I don't mind these things, but since you believe it will affect your work, I will accommodate you."

After finishing their meal, they drove to the company’s underground parking lot as usual.

"See you after work, Pei Jiayin." Yu Youchu made a move to get out of the car, but Pei Jiayin grabbed her arm.

"You're leaving quite decisively."

Yu Youchu was confused, sitting in her seat and looking at Pei Jiayin with a bewildered expression. Her wide, round eyes made his heart soften into a puddle.

Pei Jiayin could no longer hold back; he gently cradled her face and kissed her. Yu Youchu’s mind went blank, and she could only respond passively. Once he had completely claimed her lips, he pulled away with satisfaction, patting her head lightly.

"Go to work now."

Despite his words, his eyes remained fixed on her flushed cheeks. His gaze darkened, and he was unwilling to let go—it was clear he didn't want her to leave.

Yu Youchu shook off her dazed state and chuckled softly. "Behave, see you after work."

When she stepped out of the car, she was positively beaming. Every colleague she passed received a smile. When she was with Shen Wang before, there had always been a sense of distance; they never had such frequent physical contact, nor was she clingy—it had felt as if they were merely close friends. She had expected Pei Jiayin to be the colder one, but she hadn't expected him to be so clingy.

Yu Youchu felt as if she were walking on light, fluffy clouds; the reality of being in love was slowly sinking in. The last two years of her previous relationship had truly been a waste.

"What's the good news lately? You're grinning from ear to ear." Mu Chuan approached from behind to greet her, only to find Yu Youchu lost in thought with a silly, enigmatic smile on her face. He narrowed his eyes dangerously.

Yu Youchu jumped at the sound of his voice. "Ahem, some secrets are not meant to be revealed."

Mu Chuan immediately guessed most of the truth and narrowed his eyes without saying a word. Yu Youchu felt a chill from his expression, and seeing that he didn't seem inclined to continue the conversation, she decided not to press further.

The two returned to their respective workstations. An hour later, Cui Jing held a meeting on time to wrap up the perfume project.

"Thank you all for your hard work these past few days. The celebration dinner tonight is at Deguang Hotel. It's on the company, so please don't be absent."

Thunderous applause broke out. Yu Youchu sighed in relief, beginning to contemplate how she might slack off to reward herself for the afternoon.

"Yu Youchu, come to my office later." Cui Jing’s voice rang out, causing Yu Youchu to tremble.

"Understood, Sister Jing." She began to pack her things.

"Sister Jing really values you," a voice remarked. Yu Youchu turned to see a team member—Gu Taotao, she thought.

"You're too kind," she replied instinctively.

"Don't be modest. I've seen your copy; it was truly outstanding," Gu Taotao said as she packed her own desk. "It seems we'll be welcoming you to Huasheng soon. I'll congratulate you in advance."

Yu Youchu didn't want to sound too confident and gave a vague response. "Let's wait until I receive the official offer letter before I accept your congratulations." She smiled at Gu Taotao.

Gu Taotao didn't reply and walked straight out of the meeting room. Yu Youchu felt a strange sensation, though she couldn't pinpoint why. She opened her phone, searched for Gu Taotao’s name in her contacts, and tapped on her social media profile. The cover photo and avatar were just a peach, but her feed, which only showed posts from the last three days, was completely blank.

She put her phone away and left the meeting room.

"Sister Jing, I'm here." Yu Youchu knocked on the door.

"Come in," Cui Jing’s voice drifted through the door.

Yu Youchu pushed it open and was surprised to find Bai Bingge sitting inside as well.

"Team Leader Bai." Yu Youchu was taken aback but greeted her nonetheless.

Bai Bingge nodded in acknowledgement and stood up. "Since you have work to attend to, I'll take my leave." She closed the door behind her.

"Youchu, come, have a seat." Cui Jing sat by her desk with a warm smile. Yu Youchu guessed that Cui Jing must have heard some good news too, and sat down quietly.

"Do you have any intention of joining the design department after you become a permanent employee?" She pushed a water glass toward Yu Youchu.

Yu Youchu thought for a moment and asked, "Am I able to choose which department I join?"

Cui Jing shook her head. "I'm just asking to know your preference. Generally, the HR department will assign you to a suitable department based on your work performance. Of course, if a department head takes notice of you, we can put in a word with HR."