Leisure time? How could I possibly have time to relax? I’m so busy I barely have a moment to breathe.
Back when I was working, wasn’t every single day spent burning the midnight oil?
But of course, I can’t say things like that now. I definitely can’t mess up Charles Yin’s plans.
So, Cecilia Gu smiled and replied, “I don’t really have many hobbies to pass the time. When I have some free time, I like to cook! Cooking is something I really enjoy—especially when I’m making food for someone I love. Watching him eat what I’ve made makes me feel so happy and content.”
"These bone broths have been simmering since this morning, reduced from a huge pot to these small ones," the butler explained as soon as he saw Cecilia Gu.
Even though Charles Yin was busy talking with the Chairman, he was still keeping an eye on Cecilia Gu.
When Cecilia Gu heard she’d have to tag along, she felt overwhelmed.
Charles Yin quickly glanced at Cecilia Gu. Good, this little mole’s acting skills were getting better and better.
The Chairman’s wife smiled and asked Cecilia Gu, “Then I’m sure President Yin must really love his wife’s cooking!”
Before Cecilia Gu could answer, Charles Yin already spoke up for her: “I love it. Cecilia’s cooking is truly excellent.”
Cecilia Gu shot Charles Yin a glare. She’d only made him zhajiang noodles once, and he’d complained about the taste—had he already forgotten?
Charles Yin smiled and continued, “Cecilia said that since the Chairman and Mrs. Han rarely visit China, we absolutely must treat you to a meal at the company. See? I couldn’t stop her even if I tried.”
Seeing Charles Yin and Cecilia Gu looking so sweet and happy together, the Chairman and Mrs. Han exchanged satisfied looks.
Hey, hey, Charles Yin! When did I ever say that…
Charles Yin had already walked over, pulled Cecilia Gu up from her seat, and leaned down to whisper in her ear, “Just got news from Korea—the Chairman’s wife loves Chinese hotpot. That shouldn’t be too hard, right?”
Cecilia Gu almost wanted to roll her eyes right then and there!
Hotpot isn’t hard, but… what about the ingredients?
Chefs as skilled as those in five-star hotels stood in two rows, bowing to Cecilia Gu: "Good afternoon, Mrs. Yin!"
She hadn’t even seen what the restaurants here were like!
She couldn’t embarrass Charles Yin now, so she forced herself to stay calm and asked, "Where’s the butler?"
At first, Cecilia Gu looked completely reluctant, but when she heard that last part, her eyes lit up, and she stared at Charles Yin, “You promise?”
Ever since she got married, she hadn’t been home in days. She was really worried her mom might be having a tough time there.
Charles Yin winked at Cecilia Gu, “Just remember, if you’re going to act, make it convincing!”
Cecilia Gu instantly switched gears, her reluctance vanishing as she flashed a bright smile at Mrs. Han. “Madam, I heard you love hotpot. How about trying your hand at making it yourself today? Food tastes best when you make it yourself! Just like love—it’s sweetest when you work for it yourself. Isn’t that right, Charles?”
Cecilia Gu gently leaned against Charles Yin, looking up at him sweetly, just like a newlywed in her honeymoon phase. Especially when she said that last line, her voice lifted playfully, making Charles’s heart race uncontrollably.
This little mole… Did she even realize how tempting her words were to a man?
Charles Yin looked down at Cecilia Gu, her smile as radiant as a flower. If he didn’t know she was just pretending, he’d almost believe she’d really fallen for him.
Charles Yin put his hand around Cecilia Gu’s waist, playing the doting husband. “Honestly, you’re pregnant now, you shouldn’t push yourself so hard. Let the chef handle these little things. But no, you insist on doing it yourself.”
Cecilia Gu almost bit through her back teeth.
When did she ever push herself? When!
He was clearly the one forcing her to put on a show, wasn’t he?
Even if she was cursing Charles Yin in her heart, Cecilia Gu still had to put on her sweetest, happiest face. She wrinkled her nose on purpose and said, “The Chairman and Mrs. Han are our honored guests. When important guests visit, the host should prepare the food themselves to show sincerity! Charles, stop bringing up my pregnancy all the time—the baby’s not due for months! I can handle this little thing!”
“Alright, I can’t argue with you. From now on, I’ll handle things like this.” Charles Yin dotingly tapped Cecilia Gu’s nose as he spoke.
Seeing Charles Yin and Cecilia Gu looking so sweet and happy together, the Chairman and Mrs. Han were perfectly satisfied.
Especially after hearing Cecilia Gu was pregnant, the two of them smiled even more warmly.
Cecilia Gu immediately said goodbye to the Chairman and Mrs. Han, “You two keep chatting—I’ll go get things ready.”
As soon as she stepped outside, Cecilia Gu reached up and rubbed her cheeks.
Fake smiling was exhausting—her face was about to freeze.
When Cecilia Gu reached the door, Xiao A quickly caught up and said, “Team Leader, the restaurant is on the 33rd floor. This way, please.”
Cecilia Gu immediately followed Xiao A toward the elevator.
Xiao A walked alongside Cecilia Gu, explaining the next steps: “The steward has already prepared all the ingredients, and the broth for the hotpot is ready too. Team Leader, you just need to get the side dishes ready.”
Hearing this, Cecilia Gu finally felt relieved.
Thank goodness. Seriously, thank goodness.
If she’d had to start from scratch, she’d have been totally lost.
“The Chairman and Mrs. Han aren’t here for business negotiations this time—they’re here to travel and have fun. So, Team Leader, you and the President will be joining them for sightseeing. The itinerary is set: South Lake Villa, fishing by the river, sunrise on the river, and fishing with local villagers. If they have any other requests after these activities, we’ll accommodate them.” Xiao A explained everything to Cecilia Gu in detail, doing his job thoroughly.
(This chapter isn’t finished yet~.~ Please click next page to continue reading the rest of the exciting story!)
When Cecilia Gu heard she’d have to tag along, her head started to ache.
“If you can build a good relationship with the Chairman and Mrs. Han this time, the contract will be as good as signed. Team Leader, if they find out you two are in a contract marriage, then…” Xiao A trailed off.
Cecilia Gu replied gloomily, “I know what I have to do. Tell Charles Yin I won’t mess up his plans. It’s part of our contract, after all.”
Xiao A also let out a quiet sigh of relief. “Yes, Team Leader.”
They quickly arrived at the 33rd floor.
As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, Cecilia Gu almost walked in the wrong direction.
Is this really the employee cafeteria?
Does anyone else have a cafeteria that meets six-star standards?
No matter how you looked at it, every detail here was absolutely stunning.
The massive space could easily seat five or six thousand people.
There were dazzling specialty counters serving all kinds of cuisines.
Chefs as skilled as those in five-star hotels stood in two rows, bowing to Cecilia Gu: “Good afternoon, Madam President!”
Cecilia Gu was a little startled—wasn’t this a bit too formal?
She couldn’t embarrass Charles Yin now, so she forced herself to stay calm and asked, “Where’s the steward?”
"The butler is inside, overseeing the last pot of broth," Xiao A answered quickly.
Cecilia Gu hurried in after Xiao A.
As soon as she entered the Chinese cuisine counter, Cecilia Gu was nearly scared out of her wits.
She saw two rows of gleaming cabinets and more than a dozen chefs in uniform, all busy simmering small pots of rich bone broth.
“These bone broths have been simmering since this morning, reduced from a huge pot to these small ones,” the steward explained as soon as he saw Cecilia Gu.
Cecilia Gu sucked in a breath—so much broth, just for one hotpot meal.
If the broth alone was this extravagant, the other steps wouldn’t be skipped either, would they?
Most people eat hotpot for convenience—whatever’s easiest, that’s what they do.
But Cecilia Gu didn’t think it would be okay to take shortcuts when hosting the Korean Chairman and Mrs. Han.
So, even though it was just a simple hotpot, Cecilia Gu made sure to do everything perfectly under the chef’s guidance.
Luckily, all the chefs here were top-notch, and Cecilia Gu was used to cooking at home, so she picked things up quickly.
Cecilia Gu was carefully slicing mushrooms for later when she suddenly felt a tight grip around her waist.
A large hand wrapped firmly around her still-slim waist from behind, and the intense scent of masculine cologne instantly filled the space around her.
Startled by the sudden move, Cecilia Gu almost swung her knife, but when she turned, she saw a familiar, strikingly handsome face leaning on her shoulder.
“Why are you here? This is the cafeteria—there are so many people!” Cecilia Gu blushed, nearly gritting her teeth.
“I just wanted to check on how my wife’s preparations are going.” Charles Yin’s seductive voice whispered in her ear, his breath tickling her skin and sending a jolt all the way to her ears—her whole body froze.
Just as Cecilia Gu was about to push Charles Yin away, his voice sounded again: “The Chairman and Mrs. Han are watching. Play along!”
Cecilia Gu didn’t dare move. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the Chairman and Mrs. Han approaching, surrounded by a crowd.
She immediately snapped into her role, acting as affectionate with Charles Yin as she possibly could.
Seeing how quickly Cecilia Gu got into character, Charles Yin’s gaze grew a little darker.
Whether on purpose or not, Charles Yin gently kissed Cecilia Gu’s earlobe. “Little mole, so obedient…”
Cecilia Gu never expected Charles Yin to do something like that in front of so many people. Her body started trembling uncontrollably, and her fingers shook so much she couldn’t hold the knife.
Little mole—who’s he talking about? Is he calling her a mole? He’s the mole!