Chapter 20 (2/2): A Gift for Momo
When Meng Chu went downstairs to wait, she happened to run into colleagues returning from lunch.
“Director Meng,” they both greeted her.
Meng Chu acknowledged them with a gesture and quickly made her way to the roadside.
She stood where Cheng Jinyu’s car usually parked.
Even though September had passed, the afternoon sun was still scorching.
Before long, Meng Chu began to feel the heat.
Then, a black SUV slowly pulled up and stopped beside her.
Cheng Jinyu pushed open the car door, but as soon as Meng Chu saw it was him, she immediately said, “Don’t get out. I’ll just get in myself.”
Though Cheng Jinyu could be sharp-tongued, his manners were impeccable.
She knew he intended to step out and open the door for her.
Once Meng Chu was inside, she fastened her seatbelt and turned to find Cheng Jinyu staring at her.
Relaxing her lips slightly, she said slowly, “Yes, I came down early to wait for you.”
After several interactions with Cheng Jinyu, Meng Chu had started to anticipate what he might say.
She preempted him with this remark.
Cheng Jinyu kept his gaze on her, the corner of his mouth lifting. “Next time, wait for my call before coming down.”
So utterly unapologetic.
Meng Chu’s lips curved slightly, but then Cheng Jinyu reached over to the center console, pulled out a pack of wet wipes, and handed them to her.
“It’s hot, isn’t it?”
Meng Chu took the wipes and thanked him.
“What would you like to eat?” Cheng Jinyu asked.
Meng Chu countered, “How about you?”
Cheng Jinyu raised an eyebrow. “I’d rather know what you want to eat.”
Meng Chu couldn’t help but laugh at his response.
After a moment’s thought, she said, “At this hour, something quick would be best. There’s a decent noodle place nearby.”
“Send me the address,” Cheng Jinyu replied casually.
Meng Chu searched for the noodle shop’s location and sent it to him.
The restaurant wasn’t far from Meng Chu’s company.
If she finished work early in the evening, she’d sometimes stop by for a meal.
When they arrived, they had to circle around to find a parking spot.
As they got out of the car, Meng Chu chuckled helplessly.
“Parking isn’t easy, is it?”
A young master born into wealth-wherever he went, he either had a chauffeur or someone to park for him.
He’d never had to hunt for a spot like this before.
Cheng Jinyu shot her a glance.
“Is this why you don’t like driving?”
Meng Chu nodded.
“Partly, yes.”
*
“Sanhe”
Noodle House was tucked away in a narrow alley, so obscure that even phone navigation struggled to locate it.
But its reputation thrived on word of mouth, thanks to its exceptional flavors.
When the two entered, the place was surprisingly crowded despite it being almost time for the afternoon work shift.
Luckily, they found an empty table.
The server gestured for them to sit and directed them to scan the QR code to order.
Meng Chu had just taken her seat when she noticed someone settling into the spot beside her.
She had been about to pull out her phone to scan the code but instinctively turned to look at the person next to her.
“Weren’t you supposed to pick out snacks for Momo?”
Cheng Jinyu draped an arm lazily over the back of his chair.
The noodle shop was decorated in a classical style.
The chair was also of that antique-style design, perfect for him to lounge lazily against.
Only then did Meng Chu understand. She said, “Let’s order some food first. What kind of noodles do you I want?”
“Same as you.”
Fine. She directly ordered two bowls of seafood noodles.
After placing the order, Meng Chu pulled up the snacks she had searched for online and said, “I’ll send you the pictures of the snacks I found. See which one it is.”
“Seems like a hassle,” came that unhurried voice beside her again.
Meng Chu instinctively looked up.
No matter how much she restrained herself, a faint trace of displeasure still flickered in her beautiful eyes.
She was practically asking him outright—what exactly did he consider not a hassle?
But before she could voice it, Cheng Jinyu suddenly reached out, pulling her wrist toward him.
He said indifferently, “Just look at it like this.”
The two of them huddled together, looking at one phone?
Only then did Meng Chu snap out of it.
And this scenario was something she had never imagined.
“Or,” Cheng Jinyu said flatly, noticing her frozen posture, “never mind. Momo will be happy enough just seeing you.”
Never mind?
She thought of the way the little dog had stood inside the door that day, watching her leave with longing eyes.
Even Meng Chu, who usually prided herself on lacking sentimentality, couldn’t help but feel her heart soften.
“Let’s pick together,” Meng Chu resolved.
She placed the phone on the table and opened the previous pictures.
Cheng Jinyu leaned slightly to the side, his arm draped over the back of the chair, his presence overwhelmingly strong.
Meng Chu flipped through several images but still couldn’t find the snacks he said Momo usually ate.
She turned her head, about to suggest he ask whoever usually took care of Momo.
But she had severely underestimated the distance between them—his strikingly handsome face, with its impeccable bone structure, was now just a fist’s width away from hers.
Suddenly, the voices of the other customers in the noodle shop seemed to fade into silence.
Both of them froze, their breaths tightening as if suspended.
Meng Chu blinked, her gaze lowering somehow landing on his lips.
They say men with thin lips are hard to deal with.
Cheng Jinyu was the epitome of thin lips, but their faint rosy hue and the way they slightly flattened only accentuated his cold, sharp demeanor.
“Do I have something on my mouth?”
Cheng Jinyu suddenly asked, his tone indifferent.
Meng Chu reflexively replied, “Huh?”
Her eyelids lifted slightly, meeting his gaze again.
The corner of Cheng Jinyu’s mouth quirked as he chuckled lightly.
“You’ve been staring.”
Meng Chu: “…”
She truly didn’t know how this young master usually interacted with others.
But whenever he was with her, he always seemed to act as if she were about to take advantage of him at any moment.
“This should be the one,” Cheng Jinyu suddenly said, tapping her phone and pointing at one of the pictures.
Meng Chu, who had already lowered her head to look at the phone, quickly saved the image.
Then, as if his memory had suddenly revived, Cheng Jinyu proceeded to identify all of Momo’s usual favorites.
Meng Chu started shopping online-thankfully, e-commerce was advanced enough now.
No matter how expensive or hard-to-find the dog snacks were, she managed to buy them.
Seeing her continuously adding items to the cart, Cheng Jinyu finally reminded her, “Momo already has plenty of snacks. You don’t need to buy so much.”
“Momo’s stuck with a single dad like you—”
Meng Chu absentmindedly replied while still adding to the cart.
But mid-sentence, she abruptly bit her lip.
No. How had she just blurted out what she was thinking?
Meng Chu took a deep breath and looked at the man beside her, speaking earnestly, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”
“You really shouldn’t have,” Cheng Jinyu replied, his expression not angry but matter-of-fact.
Then he stared straight at her and said, “I have proof.”
Meng Chu was stunned.
She didn’t immediately understand what proof he was referring to.
Until Cheng Jinyu enunciated slowly, word by word: “Marriage. Certificate. So I’m not a single father.”
At that, Meng Chu’s face flushed completely red.
Then Cheng Jinyu said calmly, “Don’t say things like that in front of Momo, or it might think you don’t want it anymore.”
In an instant, overwhelming guilt consumed Meng Chu.