Chapter Twelve: The Scarf
“Don’t worry, I’ll show you what a master chef can do!”
She had honed her culinary skills back when she was with Shen Wang... but now was the perfect time to put them to use. She would never again let an ungrateful person like Shen Wang enjoy her cooking!
The car was filled with a joyful atmosphere, and Yu Youchu instantly forgot all the troubles she had faced at work that day.
“By the way, have you thought about what we talked about earlier?” Pei Jiayin mentioned casually, his eyes fixed on the road ahead, though the tense grip on the steering wheel betrayed his nervousness.
“What thing?” Yu Youchu absentmindedly twirled her long hair. It had grown quite long—she should get it trimmed soon.
“The request I made this morning—the one you agreed to. Have you given it any thought?”
Yu Youchu paused, overwhelmed by everything that had happened that day. She hadn’t really considered it yet.
“I’ve been too busy today; I haven’t really thought about it…”
“That’s fine. Take your time. I just mentioned it casually. Come on, we’re home.”
Pei Jiayin smoothly got out of the car, opened the door for Yu Youchu, and reached out to prevent her from bumping into it.
Yu Youchu brushed against his hand as she stepped out, unable to suppress a shiver.
“Why are you dressed so lightly?” Pei Jiayin asked, taking off his scarf and wrapping it gently around her.
Under the streetlamp, Yu Youchu felt the tenderness in his actions. The moment the scarf enveloped her, it seemed to shield her from all the cold outside.
She suddenly thought of Shen Wang. He never paid attention to her condition unless she explicitly told him, and even then, his concern was perfunctory—“dress warmer” or “drink more hot water,” nothing heartfelt.
Recalling how she had once pined after Shen Wang like a lovesick fool, Yu Youchu’s eyes suddenly grew moist.
Even her roommate, whom she had only known for a few days, noticed such small things—yet Shen Wang never did.
Blinking rapidly to hold back tears, Yu Youchu clenched her fists.
It must be the scent of Pei Jiayin’s woody cologne making her tear up! She tightened her grip.
Pei Jiayin was much taller than Yu Youchu. Standing upright, he could only see her long lashes and delicate nose. Seeing her quietly obedient like this, his heart softened completely.
“Taking care of my roommate’s health is taking care of my own. Let’s go.”
He stepped back to give them some space.
In the dim light, Yu Youchu saw Pei Jiayin standing tall, his broad chest rising and falling as he exhaled warm breath. His soft black hair framed his face, and his gaze was intent.
“Pei Jiayin,” she whispered.
---
“I promise you’ll eat your fill tonight, you fool.”
“The only way to have your fill is to earn it.”
“Either way, I just want you to eat more.”
“Alright.”
Pei Jiayin ruffled her hair casually and went ahead to open the door.
The next day, as expected, Yu Youchu caught a cold, though thankfully, her only discomfort was a stuffy nose.
She took out the toast that had been delivered, mashed up some avocado mixed with mayonnaise, spread it evenly, then added pre-prepared ham and a fried egg.
Finally, she cut it into pieces, plated it with some greens, and paired it with freshly squeezed juice—a complete breakfast.
Sitting at the table, she enjoyed her meal.
Across from her, Pei Jiayin was absorbed in reviewing reports.
Between bites, Yu Youchu asked, “Pei Jiayin, I haven’t even asked—where exactly do you work?” She glanced at him, all gleaming and polished, and recalled his earlier claim about having run away from home, which now seemed doubtful.
How could such a wealthy heir possibly be a corporate drone?
“What company do you manage? You’ve never mentioned it before.”
Pei Jiayin stiffened, looked up from the report, removed his glasses, and rubbed his eyes. He was thinking about how to brush off Yu Youchu’s question.
If she found out he was the owner of Huasheng, how would she react? Best not to complicate things—he’d just say he worked for a company, period.
“Have you caught a cold? Actually, my family recently transferred me to Huasheng.”
“*Clatter*”
The sandwich slipped from Yu Youchu’s hand onto the plate. She ignored Pei Jiayin’s explanation entirely. So she worked for the same company as the big shot?
His lips were sealed tight. He hadn’t let slip a single word!
Suddenly, the world felt smaller.
“It’s not a high position, so don’t feel pressured.”
Pei Jiayin calmly resumed eating his sandwich, but Yu Youchu suddenly burst out laughing, her voice thick with nasal congestion.
“Who would have thought—I actually have a powerful backer now!”
She took a sip of juice.
“The company’s senior management is my roommate! Does this mean I never have to worry about being late again?”
Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Pei Jiayin like he was a prize.
---
“Does this mean I can start working from home and just clock in from there?”
Pei Jiayin’s expression remained impassive. “No.”
“Look at it from another angle—living under the same roof with your boss, isn’t that a pretty relaxed situation?”
Yu Youchu’s face instantly fell. She wished she could slap herself.
Right—her once kind roommate had turned into an exploitative boss, and she was still laughing!
But she was just joking; he didn’t know how to play along.
“But if you ever become the top boss, you might just live the life you described.”
Pei Jiayin looked at her deeply, his gaze laden with meaning.
Yu Youchu swallowed the last bite of her sandwich, gave a lively pat on Pei Jiayin’s shoulder, acting like close buddies.
“Don’t worry. If that day comes, I’ll make sure you get promoted.”
Pei Jiayin raised an eyebrow. “We’ll see.”
He finished his breakfast quickly but with elegant movements, treating the food as if it were a treasure.
In contrast, Yu Youchu thought of herself guzzling juice and smirked.
Changing her image? Becoming rich would come faster.
“Oh, Pei Jiayin, before we get to the office later, could you drop me off a little earlier?”
Pei Jiayin frowned. “Why?”
“If people see us coming and going together, they’ll misunderstand.”
Yu Youchu casually tied up her hair, revealing her slender neck and rounded ears, then put on her mask.
“I don’t care about that. Wait here…”
Pei Jiayin stood, fetched a first-aid kit, and handed her some cold medicine.
“Take this.”
Yu Youchu shook her head and pushed the medicine back.
“If I take it, I’ll get drowsy, and I don’t want to be caught sleeping at my desk.” She sighed. “These things still have consequences, for both of us.”