100 Days with the Contract Lover

Shopping for clothes? Yu Nuanxin really wasn’t in the habit. Besides, with those wardrobes full of designer brands at home, she’d never wear them all in her lifetime.

Dining out? It seemed pointless to go alone. She should have just ignored Nangong Yao and gone to eat with Liang Jingtang. After all, he already assumed there was something scandalous between them, and with so much dirt on her, what’s one more?

Yu Nuanxin realized her mindset was surprisingly carefree now, like the old saying, “a dead pig isn’t afraid of boiling water.”

As she chuckled at her self-deprecating thought, a black sedan pulled up in front of her. The window rolled down slowly, revealing a face that seemed carved by the gods, cold and imposing.

The man stared straight ahead and spat out two words, “Get in!”

It was an order, pure and simple!

Infuriating to hear.

“President, this isn’t really appropriate. I was just planning to go shopping.”

“If you prefer, we can stay here locked in a stalemate.”

Already, some colleagues who recognized her were casting curious glances. To avoid them discovering the person in the car was Nangong Yao and spreading unfounded gossip, Yu Nuanxin stomped her foot and slipped into the car. Just as she was about to ask what he wanted, Nangong Yao started the engine and sped away.

Always arrogant and domineering, ignoring others’ feelings.

…

The French restaurant was decorated like a luxurious palace, with an exquisite atmosphere, top-notch service, and live music performed by a maestro. Everything was perfect, like a dream.

Except, the person across from her was Nangong Yao.

They were the only two patrons in the entire place!

Which made it feel a bit odd.

Was he planning to kill her here and cover it up? Well, the location was certainly fitting, but…

Wait! What was she thinking? Yu Nuanxin shook her head, trying to dispel the absurd thoughts. Being alone with Nangong Yao always made her feel like a startled bird. Any slight movement, and she’d scare herself silly.

The waiter bowed, “May I take your order?”

Nangong Yao didn’t glance at the menu, ordering a Moussaillon Beef Steak and red wine directly. When it was Yu Nuanxin’s turn, she stared at the hefty menu, looking troubled, racking her brains, her brow furrowed tightly.

From the first page to the last, the cheapest item was $500… and it was a salad! Was this a joke? Might as well rob her.

“What would you like to order?” the waiter asked politely.

Yu Nuanxin closed the menu, smiling awkwardly, “Do you have Fried Rice? You know, the kind that’s twenty yuan for a big plate, enough to fill you up…”

Three black lines appeared on the waiter’s forehead as he struggled to maintain his composure. “This is a French restaurant; we don’t serve Fried Rice.”

“How about French Fried Rice?”

“……”

Nangong Yao rolled his eyes at her, “Two Moussaillon Beef Steaks!”

“Certainly!”

“Hey…” Yu Nuanxin protested, raising her eyebrows. “A thousand dollars a plate, are you trying to bankrupt me?”

“Staying to wash dishes for a month should cover it,” Nangong Yao said, elegantly swirling his wine glass, as if it had nothing to do with him.

“You…”

“Relax, I won’t let you pay.”

“I’m just a small-time lawyer; how could I dare let the president pay?”

“Don’t you know how to differentiate between time and place? We’re off work now, not at the company. You’re not my employee anymore!”

Yu Nuanxin pouted, annoyed, “Who knows if you’ll suddenly act up and pull the president card?” His moods were unpredictable, so she figured it was safer to stay cautious. Better to keep quiet than say too much and make mistakes.

So, until the waiter served the dishes, Yu Nuanxin didn’t say a word, focusing on cutting her steak. Was this cow some kind of mythical creature? Did it grow wings? Such a small piece, yet it cost $1000. Why was it so expensive? And the taste was just average, not even as good as the beef offal from street stalls. A hundred yuan could get you a big bowl that would keep you full till evening.

“What’s wrong? Without Liang Jingtang, you can’t even eat?” Nangong Yao mocked, seeing her eat with a look of resentment, cutting the steak like she was venting. “Want me to call him over?”

Yu Nuanxin lost her appetite even more. “Even though I’ve repeated this a hundred times, and even if I say it till I bleed you won’t believe me, I must emphasize again, he and I are just ordinary friends!”

“Oh…” Nangong Yao responded, clearly not convinced.

Yu Nuanxin felt helpless. She was such a fool, knowing he wouldn’t believe her, was there any need to waste her breath? It seemed she still needed to work on her patience.

Thinking that staying silent for too long wasn’t good either, she casually found a topic. “Why did you suddenly decide to invite me to dinner today?”

“A couple going out for a meal occasionally is perfectly normal!”

Couples eating together was normal! But with him, it was anything but normal!

What was this? Offering kindness without reason, either a thief or a schemer. Like a fox wishing a chicken a happy New Year, up to no good.

“You should be grateful to me.”

“Because you’re treating me to a fancy meal?” Honestly, she wasn’t thrilled.

“Because I’m giving you the chance to spend time with your lover, to cultivate feelings. Am I not a responsible husband?”

“…” What did he mean by lover? Did he have to speak so harshly? Yu Nuanxin was furious, wanting to pounce and scratch his face.

Wasn’t he usually so taciturn, cold to the point of death, as if speaking one more word would cost him his life? Why couldn’t he understand this matter? He kept bringing it up with her, over and over again.

Unable to bear it any longer, she retorted without thinking, “You and Assistant Xiang spend so much time together, have such great chemistry, it’s even more thought-provoking! She’s beautiful, graduated from a prestigious school, practically every man’s dream girl. Developing feelings over time isn’t impossible…”

“So, are you encouraging your husband to have an affair?” He smiled slightly, but it definitely didn’t mean he was happy; rather, it was increasingly dangerous.