Chapter 110: Blushing with Embarrassment

Chapter 110: Blushing with Embarrassment

"What's wrong with President Lu? You don't have to be so surprised just because you saw him," an employee behind them, clueless about the situation, inquired.

"That's President Lu! The one who... no, it couldn't be a proposal, but he was standing next to our boss, and it was President Lu," the female employee who had witnessed the scene stammered in her explanation.

The rest of the crowd was confused. Was it a proposal or not? If not, why all the flowers and lights, and the Rolls-Royce?

But if it was a proposal, why was the recipient... President Lu??

Just as everyone was still puzzled and preparing to watch further, the two figures in the distance moved.

They saw Jiang Yuduo open the passenger door for President Lu and even thoughtfully reach out to prevent him from hitting his head. As the car drove off, the crowd emerged from behind other vehicles.

Employees from both upstairs and downstairs instinctively separated, staring at each other in silence. The impact of what they had just witnessed was too great; they had even forgotten their usual bickering and needed time to process it.

Inside the Rolls-Royce, Lu Nanqing sat in the passenger seat, watching the car exit the underground garage. He casually asked, "Why did we switch cars?"

"More impressive," Jiang Yuduo replied.

Lu Nanqing shot him a glance, amusement dancing in his eyes as he asked, "Then why didn't you change your outfit?"

Jiang Yuduo, clad in a short-sleeved shirt and loose shorts, replied, "Uh... I forgot."

"Was it because you didn't have enough time?" Lu Nanqing offered an excuse on his behalf.

"Yes, I thought you'd be working overtime. Turns out you left on time," Jiang Yuduo seized the opportunity to save face.

"How much time did you set aside?" Lu Nanqing was fishing for information.

"Thirty minutes..." Jiang Yuduo said, then he froze, falling silent for several seconds before attempting to recover, "I, uh, wasn't prepared either. Little Fatty took care of it. After all, I'm such a busy boss..."

A soft chuckle escaped Lu Nanqing's lips, followed by a merciless revelation, "Hmm, busy, so busy that you left work thirty minutes ago, right?"

It had been precisely half an hour – the timing aligned. Now it made sense when the receptionist mentioned that Jiang Yuduo had a "date." It was this "appointment."

"I..." Jiang Yuduo stumbled over his words again, unable to resist glancing at Lu Nanqing. He desperately wanted to ask how Lu Nanqing knew he had left half an hour earlier.

"Did you come looking for me?" Jiang Yuduo asked, holding back his emotions.

"Not wrong," Lu Nanqing replied.

"...Then why are you still asking me about it? You're doing this on purpose, aren't you, Lu Nanqing?" Jiang Yuduo grumbled.

"How would I know what you were up to half an hour ago when you said you were busy?" Lu Nanqing said with a lighthearted tone.

"I was... I mean..." Jiang Yuduo stumbled over his words.

"Mr. Jiang, has anyone ever told you that your speech gets tangled when you're feeling guilty? It's quite obvious," Lu Nanqing commented casually.

Jiang Yuduo: ...

"Well, if you saw the flowers and the gift I gave you, couldn't you have guessed I was preparing a surprise? Yet, you still ask as if you didn't know," Jiang Yuduo huffed, slightly pouting.

"Oh, who was it that just said these were from Little Fatty?" Lu Nanqing raised an eyebrow, enjoying teasing the other person.

Jiang Yuduo: ...

He made up his mind – he wouldn't speak to Lu Nanqing anymore.

Observing the transformation of someone, usually a casual and sarcastic chatterbox, into a bashful quail, Lu Nanqing's eyes curved as he continued jesting, "I went to look for you, but your receptionist said you were on a date. Since it was a date, it couldn't have been with me, right?"

"Exactly with you, no one else," Jiang Yuduo interrupted eagerly.

Lu Nanqing teased, "So, what's this about a date? Two men going on a date?"

Jiang Yuduo hastily defended himself, "This... This is all a lie! She misunderstood!"

"I thought that's how you put it to her," Lu Nanqing said with a faint smile.

While Lu Nanqing remained composed, Jiang Yuduo's arms tensed, veins bulging on the back of his hands. The heat that had initially spread through his body now settled in his face, reddening his neck and ears with embarrassment.

How could this be considered a date? Did that darn receptionist even know how to speak properly? What if Lu Nanqing misunderstood? How could he explain? Would his explanation be believed?

Normally a carefree man with a rough demeanor, Jiang Yuduo was now entangled in a web of delicate emotions. If he still possessed his usual bravado, he could have easily played along or retorted shamelessly.

But now, all he felt was embarrassment and the urgent need to clarify, his face flushed, his composure lost, his heart racing with anxiety, and his throat too dry to find the right words.

"I didn't... I didn't tell her, it was just a misunderstanding..." Jiang Yuduo stammered, his words slurred.

"Lu Nanqing, it really wasn't me, I swear I didn't..." Jiang Yuduo added hastily.

"Uh-huh, I know you didn't, she misunderstood," Lu Nanqing consoled, unable to bear to tease him further after causing such a stutter.

Jiang Yuduo nodded hastily, wanting to sneak a glance at Lu Nanqing but too afraid, for fear that he might catch sight of his flushed face. He turned his head away instead.

He felt a bit embarrassed today; he had actually blushed in front of Lu Nanqing. But at least the gift had been well-received and the objective achieved.

The restaurant could have been reached directly, but Jiang Yuduo still felt a lingering warmth on his body, so he drove around in circles for a while before finally parking in the restaurant's garage.

"We just passed by this place twice, didn't we?" Lu Nanqing remarked, his memory sharp.

"Huh? Did we? Maybe I got lost..." Jiang Yuduo replied awkwardly, avoiding eye contact.

Lu Nanqing turned his head, contemplating asking "How did you manage to find your way back if you were lost?" or "Why didn't you use navigation from the start?" But he decided against it. It was Jiang Yuduo's treat today, and they were early, so there was no need to be too picky.

Observing Jiang with his hands in his pockets, still maintaining his casual demeanor except for averting his gaze, Lu Nanqing looked at the restaurant's decor and asked, "They let you in dressed like that?"

"Why not? I reserved the top-floor luxury suite," Jiang Yuduo said, turning his head back and then quickly averting his gaze when he saw Lu Nanqing.

"Mm-hmm, let's go then," Lu Nanqing replied nonchalantly.

Zhou City, a newly-emerging international metropolis, didn't have the same strict dress code as traditional high-end restaurants in coastal cities. As long as one had money, they were welcome. The restaurant aimed for a broad range of profitability.

As they walked on the first floor, a dedicated server led the way. Two people approached from ahead, and Jiang Yuduo failed to recognize them until they recognized him.

"President Jiang?" the girl asked.

Jiang Yuduo looked at her, feeling a vague sense of familiarity.

"President Jiang, I've already told your mother that we're not a good match. You didn't come all the way here just to try and persuade me to stay, did you?" the girl continued, her tone tinged with arrogance and self-satisfaction.

Jiang Yuduo was baffled: ??? Who is this shrew?