Chapter 069 (1/2)

The Complete Guide to the Use and Care of a Personal Assistant

Translator: Jury

Editor: NomNom

First Published on Chaleuria

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Chapter Sixty-nine

It was past six o’clock when Ling Miao returned to the hotel. He looked as pitiful as a refugee.

Su Yuyang took a bite of his dumpling, eyeing Ling Miao plaintively, as if blaming him for having been gone too long. Ling Miao pretended not to see Su Yuyang’s look. He walked to Ji Linxi’s side, took a dumpling from the steamer in front of Ji Linxi, and stuffed it in his mouth.

“Whoo, whoo,” Ling Miao fanned his open mouth. “Hot, hot!” he exclaimed with his mouth full. Ji Linxi rolled his eyes at him and laughed: “Dumb cat, these are soup dumplings.”

Ling Miao swallowed the dumpling, took a bite of congee and said: “How would I know you were eating soup dumplings? Also, the concert is about to start. You’re still taking your sweet time to eat?”

“We were waiting for you.” Su Yuyang’s cold voice came from behind. He put a steamer of dumplings in front of Ling Miao. “Eat something. The concert will be pretty long.”

“Ah…” Ling Miao rubbed his head and looked awkwardly at Su Yuyang. “I already ate.”

Su Yuyang said “Mm,” the coy tone of voice startling Ling Miao, who picked up his chopsticks and took a dumpling to put in his bowl.

“I’ll eat. I’ll eat, all right?” Ling Miao plaintively took a bite of his dumpling, lips pouting. Su Yuyang gently caressed Ling Miao’s hair, saying indulgently, “Eat more. You’re too thin.”

“Can’t gain weight!” Ling Miao complained. Hearing Ling Miao acting cute, Su Yuyang was delighted and he forgot that he was angry at Ling Miao for having left him at the hotel.

Ji Linxi ate his dumplings, his gaze flickering between the two of them.

Su Yuyang seems to be interested in Ling Miao, but now Ling Miao’s attitude toward him seems to have cooled. Ah, what is the matter with these two?

“I’m full.” Ji Linxi wiped his mouth and Su Yuyang glared at him as if blaming him for speaking at the wrong time. Ji Linxi felt wronged: Am I wrong for saying I’m full?

Then Ji Linxi saw Ling Miao put down his chopsticks too. Of the ten dumplings in the steamer, he had only eaten a couple. Now Ji Linxi understood why Su Yuyang had glared at him, but it wasn’t good to force others to do things, either. More than that, Ji Linxi didn’t think he’d done anything wrong so he intentionally spoke against Su Yuyang: “Xiao Miao, if you can’t eat any more then don’t force yourself. Don’t make yourself sick.”

“And you, Su Yuyang. Xiao Miao said he ate before he came, but you keep forcing him to eat. Do you want him to die?” Ji Linxi looked at Su Yuyang in challenge, sparks flashing in his eyes.

Ji Linxi radiated protectiveness and possessiveness for Ling Miao, which made something flare in Su Yuyang’s heart. Su Yuyang slammed his chopsticks on the table and hummed: “Hey, I don’t want people saying I abuse my employees!”

“So forcing him to eat isn’t abusing him?” Ji Linxi shot back.

“I didn’t force him.” Su Yuyang knew he hadn’t a leg to stand on, so even his tone was weak.

Ji Linxi pulled Ling Miao outside. As he passed Su Yuyang he said victoriously: “Since Xiao Miao doesn’t want to eat, then he won’t eat. If you haven’t finished, keep eating. We’ll wait for you in the parking lot.”

Having said his piece, Ji Linxi didn’t give Su Yuyang time to answer and dragged Ling Miao toward the elevator.

Before the elevator arrived, Ji Linxi turned to glance at Su Yuyang, who was still sitting where he had been. He didn’t look like he wanted to follow, but he wasn’t continuing to eat either.

“What’s up with you today?” Ling Miao asked Ji Linxi timidly.

Ji Linxi lowered his head to look at Ling Miao and sighed, “I’m testing someone!”

“Su Yuyang?” Ling Miao guessed.

“Who else?” Ji Linxi grimaced. “Even the dumb cat is smart for once, but he’s still dumb.”

“Hey…” Ling Miao let out a displeased sound.

The elevator arrived and Ji Linxi got in first. Ling Miao glanced behind him. Su Yuyang was still sitting in the same position, as if he had turned to stone after they left. Ling Miao’s heart clenched, and under Ji Linxi’s hurrying he despondently got into the elevator.

“Linxi, you’re not yourself today,” Ling Miao suddenly said.

Ji Linxi looked at the elevator panel and said thoughtfully, “How am I not myself?”

“I’ll tell you a joke—I think you’re fighting Su Yuyang out of jealousy.” As Ling Miao said this, silent joy spread over his face.

Ji Linxi rolled his eyes at Ling Miao and laughed: “I’m not only fighting him out of jealousy—I’m fighting him out of jealousy over you.”

“That’s what it feels like.” Hearing Ji Linxi’s teasing, Ling Miao started to laugh too: a self-defeating laugh.

“Looks like my performance was a success,” Ji Linxi said craftily.

“Performance?”

Just then, the elevator reached the ground floor. Ling Miao got out, but Ji Linxi continued fumbling about in the elevator.