"Hmm… Secretary Shi, why does this woman who went on a date with my son… looks like you?"
"Huh? A photo?" I frowned. I didn't remember sharing my photo with Meng Bao during our date before.
"Yes, my wife sent it to me just now," Mr. Yang replied.
"U—Uh… I'm not sure, but there is no relation between me and Yang Menghuo, Boss. Maybe you've mistaken a random picture as him and me?" I tried to reason because I had no idea about pictures.
"No, no, I can at least confirm the man is definitely Menghuo," Mr. Yang said, and he showed his phone screen.
I checked it out and almost jumped out of fright. Because it was exactly Meng Bao and me sitting on a bench under the tree..
In that picture, I hugged his hand and leaned on his strong shoulder like a young girl in love. I wore zero makeup in that picture because we went to KFC before this. I ate like a slob, resulting in me washing my oil-stained face and taking off most of the makeup, although there was some residue from Shi Qiang's superb makeup skill.
…
'I already look average in the family, and Shi Qiang's makeup skill covered most of my blemishes. Thinking that I could ensnare my date, with only my appearance
It was a desperate method as well and failed.
I mean, I don't even know his identity until everything was revealed before, including the fact that his parents were both wealthy, and one of them was my boss.
In fact, Meng Bao was more interested in me after I washed my face and revealed my true appearance without makeup.
And that version of Shi Ying was the one who snatched Meng Bao's heart. The one who didn't need to act like someone else because she thought the deal was just a pretend boyfriend's service.
'Wait, does this mean that Meng Bao is also lying?!'
'He said to me that it was part of the rental boyfriend's service. That part when he said some people will take pictures of him and send it to his mother.'
'He said it's just a pretend play….'
Who would've expected that Meng Bao's mother was Madam Evelynn Yang? It was like a death sentence if I got recognized.
Mr. Yang started comparing me with the woman in the picture again. I was glad that I never go to work without makeup, so he didn't know.
But still, this was nerve-racking!
"Hm… this woman really looks like you. But she looks a bit different…" Mr. Yang pondered.
"Y—Yeah, even though we look similar, but we are totally different!" I replied, not wanting to get recognized. "Don't you see, Boss? My face isn't exactly a unique, one in a million face. There will be many people who look exactly like me."
Mr. Yang glanced at me for a short check and then nodded, "Hm… I guess so. I just don't expect the coincidence can be this glaring," Mr. Yang replied.
He still had that suspicious, questioning gaze in his eyes which got me worried.
"Mr. Yang, coincidence happens every day. It's just a matter of time and place. You don't need to think much about it, haha…." I felt like I could sweat bullets at this point. If they found out about this, especially Madam Evelynn Yang, there was no way to save my life.
I would get fried and lost the job that I treasured the most.
Mr. Yang Zhuhuo hummed again but decided to drop the suspicion altogether.
"There is no use of you lying anyway. But if you're really the woman in the picture, I don't mind," Mr. Yang Zhuhuo said. "Still, I doubt the woman in the picture, is you. Because Yang Menghuo kept saying that he wouldn't date anyone. So if this woman really dates my son right now, then she must have a special quality in her."
"…"
"Okay, sir, if you say so, then please excuse me," I said and then left the room with a slow click.
I sighed in relief after barely escaping the death sentence. But still, it got me worried about what would happen in the future. I was afraid that Meng Bao wouldn't be a good enough insurance for my future.
What if we were actually dating, and we went public in the future. Then that 'childhood sweetheart' of his actually showed up. Wouldn't that be a death sentence for me? Meng Bao would leave me and marry that childhood sweetheart instead.
I mean, even if he falls in love with me right now, there is no guarantee that he would feel the same in the future, especially knowing the fact that Meng Bao had been in love with this girl for literally fifteen years.
It was too foolish to risk everything just for an uncertain relationship with Meng Bao.
Yet, I was the one who got swayed by his sweetness and still hadn't asked about his progress of finding his beloved childhood sweetheart.
I couldn't do this. I had to make everything clear before getting too deep with Meng Bao. I had to ask him as soon as possible.
**
In the evening, I went directly to the pharmacy near my office to buy the medicine for my dad. I ordered the train ticket for two in the business section because it would be a long and painful trip and then called Meng Bao to meet me for dinner in my apartment.
When I opened the apartment with my spare key, I saw my apartment had been thoroughly cleaned. I saw Meng Bao wearing a black shirt and jeans, standing with a bucket of flowers inside the apartment, and walked towards me.
He gave the flower and then said, "Ying Jie, work must've been tiring for you. That's why I want to help you a little."
"A little?" I raised my brows. I checked that everything was spotless, "Did you really cleaned my room on your own? Not with cleaning a day housekeeper?"
"Hehe, of course, I do it myself ah! I want to be useful while you're working, like a househusband!" Meng Bao said cheerily.
"Househusband?" I chuckled when I heard that. It would be such a degrading term for most men in here. Because most of them still think that men who cleaned the house and cook were considered weak and henpecked. So when I heard Meng Bao calling himself a Househusband, it surprised me in a good way.
Thus, I decided to play around for a while. I sat on the sofa and then massaged my back and cracked my neck, "Ah, Husband, I've been working so hard today. Would you mind massaging my shoulder and neck? It's so stiff," I complained.
"Sure, wife," Meng Bao then touched my shoulder, and I felt the big and warm hands covering my shoulder, alongside the electrifying sensation that crawled in my body.
I shuddered when he touched me, even if I was still fully clothed. I wouldn't lie that Meng Bao's touch made me feel a bit… strange.
Meng Bao carefully massaged me while I closed my eyes, "Y—Yeah, right there… AH! It hurts…" I winced few times because of the pain in my shoulder.
"Fuh… really, work has been so tiring, I feel still all over my body."
Then Meng Bao suddenly whispered, "Wife, do you want me to massage you somewhere else?"
Meng Bao then tried to go down and massaged my arms instead. Knowing what he would do next, I immediately slapped his hands and then yelled at him, "Pervert! Massage my shoulders only! Also, don't call me wife! I'm not your wife!"
'Yet.' I said in my heart.
Meng Bao pouted as if I had wasted a good chance. It took a while, and he finished massaging my shoulder after I was fully relaxed. He sat beside me and then said, "I'm ready for the trip tomorrow."
"Oh? You're ready? Where's your luggage," I asked.
Meng Bao pointed at the black luggage at the edge of the room, then he said, "Ying Jie, may I see the train ticket?"
"Oh, you mean the online train ticket? Sure," I sent the train ticket to him via WeChat and then yawned.
"Well, I'm too exhausted right now, so I can't cook. But I already bought you a takeaway for dinner," I said. Then I went to my room. "You can sleep in the guest room because we will be leaving in the dawn. We can't afford to be late for the morning train."
"Okay, Jie!" Meng Bao nodded.
…
…
After Shi Ying entered her room, Meng Bao's sweet gaze turned sharp once more. He checked the train ticket and then called his subordinate working in the public transportation department.
'Yes, Young Master,' the man at the end of the call readily answered.
'You, I will send you the train ticket that I will use tomorrow. Remember to empty the whole wagon. There should be only my girlfriend and me there. I don't care how much you have to compensate. Just make sure there is no other passenger."