Ch. 1041..1050
Chapter 1041: Humble, I Understand_1 Unexpectedly, CEO Lewis was also present.
CEO Lewis was riding the executive’s exclusive elevator.
An access card was required to enter it.
“Peggy!” Upon noticing Peggy Lewis, a smile immediately spread across the CEO’s face.
“CEO Lewis.” Peggy walked over, reluctantly putting down her mobile phone.
“Come, ride this elevator with me.” CEO Lewis warmly invited her.
“…” Peggy speculated that CEO Lewis must have seen the photo.
...
“CEO Lewis, I…” Peggy felt she should explain the situation to him.
Otherwise, if he misunderstood and believed she had a significant influence over Lyke Zhekova…
If he made many requests for her to relay to Lyke, it would not end well.
However, CEO Lewis did not let her explain: “I understand, you don’t need to say it.
I know you are low-key, keep it up.”
Peggy: “…”
No, CEO Lewis, you don’t understand.
At this moment, the doors of the staff elevator opened.
Peggy really did not want to share an elevator with CEO Lewis.
As an ordinary employee, taking the executives’ elevator would be too conspicuous.
Even the managers are not allowed to use it.
She just wanted to head to the staff elevator.
However, after everyone rushed in, they all stared at Peggy.
Instantly, Peggy felt like she was about to enter a wolf’s den.
If she went in, she would definitely face a barrage of gossip-filled questions.
Compared to them, it might be better to share an elevator directly with CEO Lewis.
Though CEO Lewis may have misunderstood, at least he would not ask about it directly.
He even claimed “he understands”.
From this comparison, Peggy would actually prefer to share an elevator with CEO Lewis.
So, Peggy had to smile and say to CEO Lewis, “I guess I will bask in your light.”
“Hey, don’t be formal with me.” CEO Lewis said laughingly as he got into the elevator with Peggy.
CEO Lewis was able to keep his cool.
Even if he had many questions in his mind, he still suppressed them without asking.
Under CEO Lewis’s gaze, Peggy did not dare to check her email.
Upon reaching their floor, the elevator stopped, and Peggy said to CEO Lewis, “CEO Lewis, I’ve reached my floor, thank you.”
“Hey, like I said, there’s no need to be this formal.” CEO Lewis replied laughingly and bid Peggy goodbye.
Peggy exited the elevator and exhaled.
She arrived at the Business Department.
The people in the Business Department didn’t dare to ask her.
As for Clara Evans and Abigail Ackehurst, they had known about it long ago.
Today, after seeing the photo, they have a clearer understanding.
So, they did not question her.
Peggy opened her mailbox to see the photos, it was not surprising.
Compared to the ones with Jacob Zahn, they presented a different flavor.
Hers looked more like paparazzi shots of celebrities on their dates.
Without a doubt, these were taken by Jacob Zahn.
Moreover, Peggy immediately recognized the location in the photos.
The lobby on the first floor of her apartment building.
From the angle and direction of the photos, Jacob Zahn must have hidden in the stairwell after Lyke chased him out last night.
He probably wanted to cause more trouble for her after Lyke had left.
But he did not expect that Lyke would help her move out immediately.
He did not give Jacob Zahn another chance to cause trouble.
Peggy felt fortunate, thankful for Lyke’s thoughtful arrangements.
He had anticipated Jacob Zahn’s intentions.
Otherwise, she would still be troubled by Jacob Zahn.
Peggy sent a message to Lyke on WhatsApp and told him about the situation.
“I’m sorry, I caused trouble for you,” Peggy said, “Has he sent the photos to your company too?”
Lyke looked at the photos in his email, feeling very pleased.
Seeing Peggy’s question, he quickly started typing: “He sent them to my company too.”
Of course, the person who sent the photos was Wallace Martin, at Lyke’s request.
They all couldn’t let only Peggy to spread the rumors in Majestic Corporation.
At Majestic Corporation, he also needed to establish a reputation of his own.
He wanted everyone to know he too was taken.
Peggy was surprised, wondering how Jacob Zahn had the nerve to send the photos to Majestic Corporation.
“What did the people at your company say?
I’m sorry for causing all this trouble for you,” Peggy said, sighing heavily as she looked at the phone.
“Don’t worry about it.
A little bit of gossip like this won’t harm me, a man,” Lyke felt that text messages could lead to misunderstandings, so he decided to call Peggy instead.
Right at this moment, Wallace Martin came in and said to Lyke, “CEO, there is a meeting at 10.”
Wallace Martin glanced at the time: “In 10 minutes.”
“Okay, if I haven’t finished my call, let them wait for a while,” Lyke said.
Wallace Martin: “…”
It is clear who he is on the phone with.
Wallace Martin acknowledged and left the room.
Only then did Lyke dial Peggy’s number.
Peggy was in the midst of replying to Lyke’s messages.
Before she could finish, Lyke’s call came in.
Peggy immediately picked up her phone and went outside to answer the call.
“Hello,” Peggy answered, “Did Jacob Zahn send photos to your company, too?”
“Yes,” Lyke responded, “He just sent them.”
“It seems he sent it to Majestic Corporation after sending it to my company,” Peggy sighed, “When I just arrived at the company, I noticed the strange gaze from everyone.”
Upon hearing this, Lyke’s tone became more serious: “What, they are looking at you inappropriately again?
Are they thinking about disgusting things again?”
“Not really,” Peggy responded, “This time they didn’t take it the wrong way.
They simply…
majority of them think I am together with you…
with you…”
Peggy was too embarrassed to finish her sentence.
“Together with me doing what?” Lyke guessed Peggy’s meaning, but he pretended not to understand, wanting her to admit it.
Peggy felt her face burning; it was as if smoke was about to come off her cheeks.
She plucked up her courage and said, “They thought we are seeing each other.
I don’t know how to clarify to them, even if I do, they won’t believe me.
They even think I am pretending, not being honest.”
“What do people at your company think?” Peggy asked.
“I have no idea because nobody dared to gossip with me,” Lyke laughed lightly.
Peggy: “…”
It’s really nice to be the boss.
“Don’t worry, I will get Wallace Martin to check it out,” Lyke said.
Peggy: “…”
That’s not really necessary.
“However, since your company has misunderstood, shouldn’t we do something about it?
Otherwise, we would be carrying an unwarranted reputation,” Lyke said with a light chuckle.
“What?” Peggy was stunned.
What does that mean?
Just as Peggy was bewildered, Lyke said, “Peggy, I have to rush to a meeting, let’s talk more during lunch.”
“Oh, okay.” Peggy quickly said, “Then, you go ahead with your stuff.
Don’t worry about me.”
“Okay.”
Both hung up the call.
Peggy took her phone and returned to the office.
After sitting down, she suddenly realized something was not right.
Talk more during lunch?
What does that mean?
However, Peggy quickly immersed herself in her work.
Chapter 1042: Clearly, Lyke Zhekova was Putting on a Show by Herself_1 Pushing that matter aside for now.
Lyke Zhekova entered the conference room and sat down, clearly in a rush.
“Our company received an anonymous email today.” Zhekova said, “It’s about me.”
The executives all breathed a sigh of relief.
They had been holding back their curiosity.
Wallace Martin, off to the side, suppressed a smirk.
He was afraid of someone seeing his face.
He silently critiqued Zhekova in his mind.
...
Anonymous email, really?
Who sent it, don’t you know?
The email to Majestic wasn’t from Jacob Zahn at all.
When Zhekova came to the company in the morning, he suddenly remembered that he should have also sent one to Majestic.
He should stir up some rumors there too.
It wouldn’t be fair if all the buzz was on our side and Majestic were left in the dark, completely unaware.
But since Zahn had already been let go, Zhekova didn’t plan to bother him.
It’s not like we lack photos.
Anyway, Martin had the photos and had destroyed the ones Zahn had.
So he had Martin send an anonymous email to Majestic as well.
Martin thought, Zhekova is clearly orchestrating this whole scandal himself.
He’s acting so well!
With acting skills like these, he should consider getting a guest role from Zane Hamilton at Benjamin’s entertainment company.
“In order to avoid misunderstanding, I am going to explain here today, and I hope that all of you could understand and pass on my message accurately, so as not to mislead our employees,” Zhekova said.
Vice President Norris, who had just taken up the post, quickly reassured him: “CEO, we all trust your character.
You have always been single, still have no girlfriend, we don’t believe the story in the photos.”
“I guess, the person who sent the photos, probably wanted us to misunderstand that you are promiscuous in your personal life.
But how could that be?
You are such an upright person.” VP Norris waved his hand, “Rest assured, we won’t think anything about these photos.”
Norris was recently promoted to fill in Mr.
Houston’s position.
Therefore, Norris especially wanted to make his presence known in front of Zhekova.
To let Zhekova know that he is a capable person.
Zhekova: “…”
Seeing the others agreeing with Norris, he felt disheartened.
Martin sighed silently and covered his eyes.
He couldn’t bear to watch.
These people don’t understand their CEO well enough.
Among the executives, only Director Wu did not chime in or join the conversation.
Because Director Wu had experienced Zhekova’s contract issue, and the dismissal of Mr.
Houston.
The contract was handed over to a female employee at Majestic.
Director Wu didn’t quite understand the situation like Martin did, but he felt something was off.
Now, seeing this photo, he suspected something.
He smartly didn’t say anything.
And he silently pitied Norris.
He had just taken office, and his bootlicking had gone terribly wrong.
Looking at Zhekova’s reaction, Director Wu was even more certain.
Zhekova took a deep breath, told himself not to get angry, not to get angry.
Then he said, “The photos are real, they’re not fabricated, there’s no misunderstanding.”
“The man in the photo is me,” Zhekova said.
“And the woman in the photos is a lady I am pursuing,” Zhekova said, “What I don’t want you to misunderstand is that we are not involved in anything scandalous.
I’m not saying that I have no relationship with the lady in the photo at all!”
He was infuriated!
How could they be so foolish!
Now, Zhekova was somewhat regretting agreeing to Norris’s promotion.
Norris: “…”
He wanted to kneel down to Zhekova.
Why couldn’t you have just said it all at once!
And besides, isn’t this a good thing?
What’s with your serious face!
“Oh, I see.” Norris was breaking out into a cold sweat as he spoke, forcing himself to say “Well, this is a good thing, congratulations are in order, CEO.”
Zhekova nodded and said, “Indeed.
So, I hope that you can all convey this matter accurately, and avoid misunderstandings.
Especially, don’t let people misunderstand the lady I am pursuing.”
Everyone said they understood, and promised there would be no misinformation.
The subsequent developments pleased Zhekova.
By mid-morning, everyone in the company knew that the unmarried CEO was soon to be taken.
He was even currently wooing the woman.
They had no idea what it looked like when Zhekova pursued a woman.
What does an old man do when he’s chasing a woman?
It wouldn’t be taking her to art exhibitions or concerts, would it?
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“Well, it depends on her age.
If she’s around the same age as our CEO, I guess it would be appropriate,” someone postulated.
“She looked quite young in the photo, although we didn’t really see her face.”
“I didn’t think our CEO would chase after young girls, just like other wealthy men.”
“Well, all men like young girls.”
“I wonder who she is.”
“I know who she is,” someone said, instantly gaining everyone’s attention.
“Who is she, who is she?”
“How did you find out?”
“I know an employee at Majestic.
She told me that their company also received this photo first thing this morning.”
“The woman in the photo is an employee in the Business Department of their company.
She is also in charge of our company’s cooperation with Majestic.”
“Tsk, tsk!
Didn’t expect our CEO to make such a move.
To think he would give up the business to Majestic just to pursue her.
This is…
another kind of spending money to impress, isn’t it?”
Therefore, they gossiped about the affairs at Majestic again.
The matter of Jacob Zahn wasn’t a secret.
Everyone had their own sources and connections.
In no time, they heard all the recent happenings at Majestic.
“But how did Peggy Lewis suddenly come into the picture?” Someone asked, “How did she get involved with our CEO?”
In the company, it’s not like no female employees had ever had crushes on Zhekova.
But those who had, had since been married and have had children due to Zhekova’s lack of action.
Zhekova is still single.
Staff changes at Majestic are not significant.
Although there are new hires every year, the overall number is not large.
Because once they join Majestic, they’re not likely to leave.
Not every new hire is a beauty, and certainly not every one of them is confident.
Even those with confidence don’t have the guts to really pursue him.
Besides, everyone believes that if Zhekova could remain single up to this age,
Either he is a bachelor by choice, or his standards are too high.
Even at this age, he still hadn’t found someone he liked.
He’s also very firm about his decision that if he doesn’t find someone he likes, then he just won’t get married.
So now, he’s a senior bachelor.
Chapter 1043: Guard the Door, Don’t Make a Sound_1 No matter how one looked at it, everyone believed it was incredibly tough to win over Lyke Zhekova.
Therefore, they no longer held any illusions about him.
But surprisingly, Lyke Zhekova had taken an interest in someone.
At first glance, Peggy Lewis did not seem to be an especially outstanding girl.
There wasn’t much to differentiate her from the other particularly attractive female employees in the company.
What they had learned about Peggy Lewis was that she was merely an ordinary employee.
First, she was not unusually intelligent or uniquely gifted.
...
Second, she didn’t come from a particularly distinguished or high-class family.
So, what exactly had Lyke Zhekova seen in her?
In the end, they had discovered that Peggy Lewis was best friends with Cindy Clarke.
“Could it be due to the saying of ‘Near water, the melon gets washed’?”
“Well, one could only say that she happened to be at the right place at the right time.”
“Ahh, everyone has their destiny, who was she to argue with timing?”
***
Peggy Lewis was unaware that she was the center of a heated discussion at Majestic. She was even more clueless that Lyke Zhekova had said something about her at Majestic.
At that moment, Lyke Zhekova had arrived at the office.
He was punctual.
Having said that he would meet up with Peggy Lewis at noon, here he was.
The company CEO reacted swiftly this time.
The moment Lyke Zhekova set foot in the office, the CEO was notified and promptly went out to meet him.
“Director Zhekova!” The CEO raced over, eagerly shaking Lyke’s hand.
After a few shakes, Lyke Zhekova quickly let go of the CEO’s hand.
There was no need for a grown man’s hand to be held.
“I came to see Peggy,” Lyke Zhekova said, smiling faintly.
Hearing this, the CEO was astonished!
He’s already calling her by her first name, signaling that their relationship is definitely not ordinary.
No matter how much Peggy Lewis denied it, Lyke Zhekova himself came to admit it!
The CEO was very perceptive.
He immediately responded, “I see.
I won’t bother you then.
Director Zhekova, did you make arrangements to wait for Peggy here, or do you plan on finding her in the Business Department?”
The CEO smoothly changed his address for Peggy Lewis to “Little Peggy”.
“I’ll go to the Business Department.
I’m afraid if she doesn’t know I’m here, she might already have lunch plans, which wouldn’t be ideal.” Zhekova said.
The CEO quickly gathered information from Lyke Zhekova’s words.
Zhekova came without informing Peggy Lewis.
He must be trying to surprise her!
The CEO immediately showed a knowing expression, just like before when he caught a glimpse of Peggy Lewis, and promptly responded: “I see.
Shall we head to the Business Department?”
The CEO was keen on being at the first row to enjoy the show.
Then Lyke Zhekova simply responded with a smile, “I know the way to the Business Department.
I can go there directly.”
Lyke Zhekova paused and hinted at the CEO, “If you accompany me, things might get a bit awkward; I’m afraid it would make Peggy uncomfortable.”
From the familiarity in which Lyke Zhekova called her, the CEO understood that Lyke Zhekova’s relationship with Peggy Lewis was far more intimate than it appeared.
Immediately, the CEO understood and said, “Okay then, I won’t interrupt, enjoy your lunch.”
With heartfelt wishes, the CEO watched Lyke Zhekova head towards the elevator with a wide grin.
The CEO didn’t forget to call his secretary, “Notify all departments, Lyke Zhekova has come to our company to have lunch with Peggy Lewis.
Ask them not to bother Zhekova; everything should proceed as usual.”
“Usual?” The secretary asked.
“Yes, just as it has always been.
No need to make any specific changes,” the CEO replied.
“As Zhekova is surprising Peggy Lewis, we should act like we don’t know anything.
Also, remind everyone to treat Peggy as they usually would, don’t ask her gossipy questions or do anything that might upset her,” the CEO instructed.
“Yes, sir.
I’ll relay the message right away,” the secretary promptly replied.
Peggy Lewis was still unaware that Lyke Zhekova had arrived at the company.
She was planning to have lunch with Abigail Ackehurst and Clara Evans.
At this moment, she was finishing up the final details of a document.
She needed to save the finished file first.
Peggy Lewis had a habit of completing one task before moving on to the other.
Especially when she was on the brink of finishing a document, leaving a loose end would make her uncomfortable.
After tidying up and conducting a final check, she prepared to head out for lunch.
Peggy Lewis was conducting the final check on her computer.
Suddenly, the office fell into an odd silence.
But Peggy Lewis was concentrating deeply on her check, her attention completely focused on the document displayed on her computer screen.
She didn’t notice the unexpected event at the office entrance or the peculiar silence that had settled in the office.
The others, who had planned to leave for lunch together…
Elijah Hernandez and Tiffany Wagner were no longer just hanging onto the coattails of Jacob Zahn, as he had been fired.
Now, the two of them were best friends, hand in hand.
“What should we have for lunch today?” Tiffany Wagner asked Elijah Hernandez as they walked along.
“How about clay pot rice?” Elijah Hernandez suggested.
“Sure,” Tiffany Wagner was about to say something else when she saw Elijah Hernandez stop in his tracks suddenly.
Tiffany Wagner also halted, to see a shocked and stiff expression on Elijah Hernandez’s face as he stared at the entrance.
Tiffany Wagner followed his gaze.
There stood Lyke Zhekova, unexpectedly, at the entrance of the Business Department’s office.
Tiffany Wagner even closed her eyes tightly, squeezing out the wrinkles at her eyes corners.
When she opened her eyes again, Lyke Zhekova was still there.
Even after rubbing her eyes, Lyke Zhekova remained in the same spot.
She confirmed that her eyes were not playing tricks on her.
Elijah Hernandez was stunned speechless.
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Abigail Ackehurst didn’t sit next to Clara Evans.
So, Abigail Ackehurst rushed to text Clara Evans, “Clara, look at the door, don’t make a sound!”
Clara Evans looked up, spotted Lyke Zhekova, and immediately took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing her exclamation.
Joel and Sis Anita also saw him.
Manager Thompson had just received the CEO’s message about Lyke Zhekova’s arrival.
But, following the CEO’s advice, he chose not to make a grand fuss over Lyke Zhekova’s presence.
As such, Manager Thompson hid in his office, not showing his face.
Seeing that everyone had noticed him, except for Peggy Lewis, who he had come to see and was still engrossed in her work.
The person he had wanted to notice him the most hadn’t noticed him.
But Peggy’s concentration made Lyke Zhekova involuntarily smile as he couldn’t bring himself to interrupt her.
Most people had seldom even seen Lyke Zhekova, let alone see him smile so warmly.
If anyone still dared suggest, they were just friends, they would simply be insulting their intelligence.
However, no one dared to disturb Lyke Zhekova at this moment.
Finally, Peggy finished checking all the files.
After saving them, she stood up to get Abigail Ackehurst and Clara Evans.
After relaxing, her thoughts were not on work anymore.
Only then did she notice the eerie silence in the office.
Chapter 1044: Will it Bring You Trouble?_1 Peggy Lewis was wondering when suddenly she heard a familiar voice: “Finished with your work?”
This surprised Peggy so much that she gasped, instinctively covering her mouth with her hand.
She looked up to see Lyke Zhekova standing in front of her.
Peggy’s eyes widened and it took a few seconds before she could open them again.
Was it possible that she was imagining things?
When she opened her eyes again, Lyke Zhekova was still there.
He lowered his head to look at her, asking with a smile, “Why are you daydreaming?”
Peggy swallowed before she managed to find her voice.
...
“Why are you here?” she asked.
“Didn’t I tell you this morning?
I said I’d come to see you at noon,” Lyke Zhekova responded with a light smile.
The office crowd were all ears.
This was juicy gossip!
So, these two had planned to have lunch together?
Peggy blinked — didn’t Lyke say he would continue their conversation at noon?
Did he mean he would come to see her at noon?
Noticing that several people in the office were eavesdropping on their saucy titbit, Peggy quickly ushered Lyke Zhekova towards the exit.
“Let’s go, then.
What do you feel like eating?”
Not that Lyke Zhekova needed to be pushed out of the room, but he humored Peggy, turning around to gaze at her with a tender smile full of indulgence.
“Have you finished your work?” Lyke Zhekova repeated his question.
Everyone stiffened where they stood.
Lyke’s voice was so doting!
Was this how Lyke usually spoke to Peggy?
If Peggy had claimed that she and Lyke Zhekova were just good friends, nobody in the office would have believed her.
No one would accept such a tender voice being merely friendship, let alone for the sake of a female friend.
“Yes.” Peggy quickly nodded,
and then practically pushed Lyke Zhekova out of the Business Department.
She didn’t dare to look back.
At the moment, she could not bear to see her colleagues’ curious faces.
Besides, she didn’t know how to explain their relationship anymore.
Having finally escaped the Business Department, Peggy quickly apologized, “I’m sorry.
I really didn’t know how to explain our relationship to them.”
“It’s okay.
It’s my fault for showing up unexpectedly,” Lyke replied.
It didn’t matter that he had been pushed out of the Business Department since there were more people outside.
Peggy seemed to have forgotten this detail.
The soft touch of Peggy’s hand on his back, was rather comforting.
Viewing the situation from a different perspective,
she had indeed closed the distance between them, no longer appearing as distant, allowing her to directly push him out of the office.
In the past, Peggy wouldn’t have dared to do this.
This physical closeness made their relationship appear more intimate than ever.
“But when you said you would talk to me at noon, I thought you would just give me a call,” Peggy commented.
“Our offices are not far from each other.
I thought I’d just drop by and also take a chance to see your workplace,” Lyke said.
“I was worried about you after the photo incident this morning.”
“I’m fine,” she said, mentioning that everyone now thought she and Lyke Zhekova were dating, who would dare to mess with her?
Peggy, a little embarrassed, added, “The thing is… everyone misunderstood our relationship…”
Peggy sighed, “I now truly appreciate how hard it is to explain something indescribable.”
“I’ve also put you in such a difficult situation because of all this.” Peggy thought she had never realized before how daring Jacob Zahn could be.
Sending the photo to Rui Shi to mess with her was one thing,
but what on earth was he thinking when he sent the photo to Majestic?
Torturing herself with thoughts back and forth, she couldn’t understand why he would want to mess with Lyke Zhekova.
Or perhaps, Jacob Zahn overestimated himself and thought he could meddle with Lyke Zhekova?
With such petty tricks, did he think he could mess with Love Motivation?
Lyke Zhekova chuckled, “If anything, this situation isn’t hurting me.
I’m more worried about your position at the office.”
“Did your colleagues say anything unpleasant because of the photo?” he asked.
“No.” Finally, Peggy could only brace herself and say, “They just… they just misunderstood that…that you are my boyfriend…”
As she mumbled the last part, Peggy’s voice became barely audible.
Keeping her head down, she failed to notice that they were surrounded by many of their colleagues.
Lyke Zhekova heard it loud and clear.
Although Peggy’s voice was soft, Lyke had good hearing.
But he pretended not to hear and intentionally leaned closer, putting his ear near Peggy’s face, “What did you say?”
His face was so close that it blocked Peggy’s field of vision.
Due to Lyke’s proximity, Peggy’s face turned noticeably warm, as if it were exuding steam.
The smell of cypress wood wafted over from his collar.
Peggy, with her face flushed red, reiterated, “The colleagues in the company, they all thought that you are my boyfriend.”
Upon hearing this, the corners of Lyke’s lips lifted up.
He turned towards her.
His face, which was already very close to hers, now was even closer.
This sudden action startled Peggy, causing her to take a step backward in surprise.
Lyke Zhekova moved quickly, placing his hand at her back to steady her.
“Careful,” he said smiling.
“What’s wrong?”
Could Peggy tell him that his sudden movement had caught her off guard?
Lyke Zhekova straightened up and walked normally beside her, no longer pressing his face uncomfortably close to hers.
After all, many of their colleagues had already seen his playful act.
He had achieved his goal.
This time, he didn’t remove his hand from her back.
He maintained his protective posture.
But from that perspective, they looked even more intimate.
“Does this rumor bother you?” Lyke Zhekova asked Peggy.
If she were truthful, Peggy would admit that the rumor hadn’t really been bothering her.
If anything, thanks to the rumor, no one dared to mess with her at the office.
As for the collateral damage caused by the misunderstanding that prevented possible suitors,
She realized that she hadn’t considered this at all.
After getting to know Lyke Zhekova better and becoming close to him,
she lost interest in dating others.
Who could be as gentlemanly, attentive, and considerate as Lyke Zhekova was?
That’s why she didn’t regret it, even if it meant that no one else pursued her.
In fact, there was a small part of her that was secretly pleased.
Even if she and Lyke Zhekova were impossible,
at least in this way, she got to take advantage of him just a bit.
Even if it was just a misunderstanding, at least her name was once linked to Lyke Zhekova’s.
Peggy knew that she was being a little selfish.
But she couldn’t help it.
She wanted to be selfish this one time.
Even if all of this was just a fleeting dream.
When she wakes up, everything will be gone, and the repercussions could be worse.
What she has now will be lost when she awakes from the dream, and she might even be subjected to more criticism and pointing of fingers.
Chapter 1045: He Still Won’t Tell Me the Truth_1 She had anticipated all of this.
At that time, those who were gossipy and curious might change their tone and start speaking ill of her.
But even so, Peggy Lewis wanted to dive into this dream.
Peggy Lewis stared at Lyke Zhekova blankly.
Lyke had anticipated many reactions from Peggy, but he hadn’t expected this one.
He too seemed surprised when he saw Peggy shook her head and say, “No, but I’m afraid you’ll be troubled.”
“Then I won’t be troubled either,” Lyke Zhekova replied with a smile.
“In that case, there’s no need for us to worry anymore,” Lyke Zhekova said with a smile, “We don’t need to avoid others’ speculations now, right?”
Peggy Lewis was startled.
...
That made sense actually.
Although everyone had misunderstood, they all knew about her and Lyke Zhekova now.
Moreover, Lyke Zhekova came to find her so openly.
Avoiding others’ speculations seemed to carry little significance now.
Lyke Zhekova looked particularly relieved, as if he had finally resolved a pressing issue.
He said, “In that case, can I park the car directly at the company’s entrance when I pick you up this afternoon?”
Peggy Lewis hadn’t thought that such a trivial matter would concern Lyke Zhekova.
“Had you not mentioned it, I would have completely forgotten about this,” Peggy Lewis laughed along, “There’s no need to avoid speculations anymore, so there’s no need to hide.
You can indeed park the car directly at our company’s entrance.”
“Alright, let’s go,” Lyke Zhekova said.
“What do you feel like eating for lunch?”
Given that Lyke Zhekova had come, Peggy Lewis naturally wouldn’t let him go and eat at the company canteen.
Even if they no longer needed to avoid people’s speculations, there was no need to be so conspicuous.
So, they chose a nearby restaurant for lunch.
When lunch break ended and Peggy Lewis returned, everyone who passed her at the company would look at her.
Those who came to their office would also look at her.
But they weren’t as blatant as before.
Although Peggy felt a bit uncomfortable, she could bear it.
When it was time to finish work, Peggy Lewis walked to the company entrance with Abigail Ackehurst and Clara Evans.
There were naturally many people from the company around at the end of work.
There were not many colleagues left for overtime, so the company’s entrance was quite lively.
Everyone usually chatted as they walked towards the subway station.
But today was exceptionally lively.
Thanks to Lyke Zhekova.
Although Peggy had expressed that they didn’t need to avoid speculations, she hadn’t expected Lyke Zhekova’s interpretation of not needing to avoid speculation to be so conspicuous.
He was standing right outside the car waiting.
He didn’t seem to mind the crowd around him that almost surrounded him just to watch.
All the colleagues who came out of the company saw Lyke Zhekova.
As they walked, their gaze fell on him.
Lyke Zhekova seemed unaffected.
The colleagues walking around Peggy saw this and couldn’t help but turn their heads to look at her again.
Abigail Ackehurst and Clara Evans gasped.
They thought Lyke Zhekova’s behavior was impressive.
The two didn’t say anything and just bid goodbye to Peggy.
Under everyone’s gaze, Peggy came to Lyke Zhekova with her hair standing on end.
“Why are you standing outside?” Peggy Lewis asked.
“I was afraid that there were too many people at the company gate and you wouldn’t notice my car,” Lyke Zhekova explained.
Peggy mumbled to herself that since she knew his car, how could she possibly not notice.
Without caring whether Peggy believed his explanation or not, Lyke Zhekova opened the passenger side door: “Get in.”
After ensuring Peggy had got into the car, he went around to the other side to drive the car.
Peggy remembered something, took out her mobile phone, opened Whatsapp and found Cindy Clarke.
“Cindy,” Peggy called, “When you have time, can you teach me some stomach-friendly recipes?
Things like porridge, soup, anything.”
When she thought of stomach-friendly food, porridge and soup came to Peggy’s mind first.
Cindy Clarke responded almost immediately.
She had just brought the little one to the family mansion.
Adrian Zhekova would not return until Friday, which was three days away.
Cindy Clarke decided to move into the family mansion with the little one.
The little one also missed his grandparents.
Since Cindy was at the family mansion, she didn’t need to cook.
Recently, Cindy had plenty of spare time.
Once Peggy sent the message, Cindy saw it right away.
“What, your stomach is upset?” Cindy asked with concern, “Have you been working hard again recently, and not eating regularly?”
Since Peggy lived on her own, if she had a stomach issue, she naturally couldn’t rely on takeout but had to cook some porridge or soup for herself.
Cindy guessed so.
“It’s…
a friend,” Peggy said, “He has a weak stomach, so I thought maybe I could help to improve his digestion.”
It wasn’t Peggy, which reassured Cindy, so she wasn’t in a hurry after all.
If it was Peggy who had a stomach issue, Cindy had planned to go directly to Peggy’s house.
If Peggy was looking after someone else’s stomach issue, it was useless for Cindy to be anxious, right?
However, Cindy still picked up on the critical point.
“Him?” Cindy couldn’t help but flashed a mischievous smile, “A male friend, huh?”
Peggy covered her eyes.
She was always honest with Cindy.
So, while typing just now, she subconsciously went straight to the point and used “he” very sincerely.
Without waiting for Peggy’s reply, Cindy directly placed a call to her.
When Peggy’s phone rang and she saw that it was Cindy’s name, her hand shook a bit.
“Not picking up the call?” Lyke Zhekova asked, tilting his head, just happened to see “Cindy Clarke” on the screen, “It’s from Cindy Clarke.”
Well, Lyke Zhekova saw it.
Peggy had no choice but to answer it, and said, “Why did you directly call me?”
“Hm?” Cindy suddenly sensed something unusual, “Did I call at an inappropriate time?
Is someone there?
Could it be your boyfriend is right there next to you?”
“What boyfriend…” Peggy whispered.
She tilted her head, facing the corner of the car window.
Her hand was still covering her mouth.
She just hoped that Lyke Zhekova couldn’t hear her words.
Peggy felt guilty and looked over at Lyke Zhekova again.
Seeing Lyke Zhekova driving attentively, she wasn’t sure if he had heard or not.
“Oh oh oh, my mistake, it’s a male friend,” Cindy said with a naughty laugh, “Is he there by your side?”
Peggy: “…”
“Peggy, you’re not fair, you’re not even telling me the truth,” Cindy said.
She even had a premonition.
The person next to Peggy, wouldn’t it be Lyke Zhekova?
“It’s him,” Peggy didn’t know how to explain it to Cindy.
Should she just tell her, ‘I’m with your Fourth Uncle?’
The generation gap seemed to be a mess.
“That’s rare.
You find it a hassle to cook for yourself, but you’re actually planning to cook stomach-friendly food for this friend,” Cindy remarked.
Could it be just an ordinary friend?
“This friend helped me a lot,” Peggy said, “I’ve been wondering how to thank him.
Since I learned he has a weak stomach, I thought I could do something within my abilities, starting with these small things.”
Chapter 1046: What’s Meant to Come Will Come_1 Upon hearing this, Cindy Clarke immediately asked, “Have you been in trouble recently?”
Not waiting for Peggy Lewis to answer, Cindy expressed her dissatisfaction: “Why didn’t you tell me when you ran into trouble?
Don’t you consider me a friend anymore?”
Before, she didn’t have the capability, not to mention helping Peggy.
In many instances, it was Peggy who needed to help her instead.
Even though their relationship was good, it didn’t require such nitpicking.
However, Cindy felt that now that she had this ability.
Of course, it’s mainly due to Adrian’s capabilities.
But in any case, if Peggy had any issues, Adrian would surely lend a hand.
...
Yet, she was surprised that Peggy didn’t tell her first when she encountered problems.
She felt somewhat excluded.
“No,” Peggy said softly, “It’s not that I didn’t tell you, I just didn’t have time to tell you yet.”
“Huh?” Cindy immediately understood, “Do you mean that before you had time to tell me, your problem was already solved by your friend?”
“Yes.” Peggy nodded.
“Who is your friend?
Do I know him?” Cindy, out of curiosity, asked.
She had a feeling it was Lyke Zhekova.
“Well…” Now, Peggy was somewhat caught in a bind and unsure how to explain to Cindy.
At this moment, Lyke Zhekova suddenly turned his head and asked, “Is it Cindy?”
Lyke’s voice was not too loud or too soft, just at a normal volume.
So, Peggy had no way to argue that he did it on purpose.
The volume was just right to be heard by Cindy.
“Is that Fourth Uncle?” Cindy’s hearing was excellent.
Peggy: “…”
She highly suspected that Lyke did it on purpose, but she had no evidence.
“Yes.” What’s going to come will eventually come.
After the matter was brought up, Peggy felt more relaxed.
“It’s just that Reish and Majestic were cooperating this time, and before that, I happened to have met with your Fourth Uncle.” Peggy explained.
She scratched her ears and said, “You know, I was competing for the manager’s position with a person in our department, right?”
“Just because of the collaboration with Majestic, we had an unpleasant time.” Peggy continued, “His tactics in securing contracts were not honest, yet he turned the tables and accused me.
He blamed all the things he did on me.”
“Because it involved Majestic, your Fourth Uncle helped me a lot.
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I haven’t even had time to tell you that the problem has already been solved.” Peggy briefly explained.
The specifics, however, were too complicated to explain in a short period.
Lyke, listening by the side, heard Peggy referring to him as “your Fourth Uncle” over and over again.
It made him feel somewhat uncomfortable.
Cindy was surprised by this matter, but her thoughts weren’t sidetracked.
She still remembered the reason why Peggy initially came to see her.
Cindy was quite clear about this.
“So, you specially wanted to learn the stomach-nourishing cuisine from me for my Fourth Uncle, right?” Cindy asked with a smile, her face full of gossip.
Cindy talked to Peggy on the phone, without avoiding the two elders.
If it had been about something else, Cindy would have gone aside to talk.
But when she heard that one of the people involved was actually Lyke Zhekova.
Cindy chose to stay instead.
Moreover, when she mentioned Lyke’s name, both the kid and the Old Madam looked over instantly.
Their eyes were intense.
Both pairs of eyes were radiant, the strong presence attracting attention unavoidably.
Cindy understood their intentions.
She decided not to leave.
“Yes, it is.” Peggy braced herself and confessed.
Lyke Zhekova couldn’t hear what Cindy was saying on the other end.
Therefore, when he heard Peggy admit it, he didn’t find anything special about it.
“Isn’t it a hassle to keep sending food back and forth?” Cindy began with her questioning.
Peggy: “…”
Peggy would never admit that she was currently living at Lyke’s house.
If she did, Cindy would surely steer the conversation in another direction.
“It’s okay, it’s all in the name of sincerity!” Peggy said.
“That’s true.” After some thought, Cindy realised that the more times Peggy sent food, the more they would interact.
Through these back and forth trips, they could become even more familiar with each other.
Cindy said: “Peggy, my Fourth Uncle is a good man.”
Originally, Cindy wouldn’t have casually said this.
At least not in front of the elders.
At most, she would mention it privately to Peggy.
But since the Old Madam clearly expressed that she highly accepted Peggy.
Even wanted to find an opportunity to matchmake.
Then Cindy certainly wouldn’t mind saying it in front of the Old Madam.
As expected, upon hearing Cindy’s words, the Old Madam’s eyes became even brighter.
The Old Madam repeatedly nodded at Cindy, highly approving of Cindy’s evaluation of Lyke.
Lyke Zhekova is quite a good man!
Cindy continued: “Even though he is my Fourth Uncle and the generational gap is somewhat significant, his age isn’t that old, he’s still in his prime.
He’s only 6 years older than Adrian.”
With the turn of the year, Adrian had turned 31.
Time passed by so quickly, it was quite astonishing.
Peggy: “…”
The implications in Cindy’s words made her feel somewhat uneasy.
“Peggy, I don’t have any other intentions, I just want to tell you that there’s no need to feel burdened when interacting with my Fourth Uncle.
Just treat him as an equal.”
Cindy dared not say more.
She hadn’t confirmed with Lyke yet.
She didn’t know what Lyke’s thoughts were, so stirring Peggy’s heart prematurely would do more harm than good.
“You shouldn’t regard him as an elder like me purely because he is my Fourth Uncle.
He’s an elder to me, not to you, so treat each other as equals.” Cindy said.
Treating each other as equals, without the restriction of seniority.
At least Peggy could be more open and not erect a barrier between her and Lyke because of her relationship with Lyke.
Always interacting with Lyke with apprehension and burden makes one unable to truly loosen up.
Initially, she took a step forward, but then withdrew half a step.
“You are my friend, but there is no generational connection between you and my Fourth Uncle.” Cindy reminded her.
“Yeah, I know.” Peggy nodded.
Lyke Zhekova had explained this long ago and had already convinced her.
So now Peggy had been fully persuaded by Lyke Zhekova.
Added with what Cindy said, Peggy was now completely unburdened.
Moreover, she couldn’t help but be attracted to Lyke.
Now it’s impossible to consider him as an uncle based on seniority.
After all, they originally had no familial ties, why out of the blue call him uncle.
The deeper meaning of Cindy’s words was to let Peggy open up her heart.
To regard Lyke as a man of the same generation, and if there were feelings, to be more courageous about it.
But Cindy didn’t dare to say it directly to Peggy.
Fearing it might unnecessarily rouse her feelings.
She could only say this now to help Peggy open up her mind.
As for the rest, she had to let Peggy and Lyke develop freely.
“Alright, I’ll organise the stomach-nourishing recipes now.” Cindy said, “It’s not troublesome at all, I’ll tailor it for you.”
Chapter 1047: Little People, Big Ghosts_1 Cindy Clarke was well aware of Peggy Lewis’s cooking skills.
Thankfully, things like boiling soup and making porridge didn’t require much knife skills.
As long as the ingredients were well paired and one was willing to put in the effort to simmer it slowly over low heat, everything would be fine.
Given the level of Peggy’s concern for Lyke Zhekova, she was certainly patient enough.
After Cindy hung up the phone, she immediately encountered the eager gazes from Old Madam and the little one.
It was so touching that Cindy couldn’t bear to ignore it.
“It’s Peggy,” Cindy admitted openly, “She just asked me for a stomach-nourishing recipe, she wants to nourish Fourth Uncle’s stomach.”
Old Madam’s sitting position on the sofa moved forward significantly.
...
“Oh, they’ve been in contact since the last time they had dinner together?” Old Madam said with a piercing gaze.
The little one was also holding onto Cindy’s arm, “Tell us, tell us quickly.”
Cindy laughed and gently tapped the little one’s nose.
Toylike but thoughtful.
At such a young age, he already knew about adult romance.
“I’m not quite sure about the details, but Fourth Uncle was right next to Peggy just now, so she probably didn’t feel comfortable sharing too much.
She just said that Fourth Uncle has been helping her a lot, and I guess, since Fourth Uncle is able to help her, he must have been spending a lot of time with her.”
“Peggy is an independent and capable individual.
Because of that, she’s normally reluctant to ask others for help, especially from people she is not familiar with.
Her acceptance of Fourth Uncle’s assistance indicates that their relationship has at least become quite intimate.”
Cindy also folded her arms and said with a smile, “I didn’t expect this.
It hasn’t been long, but Fourth Uncle is pretty decisive.”
Cindy pondered while inhaling, “I wonder when Fourth Uncle started visiting Peggy secretly.”
Old Madam clapped her hands in elation, “I can’t believe he’s finally come around at this age.”
“Why would you say that?
Fourth Uncle’s age isn’t that old after all.
Sure, by family-making standards, he might be slightly late.
But age-wise, Fourth Uncle still can be considered in his prime.”
“That’s true,” Old Madam thought to herself, “I hope before long, we’ll be adding an extra chair during our family meals.”
“Oh, I should inform Third Master about this delightful news.” Old Madam started to look for Third Master Zhekova’s number in her mobile phone, “Third Master has had it tough as well, being a grown man and not having much of a social life on his maternal side.
He has had to go through the trouble of playing matchmaker for Lyke himself.
It really was hard on him.”
“I’ll let him know right now to ease his mind,” Old Madam said.
Cindy laughed, “I’ll grab my laptop and compile a list of stomach-nourishing recipes for Peggy.”
Old Madam nodded, completely focused on her call with Third Master Zhekova.
Cindy brought over her laptop when she and the little one came to stay at the family mansion.
She retrieved her laptop and sat down on the floor in the living room, placing it on the coffee table.
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Nowadays, Cindy felt quite at ease in the mansion, as comfortable as she would be in her own home.
Nobody in the mansion would constrain her, they’d let her do as she pleased.
As Cindy was compiling recipes, Old Madam finished her call with Third Master Zhekova and chimed in, “It really is better to have a doting wife by one’s side who cares for him like this.”
“Look at Lyke back in the day, when he had no one by his side.
Who would worry about his weak stomach and take care of it?” Old Madam remarked.
Although family members would care, they didn’t live together and it was never that convenient.
“Now he has Peggy caring for him and improving his health, how warm his life has become,” Old Madam stated.
Cindy compiled the recipes quickly.
While Lyke and Peggy were halfway through their journey, Peggy received the recipes from Cindy.
“Will we pass by a Supermarket during our trip?” Peggy asked Lyke.
“There is a large Supermarket on the way,” Lyke replied straightforwardly this time, “I heard you asking Cindy for recipes earlier, do you want to improve my stomach health?”
“Yes.
Cindy is an expert, following her advice can’t be wrong.
Even if we can’t fully restore your health to its previous state, we can at least protect your stomach from becoming weaker,” Peggy explained.
“Then let’s go buy some ingredients at the supermarket later,” Lyke suggested with a smile.
At the same time Peggy received the recipes from Cindy, she also received a message from her: “What exactly is happening between you and Fourth Uncle?”
Peggy was left speechless: “…”
“Come on, don’t worry about me,” Cindy reassured her, “I’m just curious.”
“I asked Vincent, and Fourth Uncle is not usually very helpful,” Cindy recalled, “And with your personality, you wouldn’t correct him, which shows that you two have a pretty good relationship.
It’s not as simple as having met a couple of times.”
According to Vincent, Fourth Uncle is quite indifferent to almost everything in life.
He’s a bit cold by nature and enjoys quietude.
He used to complain about the girls introduced to him for being noisy,” Cindy revealed, “It now seems that he didn’t find the girls noisy, but rather that he didn’t have feelings for them.”
Peggy, on the other hand, was rather talkative.
“Fourth Uncle…
is he really like that?” Peggy asked in surprise, which was the complete opposite of the Lyke she knew.
Peggy couldn’t help but think of her behaviour after she met Lyke, and found that none of it seemed to match Lyke’s preferences.
She was instantly confused.
But then she saw Cindy’s next message: “He’s not like that by nature.
He’s like that to outsiders.
Towards his family, and those close to him, he’s completely the opposite.”
Peggy: “…”
Was it like that?
Peggy couldn’t help but glance at Lyke, who was driving by her side.
For people close to him, he would act the complete opposite.
Peggy thought, she and Lyke were indeed quite close.
After all, she had moved into his house.
“Fourth Uncle is helping you this much.
I reckon he must think quite highly of you,” Cindy commented, “This shows that he considers you as his own.”
Any more, and Cindy felt it would be inappropriate to say.
She concluded, “If there’s anything you want to know about Fourth Uncle, and you feel shy to ask him directly, you can ask me and I’ll help you ask Vincent.”
That way, she could conveniently find out about Peggy’s thoughts as well.
Cindy felt she was too brilliant.
On one side, Cindy was chatting with Peggy.
Lyke received a call from his father.
“Lyke, I heard from your Fourth Aunt that you have a girlfriend now?” Third Master Zhekova asked straight away.
Well then!
If Old Madam had heard this, she would definitely shout that she had been wronged.
What she told Third Master Zhekova was obviously that Lyke seemed to have a girl he was rather close with recently.
However, once it got to Third Master Zhekova, it somehow turned into a girlfriend.
Thankfully, Lyke was using his bluetooth earphones.
Chapter 1048: Did Adrian Zhekova Consult the Old Madam When He Became Single Again?_1 Peggy Lewis didn’t hear it.
“I would like to, but not really yet,” Lyke Zhekova dodged the question, which pretty much amounted to admitting it.
Truly, Third Old Master Zhekova never expected Lyke to agree so readily.
He really thought Lyke was going to deny it and then explain.
This unexpected answer left Third Old Master Zhekova stunned, unable to utter a word for a good minute.
Third Old Master Zhekova then asked, “So it’s true?”
Third Old Master Zhekova was indeed excited.
Lyke quickly glanced at Peggy Lewis.
...
With Peggy right in front of him, he didn’t dare to be too direct.
He simply said, “I’m working on it, and hope it will indeed happen soon.”
Third Old Master Zhekova just laughed: “What’s the matter?
The girl is here, it is inconvenient for you to talk?”
“Yes,” He didn’t want to scare her away by being too explicit, “I will talk to you about it later.”
“Alright,” said Third Old Master Zhekova, “But make sure you act quickly.
Even if she’s not your girlfriend yet, bring her over for a meal, so I can meet her.”.
Third Old Master Zhekova trusts Lyke’s judgment.
Being so picky as he is, he wouldn’t easily be fooled by anyone.
Both sly, no one can trick the other.
That Lyke took so long to find someone he likes speaks volumes about his criteria and standards.
Even though he never openly said it, he has a clear standard in his heart, just like a ruler.
So, Third Old Master Zhekova is not looking to scrutinize Lyke’s choice.
He simply wanted to see out of curiosity, what kind of girl Lyke likes.
Last time at the Major Cooking Competition, Third Old Master Zhekova couldn’t attend the finals because of his poor mobility.
As such, he didn’t meet Peggy Lewis when she visited the family mansion.
Old Madam seemed to have met her though.
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And she even spoke highly of the girl.
This made Third Old Master Zhekova even more eager to meet her.
“Alright, then I’ll find a time,” Lyke agreed.
He certainly planned to bring Peggy Lewis home to meet the family.
But right now, he couldn’t speak openly about it.
Even though Third Old Master Zhekova could hardly wait to see Lyke bring Peggy home immediately, he wasn’t expecting so at this time.
It was already enough for him that Lyke agreed directly.
“Great, then.” Third Old Master Zhekova was quite pleased, and he ended the call cheerfully.
Not long after, Old Madam called.
Lyke Zhekova: “…”
“Aunt,” Lyke said helplessly.
“Lyke, are you still on the road, not having dinner yet?” asked Old Madam.
“Yes, still on the road,” Lyke confirmed.
Peggy Lewis, sitting nearby, didn’t dare to make a sound.
She also began to sense that something was not right.
How come after taking a call from Cindy, Lyke received two consecutive calls from family elders?
Did they perhaps misunderstand something?
“Since you haven’t eaten, then you should come and join us for dinner.
Cindy is also here.
It’s been a while since Peggy and Cindy have met, right?
This could be a good opportunity for them to catch up,” Old Madam suggested.
She also wanted to let Cindy find out about the progress of Peggy and Lyke’s relationship.
Old Madam had everything planned perfectly.
But then Lyke replied, “Peggy just mentioned she wanted to go to the supermarket to buy ingredients and make soup for me.
So, we won’t be coming, we’ll visit another day.”
Given Old Madam’s eagerness, he was afraid that she wouldn’t be able to refrain from asking too much and reveal too much if Peggy came over tonight.
Just from Old Madam directly calling Third Old Master Zhekova, Lyke could tell that Cindy must have asked many questions on the phone.
Even if Peggy didn’t confess, Cindy had probably guessed a lot.
Why else would Old Madam know so much?
It must have all come from Cindy.
If they went over now and let Cindy ask more questions…
Even if Old Madam remained discreet, Cindy could easily spill the beans.
However, Old Madam’s ability to gather intel was extremely high.
Even when Lyke tried to be cautious, Old Madam was still able to detect a clue from his words.
She excitedly asked, “Huh?
She’s making soup for you?
Is Peggy in your car right now?
So, you two are going to buy things together from the supermarket?”
“If you’re going to buy food together, then you must be having dinner together, right?
And Peggy will do the cooking?
So that means you’ll have dinner at home,” Old Madam reasoned, breaking it down one by one.
Starting with the soup, each of her step went deeper and deeper.
Despite Lyke not explicitly saying anything, it was Old Madam who extended it to such a length.
“So, are you going to have dinner at her place, or your place?” Old Madam inquired further.
Lyke Zhekova: “…”
Talking to Old Madam was proving to be much more exhausting than talking to his father.
Lyke sighed and said, “We’re going to eat at my place.”
“Oh, it’s already seven o’clock!
By the time you get home and sort things out, it’ll be past eight.
Making soup is a slow-cooking process,” Old Madam noted, “It will take at least an hour.”
“Cindy told me that she gave Peggy those recipes, and the best way to make soup is to simmer it for two to three hours.
Keeping it on low heat so that all the nutrients slowly seep out from the ingredients into the soup.
Are you planning on having dinner at midnight?” Old Madam said with a grin, “Is Peggy planning to stay at your place till midnight, or are you staying at her place till midnight?”
Lyke Zhekova: “…”
Old Madam was proving to be quite a handful!
Now that Old Madam was aware of what was going on, she, of course, wouldn’t invite them over for dinner anymore.
It would be bad if she disrupted Lyke’s time with Peggy because of this.
“Alright, we won’t ask you to come then,” Old Madam decided, “You and Peggy spent time together nicely.
If you go to her place, try and stay there.
If she comes to your place, try and keep her there.”
Lyke Zhekova: “…”
“Of course, even if she stays, you can’t take advantage of young Peggy,” Old Madam reminded.
“Am I that kind of person?” Lyke asked, sounding tired.
“Who knows with you?
After being single for so long and finally finding someone you’re fond of, it’s easy to lose control,” Old Madam suggested.
“Haven’t you heard the saying?
If you’re careful while you’re single, you’ll go wild once you’re dating,” Old Madam said.
Lyke Zhekova: “…”
“I’ve never heard of it,” Lyke grimaced.
It felt like Old Master’s coffin lid was about to burst open.
“Of course, I’m not saying you shouldn’t do anything.
It’s okay to tease her a bit.
But only moderately,” Old Madam clarified.
Lyke Zhekova: “…”
Has Adrian Zhekova hired Old Madam as his dating consultant for when he stops being single?
Chapter 1049: See How She Will Deal With Him When He Comes Back_1 “Don’t worry.” Lyke Zhekova said with difficulty, “I know my limits.”
After all, not to mention anything else, Peggy Lewis is Cindy Clarke’s best friend.
He wouldn’t dare to act recklessly.
Although the Old Madam gave more instructions than usual.
But essentially, she trusts Lyke Zhekova very much.
“Alright.” The Old Madam said, “Today is a rare opportunity, so I won’t insist on you bringing Peggy to dinner.”
“But in a few days, you must bring her home for a visit.” The Old Madam said, “She deserves a proper introduction.”
Lyke Zhekova: “…”
How did it come to giving titles so soon?
He hasn’t even won her over yet.
“You two are already close, you should bring her home to meet the family to give her some peace of mind.” The Old Madam said, “Perfect, I can subtly hint that we all like her very much.”
“Regardless of whatever generation differences, let her be at ease and get along with you.” The Old Madam said.
...
Upon hearing this, Lyke thought it was indeed a good idea.
“Alright.” Lyke agreed heartily.
“I think you shouldn’t delay it too long, pick a day this weekend and bring her home.” The Old Madam said.
The Old Madam’s decisiveness took Lyke aback.
“Alright.” Lyke agreed once more.
“At that time, let your father come too.” The Old Madam said, “I just called your father.”
“I know, we just finished talking before you called.” Lyke said.
“That’s perfect, your father said he wanted to meet Peggy.
Imagine how awkward it would be if you brought her home and you two just sit there staring at each other.
Does your father know how to chat with a young lady?” The Old Madam said.
Lyke Zhekova: “…”
He really didn’t know.
“So, let’s all get together.
It will be livelier and less awkward.” The Old Madam said, “That’s settled then, I’m hanging up now.”
After saying this, without waiting for Lyke to bid goodbye, the Old Madam hung up on him, as if afraid that he would refuse.
After the Old Madam hung up, she let out a sigh of relief and said to Cindy Clarke: “As long as I hang up quickly, Lyke won’t be able to refuse me!”
Cindy Clarke: “…”
The Old Master chuckled, it was unclear whether he truly thought it was amusing: “You are indeed clever.”
After hanging up the phone, Lyke took the initiative to tell Peggy Lewis, “That was the Old Madam’s call just now, she probably heard from Cindy Clarke that we were together and wanted to invite us home for dinner.”
Lyke was very satisfied with what he said.
The way he said it made it sound like they were a couple going to dinner at their parents’ home.
“But you mentioned making soup for me, right?
So the Old Madam told us to go over this weekend instead.” Lyke said.
Peggy Lewis: “…”
“I was just thinking of picking up the ingredients from the supermarket on the way, it would be too late to make the soup tonight.” Peggy originally planned to wake up early in the morning to make the soup.
She thought of making porridge in the morning for Lyke.
To wake up early in the morning to make soup, and let Lyke take it to the company.
That way, no matter what he ate at noon, even if he ate something hurriedly because of work, at least he would have soup as a base.
Lyke purposely asked: “Shall we then go to the family mansion now?”
“There’s no need.” Peggy was frightened.
Even though she was friends with Lyke, going to his parents’ house for a meal was a bit of an exaggeration.
Saying so, Lyke drove into the supermarket parking lot.
Both of them entered the supermarket from the entrance of the parking lot.
Peggy held her mobile phone, cross-referencing and purchasing the ingredients on the checklist sent by Cindy Clarke.
Once purchased, she would mark it on her phone.
Lyke was tagging along, neither of them knew what to buy, so they strictly followed the checklist.
***
After talking with Peggy, Cindy Clarke began to miss Adrian Zhekova.
Peggy was now inseparable from Lyke.
Tonight’s phone call made her really miss Adrian.
She didn’t know when he would be back.
Fearing of disturbing Adrian, at this time, it should be daytime on his side.
During the daytime, he must be dealing with matters.
So, Cindy Clarke only sent a WhatsApp message: “When are you coming back?”
However, she didn’t receive any reply from Adrian.
Cindy Clarke thought, Adrian must be busy.
She just didn’t know how busy he had to be to not reply for this long.
Adrian Zhekova has been dealing with a time difference these past few days.
But as long as it wasn’t during his sleeping hours, his reply time definitely would not exceed half an hour.
Today was the longest.
After putting the little guy to sleep, Cindy returned to her own courtyard next door.
Previously when she was living with the little guy in her own house, she felt the house was too empty.
Once Adrian left, the house suddenly became especially empty.
Even with the little guy around, Cindy felt it was a bit too quiet.
Although Adrian was only one more person at home, the difference was quite significant.
After Cindy moved the little guy to live in the family mansion, it felt much better.
Being lively with everybody, she felt accustomed again.
Thinking about this, Cindy chuckled.
Previously when she had been living alone with the little guy, she never felt lonely.
Having Adrian in her life, after getting used to it, she can’t do without him anymore.
Even if Adrian was just on a business trip, she felt uncomfortable.
So, getting used to something is indeed scary.
After moving to the family mansion, with all the liveliness, Cindy felt much better.
It’s just that she started missing Adrian again tonight because of Peggy’s influence.
After putting the little guy to sleep, she returned to her own courtyard and remembered how every time she came to the mansion, Adrian was always there with her.
Now being the only one living in the courtyard, it felt particularly empty.
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After freshening up, Cindy lay on the bed and took another look at her phone.
Still no reply.
It has been more than two hours already.
She let out a sigh, wondering what Adrian was busy with.
Cindy Clarke irritably clicked on Adrian’s Whatsapp profile picture: “You’ve been out on business for a few days and you’ve forgotten about your wife!”
Just wait till he gets back, she’ll show him.
Because she was worried, Cindy couldn’t fall asleep for a while and decided to get a bottle of red wine from the wine cabinet, pouring herself a small glass.
Didn’t people say that red wine helps you sleep?
She needed to try that now.
Unexpectedly, it was indeed quite effective.
She drank while watching a video.
Not too long after finishing her drink, she fell asleep while watching her video.
The video ended, the iPad screen went black, and she had no idea.
She certainly didn’t know that Adrian had just landed.
Adrian came back two days earlier than planned.
He intentionally didn’t tell Cindy in order to surprise her.
When Cindy sent him a message, he was still on the plane, that’s why he didn’t receive it.
Chapter 1050: Don’t Deserve to Know the Family Password_1 As soon as the plane landed and stabilized, Adrian Zhekova quickly connected his mobile phone to the internet.
He then saw the message Cindy Clarke had sent.
Adrian chuckled as he read the message on his phone screen.
During their previous chats, Cindy never asked him when he would be back.
Adrian thought that Cindy didn’t miss him.
He even considered if his absence was too infrequent and short.
If he spent too much time at home, maybe his time away did not mean as much to Cindy.
...
Perhaps she was even experiencing aesthetic fatigue from seeing him too often, leading to his recent prolonged period away on a business trip.
Yet, Cindy showed no reaction to this.
Due to the time difference, their usual chats could not be as quick as before, where they could respond to one another almost immediately.
Often when she asked something, it would take him some time to see and respond.
In situations like this, having a normal conversation was impossible.
They could only leave messages for each other and reply when they had the chance.
Both of them did this.
During this time, Cindy didn’t express her longing for him.
Adrian even stroked his chin, guessing if their relationship had quickly transitioned to a routine, old-couple kind of relationship.
Adrian took several selfies, using the original camera app.
Looking at those selfies, he felt he was still as handsome as ever, with no drop in his attractiveness.
However, he didn’t dare to send the selfies to Cindy.
What if she was indeed tiring of him?
Seeing his photos might make her miss him even less.
Adrian had been spending all his time wrestling wits with foreigners, and the rest of his time pondering these things.
Unexpectedly, he saw the message after landing.
Turns out, Cindy really missed him.
She must have missed him but refrained from saying it.
Looking at Cindy’s message, Adrian beamed happily.
Since it was the middle of the night when he returned, combined with jet lag, and the fatigue of being on an airplane for ten hours, everyone, regardless of being in the first class or economy class, wore an exhausted look.
Sleep on an airplane, even when possible, was uncomfortable.
Now everyone was in a rush, just wanting to go home or to the hotel to rest as soon as possible.
No one paid much attention to others.
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“CEO,” greeted Cleave Roland as he saw Adrian, hastily relieving Adrian of his luggage and leading him to the parking lot.
Adrian didn’t reply to Cindy’s message because he intended to surprise her.
However, on his way, he kept his eyes on the message Cindy sent, lest he misses anything.
Luckily, there weren’t many cars or people on the road at midnight.
The traffic lights didn’t change frequently.
So, he reached the family mansion in fifty minutes.
Cleave Roland quietly took the luggage out from the trunk.
“You can leave now.
Come pick me up early tomorrow,” Adrian said.
“Okay.” So, Cleave Roland left in Adrian’s car.
Adrian, standing at the doorway, keyed in the passcode for the door.
Old Madam used to withhold the passcode from him, feeling that he didn’t deserve to have it.
Her exact words were: “Unmarried, you’re not entitled to know the house passcode.”
After getting married, Old Master and Old Madam hoped that the young couple could visit often and ideally spend more time living at the family mansion.
Therefore, out of a fondness that extended to their habitat, they gave Adrian and Cindy the house passcode.
Now, Adrian could enter the family mansion without ringing the doorbell.
Everyone was asleep in the mansion during the night.
Quietly, Adrian entered, dragging his suitcase.
The family mansion, being an ancient house, looked rather creepy at night.
Especially since all the lights were off.
The moonlight was shining on the courtyard rockery, projecting distorted shadows on the ground, making it seem even more eerie.
Adrian, however, was used to it since childhood.
Moreover, the mansion had been specifically blessed by the Xero family.
Though nothing was visible on the surface,
there was a strong positive energy inside.
Therefore, even though some of the projected images appeared scary,
he didn’t actually feel frightened.
Walking inside felt peaceful.
This was the power that the Xero family created.
It didn’t take long for Adrian to reach the courtyard where he and Cindy stayed.
Without asking, he knew that Cindy would be there.
Their little one was living next door, connected to their courtyard by a Crescant Gate, for easy access.
Despite this, Adrian didn’t intend to see his son first.
Even though he had been away for so many days and missed the kid sometimes,
the first person he wanted to see was definitely Cindy.
Adrian left his suitcase in the outer room.
He was afraid that dragging it inside might wake Cindy.
Even though he would be waking her up in a moment anyway.
Adrian cautiously made his way into the room in the dark.
It was summer now and the night air was cool, so Cindy didn’t turn on the air conditioner.
Always having the air conditioner on wasn’t ideal.
Not caring about the electricity costs,
she felt that extensive air conditioner usage was bad for health in the long run and harmful to the environment too.
So, on cool nights, Cindy simply slept with the windows opened.
The tall and wide mosquito net was hung over the bed, allowing chill breeze to blow in from outside.
You could hear the chirping of cicadas outside the window, and the rustle of leaves in the wind.
This was the type of summer night that Cindy liked.
It was something one couldn’t experience when holed up in a room with the air conditioner on.
This gave Adrian the convenience of seeing Cindy under the moonlight as soon as he entered.
Through the mosquito net, he could only see Cindy’s silhouette.
In the daytime, he would definitely be able to see her face clearly.
But because of the lighting now, he couldn’t see clearly.
Adrian carefully lifted a bit of the mosquito net, just enough for him to crawl in.
Once inside, he quickly closed the mosquito net again.
Then, he leaned on his arm and lay by Cindy’s side, silently watching her.
After being away for so many days, he felt extremely satisfied just quietly watching her like this.
People are usually sensitive to somebody continuously watching them while they’re sleeping.
Cindy started feeling this and opened her eyes.
Cindy was sleeping facing the window, her back to Adrian.
Feeling something strange behind her, she turned to look.
But as she had just woken from sleep, her vision was not as clear as Adrian’s.
She could only see an additional silhouette next to her.
She got scared and was about to scream out loud.
Cindy never worried about the security of the family mansion.
Retired secret guards from the Lanarn Training Ground were guarding the family mansion.
It was safer here than anywhere else.
However, the sudden appearance of a person next to her bed was instinctively frightening.
Adrian quickly covered Cindy’s mouth: “Cindy, it’s me.”
Hearing Adrian’s voice, Cindy immediately calmed down.
Now that she was fully awake, sensing the familiar smell of Adrian, she was confirms.