Chapter 203: What Did Seawater Do to Make You Despise It So Much?

As for Lu Shijing, the moment he got in his car, he sent a message to Gu Shengsheng: "Dinner’s ready. Come over to my place in an hour to eat and talk business."

"Okay." Gu Shengsheng replied instantly.

Lu Shijing: "..." ’Didn’t she notice how stiff my tone was? That I’m angry?’

He had only just prepped half the meal when Jin Ran came rushing over to tell him that Gu Shengsheng was at their family’s hotel, having dinner with some pretty boy, and that there was a situation!

Lu Shijing had rushed over in a panic, only to find them already gone.

Now he was back, scowling as he continued to cook. His face was emotionless, but inside, he was brimming with resentment.

’The Sea View Restaurant... drinking, eating... listening to a violin. She’s never been to such a romantic place with me.’

’And that Zhao Han... He’s completely worthless!’

The angrier he got, the harder he chopped, digging a gouge into the cutting board with his cleaver.

Just then, Gu Shengsheng rang the doorbell. "Mr. Ryan?"

"Come in." Lu Shijing went to open the door. He saw the small pastries in her hand but said nothing.

The main issue was that, in Gu Shengsheng’s eyes, Mr. Ryan always wore that same deadpan expression. There was no difference.

So she had absolutely no idea he was angry.

Spotting the salted egg yolk pastries on the table, she said, "Those smell amazing!"

Lu Shijing walked over and placed the pastries next to her. Gu Shengsheng assumed they were for her, and a "thank you" was already on the tip of her tongue.

But then Lu Shijing stated bluntly, "They’re not for you. I assume you’re not hungry, Miss Gu?"

’The nerve of her! She clearly made plans to eat with me, yet she still went out to eat with that Zhao Han.’

Gu Shengsheng: "...I’m a little hungry."

The more Lu Shijing thought about it, the more he felt wronged, and the angrier he became.

Afterward, Gu Shengsheng helped him bring the dishes from the kitchen. Lu Shijing remained completely silent.

"You’ve been busy these past two days, Miss Gu. You came straight here for dinner right after getting back from being out."

"Did you already eat while you were out?" As he asked, he stared at her, his heart sour with jealousy.

Gu Shengsheng, however, wasn’t paying attention to such details. "Yes, I had a little, but I can still eat more. Besides, the main reason I’m here with you, Mr. Ryan, is to discuss business."

"Didn’t you invite me over?"

"..." Lu Shijing was at a loss for words, not knowing what to say.

"Let’s eat first," he said.

He then picked up his bowl and chopsticks but didn’t eat. Gu Shengsheng, on the other hand, knew what a good cook he was, so she boldly grabbed a large piece of stir-fried pork.

The moment it touched her tongue, her teeth recoiled from an overwhelming sourness, and she spat it out immediately.

Afraid of hurting his feelings, Gu Shengsheng said, "Maybe your skill just slipped a little with this dish. It tastes a bit sour."

Lu Shijing, however, put down his chopsticks and said, "Yes, the fresh pork wasn’t any good. There was something wrong with it from the start. How could it possibly taste good once cooked?"

"Even with all the skill in the world, I couldn’t have made that dish taste good. Sure, some young cuts of meat might be fresh, but they’re not suitable. And they lack substance compared to other dishes that might seem plain but develop more flavor over time."

Gu Shengsheng: "..."

’Did Mr. Ryan take the wrong medicine?’ She found his comments utterly baffling.

’He’s talking about a piece of pork like it’s a person...’

Gu Shengsheng ignored his rambling and decided to try the shrimp, which looked delicious.

She picked up a piece with her chopsticks. This time, it was excellent.

She ate several more pieces at once, then praised him, "See? I knew it. Your skills just slipped for a moment there. Overall, this is delicious."

Lu Shijing gazed out the window and said, "Freshwater shrimp is naturally delicious. Seawater, on the other hand, is no good. There’s nothing great about looking at a sea view anyway. It’s cold and dull. It’s all for show with no real substance. The seafood in it is much better."

Gu Shengsheng: "...What did the sea ever do to you?"

"Nothing. I just haven’t been fond of sea-view-related hotels and restaurants lately. What’s so great about places like that?" he said.

As the tension in the air grew thicker, how could Gu Shengsheng not understand what was going on?

She looked at him. "You know I went to the Sea View Restaurant for dinner?"

"Yes." Lu Shijing didn’t bother hiding it.

Gu Shengsheng finally understood. His strange, malicious rant just now wasn’t about the sea or the stir-fried pork—it was about Zhao Han.

Lu Shijing added, "That Zhao Han isn’t right for you. He’s too much of a player and too young. And his family has a whole host of complicated problems."

Gu Shengsheng: "...Where is your mind going? I asked him for a favor, so it was only right to treat him to a meal. Besides, the one he likes is my younger sister."

"Lu Linlin?" Lu Shijing’s face was a mixture of disgust and surprise.

Gu Shengsheng nodded. "Is there a problem?"

"No." Suddenly, a huge weight was lifted from his shoulders, and his mood improved considerably.

He continued, "This meal wasn’t very good. I’ll cook for you again next time."

"You can have the salted egg yolk pastries for now."

Gu Shengsheng retorted, "Didn’t you just say they had nothing to do with me?"

Lu Shijing: "..."

She found it strangely amusing. She was finally starting to understand that Lu Shijing was a very contrary person.

She ate as she asked, "So what was it you wanted to talk to me about?"

Lu Shijing decided not to confess now. He was already on the verge of being kicked out of the running; if he confessed now, it would probably cause a huge disaster.

He asked tentatively, "If someone told you a very well-intentioned lie, would you forgive them?"

"That would depend on what the lie was about,"

Gu Shengsheng said.

She then asked with feigned nonchalance, "Is there something you need to explain to me?"

"No," Lu Shijing replied crisply.

Gu Shengsheng: "..." ’Not confessing? Fine, I’ll just investigate it myself.’

’Knowing Zhao Han, I’m sure I’ll have an answer by tomorrow or the morning after.’

Lu Shijing said, "There’s a press conference the morning after tomorrow. For the acquisition of the Lu Family. Will you be there?"

Gu Shengsheng had already received his invitation, so she didn’t think it was a big deal. "I’ll go," she said.

Hearing that, he breathed a sigh of relief. ’Then I’ll just sort everything out the morning after tomorrow.’

Perhaps because his speech was halting and hesitant, or perhaps because she was simply exhausted, Gu Shengsheng fell asleep in her chair while looking at her phone.

Lu Shijing watched her sleep for a long while before gathering her into his arms, quietly opening his door, and carrying her next door.

With practiced ease, he unlocked her door with his fingerprint, went inside, and laid her down in the master bedroom. He sighed, brushing a stray hair from her face. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Shengsheng..."

Gazing at her sleeping face, he gently placed a kiss on her forehead.

Lu Shijing rose quietly and walked to the door. He turned back for a few last glances before finally closing the door and leaving.

At that moment, Gu Shengsheng’s eyelashes trembled, and she opened her eyes.

A blush quickly spread across her cheeks, and she could feel her own heart pounding.

Gu Shengsheng had woken up the moment he’d carried her inside, but wanting to learn more, she had pretended to be asleep.

She hadn’t expected him to actually come in, let alone be able to unlock her door with his fingerprint.