Back at the Cen Family Villa

Cen Muxiao had never expected Secretary Wu to take until the latter half of the night just to pick someone up. By the time their car returned, the sky was already beginning to lighten.

And he had actually spent the entire night lying in bed without closing his eyes!

He must have been possessed to wait for a stranger to come home!

What annoyed him even more was that Secretary Wu's phone had been switched off at a time like this. What was going on?

Normally, Secretary Wu would report everything to him, especially when he knew Cen Muxiao would be angry!

How had his chief secretary started neglecting his duties the moment Guo Lantai got involved?

Annoyed as he was, Cen Muxiao still got up and went downstairs to take a look. Just in time, he saw Guo Lantai stuffing an armful of things into the hands of Uncle Meng, the butler who had come to greet him.

"I ordered a little too much. It'd be a shame to throw it away, so I packed it up. You can deal with it however you like!"

Guo Lantai sounded cheerful. Clearly, he had thoroughly enjoyed his late-night meal.

"Alright."

Uncle Meng's lips twitched as he looked at the pile of grilled skewers in his hands. This new madam had spent the night away from home just to eat barbecue. He was even rather frugal, not wasting food.

But how could a wealthy family like theirs possibly eat food from roadside stalls? It was unhygienic and lacked class!

Young Master Guo was a second-generation rich kid, at any rate. How could he have such tastes?

He responded politely, keeping his contempt to himself. When he saw their young master come downstairs, he gave a slight nod and withdrew.

After setting down Guo Lantai's suitcase, the anxious Wu Tong walked straight over to Cen Muxiao.

"President Cen!"

"What happened?"

Wu Tong understood the rebuke behind those two words. Why had they returned at this hour? Why had he not called to report in, and even turned off his phone?

"Mr. Guo said he was hungry and insisted on going out for a late-night meal. When I was paying, a drunk accidentally knocked my phone flying, and it broke when it hit the ground, so..."

Wu Tong raised his eyes to glance at President Cen, cautiously studying his expression. There was no need for him to explain any further, was there?

He had spent money and lost a phone, and when he tried to reason with the drunk, he had nearly been beaten up. When had the president's secretary of Cen Group ever been put in such an aggrieved position?

Cen Muxiao raised a brow. "Late-night food? At a roadside stall?"

"Yes, at South City Night Market. Mr. Guo said the roadside stalls there stayed open all night and tasted good."

Wu Tong looked troubled as he continued explaining. "I tried to persuade him, but he wouldn't listen. He said he had slept too much in the VIP lounge and wouldn't be able to sleep when he got back anyway, so he might as well satisfy his craving!"

Cen Muxiao glanced at Guo Lantai from the corner of his eye and snorted inwardly. This man really did have a good attitude. He had been told to stay put and sleep, yet after being left behind, he still had the mood to go stuff himself.

From the wedding hotel to South City Night Market meant crossing more than half the city, then returning all the way to the villa. The round trip alone took nearly two hours. All for a bite to eat—he really knew how to make trouble.

He certainly knew how to order Cen Muxiao's secretary around!

Just as Guo Lantai was about to pull his suitcase upstairs, he saw the two of them whispering together. Wu Tong looked as though he was about to cry, while Cen Muxiao was shooting him strange looks.

"Sir, I was the one who insisted on dragging him out with me. He wanted to use my phone to report to you, but I stopped him. It was the middle of the night, after all. I didn't want to disturb your sweet dreams!"

He raised his voice to explain on Wu Tong's behalf. The man had at least stayed up with him for half the night—his performance had been far better than that big jerk's.

Cen Muxiao was the one who had abandoned him, yet Guo Lantai had not even voiced his dissatisfaction. Why was Cen Muxiao the one getting upset first?

Still, why had this man come out at this hour? Had he not slept all night, or had Guo Lantai woken him up and he had come out specifically to vent his temper?

Oh my, he wasn't worried that Guo Lantai was making too much noise and disturbing Song Anning's rest, was he?

Tsk, tsk! How thoughtful of him!

Wu Tong had no idea what Guo Lantai was thinking. At his words, gratitude flashed through his eyes, though it vanished in an instant. Wasn't his current state all thanks to Guo Lantai? It was only right that Guo Lantai say something for him.

"Excuse me, where is my room?"

Guo Lantai stretched lazily and picked up his suitcase again. Since Song Anning was here, his room was probably not in any good location.

Cen Muxiao certainly would not let him stay in his own bedroom, much less tolerate Guo Lantai appearing before him whenever he pleased!

Cen Muxiao said nothing. Instead, he looked at Wu Tong. "You're done here. Go back."

Wu Tong felt as though a huge weight had been lifted from him. He turned to leave, but then remembered something and quickly stopped.

He then took a USB drive from his bag, handed it to President Cen, and lowered his voice. "President Cen, this contains the interview materials I copied from Cindy. Once you've looked through it, I'll reply to her. I'll be leaving now!"

"Mm."

Cen Muxiao took the USB drive and turned away. The moment he looked up, he saw Guo Lantai struggling to drag his suitcase upstairs, his slender frame looking especially stubborn.

Sharp-tongued, but physically weak!

But he quickly frowned. The clattering was far too loud. Song Anning was already unwell and had gone to bed late. If he was awakened, he would probably have a hard time falling asleep again.

"I'll help you!"

As he spoke, he strode after him, took the suitcase directly from Guo Lantai's hand without allowing any argument, and passed him on the way to the second floor.

Yet he paused only briefly at the top of the second-floor stairs before turning and continuing up to the third floor.

Guo Lantai stopped moving.

He turned to look over the second-floor layout. With the living room and all the doors, there were clearly several rooms in sight. Was Cen Muxiao sending him off to the third floor?

"Why did you stop?"

Cen Muxiao looked back at him from above.

"Your bedroom is on the second floor, right?"

Guo Lantai's sharp eyes fixed on a door to the left of the second-floor living room.

"We sleep separately."

Cen Muxiao shattered his illusion outright.

"That room is the guest bedroom, isn't it?"

Guo Lantai shifted his gaze to the door opposite the master bedroom. Though he had already guessed that someone was staying in it, he still pointed it out.

Let's see whether this big jerk felt guilty!

At his question, Cen Muxiao's breathing stalled. He quickly adjusted his tone and looked at Guo Lantai with a serious expression. "I'm sure you already know that Song Anning will be staying here for a while. He has allergies, and that room was specially prepared for him. Don't set your sights on it!"

Seeing Guo Lantai about to turn his attention to the other two rooms, he hurriedly added, "The remaining rooms are my study and reception room. They aren't suitable for living in."

Fine! He was not leaving him even the slightest hope!

"I see!"

Guo Lantai wore an expression of realization, then looked up at Cen Muxiao. "I thought Mrs. Cen's room should be closest to Mr. Cen's room, and that it should have been prepared long ago. Looks like I misunderstood. Oh, then this room on the third floor wasn't cleaned up at the last minute, was it? Will I be the only one up there?"

Cen Muxiao's eyes shifted slightly. Guo Lantai had hit the mark exactly!

Actually, if Song Anning had not returned, he would not have minded letting Guo Lantai stay in that guest room. Deep down, he believed Guo Lantai would not remain in his home for long anyway!

However, Song Anning had suddenly returned, so the plan naturally had to change. There was no longer room for Guo Lantai on the second floor; only one bedroom on the third floor was available.

"The rooms are all the same. Are you being picky?"

What right did you have to be picky?

Cen Muxiao's voice inevitably turned cold. His villa was not as spacious as the Cen Family Estate. The butler and servants lived in a smaller building behind the villa. Usually, when he lived here alone, he had never found the place lacking in space, but now it had suddenly become full.

But Guo Lantai gave a soft laugh, then said mysteriously, "Not exactly. I'm rather sensitive myself, especially when it comes to attics or top floors. Staying there alone always gives me the creeps!"

"What tricks are you playing now?"

"How is that playing tricks? I just think you have such strong masculine energy that you should be able to suppress those things. You're sincerely invited to come up and sit with me whenever you have the time." Guo Lantai folded his arms and looked at him with complete sincerity.

"Suppress what?"

Guo Lantai said meaningfully, "Sadako, Kayako, and fox spirits, things like that!"

"That's enough! No matter how heavy the yin energy is, it won't matter. Don't forget, you're also a... man!"

Cen Muxiao cut him off coldly, then picked up the suitcase and turned away. Yet he could not help complaining inwardly. This man's train of thought was truly bizarre—he could even use ghosts as an excuse to make something of it.

Looks like it was right to arrange for him to stay on the top floor. Otherwise, who knew what trouble he might stir up!