Contract Marriage: Emperor CEO's Secretary Wife

Xiu Mei had a long heart-to-heart conversation—wherein Lu Qiang mostly did the talking—with her son regarding his studies. Her initial plan was to enroll him in school and then she and Lu Chen would drop him off and pick him up every day. But with her sudden accident, Lu Qiang was suddenly against being separating from his mother.

Xiu Mei had to coax him for quite a while before the kid finally gave in to her request. Even though she wasn't his biological mother, the time she spent together with him was already enough for her to understand what was going on in Lu Qiang's mind.

She felt guilty. First, because she couldn't keep her promise to him that she will return fine after that business trip. Second, she made him feel anxious and scared because Lu Qiang must have surely been afraid that she was gonna die just like his biological parents.

For such a long and deep talk, it proved quite difficult for her to not being able to speak at all. If she could only speak, she can convey her thoughts and feelings that she was truly sorry for not keeping her promise and that she would never leave him all alone no matter what happens.

So back to the topic of his decision to finally attending primary school just like any normal student, Xiu Mei was very excited and anxious for Lu Qiang. Since her son already missed a month of school, she was quite concerned about whether Lu Qiang will still be able to make friends. In her experience, everyone would've already had their own groups to hang out with for the rest of the school year.

No offense to Lu Qiang, but just like his father, Xiu Mei's trust ratings is only around 4 out of 10 stars. Why?

Well, Lu Qiang has never really been around with kids that are the same age as him ever since he was born. And then there's the time when she first saw him back at the playground. She didn't see that spark or interest in him to make friends. Just like Lu Chen, he was the type to enjoy playing with technology or focusing on his academic studies. Truly, a member of the Lu family.

She may be a workaholic, almost at the same level as them but, she still has friends. Up to this day, aside from his subordinates, she has never seen Lu Chen hang out with his friends at all.

A thought hit her. How did he even survive primary school up to college without friends at all?

And even if there's any, was he the type to just hang out with them through his phone or what?

So, she's straying off again. Back to the topic of Lu Qiang's capability in making friends.

Xiu Mei muttered a short prayer in her heart, wishing for Lu Qiang's success tomorrow in making friends. Gosh, please let him have friends. He needs to be introduced as to how a primary school student acts, you know?

So to do that, the first thing on her list is to help Lu Qiang make a good first impression on his future classmates. Without that, then, he's probably doomed, isn't it? Oh well.

Anyways, so to create that good first impression, a good and impactful appearance would be recommended. Or so that's what Bei Jia Ying said when she talked about dressing up her nephew on their newly created group chat.

After scouring through almost of Lu Qiang's wardrobe, Xiu Mei picked twenty-five different sets that she would like her son to try on.

Lu Qiang who was at his mother's mercy, facing the twenty sets of clothes, "..."

He's going to try on almost a month's worth of clothes ah….

Is this what it truly means to have a mother…? Or does his mother want to torture him for being stubborn the last time?

Lu Qiang surrendered to his inevitable fate and started unbuttoning his clothes. His mother also helped him in wearing the clothes while styling it whatever way she wanted.

And so, Xiu Mei and Lu Qiang continued like that until the next hour until both of them finally chose the outfit. Xiu Mei held out her tablet to Lu Chen after folding the clothes with almost no creases.

'When is his uniform going to be finished?' is what she had entered on the tablet. Lu Qiang's school isn't exactly the aristocrat type of school but it isn't just an average school either. Xiu Mei found this school perfect for Lu Qiang since his possible circle of friends won't only be made up of kids from a wealthy background but also those who came from a humble home and they live with hard work and skills.

"They would be delivered within the next two days, is what they said previously." Lu Chen replied. Lu Chen walked over and hugged her from behind. He got drunk on her familiar scent, which was completely different back when she was still in the hospital that was full of disinfectant.

The two of them basked in this familiar warmth that they missed for the past two months. Thankfully, Lu Qiang was showering in the bathroom so he didn't get to witness his parents' blatant display of dog food.

Just like Lu Chen, Xiu Mei leaned her body closer to him. She was asleep for the whole months, completely unaware of her surroundings, yet she yearned for his touch very much. All this time, he was being careful around her even when he was holding her hand or when he was embracing her as if she was some fragile glass that would easily break when touched.

Lu Chen didn't show it on his face but she knew that he was nervous and anxious just like the others. That's why he was being careful with his words and movements, totally unlike his usual self that would grab every opportunity to hit on her, or shamelessly taking liberty on her.

Xiu Mei covered his arm that sn.a.k.e.d around her waist, stroking it lightly.

She could sense that he was being clingy despite his actions. He never left her side most of the time, at most, probably less than half an hour. And then he would either sit beside her or on the sofa to cater to her needs and requests as if he was the nurse and nanny. Heck, he was even more diligent than those two combined. Is that what they call a filial husband?

But Xiu Mei had a hunch that he was being like that because he and Lu Qiang was acting so similarly no one would really doubt they're related. She could even guess his reasons.

She sighed in worry because she didn't want Lu Chen to become this way. Because he was always so confident and proud in a good way, he must be thinking that he failed as her husband because he couldn't protect her at all.

Though she was just really guessing everything at the moment. It's been a while since they've become husband and wife but Xiu Mei's logical way of thinking of things is still her best option when trying to analyze her husband slash boss for four years' thoughts. After all, she can't just shake off the habit she developed to keep up with Lu Chen's work pace for the past four years. It's almost like ingrained on her bones to try to understand his every movement and decision.

"Wife." He murmured on her ears, his breath tickling her neck. She felt warm all over after hearing that. She never knew how sweet and addicting it was to hear that from his mouth.

"Wife, I love you." Out of the blue, he whispered sweet nothings so intimately on her ear. Xiu Mei was caught off guard but the curl on her lips and a slight blush on her cheeks didn't miss Lu Chen's burning gaze.

For the past week, aside from missing her so much, these are the words that Lu Chen wanted to really say to her. All his feelings, he poured it through those three words that he was unsure if it was really enough to convey his true feelings.

"Xiu Mei, my wife, I love you so much." He repeated, dropping a featherlike kiss on her neck. Xiu Mei took a sharp breath with a sudden attack of overwhelming feelings, her feelings. Somehow, she suddenly had the urge to cry.

She turned around and faced him, directly losing herself in his pair of pool dark eyes. She opened her mouth, suddenly forgetting her current situation, and as expected, she didn't even make a single sound at all.

She was stunned for a second, but Lu Chen didn't want her to feel down so he did the thing that he had been wanting to do for quite some time now.

He distracted her. Without a second thought, he lowered his head and claimed her soft, tender lips.