Wipe Clean After Eating

Chapter 40 A Baby

Tanslated by foodie

When I arrive at the office to work as usual this morning, as I approach the General Manager’s office, I see the work desks outside the door have been surrounded by colleagues. I cannot help but wonder, how do I become so outrageously popular all of a sudden today? Everyone is here to chat with me. As I walk over with misgiving, my deep resentment halts abruptly. Suddenly I see my female colleagues look at me with a mixture of envy, jealousy, extreme criticism and scorn. All sorts. My head is muddled by my colleagues’ shared contempt. I weakly flash an awkward smile. Suddenly I get it.

I see an enormous, fresh bouquet of red roses on my desk. Next to the roses is a piece of stationery that is larger than life. On this paper, “Xia Ye, Please marry me!” is written in an overstated fashion using a red marker.

That is not the real biggie. The real biggie is that massive “Lu Jun” that is inscribed on this piece of stationery!!

In my provoked state, I push the door and walk inside the General Manager’s office. Lu Jun is sitting leisurely on a leather swivel chair and sipping a cup of highly aromatic coffee. Seeing my arrival, he glances up lightly in his usual expression: “You are a little late today.”

I approach in huge strides, deliberately making a racket. Finally, I slap that piece of stationery down in one slam. Angrily, I say, “Big Boss Lu. Could you tell me? What is up with this?”

Lu Jun cooperates. He look down to take a look. “Oh… This… It’s obviously a marriage proposal.”

My irritation is still as deep as before. I complain: “How could you do this to propose marriage? You know full well you are the dream lover to all female employees in our company. Yet you proposed in such a high-profile manner. Aren’t you deliberately turning me into a target? I almost got killed by the wolf-like stares out there just now. Now I have become the public enemy among all the female employees here. How do you expect me to keep working normally in the office?”

He stirs his coffee thoughtfully, “I do have a way to help you out with your predicament.”

I ask quickly, “What way? Why don’t you tell me?”

He looks at me, “You agree to my marriage proposal and we get married. After that, everything is a foregone conclusion. Naturally, at that time they shouldn’t harbor any lingering thoughts about me. And at the same time, they shouldn’t be as hostile to you.”

I have a sudden epiphany. So this fox is playing the game this way. How is this a marriage proposal. This is more like a forced marriage! As I think of this, I eye Lu Jun accusingly. I am already completely under his control before we are even married. Wouldn’t it get even worse after marriage?

Lu, the fox, looks at me and asks in his usual casual elegant manner. “Looking at your current disposition, it looks like you are not quite willing to accept my marriage proposal.”

I nod vigorously. I clench both fists tightly as I issue my statement firmly. “I am completely against forced marriages! I pledge to fight for women’s rights to make their own decisions!”

“Very well then.” He nods and smiles as he reaches for the phone next to the office desk. He flashes me a crafty smile as the phone line beeps. He speaks in a low, weak, and hurt voice. “Hello. Is this Manager Wang? Could you buy me a few bottles of alcohol and bring them back to my office? Oh… This is what happened. Xia Ye has rejected my proposal. I’m very despondent. I just want to get really wasted.”

I am frozen stiff as I hear this. Oh brother, why don’t you just go ahead and kill me! Manager Wang is the chief of our firm's rumor mill and you are telling him this story. All the female employees will think that I rejected you cruelly and caused their dream lover immense pain. One can only imagine how deep their hatred towards me will be.

I approach him in great hurry, “General Manager. I was wrong. Can I propose to you? I beg you, please marry me …”

Lu Jun nods satisfactorily, “Manager Wang, yes? There is no need to buy alcohol. Just go and buy supplies for wedding invitation. I am ready to get married.”

Manager Wang:“……= =”

I:“……= =”

I tear up silently. Big Boss Lu, do you have to be so efficient every time?

Lu Jun has always been swift and decisive. In just a few days, everything from the style of the wedding dress to the hotel for the wedding banquet was already properly set. Picking a good wedding date and getting a marriage certificate are the only things left to do.

When I inform my mom that wedding preparation is nearly done and that basically I only need to wear the wedding gown and walk into the church, she spurts out the tea that she is having onto my face. She asks why I didn’t inform her earlier, why she wasn’t included in the wedding preparation and planning. Don’t I have any regard for her, etc.

But when mom finds out the future son-in-law is Lu Jun, she calms down. Her face is lit with unparalleled brilliance. She praises his swift efficiency in not letting the seniors (Note: older generation) overspend any energy. He is simply too filial!

I am bewildered. Why such a difference in her treatment of the two of us?

I can now appreciate what a woman feels in anticipation of her wedding. Anxiety, anticipation, confusion, longing. Occasionally bashful, yet boastful at other times. I am tormented by all sorts of complex emotions. I bump into little brother Lu who has just finished cleaning the bathroom at the end of the work day today.

He tries to hide as soon as he sees me, but I grab him quickly, “Little Qian ah, I feel especially happy every time I see you.”

Little brother Lu sighed bitterly, “I am completely the opposite!”

I pretend to misunderstand him, “Oh? Don’t tell me every time you look into the mirror and see yourself, you feel particularly bad? Ah. Can’t blame you. You don’t look like much.”

Little brother Lu: “……”

I pat his shoulder, “Anything that troubles you lately? Why don’t you share with me so that I can rejoice?”

Little brother Lu: “The most troubling thing is that my brother is marrying you soon. The worst is to have a sister-in-law like you.”

I nod with a jubilant smile, “Ai yaaa. What a coincidence. Your misfortune is my joy. I’ll be married soon. You don’t even have a girlfriend yet. How tragic!”

“Who says I don’t have a girlfriend?” Little brother Lu is indignant. “I started dating a lady in HR (Note: Human Resources) recently.”

“Is that right? ” I look at him in surprise. My face is shrouded in confusion, “How is that possible? Why does that lady like you then?”

Little brother Lu looks at me. He looks rather pleased with himself, “Because she thinks I’m handsome and cool.”

I nod and continue to meddle, “And why do you like her then?”

Little brother Lu: “I like it that she thinks I’m handsome and cool!”

I: “……”

Alright. You are a clown through and through! I have made up my mind. In the future, whenever I get bored, I’ll tease you for fun.

After work, Lu Jun leaves in a hurry. Supposedly to meet someone to take care of some business. I guess he has some VIP client. I do not inquire further.

After I walk out from the office, I enter the small restaurant next to the office building to eat. I order my usual favorite braised spare ribs rice. As I prepare to eat, my vision and light are blocked. When I raise my head, I see a familiar figure. He Xiao Ran! My matchmaking date whom I poured water on. Although I only met him once, I have a lasting impression of him. He proposed a flash marriage with me when we met, but I rejected his proposal. He called me to ask me out on a date before, but I said I was already seeing someone else as an excuse.

He is also somewhat astonished to see me, “Miss Xia! What a coincidence.”

I look at him, “Are you here to have your meal?”

“Yes. My friend and I agreed to meet here.” He asks as he nods, “How have you been lately?”

After swallowing a mouthful, I reply, “I’ve been okay. How about you?”

He looks a little down. “My family members still force me to go matchmaking every day. I still haven’t met anyone suitable.”

Upon hearing this, I can’t bring myself to let him know that I’m getting married. After all, I did reject him before. I don’t want to rub it in. So I decide to look down as well, “I haven’t settled my marriage issue yet either. I don’t know when I’ll get to marry the person I like.”

I bite into my spare ribs. I feel a bit queasy after swallowing it. I couldn’t help complaining, “When did the spare ribs here turn so greasy?”

I raise my head and find He Xiao Ran staring at me. I bite my spoon, look at him and ask, “Aren’t you meeting someone?”

He recovers, “Oh. I almost forgot… chatting here with you. I had better go in. Talk to you next time.”

He waves goodbye to me as he walks towards the private dining room area. I shrug and continue to eat. However I feel increasingly nauseated by the grease. I used to be able to finish this easily. But now I feel unwell just after having half of it.

I hope this is not caused by hygienic issues here at the restaurant. I hurry towards the restroom as I think things over.

“What? You said she is carrying my baby?”

When I come out from the restroom and walk past a private dining room, I subconsciously slow down my steps. Not because I am overcome by my curiosity, but because of the familiar voice.

A low voice with elegant overtones. Also, occasionally causes me to grind my teeth in frustration. It certainly is Lu Jun. I can be a bit slow and my memory isn’t that impressive, so I’m not that great at distinguishing a lot of people’s voices either, but I certainly know his voice really well. I can’t be mistaken about his voice.

His words hit me like a lightning bolt. I admit Lu Jun is an exceedingly handsome and accomplished young businessman. A sparkling diamond of a bachelor highly coveted by numerous women. Even after marriage, I would likely have to worry about fighting off potential mistresses. The problem is, we are not even married yet, and there is already a mistress. One carrying a baby no less.

Oh heavens! You are just too cruel to me. I haven’t gotten to enjoy being a bride fully yet and I’m already hit by this magnitude of bad news!

While I am still in the midst of my confusion, I hear another voice, “I’m very convinced that she is pregnant. I have seen a lot of these cases. I can tell with a quick look. I hear you haven’t made plans to marry her yet. I feel that, as a man, you have to take up this responsibility.”

Lu Jun speaks up, “Who said that? Don’t worry. I will act responsibly with her and the baby.”

This last sentence splits my heart into two pieces.

You will be responsible to her, but what about me? Wouldn’t I have to become the mistress? Big Boss Lu, you are such a Casanova. Why did you have to fool around with me?