Butler Lu turned to look at Chen Yiran after she just said that. He wondered what had prompted her change when she was the one to say not to punish the guys. What had changed?
"That videographer dared to send me a useless piece and stayed with the other piece to extort me." Chen Yiran complained. "They dare! That is unacceptable! They should be punished!"
Chen Yiran was being too reckless. It was as if she didn't know the rules. Even Butler Lu himself, with his full diehard unwavering loyalty to Wang Zichen, he couldn't tell him anything about it. He'd rather take the secret to his grave.
"Miss Chen...." he began, his tone uneasy, "If we report them, we might get implicated too. We'll, You'll be drawing attention to yourself." he hesitated before adding, "We won't walk away unscathed, if the Chairman or the General hears about it!"
Chen Yiran tilted her head, watching him like a cat observing a trapped mouse. She was furious before but observing the ever composed butler acting like they had committed a big crime which they'd be punished bigtime. Especially the way he was super tensed, Chen Yiran forgot her anger and wanted to tease him.
"It is not the best idea," he reasoned.
"I don't care! We must report them! They must get punished!" She said, pretending to still hold her ground.
Butler Lu swallowed heavily. It was not a norm for any servant to even argue with his mistress, so, he just kept his mouth shut and held his tongue. A part of him wanted to reason with her but he turned down the idea.
Then to his surprise, she chuckled,
"Relax, Butler Lu!" She waved her hand dismissively, "You actually thought I was serious! Oh You."
Relief flickered across Butler Lu's face for a split second before she spoke again.
"Still, have someone retrieve every footage of that day from them," she paused, then added with a serious look, "And while they are at it," her expression completely cold, "Tell them to remind our dear videographer not to make such mistakes again."
Butler Lu's face with confusion all over, "Miss..."
Chen Yiran blinked at him, "You are slow Butler Lu," she tilted her head slightly, her lips curving into a faint smile, she whispered as she leaned in, "Punch him on the nose."
His breath hitched. His throat went dry
"Did I say something confusing?" She asked.
"N-No, Miss Chen," he answered immediately, bowing his head slightly.
"Good." She gave him one last look before turning on her heel, walking away as if the conversation had never happened.
Butler Lu remained rooted in place, his heartbeat steady but his mind unsettled.
'It was a joke. She said it was a joke. Or Not!!!'
But with this unpredictable Chen Yiran, maybe she was serious. Previously Chen Yiran never even cared to converse with him but now that she did and even joked with him. It was overwhelming that made him super uneasy.
As the evening deepened, the clock neared 7 pm. Chen Yiran after conversing with the butler, she had gone to the bedroom and took a nap. She had just woken up from the nap, breastfed Azalea and watched as the girl promptly fell back asleep. Truly Azalea, that girl, didn't know anything else other than eating and sleeping.
Chen Yiran went down to just see what was happening and maybe grab a snack or two. She could have just pressed the button, But Why? Obviously walking would speed up her coochie healing!
Settling on the couch munching on popcorns and juice she had got from the kitchen, she picked up her phone, suddenly reminded that she had a husband.
Dialing Wang Zichen's number. It rang once before the automated voice cut in.
'The number you are trying to reach is currently unavailable.'
Chen Yiran lowered the phone, staring at the screen for a moment before sighing. She typed out a brief message.
'When are you coming home?'
She sent it, knowing full well there would be no reply, obviously not with his phone off.
"Miss Chen, Shall we proceed with setting the dining table?" The chef asked her carefully.
It seemed from their previous talk with Butler Lu, he was either scared or avoiding her. It was laughable to see him try to be far from her.
Chen Yiran's gaze flickered toward the grand dining hall. For a moment, she considered telling him not to bother. There was no way she would wait for Wang Zichen to come back so they dined together, or even eat by herself in that vast, deserted dining room. But then, she inhaled softly, pushing back the thoughts creeping into her mind.
"Yes," she said, "Set it for Wang Zichen. Just in case."
The cook gave a small nod, understanding the unspoken reasoning behind her words. With a bow, he left.
Chen Yiran grabbed her steak which was set at the dinning room with some other dishes. She then settled on the couch and enjoyed her food as she watched the TV. The channels were different but the things being aired were one or two the same with where she came from.
After binge watching, she went to the bedroom. She had accustomed to stay with Azalea that at times she didn't see the need of her nursery room.
The minutes passed. The clock on the wall read 8:10 pm when her phone finally vibrated.
Wang Zichen.
She picked up immediately, "Where are you?"
His voice came through, husky, sexy but distant, "I can't come tonight."
For a moment, Chen Yiran was captivated by that voice before she realized, she closed her eyes briefly.
"Why?"
"A business trip."
The silence stretched for a while before she asked,
"When will you be back?"
Wang Zichen was travelling for a business trip to Zuki Empire. The flight was six hours long. He just boarded his private plane. On arriving to the Empire, he realized his phone was off, he wasn't that focused on his phone. He had a meeting.
After the meeting when he was in his penthouse, he charged his phone and saw a message by Chen Yiran. He called her.
"When will you be back?"
That question caught him off guard. 'Since when did she care?' He was never the type to explain his schedule, but after a brief pause, he replied in his usual cold detached tone.
"Not sure."
Chen Yiran wasn't satisfied, "Can't you at least give me a rough estimation?"
Wang Zichen wondered how he was supposed to answer that question. Chen Yiran had never interfered with his schedule before, what changed?
"Minimum? Maximum" He heard her asking.
Wang Zichen exhaled, already tired of the conversation, "A month or few weeks." he said.
Chen Yiran's grip on her phone tightened. A month? She had assumed it was a quick business trip, maybe a few days, a week at most.
Annoyance surged through her.
"Why not just never come back?!" she snapped, then ended the call without waiting for a response.
Wang Zichen stared at the screen, baffled. What the hell was that about? He had no clue why she was mad. Not that it mattered but it was disturbing.