When Su Ziceng re-entered Su Qingzhang’s bedroom, she felt the atmosphere inside was a bit tense.
Pello and Su Qingzhang were both silent, just looking at each other. It seemed that the meeting with the parents did not go well.
Su Ziceng tugged at Pello, gesturing for him to leave first.
"Pello, you still haven’t answered my previous question," Su Qingzhang reached for the medicines again, and Su Ziceng quickly intervened, "Dad, are you feeling uncomfortable again? I’ll call the doctor."
One cannot have too much medicine in a day, Su Qingzhang felt all his blood rushing towards his brain.
"I will prove it with my actions, Ziceng, let’s go out for now, and let the chairman rest well." Pello took Su Ziceng out of the room and closed the door behind them in her presence. ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by N0v3l.Fiɾe.net
Su Ziceng was still worried. Chang Chi came over, and she glanced at Pello before pushing the door open and walking back in.
Maybe her father would feel better in the presence of Chang Chi, and Su Ziceng felt relieved, intending to take Pello outside.
"Would you like to visit my home?" Walking in the Su Family’s garden, Pello noticed Su Ziceng’s distractedness, thinking that the personnel changes at the company must be affecting her.
Su Ziceng had never been to Pello’s house; she didn’t even know where he lived after leaving Kelly Women’s College. On any other day, she would have loved to visit a bachelor’s residence, but today, she wasn’t in the mood.
"Let’s do it another day," Su Ziceng declined Pello’s invitation.
Pello did not plan to give up. He lowered his head, leaning in closer, his breath brushing Su Ziceng’s face, "Today is my birthday."
It had to be today, Pello did not want all his quiet preparations to go in vain.
"Why didn’t you tell me earlier," Su Ziceng was a little surprised, Pello had never mentioned that today was his birthday.
"Since I was twelve, I’ve never celebrated my birthday. In fact, no one has celebrated it for me. I thought this year would be different," Pello didn’t like celebrating birthdays, too much festivity reminded him of the times when his parents were still alive.
Su Ziceng hesitated, knowing it was an inopportune time to refuse. After thinking for a moment, she nodded.
Pello’s rented house was located in the Fourth District, a newly developed complex. By the time Su Ziceng got there, it was dusk and the taxi stopped right under the streetlight. The creamy yellow light made the two of them look good as they got out of the car.
Insistent, Pello did not buy a birthday cake; first, they bought some fruit from the supermarket, and the rest, Pello said he had already prepared at home.
Su Ziceng remembered when they were at Sister Mu’s store, Pello brought even pots and pans; it seemed his home was fully equipped too.
Pello’s home was on the third floor, not too high, not too low. The door was sliding, and the room was decorated in a light gray tone. Aside from decorative drinking cups with a bit more color, the Northern European style furniture, beige blankets, everything looked clean, yet it had a somewhat cold feel, starkly different from his impression at school.
After entering, Pello brought out a small pot from the kitchen, a loaf of long toast, followed by several slices of white cheese.
"For two people, let’s have it simple, a cheese fondue." Like Pello, Su Ziceng did not like the smell of oil fume, especially not on Pello’s birthday when the birthday boy should not have to lift a finger.
The cheese was tossed into the pot, along with wine, and quickly melted, with milky white bubbles surfacing. Pello was in charge of stirring, while Su Ziceng cut the toast into suitable bite-size pieces.
When the wine-flavored cheese bread entered her mouth, a dense aroma of cheese and alcohol filled her mouth. Su Ziceng sipped the hot mixture while taking the refreshing ice wine passed to her by Pello.
She unwittingly drank half a bottle and her cheeks were flushed with redness.
Pello ate very little, as if watching Su Ziceng eat was already satisfying enough for him.
The cheese in the pot dried out, and most of the toast was eaten.
"Happy birthday," Su Ziceng remembered, watching Pello with tipsy eyes.
Pello stepped closer, noticing the cheese still on the corner of Su Ziceng’s mouth.
"Sincere or feigned?" Pello remembered Su Qingzhang’s words, and the smile at the corner of his mouth deepened.
If she were not Su Qingzhang’s daughter, he would have treated her sincerely, maybe he would even have fallen in love with her. Fallen for this woman with the taste of cheese still on her lips.