Chapter 20: Transmigrated as a Cheapskate Phoenix Man (20)
Taking out the newly bought hair dryer, Yu Xinyu gently arranged Cen Yu’s hair.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Cen Yu found the noise of the hair dryer rather loud. He could tell Yu Xinyu seemed to be saying something, but unfortunately, he couldn’t hear a single word—
“What are you saying?” Cen Yu looked up at Yu Xinyu. “I can’t hear you.”
Right at that moment, Cen Yu’s hair had been blown half-dry by Yu Xinyu.
Yu Xinyu flicked off the hair dryer’s switch. “It’s nothing.” Looking at Cen Yu, he reached out and casually ruffled his hair. “If you didn’t hear it, then forget it.”
Cen Yu carefully recalled the lip movements Yu Xinyu had made just now—
He had a distinct feeling that what the guy had said was probably, “Baby, I miss…”
Baby?! Cen Yu shuddered.
He hadn’t expected Yu Xinyu to be even cheesier than he thought. Likely worried Cen Yu would mock him aloud, Yu Xinyu had chosen to keep his mouth shut instead.
“All done,” Yu Xinyu said to Cen Yu. “Your hair is dry.”
Cen Yu’s gaze lingered around Yu Xinyu’s room for a brief moment, landing on that massive wardrobe—
“I’ve told you before, stop randomly buying so many clothes.”
True to his original intent, Cen Yu began looking for trouble again. “Money doesn’t just grow on trees! You don’t earn any money yourself, so you need to save and spend wisely…”
Yu Xinyu merely continued to look at him with a good-natured temper, seemingly not caring at all about this preachy, fatherly lecture. The smile on his face remained unchanged. “…Would you like to take a look inside my wardrobe?”
“…” Cen Yu hadn’t expected Yu Xinyu to react this way.
He pondered over Yu Xinyu’s intention—was this a subtle hint that he wanted to change into pretty clothes to show him and please him?
Then he would naturally refuse! After all, he was a cold, heartless scumbag!
“No need. I’m just telling you that earning money isn’t easy, so buy fewer clothes.”
Yu Xinyu looked at Cen Yu with a disappointed expression. “What a pity…”
Yet he quickly put his smile back on, appearing as if he wanted to say something more to Cen Yu, but Cen Yu truly didn’t want to keep acting anymore—
“I still have to work tomorrow, no time to chat.”
Saying this, he stood up. But just as he reached the door, he noticed a painting covered by a black cloth resting in the corner.
The position was so awkward that when Cen Yu sat on the bed earlier, he hadn’t noticed it at all.
He remembered that in the original novel, Yu Xinyu had studied painting since childhood. To showcase how brilliantly talented the main protagonist was, after Yu Xinyu picked up his paintbrush again later in the story, he quickly shot to fame. Backed by the background of the Yu family and intensely spoiled by his relatives, Yu Xinyu had even opened an art gallery…
“Is this a new painting of yours?” Cen Yu walked over, intending to lift the black cloth, only for his wrist to be suddenly grabbed by Yu Xinyu, who had followed close behind.
The grip was exceptionally strong, making Cen Yu’s wrist hurt slightly—
This reaction didn’t seem like Yu Xinyu at all.
Frowning, Cen Yu subconsciously looked up at Yu Xinyu’s face.
Yet the expression on Yu Xinyu’s face had reverted to a pitiful, delicate look. He even managed to squeeze out a few tears at the corners of his eyes as he looked at Cen Yu—
“I haven’t finished painting it yet,” he said, still not releasing his grip on Cen Yu’s wrist. “Please don’t look at it yet, okay?”
“…?” What was this? An artist’s eccentric quirk?
Cen Yu was a bit puzzled. In truth, he was simply curious to see how incredible Yu Xinyu’s painting skills—praised by everyone in the original book—actually were.
Seeing how resistant the man was, he didn’t insist on looking either, shaking off Yu Xinyu’s hand—
“Fine, keep it to yourself then. As if I care.”
Saying that, he ignored Yu Xinyu, opened the bedroom door, and left straight away.
Yu Xinyu watched his figure hastily walk away in the bathrobe. Only when Cen Yu was completely out of sight did he close the door. Leaning his back against the bedroom door, he lifted the layer of black cloth covering the painting.
In the painting, Cen Yu held an apple core in his mouth.
Thorny brambles covered his body, tightly entangling him as though he had been captured… The snake bone tattoo was clearly visible, with the snake’s tail extending down toward his pubic bone.
Yu Xinyu gazed almost addictively at his yet unfinished painting, then locked the door.
He walked over silently to sit on the edge of his bed—the exact spot Cen Yu had sat on earlier. Sitting there, he stared at his painting for a long, long time…
The next morning, when Cen Yu stepped out, he saw Yu Xinyu already dressed neatly and cooking in the kitchen.
Seeing him come out, Yu Xinyu specifically handed him a lunchbox—
“I made this last night, eat it for lunch.” Yu Xinyu offered a gentle smile.
Cen Yu opened the lunchbox and took a look, finding that it contained light, bland food, which was indeed very suitable for the day after a hangover.
However, according to his character persona, he certainly wouldn’t say anything nice—
“It’s just so-so. Learn to make a few more dishes when you have time, so you can show off a bit when inviting colleagues over for dinner later, instead of making me lose face.”
Daily mission complete!
Cen Yu thought to himself with delight, then left the house carrying the lunchbox Yu Xinyu had prepared for him… Once he arrived at the company, before he could even sit down, he saw Gao Lanyuan walking over holding a coffee cup.
“Brother Cen?” Holding his coffee, Gao Lanyuan wore a somewhat surprised expression. “I thought you’d ask for leave this morning.”
Haha, if Yu Xinyu weren’t home, I definitely would have asked for leave.
That was what he thought in his heart, but on the surface, he wouldn’t say that. “Does asking for leave not deduct money?” He pulled out his chair and sat at his desk, then turned on his computer. “Personal leave counts as losing half a day’s salary.”
Gao Lanyuan stood behind him holding his coffee, watching Cen Yu power on his computer.
His gaze lingered on the man’s clothing for a moment…
Looking at these clothes, he didn’t seem like someone strapped for cash at all.
Then again, how could Yu Xinyu possibly lack money?
Thinking back to the Yu Xinyu he had seen yesterday, Gao Lanyuan merely found it laughable. Putting on a gentle, sweet facade for whom to see… He casually hooked Cen Yu’s collar tag from behind with his pinky finger—
“Are you short on money, Brother Cen?” He hooked the tag on Cen Yu’s shirt. “Isn’t this pretty expensive?”
Cen Yu felt Gao Lanyuan’s small gesture. Recalling Cen Yu’s character persona, he pulled his collar back from Gao Lanyuan’s hand with impatience. “It’s fake, a knockoff.”
“Is that so?” Gao Lanyuan chuckled. “Knockoff technology is pretty good these days.”
Cen Yu opened yesterday’s proposal and glanced through it. Out of the corner of his eye, he stole a glance toward the office, discovering that Lou Baichuan wasn’t inside. Could he be taking the day off?
He turned his head to look at Gao Lanyuan, who was standing behind him with his coffee. “Where’s that guy?”
He gestured toward the office with his eyes.
“Seems like he has some matters to handle this morning.” Saying that, Gao Lanyuan sat back down in his own seat. Leaning against his chair’s backrest, he tapped his fingers lightly against the desk a few times. “Brother Cen, last night you held onto Brother Chuan and refused to let go…”
Gao Lanyuan offered a subtle smile. “After getting inside, you didn’t throw up all over him, did you?”
