Back at the company, with an hour left before the employees left work, Cheng Liu had almost finished her work and was casually texting Ji Chaozhou.

Cheng Liu: [Want to have dinner together tonight?]

Ji Chaozhou did not reply immediately, or rather, he did not see the message. He went to Ranshan Laboratory to blend perfumes today.

As usual, Tang Fanglu came to inquire about the progress of the new perfume.

Ever since Ji Chaozhou took over Ranshan, the number of new perfume products has decreased sharply.

Unlike other brands that released new perfumes quarterly, with Ji Chaozhou’s arrival, Ranshan might not release a new fragrance for a whole year.

However, Tang Fanglu had heard from the Sales Department that Ranshan’s annual sales were increasing, so there was no need to worry for the time being.

It was too difficult and took too long to create a classic fragrance. Releasing new fragrances on a quarterly basis could increase customer loyalty and boost sales.

Moreover, Tang Fanglu felt that Ji Chaozhou could launch any bottle of discarded perfume without any problems, and it was in no way inferior to other brands.

“We need to release new perfume next quarter,” Tang Fanglu reminded him as she came in. “We haven’t released any new incense at Ranshan for over a year.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Tang Fanglu took a deep sniff of the faint fragrance in the laboratory.

This time, there was no extreme sourness or bitterness; Ji Chaozhou seemed to have finally blended these flavors together.

At first, it smelled a bit astringent, with a bitter taste that kept churning and gathering. At a certain peak, it suddenly changed, and a hazy, tangy fragrance appeared, making people want to explore and uncover its source.

However, at the same time, a very faint sweet fragrance emanated from the boundless sky, but it was so ethereal and elusive that it always made people feel uneasy, fearing that it would disappear.

Gradually, the fragrances gathered together, and suddenly it became impossible to distinguish which scents they were, which was disheartening. However, the fragrance was undeniably pleasant and penetrated the heart of the person smelling it.

Just by smelling it, Tang Fanglu felt as if a long memory was passing through her mind, flashing back to her youth.

“This is… a new fragrance?” Tang Fanglu asked excitedly, looking at the bottle of perfume in front of Ji Chaozhou.

This was perfect for launching a new fragrance next quarter.

Ji Chaozhou was indeed a genius perfumer; every fragrance he created resonates with the listener.

“No, that doesn’t count.” Ji Chaozhou sealed the perfume away. “I only mixed a portion of it.”

Tang Fanglu stared at the bottle of perfume in Ji Chaozhou’s hand. This was only a partial mix?

“If this fragrance is released, it will definitely cause a sensation,” Tang Fanglu said confidently before leaving.

Ji Chaozhou didn’t care about that. After putting the perfume in the refrigerator, he prepared to go back.

It was only then that he noticed the message Cheng Liu had sent him.

He pursed his lips, recalling his momentary lack of self-control last night, and a faint blush spread across the tips of his ears.

Ji Chaozhou replied to Cheng Liu’s message: [Okay.]

Cheng Liu, as if she had been waiting for his message, quickly asked: [Outside or at home?]

Ji Chaozhou’s gaze lingered on the last word, and after a long pause, he replied: [Whatever you say.]

Cheng Liu: [Then I’ll go to the supermarket to buy groceries after get off work.]

Ji Chaozhou sent an ‘Mm’ and went to the parking lot to drive back.

By the time Cheng Liu got off work, bought groceries, and returned to the villa, he was already home.

As before, Cheng Liu was in charge of washing and cutting, while Ji Chaozhou did the other tasks.

She didn’t leave the kitchen after finishing her work; she insisted on staying to watch over Ji Chaozhou.

Ji Chaozhou especially didn’t want Cheng Liu’s gaze to linger on him tonight, as it would remind him of what happened last night.

“Get out.” Ji Chaozhou put the pot lid on and turned to Cheng Liu.

“I’ll stay and serve the dishes.” Cheng Liu didn’t want to move.

Ji Chaozhou’s palms, hanging by his side, felt inexplicably hot. He called her name softly, “Cheng Liu”.

It was a very soft sound, not as cold as usual, nor did it carry any warning.

Cheng Liu sensed a faint hint of affection in his voice, and she immediately surrendered, agreeing, “Then I’ll go out first.”

Only when that burning gaze was gone did Ji Chaozhou breathe a sigh of relief. He pursed his lips into a straight line and looked down at the palm of his left hand.

I shouldn’t have done that last night.

… … translated by Maela @ whitemoonlighttranslations.com

Cheng Liu walked into the living room, finding herself with nothing to do.

She scrolled through her phone. She had finished her work, and there wasn’t anything particularly noteworthy on her WeChat Moments. It was just Li Dong bragging about his wife taking him out, and Feng Shi boasting about Keda Technology successfully signing a big deal in Z Province.

Cheng Liu leaned back casually on the sofa, looked up and sighed: she also wanted to go out and play with Chaozhou.

After a while, Cheng Liu turned on the TV and started randomly flipping through channels.

About twenty minutes later, Ji Chaozhou’s dishes were ready. Cheng Liu went in to help bring them out, and didn’t forget to ask him, “Have you thought about your plans for May Day?”

Ji Chaozhou put down the plate of food in his hand, “I have to work.”

“Oh.” Although Cheng Liu felt regretful, she wasn’t too disappointed. After all, the two of them lived next door and could see each other every day.

Ji Chaozhou’s gaze fell on Cheng Liu across from him, and his grip on his chopsticks tightened. He wanted to change his words, but he couldn’t bring himself to say them.

The two sat at the dining table eating dinner. The TV in the living room was still on, showing the 8 o’clock news.

“Heavy rainfall in Z province for several days has caused multiple landslides, and emergency rescue operations are underway. However, an earthquake struck a city under the jurisdiction of Z province this evening, and currently…”

Cheng Liu put down her chopsticks as she listened to the faint sounds coming from the television. Seeing this, Ji Chaozhou followed her into the living room. As Cheng Liu turned up the volume and listened to the news, her expression grew increasingly serious.

If It’s Wrong, Then It’s Wrong translated by Maela @ whitemoonlighttranslations.com

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