Zeng Hui hadn't bought new clothes in a long time, especially such high-end ones. Just seeing the logo on the bag made her eyes light up.
"Why did you think of buying me clothes? You only started your new job a few days ago, and you haven't even been paid yet! It's such a waste."
Although she complained verbally, what woman doesn't like receiving gifts?
Especially when they're from someone she likes.
Chen Dongyang could see her joy and surprise, and he subtly looked away.
"People live by eating and wearing. You've suffered these past few years, but life will only get better from now on. Go try them on."
Zeng Hui was overjoyed and immediately ran back to her room with the clothes, acting coy.
Chen Dongyang stayed on the sofa, playing with Dou Bao. The two of them were so engrossed in their playful antics that they completely lost track of time, not noticing that Zeng Hui had been in her room for over an hour before coming out.
She had been staying up late previously, which made her complexion poor. To avoid looking too bad when appearing before Chen Dongyang, Zeng Hui had bought a lipstick and foundation at a very low price.
After changing into new clothes, she felt drab without a bit of makeup. But she hadn't put on makeup in so long…
Her heart pounded. She applied and wiped, wiped and reapplied, afraid Chen Dongyang wouldn't like it. After struggling for a while, she finally gathered the courage to walk out.
When she walked out, neither of them looked at her.
She didn't want to prompt them to look at her, so she pretended to be busy and walked around the living room several times.
It wasn't until Chen Dongyang's stomach rumbled with hunger that he finally looked at her.
"Have you guys had dinner yet? What did you eat? Is there any left? I'm a bit hungry."
Zeng Hui thought he had noticed her and smiled shyly and hesitantly.
"Not yet, but the meal is ready. It's kept warm in the pot. I was thinking we'd eat together when you got back. I forgot until you mentioned it. I'll go get it now."
Chen Dongyang stopped her. "No need. I'll do it. Don't want you to get your new clothes dirty."
He noticed her new clothes?
Then why was his expression so indifferent?
Her effort of over an hour, wasn't it good?
Zeng Hui was instantly overcome with shame.
While she was lost in her own anxieties, Chen Dongyang added,
"It looks good. This color really suits you."
"Bang!" A firework exploded in Zeng Hui's heart.
Chen Dongyang praised her beauty, Chen Dongyang bought her new clothes, and he also praised her.
They were living together now. He was the child's father, and she was the mother. He bought toys for the child and clothes for her. He also had a more stable and better job. Did this mean their relationship should move forward?
Although they had been interacting as friends for the past two years, Chen Dongyang was no different from a man in her life.
Through their daily interactions, Zeng Hui's feelings for him had long since changed. She yearned for a closer relationship with him.
Normally, Chen Dongyang didn't say anything, and as a woman, she felt too embarrassed to speak up.
But since Chen Dongyang had taken the initiative to express himself today, she should also take a step forward.
Zeng Hui ate dinner with great joy.
After dinner, Chen Dongyang went to wash the dishes, and she quickly bathed Dou Bao, put him to sleep in his room, and then went to take her own bath.
Chen Dongyang was always like this, very gentlemanly. When she was in the bathroom, he would hide in his room and not come out.
When Zeng Hui came out after her bath, she saw that his room door was ajar. He was facing away from her, typing away on his computer.
She hesitated at the doorway, then gathered her courage and knocked.
Chen Dongyang was writing a proposal. Hearing the sound, he turned around and saw her, still wearing makeup and that dress. He instinctively asked,
"It's so late, why aren't you asleep yet?"
Zeng Hui's face turned as red as a tomato. "I… you should go to sleep early too. Don't stay up late. If you keep staying up, you'll ruin your health, and that would be troublesome."
Chen Dongyang was in the zone, wanting to finish this section before sleeping. He casually agreed.
"Okay, I know. You go to sleep first. I'll be done soon, and then I'll sleep."
However, Zeng Hui didn't leave. Instead, she quietly entered the room, closed the door, and sat at the foot of the bed, watching him.
Chen Dongyang continued typing. When he finished this section, he checked it again, clicked save, closed the computer, and prepared to go wash up and sleep.
When he turned around, he saw Zeng Hui sitting there watching him and was startled.
"Why are you still here?"
Zeng Hui had waited for so long, from initial shyness and hesitation to current anxiety. She felt that things had changed.
Since she had come this far, she wouldn't hold back anymore!
She stood up, rushed into Chen Dongyang's arms, and hugged him tightly.
"Dongyang, thank you for buying me clothes."
Chen Dongyang's hands froze in place, his feelings complicated.
After a few seconds, he gently grabbed her shoulders and pushed her away.
"It's just two pieces of clothing, don't get so excited. It's my fault for being too poor these past few years, making you suffer so much. I'll buy you clothes often from now on. Be more resilient, don't get moved so easily."
His tone was very gentle, and Zeng Hui perceived a different emotion within it.
It seemed as if her and Chen Dongyang's hearts had reached a certain level of resonance.
Was he confessing his feelings to her?
She nodded joyfully and buried herself deeper into his embrace.
"Okay. I knew you would succeed, and someday you'll let me and Dou Bao live a good life. It's so good to have you, Dongyang."
Chen Dongyang wasn't foolish; he instantly understood what Zeng Hui was trying to express.
It truly startled him again.
He had no intention of developing a relationship with Zeng Hui.
Before, with Dou Bao's father in the way, it was impossible. Now, with Tian Tian, it was even more impossible.
But how could he say it?
When a woman was this forward, wouldn't she feel humiliated if he rejected her directly?
After thinking about it, he could only play dumb.
"This is what I owe my brother, and it's what I owe you and Dou Bao. As long as I'm alive, I'll always be indebted to my brother, and I'll always be indebted to you. It's only right that I treat you well."
"You don't have to do this. Otherwise, my brother's spirit in heaven would be unhappy if he saw it."
Zeng Hui's face immediately fell.
Chen Dongyang was still adhering to his principles because of the deceased?
How should his behavior be interpreted? Should he be praised as a good person or called a fool?
Chen Dongyang seized the opportunity to push her away, stepped back a couple of paces, and rubbed his eyes.
"I drove for too long, and then I wrote for so long. My eyes hurt a lot. I have to get up early tomorrow to report to my boss. If there's nothing else, you should go back to sleep. I'm quite tired."
Seeing him like this, Zeng Hui couldn't say anything more and had to return to her room dejectedly.
Chen Dongyang quickly took a shower, locked his room door, got back into bed, and sent a message to Tian Tian.
"Are you asleep?"
Tian Tian said no, "I'm waiting for you. What took you so long?"
Chen Dongyang said he was writing something. Tian Tian asked if it went smoothly.
"It went quite smoothly."
"You took the clothes back for Zeng Hui. Did she suspect anything?"
Chen Dongyang told the truth: "She didn't suspect anything else, but she started to question my intentions towards her."
Tian Tian was stunned: "What do you mean?"