How Can a Construction Foreman Be the Public Girlfriend of a Top Celebrity? - Chapter 27
Chapter 27
A week before the Mid-Autumn Festival, Zheng Ling was preparing mooncakes for the workers at her company.
Yang Lei came into her office. “Sister Ling, are you going back to Jiangcheng for the Mid-Autumn Festival?”
Just as he finished speaking, the vendor delivering the mooncakes arrived with a truck, and Zheng Ling went downstairs with Yang Lei.
“I’ll see. If I’m not too busy, I might go back,” Zheng Ling said as she quickly stepped down the stairs.
Yang Lei jogged to catch up with her. “How many days off do we get?”
“That’s what you really wanted to ask, huh?” Zheng Ling saw right through him.
“Hehe, I’m just asking for everyone,” Yang Lei scratched his head sheepishly.
The mooncake vendor eagerly approached Zheng Ling and shook her hand like a sycophant.
“Boss Zheng, wishing you a happy Mid-Autumn Festival in advance.” The vendor loved big clients like her—she had also ordered zongzi from them before.
Zheng Ling politely shook his hand. “Thank you. Please move the mooncakes to the storage room.”
“Sure thing.” The vendor took out a finely carved wooden gift box from the truck. “Boss Zheng, this is for you. Please accept it.”
Zheng Ling didn’t refuse. “Thanks.”
Once the mooncakes were stored away, Yang Lei gathered everyone in the lobby. Zheng Ling handed out the mooncakes and announced the holiday schedule.
This year, the Mid-Autumn Festival happened to overlap with National Day, so Zheng Ling gave the workers an early break to avoid peak travel times—an extended ten-day holiday.
Since progress at several sites was ahead of schedule, the ten-day break wouldn’t cause delays. The workers were thrilled and started inviting Zheng Ling to their homes for dinner.
“I have a family now,” Zheng Ling joked while handing out mooncakes. “Of course I’ll be spending Mid-Autumn Festival with them.”
“Haha! Sister Ling’s married life really is different now,” joked a worker who used to work with her at the reservoir. “Won’t you be carrying a fat baby boy by next year?”
“Eat your mooncake,” Zheng Ling tossed one at him as everyone laughed together.
She also gave an extra box to Huang Tian’s father—most likely their household didn’t prepare any. She wondered how Huang Tian was doing these days.
After distributing the mooncakes, Zheng Ling told Yang Lei to deliver some to Auntie (the landlady) and some village girls’ families who rented housing.
The mooncakes weren’t expensive, but they were thoughtful. Zheng Ling deeply understood how important winning people’s hearts was.
As for the tea she had mentioned to Secretary Chen, she had already arranged to have it delivered—tucked with two small gold melon seeds. Secretary Chen kept the tea but returned the gold seeds.
Zheng Ling knew he wouldn’t accept the gold, but she had to show she understood the rules of the game.
After work, she brought home the vendor’s high-end gift box. When she turned on the lights, she saw Shu Xuan sleeping on the living room couch. She quickly turned off the main lights and switched on a floor lamp.
She tiptoed over, set the mooncakes down, and draped a blanket over Shu Xuan.
Outside, a gentle rain began to fall. The wind made the windows creak. Zheng Ling sat on the couch across from her and quietly ate a mooncake in the dim light. Shu Xuan’s eyelashes cast a soft shadow. Zheng Ling finished her mooncake in silence.
Shu Xuan woke up and was startled to see Zheng Ling.
“Damn! Zheng Ling! Are you a ghost or something?” Shu Xuan was genuinely frightened—it was the first time she’d ever said something like that.
And it really was scary. Zheng Ling was sitting silently at the end of the couch, with light hitting her from behind, blurring her facial features. She looked like a faceless person.
Zheng Ling stifled a laugh, tempted to tease her. She leaned forward, “I’m possessed by Judge Bao.”
“So,” she continued, “did you delete the home surveillance footage?”
Shu Xuan snapped back to herself and threw a pillow at Zheng Ling. “What are you talking about? I don’t know anything.”
“Ah~” Zheng Ling was hit squarely. “Shu-laoshi’s pillow is so soft!”
Shu Xuan: ……
“You really don’t know?” Zheng Ling put the pillow aside and stood up, walking over to stand in front of Shu Xuan. From this angle, her waist was at Shu Xuan’s eye level—she looked down at her like an interrogator.
“I didn’t even know there were cameras in the house,” Shu Xuan kept up the act.
Zheng Ling bent over and used her finger to lift Shu Xuan’s chin. “I saw your paw prints all over the console in the control room.”
Shu Xuan remained calm. “They’re hands, not paws.”
“Fine,” Zheng Ling pretended to look heartbroken. “So you don’t love me. Love is too luxurious. Boohoo. Shu-laoshi, let’s leave it at that.”
“I’ll tell you when the time is right,” Shu Xuan quickly pushed her away, seeing that Zheng Ling was about to use her fake tears as an excuse to pounce.
Zheng Ling let it go—she figured Shu Xuan had her reasons.
“Alright,” Zheng Ling, like a shameless clingy pup, sat down beside Shu Xuan again. “Shu-laoshi, shall we go back to Jiangcheng together for Mid-Autumn Festival?”
Shu Xuan used a pillow to separate them. “I have to film a program before the holiday.”
“Where are you filming?” Zheng Ling hugged her own pillow and didn’t press closer.
“Beicheng.” Shu Xuan replied.
Zheng Ling’s eyes lit up. “Want me to come with you? It’s been a while since I visited Beicheng. Then we can go home together afterward.”
Shu Xuan thought about it—it was doable. Their relationship was open and honest now. Zheng Ling had introduced her to colleagues and friends. She figured she didn’t need to be overly cautious anymore.
But really, Shu Xuan was afraid. She feared being swallowed up by Zheng Ling’s passionate love. For her, these kinds of feelings were rare and unreliable. She didn’t believe in eternal love.
Take her parents, for instance. They had once loved each other deeply. Her mother even defied her family to marry her father. But after having a child, everything changed.
Love in youth is pure, but once life turns into cooking oil and grocery bills, love becomes weariness—until both sides are hurt.
She already felt herself liking Zheng Ling bit by bit. She had to restrain that. Feelings like these were a luxury for her.
“Shu-laoshi? Zoning out?” Zheng Ling nudged her with an elbow.
“Okay,” Shu Xuan finally agreed.
After all, Zheng Ling was innocent in all this. Her feelings were genuine, and Shu Xuan couldn’t even be sure if Zheng Ling really liked her—she was the one thinking all these messy thoughts.
Zheng Ling brought over a mooncake. It was delicious—purple rice mochi with salted egg yolk, a crispy crust wrapped around a soft filling, the layers unfolding with each bite, and a dense salted yolk in the center.
“Thanks.” Shu Xuan took a small bite.
Zheng Ling then brought her some orange juice. “Is it good?”
“It is.” Shu Xuan took two bites and set it aside.
“What’s wrong?” Zheng Ling asked, noticing she stopped eating.
Shu Xuan cleared her throat. “Boss Zheng, do you like me?”
Zheng Ling froze. She instinctively grabbed Shu Xuan’s glass of orange juice and took a sip. “Cough… who said that?”
“Me,” Shu Xuan replied, as casually as if she were asking what’s for dinner.
Zheng Ling panicked a little and took another sip.
“Shu-laoshi, I’m your fan, of course I like you,” she blurted out.
Shu Xuan nodded. “I see.”
“Then why do you think I like you?” Zheng Ling shot back, trying to flip the script.
“I just feel it.”
“Your feeling’s off. Try again.” Zheng Ling turned her eyes away and stood up to leave.
As she walked away, Shu Xuan said to her back, “Boss Zheng, if you ever fall for someone else in the future, we’ll get a divorce. I’m not worth your affection.”
Zheng Ling responded with a simple “mm” and walked into the bedroom without looking back.
Shu Xuan knew exactly what kind of person she was. She carried too much. To protect herself, she had been cold to others for years.
She had no close friends in the entertainment industry, barely any emotional ties with former classmates. At her wedding, only Da Tou and Xiao Ying attended.
As the rumors said, Shu Xuan had step by step turned herself into a cold and aloof female star—untouchable in most people’s eyes. And that was exactly how she kept herself safe.
Back in her room, Zheng Ling shut the door and began gasping for air, chest heaving and heart pounding.
Her temples were throbbing. She was completely thrown by Shu Xuan’s direct question earlier.
She did like Shu Xuan. But someone like Shu Xuan would never like her back. She was just a contractor. Apart from having a bit of money, their statuses were worlds apart.
Even though Shu Xuan had never looked down on her and treated her with respect, love and respect were two different things.
If it weren’t for this randomly assigned marriage, their paths never would’ve crossed.
Still, Zheng Ling loved sincerely and passionately. She was willing to give, even to retreat. She wasn’t sure if Shu Xuan was hinting at something or trying to get closer.
On the day they flew to Beicheng, their flight was delayed. Zheng Ling bought them first-class tickets, and the two of them drank coffee in the VIP lounge.
The past few days had gone on like normal. They were both adults—some words didn’t need to be said. As long as both understood, their relationship stayed the same.
Da Tou and Xiao Ying were shopping at duty-free, so they weren’t around to bother them.
“Shu-laoshi, try this—it’s delicious,” Zheng Ling pushed a tiramisu toward her.
Shu Xuan took a bite. “It is.”
“Is filming tiring?” Zheng Ling asked casually.
“Compared to your work, it’s much more relaxed,” Shu Xuan answered truthfully.
Zheng Ling leaned back in her chair. “Then if you weren’t an actress, what would you want to do?”
Shu Xuan thought for a bit. “Probably write novels. I wanted to be a writer when I was little.”
“Oh right, you were our year’s liberal arts top scorer,” Zheng Ling suddenly remembered. Shu Xuan had so many strengths—her beauty was just a small part.
“That was years ago,” Shu Xuan smiled.
“I used to hear about you all the time in school. My mom kept comparing my grades to yours. Like I could even compete?”
“You knew about me back then?” Shu Xuan smiled.
“Didn’t know you. Just knew your name and that crazy high score.”
Shu Xuan suddenly recalled something. “You never explained—why did you blow up the school bathroom and get our whole class drenched in filth?”
Zheng Ling nearly spit out her coffee. She didn’t expect Shu Xuan to be curious about that after all this time.