While Li Xiao questioned reality, Xie Yizhao took Lu Xi and Xie Heng from the parking lot elevator to the first-floor cafeteria, experiencing the long-lost feeling of squeezing into an elevator with employees.
The last time he had done this was when he first joined Xie Corporation after graduating.
There was a private elevator in the office building for him, but not in the cafeteria. Not that it mattered to Xie Yizhao.
At the elevator entrance, a few young new hires were chatting and laughing while waiting. Seeing the three of them approach, they hadn’t yet recognized their top boss—just that the trio had strikingly good looks and presence, making them take a few extra glances.
When they reached the first floor and the doors slid open, several senior employees who had already finished eating looked up, immediately blurting out, “CEO Xie?”
The young employees’ hearts nearly stopped.
C-CEO Xie?!
Could it really be the Xie Yizhao?
They all froze in shock, while Xie Yizhao simply nodded at them coolly without saying much. Holding Lu Xi’s hand, with Xie Heng following beside them, he headed toward the food counter.
Not long after, the shocking news of CEO Xie making a surprise appearance at the company cafeteria, bringing along two family members, spread through Xie Corporation like a spring breeze.
Even some employees who usually didn’t eat in the cafeteria couldn’t resist coming over to watch the spectacle.
Xie Yichao, however, was indifferent to the gossip surrounding him.
Frowning slightly, he studied the cafeteria’s layout and the meal distribution process.
Fortunately, even though he rarely visited, the cafeteria was well-equipped and orderly. A brief observation was enough for him to understand how everything worked.
Lu Xi curiously looked around. The cafeteria was bright and spacious, with clean tables and chairs free of grease stains. The air was filled with the aroma of food—she could smell braised pork and chicken soup. She couldn’t help but take Xie Yizhao’s arm and ask, “It looks pretty good. How do we buy the food?”
Luckily, Xie Yizhao had already figured it out. He calmly explained, “You can get food on the first floor. It’s free for employees—our company covers all three meals. The second floor has paid options for those who want something fancier.”
Lu Xi nodded.
It was similar to her university days. The food on the second floor was always more expensive—and usually tasted better.
“Let’s go with the first floor, then,” she decided, more interested in experiencing the cafeteria food.
Since leaving school, she hadn’t had the chance to line up for a cafeteria meal.
Xie Heng also preferred the first floor.
Mostly because Lu Xi liked it—and whatever she chose, he would follow suit.
Since getting out of the car, he had spoken less and slipped into his obedient-child persona, quietly following his parents.
“Good afternoon, CEO Xie.”
“CEO Xie, are you having lunch with your wife and son today?”
“This way, CEO Xie…”
As they reached the food counter, some employees greeted them enthusiastically before tactfully stepping aside. Still, curiosity kept them lingering nearby.
Xie Yizhao nodded in acknowledgment, then picked up three trays and handed them to Lu Xi and Xie Heng.
Lu Xi winked at Xie Heng with a smile. “Let’s get some food! Your Dad’s treating us today.”
“Yes, I’m treating. Eat well—don’t try to save me money,” Xie Yizhao quipped.
It was clear the company offered excellent benefits and was generous to its employees. Lu Xi quickly counted nearly twenty food stations, offering a wide variety of dishes.
Glancing at the first few counters, she noticed a mix of common home-style dishes like scrambled eggs with tomatoes and braised eggplant, as well as fancier options like abalone, braised pork, and mustard prawns. Each dish was neatly labeled.
Lu Xi turned to Xie Yichao and playfully winked. “Now I see why Xie Corporation is ranked as the No.1 dream job for fresh graduates.”
With food this good—and free—who wouldn’t want to work here?
Xie Heng stopped at one of the counters, handed over his tray, and pointed at the braised pork. “Auntie, I’d like a serving of this.”
Lu Xi and Xie Yichao exchanged amused glances.
The whole family knew that Xie Heng was a meat lover.
Lu Xi also asked for the same dish and added a plate of stir-fried water spinach.
Seeing this, Xie Yizhao ordered the same as Lu Xi.
Xie Heng glanced at their trays, hesitated for a moment, then also added a portion of vegetables—he couldn’t fall behind.
A sign on the counter glass read: [Queue in order, take only what you need, no crowding, no waste.]
Following their own appetites, the three of them selected their meals and looked for a place to sit.
Xie Yizhao surveyed the cafeteria.
Many people were still watching them.
He pressed his lips together, wondering if Lu Xi would feel uncomfortable eating under so many eyes. He was about to suggest taking their food back to his office when the cafeteria lady struck up a conversation with Xie Heng.
“Are you an employee here? I don’t think I’ve seen you before.” She eyed the boy’s striking features. If he had been here before, she would’ve remembered.
Xie Heng answered honestly, “No, I came with my Dad.”
The cafeteria lady glanced at Xie Yizhao and suddenly smiled. “Oh, your Dad works here?”
Xie Heng hesitated briefly. Well, technically, that wasn’t wrong. His Dad did work here. So, he nodded.
Thanks to his good looks, the boy received an extra dose of warmth. Today, he was also particularly patient, answering every question without complaint.
Even Lu Xi was surprised by his tolerance.
The lady eagerly asked about his age and school. Though well-meaning, her curiosity was a bit excessive—even Lu Xi felt it might be too much. She worried that Xie Heng might get annoyed and snap.
But he answered everything. And when she asked about his grades, he straightened up, cleared his throat, and casually boasted, “They’re just okay. I only moved up fifty-seven ranks this time—it’s nothing special.”
And just like that, he earned an impressed nod from the cafeteria lady.
Lu Xi finally understood his little scheme.
He was showing off.
The way he puffed up his chest—so smug!
Amused yet exasperated, she grabbed her boastful son, ready to drag him away before he disrupted the lunch line.
But just then, the cafeteria lady called after them. “Hey, you haven’t swiped your card yet!”
“Swipe what card?”
“Your employee card, of course!”
Lu Xi was momentarily stunned, and Xie Heng also froze. Both pairs of eyes locked onto Xie Yizhao, waiting for him to pull out a card.
Xie Yizhao’s expression remained calm, but internally, he was slightly flustered.
An employee card… Did he even have one?
Every time he came to work, he went straight up from the underground parking lot. Even if he passed through the first floor, his assistant always swiped the card for him.
Xie Yizhao frowned slightly.
Seeing him remain silent, the cafeteria auntie grew suspicious. She scrutinized the three well-dressed individuals before her.
“You guys wouldn’t have sneaked in just to freeload a meal, would you?” she asked bluntly.
Under the cafeteria lady’s wary gaze, even the ever-composed Xie Yizhao felt a rare sense of awkwardness.
At this moment, revealing his identity would only make things weirder.
Xie Heng was speechless, but when he saw his Dad’s expression, he couldn’t help but be amused.
Only the cafeteria lady could pull this off! Xie Heng was now even more convinced that once the auntie learned his Dad’s identity, the news of ‘CEO Xie’s son improving by 57 ranks in his latest exam’ would spread across the entire company in no time.
Lu Xi, however, wasn’t as amused as the rebellious son.
She tugged at Xie Yizhao’s sleeve and subtly hid behind his tall frame, avoiding the auntie’s scrutinizing gaze.
This was so… embarrassing.
Yet, she couldn’t help but stifle her laughter.
Xie Yizhao felt the slight tremble of the hand tugging his sleeve. He sighed helplessly and glanced down at his wife. Then, he looked over at his blue-haired son, who was holding a tray and grinning smugly, clearly recalling something amusing. Suddenly, he had the urge to rub his temples.
He felt utterly abandoned by his family.
Some employees, sensing the situation, approached with their cards, ready to help Xie Yizhao swipe in.
“Mr. Xie!”
Fortunately, Li Xiao arrived just in time. Taking in the situation at a glance, he quickly handed over his card and explained to the auntie, “This is CEO Xie. He rarely comes to the cafeteria. You can use my card for him.”
The auntie opened her mouth in shock, her face turning red with nervousness.
Had she just offended the big boss of the company?
Xie Yizhao, however, didn’t mind at all. But after this little incident, he decided that eating in the cafeteria was best avoided. Instead, he had the food packed and took the two of them back to his office for lunch.
His office was divided into three sections: a workspace, a lounge area, and a small meeting room with a rectangular table—perfect for dining.
After eating, neither Lu Xi nor Xie Heng left immediately. Lu Xi sat on the sofa, planning to rest for a bit, while Xie Heng, who rarely came to his Dad’s office, couldn’t resist wandering around, touching things here and there.
However, the office was minimalistic, exuding a strong work atmosphere. Unlike Ye Sisheng’s office, there was nothing fun to explore.
Xie Heng quickly lost interest and plopped down next to Lu Xi on the sofa.
Xie Yizhao sat at his desk, catching up on the backlog of work from the morning.
Suddenly, he lifted his gaze and looked at Lu Xi.
As if reminded of something, he opened a drawer, pulled out a beige sticky note, and wrote something on it.
Then, he walked over to the sofa, handed her the note, and, with a serious and business-like expression, said, “Take a look at this and consider your answer carefully.”
Lu Xi was momentarily taken aback.
Judging by his tone, was this something important?
Even Xie Heng thought so.
He wasn’t as reckless as before—he had learned some discretion. Knowing that it was best not to interrupt when adults were discussing serious matters, he sat up straight, pretending not to notice.
Lu Xi picked up the note and read it carefully, only to break down laughing a second later.
[Madam, you seemed very happy to see me embarrassed?]
Her expression turned complicated as she glanced at the man who had calmly returned to his desk as if nothing had happened.
It took all her willpower to suppress her laughter.
Seriously? How could he do something so subtly dramatic while keeping a straight face?
She cleared her throat, got up, and walked to his desk. Taking the pen from his hand, she quickly scribbled a response below his elegant handwriting. Then, putting on a serious face, she handed it back to him with an air of formality.
[Sorry, my bad. What compensation does my dear Hubby need?]
The man’s eyes glimmered with a faint smile as he glanced at the note. Then, making sure the clueless teenager remained oblivious, he smoothly wrote a reply and slid the paper back to her.
[Easy. There’s a banquet this weekend. I’d rather not go alone. Would my wife be available to accompany me?]
Xie Heng, completely unaware of their exchange, was lost in his own thoughts.
Tomorrow was a school day.
Which meant waking up at 6:30 AM.
No more sleeping in.
Ugh. He was so jealous of Ms. Lu!