Demon Consort Runs into the Beijing Crown Prince - Chapter 7

After Lu Hanzhang left, Chu Muyun fed his Rabbit Son, changed his water, and cleaned his litter box before returning to his bedroom for a nap.

His head still ached from drinking too much.

He didn’t wake up until the afternoon. After feeding the rabbit again, he leashed the Crown Prince and took him for a walk around the residential complex.

Back home, he wiped the Crown Prince’s paws with a towel, then went to the kitchen, washed his hands, and began cooking while humming a tune.

He didn’t check his phone at all during this time. When Chu Muyun finally remembered to glance at it, he found several unread WeChat messages.

They were all from Lu Hanzhang’s assistant, Xiao Dezi:

[Mr. Chu, the boss has asked you to pack your belongings today. You’ll be moving tomorrow.]

When Chu Muyun didn’t reply, Xiao Dezi sent another message half an hour later: [Mr. Chu, are you there?]

[Please acknowledge receipt.]

A while later: [Are you still catching up on sleep?]

Chu Muyun immediately replied: [I’m awake now, just saw this. I’ll pack tonight.]

The assistant’s rapid-fire messages suggested Lu Hanzhang was pressing him for a response.

Chu Muyun regretted not asking Lu Hanzhang for his WeChat earlier that morning. Now that Lu Hanzhang was going to be his boss, he probably wouldn’t have refused. It would have saved them from having to communicate indirectly through the assistant like this.

…Actually, Lu Hanzhang had felt the same regret an hour earlier. How could he have forgotten to add Chu Muyun on WeChat? Now he was stuck messaging his assistant. For some inexplicable reason, he didn’t want his assistant to send him a friend request, he wanted to add Chu Muyun himself in person.

Assistant Li Weide, I feel like I’ve become a eunuch relaying messages (which, ironically, I was in my past life). …What’s going on between the boss and Chu Muyun? It’s like I skipped ten episodes of a drama.

As evening approached, it was time to leave work.

The high-end private restaurant Lu Hanzhang frequented sent a staff member to deliver his takeout order to the CEO’s office. Dining there required reservations, and they never offered takeout—except for the Lu Clan’s Crown Prince.

Lu Hanzhang grabbed the takeout box, stepped out of his office, and entered the elevator.

Assistant Li Weide watched him leave, inwardly stunned. The sky wasn’t even fully dark yet, and his workaholic boss would never have left the office at this hour before.

The sun must be rising in the west today.

Could it be because the boss is a married man with a child now?

Knock, knock, knock. The door to Chu Muyun’s rarely visited apartment was being knocked on for the second time that day. Chu Muyun, who was just setting a plate of freshly steamed rabbit-shaped rice cakes on the table, hurried to answer the door.

“B-Boss, you’re here again?” Chu Muyun’s face lit up with a beaming smile, his voice turning honey-sweet.

Lu Hanzhang glanced at the dining table. “Didn’t you just wake up?” The table was already laden with steaming, fragrant dishes.

“Actually, I woke up in the afternoon,” Chu Muyun explained. “I was busy cooking and didn’t check my phone.”

He noticed the takeout boxes Lu Hanzhang was carrying, “Boss, did you come all the way here just to bring me food?”

Lu Hanzhang scoffed, “I’m just afraid my artists will starve to death in their homes.”

“Hehe.”

Lu Hanzhang walked to the table, opened the bag, and began pulling out the takeout containers. As he lifted the lids, he added several more dishes to the meal.

“Did you make all of this yourself?” he asked.

The food smelled delicious and looked appealing, with adorable dessert shapes and vibrant colors. His gaze drifted to a corner of the table, where a clear vase now held a bouquet of blooming pink roses—something that hadn’t been there when he’d visited that morning.

“Yep,” Chu Muyun replied. “I was just about to text your assistant to ask if you wanted to join me for dinner.”

“What if you don’t come?”

“Then I’ll just celebrate my new job at StarJoy by myself!” Chu Muyun pulled out a chair for him and brought over a bowl and chopsticks. “It’s great you could make it. Hurry and try my cooking.”

Chu Muyun was confident in his culinary skills.

He had learned to cook in his previous life, and modern society offered far more abundant ingredients, seasonings, and cooking tools than ancient times. With these resources, he had surpassed his former abilities. If the Great King’s tastes hadn’t changed too much, he could easily win him over.

The two sat facing each other and began their meal.

Lu Hanzhang ate little of the food he had brought himself, focusing instead on Chu Muyun’s homemade dishes.

His first bite was of the Hibiscus Pork, and he was immediately impressed. Lu Hanzhang’s eyes widened in surprise, “Not bad at all.”

He frequented private dining clubs because the head chef’s recreations of ancient recipes evoked a familiar, nostalgic flavor—a kind of homesickness buried deep in his bones.

But Chu Muyun’s cooking stirred even stronger emotions. Every bite soothed his tongue and stomach, like reuniting with a long-lost love. He realized how much he had missed this taste.

Chu Muyun grinned smugly, “If you like it, I’ll cook for you every day… just kidding. It depends on my mood!”

He hadn’t often cooked for the Great King before. If an Imperial Consort were to personally cook every day, what would be the point of having so many imperial chefs?

He only made pastries or soups when he was in a good mood, as a way to coax the Great King, who always devoured every last bite. Cooking too often would only diminish the value of his efforts.

Lu Hanzhang watched Chu Muyun’s animated expression, his tone helpless yet betraying a tenderness he himself didn’t realize he possessed, “Once you get busy, you really won’t have time to cook.”

“Mhm, mhm, Boss, I love acting!” Chu Muyun seized the opportunity to declare. “Just throw all the resources you can at me—the more, the better! I won’t let you down. I’ll definitely make the Lu Clan a fortune in the future!”

…Of course, one hundred billion was still a bit much.

And even if he wanted to rebel, this situation was far too rebellious.

“Alright,” Lu Hanzhang thought inwardly. It would be strange if Chu Muyun didn’t become famous. Are the viewers blind these days?

He then said, “Huashi’s resources will all be transferred over, including that project you went to the other day…” He paused, recalling the name. “…Pear Blossom Falls. Pick whichever role you want.”

His memory was exceptional. Despite only attending the project launch banquet for a few minutes to appease his cousin Zhou Wei, he had already memorized the drama’s title.

“Okay, but I’d like to look at other scripts,” Chu Muyun said, still sounding a bit disdainful. “I’ve read the original novel this drama is based on, and it’s mediocre at best. The production team isn’t great either—it doesn’t have the potential to be a hit.”

He had once endured the old man’s groping hands just to secure a minor role with barely any lines. Now that he had Lu Hanzhang as his backer, he could afford to be picky.

“Alright. Meet with your agent in a couple of days to discuss your next project.”

“Okay.”

They finished dinner as they spoke. Noticing Lu Hanzhang glance at his watch and stand up, Chu Muyun asked, “Are you leaving already?”

“I have a business engagement later.” Normally, when there was an evening banquet, Lu Hanzhang would grab a quick bite at the office and work until it was time to leave.

But today, he had eaten dinner with Chu Muyun. He felt inexplicably relaxed in this man’s presence.

“Then don’t drink too much, don’t stay out too late, and take care of yourself,” Chu Muyun fussed like a concerned spouse. “Should I leave a bed for you?”

Lu Hanzhang, who had already turned to leave, stumbled at the question, “No need. You sleep in yours. I won’t be coming back.”

“Alright, Boss. No bed for you then~” Chu Muyun waved cheerfully, undeterred.

Wait, something seemed to be missing.

Two voices spoke simultaneously, “Let’s add each other on WeChat.”