Chapter 26

Shuangyun laughed out loud. "Do New Yorkers know you're slandering them like this?"
Cheng Lang said: "To be fair, New York's ceiling is very high, and its floor is very low."
"Then do you like New York?" Shuangyun asked her signature question.
Cheng Lang was quiet for a few seconds, then said: "Yes."
"Then why didn't you stay in New York?"
Cheng Lang reached out and turned on the faucet, his tone normal: "Maybe so I could be hit on by you."
Shuangyun was stunned for a second, then burst out laughing.
Cheng Lang withdrew his gaze and also laughed. But he didn't directly answer the question.
Before the beef ribs came out of the pot, Cheng Lang added white radish to braise together, then stir-fried two side dishes.
The flavors were overall quite light, but he also made a sour and spicy dipping sauce for the beef ribs.
"It tastes like my mom's cooking." Shuangyun said after taking a sip of the soup.
"Really?" Cheng Lang's gaze had a hint of anticipation and warmth.
Shuangyun curved her eyes at him. "I'm lying, Teacher Cheng. My mom can't cook at all."
Shuangyun laughed. Cheng Lang was stunned for a moment, then also laughed.
After eating, Cheng Lang put the dishes in the dishwasher, then the two decided to go to a furniture store to look at sofas in person.
There weren't many sofas in stock. Finally, the two chose a cream-colored semi-wrapped sofa—not outstanding but not wrong either. They scheduled delivery for next week.
Returning to the apartment again, Cheng Lang walked Shuangyun to her door.
Shuangyun remembered Cheng Lang's boundaries and only hugged his neck and kissed him for a while at the door before letting him go.
Cheng Lang wanted to ask about her Sunday plans, but Shuangyun said: "See you at the company."
"Okay, see you at the company." Cheng Lang stepped back. Shuangyun waved at him and closed the door.
Shuangyun lay back on her sofa, feeling the progress was good.
However, she still felt it was best not to be together every moment. She needed Cheng Lang to think about her, and of course, she also needed her own private time.
The following Monday, Shuangyun rarely went to school to meet with her supervisor.
Her dissertation had already been submitted and was now waiting for external review. It could be a few weeks or a few months.
During this time, Shuangyun needed to prepare for her defense.
Her supervisor gave Shuangyun some suggestions and ideas for her defense. Shuangyun went home and started preparing.
From Sunday to Wednesday, Shuangyun hadn't gone upstairs again. She did have the key to Cheng Lang's place, but she wasn't in a hurry.
On Thursday, Shuangyun went to work.
Cheng Lang came earlier than everyone as usual. Shuangyun wasn't in a hurry to go to his office to talk to him, and definitely didn't want to actively show everyone their relationship.
Their relationship would be determined by Cheng Lang's attitude.
At lunchtime, Shuangyun and colleagues were going downstairs to buy food when she saw Cheng Lang appear in the company break room.
That was where people who brought their own lunch used the microwave to heat their food. Cheng Lang almost never appeared there. Because as far as Shuangyun knew, he ate lunch very late, specifically to avoid chatting and gossiping with colleagues and wasting time. So he usually went downstairs alone during off-peak hours to buy food and ate it in his office while working.
Shuangyun peeked in as she passed the break room: "Landon brought his own lunch today!"
Several colleagues who heard also stopped and looked at Cheng Lang with interest.
Cheng Lang nodded very naturally.
"Then should we buy food and eat with you?" Shuangyun asked.
But Cheng Lang said: "You don't need to."
Shuangyun was puzzled: "You don't want to eat with me?"
Colleagues all showed expressions of watching drama.
The microwave beeped.
Cheng Lang reached out and took out a lunch box.
"I brought mine, and yours."
Cheng Lang took out two pairs of chopsticks and directly called her name: "Shuangyun Liang."