Milady's Fine Gentleman 117 MINISTRY OF INTELLIGENCE AND SURVEILLANCE

"Dear, this is your lunch." Xue Jinxu handed Chen Linyun a packed bento.

"Off you go." She smiled at him sweetly while her hands smoothed his dress shirt along the collar and shoulders.

Chen Linyun gently pinched her chin with his slender fingers and gave her a peck on the lips. "I'm so lucky." He kissed her again, deepening it by the second. His hands were starting to caress her back upwards, from her waist. The lady wrapped her arms around his neck and ruffled his hair.

Then, she pulled away, laughing, and wiping and blocking her lips with the back of her hand. "Hubby, you'll be late." Her cheeks were flushed just like when they were still not married.

Chen Linyun gazed at her blushing countenance lovingly, strongly. The lady blushed more and landed her gaze on the floor. "Should I call in sick?" He teased.

'I love her blush. I love how she acts. I love all of her. It's all perfect and in place.' He thought while still gazing at her.

"What? No! You're there for a purpose, aren't you?" Xue Jinxu reminded him.

He sighed. "Yeah. To end Shi Fan Hai's bullying, for the most part, and to please my father on the sides."

He grabbed her waist again. "I want you to know that this is temporary. Once we've dealt with the pressing concern of your safety, I'll leave that place. I prefer my freelance career in trading as an enterpreneur. I prefer to be beside you 24/7."

"Clingy much, dear?" She giggled and cupped his cheek. "Off you go." She said softly.

"Chen Linyun?" She called out, tugging at his sleeves near the wrist.

"Jinxu. What's wrong?" He turned around.

"You don't have to do this if you don't want to. I'm not part of the Xue Family anymore. We're already married. Maybe I've stopped being a target of the Shi's. You don't have to force yourself to do this."

"I'm not forcing myself. I want to do this for you and your family. Remember, there's still Guangxi who's at risk. We both care for your little brother."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face on his shoulder. A muffled "Thank you" came out from her.

She raised her head and said, "Off you go." She smiled while he went out of the front door.

Chen Linyun drove to his new office at the center of Imperial, at the Ministry of Intelligence and Surveillance.

The institution was responsible for the regulation of confidential data, and for the proper utilization of these data in past and currently filed charges at the low and high courts. They are the depository of personal information of all the population, including the birth, marriage and death certificates, addresses, individual imprints and identification such as DNA, fingerprints, tooth profile and blood chemistry and the likes. The institution does not have the paperworks and the documents, and they don't process it – it's the job of other offices such as the Civil Registry. However, this institution should keep their database up-to-date for every change in status of the population such as change in marital status from single to married (and to whom), and from married to divorced. It's a constantly moving job, together with the daily life of the civilians.

Chen Linyun's first assignment was to monitor and maintain the nation's database up to the latest happenings. It was a boring and tedious job, and might need a lot of automation. It would be a test of his IT skills. In line with it, he needed coordination with other offices for the data that he would upload in the database.

Currently, his access was limited to uploading information only, and it's rather a one-way street. He could upload, but he could not retrieve it or save it otherwise the security will trigger the alarm. It was making him frustrated. He couldn't fully pursue his personal motive of being there.

'I have been here for months already. My progress is quite sluggish. This won't do.' He thought grimly. 'I need to do something.'

Time flew past rapidly and when he realized it, it's time for lunch. He unpacked his home-made, carefully-prepared bento, full of excitement like a little child opening a gift at Christmas. It's understandable, because the wife had a knack in preparing creative bentos.

One time, Chen Linyun stared for a good thirty minutes at his lunch which looked like a 3-D panda tucked in bed, under some stars and crescent moon. In fact, the panda was some sort of an onigiri, seasoned rice, with seaweeds for his blotches, eyes and ears and mouth, and the bedsheet was an omelet draped across the panda, the stars and moon were little creatively cut veggies, mostly carrots. Some other veggies were on the sides complementing the panda.

Everytime, he took a picture of his bento first before taking a bite. He'd send a copy of the photo to the wife who's waiting for the verdict every single time, as well.

'What will I get this time?' He rubbed his hands together, staring intently at the still-covered bento.

It's silly getting nervous over unpacking lunches, but he did. His heart was at unrest, and always, he would play some drumroll inside his head, until the moment he's been waiting for.

He flipped the cover successfully. It revealed a party of a smiling yellow cat made of Java rice, a cute little rabbit made of white rice seasoned with black sesame seeds and seaweeds, and their little round meatball friends who also had big round eyes made of bolied egg white and seaweeds. On the sides there were broccoli which looked like trees, some other greens, and wrapped asparagus.

He gasped in amazement at how detailed it was. His colleagues went over to check on his source of surprise. "You're one lucky bastard. I wish my wife can make at least half of that!" A male co-worker tapped him on the shoulders.

"How can you eat it? It's adorable! Aww!" One lady co-worker exclaimed.

As usual, he took out his phone and captured a photo of it. "I have to eat it otherwise the wife will get mad if I don't." He answered the question of his co-worker.

He sent the photo to Xue Jinxu then started digging in. She replied, 'How is it? 😃'

Without another second's delay, he replied, 'Artistically, it's well-done, love. But it needs more seasoning. Just a little bit more.'

'Oh.😑' She replied so quickly as well.

Then she sent another. 'That's it. I'm going to enroll myself in a cooking class. You only deserve the best.'

Then she sent another response. 'I failed you, dear! Huhuhu.'

Chen Linyun chuckled, enjoying her monologue, while taking big bites of her food. He knew she's a bit hurt, but she also welcomes constructive criticism. She prefers it better than any sugar-coated shiz.

He replied to her monologue with just one statement. 'You didn't fail me. You always exceed expectations. That's why I love you.'

Now, that's cheesy. But, it will surely reassure the wife who's currently alone in the house, probably slightly moping at her 'failed' attempt to provide the best for her husband.

She replied only a few seconds after. Chen Linyun would like to think that the wife giggled first, and stared at his reply for a few seconds more before sending hers. 'Love you too, dear. 😘'

Then she sent another. 'Finish it all. I'm going to eat lunch too.'

He replied. 'Okay, make sure you eat a lot. Don't starve yourself. Observe proper meal time. You tend to forget eating your meals. Send me a selfie of you taking your meals.'

She replied, 'Don't you trust me? Here.'

Chen Linyun received her photo attachment. She's really eating the same food on his lunch, except hers wasn't styled.

'Okay that's good enough. Eat a lot, my love.'

Chapter end

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