My Fiancé's Scandals Never End, So I Married His Uncle Instead-Chapter 59: Boyfriend’s Code of Conduct

As Celia Sterling’s gaze was drawn to the constant notifications from his phone, Silas Norwood calmly pressed the mute button on its side.

"Cece, go ahead and do your thing." He lifted his phone. "I just need to take care of some work."

With that, he elegantly shifted to the side and began typing on his phone with an air of nonchalance.

Celia Sterling turned her attention back to the chat window with Rivermoon. She had sent a flurry of messages hoping to collaborate, offering a top-tier price and even making several promises on behalf of the Sterling Conglomerate. Finally, a reply came through:

Rivermoon: Not for sale.

Rivermoon: It’s all reserved for my wife. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Celia Sterling took a deep breath. ’He’s willing to reply, which means there’s still room for negotiation.’

Cece: In that case, could I have your wife’s contact information? I can speak with her.

Rivermoon: No.

A red envelope notification popped up.

Rivermoon: For your trouble.

Cece: ...

Celia Sterling felt the frustration of punching a fist into cotton. But the fact that he was willing to send a red envelope to console her meant he wasn’t completely unreasonable. The cruise would last for several days. As long as she was a little more persistent, it wasn’t a completely lost cause.

She tactfully dropped the subject of the contract for now. Instead, she browsed through his social media feed and proactively started a new topic:

Cece: Did you try out those cat-petting tips I mentioned last time, Daddy?

Rivermoon: Mm-hmm.

Cece: And? Did they work?

Rivermoon: It’s too timid. It doesn’t dare to pounce on me openly.

Cece: I hear felines are very sensitive to aggressive energy. Were you perhaps being too eager, Daddy?

Rivermoon: I’m not very good at resisting temptation.

Cece: Oh, so you have such a weakness for cats, Daddy.

Rivermoon: Mm. In over thirty years, this is the only one I’ve ever been obsessed with.

Another red envelope notification popped up.

Rivermoon: I feel like petting my cat. Let’s talk later.

Celia Sterling sent a goodbye emoji, but there was no further reply. She scrolled through their entire chat history. It was almost all fluff, with no real progress on the collaboration. With a sigh of regret, she put her phone away. Beside her, Silas Norwood had already leaned closer.

"Finished with your work already?"

"Mm-hmm." Silas Norwood reached out, letting her long, cascading curls play between his well-defined fingers. The silky strands were intoxicatingly fragrant.

Celia Sterling handed him a purple silk ribbon.

Silas Norwood clumsily tied her hair up. "The chef from Metropia made something delicious. Shall we go have a late-night snack?"

「Inside the suite.」

The meal was personally delivered by Chief Assistant Chambers.

A large bowl of malatang floated with a thick layer of chili oil, accompanied by a small plate of sliced Metropia roast duck, a small portion of black pepper Wagyu beef, and a small serving of white truffle jade tofu.

Celia Sterling keenly spotted a familiar logo on the malatang container.

It was from the very place the big shot Rivermoon had once posted about on his social media feed.

"Isn’t this brand based in Metropia? Did you move the whole shop onto the cruise ship?" Celia Sterling asked in surprise.

"No, we just borrowed the head chef for a few days." Theo Chambers personally placed the food on the table one by one, deliberately moving the small, exquisitely plated dishes in front of Celia Sterling.

The next moment, Celia Sterling, looking utterly delighted, pulled the container of malatang toward herself.

"I’ve wanted to try this for a long time, but never found the time." Celia Sterling lowered her head and sniffed the spicy, fragrant aroma. "Chief Assistant Chambers, you’re so thoughtful. It’s just... this portion is a bit large."

Theo Chambers silently glanced at Silas Norwood, who had already unwrapped the malatang utensils, and replied subserviently, "As long as Miss Sterling likes it."

With that, he respectfully withdrew and closed the door behind him.

"Silas, you have some too." Celia Sterling offered him a slice of roast duck.

Silas Norwood obligingly took a bite, then handed her the utensils he was holding.

For a spicy dish to become a unique, high-end brand in a place like Metropia, where light flavors usually reign supreme, the taste had to be exceptional. At first, Celia Sterling commented on the flavors as she ate, but soon she was completely absorbed in her meal. Silas Norwood sat across from her, his gaze landing on the large bowl of malatang several times. He hadn’t touched any of the other delicacies.

A girl’s appetite is only so big, after all, and she’d also had quite a bit of herbal tea. After eating about a third of it, Celia Sterling reluctantly put down her chopsticks, still not fully satisfied.

"All done?" Silas Norwood asked gently.

"Mm-hmm, I’m done." Celia Sterling looked at what was left with a pained expression. "It’s such a shame to throw it out. Maybe I’ll wait to digest a bit and then have some more."

"Cece, you have a boyfriend now." Silas Norwood pulled the malatang in front of him and said with a straight face. "I’ll eat the leftovers."

"Silas, given your status, how can you eat leftovers?" From the way Assistant Thorne kept the suite, Celia Sterling could tell Silas Norwood was a man of refined tastes. "Never mind, I’ll just throw it out. If I’m hungry again later, I can ask the chef to make more."

"Have you forgotten, Cece? We shared a sea cucumber," Silas Norwood reminded her. "If we could share that, we can certainly share this malatang."

With that, right in front of her, he calmly picked up a half-eaten piece of baby napa cabbage that she had taken a bite of but couldn’t finish, and put it in his mouth.

’How can the stomach of an untouchable beauty like him handle something so spicy?’

Celia Sterling immediately handed over a bottle of herbal tea. "Silas, just have a taste. Don’t eat too much, it’ll upset your stomach."

Seizing the opportunity for the sake of his future dining prospects, Silas Norwood laid his cards on the table. "Cece, I love spicy food."

Under Celia Sterling’s stunned gaze, he unhurriedly and skillfully polished off the entire bowl of malatang before taking an elegant sip of herbal tea.

’Food my girlfriend has eaten really does seem to taste better.’

He reached out and used the pad of his thumb to wipe a speck of chili sauce from the corner of her lips. His tone was quite earnest. "From now on, you can give me anything you can’t finish, Cece. It’s the fundamental duty of a proper boyfriend. Don’t be embarrassed."

Celia Sterling was already blushing with embarrassment. "So... all those times we ate together before, Silas, was it because I always ordered things you don’t like? Is that why you ate so little?"

"I like everything you order, Cece," Silas Norwood said, gently giving her an out. "It’s just that my appetite is a little off sometimes."

He didn’t dwell on the topic, not wanting to make her feel awkward.

He glanced at the darkening sky outside, ready to find them some new entertainment. "Assistant Thorne will have someone clean this up later. There are lots of activities on the cruise at night. Want me to take you to see them, Cece?"

Celia Sterling took his hand and followed him out the door. "What kind of things are there to do?"

"Some performances of intangible cultural heritage, and some interactive events for the members," Silas Norwood said softly. "Occasionally, there are also auctions, charity galas, and things like that."

Most people on the cruise were acquaintances at best. They might chat happily online, but meeting in person was another story. Thus, performances and activities were often organized to help break the ice.

The event was being held in a large venue on the sixth floor.

Hundreds of members were already trickling in. Bodyguards had already discreetly secured the best seats for Silas Norwood’s party. Shortly after Celia Sterling and Silas Norwood were seated, the rest of the guests also took their places.

Backstage, Eldest Young Master Warren winced as he held up an exquisite bottle of perfume concentrate. He then high-handedly seized control of the proceedings from Second Young Master North, the owner of the *Qian Guang*.

"Let me handle the first round," he declared. "I refuse to believe I can’t smoke out the ’Daddy’ big shot who blocked me!"