Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Mu Yuchen would have had no idea his son was so naughty if it were not for this trip!
The two of them went upstairs along with Mu Xiaocheng when they arrived at Glory World. Mu Yuchen put Mu Xiaocheng on his desk, then laid out some toys in front of him to keep him occupied as they worked.
"Mr. Mu, I heard from Vice President Zhang that there are some problems with the materials from Chief Sun. Has that issue been resolved yet?" Xi Xiaye asked when she suddenly remembered.
Frowning, Mu Yuchen remembered that he told Li Si to investigate Chief Sun, but there was no news yet. It must have been delayed due to the recent happenings.
"I've asked Vice President Wen to take care of it. He's very good at dealing with things like that. Since the South River project is going well, you can focus more on the development of Movie City. Grandfather has finished two large-scale projects, and we all thought we could take on South River Project No. 2, but Qi Kai would have butted in, so I got someone to make an estimation. The potential profits from Movie City will be comparable to South River Project No. 2."
Mu Yuchen gave her a warm smile.
She nodded when suddenly, there was a loud sound
Swoosh!
They looked at each other and quickly turned around. Mu Xiaocheng was right beside the laptop and gleefully tearing up documents!
"Mu Xiaocheng!"
Xi Xiaye's expression darkened and she swiftly went over!
In the meantime, the toddler put on a happy little grin when he saw his mother before him.
Xi Xiaye quickly took the documents away and looked through them. She turned around and looked at Mu Yuchen regretfully. "It's the report from the Marketing Department...You naughty little boy!"
Xi Xiaye knocked Mu Xiaocheng's little head softly.
Mu Yuchen came over and took a look at it. Then, he frowned when he noticed Mu Xiaocheng giving him an innocent little smile.
"You naughty little thing!"
Mu Yuchen gently tapped his forehead as well. "It's alright. Tell the Marketing Department to send another copy on Monday..."
Before he could finish his sentence, his phone started ringing. It was Qi Lei.
Mu Yuchen frowned before answering the call. "Hi."
Qi Lei let out a sigh of relief when he heard Mu Yuchen's voice. "There's something you need to know. Morrison has already figured out the relationship between Gu Qiwu and Mu Lingshi. He's plotting something with Qi Feng, so you need to be prepared."
Mu Yuchen's frown deepened, and he then asked, "Do you know what they might be doing?"
"I was too far away, so I couldn't hear their plans, but I'm guessing it won't be simple. I've sent people to monitor Morrison. I'll let you know if anything happens. By the way, will the two of you be going for Qi Feng and Gu Lingsha's wedding? I remember I was told that you guys were invited."
"Can you deliver our gifts for us if we don't go?" Mu Yuchen asked.
"You wish! Find a way yourself!" Qi Lei laughed. "How do you feel right now? Qi Feng guessed that your grandmother passed away because she found out about this. Is that true?"
Mu Yuchen took a deep breath. "They are right. The information left a huge impact on Grandmother."
After that, he instantly hung up on the call.
Xi Xiaye was holding Mu Xiaocheng in her arms as she asked, "What's wrong?"
Mu Yuchen put his phone on the table. "Qi Lei called. Qi Feng's already found out about the relationship between Gu Qiwu and Lingshi. He's worried that we might be in trouble, so he gave me a reminder."
"We can't hide it forever after all..." Xi Xiaye lowered her gaze and mumbled, "What should we do now?"
"Qi Lei's gotten people to monitor them. It's a race of speed right now. I don't want to use extreme measures if I can."
Mu Yuchen suddenly felt a headache coming on.
"They are coming at you with everything they've got. We'll be at a disadvantage if you don't make a move. I just feel sorry for Ah Shi. I never expected her father to be someone like that. How could he treat his daughters so differently? Gu Lingshi could be considerate about Doris, yet he can't be considerate about Aunt?" Xi Xiaye said coldly, there was a sudden knock on the door as well.
"That should be Li Si." Mu Yuchen slowly sat down.
"I'll leave you guys here then. I'll bring this little one to get some food." Xi Xiaye then went into the resting lounge with Mu Xiaocheng.
Mu Yuchen spoke up after he heard the door close, "Come in."
Li Si came in urgently with Ah Mo behind him.
"Master!"
"Brother!"
They stopped right before his table.
"These are what we've prepared. Do you want to take a look?' Li Si then handed a thumb drive to Mu Yuchen, his expression seeming hesitant.
Mu Yuchen took it and then handed it to Ah Mo. "Do you want to watch it? This won't be publicized if either Lingshi or you are against it."
Ah Mo was stunned for a moment before he shook his head. "There's no need. Lingshi and I believe in you, and we've decided to support you unconditionally. Lingshi is in deep grief after we lost Grandmother. There's no way she'd forgive Gu Qiwu, so you don't have to be considerate about us.
"I've already made it clear with Gu Qiwu. I'd rather stay by your side than become his pet dog!"
Ah Mo's words and his genuine tone surprised Mu Yuchen who glanced up at Ah Mo's face before looking at the thumb drive in his hand.
"Master, are you really going to do that? If..." Li Si seemed hesitant as he asked.
Before he could finish his sentence, Mu Yuchen interrupted him, "There're no ifs."
He put the thumb drive onto the table and leaned back against the chair. Then, he turned the chair around and looked out of the window. Moments later, he continued, "Qi Lei called me just now and told me that Qi Feng's already figured out the relationship between Gu Qiwu and Lingshi. He's probably plotting some trouble."
"What? He found out?"
Li Si and Ah Mo traded glances with each other, their expressions hardening.
"It's slightly later than I expected. I don't find it surprising. It was going to be exposed sooner or later anyway." Mu Yuchen did not seem to be shocked.
"What do they want? Bro, should I send people..."
Mu Yuchen raised his hand and stopped Ah Mo. "This might be more suitable for Qi Lei to handle. Your top priority is to protect Lingshi. Doris came back and went to pay her respects to Grandmother on the day she was buried. I met her. She seems much more cunning than ever. I don't want her to lay her eyes on Lingshi. Do you understand?"
"Do you mean..."
Ah Mo had been working alongside Mu Yuchen for many years, so he could grasp the nuance in Mu Yuchen's words.
"Doris is an ambitious woman. She'll never let someone pose a threat to Gu Lingsha and her. I remember that Gu Qiwu told me Doris suspected him before, but he tried to avert her suspicion away from Aunt by encouraging Gu Lingsha to marry me.
"But who could be sure that Doris actually gave up on finding out? She's a smart woman. There was no way she couldn't guess what Gu Qiwu was up to, so I want to see Doris's reaction once we release this. If my guess is correct, we'll have to reinvestigate Lingtian's accident six years ago!"
Mu Yuchen's voice turned sharp towards the end, and Li Si shuddered slightly.
Ah Mo tensed up as he listened to Mu Yuchen. "Bro, you mean that Doris suspected Lingtian and Lingshi six years ago, or even earlier than that, and that's why she plotted the accident?"
"That...that's impossible!" Li Si opened his eyes wide.
"Do you remember when I auctioned Lingtian's pen in City B earlier this year?" Mu Yuchen suddenly turned around and looked into their eyes.
Ah Mo and Li Si were startled for a moment before nodding.
"Of course, that was how you found out about Gu Qiwu. I remember Gu Lingsha got it at a high bid of $8 million. However, that pen seems to have been returned to Ms. Lingsha. I almost forgot about this! I think you mentioned that Doris sent people to chase the people who tried to buy the pen, so she might not actually know about the relationship between Gu Qiwu and Lingshi. Why else would she have done that then?"
"If she didn't know, why would she have cared about that pen? Was it really because of Gu Lingsha's friendship with Lingtian? I understand that instead of Gu Lingsha, it was Doris who sent the people to chase after Gu Qiwu."
"So, are you saying there are only two reasons why she would do so? One is that she was putting on an act, or she just has her suspicions and is still unsure about their relationship. Is she trying to confuse us to cover her tracks?"
"The second one feels closer to the right answer," Mu Yuchen analyzed.
Ah Mo and Li Si were stunned.
"That's not very likely, is it? Creating an accident without knowing the truth...that doesn't seem reasonable," Ah Mo said.
"That's right. We've also investigated the accident so many times, but the results came out to be an accident every time. There are no leads at all, so I don't think it's feasible." Li Si frowned.
"It does sound ridiculous, but usually the answer beyond our expectations could be the right one. It might be because the previous investigators were incapable, but I want to investigate this case again. Of course, it's just speculation at this point. There's nothing really suspicious yet, so we'll have to wait and see their reactions tomorrow. I'm looking forward to the surprise Qi Feng has prepared for me tomorrow too," Mu Yuchen said coolly, appearing relaxed.
"Are you heading over personally tomorrow?" Ah Mo sounded anxious as he expressed, "I'm worried that Qi Feng might do something to you. Let me accompany you."
"Ah Mo, you forgot what I just told you. Your top priority is to protect Lingshi. Li Si will be accompanying me tomorrow, so just do what you should." Mu Yuchen then got up and handed the thumb drive back to Li Si. "I'll leave this to you. Don't let me down."
"Don't worry, Master. I'll get it done!"
"You mentioned that you want to investigate the case again. What's your plan?" Ah Mo asked.
"Don't use any of our men to avoid attracting any attention. I'll ask your sister-in-law's contact." He was thinking of Inspector Zhang since he was very pleased with the information he gathered this time.
Doris had ignored Xi Xiaye completely the other day, so she probably did not think of her highly. It might be easier for Xi Xiaye to take action because at least, Doris would not be vigilant of her.
Ah Mo nodded. "Okay, we'll go with your plan then."
"You can both go back now. Ah Mo, we won't be going back to the Mu residence tonight."
"Yes, Bro!"
The day went by quickly, and night soon arrived.
Inside Qi Lei's private villa in the Grand Lake Villa area, Qi Lei closed his notebook while he had a bad feeling about what was going to happen.
He looked through the messages from Li Si. They were all about Mu Zi and Qi Qiming...
It looked like his mother, Wang Qin, had once suspected that Qi Qiming and Mu Zi had a past, or that they were hiding something. Could she have thought Lingtian and Mu Lingshi were Qi Qiming and Mu Zi's children?
Qi Lei suddenly felt bitter. Wang Qin had done everything she could to keep Qi Qiming in check, yet he had still disappointed her in the end.
After everything that he had gone through, only he knew what he cared about the most right now.
He felt extremely irritable and decided to go out, so he grabbed his coat and put it over his shoulders. He took his car keys and then headed out.
Qi Lei drove along the busy night street and soon arrived at De Feng Avenue.
It was a quiet place. Somehow, he had driven there and remembered that Dongfang Liuyun's shop was just around the corner, but he did not head over as he thought she had probably gone back home already. He then decided to go to the hawker center they went to the last time.
Business was brisk as usual. Qi Lei could smell the grilled fish and barbeque the moment he got out of his car along with the sound of chatter.
Qi Lei locked his car and walked over. He found an empty table and sat down.
"Hmm? Aren't you Ms. Dongfang's friend?"
The owner recognized Qi Lei. After all, he was pretty handsome and had a different air around him, so he instantly recognized him.
Qi Lei remembered that the owner's surname was Wei. While he did not sound like a local, he was warm and nice.
"Hello, Boss Wei! Give me a grilled fish, one fried noodles, and two dishes to go along with some alcohol. Get me a dozen ice beers." Qi Lei smiled and gave his order.
"Sure, coming right up!"
The owner soon brought the beer over.
Qi Lei grabbed a glass and filled it up. He felt much better after several drinks.
It was the weekend, and many people had gathered around and having lively conversations. However, happiness belonged to them, not him.
Qi Lei shot the people around him an envious glance. They should be students from a nearby university. School break was not over yet, and there was another two weeks before it reopened. Most of these students stayed on campus and worked part-time.
As the students were chatting, Qi Lei listened closely and somehow lost his senses. He did not even realize the beer was overflowing from his glass as he continued to pour into it.
At that moment, he caught the scent of a familiar smell. Suddenly, his bottle of beer was snatched away as a voice reached his ears.
"Owner, give me another bowl and a pair of chopsticks."
Qi Lei quickly looked over and saw Dongfang Liuyun sitting down across him. Surprised, he put on a smile. "Why are you here?"
Dongfang Liuyun took a swig directly from the bottle before looking at him. "I should be the one asking you. Why are you here?"
The owner quickly gave her a bowl and chopsticks before she started enjoying the food. It felt like they were really close friends.
"I was just bored and wanted to go somewhere. Somehow, I ended up here."
Qi Lei got her a glass and filled it up with beer for her.
"You obviously look like you have a lot on your mind. You're still young, so why are you so troubled? You're going to get old faster this way."
Dongfang Liuyun swallowed her food and looked at him. She then glanced over at the group of students Qi Lei had been watching moments ago. "They are from the polytechnic college nearby. Many students stay on campus rather than go home during the break. Some work part-time around here, and some go on adventures."
As Dongfang Liuyun was reminded of her own past, she emptied the full glass of beer Qi Lei had just served her.
He suddenly gained interest when he heard her words. "Have you worked part-time before?"
"Of course! My family stopped providing for me after I started university, so I had to earn my school fees and living expenses. My mother is a very strict woman who wanted me to become as independent as her. At times, my father would take pity on me and hand me some money although he would get punished if she found out!"
Dongfang Liuyun seemed to be in a good mood today. Despite sounding a little annoyed, she was also glad about what her mother did, and she had a smile on her face.
"Is your father her slave?"
Punishment?
Qi Lei thought it would only happen in dramas. It was not usual in real life, was it?
"What's so weird about that? My father is much older than my mother. He's over 60 and my mother is only around 50 years old. Well, it's not really a secret, I guess."
Qi Lei then realized that the Dongfang couple were pretty low-profile, but it was no secret that Mr. Dongfang obeyed everything his wife said. It had all shown up in Yang Sheng's investigation report.
"Your parents are everyone's role models," Qi Lei said with a chuckle.
Upon hearing that, Dongfang Liuyun did not continue. She only lowered her eyes, picked up the bottle and poured two more servings for them.
"About the equipment, thanks!" She lifted a drink to toast to him.
Qi Lei smiled calmly as he lifted his glass as well and returned the goodwill. "No worries. Those were yours anyway. Why are you so late today?"
She downed the drink before responding, "I was evaluating a treasure with a friend and lost track of time. What about you? Haven't seen you online much these days."
"I've not been in the mood," Qi Lei responded, and something flashed in Dongfang Liuyun's eyes.
She recalled the recent funeral they had attended together and could not help but sigh. "I forgot that you're close friends with them. I'm sure you grieve with them too, but a person's death is like a light put out. As sad as we'll be, they won't ever come back, so we should take good care of ourselves instead and let them rest in peace."
"Mmm, Grandmother Mu's passing was too sudden. I don't know if they'll be able to recover from this soon. I know how they feel."
Did Wang Qin leave that suddenly as well?
That was why he knew all too well how it felt. Someone who had been just alive moments ago, talking to you and smiling at you, could be gone in the next moment. Who could so calmly accept such cruel reality?
"I'm not someone who knows how to console others. If you aren't in a good mood, I can only advise you to drink more!" Dongfang Liuyun had pretty solid tolerance, so she said that as she poured Qi Lei another cup.
Upon hearing that, he suddenly laughed. "Other people have been telling me to drink less. Don't they say that drinks don't resolve real sorrows?"
Dongfang Liuyun picked up her drink. With an arm propped up on the table, she looked at the table of students beside them as she said, "To me, drinks are great. They can chase away my sorrows, and even bolster my courage. Enough now. Where do you find so many sorrows at your age? You're not the only one going through tough times. Your mindset can change your future. Look at them. Do you miss how things were?"
"Don't you?" he asked her instead.
She smiled. "I'm rarely nostalgic about the past. There's a saying that goes 'the only reason you should turn back to look is to see how far you've come'. When I was abroad and was a teaching assistant to my mentor, my mentor always loved saying that. He even made that his classic line."
Now, Qi Lei began to smile bitterly and shook his head. He said humbly, "If I had half of your state of mind, Swift Snowy, I wouldn't have become the way I am today." Then, he subconsciously furrowed his brows and looked a little comical.
As Dongfang Liuyun listened to him, she laughed gently. "You can call me Dongfang. Liuyun works too. I'll call you Qi Lei then. The names in the game are too corny. I'm just saying."
"You seem to be treating me like your student, hmm?" Qi Lei said, laughing.
"I don't have a student as old as you."
Qi Lei recalled what Yang Sheng had found out from before, so he could not help but ask, "Please, all you of Ph.D. Professors are mostly over 30 years old. Oh, I heard that you're planning to take on a role at University A, huh?"
Dongfang Liuyun picked up her chopsticks casually, took a slice of fish and elegantly put it into her mouth. She finished chewing it before saying unhurriedly, "Well, I'm not too sure about that.t It depends on whether my store can hold up. I'll ask my father to delegate one or two people over. If it works, then I might go take a look. After all, I think that the school environment is much more relaxed."
"University A's pretty good. Xi Xiaye's parents are also lecturers at University A." Qi Lei very naturally thought of Xi Xiaye.
"Xi Xiaye?"
Upon hearing this name, the light in Dongfang Liuyun's eyes paused for a bit. She thought for a moment and quickly remembered that when she had attended the memorial service, it had been her first time seeing Xi Xiaye with Mu Yuchen. She then nodded. "I remember now. That was Xi Xiaye with Mu Yuchen the other day, right? She seems quite nice and should be a pretty great person. Hmm, Xi Xiaye? Xi Mushan's her father, isn't he?"
Qi Lei nodded. "Yes, that's right! Vice-Chancellor at University A."
They were all people within a network he was familiar with.
Back then, when Xi Mushan had sent her an invitation to take on a position at University A, their university had been applying to take on a doctorate program for archaeology. A few days ago, the Chancellor of University A had called her, but she responded that she was still considering it.
The two of them drank till past 10 p.m., but they did not get drunk like they did the first time. Most of the drinks were drained by Dongfang Liuyun. Qi Lei did not drink too much. However, she did not seem tipsy at all and remained very much sober.
Looking at the floor full of empty bottles, even Qi Lei could not help but admire Dongfang Liuyun's tolerance! She was truly one of the guys! This was his first time meeting a woman who could drink so much.
Dongfang Liuyun finished the last drop in her cup as she looked at the mess on the table. She finally set her cup down in satisfaction, and then picked up her bag. "I'm full. It's your turn to get the bill. I'm going home now. The last bus is at 10.30p.m."
"Didn't you drive?" Qi Lei was stumped.
"Sent it to the workshop this morning. I'll only get it back in another few days," she said as her slender figure walked away towards the pavement ahead.
Qi Lei thought about it, then took out a few dollar bills from his pocket to put on the table. He told the boss to get the bill and then picked up his coat and put it on his shoulders before going after her.
He stopped a few steps behind Dongfang Liuyun before he called out to her, "Let me give you a ride!"
When she heard his offer, she stopped walking and stayed there with her back against him. After a while, she turned around and smiled calmly. "That's fine. The bus is here. Bye!"
As soon as she finished, the bus had already slowed to a stop at the bus stop, so she fixed the bag on her shoulders and waved to Qi Lei with her back to him. Then, she got onto the bus.
Qi Lei watched her slender figure vanish before his eyes. His gaze shifted, then he saw her walk to the back of the bus before finally finding a seat by the window.
Dongfang Liuyun turned to look out the window. When she saw that Qi Lei was still standing in the same spot, she smiled and waved goodbye.
Her bright and beautiful smile greeted his sight, and he suddenly felt dazed.
Soon, he smiled and waved at her too.
The bus slowly started and Qi Lei silently watched it drive away, vanishing into the dim streetlights ahead.
After a while, he gathered himself, breathed in, and turned to walk towards his car. He had just gotten into the car when his phone that had been buzzing dimmed.
When he got out of the car earlier, Qi Lei had not brought his phone along. He had just left it in the car.
He closed the door and picked up his phone to realize that he had more than ten missed calls, five of which were from Yang Sheng, and the rest were from the Qi family mansion.
Qi Lei then remembered that when he had left the Qi residence earlier, he seemed to have bumped into Qi Qiming and stated that he would be back at night.
He hesitated for a moment before calling the Qi residence. The butler picked up.
"Second Master, why aren't you home yet? CEO Qi's been waiting for you the entire night. He hasn't even had dinner. He went back angrily to his study room. You should come home quickly!" The butler's anxious voice came through.
A sneer could not help but flash across Qi Lei's lips upon hearing that.
Why did he make it sound like that old man loved and cared about him so much!?
"I'm not feeling too well, so I went home first. Just let him know that I'll go over tomorrow. Cough, cough..."
In the end, Qi Lei even coughed lightly twice for good measure before hanging up
"Second Master, Second Master!"
The butler wanted to say something more, but Qi Lei had already hung up, so he could only put the phone down. He was about to go upstairs and inform Qi Qiming, but just as he turned around, he saw Qi Qiming standing at the stairs.
Qi Qiming wore a gray sleeping gown as he looked at the butler with a gloomy expression. The butler shuddered and quickly said, "CEO Qi, the Second Master just called. He said that he's not feeling well, so he won't be coming over. I think he's down with the flu..."
"Do you think that a person who could have run about earlier would suddenly fall ill?" Qi Qiming asked coldly, his expression appearing exceptionally unhappy.
"CEO Qi..."
Qi Qiming sighed and walked down the stairs slowly. He brushed the butler's arm away. "Let him be! The fact that he even called is surprising. I've got no way of controlling him!"
"Father, it's late. Why aren't you asleep yet?"
Qi Qiming had just sat down on the sofa in the living room when Gu Lingsha's voice broke the silence. He turned to see Gu Lingsha walk out of the kitchen. He sighed and could not help but say, "How can I fall asleep?"
"Are you still troubled over Qi Lei's matter? I think you shouldn't think too much about it. The fact that he could come home today means he still can't let go, so Father, don't split hairs over it. Right, I've just made some dessert for Weiwei. Would you like some?"
Qi Qiming waved a hand. "There's no need for that since I don't like dessert. Has Weiwei fallen asleep?"
"She's just laid down and Ah Feng's telling her a story. I'll chat with you for a bit."
Gu Lingsha could tell that Qi Qiming was in a bad mood, so she walked over and sat down in front of him.
Qi Qiming nodded and indicated for the butler to bring them two glasses of water as he said, "Tomorrow's your wedding with Ah Feng. You two should sleep earlier. That way, you'll have more energy for tomorrow."
"It's fine. We've been resting well these past few days."
"How has Qi Lei been performing at the company recently?" Qi Qiming could not help but bring up Qi Lei.
For some reason, he had been troubled by dreams recently. Sometimes, he would see Wang Qin, and sometimes, he would dream of Qi Lei. In the past two months, he had become much thinner and it seemed as if there was a sheer layer of chill around him.
"Mmm, pretty good. I heard from VP Yue that the projects that he's in-charge of have been going well. He just doesn't really interact with the people in the office and always does his own thing. I think that maybe there are some misunderstandings with the people in the office. He trusts Aunt Wang's former aides more," she said softly.
Qi Qiming nodded. "He still resents me. If it were not for your Aunt Wang acting insensibly back then, I wouldn't have done that to her."
"Father, you don't have to blame Aunt Wang. She was quite similar to Mother sometimes, so I understand how you feel very well, but right now, since she's long gone, we shouldn't look into these things too much. Otherwise, you'll be sad about it."
"That I know. You two watch over Qi Lei more from now. Consider it me making it up to your Aunt Wang," Qi Qiming said as he took the water from the butler and drank a few gulps before getting u., "Alright, go home and rest earlier."
...
When Gu Lingsha returned to the room, Qi Feng was already lying on the bed. He was still holding a tablet, but when he saw Gu Lingsha enter, he put it away.
"Rest earlier. What are you still looking at?"
Gu Lingsha lifted the blanket and lay down slowly, looking at Qi Feng, who then set the tablet aside and responded in a hoarse voice, "Nothing much. What took you so long?"
"I was talking to Father earlier. He was still angry about Qi Lei." She sighed softly and frowned. "Actually, I do think that Qi Lei's gone overboard. He didn't use to be like this. Has he erased all kinship in just a few years? He didn't use to treat us like this. No matter what it is, you're his elder brother, and Father's still his father. I really don't want to see him..."
"Elder brother? I'm afraid he's never seen me as one." Qi Feng's tone was calm. With both hands clasped at the back of his head, he sneered, "The fact that he's prejudiced against me is nothing new. Even if you and Lingtian have been trying to make it up between us, it has always been there."
"I know, but right now, he's getting so close to Mu Yuchen. I'm really worried that he'll..."
Gu Lingsha looked at Qi Feng hesitantly.
Qi Feng extended his arm and put it around Gu Lingsha's frail shoulders. "Whether or not he will, I'll know what to do. Let's not talk about this anymore. Sleep earlier. we'll be quite busy tomorrow."
"Can you feel anything in your legs? When I saw Professor Terl checking on you tonight, he said that your situation isn't that bad."
"We'll know when it comes to the treatment. I really hope to stand again."
Qi Feng took a deep breath again as a cold light gathered in the depths of his eyes. He did not seem too hopeful because he had experienced such dreams countless times before, and every failure only made him feel more dispirited...
Ji Zitong looked much more feminine now compared to before. It was not hard to see that she was living a great life with Su Chen. She was smiling much more and was a happy little woman.
"If only we shared similar experiences as they did, maybe we could've become best friends." Xi Xiaye smiled and suddenly thought of Su Nan...
"A lot of my friends say that friendships between women are much more fragile than men's. I do think Chairman Mu seems very understanding toward you though. Do you think of him as your best friend?"
"It's different for everyone, I guess. Some relationships take time to grow. It's hard to find someone whom you can call a soulmate, and I do feel fortunate that I've found mine." Xi Xiaye's eyes were gentle as she spoke. She could relate to it very much.
She had lost everything two years ago, and now she had him. It was as if she had the whole world to herself. He would always be her world...
Thanks to him, she discovered her emotions and did not have to put up a brave front anymore.
She did not have to be mature and could just be herself. She could appear weak and vulnerable. Everything would be fine as long as they were happy since the opinions of others did not matter to them.
She was glad that she had not given up on herself back then. A person could go on as long as hope existed.
Ji Zitong beamed in agreement. "I feel like you can be a relationship counselor now. Your words are pretty motivational."
"Motivational?"
Xi Xiaye shook her head. "Please don't be like me. I'm not ambitious and I'm not the kind of person to achieve great things."
"Why does a woman need to achieve great things? Su Chen said most men like their women gentle and easygoing. He always comments on me being stern..." Ji Zitong laughed.
Xi Xiaye chuckled as well.
At the same time, the three men were in the pool below.
Zhou Zimo glanced at the ladies chatting happily above and laughed. "Su Chen, Ah Chen, your wives must be talking about the two of you up there, don't you think?"
Su Chen and Mu Yuchen glanced at their wives too. They then averted their gaze back at Zhou Zimo.
"I didn't know you were spying on them. How do you know what they're talking about?" Su Chen asked.
"Married women always talk about their husbands anyway." Zhou Zimo wiggled his eyebrows cheekily.
"As if you know women that well!" Su Chen threw Zhou Zimo a suspicious glance. "Zimo, do you have so much free time that you've started researching women in general?"
"Su Chen! You've been sarcastic towards me all the time ever since you got married. I can't take this anymore! You were just the same as me last year!" Zhou Zimo threw his towel towards Su Chen.
"Fine, I'm talking business right now! Stop putting me in a bad light when I'm looking out for you!" Su Chen grabbed the towel and told Zhou Zimo, "Several young traffic policewomen were transferred over from the headquarters. They are quite pretty. I can't go after them since I'm married. Do you want to..."
"No!" Zhou Zimo rejected Su Chen's proposal before he even finished.
"Why? Didn't you ask me to scout for potential candidates for you?" Su Chen looked at Su Chen in confusion.
"You know that I don't like the police." Zhou Zimo's expression darkened.
"Are you still angry about getting those summons?" Su Chen chuckled.
Zhou Zimo did not reply and just swam away.
Mu Yuchen was quiet the whole time. He got out of the pool and grabbed a towel to wrap around his waist. "I'll leave you two here. Li Si should be here soon."
Su Chen and Zhou Zimo came over that morning and had lunch at Maple Residence. Mu Yuchen and Zhou Zimo were going to Qi Feng and Gu Lingsha's wedding together.
Night soon arrived. Dinner was served in Maple Residence. Su Chen and Ji Zitong left after a light dinner while Mu Yuchen and Zhou Zimo were prepared to attend Qi Feng and Gu Lingsha's wedding banquet.
Inside the bedroom, Xi Xiaye stood before Mu Yuchen and helped him to fix his tie. "Why aren't you bringing me along? Am I so bad that you can't let anyone see me as your wife? Am I gaining weight? Or am I getting ugly?"
"You're the most beautiful person in the world. Who'd say you're ugly?" Mu Yuchen glanced at her helplessly. "I've been bringing you to public events most of the time, haven't I? This is not just any event, so just stay home with our son, okay?"
Xi Xiaye pursed her lips and chuckled. "I'm just kidding. You're losing your sense of humor. Be careful out there. Zimo's waiting for you...mmm..."
Mu Yuchen pressed his lips against her before she could finish her sentence. He patted her head when he backed off. "Don't worry. We'll be fine. It's just a wedding banquet. We might be back a little late, so don't wait up for me."
He then walked outside.
Xi Xiaye was astonished for a moment before following him out...
"Let's go!"
Zhou Zimo, Li Si, and the bodyguards had been waiting for a while by the time Mu Yuchen arrived downstairs.
Mu Yuchen walked past the living room and reached for the doorknob as the others quickly followed him.
They had already left when Xi Xiaye went downstairs. She took a deep breath by the staircase as she prayed for everything to go well!
It was getting late, so Qi Lei gave them a call when they were having dinner.