Everything is subject to change. Originally, a dinner at the Chen Family’s was planned, but before leaving work, Cheng Qiaobei received a call from Zhou Sui.
"I’ve arranged a eting with President Yan at Sai Shang Jiangnan. Co over, it’s an opportunity." Zhou Sui reported the room number.
"..." Cheng Qiaobei hesitated, and Zhou Sui asked, "Aren’t you coming?"
"I’ll co. What ti?" he asked.
Zhou Sui said, "Six o’clock."
Cheng Qiaobei glanced at the ti. "No problem."
He grabbed his car keys and left the office. As he passed by Wei Lai’s door, he proactively said, "I’m leaving early to et a client."
Wei Lai looked up, glancing over the computer screen. After he walked away, she said, "eting a client still counts as being absent."
Zhou Chong ca in smiling, holding a reimbursent form, "There’s one, missing your signature."
Wei Lai took the docunt and flipped through it. Zhou Chong stood beside her, slightly leaning, with one hand on the back of her chair and the other on the edge of the table. When Deng Yan walked in, he saw Zhou Chong almost encircling her.
He approached the desk expressionlessly, "I happen to have a receipt for a printer reimbursent on my desk, could you process it for as well?"
Zhou Chong, without even raising his head from the receipt, readily agreed, "Sure, just bring it over."
Deng Yan said, "I have an urgent contract that needs Wei Lai to verify. Could you please excuse us?"
Only then did Zhou Chong stand up straight, "Alright, I’ll go."
As Wei Lai completed the endorsent, she returned the docunts to Zhou Chong.
After Zhou Chong left, Deng Yan took his place, placed down the contract, and leaned over to open it, saying:
"Section four, clause three, check the revised content."
Wei Lai caught a pleasant scent, turning her head just about to complint him, when she suddenly realized their faces were very close, close enough to see the fine, soft down on the side of his face. His skin was really good, almost flawless, which was rare for a man to be as clean as Deng Yan.
The one without a response turned around, and their eyes t for a mont, he froze.
At this distance, Deng Yan was so nervous he held his breath.
Realizing the awkwardness, Wei Lai felt her cheeks flush, swallowing hard, she tried to act nonchalant and asked, "Did you put on cologne?"
Deng Yan anxiously asked, "Doesn’t it sll good?"
Wei Lai sat up straight, eyes fixed on the contract, "It slls quite nice."
Deng Yan exhaled softly, "Oh."
Wei Lai felt the ear nearest to him start heating up, raised her hand to tuck the stray hair behind her ear, but internally was puzzled by the situation.
She had worked with Deng Yan for years, seeing him almost always in the company or at company annual etings, but never felt such agitation today.
Deng Yan’s voice was warm, like a feather teasing her by her ear; Wei Lai forced herself to remain calm, afraid to show any unprofessional reaction, until they finished verifying the content and Deng Yan left with the docunt, she took a big gulp of water.
"Phew..." Why is it so warm?
Deng Yan returned to the office, sat in front of the computer holding the docunt from earlier, and fell into deep thought.
During the few seconds they locked eyes just now, his heart was pounding hard.
Deng Yan checked the calendar, Wei Lai’s birthday was the day after tomorrow, and he marked it with a red pen.
He started browsing Wei Lai’s social circle, noticing a photo of a sunrise she posted, captioned: I really want to watch the sunrise.
Deng Yan searched for the image, confirming it’s from a mountain in the neighboring city, and looked up the route and tis, realizing it takes two hours on the highway.
Cheng Qiaobei had just left the company when he called Chen Ningxi.
"Honey, didn’t Mom ask us to have dinner tonight? I’ve finished work early; could you leave early too? I have a social engagent tonight. Zhou Sui arranged a eting with a major client, and I have a chance to cooperate with them."
Chen Ningxi was in Lei Dechang’s office, where a few people were discussing Wang Qing and Liu Yahui’s matters.
"I’m afraid I can’t, work is a bit busy."
Cheng Qiaobei said, "I’ll stop by Mom’s first, let her know, then I’ll go."
Chen Ningxi: "Actually, you don’t have to go, just give a call."
To Cheng Qiaobei, Ye Yujun was more than just a mother-in-law; she filled the gap in his heart from the absence of his original family.
So, whenever Ye Yujun called him for dinner, Cheng Qiaobei felt the warmth of parental love, a feeling those who were well-loved as children couldn’t understand.
Cheng Qiaobei: "The engagent isn’t for a while; I’ll go take a look."
He hung up the phone and bought so fruit on the way.
Cheng Qiaobei arrived at the Chen Family’s neighborhood, parked the car steadily, and took the fruit from the trunk.
In the community’s children’s castle, two elderly people were playing with their grandsons, and as Cheng Qiaobei passed by, one of them greeted him.
"Isn’t this Old Chen’s son-in-law, always so filial, bringing things over to visit every now and then."
Cheng Qiaobei focused and recognized Mrs. Wang from the neighboring unit, smiled and greeted, "Mrs. Wang, playing with your grandson?"
Mrs. Wang replied, "Can’t stay indoors, insists on coming out to play. You and Ning Xi should hurry up and have one too, let your mother-in-law have a child to play with my grandson."
Cheng Qiaobei smiled gently, "Sure."
Pushing the door open, Cheng Qiaobei heard soone busy in the kitchen. He changed shoes and walked to the kitchen.
Hearing the noise at the door, Ye Yujun said while washing vegetables, "Buying fruit again? I still have plenty from last ti."
Cheng Qiaobei said, "Don’t eat them; throw them away if they’re no longer fresh."
Ye Yujun put the vegetables in a colander, "Where’s Ning Xi?"
Cheng Qiaobei opened the fridge, "She’s still busy with work. I finished early. By the way, Mom, I have a social engagent at six, can’t stay for dinner."
"If you have an engagent, just call . No need to co over."
Cheng Qiaobei said, "My company is different from Ning Xi’s unit; leaving early is no problem."
Ye Yujun quickly shredded the potato, "You said my stir-fried shredded potato was tasty last ti." She glanced at the ti, "There’s still ti, I’ll make so for you, the fish is cooked too."
Cheng Qiaobei said, "Mom, it’s fine. I’ll just eat there, don’t trouble yourself."
Ye Yujun said, "Can you get full at a social al?"
She then served a fish, and Cheng Qiaobei took the plate, "Let help, Mom."
Ye Yujun hurriedly placed the dishes on the table, letting Cheng Qiaobei eat before he left.
Arriving at Sai Shang Jiangnan, he still had ten minutes.
Cheng Qiaobei parked his car steadily, seeing Zhou Sui’s sedan parked across the street.
As he walked into the restaurant, he faintly heard two people arguing in the corridor.
The corridor was long; walking in, he saw it was Zhou Sui and her boyfriend. Their conversation didn’t seem pleasant, with apparent shoving involved.
Cheng Qiaobei frowned, quickly stepping forward to separate them, "What’s going on? Talk it out, don’t get physical."
Seeing Cheng Qiaobei, Zhou Sui looked slightly embarrassed, "You’re here."
...
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