Mr. Chu rolled up the newspaper and set it aside, pondering for a moment. "You've been in this position for two years now, have you considered transferring back? I heard she's going back to Germany with you this time?"
Upon hearing this, Chu Mu suddenly laughed. A hint of mockery appeared on his handsome face. "Dad, your information network is quite impressive. What's there to worry about now that I'm married?"
"You!" Father Chu was momentarily speechless at his words. "Since you're married, then live your life properly! Stop thinking about things you shouldn't be thinking about."
Chu Mu wasn't in a hurry. He leisurely finished his tea before getting up to retort. "Back then, you used tricks to get her away from me. Didn't you ever expect her to come back?"
Father Chu, a man of many experience and seasoned wisdom, calmly and methodically filtered out the tea leaves, his movements steady and practiced. "Since I was able to let her go, I'm not afraid she'll come back. The Chu family values responsibility above all else. I trust you."
Just as the atmosphere between the father and son was tense, Aunt Zhang, who had been helping out at the Chu family's house, came out of the kitchen with dishes, set out the chopsticks, and started preparing for the meal.
As expected of a royal and noble family, they put a lot of thought into even a simple meal.
As Mrs. Chu poured wine for Mr. Chu, she repeated her old question, "Son, when do you and Yi'an plan to have a child?"
Chu Mu slowly peeled the crab for Shu Yi'an, then took a damp towel from the side and wiped his hands. "I was planning to do it now, but your grandson won't listen to me."
Madam Chu nodded understandingly, then added a startling remark, "But we can't rush things. Yi'an's little body can't withstand your rough treatment. Take it slow." Apart from Chu Mu, who remained calm, Chu's father, Shu Yi'an, and Aunt Zhang, who had been helping with household chores for years, all shuddered. Shu Yi'an's face was now almost as red as a shrimp.
Now she truly understands Chu Mu's amazing diplomatic skills and who Chu Weiyuan inherited that sharp tongue from...
Chu Mu also felt he couldn't eat anymore, so he put down his chopsticks and made to leave. "Dad, Mom. Old Ji from Beichen has a meeting, so I'll take Yi'an and go first."
Watching the two figures leave, Mr. Chu gave them a meaningful remark: "You're thirty now, it's time to take on some responsibilities."
For example, taking on the responsibility of a family.
Chapter Three
The capital city at night was as beautiful as Chang'an in its heyday. Shu Yi'an, sitting in the passenger seat, looked at him with some confusion as he drove the car into the bend. "Aren't you going to Ji Hengdong's place?"
Chu Mu rested one hand on the car window, looking completely at ease. "Jiang San'er isn't really here to celebrate for me. He's just upset about Chu Han's situation and wants to find an excuse to drink. I'm not going."
Shu Yi'an knew a little about the story of Jiang Beichen and Chu Han's mutual torment and killing, and nodded blankly before leaning back in her chair and saying nothing more.
Chu Mu glanced at her, then carefully chose his words. "You don't need to feel too much pressure about what Mom said today." Shu Yi'an knew he was referring to what Sui Qing had said about the child, and her heart ached a little. But she still forced a reassuring smile, "I know. Don't worry."
Married for a year, although Chu Mu never restrained himself when it came to having children, Shu Yi'an knew that in the few times they had been intimate, he almost always withdrew at the last minute, or had used protection beforehand. He never indulged himself or asked her to take medication afterward, seemingly protecting her very well. But only Shu Yi'an knew that it was a man's true resistance to the arrival of a life, and also a man's unwillingness to accept his wife.
Seeing Shu Yi'an's silent profile, Chu Mu tightened his grip on the steering wheel. A suffocating awkwardness suddenly filled the cramped car. Almost every time Chu Mu returned, the two would go through this cycle. They would appear to express their long-standing longing for each other with the most intimate gestures, only to revert to their newlywed-like behavior the next day—distant yet mindful of boundaries.
They walked in silence, and once home, they were both busy with their own things. Chu Mu went upstairs to answer a phone call and stayed in his study, not coming out again. Shu Yi'an took a shower, changed her clothes, and was about to rest when her phone, which was on the bedside table, rang. As soon as she answered, Su Ying started talking non-stop on the other end.
"Fire! Fire! The big boss has suddenly decided to sign a contract with that foreigner tomorrow. Have you finished your translation yet? I need it urgently!!"
Shu Yi'an covered her face and groaned on the bed, "So soon?! Didn't he say it would be a few days later?!"
"Who knows..." Su Ying on the other end of the phone also sounded sorrowful. "Boss Xiao's temper is unpredictable. You'd better hurry up and get it done for me."
Shu Yi'an thought sadly of the thick stack of original contracts on the desk in her study, and dragged herself out of the room in her slippers. Damn capitalism, it's killing people!! Looking at the closed study door, she took a deep breath and knocked anyway.
Chu Mu was standing by the window making a phone call, his deep, resonant voice speaking German with its characteristic linguistic embellishments. He raised an eyebrow when he saw Shu Yi'an's head peek in.
"I'm getting something..."
Chu Mu followed her delicate fingertips and saw a French contract with a thick dictionary underneath. Clearly, it was work she hadn't finished. Looking at her soft figure with her back to him, Chu Mu suddenly grabbed her slender waist from behind and pulled her into his arms. Shu Yi'an's hand holding the contract trembled, and she instinctively called out, "Hey!"
"Shh." Chu Mu lowered his head slightly, signaling her to be quiet. The person on the other end of the phone clearly paused for a moment. Shu Yi'an was pressed against him, not daring to make a sound. His chin rested gently on her shoulder, his voice filling her ears, his warm breath occasionally brushing against her neck. She was momentarily unable to move.
It took Chu Mu about five minutes to hang up the phone. However, his hand remained on Shu Yi'an's waist. "What are you doing? Work?"
Shu Yi'an, keeping her eyes down and mind at ease, answered honestly, "It was a last-minute notification; it needs to be translated urgently tonight."
Chu Mu picked up the contract and casually flipped through a couple of pages. It was covered with Shu Yi'an's neat handwriting. He frowned and said, "Why is it so complicated? Just scan it."
Shu Yi'an also wanted to just scan it, so she took it with a sad expression, her little face full of sorrow. "Haven't you heard that capitalists eat people up without spitting out the bones?"
Chu Mu sighed, but a hint of a smile lingered in his gentle eyes. His face was full of pleading. Indeed, how could Deputy Director Chu, who had earned degrees in three foreign languages from the Foreign Affairs University, possibly care about a few mere pages of paper? Shu Yi'an thought silently for a while, then thought again. She stubbornly turned her face away.
"Alright, I'm going to sleep now." Young Master Chu didn't stand on ceremony and leisurely left the study while twirling his phone.
Shu Yi'an thought of Xiao Ke's stern and cold face at the company, and slumped onto the table in frustration, almost biting her tongue off. What's the point of saving face?! Sleep is the most important thing, isn't it?! What others can finish in an hour, takes her all night!! Who am I messing with...?
Actually, Chu Mu didn't immediately return to the bedroom. Instead, he stood on the second-floor balcony and lit a cigarette. The gentle smile he had shown Shu Yi'an was gone. On the screen of his phone, which was lit up beside him, Tao Yunjia looked beautiful holding a cake, and the words on the cake clearly read—Happy Eighth Anniversary!
Chu Mu's thirtieth birthday was also the anniversary of his meeting with Tao Yunjia. It was the day he graduated, the day they officially started dating.
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When Shu Yi'an arrived at the company, it was already twelve hours after the previous night. She practically sprinted to the building's basement with the translated contract in her hand. Su Ying grabbed the contract and practically ran to the lobby on stilts. "Why so late! Luckily there's still an hour left, otherwise Boss Xiao would be furious again."
Shu Yi'an was dragged by her towards the elevator, feeling incredibly bitter. She had only managed to finish this with Chu Mu's help. Last night, she had gotten stuck while translating a certain paragraph, intending to rest on the table before getting up again. However, this rest resulted in her not getting up until the next morning. When she woke up again, she was already in bed in the bedroom. There were no signs that anyone had lain on that side of the bed.
She rushed to the study in a panic to look at the contract, only to find that the A4 sheet, which she had previously neglected, was now neatly filled with Chinese characters, with even some technical terms highlighted with a special pen. And that vigorous and neat handwriting—who else could it be but Chu Mu?
On the 23rd floor, Xiao Ke was leading his team in the final verification of the signing ceremony when he saw the two people rushing in. He frowned slightly, somewhat displeased. "Your copywriting department's efficiency is getting slower and slower. It seems I need to add a business training session."
Su Ying forced a smile and chuckled, "I'm so sorry, Mr. Xiao, we'll be done soon, almost done." Shu Yi'an also apologized, "You gave us a last-minute notice, so we weren't prepared... I'm sorry." Xiao Ke turned his head and glanced at Shu Yi'an, who was slightly out of breath, and said in a calm voice, "Don't let this happen again. Go."
The signing process went smoothly, and the French partners were very satisfied with Xiao Ke's team. So, the usually meticulous boss immediately decided to treat everyone to dinner. Su Ying, whose interest in Xiao Ke—this eligible bachelor was known to everyone in the company since he joined—went to the hotel with great enthusiasm. Shu Yi'an stood at the intersection, intending to see the company group off.
"You guys go ahead, I won't go."
Xiao Ke, standing beside the car, called out, "You're the hero today, come join us!" Su Ying chimed in, "Yeah, yeah, the boss really put on a good show, don't spoil the fun!"
Shu Yi'an saw a large group of people standing by the roadside, nodded awkwardly, and could only bite the bullet and get into the car.
The dinner was held at the InterContinental Hotel. While everyone was getting out of the car and waiting in the lobby, Shu Yi'an quietly stood outside and made a phone call to Chu Mu.