Chu Mu had just finished a meeting and was leading a group of people out of the conference room. His sharp, serious expression hadn't faded when his secretary handed him his phone. He answered with a slightly unfriendly tone, "Hello?" Shu Yi'an paused briefly, then softly said, "Thank you."
Chu Mu's expression softened slightly upon hearing Shu Yi'an's voice. Knowing she was referring to his dedication to translating the contract, he asked in a gentler tone, "What is it? Did the signing go smoothly?"
"Everything went smoothly. The boss is treating the employees tonight, so I might be going home a little late."
Chu Mu quickened his pace and left the building. "Call me when you're done, I'll come pick you up."
The large group of people following behind looked at each other, wondering which powerful figure could have Chu Si personally come to pick someone up. Chu Mu's secretary also shook his head in shock, because he still couldn't believe that the young and soft-faced woman on the ultimate boss's phone was Chu Mu's wife.
Shu Yi'an hung up the phone and turned to walk into the lobby when she suddenly encountered several people. The woman in the center was dressed in a well-fitting royal blue suit, her makeup exquisite and elegant. Looking at Shu Yi'an in the distance, the woman strolled up to her, a kind and dignified smile on her face. "Junior Shu, do you remember me?"
Shu Yi'an stared blankly at the dazzling woman before her, feeling a sudden rush of energy to her head. After a long silence, she finally spoke softly, "Senior Tao, long time no see."
Chapter Four
Tao Yunjia smiled and said, "It's been a long time. I heard you got married?" As she spoke, she couldn't help but look at Shu Yi'an's fair fingers. A three-linked ring was perfectly fitted on her ring finger, looking very beautiful.
Shu Yi'an didn't hide anything, standing openly opposite Tao Yunjia to accept her gaze, her clear and calm eyes filled with composure. "Yes, I'm married."
Tao Yunjia's expression froze for a moment upon hearing this, then she smiled again. "Then I really should congratulate you. After all, not everyone has the chance to marry into the Chu family."
The Chu family… Shu Yi'an looked at the bright and beautiful face before her, a pang of regret rising in her heart. If Tao Yunjia had been able to let go of the connotations behind the name "Chu family," perhaps…
"Then I should say I'm very lucky." Shu Yi'an smiled slightly, her expression calm.
Seeing Shu Yi'an's calm demeanor, Tao Yunjia finally couldn't hold back any longer. She suppressed her previous smile and decided to get straight to the point. "I'm about to be transferred to the German embassy as the head of the translation team. From now on, I'll be Chu Mu's colleague. Don't worry, I'll take care of you since you won't be able to be by his side often."
After speaking, Tao Yunjia stared intently at the woman before her, a faint sense of pleasure rising within her. Unexpectedly, Shu Yi'an remained unmoved, her demeanor unchanged, only her previous yielding tone vanished when she spoke again.
"Then I should be congratulating you on your promotion, senior, but... it's better for me to take care of him myself. I'm not quite used to relying on others."
"Senior, I have something to do, so I'll be going now."
Su Ying saw Shu Yi'an walking towards her and jogged a few steps to meet her. Her pretty face held a wary glint as she glanced at the other person, then turned to ask, "Who's that? He doesn't look friendly."
Shu Yi'an looked at Su Ying, who was gently linking her arm with hers, and let out a soft breath. Her face immediately fell. "A friend."
"Which friend could make you, Shu Yi'an, feel so defeated?" Su Ying silently cursed in her heart, glancing back anxiously at Tao Yunjia. "Let's go, Boss Xiao is about to start."
The dishes on the table were lavish, a veritable feast, with seafood and fresh vegetables piled high. Shu Yi'an looked at the food with little interest, having lost all desire to eat. Going to Germany with him… the translation team leader… she was the last person to know this, only finding out from Tao Yunjia. Shu Yi'an had to admit she felt somewhat annoyed after hearing it.
The six years between Chu Mu and Tao Yunjia were the heaviest and most bitter memories in Shu Yi'an's heart. She had witnessed their journey from deep love to estrangement, and now she was witnessing them become close colleagues. The only difference was that in the former she was an uninvolved spectator, while in the latter she had become the protagonist's wife.
During the meal, she didn't eat much but was forced to drink quite a bit of alcohol. Su Ying led the unmarried young men and women of the company to stop Shu Yi'an from reaching for the juice, saying, "Hey, hey, hey! You've been with the company for so long and you never drink in any situation. Today is such a big day, you should at least give your brothers and sisters some face and celebrate a little."
After such persuasion, Shu Yi'an inevitably ended up drinking some, no matter how she tried to avoid it. Normally, Shu Yi'an is very measured and knows that everything should be done in moderation. So when a large group of people wanted to open another bottle, she voluntarily gave up and went to rest in a corner.
Xiao Ke glanced at Shu Yi'an, who was lost in thought in the corner, and casually grabbed a glass of warm water and walked over. "Didn't you like the food tonight? You didn't eat much."
Shu Yi'an watched as Xiao Ke politely accepted the water he offered and thanked him. "Thank you, Mr. Xiao. I didn't have much of an appetite; the food was very good."
Xiao Ke is the CEO of the Greater China region for the multinational trading company where Shu Yi'an works. Although only in his early thirties, he is incredibly shrewd and capable. Having joined the company at twenty-six and risen to his current position in just a few years, his abilities are undeniable. Xiao Ke was Shu Yi'an's interviewer back then. Therefore, she feels a mixture of fear and respect for this young boss.
Xiao Ke seemed to sense Shu Yi'an's attitude towards him, and his sharp eyebrows unconsciously twitched upwards. "You seem very afraid of me?"
Shu Yi'an held the transparent crystal glass with both hands, her composed demeanor revealing her intelligence. "You are the boss and I am the employee, so it's only right that I respect you."
Hearing this, Xiao Ke wasn't angry. He turned and sat down on the soft seat on the other side of Shu Yi'an, crossing his legs as if he wanted to have a long talk. "You are... a graduate of the Foreign Affairs College, with pretty good grades. Why did you decide to work in an administrative position at a trading company?"
Shu Yi'an blinked her long eyelashes gently, and couldn't help but think of this question as well. Yes, why did she choose such a job back then? Perhaps it was seeing how exhausted he was, both physically and mentally, because of that person. She suddenly became afraid of any news about the two of them, which is why she so resolutely gave up the diplomatic exam and chose to become a lowly clerk. Two years have passed in the blink of an eye…
"Maybe... I'm not that good at expressing myself." Shu Yi'an smiled self-deprecatingly at Xiao Ke's probing gaze. "Compared to the strict work attitude there, I'm more laid-back."
Xiao Ke was about to say something more when Shu Yi'an's phone suddenly beeped. "Sorry."
As Shu Yi'an apologized to Xiao Ke, she unlocked her phone. A message from Chu Mu appeared.
"I'm outside the hotel, waiting for you to come out."
His usual forceful, commanding tone made Shu Yi'an almost defiantly shut down the screen. After taking a few deep breaths, she couldn't help but give in. Turning to grab her bag, she prepared to leave. "Excuse me, Mr. Xiao, my husband is waiting for me outside. I... I'll take my leave now?"
Xiao Ke frowned almost instantly, and blurted out instinctively in a questioning tone, "You're married?"
Shu Yi'an felt like she'd been cursed today; why were so many people coming to ask her if she was married? She felt a little embarrassed. "Yes, is there something wrong...?"
The moment the words left his mouth, Xiao Ke realized his lapse in composure, only regaining his composure when he glanced at the ring on Shu Yi'an's finger. He coughed lightly to cover his embarrassment. At the same time, he reached for his coat, which was lying to the side, and said coldly, "It's getting late. In that case, let's all go together."
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Shu Yi'an hadn't expected things to turn out this way. She had originally planned to leave first, but now she was part of a large group of over a dozen people traveling together. Su Ying took small steps and pulled Shu Yi'an close, whispering in her ear, "You've really gone too far! Is your idol really coming to pick you up?"
Shu Yi'an looked at the group of people in front of her with a worried expression and absentmindedly hummed in agreement.
"Wow, that's so cool! I only saw him once before, when I took you to the airport!! Now I can finally see him in person again!"
Shu Yi'an imagined the "god" Su Ying had mentioned and thought to herself, "What's this compared to that... I've been married to him for a year and only see him on TV a few times a year. That's already a huge perk..."
Chu Mu spotted Shu Yi'an emerging from the lobby through the car window. She was quiet and composed, just like when he had met her before. He also noticed the crowd in front of her, lowered his head, and pondered for a few seconds. Then, without hesitation, he opened the door and got out of the car. Standing at the bottom of the dozen or so steps, he watched the woman gradually approaching him and called out her name.
"Yi An".
That one sound was enough to draw the attention of everyone present.
Chu Mu stood beside the car, his impeccably tailored suit accentuating his tall and slender figure. His handsome face remained calm and composed as he casually observed the woman on the steps. His presence alone was captivating. The group of single women traveling with him began whispering amongst themselves the moment they saw Chu Mu, quickly forming their judgment of him: an elite, and a high-level one at that. Su Ying murmured to herself beside Shu Yi'an, "This guy is so handsome..."
Xiao Ke was clearly also drawn to the sound of peace. As a man, driven by sensitivity and pride, Xiao Ke had to admit that the man before him was no ordinary person. Or rather, Chu Mu's innate aloof and noble air made Xiao Ke feel that his chances of winning were extremely slim.
Almost unsteadily, Shaw stepped forward first, extending his hand. "Hello. I'm Shaw."