"Remember to eat on time and go to the supermarket every week to buy fruits and vegetables for the following week."
"Remember to take Yuanyuan back to the compound once a week on Sundays. Just agree to whatever Mom says and don't argue with her."
“I saw that you put that card in the dresser drawer and didn’t touch it. Shu Yi’an, this is the most basic right I’m giving you. I don’t want to come back next time without any bank transaction notifications on my phone.”
"And also, you remember..."
"Chu Mu." Just as Chu Mu was whispering in her ear repeating these trivial things that she didn't care about, Shu Yi'an suddenly interrupted him with a muffled voice.
"You're so annoying."
"You're so annoying," those four words so clearly and aptly expressed Shu Yi'an's current feelings. Chu Mu always had this ability to calmly narrate something particularly cruel to Shu Yi'an, leaving her helpless and rooted to the spot. Because while he inflicted the most devastating wound, he also offered her the greatest tenderness. That tenderness was enough to create a illusion for Shu Yi'an, enough to make her forget the illusion that Chu Mu didn't love her.
As soon as Shu Yi'an finished speaking, Chu Mu lowered his head and planted a series of delicate kisses on her fair and delicate earlobe, his unique scent and heat landing on it. "I'm sorry."
Shu Yi'an's nose tingled, and she almost burst into tears at his words. She gently tilted her head back and nestled against Chu Mu's shoulder, a soft smile clearly appearing in her eyes. "No need to say sorry..."
Chu Mu paused for a moment while kissing her, then, with his usual domineering and unquestionable manner, he lifted Shu Yi'an's delicate chin with one hand and pressed his lips down again. Shu Yi'an, held close to him, was half-forced to tilt her head back to receive his kiss, their breaths catching in their throats. The feeling of Chu Mu holding Shu Yi'an in his arms was so wonderful that he couldn't help but bite her tender lips with a little force. His other hand then slipped inside the edge of her loose hospital gown.
Shu Yi'an thought that even if something happened at this moment, she would be powerless to refuse. However, Chu Mu merely grabbed her waist and pulled her closer to him, then angrily kissed Shu Yi'an's neck, seemingly deliberately leaving several marks. After a long while, he got up and covered her eyes with his hand, saying, "Go to sleep."
Shu Yi'an blushed silently and huddled under the covers, trying to hypnotize herself, but Chu Mu's hand never left her.
Watching the person on the bed gradually regain their steady and gentle breathing, Chu Mu felt a sense of reluctance quietly creep into his heart for the first time. What Shu Yi'an overlooked, besides his reluctance, was the intense apology and guilt suppressed in his eyes, which remained calm no matter what happened.
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Two days after Chu Mu left, Shu Yi'an was taken to the compound by Sui Qing to recuperate. Actually, she was fine now, but Chu Weiyuan made a big fuss and recounted her surgery and how she recovered. Upon hearing this, Chu's father frowned and said, "You brought your daughter-in-law home to take care of you while your son is away? What kind of person is she? It's outrageous!"
Sui Qing also sent her driver to the hospital to pick up the person early in the morning, while she stayed at home busy making soup and tidying up the room.
Ultimately, the Chu family felt both gratitude and guilt towards Shu Yi'an. They were grateful that Shu Yi'an could give Chu Mu a home, and grateful that no matter where their son was or what he did, she was always well-behaved and obedient, leaving no room for criticism from those with ulterior motives. At the same time, the Chu family also felt guilty towards Shu Yi'an, feeling guilty that a young woman of her age, at the prime of her youth, had chosen to marry into such a strict and disciplined family.
Seeing the car parked at the hospital entrance, Shu Yi'an instinctively shuddered and tried to pull Chu Weiyuan back slightly. "Yuanyuan, I really don't need to go back to the hospital. I can manage on my own, really."
Chu Weiyuan gripped Shu Yi'an's small hand even tighter, her face full of sincerity. "Sister-in-law, please go back. Your sacrifice will bring happiness to countless families!"
Shu Yi'an thought with a bitter face, "Where is the happiness of countless families? It's clearly sacrificing me for your sake!" Once she returned, the Chu family's focus shifted entirely to her; they wouldn't pay any attention to Chu Weiyuan's whereabouts. Shu Yi'an knew to some extent that her sister-in-law was secretly dating Pang Zexun, the sole heir of the Pang family in the city, against the wishes of the whole family. Therefore, given Miss Shu's soft and yielding nature, she was easily pushed into this predicament by her own sister-in-law.
Why is it described as a "fire pit"? Aside from Mr. Chu's serious and cautious demeanor, there's also Sui Qing's meticulous care and this mother-in-law's occasional startling remarks. The Chu family is a wealthy and aristocratic household with a very strict daily schedule. Shu Yi'an often feels like she's only slept four or five hours before being woken up. As a result, Miss Shu often goes upstairs to catch up on sleep after dinner, helping the housekeeper and Sui Qing with chores.
Every time this happens, Sui Qing would anxiously carry the tonic upstairs and knock on Shu Yi'an's door, saying, "Yi'an, why can't you take better care of your health? Are you lacking energy because you go to bed so early every day? Come on, drink this medicine."
Ms. Shu was inexplicably forced to drink bowl after bowl of bitter medicine by Ms. Sui.
After hearing about Chu Weiyuan's heroic act, Chu Mu specially chose a time to call and express his condolences to Miss Shu. It was 8 PM Beijing time, which was 2 PM Berlin time.
Shu Yi'an rolled over in bed. She answered Chu Mu on the other end of the phone, "I've eaten. Dad's not home tonight, just Mom and me. Are you busy?"
Chu Mu glanced at the documents on the table, thought for a while, and then signed his name. After a long pause, he finally said, "Hmm." "Anyway, I'm worried about you being alone over there. Why don't you stay at home for now, and I'll pick you up when I get back?"
As expected, Shu Yi'an pleaded with him pitifully after hearing this, "No!!! Please tell Mom to let me go back... I'm really, really sleep-deprived."
Chu Mu chuckled softly for a moment before agreeing, "Have you thought it through? Then I'll call Mom tomorrow. Just make up some excuse to leave and don't come back."
"Don't lie to me." Shu Yi'an smiled, her eyes crinkling, and casually picked up the watch he had left by the hospital bedside last time. "It's two in the afternoon now. Is the sun nice in Berlin? Have you been sunbathing to get calcium?"
Upon hearing this, Chu Mu squinted at the sky outside. The azure sky, bathed in dazzling golden sunlight, filled most of his office. Whether it was the phone call or the weather, Chu Mu's mood instantly improved. "It's alright. I'll bring you to see it next time."
Just as he finished speaking, the office door was suddenly knocked open by the secretary. "Deputy Director, we should go."
Shu Yi'an seemed to hear the voice on the other end of the line, and immediately whispered into the phone, "Then you go ahead and get busy, I have to go to work tomorrow. Good night."
Chu Mu looked at the phone that Shu Yi'an had hung up on hastily, and couldn't help but laugh.
Chapter Nine
On the day Shu Yi'an returned to work, a thick stack of folders was piled on her desk in the cubicle. Su Ying peeked out from the next cubicle and pointed to the office at the end of the corridor, her voice weak. "The big boss said all the translations need to be proofread and put into storage soon, and he specifically asked you to do it. Half a month, Ms. Shu! You have a long way to go." Then, before Shu Yi'an could throw the files at her, she quickly pulled her head back in.
Looking at the dozen or so documents of various sizes on the table, Shu Yi'an had to admit she was frustrated. Xiao Ke had never before increased the workload of employees on sick leave; this was undoubtedly a show of force, but Shu Yi'an was baffled as to why.
There were many documents, and they were quite complex. Shu Yi'an spent three whole days translating and revising them before finally finishing. Xiao Ke glanced at the documents laid out before him but didn't examine them carefully. He gave them a cursory look and gestured for his secretary to take them away and put them in storage. Shu Yi'an looked at Xiao Ke's actions with some surprise. "Aren't you going to check them?"
Xiao Ke seemed not to hear, snapping his pen shut. His slightly upturned eyes were cold and devoid of any emotion. "If your competence is this poor, then I have no reason to hire you." He deliberately emphasized the word "hire."
Shu Yi'an was like a punch landing on cotton; no matter how maliciously you slandered her or how deliberately you provoked her, she always maintained a calm and gentle demeanor, neither angry nor flustered. "If Mr. Xiao has nothing else, I'll take my leave now?"
"Daughter-in-law of the Chu family, aren't you aggrieved that Shu Yi'an is working for me?" Xiao Ke suddenly stood up and blocked Shu Yi'an's way out. For some reason, as if he were under a spell, the usually aloof CEO Xiao was now repeatedly trying to make a move on this plain woman, even at the cost of losing his manly demeanor and his usual attitude.
Upon hearing this, Shu Yi'an stopped in her tracks, and when she turned back, she remained calm as before. "What necessary connection does the Chu family have with my work? I don't feel wronged and I hope President Xiao can treat me with the same respect."
Shu Yi'an couldn't understand how Xiao Ke could have such a misunderstanding about her in just half a month. It was even a questioning that went beyond the boundaries between superior and subordinate, so the usually composed Miss Shu couldn't calm down for a moment.
After hearing this, Xiao Ke remained silent for a full minute, so long that Shu Yi'an was about to turn and leave. He suddenly smiled indifferently, "It was just a casual question, you're overthinking it. Since that's the case, the Anyal Group in France needs to communicate with us before discussing financing in July, so we'll send you. As our company's chief translator, Miss Shu should agree, right?"
Shu Yi'an nodded politely, "Of course, it's my duty."
Shaw sat back down in his seat and resumed his previous demeanor, as if nothing had happened. "Then you can go out now. I'll have my secretary contact you regarding the details."
The trip to France was scheduled for three days from now, with a week's stay. Shu Yi'an carefully calculated the itinerary on her phone, then her eyes crinkled into a smile. She had three days to discuss the contract, and the remaining four days were free for her to do as she pleased. France wasn't very far from Berlin, so she had three days to visit someone…
Meanwhile, Chu Mu, far away on the other side of the ocean, inexplicably felt his eyelids twitch violently.
There wasn't much luggage. Shu Yi'an sat cross-legged on the floor, carefully rolling up her clothes and placing them in her suitcase one by one. Halfway through, she seemed to suddenly remember something. She reopened the neatly rolled-up suitcase and sorted out some more items. This immediately freed up a large space in the suitcase. Chu Mu had extremely high standards for formal attire due to his work requirements. Coupled with his picky nature, he was extremely selective about the quality and materials of his clothes. None of his clothes lasted more than a year, and he replaced them very frequently. Shu Yi'an stood in the dressing room, looking at Chu Mu's half-empty wardrobe, feeling a real headache coming on.
After agonizing for an hour, Shu Yi'an finally selected a few shirts and outerwear suitable for the German weather. Once everything was packed, she laboriously stood her suitcase upright and let out a long sigh of relief. Looking at the few scattered baggage tags on the suitcase, Shu Yi'an wondered anxiously what his expression would be when he saw her.
The flight was at nine in the morning, and the company sent a driver to pick them up early. Su Ying and several colleagues from the legal department were also with them. Along the way, the legal colleagues kept explaining several details of the contract negotiations. Just before they were about to get out of the car, Su Ying pulled Shu Yi'an aside and whispered in her ear, "You need to be careful. I heard that the head of Anya'er's Greater China region is particularly difficult to deal with. And a really sleazy person."