I bought groceries on my way home as usual, and prepared lunch for Xiaxia when I got home. Everything was as calm as if nothing had happened.
Chu Qing, who was sitting at the dining table, picked up a piece of food with her chopsticks and placed it in front of Xia Xia.
Even he himself couldn't understand why, when faced with Wei Yutang, his feelings of grievance could overwhelm his rationality, even though it was something he had already planned.
That night, Chu Qing, unusually, had some insomnia and leaned against the headboard, idly looking at the news on her phone.
I read several pages of the news, but I didn't remember any of the specific details.
My phone suddenly vibrated, and then a new message appeared at the top.
I understand the whole story now, and I'm very sorry. I didn't think much of it at the time; I was just worried about your safety if you drank too much.
After Chu Qing left, Wei Yutang had his secretary investigate. It wasn't a particularly secretive matter, and the results were known by the afternoon.
He always thought Chu Qing was like a cat with no temper, extremely docile.
When Chu Qing arrived, he guessed that she must have suffered some unfair treatment to be so aggrieved.
To have one's own efforts categorized as unfair competition would infuriate anyone.
When Chu Qing saw the familiar profile picture appear before her eyes, she couldn't quite describe her feelings. It was as if all this time had passed, and she had only been waiting for this one message.
It's okay, it has nothing to do with you. Resigning was my personal choice.
I'm currently planning to invest in a new project, and I've seen your previous designs; they're very inspired. Would you be interested in joining this studio?
After thinking about it for an afternoon, Wei Yutang still felt that this was the most appropriate way to help Chu Qing.
After the social engagement ended that evening, I couldn't resist sending a message to Chu Qing on my way home.
Thank you, but it's alright.
Chu Qing had her own concerns. This time, she had only gotten into Wei Yutang's car, yet the rumors had spread like this.
If I were to accept Wei Yutang's good intentions again, some of his words would only be much harsher than this.
Call him aloof if you will, but this is a principle ingrained in his very being.
It's getting late, you should get some rest too. I'm going to sleep now, goodnight.
Rejection was expected by Wei Yutang. He tapped the screen with his slender fingers and sent a "goodnight" message.
He reached out and rubbed his aching temples, then sent another message to the person he was socializing with that evening.
The next day, Chu Qing started browsing some job postings on recruitment apps to see if there were any suitable positions for her. Before long, she saw a job posting.
It's a startup studio run by college students. Chu Qing is very satisfied with the salary, vacation time, and other benefits, and there's also a lot of room for advancement.
Chu Qing made contact and arranged an interview time. She informed Wei Yutang the night before and sent Xia Xia there.
He was very well prepared, and the interview went smoothly. After receiving the news that he had passed, he couldn't resist taking Xiaxia out to celebrate.
"Dad, is this boss easy to get along with?"
"I haven't met him yet, but he shouldn't be too difficult to get along with."
According to Chu Qing's understanding, the boss behind the scenes was investing in his younger brother's company, which was in very good condition and offered a high degree of freedom.
"Wow, did Daddy's boss get married?"
Wei Yutang had just gotten off work and came over. He heard Xiaxia's words as soon as he walked over, knowing that he was up to his matchmaking intentions again. He went over, pulled out a chair, sat down, and replied:
"not yet."
"Father, how is he?"
"not bad."
After Wei Yutang finished speaking, he picked up his cup and took a sip of water. Chu Qing asked in a somewhat uncertain voice:
"You know him?"
Author's Note:
Wei Yutang: I don't know him...
Goodnight, my darlings~
Chapter 22
Not long ago, Wei Yutang had said he could help her, and now the job she had found was exactly what he wanted. It was really hard for Chu Qing not to overthink it.
After sitting down, Hou Yutang skillfully started serving Xiaxia food, taking excellent care of this little princess, while not forgetting to turn his head to answer Chu Qing's question.
"Don't you know my family's financial situation? I don't have a younger brother."
"I don't know him, I've only heard of him."
Wei Yutang's mother was not in good health and settled in a manor abroad to recuperate. His father handed over the company to his son and then went there as well. Considering his wife's health, he never planned to have a second child.
Xiaxia felt relieved after hearing her father's words. Although her father was not very reliable, he would not lie to a child about such things.
He announced that, besides Uncle Gu, the investor in his father's new company is his second favorite dad!
Chu Qing, who saw through Xia Xia's thoughts, smiled helplessly. No matter how hard she tried to emphasize it to this little guy, she still couldn't shake his idea of becoming a little matchmaker.
A while ago, I overheard an old lady in their neighborhood saying after I got off work that you could tell Xiaxia would be successful when she grew up.
Once you get to know them well, those old folks won't mention you at all when they're chatting idly behind your back.
"Please continue to take care of Xiaxia for me before school starts."
Wei Yutang wiped Xiaxia's mouth and replied:
"Don't mention the trouble. Xiaxia is my son too, so it's only right that I take care of him."
Xiaxia nodded in agreement. Her father had taken care of her for much longer than her father had, so roughly speaking, her father owed her father a hundred million.
Chu Qing smiled, not taking Wei Yutang's words to heart.
Nothing in this world is truly obligatory. Wei Yutang was just being polite when he said that. If I had actually believed it, I would have worn away all the goodwill we had for each other sooner or later.
"Go to work. I'll bring Xiaxia back this afternoon."
"good."
Rather than calling it a new company, it's more like a newly started studio. The boss is a young man who just graduated from university and has a good temperament and personality.
There are no strange rules. He likes to slack off at work. If he encounters any difficulties at work, he won't ask his employees for help. Instead, he'll lie on the beanbag chair and do nothing.
Chu Qing really liked the atmosphere of the company, especially the small cakes that the boss would give to the employees every afternoon.
He was busy drawing a design in the afternoon and didn't have time to eat it, so he put it in the office refrigerator, planning to bring it to Xiaxia to try after get off work. He was sure she would be very happy.
What Chu Qing couldn't understand the most was why some parents would choose to bring their children all the good food, even when their families weren't necessarily lacking in that particular thing.
Now he understands that it's not really because of such a small thing, but because as a parent, even when he's away from home, he still thinks about his child all the time.
Pulling her thoughts back, Chu Qing focused all her energy on the design. The fingertip holding the pen was light pink, with no nails, making it look clean and beautiful.
Before leaving get off work, Chu Qing saw the rumored investor. He was wearing designer clothes and went straight into the boss's office.
The place was rented, and the soundproofing wasn't very good. Chu Qing's office was very close to the boss's office, and he could hear them talking.
"Why aren't you off work yet? Your cat misses you."
Chu Qing gripped the pen slightly harder, inexplicably feeling that her presence here was out of place.
I glanced at the clock and saw it was time to leave work. I stood up, packed my things, and didn't forget to take a small cake out of the refrigerator.
On her way home from get off work, Chu Qing happened to run into a key duplicator. She took out her house key from her backpack and had two copies made, planning to give one to Xia Xia and one to Wei Yutang later.
Because of this delay, it was almost time for the bus to arrive. After getting on the bus and finding a place to stand, I realized that I had forgotten to buy groceries.
We can only take Xiaxia to the supermarket near our home after we get back.
As soon as Chu Qing got off the bus, she heard a familiar voice calling "Dad." Looking in the direction of the voice, she saw Xia Xia running quickly toward her with his short little legs.
"Daddy, Daddy, look here! Xiaxia is here!"
Today, Chu Qing was wearing a blue short-sleeved shirt. It was sunset, and the sunlight fell on his hair and shoulders. When he squatted down and hugged Xia Xia in his arms, his eyes were incredibly gentle.
Wei Yutang stood there waiting, carrying the little frog backpack that Xiaxia had just bought that day in one hand and groceries from the supermarket in the other.
In the past, if anyone had told Wei Yutang that he was willing to do this, he would have thought that person was crazy. But now, he really doesn't have the slightest temper at all.
"Xiaxia was great today. She didn't need her father to coax her to sleep at noon, and she even went to buy groceries after her father got off work."
Chu Qing lowered her head and kissed his cheek, then smiled and praised him, saying, "You're really great."
As Xiaxia was carried past her father, she gave him a warning look and shook her little fist, the threat quite obvious.
Xiaxia thought he was a very obedient child. At noon, he didn't let his father coax him. It was his father who thought he was cute and insisted on snuggling up to him to coax him to sleep.
Chu Qing glanced at the bag Wei Yutang was carrying, which conveniently solved his earlier headache of not having bought groceries, and took the initiative to invite him:
"Are you free tonight? Stay and have dinner with us. There's so much food that Xiaxia and I probably can't finish it all."
Just as Wei Yutang was about to agree, Xia Xia answered first:
"Dad, Father said he has a very, very, very important job to do tonight. He'll have to go back and treat people to dinner after he helps us deliver the things upstairs."
"Is that so? Okay then."
Xiaxia nodded seriously and patted her father on the shoulder. She had already made arrangements for her father in advance.
"Dad, if we can't finish it, we'll put it in the fridge and eat it tomorrow."
Wei Yutang, who had canceled all his evening plans, was forced to attend to something and could only watch as his own son squeezed every last drop of value out of him before trying to use him up and discard him.
Even if Xiaxia didn't say anything, Wei Yutang would still bring the things upstairs. The plastic bags in the supermarket were hard to hold, and the little guy who hadn't seen Chu Qing all day probably wanted to stay on him and not come down.
Carrying Xiaxia, who had gained a lot of weight, while carrying other things, even Chu Qing felt a bit tired, let alone him.
"Yes, I have a dinner engagement tonight. I'll just take you upstairs and leave."
Chu Qing watched as Wei Yutang put down his things and prepared to leave. After thinking it over, she still felt a little embarrassed and took the initiative to say a few words of advice:
"Drink less alcohol."
After saying that, he felt that his words were inappropriate for their current status, and was about to use something else to cover it up when Wei Yutang answered first:
"Okay, I won't drink."