Chapter 45 Uramada
When Xiao Ke forcibly pulled her into his arms, Shu Yi'an realized with some panic how much she resisted. The unfamiliar strength and unfamiliar scent were full of reasons for her unease. She tried to gently place her slender arms between them, struggling to break free, but he held her too tightly, and she couldn't manage it despite several attempts.
"Could you let me go first, Mr. Xiao?"
It wasn't until a clear female voice rang out that Xiao Ke regained some of his senses. In the distance, Julie, wrapped in a thick coat, stood outside the cordon, quietly watching this scene. She and Chu Mu were positioned opposite each other, but their gazes were both fixed on the same direction.
Xiao Ke slowly released his grip on Shu Yi'an's arm, cleared his throat somewhat awkwardly, and said, "I just heard on the way here that something happened, and I was worried about you... you guys."
Having gained some space, Shu Yi'an immediately took two steps back, maintaining a safe distance between herself and him. "Thank you, I'm fine..."
This distant manner of expression and action inexplicably displeased Xiao Ke; he hadn't expected Shu Yi'an to be so resistant to him. He couldn't hide his emotions for a moment. Looking at the person covered in dark marks on her face and arms, Xiao Ke's tone carried a hint of anger. "Are you that afraid of me?"
The ground beneath her feet was cold, possibly from the thick smoke or from the previous intense mental stress. Shu Yi'an felt a little dizzy and disoriented, and just wanted to leave as soon as possible.
"It's not that I'm afraid of you... I'm very grateful that you came, but now that I'm alright, as you've seen, can I leave now?"
Xiao Ke pursed his lips and took a deep breath. "I'll take you."
"No."
The voice didn't come from Shu Yi'an; it came from behind them! Shu Yi'an turned around, somewhat bewildered by the familiar voice, and saw Chu Mu's tall, slender figure walking towards her with a gloomy expression.
"It's not Mr. Xiao's place to take her home."
Because Chu Mu had seen Xiao Ke's actions without missing a beat, he naturally didn't hold back. The two equally outstanding and tall men stood face to face, their imposing presence undisguised. Shu Yi'an hadn't expected Chu Mu to come; after three days apart, his sudden appearance left her momentarily stunned.
Chu Mu frowned, looking at the unsightly coat she was wearing, and directly reached out to take it off for her. He spoke threateningly, "There are some things that are beyond your authority, so it's best not to do them."
Xiao Ke, however, was not embarrassed by being caught out. He quickly grabbed the coat that Chu Mu threw at him and smiled nonchalantly, with a hint of arrogance and provocation, "Maybe one day I'll have that authority."
"At least, you don't have it now."
Chu Mu, with hardly any gentle movements, wrapped his suit jacket around the silent woman with her head down, then swiftly scooped her up in his arms. Shu Yi'an gasped in surprise and instinctively reached out to wrap her arms around his neck. Chu Mu's eyes darkened again when he noticed her bare feet.
The driver, with remarkable foresight, opened the back door, allowing Chu Mu to easily slip the man inside. Before getting in, he gave Xiao Ke a wary look, wondering which man was so presumptuous as to hug Chu Mu's person in front of him.
Chu Mu looked at the person sitting in the car and told the driver, "Take your sister-in-law home, I'll walk by myself."
Shu Yi'an quickly looked up and met his gaze, asking in a slightly flustered and soft voice, "Where are you going?"
Chu Mu knew what she was worried about. He went to the trunk, took something out, and gently placed it under her bare feet. He softened his tone and closed one of the car doors for her. "I have something to do. I'll have Xiao Wu take you home first. Get some rest."
Shu Yi'an was shocked to see someone she hadn't seen for three days again, only to find them gone so quickly. Looking at the person standing by the roadside in the rearview mirror, her sense of loss grew heavier and heavier.
Watching the taillights of the departing car, Xiao Ke gave a bitter, self-deprecating smile. Yes… at least for now, he didn't have that right. Seeing her so casually lift her up when Chu Mu picked her up, Xiao Ke realized he had completely lost. No matter how much he did for her, it couldn't compare to the man who lived with her day and night. One embrace from him was enough to make her let down her guard.
The car drove smoothly and slowly towards the lakeside. She remembered that the woolen mat under her feet was something he had put in the car to keep warm last winter. It was quite expensive, but now that he had put it under his feet, he didn't seem to care at all.
The driver, Xiao Wu, was also under immense pressure, barely daring to breathe while driving. It seemed the couple had some kind of argument, but they also seemed unwilling to admit it. After pondering for a long time, he tentatively began to explain to Shu Yi'an.
"Sister-in-law, um... please don't be angry... the deputy director has indeed been very busy these past few days. I was originally going to take him home, but I heard about your accident on the way and rushed here at lightning speed. As a result, the department also had an emergency and urgently needed him to handle it. That's why they called several times on the way here."
Chu Mu's phone rang more than a dozen times along the way, with the other end constantly urging him, as if something really urgent had happened. Xiao Wu, while stepping hard on the gas, asked for his opinion, "How about I take you home first? I'll keep an eye on things with your wife."
Chu Mu hung up the call and shook his head firmly. "No need. Let's go to Qi Teng Building first." He needed to see her safe and sound with his own eyes; otherwise, he wouldn't feel comfortable entrusting her to anyone else at this critical moment.
Chu Mu stood by the roadside waiting for a taxi, looking somewhat tired. He pulled a cigarette from his pocket and gazed absently at the dilapidated gray building in front of him, his temple throbbing painfully. It seemed like this was always the case between the two of them; every time they argued, they had a better opportunity to explain, but one unexpected event always caused them to miss it.
But he had to admit that the moment he saw Xiao Ke embrace her, he was furious. But when he saw her standing unharmed in front of him, still able to speak, he felt incredibly fortunate. He thought that if seeing her frail figure on the balcony that morning was his last, then no amount of future prestige or smooth sailing could ever make up for it.
Shu Yi'an went home, changed her clothes, and took a shower. The height of summer was over, and the Beijing evening carried a slight chill. Shu Yi'an curled up in the blanket, silenced her phone, and, having prepared herself, nestled under the covers and began to drift off to sleep. She even felt a little melancholy, wondering if it was because she was getting older that experiencing things felt like fighting a battle. On the blanket lay the coat Chu Mu had wrapped around her. In the darkness of the room, Shu Yi'an sadly realized that even after they argued and separated, he was still the only thing that brought her peace of mind.
She didn't know how long she slept, but in her hazy state, Shu Yi'an felt someone lift her from behind and feed her a glass of warm water. The rough hands, with their familiar lines, gently caressed her face and the top of her head. When she woke up the next day, there was clearly no one beside her bed.
Only half a glass of water on the bedside table shone brightly and clearly in the sunlight, with a piece of paper stuck to it.
— Business trip, about a week.
Shu Yi'an picked up the paper and suddenly realized that what he thought was a dream was actually true. He had indeed come back at night, and the glass of water was poured for him.
Shu Yi'an hugged the warm blanket and thought somewhat absentmindedly, "Is this all there is to it between him and me?"
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Because the company was affected by the fire, it needed to have a five-day holiday. Shu Yi'an stayed at home every day, basking in the sun and taking care of her pet jasmine in the morning, and preparing a lot of ingredients to cook a very sumptuous dinner for herself in the afternoon, but she could only eat a few bites.
That evening, just as I finished cooking the tofu and shrimp, I heard a noise at the door. I rushed to the door and saw Chu Weiyuan grinning mischievously.
"Are you feeling down because you see me?"
Shu Yi'an bit her lip in annoyance, "No, no... I thought..."
"You think it's my brother, right?" Chu Weiyuan put her bag on the sofa and quickly finished what Shu Yi'an hadn't said. "Okay, stop fooling around. It was my brother who called and asked me to come and keep you company. He said you're taking a break these few days and he's worried that the fire the day before yesterday might affect your mood."
"That's so thoughtful..." Shu Yi'an muttered to herself, then went to the kitchen to get her sister-in-law some of her favorite snacks. Seeing the freshly prepared dinner on the table, Chu Weiyuan's eyes lit up. "Wow! Sister-in-law, do you have guests? You made so much delicious food?"
Shu Yi'an took the steamed fish out of the pot with a thick towel and added an extra pair of bowls and chopsticks. "Cooking is a way to pass the time... but we never eat much of what we make. Since you're here, let's eat together."
Chu Weiyuan wasn't sure if Shu Yi'an's cooking was really to her liking, but she actually ate two bowls of rice in one go. If Sui Qing knew this, she'd probably go crazy. While picking out fish bones, Chu Weiyuan asked Shu Yi'an, "Sister-in-law...did you and my brother have a fight?"
Shu Yi'an paused in serving the soup, but she didn't intend to hide it from Chu Weiyuan. After all, this sister-in-law was, in Chu Mu's words, "in sync with him."
How did you know?
"I could tell from your pale face." Chu Weiyuan pouted, then suddenly became serious, her cheerful demeanor fading. "My brother wasn't in a good mood when he called me either. He sounded... really tired. The climate in Africa is harsh, and there are many diseases there. I wonder how he is. But what's wrong between you two? Can you tell me?"
"Africa?" Shu Yi'an's eyes widened, a vague unease creeping in. She couldn't help but wonder if the clothes he brought fit, and whether he had eaten on time... Shu Yi'an felt that she had a knot in her heart, and she should speak it out. Perhaps, from Chu Weiyuan's perspective, he could offer her some better advice. So she roughly explained the matter of the photo album in Chu Mu's luggage to Chu Weiyuan.