“Yan, it’s me!”
“Hello!” Fu Chengyan chuckled. “Zhou Zheng told me you went out early this morning. How’s the discussion going with Mr. George?”
“We just reached our destination. I’m calling you to confirm whether Mr. Lin has given you the final schematic diagram.”
“Yes, he’s already passed me that.” Fu Chengyan cast a fleeting glance at the document placed on his desk. “Is there anything wrong?”
“Oh, Mr. George here just approved the diagram.”
“Well, I’ll take a look at it first.” Fu Chengyan sat down at his desk and flipped through the schematic diagram. “I think there’s no problem with the diagram. You guys are allowed to proceed. Is Lin Yu with you right now?”
“Nope, he’s still talking to Mr. George. I’m going out to buy some snacks for him. He doesn’t look well because he skipped his breakfast this morning.” Shi Nuan paused for a beat before she continued, “Yan, can I ask you a question?”
“Sure. What is it?”
Fu Chengyan put the schematic diagram aside. Shi Nuan’s voice seemed to have a soothing effect on him as he could feel his tensed muscles slowly start to relax.
Shi Nuan hesitated for a moment, trying to phrase her question in her mind. It took her some time before she asked tentatively, “Did Mr. Lin have a thing for Pei Huan before?”
Fu Chengyan was stunned by her question for several seconds before letting out a chuckle. “What led you to have that sort of suspicion? Did you notice anything unusual?”
Judging from his answer, Shi Nuan knew that her guess was right. “Mr. Lin just rejected my bestie, Su Yian. She told me that it was because he’s still struggling to move on from a girl he can never be with. I had no idea who she was referring to at that time. However, when I was having a chat with Mr. Lin earlier, we somehow mentioned Pei Huan, and he actually asked me how she was doing! He certainly looked like he had moved on from her, but I could still feel his lingering feelings for her…”
“I don’t know much about it because it’s a matter between Huan and him. Huan once told me that Lin Yu used to be her neighbor and that he did try to ask her out before. However, nothing happened between them because Huan had already been going out with Li Heng at that time. Any more questions?”
“Uhm, no, that’s all.” Shi Nuan did not probe as she was not a nosy person. Yet, she decided to ask one more question after some contemplation. “Did you lure Mr. Lin into joining your company by using his feelings for Huan back then?”
Suddenly, Fu Chengyan reached out to give the middle of his brows a massage. “Shouldn’t you get back to work by now?” he urged in a resigned tone.
Shi Nuan raised her brows and giggled. “Fine, I’m going to grab some snacks for Mr. Lin now. Otherwise, he might launch a complaint on you for abusing him if he falls sick.”
This woman is going to be the death of me!
While Fu Chengyan was shaking his head with a smile, Shi Nuan added, “Yan, what’d you like to have for dinner? I can head back home earlier after I finish my work with Mr. Lin.”
“Prepare anything you like. Would you like Shaoqing to come over and join us later?”
Shi Nuan raised her brows in response to his suggestion. She was able to tell that he had some business to discuss with Su Shaoqing. “That’s a good idea. We probably can’t finish all the food by ourselves. Look, I’m afraid I have to hang up now because it’s time I get back to work.”
Shi Nuan hung up on him first. Meanwhile, Fu Chengyan only put down his phone quite sometime after that with his eyes looking pensive.
His grandfather was someone who did not expect his orders to be defied. Now that it was his intention to keep Shen Qianan at the company, no one was audacious enough to object to the idea except him.
In fact, Fu Chengyan had made it fairly clear that he was against the idea that morning by storming out of the conference room halfway through the meeting. However, the human resource department was not bold enough to go against Fu Zhengyun’s intention.
On top of that, Fu Zhengyun went as far as directly arranging for Shen Qianan to be Fu Chengyan’s personal secretary. It was clear to everyone in the company what the man was trying to achieve.
People began speculating whether Shen Qianan would become the future president’s wife. Will she become the wife of the future patriarch of the Fu clan?
Yet, they kept their speculation to themselves because Fu Chengyan’s abhorrence toward Shen Qianan was very obvious.
Just like that, the necessary formalities and arrangements for Shen Qianan’s employment were completed. Fu Zhengyun brought her to the twenty-seventh floor and made the official announcement of her recruitment. At the same time, the man issued a warning to all the employees working there. All of them were to look after Shen Qianan, and they couldn’t be more aware of what that warning meant.
Also, all employees understood that although Shen Qianan was under the chairman’s wings, she was not at all to the liking of the president.
Mai Qi was giving Shen Qianan a furtive once-over when the latter greeted her in an amicable tone, “Hi, my name is Shen Qianan. I’m really looking forward to working with you.”
Thinking it would be rude of her to pull a long face in response to her friendliness, Mai Qi offered her hand and replied with a pleasant smile, “I’m Mai Qi, the head secretary.”
“Hello, Mai Qi!” Shen Qianan quickly took Mai Qi’s outstretched hand in an affable manner.
The corners of Mai Qi’s lips twitched uncomfortably, but she managed to maintain a pleasant face. “Ms. Shen, I guess you aren’t familiar with the work here because you’re new. Here are some documents for your reference. Feel free to ask me any questions if there’s anything you find difficult to understand.”
Mai Qi walked away after leaving a pile of old files to Shen Qianan. The smile on Shen Qianan’s face disappeared as she glanced down at the pile of files with a deep crease on her forehead.
Shi Nuan stopped by the market to fetch some fresh ingredients for dinner on her way back home after work. When she reached home, she couldn’t help but be surprised to find Fu Chengyan, who had reached home even earlier than her. “Yan? How come you’re home so early? Was there not much work to do at the office today?”
“Yeah, there was nothing much to do. What have you got there?” Fu Chengyan put down the document he was reading and stood up to help her with the shopping bags. Delighted to free herself from the task, Shi Nuan giggled as she followed him to the kitchen. “I went to the market because I clocked out of work early. It’s very easy to get fresh food since it’s located near our neighborhood. By the way, where’s Mr. Su?”
“Oh, he’s on his way here.” Fu Chengyan nodded while keeping everything in the fridge. Then, he reached out to play with a strand of hair that had fallen in front of her forehead. “Are you tired?”
Warmth filled up Shi Nuan’s heart at the softest tone she had ever heard from him. “I’m feeling alright. In fact, Mr. Lin and Mr. George did most of the work while I was only there as their assistant.” She then added cheekily, “Which one of us is going to cook dinner?”
“I’ll do it because you must be tired.” With that, Fu Chengyan reached out to pick up the apron. Shi Nuan grabbed it before him and helped him put it on. She then stood on her tiptoes and placed a light kiss on his jaw. “I’m glad you’re being so considerate.”
Fu Chengyan’s eyes were brimming with delight upon hearing her compliment. He stroked the tip of Shi Nuan’s nose affectionately as he said, “While I prepare dinner, you go upstairs and enjoy a foot bath. The meal will be ready by the time you finish.”
“Okay!”
Shi Nuan accepted his kind gesture without hesitation. After all, they had been married for half a year already, and they had long learned to become natural and real with each other.
Watching Fu Chengyan busying himself in the kitchen with the apron on put a contented smile on Shi Nuan’s face. Then, she trotted her way upstairs and made herself a foot bath as per his suggestion. As it turned out, it worked wonders on alleviating her sore and aching muscles.
By the time she made it back downstairs, Su Shaoqing had already arrived. He was doing great at making himself at home by sitting leisurely on the sofa in the living room. However, the sight of another man sitting beside him piqued her curiosity.
Despite feeling puzzled, she still made her way over to them at a quick pace. “Hi, guys!” She stared straight at Su Shaoqing and Su Bancheng.
Wearing his usual good-natured expression, Su Shaoqing waved at her and said, “Nuan, it’s nice to see you! I hope you don’t mind the plus one I’ve brought along with me?”
Shi Nuan pursed her lips as she cast a friendly look at Su Bancheng. “Of course not. It’s my honor to have another Mr. Su here. Besides, I have no right to turn anyone down since I’m not the head chef on duty tonight.”
“Oh, I’m sure Chengyan won’t mind,” Su Shaoqing said while waving his hands dismissively. “Nuan, I’m really impressed by how you’re able to convince Chengyan to do the cooking. In fact, you’re the only one who has such an honor. You know what, not even…” Suddenly, Su Shaoqing stopped short before he blurted out anything inappropriate. “Will the food he prepare enough for one more person?”
“Don’t worry; I’m sure it will be enough!” Smiling, she took a seat at another end of the sofa. “Mr. Su, what made you decide to tag along?” she asked Su Bancheng.
“Oh, we came here together from the hospital as Bancheng visited me earlier today. You have no idea how tough life has been for Bancheng lately. Ever since his mother knew about your marriage with Chengyan, she’s found a new passion in regularly arranging blind dates for him.”
In spite of Su Shaoqing’s sympathetic tone, for some reason, Shi Nuan could feel that he was actually gloating.
Obviously, Su Bancheng could feel it too. He cast a supercilious glance at Su Shaoqing as he snapped, “You’re also at the right age to get married. Why don’t I ask your father to arrange some blind dates for you too?”
“Oh, please don’t do that to me!” Su Shaoqing frantically held up his hands in denial. “You know I’m a free spirit. I don’t want to be tied down by marriage so soon! Uhm… I think Chengyan is calling for me. Let me go and see whether he needs any help!”
With that, Su Shaoqing made a run for it and vanished out of sight. Shi Nuan couldn’t help but burst out laughing before shaking her head in resignation.
A faint smile emerged on Su Bancheng’s face too. “Please don’t mind him. He is used to behaving in this manner.”
Shi Nuan nodded. “I understand.”
“In fact, I have something to discuss with Mr. Fu too.”
Shi Nuan nodded, feeling puzzled as there was no need for Su Bancheng to inform her that. Shortly later, Su Bancheng posed her a question. “Ms. Shi, I’m wondering whether you know this person.”
“Who?”
“Xu Chuyan.”
Shi Nuan froze as that name rang a bell in her head. However, that memory came and went too fast. She failed to identify the owner of the name. “I’m sorry, I don’t remember much about that person. Is she related to you in any way?”
Su Bancheng knitted his brows slightly before shaking his head. “Nope.”
Shi Nuan was confused. “May I know what prompted you to ask me that question then? I should be able to remember her if I know her. Is there any chance that you have the photo of Ms. Xu? It might be able to help me remember her!”
Su Bancheng shook his head. “I don’t have her photo.”
“Hmm… In fact, what led you into thinking that I might know her?” Shi Nuan really could not seem to recall anything about the mysterious woman.
Su Bancheng fell silent and stop answering her. Thinking that it was inappropriate to probe, Shi Nuan secretly memorized the name he had given her.
The woman must have been someone very important to Su Bancheng, judging from how he had made an effort to ask Shi Nuan about her. Should I ask Chengyan about the woman later and let him do some digging?
When Su Shaoqing reached the kitchen, he couldn’t help but marvel at how deftly Fu Chengyan was preparing the meal. “Before this, I thought it was good for you to do some household chores once in a while. Now that you’ve started doing it regularly, I suddenly stop seeing it as such a great idea. It’s all because I’m often forced to be drown in the sweetness of your relationship with Nuan!”
In response, Fu Chengyan cast him a sideways glance and snapped, “Don’t you think you’re complaining way too much for a person who gets to enjoy a free meal?”
Su Shaoqing pursed his lips in displeasure as he leaned against the counter in a laid-back manner. “Just cut to the chase. Tell me why you need me here, will you?”
Fu Chengyan paused for a moment before telling him, “You’ve learned about Shen Qianan’s return, haven’t you?”
