Shi Nuan knew it was impolite for her to ask. Besides, Shen Shixiu was Shen Qianan’s brother after all. It would be quite weird for her to pose the question. Having said that, Shi Nuan still blurted the question. Her intuition was telling her that Shen Shixiu was unlike his sister.
Shen Shixiu’s eyes glinted with delight when he saw the text from Shi Nuan. His slender fingers brushed against the screen, focusing on the few words in Shi Nuan’s text. The delight in his eyes was apparent.
Jiang Zhan was standing right opposite to him. He shuddered at the sight of his boss’s smile.
“Let’s go back!” Shen Shixiu tucked away his phone and lifted his head to look at Jiang Zhan. “How’s the preparation going?”
“Everything is ready, sir. But it seems like Ms. Qianan is reluctant to go back!” Jiang Zhan tried to sound Shen Shixiu out as he glanced at him. Shen Shixiu’s face sank. “She doesn’t want to leave? Then take Yu with you!”
“But…” Jiang Zhan hesitated. “Yu is still too young. Sir, I think it’s quite heartless if you really do so…” “Yu is Ms. Qianan’s lifeline. She…”
“Her lifeline? Try taking Yu away and see if she cares more about her son or Fu Chengyan!” Shen Shixiu rose and noticed his phone beeping. He took out his phone. It was still a text from Shi Nuan: Mr. Shen, what time is your flight tomorrow? Would you like to be Yan and my guest?
Shen Shixiu’s gaze darkened. He looked at the text. His gaze grew frosty, and he did not reply to the text. “What time is the flight tomorrow?”
“Three in the afternoon, sir. You need to sign a contract in the morning.” Jiang Zhan reported. “Sir, what time is your meeting with Ms. Shi? I will make the arrangements now!”
“No need!” Shen Shixiu cast a glance at Jiang Zhan. “Go back and get packing. We will head back tomorrow.”
Jiang Zhan looked at his silhouette. It’s getting harder and harder to read him.
Shi Nuan did not get a reply from Shen Shixiu and sent another text: Mr. Shen, do you need me to book the restaurant? He did not reply either.
The corner of her mouth quirked up as she raised a brow. Maybe Shen Shixiu is busy. So, she did not send another text. However, she looked at Shen Shixiu’s profile ID. Miss.
Shi Nuan was stumped. She did not know what it meant. Then, she proceeded to save his contact.
Some time had passed but Shi Nuan still felt quite bored. She rose and left Fu Chengyan’s office and headed toward the Project Management Department.
Ever since Shi Nuan knew that she was pregnant, she had not been to the office for almost half a month. The other people in the office were gossiping about her. They wondered if she had offended the higher-ups; or if her absence was due to her ambiguous relationship with Mr. Fu.
She had listened to different types of ‘theories’ just from her way downstairs. Shi Nuan did not pay heed to the gossips. However, all of them were taken aback at the sight of her.
She smiled as she acknowledged them, bypassing them and headed straight to the Project Management Department.
Yuan Jia had been swamped because of Shi Nuan’s absence. She hoped that she could be split herself up to deal with the overwhelming workload. Shi Nuan appeared right when she was busiest.
Yuan Jia looked at Shi Nuan like she was her salvation. “My dear, you’re finally back! Do you know I…” Yuan Jia paused for a moment before continuing, “Say it, why were you absent from work for no apparent reason for almost half a month? Where did you go? What were you up to?”
“For no apparent reason?” Shi Nuan was stumped. “Didn’t I notify Mr. Lin already? Where is he?”
“He went outstation! Look at this… Look at the mess that I have to deal with!” Yuan Jia could not help but grumble. She regarded Shi Nuan from left to right and asked, “Nothing has happened to you. Why is the whole office abuzz with gossip? Where have you been?”
“Why the rush? What are you busy with?”
Yuan Jia pointed at the stuff on her table. “There, all these things!” Yuan Jia could not help but scratch her head. “I’m really swamped here. Even though Mr. Lin has arranged for extra helping hands before leaving, I still feel… so tired. I finally realize how nice it feels to have you around.”
Shi Nuan cast a glance at the documents piled up on her desk and noticed a number of collaboration proposals. “All these are for this year?”
“Yes!” Yuan Jia looked extremely troubled. “I think our department is really short-handed. Then you leave us at this critical moment. I’ve been wondering if you’re quitting!”
“No, that’s not it. I’m just…” Shi Nuan paused for a moment before pulling Yuan Jia close to herself. She whispered into Yuan Jia’s ears, “I’m pregnant, that’s why…”
“What? You’re preg-” Yuan Jia did not get to finish before Shi Nuan quickly covered her mouth. Shi Nuan shook her head in dismay. “Could you be quieter!”
Yuan Jia nodded. However, her eyes widened with disbelief as she looked at Shi Nuan. Shi Nuan nodded and gave her a reassuring look. “I’m going to let go of you. Don’t make a fuss, please.”
Yuan Jia nodded with all her might. Only then did Shi Nuan let go. “Are you alright?”
“I’m okay, still breathing.” Yuan Jia gasped before her gaze fell on Shi Nuan’s belly. She found it hard to believe since Shi Nuan’s belly was still flat. “So, the child is Mr. Fu’s?”
Shi Nuan smiled. “Who else?”
Yuan Jia scratched her head. “I didn’t mean that. I’m just surprised!”
Actually, Yuan Jia was not even certain if Shi Nuan and Fu Chengyan were indeed married. Even though they showed up together on multiple occasions, Fu Chengyan had never announced anything.
“It’s not actually that sudden. Yan and I just want to be low profile., so not a lot of people know about this,” Shi Nuan said as she regarded Yuan Jia’s look. She knew Yuan Jia still found the news improbable. Hence, she reached out and tapped on Yuan Jia’s shoulders. “This news must have snuck up on you. Anyway, you’d have to work extra hard during this period.”
“Umm, I really can’t tell from your belly. How many months along are you?”
“Two!” Shi Nuan’s face brightened as she spoke of her child. She caressed her belly. “It’s not really obvious now.”
“Only two? Are you not coming to work already? I think a woman needs to have her own career no matter what. Well, Mr. Fu is really rich, but…” Yuan Jia scratched her head again. “Umm, what I’m saying is, it’s quite a pity for you to stop working right now.”
“Yes, I know.” Shi Nuan turned serious. “Yan and his family want me to take ample rest. I could only come here today because I pleaded with him.” It was apparent that Shi Nuan felt helpless when she mentioned it.
“Yes, rich people think differently from us.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll find a way somehow. It’s impossible for me to stay grounded at home for seven to eight months. I’d be bored to death!” Her gaze turned to the piling proposals on Yuan Jia’s desk. “Are you swamped?”
“Yes!” Yuan Jia was exasperated with her workload. “I wonder when is Mr. Lin coming back?”
“Let me handle this one,” Shi Nuan said as she slipped one out of the pile. “If you are willing to trust me with it!”
“Of course! I am well aware of your capabilities. Hmm, but is Mr. Fu willing to let you do this?”
“It’s okay. I’m free anyway. I’m going to work on this in his office. Shi Nuan looked at the time and realized that there was not much time left. She patted Yuan Jia’s shoulders and said, “I’ll get going first. Otherwise, Yan will not bring me here again.”
Just when Shi Nuan entered the elevator with the proposal in her hands, Fu Chengyan called her. “Where are you?”
“I was getting bored, so I went for a walk downstairs. I’m going right up!” Shi Nuan looked at the level displayed in the elevator. “A few more floors before I reach your office. Yan, are you done with your meeting?”
“Yep!” Fu Chengyan tilted his brows as he glanced at his surroundings. He took a seat and casually tapped on his desk with his slender fingers. “Didn’t I tell you to stay right here?”
Afraid that she might get bored all alone, he rushed back to his office right after the meeting. However, she was nowhere to be seen when he was back at his office. His secretary did not know where she was either. He called her as he was starting to get worried. Only then did he know that Shi Nuan had been going around.
She stepped out of the elevator and noticed that Zhou Zheng and Mai Qi were guarding it. Stumped, she asked them, “Mr. Zhou, Mai Qi, are you guys heading out?”
“Mrs. Fu!” Zhou Zheng’s lips twitched. “You’re finally back! Where did you go? Mr. Fu has been looking everywhere for you!”
Oh crap!
Shi Nuan stuck her tongue out impishly. “Where is Yan?”
Zhou Zheng pointed at the office. “He’s right inside.”
She nodded. “Thanks, go get busy then, both of you.” Shi Nuan made an ‘okay’ gesture to reassure Zhou Zheng. She breathed in deeply before knocking on the door. “Yan?”
“Come in!’ Fu Chengyan’s voice could be heard. Shi Nuan did not notice anything odd about his tone. Relieved, she pushed the door to enter his office. “Yan!”
Fu Chengyan had a stern face on. However, at the sight of her cheery face, his anger dissipated into thin air. He beckoned at her, “Come here!”
Shi Nuan walked sheepishly to his side. Fu Chengyan could not stand it and reached out to swoop her into his embrace. Wrapping his hands around her waist, he asked, “Where did you go? Didn’t I tell you to wait for me right here? Why did you go roaming the place?”
“I didn’t roam around.” Shi Nuan sat on his lap and brushed herself against him. Fu Chengyan gasped and steadied her body. His gaze sank. “Sit properly. Don’t move around.”
Shi Nuan noticed something odd after his remark and blushed crimson red. She sat up straight and dared not make a single move. “I’m sorry! I was just too bored and went out for a walk. I didn’t go running around the office. I was being very cautious all the way. You could check the CCTV if you didn’t believe me!”
