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The sky was growing dark as Fu Jichen watched the car drive away.
Just as he reached the car, Feng Mai’s car pulled up. What puzzled her was, “It’s been more than twenty minutes, and your car just arrived at the gate?”
Fu Jichen: “Waiting for Yu Qing.”
Feng Mai seemed to see her former self in him, “A piece of advice: don’t hold on too tightly, or you’ll end up like me now. Yu Qing and Qin Muling are outsiders; they don’t like their freedom to be restricted. If you make her feel suffocated, she’ll run away. Maybe never come back, and Qin Muling will then…”
She opened her mouth.
But stopped herself.
“Hope everything goes well.”
She pressed the accelerator.
He wouldn’t become Feng Mai.
Yu Qing wasn’t Qin Muling either.
Tonight’s dinner was at a specialty restaurant on the outskirts of the city, not far from the club.
Fu Jichen’s car drove straight to the restaurant entrance. When he got out, a familiar figure suddenly caught his eye.
Xiao Yilin was also surprised—she hadn’t expected to run into Fu Jichen here.
She adjusted her expression and walked over to greet him, “Mr. Fu, what a coincidence.” Feeling a bit guilty, she volunteered, “I’m here having dinner with friends.”
Fu Jichen nodded. Led by a waiter, he headed toward the elevator.
The first and second floors had ordinary private rooms, while the third floor was of a higher standard with more privacy.
Xiao Yilin breathed a sigh of relief and took the stairs to the second floor.
Inside the private room, lively chatter was already underway.
The legal supervisor Zhou Yunli, the contract manager Yuan Wenwen, the manager of Zhuohua Trading, and the finance supervisor were all present. She was the last to arrive.
The Zhuohua Trading manager warmly welcomed her and pulled out a chair.
“Was there traffic on the way?” Yuan Wenwen asked.
Xiao Yilin smiled, “No, I just ran into Mr. Fu downstairs and chatted briefly.”
The others’ expressions subtly changed.
People just can’t do bad things quietly.
They deliberately chose such a faraway place, and still got bumped into.
Xiao Yilin reassured them, “I said I was having dinner with friends. After the meal, you all leave separately.”
Tonight’s dinner was arranged by Zhuohua Trading.
With the distribution contract signed, Zhuohua Trading would gradually squeeze out Mr. Qian’s market share and become the general distributor.
Next year, the group planned to increase investment and promotion in Duoxin’s market.
The various fees given to distributors would be doubled compared to this year.
Yuan Wenwen disliked these occasions and gave polite but meaningless responses; she was dragged here by the director. Zhou Yunli handled such dinners with ease.
Dinner tonight was secondary; there were gifts as well.
Probably handbags.
Not cheap ones.
Not buying the bags herself, but carrying them would still feel awkward.
In fact, she preferred openly competing with Yu Qing—mocking Yu Qing’s keychain, ridiculing her shoes—only to end up furious.
Angry or not, at least her conscience was clear.
Even when she had taken Yu Qing’s position, she never felt guilty.
But now that she’d betrayed Mr. Qian, she couldn’t sleep peacefully at night.
Zhuohua Trading was about to make payments and ship goods.
Mr. Qian was still in the dark.
Last night, she had a nightmare about her father being cheated by a competitor and going bankrupt. She had nothing left, and even the eighty-thousand-yuan watch was used to pay debts.
After waking up, her chest felt tight.
She had argued with Zhou Yunli, insisting the contract signing was unfair.
Zhou Yunli scolded her.
In the end, she said: “No wealth comes without outside money; no horse fattens without eating night grass.”
Because Fu Jichen was at this restaurant, the dinner wasn’t very enjoyable.
By 8:30, they left early.
—
Yu Qing went back to the villa first. Yu Jingxin was home, having a late-night snack with Yu Shaohong.
“You little brat, want some?” Yu Shaohong asked.
Yu Qing shook her head, “I ate out with Qin Muling.”
She went upstairs to pick out a few sets of pajamas to keep at Fu Jichen’s place, so she wouldn’t have to wear his bathrobe again.
When she came downstairs, Yu Jingxin still hadn’t left.
“Sis, why aren’t you going back yet? Doesn’t the baby miss you?” Yu Qing sat by the dining table.
Yu Jingxin was eating barbecue and only spoke after swallowing, “The baby went to his grandma’s, staying overnight. I’m fine going home alone.”
Yu Qing nodded, leaned on the table, and played with a bamboo skewer.
Yu Shaohong looked at his daughter and could tell she was troubled. “Did you eat too much?”
Yu Qing: “Haven’t you noticed? I’m using my life to wipe this table for you.”
Yu Shaohong: “...If you don’t annoy people all day, do you think that day didn’t count?”
Yu Qing thought for a moment, “Seems like it.”
She didn’t argue with her father anymore, but asked Yu Jingxin, “Sis, ask your husband what exactly he told Fu Jichen that made Fu Jichen want a child. They were whispering all night—I feel something’s off. Be careful, your husband wants a second child.”
Yu Jingxin: “...”
Yu Shaohong tapped her head, “Watch your mouth and show some respect.”
“Eat up, I’m going to check on the cat that’s been so angry it’s wagging its tail.” Yu Qing just stood up when Yu Shaohong pulled her back, “Wait a moment.”
“What’s wrong?” Yu Qing almost lost her balance and scooted a bit on the chair.
Yu Shaohong almost said what was on his mind but felt embarrassed. If he were a mother, he could share feelings with his daughter, but as a father, some things were inappropriate to say.
He swallowed his words and instead said, “You still haven’t contacted your mom?”
Yu Qing shook her head, “Time difference.”
Yu Shaohong drank half a glass of beer, “If you have anything bothering you, ask your mom. Maybe she’ll enlighten you, and you’ll immediately understand.”
Yu Qing didn’t reply, instead picked up his glass, “How many drinks is this for you?”
Yu Shaohong held up two fingers.
Yu Qing looked at the pale yellow liquid in the glass: “Your tolerance isn’t good these days. Beer is so low in alcohol, and after just one and a half glasses, you’re already talking nonsense.”
“I’m not talking to you anymore. Fu Jichen can’t see me at home and will get upset.”
“Sis, goodbye.”
Yu Jingxin waved her hand.
Yu Qing got into the car, started the engine, but didn’t drive off immediately.
She pulled up her call records—last time she called her mother was half a year ago.
She told her mother she had resigned from her former employer and was returning to Beijing.
The call lasted only thirty-two seconds.
Her mother said she knew.
She didn’t ask why Yu Qing suddenly wanted to go back to Beijing, nor did she ask what she planned to do after returning.
After that, there was no more concern about how she was doing in Beijing.
Sometimes Yu Qing wondered which country or city she had been in all these years, whether her mother had ever really cared.
Whether she remembered her birthday.
How old she was now.
A while passed.
The car left the yard.
Yu Jingxin nudged her father with her elbow, “You really have no filter. Why bring this up when she’s in a bad mood? Her mother doesn’t want her, and you have to say that now?”
“I’m not just looking at her mood. Her grandma has passed away again; no one knows what she’s thinking. That’s why I told her to reach out to her mother,” Yu Shaohong swallowed the drink in his cup and poured another. “It’s all my fault.”
“If not you, then who?”
The living room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Yu Jingxin didn’t mean to blame her father; she took the cup from his hand and replaced it with a glass of water. “Eat some barbecue, don’t drink anymore.”
“Jingxin, did you ever resent your dad when you were little?” Yu Shaohong asked, not daring to look at his daughter as he said it.
Jingxin, holding a grilled chicken wing, paused, “Forgot. ‘Pregnancy dumb’ for three years.”
“When you have time, talk to Yu Qing.”
“I don’t know how. If she doesn’t want to say something, no one can make her. Like me, if anyone tries to talk to me, I’d just say a few words to get by. She’s like me.”
Yu Shaohong sighed deeply; the barbecue lost its flavor.
—
Yu Qing returned to her apartment; Fu Jichen hadn’t come back yet.
After showering, she changed into a starlight blue pajama set.
Her phone was out of battery, so she looked for the charger.
In the drawer of the bedside table on her side was a long strip of napkin, unfolded.
On the napkin was a drawing of a small fish, and near the joint were two grains of rice, dried and hard.
This was the small fish-shaped ring Fu Jichen had made at the beginning.
Yu Qing took it out, wrapped it around her finger one and a half times, then put it back.
The bedroom door opened; Fu Jichen came in holding a small white medicine bottle, tossing it to her.
Yu Qing didn’t catch it; it fell onto the bed.
“What’s this?”
She picked it up.
It was contraceptive pills.
A different brand.
Fu Jichen took off his watch. “I specifically consulted a doctor. This brand has the least side effects.” He came over and held her shoulder, “Fishbone doesn’t hurt anymore, but still want to show off by playing tennis?”
He reminded her, “Next time you bring Qin Muling over, make him pay half.”
Yu Qing: “…”
Rarely, she didn’t retort. She leaned over and kissed him. “Thanks for the trouble of getting the pills for me.”
Fu Jichen picked her up and leaned her against the wall.
Yu Qing turned off the floor lamp.
His side’s light was still on.
A dim, warm yellow.
“Not afraid that the pills I gave you are just vitamins?”
Yu Qing hooked her arms around his neck, “Both yes and no.”
Fu Jichen discussed with her, “Let’s start with a transition period. I know you suddenly stop taking pills and feel insecure. Take them as prescribed for now. After a while, I’ll switch you to vitamins, and then we won’t take anything anymore. I’ll use protection, so you’re safe. Okay?”
Yu Qing didn’t say anything, resting her chin on his shoulder.
“I’ll take that as your agreement.”
She still said nothing.
Fu Jichen reflected, “I didn’t prepare you mentally before and asked too much.” During the days they hadn’t contacted, he had reflected more than once.
He demanded too much.
“You’ve never seen what a normal, harmonious family looks like. I’ll show you. We’ll visit my home on weekends.”
Yu Qing shook her head, “Forget it. I’d rather work overtime with you on weekends. That’s more fulfilling.” She didn’t want to meet his elders; it was too stressful.
Fu Jichen whispered in her ear, “My mom hates family gossip the most. She loves perfume. And she likes the same perfumer as you. She’s been collecting perfumes for years.”
Yu Qing suddenly sat up straight. The thought that they liked the same perfumer made her eyes sparkle like stars. “Really? Tomorrow’s Sunday, let’s go to your house.”
Fu Jichen: “...Okay. I’ll call my dad first to give him a heads-up.”
Yu Qing struggled to get down, “Say it now, I can’t wait.”
Fu Jichen took his phone and stared at the screen for a moment, then transferred sixty thousand first.
Chairman Fu: [ ? ]
Fu Jichen: [ Have a good weekend. ]
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