L&H - 86

Yu Qing tidied up the table, tearing the paper into pieces and throwing it into the trash.

Fu Jichen took another piece of paper and handed it to her, uncapping the pen and placing it in her hand.

Yu Qing was confused. “What’s this for? Does Zou Lexiao want another one?”

Fu Jichen pointed to himself—it was what he wanted. “My expectations aren’t high. Just copy something for me.”

Yu Qing: “….”

She set the pen down, wrapping her arms around his waist. “I’m too happy to write anything remotely sad.” She looked up at him. “I haven’t thought about our journey ever coming to an end.”

Fu Jichen was satisfied. Even if there were an end, it would be their ultimate destination.

He turned off the desk lamp and led her back to the bedroom.

Yu Qing continued reading her mother’s diary. During this period, her parents had begun arguing, and their relationship was falling apart.

Each page didn’t contain much—just a few brief lines—but her mother still persisted in recording something every day.

[Today, the baby moved more times than yesterday, and the movements were stronger. I’m worried when she’s active, and I’m also worried when she’s quiet. I always fear that she might be uncomfortable.]

After flipping through three more pages, Yu Qing placed a bookmark, unable to bear reading further.

Feeling hungry now, she sat up.

Fu Jichen heard the movement and turned around. “What’s wrong?”

Yu Qing: “You keep working. I’ll go downstairs to find something to eat.”

Fu Jichen saved his documents, nearly done editing them. “I’ll come with you.”

Downstairs, Yu Jingze had just returned.

Ji Qingyuan and Yu Jingxin were also there, having a late-night snack.

When leaving work earlier, Ji Qingyuan had asked Fu Jichen to return early to help play with the baby. He had bought movie tickets and taken Yu Jingxin to watch a film.

Yu Jingxin was picky about food and hadn’t eaten at a restaurant outside.

The chef had grilled steak and prepared a vegetable salad.

Yu Jingze also ordered a piece of steak and poured half a glass of wine.

He hadn’t eaten much during his meal with Zou Lexiao and was already hungry on the way home.

From upstairs, Yu Qing hummed a tune as she descended.

Yu Jingxin asked her, “What’s making you so happy?”

Yu Qing smiled. “Nothing. I’m doing prenatal education.” She sat close to Yu Jingze.

Yu Jingze, needing Yu Qing’s help, placed the sliced steak in front of her.

Not wanting to eat meat, Yu Qing shook her head.

Resting her chin on her hand, she feigned ignorance. “Didn’t you go out with Zhou Siyuan tonight? Didn’t she want you to accompany her for a late-night snack at SZ?”

“No.”

“Then where did you go?”

Yu Jingze glanced at her. “You don’t know what you’ve done?”

Yu Qing: “I do many good deeds every day. Which one are you referring to?”

Before Yu Jingze could respond, Fu Jichen walked over, reminding him, “She can’t be upset. Watch your words.”

Yu Jingze reminded himself to be accommodating. “I went to see Zou Lexiao.”

Yu Jingxin didn’t know about tonight’s events. She interjected, “So you really went to act as a mediator for Zhou Siyuan?” She knew Zou Lexiao held shares in SZ, and Zhou Siyuan wanted to acquire them entirely.

Zhou Siyuan had never liked Zou Lexiao and certainly didn’t want to share company ownership with her.

She asked again, “Did Zou Lexiao agree to transfer her shares?”

Yu Jingze: “No.”

Yu Jingxin added a few more words: “I heard Zou Lexiao likes you. You shouldn’t have gone to her. That girl genuinely likes you, but you’re taking advantage of her feelings. It’s quite shameless of you to approach her. What Zhou Siyuan is doing is excessive.”

It was rare for Ji Qingyuan to see Yu Jingxin reprimanding someone. He speared a small piece of steak, ate half of it himself, and fed the other half to her. “Don’t get upset. I’ll discipline him later.”

Being fed in front of family made Yu Jingxin feel a bit embarrassed.

Yu Jingze didn’t hide anything. “I’m together with Zou Lexiao now.”

Yu Jingxin was chewing on her steak when she suddenly heard such shocking news. In her surprise, she accidentally bit her tongue. She quickly covered her mouth, the pain sending shivers to her heart.

Ji Qingyuan put down his knife and fork. “What happened? Was my piece of steak not good?”

Yu Jingxin squinted. “I bit my tongue.”

Ji Qingyuan looked at Yu Jingze. “Can’t you choose a better time to say this!”

Yu Jingze: “….”

“Rinse your mouth; it won’t hurt anymore.” Ji Qingyuan pulled Yu Jingxin by the hand and headed to the bathroom.

Yu Jingxin rinsed her mouth with cold water a few times.

She had bitten too hard, and it bled, still painful.

Ji Qingyuan wrapped one arm around her waist and cupped the back of her head with the other, kissing her deeply.

Yu Jingxin let out a soft moan, followed by a tingling sensation, the pain vanishing somewhere unknown.

________________________________________

Yu Jingze glanced at Yu Qing, who was happily eating her vegetable salad. Fu Jichen sat beside her, picking out the dishes she didn’t like and eating them himself.

“I’ve reached a deadlock with this move.” Yu Jingze asked her, “Lawyer Yu, any advice?”

Yu Qing turned her head. “All I can think about right now is eating.”

Yu Jingze locked eyes with her. “Be serious.”

Yu Qing: “Let’s put it this way. If you were a listed company, I’ve already guided you through the IPO process. My job is done. The rest of the road, you should figure out on your own.”

She used Ji Qingyuan as an example. “You’re like him—not low on emotional intelligence, but too lazy to use it. Of course, it’s not your fault because there are so many women chasing you. You don’t need to go out of your way to win anyone’s affection. You’ve all been spoiled, thinking everything is taken for granted.”

She continued using Ji Qingyuan as an example: “Now look at your brother-in-law. Hasn’t he woken up yet?”

Yu Jingze: “You’re really not helping?”

Yu Qing relented. “You solve things on your own. If you encounter real difficulties, I’ll offer some advice. By the way, I’m going on a business trip with Fu Jichen next week, and we’ll play for a few days after. We won’t be back for five days. Try to call me less.”

________________________________________

At noon on Tuesday, Yu Qing and Fu Jichen boarded their flight for the business trip.

Until they got on the plane, Yu Qing hadn’t seen anyone else from Fu Group.

She was curious. “Is it just you, or are you specifically taking me on vacation?”

Fu Jichen: “They’re on an afternoon flight and will only attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony tomorrow.” After a pause, he added, “Jian Hang is also going.”

Yu Qing looked at him, her lips curving slightly.

So, he was afraid she’d be jealous and said something about fearing heavy rain in Beijing while he wasn’t around.

She took his hand. His palm was warm and strong.

Then, she intertwined her fingers with his.

Seizing the opportunity, Fu Jichen discussed with her, “After the event ends there, I’ll take you to Shanghai, okay? I haven’t been there in months.”

Yu Qing didn’t respond, rubbing his palm with hers.

Fu Jichen knew she wasn’t very eager to go. “Let me see the places you often played as a child.” He coaxed her softly, “I’ll sing a song for you when we get there.”

Yu Qing suddenly looked up. “Will you sing at a KTV? I want to hear you sing acapella.”

Fu Jichen promised her, “No KTV. I’ll sing acapella for you.”

Yu Qing suddenly felt very excited. She actually missed Shanghai and her grandmother, but whenever she went there alone before, all she felt was sadness.

She played with his fingers. “Do you sing well?”

Fu Jichen: “Decent. Proportional to my looks.”

Yu Qing: “….” She slapped his hand lightly, mocking his vanity.

She couldn’t guess what song he would sing. “English?”

“No.”

Yu Qing guessed again. “Something currently popular?”

“I won’t tell you.”

Yu Qing let go of his hand and hugged his neck. “You shouldn’t have told me now. It’s still several days until we go to Shanghai. Won’t I be anxious? Little Fish will be anxious too.”

Fu Jichen: “That way, you’ll have something to look forward to, focusing on going to Shanghai instead of resisting it.”

Her phone vibrated—it was Zou Lexiao. [Your brother invited me again tonight. We’re meeting at SZ Restaurant. Why am I feeling a bit nervous?]

________________________________________

Zou Lexiao sat at her desk, staring blankly at the computer screen.

Just a few days had passed, and she would see Yu Jingze again.

Zhou Siyuan also frequented SZ Restaurant. If they ran into each other, she wouldn’t know what to do.

After a bout of wild thoughts, Zou Lexiao stood up and blew on the air conditioner for a while, forcing herself to calm down and focus on work.

Finally, quitting time arrived after what felt like endless waiting. Zou Lexiao shut down her computer.

She checked her phone. Yu Jingze hadn’t messaged her again. She had previously wondered if he would come to pick her up. She started daydreaming, indulging in fanciful thoughts.

When she got downstairs, her phone rang—it was her father.

“Dad, what is it?”

Zou Xing rarely didn’t work overtime tonight and wanted to cook dinner for his daughter. “What time will you be home? Dad will make dinner for you.”

She was about to meet her crush. How could she have time for dinner?

For future happiness, she could only apologize to her dad first.

Zou Lexiao lied, “I have to work overtime tonight. No time. I took on a case and have to meet a client tomorrow. I probably won’t be home until midnight. Dad, don’t wait up for me.”

Zou Xing knew how busy his daughter usually was, often working until the wee hours of the morning. He felt sorry for her. “It’s fine. You focus on work.”

He decided to make her some late-night snacks and deliver them to the law firm as a surprise.

Since graduation, his daughter had changed a lot. He once worried about her temperamental nature and feared she wouldn’t get along with colleagues. But feedback from the law firm was excellent.

His daughter also mentioned that she often spent time with Yu Qing, learning from her. She hoped to become better and meet better people.

He was deeply reassured.

After hanging up, Zou Lexiao hurried to the parking lot.

She usually wore work clothes at the law firm, so she kept a dress in the trunk, planning to freshen up her makeup and hair.

Whether Yu Jingze noticed or not, she assumed he secretly admired her.

In a rush, she arrived at SZ just in time for their meeting.

Yu Jingze was already waiting, but Zhou Siyuan sat across from him.

Zou Lexiao suddenly doubted whether Yu Jingze had invited her tonight or if he had invited Zhou Siyuan and casually included her to discuss SZ equity matters.

She looked down at her long dress—a new haute couture design this year—and felt it was too formal.

But it was too late to change. Yu Jingze saw her, and so did Zhou Siyuan, who turned her head simultaneously.

Zhou Siyuan couldn’t help but frown. She had just arrived, sitting down for less than two minutes. She had come here with a friend. Earlier, when she contacted Yu Jingze, he said he was busy.

She had asked what he was busy with, whether he was working overtime.

He said he had an appointment.

She assumed he was accompanying Yu Qing for dinner, so she brought a friend along.

Unexpectedly, he had invited Zou Lexiao.

Zou Lexiao had carefully dressed tonight, wearing a sexy yet playful long dress, her smooth curls freshly styled.

Zou Lexiao didn’t approach. She looked at Yu Jingze, pointing towards the restroom direction. She needed a moment to think about how to handle Zhou Siyuan’s sarcastic remarks without losing face.

As a fake girlfriend, she had no confidence at all.

Yu Jingze nodded, watching her walk away before turning his gaze back.

Zhou Siyuan stared at him. “She doesn’t plan to transfer her shares. Why did she come when you invited her to dinner? Is she playing hard to get?”

Yu Jingze: “Inviting Zou Lexiao wasn’t about discussing shares. I’m with her now.”

Zhou Siyuan was dumbfounded, opening her mouth several times but unable to speak.

Her mind went blank, then dark.

Everything in front of her spun.

It was like a dream.

Just a few days ago, he had gone to negotiate with Zou Lexiao on her behalf, and now they were together. It was surreal.

He didn’t like Zou Lexiao. Everyone knew that.

How had this suddenly happened?

“Not… You two aren’t…” Zhou Siyuan stammered.

She pinched her little finger until it hurt.

He could be with anyone, but not Zou Lexiao.

Zou Lexiao would surely flaunt it in her face later.

And Leng Wanning—every time she saw her, Leng Wanning would surely mock and ridicule her.

“How could you be with her? Don’t you dislike her?”

Yu Jingze chose his words carefully. “If she refuses to transfer her shares, maybe dating her will make her look at me favorably. One day, she might change her mind.”

Zhou Siyuan: “…???!?!?!”

She had no response.

Damn!

So, he made such a big sacrifice for her?

It must be Yu Qing. It definitely was Yu Qing!

Otherwise, Yu Jingze wouldn’t do something that gave her a heart attack!