He couldn't understand what the adult and two children in front of him were doing, nor did he know why he had been penalized before even speaking.
And what line had he cut in?
"Excuse me."
A man's voice came from behind him. Gu Jijing subconsciously turned to the side and saw a flamboyant man sit down opposite Yun Chuman and the two children.
He dramatically straightened his red suit, smoothed his hair which was held firmly in place by hair gel, and confidently declared, "My name is Wang Liu, the sixth child in my family. I'm humorous, witty, love life, and adore children."
"More importantly, I'm ambitious. I've already built a business empire with my own hands! You know Gu Jijing, right? We were competing for the same project a while back, neck and neck, a tug-of-war that lasted for over a month. But just yesterday, he became my defeated foe!"
Gu Jijing's gaze swept over him, carefully searching his memory, and he was certain he had never seen the person before.
He frowned almost imperceptibly, and the smell emanating from the other person…
"Achoo~"
Yun Chuman, Yun Juan, and Yun Shu sneezed simultaneously.
Yun Juan wrinkled his little nose and asked Wang Liu in confusion, "Uncle, don't you think the smell on you is bad?"
Yun Shu covered her nose with her two chubby little hands, looking aggrieved, and said, "Little Shu's nose don’t feel so good."
Yun Chuman felt dizzy and lightheaded. She couldn't stand it and held her breath, leaning back slightly.
But she didn't forget to fan the two children with both hands, trying to dispel as much of the smell as possible.
"Smell bad?"
Wang Liu exclaimed in surprise, raising his voice, "I smell bad?"
He chuckled at the two children, "You're still just kids, you don't know how to appreciate things."
He winked at Yun Chuman, "But someone as beautiful and mature as you, Ms. Yun, certainly wouldn't think that, would you? You must know how to appreciate this smell."
As he spoke, he fanned his red suit jacket twice, making the pungent fragrance even stronger.
Yun Chuman winced in pain. Her head was already throbbing. Seeing his greasy expression, she finally couldn't help but gag, "Ugh..."
The two children were startled and forgot about covering their noses.
They wriggled their chubby little bodies, knelt on the chair, and raised their chubby arms, using their small hands to cover Yun Chuman's nose.
Yun Juan said anxiously and earnestly, "Mommy, don't smell it, it's poisonous."
Yun Shu's worried little face scrunched up: "Mommy, are you feeling unwell?"
Yun Chuman was too weak to speak, only able to shake her head to comfort the two children. She hadn't expected the original owner's body to react so violently to this inferior fragrance, just like herself in her previous life.
Gu Jijing was somewhat stunned by this scene.
The others in the coffee shop couldn't help but whisper among themselves.
"That smell is terrible! He was sitting next to me just now, I almost suffocated from the stench."
"Ms. Yun and the two children are so pitiful. Someone take him away!"
Wang Liu's face turned ashen upon hearing the whispers.
Feeling humiliated, he glared fiercely at the people behind him. Those who had just been speaking immediately shut their mouths and turned their heads away, refusing to look at him.
Wang Liu snorted with satisfaction, deliberately raising his voice, "Looks like I misjudged Ms. Yun. But it's understandable. After all, you're just a minor celebrity. It's normal that you don't understand perfume. Especially since I use the world's most expensive men's cologne, costing 430,000 US dollars a bottle. Let alone a minor celebrity like you, ordinary people don't even have the chance to smell it!"
430,000 US dollars?
Yun Chuman frowned. She didn't believe it for a second!
She wanted to retort, but her reaction was too strong. This cheap fragrance made her feel uncomfortable all over and she felt like vomiting as soon as she opened her mouth.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu covered her nose while puffing out their cheeks and glaring at Wang Liu. They didn't like this uncle; not only did he smell bad, making their mommy uncomfortable, but he also spoke strangely.
Just when Wang Liu thought he had everyone in awe...
A cold voice sounded beside him: "If you're talking about Clive Christian’s His Majesty, I can say with certainty that you're using a fake."
Gu Jijing lowered his eyelids expressionlessly, looking down at Wang Liu, and said in a calm voice: "This perfume has rare ingredients, including cardamom, cedarwood, tonka bean, mandarin orange, and other notes. There are only ten in the world, but that's not the main reason for its high price. Its bottle is made of crystal, with gold foil on the neck and a five-carat diamond as an embellishment." [1]
"And the perfume you're using smells like the kind of perfume you can buy for ten bottles for five yuan at a street stall."
After Gu Jijing finished speaking, he turned and opened the window next to him.
Fresh air rushed in, and the pungent fragrance gradually dissipated. Yun Chuman finally felt a little better. Her nose and head were throbbing and her sense of smell was somewhat numb.
Yun Juan picked up the lemonade from the table and handed it to her, saying, "Mommy, have some water."
Yun Shu simply took off her shoes and stood on the chair. Her chubby little hands pressed against her temples, asking softly, "Mommy, are you still feeling unwell?"
Yun Chuman took the glass of water, gulped down half of it, and shook her head, saying, "I feel much better, thank you, little Juan and little Shu."
The two children breathed a sigh of relief.
Yun Chuman glanced again at the man who had just opened the window and nodded gratefully.
Gu Jijing nodded slightly in response.
He finally understood the situation. Yun Chuman was on a blind date and they had mistaken him for one of the potential candidates. The two children were probably helping Yun Chuman with the selection process.
He was somewhat stunned by this thought. Were the two children and Yun Chuman really that close? They even followed their mommy on her blind date…
Should he just tell her the truth later? The two children's intelligence should be able to understand and accept this, and it also aligned with Yun Chuman's style of not hiding anything from her children.
Wang Liu, seeing that he had been exposed, became enraged and turned his anger towards Gu Jijing.
He slammed his hand on the table, stood up abruptly, and, with chin raised, fiercely shot out, "Who do you think you are! Daring to say my perfume is fake!"
Gu Jijing frowned: "Sir, you've frightened the children."
Yun Chuman weakly glared, thinking, "That's right, what did the table do wrong to deserve being slapped? There are two children present!"
However, Yun Juan and Yun Shu, hearing Gu Jijing's words, eyed him suspiciously and blinked. They weren't that timid; how could this uncle talk nonsense!
"Heh, you're quite arrogant, aren't you? Dare to give your name? Believe it or not, I'll bankrupt your company tomorrow!" Wang Liu continued.
"Bankruptcy?" Gu Jijing raised an eyebrow, took out a business card, and handed it to him. "Gu's Group is always at your service."
Gu's Group?
Wang Liu was stunned. Could it be the Gu's Group he was thinking of? But why would someone from that group be here?
No, no, no, the other person was definitely just putting on an act, like him.
He swallowed hard and took the business card. The three large, gold-embossed characters "Gu Jijing" stung his eyes. He quickly flipped the card over, and upon seeing the Gu's Group's distinctive mark, his face drained of color.
Wang Liu stared at the man in disbelief. His legs trembled uncontrollably as cold sweat poured down his back: "President Gu... President Gu..."
What had he just said? Gu Jijing was his defeated opponent? His company had only just started; he couldn't let it fail here!
He forced a smile, repeatedly apologizing, "President Gu, I'm so sorry, my eyes are blind and did not recognise your greatness. What I said just now was all nonsense. Please forgive my rudeness..."
Seeing his expression, Gu Jijing frowned almost imperceptibly, subconsciously glancing at Yun Chuman and Yun Juanyun.
He saw two identical shocked and bewildered puppy-dog eyes staring at him.
He stiffened slightly, not wanting to leave a "brutal" impression on the three of them from the start. He said coldly to Wang Liu, "I have something to discuss with Ms. Yun. If possible, I hope you can leave as soon as possible."
Wang Liu looked at Yun Chuman in shock. She actually had a connection with Gu Jijing!
Looking closely, the two children seemed to bear a resemblance to Gu Jijing…
A guess formed in his mind, his legs trembled even more violently, and he wiped the spot where he had just sat with his sleeve, bowing and scraping, “Okay, okay, President Gu, please have a seat, I’ll leave right away.”
With that, he turned and rushed out of the coffee shop without looking back.
Most of the people attending this blind date were shrewd individuals. What Wang Liu could guess, they could also guess to some extent.
They just hadn’t expected that Gu Jijing, who was rumored to need mitosis to have children, already had such grown children.
They didn’t want to provoke such a person, so they all got up and made excuses to leave.
Seeing this, Aunt Sun panicked: “Hey? Hey? Where are you going? Who’s that person?”
The last one walking was a very fashionable-looking young man.
He glanced at Gu Jijing, grabbed Aunt Sun's arm, and whispered, "Aunt Sun, don't talk anymore, come with me! The legitimate partner is here! We can't afford to mess with that person, let's run! Oh dear, I just came to join the fun. How did it end up like this!"
The legitimate partner? Aunt Sun turned her head in surprise. It seemed like the scene of a wife catching her husband's mistress.
But judging from Xiaoyun and the two children's expressions, they didn't seem to know the other party very well.
Really want to eat melon!
Aunt Sun screamed inwardly, but she was a gossipmonger with principles, knowing she couldn't pry into other people's privacy.
So she followed the fashionable young man, reluctantly leaving, and also dragged the smiling coffee shop owner who was offering menus. The kid's gone mad from making money, daring to go near such a dangerous place!
The once crowded coffee shop was now only occupied by two adults and two children.
Yun Chuman, Yun Juan, and Yun Shu stared blankly at the man sitting opposite them.
What was going on? This person wasn't here for a blind date? Judging from Aunt Sun and the others' reactions, this person seemed to be some important figure?
Gu Jijing felt a little uncomfortable being stared at by three identical pairs of eyes.
He lowered his gaze slightly, focusing on Yun Chuman's chin: "Hello, Ms. Yun."
He quickly glanced at the two children: "Little Yun Juan, little Yun Shu, hello, I'm Gu Jijing."
The two children frowned, tilted their heads in unison, and said simultaneously, "Hello..."
Gu Jijing's eyes flashed with surprise at their synchronized action, and the corners of his mouth curled up almost imperceptibly.
"What can I do for you?" Yun Chuman shook her head vigorously to come to her senses. She tentatively asked, "Do we...know each other?"
The information she had received didn't include someone named Gu Jijing, but she already knew the information was incomplete; it was possible the original owner knew this person.
Gu Jijing's eyes darted away. "The Imperial View Hotel...do you remember it?"
Yun Chuman felt the hotel name was familiar. After thinking for a moment, it dawned on her—wasn't this the place where the original owner had been with the strange man?
She widened her eyes in surprise: "It's you?"
"Yes," Gu Jijing nodded without hesitation, pursing his lips. "I'm sorry it took me so long to find you."
Yun Chuman didn't speak. She wondered if Gu Jijing might be the biological father of her two children.
The original owner's genes were strong; Yun Juan and Yun Shu looked very similar to her, but upon closer inspection, Yun Juan's nose was a spitting image of Gu Jijing's.
But why was he apologizing for arriving so late?
Gu Jijing looked at the two children, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Ms. Yun, if I'm not mistaken, Yun Juan and Yun Shu should be my children, right?"
Yun Juan and Yun Shu's eyes widened in shock.
What was this uncle talking about? Who were his children? Was this some kind of new matchmaking tactic?
They exchanged a glance, wrinkling their noses simultaneously. What to do? They hadn't considered this scenario!
Yun Chuman narrowed her eyes and asked, "President Gu, why did you come to this conclusion?"
"Here," Gu Jijing pointed to the bridge of his nose.
Yun Chuman looked over and saw a small red mole on the bridge of his nose, near the corner of his eye. A thought immediately popped into her head.
Gu Jijing glanced at the red mark on Yun Shu's face and continued, "This is a family trait. Every generation has children who inherit it. It gradually disappears after age six, turning into a red birthmark. Mine is here, and my mother's is on her right nostril."
He finished speaking and looked at Yun Shu's bewildered face. The red mark was fully visible, but she remained cheerful and sunny.
Gu Jijing had heard Yun Chuman's explanation about the red mark to Yun Shu and he felt touched and grateful. Even though the mark was hereditary and would fade in the future, their children would still feel inferior because of it.
Therefore, he deliberately avoided mentioning the words "red mark" and "birthmark" to avoid shattering the beautiful dream Yun Chuman had woven for Yun Shu.
Gu Jijing opened his mouth, but only managed to squeeze out, "Thank you."
Yun Chuman didn't understand why he suddenly thanked her. She was more concerned about Yun Shu's reaction. She quickly glanced at the little girl and, seeing that she didn't understand, secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
She knew some birthmarks faded over time, but she'd never heard of one turning into a mole.
Gu Jijing seemed to sense her confusion: "It's understandable that Ms. Yun doesn't believe such an absurd thing. If you don't mind, I can have a paternity test done with the two children."
Yun Chuman pursed her lips. No need. She was already certain that Gu Jijing was the biological father of the two children.
She raised an eyebrow, her tone casual: "President Gu, what is the purpose of your visit today?"
She didn't need to ask to guess; he simply wanted to take the two children back, give her money, and keep her out of the picture—that's how it was always portrayed in novels and TV dramas.
But she wasn't buying this routine.
Seeing her straightforwardness, Gu Jijing didn't hide anything: "Before, for certain reasons, I didn't contact you and didn't know I had two children. But now that I know, I think I should take responsibility."
Look at this high-sounding opening—exactly like in novels and TV dramas.
Yun Chuman snorted.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu looked at her, their expressions somewhat worried. They vaguely understood that the man before them wasn't a blind date, nor had he used any new tactics; he was their real father!
Gu Jijing continued, "However, I have no intention of forcibly taking the two children away. I wasn't involved in their birth or their upbringing, nor did I contribute anything, therefore I have no right to take them away."
Yun Chuman was stunned for a moment upon hearing this. Huh? This seemed different from the tropes in novels and TV dramas.
The two children became wary upon hearing this. Take them away? Was this person going to separate them from their mommy?
They instinctively moved closer to Yun Chuman, their little hands tightly gripping her arms.
Gu Jijing tapped the table with his finger, his tone sincere. "As for how to take responsibility, I have two options, Ms. Yun. You can choose for yourself."
He pursed his lips and continued, "One is that we get married and raise the two children together. We can develop our relationship slowly. My romantic history is clean, so Ms. Yun doesn't need to worry about exes or 'white moonlight's' coming back."
"The second option is that we remain strangers. The two children will still live with you, but I will be responsible for all their future expenses. If you choose this option, you don't need to worry about my future wife and children being dissatisfied, because I have no plans to get married."
Both options were actually perfect and thoughtful.
However, Yun Chuman was somewhat surprised. The information she received was that the original owner of this body had used despicable means to try to have a relationship with the male lead in the book, but ended up spending the night with Gu Jijing by a twist of fate.
Logically, Gu Jijing should hate her, right? Instead, there was marriage and child support... Could there be some hidden story behind this?
However, she wasn't interested in any of this; she didn't want to get entangled with Gu Jijing.
She frowned slightly: "President Gu, it's little Juan and little Shu who are related to you. Instead of asking me, why don't you ask their opinions?"
Gu Jijing was taken aback, but not surprised. He already knew Yun Chuman respected the children's opinions, so he frankly admitted his mistake: "I'm sorry, it was my oversight."
Yun Chuman raised an eyebrow. She found Gu Jijing's speech very straightforward; dealing with someone like that was actually less tiring.
She looked at the two children, her tone softening considerably: "Little Juan and little Shu, how much of what President Gu said did you understand?"
The two children secretly glanced at Gu Jijing.
Yun Juan puffed out his cheeks and said, "He's our daddy."
Yun Shu pouted: "He wants to take our mommy away from us."
Gu Jijing: ?
Did what he just say conveyed this?
He was about to explain when Yun Chuman glanced over, and he instinctively shut his mouth.
Yun Chuman patted the two children's heads and smiled, "It's not snatching Mommy."
"President Gu means he wants to take responsibility for you. If you need a daddy, he can live with us; if not, we can maintain the current state, but he's willing to cover your living expenses."
Yun Juan and Yun Shu tilted their heads, taking a moment to understand.
They exchanged a glance and asked simultaneously, "Does Mommy like him?"
Yun Chuman hadn't expected the two children to ask such a direct question. She felt a little shy for a moment, secretly glancing at Gu Jijing, and truthfully replied, "Well… it's not a matter of liking or disliking. Mommy, like you, isn't really familiar with him."
"Then does Mommy want to be with him?" the two children continued asking.
Yun Chuman noticed Gu Jijing looking at her, slightly turned her head away, and used her answer to respond to Gu Jijing: "I don't want any relationship with President Gu, including financial one."
She thought for a moment, gently pinched Yun Juan and Yun Shu's cheeks, and smiled tenderly, "But this is just my opinion. Little Juan and little Shu, you can do what you want. No matter what you choose, I will always be with you, because I am your mommy, and you are my favorite children."
The two children breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that she had no intention of being with Gu Jijing. They didn't dislike Gu Jijing, but they didn't like him either. Just as Yun Chuman said, Gu Jijing was a stranger to them, and they didn't want a stranger to enter their lives.
Yun Juan said earnestly, "I don't need a daddy. I can earn money to support Mommy."
Yun Shu smiled sweetly and rubbed her cheek against Yun Chuman's hand. "I don't need a daddy either. I only need Mommy and elder brother."
Yun Chuman felt a warmth in her heart. Although she hadn't worried about the two children leaving, hearing them clearly and firmly choose her still made her feel very comfortable.
She couldn't help but look at Gu Jijing with a smug expression: "President Gu, as you can see, the three of us are doing very well. We don't need you or your money, and we don't need you to take any responsibility, not in the past, not now, and not in the future."
"But you're a good person. Little Juan and Little Shu are, after all, your children. If you miss them, I don't mind if you come to see them," Yun Chuman stood up, smiling and waving. "It's getting late, we should go now. Goodbye, President Gu."
She then extended her hands to the two children: "Little Juan and Little Shu, let's go home."
Yun Juan and Yun Shu happily jumped off their chairs, took her hands on either side, and as they passed Gu Jijing, they imitated Yun Chuman, saying, "Goodbye, President Gu."
They couldn't bring themselves to call him "Daddy," and vaguely felt that calling him "Uncle" wasn't quite right either, so they simply followed Yun Chuman's example and called him "President Gu." This form of address felt somewhat novel to them, and they were quite satisfied.
The family of three discussed what to eat for lunch as they walked out of the coffee shop. Their backs turned with a very dashing air.
Only Gu Jijing remained sitting at the table.
He stared blankly at the empty seat opposite him, and couldn't help but smile as he recalled Yun Chuman and Yun Juan and Yun Shu calling him "President Gu."
He hadn't expected this outcome. He hadn't delivered the person, nor the money.
Gu Jijing felt a pang of disappointment. He shook his head, stood up, and walked out of the coffee shop.
Yang Feng was already waiting outside. Seeing his boss come out, he got out of the car and opened the door for him.
Gu Jijing thanked him and sat in the back seat. While Yang Feng returned to the driver's seat, he glanced at the coffee shop again.
Yang Feng secretly glanced at him in the rearview mirror and couldn't help but ask, "President Gu, did Ms. Yun accept your proposal?"
"No," Gu Jijing said calmly.
Yang Feng was taken aback and became a little anxious.
He had been Gu Jijing's secretary for many years and knew that he actually longed for a family, but was afraid to form one due to certain circumstances. Some rumors weren't entirely unfounded, as Gu Jijing had originally planned to live a solitary life.
Yang Feng had initially held some hope. Yun Chuman was a good person, Yun Juan and Yun Shu were clever and lovely, and most importantly, Gu Jijing had proposed marriage on a rare chance. Perhaps he had a chance to find happiness.
Thinking this way, he felt even more regretful and couldn't help but say, "President Gu, didn't you mention the situation back then? You and she were both victims. Back then, you even..."
“But the fact that she raised two children alone for so many years is undeniable.”
Gu Jijing rubbed his throbbing temples, interrupting him. The scene from just moments ago replayed in his mind. He looked back at the coffee shop and sighed, “The two children are excellent. Yun Chuman is amazing and she raised them very well.”
Yang Feng hesitated before saying, “President Gu…”
“Alright, let’s go back to the company.”
Gu Jijing didn’t want to continue this topic. He could see the rejection Yun Chuman and the two children had towards him.
He understood that feeling—the sudden realization that there were still people in this world connected to him was a weird feeling.
It was just that Yun Chuman and Yun Juan and Yun Shu were too perfect, so perfect that he impulsively and shamelessly proposed marriage, fantasizing about having the opportunity to get closer and perhaps even absorb a little bit of their beauty.
Unfortunately, he lacked the qualities to move others. Yun Chuman and the two children didn’t want any connection with him.
Gu Jijing opened his phone and found a screenshot from a variety show in the most hidden corner of his photo album. It showed Yun Juan and Yun Shu helping Yun Chuman stop her nosebleed.
His long, slender fingers gently swiped across the screen. He stared blankly at the photo of the two children in the picture. Could he continue to silently watch over them? He couldn't let go of this unexpected joy.
Gu Jijing stared at the photo for a long time, finally giving a bitter smile.
He was willing to respect Yun Chuman and Yun Juan and Yun Shu's decision. If their lives were smooth and happy, he would no longer appear or disturb their lives. If they needed help, he would offer it promptly. This was his small way of making amends.
In the days that followed, Luo Zhengzheng would occasionally visit the film set. The actors in the crew only knew that she was an investor. No one knew her specific identity. Although they were very curious about her, seeing that Chen Ze treated her with great respect, they suppressed their gossip and focused on filming.
Everyone knew that it was difficult to get a role in Director Lu's films. If they've been chosen by him, they should cherish it, as the opportunity was extremely rare. If this film becomes a hit like his previous two, they might rise to stardom overnight, and even minor roles could bring them some benefits. In the entertainment industry, every star, big or small, wanted to be famous. They just want to finish filming and avoid trouble.
Luo Can successfully received his admission letter from Tsinghua University. Although Wang Zehao's grades weren't as good as Luo Can's. Though he underperformed in the college entrance examination this year, he still got into a university in the capital. Just before the start of the semester, Gu Shi had the finance department settle their salaries ahead of schedule.
Holding his freshly earned salary, Luo Can happily stuffed it into his pocket. After getting off work, he excitedly ran to his elder brother-in-law's office, saying he wanted to treat him to dinner.
Gu Shi glanced at his bulging jeans pocket: "Keep that little bit of money."
Luo Can leaned against his elder brother-in-law's desk, speaking casually, "Then you go back and eat. I'll meet up with my elder sister right now."
Gu Shi looked up: "You invited your sister?"
Luo Can rolled his eyes at him: "I finally made some money, of course I have to treat my elder sister, as for you..."
He had originally invited Wang Zehao, but when Wang Zehao heard that he was inviting elder sister and elder brother-in-law to dinner, he absolutely refused to come. They'll just have to eat together another time.
"What's wrong with me?" Gu Shi said, then lowered his head and quickly signed the document.
Luo Can grinned and said, "Of course you're just a tag along."
After signing the last document, Gu Shi remarked, "You've learned from Guo Yao for nothing. You're still as talkative as ever."
Luo Can helped him tidy up the documents: "Why are you so serious? Don't they say a smile makes you ten years younger? You always have a long face, no wonder my elder sister says your expression is always blank."
"Did your elder sister really say that?" Gu Shi turned off the computer. His tone was casual, as if he were talking about everyday things, making it hard to guard against.
Luo Can didn't pay attention and blurted out, "Of course it was my elder sister who said it."
Gu Shiyang raised an eyebrow: "So, in your elder sister's eyes, I'm expressionless. That's a real shame."
Luo Can exclaimed "Ah!" and realized what he meant, quickly explaining, "My sister definitely didn't mean that."
Gu Shi nodded: "I'll ask your elder sister."
He then handed the file folder to Luo Can and walked out with his phone.
Luo Can grabbed the file bag and caught up with him: "Elder Brother-in-law, don't be angry with my elder sister, she definitely didn't mean it that way."
Gu Shi stopped and glanced at him: "You still have a lot to learn from Guo Yao."
What did that mean?
Luo Can scratched his forehead, his eyes lit up, and he asked loudly, "Elder Brother-in-law, are you not angry?"
Gu Shi didn't stop walking and strode out.
Luo Can caught up with him: "Elder Brother-in-law, are you playing with me?"
Gu Shi turned around: "Didn't you make plans with your elder sister? Why aren't you leaving?"
Luo Can coughed lightly: "Let's eat hot pot. Do you like it?"
He knew elder brother-in-law couldn't handle spicy food, so he glanced at him discreetly and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the man showed no signs of anger.
Gu Shi teased him, "You're the host, so should follow the host's lead."
Luo Can: ......
Upon arriving at the hot pot restaurant where they had arranged to meet elder sister, the two went straight to a private room.
Luo Can peeked out and said with a smile, "Elder Sis, you ordered a hot pot with two broths?"
Luo Zhengzheng looked at Gu Shi and said with a slight smile, "Your elder brother-in-law can't eat spicy food."
Gu Shi sat down next to her, his smile deepening: "Actually, eating a little bit of spice is fine."
Luo Can chuckled, "Elder Brother-in-law, look how good my elder sister is to you."
Gu Shi boasted shamelessly, "Of course your elder sister is good to me."
Luo Can pouted and was about to retort, when Luo Zhengzheng interrupted him: "I've already ordered some dishes, you can order whatever you like."
Luo Can smiled and said, "We definitely need beer. Drinking beer and eating hot pot is the only way to have a good time."
Gu Shi looked at Luo Zhengzheng: "Then drink?"
Luo Zhengzheng nodded: "Drink less."
The waiter brought the dishes over and helped them cook them in the pot.
Luo Can poured some alcohol for elder sister and elder brother-in-law, and also poured himself a glass.
The pot was boiling hot. Gu Shi cooked a slice of tender beef and put it in Luo Zhengzheng's bowl.
Luo Zhengzheng was taken aback and looked at him: "You eat, I can do it myself."
Gu Shi said, "This is spicy."
Luo Zhengzheng smiled. The catfish in the pot was cooked. She picked one up, put it on a plate, and handed it to him: "There aren't many chilies on this fish. Try it. If you don't like it, don't eat it."
Gu Shi nodded, picked up a piece of fish and ate it. He took a deep breath and said, "Although it's a bit spicy, the taste is very good."
He lowered his head and carefully finished eating the fish.
Luo Can sat to the side, drinking and eating, occasionally glancing at elder sister and elder brother-in-law. He belatedly realized that sitting there eating with them might be somewhat superfluous. Had he unintentionally become a third wheel?
Seeing that Gu Shi had finished eating the catfish and was picking up another one, Luo Zhengzheng said, "Don't eat too much."
The person's lips were already bright red from the spiciness and his fair cheeks were also flushed red. They were clearly suffering from the spiciness.
But this spiciness was just okay for her.
Gu Shi said, "It's fine to eat it once in a while."
Luo Can suggested to him, "If it's too spicy, have a beer."
Gu Shi raised his glass and the three of them clinked glasses. He said in a very ceremonial manner,
"Wishing Luo Can a happy university life."
Luo Zhengzheng smiled and said, "Okay, then wish Luo Can a happy university life."
Luo Can laughed: "Then wish me a happy university life."
After finishing their hot pot meal, Gu Shi paid the bill first.
Luo Can said with dissatisfaction, "I promised to treat you."
Gu Shi smiled and said, "Keep that money for when you start school."
Luo Zhengzheng also said, "Keep it."
Luo Can touched the money in his pocket and chuckled.
After Luo Can started school, Luo Zhengzheng focused her efforts on adapting the novel. Chen Hui introduced her to some well-known screenwriters in the industry.
Once the script was finished, filming for the movie "I Am a Robot" was also completed.
Chen Hui had no other projects, so Luo Zhengzheng asked her to prepare for the TV series "Home and Country". As for funding, she had enough money and didn't need to find investors.
With sufficient funds, everything was easy. Chen Hui busied herself with finding directors, actors, and so on. Fortunately, the company already had several teams of people who didn't have any projects to work on at the moment, so she brought them over.
Luo Zhengzheng was involved throughout the entire process. She and Chen Hui were busy all day long.
Han Yue had good connections at Wanhua Entertainment, and moreover, she was Chen Ze's girlfriend. She had heard that the company was going to shoot a period drama about political intrigue. She had just finished filming a modern idol drama and didn't have any other projects to shoot, so she secretly set her sights on the female lead position.
When Director Lu heard that Luo Zhengzheng was going to direct a TV series, he was very interested after reading the script and volunteered to be the director of the series.
Chen Ze immediately objected, saying that Director Lu only makes movies, and if he goes to direct a TV series, what if he couldn't control the pacing and makes a bad series? Wouldn't that ruin his reputation?
It was not that there weren't directors who make good movies as well as good TV series.
But he just invested hundreds of millions in a science fiction film, so to be on the safe side, Luo Zhengzheng should find someone else.
How could Luo Zhengzheng refuse such a good director who was offered to her? Besides, Director Lu had directed TV series before and they all had a very good reputation.
When she got stubborn, Chen Ze couldn't persuade her at all. Not only could he not persuade her, but he also couldn't control Director Lu. But he knew that someone could control Luo Zhengzheng.
So he called Gu Shi and asked him to persuade his wife. After all, he had invested 200 million yuan in the movie "I Am a Robot,". He couldn't believe he wasn't nervous.
However, Gu Shi was not nervous and did not intend to persuade Luo Zhengzheng. He said, "You should trust Director Lu. The worst thing in doing business is to be impatient."
After hanging up the phone, Chen Ze was furious. Was this really a matter of trust?
If he had known that the two of them were breathing from the same nostril, he shouldn't have called Gu Shi, lest he have made himself angry.
Director Lu also felt that Chen Ze was being overly nervous after investing hundreds of millions in the film. Since the slightest thing made him nervous, he looked down on him. He complained to Luo Zhengzheng in private: "This TV series hasn't even been filmed yet. Judging from the plot structure, it will take about half a year to film. With post-production, by the time 'Home and Country' airs and 'I Am a Robot' has no other problems, it should already be released. What is he so nervous about? Doesn't he trust me? Who is he looking down on?"
Luo Zhengzheng definitely agreed with him. She would be stupid to turn down a good director.
With Director Lu directing "Home and Country," her drama was already one-third successful. The remaining third depends on the actors and the screenwriter, and of course, there were other unstable factors in the last third.
As for the actors, given Director Lu's seriousness in casting, he certainly wouldn't choose just anyone.
As soon as the casting announcement was released, many people came to audition.
Of course, since the TV series was being produced under the name of Wanhua Entertainment, actors from Wanhua Entertainment would definitely be the first choice.
Han Yue approached Chen Ze and told him she wanted to act in the drama "Home and Country". Chen Ze told her directly that the drama was not invested in by the company and that she should audition. Even if it was invested in by the company, she would still have to audition.
Besides, this drama was invested in by Luo Zhengzheng. He didn't participate at all and he wouldn't randomly put actors in. If she had the ability, she could get the role based on her ability. If she didn't have the ability, it was only right to get rejected.
Han Yue didn't believe it: "Without investment, how can it be filmed under the company's name?"
He was obviously just fooling her. Did this man want to break up with her? He was becoming increasingly perfunctory with her.
Chen Ze looked at her impatiently: "Because that's a TV series invested in and produced by Luo Zhengzheng. Who is Luo Zhengzheng? I have to call her elder sister-in-law. She wants to use our company's name to produce a TV series, how could I disagree?"
Han Yue frowned: "Isn't she going a bit too far?"
Chen Ze glanced at her: "What do you know?"
He and Gu Shi had a close relationship since childhood. His grandparents, parents, and brothers were all soldiers. They couldn't support him to start an entertainment company. He was able to start the company with money lent to him by a few brothers, among whom Gu Shi lent the most. Gu Shi still hasn't paid off his debts.
Their relationship was closer than that of blood brothers. When his brother's wife filmed a TV series under his company's name, he was only happy, feeling that his brother treated him like family. So how could he possibly complain?
Han Yue wanted to say something, but Chen Ze said, "She's my elder sister-in-law. Show her some respect."
Han Yue wanted to say, "Why should I? She's your elder sister-in-law, and I'm your girlfriend! Shouldn't we be equals? Why should I show her respect?"
Seeing her expression, Chen Ze couldn't help but say, "Luo Zhengzheng has a very good temper. If you don't provoke her, she won't do anything to you. Just follow the rules."
Han Yue thought to herself, "Luo Zhengzheng has a good temper, so how could she have a bad temper? That's underestimating her."
Thinking of the female lead in "Home and Country," she suppressed her resentment and said, "I understand, I will respect her."
Chen Ze waved his hand: "If you want to play the female lead, go audition. If you don't get the role, then you should look for the reasons within yourself. Has your acting deteriorated, or has it always been like this? Find a teacher and learn properly to improve your acting skills?"
Han Yue left Chen Ze's office and went to the audition room on the third floor.
Luo Zhengzheng was sitting in the audition room watching the audition with Director Lu when her phone suddenly rang.
She opened the call and saw it was from Liu Hanyue. She smiled and asked, "What's up?"
Liu Hanyue asked from the other end, "I heard from Mother-in-law that the TV series you invested in is casting. What do you think of me?"
Luo Zhengzheng exclaimed and asked her, "You want to act?"
Liu Hanyue said solemnly, "I want to be an actress. I think you and eldest sister-in-law are right. As long as a woman has money, what kind of life can't she live? I don't know how to do business. I can only think of the path of becoming a star. I have a good appearance. I participated in singing competitions before. Although I have never acted, I can learn. I can find a teacher to teach me. I don't need to play important roles. I just need to play a small role."
Luo Zhengzheng hesitated and said, "But the director of this play is Director Lu. Even for a small supporting role, he is very strict. You have to audition and pass the audition to act."
Liu Hanyue didn't mince words: "Fine, we'll earn our living through our own abilities and nobody can say anything about it."
Luo Zhengzheng smiled and said, "Then come to Wanhua Entertainment. They're having an audition now."
In this drama, she did think of a role that would suit her well.
Tang Yao raised an eyebrow and smiled slightly: “Isn’t it unnecessary to tell me all this?”
“It’s fine.” Lu Bei smiled too, putting his luggage into the room.
Back in this familiar room, Lu Bei’s restless heart, which had been adrift in the capital, finally settled down.
A few days ago, during his busiest period of handing over his work, Lu Nan would often hover around him with his phone when he wasn’t busy, scrolling through videos and Weibo.
He would mutter to himself from time to time.
"Isn't that Boss Tang? She's gotten even more beautiful since I last saw her."
"Look at this comment section, everyone's calling her 'wife'! This guy even said he's going to the guesthouse to pursue Boss Tang. Let me see, he's average-looking, but quite young, just graduated from university, full of energy."
"Old Wang said he wanted to introduce his grandson to Boss Tang, and asked me to put in a few words. I know Old Wang's grandson. He just returned from country M and is taking over the family company. He's quite promising."
Whenever Lu Nan started rambling, Lu Bei would look up from a pile of documents with a blank expression and stare at him: "Elder Brother, are you bored? Is our company going to go bankrupt? If there’s nothing to do, go do housework."
Lu Nan would then heartily laugh and then leisurely walk out under Lu Bei's icy gaze. He couldn't tease him too much.
Although Lu Bei didn't show any abnormality afterward and was acting much like usual, Lu Nan noticed that the light in Lu Bei's room had been on all night for the past few days.
"Elder Sister, are you alright?" Lu Bei had wanted to say a few more words to Tang Yao, but Xu Haocheng's voice came from outside.
Tang Yao hurried to the front door.
The departure of the person beside him took away that little bit of warmth, leaving Lu Bei feeling somewhat lost.
Despite wearing a mask and sunglasses, his charisma was undeniable as someone nearby noticed him and tried to strike up a conversation.
A smile had barely formed on her face when the person in front of her turned and left without even glancing at her.
The girl could only regretfully take a picture of his back and post it online to discuss with her best friend.
Looking at the figure from behind, her best friend, a fan of Lu Bei, jokingly remarked, "That guy looks like God Lu, haha."
"How could that be? Isn't God Lu in the capital?"
"Yeah, it's been a long time since we've seen him. According to inside information, God Lu might be retiring from the entertainment industry."
"That's a real shame."
...
Tang Yao reached the front door just in time to see sweat-covered Xu Haocheng jogging in.
Seeing that the guesthouse was still orderly, no one had been affected, and Tang Yao stood safely in front of him, he let out a breath.
Xiao Yue handed Xu Haocheng a towel and water, inviting him to sit in the courtyard and rest.
"Why run so fast? Do you think I'd be at their mercy?" Tang Yao scoffed.
“Dad…Xu Anguo will do anything for money these days. He’s been looking for opportunities to start a business again, even considering mortgaging our current house, but I stopped him.” Having drunk a glass of water, Xu Haocheng caught his breath.
It was rush hour today and he couldn’t even get a ride. So he had to run all the way here.
“They did want to find me, but they left before they even got through the door,” Tang Yao said.
Xu Haocheng knew his elder sister was capable. He scratched his head, feeling he had worried for nothing. Perhaps they didn’t even need his reminder.
“But thank you for reminding me anyway.” Initially, Xu Haocheng had been a little disappointed, but Tang Yao’s words soothed him.
He looked up at her, smiling sweetly, like a golden retriever.
Tang Yao couldn’t resist ruffling his hair: “Go get something to eat with Xiao Li first, then find something to do.”
“Okay!” Xu Haocheng agreed at once. Then he followed Xiao Li to the kitchen to start a private stove.
Since he was already there, Xu Haocheng wanted to stay a few more days. With so many troubles at home, this was the only place where he could truly rest.
Not wanting to appear in front of everyone, Lu Bei could only stand on the balcony after unpacking and searched for Tang Yao.
Only when his gaze was firmly fixed on her did he settle into a chair, contentedly sipping his coffee.
Today, there were many diners and guests. Tang Yao was practically running around non-stop.
After finishing his meal, Xu Haocheng quickly came to help, relieving some of the pressure.
After seeing the diners off, Tang Yao finally had a moment to herself. She took the lunchbox Xiao Li had left for her. The food inside was still steaming hot and all were Tang Yao's favorite dishes.
There was boiled sliced pork, pan-fried shrimp, mushrooms, and a bowl of steaming soup underneath.
Xiao Li had separately prepared it.
Tang Yao sat in the courtyard of the guesthouse, eating her lunchbox, while Xu Haocheng sat next to her, fawningly massaging her shoulders.
"You're not going back? Won't they come looking for you?"
"Not for now. They probably can't afford to bother with me. I still have some savings, but I don't want to give them any. It's better for them if the Xu Group falls apart and let them calm down first. Anyway I need some fresh air," Xu Haocheng said.
The once arrogant young man now looked much more weathered.
"What are your plans for the future?" Tang Yao asked.
"I contacted a university abroad. I want to study for a few years. My current degree..." Xu Haocheng scratched his head sheepishly, "...I got it by paying money."
"You should study more," Tang Yao agreed. "In today's society, it's good to learn more."
"Elder Sister, when I come back after I've finished my studies, it'll be my turn to protect you."
Xu Haocheng's eyes sparkled.
Tang Yao didn't discourage him, nodding, "Then I'll be counting on you."
Xu Haocheng nodded even more vigor.
...
"Yuanyuan, do you want to go for a walk?" Zhang Ru asked Li Yuanyuan as she came out of the bathroom.
Li Yuanyuan shook her head, "I don't want to go."
"I heard there are lots of delicious snacks outside, shall Mom take you?"
"Mom, you can go if you want, I'll stay by myself for a while," Li Yuanyuan said without turning her head.
“Yuanyuan…”
Zhang Ru was about to say something when Li Yuanyuan abruptly turned to look at her, her voice pleading, “Mom, I want to be alone for a while, okay? You go shopping, okay?”
Zhang Ru couldn’t stand seeing her like this. She also knew she couldn’t rush things and couldn’t expect results overnight. She could only give in, “Okay, okay, you stay in the room for a while. Mom will go for a stroll and come back with something delicious.”
Soon, the door closed, but Li Yuanyuan didn’t even turn her head, still lost in her own thoughts.
Zhang Ru went downstairs. At this time, she saw Tang Yao, who finished her meal and had come out of the garden talking to Xu Haocheng.
“Boss Tang.”
Tang Yao heard someone call her, stopped, and turned around. She saw it was a guest staying at the guesthouse.
“Is there something you need?” she asked.
“It’s like this, boss, my daughter hasn’t been in a good mood lately. I’m worried about leaving her alone in her room, but if I stay with her all the time, she gets annoyed. Could you please keep an eye on her? I’m afraid she might do something harmful to herself if she’s upset.” Zhang Ru’s eyes were red and her words were full of pleading. “I know this request is a bit unreasonable, but I really have no other choice. I can pay extra.”
She did want to stay in the room and personally watch her, but if Li Yuanyuan found out, she might lose control again.
Zhang Ru didn’t want to relive the scene of her last emotional breakdown.
“Don’t worry, we’ll have our staff keep an eye on her,” Tang Yao said.
Zhang Ru didn’t actually go out for a stroll. Instead, she sat down in a secluded spot in the small garden, looking worriedly out the window of their room.
She sat there for a long time, so long that numerous people came and went around her, before finally rubbing her numb legs and walking out of the guesthouse.
Li Yuanyuan sat inside for a while before moving to the balcony.
The balcony wasn't far from the neighbor's, so she could clearly hear conversations from the neighbor's balcony.
A moment later, the neighbor's balcony door opened, and a pretty girl stepped out. She leaned on the railing, taking a deep breath and had a contented smile on her face.
Seeing someone arrive, Li Yuanyuan's first thought was to leave and retreat back into her room.
"Hello," the pleasant-sounding girl's voice made her stop in her tracks.
She turned around and stiffly greeted her, "Hello."
She had expected the other girl to start a conversation, but after the greeting, silence returned.
The two maintained their distance, quietly gazing at the scenery outside their windows, until the nearby person was about to leave.
"I have to go back to my livestream now. I had a great time with you today. My name is Xiao Kui, feel free to come visit me!" Xiao Kui waved to Li Yuanyuan and turned to go into her room.
Li Yuanyuan paused for a moment and then realized she hadn't said goodbye.
However, this way of interacting made her feel quite comfortable. She even forgot there was someone else beside her.
At this time, a knock sounded at the door.
Opening the door, she saw Xiao Ling, an employee of the guesthouse.
She had a warm smile on her face and said softly, "The boss gave each room complimentary fruit today. I brought it up for you."
Li Yuanyuan looked down. Sure enough, Xiao Ling was holding a box of mixed fruit pieces of various colors.
"Thank you," Li Yuanyuan smiled.
"No problem." Seeing that Li Yuanyuan was safe and sound, Xiao Ling left as if nothing had happened.
...
When Zhang Ru opened the door, she saw Li Yuanyuan's faint smile. "What made you so happy, Yuanyuan?" Zhang Ru was still carrying a box of snacks, which she had just bought nearby. "Mom went to so many places. This place is so beautiful and the people are so kind."
Li Yuanyuan seemed much happier. A faint smile was on her face.
She even looked at the bag in Zhang Ru's hand and became inquisitive when seeing the things she didn't understand.
Zhang Ru was surprised and pleased by her small change.
That evening, Tang Yao didn't go out to help anymore. She directed Xu Haocheng to move the flowerpots upstairs. She had been wanting to rearrange the layout and now that she had finally found someone to help, she naturally wanted to make use of them.
After washing up, Gu Shi lay on the bed and asked Luo Zhengzheng, "I'm planning to arrange for Luo Can to go to the company for training."
They could banter however they like.
So talking to Gu Xian like that was still acceptable. After all, he called him Second Brother and won't hold it against him.
Going to work at a company for some experience should help him mature.
Luo Zhengzheng looked at him: "Isn't he doing odd jobs at your company?"
Gu Shi said, "It's just running errands and typing. I plan to have him learn from Guo Yao. Guo Yao is skilled in his work and extremely shrewd in dealing with people. After learning from him for a few months, he won't be so naive anymore."
“It’s normal for someone his age to be a bit naive,” Luo Zhengzheng said. Luo Can was a good student at school, had a magnanimous and enthusiastic personality, and was liked by his teachers and classmates. He hadn’t experienced much hardship or setbacks, and was still a sunny boy with no dark feelings. He said what he thought and gave people the impression of a simple and innocent boy.
After Gu Shi passed away, he seemed to have grown up overnight and even went to help at the Ye Group. He supported her in many things.
Gu Shi glanced at Luo Zhengzheng, carefully choosing his words: "Wouldn't it be better for a boy to be more mature?"
She said, "Then you should teach him more."
She thought to herself, "He toiled for the Ye Group for so many years in my past life, and now it's your turn to worry about him."
Gu Shi glanced at her with a half-smile: "Can your mind be at ease?"
Luo Zhengzheng naturally wouldn't fall for it, saying, "You're his elder brother-in-law, how could you possibly harm him? What's there to worry about? Just teach him, my mom even wants him to learn from you."
Gu Shi said, "I'm afraid you'll feel heart ache."
Catching his strange tone, Luo Zhengzheng said dismissively, "He's such a grown man, what's there to feel heart ache for?"
Although she felt heart ache for her younger brother, she also knew what was good and bad. How could he become successful without experiencing some hardship and trials?
Gu Shi glanced at her and said, "Okay."
Luo Can, who was sleeping downstairs, suddenly sneezed. He looked at the air conditioner, the temperature was just right, so he decided to stop thinking about it and go back to sleep. He had to get up early tomorrow.
Upstairs, Gu Shi looked at Luo Zhengzheng: "And then?"
Luo Zhengzheng looked completely innocent and asked him, "What, then?"
Gu Shi touched her face: "Shouldn't you give me some compensation?"
Luo Zhengzheng: "......"
So this man was waiting for her here.
Gu Shi looked at her and said, "There should usually be some compensation in times like this."
Luo Zhengzheng's eyes widened: "Who said that?"
Gu Shi said slowly, "In TV dramas or novels, when a husband does something for his wife, he gets some compensation."
Luo Zhengzheng looked at him and said, "Then I don't agree to giving compensation."
Gu Shi lowered his head and said, "Then I'll take it myself."
Then he kissed her.
Luo Zhengzheng mentally rolled her eyes. If he wanted close physical contact, just say so! Why talk about compensation? Did saying it like that make things more romantic?
Thinking this, she asked as his lips moved to her eyelids, "So this makes it more romantic?"
She directly threw it out.
Gu Shi: "......"
Looking into her eyes, he said helplessly, "Close your eyes."
Luo Zhengzheng closed her eyes.
The next day, after Luo Can finished his driving lesson, he went to the company to do odd jobs in the afternoon, where Gu Shi handed him over to Guo Yao.
Wang Zehao waved to him with an envious look on his face.
Luo Can thought to himself, "What are you envious of? Don't you know how monstrous Guo Yao is? What good will come of following him?"
Guo Yao was not polite to him at all. He would entrust him with some things that he thought Luo Can could handle. If he did not do them well, he would be scolded. If he did them well, he would not be praised.
Luo Can was on the verge of tears, but fortunately he was smart and completed almost all the tasks assigned to him by Secretary Guo.
Time flew and the day for the start of filming for "I Am a Robot" had arrived.
Chen Hui called Luo Zhengzheng to ask if she wanted to attend the opening ceremony, as the current scenes were being filmed in the capital and the opening ceremony was also being held in the capital.
Since the opening ceremony was being held in the capital, Luo Zhengzheng was naturally willing to attend and took her son to broaden his horizons.
Director Lu was very enthusiastic when he saw Luo Zhengzheng arrive and invited her to take a photo, but she declined.
This movie was a big project and Chen Ze was also present. He looked at little Chengjia in Xiao Zhang's arms, happily picked him up, and hugged him: "This little guy is here too."
Director Lu looked at little Chengjia in Chen Ze's arms, his eyes lit up, and asked Luo Zhengzheng, "Is this your son?"
Luo Zhengzheng nodded.
Director Lu said excitedly, "There's a child character in the movie that could allow him to..."
Before Luo Zhengzheng could speak, Chen Ze interrupted her, saying, "There are so many child actors, don't even think about taking advantage of my godson."
Luo Zhengzheng glanced at him, thinking to herself, "When did my son become your godson?"
Director Lu tried to persuade him: "It's only a one-minute shot."
Chen Ze still disagreed: "Not even for a second."
If Gu Shi found out that his son had come to the film set and was pulled into filming, he might get so angry that he would withdraw his investment, and the entire production would be ruined.
Director Lu turned to Luo Zhengzheng, who could only apologize to him: "Find another child actor."
They don't want to expose their child to the spotlight.
Since the mother had already said that, Director Lu had no choice but to give up.
Chen Ze sent Gu Shi a message: "Filming starts today. Your wife and son are on set. We didn't finish discussing what happened the other day. Should we call Wang Maoxiu over to continue the discussion?"
He had been researching a lot of information these past few days and felt that there was great potential in the logistics industry.
Everyone said that the entertainment industry was lucrative, but only insiders knew the truth. They make some money here and then invest it in movies and TV series there, so they didn't really have much money left.
He had been considering doing other businesses. Since they thought logistics was a viable option, they could partner up with a few people and share the risks.
Gu Shi was outside talking to someone and didn't see his text message in time.
When he saw his text message, it was already afternoon. He immediately made a phone call: "Where are you now?"
Chen Ze said, "I'm still on set."
Gu Shi said, "Let's talk at the Ye Group headquarters."
Chen Ze: "Okay."
In the end, Gu Shi said, "Bring Jiajia along too."
Chen Ze chuckled and said, "Fine, I'll only bring Jiajia. Let your wife go back first."
Gu Shi's tone was slightly cold: "If she doesn't want to talk business, she can go back first. You take care of Jiajia."
Chen Ze hurriedly said, "Spare me, I promise to bring your wife to you, okay?"
Since Chen Ze went to the Ye Group to discuss business, Luo Zhengzheng didn't want to disturb them. She preferred to watch them film on set, as it was quite interesting. Not only did little Jiajia have other children from the film crew to play with, but Chen Ze also specially prepared a rest room for the mother and son. When they got tired of playing, they could go to the rest room to rest, and when they were hungry, there was a specially ordered lunch. They were extremely happy all morning.
Chen Ze said helplessly, "Elder Sister-in-law, I have already promised Gu Shi that I will bring you and your child over, otherwise this business deal cannot be discussed."
He didn't understand why Luo Zhengzheng had to be brought along when it was just to discuss official business.
Since he said so, Luo Zhengzheng naturally went with him to the Ye Group headquarters.
The receptionist was stunned to see Luo Zhengzheng. What’s more, Gu Chengjia was being held in Xiao Zhang's arms. They all started gossiping about it in the group chat.
"The president's wife has arrived, and she brought little young master with her. He's so cute."
“He looks a lot like his parents. He'll definitely be a handsome guy when he grows up.”
"If both parents are good-looking, their child is bound to be too."
"It seems the president's wife hasn't had plastic surgery. You can tell from little young master's appearance."
"Perhaps he takes after his father?"
"He clearly inherited the best traits from both parents."
"Is it really that hard to admit that the president's wife didn't have any surgery?"
"......"
When the group arrived at Gu Shi's office, Wang Maoxiu was already there.
Gu Shi took out the contract he had prepared beforehand and handed it to Chen Ze: "Take a look and see if there's anything that needs to be added or removed."
Chen Ze took the contract and looked at the two of them: "You guys are pretty quick."
After saying that, he lowered his head to look at the contract: "Why is Luo Zhengzheng the partner?"
Luo Zhengzheng looked up blankly at Gu Shi.
Gu Shi took his son from Luo Zhengzheng's arms and sat down next to her, saying, "I have a lot of things to do here. It's the same if this girl gets involved too."
Saying this, he patted Luo Zhengzheng's arm.
Chen Ze scoffed. In front of his group of childhood friends, it was always ‘my family’s Ms. Luo.' But in front of Luo Zhengzheng, it was always 'this girl.' So, he changed how he addressed his wife depending on who he was with?
Luo Zhengzheng said, "I won't get involved in your affairs, okay?"
There was no need for that. It was not like they couldn't do other businesses besides logistics.
Wang Maoxiu quickly said, "Elder Sister-in-law, you absolutely must agree. If you don't, our business deal won't go through."
Luo Zhengzheng asked him, "What do you mean?"
Wang Maoxiu glanced at Gu Shi helplessly: "If you don't participate in the investment, Gu Shi doesn't plan to partner with us. The Ye family's businesses are enough to keep him busy."
Gu Shi looked at Luo Zhengzheng and said, "You can put some assets under your name."
Chen Ze looked at Luo Zhengzheng with envy: "Elder Sister-in-law, Gu Shi is investing in you and wants you to be a shareholder, and you still disagree? Are you stupid? You're turning down money that's being handed to you?"
Wang Maoxiu added, "That's right. With multiple industries, you have a strong foundation, and outsiders won't dare to underestimate you."
He added in a somewhat fierce tone at the end, "In the future, I will also give Mengrou some businesses so that no one will dare to bully her. Besides, you don't need to manage them. You just need to collect dividends."
Judging from his tone, Luo Zhengzheng knew there was more to the story. She didn't press him for details. They had already gone this far, so she didn't refuse any longer; to do so would seem pretentious: "Then let's sign the contract."
Originally, she only wanted to invest in TV series and movies and didn't want to get involved in other things. Since she didn't have to manage things and only had to receive dividends, she naturally agreed to such a good deal.
Mo Rongwen stared blankly at Yun Chuman in the video: "What spokesperson? Is it reliable?"
Just as he finished speaking, two little heads popped out from the bottom of the video feed. The camera shook slightly, revealing Yun Juan and Yun Shu's faces.
The two children were nestled on Yun Chuman's lap. Smiling and tilting their heads slightly, they drew out their words: "Hello, Elder Brother Mo~"
Mo Rongwen immediately smiled and his tone softened: "Hello, Little Juan and Little Shu, have you missed elder brother?"
"Yes," Yun Juan and Yun Shu nodded simultaneously, "We also missed the cats, dogs, and mice."
Mo Rongwen said indulgently, "I'm filming now. I'll pick them up in a couple of days when I go back to record the variety show and then I'll video call you, okay?"
"Okay, okay, Elder Brother Mo, are the cats still fighting?" Yun Juan blinked and asked, leaning closer to the camera.
“Elder Brother Mo, are you wearing ancient costume? Elder brother used to wear it too, but yours looks a little different," Yun Shu asked curiously, moving closer.
The video screen quickly filled with two similar little faces.
Mo Rongwen beamed with joy at being called "elder brother" repeatedly.
He patiently replied to each of them, "I did as Little Juan and Little Shu said. I controlled the little mice and the fighting stopped. This is also as ancient costume, just from a different era."
His soft-spoken manner and smiling expression drew the attention of the crew on set, who couldn't help but wonder who was on the other end of the phone and could elicit such an expression from Mo Rongwen.
Yun Chuman couldn't bear to look at the screen and turned her head away. A perfectly cool and aloof movie star, gone the moment he met two kids!
And Yun Juan and Yun Shu kept praising him.
Yun Juan nodded approvingly, "Elder Brother Mo did a great job!"
With her bright, sparkling eyes, Yun Shu exclaimed, “Elder Brother Mo, you look so good!"
Seeing Mo Rongwen practically floating on air, Yun Chuman quickly coughed twice, bringing the conversation back to the point: "Nephew, have you heard of Chuqing Children's Clothing? That's the company that wants Little Shu to be their spokesperson, saying she's perfect for their upcoming new collection."
"Chuqing Children's Clothing?"
Mo Rongwen paused for a moment upon hearing the name, forgetting to refute the title "nephew."
Yun Juan and Yun Shu's faces flushed, looking at him expectantly.
"What's wrong? Is there a problem?" Yun Chuman thought to herself, "It's good I asked. It really doesn't seem very reliable."
"No!" Mo Rongwen quickly denied, "Absolutely have to take it! Chuqing Children's Clothing is considered top-tier in terms of resources among child stars."
He was a little agitated, but after glancing at the two children, he quickly calmed down. Chuckling proudly, he said, "Little Juan and Little Shu are so outstanding. If Chuqing Children's Clothing didn't have this much eyesight, they wouldn't have achieved what they have now."
Yun Juan and Yun Shu turned to look at their mommy expectantly and excitedly.
Yun Chuman smiled and patted their little heads, nodding, "I'll call that elder sister in a bit and tell her that Little Shu is willing to be their spokesperson."
The two children immediately cheered.
They high-fived each other. Not content with that, they stood up, hugged each other, and jumped around in circles.
Yun Chuman and Mo Rongwen watched them playfully for a while.
"Chuqing Children's Clothing is backed by the Gu Family and has consistently held the top sales position in the children's clothing industry for over a decade. Their spokespeople for each new product launch become household names as child stars, enjoying continuous resources and smooth career paths."
"Many celebrities try to use the Chuqing brand to get their children into the entertainment industry, but Chuqing doesn't consider personal connections. They only care if the child fits their products."
Mo Rongwen's gaze remained fixed on Yun Juan and Yun Shu as he calmly asked, "How did they contact you? Did they see 'Every Family Has Its Own Affairs'?"
"No, the person in charge said they saw my painting."
"Painting?" Mo Rongwen was taken aback. He had rewatched the previous live stream these past few days and remembered that Yun Chuman had indeed visited an art gallery once before he met Yun Juan and Yun Shu. "Your painting... is it of Little Shu?"
He perked up. His first reaction was to buy it!
"Don't even think about it. Little Shu really likes that painting, and I'm not selling it to anyone."
Yun Chuman saw through his thoughts and said quietly, "You're acting like a brainless fan."
"What do you mean 'like'? I am."
Mo Rongwen was quite proud. He paused and then asked, "How's that thing I told you about Little Shu...?"
"Little Shu is very interested in acting. Besides asking you if Chuqing Children's Clothing is reliable, I also wanted to ask you to arrange the audition we talked about last time," Yun Chuman said with a smile.
Mo Rongwen was a little excited: "Don't worry, I'll arrange it right away. I'll let you know the specific audition time once it's confirmed. It shouldn't be too long; just wait for my news."
"Thank you," Yun Chuman said sincerely. With Mo Rongwen as the guide for Yun Shu, she was saved a lot of trouble and worry. At least she didn't have to worry about being scammed.
"And Little Juan?" Mo Rongwen asked again. "Among the offers I received these past few days, there's a drama with a good production team, and the role of a little boy in it would be perfect for Little Juan..."
Before he could finish, Yun Chuman slowly said, "Little Juan probably won't be acting anymore."
Mo Rongwen was stunned and his voice abruptly rose: "Why? Why won't Little Juan act! I mean, Little Shu is more talented, but Little Juan is also very good. You've seen his achievements. Aren't you wasting his talent by doing this?"
His voice was quite loud and the two children stopped jumping, remaining in their hugging position, cheek to cheek, looking at him in confusion.
"Don't be so agitated. Calm down," Yun Chuman said unhurriedly. She beckoned Yun Juan, "Little Juan, come here and talk to Elder Brother Mo yourself."
The two children, still not letting go of each other, slowly moved sideways towards her like two little crabs facing each other.
Amused, Mo Rongwen broke into a smile. His tone softened considerably: "Little Juan, your mommy said you won't be acting anymore. Can you tell elder brother why?"
Yun Juan blinked and smiled, "I want to learn to paint with mommy. I like painting."
"But Little Juan, you're very suitable for acting! Little Shu will also be acting in the future. Wouldn't it be better to work with her?"
"Hey, Nephew, that's not playing fair! How can you try to bribe a child?" Yun Chuman said, glancing sideways.
Mo Rongwen snorted and ignored her.
The two children were quite clever; they immediately guessed that their argument was about whether Yun Juan should continue acting.
Yun Shu whispered in elder brother's ear, "Elder Brother Mo is so stubborn."
Yun Juan replied softly, "Don't worry, I know what to do."
He called out to Mo Rongwen, who was still rambling on about how great acting was, with a smile, "Elder Brother Mo."
"Hmm? What do you think, Little Juan? Isn't acting still better...?"
Yun Juan didn't give him a chance to repeat himself, and smiled, "After I learn to paint, how about you be my model?"
Mo Rongwen quickly weighed it in his mind and immediately shut up, "Okay."
However, he hadn't completely given up. He decided that if he came across a suitable role for Little Juan, he would call and ask, just in case Little Juan changed his mind someday.
Seeing him completely won over by the two children, Yun Chuman couldn't help but chuckle, "Nephew, you can continue with your work. Thank you for today. I need to call Chuqing Children's Clothing now."
Mo Rongwen said reluctantly, "Bye-bye, Little Juan and Little Shu! Remember to come play with me often!"
"Okay!" Yun Juan and Yun Shu waved their chubby little hands with smiles, "Bye-bye, Elder Brother Mo! Work hard!"
"I'm going to work now!" Mo Rongwen stood up energetically befoe hanging up the video call.
The phone beeped, returning to the chat interface.
The two children, Yun Juan and Yun Shu, released each other and sat down on the floor in unison, placing their hands on Yun Chuman's knees. With their hands supporting their chins, they looked at her expectantly with their puppy-dog eyes.
Yun Chuman was both amused and exasperated, shaking her overheated phone. "I'll call Chuqing Children's Clothing right now."
The two children nodded rapidly and obediently mimed zipping up their own mouths.
So cute! Yun Chuman couldn't resist pinching their cheeks. Once the phone cooled down, she found Li Miaomiao's number and dialed it back.
In the quiet office, Gu Jijing stared intently at his computer with his face expressionless and occasionally sipped his coffee.
Li Miaomiao, initially nervous, gradually drifted off and was now almost asleep.
Just as she was about to dream, her phone suddenly rang. Startled, she frantically grabbed it.
Seeing Gu Jijing look up out of the corner of her eye, Li Miaomiao's first reaction was to hang up, but seeing the caller ID showed Yun Chuman, she hesitated.
Li Miaomiao stiffly turned her back to Gu Jijing, pressed the answer button, and went straight to the point: "Ms. Yun, have you discussed it with little Yun Shu?"
"Yes, I've already asked her what she thinks."
Li Miaomiao was surprisingly nervous upon hearing this. She swallowed twice and asked, "May I ask what the final result is...?"
"Many thanks to your company for the appreciation. Little Shu is very willing to take on the spokesperson job," Yun Chuman said with a smile.
Li Miaomiao breathed a huge sigh of relief, her nervousness lessening considerably. She excitedly said, "Ms. Yun, I believe little Yun Shu will definitely become the best spokesperson in Chuqing's history. I'm very happy to be working with you. Can I let you know the specific signing and shooting schedule in two days?"
"Okay," Yun Chuman made a few more polite exchanges before hanging up.
Li Miaomiao put her phone back in her pocket, clenched her fist, and gave a loud, gruff "Yay!"
She turned around smugly and the moment she saw Gu Jijing, her smile froze on her face. Oh no, she'd forgotten she was still in President Gu's office.
What was it like to be completely oblivious in front of the big boss? She felt like she could dig a fortress with her toes and hide inside.
Gu Jijing seemed not to have heard her "Yay!" and said calmly with his still expressionless face "Is the spokesperson confirmed?"
Li Miaomiao suppressed her embarrassment: "Yes, Yun Shu agreed."
She didn't mention that Yun Chuman had agreed.
"Thank you for your hard work," Gu Jijing said, looking down. "Chuqing's performance these past two years has been excellent. You've done a great job."
Li Miaomiao immediately perked up, shouting, "Thank you for the praise, President Gu! We will definitely continue to work hard!"
After she finished speaking, the office fell silent again.
Li Miaomiao glanced towards the door and tentatively asked, "President Gu... shall I head back now?"
"Yes," Gu Jijing glanced at her, "The company doesn't have many rules. Next time, after you finish reporting your work, you don't need to notify; just leave on your own."
Li Miaomiao paused a bit before nodding repeatedly.
She tiptoed out. Did President Gu mean he would still invite people from Chuqing to headquarters in the future? That's great!
She needed to hurry back and share the good news of confirming Yun Shu's cooperation with her colleagues and also tell them about her experiences at headquarters, so they wouldn't act as country bumpkins the next time they came!
Inside the office.
Gu Jijing turned on the computer. Playing on the screen was the variety show "Every Family Has Its Own Affairs," where Yun Juan and Yun Shu were playing with a group of fluffy animals.
He looked at the two children on the screen, a fleeting tenderness in his eyes.
When his gaze fell on Yun Chuman, his face showed emotion for once. He frowned slightly, seemingly troubled.
After the program ended, Gu Jijing spun his chair, gazing absently at the view outside his office for a while. Then he picked up the phone on his desk and said, "Find out where Yun Chuman and the two children are. I need to meet with them tomorrow."
Meanwhile,
After confirming the collaboration with Chuqing Children's Clothing, Yun Chuman took her two children out for dinner.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu happily hummed songs all the way. During dinner, not only Yun Shu, but Yun Juan also joined in feeding Yun Chuman.
However, Yun Juan, being Yun Juan, was still quite strict. He stopped feeding her when he felt it was enough and also stopped younger sister to prevent Yun Chuman from overeating.
On their way home, the three of them took some local specialties they brought back from City Z to thank the security guard and Aunt Sun.
"Xiaoyun, you're too kind. Neighbors should help each other," Aunt Sun said, beaming with joy as she held up the local specialties. She looked down at the two children and said, "I watched the show. Little Juan and little Shu have made new friends."
Yun Juan and Yunshu nodded together, smiling. Elder Brother Mo and the cats, dogs, and mice were all their new friends!
Yun Chuman could vaguely guess what the two children were thinking and couldn't help but chuckle. But even if Mo Rongwen knew he'd been put in a pile of fluffy things by Yun Juan and Yun Shu, he probably wouldn't be angry. He might even be delighted.
Thinking this, she lost interest and was about to say goodbye to Aunt Sun and go home when she saw the other woman smile mysteriously.
"Xiao Yun, do you have time tomorrow?" Aunt Sun got closer and asked.
Yun Chuman immediately became alert, instinctively wanting to say no. The next episode of the variety show was about to start filming.
But Aunt Sun had anticipated her thoughts, smiling with narrowed eyes, "I've already inquired; the next episode of the variety show doesn't start until the day after tomorrow, right?"
Yun Chuman gave a frustrated, dry laugh, "Yes..."
"Well, this is what I thought; it's too hard for a woman like you to take care of two children alone, and it's not safe either."
Aunt Sun gripped her hand tightly, as if afraid she'd run away.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu tilted their little heads, blinking curiously, wondering what they were doing.
"It's not hard at all. Little Juan and Little Shu are very well-behaved, and you neighbors are very kind to us, Aunt Sun." Yun Chuman tried to pull her hand away, but her wrist ached and her hand remained firmly in place.
Aunt Sun gripped her hand tightly, smiling, "That's true, but we can't always be there for you. Sometimes a man needs to be in the family."
"You're young and beautiful, and Little Juan and Little Shu are so adorable. You could easily find someone else. So, a while ago, Aunt Li and I discussed it and arranged a blind date for you."
Yun Chuman's eyes widened in shock. What was this? Was she pressuring her to get married or acting as a matchmaker?!
She shook her head violently, resisting, "No, no, no, I have no intention of starting another family. The three of us are doing fine. I just want to raise Little Juan and Little Shu well."
"It's just a meeting, not insisting that you get engaged," Aunt Sun continued. "Don't worry about any of them treating Little Juan and Little Shu badly. We're very selective. They must be good-looking, kind-hearted, from a wealthy family, and unmarried with no children."
They? Yun Chuman shuddered. How terrifying! She tried to struggle for a moment: "But..."
Getting anxious, Aunt Sun interrupted her at once, "Can't you at least go tomorrow? The main problem is we've invited all the promising young men we know. If you don't even show up, we'll have a hard time explaining ourselves."
She said with a worried expression, "Xiao Yun, just this once? I promise, just this once. If you don't find anyone you like this time, I won't help you with these things anymore."
Having said that, what could Yun Chuman do? She could only helplessly agree, "Alright."
Seeing that she compromised, Aunt Sun released her hand: "You young people don't like blind dates, so it's good that you're not upset that we made the decision on our own."
"We got a little impulsive after seeing your mom that day and we arranged the meeting without your consent. But we just wanted to give it a try; maybe you'll meet your soulmate, and maybe someone can protect you and your two children."
She had run into Yun Chuman's mother that day and finally understood what unreasonable and domineering meant. She had acted rashly in the heat of the moment and with the blind date approaching and her old friends already hiding, she had no choice but to thicken her skin and confess.
Yun Chuman knew she meant well and could only keep saying it was okay and she would go tomorrow.
“I’ll pick you up at eight tomorrow morning. You can leave Little Juan and Little Shu with Old Li,” Aunt Sun said. Then she leaned closer to Yun Chuman and whispered, “Actually, I think Xiao Mo is pretty good too.”
“No way, that would change the generational order. He’s Little Juan and Little Shu’s older brother, my nephew.”
Aunt Sun chuckled twice, a weight lifted from her heart, and left with light steps.
Yun Juan looked up after she was gone. His cheeks puffed out and he asked unhappily, “Mommy, are you going on a blind date tomorrow?”
Yun Shu blinked blankly and asked softly, “What’s a blind date?”
Yun Juan gently poked her forehead and said, word by word, “It’s to find us a daddy, silly Little Shu.”
Yun Shu covered her forehead with her chubby little hands and asked innocently, “Eh? Find a daddy? What does a daddy do? What use was he?”
Yun Juan’s eyes darted around and he muttered, “Snatch Mommy from us.”
Can also used to make wishes, but he didn’t mention that.
"Then...then I don't want a daddy!"
Yun Shu pouted and kicked the ground unhappily with her little foot.
Today she was wearing retro jeans and a polka-dot short-sleeved shirt and her chubby little arms peeked out. With each kick, her body swayed from side to side, and her little belly jiggled noticeably.
Yun Juan was wearing the same jeans, but his top was a plain-colored shirt. He also looked down, pouting, and whispered, "I don't want one either."
Yun Chuman scratched her head. First Yang Qingshu, then Aunt Sun—how did it manage to upset the two children?
She took their chubby little hands and first went to the neighborhood supermarket to buy three ice creams and a bottle of floral water. Then she took them to the small pavilion.
The two children kept stealing glances at her, wondering why their mommy hadn't come to comfort them yet. The more they thought about it, the more aggrieved they became. Their lips pouted so much they almost looked like little ducks.
Seeing this, Yun Chuman chuckled inwardly, but said nothing. She gently applied floral water to their clothes, then tore open an ice cream and handed it to them.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu obediently took the ice cream, but weren't very interested, holding it without eating it.
Yun Chuman tore open her own ice cream, took a big bite, and slowly said, "Don't worry, I won't find you a daddy."
The two children looked up at her simultaneously, their eyes sparkling, and exclaimed in unison, "Really?"
"When have I ever lied to you?" Yun Chuman playfully pinched their noses. "Eat your ice cream, and you're not allowed to be unhappy afterward."
"Mommy's the best!"
Yun Juan and Yun Shu cheered, and then began to enjoy their ice cream.
The summer evening was still hot, with occasional breezes bringing a touch of coolness. Cicadas chirped incessantly, and the sweet, icy ice cream melting in their mouth lifted their spirits.
The two children unconsciously swung their short legs in the air.
"Mommy, are you going by yourself tomorrow?" Yun Juan, remembering Grandma Sun's words about entrusting him and Little Shu to Grandma Li, couldn't help but look up and ask.
"Mommy, are you leaving us behind?" Yun Shu looked at her pitifully with her little eyebrows drooping.
Yun Chuman hesitated. Abandoning them? Surely not. She only planned to go through the motions, it would probably take less than five minutes.
"Mommy, can Little Shu and I come with you?" Yun Juan joined in the pitiful pleading.
Stared at by two pairs of watery, puppy-dog eyes, Yun Chuman couldn't refuse. Taking the two children along didn't seem like a bad idea. First, it would let them see for themselves that she really wouldn't find them a daddy, and second, it would make it easier to slip away.
After thinking it over carefully, she nodded. "Alright, you two can come with me tomorrow."
The two children exchanged a happy glance.
Yun Juan patted his little chest and said seriously, "Don't worry, Mommy, leave everything to me tomorrow!"
Yun Shu didn't know what elder brother was going to do, but she obediently nodded and patted her own little chest as well: "Me too."
Yun Chuman didn't take it seriously, smiling as she patted their little heads: "Okay, okay, I'll leave it to you. Are you in a better mood now? Can we go home now?"
The two children nodded with smiles, jumped off their chairs, and ran home on their short legs.
That night, after Yun Chuman fell asleep, Yun Juan secretly slipped past her and woke Yun Shu.
The two children whispered and plotted in the dark for a long time before returning to Yun Chuman's side, hugging her, and continuing to sleep.
The next day, when Aunt Sun arrived, she saw the two children and asked in surprise, "Little Juan and Little Shu are going too?"
"We want to protect Mommy!" Yun Juan and Yun Shu answered seriously, their little faces beaming.
Aunt Sun chuckled, nodding perfunctorily, "Yes, Little Juan and Little Shu are really clever."
"Aunt Sun, let them come along," Yun Chuman said with a smile.
Aunt Sun shook her head helplessly, "Never mind, the children's opinions are important too. Let them go and see."
So the one adult and two children followed Aunt Sun out of the neighborhood.
On the way, Yun Chuman realized just how "premeditated" this matchmaking event had been.
Aunt Sun had borrowed a friend's coffee shop to gather the young men they had found.
As the only female guest, Yun Chuman only needed to sit and let them line up and introduce themselves one by one. If she liked someone, she could make a mark on a piece of paper, and Aunt Sun would then inform that person.
Yun Chuman: ...
This setup was certainly elaborate, but it was also incredibly awkward. This wasn't a blind date; it was a job interview!
Both children were dressed in modified Tang suits.
Yun Juan wore a white short-sleeved shirt with Chinese knot buttons and light green trousers.
Yun Shu wore the same style shirt and a light green skirt, and carried a small crossbody bag in the same color.
Hand in hand, they walked confidently in front of Yun Chuman, as if to say no one was allowed to approach.
Upon entering, Yun Chuman, Yun Juan, and Yun Shu were seated in the far corner.
Aunt Sun pointed to the seats by the door and smiled, "It starts in five minutes. I'll sit there; call me if you need anything."
Yun Chuman was stunned. Could she run away? She looked around, and, perhaps by coincidence, the back door was also blocked.
Yun Chuman: ...
Oh well, guess she would have to accept it. Worst case scenario, she'll apologize to them one by one. Besides being easily thirsty, there were no other problems.
Just as she was thinking this, Yun Shu took a notebook and a pen from her small handbag.
Yun Juan took them, placed them neatly in front of him, and said seriously, "Mom, don't make a sound. Little Shu and I will help you reject these people."
Yun Shu winked at her and put her index finger to her lips: "Shh~"
Yun Chuman nodded in confusion, wondering what the two children were up to.
The slightly chubby man awkwardly rubbed his hands together. His first words to Yun Juan and Yun Shu were, "You two little ones are so cute."
He then blushed and looked at Yun Chuman, "You're even prettier than on TV."
Before Yun Chuman could react, Yun Juan suddenly coughed loudly twice, "Cough cough!"
She and the slightly chubby man looked over and found Yun Juan frowning and saying seriously, "Uncle, you should introduce yourself on your first meeting, not comment on someone's appearance."
Yun Shu smiled sweetly, "Uncle, that's very impolite. My mom doesn't like impolite people, you'll lose points!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Yun Juan obediently wrote "-1" in his notebook.
Yun Chuman finally understood what the two children were up to: they wanted to be interviewers! And very strict interviewers at that!
The slightly chubby man, caught off guard, stammered, "I'm sorry, my... my name is..."
"Sorry, Uncle, my daddy has to be perfect. If you lose points, you can't be my dad anymore," Yun Shu said in a soft voice. Her little eyebrows drooped and she waved innocently, "Bye-bye, Uncle."
Yun Juan said seriously, "Next."
Yun Chuman mentally exclaimed, "Wow!" These two kids' tactics for getting rid of people were too well coordinated! When did they secretly plan this?
Hearing the children's words, the slightly chubby man subconsciously glanced at Yun Chuman. Seeing that she didn't object or try to stop him, he got up and left disappointed.
The people in the cafe immediately straightened up, realizing that the two children were the most difficult hurdle to overcome! During the break before the second person sat down opposite her, Yun Chuman couldn't help but whisper, "Little Juan and Little Shu, you two are so amazing!"
Yun Juan proudly raised his chin, adding, "Mommy, don't talk, just leave everything to me and Little Shu."
Yun Shu swung her short legs, nodding vigorously with a smile.
Yun Chuman immediately said, "Okay! Mommy's counting on Little Juan and Little Shu today!"
The two children had clear roles and worked together seamlessly.
Yun Juan was responsible for finding fault with a stern face, from the uncle's hair seeming a bit thin to his inability to cook—the reasons for deducting points were never repeated.
Yun Shu was responsible for smiling sweetly, using a soft tone to say, "Uncle, this isn't good, it's not perfect," and then ending with "Uncle, bye-bye!" to send them away.
Those whose faults were pointed out, upon seeing Yun Shu's smiling face, felt their anger dissipate and got up disappointedly to leave.
Yun Chuman watched the whole thing unfold like a spectator, completely unfazed by the two children, and didn't utter a single word.
Just as the blind date was in progress, Gu Jijing's car pulled up outside the coffee shop.
"President Gu, Ms. Yun and the two children are inside," his secretary said.
Gu Jijing looked up from his computer, putting aside the unfinished business.
He rubbed his throbbing temples, straightened his suit sleeves, and got out of the car.
He only had half an hour; he needed to discuss some things with Yun Chuman and the two children.
The moment Gu Jijing entered the coffee shop, he noticed something unusual—there seemed to be too many men inside…
But he didn't dwell on it and walked towards Yun Chuman in the corner.
The people around him gave him strange looks, but he ignored them.
Passing by the booths, Gu Jijing reached Yun Chuman and saw the two children beside her.
Yun Juan was stunned when he saw him. He looked him up and down with a frown. The more he looked at his expression, the more troubled he became.
But soon his eyes lit up again and he said with a stern face: "Uncle, how can you jump in line! Even a three-year-old child knows how to queue, but you are actually worse than a three-year-old child. You will be deducted points."
Yun Chuman nodded. That's right, he looked decent, but he actually jumped in line.
Yun Shu held her little face with both hands, shook her little head, and said with a cute smile: "Uncle, my mommy likes people who abide by discipline. Uncle, you are not suitable. Bye."
She thought for a moment and then kindly asked: "Don't jump in line in the future. If you meet an uncle as fierce as the one just now, you will be beaten."
Gu Jijing:......
When they first met, he seemed to experience the sense of "a loving father and filial children."
The author has something to say:
Yun Juan: Daddy is used to make wishes, so you don’t have to show up.
Yun Shu: What is Daddy? Can I eat Daddy? I only want Mommy~
Yun Chuman: The two little ones are right!
Gu Jijing: I shouldn't be here, I should be under the car…