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…