"But , you’re too tired!"
Qin Mu knew that he had given up his spot in the bed for her and their daughter.
"For you and our daughter, even if I’m worked to death, it’s fate!"
Mu Yichen embraced her, signalling that he was resigned to whatever came their way.
So the two of them enjoyed the warmth of the big bed alone for a while before going downstairs. That morning, Qin Mu didn’t rush off to the studio, and Mu Yichen left in his car first.
Qin Mu stayed at home to continue playing chess with the old man, who couldn’t help but grumble, "With your chess skills, if I train you for a bit longer, you’ll be unbeatable across Rongcheng!"
"Really? That amazing?"
Qin Mu asked with a perfectly coordinated surprised face, holding a chess piece.
"Of course! Anyone I personally train!"
The old man responded proudly.
Qin Mu couldn’t help but laugh, thinking how nice it would be if she and Mu Yichen could be as cheerful when they grew old?
"You and that boy Yichen, stop living in your apartment so much! Take advantage of this time while you’re pregnant and your mother-in-law is in a good mood, stay here more often. It relaxes you both and I have company, right?"
The old man spoke seriously about chess again as he played.
Qin Mu glanced at the old man with a light in her eyes, then agreed, "Okay! If you win this game, I’ll promise you!"
The old man looked up, "Ha, have you ever beaten me?"
"So does that mean I have to listen to you no matter what?"
Qin Mu acted as if she had accidentally fallen into a trap, making the old man laugh again, "Or should I give you another red envelope? Otherwise, it seems old man is tricking you."
"Ugh, no need for a red envelope! I won’t tell anyone I was tricked by an old man."
Qin Mu said to him, pretending to be nervously concerned.
When the old man got distracted, Qin Mu sneakily checkmated him. Upon realizing his impending loss, the old man exclaimed in shock, "What’s going on?"
"Ah! Am I about to win? Am I not always the one who loses? It must be grandfather’s good luck blessing me!"
Qin Mu playfully clapped her hands and exclaimed.
In the competition of dramatics, the old man conceded this round.
After playing two games of chess with him, Qin Mu prepared to leave. The old man, seeing her pack up to go, beckoned her, "Come here, come here! They’re playing your advertisement!"
Qin Mu walked over curiously to look. It was still that perfume advertisement, which had been airing for over a year now—apparently, it was doing well.
"Do you know people in the entertainment industry?"
"Uh, well, not as many as Mu Yichen!"
Qin Mu realized why the old man’s eyes were shining and quietly whispered to him.
The old man only remembered the family’s pharmaceutical business, and with his grandson involved in all sorts of muddles, he could never keep track of whether his grandson had invested in these things.
So when Mu Yichen went out to discuss a business partnership with Secretary Xi and Qiao Yi at lunchtime, he chose a restaurant on the way and received a call from the old man.
Seeing the old man’s number and the two people sitting in front, Mu Yichen took the phone and walked towards the restroom, "Do you have any orders, sir?"
As Mu Yichen stepped away to the restroom, Secretary Xi and Qiao Yi, without any communication, both ate silently, heads bowed. Secretary Xi finished her meal quickly, "Please tell the boss I’m done and leaving first, there are documents I need to sort out immediately."
Qiao Yi, seeing her businesslike manner, just gave a nod in response, and she walked off briskly, bag in tow.
Qiao Yi couldn’t help but turn to watch her departing figure, thinking why do women nowadays seem so unfeminine?
They all seem to be competing, for positions, for money, for many things, but why aren’t they competing for men?
She already had a boyfriend!
Suddenly remembering the conversation he previously had with Secretary Xi, Qiao Yi felt rather discomposed.
When Mu Yichen returned from the restroom and noticed Secretary Xi had left, he asked, "Gone?"
Mu Yichen, seeing Qiao Yi’s wistful expression, quietly asked, "Is this what you’d call bringing it upon yourself?"
"What?" Qiao Yi looked at Mu Yichen in shock, truly not hoping for Mu to rub salt into his wounds any further.
"That’s why I said, you should keep it clean."
Mu Yichen added another reminder.
"Brother, I only started living it up at my age, isn’t that clean enough? Considering you jumped into bed with Xiaomu so young and even ended up with an illegitimate daughter, did I say anything?"
Qiao Yi asked him, with a mix of grievance.
"What did you say you’ve forgotten? Besides, we’re not an illegitimate daughter, we’ve got it on paper, and another thing, I’m a one-woman man, don’t compare me with you."