[Sorry, I pressed the wrong key. It was a shortcut phrase from my input method.]

Shen Shu quickly regained his composure. As he typed, he shot Shen Yuan a cold glance.

Shen Yuan shrank back, her playful mischief fading into nervousness.

Despite her bravado, she was afraid of her brother. Seizing the moment when he was distracted, she quickly escaped.

Meanwhile, Yu Xi had figured it out. It was clearly strange for Shen Shu to send her a message like that.

However, she couldn’t understand why he’d sent it at this hour. After some thought, she concluded that it must have been a mistake.

Yu Xi wasn’t the type to overthink things, so she didn’t dwell on it.

Shen Shu sent a “Good night” message, and that was the end of their conversation.

Yu Xi looked at the message and thought it was probably just out of politeness, so she replied with a “Good night” as well.

The next day, the moving company Shen Shu had hired helped Yu Xi move her things.

However, Shen Shu himself didn’t show up. It was said he had flown to Los Angeles the night before.

Yu Qing had a smug expression, practically glowing with satisfaction.

They had gotten their marriage certificate one day, and the next, the groom was already flying abroad for a business trip. If that was love, then it was truly unbelievable.

Yu Xi thought about Shen Shu’s warm and patient face, and she couldn’t help but feel that he was quite the actor.

She sighed inwardly. She wasn’t too disappointed, just a little wistful.

“Madam, this way please.” The car stopped in front of a high-end residential complex, and Xie Pu personally opened the door for her.

Yu Xi stepped out and nodded slightly at him.

Xie Pu smiled. “Please follow me.” He gestured for the staff to carry her things.

Dozens of people, with large and small bags, made it feel like she was a young lady from the old society. This made Yu Xi feel somewhat uncomfortable.

Shen Shu’s house was located next to Yintai, facing China World Trade Center, with the Sanlitun Taikoo Li behind it. It was situated in one of the most prestigious areas of the capital, making it one of the most well-known luxury residences in Chaoyang.

The house was a large, open-plan space with a modern business feel, featuring floor-to-ceiling glass walls that gave it an expansive, quiet atmosphere.

Outside the balcony was a suspended garden with an artificial swimming pool.

When she opened the curtains, the city’s nightscape stretched out before her.

Yu Xi had a fear of heights. For the first two days after moving in, she couldn’t even approach the window. She thought Shen Shu must have some strange quirks to like a house like this.

Every night, she had to pull the curtains down in every room just to be able to sleep.

The bed was over two meters wide. Even though she was sleeping alone, it still felt a bit frightening. At night, she had to lock the door before she could curl up under the blankets.

Though she knew their marriage was more of an arrangement, it still felt lonely and overlooked, especially when her husband disappeared after they got their certificate.

That evening, feeling bored, she played a couple of rounds of a game.

Her friend Jiang Chuyi was online and asked her: [How’s the newlywed life, little fairy?]

Yu Xi typed: [Not great.]

Jiang Chuyi: [???]

Jiang Chuyi: [Your husband is a famous golden bachelor, a socialite, a well-known business tycoon in the capital!]

Jiang Chuyi: [Is he bad in bed?]

Yu Xi was speechless.

[What’s going on in your head?]

[We just got our marriage certificate, and he left on a business trip right away. Now, I’m living alone in the Shouchuang Tianxi area.]

[Living alone in a more than 300-square-meter apartment is a bit frightening for me.]

Jiang Chuyi: [???]

Jiang Chuyi: [He got the marriage certificate and then left for a business trip? Leaving his beautiful wife alone in an empty room?]

Jiang Chuyi: [Is he even a man?]

Jiang Chuyi: [Is something wrong with him down there?]

What she said was too explicit. Yang Jilan was a strict mother. Yu Xi had never had a boyfriend, and the most provocative thing she’d ever seen was a mildly suggestive Taiwanese notebook. Her face immediately turned red.

She quickly replied, “I’m going to bed,” and stopped talking to her.

Unexpectedly, the next day, Jiang Chuyi came to visit her.

“Wow, this house is gorgeous. You even have a sky garden!” Jiang Chuyi opened the balcony door, curiously walked outside, and admired it for a long time.

Yu Xi made tea for her.

She didn’t dare touch the tea cakes or jars that Shen Shu had in the cupboard. Instead, she used jasmine tea she bought from the small supermarket below for a few dozen yuan a pack.

Anyway, she didn’t know much about tea—tea was just for quenching thirst.

Jiang Chuyi asked, “The anniversary of A University is at the beginning of next month. Are you going back?”

Yu Xi almost forgot about it. She nodded gratefully. Several of her professors had been kind to her in college, so it was only right to go back and visit them.

Jiang Chuyi said, “Let’s go together that day.”

Yu Xi nodded.

They chatted about some trivial matters, and then Jiang Chuyi asked, “Did your husband really go abroad right after you got your marriage certificate? Isn’t that a bit much?”

Yu Xi just smiled.

She had no position to criticize Shen Shu, nor did she have the right to do so.

Jiang Chuyi extended her hand. “Can I borrow your phone for a moment?”

When Yu Xi looked at her in confusion, Jiang Chuyi calmly explained, “My phone’s out of battery. I just need to make a quick call.”

Yu Xi, without suspecting anything, handed her the phone.

Jiang Chuyi immediately flipped through the contacts.

Yu Xi’s contact list was short. She quickly found Shen Shu’s number. Without changing her expression, Jiang Chuyi dialed it.

After a few rings, a deep, pleasant male voice came through, “Hello?”

Jiang Chuyi nudged Yu Xi’s arm and handed her the phone, returning it to her stunned hands.

When Yu Xi realized what happened, she instinctively stopped reaching for the sunflower seeds in her hand.

The two stared at each other in silence.

Shen Shu’s voice sounded again, “Yu Xi? Is there something you need?”

Yu Xi, her heart racing, instinctively hung up the call.

She was really a bit angry now, glaring at Jiang Chuyi.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” Jiang Chuyi quickly apologized, “I was wrong.”

Yu Xi ignored her, but now, there was something more important than arguing with Jiang Chuyi. Shen Shu had sent her a message: [What happened?]

At that moment, he was sitting at his desk surrounded by a mountain of documents. When his secretary knocked and entered, he casually glanced up and gestured for her to leave the materials on the desk.

He then turned back to his phone, his lips curling into a slight, barely perceptible smile.

The secretary, mindful of her actions, placed the documents carefully on his desk before leaving with one last glance.

The boss had always been very professional, strict with work, though kind to subordinates. He rarely took breaks while working, let alone slacked off.

It was truly unbelievable.

When there was no further reply from Yu Xi, Shen Shu took off his glasses, rubbed his tired eyes, and walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows, gazing into the distance.

He had been on this business trip for days, dealing with an issue at a mining site that kept him busy.

Thinking about it, he realized it was a bit much, and he felt guilty.

Was she angry?

With that thought, he quickly composed a response: [Sorry, work’s been too busy these past few days. I’ll be back in Beijing tomorrow morning.]

He had wanted to add “to see you,” but it felt too deliberate, so he deleted that part.

As he thought about Yu Xi’s face, without makeup, her misty eyes, he hesitated.

She was different from his subordinates. He needed to treat her with care.

It was clear she was a delicate young woman.

A while later, Yu Xi replied: [Okay.]

In truth, she didn’t really know how to respond.

Her relationship with Shen Shu was not the usual kind. Before the blind date, she had met him twice—once when she delivered translation documents to Zhongheng Capital, where she ran into the top boss of Zhongheng Group, and once at Yu Chen’s place, when he poured her a glass of water.

Apart from those encounters, they had no other communication.

At the start, she hadn’t wanted to marry him and had tried to dissuade him from this idea.

On the day of the blind date, while Yu Chen and the others weren’t paying attention, she secretly pulled a sticky note from her bag and wrote, “I can’t speak. I only do translation work to make a living. Don’t be fooled.”

When Shen Shu saw it, he gave her an unexpected look, one she couldn’t understand. Then, he smiled and folded the note, hiding it in his hand.

Yu Xi froze for a moment, not realizing what was happening. Just then, Yu Chen came from the side, making her heart leap into her throat.

It turned out he had intentionally hidden the note. If Yu Chen had seen it, things would’ve been troublesome for her.

Though Yu Chen would give her some face in front of Shen Shu, if he left, she wouldn’t be so lucky.

She was actually quite grateful. Shen Shu seemed different from how she had imagined him—less ruthless, less unfeeling.

He wasn’t the cold and sarcastic person she’d first met at Zhongheng.

When she sent him off, he had been courteous, as though gentlemanly behavior was second nature to him.

He had asked her a few questions about her interests and hobbies, but he was very careful not to overstep. He didn’t mind that she couldn’t speak and only needed her to nod or shake her head.

When it came to the topic of marriage, she hesitated and shook her head.

Shen Shu, however, smiled and asked her, “Don’t you plan to get married in the future?”

Yu Xi was taken aback. She hadn’t expected him to ask that, and his question hit a soft spot for her.

Yes, she couldn’t go against her parents, nor did she plan on staying single for the rest of her life. However, she was a bit scared of spending her entire life with someone she didn’t know well. Moreover, she was genuinely intimidated by him.

Shen Shu then said, “I need to settle down and start a family, and you, sooner or later, will also face the reality of marriage. If that’s the case, I believe I’m a good choice. You can think about it.”

That was the end of their conversation that day.

…

After the holiday, Yu Xi, as usual, took the subway to work.

During the early rush hour, even though she left an hour earlier, she couldn’t squeeze into the first train. It wasn’t until the second train arrived that she managed to push through the crowd and get into the carriage.

The translation company where Yu Xi worked was originally small but was later acquired. In just two years, it grew rapidly and became one of the leading translation companies in Beijing. The boss behind it was rumored to have a powerful background. He was a returnee from overseas with connections in various industries. This company was just one of his many ventures, and he rarely made public appearances.

The company offered both part-time and full-time positions, and Yu Xi was a full-time employee. Since she couldn’t speak, she only took on written translation tasks. As a newcomer, she also had to help her seniors with menial tasks, such as making tea, photocopying documents, and assisting with the company’s platform operations, including publishing posts.

“Yu Xi, get ready. Later, you’re coming with me as my assistant,” Meng Xia said briskly as she rushed down the stairs, right after Yu Xi sat down.

Yu Xi quickly stood up and nodded, packing her things.

Meng Xia was a senior translator contracted by the company, specializing in interpreting. A full day of work could earn her thousands of yuan, though not every day had such big projects.

However—

Yu Xi sneakily glanced at Meng Xia’s outfit today—she was wearing a white office suit with an orange silk scarf tied in a distinctive way at the collar. Underneath, she had a matching fuchsia blouse, which looked cool yet eye-catching, like a bright rose against a white tablecloth, grabbing attention.

Her hair was neatly styled—formal, yet not too old-fashioned.

Yu Xi guessed that today’s event was probably important, perhaps some large business meeting. She couldn’t afford to slack off, so she quickly got ready.

“Put these on,” Liu Pingping said, pressing a pair of black-framed glasses onto Yu Xi’s nose when Meng Xia returned to her office.

Yu Xi was stunned and looked at her in confusion.

Liu Pingping replied, “Didn’t you notice how formally she’s dressed? You don’t want to steal her spotlight, right? She’ll definitely make you work harder afterward.”

Yu Xi didn’t quite understand. If they were really worried about her stealing the spotlight, why not ask someone else instead?

If given a choice, Meng Xia certainly wouldn’t pick Yu Xi. However, the company was short-handed, and the others either didn’t want to assist her or were too underqualified. Today’s event was very important, and she didn’t want to leave a bad impression.

“Ready? Let’s go,” Meng Xia said, grabbing her materials and rushing toward Yu Xi.

Yu Xi nodded quickly and followed her to her Santana.

Half an hour later, they arrived at a parking space beneath a commercial building in the CBD.

Meng Xia went to the reception to register, gave the name “Zhongheng,” and got a parking fee discount. She then called for Yu Xi to enter the elevator.

A few minutes later, the two arrived at the top-floor conference room.

Meng Xia knocked on the door, and it was opened by a young man. He was tall, handsome, and impeccably dressed in a sharp suit. Smiling, he greeted them, “Are you Hai Rui’s translator? Please come in. Mr. Shen, Mr. Fu, Mr. Zhao, and the other directors aren’t here yet, so please take a seat and wait. I’m Wei Ling, the HR manager of Zhongheng Capital’s Beijing office.” He raised his hand, signaling his assistant to prepare tea.

Meng Xia was surprised. This young, impressive-looking man was just a department manager?

But she couldn’t underestimate him—Zhongheng Capital was a global venture capital giant, and even a department manager had such extraordinary charisma.

Soon, others began arriving, many of them familiar faces, members of opposing companies.

Meng Xia’s face darkened as she realized this business event wasn’t just for one negotiator—she was only one of the many involved.

No wonder such a major company like Zhongheng Capital had chosen her.

None of this mattered to Yu Xi. She was just a background character, helping with the meeting minutes or carrying Meng Xia’s bag and materials. She wasn’t even supposed to be attending such an event.

As the meeting progressed, only the head seats remained empty.

As she wondered why, the door suddenly opened, and Shen Shu entered, accompanied by his assistant.

Dressed in a gray high-end business suit, tall and poised, he immediately became the center of attention the moment he walked in.

In this elite business gathering, he was undoubtedly the most eye-catching figure.

Yu Xi froze for a moment before quickly lowering her head, trying to make herself as inconspicuous as possible.

Shen Shu, who had been looking down at the meeting notes, walked quickly and paused briefly when passing by her. He turned and glanced in her direction, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it came.

Without a sideways glance, he continued walking and took his seat at the main table.

The meeting began.

The first round of translation was done by other company translators. Meng Xia sat in the third alternate spot, with shifts every half-hour, signaling that the meeting wouldn’t be short.

She was in a bad mood, but the brief glance from Shen Shu had left her heart racing.

She was sure he had looked her way.

The fact that such a powerful businessman had noticed her filled her with unexpected joy, making her previous frustration vanish.

“After we go back, help me put these materials in writing and email them to me, just like before, understood?” she told Yu Xi happily as they left.

Yu Xi nodded in agreement.

As they were leaving, Wei Ling came over to them, saying, “Mr. Shen requests your presence.”

Meng Xia couldn’t hide her delight, though she maintained her composure, “I wonder if Mr. Shen has any work-related advice for me?”

Wei Ling paused, then coughed and said, “Mr. Shen would like to speak with Miss Yu Xi.”

Meng Xia froze.

Yu Xi could feel Meng Xia’s curious gaze on her, her spine tingling, unsure whether she should follow Wei Ling.

Wei Ling smiled gently at her and raised his hand, signaling, “Miss Yu, please follow me.”

Yu Xi had no choice but to follow him out.

Wei Ling didn’t say a word to her along the way. He simply led her into a large office, asked her to sit on the reception sofa, and poured her some tea. “Mr. Shen is still in a meeting. Please wait here for a moment.” He said, leaving and closing the door behind him.

While waiting, Yu Xi couldn’t help but glance around the office.

It was very spacious, with two walls made entirely of floor-to-ceiling windows. It had a built-in lounge, and the room was bright and clean with an elegant and subdued style. A bookshelf on one side was casually filled with books.

The tea was also quite delicious, though she couldn’t identify its type. She only knew it had a long aftertaste, sweet without being bitter.

On the silver-painted desk, there was a three-tiered serving tray with various snacks, including scones, mung bean cakes, and butterfly crisps. They were neatly arranged, and their appearance was very tempting.

She couldn’t resist trying a piece, which was sweet without being overwhelming and very delicious.

When she ate, she was very focused. She carefully held the food with both hands, and her eyes would brighten like a little animal’s.

Just then, Shen Shu pushed the door open and walked in, stopping when he saw her. He paused and watched her for a while.

He wondered when she would notice he had entered.

However, he had clearly overestimated her.

After waiting for a moment, Shen Shu closed the door behind him.

The sound startled her, and she quickly turned her gaze toward the door.

When she saw him, she instinctively sat up straight and hurriedly shoved the last piece of pastry into her mouth. She ate it so quickly that she almost choked, her face turning bright red.

Shen Shu couldn’t help but laugh. He walked over and bent down, handing her the tea. “Slow down.”

It wasn’t the first time she had made a fool of herself in front of him, but Yu Xi still felt embarrassed. She took the tea and took a small sip.