Chapter 32: Can’t the Legs Really Be Treated?

A couple of days after Xu An sent out the job postings, numerous applicants started to arrive one after another, including some who had previously spoken ill of her and Zhou Yu in the alley. They secretly sought her out for work, but Xu An maintained her silence, not planning to hire them.

After sending off another batch of people, it was already afternoon. Wen Yaowu took the opportunity to bring Xu An some tea.

He touched his head with a hint of expectation and asked, “Sister-in-law, how’s it going? Any candidates that catch your eye?”

Xu An shook her head. “Not yet.”

With a smile, she looked at him teasingly. “Are you eager to work with your brother Yu?”

Wen Yaowu hurriedly waved his hands. “No, sister-in-law.”

“If you want me to work with you for a lifetime, you’re just like Brother Yu.”

Xu An took a gentle sip of tea and didn’t continue teasing him. She casually handed him the keys. “I’ll head back first. Later, you and Xiaoyang should clean up and get some rest. Don’t stay up too late.”

Wen Yaowu accepted the keys and nodded obediently.

After finishing her tea, Xu An left the shop and headed home. Upon her return, she unexpectedly found Zhou Yu at home, which made her frown slightly.

“Aren’t you supposed to be taking the business partners out for dinner today?”

Zhou Yu replied lightly, “Couldn’t get them to come.”

Xu An secretly observed the man’s expression and noticed he didn’t seem too affected, so she sat down on a chair and tilted her head back. “Perfect timing! I interviewed quite a few people today; you can help me choose.”

Zhou Yu grabbed a stool and sat across from Xu An. She detailed the situations of the large group of applicants she had met that day.

As the couple was talking, Zhou Hongguang’s laughter came from the yard, loud enough for the two inside to hear.

Xu An was momentarily stunned, hearing Zhou Hongguang warmly welcoming guests and Pan Hehua’s enthusiastic tone. She turned her head to look through the blurry window and saw Zhou Hongguang entering the main house with a man dressed in a suit.

Turning back to Zhou Yu, she noticed the cold, mocking smile on his face, and he slightly furrowed his brow.

“What’s wrong?”

Zhou Yu’s gaze was directed outside, and he scoffed before turning back to Xu An, speaking in a low voice. “My dear older brother.”

“He’s really going to any lengths.”

His voice dripped with sarcasm. Recalling what Zhou Yu had previously mentioned about an encounter, Xu An blinked and tentatively asked, “You know the guest Zhou Hongguang is hosting?”

Zhou Yu’s voice was calm as he replied, “The business partner I mentioned before.”

Xu An took a deep breath, realizing that the business partner who hadn’t been available for dinner was now invited by Zhou Hongguang to their home.

So the competitor Zhou Yu had talked about was actually his older brother.

Zhou Hongguang had raised prices maliciously to compete with Zhou Yu.

With the guest now being entertained at home, it seemed that Zhou Yu was facing a setback this time; after all, merchants are all about profit—if someone offers a better price, they wouldn’t be foolish enough to pass it up.

The occasional sound of Zhou Hongguang and his business partner chatting jovially outside was exceptionally grating to Xu An.

She pursed her lips and glanced at Zhou Yu across from her, speaking softly, “It seems they’re getting along well. Tomorrow… you should come with me to the shop to hire people.”

Zhou Yu nodded expressionlessly, agreeing.

After dinner, Xu An went to freshen up and returned to the brightly lit main house, where she could still hear laughter inside. She pursed her lips and went back to the east room with a bucket.

Zhou Yu had just finished washing the dishes and stood by the door with his arms crossed, as Zhou Hongguang and the business partner left the main house with smiles on their faces, looking satisfied after a hearty meal.

As Zhou Hongguang walked to the door, he saw the couple at the entrance.

Zhou Hongguang was momentarily taken aback, but his smile didn’t fade. He subtly took on the demeanor of a victor and gestured to the business partner. “Boss Zhong, please.”

Zhong Yue had clearly noticed Zhou Yu. Having collaborated with him before, he didn’t feel awkward about choosing Zhou Hongguang this time and laughed as he approached Zhou Yu, raising his hand.

“Zhou Yu… Zhou Hongguang, I didn’t expect you two to be brothers!”

Zhou Yu lazily raised his hand to shake Zhong Yue’s, then let go.

Zhong Yue was charming, saying, “Isn’t this just a family matter? It’s truly a misunderstanding.”

Zhou Hongguang stepped forward with a smile, “I didn’t know the second brother was also discussing this cooperation with Mr. Zhong. I apologize for that.”

Zhou Yu coldly glanced at Zhou Hongguang, recognizing the act for what it was.

Seeing the brothers’ somewhat tense demeanor, Zhong Yue raised an eyebrow but said nothing. As long as they both made money, he didn’t care about their personal issues.

Zhou Hongguang politely sent Zhong Yue off and turned back to Zhou Yu with a friendly smile.

“Second brother, I didn’t know you were also discussing cooperation with Mr. Zhong. You have to forgive your older brother.”

Before Zhou Yu could respond, Pan Hehua interjected, “Since he chose your brother, don’t take it to heart. After all, we’re all from the Zhou family.”

Zhou Yu crossed his arms and retorted with sarcasm, “Is the older brother so confident? You’re sure this cooperation will definitely go through?”

Zhou Hongguang furrowed his brow. “Second brother, don’t think about raising prices. In the end, both of us will suffer while letting an outsider profit. That’s not a wise decision.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t let outsiders take profits. I won’t be the foolish one I was three years ago. Now, don’t even think about it.”

Zhou Hongguang paused but didn’t respond to Zhou Yu’s remark, saying, “Don’t worry. If I can maintain cooperation with Boss Zhong, I’ll certainly speak well of you in front of him. If this time doesn’t work, there will be another chance next time.”

“Now that your sister-in-law has opened a shop, you two don’t have to worry about food and clothing. But I have this whole family to support; I can’t be careless.”

Zhou Yu scoffed. “Now the older brother is bold enough to host guests at home; it seems he has no plans to keep working at the factory.”

As long as he secured this cooperation, the profits would be enough to support him for many years at the factory. Besides, the factory was struggling to pay wages, and many wanted to earn some extra money. He wasn’t the only one; as long as everyone turned a blind eye, there wouldn’t be any issues.

Zhou Hongguang glanced at Zhou Yu in front of him. Even if he reported him, losing a job that was clearly coming to an end wasn’t a big deal.

“The factory is currently facing difficulties. If we can do some business on the side, we can help the factory through this tough time. What’s the problem with that?”

“Second brother, I know you’re unhappy that I still want to press you for money, but we need to analyze the specifics. Our factory is in trouble and needs us to find a way out.”

After finishing, he smiled friendly at Zhou Yu and casually walked back to the main house, with Pan Hehua following him in with a smile.

Xu An tilted her head to glance at Zhou Yu beside her and said softly, “Even if we both suffer losses, if you want to raise the unit price, we have more capital than they do right now.”

She still had the shop running and the money Zhou Yu earned before. If they were to go head-to-head with Zhou Hongguang without concern for profits, they wouldn’t necessarily lose.

Zhou Yu looked at Xu An’s serious expression and smiled slightly. “Silly.”

“What I just said wasn’t a joke. If we can’t guarantee maximum profit, there’s no need to proceed with the cooperation.”

After saying this, he went into the house. Xu An followed him in with the bucket and frowned as she spoke.

“But now your older brother has taken the business partner away. If he can take them once, he can do it again. You can’t always refuse to compromise for the sake of the maximum profit.”

Zhou Yu leaned back in his chair and spoke softly. “He can sacrifice profits to make a deal. Malicious competition; if he can offer three dimes now, he can offer even more in the future. Over time, his greatest competitiveness is retreating from his own profits.”

He gazed at the woman before him, his voice magnetic. “Cooperation isn’t negotiated like this.”

Xu An sighed, “So your point is, just let it go?”

Zhou Yu shook his head lightly, “It’s fine. If this batch of goods doesn’t work out, I’ll take a trip to Xiangjiang soon and won’t have to deal with Zhong Yue again.”

He looked at Xu An and said softly, “Let’s hire people for the shop in the next couple of days and have Yaowu train the new recruits quickly. I plan to take him to Xiangjiang.”

Seeing that he was unaffected, Xu An felt she had been

 worrying for nothing and sighed lightly. “Alright, then you can come with me to hire people tomorrow.”

Zhou Yu nodded in agreement.

With that, Xu An felt a bit more relaxed and turned to go back to the bedroom to rest.

The next morning, the couple went straight to the shop, where Wen Yaowu and Su Xiaoyang had already arrived earlier than they did.

Wen Yaowu was pleasantly surprised to see Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu waved his hand. “Let’s finalize the hiring today. You bring them out quickly, and then we’ll go to Xiangjiang together.”

Wen Yaowu immediately became serious and nodded affirmatively.

Xu An and Zhou Yu began hiring inside the shop without delaying Wen Yaowu and Su Xiaoyang outside.

That day, the couple decided on four men and three women, giving them a one-day trial period to see who had skills.

After a day of trials, they finally selected two men and one woman.

That evening, after the last customer left the shop, Xu An smiled at the three people remaining in the shop and announced, “Li Qiang, Zhang Yan, Wang Lei, congratulations! You officially start work tomorrow.”

The three exchanged excited glances, their happiness evident on their faces as they immediately promised, “We’ll definitely work hard.”

Seeing their joyful expressions, Xu An smiled broadly.

“Don’t be too happy just yet. For now, we’ve decided on the three of you, but we’ll still need to see your performance in the coming days. Only if you do well will you be able to stay.”

The three exchanged glances, having no objections. They looked at Xu An with gratitude, nodding and smiling. Wang Yan couldn’t help but wipe her face, looking at Xu An with excitement.

“Boss, thank you for giving me this opportunity.”

She bit her lip, feeling a bit shy, and said softly, “Boss, can I stay tonight to help watch the shop?”

There was a bed in the back room of the shop, so it was possible for someone to stay. Xu An hadn’t expected her to be so eager to help out on her very first day.

Xu An replied softly, “If you want to stay to watch the shop, that’s fine. But you were just hired today. Don’t you want to go home and share this good news with your family? You can come back early tomorrow too.”

Zhang Yan lowered her eyes and said quietly, “No need to tell them. I doubt many would be happy for me if I found a job.”

She raised her eyes to look at Xu An, her eyes sparkling with misty emotion. “I’m not in school anymore. I’m eighteen, and my family wants to marry me off. This job is my only opportunity right now.”

She hadn’t expected that what began as a trial would actually lead to her being hired.

Xu An couldn’t help but furrow her brow. At eighteen, just starting college, her family wanted her to get married. It wasn’t her place to pry into others’ family matters, so she sighed lightly as she looked at Zhang Yan.

“Alright then, you can stay and watch the shop tonight. Just take good care of everything, and don’t let anything get lost.”

Zhang Yan immediately smiled and nodded, “Thank you, boss.”

After sorting out her situation, Xu An turned to the other two. “Li Qiang, Wang Lei, you two can head home for now. Remember to come back on time tomorrow—no lateness.”

Both of them looked surprised and nodded in agreement.

After seeing off the three of them, Xu An left the shop with Zhou Yu, and the couple walked home together.

As they reached the entrance of the alley, they occasionally heard their neighbors gossiping about them.

“Just look at how this speculation and trade are making money. As soon as second brother made some, the older brother couldn’t sit still either—now he’s in on it too.”

“They say the older brother is more successful than the younger brother. I heard his mother is bragging about how her eldest is making money. She seems so proud, while the younger brother making some cash didn’t even get her to show off before.”

“the second boss  he’s the one who can invite people over.”

Xu An heard their words carried by the gentle breeze, turning to Zhou Yu beside her, chuckling lightly.

“Is the cooperation with your older brother a done deal? It must be worth your mom bragging about. Didn’t you also discuss some collaborations before? Do you need me to set up a loudspeaker in the alley to promote you?”

Zhou Yu turned his face, glancing at Xu An, and replied languidly, “If you’re not embarrassed, go ahead.”

Xu An couldn’t help but laugh softly. She didn’t have that kind of shamelessness, so she let it go.

When they got home, the moment they entered the courtyard, they caught the rare scent of meat wafting from the main house. Xu An raised an eyebrow and exchanged a glance with Zhou Yu. She tilted her chin towards the main house and chuckled softly.

“How unusual.”

It seemed that the eldest son really was Pan Hehua’s pride, as they were having meat for dinner.

Zhou Yu pressed his hand on Xu An’s head, directing her gaze back to their own house as they returned to the east room together.

Zhou Yu first washed the rice and put it on the small stove to cook. Xu An inhaled the meat aroma from the east room and looked at Zhou Yu beside her, feeling a bit sorry for him. She raised her eyebrows, planning to make a nice meal that night, not worried about the effort involved.

They had all the necessary ingredients at home. Xu An asked Zhou Yu to wash everything thoroughly and, not minding the effort, prepared braised pork ribs along with several stir-fried dishes. The fragrance quickly filled the east room, overpowering the meat smell coming from the main house.

The Zhou family stared at the meat dishes on the table, their faces rarely displaying joy.

Zhou Dandan had just returned from school. “Mom, why did you suddenly decide to make meat for us today? It smells so good.”

Pan Hehua smiled and picked up a piece of meat for her. “There’s plenty of meat today; take your time eating.”

As she spoke, she served meat to the eldest and the third son before giving some to Feng Yirou.

Feng Yirou understood the reason behind it and felt rare joy on her face. She didn’t mind Pan Hehua’s used chopsticks and smiled softly as she ate.

As the rich aroma from the east room enveloped the main house, Zhou Dandan couldn’t help but complain, “This is really showing off to our second sister-in-law. They’re eating so lavishly every day, and aren’t they worried about getting an upset stomach?”

With that delicious scent, the meat in her mouth suddenly didn’t taste as good.

Pan Hehua also felt resentful towards Xu An but couldn’t voice it. The dishes made by the second daughter-in-law were even more fragrant than her own. She could only serve a few dishes to the family inside, urging them to eat quickly.

“Second brother didn’t secure the business deal; I guess second sister-in-law made this to comfort him.”

Zhou Shuwen said softly.

Zhou Dandan’s interest was piqued immediately. “Didn’t second brother’s business fall through?”

The family felt there was nothing wrong with this topic, and several people exchanged a few words. Zhou Dandan’s smile became more pronounced.

“Eldest brother, you’re really amazing. You can’t let second brother get too proud; he doesn’t even see us as family anymore.”

She now thought the meat, which didn’t smell particularly good, smelled much better, and she enjoyed eating while inhaling the aroma from the east room.

After Xu An and Zhou Yu finished dinner, they went to bed early. For the next few days, Wen Yaowu and Su Xiaoyang diligently trained the three new recruits, making things much easier for everyone.

In just a few more days, they would be able to let Wen Yaowu and Zhou Yu handle things together.

After nearly two weeks of training, the three of them were now quite skilled. Xu An decided not to keep Wen Yaowu around anymore, smiling as she said, “Yaowu, in a few days, Zhou Yu will probably be going to Xiangjiang. You should go with him then to keep an eye on things.”

Wen Yaowu immediately nodded, “Don’t worry, sister-in-law. I’ll work with Brother Yu. If there’s nothing going on, I’ll come help at the shop.”

Xu An replied gently, “Yes, you should rest at home for a few days. Consider it a time to recharge. The shop has enough staff now, so you don’t need to worry too much.”

Wen Yaowu shyly scratched his head, “Sister-in-law, I don’t need to rest. I can keep working.”

Xu An shook her head, “You don’t need to. If you and your brother go to Xiangjiang in a few days, can you leave the elders at home without worry? While you have this time to rest, spend some quality time with Grandma. Explain everything to her so she won’t worry.”

Wen Yaowu grinned, “Sister-in-law, if Grandma knows I’m going to Xiangjiang with Brother Yu, she’ll definitely think her grandson is doing well.”

But he understood Xu An’s good intentions and nodded obediently. “Alright, sister-in-law, I won’t come tomorrow. If there’s anything, just let Xiaoyang come find me at home.”

Xu An smiled and nodded. “Don’t worry, I won’t forget about you.”

After taking care of Wen Yaowu, Xu An left the shop and headed home, where Zhou Yu had already prepared dinner for her.

As soon as Xu An returned, she washed her hands in warm water and sat down in a chair. Zhou Yu handed her the dishes and chopsticks.

Xu An looked up at him, “I just told Yaowu that he should rest at home for a few days before going to Xiangjiang with you.”

Zhou Yu nodded.

Xu An gently asked, “Have you prepared the letter of introduction and pass for Xiangjiang?”

Zhou Yu shook his head, “I’ll get it done in the next couple of days. It should take one to two weeks at most. We’ll talk about it then.”

He looked at Xu An, his voice serious. “There’s no need to bother with them while you’re home alone.”

“…If you’re scared, let Su Xiaotong come over to keep you company.”

Xu An nodded, replying softly, “Okay.”

As the couple ate dinner, they heard Zhou Hongguang’s voice coming from outside the courtyard, along with the voice of Zhong Yue, whom they had seen before.

Xu An blinked in surprise. It seemed Zhong Yue had a good relationship with Zhou Hongguang.

Zhou Yu’s expression remained indifferent, and

 he said nothing.

Until Xu An heard Fang Shu’s voice, she was somewhat surprised. “Why is Fang Shu here?”

Hearing Zhou Hongguang inviting someone into the house, Xu An blinked, unsure whether she should go out.

Then she heard Fang Shu’s cheerful voice calling for her, getting closer with each call.

It seemed she was heading towards the east room, so Xu An put down her bowl and chopsticks, quickly walking to the door to open it.

She saw Fang Shu walking side by side with Zhong Yue to the door of the east room, with Zhou Hongguang following behind them.

Xu An opened the door and didn’t have time to speak before Fang Shu leaped up and tightly hugged her.

Xu An blinked in surprise, returning Fang Shu’s embrace in confusion.

Zhou Yu watched Fang Shu hugging Xu An, his expression dimming slightly as his gaze met Zhong Yue’s.

Zhou Hongguang stood behind them, watching the two with their sisterly affection. His brows furrowed slightly, and he couldn’t help but clench his hands at his side.

He then watched as Zhong Yue and Fang Shu entered the east room, the door closing right in front of him.

Xu An allowed Fang Shu to hold her, and Zhong Yue handed over the gift he had brought to Zhou Yu, his gaze resting affectionately on Fang Shu.

Only when Fang Shu finally released Xu An did her bright eyes shine with surprise, a hint of blush coloring her cheeks.

Xu An was taken aback for a moment and softly asked, “What’s going on?”

Fang Shu took Xu An’s hand, leading her to sit down. There was a softness on her previously radiant face as she looked at Xu An and spoke in a gentle voice.

“An An, I really don’t know what to say to express my gratitude.”

“Thank you, An An.”

This unexpected hug and her sudden words left Xu An in shock, and suddenly she felt a wave of realization as her gaze fell on Fang Shu’s flat abdomen, leaving her momentarily speechless.

“Shu Shu, are you…?”

Before Xu An could finish her question, Fang Shu took her hand and gently placed it on her abdomen, answering with certainty.

“Yes.”

“An An, I’m pregnant.”

“It’s all because of you.”

Her voice was filled with excitement and a hint of choking emotion. After hearing the clear response, Xu An’s confusion disappeared, replaced entirely by happiness for Fang Shu.

Fang Shu finally saw her friend and opened up, “The doctor said it’s been nearly two months.”

“In the past few days, I wasn’t feeling well, which is why I didn’t go to your shop or come to play with you.”

She smiled brightly, her whole demeanor becoming much gentler.

“It was Zhong Yue who insisted I go to the hospital for a check-up. Who knew there would be such a surprise?”

After receiving treatment for her inability to conceive, Fang Shu had initially been resistant to going to the hospital. When she first noticed discomfort, she tried her best to endure it and avoid the hospital. But when Zhong Yue returned these past few days and expressed his concerns, he insisted she go for a check-up.

She never expected that this check-up would bring such a huge surprise for the couple.

Once Fang Shu found out she was pregnant, the first thing she thought of was to share it with Xu An.

Zhong Yue also knew that she had a best friend whom he hadn’t met before. No matter what, he bought gifts to come and visit together.

To his surprise, it turned out to be someone “familiar.”

Xu An’s hand rested on Fang Shu’s abdomen as she sincerely wished her, “Shu Shu, congratulations.”

Fang Shu shook her head, “No, it’s me who should thank you.”

“Without you, I definitely wouldn’t have waited for this day.”

After she finished speaking, she turned back to look at Zhong Yue, whose face also showed evident surprise. He gently placed his hand on Fang Shu’s shoulder, giving her a sense of security, and looked at Xu An with a polite tone.

“She previously said she had made her best friend in this lifetime but never had the opportunity to visit. It’s a bit rude.”

He had been very busy before, and since it was his wife’s friend, it wasn’t convenient for him to visit. Until this time, he couldn’t ignore the fact that the other party was practically a benefactor for their family; he had to come and express his gratitude.

He didn’t expect it to be the Zhou family. When facing Xu An and Zhou Yu, Zhong Yue had never felt the slightest bit of embarrassment in terms of interests, but now, reflecting on what happened a few days ago, it truly felt like a ridiculous situation—like the floods overwhelming the Dragon King Temple.

No business or interests were more important than his wife. If his wife found out he had refused Zhou Yu’s collaboration over a bit of money, she would probably mock him.

Xu An didn’t hold any ill feelings toward him. If the collaboration didn’t involve money, then there was no need for it. Just as Zhou Yu said, if they couldn’t guarantee the maximization of benefits, there was no need for discussion.

She smiled at Zhong Yue and nodded amicably. “We also haven’t had the opportunity to visit; it’s the same.”

“No need to take it to heart.”

Fang Shu now felt that her man and Zhou Yu were annoying. She couldn’t help but shrug her shoulders and turned back to Zhong Yue. “I want to chat with An An for a bit. Can you step out for a while?”

Zhong Yue’s gaze fell on his wife’s face, unable to shake off his concern for this newly pregnant woman, wanting to keep an eye on her at all times.

But Fang Shu was ungrateful and shot him a glare. “I’m safe enough with An An.”

Xu An chuckled lightly and tilted her head to look at Zhou Yu behind her, raising her voice, “You can take Mr. Zhong out for a walk while we talk.”

“I know Zhou Yu too; I’m a few years older than him, so you don’t need to be so polite. Just call me Zhong Yue.”

As Fang Shu’s husband, Xu An nodded in agreement.

She watched as Zhou Yu led Zhong Yue outside.

Once the two left, Fang Shu immediately leaned closer to Xu An, her voice dreamy as if she were still in a dream.

“An An, I still feel like it’s unreal. It’s only by staying close to you that I feel this truly happened.”

Xu An chuckled gently. “What’s unreal about it? Haven’t we already been to the hospital for a check-up? Don’t worry.”

Fang Shu raised her eyes to look at her, her eyes still misty. “We’ve been trying for nearly five years, and there have been so many malicious people around us—either plotting against me or Zhong Yue, or even plotting against this child we didn’t think we would have.”

Xu An gently comforted her, “Now you have your own child; you don’t have to worry about their schemes.”

“And those who used to gossip will shut up from now on.”

A smile appeared on Fang Shu’s face as she nodded.

Unable to resist, she said, “Now that I’m pregnant, I need to discuss with Zhong Yue how to reasonably announce this.”

After all, she hadn’t been pregnant for five years, and Zhong Yue had previously said it was his problem. Since he had been so busy, now that she was pregnant, some gossipers might speculate that the child wasn’t Zhong Yue’s.

Xu An frowned slightly. “That might be a bit difficult.”

It was practically impossible to silence some people’s gossip.

Xu An softly reassured her, “Your child will surely look like both of you. Once the child is safely born, you can take the baby out every day. Just one look, and everyone will know the child is yours.”

Fang Shu chuckled, “An An, you’re so smart.”

“Zhong Yue didn’t care; I’ve mentioned it to him, and he said as long as it’s you who helped, that’s all that matters. I wouldn’t dare to bring you up in a scolding.”

“An An, I know what you’ve given me is precious. Perhaps it’s only this one opportunity, and you took the risk to hand it over to me; I can’t let you down.”

Xu An patted her hand. “You’ve been arranged for so long; now that you’ve suffered, why still hesitate?”

Hearing this, Fang Shu couldn’t help but chuckle, “Exactly! After being talked about for so many years, now that I’m pregnant, Zhong Yue doesn’t have to work himself to death. He can spend more time with me; I was just too blind to see.”

“When we go back, we’ll let Zhong Yue find someone to announce it, saying he has already been cured. Once the child is born, anyone who sees will know it’s his biological child, so we don’t have to waste our breath.”

Xu An nodded with a smile, looking at Fang Shu’s belly. “Then you have to take good care of yourself.”

“It’s not like many people aren’t waiting for an opportunity to get you to adopt one. It’s inevitable that someone will find out you’re pregnant and have bad intentions.”

Fang Shu obediently nodded. “I know. After I became pregnant, Zhong Yue hasn’t dared to go out much. From now on, he will spend most of his time at home with me, protecting the child.”

Xu An talked with Fang Shu for a long time. It was only after being urged several times by the anxious Zhong Yue that she reluctantly got up to say goodbye.

“An An, we’re heading back now. I’ll come see you again when I have time.”

Xu An stood up from her chair and saw Fang Shu to the door. At the entrance, Zhong Yue and Zhou Yu were standing together. As soon as he saw Fang Shu come out, Zhong Yue quickly walked to her side, supporting her waist, and after exchanging pleasantries with Xu An and her husband, he led Fang Shu out.

They ran into Zhou Dandan and Zhou Shuwen, who were returning together.

The two greeted Zhong Yue friendly, and after a casual nod from him, he took Fang Shu away.

Zhou Dandan and Zhou Shuwen entered the yard. When they saw Xu An and Zhou Yu about to enter the house, they couldn’t help but speak up.

“Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law, just now, Boss Zhong was looking for Eldest Brother, right?”

“Did you see anything?”

Xu An exchanged glances with Zhou Yu, and with a hint of a smile, she turned back to look at Zhou Dandan, who appeared quite pleased with herself.

“It seems they confirmed the collaboration with Eldest Brother. I’m really touched that little sister cares about us so much.”

Zhou Dandan crossed her arms. “We’re all family; collaborating with Eldest Brother is the same as collaborating with Second Brother. Second Brother, you can’t hold any grudges against Eldest Brother.”

Zhou Yu didn’t have time to listen to her theatrics.

“I’m nothing like him. He’s so hypocritical.”

After speaking, he directly placed a hand on Xu An’s shoulder, pushing her inside, slamming the door in front of Zhou Dandan and Zhou Hongguang.

Zhou Dandan pouted. “Second Brother has such a bad temper; it’s no wonder people look down on him.”

After saying this, she tossed her hair and followed Zhou Shuwen into the main house.

As soon as they entered, they saw Zhou Hongguang sitting in a chair, looking rather unclear.

Zhou Dandan immediately put on a smiling face and approached him. “Eldest Brother, did Boss Zhong come to find you just now? How did your discussion go?”

As she spoke, her eyes, filled with laughter, met Zhou Hongguang’s gaze. Seeing his not-so-good expression, Zhou Dandan paused, and her tone became cautious.

“Eldest Brother, what happened to you?”

Zhou Shuwen also noticed Zhou Hongguang’s strange expression and observed him silently without speaking.

Zhou Hongguang closed his eyes. “It’s nothing.”

Zhou Dandan lowered her voice. “Just now, Boss Zhong…”

“Boss Zhong didn’t come to find me; he came to find my sister-in-law.”

Looking for Xu An?

Zhou Dandan didn’t understand. “Eldest Brother, didn’t you just collaborate with Boss Zhong? What would he want with Second Sister-in-law?”

Zhou Hongguang closed his eyes again, suppressing the disdain for his little sister’s chatter. “I don’t know; Boss Zhong didn’t tell me.”

“It must be that Boss Zhong’s wife has a good relationship with my sister-in-law, so she came to visit.”

Boss Zhong’s wife has a good relationship with the Second Sister-in-law, and Zhou Dandan frowned. “Eldest Brother, does this mean your collaboration can still be negotiated?”

Zhou Hongguang spoke in a neutral tone, not sure whether he was persuading Zhou Dandan or convincing himself.

“It’s not Boss Zhong who has a good relationship with my sister-in-law. I believe Boss Zhong won’t let emotions get in the way. If it’s based on interests, he will only choose me. The second one is someone who won’t share the benefits; to maintain a long-term cooperation, I’m the best choice.”

He said this, but his expression grew increasingly grim, and Zhou Dandan didn’t dare to ask more.

Xu An and Zhou Yu returned to the house, chatting and laughing as they looked at Zhou Yu. “Shu Shu is really pregnant now. Those gossipers will have nothing to say.”

Zhou Yu was cleaning the bowls and chopsticks on the stove, his tone calm. “Aren’t you afraid she’ll take you out to face those rumors?”

Xu An wrinkled her nose. “She’s already told me; she won’t consider that.”

“I know you’re probably going to say I’m acting recklessly again, but since the deed is done, I’m really happy to help my friend.”

She stared at Zhou Yu, her voice carrying a hint of accusation and dissatisfaction. “Can’t you just let me be happy for a moment?”

Zhou Yu paused, his gaze landing on her slightly rounded face. He didn’t say anything and simply placed the dishes in the basin, limping to put the food away, then went to the door to pour water into the pot to heat.

Xu An blinked, watching the silent man. Frowning, she stood up, carrying her chair directly to sit beside him, tilting her head to look at Zhou Yu.

“Why aren’t you talking?”

Zhou Yu glanced at her sideways, leisurely speaking. “I won’t say what you want to hear.”

This man’s words were really infuriating. Xu An suppressed her urge to pinch him, closing her eyes and muttering,

“There really isn’t anyone more magnanimous than me in this world.”

Xu An lifted her eyes, leaning her head close to Zhou Yu’s face, forcing his gaze to meet hers. She clicked her tongue twice.

“Zhou Yu, you really are stingy.” “With a bad temper and stingy.”

Zhou Yu’s gaze drooped, yet he couldn’t avoid meeting her eyes just inches away. His forehead began to throb.

Xu An let out a gentle sigh. “You know you only say things I don’t want to hear, but you won’t change.”

“And you’re still willful.”

Xu An leaned closer to Zhou Yu, her nose almost brushing against his. She watched him involuntarily shrink back, her lips curling into a smile.

“I know you mean well, but some things haven’t happened yet. Just let me be happy for Shu Shu.”

Her tone carried a hint of accusation and coaxing, her voice soft and tremulous, lightly floating into Zhou Yu’s ear, bringing a tingling sensation.

Zhou Yu’s throat tightened, and with a sudden force, his chair tipped backward, crashing to the ground. His leg could barely support the weight of an adult, causing both him and the chair to fall.

The whole room fell into a suffocating silence, as if time had hit the pause button at that moment.

Xu An was momentarily stunned by this sudden accident, staring blankly at the chair that had fallen and the still slightly swaying Zhou Yu beside it.

After a moment, she cleared her throat. “You can’t blame this on me.”

She said this while retracting her neck and dragging her chair back to its previous position.

Zhou Yu took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and absentmindedly squeezed his injured leg.

Xu An noticed his action and froze for a moment.

Zhou Yu casually picked up the chair from the floor, speaking in a deep voice. “Got it.”

Got it?

Xu An felt a bit dazed, wondering if it meant he understood it wasn’t her fault or if he meant he wouldn’t douse her with cold water anymore. She rested her chin on her hand, staring at Zhou Yu.

Zhou Yu remained silent, testing the water temperature on the stove, then started washing the dishes.

To avoid splashing the washing water on herself, Xu An moved her chair a bit further from the stove, tilting her head to watch Zhou Yu wash.

“Go take a shower.”

Zhou Yu raised his eyes to meet Xu An’s gaze, speaking calmly.

Xu An obediently stood up, grabbed her pajamas from the inner room, and headed straight to the bathroom. As the unmistakable gaze disappeared, Zhou Yu’s tense body quickly relaxed, and his dishwashing movements sped up a bit.

When Xu An returned after her shower, Zhou Yu had already cleaned up the room. She yawned and went straight back to the bedroom, comfortably lying on the bed.

Not long after, Zhou Yu returned after washing up, pulled the lamp down, and lay down next to Xu An.

The presence of the person beside her was so intense that Xu An couldn’t ignore it. She opened her eyes in the dark, and her mind uncontrollably recalled the scene of Zhou Yu falling on the ground and gripping his leg. She took a deep breath.

“…Zhou Yu.”

After a while, she finally heard the man’s hoarse voice. “Mm.”

Xu An’s lips moved, her tone as light as a whisper. “Is… your leg really irreparable?”

After Xu An finished speaking, she could only feel her heart beating violently, as if it were about to leap out of her chest. Her hand unconsciously clutched her heart, struggling to breathe.

Until she heard the man’s self-mocking voice.

“Xu An, is it too late to ask now?”

“I’ll be a cripple for life.”

“It can’t be fixed.”

Xu An could actually hear the despair hidden in those harsh and sarcastic words. She bit her lip, her hand unconsciously scratching, remembering what was in her mind, opening her mouth but daring not to give him hope. She could only close her eyes and dazedly respond with an “oh.”