Chapter 417 Cui Xiao, Am I very useful?

Zhou Mubin was pouring tea when the scalding hot tea was poured into the white porcelain cup, the rising steam blurring his features. "Why are you suddenly asking this? Have you softened?"

Cui Xiao's fingertips unconsciously rubbed the cool edge of the table, her gaze sweeping over the diverse crowd outside the window, deliberately avoiding his eyes. "It's not that I'm soft-hearted."

He pushed the teacup towards her, the lid lightly tapping against the rim with a crisp sound. "What suggestions do you have?"

Cui Xiao picked up her teacup and took a sip. The mellow Pu'er tea dispelled the dryness in her throat. "Zhou Mubin, there's something I might need to trouble you with."

"Oh?" Zhou Mubin put down the teapot, leaned forward slightly, and looked at her face with a playful smile. "It's rare for you to be so polite to me."

He deliberately slowed his speech, drawing out the last syllable with an ambiguous undertone, "However, even if your suggestion is troublesome, I'll accept it all. Tell me about it."

Cui Xiao's cheeks paled slightly, and she subconsciously gripped her teacup tighter, avoiding his gaze. "I would be grateful if Attorney Zhou could intervene and give her a chance..."

She shared her thoughts, but Zhou Mubin looked at her with a half-smile, "Cui Xiao, am I very useful?"

Cui Xiao looked slightly embarrassed. "If Attorney Zhou doesn't agree, I'll think of another way."

Just then, the waiter brought over a plate of shrimp dumplings, the steaming heat perfectly masking her embarrassment.

She hurriedly picked up a shrimp dumpling and stuffed it into her mouth. The delicious flavor spread on her tongue, but she had no time to savor it. Zhou Mubin's gaze felt like a warm net, making her extremely uncomfortable.

Zhou Mubin didn't continue, but slowly ate his breakfast, occasionally putting a piece of rice noodle roll on her plate. "The soy sauce here is a secret recipe. You need to dip it in more for it to be flavorful."

His movements were as natural as those of a couple who had been together for many years. When his fingertips occasionally touched her chopsticks, he would simply withdraw them without hesitation. On the contrary, Cui Xiao would always pull her hand back as if she had been burned, and the tips of her ears would turn red.

As breakfast was drawing to a close, Zhou Mubin suddenly mentioned, "Tonight I'm going back to the Zhou family home, and I'll suggest to my elder brother that we prioritize cooperating with your East Asia Group."

He gently stirred the porridge in the bowl with a teaspoon, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable seriousness, “The layout of the parent-child business in your proposal is very innovative, and it has more highlights than the conservative proposals of other companies.”

When it came to the interests of the East Asia Group, Cui Xiao paused, her hand holding the chopsticks twitching. She looked up at him and said, "Then thank you, Attorney Zhou."

Zhou Mubin looked up at her, a faint smile playing on his lips. "No need for thanks. I'm only doing this for the benefit of the Zhou family."

He put down his chopsticks, took out a tissue to wipe his lips, and said, "I'll take you to the company after you finish eating."

Cui Xiao didn't refuse; she had stayed at his apartment the night before, so declining would have seemed deliberate.

When the two walked out of the tea restaurant, the Maybach was already parked on the side of the road. Zhou Mubin opened the car door and Cui Xiao bent down to get in.

The familiar scent of tobacco wafted towards her, making her heart beat a little faster for no apparent reason.

The car smoothly merged into the morning rush hour traffic, and the carriage was quiet.

Zhou Mubin suddenly spoke up, "Did you sleep well last night? The mattress in the guest room was newly replaced, and the clothes in the closet were all bought again according to your size and preferences, just in case you find fault with me again."

She was speechless.

Was he so certain that she would have a chance to stay in his apartment?

Cui Xiao's throat was dry. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, then quickly looked away.

A smile flashed in Zhou Mubin's eyes as he glanced at her before turning to look ahead. "Cui Xiao, I promise that no other woman besides you will ever enter my apartment again."

He deliberately paused halfway through his sentence, tapping the steering wheel lightly with his fingertips, leaving a lingering echo: "From now on, even the hourly cleaner will be a man."

It must be admitted that Zhou Mubin is a very charming man.

If he wanted to please a woman, he had ways and means. Even though Cui Xiao had taken precautions in advance, she still couldn't help but feel a sudden jolt in her heart.

Then, Zhou Mubin said, "I'll help you with Sun Lu's matter. Same as always, you have to treat me to dinner."

Without hesitation, Cui Xiao replied, "I can't possibly cook this many dishes for you next time."

Zhou Mubin chuckled, his voice full of triumphant pleasure, "Next time we go out to eat, you won't have to do anything yourself."

He paused, then added, "Of course, if you want to do it yourself, I have no objection."

Actually, as soon as Cui Xiao asked the question, she realized she had said the wrong thing, and sure enough, she was teased by him again.

Cui Xiao didn't reply, but just turned her head to look out the window, her cheeks slightly flushed.

The car quickly stopped downstairs at the company. She immediately unbuckled her seatbelt, eager to escape the ambiguous atmosphere. "Thank you for driving me, Attorney Zhou. I'll go upstairs now."

"etc."

Zhou Mubin called out to her, "Cui Xiao, I always feel like I've been cheated."

He helped her so much, and all he got for just two meals was a loss for him.

Cui Xiao remained expressionless and said in a deep voice, "Lawyer Zhou, suffering a loss is a blessing."

Zhou Mubin was taken aback, then burst out laughing.

In the morning, Sun Lu stayed at home, while Jin Ping and she looked at each other in bewilderment.

Jin Ping dared not offend Sun Lu now, as Sun Lu was particularly displeased with her. She even walked quietly, afraid of being scolded.

Jin Ping had prepared breakfast and carefully walked over to Sun Lu. "Lulu, would you like some breakfast? Mom bought your favorite shumai and some mutton soup..."

The next second, Sun Lu roared, "Eat, eat, all you know is how to eat! If it weren't for you, would I have lost this good job? Now look at us staring at each other like this, are you happy now?"

Sun Lu suddenly jumped up from the sofa, grabbed the remote control from the coffee table, and smashed it hard on the carpet, cracking the plastic casing.

“Didn’t we agree on this? You go back to your hometown first, and once I’ve settled down and have my own house, I’ll bring you and Dad to Hong Kong to enjoy a comfortable life. But you, you ran away right before I got through security. Do you know how much I’ve lost because of you? My former classmates will laugh at me for the rest of my life.”

Her chest heaved violently, and her voice trembled sharply with excitement, "Because of you, I lost my job with a million-dollar annual salary. I regret it so much now. I shouldn't have agreed to let you come with me in the first place."

Jin Ping's arm, holding the plate, froze in mid-air, her knuckles trembling slightly, the warm steam blurring her vision.

Her lips moved but only made soft, breathy sounds. However, as she listened to Sun Lu's accusations, the grievances that had been building up inside her suddenly broke through the dam of restraint.

She slammed the plate down on the coffee table, the sound of the ceramic bowl hitting the glass tabletop causing Sun Lu's roar to pause. "Who did I come here for? Wasn't it to take care of you?"

Jin Ping roared, unable to hold back any longer, "To put it bluntly, it's because you're not capable enough. If you had half of Cui Xiao's abilities, Zhou Mubin wouldn't have been able to fire you so easily. And now you're blaming me, Sun Lu, do you have any conscience?"