Chapter 9 Holding Hands

Hongsheng General Manager's Office.

Behind the giant floor-to-ceiling window, You Yue tidied up the documents he had just signed and took his phone from Qi Xuan.

That's the vice president of the investment department, currently in Shanghai. We're discussing an acquisition deal that happened a few days ago.

The progress wasn't smooth, but it was within You Yue's expectations.

Therefore, he was not surprised. His expression remained indifferent as he leaned back in his seat and turned to look at the towering buildings outside the floor-to-ceiling windows.

"Understood, that's all." He wasn't much of a talker when he was working. After listening for a while, he finally said, "Hongsheng doesn't do charity."

After hanging up the phone, You Yue picked up his pen again, wrote his name on the documents on the table in a few strokes, and then looked up at Qi Xuan and said, "I'm going out at noon and will be back in the afternoon."

Qi Xuan knew that their boss, You, had something to do today; he had even rescheduled two meetings for this reason a few days ago.

“Okay,” he asked, “what time are you leaving? I’ll inform the driver.”

“No need,” You Yue said, putting the signed documents aside. “I have someone to answer.”

"……good."

Qi Xuan responded and left the office with the documents.

From the day they got their marriage certificate, You Yue has never taken off the ring.

He has excellent taste and is very good-looking. He is tall and handsome, a natural clothes hanger. He looks like he's walking a runway in all kinds of suits, and he changes ties every day.

Qi Xuan had been working by his side, but he was too busy to keep up with gossip.

But the general manager's second assistant is different.

Lynn, after graduating with a Master's degree in the UK and returning to China, was promoted to Hongsheng through an internal recruitment process. Despite her young age, she is very capable and quick-witted. Last year, she infiltrated a campus recruitment chat group, gossiped, and then asked Qi Xuan whether the boss and Xilin's CEO, Mr. Cheng, were in a marriage alliance or truly in love.

Her motto is that if you don't gossip while working for capitalists, you're at a disadvantage.

Moreover, although You Yue is usually arrogant, he treats his employees very well, and the company culture is relatively open, not as rigid as when Old You was in charge.

But Qi Xuan didn't know either.

However, considering everything that has happened all along, he doesn't seem to be devoid of emotion.

-

Cheng Hexi sent the license plate number to You Yue before arriving at Hongsheng.

Her driver was driving a black Bentley Mulsanne, a business van with spacious and comfortable rear seats and excellent privacy.

When You Yue came out of the company, the driver stood outside the car and opened the back door for him.

Cheng Hexi was still looking at the documents when she noticed the man sitting down next to her and turned her head to smile at him.

“There’s water in the refrigerator,” she said.

You Yue grunted in agreement and fastened his seatbelt.

His gaze swept over the neck of the person next to him, and he saw that Cheng Hexi was wearing the diamond necklace he had given her yesterday.

A very shiny four-leaf clover, a platinum chain draped over her prominent collarbone.

Cheng Hexi was oblivious to his gaze.

With a "click," the seatbelt buckle was inserted into the hole.

She turned her head when she heard the sound, but before she could speak, the pen suddenly slipped off her lap.

Cheng Hexi reached out to pick it up, and You Yue saw it too.

The man's arms were longer, so he picked it up before she could.

The pen fell at her feet.

His finger landed very close to the heel of her high heel.

You Yue held her most frequently used black Montblanc fountain pen in her hand and handed it to her.

Cheng Hexi was briefly lost in thought, but he didn't urge her.

After regaining her senses, she accepted the gift, thanked her, and said, "I haven't thanked you for the gift yet. I really like it."

You Yue didn't know Cheng Hexi very well, so he couldn't tell whether she was just being polite or genuinely liked her.

Seeing her put the pen and documents into the safe, the man replied, "If you like them, that's good," and looked away.

It will take another twenty minutes to reach the ancestral home halfway up the mountain.

Her eyes were tired from reading documents, so Cheng Hexi leaned back in her chair and gazed at the street scene in the distance.

The car was waiting at a red light. You Yue followed her gaze and saw Liang Xiao's birthday message on the big screen.

Cheng Hexi remembered seeing it the day before yesterday.

They advertised in the busiest part of the business district from the day before to the day after my birthday, at every time slot, burning through money.

As she was thinking this, she heard You Yue ask, "You like him?"

"Huh?" She genuinely didn't understand and asked, "Who did you say?"

"Liang Xiao".

Liang Xiao is a national-level singer-songwriter who has held countless concert tours and has a large fan base. Cheng Hexi remembers overhearing Tang Ying talking about how difficult it is to get his tickets during her lunch break.

Upon hearing this, she withdrew her gaze, turned her head to look at You Yue, and wondered whether to tell the truth or just give a perfunctory answer.

After all, she had just shown a lot of interest in him.

"I don't follow celebrities."

But Liang Xiao's popularity is quite substantial; his songs can be heard everywhere—in television, movies, bars, and on the streets.

Since she had nothing better to do, she said, "He and a friend of mine were on a variety show together before, and there are even fans who ship them as a couple online, so I'm a little curious."

The two of them had absolutely no interaction in private. Xu Zhumeng, as one of the parties involved, was completely unaware of the situation and didn't understand why she suddenly became a fan-made couple after appearing on a variety show.

Hongsheng's industry and entertainment circle don't overlap much, but You Yue is young and quick-witted. His company recently invested in two variety shows, which received good reviews, so he knows a little about these terms.

“CP fans—” You Yue repeated slowly, then asked, “Who are you talking about, friends?”

"Xu Zhumeng, do you know?"

"..." The man hesitated for a moment, but finally said, "My phone can access the internet."

It's a bit cold, but also a bit humorous.

Cheng Hexi couldn't help but laugh.

He remembered the two tickets Liang Xiao had sent to Hong Sheng yesterday, and then he recalled the old lady's words, so he casually asked her, "Would you like to go to his concert? I have two tickets here."

"Um?"

You Yue is not a fan of celebrities, and there seems to be no connection between Liang Xiao and Hong Sheng's businesses.

Cheng Hexi realized: "You two know each other?"

You Yue nodded: "We're friends."

The friends he personally acknowledges are definitely not just casual acquaintances.

Yesterday, she made up her mind to get along better with You Yue. After all, they'll see each other all the time, and they can't always act like strangers. Besides, her grandmother specifically told them to go on dates more often.

Cheng Hexi agreed: "Okay."

Consider it a moment of relaxation.

Since returning to China to take over Xilin's management, she hasn't given herself a single day off, let alone gone to a concert.

Thinking of Xilin, she added, "Next time Liang Xiao holds a concert in Beijing, could you please get me two good seats? I have an assistant who likes him."

When she made her first "request" to him, You Yue readily agreed: "Okay, no problem."

At this point, the atmosphere became less tense, and Cheng Hexi finally asked, "What did you just have the driver put in the trunk?"

"I brought some gifts," the man said casually, leaning back in his chair. "A son-in-law can't just show up empty-handed."

He's not the type to be clueless about social etiquette; on the contrary, he's quite adept at it, as evidenced by his handling of buying wedding rings and ordering wedding candy.

Cheng Hexi wasn't surprised. She tilted her head and asked him, "What did you bring?"

"A painting by Chen Zhuo from the autumn auction. Also, a tea set."

"..."

She looked at the indifferent expression on the faces of the people around her, and hesitated to speak.

It was rare for You Yue to see her so silent, so he raised an eyebrow and asked, "Are you satisfied or not?"

“You don’t need to bring such expensive things.” She sighed, “The autumn auctions are expensive but there’s no market for them, it’s not worth it.”

"I don't need that little bit more."

Cheng Hexi smiled.

Deep down, I knew it.

She found You Yue to be a very interesting person.

While his abilities and vision are undeniable, his personality has always been subject to criticism.

But in this transactional marriage, You Yue's sense of responsibility completely overshadowed his domineering and arrogant nature.

This time was the same as the time I gave her ibuprofen.

-

After getting out of the car, You Yue took out the two eight-figure "meeting gifts" from the trunk, and stretched out his other hand towards her, as if waiting for her to place her hand on it.

Cheng Hexi watched the trunk door close and understood his action. She went with the flow and took the man's hand.

"Does it have to be this dramatic?"

You Yue smiled almost imperceptibly: "A loving couple, huh?"

His hands were large, and they simply enveloped hers, their skin touching, but not in an overly intimate way.

Cheng Hexi moved her hand slightly, and You Yue asked, "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

She shook her head. "No, it's fine."

The two walked hand in hand through the fishpond corridor, their posture relaxed, as if they had held hands many times before.

Cheng Hexi asked him, "Are you going back to the company later?"

"Hmm, and you?"

"Me too."

After she finished speaking, she asked, "Is the driver coming to pick you up?"

You Yue looked up at her: "President Cheng brought me here, and then just left me to my own devices?"

"..." Cheng Hexi wondered, what's going on here?

Since it was on the way anyway, she said, "Okay, Mr. You, I'll take you there first."

You Yue laughed.

The two were very close, and she could feel the man's slight tremor.

Aunt Zhou, the housekeeper at the old house, came out to greet them.

Seeing their hands clasped tightly, he secretly pondered the nature of their relationship.

Cheng Hexi didn't even pretend, remaining completely silent.

She greeted the old lady of the He family and He Chongguang, and then everything was as usual.

You Yue entered the room with her, his attitude entirely dependent on her. Since Cheng Hexi acted this way, he naturally wasn't particularly warm either. However, he maintained a very proper demeanor, leaving no room for criticism.

Be polite and respectful, and treat relatives and strangers with respect.

You Yue returned to China two years earlier than Cheng Hexi. When she first took over Hongsheng, she and He Chongguang met on many occasions.

At that time, You Yue was just over twenty-five years old. His father's achievements were great, and he himself was too young. Even though he had some achievements to set an example, he was not so recognized.

From the board of directors to the general public watching the spectacle, many people didn't quite understand why President You retired so early, nor did they think You Yue could really compare to his father.

A handsome, wealthy young man with an arrogant personality is certainly not the kind of leader that people would trust.

Moreover, this is not some small workshop with only a few dozen employees; this is Hongsheng.

But He Chongguang could see You Yue's abilities and never underestimated him.

Cheng Hexi calls them "Dad" and "Grandma," and he calls them the same way without any hesitation.

He Chongguang and You Yue already knew each other, though they weren't close. However, their way of getting along was hard to change in a short time. He Chongguang hadn't treated You Yue as a junior before, but rather as someone of equal status.

When You Yue sat down, he naturally sat next to Cheng Hexi.

The old lady was a person who cared a lot about face. Even though it wasn't a birthday celebration that should have been a big one, a bunch of relatives and friends came and filled a large table.

Aside from times like this, Cheng Hexi had no idea that her family had so many relatives.

During regular family gatherings, there are always various things to do, and people chat about all sorts of things that Cheng Hexi isn't interested in.

However, she was never one to be teased, and no one dared to make fun of You Yue, so the meal went relatively peacefully.

They didn't make those gestures of passing food to each other, but their every move revealed their intimacy.

After the meal, He Chongguang suggested that he wanted to talk to You Yue. When You Yue was asked, she looked at Cheng Hexi first.

She was speechless when she received that gaze.

With a helpless smile, she tugged at the man's sleeve and said, "Perfect timing, I'll go upstairs to get something."

You Yue looked at her and responded.

-

Cheng Hexi lived in Paris with her mother until she was ten years old, and then lived here from the age of ten to eighteen.

This house is so big that if you want, you could go for days without seeing anyone you don't want to see.

At eighteen, she left Beijing to study abroad and rarely returned to this so-called home. After having a younger brother born out of wedlock, Cheng Hexi no longer considered this place her home.

But He Chongguang has kept her room all this time.

Saying she was going upstairs to get something was just an excuse; she didn't want anything. Although her father required someone to clean the place every day, she had already emptied it of her own belongings, leaving only an empty shell and some memories.

The room was large and beautifully decorated, showing signs that the room's owner had been carefully loved by his family.

Wild geese fly by, leaving footprints in the snow.

After leaving the room, Cheng Hexi didn't want to take the elevator, so she walked down the long, circular staircase.

You Yue heard the sound of her high heels and shifted his gaze from the chessboard to her.

He and He Chongguang were playing chess by the window. The game on the mahogany table was close, but one side was in control while the other was in dire straits.

Cheng Hexi walked over and glanced at it, but wasn't very interested. She then turned around and prepared to leave through the main gate.

You Yue called out to her, "Want to go home?"

She hummed in agreement and asked, "Is this game almost over?"

They'll finish in two more rounds; they're mainly chatting now.

You Yue looked at her and said, "It'll be soon. I'll come find you."

Cheng Hexi nodded, didn't speak to He Chongguang, and turned to walk out the door.

In front of He Chongguang, You Yue was polite and proper, but showed no unease or ingratiation as one would when meeting one's father-in-law.

He doesn't believe a father who cheats has the right to talk about loving his children.

Even as the two chatted, You Yue maintained his habitual demeanor as someone in power.

After Cheng Hexi walked out the door, He Chongguang sighed slightly and suddenly said, "Hexi is a good child. You are different from me and will not make the same mistakes I made back then."

You Yue, too lazy to pretend, asked, "Do you need me to make any promises? Like loving her and cherishing her forever?"

He looked up and chuckled softly: "Promises are the most useless things."

Having said that, You Yue regained his previous calm and polite demeanor and placed a piece. The game was over.