love
Su wanted to resolve things on Su's side. Su Wenxie originally wanted to help An Chi, since he could gain favor if An Chi became his brother-in-law. However, it had been almost a month since Su and Bai Lutong resolved their dispute. Even a listed company couldn't drag it out for a month just to wait for an uncertain cooperation plan. Moreover, An Chi was an unstable new company. Even though it had a headquarters overseas, setting up a branch in China was just an agreement between him and Sido.
So in the days leading up to the incident, Anchi was still trying to secure a partnership with Zhiheng, since it was an industry leader and winning their cooperation would certainly be a good way to boost the company's early publicity.
However, it was later revealed that internal strife had begun within Zhiheng and that the leadership was engaged in a prolonged period of cold war. An Chi then decisively abandoned the plan that he had been preparing with Zhiheng for so long.
Since Zhiheng was not an option, he then set his sights on cooperating with companies in other regions.
He didn't choose them at first simply because they were all too far from City A, and he would have to travel back and forth, which would inevitably delay his "three essential life tasks".
The "Three Essentials of Life" – Su Yao: academics, career.
Although his studies weren't as demanding as those of science students, he wished he could stay by Su Yao's side 24/7.
If the partner is located too far away, he will have to travel back and forth between the two places. After all, he is the one who made the agreement with Sido, and he will be responsible for the whole thing if the first project is not implemented.
But now that he can't even keep his business in China, how can he talk about business in the same place? He can still tell the difference between the two, so he decisively turned to other companies in City C that had been competing with Zhiheng.
The two places are a bit far apart, but not as far apart as two countries. This way, if anything happens to Su, he can fly back quickly. That's what he was thinking, and he took Su into account in all his matters.
By quickly stating their purpose and subtly hinting at competition, the cooperation agreement was signed more smoothly than with Zhiheng, and it was finalized almost after Anchi met with him only twice.
The moment An Chi saw the contract, his eyes sparkled, like fireflies in the night; once the light in their tails went out, it would be fatal.
When a bucket of cold water was poured on An Chi, he didn't feel cold and shiver, nor did he try to dry himself off or drink some hot water. All he wanted to do was see Su Yao and tell her that he had been bullied.
Su Yao is most susceptible to this, but whenever she says she wants to hug him to warm him up, he still refuses, after all, An Chi doesn't want Su Yao to get sick because of him.
An Chi had already turned off the office lights and was about to leave when he received a phone call—a bucket of cold water that, while not fatal, was still heartbreaking.
“Hey, Mom.” An Chi no longer calls Su Yao “Mom”. There is only one person he can call “Mom”, his real biological mother.
When An's mother called at this time, it was always about the same thing: the various requirements and arrangements for An Lan's studies abroad, things he had repeatedly emphasized but disagreed with.
The reason he disagreed was actually because An Lan's academic foundation wasn't strong, yet she wanted to study in a place like the United States. Going abroad wasn't an insurmountable challenge for An Chi at this point.
An Chi originally thought that if An Lan only wanted to study abroad, he could easily find some connections to help her go abroad to study. However, An Lan not only wanted to study abroad, but she also had requirements in various aspects. She was unwilling to work hard, and even before he returned to China, he told An Lan that she should first pass the IELTS exam and make sure she had time to prepare. But even now, she still tells An Chi time and time again that she does not have the ability.
In fact, An Chi understood that in the minds of his mother and An Lan, they still thought that his study abroad was just a matter of Su asking someone to find connections, and that he didn't need to pay any price.
However, he took various exams for the certificates required for studying abroad right after finishing the college entrance examination. Su Yao was very anxious to send him abroad, and in order to make his study abroad go smoothly, Su Yao specially asked someone to write a letter of recommendation for him. Everything seemed to be going so smoothly, which led An's mother and An Lan to have such thoughts.
He had actually considered the possibility that things might not go smoothly.
An Chi even considered taking the exams poorly and skipping some of the certifications he could pass, so he could stay by Su Yao's side. However, when he saw the letter of recommendation Su Yao sent, he realized that this was not something he could escape by taking the exams poorly. He had to make the greatest effort to live up to everything Su Yao had done for him and the expectations he had for him.
Now, it's completely impossible for Anlan to reap the benefits of this without effort.
"Mom, I'll say it again. Either Anlan takes all sorts of certification exams and goes to study in the US; or she studies in a neighboring country; or she stays and takes the college entrance exam, and I'll find her a good school. If you're still having such wishful thinking, then I'm sorry I'm incompetent. What Anlan can do is up to her."
With the utmost respect, An Chi felt he had done everything he could, unlike those scoundrels who, after crossing social classes, disown their parents.
"Xiao Chi, your mother sent you to the Su family instead of your sister, which is such a great favor to you. Is this how you repay your mother and sister?"
If An Chi were sixteen years old now, he would be afraid of such words. The pressure would be inescapable, like a wolf in sheep's clothing, small yet capable of pulling one closer to the deep sea. An Chi didn't know that his emotion at that time was disgust. He hated such words, so he took the initiative to suggest to Su Yao that he switch places with An Lan. Perhaps in this way, he wouldn't have to bear the "gift".
But now he is twenty years old, although he is still younger than his mother and has less experience.
He had his own true thoughts, which was a blessing, but not from his mother and An Lan. It was from Su Yao. When Su Yao heard his words, she did not suggest exchanging partners, but firmly chose him.
It wasn't their family who decided who would be the child; it was Su's choice that led to the birth of that child.
In his life, Su Yao was his only benefactor.
"Mom, since you still think that way, then I have nothing more to say. You should have Su Yao's contact information, right? Why haven't you contacted him after so long? You know better than I do, Mom, stop deceiving yourself."
After saying this, he hung up the phone immediately without waiting for his mother's reply.
Deep down, An Chi yearns for family affection, especially his parents and sister. He cherishes the memories of his family's care during the most difficult time. However, all of this changed after his father's death. The family's meager income not only had to cover his sister's high medical expenses but also his and his sister's tuition fees. Perhaps it was because his sister was weaker that she received more favoritism in the family, and even he himself took extra care of his sister.
However, An Lan's illness has been cured permanently after treatment, but An Chi has lost the affection he never received in the Su family over the years, and treating An Lan as his "precious treasure" seems to have become a habit.
To stop her mother from calling, An Chi called Su Yao directly.
Despite his harsh words, An Chi was actually unwilling to show Su Yao this unpleasant side of himself. It seemed that ever since he returned from studying abroad, he had always wanted to present his best self to Su Yao. Reliable, successful, and steady had become synonymous with the little boy who used to stand on the sidelines at Su Yao's birthday party.
"What's up?" Su Yao thought he was calling because the "Yao" problem hadn't been resolved yet.
Hearing that voice, An Chi felt a sense of relief. "Yes, I missed you."
It's been over a month since the incident. Since then, the two of them have been busy with their own things. They can only occasionally make a phone call and chat for a few minutes when they have some free time, which is already considered good.
"I miss you too." It's not uncommon for Su Yao to say such things, but An Chi still gets a little touched by it.
"Have you decided how to celebrate your birthday next month, Su?"
Upon hearing this, Su realized how quickly time had flown by, and winter had already arrived. After thinking for a moment, she thought, "It's still the same people. A meal will suffice."
But before An Chi could speak, she interrupted herself, saying, "I'll treat you."
An Chi was stunned when he heard this. Having spent so much time with Su Yao, he had seen and remembered all the changes in her. As if his feelings were running deep, he said some things in a joking manner, "You like me too, Su Yao, so, do you want to be with me?"
In fact, since the last time he asked for an answer and got nowhere, An Chi has not confessed again. He always wanted to wait for Su Yao to take the initiative, but now it is a pipe dream for him to wait for Su Yao to take the initiative. After all, she did not think highly of him in the first place, and it is good enough that she has feelings of being moved and liking him.
"Hmm, give me a few days to think about it."
It's a concession, not a rejection.
"Really!?" An Chi exclaimed.
After Ge Jin left, Su Yao realized that not every relationship could last. She didn't know how long An Chi and she could stay together, but in any case, she wanted to make sure that they didn't have any regrets while they were in love.
"Consideration" can be a disguised form of agreement or refusal for different people, but Su Yao is clearly the type to agree.
That's why An Chi was so excited.
Su Yao didn't agree immediately because she wanted Su Wenxie's position to be more secure. Otherwise, if she were to be in a relationship with her adopted son, it would definitely shake the Su family's position within the Su Corporation. She considered everything carefully, which is why she slowed down the progress of their relationship.
An Chi wanted to continue talking, but the other end of the phone hung up again. He smiled and listened to the busy tone, still grinning foolishly. Only after that did he hurriedly send a message to his assistant.
The moon slowly climbed the branches, its light dimmed by the dazzling lights of the skyscrapers. But tonight, the moon paid no heed to comparisons, its only purpose being to illuminate the chat window on the phone screen: "Book the next available flight back to City A. I need to go back to be with my girlfriend."
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