Let's meet
"President Su, President Zhou just called and invited you to our usual spot tonight," the assistant interjected, waiting for the meeting to end.
Everyone in the meeting room left, but Su Yao didn't move. She looked at the last slide of the PowerPoint presentation and asked, "Assistant Tang, didn't I say that we weren't allowed to answer the phone during the meeting?"
The young woman surnamed Tang suddenly froze. "It was a message sent from the front desk just now. I didn't answer the phone, Mr. Su." How could she not understand what Su Yao meant?
"Hahaha, Xiao Tang, you've been with me for so long, but you still haven't gotten used to my teasing personality." Su Yao stood up and waved her hand. "You're still as cute as when you first graduated."
Tang Pai felt somewhat helpless. She hadn't joked in a long time, and this sudden outburst was bound to be startling. Her boss could be quite childish sometimes, not at all like the decisive and serious person she was in meetings.
Back in her office, Su thought of the boy who could adapt to her jokes the very next day; that's where his cleverness lay.
Tang went to arrange the next steps. If Su was going out that night, she needed to discuss the next day's situation in advance.
"The overseas video conference starts at nine o'clock tomorrow morning and ends around noon to one o'clock. You need to go to the airport in the afternoon to fly to Z city. They're waiting for you there. Assistant Ge will be with you." Tang Pai stood respectfully in front of the desk.
Su laughed, "Hmph, are you waiting for me, or waiting for me to bring you money?"
No one answered, so Tang Pai had no choice but to shut up at this point, but he still had to continue, "Will you be driving yourself or arranging a driver for Mr. Zhou's trip tonight?"
"I can do it myself," Su waved her hand, gesturing for her to leave.
The sensible assistant left the room.
The day went by quickly.
Looking at the dishes on the table that could feed four or five people, An Chi couldn't help but feel nervous. He had considered all the flavors, including sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, and salty. He was even worried that Su Yao, who was used to eating big fish and meat dishes, would not appreciate his home-cooked meals. There were a few difficult dishes that he had tried to make again and again throughout the day before he was able to make them.
Su Anchi paced back and forth in the room, listening intently to any sounds outside. He would hold his breath and concentrate at the slightest noise, only breathing a sigh of relief when he realized it wasn't Su Yao.
He finished cooking around 6 PM, but waited until after 8 PM, thinking that Su would be getting off work too late and her stomach would feel uncomfortable.
On the other side, Su Yao had just arrived at the location when he sat down at the card table.
"You're calling me to dinner?" She raised an eyebrow, looking at Zhou Qingran, who was sitting calmly to one side, and Xu Jingsi, who had gentle features, across from her.
Zhou Qingran fiddled with the mahjong tiles in his hand, "But we're not all here yet, and the dishes haven't been served."
"Your company went bankrupt?"
What are you saying?
“The company also has Ning Junyi,” Xu Jingsi, who hadn’t spoken until now, replied.
The door opened again. "Sis, you're here too." Su Wenxie walked in, followed by a man wearing a dark red hoodie who looked relaxed.
Su didn't reply.
The talkative Zhou Qingran couldn't hold back any longer, "Young Master Shang, come on, let's play a game, we're one short."
Su Wenxie was displeased upon hearing this, "Why didn't you call me?"
Shang Jiuqi shoved him aside and sat in the empty seat, saying, "Don't you know how bad your card skills are?"
It's not that other people don't want to earn money from bad card skills, but Su Wenxie's card skills are so bad that he has to constantly ask himself if he has won and ask someone to help him check.
"Sister, look at them."
"Don't call me, I agree."
The four people were all present, and the game began.
Shang Jiuqi and Su Yao are naturally in cahoots, and the other two are family; we can't let them win.
"Why are you playing cards too?" Su asked casually.
Normally, Shang Jiuqi is very close to the princess who dotes on him, afraid that one day he will lose control of her.
"I'm in a relationship."
“Wow, you’re really fast, Mr. Shang,” Zhou Qingran interjected.
Xu Jingsi glared at him and nudged Zhou Qingran's arm.
"She's in a relationship, not with me," Shang Jiuqi said casually, as if it had nothing to do with him.
Su wanted to change the subject, "Why haven't they served the food yet?"
“There’s one more.” Su Wenxie stared at the card Su Yao was playing.
"Sorry everyone, I won by self-draw." Su was exceptionally lucky today, winning the first round without a doubt. "Who else? Xu Yangming?"
Xu Jingsi paused for a moment, then said, "He's not coming today."
"President Pei, Pei Zhixi." Zhou Qingran pressed a few buttons on the automatic mahjong machine, and a new set of tiles appeared.
"Why is he here too?" Su Yao asked, somewhat surprised. "Did you two plan this? Are you here to rip me off?"
"Who's making money off whom?" Zhou Qingran looked at his phone, which had just received the transfer.
After several rounds, Su Yao's luck remained the same, and he had won several times. The remaining times he didn't win were all won by Xu Jingsi, while Shang Jiuqi and Zhou Qingran could only transfer money.
Pei Zhixi opened the door, looking travel-worn. Su Yao coughed twice and smelled the cigarette smoke on him. "Come on, take my place."
She was so hungry that she didn't want to play anymore. The food came out quickly, but once the game started, she couldn't stop.
After getting up, she was picked up by the man who had just entered the room. Su picked up her phone, saw the message, and said, "If he makes money, it's his responsibility; if he loses, it's mine."
A new message came from the child: "When are you coming back? The food is cold and not tasty anymore."
This is the first sentence after "I am Anchi".
Su then remembered that she had agreed to have dinner with An Chi, picked up her bag, and was about to leave.
"Go make some money, Mr. Su," Zhou Qingran joked.
The moment the door closed, Su smiled and said, "The kids are waiting for me to come home. It's my treat today, just put it on my tab."
Zhou Qingran was puzzled and was about to ask when the person left.
Su Wenxie noticed his confusion, "The adopted child."
It was late at night when Su got home, and the living room light was still on, visible from the window.
The sound of the door opening did not wake the sleeping boy. The boy was curled up in the corner of the sofa, breathing steadily, and it seemed that he would not wake up for a while.
Su, who had been on a week-long inspection tour, only felt at ease when he saw people. He hadn't eaten in a long time and was extremely hungry.
Upon entering the kitchen, I discovered a variety of dishes in the refrigerator, some even plated and looking very appetizing. I just wondered how they would taste.
She took it out, intending to heat it in the microwave.
There wasn't much noise, but as if by telepathy, Su Anchi appeared at the kitchen door, rubbing his eyes and waking up. "I'll do it."
Su didn't look at him, but simply replied, "No need, I can do this myself."
When the food was served, Su took two pairs of chopsticks and said, "Have some."
"I've already eaten," Su Anchi said, scratching his head sheepishly.
What did you eat?
"Food and drink."
I want to hear the truth.
"White rice."
Su didn't say anything, but simply raised her chin, gesturing for him to sit down and eat.
"I……"
"Let's eat first," she interrupted.
There wasn't a single word spoken during the meal; the only sound was the soft, almost imperceptible rustling of sleeves against the table as they constantly picked up food.
After wiping his mouth with a napkin, Su Yao noticed that Su Anchi had stopped picking up food, so he called Xiaobai over to clean up. "Aunt Hong will be back tomorrow, so you don't need to cook anymore." Then he realized something was off, "If you want to cook, tell Aunt Hong in advance and ask her to help you. Don't tire yourself out."
He bit his lip, remaining silent, his eyes darting away. "I didn't eat the food in time today, so reheating it probably won't taste very good. I'll try again next time..."
"Do you know why I value you, An Chi?" Su Yao's expression turned serious as he stared intently at the child he had only known for three days.
When she gets serious, even the company's managers feel pressured, let alone a sixteen-year-old boy.
An Chi looked up and saw those fox-like eyes narrowed slightly, as if they were looking at their prey.
Foxes are the most cunning of animals. They can afford to eat delicacies and endure bland physalis. They are ambitious and patient. If they can't get their prey, they will always pretend to be close to it.
“Because I’m almost an adult, well… get rid of it.” He didn’t want to tell the truth, but he had to.
The "fox" raised its head, its arrogant gaze seemingly determined to win. "No, I value your intelligence. I've heard your grades are pretty good, so I figure someone with good grades must also be smart."
An Chi looked slightly confused; he had said something wrong.
“Such a person will not bring shame to the Su family, but prosperity, I believe.” Her firm and confident tone revealed her true self. “But in you, at least for now, I don’t see the kind of intelligence I’m used to.”
He lowered his head in shame again, his face burning. Just as Su Yao had said, he was both clever and not clever.
“This is the Su family. Your surname is Su. You are not a servant. You are the young master of the Su family. You don’t need to do anything subservient. Otherwise, I will really think I misjudged you.”
"No, I just wanted to do something to repay you."
Do you know what I lack most?
Su Anchi finally dared to meet those fox-like eyes. No matter what she lacked, he was willing to fight for it for her.
“I lack countless riches and supreme status. Sometimes I think, perhaps... I would be better off as an emperor.” Before the playful expression appeared on Su Yao’s face, Su Anchi actually took it seriously, but the word “emperor” immediately gave him away.
"Stop joking with me, Sister Su Yao." Su Anchi shook her head and smiled helplessly.
"You're so clever, but I'd rather have money than a maid to take care of me. Don't do these things anymore, someone else will. You should focus on your studies, grow up properly, and pay me back when you earn money." Su stood up, leaned forward, and supported herself on the table with her hands, smiling at An Chi.
"I understand, Sister Su Yao." An Chi looked at the dimple on the corner of her lips. This was something he noticed as soon as he met Su Yao. Her face was so charming, yet there was a dimple on her left lip. It was just right and added a unique touch to her beauty.
Leaving the dining table, Su Yao stopped beside Su Anchi, turned around, and gently tapped the table with her two slender fingers, saying, "Be good, Mom... your sister won't mistreat you."
I wanted to call her "Mom," but An Chi kept calling her "Sister Su Yao," and I already felt it was strange to call myself "Mom," so I had to change my address.
Su Anchi's eyes darkened, and he said nothing, only staring at the table he had just tapped.
Su Yao had already returned to her room, and there was no sign of her anywhere.
Those in real power have no time to stay at home every day, not to mention that if Sue were a woman, there would be many people coveting her position.
In less than two days, Su Yao will be heading to Columbus. She is really busy, and once she leaves, she won't be able to put her feet down for a month.
An Chi's school year is drawing closer, and he will soon be starting his second year of high school at a new school, but Su Yao shows no sign of wanting to go home.
At first, he didn't want to message Su, afraid of bothering her. About a week later, he couldn't help but ask her when she was coming home. It was because of the time difference, and she replied very late.
But the time difference didn't seem to be Columbus's time, so he cautiously asked her where she was.
Much later, she finally said she was in London.
Later, he took advantage of her and sent her messages every day, first asking when she was coming home, and then telling her what he had done that day.
He always received a late reply, and she was more patient than he had imagined.
A month later, Su took the initiative to message him, saying that she was coming back.
When he woke up and saw the message, he didn't know how he felt, but he definitely didn't feel good.
He wanted to cook a welcome meal for Su, but he still couldn't figure out what Su liked to eat.
That night, the stars rose in the sky.
As soon as I opened the door, I smelled a delicious aroma. Unlike the previous house where the lights were off, the smell of cooking wafted out from the kitchen, and the warm yellow light illuminated the busy people, including the bowl of noodles.
Su Yao leaned closer, and the person arranging the food suddenly realized who she was, awkwardly wiping their hands. "Sister Su Yao... you're back."
"Yes, you made noodles?"
"Mmm, tomato and egg noodles." He was just sprinkling chopped green onions.
"Actually, there's no need to go to so much trouble. Where's Aunt Hong?"
His eyes darted around. "I sent her back. I was thinking of cooking for you, but I was afraid Aunt Hong would offer to help..." An Chi's voice trailed off. He had never forgotten Su Yao's words, including her reluctance for him to do these things.
But he wanted to be alone with her, even if it was just for one night.
She sat down, looking at the still steaming tomato and egg noodles. "What made you decide to make this noodle dish?"
Su was adept at the usual polite exchanges.
“I…” Su Anchi didn’t know whether he should bring it up, but he felt that it was better not to lie to her now. “Mom said that if people don’t come home for a long time, the gods of Anzhai will be angry. Only by bringing back some of the taste of home can the gods be at ease. Before, our family always made tomato and egg noodles, so I started making them too.”
She bit off the noodles she was eating, then paused in her hand movements. "Okay, then I hope that every time I come back from a business trip, my little fairy will make me a bowl of tomato and egg noodles to explain to your home god that I didn't mean to make him angry."
An Chi's expression softened. He didn't notice Su Yao's displeasure and even joked with him.
"Are you going to go back to school soon?" Su asked.
"Um."
"Should I have an assistant accompany you to buy the things you need for school?" she asked, her tone respecting An Chi's choice.
"No need, I can buy it myself."
"Okay, is your sister going to school too?"
"Yes, she's in the first year of junior high this year."
"Let her take a year off from school. I'll handle the paperwork for her. She can go back to school once she's fully recovered."
Thanks to Su Yao's financial assistance, An Lan's illness was quickly examined, and the surgery date was set; all that was left was to wait.
"Thank you, Sister Su."
"What's the big deal? If you promise, you have to keep your word, right?" Su was a little tired from the transfer, and after a few bites, she didn't want to eat anymore. She put down her chopsticks and added, "It's pretty good. I'm a little tired, so I'm going back to get some sleep."
"Okay." Su Anchi smiled as he watched Su Yao return to his room. His heartbeat slowed down, and he felt more at ease and at peace.
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