Chapter 42 Does he have another woman?
The word "Mom" flashed on the screen. Her fingertip hovered over the answer button. She hesitated for a moment, but finally let the call hang up automatically.
However, the phone had barely been quiet for ten seconds when it started vibrating again, as if she wouldn't give up until she answered.
Yan Shuang took a deep breath and pressed the answer button.
"Shuangshuang!" Zhou Yaqin's voice came through the receiver, much more urgent than usual, "Can you come back now? Something's happened!"
Yan Shuang's tone was indifferent: "What is it?"
"Qiu Zhu... Qiu Zhu said he wants to postpone the engagement!" Zhou Yaqin's voice was filled with panic.
Yan Shuang suddenly stood up straight.
Postponing the engagement?
Originally, my sister was supposed to become Mrs. Shang next month, and I, the so-called informant and bed partner, would be able to retire gracefully.
Now they're actually postponing the engagement?
"Shuangshuang? Are you listening?" Zhou Yaqin's voice pulled her back to reality.
Yan Shuang closed her eyes briefly. "I understand. I'll go back now."
Forty minutes later, the car stopped in front of the Yan family villa.
Yan Shuang took a deep breath in front of the wrought iron gate before entering the password and going inside.
"Miss is back." Butler Chen greeted her, taking her bag and coat. "Madam has been waiting for you for a long time."
Yan Shuang nodded, changed into slippers, and walked towards the living room.
The lights were brighter than usual, and Yan Shuang saw Shang Qiuzhu sitting on the sofa in the center of the living room.
When Shangqiu Zhu usually visited, his older sister Yan You would cling to his side, chatting and laughing sweetly, and his parents would flatter this promising son-in-law with beaming smiles.
But today, Yan You just sat stiffly on the single sofa, a forced smile on her exquisitely made-up face.
Yan Zhenye had a stern face, while Zhou Yaqin looked worried, her gaze shifting back and forth between Shang Qiuzhu and Yan You.
"Shuangshuang is back." Zhou Yaqin was the first to notice her daughter standing at the door.
"Shuangshuang, come and sit down," her father said sternly. "Qiu Zhu has come today to discuss something."
Yan Shuang walked over to the sofa and sat down.
“There’s been a problem with the project in the US, and I need to go there in person to handle it,” Shang Qiuzhu said bluntly, her voice calm and devoid of any emotion. “Therefore, I hope the wedding, originally scheduled for next month, can be postponed to October.”
Yan You's face turned deathly pale: "I disagree! We've prepared everything!"
Yan Shuang held her breath, her gaze shifting between her sister and Shangqiu Zhu.
Four months.
The word echoed in her mind.
That means we have to wait another four months.
"It's just a postponement, not a cancellation," Shang Qiuzhu explained calmly. "The project is related to the company's layout in North America next year, so I have to handle it personally."
Yan Zhenye snorted heavily: "Qiu Zhu, the marriage between our two families is not just a matter for you young people. The Yan family has already invested a lot of resources in the wedding, and the invitations have already been sent out."
Yan Shuang silently translated her father's words in her mind: The Yan family needs the commercial benefits brought by this marriage alliance, and there cannot be any mishaps.
"The Shang family will bear all the losses," Shang Qiuzhu said decisively. "In addition, I can give up two more percentage points in the profit sharing ratio for the new energy project."
Yan Zhenye's eyes lit up for a moment, but he quickly straightened his face again: "This isn't about money..."
“Three points,” Shangqiu Zhu interrupted him, her voice turning colder. “These are my bottom line.”
The living room fell silent for a moment.
Yan You bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes. Her parents exchanged a glance, while Shang Qiuzhu sipped his tea expressionlessly, as if the negotiation worth hundreds of millions had nothing to do with him.
Yan Shuang looked away, only to meet her mother's frantic winking.
Zhou Yaqin subtly tilted her head towards the restroom.
Yan Shuang stood up, ignored everyone's reaction, and walked straight to the restroom at the end of the corridor.
Yan Shuang closed the door and turned on the tap, but the sound of running water was quickly interrupted by a gentle knock on the door.
"Shuangshuang, it's me." Her mother's low voice came from outside the door.
Yan Shuang turned off the tap, and Zhou Yaqin quickly slipped in and locked the door behind her.
Yan Shuang subconsciously took half a step back, looking at her mother warily.
Zhou Yaqin grabbed her wrist, her voice extremely low: "What happened? Why did Shang Qiuzhu suddenly postpone the wedding? Is it really because of work?"
"Probably, he was so busy today that he didn't even have lunch," she replied in as calm a tone as possible.
Zhou Yaqin pressed on, "Shuangshuang, tell Mom the truth, does Shangqiu Zhu have another woman outside?"
Yan Shuang's heart skipped a beat, and blood rushed to her cheeks. Forcing herself to remain calm, she turned her head away from her mother's scrutinizing gaze, her voice stiff: "How should I know?"
"You work alongside him every day, how could you not know? When he came to our house today and talked about postponing the wedding, his eyes were all strange. I've been through this before, I can tell!"
Under the dim light of the bathroom, Yan Shuang could clearly see that what flickered in her mother's eyes was not worry for her daughter's happiness, but a fear and calculation of losing the Shang family, her powerful backer.
That look chilled her to the bone.
"Mom, you're hurting me." Yan Shuang forcefully pulled her hand away.
Zhou Yaqin didn't care whether she was in pain or not. She persisted, "Shuangshuang, now only you can help the family. Your dad said you can go to America with him. Keep an eye on Shangqiu Zhu. If you find any clues, tell Mom immediately, okay?"
“Mom,” Yan Shuang interrupted her, a sense of absurdity and exhaustion welling up inside her, “I still have an important project personally assigned to me by President Shang, and I simply can’t leave.”
"Shuangshuang, I'm begging you, please help the family, keep an eye on Shangqiu Zhu..."
“I’m not a detective.” A hint of sarcasm flashed in her eyes.
“You’re around him every day, you’re bound to discover something,” Zhou Yaqin said in a low voice, almost pleading. “If your sister’s wedding falls through, the company is finished…”
As Yan Shuang listened to her mother's repeated pleas, the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned down.
She lowered her eyes, concealing all her emotions, wanting only to end this suffocating conversation as soon as possible: "Okay, I understand."
She knew perfectly well that the US branch was a core component of Shangqiu Zhu Technology Empire, involving cutting-edge technology and highly classified information. This had absolutely nothing to do with her expertise; why would Shangqiu Zhu possibly take her there?
That man always kept his personal and professional life separate and would never let her participate in unrelated projects because of personal relationships.
Moreover, their relationship was utterly worthless.
Hearing Yan Shuang's affirmative answer, the mother finally felt relieved.
"I'll go first. If I linger, they'll get suspicious. Go back in a few minutes." The mother tidied her hair one last time. "Remember, keep a close eye on Shangqiu Zhu. If someone's outside..."
A cold glint flashed in her eyes. "We need to settle this before the wedding."
"Hmm." Yan Shuang lowered her eyelashes, her tone perfunctory.
Yan Shuang lingered in the bathroom for a long time before taking a deep breath and turning the doorknob.
As she walked to the shadowy corner of the terrace, a tall, slender figure leaned against her silently, facing sideways.
It is Shangqiu bamboo.
He had an unlit cigarette between his fingers, and his expression was somewhat indistinct in the dim light.
Yan Shuang paused in her steps.
He turned to look at her, his gaze lingering on her face for a moment, the scrutinizing look making her almost want to back away.
Then, he slowly spoke, "What bad things were you saying about me just now?"
Yan Shuang's breath hitched.
"Who said anything about you?" she asked, trying to sound natural.
Shangqiu bamboo remained silent for a moment.
In the darkness, he chuckled very softly, a short and ambiguous laugh.
“Just now,” he slowed his speech, “in the bathroom with your mother, you didn’t say anything bad about me?”
Yan Shuang's heart pounded wildly.
Did he hear her? Or did he just guess? She forced herself to look him in the eye: "We were just talking about private things between girls."
“Private matters,” Shangqiu Zhu repeated the word. “For example, how to extract information from me? How to monitor my future brother-in-law’s every move?”
Yan Shuang's pupils dilated.
He knew.
He always knew.
"I don't understand what you're saying." Her voice was trembling.
Shangqiu Zhu leaned forward slightly, not getting too close, but he brought an invisible sense of pressure.
"Yan Shuang, do you think who's been putting on an act for whom these past three years? Half of the things you report to your parents about your whereabouts every day are things I let you see."
Yan Shuang suddenly raised her head. "You've always...knew?"
She herself felt that asking the question was unnecessary.
Yes, what else could it be?
Otherwise, why would Shang Qiuzhu, a man known for his iron fist and shrewdness in the business world, have kept her by his side for three years?
Shangqiu Zhu did not answer directly, but simply raised his hand and gently stroked her slightly parted lips, which were trembling with shock.
He increased the pressure, watching as her pale cheeks flushed red at a visible speed.
Yan Shuang was both anxious and angry, and without thinking about anything else, she reached out and pressed against Shang Qiuzhu's chest, trying to push him away forcefully.
Her movements were somewhat flustered. With a forceful push, she accidentally slipped on the floor tiles due to the reaction force, instantly losing her balance. With a cry of surprise, she fell forward uncontrollably.
He was about to fall to the ground in a sorry state.
A strong arm quickly wrapped around her waist and pulled her back steadily.
A strong force pulled her toward him, and her profile inevitably collided with his stiff shirt. She could even feel the warmth of his body and the firm lines of his muscles beneath the fabric.
Shangqiu Zhu's deep voice sounded above her head: "So impulsive."
His arm was still around her waist, and he didn't let go.
"You...you let go!" She frantically tried to break free from his embrace.
"Let go?" He raised an eyebrow. "Let go so you can fall again? I'm not interested in being your cushion forever."
Just then, clear footsteps came from downstairs, coming up the stairs.
Yan Shuang was so frightened that she froze, leaning stiffly against him, listening intently to make out any sounds.
Shangqiu Zhu looked down at her, watching her obediently nestled in his arms. Her fair neck was slightly tilted back, her lips parted slightly in fright, and her breathing was soft.
A look of complete dependence coupled with immense fear.
Yan You's slightly puzzled voice came from downstairs, clear and distinct: "Brother Qiu Zhu? Are you upstairs?"
Yan Shuang snapped back to her senses and pushed hard against his hard chest. "Get down now."
Shangqiu Zhu watched her nervous appearance quietly, a faint emotion flashing in his eyes.
He remained silent for two seconds. Only after her second anxious shove did he finally relent and release his arms from her waist, his expression returning to its usual indifference. He then walked down the stairs unhurriedly.
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