Chapter 33
Nine o'clock in the morning, at the entrance of the Civil Affairs Bureau.
Chu Yue asked Ji Mingfei for the third time, "Are you really sure? If you get the marriage certificate and then back out, it will be a second marriage."
Ji Mingfei held June in his arms and smiled gently, "I've thought it over, and marriage is indeed the best arrangement for June. Besides, you've already marked me permanently; we're destined to be inseparable."
"What I mean is you can think about it more; it's not something to rush." Chu Yue was actually afraid that she would regret it because she had agreed too quickly.
"Let's go inside, it's so hot outside." Ji Mingfei was about to reach out when Chu Yue opened the door ahead of her.
At the marriage registration counter, Chu Yue and Ji Mingfei sat side by side, waiting for the staff. They were the first couple to register that day, and the newly arrived staff were still preparing to begin work.
"Please fill out the form first. Did you bring a photo with a red background?"
The two, unfamiliar with the marriage registration process, looked at each other and shook their heads.
"Then you can fill out the form first. After you finish, go to the photo studio across the street to take photos. Finally, bring the completed form and photos to me to register and get your marriage certificate." The staff member briefly explained the marriage certificate process to the newlyweds.
Ji Mingfei was holding the child and it was inconvenient for him to write, so Chu Yue filled out two forms by herself, and Ji Mingfei only signed his name at the end.
Taking photos was a bit of a hassle. There was only one photographer in the studio, and June couldn't be in the picture, so we had to put her on a chair next to us and take the picture quickly before she realized what was happening.
The Civil Affairs Bureau was nearly empty early in the morning, and they quickly received their marriage certificate. The moment they stepped out of the bureau, Chu Yue, still basking in the joy of receiving her certificate, couldn't wait to discuss wedding plans with Ji Mingfei.
"We've already got the marriage certificate, and now it's time for the wedding. We still have some time, so how about we go to the wedding planning company and get some wedding photos taken? What kind of wedding do you want?"
Ji Mingfei shaded his eyes with his hand as he glanced at the azure sky. "Summer is too hot; it's not suitable for a wedding. Besides, June is so young; she can't be separated from me at all. We can't exactly carry her to meet the guests!"
"That's true." Chu Yue touched June's little face and said to the child who couldn't understand, "Then let's wait until the weather is cooler before we do it, okay, June?"
Ji Mingfei opened the car door and got in, then said, "You said last night that we would raise the child together. I'm currently on maternity leave and only receive 80% of my base salary. I'm barely making ends meet with the loan payments, so I'll have to trouble you with the child's expenses."
"Absolutely." Chu Yue pulled a credit card out of her bag and handed it to Ji Mingfei. "Take this."
Ji Mingfei didn't stand on ceremony. She put the card in her pocket and said very sincerely, "You're right. With my circumstances, I really can't provide the best life for June. So from now on, I'll provide maternal love, and you'll provide material support. Isn't that a clear division of labor? I don't want to be a useless person in the family."
“Of course! A mother’s love is something that money can’t buy, far surpassing any material conditions I can provide,” Chu Yue replied just as sincerely.
"There's one more thing..."
Chu Yue had just started the car when she turned to look at Ji Mingfei and said, "Go ahead."
"The climate in Tengen is too humid. She got heat rash on her back in June. I want to take her back to Takifuji to escape the heat."
"Won't that mean we won't see you for a long time?"
"I only took June to escape the heat because it's hot. You can come over on Sunday too! It's only a two-hour flight."
“I’m worried about you taking care of the child alone. Besides, you don’t have any relatives or friends there. What if someone gets sick? Who will take care of you?”
“I’m very familiar with my colleagues at Shanhe. If I get sick, I’ll go to the hospital. If I’m too busy, I’ll find an auntie to help me. Don’t worry!”
"Let me think about it." Chu Yue didn't agree immediately.
After Ji Mingfei's relentless pleading and cajoling, Chu Yue finally gave in.
A week later, Ji Mingfei returned to her familiar little home with her child.
"I don't think Takifuji is much cooler than Tengen, and the cicadas are chirping so loudly outside, won't that disturb our rest?" Chu Yue complained the whole way, she just didn't want to leave her and her daughter in such a far place.
"It's cool in the mornings and evenings, there's not much car exhaust on the streets, and the sound of cicadas means there's a lot of greenery. The air is much better than in Tianyuan."
Chu Yue could tell that she was determined to stay here, so she didn't interfere too much. The only thing she could do was prepare more daily necessities for June, so that she wouldn't have to buy these bulky items when she ran out.
Because the company's new project was quite busy, Chu Yue only stayed one night before taking a flight back the next afternoon. Before leaving, she asked Shen Qian to find a cook, who seemed quite capable.
That evening, after seeing Chu Yue off, Ji Mingfei received a call from a real estate agent saying that someone wanted to view the apartment, which reminded her of the time she had listed her apartment.
Although Chu Yue's house was also vacant, Ji Mingfei had no intention of selling it. After rejecting the offer, she also deleted the listing.
At the end of the month, the bank's loan repayment text message arrived as scheduled. Ji Mingfei stared at his phone for a long time, remembering the credit card Chu Yue had left behind, wondering how much the card could be overdrawn.
Ji Mingfei chose a cool morning and pushed the stroller to the bank to inquire about loan repayment. Loan repayment required applying a month in advance and agreeing on a repayment date. Since it could be cancelled at any time, Ji Mingfei didn't think too much about it and wrote one down.
One evening, Chu Yue, who had just finished work, sat in her office and video-called Ji Mingfei.
“I was worried you were asleep. How have you been these past few days? How's Auntie’s cooking? Has the prickly heat gone down in June? What do you want? I’ll bring it to you when I go over on Sunday.”
"Everything is fine." Ji Mingfei turned the camera to June, who was fast asleep. "Let me show you the baby."
"Sleeping so soundly! But her mouth is still moving, is she not full?"
Ji Mingfei yawned while holding his phone, then grabbed a pillow from the headboard, propped the phone up on it, and went to wash his face.
Chu Yue talked to herself for a long time without Ji Mingfei responding, and the camera angle changed to be the same height as Liu Yue lying down, like a still image.
"Mingfei, are you there?" Perhaps her voice was a bit too loud, because June's arm suddenly twitched, startling Chu Yue so much that she dared not call out again.
When Ji Mingfei returned from washing up, she picked up her phone and saw that Chu Yue was still online. She smiled and said, "June is asleep. You can tell your daughter what you want to say when she wakes up. It's getting late, so you should go home and rest early. Drive carefully on the road. Good night!"
"Good evening..." The video call ended, and Chu Yue looked at the WeChat interface that popped up. "...Goodnight."
Deng Jie stood at the door and knocked, asking, "Boss, are we leaving now?"
Chu Yue stood up, supporting herself on the table, holding her phone in one hand and her bag in the other, and walked out of the office, exhausted.
While waiting for the elevator, Chu Yue rubbed her temples and asked, "What has your sister been up to lately?"
"It seems she's applying for a legal position at the company, but I'm not entirely sure about the specifics."
"She abandoned her own law firm to work as a legal counsel at our company. Isn't that a waste of her talent?"
"I don't know what she was thinking. Maybe she was tired of being a lawyer and wanted to find a more stable job."
"Is she that kind of person? I might believe it if you said she had her eye on something."
"What are you targeting?" Deng Jie thought for a long time, then suddenly said loudly, "I hope my sister doesn't hold a grudge against President Shen! Last time when I told her that President Shen had sexually harassed me, I deliberately made it sound very serious. In reality, I was just forced to bite President Shen's neck. I didn't even touch his glands."
Chu Yue stepped into the elevator. "That's still somewhat possible."
…
Chu Yue had originally planned to fly to see her wife and children over the weekend, but the company suddenly held an emergency meeting. Before rushing to the company, she called Ji Mingfei.
"I can't go to Takito today. There's been a problem with the new project, and I have to go to the company for a meeting right away. Don't wait for me, you and the kids! I'll call you when I'm done."
Ji Mingfei was taking a walk in the park with June when he heard that Chu Yue couldn't come today. He comforted her understandingly, saying, "It's okay, work is important. I'll send you a picture of June in a bit."
Chu Yue was so moved that she wanted to drop everything and fly to Takito. "Thank you, my wife!"
"Go ahead and get busy, bye."
After hanging up the phone, Ji Mingfei told the housekeeper, who was cooking at home, that there was no need to prepare extra food for Chu Yue. After giving these instructions, Ji Mingfei remembered to send Chu Yue some photos. She was sitting on a park bench and had taken several beautiful pictures of Chu Yue.
Sitting in the conference room waiting for the meeting to start, Chu Yue opened WeChat and scrolled down a row of chat history, all of which were photos of June sleeping.
On the bed, on the sofa, in the stroller... there wasn't a single photo taken when I was awake.
"Honey, next time send me a picture of the baby awake. Love you!"
"Okay, mwah~"
After a month of busy work and repeated postponements of her trip to Shantou, Chu Yue finally managed to snag a day off and quickly booked a flight. If she didn't go see her June soon, her child would hardly recognize her anymore.
Chu Yue excitedly pushed open the door, and a delicious aroma of food wafted towards her. She tiptoed inside, wanting to surprise her husband, but the aunt who was cooking turned around and grinned at her.
"President Chu is back! Dinner will be ready soon."
Chu Yue suppressed her smile and asked politely, "Where are Mingfei and the child?"
"Madam took June out to play, and they won't be back for a while."
"knew."
Chu Yue left the kitchen looking dejected. She sat on the sofa and turned on the TV, which was showing cartoons. After watching two episodes of Peppa Pig, there was finally a knock at the door.
Ji Mingfei pushed the stroller into the room and heard the sound of a television in the living room. The next second, Chu Yue stood in front of her, gazing at her affectionately.
"Look at me, I forgot you were coming back today. I clearly told the aunt to cook for you. I should have been waiting for you at home."
Chu Yue reached out and picked up the child. "I don't know when I'll be back. I know you take June out for a walk every day."
Suddenly being carried away by a stranger, June looked at the person who was holding her, then at her mother, her little mouth twitched, and she burst into tears.
Chu Yue: "..."
She never cried when I held her.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
