Chapter 35
Less than five minutes after returning to the hotel, Iris heard Zhuang Zhuoyuan's voice in the lobby. Iris ignored him and continued packing her luggage in the dressing room. G-Force was in a hurry to get back and appease his girlfriend, so he didn't have time to take her to the villa. She had arranged for another driver to be on standby downstairs.
His girlfriend insisted on leaving, leaving Zhuang Zhuoyuan with no choice but to accompany her in the taxi all the way to Repulse Bay. The driver seemed to be an acquaintance of Iris's; he not only helped with her luggage and prevented him from entering the house, but also gave her a meaningful smile when he came out. Zhuang received his second business card of the evening—the first one, handwritten by G-Force and left on the table, contained only a simple name and no phone number. The taxi driver's card was much more formal, with his name and phone number, making it easy to investigate him further.
"Is it Mr. Ma?"
"Just call me Little Ma."
Zhuang Zhuoyuan put away his business card and looked up. The taxi driver, who also had a somewhat roguish air about him, smiled and answered, seemingly trying to attract a new potential customer. One advantage of being friends with taxi drivers is that most of them are very talkative. Observing Zhuang Zhuoyuan's expression, Xiao Ma had already guessed what he wanted to say, so before the latter could speak, he blurted it out: "Miss Zhou has already made an appointment with me. For the next week, I will take her to school every day before handing over my shift. At other times, I will also arrange a reliable driver for her. Don't worry, Mr. Zhuang, Miss Zhou is a regular customer. She has always taken our group of cars when she comes to Hong Kong before. We will take good care of her."
Zhuang Zhuoyuan paused for a moment: "What does 'in the past' mean?"
“Oh, it was when I came to Hong Kong to look for someone before,” Xiao Ma tugged at his fanny pack, seemingly finding the matter quite interesting. “During the day, G-Force would take her around whenever he was free, and if he wasn’t, he would look for us. At night, I would basically drive her around, and we would return to the hotel around midnight.”
Zhuang Zhuoyuan became interested: "What, you know G-Force too?"
"He's a cargo driver!" As soon as the order notification popped up, Xiao Ma jumped into his car to accept the order, quickly fastening his seatbelt. Clearly, he couldn't linger any longer. "Ms. Zhou introduced us. We drive people, he drives cargo; we're practically in the same line of work, and we sometimes help each other out. G-Force lives up to his name—his driving skills are excellent, and he drives incredibly fast. Using his services definitely eliminates worries about late fees. Alright, Mr. Zhuang, I have to go pick someone up now. Let's talk again next time we meet. Remember to call me if you need anything!"
Zhuang Zhuoyuan really wanted to ask if Xiao Ma could pick him up first and then pick up Iris for the next week. What an unexpected disaster! Now he'd even lost the perk of picking up and dropping off his wife from school.
Just as he was lamenting, a familiar voice came from behind him. Yu Xueli walked out from the path and called out with a hint of doubt, "A Yuan?" After moving out to live alone, he rarely went home and was not clear about what was going on at home. He was even less concerned about the company. For various reasons, he was still unaware of the relationship between his family and the Zhou family.
Do you live around this area?
"The villa everyone's talking about, could it be this one?"
The different questions asked revealed how much information the two had. Zhuang Zhuoyuan was not surprised that he, as an "outsider," knew more than Yu Xueli. He could already glean some information from the casual conversations of his group. At least he had Iris to provide him with background information. Yu Xueli, on the other hand, was reluctant to associate with his family. Even if his family nagged him about it every day, he probably wouldn't remember the relationship between his family company and other businesses, let alone connect his teammates with the family business.
Seeing Yu Xueli point to a large house a few buildings away diagonally behind, Zhuang Zhuoyuan nodded and responded to his question: "My future father-in-law bought this house at the end of last year, saying that when the whole family comes back, they will all live here to make it more lively. Iris and I usually live at my house or ULO, and we just moved here today."
"That's how it is." Yu Xueli finally understood what Zhuang Zhuoyuan had said when everyone was teasing him about him on the day he appeared on the magazine cover. He glanced at the latter's car still parked outside and raised his chin: "What's going on?"
It was obvious from their appearance that not both of them lived here. Zhuang Zhuoyuan shook his head and smiled wryly: "My wife got angry and ran back to her parents' house." He thought for a moment and then asked the man in front of him: "Have you been staying here recently? Or could you look after Iris for me when you come over? I'm a little worried about her living alone."
"Alright," Yu Xueli said knowingly, everyone knew Zhuang Zhuoyuan's reputation as a "perfect husband," "I'd better secretly let you know when she's not around, so you can be the snail prince for a while, right?"
With his father ill, Yu Xueli did return home more often. Thanks to Zhuang Zhuoyuan's instructions, Iris's interactions with the Yu family became closer, indirectly promoting business cooperation between the two families. Topaz, sorting out the connections, found it somewhat amusing, but Edward only cared about the result, so he didn't care about the process. In the end, he could only sigh that Zhuang Zhuoyuan was indeed lucky.
Zhuang Zhuoyuan couldn't believe his luck. During happy hour, he first heard Pauline talk about the strange cravings of the fruit shop owner next door after she became pregnant, and then his mother mentioned Lamy's unstable emotions during her pregnancy. His heart skipped a beat, and a thought flashed through his mind before disappearing in an instant. But when he secretly went to clean the villa, he couldn't help but pay attention, and that's when he discovered Iris's pregnancy test stick, which she had casually placed on the living room table—two lines!
His first instinct was to call Iris, who was away on a business trip to the mainland. His trembling hand pressed the keys halfway, but then stopped, overcome with fear. Iris had been in Hangzhou for several days, meaning she hadn't yet come up with the truth about her pregnancy. They hadn't originally planned to have a child at this time, and now, coupled with their semi-cold war, Iris's attitude was causing him considerable worry.
After much deliberation, Zhuang Zhuoyuan finally dialed the number of Ye Xiujun, an obstetrician and gynecologist whom Iris knew well. Knowing his girlfriend's personality, she would most likely come to her for examinations and tests if anything seemed amiss. "Hello, Dr. Yip, this is Zhuang Zhuoyuan. I wanted to ask if Iris has come to see you recently?"
"Yes!" Dr. Yip answered subconsciously, but then suddenly seemed to remember something and changed the subject, giving Zhuang Zhuoyuan another explanation: "Iris did come up to me, but she also told me not to reveal any information, so if you have any questions, it's best to ask her in person. I can't help you here, sorry."
Ye Xiuyun was tight-lipped, and Zhuang Zhuoyuan knew he wouldn't get any further information from her, so he could only hang up the phone dejectedly and slump onto the sofa. Even the doctor had specifically instructed him to keep it a secret from him, and he couldn't help but think of the worst-case scenario: perhaps Iris really was planning to have an abortion.
"BB, BB, when are you coming back?"
"BB, I miss you so much."
"BB, let's discuss this when we get back, okay?"
He sent three messages, but received no immediate reply. Unsure of Iris's thoughts, Zhuang Zhuoyuan dared not bring up the child directly, fearing it might backfire. He guessed Iris might still be attending a script reading, but couldn't help suspecting she might have used the opportunity to go to the hospital. If it weren't for the difficulty in granting leave, he would have immediately called Zhan Hantao and flown to his girlfriend's side as quickly as possible. It wasn't until he saw Uncle Chao again that evening that Zhuang Zhuoyuan, his thoughts in disarray, suddenly remembered that Iris had brought her assistant, Zhang Zhanchao, with her. Finding a busy man was difficult, but getting information from the assistant was easy. After a few words, upon learning that Iris had been obediently on set and hadn't stepped into the hospital, Zhuang Zhuoyuan finally breathed a sigh of relief: "Alright, then please continue to look after Iris and don't let her get tired. If she feels unwell, see a doctor promptly and remember to notify me immediately. Also, please be careful not to let my concern slip."
The innocent-looking assistant on the other end of the phone sounded as if he were standing at attention and bowing, his voice full of energy: "Yes, sir!"
After much coaxing and coaxing, Iris started replying to messages more frequently, which cheered Zhuang Zhuoyuan up. He gradually felt a surge of joy at becoming a father. Everyone noticed his lips were always slightly upturned, and despite the gossip, he always managed to avoid it. Even after training ended and they went to the locker room, Zhuang Zhuoyuan could use the excuse of helping Qiu Junxuan count his push-ups to stop Jianren and the others from asking questions.
"97, 98... This won't do, it didn't go down, start again, 95, 96..."
Well-behaved Ah Xuan let him do whatever he wanted.
Yu Xueli, who usually partners with Qiu Junxuan, is unusually absent today and has not yet appeared. Zhan Sir went to the dressing room again to ask if anyone knew Yu Xueli's whereabouts, but the result was the same: no one could contact him.
After a day of absence, Zhuang Zhuoyuan thought it best to go to Repulse Bay that evening or take a detour to look for him. Having spent a long time with Yu Xueli, he knew Bob's character better and better; the latter would never be absent from work without a reason. But before he could take action, news came from Zhan Sir and Qiu Junxuan that Yu Shitang had been kidnapped.
After witnessing his father being kidnapped and forced into a car, Yu Xueli not only didn't call the police, but also complied with the kidnappers' demands, sending his older sister, Yu Xueen, to Tai Po Lam Tsuen for the ransom. Realizing he couldn't apprehend the kidnappers alone, he called Qiu Junxuan for help. During the call, he didn't clearly explain why he wanted to speak with Qiu Junxuan, who then hitched a ride with Zhan Sir, who was also heading to Tai Po Lam Tsuen. As a result, Zhan Sir discovered their plan, and the matter came to light.
It wasn't until two days later, when they located the kidnappers' hideout and successfully rescued the kidnapped individuals, that Zhuang Zhuoyuan explained the whole story to Iris. Iris, having just finished washing up and half-lying on the bed, was astonished as everyone else when Zhuang Zhuoyuan mentioned Yu Xueen's involvement in the kidnapping. But after the initial surprise, she understood: "Michael must have owed Wang Gui money. According to Topaz, Michael's business acumen is generally mediocre, so owing money isn't surprising, but I didn't expect him to borrow from loan sharks. Yu Xueen is prone to acting foolishly for love, and with her father's influence, kidnapping isn't out of the question. It's quite a coincidence that this matter is also connected to Wang Gui; no wonder my sister is the main person in charge of the case."
“It’s also thanks to G-Force’s leak. If it weren’t for him, my sister wouldn’t have been able to connect the clues so quickly.” As he spoke, Iris moved several times in the video. Zhuang Zhuoyuan noticed that her movements were all aimed at adjusting the position of the backrest cushion. Therefore, after talking about how Yu Shitang finally forgave her daughter and took the initiative to find a lawyer to help her with the case, he finally couldn’t help but ask, “BB, is your back uncomfortable?”
Iris frowned, rubbed her lower back a couple of times with her hands behind her back, and then simply lay down on her side to chat with Zhuang Zhuoyuan: "Yeah, I guess it's because I've been sitting for too long these past few days, my back is a little sore."
“You’ve definitely had this lately,” Zhuang Zhuoyuan said tentatively, wanting to see Iris’s reaction. But before she mentioned the pregnancy, he felt it was best not to be too direct, lest he make her nervous.
Iris didn't show any particular reaction. She adjusted the air conditioner temperature, casually replied "Maybe," and then changed her position, lying on the bed to video chat with Zhuang Zhuoyuan. Her hair was scattered on the side of her face, making one want to gently brush it aside. Zhuang Zhuoyuan felt that the phone screen was too small and they were too far apart, otherwise they could have embraced intimately. It had been too long since he had kissed her, held her, or been with her.
"Or maybe I should buy a massage device, or find a massage parlor tomorrow?" Iris finally got out of bed. Actually, she hadn't gotten used to not having Zhuang Zhuoyuan by her side for a long time. In situations like today, if he were here, she would at least have a smart humanoid cushion to help her relax.
Zhuang Zhuoyuan instinctively agreed, but then thought it was inappropriate and quickly stopped him: "The massage machine and massage parlors don't always know how much force they use. It would be even worse if they hurt you. Just bear with it for now and use a cushion while you're working, okay? I'll help you when we get back."
"Help me with what?" Iris laughed upon hearing this. "I didn't know you were working part-time as a masseuse."
She had tried his cooking countless times, and every time she came back from a field survey complaining of being tired, he had taken care of everything for her. Zhuang Zhuoyuan wanted to know more: "BB, how's your appetite lately? Have you been feeling nauseous or irritable?"
Iris laughed again: "Are you worried that I won't adapt to the new environment? The food here is very good. There's a sweet and sour dish every day, which is very appetizing."
Zhuang Zhuoyuan immediately grasped a key point—his little darling now loves sour foods. So, he started mentally planning all sorts of dishes she could eat, just waiting for his girlfriend to return from her business trip so he could show off his culinary skills. And then, there wouldn't be just one thing to do: "Baby, when you get back, how about we go to Disneyland again? Or Ocean Park?"
"What are you doing? Trying to make it up to me?" She pouted and brought up Ding Huihui's matter again.
Zhuang Zhuoyuan wisely distanced himself from the situation, holding up three fingers as a guarantee, and then coaxed her with a smile: "We haven't gone on a date in a long time. This time we'll be apart for almost longer than when you went back to England last time. There are a lot of new dolls coming out recently, so let's go and bring some home, okay?"
It turned out he wanted to coax her to go home. Iris hesitated for a moment, her eyes darting around, before finally nodding casually and haughtily, "Fine."
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