Chapter 9
weekend.
When Chu Jianghe and Yan Ke returned, Chu Muchao was still in bed.
The aunt came upstairs to call Chu Wen for breakfast.
Chu Wen passed by Chu Muchao's room, but the door remained tightly closed.
The aunt said, "The young lady's breakfast is still being cooked. This morning, I stewed a pot of pigeon soup and also made crab roe soup dumplings, which the young lady likes."
"Hmm." Chu Wen withdrew his gaze and walked towards the elevator.
The aunt hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but then stopped.
The elevator doors opened and closed again, and the aunt couldn't help but remind her, "The master and mistress returned this morning and are having lunch in the dining room."
Chu Wen's face remained as indifferent and composed as ever: "Okay, I understand."
When Chu Wen arrived at the restaurant, Chu Jianghe and Yan Ke had already finished half of their breakfast.
Hearing footsteps approaching, Yan Ke, whose seat faced the restaurant entrance, raised her eyes slightly and smiled kindly: "Good morning, Awen."
"Good morning, Dad, Mom." Chu Wen nodded and bent down. "Chao Chao hasn't gotten up yet, and her breakfast isn't ready. Should I go wake her up?"
Chu Jianghe raised his hand and waved: "She just started working, she must be quite tired usually, let her sleep in."
Chu Wen lowered his eyes: "Okay."
Chu Wen's attitude toward Chu Jianghe and Yan Ke was not always so cold.
Chu Jianghe and Yan Ke felt somewhat annoyed and unhappy that their child was so indifferent to them, as they had raised the child themselves.
Unlike Chaochao, Chu Wen was too deep and thoughtful, and he never frankly expressed what he was thinking.
There is no way of knowing when he said something that made him worry.
The two recognized each other at a glance.
Yan Ke said gently, "Sit down and have breakfast together. It's been a long time since we've had breakfast together."
"Okay." Chu Wen replied like a subordinate who had received an order, before pulling out a chair and sitting down.
Yan Ke let out a barely audible sigh.
How's the company doing lately?
Yan Ke picked up a crab roe soup dumpling and put it into the small bowl in front of Chu Wen.
"Completed in the first half of the year..."
Chu Wen lowered his eyes, answering questions about the company's recent situation in a methodical manner, as if he were reporting to a superior.
From making big-picture decisions to reporting on revenue and scale, nothing is too small.
After listening, Yan Ke first expressed his approval of Chu Wen's report.
"My parents are very relieved to have the company managed by Awen."
Chu Jianghe put down his soup spoon and asked casually, "By the way, what about Chaochao...?"
"Chaochao is currently interning in the branch office's operations department."
After Chu Wen finished speaking, he looked up at Chu Jianghe.
"If necessary, I will ask someone to develop a training plan for Chaochao. Once she is capable of handling things independently, I will resign from my position as CEO."
"You..."
“Ah Wen, that’s not what your parents meant.” Yan Ke suppressed her smile and said seriously, “Chao Chao is still young and doesn’t have any thoughts about that right now. Your parents just hope that Chao Chao can grow up healthy, happy and carefree. Besides, your parents are really at ease handing the company over to you.”
Chu Wen, however, was unmoved: "But I am not your biological son after all."
Yan Ke wanted to say something, but Chu Jianghe held her hand and tightened his grip.
I interrupted her at the right time.
-
10:00 AM.
Chu Muchao turned over and lay on his side on the soft bed, stretching out his limbs.
The voice of the smart home assistant came from the speaker by the bed.
"Good morning, young lady. Would you like the curtains drawn now?"
Hearing the sound, Chu Mu buried her head in the soft pillow and mumbled, "No!"
I slept so soundly, I'm refusing to be exposed to the sun!
She wanted to stay in bed a little longer when she heard her aunt's voice on the walkie-talkie.
"Miss, breakfast is ready. Today's breakfast includes pigeon soup, crab roe soup dumplings... Also, Madam and Master returned this morning."
Still somewhat drowsy, Chu Muchao opened his eyes wide upon hearing his parents return, all sleepiness gone.
Chu Muchao turned back, reached for the walkie-talkie, and asked.
Where is my brother?
"Young Master Chu has already left. He said he was very busy with work today and had a business dinner tonight, so he wouldn't be home for dinner. He also told Miss to eat her dinner properly."
I knew Chu Wen must have left.
She didn't know when it started, but she always felt that the atmosphere between Chu Wen and her parents was a bit strange. However, she couldn't get a direct answer from anyone she asked, so she could only observe and guess.
Unable to fall asleep, Chu Muchao changed his clothes, washed up, and went downstairs.
Yan Ke stood with his hands behind his back in front of the floor-to-ceiling window next to the restaurant, admiring the scenery in the courtyard through the light-transmitting glass.
Clearly, they were waiting for Chu Muchao here.
Chu Muchao walked over and hugged Yan Ke's arm from behind in a coquettish manner.
"Mommy~ you're back."
Yan Ke turned her head and looked down at her daughter, who still loved to act spoiled just like when she was a child, and her heart softened.
"You've started your internship at the company. Is there anything you're not used to?"
Chu Muchao shook his head: "There's nothing to be unaccustomed to, you'll get used to it slowly."
Yan Ke hummed in agreement, then took Chu Muchao's arm and led him to the dining table.
Breakfast has been served.
A small bowl of pigeon soup was placed in front of Chu Muchao, the soup still steaming.
"Eat breakfast first."
"Oh, thank you, Mommy."
Chu Muchao smiled and scooped up a spoonful of pigeon soup, putting it into his mouth.
The soup was still delicious, but she was starting to feel a bit greasy about it.
No one can drink medicinal soup every day, no matter how delicious it is!
Chu Muchao frowned, put down the soup spoon, and picked up the small bowl instead.
After pursing his lips and blowing on the soup on the noodles to cool it down, he tilted his head back and took a big gulp.
This was repeated several times until the entire bowl of soup was finished. Only then did Chu Muchao feel that his task was complete and put down the small bowl.
Yan Ke laughed and said, "Tired of drinking it?"
Chu Muchao pouted: "Who can stand drinking medicinal soup every day? Even if you change the variety..."
"Was it arranged by Awen?" Yan Ke asked.
Chu Muchao nodded: "My brother said that I didn't look well when I worked overtime the other day, so he found a nutritionist to make me a menu and has been making me lots of nutritious meals every day. Sigh."
Yan Ke chuckled and shook her head: "Ah Wen is still very thoughtful."
Chu Muchao then said, "Yes, he was worried that I wouldn't be able to adapt and was planning to arrange a management position for me. I thought, why should I make myself work so hard in such a large group of leaders, especially since I just graduated and don't have much experience? So I declined."
Yan Ke seemed to be deep in thought.
She had only mentioned it to Chu Wen briefly.
Now that Chaochao is back, we can let her join the company, train her, and give her some experience.
It seems that Chu Wen misunderstood her meaning.
Her precious daughter misunderstood her intentions.
Yan Ke smiled gently: "Yes, as long as Chaochao is happy."
As she spoke, Yan Ke pushed the small bowl of crab roe soup dumplings in front of Chu Muchao and handed him a pair of chopsticks.
"Chaochao, you're all grown up now, and I think you should know about this too."
Yan Ke rarely spoke in such a serious tone, and Chu Muchao unconsciously held his breath, his expression solemn.
"Yes, Mommy, you go ahead."
Although I don't know what Yan Ke is planning to say, his serious expression is very convincing.
Chu Muchao's feigned composure made Yan Ke chuckle.
“Awen is not my and your father’s child.”
Chu Muchao's brain went blank for a few seconds.
"Isn't this your first marriage with Dad?"
"So, whose child is your brother, your father's or your brother's?"
She gasped. "Did my brother already know?"
"You...you little girl," Yan Ke shook her head, somewhat helplessly.
Chu Muchao took a bite of crab roe, chewing slowly and deliberately: "No wonder the housekeeper has been addressing me and my brother so differently since I came back this time. Last time, the housekeeper even had the housekeeper remind me that I don't have to listen to my brother about what I want to eat, and that I can decide for myself. So that's what she meant..."
Yan Ke paused, her hand holding chopsticks still for a moment: "Oh? Is that so?"
Chu Muchao nodded, but didn't notice Yan Ke's strangeness: "I thought it was because of that fight between my brother and father before. They had a really bad fight and they haven't made up yet. Oh, right, what was the fight about last time? It's been years, I've forgotten."
Yan Ke smiled and said, "It's okay if you forgot. Mom forgot too."
Seeing Chu Muchao slowly and carefully finish the large crab roe soup dumplings, Yan Ke smiled indulgently and picked out two more small soup dumplings for her.
"Chaochao, what are your thoughts about your brother?"
What are your thoughts?
Chu Muchao didn't understand Yan Ke's meaning, and tilted his head to ask, "My brother is very good to me, although sometimes I feel that he is a bit strict with me... but he does it for my own good, I know. I won't stop being friends with my brother because of this! I love my brother the most!"
"You little rascal."
Yan Ke was truly at a loss now.
Seeing that Chu Muchao didn't get it, she didn't press the matter further and simply changed the subject.
"Your dad is planning a party for you. Your brother and the Qin family's kid will be there. Do you want to invite your old friends to come and have some fun? You've been abroad for so many years, you must have lost touch with your friends back home, right?"
Chu Muchao blinked, her soft voice coquettish.
"Mommy's worried I don't have any friends? We've always kept in touch, and I even have friends from overseas who graduated and came back to China with me. I'll invite them to come and visit."
Yan Ke's eyes curved into a gentle smile.
"good."
-
Breakfast, eaten while chatting, actually took almost forty minutes.
Chu Muchao glanced at the watch on his wrist.
"It's almost noon! I wonder what delicious food they ordered for me for lunch. Mommy, are you eating at home for lunch too?"
Yan Ke shook her head, pulled out a chair and stood up: "No, I have to go out later."
Everyone in the family except for her, who's a complete slacker, is very busy.
She's used to it.
Chu Muchao pouted: "Fine then, I guess I'll just have to enjoy the nutritious meals my brother ordered for me all by myself."
Yan Ke raised her hand and stroked Chu Muchao's hair.
"Go to the company and take a look. While you're at it, find out about some of the issues your brother mentioned."
Chu Muchao rarely asked about company matters.
When Yan Ke mentioned the company, Chu Muchao decided not to ask any further questions.
Little did Yan Ke know that when she arrived at the company, the first thing she did was check the financial statements of Chu Muchao's branch office for the past few years, followed by an examination of personnel turnover.
Upon receiving the notification, General Manager Zhao, who had abruptly ended his weekend leisure activities and returned to the company, stood nervously in his office.
What's going on? Why has Chairman Yan, who has practically delegated all authority to the company, suddenly returned?
Could it be that his secret arrangement of getting his sister-in-law, cousin, brother-in-law, uncle, and other relatives into the company has been discovered?!
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