On the penultimate Friday before the annual leave, Shengzhi Group held its annual meeting at a certain stadium as scheduled.
Zhen Bao and Fu Ming Shi left from the villa. On the way, they received a WeChat message from Jia Xiao Yu saying that she was already there.
The annual meetings of large conglomerates like Shengzhi usually invite some popular celebrities, with excitement levels comparable to concerts. With inside information provided by Fu Ming Shi, Zhen Bao had already grasped who the guests Shengzhi Group had invited for this annual meeting, including their dormitory's collective "husband." Sharing joy with others is better than enjoying it alone, so Zhen Bao asked Fu Ming Shi if she could invite three dorm mates to come along. Fu Ming Shi was very generous, "As long as you want, you can invite the students from your entire college."
Zhen Bao didn't want to make a big fuss, she just got three tickets for her dorm mates, pretty good seats close to the front.
The stadium was just up ahead, brightly lit. Zhen Bao suddenly started feeling nervous.
This was the first time she accompanied Fu Ming Shi to a big event.
Fu Ming Shi casually held her hand, her small hand white and delicate, silky smooth. Her palm was a little sweaty. Fu Ming Shi smiled and glanced at the driver. He leaned toward Zhen Bao and said softly, "Are there a lot of pets at the hospital registration counter? Try imagining the people you'll see later as pets."
Who compares company employees to pets?
Zhen Bao deliberately said, "Then are you the boss of the pets?"
The corners of Fu Ming Shi's lips turned up. As he spoke, his warm lips occasionally grazed her reddish earlobes. "So who does Miss Zhen think I resemble as a pet?"
Hearing his low, ambiguous voice, Zhen Bao's heartstrings were suddenly plucked.
She did have an experience once of seeing a pet that made her think of Fu Ming Shi.
It was a retired police dog, a German Shepherd, brought to the hospital by its owner. Working at a pet hospital, Zhen Bao had seen almost all breeds of dogs, but that German Shepherd called Hei Feng left the deepest impression on her. Hei Feng's fur was glossy, tall and mighty looking, very intimidating. But at the hospital it behaved aloof and restrained, obediently following its owner. A waiting room cat boldly reached out a paw to touch it, and Hei Feng only tilted its head to look, then continued crouching, unmoved by external things.
But at that time Zhen Bao inexplicably felt that Hei Feng was very gentle.
Just like Fu Ming Shi, both cold and handsome yet patient, gentle like a spring breeze when he wanted to be.
Zhen Bao turned her head and smiled out the window.
"What are you smiling about?" Fu Ming Shi leaned over to see her face, guessing she had found a pet to correspond to him.
Zhen Bao looked at him and cautiously said, "You promised not to get angry."
Fu Ming Shi nodded.
Zhen Bao looked at him again. She took out her phone, blocked it with her hand, and searched for a photo of a German Shepherd to show him.
Fu Ming Shi lowered his head to look at the phone. Zhen Bao curiously watched his face, and saw Fu Ming Shi smile, a particularly bright smile, smiling like the Big Bad Wolf standing outside Little Red Riding Hood's door...
"You told me to say it." Zhen Bao snatched back her phone, but couldn't help smiling at the corners of her mouth.
Fu Ming Shi gently patted her thigh. He didn't say anything.
The car stopped. Fu Ming Shi told Zhen Bao not to move, he would get out first and come around to get her. The car door opened and Fu Ming Shi leaned down, reaching out to help her. "Mrs. De, please."
Mrs. De, Mrs. German Shepherd...
He was petty, but Zhen Bao had to stifle her laughter as she got out. The moment she stepped out, she forgot about the reporters outside, forgot that she would soon be meeting Shengzhi Group's top bosses with Fu Ming Shi. All she saw was Fu Ming Shi standing outside the car, her German Shepherd husband.
She looked up at him, her gaze meeting his. Her sweet, moving smile was perfectly captured by the cameras.
The annual meeting would start in half an hour. Fu Ming Shi first took Zhen Bao to the VIP lounge, where his future father-in-law and Shengzhi's Chairman Fu Zheng had already arrived. Seeing his son looking sharp in a tailored suit and his beautiful, innocent daughter-in-law, Fu Zheng couldn't help showing a heartfelt smile.
Following the Chairman's gaze, the executives also looked over. Seeing Zhen Bao, they were stunned for a few seconds.
The entertainment industry had all kinds of beauties, sexy, innocent, charming, and aloof. Zhen Bao was undoubtedly classified as innocent, but compared to other innocent beauties, Zhen Bao's innocence was more natural, like an unparalleled orchid blossoming in a secluded valley, only just unearthed by Fu Ming Shi.
With so many pairs of eyes staring at her at once, Zhen Bao felt like she was about to forget how to walk.
Fu Ming Shi bent down slightly and asked her, "Does my dad look like a German Shepherd too?"
Zhen Bao couldn't help laughing, lighting up the whole room.
The others felt that Fu Ming Shi must have whispered some sweet nothings to make his fiancee laugh like that. They could never have guessed that their steady, stern Chairman Fu had been compared to a pet by Fu Ming Shi.
With Fu Ming Shi's joking around, Zhen Bao relaxed a little. She followed closely beside Fu Ming Shi, greeting people one by one. This one was called Uncle, that one was Li, and gradually it wasn't Fu Ming Shi leading her anymore, but others coming up to chat with her.
The lights were dazzling. There was suddenly some commotion at the entrance.
Zhen Bao peeked over and immediately caught sight of her dormitory's celebrity "husband." Likewise dressed in a suit, he was even more handsome than on TV. Zhen Bao ogled him, stars in her eyes. She was hesitating whether or not to ask for his autograph like she had discussed with her roommates earlier. But her line of sight was suddenly blocked.
Zhen Bao looked up.
Fu Ming Shi was staring at her.
Zhen Bao smiled awkwardly.
Fu Ming Shi also smiled, gently reminding her, "What's the German Shepherd's full name?"
Zhen Bao blanked for a moment, then the German Shepherd's full name immediately popped into her mind: German Shepherd Dog.
So Fu Ming Shi was reminding her that this sheep shouldn't hope to break through the German Shepherd's watch?
"You can ask for his autograph." To make sure his fiancée didn't leave empty-handed, considerate Fu Ming Shi suggested compensation. Zhen Bao turned her head and saw an actor with popularity comparable to the "celebrity husband's." But this actor went the funny, humorous route, with looks that Fu Ming Shi felt very reassured about.
What could Fu Ming Shi do about Zhen Bao? But she also really liked that actor, happily going to ask for an autograph.
The half hour passed in a flash. It was time for the executives and guests to enter the venue.
Walking into the venue arm in arm with Fu Ming Shi, facing tens of thousands of employees, Zhen Bao's heart pounded wildly. Her feet felt like they were treading on cotton. Fortunately Fu Ming Shi firmly supported her by her side. They were all just people, but Zhen Bao couldn't find where her roommates were sitting in the sea of heads. In a daze she let Fu Ming Shi lead her to the front row center seats.
It would soon be Fu Ming Shi's turn to give a speech.
Only now did Fu Ming Shi let go of Zhen Bao's little hand. He tilted his head for her not to be nervous, then headed towards the stage. The man's tailored suit outlined his straight, slender figure. Zhen Bao watched him closely. When Fu Ming Shi reached the center of the stage and turned to face the audience, hearing the thunderous applause of tens of thousands of employees and seeing Fu Ming Shi's unruffled composure, Zhen Bao realized for the first time his different charm.
This man who had money and talent belonged to her.
At this moment, even if that celebrity husband walked past naked in front of her, he couldn't draw her gaze away from Fu Ming Shi.
Fu Ming Shi talked about the company's performance that year. Zhen Bao didn't know much about the Fu family business, but it was Fu Ming Shi speaking. Zhen Bao listened raptly, more attentive than when listening to university lectures. When Fu Ming Shi finished and came down, Zhen Bao only pretended to look elsewhere.
"Listening so attentively, interested in coming to work at the company?" As soon as he sat down, Fu Ming Shi started teasing her.
Zhen Bao's ears grew hot. She asked incredulously, "You could see me?"
"I should say, I only saw you." Holding her hand, Fu Ming Shi's eyes were bright. "Everyone else was a pet."
Zhen Bao secretly patted the back of his hand.
The performances and prize draws were interleaved. Soon it was the second to last performance, called "See Who Can Kneel at the Keyboard." The host explained it very humorously, but it was actually a game testing couple's tacit understanding. There were 5 couples, married or dating, participating. Each couple represented two numbers, the last two digits of the audience's seat numbers. The huge year-end grand prize would be randomly selected from the numbers represented by the winning couple - two million cash!
Zhen Bao's eyes widened. The grand prize was so much!
"Feel bad? Next year you can decide the year-end bonuses." Fu Ming Shi said with a laugh.
Zhen Bao quickly shook her head. If it were really up to her, Shengzhi's employees would surely cry with her perspective.
While they were whispering, the host on stage suddenly said in bewilderment, "That's not right, Chairman Li, Chairman Liu, Chairman Zhang, Chairman Gao, that's only four couples. We're still missing one pair! Could they be hiding? Everyone please help look for the fifth couple!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the audience responded in unison: "Chairman Fu! Chairman Fu! Chairman Fu!"
Zhen Bao's heart nearly stopped. Chairman Fu, could it be...
"Come on, Mom hasn't arrived yet," Fu Ming Shi had already turned to face her, bending down and smiling at her.
"Zhen Bao, do your best! I'm number 5!" Jia Xiao Yu's loud voice suddenly came from an angle behind them. Zhen Bao instinctively turned her head back, but with so many people, she didn't see her roommate. Fortunately, with Jia Xiao Yu's interjection, Zhen Bao's fleeing spirit was pulled back. Bracing herself, she let Fu Ming Shi take her hand and slowly stepped onto the stage.
They were the youngest couple among the senior executives and their wives. Because of Jia Xiao Yu's loud shout, Zhen Bao and Fu Ming Shi were now standing in the third couple's spot, separated by a divider. According to the host's questions, they wrote down their answers on the answer boards.
Zhen Bao stared nervously at the answer board, not daring to look down.
"Please look at the big screen. The questions are all previously submitted by everyone. I'll count to three: one, two, three...stop!"
"Okay, first question. Please write down what the woman was doing when you first met. Hmm, this question seems to favor Mr. Fu more since Chairman Gao and the others are old married couples and their memories are a bit distant."
Zhen Bao's face turned red as she thought for a moment before raising her hand to write.
Fu Ming Shi wrote directly.
When time was up, Zhen Bao had written "herding geese" while Fu Ming Shi's answer was "herding geese in the bamboo forest, walking the dog."
Only three couples had gotten it right.
"Second question, where was your first kiss?"
Both Zhen Bao and Fu Ming Shi answered the dorm building's parking garage.
"Third question, gentlemen, boldly guess which of your features is the woman's favorite!"
This time Zhen Bao hesitated. Fu Ming Shi was handsome in every aspect. If she had to pick a favorite, it would be his eyes?
She answered hesitantly, and Fu Ming Shi also lacked confidence, but they still luckily guessed right.
"Fourth question. Hmm, this is hard. What's the gentleman's favorite actress?"
Zhen Bao was stumped. Fu Ming Shi didn't seem to follow celebrities...
The countdown started and Zhen Bao randomly guessed one from a movie they'd watched together: Scarlett Johansson.
However, Fu Ming Shi's answer was: Zhen Bao.
Hearing the host read out the answer, Zhen Bao wished she could flee. She wasn't a celebrity.
"Miss Zhen, I'd like to ask on Mr. Fu's behalf, why did you think Mr. Fu's favorite actress was Scarlett Johansson? Our Mr. Fu clearly loves you the most." Amidst warm applause, the host walked over with a smile and asked Zhen Bao.
While imagining Fu Ming Shi's expression next door, Zhen Bao awkwardly explained, "Actually, I don't know which celebrity he likes. We happened to watch a Scarlett Johansson movie a few days ago. I was too nervous just now and could only think of that name."
The host nodded and went around to interview Fu Ming Shi. "Mr. Fu, is there anything you'd like to say to Miss Zhen?"
Zhen Bao strained to eavesdrop.
Fu Ming Shi's meaningful voice came from next door. "Focus on answering the next question. We'll settle accounts when we get home."
Settling accounts - ordinary words that took on suggestive implications between a couple.
Zhen Bao turned to the answer board as if nothing had happened, her face burning red amidst another round of teasing cheers.
The author has something to say: Ah, I laid in bed all day today with a toothache after handing out too much candy yesterday.
Wahh, I'm going to eat first and send out the red packets for this chapter later!
