Zhang Ruoshui stood up and shared half of her snacks with him.
Xu Ji lazily nibbled on the snack and said, "Ah, no, it's turned into a big duck."
After thinking for a moment, he asked, "When ducks grow up, do they become swans?"
"That's just a fairy tale," Zhang Ruoshui corrected him.
"Oh." Xu Ji didn't seem to care, walking half a step behind her to make himself look like a real secretary.
"It's here, shh, don't make a sound," Xu Ji said.
Zhang Ruoshui stopped in her tracks and looked down, barely able to glimpse a silhouette and the hem of another person's clothes.
At the corner of the garden.
Sheng Yuxiao spoke in a flat tone: "I thought young Master Mu wouldn't come today."
Upon hearing this, Mu Rongfeng immediately understood and forced a smile: "So it was Young Master Sheng who sent the photos. I thought you would make me search harder."
Sheng Yuxiao shifted to an even more casual stance.
Xu Ji silently pointed to himself, indicating to Zhang Ruoshui that Sheng Yuxiao was copying his style.
"I'm not interested in making people guess. I prefer to hang the sword directly over people's heads," Sheng Yuxiao said slowly.
Mu Rongfeng's expression darkened: "Young Master Sheng, even your father wouldn't speak to me this way."
"My father is too much of a gentleman, not knowing that while you should show kindness to people, you need to bare your fangs at those who aren't human," Sheng Yuxiao shook his head.
"Young people these days have no manners. Let me ask you, Young Master Sheng, did you consult Zhang Ruoshui before doing this?" Mu Rongfeng sneered. "She's not seven or eight years old anymore. She's grown up. What right do you have to meddle in her affairs?"
Sheng Yuxiao lifted his eyelids slightly: "So Mr. Mu knows where my anger comes from. How many girlfriends has your son had? You still expect him to date Little Duck?"
Mu Rongfeng's tone returned to calm: "Mu Bai told me that Zhang Ruoshui knows about his relationships outside, and she doesn't mind. She's very smart; she knows what's worth holding onto."
"Isn't that how all wealthy family marriages work? It's really none of Young Master Sheng's business."
"Young Master Sheng will be the same in the future. After marriage, everyone lives their own lives. Who cares if you keep a few mistresses in private? Just don't make it public."
"Zhang Ruoshui has always been open-minded. I think she might see things more clearly than Young Master Sheng."
Sheng Yuxiao's tone grew cold: "When there are better choices, why should she choose garbage?"
"Sheng Yuxiao!" Mu Rongfeng's anger finally showed on his face.
Sheng Yuxiao spoke sarcastically: "I thought when you received those photos, you'd realize how hopelessly stupid your son is."
Mu Rongfeng said coldly: "I also thought Young Master Sheng was now a proper businessman who should have outgrown his youthful temper. Unexpectedly, you haven't changed at all. Your father must be quite disappointed in the results of his education."
Hearing this, Xu Ji became unhappy.
He pointed to himself again and mouthed to Zhang Ruoshui: "I raised him."
Zhang Ruoshui gave him a thumbs up.
Xu Ji immediately felt better.
"If Mu Bai were his son, then he'd really be disappointed," Sheng Yuxiao checked his watch. "It's time to cut the cake."
He walked a few steps away, then suddenly turned back: "Mr. Mu spoke so smoothly about keeping mistresses earlier. Is that because you keep several yourself? Perhaps young Master Mu should worry about how many people will be fighting over his inheritance in the future?"
Mu Rongfeng's face turned green with anger, just as he was about to explode.
Zhang Ruoshui walked down.
"Uncle Mu, I won't be coming to your house for dinner anymore," Zhang Ruoshui said softly.
Mu Rongfeng's expression became indescribably "interesting."
He didn't ask if she had heard everything.
After all, her statement had made her position clear.
Xu Ji was surprised, thinking to himself that his grand-nephew would probably wake up laughing in his dreams if he heard this.
"Won't you reconsider?" Mu Rongfeng spoke, still maintaining the appearance of a kind elder.
Zhang Ruoshui shook her head.
"You've grown up..." Mu Rongfeng said meaningfully.
He was essentially telling her that now that she's grown up, she shouldn't let outsiders like Sheng Yuxiao inexplicably interfere with who her future boyfriend might be.
Zhang Ruoshui responded, her tone still carrying a hint of childhood softness, but her words were firm: "Yes, I have grown up. The things that didn't change when I was young have only become more certain as I've grown."
Mu Rongfeng didn't pursue the topic further, only smiling to say: "Happy birthday, don't be unhappy."
Zhang Ruoshui replied politely: "I'm very happy. Everyone who cares for me is here."
Mu Rongfeng's eyelid twitched, and he only said three words: "That's good then."
As he walked away, his expression finally darkened completely.
Did that Sheng Yuxiao deliberately let Zhang Ruoshui listen from behind the stairs?
If he cares for her this much, does he have no sense of propriety?
Or perhaps, should one word be removed from "caring for"?
Mu Rongfeng's angry expression gradually returned to calm.
A dragon doesn't let knights near its treasure because the dragon has its own desires...
He would need to visit Old Mr. Zhang soon - no, tomorrow.
*
The birthday party was over.
But Zhang Ruoshui still sat on the suite's sofa, eyes closed, waiting.
"Okay, you can open your eyes now," the AI voice announced.
Though after technological iterations, the AI voice now carried much more warmth.
Zhang Ruoshui opened her eyes to see her young uncle crouching in front of her, holding a box.
Since her grandfather's passing, this had been the last gift she would open at every birthday celebration.
It was a gift from her grandfather.
Back when her aunt was still in her unstable state, she would prepare gifts for her uncles, and still prepared one for her aunt... Perhaps her grandfather got the inspiration from that?
Before passing away, her grandfather had prepared birthday gifts for her for all the years to come.
Zhang Ruoshui carefully unwrapped it as her grandfather asked, "Are you going abroad again?"
"Yes, in a couple of days."
Her young uncle chimed in: "I'll go with you."
Zhang Ruoshui nodded, thinking about visiting Sheng Yuxiao's company tomorrow.
Though today it was Mu Rongfeng's face that had turned green with anger,
She felt that Sheng Yuxiao seemed quite angry too...
The wrapping was now completely removed, and with a flick of her finger, she took out the brooch inside.
The brooch style was somewhat outdated, but Zhang Ruoshui still pinned it to her chest.
*
He had to leave first.
There was no rush though; it seemed that Sheng Yuxiao himself hadn't even broken through that barrier yet.
He would come to "help" him break through.
...
Meanwhile, Zhang Ruoshui had gone to Sheng Yuxiao's company building in Jin City.
Having called ahead, the secretary who had received orders was waiting downstairs early.
"Mr. Sheng is a bit busy at the moment. He asked me to take you to his office to wait, saying you know the lock's password," the secretary said politely.
Zhang Ruoshui tilted her head: "He hasn't changed it?"
"I suppose not? Sorry, I've only been here for two years."
The company had a secretarial department, and this secretary was just one of many.
She led Zhang Ruoshui to the upper floor, and walking through the glass corridor, they saw the secretary's office.
People were talking inside: "I heard the other day Mr. Sheng casually gave Secretary Lin a Cullinan, worth several million!"
"Holy shit!"
"Shouldn't Secretary Lin treat us to dinner then?"
"If that's what Secretary Lin got, what about Shu Li?"
They turned to look at a young woman.
The woman brushed her hair and smiled, saying, "I didn't get anything."
"Who believes that? Mr. Sheng clearly favors you," others shook their heads, smiling.
The secretary beside Zhang Ruoshui cleared her throat.
The others immediately fell silent and turned to greet them: "Secretary Yin, and this is?"
"This is Miss Zhang," the secretary said.
The woman called "Shu Li" was startled. She had heard of "Miss Zhang."
It was quite a while ago, when she had just started her internship at the company, she discovered a sanitary pad that had fallen from Mr. Sheng's suit pocket.
It was too strange, too outrageous!
It seemed completely at odds with the cold-faced, intimidating Mr. Sheng!
Later, she once overheard Mr. Sheng on the phone, saying to the other end: "Where are you? Do you have pain relievers with you? I'm in Jin City right now, I'll bring some to you."
Couldn't pain relievers be bought anywhere?
Later she learned that Mr. Sheng kept not only sanitary pads in his pocket but also pain relievers. Just in case a certain "Miss Zhang" forgot to bring them.
However, since she hadn't been transferred to the secretarial department before, she only now got to see what this "Miss Zhang" actually looked like.
Shu Li was still in a daze.
Zhang Ruoshui had noticed her overly attentive gaze, which made her feel somewhat uncomfortable.
It was different from the way Zhou Xiaoshu and others looked at her...
"Let's go," Zhang Ruoshui turned and walked toward the CEO's office.
She entered the password and opened the door.
After walking in, she paused to ask Secretary Yin behind her, "Is Shu Li also a secretary here?"
Secretary Yin nodded: "Yes, though she mainly handles menial tasks like serving tea and coffee. I apologize for what you witnessed; when President Sheng isn't around, the staff tends to joke around. They mean no harm..."
Worried that today's jokes might reach Sheng Yuxiao's ears, Secretary Yin hastily explained, "Shu Li came through the company's 'Mountain Region Aid' program. Some people say President Sheng pays special attention to girls from the mountain regions... I actually came through the same program, but President Sheng has no such intentions."
Just then, Shu Li knocked on the door with coffee in hand.
She set down the coffee and asked Secretary Yin, "Weren't we supposed to wait in the reception room?"
Secretary Yin replied, "President Sheng specifically said to wait here."
Then she asked, "Miss Zhang, are you bored? Should I set up the projector for you?"
Zhang Ruoshui waved her hand and directly asked Shu Li, "Why do you keep staring at me?"
Shu Li's eyes flickered, "Miss Zhang is very beautiful, and tall too. You really stand out."
Shu Li herself wasn't very tall, giving off a somewhat delicate impression.
"You can go now, I'll handle things here," Secretary Yin pushed Shu Li out.
Zhang Ruoshui said to Secretary Yin, "You can leave too."
Secretary Yin nodded nervously, "Alright."
Zhang Ruoshui sat in Sheng Yuxiao's chair, spinning around a couple of times, feeling a heaviness in her chest.
She took out her phone to make a call.
The other end picked up quickly, with a deep voice that made one's ears buzz: "You got there so fast? Did you wear a hat or a wig this time?"
Zhang Ruoshui traced her finger along the leather pad on the desk and said softly, "Ke Muning, I think I'm becoming a bad person."
Sheng Yuxiao had walked into the mountains and picked her up from the mud.
But she didn't want him to repeat what he had done for her with others.
On the other end of the line, Ke Muning wanted to say becoming bad was a good thing, but remembering past lessons, he cautiously asked instead, "How are you planning to deceive me this time?"
"I'm not deceiving you," Zhang Ruoshui lay on the desk, her voice muffled, reminiscent of when she was younger and had called Ke Muning after catching Li Song, saying "I had a nightmare."
"I've become bad because I want someone all to myself."
Ke Muning breathed a sigh of relief and declared grandly, "That's simple. Who do you want? I'll help you kidnap them. Changing their mindset might be difficult - would you accept them as a vegetative patient?"
He was getting better and better at playing the father figure; even he was moved by his own words.
