The night was quiet, and the sky resembled a canvas soaked in ink.
Occasionally, a gentle breeze brushed by.
On the terrace, an empty beer can lay on the small table.
Mr. Zhang, the butler, attentively brought chilled glasses for Mr. Qi Shaobai and Young Master Qi Mo.
He wanted them to have the best beer-drinking experience.
However, neither Qi Shaobai nor Qi Mo used the glasses.
They had some slices of ham and peanuts instead.
Qi Shaobai leaned against the terrace railing, his hands resting on it, holding a can of beer. The breeze brushed over his broad shoulders.
Qi Mo sat on an outdoor chair, crossing his long legs lazily, his posture relaxed. His distinct knuckles flexed.
With a crisp sound, he effortlessly pulled open the tab with one hand.
He brought the beer to his lips, tilted his head back, took a sip, and felt a slight roll in his throat.
Both father and son were not talkative by nature.
Most of the time, they clinked their glasses in silence.
Occasionally, they exchanged some laughter.
Qi Shaobai felt an unprecedented sense of ease.
He used to think of his father as rigid and serious.
He had never noticed this relaxed side of him.
The glass door of the terrace was left open, and laughter from the living room faintly drifted up.
Sheng Mumu accompanied Grandma in the living room, watching TV.
On the screen, a compilation of sketches from past Spring Festival Galas was playing...
From the TV came the familiar lines: "Imperial Court Jade Liquor—"
"A hundred cups!" Sheng Mumu and Grandma spontaneously completed the next line.
Then, they looked at each other and burst into laughter.
Grandma: "Mumu, you've even watched such an old sketch?"
Sheng Mumu: "Not only watched it, I can recite it backward."
As the words fell, the laughter grew louder.
It floated up to the second-floor terrace.
Qi Mo tilted his head slightly, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his lips.
"Dad, shall I go get more beer?"
Qi Shaobai placed the empty beer can on the table, still wanting more.
Just at that moment, the sound of a sketch came from downstairs.
"One cup opens your appetite, two cups won't harm your kidneys—"
Sheng Mumu couldn't help but sing the second half, her voice clear and pleasant, with a comical tone:
"Three cups, five cups, down the hatch, guaranteeing your rosy cheeks~"
Qi Mo's eyes sparkled as he nodded at Qi Shaobai. "Sure."
As Qi Shaobai's footsteps faded as he ran downstairs, Qi Mo leaned back in his chair, slowly tilting his head up to gaze at the dark sky.
The sharp jawline softened inch by inch.
His voice turned low, hoarse, and gentle.
"Qi Shaobai has grown up. You can rest assured."
He said this to his sister Gu Wan in the sky.
Another wave of joyful laughter drifted up from downstairs.
The man's eyes flickered slightly.
More intense and profound than the night without stars and moonlight.
A tender and lingering glow swirled in his eyes.
"I'm doing well too..."
The second half of the unspoken sentence remained in his heart.
Because she was there.
*
The next day.
As soon as Sheng Mumu arrived at the company early in the morning, Cheng Zhuo came running towards her with a bright smile.
"Sis, I have good news."
Sheng Mumu kept walking, heading towards the office. She swiftly opened the door and hung her bag and light jacket on the hanger.
"What good news?"
Cheng Zhuo's face was filled with excitement as he spoke rapidly, "Financial Weekly wants to interview you."
Sheng Mumu paused for half a second, not understanding. She sat down on the chair and asked, "Is that considered good news?"
According to what she knew, there have been numerous recent special reports in the magazine media promoting self-confidence. Most of them were handled by Cheng Zhuo. She had also sporadically participated in a few interviews, so she didn't think there was anything different about being interviewed for the "Finance" weekly magazine.
Cheng Zhuo: "Sis, you don't know, but the "Finance" weekly magazine releases an annual ranking list at the end of each year. It's selected by authoritative figures in the industry. In previous years, CEOs of companies on the list have always been highly favored by major investment institutions in the following year. It's a great opportunity for business expansion and growth."
Sheng Mumu blinked and continued listening to Cheng Zhuo.
Cheng Zhuo: "And starting from the third quarter, the monthly feature interviews are often seen as strong contenders for the list, like nominations."
Upon hearing this, Sheng Mumu became excited and leaned forward slightly.
"So, you mean I have become a candidate for the "Finance" weekly magazine's annual ranking list?"
Cheng Zhuo nodded confidently, his eyes burning with excitement. "Yes! That's exactly what I mean!"
As soon as the words fell, Sheng Mumu pushed her chair back and stood up, placing her hands on the table, unable to believe it, murmuring to herself while pinching her own face.
"I can actually make it onto such a prestigious list? No way."
"Ouch~ It hurts. It's not a dream."
Cheng Zhuo: "Sis, I'll compile the interview questions asked by the "Finance" weekly magazine over the past decade and send them to you to prepare in advance."
"Thank you." Sheng Mumu raised her eyebrows, feeling pleased.
Cheng Zhuo smiled and said, "Sis, it's not a trouble. It's part of my responsibility."
Sheng Mumu sat back down, in a great mood, gazing at Cheng Zhuo's deep dimples. Suddenly, she remembered something and spoke up.
"Cheng Zhuo, recently, it's become more and more natural for you to call me 'sis.' A while ago, the administrative assistant from the tech company downstairs, Ay, bumped into me in the elevator and asked if it was really you calling me 'sis.' She wanted your WeChat contact."
Upon hearing Sheng Mumu's words, Cheng Zhuo was taken aback.
"How did you answer her, sis?"
Sheng Mumu smiled. "How else could I answer? I told her that you have a crush on a girl you're currently talking to."
She thought Cheng Zhuo was great in all aspects and a perfect match for Qiao Li, so she selfishly didn't give Ay Cheng Zhuo's WeChat contact.
"No." Cheng Zhuo's expression became somewhat nervous as he said, "I meant, regarding what she said about us seeming like siblings."
"Hmm?" Sheng Mumu looked puzzled, her eyes fixed on him. "If we seem like it, then we seem like it. There's no need to specially answer that."
Cheng Zhuo curled his hand at his side, as if making a big decision, and looked directly at Sheng Mumu.
"Sis, actually..."
Just as Sheng Mumu noticed Cheng Zhuo's sudden change in tone, she raised her gaze. "Yes?"
Cheng Zhuo: "Actually, I have a sister who is the same age as you, and even the character 'Mu' is in her name."
Sheng Mumu didn't think too much of it, finding it coincidental, and raised her eyebrows lightly.
"Oh? Really, that's quite a coincidence."
Cheng Zhuo clenched his fist nervously, "But she—"
"Your boss is looking for you, your boss is looking for you, your boss is looking for you—"
Before he could finish his sentence, an extremely abrupt phone ringtone interrupted him.
The sound came from Cheng Zhuo's pants pocket.
Sheng Mumu was taken aback.
Sheng Mumu had no idea that this ringtone was exclusively set by Cheng Zhuo for his older brother.
When spoken in Cantonese, it sounded urgent, stern, and also a bit playful.
Cheng Zhuo had mustered up courage for a long time, only to let it all drain away in an instant.
He reached for his phone.
On the screen, the caller ID displayed the name "Cheng Xin" flashing.
Just seeing his brother's name made him feel a sense of nervousness, as if he was being summoned.
Ever since he was very young, his fear of his older brother surpassed even that of his school teachers.
After hastily saying a few words to Sheng Mumu, he hurriedly went outside to answer the call.
He pressed the answer button.
Cheng Zhuo's voice was timid and weak:
"Brother..."
It didn't mean "big boss" in the literal sense, it was just the way people from the small southern city where he grew up communicated in Cantonese.
"Big boss" actually meant "older brother."
Through the receiver, Cheng Xin, the CEO of Fangcheng Group, had a mature and deep voice that didn't match his age.
His tone was full of reprimand.
"How much longer do you plan to stay in Jing City?"
