Regarding the flower shop, Sheng Mumu had basically thought through everything that needed considering.
The only thing that had yet to be determined was the name of the shop.
She had thought of several names, but found them all ordinary and unremarkable, not to her liking.
Fortunately, she had a life motto that often guided her when she was lost.
The saying went: Think thrice before you act.
Think about whether you can not solve this issue?
Think about whether you can solve this tomorrow?
Think about whether you can let someone else solve this?
Abiding by the third tenet of her life motto "Think thrice before you act," she asked Qi Mo if he had any good ideas.
Qi Mo came up with two names.
Sheng Mumu felt they were both too grand, bold and vigorous, not matching the vibe of a flower shop.
Seeing Sheng Mumu dissatisfied with the names he suggested, Qi Mo said:
"Naming is indeed an important matter. Do you need me to find a professional team to help you come up with ideas?"
Nowadays there were many companies that specialized in corporate naming services.
Sheng Mumu smiled and declined his good intentions:
"No need, no need, I'll think of something myself."
Professional teams charge fees after all.
She didn't want to spend money so wrongly.
So she had no choice but to resort to the second tenet of "Think thrice before you act" - think about whether you can solve this tomorrow.
Uh, so.
The naming was dragged on for several more days.
She was not in a hurry either, silently hoping a flash of inspiration would come to her.
And she did get what she wished for.
Inspiration struck on a certain night.
She sat on the sofa with her feet curled up, watching TV shows while sipping bird's nest soup.
On TV, an imperial concubine was primping in front of a mirror, her rosy lips parted lightly: "A woman's beauty is for her own delight. His Majesty likes it most when I put on peach blossom makeup. Fruit Green, bring my rouge over..."
Before the line was finished, Sheng Mumu scoffed:
"A woman should not dress up for her own delight, but should dress up to delight herself. Modern TV shows always spread undesirable values."
Oh wait.
Delight oneself?
To please oneself, to enjoy life.
What a nice implication.
Delivering fresh flowers was already a very romantic thing. Using a daily bouquet to delight oneself, to make life pleasant.
Sheng Mumu slapped her forehead.
"That's it, just call it Yue Zi Flower House!"
Sheng Mumu had been vexed by the naming for a long time. Now that it was finally decided, she couldn't wait to share the joy with a loudspeaker.
She looked around, and surprisingly not a soul was in the huge villa!
When one was happy but had no one to cheer with, the excitement would be much dampened.
What a coincidence.
The door of the study on the second floor opened slowly, and Qi Mo walked out.
Qi Mo was going to the kitchen for a glass of iced water.
He had just come downstairs when Sheng Mumu sprang up from the sofa and ran to him.
She hopped and skipped, stopping in front of him and grabbing his sleeve. Her face was beaming with smiles, her voice like a twittering bird, chirping excitedly.
"I've got it, I've got it! I finally got it!"
Not knowing what she was talking about, Qi Mo raised his eyebrows questioningly, "?"
At this moment, Zhang the housekeeper, who had just finished taking stock of the wine cellar, walked out. Seeing Sheng Mumu enthusiastically holding Qi Mo's sleeve and shouting excitedly, his quick-reacting mind immediately jumped to conclusions.
Having worked for the Qi family for many years, Zhang the housekeeper's forte was his ability to swiftly extract key information from the brief words of his employers.
Suddenly his face lit up and he congratulated them loudly:
"Congratulations Sir, congratulations Madam. For the next ten months I will pay extra attention to Madam's diet and ensure her safe delivery."
Sheng Mumu slowly turned her head. Her face still had the remnants of a smile mixed with puzzlement.
Huh?
Zhang housekeeper, what are you talking about? I don't understand.
Qi Mo also turned to look at Zhang housekeeper, helplessly pinching his nose bridge, not responding.
Misunderstandings and mistakes tend to occur in succession, triggering a butterfly effect.
Sure enough, before Zhang housekeeper had finished speaking, Qi Shaobai, who had just returned home from his evening study session, came in from the front entrance after changing into slippers.
He clearly heard every thunderous word from Zhang housekeeper.
Understandably, hearing such news left him shocked. He stopped in his tracks.
What Qi Shaobai saw —
Stepmother grinning foolishly, Zhang housekeeper congratulating with delight.
And his dad standing there casually, seemingly in good spirits too.
It was clear to him.
What else did he not understand?
Before Sheng Mumu could react, "Huh... Zhang housekeeper, what are you talking about?" as if she had misunderstood her meaning, Qi Shaobai took her words to mean something else.
The sensitive teenager, going through puberty, guessed that she was pretending to be confused, not wanting him to know about the news, worried that he would feel uncomfortable knowing a new family member was coming.
Please, he was almost an adult at seventeen.
Don't treat him like a little kid!
Ever since he found out his dad was bringing home a new wife, he had prepared himself for possibly having younger siblings anytime.
Qi Shaobai leisurely walked past Qi Mo and Sheng Mumu.
He had taken a few steps out before turning back.
Seemingly casually, he tilted his body towards the two, who in his eyes were celebrating, and said:
"No need to avoid celebrating in front of me, I don't mind."
He had to make his stance clear,
So that none of them would feel uncomfortable.
After speaking, Qi Shaobai continued towards his room. Then as if recalling something, he looked back at Sheng Mumu and said:
"Congratulations."
Having said that, he went into his room and closed the door.
Sheng Mumu: "..."
By now, even someone slow on the uptake should have understood.
She looked at Qi Mo, twitching her mouth awkwardly.
"Uh...actually what I wanted to say was, I've come up with a name for the flower shop, planning to call it Yue Zi."
As she spoke, she was still holding onto Qi Mo's shirt cuff, her mind bombarded with so much information in an instant that she forgot to let go.
The posture seemed somewhat intimate.
Zhang the housekeeper already felt embarrassed and quietly walked away.
Sheng Mumu blinked at Qi Mo and said,
"Qi Shaobai seems to have misunderstood something. Should I go explain to him that he seems to think I'm pregnant..."
Qi Mo's gaze lowered slowly until it stopped at the wrinkled spot on the cuff where she had grabbed.
His voice slowed, "No need to explain."
Sheng Mumu: "You sure?"
Qi Mo looked up at her: "Yes, he's grown up now, no need to specifically explain everything to him."
Sheng Mumu nodded, "Okay."
If he said don't explain then don't explain.
After all she wasn't pregnant, never would be in her life. Qi Shaobai would figure it out eventually.
She happily went upstairs to call the designer.
After Sheng Mumu left, Qi Mo leisurely smoothed out his wrinkled shirt cuffs and strode towards the kitchen.
He had an upright and tall figure. One hand leaned on the counter, the other held up a glass to his lips.
His forearms were exposed, exuding a sense of strength.
When he tilted his head back, his jawline was sharp and rugged.
His whole body emanated a low-key yet solid mature masculinity.
His adam's apple bobbed up and down a few times as the icy water slid down his throat.
Upstairs, Sheng Mumu's delightful voice discussing ideas for the shop sign floated down, falling into his ears.
It sounded like she was going over concepts for the storefront banner.
Qi Mo's gaze wandered aimlessly around the living room.
Previously when it was just Qi Shaobai and him living here, he had felt the place was a little too spacious, and had considered moving to another house.
His vision grew hazy, not focusing on anything.
Sheng Mumu's pleasant voice continued to drift down.
He took another sip of water, tilting his head back.
It seemed there was no need for that anymore.
