Chapter 11: Call from Baby: “Letting Hubby Enjoy It Is Also Fine”

As soon as these words came out, the already questionable integrity vanished into nothingness. Chu Fuxuan squeezed the fountain pen forcefully, the heartbeat in his chest growing more and more chaotic.

He realized that he had spoken too hastily just now. It truly couldn’t stand up to scrutiny and could easily arouse someone’s suspicion.

At the same time, he was worried that Qi Yingzhu wouldn’t be able to hold back from mocking him, his eyes darting around evasively, not daring to make eye contact.

Perhaps the change in address came too abruptly, and he couldn’t digest this way of speaking in an instant. Qi Yingzhu seemed to have suffered a malfunction and didn’t answer his question immediately.

The pen tip hovered without dropping for a long time, and a drop of ink fell onto the paper, spreading into a black stain on its own.

Fuck, why is Qi Yingzhu not reacting? Did he not hear what I said clearly? Chu Fuxuan speculated in a panic.

Chu Fuxuan pondered in annoyance. He had clearly enunciated his words and the volume was appropriate. Perhaps it was because he made the other party embarrassed?

Putting himself in the other’s shoes, he could understand why Qi Yingzhu would feel uncomfortable at this time. Being called so intimately when completely off guard, even if he didn’t find it overly dramatic, it would at least make his scalp tingle.

The atmosphere only froze for two or three seconds, but his thoughts twisted and turned, stretched out infinitely. Chu Fuxuan even started to guard against whether Qi Yingzhu would run away from the marriage.

In reality, Qi Yingzhu wasn’t thinking about anything. Chu Fuxuan’s words looped in his ears. It was as if he hadn’t installed the matching response system yet, leaving only that voice playing on repeat.

What did he call me? Qi Yingzhu found it inconceivable. Before the answer could surface in his mind, his body gave a reaction first, his back instantly tensing up somewhat stiffly.

Intending to cover up his confusion, he said, “Let me think about where our home is.”

Chu Fuxuan: “.”

Agency staff member: ?

May I ask where exactly you two newlyweds bought your house? Is the address that hard to remember?

Originally, she found Chu Fuxuan’s words and actions bizarre, but right now, she completely dispelled any thoughts of scrutinizing them. After all, if one person accidentally had a spasm, that would be showing their true colors, but if both of them were having spasms together, that must be a match made in heaven. They probably didn’t have any extra IQ to play mind games.

Soon, Qi Yingzhu took the fountain pen and wrote down a string of house numbers in Shanghai.

The handwriting was dashing and vigorous, and the address looked somewhat familiar. Chu Fuxuan had recently searched for real estate information in Shanghai. Qi Yingzhu’s apartment was very famous locally, a well-known high-priced area.

He even remembered the writer introducing this apartment, fearing that everyone had no concept of luxury mansions, and adding an extra sentence that the annual property management fee was at least 150,000 RMB.

“Thank you for your trouble.” Qi Yingzhu capped the fountain pen and handed the form into the window.

Subsequently, he paid all the fees, and the staff member gave them two temporary certificates. The formal marriage documents would be mailed over half a month later.

Chu Fuxuan carefully held this piece of paper, very worried about wrinkling it. After looking it up and down for a long time, he sent it to his family group chat for their inspection.

Less than five minutes later, his dad told him to pull Qi Yingzhu into the group. Now that the son’s boyfriend had transitioned from a wild state to an official staff member, he should become a part of the group.

Since this group was mostly used for casually chatting about flowers and plants or sharing internet articles of dubious authenticity every day, Chu Fuxuan was afraid Qi Yingzhu would find it annoying, so he made an excuse saying it wasn’t necessary.

Mother Chu considerately echoed: [Don’t invite him in. It’s hard for a kid to reply when receiving a bunch of nagging. Let him be a bit more comfortable.]

Father Chu: [I didn’t think about that part. True, true. Fuxuan, your mom and I will come to the airport to pick you up the day after tomorrow. Don’t go running around blindly when you arrive.]

Chu Fuxuan indicated there was no problem and gently put the paper certificate away in a folder. He then realized he was a few steps behind Qi Yingzhu and jogged to catch up.

“When did you change your flight ticket to?” he cheerfully asked as he got into the car.

Qi Yingzhu waited for him to fasten his seatbelt before starting the engine, saying lightly, “The day after tomorrow.”

Chu Fuxuan nodded. “Oh, then I’ll return to the country first, and we’ll contact each other when we’re free.”

After saying this, he felt something wasn’t quite right. It was rare for Qi Yingzhu to have free time all year round.

“My parents are keeping you in mind. They’ll save several of their signature dishes and only start cooking when you come over as a guest,” Chu Fuxuan instructed. “Remember to make some preparations before visiting.”

Qi Yingzhu knew that visiting elders required bringing gifts: “What is a safe gift to give to elders?”

“I didn’t mean it like that. I will buy the souvenir gifts, and when the time comes, it’ll be enough to say you prepared them,” Chu Fuxuan said comprehensively. “My parents don’t care about these etiquettes; don’t waste your money.”

After speaking, he blinked flatteringly: “Can I take a look at what you’ve saved me as in your contacts? I’m afraid of them catching us slipping up when we meet face-to-face.”

Holding the steering wheel with one hand, Qi Yingzhu pulled up his contact book and handed it over. Chu Fuxuan discovered that the other party had rigidly filled in everyone’s names, without even notes like “relative,” let alone nicknames or monikers for friends.

Before long, he found himself among them: [Chu Fuxuan – X17 Project Team Lead Planner]

Chu Fuxuan: “…”

He hesitated before asking, “Can we change it so we don’t seem so ‘plastic’ (fake/superficial)? This style feels a bit distant, like we’re lying in the same bed but still have to report on work.”

Sounding like a relatively reasonable request, Qi Yingzhu didn’t pick a fight, but he couldn’t think of what to change it to, so he simply let Chu Fuxuan exercise his own creativity.

Chu Fuxuan had quite a bit of creative inspiration. Pursing his lips, he tapped away, then returned it with trepidation, adding a sincere “Thank you, President Qi” along the way.

Having been respectfully addressed several times, Qi Yingzhu finally corrected him: “Our company advocates flat management. We don’t usually wear our titles, so you don’t need to be this polite even if you run into the Group President.”

Although Chu Fuxuan clearly understood social nuances at a glance and would perfectly blend in with a little observation of the environment when the time came, Qi Yingzhu still gave him a preemptive warning.

Chu Fuxuan nodded in understanding, then paused cleverly and asked in confusion, “Then why didn’t you refuse when I called you that earlier?”

Then he witnessed Qi Yingzhu wickedly pull up the corners of his mouth. His heart instantly became enlightened; no further speculation was needed. This guy was just taking the opportunity to put on a leader’s airs in front of him a few times.

Chu Fuxuan: “.”

He had never seen such a cunning guy. He couldn’t help but grit his teeth at Qi Yingzhu. Then, amidst his annoyance, he remembered the concluding episode at the City Hall, where the other party had rarely shown rawness and sluggishness.

Thinking of this, Chu Fuxuan rested one hand on the car window, his fingertips tapping on it aimlessly.

Grabbing hold of that little vulnerability, he put on a gentle and magnanimous posture to tease Qi Yingzhu: “Forget it, we’re a married couple anyway. The raw rice is cooked even without lighting a fire (what’s done is done). Letting Hubby enjoy it a bit is also fine.”

Qi Yingzhu obviously resisted this term of address. This time, he was no longer handling things with ease, and the speed of the return trip also became a bit slower.

He understood Chu Fuxuan was intentionally making things difficult. Bypassing that dreadful pronoun, he warned coldly, “If you really want me to enjoy it, then hurry up and onboard. Remember to come over and answer questions in person during the monthly review then.”

The so-called “answering questions” was actually almost like being interrogated. The superior would mark the questionable points in the report and check the details one by one. The project team usually sent out their top leader to shoulder all the problems.

Chu Fuxuan was at most considered the second-in-command. Being abruptly promoted right now, his whole person unconsciously shrank into the corner.

He pushed back: “It’s best if I consciously keep a little distance from you. It’ll be a bit hard to explain clearly if we enter the office together.”

Qi Yingzhu open-mindedly pointed out a way out for him: “If you feel anything is unclear, you can video record the whole process, copy it, and report it to the Professional Ethics Committee.”

Mentioning this department, he revealed a hint of regret and added a notification: “I’m also managing them now. I’ll make the call for you when the time comes.”

Doesn’t this equal eating me clean by passing from the left hand to the right? Chu Fuxuan had already started to retreat, yet on the surface, he spoke quite obediently and docilely.

“How could I be so ignorant? I won’t cause trouble for the top boss. It’s better to shoulder things myself,” he said.

Qi Yingzhu replied hypocritically, “It’s fine. Regardless, we are a married couple. Being complained about by you counts as domestic violence; I will swallow the bitterness into my own stomach.”

When the two of them met today, there initially existed a subtle sense of distance. They tried to get closer but couldn’t find a decent reason, and planned to stay away but were already unable to break free.

Having couldn’t resist bickering a few times just now, that awkwardness suddenly disappeared.

Hearing Qi Yingzhu’s posturing, Chu Fuxuan subconsciously wanted to laugh, but just as his eyelashes curled, he reservedly turned his head away and held it back.

Before parting ways, he got out of the car, walked around to the driver’s window, leaned against the car, and made a phone call gesture: “I’ll contact you when I get home. Let me know when you land too.”

Qi Yingzhu thought this kind of back-and-forth was a bit cumbersome; he never had the rule of reporting to anyone.

But hindering Chu Fuxuan, who eagerly wanted to put on a show for the parents, he didn’t refuse. After all, it was just a phone call and wouldn’t take more than a few minutes.

The two separated there. The day before his departure, Chu Fuxuan uncharacteristically couldn’t fall asleep, tossing and turning, opening the flight page, wanting to confirm if it would take off on time every half hour.

He hadn’t been home for a full three years. He had been looking forward to this since before his resignation, busying himself and laying the groundwork for a long time.

Now that he could truly return, perhaps because of being timid as he neared his hometown, he actually felt dazed and nervous when he stepped onto the boarding bridge. He didn’t even feel a sense of reality when hearing the broadcasts.

Back then, he immaturely rushed overseas to study, his luggage stuffed so full the zipper almost wouldn’t close, attempting to fill his empty heart with old items from home. He paid the overweight fees with a heartache and worried his things would be ruined in checked baggage, wishing he could hold them all firmly in his arms.

Now, at twenty-five, Chu Fuxuan walked with a light step. He bought an extra seat for his bass instrument case, and his carry-on bag contained only two books.

During this period, he had grown from a teenager into a young man. The time in between happened to be a fleeting ten years. The various experiences were like a long dream; upon breaking free, what he felt most intensely was actually exhaustion.

The flight attendant asked if he needed a meal or dessert. Groggy and lacking appetite, Chu Fuxuan only asked for a glass of orange juice. For more than half of the ten-plus-hour flight, he stared blankly at the clouds.

Fortunately, the complex feelings didn’t last too long. When Chu Fuxuan saw his parents at the arrivals gate, those unreal sentiments vanished into thin air, and his mood suddenly became bright and joyful.

“Why have you lost so much weight?” Mother Chu stepped forward to hug him, sizing him up with concern.

Chu Fuxuan downplayed it: “Mom remembered wrong. I had a check-up a while ago, and my weight hasn’t changed at all.”

December in the Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai region was already mid-winter. Mother Chu had specially brought a comforting coat: “It’s even better if you haven’t lost weight. Hurry up and put the overcoat on.”

Father Chu wasn’t idle either, making a move to help his son carry the luggage. Chu Fuxuan refused to hand it over, stating the items were very light and he could carry them himself.

“You have to sit in my car and come to my territory; there’s no logic in you giving the orders,” Father Chu snatched it over playfully.

Chu Fuxuan smiled: “Alright, judging by your voice, you have more energy than me.”

Watching him put on the overcoat, Father Chu teased: “Heaven knows what the temperature is in America. The kid ran over wearing just a shirt. Later, I’ll have to turn the heater in the car to the highest setting.”

Chu Fuxuan’s surroundings were bustling with lively activity. They set off for home talking and laughing, while on Qi Yingzhu’s side, there was absolute silence.

In the hotel, he plugged in his laptop’s power cord, got up to hang a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the room door, and then wordlessly entered the online conference room.

Recently, Qi Yingzhu could only work remotely. Others hearing this would probably suspect many arrangements would need to be reorganized. However, during this time, the internal operations hadn’t really been affected much.

Originally, when the subordinates learned Qi Yingzhu was going on a business trip, many prepared to disrupt their routines and live on California time. But Qi Yingzhu took the initiative to speak up, saying everything would be based on domestic time and they didn’t need to worry about his situation and disrupt their schedules.

In terms of official business, he could be called an excellent, pragmatic boss. Right now, it was past 7:00 PM his time, which was around 10:00 AM domestically—perfectly hitting the point when executives arrived at their workstations, making it very convenient for the vast majority of people.

The secretary acted as an alarm clock twenty minutes early, notifying the attendees to log on punctually. Qi Yingzhu never needed to be urged and had already set up his screen cast.

Today they were doing a data seminar. With ten minutes left until it officially started, everyone arrived in the conference room early, one after another.

Being the end of the year, their performance pressure was immense. Unwilling to make mistakes in front of Qi Yingzhu at this time, they all behaved exceptionally docilely and honestly.

Staring at Qi Yingzhu’s shared screen, they appeared serious and proper on the surface, not making a peep on the public screen, but behind the scenes, they were gathering together to sigh and groan.

This group had created a small group chat. A director broke down: [My compliance data isn’t looking too good. I’m definitely going to be humiliated later.]

Another manager was in despair: [I’m genuinely afraid of being called on by Boss Qi. It’s too hard to fend him off when he gets serious. Last time, I couldn’t squeeze out a single sentence in five minutes.]

Qi Yingzhu’s temper was somewhat cold; he wouldn’t put his arm around his subordinates’ shoulders. Moreover, he pursued perfection in his work, which easily created an unreasonable sense of oppression.

The manager added: [The spreadsheet we summarized yesterday—he’s already finished reading it right now. Doesn’t he need to rest?]

The director complained: [This is what it’s like being a single dog. He has nothing else to do. It’s 7 or 8 PM over there right now; what are normal people doing at this time?]

The manager sighed with emotion: [Wife and kids on a warm bed, beaches, beer, and bikinis.]

The director: [And he wants to analyze data with us.]

A producer comforted them while gloating: [You guys should just be considerate of the old bachelor. He has nowhere to spend his energy; consider yourself taking the heat for his wife.]

Just as this message was sent out, they all noticed the casted screen jump.

Everyone thought Qi Yingzhu had some serious business, so they unanimously moved away from the chat box and looked apprehensively at the screen.

However, Qi Yingzhu was logged into the mobile assistant and hadn’t logged out. Suddenly, a call request popped up in the bottom right corner.

Everyone subconsciously glanced over and saw the caller ID for the other party was:

[Baby]

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Some babies remember to close the door tightly before sleeping and tuck the quilt in securely, or worry your hubby will come looking to settle accounts with you.