Chapter 18: What does Miss Wen suggest?

Wen Yang responded with a soft sound, picked up her laptop, and followed him. The hotel had a reception area, and his tall figure quickly disappeared into the elevator. Jiang Yue, however, opened another elevator and said to Wen Yang, “Miss Wen, come with me. There’s a lounge upstairs where you can wait for President Fu.”

Wen Yang nodded and stepped into the elevator.

As Jiang Yue closed the elevator door, he turned slightly to explain to Wen Yang, “President Fu is flying back to Hong Kong this afternoon. He’s short on time, so it’s best if the discussion is finished before lunch.”

That made sense.

Wen Yang nodded to show her understanding.

Jiang Yue gave her a small smile, his gaze lingering briefly on Wen Yang.

Compared to their first meeting, where she had a fragile kind of beauty, she seemed different now. Perhaps it was the calmness in her demeanor that allowed a gentle and serene charm to emerge. Truth be told, women like her were rare around President Fu. Most were ambitious, with eyes full of desire.

The lounge was on the second floor.

The following parts of the text will be scrambled to prevent theft from aggregators and unauthorized epub making. Please support our translators by reading on secondlifetranslations (dot) com. If you are currently on the site and and you are seeing this, please clear your cache.

Gp pssd yp vblu lmkvle vbl lzlhyvsa, vbl essa sd vbl aktbv zle vs vbl zswdtl. Lsv qya yoyu oyp vbl xykd byzz qsa vbl nsdqlaldnl. Kkydt Zwl lpnsavle Eld Zydt kdvs vbl zswdtl, oblal psxl pdynjp yde nsqqll olal yzalyeu plv swv sd vbl vyczl.

Kkydt Zwl pyke vs bla, “Ykpp Eld, rzlypl alpv blal yde oykv.”

“Gzaktbv, vbydj usw, Flnalvyau Kkydt.”

“Zsw’al olznsxl, Ykpp Eld. R’zz blye swv dso.”

“Fwal, pwal.”

Gqvla vbl essa nzsple, Eld Zydt zssjle yaswde. Mblal oyp y nsxrwvla elpj kd vbl assx. Fbl pyv esod, vwadle sd bla zyrvsr, yde srldle vbl esnwxldv nsdvykdkdt bkp aliwkalxldvp qsa vbl rasrlavu.

Eld Zydt satydkgle vbl kdqsaxyvksd sdnl xsal.

Mbld, pbl plyanble sdzkdl qsa psxl kdvlaksa elpktd alqlaldnlp qsa bswplp kd Eypbkdtvsd. Lsoyeyup, xspv nsxrydklp wple GR vs ywvsxyvknyzzu tldlayvl pvuzlp cyple sd nwpvsxla ralqlaldnlp. Nkw Zw Fvweks bye elhlzsrle pwnb vlnbdszstu, cwv Zw Ckdt eked’v wpl kv. Fbl ralqlaale vs nalyvl nsdnlrvp blaplzq cyple sd nzkldv dllep, obknb ldpwale vbl elpktdp olal wdkiwl.

The houses in Washington were inhabited by the wealthy, who naturally didn’t mind paying for premium designs. Many were masterpieces by renowned designers.

However, there weren’t many references available online. Yu Qing had saved two sets of designs for study purposes, but Wen Yang found little value in them.

The main challenge was that Fu Xingzhou’s requirements were too simple, leaving a lot of room for interpretation.

Time passed unknowingly.

When Fu Xingzhou opened the door and walked in, his eyes immediately landed on Wen Yang, who was sitting at the computer desk flipping through design drafts. She was fully immersed, flipping page after page with great focus. Fu Xingzhou walked toward her.

At that moment, his phone rang.

The sudden noise startled Wen Yang, who quickly turned her head to look.

Fu Xingzhou raised his eyebrows and gestured for her to stay calm. Wen Yang’s heart raced as she clutched the mouse and nodded at him.

Fu Xingzhou glanced at his phone and sat down on the sofa.

He answered the call in Cantonese: “I’ll be back this afternoon.”

“No need to pick me up.”

“Just keep an eye on him.”

His voice, speaking Cantonese, was deep and smooth. Wen Yang glanced over at him a few times.

Fu Xingzhou picked up a plate of snacks, glanced at her, and for a moment, their eyes met in midair. Wen Yang froze, then quickly nodded and looked away, not wanting him to think she was staring intentionally.

Fu Xingzhou stood up, carrying the plate of snacks to the computer desk. He placed it beside Wen Yang, then tapped the table with his slender fingers, signaling her to eat.

Wen Yang understood and gave a small nod.

He continued his phone call and returned to the sofa.

“I told you not to buy those currencies, but you wouldn’t listen…”

Wen Yang looked at the plate of snacks. Not wanting to refuse his kind gesture, she reached out and picked one up, taking a small bite. It was a handmade pastry, similar to a wife cake but with a lighter filling and flakier crust. The moment she bit into it, it made a crispy sound and crumbs fell. Wen Yang quickly used her other hand to catch the crumbs, eating carefully.

Fu Xingzhou, still on the phone, glanced up and noticed her.

She was delicately eating the pastry, her expression gentle, chewing softly. Occasionally, she glanced at the computer. Strands of her hair fell loosely around her ears, framing her face.

On the other end of the phone, Ah Bin asked, “When will you be back?”

Fu Xingzhou snapped out of his thoughts. “This afternoon.”

“Oh, hurry up. Mr. Lu has an appointment with you.”

“I know.”

Fu Xingzhou ended the call.

By now, Wen Yang had finished the snack and was paying attention to his movements. Seeing him put down his phone, she adjusted her laptop and got ready to stand up.

But Fu Xingzhou had already walked over and stopped behind her.

He asked, “Any other details?”

Wen Yang reacted immediately, swiping her screen to display several design drafts she had been reviewing.

“There are a few details,” she said. “For the dining room, should we include a wine cabinet? As for the living room, do you have specific requirements for a TV stand? Since your primary need is for rest, would you like a larger TV or perhaps a projector instead?”

Fu Xingzhou glanced at the designs on her screen.

“No need for a TV stand. Let’s go with a projector. A wine cabinet too,” he replied.

Wen Yang nodded, quickly making notes. She then scrolled through the design drafts and continued, “One last important point—the style. I heard from Secretary Jiang that your property in Hong Kong features a minimalist modern design in cool tones. Would you like to maintain that style for this property in Washington as well?”

She turned to look at him.

Meeting her gaze, Fu Xingzhou asked, “What does Miss Wen suggest?”

Caught slightly off guard, Wen Yang rested her arm on the back of her chair, pondering for a moment. “Do you feel comfortable in your home in Hong Kong?”

Fu Xingzhou nodded. “It’s alright. I primarily use it for work and hosting guests.”

Wen Yang understood. The Washington property was likely meant purely for personal rest, given how little time he would spend there. If it was primarily for relaxation, privacy would need to be a priority.

As Wen Yang continued to deliberate, Fu Xingzhou glanced at his watch, casually adjusting his sleeve. Wen Yang noticed the gesture.

At that moment, Jiang Yue knocked on the door, and Fu Xingzhou called out, “Come in.”

Jiang Yue stepped in and said, “President Fu, the car is ready downstairs.”

Fu Xingzhou looked at Wen Yang. “Miss Wen, I have a lunch meeting. Let’s discuss the remaining details online.”

Wen Yang nodded quickly. “Apologies for taking up your time, President Fu.”

“It’s no trouble.”

With that, he turned to grab his phone.

Jiang Yue retrieved his coat and said to Wen Yang, “Miss Wen, I’ve ordered lunch for you. Please eat before you leave.”

Wen Yang stood up, about to pack up her laptop. Hearing this, she opened her mouth to decline, but just then, a server entered with a cart of food. Jiang Yue glanced back at her and said, “Enjoy your meal.”

Caught off guard, Wen Yang replied, “Thank you, Secretary Jiang.”

She then looked at Fu Xingzhou. “Thank you, President Fu.”

Fu Xingzhou, putting on his coat, gave a slight nod. His tall figure headed for the door. Jiang Yue smiled at Wen Yang before following closely behind him. As the two exited, they brushed past the server and the cart. The server paused briefly, bowing respectfully as Fu Xingzhou walked by.

Once the door was shut, the server pushed the cart toward Wen Yang, smiling warmly as they began setting the dishes on the table. “Miss Wen, please enjoy your meal.”

Wen Yang softly thanked them.

The server gave her a friendly look before cleaning up the lids, pushing the cart away, and closing the door behind them. Now, the room was quiet, save for Wen Yang and the table full of fragrant dishes.

Although Wen Yang wasn’t particularly hungry, having just eaten snacks earlier, she felt it would be wasteful not to eat at least a little.

However, the meal was far too much for her alone. Not wanting it to go to waste, she pressed the call button after eating. When the server came to clean up, she asked if the leftovers could be packed to go. The server paused for a moment before smiling and saying, “Of course.”

A few minutes later, Wen Yang left the hotel with the packed food. Though it was already October, the weather was still quite warm. Outside the hotel, she hailed a taxi and gave the driver the address for the COCO Building.

The ride back to the studio took about twenty minutes, delayed slightly by traffic.

Two notifications sounded.

Her phone buzzed.

Wen Yang checked it—it was a contact card sent by Jiang Yue.

Jiang Yue: Miss Wen, here’s President Fu’s WeChat. You can contact him directly about the renovation details.

Wen Yang immediately replied: Thank you, Secretary Jiang.

After sending the message, she clicked on the contact card and sent a friend request.

By the time she got out of the taxi, Fu Xingzhou had already accepted her request.

---

Back at the studio, Yu Qing was chewing on her pen, deep in thought. When she saw Wen Yang walk in, she immediately tossed the pen aside, stood up, and asked, “How did it go? Was it smooth?”

“Was Fu Xingzhou difficult? Did he make things hard for you?”

Wen Yang set the takeout bag on the table and laughed. “Did Xu Xu traumatize you so much that you think everyone’s like him?”

“Hey, so what happened? And what’s this? You brought food back?” Yu Qing lifted the bag, peeking inside. “Whoa, this is from the city’s most expensive five-star hotel?”

Wen Yang nodded, pulling out her laptop and opening her files.

Yu Qing took out an absurdly pricey bun and bit into it. “Did you order this?”

Wen Yang shook her head. “Of course not.”

“Then it was Fu Xingzhou.” Yu Qing sat down, munching on the bun thoughtfully. “Did he order it for you?”

Wen Yang turned her laptop toward Yu Qing and said, “His secretary ordered it.”

“That guy, Jiang?”

“Mm.”

“Still, it was Fu Xingzhou’s decision,” Yu Qing said, scrolling through the requirements while grabbing another bun. “Seems like he’s pretty considerate. Then again, he divorced so quickly, didn’t worry about stock prices, and acted decisively when he found out Li Man was cheating. The man’s got guts.”

“But it also shows he was definitely in the dominant position in that marriage.”

Yu Qing turned to Wen Yang, blinking. “Is he easy to get along with?”

Wen Yang nodded. “Very easy to work with.”

“Wow, no wonder he’s willing to give a small studio like ours a chance.”

Yu Qing’s impression of Fu Xingzhou improved dramatically. As she reviewed his requirements, Wen Yang added the detail he’d mentioned: that he’d only use the house for rest about once a month. Yu Qing was a little shocked.

“Once a month? That’s only twelve times a year. Does he even need it?”

Resting her chin on her hand, Wen Yang explained, “He said his family keeps pressuring him to marry. He wants a quiet place to escape when he’s in Nancheng.”

Yu Qing blinked and turned to Wen Yang. “He just got divorced less than two months ago, and his family is already pressuring him to remarry?”

Wen Yang shook her head. “I have no idea.”

Yu Qing let out a sigh.

“Though, given his status, it’s no surprise. People were already watching him even before he became single again, let alone now…”

Yu Qing stared at the computer screen, silently wondering to herself:

Why did Li Man cheat? What did she even see in Cheng Yanyu?

Wasn’t Fu Xingzhou good enough?

But she didn’t dare say it out loud, afraid of reopening Wen Yang’s wounds.

Wen Yang, who had woken up early, handed the list of requirements to Yu Qing before curling up on the tatami mat in the corner. She pulled a soft air-conditioned blanket over herself and sank into it, planning to rest for a bit.

Her phone rang just then. It was a call from Zhu Yun.

Wen Yang froze for a moment.

She hadn’t been in touch with her family much lately. Zhu Yun called occasionally, but since Wen Yang had been busy looking after Yu Qing, she didn’t talk much with her mother. On top of that, Zhu Yun’s department had been busy preparing for an evaluation, so she hadn’t shared her situation at home yet. Initially, it was just something she didn’t bring up, but as time passed, it became harder to talk about.

Now, she avoided it whenever possible.

After letting it ring for a few seconds, Wen Yang answered the call. “Mom, have you had lunch yet?”

“It’s so late already. Of course I’ve eaten. What about you? About to take a nap?” Zhu Yun asked as she embroidered a small baby’s bellyband on the other end of the line.

Wen Yang pulled the blanket up a little and smiled. “Yep, you guessed it right.”

“Do I even need to guess? Isn’t this always your routine? What about Yanyu? Did he come back for lunch? Are you two preparing for a baby yet?”

Wen Yang opened her mouth, intending to go along with it and continue lying.

But after several moments, she couldn’t bring herself to say Cheng Yanyu’s name. It felt impossible to speak his name in an affectionate, casual tone, let alone say something like “He went to the office.”

After being apart for so long, many old habits had become unfamiliar.

“Why aren’t you saying anything? Fell asleep already?” Zhu Yun asked, confused.

Wen Yang opened her mouth, but no words came out.

Yu Qing, sitting at the office desk nearby, looked over and caught Wen Yang’s eye. After a moment, Yu Qing paused, then used a pen to gesture in the air: Just tell her. You can’t keep it hidden forever.

---

Sansukini: Was Fu Xingzhou not good enough? He has the looks, the money and the influence to help Li Man in business and society. But a small part of me thinks, for a wife, all these things are negligible if you and your partner treat each other as guest. What is a marriage without emotion. Indifference is also a form of abuse, imo.
For me, Li Man is wrong because she chose to cheat, and in the process, broke a family apart.

Thanks for visiting. If you like this story, then I’m shamelessly asking you to visit NovelUpdates and give a 5⭐ review. (人❛ᴗ❛)♪тнайк　чоц♪(❛ᴗ❛*人)

You can also check out my other translations Here