After quietly holding the girl in his arms for a while, Fu Zhiyan finally let her go, glanced around, and asked, “Charles Chase isn't home?”
“Mm, my brother went to work. He’ll be back tonight.”
It was as if something occurred to her—Cecilia smiled. “Want to go to my room? I’ll show you my brother’s obsession with pink.”
Fu Zhiyan immediately thought of the pink lace curtains and couldn't help twitching at the thought. Perfect, here was the chance to tease Charles Chase.
The moment the door opened, sure enough, the room was awash in pink. Fu Zhiyan started to wonder if he might be color-blind.
Cecilia pulled him to sit at the edge of the bed. The window was open, letting in a warm breeze.
“Sweetheart, if Charles Chase knew you brought me into your room, he’d flip out.”
Thinking of how overprotective Charles Chase was as a brother, Fu Zhiyan shrugged, rather pleased.
Cecilia reached out and pinched his cheek. “You and my brother are so strange—boys really are childish. You’re either bickering or fighting.”
Fu Zhiyan chuckled, pulling her into his arms. “So, when are you coming home with me? Let’s go visit Grandpa Rivers and Grandma Rivers, and bring Mom home too.”
Cecilia hesitated. “But if both Mom and I leave, my brother would be here all alone.”
He smiled. “You’re my wife. Of course you have to come home with me. As for Charles Chase, maybe it’s time he found a wife of his own.”
“Actually, I think my brother knows Yaoyao,” Cecilia said, bringing her two index fingers together and smiling. “They’re… well, like this. And it kind of seems like Yaoyao cares about him.”
Seeing her delicate fingers touching, Fu Zhiyan’s throat tightened, and he inched closer. “Like this? What do you mean?”
Completely off guard, Cecilia looked up. “It's just… um—”
She wanted to say they’d kissed, but before she could finish, Fu Zhiyan sealed her words with a kiss, his breath enveloping her, stronger than ever.
Fu Zhiyan struggled to restrain himself, tenderly kissing her soft lips, savoring both their texture and her unique sweetness.
His hand circled firmly around her waist. Unlike his usual demanding kisses, this one was incredibly gentle.
Since their reconciliation, at most they’d only hugged. Her small body started to soften, and she clung to his shirt, lips parted, both docile and a little nervous.
Only after a long moment, when her lips tingled from the kissing, did Fu Zhiyan finally pull back. Cecilia’s eyes were shut tight, long lashes trembling, glistening with moisture.
His heart was utterly content as he gently tapped his nose against hers. “Open your eyes, sweetheart.”
Obediently, Cecilia opened her eyes, her heart thumping wildly.
“Why… why did you kiss me?” she stammered, nervous and unsure of her own words.
Fu Zhiyan couldn't help but laugh, finding her adorable. “Sorry, I just really wanted to kiss you.”
“It’s… it’s not like you can’t…” Cecilia blushed, lowering her head and wrapping her arms around her small belly.
Pushing his luck, Fu Zhiyan asked slyly, “So, besides kisses, can I touch the baby?”
Cecilia thought for a moment, then moved her hand away. Whenever Fu Zhiyan kissed her, the baby would squirm inside her, as if recognizing Dad’s touch.
“Go ahead,” she replied, sticking her belly out invitingly.
Fu Zhiyan felt his heart melt as he reached out, softly placing his hand on her belly. The baby inside gave a little kick right into his palm.
Usually so composed, Fu Zhiyan froze in astonishment, surprise lighting up his face.
“The baby’s moving!”
Cecilia grinned at his expression. “Mm, she’s naughty. She has to move around every day.”
He stroked her cheek with concern. “Does it hurt?”
“No, it doesn’t hurt. Whenever she moves, I feel happy—means she’s growing well.”
“Cecilia, come home with me. I’ll worry otherwise.”
This time, there was nothing playful about his tone—it was serious. Whenever he couldn’t see her, he worried.
He worried whether she was eating properly, whether she felt unwell, whether she slept alright at night.
Cecilia blinked. She wanted Fu Zhiyan beside her too. Mornings left her dizzy and nauseous, and at night she’d sometimes wake with back pain or cramps.
They’d almost lost each other once. Now, only being together made her feel at ease.
“Hmm… or maybe I could just stay here with you?”
Fu Zhiyan nodded generously. As long as he was with Cecilia, he didn’t mind enduring this pink room.
Cecilia looked at Fu Zhiyan, then around her room, suddenly wanting to laugh. But remembering how poorly he and her brother got along, she shook her head.
“No way. You and my brother would just end up squabbling.”
Charles Chase, thinking he’d hidden it well, had no idea his image in his sister’s eyes had already collapsed this far.
“When my brother gets home tonight, I’ll tell him. For now, you should go home and get some rest.”
Remembering that Fu Zhiyan had already been there a while, Cecilia hurried him home to rest.
“Alright, I’ll come back in a couple days to get you.”
“Okay.”
She walked Fu Zhiyan downstairs. Lao San was waiting by the door. “President, madam.”
Cecilia responded with a smile.
Fu Zhiyan shot Lao San a look, and he turned tactfully away.
He pulled her close, gave her one more lingering kiss, and reluctantly released her.
“Don’t forget to video call me.”
Blushing, Cecilia mumbled, “I know.”
So, it was settled—they’d move back home together. That evening, Charles Chase didn’t object. Since Cecilia and Fu Zhiyan had reconciled, of course his sister should go back.
Besides, with Cecilia pregnant, she needed someone at her side. As her brother, there were a lot of things he simply couldn’t do for her.
“Mm. But if Fu Zhiyan bullies you after you go back, tell me and I’ll beat him up again.”
Cecilia parroted Fu Zhiyan’s earlier words back at her brother. “Bro, you’re so childish.”
Frozen in place, Charles Chase was deeply wounded… What happened to his mature, dependable image?! Clearly, he couldn’t just let Fu Zhiyan whisk her away like this. Hmph.
…
The next day, at CG Group’s office.
The overseas 'DY' project had actually been very satisfied with Charles Chase and Fu Zhiyan’s proposal last time.
Even though neither of them had attended the meeting, the other side made an exception and decided to pick one of their companies as the partner.
Henry Hart and Xiao Lin had both returned to China by now.
At that moment, Xiao Lin stood in the boss’s office while Charles Chase looked over the contract in his hands—it was the 'DY' partnership contract. Weren’t they supposed to rebid?
“President, the Fu Corporation withdrew from the bid, so DY reached out to us directly.”
Xiao Lin was just as confused. He and Henry Hart had spent a week in Country Y. With neither boss present, they’d finished the work and killed time by complaining about their bosses, gradually becoming friends.
This morning, Henry Hart called—said the Fu Corporation was dropping out of the project.
Charles Chase raised an eyebrow. Oh, so it was his brother-in-law giving him a gift? Why not accept it.
Over at Fu Corporation, Henry Hart looked at Fu Zhiyan. After returning, he’d visited the hospital a few times. The president had barely recovered from a bullet wound before daring to return to work. If the old master learned of this, he’d be in trouble.
At least Fu Zhiyan didn’t stay long, only instructing him to hand the DY project over to Charles Chase’s side.
“President, are we really giving it up?” Henry Hart asked, thinking of how the operations department had worked overtime for months, only to be scolded nonstop. Still, he felt obligated to ask.
“Yes, and make sure everyone in operations gets an extra three months’ bonus.”
With that, he walked out of the company in an exceedingly good mood.