This slap shattered Summer Bamboo's heart, which was already on the verge of collapse, and stunned Chu Yuxuan.
Gao Ning and the agent each took charge of one person, dragging the mother and daughter out in a sorry state.
The rest of the crowd exchanged glances, too afraid to say a word. Ever since they had known Zhao Yanan, this was the first time they had seen the beautiful CEO actually hit someone.
Zhao Yanan remained calm and composed, glancing at Chu Yuxuan. "Mr. Chu, go greet Mr. Jin. He's been watching this drama unfold for a while now."
Chu Yuxuan stared at her without blinking, his gaze a bit dazed.
"Mr. Chu?" Zhao Yanan called out again.
The playboy remained motionless, as if his soul had left his body.
Annoyed, Zhao Yanan pursed her lips and directly pinched his waist, whispering, "Did you freeze?" The onlookers assumed the couple was just flirting, showing all sorts of expressions on their faces.
Finally, Chu Yuxuan reacted, though his mind seemed a bit sluggish. "Hm? Oh... okay, let's go."
Zhao Yanan felt bewildered. What was wrong with this troublesome man again? It was as if the paste in his brain had solidified. After exchanging pleasantries with Mr. Jin, the couple led him into the company.
Although they claimed to be discussing business, Mr. Jin really just wanted to get to know Chu Yuxuan. The business talk was merely a formality.
People always aim higher, a principle that applies in every field.
Soon, they finalized the collaboration, and after a few brief exchanges, Mr. Jin and his group left.
Returning to the office, Zhao Yanan called her assistant Xiaowei. "File these contracts and also inform the artist management department to replace the lipstick advertisement originally planned for Summer Bamboo with Jin Shuhan."
"Yes, Ms. Zhao!" Xiaowei, holding the contracts, greeted Chu Yuxuan, who was lounging on the sofa, with a complicated look before leaving the office.
"You prepared an ad for Summer Bamboo?" Chu Yuxuan sat up, slightly surprised. "It seems you're not as heartless as you appear."
Zhao Yanan glanced at him, noticing that his beautiful almond-shaped eyes were inexplicably filled with tenderness. She froze for a moment and said, "Stop looking at me like that. It's creepy."
Chu Yuxuan feigned ignorance, "How am I looking at you?"
Zhao Yanan: "Like a tease."
"You're my wife. It's only natural for me to look at you this way." Chu Yuxuan rested his chin on his hand, his eyes brimming with a softness that seemed about to overflow.
"Chu Yuxuan," Zhao Yanan's face turned serious. "Don't get the wrong idea. I slapped Summer Bamboo and said those things because I had no choice."
"I know," Chu Yuxuan smiled faintly.
Given the situation, Zhao Yanan had already been rumored to have a fling with him, and with the mother-daughter pair constantly slandering them, if she hadn't handled it that way, she would have become the subject of endless gossip at the company. Moreover, Mr. Jin would certainly have viewed her differently.
Although she was reluctant to make her relationship with Chu Yuxuan public, it was better than being seen as a "mistress."
"Then we're even now," Zhao Yanan said coolly.
Chu Yuxuan was slow to react. "Hm... hmm? Even?"
Zhao Yanan: "Last time I cut you with a knife. Today... at least I saved your face. Of course, if you feel sorry for Summer Bamboo, just pretend I didn't say anything."
Chu Yuxuan: "Jealous?"
Zhao Yanan couldn't be bothered with him. She had long grown numb to these two words, so she simply pursed her lips and looked away.
"No need to call it even. Let's say I owe you one." Chu Yuxuan smiled, his gaze tender. "How about this: we have dinner tonight, and I'll make it up to you?"
"No need."
"Or, should I repay you with my body?" Chu Yuxuan raised an eyebrow, "That wouldn't be a bad idea."
Zhao Yanan glared at the shameless scoundrel, her voice calm, "If you're in heat, go find your good friends or visit a vet for neutering." As she spoke, she glanced pointedly at Chu Yuxuan's chest, sneering, "Or I can do the neutering for you."
Chu Yuxuan grinned mischievously, "Wifey, you're so fierce. I love it."
Zhao Yanan: …
Seeing that this ice-cold beauty was on the brink of an explosion, Chu Yuxuan decided not to push his luck any further. He stood up, restrained his smile, and said seriously, "Honestly, since I was a child, apart from my mother, you're the first person to stand up for me. The way you handled things just now... really captivated me."
Zhao Yanan rolled her eyes, "Fake. Understand?"
Chu Yuxuan pressed his lips together, smiling as he nodded, "I don't mind. At least, you made me happy for a moment. A child who has never tasted sugar suddenly receives a piece one day, even if it's a flavorless plastic model, it's still sweet in his mouth."
"Chu Yuxuan, you're going overboard. Some things can't be taken seriously for even a second." Zhao Yanan's eyes were filled with distance, a look that pushed people away.
"Alright, we won't take it seriously for now." As Chu Yuxuan spoke, he walked towards the door. Just before closing it, he smirked and said, "Wifey, I'll be in the office. Don't miss me too much."
When he said this, his tone and demeanor were uncannily like Huang Xiaoming playing a domineering CEO in his greasy phase.
Zhao Yanan: Does he really think he's that handsome? He's got issues...
After silently complaining, her mind unwittingly replayed Chu Yuxuan's words, "I don't mind. At least, you made me happy for a moment."
And the expression he had when saying it—pure joy, innocent and untainted.
She also recalled the scene from New Year's Day when Old Master Chu had mercilessly slapped him, and even the housekeeper, who was an outsider, could treat this young master with such disregard! Then she thought of what Chu Zhiqing had said, "Yuxuan actually had a hard childhood."
Zhao Yanan felt a strange pang of sadness in her heart.
What had he gone through to smile like that just now?
Flowers in a greenhouse rarely understand the struggles of weeds in the wild. The herbicide never reaches them.
Overwhelmed with sorrow, Zhao Yanan realized that she must be losing her mind. Why on earth was she thinking about that troublesome man?
On the other side, as soon as Chu Yuxuan returned to his office, the third brother, who had been sent to the hospital earlier, called. "Chen Qiang just came out of surgery. The doctor said he'll need another operation in a few days, but... the chances of him waking up are still slim."
Chu Yuxuan pondered, "Make sure the medical bills are paid, the red envelopes are given, and the rest... leave it to fate."
"Got it. The money's been taken care of... Brother, there's something else I want to report to you. Do you want to hear it?"
Chu Yuxuan: "Go ahead."
"Huh?" The third brother hesitated for a moment, then coughed, "The fifth one... is definitely after Chen Ting!"
"Go ahead..."
"He's been pestering Chen Ting all morning, and I can't get him to stop."
"Go ahead..."
"Shouldn't you give him a warning? Or should I just beat him up for you?"
"Go ahead..."
Third brother: ???
Go ahead?
He had planned to use this as an excuse to get back at the fifth brother for tattling on him, but all he got was four "Go ahead"s. After mulling it over for a while and still not understanding what it meant, he finally asked, "Brother, what's wrong with you?"
Chu Yuxuan, in a rare display of sentimentality, said, "Third brother... have you ever felt your heart race? That sudden, quickening of the heartbeat?"
Third brother: ???
"What? What you're describing... sounds like arrhythmia. Brother, do you have a heart condition?"
Chu Yuxuan: "It's called being moved... overwhelmed by emotion!"
The third brother was silent for a long moment before stammering, "Brother, you... seem to be... flirting."
"Third brother, make sure you lock your door tonight. Otherwise, you might not wake up."
A gasp was heard on the other end of the line, followed by the third brother quickly saying, "Yes, yes, yes, it's being moved... overwhelmed by emotion... I get it, I really do!"