Chapter 4.1

Another tense day.

After running a complete and thorough test on the system one more time and confirming no errors, Wang Weihao let out a long breath. He collapsed ungracefully in his office chair, limbs twisted in all directions.

If things went smoothly, this project that had lasted a full year could wrap up in the next couple of days. The members of their small team could finally start planning their vacations.

Good days were not far off! YA!

With the project’s difficulties resolved, his overly excited brain refused to calm down. His thoughts shifted. He raised his eyes toward Du Lingyun, who sat by the floor-to-ceiling window occupying the best spot in the entire department office—mm, he was calmly staring at the computer screen, fingers flying rapidly over the keyboard. With this composed and capable work posture, he truly lived up to being the company’s No.1.

But wait, was he seeing things? That guy’s lips suddenly curved up. Was he smiling? Smiling foolishly at the computer? Impossible!

This was not Du Lingyun!

Staring hard at the man who, remembering something unknown, smiled one moment and hurriedly pretended to be serious the next, Wang Weihao’s nose keenly sniffed out the scent of gossip. Mm, there was something fishy. That guy had definitely encountered something unusual.

Could it be… no way… his cousin?

Thinking of this, Wang Weihao suddenly shot up from his chair, tiptoeing over to Du Lingyun’s side. Just as he was about to scare him, the other suddenly turned his head and let out a big sneeze.

Wang Weihao was instantly sprayed full in the face with saliva, crows flying over his head.

Seeing that his uncontrollable sneeze had caused such a disaster, Du Lingyun found it both amusing and apologetic. He pressed his lips to hold back laughter and quickly pulled out several tissues to hand over.

“Sorry about that.”

Wang Weihao took the tissues, wiping his face vigorously, and protested loudly. “Du Lingyun! Did you do that on purpose!”

“Who told you to sneak up behind me without saying anything? I didn’t know someone was there.” Du Lingyun looked innocent.

Wang Weihao glared at him hard.

Du Lingyun reached out to pat him. “Alright, I owe you one. I’ll buy you a drink some other day.”

“That’s more like it!” Wang Weihao snorted coldly, sizing Du Lingyun up and down. His eyes brightened strangely. Just as he was about to say something, he saw Du Lingyun suddenly raise his hand to cover his mouth and nose.

He shivered and quickly jumped aside.

But this time Du Lingyun was not sneezing; it was a series of continuous coughs.

Wang Weihao frowned. “Sneezing and coughing again. You wouldn’t have caught a cold, would you?”

“It’s nothing.” Du Lingyun took a sip of the tea that had long gone cold to moisten his throat. “Probably just a mild cold. Drinking more water should be fine.”

Wang Weihao nodded. Men are naturally careless and did not think a cold or cough was a big deal. He thought for a moment and still felt gossip was more important.

“Have you run into some good news lately?”

“What do you mean?” Du Lingyun was puzzled.

“Still playing dumb.” Wang Weihao glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention, then lowered his voice and winked.

“I saw it just now. Our calm and composed Boss was grinning foolishly at the computer! There must be some inside story!”

“I was not grinning foolishly.” Du Lingyun instinctively denied.

“Come on! How many years have we known each other? You can fool others, but not me. Confess!”

“Cough, are you done with your work? If you have too much time, write a test report for me first.”

“Stop changing the subject. I’m not falling for that.” Wang Weihao chuckled. He was very good at reading people. Clearly, Du Lingyun was not angry; that unnatural expression was mostly embarrassment. “Tell me, is it related to a woman?”

Hearing this, Du Lingyun’s expression stiffened, becoming even more uncomfortable.

Wang Weihao’s smile grew wider. “Speaking of which, there aren’t many women around you. The one who can make you smile foolishly just thinking about her—could it be my pretty cousin?”

“Your cousin?” Du Lingyun was stunned. “You mean Liwen?”

“Mm mm.” Wang Weihao gave his friend a sidelong glance, clearly implying something.

“What nonsense are you talking about.”

“Who’s talking nonsense? I’m very serious.”

Du Lingyun furrowed his brows, about to speak, when his phone rang.

Wang Weihao immediately craned his neck to look at the phone on the desk. The name displayed on the screen was exactly Zhou Liwen.

His smile became even more strange. “Speak of the devil, and she appears.”

Du Lingyun glared at him, answered the phone. “Liwen, what’s up…” Then his tone changed slightly. “You brought Yangyang to the company?”

Cheng Yu ended the call, staring blankly at the phone.

Who was he talking to on the phone?

Carrying a heavy shopping bag, standing alone in the lobby of the office building, Cheng Yu felt a moment of bewilderment. This entire building belonged to Feiyu Technology, the company where Du Lingyun worked. It was said to be a well-known publicly listed enterprise.

She actually did not really want to come to the company to find him. She remembered how Deng Ruofan had strictly forbidden her from going to his company, saying he hated seeing some colleagues’ women coming every few days with excuses to check on them, simply embarrassing the men!

Except for the first few months of their marriage when she had gone once or twice and been scolded by him, she never went again. Until that one time, when she received a sudden text message and went doubtfully, only to face a heartbreaking tragedy.

Thinking of this, Cheng Yu’s lips curved in a faint bitter smile. Since she had such gray memories, why was she here today? She did not even know what she wanted to do, as if she was forcing herself to prove something.

Since Du Lingyun did not answer the phone, should she just forget it?

As Cheng Yu was hesitating, a surprised voice rang out.

“Jian Lanxi?”

Cheng Yu tensed, turned around, and met the eyes of a man in a sharp suit. His bright orange tie and that round baby face gave him a somewhat roguish handsomeness.

She was slightly puzzled. “May I ask who you are?”

“You don’t recognize me anymore?” The man was surprised, frowning as he scrutinized her for a long moment. “Right, Lingyun mentioned to me that you lost your memory.”

“You are…” Cheng Yu’s tone was somewhat dry. She wanted to call the man’s name intimately in front of others as a wife would, but in the end, she could not bring herself to say it. “His friend?”

“I am Wang Weihao, Lingyun’s colleague and also his good buddy.” Wang Weihao introduced himself straightforwardly. His sharp gaze swept over Cheng Yu from head to toe and back again, his lips twisting in a smirk.

Cheng Yu could feel that he did not like her.

“What are you here for again?” He asked directly.

Cheng Yu was stunned. “Again”? So Jian Lanxi had come to her husband’s company before?

Seeing her thoughtful expression, Wang Weihao’s face darkened further. He gestured for her to follow him to a corner, away from the curious glances of passersby.

“Let me tell you, if you have something to say, say it to Lingyun at home. Making a scene at the company looks bad for everyone. You may not care, but Lingyun still has to work here. Do you want to make him a laughingstock for others?”

A scene? Why did this man immediately assume she was here to make trouble? Could it be that Jian Lanxi had caused a scene before?

“The last few times you came and caused chaos, people have already been spreading rumors privately. Lingyun is the shining star of our company. Every executive thinks highly of him, but he just has to have a wife like you…”

“I’m not here to cause trouble for him.” Cheng Yu interrupted bitterly.

“He has been coughing a bit, so I stewed pear water for him and also brought a lunch bento.” She explained.

“You’re here to deliver a bento for him?” Wang Weihao was shocked, his mouth forming an O shape, looking completely dumbfounded.

“Mm.” She nodded.

“You’re really not here to quarrel with him?”

“No.”

Wang Weihao looked at her in disbelief. Only now did he notice something different.

As Du Lingyun’s good friend, he had seen Jian Lanxi a few times before. Each time, she was dressed sexily and provocatively, highlighting her curvaceous figure, her face radiating confident flair.

But now, she wore an elegant long dress. Her previously dyed hair had been washed back to its natural black, shining with a restrained and lustrous light.

She stood there quietly. Even after he had just rattled off a string of criticisms at her, she still gave him a faint smile.

This was Jian Lanxi? Her temperament was completely different!

And today, she had clearly come to play the virtuous wife, yet he had scolded her outright and embarrassed her.

Thinking of this, Wang Weihao felt slightly uncomfortable. To be honest, before he had never cared about advising couples to stay together or separate. He had hoped his friend would quickly get rid of this woman who only held him back. He had even listened to his cousin and intentionally or unintentionally tried to match them.

His cousin!

Remembering that his cousin Zhou Liwen was also at the company, Wang Weihao’s expression stiffened. He inwardly groaned. What bad timing! A war between two women—he was certain his good buddy would not want to see this scene.

“Uh, sister-in-law…” Calling her “sister-in-law” nearly tied Wang Weihao’s tongue in a knot. He cleared his throat.

“You’re here looking for Lingyun, right? What bad luck—he just went out. Why don’t you go back first? I’ll help take the things to him for you.”

Cheng Yu thought about it and nodded. “Alright, then I’ll trouble you.” Since Jian Lanxi had once caused a big scene at Du Lingyun’s company, it indeed was not convenient for her to appear again.

She lifted the heavy bag, not yet handing the things to Wang Weihao, when a small figure rushed toward her like a rocket.

“Mommy!”

Cheng Yu froze. Wang Weihao’s body stiffened.

The person who came was Yangyang. He ran up to Cheng Yu in one breath, tilting up his fair and tender little face, his eyes flickering as he looked at her.

“Mommy, why are you here too? Are you also here to find Daddy?” Yangyang’s voice was soft and fluffy, clearly full of joy.

Cheng Yu unconsciously squatted down, smiling as she reached out to ruffle his hair. Then she raised her eyes again. As expected, her gaze caught the tall and straight figure of the man.

And beside him was a sweet and pretty girl.

Zhou Liwen.

Cheng Yu slowly straightened her body.

This girl was Yangyang’s nanny, yet during lunch break, she brought the child to find the male employer. What did she want to do?

Seeing that his wife had come, Du Lingyun strode forward to meet her. “Why are you here? Is something wrong?”

He looked at his wife with gentle concern in his eyes, without a trace of doubt or disgust.

He did not mind her coming to the company to find him.

This discovery warmed Cheng Yu’s heart slightly. She smiled at him. “I came to find you. Why is Yangyang here too?”

Hearing her ask, a trace of hesitation passed over Du Lingyun’s expression. His brows furrowed slightly.

Zhou Liwen, however, walked over generously with a bright smile. “I took Yangyang for a picnic nearby. Yangyang said he missed Daddy, so I brought him over and invited Brother Lingyun to join us for the picnic.”

Zhou Liwen held a bamboo woven picnic basket in her hand. As she spoke, her eyes were full of charm. When mentioning “Brother Lingyun,” her tone lightened by three degrees, her expression coquettish.

Bringing the child to invite a married man for a picnic—Cheng Yu really did not know whether to call this girl thick-skinned or to be wary of her pretending to be innocently scheming.

She smiled coldly. Suddenly, she felt Yangyang by her feet actively slip his small hand into her palm. Her heart moved. She gently held it.

Both Du Lingyun and Zhou Liwen noticed Yangyang’s action. Their expressions differed—one’s eyes warmed, the other’s smile suddenly froze, her gaze darkening.

“Mommy, join us for the picnic.” Yangyang was unaware of the undercurrents among the adults, just looking at his mother expectantly. “Auntie bought lots of yummy things, like sandwiches and roast chicken!”

“But Mommy made a bento herself too. Today I won’t join you. Yangyang, have fun with Daddy, okay?” Cheng Yu’s voice was gentle. In front of the child, she did not want to stage a disharmonious scene.

She did not cause trouble and actively indicated withdrawal from this picnic gathering. Wang Weihao instead felt extremely awkward. Zhou Liwen could not hide her surprise. Du Lingyun’s starry eyes flashed, instantly shining brightly.

“You made a bento?” He asked, completely ignoring whatever reactions Wang Weihao and Zhou Liwen had, staring directly at Cheng Yu.

“Mm.”

“You specially came to deliver a bento to me?”

Cheng Yu hesitated slightly but still nodded.

His large hand extended toward her, palm open.

Cheng Yu was stunned.

“My bento.” Du Lingyun’s expression was calm, but his starry eyes held a hidden smile. “Why not give it to me? I’m hungry.”

“Eh? But…” Was he not accepting Zhou Liwen’s picnic invitation?

He ignored her surprise, directly taking the bag from her hand. Turning to Zhou Liwen, “Liwen, thank you today. From now on, Yangyang can be with me and his mommy. You can take the afternoon off and rest well.”

Zhou Liwen’s face changed. Her fingers tightened on the picnic basket until her knuckles turned white. “Brother Lingyun, I…”

Du Lingyun did not give her a chance to speak. He smiled gently yet firmly, then took the bag in one hand and held Yangyang’s other small hand with the other.

“Let’s go!”

Cheng Yu looked at the man’s smiling handsome face, then at Yangyang holding both Daddy’s and Mommy’s hands.

“Mommy, let’s go.” Yangyang smiled brightly. “Auntie bye, Uncle Weihao bye.”

Yangyang completely ignored the strange expressions on Auntie’s and Uncle’s faces, excitedly holding Daddy’s and Mommy’s hands, bouncing and skipping away.

The backs of the family of three looked exactly like a warm family portrait.

Zhou Liwen bit her lip until it turned white. After a long while, she stomped her foot, looking at Wang Weihao in annoyance. “Cousin! What exactly is going on? Why are they…”

Wang Weihao shrugged his hands. “You ask me, who do I ask?”

“Before, Yangyang was clearly very afraid of his mommy, and Brother Lingyun also…”

“But now the family of three looks very matching.”

“No way!” Zhou Liwen did not let Wang Weihao continue, her voice sharp, her face pale. “No way. Brother Lingyun and his wife are not matching at all. They are not suitable!”

“Whether suitable or not is not for outsiders like us to decide.”

“Cousin! You said you would help me…”

“I wanted to help you, but that also requires their marital feelings to really be bad.”

“Their feelings have always been bad!”

“Is that so? Before I dared to say that, but now…” Wang Weihao’s mind repeatedly replayed the scene of the family of three leaving hand in hand, and he remembered Du Lingyun’s foolish smile at the computer screen.

Could it be that he was wrong? That foolish smile was not because of his cousin, but because…

Thinking of this, Wang Weihao’s face also darkened.