Deep within Jiang Shiyu's heart, a tender spot felt as if it had been struck hard by something.
Had Cheche endured all these years like this?
No wonder he was so attached to her, his face lighting up with joy the moment he saw her.
A trace of heartache subtly flitted through her.
"I was recuperating abroad these past few years, so I couldn't be by Cheche's side. You are not allowed to speak ill of Cheche, otherwise, monsters and ghosts will sneak into your cups at night and carry you away to be eaten!"
Jiang Shiyu made a funny face, scaring the group of little brats.
The children scattered in fear.
The little chubby one didn't believe her and stood still. "I don't believe you, you're not Cheche's mommy!"
"I don't care what you say. If you keep talking, your mommy will be caught by monsters and eaten. Do you believe it or not!"
The little chubby one's face turned pale with fright. He cried out "wah" and ran away.
"Little one, why are you crying? Crying won't solve anything. Next time they bully you, just curse them."
Jiang Shiyu crouched down to be at Cheche's eye level, pinching his soft, tender little face.
Cheche rubbed his eyes and threw himself into Jiang Shiyu's arms. "Wuwuwu, Mommy, Mommy, don't leave me. Cheche doesn't want to be a child without a mother. Cheche also wants Mommy's love. If Mommy leaves Cheche, Cheche doesn't want to live anymore. Cheche only wants Mommy!"
Jiang Shiyu gently stroked Cheche's back. "Mommy won't leave Cheche..."
Murong Cheng stood by the car, quietly watching the scene.
When he saw the children speaking to Cheche like that, before he could step forward to scold them, Jiang Shiyu had already scared away the group of little brats with her tricks, just as she had done when she was little. She hadn't changed at all, and he couldn't help but smile as he watched.
"Mommy promised Cheche, Mommy will wait until Cheche grows up, then Cheche will marry Mommy. Mommy will divorce Daddy, and Mommy will be Cheche's alone..."
Cheche mumbled into Jiang Shiyu's arms, his voice muffled.
Before Jiang Shiyu could say anything, Murong Cheng picked Cheche up and held him. "Let's go upstairs, Grandma is waiting."
Cheche pouted, feeling extremely wronged, and nestled on his shoulder. "Mommy..."
Jiang Shiyu stood up and followed.
Upon reaching the third floor, Murong Cheng knocked on the door.
A middle-aged woman opened the door. Although she was over forty, her features and face shape were clearly exquisite. Her skin was also very good, with a melon-seed face and almond-shaped eyes. She wore simple but clean clothes, and her hair was neatly tied into a bun.
Seeing Murong Cheng and Cheche, Yu Xiu exclaimed, "Oh," and took Cheche into her arms. "Look who it is, Cheche went to kindergarten, you're already a big kid, why do you still need Daddy to carry you?" "Mother, this is my wife, Jiang Shiyu. You can call her Shiyu."
Murong Cheng took Jiang Shiyu's hand. Jiang Shiyu slowly walked out from behind Murong Cheng, her chin slightly tucked. "Auntie... good evening!"
"You're still calling me Auntie? Just call me Mom. Shiyu, don't you remember me?"
Jiang Shiyu had been a little nervous, but after Yu Xiu spoke, Jiang Shiyu looked up at the middle-aged woman in front of her. She did look very familiar, as if she had seen her somewhere before... "The last time I saw Shiyu, you were only as tall as Cheche..."
"Mom, let's eat first. Shiyu is hungry." Before Yu Xiu could finish, Murong Cheng interrupted her and led Jiang Shiyu into the living room.
"You child, really..." Unable to do anything about Murong Cheng, Yu Xiu didn't press the matter further.
The atmosphere was completely different from that at the Murong family's residence. Murong Cheng's birth mother was very affectionate. At the dinner table, she kept serving Jiang Shiyu food, urging her to eat more, and then fed Cheche. She only started eating after Cheche was full.
The dishes were all Jiang Shiyu's favorites, and the taste was very familiar, as if she had eaten Yu Xiu's cooking before.
Around ten o'clock, Cheche got sleepy, so they took him home. Before leaving, Murong Cheng washed the dishes.
Jiang Shiyu stood at the kitchen door, watching the man's back as he washed the dishes. At this moment, the man didn't seem like the all-powerful CEO, but rather like an ordinary man.
Cheche fell asleep in the car. Jiang Shiyu held him in the back seat. By the time they returned to Jingyuan, it was almost eleven o'clock. After putting Cheche to bed in his room, Jiang Shiyu took a shower and felt a bit clearer-headed.
She walked into the living room, and Murong Cheng was still busy, his long fingers tapping on the keyboard, creating a pleasant sound.
Jiang Shiyu wiped her wet long hair and walked over to the man. He stopped typing and looked at her sideways. "Aren't you going to sleep yet?"
"I have something I want to ask you..."
Murong Cheng didn't ask what it was, but simply patted the seat next to him.
Jiang Shiyu obediently sat down, letting Murong Cheng blow-dry her hair.
Murong Cheng's technique was very gentle, and Jiang Shiyu almost fell asleep in his arms.
After her hair was dry, she had almost forgotten what she wanted to ask Murong Cheng.
"I always feel like I've met Cheche's maternal grandmother somewhere before, but I can't recall."
She had studied abroad for a year, and that memory was a bit hazy.
Because of a minor car accident, she couldn't remember some things clearly.
"Have I met you before too?" Jiang Shiyu lay on the man's lap, feeling drowsy and struggling to keep her eyes open.
"If you're tired, just sleep."
The man's deep voice made Jiang Shiyu want to sleep even more. She clutched the corner of his clothes with her small hand. "Where have I met you before..."
The next morning at breakfast, Murong Cheng asked about last night's events. Jiang Shiyu blinked her beautiful eyes hazily. "What events?"
Murong Cheng chuckled and shook his head. "Nothing. Go to work after eating."
Upon arriving at the company, Jiang Shiyu sat down and discovered a wedding invitation placed on her desk.
The names on it were emblazoned in gold: Rong Xue, Mu Rufeng.
Jiang Shiyu picked it up and threw it directly into the trash can.
Her colleague Xiao Hong, seeing Jiang Shiyu throw away the invitation, asked in surprise, "Shiyu, do you have morning grumpiness?"
"Morning grumpiness?" Jiang Shiyu sneered inwardly. It was more like bad luck!
During the morning meeting, the manager stood in the center and introduced with a smile, "We have a new deputy manager in our department. Let's give her a round of applause to welcome her."
The sound of high heels echoed as Fang Yuan gracefully entered the office. Instantly, all the colleagues in the office were stunned. There was a moment of silence, and then everyone's eyes turned to Jiang Shiyu. Jiang Shiyu was taken aback.
Fang Yuan also saw Jiang Shiyu at a glance and smiled slightly at her. "Hello everyone, I am the new deputy manager. I hope everyone will take care of me in the future!"
"Oh my god, how did Fang Yuan suddenly become a deputy manager?"
"Money really makes the world go round. I thought Fang Yuan had resigned, but it turns out she just changed positions!"
"Why do you think Fang Yuan came back?"
"What else could it be for, but..."
"Then won't Shiyu have a hard time from now on?"