SM Chapter 50

Chapter 50: Mutual Affection “Zhu Shihao, don’t be spoiled.”

Chapter 50: Mutual Affection “Zhu Shihao, don’t be spoiled.”

After all, they were still at the company, and even during lunch break, the two didn’t indulge too much. After one round, Tan Zhi Xu let her go. But checking the time, it was still slightly past work hours. Tan Zhi Xu tidied her up, twirling a strand of her hair around his finger. “Do you want to sleep here for a while?”

Zhu Shihao shook her head. “No, I want to go to the lounge chair outside.”

For such a small matter, Tan Zhi Xu didn’t even need to say a word. He dressed her, carried her out to the lounge chair, then turned back to the lounge to fetch an air-conditioning blanket, opening it and draping it over her.

“It’s better to cover up a bit when sleeping.”

Zhu Shihao responded, looking at him and saying, “Zhi Xu, where’s my phone?”

Standing up and looking around, Tan Zhi Xu walked towards the desk, took out her phone from her bag, and handed it to her, ruffling the top of her head. “Stay here, call me if you need anything.”

“Okay, go to work then.” She nodded.

Since she came all the way here, she couldn’t just come to the company for nothing, right?

Thinking this, she paused slightly. It wasn’t for nothing, after all, she had unlocked a new location.

Zhu Shihao reflected for three seconds on her recent “flushed face” and “muddled mind,” seeing a message on WeChat, she tapped to open it.

It was from her sister.

Zhu Suiyi: 【Why did you return it?】

She had replied to a wave of birthday wishes at noon, which naturally included her parents and her sister’s husband. Even Jia Jia borrowed her mother’s phone to send a 60-second voice message, a slow rendition of “Happy Birthday.”

She accepted her parents’ birthday transfer Red envelope, and then returned Zhu Suiyi’s.

Zhu Shihao: 【I don’t want your money.】

Although it was a large Red envelope of 1888.88, it was fine for her to take her parents’ money, but why take her sister’s?

The other side strangely replied very quickly.

Zhu Suiyi: 【If you don’t want my money, what do you want, my life?】

Zhu Shihao: “…”

Do you really think you’re very funny?

She was speechless for a moment, but it was indeed very much Zhu Suiyi’s style.

Zhu Shihao: 【Roll.JPG】

Zhu Suiyi: 【Okay.JPG】

Zhu Suiyi: 【Going to be busy, I’ll treat you to something nice another day.】

She replied “Okay,” and predictably, the other side didn’t reply.

Flipping through various entertainment apps, browsing this and that, but it was just the same boring stuff over and over. Before long, she lost interest and put her phone away.

Turning sideways, leaning her head on the lounge chair, she looked at Tan Zhi Xu who was working in the office.

Speaking of which, Tan Zhi Xu was clearly in the same generation, even only a few months older than her, but more than twenty years of habit had made her dependence on him a routine. She was also super used to receiving his New Year’s money Red envelope, but she couldn’t bring herself to accept those super expensive gifts, yet he always had reasonable ways to make her accept them.

The propriety and distance she maintained with others seemed to disappear around him.

Thinking about it this way, she felt she was really being too much.

But it had always been like this. The people she trusted most in this world were Zhu Suiyi and Tan Zhi Xu.

Not that she didn’t trust her parents, but she knew that only these two could truly understand her, could stand on her side firmly and trustingly.

Her thoughts wandered, and when they came back, she met his deep gaze. His eyes had dark and bright pupils, and even across this distance, it couldn’t lessen the sense of detachment drawn out by his indifference.

Tan Zhi Xu had always been a hard person to approach. Many people were drawn to him, but even more were deterred.

Just a sweep of those emotionless eyes could make people retreat.

Except for Zhu Shihao.

She blinked, just thinking he was really handsome.

Seeing her looking dazed, Tan Zhi Xu raised his eyebrow, without even putting down the pen in his hand. “What’s wrong, bored?”

She was a little.

But business was important, and it wasn’t as if she had to drag him away from the office to play with her.

Zhu Shihao shook her head twice. “No, I’m going to sleep for a while.”

Tan Zhi Xu watched her close her eyes, stared for a while, before turning his gaze back to the documents.

Originally it was just an excuse, but as her eyes closed, the sunlight fell on her body, spreading warmth, yet cold air flowed around her. She unconsciously tugged at the blanket, and she really started to feel sleepy.

Zhu Shihao yawned, not intending to resist this sleepiness. She glanced at Tan Zhi Xu with her eyes half-closed, and then slowly closed them, her consciousness sinking into sleep.

Not far away, Tan Zhi Xu seemed to sense something, turned his head to look at her, smiled slightly, and then it was gone.

For a time, the office was only filled with the occasional rustling of the pen tip on the paper and the clicking of the mouse and keyboard.

Midway, A Dong came by. Tan Zhi Xu lowered his voice. “Quietly.”

The newly added lounge chair had already become a topic of discussion on the day it was moved in. After all, in a black and white and gray style, such a cute cream-colored lounge chair seemed extraordinarily out of place.

But seeing Zhu Shihao on it now, A Dong suddenly felt a sense of harmony. He said softly, “Okay, it’s like this…”

A Dong was even more afraid than Tan Zhi Xu of Zhu Shihao being woken up, because he would be met with Tan Zhi Xu’s cold glare. His voice was so soft that it sounded tiring.

Tan Zhi Xu looked at him speaking so carefully, originally wanting to remind him that it wasn’t necessary, and besides, with his voice there, Zhu Shihao wouldn’t be so easily woken up. But then he thought that it would probably be easier for Zhu Shihao to sleep if she only heard his voice.

Thinking this, he decided to just let it go.

Tan Zhi Xu was right. Having fallen asleep at this time, Zhu Shihao wasn’t sleeping very deeply. Drowsily, she could indeed still hear the faint sounds coming from over there.

She couldn’t clearly hear who the other person was, but she heard Tan Zhi Xu’s voice, which was enough to make her sleep soundly.

Zhu Shihao’s birthday naturally couldn’t just pass like this. Ran Cai, Wei Wang, and the others were all waiting, mainly because Tan Zhi Xu didn’t like celebrating birthdays, but he would celebrate Zhu Shihao’s every year.

On Saturday, they were going back to her parents’ house to eat. The gathering among friends was scheduled for Friday night at “Lüqi” near Huacai.

Li Chennan said that it wouldn’t be open to the public that night, just them playing around. Zhu Shihao refused his kindness and also refused his offer to treat. She knew that Li Chennan was different from Wei Wang and the others, lacking that camaraderie from their school days. His courtesy to her was mostly because of Tan Zhi Xu.

Tan Zhi Xu was well aware of her thoughts, and didn’t intend to let her accept Li Chennan’s favor.

Sitting on the sofa, relaxed, his long arm casually draped over the back of the sofa, his outstretched arm enough to encircle Zhu Shihao’s safety zone.

His fingertips rubbed, picking up a strand of Zhu Shihao’s hair. “No need, it’s on me.”

Zhu Shihao didn’t need to spend anyone else’s money.

She glanced at him, not saying anything. Rather than Li Chennan picking up the tab for her, she would rather Tan Zhi Xu paid. Her peripheral vision caught the man’s tie, which he hadn’t taken off, and her gaze paused. This was the one she bought.

She was secretly proud of her taste, and then thought, should she buy that other one she saw last time too?

Li Chennan looked at him, not insisting on treating, but smiling. “Alright, let’s have Brother Xu treat.”

When they broke up, it was already almost midnight. They called a designated driver, and still went back to Shenyi.

The next afternoon, Tan Zhi Xu drove her back to the Zhu family. The car stopped steadily behind the car in front. He glanced at someone who was smiling brightly while looking at her phone.

“Who are you chatting with? Smiling so happily.”

Zhu Shihao didn’t even look up. “Yang Xu.”

He raised his eyebrow, tapping his finger lightly on the steering wheel, revealing a bit of surprise. “This happy?”

Her smile couldn’t be stopped.

Zhu Shihao then turned to him. Her eyes were a little wider, sparkling as if glowing. After their eyes met, Tan Zhi Xu was stunned for a moment, and then he heard her say:

“He said he’s coming back tomorrow, and he also has a birthday gift.”

Tan Zhi Xu chuckled, his tone with some frivolous disdain. “Aren’t they always those tricks every year?”

Either cosmetics, skincare products, bags, or signed photo gift packs.

Who knew that the person beside him would widen her smile a bit, and raise her index finger, wagging it.

“Wrong, there’s an extra this year.”

Not waiting for Tan Zhi Xu to ask, she was already a bit impatient, announcing with a smiling face, “He said Xu Yan happened to be filming in Sangzi, so…”

She chuckled twice.

Tan Zhi Xu: “…”

He had already guessed it, and didn’t really want to hear it.

Zhu Shihao continued, her happy even slightly raised. “Let’s go together tomorrow.”

Staring blankly at her smiling face, a honk came from behind, urging them on. The light was green. Tan Zhi Xu turned back, stepped on the gas, and said expressionlessly, “Not going. Let’s break up tomorrow.”

The slightly excited Zhu Shihao stopped typing and looked at him again, saying “Ah” with a slightly questioning tone.

The car ran very steadily, and his voice was also very steady, as always, light and without much emotion. “One Yang Xu isn’t enough trouble, and you want to add an Xu Yan?”

There was some logic to it, but it didn’t quite feel right.

Not hurrying to reply to the message, Zhu Shihao stroked her chin and scrutinized him.

The person being stared at didn’t feel uncomfortable at all, and there was no possible apprehension of being seen through, putting on a completely natural air.

Zhu Shihao reached out to him, her thumb and forefinger pinching his sleeve, shaking it with a small arc. “Really not okay? Anyway, Yang Xu is already so much trouble, it’s the same even if it’s a bit more trouble.”

“Zhu Shihao, I’m driving, don’t be spoiled.”

His tone was indifferent, and his words were all rejections, but there was not a single intention to tell her to let go.

Zhu Shihao rolled her eyes half a circle, and the hand pinching his sleeve tugged again. “Really not going?”

After a few seconds of silence, he said, “Going, we’re all going.”

Clearly it was the same light tone, but she somehow felt a bit of inexplicable helplessness, which made her self-satisfied.

When the two arrived at the Zhu family, not only had the Zhu Suiyi family arrived, but Xu Ting was already there, chatting and laughing with Liu Ruoyin.

No one paid attention to why they arrived together, just smiled and joked about her being another year older.

Xu Ting took her hand and said, “Aiyo, our little girl has safely and prettily spent another year.”

Without the slightest bit of awkwardness, Zhu Shihao smoothly looped her arm around her. “Yes, Aunt Ting has also spent a healthy and vigorous year.”

Tan Zhi Xu, who was behind, fixed his eyes on the two people, still carrying Zhu Shihao’s bag.

On Sunday evening, a group of people gathered as agreed.

With such a troublesome person like Yang Xu, they naturally couldn’t go to a bar. It was a high-end club that Tan Zhi Xu reserved. The privacy was strong, and it was considered an old place.

The staff pulled open the door, and as soon as a person appeared, his voice came along. “Shihao baby, look who’s here?”

They were all standing on the side and hadn’t sat down yet. Everyone looked over at the sound.

Tan Zhi Xu looked at him coldly. “You better talk normally.”

Last time when he was playing games with him, that teammate who was matched with him recorded it on screen and posted it online. Not surprisingly, it was discovered that it was Yang Xu, and that “Shihao baby” directly went viral. Fortunately, because of Tan Zhi Xu, no one misunderstood the relationship between Yang Xu and Zhu Shihao. Otherwise, even if he took down the trending topic and Yang Xu explained it, he would have to “retaliate” in kind.

Also remembering this incident, Yang Xu was after all in the wrong. He sheepishly touched his nose and brought the person behind him in.

There were about a dozen people in the room, some male and some female, quite different from the gathering of wealthy young men that Xu Yan had imagined. But some people are the main characters no matter where they are. He almost saw the center of the people in the room with one glance.

Yang Xu introduced everyone to each other, but it was mainly to introduce these people to Xu Yan.

Ran Cai behaved more excitedly than Zhu Shihao, but the emotion came and went quickly. She wasn’t excited for too long. After talking for a while, she ran to grab the microphone.

Seeing Yang Xu, this unreliable person, playing on his own, Zhu Shihao chatted with Xu Yan.

As they chatted, Xu Yan clearly felt a slightly cold gaze.

Raising his eyebrow slightly, he glanced unobtrusively at Tan Zhi Xu, who didn’t say much, but had come several times and hadn’t been asked to leave. Then, his gaze moved, looking at the arm he had placed behind Zhu Shihao, thoughtfully.

Until he saw Tan Zhi Xu, holding a wine glass, extend a hand, casually, naturally, and casually pull up the slightly slipping neckline of her dress, covering the exposed shoulder strap.

Zhu Shihao didn’t even react. Neither of them seemed to feel that there was anything wrong, used to it.

Thus, Xu Yan understood.

After chatting with Zhu Shihao about literature for a few more sentences, he suddenly said, “Miss Zhu’s views are very interesting. I’m sure my wife would really enjoy chatting with you.”

Huh? What?!

Xu Yan was actually married. This was a message that no marketing account or paparazzi had ever revealed!

Zhu Shihao couldn’t help but widen her eyes in surprise for a moment, reacting. “Mr. Xu is just telling us like this, aren’t you afraid that we’ll tell others?”

Xu Yan smiled clearly and distantly. “I trust both of you.”

It sounded nice, but in his heart, he was thinking, wouldn’t it be nice if it were revealed like this?

He wouldn’t have to have a clandestine relationship with Zhaozhao, even going out was sneaking around like a secret affair. He could also take her to amusement parks, to Disneyland, to the pet park.

Unfortunately, the two people in front of him didn’t know his true thoughts, and both of them weren’t gossipy people.

This trust deeply moved Zhu Shihao, and she secretly resolved not to reveal his hidden marriage.

She also couldn’t help but be a little curious. “Does your wife really like literature?”

Xu Yan shook his head, his smile clear and refined. “Hmm, she likes words. She’s a strong person, but also someone who cries easily.”

When he mentioned his wife, his gaze seemed to have crushed tenderness.

Zhu Shihao was stunned for a moment. She wasn’t unfamiliar with this kind of gaze.

Hearing the conversation, Tan Zhi Xu raised his eyes to look at him, and then glanced at Zhu Shihao, drinking a sip of the wine in his glass.

His Shihao was a gentle but a bit stubborn, easy to talk to, and a bit temperamental person. She was a bright and simple person.