The moment she realized the children were gone, Quan Jiu felt a rush of blood drain from her body.
She hurried into the living room. Before she could question anything, Chu Rong explained, "Mom and Dad just came over. They brought some toys for Mimi and Tu Tu. The children are next door with them."
As soon as he finished speaking, the door opened.
Mimi was holding Yuan Zijun's hand, and Tu Tu was holding Chu Zhenhua's. The elderly couple were affectionately chatting with their grandchildren.
Quan Jiu breathed a sigh of relief and smiled as she walked forward, "Mom, Dad, you're here."
"Mom, Grandpa and Grandma gave me and my sister so many toys, and pretty clothes, so many! I'll take you to see," Tu Tu ran to Quan Jiu's side, tugging her towards the neighboring apartment.
Quan Jiu, feeling helpless, was dragged by her son to the next door. She paused for a moment at the entrance, noticing two luggage bags, before turning away and being pulled into the apartment by Tu Tu.
Upon seeing the futuristic tech-themed interior, Quan Jiu was surprised. Chu Rong had always preferred black, white, and gray. This hard tech... it felt like Tu Tu's style.
"Mom, look quickly, so many, all mine," Tu Tu pointed to the various toys and clothes piled on the living room sofa.
Mimi pointed to another pile of toys, her eyes lighting up, "Mom, I have some too."
Seeing the children's happy faces, Quan Jiu couldn't help but smile. She gratefully took Yuan Zijun's hand, "Mom, Dad, thank you."
Yuan Zijun affectionately nuzzled Quan Jiu's head, her nose stinging, "Jiu'er, my good daughter, you've suffered so much all these years."
Chu Zhenhua also sighed, then glared at his son behind them, his displeasure evident.
Mimi snuggled into her grandmother's arms, while Tu Tu ran into his grandfather's embrace, giggling happily. Having grandparents was wonderful, having a dad was wonderful, they felt like the treasures of the whole family, so happy.
Chu Zhenhua and Yuan Zijun each picked up their little grandchildren who were by their legs. They couldn't take their eyes off their adorable grandsons.
Yuan Zijun glanced at her son, then tentatively looked at Quan Jiu and said, "Jiu'er, we old folks would like to take the children back to the old house for a few days. Let your grandfather meet his great-grandchildren. What do you think?"
Quan Jiu nodded eagerly, "Of course. I was planning to take the children to visit Grandpa soon anyway. Last time I saw him, his spirits weren't very good. Is he doing alright?"
Chu Zhenhua sighed, "He's in his nineties. All his organs are aging. He's doing okay, no major illnesses, but he's always complaining about aches and pains here and there. So, your mother and I are here today mainly to take the children back to stay for a while. We're afraid your grandfather doesn't have much time left. At least he can meet his great-grandchildren before he passes."
Quan Jiu's nose stung, and she didn't know what to say, only managing to agree repeatedly.
Seeing the somber mood, Yuan Zijun smiled and asked Mimi, "Mimi, do you want to go to the old house with Grandma for a while?"
Mimi nodded obediently, "Yes, I want to see great-grandpa too. He looks so kind, I like great-grandpa."
Tu Tu raised his little hand and announced loudly, "I like great-grandpa too! I like Grandma and Grandpa, Mom and Dad, I like everyone. I love you all the most."
Today was truly a happy day, and Quan Jiu could see that both children were in high spirits. She felt an overwhelming sense of guilt. For children, a complete family and the affection of elders were the greatest happiness. Before, it was just her, and the care and love she could provide were ultimately limited.
Yuan Zijun checked the time, it was past three o'clock. She suggested, "Then let's take the children out for a stroll. After that, we'll go straight back to the old house. Jiu Jiu, when you have time this weekend, come back and visit. Grandpa misses you very much. He asked about you several times after you left last time."
Quan Jiu's eyes turned red, "Okay, I'll go see Grandpa as soon as I can."
...
After briefly packing Mimi and Tu Tu's luggage, Yuan Zijun and Chu Zhenhua left with the two children.
Although Quan Jiu felt reluctant, she preferred the children to spend time with the Chu family rather than just with her.
However, once the children were gone, the large room felt rather empty.
As Quan Jiu was feeling melancholic, a tall figure leaned in.
"What do you want to eat tonight?"
Her ears grew hot, and she jumped away, annoyed and embarrassed, "Can you stay away from me?"
"No," Chu Rong sat down on the sofa, crossing his long legs. He placed a folder lightly on his lap and said something that made Quan Jiu want to jump, in a refined manner.
Quan Jiu was almost choked with anger. She turned and retreated into the study.
Working with intense focus until six o'clock, Quan Jiu was about to start cooking when she entered the kitchen to find Chu Rong already chopping vegetables. Remembering that he had prepared all their meals before, Quan Jiu felt a complex mix of emotions.
Hearing her approach, Chu Rong turned and smiled slightly, "Tonight we'll have young ginger rabbit, lion's head meatballs, garlic lettuce, and tomato and egg soup. Do you like it?"
Quan Jiu was displeased with his proprietary attitude. She frowned, "If you don't leave soon, I'll throw all your files out."
"I finished processing them this afternoon," Chu Rong said while slicing young ginger.
Quan Jiu glanced towards the living room and saw that it had indeed been tidied up. She gritted her teeth, thought for a moment, and then chuckled, "It's not a bad idea to get a free cook. If you have nothing else to do, you'd better clean the whole house too."
After saying that, she retreated back into the study to work on her manuscript.
As it neared seven-thirty, Quan Jiu was called out for dinner. After eating, she deliberately put down her bowl and chopsticks and went back into the study, continuing to work until almost eleven o'clock before emerging.
However, she expected Chu Rong to be in his room by this time. Instead, he was standing in the living room, wrapped in a bath towel, leisurely drying his still-dripping hair as if he were a sculpture.
Quan Jiu choked, coughing until her face turned red, "What are you doing in the living room in the middle of the night?" she snapped angrily.
"Waiting for you," Chu Rong flicked his still slightly damp hair, his handsome face instantly exuding a captivating charm.
"From now on, no more being undressed in this house," Quan Jiu glared.
"I don't have pajamas, nor any spare clothes," Chu Rong tightened the towel around his waist, looking at Quan Jiu with clear and innocent eyes.
"Then go back," Quan Jiu pointed towards the door.
Chu Rong smiled gently, "Goodnight," and went back to his room.
Quan Jiu was about to lose her temper. She looked at the room Chu Rong was in, then towards the main entrance. After a long hesitation, reason finally triumphed over emotion: she would endure for one more day. She didn't believe this workaholic wouldn't go to work on Monday.
...
The next day, Quan Jiu deliberately slept until eight o'clock before getting up. When she looked outside, breakfast was indeed laid out on the table.
Hmph, if you want to be a housekeeper, fine, I'll indulge you. Let's see how long you can last.
Quan Jiu smirked provocatively and sat down, "The great CEO has never served anyone like this before. Why are you putting yourself through this? You have immense wealth, yet you have to deal with the mundane matters of daily life. You should find a virtuous full-time wife, and I'm only considering a thoughtful full-time husband. To be blunt, you and I are not a good match."
"That's quite fortunate, I'm a full-time husband, and a part-time CEO," Chu Rong said as he served Quan Jiu a bowl of millet porridge.