Chapter 42
This was too embarrassing, Shen Yin gently took Xu Xiuhe's hand away from her waist. As soon as she touched it, Xu Xiuhe woke up.
"Sorry, I fell asleep and didn't know," Xu Xiuhe explained. He had slept extremely soundly tonight.
Shen Yin knew she was in the wrong, so she hurriedly got up and tidied up her pajamas before putting on her slippers.
"I'll go make some food in the kitchen first," she said hastily before running out.
This is too embarrassing, Shen Yin thought to herself while cooking. Distracted, she had added the wrong seasonings.
At the dining table, Xu Xiuhe was thinking about a charity gala he had to attend tomorrow night. He was missing a female companion. At events like these in the past, he never brought a female companion. If he absolutely had to bring one, he would bring Qin Zhenzhen, a female assistant from his company.
Now that Shen Yin's identity had been made public as his wife, it wouldn't be unreasonable for her to accompany him.
Xu Xiuhe spoke up, "Are you free tomorrow night?"
"What's going on?"
"A gala. I'd like to invite you to attend together."
Shen Yin's instinct was to refuse. "Zhengzheng needs someone to look after him." Shen Yin realized using Zhengzheng as an excuse worked very well. Just as she was secretly delighted, she seemed to spot a problem.
So Shen Yin asked with ill intentions, "What kind of gala is it?"
Xu Xiuhe looked at Shen Yin's eyes blinking around suspiciously. He was a little worried that Shen Yin had changed her mind.
"It's a charity gala hosted by Xue Jingui's mother," he explained.
Xue Jingrui's mother was in business, while his father Xue Kai was in politics. The two complemented each other well. This charity gala was initiated by Xue Jingrui's mother, Ye Rong. The money raised from the final auction would all be donated to welfare institutions, which would further raise Xue Kai's popularity and cement his position as the second highest leader in Rong City. Recently, there had been talks that the current top leader would be transferred out soon, making Xue Kai the most likely successor.
"So there will be a lot of people attending?" Shen Yin asked.
"Yes, from business and political circles."
"I've changed my mind. Can I attend wearing clothes from my studio?" Shen Yin looked expectant.
So that was her agenda - to take this opportunity of her first public appearance with him to promote her studio!
"Sure, I'll head to work first then. You and Zhengzheng can head back to Ziyue Manor in the evening?" Xu Xiuhe asked uncertainly.
Shen Yin nodded. It seemed Xu Xiuhe did not doubt her spur-of-the-moment decision to stay over last night after all. Of course, which normal person would believe prophetic dreams? If not for the news broadcasts, even she wouldn't have believed them herself. Let alone experiencing soul transmigration firsthand - that would never have crossed her mind before this.
"What are your plans for Zhengzheng? Are you bringing him along?" Now it was Xu Xiuhe's turn to ask.
Shen Yin had originally intended to bring Zhengzheng along, but thinking about the large expected turnout and how busy she and Xu Xiuhe would be, she decided otherwise after deliberation. "I'll send Zhengzheng to my mother in the afternoon to look after him for the night."
Naturally, Xu Xiuhe had no objections.
Glancing at the time, Xu Xiuhe felt he really had to leave. After missing work all of yesterday, there were probably piles of documents waiting on his desk.
In the employee WeChat group of Wei Group, there was a flurry of discussion that the workaholic CEO still hadn't arrived this morning.
【What's going on? The CEO didn't come in at all yesterday.】
【It's time but he still hasn't arrived.】
【His wife hasn't been here to deliver lunch recently too.】
【I want candy, wah.】
【He's here, he's here!】The receptionist sent a message promptly when she saw Xu Xiuhe enter the company.
【What's his mood like?】
【Looks decent.】
【Tsk tsk, don't tell me he spent the whole day accompanying his wife yesterday!】
In her studio Qinghe Villa, Shen Yin was similarly swamped with work. With her employees in today, she had to draw out the designs for the gowns to allow her fabric assistant Chen Nuan to source for materials in the morning. She also had to get the studio's Weibo account set up.
To her few employees, it was virtually impossible to complete a gown in a day and a half.
The fabric assistant Chen Nuan had gone out to look for materials while Shen Yin worked on publicity and liaised with her two fashion designers.
"Boss, isn't a day too rushed for making gowns? These aren't ordinary clothes."
"Don't worry, I'll cut the patterns and fabrics in the afternoon. You guys just need to machine sew them tomorrow morning." Shen Yin assured.
Shen Yin would be very busy in the afternoon and couldn't watch Zhengzheng the whole time. With how sensible Zhengzheng was, he definitely couldn't be left alone without supervision.
Thinking about sending Zhengzheng to stay with Fang Yue for the night, Shen Yin figured she might as well have Fang Yue over this afternoon to accompany Zhengzheng. It would let her familiarize herself with him too.
Shen Yin took out her phone and scrolled through her short contact list consisting of Shu Yi, Xu Xiuhe, Ji Qingyan, Yan Yan, and Fang Yue. This was a new phone Shen Lv had given her after confiscating her old one. Out of hatred toward Shen Lv and Shen Tianzheng, she had deleted their contacts and blocked them.
Fang Yue had always treated her well - at least according to the original host's memories.
"Hello, is this Yin Yin?" There was a slight quiver in Fang Yue's voice. This was the first call from Shen Yin since her marriage.
"Mom, it's me." Shen Yin replied.
"Oh Yin Yin, did something happen? Did Xiuhe bully you?" Fang Yue asked.
It was understandable she would ask that. She knew Shen Yin's stubborn temperament all too well. Since she married Xu Xiuhe, Fang Yue had been worried that Shen Yin's stubbornness would make her unpleasing to her husband and cause her grief. Her worries grew when Shen Yin developed mental health issues. She would call Xu Xiuhe periodically to understand the situation and observe his attitude toward Shen Yin.
"No, Mom. Are you free now?"
This was the first call from Shen Yin in so long. Even if Fang Yue was busy, she would make time.
"Yin Yin, tell me what's going on. Have you run into some difficulty?"
Hearing Fang Yue's words moved Shen Yin deeply. This was the first time in her life she had experienced a mother's love.
"Mom, I'll be busy with some things in the studio at Qinghe Villa this afternoon. Could you come over to help look after Zhengzheng?"
"You're bringing Zhengzheng? Sure, of course, I'll head over now!" Fang Yue was overjoyed. She looked forward to bonding more with her grandson.
"Be careful on your way here, Mom," Shen Yin reminded caringly. This hard-earned familial love was now precious to her.
Hearing that brought tears to the corners of Fang Yue's eyes. Her daughter still cared about her.
After hanging up, Fang Yue called Shen Tianzheng to inform him she would be going out at noon.