Chapter Twenty-Eight: Anyone My Sister Trusts, I Can Naturally Trust as Well.

A gentle spring shimmer danced in Pei Susu’s beautiful eyes as she gazed at the man beside her, his features sharp as a blade. Suddenly, her smile bloomed like a flower. Fu Zhichen was briefly dazzled by that radiant expression on her usually cool face, and for a moment he was at a loss, growing awkward and reserved, a faint blush quickly spreading across his fair, delicate cheeks.

Pei Susu’s heart fluttered; she blinked playfully and poked her own upturned lips with her fingertip. “This is the kind of smile one gives to someone they love.”

Dark currents surged in Fu Zhichen’s cold, somber eyes, and his driving speed abruptly increased.

Pei Susu looked out toward the distant silhouette of the capital’s tallest tower. “Zhichen, stop at a nearby bar. I have a gathering with some former colleagues from Xingye.”

Fu Zhichen pulled over, narrowing his eyes dangerously as he fixed his gaze on Pei Susu. “Susu, are they men or women? Why does the gathering have to be at a bar? Isn’t anywhere else suitable?”

She quickly raised both hands in a gesture of innocence. “I swear, I’m just going in to catch up with my colleagues, have a small drink, nothing else at all.”

Fu Zhichen counted on his fingers, one by one. “The first time I met you, it was at Nightglow Bar. You were looking for a male model, dragged me home to sleep, and proposed to keep me.”

“The second time was after our breakup. You and your friends went to Royal KTV and hired male models to dance.”

He lowered the partition, braced himself with his right hand, and stepped into the passenger seat, caging Pei Susu beneath him. “And now, the third time going to a bar—what are you planning this time?”

Knowing she was in the wrong, Pei Susu shrank into his arms, not daring to resist. “Zhichen, as the saying goes, ‘third time’s the charm.’ I promise you, no getting drunk, no male models, just chatting with old colleagues.”

“They’re my old team from Xingye, people who have worked with me for five years. Now that the person in charge at Xingye is neglecting his duties, each of them has resigned. I heard their situations aren’t great, so I asked them out to check on them.”

She opened her phone and showed him the chat history from their group, her usually frosty features softening with rare tenderness.

“I feel guilty. I promised that once I found a new job, I’d bring them over, but every top company in the city turned us down. There are no vacancies at Fu Corporation, so I couldn’t bring them in.”

In ordinary companies, she could easily bring her team along. But at Fu Corporation, where talent was abundant, there simply weren’t enough positions.

Fu Zhichen pressed a feather-light kiss to her forehead, then returned to the driver’s seat. “Let me come with you and listen in. Maybe I can come up with a solution.”

Pei Susu considered it—after all, Fu Zhichen was experienced and well-connected; perhaps he could really help. “Alright.”

He glanced back at her, feeling a surge of emotion. “How will you introduce me?”

Pei Susu averted her gaze, a bit flustered. “Ahem.”

Fu Zhichen straightened, his face serious. “I agreed to keep a low profile at Fu Corporation, but that doesn’t mean we need to pretend to be strangers in public.”

She quickly gave him a peck on the cheek. “No more hiding, I’ll tell the truth.”

Satisfied, Fu Zhichen parked the car and opened the door for her with a touch of pride. “That’s more like it.”

At Chao Ge Bar, Pei Susu and Fu Zhichen navigated through the deafening music and the throng of dancing people, climbing the stairs to a booth on the second floor.

Li Li, the deputy general manager who had always worked seamlessly with Pei Susu at Xingye, led the welcome, gesturing, “Scoot over, make room for Sister Susu.”

The three squeezed together, leaving space for the newcomers, all casting suggestive glances at Pei Susu and Fu Zhichen.

“Susu, it’s the first time you’ve brought someone to meet us. Quick, introduce him.”

“That’s right. With such a tall, handsome man by your side, we’re finally less worried about you.”

Pei Susu pulled Fu Zhichen down to sit beside her. “This is my boyfriend, Fu Zhichen.”

A fleeting shadow crossed Li Li’s usually gentle and composed face. His smile became forced. “Susu, when did you get a boyfriend? Why didn’t you tell us? Don’t you consider us friends?”

Lin Luoshui, the eldest of the group at forty, could see right through Li Li’s feelings for Pei Susu. She patted his shoulder. “If Susu has found someone she likes, we should just give her our blessings. Why fuss about the details?”

Mu Qian, who had been the head of PR for twenty years, was used to smoothing things over. “Look at you all! Susu invited us to talk about our current situations, and here you are teasing her.”

Pei Susu noticed the fine lines at the corners of Mu Qian’s carefully maintained eyes and guessed that she hadn’t been faring well lately. “Have you found new jobs?”

The three exchanged glances, silent. The lively atmosphere instantly gave way to a hush.

Lin Luoshui, more experienced and less embarrassed than the other two, decided to lay it all out.

“Liang Wenru is using the Liang family’s reputation and Xingye’s name to spread rumors, smearing everyone who came out of your team as lacking character and competence.”

“Over time, the better companies don’t want us. Li Li and Mu Qian, being younger, managed to find small companies as managers, but even after running themselves ragged, their salaries are only a few tens of thousands a month.”

A mix of emotions welled up in Pei Susu’s heart. In a city as expensive as the capital, a monthly salary of a few tens of thousands barely covers the basics; one must scrimp and save just to get by.

“I dragged all of you into this mess with the Liang family.”

Fu Zhichen took her cold hand, interlacing their fingers. “I’ll have Fu Corporation step in to lift the Liang family’s blockade and clear your names. When you apply for jobs, you’ll receive the fair treatment you deserve.”

The three looked at him in unison, shock written on their faces. They should have realized it sooner—Fu Zhichen, president of Fu Corporation.

When Pei Susu and he had arrived hand in hand, the dim lights of the bar had blurred their features, and they hadn’t thought much of it.

Lin Luoshui was the first to regain composure, gazing at Fu Zhichen with gratitude. “Thank you, President Fu, for helping us break free from the Liang family’s suppression.”

Li Li, now subdued after learning Pei Susu had someone in her heart, offered a polite thanks. “Thank you for your help, President Fu.”

Mu Qian raised her glass and downed her drink. “This one’s for Susu and President Fu. When you get married, count me in for a generous gift.”

Pei Susu returned the gesture, her heart still heavy. “But what about you? You all toiled at Xingye for over a decade, and now you must start over. Who knows how many hardships lie ahead?”

As Mu Qian reached for another toast, Fu Zhichen took the glass from Pei Susu and finished it himself. “A friend of mine from the army is planning to start a new company here in the capital called Qingsen. They’re short on staff.”

He wiped the trace of wine from the corner of Pei Susu’s lips, his cold eyes softening. “The pay’s twenty percent higher than other mid-sized companies, and you’d be applying for senior management positions with a share in the profits.”

All three pairs of eyes lit up immediately.

If Fu Zhichen’s friend was venturing into business, the company’s potential for growth—and shared profits—was enormous.

“We’d be honored to join Qingsen!”

Pei Susu tugged Fu Zhichen’s tie, drawing him down. “Aren’t you afraid my people will cause you losses?”

Fu Zhichen leaned in, his forehead resting against hers, their warm breaths mingling. “Anyone you trust, I trust too.”