Chapter 53: You Have Moved Me

Yet during the subsequent tour of the ancient temple, no matter how tricky or challenging Robert’s questions were, Pei Susu answered them with ease and grace. Throughout this exploration, Robert wore a smile, and by the time they returned to the guesthouse, he could no longer maintain his composure; a subtle tremor flickered deep within his dark blue eyes.

“My assistant was right. This place is exactly as I imagined,” Robert said with a quiet sigh. “In truth, it was something my mother loved in her youth. Ever since I can remember, she never returned to China, but she has always cherished her homeland.”

Hearing this, a trace of regret flickered across Pei Susu’s face before she smiled gently. “Perhaps everyone carries a utopia within their hearts. I believe that is exactly the original intent behind the collaboration between the Mo Corporation and Ti—to fulfill the needs of every client. That is all we must do.”

Her gaze was sincere. Robert lifted a hand to his brow. “To be honest, you’ve won me over.”

Everyone from Mo Corporation waiting outside the door knew, upon hearing this, that the project was secured. They covered their mouths to stifle cries of triumph.

Pei Susu, however, did not press for a quick answer. She merely nodded. “Then I won’t disturb your rest, Mr. Robert. Today is for leisure; let’s leave any work matters for the formal meeting.”

Robert nodded approvingly. “Mo Corporation is lucky to have an employee like you.”

At this, Pei Susu felt a twinge of guilt, for she was, in fact, not an employee of Mo Corporation at all.

Stepping out of the guesthouse, Pei Susu glanced at her companions, surprised by how composed they appeared. It wasn’t until they turned the corner that they finally dropped their masks and cheered with abandon.

“We got the project! That’s incredible!”

“It’s all thanks to you, little Pei. Even someone as difficult as Robert was handled by you!”

Pei Susu and Mo Qingyu exchanged a glance, both seeing helplessness in each other’s eyes.

That evening, a few employees planned to celebrate early at a bar in town. Pei Susu had no interest in such gatherings, and besides Mo Qingyu, she was the only woman in the group—making the bar an even less appealing venue. The others didn’t insist.

Back at the guesthouse, Pei Susu felt a wave of weariness. Though everything had appeared effortless, the past days of gathering information and searching for suitable materials had taken quite a toll on her energy.

A sudden knock at the door jolted her from her thoughts. She assumed it was her colleagues, perhaps bringing her something to eat, and she rose to open it.

The old wooden door swung open to reveal a familiar figure standing on the threshold. Slender, pale fingers hooked around a bowl of stir-fried noodles.

“Sister, I missed you.”

For a moment, Pei Susu thought she must be dreaming. How else could Fu Zhichen, who ought to be quietly staying at home in the city center, appear here at the door of a guesthouse in this small town?

“Sister?” Fu Zhichen had already placed the noodles in the hanging basket by the door and had changed into house slippers without prompting.

“Stir-fried noodles aren’t good cold. Eat first.”

It took a while for Pei Susu to recover her senses. She trailed after him into the room, watching as Fu Zhichen, with those elegant hands that seemed better suited for a display case than for carrying takeout, carefully opened the bag. A savory aroma filled the air.

“Those hands of yours look like they should be insured, not fetching takeout for others.”

Having overcome her initial astonishment, Pei Susu found herself in the mood to tease him as she sat down at the table.

The noodles were just right—neither cold nor scalding.

Fu Zhichen had even known she hadn’t eaten yet. It was clear there was an informant in her midst. No need to guess—who else but Mo Qingyu? After all, none of the other staff had yet had the chance to meet Fu Zhichen.

This thought annoyed Pei Susu. She had been the one helping Mo Qingyu with everything, yet when it came to the crunch, it was her own friend who betrayed her to an outsider.

“Even if you’re busy with work, you can’t skip meals. And you can’t neglect your health, either.”

The words Pei Susu was about to utter were stopped in her throat. After a moment’s silence, she could only nod in resignation.

“Understood, Mr. Butler.”

She hadn’t expected to say that. Fu Zhichen gazed at her for a moment, the tips of his ears, pale as porcelain, tinged with pink.

He always seemed shy about such small details, so unlike the decisive, commanding President Fu everyone else knew.

“You’re just leaving the company behind like this?”

No matter what she said, it was clear Fu Zhichen intended to stay the night. Returning to the city tomorrow would take half a day.

He nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “There are people to handle the company. But I can’t entrust your matters to anyone else.”

Fu Zhichen was never one for romantic words; sometimes he was even awkward. Yet upon hearing this, Pei Susu was momentarily taken aback, then smiled softly.

“Idiot.”

—

In the days that followed, the project was finalized quickly. Pei Susu had already provided the basic model; all that remained was to follow her lead. What’s more, after seeing how she handled Robert, everyone went over the information they’d received that day once again.

Now, each person understood Robert’s mind inside and out. How could their proposals fail to please him?

Sure enough, after reviewing the plans, Robert immediately gave his approval. The contract was signed, and he set off to enjoy the local scenery.

“I never expected this project to go so smoothly.”

Lounging in Fu Zhichen’s arms, Pei Susu glanced at the contract and thank-you letter Mo Qingyu had just emailed her, feeling a rare sense of relaxation.

Sunlight spilled over the two of them, warming the air. Fu Zhichen shielded her, casting a gentle shadow over her eyes.

“I knew you could do it, Sister.”

At that, Pei Susu laughed and pressed a kiss to the corner of his lips, her upturned eyes shining with allure.

But just because this matter was settled didn’t mean all work was done. There was always more to do. As soon as she wrapped up one task, she saw hints of the next project emerging.

She sat up straighter in Fu Zhichen’s embrace and opened another email. The title, in bold letters, read: “Haihe Company.”

“It seems that in the next project, out of ten potential partners my team submitted, nine are from Haihe Company.”

“Xiao Chen, do you have any impression of this company?”

Fu Zhichen dealt with countless partners daily, but this small, unknown, unlisted company surely wouldn’t have caught his attention.

As expected, Fu Zhichen pondered for a moment and then shook his head. “I’ve never heard of them.”

There were things in this world even Fu Zhichen didn’t know. Pei Susu couldn’t help but laugh, and after a pause, she said, “Tomorrow, I’ll go to the office and ask the team. Then I’ll decide.”

Such a small company suddenly rising to prominence struck her as odd. But her team had surely done their research; if there were any issues, it wouldn’t have made it to her desk in the first place.

“Alright.”

Without hesitation, Fu Zhichen reached out and closed her laptop.

“Because today is personal time—just for you and me.”