The meal went very smoothly.
Shen Nanyue was quite pleased that Zhou Yushen had maintained his usual silence throughout.
After paying the bill, she slipped the receipt into her bag.
Zhou Yushen raised an eyebrow.
“President Shen is treating me to dinner, and you’re still planning to get the company to reimburse it?”
“As President Zhou is one of the company’s business partners, expenses incurred while dining with a partner naturally go through the company’s accounts.”
Shen Nanyue replied calmly before turning to face him.
“Let’s head back.”
After getting into the passenger seat, Zhou Yushen asked, “Will the cost of driving me home also be charged to the company?”
Shen Nanyue: …
“Out of humanitarian concern, I occasionally show appropriate care for our business partners.”
A smile returned to Zhou Yushen’s face.
Shen Nanyue drove him back to Yunding Apartments.
When they arrived, Zhou Yushen turned to look at her.
“Would you like to come upstairs for a glass of water?”
Shen Nanyue looked at him as though he were some strange creature.
After a brief silence, she replied, “I’m not thirsty.”
They were definitely not in the kind of relationship where they should be spending evenings alone in the same apartment.
Zhou Yushen didn’t seem offended.
While unfastening his seatbelt, he said, “I was actually planning to discuss the actors who’ll be signing contracts with the Shen Group next quarter. Looks like we’ll have to talk about it another time.”
“Another time? Can’t we discuss it tomorrow?”
Anything work-related wasn’t something she liked to postpone.
“I already have other work arrangements tomorrow.”
Before Shen Nanyue could continue questioning him, he added, “I’ll be pretty busy for a while.”
So he meant there would be a period during which he wouldn’t be available to discuss company matters with her?
Shen Nanyue turned her head and studied his face, trying to find some sign that he was lying.
Unfortunately, Zhou Yushen looked perfectly calm.
Nor did he continue trying to lure her into anything.
He simply opened the car door and prepared to leave.
After a moment’s consideration, Shen Nanyue spoke before he could close the door.
“Wait. Let’s discuss it tonight.”
Her position within the Shen Group wasn’t completely secure yet.
When it came to company business, she couldn’t afford to be careless.
“You’re welcome to.”
As he closed the car door, a victorious smile appeared on Zhou Yushen’s lips.
For the second time, Shen Nanyue followed Zhou Yushen into Yunding Apartments.
Compared to three months ago, the place hadn’t changed at all.
If anything, it felt a little more lived-in.
“Make yourself comfortable.”
Shen Nanyue walked straight into the living room and sat down on the leather sofa.
Her eyesight was excellent.
She quickly noticed a patch of damaged leather on the couch, as though it had been scratched by sharp claws.
She frowned in confusion.
Had Zhou Yushen somehow scratched it himself?
“Meow!”
A fluffy white long-haired cat emerged from behind the sofa.
It was a round little ball of fur with large, bright eyes that glowed faintly green.
It was incredibly adorable.
Shen Nanyue’s eyes lit up.
She reached out to pet it.
The cat, however, was even more proactive.
It trotted over to her feet, stretched up on its front paws, and rubbed itself affectionately against her hand.
“So cute. Since when did you start keeping a cat?”
Carrying two glasses of water into the living room, Zhou Yushen visibly froze when he saw the cat.
“I don’t own it.”
Shen Nanyue looked at him in confusion.
Then something occurred to her, and the smile on her lips faded slightly.
“Gu Linlang’s?”
A dark expression crossed Zhou Yushen’s face.
“Why would Gu Linlang’s cat be in my apartment?”
As he spoke, the cat leaped naturally onto Shen Nanyue’s lap.
It turned around several times, found a comfortable position, curled up, and immediately began purring contentedly.
Shen Nanyue’s heart practically melted.
She no longer cared whose cat it was.
Gently stroking beneath its chin, she asked, “If it isn’t yours and it isn’t Gu Linlang’s, then whose is it?”
Her tone was casual.
She didn’t seem particularly eager for an answer—it was more like idle curiosity.
Zhou Yushen remained silent.
The only people living here recently were himself and Li Che.
That made the answer fairly obvious.
“Li Che’s.”
Just then, as if on cue, Li Che entered through the foyer carrying a pile of cat supplies.
Seeing the lights on inside, he paused in surprise.
Then he met the gazes of Zhou Yushen and Shen Nanyue from the living room.
Awkwardly, he laughed.
“Oh, you’re here.”
Zhou Yushen looked at him coldly.
Since when had this place become his home?
Li Che walked into the living room, set down the supplies, and then looked toward the cat resting on Shen Nanyue’s lap.
“Xiaoyuan, come here.”
The little cat spotted the cat treat in Li Che’s hand, and its eyes immediately lit up.
It jumped off Shen Nanyue’s lap and ran straight toward him.
As he fed the cat the treat, Li Che explained, “Because of what happened between you two, An’an hasn’t spoken to me properly for days. She loves animals, so this is my apology gift to her.”
Shen Nanyue let out a soft laugh.
Thanks to the cat, her mood had become noticeably more relaxed and gentle.
“You’ve certainly put some thought into it,” she teased.
Seeing that all her attention was focused on Li Che’s side, Zhou Yushen’s expression darkened slightly.
“Of course I did! I was supposed to come find An’an three years ago, but she disappeared without a word and stayed gone for so long. I spent three years looking for her. Now that I’ve finally found her, there’s no way I’m letting her get away easily!”
His voice was firm, carrying the determination of someone who wouldn’t stop until he achieved his goal.
Yet there was also an unmistakable tenderness in his tone, as though he were pursuing the only future he wanted in this lifetime.
Shen Nanyue felt unexpectedly moved.
A gentle smile appeared on her lips.
It seemed her An’an really might have a good ending after all.
That reassured her.
Zhou Yushen turned to look at her and suddenly asked, “So, you like cats too?”
Shen Nanyue thought for a moment.
“They’re okay. I don’t particularly love them, but I don’t dislike them either.”
She wasn’t like Shen An’an.
The patience An’an had for animals was exactly what she lacked.
Petting them or playing with them for a while was fine, but actually raising one?
She didn’t think she had the time or energy to properly care for it.
Owning a pet came with responsibility.
Given her current circumstances, she wasn’t in a position to take that on.
“What do you like, then?”
Only then did Shen Nanyue turn to the persistent questioner.
“There’s nothing I particularly like.”
Zhou Yushen fell silent.
Then Shen Nanyue added, “Weren’t we supposed to talk about work? Let’s talk.”
By then, the cat had already finished the treat.
Li Che finally shifted his attention from the cat to Shen Nanyue and Zhou Yushen.
“What work? Didn’t we already discuss it?”
Shen Nanyue looked toward Zhou Yushen.
Zhou Yushen’s expression remained perfectly calm.
Li Che quickly realized what was going on.
“Oh, right! I remember now.”
He immediately continued, “Our company recently signed a talented young actress who’s both skilled and popular. Her image aligns perfectly with the Shen Group’s clothing concepts for next quarter. She’ll be attending a fashion show in Fengcheng next week—you can meet her then.”
Shen Nanyue’s gaze moved between the two men.
In the end, she chose to ignore the small doubts lingering in her mind.
“Do you have any photos or information about her for me to look at?”
Li Che immediately stood up, cat in his arms.
“You can discuss that with Yushen. I just bought cat food, litter, and a bunch of supplies. I need to take care of the little guy now.”
With that, he retreated while carrying the cat away.
Only then did Zhou Yushen look at Shen Nanyue.
“It’s in my study. Come on.”
He stood and headed toward the study.
Watching his back, Shen Nanyue couldn’t help feeling puzzled.
Why did he seem to be in a bad mood again?
Before she could think about it any further, she got up and followed him into the study.
— The end of the Chapter–
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