Chen Ziming, after leaving Uncle Xu's place, sat in the driver's seat and didn't leave immediately.
Instead, he stared out the window, lost in thought, and sat quietly for a while.
The conversation between the two echoed in his mind.
"It seems you've set your sights on Su Minghua as your father-in-law." Uncle Xu lit a cigarette, his voice unclear amidst the swirling smoke.
"I've set my sights on my girlfriend."
"Oh? So, the father-in-law isn't important." He tapped his cigarette on the ashtray a few times, flicking the ash in.
It was at this moment that the two men exchanged a glance.
The people in the department were all cunning, seasoned foxes, capable of dissecting a simple sentence for half a day.
Chen Ziming, intending for him to ponder, replied with a polite smile to his question:
"A father-in-law must always be respected, especially in matters of advancement. As a son-in-law, one must strive to be ahead of him."
Uncle Xu chuckled, "Such a filial young man. Tell me, what position do you think is suitable for him?"
"Please don't throw such questions at me. I wouldn't dare make decisions." He immediately refused respectfully.
This kind of matter could neither be explicitly stated nor should it come from him, as it might spread rumors that the Chen family was dissatisfied with Su Yue and was deliberately intimidating her father.
His visit to Director Xu today was merely to convey an ambiguous stance on Su Minghua.
It could be seen as filial piety, or it could be interpreted as having ulterior motives. This way, when dealing with Su Minghua's affairs, everyone would weigh their options carefully.
This would prevent Su Minghua from seizing the initiative, putting him in a too passive position.
As for the subsequent steps, it would require others to help fan the flames, guiding Su Minghua step by step toward the position he had envisioned.
When that day came,
He would personally visit the new office.
To deliver a grand gift to celebrate.
...
When Chen Ziming returned home, Su Yue was sitting on the sofa, looking dejected while on the phone.
Seeing him enter, she cast a helpless glance his way, spoke a few perfunctory words into the phone, and hung up crisply.
"Who was it?" He came before her, leaned down to kiss her lips, and then asked with a smile.
"My mother," Su Yue replied in a low voice.
"Asking you to come home for the New Year?"
"Asking us... to come on the second day." Her voice became softer.
Chen Ziming immediately understood.
The second day of the Lunar New Year was traditionally when married daughters returned to their maternal homes.
It seemed his mother-in-law was quite pleased with him.
He smiled happily, sat down beside her, and pulled her into his arms, asking, "Do you want to go?"
Su Yue naturally did not want to go.
No matter how friendly Su Minghua appeared, she would only feel disgusted.
However, her mother's health had just recovered, and she didn't want to dampen her spirits.
After a moment of hesitation, she sighed softly, "Let's go. You can't escape the first day to avoid the fifteenth."
Hearing her sigh, Chen Ziming frowned slightly. His handsome fingers traced her shoulder, and he smiled again.
He brought his lips close to her ear and whispered, "If you beg me, I'll go."
Su Yue: ???
"Are you alright? Officer Chen." She quickly pulled away, a smile of exasperation clearly on her face.
But the man pulled her back into his embrace. His handsome face broke into a charming smile, revealing dimples, and his voice trembled with amusement.
"You slept for so long, yet you're still so easily flustered." Seeing her little face flush with annoyance, he finally stopped smiling.
Just as she was about to get angry again, he held her slender waist and said earnestly:
"On the first day, we'll go to my home, and on the second day, we'll go to yours. We will follow the traditional customs perfectly."
The girl struggling in his arms suddenly quieted down, her bright, watery eyes looking up at him.
He said it so naturally, as if they were already married…
A warmth suddenly surged in her heart.
Just two years ago, during the Spring Festival, she was still an outcast, with a home she couldn't return to, and unable to bear seeing other families' warmth.
So she would always lie to Nian Nian that she was going home, then hide in a hotel, turn on the Spring Festival Gala, scroll through her social media, and secretly peek at others' happiness.
She truly envied them.
She was truly jealous.
She would truly feel so wronged that she would cry all night, unable to understand what she had done wrong.
But now, it was different.
Among all those warm lights, one finally shone for her.
"Why are you crying again?" Chen Ziming's handsome face fell slightly, and he reached out to wipe the corners of her eyes.
Su Yue shook her head, sniffled, and smiled, "Thank you."
"Thank me for what?"
She suddenly knelt and threw herself into his arms, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, resting her chin in the crook of his neck.
"Everything I once craved, Officer Chen has given me. Everything I will want in the future, Officer Chen will give me."
"Thank you for giving me this certainty."
"Thank you for all the romance you've brought me."
She suddenly paused, then leaned closer to him, her voice soft and sweet, yet filled with strength.
Clearly, she uttered three words.
"I love you."