The three-and-a-half-hour flight from City C to Beijing was filled with a palpable tension, as Liu Chen and Ren Yu worked with intense focus for the entire duration, except for the take-off and landing.
Even the flight attendant, seated nearby, found herself compelled to re-read the emergency procedures.
Upon landing, Liu Chen could even hear the collective sigh of relief from the passengers inside the cabin.
Because she had checked luggage this time, Liu Chen didn't rush forward with her carry-on. Instead, she calmly followed the first-class passengers.
Then...
Walking by the floor-to-ceiling windows with her suitcase, Liu Chen couldn't help but glance at Ren Yu beside her and ask, "Ren Yu, is it just me, or are these first-class passengers walking really fast? It feels like I haven't exercised in ages."
Ren Yu nodded, "It's not just you, they seem to be walking even faster."
The passengers rushing ahead: "If we stay further away from those two young people behind us, we might feel less stressed."
Due to the rush, Liu Chen and her group waited for about half an hour at the baggage carousel before collecting their luggage. As soon as she had her bags, Liu Chen immediately took the elevator down to the basement and headed straight for the parking lot.
Meanwhile, by the baggage carousel, a plump young man was posting on Weibo.
'Shocked! I met Liu Chen and her significant other at the Beijing airport! They were waiting for their luggage next to mine.'
[Image]
The photo showed Liu Chen with one hand in her pocket, scrolling through her phone with the other, while Ren Yu was bent over, retrieving a 28-inch pure white suitcase from the carousel.
-
In the parking lot, Shen Hong had already been waiting for a while. As Liu Chen got into the car, the heater was on full blast, making her break out in a sweat in her long down jacket as soon as she sat down.
Taking off her down jacket and casually hanging it on the seatback, Liu Chen leaned forward, her body still partially in the car, and sincerely thanked Shen Hong, who was wearing a bright red hoodie and driving, "Brother Shen Hong, thank you for your trouble."
Upon hearing this, Shen Hong's hands, which were on the steering wheel, suddenly didn't know where to go. He opened them, then clasped them, then opened them again. He turned his body sideways and looked into the back seat through the gap between him and the passenger seat, saying, "Not at all. Sister-in-law, you can just call me Shen Hong from now on, or Xiao Shen, Xiao Hong. If you call me 'brother,' it makes me feel like I'm taking advantage of the boss, which is a bit frightening."
Liu Chen opened her mouth, then closed it, and turned to look at Ren Yu beside her, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Ren Yu, what do you think?"
Ren Yu nodded with mock seriousness, "Then let's call him Xiao Hong."
"Ah?..." Shen Hong's voice trailed off in disbelief. He then furrowed his brow and looked at Liu Chen, "This... Sister-in-law, you should really control the boss. Look how harsh he is on me!"
Liu Chen watched as Ren Yu put away his luggage and settled into the passenger seat. She then smiled and shook her head at Shen Hong, urging, "Brother Shen Hong, let's each call each other what we want. Let's go to Tianwang Building first. I suddenly remembered the dishes there, and I feel like my stomach is growling with hunger."
As Liu Chen finished speaking, Ren Yu couldn't help but look at her, then blinked, "Liu Chen, you said you were hungry?"
Liu Chen leaned back against the seatback properly, fastening her seatbelt, and responded with a simple "Mm."
Ren Yu, sitting beside Liu Chen, frowned slightly upon hearing this, recalling how Liu Chen had finished every last bite of her airplane meal.
As the number one member of Tianwang Building, even during the peak of the Chinese New Year holiday, the group was still provided with a private room.
Liu Chen, holding the menu, expertly ordered five dishes and one soup. While waiting, she opened Weibo to check the mentions directed at her, intending to verify the distribution of the thousand-yuan bonus.
Then, Liu Chen spotted the photo of herself and Ren Yu at the airport.
The photographer was likely positioned diagonally in front of her. In the picture, she had one hand in her pocket, her face serious as she scrolled on her phone, while Ren Yu was bent over, lifting the large suitcase from the carousel.
"Ren Yu, look!"
Liu Chen handed her phone to Ren Yu, who had just finished pouring her tea.
"Mm, it's a good shot."
"Good?" Liu Chen took her hand back and looked again. "The comments below all say you're a henpecked husband."
Hearing this, Ren Yu raised his hand, pinched his earlobe, and nodded with mock seriousness, "It is indeed soft."
Seeing the series of actions from his boss, Shen Hong quickly averted his gaze, pretending not to have seen anything.
When the food was served, neither Shen Hong nor Ren Yu ate much. Shen Hong had eaten before picking them up, and Ren Yu was already full from his airplane meal.
Despite this, the five dishes and one soup on the table were all devoured, with Liu Chen as the main force, supported by Xia Tian and Dong Tian.
After the meal, as Shen Hong went to get the car, he couldn't help but let his gaze linger on Liu Chen's abdomen, which was not discernible beneath her white hoodie.
"Wow, how can such slender wrists handle so much food?"
After driving Liu Chen back to Dadi Apartment, Shen Hong parked the car in the underground garage. He intended to help with her suitcase, but Dong Tian had already gotten there first.
So he had to fall behind, walking alongside Ren Yu, and muttered enviously, "Having two bodyguards seems quite convenient. Boss, when will you get me two?"
Ren Yu glanced at Shen Hong, who looked eager and like a spoiled child seeing another child with a new toy and wanting one for himself.
"If your car's brakes ever fail, I'm sure your grandfather will hire two bodyguards for you then."
As soon as he said this, Shen Hong's envious gaze instantly vanished. He quickly shook his head.
"It's Chinese New Year, you can't say things like that. Spit, spit, spit, what I just said doesn't count."
With that, the elevator doors ahead opened, and Shen Hong quickly quickened his pace.
Back home, the underfloor heating had already warmed the house. A plate of fruit and a bowl of seeds and peanuts were on the dining table. Even the doors and windows were adorned with "xi" characters and couplets for the New Year.
Liu Chen entered the bedroom with her suitcase, intending to unpack.
Ren Yu, carrying his laptop bag, headed to the guest room, plugged in the power, and turned on the computer.
Shen Hong, who had originally planned to just drop them off and leave, saw his boss getting to work and could only sit obediently in the living room, watching TV, eating fruit, and playing on his phone to pass the time.
This continued until half-past eight in the evening.
Shen Hong glanced at the time on his phone, then couldn't help but get up from the sofa and walk to the guest room door. He knocked and entered.
Shen Hong tapped his phone screen, the crisp sound indicating the time, and said, "Boss, it's already eight-thirty."
Ren Yu asked without looking up, "Mm, are you hungry?"
Shen Hong quickly shook his head and explained, "Not exactly, it's just that it's getting late, and we should be heading back to our own homes..."
Ren Yu slowly raised his head and turned his chair halfway around to face Shen Hong, who was behind him, "Mm? Did I forget to tell you? I'm living here."
Shen Hong swore that Ren Yu's eyes were filled with a smug smile!