Morning Longing for Warmth – Chapter 19

Gift

Raising a child at home.

Not long after Wei Hui left, people arrived at the house. Shiyi was just about to go out to check on the stray dog when she walked out of the living room and saw a black sedan parked at the front gate. Someone familiar stepped out – she knew him, it was Pei Tian.

            

Several people followed behind Pei Tian, some older and some younger. Standing at the front was a middle-aged woman with a kind smile on her face. She nodded to Pei Tian and said, “Mr. Pei, please rest assured, we understand all the proper etiquette.”

“That’s good.” Pei Tian looked at Aunt Liu with satisfaction, along with the middle-aged man standing beside her. The butler’s surname was Su, specially hired from abroad. They had met several times before – he understood boundaries, had good manners, and knew his place. Pei Tian preferred dealing with such clever people, which is why he paid a high price to hire him. As for Aunt Liu, she was recommended by Butler Su and seemed acceptable enough.

With the staff arrangements settled, Pei Tian noticed Shiyi standing at the gate. His handsome face showed a slight smile as he gave her a small nod. Shiyi hurriedly responded, but before her smile could fully form, Pei Tian had already gotten into the car and left. The remaining people walked toward her, leaving Shiyi frozen in place.

            

Butler Su walked at the front and respectfully greeted Shiyi: “Young Miss, good morning.”

Young Miss?

Shiyi bit her lip corner upon hearing this title: “H-hello, everyone.”

            

The others bowed their heads respectfully and said in unison: “Good morning, Young Miss.”

Shiyi’s face grew even more embarrassed.

Butler Su noticed her discomfort and gave Aunt Liu a meaningful look. Aunt Liu immediately caught on and said to the others: “Everyone go inside. Young Miss, have you had breakfast?”

            

The people at her side had all disappeared, leaving only Aunt Liu. Shiyi’s awkward expression eased, and she nodded: “I’ve eaten, I want to go out for a walk.”

Aunt Liu smiled: “The morning air is better, it’s good for taking walks, but it’s cold out. Young Miss, remember to wear a few extra layers.”

Just as she finished speaking, a gust of wind blew, making Shiyi’s figure sway. The weather in November had indeed turned suddenly cold – before it was just chilly in the mornings and evenings, but now it was cold all day long. Shiyi was still wearing the loose casual clothes Wei Hui had prepared for her, and standing there in the wind made her feel cold.

            

Shiyi nodded: “Thank you for reminding me, I’ll come back early.”

Aunt Liu’s face always carried a comfortable smile, and her eyes were gentle and warm. After experiencing Zhang Ma, Shiyi easily took a liking to Aunt Liu, and couldn’t help looking back at her twice before leaving.

With happiness in her heart, her steps became lighter. Shiyi jogged to the tree where the stray dog was tied, seeing the dog lying on the ground and looking around curiously. When it saw her, it tried to pounce on her. Having experienced the dog’s strength yesterday, Shiyi immediately stepped back twice and called out: “Shi’er.”

            

The fluffy big dog gave a single bark, though it wasn’t clear if it was responding.

Shiyi’s mood got even better.

After all, she was just a newly-adult child who didn’t quite know how to completely hide her emotions. After seeing Shi’er, she recounted everything that had happened at the Wei household. The big dog ate snacks while enjoying her petting, occasionally making agreeing sounds. Shiyi stroked its long fur, her palms feeling warm, just like when she held the blanket this morning, and her mood became even more joyful.

            

This was the happiest she’d been since coming to the Wei household. Even the dog sensed her different mood from usual and played energetically with her.

The bitter cold wind blew as the person and dog played joyfully together. Shiyi was bumped against the tree behind her by the dog, letting it continuously lick her cheeks and hands. The rough tongue scraped against the back of her hand, making Shiyi laugh non-stop.

She hadn’t laughed so freely since her grandmother passed away. Shiyi’s pretty face became radiant, driving away much of the cold.

            

When it got to noon, she remembered Aunt Liu’s reminder and rubbed the fluffy dog’s head saying: “I need to go back now, I’ll come see you again after eating.”

The dog nuzzled her palm, seeming reluctant to let her go, its wet eyes staring at her. Shiyi’s heart softened at the sight, and she bit her lip saying: “If only Third Miss would let me keep a dog, that would be so nice.”

After saying this, she laughed at herself – this was undoubtedly a fool’s dream. She was already living under someone else’s roof, and wanting to keep a dog was becoming more and more improper.

            

But Shi’er…

She really wanted to take it back with her. This being that shared the same fate as her – she couldn’t bear to abandon it.

Shi’er seemed to sense her struggle and wagged its tail more vigorously, licking her hands and rubbing its ears against her arms. Seeing how clingy it was, Shiyi suddenly thought of how she had felt staying in other masters’ homes before, feeling the same anxiety and fear of encountering bad things. She stroked Shi’er’s head soothingly and said: “I’ll try.”

            

Shi’er barked at her.

After returning home, Shiyi first went upstairs to wash up, only coming downstairs after making herself presentable. The dining room was already filled with the aroma of food, and Aunt Liu called out with a smile: “Young Miss, lunch is ready.”

Shiyi walked to the dining table and saw several dishes laid out, a good mix of meat and vegetarian dishes that looked delicious. Aunt Liu pulled out the chair for her, and Shiyi said softly: “Thank you.”

            

Aunt Liu said with a warm smile: “Please go ahead and eat.”

Unlike before when people would stare at her while eating, the dining room now had only Shiyi. When she turned to look, she saw Aunt Liu standing with the others, talking naturally, without paying too much attention to her.

Shiyi relaxed considerably.

            

After lunch, she sat on the sofa hugging her knees, holding her phone in her palm. Thinking about Shi’er still outside in the cold wind, she bit her lip and opened her phone, found Wei Hui’s number, but after long consideration still didn’t dare to make a direct call, so she decided to send a message instead.

She couldn’t start by talking about the dog right away. After thinking it over carefully, she sent out a message.

Wei Hui had just closed her documents and was about to speak with Pei Tian when her phone suddenly rang. She lowered her eyes to look at the phone and saw Shiyi’s message: “Third Miss, have you eaten lunch?”

            

Wei Hui held the phone in silence.

What did this child mean? Suddenly showing concern? It wasn’t like her usual personality.

Could it be that she was unhappy with the people Pei Tian had arranged?

            

“Third Miss.” Pei Tian’s voice interrupted her thoughts, and Wei Hui came back to her senses: “Hmm?”

She lowered her head, sent two characters to Shiyi, and put down her phone.

Shiyi anxiously held her phone waiting, and after a while finally received the reply: “Eaten.”

            

It was a simple and direct response without even a single extra punctuation mark. Looking at the two characters on the screen, Shiyi suddenly thought of Wei Hui’s face – serious and stern. The courage she had built up instantly dissipated, and she didn’t pick up her phone again.

On the contrary, after sending the message, Wei Hui kept staring at her phone. Shiyi wasn’t the type to check on her without reason, so she must have something on her mind. After pondering for a few minutes, she sent another message: “What’s the matter?”

Shiyi was sitting on the sofa hugging her legs, trying to think of a solution, when the dark silent screen suddenly lit up again. Third Miss’s name appeared before her eyes, and she immediately picked it up, her heart pounding.

            

—What’s the matter?

She bit her lip, staring at the screen for a very long time before replying: “Nothing.”

After sending the message, Shiyi hung her head against the sofa. She still couldn’t bring herself to talk to Wei Hui about keeping the dog. After all, she hadn’t yet decided whether to have a child for her, and if she decided not to, she would leave at any time. Bringing Shi’er in would surely cause Wei Hui a lot of trouble.

            

She couldn’t do it.

Shiyi’s dejection didn’t transmit through the phone to Wei Hui’s side. After seeing the reply “nothing,” she paused for a few seconds before putting the phone on the desk. The office door was knocked, and Pei Tian said: “Third Miss, Mr. Shen is here.”

Shen Hao had just returned to the country and came to Wei Tian bearing gifts. He wore a crisp black suit with a dark red tie. He had a good figure, tall and slender, and had particularly dressed up before coming, appearing like a jade tree in the wind (an idiom describing a handsome and talented young man). Even just sitting in the waiting room, he caught the frequent glances of many secretaries.

            

“Isn’t that CEO Shen? Why has he come to Wei Tian?”

“To discuss business with CEO Wei.”

“Are they planning to collaborate?”

            

“Maybe, wasn’t the Shen family also involved in the abandoned construction project?”

The quiet murmuring faded as Wei Hui stepped out of her office. The secretarial office was left with only the sounds of document flipping and keyboard typing. Wei Hui and Pei Tian passed in front of them and entered the waiting room.

Seeing Wei Hui, Shen Hao stood up with a smile: “Third Miss.”

            

He was older than Wei Hui, and by reason and custom, calling her “Third Miss” wasn’t quite appropriate, but calling her “CEO Wei” felt too distant, and he didn’t dare call her by name, so he chose this middle-ground title, “Third Miss.”

Wei Hui walked to the sofa in front of him and nodded: “Sit.”

“What brings CEO Shen here today?”

            

The serious and formal tone showed no emotional fluctuation due to his arrival. Shen Hao couldn’t quite gauge her thoughts, so he first offered a reason meant to close the distance between them: “Happy birthday.”

As he spoke, he took out a box from his briefcase. It was perfectly square with a bow on top, looking exquisite and beautiful. Just from the packaging alone, one could tell it was quite valuable.

Wei Hui tilted her head to look at him, with deep meaning in her eyes.

            

Now her relationship with Shen Hao wasn’t just about cooperation – the abandoned construction project’s plan had just taken its initial shape, and she couldn’t afford to fall out with him at this point. Moreover, their families were world-crossing acquaintances (old friends). Previously, she could constantly refuse Shen Hao because they had no conflicting interests, or if they did, it was within her control. Unlike now, when she needed him to counterbalance Luo Zhouping.

Surely Shen Hao had thought of this point too, which gave him confidence that she would accept this gift.

After brief consideration, Wei Hui accepted the gift and nodded: “Thank you, CEO Shen.”

            

Shen Hao smiled: “No need for formalities. I heard Third Miss has already settled on a plan for the abandoned construction project. I have some humble opinions to share. I wonder if Third Miss is free this evening? We could discuss it over dinner.”

Wei Hui looked up, her gaze clear, her expression unchanged from before, but her voice slightly colder: “I’m sorry, CEO Shen, I’m afraid I won’t be free this evening.”

Shen Hao stared at her for a few seconds: “It seems I’m too late with my invitation. Does Third Miss have another appointment?”

            

“Actually, I don’t.” Wei Hui showed a rare slight smile, her lips curving upward as she said: “But I have a young one at home who can’t be without me. I’m worried she’ll get emotional if I return home late, so CEO Shen, I apologize.”

Hearing her words, Shen Hao slightly furrowed his brows. Young one – he immediately thought of the child Wei Hui had brought to the banquet last time, who looked delicate and pretty, shy and timid. He had found it strange then, wondering why Wei Hui would keep such a child by her side, so this was their relationship?

Usually, he would turn a blind eye to such things – after all, he himself had plenty of orioles and swallows (a metaphor for romantic liaisons). But Wei Hui was openly talking about it without any attempt to hide it. Shen Hao smiled: “It seems Third Miss is serious this time.”

            

Wei Hui’s smile deepened, her amusement obvious: “I’m serious about everything, including people.”

Shen Hao stood up: “Since Third Miss is unavailable today, we’ll discuss the cooperation another time.”

Wei Hui looked at him steadily: “Alright.”

            

After Shen Hao left, Pei Tian asked quietly: “Third Miss, aren’t you afraid that he…”

After all, Shen Hao was still in the pursuit stage, and Wei Hui’s blatant admission of liking someone else was essentially a slap in the face. Luo Zhouping was just waiting for them to fall out so he could cooperate with Shen Hao.

Wei Hui shook her head: “It’s fine.”

            

In Shen Hao’s eyes, Shiyi was someone who couldn’t be publicly acknowledged. Even though she now said she was serious and openly told him, in their social circle, they were convinced that nothing would come of her relationship with Shiyi, believing she was just playing around.

Whether it was serious or just playing around, she didn’t have the energy to deal with Shen Hao right now. This method could both buy her some time and avoid embarrassing Shen Hao.

Sure enough, after leaving Wei Tian Group, Shen Hao showed no displeasure on his face, but instead smiled at his driver saying: “Let’s go.”

            

The secretary hadn’t gone upstairs earlier and didn’t know the situation, so seeing his expression, couldn’t help asking: “CEO Shen seems to be in a good mood, did you get a date with CEO Wei?”

Shen Hao shook his head: “No.”

The secretary seemed confused, but Shen Hao didn’t explain further. Although Wei Hui had rejected him just now, at least he learned that Wei Hui wasn’t emotionally cold. This made things much easier – regardless of whether she liked men or women, as long as she had seven emotions and six desires (a Buddhist term for human sentiments), he still had a chance. It was better than her previous cold and distant attitude, especially now that they had a business relationship, with so many opportunities to meet, he would surely find a suitable – dating opportunity.

            

Shen Hao, in quite a good mood, instructed his secretary: “We’re not going back yet, first go to DL Hotel.”

The secretary nodded and told the driver to change route.

Wei Hui, who had been standing by the window, looked down at the coming and going vehicles below, her hands behind her back. The azure blue suit made her figure appear even taller and more slender, her long hair scattered behind her ears, lifted by the wind, the ends tinged with cold.

            

Soon, there was a knock on the office door, and Pei Tian said: “CEO Shen has left.”

Wei Hui closed the window, sat at her desk, and asked: “Have you found out the purpose of Luo Zhouping’s meeting with Assistant Qiao?”

Pei Tian stood straight, speaking respectfully: “We have some leads, it seems to be related to his company.”

            

After returning to the country, Luo Zhouping had taken over a small company and established his own business. Though small in scale and not in the same field as Wei Tian, Wei Hui knew about it. She asked: “Is his company in food trading?”

Pei Tian: “Yes, just opened.”

Wei Hui thought for a moment and said: “Keep an eye on his movements, don’t let it involve Wei Tian.”

            

Pei Tian nodded: “I understand.”

Just as the words fell, Wei Hui’s phone rang. She looked down to see Su Ziyan’s name displayed on the screen.

“Where are you? When do you get off work?” After connecting the call, Su Ziyan asked straightforwardly. Wei Hui furrowed her brows: “What’s the matter?”

            

Su Ziyan’s clear voice came through: “To celebrate your birthday.”

“No need.”

Su Ziyan replied: “Come on, I’m almost at your house. Come back early, I’ll head in first.”

            

Wei Hui hung up the phone and shook her head slightly. Pei Tian beside her asked: “Third Miss, what’s wrong?”

She spoke: “Nothing, bring me the abandoned building project proposal.”

Pei Tian nodded and immediately left the office, returning shortly with several documents in hand. Wei Hui took them, glanced through them briefly, then suddenly closed the files and stood up, taking her coat from the office chair, telling Pei Tian: “Let’s call it a day.”

            

Pei Tian looked at the watch on his wrist, somewhat surprised – it wasn’t even 5 o’clock yet, and Third Miss wanted to leave?

He suddenly remembered Wei Hui’s conversation with Shen Hao and couldn’t help asking: “Are you going back so early to see the young one?”

Wei Hui gave him a cool glance without saying a word.

            

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The author has something to say:

Wei Hui at a business dinner, waving off others offering drinks: “Sorry, I have a wife at home who doesn’t let me drink.”

Shiyi: …

            

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