Chapter 23
On the way back, Zhengzheng kept holding Shen Yin's hand tightly.
Shen Yin felt quite saddened. She could understand Zhengzheng. Since birth, he had been neglected by his original guardian. His closest people, Xu Xiuhe and Song Ma, were always busy, and his bond with them was not biological. After Song Ma left, he felt even more insecure. So, at the moment when he couldn't find her, he must have felt very helpless.
Before, Shen Yin used to think she was somewhat pitiful. Her mother passed away early, and her stepmother wasn't affectionate. But she still had her maternal grandfather's family.
At the moment when Zhengzheng couldn't be found, Shen Yin even suspected that Yang Cui had something to do with it. She was truly terrified. It seemed necessary to inform Xu Xiuhe about Yang Cui's actions. If Yang Cui confronted her openly, she could handle it with her martial arts. But if she acted covertly, what should she do?
"Zhengzheng, promise Mommy that you'll never leave Mommy and Daddy's sight again. Don't trust anyone except Mommy and Daddy, okay?"
Xu Yunzheng nodded as if he understood.
While making lunch, Shen Yin put Zhengzheng on a blanket in the living room, gave him some picture books, and a few toys.
"Zhengzheng, be good. Mommy is going to cook lunch for Zhengzheng. Can Zhengzheng play here by himself?"
Shen Yin didn't know if Xu Xiuhe would come back for lunch. If not, she would take Zhengzheng to Xu Xiuhe.
For Shen Yin, cooking was simple, especially with today's advanced technology, it was even easier.
Shen Yin ground the plum meat into filling using a meat grinder, chopped a small piece of yam, and added two dried mushrooms for flavor enhancement. She mixed the ground plum meat with yam and mushroom evenly, added two spoons of starch, one spoon of soy sauce, one spoon of oyster sauce, one spoon of sesame oil, half a spoon of sugar, and finally added chopped green onions. She poured the mixture onto a plate, spread it evenly, and steamed it.
Then, Shen Yin cut the eggplant into long strips, marinated them in her own sauce for 10 minutes, heated oil in a pan, stir-fried the previously set aside ground plum meat until it changed color, added the eggplant strips, poured in the sauce again, stir-fried, and sprinkled with chopped green onions.
Shrimp tofu soup, stir-fried mushrooms with greens, tomato beef brisket, stir-fried fish slices, and locust flower egg dumplings.
In less than two hours, seven dishes were done. It was almost noon, and it seemed like Xu Xiuhe wouldn't be coming back.
Shen Yin cooked a large amount of food, mainly to repay Xu Xiuhe for making breakfast in the morning.
"Zhengzheng, let's eat first. Can we give Daddy his meal after eating?"
Zhengzheng clapped his hands. After spending these few days with Zhengzheng, Shen Yin finally understood some of Zhengzheng's small expressions and gestures. Clapping his hands meant he was happy and fully in agreement.
Shen Yin looked in the cabinet below, and sure enough, there were lunch boxes, high-quality ones that were insulated and could hold several layers of food. There was also a bag. Shen Yin took out the lunch box, rinsed and dried it, and packed each dish into it.
"Zhengzheng, let's eat."
How to get to Xu Xiuhe's company was a problem. Although the underground parking lot was full of cars, Xu Xiuhe wasn't in any of them. Shen Yin was too nervous to drive with Zhengzheng in tow.
With the lunchbox in hand, the bag containing Zhengzheng, and holding Zhengzheng, Shen Yin decided to take a taxi.
There weren't many taxis near the upscale neighborhood, so Shen Yin was lucky to find one right after leaving the neighborhood gate.
"Driver, please take me to Heyuan Group."
The driver also felt lucky today. He seldom came to this area to pick up passengers because the nearby neighborhoods were upscale and most people had their own cars. Today, he had come here to drop off a passenger who had some business nearby, never expecting to pick up another fare on the way back.
"People living in this neighborhood aren't ordinary folks. I suppose you must be the wife of some CEO?" The driver joked.
Shen Yin didn't catch on and sincerely admired the driver, "How did you know?"
The driver didn't expect his words to receive a response.
Shen Yin laughed heartily, "Anyone living in such a neighborhood must have a company of their own, especially when you're carrying a child."
That's true. She indeed needed to adapt to this era, broaden her thinking, and not be like before, constantly competing with her stepmother.
"Heyuan Group?" the driver asked again.
"Yes, Heyuan Group."
"Indeed remarkable. Xu Xiuhe from Heyuan Group is young and talented, self-made, everyone in Rong City knows him."
Shen Yin smiled but didn't say anything. Xu Xiuhe was impressive, but she didn't have much to do with him; their relationship was extremely unstable.
Soon, they arrived at the building of Heyuan Group. It was Shen Yin's first time here.
Shen Yin carried two bags and held Zhengzheng's hand, the little one cute, the elder one beautiful, attracting quite a few people.
"Hello, who are you looking for?" the receptionist asked.
"Looking for Daddy." It was Zhengzheng's first time here too, his eyes wandering around, thinking his dad was here.
Shen Yin lowered her head, "Sweetie, who is Daddy? Others don't know. You need to say Daddy's name."
"Looking for Xu Xiuhe." Zhengzheng said Xu Xiuhe's name for the first time but stumbled.
The receptionist was completely shocked, her mouth agape. Then, she composed herself and smiled, "Hello, the CEO is on the top floor."
Upon hearing this, Shen Yin, holding Zhengzheng, headed to the elevator.
Little did Shen Yin know, her arrival once again caused a stir among the employees of Heyuan Group.
[Folks, latest gossip, fresh off the press! Just had a woman, tall, elegant, with a child so adorable and handsome, come to see the CEO, and get this, the child claims Xu Xiuhe is his dad!!!!] The receptionist hastily typed and shared the news in the group.
[OMG, the CEO has a child? This can't be some love child scandal, can it?]
[No way, are mistresses nowadays this blatant?]
I think it's about the woman not losing to a celebrity, which is completely opposite to the president's wife, right?
I agree.
@InvincibleBeauty, have you finished sharing the gossip? Where are they now?
The front desk lady clacked away on her keyboard.
Do you think I, a mere front desk attendant, would dare to stop the distinguished Young Prince and his mother? They're in the elevator now.
The group fell silent.
Shen Yin pressed the button for the top floor, the 35th. However, every time the elevator stopped at a floor, it opened, revealing a group of people standing there, not entering.
Several minutes passed, and the elevator still hadn't reached the 35th floor. Each time the doors opened, a crowd stood watching her and Zhengzheng. Initially, she politely smiled, but as time went on, the smiles faded.
Messages in the group started pouring in.
"OMG, I saw it. So stunning! Her smile is absolutely enchanting. The president has great taste."
"I'm on the 17th floor, and I saw them too. That child is the most handsome I've ever seen."
"Upstairs, aren't you talking nonsense? The president and that woman are a visual match."
"Don't you think the child looks exactly like the president?"
"Upstairs, you're the king of nonsense. Everyone says the president is his dad. What son doesn't resemble his father?"
Liu Bo opened his phone, bewildered by these messages. He rushed into Xu Xiuhe's office without knocking.
"President, I need to tell you something."
Xu Xiuhe looked displeased. "What's so urgent?"
"Madam and Zhengzheng are here," Liu Bo replied.
Xu Xiuhe's expression changed momentarily but quickly returned to normal. "Where are they? Why haven't they arrived yet?" he asked, leaving the office.
Finally, Shen Yin reached the top floor.
Zhengzheng, upon seeing Xu Xiuhe, became extremely excited. "Dad, Zhengzheng and Mommy brought you lunch!"
Xu Xiuhe took Zhengzheng, his gaze shifting to Shen Yin. Indeed, she carried a large lunchbox.
"Your elevators are so strange. They stop at every floor. Also, your company's people are odd too. Why press the elevator button if they don't come in?" Shen Yin complained.
Liu Bo, having read the group messages, instantly understood. He looked at Xu Xiuhe, who was also staring at him, as if questioning the situation and why this issue had arisen.
"Perhaps it's just a busy day today," Liu Bo awkwardly smiled, not even believing his own explanation.