Volume One, Chapter 104: Losing One's Life

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Monday.

Song Qingyu was on her way to work when she received a WeChat message from Xie Changhe.

His wife had given birth—a baby boy weighing nine jin.

Xie Changhe had also posted photos of his wife and child on his Moments. Though his wife looked exhausted and frail, the family's happiness was practically spilling out of the photos.

"Everyone, first let me congratulate Manager Xie. The company has granted him ten days of paternity leave. During this period, I'll be temporarily filling in for him. If you need anything, feel free to come to me."

The speaker was Zhao Xiangfei, a long-tenured employee at Tianqi Group.

Song Qingyu's work had always been handed off directly to Xie Changhe, so she didn't have much of an impression of Zhao, though she'd heard he was something of a good-natured soul.

But after just one morning, Song Qingyu realized this "good-natured soul" came with quotation marks.

He was indeed friendly—asking after everyone's well-being with great care.

He remembered everyone's preferences: who took their coffee black, who wanted it fully sweetened. He even knew about her low blood sugar.

He would also thoughtfully present gifts to everyone.

What made Song Qingyu uncomfortable was when she went to discuss the game update with him.

Zhao Xiangfei instead said, "Qingyu, is your husband really just a worker? Or have you been hiding something from everyone?"

"...Brother Zhao, this is work hours."

"Sorry, sorry. I just wanted to show some concern. You're married, so you'll probably have a child soon, right? When you take maternity leave, that'll be over two months—"

Song Qingyu's brow furrowed tighter and tighter. Bringing up personal matters during work hours wasn't concern—it was overstepping.

On the first day without Xie Changhe, Song Qingyu found she actually missed him a little.

Colleague relations weren't like friendships. Everyone in the group sent their congratulations and well-wishes to Xie Changhe, but no one offered to visit him at the hospital.

Remembering that Xie Changhe was at least her senior's older brother and had helped her so much, Song Qingyu decided to visit anyway.

As she waited by the entrance for a car, a vehicle suddenly pulled up beside her.

Seeing it was President Gu's car, Song Qingyu immediately straightened up.

The window rolled down slowly, revealing Pei Jingmo's masked face. "Miss Song, are you heading to the hospital?"

Song Qingyu was a little surprised at how President Gu knew that.

When she saw his gaze land on the gifts she was carrying, she smiled and nodded. "Mm, I wanted to visit Manager Xie's wife."

"Get in."

"President Gu is going too?"

"Having a child is a good thing."

Since a ride was offered, Song Qingyu naturally wouldn't refuse.

She got in carefully, placed the gifts at her feet, and looked at Gu Yuandong. "Thank you, President Gu."

"It was no trouble."

Song Qingyu nodded and didn't dare speak again.

Every time she rode in President Gu's car, she felt immense pressure.

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Suddenly remembering something, Song Qingyu pulled out her phone and sent Pei Jingmo a WeChat message.

"Do you remember the manager Xie I told you about? His wife had a baby. I need to go to the hospital to visit, so I'll be home a little late."

The moment the message went out, Song Qingyu heard Gu Yuandong's phone chime.

She instinctively glanced over and met his eyes looking back at her.

She cleared her throat lightly and quickly looked away.

"Does Miss Song like children?"

Song Qingyu was taken aback; she truly hadn't expected President Gu to ask her that.

"I like them, and I don't."

"Oh?"

"I like well-behaved little darlings, but not crying, tantrum-throwing little terrors."

Pei Jingmo let out a low chuckle.

Realizing a beat too late that her answer was a bit too honest, Song Qingyu quickly asked, "What about you, President Gu? Do you like children?"

"I do. As long as they're my wife's, I'll love them all."

Song Qingyu knew that in the workplace, a little well-placed flattery of the boss was necessary.

So she smiled and said, "President Gu and Miss Lu are a match made in heaven. Your child is bound to be the smartest and most beautiful baby in the world."

Pei Jingmo: "..."

Song Qingyu rarely stepped out of her shell to flatter someone, little knowing she'd just flattered the wrong spot.

Sensing the man beside her wasn't pleased, Song Qingyu's mind raced as she tried to think of a way to salvage things.

"Miss Song also thinks Lu Rongrong and I make a good match?"

Song Qingyu broke out in a cold sweat instantly.

She used to think this was a freebie question. Now she suddenly realized it was a trap.

Hadn't President Gu and Lu Rongrong gotten along quite well on this trip to Jiuhuang Mountain? Could it be that President Gu was being forced into this?

But if he wasn't willing, who could possibly force him?

After racking her brain for a long while, she finally squeezed out, "Whether people are a good match isn't for outsiders to decide. It depends on how President Gu feels himself. If you both love each other, then naturally you're well-matched. If one side doesn't, then you're not."

A safe, all-purpose answer. President Gu shouldn't get angry at that, right?

But clearly, he wasn't particularly pleased either.

"We're here."

Seeing they'd arrived at the hospital entrance, Song Qingyu quickly got out of the car.

Breathing in the fresh air, she let out a sigh of relief.

Xie Changhe, now a father, looked positively radiant. "President Gu, Qingyu, you've come."

Because the baby was too small, no one dared to hold him.

Xie Changhe wheeled the bassinet over to show him off to the two of them.

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"Look at this kid's nose—doesn't it look like mine?"

"His mouth takes after his mom. He's bound to be a lucky little foodie when he grows up."

"His eyes looking like mine isn't great—a bit small—but the doctor says once he grows into them, they'll be fine."

Because he'd just been born, the baby was mostly sleeping.

Song Qingyu looked at the tiny little thing, finding it precious and yet somehow miraculous.

A person starts this small at birth, yet can grow to be so tall.

Speaking of tall—

President Gu was pretty tall. Same height as Pei Jingmo.

"Xiaoyu, can you hold my son for a bit?"

Xie Changhe looked a little sheepish. "The doctor says that aside from parents and doctors, whoever holds the baby first after birth is who they'll grow up to resemble. If you and President Gu both hold him, he'd grow up as beautiful as you and as capable as President Gu—that would be wonderful."

As if the little one had heard his father's words, he slowly opened his eyes.

His eyes weren't actually that small—and they sparkled.

Song Qingyu immediately tensed up. "But... I've never held a baby this small. I'm afraid—"

"Don't be. Nothing will happen."

Xie Changhe lifted the baby with practiced ease and handed him over to Song Qingyu.

Song Qingyu stiffly opened her arms. When Xie Changhe placed the baby in her hands, she suddenly said anxiously, "Wait—let President Gu hold him instead."

She wasn't ready. Her palms were sweating.

Pei Jingmo came to her rescue. "Give him to me."

Actually, Pei Jingmo had never held a baby either. When Xie Changhe handed the child over, his body went rigid too, not daring to move an inch.

Seeing this, Xie Changhe took Song Qingyu's hand and placed it over Pei Jingmo's. "Xiaoyu, you and President Gu can hold him together. That's better than you holding him alone later."

Song Qingyu figured that made sense, but when her hand brushed against President Gu's, she shifted it awkwardly to rest on his arm instead.

The little one smiled unconsciously. Song Qingyu laughed in delight. "He smiled!"

Xie Changhe nodded. "Mm. He can feel your love and affection. He's happy."

Afterward, Song Qingyu stayed to chat with Xie Changhe's wife for a while, while Pei Jingmo and Xie Changhe stepped into the corridor.

Pei Jingmo glanced at Xie Changhe coolly. "Don't do anything unnecessary."

Xie Changhe knew President Gu had seen that he was playing matchmaker, and said quietly with a smile, "Don't worry, President Gu. I'm always on your side. I've seen that man before—he's handsome enough, sure, but he can't hold a candle to a single strand of your hair. As long as you make your move, Qingyu is bound to be yours."

"Is Manager Xie encouraging me to poach someone else's girl?"

"If you can't poach her, she was never yours in the first place. If you can, then she was always meant to be yours."

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