Volume One, Chapter 61: Quite Fierce

Since Song Qingyu met Pei Jingmo, he had always struck her as resilient, optimistic, hardworking, and positive. She had never seen him so dejected and sorrowful before. In this moment, he seemed so fragile that a mere breeze might break him.

She suddenly remembered something he had once said: “A hug makes everything better when you’re sad.” The words slipped from her lips before she realized it.

Pei Jingmo appeared surprised by her suggestion, his dark eyes staring at her in a daze. The cigarette between his fingers burned down to the end, scorching his skin, yet he didn’t even notice.

Seeing this, Song Qingyu quickly reminded him, “Your cigarette—”

Before she could finish, Pei Jingmo dropped the cigarette butt and pulled her tightly into his arms. He hugged her so fiercely, as if wishing he could fuse her into his very being.

Feeling the tremor in his body, Song Qingyu’s heart clenched. After a brief hesitation, she gently patted his back, silently offering comfort.

Pei Jingmo had never told her about his past, not even about his deafness in his right ear. Zhu Yanyan had assumed that once Song Qingyu learned of this, she would grow to despise Pei Jingmo. In truth, all she felt was heartache. It wasn’t simply love that made her feel this way, but his experiences, the hardships he’d endured, and everything he had carried on his shoulders.

“You know, don’t you?” Pei Jingmo’s voice suddenly echoed beside her ear, low and strained, burdened with suppressed helplessness.

“Hm?”

“My right ear is deaf.” He drew her closer, anxious and uncertain. “Please don’t despise me, alright?”

Song Qingyu’s heart ached; so this was what he feared.

“I don’t despise you.” Song Qingyu gently pushed him away, meeting his gaze with seriousness and gravity. “To me, your ear isn’t a disability—it’s a medal of honor.”

Perhaps, to Song Qingyu, this was merely a comforting remark. But to Pei Jingmo, it landed softly yet powerfully, making his heart race, his blood surge. Love surged within him, barely contained.

Fu Linhan and Bai Yinian had thought he fancied Song Qingyu only because of her beauty. They didn’t know that beauty was the least of her qualities. She was kind without being naive, clear-headed, and independent. To help more people, she had gone through great pains to reclaim the foundation from Song Yanfeng. When forced by Chu Xingzhi and Song Yanfeng, she would rather shatter than yield.

And then today, when Zhu Yanyan tried to drive a wedge between them, Song Qingyu hadn’t let it sway her opinion of him. Instead, she comforted him. Not a disability, but a medal of honor! How strong and kind-hearted must she be to say something like that?

He wanted to kiss her! To claim her, to make her his and his alone! The wild desire for possession screamed inside him; he clenched his fists, barely suppressing himself.

Meeting Pei Jingmo’s dark, smoldering eyes, Song Qingyu thought she had simply moved him and sensed no impending danger.

“You smoke pretty heavily,” Song Qingyu remarked.

Pei Jingmo drew a deep breath, forcibly tamping down his emotions. “Sorry.”

She didn’t see what he had to apologize for, but said anyway, “Smoking isn’t good for your health. Can you try to cut back? Or… maybe quit altogether?”

Pei Jingmo looked at her intently. “You want me to quit?”

Quitting would be for his own health—why did it matter what she thought? Then she remembered she was, after all, his wife. She nodded, “Yes.”

“Alright, I’ll do as you say.”

That easily? Song Qingyu knew how difficult it was for heavy smokers to quit. Chu Xingzhi, who hadn’t even been as addicted, had tried for two days before giving up, declaring that quitting smoking was impossible.

Could Pei Jingmo really do it?

—

With the misunderstanding caused by Zhu Yanyan finally resolved, Song Qingyu returned home. When Xie Liuzheng heard what had happened, she couldn’t help but say, “I told you—Pei Jingmo is so crazy about you, how could he possibly cheat with another woman? You can’t let what happened with Chu Xingzhi make you see snakes in every rope.”

Song Qingyu had no reply.

“But I never imagined he used to be a soldier, or that he was deaf in one ear.”

Song Qingyu immediately explained, “It doesn’t affect his daily life at all.”

“Oh my, I haven’t said anything, why are you in such a hurry to defend him?” Xie Liuzheng teased, her laughter colored with mischief. Song Qingyu had nothing to say to that.

“Alright, alright, as long as you and your husband live well, that’s what matters. I have to get back to filming. Once the shoot wraps, let’s have a proper get-together.”

“Take care of yourself, don’t work yourself sick.”

“Oh, it’s times like these I can’t help but envy you—a considerate, devoted husband who takes care of everything for you.”

Song Qingyu teased back, “Why don’t you find someone to marry, then?”

“No, thanks! I want to work hard, earn money, and hire a whole troupe of male models to do stripteases for me in the future.”

“...Best of luck!”

Just as she hung up, Pei Jingmo appeared, carrying a cup of warm sago milk. “Qingqing, drink this while it’s hot. It’ll warm your stomach.”

Looking at Pei Jingmo, Song Qingyu realized she truly had married a thoughtful, attentive man.

Pei Jingmo’s journey to quit smoking was anything but smooth. Song Qingyu had caught him several times, restless and irritable from the cravings, yet she had no idea how to help.

Suddenly recalling that Jie Changhe had once quit smoking for his pregnant wife, Song Qingyu sought him out.

“Manager Jie, do you have any tips for quitting smoking?”

Seeing Song Qingyu’s radiant face, free from the pallor and anxiety of previous days, Jie Changhe knew she and the boss had reconciled. Could it be that the boss was trying to quit smoking now? Helping one’s superior was a subordinate’s duty.

Jie Changhe replied, “Quitting smoking isn’t something that happens overnight. It’s a process, blah blah blah—” He went on at length, but Song Qingyu carefully noted everything he said.

Back home, she dragged Pei Jingmo along, set a quit date for him, and bought him mint candies to help curb the cravings.

Meanwhile.

Chu Xingzhi never expected Song Qingyu and Pei Jingmo would reconcile, nor that Song Qingyu seemed to care for Pei Jingmo even more than before. His carefully laid plans had failed, leaving him frustrated and irritable.

At that moment, Chu Group and Tianqi Group found themselves competing for the same base project. After the “White Moonlight” incident, though Gu Yuandong hadn’t directly called Chu Xingzhi and Meng Yucheng to account, the man was so vindictive that his silence unsettled them all the more.

Left with no choice, Chu Xingzhi sought out Sheng Yuru.

Sheng Yuru had long awaited this moment.

They arrived beneath Tianqi Group’s towering headquarters, and Chu Xingzhi found himself beset with mixed emotions as he gazed up at the skyscraper.

Sheng Yuru sidled up to him, giving him a teasing, suggestive smile. “I’m taking you to see my second cousin. Don’t forget what you promised me.”

Chu Xingzhi’s face grew stiff as he clenched his fists, clearly struggling for composure. “I know.”

Inside the president’s office.

“President Gu, Miss Sheng and Chu Xingzhi from Chu Group have arrived.”

Pei Jingmo raised his brows. “Let them in. Also, in twenty minutes, have Song Qingyu come to my office.”