The young couple returned to Lincheng, first busying themselves with relocating their studio.
After inspecting and discussing with the other three, they decided to set up their new studio in a high-tech industrial park. The rent here was reasonable, the transportation was convenient, and the area was surrounded by high-tech brands, offering many resources they could utilize.
Considering the studio would be expanding its staff, the new studio was three times the size of the original, providing a much-improved working environment for everyone.
At the same time, they also rented a piece of land to use as a factory and hired some workers. They had already received orders from two private hospitals, and the first generation of rehabilitation robots was officially in production.
In the evening, after finishing her work, Liang Zhiyi went to Pei Chen’s office.
She knocked on the door, then pushed it open and entered. She saw Pei Chen standing by the window; he glanced back at her before continuing his phone conversation:
“You need to refine the electric actuator drive… Hmm, if there’s anything, let Xuan Xia handle it first…”
The young man stood tall in the clean and bright office, his demeanor cold and refined, speaking in a calm and indifferent tone.
Liang Zhiyi’s eyes unconsciously softened with affection as she quietly closed the door behind her and walked over to the desk. She began organizing the files and books without disturbing him.
A few minutes later, Pei Chen finished the call and saw her placing books on the shelf. He walked over to her, and when she didn’t hear him approach, she turned around just in time to be pulled into his arms.
She smiled sweetly, her hand resting on his chest, “Done with work?”
He looked down at her, his voice deepened with a touch of warmth:
“Mm.”
Her smile widened, “I feel like my Peipei is starting to look more and more like a boss.”
He curved his lips slightly, “Were you just tidying up for me?”
“Yes, I saw your desk was a bit messy,” she said, wearing a mint green spaghetti strap dress, her fair and slender arm looping around his neck, “I want to be your personal secretary.”
His gaze darkened as his palm slowly caressed her waist.
“A close secretary?”
She looked up at him, her eyes rippling with allure, “Of course, 24/7, anywhere, doing anything for you, especially in…”
The young woman rose on her tiptoes and whispered a word in his ear:
“Bed.”
Pei Chen’s gaze deepened. He took a step forward, wrapped his arm around her waist, and pressed her against the bookshelf. The icy coldness of the glass against her back made her shiver slightly, while the heat of his breath on her earlobe felt like fire, a contrast as intense as night and day:
“Deliberately? Do you think I can’t handle you tonight?”
Back in Lincheng, unlike their previous stay in J City where they had an apartment, the couple no longer had a private space for intimacy. Now, after two weeks of being back, they had been returning to their respective homes each night. Pei Chen wanted to ask her to spend the night with him, but he hesitated, fearing what Liang Tianming and his wife might say if they found out. He was practically suffering in silence.
Liang Zhiyi, hearing this, felt a flutter in her heart. She knew that this man was as hungry as a wolf, despite appearing so calm and restrained most of the time.
She curved her brows and quietly suggested, “Actually, I have a way for you to see me at night.”
He met her gaze.
With a serious expression, she continued, “You could sneak over to my house at night and climb up to my balcony.”
“…”
He couldn’t help but laugh at her teasing suggestion, “What if your parents catch me? What would they think?”
She huffed lightly, “I’ll just say you had impure intentions and came to my room in the dead of night to do something.”
He clasped the back of her head and bent down to playfully nip at her lips, a light punishment:
“You little troublemaker.”
Their lips and teeth entwined as he pried her mouth open, savoring her sweetness. Her heart gradually softened, and she nestled into his arms, letting him quench his thirst.
Outside, the night was dark, and the neon lights flickered through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a soft glow inside.
After a while, his kiss slowly came to a halt.
Liang Zhiyi opened her misty eyes, her fingers tightly gripping his shoulders. Their foreheads touched, breaths mingling, and a strong current of passion surged between them.
She felt that if there were a bed nearby, things wouldn’t stop at just kissing.
He might completely devour her.
They had come close to losing control before, but due to various reasons, they never fully crossed that line. Since graduation, she sensed that Pei Chen had been eyeing her more intensely, though the right opportunity for him to act hadn’t yet presented itself.
Pei Chen looked at her and said hoarsely:
“Behave yourself.”
Or she would suffer the consequences later.
She could hear the underlying threat in his words, making her heart race. Just then, there was a knock at the door, and she quickly pulled away from his embrace, blushing.
Pei Chen frowned slightly, cleared his husky voice, and turned towards the door, saying, “Come in.”
Liang Tongzhou pushed the door open and walked in, immediately noticing the distance between the two of them. His usually thick-skinned sister actually had a blush on her face.
He looked away and let out a snicker.
He instantly understood everything.
Liang Zhiyi, hearing his laugh, glared at him, “What are you laughing at?”
Liang Tongzhou’s lips curled into a smirk as he clicked his tongue playfully, “Oh, nothing. I just feel a bit guilty for interrupting someone’s office romance.”
“…”
Office romance, my foot!
Embarrassed and angry, Liang Zhiyi wanted to punch him, but Pei Chen’s eyes held a faint smile as he asked Liang Tongzhou, “What’s up?”
The young man replied seriously, “I’ve been in R Province these past few days, talking to MQ Medical. They just called me back, saying they’re interested in collaborating with us…”
Liang Zhiyi was thrilled when she heard this, “So we have another order?”
“Yeah, and it’s a pretty big one. It looks like our studio is really starting to take off.”
The three of them were all quite happy. Liang Zhiyi said that once the contract was signed, she would begin organizing production at the factory. Liang Tongzhou then joked, “President Pei, shouldn’t I get a reward or something?”
Liang Zhiyi frowned, “Hey, Liang Tongzhou, are you really that short on money?”
“That’s different. This is something I earned with my own skills, okay?”
Pei Chen smiled, “I’ll make sure you get a bigger year-end bonus.”
“Great, you’re a true boss, unlike some people.”
Liang Zhiyi retorted, “Get lost…”
After a while, Liang Tongzhou left, and Pei Chen took the girl’s hand, smiling as he said, “Your brother really has a knack for business.”
Liang Zhiyi shook her head with a sigh, “He must have inherited that from my dad.”
Liang Tongzhou’s talent wasn’t in research and design, but in finance. His ability to grasp market trends and his skill in negotiating with investors were exceptional. He was ambitious, with a sharp eye, a natural businessman who could manipulate capital with ease.
Right now, Liang Tianming was letting him gain experience, but in the future, the Liang Group would undoubtedly be handed over to him.
Pei Chen patted her head, “Let’s go, let’s get something to eat.”
“Okay.”
After grabbing his things, Pei Chen took her hand and walked out of the office. Liang Zhiyi went to her desk to pick up her bag and suddenly remembered something, so she asked him, “Are we picking up the car in a couple of days?”
“Yes, on Saturday.”
To make their future work more convenient, Pei Chen had spent some money to buy a car. This way, they wouldn’t have to endure the hassle of squeezing into subways and buses, making things much easier for both of them.
Liang Zhiyi hugged his arm, smiling brightly, “My boyfriend is truly outstanding—graduating and becoming a boss, and even buying a car right away. My judgment back then was spot on.”
Pei Chen’s eyes softened with amusement as he ruffled her hair, “Is this what they call sweet-talking?”
“I’m just stating the facts.”
The two left the studio, had dinner, and then went for a stroll in the supermarket. Liang Zhiyi picked out some fruit, mentioning that they hadn’t visited Pei Yongxia and Gong Qinxin in a few weeks, and suggested they visit them tonight.
While they were checking out, Pei Chen said, “I’m thinking of bringing one of the first-generation ShanZhi home for my dad to try out in a couple of days. We can ask him for feedback on how it feels.”
“That’s a great idea! Uncle can enjoy it, and Auntie won’t have to work so hard.”
“If we can get the rehabilitation robots into the homes of many paralyzed patients, it would be a huge help for them.”
The girl sighed, “But the price of the rehabilitation robot is quite high. Not all families can afford it, and our manufacturing costs are already very high.”
“Yeah, let’s focus on getting them into hospitals first.”
After finishing their shopping, they arrived at Pei’s house half an hour later.
As they walked in, Gong Qinxin and Pei Yongxia were in the living room watching TV, with Gong Qinxin feeding Pei Yongxia some watermelon.
Since that phone call, Pei Chen and Gong Qinxin’s relationship had improved significantly. Now, she no longer had to avoid him and could be at home comfortably.
When they saw the two of them, Gong Qinxin smiled warmly, “Oh, Zhiyi is here too…”
She quickly got up to fetch slippers for Liang Zhiyi from the shoe cabinet. The girl smiled politely, “Hello, Auntie. Hello, Uncle.”
“Have you had dinner yet?” Pei Yongxia asked.
“Yes, we’ve eaten.”
The two of them walked into the living room, and Pei Chen placed the grocery bags on the coffee table, “Zhiyi bought you some fruit.”
Pei Yongxia, ever the fatherly figure, chided gently, “Zhiyi, next time, don’t be so formal. You’re wasting money buying all this. Just treat this place like your own home.”
“It’s no trouble, Uncle. These weren’t expensive…”
Liang Zhiyi sat down on the sofa as Gong Qinxin went to the kitchen. A moment later, she returned with a plate of freshly cut watermelon, “Here, Zhiyi, Pei Chen, have some watermelon.”
“Thank you, Auntie.”
Pei Yongxia asked, “How’s the studio? Been busy lately?”
“Most of the work is done now, so things will be a bit easier,” Pei Chen replied, glancing at Gong Qinxin, “We were just talking with Zhiyi about having dinner at her house. We’ve set it for Sunday. Is that okay?”
Gong Qinxin smiled happily, and both she and Pei Yongxia agreed without hesitation.
“Zhiyi and I are picking up the car on Saturday, so I’ll drive us over on Sunday morning.”
“Alright.”
Liang Zhiyi sat with them for a while longer before it was time for her to leave. Pei Chen walked her out of the community, and she called a private car to pick her up.
On this hot summer night, under the dim streetlights, Pei Chen pulled her into his arms and whispered in her ear, “I wish I didn’t have to let you go tonight.”
Liang Zhiyi smiled softly, patting his head, “You can make up for it later.”
When the car finally arrived, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. Seeing the reluctance in his eyes, she smiled warmly, “I’m off now.”
After watching her car drive away, Pei Chen turned and headed back home.
Back at home, after a while, Gong Qinxin also left the room. As Pei Chen helped Pei Yongxia back to his room to rest, his father asked, “We’re going to Zhiyi’s house for dinner this Sunday?”
“Yes.”
Pei Yongxia hesitated for a moment before speaking, “But… we haven’t prepared the betrothal gift yet…”
Pei Chen was taken aback, feeling a bit embarrassed as his ears warmed. He smiled helplessly and explained, “Dad, we’re not going there to propose, just to have a meal together as two families.”
“Oh, I see.” Pei Yongxia scratched his head and smiled, “I thought you were going to discuss your marriage.”
He coughed lightly, “Well, it might be a bit early for that.”
“You’ve been with Zhiyi for a long time now. What are your thoughts?”
As Pei Chen arranged the bedding, his expression softened at his father’s words. After a few moments, he spoke gently, “Marrying Zhiyi is my biggest dream. I’m working hard on my career now so that, in the future, I can give her a grand wedding.”
When they eventually get married, he wouldn’t let anyone look at her with anything less than respect.
Pei Yongxia looked at his son with a satisfied smile, “I believe in you, son. You can do it.”
He then added, “Even though we’re not going there to propose, we shouldn’t go empty-handed. I remember you mentioned that Zhiyi’s mother really liked the mountain delicacies we sent over before. How about you take some time in the next couple of days to go back home and buy some more?”
Pei Chen nodded, “Alright, I’ll do that.”
—
The studio successfully signed the contract with MG Medical, and production began. A few days later, on Saturday, Liang Zhiyi accompanied Pei Chen to the car dealership, where they completed the paperwork and picked up the car.
The next morning, Pei Chen drove Gong Qinxin and Pei Yongxia to the Liang family’s home.
As Pei Yongxia got out of the car with assistance, he was taken aback by the luxurious villa before him, despite already knowing that Zhiyi’s family was wealthy.
The young woman was waiting at the door, and when she saw them, she greeted them with a bright smile, “Uncle, Auntie, you’re finally here. My parents are already inside.”
Pei Chen said to her, “There was a bit of traffic on the way, so we’re a little late.”
“It’s no problem,” she replied.
Pei Chen and Gong Qinxin helped Pei Yongxia as they walked into the house. Liang Tianming and Zhong Xinrou, who were sitting in the living room, stood up to greet them with warm smiles, “Welcome, welcome, glad you could make it…”
Pei Chen greeted the Liang couple and then introduced his parents, “Uncle, Auntie, this is my father, and this is my… my mother. Dad, Mom, these are Zhiyi’s parents.”
Hearing Pei Chen call her “Mom” for the first time in over a decade, Gong Qinxin felt a rush of emotions, her nose tingling with the urge to cry, overwhelmed with both joy and gratitude.
The parents exchanged warm greetings and sat down on the sofa as the housekeepers brought in tea.
Pei Chen handed the mountain delicacies he had bought to the Liang couple. Zhong Xinrou, upon seeing the contents, smiled, “I recognize these! The red mushrooms you brought us before were wonderful. You’ve gone to so much trouble, Xiao Pei. Thank you for being so thoughtful…”
“It’s no trouble at all, Auntie.”
Liang Tianming inquired about Pei Yongxia’s health, to which Pei Yongxia replied that he never expected to stand again, and now his health was much better than before. He expressed his gratitude for the help the Liang family had provided. Liang Tianming dismissed it, saying it was nothing and that seeing him on his feet again was the best outcome.
This was also the first time the Liang couple officially met Gong Qinxin. When they greeted her, her eyes reddened slightly as she said, “In the past, I wronged Pei Chen and Yongxia. I’ve owed them so much over the years…”