area51novel Page 185
Page 185
After Song Xingchen and Han Xiaoli left, Su Chang noticed that Fang Zhiheng had been sitting to the side, looking like she wanted to say something but couldn't.
He walked over, sat down beside her, put his arm around Fang Zhiheng's shoulder, and asked softly, "Lucy, is there something you want to tell me?"
Fang Zhiheng raised her head, a complex emotion in her eyes. She paused for a moment, then asked, "Su Chang, what are your feelings towards those girls from Ode to Joy?"
Su Chang was taken aback, not expecting her to ask this question. He thought for a moment and said frankly, "I definitely like Ye Zhenzhen and Zhu Zhe. As for Yu Chuhui, I can only say I have a slight liking for her. As for He Minhong... I don't have any feelings for him."
Fang Zhiheng nodded, seemingly unsurprised by the answer. She continued, "Some things have happened at Ode to Joy recently, I think you should know about them."
"What is it?" Su Chang frowned, a vague unease creeping into his heart.
Fang Zhiheng sighed and slowly said, "Recently, a man named David has been going to see Ye Zhenzhen a lot; he seems to be interested in her."
Chapter 342 Seeking Help
"Zhu Zhe's ex-boyfriend Chen Zufa has also been harassing her, and it seems that he is also in contact with He Minhong at the same time. He Minhong seems to be in a relationship with Zhu Zhe and has had a conflict with her."
"Ever since Yu Chuhui's mother went to work as a nanny at Junyue Mansion, her father, unable to contact her, still occasionally harasses her. The conflict between He Minhong and Yu Chuhui is also escalating, and now everyone is starting to dislike He Minhong."
After listening, Su Chang frowned, feeling a surge of frustration. He hadn't expected so many things to have happened at Ode to Joy, and although they all sounded like trivial matters, they were incredibly exhausting.
"Why didn't you tell me about these things sooner?" Su Chang asked helplessly.
Fang Zhiheng shrugged: "I only found out recently, and I think you should go back and check, lest someone really 'steal your house'."
Su Chang gave a wry smile and shook his head: "This is really troublesome... But you're right, I really should go back and take a look."
He stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the scenery outside, his mind filled with thoughts. The girls from Ode to Joy, though he didn't have any deep emotional entanglements with them, were still a part of his life. He couldn't just stand by and do nothing.
“Lucy, thank you for telling me all this,” Su Chang said to Fang Zhiheng as she turned around.
Fang Zhiheng smiled slightly, her eyes carrying a hint of meaning: "No need to thank me, I just thought you should know."
Su Chang nodded, having already made up his mind. He planned to return to Joyful Ode in a couple of days to handle these matters personally. After all, he couldn't let these trivial matters affect his life, and he certainly couldn't let those girls get into trouble because of him.
"By the way, Lucy, how have you been lately?" Su Chang suddenly asked.
Fang Zhiheng was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, "Me? I'm fine. After you helped me resolve Li Xun's matter, life has been quite peaceful, and I'm enjoying it."
"That's good." Su Chang nodded, feeling relieved.
The two chatted for a while longer before Fang Zhiheng got up to leave. Su Chang saw her to the door, watching her departing figure, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He knew that his life had become complicated because of these women, but it was also full of warmth and meaning.
897 Back at the villa, Su Chang went into Jiang Lai's room and saw her leaning against the bed reading a book.
He walked over, sat down gently beside her, and said softly, "Lai Lai, I might have to go back to Ode to Joy for a while in a couple of days to take care of some things."
Jiang Lai looked up, a hint of doubt flashing in her eyes: "Ode to Joy? What happened over there?"
Su Chang honestly recounted what Fang Zhiheng had told him. After listening, Jiang Lai sighed softly, "You... I really don't know what to say to you. But go ahead, I'll take good care of myself."
Su Chang held her hand, her heart filled with gratitude: "Thank you, Lai Lai."
Jiang Lai smiled, leaned on his shoulder, and said softly, "You are the father of my child, there's no need to say these things."
Su Chang nodded, feeling a warmth in her heart.
After taking care of Jiang Lai at the villa for a few days, Su Chang finally decided to return to Ode to Joy.
Fang Zhiheng had originally planned to return to Joyful Ode with Su Chang, but Jiang Lai suddenly asked her to stay, saying there were some things she needed her help with. Fang Zhiheng was a little surprised, but seeing the pleading in Jiang Lai's eyes, she finally nodded and agreed to stay. Su Chang didn't say much about it, but simply smiled at Fang Zhiheng, indicating that she didn't need to worry about her.
So, Su Chang and Guan Xiaodi embarked on their journey back to Ode to Joy.
When he pushed open the door on the 23rd floor, the scene before him stunned him instantly.
In the living room, Qin Shi sat on the sofa, arms crossed, staring at him with a resentful expression. Her eyes held a hint of grievance and dissatisfaction, as if accusing him of leaving without saying goodbye.
Su Chang felt a sudden embarrassment and coughed twice, trying to ease the awkward atmosphere. Then she winked at Guan Xiaodi, wanting her to explain for her. Guan Xiaodi, however, ran back to her room as fast as a rabbit.
"Qin Shi, what are you doing here?" Su Chang asked somewhat guiltily, her voice carrying a hint of awkwardness.
Qin Shi didn't answer immediately, only giving him a cold look before slowly standing up and walking towards him. Her eyes were slightly red, and her voice trembled slightly: "You went on vacation? Why didn't you tell me? Do you know how worried I was?"
Su Chang was speechless for a moment, a wave of guilt washing over him. He hadn't told Qin Shi about his plans beforehand, and hadn't even replied to her messages promptly. He had thought it was just a short absence and wouldn't cause much of a stir, but he hadn't expected Qin Shi to care so much.
"I...I was just going out for a walk," Su Chang tried to explain, but as soon as the words left his mouth, he realized that it sounded more like he was making excuses.
"Then why didn't you tell me? And why were you gone for so many days?" Qin Shi's voice carried a hint of accusation, clearly dissatisfied with his explanation.
Su Chang sighed, knowing that no amount of explanation could calm Qin Shi down.
He stepped forward, gently took her hand, and whispered, "I'm sorry, I didn't think it through. Next time I will definitely tell you in advance and won't make you worry again."
Qin Shi's eyes reddened even more. She lowered her head, her voice choked with emotion, "Do you know how much I've suffered waiting for you here?"
Su Chang felt a pang of heartache and could no longer hold back, pulling her into his arms. Qin Shi's body trembled slightly, as if she was still suppressing her emotions, but in the end, she leaned on his shoulder and began to sob softly.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..." Su Chang gently patted her back, his voice full of apology.
Just then, Guan Xiaodi peeked out of the room, saw what was happening, and immediately shrank back in, quietly closing the door. She didn't want to disturb them at this time, and besides, she wasn't very good at handling this kind of situation.
After a while, Qin Shi gradually calmed down. She gently pushed Su Chang away, wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and whispered, "You can't do this again, okay?"
Su Chang nodded, and said solemnly, "I promise I'll never worry you again, but..."
Qin Shi then revealed a slight smile, though it was still somewhat forced, but at least it was no longer as resentful as before.
She asked with a puzzled look, "But what?"
Su Chang thought for a moment and decided to tell the truth: "Qin Shi, what would you do if I told you that I have many women around me?"
Qin Shi was silent for a while, seemingly thinking about something. Then, she said softly, "Actually, even if you hadn't said it, I probably would have guessed. Lucy should be your woman now, right? But I don't know why, without you by my side, I always feel empty inside. You're such a tormenting bad guy." As she spoke, she gently punched Su Chang's chest twice.
Su Chang was deeply moved. He took her hand and said earnestly, "Qin Shi, I can't promise you anything else, but as long as you don't leave me, I will stay by your side for the rest of my life."
Qin Shi nodded, a relieved smile finally appearing on her face. She glanced at the time and said, "It's getting late. You're back now, and I should go to work too."
Su Chang nodded and said, "Okay, then come back early, I'll cook you something delicious tonight."
Qin Shi gently kissed Su Chang on the cheek. Just as Su Chang was about to respond, Qin Shi immediately got up and fled the scene. When he reached the door, he suddenly stopped, turned back to look at him, and said playfully, "Alright, stay home and behave yourself. We'll talk tonight."
Su Chang smiled helplessly and said, "Okay, I'll wait for you to come back."
Qin Shi nodded in satisfaction and turned to leave.
Su Chang watched her departing figure and breathed a sigh of relief. Qin Shi's feelings for him made him feel very pleased, and he was also looking forward to the evening.
After Qin Shi left, Guan Xiaodi also came out of the room. Su Chang glared at her irritably. Guan Xiaodi pouted, sat down to the side without even glancing at Su Chang, and started eating snacks.
Just as he was about to say something to Guan Xiaodi, his phone suddenly vibrated, beeping with a message notification. He picked it up and saw it was a message from Fang Zhiheng. Guan Xiaodi also took the opportunity to run back to her room.
"Have you returned to Ode to Joy? Jiang Lai asked me to ask you how things are going."
Su Chang smiled and replied, "I just arrived, everything went smoothly. How's Jiang Lai doing?"
“She’s fine, but she’s definitely not as fine without you by her side,” Fang Zhiheng replied quickly.
Su Chang frowned, feeling somewhat helpless. He thought for a moment and replied, "Please take good care of her during this time. If anything happens, please let me know immediately."
"Don't worry, I will," Fang Zhiheng replied.
After putting down his phone, Su Chang sighed, feeling that he needed to speed things up. After all, ever since he got the reward from Han Xiaoli's daily check-in, he had been preparing a plan so that everyone could stay together all the time.
Just as he was thinking about these things, there was a soft knock on the door. He was a little surprised, got up and opened the door, and found Zhu Zhe standing there with an awkward smile on his face.
"Um... Boss, did I disturb you?" Zhu Zhe asked cautiously.
Su Chang smiled and said, "No, come in."
Zhu Zhe walked into the room, sat down in a chair, and said somewhat embarrassedly, "Actually, I didn't have anything to say. I just saw you were back and came over to say hello."
Su Chang frowned, knowing that Zhu Zhe wasn't telling the truth, and asked directly, "Zhu Zhe, we're friends now, so just say what's on your mind. Otherwise, a workaholic like you wouldn't come to my house during work hours, would you?"
Zhu Zhe glanced at him, seemingly hesitant to speak. After a long while, she whispered, "Actually... Boss, I'd like to ask you for a favor."
Su Chang's brows relaxed, she nodded, and said in a low voice, "Go ahead and tell me. As long as it's within my power, I will definitely help you."
Zhu Zhe took a deep breath and said, "You should have seen my younger brother and sister when they came last time, right?"
Su Chang nodded seriously and said, "Well, so what?"
Zhu Zhe then took another deep breath and said, "My sister is getting married soon, so I'd like you to come back to my hometown with me." Zhu Zhe stared intently at Su Chang, his heart pounding with anxiety.
"Why?" Su Chang asked in return.
After pondering for a moment, Zhu Zhe said, "After my younger brother and sister visited last time, I don't know what they said when they got home, but they felt that I hadn't made a name for myself in Shanghai and couldn't help my brother. Now they keep urging me to go home and go on blind dates, so I told them I have a boyfriend, so..."
Su Chang understood Zhu Zhe's meaning, so she nodded and agreed, "Okay, but when?"
Zhu Zhe looked at Su Chang in disbelief, not expecting Su Chang to agree so readily. He didn't even have time to say anything more to persuade her, but he quickly recovered and smiled sweetly, "Next Wednesday."
Su Chang nodded and said, "Okay, I agree. Send me your location and ID number, and I'll have someone buy the plane tickets."
"No need, boss, I'll do it..."
Before Zhu Zhe could refuse again, Su Chang waved her hand to interrupt her and said, "Alright, it's settled then."
Seeing Su Chang's confident expression, Zhu Zhe stopped talking and said gratefully, "Thank you, boss. I'll go to work now and send you the address and ID number later."
Su Chang nodded calmly, and Zhu Zhe got up and left.
As evening fell, the afterglow of the setting sun streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows into the spacious 23rd-floor apartment. Su Chang stood in the kitchen, her spatula twirling in the pan, filling the air with a delicious aroma.
He specially prepared several of his signature dishes today: braised pork ribs, steamed sea bass, garlic broccoli, and a pot of rich chicken soup. The aroma of the food filled the entire living room, making everyone's mouths water.
He placed the last dish on the table, covered it with the insulated lid, and looked at the sumptuous dinner with satisfaction. Then he sat on the sofa, picked up his phone, and opened the Green Bubble group chat. Jiang Lai, Guan Juer, Chen Nanxing, Fang Zhiheng, and others were chatting enthusiastically in the group. Su Chang scrolled through their chat history while waiting for Qin Shi to return.
Not long after, hurried footsteps sounded outside the door, which was then pushed open, and Qin Shi rushed in. Her expression was not good; her brows were furrowed, and her lips were pressed into a thin line, clearly indicating that she was in a bad mood.
Seeing this, Su Chang put down her phone and asked with concern, "What's wrong? You look so pale. What happened?"
Qin Shi sighed and plopped down on the sofa, her tone filled with helplessness and anger: "Don't even mention it, that little brat He Minhong is infuriating! She even told her parents, and now her mother is blocking the door on the 22nd floor, arguing with Yu Chuhui! Zhenzhen, Gigi, and I happened to run into her in the elevator after get off work, and we wanted to go up and mediate, but we ended up getting yelled at by He Minhong's mother!"
Upon hearing this, Su Chang frowned immediately: "He Minhong's mother? Why would she come here to cause trouble?"
Chapter 343 I was roasted until I cried
Qin Shi shook her head, her tone tinged with disdain: "Who knows? He Minhong, that girl, usually seems quiet and reserved, but I never expected her to be so inconsiderate. As soon as her mother arrived, she started belittling Yu Chuhui, saying things like she was a country girl and that her family was poor. It was unbearable to listen to."
Su Chang's expression gradually darkened. Although he wasn't particularly interested in Yu Chuhui, Yu Chuhui was, after all, now considered a family member of one of his employees, and he couldn't possibly let an outsider bully her.
He stood up and said firmly, "Let's go down and take a look."
Qin Shi and Guan Xiaodi exchanged a glance and immediately followed.