Meng Chu had never kept a pet since childhood, probably because she preferred machines.
But when an incredibly adorable little creature kept wagging its tail and circling around you, looking utterly enthusiastic about your presence, no one could harden their heart against it.
Seeing Momo continuously following her, Meng Chu couldn’t help but crouch down.
She rubbed its head again and couldn’t resist saying, “It’s so pretty.”
Though Meng Chu had never owned a dog, she could still distinguish beauty from plainness.
Momo’s fur was black and white-its ears were pure black, while its nose and mouth were white.
Moreover, it had clearly been well cared for, its coat glossy and sleek.
After she spoke, Momo’s tail wagged even more excitedly.
Meng Chu asked in surprise, “Can it understand what I’m saying?”
Cheng Jinyu, standing nearby, chuckled lightly.
“It probably understands whenever you praise it.”
“Such a smart Momo,” Meng Chu said, her inner child surfacing for once.
Now that Momo remained enthusiastically interactive with her, she grew bolder, cupping its face in her hands.
Staring into the dog’s big, watery eyes, she grinned and said, “Of course we understand compliments. As for anything unpleasant, we’ll just pretend not to hear it.”
The moment she finished, Momo barked again.
This time, Meng Chu was genuinely astonished.
She looked up at Cheng Jinyu, who stood casually with one hand in his pocket.
“What breed is Momo?”
“Border Collie,” Cheng Jinyu replied flatly.
Meng Chu nodded.
“No wonder it’s so smart. My best friend says Border Collies are the most intelligent dogs.”
After a while, Meng Chu finally finished playing with Momo.
Only then did she remember—she hadn’t come to Cheng Jinyu’s house just to play with a dog.
Standing up, she glanced apologetically at Cheng Jinyu.
“I got too caught up with Momo. Where’s your printer? I should take a look at it.”
Cheng Jinyu shook his head lightly. “No rush.”
“Let’s check the printer first,” Meng Chu insisted.
Only then did Cheng Jinyu nod.
“Oh, right—my toolbox,” Meng Chu pointed at the case she had brought earlier.
Cheng Jinyu had carried it upstairs, and it now sat beside the sofa.
He walked over and picked it up.
Meng Chu said, “Let’s go check the printer in your study.”
Earlier, when Cheng Jinyu had given her a tour of his home, she had seen his study from the doorway but hadn’t entered.
Now, following him inside, she realized just how spacious it was.
An entire wall was lined with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves filled with books and decorative items.
Near the window stood an ergonomic recliner with a floor lamp beside it.
Though the lamp wasn’t on and no one was sitting in the chair, an image flashed inexplicably through Meng Chu’s mind-the owner of this study, leaning back quietly in the recliner, bathed in the soft glow of the floor lamp as he flipped through documents in his hands.
“This is the printer,” Cheng Jinyu pointed at the device placed beside his desk.
His workspace was well-equipped, complete with a computer and other office essentials.
It was clear he often worked from home.
No surprise the finance industry was just as cutthroat as AI.
Even a CEO had to keep a printer at home.
It was late at night, and something had broken, requiring someone to fix it.
“Actually, I could have asked someone else, but I don’t really like outsiders touching my computer and printer,” Cheng Jinyu said, lifting his gaze slightly to look at Meng Chu.
This was his explanation for why he had called to trouble her.
Meng Chu nodded.
“I understand. They contain important company documents. At our company, if the printer has minor issues, we usually fix them ourselves. It’s actually quite simple.”
Then she walked over and gently adjusted the printer.
Sure enough, the printer could start, but the indicator light, which should have been green, kept flashing a yellow warning.
“Has it ever jammed before?” Meng Chu asked softly, her head lowered.
Cheng Jinyu: “Yes.”
Meng Chu nodded. “Something might have fallen inside. I’ll open it
up and take a look.”
She then moved to the side, placing the toolbox she had been carrying on the floor and opening it.
Only now did Cheng Jinyu see what was inside the box she had been holding.
As the light silver toolbox opened, it revealed an orderly arrangement of various tools, with a particularly conspicuous electric drill in the center.
His brow twitched slightly.
Meng Chu took out a screwdriver and deftly dismantled the printer.
The study was quiet, and Meng Chu worked with intense focus.
Cheng Jinyu watched her just as intently.
His eyes followed her as she bent slightly.
Her attire was always simple and casual—a white square-neck T-shirt paired with jeans.
The square neckline exposed not only her fair neck but also a glimpse of her delicate collarbones.
Her neck was bare, devoid of any adornments.
Yet when she breathed lightly, her collarbones fluttered like butterfly wings.
Cheng Jinyu’s throat tightened abruptly, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly.
Meng Chu had been looking down, carefully placing the screws she had removed on the nearby desk.
After setting them down, she instinctively glanced up, as if about to say something.
But the moment she lifted her head, her eyes met Cheng Jinyu’s.
He seemed to have been staring at her the whole time.
“Need any help?”
Cheng Jinyu stepped forward slowly, standing close beside her.
Meng Chu shook her head.
“Not yet. I’ve just opened it up.”
She bent down again, but as she moved, her shoulder brushed against his arm.
Even through his shirt, she could feel the restrained strength in his frame.
Meng Chu tightened her grip on the tool in her hand.
Finally, she murmured, “If you have something else to do, you can go ahead.”
“Meng Chu,” Cheng Jinyu suddenly called out in a low voice.
She had intended to turn and look at him, but they were standing so close that she forced her gaze back to the tool in her hand.
“Hmm?” she responded, unsure why he had called her name.
Cheng Jinyu said quietly, “I asked you here for help, not to actually treat you like a repair technician.”
Meng Chu parted her lips.
“I know.”
“If there’s anything you need me to do, just say it,” Cheng Jinyu added, the corners of his lips curling into a lazy smile.
She gave another soft “mm” before quickly turning back to the printer.
At last, the air around them felt less stifling.
Meng Chu rarely stood this close to a man.
Even with colleagues, she maintained a safe distance.
But Cheng Jinyu wasn’t a colleague.
Even if he stood too close, she couldn’t say anything-it would only make her seem overly sensitive.
Fortunately, as she focused on fixing the printer, her nerves gradually settled.
The issue with the printer wasn’t major, and Meng Chu had identified the problem within about twenty minutes.
She then asked Cheng Jinyu to try printing a document.
As Cheng Jinyu sat in the chair and began printing from the computer, Meng Chu turned to step aside.
But just as she shifted her body, her wrist was suddenly grasped lightly.
She froze for a moment, instinctively turning back.
“Where are you going?”
Cheng Jinyu sat in the chair, looking up at her.
Though from Meng Chu’s perspective, she was the one looking down, Cheng Jinyu’s slightly raised dark eyes were sharp and direct.
Meng Chu blinked lightly.
“What you’re printing must be company documents, right?”
Cheng Jinyu stared straight at her.
“You’re not an outsider. Why run away?”
As if genuinely afraid she might leave, he held her slender wrist with one hand while rapidly clicking the mouse to start printing with the other.
Seeing that the printing had begun, Meng Chu lowered her gaze to their hands.
His fingers still rested on her wrist-dry and warm.
“The printer’s moving. Let me check,” Meng Chu said immediately upon hearing the printer’s sound.
She pretended to casually pull her hand away.
There wasn’t much resistance-Cheng Jinyu seemed to let go just as easily.
Meng Chu walked over to the printer, watching as a sheet of paper slowly emerged from the machine.
She exhaled softly.
Why was she so nervous?
It was just a brief touch.
She picked up the printed page—the text was clear, the result perfect.
When she turned around, she hadn’t expected Cheng Jinyu to already be standing right behind her. She nearly bumped into him.
“Careful,” he reminded her.
Meng Chu took a step back to steady herself.
“The print quality is good. It should be fixed now,” she said, handing him the paper.
Cheng Jinyu glanced at it and nodded.
Before he could say anything, Meng Chu sighed in relief.
“Since it’s fixed, I should head back now.”
“I’ll take you.”
Seeing her gather her toolbox, Cheng Jinyu spoke without hesitation.
Meng Chu closed the toolbox.
“No need, I’ll take a cab.”
Cheng Jinyu didn’t respond, simply following her out of the study.
The moment they stepped out, Momo, who had been in the living room, immediately trotted over at the sound.
“Momo, I have to go home,” Meng Chu bent down to rub its head.
Momo seemed to understand, nuzzling against her leg persistently.
Meng Chu hadn’t expected the little one to take such a liking to her on their first meeting.
Even as she reached the foyer to put on her shoes, Momo continued to follow her.
“What do I do? I really have to leave now.”
Seeing Momo circling around her, Meng Chu felt an inexplicable reluctance.
Cheng Jinyu, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke.
“It must really like you. It’s usually not this clingy.”
Meng Chu was surprised. “Really?”
“It’s actually quite wary of strangers. It doesn’t have many friends,” Cheng Jinyu said plainly.
A strange warmth filled Meng Chu’s chest. She crouched down, meeting Momo’s dark eyes, and gently stroked its head before making a decision.
“Next time, I’ll come see you again, okay?”
Even so, when they opened the door to leave, Momo still followed them right to the threshold.
Meng Chu looked down at Momo, who also wanted to come out, and couldn’t help feeling sorry for him.
“Go home,” Cheng Jinyu said softly.
Momo understood the command and retreated slightly into the doorway, but still stood there quietly watching them.
Then, Cheng Jinyu closed the front door.
By the time Meng Chu reached the elevator, she was still feeling a little down.
Cheng Jinyu pressed the elevator button and noticed the person beside him wasn’t speaking.
With one hand in his pocket, he tilted his head up slightly and gazed calmly at their reflections in the elevator mirror, a faint smile playing at his lips.
“Are you free this weekend?”
“Huh?” Meng Chu looked at him in confusion.
Cheng Jinyu tilted his head slightly.
“Want to walk the dog together? I don’t usually have much time to spend with him.”
At that moment, Meng Chu recalled what he had said earlier—that Momo was shy and didn’t have many friends.
Instantly, an image flashed through her mind—a lonely dog, waiting quietly in a mansion spanning hundreds of square meters for his family to return.
Though the ‘young master’ was wealthy beyond measure, he was still lonely.
A single father raising a ‘child’—truly pitiful.
“Sure,” Meng Chu nodded without hesitation.
When they reached the underground garage, Meng Chu followed Cheng Jinyu to his car.
This time, he was driving an SUV. Once inside, the spacious interior allowed them to stretch out comfortably.
Her toolbox had been placed in the back seat by Cheng Jinyu.
The car drove out of the residential area and headed straight for Meng Chu’s place.
Since there weren’t many cars on the road at this hour, the journey was smooth and uninterrupted.
In less than half an hour, they arrived at Meng Chu’s home.
Cheng Jinyu pulled the car right up to the entrance of her building.
Meng Chu was about to get out when she suddenly remembered something.
She opened her bag and took out a long black box.
“This,” Meng Chu handed it to the man in the driver’s seat, speaking softly, “is too valuable.”
Cheng Jinyu lowered his gaze to the box in her hand but didn’t reach out to take it.
Knowing he wouldn’t accept it willingly, Meng Chu prepared to place the box in the car’s center console cup holder.
But before she could set it down, there was a soft click-Cheng Jinyu unbuckled his seatbelt.
Then, he reached out and grasped her hand.
This time, unlike in the study where he had only held her wrist, his palm pressed fully against hers, warm and dry, the heat steadily transferring between them.
With his other hand, he took the box from her.
Meng Chu looked at him, puzzled.
Without a word, he opened the bracelet box with one hand and took out the bracelet inside.
The box fell onto the center console between them, then rolled and landed somewhere near Meng Chu’s feet.
But she didn’t bother picking it up her wrist remained firmly held in Cheng Jinyu’s grasp.
Then, he gently draped the diamond butterfly bracelet over her wrist.
The cool touch against her skin made Meng Chu shiver slightly.
“Don’t move,” Cheng Jinyu murmured.
Meng Chu kept her wrist still as he carefully fastened the bracelet’s clasp with both hands, securing it firmly in place.
The car’s interior light was still on, casting a soft yellow glow over her wrist.
A dazzling brilliance bloomed against her skin.
Only then did Meng Chu seem to snap out of her daze.
She looked up, bewildered.
Just as Cheng Jinyu’s gaze met hers.
His eyes crinkled at the corners.
“How can I take back something I gave to my wife?”
*
When Cheng Jinyu returned home, Momo hadn’t gone back to its room yet.
It had its own dedicated space in the house.
Filled with all sorts of toys.
Seeing him return, the little one immediately trotted over to greet him.
Cheng Jinyu tossed his keys casually by the entryway.
The already spacious house felt particularly empty at that moment.
Bending down, Cheng Jinyu patted Momo’s head and praised offhandedly, “You did well tonight.”
Momo barked twice in response.
Cheng Jinyu walked to the sofa and collapsed onto it.
Harsh light spilled down from above.
Raising his hand, he shielded his eyes with the back of it, one long leg stretched out casually, his whole demeanor exuding a lazy charm.
Momo quietly lay down beside the sofa, keeping him company.
Who knows how much time passed before Cheng Jinyu lowered his hand and tilted his head to look at Momo, murmuring softly, “You must have been very happy when she came home tonight.”
Momo gazed at him expectantly as Cheng Jinyu’s hand once again came to rest on its head.