Chapter 25 (1/2): As a Family Member, Yes

Meng Chu finally accepted Cheng Jinyu’s arrangement for a driver.

It was only when she was about to leave his place that she couldn’t help but look at him and ask, “Are you usually this good at negotiations?”

She had clearly prepared many reasons to politely decline his kindness.

But in the end, she was actually convinced by him.

“Do you know what the most important thing in a negotiation is?” Cheng Jinyu looked at her with a faint smile.

Meng Chu wore an expression of innocent curiosity.

Cheng Jinyu spoke slowly, “Sincerity. What moves you isn’t my negotiation skills, but sincerity.”

Meng Chu was momentarily stunned, then couldn’t help but laugh.

But when she saw him raise an eyebrow, she quickly explained, “I’m not laughing at you.”

“I admire it,” Meng Chu said seriously. “After all, this kind of reasoning sounds simple, but very few can truly put it into practice.”

Cheng Jinyu looked at her with genuine expression, chin slightly raised: “Change your shoes and I’ll send you home.”

Meng Chu could tell he was sincere.

As expected, everyone likes a bit of flattery.

When they opened the door, Momo immediately appeared at the entrance, eager to follow them out.

Cheng Jinyu said coldly, “Go back.”

His words were effective; Momo immediately stood at the doorway and didn’t come out.

Meng Chu bent down and patted its head, saying, “Next time, let’s go out to play, okay? I’ll even play your favorite ball game.”

“Make a promise with Chu Chu,” Cheng Jinyu suddenly said.

Momo barked twice right away.

Meng Chu was genuinely surprised and looked at him sideways. “It seems like it really understands everything.”

Cheng Jinyu’s lips curved slightly.

“Next time, I’ll bring a new friend for you to meet,” Meng Chu said mysteriously.

After Cheng Jinyu closed the door and pressed the elevator button, he finally turned back and, as if remembering something, asked, “Your new friend?”

“The robot dog at my place. Our Engineering Department recently optimized a new algorithm. I plan to train it over the weekend,” Meng Chu smiled lightly.

Only then did Cheng Jinyu understand that the “new friend” she was talking about was a robot dog.

He chuckled softly. “Looks like you really enjoy training robots.”

“Of course, I’m an algorithm engineer after all,” Meng Chu replied instinctively.

Then she sighed softly, “But I don’t really have time to dive deep into technology anymore.”

Although she tried her best to stay involved in the technical side, company business operations took up too much of her time, leaving her unable to focus as she once did.

They entered the elevator, and Cheng Jinyu sensed that her mood seemed to dip suddenly.

Finally, he asked quietly, “If you like it so much, why not continue?”

She really preferred dealing with robots.

Watching a model on the computer slowly take shape, and under the care and efforts of engineers like them, the robots gradually learned to walk and run like children.

In the future, they would enter thousands of households.

Isn’t this exactly what she once envisioned and hoped for?

Meng Chu said, “Maybe it’s just that I don’t have much choice.”

She loved doing technology, even communicating with Gu Ting several times, but was still rejected.

She said little until she got into the car.

Cheng Jinyu drove quietly, and only when they reached the building where Meng Chu lived did she seem to come back to herself.

She looked out the window, thought for a moment, then said, “Tonight…”

She was about to thank him but accidentally met Cheng Jinyu’s composed expression.

Taking a deep breath, she said, “Anyway, thanks for the driver.”

“Don’t take it too seriously,” Cheng Jinyu looked at her calmly. “Just think of it as taking the same taxi every day.”

Meng Chu didn’t expect this matter to be explained from this perspective.

She could feel his strength, but it was wrapped in a considerate exterior, making it especially comforting.

If she didn’t appreciate it now, it would be ungrateful.

“Okay,” Meng Chu nodded.

She unfastened her seatbelt and prepared to get out.

As she opened the door, she stood by the passenger door, looking down at the driver and reminded, “Drive carefully on the way.”

After a moment, she added, “Message me when you get home.”

Cheng Jinyu raised his eyelashes, the smile on his face clear: “Got it.”

Meng Chu stood beside the car, watching him back out slowly.

Only after the car disappeared from sight did she enter the building.

Inside the elevator, the silence was overwhelming, and Meng Chu found herself thinking again about the evening’s events.

It was all so chaotic.

From Cheng Jinyu suddenly appearing downstairs at her office to taking her home for dinner,

all the way to now, him acting like a good husband.

Although they had been married for months, she had never felt this way since getting the marriage certificate.

It wasn’t just about the certificate.

Gu Ting would pick her up when it rained.

He arranged a driver for her because he worried about her late-night business and overtime.

She always thought Cheng Jinyu slipped into the role faster than she did.

That thought reached its peak now.

Originally, she only wanted to find someone with similar thoughts to settle her mother’s worries.

She never expected that choosing this person by chance would suddenly make her feel that marriage might actually be a good thing.

When Meng Chu returned home, the little robot greeted her as she collapsed onto the sofa.

She took out her phone and glanced at it.

He hadn’t gotten home yet.

She quickly went to take a shower but, strangely, brought her phone along and placed it on the sink counter.

After finishing her shower, just as she changed into clean clothes, her hair still damp and unblown, she picked up her phone.

But there was nothing on the screen.

Usually, some colleagues would send messages at night.

Tonight, nothing.

Meng Chu put down her phone and reached for the hairdryer hanging on the wall.

As the hairdryer roared to life, she stared at herself in the bathroom mirror.

For some reason, she suddenly recalled the night she got drunk.

She hadn’t lost all memory but had only fragmented recollections.

At that moment, one fragment flashed vividly in her mind.

Cheng Jinyu holding the hairdryer carefully drying her hair, her long hair draped over his hand, his gaze lowered, focused and serious.

Actually, he really was a responsible person.

They didn’t have a solid foundation of feelings.

They had only gotten married on a whim.

Yet, he was willing to patiently take care of her.

Just then, her phone on the sink vibrated suddenly.

Meng Chu looked down at the screen.

Cheng Jinyu: [I’m home.]

She immediately turned off the hairdryer and picked up her phone.

She was about to send a goodnight message but deleted it immediately.

Just two words felt too perfunctory.

She pondered repeatedly, typing and deleting messages.

Until her phone vibrated again.

Cheng Jinyu: [Are you going to write a thesis for me?]

Meng Chu: “……”

She took a deep breath.

Meng Chu: [Thanks for your hard work.]

No thesis!

Just three words, alright.

*

The next morning, Meng Chu quickly got ready.

Just as she took milk and bread from the fridge and sat down at the table, her phone rang.

“Hello, is this Miss Meng?”

A stranger’s male voice came through.

Meng Chu hurriedly swallowed the bread in her mouth and answered, “This is she.”

The stranger said, “Hello, I’m the driver Cheng Jinyu sent over. My surname is Liu.”

“Hello, Master Liu,” Meng Chu immediately recognized him.

She didn’t expect Cheng Jinyu to be so fast — last night’s arrangement, and now a driver was ready.

Master Liu smiled, “I’m downstairs in front of your building, in a black business vehicle.”

Business vehicle?

Meng Chu was momentarily taken aback.

“I’m coming down right now,” she said, snapping back to reality.

Master Liu: “No need to rush. I just wanted to let you know I’m here.”

After hanging up, Meng Chu quickly finished her milk, took a few more bites of bread, and prepared to leave.

Minutes later, Meng Chu stepped out of the building and saw the black business vehicle parked not far across the street.

It was indeed eye-catching.

When she approached, the driver rolled down the driver’s side window.

Seeing her, he quickly opened the door with a smile. “Miss Meng, right?”

Meng Chu got in and buckled her seatbelt.

The driver glanced at her and started the car.

“If I pick you up every day at this time, do you want me to delay it by twenty minutes?” the driver asked.

Meng Chu thought for a moment, then said, “Just this time is fine.”

“Alright.”

The scent inside the car was pleasant — a fresh, light fragrance — and sitting in the comfortable, spacious seat, Meng Chu felt her mood for work lift slightly.

Indeed, no one can resist the law of ‘true fragrance.’

The car smoothly arrived at Meng Chu’s company building. The driver parked and waited.

Meng Chu unbuckled and thanked him.

“Miss Meng, what time shall I pick you up tonight?” Liu asked.

Meng Chu considered, “Usually around seven. If I work overtime, I’ll let you know in advance.”

Liu smiled: “I’ll add you on WeChat later.”

“Okay.”

After saying this, Meng Chu went downstairs.

But just then, she suddenly remembered and asked, “Master Liu, did you used to drive for Cheng Jinyu before?”

“Yes, I’ve been his driver for a long time,” Master Liu replied.

Meng Chu: “Then can you do me a favor?”

At nine o’clock sharp, Cheng Jinyu appeared at the company.

His life was very routine. Unless on a business trip, he always arrived at the office on time.

From the moment he stepped into the building, he greeted everyone warmly.

“Boss Cheng,” a voice suddenly called out.

Cheng Jinyu turned and saw Master Liu not far away.

He furrowed his brows slightly and asked as Liu approached, “Didn’t they send you to pick her up?”

“I’ve already dropped Miss Meng off downstairs,” Master Liu replied promptly.

Hearing the way he addressed her, Cheng Jinyu said, “When Secretary Wu instructed you, didn’t she make it clear?”

Master Liu looked puzzled.

He said, “Secretary Wu told me she’d be the one I pick up every day. She also said I’d get a raise on top of my current salary.”