Ruan Danchen began packing up her things when the clock struck half-past five while Xiao Yang's call came a couple of minutes before five-forty. He informed her that they had arrived.

Thus, she packed everything in a hurry and left immediately after.

…

…

Liu Ronghua was sitting in a taxi and was fast approaching Chengshi. From afar, she could spot Ruan Danchen coming out of the office building.

She said immediately, "Sir, can you drop me off just in front of the entrance."

The roadside was full of cars and the taxi driver was unable to find a suitable spot to park. He had to drive further ahead before finally stopping. The entire sequence of events had taken up quite a bit of her precious time, seeing as she still had to make payment for the ride.

By the time she stepped out of the car, Ruan Danchen had already turned around the corner. She caught up as fast as she could, but Ruan Danchen had already gotten into the Benz. The car sped away, and Liu Ronghua did not manage to catch a glimpse at the plate number either.

She stood rooted to the ground with doubts filling her head. 'Was it the same man I saw in the shopping mall that day?'

…

…

As soon as Ruan Danchen got into the car, Qi Youxuan remarked excitedly, "Aunt Ruan, Dad said you'll design my room for me."

"That's right." Ruan Danchen could not resist touching his stiff, curly hair. "Do you have anything in mind? How would you like your room? Just let me know."

"I'm okay with anything. What's most important is that Aunt Ruan likes it." Qi Youxuan smiled bashfully. "When you become my stepmother next time, you'll have to stay at our home too."

Ruan Danchen was speechless, but she had no doubts that Qi Youxuan was Qi Chenglin's son—both father and son had the habit of making decisions for her without caring about her opinion.

All of a sudden, her phone rang. Her mood spiraled downhill when she saw that it was Liu Ronghua's call.

She picked it up and heard Liu Ronghua say, "Danchen, I'm at your workplace. I wanted to meet up with you, but I saw you leaving in a Benz."

"Is something up?" Ruan Danchen asked as her heart skipped a beat.

"Nothing, I just wanted to see you," Liu Ronghua said.

Ruan Danchen pondered for a moment. It was simply impossible that Liu Ronghua had no ulterior motive in wanting to meet her all of a sudden, given it had been seven years since they last spoke. Ruan Danchen's heart sank—she deeply feared that Liu Ronghua had found out about the little boy's roots.

"Danchen, that Benz is…" Liu Ronghua asked hesitantly.

Ruan Danchen looked at Qi Youxuan and planned to tell him that it was a client's call, but then again, she did not want to lie to the kid. All she could do was continue talking. "It's nothing. Don't think too much."

"I'm not thinking too much, Danchen." Liu Ronghua said immediately. "The other day at the mall, I saw you in the arms of a man. Is he the boy's father? You…"

"Do you have anything else to say?" Ruan Danchen asked immediately, cutting her off. She did not want to let Liu Ronghua finish her question.

"Danchen, don't I have a right to care about you? Are you really that incapable of resolving a few of my questions?" Liu Ronghua said in distress as she stood beside the road. A few drops of tears even formed in her eyes.

Ruan Danchen wanted to ask her, 'Oh, so now you care about me? You never asked me about a single thing after I gave birth to the baby, and for the past seven years, you never once showed that you cared about me. Am I not supposed to be worried that you're suddenly showing concern for me?'

"No. I'm a bit busy with something. It's not convenient for me to be speaking with you for so long right now," was all Ruan Danchen could say. She looked at Qi Youxuan and saw the boy twiddling his fingers.

Liu Ronghua sighed and offered, "Can I come to your home? Where are you… staying now?"

She felt embarrassed to even ask that question, for it was only when she wanted to visit Ruan Danchen that she realized she had no idea where Ruan Danchen stayed. It never even crossed Liu Ronghua's mind that she might need to get in contact with Ruan Danchen someday.

"Seven years. In seven years, you've never once asked me where I stayed. Why now?" Ruan Danchen's voice was calm and composed.

"I…" Liu Ronghua could not respond to that question. "Danchen, I am an incompetent mother. I've not been attentive enough toward you, but I've always kept you in my heart. From today onward, I want to make up for everything. I won't forget it again if you tell me."

"Actually, my residence isn't permanent, since I'm renting a room. I move whenever the lease expires. How about this, if I have the time, I'll call you," Ruan Danchen said plainly. Before Liu Ronghua could say anything, she hastily continued, "I'm really very busy now. I'll hang up here and call you later."

She then hung up immediately.

Qi Youxuan was still fiddling with his thumbs as he tried to sneak a peek at Ruan Danchen. He looked up to see Ruan Danchen smiling at him.

Feeling a bit flustered, the little boy blushed and shied away instantly. He said, somewhat bashfully, "Aunt Ruan, I feel shy when you look at me like that."

Ruan Danchen was speechless.

True enough, he was as thick-skinned as his father due to his upbringing.

"What do you want to eat tonight?" Ruan Danchen asked.

She had none of the ingredients to cook what the boy wanted, so she told Xiao Yang to stop by a supermarket.

She did not want to bother Qi Chenglin at work, but she was afraid that he would get worried, so she texted him when they reached home. [I've reached home with Youxuan.]

…

…

Qi Chenglin was busy discussing work with Luo Yushu when he received the message. His lips curled into a smile when he saw that it was from Ruan Danchen. He stared fondly at the phone—he felt he was living a good and simple life.

Luo Yushu looked on cautiously, not daring to make a sound.

The general manager was not as cold as the director and evidently not as unapproachable. He would smile at his subordinates from time to time. Nevertheless, he was still a member of the Qi family, and that haughty trait he had was still capable of commanding respect from people.

Jiang Yuan then came knocking on the door, bringing with him a bit of takeout dinner.

Qi Chenglin nodded and said, "Manager Luo, you may have your dinner now and resume working later."

Luo Yushu gave a brief reply before carrying his dinner out.

Jiang Yuan left Qi Chenglin's dinner on the table and went out of the room as well.

Qi Chenglin smelled the takeout and felt slightly annoyed. It was just like any other restaurant and was completely different from the aroma of Ruan Danchen's homely cooking.

The more he thought about Ruan Danchen's cooking, the less inclined he was to eat the meal in front of him.

He struggled to open the container, and although his chopsticks were right next to the food, he could not stomach any of it. He recalled the text Ruan Danchen sent and decided to give her a call.

When she picked up, he heard a humming sound and asked her what it was. "What are you doing? Why is it so noisy?"

"I'm cooking for Youxuan. It's probably the kitchen fan making that noise." Ruan Danchen said before she closed the kitchen door. Qi Youxuan was busy watching cartoons in the living room.

Qi Chenglin felt it was rather unfair that he had to put up with takeout while his son ate comfortably in Ruan Danchen's home.

"Have you eaten?" Ruan Danchen blushed and asked shyly. She was still unaccustomed to their relationship.

"I have some takeout in front of me, but I don't feel like eating it. I want to eat your cooking." Qi Chenglin looked at the takeout and frowned even more. The disgust he felt was discernible even from his voice.

Ruan Danchen heard his gentle tone and nearly lost her composure. She fried her vegetables and said, "How about you eat some of the takeout first, and I'll save some leftovers for you so you can eat when you're here."

Qi Chenglin's mood became much more cheerful and he immediately closed the takeout container. He brought it out and gave it to Jiang Yuan, saying, "I haven't touched it yet. Give it to whoever wants it."

"General Manager, you're not eating?" Jiang Yuan asked in shock.

"Mm. Dinner's waiting for me at home. I'll be going back home to eat now," Qi Chenglin responded, unable to conceal his glee.

Jiang Yuan looked at him oddly. 'I've never seen the general manager this happy to go home for dinner.'

…

…

Qi Youxuan was used to having his bedtime at eight o'clock. After dinner at Ruan Danchen's place, his sleepiness kicked in at eight and he went to Ruan Danchen's bedroom to sleep.

When it was around nine, the doorbell to Ruan Danchen's home rang. Knowing that it was Qi Chenglin, her heartbeat shot through the roof.

She went over and opened the door. True enough it was Qi Chenglin standing there. He lowered his gaze at her, and his expression softened tremendously.

Still feeling a bit shy, Ruan Danchen blushed and stepped aside so he could enter. When Qi Chenglin was already inside, he kissed her abruptly on the lips and asked, "Did you miss me during the evening?"

Ruan Danchen was too nervous to answer his question. Instead, she said softly, "Come inside, I'll heat up dinner for you. It'll only take a few minutes."

Qi Chenglin closed the door behind him and walked over to her so he could give her a hug. He gazed at her lips and said in a raspy voice, "First, tell me. Did you miss me?"

Ruan Danchen had never been in a relationship before and it was only natural that she would never say those sappy things to a man. Being forced into a corner by Qi Chenglin made her face feel so heated, and she failed to utter a single word.

Qi Chenglin seemed to be hellbent on keeping her in his arms as long as she did not tell him what he wanted to hear. Ruan Danchen looked down and spat out a single word, not louder than a mosquito's hum. "Yes."

Pleased at last, Qi Chenglin smiled and looked at her reddened face. His lips could still feel the heat of her cheek.

"I'm hungry," he muttered, with his lips still pressed against hers.

A shiver came over Ruan Danchen. His words and voice were far too suggestive, making her wonder which part of him was feeling the hunger.

Before she could react, QI Chenglin let go of her as if nothing had happened. He walked calmly into the living room.

Ruan Danchen hurried to the kitchen despite still feeling weak in the knees.

She reheated the food and brought everything out to the dining table. Qi Chenglin was sitting on the sofa watching television.

He turned and saw Ruan Danchen holding two sets of bowls and chopsticks. "You haven't eaten?"

"I ate a bit with Youxuan just now but waited for you to come," Ruan Danchen said meekly.

Qi Chenglin looked at her with much glee and sat down at the table to eat with her.

After dinner, Qi Chenglin woke Qi Youxuan up, giving him time to clear his hazy mind before bringing him home.

Qi Youxuan was very unhappy. He lazed around on Ruan Danchen's bed and said, "Dad, you can go home yourself. I need to take care of Aunt Ruan. What if someone takes her away when I'm not here?"

Qi Chenglin snickered. 'Who would dare do that?'

He glanced briefly at the room door and leaned close to Qi Youxuan, whispering, "Do you want to live with Aunt Ruan every day from now on?"

"Of course I do!" Qi Youxuan blurted out at once. He added, "Of course I want her to be with you, Dad. If I get to live with both of you, that would be the best possible scenario." Youxuan said that because he was worried that Qi Chenglin might turn sad if he felt that he would be overlooked once had a stepmother.

"If you do, then you have to follow me home tonight," Qi Chenglin whispered again.

Qi Youxuan still had a reluctant and displeased look on his face. Qi Chenglin pursed his lips and asked patiently, "Do you think Aunt Ruan likes you?"

Qi Youxuan hugged the little teddy that he left in her care. When he climbed into bed to sleep, he saw the teddy placed nicely on the headboard. He was happy because he felt that Ruan Danchen took good care of his belongings and treasured them.

He buried his little red face into the teddy's soft fur and said, "You're joking, Dad. I'm such a cute boy. Who wouldn't like me?"

A speechless Qi Chenglin then said, "Speak properly."

"I think she likes me," Qi Youxuan replied immediately. "I think she really, really likes me."

"So, if you don't stay here, your Aunt Ruan will begin missing you even more. Then, when she can't take it anymore, she'll stay with us," Qi Chenglin whispered.

Qi Youxuan gasped and stared at his father with his big eyes. Shocked, he said, "Dad, you're so shameless!"

Qi Chenglin could not think of a reply.

"Okay, I've heard enough. I'll get ready," Qi Youxuan mumbled as he got off the bed. He promptly packed everything but left the teddy behind. With his bag on his back, he strutted out of the bedroom.

When entering the living room, he told Ruan Danchen, "Aunt Ruan, thanks for your hospitality tonight. I'm sorry for preventing you from sleeping on your bed. I'll go home with Dad now. If you find the time, come to our home and be our guest!"

Ruan Danchen looked at Qi Youxuan curiously. 'When did the boy become so courteous?'

Qi Youxuan hardly looked like a boy who had just woken up—his energy level was incredibly high. He waved at Ruan Danchen. "Bye, Aunt Ruan."

"Bye…" Ruan Danchen said. She was still unable to process what was happening.

…

…

On Friday, Director Zhao went for a business trip to Z City. Yang Yunshu stood outside his wife's office and knocked before coming in.

Director Zhao's wife was in the company for the sole purpose of keeping an eye on Director Zhao. She did not want him seeking the company of other women. There was nothing in particular that the director's wife needed to do, and in her boredom, she surfed the web. Nevertheless, Yang Yunshu could not see what she was doing due to the monitor blocking it from view.

"Please sit." Madam Zhao looked at Yang Yunshu and pointed at the chair in front of the table.

Yang Yunshu sat down and said, "Madam, I'd like to talk to you about Ruan Danchen."

Madam Zhao frowned. "What about her?"

"You probably know that Ruan Danchen's reputation has fallen due to what happened in the Mu incident. She has half as many projects now, and very few clients. This Wednesday, Qi Chenglin came here in the afternoon and said that he had a case he wanted to discuss with her. She brought him to the meeting room. During lunch, I and one of the designers, Wu Min, brought our salads and decided to eat in the meeting room, but when we walked in, we saw Ruan Danchen's shirt and hair in a mess, her face was red, and she had teary eyes. Though Qi Chenglin was very happy."

Yan Yunshu analyzed the reaction of the director's wife. She knew that Director Zhao's wife hated that kind of thing, especially after what happened with Wang Liwei. As expected, the director's wife frowned and was displeased.

"Continue," said Director Zhao's wife unhappily, her mood having been soured by what she just heard.

"At the time, Qi Chenglin didn't look happy at all. When Ruan Danchen sent him off at the design department entrance, Qi Chenglin even gave her a cold glare. I think he was trying to warn her. I'm worried that… Ruan Danchen has been trying to use these dirty tactics because she's not getting any business lately. She tried and failed to seduce Qi Chenglin in the meeting room. After all, Song Yu is one example in the company. She got together with Qi Chengzhi, and everyone treats her nicely, admires her, and aspires to be in her position. Now Ruan Danchen is close to Song Yu. She was never close to Song Yu, but after Song Yu got together with Qi Chengzhi, Ruan Danchen has started getting closer to Song Yu. Her reasons for doing so are too obvious."

- - -

Bonus scene:

Qi Youxuan: "Dad, when are you tricking Aunt Ruan into staying with us?"

Qi Chenglin: "Nonsense! What do you mean 'trick'? I'll use sincerity to convince her."

"…" Qi Youxuan: "Dad, don't ever ask me to come home with you again. I want to stay at Aunt Ruan's house."

"…" Qi Chenglin: "Are you doubting my sincerity?"

Qi Youxuan: "Dad, you need to have no sense of shame when you're going after a woman. Look at my Elder Uncle. He brought Auntie back home in just a few days. It's going to be hard for you because you're not shameless enough."

Ruan Danchen: "…"