Chapter 93: Moving House
A Tong sat up and answered softly, “Hello?”
“Why ask if I’m busy? What are you trying to do?” In the hush of the deep night, the man’s low voice sounded all the more magnetic and mellow.
A Tong explained, “If you’re busy, I won’t go into the study and disturb you.”
He had gotten off work even earlier than on the previous few days, so perhaps he still had work unfinished.
At the other end of the line, the man seemed to give a faint laugh. “I’m not busy. Come over.”
His laughter infected her too, and A Tong curved her lips in silence. “Do you want tea? I can go downstairs and boil you a cup.”
“There’s some here. Just come over.”
After hanging up, A Tong slipped on her slippers and left the room.
The wall lamps in the corridor cast a warm, gentle glow. A Tong walked unhurriedly to the far end. When she reached the study door, she even remembered to smooth her hair and straighten her clothes.
Once everything was in order, she raised her hand and knocked.
The door opened, revealing a man standing there in a robe.
A Tong’s gaze flickered, and for a moment she did not know whether to step in or retreat.
He wore only a gray fleece robe. Loose strands of hair hung between his brows and eyes, half-dry and half-damp, as if he had just showered as well.
More than that, even with the sash tied tight, a robe still looked loose; A Tong only needed to lift her eyes slightly to see the lines of muscle exposed at the open collar, not overtly powerful, yet devastatingly alluring.
And one more thing: the man was holding a phone to his ear, and faint speech drifted from the other end.
She had known him for so long, and most of the time when Rong Shen took calls, he would avoid other people, or... avoid her.
A Tong was sensitive, but not to the point of being unreasonable.
She only remembered that he preferred to take calls away from others; it did not mean she would brood over such a trivial thing.
Even lingering outside the door at this moment was simply because she had wanted to wait until Rong Shen finished his call before going in.
But the man seemed not to notice her hesitation. He turned back, saw that she had not followed, and naturally held out his palm to her.
A Tong: “...”
It was not that she was being fussy and insisting he had to lead her in by the hand.
After a moment, A Tong was pulled into the study, and the man, just in time, said into the phone, “Ask them to sort through their respective proposals again. Hold another discussion tomorrow morning, and notify every department that the project must be launched before the end of the month.”
The whole speech was brisk and decisive, carrying a stern finality.
A Tong stared at Rong Shen’s back, and that phrase echoed again in her mind: this really was like seeing a domineering CEO in the flesh.
If he were not a psychiatrist, his appearance and bearing did indeed give off a rather CEO-like impression.
Thinking of this, A Tong could not help but let out a soft laugh.
At the same time, the man ended the call and turned back to look at her with amused eyes. “What are you laughing at?”
“Nothing...” A Tong walked to the sofa by the window and sat down. “Today at the amusement park, someone said you look like a domineering CEO.”
A glimmer flashed through Rong Shen’s eyes and vanished in an instant. He did not respond, nor did he intend to discuss the subject for now.
The man casually picked up the floral tea and handed it over, his voice deep and low. “Bored in your room?”
A Tong held the cup in both hands; the temperature was just right. “Not really. I just wanted to come over and... stay for a bit.”
She said exactly what she was thinking.
But after speaking, she felt it was perhaps a little too frank.
A Tong took a sip of tea and pretended to study the bookcase, adding, with the air of someone trying too hard to appear innocent, “To find a book to read.”
“Have you finished the books you took over last time?”
“Uh, almost...”
A Tong kept her head down as she drank tea, in fact avoiding Rong Shen’s scrutiny.
Lately she had been thinking about nothing but dating; the books she had brought back... might already have been gathering dust on the desk.
As sharp as Rong Shen was, how could he fail to see her evasion? Yet precisely because she wore that self-satisfied little expression of hers, he often found his heart skipping a beat.
“If you want to read something, go pick it yourself. I have a few things to handle; I’ll keep you company in a bit.”
He set the teacup on the table, and the clear light of the desk lamp melted into the depths of his eyes, bright and unfathomable.
A Tong answered with a hum, then acted as if nothing were amiss and walked to the bookcase. “You’re busy. You don’t need to stay with me. I’ll read for a while and then go back to sleep.”
Rong Shen looked at her slender figure, the corners of his thin lips curving with quiet satisfaction.
She could already walk about in front of him in her pajamas with complete ease; that alone carried far more meaning than it seemed.
At the very least, the A Tong of now had already come to accept him as part of her life and her everyday world.
No longer formal or distant, she was becoming more and more like an ordinary girl—carefree and bright.
...
After A Tong and Rong Shen officially began dating, their lives remained plain, yet no longer mundane.
By the weekend, moving day had arrived.
When Ruan Danling learned that they were moving back to Fragrant Cedar Mansion, she became listless at once.
From morning on, she kept holding A Tong’s hands and giving her repeated instructions.
For example: eat properly, and come back often when you have time.
And for another example: if Little Nine bullies you, come back and tell on him, and I’ll deal with him for you.
A Tong genuinely liked this “mother-in-law” of hers, so no matter how many times Ruan Danling nagged, she always answered softly and sweetly, not the least bit annoyed.
“A’An...” Ruan Danling held her hand and, as if making a desperate gamble, suggested, “Why don’t you let Little Nine move there by himself and just stay home here? If you two want to see each other later, just have him come over. What do you think?”
A Tong, who did not think this was a very good idea: “...”
Rong Jinghuai, expressionless beside her: “...”
Just then, Rong Shen came in from the front hall into the courtyard and heard every word of Ruan Danling’s speech.
The man helplessly pressed his lips together and teased, half smiling, “You two even manage relationships this way?”
Ruan Danling lifted her chin and glanced at him, snorting lightly. “Don’t compare yourself to your father. He’s far more obedient than you.”
Rong Jinghuai did not even dare to retort, and the dignity of the family head was nowhere to be found.
No matter how reluctant Ruan Danling was, the young couple’s determination to move out could not be shaken. In the end, she could only watch them drive away.
At that point, Rong Jinghuai wrapped an arm around her shoulders from behind and patted her gently in comfort. “The children are grown. We have to give them some freedom.”
Ruan Danling gave him a long sidelong look. “The estate is several hundred acres. Isn’t there enough space already?”
“You know Little Nine. He’s been independent since he was young, and he didn’t live with us for long. He...”
Before Rong Jinghuai could finish, Ruan Danling jabbed him with her elbow. “Little Nine can go wherever he likes. Fine if he leaves, but he insisted on taking A’An with him too. I still haven’t even heard her call me Mom.”
Rong Jinghuai: “...”
What a thoroughly useless consolation.
“All right.” Rong Jinghuai put an arm around her and led her back, his voice threaded with a faint smile. “Can’t you tell how different Little Nine and A’An are now?”
Ruan Danling was stunned, then thought seriously for a few seconds. “If you put it that way, it really does seem a little different.”
“Little Nine is thoughtful. He knows better than we do what should be done and how to do it. So stop worrying needlessly, hmm? Didn’t you have a beauty appointment this afternoon? I’m just going to the company anyway, so I’ll drop you off on the way.”
Ruan Danling was still recalling certain details when an idea suddenly lit her face, and her smile turned especially sly. “Honey, do you think we should start preparing a nursery?”
Rong Jinghuai: “...”
The End.