"You at least came to play once. I never came to an amusement park like this when I was little. It was just something on TV or in pictures, and I never dared to hope for it," Gu Susu said with a smile. If they were to compare who had a more miserable childhood, Qin Tianyi couldn't compete with her.
Qin Tianyi turned to look at her, suddenly feeling a sense of shared misfortune. Just as he was about to take her hand, Xiao Xingxing opened his eyes wide and asked, "Mommy, Daddy, what are you talking about? You never came to amusement parks when you were little?"
Gu Susu withdrew her hand and placed it on Xiao Xingxing, smiling as she said, "Yes, Mommy came when she was little. My childhood wasn't as happy as yours."
"It's okay, I can take you often in the future," Xiao Xingxing said.
Gu Susu laughed and replied, "You'll take me? We'll talk about that when you're older."
"Mommy, I'm not little anymore."
"Yes, you've grown taller. You're not little at all," Gu Susu coaxed him.
Qin Tianyi watched the mother and son chatting and laughing, their faces beaming with bright smiles. His previously cold heart began to feel a warmth.
"He's so much like me. I said the same thing when I was little," his voice was low and gentle.
Gu Susu heard him clearly. Seeing how much Xiao Xingxing liked Qin Tianyi, she had also thought more than once how wonderful it would be if Xiao Xingxing were Qin Tianyi's biological son.
"Did you go to Chenxi Town five years ago..."
Her voice was barely a whisper in her throat. Before she could finish, with a loud bang, the first firework bloomed in the darkened sky.
How beautiful! She looked up, gazing in the direction of the bursting fireworks.
"What did you just say? I didn't hear you clearly."
Gu Susu knew in her heart that it was impossible and casually brushed it off, "Nothing, just watching the fireworks."
The grandeur of the fireworks display and the overwhelming impact stunned Xiao Xingxing. He kept asking why the fireworks at home couldn't illuminate the entire sky.
Gu Susu found it impossible to answer his myriad of questions. Qin Tianyi, however, patiently explained the reason: large-scale fireworks displays require professional launching equipment and cannot be casually set off at home.
Xiao Xingxing seemed to understand, but he had received the answer he wanted.
Back at the villa, Xiao Xingxing was still full of energy and didn't want to sleep. He insisted on pulling Qin Tianyi to set off the remaining box of fireworks.
Gu Susu also joined in. The three of them held sparklers, drawing circles in the air, and had a great time.
When she had coaxed Xiao Xingxing to sleep and returned to Qin Tianyi's bedroom, she found that Chen Ma had moved all her belongings from the guest room. Nothing was missing, and she couldn't find any reason to go back to the guest room to get anything.
Lying in bed at night, Qin Tianyi sat up, looking tired, and was engrossed in handling work. Gu Susu lay with her back to him. Although she was tired from playing all day, she couldn't sleep for some reason.
Qin Tianyi taking them to the amusement park, creating the illusion of a happy family of three, was something she had longed for in her heart.
"Why aren't you sleeping yet? Something on your mind?" Qin Tianyi felt her tossing and turning and knew she wasn't asleep.
"It's nothing, probably just the bed," Gu Susu actually wasn't used to having someone beside her; she was accustomed to sleeping alone in the guest room.
Qin Tianyi said calmly, "You'll get used to it in a few days."
"Why aren't you sleeping?" Gu Susu asked, still with her back to him.
"Some work hasn't been finished."
"Is it because you're still thinking about your father's affairs?" Gu Susu said slowly. "I don't understand the grudges between your family members from past lives, but since you still have feelings for your father, don't overthink it. Go see him at the hospital tomorrow. Even a vegetative state patient needs loved ones by their side, talking to them, which helps their recovery."
"I know what I'm doing, go to sleep," Qin Tianyi reverted to his domineering tone. He became agitated whenever Qin Yangye was mentioned.
Gu Susu sighed inwardly. She had almost no happy memories with her own parents, so she shouldn't dwell on such matters. This annoying man wasn't receptive to her advice, so she decided not to bother.
Closing her eyes, she drifted into dreams out of spite.
After the Chinese New Year, Gu Susu had to follow Qin Tianyi's wishes and return to Mishang Company.
On the ninth day of the Lunar New Year, when she walked into the company again, she almost thought she had gone to the wrong place.
The entire company had been renovated and was now very high-end. The lobby was decorated with the most expensive Italian stained glass, which, under the lighting, gave it a fashionable and luxurious feel.
Gu Susu approached the reception desk and found that the receptionist had changed and didn't recognize her.
"Hello, I'm a new designer, here to start my employment."
Upon hearing she was new, the receptionist looked down her nose at her and scanned her. "But I haven't heard anything from the HR department about this. Do you have a letter of introduction or an employment notification?"
Gu Susu was stunned. Qin Tianyi had only verbally told her to come to work after the New Year and hadn't given her any employment documents.
Last night, after their passionate encounter, she knew he had been extremely satisfied. She seized the opportunity to ask him, "The holiday break ends today. Can I start working at Mishang tomorrow?"
Qin Tianyi embraced her and grunted in agreement.
She tried asking again, "Then what position will I be in at Mishang? I want to join the design department and be a designer. I'm not suited for management roles like deputy general manager; it's not my forte."
"You can, whatever you wish," Qin Tianyi said, calming himself down. He kissed her eyelashes and added, "We'll go to the company together tomorrow."
Gu Susu immediately objected, "Let's not. I'll go by myself. Can we go public with our relationship after I've settled in?"
"As you wish," Qin Tianyi's voice was somewhat muffled, and he soon fell asleep.
This morning, Qin Tianyi left the villa early. She then set out to Mishang Company herself, only to find she didn't know how to get started.
"I don't have any of that, but your Mr. Qin asked me to report to the design department." She had to mention Qin Tianyi, otherwise, she probably wouldn't even be able to enter the company's main gate.
"Mr. Qin? What's your relationship with Mr. Qin?" The receptionist looked at her again.
"A friend of a friend," Gu Susu deliberately distanced her relationship with him. "Could I see him first? He'll definitely give me an employment notification."
The receptionist snorted, seemingly having seen this kind of thing often. "How do women nowadays love to daydream? Mr. Qin isn't a celebrity. Do you think you're a fan, that you can see him whenever you want? Without an appointment, please leave."
"But I'm really here to start working, not to chase stars, oh, and definitely not to chase your Mr. Qin." Gu Susu's explanation seemed weak.
The receptionist picked up the phone on the desk, looking as if she was about to call security.
Gu Susu thought to herself that it seemed she wouldn't be able to start work today. She would have to find Qin Tianyi tonight to get an employment certificate and come back tomorrow.
"Susu, why are you here at the company? What's going on?" Just then, Chang Qingchuan happened to pass through the lobby and asked Gu Susu in surprise.