Chapter 207: Chapter 194: Rong Qiao
The familiar tone just drifted into Su Xiaomeng’s ears, making her dazed for a moment.
"...Oh, thank you."
The words that came out became dry.
This time last year, she almost hated Ren Yixuan to the core.
Childhood sweethearts, innocent playmates, in the end, it all turned into an illusory dream.
Sometimes... she would think of Ren Yixuan, and whenever she did, her heart felt empty.
Now meeting again, after more than half a year, her heart no longer harbors resentment towards him, recalling bits and pieces of the past...
She realized that she should feel more guilt towards him.
She took a deep breath and was just about to turn around and say to Ren Yixuan... let’s have a meal together sometime—
But a sweet female voice rang out behind her, "Yixuan!"
Ren Yixuan looked at the woman running towards him and smiled as he opened his arms.
Rong Qiao disregarded the occasion and jumped onto Ren Yixuan.
Ren Yixuan reacted swiftly and caught Rong Qiao...
"I was on time, right?"
"Yes."
"Who was that woman? Just returned, and already attracting bees and butterflies?"
Rong Qiao’s voice was a bit sharp, and she spoke without reservation, so even Su Xiaomeng, who was separated by about a dozen steps, heard it clearly.
The desire to turn around dissipated with the appearance of the woman.
And when Ren Yixuan said, "I don’t know her, don’t talk nonsense, people might hear..."
Su Xiaomeng couldn’t help but laugh self-deprecatingly.
It seemed she was the only one who had let go.
Not knowing... those simple three words made Su Xiaomeng fully understand the meaning of an irreparable broken mirror.
"Hehe, let’s go, I’ve booked a nice restaurant for dinner."
"...Okay."
Ren Yixuan’s tone was utterly doting, even from a distance, Su Xiaomeng could hear it and sense it...
This... was already quite good.
At least, when meeting, there was not much resentment between them.
But it’s impossible to return to the good feelings of the past.
On the other side, Yin Shixiu and a few partners emerged from the passage...
"President Yin, the political situation abroad is becoming increasingly turbulent, causing the economy to fluctuate..."
"We’ll have to trouble President Yin to put in more effort afterward."
Yin Shixiu nodded, "Don’t worry, this case has required considerable effort and time from everyone, I’ll naturally keep a close watch."
As he spoke, his eyes had already glanced at Su Xiaomeng, who was not far away, talking to Ren Yixuan...
Seeing Ren Yixuan, Yin Shixiu wasn’t surprised.
The company had already encountered Ren Yixuan when bidding in London this time...
He just didn’t expect to meet at the airport as well.
With the arrival of another woman, Yin Shixiu squinted his eyes slightly—
Rong Qiao?
Then he smirked, so that’s how it is.
Ren Yixuan and Rong Qiao left together, while Su Xiaomeng stood facing away from their direction, alone... not moving for a long time.
Yin Shixiu’s eyes slightly darkened.
"President Yin?"
The man standing next to Yin Shixiu was his long-term partner, surnamed Lu.
He followed Yin Shixiu’s gaze and asked somewhat puzzled.
However, Yin Shixiu did not respond, he merely called out in the direction of Su Xiaomeng, "Xiao Meng."
Su Xiaomeng turned around at the sound, saw her husband still standing in the exit passage, and instantly broke into a brilliant smile, jogging over in her high heels.
She eagerly awaited his slow approach.
As soon as he stepped out of the exit, she dashed over, hugging her husband tightly.
"Uncle! I’ve been waiting for you for so long!"
Su Xiaomeng frowned, acting spoiled without caring about others.
"Ahem ahem..."
She hadn’t realized that Yin Shixiu didn’t come out alone but was accompanied by several companions.
Boss Lu, with his thick eyebrows, lightly coughed twice and then looked at Su Xiaomeng with a smile.
Su Xiaomeng blinked her eyes, seeing several people looking at her... momentarily baffled.
Her face turned red as she hid next to Yin Shixiu.
"President Yin, who is this...?"
Boss Lu couldn’t help but speak first and asked.
Yin Shixiu smiled as he smoothed his wife’s hair, his eyes soft, just about to speak—
"I’m his daughter."
Su Xiaomeng peeked her little head from his side, her face red, playfully said.
Boss Lu was stunned, and the few people next to Yin Shixiu were equally dumbfounded... each actually seemed to truly believe what Su Xiaomeng said.
Seeing these big bosses being fooled by her, Su Xiaomeng couldn’t help but cover her mouth and chuckle.
"Uncle, you’re really old..."
Yin Shixiu didn’t get angry either.
Over there, as Boss Lu observed the affectionate expressions between the two, he quickly understood the relationship between them.
"My wife, Su Xiaomeng."
Yin Shixiu also timely resolved the joke, holding Su Xiaomeng’s shoulder, introducing her to the people around him.
"This is President Lu, Boss Qin, and Manager Hua, all top-notch business people."
Yin Shixiu introduced these people to Su Xiaomeng.
Su Xiaomeng stepped forward, nodded slightly, and extended her small hand, "Hello, I’m Su Xiaomeng."
"Mrs. Yin, it’s a pleasure to meet you. President Yin has often mentioned you, seeing is indeed believing."
President Lu lightly shook her hand and then released it, "Mrs. Yin, you’re truly beautiful, no wonder you caught President Yin’s eye."
Su Xiaomeng’s face remained flushed, she said little, quietly tugging on Yin Shixiu’s sleeve...
Hinting that it was about time to leave.
Yin Shixiu said to those around him, "Xiao Meng and I will leave first, we’ll discuss work matters at the company, President Lu, let’s arrange another meeting."
"Alright, take care, President Yin, Mrs. Yin, next time President Yin brings you along, I’m treating you to dinner."
Boss Lu said boldly.
Su Xiaomeng nodded, shy but still gracefully waved goodbye to the group and said farewell.
Yin Shixiu walked away with Su Xiaomeng in his arms.
Boss Lu watched their backs and said to President Qin beside him, "Even someone like Yin Shixiu prefers the young ones."
"What’s her background? I can’t see anything special..."
"Hush, keep that thought to yourself, don’t say it out loud. If she didn’t have some background, would Yin Shixiu even consider her? He’s not a fool."
Boss Lu said, then walked with President Qin and Manager Hua in another direction.
"Uncle, are you hungry?"
Su Xiaomeng blinked and asked him.
The two exited the airport, hailed a taxi, and headed to the hotel they previously booked.
Yin Shixiu turned his head to look at the woman who had dressed up deliberately today, softly mouthed, "Not really... Is our daughter hungry?"
Su Xiaomeng, seeing he still remembered that joke, mischievously nudged Yin Shixiu’s abdomen with her elbow, "It was just a joke!"
Yin Shixiu leaned close to her ear, "No worries, daughter, tonight I’ll have you calling me Dad."
Upon hearing this, Su Xiaomeng’s mind was flooded with all sorts of inappropriate, chaotic images.
She glared at Yin Shixiu.
There was a taxi driver present, after all.
Yin Shixiu crossed his arms, closed his eyes for a moment, then looked at Su Xiaomeng, asking, "What were you standing there for just now?"
"Huh? Oh..."
Su Xiaomeng hurriedly said, "I didn’t even get a chance to tell you, I ran into an eight-year-old boy just now..."
She enthusiastically recounted the situation she encountered at the airport to Yin Shixiu.
Yet from start to finish, she never mentioned the name "Ren Yixuan."
"Why are you looking at me like that? You don’t believe me?"
Yin Shixiu wore a faint smile, making Su Xiaomeng uncomfortable.
"No, the security caught up with that boy, what happened next?"
"After that, I had the security take the boy to the police station. I think he... might be an orphan."
Su Xiaomeng continued, "He said he just thought my ring was pretty, so he took it. I don’t think so; he’s definitely a repeat offender, an eight-year-old wouldn’t be that clever..."
"Oh?"
"I think there’s surely someone behind him directing him."
"And if not?"
"Then it’s better to send him to the police station. The police will get to the bottom of it and take the necessary actions."
Su Xiaomeng shrugged, saying.
Yin Shixiu raised his hand to ruffle her hair, "I thought you would definitely ask the security to let the boy go."
"How come you’re like—"
Su Xiaomeng instinctively began to say, but bit her tongue halfway through and swallowed the rest of the sentence.
"What?"
Yin Shixiu’s eyes narrowed.
Su Xiaomeng shook her head, "Nothing, I also thought I’d have the security let the boy go..."
She wasn’t sure what she was avoiding, she just didn’t want to bring up Ren Yixuan in front of Yin Shixiu.
Maybe it wasn’t just about not mentioning Ren Yixuan in front of Yin Shixiu; she didn’t want to remind herself either.
Childhood companions from such an innocent time, now reduced to strangers.
The complexity of such feelings is overwhelming...
It’s probably for the best not to mention it, because truthfully, there was a time she nearly became Ren Yixuan’s girlfriend.
Mmm... It’s like she doesn’t want to hear too much about Yin Shixiu’s ex-girlfriends either.
But Su Xiaomeng doesn’t realize, this approach, in Yin Shixiu’s eyes... has much deeper implications.
For Su Xiaomeng, Ren Yixuan is a persistent, unresolved presence, yet for Yin Shixiu?
If Yin Shixiu were to bear a grudge towards anyone for Su Xiaomeng’s sake, it would undoubtedly be Ren Yixuan.
After all...
Those childhood companions in love, he pried apart with his own hands, and he even knows that if Su Xiaomeng hadn’t met him.
In the end, she would have been with Ren Yixuan.
Yin Shixiu stretched lazily, then leaned his head on Su Xiaomeng’s shoulder, "I’ll rest for a bit, call me when we arrive."
"...Okay."
Su Xiaomeng responded, straightening her small shoulder to let Yin Shixiu lean against it.
She clasped Yin Shixiu’s hand, gazing out of the window...
She got married and had children, and Ren Yixuan also has a girlfriend now.
It seems time indeed changes many things.
What once seemed insurmountable has now been smoothed over.
Though the sight of a stranger may evoke feelings, it’s better than meeting with past resentment and grievances.