ATLAS TRANSLATES

After Xiao Yi resigned, Zhao Mei never appeared again, and two days later, Zhuo Si withdrew. Yue Ma directly got the project. That afternoon, when Yue Ma came with their proposal for the meeting, Chu Zhi finally learned that Yue Ma’s aloof gentleman was called Gu Congli.

Zhuo Si had put so much effort into competing for this project, only to give up like this. Chu Zhi felt it was quite anticlimactic. When she complained about it to Lu Jiaheng that evening, he remained as unenthusiastic as ever.

Chu Zhi sat cross-legged at the head of the bed eating strawberries: “Today we got news that Zhuo Si is giving up the project.”

Lu Jiaheng sat beside her with his laptop, two folders on the blanket next to him: “Mm.”

“They actually gave up, why? They had prepared for so long.”

“What else could they do? Just drag it out waiting to lose?”

“You think Zhuo Si would lose?” Chu Zhi asked.

“Yue Ma is more creative, daring to try new things, their work is more interesting. Zhuo Si hasn’t been doing well these past few years, their approach is too formulaic,” Lu Jiaheng didn’t even look up, “Plus Zhuo Si’s director left this year, none of the remaining management is any good. Zhao Mei was temporarily in charge, but I guess she’s not really focused on it now either.”

By the time he finished speaking, Chu Zhi had already moved closer to him.

The young girl had a strawberry in her mouth as she leaned over, supporting herself on the bed: “What’s she focused on?”

Lu Jiaheng looked up at her.

Chu Zhi had been curious for too long. She chewed and swallowed the strawberry before she couldn’t help asking: “What was actually in that envelope you gave me that day?”

He lowered his head again, chuckling softly.

Chu Zhi climbed onto him and reached up to pull his ear.

No response.

She leaned in and bit it.

Lu Jiaheng freed a hand and patted her bottom: “Why do you want to know everything?”

Chu Zhi thought anyone who saw those two people’s expressions would want to know.

She blinked, eyes bright as she recalled Xiao Yi and Zhao Mei’s reactions: “Was it that kind of photo?” Chu Zhi looked strangely excited, eyes wide, “Was Zhao Mei having an affair?”

He raised an eyebrow, tossing his laptop aside. His hand slid up her thigh and under her nightgown to hook her underwear, his expression unchanged as he prepared to get to work: “Yes, that kind of photo. Come, let me demonstrate.”

Chu Zhi: “…”

Lu Jiaheng’s good days didn’t last long. A week later, Father Chu and Ms. Deng returned from Provence.

Ms. Deng smelled of lavender all over and brought Chu Zhi four or five bottles of perfume, and also brought gifts for Lu Jiaheng.

Chu Zhi bounced upstairs to deliver them to him, and also secretly retrieved her daily necessities like facial cleanser from his place to sneak back home.

Just before leaving, he pulled her back and pressed her against the door: “Leaving so soon?”

“My parents are back!”

Lu Jiaheng thought for a moment and suggested: “How about a separation quickie?”

“…”

Chu Zhi sincerely hoped Lu Jiaheng could think about something else for once – lately she felt like she needed a cane just to walk.

Fortunately, after entering August, Lu Jiaheng became even busier than before. Chu Zhi also got busy, as Yue Ma worked like there was no tomorrow. Chu Zhi had never seen a contractor work harder than their client.

Pink Shirt was exhausted every day. After two straight days and nights of overtime, he lay on his desk barely alive: “Working with Yue Ma, I feel like I don’t even need a sex life anymore.”

Chu Zhi also sprawled on her desk: “Senior, wake up, you didn’t have a sex life to begin with.”

Pink Shirt grumbled: “I thought Ye Kanning was hell, but turns out this Gu Congli from Yue Ma is even more terrifying. And all the women in the office go crazy when they see him. Has this society lost all humanity? Is looks all that matters?”

Chu Zhi said: “Senior, even if I don’t pass my evaluation later, I won’t go to such a hardcore advertising company. Even if I die and am nailed in my coffin, I won’t go to Yue Ma.”

Pink Shirt dismissed it: “Boss’s lady, how could you not pass your evaluation?”

Chu Zhi didn’t say anything at the time.

Pink Shirt had just said it casually, but she took it to heart.

Since everything had become public knowledge, all the things Chu Zhi had been avoiding happened.

When the collaboration project with Yue Ma ended, Chu Zhi had a rare weekend off. On Sunday while watching movies at home, the doorbell rang.

Chu Zhi ran to peek through the peephole, then opened the door.

Lu Jiaheng stood at the door, expressionless as he looked at her.

Chu Zhi’s face lit up with surprise: “Lu Jiaheng! So happy to see you!”

“…”

Lu Jiaheng smiled without humor: “Darling, that’s too fake.”

Chu Zhi licked her lips, continuing to play dumb: “You’re not going to the office today? You have weekends off too?”

Lu Jiaheng leaned against the doorframe, tilting his body: “Heard you wrote a letter to Ye Kanning yesterday?”

Chu Zhi asked: “What letter?”

Lu Jiaheng: “A love letter, a confession.”

Chu Zhi’s eyes widened as she glared at him: “I didn’t write a love letter.”

“Oh, then what kind of letter was it?”

Chu Zhi didn’t speak.

He crossed his arms and entered, looking down at her: “Hmm? Resignation?”

Chu Zhi scratched her chin: “This is complicated.”

“Fine,” Lu Jiaheng nodded, “Don’t want me anymore, where are you planning to go?”

She kept her head down, mumbling quietly: “I have an interview at Yue Ma on Monday…”

Three seconds of silence.

Lu Jiaheng said calmly: “Is that the aloof one you like?”

Chu Zhi quickly explained: “No no, the aloof one isn’t from Yue Ma, he was just helping a friend recently.”

“You even investigated that clearly?”

Chu Zhi felt she needed to explain clearly to him.

“Lu Jiaheng, I’m not leaving because of these things. The reason I didn’t want our relationship public at the company was because of this, because I didn’t want to resign.” She took a deep breath, “If Jingheng was something we built together from scratch, I definitely wouldn’t leave.”

Lu Jiaheng pressed his lips together, not speaking.

Chu Zhi looked up at him, eyes wide as she gestured, “Lu Jiaheng, now I can’t even go to the bathroom without three or five people cornering me for small talk.”

Lu Jiaheng: “…”

Lu Jiaheng finally compromised.

Chu Zhi didn’t tell anyone except Pink Shirt, who mocked her with tears and snot before she left.

“Even if I don’t pass my evaluation later, I won’t go to such a hardcore advertising company. Even if I die and am nailed in my coffin, I won’t go to Yue Ma,” Pink Shirt said glumly.

Chu Zhi: “…”

On Chu Zhi’s third week at Yue Ma, Lu Hongsheng was removed by the board.

It was a huge scandal, starting with some mild gossip news. Lu Hongsheng was exposed in a series of photos with various women – Chu Zhi recognized Zhao Mei among them, as well as some currently popular young actresses, but the man was always the same.

These meaningless affair scandals were most effective at catching the public’s interest.

Then came a series of explosive revelations.

False profits and cooked books, inflated financial reports during his tenure, confirmed drug use by a popular actress from his entertainment company, who was photographed entering a high-end club with him the day before her arrest.

The day it happened, the PR department quickly responded. After Lu Hongsheng’s removal, Jingheng held a press conference to explain and apologize. Lu Jiaheng made his first media appearance as the new CEO, introducing the new development zone project in the neighboring city.

Chu Zhi watched with her father and Ms. Deng in the living room. The man wore an impeccable pure black suit, looking so handsome that Chu Zhi felt she could sense his pheromones through the TV screen.

Ms. Deng watched delightedly: “Oh my, this young man looks quite handsome dressed up like this.”

Father Chu coldly snorted, his expression growing darker: “This Lu Hongsheng is his father? You want to date someone from this kind of family?”

“He is himself, and his father is his father. He also thinks his father did wrong,” Chu Zhi patiently corrected him: “Dad, I’m not dating him, I’m going to marry him.”

Father Chu’s eyes widened as he pointed at the TV screen: “You still want to marry into this kind of family???”

Chu Zhi thought for a moment: “Then I’ll ask tomorrow if he’s willing to marry into our family?”

Father Chu looked at her angrily.

Chu Zhi lowered her head obediently, raised her hand to tug at his sleeve: “Dad…”

Father Chu remained unmoved.

“Dad, Dad…”

Father Chu’s expression began to soften.

Chu Zhi maintained her composure outwardly while pressing on: “Dad, you just don’t want me to date anyone, so you’ll oppose anyone.”

Father Chu let out a long sigh: “Baby, if you found an ordinary boy, that would be fine too, as long as he treats you well. But this boyfriend of yours, with his family like this, what if he turns out the same way in the future? How can I be at ease if you marry him?”

Ms. Deng cracked sunflower seeds: “Children have their own fate.”

Father Chu exploded: “Can’t you care a bit more! Isn’t she your daughter?”

Ms. Deng also got angry: “Chu Yunfei, who are you trying to intimidate? You completely reject the boy just because of his family background and you think you’re so great? Can children choose their parents and family? I think young Lu is quite good, and he’s sincere about our Chu Zhi. I think you just can’t approve of anyone! You’re just a daughter-con who hopes she’ll never marry and stay by your side forever!”

The living room erupted in warfare, Ms. Deng’s voice getting louder and louder, the couple’s daily sword and blade crossing.

Chu Zhi quietly stood up and slipped into her room, letting them fight from the living room to the kitchen, from the kitchen to the bedroom, until finally quieting down.

Chu Zhi changed clothes in her room, then secretly went upstairs, planning to wait for Lu Jiaheng.

As soon as she got up there, she saw a young boy standing at the door.

Chu Zhi froze.

The boy happened to look up.

He looked about nine or ten, with delicate features and jet-black hair, standing tall and lanky by the door. At first glance, he looked like a miniature Lu Jiaheng.

Chu Zhi took several seconds to react, a small boy emerging from deep in her memory.

A boy holding a peach jelly, pulling her hand, large round eyes bright as he looked at her, calling her “Sister” in a soft, sweet voice.

Chu Zhi walked over uncertainly, head slightly lowered: “Yi Yi?”

She hadn’t seen him in about four years, and had only met him once before. Chu Zhi could barely remember what he looked like. The boy had grown much taller, almost as tall as Chu Zhi now. His baby fat was gone, his features changed quite a bit.

Lu Jiayi stared at her blankly, blinking: “Sister…”

He and Lu Jiaheng had similar facial features, except for his eyes, which were large and round, with deep double eyelid creases, black pupils that seemed to speak when he looked at people.

Chu Zhi was a bit delighted: “It really is you! Long time no see, are you here to find your brother?”

Lu Jiayi looked at her, blinked, and suddenly his eyes reddened.

The young boy ran over, looking up at her, tightly clutching her sleeve as tears fell: “Sister, Mom says Dad can’t support us anymore, my mom’s gone crazy, she wants to take me away. Can you please ask brother, please ask him to let me hide here, I don’t want Mom to take me away.”