"Where is she?"
Pei Shaoze's voice was icy cold.
"I... I couldn't find your private room."
Su Banxia felt utterly embarrassed.
Pei Shaoze's gaze sharpened, a chill radiating from him. "Tell me your location."
Su Banxia looked around and honestly reported her whereabouts.
Watching Su Banxia hang up, Su Sinian gave a brief greeting and quickly left.
Soon, Pei Shaoze arrived. He initially wanted to say a few words to her, but seeing her preoccupied expression, he lost interest. Clearing his throat, he said flatly, "Come with me. Don't get lost again."
Following closely behind Pei Shaoze, Su Banxia's mind was in turmoil. Deep down, she truly didn't want any connection with the Su family anymore.
But harsh reality still couldn't free her from this misfortune.
Throughout the entire dinner, Su Banxia was distracted. Aside from burying her head in her food, she barely offered any opinions.
Pei Shaoze noticed all these changes in her and couldn't help but feel suspicious.
After the meal, Pei Shaoze personally drove Su Banxia back. Under the glow of the streetlights, their shadows stretched long.
"I'm home. Thank you, President Pei."
Su Banxia smiled faintly.
"So Secretary Su does know how to say thank you."
Pei Shaoze remarked lightly.
Su Banxia didn't immediately grasp his meaning and glanced at him a few more times. By the time she understood, he was already far away.
Watching the figure gradually disappear before her, Su Banxia let out a soft laugh. Was she overthinking things now?
Back home, Fang Shiqing was telling jokes to the two children, making Guoguo laugh heartily. Although Su Hao kept his usual stern face, the slight curve at the corner of his mouth revealed his mood.
"What are you all talking about? Laughing so happily."
Su Banxia walked to the entrance, changed her shoes, and came over with a faint smile.
"Mom, you're back!"
Su Guoguo, slow to react, finally noticed and rushed over enthusiastically.
"Did you behave today at home?"
Su Banxia crouched down and gently stroked Guoguo's hair.
Su Guoguo nodded, pride written all over her face: "Auntie just praised me."
Su Banxia stood up and gave Fang Shiqing a grateful smile.
"Back from your date? How was it?"
Fang Shiqing teased her with a playful look.
"Don't make fun of me. These dinners just aren't for me."
Su Banxia sat on the sofa and sighed quietly.
Fang Shiqing took a deep breath: "You have a handsome man by your side, and you still say it's not for you? Do you know if anyone else in the company heard that, they'd want to drown you in a pig cage!"
Seeing Fang Shiqing's exaggerated expression, Su Banxia shook her head with a light laugh: "If anyone envies my job, I'd gladly swap with them."
"Say that in front of me, fine. But if you said it in front of Pei Shaoze, I wonder how many lives you'd have left for him to torment."
Fang Shiqing didn't hesitate to hit her sore spot.
"You just can't go a day without pointing out my flaws, can you?"
Su Banxia was at a loss for words.
Su Guoguo listened blankly to their conversation and timidly asked, "Mom, what does 'drown in a pig cage' mean?"
Faced with the child's innocent question, Su Banxia and Fang Shiqing exchanged awkward glances, both flushing with embarrassment. How had they let such a phrase slip in front of the kids?
Seeing no one answer, Su Guoguo turned to Su Hao and asked in a babyish voice, "Brother, do you know what it means?"
"Boring."
Su Hao replied with a cool face, snorted, and walked into his room.
"Banxia, if your son grows up like this, he'll never find a wife."
Fang Shiqing worried about Su Hao's future.
Su Banxia smirked: "My son's future is still up in the air. Right now, I'm more concerned about you. Tell me, how are things going with Mr. Lin lately?"
At the mention of those three words, Fang Shiqing's face instinctively flushed: "Why bring that up all of a sudden?"
"Are you going to confess willingly, or do I need to interrogate you under duress?"
Su Banxia raised an eyebrow at her.
"Banxia!"
Fang Shiqing shot her a reproachful look, then pouted: "Guoguo's still here. As a mom, don't ruin your image in front of the kids."
"What are you nervous about?"
Su Banxia looked her up and down and clicked her tongue: "Seeing you like this, even if you told me there's nothing fishy going on, I wouldn't believe it."
Fang Shiqing felt her scalp tingle under Su Banxia's intense gaze. She quickly stood up and said awkwardly, "I just remembered I have some company documents to handle. I'll get to work."
Watching Fang Shiqing's almost fleeing figure, Su Banxia's suspicion only grew: "A HR manager, what documents could she have at home?"
But despite her doubts, Su Banxia didn't dwell on it. After putting the two children to bed, she took a shower.
Back in her bedroom, just as she was about to read a book and relax, her phone rang.
Seeing the caller ID, she jolted.
Hurriedly swiping to answer, Su Banxia's expression was unusually tense: "President Pei, do you have any further instructions this late?"
Hearing her formal tone, Pei Shaoze frowned: "I told you to call me Shaoze."
"Is there something you need to discuss calling so late?"
Su Banxia gripped the phone tightly, unsure what the living demon on the other end wanted.
"The collaboration with the Qin family can go through smoothly. Given the huge loss you caused the company before, I'm giving you a chance to redeem yourself. This contract is entirely your responsibility. If you complete it successfully, you can take a 20% commission."
Pei Shaoze's voice was calm, laced with irresistible allure.
Su Banxia couldn't believe such good fortune had suddenly come her way. She was visibly excited: "President Pei, are you serious?"
"Do I look like I'm joking?"
Pei Shaoze's tone carried a hint of impatience.
"No, no, that's not what I meant. President Pei, thank you."
Su Banxia was so happy she stumbled over her words.