C9 Chapter 9

The weather was neither cool nor warm, but sleeping on the floor in the dead of night was a surefire way to catch a cold.

Moreover, for a woman, getting chilled could be even worse. Chen Dong's thoughts drifted to his mother-in-law's words about needing a child.

A shiver ran down his spine at the thought of having a child with Lee Susu.

He feared he'd be the first to perish. Susu was too intense for him to handle.

"I'll sleep on the floor; you take the bed," Chen Dong said as he climbed down from the bed and approached Susu, who was feigning sleep beside him. She remained motionless, ignoring him completely.

Did she think he wanted her to get in bed?

Wishful thinking!

She'd rather sleep with a pig than share a bed with this man!

"Are you going up or not?" Chen Dong's patience was wearing thin. Even with his usually calm demeanor, he couldn't stand being provoked like this.

Susu felt a chill emanating from Chen Dong beside her, causing her heart to skip a beat, but she stubbornly clenched her teeth. What gave this man the right to threaten her?

Chen Dong licked his dry lips in frustration.

"Ah!" Suddenly, Susu found herself airborne, letting out a terrified scream. Trapped in her blanket, she couldn't move her limbs and resorted to vocal threats, "Chen Dong, put me down! If you don't, I swear I'll take your life!"

With a "thud," Chen Dong dropped Susu onto the bed. He hadn't intended to escalate things, but her relentless defiance ignited his anger.

Feeling the weight of a man on top of her, Susu's face turned ghostly white as she struggled out of the blanket, too scared to utter another word.

Chen Dong pinned her hands above her head, his features hard and cold as he leaned down and exhaled beside her ear.

A tingling sensation overwhelmed Susu, and she thought she must be losing her mind. How could she find Chen Dong remotely attractive in this moment?

Chen Dong's appearance could still be considered decent by any standard.

Yet, Lee Susu had always regarded him as a freeloader, a useless man. Why would she ever take a serious look at him?

"Stupid woman," Chen Dong muttered, feeling a sense of relief after the insult. He then sprang out of bed and left the room.

Just like that, he was gone!

Staring at her own ceiling, Lee Susu could hear the pounding of her heart. That good-for-nothing! He actually dared to!

She was about to continue her tirade when she caught sight of the man sleeping on the floor, facedown. Lee Susu's words caught in her throat, and she found herself speechless.

With the lights out, Lee Susu lay awake all night, acutely aware of the additional presence in the room and the distinct sound of his breathing.

"How did it go? How did it go?" Early in the morning, Wang Lifang had prepared breakfast and discreetly pulled Chen Dong aside to inquire.

"It was okay," he replied nonchalantly. Nothing had happened, after all.

"How many times?"

It wouldn't be right to exaggerate, so how could he respond? His mother-in-law was putting him in a tough spot. Chen Dong vaguely answered, "She seemed a bit under the weather."

Upon hearing her daughter was feeling unwell, Wang Lifang clapped her hands happily. "I'll make her some nourishing soup right away."

Chen Dong: "..."

Before Lee Susu had a chance to enjoy the soup her mother had made, a phone call beckoned her away. As she changed her shoes at the doorway, she explained to Wang Lifang, "This is a big sales lead. Closing it would really boost the company's profile."

"Some jobs just don't leave you any time to eat," Wang Lifang complained, before presenting the soup to Chen Dong. "At least Dongdong is here, with all the time in the world to keep me company."

Chen Dong touched his nose, a twinkle in his eye, and accepted the soup from Wang Lifang, taking a hearty gulp.

Over the next few days, Lee Susu's time at home dwindled, and her interactions with Chen Dong were nothing but cold glances. At night, she acted as if Chen Dong, who slept on the floor, didn't exist.

While Lee Susu was in the bathroom, her phone on the nightstand began to vibrate incessantly. As it teetered on the edge, Chen Dong, quick as a flash from his spot on the floor, caught it. A pleasant female voice on the other end asked, "Miss Lee, have you made up your mind?"

"What was I thinking about?" mumbled Chen Dong, still groggy from sleep.

"Is this Mr. Chen Dong?" The woman's voice on the phone sounded excited.

"Mhm."

"Would it be possible to invite you and your wife for an exclusive interview with us?"

On television...

Chen Dong's mind was still on that incident with the mop at the hospital. Before he could respond, a roar from behind him jolted him awake.

"Who gave you permission to touch my phone!" Lee Susu lunged forward, wresting the phone from Chen Dong's grasp. She hastily ended the call and glared at him with fierce eyes. "Stay put at home."

With that, she stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

The door's reverberations lasted a while. Chen Dong rubbed the back of his head, wondering what had gotten into him this time.

In a towering skyscraper, as the doors opened, a young lady dressed as a secretary stood up and greeted respectfully, "Good day, President."

It was clear that this secretary's voice was the same one that had spoken with Chen Dong earlier.

The man referred to as the President, appearing to be in his fifties or sixties, maneuvered his wheelchair forward with an undeniable air of authority. "Has the guest arrived?"

"Miss Lee has agreed to come," the secretary said in a whisper.

"What about Chen Dong?"

"Mr. Chen seems to be completely unaware of this matter."

...

"Dongdong." His mother-in-law entered, holding a bag of takeout. "I noticed Susu didn't eat much at the office. I had her take this, but I didn't expect her to leave so quickly."

"I'll take it to her." Chen Dong grabbed his coat from the couch, threw it on, took the bag from Wang Lifang, and headed out the door.

Outside, the rain was falling, and having forgotten his umbrella, Chen Dong ran around trying to hail a cab without success. To keep the takeout dry, he stuffed it into his inner jacket pocket.

The rain blurred his vision, and as he splashed through puddles, he waved for a taxi. One sped past, just missing his outstretched hand.

Should I just run over there?

Just then, a car pulled up in front of him—a Maybach, indicating the individual inside must be someone of significance. The driver leaned out from the driver's side window and called out, "Need a lift?"

Chen Dong couldn't tell if the person was friend or foe, so he was hesitant to just hop in. Surprisingly, the car kept pace with him as he walked, piquing his curiosity.

In his former life, it wouldn't have been unusual for Chen Dong to rub shoulders with high-status individuals. But now, with his unremarkable standing, how could he possibly connect with such people?

"Mr. Chen, our elder would like to invite you into the car to discuss a business proposition," the driver said, glancing back as if seeking approval from the passenger behind him, and clarified their intent.

A business proposition?