Today’s Busy, I’ll Buy It For You Next Time
The storm outside had quieted, but not inside the room.
As Wei Lai took her second shower, she noticed the backyard was blanketed in thick snow, the neatly trimmed bushes now unrecognizable beneath the heavy layers.
The only other time she had seen snow this heavy was in a small town near a ski resort.
“Don’t clear the snow in the yard before I get up,” she said, not looking at him. Just ten seconds ago, she was still trembling in his arms.
Her heart was still beating, yet to settle down.
Zhou Sujin: “I won’t. I’ll leave it for you.”
He reached for the tissue box on the nightstand.
“Honey, don’t move.” Wei Lai suddenly grabbed his arm.
Zhou Sujin paused, not reaching for the tissue box. Instead, he pulled her back into his embrace, his voice becoming hoarse, “Tell me if you feel uncomfortable.”
There was nothing uncomfortable.
He hadn’t moved out yet, so when he half-rose to grab the tissue box, it sent a warm, electrifying sensation throughout her whole body.
The tremors of desire surged within her again.
Breaking the silence, Wei Lai asked, “Will you be home for dinner tomorrow night?”
Zhou Sujin’s eyes met hers. “Yeah.”
“Will you be eating at home for the next few days?”
“En.”
Wei Lai wrapped her arms around his neck, their breaths intertwining.
After a few seconds of gazing into each other’s eyes, Zhou Sujin leaned down, and she met his kiss. Despite their intimate connection, the unfamiliarity between them had only slightly diminished. The emotional distance couldn’t be bridged by physical closeness alone.
She had a luncheon with someone the next day, and his schedule was packed as well, so reason prevailed, and they didn’t go for a fourth round.
Zhou Sujin kissed her on the lips before rising from the bed.
Wei Lai didn’t have the energy for another bath, so she quickly showered and changed into a clean robe. The nightgown and PJs she had worn earlier were completely soaked and unwearable.
The next morning, she slept until eight, by which time Zhou Sujin had already left for work.
The snow in the yard remained untouched, just as it had been when it stopped falling the previous night. She took a few photos before leaving a trail of footprints in the snow.
If Zhou Sujin saw, he’d probably comment that she must be really bored.
Around 10 a.m., she went upstairs to change and get ready for her luncheon.
She chose a soft-colored knit sweater dress, paired with a classic gray coat. After pulling her hair back, she carefully checked her neck—no visible marks.
Zhou Sujin had been exceptionally restrained last night, always attentive to her needs. Even in those moments, he maintained a calm control over his desires.
She figured she’d probably never see him lose control in her lifetime.
Just as she opened the door of the Bentayga and got in, Zhou Sujin called her.
“Are you up yet?” His crisp voice came through.
“I’ve been up for a while. I’m about to head out.” Wei Lai placed her purse on the passenger seat. After the hormones wore off, the unfamiliarity between them as a couple created a slight awkwardness.
“Honey, what’s up?”
Zhou Sujin: “The clothes were picked out by my aunt. If anything doesn’t fit, I’ll exchange it for you.”
By the time she had awakened, a batch of winter clothes had already been delivered to the house, all in her preferred style and colors. It turned out to be his aunt’s good taste.
“No, everything fits perfectly, no need for an exchange.” Wei Lai looked down at her knit dress. “I thought you had picked them out for me.”
Zhou Sujin had previously promised her that any gift he gave her in the future would be something he personally picked out. He explained, “Today’s situation is special. I’ll buy it for you next time.”
There was a meeting this morning, so he didn’t have time to choose clothes for her, while she urgently needed something to wear.
“Honey.”
“En.”
She called him once but then fell silent.
Zhou Sujin asked, “Why aren’t you saying anything?”
“I suddenly forgot what I wanted to say…”
“Tell me when you remember.”
“En, I’m hanging up now, I’m heading out.” Wei Lai couldn’t quite describe the subtle shift in their interactions today. She had actually stumbled over her words earlier.
Maybe because the physical distance between them had disappeared.
Just as Zhou Sujin ended the call with Wei Lai, his aunt’s call came in.
Ning Rujiang had heard that Wei Lai was in Beijing and asked her nephew when he was planning to bring her over for dinner.
“I’m not too busy these days, so you two can come by whenever.”
Although the ginkgo leaves in the year had all fallen, it was still nice to sit inside and drink coffee while enjoying the snow-covered garden.
Zhou Sujin: “We won’t be coming. She’s here on a business trip.”
Ning Rujiang said enthusiastically, “No matter how busy one is, surely there’s time for dinner?”
Zhou Sujin pondered for a moment before honestly telling his aunt, “Even if there’s time, I wouldn’t bring her over.”
Ning Rujiang felt a sudden pang of concern. Were the two of them having problems?
For some reason, the watch suddenly came to her mind.
“Sujin, what’s going on between you two?”
“It’s nothing. We’re still adjusting to one another. There’s not a lot of feelings between us yet. If we’re around family, she puts on a show for you guys’ sake.”
Zhou Sujin had just returned to his office from a meeting and still had work to finish. “Auntie, I’m busy. When it’s time to head home, I’ll bring her with me.”
Ning Rujiang sighed in relief—as long as they weren’t fighting.
She understood her nephew’s decision. After all, pretending was too exhausting, and he didn’t want Wei Lai to tire herself out keeping up appearances for the family.
After hanging up, Zhou Sujin set his phone aside and opened a document awaiting his signature.
Lu An knocked once before stepping inside, holding his phone to his ear. He pulled out a chair across from Zhou Sujin and sat down as the person on the other end of the line explained the reason for the call.
“President Lu, did you buy a second-hand watch in Jiang City last August?” Zhang Yanxin asked directly.
“Yeah.”
Lu An glanced at Zhou Sujin’s wrist, where the watch was still sitting. He had suspected Zhang Yanxin was after Zhou Sujin’s watch, and it seemed he was right.
Zhang Yanxin had figured out the whole story. The night he and Wei Lai broke up, the watch had been bought by Lu An and Zhou Sujin.
“That watch was a birthday present from Wei Lai to me.”
“What did you just say!” Lu An’s shock made his voice jump a few notches, almost swearing in disbelief.
Across from him, Zhou Sujin glanced at him a few times at his outburst.
Lu An could no longer care about the warning glance from Zhou Sujin. His fingers pressed hard against his temples, feeling the loud thudding of his heartbeat.
Zhang Yanxin repeated himself, “The watch was a present from Wei Lai to me. For President Zhou, it doesn’t hold any special meaning, and I don’t want to make him uncomfortable. I’d appreciate it if you could help me buy it back. Don’t worry, I won’t wear it out. President Zhou will never know about the connection between the watch and me.”
“Sorry, I’m afraid I can’t help you with that.”
“I understand it puts you in a difficult situation. No worries. Sorry for the trouble, President Lu.”
Lu An ended the call, his mind buzzing.
He couldn’t shake the feeling that he had just stumbled into a huge mess.
Back then, Zhou Sujin hadn’t even given this watch another glance. It was he who had insisted they check out the flagship store in Shanghai, and Zhou Sujin only reluctantly agreed to the watch because it was too much trouble otherwise.
And now look at the situation.
“What did you need from me?” Zhou Sujin looked up at him.
Lu An snapped out of it and grabbed his phone before standing up. “Wrong room. I was looking for Zhou Jiaye.”
He practically bolted out, heading straight for Zhou Jiaye’s office. Once inside, he slammed the door shut and even locked it.
Zhou Jiaye gave him a long look. “Running that fast—did you get on Zhou Sujin’s bad side?”
“… Ugh, don’t even get me started.”
Wearing a thin sweater, Lu An was sweating profusely, so he yanked it off, leaving just his shirt on—though he still felt hot.
He wiped his forehead, his fingers coming away damp with sweat.
Zhou Jiaye was about to make another joke, but seeing Lu An drenched in sweat, he realized the gravity of the situation.
“What kind of trouble did you get yourself in? Did you screw up the investment project you two are working on?”
Lu An gulped down a glass of cold water. “If it was just about money, I’d be relieved.”
Setting down the glass, he explained the whole situation, not leaving out a single detail.
After hearing the story, Zhou Jiaye fell silent too.
Lu An, both scared and frustrated, blurted, “Do you think Zhang Yanxin’s out of his mind?”
With no time to cuss, he asked Zhou Jiaye for his analysis of what Zhang Yanxin might do next.
Zhou Jiaye: “For now, he won’t do anything. Even if he wants the watch back, he has to consider his partnership with our Kunchen.”
The thing Lu An was worried about was, “The board already passed the decision last week to reduce our stake in Xinming Semiconductor. If Zhang Yanxin finds out about this, do you think he’ll still hold back?”
Zhou Jiaye: “That’s why I said for now.”
Suddenly, he remembered how his mom and aunt had also shown unusual interest in that watch. He had been puzzled at the time, but now it all made sense. Since it was a present from Wei Lai to Zhang Yanxin, his mom couldn’t understand why Zhou Sujin wore it so nonchalantly, without a second thought.
“Why are you so anxious? It’s not like it’s your fault.”
Lu An wasn’t exactly anxious, it was mostly guilt. “I accidentally broke the watch you gave him, and it still hasn’t been fixed. I thought I’d replace it with something else, and now there’s this whole mess.”
Even after calming down, he still had no idea what to do. He asked Zhou Jiaye, “So, what now?”
Zhou Jiaye thought for a moment before saying, “Let’s deal with it after the new year. Wei Lai’s still here.” He told Lu An not to overthink it. “There’s nothing Zhou Sujin can’t handle.”
At Table No. 9 of S.Z. Restaurant
Wei Lai had arrived 20 minutes early.
She had barely sat down when Qi Linsheng walked in. He was the same type of person as her, who would never keep others waiting, regardless of who was treating.
“Mr. Qi, long time no see.” Wei Lai greeted him with a smile as she stood.
“Please, sit. No need for formalities.”
This was only their second meeting, but there was no sense of awkwardness between them.
Qi Linsheng frequented this restaurant and knew which tables were reserved for exclusive guests. Their table, for instance, wasn’t something an average person could book. “I’m sure it wasn’t easy getting this reservation.”
Wei Lai: “Not really. My husband helped arrange it.”
Qi Linsheng noticed the wedding ring on her finger. She hadn’t been wearing one the last time they met. Since he had driven himself today, he raised his glass of water to toast her. “Congratulations.”
He wasn’t one to pry into personal matters, so after the congratulations, the conversation quickly moved on.
“I heard Chen Qi joined your team.”
Wei Lai was surprised. “You know Chen Qi?”
Qi Linsheng nodded. “We’ve known each other for years due to work.”
Chen Qi had once asked him about the management team at Wei Lai Supermarket. Knowing Chen Qi well, he had simply said, “I think you’ll get along.”
Wei Lai was grateful. “Thanks to you, else Chen Qi wouldn’t have joined us.”
Qi Linsheng smiled. “You’re welcome.”
During lunch, the conversation naturally shifted to Wei Lai Supermarket’s expansion plans for the upcoming year, and securing capital was the top priority.
Through her previous role, Wei Lai had built a modest network of contacts. Tomorrow, she had a meeting lined up with an account manager from Yuanwei Capital to see if they might be interested in investing in Wei Lai Supermarket.
Wei Lai and Qi Linsheng continued chatting until 2:30 p.m. before parting ways. Qi Linsheng mentioned that he might visit Jiang City to assess the market after the new year. She extended her hand and said, “We look forward to having you visit and learn from you, Mr. Qi.”
After saying their goodbyes, they each went to retrieve their cars.
Out of habit, Wei Lai looked for her Cullinan, but among the sea of cars, she didn’t spot a dark emerald SUV. A few steps later, she suddenly remembered that she had driven Zhou Sujin’s black Bentayga today.
Once inside the car, she didn’t start it right away, mulling over where she should head next.
She still hadn’t bought new clothes for her parents for the new year, and by the time she got back home, it would be close to Chinese New Year’s Eve, leaving little time for shopping.
She started the engine and drove to the nearest mall.
After buying clothes for her parents, she also picked up gifts for her grandparents on both sides. She even found something for her uncle’s family. The only person she hadn’t shopped for was Zhou Sujin.
Already back in the car with the engine running, she turned it off and headed back into the mall.
Wei Lai picked out a mid-length coat for Zhou Sujin. If he didn’t like it, she could occasionally wear it herself to keep warm.
Next door was the flagship store for one of her most worn brands. The spring collection was out, and the selection here had more variety than back in Jiang City, so she went in for a look.
She found a cardigan and a dress she liked, then noticed a lightweight blazer in her favorite color and style. Just as she was about to try it on, the store manager took it down and whispered some instructions to an assistant nearby.
After the manager finished, Wei Lai approached and asked to try on the blazer.
The store manager gestured toward the other fitting room and apologized, “I’m sorry, ma’am, but another customer had already set her eyes on this blazer. Would you like to take a look at something else?”
“Was there only one in stock?”
“Two, but the other one was purchased this afternoon.”
“Okay.”
Wei Lai felt disappointed but paid for the cardigan and dress before leaving the store.
By the time she left the mall, it was almost six, and the sky had already darkened.
Traffic was heavy, and it took her half an hour and a half to get back home.
In the driveway, the Bentley was already parked in its spot.
Wei Lai parked the car and only grabbed the coat she had bought for Zhou Sujin before heading inside.
The living room downstairs was empty. As she reached the top of the stairs, she called out, “Honey?’
Zhou Sujin was in his study and responded with a simple utterance.
When Wei Lai reached the study’s doorway, he happened to glance up. In that brief moment of eye contact, she couldn’t help but think of last night, feeling a bit awkward.
But thanks to him, she had learned how to keep her emotions in check now.
“Did you come home early?”
“Not too long ago.”
Wei Lai walked over and held out the new coat for him to see. “I bought something for everyone in the family, so of course, I couldn’t leave you out. Do you like it? If not, I’ll just wear it myself.”
Zhou Sujin commented, “Looks good.” Then, without looking away from his computer screen, he moved his mouse and said to her, “Hold on a second.”
Wei Lai’s gaze shifted from his long, slender fingers to the sharp lines of his jaw. His cold expression revealed nothing of his true feelings, making it impossible to gauge what he thought of the coat she had brought him.
After saving his document, he stood up and took the coat from her hands. “Went shopping this afternoon?”
“En.” Wei Lai followed him out of the study and toward the bedroom. As they walked, she grabbed his hand. Zhou Sujin turned his hand over to clasp hers, enveloping it in his palms.
Along with her hand, he also seemed to hold her heartbeat.
Hand in hand, they made their way to the walk-in closet.
Zhou Sujin pointed toward the sofa. “Bought this for you.”
Wei Lai glanced at the logo on the shopping bag and immediately recognized it—it was from the same women’s clothing flagship store she had visited that afternoon.
The clothes from this morning had been chosen by Auntie, and that was his first time breaking his promise to her, so he made it up to her in the evening.
Zhou Sujin: “I didn’t have time to go to the store, so I had them send over some options, and I picked out a few.”
Wei Lai slipped her hand out of his and walked over to take a look. Inside were spring dresses and to her surprise, the very blazer she hadn’t been able to purchase earlier. So, he bought the other one.
Suddenly, she felt completely content.
“You remembered I like white blazers? I wanted to try this one at the store this afternoon, but they didn’t have it in stock. I was a bit disappointed. I didn’t expect you to buy it for me.”
She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him.
“Honey.”
“What is it?” Zhou Sujin pulled her closer with one arm, hanging the coat she bought him in the front section of the closet. “Is there something else you want?”
“No.” Wei Lai didn’t say anything more, simply gazing at him in silence.
Zhou Sujin looked down at her, no longer asking what was on her mind, and lowered his head to kiss her on the lips.
