Atlas Studios

  Atlas Studios

  “Huh, really?”


  Liao Gaofei thought that his friend’s reply was weird, but being the careless person that he was, he did not think much about it.

  “Oh, right, we’re going to Mu Heng’s place tonight to drink. Since you’re back, why don’t you come along?”


  Fu Mingxuan frowned when he heard his friend’s happy voice through the receiver. He planned to turn him down but, having thought of something, agreed in the end.

  “Okay.”


  Hanging up and taking one last look at Pei Ge’s apartment building, he tugged the corners of his mouth and left……

  “Mom, I’m back!”


  Pei Ge shouted excitedly right after she opened the door and even before she changed into her indoor slippers.

  Her mother, who was busy in the kitchen, rushed out upon hearing her voice.

  “Ge Ge!”


  “Mom, I’ve missed you so much!” She threw her bags aside and ran to her mother.

  “I’ve missed you, too, my daughter.”


  Zhang Manhua hugged her daughter with joyful tears in her eyes.

  The mother-daughter pair only let go of each other after a while.

  “You’ve lost some weight. Ge Ge, you’ve only been gone for a bit, and you’ve lost weight already.”


  Drying the tears in her eye rims, she sized up her daughter.

  “With your face slimmer now, your eyes look big.”


  She smiled and held her daughter’s palm affectionately.

  “Is it very busy at the branch company? Otherwise, why would you lose so much weight.”


  Pei Ge shook her head and smiled at her mother’s pained look.

  “Mom, isn’t it better that I’ve lost some weight? Didn’t you use to tell me to go on a diet when I was at home?” she muttered.

  “He he, you.”


  Rolling her eyes, Zhang Manhua decided not to dwell on the topic of her daughter’s body weight.

  “Okay, I’m still brewing soup for you, so I’ll stop talking. You go get some rest first, and I’ll call you over when it’s time for dinner.”


  “Mom, I don’t come back very often, and you’re just sending me off to bed; I guess you really dislike your daughter, huh!”


  “This child, aren’t I just worrying about you being tired from return trip?”


  “He he! Mom, I’m not tired at all; I’ll talk to you some more.”


  Thus, the two entered the kitchen and cooked food together while they chatted.

  Pei Ge told her mother a thing or two about her new company’s happenings. She omitted the unhappy events and spoke of the happy occurrences only.

  “Mom, did you know? I’m now the boss managing a company! I returned to get dad’s work notes for reference.”


  When she spoke of this, she excitedly asked her.

  “Oh, right, mom; dad’s work notes are still around, right?”


  Zhang Manhua laughed at her expectant look, softly saying, “Yes, they’re still around; I’ve stashed them away.”


  “That’s great! When dad was still around, he would say that his work notes are to be passed on to me. He also said that Gemei would be passed on to me.”


  What was originally a happy reunion got gloomier as she spoke further.

  Gemei…… was her father’s company and what was now Pei Family Real Estate.

  If her father were not in an accident, had not owed so much money, and had not passed away, Gemei Real Estate would not have become Pei Family Real Estate.

  Seeing the gloominess on her daughter’s face, Zhang Manhua knew what the other was thinking.

  A hint of sadness flashed across her eyes, and she rushed to change the topic, not wanting her daughter to stew in her sadness.

  “Right, Ge Ge, isn’t your boss Xiao Ji? Why doesn’t he know where you are? He even came by to ask me of your whereabouts.”


  Immediately, when she heard this, Pei Ge’s gloominess dissipated.

  “What?! That fellow was looking for me?” she exclaimed, her eyes widening.

  “Yes. He seemed really anxious. This child, why didn’t you tell Xiao Ji that you were leaving?” Zhang Manhua shook her head, looking at her with reproach.

  She pursed her lips, unable to tell her mother the truth. “Wasn’t it because I went there so suddenly, and he was out of the country? How could I tell him?”


  “No matter how sudden it was, you should call him at least. How could he not be anxious when you just upped and left?”


  She was a little unhappy when her mom continued to blame her.

  “He didn’t tell me when he left the country, either! I was just doing the same thing as him.”


  “Hey! This child!” Zhang Manhua did not know what to say anymore and just glared at her as she tried persuading her.

  “Ge Ge, since you’re back, it’s good to be polite and let Xiao Ji know. He’s quite anxious when he sought for you at the time.”


  She pursed her lips at her mother’s suggestion and hesitated.

  In the end, she did not call him.

  This was because, first, she had made a promise to his father and, second, because…… he would inquire about her from Fu Mingxuan if he was truly anxiously looking for her.

  “Mom, it’s fine. If he wants to look for me, he’ll come by in person.” She smiled at her mother expectantly.

  What would she say to him if that annoying fellow really came over to find her?

  Should she talk about the company’s affairs, or should she ask him why he left the country without a word?

  While she was thinking of him, over at Bar Vista, Ji Ziming was thinking of her as well.

  “Ziming, just give thinking about Little Chili a rest. We’re all helping you look already. We’ll let you know once we have news. Right, Liao dumb bird, Mingxuan?”