The Slacker Stepmother and the Non-Domineering CEO

Chapter 4

Nian Suian was afraid of developing a small belly from overeating, so she only had two slices of toast to tide her over. After eating, she took out her lipstick from her small purse and touched up her makeup.

"Let's go," she said, her two words carrying the air of a royal command.

Nian Suian got into a car of an unfamiliar brand. When it came to cars, she was as clueless as someone who had neither eaten pork nor seen a pig run. In her mind, luxury cars were limited to Mercedes, BMW, and Audi. However, she had always thought that not recognizing car brands was a good thing; this way, she couldn't be impressed by such displays of wealth.

Today's car, though still unrecognizable to Nian Suian, was clearly expensive: even a fool could tell that much.

The seat was so comfortable that she wanted to slouch as soon as she sat down. However, she didn't forget that she was supposed to be playing the role of an elegant and aloof lady today. Sitting in the back, Nian Suian caught sight of the bald driver in front and straightened her back even more, while inwardly mocking the CEO romance novels she had read.

Where was the promised partition? She could clearly see her own reflection in the driver's bald head!

Beside her, Gu Zhijing wasn't following any elegant and aloof script. He slumped into his seat without any semblance of proper posture. If Gu Junxing were here, he might have said something about it, but Gu Junxing was away on a business trip. Gu Zhijing had long since outgrown the stage of "craving paternal love": now he wished his father would stay away on business trips forever!

Thinking about this, Gu Zhijing had two little figures fighting in his mind.

Figure A: You only think about yourself! With your dad not coming home, what about your young stepmother? Did she marry into the family just to be left alone?

Figure B: So what? Everyone online says that having money, free time, and a husband who doesn't come home is the best life! My young stepmother is so young, how could she possibly like my old man of a father?

"Young stepmother? Do you know when my dad is coming back?" Gu Zhijing decided to test the waters.

"Huh?" Nian Suian was puzzled. If his own son didn't know, how would she, a stranger who had just married into the family, know? "I don't know. Do you miss your father?" Nian Suian shook her head inwardly. Even rich kids miss their dads: a CEO's left-behind child is still a left-behind child...

"I don't miss him at all. He always nags me when he's home. It's better if he doesn't come back yet. Let me enjoy my freedom for a few more days. I was just worried that you might miss him," Gu Zhijing said while secretly watching Nian Suian's expression.

"Haha, I don't miss him. We're not close," Nian Suian said frankly, as honesty was her principle.

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While this impromptu mother-son duo chatted happily in the back, the driver, Uncle Zheng, overheard them saying how it would be better if his boss never came home... He silently shed a tear for his employer, inadvertently causing the car to swerve into an S-curve.

"Uncle Zheng, slow down! If something happens to me, the Gu family line will end. My old man might not be able to have a second child at his age," Gu Zhijing exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, young master. I'll be careful," Uncle Zheng replied, though he wondered if it was appropriate for the young master to say his father couldn't have more children in front of his stepmother.

Nian Suian, hearing this, said seriously, "Isn't your father only 35? Theoretically, he should still be able to have children."

"We learned in class that men start to decline after 25. Children born to older fathers aren't as good as those born when they're young. If my dad has another child now, they probably won't be as smart and cute as me," young master Gu said, showing he paid attention in class.

The driver thought to himself: To prevent the stepmother from having a second child, the young master is saying such things. Isn't his motive too obvious?

"Wow! They teach you this in school? Your school seems pretty good!" Nian Suian was a bit shocked. When she was in school, this kind of knowledge was self-taught.

The driver was exasperated again: Is that the point?!

"Do you and my dad have any plans to have a baby? If so, you should remind him to quit drinking and start exercising. My dad doesn't smoke, so quitting alcohol and working out should be enough," Gu Zhijing continued.

"You're quite knowledgeable, kid! But I don't plan on having children. The Gu family already has you, right?" Nian Suian wasn't joking. Having children was such a hassle: getting one for free was the best scenario!

"I don't want to have children either. Let me spend all the Gu family's money. If I have a child, I'd have to share my money with them. That means less for me. I'm not doing it," Gu Zhijing thought. Kids were the worst: having been a child himself, he knew exactly what they were like.

Nian Suian quickly seized the opportunity, "Young Master Gu, don't forget me when you're rich and successful!"

"Of course, of course."

"Young master, madam, we've arrived at the school," Uncle Zheng announced.

To Nian Suian, these words sounded like a battle cry. She took out her small mirror to check her flawless makeup, then touched up her lipstick once more. Only then did she put on her most elegant and aloof expression before getting out of the car.

"Jinjiang City No. 15 Middle School."

Wow! What a... utterly ordinary name, Nian Suian thought. She had expected the school of a second-generation rich kid to be called something like Ealiston or at least have "International" in its name. This family was quite unconventional.

As soon as the "mother and son" entered the gates after registering with the security guard, Gu Zhijing ran into his friends.

The school had both middle and high school sections, so many students continued their education together. Good friends from middle school could still attend high school together.

"Gu Zhijing, why are you so late!" Three boys about Gu Zhijing's age ran up excitedly, as if they had finally found the fourth player they needed.

When they reached them, they politely stopped to greet Nian Suian, though their greeting was... interesting.

"Hello, Sister Gu!" The three young men lined up and bowed to Nian Suian, making her feel like she should give them some kind of welcome gift. But when she rummaged through her small purse, she only found lipstick and powder compact.

At this point, it was no longer appropriate to maintain her elegant and aloof facade. As she had always said, she liked polite children.

"Hello, hello! You must come and visit us at home sometime," she said warmly.

"We will, we will! It's strange though, we never heard Gu Zhijing mention having such a beautiful sister. Gu Zhijing, you're quite stingy, keeping her a secret," one of Gu Zhijing's friends complained.

Nian Suian enjoyed watching the drama unfold. She was curious to see how Gu Zhijing would introduce her.

Gu Zhijing didn't feel particularly embarrassed. It would be strange if people thought such a young stepmother was actually his mother. He also didn't think there was anything unspeakable about his stepmother's status - it was just marriage, divorce, and remarriage, wasn't it? Everyone had seen "Home with Kids" after all.

"She's not my sister, she's my father's wife, my stepmother," Gu Zhijing said nonchalantly.

"Huh?"

Gu Zhijing's reaction left Nian Suian, who was hoping to see some drama, a bit disappointed. So she suddenly had an idea to tease him a little.

"Child, what are you saying?" Nian Suian switched her expression to one of loving kindness, and even put her arm around Gu Zhijing's shoulders. She had originally wanted to pat his head, but they weren't that close yet, and she was afraid he might take offense.

"Mommy knows you're still upset with me. You're upset that I left as soon as you were born, and that I've only come back to see you now. But Mommy had no choice! I'm not asking for your forgiveness, but you can't call me your stepmother. Boo-hoo-hoo..." As Nian Suian's performance reached its emotional peak, tears gushed forth. The elegantly dressed beauty was now crying her eyes out. Not only were Gu Zhijing's friends convinced, even Gu Zhijing himself almost believed that Nian Suian was his birth mother... if she hadn't been twenty-five years old.

"Oh, auntie... no, I mean... sis, or... um..." Nian Suian's tears left the young men at a loss. "Auntie-sis, please don't cry. Gu Zhijing just didn't know about your hardships before. So you're..."

Nian Suian continued her act. She wiped away her tears and smiled, though to others, this smile seemed to contain three parts fragility, three parts guilt, and four parts strength.

"That's right, I am Zhijing's long-lost birth mother."