Chapter 32: No Difficult Work, Only Brave…

Chapter 32: No Difficult Work, Only Brave...

They arrived at the company in about ten minutes, taking the CEO's private elevator directly from the underground parking lot.

To ensure Song Chuqing wouldn't get bored in the office, Ji Fuxi thoughtfully brought her small backpack.

The elevator chimed, opening on the 32nd floor. Xiao Xu, the front desk receptionist at the CEO's office, instinctively looked up, then gasped and shot to her feet.

This...

The Chairman was holding a little girl's hand? And carrying a backpack?

Xiao Xu's first thought was that this must be a child from the Ji family. If she recalled correctly, Chairman Ji's younger sister had a son—but no, this was a girl...

Before she could fully process it, the large and small figures had already approached. Zhuang Cheng also came out to greet them.

Song Chuqing didn't recognize the "older sister" (Xiao Xu), but she knew Zhuang Cheng, greeting him politely in a soft voice, "Uncle Zhuang."

Zhuang Cheng was equally surprised that Ji Fuxi had brought his daughter to the office, and he respectfully replied, "Hello, Xiao Chu."

Ji Fuxi merely glanced at Zhuang Cheng and continued walking inside.

Once they were out of earshot, Zhuang Cheng, understanding his boss’s unspoken signal, turned back to instruct Xiao Xu, "Keep this under wraps. Later, relay that this matter is not to be discussed within the company or posted online. Monitor for any leaks and report anomalies to me immediately."

"Understood, Assistant Zhuang."

Xiao Xu’s mind reeled, but she dared not ask. Oh my god, what was going on?! Was this level of secrecy truly necessary?!

Ji Fuxi led the little girl into his office and settled her on the sofa. "Daddy needs to work now. Xiao Chu, please wait here for Daddy."

"Okay, Daddy, you go ahead. I'll be good." She had waited for Mommy to work before—it wasn't hard at all.

"Would Xiao Chu like to watch TV or read a book?"

"Paw Patrol!"

There was no TV in the office, so Ji Fuxi moved his laptop over and found Paw Patrol for her.

"If anything comes up, call Daddy right away. You can also go outside and find Sister Xiao Xu."

"Mm-hmm, I got it, Daddy."

Ji Fuxi gently stroked her cheek and stood to leave. At the door, he looked back—the little girl was already engrossed in the show, her small legs swinging happily on the sofa.

He watched for a moment before closing the door.

Returning to the front desk, he instructed, "Xiao Xu, don't take on any new tasks for now. Keep an eye on the office. Notify me immediately if anything happens."

The boss's grave expression made Xiao Xu nod vigorously. "Yes, Mr. Ji."

Once he was gone, Xiao Xu cautiously glanced at the office.

In that short time, Xiao Xu's guesses had cycled from "a Ji family child" to "a friend's daughter" to "Mr. Ji's daughter"—though she quickly dismissed the last one. That doll-like child didn't resemble Mr. Ji much, and as a member of the executive office, she couldn't possibly be unaware of Mr. Ji's relationship status. He'd been single for so many years without even a whisper of scandal—how could he have a child?

Still, even if it was a friend's daughter, Xiao Xu was stunned. Mr. Ji was usually like an untouchable deity—aloof and rarely smiling. Yet just now, holding a child's hand and carrying a backpack, he'd looked utterly...

Xiao Xu searched for the right word. Yes, "dad-like." The way he handled the child showed no hint of awkwardness, as if these actions were second nature to him.

She leaned out for another peek, but the office was completely obscured.

The sound of cartoons, however, was unmistakable.

Sure enough, the next moment, an enthusiastic line rang out: "No job is too big, no pup is too small!"

The volume was loud enough that a colleague passing by on their way out stopped dead. "What was that?"

Xiao Xu pointed wordlessly toward the CEO’s office.

The colleague gaped. "Are you serious?"

Absolutely.

The child Mr. Ji had brought was watching cartoons.

"What's going on?"

Xiao Xu shrugged. "No idea."

The colleague, in a hurry, could only leave with complete confusion.

Soon, another line came from the office: "I'm fired up! Paw Patrol, Paw Patrol~"

Who'd have thought they'd hear cartoon dialogue during work hours? Xiao Xu was both amused and amazed—but yes, no job is too big, no pup is too small!

...

Inside the office, the little one wasn't really paying attention to Paw Patrol. Her big eyes quietly darted around, exploring her surroundings.

Daddy's office was huge—bigger than their living room—and spotless, much tidier than Mommy's makeup room.

The sofa was really comfortable too.

Song Chuqing really wanted to bounce on it—it’d surely be soft—but she hesitated and thought better of it.

She spotted a cabinet not far away filled with things, including what appeared to be Daddy's photos. She wanted to take a closer look, but Mommy had said not to touch other people's things without permission.

Song Chuqing thought about it. If she didn't touch, just looked, would that be okay? Mommy would probably let her!

So the little girl hopped off the sofa and hurried over.

She was too short to see past the bottom three shelves.

Inside were shiny trophies and medals, much shinier than the little red flowers Teacher Xiao Qing gave out as rewards.

Song Chuqing knew what these were. Her kindergarten class (Group A) received monthly "rotating" little red flags and medals. Teacher Xiao Qing said they were awards—only the best kids got them. So Daddy must be really awesome! He had so many!

The fourth shelf up held photos. Standing on her toes, Song Chuqing spotted Daddy in a group picture right away.

Then she blinked. "Wait?" The grandpa next to Daddy looked just like Yao Peiqiu's great-grandfather! Did Great-Grandpa work here too?

But Great-Grandpa was so old—why would he still be working?

That's weird. She'd ask Daddy later.

Footsteps suddenly sounded outside the door. Song Chuqing quickly ran back to the sofa.

But it was just some people walking by.

After another ten minutes of watching, Song Chuqing got thirsty. She grabbed her backpack to get her water bottle, only to open it and exclaim, "Oh no!" There was none left!

She looked around but couldn't find a water dispenser in her dad's office.

No other option—she really needed water.

Dad had said she could ask Miss Xu outside if she needed anything. Though she didn't know her, if Dad said it was okay, then Miss Xu must be nice.

She walked to the door, tiptoed to pull open the glass door, and peeked out cautiously.

Xiao Xu, who had been keeping an eye on the office, immediately noticed the sound of the door opening. Their eyes met.

The child inside blinked, while Xiao Xu's eyes widened.

After a moment, Song Chuqing, standing obediently by the door, spoke first, "Are you Miss Xu?"

Her voice was soft and sweet, like melted chocolate. Xiao Xu immediately stood up. "Yes, I am."

"Miss Xu, I want some water. Where can I get some?"

"Of course! I'll pour some for you!"

Chuqing held out her thermos. "Thank you, Miss Xu."

Xiao Xu took the thermos and headed to the pantry. After a few steps, she noticed the little one following her. Hesitating, unsure how to address her, she said, "Sweetheart, why don't you wait inside?"

Song Chuqing shook her head. "Miss Xu, I'll go with you." Then she added, "My name is Song Chuqing. You can call me Xiao Chu."

Xiao Xu felt inexplicably relieved. *Song*—so she wasn't Ji Fuxi's daughter after all! That's what she'd figured!

The little girl was so cute she couldn't say no, so Xiao Xu took her to the pantry.

The pantry was inside the office area. As they walked through, the executive assistants curiously asked, "Xiao Xu, where'd you find this little sweetheart?"

Xiao Xu didn't know how to explain and mumbled something vague.

Song Chuqing hadn't expected so many people in the office.

She grew nervous and clung tighter to Xiao Xu.

When Xiao Xu glanced back and saw the little one gripping her clothes, her heart just melted.

While Xiao Xu filled the bottle, colleagues crouched down and spoke gently, "What's your name, sweetie?"

Though timid, the delicate-looking child answered politely, "I'm Song Chuqing."

"What a beautiful name! How old are you, Chuqing?"

"I'm four."

Since this was the child Ji Fuxi had brought, Xiao Xu didn't dare let her interact too much with the colleagues. She quickly filled the thermos with warm water and led her away.

At the office door, the little one made an invitation, "Miss Xu, do you want to watch *Paw Patrol* with me?"

She knew she shouldn't, but she wanted to.

In the end, desire overcame fear. Xiao Xu nodded. "I'll watch with you." It must be boring for the little girl to stay alone in the office, and something might happen. It was only right for her to stay.

Once inside, Song Chuqing climbed onto the sofa first and patted the seat. "Sit here with me!"

Xiao Xu sat down. The moment she sat, it hit her—this little one looked so much like someone… but she couldn't put her finger on it. Oh well, her parents must be gorgeous to have such an adorable child.

Song Chuqing unscrewed the bottle cap herself and started taking small sips.

But she wasn't really watching the cartoon. She was bursting with questions!

The first one: "Miss Xu, when will my dad be back?"

Xiao Xu went still. "What?"

Holding her water bottle with both hands, Song Chuqing repeated, "When will my dad be back?"

Xiao Xu heard clearly this time, her mouth falling open in shock. "Your dad?"

"Yeah, my dad."

Xiao Xu's heart suddenly raced. In disbelief, she actually said the boss's full name: "Your dad… Ji Fuxi?"

"Yeah." Dad's name was Ji Fuxi—Mom had told her.

Xiao Xu froze completely, her brain shutting down.

Song Chuqing didn't understand what was happening and waved a hand in front of her. "Miss Xu?"

No response. The little girl grew alarmed, moving closer to shake her. "Miss Xu, are you okay?"

At last, Xiao Xu snapped out of it, covering her mouth. "Ji Fuxi is really your dad?"

"Yeah." Ji Fuxi was what Mom called Dad—Mom often called him that, so Song Chuqing guessed it must be his nickname, like how everyone called her Chu-Chu.

Xiao Xu instinctively asked, "Then… who's your mom?"

She instantly wished she hadn't asked, but Song Chuqing answered directly, her tone brimming with pride, "My mom is Song Tan."

Xiao Xu felt like she needed oxygen.

*Song Tan!*

*Song Tan!*

*Song Tan!*

Now she realized who the girl looked like—Song Tan! They could've been twins!!

"Miss Xu, what's wrong?"

Xiao Xu was screaming inside: *I just stumbled onto a huge secret. I'm so dead…*

She managed a weak laugh. "I'm okay, honey."

Satisfied, Chuqing pressed on, "Miss Xu, what does my dad do?"

Um… how should I put this? Xiao Xu struggled to respond. "Your dad is the boss."

"What's a boss?"

"…A boss is someone really important?"

Well, Chuqing already understood Dad was impressive. But she had another question: "But what does Daddy sell?"

"Oh… all sorts of things."

"Alright."

Song Chuqing stopped asking, "Miss Xu, let's watch Paw Patrol."

"Mhm."

After about twenty minutes, footsteps sounded outside the office, and Miss Xu immediately stood up.

Ji Fuxi pushed the door open and gave her a slight nod. "Thanks for your help. You can head out now."

"Yes, Mr. Ji."

Miss Xu started to leave but had barely taken two steps when she heard a sweet, high-pitched "Daddy!" from behind, followed by the gentle tone of her boss—something she'd never heard before. "Alright, let's go pick up Mommy."

It was true!

Oh my God...

The moment she returned to her desk, messages started pouring in one after another:

"Miss Xu, was there a kid in Mr. Ji's office? Who was it?"

"Miss Xu, who was that little girl you were with earlier? I heard Mr. Ji brought her in?"

"Miss Xu, did Mr. Ji come back with a child? Could it be his daughter?"

Yes, Mr. Ji's daughter—their little princess.

Oh, and she also knew now that the child's mother was Song Tan, the former A-list actress.

But she couldn't reply to any of them.

...

By the time the father and daughter arrived on set, all the scenes had already been filmed.

Song Tan didn't know they were coming—they hadn't discussed it beforehand. Ji Fuxi first passed the child to her assistant without drawing attention. "Xiao Chu, don't call me Daddy later."

Song Chuqing already had experience with this. She couldn't call him Daddy when Mommy was working. Though she didn't understand why, she was a good girl. "I know, no calling Daddy."

Ji Fuxi only got out of the car after she went inside.

A simple wrap party was underway on set.

Song Tan stood in the center, holding a bouquet of flowers. When she spotted her daughter suddenly appearing, her face lit up with surprise. She put the flowers down and picked up the little girl, then scanned the room with her eyes.

Their gazes met briefly before she quickly looked away, whispering instructions into her daughter's ear.

Probably another reminder not to call him Daddy.

Ji Fuxi smiled silently. Exactly as he'd thought.

A moment later, he sensed a hostile gaze. Shifting his view, he noticed a young man staring daggers at him.

A bit confused, he couldn't quite place what had upset the young man.

Then someone spotted him, and Director Fang led a group over.

Director Fang was especially surprised. "Mr. Ji, what brings you here?"

Ji Fuxi offhandedly gave an excuse. "Just in the neighborhood. The producer mentioned your wrap-up was today."

"What a coincidence! Would you like to join us for dinner? We were just about to head out."

"Sure."

Director Fang added, "Though we're keeping it low-key—just a meal with the crew who've worked hard these past few months."

Ji Fuxi's gaze flickered to the woman across from him before he nodded. "That's fine."

"Great, let's go then." Director Fang called out to everyone, "Leave everything for now—we'll clean up tomorrow. Let's eat!"

The crew cheered.

Mu Xingzhou glanced at the man and woman acting like strangers, then at Song Chuqing, who didn't acknowledge Ji Fuxi. After a moment's thought, he reached out. "Xiao Chu, come here. Let me carry you."

His voice wasn't quiet. Ji Fuxi, who was turning to leave, heard it and looked back.

*Brother?*

Song Chuqing liked this brother and was happy to be carried by him, even calling out sweetly, "Brother Xingzhou~"

Mu Xingzhou gave her cheek a pinch. "Did you miss me, Xiao Chu?"

The little girl who usually called out "Daddy!" so adorably was now enthusiastically wrapping her arms around the young man's neck, grinning brightly. "I did!"

"That's my girl. Let's go eat." Mu Xingzhou turned to Song Tan, his voice softening. "Teacher Song, come with me? There's probably a crowd of fans at the hotel."

Song Tan shot a quick glance at the quiet man next to her before reluctantly nodding. "Alright, let's go together."

All three walked past in turn, Song Chuqing dutifully staying quiet.

Ji Fuxi half-turned, his eyes narrowing as his gaze darkened.

Now it clicked. He finally understood the source of the young man's hostility. He had a thing for Song Tan.