She Seems to Struggle with Having a Wife - Chapter 1

October in the imperial capital brought a chill to the air.

At the airport late at night, travelers hurried by with hurried steps. It was that time of year when clothing choices were chaotic some in short sleeves, others in long coats creating a jumbled scene.

At the baggage claim, a yawning girl stared blankly at the luggage slowly drifting toward her, as if her soul had been drained away. Her eyes were hollow and lifeless, her limbs stiff, leaving only a weary body swaying unsteadily.

When her suitcase finally arrived, the girl slumped over with exhaustion, weakly picking up her pink luggage and complaining loudly, “Director Qin, it’s already eleven. Do we really have to go straight to the office? Isn’t this a bit too inhumane of you?”

As she grumbled, a group of young people passed by, their boisterous chatter sounding particularly noisy in the otherwise quiet airport.

The woman addressed as Director Qin lazily lifted her heavy eyelids at the commotion. Under the white lights, her dazed eyes suddenly seemed clearer, though the fatigue in her dark pupils was unmistakable. Her long, fluttering eyelashes resembled the shimmering reflections of dawn on the sea, so beautiful it was breathtaking.

Qin Mu wore a long, fitted black trench coat, her hands tucked quietly into the pockets. Her thick, dark hair cascaded loosely down her back, lending her a gentle and captivating aura. Though her delicate features were striking, it was her serene and composed demeanor that made her a calming presence in the bustling airport.

When her black suitcase arrived, she bent down to pick it up, pulling out the telescopic handle as she remarked calmly, “Would you prefer to work three hours of overtime tonight and rest for two days, or come to the office tomorrow to finish your tasks and only rest for one day?”

Zhang Fan froze for a moment before whining, “Director Qin, I don’t want either! I just want to go home and rest!”

Qin Mu pressed her lips together without replying, turning to walk away.

Another male colleague following behind urged, “Stop complaining and hurry back to the office for overtime.”

“Wah, I really don’t want to work!” Zhang Fan wailed reluctantly as she trailed behind.

The three of them exited the airport, found their car in the parking lot, and loaded their luggage into the trunk. Li Jiashan then circled to the driver’s seat, started the car, and stepped on the gas, gradually leaving the airport behind.

The quiet night was free from the usual hustle and bustle of traffic, with only fleeting scenery passing by outside the car windows.

Qin Mu sat in the back seat, watching for a while before gently rubbing her temples. She pulled out her phone, turned off airplane mode, and connected to the network. WeChat messages instantly flooded in. She tapped on the notification, and the only pinned chat showed two messages.

The first: There’s no electricity at home. How do I recharge it?
The second: I don’t know the account number for the electricity card. Remember to pay the bill when you get back.

The two messages were sent two days apart, with the second one sent yesterday. Had the house been without power for three days?

Qin Mu frowned, opened Alipay, checked the electricity balance, and recharged 3,000 yuan.

After completing the payment, she typed a reply: It’s done.

The other person replied almost instantly: Okay.

Her finger hovered over the “M” key. After a moment’s hesitation, she withdrew her finger and exited the chat. After replying to the remaining messages, she turned off her phone, leaned her head back, and closed her eyes to rest.

An hour later, the car pulled into the company parking lot.

Qin Mu opened the door and stepped out, her long hair falling forward as she bowed her head. Holding her briefcase, she was about to head into the office when Zhang Fan suddenly called out loudly from behind, “Director Qin, wait for me!”

Qin Mu turned slightly, the wind tousling the hair at her temples. Her face, illuminated by the night, was startlingly breathtaking.

Zhang Fan jogged up to her, and the moment Qin Mu turned to look at him, he was momentarily dazed, his breath even slowing. Truly, even seeing Qin Mu’s face every day, there were still moments when it left him utterly captivated.

Snapping back to reality, Zhang Fan suppressed his awe and said ingratiatingly, “Boss Qin, it’s so late. Should we grab dinner and take it back to the office? There’s no one else at the company at this hour anyway. Boss Qin, I’m craving barbecue.”

As he spoke, he pointed to the barbecue shop across from the company.

During his recent business trip abroad, the greasy Western food from hotels and restaurants had left him feeling queasy. He had been longing for his favorite hometown dishes barbecue, hot pot, and spicy hot pot every single moment.

So now, he desperately hoped Boss Qin would take pity on him and agree to let him have a bite, especially since they still had to work overtime later. He was absolutely craving it!

Qin Mu tilted her head to glance at the small stall across the street, then looked at his earnest, pleading expression and nodded. “Alright.”

“Wow! Thank you, Boss Qin! I’m going now!”

As if afraid Qin Mu might change her mind, Zhang Fan didn’t even take his bag, grabbing his phone and darting across the street to order at the barbecue shop.

Li Jiashan watched Zhang Fan’s retreating figure and slowly walked over to Qin Mu, saying softly, “Boss Qin, you haven’t eaten all day. It wouldn’t hurt to have a meal before heading back to work.”

Qin Mu checked her wristwatch and replied, “Alright.” Then the two of them also made their way to the barbecue shop across the street.

At this hour, there weren’t many customers left at the barbecue shop just a few small tables scattered here and there, occupied by a handful of middle-aged men.

Qin Mu walked over and stood in front of the display case, selecting a few items she liked and adding them to Li Jiashan’s order. She also asked for two bottles of chilled beer, one for each of them.

Lately, she had been avoiding alcohol.

After choosing her food, Qin Mu turned to head back. Just then, a chubby, balding middle-aged man emerged from the shop, carrying a can of beer and brushing past her. When the man caught sight of Qin Mu’s face, he was stunned, turning back to stare as he walked.

When he reached his table, he said to his companions, “I just saw a stunning beauty. She’s unbelievably gorgeous.”

“Where? Where?”

The two younger men at the table immediately craned their necks, still munching on lamb skewers as they tried to catch a glimpse.

The middle-aged man pointed behind him. “Over there, the one in the black trench coat. Wow, she’s absolutely stunning. It’s been ages since I’ve seen such a naturally beautiful woman. You can tell her face is all-natural, no work done, that’s rare these days.”

His words only made the two men stretch their necks further. One of them, chewing on a lamb skewer, mumbled indistinctly, “She’s facing away. Can’t really see her face clearly.”

The other chimed in, “Yeah, can’t see her face, but her figure looks great from behind. She’s definitely a beauty.”

The two of them discussed her with great interest, even considering going over later to strike up a conversation and ask for her WeChat. After all, a woman wandering around alone at this hour was probably easy to pick up maybe she’d come over with just a wave.

The middle-aged man cracked open a can of beer, glanced back again, and clicked his tongue at the two. “Wait till you see her face. She’s several times more beautiful than those actresses on TV.”

As he was speaking, a hand suddenly reached over and patted his shoulder. A gentle voice carried a hint of warning: “Brother Li, you’ve been married for years and have a daughter. What are you still looking at other women for? Hurry up and eat, then go home to your wife and kid.”

The middle-aged man froze for a moment before chuckling in realization. “Alright, alright. Hey, Old Lin, when are you going to find a girlfriend? You’re already in your late twenties not exactly young anymore. Forget marriage for now, but how come you don’t even have a girlfriend? Could it be that your standards are too high?”

“He’s even turned down rich women, let alone young girls. Who knows how many he’s rejected already,” the man sitting to his left, wearing black-framed glasses and a blue long-sleeved shirt, chimed in to help him out.

Lin Yan remained silent, tilting his head back to take a swig of beer.

The middle-aged man clicked his tongue twice and said meaningfully, “Old Lin, you’ve even rejected rich women. In my experience, that usually means one of two things: either you don’t want a relationship, or there’s already someone in your heart. Come on, tell us is there someone you like?”

At his words, the other two, who had just been clamoring to check out pretty women, immediately turned their attention to Lin Yan with curious, gossipy expressions.

Lin Yan gripped his beer bottle and joked with them, “I’m stuck at the company all day, covered in grime without even a woman in sight. When would I have the chance to have someone in my heart? Alright, let’s hurry up and eat. Look how late it is finish up and go home to sleep.”

Urged on like this, the others didn’t press further.

Lin Yan finished the last of his beer. As he lowered his gaze, he deliberately glanced at the black silhouette out of the corner of his eye. Those focused eyes seemed illuminated by a light, but in an instant, the brightness faded, and he withdrew his gaze without looking again.

Qin Mu and Li Jiashan had finished ordering and were sitting at the table waiting for their food. While waiting, Qin Mu was reviewing documents on her tablet.

After a while, Zhang Fan came out with beers from the boss. Knowing that Qin Mu had recently quit drinking, she handed the other can to Li Jiashan. She sat down, pulled the tab, and took a sip. The cool beer flowed down her throat, refreshing her body and mind.

“President Qin, water.” Li Jiashan, who had somehow gotten a bottle of soda, unscrewed the cap and handed it to Qin Mu.

Qin Mu, engrossed in the documents on her tablet, looked up at the call and reached out to take it. “Thank you.”

She took a sip and lowered her head to continue reading.

Seeing this, Zhang Fan clicked her tongue and said, “Mr. Li, you’re so good to our President Qin. When will you ever treat me that well? We’ve known each other for two or three years, and you’ve never even handed me a pair of chopsticks, have you?”

Li Jiashan took a sip of beer and replied with an innocent expression, “Didn’t I hand you a napkin yesterday at dinner?”

“…” Zhang Fan rolled her eyes dramatically, clenching her fists in frustration. “I mean, when will you ever take the initiative to hand me something without me having to ask for it?”

Li Jiashan let out a meaningful “oh” before adding, “I’ll try my best in the next lifetime.”

“Li Jiashan!”

Zhang Fan was so angry she gritted her teeth. Her already round face puffed up even more when she was mad, making her look like Cherry Marple from the anime.

As the two continued to banter while drinking, the owner brought out a plate of sizzling, aromatic barbecue. “Here you go, handsome and beautiful. Your barbecue is ready. If you need anything else, just let me know. We’re open all night.”

“Great, thank you, boss.”

While Li Jiashan exchanged pleasantries with the owner, Zhang Fan couldn’t wait to dig into the chicken wings. Qin Mu, however, was still engrossed in her work, her brow slightly furrowed as if she were dealing with a tricky issue.

“President Qin, let’s eat first,” Li Jiashan reminded her.

Work is never-ending, but a meal must be eaten.

Holding her tablet, Qin Mu looked up at the mouthwatering food in front of her. Though she wanted to eat, she had little appetite. With a soft sigh, she packed her things and said, “I don’t have much of an appetite. You two go ahead and eat. I’m heading back to the company.”

“President Qin,” Li Jiashan set down his skewer and stood up, ready to follow Qin Mu.

Zhang Fan also instinctively rose to his feet, a speck of red chili powder still clinging to the corner of his mouth.

Qin Mu straightened up, tucking her tablet to her side, and spoke gently to the two of them, “You two eat. Finish your meal before returning to work. I’ll cover this meal personally. Whoever pays the bill can come to me for reimbursement later.”

With that, Qin Mu turned and walked away without looking back, her heels clicking decisively.

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