The Down and Out CEO’s Pursuit of Her Wife [GL] - Chapter 3

During the first weekend of her return, Mu Shan happened to pick up a flyer for a pet store at the entrance of her neighborhood. Without a second thought, she loaded Little Grape into the car and drove to the suburban pet paradise mentioned in the pamphlet. No one could quite explain why the Great CEO’s decision-making was becoming increasingly impulsive, but Mu Shan was certain she shouldn’t think too much about it. She knew all too well that even a slight investigation would reveal her capacity for critical thinking had deteriorated beyond recognition, a reality she wasn’t yet ready to face.

Fortunately, the pet park was quite spacious. The massive parking lot allowed Mu Shan to mindlessly back her car, which was a good deal longer than a standard sedan, into a parking space without trouble. After getting out, she gripped the handle of the retractable leash and led Little Grape to the edge of the pet swimming pool.

Unlike the other “dog parents” gathered around the pool or joining their pets in the water, Mu Shan’s eyes and mind were not on Little Grape at all.

Having endured five years of “neglectful” parenting, Little Grape was far more self-sufficient than other dogs. When he had friends, he played with them, and when he didn’t, he entertained himself. The moment Mu Shan turned around, Little Grape knew it was time to leave and would immediately trot after her, never giving himself a chance to get lost.

A staff member wearing a black T-shirt and tight exercise pants stepped forward to take Little Grape, eventually handing him off to a specialized caretaker in swimwear. Mu Shan stood comfortably by the side of the pool, hands in her pockets, as her eyes slowly lost their focus.

“In this world, everyone can survive without someone else.” At that moment, this cliché piece of chicken soup for the soul occupied Mu Shan’s mind, lingering for a long time. The CEO, who had never once glanced at emotional stories or horoscopes in the past, had finally turned into a “normal person” who spent her entire day sighing over her own and others’ romantic histories.

A yellow shadow darted past Mu Shan’s feet like a whirlwind. The wet fur-baby, fresh from the water, smeared water stains across both of her pant legs. Mu Shan let out a stern “Mm,” but the yellow shadow didn’t look back. No discipline! Mu Shan scolded Little Grape in her mind before shouting even more severely, “Little Grape!” However, the usually obedient little dog was uncharacteristically ignoring her calls today.

Mu Shan looked around but couldn’t find anyone to help her retrieve the runaway dog, so she had to carefully step across the uneven, wet grass toward Little Grape herself.

Actually, Mu Shan had mostly adapted to a life where no one was responsible for handling her trivial affairs, though she still occasionally felt a bit embarrassed in awkward situations.

At the end of the grass was a somewhat aged playground. Two long rows of blue plastic seats faced the center of the field, filled with young men and women wearing matching black uniforms. In the center of the field, a person wearing a baseball cap was holding a majestic German Shepherd and saying something to the group.

Little Grape slipped into the playground from the side of the seats and circled the person in the baseball cap several times. Watching her disobedient dog from a distance, Mu Shan felt a flicker of irritation. If Little Grape wasn’t the only memento An Ruoning had left her, Mu Shan would never have added such an uncontrollable hassle to her life.

Halfway there, the people in the seats suddenly dispersed. The sight of twenty people leaving at once, combined with Little Grape’s strange behavior, jolted Mu Shan awake. A sudden, wild delusion flashed through her mind: Could that person in the center of the field be her?

The air she breathed in was held tightly in her chest. A second later, Mu Shan bit her tongue hard, finally summoning the courage to look seriously at the person’s face. After a fleeting moment of strangeness, the nose and lips visible beneath the black cap brought a surging sense of familiarity.

With her next step, Mu Shan trod heavily, as it was a step that originally intended to be a run. But in an instant, too many events and thoughts flooded her mind at once, leaving her unsure whether she should run over or maintain her dignity and walk.

In the midst of the chaos, habit took control. Mu Shan resumed a steady, balanced pace, using the techniques of forced composure from the corporate world to control her facial expressions and body movements. No one but herself could perceive the stormy waves crashing in her heart.

Mu Shan didn’t dare to meet the eyes beneath the baseball cap. Her gaze hovered over the person’s clothing and hair. Below the cap was a loose, light khaki T-shirt with a black waist bag buckled at the hip. Below that were camouflage outdoor pants, with the hems neatly tucked into black high-top military boots.

The neck and arms exposed at the collar and sleeves were still slender and delicate, but the skin tone was entirely different from the past. Although still fair, the coldness of her former complexion had been replaced by a warm, sun-kissed glow.

Mu Shan’s gaze tentatively shifted upward, but just as it reached a few stray hairs at the back of the person’s neck, she heard a powerful command: “Back!”

This command startled Mu Shan. Given the bastard things she had done in the past, she should get lost, but… when did she learn to speak with such a tone?

Just as Mu Shan hesitated over whether to retreat, the German Shepherd took two steps back. With a command of “Sit” from beneath the cap, the dog obeyed and sat down. The sitting posture emphasized the thick, fluffy mane around the dog’s neck, making it look like a lion guarding its territory.

The person skillfully took a few treats from the waist bag and fed them to the dog. After the German Shepherd finished eating properly, it stopped moving, looking, or sniffing around.

When Mu Shan came back to her senses, she realized the eyes beneath the cap were looking straight at her. The sudden eye contact caused Mu Shan to experience a level of inner turmoil she had never felt in her life.

An Ruoning must have seen her pathetic state. Her hesitation, her shock, her daze, and her current panic, she must have seen it all. Mu Shan’s ability to cast aside all distracting thoughts completely failed her in the face of this young woman.

Yet, even though she was convinced she had been seen through, Mu Shan did not look away. The reason was simple: she missed this person far too much. Even blinking once or looking away for a single second would fill Mu Shan with regret.

Mu Shan couldn’t read what An Ruoning was thinking at all, but at the very least, she didn’t avoid the eye contact either.

Entwined gazes kindle greed. Countless times, Mu Shan wanted to follow her instincts, ask nothing, say nothing, and just use this atmosphere to taste her once more. However, five years of idle time seemed to have made Mu Shan prone to hesitation, or perhaps five years of quiet reflection made her want something more.

Ultimately, Mu Shan gave up on direct intimacy. She thought carefully: Should I start with “I love you,” or should I start with “I’m sorry”?

“Mommy!”

A milky, childish cry made the decision for Mu Shan. In an instant, the string tensioned in Mu Shan’s heart didn’t just snap, it crumbled into powder.

For the first time, Mu Shan lowered her head in front of others, especially in front of the woman she loved. Unfortunately, her clean, short hair wasn’t long enough to hide her reddening eyes.

The uneven, bouncing footsteps of a child grew closer. Mu Shan didn’t want to look, but the child stopped right beside An Ruoning, directly opposite her.

An Ruoning leaned down and rubbed the little boy’s head, saying in an extremely soft and gentle voice, “Ye Xiang, can you take Bei Bei to the grass to play fetch? Do you know where the ball is?”

Hearing the name “Ye,” Mu Shan immediately thought of Ye Zhefeng. Bitterness instantly spread from her throat. The ache in her throat didn’t lessen, in fact, it now felt as if her throat was being hollowed out alive.

After Ye Xiang ran off with the German Shepherd named Bei Bei, Mu Shan endured the sharp pain and took a deep breath. The moment she looked up, she forced her tears back.

An Ruoning was still facing her. Mu Shan looked into her eyes with intensity, yet she still couldn’t distinguish what emotions lay within them.

“I’m sorry.” Mu Shan said these three words in a tone so ordinary it betrayed no emotion. There was too much to say and her feelings were too chaotic, so she could only pretend to be calm for now.

An Ruoning: “Stop disturbing my life.”

Mu Shan didn’t expect to hear such a stinging sentence. In a flash of irritation, she wanted to reach out and grab An Ruoning’s arm. But before her hand could fully extend, An Ruoning took a large, wary step back.

An Ruoning: “Little Grape was originally my dog anyway…”

Mu Shan knew An Ruoning must want Little Grape back, but the dog was now the only remaining link between them. Mu Shan could not possibly return him. Thus, without waiting for An Ruoning to finish, Mu Shan interrupted crudely, “I’ve raised him for five years. He is my dog now!”

Mu Shan’s confrontational tone caused the air to freeze instantly. Their gazes locked again, and this time the silent exchange was clear—at least, Mu Shan’s intent was a clear struggle for possession.

It wasn’t until Ye Zhefeng walked up to them with Ye Xiang that An Ruoning turned her head to look at the messy-haired little boy.

When Mu Shan followed An Ruoning’s gaze, she was first met with a look of utter confusion from Ye Xiang, followed by an awkward, uncomfortable look from Ye Zhefeng.

Ye Zhefeng seemed like he wanted to nod at Mu Shan but couldn’t bring himself to do it. After glancing at her several times, he spoke only to An Ruoning, “Going back?”

An Ruoning nodded, took Ye Xiang’s small hand, and walked ahead of everyone. Mu Shan stood rooted to the spot, watching the silhouettes of this “family of three,” her heart suddenly bursting with rage.

After getting into Ye Zhefeng’s car, Ye Xiang fell asleep with his head on An Ruoning’s lap. Ye Zhefeng then asked cautiously, “Ruoning, she…”

A flash of melancholy crossed An Ruoning’s eyes, and she turned her head to look out the window.