He hadn't intended to find partners for them.
He wasn't even single himself.
It was just that, with the possibility of finding someone himself, he had momentarily felt a bit arrogant and wanted to show off in front of them.
Now, he could only grit his teeth and agree, "Alright, I'll mention it to Tong Tong later."
Despite their usual habit of silently complaining about Fu Yinxiu, Alpha Guard 1 and Alpha Guard 2 now looked at him with hopeful expressions, as if they were two children hoping for milk.
Fu Yinxiu: "…"
He already regretted bringing up the topic.
***
Ming Yutong didn't feel much about Fu Yinxiu being away on a business trip. She had grown used to her own company, and an additional person only made things feel less familiar.
Before boarding the plane, Fu Yinxiu even called her, promising not to glance at any flight attendants.
Ming Yutong found this excessive and unnecessary.
With Fu Yinxiu away, Little Jingshi had been staying with her. Today, being Friday, Alpha Guard 3 and Alha Guard 4 picked Little Jingshi up from school and waited for Ming Yutong to finish work.
Ming Yutong took Little Jingshi out for a meal and bought him several daily necessities and new clothes to make his stay more comfortable.
***
That evening, when Ming Yutong and Little Jingshi returned home, she couldn't find her keys despite searching her bag multiple times and even dumping its contents on the floor.
"Did you possibly leave the keys at home?" Little Jingshi asked.
Ming Yutong frowned, "I'm sure I put the keys in my bag this morning."
With no other option, Ming Yutong called Ming Yuqian to bring the keys over.
Once inside, Ming Yutong was relieved to have moved closer to Ming Yuqian.
Ming Yuqian helped her look for the keys, eventually finding them in a glass dish on the shoe rack right by the door.
"Here's your key. How did we miss it?" Ming Yuqian said, showing her the key which was placed so obviously that they had overlooked it while searching everywhere.
Ming Yutong was puzzled, "I distinctly remember putting the keys in my bag."
"Maybe you mixed things up," Ming Yuqian said casually.
"Maybe," Ming Yutong replied, though she was still uncertain.
She was sure she hadn't misremembered.
Ming Yuqian left after that.
Little Jingshi, thinking about Fu Yinxiu's brief disappearance that morning, stayed quiet. He went on to get ready for bed.
Even though Little Jingshi was seven years old, he had shared a bed with Ming Yutong when he was sick, but now had his own beautifully decorated room and didn't cling to Ming Yutong anymore. Initially, he had wanted to stay close to her because it was his first time living with her.
Now that Little Jingshi had gotten used to his own room and knew he could always stay with Ming Yutong if he wanted, he no longer insisted on sleeping with her every night.
Having lived independently with Fu Yinxiu, Little Jingshi was also accustomed to his own space. It would feel awkward to constantly ask to sleep with Ming Yutong.
That night, Ming Yutong lay in bed, contemplating how to spend the next day with Little Jingshi. She wasn't sure what activities a boy his age would enjoy.
Deciding to ask for advice, she reached out to Ruan Danchen and Yu Zi, who would surely have insights into what kids like.
Ruan Danchen and Yu Zi were puzzled by Ming Yutong's question, given that she was single and didn't have a child. They assumed she was asking about a client's child.
Without probing further, they provided Ming Yutong with information on the activities and places their children, Qi Youxuan and Yan Ningbai, enjoy.
Armed with their suggestions, Ming Yutong began planning.
As she was deep in thought, her phone rang again. It was Fu Yinxiu.
Although he was abroad, his destination was not too far away, just a five-hour flight. He had already called her in the afternoon to report his arrival.
Curious about why he was calling again, Ming Yutong couldn't help but feel a bit dazed.
In the past, she would never have dared to inquire about Fu Yinxiu's itinerary.
Even though she was concerned about him, Ming Yutong wouldn't dare ask about his whereabouts because she knew he wouldn't be pleased.
Yet, she couldn't help but think about him constantly—wondering where he was, if he had reached his destination, what he might be doing, whether he was taking good care of himself, or if he had been drinking too much.
She harbored all these thoughts and worries but kept them to herself, unable to ask.
As a result, she ended up torturing herself with unanswered questions, spending sleepless nights longing for answers.
However, now she didn't need to ask. Despite his short absence, Fu Yinxiu had already called several times. Now, another call was coming in.
With this change in circumstances, Ming Yutong found herself thinking that Fu Yinxiu's frequent updates were a bit much. She didn't need such detailed reports!
Reflecting on the situation, she realized how much had changed. It was almost the opposite of how things were before.
Back then, she would never have dared to be cold or angry with Fu Yinxiu. But now, just like last night, she had no qualms about showing him her displeasure.
She couldn't help but chuckle at the drastic changes.
The increasingly insistent phone ringtone finally pulled Ming Yutong out of her musings. She quickly answered the call.
As soon as she said "Hello," she heard Fu Yinxiu's voice, sounding unusually plaintive, "Tong Tong, why did it take you so long to answer the phone?"
Ming Yutong's lips twitched. The tone of his voice was strikingly similar to Little Jingshi's, but with a deep, rich male voice. It was quite amusing.
"I was in the bathroom," Ming Yutong offered as an excuse.
"Oh, I just wanted to let you know that I've finished my meeting and am back at the hotel. I had a business dinner and drank a bit of red wine—just a small amount. Everything is fine, nothing else to report," Fu Yinxiu explained.
"Mm." Ming Yutong considered it might be too cold to respond without showing some warmth. "Get some rest. You've been on a long flight and busy all day."