The pushover offended a top-tier boss

The next morning, Zhou Huaijin's car was parked in front of the hotel.

When Ye Zhenzhen came downstairs, he was already sitting in the back seat, looking at something on his phone without even looking up.

She hesitated for a moment, then opened the passenger door and got in.

The car was quiet; no one spoke. The driver was a middle-aged man I didn't know; he didn't talk much and drove very steadily.

She asked cautiously, "Boss, where are we going?"

Zhou Huaijin didn't look at her, and said in a calm voice, "My home."

Ye Zhenzhen was stunned.

His home?

My home in Beijing?

The car turned into a narrow alley and stopped in front of a courtyard house.

Two men in black jackets were standing at the door. When they saw the car stop, they nodded slightly and stepped aside.

Ye Zhenzhen got out of the car with Zhou Huaijin and stood at the door, completely bewildered.

The door was a deep red wooden door with a gleaming brass knocker.

Red walls and green tiles, covered walkways, and blue bricks paving the courtyard. A pair of red lanterns hang under the eaves of the main house, exuding a rustic charm that has been sculpted by time.

There were several pomegranate trees and a persimmon tree in the yard. In the corner of the wall, there was a clump of evergreen plants, adding a touch of green to the bleak winter.

Ye Zhenzhen followed Zhou Huaijin, walked through the covered walkway, passed through the hanging flower gate, and arrived at the inner courtyard.

Her eyes could hardly take it all in.

Every brick, every tile, every blade of grass, every tree exudes a low-key yet undeniable air of nobility. It's not the ostentatious splendor of a nouveau riche, but rather the accumulated wisdom and heritage of generations, deeply ingrained in their very being.

"Hey! Zhouzhou's back!"

A gentle female voice came from the main room, filled with barely suppressed joy.

Ye Zhenzhen paused for a moment.

Zhouzhou?

She glanced at Zhou Huaijin subconsciously.

Normally, everyone calls him "Secretary Zhou" or "Leader" respectfully. No one expected that the leader would have such a cute nickname.

An older woman came out of the house, wearing a navy blue cashmere sweater. She looked to be in her early fifties and her features bore a resemblance to Zhou Huaijin.

"Mom," Zhou Huaijin called out.

"Who is this girl?" Zhou's mother asked curiously, staring at Ye Zhenzhen.

Ye Zhenzhen quickly bowed: "I'm Secretary Zhou's secretary, you can just call me Xiao Ye."

She originally wanted to call her "Auntie," but given that she was the leader's mother and came from such a family, calling her "Auntie" seemed a bit presumptuous.

But calling her "Madam" was too formal, and calling her "Mother of the Leader" was even stranger. So she chose not to call her anything to avoid making a mistake.

"Xiao Ye, come inside and sit down, it's cold outside," Zhou's mother greeted her with a smile, her voice gentle and warm.

Ye Zhenzhen followed her into the house.

The main hall was spacious, with mahogany tables and chairs, and plain-colored cushions on the sofas. A plate of fruit and a dish of snacks were placed on the coffee table. A calligraphy scroll hung on the wall, which read "Tranquility leads to far-reaching influence."

The heating was on full blast, and the room was warm and cozy as soon as Ye Zhenzhen entered. She felt her hands and feet warm up quickly.

"Uncle! Uncle!"

Two children, a boy and a girl, ran out from the inner room, about three or four years old. The boy had a chubby face and was wearing a red cotton-padded jacket, while the girl had two little pigtails and was wearing a pink princess dress, looking as delicate as a doll.

The two children rushed towards Zhou Huaijin one after the other, one hugging his leg and the other opening his arms for a hug.

Zhou Huaijin bent down and picked up both children, one in each hand.

"Yi Huan and Yi Cheng have grown taller again."

This was the first time Ye Zhenzhen had seen this man with such an expression. The corners of his mouth were slightly upturned, and his eyes shone with light. It wasn't a polite smile, but a genuine, doting smile from the bottom of his heart.

So he can laugh too.

"Slow down, don't fall." A gentle female voice came from behind.

A tall, radiant woman walked out of the inner room, wearing a beige cashmere coat, with long hair cascading down her shoulders, fair skin that seemed to glow, and delicate, elegant features. She looked like the kind of rich girl who had been raised in luxury since childhood.

"Sister," Zhou Huaijin called out, putting the two children down.

It turns out to be his sister; she's aged so well.

This family has amazing genes.

"Hello, I'm Zhou Chenyu." The woman smiled slightly at her.

Ye Zhenzhen quickly smiled and said, "Hello, I'm Ye Zhenzhen, Secretary Zhou's secretary."

Zhou Chenyu's gaze lingered on her face for a moment, and the smile on his lips deepened: "Welcome."

The dishes on the table were plentiful.

"I heard you were coming, so Aunt Li specially prepared fish. Please try it!"

Zhou's mother kept putting food on her son's plate.

She then asked her with a smile:

"Xiao Ye, are you enjoying the food?"

"It's what I'm used to, it's delicious. Thank you," Ye Zhenzhen replied hurriedly.

"She also loves to eat fish," Zhou Huaijin suddenly said.

There was a moment of silence on the table.

"Really?" Zhou's mother smiled, picked up a piece of fish belly meat and put it in Ye Zhenzhen's bowl. "Then eat more. This fish was just delivered this morning, it's very fresh."

"Thank you..." she said shyly.

"Just call me Auntie," Zhou Huaijin suddenly said.

Ye Zhenzhen was stunned for a moment. Did her boss think she was impolite?

"Thank you, Auntie," she quickly added.

"How old is Xiao Ye this year?" Zhou's mother asked, her eyes flickering slightly, as if asking casually.

"Twenty-seven."

"Twenty-seven? So young to be the secretary to the district party secretary." Zhou's mother nodded. "It seems Xiao Ye is very capable."

"I was seconded from a university," Ye Zhenzhen answered honestly, not daring to hide anything. "Secretary Lin is currently on paternity leave, so I'm temporarily taking over his work."

"Oh, I see." Zhou's mother's tone didn't change, but Ye Zhenzhen felt that there was something extra in her gaze, as if she had breathed a sigh of relief.

Zhou's mother turned to Zhou Huaijin and said, "Zhouzhou, I was talking to your father the other day about how your Aunt Wang's daughter came back from England. She's studying international relations and will be joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs soon. She's also very pretty. Would you like to meet her?"

"Mom," Zhou Huaijin put down her chopsticks, "we'll talk about it later."

Zhou Chenyu chuckled beside her, "What are you still talking about? You've become a super single man, how can Mom not be worried?"

Ye Zhenzhen kept her head down and ate her rice, pretending she hadn't heard anything.

So even high-ranking leaders get pressured to get married at home.

She silently tried to find a balance in her mind.

"Uncle, we want Auntie!" Yi Huan suddenly spoke up, her voice sweet and childlike, her big eyes blinking as she looked at Zhou Huaijin. "We want Auntie to have a little brother to play with!"

Yi-cheng chimed in, "Yes! We should have a little sister too!"

Zhou Huaijin reached out and gently flicked the little boy's forehead: "Eat your food."

Ye Zhenzhen lowered her head and quickly finished eating the rice in her bowl.

It's a rare occasion for the family to get together, and she, as an outsider, felt it wasn't quite appropriate to be there.

"Auntie, I'm done eating. Thank you for your hospitality."

She stood up, said something politely, and walked into the yard.