The Magnanimity of the Red Chamber Steward

In the sunlit restaurant on the first floor of the private club, soft classical music echoed through the spacious room like flowing water.

Zhou Jialu casually placed her phone on the pristine white tablecloth. She picked up the bowl of warm, top-tier blood bird's nest soup in front of her, gently stirring it with a small silver spoon. Her captivating, fox-like eyes sparkled with an unusually lively gleam.

"This boy, he sure moves fast."

Zhou Jialu's red lips parted slightly as she murmured softly, unable to suppress the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

As a mature woman who had navigated the complexities of society, Zhou Jialu's mind was incredibly sharp. Su Bai sending messages early in the morning to ask about high-end baby strollers and eco-friendly cribs couldn't possibly be a random, impulsive whim.

Following this clue, the answer was practically staring her in the face.

Within this large group of female confidantes, who else could make Su Bai care so much, and who else had a relationship intimate enough with him to logically take this step, other than Chen Yusheng?

The image of Chen Yusheng's stunning, always cool and detached face floated into Zhou Jialu's mind.

To be honest, even though Zhou Jialu had absolute confidence in her own mature and alluring charm, she had to admit that when Su Bai and Chen Yusheng were together, they shared the perfect harmony of a match made in heaven.

Not only were they similar in age, but they were also classmates and college freshmen. Their pairing, no matter how you looked at it, was the absolute standard of a talented boy and a beautiful girl.

Su Bai's easygoing nature and Chen Yusheng's intellectual elegance were simply a perfect match.

"I just didn't expect it to happen so fast..."

Zhou Jialu scooped a spoonful of the bird's nest soup into her mouth, savoring it slowly.

After all, Su Bai and Chen Yusheng were only freshmen! This was the age when college life had just begun. While their peers were still stressing over failing their C programming finals or awkwardly walking around the track just to hold a girl's hand, these two had somehow skipped the conventional steps of dating and directly launched the grand blueprint of nurturing the next generation?

However, on second thought, Zhou Jialu felt this perfectly aligned with Chen Yusheng's absolutely rational way of doing things. Since she had determined that Su Bai was the only man for her in this lifetime, having a child while she was young and at her physical peak was logically the most perfect solution.

Thinking of this, the playful and mischievous streak in Zhou Jialu's heart was instantly sparked.

She picked up her phone, opened her WeChat contacts, and slid her slender fingers across the screen to find Chen Yusheng's profile picture.

Although everyone usually gathered around Su Bai by unspoken agreement, the girls also communicated privately among themselves. Zhou Jialu deliberately wanted to tease this academically gifted little sister who was usually so aloof and composed.

She opened Chen Yusheng's chat window, her fingers tapping rapidly on the screen:

[Lu: Shengsheng, I heard a certain young master has been asking all over the world about top-tier maternity and baby products early this morning.]

After typing this, she paused, the smile on her face growing even wider, and sent another message:

[If this is your decision, then as your big sister, I raise both hands in approval. With your excellent genes, it would be a waste not to have a genius baby early. But don't feel any pressure, please rest assured. While you peacefully prepare for pregnancy and during your future pregnancy, your good sisters in the confidante team will definitely help you take good care of Su Bai and keep him comfortable. You just focus on being our precious panda and taking good care of the baby! [Snicker][Snicker]]

Click, send.

Looking at the green bubble popping up in the chat window, Zhou Jialu put down her phone in satisfaction and continued to elegantly enjoy her breakfast.

...

Meanwhile, in the spacious and bright master bedroom on the second floor.

Chen Yusheng's phone, resting on the nightstand, suddenly let out two soft buzzing vibrations.

"Your phone is ringing, Academician Chen. Is it your lab supervisor looking for you?"

"...Hilarious, how did I evolve into an academician?" Chen Yusheng was always amused by Su Bai's teasing.

"Actually, it wouldn't matter if you evolved a bit further. What's the next evolution after an academician? A mad scientist, I'd say..."

Su Bai chuckled softly, stretching out his arm to grab her phone and handing it to her.

Only then did Chen Yusheng reluctantly poke half her head out from Su Bai's embrace, her clear, autumn-water-like eyes still clouded with a misty layer of shyness. Her flawlessly exquisite features and the emotional fluctuations in her eyes were unreservedly displayed before Su Bai at this moment, breathtakingly beautiful.

She took the phone, turned on the screen, and the WeChat interface clearly displayed two unread messages from Senior Jialu.

The moment Chen Yusheng read the contents of those two private messages, she felt her cheeks explode with heat, the temperature skyrocketing once again, even turning her fair earlobes so red they looked as if they might drip blood.

"This... this senior! Why is she sending me messages in private just to make fun of me!"

Chen Yusheng bit her soft lower lip in embarrassed annoyance.

Especially that wild phrase, "we will definitely help you take good care of Su Bai," left Chen Yusheng feeling both shy and helpless.

She knew Zhou Jialu too well; the vixen had always been daring in her words and actions, capable of saying things of any degree of boldness.

Su Bai looked at her cute, embarrassed, and flustered appearance, and couldn't help but lean over to glance at the screen. He immediately burst into laughter. "Haha, it seems Jialu is very supportive of your decision. Academician Chen, your pregnancy preparation plan has now received a unanimous vote of approval. Not only do you have material backing, but someone has even volunteered to take care of the logistics."

"You're still laughing! Isn't this all because you asked about baby strollers!" Chen Yusheng shot him an exasperated glare, though her bright eyes rippled with unconcealable shyness.

However, after the initial shyness and fluster faded away.

Leaning against Su Bai's chest, Chen Yusheng looked again at the few lines of text on her phone screen, and a warm ripple involuntarily swelled in her heart.

She was an extremely smart girl and could naturally read the rare sincerity and grace hidden behind Zhou Jialu's teasing banter.

In this luxurious private club gathered several girls of peerless beauty and varying personalities. Everyone revolved around Su Bai, the absolute center. If this were an ordinary secular circle, or the deep courtyards of some wealthy family, the moment someone expressed the desire to have the first child, it would absolutely trigger a bloody storm of jealousy and palace-style scheming.

But Zhou Jialu did not.

Not only did she not show a hint of jealousy, but she also used this highly emotionally intelligent method—seemingly teasing, but actually making a supportive statement—to help Chen Yusheng let go of all her psychological burdens.

The phrase "we will help you take good care of him" not only dissolved any potential awkwardness but also invisibly solidified the harmonious relationship within the entire group, allowing Chen Yusheng to feel a sense of acceptance and protection from her family.

Chen Yusheng let out a long sigh in her heart, a trace of genuine admiration and emotion flashing through her clear eyes.

She looked up at Su Bai's handsome, chiseled jawline and said softly,

"Su Bai, sometimes I really admire Senior. She always looks so casual and endlessly charming, but deep down, she is more perceptive and sees the big picture better than anyone else."

Su Bai looked down, gently stroking her smooth, long hair as he listened with a smile.

"Look at what she just sent me." Chen Yusheng turned off her phone screen, her eyes softening immensely. "She was clearly teasing me, yet she smoothed out all my worries behind the scenes. If it weren't for Zhou Jialu acting as the manager, tactfully mediating everything in the middle, how could our little group of confidantes possibly have such a harmonious atmosphere?"

Chen Yusheng was a rational person. She knew very well that her personality leaned toward being aloof and academic—simply put, she was like a machine.

When it came to handling complex emotional and interpersonal relationships, she was nowhere near as socially adept as Zhou Jialu.

Zhou Jialu was like the perfect social lubricant. With her vixen-like cunning and the tolerance of a mature woman, she silently gathered all the girls' hearts together, preventing any potential internal friction.

"Yeah." Su Bai tightened his arms around her, his tone filled with absolute satisfaction. "With Senior taking care of our daily lives and you keeping an eye on the big picture, I get to comfortably play the hands-off boss. Every single one of you is an indispensable puzzle piece in my life."

"Glad you know." Chen Yusheng proudly tilted her chin up a little, though the way she affectionately nuzzled against Su Bai's chest betrayed her deep inner attachment.