The Only One With a Mouth in the CEO Novel - Chapter 77: Don't Call Anyone Else Baby From Now On

Chapter 77: Don’t Call Anyone Else Baby From Now On

After being comforted by Ye Jin for a while, Shu Lingxi’s mood stabilized considerably.

I’ll do my best, Jinjin, she said.

But after she finished speaking, the phone suddenly went silent.

Shu Lingxi felt puzzled.

Then she heard a man’s voice coming through the phone, asking somewhat gloomily, Who are you calling ‘baby’?

This voice

It sounded unfamiliar.

Who was speaking?

Before Shu Lingxi could process this, she heard a series of dialogue.

Xixi was crying, I was comforting him.

When I cry, why don’t you know how to comfort me?

Haven’t I been comforting you?

You didn’t call me baby.

Wow.

Shu Lingxi instinctively sniffled, only to realize she didn’t feel like crying at all anymore.

She was completely stunned by this unexpected drama.

The corners of Shu Lingxi’s mouth inexplicably turned upward, and her voice became much happier: Um excuse me.

On the other end of the phone.

The two people who were arguing paused, only then realizing the call hadn’t been disconnected.

Shu Lingxi said: Jinjin, you’re in a relationship.

I’m not!

Yes.

Two voices came through simultaneously, one rising and one falling.

Oh ho, they’re so well-matched.

Shu Lingxi tried hard to suppress her smile: You two continue.

With that, she proactively hung up the phone.

Wrong, everything was wrong.

Since when does the female lead make way for the male lead and a supporting character?

Ye Jin couldn’t explain herself clearly now and felt somewhat anxious, so she complained to Gu Chenxi: It’s all your fault.

The plot had deviated so much that she couldn’t salvage it even if she wanted to.

Mhm, my fault, Gu Chenxi readily agreed.

Ye Jin’s hand was still being held by him, and Gu Chenxi continued asking: So, shall we get back together?

Get back together? In your dreams.

Ye Jin gritted her teeth and pulled her hand back.

Gu Chenxi didn’t resist, letting her withdraw their only physical contact, but his intimidating presence didn’t diminish in the slightest: Don’t call anyone else ‘baby’ from now on.

They were standing close.

Ye Jin could almost feel the vibration of his chest when he spoke.

Hah?

How ridiculous.

President Gu, you’re just my superior, Ye Jin crossed her arms, creating distance between them as she said, You have no right to interfere in my personal life.

Gu Chenxi: I’m also your ex-boyfriend.

Ye Jin: ?

You’re not! she emphasized loudly.

Gu Chenxi: You admitted it just now.

What did I admit?

Gu Chenxi prompted with two words: Break up.

Since they had broken up, then of course he was her ex-boyfriend.

Ye Jin:

No wonder he didn’t refute it earlier – he was waiting for her here.

Gu Chenxi smiled slightly.

If he couldn’t be her boyfriend today, then at least he needed to secure the status of ex-boyfriend.

Ye Jin finally realized: You deliberately set a trap for me just now.

Furious, she raised her finger to point at him again.

Gu Chenxi smiled faintly again, allowing that finger to point at the tip of his nose in mid-air, and said softly: All taught well by my ex-girlfriend.

She had set many verbal traps for him in the past.

Having fallen into so many of her traps, it was hard not to learn some tricks from the experience.

Gu Chenxi’s mind was just too sharp.

Usually quiet, but when he does speak, he sets traps for people.

And she hadn’t even realized she was in a trap just now.

Ex-boyfriend.

This title created ambiguous boundaries in their relationship, suddenly making Ye Jin lose her proper judgment of the situation.

Her eyes darted downward, suddenly feeling a bit flustered.

Gu Chenxi waited patiently for her to gather her thoughts.

You have no say in that anyway.

It didn’t take long for Ye Jin to figure things out.

She smiled smugly, tilting her head up to address him. Ex-boyfriends should vanish into thin air right after a breakup. How dare you question who I call ‘baby’?

Her voice was sweet when she called someone baby.

Is that so?

Gu Chenxi’s throat moved slightly.

Of course.

Ye Jin seemed oblivious to Gu Chenxi’s unusual reaction and continued defiantly, How I address others is my own business. I’ll call them ‘baby,’ I’ll call them ‘Xixi’—my mouth belongs to me, and I’ll say whatever I want.

Gu Chenxi: Say it again, then.

Finally, she had managed to turn the tables.

Fine by me.

Ye Jin spoke breezily, deliberately repeating to him: Baby, Xixi, Xixi, baby.

Gu Chenxi: What about putting them together?

Xixi baby.

As soon as the words left her mouth, a shadow fell over her.

Ye Jin had been prepared and nimbly dodged.

Gu Chenxi’s kiss met empty air. He turned his gaze to her, eyes blazing with aggression.

Ye Jin: Do you think I’m stupid?

Fool me once, shame on you—fool me twice, shame on me.

Did he really think she’d fall for the Xixi baby trick? She’d caught on long ago.

Let’s get back together.

Gu Chenxi proposed again.

Ye Jin: No.

Gu Chenxi’s rationality and patience seemed to have reached their limit.

The only thing keeping him calm now was his gentlemanly restraint.

This gave Ye Jin the feeling that no matter whether she agreed to reconcile or not, she was doomed either way.

Since she was doomed anyway,

of course she’d choose to say no.

A sales assistant walked in with a card machine, breaking the stalemate between them. Excuse me, could you please make the payment?

Gu Chenxi lowered his eyelids, pulled out a card, and handed it over.

A moment later, he signed the receipt, and the purpose of this trip was accomplished.

On the way out, Gu Chenxi was unexpectedly silent, his long legs moving with steady, even strides.

Ye Jin obediently trailed behind him, keeping quiet like a quail.

Once in the car,

Gu Chenxi tapped lightly on the center console between the seats.

One last chance.

His voice was smooth and captivating, as if he had finally grown accustomed to using it.

If she agreed to reconcile, he would let everything else slide and simply be her devoted boyfriend.

Ye Jin: No, thank you.

Reconciliation was out of the question.

Gu Chenxi’s breath hitched, then slowly eased.

Fine.

She’d better hope she never slipped up again.

—

After this incident, Ye Jin was thoroughly intimidated.

It also made her realize just how reckless she could be.

If she continued to act so unrestrained, she might end up in trouble before even making it home.

But staying quiet and avoiding mischief was something she couldn’t accept.

So Ye Jin came up with a brilliant idea.

After many days, she finally found inspiration for a video and edited one using the system’s recordings.

At the beginning of the video, Ye Jin brought Shu Lingxi to meet Gu Chenxi, intending to hire Shu Lingxi as an assistant.

Gu Chenxi pointed to his chest.

Ye Jin immediately understood. She pulled Shu Lingxi out of the office and, without hesitation, fabricated a story: The boss has taken a liking to you. Dress better from now on.

In an instant,

Shu Lingxi’s expression turned to one of shock.

Inside the door, Gu Chenxi’s expression was even more terrible.

The video ended there.

Ye Jin reviewed it a few times, then gleefully uploaded it to the video platform.

This time, she wasn’t posting the video to earn money from ads, but purely for her own satisfaction.

Shortly after the video was published, likes and comments gradually started coming in.

Blogger, you’ve finally updated!

I’ve been waiting for you for so long.

These were the loyal fans waiting for updates.

LOL, I feel like CEO Gu is about to come out and arrest someone.

Actually, I’d rather see what happens next [shy]

Like pinning the blogger against the wall and kissing her hard or something.

These were the ones who were completely obsessed with shipping.

Ye Jin’s mindset had become much more peaceful now, and she cared less about video metrics.

Before exiting, she casually checked her follower count.

During her break from posting, her followers had actually increased instead of decreasing, reaching eleven million followers.

The system had grown too lazy to lecture her and was quietly resting in the Border Collie’s mind.

System, Ye Jin called out to it, let’s chat.

What do you want to talk about?

Ye Jin: Shu Lingxi – are her work difficulties due to the setting?

Yes.

The system admitted frankly, To make the male and female leads cross paths.

The male lead naturally didn’t speak much, so if the female lead couldn’t take the initiative, their story couldn’t even begin.

So this is what you meant when you said the protagonists would find their own ending, Ye Jin showed a disgusted expression. This is too malicious.

She thought that after cleaning up the company matters, Shu Lingxi could comfortably step into her role as the female lead.

She never expected there would be such a big pitfall waiting.

System: Although they’re constrained by the settings, they’re not completely trapped. With effort, they can break through.

The system gave an example: For instance, the male lead said a lot more to pursue a relationship with you.

Ye Jin:

That example was completely unnecessary.

After a few seconds of speechlessness, she spoke up for Shu Lingxi again: They’re living, breathing people. They should be free from the start.

Ye Jin: I don’t agree with making her play the delicate, helpless female character dependent on a man like in the original book.

Having characters break free from their original fate and carve their own path is theoretically possible, but it will be very difficult. The system said, Shu Lingxi would have an easier time following the original plot. She just needs to attach herself to a powerful figure, and the romantic subplot meant for the female lead would naturally help her achieve a perfect ending.

The system was rational to the point of cruelty.

It was just a set of data. Although it could experience human emotions, rationality always prevailed.

Ye Jin: I believe in her.

System: Even if it means delaying your return home?

After all, Ye Jin had never once forgotten about going home, but now she was willing to slow down her journey back for Shu Lingxi.

Not even Gu Chenxi had received such special treatment.

Hmph, it’s not like I can’t go back eventually.

The system had no choice with her: Then go ahead and do what you think is right.

Ye Jin turned over and went to sleep.

The Border Collie lay on the wooden floor below the bed.

The system pondered to itself.

Could it be that Ye Jin had finally changed? That going home later didn’t matter to her anymore?

The room was quiet.

But the quiet didn’t last long.

Through the Border Collie’s senses, the system suddenly detected faint sobbing sounds coming from above.

The Border Collie immediately stood up to check, placing its front paws on the bed.

Only then did the system notice that Ye Jin had long been overwhelmed by tears. Her eyelashes were damp and clumped together, her eye rims and the tip of her nose were flushed red. Clutching the blanket, she looked utterly fragile, yet she still bravely refrained from sobbing aloud.

The moment Ye Jin saw the Border Collie, she suddenly broke down: Wah, I really want to go home. I miss my mom so much.

System: …………

And here I thought she was so tough.

As a proper adult, her emotional breakdowns were reserved for the dead of night.

By the next morning, she was back to her resilient self.

The system and the Border Collie saw her off to work, accompanying her all the way to the elevator. Only after confirming her stable mood did the system finally feel at ease.

It had been genuinely afraid she might burst into tears again without warning.

When Ye Jin arrived at her workstation, she was surprised to find Shu Lingxi already there, looking as though she had been busy for quite some time.

Poor kid.

Ye Jin cast a sympathetic glance her way, then took out her phone to order coffee.

Jinjin, good morning!

Shu Lingxi, still quite energetic, greeted her with lively enthusiasm upon noticing Ye Jin.

Morning, Ye Jin replied. How are you feeling?

Not bad, Shu Lingxi said cheerfully. I’ve tried several different approaches to my work and finally have a bit of a clue now.

Shu Lingxi had always been exceptionally intelligent since childhood, grasping most things at a glance and mastering them quickly. She also genuinely enjoyed delving into challenging problems.

Now, with a sudden debuff clouding her mind and the usual perks of her intelligence gone, she inevitably felt a strong sense of disparity.

Fortunately, her diligent and persistent spirit remained intact—she would always find other suitable ways to work.

Ye Jin: That’s awesome.

As expected of her most cherished little sister.

In a good mood, Ye Jin asked, Is there anything you’ve been wanting lately? I’ll buy it as a reward.

No reason for the kid to work hard for nothing.

Appropriate incentives were necessary.

Really? Shu Lingxi’s eyes lit up.

I don’t really need anything, she said with a hint of shyness. But if I can complete the task, Jinjin, could you tell me what was said on the phone that day?

All that comforting, crying, and baby talk

It clearly sounded like a rich and interesting conversation.

Ye Jin: …

Gu Chenxi, look what you’ve done!

Is that okay? Shu Lingxi clasped her hands together pleadingly. It’s my only wish, Jinjin.

Ye Jin fell silent for a moment, then finally nodded. Alright.

Yay! Shu Lingxi cheered, raising her hands high, then threw herself into her work with even greater enthusiasm.

Ye Jin closed her eyes in agony.

Everything’s gone haywire. Completely haywire.

But Ye Jin’s gossip wasn’t free for the taking.

Moreover, Ye Jin wouldn’t go easy on Shu Lingxi just because of her debuff.

At work, she remained strictly professional, assigning her large volumes of tasks and focusing solely on results, not the process.

Shu Lingxi did not disappoint her.

Although she still occasionally broke down in tears, her efficiency had clearly improved compared to before.

The other interns who joined Vastness at the same time as Shu Lingxi initially envied her luck, thinking her close relationship with Ye Jin would fast-track her career.

But after repeatedly running into the two of them in the cafeteria—

and witnessing the bizarre sight of one regularly eating through tears while the other calmly ignored it and ate her meal—

they suddenly retracted their earlier comments.

Their gazes toward Shu Lingxi gradually filled with sympathy.

Vastness maintained high standards for employees’ work capabilities but did not foster internal competition among staff.

Shu Lingxi, however, was pushing herself relentlessly.

The intern gradually came to accept this.

—

While diligently nurturing her little angel to work hard, Ye Jin also accompanied Gu Chenxi to various business events.

The domestic tech industry was flourishing, with practitioners generally younger in age, leading to more harmonious, relaxed, and lively interactions—a stark contrast to the style of traditional industrial entrepreneurs.

Through these events, Ye Jin met many new faces.

Yuji Technology’s first bidding conference was fully presided over by its president, Yan Rong.

Ye Jin and Gu Chenxi flew there together.

Having rested the day before, Ye Jin had impulsively changed her hairstyle.

Her once smooth, straight black hair was now transformed into long black curls cascading down her back, reaching her waist.

Her original intention was to appear more authoritative.

However, due to her hair’s fine texture, the effect was less commanding and more refined—like a doll displayed in a shop window.

The bold, bad girl aura of voluminous waves was entirely out of reach.

So Ye Jin gave up and reverted to her usual half-up or fully tied styles.

Today, at the venue, she wore her hair half-up.

She entered the bidding conference hotel with Gu Chenxi, found their seats, and sat down.

Ye Jin opened her laptop.

Once the bidding began, the screen would be filled with data.

Having crammed all day yesterday, she needed a quick review now.

Gu Chenxi, dressed in a deep blue business suit, quietly sat beside her, leaning back in his chair.

Then he began subtly playing with her hair.

Though subtle only from Ye Jin’s perspective.

Their seats were in the front row.

Every team that came on stage to adjust equipment had to pass by them and operate the computer right in front of them.

In other words, anyone in the room with functioning eyes could see President Gu casually and playfully twirling his assistant’s hair without a care.

The overwhelming romantic vibe was impossible to ignore.

Were they… together?

It made sense—these two were always together, both sharp and efficiency-driven workaholics, and their looks matched perfectly.

It would be stranger if they weren’t together.

Has President Gu gotten engaged? But I haven’t heard anything.

Maybe it was done privately?

Regardless, it’s clear things are moving forward.

Without Ye Jin’s knowledge, she and Gu Chenxi had already progressed to engagement and things moving forward in others’ eyes.

When Yan Rong came over to report to Gu Chenxi, he witnessed the scene.

He paused mid-step, suddenly feeling he had chosen a bad time.

But Gu Chenxi had already spotted him, his weighty gaze settling on Yan Rong.

Yan Rong had no choice but to brace himself and approach.

President Gu, Assistant Ye. He bowed slightly and reported, The evaluation expert I invited was in a car accident on the way here.

Ye Jin looked up. Is it serious?

No injuries. I’ve already sent someone to pick him up.

As Ye Jin lifted her head, her hair naturally slipped down. Gu Chenxi reached out and caught a handful of soft strands.

A gentle gleam flickered in his eyes as he gave them a light squeeze before letting go.

Only then did Ye Jin sense a strange touch and glanced back, finding nothing.

Gu Chenxi interlaced his fingers, composed as ever.

But Ye Jin noticed Yan Rong’s smile seemed somewhat stiff, as if he had seen or thought of something that shocked him.

President Yan, are you misunderstanding something? Ye Jin clarified with a smile: I’m a single parent raising a child, still in the divorce cooling-off period.

There’s absolutely no ambiguous relationship with Gu Chenxi.

Ah, Chief Assistant Ye is so young and beautiful, I truly couldn’t tell, Yan Rong scratched his head and flattered her, then instinctively glanced at Gu Chenxi.

Since Chief Assistant Ye is divorced with a child, why would President Gu casually touch her hair?

Then, he noticed Gu Chenxi giving him an indifferent expression.

Yan Rong’s expression immediately cracked.

No way.

He wasn’t seeing things, was he?

Did President Gu mean: he doesn’t mind??

Has President Gu fallen for Chief Assistant Ye to such an extent?!

Ye Jin: ?

Why did Yan Rong’s expression become even more strange after she finished clarifying?

Ye Jin instinctively turned to look at Gu Chenxi.

Only to find the latter still in the same posture, calm and composed.

…What exactly has Gu Chenxi been doing behind her back without her knowing!