Chapter 12: This bracelet—where did you get it?

Meng Shutang went to the studio, and the first thing she did was print out the revised proposal and ask Ruan An to deliver it to Gu Yunci when she had a moment.

Ruan An didn't delay either; she went over as soon as she finished the work at hand.

Arriving at the entrance to the president's office on the 28th floor, she didn't knock three times lightly as usual, but knocked once, and upon hearing a response from inside, pushed the door open with stiff coldness and went in.

"President Gu, President Meng asked me to bring this to you."

The young girl was usually like a little sun, always quick to smile, but today she was rigid and unapproachable.

Gu Yunci was bent over reviewing documents, and glanced up to notice her expression was off. "Just leave it here."

Ruan An didn't reply, bent down, and placed the document on the desk, at a spot rather far from Gu Yunci.

She then lowered her eyes, her gaze fixed on her own toes.

From the corner of his eye, Gu Yunci noticed she hadn't left. "Is there something else?"

Ruan An said, "Take a look, and see whether I need to go find your Gu Clan's legal department, so that after I leave, no one can say our Fanxing acted shamelessly and took advantage of your Gu Clan."

Hearing this, Gu Yunci set down his pen and picked up the document to look through it.

Qin Zheng watched her come in all huffy, every word barbed. "Miss Ruan, our Gu Clan hasn't offended you, has it? Why this attitude?"

Ruan An said, "Special Assistant Qin, there's no point in saying that. I'm talking about work, and you're actually saying my attitude is bad."

She shifted the conversation. "That's right, your attitude is great. Yesterday you shoved that huge bouquet of champagne roses into my arms, saying they were for Sister Sweetie... our President Meng,

and who would've thought, you actually went to the wrong door and gave them to the wrong person.

Gu Clan is such a big company," she said, turning her eyes to glance at Gu Yunci, "you're the assistant to such a high-ranking leader, and you do your work like this—don't you feel ashamed!

Anyway, I'm not like you. In the workplace, when others interact with me, I only talk about work. I couldn't care less about attitude; that's not something I need to worry about."

Qin Zheng's face turned cold and dark, but he had no way to refute her.

Gu Yunci came to his rescue. He closed the document, stood up, and handed it to Ruan An. "Go back and tell your President Meng the proposal is fine, no need to find the legal department."

Ruan An took it with a smile. "Thank you, President Gu. President Gu is still the best."

Saying that, she shot Qin Zheng a glare. "Unlike some people, who can't even deliver things to the right person."

After saying that, she skipped away.

In the office, Qin Zheng looked utterly bewildered, his aggrieved, wanting-to-say-something-but-not-daring-to expression was incredibly adorable.

Gu Yunci's brow relaxed slightly, his lips pressing down a smile he couldn't quite hide. He cast a sidelong glance at Qin Zheng, his eyes surging with helplessness, yet mixed with a hint of teasing.

The person Meng Shutang had trained up was truly interesting.

But the moment Meng Shutang's face and that string of ancient beads around her neck surfaced in his mind, the smile on his lips instantly froze. He sat back down and continued working meticulously.

Ruan An returned to the studio.

"Sister Sweetie, the proposal has been delivered. President Gu was very satisfied and even politely said he made me come all this way for nothing.

But that Qin Zheng really has no situational awareness—what a waste of such a fair and handsome face."

Meng Shutang could imagine the scene that had just played out in Gu Yunci's office. She smiled but said nothing.

At noon, Meng Shutang went to a nearby mall to eat. Ruan An had something to do and didn't go along.

Quite unluckily, she ran into Bai Cixian as soon as she walked in.

Meng Shutang instinctively turned to leave.

"Miss Meng, since we've run into each other, why not eat together!"

Bai Cixian stood up and took the initiative to invite her.

This day was bound to come.

After a brief moment of thought, Meng Shutang sat down across from her with poise.

Bai Cixian fetched chopsticks for Meng Shutang. "I just came from Brother Yunci's office. He said the proposal was revised especially well, and that the clever idea of adding the chrysanthemum exhibition in particular was truly impressive."

Meng Shutang gave a faint smile without even lifting her eyes. "Of course. I pulled two all-nighters revising that proposal. President Gu's judgment is indeed sound—he praised exactly the right person."

Bai Cixian's smile stiffened slightly. "I've noticed Miss Meng has been getting off work quite early these past few days. When I came downstairs, the lights in your studio were already off.

Did you take the proposal home to revise?"

Meng Shutang nodded. "Yes, in the attic on the third floor."

Bai Cixian pressed her lips together in a light smile, her slender fingers lifting a delicate teacup to take a sip.

A waitress came over and asked what they'd like to order.

Each of them took a menu. Bai Cixian glanced faintly at Meng Shutang. "Speaking of which, it was Brother Yunci who brought me to this private kitchen restaurant. Their sizzling iron plate tofu is exceptional—I don't suppose Miss Meng has ever tried it?

After all, Brother Yunci said that besides me, he's never brought anyone else here."

This boast was blatant. In the past, Meng Shutang would have felt a bitter pang in her heart upon hearing it.

But now, her smile was cool and thin. "He hasn't brought me here, because the sizzling iron plate tofu has chili in it, and I can't eat spicy food.

As for you, Miss Bai, you remember every place he's taken you so clearly—it seems he still hasn't taken you to enough places.

Unlike me—there are so many I couldn't remember them all even if I tried!"

The waitress, worldly and experienced, had already discerned that this was a mistress challenging the rightful wife, and felt deeply stabbed through the heart.

She watched Bai Cixian as if enjoying the spectacle.

Bai Cixian's face paled a few shades, her pride somewhat unable to hold up. She ordered a few simple dishes and handed the menu back to the waitress.

"Let's not talk about that."

Saying so, she raised her hand and brushed stray hair behind her ear, deliberately revealing the bracelet on her wrist.

Meng Shutang had assumed she was going to show off the one Gu Yunci bought for her at the Wenlüxiaozhen mall that day.

She glanced at it casually, but with that one glance, she was instantly stunned.

The bracelet wasn't anything valuable—just an ordinary one with some age to it.

On the bracelet hung a small silver camellia pendant with worn edges.

She had seen an identical one before. It was a former possession of her father, Meng Zhibang.

The camellia petal pendant had a chip, and Bai Cixian's pendant had the chip in exactly the same spot.

She had asked him before, and Meng Zhibang said it was a gift from a friend when he was young.

She also teased Meng Zhibang, "Is it a love token?"

Meng Zhibang didn't utter a sound.

She laughed and got up, "I'm going to tell Mom."

Meng Zhibang pulled her.

She laughed and put her arms around him, "I'm just teasing you, how would I tell Mom? But you keep it safe, don't let Mom see."

After all these years, she had almost forgotten about it.

I never expected to see it today in Bai Cixian's hand.

Could it be that Bai Cixian is the daughter of Meng Zhibang's former lover?

Could it be that Meng Zhibang has ignored her and Zhou Xingfan all these years in order to cherish his old flame?

Meng Shutang dared not think it, nor would she believe it, grabbing Bai Cixian's wrist in one motion, "Tell me, where did you get this bracelet?"

Bai Cixian wasn't startled by her sudden move, meeting her scorching gaze, still as gentle as usual, "It's mine!"

"You're talking nonsense," Meng Shutang rose, her aura fully unleashed, "Tell me, where exactly did it come from?"

Bai Cixian stood up, and as she put her hand on the table she accidentally placed it in the tea cup, scalding her so she sucked in a breath of cold air.

Bai Cixian, like Meng Shutang, has a pale complexion.

In an instant, her slender fingers turned red.

She shoved Meng Shutang away abruptly, "I suddenly remembered I have something else to do, you eat by yourself!"

Having said that, she grabbed her bag and left.

Meng Shutang turned, her gaze deep as she fixed on Bai Cixian's panicked retreating back, her fingertips clenched until they turned white.

That was Meng Zhibang's bracelet; she would never mistake it.

She hurriedly rummaged for her bag, took out her phone, intending to call Meng Zhibang to ask.

Just then, a call came from Nurse Li at Jiangcheng Yiyuan Hospital.

"Miss Meng, your mother... is about to pass away."