Chapter 171: Wine‑Fermented Rice Balls

Zhao Jing didn't know what Meng Shutang was saying, her big eyes blinked, "President Meng, I just went out, what are you asking?"

"It's nothing," Meng Shutang said, hugging her thermos and turning away; as she turned she bumped into Chen Man.

Chen Man saw her and smiled, "Tang Tang, you're done, drink this lily soup quickly, it'll taste bad if it sits too long."

"Is this from Brother Lu?"

"Yes, it's Minister Lu who sent it. You were busy then; he left it and reminded you to finish it."

It really was Lu Shenyang.

Meng Shutang stood still; yesterday he had gone to the stables for a while, she casually mentioned wanting dessert, and he remembered.

She took it to the office, sat down, picked up a spoon and began to drink.

After just one sip, she heard a ruckus outside.

She set the spoon down and went out to see colleagues who were finishing work gathering around Qin Zheng, looking up expectantly.

Qin Zheng was handing out bowls of sweet soup stamped with the Jiangcheng International Hotel logo.

While distributing, he said, "President Gu ordered wine‑fermented rice balls for everyone; try them. If they're good, tell me and I'll order more tomorrow."

Ruan An looked at the hotel name, "Jiangcheng International Hotel! Don't they not do takeout?"

Qin Zheng gave a faint smile, "Did you not check who President Gu is? When the hotel manager heard I ordered, he said no need for me to run back and forth, and had their waiter deliver it personally."

Chen Man flattered, "Yes, thanks President Gu. Otherwise at this time we couldn't possibly get the hotel's wine‑fermented rice balls."

This was mealtime; getting a table at the canteen was already hard, let alone eating sweet soup outside.

Ruan An's mouth was even sweeter, "Employees of Gu Group have never enjoyed the CEO treating them to hotel sweet soup at mealtime, but we have this privilege!"

Gu Yunci stood in the center of the tea‑break area, tall and slender, broad‑shouldered, narrow‑waisted; even with a faint smile he exuded an unintentional pressure.

His usual aloof, untouchable demeanor, usually just a faint smile and no words, today he was eager to share.

Standing there, he patiently told everyone which dishes at the international hotel were good, and that they shouldn't bring their own lunch tomorrow; he would order meals for them.

The office lights were bright, and the ring on his left index finger glittered.

Consequently, everyone's attention was drawn to it, and they also noticed that, despite being divorced for four years, he had never taken it off.

Ruan An was about to joke with Gu Yunci, but Chen Man grabbed her, "Eat it, you can't keep your mouth shut when it's good."

Gu Yunci saw this, lifted a bowl and walked toward the office.

Ruan An suddenly realized she had spoken too much after enjoying herself, delaying President Gu from looking for Meng Shutang, which was quite tactless.

……

Meng Shutang was eating silver ear, red date, lily soup; hearing the commotion she lifted her eyes, saw him enter and close the door, and immediately lowered her gaze to continue eating.

She had been busy with many tasks today, and now she was indeed a bit hungry.

Gu Yunci came to her side, peeked at the sweet soup she was drinking; it was the ordinary kind, incomparable to what the international hotel's banquet chef makes.

He placed the bowl in front of her, "Try this."

Meng Shutang nodded and, being supportive, took a bite.

But it was only one bite; her attention stayed on the silver ear, red date, lily soup in the thermos, and she didn't look at the wine‑fermented rice ball again.

The wine‑fermented rice ball is the signature dessert of Jiangcheng International Hotel; both its appearance and taste are first‑rate.

Gu Yunci's Adam's apple rolled lightly, "Who made it, Minister Lu?"

Meng Shutang nodded.

Gu Yunci fell silent, watching her finish the soup down to the last drop; he deftly took the spoon and thermos and went out.

Thinking that when he returned, Meng Shutang would also finish the wine‑fermented rice ball.

But after bringing back the thermos and spoon, the bowl of wine‑fermented rice ball was still there, the layer of osmanthus still at the spot where the spoon had just moved.

Gu Yunci sat beside her, took the wine‑fermented rice ball, and directly scooped a spoonful to feed her.

Meng Shutang begged, "I just drank a big cup of silver ear soup, I'm full, really can't eat more."

She knew the wine‑fermented rice ball was delicious, after all it's from an international hotel, but she didn't want to disappoint Lu Shenyang's kindness.

Gu Yunci didn't force her; he just put that spoonful into his own mouth, then turned his face toward hers and kissed her.

Meng Shutang's heart tightened sharply; the colleagues outside hadn't left yet, occasional comments about the wine‑fermented rice ball floated in, and if someone pushed the door open…

It seemed no one was coming in; after everyone finished, they waved from afar and left.

Even the lobby lights went out.

Meng Shutang steadied her breathing, the sweetness in her mouth gradually faded.

Gu Yunci took another sip and kissed her again.

Thus the cycle repeated; Gu Yunci kept drawing Meng Shutang into this tender, lingering kiss, and in the end Gu Yunci ate the whole bowl of wine‑fermented rice ball; Meng Shutang only tasted a bite, but she missed none of its sweetness.

That sweet fragrance completely possessed her; the sweetness surged like electricity through her limbs and body.

Finally Gu Yunci, holding her, brushed away the last trace of sweetness from her mouth with his thumb, "Is Minister Lu's silver ear soup sweeter, or is my wine‑fermented rice ball sweeter?"

Meng Shutang pushed him away, without a sound.

She got up and went to the work area, looking at the ancient pearl on the workbench, but seemed absent‑minded.

Because she could no longer recall the taste of the silver ear, red date, lily soup.

Lu Shenyang had been by her side since childhood; during the four years of divorce, he was still there.

Yet in the end, all traces of Lu Shenyang were overwritten by Gu Yunci in a way she never expected.

Even at that moment, when she turned to look at the thermos, the face that came to mind was Gu Yunci's.

Gu Yunci saw her looking at the thermos, "What are you thinking about?"

Meng Shutang shook her head slightly, pulling back her thoughts, "Nothing!"

Gu Yunci, seeing her work diligently, stopped teasing her, took out his phone, and checked the group messages.

After seeing nothing, he browsed his moments and inadvertently came across Huo Yanchen.

He posted a photo of a small tomato on the windowsill, and on a sudden whim he lifted his eyes to glance at the workbench‑focused Meng Shutang.

Her brows and eyes were calm, her fingertips gentle, as she carefully repaired the tiny cracks on the ancient bead.

The warm luster of the bead reflected on her face, even her eyelashes were bathed in a soft glow.

Gu Yunci silently aimed at her and pressed the shutter.

After posting it to his Moments, he didn't consider what kind of uproar the photo might cause; he closed his phone, set it aside, and continued to rest his chin on his hand, watching Meng Shutang work intently.