Chapter 21: Caught Her Working as an Hourly Worker at the Cha Chaan Teng

After lying in bed for half a month, Chen Man went to the hospital for a checkup — the placenta was no longer low-lying.

She couldn't stay idle, and knowing the studio was busy, she came back again.

Meng Shutang and Ruan An took on all the physical labor, only letting her do some very simple handover work.

One day at noon, she invited Meng Shutang to eat at a Yuegang-style cha chaan teng.

As soon as Chen Man sat down, "My coming over like this — I'm not disturbing you, am I?"

Meng Shutang shook her head. "There aren't many people right now. I told the supervisor, so I can chat with you for a bit."

Chen Man voiced her concern. "You coming here to work as an hourly worker — if your man found out, wouldn't that be a bit bad?"

You two haven't divorced yet, and he's a prominent figure.

If word got out, reasonable people would think you're experiencing life, but those who stir up trouble would say he's been mistreating you."

Meng Shutang smiled faintly. "We'll be divorcing soon. My mom is lying in a special care ward, costing nearly ten thousand a day. I can't worry about anything else."

Chen Man felt the topic was heavy and changed the subject. "How have things been lately? Has Bai Cixian given you any trouble?"

Meng Shutang said, "Don't worry, I'm fine. Her little tricks can't hurt me."

The one who hurt her, from beginning to end, was always Gu Yunci.

"Are men really that fickle? I told my guy that President Gu brought up divorce, and he didn't believe it.

He said President Gu loves you so much — how could that be possible!"

Meng Shutang's brows and eyes were like dark silk; upon hearing those words, they shifted ever so slightly.

Before divorce was brought up, she too had thought Gu Yunci loved her.

But now she knew it had all been acting — it would be a real waste if he didn't become Best Actor.

"Alright, let's not talk about him."

Chen Man said, "If not him, then who? Gu Jin Xing?"

Meng Shutang felt a bit helpless. Back in school, Chen Man had loved teasing her about Gu Jin Xing.

She didn't say a word.

Chen Man still sighed over her and Gu Yunci.

"You fell for him at fourteen in the old alley on the west side of the city at Cangpinge, and loved him for so many years — too foolish."

The year she was fourteen, Meng Shutang went to Cangpinge in the old alley on the west side of the city. The moment she walked in, she saw a graceful young man.

He was leaning against a wooden cabinet looking at a string of agate beads, his posture relaxed and full of youthful spirit, his white shirt rolled up to his forearms, sunlight falling through the lattice window onto the crown of his head — even the curve of his fingers was beautiful.

Meng Shutang stood frozen in place, and only when he looked up did she panic and turn to flee.

She even left behind the reading glasses she had just bought for her grandmother, forgotten in the corner.

The wind that day, the sunlight that day, and the young man that day were etched into her years from that moment on.

All these years, her heart never wavered.

"From now on we won't love him anymore, and the knot in our hearts will come undone."

Chen Man's soft sigh, every word crystal clear, struck the ears of Gu Yunci sitting behind the folding screen.

He remembered the old alley on the west side of the city, and he remembered Cangpinge, and he even more so remembered that afternoon.

He had accompanied Gu Jin Xing inside to look at antique beads and old picture albums. But once they arrived, Gu Jin Xing glanced at a few things and found them boring, while he himself looked with keen interest.

When they were leaving, Gu Jin Xing told him, "I saw a girl at Cangpinge. She bumped right into my arms in a fluster, her brows and eyes like dark silk — so pretty."

Later, after Gu Jin Xing started college, he brought it up again as soon as he came back. "Bro, guess who I ran into?"

Without waiting for a response, he couldn't wait to explain. "The girl who bumped into my arms at Cangpinge in the old alley on the west side of the city when we were fourteen — she's my classmate now. On the first day of school, we even sat at the same desk."

We didn't talk that time because we were in a rush, but today counts as our proper introduction."

Gu Jin Xing also said the girl was very happy to be recognized, looking at him with her eyes shining bright.

Gu Yunci felt his throat go dry. He sat in the shadows and glanced at Meng Shutang from afar, planning to get up and leave.

Bai Cixian, who had just returned from the restroom, came walking over gracefully and sat down across from him.

She glanced at the table. "The dessert hasn't arrived yet?"

Then she waved to a nearby server. "Please bring the strawberry cake."

Chen Man had to leave for something. After Meng Shutang saw her off and returned to the counter, the supervisor saw she was free and handed her some pastries. "Shutang, deliver these to table 402."

Meng Shutang walked over with a light smile, but the moment she saw the customers were Gu Yunci and Bai Cixian, her steps halted and she froze in place.

Gu Yunci looked at her, still startled.

He hadn't expected her to actually go out and work a part-time job.

The part-time shift schedule he'd glimpsed that night surfaced in his mind — densely packed, filling an entire page.

At this moment, seeing Meng Shutang standing there holding a tray, a thin sheen of sweat at her temples, it was a hundred times more piercing than the cold text on the shift schedule.

He said nothing, keeping his teacup raised the whole time to hide his emotions.

Bai Cixian, however, was very shocked. Despite her excellent composure, she still covered her lips in surprise.

"Miss Meng, you're still here?"

After saying that, she turned her eyes to glance at Gu Yunci. Seeing the gloom layered in the man's eyes, she slowly sat back down and said no more.

Meng Shutang was no less surprised than Bai Cixian to see that she'd be serving them.

This restaurant was very ordinary — Gu Yunci shouldn't be coming here.

But thinking about how Bai Cixian and Qiao Mo had come before, she didn't find it strange anymore.

She quickly composed herself, walked to the table with poise, and placed the cake down. "Your strawberry cake. Please enjoy."

After that, she turned to leave.

A server nearby came over and said to Bai Cixian, "Miss, didn't you say you wanted to take a photo together? This is the best photographer on our staff — let her take it for you!"

Meng Shutang handed the tray to her colleague, took the phone from the colleague's hand, her expression perfectly calm. "Sir, scoot closer to your wife — it'll look more intimate."

Gu Yunci sat silently, not looking at Meng Shutang, as if he were just going through an irrelevant procedure.

Bai Cixian saw he hadn't moved, so she moved closer on her own.

After finishing the photo, Meng Shutang handed the phone to Bai Cixian, and only left after confirming she was satisfied.

After finishing the meal.

Gu Yunci returned to the CEO's office on the 28th floor.

Qin Zheng handed him a meeting agenda, saying, "President Gu, the Wenlüxiaozhen meeting is in the seventh-floor conference room in ten minutes."

The man strode toward the desk, one hand taking the agenda, the other yanking off his tie and tossing it onto the sofa.

He missed his aim, the tie went astray and fell to the floor.

His motion of looking at the agenda froze, his eyes landing on the coffee table.

On the coffee table sat a pot of crabapple blossoms.

This pot of crabapple had been blooming abundantly, but lately something had gone wrong—the flowers were wilting and the leaves were sparse.

Qin Zheng walked over, picked up the tie and placed it on the sofa. Seeing him frowning at the withered crabapple, he stepped forward softly and said, "President Gu, this crabapple has been drooping for days; it's an eyesore here. Let me move it to the tea room first, and bring it back once they've nursed it back to health?"

Gu Yunci's Adam's apple bobbed, but he hadn't had a chance to speak yet.

Bai Cixian lightly knocked on the door, "President Gu, there's an added procedure; I came over to tell you about it."

She walked in and saw Gu Yunci staring fixedly at the coffee table, not hearing a word she said, then glanced at Qin Zheng.

Qin Zheng gave a meaningful look; Bai Cixian understood, signaling her not to ask, not to interfere, and to stay quiet.

Bai Cixian, clever and obedient, stood behind Gu Yunci, curious what he was looking at, and followed his gaze.

Upon seeing him gazing at that crabapple flower, she instantly felt displeased.

That pot of crabapple flower had been in Gu Yunci's office for a long time—since her first visit, it had been there.

She didn't know who had sent it, but she found it an eyesore.

"President Gu, this crabapple probably can't be saved; just throw it away. I have a lovely camellia over there—I'll bring it over in a moment."

Saying that, Bai Cixian handed the newly printed agenda to Qin Zheng, walked to the coffee table, picked up the crabapple pot, and headed out.

"Wait a moment," the man said decisively, approaching the desk and pointing to a corner, "Put it here."

Bai Cixian froze, somewhat incredulous, "Brother Yunci, this flower is all withered."

"Didn't you hear me!"

The man's brows furrowed slightly, his expression cold and stern.