Chapter 57: Tangtang, Is Your Heart in Turmoil?

Gu Yunci returned to the car and looked out the window without speaking for a long time.

Before going to see Lu Shenyang, he had been quite confident, but just now, seeing the caution that flashed across Lu Shenyang's face, he suddenly wasn't so sure anymore.

Qin Zheng saw the man's brows drawn tightly together and grew anxious. "President, maybe we should go find Miss Meng ourselves. After all, she might not turn down this kind of charitable donation."

The man pondered, then quickly shook his head.

"Even if I swallow my pride and beg her, she still won't see me."

This was the most reasonable, most impossible-to-refuse approach — only this could bring her before him.

After Gu Yunci left, Lu Shenyang stared blankly at the tentative donation list on his desk for a while.

Finally he got up and went to the coat rack. When he reached for the trench coat he had worn to work, his hand paused. After a moment's thought, he put on his executive jacket, then picked up the trench coat and headed out.

He arrived at Wanxing Ge.

Chen Man saw him approach and stood up with a smile. "Minister Lu, Shutang isn't here. She went to the hospital and won't be back for a while."

Chen Man assumed he would go to the hospital to find her, but to her surprise, he sat down in the adjacent tea-break area. "I'll wait for her."

She stole an extra glance at him, and upon noticing the executive jacket beneath his trench coat, promptly poured him some tea.

Then she sat back at the front desk and called Meng Shutang, her words hinting that Lu Shenyang had come this time to discuss official business.

Half an hour later, Meng Shutang arrived.

Seeing her come in, Lu Shenyang acted as he usually did — he stood up to carry her bag and even helped her off with her coat, hanging it on the rack.

"Minister Lu, is there something you need?"

Meng Shutang teased.

Because of the bond from growing up together, Meng Shutang usually called him "Brother Shenyang" in his presence; only in formal public settings did they address each other by title.

"There is something I need to tell you."

With that, he pulled a list from his bag and handed it to Meng Shutang. "Gu Yunci just came to me, saying he wants to donate a batch of cultural artifacts to the Palace Museum.

But he specifically named you to handle the artifact restoration and authentication."

Meng Shutang skimmed it briefly and set it down on the desk with a smile.

She had been worried that he would come bothering her again with artifact restoration work.

She never expected that he would use a cultural artifact donation to give her a "job" she couldn't refuse.

"You don't need to pay him any mind. He has always been that kind of selfish and despicable person."

Four years ago, he used her to take revenge on Gu Jin Xing.

Now, under the guise of official business, he was achieving the reality of seeing her.

This kind of tactic was very Gu Yunci!

"I don't see it that way," Lu Shenyang picked up the list again and said evenly.

"The several pieces he's donating include imperial kiln porcelain, jadeite court beads, turquoise court beads, and Warring States dragonfly-eye glass beads. These are artifacts the Palace Museum doesn't have, and they happen to fill the gaps in the museum's collection categories.

If I remember correctly, twenty years ago, when Director Zhang Chao was in office, he personally went to see Gu Yeheng for these very artifacts, hoping he would donate a batch to the museum.

After all, as the largest museum in Hua Guo, having a comprehensive collection is of vital importance to cultural preservation, but Gu Yeheng didn't agree.

I had thought these artifacts had been put to other uses. I never imagined they'd been sitting in a storage room all this time, never even featured in a single exhibition."

Meng Shutang's hand paused slightly.

She had done guided tours for collection exhibitions, so of course she knew about these things.

At the time, she had even lamented those ancient beads, thinking that if they entered the museum, they would surely become its greatest treasures.

But sitting in a storage room, they would only gather dust.

"Before coming here, I gave careful thought to the candidate selection in my office, and I also believe you are the most suitable.

Your abilities are there for all to see, and with artifact donations, there is no room for the slightest error."

Lu Shenyang looked at Meng Shutang and said earnestly.

His features were upright and his bearing gentle yet innately principled. The words he spoke were steady and forceful, every syllable inspiring trust.

But she truly didn't want any more entanglement with Gu Yunci.

The hurt he had caused her four years ago was still vivid in her mind; she hoped never to see him again for the rest of her life.

"Minister Lu, may I have some time to think about it?"

Lu Shenyang nodded. "Mm."

After a pause, he added, "As for Auntie's place, I'll go tonight!"

Setting aside Gu Yunci, Meng Shutang's mood instantly brightened. "No need. I just went to see her today."

After Lu Shenyang left, Chen Man sat in the office, her mind full of the image from a few days ago — Gu Yunci watching Meng Shutang in the pouring rain.

That day, she hadn't offered him an umbrella.

That guilt had lingered. After a brief moment of thought, she got up and went to Meng Shutang's office.

"The reason Gu Yunci didn't come to find you in person is because he knew you would refuse.

That's why he went through your childhood sweetheart's brother to act as a go-between."

Meng Shutang didn't look up. "What, you're here to persuade me too?"

Chen Man said, "Minister Lu just said that twenty years ago, even the old museum director personally stepping in couldn't get Gu Yeheng to donate.

How could it be that now, Gu Clan suddenly donates? I think Gu Yunci must have paid an enormous price for this donation.

Besides, Minister Lu isn't the kind of person who lets personal feelings override public duty. If he's willing to speak up, he must genuinely feel that our Wanxing Ge is the most suitable."

Meng Shutang's hand finally stopped. She slowly closed her laptop and looked straight ahead, but her eyes were somewhat empty.

All these years, Lu Shenyang had stayed by her side, giving her the warmth of family.

If this matter hadn't involved Gu Yunci, no matter what it was, she would have agreed without hesitation the moment he asked.

Chen Man picked up the list and glanced at it. "These artifacts — you can tell at a glance that Gu Yunci handpicked every one of them."

These are of great significance to both the Palace Museum and your career.

Gu Yunci's motives have a sincere foundation; this is by no means 'deliberate control.' I am more willing to believe it is a deep love that 'advances step by step.'"

Meng Shutang's gaze fell on the list on the table, and she picked it up to look again,

feeling an even greater headache. As the president of the Ancient Bead Restoration Association, she truly could not shirk responsibility for this kind of matter.

It was just that...

Meng Shutang's head began to ache.

Before having a child, she never used to get headaches.

But after giving birth to Xin Xin, her postpartum recovery was not done well, leaving behind this old ailment.

Whenever she caught a chill or was deep in thought, her head would ache.

Chen Man saw this and asked, "Do you want me to give you a hot compress?"

Meng Shutang shook her head. "No need."

Chen Man gathered her things for her. "Come on, let's go eat something good."

Before heading out, Meng Shutang put on a hat.

Once they were in the car, Chen Man looked at her headache-ridden expression and asked, "When will Grandma and Xin Xin be back?"

"Xin Xin's competition isn't over yet. It'll be at least ten days."

Chen Man sighed with emotion. "Your daughter is really capable. My son is a year older than her, and right now, besides watching Peppa Pig and saying 'Mama,' he doesn't know anything."

Meng Shutang had also discovered Xin Xin's love for painting by chance.

After asking for her opinion, she enrolled her in a painting class.

On the very first day of class, the teacher said Xin Xin was very talented and told her to nurture it well.

Not a single person in the entire Meng family could paint. Who did this child inherit it from?

Later, thinking of Chu Fu, she was momentarily stunned.

After all, she was Gu Yunci's child; it was the most natural thing in the world to resemble her paternal grandmother.

The two of them went to a hotpot restaurant and ordered a tomato broth base.

While eating, Meng Shutang asked Chen Man, "Manman, do you also think I should take on this project?"

Chen Man nodded. "You don't have to refuse just because he's Gu Yunci. The ancient bead business is a major module of the Gu Clan; we can't avoid it.

Just keep an even keel. You two are already divorced; there are no more entanglements."

Meng Shutang nodded. "You're right. We're already divorced; we're not that close anymore."

After she finished speaking, she laughed.

Chen Man looked at her and teased slightly, "Actually, when Minister Lu came looking, I didn't think you would refuse.

Who knew you'd be so conflicted? Tangtang, tell me the truth—is your heart in turmoil?"

Was it because, these past few days, Gu Yunci had tirelessly appeared before her, throwing her off balance?

Meng Shutang smiled with a completely clear expression. "My heart in turmoil—how could that be!"

On the way back after they finished eating, she said, "Manman, I want to move. Help me ask your neighbor to find me a large four-bedroom apartment with a children's room and a kindergarten nearby."

Jixiang Hutong was an old building without an elevator, and it was inconvenient for Grandma to go up and down the stairs at her age.

"Rent or buy?"

"Either is fine."

Meng Shutang settled into the car and reminded her again, "Remember not to mention Xin Xin at home, in case your husband accidentally lets it slip at the company."

Chen Man gave a faint smile. "With his position, he hasn't moved in four years. He couldn't even get an audience with Gu Yunci."

After returning home, Meng Shutang simply drank a glass of water and returned Lu Shenyang's call. "Brother Shenyang, I'll take this project."