After Meng Shu Tang finished tidying up and came out, she saw Gu Yun Ci and Zhou Songyan standing under the corridor smoking.
The wind under the corridor was quite strong, and the corners of their trench coats were fluttering in the breeze.
Zhou Songyan was stating something very forcefully, while the man stood there with one hand in his pocket and a calm expression, barely speaking throughout, only frowning slightly at the very end.
Meng Shu Tang felt a weight in her heart; she turned and left quietly, returning to the studio.
Evening.
When Gu Yun Ci arrived home and saw that Zhang Ma had returned, he was very happy.
"Is Peng Peng doing well in the United States? He hasn't been back for a year; he must have grown taller, right?"
Zhang Ma nodded, "He has grown taller and put on some weight. My son and I are both very grateful to President Gu. If it weren't for you, a woman like me could never have afforded to send him abroad for his studies."
Gu Yun Ci waved his hand, "Zhang Ma, there is no need to be so polite. You have been with the Gu Family for so many years; I have long considered you family."
"Once Peng Peng has a bright future, you won't have to work so hard anymore."
As he spoke, he thought of how Meng Shu Tang had dismissed Li Sao, "Since Li Sao is not here, if you find the kitchen too busy for one person, tell her to hire someone else."
He was referring to Meng Shu Tang.
Zhang Ma smiled, "Young Madam is a thrifty person, and I can handle the kitchen perfectly well on my own."
"I didn't say it before, but I also felt that having two people was quite wasteful."
For so many years, Zhang Ma had been gentle, taciturn, sensible, and knew her place.
But he was quite surprised that she spoke up for Meng Shu Tang this time.
His brows twitched slightly, and his eyes darkened.
However, he was busy with his hands and had no time to think deeply about it.
He was making fruit juice, and his hands were stained with it because he had been distracted just a moment ago.
The collar of the shirt he was wearing today was a bit tight, and it hurt his neck, especially when he lowered his head.
He wanted to loosen his collar, but both his hands were occupied, so he could only remain in a stiff posture and called out to Zhang Ma, "Zhang Ma, come over and help me adjust my collar."
With a beep, the door opened.
Meng Shu Tang came in carrying a stack of items. The light from the entrance hall fell upon her, casting a faint halo that made her beautiful eyes shine and her temperament appear quiet.
When Zhang Ma saw her, she said, "Young Madam, you're back."
Meng Shu Tang replied, "Zhang Ma."
Zhang Ma turned her gaze to Gu Yun Ci, "President Gu, I just swept the floor. To avoid getting your clothes dirty, why don't you let Young Madam help you unbutton your shirt!"
Gu Yun Ci, with his cold nature, did not ponder Zhang Ma's meaning and nodded faintly, "Fine."
Hearing this, Meng Shu Tang did not dare to be negligent; she walked over and placed the document on the table, "What does President Gu want me to do?"
Gu Yun Ci's tone was flat and calm, carrying a habitual command, "The top two buttons, help me undo them."
Meng Shu Tang nodded.
He was one meter ninety tall, while Meng Shu Tang was only one meter seventy.
There was a full head's difference between the two of them.
She stood on tiptoe facing him, and only when she was unbuttoning did she realize that the top button was tightly constricting his Adam's apple.
His Adam's apple was truly prominent.
Chen Man said that if a man's Adam's apple is large, it means he is strong in that regard.
This was indeed the truth.
For these past three years, except for her period, Gu Yun Ci almost coaxed her into bed every day, leaving her either bruised or swollen here and there.
She still remembered one time when passion was at its peak, she cried and begged him to stop, but he wouldn't.
Perhaps lost in memory, Meng Shu Tang forgot to move.
The man thought she was too short and struggling to reach, so he sat down directly to the side.
When Meng Shu Tang saw this, she naturally stood between his legs and bent over slightly to help him.
From Zhang Ma's perspective, the posture was extremely ambiguous; she smiled faintly and retreated to the kitchen on tiptoe.
Meng Shu Tang's slender fingertips, with their slightly cool touch, brushed against his warm Adam's apple, which was inexplicably comfortable.
Perhaps because the button was too tight, in the motion of Meng Shu Tang leaning over, her knee inadvertently pressed against his crotch, a slight touch that caught him off guard.
The man's body stiffened, his Adam's apple rolled slightly, and his breathing deepened.
He lifted his eyes slightly to gaze at her lowered eyelashes, and the surrounding air seemed to become heated.
Meng Shu Tang had not yet noticed; after unbuttoning it, she left with the document in her arms.
Perhaps because she was in such a hurry, the top sheet of paper fluttered down to Gu Yun Ci's feet.
He intended to pick it up and return it to her, but when he saw it was a part-time job schedule, his hand froze.
He took a brief look and found they were all hourly jobs near the company, such as serving tea and water.
He had heard Bai Ci Xian mention seeing Meng Shu Tang at a Cantonese restaurant once, and he had also heard Zhang Ma report that she had been coming home late recently and going out on Saturdays and Sundays, not knowing what she was busy with.
After pondering, he quietly placed the paper on the cabinet.
In the evening, Zhang Ma called them for dinner.
Meng Shu Tang arrived late. Zhang Ma saw her sitting at the dining table applying eye drops, "Young Madam, what have you been busy with lately? I see you tinkering in front of the computer all day and staying busy even when you get home."
Meng Shu Tang smiled, "The Palace Museum has a cultural creative product, and I want to give it a try."
Zhang Ma smiled, "Young Madam is very talented; you will surely succeed."
Meng Shu Tang smiled, "I hope good luck favors me."
Gu Yun Ci listened quietly without saying a word.
After finishing her meal, Meng Shu Tang helped Zhang Ma for a while before going upstairs.
Zhang Ma was about to turn off the living room lights when she noticed Gu Yun Ci sitting in front of the floor-to-ceiling window looking at the night view, "President Gu, shall I turn off the living room lights?"
Gu Yun Ci replied, "Turn them off!"
Zhang Ma turned off the main lights, "Shall I turn on the spotlights for you?"
Gu Yun Ci replied, "No need, Zhang Ma, you go and rest!"
Zhang Ma left.
A moment later, Gu Yun Ci heard the sound of footsteps coming down from upstairs. He turned his eyes and saw Meng Shu Tang holding her mobile phone to provide light, her gaze anxiously scanning the dining table,
searching hurriedly on and under the table, even checking the crevices of the dining chairs.
Not finding it, she came to the cabinet, finally saw the part-time job paper on the cabinet surface, breathed a sigh of relief, and took it upstairs.
The next day.
Meng Shu Tang ran into Zhou Songyan at the entrance of the studio.
Zhou Songyan said, "Shu Tang, there is a celebration banquet at the Cloud Restaurant at six o'clock tonight. Bring your assistant along!
Also, President Gu said the quarterly bonus will be twenty thousand more per person than in previous years to reward us for our recent hard work."
Meng Shu Tang had seen Gu Yun Ci with a cold face under the corridor last night and thought he hadn't agreed.
She felt a heavy sense of guilt, thinking it was her fault that everyone wouldn't get their quarterly bonus this year.
Hearing Zhou Songyan say this, she was quite happy.
"President Zhou, we appreciate the gesture, but we won't be going."
After all, they were not employees of the Gu Corporation.
Zhou Songyan was straightforward, "Come along, your seats are already reserved. I consider you one of our own, so don't be a stranger.
It's not just you; several other studios are going as well."
After saying this, he turned and left.
Meng Shu Tang returned to the studio and told Ruan An about this.
Ruan An was very excited; she had just graduated and it was her first time seeing such a scene, so she clamored to go.
Meng Shu Tang couldn't refuse, so after work, she drove her there.
Zhou Songyan had booked the entire Cloud Restaurant.
The main stage of the celebration banquet was hung with gold-stamped banners, lamps hung low, champagne towers were stacked layer upon layer, and desserts and drinks were spread across off-white satin; in the warm light, the room was full of splendor.
Zhou Songyan gave the opening speech, and everyone began to mingle, and the atmosphere became lively.
Suddenly, someone shouted, "President Gu is here."
The banquet fell silent for a moment, and everyone's eyes turned toward the entrance.
Gu Yun Ci and Bai Ci Xian walked in side by side.
The man had a sharp bone structure and a tall, straight posture.
Bai Ci Xian had a gentle smile and an elegant demeanor.
Whispers suddenly spread.
"There have always been rumors in the Group that President Gu is in a secret marriage. Could Bai Ci Xian be President Gu's woman?"
"I think so; otherwise, why would President Gu take her everywhere he goes!"
"Don't say that, the two of them actually look like a couple."
...
Ruan An, who was burying her head in eating blueberry cake, heard this and stood up abruptly, "What nonsense are you all spouting? She is a mistress!"
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