After lying in bed for half a month, Chen Man went to the hospital for a check-up, and the placenta was no longer in a low-lying position.
She couldn't stay idle, and knowing the studio was busy, she came over again.
Meng Shu Tang and Ruan An took on all the physical labor, only letting her do some simple handover work.
One noon, she invited Meng Shu Tang to have a meal at a Cantonese tea restaurant.
As soon as Chen Man sat down, she asked, "I came over like this; am I bothering you?"
Meng Shu Tang shook her head, "It's quiet now. I told the Supervisor, so I can chat with you for a while."
Chen Man voiced her concerns, "You working here as a part-time worker—if that man of yours finds out, won't it be a bit awkward?"
You two aren't divorced yet, and he is a man of status and reputation.
If word gets out, reasonable people will think you are just experiencing life, but those who like to stir up trouble will think he is mistreating you."
Meng Shu Tang smiled faintly, "We are going to divorce soon. My mother 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 you been lately? Has Bai Ci Xian been giving you a hard time?"
Meng Shu Tang replied, "Don't worry, I'm fine. Her little tricks can't hurt me."
The one who hurt her, from beginning to end, was Gu Yun Ci.
"Are men really that fickle? I told my husband that President Gu is asking for a divorce, and he didn't even believe me."
"He said, 'President Gu loves you so much, how could that be possible!'"
Meng Shu Tang's eyebrows, delicate as ink, twitched slightly upon hearing this.
Before the divorce was mentioned, she also felt that Gu Yun Ci loved her.
But now, she knew those were all just acts; it would be a waste if he didn't become a movie star.
"Alright, let's not talk about him."
Chen Man asked, "If we don't talk about him, who should we talk about? Gu Jin Xing?"
Meng Shu Tang felt a bit helpless. Back in school, Chen Man loved to tease her about Gu Jin Xing.
She didn't make a sound.
Chen Man still felt emotional about her and Gu Yun Ci.
"You fell for him at the Collection Pavilion in the old alleys of the West City when you were 14. To have loved him for so many years, you are too foolish."
When she was 14, Meng Shu Tang went to the Collection Pavilion in the old alleys of the West City, and as soon as she entered, she saw a handsome young man.
He was leaning against a wooden cabinet looking at a string of agate beads, his posture relaxed, full of youthful spirit, with his white shirt sleeves rolled up to his forearms. Sunlight filtered through the lattice window onto the top of his head, and even the curve of his fingers was beautiful.
Meng Shu Tang froze in place, and only when he looked up did she panic and turn to run away.
She even left the reading glasses she had just bought for her maternal grandmother in the corner of the wall.
The wind that day, the sunlight that day, and the young man that day were etched into her years from that moment on.
For so many years, her heart had never moved elsewhere.
"From now on, we won't love him anymore, and the knot in your heart will be untied."
Chen Man's soft sigh hit the ears of Gu Yun Ci, who was sitting behind the screen, clearly with every word.
He remembered the old alleys of the West City, he remembered the Collection Pavilion, and he remembered that afternoon even more.
He had accompanied Gu Jin Xing there to look at ancient beads and old picture books. In the end, Gu Jin Xing found it boring after a few glances, but he had been looking at them with great interest.
When they left, Gu Jin Xing told him, "I saw a girl in the Collection Pavilion. She bumped into my arms in a panic; her eyebrows were like ink, she was so beautiful."
Later, when Gu Jin Xing started university and returned, he mentioned it again, "Brother, guess who I ran into?"
Without waiting for his response, he explained impatiently, "The girl who bumped into my arms at the Collection Pavilion in the old alleys of the West City when I was fourteen is my classmate now. On the first day of school, we even became desk mates."
"We didn't talk that time because it was so rushed, but today was our official meeting."
Gu Jin Xing also said the girl was very happy to be recognized, looking at him with eyes shining.
Gu Yun Ci only felt his throat go dry. He sat in the shadows, looked at Meng Shu Tang from afar, and intended to get up and leave.
Bai Ci Xian, who had just finished at the restroom, walked over gracefully and sat down opposite him.
She glanced at the table, "Has the dessert not been served yet?"
Then she beckoned to the waiter nearby, "Please serve the strawberry cake."
Chen Man left for something, and after Meng Shu Tang saw her off and returned to the bar, the Supervisor saw she was free and handed her the pastry, "Shu Tang, take this to table 402."
Meng Shu Tang walked over with a gentle smile, but the moment she saw the customers were Gu Yun Ci and Bai Ci Xian, her steps faltered, and she froze in place.
Gu Yun Ci looked at her, still surprised.
He hadn't expected that she had really come out to take a part-time job.
In his mind, the part-time work schedule he had glimpsed that night appeared, dense and full on a large page.
At this moment, seeing Meng Shu Tang standing there holding a tray with thin sweat on her temples was a hundred times more dazzling than the cold handwriting on the schedule.
He didn't say a word, keeping his tea raised to hide his emotions.
Bai Ci Xian, however, was very shocked. Although her posture was elegant, she still covered her lips in surprise.
"Miss Meng, you are still here?"
After saying this, she turned her eyes to look at Gu Yun Ci. Seeing the gloom covering the bottom of the man's eyes, she slowly sat back down and didn't say anything else.
Meng Shu Tang's surprise at seeing who she was serving was no less than Bai Ci Xian's.
This restaurant was very ordinary; Gu Yun Ci shouldn't have come here.
But thinking about how Bai Ci Xian and Qiao Mo had been here before, she didn't find it strange anymore.
She quickly adjusted herself, walked to the table generously, and placed the cake on the table, "Your strawberry cake, please enjoy."
After saying that, she turned to leave.
A waiter from the side came over and said to Bai Ci Xian, "Miss, didn't you say you wanted to take a group photo? This is the waiter in our shop who is best at taking photos. Let her take it for you!"
Meng Shu Tang handed the tray to her colleague, took the mobile phone from the colleague's hand, and said with a calm expression, "Mister, sit a bit closer to Madam; it will be more intimate."
Gu Yun Ci sat silently, not looking at Meng Shu Tang, as if he were cooperating with an unimportant procedure.
Seeing that he didn't move, Bai Ci Xian leaned in closer herself.
After Meng Shu Tang finished taking the photo, she handed the mobile phone to Bai Ci Xian and only left after confirming she was satisfied.
After the meal.
Gu Yun Ci returned to the President's Office on the 28th floor.
Qin Zheng handed him a meeting schedule, "President Gu, the Cultural Tourism Town meeting is in the conference room on the 7th floor in ten minutes."
The man walked quickly toward the office desk, took the schedule with one hand, and pulled off his tie with the other, throwing it onto the sofa.
His aim was off, and the tie missed its mark, falling to the floor.
His movement of looking at the schedule paused, his eyes landing on the coffee table.
There was a pot of begonia on the coffee table.
This begonia had been blooming luxuriantly before, but recently, for some reason, the flowers had withered and the leaves had decreased.
Qin Zheng walked over to pick up the tie and put it on the sofa. Seeing him staring at the withered begonia with his brows tightly furrowed, he stepped forward softly, "President Gu, this begonia has been wilting for a few days. It looks like an eyesore here. Shall I move it to the pantry first, and bring it back once they have taken care of it?"
Gu Yun Ci's Adam's apple moved, but before he could speak,
Bai Ci Xian knocked on the door lightly, "President Gu, there is a new procedure added. I came to tell you about it."
She walked in and saw Gu Yun Ci staring at the coffee table without blinking, not listening to what she was saying at all, so she turned her eyes to look at Qin Zheng.
Qin Zheng gave a look that was deep and unfathomable. Bai Ci Xian understood; it meant for her not to ask, not to interfere, and to shut up and be quiet.
Bai Ci Xian was clever and sensible, so she stood behind Gu Yun Ci, curious about what he was looking at, and followed his gaze.
When she saw he was looking at that pot of begonia, she felt unhappy instantly.
This pot of begonia had been in Gu Yun Ci's office for a long time; it had been there since the first time she came in.
She didn't know who had sent it, but she only found it an eyesore.
"President Gu, this begonia probably won't be saved. Throw it away. I have a pot of camellia that is blooming elegantly; I'll bring it over for you in a moment."
As she spoke, Bai Ci Xian gave the newly printed schedule to Qin Zheng, walked to the coffee table, picked up the begonia, and started to walk out.
"Wait," the man said decisively, coming to the side of the desk and pointing to a corner, "Put it there."
Bai Ci Xian froze, feeling somewhat incredulous, "Brother Yun Ci, this flower is already withered."
"Didn't you hear me!"
The man's brows furrowed slightly, his expression cold and stern.
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