Bai Shujun’s heart hurt as if it had been seared by a red-hot iron. Back then, he wouldn’t let her go out to work. No matter how much she begged, he refused.
He hadn’t cared at all about her future.
But now, for Qin Yuexin’s sake, he was protecting her at every turn, even going so far as to ruin his own future.
Jing Muhan really did love and hate with absolute clarity—and she was the one he hated.
Cen Yunxiao replied with forceful certainty, “President Jing, as long as I’m at Xingshu, Bai Shujun will be the only Technology director.”
Jing Muhan said bluntly, “I’ll invest three hundred million in your TOKEN output plan.”
The TOKEN output plan was Xingshu’s key project for the second half of the year. They were looking for investors, but its prospects were uncertain, and the capital market wasn’t optimistic. Everyone was waiting to see what would happen.
The terms Jing Muhan offered were certainly tempting.
Bai Shujun’s heart had completely gone cold. She was ready to leave.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Cen Yunxiao refused. “Bai Shujun is the core of this project. Funding is useless without her.”
Qin Yuexin asked, baffled, “President Cen, why are you defending Bai Shujun so much? Don’t tell me you have an improper relationship with her?”
Bai Shujun glared at her, ready to snap back.
Cen Yunxiao snapped, “Miss Qin, think before you speak. This is an office, not a marketplace where you can spout whatever nonsense you like. You’re President Jing’s girlfriend. Don’t say such inappropriate things.”
Qin Yuexin was displeased. She said to Jing Muhan, “Muhan, look at President Cen openly taking Bai Shujun’s side.”
Bai Shujun said coldly, “That’s because our President Cen has better judgment.”
She swallowed the taunt she’d been about to direct at Jing Muhan. Who knew what other despicable things this bastard might do to protect his woman?
Qin Yuexin’s eyes instantly reddened. Tugging at Jing Muhan’s shirt cuff, she said, “Muhan, it’s only a job. Why is President Cen being so aggressive?”
Bai Shujun laughed in anger. “Aren’t you the ones being aggressive?”
Jing Muhan’s handsome face was as calm as a lake. He neither explained nor comforted her, but spoke gently to Qin Yuexin. “We’ll find you another company. I have plenty of tech companies at my disposal. I’ll take you to Boshi Technology this afternoon.”
Boshi Technology specialized in Large Language Models and was also a client of Xingshu. It had just gone public and was riding high in the capital market, making it a perfect place for Qin Yuexin to add some shine to her résumé.
Hearing this, Qin Yuexin raised an eyebrow at Bai Shujun, whose face had gone pale. Without saying a word, she made her meaning clear: So what if you’re capable? You still don’t have access to resources as good as mine.
Bai Shujun had no time to care about that. She was grateful to Cen Yunxiao for helping her keep her job.
After Jing Muhan left, Bai Shujun said to Cen Yunxiao, “Senior Brother, thank you! I’ll treat you to lunch in a bit.”
Cen Yunxiao smiled. “All right. Get back to work for now.”
Wen Xi also worked at Xingshu, in the Human Resources Department. She’d been busy and hadn’t been there earlier. When Wei Tianming told her what Qin Yuexin had done, Wen Xi spent a full ten minutes cursing the shameless pair on WeChat.
【Why does that shameless slut have to fight you for everything? It’s bad enough she went after your scumbag, but now she wants your job too. Thank goodness President Cen didn’t listen to Jing Dog, or I’d be furious.】
Bai Shujun was busy, so she only replied: 【Busy! I’ll tell you about it later.】
Then she silenced her phone. After being trapped by household chores for three years, it had been far too long since she’d been able to devote herself to work like this. She was so busy that it was noon before she knew it. Cen Yunxiao knocked and came in.
“Weren’t you going to treat me to lunch? How could you forget?”
Only then did Bai Shujun look up from her computer. She gave him an apologetic smile. “Senior Brother, I’m sorry. I forgot.” She closed her computer and stood up. “What do you want to eat? Name it, and I’ll treat you.”
Cen Yunxiao picked a private dining restaurant. He remembered that Bai Shujun liked garlic pork ribs, and this place made them well.
Bai Shujun was touched. In the past three years, Jing Muhan had never asked what she liked to eat, nor had he cared.
Bai Shujun opened her phone and found several messages. One of them was from Huo Jiuxiao.
【The divorce papers have been filed with Haidian Court. The case will officially be docketed in five to seven business days. I’ll take you out to dinner tonight.】
Bai Shujun replied: 【Thanks, Brother. I might not have time tonight; I’ll be busy with work. Jing Muhan is such a bastard. He almost messed up my job.】
【All right. Take care of yourself. Divorcing him will be a long, drawn-out battle. It’d be best if you could gather evidence that he’s cheating. The lawyer said DNA test results linking him to that child, or evidence of catching them in bed, would be ideal. Then the divorce could be granted in one hearing.】
Only then did Bai Shujun remember that Qin Yuexin had said she was Jing Muhan’s girlfriend. She could go to the surveillance room later and get a copy of the footage. Next time she ran into the two of them, she’d record them right away.
There was also a message from Jing Muhan below.
【Tomorrow evening is Grandma’s birthday banquet. Be at the old residence at six. Don’t refuse. I’m still your husband, and it’s your duty to accompany me.】
He’d sent the message several hours earlier, when he was still with Qin Yuexin.
How could he cuddle another woman with one arm and then come to her, asking her to play along? Jing Muhan really did have the makings of a Movie Emperor.
Bai Shujun replied with disgust: 【I’m busy! You can ask your kid’s mother.】
They were getting divorced, so she had no time to play along with him. Besides, Jing Muhan had never paid her for her performances.
She put her phone in her bag and went out to eat.
They had a wonderful meal, chatting and laughing together.
Cen Yunxiao said, “Junior Sister, you’re much stronger than I imagined. You’ve lost your mother and your husband, but maybe that’s for the best. People have to look ahead.”
Bai Shujun smiled and said, “Mm. I hope better days are ahead.”
Cen Yunxiao immediately reassured her. “With me around, you’ll be fine.”
Three years ago, when his Junior Sister’s mother was gravely ill, he’d only just started his business and hadn’t been able to help her. Now he had the means, and he wouldn’t let his Junior Sister suffer anymore.
Bai Shujun said, “Mm. Everything got better once my husband died.”
In her twenty-six years, it seemed as if fate had constantly thrown hardships her way. Once she left him and got rid of his child, surely things would get better from then on.
An angry voice suddenly came from behind her. Huang Wanxiu demanded furiously, “Bai Shujun, why are you cursing my son?”
Clearly, she had heard what Bai Shujun had just said.
Bai Shujun’s expression was cold. “Madam, you’ve mistaken me for someone else. I have nothing to do with your son.”
After all, the Jing family wouldn’t let her reveal that she was married. There was no need to admit it in public.
Huang Wanxiu had never seen Bai Shujun act so boldly. Now that this woman had nothing left for her to use as leverage, she was really getting arrogant—she even dared to deny that Huang Wanxiu was her mother-in-law.
Furious, Huang Wanxiu raised her hand and slapped her. A red mark immediately appeared on Bai Shujun’s fair cheek.
Cen Yunxiao rushed forward and slapped Huang Wanxiu. The blow nearly knocked her off her feet. She’d been pampered for years—how could she stand being treated like this?
She roared, “I’ll make you pay for this.”
Cen Yunxiao’s expression turned icy. “I don’t care who you are. You laid a hand on someone of mine, so you’ll have to deal with the consequences.”