Meanwhile, inside the Gu family factory office—
Gu Jingcheng parked the car in the courtyard and strode quickly toward the office building without even stopping to catch his breath.
He originally hadn’t needed to go out today, but a client had suddenly requested additional orders. The newly hired clerk wasn’t familiar with the process yet, so he had no choice but to handle it personally.
At the thought of seeing Chen Yao soon, his heartbeat unconsciously sped up, and the corners of his lips lifted without him realizing it.
On the way, he ran into his assistant and tugged at his tie while asking, “Has she arrived yet?”
“She’s here. I already passed along your message. She’s probably studying in the office right now,” the assistant replied while hurrying after him.
After only a few steps, the assistant practically had to jog to keep up. Gu Jingcheng suddenly stopped and asked, panting lightly, “Why are you still following me?”
Scratching his head, the assistant said awkwardly, “The documents from a few days ago are still in your office. I forgot to take them…”
Gu Jingcheng pointed at him twice before dropping his hand helplessly.
“You really know how to pick the perfect timing. Grab them and leave immediately.”
“Got it, got it,” the assistant promised repeatedly.
Anyone could see how much President Gu cared about that young girl. There was no way he would intentionally interrupt the two of them.
The two arrived at the office door. Just as the assistant was about to push it open, Gu Jingcheng stopped him.
The assistant looked at him in confusion.
Then he watched as the usually suave and carefree President Gu first straightened his clothes, adjusted his hair several times, took a deep breath, and finally pushed the door open with a bright smile.
Assistant: “…”
Was that really necessary?
“Brother Jingcheng, you’re back?”
The assistant followed him inside and immediately felt something was off with that voice.
It sounded a little too familiar…
“Xu Li? Why are you here?” Gu Jingcheng frowned when he didn’t see the person he actually wanted to meet.
Xu Li walked toward him carrying her little handbag.
“I went to your house several times looking for you. Auntie said you’ve been busy at the company lately, so I came to see you.”
“Brother Jingcheng, don’t work so hard. Let’s go watch a movie, okay? Even working people need time to relax.” She deliberately dragged out her words in a spoiled tone.
But Gu Jingcheng had no time to entertain her. He asked directly,
“When you came just now, where’s the other girl who was in the office?”
After speaking, he even shot a glare at the assistant beside him.
The assistant shrugged with an innocent “I have no idea what happened” expression.
Seeing how concerned he was about that girl, Xu Li’s suspicions were confirmed.
What kind of person was Gu Jingcheng? If he felt nothing for someone, he wouldn’t even bother looking at them directly, let alone allow them into his office. Wasn’t she herself the perfect example?
“Oh, you mean that girl? I did see her.”
“Where did she go? Why isn’t she here?”
Meng Yao had always been serious about studying. Even the last time she had ignored him, she still forced herself to finish learning an entire unit with him before leaving. So now that she had suddenly disappeared, the first person he suspected was Xu Li.
“Did you say something to her?” Gu Jingcheng narrowed his eyes, his voice turning cold.
Xu Li stubbornly denied it.
“I didn’t say anything to her. She saw me arrive and said she wanted to leave herself. She even said she wouldn’t let you continue tutoring her anymore.”
“You’re lying!”
Gu Jingcheng was certain Xu Li was lying. Even if Meng Yao wanted to leave, she would at least wait until after the tutoring session and finish learning the material before saying goodbye.
“Anyway, she left on her own. It has nothing to do with me.” Without evidence, Xu Li flatly refused to admit anything.
Thinking about how Gu Jingcheng was questioning her over another woman made her feel deeply wronged.
“Why do you care about her so much? You tutor her, ask where she went… what, do you like her?”
Beside them, the assistant quietly perked up his ears to gossip.
“I do like her.” Gu Jingcheng saw no reason to deny it.
“So I hope you’ll stop wasting feelings on me. I’ve already told you many times—I’ll never like you.”
Tears instantly filled Xu Li’s eyes as she shouted loudly,
“Why exactly?! What does she have that’s worth your liking?!”
Gu Jingcheng pushed past her and sat back in his chair tiredly, wondering whether Meng Yao would ever come again.
Then his eyes suddenly froze on something lying on the desk.
It was a scarf.
Dark gray, soft-looking, with a cute cartoon tiger hanging from it.
Gu Jingcheng’s zodiac sign happened to be the tiger.
He reached out and picked it up. The material felt incredibly soft in his hands, and he could already imagine how comfortable it would feel to wear. It was obviously carefully handmade.
Besides Meng Yao, he couldn’t think of anyone else who would make this for him.
His heart suddenly began pounding uncontrollably fast.
This scarf was hand-knitted by her!
And it was for him!
Could it be…
Did Meng Yao like him too?
A smile uncontrollably appeared on his face again. Grabbing the scarf, he immediately stood up and prepared to leave.
Xu Li anxiously shouted after him,
“Gu Jingcheng, even if you like her, it’s useless! Your grandfather already arranged a marriage for you long ago. Do you think she’ll still want to be with you after finding out?!”
Gu Jingcheng stopped in his tracks and turned back toward Xu Li, his face full of determination.
“I’ll handle that matter myself. It’s none of your concern. And don’t come looking for me again in the future.”
After saying that, he didn’t stay another second. Carrying the scarf, he turned and strode away.
Xu Li finally broke down into loud sobs.
“Why?! We grew up together since childhood! How can I not compare to some random woman?!”
The assistant cautiously moved toward the desk, opened the drawer, grabbed the documents he needed, and silently shuffled toward the door again.
Wiping her tears, Xu Li suddenly looked at him.
“You tell me! Exactly what part of me is worse than her?!”
The assistant, who had been only one step away from escaping, awkwardly pulled back the foot he had already stepped out with.
“You don’t need to compare yourself with her. Everyone is different,” he said.
But Xu Li was too emotionally shaken and only wanted to hear that she was better than that woman.
“Then tell me—how am I different from her?”
The assistant scratched his head helplessly.
He was just a recently graduated young man. He truly had no experience comforting women.
Still, seeing Xu Li crying so pitifully made him somewhat softhearted.
“You’re different from her in every way. You’re beautiful, pretty, gentle, generous, understanding…”
Compliments poured out nonstop from the assistant’s mouth.
What a joke. He was at least a graduate from a prestigious university. He could rattle off dozens upon dozens of praise words without even pausing.
Xu Li was stunned into silence.
Even her tears stopped as she stared at him strangely.
The assistant carefully asked, “Then… if there’s nothing else, I’ll go back to work?”
Xu Li: “Mm.”
Meanwhile, Gu Jingcheng ran all the way back to his car carrying the scarf.
Without hesitation, he started the car and drove back out immediately.
He was anxious, worried about what Xu Li might have said to Meng Yao and afraid she might never come again. He drove around the entire county searching for her.
Until suddenly—
A familiar figure brushed past his car.
He immediately slammed on the brakes.
Outside the car window, Meng Yao was holding a bouquet of flowers, occasionally lowering her head to smell them as she slowly walked toward the main road.
But unlike usual, there was no joy on her face while holding flowers.
There weren’t many people around at this hour, so Gu Jingcheng turned the car around and slowly followed behind her.
One hand rested on the steering wheel while the other quickly wrapped the scarf around his neck.
Outside the window, Meng Yao’s mood hadn’t improved despite buying flowers. She wandered aimlessly with heavy footsteps.
Before long, a car suddenly stopped beside her on the road to her right.
Then came a playful whistle.
“Hey, beautiful girl, where are you headed? Need a ride?”
Holding her flowers, Meng Yao turned around and met a pair of smiling eyes.
The man wore a suit, his driving posture natural and practiced. His eyes carried a captivating smile that seemed capable of drowning someone in it.
If not for the scarf around his neck, Gu Jingcheng truly looked elegant and refined—like the kind of young master born with a silver spoon in one of those wealthy, noble families. Humorous, upright, charming, and likely destined for a smooth life ahead with a well-matched wife.
Only…
At this moment, wearing a formal suit while wrapping such an obviously mismatched scarf around his neck, he no longer looked like a noble young master.
He looked more like the village fool standing at the village entrance, grinning foolishly with an expression that practically screamed lovestruck idiot.