Xing Yu also felt that his sudden visit was somewhat abrupt, but he had no choice but to come.
“Professor Yu, I came because there are some things I’d like to ask you. Sorry for the disturbance.”
Yu Qian was only surprised—she didn’t feel disturbed at all.
“You’re too polite. Come in first.”
Xing Yu walked in carrying some fruit and placed it on the dining table.
Only then did Yu Qian notice the fruit. After closing the door, she walked over.
“Why did you buy something again? You didn’t need to bring anything.”
Xing Yu replied, “You’re both my teacher and an elder. It’s only proper.”
Yu Qian knew he valued etiquette, so she didn’t press the matter. She poured a glass of water and handed it to him.
“You came to see me—what’s the matter? Is it something important?”
Xing Yu took the glass and didn’t beat around the bush.
“Professor Yu, last time you said Wen Yao went abroad. But I checked—there’s no record of her applying for a visa. Did you perhaps remember incorrectly?”
Yu Qian hadn’t expected him to actually check visa records. Without strong connections, that wasn’t something easily accessible.
Feigning surprise, she said, “Wen Yao didn’t go abroad? I remember she said she planned to. Could it be that she changed her mind?”
She looked at Xing Yu, her voice full of sympathy.
“She’s always been sensitive and doesn’t like talking to others. Even when she’s wronged, she keeps it to herself. Maybe it’s for the best that she didn’t go abroad—being in an unfamiliar place, if she were bullied, there’d be no one to help her.”
Hearing this, Xing Yu recalled how she had been bullied by classmates. His grip tightened around the glass in his hand.
“Professor Yu, hasn’t Wen Yao contacted you?”
Yu Qian hesitated for a moment, then shook her head.
Xing Yu set down the glass.
“Sorry for the disturbance, Professor Yu.” With that, he stood up and left.
Yu Qian walked him to the door. Watching his departing figure, she let out a helpless sigh.
She didn’t know why Xing Yu was so eager to find Wen Yao.
Given how afraid Wen Yao was of meeting him, perhaps she had been hurt too deeply.
On the way back, Xing Yu received a call from Ruan Qingtong.
“Son, go meet Dong Shuyan tomorrow.”
“Who is Dong Shuyan?”
“You forgot? My friend’s daughter. She’s very beautiful—and just your type, with very fair skin.”
Only then did Xing Yu remember the blind date.
“Who said I like fair-skinned women?”
“Didn’t you say that last time?”
“… ”
“Son, don’t scare her off this time. Dong Shuyan comes from a prestigious family—talented and well-mannered. Understand?”
“…Understood.”
The company’s profits hadn’t been high over the past two years. Ever since the new CEO took office, meetings were held frequently.
The design department, publicity department, and market research department were all singled out for criticism.
Almost every department was called out one by one.
Zhang Wenbin returned with a grim expression.
“If you still can’t come up with appealing and popular designs, I won’t be able to protect you.”
Li Shu said indignantly, “Poor performance can’t be blamed entirely on design, right?”
Zhang Wenbin replied, “Enough nonsense. You three—prepare your design drafts. President Xing wants to see them.”
Zhang Wenbin continued bringing Wen Yao breakfast every day, which led the entire company to assume he was her boyfriend.
Wen Yao had dealt with persistent suitors before, but someone like Zhang Wenbin—who deliberately created misunderstandings—was a first.
Seeing him approach again with breakfast, she stood up.
“Manager Zhang, let’s talk.”
From the first day Wen Yao joined the company, Zhang Wenbin had liked her. Not just him—several single men in the company did as well.
“Sure. Take the breakfast first.”
“No need.”
Wen Yao got straight to the point.
“Manager Zhang, your behavior has already caused me distress. I hope you’ll stop bringing me breakfast and stop presenting yourself as my boyfriend.”
“Wen Yao, do you even realize that a divorced woman with a child is hardly wanted? Look at the guys in the company—once they hear you’re divorced with a kid, they all avoid you. I’m the only one who doesn’t mind. I have a car and a house—if you marry me, you’ll have a home.”
Zhang Wenbin spoke as if it were perfectly reasonable.
“… ” Wen Yao said, “Manager Zhang, I already have a home. Whether you mind or not has nothing to do with me. Please stop saying such ridiculous things.”
Zhang Wenbin smiled and said, “Wen Yao, I’ll be honest with you—the design department is definitely going to lay people off. You just joined the company not long ago and don’t have any outstanding representative works. If you agree to be my girlfriend, I can make sure you stay.”
Wen Yao had encountered this before—being threatened with her job and asked to become someone’s secret lover.
When you’re in a vulnerable position and have no money, it’s easy to become like fish on a chopping board, at the mercy of others.
“If President Xing wants to lay people off, then so be it.”
After saying that, Wen Yao turned and left without looking back.
Not far away, Xing Yu watched Wen Yao’s retreating figure. He glanced at Zhang Wenbin, who was still standing there. The distance was too far for him to hear what they had been talking about.
But judging from Wen Yao’s expression, she hadn’t been happy.
The vice president noticed Xing Yu’s gaze and said with a smile, “President Xing, I heard those two are in a relationship. Probably just a quarrel. Wen Yao is divorced with a child, and Manager Zhang doesn’t mind that. Not sure what she’s dissatisfied about.”
Xing Yu withdrew his gaze. “Wen Yao is divorced?”
The vice president nodded. “Yes. She doesn’t look like someone who’s been married and had a child, right? When she first joined, quite a few single employees wanted to pursue her. They were all shocked when they found out.”
Xing Yu thought of her daughter—who even had her surname. Being divorced made sense.
Xing Yu had a blind date scheduled today, so he left the company early. He told the driver to head to the kindergarten first.
The black Cayenne stopped across the street. Xing Yu didn’t wait long in the car before the kindergarten dismissed.
He pushed the door open and walked toward the entrance.
Most of the people picking up children at the kindergarten were mothers, along with some grandparents.
Suddenly, a tall, well-dressed man in a suit with refined features walked over, drawing everyone’s attention.
“Who is that? He’s so handsome!”
“He looks like a celebrity!”
“This young man is really good-looking. Look at that suit—so sharp!”
Wen Xin was holding a small stool, planning to sit there and wait for her mother, when she suddenly spotted Xing Yu in the crowd.
“Isn’t that Uncle Xing?” She hugged the stool and ran over to Xu Ziyang, nudging him with her elbow. “Look, Uncle Xing is here!”
Hearing this, Xu Ziyang looked toward the entrance. The moment he saw Xing Yu, he excitedly rushed to the railing, sticking his hands through the gaps and waving. “Uncle Xing, I’m here!”
Seeing the two little ones inside, Xing Yu strode over. After explaining the situation to the kindergarten teacher, he was allowed to enter.
Xu Ziyang looked up happily. “Uncle Xing, why are you here?”
Xing Yu crouched down so they were eye level. “I’m here to take you out to play. I’ve already told your grandma.”
Hearing that, Xu Ziyang grinned with excitement.
Wen Xin stood nearby, holding her little stool in both hands, her big watery eyes fixed on them.
Children couldn’t hide their emotions—her face was full of envy.
Xing Yu noticed her standing there. “Xinxin, why are you holding a stool?”
Wen Xin walked over on her short little legs, her pretty eyes curving into a smile. “Hello, Uncle Xing! I’m going to sit on my stool and wait for my mommy.”
Hearing that, Xing Yu felt an inexplicable tightness in his chest. It pained him to see someone so young being this sensible.
“You’re waiting for your mom to pick you up, right?”
Wen Xin nodded. “Mm! I’m very well-behaved. I won’t run around.”
Xing Yu glanced at his watch—there was still more than an hour before the end of the workday.
He looked at Wen Xin again. She was only three years old, yet so sensible it made one’s heart ache.
“Your mom works at the same company as me. She’ll be off work quite late. Why don’t you come play with me first, and I’ll bring you back afterward?”
Wen Xin wanted to go play too, but when she thought of her mother, she shook her head. “But if I leave, my mommy won’t be able to find me. She’ll worry. I won’t go.”
Xing Yu remembered he had a blind date and wouldn’t be back anytime soon. Looking at the three-year-old child, he asked, “Do you know your mom’s phone number?”
Wen Xin nodded vigorously. “I do! Mommy made me memorize it.”
Xing Yu hadn’t expected much when he asked. He had even planned to get Wen Yao’s number from the department manager.
He didn’t expect that such a young child would already remember her parent’s phone number.
“Tell me the number, and I’ll call her.”