Before Chen Mengyao could refuse, the manager had already called two assistants over and stuffed all the clothes she had tried on into shopping bags.
“Miss Chen, please follow me to the dressing room. I’ll help you with makeup and styling, and then you can go see CEO Lu.”
“O… okay…” Chen Mengyao nodded blankly, letting the manager pull her toward the dressing room.
Half an hour later, Chen Mengyao sat in front of the vanity mirror, staring at the refined woman in the reflection, her lips pressed tightly together as countless thoughts swirled in her mind.
The manager brushed a pale golden blush across her cheeks, turning her face from sickly pale into rosy freshness, like a freshly peeled egg.
“Perfect.”
Examining her from different angles in the mirror, the manager’s lips curled in satisfaction as she praised, “Miss Chen, you’ll definitely amaze CEO Lu tonight!”
Flushed with embarrassment at the compliment, Chen Mengyao’s cheeks burned red. But she still felt the need to explain. “You misunderstand. CEO Lu and I really don’t have that kind of relationship. I’m only his… housekeeper.”
“Aiya, I know, I know. You don’t need to explain.” The manager blinked suggestively and patted her hand intimately. “Don’t worry, Miss Chen. As long as you seize this chance and serve CEO Lu well, wealth and glory will be yours.”
Chen Mengyao awkwardly pulled her hand back, shaking her head, and finally stopped trying to defend herself.
“Miss Chen, come with me. CEO Lu is waiting in the private room,” the manager said, leading the way.
Chen Mengyao followed silently behind.
As soon as she entered the private room, she saw Lu Chen leaning lazily against the sofa, flipping through a magazine. At the sound of the door, he turned slightly, his gaze landing on her.
Chen Mengyao quickly lowered her head, avoiding his eyes.
Lu Chen’s gaze swept over her, and a trace of astonishment flickered in his eyes.
Tonight, Chen Mengyao was completely different.
She wore a simple beige dress that hugged her slender waist. The warm, soft color gently revealed her rounded shoulders, adding a hint of allure and elegance. When she lowered her eyes, her long curled lashes trembled like butterfly wings ready to take flight, stirring a subtle itch in the heart.
“C… CEO Lu, housekeeper Chen Mengyao reporting in. Hello,” she said nervously in a small voice, her whole body tense, afraid to disturb him.
After all, she was now officially working for the Lu Family. Addressing him as CEO Lu was proper enough.
Lu Chen smiled faintly and slowly sat up straight. This Chen Mengyao was amusing—did she really think calling herself a housekeeper would let her escape the identity of a maid?
Feeling his intense gaze, Chen Mengyao’s heart skipped a beat. She instinctively clutched her skirt tighter, her breath almost stopping.
The manager, noticing the atmosphere, quickly left the room and shut the door behind her.
“Not bad. It suits you well,” Lu Chen said as he rubbed his forehead, his lazy and magnetic voice echoing in the quiet room.
Chen Mengyao tensed up even more, swallowing nervously. “Th… thank you…” she stammered, trying hard to ignore the unease swelling inside.
Lu Chen rose to his feet and walked toward her.
Chen Mengyao’s body trembled, her heart pounding wildly, her hands gripping her skirt so tightly her knuckles turned white.
Was this it? Was the thing she had feared finally about to happen?
Seeing her flustered expression, she thought he was about to reveal his true intentions at last! This chapter is updated first at g.com.
Terrified, she squeezed her eyes shut and blurted out the words she had prepared in advance. “CEO Lu, I’m here to work, please follow the contract and don’t lay your hands…”
Before she could finish, Lu Chen brushed past her without so much as a glance, opened the private room’s door, and said flatly, “Since you’re ready, let’s go. I’ll take you to the hospital.”
Chen Mengyao froze, unable to react.
What was going on? Did this man… really have no interest in her?
“Ah? Oh… okay…”
At that moment, aside from relief, an inexplicable hint of disappointment stirred in her heart.
It was like a pampered cat that had carefully groomed itself to please its master, only for the master to ignore it completely—too indifferent to even reach out a hand.
Nonsense! What kind of thoughts were those?
Chen Mengyao shook her head quickly, scattering the absurd notions, and hurriedly lifted her skirt to chase after him.
…
The rain had stopped. Under the night sky, neon lights flickered brightly, painting the cityscape with mystery. The bustling streets were alive again, filled with crowds enjoying the cool evening air.
Wearing a short black skirt, Gu Xiaoxiao walked along the pedestrian street, her arm hooked through her best friend Zhao Jiaqi’s, her face clouded with gloom.
“What’s wrong with you today? You look upset. Don’t tell me you’re heartbroken?” Zhao Jiaqi teased as they strolled.
“Who told you I was heartbroken?” Gu Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes and pouted casually. “I’ve never been in a relationship. I just lost my job, that’s all.”
“Huh?” Zhao Jiaqi’s eyes widened in surprise. “But wasn’t CEO Lu from Emperor Group pursuing you? Didn’t he offer you a six-figure monthly salary? With him backing you, who’d dare fire you?”
Gu Xiaoxiao shook her head, sighing. “It was him who fired me.”
The thought alone brought back the ache in her chest, like she had lost something precious. She felt empty and restless.
Especially after going home—it was unbearable. Lu Chen had always been the one to drive her back after work, sending her endless messages reminding her to rest. If she mentioned wanting to eat something, no matter the time or place, he would deliver it personally.
To be honest, Gu Xiaoxiao had never expected someone of his wealth to pamper a girl so much.
He had treated her so well it felt unreal.
So now, with his sudden indifference, she felt deeply unsettled, her heart hollow and aching.
Why had his attitude changed so drastically, when not long ago he had been so devoted?
Since being dismissed, Gu Xiaoxiao couldn’t stop overthinking. Was he tired of her? Had he found someone new? Or had she unknowingly angered him?
But when she thought carefully, she couldn’t figure it out. He had clearly liked her so much—how could he bear to fire her?
The more she thought about it, the more uncomfortable she felt. Her nose stung, her eyes reddened with grievance. That was why she had asked her best friend out, hoping to ease her mood.
“What happened? Don’t tell me you really got fired?” Zhao Jiaqi asked worriedly.
“Why would I lie to you…” Gu Xiaoxiao muttered, lowering her head.
She knew well how crazily Lu Chen had pursued Gu Xiaoxiao these past three months. Every time he saw her, he clung like glue, showering her with flowers, dinners, gifts—he even made her his personal secretary just to keep her close.
Gu Xiaoxiao had started as a mere intern at Emperor Group. Because of Lu Chen’s devotion, she became his only personal secretary, second only to him in authority, envied by everyone at the company.
Zhao Jiaqi had even joked that if Gu Xiaoxiao asked for the moon, Lu Chen would climb up and bring it down for her.
So how could a man like that suddenly dismiss her?
Gu Xiaoxiao shook her head with a sigh. “No one bullied me. With him at Emperor Group, who’d dare?”
Zhao Jiaqi eyed her suspiciously, then asked, “Could it be that since you kept rejecting him, he gave up?”
“Who knows.” Gu Xiaoxiao pressed her lips together, her feelings too complicated to describe. She kept telling herself leaving a scumbag was a good thing, but deep inside, she couldn’t stop the pain.
“This doesn’t make sense…” Zhao Jiaqi muttered. “Someone must’ve bullied you. Tell me who it is—I’ll teach them a lesson.” She rolled up her sleeves angrily.
Gu Xiaoxiao laughed and tugged her arm down with a sigh. “Forget it. I’m fine. Just think of it as me getting canned. Honestly, I didn’t want to stay at Emperor Group anyway. Seeing that scumbag’s face every day was disgusting.”
“Really?” Zhao Jiaqi asked doubtfully. “You’re willing to leave Emperor Group?”
“What else can I do?” Gu Xiaoxiao lowered her head, as if answering both her and herself. “I would’ve switched jobs sooner or later. Might as well now.”
Zhao Jiaqi frowned, frustrated. “You’re a fool. A man like CEO Lu is someone you should hold onto tightly. Miss this chance, and there won’t be another.”
Gu Xiaoxiao was quiet for a moment before whispering, “He’s too much of a playboy. There are too many women around him. I don’t like that.”
“You silly girl!” Zhao Jiaqi sighed helplessly. “You know how many women would kill to climb into CEO Lu’s bed, yet you still don’t treasure it!”
“But…” Gu Xiaoxiao paused, then said firmly, “I want a stable relationship and undivided love. I don’t want to share him with other women.”
“You’ll regret this,” Zhao Jiaqi muttered, shaking her head.
Gu Xiaoxiao smiled faintly and said with confidence, “Don’t worry. Lu Chen definitely still likes me. Within three days, he’ll come back to me.”
Zhao Jiaqi thought for a moment, then nodded. “That’s possible, given how crazy he is about you. But if he does, don’t act so cold anymore. Give him some leeway—after all, he’s sincere about you.”
“We’ll see how he behaves.” Gu Xiaoxiao lifted her chin proudly. “He fired me without a word. That account still isn’t settled.”
“Just don’t push too far,” Zhao Jiaqi warned. “Men like him aren’t easy to find these days.”
“I know, I know,” Gu Xiaoxiao waved her hand.
The two continued walking down the shopping street.
The rain-soaked ground shimmered under neon lights, reflecting the tall buildings in a dreamy mirage. Passersby’s shadows tangled in the reflections, messy and scattered like their own tangled thoughts.
Gu Xiaoxiao lowered her head in silence, distracted as she sidestepped puddles.
Suddenly, she felt a tug on her arm.
Frowning, she looked at Zhao Jiaqi. “What’s wrong?”
Zhao Jiaqi had stopped in her tracks, her eyes widening in shock as she pointed ahead at Emperor Life Plaza. “Xiaoxiao, look! Isn’t that CEO Lu? And behind him… isn’t that a woman?”