Seeing Zhu Li's stubbornness, Manager Cao sighed, leaning on the table. This stupid woman deserved to be fired. "You know about President Gu personally bringing his employees here for team building, right?"
Zhu Li nodded. "Yes, I know." She had been involved in the entire preparation. "Have you heard that President Gu is bringing his wife along?"
Zhu Li knew this even better. Women gossip when they're together, right? She'd heard that President Gu's wife was in a business marriage, and because of the rumors about him and Xue Jing, Mrs. Gu was jealous and forced him to issue a statement on the official website.
Zhu Li pouted. "Of course I've heard, but what does that have to do with whether I'm fired or not?" As soon as she finished speaking, Zhu Li's heart skipped a beat, her face turned pale, and her eyes widened in terror as she looked at Manager Cao.
"Manager Cao, you mean... the woman I bumped into today was... Mrs. Gu?" Manager Cao glared at her. Idiot, did you have to spell it out for her to understand? "Hurry up and leave, hurry up! By the way, just a friendly reminder, you'd better change industries in the future, and try to stay away from companies under the Gu Group. You're probably already on their blacklist!"
Julie didn't know how she got out of Manager Cao's office; all she knew was that the excitement and joy she felt when she arrived had vanished without a trace. That woman who looked like a college student was actually President Gu's wife?
Julie couldn't believe it a hundred times over. How could it be? How could it be?! ... When Su Mianmian came out of the bathroom after her shower, Gu Yizhou was on the phone in the yard. He had a cigarette in his hand, occasionally taking a puff.
Hearing the noise from inside, Gu Yizhou turned around, extinguishing his cigarette as he did so. "I understand. Tell Cao Ping that the employee training must be even stricter. If this happens again, he can retire as manager."
Hanging up the phone, Gu Yizhou suppressed his anger, stepped inside, and pulled Su Mianmian's hand to sit on the sofa. Disinfectant and ointment were already prepared on the coffee table beside them.
Gu Yizhou half-squatted beside Su Mianmian's feet, his large hand cradling her small one, gently applying ointment to her palm with a cotton swab. The cool ointment felt refreshing on her skin, instantly alleviating the pain.
After applying it to her palm, he continued to apply it to her knee. Looking at the bruises, Gu Yizhou's brows furrowed involuntarily. "Luckily it's autumn, otherwise you wouldn't be able to wear skirts for a while."
Su Mianmian pouted. "That's right, otherwise I wouldn't be able to wear skirts, or even low-cut tops." Gu Yizhou reacted quickly, immediately understanding Su Mianmian's unspoken meaning. He looked up at her, his gaze shifting slightly.
"Mianmian, you said you forgave me in front of so many people." Forgave him, so she couldn't bring it up again? Besides, she had only agreed to forgive him under duress. Su Mianmian turned her face away. "Then why do you apologize to me every time? You still do it again next time."
Gu Yizhou looked at Su Mianmian's pouting face and chuckled. "Mianmian, do you know the phrase 'uncontrollable passion'?" Su Mianmian's cheeks flushed, and she said seriously, "I only know the saying, 'Once, twice, but not a third time.'" Gu Yizhou raised an eyebrow and smiled.
"What if there's a third time?" Su Mianmian didn't expect Gu Yizhou to play dumb. She turned to look at him, pouting. "If there's a third time, then..." Su Mianmian started to say, but suddenly noticed a diamond anklet hanging from Gu Yizhou's finger.
The anklet was silver, interspersed with diamond-encrusted butterflies. Under the light, the diamonds swayed gently in Gu Yizhou's hand, sparkling with dazzling brilliance.
Su Mianmian's tongue seemed to have been snatched away by a cat; the remaining half of her sentence was swallowed back down her throat, and her eyes brightened. "This is... for me?" Gu Yizhou lowered his eyes, gently fastening the anklet around Su Mianmian's slender ankle. "As a reward for the clothes you bought me."
From necklaces to earrings, to bracelets, and now this anklet. Since registering their marriage, Su Mianmian had received many gifts from Gu Yizhou. "But that outfit wasn't worth much, you didn't need to give me a gift in return."
Gu Yizhou finished fastening the anklet, stood up, and pinched Su Mianmian's cheek. "But I just wanted to give you a gift, Mianmian, I wish I could present you with all the beautiful gifts in the world."
Here we go again… Su Mianmian couldn't stand Gu Yizhou's direct way of speaking. A blush crept onto her ears, and Su Mianmian crossed her legs, admiring the diamond anklet closely.
"Hey, this anklet seems to be from the same series as the necklace you gave me before!" Gu Yizhou's lips curved into a smile. "You have a sharp eye." Su Mianmian asked suspiciously, "But didn't Zhizhi say that necklace was Qiao En's final work?
How did you convince him to design this anklet for you?" Gu Yizhou pondered for two seconds, stroking his chin. "Of course, I used my money." "Hmm?" Money? Qiao En's design fees were already considerable, and to specifically invite him out of retirement, how much did that cost?
Seeing Su Mianmian's agape expression, Gu Yizhou found her incredibly cute. "Just kidding. Qiao En and I are old acquaintances. I told him it was a wedding gift for his wife, and he readily agreed."
Oh, I see. Su Mianmian nodded, looking at the lifelike butterfly design, and for some reason, the things Xue Jing had said to her that afternoon suddenly flashed through her mind.
A butterfly necklace, a butterfly anklet, and a butterfly hair clip… Oh, she remembered, Gu Yizhou had once asked her if she wanted him to buy her a butterfly hair clip.
Su Mianmian hadn't believed Xue Jing's words at all, but now she wavered. Her gaze shifted slightly as she looked at Gu Yizhou, "You like butterfly-shaped accessories so much, is there a special reason?"
Gu Yizhou paused for two seconds, then patted Su Mianmian's head. "No, I just think the design is pretty." Just pretty? Although Gu Yizhou only paused for two seconds, Su Mianmian's heart sank.
Could it be that there really was a woman in Gu Yizhou's heart? …Song Zhi returned to the hotel late at night after playing with a group of employees from the Gu Group. She had lost badly in the games today and was punished with a lot of drinks.
Just as she swiped her card to open the room door, Song Zhi stepped inside, when a dark figure suddenly darted out from behind, grabbing her and squeezing in together. Forced into the man's arms, Song Zhi opened her mouth to call for help, but a large hand covered her mouth. "Don't shout, it's me." Cheng Yuli?
Song Zhi's heart pounded wildly. She smelled the alcohol, even stronger than the smell on her own. "Cheng Yuli, are you crazy? Why are you barging into my room in the middle of the night!" Cheng Yuli had also drunk quite a bit tonight, but he had been drinking alone in his room.
He wasn't a heavy drinker, and his eyes were now flushed red. "Zhi Zhi, do you hate me that much? Really, you don't like me at all?" Cheng Yuli's hot breath brushed against Song Zhi's neck, making her tremble involuntarily.
Song Zhi remembered how Cheng Yuli had been intimate with that woman at the restaurant during the day, and a lump formed in her throat. "Yes, I hate you. I don't like you at all. Can you let me go now?" Song Zhi said, reaching out to push Cheng Yuli's hand away, but he held her even tighter.
"I won't let go! Zhizhi, I told you, I'll never let you go." Unable to break free, Song Zhi, both angry and annoyed, grabbed Cheng Yuli's arm and bit it hard. Taking advantage of his pain, she shoved him away. "You're stringing me along while dating other women?
Cheng Yuli, if you're sick, go get treatment! Don't come here acting crazy!" Cheng Yuli clutched his arm, which bore a string of teeth marks, his gaze innocent yet slightly dazed. "Zhizhi, explain yourself! Which woman did I date?"
Song Zhi couldn't believe Cheng Yuli dared to play dumb in front of her. Pointing to her eyes, she said, "Cheng Yuli, look at my eyes! Do they look blind?"
Cheng Yuli, drunk, didn't immediately understand. He looked closely at Song Zhi's eyes, then shook his head. "I'm not blind, she's quite beautiful."
Song Zhi was practically laughing in exasperation. She flipped Cheng Yuli over and shoved him out. "Since you're not blind, then I didn't misjudge you in the restaurant. Cheng Yuli, the night is short, hurry up and go find that beautiful lady from earlier, don't waste your time here." Restaurant?
Beautiful lady? Just as Cheng Yuli was about to be pushed out the door, he suddenly remembered something, grabbed the doorframe, and slammed the door Song Zhi had managed to open halfway shut. Turning back to Song Zhi, "Zhi Zhi, have you misunderstood something?"