CEO's Office.
Gu Yunci sat behind his desk, flipping through documents without lifting his head. "What happened today?"
Meng Shutang stood straight before him. "I was giving my explanation when Bai Cixian suddenly stepped up. I saw her with my own eyes—she flicked the pearl necklace clasp open with her finger. Then she tilted the tray down on purpose, making the pearls fall."
The man shot to his feet and slammed the documents on his desk.
"Meng Shutang, this is your excuse?
I trusted you to perform when Director Wang and the others arrived. You didn't seize the chance. Instead, you humiliated me in front of the most important guests. And now you refuse to reflect—you blame Cixian for your mistake."
"I didn't! I'm telling the truth!
Why would she leave your side to stand next to me if not to sabotage me? She did this on purpose!"
"On purpose? You're just jealous and lying. You thought I was with her last night, that the lipstick stain on my collar was from her. So you lost your focus when she approached, and you ruined the tour."
"I know you don't believe me. Nothing I say will change your mind.
There are security cameras at the exhibition. Check the footage, and you'll see I'm not lying."
The man didn't care to check at all. "You're banned from all future exhibition tours. Get out."
Meng Shutang bit her lip, clenched her fist, and turned to leave.
When she returned to the studio, Ruan An had already heard the news.
Bad news travels fast.
"Sister Tangtang, don't blame yourself. You must have been too tired to slip up at such an important event."
But Meng Shutang was drowning in guilt.
It was the first mistake of her entire career.
The pain was unbearable.
In pearl restoration, perfection was everything. One tiny flaw ruined everything.
It was ingrained in her bones.
She'd always lived by her mother and mentor's words—never cut corners.
Today's failure wrapped around her like thorns, guilt gnawing at her insides.
She spoke weakly. "What are people saying?"
"I heard staff whispering that Mr. Gu is going easy on you. Anyone else would've been fired on the spot for messing up that badly.
They also said after the display stand collapsed at the cultural town, he should've cut you loose for good, given how strict he is."
Ruan An leaned in. "Don't be sad, Sister. He's your husband. It's only right he spoils you."
Meng Shutang laughed bitterly.
She'd been set up and framed. Gu Yunci wouldn't even listen to her.
But he hadn't fired her immediately. Was his revenge not over yet?
She pulled herself together, drank some water, and typed a review report. "An An, lock up when you leave."
"Where are you going?"
"To see Gu Yunci."
She couldn't lose her exhibition job. Her mother was in the ICU. She had to earn money.
---
Gu Group Building.
Qin Zheng saw her approaching. "Miss Meng, what's wrong?"
"I'm here to see Mr. Gu."
"Mr. Gu…" He glanced toward the office, hesitant.
"Miss Bai is with him."
Meng Shutang's expression was calm. She sat down in the lounge area. "I'll wait."
"Would you like coffee or juice?"
Meng Shutang shook her head. "No thanks, Assistant Qin. Please go back to work."
---
CEO's Office.
Bai Cixian made coffee. "Yunci, I heard you suspended Meng Shutang from the exhibitions. It wasn't all her fault, you know. I was right there, and I didn't help either. It's my fault too…"
Gu Yunci signed documents without looking up.
"Yunci, the exhibition had a problem, and the display stand collapsed before. Miss Meng… isn't as careful and reliable as everyone says."
The man paused slightly but said nothing.
Bai Cixian set the coffee in front of him. He didn't glance at her. "Leave it here. Get out."
Bai Cixian's smile froze, but she recovered quickly. "I just remembered I have work to do. I'll leave now."
When she left, Qin Zheng stepped in. "Mr. Gu, Madam is here."
The man didn't lift his head. After a moment, he said, "Make her wait."
Meng Shutang stood up when Bai Cixian left, but Qin Zheng stopped her.
"Miss Meng, Mr. Gu is busy. Please wait a little longer."
Meng Shutang nodded.
Half an hour passed. She watched the HR director and planning director go in one after another.
She sighed and sat back down to keep waiting.
Two more hours passed.
Qin Zheng couldn't bear it. "Madam, Mr. Gu is swamped. Maybe you should come back later."
Meng Shutang shook her head. "No. I'll wait until he's free."
After Qin Zheng left, Bai Cixian walked over with her bag. "Miss Meng, you still haven't gone in? Looks like you really messed up bad and made our CEO angry.
Yunci is detail-oriented and strict about work. You've been with him three years—how could you not know that?"
Meng Shutang sat quietly, not looking at her.
"We talked about the exhibition earlier. Yunci said he only trusts me to handle the collections from now on.
Did you come here to apologize?"
She glanced at the review report on the table. "Don't worry. Yunci's just upset. I'll talk to him when he calms down."
She reached out to pat Meng Shutang's shoulder.
Meng Shutang looked up, her eyes ice-cold. "Take your hand off me."
Bai Cixian's smile dropped. She pouted and sashayed away.
Meng Shutang checked her watch. It was 5 p.m. She'd waited two and a half hours.
Stiff from sitting, she stood by the window, watching dusk fall and birds fly home.
She looked up—and saw Gu Yunci on the upper platform.
The 28th floor was a double-story space.
The lower floor held the secretarial and lounge areas. The upper platform was the CEO's private office.
Staff usually went up the central staircase to report to him.
Meng Shutang saw him standing at the floor-to-ceiling window, staring straight at her.
He'd known she was waiting outside this entire time. And he'd made her suffer through it anyway.
She sat back down obediently.
Surely now that he'd seen her, he'd call her in soon.
He didn't. Qin Zheng led three more partners in. Only after the last guest left did he walk over.
"Mr. Gu is ready for you."
Meng Shutang pushed the door open and closed it behind her.
Despite hours of waiting, she looked composed, not a trace of distress on her face.
She stepped before the desk. "Mr. Gu, I apologize for the mistake at the exhibition today.
This is my review report. Please take a look."
"Now you want to apologize? Where did that fire from earlier go? Did waiting out here for hours teach you to bow your head?"
The man didn't look at her, flipping through documents roughly, clearly irritated.
"I was out of line before. I'm truly sorry."
The man stood up, holding his teacup and facing the window, one hand in his pocket. "Leave the report. Get out."
When he didn't hear footsteps, he frowned slightly but didn't turn around.
He sipped his tea, catching a glimpse of her thin figure in the window reflection. "What now?"
How long would she keep begging him for a job that meant nothing to him?