Chapter 18: Cheng He Is Not Right for You
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Liang Yuxiu walked over just in time to hear the remark. Meeting Wen Ganan’s gaze, he spoke calmly, “Go in and wait first.” With that, he led the way inside.
Wen Ganan hesitated, wanting to say something, but ultimately followed him. The waitress had already brought Liang Yuxiu to the largest table in the corner. She went over and, seemingly casually, chose to sit at the farthest seat.
Liang Yuxiu was looking at his phone. Seeing her action, he glanced at her without a word, but his eyes were deep and unreadable.
Wen Ganan pressed her lips together and pretended not to notice.
Five minutes later, Lin Li and the others finally arrived.
“Sorry to keep you waiting,” Lin Li apologized and explained briefly before calling the waitress to take everyone’s orders.
“Order whatever you like. Tonight’s on me,” Liang Yuxiu added.
Lin Li and the others applauded, “Mr. Liang, you’re so generous.”
Liang Yuxiu smiled lightly.
Though he said so, everyone remained restrained, and Wen Ganan only ordered two of the specialty dishes.
When it came to Liang Yuxiu’s turn, he held the menu silently for a long moment.
Wen Ganan looked as if she had expected this.
Liang Yuxiu preferred light food and never touched the heavy-flavored local specialties. Even when she used to pester him, he refused to accompany her to eat them.
Her affection and enthusiasm for him had been worn down day after day by his coldness.
Now that she was free, she could eat whatever she wanted!
But to her surprise, after his silence, Liang Yuxiu ordered several additional dishes on top of what everyone else had ordered—pizza, baklava, stewed beef in a clay pot, and brownie chocolate cake.
Sitting nearby, Lin Li joked self-deprecatingly, “Boss, many of our female colleagues are dieting. Are you trying to sabotage our weight loss efforts?”
“We can invite everyone to the gym tomorrow,” Liang Yuxiu responded simply yet charmingly.
Lin Li, only twenty-six, was immediately affected by his generosity; her expression subtly shifted.
She wanted to go but couldn’t agree outright, so she smiled and called out to the group, “Everyone heard that! Anyone want to sign up? Now’s the time!”
Those who caught the hint quickly agreed, “Count me in.”
Among the Quantum side, three people signed up, including Lin Li, but on Wen Ganan’s side, no one did.
Meeting Liang Yuxiu and Lin Li’s glances, Wen Ganan smiled faintly and explained, “We won’t be going. We just arrived in Yan City today and are a bit tired from the long journey. We’ll rest first. Thanks for your kindness, Mr. Liang.”
Liang Yuxiu’s lips pressed into a tight line.
Lin Li rolled her eyes and smoothly shifted the topic to Cheng He, “Director Cheng is coming back tomorrow, right, Ganan?”
Her last two words successfully drew everyone’s attention to Wen Ganan.
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Wen Ganan looked embarrassed, “I—I don’t know.”
She only knew he would return in the next few days, but Cheng He hadn’t told her the exact day.
The smile on Lin Li’s face seemed to say, “Don’t pretend.”
“Our Director Cheng actually confided in me privately and entrusted me to take good care of you all...” Lin Li said.
Wen Ganan was even more incredulous; she hadn’t expected Cheng He to make such private arrangements. No wonder the client side had invited them for dinner and a welcome party—it was for this reason.
The people on Wen Ganan’s side were also surprised.
Voices erupted in teasing, making the atmosphere awkward for a moment.
But Wen Ganan only felt briefly embarrassed before openly admitting, “I am indeed friends with Director Cheng. Although work is work, I hope to count on everyone’s support in the future!”
“No problem!” Lin Li was the first to respond.
Wen Ganan raised her tea cup in a silent toast, extending it to Lin Li, Liang Yuxiu, and the others.
“Here’s to a pleasant collaboration, everyone.”
“To a pleasant collaboration!”
—
As the meal was drawing to a close, Wen Ganan went to the restroom. Upon returning, she saw Liang Yuxiu standing outside.
Some at the table had been drinking, but those driving had not. Wen Ganan was sure Liang Yuxiu hadn’t drunk either, yet he did not seem in high spirits—in fact, he looked as if he had drunk quite a bit.
Wen Ganan pursed her lips slightly, greeted him, and was about to walk away quickly, but Liang Yuxiu spoke at that moment.
“Cheng He isn’t right for you.”
Wen Ganan’s steps faltered; she found the remark unbelievable and even thought she misheard.
Confirming she had heard correctly, she turned to look at Liang Yuxiu.
He stood beneath the wall lamp, bathed in warm orange light, which made him appear both profound and gentle, exuding mature charm in his every movement.
No wonder Lin Li was smitten.
If Wen Ganan didn’t know him at all, she might not have escaped his allure either.
Wen Ganan smiled softly, not answering directly but instead asking, “What do you mean, Mr. Liang?”
“Literally, if you want to start a new relationship or marriage, I have no objection. But Cheng He—he’s not right for you.” Each word came from his throat laden with heavy emotion, his voice unusually low.
Wen Ganan felt a mixture of emotions she couldn’t name. She thought he was being inexplicably unreasonable and retorted without hesitation.
“What business is it of yours? Mr. Liang, what right do you have to interfere? Nowadays, does the client side still control the vendor’s love life or marriage?”
“...” Liang Yuxiu fell silent.
Satisfied, Wen Ganan spoke coldly and distantly, “My personal matters won’t affect my work. I appreciate your concern, Mr. Liang, but please spare me next time. I don’t want any misunderstandings between us.”
With that, Wen Ganan left without caring about his expression.
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As she walked away, she couldn’t help but think bitterly that when they were married, he never showed such concern for her. Now that they weren’t, he was unnecessarily involved.
Wen Ganan didn’t care.
Now that she was in Yan City and knew nothing of Liang Yuxiu’s feelings, it was best to distance herself from him to avoid being bothered by those people again.
She didn’t want to deal with that anymore.
Back at the table, everyone had finished eating. Since tomorrow was the weekend, no one was in a hurry to leave. They chatted casually.
The relationship between the client and vendor had warmed up thanks to tonight’s dinner.
Yet Wen Ganan remained clear-headed, knowing endless conflicts and tense negotiations would arise in the future work process.
Liang Yuxiu returned after paying the bill. At the neighboring table, they were trying Turkish coffee fortune-telling, and a group was stretching their necks to watch, full of interest.
Lin Li’s eyes brightened upon seeing Liang Yuxiu, “Let’s try it too. It looks really fun.”
Liang Yuxiu sat down and, hearing this, had no objections.
Those who had been drinking politely declined, and a few sensitive to caffeine also refused.
Chen Ling and Xiao Jiang joined the queue.
Lin Li glanced at Wen Ganan, who shook her head with a smile, “You guys go ahead. I don’t believe in those things.”
Hearing this, Liang Yuxiu’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, his thin lips pressed softly.
“Why don’t you join us? It’s more fun to participate,” Lin Li insisted.
In the end, Wen Ganan couldn’t refuse and agreed.
They went first, with Wen Ganan last.
The steps of Turkish coffee fortune-telling were to slowly finish the coffee, then cover the cup with the saucer, gently shake the cup and saucer in hand while silently thinking of a question to be divined, then invert the cup and saucer.
Next, place the cup and saucer on the table and put a personal item, like a ring or earring, on the bottom of the cup. Finally, open the cup to interpret the patterns inside.
Lin Li’s pattern was a snake-shaped curve; Chen Ling’s and Xiao Jiang’s were blank rectangles.
The snake-shaped curve symbolized misfortune.
Blank rectangles symbolized the arrival of wealth.
After the fortune teller’s explanation, Lin Li’s expression darkened.
Chen Ling and Xiao Jiang couldn’t show their joy but were secretly pleased.
“Ganan, what about yours?” Lin Li leaned over to ask.