Chapter Four: Like a Clown

“I read The Wall Street Journal’s report on Quantum. To achieve so much in just three years, you’re impressive.”

“Uncle, you flatter me. It’s not just my effort alone.”

As Wen Ganan reached the entrance hall, she overheard the conversation between Mr. Cheng and Liang Yuxiu in the living room. Her mind suddenly exploded. She stood there blankly, unsure of what to think, and pulled up that unfamiliar WeChat account.

Her phone vibrated lightly. Liang Yuxiu glanced at it and almost instinctively looked up, locking eyes with Wen Ganan standing by the entrance.

It was really him.

Thinking of her recent words and actions, she felt like a clown, while Liang Yuxiu seemed like an amused spectator, watching her jump around like a monkey without ever revealing the truth.

That feeling faintly brought her back to the days when their marriage still existed—how, in front of his family, she was just like this, utterly lacking dignity.

Heat burned fiercely across Wen Ganan’s face, a mixture of shame and indignation.

If it had been the old Wen Ganan, she might have turned and walked away without hesitation. But now...

She could only swallow all her emotions.

Wen Ganan and Liang Yuxiu left the Cheng household together. The Cheng family asked Cheng He to escort Wen Ganan back, leaving no room for his refusal.

But as they reached the door, Cheng He suddenly received a call and had to return to the company unexpectedly.

Wen Ganan smiled understandingly, “It’s fine. You go ahead; I can go back by myself.”

Cheng He’s impression of her had shifted somewhat, but they hadn’t grown close, so he didn’t bother to be polite.

Still, it was late, and since it was a family request, Cheng He hesitated for a moment, then looked toward Liang Yuxiu. “Could you give her a ride?”

Liang Yuxiu stood there with one hand in his pocket, cold and indifferent. He merely glanced at Wen Ganan and nodded.

Cheng He thanked him and drove off.

Liang Yuxiu got into the car and started the engine.

Wen Ganan didn’t hesitate or act pretentious; on the contrary, it suited her purpose perfectly.

She opened the front passenger door and sat down, proactively giving him the address.

Throughout the ride, they exchanged no unnecessary words, yet there was a certain habitual ease between them.

Only now, things had changed—the person in the passenger seat no longer babbled like a child.

Liang Yuxiu felt inexplicably frustrated.

After leaving the neighborhood, he turned on the music.

Chopin’s Nocturne played softly, the classical piano melody gentle and steady.

The tense atmosphere seemed to ease a little.

Wen Ganan lowered her eyes, then glanced sideways at him, changing the way she addressed him. “Mr. Liang, can we talk?”

At a traffic light, Liang Yuxiu slowly stopped the car and looked back at her. Instead of answering, he asked, “I thought you’d confront me.”

He was referring to the WeChat messages.

Wen Ganan smiled lightly. “I just hadn’t figured things out myself.”

She was so calm it unsettled Liang Yuxiu.

After all, four years ago, their marriage ended amidst her hysteria.

She had truly changed a lot.

The light turned green. Liang Yuxiu started the car again. “We can talk.”

“You know what I want to discuss?” Wen Ganan blurted out.

Liang Yuxiu kept his gaze forward. “I’m not blind. I saw all those messages you sent.”

“...” So he had been watching but never exposed her, letting her embarrass herself?

Wen Ganan cursed inwardly but, knowing Liang Yuxiu’s usual indifferent attitude, blamed herself for not clarifying sooner.

She took a deep breath and put on a polite smile. “It’s still early. Shall we find a place to sit for a bit?”

“No work talk after hours—that’s my rule,” Liang Yuxiu replied without turning his eyes.

Wen Ganan instinctively retorted, “Why didn’t you have this rule before?”

Back then, he seemed to want to stretch twenty-four hours into forty-eight, dedicating every moment to work. What use was a rule?

Liang Yuxiu finally glanced at her sideways.

Wen Ganan immediately apologized awkwardly. “Sorry, I misspoke.”

He seemed about to say something but ultimately remained silent.

When the car stopped at the hotel entrance, Wen Ganan wanted to press further, but Liang Yuxiu spoke first.

“Monday at five in the afternoon. You have only half an hour.”

Wen Ganan paused a moment, understanding his meaning, and smiled brightly. “Got it.”

She opened the door and stepped out, nodding slightly toward him in the car. “Thank you for the ride tonight, Mr. Liang.”

Inside the hotel room, Xiao Jiang paced back and forth holding her phone. When Wen Ganan returned, it was as if she had been freed. “Sister Nan, you’re finally back! Look at the messages in the group—I don’t even know how to reply...”

Only then did Wen Ganan take out her phone and see her superior’s messages and missed calls, all inquiring about the project’s progress.

She comforted Xiao Jiang for a moment and called back the leader, reporting that she had met with the Quantum representative and could formally discuss the project on Monday.

Only then did the leader hang up, satisfied.

Wen Ganan breathed a sigh of relief.

On Saturday, Wen Ganan and Xiao Jiang worked overtime, planning to improve their previous presentation.

Monday afternoon, the two arrived at Quantum punctually.

After commuting back and forth for a week, they were familiar with the routine. They contacted Liang Yuxiu’s assistant through the front desk and were eventually led to a relatively large conference room.

“Please wait here a moment,” the receptionist said politely.

Wen Ganan nodded and took out her notebook to prepare.

For some reason, she felt a bit nervous.

Perhaps because she had never faced Liang Yuxiu in a formal setting before.

He had always thought her pursuits and struggles were futile. She used to obey him in everything except work—she refused to let even that part of herself be erased.

Now, having worked hard to stand before him, Wen Ganan felt a unique sense of accomplishment.

Lost in thought, two figures appeared in her line of sight. Wen Ganan immediately looked up and stood, only to be slightly taken aback upon seeing them.

“I’m Chen, Mr. Liang’s assistant,” the lead person nodded first, then introduced the one beside her, “This is Manager Zheng, senior management for the new product project. He will be the one to liaise and negotiate with Team Leader Wen today.”

After speaking, she nodded again and was about to leave.

Wen Ganan hurriedly stopped her, stammering slightly, “Weren’t I supposed to meet Mr. Liang today?”

Chen looked her over in surprise, then replied in a businesslike tone, “Mr. Liang is busy. Discussing with Manager Zheng is the same.”

“But...”

“If every little matter required Mr. Liang’s personal involvement, when would he ever be free?” Chen cut Wen Ganan off mercilessly, but smiled pleasantly. “Team Leader Wen, do you still want to proceed?”

Wen Ganan’s face stiffened. Glancing at Manager Zheng’s unpleasant expression, she felt embarrassed. “Sorry.”

Chen left, closing the door behind her.

Wen Ganan sat down before Manager Zheng and introduced herself and the purpose of her visit, then prepared to show the presentation they had worked on.

“There’s no need to look at these,” Manager Zheng raised his hand to stop her and launched into a barrage of questions.

Wen Ganan was momentarily stunned but not caught off guard.

Though after her answers, Manager Zheng only smiled. “Honestly, you’re very brave, but Quantum is unlikely to choose you. We have many far better options.”

Wen Ganan opened her mouth to respond, but he interrupted again, his tone condescending. “The fact that Mr. Liang didn’t come today is already the answer, isn’t it?”

Wen Ganan’s heart jolted sharply. She froze for a long moment before it sank in.

A wave of humiliation and indignation, as if being toyed with, suddenly engulfed her entire being.