"Who knows? Just arrived and already offended Minister Li from the accounting department. Within a day, she’s already got the new Mr. Chu settled."

"I heard she was directly hired by Chairman Zhang and is supposedly a university classmate of Young Master Huangpu."

"Besides Young Master Huangpu, who in our company isn’t a graduate from a prestigious university and has achieved something before being hired? She’s nothing, yet on her first day, she’s already managed to attract attention. I wonder what she looks like?"

"I bet Li Mei is furious, right?"

"Li Mei was so high-profile when she pursued Young Master Huangpu, causing the whole company to laugh at her. If it weren’t for Chairman Li’s sake, Li Hua would’ve been fired long ago. It’s puzzling why she’s been reassigned by Chairman Zhang to be Young Master Huangpu’s secretary again."

So that’s the proud secretary, Li Hua? What intention does Chairman Zhang have by assigning her to Huang Puchen’s side? Wasn’t she given a year’s time?

The older the ginger, the spicier it gets. Agreeing on the surface but plotting behind the scenes, waiting for her. Those two secretaries both have an extraordinary demeanor. Although Miss Li Hua still wears heavy makeup. Sigh, all these rich kids, arrogant, looking down on people! Using someone like her to make things difficult, they’re either overestimating her or underestimating Huang Puchen’s taste.

...

Missing the bathroom, when coming back up, those middle-aged men had already left. Chu Ge was flipping through a newspaper. Seeing Nangong Yang enter, he put down the paper and said, "You took forever in the bathroom. Are you feeling unwell?"

"Not at all, they were using it upstairs, so I went downstairs," said begrudgingly, still holding it in as the trip downstairs was futile!

"There are four bathrooms upstairs, just the two of them using it. Did that require you to go downstairs?"

Four bathrooms upstairs? How annoying! Li Mei told Nangong Yang there was only one bathroom, and Yang was inside, leaving Nangong Yang to go downstairs!

Is this deliberate troublemaking? Things are always so unsmooth!

Seeing it was almost time to clock out, Chu Ge took the initiative to say, "I’ll drive you home, let’s have dinner tonight."

"Uh, I’ve already made plans with Han Wanwan."

Chu Ge responded with an "Oh," then said, "Alright then, let’s have dinner another day."

Nangong Yang acknowledged with a "hmm," while silently thinking, "I don’t even know you, why would I have dinner with you!"

After the internal grumble, she turned and left.

Just as Nangong Yang turned, she bumped into a wall of flesh, looking up into a pair of deep, dark eyes, "Why is it you?"

Huang Puchen lifted his gaze, said to Nangong Yang in one breath, "My mother is inviting for dinner tonight."

Though she made up the appointment with Han Wanwan to trick Chu Ge, she had nothing planned at all. But hearing Huang Puchen’s tone, like an order from a superior to a subordinate, still made her feel a tinge of sourness.

"What are you thinking about?"

Seeing her lost in thought, Huang Puchen couldn’t help but ask, "What are you thinking about so intently?"

Nangong Yang snapped out of it, shook her head, "Nothing, just reminiscing about the past, thinking about our first meeting. Feels like yesterday."

"So what were you remembering just now?"

Nangong Yang shook her head, "Nothing."

"I still have other things to do today, so I won’t be going. Please let your mom know."

After saying this, Nangong Yang turned and walked away.

Huang Puchen pressed his lips together, then looked into the shadows, "Come out."

Chu Ge emerged from the corner. Initially, he didn’t intend to eavesdrop, just happened to pass by and hear their conversation.

He could see there was something between Huang Puchen and Nangong Yang.

"You’re the new one?" Huang Puchen stared at Chu Ge coldly.

Chu Ge smiled, "You got it wrong, I’m not new. I’m your business partner."

"Looking forward to it."

Huang Puchen cast one last chilly glance at him, then turned and left.

Chu Ge wasn’t sure if it was his own misperception, but he sensed a hint of hostility from Huang Puchen.

He silently shook his head, it seemed he had been mistaken for his imaginary rival.

But he truly misunderstood me. I approached Nangong Yang not because of any inappropriate thoughts, but because I saw in Nangong Yang, the shadow of my past with Mu Bingtong.

He remembered it was still during the university days, and before he knew it, they had reached the age where they were about to go in their own directions.

Back then, Mu Bingtong was either in class or shopping. She secretly joined the school’s dance team without Chu Ge knowing, but made little progress. Her decisiveness remained, and under the influence of her friends, her dressing style slowly ceased to be androgynous.

Though still unable to pull off very ladylike outfits, she felt she had made significant progress. As her wardrobe became more feminine, even her parents noticed subtle changes in her, often calling to ask if she had a boyfriend.

He remembered calling her to say he was coming over, and she deliberately chose a ladylike outfit. It felt awkward on her, extremely uncomfortable, a chiffon white top that kept slipping off her shoulders and a very short skirt. But at the time, he was truly impressed, just didn’t show it!

Mu Bingtong looked at herself in the mirror, letting down the high ponytail, staring blankly for quite a while.

When shown her freshman year photo, she looked like a different person!

"Do you think Chu Ge will recognize me?"

It was the first time dressing like this in front of Chu Ge; he would surely be surprised.

When she last saw Chu Ge, her braces were still on. Now, with them off, there was a slight change in her face. Looking in the mirror again, she thought maybe it wasn’t too bad?

Meeting at the café from their first official date, she saw that familiar silhouette from afar. Approaching, she deliberately used a gentle voice, "Hello, may I sit here?"

After saying it, she broke out in goosebumps all over...

"Sorry." Chu Ge didn’t even glance at her, simply said.

She didn’t know whether to feel delighted or... delighted... or delighted!!!

Seeing Chu Ge’s focused expression, even his profile was so captivating. Watching him, he resembled a quiet prince, awaiting his princess’s arrival!

"Ow!!!" Someone bumped into her from behind, causing her to lose balance as she was too engrossed. She fell onto Chu Ge. Startled by his reaction, his gaze shifted from loathing to doubting, then to shock in just a few seconds.

"Mu Bingtong?" Chu Ge looked at her in disbelief.

She nodded shyly; it seemed like a certain part had touched Chu Ge’s back just now.

Chu Ge, holding back a smile, asked if she wanted something to drink.

She fixed her eyes on him, "Is it that funny?"