Chu Ge shook his head, "It’s nothing."

He spoke indifferent, then took a sip from his cup. He noticed Nangong Yang looking at him with a peculiar expression and asked puzzled, "What’s up again?"

Nangong Yang propped her chin with her hand, scrutinizing Chu Ge with her eyes, and asked, "Chu Ge, there’s something I’ve always wanted to ask you."

Chu Ge leaned back slightly, crossing his hands over his lap, "Feel free to ask whatever you want."

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

Nangong Yang had wanted to ask this for a long time. She knew Han Wanwan always had Chu Ge on her mind, and later Han Wanwan told her about things between her and Chu Ge. Only then did she realize she’d misunderstood Chu Ge from the start.

Chu Ge pondered for a moment, and his hesitant attitude made Nangong Yang a bit displeased.

"Either you have one, or you don’t. Why are you hesitating?" Nangong Yang glared at Chu Ge, "Are all you men like this? Even if you have a girlfriend, you won’t openly admit it so you can have your cake and eat it too."

Chu Ge looked at Nangong Yang with suspicion and, after hearing her out, chuckled. He shook his head speechlessly, "You’re overthinking it."

"So, do you have one or not?"

Chu Ge pondered again before nodding, "I guess I do."

You guess you do?

Nangong Yang was puzzled, "You either have one or you don’t. How do you explain ’I guess I do’?"

Chu Ge shook his head slightly, "Why are you asking so much?"

Nangong Yang’s lips twitched, "Forget it, it’s not like it matters to me if you don’t say it."

Chu Ge chuckled, "Save your curiosity and focus all your energy on work, and I’m sure you’ll get unexpected results."

Nangong Yang blushed slightly, "What do you mean by that? Are you criticizing me?"

Chu Ge shook his head, "Nothing. Are you finished eating? If so, let’s go."

Chu Ge said this and stood up, leaving Nangong Yang utterly speechless. How could Chu Ge be so lacking in gentlemanly manners?

She originally wanted to take this opportunity to get some information out of Chu Ge, but his mouth was tight, nothing came out.

Nangong Yang sighed, realizing she couldn’t help Han Wanwan anymore.

Chu Ge didn’t let Nangong Yang pay the bill. The issue with the throat lozenge last time already made him feel he’d lost face, so there was no way he’d let a woman pay the bill this time.

He pulled out his wallet to pay, then took out a fifty-dollar bill and handed it to Nangong Yang, "This is for the throat lozenge you paid for last time."

"..." Nangong Yang looked at Chu Ge speechlessly, then at his hand. That fifty-dollar bill was like a joke mocking her bluntly.

Nangong Yang cleared her throat softly, "Chu Ge, are you out of your mind? The throat lozenge was only five bucks, and you’re giving me a fifty. Do I look like I need your fifty dollars?"

You don’t have to be so mean!

Chu Ge cleared his throat, "That’s not what I meant. I just don’t like owing money to women, and we’re not that familiar, so it’s better to keep it clear."

Nangong Yang was furious at Chu Ge’s "we’re not that familiar," glaring at him, "We’re not familiar? We’re coworkers under the same roof, and you say we’re not familiar?"

Nangong Yang was infuriated at his words. How could he claim not to know her?

Chu Ge looked awkwardly at Nangong Yang. His interest in her was only because he saw a reflection of him and Mu Bingtong in her, nothing more.

But now it seemed Nangong Yang misunderstood.

Chu Ge cleared his throat, was about to explain, but suddenly noticed Nangong Yang staring at him with widened eyes like she’d seen a ghost.

He turned around puzzled and saw Huang Puchen and Nangong Yunxi at the door.

Chu Ge had seen Huang Puchen before, but didn’t recognize Nangong Yunxi. However, Nangong Yunxi knew Chu Ge and knew of his background, as he was his proudest accomplishment.

Seeing Nangong Yang with Chu Ge, Huang Puchen’s face darkened terribly.

Nangong Yunxi curled his lips slightly, speaking gleefully, "Young Master Huangpu, it seems your little white rabbit isn’t so obedient after all."

Chu Ge put his hands in his pockets, sensing the hostility emanating from Huang Puchen, slightly bowed his head, and said lightly, "What a coincidence to run into you here. Young Master Yunxi, I assume the person next to Young Master Huangpu is Nangong Yunxi, right? Hello, I’m Chu Ge."

He paused, then added, "I’m the planner for the new drug that Huangpu Group is developing."

Nangong Yunxi narrowed his eyes at Chu Ge, curling his lips into a smile, "Hello, I’ve heard about you. I heard you also cured my grandfather’s illness, so surely you have some expertise in medicine." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

These things Li Hua had already told Chu Ge, so when Nangong Yunxi mentioned it, he just gave a faint smile, not displaying much emotion.

Nangong Yunxi observed but internally started reassessing Chu Ge, realizing he had underestimated Chu Ge’s sophistication, showing no reaction to his words.

Chu Ge noticed Huang Puchen staring at Nangong Yang, who had her head down, hands fidgeting, like a child who’d done something wrong.

He spoke softly, "Miss Nangong and I have some work issues to discuss, so we won’t disturb your meal."

Chu Ge said this, gently placed his hand on Nangong Yang’s back, and prepared to leave with her.

Nangong Yang was inwardly wailing. Can’t you please not add fuel to the fire now?

But staying wouldn’t change the fact that Huang Puchen wouldn’t give her a pleasant look, so leaving with Chu Ge was more straightforward.

Thinking this, Nangong Yang awkwardly lifted her head, giving Huang Puchen an apologetic smile, "Right, we have work matters to discuss, so we won’t disturb you."

Just as she was about to leave, Nangong Yunxi stepped forward and blocked their path.

Chu Ge looked at Nangong Yunxi in confusion, "Is there something else, Young Master Nangong?"

Nangong Yunxi gave a light smile, his eyes slowly moving from Chu Ge to Nangong Yang, cleared his throat, and said, "I grew up abroad, so you might not know me. Let me reintroduce myself, I’m Nangong Yunxi, an offspring of the Nangong Family, one of the Six Major Families of Kyoto."

Nangong Yang, stunned, lifted her gaze to look at him. She too was a daughter of the Nangong family, but her father drove her and her mother out because of a mistress.

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