This Friday, she was given another task. Guliji sent her a message informing her that they were going hiking the next day and would be camping on the mountaintop for one night, asking her to book three tickets and a tent in advance.

When Cheng Qicai heard the news, her vision blurred. She was going to spend the weekend with her boss; what was the difference between that and working overtime?

She feels that working overtime on weekends is becoming the norm.

Fortunately, once she found out which mountain she was going to visit tomorrow, she thought it looked really appealing.

Tickets cost 280 yuan, and with other miscellaneous fees, it can easily cost 400 or 500 yuan, so it's pretty good to be able to go for free once.

Lushan, with an altitude of over 1,700 meters, is a famous 5A scenic spot in City A, known for its sea of ​​clouds, sunrise, hot springs, and rugged terrain.

The mountain is so high, my legs would break from climbing.

Thinking it was a free lunch, she figured she might as well take advantage of it and gritted her teeth to book the tickets.

Suddenly, Cheng Qicai paused in her ticket booking, hesitating whether she should send a message to the male lead to let him know.

The mountain climbing plot is completely absent from the novel, and she wondered if it was because of her own butterfly effect that the events deviated from the intended course.

Will this affect the fact that the male and female leads end up together?

She had genuinely supported him, and she certainly didn't want it to be because of her.

So Cheng Qicai opened Lu Qi's Moon account and sent a message: "[Brother Lu, tomorrow President Gu, my sister, and I are going hiking in Lushan.]"

Lu Qi replied instantly: [Understood.]

He also included a 1000 RMB red envelope. Cheng Qicai accepted it instantly and replied obsequiously, "[Thanks, Brother Lu.]"

Speaking of which, the money came too fast, earning a thousand in half a minute. Cheng Qicai felt a little uneasy. Moreover, if Gu Liji knew that he was making money from both sides, he probably wouldn't have a good outcome.

To prevent her scheme from being exposed, Cheng Qicai cleverly posted on her WeChat Moments: "[Going hiking tomorrow, so exciting~]"

The accompanying image shows the successful ticket purchase screen, with important information blurred out.

Now, even if Gu Liji suspects him, he can say that Lu Qi saw it in his WeChat Moments, rather than that she tipped him off.

After doing all this, Cheng Qicai felt much more at ease.

I pulled out my dusty hiking gear from the bottom of the closet. I bought it back in college when I went on a trip to show off, and now it finally has a purpose again.

Medical supplies are also essential, since the author might trigger any plot point to deepen the relationship between the male and female leads.

Falling off a cliff, landslide, getting lost in the mountains...

Thinking about these life-threatening plots, Cheng Qicai's heart pounded.

Surely I won't be that unlucky? This is supposed to be a sweet and sour story; the angst only gets a little intense later on.

Cheng Qicai offered herself some words of comfort.

Meanwhile, a party was being held at the Ace International Hotel, where business tycoons from all walks of life had gathered.

Lu Qi was looking down at the messages on his phone. The cold light from the screen made him look cold, and a sneer appeared on his lips.

He picked up a glass of red wine and walked over to Gu Rongqi, who was not far away.

The person who was talking to Gu Rongqi saw Lu Qi step aside and tactfully said, "Mr. Gu, then I'll have to excuse myself."

"Mr. Lu, what's wrong?" Gu Rongqi asked with a smile.

Lu Qi also put on a formulaic smile, "It's nothing, just inviting President Gu for a drink."

Lu Qi raised his glass, and Gu Rongqi clinked glasses with him, waiting for him to continue.

Lu Qi said, "I heard that President Gu recently acquired a piece of land in the north of the city. Congratulations!"

"Not at all, Mr. Lu's recent research and development of artificial intelligence has also been very successful."

After exchanging some casual business pleasantries, Lu Qi finally revealed his true purpose: "President Gu, it seems that everyone's projects have come to a close recently. Why don't you do me the honor of going out for a relaxing break?"

"Oh, where does Lu always want to go to relax?" Gu Rongqi looked at him with a somewhat ambiguous expression.

"How about Lushan? The scenery is nice, and it's a 5A scenic area."

"Hey, are you guys going hiking?" a sweet voice chimed in.

Lu Qi looked at the newcomer with a headache. She was wearing a champagne-colored long dress, the tight design of which made her figure look even more curvaceous. She was Qin Biyu, the daughter of the host of this banquet.

“Yes, why don’t you come with us, Miss Qin?” Gu Rongqi agreed, looking at Lu Qi with a half-smile. “I’d like to add one more person. Mr. Lu won’t mind, will he?”

"..." Lu Qi's smile faded slightly, and after a moment of silence, he replied, "I don't mind."

Having tricked Lu Qi, Gu Rongqi was in a good mood. He raised his glass to Lu Qi as a gesture of respect, then drank it all in one gulp.

Lu Qi was a little worried about tomorrow's meeting. He originally wanted Gu Rongqi to suppress Gu Liji, that male third party, but he didn't expect Gu Rongqi to outmaneuver him.

The next day, Cheng Qicai and Yun Suni waited for Gu Liji at the entrance of the residential area. Just as she was about to ask the female lead why she wanted to go mountain climbing, Gu Liji's car stopped in front of them.

Cheng Qicai had no choice but to shut up and put the backpack in the trunk.

The three backpacks were placed side by side, and her hiking backpack was much larger than theirs, feeling as big as both of their backpacks combined.

In the car, Cheng Qicai took out her phone and saw that the male lead's profile picture was not active at all, and the only thing she had replied to in the chat was yesterday's "I know".

Is he not coming?

"It shouldn't be," Cheng Qicai immediately dismissed the idea, as possessiveness was the motto of the domineering CEO.

The male lead probably wouldn't let the female lead associate with her love rival, and since he came over for the last meal, he can't possibly not come this time.

But the male protagonist was nowhere to be seen, not even when they reached the parking lot of the scenic area.

Cheng Qicai couldn't help but worry, so she casually made up an excuse: "I'm going to the restroom."

She ran to the bathroom, closed the door, and quietly sent Lu Qi a message: [Brother Lu, are you here yet?]

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!