As evening fell and the city lights began to illuminate the scene, the city began to turn on.
He Yanzhi's military green jeep came to a steady stop in front of the building, just like always.
He had just gotten out of the car and was leaning against the door waiting when he saw Su Qing walk out of the building, holding her youngest daughter in one arm and her son by the hand in the other, her face showing just the right amount of exhaustion and forced strength.
When she saw He Yanzhi, her eyes seemed to light up for a moment, but then they were tinged with a pitiful sadness.
As soon as she reached him, her voice was deliberately soft and weak, "Yanzhi, are you here to pick up President Guan? I just finished work, and there was no one to pick up the children, so I had to bring them with me... Sigh, really..."
As she spoke, she gently nudged the little boy beside her and urged him in a low voice, "Dabao, quickly greet Uncle He."
The little boy glanced timidly at He Yanzhi, but didn't dare to say a word.
The little girl, nestled in her mother's arms, also stared wide-eyed at the tall, unfamiliar soldier with curiosity.
He Yanzhi's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, but his expression remained as cold and aloof as ever.
He glanced at the two children, his tone flat and devoid of any warmth, “The children are still young. Since you’re off work, take them home to rest early. I remember Wenru said you don’t need to work overtime. Just follow the company’s procedures for work matters. Wenru never forces employees to work overtime. You don’t need to make yourself so tired. People who don’t know the situation will think that Wenru is exploiting her employees.”
Even for just this moment, he still defended Guan Wenru!
Su Qing remained completely businesslike towards him, showing no extra concern whatsoever, and even neglecting to offer polite greetings.
Realizing this, Su Qing's smile froze for a moment. Just as she was about to say something more, a calm and gentle voice sounded from behind her, "Yan Zhi, have you been waiting long?"
Guan Wenru walked out of the main gate carrying a briefcase.
She had clearly seen what had just happened, but her face wore a nonchalant smile.
She first spoke softly to He Yanzhi, then turned her gaze to Su Qing and the two bewildered children beside her.
Guan Wenru stepped forward and naturally handed the cup of ginseng tea that she had originally brought for He Yanzhi to Su Qing.
Her tone was gentle, as if she genuinely cared, "Manager Su, it's really not easy for one person to raise two children. You've worked hard. Here, take this cup of ginseng tea to warm yourself up. Work is tiring enough; your health is the most important thing."
She paused slightly, her gaze lingering on Su Qing's face for a moment with a hint of meaning. Her voice remained soft, yet it was like a gentle needle. "For the sake of your health, don't overthink things. Don't think about random, irrelevant things. Keep your mind pure, take good care of yourself and your child. That's more important than anything else, don't you think?"
These words sounded like concern, but in reality, every word was barbed, precisely piercing through Su Qing's shameful thoughts.
It was an open warning to her not to overthink things and not to have unrealistic fantasies.
Su Qing's face turned deathly pale instantly, her fingers gripping the warm ginseng tea tightly until her fingertips turned white.
She opened her mouth, wanting to retort, but under Guan Wenru's seemingly gentle yet all-knowing gaze, she couldn't utter a single word. She only felt a huge sense of embarrassment and humiliation welling up in her head.
Guan Wenru stopped looking at her, as if she had simply performed an ordinary act of care for her subordinate.
She naturally took He Yanzhi's arm, her tone light and cheerful, "Let's go, Mom and Dad are waiting for us to come home for dinner. Didn't the three kids say they'd be coming home for dinner tonight too? Let's hurry back."
He Yanzhi nodded, his gaze never lingering on Su Qing for even a second longer than necessary. "Okay."
He didn't even notice the ginseng tea that Guan Wenru had given him, but this small gesture showed his complete support for any decision his wife made.
The couple ignored Su Qing, who was frozen in place, and her two bewildered children, and walked hand in hand toward the jeep.
He Yanzhi considerately opened the car door for Guan Wenru, shielding her head as she sat down, then went around to the driver's seat and started the engine.
The car drove away smoothly, leaving Su Qing standing in the cool evening breeze of early autumn, holding the steaming cup of ginseng tea, yet feeling icy cold all over.
As she watched the taillights of the departing car, she realized for the first time that she was like a clown in front of Guan Wenru. All her scheming and acting were no match for her absolute strength and tacit understanding.
That cup of ginseng tea felt more like a silent act of charity and mockery, scalding her palms and leaving her powerless to break free.
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