Chapter 96
Gu Cunxi sat quietly in front of the French window, gazing at the scenery outside. He felt an indescribable emotion in his heart. The ginkgo trees lining the street were golden, their leaves scattering in the wind...
"Have you been waiting for a long time?" Jiang Rao returned to his seat and looked at Gu Cunxi with a smile.
“I’ve already paid the bill.”
"Well... let's go." Gu Cunxi picked up his coat and put it on his wrist, then walked out.
"Wait for me..." Jiang Rao hurried forward and walked to her left, blocking the view of the second floor.
When he reached the door, Gu Cunxi stopped unconsciously, with a strange feeling in his heart, as if he was being watched.
"What's wrong? Cunxi?" Jiang Rao asked nervously
Gu Cunxi didn't respond. She turned her head and looked around, then moved her sight upstairs. The strange feeling disappeared... There was nothing but people eating normally.
"Nothing, let's go." She shook her head and looked away.
After Gu Cunxi left, Cheng Sheng leaned out a little, looked at the door, and breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that they had left: "Sister Pei Yin... they're gone."
Xiao Peiyin slowly straightened up, got up from under the table, leaned against the back of the chair, closed his eyes, and said nothing...
Cheng Sheng saw this and felt a pang of pain in his heart: "Don't mind that bad woman just now. I think she just came over and said these things to provoke you."
"What she said... was the truth." Xiao Peiyin rubbed his forehead and smiled, but this smile was too far-fetched...
"Sister Pei Yin, don't be influenced by her, she..."
"She is suitable for Cunxi..." Xiao Peiyin interrupted Cheng Sheng, pinched her nose to hold back her tears, and said in a hoarse voice
"I don't think so." Cheng Sheng forked the steak in front of him and said in a sullen tone, "That woman looks like a vixen, how can she be worthy of Sister Cunxi?"
"Sister Cunxi is such a cool and pure person. That woman is like Blue Rose... cold and charming. They don't match at all! Sister Cunxi's coolness can only be matched by your gentleness!" Cheng Sheng comforted her softly.
Xiao Peiyin only smiled bitterly and stopped talking. All she could think about was how Cunxi had been injured four years ago. She believed Jiang Rao's words. In fact, she was certain that Chen Feng had done it, but she had no evidence...
"Cheng Sheng, I... ordered a Black Forest cake. I remember you liked it. Today is your birthday, so we... don't want to think about anything else. Happy birthday to you." Xiao Peiyin raised the juice in front of her with trembling hands and smiled.
Cheng Sheng was forcing a smile, her eyes misty, her heart suffocating. She was always like this, clearly extremely sad, yet pretending to be fine. This was very similar to Gu Cunxi...
After the waiter brought the cake, Xiao Peiyin lit the candles.
“Make a wish.”
Cheng Sheng nodded, clasped his hands together, closed his eyes, and on her 29th birthday, since she was old enough to understand, she had always made a wish to her parents, but this time, Cheng Sheng made a wish to Xiao Peiyin.
She made a wish silently in her heart, blew out the candle in front of her, and smiled at her
"What did you wish for?" Xiao Peiyin asked curiously.
"If I don't tell you, it won't work. I believe this wish will come true."
Cheng Sheng cut a large piece of cake and handed it to Xiao Peiyin: "You have refused all sweet things in recent years, let's make an exception today!"
Xiao Peiyin was stunned. She had indeed never eaten sweets again. Looking at the cake handed to her by Cheng Sheng, Xiao Peiyin still shook her head and refused: "You eat it for me."
“…”
Cheng Sheng had no choice but to take the cake back and eat it in big mouthfuls. He asked while eating: "Have you ever regretted it?" Cheng Sheng held the cake in his mouth.
"No regrets," Xiao Peiyin answered without hesitation. She sighed and said, "If I had to choose again, I would still push her away...even though I really don't want to."
"My hope for her safety and health will always be more important than my love for her!"
"Cheng Sheng, do you know what the most powerless thing is?" Xiao Peiyin asked with a wry smile.
"What is it?"
"It's the person you love who suffered misfortune because of you, and it's me who was unable to protect her!"
Cheng Sheng looked at the person opposite him, his face calm, his eyes empty as if he was telling someone else's story, without a trace of emotion, lifeless...
She had witnessed everything about Xiao Peiyin over the years. Although she had survived the suicide attempt, her soul seemed to have died four years earlier. Cheng Sheng knew that the only thing that had kept her going until now was the hope of seeing her again in her lifetime...
"Cheng Sheng, can you do me a favor?" Xiao Peiyin suddenly asked while stirring the coffee, her tone pleading.
"What's the matter?"
"I want to...make her a cup of coffee myself. Can you help me invite her to the store?"
"No problem! Leave it to me," Cheng Sheng replied, patting his chest.
"Thank you!" Xiao Peiyin looked at her and smiled gently
This smile seemed to Cheng Sheng like a relief.
The four-year wish to see Gu Cunxi again has been fulfilled. She has made many coffees in these years, all of which are related to Gu Cunxi, but this time Xiao Peiyin wants to make a different cup and give it to her for the last time.
…
Because he hadn't been to the company for three days, the documents that needed to be signed on the table were piled up on half of the table. Early in the morning, Gu Cunxi just walked into the office and rubbed his forehead when he saw the documents on the table.
"Mr. Gu, good morning." Xiao Nuo walked in briskly in high heels.
"Yeah," Gu Cunxi nodded, picked up the documents on the side and flipped through them: "How is the project with Vanke going?"
"I met with Wang Chen from Vanke the day before yesterday. Director Fu said it went very smoothly. We have already arranged a second meeting for the day after tomorrow."
"Did Fu Bowen take Xiao Peiyin there?"
"Yes"
Gu Cunxi thought for a moment and said to Xiao Nuo, "Prepare me a detailed file on Wang Chen!"
"Okay," Xiao Nuo nodded in response, and after hesitating for a moment, he asked again: "Boss Gu, what about the menu for the staff meals?"
"What's wrong with the recipe?" Gu Cunxi raised his eyes and asked in confusion.
"You only gave me the recipes for one week. Do you want to continue after that?"
"continue!"
“…”
Xiao Nuo opened her mouth, wanting to speak but stopping herself. At this moment, she couldn't help but want to ask Xiao Peiyin if her anemia symptoms had improved...
…
On the other side, Xiao Peiyin sat at her workstation holding the resignation letter she had prepared long ago. After hesitating for a moment, she knocked on Fu Bowen's office door.
"Enter"
Xiao Peiyin walked in and gently placed the resignation letter on the table.
"?"
Fu Bowen looked at the envelope in front of him with a puzzled look: "What are you doing?"
“This is my resignation letter.”
"I know this is a resignation letter... I'm not blind!" Fu Bowen frowned unhappily and asked, "What's the reason for leaving?"
"Private matter"
Fu Bowen threw the resignation letter back and said, "Xiao Peiyin, you know that the project with Vanke is at a critical stage. I am the one who is in charge of this project. If you resign now, I will not be able to find anyone to replace you later..."
"I understand what Mr. Fu means. I won't just walk away halfway through a project. I'll give you my resignation letter first. I won't leave until this project is completed!"
"Hmm..." Fu Bowen put away his resignation letter and said, "Have you thought about it?"
"I've thought it through!" Xiao Peiyin smiled and said firmly
"Okay! If you can successfully negotiate this project the day after tomorrow, I will approve your resignation! Get out..." Fu Bowen said without raising his head.
Xiao Peiyin nodded and left
Fu Bowen looked up at her from behind with a cold smile. In fact, if it weren't for his meeting with Wang Chen that day, he would have accepted the resignation without hesitation. But he saw something else in Wang Chen's eyes that day! So he thought that this opportunity might be an easy way to win the cooperation with Vanke. After all, he had made a promise in front of Mr. Gu!
Gu Cunxi spent the entire morning reviewing documents, occasionally losing focus for a moment. When he thought of Pei Yin in the sales department downstairs, he couldn't sit still and wanted to run downstairs...
She looked at her watch and it was lunchtime. After thinking for a moment, she put the documents aside and walked towards the restaurant.
The staff restaurant is serving lotus root and beef brisket soup today.
"Mr. Gu"
"Hello, Mr. Gu"
People passing by nodded one after another, but Gu Cunxi did not respond. In fact, she did not like coming to places where employees gathered, and she did not like this kind of nervous greetings as if they were facing an enemy.
Just like now, when I just stepped into the restaurant, everyone looked different, silent and reserved.
"Boss Gu" Xiao Nuo walked over from a distance, looking like he had just finished his meal.
"Well, I'll come and take a look."
Xiao Nuo saw Gu Cunxi's eyes looking around, and immediately understood what was going on. He raised his hand and pointed and said, "Boss Gu, the sales department is over there."
Gu Cunxi frowned when his thoughts were seen through. Xiao Nuo realized that he had said the wrong thing and quickly said, "Director Fu is with the sales department. Regarding the project cooperation with Vanke, I think you will ask him if you have any specific questions!"
“…”
Gu Cunxi looked in the direction of Xiao Nuo's finger, but did not find the figure.
Did he eat it, or did he not come at all?
After hesitating for a moment, she walked over
Su Bai faced the door and first spotted Gu Cunxi
"Boss Gu" Su Bai stood up with a smile on his face.
Gu Cunxi looked around and didn't see Pei Yin when he approached, and he felt unhappy.
"Mr. Gu, would you like to join us?" Fu Bowen pulled out a chair and said, "Please sit down first. I'll get you one." Gu Cunxi waved his hand, "No thanks," and sat down next to Fu Bowen. "I heard the cooperation with Vanke is going smoothly?"
"Well, it went very smoothly. If nothing unexpected happens, we should be able to discuss it the day after tomorrow!" Fu Bowen vowed.
"Well, how's that Xiao Peiyin you brought? Is there anything wrong with her?"
"No problem," Fu Bowen waved his hand quickly
"That's good. Where is she?" Gu Cunxi pretended to be casual and asked casually.
"She's upstairs." Su Bai quickly interrupted and said, "We wanted to eat together, but Sister Pei Yin said she wasn't hungry and didn't want to eat."
Gu Cunxi became increasingly unhappy, responded lightly, and left the restaurant.
No wonder he's anemic, malnourished, and can't even eat properly...
After leaving the restaurant, she didn't return to the thirteenth floor, but went to the seventh floor. It was lunchtime, and there were few people in the departments. The carpet in the corridor muffled her footsteps. Gu Cunxi stood at the door of the sales department and looked inside. She saw someone in the corner lying quietly at the table, as if asleep. The back was thin and frail...
She raised her foot and then withdrew it, hesitating at the door for a long time.
The sound of the elevator door opening came from behind him, accompanied by voices. Gu Cunxi hurriedly left and hid in the bathroom in front...
She laughed at herself, not knowing why she was feeling guilty.
After that glance just now, Gu Cunxi felt depressed to the extreme. She felt like she was craving for cigarettes. She took out the mint cigarette from her pocket and lit it.
There was a chaotic sound of footsteps coming from far away. Gu Cunxi threw away his cigarette and was about to leave when he heard voices outside.
"I heard that Xiao Peiyin from your department is leaving?"
Gu Cunxi stood in the compartment and stopped opening the door.
"How come you are so well-informed?"
This voice belonged to Su Bai, she recognized it
"I heard from Mr. Fu that it hasn't been approved yet."
"Mr. Fu withheld it first, saying that he would approve it after the Vanke project was negotiated," Su Bai said.
"She should have left a year ago because of that incident. It was our marketing director who didn't bother with her at the time."
Gu Cunxi was confused and didn't know what the woman meant by the incident a year ago.
The woman outside the door chuckled twice: "Hey, hasn't Mr. Gu done anything to you these days?"
“???”
"No, don't listen to what others say," Su Bai muttered softly.
"You're still embarrassed. The company was in an uproar about what happened that day at the dinner party. They gave you gifts and cell phones. I'm afraid even Vice President Xiao couldn't get into Mr. Gu's car..."
"I also heard that Xiao Peiyin offended our CEO Gu in front of everyone that day. No wonder she wanted to hand in her resignation. She didn't leave on her own initiative, and she's waiting for CEO Gu to fire her..."
Outside, besides the women's whispers and the sound of water, Gu Cunxi stood in the cubicle, clenching her hands tightly. At work, she always cared only about the company's affairs. Only now did she realize that there were so many people gossiping behind her back.
I wonder if Pei Yin's resignation has anything to do with these rumors...
After returning to the office, Gu Cunxi was not in the mood to work and called Xiao Nuo in.
"Mr. Gu, are you looking for me?"
"Sit down." Gu Cunxi raised his eyes and pointed to the chair opposite. Xiao Nuo didn't understand what was going on. Seeing Gu Cunxi's heavy face, he didn't dare to say anything more.
"When did Xiao Peiyin start working at Nansheng?"
“Um, when the branch was first established!”
"How's your work ability?" Gu Cunxi flipped through the documents and saw something written on them.
"Good work ability! Serious and responsible." Xiao Nuo answered truthfully
"What about people?"
"He has a good attitude at work, but we haven't had much contact in private." Xiao Nuo couldn't tell whether this question was about public or private matters, so she responded vaguely.
Gu Cunxi paused, looked at Xiao Nuo and continued, "Why did I hear that she doesn't get along well with the people in the company?"
Xiao Nuo was stunned: "Is there...is there?"
"If I hadn't asked you, I wouldn't have asked you. I need to do a preliminary assessment of the company's personnel, so I need your opinion!"
“…”
Xiao Nuo was skeptical. Based on what she had learned during this period, she concluded that the relationship between Mr. Gu and Xiao Peiyin was definitely not what the outside world had said...
"Tell me about her personal performance since she joined the company until now, tell the truth." Gu Cunxi put the document aside and said seriously.
"Uh..." Xiao Nuo pursed her lips, looking embarrassed: "What did Mr. Gu hear?" she asked back
"What happened between her and the marketing director a year ago?" Gu Cunxi didn't bother beating around the bush and asked directly.
"Mr. Gu... then I'll be frank." Xiao Nuo paused.
"A year ago, Mr. Lin from the Marketing Department pursued Xiao Peiyin!"
Xiao Nuo observed Gu Cunxi's expression while speaking. After just one sentence, she noticed that Mr. Gu's eyes became dangerous.
"Oh? And then?"
"Then, there has been no progress. I am not sure about the specific situation."
"Later, there was a dinner party where everyone drank a lot of wine. Mr. Lin took advantage of the alcohol and... held my hand, and then..." Xiao Nuo said it with great difficulty, fearing that her words would touch Mr. Gu's minefield.
"Then what?" Gu Cunxi asked with a frown
"Xiao Peiyin slapped me in public..."
"I was there at the time. Although it was Mr. Lin who made the first move, her reaction seemed a bit exaggerated. She seemed to be extremely frightened by Mr. Lin's touch... It was very strange. That kind of fear is different from the normal reaction..."
"Ever since then, people in the company have been talking about her privately, and I've heard a little bit about it..."
"What did you say?" Gu Cunxi asked softly, holding the pen tightly in his hand.
"Some unpleasant words, like ungrateful or something like that..." When Xiao Nuo said this, he didn't dare to look up at the person in front of him.
The office fell into a dead silence, so quiet that Xiao Nuo began to sweat.
"I understand, nothing else." Gu Cunxi's eyes darkened, he stood up and walked to the window, with his back to Xiao Nuo, thinking.
"Then I'll go out first."
Gu Cunxi did not respond, which was considered as tacit agreement.
Seeing this, Xiao Nuo quickly stood up and walked outside. The shirt under his suit seemed to be soaked with sweat and felt cold.
"Xiao Nuo, do you know where to buy desserts nearby?" Gu Cunxi asked her without turning back while looking outside.
Xiao Nuo quickly turned around and nodded slightly, saying, "There's a place over on Nanyin Road that makes pretty good desserts."
"Do you have red bean soup and red date walnut cake?"
"Yes," Xiao Nuo paused and said, "I bought it before. Does Mr. Gu want it now? I'll ask someone to buy it."
"No need, just give me the address." Gu Cunxi turned around and walked quickly to the table, took a piece of notepaper and handed it to Xiao Nuo.
After Xiao Nuo left, Gu Cunxi hurriedly took the car and rushed to the address on the note. Along the way, she carefully recalled Xiao Nuo's words.
Unusual reaction
She didn't know if Xiao Nuo was exaggerating. If not, she couldn't figure out what Pei Yin was afraid of...
After four years away from her life, Gu Cunxi suddenly realized that there were so many things she didn't understand. In fact, she had many questions, but the four-year gap made her not know where to start asking, and she couldn't even ask...
The shop Xiao Nuo recommended to her was the largest dessert shop in the area. Gu Cunxi parked the car and checked the time. She hadn't eaten lunch, so she would probably be hungry at this time...
"Red bean soup, red date and walnut cake, twelve portions each!"
But after a while, the twelve desserts were ready. Gu Cunxi looked at the beautifully packaged bag in his hand, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously raised a beautiful arc. For some reason, he felt a little sweet in his heart.
It was already two o'clock in the afternoon when she returned to the company. Gu Cunxi did not return to the office, but went directly to the sales department. The corridor was very quiet. She stood at the door and looked at the person in the corner. He was buried in his desk and looked like he was working seriously. Seeing this, her heart was warmed. It seemed as if time had suddenly returned to four years ago, those afternoons when they brought each other lunch.
I wanted to go in and give it to her in person, but after looking at the bag in my hand, it seemed a bit strange to personally deliver afternoon tea to the people in the department.
Gu Cunxi returned to the office and asked Xiao Nuo to give these desserts to the sales department.
"Twelve copies, give them to the sales department, and tell them about the recent collaboration with Vanke and thank them for their hard work."
“…”
Xiao Nuo looked helpless and stood aside speechless.
"In the name of the company?"
Gu Cunxi fell into deep thought. If he said it in the name of the company, he wondered if she would accept it. After thinking for a moment, Gu Cunxi said, "In... my name!"
Xiao Nuo came out of the office carrying 24 desserts and walked towards the sales department. She felt that she was not like a vice president, but more like an assistant.
The people in Vice President Xiao's office stood up when they saw her. Xiao Nuo looked around and found Xiao Peiyin's position. He walked over and gave her the dessert in his hand first.
"Vice President Xiao" Xiao Peiyin looked at the bag on the side with a puzzled look on his face.
"For you," Xiao Nuo said softly, then turned around and handed the rest to Fu Bowen: "Boss Fu, distribute these to everyone. Boss Gu said that your sales department has been working hard recently, so these are a little token of his appreciation."
Fu Bowen took the bag and looked at Xiao Peiyin suspiciously, wondering why Xiao Nuo had given it to her first.
After Xiao Nuo left, Xiao Peiyin opened the bag in front of her. There were two small pink boxes with cute little rabbit patterns on them. She felt sweet inside. Two desserts were placed in front of her. When she thought that they were bought by Cunxi, she couldn't wait to open them and started to eat them.
The red bean soup was soft and melted in her mouth, and her mouth was full of sweetness. She had red eyes because of the sweetness. In these years, her life was only sour, bitter, spicy and salty, but not sweet.
This sweetness is the taste that she has lost for four years, belonging to Gu Cunxi
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