Chapter 76 *Ding!* A new side quest has been triggered…
The next day, Wen Chu did not go to work on time again. Lu Ming heard employees come up to ask where Wen Chu was several times in the morning.
Hearing the employees discussing where Wen Chu had gone in front of her office again, Lu Ming frowned and said, "Weren't you all unable to do your jobs before she came? She's just a technical consultant. Don't come to her with every problem. If you don't know how to do something, figure it out yourselves."
The employees, after being scolded by him, quickly said "yes, yes, yes" and slunk away.
Then news of their suspected breakup spread.
"Oh my god, this really looks like they've broken up!" said female employee A.
Female employee B: "I think it's most likely because Miss Wen is back."
"Ugh, that's so awful! Isn't this just treating Consultant Wen as a backup option?! How can they do that!"
Male employee C chimed in, "It's definitely true. Haven't you seen how often that woman has been coming these past few days? She's asserting her dominance. Advisor Wen has been away these past few days, she's definitely avoiding them."
"Who wouldn't find this an eyesore? If it were me, I'd be furious. Who said Consultant Wen had a bad temper? I think she's a very respectable person; she doesn't make a fuss about this at all."
Yang Binshi happened to walk in, his long face stern as he scattered the group: "What are you all talking about during work hours! Have you finished your work? Instead of gossiping, you should focus on improving your skills. Consultant Wen is a young lady, she's here to experience life, she can leave whenever she wants, but can you? If she leaves, all that work will fall on your shoulders!"
Everyone just pursed their lips and went back to looking at their own screens.
Yang Binshi turned away with a cold face, but his expression softened and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly. He knew this woman wouldn't stay long; her presence had caused him considerable internal management changes, and now she was finally leaving.
He had no interest in the love affairs between their extended families; as long as they didn't interfere with his little corner of the world, that was good enough.
Lu Ming had heard some of the rumors circulating in the company these past few days. He rubbed his temples and glanced at the glass wall directly opposite him.
Then the phone on the table vibrated, and the caller ID showed Wen Xue.
He answered the phone and listened quietly to the person on the other end, occasionally humming in agreement. When the person mentioned coming to his office now to discuss revisions to the cooperation details, he finally spoke up, saying, "Let's talk outside. You don't need to come to Baiyue to see me every time."
They met in the agreed-upon private business room. Wen Xue walked towards him, handed him the coffee, and asked with a smile, "How is it? Is the environment here alright? I heard from others that this club opened near your company."
Lu Ming took it and said thank you, but he didn't actually like iced Americano. "It's fine."
"What do you think of my dress today?" Wen Xue twirled in front of him, revealing a playful side of herself that she rarely showed.
Lu Ming glanced at it, smiled slightly, and said gently, "It looks good." Then he got to the point: "Tell me in detail what you want to adjust."
Wen Xue said okay, sat down next to him, and took out some documents from her bag.
On the other side.
The tennis court was filled with the dull thud of the ball hitting the wall and bouncing.
The ball machine kept launching balls, and Wen Chu moved left and right on the court, constantly and quickly swinging his racket to hit the balls back. The racket made a sound as it spun through the air, which was very relaxing.
The system has been too quiet lately, not giving her any tasks. She's also lost interest in working for others to build goodwill, so she's spending her time playing ball here to help distract herself and maintain a good mindset.
A warm voice suddenly came from behind: "I just passed by and the back view looked a lot like you. I didn't expect it to really be you. If I remember correctly, today is Friday. What are you doing here playing basketball on a weekday?"
Wen Chu stopped, turned around and saw Qi Siyan in a white tracksuit, somewhat surprised: "What are you doing here? How did we run into each other?"
Qi Siyan joked, "Although I really want to say it's fate that brought us together, the truth is that this club has been promoting itself a lot lately, and people who like sports are coming to join in the fun."
Wen Chu smiled, "I guess you could call it half-fate. Do you play tennis? Want to play a game?"
"Come on, I'm really good."
After one round, Wen Chu won the match.
She wiped the sweat from her brow, squinted her eyes, and shouted irritably across the net, "Are you letting the game slide?"
Qi Siyan shook her head innocently: "No, you're more capable than I thought."
"Bullshit! You clearly threw that last ball. No throwing, let's do it again!"
Qi Siyan listened to her words and lowered her head to chuckle.
"why are you laughing?"
"I actually hate it when girls swear, but you said it, I actually find it cute."
Wen Chu coughed and said, "Uh, is this already considered swearing? I have even swearing words I haven't said yet."
Qi Siyan's smile deepened: "No need to hold back, just say what you want to say. I also want to hear which words I haven't heard before. Take a sip of water, I'll definitely beat you in the next round."
He walked to the rest area, picked up a bottle of mineral water and took a sip. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a new text message on his phone's lock screen.
He picked up his phone and unlocked it. It was a message from Wen Xue: "I came to that club you recommended the day before yesterday, and it's actually quite nice."
Qi Siyan raised an eyebrow slightly, a faint smile playing on her lips, and replied: 【What a coincidence, I'm here too. Are you alone?】
I'm with Lu Ming. Where are you?
Qi Siyan glanced at Wen Chu, typed a few words, put her phone back on the stool, walked towards the court, and said, "Again."
They played another game, which lasted much longer than the previous one. Both of them were sweating profusely, yet the game was still undecided.
Wen Chu breathed heavily and rubbed her slightly sore shoulders.
"Take a break. Overexertion can strain your muscles." Qi Siyan's chest heaved, and his chest line was faintly visible through his white sportswear. He walked over the net to Wen Chu's side, opened the bottle of water he had bought, and handed it to her.
"I knew it, you went easy on us last time!" Wen Chu glanced at him sideways, took the water, said thank you, and drank it down.
Qi Siyan smiled but remained silent.
Today, Wen Chu was wearing a black and white color-blocked halter-neck V-neck sports vest and tennis skirt. Sweat was seeping from her shoulders and chest due to the high-intensity exercise. The sweat dripped down her neck and disappeared into the curves of her chest. A few strands of hair were wet and clung to her cheeks, giving her a unique kind of sexiness.
Qi Siyan looked at the person, his gaze hardening imperceptibly, his Adam's apple bobbing. He couldn't help but raise his hand and gently wipe the person's face and neck with a towel.
Wen Chu was somewhat surprised by the person's actions, and even paused for a moment while tightening the bottle cap.
"I...I can do it myself." She blinked dryly.
"Okay." Qi Siyan lowered her eyelids, concealing the emotions in her eyes, and handed the towel to her without going into too much detail.
Wen Chu took the towel and wiped her face. Then, her gaze shifted and met the eyes of the two people standing diagonally opposite her.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Lu Ming looked at the two of them with a detached gaze, with Wen Xue standing beside him.
When Wen Xue saw them, she also showed surprise: "Xiao Chu, what are you doing here?"
"This is your property, why can't I come?" Wen Chu said indifferently.
Qi Siyan smoothed things over, saying, "Wen Chu and I just ran into each other. What a coincidence that we've all gathered here today."
Between their conversations, Wen Chu looked at Lu Ming with cold eyes, and Lu Ming looked at her in return, as if they were both waiting for each other to give them a reason for being there.
What happened to your promise not to cross the line? You're already dating in private?
In the space occupied by four people, the air seemed to have been forcibly split in two. One half was clear blue sky, while the other half was covered in dark clouds.
Wen Xue said, "Lu Ming and I just finished talking about work, and we thought we'd come to the lounge area to take a look. It's been a long time since I've exercised."
“I remember Sister Wen Xue also plays tennis. Do you want to play together for a while? We just played two games to warm up. It’s more fun with more people.” Qi Siyan looked at Wen Chu and asked for her opinion.
Wen Chuxin thought, "No way!" She didn't want to stay in the same space with these two for even a second longer; they were like persistent ghosts. Just as she was about to refuse, she heard the system in her mind, which had been dead for a long time, say: "Ding—New side quest triggered: Please play a tennis doubles match with the three people, including the male lead, and successfully win a set!"
Wen Chu: "..."
What's going on now? What are they trying to do?
Her waning fighting spirit was forced to rise, and she became the most eager to agree: "I have no objection. I'm just worried that some people are afraid of losing."
Seeing that Wen Chu was willing to play with her, Wen Xue naturally wouldn't refuse. She then looked at Lu Ming and eagerly encouraged him, "Want to play? Let's play! I remember you were really good at tennis back in college. My skills aren't very good, and I haven't played in a long time, so I'll have to rely on you to teach me."
Lu Ming glanced at Wen Chu discreetly, and finally hummed in agreement.
Wen Chu was furious at the sight of the two of them being so affectionate. Knowing full well that she and Wen Xue didn't get along, he still agreed to hang out together. What a lovesick fool! Wen Xue wouldn't refuse him no matter what.
She silently exhaled and directly assigned the teams: "Siyan and I will be in the same group, one game to decide the winner."
The rules of tennis doubles are simple: the first player to win six games (six points) and then win two games (two points) in a set wins. In each game, the first player to win four points wins. If the score is tied at 3-3, the player needs to win two more points in a row to win the game.
Lu Ming glanced at her again, but Wen Chu ignored him and turned back to the court.
A hint of surprise flashed in Qi Siyan's eyes. He hadn't expected the girl to choose to team up with him without even thinking. He followed her with a slight smile and said, "Let's rest a little longer, or we'll be at a disadvantage."
Wen Chu hummed in agreement, "Let them go change their clothes first."
Wen Xue was surprised that the two had such a good relationship. She had originally thought that Wen Chu would definitely insist on teaming up with Lu Ming.
She couldn't help but ask Qi Siyan, "I remember you also just returned to the country not long ago, how come you and Wen Chu are getting along so well? Have you two kept in touch all these years?"
Qi Siyan smiled at her, tilted his head, and said smugly, "Sister Wen Xue, haven't you heard the phrase 'love at first sight'?" After he finished speaking, he caught up with Wen Chu and sat down on a chair next to him.
-----------------------
Author's Note: A chaotic scene indeed! [Eating popcorn][Dog head with rose in hand]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
