From "divine friendship" to "divine love"
The follow-up work on the Hancheng project, the backlog of decisions, the new strategic assessment... all sorts of tasks came one after another. Cui Yu and Meng Yihe remained the company's most dazzling and efficient "twin stars," tackling project challenges with impeccable teamwork.
Lin Xueyue was the first to realize that something was wrong.
That day, after a lengthy interdepartmental meeting, everyone packed up and left.
Cui Yu walked over to Meng Yihe naturally, looking at the tablet in his hand while complaining, "These old guys never get to the point... Shall we have dinner together tonight? We can go over the third point I mentioned earlier while we eat?"
This is the norm.
Normally, Meng Yihe would either refuse with a blank expression saying "I'm busy," or give a perfunctory "Mm."
But this time, Meng Yihe closed his notebook, looked up at Cui Yu, and then did something that almost made Lin Xueyue drop the folder in his hand.
Meng Yihe reached out and straightened Cui Yu's slightly crooked tie, her fingertips lightly brushing the knot. The movement was quick and light, as if it were just a casual gesture. At the same time, she replied, "Okay, you choose the place."
Cui Yu smiled and said, "Okay, I'll make a reservation."
Meng Yihe withdrew her hand, picked up her belongings, and walked out expressionlessly.
Lin Xueyue stood frozen in place, his mind racing.
Director Meng...adjusting Director Cui's tie?
This...this has gone far beyond the scope of "perfect partners" or "friends," hasn't it?
Which Alpha would allow another Alpha to make such an intimate and possessive gesture toward them?
unless……
Similar details began to appear sporadically.
Once, Cui Yu was discussing a plan in Meng Yihe's office until very late. When they finished, he was thirsty and naturally picked up the cup on Meng Yihe's desk to drink.
"Wait a minute," Meng Yihe called out to stop them.
Cui Yu paused, about to put the cup down, when he saw Meng Yihe get up, take the cup, walk to the water dispenser, pour out the cold tea, fill it with about half a cup of warm water, and hand it back to Cui Yu, saying in a flat tone, "It's not good to drink cold water."
For example, in the break room, another department manager jokingly said to Cui Yu, "Director Cui, are you here to have another meeting with Director Meng? You two must have a really strong relationship!"
Cui Yu was leaning against the kitchen counter waiting for Meng Yihe to make coffee. Upon hearing this, he just smiled without saying a word, but his eyes glanced at Meng Yihe.
Meng Yihe, who was getting hot water, surprisingly replied without turning her head.
"Yeah, he's quite clingy."
One sentence silenced the tea room for a few seconds.
The manager's smile froze, his eyes filled with disbelief. Cui Yu coughed, probably choking on his water.
This was a huge amount of information for everyone else present.
People are beginning to re-examine the relationship between these two top Alphas.
"Are they really just good friends?"
"Didn't you see that Director Meng straightened Director Cui's tie? And even changed his water to warm water!"
"Did you hear that? Director Meng said Director Cui is 'clingy'! And that tone...?"
"So...it's actually that kind of relationship? A duopoly? Is it that exciting?"
The rumors quietly shifted, evolving from "divine friendship" to "divine love".
Cui Yu naturally sensed this change, as well as Meng Yihe's tacit approval and even proactive hints, and he was very pleased. However, he tacitly refrained from making a big fuss and instead cooperated with Meng Yihe's rhythm.
An unspoken understanding began to spread within Xinghuan: Director Cui and Director Meng were a couple.
It was Friday afternoon, near the end of the workday.
After Cui Yu finished processing the last contract, the internal phone rang.
He glanced at the caller ID; it was the old house's number. He answered, and Grandpa Cui's booming voice immediately came through: "You brat, still not off work? Waiting for someone again?"
Cui Yu leaned back in his chair, a smile curving his lips: "Grandpa, what are you saying? I'm just doing my job diligently until the very end."
"Stop joking with me." The old man chuckled and scolded, then asked in a natural tone, "Tomorrow is the weekend, do you have any plans? If you're free, how about going back to the old house for a meal? Your grandma has been talking about you for days, saying she misses you."
Cui Yu understood.
She pretended to want him, but her real intention was to gather intelligence.
He followed up with a smile, "Grandma misses me, so I definitely have to go back, but..." Cui Yu deliberately dragged out the words.
"But what?" the old man asked, as expected.
"However, we might need to bring one more person. Haven't you and Grandma always been curious? This is a good opportunity to bring someone for you both to see."
There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone.
Then came the old man's voice, clearly more enthusiastic: "Oh, you've finally decided to bring it back for a look? Great! How about tomorrow at noon? Tell the kitchen to prepare a few good dishes!"
“Okay, noon then.” Cui Yu agreed. “But Grandpa, let’s make it clear beforehand that this is just a casual meal, so please don’t scare them.”
"Look at what you're saying." The old man couldn't hide his amusement. "Are we the kind of people who don't know their place? Don't worry, we're just here to take a look. We definitely won't make things difficult for you. By the way, do they have any dietary restrictions? Have your grandma arrange that in advance."
"He's not a picky eater, he just prefers milder flavors and eats less spicy food."
"Okay, got it." The old man noted it down, chatted for a couple more minutes, and then hung up the phone.
After hanging up the phone, Cui Yu checked the time. It was time to leave work. He got up, picked up his coat, and headed straight for the Strategic Development Department.
Most of the employees had already left, but Meng Yihe's office light was still on.
The door wasn't closed properly, so Cui Yu knocked once and then pushed the door open to go inside.
Meng Yihe was checking data on the computer screen when she heard the sound and looked up.
"Finished with work?" Cui Yu walked to his desk, rested his hands on the edge of the desk, and leaned forward slightly. "There's something I want to discuss with you."
"Speak." Meng Yihe's gaze returned to the screen, her fingers still typing on the keyboard.
"I just got a call from my grandfather. He mentioned that he wants me to come back to the old house for a meal tomorrow."
Meng Yihe hummed in agreement.
This is normal.
"And then?" Cui Yu paused, observing his expression, and continued in that relaxed tone, "I casually mentioned that I might have to bring someone back with me."
The sound of typing on the keyboard stopped abruptly.
Meng Yihe suddenly raised her head and looked at Cui Yu, her eyes filled with surprise.
Cui Yu maintained his gentle smile and explained, "The old man is very curious and has heard about my situation for a while now, and has always wanted to see me. I think it was bound to happen sooner or later, so how about we have a simple meal tomorrow?"
Meng Yihe fell silent.
He went to meet Cui Yu's family. This was completely different from the semi-public relationship he had previously tacitly accepted within the company; it signified a deeper level of acceptance and involvement.
“It’s just a simple home-cooked meal, no one else, just my grandparents,” Cui Yu added, trying to ease his pressure. “My grandparents are very nice people, you don’t need to be nervous.”
Meng Yihe lowered her eyelashes, seemingly weighing her options quickly.
After about half a minute, he raised his eyes again, his gaze regaining its usual calmness, but upon closer inspection, his ears seemed to be slightly red.
"Time and place."
Cui Yu felt a weight lifted off her shoulders, and her smile instantly brightened: "I'll pick you up at 11 a.m. tomorrow. I'll send you the address to your phone later."
"Hmm." Meng Yihe responded, turning her gaze back to the computer screen, but her fingertips hovered over the keyboard for a moment before typing the next character.
Clearly, he was finding it increasingly difficult to fully concentrate on his work.
Having achieved his goal, Cui Yu decided to call it a day. He straightened up and said in a cheerful tone, "Then you go ahead with your work, I won't bother you anymore, see you tomorrow." With that, he left the office in high spirits, considerately closing the door behind him.
On Saturday morning, Cui Yu parked his car downstairs at Meng Yihe's apartment building and made a phone call: "I've arrived. No rush, take your time coming down."
A few minutes later, the unit door opened, and Meng Yihe came out, dressed as neatly and appropriately as ever, in a well-tailored light-colored shirt and dark trousers, which made his figure appear even more slender and upright. He was also carrying a rather exquisite-looking gift box in his hand.
Cui Yu took the gift box from Meng Yihe's hand. It felt heavy in her hand, and she asked curiously, "What is this?"
"Tea leaves," Meng Yihe replied succinctly.
Cui Yu smiled and said, "You've gone to so much trouble. The old man really likes this kind of thing. This gift is perfect for him." He carefully placed the gift in the back seat and then opened the passenger door for Meng Yihe.
On the way, Cui Yu drove while casually giving Meng Yihe some background information.
"Don't be nervous, it's just a home-cooked meal. My grandma doesn't have many hobbies, she just likes to tend her little garden, and she's also a great cook. We're in for a treat today."
He paused for a moment, then continued, "The old man can't stay idle after retirement. He just reads books, tinkers with his collection, and occasionally sees old friends. He's a very easy person to get along with, but he sometimes likes to beat around the bush and likes to test people. Just take it easy."
It doesn't mention any specific background, but only outlines the image of an ordinary retired old man.
Meng Yihe listened quietly, his gaze fixed on the receding street scene outside the window, and responded with a soft "Mmm." After a while, he suddenly spoke, asking a very practical question: "Is there anything I need to pay special attention to?"
Cui Yu chuckled upon hearing this: "No need, just be natural, that's all..."
He glanced quickly at Meng Yihe and teased, "If the old man asks how we met, just don't say we met through arguing and fighting over projects."
Meng Yihe glanced at him, ignoring the joke, but her tense lips seemed to loosen slightly.
Finally, it slowly came to a stop in front of a courtyard house with high walls, whose entrance was not ostentatious but exuded a very calm and dignified atmosphere.
The black lacquered door was tightly closed, and although there was little decoration outside, it had an undeniable aura.
Cui Yu parked the car and turned to look at Meng Yihe.
"We've arrived. Are you ready?"
Meng Yihe withdrew her gaze from the silent door, took a deep breath, and nodded.
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