In less than two minutes, the private room door swung open.
Deafening music, unrestrained laughter, and a mix of cigarette smoke, alcohol, and perfume assaulted the girl’s senses.
This was a world she had never experienced before.
Su Qianqian stood at the entrance, dressed in the simplest white sundress that hugged her slender waist, paired with delicate sandals.
Her gaze landed on the most extravagant and chaotic corner of the room—the sofa area.
And there, she saw Gu Chengyu.
He lounged in the spacious sofa, his posture not the familiar, indulgent smile she knew, but one of lazy arrogance.
Pressed against him, nearly glued to his arm, was Lin Shu.
Lin Shu wore nothing but a swimsuit, her skin largely exposed to the air, her long legs bare.
She leaned back slightly against the sofa, relaxed, flaunting the curves her swimsuit accentuated.
A smug, seductive smile played on her lips as she cast a sultry glance at Gu Chengyu beside her.
From the doorway, the distance between them seemed negligible, leaving only an intimate, ambiguous closeness.
The air grew heavy.
Su Qianqian’s eyes widened in disbelief, filled with the shock of betrayal and the sting of humiliation—and then…
Tears welled up without warning, pooling in her eyes, trembling on the brink of falling.
She looked like a fragile porcelain doll, delicate and brittle, as if she might shatter right there in the doorway.
Lin Shu was the first to notice Su Qianqian.
When she saw the girl’s face drain of color, her lips quivering with unshed tears, a rush of triumph surged through her.
Her crimson lips curled deeper, barely suppressing a laugh, her eyes gleaming with malice and satisfaction.
Success!
The little bitch had actually come!
And she’d seen the best part.
"Chengyu~" Lin Shu cooed in a sickly sweet, honeyed voice, laced with hooks.
She even leaned slightly closer to Gu Chengyu, ensuring Su Qianqian had a clear view.
"Look who’s here?"
Her red-nailed finger pointed lazily toward the door, her tone dripping with undisguised mockery.
"Isn’t that my former assistant, Su Qianqian?"
"What’s she doing here?"
Only when Lin Shu gestured toward the door did Gu Chengyu lazily lift his gaze.
But when his eyes cut through the shifting crowd and swirling smoke, landing on the slender figure frozen in the doorway, tears trembling on her lashes—
Gu Chengyu stiffened as if struck by lightning.
He shot to his feet.
All traces of lazy indifference vanished, replaced by something close to panic.
He saw Su Qianqian’s unsteady stance, the tears in her eyes.
"Qianqian?"
His voice was low, involuntary, laced with confusion and helplessness.
His mind buzzed.
Shen Que, holding a glass of wine, nearly dropped it when he recognized the girl at the door. "Holy shit—her?"
The innocent newcomer Su Qianqian he’d met at the company today?
What was she doing here? And judging by Chengyu’s reaction…
Qin Yu, too, was stunned. He abruptly sat up, shoving Xia Wei off his lap, his eyes raking over Su Qianqian before he let out a low whistle. "Damn! Who invited this girl? She’s got a killer look—that waist… tsk tsk."
Zhou Yu’an, seated nearby, showed little reaction.
He enjoyed playing around, but beauty had never moved him—it was all just flesh and bones.
Still, seeing Chengyu like this was a rare sight.
The rest of the room’s occupants flicked their gazes between Su Qianqian at the door, Gu Chengyu’s abrupt panic, and Lin Shu’s smug expression.
After a brief silence, hushed whispers broke out:
"Who’s that girl? Does Young Master Gu know her?"
"She’s got this pure vibe—totally different from Lin Shu."
"Look at his reaction—they’re definitely not just acquaintances!"
"Holy shit, this is a showdown."
"Now we’ve got a show."
Su Qianqian stood surrounded by prying, amused stares, the buzzing gossip ringing in her ears.
Gu Chengyu’s panicked call of her name didn’t comfort her—it only made it worse.
If he wasn’t guilty, why would he be so flustered?
The tears clinging to her lashes finally fell, streaking down her pale cheeks.
Without a word, she spun around, her slender figure radiating resolve as she stumbled toward the elevators.
"Qianqian!"
Gu Chengyu’s pupils contracted sharply. The sight of her fleeing back stabbed at his chest.
Without another thought, he strode forward, chasing after her.
The room plunged into eerie silence.
Shen Que stared blankly at the empty doorway, bewildered. "What the hell?"
His mind was a mess. The delicate little flower he’d met during the day had shown up here tonight—and with Chengyu?
Their connection was clearly more than casual.
An indescribable feeling clogged his chest, heavy and bitter.
Qin Yu clicked his tongue, pulling Xia Wei back into his arms, his tone teasing and intrigued. "Tsk, that little beauty’s clearly Chengyu’s new favorite!"
"Kept her well hidden!"
Lin Shu remained on the sofa, her triumphant expression crumbling the moment Gu Chengyu chased after Su Qianqian without hesitation.
She knew she’d acted impulsively—but she didn’t regret it.
