The sunglasses came off, revealing a delicate and petite face.
As the girl's true appearance emerged, Jiang Mo immediately recognized her—wasn't this Kong Xue'er?
A rising star with decent popularity these days, she had previously acted opposite Gu Ye in a drama where they played the lead couple.
"Hey, you're here for a meal too? What a coincidence," Gu Ye nodded.
Kong Xue'er smiled sweetly, her voice soft and pleasant. "Yeah! We mentioned catching up for a meal after returning to Jiangcheng. And who are these two?"
Gu Ye introduced them. "This is my grandfather, and this is Jiang Mo."
Kong Xue'er greeted them, "Hello, Grandpa! Hello, Miss Jiang!" Her gaze lingered on Jiang Mo for an extra moment.
Gu Baotian gave a slight nod.
Jiang Mo waved her hand cheerfully. "Hi~"
Seeing the actress in person again, she really was even prettier than on TV.
Her voice was gentle, her smile sweet—just as netizens described her, the "sweetheart" and "queen of cuteness" in the entertainment industry.
Not wanting to intrude on their family meal, Kong Xue'er didn't overstay. "I won't disturb your gathering then. Let's catch up another time!"
After she left, Jiang Mo leaned in and asked, "You two are close?"
"Sort of. She's also from Jiangcheng, and we worked together for a few months during filming," Gu Ye explained.
As they walked forward, Gu Baotian commented, "That girl puts on too much of an act."
Jiang Mo quickly translated in her head—meaning she was a bit too saccharine.
Gu Ye nodded, as if recalling something. "Grandpa, you figured that out after just one meeting?"
"Some people just talk like that," Jiang Mo chimed in.
Soon, they arrived at a private room decorated in classic Chinese style.
Gu Baotian spoke up, "You two go ahead and order. Get me the signature duck—I’ve been craving it. The rest is up to you."
By now, Jiang Mo was no longer shocked by the prices.
She quickly finalized the order and nibbled on the complimentary appetizers and snacks served beforehand.
Suddenly, a silver-haired old man dressed in a silk Tang-style outfit pushed the door open, radiating energy and cheerfulness, his laughter booming louder than any young person’s.
He strode straight to Gu Baotian. "Well, well, Old Gu! When you said you were coming to my place for a meal, I thought you were joking! Weren’t you staying in the countryside?"
"I came back to the city for some errands and thought I’d treat the kids to a meal here," Gu Baotian replied, immediately falling into conversation with his old friend.
This must be the owner—or rather, the "main curator"—of this private kitchen, as Gu Baotian had mentioned.
Jiang Mo quickly wiped her hands and stepped forward politely. "Hello, Grandpa! I’m Jiang Mo. Grandpa highly recommended your dishes to us."
Wang Xia had taught her: be confident and gracious when meeting people—it makes you more likable in both life and work.
"Is that so? Later, I’ll treat you to some desserts," Old Man Feng beamed. "You’re a bright and sweet girl, just like Old Gu—quick with words."
Gu Baotian clicked his tongue. "Just desserts? Didn’t you notice I brought a big celebrity along too?"
Gu Ye: "…" Being called out like this was mortifying.
The suddenly spotlighted "big celebrity" Gu Ye awkwardly stepped forward. "Hello, Grandpa. I’m Gu Ye."
Old Man Feng’s eyes lit up. "Oh-ho! The star himself! You really do shine differently. How about a photo and autograph later? I’ll hang it up in Zhiweizhai—you don’t mind, do you?"
"Sure, no problem," Gu Ye forced a smile.
"Here, Old Gu, take a picture of us—wait, no, let the young lady do it. She’s got better photography skills," Old Man Feng said, pulling out a folding phone.
Tasked with this important duty, Jiang Mo put her practiced photography skills to work, snapping several shots of the two.
Old Man Feng admired the photos. "These turned out great!"
"So? Handsome grandson, isn’t he?" Gu Baotian remarked leisurely. "Worth a free meal?"
"Handsome indeed! Your family’s got good genes!" Old Man Feng praised. "Tell you what—this meal’s on me!"
Gu Baotian gave a thumbs-up. "That’s the Old Feng I know—generous as ever!"
Jiang Mo & Gu Ye: "…" They couldn’t comprehend Grandpa’s shamelessness but were thoroughly impressed. Just like that… they scored a free meal?
Whose face had they "used" for this? Gu Baotian’s? Or Gu Ye’s?
"Small gesture! As the main curator of this establishment, I’m very confident in our ambiance and culinary standards. Feel free to give feedback to the manager after your meal," Old Man Feng declared proudly.
Back in the day, he’d called himself the "boss," but his granddaughter had insisted that "main curator" sounded more modern and sophisticated.
Little did he know, Jiang Mo was internally laughing at the term, recalling all the memes about "main curators." Thankfully, she managed to suppress her amusement.
After chatting for a few more minutes, Old Man Feng left as the dishes began arriving.
Once he was gone, Gu Ye spoke up. "Grandpa, it’s not like our family can’t afford a meal. Was this necessary?"
It felt like he’d just performed for his supper.
"What do you know? Money doesn’t grow on trees for me, you spendthrift," Gu Baotian retorted. "This is high-level maneuvering—learn from it."
Learn this?
Gu Ye’s expression said: I saw it, but I could never replicate it.
Jiang Mo buried herself in eating. Gu Baotian loved watching her enjoy food—it made everything seem more appetizing.
Gu Ye, on the other hand, was picky with his meals.
"Grandpa’s recommendation was spot-on," Jiang Mo finally declared after sampling many dishes.
Gu Baotian grinned. "Eat up, then!"
"Grandpa, after this, are we heading home or…?" Gu Ye set down his chopsticks.
"Not home. We’re going to the company this afternoon to inspect things," Gu Baotian said, sipping his tea.
Jiang Mo asked, "Grandpa Gu, should we check if President Gu or Young President Gu are in the office first?"
"Go ahead and ask."
Following instructions, Jiang Mo called her dad, Li Daming, who said President Gu was in a meeting outside.
She then texted Zhuge Shen: "Shen-ge, is Young President Gu at the company?"
Zhuge Shen replied instantly: "He is. What, bringing him stomach-nourishing soup again?"
Jiang Mo sent a facepalm emoji: "No, Grandpa Gu is coming to inspect the company."
Zhuge Shen: "Got it. I’ll let Young President Gu know."
Putting his phone down, Zhuge Shen looked at Gu Xun across the table. "Jiang Mo just texted. Your grandfather’s coming to the company."
Gu Xun nodded indifferently. He was used to Gu Baotian’s antics.
If the old man wanted to stir things up, so be it. Now that he had company, he’d probably be even more enthusiastic.
Then, Gu Xun shifted the topic to endorsements for their company’s products.
"Why is Gu Ye listed among the candidates submitted by the marketing team?"
"I'm aware of that. Gu Ye has a good image—young, handsome, and with solid popularity and reputation. It’s normal for the marketing department to consider him as a candidate," Zhuge Shen explained.
He had reviewed the proposal for the candidates in advance.
"I know you’re worried that the marketing team might be catering to preferences because they know Gu Ye is the second young master of the Gu family, but from what I understand, no one is actually aware of his identity."
Gu Xun replied, "Is that so?"
Zhuge Shen picked up a shrimp with his chopsticks. "Exactly. Unless you don’t actually approve of your brother?"
"Not at all," Gu Xun said. He had carefully reviewed the background materials—Gu Ye was indeed a suitable fit in every aspect.
Still, he had reservations, concerned that Gu Ye’s status as the second son of the Gu family might influence things.
Gu Xun added, "Then follow up on this. Let me know once the spokesperson is finalized."
The implication was clear: it was up to Gu Ye to prove himself among the candidates.
"Got it," Zhuge Shen acknowledged, accepting the boss’s directive. Then he remarked, "Aside from Gu Ye, didn’t you notice our old classmate is also on the list?"
Gu Xun shot him a glance. "What are you getting at?"
"I’m just saying, our young master Gu is sharp. Surely he’s noticed our old classmate’s intentions?" Zhuge Shen hinted meaningfully.
"I have. And?" Gu Xun set down his chopsticks. "She hasn’t outright said anything. Should I go up to her and say, ‘Don’t like me’?"
"Zhuge Shen, did you pull something like that in the past?"
The words triggered a memory, and Zhuge Shen immediately denied it in a flurry. "No, never, don’t make things up."
Gu Xun smirked at his friend’s reaction. "Come on, I know all about your past antics. I just never bothered to bring them up."
"Fine, fine. You’re the clever one who never misreads signals," Zhuge Shen conceded. "So, should Zhang Ruoduo stay as a candidate?"
"Her professional skills are solid. I have no objections. Business is business, personal is personal. The marketing team chose her," Gu Xun countered. "Do you have an issue with it?"
Zhuge Shen waved his hand. "Ah, no objections here."
"But speaking of which, Zhang Ruoduo is actually quite a catch. Are you really not interested? Giving a beauty a chance wouldn’t hurt."
Gu Xun glanced at his phone, spotting a post from Jiang Mo—a photo of gourmet food with the caption, "Enjoying a feast with Grandpa Gu!"
Scrolling further, he saw another post from Gu Ye. Judging by the background, the three of them had lunch at the same place.
He pocketed his phone and stood up to leave. "What, tired of being a secretary? Thinking of switching to matchmaking?"
"I’m just showing concern. As both your secretary and old classmate, aside from supporting your career, I should care about your personal life too, right? A happy boss is a better boss," Zhuge Shen chuckled.
"If you’re so concerned about me, why not solve your own single status first?" Gu Xun shot back. "Since you don’t have a girlfriend anyway, you can stay and keep me company for overtime tonight."
Zhuge Shen: "...Should’ve kept my mouth shut."
