Chapter 6: He Has a Girlfriend  

The speed at which gossip spread among these people was nothing short of rocket-fast.  

In less than half a day, her reputation would be ruined.  

Meng Chu poured a cup of hot water and placed it on the bedside table. “Are you really that afraid of people seeing me?”  

His tone was icy, sending a chill straight to Tao Wanxing’s core.  

Her heart raced with panic. “No, it’s just our relationship…”  

“Tao Wanxing, how many times do I have to say it?”  

Meng Chu’s gaze was sharp as a hawk’s, fixed unwaveringly on her.  

Tao Wanxing felt as if her heart had been seized in a vice—tight, painful, suffocating.  

Yet her throat seemed blocked, rendering her unable to utter a single word.  

Meng Chu continued, “You used to be so bright and cheerful, so eager to be with me—”  

“Second Brother!” Tao Wanxing recalled the dream she had just had and called out softly.  

“Back then, I was naive and didn’t understand my place.”  

She kept her head lowered, not daring to meet his eyes.  

Her stomach twisted in knots, the discomfort unbearable, but she couldn’t cry.  

She had already cried enough.  

A vein throbbed at Meng Chu’s temple, his jaw clenched. “What place?”  

As if pushed to the brink, he suddenly laughed, his eyes narrowing behind his glasses.  

“Tao Wanxing, are you trying to shirk responsibility now? Trying to dump me?”  

“Second Brother!” she pleaded in a hushed voice. “Please, not here.”  

The atmosphere froze instantly.  

Tao Wanxing could feel Meng Chu’s gaze boring into her, as if trying to pierce right through her.  

She didn’t dare look up.  

These things had to stay buried—they absolutely couldn’t get out.  

Calling him “Second Brother” was a reminder to him, and a constant reminder to herself.  

The Meng family wouldn’t do anything to him, Meng Chu, but what about her sister? They would never let her sister off the hook.  

The prickling sensation grew heavier, pressing down on her until she could barely breathe—until the ringing of a phone shattered the silence.  

One ring, two rings, three. Meng Chu finally pulled out his phone, glanced at it, and stepped out.  

Tao Wanxing’s tense nerves abruptly relaxed, and she gasped for air.  

She didn’t want to hear what Meng Chu had been about to say.  

Yes, she had once shamelessly followed him around, declaring her love for him.  

She had thought she was just herself, and her sister was just her sister.  

But only after leaving the Meng family did she realize her sister’s situation wasn’t good—her sister had married above her station.  

That was why the Meng family looked down on both her and her sister.  

Especially since she was nothing but a burden to her sister.  

Her sister had endured all the scorn from the Meng family for her sake.  

Besides, back then, Meng Chu had despised her, never once treating her kindly. It had all been her own wishful thinking.  

Blind and unable to let go.  

How could she dare entertain any thoughts about the Meng family’s second young master now?  

Gu Yue walked in with a treatment tray, adjusting the IV while repeatedly glancing at the tall figure outside taking the call.  

She winked at Tao Wanxing. “Wanxing, you’ve got some skills. Never thought you’d have such a high-quality connection.”  

Tao Wanxing’s heart tightened, afraid their true relationship would be exposed. She hurriedly said, “He’s my second brother.”  

Gu Yue didn’t look at her, nodding dismissively. “Yeah, yeah, they’re all ‘brothers.’ I get it.”  

“But today’s guy is clearly a much finer catch than the one who picked you up last night.”  

“Last night’s guy was wearing an official jacket—obviously someone from the government. Today’s one, though… he looks kinda familiar.”

“But the temperament is worlds apart, tsk tsk, I finally understand what a dignified aristocratic young master looks like!”

Gu Yue didn’t think too much, nudging Tao Wanxing playfully.

“Where did you find such a fine man? Do share your secret!”

Tao Wanxing glanced at the tall figure outside. The custom-made black shirt clung perfectly to his inverted triangle physique, his hair styled meticulously without appearing greasy. The gold-rimmed glasses on his nose bridge added an extra edge.

Setting everything else aside, Meng Chu’s physique was indeed superior, and his face could easily outshine those pretty-boy idols and heartthrobs in the entertainment industry.

Ever since Tao Wanxing had known him, there had been no shortage of girls trailing behind him.

Some had even tried bribing her to deliver love letters to him.

But she would always smile sweetly as she accepted them, pocketed the bribes, and then tossed all the letters straight into the trash.

No point refusing free stuff.

She replied flatly, “He has a girlfriend.”

Otherwise, with Gu Yue’s big mouth, who knew what rumors would spread.

Gu Yue wore a look of regret and was about to say something when the man walked in. She quickly composed herself, picked up the treatment tray, and left.

Meng Chu said, “There’s an emergency meeting at work. I’ll have Gao Ming pick you up later.”

Tao Wanxing shook her head hastily. “I’m fine, I’ll just take a taxi back. Gao Ming is your secretary—if people see him always driving me around, they’ll talk.”

If someone accused him of mixing personal matters with work, it wouldn’t be appropriate.

Meng Chu stared at her for a moment but ultimately said nothing.

“What would you like for dinner tonight?”

“Anything is fine.”

“Mm. There’s a place downstairs with excellent chicken soup. I’ll have them deliver it to you.”

“Okay.”

Curled up in bed, answering obediently, Tao Wanxing looked especially docile. Meng Chu couldn’t resist reaching out to ruffle her fluffy hair.

But the moment his hand neared, she dodged away.

Meng Chu’s eyes darkened, radiating danger.

Tao Wanxing swallowed nervously. “Second Brother, are you coming back tonight?”

“Do you want me to come back?” Meng Chu’s expression shifted slightly, his tone lifting at the end.

Tao Wanxing didn’t answer.

Meng Chu’s face instantly turned cold. He grabbed his coat from the chair and walked out.

After finishing her IV drip, Tao Wanxing took a taxi back to Fragrant Mountain Villa.

It was close to the hospital where she worked—just a ten-minute ride.

Back home, she curled up on the sofa and glanced around. The very air in the room seemed saturated with Meng Chu’s presence.

She zoned out for a while until the doorbell rang.

Getting up to answer, she found the chicken soup Meng Chu had mentioned delivered from downstairs.

Bringing it inside, she set it on the table. The rich, savory aroma made her mouth water, her stomach growling in response.

She ladled out a bowl and drank it. The warmth spread through her stomach, instantly making her feel much better.

Still feeling weak, she figured since Meng Chu wouldn’t be back tonight, she didn’t bother cleaning up and just flopped back onto the sofa.

Rarely getting a day off to relax, she emptied her mind, staring blankly at the ceiling, thinking of nothing, caring about nothing.

This was nice.

A buzz from her phone interrupted her.

Dazedly, she opened it to see a message from Gu Yue.

“Wanxing, Wanxing, look who I just saw!!”

Another photo followed immediately after.