Chapter 19 – Fan Shengmei Discovers Something Strange

Xu Qin sat on the sofa, absentmindedly twisting the tassels of a cushion between her fingers. The more she thought, the more uneasy she became.

Meng Yanchen had been acting far too strange lately—

In the past, no matter how busy he was, he would always reply to her messages. Now, he was cold as ice.
Before, no matter how willful she was, he never spoke to her in such a harsh, cutting tone.
And he would never have pierced through her heart so bluntly let alone embarrassed her in front of Qin Yu.

Her chest tightened. She grabbed her phone and dialed Zhan Xiaorao.

“Hey, where are you right now?” Xu Qin asked.

“Xiao Yixiao’s bar. Why? What’s up?” Xiaorao’s voice was tinged with lazy amusement.

“My brother around?” Xu Qin went straight to the point.

“Nope. Looking for Meng Yanchen? Just call him directly,” Xiaorao replied casually.

Xu Qin pressed her lips together. Since Xiao Yixiao was practically glued to Meng Yanchen these days, maybe he knew something. “Wait there. I’ll come find you.”

Just as she hung up, the sound of a key turning echoed at the door, followed by the loud clatter of keys being thrown onto the shoe cabinet.

“Where are you?”

Xu Qin frowned, refusing to answer.

The door swung open and Song Yan stepped in. The air inside was stale, the kitchen cold. He frowned deeper.

“Xu Qin?” he called, but no one responded.

Entering the bedroom, he found her sitting on the bed in a daze, so lost in thought she hadn’t even noticed him.

“So you’re home,” Song Yan muttered, his voice laced with irritation as he tried to rein in his temper.

Xu Qin ignored him, still drowning in thoughts of Meng Yanchen.

Song Yan inhaled sharply, forcing himself to stay calm. Other men in the team came home to warm meals, doting wives.
But him? Every time, it was takeout or plain porridge.

“Fine. I’ll make porridge. We’ll eat later.” He turned toward the kitchen.

But Xu Qin suddenly stood, snatched up her bag, and shoved past him.

“Other than porridge, do you know how to do anything? Forget it. I’m not eating. I’ve got plans tonight.”

Song Yan froze, his face darkening, but she was already out the door—gone without a backward glance.

—

At the bar, Zhan Xiaorao looked at her phone, baffled by the sudden hang-up.

“Who was that?”

Xiao Yixiao slid her a fresh glass of watermelon juice.

“Xu Qin,” Xiaorao said, biting her straw. “Sounded like she was looking for Meng Yanchen. Said she’d come over.”

Xiao Yixiao raised a brow. “She wants him. Why not just call?”

“Who knows? Maybe another fight?” Xiaorao shrugged.

Their voices carried clearly across the bar counter.

Leaf, who had been polishing a wine glass, froze mid-motion. Quietly, she pulled out her phone.

On the screen, her last message to Meng Yanchen still sat unanswered—sent three days ago:
【There’s a live show this weekend. Want to come with me?】

No reply.

Lowering her gaze, her fingertip brushed the screen lightly. A shadow flickered in her eyes.
Xu Qin and Meng Yanchen… were fighting?

—

Meanwhile, Fan Shengmei had just stepped out of her supervisor’s office, contract freshly signed, when gossiping voices drifted out from the pantry.

“Meng Yanchen is seriously too handsome. Look at this profile shot—gold-rimmed glasses and a tailored suit? Perfection.”

“I still think Shi Yan’s not bad either. That body, those proportions—”

“Dream on. His girlfriend’s Zheng Shuyi, the reporter who wrote this article. You don’t stand a chance.”

“Fine, then I’ll stan Little Bao instead…”

Carrying her coffee, Fan Shengmei walked over, took the magazine, and smiled lightly.

“He’s off the market too.”

The interns turned, startled. One of them, nervous, asked, “Sister Fan, how do you know?”

“His girlfriend Andy’s my best friend.”

Fan Shengmei tilted her chin proudly. “I’ve got to watch out for her, keep you little chicks in line.”

A chorus of groans followed.

“Ugh, all the good ones are taken!”

“Then we’ll stick to admiring President Meng,” said a ponytailed girl, holding up her phone. “He’s famous for his clean lifestyle. No scandals, no gossip. Supporting him is a safe bet.”

Unconsciously, Fan Shengmei’s gaze drifted to Meng Yanchen’s photo.

He was mid-speech, long fingers tapping a slide on the PPT, eyes behind the glasses focused and calm.

Suddenly, she recalled the way he had stubbornly insisted on buying her a birthday gift that day—
A man of ruthless decisiveness in the business world, yet childish enough to fuss over a “birthday routine.”

“Sis, you think President Meng is good too, don’t you?”

The ponytailed girl leaned closer. “But isn’t he rumored to be… you know, indifferent to women?”

Another chimed in, “I heard men like him are insanely self-disciplined. Almost obsessive. Impossible to live with.”

“Wouldn’t that be boring?”

“Not really.”

Fan Shengmei spoke absently, but the girls perked up instantly.

“Sister Fan, how do you know? You two know each other?”

“Oh—just a guess.”

But when her eyes fell back on the photo, her expression sharpened.

There, in the corner of the image, stood a blurred figure.
A middle-aged man, a little overweight, wearing a badge marked Guokun, speaking with staff.

“Sis don’t tell me that’s your type?” one girl teased, covering her mouth dramatically.

Fan Shengmei ignored the joke and zoomed in on the article. It was about Guokun’s new energy project roadshow.

Her eyes locked on the blurred man. Despite the poor resolution, she recognized him instantly—Yang Chengdong.

The very same manager from Risk Control who had been disciplined for misconduct just months ago.

She herself had processed the paperwork.

And according to industry rules, he was under a two-year ban. He wasn’t even allowed to work in the same field, let alone appear at Guokun’s flagship project as a “consultant.”

How could Meng Yanchen have overlooked such a massive mistake?

Was he unaware… or was someone below him covering things up?

“Send me that picture.”

The interns exchanged confused glances but complied.

Fan Shengmei hurried back to her desk, pulled up every related report, and magnified the photo again. No doubt about it—Yang Chengdong was there, badge and all. Project Consultant.

Without hesitation, she requested leave and rushed to Guokun Headquarters.

Standing in the grand marble lobby, she strode directly to the reception desk.

“I need to see Meng Yanchen.”

The same receptionist from last time rolled her eyes. “You again? What’s the excuse this time? Delivering bags? Medicine?”

She glanced at Fan Shengmei’s outfit with a smirk. “Oh, not Zara today? Changed into Max Mara? Cute, but it won’t help. President Meng doesn’t have time for you.”

“I really have urgent business.” Fan Shengmei’s voice tightened. “If Guokun suffers losses because of this delay, will you take responsibility?”

The two receptionists exchanged mocking glances.

“You? Guokun’s losses? Please. New script today?”

Fan Shengmei’s anger was about to erupt when the glass doors turned, and Qin Yu walked in with a file folder.

Years of being a special assistant had trained his memory and sharp eyes to perfection. He recognized her instantly—

Wasn’t this the very woman the boss had once stopped the car for, just to buy her a birthday cake?

“Miss Fan!”

Qin Yu hurried over. “Here to see President Meng?”

The two receptionists froze, faces draining of color.

Fan Shengmei blinked. “You… know me?”

“Of course.” Qin Yu gestured respectfully. “Please, this way.”

Then, with a cold glance at the receptionists, he added, “You won’t need to report tomorrow.”

“Assistant Qin, we—!”

But Qin Yu was already leading Fan Shengmei toward the exclusive elevator…