Chapter 29 – He’s Not Good Enough for You

After rejecting the invitation three times, Xu Mo gave it some thought and ultimately decided to report the matter to Secretary Zhou.

After all, top leadership had a right to be informed.

The office was cold and crisp with air-conditioning.

Zhou Zhengliang signed documents as usual, expression unchanged. Upon hearing the report, he didn’t react much. It wasn’t until close to 5 p.m. that he said mildly, “Go ask the Director of the Development and Reform Commission. He’ll know what to do.”

Xu Mo understood immediately.

Without a doubt, if someone had to show up, no one was more suitable than Director Meng—who couldn’t hold his liquor to save his life.

With this in mind, he nodded. “Got it. I’ll make the call when I get a chance.”

Meng Changjun received the assignment to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony two days later. When he checked his calendar, it just so happened to be next Friday.

What a careful choice.

There were plenty of officials in the commission, but they just had to pick the one with the worst alcohol tolerance. Were they not worried he’d get plied with drinks and tricked into something in his stupor?

He gave a bitter smile.

If he guessed right, this was a decision from someone higher up. The director was just reading the room.

—

That night, the official launch ceremony took place.

As a lower-level worker, Gu Yao had no business at such grand events. Naturally, she stayed home, quietly preparing her weekly Friday report email.

Around 8 p.m., her cousin called.

She was still typing away at the keyboard when she heard the honking of horns through the receiver. “Are you driving?” she asked.

At that, Wen Jing glanced instinctively at the rearview mirror—there, a man lay asleep in the backseat.

She couldn’t help but sigh. “The big boss specifically requested I come to tonight’s dinner. I thought it’d be a tough one, but turns out… not so much.”

“What do you mean?”

Gu Yao was completely confused.

Then Wen Jing casually dropped a bomb.

“Your Director Meng,” she said, as if it were nothing, “is currently in my car.”

?!

The sound of typing came to an abrupt halt.

Gu Yao held her breath for two seconds before regaining composure.

She asked cautiously, “He drank too much?”

That was putting it mildly.

He was practically unconscious.

Wen Jing was already worried about how her dainty shoulders would carry him out of the car.

But before that, she had a piece of intelligence she had to pass on to her cousin.

“Yao Yao, you might want to prepare yourself,” Wen Jing said suddenly.

That vague statement made Gu Yao pause.

Her cousin continued—tonight, at the launch event, Second Young Master Cheng had brought a female companion, dressed to the nines. And her identity was no small matter.

“The resort project hasn’t been progressing smoothly. Just last week, a Hong Kong firm backed out at the last minute, leaving a huge funding gap. Right now, Hengyuan is desperate for a lifeline, and coincidentally, the heiress of the Tang family just returned from abroad. She’s known Cheng Mu since childhood and has been sweet on him for years. According to industry sources, there’s likely a marriage alliance brewing between the Chengs and the Tangs.”

And tonight, Cheng Mu’s plus-one was none other than the Tang family’s officially-approved fiancée—Miss Tang.

From that point on, Gu Yao barely listened.

Only one thought echoed in her mind:

What must come, always will.

After hanging up, she couldn’t concentrate on work anymore. She got up, made a cup of coffee, and walked to the balcony.

A hot summer night.

She slid open the glass door separating her from the AC, and a wave of heat rushed in.

Standing quietly at the railing, Gu Yao gazed into the boundless night sky, a swirl of emotions rising in her chest.

She didn’t know how long she stood there.

Until her phone buzzed with a message from an unfamiliar number.

A local Qionghai number. The text contained a hotel address and a room number. The sender claimed to be Cheng Mu, saying he wanted to see her.

Her first instinct was suspicion.

Gu Yao replied with a string of question marks, then turned off her screen, intending to ignore it.

But the next moment—her resolve wavered.

Since things had come to this, clinging to false hope would only hurt them both. Better to go and settle it once and for all.

Whatever the outcome, it was time to draw a line under this relationship.

Gu Yao was a woman of action. She returned to her room, tidied up, and went downstairs to catch a ride to the hotel.

Twenty minutes later.

She arrived at a dazzlingly luxurious lobby, passed the front desk, and took the elevator straight to the top floor.

This was one of Hengyuan’s top-tier hotels.

In their half-year relationship, she had always known Cheng Mu kept a private suite here.

But as his girlfriend, this was her first time coming.

And, without question, the last.

When the elevator opened, her heels sank into the thick carpet. The heady perfume and opulence in the air made her steps slow and unsteady, syncing with her heartbeat.

The door was ajar.

Just a few steps away, she could clearly see the scattered underwear on the floor under the dim hallway light.

Moans—hot, rhythmic, shameless—slipped through the door gap in waves.

She didn’t need to see to know what was happening on that luxury bed inside.

Her stomach twisted.

Maybe it was the coffee she’d drunk before leaving. Or maybe she simply couldn’t stomach the suffocating perfume-laced air in the hallway.

So this was what he wanted her to see? To humiliate her?

Without Gu Yao, he still had plenty of women willing to throw themselves into his bed.

Expressionless, she pulled out her phone, recorded a short video, then turned and walked away toward the elevator.

Her lips curved into a small smile.

Bitter, yes—but also free.

Just as she had hoped, she now had a reason to make a clean break.

Still, she couldn’t help but wonder—two days ago, he’d stood at the office entrance with a bouquet begging for forgiveness. And that same night… who had been lying beside him?

Only now did she finally realize how good her ex-boyfriend had been—at acting.

Gu Yao walked alone down the street, back ramrod straight like a statue.

She had a strong spine and hated admitting she’d misjudged someone. But the truth was brutal. The heavens had ripped off the mask she’d been hiding behind—clever on the surface, foolish underneath.

Five years of chasing him—what did it amount to?

Ha.

How short-sighted of you, Gu Yao.

—

At 10 p.m., the prestigious Yufeng Club in Jiabai Road’s high-end residential district was dead quiet.

Only the second-floor study remained lit.

Still waiting on her weekly report, Zhou Zhengliang finally picked up his phone and called Xu Mo.

The girl had always been diligent and punctual. Even if something came up, she’d usually inform him in advance. Tonight felt entirely out of character.

Meanwhile.

Xu Mo followed instructions and sent a voice call through WeChat—only to be greeted by loud, chaotic music on the other end.

His first reaction was that she must be at a bar.

But as far as he knew, little Gu was obedient and composed—not the kind to enjoy nightlife.

Clearly, Xu Mo had underestimated her.

She was, after all, only in her early twenties. A few drinks on a bad night beat lying in bed wallowing in self-pity.

Especially when her drunken, rambling words made one thing obvious—

She’d just had her heart broken.

And she even mistook him for her ex, cursing him out fiercely.

Xu Mo felt… entirely innocent.

Two minutes later, he reported everything word for word to the boss. After a brief silence, Secretary Zhou instructed him to get in touch with the tech team and locate Gu Yao’s phone.

At first, Xu Mo hadn’t realized just how unusually concerned his boss was…

It wasn’t until he sent over the location of the bar that he suddenly realized—just for a fleeting moment—the usually composed and unshakable man had shown a rare trace of emotion.

Since taking office, Secretary Zhou had never shown such concern for any female subordinate.

It was almost unbelievable.

Xu Mo warned himself not to overthink it.

Sometimes, instincts could get people killed.

Zhou Zhengliang picked up his car keys and drove a low-profile black Volkswagen out of Yufeng.

The bar was located in a busy part of the city, but at this hour, there were hardly any pedestrians around.

The car’s headlights shone far ahead.

The young woman sat quietly by a flowerbed. Two empty cans lay at her feet. Her lowered eyes stared motionlessly at the ground, as if fixated on something unseen.

The Volkswagen slowly came to a stop. The driver’s door opened.

Under the cloak of night, the man’s tall figure emerged and strode steadily toward the flowerbed.

Alcohol dulled Gu Yao’s senses. Everything around her felt distant, detached—as if she were still lost in a dream. Even when Zhou Zhengliang squatted in front of her, she was too dazed to register it fully.

“Gu Yao.”

Zhou Zhengliang called her name gently.

Lured by the low, magnetic voice, the girl looked up.

She blinked blearily at the man before her and gave a goofy smile. “Uncle, you’re so handsome. Have we met before?”

“……”

Yep, she was seriously drunk.

Zhou Zhengliang sighed. His strong arm slipped beneath her knees and, with steady steps, he lifted her into the car.

Unfortunately, Gu Yao had forgotten her house key when she left.

That was one of the reasons she’d ended up at the bar in the middle of the night.

The black Volkswagen parked outside her apartment complex. Zhou Zhengliang turned to look at the girl sleeping peacefully in the passenger seat. Her face, flushed red, was relaxed and unguarded.

Sending her to a hotel, with no one to look after her overnight, didn’t sit right with him.

After all the planning that had gone into this moment, he now had to play the gentleman.

Zhou Zhengliang curled his lips in self-mockery, started the engine again, and drove toward the Western District.

It was almost eleven.

Aunt Liu stood at the steps, watching as the black sedan pulled smoothly into the courtyard. When she saw her employer get out of the car carrying a woman, she froze for a second before rushing up.

The girl slept soundly, her rosy face pressed against Zhou Zhengliang’s chest without the slightest sign of shyness.

It was Teacher Gu.

Having lived long enough to know a thing or two, Aunt Liu recovered from her initial surprise quickly.

This was wonderful news.

Truly wonderful.

If Madam Zhou were still around, she’d be overjoyed.

Following closely behind, Aunt Liu chuckled as she walked into the house. “I’ll head to the kitchen to make some hangover soup. I’ll also have someone prepare clean clothes for her.”

The only reply was the man’s silent figure ascending the stairs.

The master bedroom’s large, dark-toned bed was soft and comfortable.

The unfamiliar scent on the bedding stirred unease in Gu Yao. She shifted uncomfortably, her brows furrowing in her sleep, clearly not at ease.

Zhou Zhengliang realized this wouldn’t do.

Waking up in the bed of a superior—how was a young girl supposed to handle that?

So, under Aunt Liu’s unwavering gaze, Secretary Zhou gently picked her up again and moved her to the guest room next door.

Every action spoke of restraint and dignity.

Aunt Liu had never seen her employer this cautious.

Even his ill-fated marriage back then—by all accounts—had been more of a political arrangement than a matter of love.

Only when a man had tenderness in his heart could he be called human.

Zhou Zhengliang had lived too long without warmth. So when something—or someone—finally stirred that emotion in him, it was easy for his darker instincts to surface, letting desire consume reason, driving him to pull her closer, inch by inch, until she fell into his arms.

Aunt Liu had served the Zhou household for ten years and had always seen him through rose-tinted glasses.

But when it came to the one you liked, no man was willing to simply give up or let go.

If even ordinary men found it hard, how could someone like Zhou Zhengliang—powerful and commanding—do so?

The guest room was softly lit by a floor lamp.

The girl lay on the bed, her shallow breathing laced with alcohol, but she seemed to sleep more peacefully here.

Seeing the time, Zhou Zhengliang paused a moment, then gently tucked the blanket around the little drunkard. Just as he leaned in, a single tear slipped from the corner of her eye, trailing down her pale cheek and disappearing into her dark hair.

His chest tightened like something had scalded it.

He didn’t know what this feeling was—only that it was foreign and restless.

Zhou Zhengliang slowly bent down and brushed the tear away with his thumb. His Adam’s apple bobbed slightly as he murmured, “Don’t be sad. He’s not worthy of you.”

Not worthy.

And certainly not worth your tears.

At least in his world, once something was over—it was over.

—

She slept dreamlessly through the night.

By the time Gu Yao awoke, the sun was already high, and she found herself in a guest room at Yufeng.

She was stunned.

She could remember nothing of the previous night.

Vaguely, she recalled getting a voice message at the bar—her cousin saying she’d come pick her up.

But when she checked her chat history, there was no cousin.

Only Secretary Xu.

She shut her eyes, utterly mortified.

Moments later, probably having heard movement upstairs, Aunt Liu arrived with breakfast.

The girl stood barefoot on the floor, panicked and flustered, frantically searching for her clothes.

“Don’t worry, Miss Gu. It was me who looked after you last night.”

Seeing the obvious relief on her face, Aunt Liu went on, “Your clothes have already been washed and dried. They’re in the dressing room next door—I’ll fetch them in a moment.”

It took Gu Yao a couple of seconds to process that.

Her ears flushed red, and she awkwardly thanked the older woman.

“Before leaving, Mr. Zhou said not to wake you too early. If it’s already late, he suggested you stay for lunch.”

Gu Yao shook her head firmly.

Her tone was serious. “Secretary Zhou holds a high position. Bringing a female subordinate to his private home in the middle of the night already crosses a line. To avoid any misunderstanding, I shouldn’t overstay.”

There was resentment in her heart, things she couldn’t say aloud—so she voiced her displeasure in this roundabout way, subtly hinting that the big boss might be stepping out of line.

She was young and new to the workforce—it was only natural to be cautious.

Aunt Liu understood her concern but said sincerely, “I’ve followed Mr. Zhou from the capital to Qionghai. It’s been ten years. I can assure you, he’s an upright man who would never do anything improper.”

Hearing that, Gu Yao’s suppressed emotions gradually calmed.

If someone in his position lacked integrity, it would be a disaster for the people.

He was Secretary Zhou—he should be someone she could trust.

Maybe he’d just happened to pass by last night and, out of a sense of duty, offered her shelter.

It wouldn’t be right to repay kindness with suspicion.

Once she sorted out her thoughts, Gu Yao felt embarrassed and nodded apologetically.

Aunt Liu smiled kindly and cut her off.

“No need to apologize. I’m just glad we cleared up the misunderstanding. Just remember—don’t jump to conclusions. And in the future, if there’s ever a concern, communicate with Mr. Zhou directly. Don’t let unnecessary distance grow between you.”

The words sounded perfectly reasonable.

But somehow… something about them felt a little off.

Gu Yao didn’t have time to dwell on it—her stomach gave a loud protest, perfectly timed with Aunt Liu placing the breakfast tray down.