CHAPTER 9

Given that Meng Huaiqian almost never bailed on plans at the last minute, Rong Kun and Cheng Yue, though curious about what was so important, didn’t press further.

Meng Huaiqian arrived at the parking lot, where his driver was already waiting. After getting into the car, he didn’t report the next destination as usual but instead opened his phone’s navigation and searched for the places she mentioned.

He could sense that she was trying to push him away.

These locations weren’t even in the same district. The city was huge, and with rush hour approaching, by the time he managed to buy everything and deliver it to her, it would probably be around nine or ten at night.

No matter what her mindset was at the moment, he never considered refusing.

Even though she had decided to step away from the industry, with the wealth she had accumulated over the years, at least in terms of material needs, she didn’t require anyone’s support or help.

If he found even a small task like this troublesome, then what right did he have to say he would take care of her in Liang Qian’s place?

After thinking for a moment, Meng Huaiqian quickly came up with a more efficient plan.

He had no choice but to split up. He would personally go buy the pan-fried dumplings—since that was the first thing she mentioned, it was probably what she wanted the most and the one that couldn’t go wrong.

The beef brisket noodles and handmade milk tea would be assigned to two other drivers, and they would meet at a central location before he delivered everything to her himself.

Saving time was secondary. Since it was already close to dinner, and she rarely had cravings these days, he couldn’t let her wait too long on an empty stomach.

Meng Huaiqian drove himself to the old district, following the navigation through twists and turns before parking in a roadside spot. From there, he still had to walk five minutes to reach the shop.

The shop was small, with only three or four tables inside, all of which were occupied. There was also a line.

While waiting for his turn, Meng Huaiqian subconsciously looked up and noticed several yellowed photographs on the wall—pictures of the shop owner with Chi Shuang.

The owner followed his gaze and chuckled. “Are you a fan of Miss Chi too?”

Meng Huaiqian quickly withdrew his gaze. “No.”

“She’s a really nice person.” The owner skillfully flipped the dumplings in the pan while chatting. “She’s been here a few times. It was actually my son who recognized her when he was helping out during school break—he’s a big fan. He asked if he could take a picture with her, and she agreed right away. She’s really sweet, even signed an autograph for him and told him to study hard.”

Meng Huaiqian listened with an unchanged expression.

As he waited for the dumplings, he glanced up again. In the photo, she looked a bit younger, wearing a beret and smiling sweetly at the camera.

“They’re ready. Want vinegar and chili oil?” the owner asked.

Meng Huaiqian hesitated.

He tried searching his memory, but came up empty. Even though Chi Shuang had dined with them quite a few times as Liang Qian’s girlfriend over the past two years, he had no recollection of her preferences—not even the slightest impression.

“Can you pack a bit of both?” he asked.

The owner laughed. “Sure. Buying this for your girlfriend?”

Before Meng Huaiqian could explain, the owner shook his head. “She’s definitely not your girlfriend yet—otherwise, you wouldn’t be unsure about her tastes.”

Meng Huaiqian remained silent.

Since the other person was a stranger, there was no need to waste words clarifying anything.

The owner, taking his silence as confirmation, found the situation amusing. Seeing that Meng Huaiqian was tall, well-mannered, and polite, he casually picked an extra dumpling from the pan and handed it to him.

Meng Huaiqian accepted it and thanked him.

After scanning the QR code to pay, he glanced at the number of dumplings and cautiously paid for the extra one as well.

There was a slight delay in the payment system. As Meng Huaiqian walked a few steps away with the packaged dumplings, the mechanical voice from the payment speaker finally played, making the owner scratch his head in confusion.

What a strange guy. Really strange. I was giving him one for free, but he still insisted on paying that extra 1.75 yuan.

Chi Shuang was leaning against the sofa, flipping through an old market research report.

She owned 60% of the restaurant, while her cousin owned 40%. Her cousin was sharp and efficient in business, and since the restaurant was positioned as mid-to-high-end, if it had been just a small shop, Chi Shuang might have been content playing a hands-off role.

But she was picky.

This was her first business venture after stepping away from the industry, and she wanted it to have a touch of sophistication. As a result, the investment wasn’t small, even for her.

Even if she wasn’t an expert in every aspect, she made an effort to understand them all.

It was also a way to distract herself. If she had nothing to do, she would start overthinking—she would start missing him.

She used to sleep so well, but these days, she needed melatonin just to manage a few hours of rest.

As she was discussing the restaurant’s opening plans with the hired manager, the doorbell rang.

Her first reaction was that it had to be Meng Huaiqian.

She immediately perked up.

See? What did she say?

She just knew that Meng Huaiqian would never personally deliver the food. He would definitely just pass her request along to his assistant or someone else and have them send it over.

She and Meng Huaiqian were not close.

Not now, not ever.

But after these past few frustrating interactions, she had come to realize something—this man was incredibly stubborn and insufferably arrogant.

No matter what she said, he would never listen.

She had told him not to come anymore.

She had told him never to appear in front of her again.

He remained completely indifferent, as if he had destroyed his own hearing. The next day, he immediately reappeared to remind her of his presence, using his actions to tell her outright that he treated her words as nothing but empty air.

Arrogant to the extreme!

Chi Shuang entered battle mode, jogging to the entrance. But after glancing at the screen, she immediately lowered her guard.

She opened the door. “Sister Zhong, what brings you here?”

The woman at the door had voluminous wavy hair and wore a sharp white suit. A handbag was tucked under her arm, and she was typing rapidly on her phone without even looking up at Chi Shuang. “Just passing by, bringing some warmth to you, an unemployed vagrant.”

Chi Shuang: “…”

Sister Zhong’s arrival was like a pin bursting her inflated balloon, and she visibly deflated.

Listlessly, she pulled out a pair of guest slippers from the shoe cabinet and handed them to Sister Zhong before turning to walk inside.

Sister Zhong made herself at home, following Chi Shuang in with ease. She tossed her handbag onto the sofa, grabbed a banana from the fruit plate, and said as she peeled it, “I just got off the plane and came straight here without even eating. Where’s your housekeeper?”

“I told her not to come today,” Chi Shuang replied dully, hugging a throw pillow as she lounged in the armchair.

“I was hoping to get a hot meal at your place,” Sister Zhong said, finishing the banana in a few bites. She wiped her hands casually with a tissue and then, in a tone as casual as discussing the weather, said, “I won’t waste words with you—just delete that video.”

Chi Shuang didn’t even lift her eyelids, idly examining her nails. “Oh? So you came all this way just to make me delete a video? Well, I won’t.”

“You and that mouth of yours.” Sister Zhong chuckled, but her tone gradually became serious. “Just delete it. Wen Qing and Sun Xiaojun have been at each other’s throats all day. She was out of options, so she called me. Even President Gao mentioned it, saying it’s not a big deal. What do you say?”

“I was actually planning to delete it—I hate having junk videos taking up storage on my phone,” Chi Shuang lifted her head with a sneer. “But now? I’ve changed my mind. Even if Liu-zong himself came, it’d be useless. I want to watch her squirm. I want to drive her mad with frustration.”

“I didn’t bother with her before, but last year, she liked that Weibo post claiming I was being kept by a sugar daddy. During the local Spring Festival Gala, we shared a dressing room, and she went live after getting her makeup done just to show me with a bare face…”

Sister Zhong impatiently cut her off. “Enough, stop telling me about your kindergarten drama. I’m not your daycare teacher.”

“Sister Zhong!” Chi Shuang called out in exasperation. “I’ve had a feud with her for ages, and now that I’m no longer signed with you, you’re siding with her to step on me?”

“You ungrateful brat,” Sister Zhong scolded. “I’m doing this for your sake. Wen Qing has President Gao backing her now. If you piss her off completely, what good does it do you?”

“Backing her? President Gao?” Chi Shuang leaned in, prying, “Are they… huh?”

Sister Zhong pushed her face away. “President Gao’s second wife is Wen Qing’s aunt. She calls him ‘Uncle-in-law’ now.”

“Oh.”

Chi Shuang remained indifferent.

Sister Zhong tried to persuade her earnestly. “You haven’t announced your retirement yet. I’m just worried that you might want to return to the industry someday.”

“That’s impossible. I keep my word,” Chi Shuang said. “What do you take me for, a sit-up exercise?”

Sister Zhong: …

She could only endure it—no one knew Chi Shuang’s temper better than she did.

Right now, even if she talked until her mouth was dry, Chi Shuang would still stubbornly refuse.

That said, Sister Zhong was also certain Chi Shuang would never actually release the video.

Forget it, better to smooth things over first.

She swiftly changed the topic. “Oh, by the way, funny coincidence—I ran into Ren Jingfeng at the airport on my business trip. He’s definitely advancing in his career, and he looks even more handsome than a few years ago. He indirectly asked me about you. Seems like he still has feelings for you. If you give him the green light, he’d probably come running back to you immediately.”

Chi Shuang lazily slouched back. “I don’t know if he’s more handsome than before, but he’s definitely older. He’s thirty-one now, right? Thirty-year-old men are like dried-out chicken breast—no matter how you cook it, it’s never tasty.”

Sister Zhong burst into laughter. “Come on, he’s a big-shot lawyer now—young and successful.”

“If he’s a big-shot lawyer, then I’m a big-shot celebrity,” Chi Shuang joked before bursting into laughter herself. “Sister Zhong, you’d better not mock me. My self-esteem is fragile. While you’re in my territory, you have to agree with me.”

Sister Zhong couldn’t help but sigh.

Maybe this was why no matter how much trouble Chi Shuang caused in relationships, men still fell for her like moths to a flame.

“Sister Zhong, since you’re here,” Chi Shuang suddenly perked up. “Wait a sec! I’m going to change. There’s this copper hotpot place that’s absolutely amazing—I’ll take you there!”

“Sure.”

Chi Shuang excitedly ran upstairs.

This was how she had been recently—sometimes bursting with joy, sometimes drowning in sorrow.

She had barely been upstairs for long when the doorbell rang.

Sister Zhong got up and walked to the entrance. The screen showed a man with a sharp nose, thin lips, and clear, handsome features. She hesitated for a moment—this was an absolute stunner.

And then, his voice, smooth as polished jade, came through: “It’s me. I brought the potstickers, beef brisket noodles, and milk tea you wanted.”

Sister Zhong was thoroughly impressed by Chi Shuang.

An icon, truly.

It had barely been any time at all, and yet another high-quality hunk had shown up at her doorstep, ready to grovel.