Volume One, Chapter 154: Sowing Discord

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This was Xie Liuzheng’s first relationship, and she could hardly wait to share every sweet moment with Song Qingyu.

Naturally, Song Qingyu was delighted. Seeing Qingqing happy made her happier than anyone.

Lu Rongrong had been coming to Apocalypse Group more and more often. Even though Gu Yuandong never showed her much warmth, she continued to come without fail.

That morning, she even went up to the twelfth floor.

When Sheng Yuru saw her, she hurried over as though they were sisters. “Sister Rongrong, what brings you here?”

“I came to see you. How is work?” Lu Rongrong said.

Though she claimed to have come to see Sheng Yuru, her eyes remained fixed on Song Qingyu.

Her sharp gaze swept over Song Qingyu from head to toe. The girl was indeed pretty, but she came from an ordinary family. How could Gu Yuandong possibly be interested in her?

“It’s going well. Sister Rongrong, come sit, sit—”

Seeing that Lu Rongrong kept looking at Song Qingyu, Sheng Yuru invited her to take a seat, then called out to Song Qingyu, “Go make Sister Rongrong a cup of coffee.”

Song Qingyu frowned at Sheng Yuru’s commanding tone. “Don’t you have hands of your own?”

She was an employee of Apocalypse Group, not a servant. Besides, it was obvious that Sheng Yuru was deliberately trying to make things difficult for her.

Some people truly never changed.

Sheng Yuru glared at her and gave a cold snort. “Sister Rongrong will be the future president’s wife. Being allowed to make her coffee is your good fortune.”

“She’ll also be your future cousin-in-law. You’ll be family soon enough. I wouldn’t dream of taking such good fortune away from you.”

“You—”

That wretched Song Qingyu was becoming bolder by the day. Wasn’t she behaving this way only because she had her cousin backing her?

An ordinary employee would never dare disobey her.

Lu Rongrong pressed down on Sheng Yuru’s hand and smiled faintly at her. “Yuru, I’m not thirsty.”

“Hmph. This isn’t about whether you’re thirsty. It’s about basic courtesy and workplace conduct.”

Lu Rongrong’s smile did not reach her eyes. “I heard that Miss Song’s husband treats her very well and doesn’t let her do anything. Her hands have never touched spring water, so how could she possibly make coffee for me?”

Jie Changhe had seen from his office that Lu Rongrong and Sheng Yuru seemed to be ganging up on Song Qingyu. After hesitating for two seconds, he still walked out.

“Miss Lu’s visit has brought glory to our department.”

Lu Rongrong looked at him with his smiling, foxlike expression, her face impassive. This man had clearly been protecting Song Qingyu for a long time. Could he have known all along that Pei Jingmo was Gu Yuandong?

“Manager Jie is too kind. I only came down to see Yuru. In a little while, I’ll be having lunch with Yuandong.”

The corner of Jie Changhe’s mouth twitched slightly.

She made it sound as though it were true. How could President Gu possibly have lunch with her?

Not wanting Song Qingyu to misunderstand, Jie Changhe smiled. “Is that so? But President Gu asked me to accompany him to Star-Sea Century later, and he’s already reserved a restaurant there. Miss Lu, would you like to come with us?”

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After hearing them constantly mention their president, Song Qingyu simply left her desk and went to the restroom, taking the opportunity to enjoy some peace and quiet.

Unexpectedly, Lu Rongrong came in while she was washing her hands.

With both arms folded across her chest, Lu Rongrong raised an eyebrow and regarded Song Qingyu sidelong.

Her fixed stare made Song Qingyu deeply uncomfortable. She turned and looked at her calmly. “Does Miss Lu need something?”

Lu Rongrong smiled faintly. “No. I’ve simply become curious about your husband. You’re such a beautiful woman, so how did you end up marrying a laborer?”

“Miss Lu must be very bored if you’re so interested in matters that have nothing to do with you.”

Lu Rongrong had already experienced Song Qingyu’s sharp tongue. The thought that Song Qingyu was now Gu Yuandong’s wife made her furious.

Yet knowing that Song Qingyu was also being kept in the dark gave her a twisted sense of satisfaction.

She was eager to see what expression would appear on that beautiful face when Song Qingyu discovered that Gu Yuandong and Pei Jingmo were one and the same.

“Miss Song, do you really understand your husband?”

Seeing the inscrutable look on Lu Rongrong’s face, Song Qingyu knitted her brows tightly. “What do you mean?”

“Nothing. Just pretend I was talking nonsense.”

Lu Rongrong turned and walked away, leaving Song Qingyu utterly speechless.

She paid no attention to Lu Rongrong’s attempts to sow discord.

Besides, how could she not understand her own husband?

Rumors were circulating throughout the company that Gu Yuandong would soon be engaged to Lu Rongrong.

The major news outlets were reporting on it as well.

Song Qingyu had no place to comment on such a business alliance. It was, after all, someone else’s affair.

That evening—

Pei Jingmo was passionate and relentless, as though possessed by desire.

Song Qingyu was drenched in sweat, every ounce of strength drained from her body.

Her limp hand pressed weakly against his firm chest. “Please let me go. I really can’t take any more.”

“Darling, you have to believe in yourself. You can do it.”

“…I can’t. I’m really about to collapse.”

Pei Jingmo pretended not to hear her, wishing he could mold her entire body into his own.

In the end, Song Qingyu could endure no more and sank into a deep sleep.

Pei Jingmo carried her to the bathroom, washed her, dried her body, and blew her hair dry. Then he kissed her forehead.

“Wait for me.”

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Saturday was the Gu family banquet.

After preparing breakfast and lunch for Song Qingyu, Pei Jingmo went to the Gu residence.

Since it was a family gathering, Gu Chengming and Gu Fengjiao’s entire family had come as well.

Yang Bingcheng had failed in his attempt to kill Pei Jingmo. He had also been arrested and sentenced to thirty years for various offenses involving commercial secrets and tax evasion.

Gu Chengming had been thoroughly frightened by Pei Jingmo’s ruthless methods and no longer dared to court disaster.

Sheng Yuru had brought Chu Xingzhi with her. After quarreling for some time over Lin Tiange, the two had reconciled.

To put it plainly, Chu Xingzhi still needed the Gu family’s support. He did not dare offend Sheng Yuru outright or cut ties with her.

“Cousin!”

The moment Sheng Yuru saw Gu Yuandong, she scampered over. “Why didn’t you invite Sister Rongrong too?”

Pei Jingmo cast her a cool glance. “This is a Gu family banquet. Why would I invite her?”

The question left Sheng Yuru speechless. Chu Xingzhi, standing nearby, also looked somewhat displeased.

She gave an awkward laugh. “Aren’t you and Sister Rongrong about to get engaged? We’ll all be family then.”

“No, we won’t.”

“What?”

His phone suddenly rang.

When Pei Jingmo saw that Song Qingyu was calling, the expression on his face instantly softened. Without giving Sheng Yuru another glance, he walked to the balcony and answered the call.

Gu Fengjiao called Sheng Yuru away, while Chu Xingzhi watched Pei Jingmo.

The change in the aura around him had been far too swift, and his gaze had become remarkably gentle. Whoever was calling him was clearly not Lu Rongrong.

Could it be his beloved first love?

Driven by curiosity—and by the thought that if he discovered the identity of Gu Yuandong’s first love, he might be able to use her instead of continuing to humor Sheng Yuru—Chu Xingzhi quietly followed him.

“Qingqing—”

Upon hearing those two words, Chu Xingzhi thought his ears must be deceiving him.

Moreover, that voice clearly did not belong to Gu Yuandong. It was Pei Jingmo’s voice.

How could this be?

Chu Xingzhi’s expression turned ugly in an instant. Yet the dull, lifeless look in his eyes gradually brightened.

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