Volume One, Chapter 58: Scalding

When Chu Xingzhi left, he cast a provocative glance at Pei Jingmo.

He drew closer, speaking in a voice only the two of them could hear: “You just got lucky for now and won Xiaoyu. Don’t delude yourself into thinking she’ll always be yours.”

Pei Jingmo didn’t spare him a single look; his gaze remained fixed on Song Qingyu in the distance, as if she was the only person in his world.

Song Qingyu met his eyes, feeling an indescribable ache within her. She parted her lips, wanting to say something, but in the end, said nothing and went straight upstairs.

Sometimes, when Xie Liuzheng was away filming, Song Qingyu was left alone in the apartment, unable to sleep.

She didn’t know how to handle her relationship with Pei Jingmo.

Sleepless nights soured her mood, and she had to drag her weary body to work the next day.

When she left the complex, she saw a man leaning against the wall. Her body tensed, and her heart gave a violent shudder.

Pei Jingmo was still wearing the clothes from yesterday: a white T-shirt beneath a black shirt.

Early autumn in the capital brought sharp temperature changes—twenty-six degrees by day, only sixteen at night.

His face was pale to the point of being frightening, his lips devoid of color.

When he saw Song Qingyu, he immediately ran over. “Qingqing—”

Song Qingyu’s brows knitted tightly. “Have you been out here all night?”

“I’m sorry, it’s my fault for upsetting you. You wanted to go to the aquarium—let me take you this Saturday, alright?”

“Are you out of your mind? Why did you stay out here in this cold instead of going home?”

“It’s inconvenient for you to stay at Xie Liuzheng’s place. No one’s making you meals, you’re surely eating badly and sleeping worse. Come home with me, won’t you?”

Each of them spoke past the other, desperate for answers.

“Cough, cough—” Pei Jingmo’s suppressed coughing made Song Qingyu furious. “Go home right now, take a hot shower and some medicine. I’m off to work and don’t have time for you.”

She turned and left. Even after she got in the car and drove away, Pei Jingmo stood there watching her, resembling an abandoned large dog—pitiful in his loneliness.

Song Qingyu gritted her teeth.

Stay calm! Calm down! Zhengzheng was right: pitying a man would bring endless misfortune.

Until she figured things out, she couldn’t let her emotions sway her decisions.

Yet despite her resolve, Pei Jingmo’s pitiful look haunted her all morning, distracting her and nearly causing her to make mistakes with the data several times.

Jie Changhe, seeing her in this state, knew she and President Gu were still at odds.

He called Song Qingyu into his office in his capacity as her superior.

“Qingyu, you haven’t seemed yourself since yesterday. Is something wrong? Do you need my help?”

Jie Changhe’s concern deeply moved Song Qingyu.

He was the class monitor’s elder brother and had always looked out for her, making her feel a strange kinship with him.

Xie Liuzheng was so busy that sometimes Song Qingyu would send her a message, only to get a reply two hours later.

Should she ask Manager Jie for advice?

After considering for two seconds, she spoke seriously, “Actually, it’s not about me, but a friend of mine—”

Jie Changhe: “…”

Such a familiar opening.

“Hmm, what’s happened to your friend?”

“She… Her husband seems to be cheating, but she doesn’t know what to do.”

That simple statement sent shockwaves through Jie Changhe’s heart.

What? Husband?

So Song Qingyu and President Gu are married?

They’ve been keeping it secret!

The heiress of Lu Group comes to see President Gu—could the chairman not know President Gu is already married?

Damn! This feels like a major revelation!

Cheating? Is Song Qingyu talking about Lu Rongrong?

Jie Changhe broke out in a cold sweat, his mind racing to find ways to help President Gu explain himself.

“Heh… You’re so beautiful, your friend must be too. Her husband surely loves her—how could he possibly cheat?”

“My friend’s situation with her husband is a bit complicated…”

Because it’s a contract marriage, she doesn’t know what to do.

Jie Changhe nodded. A secret marriage—how could it not be complicated?

“After they got married, her husband treated her very well, always accommodating her, taking care of her. But now there’s another woman around him, and they seem quite close.”

Warning bells sounded in Jie Changhe’s mind. “Did your friend catch them in bed together?”

Song Qingyu shook her head. “No, nothing like that.”

“Well, then—that’s good. Maybe your friend’s mistaken.”

For the sake of President Gu’s happiness, Jie Changhe advised earnestly, “Communication is the most important thing between two people. Instead of agonizing over it, they should sit down and talk it out.”

Song Qingyu pressed her lips together. Must she catch him in the act to judge whether a man is cheating?

She never wanted to endure something like Chu Xingzhi’s blow again.

Advice was one thing, but deciding what to do was quite another.

At lunchtime, Song Qingyu ran into Gu Yuandong in the elevator.

She recalled how Gu Yuandong said he wanted to build rapport with the staff by taking the employee elevator, so she didn’t avoid him.

“Cough, cough…”

She heard Gu Yuandong coughing.

As a dutiful employee, Song Qingyu felt obliged to show concern—and, occasionally, flatter her boss.

“President Gu, have you caught a cold?”

“Most likely.”

“Autumn dryness and changing weather make it easy to catch a cold.”

Pei Jingmo noticed Song Qingyu had no intention of buying him medicine, so he deliberately said, “Hmm, I’ll have Secretary He buy me some medicine later.”

Song Qingyu’s eyes lit up. “Secretary He is so busy, let me get it for you.”

“Would that be a bother?”

“Not at all. I’ll be right back.”

When Song Qingyu went to the pharmacy to buy medicine, she couldn’t help but think of Pei Jingmo that morning.

His face was so pale, and he’d been coughing—could he be coming down with something?

At the checkout, she realized she’d bought two boxes of medicine.

Back at the company, Song Qingyu delivered the medicine to the president’s office.

“Miss Song, that’s very thoughtful of you.”

Song Qingyu, absent-minded, replied, “It’s nothing. President Gu, remember to take your medicine. I’ll get back to work.”

The whole afternoon, she remained distracted.

As the end of the workday approached, she finally made up her mind!

Instead of dragging things out and feeling troubled every day, it was better to resolve it once and for all!

Once she decided, she stepped out of Tianqi Tower and saw Pei Jingmo again.

He was still wearing the morning’s clothes, his usual vitality gone, looking wilted.

When he walked toward her, Song Qingyu frowned and went to him. “When did you get here?”

“This afternoon.”

“Why?”

“To see you!”

“Don’t you know how to call me?”

“I was afraid you wouldn’t answer.”

Song Qingyu: “…”

She was angry enough that she wouldn’t have answered, it was true.

“Let’s talk at home.”

“All right.” Pei Jingmo obediently got in the car with her.

As the car drove on, Song Qingyu stared out at the scenery flashing by, not sparing Pei Jingmo a glance.

Suddenly, her shoulder grew heavy. She was about to push him away, but when her hand touched his forehead, she recoiled in shock at the heat.

“Pei Jingmo—”

“Mmm…”

Pei Jingmo murmured softly, his breath scalding Song Qingyu’s heart.

Damn it, he was burning up with fever!