Meng Shutang stared at the familiar tie, her chest tightening like it was being squeezed. But her face stayed blank—no emotion, no reaction.
"You two are close enough. You don't need me to pass this along."
Bai Cixian smiled, sweet but sharp. "I'm flying to Shenzhen for work in an hour. I won't be back for two days. Please? Yunci loves this tie." She shoved the tie into Meng Shutang's hand.
Her eyes flicked to the files Meng Shutang held, and she reached for them.
Meng Shutang stepped sideways, hugging the file bag to her chest. She backed away—these were confidential.
Silly provocation didn't matter. Finishing the Gu Group's design on time, and well—that was the only thing that mattered for the next 48 days.
"You're holding them out for me to see," Bai Cixian purred, still smiling.
Meng Shutang froze.
"The one handling work before was Miss Chen, right?" Bai Cixian said. "Didn't she tell you about me?"
Meng Shutang remembered. Chen Man had mentioned a new supervisor in the Gu Group's Cultural Tourism Department—young, beautiful, and eerily similar to her.
The Gu Group had so many staff changes. She'd never thought it would be Bai Cixian.
Before she could think more, Bai Cixian snatched the files. She flipped through them casually, like they were nothing.
"Miss Meng, I heard you're a veteran—trained by some master. But this plan? It's nothing like what our department wants. We don't need 'restoration.' We need 'selling points.'"
She threw the files back at Meng Shutang.
"Next time we meet, I want a new version. Otherwise, this collaboration is over."
With a flick of her hair, she turned and walked away.
Meng Shutang stared at her hard work—dismissed in three sentences. Her heart felt like it was bleeding. But what could she do? Bai Cixian was the face of the client.
She stared at the files, deep in thought. Then she turned to leave—only to see the glass elevator a few meters away, carrying Bai Cixian down.
It stopped. A group of employees got on. A man tried to stand next to Bai Cixian.
Then Gu Yunci stepped over. He stood in front of her, shielding her completely.
They were close. She looked small, delicate—like a fragile white tea flower, safe under his protection. She smiled, shy and graceful.
He stood with one hand in his pocket, broad shoulders, a sharp waist, cold and noble. His face gave away nothing.
Meng Shutang glanced once, then looked away. Her heart was calm—no more stormy waves like that rainy night.
Back at her studio, Meng Shutang scrapped her plan. She started over.
But none of the openings felt right.
Closing time came. Ruan An said goodbye and left. Meng Shutang kept working—until midnight.
Done, she took a sip of water and made a call. "The Museum's Cultural and Creative Department has the 'Ancient Relics Reborn' project. My studio, Fanxing Pavilion, wants in. I'll design it first. I'll bring the draft in half a month."
Silence on the other end. "Shutang—are you short on money?"
"I… no." She bit her lip.
The voice turned cold. "Last time their team came to you, you refused without a second thought. Why the change of heart now?"
"If I back out this time, I'll never see you again."
No response. Then the line went dead.
Meng Shutang smiled faintly. He'd agreed.
She looked out the window. No clouds—just a pitch-black sky, like spilled ink. Stars dotted it, twinkling, winding into a bright galaxy.
Just like the star patterns on the ancient pearls on her desk.
Meng Shutang's eyes lit up.
Stars and ancient pearls—they were both echoes of the past.
"Millennium Star Glow…" she whispered. "That's the theme."
The Gu Group's town was a thousand-year-old cultural village. This theme was perfect.
She opened her laptop and polished the new plan. She was so focused, she didn't notice Qin Zheng standing in front of her.
"Madam, I'm here to take you back."
Meng Shutang stood up, ready to say she wasn't going. But she remembered the tie—she had to give it to Gu Yunci. She grabbed it from her drawer.
Qin Zheng's eyes flickered. He knew better than to ask. He turned and left.
A Rolls-Royce waited in the shadow of an old banyan tree. The window was rolled down a crack, revealing Gu Yunci's cold profile.
He held a cigarette between his long fingers, smoke curling up. He stared at a convenience store nearby, expressionless.
Meng Shutang walked over, carrying the chill of late autumn.
She got in the opposite seat. The car still smelled of their tangled intimacy from that night—mixed with his cold, sharp scent. It was mocking.
She didn't look at him. She set the tie gently beside him, where he could see it.
"Your new girlfriend asked me to give this to you." Her voice was soft, but icy.
His gaze fell on the tie. His fingers paused. His eyes darkened. He said nothing.
He picked up a wet wipe, pinched the tie, and threw it out the window.
A trash can by the road swallowed it whole—like a hungry monster.
"Grandma's back. She wants us to go to the old mansion for dinner." His voice was businesslike. He threw his cigarette out too.
Meng Shutang sat quietly. She said nothing.
The car arrived at the Gu family's old mansion quickly. It was a 200-year-old Su-style garden courtyard.
Meng Shutang didn't know it well—she'd only been a few times.
If Jiangcheng's social ladder was a pyramid, the Gu family was the very top. It made sense that Gu Yeheng hated her.
Chairman Gu was waiting. He didn't bother with pleasantries.
"Before Grandma finds out, go to the civil affairs bureau and get the divorce papers done. The sooner, the better. Gu Yunci, I warn you—don't let an outsider ruin your future."
Gu Yunci's brows furrowed. "My life is none of your business."
Gu Yeheng snorted, glaring at Meng Shutang coldly. He said no more.
They walked inside. Meng Shutang was greeted by a pair of crinkly, smiling eyes.
"Tangtang! I've missed you so much! Out of this whole family, you're my favorite."
Grandma took her hand, glancing down at her flat stomach. She frowned at Gu Yunci.
"Grandson, are you impotent? It's been three years, and Tangtang's stomach is still flat! Do you need a men's health check?"
Gu Yunci's face went stiff. "Grandma, I'm fine. Shutang knows. Ask her."
Meng Shutang's cheeks burned. She hung her head, so embarrassed she wanted to sink into the floor.
Grandma smirked. "Prove it. I've already prepared a room for you tonight. No going back to your villa until Tangtang gets pregnant!"
She pushed them toward the stairs, winking. Gu Yunci froze, Meng Shutang's heart raced—and as the bedroom door clicked shut behind them, she stared at the man in front of her, panic rising. How could she share a bed with him when she was hiding a secret that would destroy everything? What if he found out she was already carrying his child?!