Jiang Cheng walked out of the kitchen with a bowl in hand and immediately saw Li Chunxiang entering through the door.

"Just got up?"

Li Chunxiang’s "just got up" was said with a teasing tone, and she winked at Jiang Cheng, her mind full of playful thoughts.

Ordinary people might not be able to take such teasing, but who was Jiang Cheng?

"Yeah, absence makes the heart grow fonder; you must have experienced it, huh?"

A rhetorical question that made Li Chunxiang pause her steps for a moment.

"I really have a bad memory!"

Li Chunxiang said with mock seriousness as she walked forward and sat down at the dining table, unabashedly looking at the dishes on the table.

"Want some more?"

Jiang Cheng asked, and Li Chunxiang, looking at the food, chuckled, "Sure! I’m really hungry."

"Lately, I don’t know what’s going on, but I get hungry really quickly, like I could eat eight meals a day."

Li Chunxiang took the bowl and chopsticks Jiang Cheng handed her and started eating without hesitation.

Jiang Cheng sat across from her and said, "What could it be? You’re just turning the food you eat into food for someone else."

"By the way, what did you come to see me for?"

Li Chunxiang swallowed the food in her mouth.

"I came for something not so good—I need money."

"You’ve been gone for almost two months, and several companies’ accounts are waiting for your signature."

"If I don’t give them the money soon, they’ll come block my door."

At this point, Li Chunxiang looked at Jiang Cheng with some resentment, but Jiang Cheng met her gaze without guilt.

"Why are you looking at me like that? Didn’t I leave you some money?"

Li Chunxiang perked up at this.

"It’s easy for you to say. You did leave money, but your companies have so many issues. You insisted that the final accounts had to be sent to me."

"Every year there’s money given for Gui Ying’s hygiene publicity, the recent donation to the night school, my husband Gao Zhonghua’s agency company..."

"Not to mention George!"

Li Chunxiang got upset at this point, glaring at Jiang Cheng and asking, "What about that pharmaceutical company you started with George? He’s been spending money like burning paper offerings during Qingming. It’s been three years, and we haven’t seen a single new drug?"

Listening to the financial manager Li Chunxiang’s ramblings, Jiang Cheng could only smile and say, "Okay, okay, I appreciate your hard work. How about a bonus?"

"As for George’s side, the new drug should be ready by the end of this year or early next year. Don’t worry, matters of medicine are big issues and can’t be rushed."

Li Chunxiang understood what Jiang Cheng meant and was just venting.

"Please don’t give me a bonus. I wouldn’t know where to spend it."

The two continued eating, chatting mostly about work-related matters as they ate.

After eating, Jiang Cheng got into the car Li Chunxiang had driven and went to the company.

On the way, Jiang Cheng, observing Li Chunxiang’s skillful driving, complimented her, "Nice! You said you couldn’t learn back then."

Li Chunxiang expertly changed gears, "I was young then... Now I realize that as a woman, it’s best to rely on oneself."

Jiang Cheng turned his head in surprise, even a bit worried, "Did Gao Zhonghua do something?"

Li Chunxiang uttered a confused sound and then realized Jiang Cheng had misunderstood.

"What could Gao Zhonghua do? If he ever wronged me, I’d walk away with the kids!"

"I’m just speaking my mind..."

At this point, Li Chunxiang told Jiang Cheng that she had returned to S City a few days ago and met an old high school classmate.

Her classmate’s family had been quite well off, and she had been radiant in high school.

"You wouldn’t believe it; she now has three kids. Looking at her now... she reminds me of my mother."

"Not that my mother was bad, but the sunny girl disappeared, entirely dependent on her man for everything."

"The man who had been so caring before marriage turned out to be completely different afterward."

Li Chunxiang spoke at length, her words heavy with emotion.

After listening, Jiang Cheng said, "One cannot have too few pillars of life. Completely relying on one person is gambling your life on someone else’s conscience."

"The stakes are too high. If you lose, it’s a total defeat."

Li Chunxiang nodded repeatedly in agreement.

Right now, she deeply loved Gao Zhonghua.

But if Gao Zhonghua ever did something to betray her, she had the courage and ability to leave.

They continued talking, and soon they arrived at the company.

Once at the company, Jiang Cheng became completely busy.

She was busy until evening.

Jiang Cheng decided not to work overtime; she and Shen Que had an agreement that unless work was urgent, they would try to leave work on time.

In the evening, Shen Que came to pick Jiang Cheng up.

After greeting the security guard, Jiang Cheng looked at Shen Que, who was waiting for her at the entrance.

"Boss Shen looks so handsome today, I’m quite flattered."

Today Shen Que was wearing the suit Jiang Cheng had given him, and without guessing, Jiang Cheng knew everyone at Shen Que’s company would know she was back in the country, and knew she had given him the suit.

Shen Que opened the car door like a gentleman, even shielding the top of the door.

"Miss Jiang Cheng, would you do me the honor of having dinner with me?"

Jiang Cheng checked her outfit, thought for a few seconds, then said, "Wait a moment, I’ll go change my clothes."

After saying this, Jiang Cheng ran back into the company.

Shen Que blinked, closed the car door, and continued waiting. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Though he thought to himself: surprises are welcome, but they shouldn’t embarrass Jiang Cheng.

Approximately twenty minutes later, Jiang Cheng returned wearing low heels, a fitted dress paired with a shawl, her long hair swept up, with delicate earrings and a necklace, and a simple-designed watch on her wrist.

Shen Que once again opened the car door, Jiang Cheng thanked him before getting into the car.

After she got in, Shen Que also sat in the back, while the driver drove at the front.

The two went to a private restaurant in Beijing.

The place was elegant, with gardens, small bridges, flowing water, various flowers, and a fresh and elegant atmosphere.

Jiang Cheng wrapped her arm around Shen Que’s, who whispered, "The food here is delicious."

"Probably we’re the only ones really here to eat."

Jiang Cheng’s comment was not baseless; most came here mainly to host meals and socialize.

Couples like them, here just to eat, were few.

Following the waiter, Shen Que and Jiang Cheng entered a private room, opened the window, and outside was an artificial lake with little bridges and pavilions, and plump koi swimming about.

Shen Que asked for fish food, and the two leaned against the window, tossing the food and watching the koi swim around.

"I’ll be right back, going to the restroom."

Jiang Cheng got up, and Shen Que wanted to accompany her.

Jiang Cheng was helpless.

The two of them headed out, one behind the other, walking toward the restroom.

After Jiang Cheng went inside, Shen Que waited outside.

As he waited, someone he knew saw him.

"President Shen?"

A woman’s voice called out. Shen Que glanced over, nodded, and then looked away again.

The person, however, approached.

"President Shen, here for a meal?"

"Dining with my wife."

Shen Que replied, which made the other person smile.

"President Shen and your wife’s relationship must be great. Speaking of, I haven’t met your wife yet."

The woman continued speaking calmly to herself, and as she came closer, Shen Que stepped back, increasing the distance.

"Who is it, wanting to see me?"