After Breaking Up with the Stoic CEO - Chapter 27

Chapter 27: Is She Really That Appealing To You All?

“Lu Wu, over here.”

Lu Wu walked over to Qu Wan, who was wearing a linen maxi dress, looking as relaxed and casual as ever. On the table in front of her lay a book that looked somewhat familiar. After sitting down, Qu Wan thoughtfully handed over the menu. “See what you’d like to drink. I come to this shop often—the coconut latte here is quite good, you should try it.”

Coconut lattes have a rich, layered texture and tend to be sweet—the kind of drink Lu Wu would usually choose. But Li Jin drank a cup of black coffee every morning to wake up. During her time staying at Rongjiang, influenced by her, Lu Wu had grown accustomed to the slightly acidic, nutty, bitter aroma of an Americano. Her finger swept past the coconut latte on the menu, and she checked the box for an Americano with no added sugar.

“The coconut latte is too sweet. An Americano will do.”

Qu Wan’s gaze swept across Lu Wu’s face, appearing somewhat surprised. “I’ve seen on Weibo that your fans say you love sweet things, so I thought…”

Having been high on the trending topics for two days, Lu Wu’s face was familiar to almost everyone in and out of the writing circle, so it wasn’t strange that Qu Wan had stumbled across it. Lu Wu explained awkwardly, “I’ve been controlling my body fat percentage lately, so I can’t consume too much sugar.”

“I see.”

Lu Wu got to the point: “Miss Qu, is there something you wanted to discuss with me today?”

Qu Wan straightened her expression. “Actually, I came mainly to talk about work-related matters. Have you decided which publishing house you plan to develop with?”

Lu Wu guessed that Qu Wan must have heard about her breaking up with Feiyan online, which was why she had reached out. Although she didn’t know much about Qu Wan’s industry, there was no need to reject a helping hand offered at such a critical juncture. “Not yet.”

Qu Wan’s brow relaxed, and she said gently, “If that’s the case, you might want to consider the Liucheng Publishing House.”

Liucheng Publishing House? Lu Wu wasn’t unfamiliar with the name. Unlike small websites like Feiyan that relied on a few “star authors,” Liucheng was an industry benchmark boasting a roster of famous writers led by He Qing. With countless hit works under their belt, they were always the first choice for production companies seeking screen adaptation rights—a place widely recognized as offering both treatment and opportunity. And the woman she had met at Feiyan who seemed to be the editor-in-chief was named Huo Jing. Before the recent conflict, Liucheng would have been a great choice, but Lu Wu hadn’t forgotten what Huo Jing said when she left that day; the woman likely didn’t have a very high opinion of her.

She shook her head. “I don’t think I have much hope at Liucheng, but thanks for the suggestion.”

Qu Wan smiled and pushed the book in front of her toward her. “Take a look at this first.”

Though she didn’t know what the other woman was planning, Lu Wu took the book. The pure white hardcover was of excellent quality, and the title was printed on the front page: Ups and Downs, by He Qing. Lu Wu was stunned. “This is…”

Qu Wan sat upright, a gentle smile playing on her lips. “Although it’s not our first time meeting, I think I need to introduce myself properly. Hello, I am Qu Wan—my pen name is He Qing.”

Qu Wan was He Qing, and He Qing was Qu Wan. The revelation was a massive shock to Lu Wu; she opened her mouth slightly, unable to respond for a long while. Qu Wan’s expression remained unchanged, offering a gentle, teasing remark: “What? Are you afraid to speak to me now that you know I’m He Qing?”

Lu Wu snapped back to reality. “No… I just didn’t expect it.”

Qu Wan reminisced, appearing moved. “It was just a coincidence that we were at the same book signing, and then we met again later. I didn’t expect it to be such a coincidence.” She was the victim, yet when revealing her identity, she didn’t mention the impact the public opinion had on her. Lu Wu’s guilt only deepened. She apologized to Qu Wan first: “I’m very sorry about the Weibo incident. You didn’t do anything, yet you were dragged into it and scolded.”

Qu Wan looked over, her expression relaxed. “It’s already in the past. Don’t take it to heart.”

“I…” Lu Wu wanted to say more, but Qu Wan interrupted. “I’ve read Two Sides; it’s a very good story. Now, you can reconsider my proposal.”

When she returned to Rongjiang, it was exactly 8:00 PM. The villa should have been empty, but after opening the door, Lu Wu discovered an elegant, slender figure in the living room. Li Jin was back. Lu Wu felt a surge of joy, but she didn’t act rashly. She stood in the entryway, tidying herself up to ensure she looked presentable before walking forward.

“When did you get back?” Lu Wu asked the question as if she were the owner of the house. Li Jin glanced at her but didn’t correct her.

Li Jin had a weak constitution, and her menstrual cramps were far more severe than average; it was normal for her to turn pale and break out in a cold sweat. Having just taken a painkiller, she didn’t have the energy to talk. Since Li Jin was silent, Lu Wu consciously sat to the side and turned on the TV. It was playing the Harry Potter series—a staple of fantasy cinema she had watched many times. If Li Jin liked it too, they might have something to talk about.

Lu Wu said nonchalantly, “Actually… I’ve always liked Harry Potter. The actors are very faithful to the books, and the special effects are great.”

For Li Jin, the TV channel was just something she had switched to at random; the movie served only to provide some background noise for the quiet environment. She replied coldly, “Mhm.”

Noticing the coldness in Li Jin’s tone, Lu Wu belatedly realized something was wrong. She looked up and finally caught sight of her expression of pale, with a furrowed brow and tightly pressed lips, looking as though she were enduring immense pain. Without overthinking, she reached out and touched Li Jin’s forehead. “Your complexion isn’t good. Are you running a fever?”

Her warm palm approached, seemingly igniting the coolness of Li Jin’s forehead. Li Jin retreated calmly. “It’s just menstrual cramps.”

Lu Wu froze. “Cramps are no small matter. I’ll go brew you some ginger soup. Do we have any heat patches at home?”

Li Jin’s brow furrowed deeper. “I’ve already taken painkillers.”

Lu Wu immediately began to nag: “Painkillers aren’t enough! Ginger soup drives away the cold; it can alleviate the pain. Or maybe…”

Li Jin was getting a headache from the noise and pressed her temples. “No need to brew anything. I’m going to rest.”

She walked away without hesitation. Lu Wu stood there for a long time before the realization hit her: Li Jin… hated ginger? That was an unexpected discovery. However, brown sugar water could serve the same purpose as ginger soup, and hot water bottles or heating pads could also help. Lu Wu thought for a moment, ordered delivery, and found some brown sugar and dried jujubes in the cupboard, simmering them on low heat.

Knock, knock.

A very light sound on the door. Li Jin wasn’t asleep; she was just lying in bed, eyes closed, resting. Lu Wu was the only other person in the house, so she knew who it was. She didn’t say anything. A brief moment of silence followed. Click. The handle turned, and footsteps drew near.

Immediately after, the faint, sweet scent of steam wafted over. Li Jin wasn’t a stranger to this smell; it was the old brown sugar and jujubes Li Chunhua had specifically instructed the housekeeper to bring, said to be effective for cramps. Li Jin didn’t like sweet, cloying tastes, so both ingredients had been left to gather dust in the cabinet.

“Li Jin? Are you asleep?”

Li Jin didn’t respond. She guessed that Lu Wu intended to persuade her to drink that bowl of stuff, but she had absolutely no interest in it.

The next second, Lu Wu’s footsteps stopped by the bedside. Li Jin was ready to warn the other woman to know her place. But quickly, the soft mattress dipped slightly, and a small corner of the quilt was lifted, letting in a draft of cold air. A young, feverish body approached from behind, pressing close. Lu Wu’s hand wrapped around her waist. Li Jin instinctively frowned, but the other woman simply stopped at her abdomen, placed a warm, soft bag there, and then carefully pulled the quilt tight.

Heat radiated from her lower abdomen; the pain that even medication couldn’t suppress seemed to dissipate, leaving only warmth coming from all directions. Li Jin fell silent, the words telling her to leave finally left unsaid. Her eyelids grew heavy as the night deepened, and she drifted into a deep sleep.

Liucheng Publishing House had an office building in the outskirts of C-City. Usually, it was filled with editors and administrative staff. As for the top-tier authors, they were independent and rarely visited the office in person, only turning in their manuscripts on time. Thus, everyone was surprised when Qu Wan showed up.

Administrative assistant Xiao Li walked over. “Teacher He Qing, are you looking for Editor Wei? She’s on leave today.”

Qu Wan shook her head. “I’m looking for Huo Jing. Is she in?”

Xiao Li gave an “ah” of realization and pointed upstairs. “Editor-in-chief Huo is upstairs, but she seems to be in a bad mood.”

Qu Wan smiled slightly. “I see. Thank you.”

“…So, because I don’t follow your path, I’m ‘not doing my proper job’? But I’m still supporting an entire publishing house staff, aren’t I?”

“Green hair?”

“Who are you to judge my green hair?”

“Ear cartilage piercings aren’t allowed either?”

“Mom! I’m twenty-eight, not eighteen. Can you stop trying to interfere with my life?”

Before she was even close, Huo Jing’s angry voice drifted through the gap in the office door. Qu Wan slowed her pace and knocked gently twice.

Knock, knock.

“Alright, I have work to do. That’s it.”

“Come in.”

When Qu Wan entered, Huo Jing was sitting in front of her desk, her face still flushed with anger, turning from black to blue, and her green hair was disheveled, making her look like a grumpy green turtle. Qu Wan took it all in and, mindful of her purpose, smiled subtly, not being too intrusive.

Huo Jing looked up and glared at her. “Teacher He Qing never visits unless she needs something. Tell me, what do you want me to do this time?”

Qu Wan was used to being straightforward with Huo Jing.

“I want you to sign Lu Wu.”

Huo Jing raised an eyebrow. “How strange. One after another, you’re all asking me to sign Lu Wu. Is she really that appealing to you all?”

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