Chased by My Heartless Ex - Chapter 33

“No, she’s not here.”

Xu You waved her hands hastily, her urgent tone inadvertently betraying her lie.

Team Leader Qian let out a long “Ah,” and Xu You steeled herself. Compared to being exposed, she’d rather use another lie to avert potential danger.

“She doesn’t work at our company, but she’s in the same tech park. I joined this company just so I could see her more often. You know how it is, Team Leader Qian, proximity makes it easier. On her free lunch breaks, I can go see her and keep an eye on her.”

Seeing Xu You’s earnest expression, Team Leader Qian clicked her tongue inwardly.

Honestly, Xu You wasn’t the stunning, glamorous type like their boss, but she had a delicate, refreshing charm. It was just a shame that her partner was at a different stage in life, making her so insecure and anxious.

“Team Leader, could you keep this a secret? I don’t want everyone to know,” Xu You pressed on in one breath.

Team Leader Qian thought of the gossipy colleagues in their department and nodded helplessly.

Xu You smiled, her eyes crinkling. “You’re so kind.”

Her smile was genuine, though her heart trembled violently in secret.

“I definitely won’t gossip with them, but Xiao Xu…” Team Leader Qian hesitated.

“Go ahead,” Xu You said, looking at her sincerely.

Team Leader Qian patted her shoulder and spoke with heartfelt concern. “As someone who’s been through it, I have to say something you might not want to hear. If you have to push for a sense of security in a relationship and rely on yourself to provide it, the road ahead won’t be very long.”

She had high hopes for her subordinate but could see she was blinded by love. Team Leader Qian wanted to save her but couldn’t bear to crush her spirit, leaving her deeply conflicted.

Xu You felt as if something had struck her heart. The unease she had suppressed for days, glossed over by Zhou Siyu, suddenly broke through her defenses, pounding relentlessly against her most fragile nerves.

“Ah, I’ve said too much,” Team Leader Qian quickly comforted, seeing her despondent expression. “Not all couples are like that. Every pair has their own way of being together. Maybe you two are just suited to you taking the initiative while she enjoys it.”

If she hadn’t said anything, it might have been better. Her words only made Xu You feel more sorrowful.

She took the initiative, how much initiative had she taken? Leaving her hometown, even crossing moral boundaries.

The break room was lively during the lunch break. Not far away, laughter and playful shouts could be heard. Xu You forced a bitter smile, lifting the corners of her lips.

“Thank you, I’ll think it over carefully.”

With that, she lowered her head dejectedly and drifted slowly out of the room.

Team Leader Qian stood in place until Xu You’s figure disappeared. Only when a familiar colleague swiped in and greeted her did she wave and return to her own break room.

Young people have a long road ahead, with many walls to run into. She couldn’t interfere in someone else’s life.

After leaving the break area, Xu You didn’t rush upstairs to find Zhou Siyu. Instead, she went down to the first floor, ordered an iced Americano, and sat by the window to watch the snowy scene outside.

Thick snow on the park’s pathways had been cleared into narrow trails by the cleaning staff. Colleagues and employees from other companies were building snowmen and having snowball fights in the open spaces.

Holding the coffee cup, she felt the cold from the iced drink seep into her bones. Mimicking Zhou Siyu’s way of drinking coffee, she pressed the rim to her lips and took a small sip.

The coffee first hit her palate with a shiver-inducing chill, then warmed slightly from the heat of her mouth. A burst of sourness and bitterness exploded on her tongue, rushing down her throat and straight to her brain.

Xu You’s attempt at drinking iced Americano ended in failure. Defeated, she coughed repeatedly, leaning on the table for support. Only when the choking sensation faded, the bitterness in her mouth eased, and a mist gathered in her eyes did she finally regain her normal breathing.

Wanting to drink sweet, fragrant milk tea, or even just smooth hot milk, if neither was available, plain water would have to do.

As the thought of using sweetness to dilute bitterness arose, Xu You immediately opened a food delivery app on her phone, intending to choose a warm oolong milk tea from countless bubble tea shops that would perfectly match the day’s weather.

She selected the size: large cup, 30% sugar, with pearls and taro paste, and added the item to her cart. Then, she picked out a red date tea to bring upstairs later for Team Leader Qian.

The checkout page loaded. She had just entered the first digit of her payment password when a hand suddenly appeared in her line of sight.

Each knuckle of that hand was slender and long, the bones well-proportioned and wrapped in pale, cool-toned skin. At the joints, a faint pink hue showed through, likely from the chill in the air.

It was a beautiful hand, one suited for playing the piano.

After admiring it for a moment, Xu You withdrew her gaze, lit up the dim screen, and continued entering her password.

“Nine, five, zero, nine,” she typed. As she entered each digit, the owner of the beautiful hand lazily repeated them. “And the last one is zero, one?”

Xu You felt this person had invaded her personal space, and what he was doing was downright excessive. She flipped her phone over and pressed it against the table, ready to create some distance and reprimand him. But when she heard him ask the follow-up question, her mind instantly matched that annoyingly smug voice to a face.

Lu Ang!

She looked up, and her suspicion was confirmed. Without bothering to control her expression, she rolled her eyes at him dramatically.

She retracted her earlier praise for that claw. Whatever “well-defined knuckles” she had thought she saw were just a misjudgment from her muddled mind, this was nothing but a rooster’s foot.

“What are you doing here?” Xu You asked, her eyes narrowing with suspicion as she stared at him.

Lu Ang flashed a devilish grin. Some colleagues nearby noticed and started whispering. He pulled out the chair next to Xu You and plopped down casually. “Why can’t I be here? You should know, I invested in Old Zhou’s company too. If anything, I’m your boss.”

“Hold out your hand, I have something for you,” he said, his fist clenched as he brought it between them.

Xu You didn’t move. “No.”

“Hurry up,” Lu Ang hissed, threateningly. “If you don’t take it, as one of your bosses, I might just have to give you some extra work.”

What good could come from a reckless second-generation heir like him? Xu You stared at him, her expression clearly saying that if he dared bully her, she would tear this place down and bury him with it. Slowly, she stretched out her hand, palm up.

Lu Ang moved quickly. Before Xu You could see clearly, a large ice chunk landed in her palm, sending a shiver down her spine.

Instinctively, she flung the ice away in less than a second. It traced a smooth arc through the air before thudding against Lu Ang’s head, then bounced onto the tiled floor, slowly melting into a puddle.

“You-you!” Lu Ang clutched his head, too furious to speak.

Xu You clenched her fist. “What do you mean, ‘you-you’? You played a trick on me, and now you’re the one getting angry? Trying to play the victim?”

Setting down the bag in his other hand, Lu Ang shot Xu You a resentful look before shifting his gaze to the ice chunk on the floor, his tone mournful. “That was a mini snowman I worked so hard to make, and you killed it!”

Xu You was shocked and followed his gaze. It did look like a snowman, didn’t it?

The snowball was packed so tightly it was almost like ice, not even breaking apart when it hit the ground. But while most snowmen had a large ball topped with a smaller one, this one was just a lumpy sphere with a weird protrusion.

“You scared me first,” Xu You retorted, sticking her neck out defiantly.

Lu Ang’s face was etched with disbelief. After silently mourning the snowman, he lowered the hand that had been pressed against his temple.

Xu You glanced over and saw a bump had formed on the dog’s head, it looked rather pitiful.

“Alright, alright, it’s all my fault. Here, this is for you.” Lu Ang stopped dwelling on the departed snowman and pushed a paper bag toward Xu You.

Xu You felt a flicker of gratitude upon seeing the takeaway bag containing milk tea, but then barking echoed in her ears again.

“You know, you really shouldn’t be so obsessed with Old Zhou. Your payment password is her birthday, let me guess, your lock screen and home door codes are probably her birthday too, right? Tsk, I bet they are. I’ll try them next time.” He chattered on happily, then suddenly sensed a chill in the air and cut himself short.

“Thank you for the milk tea, but I’ve already ordered my own.” Xu You pushed the bag back.

Lu Ang looked bewildered. “You haven’t even entered the last two digits yet. I brought it all the way here, if you don’t drink it, should I give it to Old Zhou? She doesn’t even like these kiddie drinks.”

Iced Americano, sweet milk tea.

Her, Zhou Siyu.

Team Leader Qian was right, and Lu Ang was right too. The gap between them was too wide. Before, she had been trapped in her own fabricated dream, but now that outsiders had intervened, everything had become crystal clear.

Lu Ang watched helplessly as Xu You’s eyes reddened in front of him. She didn’t accept the milk tea, stubbornly picking up the coffee that made her grimace after just one sip.

“Thank you for your kindness, but I don’t want it anymore. Please give it to someone else. I need to get back to work now, so feel free to leave.”

The realization had dawned on her, and she didn’t think it was too late.

Once she became aware, she had a new direction to strive for.

After speaking with Lu Ang, Xu You carried the iced coffee back to her office, sitting at her desk and repeatedly revising the images that hadn’t been selected in the morning meeting.

Her stylus scratched across the graphics tablet, back and forth, only to be erased again.

Xu You didn’t know Lu Ang’s purpose for coming, but their encounter at the café had been noticed. In just one afternoon, rumors spread like wildfire throughout the office.

[OMG, I never thought Xu You’s sugar daddy would be so young. How lucky!]

[Right? Damn, I heard he’s handsome too, tall with long legs. He even brought her something. So spoiled!]

[Honestly, I’m a little jealous.]

[Don’t be. Who knows what weird tastes he might have? We couldn’t handle that.]

[Wait, I just heard from next door that the guy went upstairs later, seems like he was looking for President Zhou. OMG, does that mean Xu You was placed here by him?]

In an era where four people could create five different chat groups, Xu You had no idea how far the rumors had spiraled. Everyone was vocal online, but in reality, they merely eyed her with suspicion.

Only Li Rui had to make herself noticed everywhere.

She walked past Xu You’s desk with her water cup, pausing to clear her throat.

“Being so bold, huh?”

Xu You didn’t understand and, already irritated, grew even more displeased by the unfamiliar face.

Li Rui leaned down as if being friendly. “I’m saying you’ve got guts. With a sugar daddy that good, you still went after President Zhou? Now that he’s shown up, aren’t you afraid everything will come to light someday?”

“What do you mean?” Xu You frowned.

Li Rui didn’t answer. “Don’t play dumb with me.”

Li Rui left, leaving a confused Xu You behind. She could feel everyone’s probing stares. The moment clock-out time arrived, she grabbed her bag without a second’s delay and rushed to the parking garage. Sliding into her car, she sent a message.

[YOYO-chan: Team Leader Qian, has something happened? There seem to be some rumors going around…]

Team Leader Qian glanced around, closed the chat window on the screen, unlocked her phone, and forwarded part of the chat history from her small group chat to her.

The faint glow of the screen reflected in the dark car window. Xu You finished reading it, her fingers gripping the edge of the phone so tightly they turned pale.

Gritting her teeth, she found the department’s main group chat and typed word by word:

[Xu You: The person I met at the café at noon was just a friend. We chatted briefly during the break. If you’re curious about what we talked about, feel free to message me privately.]

Fuming with anger, she didn’t care whether the department head or any team leader was in the group. She finished typing furiously and hit send.

Her chest heaved with emotion, and she punched the steering wheel to vent her frustration.

Suddenly, a faint voice sounded beside her ear.

“Xu You.”

YOYO: The primordial power within me is about to awaken!

Sister Qian: Oh, I thought your lovesickness had been removed. Too bad.

Zhou Zong: …

Hu: Hehe, transferring right away.