Chased by My Heartless Ex - Chapter 62

Zhou Siyu waited for Xu You’s reply but received none. In the meantime, Qin Keyi called, so she had to lock the chat window and head downstairs with her phone.

The entire morning had been largely wasted. By the time Xu You and Qian Doudou left the office, it was already lunchtime. The design department was mostly empty, and since the two had planned to eat together, they naturally made their way out.

The elevators were constantly busy at this hour. Since the design department was on the second floor, taking the stairs was faster than waiting for the elevator. Xu You and Qian Doudou strode directly toward the stairwell.

Just as they entered the stairwell and were about to descend, Xu You remembered she had left her employee card at her workstation. She hastily told Qian Doudou she’d be right back and turned around.

“Are you so easily bought off by a few cheap drinks and some empty words?”

Before Xu You even reached the department entrance, she could hear Li Rui’s sharp, angry shout from a distance.

Had Li Rui become so domineering in the design department or even throughout YUYOO?

Xu You rubbed her temples, not intending to eavesdrop from the shadows. Besides, Qian Doudou was waiting for her, so she walked straight in without hesitation.

“Sister Li, how could I refuse when Team Leader Xu offered? Besides, she seems nice. Even if she really was a parachute appointment, what good would my personal resistance do? If her backer really is President Zhou, wouldn’t I just be digging my own grave by making her unhappy? I have a family to support, I can’t afford to do that. Besides, we don’t even know who the parachute candidate is.” The man spoke while avoiding eye contact, his expression a mix of disdain and helplessness.

His attitude and evasiveness only fueled Li Rui’s anger. “What nonsense are you spouting? Are you doubting me?”

Her voice lowered slightly, but it was still loud enough for Xu You, who happened to walk in at that moment, to hear clearly.

Li Rui’s anger was still written all over her face, her wide eyes blazing, her bright red lips parted as if she were ready to devour someone whole.

Xu You’s sudden appearance took her by surprise. Li Rui froze for a few seconds, caught off guard.

Realizing she had been caught gossiping, a look of embarrassment slowly spread across Li Rui’s face. She closed her mouth and turned away, offering neither a greeting nor an explanation.

“Team Leader Xu.” The man who had accepted Xu You’s small favor scratched the back of his head and flashed an ingratiating smile, as if he had already chosen her as his new object of flattery.

Xu You nodded in response, glanced briefly at Li Rui’s profile, then calmly headed to her workstation. She quickly retrieved her employee card from her bag, ignoring the curious glances directed her way from all sides, and hurried back to the stairwell to meet Qian Doudou.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.” Xu You took a couple of deep breaths, quickly regaining her composure.

Qian Doudou stepped aside to let a colleague coming down the stairs pass. “No worries. If you’d told me it was just your employee card, you could’ve just used mine.”

“Ah, it’s been so long since we last met, of course, I’m treating you today.” Unable to tolerate close physical contact, Xu You brushed her sleeve against Qian Doudou’s and smiled warmly.

As she spoke, Xu You suddenly recalled the unusual flush on Li Rui’s cheeks and felt a chill run down her spine.

She hoped she was just overthinking it.

“Alright, alright, let’s go eat first.”

Qian Doudou didn’t mind treating Xu You to a meal, so she didn’t press the matter further. Noticing Xu You’s aversion to physical contact, she bent her arm and lightly nudged Xu You’s elbow with her own, signaling her to head downstairs.

Xu You nodded, and the two walked side by side down the stairs. The dozen or so steps and the few dozen meters of path took them less than three minutes.

The cafeteria had been renovated. The moment Xu You stepped inside, a shiver ran down her spine.

Zhou Siyu had truly gone mad. Not only had she hung the paintings left in Beicheng in the CEO’s office, but she had also placed traces of Xu You’s past work in every corner of the cafeteria walls. The brushstrokes she had once taken pride in now seemed clumsy and immature. Surrounded by her old creations, Xu You felt as if she were seeing her younger self, timid yet passionate.

“Our company has changed a lot, hasn’t it?” Qian Doudou glanced around, her gaze settling on a landscape painting beneath the west-facing window.

Xu You gave a slight nod and murmured in agreement, her eyes following Qian Doudou’s to the painting.

It was a sketch she had made shortly after arriving in Beicheng, in a villa district. One leisurely afternoon, Zhou Siyu had left without explanation, and Xu You, too timid to ask, had set up her easel alone in that unfamiliar corner of the city, adding more colors to her memories.

“Actually…” Qian Doudou hesitated, her words trailing off.

Xu You shifted her gaze to the various food stalls, each displaying their offerings, and replied, “Go ahead.”

Qian Doudou sighed.

She had never entertained the other possibility about Xu You’s departure, not until Xu You’s return. But that morning, when she inadvertently overheard CEO Zhou’s name, her jumbled thoughts suddenly fell into place. Perhaps that person was Zhou Siyu.

But she couldn’t pry.

“Actually, the new fast-food joint that recently opened here isn’t great. I’d recommend trying something else, like the duck blood and vermicelli soup next door.” Qian Doudou pointed toward one of the stalls.

From a distance, Xu You couldn’t clearly make out the signs of the stalls ahead. Following Qian Doudou’s voice and the direction she pointed, she spotted a shop with a sign that read “Ningshi Duck Blood and Vermicelli Soup.”

“Sure, shall we go together?”

Xu You didn’t have any particular cravings, so after consulting Qian Doudou, they joined the end of the line for that stall.

Duck offal and fried tofu puffs were placed at the bottom of the bowl, followed by vermicelli blanched for mere seconds in a small basket. A generous ladle of rich, savory duck broth was poured over it, garnished with a sprinkle of fresh, vibrant cilantro. A drizzle of chili oil, adjusted to taste, floated on the surface, offering a feast for both the eyes and the palate.

“Two bowls of duck blood vermicelli, please.” Xu You placed the order first, then turned to Qian Doudou behind her. “Sister Qian, is there anything you’d like to leave out or add as toppings?”

As she spoke, Xu You already had her employee card ready to tap on the payment terminal. Qian Doudou hadn’t intended for her to pay, but it was too late to refuse now, so she could only wave her hands repeatedly in protest.

Seeing her firm stance, Xu You turned back to complete the order.

“Just two bowls of duck blood vermicelli soup with the standard toppings.”

“Alright, that’ll be thirty-two yuan.” The staff behind the glass counter efficiently prepared the dishes and placed them on a tray in front of Xu You.

A beep confirmed the successful payment, and the two picked up their trays, heading to the condiment station nearby to add chili oil.

The kitchen staff had been generous with the broth in Xu You’s bowl, making it slosh precariously as she walked. The shimmering, oily surface of the soup teetered dangerously close to the rim, threatening to spill at any moment.

Afraid of spilling the soup or burning herself, Xu You placed each step with extreme care, breaking into a light sweat on her back after just a few steps. Finally making it safely to the condiment station, she reached out for a small ladle when suddenly a little girl with two buns in her hair appeared beside her leg.

Unsure if the company had any specific rules but assuming that what existed was reasonable, Xu You continued adding spice to her clear soup.

“Auntie Youyou.” The little girl had been staring up at Xu You the whole time. When she received no response, she cautiously stretched out her chubby little hand and gently tugged at Xu You’s clothes, trying to get her attention.

Xu You had just scooped up some chili oil when the sudden greeting startled her, causing her hand to tremble. A drop of vibrant red oil fell onto the pure white surface of the condiment station, a stark contrast of red and white.

The little girl knew her and was trying to talk to her. There was no way to ignore her, and without even having time to think about who the child might be, Xu You instinctively lowered her head.

“Little one, do you know me?” She placed the ladle back in its spot and looked into the girl’s round, lively blue-green eyes beneath the brim of her hat, her mind racing.

She hadn’t encountered many children, and even fewer she actually knew.

In Beicheng, the only child she’d had any contact with was Zhou Siyu’s daughter, Youyou.

At the thought of the little girl’s name, Xu You’s heart suddenly tightened. How could it be so easy not to care? Such unlucky things kept happening one after another, she really needed to find an effective temple to pray at.

“Youyou?” She steadied her voice, keeping it as gentle as possible, trying not to take her frustration out on the innocent child.

The mixed-race little girl named Youyou really liked this beautiful auntie she had met once before, even though the auntie hadn’t seemed to like her much. Seeing her now, she couldn’t resist approaching.

She had mustered all her courage to greet Xu You, afraid that she might be scolded like Zhou Mama had been that day. But the beautiful auntie was so pretty and spoke to her so gently, making her want to get even closer.

“Beautiful auntie… no, beautiful sister, do you remember me?” Her big eyes blinked rapidly.

Xu You was in her late twenties, and the little girl couldn’t be more than three or four years old, calling her “auntie” wasn’t inappropriate. But the child had a sweet mouth, and being called “sister” melted her heart, making it impossible to hold onto any negative feelings.

Worried about blocking other colleagues from the condiments and concerned for the child’s safety, she led her to a less crowded area and settled her in a seat. The girl’s presence was still a mystery, it wasn’t clear if she was lost or not. After instructing her not to wander off and saying she’d go get some food, Xu You kept glancing back anxiously, watching Youyou as she headed toward the condiment station.

Youyou sat very obediently in her seat, her hair completely covered by a knitted hat, and a Bulgari children’s print scarf wrapped around her neck, connecting her small head to her body. While waiting, she folded her tiny arms on the table, anyone who saw her would surely praise her well-behaved nature.

Xu You observed that Youyou had been very well-behaved the whole way. Quickly grabbing her own tray, she found Qian Doudou to explain the situation. In the few seconds it took to lower and raise her head, when she looked back, the girl was suddenly gone.

At YUYOO, no colleague would harm her, but if someone with ill intentions from outside had come in, it could be very dangerous.

Xu You didn’t have time to explain to Qian Doudou. In her panic, she forgot about the overly full soup, set down her tray, and immediately pulled out her phone to message Zhou Siyu.

[Xu You: Zhou Siyu, your daughter was just in the cafeteria on the first floor. I spoke a few words with her, and she suddenly disappeared. Check the surveillance footage immediately.]

In her haste, she even forgot the usual teasing nickname she used for her and typed her actual name instead. The message showed as sent. As she anxiously waited for a reply, her fingers gripping the phone turned white at the knuckles.

How could she explain the loss of a life? If something really happened, she couldn’t bear the responsibility.

As this terrifying thought crossed her mind, Xu You quickly typed and sent another message.

[Xu You: I didn’t yell at her. I’m not sure about the other details.]

The child had vanished right under her nose, and Xu You couldn’t shake a vague sense of guilt. Two WeChat messages sent in quick succession, but there was no response. She was too upset to eat, too agitated to notice the gazes around her.

The reason Youyou could move freely around the company was because her identity was public. Everyone at YUYOO knew she had a close relationship with Zhou Siyu.

Colleagues from several departments had noticed Youyou approaching Xu You in the cafeteria. Without Xu You realizing, they had already confirmed her relationship with Zhou Siyu.

The new team leader and the boss being a couple had become an open secret in the design department.