Chased by My Heartless Ex - Chapter 75

Suddenly called out by her stern supervisor, Xu You instantly wiped all traces of a smile from her face.

She felt uneasy, like the first math class on a drowsy afternoon during her teenage years, when the ringing of the bell brought back a wave of exhaustion, and her muddled thoughts hadn’t even drifted out the door before the teacher announced she had to stay behind. Nervousness and anxiety were hard to suppress.

“Oh, okay.” Her hands continued packing her belongings as she sped up, tossing everything haphazardly into her bag, her heart pounding with apprehension.

Approaching her supervisor, she forced a calm expression and asked, her heartbeat thundering in her ears, “Did you need something from me?”

The oppressive meeting had just ended, and within seconds, half the people had cleared out of the large conference room. The remaining colleagues, still tidying up their things, slowed their pace upon sensing potential gossip, eager to catch some details to spread later.

The department head leaned lazily against the back of her chair. She was well aware of what her subordinates were thinking but said nothing, merely sweeping a cold gaze over the remaining faces. In less than half a minute, the room was empty, leaving only Xu You standing by her side, eyes fixed downward as if studying her own nose and heart.

“Are you afraid of me?” The department head turned her calm face toward Xu You, her icy tone even more composed than her expression.

Xu You was taken aback. The question wasn’t in her mental script. After a moment of frantic mental scrambling, she replied, “No.”

She might have been flustered or clearly forcing composure, but the department head maintained her posture and, after a long pause, nodded.

“Your first draft for the onboarding presentation was excellent, far better than I expected.” The department head steered the conversation back to work. Xu You felt a surge of secret delight, holding her breath, only to gasp in surprise at the next sentence.

“However, your artistic style strongly resembles someone’s.”

“Esme’s.”

Xu You’s heart leaped from her chest all the way to her throat, as if it might fly out of her mouth if she opened it.

Had her cover been blown?

Impossible. No one had ever identified her as Esme based on just two illustrations, not even the professors who had taught and knew her well. Was the department head suspicious or just testing her?

Xu You had no idea how to respond, her mind a tangled mess.

“Esme has been gaining significant international attention in recent years, and many have tried to imitate her. Compared to them, you’ve captured more of her essence. In many details, it’s almost hard to distinguish your work from hers. To exaggerate a little, even she might not do better than you. This shows your individual capability is exceptionally high.” Noticing Xu You’s extreme tension, the department head paused, assuming it was due to the conversation, and waited for her to collect herself.

Xu You never expected such high praise from the department head. On one hand, she felt elated, as if floating on clouds; on the other, she felt a slight sting at the subtle dismissal of her alter ego.

A mix of euphoria and a negligible hint of displeasure filled her to the point of swelling, though she didn’t indulge in self-congratulation for long.

“You flatter me. I’ve studied oil painting for over a decade and did my postgraduate studies in Europe, so it’s possible some habits and ways of thinking align with hers.” She straightened her expression and spoke earnestly.

The department head shot her a meaningful look. “Perhaps.”

“Still, my point is, try to develop your own style or if this is already your style, keep at it. With your talent, you could make a name for yourself even outside our company.” The ambiguous statement left Xu You slightly dizzy. The department head, busier than the rest, tapped the corner of her phone against the desk. “You can go back to work now.”

“Okay.” Xu You slipped away as if her feet were greased, quickly fleeing the scene.

After the brutal and relentless morning meeting, an invisible thick fog seemed to hang over the design department. While some were happy and others distressed, those who were pleased dared not show too much emotion under such circumstances. After all, fortunes change unpredictably, and no one could be sure who might be the next to suffer.

Xu You left the meeting with trepidation, and as she stepped into the department, her expression showed no obvious signs of joy or worry. She exchanged glances with her colleagues, her bright, lively eyes blinking rapidly a few times.

Her innocent and pitiable appearance led everyone to believe she had been reprimanded after the meeting, and the gazes directed at her were filled with sympathy.

Seizing the opportunity, Xu You pursed her lips, shook her head, and let out a helpless sigh. “We’ve all done our best. Everyone has worked hard this week!”

“Ah, isn’t that the truth? I’m losing more and more hair from the stress.”

“I don’t even dare slouch, the overhead light reflects off my head so brightly it could blind someone.”

“My dark circles are pitch black.”

“Dark circles are nothing. On my way to work today, a Taoist priest told me my forehead looked ominously dark and warned me to be careful.”

“Oh my, what kind of miserable life is this?”

One complaint sparked dozens more, and the accumulated grievances were enough to sustain several evil sword immortals.

Xu You marveled at the immense pressure her colleagues were under. Compared to her own situation, clocking in and out on time, having her initial draft approved smoothly, and even being kept behind only to receive praise, she couldn’t help but soften her breathing.

Her colleagues were all on edge, their eyes blazing with frustration. She wasn’t foolish enough to make enemies at a time like this.

As the pent-up grievances poured out, the atmosphere grew increasingly bleak. Xu You stepped up, rescuing the office mood from rock bottom.

She clapped her empty hand against the back of her other hand, creating a sound to grab her colleagues’ attention. “I mentioned before that I’d treat everyone to a meal. Since we’ll be busy again starting tomorrow, how about we go tonight?”

Her words, like a heavenly melody, instantly dispelled the gloom. The topic of conversation swiftly shifted from the soul-crushing, thankless work to the upcoming lavish dinner.

The price range and location of the restaurant became the main points of discussion. Xu You didn’t mind much and quietly waited for a final decision. Once the venue and number of attendees were settled, she would handle the arrangements.

“Why not go to Swan Lake? Team Leader Xu said money isn’t an issue, so let’s not hold back,” a sharp female voice cut through the chatter. Li Rui, a smirk on her lips, looked across half the office at Xu You.

Others might not have understood, but Xu You knew exactly what she was thinking.

If the per-person cost at that restaurant was less than four digits, she’d eat her words.

Sure enough, as soon as Li Rui dropped the name of the restaurant, gasps echoed around the room.

“Li Jie, Swan Lake is a bit too expensive, isn’t it? With over thirty people in our department, one meal would cost at least forty to fifty thousand. That’s way too much,” a female colleague three desks away from Li Rui couldn’t help but speak up.

Li Rui didn’t shift her gaze, still staring intently at Xu You. Seeing Xu You raise an eyebrow challengingly in response, Li Rui clenched her fingers, her temples tightening with anger.

YUYOO’s benefits ranked among the top three in the industry. Former employees who had left voluntarily revealed that many young people were desperate to join, even if it meant burning themselves out. With such a monthly salary, treating the entire department to a meal at Swan Lake would cost Xu You two months’ wages. As fellow hardworking employees, most of her colleagues weren’t cruel enough to insist on such an extravagant dinner.

“I agree, let’s pick another place. There are plenty of great restaurants all over the city.”

“What about that Western restaurant we talked about last time? I saw it had great reviews, and some food bloggers have featured it.”

The steps unfurled level by level beneath Xu You’s feet, as if waiting for her to tread upon them.

Li Rui maintained her hostility, finding the surrounding colleagues’ attempts to mediate grating. She desperately wanted to witness Xu You, the protagonist who seemed to shine from the moment she appeared, fall from grace, just as she had hoped during their university days and now.

Xu You had no intention of wasting time with her. With a warm smile, she remarked, “A meal costing forty or fifty thousand really isn’t cheap.”

“That’s quite expensive,” a colleague chimed in.

“But it sounds like a wonderful restaurant,” Xu You said, lowering her gaze. Her long, curled lashes fluttered delicately, perfectly portraying a young woman’s helplessness. The others felt even more reluctant to pressure her. She counted the seconds silently in her mind before looking up again, her smile now more unrestrained.

Tucking her long, wavy hair behind her ear, she revealed a stretch of fair skin, and the diamond stud on one side of her neck sparkled brilliantly. She laughed lightly and said, “Since it’s such a fine place, we must give it a try. I’ll make a reservation later. If anyone can’t make it, please message me privately. We should save where we can and spend where we should.”

With that, Xu You gathered the items she had brought back from the meeting and headed toward her comfortable workstation.

It was a familiar scene: amidst the collective excitement, one outlier remained, brooding and twisted in solitude.

When it came time to make the reservation, Xu You didn’t receive a single private message. She directly booked the largest dining hall for the entire department. The manager on the phone informed her that the largest hall had already been reserved, but the slightly smaller one would suffice for their group. She didn’t press for details, simply left her information, and hung up.

Both the department head and Qian Doudou were included in the invitation. It was rare for the design department to leave work together, but that day, they set off as a group toward the same destination.

Xu You didn’t take Yu Yao’s limited-edition sports car and instead hitched a ride with Qian Doudou. Qian Doudou treated her like a younger sister, sharing all sorts of office gossip and insights into their colleagues’ behavior during the drive.

Xu You was touched. She glanced at the driver’s seat several times but ultimately held back from mentioning that she would be leaving soon. Working alongside someone with the shadow of departure looming felt like a countdown… too cruel. So, as Qian Doudou spoke, Xu You listened attentively, offering only brief responses.

Swan Lake was within a five-kilometer straight-line distance from YUYOO. Even during the evening rush hour, the drive took less than twenty minutes. A little past six, the design department completed a large-scale “migration,” gathering everyone at the restaurant.

The Western-style building was opulent and magnificent. The second-largest hall, occupying nearly half a floor, comfortably accommodated over thirty people. Xu You had no intention of arranging seating and didn’t want to bother. She proactively joined the table where the department head and Qian Doudou were seated, while the rest of the colleagues settled according to their personal relationships.

With everyone present, it was time for the restaurant to shine.

The Western cuisine, known for its refinement, high prices, and delicate portions, was served course by course. The wine on the table never ran low, the service, paid for handsomely, was exceptionally thoughtful. Everyone ate, drank, and raised their glasses to toast to the future. As the evening progressed, many hadn’t even moved from their seats, too engrossed in cheerful conversations, faces flushed from the alcohol, as they chatted and boasted in small groups.

At Xu You’s table, everyone had an astonishing capacity for alcohol, averaging a bottle of red wine per person, some even abstained but still contributed to the shared cost. As the host, Xu You’s glass was never empty. As soon as the red wine was finished, white wine took its place. By the end of the meal, she had barely eaten a bite, filling up solely on the alcohol she drank.

The once unbeatable “Goddess of Sobriety” was starting to see spots before her eyes. Xu You knew her body was signaling a warning, she had reached her alcohol tolerance limit. If she continued, she risked embarrassing herself. She declined the wine glass being pushed toward her, waved her phone lightly, and gestured that she was going to settle the bill.

At the mention of money, the other person didn’t insist. Smiling faintly, she walked with slightly unsteady steps to the entrance, summoned a server, and handed over her card.

A few minutes later, the server returned. “Sorry, ma’am, this card has reached its limit.”

Xu You, leaning against the wall with her eyes closed to rest, opened them at the words, her expression full of confusion. Upon taking a closer look at the card, she sobered up instantly, she had handed over the wrong one. This card, a witness to her four long years with Zhou Siyu, had long been emptied.

“I’ll use another one.”

“Put it on my tab.”

Two female voices spoke up one after the other. Xu You glanced at the other woman, her face showing impatience.

Zhou Siyu… she was truly haunting her like a lingering ghost.