My Ex Told Me She’s Still In Love With Me - Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The Person I Love

In the dead of winter, Meng Qingwu knelt in the unheated hall. The hard, cold floor dug into her knees, and a biting chill gradually spread through her entire body. She shivered; the thin sweater she wore offered no protection against the freezing air.

Yet, she kept her back perfectly straight, like an unyielding pine tree that refused to bend even an inch.

Meng Shuyu sat nearby, watching Meng Qingwu’s stubbornness with a cold, expressionless face.

“If you won’t tell me, do you want me to investigate personally and find her myself?” Meng Shuyu’s tone was indifferent, but a flicker of disgust crossed her eyes as if she had recalled something unpleasant.

Meng Qingwu kept her gaze lowered on the gaps in the floor tiles. Her voice was even clearer and colder than her mother’s. “If you do that, we will sever our relationship.”

Meng Shuyu’s grip on her teacup tightened. Her eyes locked onto Meng Qingwu’s calm features. She knew her daughter wasn’t bluffing; she would actually do it.

“You would disown me for some woman out there?” Meng Shuyu found it hard to believe. She didn’t know when her once-obedient daughter had become so rebellious.

“She isn’t just ‘some woman.’ She is the person I love,” Meng Qingwu said softly.

The person she had spent so much effort pursuing; the treasure she wanted to hold in the palm of her hand and protect for a lifetime.

Meng Shuyu’s face darkened, her eyes fixated on Meng Qingwu. Neither woman backed down; neither wavered.

…

“You’re back? Why so late?” Cheng Zhan asked in surprise as he saw Cheng Yi return.

“A small accident. I didn’t know where she lived,” Cheng Yi replied tonelessly. Seeing him happily chatting on his phone, she lowered her eyes.

Cheng Zhan: “…” If you didn’t know, couldn’t you have asked?

Noticing Cheng Yi looked exhausted, he didn’t press further. “Thanks for taking your sister-in-law home. You must be tired. Go get some rest.”

At the word “sister-in-law,” Cheng Yi’s hands clenched into fists at her sides, her knuckles white from the effort of self-restraint.

“Brother.”

“Hmm?” Cheng Zhan looked up from his phone.

“When did you and Miss Meng… when did you meet?”

Thinking she was just curious, Cheng Zhan replied casually, “Last year, when I was handling the overseas branch. I met her during that time.”

Cheng Yi’s face went pale. “Do you like her a lot?”

The fact that Cheng Yi was talking more than usual made Cheng Zhan look at her properly. Normally, she had no interest in his affairs. Today, she seemed like a different person.

“I do. She’s smart and beautiful. It’s my luck that she’s my girlfriend.”

Cheng Yi looked down. After a long silence, she gave a small nod. “Then… I’ll go rest now.”

“Alright.”

Watching her walk away, Cheng Zhan felt something was off. Recalling the situation earlier, he frowned slightly.

…

Meng Qingwu was in her office when her assistant knocked and entered. “President Meng, Chairman Meng wants you to come over.”

Meng Qingwu’s hand paused over her pen. She nodded.

Entering her mother’s office, she saw the autumn sunlight streaming through the window, but it felt cold and desolate, bringing no warmth to her heart.

“Mom,” Meng Qingwu called out.

Meng Shuyu looked up, leaning back into her chair. “Have you thought it over?”

“Yes. I want to try on my own,” Meng Qingwu said, looking down.

“A good thought, but you know the risks.”

“I believe I’m already better off than most. I can afford the cost of failure,” Meng Qingwu replied.

Meng Shuyu’s cold features softened slightly. She nodded. “It’s good that you have this ambition. If you need anything, you can still come to me.”

As a mother, she felt a sense of pride that her child had the courage to start a business independently.

“If I do that, it will be because I can no longer continue on my own,” Meng Qingwu smiled. She specifically wanted to stop her mother from controlling her; why would she let her interfere in her career?

Meng Shuyu remained non-committal. She neither opposed nor fully supported the decision, but the fact that Meng Qingwu dared to do this made her think: As expected of my daughter.

…

“President Meng, Mr. Liang is waiting downstairs.”

Meng Qingwu checked the time; it was nearly noon. Remembering her appointment with Liang Siming, she grabbed her bag and went down. Seeing Liang Siming waiting at the door, she felt the situation was remarkably similar to Cheng Zhan the day before.

“Miss Meng.” Liang Siming looked delighted to see her. He opened the car door for her, his eyes darting to her every few seconds—caught between wanting to stare and being afraid to.

Yesterday, Meng Qingwu had been breathtaking in a red dress and white shawl. Today, she wore a light gray suit—elegant, professional, and sophisticated. A black-and-white silk scarf around her neck added a touch of “restrained desire,” a stark contrast to her look the previous night. Liang Siming had never seen a woman who could master both styles so perfectly.

In a professional setting, she was serious and focused. Sitting across from her, Liang Siming found himself captivated by her proposal, his other thoughts temporarily cast aside.

By the time the meeting ended, he was shocked to realize they really had only talked about work.

…

Meng Qingwu was in a good mood. She and Liang Siming had essentially agreed on everything; they just needed to sign the contract.

“Did you get it?” Assistant Zhang asked curiously.

Meng Qingwu gave a small, confident hum.

Assistant Zhang beamed. “This is a great start.”

Meng Qingwu nodded. “Yes. But what about the office building?” Since she was striking out on her own, she needed a base. She couldn’t let her team work without a proper office.

“I’m still looking. Several locations were unsuitable,” Assistant Zhang sighed. “The cheap ones are too far, and the nearby ones are too expensive for a startup.”

Meng Qingwu thought for a moment. “I remember an empty office building in the High-Tech Zone. Why hasn’t that been leased out?” She had noticed it once; the surrounding amenities were great and the location was prime. It should have been a hot commodity.

Assistant Zhang gave a bitter smile. “That place isn’t for rent.”

“Why not?” Building an office and not renting it out? Just for fun?

“Supposedly, the owner hates talking to people and finds negotiating with potential tenants too mentally taxing.”

Meng Qingwu: “…”

She had never met someone so capricious—not even herself. Yet, this behavior piqued her interest. She wanted to see what kind of person would act so contradictorily. If they didn’t want to deal with people, why build an office there in the first place?

“Make an appointment for me. I want to see them,” Meng Qingwu said. That location was the best she had seen, and she felt the area would develop further. Having an office there would help with talent recruitment.

Assistant Zhang nodded.

…

“Yi Yi, you didn’t go to school today?” Yu Qingshuang asked in surprise, seeing Cheng Yi still on the sofa. Usually, she would have left for school long ago.

Cheng Yi looked up and smiled at her mother. “I wanted to rest today.”

“That’s progress,” Yu Qingshuang said, patting her head. “I told you not to push yourself so hard. Rest more.”

Cheng Yi just smiled. Noticing her mother was dressed formally, she asked, “Are you going out?”

“Yes,” Yu Qingshuang said with a grin. “You met your sister-in-law yesterday, right? She’s the daughter of the Meng family. It just so happens there’s a tea gathering today, and Meng Shuyu will be there.”

Yu Qingshuang already viewed Meng Shuyu as a future in-law, so she took this meeting very seriously.

Cheng Yi’s face went pale. “You… you’ve decided?”

“Why do you look so pale suddenly?” Yu Qingshuang touched her face with concern. “Are you alright?”

Cheng Yi took a deep breath and shook her head. “You’ve decided?” Decided to bind the two families together?

“Yes. Your father and I are very satisfied with her. She’s beautiful and capable, and your brother likes her. It’s perfect.” Seeing that Cheng Yi seemed physically fine, Yu Qingshuang continued, “I’m going over to see what the Meng family thinks—to see how they feel about us.”

Cheng Yi’s lips trembled. She couldn’t listen anymore. “Mom, I’m suddenly very tired. I’ll go back to my room.”

Lying on her bed, Cheng Yi’s heart ached with a sharp, splitting pain.

Was her treasure about to become someone else’s wife? Especially when that “someone else” was her own brother.

A suffocating agony began to envelop her.

…

“Cheng Yi, when do you think it will be legalized in our country? I feel like I’ve waited so long.”

Meng Qingwu leaned lazily against Cheng Yi’s back, idly playing with her hair.

Cheng Yi chuckled as the tickling sensation made her turn to kiss the girl’s cheek. “It will be legalized,” she said softly.

Meng Qingwu smiled, her eyes curving like crescents. “But I want to marry you. Every extra day feels like forever.”

Cheng Yi’s heart glowed at her words. To be loved so fervently by someone was a rare and precious thing.

“Okay. On the day it becomes legal, we’ll be the first ones in line.”