Transmigrated as the CEO's Top-Tier Stand-in - Chapter 12

 Chapter 12

Based on her understanding of Ji Yu, Meng Rendong thought that the woman would surely return to her within three days at most.

Therefore, she selectively forgot the scene of “being broken up with” and pretended everything was normal, returning to her own apartment. With the filming time for Chasing Dreams 100 approaching, Chu Nanxing had recently moved in with her friend. The two were eating and living together, preparing for the show’s premiere, so Meng Rendong’s apartment was empty again.

She did not spare another glance at the apartment Ji Yu had left, nor was she interested in exploring the modified study. Meng Rendong felt that if she stayed any longer in the apartment still imbued with Ji Yu’s scent, every inch of the air there would mock her:

“How embarrassing.”

“Are you the first sugar parent in history to be financially compensated by their lover?”

“If she truly loved you, how could she bear to leave you?”

Meng Rendong’s departure was hurried, suggesting she was in full retreat. She took a taxi directly back to her own apartment, but the moment she unlocked the door and stepped inside, looking at the living room that had darkened with the setting sun, she stood at the entrance for only a moment before an absurd sense of loneliness spontaneously arose in her heart.

Even though Ji Yu never lived here, and this apartment was her own private sanctuary, the silent solitude immediately enveloped her.

It was as if a voice was coming from a distant place, telling her that no one would be waiting for her anymore.

Meng Rendong was startled by the thought. She hated dwelling in such negative emotions. She reached up and flipped the switch for the main light in the living room. Watching the incandescent light dispel the gloom, she silently curved her lips into a triumphant smile. Immediately, she pulled out her phone and called Xue Lian:

“How is it going?”

Xue Lian hadn’t expected her boss to be so urgent and quickly reported the latest developments: “I’ve just contacted the appropriate people. They have already picked up Miss Ji’s trail.”

The smile on Meng Rendong’s lips widened. She took off her shoes, walked barefoot to the balcony, squinted at the sky painted with the evening glow, and spoke with a rare sense of leisure:

“Well, does she have nowhere to go? Is she and her dog wandering on the street?”

Xue Lian was about to speak when Meng Rendong continued slowly: “Tell your people to be mindful. If Ji Yu is having too hard of a time, they can appear before her and offer assistance, and casually remind her that throwing a tantrum has its limits.”

Xue Lian was silent for two seconds.

She felt like she had glimpsed a secret between her boss and her little lover.

But a qualified subordinate had to learn to play deaf and mute at the right time, so she didn’t say a word.

Meng Rendong waited for a moment and, finding no response from Xue Lian, had to prompt her: “Go on, tell me what she did this afternoon.”

Xue Lian looked hesitant, opening her mouth haltingly: “CEO Meng, Miss Ji, she…”

Meng Rendong frowned, her voice growing colder: “Speak your mind.”

Xue Lian took a deep breath and quickly blurted out without pause: “Miss Ji left the complex this afternoon and went directly to the Y-series hotel under the Meng Group to check in, and she booked a luxury presidential suite for half a month in one go!”

Meng Rendong froze for two seconds.

Immediately, her face darkened as she recalled that her elder brother’s business involved a chain of high-end hotels. Six months ago, the Meng Group had indeed launched a line of hotels specifically catering to guests traveling with pets, which also offered services including pet grooming, pet massage, and pet cleaning.

Her breathing grew heavier.

Xue Lian nervously called out to her: “CEO… CEO Meng, they just said that Miss Ji ordered the human-pet luxury package 4888 on the top floor of the hotel five minutes ago…”

“Beep, beep, beep.”

A busy signal came from the phone.

Meng Rendong stood on the balcony, her head bowed, her palm clutching the phone nearly white.

After a long while, she let out a low laugh, gnashing her teeth: “Very good.”

Inside the Presidential Suite at Y Hotel.

Ji Yu sat on the soft white sofa, listening to the butler introduce the hotel’s specialty restaurants on various floors. When he mentioned that the top floor allowed both humans and pets, she asked about the available packages and then ordered a relatively comprehensive one.

The Corgi crouched beside her, showing no signs of excitement or joy, but rather looking at Ji Yu with concern.

After the butler left, it walked to Ji Yu, stood up slightly, rested its front paws on Ji Yu’s knees, looked at her with its dark, round eyes, and quietly called out:

“Yuyu…”

Ji Yu stroked its head and asked gently, “Don’t you like it here?”

The Corgi shook its head: “I like it, but you never spend money like this.”

Seeing Ji Yu like this always reminded it of the first time they met, when she was standing on the rooftop. Even though it later cautiously asked, and Ji Yu smiled and said she was just looking at the scenery from a high place, the Corgi was very afraid.

It liked Ji Yu because Ji Yu saved its world, and she was willing to waste four years staying here. For that reason alone, the Corgi felt that no matter what happened in the future, it had to repay Ji Yu’s kindness.

Ji Yu chuckled, raised her hand to stroke its ears, cheeks, and chin, lightly scratching the fluffy head. Only after the dog comfortably squinted its eyes and actively rubbed against her palm did she whisper:

“It doesn’t matter.”

The card she gave Meng Rendong had five million inside, and she kept over two hundred thousand with her. But this money had no special use for her. It was better to use it to spend a comfortable time with the Corgi, without any worries, for a little while longer.

Because she would be leaving soon.

Thinking this, Ji Yu continued: “Tomorrow, I’ll attend the audition for Chasing Dreams 100. After getting a spot in the recording, I’ll be eliminated in the first round. System, my supporting character mission ends there.”

Since Chasing Dreams 100 was the starting point of the whole book’s plot, and after that it would be Meng Rendong and Chu Nanxing’s story, it was time for her, the supporting female character, to exit the stage.

The Corgi stared at her blankly. A few seconds later, its ears drooped slightly.

Clearly, it understood Ji Yu’s meaning.

Since she had left Meng Rendong earlier than planned, she was destined to make an appearance for Chu Nanxing before the plot officially began.

But…

The Corgi thought of Ji Yu’s countless days of practice and sweat in the dance studio, and her dancing. It blurted out: “Yuyu, you dance so well. You won’t be eliminated.”

Ji Yu smiled indifferently: “It’s not easy to debut, but it’s not hard to be eliminated either…”

The Corgi felt a suffocating sensation just thinking about Ji Yu being silently eliminated, even though as an advanced AI, it couldn’t physically experience suffocation—just its core running hot: “But…”

It asked: “Don’t you want to be a star? You could leave after debuting, too.”

Ji Yu shook her head. Thinking of something, a hint of resistance and rejection appeared in her eyes:

“No.”

“I don’t want to be a star. I hate this industry, System.”

Meng Rendong inexplicably suffered from insomnia all night.

She attributed it to being back in her own apartment after too long, feeling slightly unaccustomed.

She arrived at the company at 7:30 AM, a full hour before starting time. When Xue Lian arrived at 8:10 AM and heard the internal phone on her desk ringing, she was startled.

“CEO… CEO Meng, how are you so—” Early?

Meng Rendong interrupted: “What’s the situation?”

Xue Lian hadn’t fully grasped what she was asking and gave a confused “Huh?”

Fortunately, the ringing of her phone saved her.

Seeing the incoming message, she belatedly spoke up: “CEO Meng, are you asking about Miss Ji? I just received a message saying that Miss Ji woke up this morning, took a taxi, and went directly to… the audition base for Lizhi Net’s Chasing Dreams 100 program.”

Meng Rendong lowered her eyes.

After a few seconds, she curved her lips, showing a knowing smile, and muttered to herself:

“So, she was waiting for me here?”

“…Playing hard to get.”

It turns out Ji Yu waited four years, only to finally want me to promote her, to send her down that path of glory.

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