Transmigrated as the CEO's Top-Tier Stand-in - Chapter 37

Chapter 37

“Ji Yu!”

Kong Rufan, who had been in the banquet hall, grew worried when Ji Yu stayed out for a long time. To prevent her artist from encountering any melodramatic trouble in this shady environment, she had to come out, asking servers and looking for her.

She had just reached the restroom area when she spotted the two standing opposite each other in the corridor.

Meng Rendong’s face was extremely pale, as if she were desperately suppressing an outburst. Kong Rufan, who didn’t know the real reason for their breakup, immediately assumed Meng Rendong was pestering Ji Yu, and that the head-down Ji Yu was being coerced by her. She couldn’t help but call out.

Kong Rufan quickened her pace. After calling out, she rapidly arrived next to Ji Yu, positioning herself protectively, like a mother hen shielding her chick, standing between the two. She gave Meng Rendong a meaningful look:

“President Meng.”

The polite address carried a clear warning.

It was an insistent reminder to Meng Rendong that Ji Yu no longer had any connection to her.

Meng Rendong was already hurt by Ji Yu’s attitude—intoxicated intimacy one moment, sober distance the next. Now, Kong Rufan repeatedly tore open the bloody truth. She closed her eyes, opened them again, and was about to say something—

“Ow…”

A painful moan came from the direction of the sink not far away.

It was Mr. Wang, whom they had forgotten for a long time.

Kong Rufan subconsciously turned her head to look, vaguely guessing what had just happened there. Seeing this, Meng Rendong suppressed the resentment and longing in her heart, turned her head away from Ji Yu’s direction, and said coldly to Kong Rufan:

“She’s drunk.”

“Take her back.”

Kong Rufan raised an eyebrow, staring at her for a moment, then turned to examine Ji Yu. Seeing that the girl’s face and neck were indeed flushed, covered in a faint scent of wine, she sighed quietly and smiled at Ji Yu:

“Come on, I’ll take you back to the scenic hotel.”

“I think you only had less than two glasses. I didn’t know your alcohol tolerance was poor before. Next time anyone tries to get you to drink, I’ll block them… Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?”

Ji Yu shook her head, unsure how to explain to her that her alcohol tolerance was actually fine.

Kong Rufan worriedly reached out to support her, leading her toward the elevator. She asked Ji Yu to wait by the elevator for a moment, then quickly turned back to greet Gu Ning.

In this brief moment, Ji Yu was staring at the elevator entrance, her face flushed, but for some reason…

As she stood there, her gaze drifted to the far end of the corridor.

She saw Meng Rendong still standing in the same posture, her back toward her. Though her spine was still straight, she exuded a sense of loneliness for some reason.

Perhaps it was the lingering effect of the alcohol, but Ji Yu stared at her for a while, then suddenly asked the system:

“Did she call me ‘Little Ji Yu’ just now?”

She was starting to doubt her own judgment and memory.

The system thought back and confirmed: “Yes.”

But then, it added: “But I confirmed again just now… she really doesn’t have Si Tian’s soul signature… unless I’ve locked onto the wrong person, it really isn’t her, Yuyu.”

Ji Yu lowered her eyes, withdrew her gaze from Meng Rendong, and whispered: “Okay.”

She said: “It must be a coincidence.”

Just then, Kong Rufan emerged from the banquet hall, walking over to her side. While asking if she wanted to stop downstairs for some lemon-honey water from a server, she raised her hand to shield Ji Yu as the elevator door opened, guiding her inside.

Not far away.

Meng Rendong was extremely crestfallen. She had initially just been standing there, her mind blank, desperately trying to suppress the pain in her heart. Listening to the receding footsteps of Ji Yu and Kong Rufan, she was still controlling herself, trying not to do anything too embarrassing.

But at some point, she felt a gaze on her.

Meng Rendong chuckled bitterly at her own delusion. Since their separation, Ji Yu had repeatedly distanced herself from her. Perhaps even if she died right in front of Ji Yu, the girl wouldn’t turn back. Why was she having such a persistent hallucination now…?

Yet, the more she thought this, the stronger the sensation became.

The gaze on her lingered.

Meng Rendong rationalized it with many excuses, restraining herself from turning back to look at Ji Yu’s retreating figure. Every second was agonizing. She didn’t know when, but her collapsing emotions finally overwhelmed her reason.

She slowly turned her head.

Then, Meng Rendong saw the empty corridor behind her.

She gave a small, faint curve of her lips.

And then closed her eyes.

As if that could stop the surge of unwanted emotions.

After a long while, another cry of pain came from the direction of the restroom. It seemed Mr. Wang, unwilling to be humiliated in front of them, had endured the pain for a long time, wanting to wait for them to leave before calling for help. He had paused when he heard Kong Rufan’s movement, and now, thinking they were gone, he began loudly shouting for a server.

Meng Rendong gently blinked her eyes, scattering the lingering moisture. Her face reverted to its cold, thousand-layers-of-ice indifference. She walked step by step back toward the sink area.

Mr. Wang heard the sound of high heels. He initially thought a server had finally arrived. He struggled for a long time but couldn’t get up from the floor. His lower back was burning with pain. He didn’t know if a bone was out of place or if he had pulled a tendon. Unable to turn his head, he could only curse viciously:

“What kind of service does this hotel have! The sink area is so slippery!”

“You didn’t notice a guest fell for half an hour! I’m going to sue you! Sue you until you’re bankrupt!”

He certainly wouldn’t admit that he was beaten by a woman. He was determined to take his anger out on the hotel, relying on the fact that there were no surveillance cameras near the sink, so no one could see how he actually fell.

Unfortunately.

The very next second after he began his rant, a cold, devilish warning slowly called his name:

“President Wang.”

The man who had just been cursing immediately fell silent, anxiously twisting his neck backward, fearfully trying to see what this not-at-all-gentle, vicious woman, Meng Rendong, wanted to do next. But now, he was like a turtle kicked over by a foot—no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t turn his body. He could only remain sprawled out by the chilly sink, feigning bravado toward the person behind him:

“Don’t come near me!”

“I’m warning you, Meng Rendong! I’m calling people! Don’t think you’re impressive just because your dad is in real estate. If you dare to touch me again, I’ll see you in court!”

Meng Rendong walked over to his side, looked in the mirror, and examined the slight bluish mark on her chin from the collision.

It was a very faint, small area.

She raised her head, lightly pressing it with her right index finger. Feeling the sharp pain, she exhaled lightly. Glancing at the panicking figure at her feet, she suddenly said:

“Does me hitting you have anything to do with who my dad is?”

Mr. Wang: “…”

He desperately wanted to stand his ground, but the women he had encountered before were all gentle, delicate, and weak. He had never suffered such humiliation as being kicked over by a woman. The searing pain in his lower back was reminding him:

Be cowardly; it’s better than getting beaten.

He shut his mouth. A few seconds later, he heard footsteps approaching. It was a server who checked the sink area periodically to see if guests needed assistance.

Seeing such a corpulent man sitting on the floor unable to get up, the server was greatly alarmed. Meng Rendong turned around at that moment and said lightly:

“Oh, someone’s here. Perfect—”

“This gentleman got drunk and insisted on calling everyone who passed by ‘Daddy’ here. I was quite distressed, as I can’t lift someone of his weight.”

Server: “…”

Mr. Wang: “…”

Fortunately, the server was experienced and immediately called for help via communication device. When three or four tall, well-built male servers arrived, Meng Rendong gave Mr. Wang a subtle, knowing look, as if reminding him of something.

Mr. Wang’s head swam with heat. He felt it was too humiliating to be beaten up by a woman like this, so, without thinking, he followed Meng Rendong’s script and vaguely called the incoming servers “Daddy” in turn. The servers, being experienced, only exchanged glances, a look of shock in their eyes, before helping him away.

Mr. Wang seethed with hatred, planning to find a way to mess with Meng Rendong’s company once he returned. However, the next thing he knew, a letter was slipped under his hotel door. When he opened it—

Inside were photos of the tragic young stars he had taken advantage of over the years.

As for his subsequent period of being unusually virtuous and his decision never to touch a cold-tempered woman again for the rest of his life, that was a story for much later.

Currently.

Ji Yu had left the cocktail party, and Meng Rendong had lost all interest in staying. She had already expressed her interest in collaboration to the directors. If they were genuinely sincere, Huangting’s marketing and risk departments would naturally assess the specific projects, leaving little for her to handle personally.

She contacted Uncle Zhang ahead of time. After waiting for a few minutes at the building entrance, she saw Uncle Zhang arrive in the Mercedes. When the doorman proactively opened the back door, she lowered her head and stepped into the back seat.

Uncle Zhang skillfully drove toward the Fengming residential complex.

Meng Rendong was initially sitting quietly in the back seat. When they reached the first traffic light, she suddenly spoke from the rear:

“Not Fengming.”

Uncle Zhang was surprised and instinctively apologized. After all, Meng Rendong had been returning to the apartment after work recently, and he hadn’t seen any new partners in her life.

Meng Rendong shook her head faintly, indicating it was fine, and then named another residential complex.

Uncle Zhang didn’t immediately register the change, but the light ahead had already turned green. He was even urged by a honking car behind him. He could only slowly change gears, step on the accelerator again, and simultaneously turn the car onto a different road.

However, as he drove, he secretly glanced at the rearview mirror.

Meng Rendong was now leaning against the seat with her eyes closed, resting. No one could tell what her mood was. Uncle Zhang couldn’t figure out the reality and could only honestly retract his gaze, muttering internally:

Didn’t President Meng break up with that former young lover?

It’s been so long since she’s been to that complex. Why is she suddenly thinking about that place again?

However, as always, he couldn’t grasp his boss’s psychology. He could only list countless guesses in his mind to satisfy his curiosity, but without finding an answer.

Meng Rendong hadn’t thought she would ever return to this complex.

She was unwilling to recall her own state when Ji Yu left—she was in disbelief and felt humiliated at the time, but hadn’t quite felt the grief yet. Now…

The arrogant belief that the other person couldn’t leave her had long been shattered. Returning to the house she and Ji Yu once shared now only added to her sorrow.

Perhaps because no one else had been there during this time, when Meng Rendong entered the living room and turned on the lights, seeing the familiar furniture and decorations, she felt a momentary trance. She felt as though at any second, Ji Yu would peek out from the kitchen next to the entrance, rush into her arms, clinging to her for a hug, still carrying the sweet residual scent of fine dishes.

A blink later.

The figure, the embrace, and the scent had all vanished, replaced by the empty brightness under the incandescent light.

Meng Rendong hesitated for a second at the door before stepping inside. She walked through the rooms, opening each door, as if that would make the house seem a little more lively.

In the past, the two places she spent the most time were the living room and the bedroom. Her greatest relaxation back then was pressing the clingy Ji Yu against the dining table, the desk, the sofa, the coffee table, the bed, and so on, watching her beautiful eyes become hazy, the sweat exuding the fragrance of shower gel, wetting the various fabrics.

Hearing her panting echoing in her ears.

She especially enjoyed making the girl repeatedly beg for mercy.

Now, all that intimacy was in the past. She finally knew that the girl’s day-after-day compliance and clinginess were not directed at her. Perhaps Ji Yu even treated her as a substitute for another person in bed. The desire stirred by her memories was now shrouded in a bitter haze.

Meng Rendong saw the original study room for the first time.

The desk and bookshelves had been moved back to their original positions, and the walls had been newly painted. However, the renovation company hadn’t fully finished the cleanup, and several long rectangular, life-sized mirrors were stacked together, leaning against the wall corner.

Meng Rendong walked up to the mirrors. A scene suddenly popped into her mind—

It was the image of Ji Yu, on many days when she wasn’t there, practicing relentlessly against these walls of mirrors, sweating profusely, just like that accidental encounter on the balcony of the Yanxia Mountain resort hotel.

She lightly touched the cold mirror surface with her fingertip, seeing her reflection meeting her touch in the mirror, as if spanning a vast distance in time, trying to touch the sweat Ji Yu had unintentionally scattered onto it during practice.

But there was only coldness.

Meng Rendong stood there blankly for a while. After circling the study, she suddenly decided that she would find the renovation company again tomorrow and have them restore the study to how Ji Yu had it before.

She then went to the bedroom. Even after all this time, the sheets and bedding should have been replaced by a housekeeper, but an entire day’s fatigue rushed over her, making her collapse somewhat resignedly onto the bedding, as if this could comfort her that Ji Yu’s scent still lingered there.

Meng Rendong closed her eyes, her hand casually resting on the edge of the bed, where it bumped against a sharp corner.

Thinking it was some kind of sharp object, she casually rubbed it, but pulled out a thin, hard card. Meng Rendong opened her eyes and realized it was a bank card.

The bank card Ji Yu had given her when she left.

At the time, it felt like the ultimate humiliation. Now, Meng Rendong stared at the card for a long time, running her fingertip over the numbers on the card one by one, as if she also wanted to carefully cherish it.

Then, she fell asleep, still holding the card.

Perhaps her resentment was too deep, but Meng Rendong found her dream today to be somewhat inflated.

She actually fantasized about herself and Ji Yu participating in the selection show together and even incorporated tonight’s events, stubbornly coaxing Ji Yu to call her “Little Tian Tian.”

But Ji Yu adamantly refused.

Meng Rendong remained resentful until morning, especially after reliving Ji Yu’s drunk embrace and calling her “Tian Tian” last night. Meng Rendong couldn’t help but clench her palm until the bank card cut into her skin, making her realize she hadn’t let go of the card since last night.

She glared at the bank card for a long time, then wiped it clean, put it in her pocket, and grudgingly reached for her phone to send a message to Wang Luoshui:

“Can you help me ask when you have time—”

“What was Ji Yu’s former friend’s name?”

Meng Rendong felt extremely unsatisfied.

She wanted to see what kind of peerless sweetheart Ji Yu had been longing for all this time.

After all, Ji Yu wouldn’t even call her by that name in a dream.

The more Meng Rendong thought about it, the angrier she became. In a rare moment when no one was watching, she scornfully scoffed at the legendary “Little Tian Tian.”

She moved her lips, letting out a quiet puff of air:

“…Ptooey.”

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