Chapter 249: Utterly Shocked!

Chapter 249: Utterly Shocked!

She had not come to the wrong room?

Su Qingying’s hand froze just as she was about to pull the door shut. She paused for a beat, then looked at Wu Yurong and asked with a surprised smile, “Ms. Wu, did you arrange to meet Wu Chen— Mr. Wu? Or Miss Li?”

Instinctively wanting to keep things hidden, Su Qingying corrected the way she addressed him.

“Wu Chen,” Wu Yurong replied in her soft, sweet voice.

She had nothing to hide.

Wu Yurong knew about Su Qingying and Wu Chen.

Which was how she could tell that Su Qingying certainly did not know about her own relationship with him. Otherwise she could never have reacted like this, even thinking she had walked into the wrong room.

Presumably Su Qingying had an arrangement with Wu Chen as well.

“Then… I haven’t come to the wrong room.”

Su Qingying led Mu Qianqian back inside.

Naturally she did not let the bodyguards follow. They all stayed out in the corridor.

The door closed.

Su Qingying was still somewhat taken aback.

Then she thought perhaps she had been mistaken. Perhaps this was not that kind of private gathering at all. Perhaps it had something to do with business, and Wu Chen had invited a number of people so they could all discuss matters together.

As far as Su Qingying was concerned, she could not so much as imagine Wu Yurong having anything with Wu Chen. Her thoughts simply would not travel in that direction.

Given Wu Yurong’s history and the way she carried herself—it was impossible. In the more than ten years since her divorce, many super-rich men worth tens of billions of yuan had pursued her, and not one of them had succeeded.

Wu Yurong had remained single all this time.

And Su Qingying respected her. She used the deferential form of address with her by instinct, and it was not merely politeness. Wu Yurong was not only an elder; she was a formidable businesswoman whom Su Qingying’s own father, Su Ruiwen, held in high regard.

Within Donghai alone, Wu Yurong could fairly be called the most capable female entrepreneur in the city.

Not one of the most capable. The most.

A businesswoman respected even by Su Ruiwen, the richest man in Donghai.

That respect did not mean Wu Yurong had been more successful in business than Su Ruiwen. It came from the fact that as a woman in a business world dominated by men, reaching her present position had been many times harder than it would have been for a man.

Success itself had cost her more.

Which made her all the more worthy of respect. Su Qingying genuinely admired her.

Su Qingying took a seat at random. Mu Qianqian followed and sat down beside her.

“You’re Boss Mu’s daughter, aren’t you? Qianqian, isn’t it? Do you still remember who I am?”

Wu Yurong spoke to Mu Qianqian gently.

Of course she knew Mu Sihai. She had seen Mu Qianqian at some banquets as well.

“I do. Hello, Auntie Wu.”

Normally rather wild, Mu Qianqian was exceptionally well-behaved in front of Wu Yurong. In the past she had never dared start a conversation with her at all.

She did not dare provoke even Su Qingying, let alone Wu Yurong, who was her elder besides.

She had heard the legends of the Black Widow.

“Mm. Hello, Qianqian.”

Wu Yurong nodded with a sweet smile, glanced at Su Qingying, then looked Mu Qianqian over.

The girl really was pretty, in a particularly cute way. She wore no makeup today and had not dressed up on purpose—only a loose white chiffon blouse and a pale-blue short skirt. She looked wonderfully young, brimming with energy.

Su Qingying, by contrast, had clearly dressed with great care: a long black spaghetti-strap evening gown that bared her shoulders, with diamond jewelry on her slender, jade-white arms. Her makeup looked light, but Wu Yurong could tell how carefully that effect had been built.

Her wavy curls made her face look especially small.

The whole of her seemed almost otherworldly.

And precisely because Su Qingying was dressed so formally, as though for an evening banquet, while Mu Qianqian looked casually dressed, Wu Yurong could not tell at once whether Mu Qianqian had that kind of relationship with Wu Chen.

What she did not know was that Mu Qianqian had deliberately gone without makeup. She loved smoky-eye makeup, absolutely loved it. But Wu Chen did not. He had told her she was not as pretty with it, so she had not put it on.

Su Qingying had also told her that for a girl her age, natural beauty mattered most. Youth was unbeatable on its own.

Mu Qianqian had learned a great deal from Su Qingying lately.

“How long have you known Wu Chen, Qianqian?”

Wu Yurong asked it suddenly, as though only making conversation.

“Since… July seventh. It’s been more than ten days.”

Something subtle passed through Wu Yurong’s smile.

Su Qingying glanced at her and assumed she was only asking at random to keep the room from falling silent. Not knowing about Wu Yurong and Wu Chen, it never occurred to her that Wu Yurong was fishing.

Mu Qianqian had come with Su Qingying. Yet when asked directly how long she had known Wu Chen, she answered at once, and gave the exact date.

Which suggested she might have her own connection with him rather than knowing him through Su Qingying.

And considering that tonight’s dinner was a gathering to mark Wu Chen’s return from Modu—perhaps Mu Qianqian was not an “outsider” either.

“Qianqian’s interning at my company these days. She’s working as my assistant,” Su Qingying said, simply keeping the conversation going.

“Is that so…”

Wu Yurong glanced at Mu Qianqian again, her smile deepening. She knew Mu Sihai and Su Ruiwen were not especially close, so Mu Qianqian ought not to have been particularly familiar with Su Qingying.

So why were they close now?

Wu Yurong had already guessed the reason.

“I hear Miss Su has formally taken over the company. Congratulations.”

“Thank you.” Su Qingying smiled politely.

“And how is Boss Su’s health? I haven’t seen him in some time.”

“He’s doing well enough. My father…”

Su Qingying explained a little.

They really did settle into small talk, with Wu Yurong leading it. Even Su Qingying did not dare take liberties in front of her.

At the same moment—

Downstairs, outside the entrance to Mingzhenlou, a blue Lamborghini sat parked at the curb, though whoever was inside had not gotten out.

Zhuang Xiaodie.

More than half an hour earlier Wu Chen had called and told her to navigate her way to Mingzhenlou and join them for dinner. He had also told her the Lamborghini’s key was in the drawer of the bedroom cabinet.

So she had driven over. Before arriving she had called him and learned he was not there yet, so she stayed in the car and waited.

A little over ten minutes later.

A convoy of luxury cars came around the intersection ahead and pulled up along the curb outside Mingzhenlou. Wu Chen and Li Ruobing got out.

Zhuang Xiaodie saw them and pushed open the Lamborghini’s door. Wu Chen had naturally already noticed his own car, and waved her over.

“Mr. Wu… Miss Li.”

She came over and greeted them both.

Had Li Ruobing not been there, she would have taken his arm at once. With Li Ruobing present, she did not dare.

“Come on. Relax.”

Wu Chen smiled at her, then turned and exchanged a look with Li Ruobing.

The three of them headed inside, Li Ruobing with her arm through his, Zhuang Xiaodie walking slightly off to one side.

Upstairs.

Before long they arrived outside the Prosperous Bloom private room.

Wu Yurong’s and Su Qingying’s bodyguards were all standing in the corridor, and every one of them knew Wu Chen. Chu Yan, the female bodyguard, spoke first, nodding and greeting him quietly—”Mr. Wu”—before opening the door for them herself.

They went in.

Su Qingying and Wu Yurong broke off their conversation and looked toward the three arrivals. Both rose. Su Qingying spoke first.

“Miss Ruobing, you’re here… Mr. Wu.”

She even nodded to Wu Chen in greeting.

Exactly the manner of someone receiving guests.

It was a performance for Wu Yurong’s benefit. Naturally she could not let Wu Yurong learn what lay between her and Wu Chen.

Wu Yurong, meanwhile, simply came around the table and walked straight to him.

The door closed.

She stopped in front of him, and then looped both arms around his neck, entirely unconcerned by the eyes in the room. Her gaze was full of tenderness as she asked him sweetly, “Did you miss me?”

And then she kissed him. She took the initiative.

Silence.

Li Ruobing was still standing right there with her arm through his.

Mu Qianqian stared, blank.

Su Qingying stared too, utterly shocked.

Li Ruobing merely glanced at Wu Yurong, who had come over and draped herself around him the moment they walked in, and her eyes narrowed slightly.