An unfamiliar man's voice

Qiao Hua was on the phone when she suddenly heard Yan Yu's voice behind her. She immediately covered the microphone and turned around.

Yan Yu held up his phone and waved it at Qiao Hua, the call history still on the screen. "I've booked the restaurant. We can head straight there after work."

Qiao Hua smiled. "Okay."

Only then did Yan Yu notice she was on the phone. He raised his eyebrows slightly. "Did I interrupt you?"

Noticing his gaze, Qiao Hua said casually, "No, it's just a nuisance call."

Luckily, Qiao Hua had already covered the microphone, so the person on the other end couldn't hear her. If Gu Wenze had heard her calling him a nuisance caller, she would have been in serious trouble.

Yan Yu suspected nothing. He smiled faintly. "I'll head back, then. See you after work."

"Okay, bye." Qiao Hua waved.

After watching Yan Yu return to his office, Qiao Hua was pulled back to the call by the voice coming from her phone. She brought it back to her ear just in time to hear Gu Wenze's low, accusatory voice.

"Qiao Hua, I'm talking to you. Where did you go?"

"I heard you, Mr. Gu." Qiao Hua scratched her ear. "I'm not deaf."

Gu Wenze let her bold remark slide, his voice as cold as ice. "Who was talking to you just now?"

Qiao Hua looked toward the CEO's office in front of her. From where she stood, she could see Yan Yu through the glass. He was holding a document, the corners of his lips slightly raised, as though something pleasant had crossed his mind.

"My boss," she said dismissively.

"The man who brought you home last time?" The image of that man escorting Qiao Hua home surfaced in Gu Wenze's mind. It had been raining too heavily, and with both of them holding umbrellas, he hadn't gotten a clear look at the man's face.

But judging by his voice today, he seemed quite young.

As soon as that thought arose, an inexplicable irritation stirred in Gu Wenze, especially when he recalled the man's words: "I've booked the restaurant."

"What did he mean by that?" Without realizing it, Gu Wenze crossed the boundary between them. "You're going to dinner with him?"

Qiao Hua couldn't be bothered to explain. "Mr. Gu, if you're not calling about the divorce agreement, I'm hanging up."

"Don't you dare!" Gu Wenze kept his voice low, the strain making it hoarse. "I'm not finished."

Qiao Hua's voice was cool. "Unfortunately, I don't want to hear any of this. The only thing I want to discuss with you is the divorce. Everything else is off the table. Contact me when you've made up your mind."

Besides, what business was it of Gu Wenze's who she had dinner with?

They weren't even a real married couple.

Listening to the disconnected tone, Gu Wenze hurled his phone onto the desk, his expression thunderous.

Jiang Nan happened to walk in with a glass of water and witnessed the scene.

"What's wrong, Wenze?" Jiang Nan placed the glass in front of him and asked gently, "Why do you look so angry?"

Gu Wenze didn't even raise his head. He stared at the desk, lost in thought. "Nothing."

As though remembering something important, he looked up at Jiang Nan. "Sorry, I can't go to the hospital with you tonight."

Jiang Nan's smile froze. "W-why?"

Gu Wenze seemed unwilling to elaborate. "I have something to take care of."

"I see." Hidden beneath her sleeves, Jiang Nan's fingertips dug deep into her palms, but she wore a breezy smile. "That's all right. If you're busy, I can go to the hospital myself."

"Mm. Sorry. I'll go with you next time."

"Okay." Jiang Nan sounded understanding. "Don't overwork yourself, either. I'll leave you to it."

Gu Wenze nodded distractedly. Jiang Nan left the office, and the instant she closed the door, her smile vanished, replaced by a dark expression.

Because Gu Wenze had been distant these past few days, Jiang Nan had deliberately mentioned that her injured foot needed a follow-up examination, hoping to draw his attention.

Sure enough, his attitude toward her had softened considerably. When she asked him to accompany her to the hospital for the examination, he had agreed.

Yet in such a short span of time, Gu Wenze had actually gone back on his word.

What could possibly be more important than accompanying her to the hospital?

At that thought, a strikingly beautiful face surfaced in Jiang Nan's mind, and a vague sense of foreboding crept over her.

That evening, Qiao Hua and Yan Yu arrived at the French restaurant he had booked. As soon as they sat down, a waiter came over to take their order.

Yan Yu ordered with practiced ease. Coincidentally, everything he chose was something Qiao Hua liked.

"How did you know I like all these?" Qiao Hua was a little surprised.

Yan Yu closed the menu and handed it to the waiter, smiling. "Those four years we spent together at university weren't for nothing."

The original novel had devoted only a few brief lines to Yan Yu. Qiao Hua had assumed the two were merely ordinary friends, but now it seemed their bond ran much deeper than she had imagined.

Soon, the waiter brought their food. They chatted and laughed over dinner, the atmosphere warm and easy.

Although Yan Yu was serious and exacting at work, he was easy to get along with in private. He put on no airs and was considerate and funny. Spending time with him came with no pressure at all.

No wonder the original Qiao Hua had hung out with Yan Yu at university.

Even Qiao Hua had to admit that, setting aside his role as her boss, Yan Yu was someone who would make a great friend.

Over the course of their conversation, the two grew closer without even realizing it.

Just as they were laughing and joking, an ill-timed voice shattered the relaxed atmosphere at their table. "What a coincidence. You're eating here too."