Public Humiliation

Yet Wang Chuan's thought lasted less than five minutes-only from the moment he received the summons to President Gu's office to the moment he pushed open the door.

Because the instant he opened it, he saw the rumored pretty face leaning in President Gu's arms, his cheeks flushed, while President Gu wore a cold expression.

Gu Shang's sharp, icy gaze landed squarely on him. Wang Chuan's knees immediately went weak, and he almost dropped to the floor.

Trembling with fear, Wang Chuan stammered, "P-President Gu..."

That little bitch hadn't complained to President Gu, had he?

...Surely President Gu wouldn't listen to him? But remembering their intimate posture, Wang Chuan still felt his heart lurch.

Before anyone could call him to account, the middle-aged man, so accustomed to bullying the weak and cowering before the strong, gritted his teeth and bowed toward Ji Mingzhu. His voice sounded deeply sincere. "I'm sorry, Madam!"

"I didn't realize you really were President Gu's wife. I thought... I'm terribly sorry! Whenever you come here in the future, Madam, I'll never offend you like this again!"

The middle-aged man gave a perfect demonstration of knowing when to bend and when to stand tall.

Inside, however, he cursed his bastard nephew and that whole pack of worthless friends. Fuck, those restless little brats just had to drag me into their nonsense. Now, at my age, I have to stand here apologizing to some kid who hasn't even grown a full set of pubic hair.

But before Ji Mingzhu could say anything, his usually taciturn, coldhearted superior spoke first.

The man's voice was low, like a snake slithering through the wilderness. He said unhurriedly, "Manager Wang, I heard... you seem to believe my wife is someone disreputable. Is that right?"

Wang Chuan shuddered, shaking like a leaf with fright.

Fuck, Ji Mingzhu really did complain about me!!

Just as Wang Chuan thought that, he heard the young man ask in a slightly surprised voice, "Huh, honey? How did you know?"

Ji Mingzhu pouted, looking a little aggrieved, his cheeks still somewhat red.

He hadn't intended to tell his husband about this at all. It was just too embarrassing!

The matter had already been resolved anyway, so he couldn't be bothered to complain. At most, he had planned to tell his husband that this employee of his had a character problem and that he should consider firing him, lest he tarnish the company's image.

As for the details, he hadn't wanted to mention them at all. Boohoo.

That fat man had actually insulted him by calling him a male prostitute. How could he tell his husband something so filthy...

But he hadn't expected the man to know everything. He couldn't hide a thing from him.

Gu Shang glanced at Ji Mingzhu without answering his question.

What a pointless question from this pampered brat. This was his company. What could possibly happen without reaching his ears?

He had eyes in every department and every division of the company. Secretary Chen wasn't his only capable, trusted subordinate.

Whatever the case, since his own subordinate had bullied Ji Mingzhu like this, he still had to get him some redress.

Otherwise, the pampered brat would surely back down only to stew over it, secretly wipe away tears that night, then come wheedling for comfort.

Ji Mingzhu had used precisely that shameless tactic to sleep in his bedroom last night. Gu Shang wouldn't give him another opportunity.

Wang Chuan was too frightened to speak coherently. Realizing he couldn't hide anything from Gu Shang, he skipped the excuses entirely and burst into a loud wail.

Tears and snot streamed down the fat man's face as he pleaded, "President Gu, please forgive me. I-I really didn't mean it! I can't lose this job, President Gu... If I become unemployed at my age, it'll be hard to find another good job. Please, I've given this company everything over the years!"

It wasn't merely because of his age, but also because he would be leaving the Gu Corporation.

If any major company saw that he had worked at the Gu Corporation yet had to start over at his age, they would never entrust him with an important position again. They would assume he had offended the Gu Family and wouldn't dare hire him.

When Gu Shang said nothing, he dropped to his knees and dared not get up, wailing, "What can I do to make you forgive me this once, President Gu? Just tell me! I'll make sure it's done!"

Only upon hearing this did the brooding man finally look at him, wearing something that wasn't quite a smile. "Simple."

Wang Chuan brightened, only to hear the man continue, "How about this? Go work as a male escort at the Clubhouse for six months, and you can stay at the Gu Corporation. I'll even approve paid leave for the time you spend working there. What do you think?"

"Making money off men is so easy. Surely that must be your dream, Manager Wang?"

The man's low voice dripped with mockery. Wang Chuan's face alternated between pale and red, twisting completely, yet he dared not utter a single word in protest.

Ji Mingzhu took Gu Shang's chopsticks and personally served him some food, saying, "Didn't you say you didn't know whether I'd poisoned my food, Manager Wang? Now you can take a good look and see whether there's poison in it."

Then he slipped the chopsticks back into Gu Shang's hand and told him, "Go on and eat, honey."

Even without Ji Mingzhu saying anything, Gu Shang was already finding it rather hard to resist.

Having tasted the food, his stomach had begun churning impatiently, making its presence known.

And remembering the angry, swollen red blister on the young man's hand, Gu Shang refrained from saying anything cold this time. Sensibly, he picked up his chopsticks and began to eat.

The jade tofu was light and refreshing, cutting through the richness;

The golden-edged crispy pork was crunchy outside and tender inside, bursting with savory juices at the first bite. An unidentified seasoning had been sprinkled over it, giving it a distinctive flavor;

The winter melon and meatball soup was even sweeter and more refreshing. A single sip immediately soothed away every trace of discomfort.

The meatballs weren't the machine-formed kind sold in stores, either. They had been beaten and shaped by hand. He could taste that, pressed for time, the young man had worked in a hurry and hadn't made them completely smooth, instead leaving a little of the meat's texture and grain. They were springy to the bite and satisfyingly meaty.

The winter melon had cooked until meltingly soft, delicate in flavor and silky in texture. Eaten together with the richly flavored meatballs, the two complemented each other perfectly.

Gu Shang had drunk plenty of winter melon soup before, yet none had tasted as fresh and savory as this bowl. It was so delicious that he could hardly bear to stop.

That was because Ji Mingzhu had added an entire large marrow bone to the broth, along with plenty of dried scallops, Job's tears, candied dates, and other ingredients, simmering them all together. The marrow bone made the broth richer and more fragrant, the dried scallops added savory depth, the Job's tears kept it refreshing while supporting digestion and dispelling dampness, and the faint sweetness from the candied dates brought out its savory flavor even more.

It would have been difficult for it not to taste good.

An empty plate was the greatest compliment a cook could receive.

Watching Gu Shang polish off the food bite by bite, Ji Mingzhu felt delighted, though he was still a little angry that Gu Shang hadn't trusted him earlier. If the young man had a tail, it would already have been halfway in the air.

None of the three dishes was particularly extravagant, yet their aromas were utterly irresistible.

Wang Chuan had been summoned before he could eat. Now, watching Gu Shang thoroughly enjoy his meal on an empty stomach, he was tormented by cravings too.

He hated the young man for throwing his weight around under someone else's protection, even as he sneered inwardly.

What a joke. There was no way the young man had made this himself.

He came from an ordinary family and was a delinquent who'd never learned anything worthwhile. What could he possibly know about cooking? At best, he was fit to work in an internet café and make instant noodles for customers.

How naive. Never mind someone of Gu Shang's standing-even in the Wang Family, his own little lovers had used this sympathy ploy plenty of times. Once you'd seen it often enough, it stopped tugging at your heartstrings.

Ji Mingzhu actually thought he had President Gu wrapped around his finger. How shortsighted.

He remembered a business trip when a gorgeous interpreter with a stunning figure from their partner's company had taken a fancy to Gu Shang. While descending the stairs, she had deliberately pretended her heels didn't fit and twisted her ankle.

Gu Shang hadn't even spared her another glance. After having someone take her for medical treatment, he had bluntly asked their business partner whether they had another interpreter who could fill in.

In the end, the beautiful interpreter's sympathy ploy had failed, and she had squandered a work opportunity for nothing. Her face had turned green with anger.

...Still, which restaurant had Ji Mingzhu ordered these dishes from? They really did smell good...

Only after Wang Chuan had endured this aromatic torment until his stomach growled aloud did Ji Mingzhu seem to remember there was someone else in the room. He turned in surprise. "Manager Wang, are you hungry?"

Wang Chuan choked for a moment before saying, "It's lunchtime."

Of course he was hungry!

Ji Mingzhu gave an "Oh" and smiled gently. "If you're hungry, why haven't you gone to eat? Go on, hurry. Otherwise, you might go around telling people I mistreated you. That could easily cause a misunderstanding."

"I wouldn't dare..." Wang Chuan practically squeezed the words out.

He actually wanted to keep pleading his case, but Gu Shang clearly no longer wanted to see him, so he dared not risk provoking him again.

With that, he rose and took his leave. He walked out quickly, looking furious, yet still timidly eased the door shut behind him.

Ji Mingzhu snickered. His smile widened enough for his little dimples to come out and show themselves off.

Having finished his meal, Gu Shang put down his chopsticks.

Seeing Ji Mingzhu like this reminded him of how the young man had coldly snapped back at the people making snide remarks around him at their wedding banquet.

This side of him fit Gu Shang's image of the young man much better, and that was precisely why he couldn't let down his guard around Ji Mingzhu. The person sharing his bed was certainly no sweet, innocent soul.

Originally, he had merely thought the young man wanted him to lower his guard and believe he was harmless, then secretly steal the Gu Family's confidential information.

But now it seemed that what Ji Mingzhu wanted... might be far more than he had imagined.

The man narrowed his eyes.

At last, he knew what the young man was scheming. Since he dared to play for such high stakes, he had better not be afraid of ending up empty-handed.

Ji Mingzhu packed up the dishes and looked at Gu Shang, who was lost in some unknown thought.

He was still a little disgruntled, really.

But Wang Chuan's arrival had suddenly reminded him of another troublesome matter: tomorrow, he had to make his post-wedding visit home.

Ji Mingzhu lifted his head and asked Gu Shang, "Are you free tomorrow?"