Liu Dong was a clever man. He had initially thought about asking Gu Chenan's father, Gu Zheng, to intercede on his behalf.
However, just as he was about to dial Gu Zheng's number, he suddenly remembered what Gu Chenan had said to him before.
"I am who I am, and my father is who he is. We'll resolve this matter between us without involving my father. You don't need to consider my father's feelings, and I won't take into account your relationship with him..."
Thinking of this, he pressed the end call button.
"No, this won't work."
Liu Dong shook his head: "Given what Gu Chenan said before, going to Gu Zheng would only make things worse."
"Mr. Liu, if you don't approach Gu Chenan's father, how will this matter be resolved?" Wang Hu asked, puzzled.
Liu Dong remained silent for a moment, then sighed and said: "Having Gu Zheng mediate isn't as straightforward as taking Xiao Wan to apologize to Gu Chenan."
"When Gu Chenan took us to Caiying today, didn't he say that if Xiao Wan and I apologize to him and that female CEO of Caiying, the matter would be settled?"
"But," Wang Hu hesitated and said with difficulty: "Now everyone in Magic City knows about today's events. If you apologize to Gu Chenan in front of everyone, we won't be able to show our faces in Magic City anymore!"
"You don't need to tell me that," Liu Dong gave him a sideways glance and said: "Not being able to show our faces is better than mysteriously vanishing one day."
......
The next day.
At Caiying.
Early in the morning, the assistant placed a large pile of documents on Su Qianmo's desk.
Since Caiying had gained fame through Liu Mingrui's advertisement, Su Qianmo's daily workload had doubled.
The online buzz about Liu Mingrui had gradually died down, and now she could go out without hiding and wouldn't attract too much attention.
However, both Su Qianmo and Liu Mingrui were sitting in the office sighing heavily, appearing deeply troubled.
Su Qianmo hadn't looked at the documents on her desk, just kept frowning continuously.
Liu Mingrui sat on the sofa with her arms crossed and her long legs crossed, not saying a word.
Both of their spirits were completely deflated compared to before.
Just then, the office door opened, and Gu Chenan walked in.
Both women's eyes lit up upon seeing him, but this joyful expression only lasted for a second before turning into melancholy.
Gu Chenan looked at Su Qianmo, then at Liu Mingrui, completely puzzled.
"What's wrong?"
"Sigh." Su Qianmo looked up at Gu Chenan, then lowered her eyes and sighed softly.
"Sigh." Liu Mingrui followed with a sigh of her own.
Gu Chenan: ?
"Speak up, what's wrong?"
Gu Chenan was confused - what was going on? They were acting as if someone had died, yet here he was, perfectly fine.
"Sigh." Su Qianmo sighed, pretending to be casual as she picked up the documents and started browsing through them, muttering quietly: "I've been very busy with work lately, staying late at the office every night."
Liu Mingrui chimed in: "I haven't been able to go out properly because of all the online attention before, and now that it's finally died down..."
Gu Chenan had a completely bewildered expression.
What was this about?
What were they talking about?
After thinking for a moment, Gu Chenan said to them: "Um, Qianmo, the company suddenly gained popularity and things got busier, I'm sorry for troubling you."
"Mingrui, in a few days I'll take you out wherever you want to go."
He thought this would make them feel better, but instead, they both sighed again.
"Chenan, you don't need to say that. I'm content, even if I have to work overtime every day, it's just that..."
Su Qianmo left her sentence hanging, and Liu Mingrui continued: "I've been cooking at home these past few days, didn't you say I should just cook for you from now on? But why..."
Liu Mingrui also left her sentence unfinished and continued sighing.
Gu Chenan's mind went blank. He couldn't understand what these two women were trying to express; they were both speaking in riddles.
"Qianmo, Mingrui, just say what you want to say, no need to beat around the bush."
"Fine."
Hearing Gu Chenan's words, Su Qianmo suddenly sat up straight as if transformed, but when she tried to speak, she hesitated: "You... you..."
She kept stuttering "you" without forming a complete sentence.
"Where did you go last night?!"
At this point, Liu Mingrui suddenly stood up, arms crossed, looking down at Gu Chenan.
Gu Chenan: ?
"I went back to the Gu Family Manor last night," Gu Chenan said.
"Liar!"
Seeing Liu Mingrui's strong presence, Su Qianmo also gathered courage and stood up: "Chenan, we've only been back for a few days and you're already staying out all night?"
"Do you know how I felt when I came home to an empty house last night?"
"Exactly!"
Liu Mingrui agreed: "Hmph, stop making excuses, man. Tell us, what were you really doing last night? Why didn't you come home!"
"Damn."
Gu Chenan frowned: "I really did go back to the manor last night."
"Keep lying!"
Both women said in unison: "This isn't a novel, where did this Gu Family Manor come from!"
"You must have been out fooling around with other women last night!" Liu Mingrui said through gritted teeth: "Well well, Gu Chenan, are Sister Mo and I not enough for you? You need to find others?"
Su Qianmo pouted: "Hmph, men."
Liu Mingrui turned her head away: "Hmph, men!"
Gu Chenan: ???
What the hell? He could believe these words coming from Liu Mingrui, but Su Qianmo saying such things must have been taught by someone else, right?
Damn, Liu Mingrui, you've corrupted Qianmo!
Gu Chenan looked at the two pouting, angry women in front of him with exasperation, then took out his phone and called Ma Bing: "Come to the office."
After hanging up, Gu Chenan explained: "I really just went back to the manor last night. As for how the manor came to be, it's quite complicated, but I absolutely didn't do anything to betray you."
"Really?" Su Qianmo had already started to soften.
Su Qianmo had complete faith in Gu Chenan; her behavior today was entirely because Liu Mingrui had told her that if they didn't put a little pressure on Gu Chenan, he might become more daring - he already stayed out all night, what's next? Finding other women right in front of them?
Su Qianmo thought it made some sense, so she went along with Liu Mingrui's act.
However, Liu Mingrui remained stubborn, pouting: "I don't believe it!"
"You!"
Gu Chenan walked over and gave Liu Mingrui's bottom a sharp slap, producing a crisp sound along with her soft moan that echoed throughout the office.
Gu Chenan gave it a firm squeeze and said: "You don't believe it? When I say nothing happened, nothing happened!"