Chapter 26: Real Business Warfare

Just as Ning Wu understood, regarding what happened yesterday, Shen Zhoudu did not personally step forward. Instead, he had a few friends pass messages around and suppress the rumors about him and Meng Weiyu divorcing.

Even so, everyone in their circle who ought to know about this news already knew.

Back then, the news of Shen Zhoudu and Meng Weiyu’s marriage had caused a huge stir. Now, the fun of their divorce was also attracting everyone’s attention.

Because of this, an ordinary meeting led by Shen Zhoudu—one that originally only required each company to send one representative to attend and go through the motions of checking some basic matters—ended up with dozens of people showing up.

If Shen Zhoudu’s side had not had a large conference room, they would not have been able to fit that many people.

Most of these people were young masters or representatives from companies. They had specifically come to watch Shen Zhoudu make a fool of himself and find a chance to gossip.

Shen Zhoudu sat in the front seat. One hand was spread over the documents, while the other casually propped up his chin as he listened to the others report the arrangements for the process.

His face was expressionless, his blue eyes cold to the point of seeming emotionless and desireless.

Everyone else was watching him, but Shen Zhoudu naturally ignored those gazes. While seriously listening to the report, he was almost completely motionless and silent. Someone had placed a cup of black coffee beside his hand, and the rich, bitter fragrance drifted into the air from his side.

He was dressed exquisitely, his bearing arrogant.

This appearance was completely different from how he was in front of Meng Weiyu.

When he encountered Meng Weiyu, he truly was prone to losing his composure, becoming anxious, and inexplicably doing things that made him seem like he was throwing himself at him. But in front of others, he would never reveal the slightest flaw or weakness.

These people who wanted to watch the show were destined to return without results.

The meeting started at one in the afternoon and did not stop once, continuing all the way until past four.

The other onlookers, who had not originally been responsible for this part of the work, began taking turns yawning.

Snap!

Shen Zhoudu suddenly and forcefully closed the folder without warning.

“Ah.” Someone was startled.

“Let’s proceed according to the process decided today. I have no objections now.” Shen Zhoudu ignored the abrupt sound and casually handed the document to his assistant. “After the meeting summary is confirmed, bring it to me for my signature.”

Ye Hongxu respectfully accepted the document, while inwardly complaining: This is what real business warfare is. In order to take revenge on the business partners who came to laugh at him, he deliberately dragged a one-hour meeting into several hours. During that time, he deliberately refused to pour anyone water and deliberately refused to talk to anyone.

Shen Zhoudu finally showed mercy and dismissed the meeting, but inside the conference room, not a single person moved.

“At this hour, the café on the first floor should have self-service afternoon tea,” Shen Zhoudu reminded these people who had not had a single sip of water for half the day.

“Yester—” A bold person dared to speak first.

Tap.

Shen Zhoudu casually threw his signing pen onto the table, crossed his arms, and expressionlessly asked the person who had only managed to say two words, “What?”

Everyone finally realized that Shen Zhoudu did not want to mention even the tiniest bit about divorce.

They did not dare make a sound, but they pinned their hopes on someone else. So they all looked expectantly at the person who had spoken.

‘You understand, right? Hurry up and ask.’

That person met Shen Zhoudu’s icy gaze, which made him feel as if he were wandering through a land of snow and ice. With absolutely no dignity, he quickly changed his words and said, “Yesterday, I didn’t eat much. I might eat a lot later. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Eat whatever you want.” Shen Zhoudu was driving them away.

The guests left the conference room one after another. In the end, only Shen Zhoudu, Ye Hongxu, and one person who had been sitting in the corner the entire time, watching Shen Zhoudu with an expression of suppressed laughter, remained.

“Xie Wenxuan, what are you doing here?” The others could still be considered relevant personnel connected to the cooperative project, but Shen Zhoudu had never had dealings with this person.

Although, logically speaking, they should have been very familiar.

Schoolmates, romantic rivals, and all sorts of other connections.

“Same as everyone else. Watching the show.” Xie Wenxuan gloated and said bluntly, “I heard Meng Weiyu wants to divorce you.”

“Boring.” Shen Zhoudu’s face turned cold.

“Looks like it’s true.” Xie Wenxuan laughed loudly in delight. If this were only a rumor, Shen Zhoudu would have denied it directly. He absolutely would not have taken this attitude of avoiding the issue.

“Your delusions are really severe.” Shen Zhoudu stood up, wanting to leave the room.

“This timing isn’t bad either.” Xie Wenxuan seemed to know some information and sighed like this.

“No timing has anything to do with you.” Shen Zhoudu did not want to discuss this topic. After giving a simple warning, he left unhappily.

Ye Hongxu, who remained in the conference room, began tidying the documents on the table.

“This person is arrogant and rude. What exactly did Meng Weiyu see in him?” Xie Wenxuan said with a smile. Since only two people were left in the room, the person he was speaking to could only be Shen Zhoudu’s assistant.

Ye Hongxu’s mouth twitched. After slightly parting his lips, he quickly chose to shut them tightly again.

What he wanted to say was: probably because Meng Weiyu looked even more abnormal.

Xie Wenxuan had come here once and had already obtained the information he wanted. After raising an eyebrow, he left in satisfaction.

He had originally wanted to go straight home, but while he was in the elevator, he received messages from quite a few friends. One after another, they invited him to the café on the first floor of Shen Zhoudu’s company to gossip about Shen Zhoudu and Meng Weiyu.

Xie Wenxuan had no interest in that. However, after seeing the messages, he really did want to go drink some water.

Shen Zhoudu really was not human. In this hot summer weather, he had actually gone four hours without giving them a single sip of water.

Thinking of this, Xie Wenxuan had no choice but to turn his steps and head toward the café on the first floor.

The rich second-generation heirs sitting together at one table saw Xie Wenxuan appear and naturally assumed he had come to join them. They hurriedly waved him over.

Sometimes, fake socializing was necessary too.

Xie Wenxuan took a cup of coffee from the counter and walked toward that table with a smile.

The content of their chat was completely useless to Xie Wenxuan. Several people just talked about boring things like that, occasionally speculating on what exactly had happened between Meng Weiyu and Shen Zhoudu now.

In the end, their conclusion was: “Aside from the two people involved, no one knows even a single bit of news.”

Instantly, everyone was terribly disappointed.

“Ha.” Xie Wenxuan laughed mockingly and turned his head away.

He looked at the door diagonally across from him.

It was a subtle gesture, proof that he wanted to leave this place.

Just as Xie Wenxuan was staring at the door, the automatic doors suddenly opened to both sides, and someone walked in.

Xie Wenxuan’s eyes widened.

A tall man walked in from outside. He had slightly long silver-gray hair. Although the hair color was fashionable, because it had not been specially styled, he did not look particularly polished. Xie Wenxuan felt that this effortless beauty matched his casual yet controlling personality perfectly, making everything about him appear dazzling yet effortless.

He wore casual shorts made of suit fabric. Under his loose white shirt, his right hand was half-wrapped in bandages.

The man’s face was pale to an almost sickly degree, but his face was full of wonderful, vivid color. He was so full of life that he was like spring itself, one that would not change with the passage of time.

After Meng Weiyu walked in, his eyes quickly and sharply swept over the place.

Xie Wenxuan’s heart rose into his throat.

Meng Weiyu locked onto his target and walked toward the bar counter.

“They said you can drink beverages and rest here for free.” Meng Weiyu was not sure whether the information he had received was correct. In any case, he first showed the person across from him a devastatingly beautiful smile.

When the server saw him, amazement flashed in their eyes. Then they hurriedly said, “Yes.”

“I’m here to look for Shen Zhoudu, but I heard he’s in a meeting, so the front desk sent me here.” Meng Weiyu first explained why he was here, then requested, “Could I have a glass of lemon soda water?”

“Right away!” The server began preparing the ingredients cleanly and efficiently.

As a worker, the server had always upheld the principle of absolutely not saying an extra word to customers. But looking at Meng Weiyu’s face, the words of conversation came out fluently: “Are you President Shen’s guest?”

“Guest~” Meng Weiyu repeated those two words meaningfully.

“Or are you not a guest? Sorry, I only started working here this week.” The server finished making the lemon soda water, inserted a straw, and handed it to Meng Weiyu with a smile.

“I’m a deliveryman.” Meng Weiyu showed him the bag he was carrying, then shook his head with a smile. He truly did not know how to explain his relationship with Shen Zhoudu. “Thank you for the soda water.”

“Take care. If you need anything else, just let me know.” The server was bewitched by his face and did not pursue his nonsense at all. They simply smiled and watched him leave.

What kind of relationship do Shen Zhoudu and I have?

After thinking hard and still failing to come up with a suitable answer, he nodded and finally decided to pick up the identity of deliveryman again.

Meng Weiyu found a corner with fewer people. He first placed the bag he was carrying on the table, then slowly sat down.

Ugh. After walking for too long, his feet would lose strength. Although his right hand was not that serious anymore, it would still hurt if he overused it.

He really did have a delicate body.

Meng Weiyu picked up the glass and took a sip of soda water. Then, bored, he propped up his cheek and wondered whether ordering a cake in public right now would damage the dignity of a twenty-seven-year-old adult.

“Mm…” How troubling.

Then he would compromise a little. He would not eat strawberry cake. He would eat chocolate cake instead.

After Meng Weiyu made his decision, his black pupils returned to the center of his eyes.

The moment he came back to his senses, he discovered that someone was standing motionlessly beside him.

“Hello, please don’t block my way.” Meng Weiyu spoke casually, not even raising his head to look at the person’s face.

“Long time no see, Meng Weiyu.” A smiling voice sounded.

Hearing someone call his name, Meng Weiyu slowly raised his head. He had been worried he might not recognize this person, but unexpectedly, although that person’s face had changed somewhat, after a brief hesitation, Meng Weiyu still recognized him.

After all, in his memories, the person in front of him had only spoken to him a few days ago.

“Xie Wenxuan.”

Meng Weiyu’s expression was complicated. He had not forgotten that Shen Zhoudu had told him Xie Wenxuan confessed to him during university.

Sometimes he really wanted to beg these people. He knew he was infinitely charming, but toward most people—especially people whose gender was male—he only wanted to be pure friends.

Do not all come running over to confess to him one after another!

First, he criticized Shen Zhoudu!

“Long time no see.” Meng Weiyu had never heard from Shen Zhoudu what kind of personality his twenty-seven-year-old self had, nor did he know what his relationship with other people had been like over the years. He did not want to expose that he had lost his memory, but because he had absolutely no information to use, he could only greet him in a lukewarm manner.

“Ha.” Xie Wenxuan revealed what he believed to be a perfect smile. “Can I sit down?”

Meng Weiyu said, “No.”

Xie Wenxuan laughed again, then ignored his refusal and sat down.

Meng Weiyu had no opinion about this either, because he simply did not care. He took out the phone in his pocket and looked at the screen.

Mm.

Shen Zhoudu! You’re not replying to my message!

Ten minutes have passed!

Meng Weiyu frowned, not knowing where this unreasonable willfulness and irritation came from.

Noticing the change in his own emotions, Meng Weiyu stared at his phone, stunned.

He admitted that his personality was not very good, but he rarely blamed others or vented his feelings on them.

The reason he was this irritated with Shen Zhoudu must be because his subconscious felt this person was no good!

Meng Weiyu once again found a reason to blame his good roommate.

Xie Wenxuan sat across from him and watched as Meng Weiyu invested his whole body and mind into one tiny phone, completely ignoring him. He immediately felt displeased. He was far too familiar with Meng Weiyu. If he did not do or say something to attract his attention, he would not receive any attention from him at all.

“I heard you lost your memory,” Xie Wenxuan said, choosing the topic with precision.

In an instant, Meng Weiyu’s movements paused, and he finally raised his head.

Once again, Xie Wenxuan saw that almost-smiling expression on that beautiful face.

“What else have you heard?” Meng Weiyu cared about the memories he had lost, but he absolutely did not care about what others thought of him after learning about it.

It was meaningless.

Seeing that Meng Weiyu was finally willing to look at him properly, Xie Wenxuan revealed an excited look he had not shown in a long time and said, “There’s also the thing everyone knows. You’re going to divorce Shen Zhoudu.”

“Oh~” Meng Weiyu showed an expression as if he were hearing about this for the first time.

“The message really did come from you. You aren’t going to deny that, are you?” As one of the people most concerned about their marriage, Xie Wenxuan had not only seen that screenshot, but had also seen the screen-recorded video. That was why he had not doubted the rumor of their divorce. “But it’s normal too. The strange thing was that you were willing to marry Shen Zhoudu in the first place.”

Meng Weiyu actually agreed with this conclusion.

‘I also think it’s strange! Extremely strange!’

He really wanted to nod, but between Shen Zhoudu and Xie Wenxuan, he still knew very well whose side he should stand on.

“That message wasn’t sent by me.” This world belonged to thick-skinned people. Meng Weiyu hypnotized himself while confidently refuting him. “It was my family’s cat stepping on my phone, typing it, and sending it out.”

“Pfft!” Xie Wenxuan heard a reply he had never imagined and could not help laughing.

Meng Weiyu looked righteous and upright.

“As expected of the seventeen-year-old you.” Xie Wenxuan leaned back and examined Meng Weiyu.

If he had still had doubts before about the news that Meng Weiyu had lost his memory, now there was nothing left to doubt.

Meng Weiyu now rarely showed such a harmless appearance.

“We should have been good friends back then.” Xie Wenxuan smiled and pointed at himself, intending to awaken Meng Weiyu’s friendly side toward him.

“We weren’t good friends. Just ordinary friends.” Meng Weiyu corrected him mercilessly.

“How hurtful.” Xie Wenxuan sighed endlessly.

Meng Weiyu did not react much. Just as he himself had said, to him, Xie Wenxuan’s existence was insignificant.

“I still remember the reason I started hating Shen Zhoudu.” Xie Wenxuan looked gloomy and wounded. “It was when you were seventeen. Do you remember? That morning, Shen Zhoudu, who had always had a bad relationship with you, stood outside the classroom carrying a bag and looking for you.”

Meng Weiyu impatiently scratched his hair. How could he possibly remember?

“Later, you came back holding the bag in your hand and hung it beside your desk. I asked what it was and wanted to take it to have a look.”

Meng Weiyu had been spoiled since childhood, and there was nothing he could not get. So he had always been casual with external possessions. Usually, when he received something and others wanted to look at it, he would simply throw it to them.

Even if it were expensive gold, silver, or jewels, it was the same.

But that day, Xie Wenxuan wore a smiling face and reached out toward that bag. Meng Weiyu sat expressionlessly in his seat, stepped out with one foot, and pressed down on the outside of the bag, sealing the opening and preventing his hand from touching that ordinary paper bag.

“Casually touching someone else’s things isn’t very good, right?” Meng Weiyu propped up his chin and slightly turned his head. The corners of his mouth lifted, making him look smiling and cheerful, but his black eyes radiated an extraordinary intimidation.

“It’s just taking a look…” Xie Wenxuan smiled playfully, not realizing the seriousness of the situation.

“Xiao Yu, do you want to watch a movie together this weekend?” Ning Wu spoke up, interrupting the conversation between Meng Weiyu and Xie Wenxuan. He was far too familiar with Meng Weiyu. If Xie Wenxuan finished that sentence, Meng Weiyu was going to lose his temper.

“If you’ll pick me up?” Meng Weiyu smiled and turned his head to look at Ning Wu.

Ning Wu drew Meng Weiyu’s attention away, successfully preventing an unpleasant conversation from continuing. But for Xie Wenxuan, the matter did not end there, because even while Meng Weiyu was chatting with Ning Wu, his foot was still placed against one side of that bag, ensuring that no one else could touch the things inside it.

Just as Meng Weiyu had said, Xie Wenxuan himself knew that he was only an ordinary friend.

But there was nothing bad about that. A good friend like Ning Wu, at best, would only be Meng Weiyu’s good friend for life. The relationship he wanted was not something that could be summarized by the two words “friend.”

The future he had once imagined had been like that.

But Shen Zhoudu inserted himself in the middle.

If during the later period of their third year of high school, Shen Zhoudu had only become another ordinary friend of Meng Weiyu’s, then by university, even Ning Wu had felt Shen Zhoudu’s threat. At that time, Ning Wu had wondered whether Meng Weiyu’s best friend was going to change from him to Shen Zhoudu.

Then one day, very suddenly, yet not surprisingly at all, Shen Zhoudu achieved the story ending Xie Wenxuan had wanted for years.

That was, becoming a couple with Meng Weiyu.

Xie Wenxuan hated Shen Zhoudu very much.

And now, he had finally waited until today.

No matter the reason, Meng Weiyu had finally grown tired of Shen Zhoudu.

“Don’t show that eager-to-make-a-move expression.” Meng Weiyu smiled with pursed lips and shook his finger. “Even if I really divorce Shen Zhoudu, I won’t consider you.”

“Who said anything about divorce?” An icy voice cut between them.