Chapter 22: She Felt Guilty

Wei Yang paused, her body tensing involuntarily, and a flicker of panic darted across her clear, beautiful eyes. She couldn't help but feel that Zhao Wenqian had sought her out solely to force a confession that she was indeed the woman by Xie Yanli’s side. Her fingertips tightened instinctively.

"Ms. Wei, was it you?" Zhao Wenqian pressed relentlessly, looking as though she would not give up easily.

Wei Yang squeezed her eyes shut, and when she opened them again, her gaze had returned to a state of calm, devoid of any ripples. She turned to Zhao Wenqian and said coolly, "Rather than making wild guesses, you would be better off asking Mr. Xie himself."

Zhao Wenqian suddenly let out a cold, manic laugh. She picked up the coffee cup in front of her and splashed it directly onto Wei Yang’s face. Wei Yang had no time to dodge, caught completely off guard as the liquid drenched her hair and face. She had never imagined that Zhao Wenqian would resort to physical action without any warning.

"Ms. Zhao!"

"What? Are you unhappy about it?" Zhao Wenqian lifted her chin, eyeing her with contempt. "Do you really think you're someone special?"

"Ms. Wei, I don't care what your relationship with Yanli was before, but from this day forward, if I find out you have the slightest connection to him, I will not let you off. Next time, it won't just be a cup of coffee!"

With that, Zhao Wenqian grabbed her bag and left without looking back. Wei Yang’s face was deathly pale, a mixture of shock and indignation, yet deep down, she felt a prick of guilt. What Wei Yang did not know was that the entire scene of her being splashed with coffee had been witnessed by Shen Cenzhi from across the room.

His pupils contracted slightly, his complex gaze lingering through the glass window on that bright and delicate face.

Wei Yang went to the restroom, carefully cleaning the coffee stains from her hair and face with paper towels. No matter how much she scrubbed, she couldn't completely get rid of the smell. Checking the time, she didn't hesitate to head to a nearby hair salon. Over half an hour later, she emerged looking "brand new."

Returning to the office, Wei Yang acted as if nothing had happened. Running into Shen Cenzhi as he stepped out of his office, she lowered her head and greeted him submissively, "Good evening, Mr. Shen."

Shen Cenzhi didn't even glance at her, let alone respond. Wei Yang lowered her eyes, feeling a twinge of worry. How much longer could she keep this job? It was obvious to anyone with eyes that Shen Cenzhi did not like her.

As the workday drew to a close, her phone in the drawer chimed. It was a WeChat message from Tao Qingran: "Bao, off work yet? I'm downstairs at your office. Let's grab dinner tonight—just me, Lu Yao, and you."

Wei Yang pursed her lips in frustration. Why would she want me tagging along on a date with her fiancé? Does she think they need a brighter third wheel?

"I'm busy with work, so I can't join you two. Go have fun!"

Tao Qingran actually believed her. "Is your boss making you go out for drinks and entertainment again?"

Wei Yang: "!!"

Actually, no!

"You guessed it!" she replied with a faint, wry smile. After a pause, she added, "You two have a good time, I won't go and crash your plans."

Tao Qingran: "Alright then! Don't drink too much, and call me if anything happens."

...

As soon as clock-out time arrived, Wei Yang grabbed her bag and left. Back home, she didn't even have the energy to cook, collapsing straight onto the sofa. Her mind was filled with Zhao Wenqian’s interrogation: "Was it you? Was it you..."

Perhaps it was the mental strain of the entire day, but before long, Wei Yang drifted off to sleep on the sofa. She was awakened by a melodious ringtone. Fumbling to pick up her phone, she didn't even have a chance to speak before a low, cold, and indifferent voice sounded in her ear: "Come down. I'm waiting for you in the car."