Chapter 58 Presenting a Gift

Pei Jiayin said every word with calculated precision, "Who knows when I'll ever get to treat you."

Jiang Muyun casually and effortlessly spat out a single word of dismissal.

Then, with lightning-fast reflexes, he pulled up his WeChat QR code and presented it right in front of Yu Youchu.

"Sister-in-law, how about sharing your contact info?"

Jiang Muyun sounded rather glib. In her memory, aside from Gu Taotao, he was the second person to change his form of address so swiftly.

Yu Youchu cast a complex look at Jiang Muyun. Just how did Pei Jiayin usually treat his friends and juniors anyway... Why did everyone and their dog want to get close to him, yet seemed absolutely terrified of him at the same time...

Yu Youchu took out her phone and added Jiang Muyun.

Feeling somewhat bewildered by her gaze, Jiang Muyun had no choice but to rub his nose again. Subconsciously, he wanted to reach for a cigarette, but suddenly remembering the occasion, he quickly pulled his hand back.

"Oh, right, that person from the Wen family has been hounding me about your schedule lately. They probably knew they wouldn't get anything out of Tang Qingli, so they came to me instead."

Pei Jiayin's expression visibly grew unnatural for a split second, before turning deeply gloomy.

Jiang Muyun hurriedly waved his hands, rushing to clear his name: "I've still got a strong sense of propriety, though. I didn't say a single thing I shouldn't have."

He put on a tight-lipped expression, then suddenly realized that Pei Jiayin was in a relationship and it was inappropriate to bring this up in front of him.

His face flushed slightly, and he mentally slapped himself in silence.

Pei Jiayin dropped the topic entirely. On stage, Poly's vice chairman had finished speaking, and sudden, thunderous applause erupted all around.

Yu Youchu had been listening to their conversation, but with the question right on the tip of her tongue, her attention was instantly diverted.

Pei Jiayin cast a cold, indifferent glance at him, as if to say someone had just saved his life.

Seeing the topic successfully derailed, Jiang Muyun shot a defiant look right back at Pei Jiayin.

By the time Yu Youchu looked back over, Jiang Muyun had already left.

"He said he had some urgent business and left first. The banquet's over, shall we leave too?"

Yu Youchu vaguely remembered there was something she wanted to ask, but try as she might, the words danced on the tip of her tongue and she simply couldn't remember them. She gave up and followed Pei Jiayin out of Jinling.

The next day, Yu Youchu returned to work at Huasheng as usual.

Looking down at her hoodie and jeans, she couldn't help letting out a small sigh.

Last night's world of extravagant luxury felt like a dream. A lingering panic named disparity began to creep through her veins, leaving her with a strange, uncomfortable sense of dissonance.

She fiddled with the familiar items on her desk. The unpretentious sense of familiarity helped steady her nerves, and that grounded, down-to-earth feeling seemed to return.

A voice in her heart reminded her that this was her real life.

"Youchu, Youchu!"

A voice snapped her out of her deep reverie. Yu Youchu gave a start, then looked up to see Cui Jing.

"Ah, Sister Jing."

She felt a slight pang of guilt, considering her current situation was that of an employee caught daydreaming and slacking off on the job by her supervisor.

Amused by Yu Youchu's startled reaction, Cui Jing softened her originally sharp expression.

"What are you daydreaming about? Spring awakening for a young maiden?"

Yu Youchu's face flushed. At Cui Jing's words, Pei Jiayin's face flashed across her mind, and she shook her head violently. Cui Jing was always one to tease.

"Stop making fun of me."

"Oh? So you really *are* lovesick? Which guy in the company have you set your sights on? I'll play matchmaker for you."

Cui Jing patted her chest with an air of absolute confidence, as if to say, *Leave it to me, you can't go wrong if you come to me.*

"Sister Cui, doesn't our company... strictly forbid office romance?"

With rare eccentricity, Cui Jing shot Yu Youchu a strange look. "We're all adults here, who cares about that sort of thing? I remember you aren't such a rigid person."

Yu Youchu smiled. Oh, far from it—she was currently in the middle of an office romance.

And with a top executive of Huasheng at that. Sister Jing, you might even know him.

Cui Jing felt a creeping chill from Yu Youchu's smile, giving her a mild case of goosebumps.

"If it's you, I promise to turn a blind eye."

Cui Jing pictured the scene of Yu Youchu having an office romance with a male employee from the design department and let out a soft "tsk."

She simply couldn't picture it at all.

"Alright, alright, you seem to be in a great mood today. Any happy events?"

Yu Youchu quickly dragged Cui Jing back from her derailed train of thought.

"Here, take this first."

Only then did Yu Youchu notice the heavy bag Cui Jing was holding, which was now placed squarely on her desk.

It was actually a gift box from Taozhai!

This hit absolute bullseye with Yu Youchu's preferences. She froze, then cast a bewildered look at Cui Jing.

"I asked Muchuan what you liked, and he told me you seemed quite fond of Taozhai pastries, so I asked someone to order a box."

"Oh dear, how can I accept this!" Yu Youchu said the words of refusal while her gaze lingered longingly on the gift box, as if she could actually devour the gold-stamped characters of Taozhai on the packaging.

Cui Jing was amused by her expression reminiscent of a little glutton.

"Wipe that drool away!"

Yu Youchu pretended to wipe away non-existent saliva with her hand and put on a serious face. "Unearned rewards are not to be accepted, Sister Jing!"

Cui Jing slowly cast a sideways glance at her.

"However, as long as you're willing to give me this gift box, I'd gladly go through mountains of blades and seas of fire without hesitation!"

Yu Youchu's gaze toward the gift box was filled with tender, adoring affection.

"Cut it out! I'm in a good mood today, that's why I'm giving it to you."

Yu Youchu furtively glanced around at her colleagues. None of them were looking! Besides, Sister Jing had delivered it in person.

She suddenly felt like the gift box was a hot potato, and the hand resting on it froze in place.

"What, too scared to take it?"

Cui Jing tapped Yu Youchu gently on the head, finding her impossibly cute.

"Remember that perfume advertisement from earlier?"

Yu Youchu nodded like a pounding pestle.

"After the ad was released, the response was fantastic. The one you wrote, 'Afterglow,' was the top seller."

Yu Youchu blinked, signaling for Cui Jing to continue.

"They're striking while the iron is hot and launching a new product. They want me to bring you along to next month's new product launch event."

Cui Jing placed her hand over the gift box.

"However, attending this launch event won't count as working hours, and there's no extra pay..." Cui Jing slid her hand further up, grabbing the rope handle of the gift box, and stared straight into Yu Youchu's eyes.

"Are you going or not!"

This was a blatant hint... No! It was a crystal-clear demand!

A Taozhai gift box was extremely rare, something she couldn't afford even with many days' worth of salary! Cui Jing had basically given her a question with only one obvious answer.

For a moment, she felt a complex mix of love and hate toward Muchuan for spilling her Achilles' heel to Cui Jing.

Cui Jing gave the rope a gentle tug, feeling the box shift, and Yu Youchu didn't hesitate a second longer.

"I'll go!"

Cui Jing withdrew her hand with a satisfied expression.

"I'll contact you in advance and get your leave approved."

"Also, thanks to that advertisement, I've been nominated for a promotion by upper management. The promise I made earlier to let you shadow the manager under me—I'm afraid I might have to break my word on that, so think of this as your compensation."