Chapter 209

Chapter 209: Then Give Me a Ride The meal was fraught with tension. Lu Shuci and Jiang Shixu were locked in a silent rivalry. Chu Tang pretended not to notice. Shu Mingyue tried her best to ignore it as well. After the meal, Jiang Shixu offered to drive Chu Tang and Jiaojiao home. Chu Tang: "I drove here myself." Jiang Shixu said, "Then give me a ride. It's on the way anyway." Chu Tang: "..." "Don't you need to take Miss Shu home?" Chu Tang glanced at Shu Mingyue. "She drove herself." Jiang Shixu didn't even look at Shu Mingyue, speaking softly to Chu Tang instead. Chu Tang shot him an exasperated glare. "Didn't you drive here too? Why do you need me to take you?" "Qin Yan just texted me saying his car broke down on the way, and the tow truck won't arrive for another hour. He has urgent business to get home, so I had my driver go pick him up. He's nearby—it just so happens I brought my driver with me today." Lu Shuci let out a scoff, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "What a coincidence." Jiang Shixu smiled, a hint of amusement at the corner of his lips. "Isn't it? What a coincidence indeed." Lu Shuci: "..." Chu Tang clearly didn't believe him. Jiang Shixu immediately called Qin Yan, putting it on speakerphone. "Qin Yan, your car broke down, right? I'm having my driver come pick you up now. I happen to be eating nearby." Qin Yan caught on instantly and played along cooperatively: "Yeah, didn't I just tell you? Why call me specially? Hurry up, I'm in a rush." "Hold on, the driver will be there soon." After hanging up, Jiang Shixu looked at Chu Tang, raising an eyebrow with an expression that said, "See? I wasn't lying." Then he had his driver take the car away. Before Chu Tang could say anything, Shu Mingyue spoke up first: "Shixu, let me give you a ride home." Jiang Shixu said coolly, "We're not going the same direction. My house is right next to the Ruan family's—neighbors, so it's perfectly on the way." Chu Tang could see perfectly well that Jiang Shixu and Qin Yan had just been putting on a show together. But she didn't call him out on it. Jiang Shixu had already sent his driver away. If she didn't agree, Jiang Shixu would have no choice but to ride back with Shu Mingyue. Out of selfishness, Chu Tang didn't want Shu Mingyue to be alone with Jiang Shixu. She cast a flat glance at Jiang Shixu, said a single word—"Let's go"—and pulled open the car door to get in. "Coming." Jiang Shixu's eyes held a smile, his mood buoyant. Before getting in, he shot Lu Shuci a provocative grin. A Wen drove, with Chu Tang and Ruan Jiaojiao in the back seat. Jiang Shixu sat in the passenger seat. After the car drove off, Shu Mingyue and Lu Shuci exchanged a look. Both were speechless. The car stopped at the entrance of the Ruan family villa. Chu Tang spoke coolly: "Get off here." She didn't want Ruan Shaodong to see her coming back with Jiang Shixu. If asked about it, it would be hard to explain. Too much trouble. Jiang Shixu knew what she was thinking. His eyes dimmed slightly. He opened the car door but didn't get out right away. "I have nothing going on with Shu Mingyue. She came to see me today to discuss a business partnership." The man turned his head, gazing steadily at Chu Tang in the back seat. The overhead light was on, and Chu Tang's face looked serene and soft in the warm amber glow—breathtakingly beautiful. Her expression was impassive. She merely said "Oh" and nothing more. "Tangtang, good night." Jiang Shixu got out of the car. Chu Tang didn't return his good night. After Jiang Shixu got out, A Wen drove the car into the Ruan family's underground garage. Chu Tang got out and walked into the elevator, lost in thought the whole time. A Wen had been waiting in the car while they ate and didn't know what had happened. She was curious, of course, but she didn't ask. After all, it was her boss's personal business—not her place to pry. In the elevator, Ruan Chu Tang said to her sister, "Jiaojiao, don't tell Mom and Dad about having dinner with Brother Shixu today, okay?" Jiaojiao nodded. "Got it, sis." "Good girl, Jiaojiao." Back in her bedroom, Chu Tang took out her phone and checked her messages. Lu Shuci: [Home yet?] Chu Tang: [Just got in.] Lu Shuci: [Rest early. Good night.] Chu Tang: [Mm.] ... The next day, an unexpected visitor arrived at Chu Tang's law firm. Shu Mingyue, dressed in a light camel-colored professional suit and carrying a Hermès bag, strode in with confident steps, drawing a wave of attention. "Wow, who is that? So elegant and beautiful." "Is she a client or a colleague here for an interview?" "She must be a client—she looks like a straight-up powerful female CEO." "I agree, she's a client. She radiates that capitalist vibe all over—definitely not someone who works for a living." "That figure, that face—absolutely stunning." Shu Mingyue heard the whispered compliments and a faint smile curled at the corners of her lips. She walked up to a young woman's desk and said with a smile, "Hello, I noticed the front desk was empty, so I came in to ask—where is Lawyer Ruan's office?" Yu Jiaojiao felt pleasantly surprised. A gorgeous woman was actually talking to her. "I'll take you there." Yu Jiaojiao stood up. "Thank you." Shu Mingyue's smile grew even more beautiful when she spoke, and Yu Jiaojiao found herself briefly mesmerized. After bringing Shu Mingyue to the door of Ruan Chutang's office, Yu Jiaojiao said with a smile, "This is Lawyer Ruan's office." "Thank you." "You're welcome. I'll go attend to my work now." Shu Mingyue knocked on the door. Ruan Chutang's voice came from inside: "Come in." Shu Mingyue pushed the door open and walked in. "Lawyer Ruan." Chu Tang looked up, her gaze pausing for a moment. Then quickly returning to normal, she said, "Miss Shu, please have a seat." Shu Mingyue smiled and sat down on the sofa behind the tea table. Chu Tang rose from behind her office computer and walked over to the tea table where guests were received. She boiled water and brewed tea. "How is it that you've come to see me, Miss Shu?" Chu Tang used iron tongs to rinse two delicate little blue-and-white porcelain teacups in the boiling water, placed one cup in front of Shu Mingyue, and poured her a cup of tea. "Thank you," Shu Mingyue said. "I heard you've opened a law firm, so I wanted to come and take a look. Also, I happen to have a case I'd like to entrust to you." "Oh?" Chu Tang raised an eyebrow. "What kind of case?" Zhou Xueluo had previously sent Shu Mingyue's information to Chu Tang, so Chu Tang knew that Shu Mingyue was now the president of a listed company. Shu Mingyue's company had its own legal team—what kind of case would need to be entrusted to her? Shu Mingyue took out her phone. "Let's add each other on WeChat. I'll forward you the case materials my assistant just sent over." "Alright." Chu Tang scanned the QR code and added Shu Mingyue on WeChat. Shu Mingyue forwarded the materials over. "I'll leave this case in your hands, Lawyer Ruan." A smile curved at the corner of Shu Mingyue's lips. Chu Tang took a sip of tea. "Miss Shu, let's first discuss the basic details of this case." "Sure." Shu Mingyue also took a sip of tea. "This tea is quite good."