Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Xu Jingxuan's Background The newcomer was an elegant and dignified woman who appeared to be in her mid-thirties. Jiang Shixu introduced her: "Tangtang, this is the top-tier Restorer I recommended for you, Lu Xinruo." A flash of surprise lit up Chu Tang's eyes. She had assumed the top-tier Restorer Jiang Shixu mentioned would be an elderly person—she never expected such a stunning beauty. Chu Tang stood up, walked over a few steps, and shook her hand, speaking with excitement: "Master Lu, hello! My name is Ruan Chutang. I'm entrusting my porcelain doll to you." "Pfft—" Lu Xinruo couldn't help but laugh, her eyes curving into crescents as she looked at Chu Tang. "Master Lu? Like the antivirus software?" Ruan Chutang realized her slip of the tongue and felt deeply embarrassed. How did she mess that up? She'd called a beautiful woman by the name of antivirus software. "I'm so sorry, truly sorry. I misspoke," Chu Tang quickly apologized. "It's fine." Lu Xinruo was still smiling, her gaze drifting to Jiang Shixu. "You're aloof and cold by nature, with picky taste. Before coming here, I was curious what kind of girl could tame a big devil like you. Now that I've met Chu Tang, I get it. Even I would fall for her if I were you." "Master, please have a seat." Chu Tang pulled out a chair. Lu Xinruo sat down, and Chu Tang poured her a cup of tea. "Please, take your time." Lu Xinruo's eyes sparkled with amusement as she cooperatively sat down and took a sip. "Not bad." "Tangtang, you don't need to do all this. I've already paid her a hefty fee. You're the client—you can afford to be more assertive." Chu Tang smiled softly, nodded obediently, and returned to sit beside Jiang Shixu. "Jiang Shixu, you're such a party pooper." Lu Xinruo pouted. She turned to ask Ruan Chutang, her eyes curving into crescent moons. "Sister Chu Tang, did you bring the item today?" "No, Master Lu... oh no! Sister Xinruo, after we finish eating, could you come back to my place with me? I'll give it to you." Lu Xinruo agreed readily: "Sure." ... After the meal, Lu Xinruo followed Chu Tang back to the Ruan family villa. Chu Tang carefully handed the wrapped porcelain fragments to Lu Xinruo. "Sister Xinruo, take a look—is there any hope for this?" Lu Xinruo opened it. Her brows furrowed. "Shattered like this, tsk tsk." Chu Tang's heart leaped into her throat. "Don't worry, Sister Chu Tang. Since this has come into my hands, I'll definitely restore it for you." Lu Xinruo patted Chu Tang's shoulder like a buddy. Chu Tang's suspended heart finally settled. "Then I'll trouble you with it." "No problem." Lu Xinruo was ecstatic inside. For this one small job, Jiang Shixu was paying her a million in repair fees. A total steal! "Sister Chu Tang, do you have a photo of the original?" "Yes, I'll send it to you." "Alright, I'll ask you about the details later. I'll head back now." Chu Tang said, "I'll have the driver take you." "Okay." The porcelain doll restoration matter was handled. Now it was time to settle scores with Chen Wan and Gu Zechuan. Chu Tang called her cousin Su Yu. "Hey, cousin, I need your help with something." ... That evening, Chu Tang lay in bed after her shower when her phone buzzed. She picked it up and saw an unfamiliar number from Haicheng. Assuming it was a client calling to inquire, she answered. "Hello?" There was silence on the other end. Chu Tang called out twice more. Still quiet. "If you're not going to speak, I'm hanging up." "It's me." Gu Zechuan's voice came through. "Ruan Chutang, take my WeChat and phone number off your blacklist." Chu Tang frowned. "No." Gu Zechuan's tone was a bit awkward. "Can we stop fighting? I've been missing you these past few days. I was wrong that day—I shouldn't have said those things to make you angry." "It's fine. We've already broken up anyway, so none of it matters." Ruan Chutang's tone was full of indifference. "Broken up?" Gu Zechuan's voice turned cold. "I never agreed to a breakup." "A breakup isn't a divorce—it doesn't require your consent." Ruan Chutang's attitude was cold and resolute. "Gu Zechuan, stop contacting me." With that, she hung up and blacklisted that number too. Ruan Chutang began considering her career plans. She wanted to build her own career. Although she could open her own law firm, she wasn't well-known in the industry yet, and it would be hard to establish a reputation. Chu Tang decided to work at a prestigious, well-known firm for a while to gain experience and hone her skills. Once she had some recognition, she could branch out on her own. When she shared this idea with Jiang Shixu, he was very supportive. "Our Tangtang is so outstanding—she'll definitely make a name for herself in Jiangcheng. Why not try Shengke first? It's currently the best law firm in Jiangcheng." After thinking it over, Chu Tang said, "Alright, I'll submit my resume and give it a shot." ... Meanwhile, Gu Zechuan listened to the dial tone on his phone, feeling a hollow emptiness in his chest. How could Ruan Chutang be so heartless—breaking up at the drop of a hat, without a trace of reluctance? He lay on the bed where Ruan Chutang had slept, taking a deep breath against the blanket. Her scent still lingered. He buried his face in the blanket, imagining Ruan Chutang's face in his mind, and let out a turbid breath. "Chu Tang, I miss you." So much, so much. Just then, Chen Wan pushed the door open. "Zechuan, time to eat." Gu Zechuan grabbed Chen Wan and pulled her beneath him. Dry wood meets kindling—ignition at the slightest spark. At the most passionate moment, Gu Zechuan called out deliriously, "Tangtang, my Tangtang, I miss you so much..." Chen Wan beneath him froze abruptly. Her face turned deathly pale. ... The next day, Chen Yuanyuan organized a drinking gathering to celebrate Ruan Chutang's return to Jiangcheng. At the bar, the three girls sat in a booth, drinking and chatting. "That Xu Jingxuan doesn't seem like an easy one to deal with." Chen Yuanyuan downed a glass of wine, then turned to Chu Tang and said, "The way she treated you yesterday really pissed me off." Zhou Xueluo chimed in from the side: "I think so too. Your sister-in-law seems really hard to get along with." Chen Yuanyuan scoffed disdainfully. "Pfft, what kind of sister-in-law does she think she is? She's the daughter of the Jiang family's housekeeper. To put it nicely, she's an adopted daughter; to put it bluntly, she's just an orphan living under someone else's roof. She really thinks she's a young miss of the Jiang family." Chu Tang only knew that the Jiang family had an adopted daughter, but she didn't know that this adopted daughter was the housekeeper's daughter. She asked in surprise, "Why would the Jiang family adopt the housekeeper's daughter?" Zhou Xueluo said, "From what my brother told me, it seems that when Mrs. Jiang was robbed back then, the housekeeper took the knife for her and saved her life. Before the housekeeper died, Mrs. Jiang promised to grant her one request." At this point, Zhou Xueluo paused for a moment, casting a subtle glance at Ruan Chutang. Chu Tang blinked at her. "Why did you stop?" Zhou Xueluo continued, "Do you know what the housekeeper asked Mrs. Jiang to promise her before she died?"