âShaotingâ¦â Shu Pan called out to him, but the door was already closed, and the sounds from outside were shut out.
Sitting on the sofa, frustrated, Shu Pan had intended for a sincere discussion. How had it ended with both parties parting in displeasure?
Just thinking of Gu Shaotingâs dark eyes gave Shu Pan a headache.
Gu Shaoting had always been autocratic and would not tolerate anyone challenging his authority.
This time, Shu Pan had crossed his bottom line.
After stepping out, Gu Shaoting cooled down a bit, then dialed He Mingâs number.
âAre you free? Letâs have a drink,â Gu Shaoting got straight to the point.
âBrother Ting, didnât you say youâd cancel your engagements tonight to spend time with Shu Pan? How come youâre free to meet up with me?â He Ming, unafraid of death, still picked the words that hit where it hurt.
âRoll over here, stop with the nonsense, hurry up.â Gu Shaoting didnât wait for He Ming to reply and had already hung up the phone.
He Ming looked at Ye Xiaomeng mournfully, âDear, Brother Ting seems to be in a bad mood and wants me to keep him company.â
Actually, now that he had a baby, he really didnât want to go out.
âYou see young and beautiful secretaries every day and still have moments of bad mood?â Ye Xiaomeng deliberately spoke to sour Gu Shaoting.
âMy dear wife, letâs drop this matter. It really is for work. Donât tell Shu Pan, or sheâll start worrying needlessly.â He Ming knew that there were things that should not be told to womenâif Brother Ting found out he had blabbed, thereâd be hell to pay.
âWhy shouldnât I tell her? If itâs all above board, why fear someone finding out?â Ye Xiaomeng pressed for the truth.
âItâs really nothing. Uh, Brother Ting is waiting for me. You and the baby should sleep early, I will be back soon,â He Ming didnât dare to continue, as his wife now ruled supreme.
Moreover, Confucius had said, âThere are two things that are hard to nurture: women and servants.â The ancient teachings were not wrong.
âCome back early. Donât return drunk. Take care of Gu Shaoting, and make sure he doesnât do anything improper that might hurt Shu Pan,â Ye Xiaomeng felt a vague unease.
âAs you command, my dear,â He Ming replied with a cheeky grin.
When He Ming arrived at the regular spot, Gu Shaoting had already ordered a table full of alcohol, intent on not returning sober.
âBrother Ting, sorry, Iâm late,â He Ming sat opposite him.
Gu Shaoting glanced at him before finally speaking, âXiaomeng didnât let you out?â
âNo, she didnât⦠she didnât say anything,â He Ming didnât dare talk carelessly, as Brother Tingâs gaze felt like it would riddle him with a thousand holes.
âDrink,â Gu Shaoting poured him a full glass.
âBrother Ting, whatâs bothering you?â Seeing Gu Shaotingâs mood, He Ming knew something had happened.
âHe Ming, Iâve realized that even now, I still donât understand Shu Pan very well. We were living a comfortable, stable life, and she had to stir things up. She actually wants to work, and at another company,â Gu Shaoting said to his friend; keeping it inside was suffocating.
âWell, the child is older now, and she might want to do something to ease the boredom. Itâs not that bad, is it?â He Ming felt it was no big deal, not a matter worth making a fuss over.
After all, Shu Pan was so outstanding, and it had been admirable for her to stay at home, supporting her husband and raising her child for years.
âThe point is she doesnât want to work at Gu Group. She wants to go to some other company? Does she think itâs easy out there? Without my protection, what if she gets bullied?â This was the crux of Gu Shaotingâs troubles.
âWell, being together all the time isnât that great either. People always want a bit of their own space,â He Ming felt a pang of sympathy for Shu Pan. He could understand, especially since Gu Shaotingâs desire for control was a bit strong.