Some things happened too quickly for her to anticipate.
She had nothing to hide, but when Chang Qingchuan, whom she hadn't expected to see, appeared at Mishang, his mind filled with doubts, he couldn't help but come looking for her.
Just as Gu Susu was about to get up and go to the restroom to check her makeup and attire, she heard a knock on the door.
"Come in," Qin Tianyi said, unconcerned about his appearance. In the eyes of the company employees, he was merely a figurehead, too foolish to do anything significant.
Someone pushed the door open. Qin Tianyi smiled foolishly at the person entering and asked, "Is there something you need?"
Chang Qingchuan had found a reason to knock from outside the door, and after being allowed in by the secretary, he scanned the CEO's office. The man sitting behind the large desk was presumably the company's CEO, Qin Tianyi.
And the Gu Susu he was looking for was merely sitting at an inconspicuous small table nearby, her hair loose, her lips red and swollen. The hem of her shirt had come untucked from her waistband, one button was undone, and her lapel was open, revealing her fair skin.
No matter how stunned Chang Qingchuan was, he understood what had just transpired in this office.
Upon arriving at Mishang for work that morning, he had overheard other newcomers discussing how the current CEO of Mishang was a fool, only occupying the position due to his good background, with the company's actual operations entirely managed by the wife of this foolish second-generation heir.
It was said that the company's vice president, the heir's wife, was a daughter of a prominent family, incredibly capable, managing Mishang with perfect order and leading it towards the international market.
He had thought his luck was good. Although he had been officially hired at his previous advertising company, he had never been given important responsibilities or assigned significant projects, and he had long wanted to change jobs.
A week ago, he received an interview invitation from Mishang. This was a top fashion company in Lancheng City, a nationally renowned brand. To work as a designer at Mishang was the dream of many art graduates.
When he received the offer, he could hardly believe it. Mishang was a company that did not lack design talent, and it had several famous designers. For a small designer like him, with mediocre work and no renown, he dared not harbor too much hope.
After confirming multiple times with the HR department, he immediately resigned from his advertising job and chose to work at Mishang without hesitation.
However, seeing Gu Susu appear before him, and hearing everyone in the company call her CEO Gu, he was completely bewildered.
Was his ability to work at Mishang arranged by Gu Susu?
"I'm looking for CEO Gu."
Qin Tianyi played with the pen in his hand and asked, "What do you need her for?"
Chang Qingchuan didn't know how to answer for a moment. He looked at Gu Susu again, confirming that he wasn't mistaken. The woman called CEO Gu was indeed the Gu Susu he knew.
"I..."
"You, get out." Gu Susu was anxious, but she feigned ignorance and said expressionlessly, "Which department are you from? If you have something, report it directly to your department head. This is the CEO's office, not a place for a newcomer like you to enter casually."
"Susu, is that you? Is it really you?" Chang Qingchuan forgot his status and asked, "Why did you marry him? What happened?"
Gu Susu stood up and refused to acknowledge him. "Who are you calling? I don't know you at all. Get out! If you don't leave, I'll have someone escort you out!"
As she spoke, she didn't know how to make Chang Qingchuan understand that they could talk about things later, not in front of Qin Tianyi.
Chang Qingchuan felt his self-esteem severely wounded. He had thought he entered Mishang based on his abilities, but it seemed that wasn't the case.
And Gu Susu, having now married into wealth, treated him with disdain, as if trying to drive away a rat.
"Your tone of voice has changed since becoming a rich man's wife," Chang Qingchuan said, willing to lose his job rather than swallow this insult. "I never thought you were such a vain person. What, you want to bestow a small favor like a job upon me? I don't need it!"
With that, he tore off his newly made work ID and threw it onto Gu Susu's desk. "You don't need to call someone to kick me out, I'll leave myself." He stared coldly at Gu Susu, took two steps back, and finally left the office without looking back.
The office fell silent for a moment. Gu Susu had felt Chang Qingchuan's gaze on her blouse earlier and couldn't help but look down. Her shirt was missing a button at the collar.
She immediately crouched down to search for it on the floor. Qin Tianyi, with a condescending air, said, "No need to look. There are spare professional outfits in the cabinet behind you. Go change."
Gu Susu acted as if she hadn't heard him, continuing to crouch and search. "It's a perfectly good shirt. If I find the button and sew it on, it can still be worn. Why should I change into a new one? I won't change."
"You can't stand it when he sees your true colors?" Qin Tianyi left his desk and tried to pull her up from the ground. Every time she saw this man named Chang Qingchuan, she became uneasy all over. And she dared to say she had no connection with that man!
"No, I just want to find the lost button..."
Qin Tianyi grabbed her collar and forcefully pulled her up. "It's just a shirt, I'm telling you to change it!"
Gu Susu's voice trembled, "I won't change. If I find the button, I'll sew it on..."
Qin Tianyi simply tore off the other buttons on her shirt. In an instant, the sparkling crystal buttons scattered across the floor like pearls falling onto a jade plate. "There, now you can change! Say one more word, and I'll tear up all the spare clothes here. See how you'll walk out of this office then!"
Gu Susu, unable to bear it any longer, swung a slap at Qin Tianyi, but he quickly blocked it. "He merely called you vain, and you resort to hitting me. You also claim your heart is like stagnant water, with no feelings for him!"
As he spoke, Qin Tianyi's face also showed anger. He grabbed her wrist and twisted it, forcefully pushing her onto the guest sofa in the office. He reached out to pull at her bra, which was now clearly exposed.
Gu Susu, suppressing her tears, pleaded, "Stop, I'll change. I'll change into the spare professional outfit."
Qin Tianyi coldly withdrew his hand and sat back down at his desk.
Gu Susu changed her shirt in front of him, tied up her hair, and with great effort, managed to hold back her tears. She said to him, "I'm going to the restroom to touch up my makeup."
Without waiting for his response, she lowered her head and left the office.
She didn't go to the restroom but walked straight out of the company, standing on the bustling street, looking around aimlessly. When would this life, where she had no control, ever end?
She couldn't be bothered to care if Qin Tianyi misunderstood. He had already made up his mind, so let him misunderstand to his heart's content. She vowed never to explain anything to such a person again.