Chapter 19

Yang Chen, who was going to exit Yu Lei and head to his car, was in an elevator.

The elevator stopped, as somebody was going to enter.

As the elevator doors opened, the person who was shown was a beautiful woman, in a light purple outfit. This woman was none other than Liu Mingyu.

When Liu Mingyu saw Yang Chen inside the elevator, she was surprised as she didn't expect him to be here, making her stand in the entrance.

As the doors were starting to close, Yang Chen stopped it before asking, "You getting on?"

Liu Mingyu slightly blushed in embarrassment, before quickly getting on the elevator.

As the two were waiting for their stop, there was silence as you can only hear the elevator music.

Lui Mingyu kept glancing at Yang Chen while thinking, 'Why is he here? When I brought up this man, this morning to Qianni, she looked annoyed so I didn't pursue the matter.'

Suddenly, the elevator doors opened and Yang Chen stepped out since this was the floor he needed to get off at.

Liu Mingyu seeing Yang Chen's back as the elevator doors were closing, was struggling inside while thinking, 'Why didn't I start up a conversation when I had to?! Now he's leaving!'

Liu Mingyu suddenly stopped the door from closing, as her eyes were resolute while thinking, 'No, I haven't even thanked him yet!'

"Excuse me?", Liu Mingyu asked as she was making her way to Yang Chen.

Yang Chen turned around and replied, "Yes?"

"Would...you like to have lunch together?", Liu Mingyu asked with a bit of nervousness before she added, "I would like to thank you for helping me, that day."

Yang Chen thought for a bit 'Well, I was going for lunch right now by myself but why not.', before replying, "Sure."

Liu Mingyu was a bit glad, he didn't reject her invitation.

Yang Chen who was looking at Liu Mingyu noticed, she had slight dark circles under her eyes and said, "I'll drive."

Liu Mingyu found it quite weird since she was the one that invited him but still nodded.

When they made it inside Yang Chen's car, Liu Mingyu was a bit surprised, "You must be a rich young master, to own a car like this."

Yang Chen couldn't refute her as she was sort of right, he was probably the richest person on earth right now before replying, "This isn't my car."

Liu Mingyu was confused before asking, "Then who's car is this?"

Yang Chen turned to Liu Mingyu and casually said, "It's my wife's car." before thinking, 'I know, I can buy or create a car whenever I want, but there are literally a dozen cars in Ruoxi's garage that she will probably never use.' 

When Liu Mingyu heard this, she felt a tinge of pain in her chest as she thought, 'So he's married...what am I even thinking, I have a boyfriend.'

Bitterness displayed in Liu Mingyu's eyes as she remembered her boyfriend before she shook her head, while a forcing smile and said.

"Congrats."

Yang Chen didn't continue the subject and nodded before asking, "So, where are we going for lunch?"

"There are several good restaurants, toward Famous Road." Liu Mingyu said, a bit exhausted. 

"You know, If you're tired we can reschedule for another day." Yang Chen said as he noticed Liu Mingyu's drowsiness.

Liu Mingyu felt a little warmth flowing into her heart as she heard Yang Chen's consideration.

Liu Mingyu smiled a bit before replying, "No it's okay, I'm more hungry right now anyway."

Yang Chen nodded and started the car, to head to their destination.

When they both made it to the restaurant, they sat down and ordered their food.

As they were waiting for their food, Liu Mingyu suddenly realized, that they don't know each other's names yet and became a little embarrassed. "Sorry for not introducing myself earlier but my name is Liu Mingyu." 

"No problem, my name's Yang Chen."

Liu Mingyu was a bit surprised when she heard his name and said,  "What a coincidence, you have the same name as the CEO of the new tech company I keep hearing about in the news."

As Yang Chen was about to respond to Liu Mingyu, the server returned back with their food.

While the two were eating with some small talk, a woman entered the restaurant with two men following right behind her.

"Hmm, well look who we have here. If it isn't Miss Liu having an appointment, with yet another man." The woman said playfully as she tried to spite Liu Mingyu.

When Liu Mingyu saw who was speaking, she frowned before she stood up with a flowery smile and said, "But isn't Miss Wang in the same boat, moreover with two men instead of one."

As the two were openly opposing one another, Yang Chen just continued eating his food without saying anything.

The woman who was named Wang Yue then looked at Yang Chen who was eating and shot a disdainful look before she gave a charming smile.

"My name is Wang Yue, may I know how to address you." Wang Yue asked Yang Chen while she extended her hand for a handshake.

Yang Chen didn't respond or get up from his seat and continued eating his food, ignoring her completely.

Liu Mingyu giggled at how Yang Chen treated Wang Yue.

Wang Yue seeing Yang Chen ignore her and hearing Liu Mingyu's giggle had veins popping on her forehead as she was furious but didn't let her charming act slip up.

"Well Miss Liu, I guess your friend here isn't much of a talker, is he?" Wang Yue asked while controlling her anger.

"It's understandable, considering he doesn't like female dogs." Liu Mingyu said innocently to Wang Yue.

Wang Yue couldn't contain her anger anymore and stomped her feet before leaving the restaurant with the two men following behind her.

When they were gone, Liu Mingyu couldn't stop herself from laughing while Yang Chen chuckled.

When Liu Mingyu finished laughing, she then turned to Yang Chen and said with a smile, "Thank you."

"For what?" Yang Chen asked a bit confused.

"That day, if you hadn't stopped that man when you did, then I would've been..." Liu Mingyu couldn't finish as she started shivering slightly as she thought of the worst.

"Sigh...Is that why you haven't been sleeping properly?" Yang Chen sighed before asking seriously.

Liu Mingyu looked down and didn't respond but she didn't deny it either. Ruoxi even gave her time off from work to recuperate but she didn't accept. Liu Mingyu didn't want people to think of her as just some victim who's been traumatized after the incident so she chose to keep coming to work acting fine, but because of her decision she's been sleeping less and starting having nightmares from that day.

"Every day for the past few years, I've always been first in performance but people always think I use my body or something like that to gain more clients. Why can't they think that for the past few years I've been working myself to the bone just to earn that position?" Liu Mingyu was looking down as she said this, as her eyes started turning red.

As Liu Mingyu continued, Yang Chen got up from his seat and walked toward Liu Mingyu.

"You would probably think the same if you were in their shoes, that I would sleep with clients just to steal other people's customers..." Liu Mingyu, who had tears flowing down from her eyes while looking down, suddenly saw Yang Chen's feet so she looked up.

Yang Chen who arrived in front of Liu Mingyu raised his hand and flicked her forehead, of course with little to no strength.

"Ow! Why did you do that?!" Liu Mingyu asked angrily while rubbing her forehead.

"How stupid." Yang Chen said to Liu Mingyu, making her confused.

"Huh?"

"Why would you need to care for whatever other people think of you? They're not you, never been you, and never will be you so who cares what they think. They are probably jealous and envy you for what you have achieved and besides, what really matters is what you think of yourself. As long as you know that you have tried your hardest and it has paid off, then you should be happy, no? I mean I think it's great that you've achieved what you did, with hard work."

When Liu Mingyu heard this she felt warmth flowing in her chest. She then giggled as she found this situation a bit funny, her being the older of the two but still be the one who acts like a child.

Liu Mingyu then wiped her tears before smiling beautifully and saying, "Maybe you're right, and I do need to be happier for myself."

Yang Chen smiled a bit before they both returned to eating their food.

It didn't take them long to finish their meal since Liu Mingyu was still feeling a little sleepy which Yang Chen noticed so they both left the restaurant.

Yang Chen then decided to sent Liu Mingyu to her apartment.

When they got to her apartment, Liu Mingyu was struggling to say something before she just decided to say it.

"Can we exchange numbers?" Liu Mingyu asked hopefully with a tiny blush before saying, "I feel that I haven't properly thanked you for what you did for me, so I would like to reschedule for another lunch?

Yang Chen didn't think much of it and replied, "Sure."

Liu Mingyu was happy when she heard that and they both exchanged numbers.

After Liu Mingyu got off from the car and headed to her apartment, Yang Chen decided he was going to visit Rose.

Yang Chen then smiled and thought, 'I was going to visit Rose this evening but I'll surprise her and come earlier.'

Suddenly Yang Chen widened his eyes as he felt Rose was in danger so he instantly teleported to her bar.

(AN: I know, I'm not uploading faster but I am stockpiling chapters at the moment.)