Chapter 17: He No Longer Belongs to Her

After work, Yao Shan returned home. Pei Qizhou was still not there, which surprisingly lifted her spirits. At this moment, she truly did not want to face him.

“Madam, young master won’t be coming home today,” the housekeeper said awkwardly, looking at Yao Shan.

“Alright,” Yao Shan nodded. She didn’t care at all where Pei Qizhou had gone; whether he returned or not was utterly inconsequential to her.

“Miss Xu is unwell. The young master took her to the hospital, and the little young master went along,” the housekeeper continued, feeling it necessary to inform Yao Shan.

Upon hearing this, Yao Shan’s heart tightened involuntarily. Oh, so he was accompanying Xu Miao to the hospital. She smiled bitterly to herself.

“I see,” she nodded and went back to her room.

The night grew deep, and the room felt empty.

Around two in the morning, sounds came from outside the door.

“Qizhou, I’m really fine,” came Xu Miao’s voice, tinged with a playful tone.

“The doctor said your hypoglycemia is severe. Why won’t you eat properly?” Pei Qizhou’s voice was full of concern.

Of course, he had no idea that Xu Miao had brought on her hypoglycemia herself. She deliberately starved herself just to make Pei Qizhou feel sorry for her.

Lying in bed, Yao Shan listened to their conversation through the door, her heart a tumult of emotions. She had thought she could face Pei Qizhou and Xu Miao’s relationship with equanimity, but reality only brought pain.

She closed her eyes, trying to block out the voices, but Xu Miao’s laughter and Pei Qizhou’s caring words kept piercing her ears.

The next morning, Yao Shan rose early, determined not to let anyone see her distress. She ate breakfast simply and hurried off to work.

At the company, she busied herself as much as possible, hoping to divert her thoughts through work.

Pei Qizhou was busy in his office, his focus on the Xinghe Group project undiminished despite the previous night’s events.

The Xinghe Group project was not particularly important to the Pei Corporation. However, with Yao Shan involved, Pei Qizhou took it more seriously.

“Notify Manager Zhang to come to my office,” Pei Qizhou told his assistant. He needed to discuss project details to ensure everything proceeded as planned.

Upon receiving the message, Manager Zhang quickly gathered the relevant materials and went to Pei Qizhou’s office.

The two engaged in an in-depth discussion about the project’s progress and potential risks. Pei Qizhou acknowledged Zhang’s work but emphasized strict quality standards.

Meanwhile, Yao Shan worked diligently, avoiding direct contact with Pei Qizhou as much as possible, though she knew she could not entirely avoid him given their shared project.

She focused more intently on her responsibilities, determined to demonstrate her professional capabilities.

“Yao Shan, Pei Corporation wants you over there,” her manager said, approaching her desk.

Though she didn’t know what the matter was, she had received the summons.

Yao Shan’s heart quickened. Taking a deep breath, she tried to steady her emotions.

She knew that this visit to Pei Corporation would likely mean facing Pei Qizhou again, but she told herself to remain calm and professional.

“All right, manager, I’ll get ready now,” Yao Shan replied, swiftly tidying up her work before heading to Pei Corporation.

“I’ll accompany you,” her manager said.

She valued the cooperation with Pei Corporation highly. While she trusted Yao Shan’s abilities, the sudden call from Pei Corporation still unsettled her.

Together, Yao Shan and her manager arrived at Pei Corporation. Though nervous, Yao Shan maintained her professional composure.

They were led to a spacious conference room, where Pei Qizhou was already waiting.

“Please, have a seat,” Pei Qizhou gestured to them. His expression was serious, but a subtle, almost imperceptible concern shone in his eyes.

This was the manager’s first time meeting Pei Qizhou; previously, she had only liaised with Manager Zhang.

“Good day, President Pei,” she greeted respectfully.

“Miss Yao, do you lack confidence in yourself? Why bring someone along?” Pei Qizhou’s gaze fixed on Yao Shan.

Yao Shan was momentarily taken aback; she hadn’t expected him to directly address her hesitation.

Taking a deep breath and striving to remain composed, she answered, “President Pei, I just thought having the manager present would facilitate communication on project matters.”

Pei Qizhou nodded without pressing further and moved straight to the point.

“We have discussed the Xinghe Group project many times, but today I want to hear your team’s latest ideas and progress.” His tone carried undeniable authority.

Yao Shan exchanged a glance with her manager and began their report.

They detailed the current status of the project, including completed and upcoming tasks, as well as challenges faced and solutions proposed.

Pei Qizhou listened intently, occasionally asking questions or offering suggestions.

The meeting lasted nearly an hour. Pei Qizhou acknowledged the team’s work but also pointed out several areas needing improvement.

A knock came at the conference room door; it was Pei Qizhou’s assistant.

“President Pei, Miss Xu has arrived,” the assistant whispered into Pei Qizhou’s ear.

Though the voice was low, Yao Shan heard it clearly.

Her heart skipped a beat. So Pei Qizhou had already brought Xu Miao to the company.

They had been married for so many years, yet she had never been there.

Meanwhile, Xu Miao was well known among his company’s staff.

It was truly laughable.

Yao Shan fought to control her emotions, unwilling to let anyone see her unease.

She knew this was not the time to act on feelings; she must remain professional and composed.

“Please wait here; I need to handle some personal matters,” Pei Qizhou said to them.

He had not expected Xu Miao to show up at this moment.

After Pei Qizhou left the room, Yao Shan and her manager sat silently.

Yao Shan lowered her head, saying nothing.

“It’s my first time meeting President Pei in person. He’s much more handsome than in videos,” her manager said with a gossiping smile.

Yao Shan smiled faintly but said nothing.

Indeed, Pei Qizhou was flawless in appearance—standing 1.88 meters tall and excelling in every way.

Only, he no longer belonged to her.

Pei Qizhou entered the lounge where Xu Miao was seated on the sofa, leisurely holding a book.

Seeing him enter, Xu Miao smiled.

“What are you doing here?” Pei Qizhou asked, a trace of surprise in his voice.

“I just wanted to see you and bring you some food,” Xu Miao said, pointing to an exquisite box of pastries on the table.