Jing Meng gave a sly smile and, after a moment of thought, lowered her voice intentionally. "Shiyi has rather... intense tastes. Every time I see him, he mentions how much he misses the smell of stinky tofu. Once, I even saw him standing by the road with a large serving, eating away. Honestly, it was the first time I'd seen a CEO of his standing go for something like that."
Stinky tofu?
Jenny felt her world being turned upside down. She looked at Jing Meng with a mix of suspicion and doubt, trying to catch a flicker of deceit in her expression. But Jing Meng's look of feigned disbelief was so convincing that most of Jenny's doubts vanished, though she didn't quite believe her entirely.
Jing Meng had no intention of explaining further to address Jenny's skepticism.
She glanced at her watch, signaled for the waiter, and tucked the cash into the menu folder. After offering a polite word of thanks, she walked out of the cafe with her head held high.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Jenny looking lost in thought. A mischievous smirk played across Jing Meng's lips; she was dying to see what kind of face Shiyi would make when this play reached its climax.
In the realm of science, theories are eventually proven right or wrong. Jing Meng had expected to wait a few days, but she didn't realize she would see Jenny again the very next day.
And at a banquet, no less!
Shiyi had invited her to a gathering where the guests were of equal social standing, yet everyone had to show respect to the Pei family. Consequently, those around Shiyi also held Jing Meng in high regard. After a few rounds of drinks, Jenny finally made her late entrance and with her came the pungent, nose-stinging scent of stinky tofu.
In an instant, the thick aroma of stinky tofu permeated the entire private room. The guests couldn't help but furrow their brows, instinctively distancing themselves from her.
A blunt woman spoke up in disgust, "I say, Jenny, did you fall into a septic tank? You smell like a cesspool..."
As soon as she finished speaking, she actually began to gag from the stench.
Seeing someone call her out so publicly, a flash of coldness crossed Jenny's eyes, though she maintained a gracious smile. "You've all misunderstood. This is the scent of stinky tofu, not a cesspool."
The other woman gagged a few more times before finally coming to her senses. Seeing the way Jenny looked at her as if she were some uncultured peasant a fire ignited in her chest.
"I certainly didn't expect a young lady from a prestigious family to enjoy street food," she said, before nudging the person next to her as if remembering something.
"No wonder you said you never ran into Miss Jenny at high end restaurants. It turns out she..." She paused for effect. "Has been eating at roadside stalls this whole time?"
The person she nudged hadn't expected to be dragged into it and could only offer Jenny an awkward smile.
Faced with the provocation, Jenny gave a cold snort.
"I've always loved stinky tofu. It's one thing if you people don't know how to enjoy life, but to forbid others from enjoying it? That's pure jealousy." Forcing down the rising nausea in her stomach, Jenny shoved a piece of stinky tofu into her mouth.
Jing Meng watched the scene clearly from the side. She had to admit, Jenny was quite the actress. Despite being obviously revolted to the extreme, she managed to project an image of pure culinary bliss. It was truly impressive.
Jing Meng didn't even need to fan the flames. The people nearby had already reached their limit. They gathered by the door, gasping for fresh air. "Jenny, don't go around telling people we're friends. I'm afraid people will think we all like eating 'crap' too!"
Sarcastic laughter erupted from the crowd, and Jenny's face burned with humiliation. Just as she felt she might die of shame, a suitor who had been pursuing her jumped in to defend her. "Are you all just bored, or do you like meddling in other people's business? Does it hurt you what she chooses to eat?"
He wasn't Shiyi, so the others felt no need to give him face. One person retorted bluntly, "Of course it hurts us! Can't you see we've all been dragged into the septic tank with her? We're covered in the stench!"
The scene turned unbearably awkward. Jenny pinned all her hopes on Shiyi, believing him to be a fellow "lover" of stinky tofu. But all she saw in his eyes was the same look of utter revulsion. She panicked instantly.
"Shiyi..." Jenny took an involuntary step toward him.
Shiyi frowned as he looked her over, then shifted his gaze to Jing Meng. "If you're feeling uncomfortable, we can go out for some air."
Jing Meng raised an eyebrow in surprise.
She hadn't expected Shiyi to notice her small movements. Catching Jenny's fury-filled glare, Jing Meng gave a provocative smile. "Alright!"
As the crowd watched Shiyi lead Jing Meng away from the banquet, the whispers grew louder. Jenny finally realized that she had been completely played by Jing Meng.
Seeing the disgusted expressions of the guests, Jenny clenched her fists, the hatred for Jing Meng deepening in her heart.
Jing Meng, I will make sure you learn the price of making a fool of me!
Time slipped through their fingers, and in the blink of an eye, a month had passed since Jing Meng entered the Pei Family Laboratory.
After the initial adjustment period with the team, Jing Meng had quickly returned to her former peak working state, immersing herself entirely in the project.
Though her schedule was packed, she felt a profound sense of satisfaction. This single minded devotion to a project was the life she knew best.
In contrast to her busy schedule, Shiyi was living a life of leisure. With a large bath towel wrapped around his waist, his robust physique was on full display. It was no wonder so many women were mad for him; it wasn't just his handsome face.
He picked up a towel from a chair and gently dried the water from his hair, standing by the window to watch the servants bustling about outside.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Shiyi pulled on his bathrobe and said in a cold voice, "Come in."
The door opened, and a bodyguard in a crisp suit walked in. He relayed Pei Chuxiong's words with stiff formality. "The Master says that since it is rare for you to have time off, he would like you to join him for a game of chess."
Every time Shiyi returned to the Pei Family Ancestral Home, he was dragged into several rounds of chess by Pei Chuxiong. Over time, he had grown accustomed to it.
"I'll be right there," Shiyi replied casually. He selected a casual tracksuit from the wardrobe and changed. After quickly reviewing the recent events in his mind, he made his way toward the study.
The study was arranged in a quiet, elegant style. Pei Chuxiong was sitting on the sofa, wearing gold rimmed reading glasses and poring over an ancient book.
"Dad." Shiyi sat down directly across from him. Glancing at the ancient book in his father's hands, he said with a faint smile, "What? Have you finally figured out how to solve the endgame from our last match?"
🚨 Note: Consider supporting this story on Patreon.com/kleinmoretti to access 100+ advance chapters and 2 new chapters daily! (Full story bundles also available without a subscription).