191: Great joy and great sorrow are only a thought away

The next morning, sunlight, like a golden veil, gently streamed into the room through the thin curtains.

Scattered light and shadows intertwined on the floor, creating a dreamy pattern and bathing the entire space in a warm glow.

Gu Xiaoxiao slowly awoke from her sleep, caressed by the soft daylight.

Her eyelashes, like butterfly wings, fluttered gently, and she slowly opened her eyes.

A hint of sleepiness still lingered in her gaze, tinged with a touch of bewilderment and haziness.

Her eyes were like a clear lake, with the morning light scattering across its surface, creating shimmering ripples.

She instinctively reached out beside her, wanting to touch that familiar warm body, but her fingertips only met the cold bedsheets.

Her movement suddenly froze, and she instantly became wide awake, sitting up abruptly.

The bed was empty; Lu Chen was nowhere to be seen.

A flicker of almost imperceptible disappointment crossed Gu Xiaoxiao's face; her slightly downturned lips and the fleeting look of dejection in her eyes all spoke of her current loss.

She sat quietly by the bed, her gaze hollow as she stared out the window; the sunlight fell on her, but it couldn't dispel the faint melancholy in her heart.

However, soon, Lu Chen's tenderness from last night resurfaced in her mind.

His smile, his gaze, and his heartfelt response were like the warmest sunlight in spring, dispelling the gloom in her heart.

Her lips unconsciously curved upwards, and a sweet glow reappeared in her eyes.

She thought to herself that this was a good start, indicating that Lu Chen was gradually beginning to accept her again.

All the past misunderstandings and pains would become the foundation of their relationship, making their future more steadfast.

She got up and began to dress.

Her movements were gentle and slow, with an innate elegance.

She first picked up the white shirt, shook it open gently, and slowly slid her arms into the sleeves.

The collar of the shirt was slightly open, revealing her fair, jade-like collarbone, which seemed to emit a soft glow under the sunlight.

The delicate lines of her collarbone, like a meticulously carved work of art, exuded a unique kind of sensuality.

Next, she put on a black mini-skirt.

As she bent down, her long, straight, jade-like legs were fully revealed, her skin as delicate and smooth as snow.

Her small, exquisite feet, when adorned with high heels, made her figure appear even more graceful.

Every movement was like a silent dance, exuding charm and allure in every gesture.

After getting dressed, she opened the door and stepped out.

At the same time, Chen Mengyao also just opened her door, rubbing her sleepy eyes as she emerged.

Chen Mengyao's hair was a little messy, with a few strands casually falling on her cheek, yet it added a touch of cuteness to her.

She was wearing a pink cartoon pajama, adorned with cute bear patterns, looking very playful.

She wore a pair of white stockings on her legs, which further highlighted their fairness and slenderness, radiating youthful vitality.

In a great mood, Gu Xiaoxiao's face was beaming with a radiant smile, and she proactively greeted Chen Mengyao: "Morning, Mengyao."

Her voice was clear and pleasant, with a cheerful tone.

Chen Mengyao heard the voice, paused slightly, and looked up at Gu Xiaoxiao.

She was a bit surprised, not expecting Gu Xiaoxiao, who was usually rather quiet with her, to initiate a greeting.

However, she quickly reacted and responded with a smile: "Morning, Xiaoxiao."

Her smile was pure and innocent, and her eyes curved into crescent moons.

Gu Xiaoxiao noticed the dark circles under Chen Mengyao's eyes and asked with concern: "What's wrong? Didn't you sleep well last night?"

She frowned slightly, her eyes full of worry.

Chen Mengyao nodded with a troubled expression, sighing as she said: "Yes, last night there seemed to be a kitten meowing outside the window all night, and I couldn't sleep. I'm a very light sleeper; I can't have any noise, or I find it hard to fall asleep."

As she spoke, she shook her head helplessly.

Upon hearing this, Gu Xiaoxiao's face instantly flushed, like a ripe tomato.

Her cheeks were burning hot, as if she could feel the blood rushing rapidly beneath her skin.

She nervously turned her head away, not daring to look into Chen Mengyao's eyes, feeling a little guilty.

She whispered: "I have to go to work."

As she spoke, her voice trembled slightly, and her fingers unconsciously clutched at the hem of her clothes, appearing very nervous.

Chen Mengyao paused in a dazed, innocent way, seemingly unaware of Gu Xiaoxiao's abnormality.

She blinked, nodded, and said: "Okay."

Her eyes were clear and innocent, making one unwilling to suspect if she had noticed anything.

Gu Xiaoxiao hurried towards the elevator as if fleeing, and pressed the button.

While waiting for the elevator, her heart was still pounding, and her mind kept replaying the events of last night.

She worried that Chen Mengyao had already guessed something and feared that her thoughts would be seen through.

The elevator doors opened, and she quickly stepped inside, leaning against the elevator wall, letting out a long sigh of relief.

She looked at her reflection in the elevator, a faint blush still lingering on her face.

She tidied her hair, trying to appear more composed.

She silently told herself to let go of past burdens and cherish the opportunity to start anew with Lu Chen.

The elevator reached the first floor, and she walked out of the building; the sun outside was still bright.

She took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh morning air, and her mood gradually calmed down.

She walked with light steps towards her car, ready to start a new day of work.

On her way to the company, Gu Xiaoxiao's thoughts were still immersed in the events of last night and this morning.

She thought of Lu Chen, of their future, and her heart was filled with anticipation.

She decided to work even harder, to let Lu Chen see her changes, and to let their relationship re-blossom with brilliant splendor.

Soon, Gu Xiaoxiao arrived at the company.

As she walked into the company, she felt her steps were exceptionally light, as if she had returned to those carefree and beautiful times of the past.

A sweet smile hung on her face, a smile like a blooming flower in spring, radiant and charming.

Colleagues around her cast curious glances, clearly drawn by her joyful demeanor.

A female colleague, with whom she usually had a good relationship, walked quickly to her side, her face full of curiosity, and asked with a smile: "Xiaoxiao, why do you look so good today? You seem to be glowing."

The female colleague's eyes were full of inquiry, and her lips curled slightly, with a hint of teasing.

Gu Xiaoxiao smiled softly, a happiness she couldn't hide hidden in her smile, and replied: "Maybe I've just been in a better mood recently."

Her voice was light, with a touch of playfulness, and as she spoke, she unconsciously tilted her head slightly, her eyes sparkling with a bright glow.

The female colleague raised an eyebrow, then teased: "Oh, this isn't like you. Could it be that you're hiding something good from us? Is it about President Lu?"

As the female colleague spoke, she leaned closer to Gu Xiaoxiao, her face showing an expression of "I knew it."

Gu Xiaoxiao's cheeks flushed slightly, as if her secret had been revealed, and she gently glared at her colleague, chiding: "You, you just love to guess. There's not that much going on."

Although she said this, her smile grew even brighter, and the shy blush spread from her cheeks to her ears, as if speaking of the sweetness in her heart.

Afterward, Gu Xiaoxiao took the exclusive elevator to her office door.

As soon as she thought of seeing Liu Ruyan next, her mood was instantly clouded, but overall, the joy in her heart still predominated.

She took a deep breath and pushed open the office door.

What first came into view was indeed a woman's figure; however, the next moment, Gu Xiaoxiao's steps suddenly halted.

Because she discovered that this woman was not Liu Ruyan, but a strange yet seemingly familiar back.

The woman had a slender figure, and a cascade of long, dark, lustrous hair fell down her back, every strand seemingly shimmering with a sheen.

Her facial features were soft, and her skin was as fair as snow, like a meticulously carved jade.

She wore a well-tailored white business suit; the fitted top perfectly outlined her slender waist, and a knee-length pencil skirt was paired with it, just right to showcase her elegant demeanor.

Every gesture she made exuded confidence and composure, making people involuntarily turn their heads.

Gu Xiaoxiao was stunned, her face filled with shock, and she blurted out: "Yu Miaoyin, why are you here too?"

Her voice carried a hint of disbelief, her eyes fixed intently on the woman in front of her, her brows slightly furrowed, as if she was trying to process this unexpected scene.

Yu Miaoyin heard the voice and looked up.

The moment their eyes met, both women froze.

Yu Miaoyin also looked at Gu Xiaoxiao in surprise, feeling as if the person in front of her was familiar, but she couldn't recall who it was at the moment.

She stood up, her lips curving into a polite smile, and softly said: "Hello."

Gu Xiaoxiao, however, couldn't smile; her gaze quickly swept the room, discovering an additional desk, which was the one in front of Yu Miaoyin.

The situation was self-evident: Yu Miaoyin was going to work here.

Thinking of this, Gu Xiaoxiao felt a pang of bitterness in her heart; a trace of disappointment and worry flashed in her eyes.

She couldn't help but wonder if this meant her position in Lu Chen's heart was going to decline again?

Her fingers unconsciously clutched at the hem of her clothes, her knuckles turning white from the force, and her expression became somewhat complex, with both an uneasiness about the future and a deep concern for this relationship.

Gu Xiaoxiao suppressed the surging bitterness in her heart, forcing a smile as she greeted Yu Miaoyin: "Hello, we'll be colleagues from now on."

Her voice trembled slightly, and even she could detect the unnaturalness in it.

Yu Miaoyin, with a friendly smile in her eyes, said: "So you're the other colleague in this room; it's a pleasure to meet you. I've heard for a long time that the work environment here is very good, and I hope we can cooperate happily in the future."

Her tone was cheerful, every word seemingly carrying the warmth of spring.

Gu Xiaoxiao took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down, and asked: "May I ask what your relationship with President Lu is? Why does he want you to work here? Aren't you a singer?"

Her eyes were fixed on Yu Miaoyin, not missing any change in her expression.

Yu Miaoyin paused slightly, then her lips curved into a sweet smile, her face flushing slightly, like peach blossoms just opening on a spring branch, shy and captivating: "Because I'm his girlfriend."

As she spoke these words, her eyes were filled with happiness and sweetness, as if she possessed the whole world.

Upon hearing this, Gu Xiaoxiao felt as if a bolt from the blue had struck her; all her previous happiness and anticipation instantly shattered like bubbles.

Her face instantly turned pale, her once bright eyes lost their luster, and her gaze became hollow and bewildered.

Her lips trembled slightly, wanting to say something, but she found her throat seemed to be blocked, unable to utter a sound.

Yu Miaoyin keenly noticed the change in Gu Xiaoxiao's expression and couldn't help but sigh, thinking that this was another infatuated woman who liked Lu Chen.

She didn't bear much ill will towards Gu Xiaoxiao; in her opinion, she had already made her stance clear, and the other party should understand and no longer harbor unrealistic fantasies.

She thought to herself, love is sometimes like this, some rejoice and some grieve.

Yu Miaoyin lightly coughed, breaking the somewhat awkward silence: "By the way, I'm not very familiar with some of the work procedures. Would you mind explaining them to me?"

Her tone was sincere, and her eyes were full of a plea for help.

Gu Xiaoxiao came back to her senses; despite her inner turmoil, years of professional etiquette still made her unconsciously nod: "O-okay."

Her voice carried a slight catch, but she still tried to keep her tone steady.

She began to explain the work procedures to Yu Miaoyin in detail, every step, every precaution, trying to make it as clear as possible.

During this process, her hand unconsciously gripped the armrest of the chair, her knuckles turning white from the effort, her fingernails almost digging into her palm.

For the rest of the day, Gu Xiaoxiao was like a lost soul, distracted and out of sorts.

She mechanically handled the work at hand; the words on the documents became blurred shadows in her eyes.

When colleagues spoke to her, she only responded vaguely, completely immersed in her own pain, unable to extricate herself.

Finally, quitting time arrived, and Gu Xiaoxiao listlessly packed her things.

Just then, Lu Chen's familiar figure appeared at the doorway.

For an instant, a glimmer of light flashed across Gu Xiaoxiao's face, and hope reignited in her eyes; she instinctively stood up, her lips curling into a slight smile.

However, the next second, Lu Chen walked directly to Yu Miaoyin and said gently: "Miaoyin, it's quitting time. I'm here to pick you up."

Upon hearing these words, the light on Gu Xiaoxiao's face instantly vanished, becoming dull and lifeless.

Her lips trembled even more violently, and her eyes gradually became moist; she lowered her head, not wanting others to see her vulnerability.

Yu Miaoyin smiled happily, walked quickly to Lu Chen's side, and intimately linked her arm through his: "Have you been waiting long? Let's go."

Her voice was clear and cheerful, forming a stark contrast to Gu Xiaoxiao's current despondency.

Lu Chen and Yu Miaoyin left side by side, their figures appearing exceptionally sweet in the afterglow of the setting sun.

Gu Xiaoxiao watched their departing backs, and tears finally welled up, streaming down her cheeks, falling to the ground, dampening a small patch of the floor.

She stood there blankly, the surrounding commotion irrelevant to her; in her world at that moment, there was only endless pain and loss.