After Faking My Death, My Iceberg Ex-Wife Went Crazy for Me - Chapter 11

Monday morning meetings were a routine affair, their content as predictable as the sunrise. They consisted of either empty platitudes that went in one ear and out the other, or technical sharing sessions that no one expected the interns to pay attention to.

Geng Xiaoxiao’s gaze followed the movement of the meeting pen, her thoughts already drifting far beyond the clouds.

What does Ye Ling want to see me about?

And since her message didn’t specify a time, when would be the best time to go…?

Earlier? Would I run into someone giving a work report?

Later…? Would that be too late?

Lost in her thoughts, Geng Xiaoxiao heard the meeting adjourn. She stood up to leave, but Xiao Miao swiftly pulled her back down.

A sharp pain shot through Geng Xiaoxiao’s side, and her face paled slightly.

Unaware of her discomfort, Xiao Miao whispered in her ear, “The leader wants us to stay behind. Where were you going?”

“I was daydreaming,” Geng Xiaoxiao mumbled, tugging at the hem of her shirt.

The meeting attendees filed out in small groups, the door closed again, leaving only Leader Chen Ruhong, Geng Xiaoxiao, Xiao Miao, and one other colleague in the conference room.

Without using a projector, Chen Ruhong leaned forward, her hands braced on the table. “You’ve all heard about Project Echo, right?”

Echo’s concept trailer had been released last month, with the official launch projected for two years from now. The success or failure of this project would determine Mo Yuan Technology’s strategic focus for the next five years.

Seeing the three employees nod in unison, Chen Ruhong continued, “Good. Then I won’t go into too much detail. You should all know that Echo’s core concept is to use technology to replace the person each of us can’t forget, to fill the void of regret.”

“Last week, we made significant progress with Echo. We can now input models. The higher-ups want each department to select a few people to train the system using our internal staff’s data first.”

“Your voices are all quite suitable. Would any of you be interested in participating? It’s not mandatory.”

The three employees exchanged glances but remained silent.

Chen Ruhong didn’t press them. “Alright, I’ll give you time to consider. If you’re interested, come see me after work tonight to sign a confidentiality agreement. We’ll schedule audio recording sessions in the studio for tomorrow or the day after. Understood?”

“Understood,” the three nodded.

Leaving the conference room, Xiao Miao tugged at Geng Xiaoxiao’s sleeve. “Xiaoxiao, are you going to participate?”

“I’m still undecided,” Geng Xiaoxiao replied.

“I’m torn,” Xiao Miao said. “It sounds like fun, but feeding my own data to the model feels… weird. Ugh, I forgot to ask Sister Chen about bonuses. But since we’re signing NDAs, there should be some kind of ‘hush money,’ right?”

“Maybe.”

With these brief exchanges, the two reached their workstations and settled into their work for the day.

As Geng Xiaoxiao typed code, sharp pains occasionally shot through her hip. Glancing down, she noticed small bloodstains seeping through her beige pants.

She had checked in the restroom earlier, removing her pants to examine the injury. It seemed she had been grazed by a car that morning. A half-finger-wide bruise stretched from her left waist down to her hip, with faint traces of bl00d seeping from the surface.

The fabric of her pants was also scuffed, but thankfully her long top completely concealed the damage.

She hadn’t felt any pain immediately after the injury, but now even the slightest movement made her wince.

This couldn’t continue. Should she ask Aunt Zhang to bring over a loose-fitting dress?

But on weekdays, neither she nor Ye Ling came home for lunch. By this time, Aunt Zhang might already be resting at home…

After a moment’s hesitation, Geng Xiaoxiao picked up her phone and opened her chat with Ye Ling.

At 11:30 AM, Geng Xiaoxiao quietly left her workstation and slipped into the elevator.

As lunchtime approached, it was common for employees to sneak out early for food or to slack off in the break room. Her absence went unnoticed.

When the elevator reached the top floor, the doors opened. Geng Xiaoxiao peered out cautiously before stepping out.

President Ye’s assistant, Meng Lianqiu, stood in the hallway. Seeing Geng Xiaoxiao approach, she gestured politely. “Miss Geng, President Ye is expecting you.”

Within Mo Yuan Technology, besides the two involved parties, Meng Lianqiu was the only one who knew the true nature of Ye Ling and Geng Xiaoxiao’s relationship.

Geng Xiaoxiao nodded without ceremony and pushed open the door to the President’s office.

Ye Ling’s office reflected her minimalist style, dominated by black and white with strategic accents of sapphire blue. The lowered blinds dimmed the sunlight, creating an atmosphere of profound tranquility.

“I thought you wouldn’t come until the afternoon,” Ye Ling said, looking up from her computer without a trace of emotion in her voice.

“I couldn’t find a suitable opportunity,” Geng Xiaoxiao replied, pressing her lips together. “Did you need something?”

“It’s nothing major, just a small misunderstanding,” Ye Ling said, tilting her chin toward a corner. “Since you’re injured, go change in the lounge first.”

“Okay,” Geng Xiaoxiao replied. She turned to face several identical doors, her steps faltering.

This was Geng Xiaoxiao’s first time in Ye Ling’s office, so she naturally didn’t know the layout.

Should she ask? But she was late, and Ye Ling seemed a bit annoyed…

Geng Xiaoxiao surreptitiously glanced over her shoulder, only to meet Ye Ling’s gaze unexpectedly.

She blurted out, “Which room is it?”

“What?” A flicker of confusion crossed Ye Ling’s eyes before dawning into understanding.

Geng Xiaoxiao watched as Ye Ling rose and approached. As they brushed past each other, cool fingers gently pressed against her wrist.

The touch was feather-light.

Ye Ling led her to a door and said, “This one. Go in.”

“Okay,” Geng Xiaoxiao nodded.

The door closed behind her. Geng Xiaoxiao first drew the curtains before turning to examine the neatly folded, plain-colored dress on the sofa.

It was a pale linen hue, the fabric slightly wrinkled but soft to the touch.

A disposable pair of underwear had even been provided. After double-checking the door and windows, Geng Xiaoxiao carefully removed her pants, avoiding her injury.

In the dim light, she glanced down at the wound. The bruise had deepened to a frightening purple, but the bleeding had stopped.

Satisfied, Geng Xiaoxiao crossed her arms and gripped the hem of the dress. As she pulled it over her head, she distinctly heard the click of the doorknob turning.

Struggling free of the neckline, she clutched her chest and glanced back.

The door remained firmly shut. The sound must have been her imagination.

After changing her clothes, Ye Ling remained seated behind her desk.

Geng Xiaoxiao tentatively asked, “Did anyone come by earlier?”

“No,” Ye Ling replied, her expression unchanged. “Come here. Let me check your injury.”

Geng Xiaoxiao’s cheeks flushed. “Do you really need to see it?”

Ye Ling raised an eyebrow, as if to say, Why would you even ask? “Even though it was just friction through your clothes, we still need to disinfect it.”

Only then did Geng Xiaoxiao notice a small bottle of povidone-iodine solution on the desk.

Hesitating for a moment, she walked over to Ye Ling and slowly lifted her skirt, pinching the hem.

This wasn’t the first time she had bared herself before Ye Ling, but never before had it been in broad daylight, and never before had it been so deliberately half-revealed, half-concealed.

Her cheeks burning crimson, Geng Xiaoxiao pulled her skirt up to her waist. With a determined bite of her lip, she yanked it down without looking, exposing half of her rounded, upturned bottom.

Ye Ling’s hand froze mid-reach for the cotton balls. She instinctively turned away.

“Isn’t the injury on your waist?” she asked.

Geng Xiaoxiao’s voice was barely audible, her face flushed crimson. “This area… is a bit awkward to mention.”

So she had told a little lie, and then…

“I can do it myself,” Geng Xiaoxiao insisted.

“It’s not convenient,” Ye Ling replied flatly.

In a few breaths, Ye Ling regained her composure. The faint flush on her earlobes remained hidden beneath her hair, barely noticeable.

She pinched a cotton ball between her slender thumb and forefinger, soaked it in iodine, and gently pressed it against the bruise.

“It seems like it’s already starting to scab over,” Ye Ling remarked.

The faint warmth of her breath brushed against Geng Xiaoxiao’s skin, like a feather lightly grazing her heart.

Geng Xiaoxiao hummed in acknowledgment, then asked, “You still haven’t told me why you wanted me to come see you this morning.”

“It’s nothing,” Ye Ling said, her gaze fixed straight ahead. “I saw you clutching your stomach earlier. Since your period isn’t due for a few more days, I thought it might be irregular or that you were having cramps. I happened to have some medicine in the office.”

She hadn’t expected it to be an injury.

“How did this happen?”

Geng Xiaoxiao answered truthfully, “A car ran a red light while I was crossing the crosswalk. I almost got hit—hiss!”

The pressure on the wound suddenly increased, causing Geng Xiaoxiao to gasp sharply.

“Consider this a lesson,” Ye Ling said.

Ye Ling tossed aside the cotton, pulled out a wet wipe, and cleaned her fingers. “You nearly got into a car accident on a stretch of road less than five hundred meters long, Geng Xiaoxiao. Don’t tell me you’re trying to claim worker’s compensation.”

“It was an accident…”

Geng Xiaoxiao straightened her clothes and was about to say more when a sudden knock interrupted her.

Meng Lianqiu’s voice called out, “President Ye, it’s almost time for your appointment. Should we leave now?”

“Just a moment,” Ye Ling replied loudly, then turned to Geng Xiaoxiao. “I have a lunch meeting to attend. You can go home now. If you’re not feeling well, take the day off and rest.”

“There’s no need for a day off. I’ll just head out now. You go ahead and get busy.”

Geng Xiaoxiao muttered and left.

Ye Ling watched her retreating figure until it disappeared, a subtle curve of amusement tugging at her lips, unnoticed even by herself.

She rose and went to the lounge. Geng Xiaoxiao’s discarded clothes lay neatly folded on the chair, tucked into a corner.

Ye Ling exhaled softly, recalling the accidental glimpse she’d caught earlier. A fleeting flicker of desire flashed through her eyes.

No, she’s injured.

From now on, I’ll arrange for a driver to pick you up and drop you off.

Ye Ling folded the clothes and turned to leave.

“Check the surveillance footage from 8:50 AM to 9:00 AM this morning on Fengyuan Road between the intersection and the company. A car ran a red light and nearly hit someone. Find it.”

“Understood.”

Recalling Geng Xiaoxiao’s behavior earlier, Meng Lianqiu immediately realized she was the person who had been nearly hit.

It seemed her relationship with Ye Ling hadn’t fractured after all. Would the female companion for tonight’s banquet be changed?

Meng Lianqiu cautiously asked, “President Ye, should I arrange a gown for Miss Geng for the Su Family’s birthday banquet tonight?”

“Xiaoxiao?” Ye Ling frowned. “She has no connection to the Su Family. Did she even receive an invitation?”

“I’m not sure about that,” Meng Lianqiu replied, lowering her head.

Ye Ling’s eyes flickered, and she immediately understood what Meng Lianqiu was thinking. “Lianqiu, you’ve been by my side for five years. You should know which matters are none of your concern.”

“My apologies, President Ye,” Meng Lianqiu said, bowing even lower.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”