Marrying My Ex-Wife's Mortal Enemy (GL) - Chapter 12

“Did you guys see the new policy that just came out?”

“What policy?”

The design department had ten employees in total. Their responsibilities ranged from jewelry design to product packaging and promotional materials—basically, anything that needed designing fell under their scope.

Jewelry design took up most of the workload, and Dou Huan could barely tell who was responsible for what. After Zhou Wei brought her around the office, she only introduced their names—no details on their actual duties.

The one who mentioned the new policy was Liu Xinxing. She looked about twenty-five or twenty-six, had a nice face, and her makeup was skillfully applied—natural and flattering.

At the moment, she was pouting, clearly unhappy. “Why can’t we wear ultra-short shorts at work? I bought a whole bunch for the summer. When am I supposed to wear them now?”

As soon as the policy was mentioned, everyone pulled up the latest employee handbook from the group chat. Sure enough, one clause was highlighted in red: no ultra-short shorts in the office.

Dou Huan: “……”

Wasn’t this a company-wide rule?

So this was something Jing Yu came up with on a whim?

Was she targeting her specifically?

While Dou Huan was still turning it over in her head, the office was already full of grumbling.

Yu Sijiao, who sat across from Liu Xinxing, glanced down at her own ultra-short shorts and her face fell. “I just bought two pairs to show off for my boyfriend. What now—do I have to carry two sets of clothes to work? One for office hours and another for after?”

“What was management thinking? This rule makes no sense.”

Dou Huan had no idea what had gotten into Jing Yu, but she had a hunch it had something to do with her. If she’d known, she wouldn’t have worn shorts today at all.

Hearing the complaints, Miss Lu came out of her office and patted the doorframe. “Keep it down. The policy says no ultra-short shorts, not all shorts. You can wear skirts too, you know.”

With that, the griping stopped, and everyone went back to work.

Miss Lu noticed Dou Huan standing there and walked over. “Getting the hang of things around here?”

“Yeah,” Dou Huan nodded. “Weiwei just gave me a tour, so I know where all the departments are now.”

“Good.”

She gave Zhou Wei a pat on the shoulder, prompting her to stand up with a smile. “Miss Lu.”

“Take Dou Huan with you to Tianyi’s jewelry exhibition tomorrow. Get a sense of other companies’ design styles—see what the competition looks like.”

Tianyi Jewelry…

Isn’t that Chu Li’s company?

Dou Huan blinked in surprise. Before she could react, Miss Lu was already back in her office. Zhou Wei nudged her arm with a smile, “What are you spacing out for?”

“Oh, nothing.” Dou Huan forced a smile. “Weiwei, where should we meet tomorrow?”

“You know where Tianyi is, right?”

She nodded.

“Then let’s meet outside their building. The exhibition is held in the first-floor showroom every year. Save my number and call me when you get there.”

Of course Dou Huan knew where the exhibition was. She was even familiar with the layout of the showroom. She had visited every year.

Whenever she saw something she liked, she’d buy it—not because she needed it, but because it was from Chu Li’s company.

Dou Huan saved Zhou Wei’s number, feeling conflicted. She really didn’t want to set foot in Chu Li’s workplace.

Even if she didn’t run into her, the mere thought was enough to make her stomach twist.

Noticing the hesitation on her face, Zhou Wei asked gently, “Is it inconvenient for you to go there alone? If it is, we can meet here and go together.”

“No, no,” Dou Huan smiled. “I can go by myself.”

She let out a quiet breath. It’s just work, she told herself. She wasn’t going there to see Chu Li. Avoiding her on purpose would only make things weirder.

*****

At lunch, Dou Huan followed Zhou Wei to the staff cafeteria. As expected, Jingtian’s canteen lived up to its reputation—tons of food options at dirt-cheap prices.

She had just gotten her employee card, and her lunch came out to only five yuan. Meat, vegetables, everything—tasty, too.

A meal like this outside would’ve cost at least twenty.

“How does the cafeteria make money with prices like this?” Dou Huan wondered aloud.

Zhou Wei explained, “The company runs it themselves. It’s for the staff’s convenience, not for profit.”

Dou Huan nodded. That made sense.

She was happily eating when she noticed a commotion near the line—staff were making way for someone. She couldn’t see who it was, but she heard someone greet loudly, “Hello, Director Jing!”

She eats here too?

Dou Huan looked up and saw Jing Yu’s cold, expressionless face. She skipped the line and picked up her lunch like she had special privileges.

Jiang Shan followed closely behind as they found a quiet corner to sit.

The employees who had been grumbling about the dress code earlier immediately changed topics, now whispering about Jing Yu.

One obvious fan couldn’t stop staring and gushed to her colleague, “She’s way too good-looking. Honestly, I’m hopelessly in love. Every time I see Director Jing, I start thinking about dumping my boyfriend.”

Her colleague chuckled and glanced over. “Who wouldn’t want a face like that? And she’s loaded too.”

Now Dou Huan understood why Qi Yue had such a big crush on her. Jing Yu wasn’t just pretty—she had the charisma and the money to back it up.

She asked Zhou Wei, “Does Director Jing come here to eat often?”

“Not all the time,” Zhou Wei replied, sneaking a look at her. “But when she does, the girls in the office practically lose their minds. If it weren’t for the setting, some might actually scream.”

“Is it really that intense?”

“She’s good-looking and gentle. Tons of people like her.”

Dou Huan blinked. “Weiwei… you think she’s gentle?”

“Yeah,” Zhou Wei laughed at herself. “I mean, I don’t know what she’s really like, but I imagine she’s the gentle type.”

Dou Huan: “……”

She could only laugh in response. What else could she say?

After lunch, someone came to clear Jing Yu’s tray.

Jiang Shan asked as they walked out, “Director Jing, are you going to Tianyi’s jewelry exhibition tomorrow?”

“What’s on the schedule?”

“In the morning, the manager from He Yu is stopping by. In the afternoon, Director Xiao wants to discuss next month’s jewelry show.”

“We’ll see tomorrow.”

The next morning, Dou Huan arrived at Tianyi Jewelry well before the agreed time—Zhou Wei was still on the subway.

Worried about traffic, she’d driven over early and waited by the entrance.

Checking Zhou Wei’s route from the station, she figured it’d take another fifteen minutes or so.

Bored, she went inside and found a seat on one of the sofas in the lobby.

A while later, she heard footsteps. Turning her head, she saw Chu Li—her sharp features and short haircut giving her an androgynous edge, tall and lean in a smart, tailored suit. Every movement, every word to her assistant, was clean and efficient.

People often mistook her for a man at first glance.

But unlike a man, her eyes still held a certain softness—a kind of feminine allure. Back then, every time she looked at Dou Huan, it made her heart race for no reason.

But now, Dou Huan had no desire to see her at all.

If Zhou Wei hadn’t been right behind them, she would’ve turned around and left already.

When she saw Zhou Wei peeking around the entrance, Dou Huan had no choice but to stand up.

The moment she did, Chu Li’s eyes swept across the lobby. She was just about to look away, but her gaze froze mid-motion and didn’t move.

Dou Huan wasn’t dressed to impress—just like yesterday, plain and simple. But since she wasn’t at the office, she’d worn her ultra-short shorts again.

That student-like outfit pulled Chu Li straight back to their college days. Back then, Dou Huan was a sophomore and Chu Li was in grad school.

Chu Li had just broken up with Tong Yi. She was heartbroken when she met Dou Huan.

And Dou Huan had been like a little sun, full of warmth and energy, chasing after her all over campus. No matter what Chu Li was doing, Dou Huan was always nearby, bringing light to her darkest moments.

Back then, Chu Li used to think she was too noisy—always chattering like a child. But now, she found herself missing those days when Dou Huan was by her side.

Dou Huan didn’t even glance at Chu Li and walked straight toward Zhou Wei. She was afraid Chu Li might greet her first, so she waved at Zhou Wei quickly.
“Weiwei-jie, you’re here?”

As expected, the moment Chu Li heard that, her step faltered mid-stride.

Her assistant, Qin Zhen, glanced at her and then at Dou Huan, reminding her softly, “Miss Chu, President Chu is still waiting for you.”

Meanwhile, Dou Huan had already linked arms with Zhou Wei and was happily heading into the exhibition hall. Chu Li snapped out of her daze and stepped into the elevator with a trace of disappointment in her eyes.

“Go follow Huanhuan,” Chu Li instructed. “If there’s any piece of jewelry she likes, let me know.”

Qin Zhen nodded. “Got it.”

Dou Huan hadn’t expected to run into Chu Li right away, and it instantly put her in a bad mood. Even her enthusiasm for browsing jewelry had dampened.

Zhou Wei, on the other hand, was full of energy. She dragged Dou Huan around to look at various jade and gemstones, explaining different crafting techniques in detail.

Dou Huan knew she was letting her emotions get the better of her. She pinched her arm to force herself to focus and kept listening to Zhou Wei’s “lecture.” Gradually, she found herself becoming genuinely absorbed.

This exhibition by Tianyi Company mainly showcased natural gemstones and jade—rubies, sapphires, emeralds, Hetian jade—nearly 40 to 50 different types, with even more designs and styles.

As she browsed, Dou Huan’s eyes fell on a finely carved Hetian jade bracelet. It was crafted from white jade, with a smooth, lustrous finish and a pure texture that made it pleasing to the eye.

What truly captivated her, though, was the phoenix half-carved into the bracelet. The detailed featherwork made the image vivid and dynamic—it seemed ready to take flight. The craftsmanship was clearly exceptional.

“You like this one?” Zhou Wei leaned in to take a look, then recoiled at the price tag. “Wow, that’s pricey.”

It was so expensive, she couldn’t even entertain the thought of buying it.

Dou Huan did like it—it felt like something her mother, Zhong Yunxin, would appreciate.
But she had no intention of buying it. She had sworn never to buy anything from Tianyi Jewelry again. Looking was enough.

Qin Zhen had been quietly following them. When she noticed that Dou Huan showed no interest in anything—except that Hetian jade bracelet—she took note and reported it to Chu Li.

Chu Li glanced at the price—just over 300,000. Not outrageous.

“Buy it in my name and give it to Huanhuan.”

After wandering through most of the exhibit, Dou Huan lost her enthusiasm. “Weiwei-jie, you keep looking. I’m going to the restroom.”

“Will you be able to find it?”

“I’ll ask someone. It’ll be fine.”

“Okay, then come find me here later.”

“Got it.”

In her past life, Dou Huan had worked for Tianyi Company, so she was very familiar with the layout. After using the restroom, she saw Tong Yi standing just outside, apparently waiting for her.

Dou Huan gave her a quick glance, washed her hands, and walked straight past her.

Tong Yi blocked her path. “If you’re angry about me and A’Li, then I’m sorry.”

She had already spotted Dou Huan in the exhibition hall earlier, but with so many people around, it hadn’t been the right time to talk. So she’d followed her quietly, waiting for this chance.

Dou Huan didn’t even spare her a glance. Her tone was ice-cold. “Move.”

Tong Yi flinched but stepped aside. Still unwilling to give up, she asked, “What would it take for you to get back together with A-Li?”

Dou Huan turned to look at her. “So we can get back together and you two can betray me again?”

Tong Yi opened her mouth. “That’s not it. I just hope you two don’t split up because of me—”

“You think too highly of yourself,” Dou Huan laughed in disbelief. “Because of you? Who do you think you are? Instead of wasting your time bothering me, maybe go cling to your precious A-Li.”

Then something clicked in Dou Huan’s mind. “Wait a second. You’re only here pestering me because Chu Li rejected you, isn’t that right?”

Tong Yi bit her lip. “A-Li and I do have a past. I admit I still have feelings for her. But I never wanted you two to divorce. I didn’t expect you to be so unwilling to accept me.”

Dou Huan honestly began to question her own hearing. Was she really hearing this nonsense?

“So you just wanted to be the ‘other woman.’ But now that I’m divorced, you can’t even be that anymore—and somehow that’s my fault?”

“No, no! That’s not what I meant!”

“Whatever you meant,” Dou Huan cut her off, clearly fed up, “just do me a favor and stay out of my sight. Seriously. You disgust me.”

With that, she turned and walked off. She was afraid if she stuck around, she’d lose control and actually hit her.
And that might be exactly what Tong Yi was hoping for. She wasn’t about to fall into her trap.

The moment Dou Huan exited the restroom, she saw Chu Li standing a short distance away, clearly waiting. She glanced at her coldly and headed straight into the hall.

Chu Li followed and grabbed her arm. “Huanhuan, wait. I have something for you.”

“You two are seriously exhausting!”

It was almost a reflex—Dou Huan shook off her hand.

Fresh from arguing with Tong Yi, she was already on edge. Seeing Chu Li just added fuel to the fire. Only after snapping did she realize how quiet the exhibition had gotten—everyone was watching.

She didn’t want Zhou Wei to come over and witness her drama with Chu Li. That would ruin her whole “ordinary colleague” act at Jingtian.

Calming a little, she lowered her voice and shot Chu Li a glare.
“I don’t want your gift. Give it to Tong Yi and tell her to stay the hell away from me. Thanks!”

“I’ve already cut things off with her. We have nothing going on now,” Chu Li said, holding out a small box. “I saw you seemed to like this bracelet, so I wanted to give it to you.”

“No need.” Dou Huan tried to stay calm, but seeing how cautiously Chu Li spoke made her want to laugh.
“What are you trying to say? That the prodigal daughter’s finally come home?”

“I know the mistakes I made can’t be forgiven that easily, but I mean it when I say I’m trying to change. I’ll prove it to you.”

“There’s no need,” Dou Huan said coolly, her expression calm but resolute. “Chu Li—President Chu—don’t waste your time on me anymore. I won’t forgive you. Not ever.”

That last line hit Chu Li like a knife to the heart. She wouldn’t even fake a hint of forgiveness. That meant she really never would.

Chu Li slowly withdrew with the box still in her hand. She opened it and looked down at the jade bracelet inside, suddenly overcome by a wave of helplessness.

In her 26 years of life, everything had come easily—career, love, success. She always got what she wanted.
But now, she had no idea what to do about Dou Huan.

“President Chu.”

The voice pulled her out of her daze. She turned and saw Jing Yu standing a few steps away. It was unclear how long she’d been there or how much she’d heard.

Chu Li’s face stiffened. “President Jing, when did you get here?”

Jing Yu didn’t hold back. “A while ago. I caught most of it.”

“…”
Chu Li’s expression immediately darkened. “I wasn’t aware you had a hobby of eavesdropping.”

“I usually don’t. But out of concern for my employees, I stayed and listened.”

Chu Li caught the key word. Her brows furrowed. “Employees?”

“You didn’t know?” Jing Yu walked over and tilted her head slightly. “Dou Huan works for Jingtian Jewelry now. She’s here today as part of her learning and development.”

She glanced down at the box in Chu Li’s hand. “That bracelet looks nice. Would you be willing to sell it to me?”

“President Jing,” Chu Li replied coolly, “there are millions of jade pieces in this world. The one in my hand may not be the right one for you.”

“Fair enough.” Jing Yu smiled. “You never know until you try it on. How about we take a look at some jewelry together, if you have time?”

“You go ahead, President Jing. I’ve got other things to attend to.”

Jing Yu had barely made it into the hall when she heard someone calling Chu Li again. She turned and spotted a woman walking toward her from the restroom area. She glanced at her assistant Jiang Shan.
“Do you know who that woman is?”

“I’ll get someone to look into it right away.”

“Did I say I wanted her investigated?”

“Then… what do you mean?”

Jing Yu’s gaze shifted to Dou Huan, who was now standing with Zhou Wei, looking at some gemstones—still wearing those signature short shorts. She raised an eyebrow.

“Look into that woman. Know your opponent, win the war.”