Naughty Puppy Will Be Eaten by a Bad Woman - Chapter 21

“Why did you suddenly decide to buy me a scarf?” Gu Xianyue asked Lu Zhao before getting into the car, clearly in a good mood.

Lu Zhao selectively told part of the truth: “Because I thought it would look good on you.”

Of course, the main reason was to break the ice in their increasingly awkward relationship.

Gu Xianyue seemed pleased with this answer, as Lu Zhao noticed a faint curve forming on her thin lips.

While speaking to Gu Xianyue, Lu Zhao pulled her scarf down slightly, revealing her full lips. When she smiled, the corners of her mouth turned up, creating two shallow dimples, and the tip of her nose was red from the cold.

Gu Xianyue’s gaze lingered on Lu Zhao’s full lower lip for a moment before shifting to her perky nose. She resisted the urge to reach out and pinch it. “Aren’t you cold?” she asked. “Your nose is red.”

Lu Zhao tightened her coat. “I’m fine.”

The driver activated the car’s automatic door. Gu Xianyue wrapped an arm around Lu Zhao’s waist, urging her to get in. Through the fabric, she could faintly feel the curve of Lu Zhao’s waist.

“Get in. It’s cold outside.”

Lu Zhao tilted her head back and smiled. “It’s okay, President Gu. I’m not that afraid of the cold.”

Gu Xianyue raised a delicate eyebrow but remained silent, her captivating eyes now devoid of emotion as she calmly observed Lu Zhao.

What did you just call me?

Lu Zhao seemed to snap out of a daze, a hint of guilt in her voice. “Um… Gu Xianyue, let’s get in the car.”

Only then did Gu Xianyue appear satisfied. She circled to the other side of the car and settled into the back seat beside Lu Zhao.

The car glided smoothly into the night.

“You met Lingxi in the war zone before, right?” Gu Xianyue asked casually during the drive.

“Yeah, we briefly crossed paths,” Lu Zhao replied. “We exchanged greetings and then went our separate ways. I don’t think the whole encounter lasted even five minutes.”

“Then how did you write their story?” Gu Xianyue pressed.

“I interacted more with her girlfriend, Connie, at the time. She was the one providing most of the information. President Ling seemed busy with other matters.”

Hearing the word “girlfriend,” Gu Xianyue subtly tilted her head to observe Lu Zhao’s reaction, finding her expression completely natural.

Lu Zhao continued, “They seemed very close. What about you? Did you know them from your school days?”

Lu Zhao met her gaze, her tone as casual as if they were discussing the weather.

Gu Xianyue nodded. “Mm, we met at a gathering once.”

Of course, Gu Xianyue wouldn’t mention that she had met Lingxi and Connie at a lesbian bar near campus.

Back then, Chinese international students frequently organized various gatherings. On one occasion, Gu Xianyue went with her childhood friend Tong Wei, who was studying at a different university in the US. It was there that she met Lingxi and Connie.

Lu Zhao sighed sincerely, “That’s wonderful, having such close friends for so many years.”

Hearing this, Gu Xianyue caught a fleeting trace of melancholy on Lu Zhao’s face. “What about you? Do you have any friends you’ve known for a long time?”

Lu Zhao pondered seriously. If she considered friends she’d known since her school days and maintained contact with…

Lu Zhao’s memory was sharp. Faces flashed through her mind, but few could truly be called friends.

“No, I don’t,” Lu Zhao replied truthfully, shaking her head. “I don’t have many friends, and most of them I met after starting work.”

Gu Xianyue nodded, silently adding points to Lu Zhao’s mental score.

Gu Xianyue knew Lu Zhao’s work history well. The Provincial Television Station was a state-owned enterprise, making it difficult for disreputable individuals to infiltrate.

Good, she thought. A simple, clean social circle with no messy interpersonal relationships.

Lu Zhao, seeing Gu Xianyue’s thoughtful expression, assumed she was pitying her.

She reached out and gently squeezed Gu Xianyue’s wrist. “It’s okay,” she said. “We’re friends now, right?”

A chill ran through Gu Xianyue’s wrist as she glanced down and saw Lu Zhao’s hands, red from the cold.

“Yes, that’s right,” Gu Xianyue replied softly.

She gently clasped the back of Lu Zhao’s hand, then covered it with her other hand. The moment their skin touched, Gu Xianyue felt a sudden, icy chill that gradually warmed.

“We’re friends,” she murmured.

So warming a friend’s hand shouldn’t be too much to ask, right?

No, not at all.

Lu Zhao initially felt a little awkward, but soon she couldn’t bear to let go.

It’s just so warm.

Gu Xianyue warmed Lu Zhao’s hand the entire way.

Gu Xianyue had booked a revolving buffet restaurant with Western, Japanese, and Chinese cuisine. The diverse selection meant Lingxi could choose whatever she liked without Gu Xianyue having to worry about her preferences.

Lingxi, completely unaware of Gu Xianyue’s plan, was overwhelmed by the sight of freshly sliced sashimi and made-to-order Chinese dishes. Having grown accustomed to bland Western food abroad, she was so moved she couldn’t speak, immediately piling plate after plate.

Gu Xianyue was clearly a regular, as even the duty manager greeted her warmly. She told Lu Zhao, “There are some lighter dishes over there that might suit your taste.”

Lu Zhao smiled sheepishly, pressing her lips together. “You’re treating me again?”

Gu Xianyue picked up a plate and began filling it with food. “It’s no problem. I’m a shareholder in this restaurant, so meals are on the house.”

Lu Zhao: “……”

Well, then.

The three finally settled at a table.

Lingxi watched as Gu Xianyue effortlessly sat beside Lu Zhao, directly across from her.

Lingxi: “……”

Not even pretending anymore, huh?

Lu Zhao ate sparingly as usual. The two cups of coffee she’d had earlier seemed to have further diminished her appetite.

Noticing Lu Zhao’s lack of appetite, Gu Xianyue summoned the duty manager and whispered a few instructions.

Moments later, a waiter glided over carrying several small, gilded porcelain bowls.

“Good evening. These are our chef’s special offerings for today: ancient-style millet and sea cucumber soup, and bird’s nest stewed with pear. Please enjoy.”

Lingxi, who had long been subjected to bland Western cuisine, her eyes lit up. “Impressive, Xianyue! You really know how to treat a girl.”

Lu Zhao took a spoonful, sighed contentedly, and smiled. “Delicious.”

Gu Xianyue smiled, her eyes filled with undisguised affection as she looked at Lu Zhao. “As long as you like it.”

Lingxi: “……”

She lowered her head, pulled out her phone, and opened her chat with Connie, sending a crying emoji.

Dear Connie, I miss you.

Due to the time difference, it was already late at night where Connie was, but she replied instantly.

What’s wrong, darling? Did you see Gu and Lu? Are they doing okay?

Lingxi glanced at the two women across from her, laughing and leaning close together.

They’re… doing great.

After finishing their meal, they began discussing business.

“Recently, I contacted patients who had surgery at Shengye through a patient forum and discovered these.”

Lu Zhao pulled a tablet from her bag and opened the files.

The screen displayed several X-ray images, along with the patient’s surgical and treatment records.

Lu Zhao explained, “This patient’s joint damage wasn’t severe enough to warrant an artificial joint replacement. Based on the treatment records, I strongly suspect Shengye induced them to undergo surgery.”

Gu Xianyue and Lingxi, both industry insiders, quickly grasped the implications of Lu Zhao’s explanation.

Lingxi examined the X-ray carefully and nodded. “That’s right. The cartilage shows mild wear, but conservative treatment should have been sufficient. And… Reporter Lu, how old is the patient?”

Lu Zhao replied, “26 years old.”

Lingxi rested her chin in her hand. “Artificial joints have a limited lifespan and may require multiple revision surgeries. For such young patients, doctors typically recommend joint-preserving procedures… But Shengye…”

Gu Xianyue understood immediately. “Shengye’s joint design forces patients to use only their proprietary tools and consumables. Even for revision surgeries, the funds flow back to them.”

A flicker of disdain crossed Lu Zhao’s eyes. “Exactly. According to the patient’s recorded evidence, the operating hospital would say things like, ‘If you use third-party screws, we won’t be responsible.'”

Gu Xianyue raised an eyebrow. “There’s reason to suspect Shengye is ‘collaborating’ with certain hospitals, offering doctors hefty commissions to prioritize their joint implants, even when other brands might be more suitable for patients’ specific conditions.”

Lingxi clicked her tongue. “Tsk, that basically confirms it. What a shady operation. A company like this trying to expand internationally? Not a chance.”

Lu Zhao’s fingertips rhythmically tapped the edge of the tablet. “But if we want to deal them a serious blow, this evidence isn’t enough. There’s still room for public opinion to turn against us.”

Lingxi swiped through Lu Zhao’s tablet a few more times. “Wait… am I seeing this right? The implants are already expensive, but how are the replacement parts so ridiculously overpriced too?”

Gu Xianyue nodded. “Exactly. These screws and washers… they’re not even imported consumables, yet they’re selling for tens of thousands of yuan. It doesn’t make sense.”

Lu Zhao added, “They claim it’s ‘domestic high-end titanium,’ but judging by the wear-and-tear rates reported in patient support groups, that doesn’t seem to be the case. If we could get our hands on the price list for these consumables and their specific origins, that would be ideal.”

Lingxi’s eyes twinkled as she said with a mischievous grin, “I have a way.”

Lu Zhao’s eyes lit up. “Please tell us.”

Lingxi glanced at the two women sitting across from her, a mischievous idea suddenly forming. She turned to Lu Zhao and said, “Call me ‘Sister,’ and I’ll tell you.”

As expected, Gu Xianyue’s face immediately darkened.

Before Lu Zhao could respond, Gu Xianyue interjected, “I think it would be best if Ms. Connie were involved as well.”

Lingxi immediately backed down. “No, no, no! She’s too busy.”

Lu Zhao would never dare to call Lingxi “Sister” in front of Gu Xianyue. She had learned her lesson several times over, knowing how much Gu Xianyue despised her boundary-crossing behavior. She simply took Lingxi’s remark as a joke.

Lingxi quickly sobered up, knowing she was under her wife’s thumb and wouldn’t risk further provocation.

According to Lingxi, Lingkang had been a foreign partner Shengye had been desperately trying to win over. Sheng Huaixing had traveled all the way to Lingkang’s headquarters to negotiate a deal, but he had insisted on smoking cigars indoors, filling the room with suffocating smoke. When a polite receptionist asked him to stop, he harassed her instead, making lewd remarks that drove the young woman to tears.

Upon hearing this, Connie had casually rejected the collaboration, citing some flimsy excuse.

Hearing this, Gu Xianyue recalled Sheng Huaixing’s late-night visit and frowned. “No wonder the smell was so awful.”

Lu Zhao picked up on this immediately. “You’ve met him?”

Gu Xianyue nodded, unwilling to elaborate.

Lu Zhao considered for a moment, then laid out her plan with clear logic. “If he’s someone we know, things will be much easier. At the International Medical Summit, we can…”

As Lingxi listened, she grew increasingly excited. Lu Zhao’s plan was bold yet practical.

Gu Xianyue listened intently, occasionally offering supplementary suggestions.

Once they had finalized their strategy, the group rose to leave.

Two rows of waiters bowed in unison as they saw them off.

Lu Zhao was now accustomed to such displays.

“I should head back now… Hmm? Xianyue, your driver hasn’t arrived yet?”

Gu Xianyue took the car keys from a waiter. “She had something come up and left early.”

After a pause, she added to Lu Zhao, “Get in. I’ll drive you home.”

Lu Zhao nodded and obediently climbed into the car.

Lingxi stared in disbelief.

Gu Xianyue’s intentions were as clear as day—her motives practically leaping off her face.

So, she just wanted some alone time with Lu Zhao and sent her driver home early? “Something came up,” indeed!

This roundabout approach was exhausting just to watch.