Hearing Ming Yutong's words, Ming Yuqian immediately took it seriously.
No matter what happens, Ming Yutong shouldn't be upset, especially not because of himself!
"Alright, alright, alright," Ming Yuqian quickly promised, "I'll appropriately cut back on a few deals."
Ming Yutong stood up and urged him to go rest, "How much work do you have today? Give me some of it. If you don't have any social events tonight, don't work overtime. Go home and rest early."
Ming Yuqian was reluctant but agreed under Ming Yutong's insistence.
He went back to the office with Ming Yutong, sorted out some less time-consuming tasks, and handed them over to her.
Ming Yutong initially wanted to lighten his load, but seeing him like this, she had no choice but to let it be.
She thought she would take it slow.
Her body couldn't be adjusted in the short term; it would take several years. She couldn't let Ming Yuqian bear all the pressure alone.
She had to find a way to persuade him not to carry it all by himself.
After personally seeing Ming Yuqian off to his small break room in the office for some rest, Ming Yutong returned to her own office and started working.
***
By the time she got off work in the afternoon, she had helped handle most of Ming Yuqian's tasks and finished just in time.
When she left the company, as expected, she saw Little Jingshi.
But what was surprising was that Fu Yinxiu was not with him.
Perhaps because she had gotten used to him always trying to be around her and cling to her, she felt a bit empty inside when he wasn't there.
Maybe Ming Yutong's feelings were too obvious, as Little Jingshi noticed her unease and smiled, saying, "Hehe, Daddy has a social event tonight and couldn't avoid it. But he said he would come back early."
"..." Ming Yutong was taken aback and said somewhat awkwardly, "I didn't ask about him. Besides, even if he finishes his social event, he'll go back to Langyuan. Whether he comes back early or late has nothing to do with me."
Come back early?
Back where?
This was not his home.
Little Jingshi's words sounded as if they were already living together.
Facing Little Jingshi's knowing look, Ming Yutong felt even more guilty.
Really!
So young, yet so perceptive.
Smart as a whip!
Fortunately, Ming Yuqian came out at this time.
Ming Yutong smiled in surprise, "You don't have to work overtime tonight?"
"No, you handled a lot of things for me today, and there are no clients to meet tonight, so I'll head back with you early." Ming Yuqian said cheerfully, then turned to see Little Jingshi, "Oh, my nephew!"
"Hello, Uncle." Little Jingshi greeted sweetly.
Ming Yuqian looked around and asked with a mix of relief and surprise, "Your dad isn't here?"
Little Jingshi explained again.
Ming Yuqian raised his eyebrows in delight, "Let's go, we'll have dinner at Uncle's house tonight."
The three of them got into the car and left. Not long after, Nie Yalin arrived in a car.
When she stopped, she just saw Ming Yutong and the others leaving.
Nie Yalin, annoyed, retracted her foot and instructed the driver to leave.
On the way, she received a call from a private detective.
Seeing Jiang Lulian's attitude towards Ming Yutong yesterday, she acted quickly, contacting a private detective to investigate Jiang Lulian and Ming Yutong's past.
She had only heard a rough idea of their past and hadn't paid much attention.
After all, who didn't have some emotional history?
If she had to check everything, wouldn't she be exhausted?
Nie Yalin knew that Jiang Lulian had pursued Ming Yutong but didn't take it seriously.
She thought it was just ordinary fondness. If it were true love, how could he give up so easily?
It was just that Ming Yutong seemed suitable and met his standards, so he liked her.
But after seeing Jiang Lulian's attitude towards Ming Yutong in the cinema yesterday, Nie Yalin began to rethink.
Last night, she left angrily, and Jiang Lulian didn't chase after her.
She later learned that not only did he not chase her, but he also went to find Ming Yutong.
This made Nie Yalin feel a sense of crisis.
It wasn't that she loved Jiang Lulian so much. They had only recently been introduced, had been together for a short time, and were still in the stage of mutual exploration and adjustment. It was too early to talk about love.
It was just her pride that wouldn't allow her to break up with Jiang Lulian in this manner.
She could accept that their personalities were incompatible or that their relationship wasn't suitable, and they could part ways amicably.
She wasn't so unreasonable as to insist on being the one to break up with Jiang Lulian.
She wasn't that foolish.
But she couldn't accept that Jiang Lulian was leaving her because of another woman, especially an old flame.
If he couldn't forget his old love, he shouldn't start a new relationship.
If he began a new romance while still pining for another woman, and ultimately broke up with her, then what did that make her?
It felt like she was less important than Ming Yutong.
Moreover, her time had been wasted.
Why should she waste her time with him only to be abandoned in the end?
Nie Yalin couldn't swallow this anger.
So she immediately hired a private investigator to track Jiang Lulian's movements since last night and to investigate the past between Jiang Lulian and Ming Yutong.
Investigating their past was not something that would yield results immediately.
However, Jiang Lulian's movements could be reported at any time.
At this moment, the private investigator informed Nie Yalin that Jiang Lulian had left the company and gone to meet a client.
Nie Yalin acknowledged this and hung up.
Two hours later, she received another call from the private investigator, reporting that Jiang Lulian had gone to a bar.
By then, Nie Yalin was already at home. Upon receiving the call, she grabbed her bag and headed to the bar.
When she arrived, Jiang Lulian was already completely drunk in a private room.
The room was very quiet, isolating it from the noisy music outside.
Jiang Lulian was slumped on the sofa, with empty bottles scattered on the coffee table and floor.
Nie Yalin sneered. She had seen Ming Yutong just yesterday, and today he was already so drunk—he clearly wanted everyone to know he was a lovesick fool!
If he liked her so much, why was he trying to set up a match with her?
Nie Yalin's face darkened as she heard Jiang Lulian muttering, "Yutong, Yutong, I'm sorry... It's my fault..."
Nie Yalin frowned, trying to make sense of his words. Did someone stop them from being together?
"Jiang Lulian!" Nie Yalin tugged at Jiang Lulian's collar.
Even though he was heavily intoxicated and couldn't escape, his weight made it difficult for Nie Yalin to lift him.
She had to bend down and get close to him. "What's going on with you and Ming Yutong? If you like her so much, why are you here on a date with me?"
Jiang Lulian, drunk and disoriented, mumbled incoherently. Nie Yalin couldn't make out his words.
Seeing him like this, Nie Yalin was furious.
Without warning, she slapped Jiang Lulian hard across the face.