Chapter 83: Reunion

Qin Miaoyu and Xu Xiaoqi exchanged glances, deciding they would talk to Pei Yixue about the matter later. However, since Xiaoqi had just discussed recruitment with Pei Yixue, this issue could wait for now. After all, they were all in the studio, and any developments could be quickly communicated.

What Qin Miaoyu hadn’t expected was that Pei Yixue’s assistant would take the initiative to approach her.

“President Qin, let me show you around the studio. I arranged everything together with Sister Yixue, so I’m familiar with every detail.”

Qin Miaoyu’s expression was neutral, neither pleased nor displeased. She simply instructed the assistant to begin the introduction.

The studio’s layout had been decided by the three of them together, so there was little that Qin Miaoyu found unsatisfactory. The only thing that irked her was the painting hanging on the wall behind the reception desk.

She pointed at the painting and asked, “Who chose this piece?”

“President Qin, I did. It’s one of Master Ball’s representative works—”

“Chen, Pei must have told you—I don’t like Master Ball’s paintings. Why did you specifically select one of his signature pieces?”

During their travels, Qin Miaoyu never stopped painting, so both Xu Xiaoqi and Pei Yixue knew her preferences well. Pei Yixue would certainly have emphasized not to hang any of Ball’s paintings, yet this assistant, Chen, dared to defy instructions?

Just as Xiaoqi had said, he really was bold…

Assistant Chen immediately admitted his mistake. “I’m sorry, President Qin. I thought most people wouldn’t dislike Master Ball’s work, so I chose one to hang.”

Qin Miaoyu cared little for his explanation, pointing at the painting, “Replace it at once.”

With that, she lost interest in the tour and went straight back to her office.

Not long after, Pei Yixue knocked and entered, apologizing on behalf of Assistant Chen.

“Miaoyu, Xuan Yu didn’t mean it. I’ve already spoken to him, and he promised there won’t be such oversights in the future.”

Qin Miaoyu looked at Pei Yixue and asked, “Why didn’t he come to apologize himself?”

Pei Yixue replied innocently, “You asked him to change the painting, so he went to do that. He said if I apologized to you, it would show more sincerity.”

Qin Miaoyu nearly laughed in exasperation. This Chen Xuan Yu was quite something—he made a mistake and thought having his supervisor apologize would be more sincere…

She didn’t want to wait any longer. “Yixue, now that Xiaoqi and I are back, you don’t have much to keep busy with. There’s not much for an assistant to do, so his skills won’t be put to use. Why don’t you ask him which area he’d like to work in, and we’ll adjust his role accordingly?”

Pei Yixue considered it. “That makes sense. With you two back, I don’t need to worry about the studio anymore. Xuan Yu really doesn’t have much to do—it would be a shame not to use his abilities. I’ll ask him later.”

Seeing Pei Yixue take her suggestion in stride, Qin Miaoyu felt relieved.

At noon, the three went to a nearby restaurant for lunch.

According to Pei Yixue, it was the best place she’d eaten at recently, frequented by people from the upper circles who wanted to try something new.

To make conversation easier, Pei Yixue had reserved a private room.

Before the dishes arrived, Xu Xiaoqi asked, “Why didn’t you bring Assistant Chen along?”

Pei Yixue blinked in confusion. “It’s a sisters’ lunch, why would we bring him?”

Xu Xiaoqi and Qin Miaoyu exchanged another glance, their eyes lighting up with relaxed smiles.

The private room didn’t have a restroom, so Qin Miaoyu went outside. After washing her hands, she encountered someone both expected and unexpected in the corridor.

She hadn’t seen Lu Qi’an for a long time—not face-to-face, anyway. Online, there had been plenty of reports about him recently. It seemed the Lu Group might be expanding into new industries, as the Lu family, who rarely appeared in media, had started to show up more often in interviews and news.

Sometimes, when scrolling through her phone, she’d catch a glimpse of news about Lu Qi’an. And when Pei Yixue told her the studio’s location after it was finalized, she realized the Lu Group headquarters was nearby.

Seeing the person he’d longed for suddenly appear before him, Lu Qi’an nearly thought he was hallucinating.

It had been a long time since they last met—the previous time was in Yu City.

He had gone there on business, and suddenly remembered the travel plans he’d once made with Qin Miaoyu, which included Yu City's famous mountain. He happened to have time, so he went hiking—and, by chance, ran into her at the foot of the mountain.

That day had made him very happy. They climbed and descended together.

He’d thought it was fate, so every time he visited a city from their travel plans, he made a point of visiting the sites they’d chosen.

But after that, he never encountered Qin Miaoyu again.

“Miaoyu, it’s been so long!” Lu Qi’an tried to hide the excitement and tremor in his voice.

Qin Miaoyu replied with a smile, “Lu Qi’an, it truly has been a while!”

“When did you return to Jing City?”

“Just yesterday.”

“Oh, so you spent the past year traveling?”

Qin Miaoyu nodded, “And did a few things I’m interested in along the way.”

Lu Qi’an managed a smile. “That sounds great. Are you here having lunch with friends?”

“Yes.”

“Let me walk you back,” Lu Qi’an offered.

Qin Miaoyu gestured to the private room nearby. “No need, our room is right here.”

“All right, then I won’t intrude on your meal.”

With that, Lu Qi’an left first.

After lunch, the three went to settle the bill, only to be told their tab had already been paid.

“Could you tell us who covered our bill?” they asked.

“A gentleman named Lu paid for it.”

Qin Miaoyu immediately knew who it was.

“Let’s go—it’s someone I know.”

Pei Yixue was full of curiosity. “Miaoyu, is there something going on?”

Qin Miaoyu shook her head. “Just the Mr. Lu I married by agreement. I ran into him in the corridor after coming back from the restroom.”

Pei Yixue understood. “So it’s that Mr. Lu. What’s his full name?”

She had heard Qin Miaoyu mention her marriage twice, but had never asked his name.

“Lu Qi’an.”

“What? Which Lu, which Qi, which An?”

“Lu as in the character for ‘six,’ Qi as in Qilian Mountain, An as in ‘peace.’”

“That’s—wait—that’s the name of President Lu of the Lu Group!” Pei Yixue looked at Qin Miaoyu in disbelief.

Qin Miaoyu was perfectly calm. “Yes, the current President Lu.”

“Oh my god! Miaoyu, you actually married Lu Qi’an! Incredible—you managed to win him over!”

Qin Miaoyu shrugged. “It’s just a contractual marriage. In less than half a year, we’ll be divorced.”