Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Fountain Pen

“President Lin, are you trying to steal someone’s prized possession?” Chu Qingzhu, awakened by President Lin’s actions, felt a surge of anxiety and smiled as she stepped protectively in front of Luo Yuan.

Luo Yuan was now her most capable strategist; without Luo Yuan’s advice and planning, she would never have achieved today’s glory. No matter what, she would never let her go!

“Thank you, President Lin, for your kindness. President Chu treats me extremely well; I could never be ungrateful.” Luo Yuan declined with a smile. Just as Chu Qingzhu needed her, she needed Chu Qingzhu as well.

“Hahaha, then I must have been too presumptuous.” President Lin took the rejection in stride, laughing and exchanging a few pleasantries before departing.

“Come, let’s seize this opportunity and I’ll take you to Xingye for a look.” Chu Qingzhu watched President Lin’s car leave, then turned and affectionately hooked her arm through Luo Yuan’s.

“You’ve been diligent and reliable lately. It’s time you were exposed to some of the more important matters, the core secrets. This way, you’ll be able to strategize for me even better.”

“Thank you, President Chu.” Access to confidential information meant she was now a core member. Luo Yuan looked at her with deep gratitude.

Heaven knew how much she yearned to return to her former days after falling so low.

To be admired by all, to shine in the public eye—such was her rightful place.

Xingye Group, President’s Office.

“Are you serious?” Learning they’d secured a partnership with Lin Corporation, Liang Wenru sprang to his feet, gripping Chu Qingzhu’s shoulders tightly, his face alive with excitement.

“Qingzhu, you’re not joking, are you?”

“Of course it’s true!” Chu Qingzhu smiled gently as she handed him the contract.

“Wonderful, wonderful, truly wonderful. Xingye’s crisis is finally saved.” After reading the contract, Liang Wenru pulled Chu Qingzhu into a tight embrace, showering her with praise as if his words cost nothing.

“Qingzhu, having you is the greatest blessing of my life. Rest assured, once this matter is resolved, I’ll marry you into my family as my wife!”

“Wenru, as long as I can stay by your side, that’s enough.” Chu Qingzhu, held tightly by him, wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder, the very picture of gentle dependence.

As the two flirted and bantered, a sudden storm of rumors swept through the capital.

#The untold story of a famous CEO and his lover#
#Shocking! The most handsome CEO’s girlfriend is actually her#
#A CEO’s daily romance!#

Such headlines swiftly dominated the top spots on leading websites, with reposts and comments flooding in by the tens of thousands.

Well-known marketing accounts began to reveal—

“This is the girlfriend of Fu Zhichen, President Fu of Fu Corporation. I have proof that they’ve been together for years.”

“Overbearing CEO doting on his wife, sweet daily romance~”

“So even a domineering CEO’s dates are just like ours.”

There were several accompanying photos, mostly candid shots of Fu Zhichen and Fu Yanyue shopping together yesterday, along with a few images from their past outings. The rest were doctored: some showed them as awkward high schoolers, others featured them in wedding attire with matching marriage certificates. The more absurd, the better.

The worst part was that many, oblivious to the truth, actually believed it, echoing the narrative with reposts and comments, screens filled with “I’m obsessed!”

A few netizens, suspecting they might be relatives due to their resemblance, were swiftly silenced by the vast army of shippers.

So now, everyone was invested in this couple—who were meant to be aunt and nephew, but had somehow become lovers in the public imagination. It was utterly absurd.

Such overwhelming public attention reached Fu Corporation at once, and the matter was urgently reported to the President.

Fu Zhichen’s reaction: “???”

He was nearly dumbfounded.

“Remove the trending topic immediately.” His face darkened; he knew if this wasn’t resolved quickly, public opinion would only spiral further out of control.

He had never imagined how fanatical the ‘ship’ fans could be. The momentum was already getting out of hand.

The PR department tried multiple times to remove the trending topic, only to have the fervent fans push it back to the top every time.

“President Fu, it can’t be removed. It’s simply impossible.” After several attempts, the PR director was nearly in tears.

“If it can’t be removed, then clarify the truth as soon as possible.” Fu Zhichen pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming on. He wasn’t worried about Pei Susu misunderstanding; they had talked things out the night before. He was only afraid the escalating rumors would eventually implicate his sister.

But sometimes, what you fear most is precisely what happens.

A spacious conference room, representatives from all sides gathered at the invitation of the partnership organizer.

The organizer sat at the head of the table, while Pei Susu—representing Fu Corporation—sat in the second seat of honor. Across from her were Liang Wenru and Chu Qingzhu, representing Xingye.

Upon seeing them, Pei Susu rolled her eyes inwardly, cursing her luck.

“President Pei!” The pair, oblivious to her irritation, gleefully leaned in.

“You’ve seen today’s trending news, haven’t you? President Fu already has a new flame. As for you, the discarded old love—tsk tsk, about to be abandoned once more!”

“Pei Susu, without President Fu backing you, do you really think you deserve to sit here?” Liang Wenru’s eyes flashed with satisfaction. Daring to divorce him, she deserved nothing but to sink into filthy, stinking mud!

Pei Susu ignored their jeers, closing her eyes and resting her mind.

She had always been clear-headed and calm. She was here today to secure a partnership, not to trade barbs—a pointless endeavor that would only leave a poor impression on the organizer.

Liang Wenru and Chu Qingzhu seemed not to notice that the man at the head of the table was already watching them with growing displeasure.

Fortunately, the meeting began soon enough.

Pei Susu, scheduled to present the project first, was well prepared.

She stood, projected the proposal onto the screen, and began her presentation in an orderly fashion. No matter how Liang Wenru and Chu Qingzhu tried to pick holes, she remained composed, answering every challenge with ease.

By the time her presentation ended—before Liang Wenru could even take the stage with his own proposal—the organizer had already decided to partner with Fu Corporation.

“Excellent, excellent! President Pei’s project aligns perfectly with our interests. I’ve decided to partner with your company!” The organizer stood up with a smile, ignoring Liang Wenru’s dark expression, and proactively extended his hand to Pei Susu.

“I trust you won’t regret your choice.” Pei Susu smiled politely, shook his hand, and signed the contract.

“Wait!” Just as she was about to leave, a loud voice stopped her in her tracks.

“President Chu, is there something you need?” Pei Susu turned, raising an eyebrow, her eyes full of amusement.

She had thought these two connivers would slink away like cowards, but their current antics were much more entertaining.

“You—you—you—” Chu Qingzhu, frustrated that Pei Susu had snatched away Xingye’s hard-earned opportunity, wanted to call her out and mock her. But with the crowd’s attention now focused on her, panic set in, and she blurted, “She stole my limited edition fountain pen!”

Swish—

All eyes instantly locked on Pei Susu, who merely smiled faintly. Her clear gaze showed not a trace of anger or panic at being accused of theft—only the same calm detachment as if she were looking at a stray cat or dog.

“Hand it over, you thief!” Liang Wenru, embarrassed by her composure, grew furious and tried to grab her.

But before he could touch her, his wrist was seized by a slender, well-defined hand, and a cool, indifferent male voice sounded by his ear.

“President Liang, are you trying to bully my general manager in my absence?”