Chapter 62: The Flower-Tinted Lipstick

Wen Jiu found Gu Zehuai’s awkward demeanor rather endearing. On a whim, she rose on tiptoe and planted a kiss on his lips. Just as she was about to lower herself and stand upright, Gu Zehuai was a step ahead—he hooked an arm around her waist, pulling her close, and lowered his head to capture her lips in a kiss.

Wen Jiu tried to struggle, but Gu Zehuai squeezed the soft flesh at her waist, coaxing, “It’s still early, we won’t be late.”

She stopped resisting, letting him have his way.

It was a long while before Gu Zehuai finally released her, leaving Wen Jiu breathless in his arms. He took a moment to straighten her clothing, which had gotten rumpled.

With a note of playful grievance in her voice, Wen Jiu complained, “It’s all your fault. I just put on fresh lipstick and now it’s smudged.”

Gu Zehuai laughed, admitted his mistake with a smile, and began to coax her.

The two of them headed downstairs together. Once they reached the underground garage, each made their way to their own car.

Gu Zehuai watched Wen Jiu get into her car before heading for his own vehicle.

After saying their goodbyes, they drove off to their respective companies.

All morning, Wen Jiu was busy revising her design drafts. With the project nearing completion, only a few details remained to be adjusted.

Once she received the client’s confirmation of satisfaction, Wen Jiu decided to have lunch with Xie Meng.

They chose a restaurant close to the office. After Wen Jiu finished ordering, she sent off several messages. Xie Meng, curious, asked, “Jiujiu, are you in a relationship?”

It was a casual question, but Wen Jiu nodded seriously, a hint of shyness in her answer: “Yes. It’s only been a few days.”

After offering her congratulations, Xie Meng didn’t pry further—everyone valued their privacy.

Wen Jiu sent a message to Gu Zehuai, letting him know she’d be eating out, and reminded him to have his lunch on time before putting her phone away to focus on chatting with Xie Meng.

The wait for their food wasn’t long, and the two chatted about work and daily life—they had plenty to talk about.

When the meal was finished, they picked up their bags and prepared to return to the office together.

On the walk back, Wen Jiu received a call from Li Lian.

“Designer Wen, there’s been a notice from above. This afternoon, there’s a site visit to evaluate the design of a shop in the mall. Can you make it? If not, I’ll have Xiao Han go instead.”

Having just wrapped up a project, Wen Jiu wasn’t busy and agreed to go.

Xie Meng, overhearing, shared her own experiences and insights from the last two site visits once Wen Jiu had accepted.

Wen Jiu made note of them all and thanked Xie Meng.

After lunch break, Wen Jiu donned her work badge and drove to the mall.

The mall was an investment of the Gu family, with several Jingyan stores inside, though their target audiences and sales strategies were differentiated.

This ensured that people from all walks of life could afford to shop.

Wen Jiu began her inspection on the first floor. The boutiques there offered a full range of evening gowns in diverse styles, meeting the needs of the average consumer for special occasions, yet suitable for day-to-day wear as well.

As she ascended to higher floors, the gowns grew more expensive, and the styles trended toward high-end luxury.

Wen Jiu used her tablet to record commonalities and distinctive features among the dresses.

Only the store managers had been informed of the inspection; the staff, seeing Wen Jiu’s badge, could guess her purpose.

They did not disturb her, focusing on assisting other customers.

Wen Jiu gave them a friendly smile as she passed.

Just as she stepped into the last shop, she spotted a familiar face—Xu Xinying.

Xu Xinying clearly noticed her as well.

Wen Jiu offered only a polite nod before entering the store from another direction.