The Scheming Ex-Husband's Courtship
Chapter 204 - 193 I Can’t Eat

Chapter 204: Chapter 193 I Can’t Eat

Gu Qili earned her first pot of gold for the day. Although the money wasn’t much, she found joy in it. However, she felt a bit of lingering fear—what if Mu Shuoqian found out she had been using his Maybach for Didi rides? Would he simply cut ties with her?

Gu Qili shivered thrice and had already entered the restaurant through the employee entrance.

After changing into her uniform, she went to wash the glasses.

Kang Hongxiu was not working tonight, so after washing the glasses, she went on to wash dishes.

"Gu Qili, finished washing the glasses? Go reset tables 34 and 22," Guo Jun seemed to be watching her every move. As soon as she had a moment of rest, he would find something for her to do, and Gu Qili had long been used to it.

While she was tidying up table 34, there was an empty bottle of red wine. While disposing of the bottle at the waste station, she took a sniff when nobody was looking. Reynolds said he could identify the vintage and origin of a wine by its scent, but she couldn’t smell anything distinctive despite her attempts.

"Gu Qili, go take the order for table 16," Guo Jun’s voice came once again.

Gu Qili hastily put down the wine bottle and took the menu to table 16.

The French Restaurant was especially busy at night, everyone hurried, yet tried to tread lightly. In such high-end establishments, the ambiance and elegance were paramount, so even in the busiest of times, the staff couldn’t rush about as they might in an ordinary eatery, nor could they speak loudly; a flight attendant’s standard smile had to be maintained at all times.

Gu Qili stopped with a smile in front of table 16, about to speak, and then she froze.

"Qili?" Chen Yishu, seeing her, wore an expression of pleasant surprise that overflowed across his face—he knew she had applied for a job at the Grand Lisboa.

With Chen Yishu were his parents, Chen Jiehui and Yi Yun, whose expressions turned a bit unnatural at the sight of Gu Qili, especially Chen Jiehui, who darkened his expression and was not in the least bit affable.

"Qili," Chen Yishu sized her up, his eyes and brows brimming with laughter, "You look pretty good in this uniform."

Gu Qili felt a bit awkward but still asked with a smile, "Mr. Chen, Ms. Yi, here is the menu."

The restaurant’s policy was to hand the menu to the eldest or most senior person at the table.

She presented the menu with both hands, but Chen Jiehui did not take it, and Yi Yun also looked at her own husband with an awkward expression. Gu Qili’s hands stiffened, suspended in mid-air.

Suddenly, the menu was no longer in her hands; Chen Yishu was flipping through it with interest, casually asking, "Qili, what’s tasty here?"

Gu Qili paused for a moment before recovering, smiling as she introduced, "Our restaurant’s specialties are roasted steak and foie gras."

"I’ve heard you have the best wine in Quanao City."

"If you’d like to order wine, I can have our sommelier come over and make some recommendations."

"No need," Chen Jiehui suddenly stood up, "Seeing her, I’ve lost my appetite."

Chen Jiehui left with those words, and Yi Yun, who always followed her husband’s lead, helplessly shook her head at Chen Yishu and followed suit.

Gu Qili grew even more embarrassed, standing there with a somewhat rigid facial expression.

Chen Yishu seemed unaffected, flipping through the menu before putting it aside, tilting his head to look at Gu Qili, "They’re not eating, good—what time do you get off work?"

"I’m on the late shift today, probably around two or three in the morning."

"Ah, I was hoping we could eat together, is it possible?"

Gu Qili shook her head with a smile, "Of course not, it’s against the rules to dine with customers during work hours."

"Alright then, just order a couple of dishes for me, and no wine—I’m driving."

"Okay, please wait a moment."

"Hold on, let me have another look at the menu," Chen Yishu suddenly called out, halting her. Gu Qili thought he had changed his mind about the dishes and handed the menu back to him.

Chen Yishu glanced casually at the menu, all the while covertly observing the girl standing beside him.

In truth, he didn’t want to eat anything; she would probably not come back if she left with the menu in hand. It had been a long time since he had been this close to her, so long that when he thought of her face and voice,

he knew that her heart wasn’t with him. If she had any feelings for him, they would have surfaced during these four years. Being as intelligent as she is, she would have understood his affection, whether overt or covert. But she never acknowledged it, keeping their friendship intact.

Yet he, unwilling to give up, persisted with this obsession, even though she showed no such feelings towards him.

"Qili," Chen Yishu turned a page of the menu as if asking for her opinion in the view of others.

Gu Qili also sensed that his mind was not on the exquisite menu at all.

She fell silent for a moment before speaking softly, "The Gu Family’s young mistress couldn’t possibly manage the Gu Family’s vineyard properly."

Though her reply seemed unrelated to Chen Yishu’s inquiry, he understood her instantly—that she wished to completely forsake her identity as the Gu Family’s young mistress, starting from scratch at the very bottom.

"Qili, this will be hard on you."

"I know, but it’s alright," she gave him a reassuring smile, "Thank you, Yishu."

"I haven’t done anything."

"Because I know, you support me."

Chen Yishu was momentarily stunned, shook his head helplessly, "You’ve always been decisive and once you set your mind on something, it’s hard to change. What can I do if I don’t support you?"

He spoke half-jokingly, his tone laced with a hint of bitterness, and casually closed the menu, "Let’s have another serving of cream pancakes."

"Don’t you dislike sweets?"

"Suddenly felt like having some."

When the last serving of pancakes was ready, Chen Yishu didn’t touch it, and had it packed up and handed over to the bar counter, where the bartender today happened to be Luan Yi.

After Yishu explained his intentions, Luan Yi agreed with a smile.

But as soon as Yishu left, she tossed the box of pancakes into the trash bin and sneered in her heart, Gu Qili, what makes you worthy of such admiration from a handsome man like that? You only deserve to crouch in the employee cafeteria and eat leftovers.

Gu Qili didn’t have her first bite of dinner until after nine o’clock, after which the restaurant transitioned into a quiet cocktail bar mode, with a bartender preparing drinks on the spot for everyone.

Listening to the soothing music, sipping a cocktail, and enjoying delicious food, many people were having a good time.

Gu Qili was washing glasses behind the bar, and the bartender was mixing drinks not far from her. Although he appeared to be in his thirties and not particularly handsome, his movements were dashing and fluid, inexplicably cool-looking.

Gu Qili carefully washed the glasses while stealing glances at his drink mixing. He placed several vibrantly colored cocktails on the counter, and two foreign women left praising endlessly.

It is said that having just one of his cocktails will make you fall completely in love with it.

In his spare moments, he stood there wiping various colored bottles, seemingly casual, but Gu Qili noticed that from time to time he would cover his stomach with his hand—a spot she was familiar with—the stomach.

Because Mu Shuoqian had a stomach condition, she often carried pain-relieving stomach medication in her bag.

And now, he was sweating from the pain yet still gritting his teeth and bearing it.

Right then, someone sat at the bar and ordered a cocktail. Gu Qili saw him walk over calmly and pick up the mixing tools; his face became particularly focused under the lighting. Despite the unbearable stomach pain, it was as if he had poured his emotions into the drinks and lost himself at the touch of them.

After he finished preparing a cocktail, somebody suddenly called him. A glass with two pills inside was pushed towards him, and he looked up in surprise, only to see Gu Qili smiling radiantly at him.

"Stomach medicine," she said in a low voice, mouthing the words.

He obviously had not expected to have a sudden stomachache, and just so happened to be seen by her.

Perhaps it was the clarity and brightness of Gu Qili’s smile, but he didn’t think twice before pouring some water into the glass and taking the medicine.

Did he really trust her that much? Wasn’t he afraid that the medicine might be harmful?

It wasn’t until the restaurant closed for the night that Gu Qili stretched lazily. She had been busy the whole time and had no chance to feel sleepy. Now that she had relaxed, she felt overwhelmingly tired.

She silently cleared the various utensils in front of her, and once everything was in order, she went to change her clothes.

"Hello," a strange voice called out.

She turned and saw the bartender, who had made it to the end after taking the painkiller she gave him, and his stomach didn’t hurt as much anymore.

"Hello, I’m Gu Qili."

"I’m A-V," he smiled at her, "Thanks for the medicine."

"You’re welcome, it was nothing," Gu Qili asked with concern, "Is your stomach feeling better?"

"Yes, much better. Do you often have stomach pains too? Why do you carry stomach medicine?"

"No, it’s my boyfriend. He has this chronic stomach pain, so I carry stomach medicine in my bag, just in case. I didn’t expect it to come in handy today."

A-V nodded with a smile: "Your boyfriend is a lucky man."

It was the first time that Gu Qili referred to Mu Shuoqian as her boyfriend in front of someone else. Savoring those three words, she suddenly felt a surge of happiness.

"Where do you live? I can give you a lift," A-V offered warmly.

"No need, I drove here."

"In that case, I’ll leave first. Thanks again for today," he said.

After saying goodbye to A-V, Gu Qili changed her clothes and left the restaurant. She was planning to go to the parking garage underneath the business building to get her car, but before she could leave, she ran into Luan Yi.

"Wow, Mu Shuoqian is really willing to leave you out here so late at night. It seems he’s not very attentive to you," she said.

Gu Qili couldn’t be bothered with her and fumbled for her car keys in her bag.

"Don’t be fooled by him standing up for you last time. Just look at how exhausted you are now, and you’ll know what he really thinks of you. What man would let his loved one suffer like this? In the end, you’re nothing but a plaything for the rich. Once his novelty wears off, he’ll leave you to fend for yourself," Luan Yi vented.

Luan Yi had barely finished when they walked out of the restaurant. At three in the morning, Aus City was exceptionally quiet, and the streetlights shone lazily.

Not far away, a Range Rover Evoque was parked. The enchanting man leaning against it, smoking a cigarette, looked as though he stepped out of a painting, enchantingly affecting.

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