When the female supporting role has a beauty system

Chapter 1235 Qiao Mai of the 1970s 3
Qiao Mai didn't take meeting Gu Jingyue to heart. He was just a neighbor. As for what Gu Jingyue said about him being transferred here for work, Qiao Mai didn't care at all.

The company is now entirely under Qiao Wenting's control, and Qiao Mai won't be involved in anything else; she doesn't have the ability to. Right now, she just wants to focus on researching and perfecting her pastry shop.

She was busy in the kitchen that day when the front desk staff came to her and said, "Manager, someone is looking for you outside. He says his name is Guo Jiantao."

Qiao Mai paused, and the buttercream flower was immediately squeezed crooked. She smiled and used a spatula to smooth off the buttercream flower: "Okay, tell him to wait two minutes. I'll finish this cake before I go out."

The little girl left, and Qiao Mai composed herself, finishing the cake in front of her. After placing it in the pastry display case, Qiao Mai took off her apron and went to the lobby.

Tan You is known for her straightforward approach to things. Although it's a pastry shop, it's decorated to the standards of a coffee shop. The shop is nearly 200-300 square meters, and the privacy is exceptionally well-maintained.

Because of its good quality and reasonable prices, this place is always packed. People choose to come here for business meetings, dates, blind dates, and so on.

Right now, sitting by the window is a familiar face—her ex-husband, Guo Jiantao.

Looking back on her past life, she always wanted to divorce Guo Jiantao when she was young. Unfortunately, she couldn't raise the children well on her own after the divorce, so she kept putting it off until both children got married.

She finally wanted a divorce then, but Guo Jiantao absolutely refused. They were both over sixty at the time, and couldn't reach a conclusion about who was right or wrong, so life just went on in a muddled way.

But she was ultimately unwilling to accept it. Seeing others' happiness and looking back at herself, she was truly resentful. Why should others be so happy while she had to toil away like this? They were both women, so why did she have to suffer so much while others were so fortunate?

Qiao Mai's expression kept changing, but in the end she sat down in front of Guo Jiantao.

"How did you come?"

Guo Jiantao glanced awkwardly at Qiao Mai across from him. In his eyes, his ex-wife was a dazzling and unapproachable figure. He never expected to meet her again in this setting.

“Wen Shan went home yesterday,” he hesitated for a moment before asking, “I heard you handed the company over to Wen Ting? Wen Ting is still young, can she shoulder such a heavy responsibility?”

Qiao Mai raised her eyebrows, her expression strikingly similar to Tan You's: "If she can't take the responsibility, then Guo Wenshan can?"

“That’s not what I meant,” Guo Jiantao hurriedly waved his hand. “I’m not trying to scheme against your company. That’s your company, it has nothing to do with us. Wen Shan just misunderstood things, and I’ve already told him off.”

Qiao Mai looked at Guo Jiantao and suddenly felt incredibly bored: "You came to see me just to say this?"

Guo Jiantao hesitated for a moment: "Wen Shan will graduate in two more years. I've bought him a house over the years. Although our family's financial situation isn't as good as yours, it's already much better than others."

"Don't be angry with him, he's just blinded by money."

He glanced into Qiao Mai's eyes as he spoke: "It's my fault for not teaching Wen Shan well all these years. Don't get angry with yourself."

Qiao Mai's eyes were a little red. She held back the tears that were about to burst out, took a deep breath and turned to look out the window: "I have fulfilled my responsibilities to him. Although I have not taken him with me all these years, I have never neglected his food, clothing and other necessities."

How ridiculous! She used to hope that Guo Jiantao would say a few kind words to her, but he never did. Now that they're divorced, he seems to have become a good man.

“I know, he just saw how successful you have been all these years,” Guo Jiantao sighed. “You’re right. If both children had stayed with you back then… no, they were still my children. In the end, I’m the one who let Wenting down, and I’m also the one who let you down.”

“There’s no point in talking about this now,” Qiao Mai said, calming herself down. “We’ve been divorced for so many years, and the kids are all in college now. Let bygones be bygones, and don’t bring it up again.” Qiao Mai suppressed the tears welling up in her eyes. Seeing Guo Jiantao had truly made her feel wronged. Everyone said Guo Jiantao was honest, kind, and filial, but living with a man like that was just too exhausting.

Guo Jiantao gave a self-deprecating laugh: "Yes, there's no point in saying all this. Qiao Mai, if I had..."

“There are no ifs, we’ve already separated.” Qiao Mai picked up her teacup and took a sip: “The happiest day of my life was the day I divorced you, truly, the happiest I’ve ever been.”

"It turns out I was right."

“Yes, you did the right thing.” Guo Jiantao smiled wryly, stood up and bowed to Qiao Mai: “I’m sorry.”

Qiao Mai looked up at him, wondering why Guo Jiantao was bowing and apologizing to her.

Guo Jiantao said in a hoarse voice, "When we were married for more than ten years, I never protected you and made you suffer so much."

“My parents and my younger brother’s family are not easy to get along with. You suffered a lot in those years. I didn’t stand by your side, and now I feel ashamed every time I think about it.”

Qiao Mai said with a straight face, "It doesn't matter, I don't care anyway."

"No matter what, I have to apologize to you." Guo Jiantao's eyes were filled with pain. "I haven't kept any of the promises I made to you before we got married. I didn't take responsibility for supporting the family, I didn't protect you, and I didn't take good care of you when you were in confinement after giving birth to Wenting..."

"I'm so sorry."

Qiao Mai took a deep breath: "Stop talking, you can go now. Don't come here again. If Wen Shan can accept it, then come and sit in the shop. If not, he's grown up now, and I've fulfilled my responsibilities as a mother."

"The company belongs to Wenting, and that will not change."

She wouldn't shed tears in front of her ex-husband; it wasn't worth it.

Guo Jiantao nodded: "I understand. I will go back and talk to Wen Shan properly. I'm so sorry for making you think of sad things again."

As soon as Guo Jiantao left, Qiao Mai's tears began to fall. She hurriedly pulled out a handkerchief to wipe her tears, trying not to disturb the guests.

She sat there for about five minutes before she managed to calm herself down a bit. But it wasn't appropriate for her to stay in the shop any longer, so Qiao Mai decided to return to Jingyuan. She didn't want to see Qiao Wenting either; she didn't want to see anyone right now.

Qiao Wenting knew Tan You, but she didn't know what kind of life she herself had endured. She had poured all her energy into raising her two children. Now, seeing Guo Jiantao again, this heavy emotion almost overwhelmed Qiao Mai.

After parking his bicycle in the bike shed, Qiao Mai entered the elevator. Just as the elevator doors were about to close, they suddenly opened again.

Qiao Mai looked up, her red and swollen eyes meeting the gaze of the man outside the elevator.

Qiao Mai was a little surprised, but still managed a polite smile: "We meet again, what a coincidence."

Gu Jingyue glanced at her red and swollen eyes, then stepped into the elevator: "It is quite a coincidence that you got off work early today?"

As you can tell from the chapter titles, the stories from now on will all be about buckwheat. If you're not interested, you don't have to subscribe. Thank you!