Early in that spring, Shang Zhitao once again felt just how difficult work could be. She sat in the conference room beside her colleagues from the planning department, on a call with Luan Nian, who was still in the United States. "Flora, don't worry," Grace told her. "The work in planning is different from marketing, but the essence of the job hasn't really changed. You've built a solid foundation these past few years. You'll catch up soon enough." Grace was her new mentor in the planning department. Zhitao liked Grace. She was rational, professional, and clearly talented, and ever since Zhitao had heard her deliver the presentation that won her a million-yuan equity award, she'd quietly regarded Grace as something like a legend. Grace was visibly pregnant now, faint spots showing on her face, though she still carried herself with an intelligent kind of beauty. "Write down anything you don't understand during the meeting, and ask m...
Shang Zhitao had no idea what Luan Nian meant by "finding someone," not until she went to his place and saw it for herself. He was like an addict. Too exhausted to move, Shang Zhitao sprawled on the bed and complained, "Isn't this basically trading sex for favors?" Luan Nian looked her over. "Where exactly is the sex?" "Hmph!" Unconvinced, Shang Zhitao turned her back to him. Her personality was soft, but she was still a girl from Ice City, and she carried a bit of that look about her. Tall enough, with smooth lines, actually quite good-looking. Just not quite good-looking enough to make Luan Nian's eyes light up. After all, Luan Nian was blind. That was what Shang Zhitao told herself. But her mind was still on the promotion, so she sat up, hugged her knees, and looked at him with a smile. "So will you give me a green light this time around?" she asked him. "No." "...Then why send me to find someone?" Luan Ni...