A grand crystal chandelier cascaded from the high ceiling of the second floor, with a spiral staircase elegantly connecting the upper and lower levels. Outside the pastoral-style white lacquered door on the first floor of the banquet hall, a small garden added to the serene ambiance. The hall itself was luxuriously decorated, and under the bright lights, the silver tableware shimmered with a unique and precious luster.
Wen Nuan followed Zhan Nanxian closely, staying just a step behind. Whenever he glanced at her, she would move forward to walk alongside him, discreetly reminding him of the identities of those approaching to shake hands—each representing different companies. Occasionally, Zhan Nanxian would introduce her to directors or CEOs he was familiar with.
As they made their way to the center of the hall, two men with strikingly similar features approached. From a few steps away, the older man, who appeared to be in his forties, laughed and said, "Boss Zhan, our new store is opening soon. Should we invite your future wife to cut the ribbon?"
Zhan Nanxian smiled lightly. "Boss Pan, you flatter me. I'll thank you on Yixin's behalf. Allow me to introduce my new secretary, Wen Nuan." Turning to Wen Nuan, he added, "These gentlemen are Pan Weian, the general manager of Yizhong, and Pan Weining, the deputy general manager. Yizhong is expanding rapidly and planning to implement the latest marketing management system. This could be a valuable opportunity for us."
Wen Nuan smiled warmly. "I'm looking forward to learning from both of you."
The younger Pan Weining, about thirty years old, with eyes that gleamed mischievously, held Wen Nuan's hand and said with a half-joking, half-serious tone, "Miss Wen, your name is truly distinctive. President Zhan, you must have accumulated good karma in a previous life. Not only is your girlfriend as beautiful as a fairy, but even your secretary is as stunning as Diao Chan."
Wen Nuan gently withdrew her hand, smiling as she replied, "Mr. Pan, you have a way with words that brightens everyone's mood. But it's well-known that the beauty of our future president's wife is unparalleled. How could we ordinary women compare?"
Zhan Nanxian’s smile lingered as his gaze flickered across her face before turning to the others. "Excuse me, I need to greet President Du."
Pan Weian nodded, "Of course, we'll catch up about that case later?"
"Certainly. I'll come to you in an hour." After nodding to the Pans, he led Wen Nuan away, quietly advising her as they walked, "Keep your distance from that one."
Wen Nuan smiled but remained silent.
After navigating through the social circles of hundreds of elites, Wen Nuan seized the opportunity to retreat to an empty window while Zhan Nanxian was engaged in conversation with a wealthy lady. Sipping her juice slowly, she noticed Zhu Linlu entering with his female companion.
Their eyes met from across the room, and he smiled at her. She responded by raising her glass in acknowledgment.
Zhu Linlu exchanged a few words with his companion before walking over to Wen Nuan. She remained leaning against the window, still and smiling, "Hi."
Zhu Linlu affectionately brushed a strand of her hair, "I prefer it when your hair is down."
She glanced at his companion, who was pretending not to watch them, and remarked, "Where did you find such good fortune? She’s as beautiful as Bo Yixin."
　　Zhu Linlu laughed. "No matter how beautiful she is, she can't compare to you. If I had known you were coming, I wouldn't have brought anyone, not even a fairy."
"You talk a good game. You're not easy to track down."
"I was in Las Vegas for an investment discussion. Just got back at noon." He glanced at Zhan Nanxian in the distance. "Did he give you trouble over the Leng family matter?"
Wen Nuan sighed. "You did that on purpose, didn't you? Are you that eager to put me in a difficult position?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Of course. You used to refuse to come to these events, no matter how much I asked. But now, here you are, accompanying him."
Wen Nuan smiled but didn’t respond directly. Instead, she asked, "Will the loss of the Leng family's contract have a significant impact on Daizhong?"
"It will have a considerable impact."
She frowned. "Why did you change the bid document cover, knowing he’s so meticulous?"
Zhu Linlu’s sharp eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "I did it to bait him. I’ve been playing the long game, waiting for him to take the bait."
She was startled. "You set him up?"
"Of course. Why else would I go to such lengths to collaborate with Leng Rufeng?" He took her hand and gently stroked the ring he had given her a year ago. "It’s been a while since we danced." With a playful thought, he reached out and removed the hairpin from behind her head.
Caught off guard by his action, Wen Nuan let out a soft gasp. Her silky black hair cascaded down like water, gleaming like polished satin in the air and drawing the attention of those around them.
Zhu Linlu shook his head, disdainful of her slim Givenchy suit. "If I’d known, I would have had someone send over an evening gown."
There was no dance music playing in the hall, only quiet murmurs from a few people in the center. He made a gesture, and soon the waltz replaced the soft background music. He raised his hand and took hers in an elegant dance pose.
The nearby guests immediately stepped aside, smiling and applauding.
Though he had lost a business deal, publicly taking Zhan Nanxian's secretary for himself was a spectacle in its own right. In this social circle, who is the real winner? It's still too early to tell.
Is this the kind of scene Wen Nuan likes? Not necessarily.
Is this something she dislikes? Not necessarily either.
It didn’t really matter to her. In this bustling world, she had no particular desires. Whether it was Wen Rou or Lin Lu, as long as they were content, that was enough.
She followed Zhu Linlu’s every move, her steps light and graceful, drawing admiration and applause from the onlookers. As the song neared its end, he led her to the back door amidst the lingering applause.
In the garden, he kissed her cheek repeatedly.
"Come with me," he said.
She couldn’t help but laugh. "Are we to elope to the ends of the earth and be faithful until death?"
He pinched her neck playfully, "Tell me, do you love me?!"
She looked at him in surprise. Was there really any need to ask? He raised his left hand and answered with affection for the thousandth time, "I swear, until the seas run dry and the rocks crumble."
A small flame flickered in his eyes, and he seemed on the verge of slapping her in frustration. Gritting his teeth, he asked, "If you had to choose between me and Zhan Nanxian, who would you choose?"
"What’s the context of this choice?"
"The context is that I am very unhappy, and I don’t want you to stay with him anymore!"
"Then I’m equally unhappy that you change companions every day. I want you to stay with me. Would you?"
"In your dreams." He refused immediately, lifting his chin with disdain. "Only a fool would give up the forest for a single tree."
Looking at the waiting figure in the half-open door, she still smiled. "Look, your forest is waiting for you."
With a long sigh, he pressed his lips to her forehead for a lingering moment before turning to leave. As he reached the door, he suddenly turned back, pointing at her with a mix of warmth and coldness in his eyes. "Don’t ask such foolish questions in the future. One day, I might say yes, and then it will be too late for you to regret it."
She said nothing, simply smiling as she watched him go and embrace the woman until they were out of sight.
The garden under the night sky was so quiet that the whispers of summer insects could be heard. At that moment, a voice suddenly floated down from above, "Who do you choose?"
She looked up and saw Zhan Nanxian on the second-floor terrace, leaning over the carved railing, his hands clasped together as he looked down at her.
　　Wen Nuan asked, "What is the premise of choosing?"
Zhan Nanxian's eyes sparkled like stars in the boundless darkness, "No premise."
"How can you choose without a premise?"
"There must be a premise?"
"Of course," she smiled lightly, her pupils as clear as a mirror. "For example, if I choose a brother, I would naturally choose Linlu. If I choose a friend, you're the best. If I choose a lover, both of you are first-class. But if I choose a husband..." She paused, the smile lingering, "Neither of you is suitable."
Yes, or no; let go, or not… Any choice has a premise.
His palm suddenly rested on the railing, and with a sudden leap, he jumped down from a height of several meters. Even as he was mid-air, his voice reached her, "You'd do anything for him, but what about for me?"
His reckless action, something a teenager might do, was uncharacteristic of the mature man he had become. Yet, he did it without hesitation. The act, so mismatched with his status, left her with a strange feeling. She wanted to retreat, but he caught a strand of her hair.
She had no choice but to say, "Linlu is my boyfriend."
That identity represented something special—his intimacy with her was natural.
"I'm your boss, so this is—harassment?" He sneered, his fingers still tangled in her black hair, then abruptly retracted.
The sudden pain in her scalp forced her to lean towards him, her eyes level with his shirt collar. She knew, deep down, that his displeasure stemmed from her choice. Zhu Linlu was her boyfriend, and Zhan Nanxian... well, she still respected him as her breadwinner.
He said nothing for a long time, so long that she had to raise her head.
His eyes, which rippled like shallow water, carried a hazy tenderness. It was as if the years of separation had never existed, as if time had finally brought them close again, only to push them to opposite ends of the world. For two thousand five hundred silent nights, he could never clearly see her face, not even a shadow to miss.
She glanced at her watch. "You have a meeting with Mr. Pan from Yizhong in five minutes."
He slowly released her hair, his mood recovering. "You are truly a dedicated secretary." His tone was light, making it hard to tell if he was praising or mocking her.
She smiled, walked past him, and pushed the door open. The colorful lights felt tiring. For the first time, she considered leaving halfway.
Zhan Nanxian, still alone in the garden, raised his fingertips to the tip of his nose. The faint fragrance lingered, just like her lukewarm attitude towards him. There was something elusive, something she always managed to retreat from before he could fully grasp it.
But this would be the last time.
Looking up at the high night sky, a cold smile curled his lips. It had taken him two years—two whole years—to prepare a trap for her, one so big she would never escape it.
For several days, Pan Weining, popular with the public, sent flowers to the 66th floor of Qianyu.
Morning brought fragrant lilies, noon, half-man-high birds of paradise, and in the afternoon, blue tulips. This went on every day. The red-lipped receptionist would announce each delivery, and soon everyone in the building knew about it. Even the cleaning lady on the 66th floor would smile knowingly at Wen Nuan.
When another delivery arrived, Zhan Nanxian, who had just returned, saw it. He merely curled his lips in a sarcastic smile, as if he had expected it all along, and went into his office without a word.
Pan Weining’s lavish, arrogant floral gestures seemed more for show. Apart from the cards attached to the flowers, he never showed up or called, leaving Ding Xiaodai, who had questioned Wen Nuan in vain, utterly baffled.
Wen Nuan only sighed inwardly. Mr. Pan probably didn't know that such romantic gestures, arriving before the man, were only effective on innocent young girls new to love. To an old veteran like her, they were nothing more than a gimmick, something to laugh at.
During lunch, while Zhan Nanxian was away, Ding Xiaodai brought her instant noodles and continued their earlier conversation.
"Ordinary infatuation is like mine," Ding Xiaodai said. "I admire him, but I know my place, so I keep my distance. The more serious infatuation is like Zhang Duanyan from planning. Every girl dreams of a prince, even if she knows it's just a dream, she can't help but feel sad about it."
Wen Nuan smiled. "Quite insightful. And what about extreme infatuation?"
Ding Xiaodai pouted. "The ones who are extremely infatuated are the worst. They're so full of themselves because of their looks. They fantasize about marrying into wealth or being kept in luxury without considering their own worth. Du Xintong from the tech department is a typical example."
Wen Nuan chuckled, "As long as President Zhan is single, it's understandable that she wants to compete."
Ding Xiaodai glanced around, then whispered, "Sister Wen, don’t defend her. She talks badly about you in the tech department."
"Oh?"
Ding Xiaodai was waiting for Wen Nuan to ask more, but Wen Nuan just said "oh" and stopped, uninterested. Disappointed, Ding Xiaodai asked, "Don't you want to know what she said?"
Wen Nuan pretended to think, "Did she praise my beauty?"
Ding Xiaodai snorted, "You wish! She said you only got this position because of your sister's relationship with Mr. Zhan."
Wen Nuan was shocked, "She knows about my sister and Mr. Zhan?"
Ding Xiaodai was stunned, "So your sister really knows Mr. Zhan?"
Wen Nuan tilted her head, a little aggrieved, "We know each other, but even I don't know what their relationship is."
Ding Xiaodai, exasperated, reached out to hit her. "I've been sincere with you, and you’re joking!"
She giggled and dodged, but Ding Xiaodai was still angry and rushed at her with a playful threat. Wen Nuan, scared, retreated outside the table, but was chased all over the 66th floor, begging for mercy, "Little girl, I was wrong! Your master’s lifebuoys can float a boat—"
Ding Xiaodai screamed, "You called my 24-inch waist a lifebuoy?! Take this!"
"Oh my God! I was wrong! You are not a villain, you’re a heroine! Please, spare me!"
"No way! Not until my chain palms have worked on your butt!"
In a panic, Wen Nuan rushed into the elevator.
Zhan Nanxian, who had just arrived, instinctively caught her as she ran into him. As Ding Xiaodai's palm approached, he swiftly grabbed her wrist.
Ding Xiaodai yelped, "It hurts!"
Realizing what happened, Wen Nuan quickly tugged on Zhan Nanxian's sleeve. "Nanxian, we were just joking!"
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