“What is this place?”
Wen Nuan slowly opened her eyes, staring at the dim ceiling above. Faint voices and laughter seemed to drift from outside the room. She tried to call out in a daze, but before she could utter "Dad," her gaze shifted to the heavy curtains. A faint light slipped through a gap, only to be swallowed by the darkness as the curtain fell back into place after a passing breeze. The deep night swallowed everything in boundless darkness.
She wiped away the tears that had seeped from her dream and reached for her phone. It was 3:45 in the morning. She picked up the remote and turned on the CD player, letting the soft strains of an old song fill the room.
Warm tears soon flowed from the corners of her eyes, tracing a slow path to her temples, wetting her hair against the pillow.
Old love, tinged with melancholy, is like a dream—impossible to pursue upon waking.
You can't move the past into the present, and memories of an old love, once touched, ache with a deep, piercing pain.
Things too beautiful are never meant to be experienced fully, for once they are, they can never be forgotten.
Even when they've become the past, they haunt a person's life. Uncontrollable nostalgia lingers, trapping the heart in reminiscence for years, unwilling to face reality.
I've seen the indescribable beauty on the other side, and I still cling to it in this world. The experience is so profound that not only is it hard to let go, but there's also a yearning to pursue it further. Yet, the swiftest moments in life are often the most beautiful, and once gone, they never return. Only midnight dreams remain, breaking the heart upon waking.
In the end, I don't want anything but to exchange everything in my life for the past.
The old song played on repeat, as if refusing to admit that time slips through our grasp.
By the time morning light crept in, she had already risen.
She returned to the company on time, but it wasn't until Gao Fang called that she learned Zhan Nanxian had suddenly left on a business trip—unplanned and without informing her.
Suppressing her shock, she hurriedly opened his schedule and began making calls to apologize for the delays. She fabricated an excuse for his departure but honestly admitted she didn't know when he'd return.
She didn't even know where he'd gone. He hadn't sent her any work instructions or contacted her at all.
Two days later, nearly every entertainment newspaper splashed the headline: "Hand in Hand in Rome, Secretly Crossing to Paris" along with large photos. Only then did she learn that Zhan Nanxian had quietly visited a studio in Rome. In the photos, his smile was as gentle as ever, as he and Bo Yixin walked hand in hand to the Trevi Fountain.
The report mentioned that he picked up Bo Yixin, and they secretly flew to Paris and disappeared. The overwhelming speculation suggested they were shopping for wedding dresses.
During her rare free moments, Wen Nuan received a thank-you card from Du Xintong, saying the new job suited her well.
Soon after, she noticed that during Zhan Nanxian's absence, it wasn't the potted plant in the corner that wilted the fastest, but Ding Xiaodai. She looked dejected, like a flower that had lost its vitality, her face devoid of color.
On the fourth day, Wen Nuan saw her lying listlessly on the table again and couldn't help but ask, "Are you feeling unwell?"
Ding Xiaodai rested her head to the side and pouted, "Sister Wen, I think I have lovesickness."
Wen Nuan felt a weight lift from her chest. "Fortunately, it's just lovesickness. Seeing you so down, I was worried you'd say you were pregnant."
Ding Xiaodai immediately sprang up from her seat, rushed over, and pinched Wen Nuan's arm. "Wow! Sister Wen, I miss you being like this! Please, say a few more words to me!"
Wen Nuan laughed. "I've seen people ask for rewards, but never for scolding like you."
Ding Xiaodai frowned. "When do you think Boss Zhan will come back?"
Wen Nuan glanced at her. "Are you missing him?"
Ding Xiaodai shook her head. "I've long let go, but as long as he doesn't return, I won't see the person I care about. Sigh..."
Seeing her so pitiful, Wen Nuan decided to play matchmaker. "Here, can you deliver this document to Guan Ti?"
Ding Xiaodai's eyes lit up. "Sister Wen, no one knows me better than you! I need to thank you for your kindness. In my next life, I'll be your loyal servant and little sister!"
"It's nothing. You can take your time, no need to come back."
"Yes! I'll leave happily!"
After Ding Xiaodai skipped away, Wen Nuan was left alone on the 66th floor.
The elegant, grand office was bathed in the unchanging light of energy-saving lamps. From the time she entered in the morning to when she left in the evening, the humidity, temperature, and airflow remained constant. Even the water flowing from the bathroom faucet was warm 24 hours a day. The artificially controlled comfort, however, was no different from that of a laboratory. Everything was based on numerical indicators at the cost of isolation.
There was no life in this confined space; you couldn't feel the sun. It was as if there was neither wind nor rain, no clear skies. In the past, such silence would persist until Ding Xiaodai's cheerful shout of "Time to leave!" would break it. Wen Nuan would then raise her head, realizing another silent day had passed.
Sometimes, after finishing her work, she would walk into the meeting room with a cup of hot water and gaze out the window. The sunset, now devoid of its afterglow, resembled a pale full moon, reminding her of a poignant poem: "The corridor an inch of longing, the moon lonely, backlit by flowers and shadows. Ten years of traces, ten years of heartache."
Ten years of traces, ten years of heartache.
Under the high-rise buildings, the plane trees lining the roads resembled clusters of matches in the dusk, like small, old Christmas trees forgotten in a corner. The only difference was that they were out of reach, much like the deep emotions buried within her heart—about some people, some feelings...so distant.
Before leaving, she noticed a new email notification and quickly opened it. It was from a supervisor. She sat silently for a long time before getting up to leave.
The green leaves atop the roadside trees rustled in the evening breeze. It wasn't until she had walked some distance that she realized she had forgotten to take her car. Too lazy to turn back, she continued walking forward. The wind blew, and she felt a hint of late summer heat. She instinctively pulled her collar tighter.
Speeding vehicles occasionally rushed past her, leaving behind a trail of honking.
As she walked past intersections, boutiques, cafés, stations, and convenience stores, everything felt so familiar, as if the last time she walked this blue-brick road was just yesterday. In a daze, it seemed that everything had just happened yesterday.
Snapped back to reality by the crowds around her, she suddenly realized that many years had passed since time and space had shifted.
Some people, if you can't wait for them, you have to leave. Some things, if you can't have them, you must give up. Some memories, whether of happiness or pain, can only be buried deep within. Some hopes, whether for the present or future, must be forgotten.
Some worries are beyond your control, so you let them eat away at you. Some thoughts, with nowhere to go, are better left unsaid... But when these thoughts accumulate, becoming a heavy burden, old words from distant memories rise to your lips, making you want to hear them again.
With no one to lean on, you borrow a pair of ears...and speak to yourself.
In the long years ahead, only this kind of empty solace can comfort a heart that has loved too long.
Wen Nuan still went out at 2:30 on Saturday afternoon and returned to Qianyu on time.
In the underground parking lot, Zhan Nanxian didn't appear until the elevator doors opened and closed automatically.
She didn't go upstairs. Instead, she stood in front of the closed elevator, blowing on the mirror. The cold and hot air condensed into a thin mist. She raised her right hand and drew an arc on it with her index finger. She drew another arc from the starting point down to the end point, drew the pupil in the middle of the two arcs, and added a few stars.
These were a pair of eyes, unique in the world—handsome, cold, and flawless.
When he was happy, the corners of his eyes would tilt slightly, and his thick eyelashes were so perfect that they invited a gentle touch. When he was displeased, his eyes would widen, his black pupils narrowing like distant stars, suddenly focusing into two ruthless, cold lights that left no place to hide.
When he was calm, half-smiling, concentrating, or even angry, each expression was beautiful in its own way. In this world, nothing compares to you—you are truly incomparable.
At six o'clock in the evening, when it was time to leave work, she finally departed. The faint reflection of her face in the mirror vanished as she turned away, leaving no trace behind.
Just when the relationship seemed beyond repair, and you were resolute in leaving, you asked me to find a reason to make you reconsider. Yet, in the end, I still let you go. You said there should be no tears when parting.
As the reunion and separation reached their final moments, and you were determined to forget, I also sought an excuse to change the outcome, but eventually, I let go. You said that after breaking up, one shouldn’t make themselves sad.
She drove aimlessly, listening to a song on repeat. Suddenly, her phone rang, jolting her from her thoughts. She quickly connected her headset.
"Sister Wen, are you free now?" Ding Xiaodai's excited voice came through.
She was startled, "What's wrong?"
"I wanted to ask Brother Guan to watch a movie, but he said he had plans with Manager Gao to drink at Jinbi Dynasty and asked me to join, but I—I'm really nervous going alone. Can you come too? You know both of them well."
Wen Nuan hesitated, but Ding Xiaodai quickly added, "It's settled! Come quickly, the Rose Box on the fifth floor."
Wen Nuan glanced at her phone after Ding Xiaodai abruptly hung up. Shaking her head, she had no choice but to turn the car towards Jinbi Dynasty. At that moment, she admired Ding Xiaodai's fearless courage—a precious trait only the pure-hearted could possess.
As she walked into Jinbi Dynasty, she unexpectedly ran into someone.
Pan Weining was also surprised to see her and quickly approached, "Long time no see."
She smiled and nodded, intending to walk past him.
"Hey, hey!" He stopped her, "Can't we talk for a bit?"
"No," she answered politely and briefly, ready to move on.
He grabbed her arm and asked, "I don't understand. Since you can forgive Guo Ruqian and Du Xintong and give them a second chance, why can't you do the same for me?"
"Because they never pretended to be righteous in front of me. But you are different," she replied. He had deceived her under the guise of love. Although it was only a brief encounter, he made her trust him. Wen Nuan thought for a moment and added, "The one thing I never want to experience in life is the betrayal of trust."
Pan Weining fell silent and released her. "I'm sorry."
"I accept your apology, but please, no more flowers. We will never be friends."
Pan Weining watched her walk away in silence. It was only now that he realized this seemingly gentle and easy-going woman was actually soft on the outside but strong on the inside. Her inner world, hidden beneath her intellectual exterior, was starkly black and white. When necessary, her temper was fiercer than anyone else's.
Wen Nuan took the elevator to the fifth floor, thinking it was all over. No matter how turbulent and unpredictable things had been, in the end, they amounted to nothing. The past was just that—the past. One thing after another had come to an end on that particular day of that particular year.
After getting out of the elevator, she went to the bathroom. Perhaps because she hadn’t eaten dinner, her stomach felt uneasy. She rinsed her mouth, washed her face, dried her hands, and sat down on a chair in the dressing room, quietly staying alone.
Her phone rang again; Ding Xiaodai urged her that everyone was waiting. After hanging up, she got up, grinned at the mirror, and told herself, "Your smile is so ugly." But then she couldn’t help but smile again, picked up her bag, and left.
Just as she stepped out of the corner, she saw two graceful figures approaching from the other end of the corridor. She reflexively shrank back, leaning against the wall, almost breaking out in a cold sweat.
Damn Ding Xiaodai!
She hadn’t mentioned that Zhan Nanxian and Bo Yixin would be there. Thankfully, she had gone to the bathroom first; otherwise, running into them in the box without any mental preparation would have been mortifying. She made a note to throw Ding Xiaodai off the 66th floor when they returned to the office on Monday!
After waiting a full ten minutes, making sure she couldn’t hear anything with her ears pressed against the wall, she cautiously peeked out.
Zhan Nanxian had one hand in his trouser pocket, a lit cigarette between the fingers of his other hand, leaning against the door of the closed box. When he saw her timidly peeking out, he glanced at her lightly, then looked away, exhaling a thin stream of smoke.
Caught red-handed, she tried to suppress the panic and confusion in her heart. She walked out with her head held high, stopped in front of him, smiled, and said, "Mr. Zhan."
He exhaled another puff of smoke and remained silent.
With an empty stomach and the shock from earlier, the pain in her stomach intensified as her nerves relaxed. She unconsciously covered her mouth.
Glancing at her, he asked calmly, "What did you have for dinner?"
After a moment, she answered, "Nothing."
The corridor was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Only one or two crystal wall lamps cast shadows on the walls. The soft orange light fell on her delicate face, highlighting her smooth forehead, the center of her eyebrows, her nose, and her lips—half in shadow, half in light. Each time she blinked, her long eyelashes cast thick shadows under her eyes.
She looked so pitiful.
He couldn't resist brushing his cigarette-holding hand against her cheek. She tilted her head away from his breath, her stomach twisting in pain as she frowned.
Retracting his hand, his eyes settled on her lips as he lightly reproached her, "Stomachache?"
Her heart suddenly tightened for no reason. Her watery eyes, which had been focused on his chest, lifted to meet his gaze. Her chin slightly raised, as if teasing him without words. The taste of memory stirred within her, and his lips moved closer to hers, guided by instinct. She struggled, but he pressed her against the wall, holding her firmly. His hand slipped into her hair, holding her face steady as he kissed her with increasing intensity.
He explored every inch of her soft lips, his skilled, heated tongue gently coaxing her tightly closed teeth to part. In that moment, he completely overtook her, making her moan under his passionate control.
But the light moan, which sounded like a mix of satisfaction and surrender, quickly turned into overwhelming shame that filled her heart. She struggled to break free from his grasp, the force of her resistance nearly causing her harm.
Without a second thought, she ran away.
Wen Nuan didn’t go far. As she descended the stairs, she saw Pan Weining again. He was sitting on a barstool, chatting with the bartender. Her hurried escape startled him once more. He noticed Zhan Nanxian following close behind her and quickly stood up, positioning himself between the two.
Wen Nuan stopped a few steps away, turning back in surprise to look at them.
Zhan Nanxian's expression remained unchanged as he lightly curled his lips, "Excuse me."
Pan Weining narrowed his eyes and smiled, "Didn't Mr. Zhan go to Paris to try on wedding dresses? Why are you back so soon?"
"I didn’t like the styles in Paris. We plan to check out Milan next."
Wen Nuan turned to leave, but Zhan Nanxian immediately reached out to grab her wrist.
At the same moment, Pan Weining aimed a strike at his arm, but Zhan Nanxian swiftly dodged the attack, pulling Wen Nuan into his arms. With a quick, soft motion, he spun her 180 degrees, positioning her in front of him, directly facing Pan Weining's fist that stopped just inches from her nose.
Pan Weining was shocked and angry. "What kind of man are you?"
Zhan Nanxian's lips curved, as if praising and mocking. "You are really a man."
For some reason, this casual remark made Pan Weining speechless immediately, unable to say anything back on the spot, and he watched as Zhan Nanxian forcibly dragged Wen Nuan out of the door.
After stuffing her into the sports car and speeding off, Zhan Nanxian made a phone call. "Yi Xin? I'm leaving for a while and will come back to pick you up later." After hanging up, he said coldly, "Are you in the habit of ignoring my words?"
It took Wen Nuan a moment to realize he was speaking directly to her. “What do you mean, ignoring your words?” she asked, her voice a mixture of confusion and irritation. The view outside the car window was familiar, and though she wasn’t sure where he was taking her, it didn’t seem like he had any harmful intentions. She remained quietly seated.
“Have I ever told you to stay away from Pan Weining?” he asked, his tone sharp.
She responded quickly, “I’ve never been close to him.”
He seemed taken aback. “Besides talking back, what else can you do?”
“I can’t do much, especially not drag a woman in front of me to help block punches.”
He scoffed. “Only a complete fool would make a scene in public over a woman.”
“Oh, I forgot you’re known as a beast in human form—sorry, I meant a cold-hearted sage.”
He started to speak but then swallowed his words. Leaning his elbow out the window and turning his face slightly away, a faint smile began to curve his lips. He had believed she had truly developed an indestructible composure, but it seemed that her vulnerability and fragile will could still provoke her as before.
A hint of joy seemed to surface from deep within him, softening his otherwise stern features. His relaxed expression, tinged with a subtle smile, was irresistible. Any woman witnessing him at this moment would be captivated by his strange allure. Wen Nuan’s heart twisted, unable to tear her gaze away.
The car finally arrived at Qianyu and descended into the second underground floor of the annex. She looked around, surprised, and asked, “Is the restaurant closed on weekends? What time is it? Even on weekdays, they would have been closed by now.”
“There’s a private kitchen if the restaurant is closed.” He glanced at her, a hint of a smirk on his lips. “Doesn’t your stomach hurt?”
“No matter how much it hurts, I can’t bring myself to go up,” she said quietly, glancing at him to avoid any misunderstanding that might be construed as trying to seduce President Zhan. Such an accusation was far beyond what she, a mere secretary, could bear.
He slammed the car door, strode directly to the elevator, and without looking back, said, “Wen Nuan, don’t think of getting too spoiled with me right now.”
Her face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and frustration as she bit her lip, caught in a moment of indecision.
Standing by the elevator, he turned to her and said, “I’ll give you two choices: either you come here on your own, or I’ll come over, take off your skirt, and then you’ll come here by yourself.”
She felt a chuckle bubbling up but managed to stifle it, eventually walking over slowly.
Upon reaching the 66th floor, as soon as she stepped out of the elevator, his phone rang. Without looking back, he casually instructed, “Open the door.”
She was taken aback as he walked to the window to take the call. She hesitated for a moment before approaching the electronic code lock. She pressed 0909, heard a faint click, and pushed the door open with ease. The view beyond was vast and seemed to stretch on endlessly.
Upon closer inspection, she realized that the room’s expansive feel was due to its unique design. There were no plain white walls; instead, colorful glazed brick art shapes subtly divided the space into sections—the TV area, living room, study, dining room, and kitchen. In the semi-open bedroom, a large bed was positioned against a glass curtain wall. From the moment she entered, the glass curtain seemed to merge seamlessly with the night sky. When the lights were on, the glass acted like a mirror, reflecting and amplifying the room’s space, creating an illusion of boundlessness.
Zhan Nanxian made her a cup of hot chocolate. "Warm up your stomach first; I'll make you fried rice."
Newspapers and TV remote controls were placed casually on the coffee table. In the study, the glowing blue light of the laptop power cord interface was faintly visible. Many details showed that this suite was not idle but had a human atmosphere. She wanted to ask him if he lived here, but when the words came to her lips, she felt that the question was too personal and abrupt, so she finally didn't say it.
A few minutes later, he brought out fried rice. Because she was too hungry, she didn’t eat much. She put down the spoon only when she was about 60% full. While he was reading the newspaper on the sofa, she took her drink and looked around casually. When she walked into the study, she was dumbfounded. There seemed to be thousands of CDs on the silver metal racks lined up against the wall.
She took out one casually, "The Street Where the Wind Lives," and then "If I Could Tell You" by Yanni. A few boxes later, she saw Kitaro's Matsuri, Taiko, and then the French "Indescribable Night," which was hazy in the night and as quiet as silk.
Then came all the albums of Pacific Moon.
The song "Bamboo Dance," the clear sound of water drops falling into the lake, was so touching, and there was also "Exodus," everyone who had heard it knew the legend of the player Maxim. In the war, he was trapped in the cellar and still insisted on practicing the piano for seven hours every day.
Wen Nuan’s eyes fell on a name, Zheng Yuan. She slowly pulled out the CD; the album name was Loved One.
"This album is good." A low voice came from behind her.
She asked casually, “Which song is the best?”
“‘Stop for Love,’” he replied, pausing before adding, “But the one I listen to the most is ‘I Used to Love You.’”
Her fingertips trembled slightly as she opened the transparent box. Gently, she extracted the lyrics for “I Used to Love You” and read a few poignant lines:
“I thought about it foolishly for a long time, but still couldn't think of a reason to break up. When you left, you used silence instead of words. Are you too cruel, or am I too serious? If love can be forgotten in an instant, why do I still love you so much?”
Hastily, she folded the paper and returned it to its place. Turning around, she collided with his chest, which had been waiting for her. His soft breath brushed her ear, and a melancholy murmur reached her, barely audible. “Why?”
She bent her arms between them, turning her head away, unable to meet his gaze.
“Tell me, why?”
Silence lingered before she responded, her voice and head lowered. “I thought you already knew.”
“Unless you tell me directly, it will always be an unsolved mystery in my heart.”
“Is it still meaningful to talk about this now?” She questioned. “Things have changed, and we’re not who we once were.”
“I still can’t understand what made you so cruel back then. Were others more important than me, or did you just not care enough? Tell me which it is.”
“Don’t talk like that…”
“What else do you want from me?”
His frustration and self-deprecation made her heart ache. She struggled to speak. “I’m sorry. It was my fault back then. If I could go back, I would never do that. Over the past ten years, I would have rather died than… If I could start over, if I could fix everything, even if it meant cutting off my flesh and bones and dying forever, I would do it.”
She knew she was at fault, but he didn’t know the burden she’d carried all these years.
After a long silence, he said softly, “It’s too late. I will never forgive you. Never.”
Tears misted her eyes as she tilted her head, and his lips brushed the corner of her mouth.
“So I never thought of asking for your forgiveness,” she said.
“Yes, you never wanted to… Do you know that your refusal to even try has led us to this point?”
She tried to clear the mist from her eyes and smiled gently. “Then tell me what you want. I’ll promise you anything I can. It doesn’t matter if you want my life. It’s a miracle I’m still alive.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
He began to unbutton her shirt. “Then give yourself to me first.”
She looked lost and grasped his hand. “Not including this.”
“Not included? Then tell me, what else can you offer me besides yourself?”
She raised her tearful eyes. “I don’t plan to repay you. I can’t repay you at all, so I’m not going to try.”
He gazed at her for a long moment. “Can you be so shameless?”
Suddenly recalling Zhou Zhiruo and Zhang Wuji, as mentioned by Zhu Linlu, she blurted out, “Why don’t I promise you three things, okay?”
“What a trick,” he said, studying her seriously. He then smiled. “Okay, here’s the first thing: you must not associate with Pan Weining. Don’t ask why—just do as I say.”
“Okay.”
“The second thing: break up with Zhu Linlu.”
She was stunned and replied in frustration, “You can’t do that.”
“I can.”
His firm tone irritated her. “Then will you break up with Bo Yixin too?”
His lips curved into a charming smile. “You owe me. Do I owe you?”
She insisted, “I can agree to everything else, but not this.”
"I warned you not to end things with me for anyone else, especially not him."
“Nan Xian!”
He looked at his watch unmoved. "They should be done soon; I'll take you back to get the car."
"Let's go." She breathed a sigh of relief.
He suddenly held her still and kissed her unexpectedly. The kiss was both eager and passionate, lasting a long time as he held her tightly. Whispering softly, he asked, "Do you miss me?" Her forehead pressed against his chest, and though she wanted to say that she missed him every day for ten years, the ache in her heart was so overwhelming that she couldn't make a sound.
Later on, Ding Xiaodai was still half-lying on the table. "Sister Wen! Why didn’t you come last night? And why did you turn off your cell phone?"
Wen Nuan rolled her eyes. "I did go, but I saw someone I didn’t want to see at the door, so I didn’t go in. You’re in trouble this time."
"It’s not my fault! I didn’t know Boss Zhan and that woman would be there! When I arrived, I overheard Manager Gao on the phone. It sounded like he was giving someone our location. I thought he was talking about other friends coming. I never expected it to be the elusive Boss Zhan. Didn’t the newspaper say they were in Paris? Who knew they were back?"
"Regardless, you need to finish typing this stack of documents. Don’t even think about going to see Guan Ti for a long while."
"A long while?! I’m dying here, strangle me to death!" Ding Xiaodai moaned loudly as she heard the elevator. She turned and saw Guan Ti. She whispered to Wen Nuan, "Hahaha, man proposes, God disposes. Even God doesn’t despise your tricks and is moved by my infatuation."
Wen Nuan covered her mouth and called out to Guan Ti, "Have you ever seen someone heartbroken before?"
Ding Xiaodai was immediately scared and clutched her legs under the table.
Guan Ti chuckled. "Little Sister Wen, who’s the flower maniac?"
Wen Nuan pointed at Ding Xiaodai. "She—oh—Zhan Zong, the flower maniac." She rubbed her thigh secretly; the little girl was truly ruthless.
Ding Xiaodai blushed and looked at Guan Ti’s playful eyes with embarrassment. "Sister Wen is just joking. I’m not a flower maniac like Zhan Lao Da."
Wen Nuan interrupted, "Oh, if it's not Zhan Zong, then it must be someone else? Could it be—um, um—" A hand clamped over her mouth to stop her from speaking.
Guan Ti leaned in, resting on the table next to Ding Xiaodai, and met Wen Nuan’s eyes. "Little Sister Wen, honestly, I think you’re more like a flower maniac for Zhan Meinan."
Wen Nuan’s eyes widened.
Guan Ti pointed to her laptop. "The screensaver password is 1399. Who does Xiao Wen want to be with forever?"
Ding Xiaodai asked curiously, "What do you mean by forever?"
Guan Ti patted her head with a document. "Zhan Meinan’s birthday is January 3rd, and your Sister Wen’s birthday is September 9th. What else could signify a lifetime?"
Wen Nuan blushed, stood up abruptly, and said, "Guan Ti, if you have the courage, move to the 66th floor and work there. I want to see how many times you can protect this girl."
"Wow! Wow wow wow!" Ding Xiaodai quickly gathered the documents and chased after them. She turned back, making faces at Guan Ti with a smile, and shouted, "Good sister! Don’t take your anger out on me. It’s not my fault! Hahaha, being a flower maniac is innocent! My little sister is innocent! Oh yeah!"
Zhan Nanxian and Gao Fang, who were sitting on the sofa, heard Ding Xiaodai’s shout the moment Wen Nuan opened the door. Gao Fang laughed. "What do you mean innocent?"
Ding Xiaodai put down the documents and stuck out her tongue. "Nothing. By the way, Manager Gao, who will you be with for the rest of your life?"
Guan Ti chuckled, and Wen Nuan’s face turned red as she stared at Ding Xiaodai with shame and irritation.
Zhan Nanxian turned his face slightly away, his long eyelashes trembling.
Only Gao Fang didn’t understand. "What do you mean by lifetime—"
"Okay, let’s have a meeting," Zhan Nanxian interrupted. His eyes glanced at Wen Nuan, revealing a faint smile. He picked up a document from the desk. "Yang Wenzhong from Dahua Telecom invited me to dinner last night. Dahua plans to implement a business system transformation in the second half of the year. This project is very important to them. Yang Wenzhong hopes we can participate."
Gao Fang was surprised. "Dahua had already submitted the application for approval at the beginning of the year, but it hasn’t been put on the agenda. Everyone in the industry knows Dahua Telecom has a close relationship with Daizhong. I originally thought Daizhong would be their designated partner, so I didn’t follow up. Why is Yang Wenzhong approaching us now?"
"No matter his reason, since he approached me, I have no reason not to get involved." Noticing Wen Nuan kept her head down, he paused. "Why aren’t you speaking? Do you have any thoughts?"
She hesitated before saying, "Do we really have to target Daizhong?"
His smile faded. "Is this your first day at Qianyu?"
"I just think this isn’t the right way to do business."
He replied indifferently, "Don’t jump to conclusions. The correctness is determined by the result, not the process. If you find it inconvenient, you can choose not to participate."
Gao Fang and Guan Ti exchanged glances.
Wen Nuan put the documents back on the table. "Okay, I don’t have enough experience anyway."
Before she could stand, Zhan Nanxian grabbed her wrist, staring at her for ten seconds. His usually cold voice softened. "Have you thought it through?"
She looked down at him, and after a moment, spoke calmly. "We’ve taken a lot of business from Daizhong recently. Even if you’re dissatisfied with them, you should be able to calm down. Why do you have to destroy them completely?"
He sneered. "Based on what you just said, I guarantee Daizhong will be left in ruins."
The emotions he stirred brought her hidden frustrations to the surface. She tried to pull her hand away, but his grip was firm. She pursed her lips and said seriously, "Let me go."
His irritation was evident, and he tossed her hand aside roughly. She fell onto the sofa, and he pressed down on her, ignoring the room’s silence. His cold gaze was like an ice blade as he held her eyes. "What did I say to you yesterday? Have you forgotten so quickly?"
She pressed her hands against his chest, but with nowhere to rest her waist and long legs, she could only feel his body pressing against hers. Her weak resistance turned into shame and frustration. "Get up quickly!"
His eyes softened slightly as he saw her helplessness.
He stood up, taking her wrist and leading her away. With a nonchalant smile to the bewildered Gao Fang and Guan Ti, he said, "Please give us a few minutes."
Embarrassed, they quickly left and closed the door.
Zhan Nanxian returned to his desk, his eyes full of sarcasm. "I think I should tell you something."
"What is it?"
"Someone saw Zhu Linlu with a girl in Macau."
She smiled. "He always has many girlfriends."
"This might be different."
She closed her eyes, exhaled softly, and then looked at him directly. "Thank you. I understand."
He smiled. "You’re welcome."
"I also have something to tell you."
"Oh?" He responded with little interest, lowering his head to open a document.
"If you have no objection, I’d like to submit my resignation."
He slowly closed the document and raised his head to meet her calm gaze. "Regarding Dahua’s case, I was planning to leave half of the opportunity for Daizhong. Since you’re resigning, it’s convenient for me. I won’t have to deal with the complications."
She smiled. "Then I wish President Zhan success in advance and hope Qianyu’s business thrives."
He smiled back. "I didn’t have time to tell you that Dahua’s system transformation includes hardware updates. Yang Wenzhong and Wen Rou originally planned to sell all the hardware to a Singapore-based company with the largest global sales. However, I can actually cooperate with another company to get a better discount for the same configuration. Please tell Wen Rou I’m sorry this time."
Wen Rou bit her lip in surprise, a hint of resentment in her eyes, but her demeanor remained stubborn. "Don’t worry. I’ll make sure to pass on the message."
As she turned to leave, she was startled by a flash of blue light. Papers flew through the air as the hardcover blue folder Zhan Nanxian had thrown landed on the ground a foot from her shoulder with a thud.
They exchanged glances filled with resentment across the floating papers.
He spoke first, his tone colder and softer than before. "Daizhong is doomed for me. As for you, I can only wish you the best."
Before the papers settled, she turned and walked out without another word.
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