Some special memories involuntarily surged in her mind, and Tan Mo’s face turned red all the way to her neck.
Back then, when she first saw him, she had blushed deeply and had even been startled by Xie Qichen’s certain extraordinary talent…
He looked so refined on the outside, yet his nature was completely the opposite; however, he only became fierce and terrifying when he saw her, always making her teary-eyed.
This made the delicate young girl struggle particularly hard at the beginning before gradually adapting and eventually getting along well with him.
Looking at the message on her phone again, Tan Mo could clearly imagine the expression he must have had when typing those words, which made her both shy and angry.
She had never met such a flirtatious man before!
And this guy was actually proud of himself—like he was so impressive…
Well, fine, he was indeed impressive, qwq.
To prevent the man from saying anything else flirtatious, Tan Mo suppressed her flushed face and quickly sent a few words:
[Goodbye, I’m off to a meeting!]
Tan Mo locked her phone screen and placed it on the table. As she naturally looked up, she noticed Ye Yao watching her from the opposite side of the oval long table.
Their eyes met, and Ye Yao quickly averted his gaze as if trying to escape something meaningful in her look.
What exactly was this guy implying…
Tan Mo had no idea what Ye Yao wanted, but since their meeting at the lakeside parking lot, they hadn’t been in contact at all.
After a while, all the students arrived, and the teacher in charge of the school anniversary planning also showed up.
Once the meeting started, Tan Mo casually opened the memo app on her phone to jot down some meeting points. She turned her head to look at the teacher sitting in front but felt as if someone from across the room was casting glances toward her—though she wasn’t sure if it was just her imagination.
She decided not to dwell on it.
At 11 a.m., the meeting concluded smoothly.
It was lunchtime now, and students began to leave the meeting room one after another. A few students asked Tan Mo, “Senior sister, do you want to go eat at the cafeteria with us? We’re planning to go to Er Tang to have some spicy hotpot.”
Tan Mo wasn’t sure whether Ye Yao would be joining them. To avoid awkwardness and maintain distance, she politely declined:
“You guys go ahead. I’m not going. I’m going home.”
“Okay then…”
They took the elevator downstairs and scattered in pairs as they exited the administrative building. Tan Mo was walking alone when suddenly a slightly husky and restrained male voice came from behind:
“Tan Mo—”
She turned around and saw Ye Yao approaching.
She hesitated slightly.
“Is there something?”
The guy slung his backpack with one hand, his gaze landing on her porcelain-like face. He looked somewhat uneasy, as if he had been holding back all morning before finally deciding to speak up:
“I want to talk to you. Is that okay?”
…
Two minutes later, in the botanical garden beside the administrative building.
A gentle breeze of early spring lightly swept past the swaying willow catkins, and a few thin clouds floated in the distant sky.
Tan Mo, holding an umbrella, followed Ye Yao to this deserted spot and stopped, lifting her eyes to look at him indifferently:
“Speak. What do you want to talk about?”
Ye Yao stood in front of her, looking at her consistently aloof expression, and gave a self-mocking smile: “Tan Mo, even if you don’t like me, there’s no need to be so cold towards me, right? At the very least, we’re still regular friends, or at the very least, classmates.”
Tan Mo pursed her lips slightly, “You misunderstood. I’m not being cold; I just think you can say what you need to say directly.”
Ye Yao’s expression darkened. After hesitating for a while, he finally spoke:
“There’s something… I want to apologize to you.”
“What?”
Ye Yao’s hand gripping the backpack strap tightened increasingly, and after several seconds, he forced himself to say: “Do you still remember the night a few days ago when you were live streaming… the person who came to your live stream to cause trouble with gifts?”
Upon hearing this, Tan Mo’s expression changed.
Her long lashes trembled slightly. Two seconds later, she lifted her gaze to stare at him directly, finding it absurd: “Was that person you?”
He hurried to explain, “No, that person wasn’t me. It was my older brother…”
“My older brother? Why would he go to my live stream?”
Ye Yao’s expression turned awkward: “Sorry, that night I saw your relationship status update on social media, and I felt really upset. So I invited my brother out for drinks that night and told him about you.
He thought it was because your boyfriend was richer than me that you chose him, and my brother was upset on my behalf, so he went to your live stream to cause trouble. I was too drunk that night to realize he did so many inappropriate things. I hope you won’t hold it against me.”
Tan Mo never expected that the disgusting person was actually connected to someone she knew. Hearing his casual “don’t hold it against me,” a surge of anger rose in her chest, and she coldly questioned him:
“What exactly did you tell him about me?”
“I… I said I had been pursuing you for a long time, but you kept stringing me along and finally chose someone else…”
“What do you mean by ‘stringing you along’? When did I ever string you along? Ye Yao, can’t you at least speak the truth? I never liked you from the beginning, so how could I possibly string you along?!”
Upon hearing this, the young man’s heart also flared with anger as he looked at her:
“But you knew about my feelings for you all along, didn’t you? That time when our school anniversary planning team visited Aochuang Group, you told me that the CEO of Aochuang Group was your older brother. And that time I called to invite you to New Year’s Eve, the man who answered the phone was him, right?
He said he was your family, yet you still lied to me and said he was your brother. You concealed your relationship with him in front of me, wasn’t that a sign that you were reluctant to reject me and wanted to string me along? I’ve always liked you, but after a while, you suddenly told me you were dating. Isn’t that just playing with me?”
Tan Mo: ???
She was so amused by his self-justifying logic that she almost laughed out loud. “So this is really what you’ve always thought?”
Ye Yao silently looked at her.
After a few seconds of silence, Tan Mo suppressed her anger and frustration and coldly explained:
“To be precise, he wasn’t really your boyfriend—
We’re actually already married now.”
The words were thrown at him, and Ye Yao was stunned:
“You’re married?!”
“I didn’t tell my classmates at school about this because I was afraid of causing gossip. You met him at Aochuang Group a while ago, and we weren’t married then. My feelings for him were also complicated and hard to explain. If we had clarified our feelings back then, I would have told you openly. I never meant to string you along.”
Tan Mo spoke seriously, word by word:
“Moreover, the reason I didn’t formally reject you verbally was because I thought you, as an adult, could sense my feelings towards you. I didn’t want to say it outright and embarrass you, especially since we’re classmates. Besides, I never gave you any positive signals. Surely you must have noticed that I had absolutely no feelings for you?”
Hearing this, Ye Yao’s expression slightly tensed.
“Ye Yao, it’s you who’s been deceiving yourself all along, confidently believing that one day you would eventually move me. And the reason you felt upset wasn’t entirely because I was with someone else, but because you couldn’t win me over. You felt humiliated because you had boasted to others and been so confident, so you turned the blame around and ended up blaming me for not rejecting you clearly back then.”
Tan Mo met his gaze coldly:
“Ye Yao, did you really need me to be this blunt to expose you?”
The young man’s face stiffened, a bit flustered, “I didn’t…”
Tan Mo’s words peeled away his disguise layer by layer: “Didn’t you? Then why did you post that pitying-looking social media post the night you saw me with my boyfriend? You were trying to express your dissatisfaction with me.
You kept saying you treated me as a friend, but is this how you treat a friend?! Even if you didn’t know about my live stream incident, if you hadn’t said something to your brother, would he have acted like that?! And you still think you’re innocent?”
Tan Mo’s words pierced straight to the heart, exposing all of Ye Yao’s hidden darkness to the light.
Ye Yao’s face, previously filled with annoyance and anger, was now reduced to shame and embarrassment.
Indeed, he had already sensed clearly that Tan Mo had no feelings for him, but he thought since she remained single, maybe he could gradually win her over. Alongside his genuine affection for Tan Mo, there was also a sense of pride: “If I could win over the campus beauty that many others pursued, how glorious would that be.”
When Tan Mo announced her relationship on social media, Ye Yao’s friends had teased him, saying, “Didn’t you say you were confident about winning Tan Mo over? Looks like your plan failed. She didn’t choose you after all.”
This intense sense of frustration made him emotionally unbalanced, leading to everything that followed.
“Tan Mo, I’m sorry…”
Tan Mo gave a light laugh: “To put it bluntly, you didn’t really like me. You cared more about saving face.”
Ye Yao felt deep remorse and now truly understood his mistakes: “I’m sorry. The reason I was upset at first was because I had liked you for so long, and I’m also excellent, so why was I beaten by someone else? I felt unbalanced…”
“Ye Yao, even though I don’t like you, I’ve never thought you’re not excellent. In my heart, you’ve always been a bright and kind-hearted boy, and I treated you as a friend.”
“Actually, I had a vague suspicion that the live stream incident might have something to do with you, but I still didn’t want to think badly of you. I never expected you to actually be this kind of person.”
What he had hurt was, in fact, a friend.
Upon hearing this, Ye Yao could only apologize out of guilt and couldn’t say anything else.
After a long silence, Tan Mo shifted her gaze, and finally looked back at him, speaking calmly:
“You don’t need to apologize anymore. Let’s just leave it at that. I don’t want to dwell on those things anymore.”
“Tan Mo, can you forgive me? Can we still be friends…”
After a long pause, Tan Mo shook her head, “Let’s keep some distance from now on. No more contact. There’s only half a semester left at F University. Let’s each live our own lives well.”
Tan Mo didn’t want to hold grudges, but she couldn’t forgive him again either, pretending nothing had happened and becoming friends with him again.
Moreover, now, they should indeed keep their distance.
Tan Mo said to him, “If there’s any more gossip around you, I hope you can clarify it, and please don’t let people around you bother me again.”
Ye Yao’s throat felt dry, “I’ll apologize on behalf of my brother. Don’t worry, it definitely won’t happen again. And I won’t spread the things you told me today.”
Tan Mo nodded, “Thank you. I’m leaving now.”
She turned and walked away. After a few steps, she seemed to remember something, stopped, and turned to look at him:
“One more thing…”
“You said you liked me for a long time and felt like you were beaten by someone else.”
The young man, startled, looked up at her.
Tan Mo’s voice was calm: “But actually, my boyfriend, or rather my husband, has liked me for years. He’s always been by my side silently, never changing.”
“We didn’t even know each other back then. How could there be any question of him beating you?”
Ye Yao was stunned.
Tan Mo lowered her lashes slightly, thinking of someone, her eyes and brows involuntarily softening:
“He has nothing to do with money, fame, or status. My husband is exceptionally excellent and dazzling. He’s the person I couldn’t let go of from the very first moment I saw him.”
“It’s not that you’re not good enough, but since he appeared, in my heart, no one can ever compare to him for the rest of my life.”
After Tan Mo finished speaking, Ye Yao stood there, stunned and speechless.
Before Ye Yao could say anything else, Tan Mo turned and left.
As she walked out of the botanical garden, she looked up at the sky and let out a long sigh. The stone that had been weighing on her heart for a while finally landed.
Walking toward the school gate, she contacted the family driver and then sent a message to Xie Qichen:
[How are you? Did you finish your morning work? Have you eaten yet?]
She was always concerned about his health and made sure to remind him to eat.
After a minute, he sent a voice message from the other end. She opened it and heard the deep, warm voice of the man: “I still have some documents to handle. I’ll go to eat later. Have you finished your meeting? You can stay at school for the rest of the morning. I’ll pick you up in the evening, or the driver can take you home first.”
After listening to the voice message, Tan Mo couldn’t help but smile. She typed a few words:
[Okay, you take care. I’ll have the driver take me home first.]
She put her phone away and continued walking forward.
On the other side, in the CEO’s office, Xie Qichen placed his phone on the desk and looked at Rong Qi, who was sitting in front of him.
Rong Qi had recently been promoted by him to become the Chief Human Resources Officer. He had once been a capable subordinate under Xie Wenzong and was now also one of Xie Qichen’s men, helping him stabilize his position as CEO. Although he was much older than Xie Qichen, he recognized Xie Qichen’s capabilities.
Rong Qi smiled and teased, “This was a conversation with your wife, right? Newlywed couples are so sweet, always inseparable.”
Upon hearing this, Xie Qichen, who usually had a serious expression, couldn’t help but let a trace of warmth show on his face: “Uncle Rong, don’t tease me. You and Auntie’s relationship is just as sweet now.”
Rong Qi chuckled and got back to the point: “The company’s cash flow is tight recently. The three university research centers we established across the country have now entered their stable phase, and they will require even more financial support in the future.”
Xie Qichen took a sip of coffee: “I know. Recently, I’m negotiating with YN Investments. They’re still quite optimistic about our new products.”
Rong Qi nodded. Xie Qichen asked him:
“Have there been any rumors in the company recently?”
“Sigh, as you know, Li Jin and his group have been making noise all along. After last week’s meeting, probably seeing that your second uncle didn’t side with him, they realized they couldn’t change anything, so the noise has decreased a lot these days. I’ll keep observing and make sure Li Jin doesn’t stir up any more trouble.”
Xie Qichen sat with his legs crossed, rubbing the wedding ring on his ring finger. His sharp gaze, peering through his glasses, fixed on the pen on the table before he finally spoke:
“The real trouble may not come from the obvious sources, but more likely from the hidden ones.”
Rong Qi hesitated slightly. “You mean…”
“Li Jin dares to confront people face-to-face, but he might not dare to scheme behind others’ backs. He wouldn’t want to lose his current position at Aochuang.”
“It’s just unknown whether someone might use him.”
Xie Qichen didn’t respond.
In fact, just a few days ago, Xie Wenzong had privately told Xie Qichen that another important reason he had taken a vacation was because he had sensed a potential leak within the upper management. He wanted to test people’s loyalty—to see who could remain steadfast and weather the storm alongside Aochuang during his absence.
Xie Qichen said, “No need to rush. Our top priority now is launching the new product.”
“Alright, I’ll follow up with the tech department’s progress.”
…
After finishing his report, Rong Qi left first.
Xie Qichen glanced at the time, deciding to work for another ten minutes before the knock on the door interrupted him.
He responded, the door opened, and Wen Cheng walked in.
Wen Cheng approached the desk, hesitating slightly before speaking, “President Xie…”
The man didn’t lift his gaze. “What is it?”
“There’s a lady outside who insists on seeing you.”
Wen Cheng placed a box of macarons on the desk. “She said she used to know you and asked me to give this to you.”
Xie Qichen glanced at it, noticing the card on top. He picked it up and read:
“Hello President Xie, would you be free for a casual dinner tonight? — A lady who has long admired you.”
Xie Qichen slightly furrowed his brow, placing the card back with a neutral expression.
“Return it. Tell her I’m unavailable and can’t have dinner. If she has official business, she can call the company’s main line.”
Wen Cheng hesitated. “But she insists on seeing you. She said you’d regret it if you didn’t meet her…”
“Should I repeat myself?”
Just as Xie Qichen’s stern voice faded, a familiar sweet and soft laughter came from the office door. The man immediately looked up and saw Tan Mo standing there.
Tan Mo wore a sapphire-blue square-necked long dress. Her fair skin and delicate beauty radiated innocence and charm as she smiled brightly. “It’s me.”
The man paused momentarily, while Wen Cheng beside him couldn’t help but suppress a smile and confessed honestly:
“Sorry, President Xie. It was actually the Madam. She made me say those things earlier…”
Tan Mo continued laughing. Xie Qichen realized he had been teased by the girl. He looked at Wen Cheng, his lips curving into a half-smile: “You sure know who to listen to.”
Wen Cheng smiled awkwardly, lowering his head.
Of course he knew who the real boss was—the President’s wife!
He immediately said, “President Xie, I’ll go first.”
Not wanting to be a third wheel, Wen Cheng quickly left. Then Tan Mo entered the office, closing the door behind her.
Xie Qichen stood up as he saw Tan Mo walking toward him, her eyes sparkling with mischief. As soon as she reached him, he pulled her slender waist into his arms.
He looked down at her, a low chuckle escaping his lips. “So playful now, huh? You know how to tease me these days?”
Tan Mo wrapped her arms around him, gazing up at his eyes just inches away, her smile sweet and tender.
“I just wanted to see how you’d react when approached by a strange woman. I didn’t expect you to refuse so firmly. But didn’t you even suspect? Did you really think someone came to see you?”
“I did have some suspicions, but the handwriting on the card wasn’t yours.”
“That handwriting was done by the lady from the President’s office I asked.”
The man smirked slightly. “Didn’t she laugh at you for being such a childish President’s wife?”
Tan Mo giggled. Xie Qichen looked at her, gently pinching her cheek.
“Didn’t you say you were going home? Why come looking for me?”
“I missed you, so I decided to surprise you with a visit.”
After talking with Ye Yao earlier, she suddenly missed Xie Qichen a lot. She wanted to visit the group to see him, just like the time he surprised her at Anhui Mountain. She wanted to make him happy too.
Tan Mo winked at him playfully. “Your President’s wife is here to visit. Are you happy?”
His eyes burned as he gazed at her.
“What do you think?”
She reached up, wrapping her arms around his neck, her eyes shimmering with affection. Her voice was soft and seductive.
“Of course… I want to kiss you.”
The moment her lips met his, Xie Qichen instantly took control, gripping the back of her head and deepening the kiss with a fiery intensity.
The sweet, soothing scent of jasmine from her body filled the air as the man pulled her closer, as if wanting to meld her into his embrace.
Tracing, teasing, swirling.
He pushed past her teeth, his tongue sweeping in like a blazing vine, savoring the sweetness of her mouth.
Like a mighty general wielding his weapon to conquer a city, his kiss was fiercely invasive. Tan Mo felt herself being lifted and pulled onto the desk.
She briefly regained her senses, a wave of shyness rushing to her cheeks as she lightly pushed against his chest.
“Xie Qichen…”
He teased, “Didn’t you say you’ve admired me for a long time? Aren’t you afraid of being kissed?”
Flustered and unable to escape, she quickly melted into the kiss filled with love.
Tan Mo recalled the night before last at the villa’s study, when he had also pulled her onto the desk.
They had said they were going to handle work, but later all the files on the desk had been knocked onto the floor. Her eyes had turned red, and she had never seen such a mischievous man.
This kiss was too intense. Her heart pounded, fearing he might devour her completely. Fortunately, after a while, he stopped, resting his forehead against hers, his black eyes reflecting only her blushing face.
They gazed at each other, and Tan Mo’s face turned completely red, murmuring shyly.
“Xie Qichen, you’re so mean…”
“You know who started it.”
Thankfully, Xie Qichen didn’t push further. He sat down in the chair in front of the desk, pulling her back into his lap.
Tan Mo’s back pressed against his chest, slightly flustered, when he said, “Don’t worry. They’ll knock before coming in.”
Snuggled in his arms like a little kitten, she felt reassured and reached for the box of macarons on the desk, happily opening it.
“Not for me?” Xie Qichen teased.
“You’re imagining things. I bought them for myself and had Brother Wen bring them in.”
She asked if he wanted one, but he shook his head. She took one for herself, biting into it with a delighted expression.
Watching her childish behavior, Xie Qichen smiled helplessly and handed her a glass of water.
“Slow down. Don’t choke.”
After satisfying her hunger a little, Tan Mo turned sideways, half-hugging his neck.
“How was work today? Were you busy? Did anyone say anything at the company?”
“Not too bad. There’s always opposition. But our priority now is launching the new product. I might have to travel a few times soon to check on the progress at the university research center and our drone component suppliers. It’ll get busier.”
“It’s okay. The new product will definitely be a success. It’ll get better after this period. How’s your dad doing?”
“He’s settled in and resting well. I’m just worried about his health.”
“Changing to a better environment should help him gradually recover.”
“Yeah,” Xie Qichen smiled. “He even said he’d take good care of himself because he’s looking forward to holding his grandson.”
“A grandson…”
The man chuckled. “That depends on Madam Xie’s decision.”
Her face flushed instantly. “I haven’t even graduated from college yet…”
A low chuckle followed in her ear. “You’re so silly. I’m just teasing you.”
He wouldn’t let her have a child now when she was still so young.
Tan Mo pouted at him, then turned her gaze to the office. The black-and-white minimalist style was elegant and cold, with large floor-to-ceiling windows offering a panoramic view of the surrounding skyscrapers.
“This is my first time in your office.”
“Hmm, what’s your impression?”
Tan Mo smiled. “It’s really nice. Your office is so spacious. I was originally worried that if I came here without telling you, I might interrupt something.”
“Interrupt what?”
She turned sideways, tugging his tie with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Like catching you talking to a pretty female employee. Then I’d be interrupting, right?”
His eyes darkened as he tightened his hold on her, whispering. “Didn’t you get enough last night? Are you not afraid your voice will go hoarse?”
Tan Mo blushed, her ear captured by his teeth. He smiled faintly. “I already have you, my little enchantress, to drive me crazy. Where would I find the energy for anyone else?”
At his words, she recalled how hard he had worked since they got together, and her face flushed even more.
Indeed, judging by their recent frequency, it was clear how long he had held back. Her petite frame could barely handle him.
After a few moments of affectionate teasing, Tan Mo remembered something that had happened before she came here.
“Oh, by the way, Ye Yao found me earlier.”
His eyes darkened. “He found you?”
“Don’t misunderstand. He’s long given up on me. He came to apologize.”
Tan Mo told Xie Qichen about the live stream incident. “I told him we’re already married and that I won’t have any more contact with him. He probably won’t bother me again, and I don’t want to hold a grudge anymore.”
Xie Qichen nodded, fully respecting her decision.
Since she had already resolved it, he wouldn’t interfere anymore.
Cuddled in his arms, Tan Mo said softly, “Xie Qichen…”
“Hmm.”
She smiled. “You once told me I was so good that after falling for me, your heart could no longer hold anyone else. So today I told Ye Yao, it’s not that he wasn’t good enough, but that you were just too good. No one can compare to you in my heart.”
He smiled, placing a kiss on her brow. “That’s right.”
She pouted slightly. “So when will you finish work? I want to have lunch with you. You can go back to work after eating.”
“Right away.”
Considering that the girl had come all the way to find him at lunchtime without eating, he paused his work to take her for a meal.
When he asked what she wanted to eat, Tan Mo said something simple, so he took her to the restaurant downstairs.
Hand in hand, Xie Qichen and Tan Mo left the office and headed downstairs. Along the way, they drew glances from nearly everyone.
The employees finally got to see the legendary President’s wife, and they were stunned.
Tan Mo was as pretty as a porcelain doll, fair-skinned and adorable. What’s more, Xie Qichen held her hand the entire time, and when he looked at her, his usually icy expression softened into tenderness.
It was obvious how much he adored this girl!
Everyone marveled at how differently Xie Qichen acted—his demeanor had only two modes: one when he was with Tan Mo, and another for everyone else.
Later, during lunch, some of Xie Qichen’s closer colleagues came over to greet them. Seeing Tan Mo, everyone was friendly and welcoming, and she shyly smiled in response.
Xie Qichen teased her. “Guess the whole company will know how beautiful my wife is by tomorrow. Any female employee with ulterior motives will probably feel inferior once they see the real deal.”
Tan Mo blushed. “Oh stop, don’t tease me…”
Since it was her first time at the group, in the afternoon, Tan Mo treated the employees in the President’s office and several departments to afternoon tea and desserts from her own pocket, a small gesture to help Xie Qichen maintain good relations. Everyone was delighted.
With nothing else to do, she borrowed Xie Qichen’s laptop and edited videos in his office.
Midway through, she received a message from Ji Shu, inviting her for dinner that evening. Ji Shu had been unsure in the morning whether she could make it, but now she was certain she had time.
Tan Mo mentioned it to Xie Qichen, who said he had a business dinner to attend that night as well.
In the evening, Xie Qichen dropped her off at the restaurant first. When they arrived, he said, “Call me when you’re done tonight. I’ll come pick you up.”
“Okay.”
Smiling, she leaned over and kissed his cheek, making him laugh. Then she opened the car door and got out.
That evening, Ji Shu had selected an elegant Japanese restaurant slightly removed from the downtown area—not some trendy internet-famous hotspot, but a refined and serene establishment.
Ji Shu had encountered traffic on her way from work and asked Tan Mo to wait for her a bit after arriving.
So Tan Mo went in first, admiring the decor as she slowly walked into the Japanese-style garden. She turned slightly and accidentally bumped into someone from behind.
“I’m sorry…”
She quickly apologized and turned around, seeing a man in a suit. But as her gaze lifted, she recognized the face—
Director Cui from TOC.
Tan Mo immediately recognized him. The day she reunited with Xie Qichen, she had gone to Qianshui to discuss the drone performance for the school anniversary with him.
His condescending attitude and the way he stormed off after being provoked were still vivid in her memory.
“How do you walk…”
The man slightly furrowed his brow, but before he could finish speaking, he looked up and saw Tan Mo. His expression changed instantly, shock flashing in his eyes. “Oh, it’s you…”
What a small world.
Tan Mo met his gaze without flinching, offering a faint smile.
“Director Cui, nice to see you again.”
Director Cui sneered. “You still remember me?”
Tan Mo smiled sweetly. “Of course. Our conversation that afternoon left quite an impression.”
Director Cui’s expression darkened. “So, without TOC, which company did your school end up working with for the drone performance?”
“Thank you for your concern. You’ll know if you follow it closely.”
Director Cui scoffed. “Little girl, being arrogant at such a young age will only lead to hardships in the real world someday.”
“Thank you, Director Cui, for your candid advice, but I’d rather be a bit conceited than forget who I am,” she replied.
Hearing this, Director Cui’s expression turned sour. Tan Mo innocently blinked at him, “Director Cui, I wasn’t talking about you; please don’t take it personally.”
Director Cui: “…”
Tan Mo heard someone calling her from a distance. She turned and saw Ji Shu, then politely smiled at Director Cui, “I’ll go first.”
As Tan Mo walked away toward the entrance connecting the courtyard to the interior, Ji Shu looked surprised and asked, “Who was that person talking with you just now? Do you know him?”
“He’s the TOC Director I told you about before—the one I once confronted.”
Ji Shu laughed, “Wow, what a coincidence to meet him here.”
“Don’t let him ruin my appetite. Let’s go.”
As the two were about to enter the indoor area, Tan Mo casually turned her head and saw a tall, slim, and distinguished young man approach Director Cui and extend his hand in greeting.
Over there, Director Cui looked at the man before him and smiled, “It’s finally our honor to meet you.”
Beneath his sharp, cold lenses, a hint of a smile flickered in the man’s eyes:
“Director Cui, I’ve long admired your reputation.”
“Let’s continue this inside.”
“Alright…”
As the two walked toward a private room at the other end, Tan Mo, from a distance, paused her gaze slightly on the man accompanying Director Cui. Beside her, Ji Shu noticed her hesitation and asked, surprised, “What are you looking at?”
Her eyes fixed on the retreating back of the man, Tan Mo slightly furrowed her brows:
“I just feel like… I’ve seen this person somewhere before.”
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