After several days of pouring rain, the weather finally cleared. Ning Jiuwei jolted awake from a dream, pressing her temple as she slowly pushed herself up from the bed, propping against the mattress.
The phone on the bedside table had exited sleep mode after receiving a message, its screen lighting up. Ning Jiuwei stared blankly for a moment before picking it up.
It was a message from her assistant, full of concern and greetings: Designer Ning, are you feeling better? A client has commissioned a ring and specifically requested your design.
“I’ll head to the company today.”
Faint morning sunlight filtered through the gaps in the plain gray velvet curtains, dappling the floor. Ning Jiuwei leaned against the headboard as she replied to her assistant, then threw off the covers and climbed out of bed.
She untied the belt of her loose sleep robe, straightened the fabric, and retied it before drawing open the bedroom curtains. She basked in the long-absent warmth.
The temperature was the best proof of reality, confirming whether she was still trapped in a dream or truly awake.
Her face, now free of its sickly pallor, brimmed with vibrant life once more. Ning Jiuwei possessed a pair of deep, alluring peach-blossom eyes that turned especially captivating when she smiled. But with no one else around, her expression held not a trace of warmth; through the glass window, her gaze was cold and piercing, devoid of emotion as she surveyed the bustling, glittering city below.
Her apartment was just a short drive from the company—twenty minutes at most.
Her body was still recovering and couldn’t withstand the chill wind, so Ning Jiuwei threw on a trench coat before heading out. She parked in her reserved spot in front of the office building and entered through the main entrance.
The office building spanned three underground levels and nine above ground, all under the umbrella of Hengsu Group. The HS Division where she worked was Hengsu Group’s Design Division—operating independently with its own accounting, yet ultimately controlled by the group. The division president reported regularly to the group president.
She rode the elevator to the sixth floor, the dedicated office area for design. Along the way, colleagues greeted Ning Jiuwei, and she responded with a slight smile and nod, making her unhurried way to her office.
As HS Chief Designer, she merited her own private office, complete with a dedicated assistant.
“Designer Ning, it’s great to see your complexion so much improved after a few days away. Here’s the client information.” Ning Jiuwei had barely settled into her office chair when her diligent assistant entered, arms full of documents.
Ning Jiuwei powered up her computer and took the documents, flipping through them. Her assistant gave a quick overview of the order process before getting to the key point. “Miss Shen’s status makes it inconvenient for her to visit the company, so she hopes you’ll go to her home to discuss the design requirements in detail.”
The documents ran several pages, but for Ning Jiuwei, only the first page held real value. She skimmed the dense details that followed, then closed the file and set it aside. She turned to her assistant. “When do we meet?”
“You decide the time.” Her assistant beamed, her twenty-three-year-old face radiant with youthful energy and vitality. “That said, Miss Shen’s assistant mentioned—though I’m not sure if it’s a hard requirement—that evening would be best.”
“Then tonight it is.” Ning Jiuwei settled her schedule on the spot. “You’ll come with me.”
“Understood. I’ll contact Miss Shen’s assistant right away to confirm the details and let you know.”
The assistant turned to leave but paused at the sound of Ning Jiuwei coughing. She hurried back to the desk, concern plain in her eyes. “Designer Ning, are you still not fully recovered?”
Ning Jiuwei gave a faint smile. “I’m good now. Go on with your work.”
Still worried, the assistant detoured to the pantry on her way out. She returned with a pot of hot water, set it on the tea station, and reminded Ning Jiuwei to drink plenty.
The office fell quiet. Ning Jiuwei picked up her tablet to sketch a design draft. The company would launch its quarterly new products next month; mass-market jewelry didn’t require her touch as chief designer, but Ning Jiuwei enjoyed creating themed pieces for practice.
With no custom orders backed up, it was the perfect time to tackle next month’s lineup.
A sudden commotion erupted in the corridor. Ning Jiuwei set down her stylus and glanced toward the noise.
Her office door stood open, the transparent glass walls remained clear without frosting, and the light-blocking blinds were up. She had a perfect view of the corridor activity.
She had chosen this office for its prime vantage point and secluded quiet.
“Sorry about the disturbance, Designer Ning.” The Administration Manager noticed Ning Jiuwei looking their way and hurried over to apologize.
Employees bustled in and out, hauling items. Ning Jiuwei took one glance and grasped the change underway. “Who’s moving into the office across from mine?”
The opposite office had sat vacant, serving as storage for useful but seldom-needed items. Now, Administration Department staff were clearing them out and installing shiny new desks and chairs.
“The new president.” The Administration Manager stepped inside to explain to Ning Jiuwei. “While you were out recovering, the Design Division got a new president. She didn’t like the old office and, after touring the entire sixth floor, set her sights on the one right across from yours.”
Ning Jiuwei listened without much reaction, her calm eyes showing not even a flicker of curiosity about the new president.
Since she didn’t ask, the Administration Manager didn’t rush to gossip. She closed the door to Ning Jiuwei’s office and headed across to direct the arrangement of desks, chairs, and sofas.
Ning Jiuwei pulled the remote from her drawer and activated Privacy Mode on the glass walls, then dove back into her work.
She sketched the design drawings, then used software for digital modeling and rendering. Hand-drawing was a designer’s essential skill, but modeling wasn’t—except that when she left it to others, the models often deviated from her original sketches in ways that didn’t match her vision. So whenever she had time, Ning Jiuwei did the modeling herself.
Across the hall, the office was thoroughly cleaned inside and out. Every item was replaced with brand-new ones—even the nearly pristine blinds were swapped for fresh ones.
The air was filled with the faint, elegant scent of blue windbell fragrance. Everything was ready, just waiting for the new president to arrive.
Ning Jiuwei turned off the glass Privacy Mode and glanced at the opposite office.
The busy figures were gone. By the bright, spotless floor-to-ceiling windows stood a person in simple tailored trousers and a satin blue-gray blouse. Long, voluminous wavy hair cascaded over her shoulders and back. She was tall and slender, her posture straight as a pine.
Even from the back, her poise and demeanor revealed her identity: the new president.
Ning Jiuwei’s gaze lingered for a moment on the woman’s slim waist, then shifted to her left hand. Her phone was held by pale, slender fingers, pressed to her ear.
Ning Jiuwei had no habit of eavesdropping on others’ calls. She withdrew her gaze, grabbed her insulated cup, and went to the tea station to pour some water.
The boiling water steamed fiercely, too hot to drink right away. Just then, her throat started to itch with dryness. Ning Jiuwei lowered her head, covering her mouth as she coughed lightly.
The cough didn’t ease the discomfort. She held her breath, trying to suppress the irritating sensation.
It backfired.
The suppression turned into suffocation, tearing at her vocal cords. Ning Jiuwei couldn’t hold back and broke into a fit of harsh coughs.
The office door swung open without a knock. Ning Jiuwei turned to see who it was, and her heart felt like it had been ripped open. Icy blood froze in her limbs, as if she stood on the edge of an unfathomable abyss.
“Do you need to go to the hospital?” Su Jinglan’s voice was clear and cool, but her words carried warm concern. She held out a bottle of water and twisted off the cap as she handed it over.
Ning Jiuwei stared into Su Jinglan’s eyes but didn’t take it.
“Designer Ning, this is our new president, President Su.” The Administration Manager, who had come looking for the president, saw her enter the designer’s office and cheerfully made the introduction.
“Thank you, President Su.” Ning Jiuwei took the water without a change in expression. After her polite, distant thanks, she subtly ushered them out. “You two carry on. I’ll get back to work.”
The new president was Su Jinglan.
As her chilled body slowly warmed, Ning Jiuwei set the water on the tea station and picked up her insulated cup before returning to her desk.
The Administration Manager asked Su Jinglan if there was anything else needed in her office. Su Jinglan stood still, her peripheral vision on Ning Jiuwei, and coolly replied to the manager, “I’ll let you know when I think of something,” sending her away.
Now the office held only the two of them. Ning Jiuwei’s temples throbbed, aching like pinpricks, her knuckles white around the insulated cup.
“Designer Ning, you don’t look well.” Su Jinglan walked toward the desk, looking down at Ning Jiuwei in her office chair.
Ning Jiuwei wore Red Maple lipstick, and a crisp, cool woody fragrance wafted from her. Up close, one could detect faint notes of Cedar White Musk blended into the woodsy scent.
Ning Jiuwei had no idea why Su Jinglan thought she looked unwell. She had long mastered expression control—even the micro-expressions when lying were handled with ease after years of training.
“I’ll be fine after a short rest.” Ning Jiuwei didn’t argue. Her steadying heartbeat let her meet Su Jinglan’s gaze directly.
Su Jinglan’s eyes, tempered by time, were deep as the night. Ning Jiuwei couldn’t read the look she was giving her, but one thing was clear: Su Jinglan was concerned for her.
At least, that’s what her actions suggested.
Su Jinglan said nothing more and left Ning Jiuwei’s office.
The moment she was gone, Ning Jiuwei activated Privacy Mode.
Back in her own office, Su Jinglan stared at the fully obscured Privacy Mode glass walls, thoughtfully replaying Ning Jiuwei’s reaction to seeing her and their brief exchange.
Night fell. The assistant knocked on the office door, reminding Ning Jiuwei of her seven-thirty meeting with the client that evening.
Without traffic, it was a half-hour drive to the client’s home. Ning Jiuwei checked her watch: six-thirty.
“Pack up. We’re heading there now.” Ning Jiuwei called to her ever-efficient assistant. “Little Tan, we won’t be coming back to the company after the client meeting.”
No need to head back to the company—perfect! The assistant happily returned to her workstation to pack up her bag.
Their conversation reached Su Jinglan’s ears word for word. She paused at the door to Ning Jiuwei’s office and asked, “Designer Ning, are you meeting a client tonight?”
“Yes, it’s a requirement from the client.”
Ning Jiuwei responded politely, her courteous demeanor masking a subtle reluctance for prolonged interaction.
“I’m very interested in the process of how designers communicate with clients,” Su Jinglan said calmly. “I’ll go with you.”
Ning Jiuwei had never imagined Su Jinglan would make such a request. Given her position as president, it was nearly impossible to refuse any work-related demand from her.
“The client tonight has a special status—it’s not suitable to bring too many people. I’ve already got one assistant with me. If President Su wants to learn more, how about next time?” Despite the awkwardness, Ning Jiuwei still managed to find an excuse to decline.
“Alright, next time.” Su Jinglan didn’t press the issue. Jinglan’s eyes showed no hint of disturbance as she turned and walked away first.
It was past quitting time, and most of the employees had already left. Su Jinglan sat in her car, her gaze fixed on the brightly lit office building.
Ning Jiuwei and her assistant emerged side by side from the building. The evening wind was sharp and biting, tousling her long hair as the chill seeped through her skin and straight into her bones. Ning Jiuwei tugged at her collar and quickened her steps toward the car.
Nightfall concealed all emotions. Su Jinglan’s eyes followed them closely, silently watching as Ning Jiuwei and her assistant departed.
~~~
