Chapter 79

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Another sleepless night left Ning Jiuwei dragging her weary body to the company for work. Assistant Tan noticed her listless state and brewed her a cup of coffee—black, no sugar, no milk, double the grounds to really wake her up.

“Thanks, Little Tan.” The rich, aromatic scent alone made Ning Jiuwei feel more alert.

“You’re welcome.” Assistant Tan’s smile was genuine as she voiced the question nagging at her. “Designer Ning, you look pretty sleepy. Why not sleep in a bit longer at home?”

Ning Jiuwei had flexible hours and could skip the office entirely without anyone complaining.

Hearing Assistant Tan’s question, Ning Jiuwei glanced casually toward the office across the way, a smile playing on her face. “I only get sleepy when I come to the company.”

Assistant Tan felt a spark of recognition—she suffered from the same affliction, especially on Mondays. The moment she stepped into the office and sat at her desk, exhaustion washed over her, and all she craved was a day off to head home.

She hadn’t realized it until Designer Ning pointed it out, but now Assistant Tan felt drowsy herself.

She slipped into the pantry to make her own cup. Unlike Designer Ning’s, hers came loaded with four sugar cubes—super sweet.

The President’s Office sat empty. Ning Jiuwei propped her chin on her hand, her vacant gaze pulling her mind back to the previous night.

She had been in the midst of a shower when Su Jinglan’s call came through. Su Jinglan’s voice was clear and faintly cool over the line, while hot water cascaded like a downpour down her back, splashing against the tiles and creating a dizzying clash of ice and fire. Ning Jiuwei swept her long hair behind her ears, holding her breath as she lowered her gaze.

“I’ve changed my mind,” Su Jinglan said in a voice devoid of inflection, giving nothing away. “I want you to keep me company.”

Steam swirled thickly in the bathroom, and Ning Jiuwei’s heart thudded wildly. Su Jinglan’s words set her imagination racing, a flush creeping over her fair skin like the petals of a blooming peach blossom, tempting any onlooker to reach out and pluck it.

“Alright. I’ll be waiting for you tomorrow, President Su,” Ning Jiuwei replied, steadying her voice to sound calm and composed.

They covered the essentials in just a few words, and the call ought to have ended there. But Ning Jiuwei listened quietly to the faint breaths on the other end, so close it felt as if Su Jinglan were right there beside her.

“Is Designer Ning in the shower?”

Ning Jiuwei didn’t deny it. “Mm.”

A shower meant she was naked. Before Su Jinglan could tease her with any playful remark, Ning Jiuwei’s pulse quickened, her mind flooding with vivid, heated scenes.

Don’t let your thoughts wander, she chided herself, biting her lip hard to snap back to reality with the sharp sting of pain.

Su Jinglan passed up the opening to flirt, concluding the call with perfect propriety. “Then I won’t keep disturbing you, Designer Ning.”

The even tone doused her like a bucket of ice water from above. Ning Jiuwei braced herself against the tiles, standing under the shower at full blast.

She rinsed away the suds and activated the drying system. Her lashes, still dotted with water droplets, trembled in the circulating warm air. Slowly, she opened her eyes and looked down at the ring hanging around her neck.

Memory guided her hands unconsciously, just as it had the night before in the bathroom. Ning Jiuwei pulled the ring from beneath her clothes and gazed at it, head bowed.

The rose gold diamond ring was masterfully set, its design timeless. When, exactly, had Su Jinglan bought it?

Ning Jiuwei had scrutinized every detail—from the diamond to the inner band of the ring—countless times. No serial number, no engraved names. Even if she took it to a jeweler, they’d have no way to trace its sales record.

She slipped the ring back under her clothes, checked the time, and turned her attention to sketching designs.

“Designer Ning.” Assistant Lin knocked on the door. “We can head out now.”

Night had fallen, the sky darkening. Ning Jiuwei had been at the office since morning, but Su Jinglan hadn’t appeared all day.

The office across the hall was dark, exuding a sense of isolation and solitude. Ning Jiuwei set down her pen and tidied her desk. “Just a moment, Assistant Lin.”

“All set.” Ning Jiuwei stepped out from behind her desk, her face lit with a warm, approachable smile. “Assistant Lin, President Su didn’t come in today?”

Assistant Lin was always discreet about her boss’s movements. She answered plainly, “President Su did come to the company, but not here. She spent the day in another office.”

Ning Jiuwei saw her opening. “I heard President Su holds multiple roles. Besides being President of the Design Division, what other department does she oversee?”

“Group Headquarters.” Assistant Lin left it at that, offering Ning Jiuwei a smile.

Ning Jiuwei read the message in that smile: she wouldn’t say more, no matter what.

Two cars idled in front of the office building. One was the familiar black sedan. Assistant Lin opened the rear door, revealing that well-known face right in front of Ning Jiuwei.

Su Jinglan leaned back in the car seat without a gentle smile or a tender, affectionate gaze. Her calm and detached expression treated Ning Jiuwei as nothing more than a colleague.

As both a colleague and subordinate, Ning Jiuwei hesitated slightly before sliding into the car.

“President Su.” Ning Jiuwei greeted her first.

“Mm.” Su Jinglan’s gaze remained fixed on the tablet in her hands. She didn’t so much as glance up.

An indescribably distant chill filled the car, faintly laced with awkwardness. Ning Jiuwei reflected on her past attitude toward Su Jinglan as she leaned back against the plush, comfortable seatback and pulled out her phone to scroll through the news.

Assistant Lin was taking a call outside the car. Only Ning Jiuwei and Su Jinglan sat inside, but Ning Jiuwei didn’t absorb a single word of the news. Her full attention was on Su Jinglan, sitting within arm’s reach beside her.

The car’s soundproofing was excellent. Assistant Lin stood just two meters away, yet she couldn’t hear a thing.

The company campus lights flickered on, casting a glow over the brightly lit office building that stood tall against the night sky. Ning Jiuwei shifted her gaze from her phone to the lobby. She wondered if they were waiting for the Design Director and the others when Su Jinglan’s voice suddenly broke the silence inside the car.

“Doesn’t Designer Ning have anything to say to me?” Su Jinglan turned her head slightly toward Ning Jiuwei. Her deep eyes seemed to hold a thousand unspoken words, sending Ning Jiuwei’s heart pounding like a startled deer and flooding her with an indescribable wave of heat.

Assistant Lin finished her call and climbed into the car, fastening her seatbelt as she spoke. “President Lu, Sister Ling, and the others have already arrived at the private room. Miss Shen should get there in about an hour, so we’ll arrive right on time if we head over now.”

Assistant Lin looked up after speaking and met a pair of icy eyes. Her body went rigid as her hand slowly moved toward the seatbelt buckle. “…I’ll come back up later.”

She had waited outside for over ten minutes—more than enough time for the two of them to exchange hundreds of words. But it still wasn’t enough, apparently.

“Drive.” Su Jinglan pressed the button in front of her, raising the partition.

Lin Fengmian clutched her erratically beating chest and exhaled sharply.

Zhang Xiaoyue and Head of Publicity Department Li Yao hurried over. Having wrapped up their work, they arrived precisely on schedule and climbed into another car.

“What does President Su want me to say?” The car pulled out of the company campus and merged into the bustling traffic flow. Ning Jiuwei looked at Su Jinglan, her tone utterly devoid of flirtation.

Su Jinglan drew in a quiet breath. “Designer Ning, think about it carefully.”

Ning Jiuwei had thought it through thoroughly. She knew exactly where things had grown distant between them.

“Sorry, President Su.” Ning Jiuwei apologized. “Next time, President Su can sit in my car for as long as she likes.”

Su Jinglan: “…”

Think carefully—that was what she should be apologizing for?

No further apologies would come from Ning Jiuwei’s lips. She reined in her emotions, digging her nails into her palm in secret, and stayed silent for the rest of the drive.

Today’s meeting was a special one. As a rising star in the entertainment industry, Shen Lanyan couldn’t risk an ordinary restaurant, so the business discussion had been set at a private club renowned for its airtight confidentiality.

Nearly all the guests here craved anonymity. It was Ning Jiuwei’s first visit. Out of professional habit, she took in the club’s design and layout, mentally cataloging the unique arrangement of decorative pieces.

The two directors arrived at the club shortly after them. Spotting Ning Jiuwei, Zhang Xiaoyue broke into a radiant smile. “Designer Ning’s here too?”

Su Jinglan shot her a glance but said nothing.

Ning Jiuwei smiled back. “I’m just here to broaden my horizons.”

They rode the elevator to the 3rd Floor, navigated a maze of winding corridors, and followed a server to the reserved private room.

A nameplate hung on the private room door, engraved with the words Flowers Bloom with Prosperity—an odd contrast to the modern decor. Ning Jiuwei made a mental note of it before stepping inside.

The nearly 100-square-meter space brimmed with opulent luxury. It was divided into distinct zones: a dining area with its table, a leisure section with sofas, and a massive 100-inch screen mounted on the wall for movies, TV, or even projecting meetings. The air was thick with the lush fragrance of blue windbell flowers, evoking a profound sense of open serenity at the room’s heart.

Ning Jiuwei recognized the blue windchime fragrance immediately—it was the same scent used in Su Jinglan’s office.

Two women sat on the sofa. One wore expensive haute couture, her subtle makeup enhancing her striking beauty to perfection. The other dressed boldly, dripping in dazzling earrings, necklace, and bracelets that blended high fashion with extravagant wealth.

“President Su.” The two rose upon seeing Su Jinglan. The woman in haute couture approached and hugged her, making introductions. “This is Lanyan’s manager, Liu Qingling—Sister Ling.”

The woman seemed quite familiar with Su Jinglan. She held Su Jinglan’s arm intimately as she added, “We must have met before.”

President Su, when did you get to know them? The Head of the Publicity Department suppressed her inner doubts without showing them and warmly exchanged greetings with the newcomers. “President Lu, Sister Ling, good to see you again. Allow me to introduce you—this is Zhang Xiaoyue, Head of the Jewelry Design Department, and this is Ning Jiuwei, our Chief Designer.”

“President Lu, you’re so young,” Zhang Xiaoyue said. She was a master of social graces, her business flattery flawless. “I’ve heard so much about you and Sister Ling. It’s wonderful to finally meet you in person.”

On the way over, Zhang Xiaoyue had briefed Ning Jiuwei about the people they were meeting tonight. One was Lu Zhixi, the boss of Chaoxi Film and TV Brokerage Company—a young and accomplished woman of just thirty-one. The other was her agent, Liu Qingling, a renowned figure in the industry who had launched numerous stars. She now represented Shen Lanyan and reportedly doted on her like a daughter, securing every top-tier opportunity that came her way.

Shen Lanyan only endorsed first-line luxury brands, while HS Jewelry was merely a well-known domestic label. Li Yao had been surprised when her agent agreed to discuss a collaboration.

Li Yao played the role of intermediary, smoothing communication between the two parties.

Ning Jiuwei disliked socializing but handled it effortlessly, offering a perfectly measured smile as she greeted them. “President Lu, Sister Ling, pleased to meet you.”

Su Jinglan and Lu Zhixi headed to the sofa to chat, and the two directors followed suit, taking seats nearby. Sister Ling beamed at Ning Jiuwei and invited her over to the water bar for a drink.

“I’ve seen you before,” Sister Ling said as she poured two glasses of whisky. “Miss Ning, you and my Lanyan trended together on the hot searches.”

“It was a misunderstanding. Miss Shen and I aren’t lovers.”

The moment Shen Lanyan was mentioned, she pushed open the door, greeted the group on the sofa, and made a beeline for Ning Jiuwei.

“Designer Ning, have you missed me?” Shen Lanyan asked bluntly, hooking an arm around Ning Jiuwei’s shoulder.

Ning Jiuwei instinctively glanced toward the sofa. Su Jinglan shot her a look before turning away nonchalantly, then smiled tenderly at President Lu beside her. “What sort of profit-sharing ratio would President Lu like?”

Ning Jiuwei’s gaze sharpened in an instant. Shen Lanyan’s heart skipped a beat as she recalled the agony of being pinned against the wall, Ning Jiuwei’s hand locked around her throat. She hastily withdrew her arm and picked up the glass from the bar counter. “I’m thirsty. You haven’t touched this one yet, have you?”

Ice cubes bubbled in the glass, and the rim showed no trace of liquid—it was clearly untouched. Without waiting for an answer, Shen Lanyan downed half of it.

The drink she had taken was the one sitting in front of Ning Jiuwei. Sister Ling narrowed her eyes slightly, her gaze flicking between the two women. “Miss Ning, what was it you just said you aren’t with our Lanyan?”

“Hm?” Shen Lanyan composed herself, her face lighting up with a smile once more. “Were you talking about me?”

Ning Jiuwei’s expression softened again. “Miss Shen is my client, not my lover.”

Shen Lanyan smiled and asked, “So Designer Ning’s lover is someone else?”

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