Chapter 25: Position Part 2

She preferred this heartless, carefree Jiang Ruoning.

Over seeing her so deeply inferior in front of Xu Qingqing, groveling, only to receive contemptuous looks and verbal abuse.

The current Ruoning…

Was at least sunny, confident, and happy.

Jiang Ruoning looked at her. “I thought you’d persuade me to give her another chance.”

Hearing that, Qin Zheng suddenly remembered when she and Yun An had broken up. Jiang Ruoning had asked if she could give Yun An another chance. Those words had shaken her deeply; she had just needed someone to say it in her ear, and she could justify giving one openly.

Now the positions were reversed.

Was Jiang Ruoning hoping for the same?

Begging her to say give Shi Sui a chance.

So Jiang Ruoning could righteously do so?

Like Jiang Ruoning back then, Qin Zheng was speechless. After a long pause, she asked, “Do you want me to persuade you?”

Meeting Qin Zheng’s intense gaze, Jiang Ruoning’s pretty face stiffened. She hugged a pillow to her chest and looked down. “Forget it.”

Her mind was a mess.

Her eyes unconsciously drifted to her phone.

Shi Sui’s fingers fiddled with the screen. The unsent message stood out glaringly, the red exclamation mark like an iron hammer crashing onto her heart, leaving her defenseless.

There was a knock at the office door. The secretary notified President Shi that the meeting time had arrived. She looked up from her phone, and the secretary felt a chill scrape across her face—cold, cold.

She had no idea what was up with President Shi today; her mood seemed far from pleasant.

That day, after the meeting with the marketing department, everyone had been quite afraid of her at first. But with the meal and President Shi being affable over the past two days, they had relaxed a bit. Today, though, their nerves were tight again.

Shi Sui said, “Got it.”

She stood up and followed the secretary to the conference room. At the door, she glanced into the neighboring room and saw Lin Wei and Ai Wen sitting there. Next to Ai Wen was a woman in a black V-neck long dress, her long hair cascading over her shoulders, arms crossed as she leaned back in her chair.

Shi Sui tilted her head and looked for a few seconds before asking the secretary beside her, “Are they here to sign?”

The secretary quickly replied, “Not yet. Little President Lin wants to switch models, but Ai Wen insists on using Du Youran.”

Du Youran was the newcomer Ai Wen was currently promoting heavily—the same one who was the company executive’s daughter that had once used Jiang Ruoning’s fame to hog resources. Shi Sui nodded and said to the secretary, “Help me make a dinner reservation with Ai Wen.”

The secretary was visibly surprised. “With Ai Wen?”

She quickly composed herself. “Sure, tonight work?”

Shi Sui thought for a moment, her tone flat. “Tomorrow night.”

The secretary nodded.

Though she didn’t understand why Shi Sui wanted to dine with Ai Wen, she immediately turned to ask Jiang Nuan about Shi Sui’s preferences, dining requirements, and usual restaurants. These had always been handled by Jiang Nuan before. Jiang Nuan had been at the store during the day and only returned in the afternoon, so the secretary consulted her before deciding.

Jiang Nuan was stunned over the phone. “She’s dining with Ai Wen?”

The secretary whispered, “Yeah, President Shi ordered it.”

Jiang Nuan frowned. What was Shi Sui up to? Ai Wen had asked her out several times recently, and she’d given her the cold shoulder every time. Why was she proactively inviting Ai Wen to dinner now? Was it to discuss a collaboration? Hadn’t she already internally decided on Jiang Ruoning?

Though she didn’t get Shi Sui’s thinking, Jiang Nuan still recommended a restaurant to the secretary and didn’t forget to ask, “Did something happen at the company today?”

The secretary thought it over and confessed, “President Shi was in a bad mood today. Really fierce.”

Jiang Nuan: …

Now she understood why Shi Sui occasionally left her exasperated and amused.

At four-thirty in the afternoon, Jiang Nuan returned to the company. Shi Sui emerged from the conference room. Having not slept all night and spinning nonstop all day, plus two meetings in the afternoon, her face remained icy cold. She spoke crisply and directly, skipping even the usual pleasantries. Jiang Nuan, undaunted, stirred the pot. “You’re in such a bad mood today—did things fall through with your ex?”

As soon as she said it, Shi Sui looked up, her gaze sinister. Jiang Nuan inexplicably shrank back. Shi Sui said, “Did you approve this plan?”

Jiang Nuan looked down at the plan in her hand—the Q4 proposal. She nodded. “I did.”

“The event’s set at Jiangxin Building, where they’re still doing construction and roadwork. Access in and out is inconvenient. Did you even do a site visit?” Shi Sui asked Jiang Nuan. Jiang Nuan replied, “Of course I did. I went specially last night. They said construction would wrap up by November—no impact on the December event.”

And Jiangxin Building had always been the go-to for fashion shows, which was why Jiang Nuan chose it.

Shi Sui said, “November’s just an estimate. What if weather or other issues delay it? That would affect the December event. You should have factored in that margin for error.”

Jiang Nuan felt in the wrong—she really hadn’t considered it. She’d figured that if it wasn’t done by then, the event would already be mostly wrapped up anyway, no access issues. But as Shi Sui said, what if?

She nodded. “I’ll pick a new venue.”

Shi Sui handed her the plan.

Jiang Nuan took it but didn’t leave. Instead, she clutched the file and asked, “You’re dining with Ai Wen tomorrow night?”

Shi Sui didn’t look up. “Mm.”

Jiang Nuan didn’t get it. “Why?”

In her view, there was zero reason.

They had no connection to Ai Wen at any stage. They’d excluded her from the project from the start. Even without Jiang Ruoning, given Shi Sui’s personality, she wouldn’t collaborate with Ai Wen. And now, proactively treating her to dinner?

Inconceivable.

Shi Sui said, “Didn’t you say she kept asking us out before? Give her a chance—see what she has to say.”

Jiang Nuan was skeptical. “At this critical juncture?”

Ai Wen and Lin Wei were clearly getting chummy; word was they’d sign soon.

Shi Sui shrugged expressionlessly, as if to say, What’s wrong with this juncture?

Jiang Nuan asked Shi Sui, “Aren’t you worried Jiang Ruoning will misunderstand?”

Shi Sui’s gaze dropped slightly to her phone. She clenched her jaw, her facial lines sharpened by the light. She didn’t respond to Jiang Nuan’s words. Jiang Nuan was used to it—Shi Sui rarely explained her decisions to others. She always turned out right anyway. Jiang Nuan didn’t press, but she was still curious. “Why are you in such a bad mood today?”

Shi Sui looked at her, face blank. “Didn’t you just figure it out?”

Jiang Nuan was baffled. “Figure what out?”

Shi Sui said, “Reconciliation with the ex failed.”

Jiang Nuan dramatically gasped.

She’d said it offhand. Was it true? Or was Shi Sui just messing with her?

Jiang Nuan grew more puzzled, staring straight at Shi Sui. Shi Sui looked up from her computer, meeting her eyes, her voice cool. “Want me to fetch you a chair to sit here?”

Catching the displeasure in her tone, Jiang Nuan backpedaled fast. “No, no, I’ll head out.”

Shi Sui huffed from her nose. “Mm.”

At the door, Jiang Nuan turned back. “Oh, right. You have no plans tonight, but President Li from Fengshang…”

Shi Sui said, “I have plans tonight.”

Jiang Nuan racked her brain for Shi Sui’s schedule. Shi Sui added, “Personal plans.”

Jiang Nuan said, “Oh. Got it.”

Though Jiang Ruoning definitely wasn’t coming to the barbecue shop tonight, Shi Sui went anyway. It was what they’d agreed on before. She sat in the shop, looking around—no changes from before.

The boss lady was as enthusiastic as ever. Her daughter had gotten first in the whole school on this month’s exam, so she gave a free bottle of soda to every table that night. When she reached Shi Sui’s table, the boss lady stared at her for a good while, feeling she looked familiar but unable to place her. Shi Sui smiled and greeted her. “Boss Chen, good evening.”

“You—you—you’re that…” The boss lady beamed, recognizing Shi Sui but forgetting her name. Shi Sui said, “From Jiaoda.”

The boss lady exclaimed, “Right! Jiaoda!”

Shi Sui was stunned. “You still remember me?”

“How could I forget?” The boss lady was already thrilled about her daughter’s grades and now flushed with even more excitement. A few years ago, she and her husband had opened this barbecue shop. Her husband was surnamed Zhou, so friends called him Boss Zhou and teasingly called her Madam Zhou. But Shi Sui and her friends always called her Boss Chen whenever they came.

That stuck in her memory. Later, when her husband cheated and they divorced, she kept thinking of them calling her Boss Chen for some reason—as if that title had solidified her resolve.

Chen Ying looked at Shi Sui. “Heard you went abroad.”

It was that girl named Qin Zheng who’d said it. After not seeing Shi Sui for a long time, when they came for barbecue, Chen Ying had asked, and Qin Zheng mentioned she’d gone abroad. Chen Ying hadn’t pried. Shi Sui nodded. “Yeah, to study abroad.”

Chen Ying eyed her. Shi Sui wore a maroon professional suit, sleeveless with a round neck. Chen Ying wasn’t sure of the fabric, but it gleamed like silk—clearly high-end.

Just sitting there, she drew frequent glances from customers coming and going. Chen Ying handed her a menu. “What do you want today? On me.”

“Thanks.” Shi Sui smiled and told Chen Ying, “I’m waiting for someone.”

Chen Ying recalled. “Waiting for a friend?”

Shi Sui nodded.

Chen Ying said, “Waiting for Ruoning?”

Shi Sui was taken aback. “Boss Chen remembers her too?”

“Of course, of course.” Chen Ying grinned. It wasn’t just remembering—Jiang Ruoning often came with friends to support the place, especially in the two years around Chen Ying’s divorce from her ex-husband. Jiang Ruoning had even helped introduce a lawyer, so Chen Ying always gave her the milk her own daughter drank.

Shi Sui hadn’t known about any of that.

She’d missed so much.

Shi Sui asked, “And you…?”

“I’m doing great now.” Chen Ying spread her hands. “Look at me—business, my shop, and an obedient daughter. Couldn’t be happier.”

Shi Sui felt her joy and nodded.

Chen Ying said, “Sit tight. Call me if you need anything.”

Shi Sui nodded.

She sat quietly by the window, gazing out. Night had fallen, lights gradually illuminating the surroundings like brilliant stars, weaving light and shadow.

Chen Ying leaned at the cash register. Her daughter stared at Shi Sui and whispered, “Mom, who’s that?”

“An old customer,” Chen Ying said. “She held you when you were little.”

The girl blushed. “Really?”

Chen Ying said, “Yeah.” She turned. “A friend of Ning-jie’s.”

The girl said, “Ning-jie? She asked me to reserve a table yesterday, said she’d come today.”

Chen Ying said, “That’s it then—probably meeting up. Ask her when she’s coming.”

The girl nodded. “Okay.”

She immediately pulled out her phone and messaged Jiang Ruoning: [Ning-jie, when are you coming?]

Jiang Ruoning was sprawled on the sofa scrolling short videos when a WeChat notification popped up from the barbecue shop she’d reserved at.

She replied right away: [I…]

Before she finished typing, another message came: [Your friend is already here.]

Jiang Ruoning frowned: [Friend?]

Then a photo arrived: Shi Sui sitting in the barbecue shop, in her usual spot.