She and Zou Min were passing through the revolving glass door. Following Zou Min’s gaze, she turned her head slightly—
Separated from her by a single pane of transparent glass, a woman strode forward with purpose. The black Western-style suit paired with slim-legged trousers made her look sharp and efficient. Her striking features and the elegant updo softened that edge of masculinity just enough, revealing a perfectly measured allure in her mature poise—a allure that clung to her swan-like slender neck.
Meng Ning froze for a moment, her eyes drifting downward to the high heels beneath the woman’s delicate ankles.
How did heels get taller and taller these days? Those had to be nearly four inches.
Wen Zenian didn’t spare Meng Ning a single glance. Flanked by attendants like stars surrounding the moon, she was followed by several staff members. She clicked past in her high heels without looking back.
Meng Ning couldn’t help turning to watch that retreating figure.
Wen Zenian looked thinner.
That tailored jacket cinched at a waist so narrow it seemed like one arm could encircle it.
Wait, no—what was she thinking?
Shouldn’t she be wondering why Wen Zenian was here?!
“President Wen! President Wen!”
Wen Zenian finally slowed her pace.
Du Shuwen hurried forward two steps to catch up. “Can you stop wearing those nearly four-inch heels from now on? You’re walking so fast it makes me look like I’m jogging behind you like some assistant!”
“Don’t flatter yourself.”
Du Shuwen tsked. “See, that’s you all over. Your mouth says ‘don’t flatter yourself,’ and at first it sounds polite enough. But think about it, and it’s pure arrogance!”
Wen Zenian shot her a glance. “Then don’t think about it.”
“Hey!” Du Shuwen thought, my hot temper!
Du Shuwen was on the same level as Wen Zenian, a Pei City local with no overseas education. She’d clawed her way up through the ranks to her current position—a miracle in management. Her Pei City accent came out a bit cheeky when she spoke, and she occasionally skipped English names, half-jokingly calling people by their titles instead.
As she put it herself: “These foreign groups have such bad habits. I finally made it this far, and no one even calls me ‘Director’!”
She caught up to Wen Zenian and walked abreast. “Did you see her?”
“See who?”
“That little beauty just now, when we were passing through the revolving door.”
Wen Zenian thought back. “The one with short hair?”
“No, no—the one next to her, long hair pinned up at the back, really refined features.”
Wen Zenian kept her head down, flipping through the documents in her hand. “Oh, didn’t notice.”
“You’re flipping files while walking in those sky-high heels? What if you trip?” Du Shuwen mused on. “Was it the lighting? When she walked out earlier, her skin looked flawless—like no makeup, but how’s that possible? Must’ve been some high-end bare-faced look. Wonder how she does it.”
“No makeup.” Wen Zenian didn’t look up from her files as the words slipped out.
“How do you know?” Du Shuwen raised a brow. “Didn’t you say you didn’t notice?”
“Guessing.”
Du Shuwen: …
She and Wen Zenian were called the “golden duo.” Golden, my foot! Wen Zenian would be the death of her one day!
She glared at Wen Zenian, who tucked away her files and glanced back. “Next time through the revolving door, stop gawking.”
“Why?”
“Don’t want your brains getting caught in the door.”
“…Wen Zenian!”
Finally parting ways with Du Shuwen, Wen Zenian returned to her office.
She sat at her desk, elbows on the surface, fingers interlaced to cradle her chin. She stayed like that for about a minute before her slender fingers reached for the internal line on the desk phone. They hovered for two seconds, then pressed down. “Send me the full staff roster.”
“All of it?”
“All of it.”
“Got it, Gwyneth.”
The file arrived in Wen Zenian’s inbox quickly. She opened it and scrolled to the Swimming Pool Patrol Team.
After flipping past four or five names, a clear, lovely onboarding photo appeared before her.
Wen Zenian’s fingertip curled slightly as she rolled the mouse. She stared at the name beside the photo: “Meng Ning.”
She scrolled further down, checking the hire date—about a year ago.
Her gaze drifted back up to the photo. Less than half a second later, her slender finger clicked the mouse sharply, closing the document.
Meanwhile, Zou Min and Meng Ning walked out of the hotel’s main building together, Zou Min chattering nonstop. “Did you see? Did you see? Did you see?”
“Uh,” Meng Ning said. “Oh.”
“Oh, what? Isn’t she gorgeous?”
The sunset glowed like rouge, spreading clusters of fiery clouds across the horizon. Meng Ning softened her tone. “Very gorgeous.”
Zou Min fell quiet for a moment instead.
Meng Ning glanced sideways at her, and only then did she smile. “You’ve never commented on anyone’s looks before, good or bad—like you’re not interested in anyone. Hearing you say that out of the blue feels weird.”
“But,” Meng Ning said, her gaze settling gently on a shaft of sunlight filtering through the tree shadows, bathed in warm golden hues, “she really is very gorgeous.”
Wen Zenian, after their parting, seemed to be living very, very well.
The next day, after the pool closed, the team leader gathered all the patrol members. “Everyone’s heard about the special inspection team visiting our hotel, right?”
The art of speaking from superiors—ha.
Until things were set in stone, the investment group couldn’t be called an investment group; it had to be a “special inspection team.”
The team leader explained, “The inspection team needs two employees from each department. After work each day, you’ll spend a short time on a quick interview to give them a real sense of the hotel’s operations.”
“We’ll use the regular duty groups. I’ll write each pair’s names on a slip of paper and draw lots. That’s the fairest way.” The team leader reached into a glass jar on the desk.
Zou Min asked, “It cuts into off-hours—any compensation?”
“Nope.” The team leader spread her other hand. “If there was, I’d let you sign up voluntarily.”
Zou Min whispered to Meng Ning, “We’d better not get picked. I’ve got fennel dumplings waiting at home, made by my grandma.”
Meng Ning echoed in her mind: Don’t pick me, I’ve got to go watch the old man fishing.
But draws were like a teacher calling on you in class—the more you dreaded it, the more likely you got picked.
Fate played a small joke here. The team leader unfolded the slip and read, “Jenny, Cara.”
Zou Min: …
She raised her hand. “I don’t live in the dorms—I go home every night. Can someone swap?”
The team leader asked, “Anyone willing to take her spot?”
Silence.
Zou Min joked, half-serious, “The usual fennel dumplings I bring are on the house!”
“Still?”
Zou Min thought it over. “Fine, whatever. Let’s go.” She whispered to Meng Ning, “At least we’ll get to see the beauty up close, right?”
Meng Ning kept her face calm. “…Yeah.”
After the patrol team dispersed, the two headed to the conference room together.
“Cara.”
Zou Min grinned at the voice.
Xu Xuan was always like this—calling out Meng Ning’s name from afar with bubbly energy, then acting like she’d used up all her courage. She’d turn to Zou Min instead, as if she were too shy to even glance at Meng Ning again.
This time was no different. As she approached, she stared only at Zou Min. “Jenny.”
Zou Min curved her lips and nodded. “You got picked too?”
“Picked for what?”
“Aren’t you guys drawing lots in your department?”
Xu Xuan shook her head. “We volunteered. Sales needs to know every hotel update—it’s gold.”
As the three chatted, they walked inside. Xu Xuan’s colleague had arrived first and, as the most eager in sales for this interview, sat in the second row. Xu Xuan went to join her.
Meng Ning pointed to the back row. “Let’s sit there.”
“Exactly what I was thinking.” Zou Min chuckled. “We look like the back-of-the-class slackers.”
Everyone had just settled in, the room still buzzing, when the click of high heels approached.
They’d expected the investment group to be a bit standoffish, but they arrived early—thunderous efficiency on display. By comparison, Xihua Hotel’s usual management seemed too lax.
Meng Ning kept her head down, fingers picking at her sweatpants.
“Hello, everyone.”
A unfamiliar female voice rang out, and Meng Ning jolted.
She looked up to an indeed strange face. Long black hair hung straight and unadorned over her shoulders. Her features had a seductive edge, brows and eyes slightly upturned—like a fox spirit full of allure even unsmiling. But the suit tempered that, especially as she leaned against the podium with arms crossed, scanning the room sternly, exuding a sharp pressure.
After sweeping the room, she pointed to the back row. “You two in the last row.”
Zou Min: ?
Her fingertip circled toward the first row. “Seats open here. Come up front.”
Zou Min: …
Life was a blessing in disguise. They’d thought snagging the back row was lucky, only for the empty first row to summon them forward.
Meng Ning walked up with Zou Min, a flicker of relief in her heart: She wasn’t afraid of facing anyone else—as long as it wasn’t Wen Zenian.
Completely off guard yesterday, her mind had been buzzing ever since that glimpse. How was she supposed to face Wen Zenian?
Besides, what was Wen Zenian’s attitude toward her now?
She’d wondered after the encounter if Wen Zenian had “arranged” it.
Qi Xiao knew her whereabouts, though Qi Xiao wouldn’t spill. But Wen Zenian was in the five-star hotel biz—tracking Meng Ning down wouldn’t be hard if she wanted.
But Meng Ning thought it impossible.
First, Wen Zenian wasn’t some hopeless romantic who’d risk a major deal just for a “chance” encounter. Second, as she’d always believed, Wen Zenian was decisive. If Meng Ning hadn’t taken that firm step, Wen Zenian was done.
So it wasn’t Wen Zenian here today. Meng Ning couldn’t quite name her feelings.
Made sense—the investment group wasn’t just Wen Zenian. No way she’d handle everything personally.
Wen Zenian probably wasn’t leaving C Hotel Group, so this meant C Hotel Group was buying into Xihua Hotel?
Du Shuwen leaned the small of her back against the podium and lifted her wrist to check her watch. Time was nearly up, so she opened her mouth to speak. “I’ve gathered everyone here today mainly to go over some precautions. From now on, we’ll do these as one-on-one interviews on a rotating basis, so they won’t take up much of your time.”
“Regarding this round of interviews, there are a few points I’d like to emphasize to everyone: First off, there’s no need for anyone to—”
As she spoke, the light click of high heels echoed through the room. Zou Min hurriedly nudged Meng Ning.
Meng Ning hadn’t expected anyone else to show up. By the time she tried to duck her head, it was already too late.
Instead, she found herself staring at that slender figure clad in a crisp white blouse and tailored black suit jacket, striding in on high heels. As her gaze drifted lightly across the conference room, it locked briefly with Meng Ning’s—herself seated in the front row.
Then, without lingering for even a second more, it shifted away as if by accident.
Putting it together with yesterday’s encounter at the revolving door, Meng Ning now understood Wen Zenian’s attitude toward her.
Wen Zenian was ignoring her completely.
