Chapter 5 Miss Shen is quite bold

The Zijing Tan Garden covers a large area. Upon entering the gate, one is greeted by red plum blossoms and camellias lining both sides of the stone steps.

In the past two days, the snow has mostly melted, and the crimson accents have added a touch of vitality.

A faint floral fragrance mingled with the cool air wafted towards us.

Passing through the long corridor, one can see pavilions and waterside terraces, which are in the style of classical Chinese gardens, with a wide view, grand and elegant.

Shen Jingni, being a lively person, took the initiative to strike up a conversation with Chang An, "Are you Mr. Zhao's assistant?"

This young man seems steady and reliable, and quite polite; he should be easy to talk to.

"Yes, Miss Shen, I am Mr. Chang'an, his personal assistant."

Shen Jingni pursed her lips and tentatively asked, "What's your husband's temper like?"

She came here for two reasons: first, to apologize and avoid implicating the Shen family, because if her parents found out that she had offended Zhao Zonglan, it would surely lead to another bloody conflict; second, to retrieve the hairpin, which her grandmother had left her, and she had to get it back no matter what.

Since Zhao Zonglan agreed to see her, there must be room for further discussion.

But when they first met, he seemed a bit fierce to her.

Shen Jingni was a little scared.

Chang An led her into the reception room and said calmly, "I'm sorry, Miss Shen, I dare not speak presumptuously."

All right.

Shen Jingni sighed; she had expected this to happen.

The rules of aristocratic families are numerous and restrictive, so their subordinates dare not speak ill of their masters in private.

Moreover, the other party was Zhao Zonglan.

"Miss Shen, the master is still in a meeting in the study. Please rest for a while and have some tea and snacks."

After giving his instructions, Chang An turned and left.

The reception room was spacious and elegant, with the heating on full blast. Shen Jingni took off her coat and scarf and sat down in a grand chair. The cushions were soft and very comfortable.

A moment later, a servant brought in hot tea and snacks.

The pastry was exquisitely made; it was a seasonal plum blossom pastry with a flaky crust and soft filling, leaving a lingering fragrance in the mouth.

Shen Jingni is not a glutton.

She has had a sensitive stomach since childhood and rarely eats sweets that are difficult to digest, but the taste is indeed quite good, much better than the popular pastries in Beijing.

I couldn't resist and ate an extra piece.

Remembering that Chu You was still waiting for her in the car, Shen Jingni wondered if she should pack a few pieces for her later.

She wondered what kind of meeting Zhao Zonglan was in that made her wait so long.

Feeling bored, Shen Jingni looked around and played on her phone for a while.

She was still recovering from her cold, and her throat was a little itchy, so she covered her mouth and started coughing again.

At that time, the study was dimly lit, cold, and solemn.

Zhao Zonglan sat in a leather chair, his computer screen lit up, and he was having a video conference.

On the side wall hangs the surveillance screen of Zijing Tanyuan.

He held a cigar between his fingers, glancing sideways at the surveillance camera, the light and shadow flickering, his expression indifferent as ever.

After the group CEO finished reporting on next year's strategic plans, he waited for Zhao Zonglan to make the final decision, but Zhao Zonglan remained silent for a long time.

"Chairman Zhao, is there a problem?"

The CEO on the other end of the screen looked somewhat anxious and uneasy.

This strategic plan was jointly proposed by him and the group's senior management. Knowing that Chairman Zhao had high standards, they revised it several times before daring to present it today.

Ultimately, he, as CEO, is just a highly skilled employee who has to make a living under the control of capitalists.

Zhao Zonglan did not answer his question immediately.

With a scarlet cigar between his fingers, he tapped the table lightly with his long, slender fingers and called Chang An in.

-

Shen Jingni was pampered since childhood, but unfortunately, she was physically weak and often fell ill.

Now that he's coughing, it seems like it won't stop.

But since she was on someone else's turf, she was a guest, and coughing so frequently was actually impolite.

Shen Jingni took a sip of tea to moisten her throat, forcefully suppressing the dryness and itchiness in her throat.

There's a book that says, "There are three things a person can't hide: a cough, poverty, and love."

The more you try to suppress it, the worse you cough.

In just a few minutes, Shen Jingni coughed until her cheeks were flushed and she was sweating.

Fortunately, things have finally calmed down somewhat.

Just then, an elderly maid came in carrying a porcelain bowl.

"Miss Shen, this is freshly brewed lily and fritillaria tea, which can relieve your cough. Please try it."

The maid spoke gently and looked at her expectantly.

Shen Jingni suddenly felt a little embarrassed.

Feeling embarrassed to refuse, she said thank you and picked up the white porcelain spoon to drink.

This tea has a slight medicinal aroma, is sweet and mellow, soothes the throat, and is not bitter; it seems to have honey added.

After taking a few sips, she felt much better in her throat.

Without the torment of her annoying cough, Shen Jingni started to feel sleepy again.

When Zhao Zonglan arrived at the reception room, he saw the little girl on the armchair, propping her head up with one hand, leaning back slumped with her eyes closed, asleep.

She wore a light blue sweater, a creamy white fluffy long skirt, and a pair of warm boots. Her feet were tucked in obediently, her breathing was shallow, and her sleeping face was serene.

He stepped closer, his cold, stern eyes expressionless.

Perhaps sensing someone approaching, Shen Jingni frowned and lazily opened her eyes.

The moment she saw Zhao Zonglan, she woke up from her drowsiness.

The man was tall and wore a black shirt and trousers. He was backlit, casting a shadow in front of her.

The Creator seemed to have a special fondness for him.

His features were deep and defined, with a distinct jawline. The top button of his shirt was undone, slightly open, revealing a normal white complexion and the outline of taut muscles.

"Mr. Zhao."

Seeing him again, Shen Jingni couldn't help but feel a little nervous.

Just as she was about to get up, she saw Zhao Zonglan suddenly lean down, his well-defined fingers pinching her chin again, his calloused fingertips caressing her fair cheek.

His expression was cold, his eyes were icy, and his voice was deep: "Miss Chen has quite the nerve."

I can fall asleep in a completely unfamiliar environment.

I don't know if it's because she's stupid, or because she was raised too naively by the Shen family.

This was the second time he had said she had become bold.

Shen Jingni turned her face away and broke free from his grasp.

Knowing what he meant, she explained somewhat aggrievedly, "I waited for you for a long time, and I felt sleepy after taking my medicine, so I accidentally fell asleep."

Her words were a complaint against him.

Less than an hour, which isn't considered long for Zhao Zonglan.

In the past, people who wanted to see him would wait for a month or two, but she was the one who felt wronged.

Seeing that Zhao Zonglan remained silent, Shen Jingni stood obediently in front of him, adopting a very docile and submissive demeanor. "Mr. Zhao, I've come today to apologize to you."

"There was a misunderstanding that night, and I... I offended you greatly."

"You are a magnanimous person, please don't hold it against me."

Shen Jingni had prepared herself mentally before coming.

She had to appease this powerful figure and prevent him from taking his anger out on the Shen family.

Then, after much pleading and cajoling, I finally got the hairpin back.

After all, she was in the wrong first, and she should apologize and accept punishment for her mistake.

The main point is to be flexible and adaptable.

Zhao Zonglan did not seem very satisfied with her apology.

"Offense?" He chuckled, lowered his eyes, picked up a cigarette, and his unfathomable eyes held a hint of mockery. "So Miss Shen still remembers."