In the end, Jiang Hailang's long-cherished dream came true.

A week later, Jiang Hailang, known as the "God of Sales in the Hotel Industry," led his team to sell out all thirty black membership cards.

Two weeks later, Platinum Hotels and the aviation club operated by Wang Ming signed a cooperation agreement, jointly registered a new company, and officially entered the aircraft purchase process.

A month later, Miss Chi's Afternoon Tea was featured on the food section of Fengshang.com, which also gave Miss Chi's Chinese Afternoon Tea a special recommendation, displaying a large number of photos and descriptions on the website's homepage.

Two months later, several major CP fans who maliciously incited fans to slander Song Yunxi and Ms. Chi's afternoon tea, such as "Did Chenchi give out candy today?", were ordered by the court to publicly apologize to Song Yunxi and Ms. Chi's afternoon tea, have their apology statements pinned to the top of their accounts for one month, and pay Song Yunxi and Ms. Chi's afternoon tea 22,300 yuan and 35,870 yuan in compensation respectively.

Song Yunxi, the former manager of Miss Chi Afternoon Tea who was at the center of public opinion and resigned due to the anti-fan crisis, has disappeared without a trace. Her previous active interaction with fans on social media has stopped on the day she publicly announced her resignation.

Some fans left messages on Song Yoon-hee's account, hoping for her return, but they never received a reply.

At lunchtime, Fu Meilin sat opposite Lin Xiaoran with her tray, eating as she asked, "Is there really no news about Song Yunxi at all? The rumors online are quite fantastical. One minute they say she went back to Korea, the next they say she married into a wealthy family, and now they say she and President Mu have already broken up. Which one should I believe?"

A few months ago, Lin Xiaoran could hardly imagine that the high and mighty CEO Fu would actually take the initiative to have dinner with her, a lowly employee who almost failed her probation period.

However, Lin Xiaoran is now someone Fu Meilin can't afford to offend.

Not only did she single-handedly run a department, but she also managed several profitable projects with great efficiency. Furthermore, with Jiang Hailang backing her up, even Mu Chen at the hotel would give her some face.

Lin Xiaoran said, "She doesn't want everyone to know about her, so let's just wait for the day she shows up herself. Why bother guessing? Let the internet spread whatever it wants, she won't care anyway."

As the saying goes: She may not be in the martial world now, but her legend lives on.

"You really are a product of Song Yunxi's teaching. You haven't learned anything good, only her pretentious tricks." Fu Meilin's phone rang as soon as she finished speaking.

She glanced at Xu Jiasheng's name on the caller ID and answered uncertainly. "Mr. Xu?"

Previously, Xu Jiasheng frequently visited her at the Platinum Hotel under the guise of following up with key clients. He sent her many flowers and had meals with her several times. Everyone could see that Xu Jiasheng was pursuing her.

Even in one of the few peaceful conversations she had with Song Yunxi, Song Yunxi suggested that she give herself and Xu Jiasheng a chance.

Song Yunxi said that Fu Meilin didn't actually like Mu Chen that much, but because Mu Chen was the most outstanding boy in her world since childhood, she put him in her heart.

The attraction she felt in her youth might have stemmed from his good looks, his skill in basketball, his top grades, or even his doting affection for Mu Xian, which made Fu Meilin wish she could have that kind of affection too. When no other boys appeared, this attraction became a habit. Because she often told herself: he was worthy of her affection.

Fu Meilin felt that Song Yunxi's words made some sense. At least when she saw the video of Mu Chen proposing to Song Yunxi online, she wasn't as sad as she had imagined. She wasn't even as sad as when she heard that Song Yunxi wanted to "commit suicide."

Xu Jiasheng's voice was a little hoarse, and his tone wasn't as cheerful as before. "I'm back. Let's have dinner together tonight?"

Fu Meilin hesitated for a moment before saying, "Okay."

She didn't press for details about what "I'm back" meant; Xu Jiasheng would probably tell her during dinner that evening.

Fu Meilin put away her phone and continued speaking to Lin Xiaoran, "Oh, by the way. The Innovation Department was originally set up separately for Song Yunxi, but now that she's left, you're the only one left in the department. So, you might be merged into the Operations Department in the future. Do you have any objections?"

Lin Xiaoran looked up at her. It turned out that it wasn't just casual conversation, but a discussion among employees during lunch break.

Fu Meilin seems to have become more professional than before, and she knows how to read people's minds. Overly formal conversations can make people defensive; it's through casual conversations that you can understand the other person's true thoughts.

Lin Xiaoran gently shook her head, "I have no objection and will follow the hotel's arrangements."

*

That evening, as Fu Meilin stepped out of the hotel, she saw Xu Jiasheng waiting for her outside. Xu Jiasheng looked much more haggard than before, especially after more than two months apart.

"Mr. Xu..."

Before Fu Meilin could even say hello, Xu Jiasheng pulled her into his arms. He leaned forward, resting his head on her shoulder.

"Meilin, come with me?"

"What's wrong?" Fu Meilin didn't push him away, paused for a moment, and then asked, "Where did you go?"

She felt that something must have happened to Xu Jiasheng, otherwise why would he not contact her for so long? Why was he so different from before?

Although Xu Jiasheng was pursuing her before, he was polite, gentle and considerate. He wouldn't have hugged her like this, nor would he have directly asked her to be together.

Xu Jiasheng answered her last question: "My mother is sick, so I went back to take care of her."

"Oh, is she better now?"

"She has passed away."

Fu Meilin was taken aback. "I'm sorry."

Xu Jiasheng neither told her it was okay nor let go of her arms.

After a while, he spoke again: "Meilin, I miss you."

He hadn't seen her for over two months and kept wanting to call her, but his mother was very ill and he was often unable to get away. Then, after his mother had gone to sleep at night, he felt it was too late to disturb her.

It wasn't until his mother passed away that he realized he couldn't continue like this, that life is unpredictable, and that the most important person in his life could leave at any time.

A girl as wonderful as Fu Meilin might not stay waiting for him forever if he doesn't take the initiative. She might be snatched away by someone else, or she might disappear from his world.

Not hearing Fu Meilin speak, Xu Jiasheng slightly loosened his arms; perhaps he had been too hasty today. Just as he was about to apologize for his abruptness, Fu Meilin reached out and wrapped her arms around his waist.

Their eyes met, and everything was understood without words.

Xu Jiasheng lowered his head and kissed Fu Meilin's lips, and she closed her eyes, carefully feeling the gentleness and softness.

Now, it's time for her to officially say goodbye to Mu Chen, even though they never had a beginning.

She should have known that when the man who made her happy when she met him and missed her when he was gone appeared, the boy she had protected for more than ten years was nothing more than the most innocent infatuation of her teenage years.

*

Jiang Hailang, wearing an apron, stood by the stove, adding the seasonings to the pot one by one as instructed in the video. Lin Xiaoran sat on the counter, holding potato chips, watching.

"Honey, I think your cooking skills have improved a lot."

Jiang Hailang covered the bubbling stewed beef in the pot with a lid and turned the gas to a low flame.

He turned around and leaned closer to Lin Xiaoran, placing his hands on either side of her body. "Has your cooking skill improved?"

Lin Xiaoran smiled and stuffed a potato chip into Jiang Hailang's mouth.

"Baby, the beef still needs to stew for more than an hour. Shall we go outside and wait?"

Lin Xiaoran didn't say anything, but instead stretched out her arms coquettishly, waiting for Jiang Hailang to carry her out.

Jiang Hailang took off his apron and threw it on the kitchen counter, then picked her up and carried her straight to the bay window in the living room to sit down.

"Why don't you go to the sofa?" Lin Xiaoran turned to look out the window. Could it be that she wanted to see the night view of Lan University?

“Baby, I had a dream before, a really, really beautiful dream, and I’ve always wanted to have it again.”

"What dream?"

"I dreamt that I was with you at the window..."

Jiang Hailang didn't continue speaking, but simply straightened his back and abdomen slightly, making the same movement they did during their daily exercise.

Lin Xiaoran was sitting on his lap, so she immediately understood what he meant.

Some people, once introduced to uncharted territories, are like those who have discovered a new continent, eager to explore them further. Lin Xiaoran is one such person.

Once she realized how comfortable and enjoyable it could be to do things with someone, she became obsessed with it and often asked Jiang Hailang to show her new positions.

Lin Xiaoran pointed out the window. "Are you planning to give a live broadcast to the alumni of Lan University, to conduct some kind of education through hands-on experience?"

She didn't refuse, but simply expressed her concerns.

At night, the lights are on inside, and everything is clearly visible from the outside. Even the fact that they are now sitting together on the windowsill might already be the talk of the town for some people downstairs.

Jiang Hailang pressed the switch on the remote control, and the originally bright room instantly became illuminated only by moonlight.

“If you turn off the lights, they won’t be able to see.”

As Jiang Hailang spoke, his hand had already slipped under Lin Xiaoran's clothes and skillfully unhooked her bra with one hand.

Lin Xiaoran tossed the potato chips onto the windowsill and was about to put her fingers, which were covered in chip crumbs, into her mouth—the best way to clean the residue off her fingers at that moment.

Before she could react, Jiang Hailang grabbed her hand and, in the next second, put her finger in his mouth. The moist, warm mouth made Lin Xiaoran feel waves of tingling sensations throughout her body as he sucked on it.

In the end, Jiang Hailang's long-cherished dream came true.

Outside, the night sky stretched out endlessly, as black as ink, dotted with a crescent moon and stars. Inside, two figures toiled tirelessly by the window.

*

After finishing his work, Mu Chen returned to his suite on the 30th floor of the Platinum Hotel. Since Song Yunxi left, he had once again become a solitary figure as the general manager of the Platinum Hotel.

He chose a date from next spring from the several dates his mother sent him, replied, went to the restaurant to pour himself a glass of milk, and then sat back on the sofa to look at the photos on his phone.

Rui Huaisen has officially signed a contract with a tea plantation in Fujian, becoming its owner. In the photo, Rui Huaisen is smiling happily, pointing to the workers tending the tea plantation in the distance, as if he is saying something to the photographer. However, in this still photo, Mu Chen has no way of knowing what he is saying.

But he knew that the tea gardens had entered a dormant period at this time of year, with each tea tree sleeping and biding its time, waiting for a moment next spring to amaze everyone's taste buds.

At 10 p.m., the WeChat video call rang on time, and Mu Chen quickly pressed the answer button.

The person on the other end had just showered; their hair was disheveled and draped over their shoulders, and they were smiling brightly. "You answered so quickly? Did you miss me?"

Mu Chen smiled and said, "I missed you. Haven't you had enough fun yet? When are you coming back?"