Chapter 79, Chapter 79, Kiss.jpg

Chapter 79

The new shopping mall has been completed, and many brands have partnered to move in.

For a major client like Mingji, the person in charge naturally welcomed them warmly. The signing ceremony was held on the fourth floor, and both parties agreed that Mingji would set up a permanent booth in the mall and stay there for half a day every week.

After doing all this, half the time had passed.

Jiang Xuli declined the dinner invitation and had just left the investment promotion office when she unexpectedly bumped into an acquaintance.

He raised an eyebrow slightly. Wasn't that Jin Ran's descendant?

At that moment, the other person was holding the arm of a young man, the two of them were very intimate, strolling leisurely through the streets like an ordinary couple.

Following the gaze, Mr. Lin, the mall's manager, said knowingly, "Chen Fei's son is here too. I heard that Old Chen recently handed over the reins of the company to his son, but those old guys aren't as convinced as they seem."

This is why, even though Mr. Chen joined his own company, he was constrained in every way, and even basic decisions had to be made at the behest of the veterans.

Jiang Mingxu clearly didn't know much about the younger generation, so General Manager Lin explained, "The Cengfei live streaming platform belongs to their family."

"However, this young CEO Chen is quite bold. A few days ago, he bypassed the board of directors and used his personal assets to acquire 15% of Pingjing Entertainment's shares. He then used this bargaining chip to force the elders to make concessions, catching them off guard."

Mr. Lin was speaking with some passion when he inadvertently glanced at Jiang Mingxu, who remained unmoved beside him. He immediately snapped out of his reverie and said, "Of course, these things can't compare to you, Mr. Jiang. You are a recognized investment master in the industry, and you have never made a mistake over the years. Our mall is truly fortunate to have you here this time."

In the latter half of the meeting, all I could hear was Mr. Lin's flattery, and several phone calls didn't interrupt his endless chatter.

Jiang Mingxu glanced at him casually: "If President Lin has important matters to attend to, he doesn't need to worry about me."

Mr. Lin chuckled awkwardly, "It's nothing important. I'm usually quite free at this time, so my family probably didn't expect me to be talking about serious matters."

Even so, he still opened his phone, and a series of photos instantly filled the screen. No wonder it had been ringing since earlier.

Jiang Mingxu's gaze inadvertently swept over, and he suddenly paused slightly.

Mr. Lin didn't notice that he dialed the phone back and listened to what was said on the other end: "I know, I'm not going back at noon. You're not asking me, are you? Why aren't you going back at noon? Are you getting a massage with your girlfriends? Okay, okay, you can arrange it."

After hanging up the phone, General Manager Lin wiped the sweat from his brow: "General Manager Jiang, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. Let's continue what we were talking about."

Jiang Mingxu nodded, then casually remarked, "President Lin and his wife have a pretty good relationship."

"We're an old married couple, there's no need to talk about good or bad." Mr. Lin waved his hand with a smile. "She came to the mainland with me from Hong Kong to work hard, and it's been more than ten years in the blink of an eye. She can't sit still, and recently she's become obsessed with fashion design, sending me design drawings every day, like a barrage of messages."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Mingxu seemed to be deep in thought.

He remembered that Jin Ran had mentioned that "Sister Lin's" ancestral home was Hong Kong.

"Mrs. Lin's surname is Lin?"

"Yes, Shuangmulin." Mr. Lin was somewhat surprised. "Does Mr. Jiang know my wife?"

Jiang Mingxu said, "My wife and your wife are friends." This surprised President Lin even more. He had never paid attention to his wife's social circle before, and naturally had no idea that the two wives knew each other. Thinking of this, President Lin couldn't help but feel a little annoyed. If he had known about this relationship earlier, he could have used personal connections to his advantage in this cooperation.

...

After leaving the mall and getting into the car, Assistant Wang saw that his boss had been working non-stop since early morning and said considerately, "President Jiang, why don't you rest for a while? I'll call you when we get to the company."

Jiang Mingxu pinched the bridge of his nose: "Okay."

As the partition slowly rose, a relatively private space was created in the back seat. However, Jiang Mingxu did not close his eyes to rest as Assistant Wang had expected. Instead, he pondered for a moment, took out his phone, and dialed Jin Ran's number.

/

On the other side, Jin Ran and Mrs. Lin finished their afternoon tea and went to a beauty spa.

Unlike her decision to take a sauna at home, Mrs. Lin went to a high-end place: "A woman's face is very important. Men always think that women do beauty treatments and makeup to please them, but in reality, we women just do it to please ourselves."

“Sister Lin is right,” Jin Ran said with deep feeling, “Men have big faces.”

"They themselves are sloppy and don't care about their appearance, yet they insist that the most important thing for a man is his career. I think they're just afraid that after tidying up and dressing up, they'll find that they've only gone from a sloppy ugly person to a clean ugly person, and they don't dare to try to change at all."

Jin Ran nodded again: "That's right! Look at those truly handsome men, they pay special attention to maintenance and image."

She couldn't help but think of Jiang Mingxu. From the time she met him until now, she had never seen him sloppy. He was always impeccably dressed, with an indescribable sexiness beneath his serious demeanor.

Mrs. Lin smiled meaningfully and said, "That's why we don't serve those ugly guys. Today, I'll show you something nice to enjoy."

At first, Jin Ran had no concept of the "enjoyment" that Mrs. Lin mentioned, until the door opened and several young and handsome foot massage therapists walked in from outside.

Jin Ran: "..."

This isn't quite right, is it?

Ten minutes later, Jin Ran was eating chilled watermelon while enjoying the relaxation of her leg muscles, and she felt that there was nothing wrong with it.

They are all legitimate foot massage therapists, and it's not easy for them to work. How could she look at them with prejudice?

She convinced herself that she wouldn't panic at all even when she received Jiang Mingxu's call.

Are you home?

"No, I'm outside with Sister Lin. What's up?"

"It's nothing, I just found out that my internship is all set up and I was wondering if you'd like to come over and take a look. If it's convenient, I can pick you up."

Jin Ran: "!!!"

"Of course it's convenient!"

She answered without even thinking.

Business is far more important than enjoyment. Once she confirmed the news was true, Jin Ran immediately gave Jiang Mingxu her address. Jiang Mingxu didn't say much, only that he would come over in twenty minutes.

After hanging up the phone, Jin Ran and Mrs. Lin conveyed their apologies.

"It's alright. I was just about to go to the store this afternoon to check on the new stock. I was worried I wouldn't have time to keep you company."

Twenty minutes later, Jiang Mingxu arrived at the clubhouse on time.

Upon receiving the message, Jin Ran sent over the room number. A short while later, a soft knock sounded at the door. Just then, a free foot massage therapist happened to be passing by and did a good deed.

The moment Jiang Mingxu's eyes met those of the foot massage therapist who opened the door, he visibly paused, instinctively glancing at the room number to confirm he hadn't gone to the wrong place. His gaze then drifted past her and landed on Jin Ran, who was tidying up her things inside the room.

He paused, stepped inside, nodded to Mrs. Lin, and then asked Jin Ran, "Is there anything you need? I'll help you."

"No need, no need, I've packed everything." It mainly consisted of several cheongsams and some gifts that Mrs. Lin had given her.

Jiang Mingxu did not interfere, but at the end he took the bags from Jin Ran's hands.

He remained calm and composed throughout, seemingly ignoring the young men in the room.

Mrs. Lin was immediately filled with respect.

I never knew that President Jiang was such a magnanimous man, unlike most men who indulge in extravagant socializing while restricting women's normal social activities. From this perspective, Xiao Jin is truly blessed.

Of course, President Jiang is quite fortunate to have married a wife like Xiao Jin.

Before leaving, the fortunate Jin Ran pulled Mrs. Lin aside and whispered, "Do you know what those parents who attended the visit were thinking?"

With half of summer vacation already over and those people still not making a move, Jin Ran couldn't help but feel a little uneasy.

Mrs. Lin understood and patted the back of her hand: "Don't worry, they are all interested. I'll urge them again, and they will definitely go to your school."

Upon hearing this, Jin Ran breathed a sigh of relief.

At least I'm not working for the principal for free anymore.

The manager had been waiting at the reception desk downstairs for quite some time.

Upon seeing the two emerge, he immediately stepped forward, offering them a set of high-end skincare products and a black membership card with gold lettering.

"Congratulations, ma'am, your spending this time has met our membership requirements."

They certainly didn't know Jin Ran, but after years of working in the service industry, they had developed a keen eye for people. They knew exactly who was truly wealthy and who was just putting on a show.

Jin Ran glanced at the skincare products and realized that Mrs. Lin had deliberately put the purchase under her name. Although she thought the quality was good, she subconsciously prepared to decline, thinking that she might not come often in the future.

Before she could even speak, Jiang Mingxu had already reached out and taken it.

Thank you.

Even Jin Ran found this strange.

Which man could remain unmoved by seeing his wife with a group of handsome men?

After leaving the club, she couldn't help but ask, "You don't mind me coming here?"

Jiang Mingxu raised an eyebrow: "What's it to you? Didn't you come here for a foot massage?"

One sentence left Jin Ran speechless.

Seeing this, Jiang Mingxu's eyes revealed a hint of a smile: "If you're talking about those who do foot massages, my answer is that I don't mind, because even if we are husband and wife, I have no right to interfere with your normal interpersonal interactions."

"Just like business socializing doesn't discriminate between men and women, would you mind if I ate with them?"

Jin Ran thought about it carefully: "If you are doing business with a girl, I won't mind. But if you take a girl out for drinks because of business, then I will mind."

Not only will they be concerned about the boundaries between men and women, but they will also question the character of those who support such unspoken rules.

Jiang Mingxu's lips curled into a smile: "Then I'm lucky, I haven't done anything that bothers you yet."

Then, changing the subject, he added, "But next time, you can let me know in advance about something like this."

Jin Ran chuckled: "Why would I tell you? Do you want to come for a foot massage too?"

"Hmm, I'll learn from this."

Jin Ran: "?"

As they spoke, the two walked to the car, and Jiang Mingxu opened the car door for her personally. "It's still early, let's go get some food first."

/

Mingji Technology's headquarters are located in the Global Financial Center in the core area of ​​City A's CBD. The entire commercial building on the east side belongs to them.

As a well-known company in the industry, Mingji offers amazing employee benefits. In addition to a spacious and bright office environment, the company also has complete infrastructure, including a lounge area, gym, coffee bar and free snack area.

Jin Ran was overwhelmed with the sights as she walked. To be honest, she had never seen a company with such good conditions in both of her lives.

No wonder Assistant Wang works so hard. Who wouldn't give their all working at such an amazing company!

Even she, looking at it, felt a little tempted to join the company.

Jiang Mingxu originally planned to personally bring Jin Ran over, but unexpectedly, a senior veteran from the board of directors came over, forcing him to go and meet him.

Upon hearing this news, Jin Ran waved her hand and said, "Go ahead and do your work. Assistant Wang can take care of me."

Otherwise, having a company president accompany her would be a waste of her talents, and she would feel bad about it.

Jiang Mingxu glanced at her and said helplessly, "Then go straight to the office after you're done watching, and I'll have security let you through."

"Uh-huh!"

Well-behaved, obedient, and sensible.

Turning around, she immediately revealed her true colors, looking at Assistant Wang with great interest: "Where is the internship department you arranged?"

Assistant Wang: "?"

Mingji was rather quiet today.

Normally quiet, but today was unusually quiet. The employees sitting at their workstations were staring intently at their screens, but their hands were actually typing away rapidly while they were slacking off.

Assistant Wang has brought along a new employee. Which department is she from?

I haven't heard of any recent job openings. Is it another company hiring?

[Besides President Jiang, have you ever seen Assistant Wang show such respect to anyone? I bet it's someone President Jiang knows!]

【Then I guess she's one of President Jiang's suitors!】

Despite how submissive the employees are in front of Jiang Mingxu, they are incredibly enthusiastic when gossiping about the president in private.

Who can blame them when their CEO is handsome and rich? He's the center of attention wherever he goes.

Hey, I just ran into Freya. I saw her heading towards President Jiang's office.

Here we go again. Does she really think she can take over?

[It might really work, after all, Freya's work ability is beyond doubt.]

Hey hey, who do you think will win between these two?

...

Jin Ran was unaware of her employees' private gossip, and even if she did, she wouldn't care.

She first went to take a look at the place where she was interning.

This is considered the initial stage of Mingji Technology's R&D line. It is important but does not involve core secrets. Such an internship opportunity can both hone skills and learn knowledge, making it perfect for high school students.

Jin Ran was very satisfied.

Hearing that Jiang Mingxu had personally chosen the location, Jin Ran felt a surge of emotion.

She said to Assistant Wang, "Let's go back."

"Isn't Madam going to take another look?"

"I won't watch anymore. I trust his decision."

Assistant Wang was inwardly amazed, recalling President Jiang's previous instructions to him. He had to admit that the two were truly in sync, always thinking of each other's needs.

The president's office is on the top floor, with its own elevator. We didn't encounter anyone along the way, but when we reached the top floor, we were greeted by a beautiful woman with long, wavy hair.

"Is Assistant Wang here to see President Jiang? And who is this?"

Freya discreetly observed Jin Ran.

This sight was slightly surprising.

Unlike the arrogant and flamboyant rich girl she had imagined, the woman in front of her was bright, lively and pretty, with almond-shaped eyes that curved when she smiled, making people unconsciously feel good about her.

Assistant Wang hesitated for a moment, unsure of his wife's attitude, when Jin Ran extended her hand and smiled gracefully: "Hello, I am President Jiang's wife."

Freya was stunned.

But she only paused for a moment before quickly regaining her composure and smiling, saying, "President Jiang just finished talking with President He, so it's perfect for you to go over now."

"Yes, thank you."

The two girls' conversation was calm and proper, like a spring breeze caressing roses, filling the air with the fragrance of blooming flowers, completely devoid of the tense atmosphere that others might have imagined.

Assistant Wang quickly stopped at the door: "Madam, please go in by yourself."

Jin Ran nodded.

This was the first time she had stepped into Jiang Mingxu's office.

In novels, the CEO's study and office often represent a specific meaning, like Pandora's box, or an unmentionable entity in a magical world, and the female protagonist is the only one who can enter.

Compared to this, Jiang Mingxu, the domineering CEO, seems a bit too "casual".

Jin Ran secretly counted the people who could enter his study: herself, Jiang Xuli, Assistant Wang, Butler Cheng, Xiao Chen... In the end, she almost couldn't count them all.

Jiang Mingxu, who had just come out of the lounge, happened to see this scene: "What are you thinking about, so seriously?"

Jin Ran snapped out of her daze: "On the way here, I ran into one of your employees and suddenly realized that you're not quite like other domineering CEOs."

"CEO?"

"Oh, that's short for 'domineering CEO'."

Jiang Mingxu pondered the name to himself, feeling it was somewhat similar to his own. He opened the glass cabinet and took out a paper cup: "Coffee or tea?"

He asked with great interest, "What are the other domineering CEOs like?"

"Tea, thank you."

Then Jin Ran told him about her "discovery".

Jiang Mingxu frowned after hearing this: "Why can't I go into the study?"

"Ugh, it's people like you. There should be some confidential documents or something in your study. How can you let just anyone walk in?"

Jiang Mingxu shook his head: "Even if such a thing existed, I wouldn't bring it home."

"Besides, only family members can enter the study. If he is wary of his family members, he must be living a very tiring life."

Okay, Jin Ran realized that her thinking had been influenced by the novel.

Just like Jiang Mingxu said, real-life CEOs are busy making money and expanding their business empires; they don't have so many complicated schemes.

Even if there were such a storyline, it would be something the main characters should have. It would be more realistic for the two extras to live their ordinary lives.

The black tea had a rich and mellow flavor, and Jiang Mingxu also had his assistant, Wang, bring in a few snacks.

Jin Ran wasn't in a hurry to go home; she sat on the sofa in her office and enjoyed dessert.

Mingji also provides very particular snacks for its employees, all of which are well-known high-end brands. For example, she saw a chocolate she had eaten before. In her previous life, she had only eaten it once, not because it tasted bad, but because the chocolate was called "Assassin's Chocolate," and a thumb-sized chocolate cost thirty yuan.

I never expected that Mingji's employees could eat whatever they wanted.

As she thought about it, she picked up a pearl and put it between her lips, the sweet taste melting on her tongue. Jin Ran looked up and saw a clear blue sky outside the large French windows, dotted with towering buildings that framed the magnificent backdrop.

By the window, Jiang Mingxu lowered his eyes and worked diligently.

The man had excellent eyesight, but his eyes would unconsciously furrow when he was deep in thought, making his high-bridged eyes appear exceptionally deep. His suit was impeccably tailored, highlighting his tall and upright figure. His shoulders were also broad, wide enough to shield him from the sun and rain.

Upon seeing this scene, Jin Ran's heart stirred.

Mrs. Lin said that women should know how to enjoy themselves, so she took her to a spa foot bath. But in her opinion, those young and handsome men were not as attractive as Jiang Mingxu.

Like a tree, the deeper the rings, the richer the fragrance of agarwood.

She put down her snacks, got up and slowly walked over to him, bending down to watch him write.

Of course, she timed it perfectly; he had just finished signing all the documents, and the desktop was briefly empty.

A strand of hair fell naturally, brushing against Jiang Mingxu's neck.

The pen tip, which was drawing on the paper, suddenly stopped.

Jin Ran exclaimed apologetically, "Did I disturb you? I didn't mean to."

She made a move to leave, but the next second, Jiang Mingxu grabbed her wrist.

Two pairs of eyes met. One was like a tightly closed, deep, bottomless lake, while the other was like a pebble disturbing the lake's bottom, lively and mischievous.

The atmosphere gradually became ambiguous. Jin Ran curled her lips, wanting to say something, but at this moment, there was a knock on the office door.

The two were startled, and quickly let go of each other's hands.

After Jin Ran sat back on the sofa, Jiang Mingxu let the manager of the marketing department in. The manager didn't look at her and reported a few things before leaving.

A moment later, someone knocked on the door again. This time it was the legal department, a fat man in his forties. The first thing he did when he came in was to look at Jin Ran sitting on the sofa.

Jin Ran: "..."

By the time the third elite businesswoman entered, Jin Ran had nothing more to say.

She pretended not to know anything and sat there demurely—in reality, her back was tense, and she tried to straighten her toes to make her legs appear straighter.

"..."

This strong woman's report was rather long.

Jin Ran tried listening at first, but later found the other party's report to be really boring. It's not that it's unimportant, but for example, when talking about result B, she would spend ten minutes introducing A, which made people drowsy.

She couldn't help but steal a glance at Jiang Mingxu, who was sitting behind his desk, and found that although he looked serious, he was clearly not that concerned.

I almost laughed.

Thinking of something, she casually took out her phone.

...

As Jiang Mingxu listened to the report, his phone suddenly vibrated.

He slid it open, saw what was inside, and suddenly raised an eyebrow.

Lesson Planner Ham (Unnamed Version, Unable to Pass Teacher Recruitment Exam): [Can't understand (Clown.jpg)]

She's amazing; she can remember so much! But why does she keep looking at me?

Jiang Mingxu: [Your distraction is so obvious.]

Lesson Planner Ham (The "I Won't Change My Name Even If I Don't Pass the Teacher Recruitment Exam" Version): [Life is tough, don't expose it (kissing emoji)]

There was a pause of a few seconds.

Jiang Mingxu: [No.]

Jin Ran, holding her phone: ? ? ?

She's already in such a miserable state, and this man still wants to expose her. Doesn't he have any conscience?

Jiang: [Ahem, there are still people here, this isn't appropriate.]

What's wrong with "???"?

Jin Ran was typing to ask a question when she accidentally dropped her phone, which landed on the sofa.

Five seconds passed.

River:【……】

Jiang: [You really think that way? Can we wait until after work?]

Jiang: [Why aren't you replying?]

...

Ten seconds.

Jiang: [Okay]

Jin Ran had just picked up her phone when the last message appeared before her eyes. Before she could react, Jiang Mingxu's deep voice rang out in the office.

That's all for today.

The man said calmly, "Manager Guo, if you have time, you can handle the company's cases."

Upon hearing this, the strong-willed Manager Guo looked embarrassed, knowing that President Jiang was giving them a warning. She decided to stop while she was ahead, since she had already achieved her goal. Since President Jiang told her to report another day, she might as well do it another day; it wasn't anything important anyway.

After everyone left, Jiang Mingxu made an internal call to the heads of various departments to reiterate the reporting discipline and clarify that non-urgent matters must be scheduled in advance.

After doing all this, he looked at Jin Ran with a deep gaze: "Come here."