Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Because I Like You
Chapter 15
In the morning, as soon as Ruan Yan arrived at the company, she received her first task of the day - to pick someone up at the airport.
What was a little strange was that before leaving, Liu Mengmeng slid over from behind, handed her a cup of coffee, and patted her shoulder gently, with a look of hesitation and profound meaning on her face.
Before Ruan Yan had the time to ask in detail, she was called away by Zhang Zhao's urging.
"Okay, okay, I'll be right there--" She responded, put on the bag she had just put down, and swiftly grabbed the phone on the table. At the same time, she did not forget to bring some coffee and water. She left a "thank you" to Liu Mengmeng and ran out in a hurry.
Zhao Tian, who had passed her at the door, walked over to the workstation and asked Liu Mengmeng, "Where is she going so early in the morning?"
"Isn't that You Shanni here?" Liu Mengmeng said with sympathy, "This unfortunate kid went to pick her up at the airport."
"Ah? Let Ruan Yan take on such a difficult person, no way. She has only been here for a short time, and you have assigned her such a difficult task..." Chen Jiajia, who was standing next to her, felt a surge of sympathy as she spoke.
Not to mention Ruan Yan, even she herself, oh no, it should be that everyone in their group was afraid of coming into contact with that You Shanni.
She has a weird temper, is moody, and always likes to stir up trouble on a whim.
Every time You Shanni came, they were trembling with fear, afraid that they would accidentally upset this sister again...
Ruan Yan, Ruan Yan, please take care of yourself.
…
After rushing for a long time, Ruan Yan finally arrived at the airport before ten o'clock.
She originally thought that someone would go with her to pick her up at the airport, at least Zhang Zhao would come, but in the end she was alone.
She is a new employee, and she was sent alone to pick up a stranger whom she had only seen in a photo. Is this reasonable?
Isn’t the company afraid that she will hire the wrong person and make the client unhappy?
Or was it that Lu Peishi guy who was deliberately making trouble for her, wanting her to make a mistake so that he could use the opportunity to fire her?
After checking the flight information twice on the display screen, Ruan Yan rushed to the lobby of Terminal 3 and looked at the time. The other party should be arriving soon.
Fifteen minutes later, Ruan Yan saw a young woman with neat shoulder-length hair coming out.
He had high cheekbones, a full and broad forehead, and thin, long, almond-shaped eyes. He looked to be about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old.
She looks very similar to the one in the photo, so it must be her.
It’s just that those facial features with classical charm look a little sharp in reality.
Ruan Yan walked quickly to her side and asked, "Hello, is this Manager You?"
The woman in front of her paused and looked her up and down: "Who are you?"
Ruan Yan hurriedly introduced herself: "I'm from Zhuo Lu Construction, my name is Ruan Yan."
You Shanni glanced behind her and raised her eyebrows: "You're the only one here? Where are the others? Where's your CEO Lu?"
After confirming it was her, Ruan Yan swiftly took the luggage from her and said, "Boss Lu had a meeting this morning, so he sent me here."
You Shanni, in her high heels, walked faster than Ruan Yan: "What about this afternoon?"
"Huh?" Ruan Yan didn't react for a moment.
You Shanni: "I'm talking to Mr. Lu."
Ruan Yan quickly followed her: "I'm not sure about this."
You Shanni snorted softly.
"I am not responsible for Mr. Lu's schedule." Ruan Yan explained.
She had been in Zhuo Lu for so many days, and had only met Lu Peishi twice. Not only did she not know his schedule, she didn't even know what her daily work tasks were.
You Shanni didn't seem very satisfied with this answer. She glanced at her and asked, "Are you new here?"
"Yes," Ruan Yan replied, "I just came to Zhuo Lu not long ago."
As they were talking, the two of them had already reached the airport exit.
Ruan Yan called a car in advance: "Manager You, I'll take you to the hotel first."
You Shanni said nothing and got into the car that Ruan Yan pointed to with an expressionless face.
The two arrived at the hotel quickly. Ruan Yan went to check in first. According to Zhang Zhao's instructions, she then prepared to take You Shanni to eat, take a rest at noon, and then listen to his arrangements in the afternoon.
When Ruan Yan checked in and came back, You Shanni had just hung up the phone.
"Manager You, after putting your luggage in the room, I'll take you to eat something, and then..."
"Jiangyan Pavilion," You Shanni interrupted her, "I heard this restaurant is very famous here, let's eat here."
"Huh?" Ruan Yan said, a little confused, and quickly looked up the store's information on her phone.
This is a Huaiyang restaurant that has just opened and is a very popular internet celebrity restaurant.
Ruan Yan became more and more uneasy the more she searched, because the booming business also meant that it was difficult to book a table.
But today is a weekday and it’s noon, so it shouldn’t be that crowded, right?
With this lucky mentality, she nervously called the number above.
As a result, there were no seats left.
The clerk said that they have two ways to get a number, one is to make an appointment online, and the other is to queue on site.
Following the prompts, she tried it on the mobile app, and when she clicked in, she saw that her queue was already numbered over 70.
It’s not even eleven o’clock yet…it’s indeed a popular online store with booming business.
Looking at You Shanni's face, Ruan Yan hesitated for a moment, then said, "Manager You, please rest in the room first. I'll come up to see you later."
In the hotel lobby, Ruan Yan called Lu Peishi twice in succession, but he didn't answer.
Helpless, she could only call Zhang Zhao.
Zhang Zhao was indeed in a dilemma: "This is indeed difficult. How about you tell her the truth and apologize sincerely..."
Ruan Yan was silent for a moment: "Let me think about it."
Before hanging up, Zhang Zhao still felt a little reluctant: "Ruan Yan, thank you for your hard work on Manager You's end."
After all, he was originally the one who received You Shanni this time, but a problem suddenly occurred at the construction site, and he had to rush over to put out the fire, so he was too busy to do anything else.
"It's okay, Mr. Zhang." Ruan Yan smiled.
Everyone was busy with work, but she was idle, so it was normal that the task of receiving You Shanni fell on her.
After hanging up the phone, she pressed her forehead and thought for a while, then finally went out and took a taxi.
It takes about ten minutes from the hotel to Jiangyange, so you should be able to make it in time.
There were indeed crowds of people at the entrance of Jiangyan Pavilion, and two long queues almost reached the main road.
It is in stark contrast to the deserted shops nearby.
Ruan Yan walked towards the queue and found that most of the people in the queue were young people.
After observing for a minute or two, she slowly approached a young man and woman at the front of the team.
"Handsome guy, beautiful girl, what's your number in the queue?"
The young girl with long black hair lifted the boy's hand and looked at it: "We are - number 14."
"You guys lined up really early," Ruan Yan casually struck up a conversation with them. "It's really hard to get a table at this restaurant."
"Yeah," the young girl agreed, "We came here early and there were no seats left. Luckily we were pretty close to the front of the line."
"Then you're lucky."
Ruan Yan sighed softly as she spoke. "My grandmother heard that this restaurant serves authentic Huaiyang cuisine. She's from Yangzhou, and she left home when she was young to make a living. Later, she and my grandfather settled down in City C, and then returned to live in my grandfather's hometown... This time, she came to City C again for medical treatment..."
Ruan Yan gave a detailed introduction to almost half of "Grandma's" life history.
"...Before leaving, she wanted to have a taste of the hometown food she had longed for."
The young girl's eyes moistened slightly when she heard this: "When will grandma leave?"
"The flight is early tomorrow morning." Ruan Yan looked at the bustling Jiangyange seriously with a sad look on her face.
The girl hesitated for a moment, then turned and exchanged glances with the boy: "Well, how about we give you the number..."
Ruan Yan's eyes lit up instantly: "Really?"
"Yeah!" The girl nodded. "We still have about half an hour to get a seat. Is your house close to here?"
"It's nearby," Ruan Yan said, beaming with joy. She didn't forget to thank the two kind souls and quickly raised her phone to say, "I'm so lucky to have met you. As a thank you, I'll transfer 600 yuan to you. Consider it my dinner treat!"
Although young people are naive, Ruan Yan feels embarrassed to take advantage of their kindness and abuse their good intentions.
"Ah, no, no, it's okay." The two of them waved their hands quickly.
Looking at their sincere and clear eyes, Ruan Yan felt like a cunning liar.
"Take it. Consider it my grandmother's thanks to you."
After several rounds of refusal, the other party finally couldn't stand Ruan Yan's guilty conscience and finally opened the phone code and asked her to scan it to pay six hundred.
After finishing this, Ruan Yan excitedly took a taxi back to the hotel.
"Manager You," she rushed to You Shanni, sweating profusely, "I got a number. We can go over and eat now!"
You Shanni shifted her attention from her phone and looked up at her. The subtle change in her expression lasted only two seconds.
Then, she lowered her head again and poked the screen of her phone casually with her finger: "I suddenly don't want to eat anymore."
???
Such a casual "I don't want to" shattered the heart of a little girl who was running around with a guilty conscience and broke her bankrupt.
Ruan Yan, who hadn't yet recovered from the situation, was completely in disbelief, unbelievable, and doubting her life.
You Shanni crossed her legs lazily and said, "I suddenly feel a little tired. I'll just order a meal and go to sleep for a while."
After saying that, his narrow eyes looked at Ruan Yan without any emotion, as if he was telling her to leave.
Ruan Yan didn't show her inner emotions on her face, her expression still smiling: "Okay, Manager You, call me if you need anything."
After coming out of You Shanni's room, Ruan Yan went to have lunch nearby. Instead of going back to rest, she sat on the sofa in the hotel lobby and took a nap.
The environment of the star-rated hotel is good, the light is bright, the air is fragrant, the sofa is large and comfortable, and there is free tea and paper towels.
Ruan Yan sank into the soft sofa, listening to the comfortable and soft piano music playing in the lobby, and felt drowsy.
When You Shanni called, Ruan Yan was half asleep. When she saw the name displayed on the phone, she quickly sat up, cleared her throat and pressed the answer button.
"I want to visit the nearby art gallery this afternoon," You Shanni said slowly. "Can you get to the hotel in half an hour?"
"Ah, less than half an hour, I can go up to you in five minutes." Ruan Yan stood up from the sofa.
You Shanni was obviously stunned: "You mean... you are still in the hotel?"
Ruan Yan laughed: "Yes."
There was a pause, and then the tone returned to normal: "Okay, I understand."
The art museum that You Shanni wanted to visit was not far from the hotel.
"There's a new exhibition going on right now that I'm very interested in." She mentioned the name of an artist. Ruan Yan had no artistic accomplishments, so she quickly searched on her phone.
This art museum is quite famous, and today, during the opening hours, Ruan Yan quickly bought two tickets online.
The museum is spacious and airy, with many people visiting. The theme of the exhibition is "Dialogue with the Universe". The paintings about nebulae, space, and future elements shocked Ruan Yan, who doesn't know much about art.
After visiting the art museum, it was not yet four o'clock when You Shanni suddenly suggested going to the nearby shopping mall.
Ruan Yan had no choice but to continue accompanying him.
As time passed from three to four, and then from four to five, her legs became sore and swollen, as if they were no longer her own.
Finally, I heard You Shanni say, "Let's leave it at that for today. I have other plans tonight."
Ruan Yan cheered in her heart, it was finally over.
"Manager You, do you need me to accompany you back to the hotel?"
"Need not."
"Okay." This meant that Ruan Yan could leave work early, and she tried her best not to sound too excited.
"Manager You, there are two well-reputed private restaurants on the third and fourth floors here. Both specialize in savory, sweet, and fresh cuisine, which may suit your taste," Ruan Yan said. "It's probably quite empty now, but there will be a line soon."
You Shanni looked up: "How do you know I like sweet and salty food, not spicy food?"
"You are from D City. People in D City generally eat sweet and salty food, and rarely eat spicy food. In addition, I heard you cough a few times today, and your voice was a little hoarse. It should be the late stage of a cold, and your throat is still not feeling well..." Ruan Yan gave her analysis.
You Shanni looked at her and asked, "Then how did you know I was going to eat here?"
"Because you're going to the fifth floor of the mall to watch a movie."
You Shanni frowned: "Were you peeking at my phone page just now?"
"No."
Ruan Yan had to explain to her that when she was searching the art museum in the afternoon, she found that the theme of the exhibition, "Cosmic Dialogue", was to pay tribute to a famous British science fiction director.
This year marks the tenth anniversary of his death and the twentieth anniversary of the release of his most classic film, The Walk.
After discovering that the commemorative edition of "The Walk" was currently being re-screened in China, and since You Shanni went straight to the mall after the exhibition and was just wandering around aimlessly, Ruan Yan guessed that she was planning to watch this movie.
"I checked, and there are two showings of 'Stroll' tonight, at 8:00 and 11:30. Since you're at the mall at this time, you should have chosen the 8:00 show. If you don't go eat now, you might miss the movie."
It turned out that she just wanted to remind herself not to miss the movie because of waiting in line for dinner.
You Shanni's brows gradually relaxed. After a day, she began to have a good impression of this smart and pretty secretary.
Ruan Yan handed her the Starbucks that she had just bought for her.
You Shanni only picked up one of the glasses.
"Manager You..."
"The other cup is for you," You Shanni smoothed her hair and said calmly, "Thank you for your hard work today."
*
In the evening, Lu Yanli asked Xiao Wen to come to his home to do handicrafts, and Ruan Yan was still there to accompany him.
As the night deepened, a half-moon hid behind the clouds, and its faint light evenly spread on Ruan Yan's smooth and fair face.
She really likes this yard, especially the big fish pond in front of her.
The water in the pond sparkled at night, and a few koi fish that had not yet rested were swimming freely, creating circles of silky soft ripples.
When she was a child, she loved to lie by the pond and sing songs to cool off in the summer at night.
The hazy moonlight fell through the gaps between the leaves of the banyan tree, creating hazy shadows and outlining her countless vague and fuzzy dreams.
She had forgotten how long it had been since she had taken the time to look at the moon.
Stretching her body and lying lazily on the rattan chair, breathing the fresh air washed by the night, she felt as if her whole body was purified from the inside out.
The pleasant time is always short, and the good mood ends when I hear a slight sound behind me.
At the same time, the air was filled with a familiar faint smell of oak moss.
Ruan Yan subconsciously closed her eyes and pretended to sleep. She was really too tired today and didn't want to exchange pleasantries with anyone.
The same cold and sharp breath as always slowly approached, and then stopped at her left side.
She repeated it in her mind over and over again, hoping that he would go away soon.
However, the opposite happened. After a few seconds, that cold voice, as if filled with ice, rang in her ears: "You really know how to enjoy yourself."
“…”
It’s all because of the “good job” you arranged for me. Can’t you see that my head, my waist, and my legs are all giving off a sense of being half dead right now?
Ruan Yan resisted the urge to retort.
Not getting a response, Lu Peishi stopped talking.
Ruan Yan simply kept her eyes closed. From time to time, a gentle night breeze blew through her long hair that was flowing on the rattan chair. It was so cool, as if it blew away all the heat and fatigue.
She felt her body go limp, and the circles of light and shadows circulating in her mind, accompanied by the rhythmic sound of water flowing in the fish pond beside her ears, gradually became hazy.
Suddenly, it was like stepping into a lucid yet blurry dream...
When her senses returned to normal, Ruan Yan realized that she had accidentally fallen asleep.
She opened her eyes in shock, and saw no trace of clouds in the dark and deep night sky.
Turning my gaze over, I saw the tall figure lying flat on another rattan chair, quietly.
Is he lying here and falling asleep too?
Ruan Yan carefully turned her head halfway to make sure that he was really not moving, and then she felt a little relieved.
Perhaps it was because she had just woken up and her reaction was a little slow, or perhaps it was because she had let down her guard, in any case, she did not take this opportunity to slip away quickly, but for some unknown reason, she slowly looked at the man in front of her.
His figure melted into the silent night, and the cold and sharp aura of the day seemed to be completely swallowed up, replaced by a lazy, warm and approachable illusion.
Yes, an illusion.
Although her perception was a little dull, she was not so far from losing her mind as to forget how aloof and indifferent this man was, how he always acted high and mighty, and how he looked down on everyone.
But to be fair, he is indeed very good-looking and has a great figure. Even a simple set of home clothes looks elegant and cool on him.
Personality and appearance are two extremes.
From him, Ruan Yan also witnessed the diversity of the human species.
I was lost in thought when suddenly, the man in front of me opened his eyes without any warning.
What followed was a familiar voice that brought her back to reality—"How long are you going to look at me like this?"
“…”
Bro, is it so sudden...
Ruan Yan was almost frightened by the sudden attack.
It was too late to close her eyes and pretend to be asleep. She simply turned her face away and denied it flatly: "Brother Pei Shi, I don't understand what you are saying. I just woke up."
As he spoke, he stretched his arms above his head and stretched at the right time.
"Oh."
“…”
Ruan Yan pretended not to hear his rude sarcasm: "Maybe it's because I've been entertaining Manager You all day today and I'm a little tired. I just fell asleep..."
"What is your purpose in entering Zhuo Lu?"
Um?
Lu Peishi's sudden words caught Ruan Yan off guard and startled her slightly.
"What are you talking about, Brother Pei Shi?" She tried her best to control her expression. "Of course I just want to learn something. Zhuo Lu has one of the best reputations in the industry. It's normal for me to want to come in. Do you have any misunderstandings about me?"
Lu Peishi remained silent, his deep eyes gleaming with a sharp, piercing gaze. "I know you've always disapproved of my abilities," Ruan Yan said, unsure if he'd discovered something. She could only retreat. "I never thought I'd become your secretary. If you truly dislike me, I'll resign."
Lu Peishi looked at her for a few seconds before speaking slowly, "Really? But weren't you targeting me from the beginning? You expected Zhuo Ming to personally train you because of Wen Ying. You also predicted that I wouldn't let you be Zhuo Ming's assistant and affect his work. But because of his relationship with Wen Ying, it was not easy to give you a position. The best way is to arrange for you to work by my side."
Listening to his methodical analysis, Ruan Yan calmly continued to play dumb: "Brother Pei Shi, are you kidding me? Or have you been reading too many suspense novels lately?"
Lu Peishi didn't say a word, just stared at her motionlessly, half of his face hidden in the dim light, and his dark pupils seemed to reflect a bottomless sea.
In his vigilant eyes, an invisible cold dividing line between the two people became increasingly obvious, like the Chu River and Han River, a clear distinction.
Ruan Yan then realized that this man, who was always vigilant, had never given her any chance to get close to him.
They didn't speak, just confronted each other in silence.
Ruan Yan was not frightened by his mysterious expression, but met his cold eyes without fear, remaining calm from beginning to end.
While the night lurks dangers, it can also expose some disguises.
When masters fight, silence is better than words.
An unknown amount of time passed before Ruan Yan couldn't hold it in any longer, but she lowered her eyes and tilted her head to the side, feeling discouraged.
"Well, since you've discovered me, I won't pretend anymore."
Just as expected.
Lu Peishi was very satisfied. He changed to a more comfortable position and waited quietly for her to confess.
Her long, slender eyelashes trembled slightly: "You want to know why I came to Zhuo Lu and why I deliberately approached you, right?"
Lu Peishi waited for the next words with an expressionless face.
"Because," Ruan Yan paused, her dark, moist eyes fixed on him again, her thin voice sounding especially clear in the darkness, "Because I like you."
“…”
???
The author has something to say:
----------------------
Confession, confession~~~~
Lu Peishi: I took it seriously
Ruan Yan: I pretended
Lu Peishi: ...Anyway, I took it seriously
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
