Chapter Seventy-Eight: The sea is not entirely calm before the storm arrives.
As the morning sun shone through the leaves onto the entrance of the residential complex, Luo Yan yawned and walked out of the building. She immediately saw the familiar black SUV parked in its usual spot.
Jiang Sui opened the passenger door and looked at her: "You left quite early today."
Luo Yan was stunned for a moment.
Oh right, he texted her last night saying he'd pick her up for work today.
"The sun must have risen in the west; I don't offer pick-up and drop-off services."
Jiang replied in his usual tone, "On the way."
"Oh? What route?"
Luo Yan got into the car, fastened her seatbelt, and opened the paper bag. Inside was her favorite breakfast: a steamed bun with braised pork, unsweetened soy milk, and a boiled egg.
"Your home is in Feiyang, and the Cultural and Tourism Bureau is in the east and west of the city, isn't this supposed to be a roundabout way?"
Jiang glanced at her in the rearview mirror: "Do you need a reason to pick up your girlfriend for work?"
"Just a reminder, the cooling-off period isn't over yet!"
Luo Yan looked at him while munching on a steamed bun, "You sent a message around 11 p.m. last night saying you had something to do, were you working overtime again?"
"The bidding for the second phase of the smart tourism project is about to begin. You must be quite busy lately, right?" Jiang Sui tore off a tissue and handed it to him. "Eat slowly, your mouth is all greasy."
Luo Yan nodded: "Yes, the bidding plan is in the final stage of finalization... Uh, I can't talk to you about this, let's change the subject."
Jiang Sui shook her head with a smile: "Forget it, let's not talk anymore. You're always talking and eating, you'll get tired and then it won't be good for kissing."
Luo Yan gave a light scolding, wiped her mouth, and said nothing more.
Throughout the journey, she had a vague feeling that Jiang Sui was acting strangely today, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was.
"Jiang Sui, is something the matter?"
"Hmm?" Jiang Sui turned to look at her, his eyes calm. "What's wrong?"
“I just feel like you…” Luo Yan frowned, “are acting strange, like you have something to say but are holding it in.”
Jiang Sui reached out and pinched her cheek: "It's nothing, maybe... you didn't sleep well last night."
"Workaholics really suffer; health is important!"
This intimate and natural gesture put Luo Yan at ease. Perhaps she was just being overly sensitive. It was all his fault for picking her up so early in the morning, which made her feel that he was acting strangely.
When they arrived at the entrance of the Culture and Tourism Bureau, Luo Yan unbuckled her seatbelt and prepared to get out of the car, but Jiang Sui called her back.
“I may be away for a few days, and my phone may not be reachable. Take care of yourself. Don’t confront Zhou Jiaqi directly or get entangled with him. If anyone causes you trouble, don’t be reckless. Call Zeng Rong or Boss Luo.”
Luo Yan was stunned by this string of instructions. She blinked and said, "It's just a business trip, why are you being so serious, like you're giving your last instructions..." As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them. "Pah! Children say the darndest things! How many days are you going to be gone? Is it about the project?"
"Yes, some things that should have been dealt with a long time ago." Jiang Sui downplayed the issue, ruffling her hair. "Remember what I said, and wait for me to come back."
"Okay!" Luo Yan waved her hand, pushed open the door and got out of the car. "How could I, a grown woman, let myself go hungry?"
She didn't take it too seriously, assuming that Jiang Sui was going to some remote place to work on a project and the cell phone signal was bad, so he was letting her know in advance.
Watching Luo Yan enter the office building, Jiang Sui slowly withdrew his gaze, his eyes dark and unfathomable.
Zhou Jiaqi sat at his workstation, wearing a clean white shirt. The cast on his leg had been removed. When he saw Luo Yan come in, he immediately stood up and said, "Sister Luo, you're here? I just got back to work today and brought you breakfast."
Luo Yan looked at the sandwich he offered but didn't touch it. "I've already eaten."
"It's okay, I also bought milk tea."
Zhou Jiaqi smiled sincerely and placed the jasmine milk tea on Luo Yan's table: "It's hot, with 30% sugar."
Luo Yan forced a polite smile: "I've given up sugar, you can drink it."
"Really? Then I'll bring you sugar-free next time."
Zhou Jiaqi moved a chair and sat down next to her, the eagerness in his eyes making her feel uncomfortable.
"Sister Luo, I've fallen behind on a lot of work lately, and I'm not familiar with the new projects. Could you please help me sort them out?"
"Take a look for yourself. I have a document that needs Director Zheng's signature!"
After Luo Yan finished speaking, she quickly grabbed the folder and slipped away.
All morning, Zhou Jiaqi seemed to have an auto-follower function, following Luo Yan wherever she went, asking work-related questions one minute and handing her water the next, his attentiveness almost suffocating.
During lunch break, Luo Yan pulled Liu Su aside: "Su Su, can you do me a favor and we switch workstations? Mine is by the window, the view is nice!"
Liu Su glanced at Luo Yan, then at Zhou Jiaqi not far away, and gave an OK sign: "Got it!"
In the afternoon, Luo Yan moved to the corner furthest from Zhou Jiaqi as she wished, but the physical distance couldn't stop the barrage of messages, one after another:
Sister Luo, have you seen the notice that Director Zheng just sent?
- Sister Luo, is there a problem with the third data item in this report?
Hey Sister Luo, are you free tonight? I know a hot pot restaurant...
Luo Yan, thoroughly annoyed, sent Jiang Sui a message:
Zhou Jiaqi is back, and he's been sticking to me like glue. Can I just confront him directly? He's driving me crazy!
The message was sent but disappeared without a trace; half an hour passed without a reply.
Luo Yan found it strange. Even when Jiang Sui was busy, he would reply with "hmm" or "I'll talk to you later" when he saw her message. What was wrong with him today? Did he really go to some secluded mountain forest?
Just as I was about to call him, my phone rang urgently; it was Zeng Rong.
"Yanyan, something terrible has happened!"
Zeng Rong's voice was urgent and panicked, "Mingsheng is bidding for the 'Linzhou Smart Park' project today, and the database software they showcased has several parameters that are exactly the same as the one we plan to use in the Smart Tourism Phase II bidding. Although these are non-core parameters, it just proves that there is an insider who leaked our information!"
Luo Yan's heart tightened: "What? What's the situation now?"
"President Luo is furious, and the conference room is in complete chaos!"
Zeng Rong suddenly lowered her voice deliberately, her tone filled with disbelief: "Sun Zhicheng suddenly jumped out to expose President Jiang... saying that he is the son of Jiang Qiming, the chairman of Mingsheng! Yanyan, is this... true? Did you... already know?"
Luo Yan was stunned.
Although she already knew Jiang Sui's identity, it was still a secret in Feiyang. With the internal testing software leaked, everyone would naturally assume that the mole was him.
"What about Jiang Sui? What did he say?"
"General Manager Jiang has gone missing. His phone is switched off, and no one can reach him. Sun Zhicheng said he 'fled to evade punishment,' and now the other vice presidents are discussing reporting him missing to the police..."
"Don't call the police yet!" Luo Yan blurted out. "Jiang Sui would never do such a thing!"
"President Luo also said that we can't wrong innocent people, and we need to conduct an internal investigation first. The technology research and development center, which is in charge of President Jiang, should be the first to be investigated!" Zeng Rong was clearly very anxious. "Yanyan, if you can get in touch with President Jiang, please ask him what's going on!"
Luo Yan hung up the phone and immediately dialed Jiang Sui's number.
"Hello, the number you dialed is currently switched off..."
I tried calling several times, but all of them said the phone was off.
Luo Yan panicked and, without thinking too much, asked Director Zheng for leave and took a taxi straight to Jiang Sui's house.
She had just gotten off the bus and run a few steps forward when someone chased after her from behind and grabbed her arm.
"Sister Luo, wait!"
Luo Yan turned around and saw that it was Zhou Jiaqi.
He had followed her without her noticing, and stood in front of her, his expression complex.
Luo Yan had no time to deal with him and turned to press the elevator button.
Zhou Jiaqi stepped forward and blocked the elevator buttons, saying, "Don't go looking for Jiang Sui!"
Luo Yan suppressed her rising anger: "Get out of my way!"
Zhou Jiaqi grabbed her wrist again, "He's a liar! He's not sincere with you!"
"He's a fraud?" Luo Yan sneered sarcastically. "And what about you? Zhou Jiaqi, you created all sorts of 'coincidences' to sow discord between me and Jiang Sui, treating me like a fool?!"
"I'm trying to help you!" Zhou Jiaqi suddenly raised his voice, staring at her intently. "The bidding for the second phase of the project is imminent, and Fei Yang has caused a leak. Jiang Sui is the prime suspect, and he was also in charge of the first phase of the project. If the disciplinary inspection commission launches an investigation, you will be implicated!"
"I, Luo Yan, am an upright and honest person, and I conduct myself with integrity and uprightness in my work. I can withstand any investigation!"
Luo Yan tried to shake off Zhou Jiaqi's hand forcefully, "Besides, what happens between Jiang Sui and me is our business, why are you meddling in our affairs?!"
"Zhou Jiaqi, let go."
The two turned their heads at the same time and saw Lu Xingyao standing not far away, coldly looking at Zhou Jiaqi.
Zhou Jiaqi's face turned pale instantly, and his hand involuntarily loosened its grip. "Sister Xingyao, you... weren't you supposed to be leaving Yu'an on a plane today?"
Lu Xingyao walked over and said, "If I didn't tell you this, would you still be pretending to be your 'sunny and warm guy'?"
Zhou Jiaqi was struck dumb, his lips trembling: "Sister Xingyao, I..."
"Don't call me 'sister,' I don't deserve it!" Lu Xingyao interrupted him coldly. "I'm really starting to regret helping you out back then. After all these years, you're still so self-righteous!"
"Listen to me..."
Zhou Jiaqi panicked and tried to grab Lu Xingyao's hand, but she avoided it.
"I...I just want Jiang Sui to come back to you. Everything I did was for you!"
"For me?"
Lu Xingyao took a step forward and looked directly into Zhou Jiaqi's panicked eyes: "Whether it was back then or now, Lu Xingyao or Luo Yan are nothing more than glamorous symbols in your eyes. What you like is not any of us, but 'Jiang Sui's girlfriend'. You just want to prove that you can beat Jiang Sui, right?"
"No, I...I want you to be happy..."
Zhou Jiaqi was completely powerless to resist and was forced to stagger backward repeatedly. His face was as pale as paper and fine beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.
Lu Xingyao didn't stop, her tone even colder: "Still deceiving yourself! That person just said a few words, and you're already eager to be his pawn and be used? He probably also extracted some information from you that you shouldn't have revealed, right?"
Upon hearing this, Luo Yan's expression changed drastically, and she abruptly looked up at Zhou Jiaqi.
He wouldn't... have leaked the bidding information for the Phase II project to Mingsheng, would he?!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
