Chapter Twenty-One: The server room crashed, and so did my mentality.
On-site at the computer room of Taohuatan Scenic Area.
"The signal test was conducted for the third time, and the downlink speed is still 40 percent lower than the standard value."
The technician stared at the instrument screen, his brows furrowed into a deep knot. "This shouldn't be happening. The simulation environment was up to standard yesterday."
"Was the backup line access point not properly waterproofed, and did the rain seep in last night?"
Another technician squatted in the corner, pointing to a barely noticeable damp spot on the wall, "The construction team is so sloppy! The equipment here costs tens or hundreds of thousands!"
Before the words were finished, the overhead lights flickered a few times and then went out with a "snap," leaving only the cold, blue light from the screens of a few devices illuminating the astonished faces of the crowd.
"The power has tripped!"
"Quickly, check the core switch!"
The small, makeshift computer room immediately descended into chaos.
Holding her notebook, Luo Yan was caught off guard by the sudden turn of events and instinctively looked towards the calmest figure in the center of the crowd.
Jiang Sui half-squatted in front of the core equipment, the light from his phone's flashlight shining on the panel covered with buttons, obscuring his expression. Only his almost cold voice could be heard, relentlessly delivering commands:
"Group A, immediately check the main switch and the circuit breaker, and find the short circuit point."
"Group B, disconnect the affected lines, assess the extent of water damage to the equipment, and prepare backup equipment."
"Notify the scenic area's electrician to cooperate!"
"Contact the person in charge of the construction company; I need to see them and get an explanation within half an hour!"
The technicians sprang into action as if wound up, and amidst the noise and chaos, only he seemed to be an absolutely calm eye to the storm.
Luo Yan cautiously leaned forward to help record the details of the malfunction. Just as she took out her pen, Jiang Sui stood up, didn't even look at her, and went straight to the technical team leader next to her and said, "Compile a report on the malfunction and the handling process, and send it to my email before five o'clock."
The pen, which had been extended, hung awkwardly in mid-air for a moment before reluctantly retracting itself.
Well, I've been ignored again.
He hasn't even glanced at her since he arrived this morning. She's a grown woman standing there; does he think she's invisible?!
What happened? They got along perfectly well at Yunqi Bamboo Path, but in just a few days, she experienced all four seasons with him.
For the next few hours, Jiang Sui was practically glued to the scene.
Command and dispatch, troubleshooting, and contacting all parties are incredibly efficient. The aura emanating from him is even stronger than the air conditioning in the server room.
Luo Yan tried several times to make her presence felt, but was either politely turned away by the technicians who said, "Ms. Luo, please stand back and be careful not to trip over the wires," or she was frozen in place by a single look from Jiang Sui before she could even open her mouth. Gone were the previous playfulness or the occasional gentleness; only the polite distance she showed towards the client remained.
She felt inexplicably choked up, as if a wad of wet cotton was stuffed inside her, making it hard to breathe and leaving her with nowhere to vent. She could only slump down at the back of the crowd, watching Jiang Sui roll up his sleeves and personally take charge of the wiring and testing. Sweat slid down his forehead, and his profile looked particularly angular under the light of the equipment.
As I watched, I became completely absorbed in the moment.
The fault was finally mostly resolved before evening. Jiang Sui and the technical team had to stay to conduct follow-up stability tests, so Luo Yan felt that staying any longer would be pointless. She said goodbye to the technical team leader and left in a dejected manner.
On the bus back to the city, she watched the scenery rushing past the window, her mood darker than the sky. She couldn't understand Jiang Sui's sudden coldness. Was it because she slept at her house that night? But he had already said it was nothing! Or had she unintentionally offended him again? She'd never been this stressed before, not even during her civil service exam!
The more he thought about it, the more upset he became, so he immediately took out his phone and made a call to Zeng Rong.
"Granny Rong, come out for some skewers! It's on me!"
An hour later, in front of the barbecue stall.
Zeng Rong looked at the mountain of skewers piled up in front of Luo Yan and asked cautiously, "Yan Yan, you didn't come out to eat, did you? Are you here to drown your sorrows? Did you quarrel with Ms. Xu again? Or did you get angry with President Luo again?"
"Don't mention those two, they're such a downer!" Luo Yan finished the last skewer of cartilage in silence, grabbed a tissue and wiped her mouth vigorously, then crumpled the tissue into a ball and slammed it on the table. "Hey, let me ask you something, what's wrong with your CEO Jiang's temper? He's always so unpredictable, is he like that with everyone?"
Zeng Rong's eyes lit up instantly, "You finally realized how good our CEO Jiang is? I knew it! With CEO Jiang's looks and abilities, who wouldn't be tempted after spending time with him..."
"Haven't you ever been beaten up for your lack of comprehension? Who's fallen for him?" Luo Yan's voice rose two octaves, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "I just feel like he's okay one minute and cold as ice the next. Is there something wrong with this...?" She pointed to her head. "Like... bipolar disorder or something?"
"Impossible!" Zeng Rong quickly waved his hand and lowered his voice. "President Jiang is just cold on the outside, but inside... I don't really know him very well. Well, I guess he's cold both inside and out. But he's definitely serious and responsible at work, otherwise President Luo wouldn't value him so much."
"So... what about his love life?" Luo Yan casually poked at the peanuts in her plate with her chopsticks, trying to sound like a complete bystander. "I've only heard you mention that he had an ex-girlfriend. It's illogical that such a stunning woman is single. Has he been heartbroken?"
This question was exactly what Zeng Rong was looking for, and she immediately became interested. Looking around, she mysteriously pulled out her phone: "You've come to the right person. President Jiang's ex-girlfriend was someone he dated for many years. She was a dancer named Lu Xingyao, and she was incredibly beautiful. Later, I think she went abroad for her career, and they broke up." As she spoke, she scrolled through her phone. "I only saw her once from afar, but there are photos of her performing online. Let me find them for you..."
A few seconds later, she shoved her phone screen in front of Luo Yan's eyes, "These are photos from the dance troupe's performance when the city received foreign guests last time. She's the lead dancer in the center!"
Luo Yan glanced over casually, then froze instantly.
In the photo, a graceful woman is dancing. Under the spotlight, her face is cool and exquisite, and her outstanding temperament makes her seem like a fairy who is not of this world.
So, Jiang Sui likes this kind of thing...
Luo Yan felt as if the damp cotton in her heart had been soaked in ice water, heavy and chilly. She gulped down a large mouthful of beer, the icy liquid burning all the way to her stomach, but it couldn't suppress the inexplicable surge of sourness and self-consciousness.
"How about it? Pretty, right?" Zeng Rong was still admiring her. "I heard she and President Jiang were together in college. She was the goddess of their school back then. Look at them, aren't they a perfect match, making everyone envious?"
"Yes, it is quite pretty."
Luo Yan gave a dry reply and pushed her phone away, "Eat quickly, the large intestine will smell too fishy when it's cold."
It's okay, it's okay... How beautiful Jiang Sui's ex-girlfriend is, who Jiang Sui likes, is none of her business.
The next day at noon, Luo Yan finished getting her lunch in the cafeteria and looked up to see Jiang Sui and several technicians sitting at a table not far away. She quickly picked up her tray and went over. "President Jiang, shall we chat for a bit?"
Jiang Sui raised her eyes, her gaze calm and unwavering: "Official business?"
"Uh, it's a personal matter..."
"We have nothing private to discuss."
His tone was distant as he continued eating with his head down, practically screaming "I can't be bothered with you" on his forehead.
The technicians exchanged glances and, with perfect understanding, got up and sat down at another table.
Luo Yan slammed the plate down on the table with a loud thud.
"Jiang Sui, what do you mean?" she said through gritted teeth, suppressing her anger. "What have I done to offend you? You've been giving me attitude since yesterday. Did I cause the server room to leak or the power to trip? Who are you trying to impress with your sarcastic remarks?"
Jiang Sui put down his chopsticks, picked up a tissue and slowly wiped his mouth, finally looking at her directly.
"Comrade Luo Yan, we are just working together. I think it's good for both of us to maintain an appropriate professional distance, especially since your private life is so colorful. Whether I am being sarcastic or not should not be within your scope of concern."
"What...private life? Explain yourself clearly!"
Do you need me to be clearer?
Jiang Sui leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice even further, with a hint of cold sarcasm, "Using me as a shield without my permission, not only failing to clarify the rumors but also flirting with me in front of President Luo, and then turning around to embrace her married ex late at night, Luo Yan, your time management skills are truly admirable."
Luo Yan's eyes widened instantly, her mind went blank, and she thought she had misheard.
"What...what did you say? Hugging? And reluctant to part?! With whom? Wu Yuzhou?!"
"Thank you. Because of you, I know what it feels like to be cuckolded without ever having done it. It's a rare life experience."
"That's not it! That night, Wu Yuzhou and I were just..."
“I’m not interested in the specific details of what happened that night,” Jiang Sui interrupted her coldly, standing up. “I’m just reminding you that this project is very important to your Bureau of Culture and Tourism, and to Feiyang as well. So, from the perspective of a working partner, I don’t want any unnecessary rumors to affect the progress. As for your personal emotional disputes, please handle them yourself and don’t bring them into your work.” With that, he picked up his tray and left without looking back.
Luo Yan's face flushed red and then turned pale, and the subtle gazes around her felt like needles pricking her.
She was naive; she underestimated Zeng Rong's ability to embellish stories. I'm impressed; he's world-class!
The rumors about her and Jiang Sui haven't been cleared up yet, and now there are rumors about her and Wu Yuzhou. Is this never going to end? Is this going to be a serialized story? Is the female lead a constant while the male leads come and go?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
