Chapter Thirteen: Calm and Peaceful Negotiation (1)
Jiang noticed something was amiss as soon as he stepped into the company.
Wherever he went, the employees lowered their heads and fell silent, but their eyes were frantically exchanging glances and whispering behind his back. When he looked over, he pretended to be busy, as if nothing had happened, but he could feel a strange atmosphere in the air that said, "We all know, but we all pretend we don't." He could even hear faint words like "wedding," "perfect match," and "President Luo's daughter" in the break room.
I've only been away from the office for a few days, and the rumors have already spread everywhere?!
Luo Yan did not clarify the matter a month later as she claimed.
Just as Jiang Sui picked up his phone to make a call, the internal landline on the table rang. It was Zeng Rong.
"President Jiang, you're back?" Zeng Rong's voice was hesitant and tentative. "Regarding the recent rumors circulating in the company..."
"You heard that too?" Jiang Sui's voice was so cold it could freeze coffee. "This is the 'clarification' Luo Yan was talking about? A clarification that has the whole company talking about the wedding?"
Zeng Rong wiped her sweat on the other end of the phone: "President Jiang, please calm down. This is just a misunderstanding. Yan Yan never said that she and you had that kind of relationship. She's a victim too. It's understandable that President Luo, as a father, is so concerned about his daughter..."
Jiang Sui's temples throbbed: "So I should just let the rumors fester and continue to spread?"
“I know Yanyan well. She’s easily swayed by gentle persuasion but not by force, and she’s also easily embarrassed. If you push her too far, she might say something ridiculous to President Luo to save face. You’ll be the one in trouble then, won’t you? You should find some time to talk to her calmly and peacefully. The important thing is to solve the problem. Otherwise, this misunderstanding will only deepen, which will affect you, Yanyan, and the project, right?” Zeng Rong deliberately emphasized the words “calmly and peacefully,” fully demonstrating his skills as a top-notch secretary in mediating disputes.
Jiang Sui pinched the bridge of her nose, forcibly suppressing her anger. Although Zeng Rong favored Luo Yan, his words were not without reason.
"Okay, I'll have a good talk with her. You know where she lives, right?"
Zeng Rong's tone immediately lightened: "I'll send you the address right away. By the way, she might be attending a friend's wedding this weekend."
"knew."
Jiang Sui hung up the phone, thinking that no matter where Luo Yan was this weekend, he had to find her and resolve this matter.
Wu Yuzhou also saw the photos in the group chat in the rest area of the wedding dress shop.
The man's profile in the photo looks so familiar... Where have I seen him before?
He remembered! A few days ago, when he went to the legal department of Mingsheng Technology to discuss some business, he saw Chairman Jiang Qiming talking to a young man. The two seemed to be having a disagreement, and the young man left after exchanging only a few words.
Although he only saw the man's profile at the time, Wu Yuzhou recognized him immediately as the man in the photo.
Who is he? Is the "IT company" Luo Yan mentioned Mingsheng? Have they developed so quickly that they're already doing a princess carry in public?
An inexplicable sense of unease and subtle displeasure welled up inside me.
He thought for a moment, then got up and walked to a corner to call Luo Yan. "Xiao Yan, how have you been lately?"
Luo Yan felt agitated upon hearing Wu Yuzhou's voice.
"Whether it's good or bad has nothing to do with you. If it's bad, you can't help, and if it's good, it's not your achievement."
Wu Yuzhou was taken aback. "I heard you fainted at Peach Blossom Pool a couple of days ago? Are you alright?"
Luo Yan replied dismissively, "It's an old problem, low blood sugar."
Wu Yuzhou changed the subject, asking seemingly casually, "It's good that you're alright... Xiaoyan, is your boyfriend... good to you?"
It turned out that it was waiting for her here.
After Luo Yan realized what was going on, her tone unconsciously became sarcastic, "Attorney Wu, I heard that your law firm has been doing very well lately, with so many cases that you can't keep up with the workload, and you also have to prepare for your wedding. You took the time out of your busy schedule to call me just to gossip?"
Wu Yuzhou chuckled twice: "Hehe, no, I'm just concerned about you. I haven't met your boyfriend and I'm worried you'll get the short end of the stick."
"Thank you for your concern. Whether I suffer a loss or not is none of your business. Just take care of the people you should care about. I'm hanging up now, I'm busy."
Luo Yan hung up the phone without any politeness.
It's true what they say, you can't find two kinds of people sleeping in the same bed. One of the couple spreads rumors, while the other pretends to care. Neither of them are good people!
She was so blind before, treating these two people as friends without realizing when they started their secret affair and were making a fool of her.
On the other side, Wu Yuzhou's expression darkened; Luo Yan's reaction clearly indicated that something was wrong!
He put away his phone and turned around to see Yang Xin standing behind him at some point. Upon seeing this, he immediately said sourly, "Your childhood sweetheart has hooked up with someone else, are you feeling bad about it?"
Wu Yuzhou loosened his tie in annoyance: "What nonsense are you talking about? I was just asking out of concern as a friend!"
Yang Xin instantly exploded, "Why do you need to hide it from me?! Is what you don't have the best? Wu Yuzhou, let me tell you, don't try to have your cake and eat it too. I won't tolerate any nonsense!"
"Okay, okay, we won't contact each other then, don't be angry..." Wu Yuzhou knew Yang Xin's temper, so he could only coax her gently, "You look so beautiful today, it's not a good time to be angry."
"When have I ever not been pretty?" Yang Xin persisted. "Don't you think Luo Yan is prettier than me now?"
"No way! You're the most beautiful, you've always been the most beautiful in my eyes!"
"Hmph, you're smart to know what's good for you. Let's go take pictures."
Seeing Yang Xin finally smile, Wu Yuzhou secretly wiped away his sweat and breathed a sigh of relief.
The wedding is this weekend, and as the date draws closer, Luo Yan becomes increasingly anxious. After much deliberation, she decides that she can only send a gift in person and ask a classmate to deliver the red envelope. She'll accept being a coward; if she can't afford to offend them, she can at least avoid them.
I had just sealed the red envelope when I received a call from Yang Xin.
"Yanyan, tomorrow is my and Yuzhou's big day, you absolutely have to come! Everyone's really interested in your mysterious elite boyfriend! You can't let them down."
Luo Yan felt like she'd swallowed a fly. "Um... him? He's very busy, he has several projects on his plate..."
"Hey, no matter how busy the project is, you can't not even have time to accompany your girlfriend to your best friend's wedding, right? Unless... hehe, you're not kidding us, are you?" The provocation and the anticipation of seeing him make a fool of himself in his laughter almost overflowed from the receiver.
Luo Yan felt her blood rush to her head. She knew Yang Xin was all talk and no action; she could tell what color poop she was going to take just by looking at her!
They even called specifically to bring this up—a blatant provocation!
In a moment of impulsiveness, he blurted out, "Who's lying? He's coming! He's definitely coming!"
"Okay, see you tomorrow."
Yang Xin hung up the phone as soon as she finished speaking. Luo Yan listened to the dial tone and regretted it so much that she kept slapping herself. What a stupid mouth! She'll die because of this mouth sooner or later!
The next day, Luo Yan, who hadn't slept all night, got up early, put on the only white dress she could wear that looked presentable, and reluctantly went to the wedding hotel.
The venue was decorated luxuriously and romantically, and the place was packed with guests. She tried to keep a low profile, found a corner seat, and planned to slip away as soon as the ceremony was over.
The ceremony was complicated and lengthy. Luo Yan kept her head down, pretending not to hear the others at the table praising Wu Yuzhou and Yang Xin as a perfect match, or saying touching words with tears in their eyes. She poked at the food on her plate without tasting it, just hoping that time would pass quickly.
After finally enduring the ceremony, the emcee announced the start of the banquet. Luo Yan stood up, crouching low, ready to slip away, but Yang Xin, holding a wine glass, stood in front of her with a smile, accompanied by a group of sisters who were watching the show.
"Yanyan, you came alone?" Yang Xin's voice, feigning surprise, wasn't loud, but it was enough for people at the surrounding tables to hear. "Where's your boyfriend? Didn't he say he would definitely come today? Everyone's waiting to meet him!" Her gaze swept over Luo Yan's side, and the corners of her mouth turned up more uncontrollably than an AK47.
Luo Yan felt a chill run down her spine, forcing a smile: "He...he has an emergency meeting..."
"What could be more important than spending time with your girlfriend?" Yang Xin covered her mouth, frowning in disbelief. "Could it be... that this person doesn't even exist? Yanyan, we've been friends for so many years. It's not shameful to not have a boyfriend, but lying is." Her tone was regretful, but her eyes were full of mockery. "Oh, I remember now, what about the man who hugged you at Peach Blossom Pool that day? Yanyan, girls should be more mindful of their image in public. I know you're upset because Yuzhou chose me, but don't be so self-destructive. Every man would be eager to hug and kiss you, and someone even took pictures! You finally passed the civil service exam; this is such a bad influence!"
Faced with the curious or inquisitive gazes of those around her, Luo Yan's face instantly turned red, her fingers tightly gripping the hem of her skirt, wishing there was a crack in the ground she could disappear into.
Just as she was feeling utterly ashamed and wished she could disappear on the spot, a cold yet familiar voice suddenly came from behind her:
"Sorry I'm late."
Luo Yan turned around abruptly and saw Jiang Sui appear behind her at some point. He was wearing a well-tailored dark suit, which instantly attracted everyone's attention.
His gaze swept lightly over Yang Xin and landed on Luo Yan.
"There was a traffic jam on the road, so it seems I missed the most exciting part."
"..."
Luo Yan was completely stunned, frozen in place like a wooden stake, her mind blank.
Jiang Sui glanced at Yang Xin, whose face had instantly turned ugly, and then at Wu Yuzhou, who had just walked over. He smiled politely and said, "Congratulations to you both. However, it seems rather inappropriate for the bride to pay too much attention to her friend's male companion at her own wedding."
Yang Xin's face turned pale and then flushed, but she managed a weak smile: "I was just concerned about Yanyan..."
"Thank you, but no need." Jiang Sui interrupted her coldly, looking down at Luo Yan who was still in a daze. "We have something to do, so we'll be leaving now." After saying that, he ignored all the astonished gazes around him, put his arm around the petrified Luo Yan, turned around and left, and a murmur arose behind him.
Luo Yan didn't turn around, but she knew that Yang Xin's face must be contorted with jealousy at that moment.
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