Chapter 388 She actually returned to China?
As soon as she returned to the hotel room, she called her assistant Zhou Ruxuan without even having time to brush off the snowflakes on her shoulders.
Her voice still had a hint of the coldness of a snowy day, but her tone was very firm.
"Ruxuan, something urgent happened back home, so I need to go back early. Could you please keep an eye on the subsequent supervision and finishing work for me?"
Zhou Ruxuan on the other end of the phone was obviously stunned:
"What happened? Is it a problem? Do you need help?"
"Well, it's urgent. I plan to book a flight tonight and leave."
Mu Nanyan didn't elaborate, but the urgency in her tone was unmistakable.
"Okay, don't worry. Just be careful on the road. Leave everything here to me. Most of the important work has already been completed, so I can handle it."
Zhou Ruxuan agreed immediately, her tone turning reliable and steady.
"Thank you." Mu Nanyan's heart calmed down a little.
"Why are you being so polite to me? Go ahead and keep in touch."
After ending the call with Zhou Ruxuan, Mu Nanyan called the dance troupe director Emma without any pause.
She briefly explained the emergency situation that forced her to return home early, her tone sincere but firm.
Although Emma felt surprised and sad, she expressed full understanding and support.
After everything was arranged, Mu Nanyan began to pack her luggage neatly.
Without any hesitation, she booked the next flight to the country as quickly as possible.
Outside the window, the snow was still falling, but she had only one very clear thought in her mind - go back, go back to him immediately.
Mu Nanyan closed the suitcase neatly and took a last look around the presidential suite where she had stayed for a short time but was filled with complicated memories.
Without any hesitation, she pulled the handle of the suitcase and walked towards the door resolutely.
The taxi drove smoothly towards the airport in the falling snow.
Outside the window, the exotic street scene covered in white was constantly receding, but the inside of the car was extremely quiet, with only the faint roar of the engine and the regular swaying of the wipers.
Mu Nanyan leaned against the car window, her fingertips unconsciously touching the cold glass. Her heart had already flown across the ocean and landed on the person she wanted to see most at this moment.
She could even imagine Lu Yiran's surprised and delighted expression when he opened the door and saw her suddenly appear.
This thought made her feel a little lighter, as she had been feeling heavy all the way.
Checking in, passing security, waiting for the flight... she completed the entire process almost at the most efficient speed.
Sitting in the waiting hall, watching the planes taking off and landing on the runway outside the window, her heart was filled with unprecedented urgency.
Finally, the boarding notice came over the radio.
She followed the crowd onto the plane, found her seat and put her luggage away.
As the cabin door slowly closed and the plane began to accelerate on the runway, finally breaking free from gravity and rushing into the clouds, Mu Nanyan looked out the window at the gradually shrinking, brightly lit Washington. There was no sadness of parting in her heart, only an eager anticipation of returning home.
During the long flight, she spent most of the time resting with her eyes closed, but her mind was full of thoughts.
The scene of the confrontation with Gu Rushuang, the heartache for Lu Yiran's past, and the worry about his current situation intertwined together, making it impossible for her to truly sleep.
She just kept checking the time and calculating how long it would take to land.
The flight attendant brought the meal, but she only ate a few bites.
All senses seemed to become dull, and the only thought was: faster, faster.
————
Lu Yiran and Chenchen set off from Washington last night and finally arrived in Haicheng after a fifteen-hour journey.
It was already early morning when we landed. The whole city was asleep, with only a few lights flickering in the distance.
He took the sleepy Chenchen's hand and walked back to his residence in silence.
"We're home, Chenchen."
He spoke softly, with barely perceptible fatigue in his tone.
Chenchen rubbed his eyes and muttered softly:
"Dad, I'm so sleepy."
Lu Yiran looked out the window at the still dark night, but in his mind he couldn't help but calculate the time difference. It should be twelve o'clock noon in Washington at this time.
Mu Nanyan should be eating at this time.
Thinking of this, he picked up his phone and lightly swiped his fingertips across the screen:
[Chenchen and I are here. Have you had lunch? ]
After sending this message, he put away his phone and gently urged Chenchen:
"Go wash up, it's time to go to bed."
Chenchen was indeed very tired. He nodded obediently and dragged his small suitcase into his room.
Lu Yiran stood in the corridor until he heard the sound of water coming from the room, then he returned to the master bedroom with peace of mind.
The warm water soothed the fatigue of the long flight. He changed into comfortable pajamas and lay down on the soft bed.
Only then did I suddenly remember the message I had sent earlier.
He picked up his phone, but the screen was surprisingly clean. There were no new message alerts, and the familiar avatar did not pop up.
The message he had sent before was still lying alone in the dialog box, without even a "read" mark.
He frowned unconsciously and muttered to himself:
"You should have seen the news by now..."
Are you still on your lunch break? Or are you too busy working overtime to check your phone?
All kinds of speculations surged in his mind. He hesitated for a moment, but still dialed the familiar number.
The prompt tone after the call was connected was cold and regular:
"The user you are dialing has switched off his phone. Please try again later..."
Coming from the receiver was a cold and regular automatic answering voice, which echoed clearly in the silent bedroom.
Shut down?
Lu Yiran's brows furrowed even tighter.
Outside the window, the sleeping Haicheng was peaceful, but the tiny uneasiness in his heart was like a stone thrown into a quiet lake, creating a circle of ripples that gradually spread.
He stared at the unresponsive phone screen, his deep eyes appearing even more solemn in the dim light.
This sudden loss of contact is really unusual.
Various speculations emerged uncontrollably:
Was there a work emergency? Was his phone dead? Or…something else happened in Washington that he couldn't have anticipated?
Amidst my chaotic thoughts, the heartwarming scene in Washington a few days ago inexplicably came to my mind.
The way she played and laughed with Chenchen in the snow, the way she glared at him coquettishly in the restaurant, the sound of her breathing as she slept quietly beside him at night... those extremely clear images, against the backdrop of the unusual silence and the cold shutdown prompt tone, were suddenly covered with a layer of illusion, creating a subtle sense of unreality.
It was as if those ultimate beauties were just a dream that he had briefly and then suddenly woke up from.
This strange and abrupt thought made his heart suddenly tighten, and an indescribable feeling of anxiety quietly gripped his heart.
He picked up the phone again, his fingertips hovering over the redial button, but finally pressed the lock screen button hard and threw the phone back to the bedside.
The room fell into silence again, with only the sound of his breathing becoming clearer and heavier.
————
On the other side, after having lunch with a client, Gu Rushuang personally sent the client to the restaurant door.
As she watched the customer's car drive away, the professional smile on her face instantly faded, turning into a solemn expression.
She walked straight to her car, bent down and sat in the back seat.
The moment the car door closed, a low-pressure atmosphere filled the car.
She almost immediately took out her phone and dialed a number without any greetings. She got straight to the point:
"How's the progress of the thing I asked you to investigate?"
The person on the other end of the phone responded quickly, with a hint of caution in his tone:
"Director Gu, our people did follow Miss Mu as instructed. But this morning, the person following her reported that he had been standing downstairs of the hotel all morning but hadn't seen her. Later, I found out that she had purchased a ticket back to Haicheng last night and left Washington overnight."
"What?! She actually returned home!"
Gu Rushuang's voice suddenly rose, and her face was instantly filled with disbelief and anger.
The next second, her knuckles holding the phone turned slightly white due to the force, and a surge of anger at being provoked and fooled rushed into her heart.
This woman is truly haunting! As soon as Yi Ran left, she couldn't wait to chase him back! She even abandoned the important work at hand, and still dared to say that she wasn't after the Lu family's wealth and status?
After yesterday's confrontation, she even felt a flicker of admiration for the woman's courage and eloquence.
But at this moment, she realized that all of this was probably a carefully designed performance!
Those resounding words yesterday, seemingly defending herself, were merely an attempt to divert her attention and lower her guard! They were completely worthless and not worth believing at all!
She must never let such a scheming woman stay with her son again!
"I see."
Gu Rushuang's voice was so cold that it could condense ice. Without waiting for the other party to say anything else, she hung up the phone.
She took a deep breath, suppressed her surging anger, and instructed Xu Nanxing in the driver's seat, her tone unquestionable and decisive:
"Book me a flight back to Haicheng as soon as possible."
Xu Nanxing turned around in surprise when he heard this:
"Director Gu, do you want to go back now?"
"Um."
Gu Rushuang looked out the window, her eyes sharp and cold.
"That woman went back last night. I can't just watch them make the same mistake again."
Xu Nanxing was naturally happy to see Gu Rushuang's move, as this was exactly the result she had been pushing for step by step.
However, thinking that he was driven out of the country by Lu Yiran, it was really inappropriate for him to appear in front of him at this moment.
She carefully considered her words and suggested with difficulty:
"Director Gu, please go back and take care of your family affairs. I... maybe it would be more appropriate for me to stay at the headquarters and help you take care of the company affairs? After all, if I show up now, I'm afraid it will only make President Lu even more unhappy..."
Gu Rushuang glanced at her, seeing through her concerns, and spoke in a calm tone with a hint of protection from above:
"You are my chief assistant now. You represent me. Without my permission, he cannot touch you at all."
In fact, she secretly hoped that Xu Nanxing could go back with her.
This assistant is not only capable, but also has some understanding of Lu Yiran's past and temperament, and may be able to provide unexpected help when necessary.
Gu Rushuang's voice echoed in the narrow space of the car, carrying unquestionable weight.
Xu Nanxing looked through the rearview mirror and clearly saw the cold, determined fire in Gu Rushuang's eyes.
She was startled, knowing that any excuse at this moment would only arouse suspicion and might even lead to the loss of this hard-earned opportunity.
She quickly suppressed all unnecessary emotions, and a look of perfect respect and obedience appeared on her face:
"Yes, Mr. Gu, I will check the nearest flight and book it for you immediately."
As she answered, she skillfully took out her tablet and began to operate it, her tone changing to a hint of just the right amount of worry.
"It's just... you suddenly decided to return home, and several mergers and acquisitions that are progressing in Washington..."
"Follow up on the video conference, Haicheng, I have to go back."
Her tone was firm and decisive, and it was obvious that she regarded stopping Mu Nanyan as the most important and urgent task at the moment, and any business project had to give way to it.
Of course, Xu Nanxing wanted to witness with her own eyes how Gu Rushuang personally disrupted Lu Yiran's life, but she knew even more clearly that she must not appear in front of Lu Yiran at this critical juncture, as that would be tantamount to exposing her own weaknesses and detonating all her plans in advance.
She raised her head, her tone earnest and thoughtful,
"Director Gu, I understand your determination to go back."
"But precisely because of this, I believe I can be more valuable by staying in Washington. I can ensure that everything at headquarters is running smoothly and without any delays. I can also serve as a solid bridge between you and the North American business and keep you informed of any important developments."
She paused for a moment, observing Gu Rushuang's expression, and continued, her tone sounding extremely loyal:
"As for Haicheng... perhaps it's better if I don't show up directly. I can act as your invisible assistant, collecting and analyzing all the necessary information for you behind the scenes, ensuring that you have the initiative in any situation. If I show up, it might actually irritate President Lu and make things... more complicated."
This statement not only expressed absolute support for Gu Rushuang's decision, but also fully demonstrated his loyalty to her interests, while cleverly avoiding his own risks.
Gu Rushuang was silent for a moment, as if weighing the pros and cons.
She has recognized Xu Nanxing's abilities during this period, and keeping him in Washington will indeed allow her to have no worries.
Xu Nanxing's concerns about "stimulating Lu Yiran" are not unreasonable.
"Okay, then you can stay in Washington. But I want you to be on standby at all times. I need to know any developments related to Mu Nanyan and Dingsheng and report them immediately."
Gu Rushuang finally gave in, but her tone was still commanding.
"I understand, Mr. Gu, please rest assured."
Xu Nanxing secretly breathed a sigh of relief and immediately agreed solemnly.
The two of them had almost finished talking about everything, and then Xu Nanxing started the car and drove towards the company.
The vehicle drove smoothly on the way back to the company.
Gu Rushuang closed her eyes to rest, but her brows were still filled with an unbreakable coldness and determination. It was obvious that she was already thinking about every move after returning to Haicheng.
In the front driver's seat, Xu Nanxing appeared to be concentrating on driving with a respectful and professional attitude. However, in her heart, in stark contrast to her apparent calmness, she was surging with an ecstasy and pride that she could hardly suppress.
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