Chapter 85 I know where your mother is.
A week passed quickly, and Lin Jixin remained unreachable, with no record of her leaving the country.
The situation reached a stalemate for a time, but fortunately, Tang Ran had become familiar with the company's management over the past six months, and even with Lin Jixin's 'stepping down', Tang's operations continued as usual.
Friday.
As dusk settles and the city lights begin to twinkle.
The lights in the Song Building gradually dimmed, but the offices on the top floor remained brightly lit.
Song Zhixu leaned back in his office chair, his brows furrowed as he listened to the report on the other end of the phone, rubbing his temples wearily.
Du, du.
Assistant Jiang knocked on the door twice.
When Song Zhixu looked up and saw the person behind her, the weariness in her eyes vanished, replaced by a delighted smile.
Tang Ran has been sleeping at home for the past few days. She went on a business trip a few days ago, and the two haven't seen each other since Tang Wanru was discharged from the hospital.
Tang Ran thanked Assistant Jiang and stepped into the office.
Song Zhixu's gaze followed his fiancée's figure as he spoke into the phone, "Try contacting her first. If that doesn't work, I'll find someone else to handle it."
"OK."
"Let's do it this way for now."
"Can."
When Tang Ran walked to her desk, she had already hung up the phone.
Song Zhixu put down her phone, straightened her back, and looked at her with a slight smile: "I was originally planning to come see you after get off work."
Unexpectedly, Tang Ran came to find her first.
"That means we're very much on the same wavelength."
Tang Ran walked up behind her and massaged her shoulders. "Have you run into trouble again?"
Song Zhixu's shoulders relaxed. "It's just a small problem."
It's a minor trouble, but it's not insignificant in reality, and it's also somewhat related to Song Wuqi.
Some time ago, there was a problem at the Song family's construction site in the Xinbei District of Beijing. Song Wuqi took the initiative to take over and resolve it, and the construction site was successfully resumed. Song Zhixu did not interfere.
As a result, some problems have arisen in the past few days, but it's not related to the construction site; it seems more like we've offended someone.
One minute they're checking for safety hazards, the next they're testing for environmental pollution.
Although everything at the Song family's construction site complied with regulations, the frequent work stoppages and inspections were always causing delays.
The branch's deputy general manager inquired around and found out that the problem stemmed from the newly appointed District Chief Huang.
The vice president subtly mentioned to Song Zhixu that Song Wuqi had some dealings with this District Chief Huang some time ago.
As the investigation deepened, Song Zhixu discovered that Song Wuqi had actually sent his former assistant to District Chief Huang's bed.
And the person Song Wuqi claimed a few days ago could help lead the cooperation between Gonghua Technology, is this District Chief Huang.
Song Zhixu roughly figured out some of the clues. It was mostly because Song Wuqi had promised District Chief Huang some benefits for the matter he was in charge of, but in the end, the Song family chose to cooperate with Blue Whale, and those benefits were not realized.
This led to these minor troubles at the Beijing branch.
Song Zhixu closed his eyes, thinking about a solution to the problem.
Song Zhixu's shoulders were a little sore and stiff after a day of supporting them, but the gentle, moderate pressure from Tang Ran was very comfortable. Unaware of her own discomfort, she let out a soft "Mmm".
As soon as the words left his mouth, Song Zhixu himself was taken aback.
The movement on the shoulder stopped, and the chair behind was gently turned.
Song Zhixu subconsciously opened his eyes, and what he saw was a pair of meaningful smiling eyes.
My ears involuntarily felt hot.
Tang Ran leaned forward, resting her hand on the back of the office chair, and asked Song Zhixu, "Are you feeling comfortable, sister?"
Her tone was slightly raised, and she emphasized the last two words, which sounded somewhat pointed.
This statement sounds a bit odd, yet it seems like an attempt to cover something up.
Song Zhixu cleared her throat and changed the subject, "It's past closing time, let's go..."
The glasses on his nose were taken away, and the last word was only half spoken before being silenced by Tang Ran's lips that covered his.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
The temperature rose rapidly with each breath, and the atmosphere gradually teetered on the edge of a tense standoff.
Song Zhixu stopped the kiss, slightly out of breath: "This is the office."
Tang Ran was still not satisfied, but she obediently did not continue.
Pulling the mischievous hand out from under her clothes, Song Zhixu glanced at the still-open door and gave her a light scolding look.
The door wasn't even closed, and this guy dared to do whatever he wanted.
Noticing her movement, Tang Ran stuck out her tongue and put Song Zhixu's glasses back on her, saying, "Remember to close the door next time."
Song Zhixu straightened his clothes, pinched her ear, and emphasized in a stronger tone, "You can't close the door either."
Her hoarse voice and damp eyes made her words lack any intimidation, instead giving off a somewhat coy and inviting effect.
Tang Ran lowered her head and gently kissed Song Zhixu's crimson lips, her voice soft and lingering, "Is this not even allowed, sister~"
Song Zhixu gazed intently at her, his eyes darkening, and his fingers gently caressed Tang Ran's round and full earlobe.
The intimate gestures awakened a memory in her body, and a familiar feeling welled up in her heart. Tang Ran belatedly realized that she had gotten carried away again.
In the matter of flirting with Song Zhixu, she always ends up taking the initiative.
Song Zhixu lifted her long leg, and her high heels landed precisely on the button on the ground.
With a soft click, the electronic slide rail started.
The office door closed automatically.
A look of surprise flashed across Tang Ran's face.
Her slightly widened, starry eyes were clear and bright, and her eyelashes fluttered a few times, making her look innocent and cute.
They make you want to bully them.
Song Zhixu hooked his arm around her waist and gently pulled her onto his lap.
"Ah!" Tang Ran exclaimed softly.
The sudden loss of balance made her instinctively reach out and wrap her arms around Song Zhixu's neck to steady herself.
Song Zhixu placed his warm palm against the back of Tang Ran's head, tilted his head back, and leaned close to her lips, his voice low and soft, "As long as Ranran wants it, there's nothing that's impossible."
After speaking, he placed a series of delicate kisses on Tang Ran's lips.
The softness on her lips ground against Tang Ran's consciousness inch by inch, and their intertwined breaths gradually grew hot, scorching Tang Ran's every breath.
Her chest heaved more and more rapidly, Tang Ran's breathing became erratic, and her cheeks were flushed redder than the sunset.
Some things, you can remain indifferent to until you've tried them, but once you've experienced them, you'll crave them.
A lingering kiss can start a prairie fire.
Her body was on the verge of losing control. Tang Ran trembled slightly as she pushed Song Zhixu away, panting heavily. "Sister, this is the office."
He even knows how to use her words to shut her up.
Song Zhixu stroked her earlobe with his thumb, chuckling softly, "Knowing it's the office, why did you still come here to stir up trouble?"
Tang Ran's eyelids trembled slightly as she pressed her forehead against her sister's, pleading softly, "Sister, I was wrong."
Having learned from her previous experience, Tang Ran realized that she was far inferior to Song Zhixu in terms of strength, and that if she wanted to launch a counterattack, she would have to rely on strategy.
"good."
Song Zhixu raised his hand and wiped away the lipstick stains on her lips.
Tang Ran was too exhausted from the kisses, so she leaned on Song Zhixu's shoulder to catch her breath and plan her evening.
As night fell, the moonlight shone like silver.
The living room lights flickered on briefly before being quickly turned off.
The gentle moonlight shone into the room, bathing it in the warmth of spring.
The next day, the two of them slept until after 10 a.m.
I got up and ate.
Song Zhixu was processing emails on her tablet when Tang Ran leaned lazily against her. "Are you going to Dada's daughter's one-month celebration tonight?"
He tapped the red X in the upper right corner and opened the next email: "I have to go to Suzhou this afternoon, I might not make it."
She received the invitation, but it conflicted with her schedule.
Tang Ran was a little bored, so she twirled her hair with her fingers and played with it. "Alright then, I'll go with Tian Tian later."
The banquet was held at a private lakeside estate in the western suburbs, more than an hour's drive from the city center, on the way back from Suzhou.
Song Zhixu turned his head and patted her head. "If you can make it back in time, I'll come pick you up?"
Tang Ran's listless eyes finally lit up, and she cheerfully replied, "Great!"
The little guy is the first grandchild in Dada's family, so the elders in the family attach great importance to him and hold a very grand banquet, inviting many relatives and friends.
The banquet was held in the banquet hall of the annex building. Tang Ran and her group did not arrive early, and the banquet hall was full of guests.
Miao Tiantian glanced inside but didn't see today's main character, so she pulled Tang Ran to the main building at the back.
Many close relatives and friends gathered at the main building.
After greeting the elders, Tang Ran and Miao Tiantian sat down and talked to Dada.
Miao Tiantian tried to tease the little guy with a small toy, but the little guy was completely unmoved. Instead, he stared at Tang Ran with his big, round eyes.
"Hey, you little rascal, you're such a looks-obsessed person at such a young age."
The little one was chubby with big, bright eyes. Tang Ran found it amusing and smiled as she reached out to gently pinch her cheek.
It's soft and tender, and feels great to the touch.
The little guy really liked Tang Ran. He grinned and giggled for a while, blowing bubbles and babbling as if he wanted to talk to her.
"You have no chance with this pretty auntie, but your mom can arrange a marriage for you beforehand," Miao Tiantian teased the little guy.
She speaks without thinking, saying whatever comes to mind, regardless of whether the one-month-old baby opposite her can understand.
Tang Ran patted her on the shoulder, "Stop fooling the kids."
"I'm not making this up. Aren't you going to marry Lao Song?"
A few days ago, Miao Tiantian went to visit Tang Wanru and heard her mention it.
Miao Tiantian looked at her and joked, "I think Lao Song is not young anymore. Shouldn't you two have a baby soon after you get married?"
Tang Ran was taken aback by the question. She hadn't really thought about it. However, considering Song Zhixu's age, she was likely to be pressured to have children after they got married.
However, when it comes to having a child with Song Zhixu, Tang Ran is not against it; on the contrary, she is even a little bit looking forward to it.
"Don't talk about me, what about yourself? How are things with Murong Yi?" Tang Ran nudged her with her elbow.
Miao Tiantian shook the toy in her hand, and instead of running away as before, she readily admitted, "It's alright."
"All done?" Tang Ran raised an eyebrow.
Tang Ran was happy for her that things hadn't gone as planned in her previous life.
Miao Tiantian spread her hands, her face full of feigned helplessness, "The offensive was too fierce, and I couldn't defend myself for a while."
"What kind of offensive?" Tang Ran teased her.
Miao Tiantian winked, "You know what I mean."
"Tsk."
Dada coughed lightly and covered her daughter's little ears, "There are still minors here, aunties please pay attention to the speed."
After leaving the main building, Miao Tiantian was pulled aside to talk, while Tang Ran went to the restroom by herself.
The banquet wasn't starting for a while, so Tang Ran, not wanting to socialize, went for a stroll in the less crowded garden.
The manor has beautiful scenery, with a natural lake to the south. As the sun sets, the orange-red sunset paints the shimmering lake surface, creating a stunning view.
Tang Ran took out her phone, snapped a photo, and casually shared the beautiful scenery with Song Zhixu.
I turned around and walked back, only to run into someone I disliked.
Song Wuqi was standing not far away by the roadside, looking in her direction.
She was backlit, so Tang Ran couldn't see the expression on her face, but she just felt uncomfortable.
Tang Ran was speechless, thinking to herself that she hadn't checked the almanac before going out today.
If I had known I would run into her, I wouldn't have come out for a stroll.
Song Wuqi stood on the road she would inevitably take on her way back, but Tang Ran pretended not to see him and walked right past him.
Song Wuqi neither reached out to stop her nor said anything to ask for her forgiveness.
As Tang Ran brushed past her, Song Wuqi said, "I know where your mother is."
Tang Ran stopped and turned around.
As if he had anticipated Tang Ran's reaction, Song Wuqi calmly took out his phone from his pocket.
Turn on the screen and hand it to Tang Ran.
In the photo, Lin Chi-hsin is driving out of a house. Her face is captured very clearly, and she can be recognized without looking closely.
The photo was obviously taken from a hidden angle, and most of the information was cropped out, only showing half of the front of the car. However, Tang Ran could still tell that Lin Jixin was sitting in the driver's seat on the right.
Right rudder?
Tang Ran frowned.
Song Wuqi's next sentence confirmed her guess: "She went abroad."
Tang Ran suddenly understood.
Clearly, Song Wuqi deliberately showed her a picture of Lin Jixin driving so that she would realize that Lin Jixin was no longer in the country.
Lin Jixin is not in China, but no entry or exit information can be found, which can only mean that Lin Jixin used a fake identity to leave the country.
No wonder she ignored her mother's warning for a week. If she no longer needed this identity to live, she didn't care whether her mother would break off relations with her.
With this fake identity, she can be found anywhere in the world; finding her is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Tang Ran looked away, saying dismissively, "It's just a photo; any photocopy shop on the street can do that."
AI-powered face-swapping for videos is already available, making it easy to synthesize a simple photograph.
Regardless of whether the photo is real or fake, Song Wuqi could not have told her this out of kindness.
Moreover, how did Song Wuqi know exactly where Lin Jixin was?
Tang Ran looked at her with disbelief.
Song Wuqi twitched the corner of his mouth and said ambiguously, "You're more cautious than before."
Tang Ran ignored her and prepared to leave.
Song Wuqi spoke again, "I can send you the photos, and you can have a professional verify whether they are real."
She guessed that Tang Ran must have believed her, otherwise she wouldn't have stayed here and wasted her breath talking to her.
Sure enough, the next second she saw Tang Ran stop leaving.
Tang Ran crossed her arms and looked at her, "What do you want?"
Having achieved his goal, Song Wuqi's expression became even more composed. "Let's have a chat."
Tang Ran frowned, her voice cold, "We have nothing to talk about."
“I didn’t even say what we were going to talk about, so how would you know there’s nothing to talk about? At least I know a lot about things you don’t know about Lin Jixin.”
Song Wuqi timely threw out a hook, "Even if you don't want to find her, don't you want to know why she did this?"
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