Chapter 25 Chapter 25
How could I see a ghost so early in the morning?
An Jiyue's thoughts of going back to sleep disappeared. She ran into the bathroom in the bedroom, washed her face, and checked her phone again.
The message lay there quietly. On top of it was a less than ten-second voice call she'd made. Her sleepiness vanished. Could it be that she hadn't been able to suppress the chaotic thoughts in her half-awake state and had actually gone to him to verify the truth?
She had just added Lu Ye's contact information yesterday. But within half a day, such a big joke had already happened.
An Jiyue fell back onto the bed powerlessly, staring at the jumping cursor. She wanted to explain but felt it was futile.
The scattered chirping of birds was too noisy. She stood up and closed the soundproof curtains, which she never used, deciding to sleep off some reality. Before she could even turn around, another message came in on her phone beside her pillow.
Lu Ye: Why are you up so early when you don't have to go to work? I'm going back to City S today.
Did he have to keep watching the chat box to notice the change in his input status?
Completely waking up from sleepiness, An Jiyue hurriedly exited the chat interface, fearing that she would reveal more clues.
An Jiyue walked to the restaurant in a daze. Yue Hui left early as usual. Liang Sinan, wearing flannel pajamas, held a cup of coffee and looked up at her curiously.
Her porcelain-white skin is always as soft and smooth as a baby's, and after a good night's sleep, her natural makeup is even more beautiful than a lotus flower emerging from the water. A beige suspender nightgown embodies her pure and alluring curves. Her fair toes are slightly curled, slipping on soft slippers.
But those deep brown velvet almond-shaped eyes were listless, with a hint of nervous absent-mindedness.
He was probably still bothered by Mr. Lu from yesterday, but Liang Sinan didn't ask any further questions. He had a lot on his mind, which he had finally managed to cover up last night, so he naturally didn't want to talk about it again.
Just as he was thinking this, An Jiyue suddenly asked, "Brother Nan, have you finished your work? When are you leaving?"
Liang Sinan was startled, but seeing that she looked normal and just mentioned it casually, he smiled and replied, "It hasn't been resolved yet. I need to stay for a while. What? Are you tired of me and want to drive me away?"
"Of course not." She glared at him angrily. "I've already stopped working. How can I help you?"
“…”
The tall man leaning against the bar narrowed his eyes and examined her from head to toe. He paused before smiling.
"I don't think you're that passionate about your career as a director, yet you're bothering me."
An Jiyue was speechless. She turned away from him and poured herself a bowl of black soy milk. She never drank coffee when she wasn't working, always feeling that relying on coffee to stay awake was like a donkey putting a whip on itself.
Liang Sinan swallowed the last drop of mellow coffee, put away his smile, and his face became gloomy.
His uncontrollable thoughts turned rapidly, and the slender figure with its back to him suddenly became blurry.
They had climbed out of life's Mariana Trench together, and he didn't doubt An Jiyue's sincerity and genuine heart. But if he had to bring a woman back with him, would she agree to help?
"Brother Nan, do you want black soy milk? There's still a bowl left."
"Yes, I do."
Liang Sinan glanced at the burnt stains at the bottom of the coffee cup in his hand, put it in the sink, and walked back to the dining table with ease.
Unlike him who was idle and chewed slowly, the silent An Jiyue quickly swallowed an egg and a small tray of grains, then went back to her room to change into her pajamas.
In mid-spring, a neat, simple, long-sleeved cotton dress was still a little thin, so she layered a lightweight, light gray double-faced fleece coat over it. She walked to the entrance and put on a pair of shallow boots.
"You're going out?"
"Yeah." An Jiyue sipped her lipstick in the mirror and glanced at the man who had just ridiculed her. "Go get your job back. Do you really think I'm just going to sit there and wait for death?"
She drove to the old town of Guankou, carrying a few boxes of low-sugar and low-fat snacks that she had carefully selected, and knocked on Li Li's door.
An Jiyue had been with her from the beginning. Li Li was both her direct supervisor and a sort of mentor. Her suspension was due to both Lu Ye and her only supervisor being away from Huayi. She didn't have much other connections.
They had always been close, and even the doctor Li Li used for her prenatal checkups was arranged by An Jiyue. Now that the show had run into trouble, An Jiyue believed Li Li would lend a hand, both out of friendship and responsibility.
"So punctual!" Li Li welcomed her in with a smile. Although she looked much pregnant than the last time they met, her complexion was much rosier and she looked radiant, like a completely different person.
Not working means supporting others. An Jiyue couldn't help but laugh. She actually begged to go to work.
"Oh right, I love this." Li Li happily pointed at the melon seed and peach cake she bought, "Xiao An, you still remember it."
Li Li led her to the tea table behind the screen and sat her down. She personally brewed Mingqian Longjing tea for her and said with a smile that it was new tea she had just received. Unfortunately, she couldn't drink it, so she asked her to try it on her behalf.
This female boss, who often worked through the night, had entered a new phase of her life, enjoying a rare moment of peace and quiet. An Jiyue couldn't find the right moment to bring it up, so she quietly listened to her talk about the trivia of pregnancy maintenance. A tinge of pity welled up in her heart, a reluctance to bother others with her own problems.
Li Li understood the situation clearly and didn't chat with her for too long. She took the initiative to speak for her: "Xiao An, I heard that you were suspended? Is it because of some problems with the male guest?"
An Jiyue, who was drinking tea, turned pale, bit her lip, lowered her head, choked in her throat, and apologized to Li Li.
"Sister Li, it's my fault. The male guest number 3 who was temporarily substituted in was my boyfriend from college. Another male guest is starting a business and had some problems with his brand, but they've been mostly resolved."
She briefly described the difficult situation she had encountered. Li Li frowned as she listened to the end, thought for a while, and stroked her hand to comfort her.
"I don't think you need to worry too much. The show's already halfway through, and changing directors at the last minute would be too expensive. Plus, as you mentioned, you have a good relationship with both male guests, and you also managed the entire photoshoot for one of the female guests. I'm sure no one on the current directorial team is more familiar with the guests' personalities than you. They'll have to ask you to leave sooner or later."
Seeing that An Jiuyue was still hesitant, Li Li pinched her slender, white and tender hand and gave her a determined look.
"Xiao An, believe me."
After hearing the news that weekend, Li Li took the initiative to speak up for her talented apprentice. Since her pregnancy, everyone in the family had prioritized her and obeyed her in everything. But that day, she lost her temper for the first time, even on the phone with the director, who was her equal.
Li Li was convinced she hadn't made a mistake. She had personally chosen An Jiyue from among a group of new talent to train. The girl was diligent, intelligent, and beautiful, with a gentle and calm demeanor that was truly exceptional.
After learning that male guest No. 3 was a temporary replacement, she stood up for her apprentice and finally got a reply saying "I'll study it next week and arrange for Xiao An to come back."
"I've also looked at the profile of male guest number 3. He seems like a good guy. Would you really like to reconsider?"
An Jiuyue was stunned. She looked up and saw Li Li looking at her jokingly, and suddenly felt a little guilty.
Before she was suspended, she dared to make promises in front of her leader. However, just one day later, facing Sister Li who was as kind as the gentle breeze, she couldn't bring herself to lie.
Perhaps she hesitated for too long, Li Li also noticed the clue and smiled as she poured her tea again.
Li Li has been working in the workplace for a decade. A few years ago, she might have earnestly advised her subordinates to prioritize their careers, but now she no longer feels that way.
"Xiao An, if this is the right person, you should seize the opportunity. After all, it's just a job. You can find another job and start a new career. But if you miss someone, you miss them."
"Sister Li..."
It was rare to be comforted like this. An Jiyue felt a soft sadness in her chest and she almost wanted to pour out her heart.
Yue Hui always has a sharp tongue but a soft heart, like a ruthless but highly skilled doctor, who sharply cuts out the festering flesh for her and then roughly sprays it with disinfectant alcohol.
Liang Sinan was a crackling flame. No matter what was thrown into it, he would get a passionate response. His emotions would disappear with a few jokes, but when he calmed down, the problem still remained.
She relied on the two of them to help her through her darkest and most difficult times, but no one had ever been close to her most subtle thoughts. As time went by, she became almost numb.
Li Li's cell phone suddenly rang. She glanced at the screen and stood up apologetically.
"It's time to go to class. I signed up for prenatal classes."
An Jiyue drank the tea in her bowl and stood up quickly. "Sister Li, let me take you there. I happen to be driving."
-
On the west bank of the river in S City is a row of dignified and stylish buildings. In the banquet hall of a famous mansion, people are half drunk.
The chief executives of well-known public and private equity firms in City S and vice presidents of several major financial groups all came, chatting in groups of two or three about the interpretation of materials and the trends of overseas funds.
Nowadays, this industry is no longer dominated by the elderly and experienced; young faces are everywhere. The most eye-catching person is the man sitting in the main seat at the side. He has a calm aura, deep features, and a cold expression that seems incompatible with the glamorous atmosphere.
The financial world, so formal and serious in public, is no different when it comes to drinking. After a few rounds, the elegantly dressed and elegantly dressed people become a jumble of things, their eyes blurry and drunken, frivolous and wanton.
"Xiao Lu, you haven't drunk much."
Lu Ye bowed slightly towards the main seat and replied in a moderately loud voice, "Boss Qin, I have a flight to catch soon. I'll have a drink with you next time."
"You're flying so late, is Manager Lu rushing to do research tomorrow?"
Before he could answer, someone nearby who knew the situation had already clarified for him: "What research? Our Chief Lu is just trying to find love!"
Lu Ye's facial features twisted slightly, and he secretly pinched the talkative Shen Xingyu, causing him to grimace in pain.
President Qin suddenly realized: "Yes, Xiao Lu is going to participate in that blind date variety show, right?"
Next to Mr. Qin sat a beautiful lady, rumored to be the daughter of the wealthy family who was about to take over the Lijiang Group. "Uncle Qin, blind dates are so old-fashioned. They're called dating shows."
She leaned over and smiled at Lu Ye again: "Manager Lu, you've been recording for so long, is there anything you like?"
Shen Xingyu, who had just been pinched, quickly tried to make amends, "Of course not. The next public offering is already in the works, and it's being personally managed by our Chief Lu. This variety show was originally meant to build momentum for him."
As soon as he finished speaking, Shen Xingyu felt a sharp pain in his leg again. His handsome features were twisted into a ball and he looked at the man next to him angrily.
Lu Ye picked up the glass, changed the subject, drank it all in one gulp, and then glanced at Shen Xingyu unfathomably. His misty eyes revealed a strong warning, and the corner of his mouth still had a graceful but ambiguous smile.
"Hey, are you sick? Is it wrong to help you clarify?" Shen Xingyu lowered his voice and asked through gritted teeth.
"Who asked you to clarify?"
Lu Ye blurted out a few words, and there was even a hint of anger in his mocking tone.
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