Chapter 49 Heartless Thing
Xiyuan, 8:00 AM.
The servants would start cleaning as soon as the master left the house, starting with the third floor, which would take the least time.
Tan Zhaojing was neat and orderly, and their work was just a little tidying up.
But today, I was surprised to find an ashtray on my desk with three or four cigarette butts inside.
That's unusual.
The young master of the Tan family doesn't smoke and hates the smell of smoke.
The two had a falling out, and it was Assistant Shao who suffered. For three consecutive days, President Tan filled his schedule with work. He wasn't tired; he was exhausted.
Although the group pays overtime according to the holiday standard, it can't keep up with such a high frequency.
Another thick stack of planning documents appeared. Assistant Shao finished a cup of black coffee and knocked on the office door.
The person wasn't in their office chair; their gaze shifted.
A figure stood before the floor-to-ceiling window, his expression calm, but a heavy, oppressive aura emanated from him, which even the glow of the setting sun could not diminish in the slightest.
He placed the document on the table and approached, saying, "Mr. Tan, the risk control has been approved."
After a short while, the boss said, "Let's go home."
This was the most beautiful sentence he had heard in the past few days.
The office fell silent again.
Tan Zhaojing sat down on the sofa with a cold expression. Sunlight streamed in, illuminating his eyes, which were filled with gloom and restlessness.
This girl is really good at making people angry; it's been three days and my forehead is still throbbing.
Do you want to wipe the slate clean after doing it once?
That's easy for you to say.
Another day has passed on the calendar.
Lin Zaoyi hadn't seen him for four days, and she felt like she was being torn apart by inner conflict.
I want to see him, but I also pray that we will never see each other again.
Although she was unwilling to stop there, reality told her—
Between her and him stood an unshakeable mountain.
That's it... let's just leave it at that.
Sister Qiao's voice came over, "Zaoyi, go to Duan's. President Duan needs a portrait taken for publication."
She instantly switched back to work mode, "Okay."
Instead of using that connection to contact Duan Lin privately, when he arrived at Duan's company, he politely said to the secretary, "I am a reporter from CBN, and I would like to arrange to have a portrait taken with your CEO, Mr. Duan."
The secretary, who had probably seen many reporters like her, glanced at the schedule perfunctorily and said, "Just wait, Mr. Duan is busy right now, or you can leave your contact information."
Lin Zaoyi made her choice, etc.
An hour passed while they waited.
During this time, she noticed that three people entered Duan Lin's office. Two of them were colleagues. Unlike her, she came empty-handed, while the other two brought small gifts.
She felt it necessary to remind her of her presence, but as soon as she approached, the secretary looked at her in a businesslike manner and said, "President Duan is busy right now."
These days, it's really hard to get things done without connections and networks.
Just as she was contemplating whether to message Duan Lin privately, the secretary in front of her suddenly changed her expression, smiling broadly. She instinctively turned around and unexpectedly met a pair of cold, deep eyes. Her fingers, hanging at her sides, curled unconsciously.
She wanted to say hello, but when she met his cold gaze, she swallowed all the words that were about to come out.
She seemed to taste something bitter between her teeth.
"Good morning, Mr. Tan," the secretary greeted him with a smile.
Tan Zhaojing nodded. "Is your General Manager Duan here?"
"Yes, please."
Tan Zhaojing walked in without looking to the side.
Assistant Shao, who was following behind, was filled with big questions. Didn't the boss see Miss Lin?
Or...did the two of them have a fight?
So stingy.
He had to be generous, and nodded to Miss Lin.
Lin Zaoyi returned a faint smile, turned her head slightly, and saw only a tall and slender figure.
Now that Tan Zhaojing was here, she discreetly disappeared, giving her secretary a polite smile, "Please make an appointment for me."
The secretary handed over the registration form.
As she finished the last stroke of her pen, she heard a noise coming from the innermost office. She turned around and saw Duan Lin striding towards her. "Why didn't you text me before you came over? Don't you consider me your brother?"
Their familiar tone almost made me think they had known each other for many years.
At this moment, I was distracted and wondered if it was Tan Zhaojing who reminded me.
She quickly recovered and said, "I was afraid of disturbing your work."
Duan Lin glared at her, "Aren't you afraid Tan Zhaojing will give me the cold shoulder?"
He instructed his secretary, "Remember this face; you won't need an appointment next time you come."
The secretary paused, immediately breaking out in a cold sweat. "Okay."
Lin Zaoyi glanced at the girl in front of her and immediately understood her meaning, but she didn't respond.
She doesn't gossip, but that doesn't mean she doesn't mind.
Upon entering the office, without any effort, one could easily spot the person at a glance. Although only his back was visible, he was sitting in a chair opposite the desk, dressed as usual in a shirt and trousers, holding a document in his hand and flipping through it with his head down.
Duan Lin sensed something was wrong and his gaze swept over the two adopted siblings. "Did you two have a fight?"
Lin Zaoyi thought she should ask that person, but after waiting for two seconds and seeing that Tan Zhaojing didn't seem inclined to speak, she said, "No."
Duan Lin found it increasingly suspicious. "If there was no argument, why didn't Tan Zhaojing just bring you in?"
Two minutes ago, the dog had given him a wink as soon as it came in, but he had no idea that Zao Yi was outside.
He sat down in his office chair, a hint of interest appearing in his eyes. "What were they arguing about?"
Lin Zaoyi refused to answer, her head bowed as she looked at the documents. Finally, the man spoke, "Free?"
"Not too free." Duan Lin crossed his legs and leaned back in his chair. "It's a different story if it's you."
Seeing that the dog didn't speak, he looked at Lin Meimei and said, "Speak, and your brother Duan Lin will stand up for you."
Lin Zaoyi: "...Really not."
He deliberately changed the subject, "Mr. Duan, I'm missing a photo from the last interview, just give me a minute."
"No rush." Duan Lin didn't press further. More than the siblings arguing, there was something else he wanted to figure out.
I called him before, but Tan Zhaojing's mouth was like it was sealed with cement; it was so hard to pry it open.
I've run into you face-to-face today, so I have to give it a try no matter what.
So, she joined her sister in gossiping, "Did you know your brother Zhaojing is in love?"
Are you in love?
Lin Zaoyi was taken aback, followed by a sour feeling, as if she had fallen into a vat of vinegar.
She clearly loves being jealous…
He overheard Duan Lin say, as if he knew something, "Tan Zhaojing, who was the woman you hugged that night?"
Just that one sentence stirred up quite a wave in her heart.
It's not just Yuan Lai.
Oh.
The pathetic thing is, she even felt bad.
Tan Zhaojing remained silent for the moment, her gaze sweeping directly at the heartless girl. Her lips were tightly pursed, her eyelashes half-closed, and the second she looked away, she caught a glimpse of her clenched fists hanging at her sides.
Does this mean they believe it?
That's true, you can't expect her to be willing.
He closed the file. "You mean last Friday?"
Duan Lin was surprised; he hadn't expected Tan Zhaojing to speak so readily. "Yes, who is it?"
Tan Zhaojing: "A heartless and thoughtless person."
Duan Lin: ?
Lin Zaoyi blinked slowly. Last Friday… she seemed to have gotten drunk at Xixi's place last Friday…
I don't want to assume this applies to me, but reality doesn't allow it; the timing is just too coincidental.
He silently retorted in his heart: You're the one who's no good.
Undeniably, the knot in my heart dissipated because of those words.
Silently.
Duan Lin laughed in exasperation, "Seriously, why are you making your relationship so mysterious?"
The bastard has gone silent again.
Undeterred, he urged, "Zaoyi, you ask."
Lin Zaoyi refused to get involved, saying, "I don't gossip."
Duan Lin glanced at her and asked, "Do you still want to take pictures?"
That's going too far.
After two stalemates, Duan Lin gave in, because she was his younger sister.
Just kidding, are you posing for a photo?
Lin Zaoyi: "No need, anything is fine."
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