Chapter 41: Love at first sight, love at second sight?
Jiang Tingwan slept until night, and when she woke up, the lights outside the window were already on.
She rubbed her eyes and found that the blanket covering her body had been replaced with a thicker one.
There was a cup of warm water on the bedside table, with a note under the cup.
"Wake up and come to the dining area."
The handwriting was sharp, it was Lu Zhaoye's handwriting.
She stood up, straightened her clothes, opened the door and walked out.
Lu Zhaoye's private office is spacious and bright. The dining area is right next to the floor-to-ceiling window. There are several exquisite dishes on the table, still steaming.
Lu Zhaoye was leaning back in his chair, looking through data on a tablet in his hand. When he heard footsteps, he spoke without raising his head.
"woke up?"
"Yeah." Jiang Tingwan walked over and sat down, picking up the chopsticks, "You haven't left yet?"
"The company still has things to do."
He put down the tablet and looked up at her, "Why, the first thing Miss Jiang did when she woke up was to check on me?"
Jiang Tingwan picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork ribs, took a slow bite, and then spoke.
"Mr. Lu has been taking care of me so wholeheartedly, I have to show some concern for him."
Lu Zhaoye sneered and suddenly changed the subject.
"I heard a while ago that the eldest daughter of the Jiang family broke ten fingers of the young master of the Chen family. I thought you were in good health, but now it seems——"
He glanced her up and down, "It's probably just a rumor."
Jiang Tingwan paused with her chopsticks, looked up at him, and spoke sincerely.
"Of course it's a rumor. How could a quiet person like me do something like that? Don't you agree, Mr. Lu?"
Lu Zhaoye looked at her pretentious expression and suddenly laughed.
"Jiang Tingwan, you really won't take any loss at all."
"Same here." She replied with a smile.
The two finished their dinner quietly, and Lu Zhaoye stood up and picked up his coat.
"Let's go, I'll take you back."
Jiang Tingwan did not refuse and followed him downstairs.
The cool night breeze brushed across her cheeks, and she straightened the collar of her coat.
Lu Zhaoye glanced at her and said nothing, but just turned up the heater in the car.
The car stopped in front of the Jiang family villa. Jiang Tingwan unbuckled his seat belt and was about to get out of the car, but suddenly turned around and said.
"By the way, ask your people to prepare the data quickly. I need it tomorrow."
Lu Zhaoye put one hand on the steering wheel and said helplessly.
"Got it, workaholic."
Jiang Tingwan smiled, pushed open the car door, took two steps, then suddenly turned back and knocked on the car window.
Lu Zhaoye lowered the car window and looked at her with raised eyebrows: "Anything else?"
She looked at him and said sincerely, "Thank you so much today."
The night breeze blew gently, lifting a few strands of her long hair. The light from the street lamp fell on her face, making her eyebrows and eyes look particularly soft.
Lu Zhaoye looked at her and spoke as if possessed by a ghost.
"If you want to thank me, please treat me to a meal."
Jiang Tingwan was stunned. She didn't expect him to mention this. Didn't they just finish eating?
But she quickly smiled and said, "Okay."
Her smile was very shallow, but much more genuine than her usual polite smiles.
Lu Zhaoye coughed lightly and looked away: "Okay, go in."
Jiang Tingwan nodded, turned and walked towards the villa.
Lu Zhaoye didn't look away until her figure disappeared behind the door.
His fingertips tapped lightly on the steering wheel, and the corners of his lips unconsciously raised.
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Jiang Tingwan was just about to lie down to sleep when her phone screen suddenly lit up and her mother sent her a message:
"Tomorrow night, the Xie family will have a dinner. Bring Ruan Yue with you."
She stared at the screen and thought for a moment.
The Xie family has always been low-key, with several generations in politics. The current provincial party secretary is a member of the Xie family. The sudden banquet must not be an ordinary occasion.
Moreover, the fact that Jiang's mother notified her directly instead of Jiang Shixu shows that this banquet is of great significance.
She replied to Jiang's mother and sent a message to Ruan Yue, asking her to prepare in advance.
Afterwards, he remembered the dinner he had promised Lu Zhaoye and smiled inwardly, fearing that the date would have to be rescheduled again.
The next morning, Lu Zhaoye sent the final data and quotation of the holographic stage on time.
Jiang Tingwan quickly glanced through it, confirmed that it was correct, and replied to the confirmation email.
The hotel renovation project is progressing smoothly, plus there is a Xie family banquet tonight.
She was in a good mood and announced that the department would be on holiday early, which caused cheers in the office.
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In the evening, Jiang Tingwan followed Jiang Shixu and took Ruan Yue to the Xie family banquet.
The Xie family's banquet was not high-profile. The venue was chosen to be an antique Chinese courtyard with blue bricks, black tiles, and winding corridors and eaves, exuding a low-key luxury everywhere.
There were not many guests, but all of them were senior politicians or core figures of top families.
Jiang Tingwan wore a simple and elegant moon-white cheongsam tonight, with her long hair tied up and only a pair of pearl earrings. She looked cool and picturesque, and did not want to attract attention.
Ruan Yue was wearing a light pink modified cheongsam and followed Jiang Shixu obediently, looking around curiously from time to time.
In the banquet hall, the ancient music band played melodious tunes.
Ruan Yue was very excited at first, but when she saw a figure, she suddenly hid behind Jiang Tingwan.
"What's wrong?"
Jiang Tingwan asked in a low voice.
Ruan Yue shook her head, her ears slightly red: "Nothing, nothing..."
Could it be that she met a young master she liked?
Jiang Tingwan was a little curious.
Following Ruan Yue's line of sight, she didn't notice anything unusual.
She pinched Ruan Yue's cheek and said with a smile,
"If you have someone you like, don't hide it. I'll help you check it out."
She said this almost subconsciously.
After saying that, she remembered that if Ruan Yue really liked him, it would still depend on his family background.
She decided to ask someone to check who Ruan Yue had met in the past few days.
The banquet officially begins.
Xie Provincial Party Committee took to the stage and made the announcement with the calmness of a veteran cadre.
"Today, in addition to inviting all old friends to get together, I also have a family story to share."
Jiang Tingwan stopped to think and listened to the speech on the stage.
"My Xie family's son, Xie Duo, who has been away from home for many years, has finally returned home."
Another family reunion party?
Jiang Tingwan raised an eyebrow, wondering why every family has bloodline living outside these days?
She looked up nonchalantly, wanting to see what Mr. Xie looked like, but was caught off guard by a blazing gaze.
The man standing on the stage was the man who had stared at her the night of the family reunion party!
Jiang Tingwan was stunned.
Is he Xie Duo?
He still looked at her unabashedly today, his gaze so focused that it was almost oppressive, as if she was the only one in the entire banquet hall.
Jiang Tingwan frowned slightly, and was just about to explore the meaning of his eyes, when someone suddenly blocked her way -
Lu Zhaoye came over at some point and looked at her with a smile.
"Are you dazzled? Love at first sight, love at second?"
Obviously, he also recognized Xie Duo as the person who was staring at her that night.
Jiang Tingwan was in no mood to tease him at this moment, and whispered, "Stop it."
Her thoughts raced
Is it possible that Xie Duo was the one who drugged her that night?
But he is now the only son of the Xie family, so there is no reason for him to target her...
She was lost in thought when one of her hands was suddenly grabbed by Lu Zhaoye.
He frowned, and said in a rare serious tone: "What are you thinking about? Do you really like him?"
Jiang Tingwan was about to speak when her other hand was suddenly grabbed from behind.
She turned around and met Xie Duo's cold gaze.
If Lu Zhaoye's temperament is unruly yet sharp, then Xie Duo is pure oppression, like a blade out of its sheath, sharp and dangerous.
He looked at Lu Zhaoye coldly and said in a low voice: "Let her go."
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