Lin Yanran sat on the single sofa in the study, her fingers unconsciously stroking the edge of the tablet computer.
He could clearly feel the stagnant atmosphere in the study, even colder than the quantum computing exhibit in the exhibition hall.
Yu Jiuyuan sat behind her desk, looking down at the exhibition records he had submitted.
Her profile appeared exceptionally soft under the desk lamp, her long eyelashes drooping, concealing the emotions in her eyes. Only the occasional pause of her pen-holding fingers on the paper revealed a hint of barely perceptible irritation.
"Here." She suddenly circled a spot with a red pen, her voice calm and even. "The emotional feedback data in the intelligent interactive exhibition area is incomplete. What do you think should be done about this oversight, Director Lin?"
Lin Yanran's back tensed instantly. He knew his notes were perfunctory, and he thought Yu Jiuyuan would turn a blind eye as usual, but he didn't expect her to bring it up in public.
"I..." He opened his mouth, his cheeks burning, "I'll go back and finish it."
"Fill it out?" Yu Jiuyuan raised her eyes, her gaze falling on his face with a hint of mockery. "Is the student council's work something you're expected to fill in afterwards?"
Her tone wasn't harsh, but it was more embarrassing than harsh words.
Lin Yanran gripped the tablet tightly, her knuckles turning white, but she couldn't utter a single word in rebuttal.
He certainly didn't take this job seriously.
There was a gentle knock on the study door, and Rong Shenghan's voice came through the door, tinged with a cautious probing: "Would you like some snacks brought in?"
Yu Jiuyuan seemed not to hear, her gaze still fixed on Lin Yanran: "I need to see a complete report by nine o'clock tomorrow morning. If you can't do that, submit your resignation to the student council."
The breathing outside the door seemed to pause for a moment, then returned to normal, and there was no further sound.
Lin Yanran looked at Yu Jiuyuan's taut jawline and suddenly understood.
She wasn't targeting him; she was using this opportunity to give him a warning and vent her frustration with the person outside the door.
This realization left him with a strange feeling of unease, yet also a secret sense of pleasure.
He looked up to meet Yu Jiuyuan's gaze, and surprisingly, he didn't back down: "I will do it."
Yu Jiuyuan nodded, looked away, and lowered her head to look at the documents again, ignoring him.
Lin Yanran tactfully stood up: "If there's nothing else, I'll head back now."
As he reached the door, he hesitated for a moment and glanced back at Yu Jiuyuan.
Her attention was entirely focused on the documents, her profile as cold as an ice sculpture, even the sunlight falling on her seemed to be frozen.
He opened the door and saw Rong Shenghan standing by the window at the end of the corridor, his back straight, yet exuding an indescribable loneliness.
Hearing the door open, the man didn't turn around, but remained in the same position, like a silent statue.
Lin Yanran deliberately used a bit of force when she closed the door.
He couldn't understand why someone like Yu Jiuyuan would care about someone like Rong Shenghan who seemed so scheming, and why she would get angry because of him.
It wasn't until she stepped out of the villa that Lin Yanran realized that it had started snowing again sometime earlier.
Fine snowflakes fell on his down jacket, quickly accumulating into a thin layer, like a sprinkle of salt.
In the study, Yu Jiuyuan only loosened her grip on the pen slightly after hearing the door close.
The red marks on her fingertips from the pen were clearly visible, but she seemed oblivious, staring intently at the dense text on the document, unable to concentrate on a single word.
Slight footsteps came from outside the door, stopped at the doorway, and then remained motionless for a long time.
She knew Rong Shenghan was still standing there.
This man is always like this, adept at infiltrating her life in the gentlest way, even his apologies are imbued with a kind of silent patience, making it impossible for her to find a suitable reason to lash out.
But the more this happened, the more agitated she became. Was honesty so hard? Was telling the truth so difficult? Or did he simply not deserve to know those so-called "secrets"?
"Butler," Yu Jiuyuan called out, her voice not loud, but loud enough for the person outside the door to hear, "Send this document to Xie Zhecheng and have him check the data."
Soon, the butler came in and took the documents away.
As he passed the door, he paused, as if he wanted to say something, but ultimately retreated in silence.
The footsteps outside the door finally sounded and gradually faded away.
Yu Jiuyuan leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes.
The study fell completely silent, save for the occasional crackling of the firewood in the fireplace and the soft patter of snowflakes falling on the glass outside the window.
She had considered that perhaps Rong Shenghan had his reasons for concealing the truth.
The Su family has a complex web of powerful forces and intertwined interests, and he was probably afraid that she would be drawn into danger.
But the phrase "for your own good" is never an excuse for deception.
Yu Jiuyuan has seen it all since she was a child. Does she need him to "protect" her in this way?
This is not protection, it is disrespect.
It's because they feel she's not capable of bearing the weight of the truth.
The phone vibrated on the table, and Yuan Xu's name popped up on the screen.
Yu Jiuyuan answered the phone, her voice softening unconsciously: "What's wrong?"
"The strain has flowered, white ones, very beautiful." Yuan Xu's voice was filled with excitement, and the sounds of laboratory equipment running could be heard in the background. "When are you free? I'd like you to see it."
"It might take a few more days," Yu Jiuyuan said, looking at the snowflakes falling outside the window. "Something's been going on lately."
"Is it about the student council?" Yuan Xu's tone immediately became serious. "If you need help, feel free to contact me anytime. Although I don't know much about those things, I can help you organize the information."
"No need." Yu Jiuyuan smiled, the icy look in her eyes seeming to melt a little. "I'll go see your 'flower' after I'm done with this."
This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
