Watching her team members focused on their work, Fan Shengmei silently cheered them on. She turned and walked to her desk, preparing to check the project progress again. Just as she opened the file, her gaze fell on a statistic in the marketing plan, and her brow furrowed. This data seemed somewhat unusual; could there be a potential risk in the plan? She fell into deep thought, and at that moment, there was a knock on the studio door.
"Please come in," Fan Shengmei replied, snapping out of her daze.
The door opened, and a colleague said with a smile, "Sister Fan, the company is holding a celebration banquet for our project team tonight. Everyone is really looking forward to it!"
Fan Shengmei then remembered the celebration banquet and nodded with a smile, "Okay, everyone, thank you for your hard work. Let's relax together tonight."
After her colleagues left, Fan Shengmei, though still worried about the abnormal data, put it aside for the time being and began preparing for the celebration banquet.
As night fell and the city lights came on, the Fu Group's celebration banquet was held in the hotel's luxurious banquet hall. Inside, crystal chandeliers cast a dazzling light, illuminating the tables laden with delicious food and wine. Well-dressed people moved about, their laughter and chatter filling the air.
Fan Shengmei wore a simple yet elegant black dress that perfectly accentuated her figure. With minimal makeup, she confidently walked into the banquet hall, immediately attracting attention. Her outstanding performance on the project recently had made her stand out in the company.
As Fan Shengmei chatted with her colleagues, a young man in a custom-made suit was staring intently at her from a short distance away. This man was none other than Su Ran, a rich second-generation heir. He was attracted by Fan Shengmei's temperament and beauty and decided to go up and get to know her.
Su Ran straightened her tie and strode confidently toward Fan Shengmei. "Hello, may I have the honor of meeting you? My name is Su Ran." Su Ran smiled, revealing a set of clean, white teeth, her eyes full of enthusiasm.
Fan Shengmei was slightly taken aback, then politely replied, "Hello, I am Fan Shengmei."
“Miss Fan, I noticed you earlier. In this banquet hall, you are like a dazzling pearl. I am very curious, what important position does such an outstanding lady like you hold in the Fu Group?” Su Ran’s voice was magnetic, and he made no attempt to hide his admiration for Fan Shengmei.
Fan Shengmei became wary, but still maintained a polite smile: "Mr. Su, you flatter me. I am just an ordinary member of the project team. The success of this project is the result of everyone's joint efforts."
As the two were talking, Meng Yanchen also arrived at the banquet hall. He immediately spotted Fan Shengmei chatting happily with Su Ran, and his brows furrowed slightly, a hint of displeasure rising in his heart. He walked towards Fan Shengmei without showing any emotion.
“Ms. Fan, I feel we get along very well. I wonder if you would do me the honor of having dinner together sometime? I’d like to get to know you better.” Su Ran pressed her advantage and extended the invitation.
Fan Shengmei hesitated, unsure how to respond. Just then, Meng Yanchen walked up to them, gently placing his hand on Fan Shengmei's waist. The gesture appeared intimate and natural, but it subtly asserted a certain dominance. "Shengmei, who is this?" Meng Yanchen asked, looking at Su Ran with a scrutinizing gaze.
Fan Shengmei introduced, "Yan Chen, this is Mr. Su Ran. Mr. Su, this is Meng Yan Chen, the person in charge of our Fu Group."
Su Ran was startled, not expecting that the powerful man in front of him was Meng Yanchen. But he quickly regained his composure and said with a smile, "I have long admired Mr. Meng's name, and it is an honor to meet you today. I just had a very pleasant conversation with Miss Fan, and I would like to invite her to have a casual meal with me next time."
Meng Yanchen's lips curled up slightly, but not to his eyes: "Mr. Su, Shengmei has been extremely busy with the project lately and probably won't have time to keep our appointment."
Fan Shengmei sensed the jealousy in Meng Yanchen's words, and her feelings were complicated. On one hand, she felt warmed by Meng Yanchen's concern; on the other hand, Su Ran's invitation made her feel that this might be an opportunity to expand her network.
Su Ran, however, showed no sign of giving up: "President Meng, it's just a meal, it won't take up too much of Miss Fan's time. Besides, we might even have business opportunities together."
Before Meng Yanchen could say anything more, Fan Shengmei interrupted, "Mr. Su, thank you for your invitation, but there's still follow-up work on the project, and I really can't spare the time. Let's talk about it another time."
Although Su Ran was somewhat disappointed, he still maintained his composure: "Alright then, Miss Fan, I hope to have the opportunity to have dinner with you again next time." After saying that, he politely took his leave.
After Su Ran left, Meng Yanchen looked at Fan Shengmei, his tone tinged with reproach: "You seemed to be having a good time chatting with him."
Fan Shengmei smiled helplessly: "I was just responding out of politeness. You know what I'm thinking."
Meng Yanchen's expression softened slightly, and he took Fan Shengmei's hand: "Let's go, let's go say hello to everyone."
The two moved through the banquet hall, exchanging pleasantries with colleagues and business partners. However, Meng Yanchen remained somewhat uneasy about Su Ran's appearance, while Fan Shengmei pondered Su Ran's invitation and Meng Yanchen's reaction.
The celebration banquet continued, filled with music and laughter. On the surface, Fan Shengmei chatted happily with everyone, but her mind was in turmoil. Su Ran's appearance had been too sudden; his enthusiasm and invitation made Fan Shengmei realize that her life might be about to be thrown into turmoil again. Meng Yanchen's actions earlier, while making her feel cared for, also revealed his strong possessiveness. This clash of emotions left Fan Shengmei confused. She didn't know how to balance her relationship with Meng Yanchen, nor how to deal with Su Ran's potential further pursuit.
As time passed, the celebration banquet drew to a close. Fan Shengmei and Meng Yanchen walked out of the banquet hall together. The night breeze gently blew, carrying a slight chill, but it couldn't dispel the turmoil in Fan Shengmei's heart. Meng Yanchen opened the car door for Fan Shengmei, and the two got into the car. They remained silent throughout the ride, the atmosphere somewhat heavy.
The car slowly drove through the city streets, neon lights flashing outside the window, casting shadows on the two people. Fan Shengmei looked out the window, wondering how Su Ran's appearance would affect her relationship with Meng Yanchen. Meng Yanchen, on the other hand, gripped the steering wheel tightly, his eyes focused on the road ahead, his mind replaying the scene of Su Ran and Fan Shengmei talking.
Finally, the car stopped downstairs at Fan Shengmei's apartment building. Meng Yanchen looked at Fan Shengmei, hesitant to speak. Fan Shengmei broke the silence: "Yanchen, thank you for today."
Meng Yanchen nodded gently: "Shengmei, you know my feelings. I don't want anyone else to interfere between us."
Fan Shengmei's heart stirred, and she looked into Meng Yanchen's sincere eyes: "I understand, and I will handle it well." After saying that, she pushed open the car door, got out of the car, and walked into the apartment building.
Meng Yanchen watched Fan Shengmei's figure disappear into the building before starting his car and driving away. Back home, Fan Shengmei sat on the sofa, still pondering Su Ran's invitation. She knew this decision wasn't simple; it could affect her nascent relationship with Meng Yanchen and might also bring unexpected changes to her career path. How should she respond to Su Ran's invitation?
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