After returning to the company, Ji Nuan’s phone rang several times. However, she was busy with meetings and could not answer it.
Even after the sky darkened and it was after work hours, she remained in the office with her secretary and several employees to discuss the matters they had failed to conclude in the meeting earlier. By the time it was nearing 7:00 p.m., her phone had run out of battery and she had forgotten about the missed phone calls.
When the discussion finally ended, Xiao Ba headed off to the assistant’s office to work overtime while Ji Nuan scanned through several documents in the CEO’s office.
After completing her final task, she sat alone in the quiet office and recalled the events that happened in the Ji home this morning.
She never gave much thought to the issues surrounding her birth; especially when she had learned of the possible relationship between her and the Xiao family. If Ji Hongwen hadn’t sent her off to Ji City and hinted about divulging the truth to her, she really would have preferred to stay clueless and remain as the Ji family’s good daughter.
However, Mr. Xiao’s sudden appearance today had completely caught her unaware. Perhaps, if Ji Mengran didn’t cross the line, causing Xiao Zhenjun to be incapable of holding himself back, he wouldn’t have rushed forward to acknowledge her without any prior warnings. Ji Nuan never thought that she would learn of the past shared between her mother and the two men under such a circumstance.
On the other end, Xiao Ba had never thought that, in her living years, she would actually witness Mo Jingshen visiting their company…
Xiao Ba was working overtime in the assistant’s office tonight and had stepped out midway to pour herself a cup of water when she suddenly saw CEO Mo.
Previously, when this was but a small studio in Hai City, she once had an agitated, private discussion with her colleagues. They had gossiped that if CEO Mo made a personal visit to their studio, he would definitely create a large sensation. However, before their thoughts could come to fruition, Ji Nuan had left for England.
From then on until now, it seemed like Mo Jingshen had never once properly stepped foot into MN Group, the place that belonged solely to Ji Nuan.
She never thought that this day would come; CEO Mo was actually here. The receptionist working the late shift recognized him and had also seen the news that Ji Nuan and he were married. Thus, she did not dare to stop him and had assumed there was no need to inform anyone that CEO Mo was here. By the time Xiao Ba found him, he was already approaching the CEO’s office.
“CEO Mo?” Xiao Ba held a cup of water; it wasn’t clear if her expression was agitated or dumbstruck: “This is…”
“She’s in the office?” Mo Jingshen asked.
Xiao Ba rushed to nod her head. “Yes, Boss is in the office. By this time, she should be done with her work. She probably plans to rest here for the night since it’s quite late.”
Mo Jingshen did not say more and headed for the office.
Xiao Ba did not dare to go knock on the door or inform Ji Nuan. In any case, CEO Mo wouldn’t eat Ji Nuan up. Even if he did, it was completely fair and legal for him to do so. She wouldn’t dare interfere. Thus, she held her cup of water and quietly returned to her office.
——
Ji Nuan wasn’t by her desk, as Xiao Ba had said, she was in the breakroom.
The Monday meeting she had missed was postponed to tomorrow. Since it was arranged for the early morning, she decided to stay in the company tonight.
There were ceiling-to-floor windows and a balcony in the breakroom. Ji Nuan stood by the opened windows; the door connecting her office to the breakroom was ajar.
Mo Jingshen stopped into the office and approached the door to see her back view. The little woman had her arms around herself, her long hair swaying along with the wind.
The cape wrapped around her shoulders also fluttered lightly.
Mo Jingshen watched her for a moment and did not enter. He turned to her desk and picked up her phone to see that it had run out of battery.
After around ten minutes, the man entered the breakroom. Ji Nuan seemed not to have heard anything as she remained standing there. Outside of the windows, the Hai City’s night scene was splendid, and the city was flourishing.
However, as she watched the boundless, splendid view, her figure appeared exceptionally lonely.
Finally, as Mo Jingshen approached, Ji Nuan heard his movements and turned around. She watched him with a flash of realization, asking: “My phone rang a few times in the afternoon. Were the calls from you?”
As she spoke, she closed the window. After standing there for a while, she had begun to feel chilly.
She turned to head out; she did not plan on remaining in the breakroom but as she stepped past the man, he caught her wrist.
Touching her ice-cold skin, Mo Jingshen immediately frowned. “Hai City’s weather is gradually turning chilly. Instead of taking a good rest after work, why are you standing in front of the window to experience the wind?”
Ji Nuan’s hands were cold but she was properly dressed in autumn clothes. She was also wearing a cape. It was unlikely for her to catch a cold. However, as he held her hand in his grip, she really felt warmer.
She did not turn to look at him: “It’s not cold. Standing in front of the wind will wake me up.”
The man did not allow her back to the office. He tugged her before him and touched her cheek; it was similarly cold. Thankfully, the sensation only lingered on the surface of her skin. There shouldn’t be any problems.
There was a clock hung against the wall in the break room. Ji Nuan took a glance at the time. “It’s so late, why did you come to my office?”
He did not turn to look at the clock, lowering his head instead to watch her: “You returned to the Ji home in the afternoon?”
“En.”
“Ji Mengran was brought away by the police? Mr. Xiao also visited the Ji home?”
As expected, it was impossible to conceal anything from him. Everything fell within his plans and according to his conjectures. However, she felt that there was also no point in concealing anything from him.
Ji Nuan lowered her head. “I don’t wish to say anything related to the Xiao family. The problems related to Ji Mengran have also concluded today. I’ve been working all day and I’m quite tired. If you don’t have any other business…”
“I’m returning to Los Angeles tomorrow. Have dinner with me tonight, en?”
The man’s abrupt answer caused Ji Nuan’s expression to falter. It slipped her mind to tug her hand out of his grip.
Seeing Ji Nuan’s flabbergasted expression, Mo Jingshen lowered his head to watch their connected hands. He did not relax his grip and even tightened it. “Let’s go downstairs and look for an available restaurant. You probably haven’t had dinner yet. Let’s go eat together?”
Ji Nuan finally came back to herself. She wanted to retrieve her hand but was unable to move it: “Oh, then let’s go eat. But can you let go of my hand?”
Mo Jingshen did not accede to her request. He watched her and slightly chuckled: “It’s a rare opportunity for me to pick Mrs. Mo up after work for a meal. How can I let go and make you walk on your own?”
“…”
Ji Nuan rolled her eyes: “Aren’t we going to eat? I’ll go take my purse.”
“I’ll take it for you.”
“…”
Ji Nuan took another glance at their hands and pursed her lips.
Los Angeles wasn’t too far away nor was it too close to Hai City. A flight there wouldn’t take up too much time. However, the moment Mo Jingshen returned to America, he would be caught up with work. It would be impossible for him to return to Hai City anytime soon. That made Los Angeles very, very far away.
