Below is a photo of a girl working seriously, as if secretly taken by someone. Her profile was calm, her long hair tied into a high ponytail, revealing an elegant swan-like neck. Warm sunlight streamed in through the window, falling on her shoulders, adding a touch of softness to her aloof demeanor.
Shen Xiaoxing stared at his phone for a long while, the more he looked, the more he liked it. Annoyed by the endless troubles at the company, the moment he saw her, his gloom vanished completely.
After a full day of work without seeing her, occasionally during breaks, his mind was filled with her image—wondering if she had eaten, if she was cold in the snow outside, if she had brought clothes for the temperature drop...
Even at home, he worried if she was bored, if she was eating something right now, what she was eating, and if it was good.
So, whenever his longing became unbearable, he would have the household staff take a photo of her at that moment, report what she was doing, and let him gaze at her picture here to ease his yearning.
He never imagined that he, Shen Xiaoxing, would one day rely on holding a woman's photo to pass the time. He couldn't figure out what magic she possessed that made him sink so deep, unable to extricate himself.
He admitted that in this relationship, he was always the one falling deeper, and he wasn't even aware of it.
Photos could no longer satisfy his longing. After hesitating for a moment, he took the initiative to dial the girl's number...
An Ruo, who was diligently flipping through materials to familiarize herself with her position, suddenly heard her phone ring on the desk. She picked it up and saw it was Shen Xiaoxing calling.
They didn't usually talk much on the phone, especially during work hours.
She couldn't think of any reason to call and greet him; besides, they saw each other every night, so she felt there was nothing urgent to discuss during the day.
Maybe she just didn't know how to be in a relationship, unable to learn that clingy, inseparable kind of affection.
Tagging Zhou Mingyue here: Who are you implying?!
"Hello?" She really didn't know what to say.
"What are you doing?" The man still made awkward small talk.
An Ruo's voice was soft, "I'm working."
"I know you're working!" He knew she was working!
His tone carried a hint of teasing, "Working so hard, are you afraid I can't support you?"
"...No." An Ruo answered honestly, "The CEO said the incident has blown over and let me return to my post. But I got promoted. I'm no longer his little assistant; he handed over the authority to supervise film and television projects to me."
"Oh?" The man chuckled lightly, "So now you're the art director?"
"Spot on."
"What's the reward for guessing right?"
An Ruo paused, her fingers lightly tapping the teacup: "What reward do you want?"
"Dinner tonight?"
An Ruo's face suddenly flushed.
Oh my god, she actually understood the dirty joke this man was making!
Wuwuwu... she was no longer innocent!
Even through the phone, Shen Xiaoxing could guess that her face must be as red as an apple right now. Despite her cool, aloof demeanor, she was easily flustered; a mischievous remark could make her shy.
An Ruo deliberately changed the subject, sharing her joy about the promotion, saying the big boss valued her and gave her such a big role, even counting on her fingers the salary and benefits of the director position, acting like a total little money-grubber.
On the other end of the line, the man's lips curled into a smile. It seemed Gu Chao knew how to handle things—giving her face, letting her showcase her abilities while avoiding jealousy and exclusion from colleagues.
A free work environment, letting her move around more, was good too, so she wouldn't get bored.
Actually, he didn't really want An Ruo to work. She was a student; initially, she had to apply for early internships due to a lack of money. Now that she had him, he didn't want his woman to live so tiredly.
He had thought about having Gu Chao use this opportunity to completely stop her work, but who knew that when the girl heard the salary was so high, she danced with joy. He suddenly couldn't bear to see her disappointed.
It was good for her to have a career, to do what she liked.
If he forced her to stay obediently by his side, that wouldn't be the real An Ruo!
Besides, working in their own company, getting familiar with Lan Zhen's operations early on, would make it easier for her when she later resumed her identity as the chairman's wife, without being flustered.
...
Manager Yao met with Song Weiwei the next afternoon. Both she and her agent, Qiao Yu, were present. Since it was an internal company collaboration, it wasn't convenient to hold it outside, so they chose the director's office.
At one o'clock in the afternoon, the office door was knocked on promptly.
"Come in."
An Ruo was busy with her work and didn't look up at the sound.
"Director An, Miss Song is here." Yang Sisi pushed the door open, stepping aside to let the person in.
An Ruo looked up at the sound and saw Song Weiwei entering, wearing a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses on her nose, dressed in trendy attire.
She immediately put down her pen and stood up to greet her: "Hello, Miss Song."
Song Weiwei took off her sunglasses, her red lips curving into a smile: "Hello, um... should I call you Director An now?"
"You know my name. It's just a title; call me whatever you're comfortable with."
Song Weiwei liked her straightforward personality, and this time, she felt a bit more warmth from her than before, no longer so stiff and rigid.
"I haven't had a chance to visit you all this time. How are your injuries?" An Ruo took the freshly brewed tea from Yang Sisi, personally poured a cup for her, and pushed it in front of her.
Song Weiwei smiled lightly: "Much better, thank you for still thinking of me."
"I have an undeniable responsibility for that accident. Even though the culprit was caught, I still feel guilty."
"Don't say that." Song Weiwei patted her hand, "This was an internal conflict between me and Pan Zhiyao; it had nothing to do with you. Don't blame yourself. Besides, it's all in the past now; let's not bring it up anymore."
Hearing her say that, An Ruo felt a lot less burdened.
Manager Yao brought the contract, and An Ruo handed it to her: "Take a close look at the contract. If there are no issues, you can sign it."
Song Weiwei took it, didn't even glance at it, and directly signed her name in the Party B column.
Seeing her so straightforward, An Ruo was stunned for a moment: "Miss Song, don't you want to check the contract terms?"
"With you involved, I'm sure this contract has absolutely no problems. Director An, happy cooperation." Song Weiwei extended her hand to shake hers.
"Happy cooperation."
"Thanks to your CEO's open-mindedness in promoting you to art director. Next time we invest in a film or TV project, we'll be working together again. I'm really happy."
An Ruo smiled, "Then let's continue to have a happy cooperation!"
The two got along like kindred spirits, sitting together after signing and chatting about many topics.
Qiao Yu reminded her several times from the side, but Song Weiwei pouted: "Director An and I have private topics to discuss. It's inconvenient for you to be here."
"What private topics?" Qiao Yu shot her a warning look.
"Ruo Ruo, what high heels do you think look good with stockings in winter? Oh, and what brand of underwear do you use..."
Private to that extent!?
Qiao Yu's face instantly turned ashen, his ears reddening as he hastily fled the office.
An Ruo blinked, and Song Weiwei explained to her: "That's the bad thing about being an artist—you have to have someone with you everywhere, especially an agent, who practically wants to stick to your face 24/7."
"He's just looking out for you..."
Song Weiwei sighed, "But there's no personal space at all."
Besides, Qiao Yu wasn't just any ordinary agent; he kept an even tighter rein on her.