Chapter 9, Let's Cohabit

Shao Mingze seemed to be momentarily stunned before responding with a "good". After a pause, he asked in a deep voice, "Have you finished with the bidding documents?"

Ranran thought for a moment and replied: "I suppose so, she was once my ex-boyfriend's confidante and is also his current girlfriend"

Lin Xiangan's grip suddenly tightened significantly, causing her wrist to throb with pain, yet her face still bore a faint smile: "But now, whether you regret it or not, I no longer care. All I know is that I deeply regret it myself, and with each encounter with you, that regret deepens further. It constantly reminds me of the foolish things I did back then. So, please do not appear in front of me again in the future, alright?"

He thoughtfully stopped and gently comforted her by whispering in her ear: "Relax, it will get better slowly"

Ranran lifted a stone and accidentally hit her own foot, unable to help but roll her eyes at him: "Well, in case your romantic history is too colorful and extravagant, I would truly be afraid that I couldn't accept it."

Ranran did not speak, but took several deep puffs of smoke in succession. Under the influence of nicotine, her intense heartbeat finally calmed down. Once she regained some energy, she skillfully blew a smoke ring at him, then raised the corner of her mouth and glanced at him sideways, smiling as she asked, "What do you think?"

Ranran wore a proper smile on her face as she reached out her hand to him: "Senior Brother Lin, hello." Then, with a smile, she turned to Xia Hongyuan and said in a playful tone, "Dad, I have known Senior Brother Lin for a long time; we were quite familiar during our university days, so there is no need for you to introduce us."

The corridor was already empty, and Ranran felt somewhat relieved. However, she unexpectedly encountered Chen Luo at the elevator entrance. He stood there with one hand in his pants pocket, waiting for the elevator, and instinctively turned around upon hearing hurried footsteps behind him

Ranran nodded slightly, sat down, and methodically organized the documents and verified the data. Su Mo's bid was exceptionally well-prepared, with hardly any flaws to be found. Nevertheless, Ranran still meticulously checked each piece of data before finally handing the completed document to Chen Luo

Lin Xiangan remained still, standing directly in front of her with his eyes lowered.

After a long time, Shao Mingze slowly opened his eyes in the darkness, quietly gazing at the ceiling in a daze. Has he ever deeply loved someone? What does it mean to truly love?

He also instructed, "Alright, then you wait at the office. I will come to pick you up after I finish. Remember to eat something in advance, don't go hungry."

Ranran softly murmured "mm"

There was no other way; she could only make herself another cup of coffee to stave off her hunger. Although her spirits were lifted, her stomach was still experiencing some discomfort. At that moment, the front desk called, saying that a Mr. Lin was looking for her and inquiring if he was allowed to come up.

Lin Xiangan's face suddenly turned pale. She lowered her head and pried his fingers open one by one, turning around and leaving without hesitation

He came to his senses and expressed his gratitude by saying "thank you" before quickly getting up and heading towards the elevator

Ranran picked up the cardboard box, turned around, and sincerely bowed to him, then walked out with large strides

In fact, she was not particularly nervous; this was not her first time. Her first time was with Lin Xiang'an, in a small hotel next to the school. That time was truly nerve-wracking, compounded by fear, making her feel as stiff as a piece of wood. It was also Lin Xiang'an's first time, and he was equally at a loss. After struggling for a long time, he still could not enter, and could only breathe heavily and say in her ear: "Ranran, I can't get in, could you lift a little."

Yet he was unaware that before she met him, she only had a group of fair-weather friends. After getting to know him, he became the sole occupant of her world, and thus, even those fair-weather friends disappeared.

The room was enveloped in silence, with only the sound of Ranran's hurried breathing audible

He chuckled self-deprecatingly and turned his head to look at her hazy sleeping face in the night.

For some reason, she felt even less spirited, having no desire to work at all, unable to focus on a single character in the document. Fortunately, it was a private office, so even if she slacked off and lost her train of thought, no one would mind. She lazily nestled in her chair, sipped a cup of coffee, and then called Shao Mingze

Shao Mingze did not ask any further questions, but quietly sat by the bed, waiting for her to finish almost an entire cigarette before suddenly asking her: "Ranran, do you still remember what we said before we decided to start dating?"

Ranran directly extinguished the cigarette butt on the bedside table, tilted her head in thought, recalled the words she had said at that time, and couldn't help but smile self-deprecatingly, saying: "I remember, looking back now it feels particularly silly, just like the words of a young girl in a romance drama, both pretentious and childish. You must have found it quite amusing back then, right?"

Shao Mingze was still in the bathroom, adjusting the water temperature of the showerhead. Upon hearing this, he replied, "Whatever, just make it simple. I will take a shower first"

She got into the car and forced a smile, saying, "Anyway, I have nothing much to do, so I thought I might as well not make you run another trip."

Chen Luo did not say anything further, but instead called the administration to send someone over to help her move her belongings

Shao Mingze woke up a bit, propped himself up slightly to look at her, and hoarsely asked her: "What happened?"

Seeing the puzzled expression on Rian Rian's face, he first dismissed the administrative staff and then smiled as he explained to her: "The situation is like this, once the project in the southern suburbs is secured, I will be taking a position at the branch office below. A new special assistant will be coming in here, and it wouldn't be appropriate for you to be squeezed in here. Coincidentally, the administration is currently adjusting the offices, so I asked them to prepare a room for you in advance. Take a look, when would you like to move in?"

Shao Mingze couldn't help but laugh when he heard her say that she had her own independent office, saying: "Finally, the master has successfully taught his apprentice, hmm, congratulations."

Lin Xiangan stood frozen in place, his fingertips hanging at his side trembling slightly. He slowly lowered his gaze and after a long while, said in a hoarse voice: "I am sorry, Ranzan, I am sorry, I did not know these things."

Once regarded a person as a treasure, placing her close to the heart, holding her in hand, wishing to present her with all the most beautiful things in the world, just to exchange for her smile, can this be considered deep love? Once filled with thoughts of her, rejoicing at her joy and angered by her anger, sharing in her happiness and sorrow, can this be considered deep love?

He raised his head to look at her, his features handsome and his smile gentle, yet it was Chen Luo

Lin Xiangan's smile on his face momentarily stiffened, and his voice unconsciously softened as he called out to her: "Ranran"

Time has long passed, yet memories seem to remain in place

Ranran thought that the liberation was not just for herself, but also for Lin Xiangan. The love of youth, regardless of whether it was ever truly love, or who loved more, is ultimately an indelible memory. One end is held in her hand, while the other end is with him. Only when both of them let go at the same time can this memory settle into dust and completely become a thing of the past

The elevator finally began to descend, and Ranran let out a sigh of relief, slowly shifting her body towards the cabin wall. Chen Luo stood quietly beside her, not having asked her a single question; apart from initially handing her a handkerchief, he seemed to have become invisible thereafter. Suddenly, Ranran felt a bit grateful towards him and couldn't help but whisper, "Thank you"

Ranran found herself at a loss for words, feeling an overwhelming sense of fatigue both in her body and at her heart

Chen Luo raised his head to ask Ran Ran for her opinion: "Should we move over now, or wait until next week when we go back to work?"

She thought that no man would be willing to see his fiancée entangled with her ex-boyfriend, and his performance had already been commendable. She should be grateful to Shao Mingze, grateful for his willingness to be so accommodating towards her, grateful for his presence by her side, and grateful that he, fully aware of everything, was still willing to hold her hand and move forward together.

She had forgotten how she had answered, and when she woke up again, she was already in her bed at home, feeling dizzy and in severe pain. Shao Mingze was still wearing a shirt, with a few buttons at the collar undone, and his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He helped her sit up from the bed and said gently, "Get up, Ranran, you have a fever. I made some porridge, you need to try to eat a little, and after you finish, you can take your medicine."

Shao Mingze fell silent, his expression somewhat complex. After a moment, he smiled again and said, "It seems it was not a good experience, otherwise I wouldn't have been startled awake from my dream."

Ruan Ruan's emotions have stabilized significantly, and she politely declined, saying: "No, thank you."

Ranran responded vaguely with a sound, curling herself into a ball, almost burying her face in his coat, and vaguely heard him say: "Since you are so tired, let's go home and eat. I will make something for you to eat"

Ranran忍着笑说: "Alright, please take care to rest."

Ranran has only been working here for a little over two months, and in fact, there isn't much to move. Aside from the thick business materials prepared for her by Chen Luo, most of it consists of various small trinkets: a mug with her large portrait, a strangely shaped pen holder, a ballpoint pen adorned with long feathers, and bookmarks featuring opera dolls. She is reluctant to let others touch these items, so she tidies them up by herself, filling a cardboard box to the brim. Most of it consists of various small trinkets: a mug with her large portrait, a strangely shaped pen holder, a ballpoint pen adorned with long feathers, and bookmarks featuring opera dolls. She is reluctant to let others touch these items, so she tidies them up by herself, filling a cardboard box to the brim.

Lin Xiangan pressed his lips together firmly and, with great difficulty, said: "I came back to look for you later, but the office said you had withdrawn from school."

Shao Mingze remained silent, but she did not need his response; she simply wanted to express herself, to pour out everything that had been stuck in her heart, to feel a little lighter inside. Just before her consciousness faded, she murmured to him: "Mingze, have you ever deeply loved someone?"

She did not speak, yet her tears surged even more fiercely, and she simply buried her head in his embrace, crying out loud with abandon. The sound of her cries was completely muffled in his arms, causing his heart to tighten in response. His body stiffened for a moment, as if he let out a barely noticeable sigh, and he reached out to stroke her head, saying with a mix of amusement and helplessness: "Silly girl, what is it this time?"

Ranran suddenly woke up, opening her eyes to the dim light glowing from the bedside. Shao Mingze was lying on his side, quietly watching her, "Did you have a dream?"

R quietly calmed her breath and gazed at him silently

When the early summer Hongyuan placed her here, it was merely to facilitate Chen Luo's close guidance of her. Since he is leaving, it is only reasonable that she should no longer be asked to share an office with the new assistant. She fell silent for a moment, then stood up to organize her belongings on the desk: "Let's move now"

Shao Mingze turned back to glance at her, and then a faint, almost imperceptible smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. He turned around, crossed his arms, and looked at her, asking: "Ranran, are you very nervous?"

Thank you. The two politely wished each other "good night" before hanging up the phone

Rǎn rǎn swallowed hard and nodded her head.

Ranran took a taxi to find Shao Mingze, but upon arriving at his company, she did not go up and waited outside until 8 o'clock before giving him a call

Lin Xiangan has not forgotten, nor is he able to forget

Shao Mingze walked back to the bedside with a lighter, sat down, lit a cigarette for her, and then asked, "Do you smoke?"

Countless times in the midnight hours, she fantasized that one day he would regret, that he would look back. At that moment, she thought she must tell him of all the suffering she had endured, to make him feel pain, to make him feel guilty, to make him regret his past decisions. Yet when all of this truly unfolded before her, she felt not a shred of relief, only a profound exhaustion. Having reached this point, whether he regretted or not had little relevance to her.

Lin Xiang'an was momentarily at a loss for words; he actually did not know what he wanted to talk about with Ranran. He simply wanted to see her, to see how she was doing now, and whether she was living well. He had been on business trips for a while, and only today did he learn from Su Mo that Ranran was indeed working here, so he came over without a second thought after getting off the plane

Silly girl, how could he have never deeply loved someone? It is precisely because he has also loved deeply that he can better understand her heart-wrenching pain, and that is why he is willing to hold her hand and walk forward together.

She shouted until her voice became hoarse, as if she could not help but release all the resentment and anger that had accumulated over the years. Indeed, she resented him! She hated him! She resented him for leaving without even saying goodbye, and she hated him for dismissing her with just a phone call! At that time, she loved him so deeply. How could he treat her that way, how could he!

The room fell silent for a moment, and then Shao Mingze suddenly asked: "So between him and me... whose skills are better?"

I understand what you mean. Ranran lowered her head, fell silent for a moment, closed her eyes, and softly said, "I dreamed of him. I was with him making love in a small hotel outside the school, that was our first time"

Ranran thought for a moment, then smiled slyly and replied: "A friend once told me that I should never disclose my past romantic history to my current partner, no matter how magnanimous and persuasive they may seem."

It was indeed he who wronged her, and she certainly had reasons to resent him. However, he had always wanted to provide her with an explanation in person. Yet, by the time he managed to find the time to return to the country to handle his study abroad procedures, she had, for reasons unknown to him, taken a leave of absence from her studies, leaving him with even fewer opportunities to explain himself to her in person

Shao Mingze sat beside her with a computer, quietly handling documents. After a while, he reached out to touch her forehead, and only when her forehead temperature had cooled down did he get up to change into his pajamas and return to lie down.

The next evening, Shao Mingze drove over, bringing along some of his daily necessities. Ranran, surprised yet feeling somewhat awkward, stood dazed outside the bathroom watching him pull out towels, dental care items, and shaving tools, among other men's products.

When she was working until 7 o'clock, she felt hungry. She rummaged through her handbag and found that she didn't even have a pack of biscuits. It was only then that she remembered that because she could always find snacks in Chen Luo's office, she had long abandoned the good habit of keeping biscuits in her handbag. Although she had never quite understood how a grown man could be so fond of snacks, to the extent that his office was often stocked with various pastries, she now found herself deeply nostalgic for this particular fondness of his

He spoke and unexpectedly sat down in the lounge area of the lobby, quietly gazing towards the elevator entrance. Since it was already past working hours, there were not many people using the elevator. Whenever the elevator arrived at the first floor, he would always sit up slightly and look over, but upon realizing that the person coming out was not the one he was waiting for, he would return to the sofa with a sense of disappointment.

Her back stiffened slightly, and with a smile, she turned around to look at him, softly asking: "Lin Xiangan, do you know why I wanted to commit suicide back then?"

Ranran smiled self-deprecatingly and simply got up to tidy her bag: "Well then, if you are not leaving, I will."

Shao Mingze did not smile; instead, he looked up at her and said, "There is one thing that is quite right: we need to be honest. Since you and I have chosen each other as partners for the future, we should at least be honest. I am a person with a past, so I do not mind your past. However, I do not want the past to affect our future life, nor do I want to become a substitute for another man."

She called Mu Qing, but after the call connected, she found herself at a loss for words. Instead, it was Mu Qing who informed her that she was at the train station with friends, planning to leave Xiping for Qinghai, and then from there, head to Tibet. Mu Qing had long made it clear that she did not want her to see her off, so she could only smile and wish Mu Qing a safe journey. After exchanging some playful banter, she hung up the phone, feeling an overwhelming sense of sadness. Mu Qing, her best friend, was finally going to be far away from her life.

Ranran Mingming detected a hint of mockery in his words, yet she did not feel offended. The tension that had been tightly coiled within her gradually began to ease, and she couldn't help but joke with him, saying: "That's right, it's precisely for this reason that you now know how petty I can be. Are you still sure you want to marry me?"

Ranran responded softly, put down the phone, and tried to calm down to work. The electronic document of the bid was marked with Su Mo's name and contact information, which she found glaring no matter how she looked at it, and only felt a bit more comfortable after deleting it completely.

The receptionist listened to the sudden disconnection sound on the phone, her face filled with confusion: since she already knew the name, why did it turn into not recognizing him? The handsome and tall man in front of her was still waiting for her response, and she did not know how to answer him, so she could only relay Ranran's words verbatim: "Miss Xia said she does not know you"

Xia Hongyuan appeared somewhat taken aback, and specifically called over Ranran, introducing her to Lin Xiangan: "This is my daughter Ranran, and she is an alumnus of Mr. Lin's school."

He was at a loss for words

The elevator ascended directly from the underground garage to the nineteenth floor. Ranran, carrying various shopping bags, returned home. After opening the door and dropping the bags, the first thing she did was call Shao Mingze. She needed someone to help her navigate through this chaos, and Shao Mingze was the most suitable person at that moment

She obediently lay back down, yet she could not fall asleep no matter what, so she began to talk to him about her past, saying that she had once been a rebellious troublemaker, smoking, drinking, and fighting; she mentioned that she transferred schools for a boy, but within less than six months, that boy was accepted into Huada, so she had to desperately chase after him to get into Huada; she said that she finally became his girlfriend, yet he always complained that she was too clingy, that she had no friends of her own, and no life of her own

She cried inconsolably, unable to utter a single word. She had secretly loved Lin Xiangan for a year and a half, pursued him for two and a half years, and had been his girlfriend for six months, only to spend the next five years hating him. She no longer knew whether this was true love or merely an obsession. She had once been very afraid, afraid that she would live her life filled with resentment, afraid that she would ruin herself because of him.

Tears silently flowed from her eyes, moistening his palm

She then said: "Because I think, if I were to die like this, would you regret it when you find out? Would you be able to remember that I once existed?"

Shao Mingze was amused by her somewhat sour tone: "Hey, Ranran, are you feeling jealous?"

There should be no problem," she replied

I dropped out of school?" Ranran's voice suddenly became sharp, as if she had forgotten the pain in her stomach. She abruptly stood up from her chair and stared directly at Lin Xiang'an. "But do you know why I dropped out? Because I was so foolish at that time, I was willing to go to extremes for a man, turning myself into a shadow of my former self, and was forcibly sent to the hospital for treatment! Of course, I had to drop out; what else could I do? Huh? Because I was so foolish at that time, I was willing to go to extremes for a man, turning myself into a shadow of my former self, and was forcibly sent to the hospital for treatment! Of course, I had to drop out; what else could I do? Huh? You tell me, what else could I do?"

Chen Luo merely let out a soft "oh"

The companion was also gazing infatuatedly at the handsome man, and replied blankly, "If I could look like him, I wouldn't mind if he were a bad person; even if he were a scoundrel, I would accept it."

It seemed that Ranran had been in a long dream, in which she returned to that small inn, calmly observing everything happening in the room like a bystander: Lin Xiang'an carried her from the dressing table back to the bed, the two of them tightly embraced, he gently kissed her cheek, kissed her lips, and as he continued to kiss, he pressed her down beneath him again

Ranran trembled as she brought the cigarette to her lips and asked him for a light

Shao Mingze wrapped one arm around her shoulder and gently kneaded her plump earlobe with the other hand, whispering in her ear: "Don't be nervous"

Ranran first nodded, and then quickly shook her head again

However, she was intrigued by him and hesitated for a moment before tentatively asking, "Have you ever lived with a girlfriend before?"

On Friday, Chen Luo presented the bidding documents and the bid security deposit to the Xiping City Land Transaction Center, which is responsible for the bidding work of the Nanjiao project. He had just returned from outside when someone from the administration came to knock on the door, asking Chen Luo when he would like to use the new office

After a slight shock came anger, her hands and feet felt somewhat cold, and at the same time, the pain in her stomach became more pronounced. Thus, she abandoned the idea of standing up, sitting in the chair with her chin raised, and coldly asked: "Lin Xiangan, what do you mean?"

Soft music played in the car as she leaned back in her seat, closing her eyes to rest. Exhaustion overwhelmed her. Just as she was about to drift off to sleep, Shao Mingze threw a suit jacket over her and said, "Cover yourself a bit more before sleeping"

Ranran suddenly loathed his calmness and composure, forcefully shutting her notebook. She turned to look at him, only to be drawn into the depths of his ocean-like gaze. His eyes were dark and profound, yet possessed a soul-capturing allure. It was as if she had been seduced; all her pent-up anger vanished in an instant, leaving her staring blankly at him, watching as his face drew closer to hers, until his eyes brushed against her eyelashes and closed. In the next moment, his lips captured hers.

Ranran was momentarily taken aback, turning her head to look at him in disbelief. He raised an eyebrow and gazed back at her, his narrow eyes filled with tenderness and a smile. The two of them stared at each other for a while before suddenly bursting into laughter. Shao Mingze reached out and gently ruffled the top of her head, sighing, "Go to sleep, silly girl"

Shao Mingze seemed completely unaware of her panic, his fingers still wandering idly over her skin, slowly moving downward, finally lingering on her collarbone, gently tapping with the pads of his fingers, like playing a piano, neither hurried nor slow, yet flowing smoothly like clouds and water.

When Ranran heard someone knock on her office door, she thought it was a colleague. She did not want her work to be affected by Lin Xiangan, so she first reached out and gently patted her own cheek before saying, "Come in." To her surprise, when the door opened, it was actually Lin Xiangan standing outside.

Shao Mingze smiled at her in the mirror and responded with her earlier words: "Someone just told me not to disclose my past romantic history to my current partner."

Shao Mingze was somewhat surprised and asked, "Did you have a conflict with her before?"

This was their first deep kiss, and they both carefully observed each other's reactions, cautiously testing the waters. Gradually, the sparks that had been flickering finally ignited into a raging fire, overwhelming their senses. He lifted her from the sofa and carried her to the bed at the back. That bed was one she was accustomed to sleeping on; it was large and soft, and when one lay down, it would create a shallow dip, making it so comfortable that one couldn't help but want to stay there forever. However, when he pressed down on her, her body instinctively shrank back for a moment, her senses returning briefly. That bed was one she was accustomed to sleeping on; it was large and soft, and when one lay down, it would create a shallow dip, making it so comfortable that one couldn't help but want to stay there forever. However, when he pressed down on her, her body instinctively shrank back for a moment, her senses returning briefly.

The man named Lin Xiangan showed neither surprise nor anger on his face; he simply smiled wearily and said softly, "Alright, I will wait for her here."

"But I just hate her," Ranran said softly. She knew he was right, but she could not control her emotions

As soon as the call was connected, she straightforwardly said: "Mingze, let's live together."

Such ambiguous hints were quickly understood by Ranran. Her body became slightly stiff, and the scent lingering at the tip of her nose was faint, reminiscent of the shower gel in her bathroom, yet it seemed to carry something more, a strong sense of intrusion that surged into her chest, causing her heartbeat to accelerate uncontrollably, and a flush gradually spread across her cheeks.

Shao Mingze gradually put away the smile on his face, turned around to look at her seriously, and said: "Ranran, I once had a girlfriend. We... lived together for a period of time, but later broke up due to some issues. After that, I was always busy with work and didn't have a proper relationship until I met you."

Her eyes were still slightly red, and she was unwilling to let Chen Luo see her appearance at that moment. She hurriedly lowered her head to conceal it, but little did she know that this action only caused her tears to fall uncontrollably.

Ranran coldly replied, "I do not know him."

Oh? Is that so?" he asked in a hushed voice, his eyes filled with an overwhelming darkness that made it impossible to see even a fraction within them. "It could also be that the people before weren't good enough." As he spoke, he forcefully thrust his lower body, causing her memories to scatter chaotically, falling apart and shattering into pieces.

Ranran woke up once in the middle of the night and then could not fall asleep again, so she lay quietly in bed in a daze. After a while, Shao Mingze, who was still somewhat drowsy, reached out to touch her forehead. She was taken aback for a moment, unable to help but raise her hand to grasp his hand and cover her eyes with it

That smile pierced Lin's heart, causing Anxin to feel a subtle pain. He dared not look again and softly said: "I am sorry, Ranzan, I want to say sorry to you."

After several such instances, the receptionist could no longer bear to watch and couldn't help but quietly ask her companion beside her, "Hey? Do you think he might be a bad person? I remember he came to see Miss Xia before."

Lin Xiangan closed the door and entered, standing silently in front of her desk. After a long while, he finally managed to say with difficulty: "Ranran, I would like to talk to you."

Years ago, Su Mo left alone, hurt by love. In his heartache, he didn't even greet Ran Ran before chasing after Su Mo. Upon arriving and seeing Su Mo in such a poor state, he felt both heartbroken and worried, so he recklessly decided to stay, only able to tell Ran Ran about the breakup through an overseas phone call

Ranran still lowered her head, wishing that the door could close immediately. Her fingers kept pressing the close button, but she forgot to press the floor button. Chen Luo hesitated for a moment, then leaned over to press the button.

Ruan Ruan sat back in the chair dejectedly and said softly, "You can go now, Lin Xiang'an. I no longer need your apology; it holds no meaning for me anymore."

Later, Lin Xiangan came to the company to look for Ranran twice. She had already informed the front desk in advance, and did not even see him. After that, Lin Xiangan no longer came.

Xia Hongyuan was taken aback for a moment before bursting into laughter, affectionately patting Ranran on the back: "This girl!" His tone was filled with indulgence and pride

But even if one loves deeply, what difference does it make? In the end, they are still lost in the sea of people. How many couples who have loved each other can steadfastly hold each other's hands, never to part, sharing both honor and disgrace, until their hair turns gray and their appearances fade, until the heavens and earth become desolate and the seas turn to mulberry fields?

After a moment of daze, Ranran finally asked the receptionist: "Is he named Lin Xiangan?"

The bid document has been completed, and the remaining matters are no longer my responsibility

As she walked up to Lin Xiang'an, he suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist, speaking somewhat urgently: "Give me another chance, will you? Just one more chance to make amends, Ranran."

A sound of paper rustling came from his side: "Since that's the case, why not go out to celebrate tonight? Hmm, I still have some work to do, and I might not be able to leave until after 8 o'clock. Ranran, can you wait?"

What she means is that sitting here and waiting may also lead to missing out? Lin Xiang'an looked at her with slight surprise, her face involuntarily feeling a bit warm, and she secretly said: "Miss Xia's office is on the 21st floor, room 2106"

Since we are going to live together, I think it is better to do it sooner rather than later, what do you think? Shao Mingze looked up at Ranran in the mirror, his tone as casual as if discussing a work-related matter

Shao Mingze was somewhat surprised, packed his things, drove out, and asked her: "Didn’t we agree that I would pick you up?"

The room was unlit, making the outside appear even brighter. Through the floor-to-ceiling glass window, Shao Mingze's figure looked somewhat blurred, as if it were about to merge into the boundless night. Only the red dot between his fingers flickered intermittently.

After a brief moment of being taken aback, Ranran smiled again, but this time her smile was colder, with a hint of sarcasm at the corners of her mouth: "Lin Xiangan, you really didn't need to make this special trip for this. You already said these three words to me over the phone five years ago, have you really forgotten?"

"Hmm, not bad, a good student," Shao Mingze said, casually reaching his hand from behind to rest on her shoulder, gently stroking the side of her neck with his fingertips, lazily, intermittently.

Since we are going to live together, I think it is better to do it sooner rather than later, what do you think? Shao Mingze looked up at Ranran in the mirror, his tone as casual as if discussing a work-related matter

Yet she forced a smile and jokingly remarked in a relaxed tone, "Perhaps it's been too long since I last did it, and I've become rusty."

Ranran sat in her exclusive office, her mood neither particularly good nor bad. She knew that Chen Luo's approach was the most composed and the least embarrassing for them, yet being kicked out of the office like that still left her feeling somewhat uncomfortable.

Ranran raised her delicate eyebrows and asked him, "So, what can you still talk to me about now?"

Shao Mingze replied: "Could you please give me one more night to consider this issue? I need to think it over carefully"

Although Shao Mingze had never seen her smoke before, just by observing her posture and movements at that moment, it was evident that she was indeed someone who knew how to smoke. He smiled nonchalantly and asked her, "What dream did you just have?"

Ranran let out a scoff and retorted, "Do you want to talk to me? What is there left for you to discuss with me now?"

The receptionist hesitated for a moment, then brought a cup of coffee over and placed it on the marble coffee table in front of him. Taking the opportunity to lean down, she whispered, "The company elevator goes directly to the basement. Employees with cars can take it straight to the basement and drive out."

Chen Luo smiled and casually asked her like an ordinary colleague, "Haven't you eaten yet? Shall we go together?"

Upon seeing Chen Luo again in the office, Ran Ran inevitably felt a bit awkward. However, Chen Luo appeared as if nothing had happened, wearing a faint smile as he instructed her: "The bid for the Nanjiao project is due this weekend, so please put in some extra effort. Organize all the materials and double-check the data in the bid. If you find any issues, contact Su Mo directly for timely corrections"

Ranran consumed more than half a bowl of rice porridge, then took the water and pills he handed over, and subsequently curled back into bed to continue sleeping

A hint of confusion flashed in Chen Luo's eyes, and after a brief moment of hesitation, he silently extended a handkerchief. However, Ranran did not accept it, turning her head aside and pretending not to see. Chen Luo's hand paused in the air for a moment before slowly retracting it.

The elevator arrived, and Ranran rushed in first, then without waiting for Chen Luo to enter, she reached out to press the close door button. Chen Luo quickly stepped into the elevator, and a look of surprise involuntarily appeared on her face as she raised her eyes to see Lin Xiang'an hurrying over from the end of the corridor, and only then did she suddenly understand.

Ranran listened and scoffed, saying: "If you haven't had a serious conversation, then it implies that there must have been some less serious ones."

Seeing her reaction, Shao Mingze became even more certain of his guess. He couldn't help but raise his eyebrows and asked, "Is this your first time living with someone?"

Ranran did not respond, merely lowering her head and continuously smoking.

She nodded slightly, her gaze still fixed on the screen: "Compiled by Yimei, I want to take a closer look to see exactly where their brilliance lies"

She fell asleep in a haze, choking back tears, and woke up once in the middle of the night, reaching out but not finding Shao Mingze. She propped herself up to look around and saw him alone on the balcony smoking.

The camera shook violently, and her wandering soul seemed to be suddenly drawn back into that still rounded body. Watching him rise and fall upon her, seeing droplets of sweat fall from his hair, rolling down onto her chest, merging with her own sweat, she suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to cry, uncontrollably calling out his name: "Lin Xiangan, Lin Xiangan..."

"Not bad, that makes a lot of sense." Shao Mingze nodded and turned back to continue organizing his personal belongings

On the phone, Shao Mingze's voice came through, somewhat helpless: "Alright, I understand."

Ranran indeed prepared a very casual dinner—cooking a pot of instant noodles with two stalks of green vegetables. Fortunately, Shao Mingze was not a picky eater; he ate without complaint and then voluntarily suggested washing the dishes. When he came out of the kitchen, Ranran was already sitting on the sofa with her laptop. Seeing him approach, she simply lifted her chin and said, "Here, the table is yours."

She sat up with lingering fear, glanced at the time, and it was exactly 3:00 AM. Her heart was pounding like a drum. ... Terror, panic, confusion ... . ... A multitude of feelings surged in her chest, making it hard for her to breathe. She took several deep breaths without any improvement and could only turn her head and ask him softly: "Do you have any cigarettes on you? Give me one."

At that moment, her mind was blank. Hearing his words, she could only force her body upward, arching it into a bridge, yet Lin Xiang'an still could not enter. In the end, both of them were drenched in sweat. He lay on top of her in frustration, calling her name in a low, annoyed voice. She tucked her hand into his short hair and let out a soft laugh.

The door closed behind her, and Chen Luo slowly raised his head, still gripping the pen in his hand, applying so much force that it seemed he might break the pen. Let it go, he told himself, while he still hadn't fallen too deep, just let it go. Because she is Xia Ranran, she is Xia Hongyuan's daughter, Xia Ranran. He kept persuading himself and gradually relaxed his tightly clenched hand

Ranran was taken by Xia Hongyuan to two events, and on one occasion, she even encountered Su Mo. She was also there to attend the banquet hosted by Xia Hongyuan, appearing to be quite familiar with several guests at the table, addressing them as "uncle" and "aunt." When the banquet concluded, Ranran met Lin Xiangan outside. He came to pick up Su Mo, standing tall and elegant, smiling as he greeted Xia Hongyuan.

Shao Mingze brought his computer, but he currently does not wish to handle work. Instead, he sat down beside Ranran, casually glanced at her notebook screen, and asked: "The bid proposal for the Nanjiao project?"

The bid documents have been submitted, which has significantly lightened her workload, while Xia Hongyuan and Chen Luo have become even busier. They have long-term reservations for several rooms in the city's most luxurious hotel, frequently hosting banquets and drinking parties, with attendees being individuals closely connected to the evaluation committee.

Chen Luo kept his head down, busy handling documents, without raising it even once

The phone had not been hung up; she heard the receptionist asking for the man's name through the receiver, and then she heard the man's deep voice respond: "I am Lin Xiangan." Then the receptionist turned to her and relayed: "Yes, he said he is Lin Xiangan."

Ranran shrugged indifferently, not believing that continuing the discussion on this topic would be a pleasant thing, and then turned to walk towards the kitchen, asking Shao Mingze: "What do you want to eat tonight?"

Rian slowly closed her eyes and lifted her chin to kiss Shao Mingze. Encouraged by her, his hand gradually moved down, caressing her all the way, teasing and grinding, slowly warming and softening her stiff body until it became like a pool of water. However, when he entered her body, she still felt pain; it was not the heart-wrenching agony she remembered, but rather like a dull knife cutting flesh, with every pull and tug bringing discomfort.

He cradled the back of her head with one hand, while the other hand rested against her cheek. After several gentle kisses on her lips, he used the tip of his tongue to pry open her teeth and tenderly explored inside. She hesitated for a moment, but under his seduction, she began to respond to him.

Ranran briefly discussed the project with him and then mentioned tonight's celebration banquet. When she spoke about putting the person in charge of the third party in an awkward position, Shao Mingze said on the other end of the line: "Ranran, you shouldn't do that. Since you have already restrained your temper to cooperate, you shouldn't further strain the relationship."

Shao Mingze looked at her with a hint of surprise, wrapped himself in a blanket, got out of bed, and pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, taking one out and offering it to her

Shao Mingze had not responded for a long time; she thought he had fallen asleep, and could not help but lean closer to him, mumbling, "Thank you, Mingze"

Lin Xiang'an suddenly became angry, lifting her from the bed and carrying her to the dressing table across the room. He pulled her legs apart and forced himself in, thrusting his waist and abdomen with strength, and thus entered her. She cried out in pain, her head striking hard against the mirror behind her, causing pain both above and below. With red-rimmed eyes, she could not discern where the pain was more intense.