Section 3

She should be someone considerate and not a source of worry. However, compared to this noisy and meddlesome senior assistant in front of him, Xiao Yi still does not have a favorable impression of Miss Xiang. Nevertheless, when the car stopped in front of the Xiao Corporation building, his decisive conclusion was: "Xiang Wan."

Yao Nan seemed unable to conceal his emotions, appearing somewhat surprised: "Xiang Wan?"

I had high hopes, wishing for a warm story, with an ending that aligned with my desires. However, the reality proved that those days filled with anticipation were merely a necessary path of an unrequited love that ended without resolution

Rival in love? Shao Dongning thought of the spirited male protagonist on the magazine cover, feeling quite troubled. "With Mr. Xiao's tragic history of being defeated by the rival with the surname 'Li', he lacks experience in this regard"

He Rao clearly sighed: "It is not that I think too much, but rather that my insistence on doing things my own way has caused you trouble."

This calmness almost gave Xing Tang the illusion that the matters he had previously entrusted to Xi Lin to handle were entirely unnecessary, as she did not care at all about that report, including the photographs

In a period of low real estate prosperity index and a sluggish property market, the Datang Group achieved a remarkable turnaround with the "Blue Ocean International" project, rising to prominence in the real estate industry. At the age of thirty, Xing Tang, who is qualified to inherit the leadership of Datang, was recently spotted by the banks of the Linjiang River, holding a lovely girl in his arms and strolling hand in hand with a mysterious woman under the sycamore trees. The vast river surface, with its misty waves, reflected the silhouettes of the mountains, creating a scene that evoked envy among onlookers. It remains unknown how many hearts of the city's socialites will be broken by this scene.

The ultra-platinum hotel, which has become a new landmark in City G, is set to officially open for operation at the beginning of next month. The city's elite are eagerly anticipating their invitations to the celebratory gala; however, the invitation from the Xiao family has yet to be sent out.

The photo is clearly a stolen shot, yet the angle is just right. As the sun sets, the intimate posture creates a warm scene, beautiful to the point of being overwhelming. However, the tall and slender female protagonist's silhouette vaguely resembles—upon closer inspection of the internal report, Shao Dongning had just picked up the magazine when it was snatched away. Looking up again, Xiao Yi had already entered the president's office.

However, they insisted on her response and quickly sent an additional message: "He Rao, we agreed to start as friends from hetushu.com." The implication is that this is merely a friendly invitation

Upon returning home, He Rao did not turn on the lights. She picked up the remote control to turn on the record player, and in the soft embrace of "Masterpiece" that filled the room, she fell into silence. For many years, on countless nights, she had contemplated and reminisced in such an environment

Xiao Yi slightly nodded: "Please give me an invitation letter"

Regarding his habitual veto stance, Shao Dongning understood it well, yet still could not help but say: "As the Secretary-General, in such occasions, Yao Nan naturally thrives, but that Miss Xiang, you seem to be somewhat impolite." Upon saying this, he even sighed dramatically: "If the Empress Dowager were to find out, I fear the decree would arrive very soon."

If life were only as it was at first sight, may there be no years to look back upon

Those who are meant to appear in your life will ultimately meet you, regardless of whether the time and place are just right; it is by no means a coincidence. Please cherish every encounter, for at the beginning of an encounter, you may not yet know that they are your long-awaited one.

Shao Dongning, after many years of being by Xiao Yi's side, still could not fathom the BOSS's thoughts, and fell into deep contemplation

Yao Nankai joked: "I will reduce your salary, deduct your bonus, and cancel your vacation. After all, we at the Xiao family implement a salary system based on job positions, and the treatment of a doorman cannot be compared to that of a special assistant"

The single word "sorry" caused Xing Tang's gaze to suddenly freeze on the magazine cover. However, upon closer listening, her voice was low and slightly hoarse, yet she could not bear it in her heart: "It's just making headlines; consider it a congratulatory gift for my promotion to vice president. Fortunately, it's all in profile, so only I can be recognized. Moreover, I assure you that this magazine will be suspended and sealed within three days."

He Rào really wanted to consider it a mistakenly sent message and delete it, but he was too clear about who was on the other end. All these messages and contacts related to him were once what she longed to know. Now that her dream has come true, she surprisingly feels not a trace of joy.

In the adjacent secretary's office, Yao Nan finished checking the guest list for the wine reception and completed the meeting materials for tomorrow. He noticed that Shao Dongning was still standing in front of the president's office door: "When did Assistant Shao become a doorman?"

Is it that the subordinate's handling of affairs is not beneficial, or is it something else

Yao Nan's way of thinking remains unchanged: "Do you have a girlfriend? Do I know her? Did Xiao introduce her to you?"

It had only been one day since the publication, and Xiao Yi, surprised, curved his lips slightly and muttered to himself, "The efficiency is quite high"

He raised his eyes to look at Yao Nan and said in a joking tone, "I didn't expect my secretary to also enjoy this kind of entertainment magazine"

At this moment, the door to the president's office opened, and Xiao Yi stepped out. The man's suit jacket was casually draped over his arm, the collar of his white shirt was unbuttoned at two places, and his sleeves were slightly rolled up. Despite the arrogance and sharpness in his eyes, he appeared remarkably approachable.

It is a number that is both strange and familiar, asking her: "Do you have time tomorrow evening?"

The former is related to reality, while the latter is filled with uncontainable bitterness.

but not as a companion

The Empress Dowager naturally refers to Lady Xiao, while Miss Xiang is the matchmaker arranged by the elder for Xiao Yi, named Xiang Wan. In order to appease his mother, Xiao Yi did meet with her, but although he was physically present, his heart was elsewhere, and he could not even recall what Xiang Wan looked like. He only vaguely remembered that she was a woman who was neither overly reserved nor talkative.

If it is late, then let it be late, but the word "let" is truly forced

The car drove steadily through the rain and fog, while Xiao Yi's gaze was cast out the window at the Lin River, his expression calm and serene. Shao Dongning, returning from vacation, assessed that the boss was in a good mood and cheerfully asked: "Mr. Xiao, is your female companion for the banquet still Yao Nan? Or perhaps, to surprise Her Majesty the Empress Dowager, you would like to invite Miss Xiang?"

There is always a missed call from her before each text message, and tonight is no exception

The pain one brings upon oneself, why cry out in agony? Her gaze lingered on the computer screen for a long time.

Yao Nan stood up: "Mr. Xiao."

Assistant Shao, who was originally focused on pondering the issue, leaned over to Yao Nan's desk and said mysteriously, "What do you think Mr. Xiao will do in response?"

Such contradictions are so bothersome that even I find myself detestable

Yao Nan would certainly not ask him whom he was planning to personally invite; he simply took out a refined and elegant invitation from the drawer and handed it over: "According to the work schedule, the media invitations will be distributed starting tomorrow"

Not right, m.hetushucom.com, how could it possibly be my long-awaited? He Rao chuckled at himself, then deleted it and wrote again

I intended to call Nan Nan, but considering that the child must be asleep at this hour, I decided against it and instead went to the bathroom to take a shower. When she finished washing up and came out, her phone notified her of a new message.

Indeed, how wonderful it would be if nothing had ever happened

I am not the least bit troubled. Xiang Tang's voice and tone were so calm that no emotion could be detected: "If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have attracted any media attention at all. This time, with Nan Nan being implicated, the one who should feel apologetic is me"

Officer He—Xiao Yi's expression changed slightly, then he tucked the invitation into the inner pocket of his coat. After taking a couple of steps, he paused and said: "Please extend an invitation to Xiang Wan. If she has time, she is welcome to attend the cocktail party"

Xiao Yi took the invitation and said, "Send a copy to the Weekend Journal."

"Xing Tang, ha." The man's deep and clear voice resonated unusually clearly in the silent space, both arrogant and languid

He Rao's phone contacts did not save this number, but there were countless communications with this number in the call and message logs. Even two days ago, the same number sent a message informing her: "There is something to handle in City A, I will go over there."

Shao Dongning followed his gaze and saw a magazine placed on Yao Nan's desk. Before he could examine the inner pages in detail, his attention was already captured by a large photograph on the cover: the male protagonist of the event stood sideways under the towering phoenix tree, holding a little girl in his arms, while his right hand gently caressed the ear of the female protagonist standing opposite him. Since the child was resting on the male protagonist's other shoulder and the female protagonist was also facing the camera in profile, her features were not clearly visible.

There is never a need for preamble when speaking with him, He Rao gets straight to the point: "I am aware of the matter regarding the magazine."

Xiao Yi's expression remained unchanged, "What are your thoughts after reading it?" As he spoke, he leaned down and signed a name with a vigorous stroke on the invitation.

That light beauty is quite captivating. Shao Dongning suddenly made a decision, striking his left palm with his right fist: "I must investigate Mr. Xiao's background and identity, as the saying goes: Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated in a hundred battles"

The dim streetlight cast a faint glow over He Rao, illuminating the apology on her face: "I am sorry for causing you to be misunderstood"

Although it is said that failure is the mother of success, one can only have one biological mother. Therefore, experiencing failure once is sufficient. Shao Dongning held Yao Nan's hand and said seriously: "Thank you for reminding me, I will advocate for a raise for you with Mr. Xiao. Oh, don't forget to prepare an invitation letter for the young lady; Mr. Xiao has specifically chosen her as his companion for the cocktail party."

Thus, regarding the text message, what she did was neither delete it nor respond to it

The following evening, light rain in City G

As Xing Tang said: Do not overthink

Yao Nan was amused by his actions: "It seems you have encountered a rival in love, why not consult Mr. Xiao."

On the minimalist and elegant desk, there are documents sent by Yao Nan after sorting, waiting for approval. However, unlike in the past, he did not first attend to official matters; instead, he leaned against the edge of the desk, standing in front of the glass wall, flipping through a magazine

The speed of magazine recycling does not quite align with that person's style of conduct

On a quiet night, He Rao opened his laptop and typed a line of text in the document

A moment later, a reply came from over there: "Okay. Good night."

Over there, Yao Nan paused for a second before answering: "The trading has been suspended."

Fortunately, he understood her; otherwise, he would surely have lost his temper. However, he remained silent for a moment before speaking: "Xilin will handle it, you just need to act as if nothing has happened"

The gaze swept over the familiar names, and Yao Nan spoke candidly: "The woman in the report bears a resemblance to Officer He."

This conversation seemed to be on the same wavelength only until the end. After Shao Dongning hurriedly left, Yao Nan shifted his gaze back to the desk, lingering on the spot where the magazine had been placed earlier, and then shut down the computer in preparation to leave work

Yao Nan is a clever person and naturally understands that the phrase "efficiency is quite high" is a comment on the newly appointed General Manager, Xiao Xing. As for the nuances of praise and criticism within it, she should be able to discern: "It is said that Xing Tang, upon learning of the theft, was furious and swiftly acquired the magazine company. However, by the time Datang began to recall the magazines from the market, a portion of them had already reached the consumers."

Yao Nan chuckled lightly: "I casually flipped through what other colleagues had left in the break room during their lunch break"

Shaodong Ning did not seem to mind her different frequency, "Don't you think the female lead looks very familiar?"

He - the picture - He Rao's gaze was fixed on the direction of the Shining Tower, suddenly unsure of how to continue this phone call

The timing was precise. Shortly after Shao Dongning arrived at the airport, the flight that Xiao Yi was on landed. After receiving him at the dedicated passage exit, he drove directly towards the Xiao family headquarters. On the way, passing along Nanyuan Avenue, the magnificent Yiyao Building stood out like a mirage beside the vast Linjiang River, towering majestically among the rows of skyscrapers.

And her so-called "reading reflection" seems to have been overlooked in this way

Thinking of the magazine's report, I increasingly do not want to see him

Yao Nan patted him on the shoulder, with a tone of sympathy: "You, who have always been in a period of emotional vacancy, lack experience in this regard."

This decision is precisely what Xing Tang has longed for. However, the nature of her profession is too dangerous, making it unsuitable to expose too much personal privacy, including that of her family. Therefore, she ultimately suppressed the faint desire in her heart: "It's just a report; it hasn't reached a level that would affect your life, so don't overthink it"

As the lights begin to glow, the flickering neon lights cast a languid shadow over the bustling metropolis. Compared to the warmth of countless homes illuminated and the vibrant nightlife, they appear dim and lackluster. Xiao Yi set down the magazine, and a glimmer of fragmented light shone through his narrow eyes, hinting at a subtle smile.

But still, as always, refused: "There is an appointment."

It is merely to boost sales; the consequences of the suspension and sealing are indeed severe. He Ruo had the intention to advise him to let it go, but his decisive demeanor was not something that could be easily changed by others. He could only continue with the next words: "I have also been considering whether to bring Nan Nan over recently; it seems that the media has made the decision for me."

Who is entangling whom

He Riao took a deep breath, trying to shake off the disturbing emotions, and then, amidst the clamor of the night, dialed Xing Tang's number

Xiao Yi seemed to understand

Such an obvious meaning, how could Yao Nan not understand? She said, "I understand."

The president's office is located on the thirty-ninth floor, accessible directly by the elevator. The secretary's office area is empty, with only the illuminated computer and the uncollected documents on the desk indicating that Yao Nan has temporarily stepped out. Xiao Yi had originally raised his hand to push open the heavy, intricately carved wooden door of his office, but his movement suddenly halted.

In the back seat, Xiao Yi's gaze shifted slightly, his amber eyes looking over through the rearview mirror, remaining silent