"When I like someone, it will only be you, never another woman."
Mo Xiuchen's voice wasn't particularly tender or affectionate when he said this. Instead, his tone was calm and indifferent. Yet, it carried an undeniable conviction, making it impossible not to believe him.
Wen Ran's heartbeat once again lost its rhythm at his words.
She could hear the thudding of her own heart echoing in her ears—rapid and erratic. And within that chaotic rhythm, an unfamiliar emotion stirred, one she couldn't quite understand.
He paused for a second before adding, "So, apart from me, you're not allowed to like any other man either."
"I don't like anyone else."
The words left Wen Ran's lips before she even realized it. Since the day they received their marriage certificate, there had been no other man in her heart.
"Drive."
A barely perceptible curve appeared at the corner of Mo Xiuchen's lips. As his gaze swept over her slender fingers, it lingered for a second before he said gently, "This weekend, I'll go with you to pick out a ring. Not wearing one makes it easy for people to misunderstand."
Today, two people had already "misunderstood"—one was the bespectacled man who had wanted to pursue her, and the other was Cheng Jia. The former had been unaware, but the latter had done it deliberately.
Wen Ran was fastening her seatbelt when she heard his words. Her hands paused slightly as she recalled what Cheng Jia had said in the restroom. She nodded and responded with a simple, "Okay."
As the Aston Martin merged onto the road, Wen Ran glanced at the man sitting beside her through the rearview mirror. Concern filled her voice as she asked, "I heard from Assistant Qin that the new drug developed by the H City pharmaceutical factory had issues. Has it been resolved?"
"Mm, it's mostly taken care of. Someone tampered with the formula and added something to the drug. Fortunately, we caught it early. If it had been used in clinical trials, it would have been a major disaster."
Wen Ran was taken aback. "Who did it? Have they been found?"
A trace of certainty flickered in Mo Xiuchen's deep eyes. His expression remained indifferent as he replied, "We're gathering evidence. That person won't get away."
By the time the Aston Martin arrived at MS Group, Qin Mu was already waiting at the entrance. Seeing Mo Xiuchen's car pull up by the curb, he immediately walked over.
Mo Xiuchen narrowed his deep eyes slightly. If Qin Mu was waiting for him here, it must be something important.
After reminding Wen Ran to "drive carefully," he opened the door and got out.
"Xiuchen, Cheng Jia is in the chairman's office right now. The chairman's wife is there too. Ah Kai told me you'd be arriving soon, so I waited here for you."
Mo Xiuchen's expression darkened slightly. He turned toward the road, watching as Wen Ran started the car and drove away. Then, he said to Qin Mu, "Let's go inside first," before striding toward the entrance. As he walked, he asked,
"Did Ah Kai bring Cheng Jia to the company?"
"Yes. According to Ah Kai, on the way to dropping Cheng Jia off at Nanqin Hotel, she received a call from the chairman, asking her to come to the company. Although the chairman hadn't inquired about Cheng Jia before, now that he's summoned her, he must have found out about her identity."
Mo Xiuchen let out a cold scoff as he entered the building, heading straight for the elevator. "Let him know if he wants. It doesn't matter."
At the elevator doors, Qin Mu pressed the button. As the doors slowly slid open, a trace of concern crossed his face. "Do you think the chairman and his wife will make things difficult for Cheng Jia?"
Stepping into the elevator, Mo Xiuchen cast Qin Mu a cool glance. His voice was indifferent as he replied, "Before Mo Zixuan took over 'Nanqin,' it was Xiao Wenqing who was in charge. Do you think she has any reason to make things difficult for Cheng Jia?"
With that, he reached out and pressed a button on the control panel. The elevator doors closed, and it began its slow ascent.