Wen Ran didn't take the elevator, instead descending via the spiral staircase.
By the time she reached the first floor, her heart was still pounding as if trying to leap out of her throat.
A man in his forties stood at the entrance, guiding Wen Ran outside to a car.
The car wound through the twisting roads of 'Tanyuan' and soon arrived at the entrance of the 'Lanyu Feng' residential complex.
Wen Ran thanked the driver and got out.
The air outside was stifling and dry. Combined with her hurried pace, she broke into a sweat that dampened her forehead.
Inside the elevator, the only sound was the faint hum of machinery.
Wen Ran let out a relieved sigh.
Her mind relaxed, yet she couldn't help pondering—what exactly did Yan Wangshu mean?
Had she misinterpreted his intentions? Did he actually not feel that way about her?
And why had he suddenly gotten angry?
Could it be because she'd dirtied the carpet?
If he truly had feelings for her, a stained carpet wouldn't warrant letting her off so easily.
Wen Ran couldn't make sense of it.
So she stopped trying.
It was past 11 p.m. when Wen Ran returned home. She took a shower, applied lotion, and climbed into bed, burrowing under the covers.
She reached for her phone and noticed unread message notifications at the top of the screen.
Unlocking her phone, she opened WeChat.
Zhai Chengjing had replied about an hour earlier: [If you want it, come to Room 808, Xunfeng International Hotel tomorrow at 4 p.m.]
Wen Ran typed: [Senior, what exactly are you giving me?]
After waiting a while without a reply from Zhai Chengjing, she saw Avi post in the group chat.
Avi: [[Crying] I'm hungry. I didn't eat enough.]
Li Wan sent a "Hahaha" sticker, followed by: [Still too nervous to eat your fill?]
Avi: [[Eye-roll]]
Avi: [I got too excited during dinner and can't remember clearly now. Did I say anything wrong?]
Li Wan: [No, you did great!]
Avi: [@Wen Ran, what do you think?]
Tagged, Wen Ran replied: [You were amazing!]
Avi: [Who'd have thought an intern like me could score a meal with the big boss? I'll be bragging about this for a year.]
Li Wan: [Is it really that big a deal?]
Avi: [Of course! I thought someone like CEO Yan would have his nose in the air.]
The message was immediately retracted.
Li Wan commented: [That's exaggerating.]
Avi: [CEO Yan is a third-generation business heir! And his brother-in-law—the father of that Miss Lin today—I heard he's a third-generation bureaucrat!]
Avi emphasized: [A third-generation bureaucrat from Beidu!]
Li Wan: [[Thumbs up][Thumbs up][Thumbs up]]
Wen Ran didn't chime in.
Right—someone of Yan Wangshu's status would never be interested in her.
She must have misunderstood.
Drowsiness hit Wen Ran. She set an alarm, put her phone down, and closed her eyes.
In her haze, she dreamed of standing on a thick carpet as a burly man loomed over her.
The surroundings were dark, the space cramped, each breath fragmented.
She tried to retreat, to escape the suffocating pressure, but her feet felt cemented in place.
Looking up, she met fiery, possessive, amber eyes—the gaze of a man desiring a woman.
Wen Ran jolted awake, greeted by darkness.
She pressed a hand to her chest, her heartbeat frantic.
Why had she dreamed of him?
She woke again to her alarm.
Zhai Chengjing had replied late at night: [You'll know when you come.]
Wen Ran sent [Okay [乖巧]], then washed up and headed to her studio.
New day, new ideas. Wen Ran scrapped her original drafts and started fresh.
She'd never approached design with such deliberation before. Her usual process was to sketch ideas as they came—more like capturing moments.
But this was a competition.
Her first competition.
When the alarm rang again, she reluctantly set her pen aside.
After tidying up, she took a taxi to Xunfeng International Hotel.
Standing outside Room 808, she rang the bell.
Zhai Chengjing opened the door, dressed in tailored slacks and a white shirt, smiling warmly. "Punctual."
Praised, Wen Ran instinctively smiled back.
The suite had a small living area with a dark gray sofa, a black suitcase beside it, and a suit jacket draped over the back.
Zhai Chengjing removed his tie and added it to the pile.
He seemed to have just arrived and settled in.
Wen Ran sat on a single-seater sofa. "Senior, did you just get to Shanghai?"
"Mhm."
Wen Ran immediately switched to host mode. "Let me treat you to a meal."
"Don't want your gift anymore?" Zhai Chengjing bent to pick up an inconspicuous paper bag from the coffee table, handing it to her with a smirk. "For you."
Wen Ran opened it and froze. Inside was a raw piece of jade.
Her fingers trembled slightly as Zhai Chengjing turned away, missing her guilty expression. "Like it?"
"Yes." She bit her lip.
"Good." He wheeled his suitcase toward the bedroom. "I'll shower and change, then you can take me to eat."
Wen Ran smiled. "Of course."
The door closed.
Wen Ran looked at the jade in her hand, recalling the lie she had told: I know a 'Southern School' jade carving artisan in Hu City. I want to stay here a bit longer.This was clearly her fabrication, yet it had been taken seriously.The guilt from this realization weighed heavily on her.
Not long after, Zhai Chengjing emerged wearing a suit.Wen Ran stood up, noticing his attire: "Senior, do you have an event tonight?""Yes, so I can't spend too much time having dinner with you.""It's fine." Wen Ran walked toward the door. "Let's hurry, then.""Ran Ran.""Hmm?"Zhai Chengjing glanced at the paper bag left on the sofa: "Don't you like the gift?"She had forgotten to take it.Wen Ran rushed over, picked up the bag, and hugged it: "I do like it. I was just too focused on deciding where to take you to eat."At that moment, Wen Ran deeply understood the old saying: When you tell one lie, you'll need countless more to cover it.Lies are an abyss.
Zhai Chengjing had little appetite, eating only a few bites before stopping. He had always been this way.Wen Ran also put down her fork: "Senior, do you have plans tomorrow?"She thought if he was free, she'd take a day off to spend with him.Zhai Chengjing smiled apologetically: "I have to return to M Country… I can only have this meal with you.""It's okay." Wen Ran shook her head. "Once I go back, we can see each other every day.""Mm."Wen Ran took a sip of floral tea.Zhai Chengjing looked at her: "You should return home soon. Everyone misses you.""I know. Very soon." Her reply was firm.She would be home shortly.
Zhai Chengjing's schedule was indeed tight. He didn't even offer to drive Wen Ran back, hurriedly hugging her after the meal before boarding the waiting business car.He sat inside, window rolled down, waving goodbye.On his finger was a ring Wen Ran had gifted him last year.Wen Ran stood by the roadside, waving as the car slowly merged into traffic and disappeared.Her heart twinged, an intense ache spreading.This feeling was even stronger than when she had left M Country alone, bidding farewell to everyone.During her month away from home, she truly realized how warm and comforting home was—a large umbrella sheltering her from all storms.
After the Monday meeting, Wen Ran scrapped her initial design idea again.She suddenly remembered the gift from Zhai Chengjing the previous day, and her mind cleared.Design should complement the raw stone, allowing it to shine. That is the purpose of design.Wen Ran meticulously studied Miss Zhong's raw stone.'White Ice' jadeite, hailed as the 'noble beauty' of jade, was pure as water, luminous as crystal, and transparent as morning dew.Its essence lay in simplicity, elegance, and grandeur.Thus, it didn't need flashy or intricate designs, which would only overshadow it, reducing it to a配角.To let it take center stage, it needed elements of similar elegance to accentuate it.
Wen Ran rested her chin on her hand, pondering how to highlight this 'noble beauty,' when she caught sight of Yan Wangshu passing by the window.His expression was cold, devoid of any emotion.After he disappeared, Wen Ran chuckled at herself—what could she possibly discern about his mood from a fleeting glimpse?
She recalled Yan Wangshu's words from two nights prior. After a moment's thought, she grabbed her portfolio and went to find him.She couldn't enter Yan Wangshu's office, blocked by his assistant.After explaining her purpose, Qin Xiao scrutinized her with a skeptical gaze.Wen Ran's guilt resurfaced, making her feel every intense stare was a silent accusation.Hugging her portfolio, she blinked earnestly: "It's true. Mr. Yan asked me to show him."Qin Xiao, observing this intern-like employee, suddenly seemed to remember something and smiled: "Wait a moment."Wen Ran nodded: "Thank you."Qin Xiao made an internal call. As he listened, his smile faded.Hanging up, he politely extended his hand: "Mr. Yan is busy. Leave it with me."Wen Ran thanked him and handed over the portfolio.
On her way back, Wen Ran confirmed she had overthought things.Yan Wangshu truly had no interest in her.She had unfairly judged a gentleman.A gentleman?A gentleman would naturally pair well with a 'noble beauty.'Wen Ran's mind suddenly clicked. She hurried back to her desk and began sketching.
She skipped lunch, consumed by her new design idea, determined to submit a complete proposal.She asked Ai Wei to bring her a pastry.After lunch, Ai Wei returned and placed the pastry on Wen Ran's desk.Wen Ran didn't look up, muttering a "thanks."Ai Wei frowned at her intensity.By now, the entire company knew Wen Ran was desperately competing for the spot, with her lack of experience fueling doubts about her capabilities.Though they praised her efforts as "commendable for a newcomer," their words masked mockery of her overreach.
That noon, Ai Wei had heard something else.Unable to stay silent, she said: "Wen Ran, I heard something.""What?"Ai Wei leaned closer: "Wu Yunshan also submitted a commercial design."Wu Yunshan had submitted a design?That meant she was competing for the spot.But Wu Yunshan, as chief designer, already had a guaranteed entry to the 'Apollo Jewelry Design Competition.' Why would she do this?Wen Ran paused, turning to Ai Wei.Ai Wei hinted: "Some say she wants to prove her skills to the new director or even Mr. Yan, since he's judging. But isn't that beneath her? So I think…"Wen Ran, rarely one to gossip, widened her eyes: "Think what?"Ai Wei hesitated, then stated bluntly: "She's targeting you."Because of the Xiang Xiaoyue incident?Wen Ran understood. She pursed her lips and resumed sketching: "The opportunity is fair. I still want to try."
Ai Wei wasn't sure if Wen Ran was putting on a brave face, but she agreed with her stance.Not wanting to dampen her spirit further, Ai Wei softened: "It's okay. You're young—there'll be more chances. Plus, I heard Chen Xing has been preparing for the 'Apollo' competition for months. Even if you win this spot, submitting a rushed piece would be wasteful. So even if you don't get it, it's fine.""We'll see." Wen Ran smiled. "First, I need to pass the initial round.""Then eat something." Ai Wei nudged the pastry. "Don't ruin your health. It's not worth it."
Under Ai Wei's watchful eye, Wen Ran set down her pen, tidied her desk, and took a small bite of the pastry. Her brows lifted: "This is delicious!"Ai Wei beamed, finding her utterly endearing.
After the snack, Wen Ran resumed drawing.Ai Wei's words hadn't dimmed her drive—instead, they fueled her focus.She needed to defeat Wu Yunshan first, then overcome seasoned designers who had prepared for months, to ultimately claim the filigree fragrance box.