Wen Xi’s movements paused for a moment.
She was organizing the things in her bag, and her fingers stopped briefly on the zipper before she casually pulled it shut again. “His surname is Fu. You definitely haven’t heard of him. He’s not some big shot, just… an ordinary department manager.”
That technically was not a lie.
Fu Linfeng did indeed “work” at Fu Group Corporation—only, the entire corporation belonged to him.
“Surname Fu?” Lin Manman tilted her head. “There aren’t that many people with the surname Fu in Fu Group Corporation. Don’t tell me he’s related to the boss or something?”
“He’s not.” Wen Xi smiled as she slung her bag over her shoulder. “Just a coincidence with the surname. I’m leaving, okay? You go back to work.”
“Alright, alright, safe travels, rich Madam—”
Lin Manman dragged out the words teasingly from behind her, her voice filled with laughter.
Wen Xi pushed open the door, and the wind chime jingled brightly. She had just stepped out when Lin Manman suddenly called after her again.
“Hey, wait a second!”
Wen Xi turned around.
Lin Manman had already popped out from behind the flowers. She quickly pulled together a few stems—a handful of white chamomile, pink carnations, several sprigs of eucalyptus, and one champagne rose in full bloom. With practiced movements, she wrapped them in kraft paper, tied them with twine, and within moments created a small but exquisite bouquet.
She jogged over and stuffed the flowers into Wen Xi’s arms.
“A wedding gift.”
Lin Manman smiled, her eyes curving like crescents. “I didn’t get to attend your wedding banquet, but I had to give you flowers. Take them. Don’t look down on them, okay? They’re basically at cost price, didn’t cost much.”
Wen Xi lowered her head to look at the bouquet in her arms, and suddenly her nose felt a little sore.
The kraft paper felt rough yet warm in her hands, and the twine had been tied into a crooked little bow—obviously Lin Manman’s handiwork, considering how terrible she was at crafts.
The champagne rose still had droplets of water clinging to its petals, sparkling under the sunlight.
“Thank you,” she said softly, her voice slightly hoarse.
“What are you thanking me for?”
Lin Manman waved a hand dismissively. “Go back and talk to your husband about the investment thing, okay? If he really agrees, we’ll start looking for a storefront tomorrow. Don’t make decisions all by yourself, got it?”
“Got it.”
“And one more thing—”
Lin Manman suddenly lowered her voice and leaned in, her expression turning serious.
“Wen Xi, even though you said he treats you well, I still need to tell you this—no matter when, no matter what happens, you still have me. Don’t carry everything by yourself, understand?”
Wen Xi looked at her and nodded firmly.
“I understand.”
She hugged the bouquet to her chest and turned to walk toward the alley entrance.
After a few steps, she looked back once more.
Lin Manman was still standing at the doorway, one hand braced against the frame while the other waved at her.
Wen Xi withdrew her gaze, tightened her hold on the bouquet, and quickened her pace toward the alley entrance.
At the entrance, the black sedan sat quietly parked by the roadside.
Driver Old Zhou was already waiting beside the car. The moment he saw Wen Xi approaching, he immediately opened the rear door for her.
His eyes swept over the bouquet in her arms.
The flowers were ordinary—wrapped in kraft paper, tied with twine, nowhere near the level of those expensive imported arrangements.
But he said nothing. He merely gave a slight bow.
“Miss Wen, back to the villa?”
“Mhm. Let’s go back.”
Wen Xi bent down and climbed into the car, carefully placing the bouquet on the seat beside her.
The vehicle smoothly exited the alley and merged into the city traffic.
She lowered her head to look at the flowers, lightly brushing the chamomile petals with her fingertips. The corners of her lips unconsciously lifted.
Outside the car window, the city slowly drifted backward before her eyes.
Overpasses, office buildings, shopping malls, pedestrians crossing sky bridges—
This city she had lived in for more than three years suddenly looked a little different from inside the car window.
Not because she was riding in a luxury car.
But because—
It felt like she finally had something that belonged to her.
Not something Fu Linfeng had given her.
Not something bought with that monthly two hundred thousand yuan allowance.
But something truly hers.
Something she could devote herself to.
A friend she could work hard alongside.
A direction that perhaps belonged to her future.
Wen Xi lifted the bouquet and lowered her head to inhale its fragrance.
The scent of chamomile was light, sweet, and gentle. Not overpowering, but deeply comforting.
Meanwhile—
Fu Group Corporation, President’s Office on the top floor.
Chen Mo was organizing the materials for the afternoon meeting when his phone suddenly vibrated.
He glanced at it.
It was a message from Old Zhou, the driver specifically assigned to Wen Xi:
“Secretary Chen, Madam went to a flower shop this morning and stayed there for about two hours. When she came out, she was carrying a bouquet and looked very happy.”
Chen Mo looked at the message without replying immediately. He raised his head, his gaze passing over the desk toward Fu Linfeng.
Fu Linfeng was standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, speaking on the phone.
One hand rested in his trouser pocket while the other held the phone to his ear. His tall figure appeared straight and cold, his voice calm as he conversed in English with someone on the other end.
He spoke quickly, mixed with financial terminology Chen Mo could not fully understand.
Sunlight streamed through the windows, outlining his figure in sharp, icy edges.
Chen Mo waited quietly.
Only after Fu Linfeng ended the call and returned to his desk did Chen Mo speak in an even tone.
“President Fu, Old Zhou sent an update. Madam went out this morning.”
Fu Linfeng was flipping through a document without even lifting his eyes.
“Where did she go?”
“A flower shop. She stayed for about two hours.”
Chen Mo paused briefly before adding calmly, “When Madam came out, she was holding a bouquet. Old Zhou said… Madam looked very happy.”
The fingers turning the page paused for a split second.
The pause was so brief that no one but Chen Mo—who had followed Fu Linfeng for five years and understood every subtle movement he made—would have noticed.
But Chen Mo noticed.
Fu Linfeng did not look up. He simply turned another page and said flatly, “A flower shop? Whose?”
“It should belong to Madam’s friend. Old Zhou said Madam was chatting and laughing with a girl inside the shop. They seemed very close.”
Fu Linfeng gave a quiet “Mm” and said nothing further.
Chen Mo hesitated for a moment.
He was debating whether to show the photo Old Zhou had sent.
The photo had been secretly taken from afar. The angle was not great, but it clearly captured Wen Xi walking out of the alley with a bouquet in her arms and a smile on her face. Sunlight fell across her hair, making her look soft and bright.
After thinking it over, Chen Mo ultimately put his phone away.
President Fu would not be interested in something like this.
“The meeting starts at three this afternoon,” Chen Mo changed the subject. “I’ve already prepared the materials.”
“Mm.”
Fu Linfeng leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on the computer screen before him, one hand resting on the mouse. He looked no different from usual.
Chen Mo turned to leave.
But just as he reached the door, a voice suddenly sounded behind him.
“What flowers?”
Chen Mo’s footsteps halted.
He turned around.
Fu Linfeng still was not looking at him. His gaze remained on the screen, his expression as indifferent as plain water.
If there had been anyone else in the office, Chen Mo would have thought the question was not directed at him.
“What?” he asked uncertainly.
“What flowers was she holding?”