Song Nannan’s heart stirred, and she sent it to the four-girl group chat of college graduates (Fairy Pavilion).
Song Nannan: “Absolute dream girl, girls!!”
Zhao Yuting: “? Aren’t you basically a failed stalker pervert? You took a sneaky photo and only got her back.”
Song Nannan bared her teeth and claws: “This time is totally different, I’m telling you from now on she’s my crush. Just watch me win her over!”
Zhao Yuting mocked: “No way, no way. Don’t tell me someone still couldn’t even get a phone number~”
Song Nannan: “No way, no way. Don’t tell me someone still failed the CET-6 even after graduating~”
Zhao Yuting’s face darkened that was her sore spot: “Angry!”
Song Nannan was smug.
Su Jiu-jiu sent heart-eyes: “Ah, it’s a big sister. That waist, those legs she must be a total beauty. I want to slide down her abs.”
Song Nannan sent an angry face: “Back off!!! I saw her first.”
Su Jiu-jiu whimpered pitifully: “I just want to cuddle with the big sister, what’s wrong with that? Nannan is being mean to me.”
Zhao Yuting posted a meme: Su Jiu-jiu, overflowing with tea-scented scheming. Song Nannan held up a sign: +1.
Su Jiu-jiu threw a flirtatious glance at her and Song Nannan.
Zhao Yuting continued: “But speaking of which, remember that time at the bar? The one you fancied, you followed her for nine streets, and when she turned around, it was Cuihua?” That time, in the middle of the night, Song Nannan had called her crying, saying her heart was shattered to pieces, that her romance had ended before it even began, and she and Su Jiu-jiu had laughed about it for a full three months.
“Even if the back shot is amazing, without seeing her face, how would you know what this ‘crush’ of yours looks like?” She now seriously doubted Song Nannan’s taste.
Song Nannan still shuddered at the memory of that pockmarked face from last time. With her embarrassing moment brought up, she rubbed her nose, feeling a little guilty: “I’d drunk too much and it was dark, I couldn’t see clearly. This time it’s absolutely real, I’m telling you! I was so busy staring at her face I didn’t have time to take a photo. Once I win her over, I’ll definitely show you!”
Zhao Yuting looked skeptical: “Heh heh heh.”
Su Jiu-jiu: “I trust Nannan’s taste this time. What do you think, Siyao?”
Zhao Yuting simultaneously @-ed Shen Siyao and held up a sign: “I trust Siyao’s taste more.”
Song Nannan threw a tantrum, bawling: “You’re all bullying me!”
Shen Siyao opened her phone and saw all three of them @-ing her. She tapped on the picture, the figure in it was elegant and tall. She looked at it twice, feeling a strange sense of familiarity, and suppressed that inexplicable emotion. Someone with a figure that good couldn’t have a bad face overall, judging by the bone structure. So she replied: “Not bad.”
Zhao Yuting’s tone flipped instantly: “If Siyao says ‘not bad,’ then she must be gorgeous.” After all, Shen Siyao’s standards were extremely high, and her admirers were countless even the basketball team captain and the student council vice president had shown interest in her, yet Miss Shen hadn’t given a single one of them the time of day. But then, she had the capital for it. The four of them, roommates in one dorm, were known as the Four Great Beauties of the school, but Shen Siyao was the one universally acknowledged campus belle, voted in ballot by ballot absolutely fair and just.
The four of them had always gotten along well, staying in touch even after graduating from college. Of course, as for the person Shen Siyao kept in her heart, they had heard rumors but few knew the truth, all they knew was that it was a girl, and Shen Siyao’s first love at that. Plenty of people who heard this news were gnashing their teeth in jealousy, and after enough time passed, many even came to believe that Miss Shen had simply made it up as an excuse to fend off suitors.
Even the three of them couldn’t understand how Shen Siyao had held on for so long. The one most likely to find a partner was the very one still single~
Su Jiu-jiu: “Ah, it’s a pretty older-sister type!”
The wind shifted instantly. Song Nannan watched Zhao Yuting’s change of face. But since Siyao said she was decent-looking, it really did prove that Song Nannan’s taste was decent this time, and the corners of Song Nannan’s mouth curved up in pleasure.
“Once I win her over, I’ll treat everyone to a meal so we can all get together.” Having a beautiful girlfriend on your arm was a real point of pride, and Song Nannan was never one to hide things away.
Zhao Yuting replied perfunctorily: “If Siyao makes a move, it definitely won’t take long. Even Jiu-jiu with her fake-sweet act could probably manage it pretty quickly. As for you…” Recalling Song Nannan’s track record of pursuing people, she paused. “Actually, even if you don’t win her over, you could still treat us to a meal.” Just as long as you don’t scare the poor girl off.
Su Jiu-jiu made a face of wiping away tears: “Waaah, I’ll just take that as Yuting complimenting me”
Song Nannan: “……” She was actually speechless.
Su Jiu-jiu probed cautiously: “By the way, has there been any news about Siyao’s ex? Last week, that Xu Feng had someone ask me for Siyao’s contact info.” Xu Feng was the former captain of the basketball team, the one who had pursued Shen Siyao the most persistently back in the day. His existence had actually blocked quite a few romantic encounters and troubles for Shen Siyao. Fed up with him, Shen Siyao had someone teach him a lesson, and things quieted down. She never expected to hear that name again now.
The moment these words came out, all three of them practically perked up their ears waiting for Shen Siyao’s reaction.
Su Jiu-jiu sent a voice message, whining in a cutesy complaint: “I don’t know where these men get their delusional confidence. They’ve already been rejected but still shamelessly cling on. Siyao would never like these stinky men.”
Shen Siyao’s brows lifted slightly as she pressed the voice button: “Found her.”
“Hm?”
“Huh?”
“Ah.” Three people, three shocked faces, all wearing expressions of disbelief. After all this time, some of them had even assumed Miss Shen had made the whole thing up.
Even Song Nannan wore a gossipy, melon-eating expression.
Shen Siyao: “…” Could you all please act normal.
Su Jiu-jiu suddenly went quiet. Zhao Yuting spoke first: “Ahhhhhh, hurry up and let me see what the ex-girlfriend Siyao waited so long for actually looks like!”
“Do we need to meet up? A meal? Are you two getting back together? Even though I’m abroad, I can come back anytime.”
Song Nannan choked. Last week when she’d called to check in, she’d said she had no time. Hmph, heartless woman. But for now, united against a common front: “I’ve been in the country the whole time!”
Su Jiu-jiu replied quickly, her tone serious: “I’ll be back in the country in a while.”
Shen Siyao’s eyes softened. Even though the girl was right there under her nose now, the misunderstanding between them hadn’t been resolved. She could only weigh her words carefully: “We’ll talk about it later.”
The three of them understood clearly, it seemed nothing had been settled yet. Siyao didn’t want to say more, and everyone was actually quite curious about this ex-girlfriend she couldn’t stop thinking about. But since Siyao put it that way, she must have her own reasons, so they didn’t press further.
Jiang Yi returned to her room to take a shower, then have breakfast.
She ran into Zhao Zhao and Zhang Tingting, who had just come out of their room. Her room was a single suite, while Zhao Zhao and Zhang Tingting shared one. At the moment, Zhang Tingting was supporting Zhao Zhao.
Zhao Zhao’s face was rather pale her usually striking features now looked miserable, and even makeup couldn’t hide her exhaustion. Zhang Tingting, too, had dark circles under her eyes.
Zhang Tingting spoke first: “Good morning, Jiang Yi.”
Jiang Yi looked at the two of them and asked, “Didn’t you sleep well last night?”
She hadn’t. Just thinking about it made Zhao Zhao embarrassed, her face flushing hot and cold. After eating hotpot last night, she’d had something cold to drink, and her stomach had cramped terribly which meant Zhang Tingting hadn’t slept well either. She felt a bit guilty about it.
Right now, they were on their way down to see if the hotel had any relevant medicine. They couldn’t let this affect the work at Baige later after all, it was only the first day of the business trip, and they represented Aurora’s image.
“I’m fine, I just need a little rest,” Zhao Zhao insisted. Zhang Tingting was at a loss for words, but she couldn’t win against Zhao Zhao.
Jiang Yi noticed her breaking out in a cold sweat and raised an eyebrow: “You should still go to the hospital and get checked out first.”
“Tingting, go with her so someone can look after her.” She did have medicine on hand, but she took hers carelessly herself, she couldn’t possibly inflict that on someone else.
Hearing this, Zhao Zhao refused: “I’ll just take some medicine. It won’t affect this afternoon’s work schedule.”
Jiang Yi feigned displeasure: “If there’s a problem, deal with it promptly. Don’t treat your own health so carelessly.” The moment the words left her mouth, she froze someone had said exactly that to her last night.
Moreover, hearing them mention what they’d eaten last night, Jiang Yi seemed to understand why Shen Siyao had taken her out to eat. Was it a coincidental connection, or… Jiang Yi suppressed this subtle stirring.
Zhang Tingting nodded. That was what she thought too, only by treating an illness promptly could one work better. Zhao Zhao might not listen to Zhang Tingting’s advice, but she knew that dragging her body along like this would indeed affect her work performance. It was an unavoidable fact now, it would affect not only the work, but perhaps also reflect on Deputy General Manager Jiang.
But with Jiang Yi’s earnest expression at this moment, she had no way to argue back, because what Jiang Yi said was the truth.
Zhao Zhao had no choice: “Fine, I’ll take the morning off and be back at work in the afternoon.”
Seeing her relent, Jiang Yi’s furrowed brow relaxed: “There’s no rush.”
Zhao Zhao nodded, but resolved to report to Baige in the afternoon no matter what, she didn’t want to hold Aurora back.
Working here was no different from working at Baige, except that her office area was a bit smaller, there was no observation deck, meals had to be on time, and the workload was even less intense than what she was used to.
The schedule was regular, and team members were grouped according to each person’s area of expertise. Everyone seemed to be just an ordinary new employee as if they had no guard up against her at all, not worried in the least that she might monitor Baige Technology’s core technology.
Of course, Jiang Yi wouldn’t do such a thing, but this kind of defenselessness made her feel the security was far too lax.
Aurora’s mainframe, that is, its central core brain was kept in the most strictly secured location. Apart from her, everyone else could only access the externally supplied data for research and development; the final operational sign-off was her responsibility alone.
Baige, however, did things differently. Each person was responsible for overseeing the content of their regional department, piecing things together from start to finish and compiling them into a complete sample.
Moreover, she had originally assumed Shen Siyao would be there. But over these past few days, aside from some monitoring tasks Cheng Le had assigned her, there had been nothing else to do. She couldn’t say whether it was a wistful sense of regret or some inexplicable emotion at work.