An hour later,
“Miss Lin, are you satisfied?” Owen asked softly and politely.
Lin Chaochao opened her eyes and heard the people in the room saying, “Miss Lin, you’re so beautiful,”
“Absolutely stunning.”
She looked at herself in the mirror, feeling a bit dazed. It took her a moment before she nodded and said to Owen, “Thank you, Teacher Owen. Thank you, everyone.”
She then followed Owen out.
With a few crisp clicks of her high heels,
“President Huo, I’m ready.” Lin Chaochao looked at the man sitting on the sofa.
Huo Nanting looked up at the sound of her voice, his gaze slowly traveling from bottom to top, finally settling on her face. Her delicate makeup was quite different from what he’d seen before.
Clear, bright eyes, a straight, elegant nose, and below that, a pair of rosy lips that made one want to smudge them. Her thick, lustrous black hair was swept up at the nape of her neck…
“Mm, not bad. Very beautiful.”
Huo Nanting rose to his feet and took out a bracelet from the inner pocket of his jacket. It was delicate, encrusted with tiny diamonds that sparkled under the light.
He reached out to put it on her wrist.
Lin Chaochao wanted to refuse, but Huo Nanting said, “This is a Huo Corporation design. Miss Lin will need to wear it tonight for the brand promotion.”
Hearing this, Lin Chaochao slowly extended her hand and let the man fasten it on her. Looking at the dazzling bracelet, it truly was beautiful. She gently turned her wrist, and under the light, it shimmered like starlight.
Huo Nanting watched her movements, a faint smile curling at the corner of his lips.
At that moment, Lin Chaochao noticed that Huo Nanting had also changed into a new suit—a black, hand-tailored one. The exquisite cut and fine stitching spoke of the highest quality and luxury, perfectly hugging his tall, upright frame and making his long, lean figure appear even more imposing. Beneath it, he wore a crisp white shirt—clean and simple.
But he wasn’t wearing a tie. Huo Nanting stepped closer and asked Lin Chaochao, “Miss Lin, which tie do you think would suit me best?”
“You could try this navy blue one. The color is very steady and goes well with both black and white.” Lin Chaochao offered her opinion from the side.
“Miss Lin, do you know how to tie a tie?” Huo Nanting asked, holding the tie.
“Yes, I do.”
Lin Chaochao took the tie calmly, though her heart was a little nervous. After all, apart from tying one for her father, she had never tied a tie for any other man.
She steeled herself—it’s just tying a tie, she thought. I’ll just pretend he’s a mannequin.
She stood on her tiptoes and raised her slender arm. Huo Nanting could see that Lin Chaochao was struggling a bit, so he proactively bent down and lowered his head.
At such close proximity, she could almost feel his breath. Huo Nanting’s eyes remained fixed on her the entire time, his gaze unreadable, yet he never looked away even for an inch.
But that kind of gaze was far too intense for Lin Chaochao. She already had no resistance to his looks, and on top of that, he was her big boss. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest.
Her movements were gentle and careful, and she tied the tie perfectly. It truly suited him well.
The two of them turned to look at each other in the mirror. Lin Chaochao wondered if Huo Nanting had done it on purpose—choosing an outfit that made them look like a couple.
“Wow, wow, wow—that scene just now. Anyone who saw it would inevitably think you two are a couple.”
While Owen stood by watching the commotion, he didn’t forget to snap a photo of this ambiguous scene and send it to their three-person group chat.
Huo Nanting didn’t mind at all, but Lin Chaochao’s face turned red, and she shyly lowered her head and stepped aside.
The banquet was set to begin at eight in the evening, with less than an hour to go.
The three of them sat down and chatted for a while to pass the time.
“It’s been a long time since the three of us brothers drank together. Let’s get together again when I get back.”
“I’m very busy. Not like you, with all that free time.” Huo Nanting crossed his legs.
“Yes, so busy every day that you don’t even have time to date. A man in his thirties, still lonely and alone—how pitiful.” Owen teased the man while also stealing a glance at Lin Chaochao.
Naturally, she could hear these words from where she sat beside them, but the woman simply kept her head down and said nothing.
The two of them hadn’t talked for long before Owen left.
Now heading to the banquet, the timing was just right.
In the car, Huo Nanting took out his phone, found the photo posted in the group chat, tapped on the original image, and saved it. Then he closed his eyes to rest, looking satisfied.
The banquet attendees were all from renowned jewelry design companies, as well as members of the upper-class elite circles both domestically and internationally. Huo Nanting’s purpose for this trip was clear—to open the door to overseas markets through the Gill Corporation.
President Gill had specially arranged the banquet at the city’s largest and most luxurious hotel—Ruizhi. The interior decor was extravagant, with every detail symbolizing wealth and power.
Lin Chaochao, wearing five-centimeter heels, held onto Huo Nanting’s arm. The moment they appeared, they attracted considerable media attention. Lin Chaochao deliberately showed off her bracelet as she stood there with Huo Nanting, letting the photographers take their pictures.
Seeing the woman’s “little scheme,” Huo Nanting laughed inwardly with delight. What a silly girl.
When they entered, they saw that quite a few people had already arrived—mostly foreigners, with a few Chinese jewelry companies. Everyone was raising their glasses in conversation, whether genuine or not, no one could tell.
Someone in the crowd recognized Huo Nanting and knew he was the president of the Huo Group, but they didn’t know who his female companion was, since they had never seen Huo Nanting bring a date to a banquet before.
Just then, President Gill spotted Huo Nanting. “Huo, welcome. I hope our cooperation will be a pleasant one.”
Huo Nanting raised his glass and took a sip, saying, “Pleasant cooperation, President Gill.”
“This is Lin Chaochao, a designer from my company. She’s responsible for the wedding ring design for your daughter,” the man continued to introduce.
“Wow, Lin looks very well matched with President Huo. Thank you for providing us with such a beautiful design.”
Lin Chaochao replied to the man before her with equal politeness. “You’re welcome. It’s my pleasure.”
As his companion, Lin Chaochao walked alongside the man, watching him move effortlessly among all kinds of people, switching between several languages without hesitation, feeling the powerful aura he exuded. At this moment, Lin Chaochao felt a hint of admiration for him.
And the woman, facing such an occasion, was equally at ease and graceful. Her confidence was just as captivating to the man.
After a while, Gill’s youngest daughter, Angela, approached Lin Chaochao. “Hi, Miss Lin. Could I have a word with you?”
“Of course. Miss Gill.”
Lin Chaochao and Angela were conversing in a quiet corner, and after half an hour of discussion, they finally settled on the details.
“I trust you, Miss Lin. I’m sure you’ll create a wedding ring that will satisfy me.”
“Rest assured, Angela, and I wish you all the happiness.”
With that matter resolved, Lin Chaochao scanned the crowd for Huo Nanting. She spotted the man chatting and laughing effortlessly with some foreigners, his demeanor elegant and gentlemanly, striking just the right balance.
Perhaps it was a stroke of intuition—the man spotted her through the crowd as well, and with a slight raise of his brow, he offered her a smile.
After saying a few words to those around him, he walked over to her.
“Miss Lin, you look a bit tired?” he asked with concern.
“I’m fine, but I’ve taken care of the wedding ring matter.” Lin Chaochao looked at him as if showing off her accomplishment.
“Not bad. Your bonus at the end of the month will be quite generous.”
“Then I’ll thank Mr. Huo in advance.” Lin Chaochao shifted her weight from one foot to the other.
Noticing her discomfort, Huo Nanting spoke up: “Miss Lin, why don’t you head back first? Assistant Wang will see you off.”
Lin Chaochao thought to herself, this CEO is really too kind. She had been standing for quite a while, and her calves were indeed aching.
“Thank you so much, Mr. Huo. I wish you all the best for the rest of your day. See you back at the office.” With that, she turned and left.
Watching the woman’s cheerful, bouncing demeanor, the man smiled and turned to instruct his assistant to wait by the entrance.