Ning Zhiyuan sincerely admired Shen Li’s dedication to work.
The previous night, she had discovered that Shen Li hadn’t slept at all. The shock had completely driven away her own drowsiness. After finally managing to fall asleep again, she didn’t wake until nearly noon.
Meanwhile, Shen Li had already gone to the company first thing in the morning.
“Miss Ning, lunch is ready.”
Ning Zhiyuan looked at the lavish brunch spread on the table but had little appetite.
After forcing herself to eat a few bites, she put down her chopsticks.
Shen Li hadn’t slept at all last night. Could his body really handle the intensity of work today?
He was already so thin. Holding him felt like hugging a bundle of bones.
Did he ever eat properly?
Wang Ma emerged from the kitchen carrying a soup pot. Seeing that the food had barely been touched, she quietly sighed.
“The slow-simmered chicken soup is ready. Have some soup.”
She wiped her hands on her apron and lifted the lid.
A rich aroma immediately filled the room.
“This chicken is incredibly fresh. I personally brought it back from my hometown yesterday. The medicinal herbs inside are all top quality, and it’s been simmering for hours…”
Ning Zhiyuan’s gaze lingered on the fragrant broth.
Something stirred in her eyes.
…
“Assistant Qi, Miss Ning is here.”
After receiving a call from the front desk, Qi Zhu immediately glanced toward the conference room where a meeting was still underway.
He hurried downstairs.
Back when the boss was hospitalized, he’d genuinely believed the young miss had finally changed her mind.
Then she broke up with the Pei family heir and immediately seemed interested in another boy.
He never should have expected anything from her.
That said…
This young miss had quite a temper.
If she caused a scene in the lobby, nobody would be able to stop her.
He couldn’t afford to neglect her.
By the time Qi Zhu arrived downstairs, panting heavily, the receptionists all looked pale and tense.
The moment they saw him, their expressions resembled people spotting a savior.
“M-Miss Ning… huff… huff… please come with me.”
To his surprise, Ning Zhiyuan was sitting quietly in the waiting area.
Upon seeing him, she simply stood up and picked up the insulated container beside her.
Only after the executive elevator doors closed did the front desk staff finally relax.
“Seriously, she scared me to death. I thought she’d come looking for trouble again. My heart nearly stopped.”
“Exactly. She’s only been here twice before, and both times ended in chaos. What do you think will happen this time?”
“Didn’t you see Assistant Qi running down here out of breath? He even wiped sweat off his forehead. I bet she’s going to embarrass President Shen in front of everyone again. Honestly, how did he end up with a fiancée like this?”
…
The elevator reached the top floor.
“Where’s Shen Li?”
Qi Zhu steeled himself.
“Miss Ning, the boss is currently in a meeting. This meeting is extremely important and concerns Shen Corporation’s key projects for next quarter. Could you possibly…”
Looking at Qi Zhu standing in front of the conference room with his arms spread wide, Ning Zhiyuan couldn’t help twitching the corner of her mouth.
In her previous life, she’d firmly believed Shen Li was the reason she couldn’t be with Pei Jin.
After being forced into the engagement, she’d deliberately come to Shen Corporation twice to make his life difficult.
The first time, she had been kept waiting in the lobby for five extra minutes and smashed the entire reception area.
The second time, Shen Li had been in a meeting. She stormed directly into the conference room and publicly berated him in front of everyone.
Her record was undeniably terrible.
No wonder everyone treated her like a walking natural disaster.
She wasn’t in the mood to explain.
“Take me to his office. I’ll wait there.”
Qi Zhu had already braced himself for a hurricane.
Instead, the storm suddenly vanished.
Watching Ning Zhiyuan’s retreating figure, he vigorously shook his head and hurried after her.
After settling her into the office, he immediately returned to the conference room.
Not because he had anything important to do.
He simply didn’t trust her.
He needed to make sure the boss learned she was here the moment the meeting ended.
…
This was Ning Zhiyuan’s first time entering Shen Li’s office, in both her previous and current lives.
An office was an office.
Most looked the same.
Yet the black executive chair immediately caught her attention.
This was probably where Shen Li spent most of his time.
After casually placing the insulated container on the desk, she ran her hand over the leather chair.
The moment she sat down, her eyes landed on two framed photographs beside the computer.
One was old.
The photo showed a younger girl in a blue-and-white school uniform making a cheerful peace sign at the camera.
Ning Zhiyuan recognized it instantly.
It was her middle-school graduation photo.
Originally a group photo.
Shen Li had cropped everyone else out and enlarged just her.
The frame showed faint signs of wear around the edges.
It was obvious someone often held it in their hands.
The second frame was brand new.
The picture had been taken on their engagement day.
It captured the exact moment she had unexpectedly kissed Shen Li’s cheek.
Her triumphant smile and Shen Li’s flustered expression had both been frozen forever.
His feelings for her had started earlier than she’d ever imagined.
And they ran deeper too.
Just as she was returning the photograph to its original place, the office door opened.
“Yuanyuan, why are you—”
Shen Li’s voice stopped abruptly.
The instant the meeting ended and Qi Zhu informed him that Yuanyuan was waiting in his office, he’d practically sprinted here.
She had seen them.
The photographs he’d secretly kept.
Would she be angry?
Would she throw them away?
She had come here specifically to make trouble for him.
Not only had he made her wait during his meeting, she’d also discovered the photographs…
His breathing stalled.
Then he watched her gently place the frame back onto the desk.
She walked over and hugged his arm.
With a slightly coquettish tone, she asked,
“Have you eaten? I brought you some chicken soup.”
Smiling brightly, she pushed the insulated container toward him.
Qi Zhu didn’t find the scene heartwarming at all.
It felt terrifying.
A fiancée whose heart supposedly belonged to someone else suddenly bringing chicken soup?
This looked less like affection and more like poisoning.
Like Wu Dalang being handed medicine.
With righteous determination, he stepped forward.
“Miss Ning, I haven’t had chicken soup in ages. Can I have some too?”
“Ahem.”
Shen Li coughed.
Qi Zhu immediately shook his head at him.
Under his boss’s icy stare, he wisely retreated.
Shen Li opened the container and filled a small bowl.
“Have you eaten already, Yuanyuan?”
“I have.”
He took a sip.
The smile on his face subtly faded.
Yuanyuan hadn’t made it herself.
Ning Zhiyuan rested her chin on her hand.
“Is it good?”
Meeting her gaze, Shen Li smiled softly.
“Yes. It’s delicious.”
“Then finish all of it.”
And so, Shen Li obediently drank the soup while Qi Zhu sighed beside him nonstop.
Accompanied by Qi Zhu’s endless sighs, Shen Li finished more than half the container.
When he was done, he carefully packed everything away.
…
Standing inside the elevator, Ning Zhiyuan waved goodbye.
“I’m heading out now.”
Qi Zhu stared at Shen Li in astonishment.
“Miss Ning is just leaving? She really only came to deliver soup? Boss, do you feel uncomfortable anywhere? Could there have been something wrong with that soup?”
Shen Li shot him a cold glance.
“Too noisy.”
Even if it had been poison, he would have drunk it willingly.
Qi Zhu immediately shut his mouth.
His boss truly was wise and heroic.
Obviously, Miss Ning wouldn’t poison someone in broad daylight.
He’d simply worried too much.
…
The receptionists waited anxiously for the inevitable disaster.
Yet even after the young miss left the elevator and exited the building in what appeared to be an excellent mood, no catastrophe arrived.
The group exchanged stunned looks.
“Did anyone notice the insulated container she was carrying? Do you think she actually came to deliver soup?”
“I noticed it immediately. I just didn’t dare say it because it seemed impossible.”
“This is unbelievable. Though honestly… based purely on looks, I’m starting to ship President Shen and Miss Ning.”