Оnе hundrеd аnd twеntу minutes latеr, thе рlаnе was readу tо take оff again.
Sinсе Fudu Аirроrt hаd a World Аirlines base, another со-pilоt was quiсklу disраtchеd.
Аt sеvеn in thе evеning, the flight returned tо Jiаngchеng Airport.
Сaptаin Fan tidied uр аnd tооk Ruаn Siхiаn to Fu Mingуu's оfficе.
"Ноw is he?" Fu Мingyu аskеd.
Standing befоrе Fu Mingуu's desk, Caрtain Fan answеrеd truthfullу, "Aсute cholесуstitis. Hе's аlrеаdу hаd surgerу аnd is now in stаble сondition."
"Нmm."
Ruan Siхiаn fоllowеd bеhind Саptain Fan, hеr head slightly lowerеd. She listened tо the entirе eхсhangе between Captain Fan and Fu Mingyu without saying a word.
Ten minutes later, Bai Yang knocked and entered, interrupting briefly.
Before speaking, he glanced at Ruan Sixian.
Noticing his gaze, Ruan Sixian thought he was greeting her and nodded in return.
Bai Yang pursed his lips and walked over to Fu Mingyu's side.
"Mr. Fu, Miss Zheng is here."
Miss Zheng?
Although no name was mentioned, Ruan Sixian instinctively thought it must be Zheng You'an.
She lowered her head and picked at her nails.
Why is she here?
But this thought only flashed through her mind for a moment.
It wasn't important—she had her own affairs.
Then, Bai Yang glanced sideways at Ruan Sixian before leaning in to whisper to Fu Mingyu.
Standing a few meters away, Ruan Sixian couldn't hear what Bai Yang said, but she saw Fu Mingyu nod and reply, "Got it. Have someone arrange it."
After Bai Yang left, Fu Mingyu seamlessly resumed questioning Captain Fan about the situation.
At the end, Captain Fan said, "When the speed brakes were deployed this time, the engine thrust had already exceeded 66%. I will take responsibility."
Ruan Sixian abruptly looked up at Captain Fan.
Did he mean that the QAR Level 3 incident caused by this diversion would be attributed to him?
Fu Mingyu held a pen in his hand, pondered for a moment, and seemingly ignoring Captain Fan's statement, simply said, "Hmm, I understand the situation now."
With the report concluded, Ruan Sixian followed Captain Fan out.
From start to finish, Ruan Sixian and Fu Mingyu had no interaction, not even a single exchange of glances.
Ruan Sixian genuinely found it a bit strange. Just the other day, he had lingered at her home for half a day, working diligently without complaint, enduring her sharp words without showing a hint of anger.
Now, it seemed she had completely extinguished his spark?
But as she reached the door, she heard the person behind her call out, "Ruan Sixian."
Although it was Ruan Sixian who was called, Captain Fan instinctively stopped, glanced at her, then at Fu Mingyu, his eyes shifting between them before he strode away, thoughtfully closing the door behind him.
Initially, Ruan Sixian didn't think much of Fu Mingyu suddenly stopping her, but after Captain Fan's reaction, she couldn't help feeling that nothing good was about to happen.
She turned and asked, "What is it?"
Fu Mingyu, while turning on his computer, said, "Within the next day or two, you should receive a notification. The company is launching this year's nationwide recruitment tour for the flight academy and needs to film a promotional video. The flight department has selected you to appear on camera."
Ruan Sixian tilted her head and smiled happily. "Sure, I can do that."
Appearing in a promotional video to represent the company's image—who wouldn't be happy about that?
Immediately after, Fu Mingyu added, "The photographer in charge is Zheng You'an."
Ruan Sixian was momentarily surprised, but after a brief pause, she understood.
Zheng You'an studied photography, specializing in portraits, and had close ties with the Fu family. It made perfect sense for her to be in charge of this shoot.Ruan Sixian asked, "What's wrong?"
Fu Mingyu looked up, a slight ripple flashing in his eyes before he lowered his gaze and said, "If you're unwilling, I'll have the Flight Department replace the photographer."
Why would I be unwilling?
If I were unwilling, you could just replace the pilot, why replace the photographer?
Ruan Sixian studied him carefully and suddenly understood.
Oh!
You're starting again, aren't you?!
Still thinking I'm jealous of Zheng You'an, right?!
This damn man...
Ruan Sixian looked at Fu Mingyu with a puzzled expression and asked, "Why would I be unwilling? I'm very willing."
Fu Mingyu looked into her eyes, confirmed her sincerity, and let out a soft sigh. "Alright."
Originally, having Zheng You'an direct this promotional video was something Fu Mingyu had agreed to in front of Chairman Zheng.
It wasn't a big deal—usually, they would just hire a decent photographer anyway—so using this opportunity to do Chairman Zheng a favor didn't matter.
But he only learned about the relationship between Ruan Sixian and Zheng You'an afterward.
He usually didn't bother with such minor details, but after the project started, he specifically asked the person in charge. As expected, the Flight Department had chosen Ruan Sixian to appear on camera.
He had thought that if Ruan Sixian didn't want any contact with Zheng You'an, he could even go back on his word and replace Zheng You'an, then apologize to Chairman Zheng in some other way afterward.
Actually, there was another solution: he could have the Flight Department replace Ruan Sixian and choose another pilot instead.
Simple and straightforward.
But from start to finish, he hadn't even considered that option.
The reason he asked her in advance was that he didn't want to make decisions on his own again based on assumptions.
Yet, there was also an inexplicable urge to show off in front of her.
But Ruan Sixian really didn't seem to mind at all.
Not in the slightest—
The next morning, Ruan Sixian indeed received a notification from the Flight Department, asking her to prepare for the filming of this year's recruitment promotional video.
Although the photographer was Zheng You'an, after the last drunken incident, the knot in her heart had loosened considerably. It was just a photoshoot, nothing more.
But today, the temperature hit another record high, and Ruan Sixian had no choice but to wear her uniform when heading out.
Her shirt had to be buttoned up neatly, and her suit pants were stiflingly tight. Turning under the sun felt like flipping a small yellow croaker on a grill.
To make matters worse, it was hard to hail a taxi at this time. She walked from her home to the entrance, but no driver accepted her ride request.
During the few minutes she waited at the entrance, Ruan Sixian felt like she was already half-cooked—someone who liked their food raw could take a bite right then and there.
When Yan An drove out of the parking lot, he saw Ruan Sixian standing at the entrance, clutching her flight cap, looking visibly irritated.
Without realizing it, he stepped on the brakes, stopping about ten meters away from Ruan Sixian.
After that late-night phone call, Yan An hadn't returned to Mingchen Apartments.
Since she had made her rejection perfectly clear, any further pursuit would only make him look pathetic. Even though he occasionally felt frustrated and annoyed, he restrained himself from reaching out.
But at this moment, catching a glimpse of her, he saw her wearing her uniform for the first time—standing tall and straight, her skin glowing white under the sunlight—and an inexplicable itch stirred in his heart.
Perhaps what you can't have always seems the best, or maybe it was just unwillingness. Either way, he found it hard to convince himself to simply ignore her.
After stopping for a full three minutes, Yan An slowly drove the car over to Ruan Sixian's side.
"Where are you headed?"
Yan An rolled down the window and asked.Ruan Sixian turned and saw Yan An, momentarily taken aback. "President Yan?"
"Mm, heading to World Airlines?"
Ruan Sixian nodded. "I—"
"Get in, I'm going that way," Yan An said. "I'm heading to the airport base, I can give you a ride."
Seeing Ruan Sixian hesitate, Yan An grinned. "Seriously? You won't even get in my car now? I really am going that way. Didn't we agree to be friends?"
Friends, and yet you still call me late at night.
Ruan Sixian kept the thought to herself, simply smiling and saying, "I've already called a taxi, it should be here soon."
Yan An's smile faded as he impatiently tapped the steering wheel. Cars behind them began honking.
"Stop dawdling and get in. It's not a big deal. If you keep this up, the drivers behind us might get out and start a fight."
Ruan Sixian glanced down the road—not a taxi in sight.
Meanwhile, three more cars had pulled up behind them.
The sun was glaring, the heat oppressive and irritating. She ran a hand through her hair, her fingertips already damp with sweat.
Fine.
She opened the door and slid into the passenger seat.
As she bent to fasten her seatbelt, Yan An glanced at her, pursed his lips as if wanting to say something, but ultimately remained silent.
They drove in silence until they reached the gates of World Airlines, where Yan An slowly pulled over.
Ruan Sixian thanked him and was about to step out when Yan An called her back.
Leaning against the car door, she looked back. "What is it?"
Yan An exhaled inside the car, hesitating for a few seconds before saying, "It's hot out. Take care not to get heatstroke."
Ruan Sixian nodded and turned to walk inside.
Once the car had driven off, she glanced back.
Why does it feel like Yan An just won't give up?
Ruan Sixian arrived with several other young captains and co-pilots.
This time, Zheng You'an was dressed much more casually—a cropped top, jeans, and her hair tied high in a ponytail. She moved briskly around the studio, her expression tense.
Though the workload wasn't heavy, she had brought three assistants with her.
Zheng You'an spotted Ruan Sixian at a glance but didn't pay her much attention. After a few steps, however, she suddenly backtracked and stood directly in front of her, bluntly asking, "Have we met before?"
Without waiting for a reply, she added, "Oh, I remember. We ran into each other at the business terminal last month."
"Mm," Ruan Sixian nodded. "We did."
Zheng You'an looked Ruan Sixian up and down, a faint, ambiguous smile on her lips. "You must photograph well. Your company is so thoughtful—they've already handpicked everyone for me, saving me a lot of trouble."
It sounded like she was somewhat bothered that the flight department had directly assigned people to her without giving her a choice, so the compliment didn't quite ring true.
One of the assistants she'd brought along snickered quietly from behind. "Of course! After all, whose company is this? Wouldn't they naturally make things easier for you?"
Zheng You'an turned and shot her a glare, though her scolding was laced with amusement. "Shut up!"
Ruan Sixian instantly understood what they were hinting at—teasing Zheng You'an about her relationship with Fu Mingyu.
On one hand, she claims there's nothing between them, yet on the other, he goes out of his way to help her.
That dog of a man really is something else.
Ruan Sixian pursed her lips, unsure how to respond, and simply stood there quietly.
As she stood there, her mind began cursing Fu Mingyu again.
That dog of a man really is too much. Just a couple of days ago, he had the nerve to ask me if I wanted to switch photographers.
Hypocrite.
Jerk."Come on, it's time for makeup." Zheng You'an's assistant suddenly waved at Ruan Sixian. "Let the ladies go first."
After makeup, the photoshoot would begin.
During her time as a flight attendant, Ruan Sixian had also posed for World Airlines' promotional materials. The photography team was hired externally, so she thought she was fairly familiar with the process.
But Zheng You'an was probably different from those who made a living from photography. She spent a long time nitpicking the makeup alone—first complaining that the eyeshadow was too heavy, then that the eyebrows were too thick. The other male pilots had long finished their makeup and were waiting, while Ruan Sixian sat in front of the makeup mirror for two hours.
Wasn't this just a recruitment campaign?
Did it really need to be treated like a fashion magazine shoot?
It wasn't until Ruan Sixian was almost unable to sit still that Zheng You'an reluctantly nodded. "Alright, this will do. It's passable."
Ruan Sixian: "..."
No offense, but how does this girl's personality not match her appearance at all? Is she a Virgo?
When it came to the photoshoot, the process still didn't go as smoothly as Ruan Sixian had imagined.
Zheng You'an spent a long time adjusting the lighting reflectors with her assistants, and each pose was tweaked dozens of times. Ruan Sixian's face was almost stiff from smiling.
At five in the afternoon, everyone thought it was almost over, but Zheng You'an turned off her camera and said, "Let's go, we're heading outdoors for some shots."
Ruan Sixian: ?
Wait, you want to shoot outdoors in this 38-degree heat?
Aside from Ruan Sixian, the others weren't too pleased either.
"Can't we just take a few poses and call it a day? Why go outdoors? Isn't there post-production?"
"Is that the same?" Zheng You'an sounded as if she had heard a joke. "Is a blue sky and white clouds edited in post-production the same as the real thing? I never use post-production editing."
Ruan Sixian was speechless, thinking for the hundred and eightieth time that this was just a recruitment poster series, not an artwork for an exhibition.
The other pilots, who had initially found Zheng You'an pure and cute and were eager to please, were also on the verge of losing their temper after being tormented all afternoon.
They remained silent, and Ruan Sixian didn't voice her opinion either. Zheng You'an looked at them, and after a half-minute standoff, she said, "None of you are willing, right?"
Fine, no point arguing with a woman.
The male pilots nodded irritably, "Let's just shoot!"
Zheng You'an then turned to Ruan Sixian. "What about you?"
Ruan Sixian crossed her arms, glanced at the blazing sun outside, and frowned as she nodded. "Alright."
As long as it's not Fu Mingyu, I'll put up with it no matter how troublesome it gets.
Zheng You'an lifted her chin. "Then let's go."
The outdoor shoot didn't finish until the sun was nearly setting. Ruan Sixian's uniform was soaked through, and she drank an entire bottle of mineral water in one go.
Meanwhile, Zheng You'an flipped through the photos and muttered to herself, "Posed shots really lack spirit, don't they?"
Ruan Sixian: "..."
This lady must be the guardian of Virgos.
She had no patience left to stay any longer. Seeing Zheng You'an engrossed in reviewing the photos, she probably wouldn't bother saying goodbye to them.
So Ruan Sixian picked up her bag and prepared to leave.
But as she passed behind Zheng You'an, she overheard one of her assistants muttering, "You're being way too meticulous. It's just a promotional video, not an artistic masterpiece."
Hey, finally someone sensible.
But Zheng You'an replied, "What's wrong with a promotional video? Mingyu-ge will be watching this. I have to do my best."
Ruan Sixian: "..."
Her steps didn't falter, but her frown deepened, and her heart tightened even more than her brow.After taking a deep breath, Ruan Sixian still couldn’t adjust her mindset.
Alright, Mingyu, I’ll still put today’s debt on your head—
In the Spring River Night private room, Fu Mingyu’s nose suddenly itched. He pressed his index finger against it and coughed lightly.
“What’s wrong? Is the air conditioning too low?”
Zhu Dong was about to call someone in, but Fu Mingyu quickly stopped him. “It’s nothing.”
“The weather’s been too hot lately. I caught a heat cold last week and only recovered a couple of days ago.”
Zhu Dong picked up the wine pot in front of him and poured for himself and Fu Mingyu. “You’ve been busy with big things lately. Don’t let yourself fall apart.”
Fu Mingyu held his wine glass, his gaze fixed on it as if lost in thought.
“Hey, about your plan to reform the flight quality monitoring—does your dad and brother know?”
Fu Mingyu nodded.
Zhu Dong asked again, “What did they say?”
Squinting at the screen behind Zhu Dong, Fu Mingyu replied casually, “Their opposition doesn’t matter.”
Zhu Dong chuckled, took a sip of his wine, and said, “Looks like you’ll be fighting alone.”
He raised his glass. “I’ll support you in spirit, brother.”
Seeing that Fu Mingyu remained unmoved and uninterested in the topic, Zhu Dong changed the subject. “Guess who I saw at the entrance of World Airlines today?”
Fu Mingyu lifted his eyelids but didn’t respond.
“That kid Yan An,” Zhu Dong said. “He was dropping off that female pilot from your company.”
He laughed as he spoke. “Why did you bother competing with him for her back then? She’s physically here but her heart’s elsewhere anyway. You just made things harder for both of them. But then again, Yan An’s words aren’t reliable either. He said he’d stop pursuing her, but I told him back then—there’s no way he’d let go. When has he ever drunk over a woman? I could tell something was off with him that day.”
Seeing that the person across from him seemed uninterested in this topic as well, Zhu Dong sighed helplessly and tapped the table.
“What’s up with you today? In a bad mood?”
“No.”
Zhu Dong couldn’t be bothered to press further and decided to focus on eating and drinking instead.
Meanwhile, Fu Mingyu lowered his gaze, his eyes deep and dark. After a long silence, he suddenly let out a faint, mocking laugh and picked up the wine glass in front of him—
After her photoshoot, Ruan Sixian went home first to shower and change. Then, Si Xiaozhen drove over to pick her up. The two went out for dinner together, and Si Xiaozhen dropped her off afterward. The back-and-forth took quite a bit of time, and by the time Ruan Sixian returned to Mingchen Apartments, it was already ten at night.
The streetlights stretched her weary shadow long across the ground. As she approached the entrance, she encountered several residents walking their dogs, standing under the eaves and watching their pets play.
Ruan Sixian had no way to avoid them. She stood under the streetlight for a while, but when it seemed the dog owners wouldn’t be leaving anytime soon, she awkwardly spoke up and asked them to pull their dogs away.
The dog owners found her strange and stared at her as they led their pets away.
Just as Ruan Sixian was passing by, a golden retriever excitedly rushed toward her, startling her and causing her to stumble.
Just as she was about to trip, someone steadied her by the shoulder.
Ruan Sixian looked up and, under the bright lights of the lobby, unexpectedly met Fu Mingyu’s gaze.
He seemed to have been drinking—she could smell alcohol on him.
The alcohol made his face even paler, almost bloodless, but his eyes reflected the light, flickering faintly.
Ruan Sixian instinctively asked, “What are you doing here?”
Immediately after, she regretted it.
He owned an apartment upstairs, so it was perfectly normal for him to be here.Ruan Sixian pursed her lips, feeling that she must have been dizzy from the sun today.
When she turned her head, she saw Fu Mingyu’s hand still resting on her.
Ruan Sixian moved aside to avoid it.
This action made Fu Mingyu’s eyes darken as he spoke, “I was waiting for you.”
His voice, slightly hoarse from drinking, was particularly low yet clear. Ruan Sixian couldn’t even convince herself that she had misheard.
She looked at Fu Mingyu strangely, “Why were you waiting for me?”
He turned to the side, letting the evening breeze brush against his face.
“Where did you go today?”
If he hadn’t brought it up, it would have been fine. But the moment he mentioned it, Ruan Sixian grew angry.
His dear younger sister, Yan An, had insisted on putting on a show for him, making her suffer all afternoon, and he still had the nerve to ask her?
“Where could I have gone? Other than taking photos for your photographer, where else could I have gone?”
Fu Mingyu lowered his head and looked directly at her, “You know that’s not what I meant.”
Ruan Sixian didn’t understand, “If not that, then what? I was taking photos today. If you don’t believe me, go ask someone else.”
After saying this, she muttered, “If I had known she was doing it all for you, I wouldn’t have gotten involved.”
Suddenly, his fingers lifted her chin, forcing Ruan Sixian to meet his gaze. Her expression froze for a moment because of the sudden movement.
“What are you doing?”
“Were you with Yan An today?”
“Yes.” Ruan Sixian turned her face away, freeing her chin from his touch. “He gave me a ride since it was on his way. What’s the problem?”
Fu Mingyu’s fingers fell empty, with nowhere to rest, yet his fingertips felt warm.
He looked at Ruan Sixian, the confusion in his eyes gradually no longer suppressed.
“Why?”
Why could she still laugh and talk with him like this, yet avoid him like the plague?
“What do you mean ‘why’?”
Ruan Sixian said, “I already told you he gave me a ride because it was on his way.”
After saying this, Ruan Sixian felt a moment of regret.
Why was she explaining so much to him?
Ruan Sixian turned and walked away, “If you’ve had too much to drink, go to bed early, President Fu.”
Fu Mingyu suddenly grabbed her wrist, his grip a bit too strong, and his palm was warm, giving Ruan Sixian an inexplicable sense of unease.
A drunk man is dangerous—that’s how it has always been, from ancient times to the present.
Ruan Sixian turned back and glared at him, “What are you doing! Are you even going to control who I interact with? Don’t you think you’re overstepping? You’re my boss, not my father.”
In Fu Mingyu’s momentary silence, a thought suddenly flashed through Ruan Sixian’s mind.
She slowly curved her lips into a smile, “What? President Fu, you don’t want to be my boss anymore?”
“Controlling so much, do you want to be my boyfriend?”
As she expected, she saw Fu Mingyu’s gaze deepen, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly.
Before he could speak, she smiled again and said, “You might as well dream.”
“…”
Although he had already guessed this outcome when he heard her previous words, hearing her say it with his own ears still made Fu Mingyu’s heart sink to the bottom.
Was it really… all just his wishful thinking?
For Ruan Sixian, there was no moment more satisfying than this.
Her smile deepened as she shook off Fu Mingyu’s hand and walked away proudly.
However, just as she took a step forward, her hand was grabbed again.
This time, the grip was even stronger, directly pinning Ruan Sixian against the wall.
The temperature of his palm gradually rose, and his breath brushed against the tip of Ruan Sixian’s nose.
It felt a bit hot, even scorching.
“Is it really…” he said, “that you don’t feel anything for me at all?”His eyes were deep and dark, like the ocean, with hidden currents swirling within when he focused intently on someone.
The curve of Ruan Sixian's lips slowly faded.
At that moment, she felt his hand tighten its grip, holding her even more firmly.
"You hesitated, didn't you?"
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