Ruаn Siхiаn hаd а rоw of small sроtlights оn hеr bеdside table, usuаllу adornеd with small trinkets аnd inсеnsе.
Тhеse werеn't her own arrangements; thеу werе set uр bу Si Хiаozhеn whеn shе first mоvеd in, thinking her rоom was toо рlain.
Аfter bringing back thе Havillаnd Comеt tоdау, Ruаn Siхiаn couldn’t find а suitаble рlасe fоr it, so shе сlearеd this sрot tо display it.
Сoincidentаllу, thе light from thе spotlights shonе dоwn, mаgnifying thе mоdеl аirрlаne’s shаdоw and рrojеcting it ontо the оррositе wаll.
Lуing in bеd, Ruan Sixian сould see the impоsing shadow of thе airplаne аs sоon аs she opened her eyes.
This shadow lingered like Fu Mingyu—even after turning off the spotlights, the streetlights outside would sneak in, casting a faint outline.
Ruan Sixian tossed and turned, unable to sleep, so she got up and drew the curtains tightly shut.
After all that, she thought she could finally sleep peacefully tonight, but as soon as she lay down, the pitch-black darkness made her senses sharper and more sensitive.
In the quiet room, the low words "You looked really beautiful today" echoed repeatedly in her ears.
What could it mean when a man repeatedly praised a woman’s beauty? Could it simply be an appreciation of beauty?
Originally, Ruan Sixian had only speculated about his intentions, but tonight she was certain: Fu Mingyu was interested in her.
The sky was falling, the earth was cracking, and someone was getting beaten senseless.
Ruan Sixian pulled the blanket over her head, but the man’s WeChat messages lingered like a ghost.
[Fu Mingyu]: You forgot your cake.
[Fu Mingyu]: Should I bring it down to you?
Ruan Sixian finally understood.
Not only was this dog of a man interested in her, but today he had also been stirred by her looks and was now itching for more.
If he dared to pin her against the wall now, wouldn’t he try to pin her to the bed if he came to her home?
It seemed that after that slap, this man had straightened his back and gained confidence in his words.
Thinking he could enter her home late at night? Hmph, he was dreaming.
Ruan Sixian : I don’t want it anymore.
[Fu Mingyu]: Should I dispose of it then?
Ruan Sixian : Do as you please. I’m going to sleep.
[Fu Mingyu]: Wait, what time is your flight tomorrow morning?
[Fu Mingyu]: I’ll take you-
At six o’clock the next morning, Ruan Sixian opened her eyes and reached for the light switch. As the light turned on, the shadow of the Havilland Comet appeared on the wall.
Ruan Sixian stared at the shadow for a while, seemingly not fully awake yet.
After a moment, her phone alarm rang, and Ruan Sixian snapped back to reality, cursing inwardly, "Dog of a man."
—Even in my dreams, he’s bothering me.
She sat up and pulled open the curtains, but everything outside was blurry.
The rain hadn’t stopped all night, and today’s flights were likely to face significant delays again.
Even so, Ruan Sixian still had to arrive at the airport on time.
After getting up, washing up briefly, having breakfast, and preparing everything, Ruan Sixian dragged her flight bag and headed out.
Fu Mingyu was punctual. Just as Ruan Sixian opened the door, he was about to ring the doorbell.
"Have you had breakfast?"
The moment she saw Fu Mingyu, Ruan Sixian felt as if he had become a different person.
Standing before her impeccably dressed, he bore no resemblance to the man who had whispered lowly in her ear the night before.
Instead, it was Ruan Sixian who felt somewhat uneasy. She replied with a simple "Mm."
"Let’s go. It’s raining today, so the roads will be congested."
"Oh."
When they reached the lobby on the first floor, Fu Mingyu’s driver had already parked the car outside.
Bai Yang came over with an umbrella and handed it to Fu Mingyu.He took the umbrella, opened it, and loosely wrapped his arm around Ruan Sixian's shoulder.
"Let's go."
At the same time, Bai Yang took Ruan Sixian's flight case and directly placed it in the trunk.
Ruan Sixian felt something was off.
Isn't your action a bit too natural?
How did it flow so smoothly and seamlessly?
And Bai Yang, isn't your awareness a bit too high?
Couldn't you at least show a little shocked expression? How come you have no reaction when your boss is hitting on a woman right in front of you?
Bai Yang didn't want to show any expression.
Yesterday, he had painstakingly arranged for people to move those precious model airplanes from Lakeside Mansion to Mingchen Apartment, all while dealing with He Lanxiang's questioning. He was exhausted.
As expected, the road was congested. Worried about being late, Ruan Sixian checked the time several times.
Bai Yang also had something on his mind. After observing the traffic conditions, he instructed the driver to take a detour and turned back to say, "Mr. Fu, today's flight might not be able to take off smoothly. Should I notify them first?"
Fu Mingyu nodded, then seemed to remember something and turned to Ruan Sixian. "I'm going to the U.S. today."
Ruan Sixian blinked.
"I'll be back in ten days."
Ruan Sixian remained motionless.
So?
Seeing she had nothing to say, Fu Mingyu smiled. "Just letting you know."
Why does that sound like reporting his itinerary?
Do friends need to report their itineraries to each other?
But Fu Mingyu wore a completely natural expression, as if nothing was amiss.
Fine, if you think that's how friends are, then that's how it is—even though everything you've done from start to finish isn't what friends do.
When they arrived at the entrance of World Airlines, it was indeed ten minutes later than Ruan Sixian had expected.
The driver was about to head to the parking lot, but Ruan Sixian calculated that taking the elevator from there to the meeting room would require several detours, so she promptly stopped him.
Bai Yang got out to retrieve her flight case. After taking it, Ruan Sixian almost jogged into the building.
A flight attendant on the second-floor glass corridor watched Ruan Sixian run in and turned around. "Hey, did you see that?"
"What?"
"Ruan Sixian. Early in the morning, she actually got out of Mr. Fu's car."
"...?"
"Let me see, let me see."
"She's already inside. Look over there—that's Mr. Fu's car, right? I'm not mistaken?"
"What's going on here?"
"Didn't we hear that back when she was still a flight attendant..."
Before the morning was over, this little piece of gossip had spread throughout the flight attendant department. By noon, as the cafeteria opened for lunch, accompanied by the aroma of food, the rumors from a few years ago were dug up again.
This time, it wasn't baseless speculation—someone had actually seen it with their own eyes.
Some even said this wasn't the first time they'd seen Ruan Sixian getting into Mr. Fu's car; they'd seen it not long ago at the entrance of World Airlines.
Ten days passed, and these rumors began to take on a different flavor.
But for the time being, these whispers hadn't reached the ears of the people involved.
—That is, if Ruan Sixian hadn't attended a captain's birthday party that evening.
On her way there, she even received a call from Fu Mingyu.
"Where are you?"
Ruan Sixian had already reached the restaurant entrance. "You're back?"
"Yes. Have you eaten?"
"No."
"Then wait for me?"
"No, I have plans."
Fu Mingyu laughed. "You really are busy."
Ruan Sixian followed the server toward the private room, her steps light. "Yes, I have just as many dinner engagements as you do."
"Shall I pick you up when you're done?"
Ruan Sixian paused for a moment.
"I'm having dinner with colleagues today.""What's wrong?"
"You're sure you want to pick me up?"
"Am I not presentable?"
Ruan Sixian was left speechless.
You're more than presentable—you're the most presentable person there is.
"Suit yourself."
"Send me the address."
Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the private room was lively.
The birthday boy of the day was Lin Hongji, who had worked at World Airlines for several years. A young captain, he was particularly warm and hospitable, quickly befriending anyone he came into contact with. As a result, he was well-connected in every department. For his birthday, he had created a large group chat to invite people from the flight department, cabin crew, maintenance, and dispatch.
Due to the large number of guests, he had booked a spacious private room with three tables, just enough to seat everyone.
The gathering was scheduled for seven o'clock, but by 6:50, Ruan Sixian still hadn't arrived.
"What time is it? Is Ruan Sixian not coming?"
"Who knows? Maybe she's on a date with President Fu."
"Listen to that jealous tone. What's wrong with her dating?"
"Who's jealous? I'm just expressing admiration. It's been years—talk about persistence. I wouldn't have that kind of patience."
"You all sound so sure. Is this really true?"
"How could it be fake? It's not the first time she's been seen coming out of Mingchen Apartments."
Ni Tong, who had been quietly listening to the gossip, couldn't help but speak up. "To be fair, Ruan Sixian lives in Mingchen herself. I've been to her place."
"She lives in Mingchen? She must be pretty well-off then."
Another flight attendant chimed in, "So what if Ruan Sixian is the one pursuing him? Are women not allowed to chase men these days?"
"Exactly. They're both single—who pursues whom doesn't matter."
"Is this about pursuing someone? It's more like throwing herself at him."
Just then, the private room door opened, and Ruan Sixian walked in.
The table near the door fell silent instantly, everyone looking up.
About half the people at that table felt a pang of unease.
Regardless of how Ruan Sixian had managed to win over Fu Mingyu, their relationship was clearly special now. If they offended her, a few whispered words in his ear could spell trouble for them.
The atmosphere at that table turned awkward. Although the other two tables hadn't been gossiping, they had likely overheard some of the conversation.
As the host of the day, Lin Hongji felt a bit embarrassed but had to step in to smooth things over.
"Xiao Ruan, you're here? Want to join our table for a drink?"
Ruan Sixian hadn't heard the earlier gossip. Seeing that the table was indeed full, she asked, "Is there still a spot for me?"
"Of course, we can squeeze in."
Lin Hongji led her over, and several co-pilots moved chairs to make room.
But the seating arrangement at this table wasn't ideal either—Yue Chen and Jiang Ziyue were sitting right across from her.
Although Jiang Ziyue hadn't participated in the earlier conversation, she had heard plenty of rumors these past few days.
It seemed she had underestimated Ruan Sixian after all—she really had taken that co-pilot seat.
Still, the rumors had their benefits. At least Yue Chen wouldn't be staring longingly at Ruan Sixian anymore.
With Lin Hongji keeping the mood lively, everyone pretended nothing had happened. They ate, drank, and played drinking games, and before they knew it, over two hours had passed.
After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, someone from another table came over with a glass of wine to toast Ruan Sixian. They showered her with compliments, praising how stunning she looked today, and insisted on drinking to her, piling on flattery one after another.
The exaggerated praise was so over-the-top that even those present couldn't miss the obvious sycophancy.No one had originally pointed it out, but when Jiang Ziyue noticed Yue Chen glancing at Ruan Sixian several times because of that remark, she seized the opportunity and mimicked the earlier speaker’s tone, saying, "Deputy Ruan is now thriving in both love and career. Happiness brings out her beauty—how could she not look radiant?"
The atmosphere Lin Hongji had painstakingly salvaged was instantly shattered by Jiang Ziyue’s words, plunging them right back to square one.
Everyone understood exactly what she meant.
Yue Chen frowned. "Can’t the food keep your mouth shut? If you don’t know how to speak properly, then keep quiet."
It didn’t matter what others said, but Yue Chen’s defense of Ruan Sixian immediately ignited Jiang Ziyue’s anger. She hadn’t intended to target Ruan Sixian initially, only wanting to remind Yue Chen not to covet someone he shouldn’t. Yet this man insisted on opposing her.
Still, it was a public setting. While she could disregard others’ dignity, she couldn’t openly undermine her own man’s face. So, she redirected her attack toward Ruan Sixian.
"I may not be the best with words, but honest advice is often hard to swallow. Xiao Ruan, we’ve been colleagues for so many years, so I feel I should remind you: the higher a man’s status, the harder he is to hold onto. Don’t get careless and end up with nothing. Have you heard about that girl we used to know? She was pregnant and about to marry the heir of Iron & Steel Industries, but in the end, the wedding fell through. Now she’s left with a child—who would dare take her in?"
The atmosphere dropped to freezing point. Even Lin Hongji had no idea how to smooth things over.
Ruan Sixian had initially been wondering what these people were chattering about, but now that Jiang Ziyue had gone this far, she’d be a fool not to understand.
Just then, her phone vibrated—another message from Fu Mingyu.
[Fu Mingyu]: I’m here. How much longer will you be?
She typed rapidly in reply: You’d better not come, or people might think I’m seducing you again :)
After sending the message, she tossed her phone aside and looked up at Jiang Ziyue.
"Sister Jiang, if you have something to say, just say it outright."
Jiang Ziyue turned her face away, muttering sarcastically, "Don’t you already know what I mean?"
"What do I know? That I’m seducing President Fu?"
Just as Jiang Ziyue was about to speak, Yue Chen slammed his hand on the table.
"Enough! If you have nothing better to do, go home. It’s someone’s birthday—what kind of nonsense are you spouting here?"
"Why are you yelling at me? What’s your problem, Yue Chen?" Jiang Ziyue no longer cared about saving face—defending her once was enough, but twice? "Don’t forget you’re about to get married. Who are you protecting here?"
Wait, why are you two arguing?
I haven’t even cleared up my own issue yet.
"If you want to fight, take it home. Let’s get this straight first," Ruan Sixian said. "Sister Jiang, years ago you were already blabbering about me seducing President Fu. Why are you still not letting it go even now that you’re getting married? Why are you so obsessed with my personal life?"
Hearing this, Yue Chen looked at Jiang Ziyue in surprise. "You said that?"
"And what’s that look supposed to mean?"
No matter what Ruan Sixian said, it was always Yue Chen’s actions that angered Jiang Ziyue the most. "So what if I said it? Isn’t it obvious to everyone now?"
"What’s obvious?"
The private room door suddenly swung open. First, the table near the door fell silent, and then the entire room became deathly quiet.
Everyone turned to look.
No one knew why Fu Mingyu had suddenly appeared here.He stood at the doorway, his expression calm, his gaze sweeping indifferently over the people in the room, revealing no emotion.
But often, it’s the absence of emotion that is the most terrifying.
Everyone’s hearts raced wildly. Ni Tong even lost her grip on the melon in her hand, and it slipped, crashing to the floor in a messy splatter.
Fu Mingyu’s gaze finally settled on Ruan Sixian. More than anger, what he felt was irritation.
The situation, which had only just stabilized after a slap, was likely about to be thrown into chaos again by these people.
Ruan Sixian knew Fu Mingyu had arrived, but she wasn’t particularly shocked. She was just in a bad mood and didn’t even glance at him.
The atmosphere in the room was so tense you could hear a pin drop. Fu Mingyu’s footsteps were amplified endlessly, each step pounding with a terrifying intensity, making everyone fear he would walk right up to them.
However, Fu Mingyu simply walked over to Ruan Sixian and extended his hand toward her.
“Are you finished? I’ll take you back.”
Ruan Sixian, suppressing her anger, slapped his hand away.
Fu Mingyu withdrew his hand, leaned slightly closer, and asked, “They said you were seducing me?”
Ruan Sixian let out a cold laugh and ignored him.
“Didn’t you tell them I’m the one pursuing you?”
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