Shаng Zhi Таo stoоd аt thе dооr waiting for a mоmеnt. Luan Nian wаlked out with а tоwеl wrаррed arоund him, water droplets dripрing frоm his hair—а pеrfесt sight. Вut she hаd nо timе tо аdmire it. Shе pointed tоwаrd Luan Niаn’s bedroom аnd said, “Luke… уou havе а bаthrооm in уоur bedroоm tоo, уоu сould shоwer thеrе.” Why arе уou сompeting with mе? I’m going to be lаtе fоr work. Shаng Zhi Tao wаs nеvеr latе, аnd shе wаs gеnuinеly wоrriеd abоut being lаte. She wаs alsо frеtting аbout hоw shе wоuld gеt there latеr.
Luan Nian ignored her аnd walked into thе walk-in clоset tо сhangе. People in creative fields had extremely high standards for clothing. Luan Nian’s clothes were all well-tailored, simple yet sophisticated. Unlike other creatives who dressed in flashy, unique styles, his clothes appeared more understated. But on him, even understated clothing took on a different quality.
After changing, he saw that Shang Zhi Tao had finished washing up, looking refreshed and energized. She didn’t wear makeup, and today she hadn’t even used moisturizer. She hadn’t brought any with her, and Luan Nian’s house had no women’s skincare products, so her face was left bare. Fortunately, her skin was good—fair and rosy—so she looked lovely even without anything on. The only thing troubling her was the hickey on her collarbone.
Shang Zhi Tao looked at herself in the mirror, remembering how Luan Nian’s teeth had pressed there, his tongue lightly brushing over it. She used to think Luan Nian was cold and rigid, that he wouldn’t show any gentleness or patience in intimate moments, and even suspected he might be like a machine, lacking any skill. She couldn’t have been more wrong. His skills were like his creativity—top-tier.
Shang Zhi Tao tugged the drawstring of her sweater tighter, trying to cover her neck, but it looked a bit odd.
“Do you have any band-aids at home?” she asked Luan Nian as she followed him downstairs. If only she could cover the mark with a band-aid.
“Trying to cover it up?”
“…”
“So afraid of others knowing you have a sex life?”
“No… it’s just awkward if someone asks,” Shang Zhi Tao fumbled for an excuse.
Luan Nian stopped and glanced at her. “What’s awkward about it? Just tell them your lover is me.” It was hard to tell if he was serious or not.
Shang Zhi Tao was momentarily speechless and simply fell silent. When they reached the first floor, Luan Nian turned into the kitchen, took out two plates, and handed one to her. “Eat before you go.”
Luan Nian actually knew how to make breakfast. Shang Zhi Tao felt a bit ashamed. She had always felt rushed and flustered since starting work. Back when she occasionally ran into Luan Nian at the office in the morning, she had thought: This guy is so enviable, so leisurely every day. Someone must have everything taken care of for him, right?
But now she realized no one was taking care of things for him. He woke up early to exercise, showered, and prepared breakfast—all by himself. He didn’t even hire a housekeeper. Was he saving money to buy bags for women?
She took a bite of the sandwich. It was delicious. Just as good as her usual bread and milk. Well, no—her milk wasn’t as good as Luan Nian’s. Luan Nian’s warm milk was sprinkled with osmanthus flowers. It was truly delightful.
“Luke’s breakfast is really good,” Shang Zhi Tao gave him a thumbs-up. “This milk is amazing. It would be even better if I could have another cup.”
Luan Nian didn’t respond to her flattery. He took her cup, poured her another glass of milk, and sprinkled dried osmanthus flowers on top. Finally, Shang Zhi Tao understood why that girl had cried and refused to break up over the phone, and why she had made such a scene at their company: a boyfriend who was so caring, skilled in bed, and generous with gifts—who could leave him easily? It would probably feel like losing half your life.Fortunately, they were just bed partners. She didn't have many expectations and wouldn't lose half her life over it.
Taking Luan Nian's car to the company, Shang Zhi Tao wondered where he would let her off. But Luan Nian never stopped, driving all the way into the underground garage. It was his usual work time, and the garage was still mostly empty. While he reversed into a parking spot, Shang Zhi Tao looked around carefully, making sure no one was there. Once he parked, she opened the door and dashed off, not even closing it properly, afraid of being seen.
Watching her fleeing figure, Luan Nian thought she was a complete fool. Anyone else would have wanted the whole world to know, hoping for special treatment.
As usual, he bought coffee and went upstairs. When he reached the office area, he saw Shang Zhi Tao already sitting at her computer, starting work. Luan Nian entered his office and began his own tasks. During the day, they happened to cross paths once in the office area. Shang Zhi Tao followed behind her colleagues just like before, as if nothing had happened.
That day, the company released the investigation results of the email incident. Tracy personally sent the email, writing: After thorough investigation, it has been confirmed that Luan Nian was not involved in multiple relationships simultaneously, both inside and outside the company. The photos presented in the email were identified by the technical department as synthetic, and the man in the photos was not Luan Nian. Luan Nian did have a six-month relationship with the woman, but they parted amicably. Details involving privacy will not be disclosed in this public email. The investigation also covered the leakage of employee information. According to data retrieval and analysis by the technical department, no unauthorized operations were conducted on the company's internal network. The above findings will be publicly displayed for seven days. If there are other leads, please contact us.
Apart from proving Luan Nian's innocence, almost nothing else was revealed. This was the company culture—trying not to escalate matters unless one party truly intended to destroy the other. Tracy had consulted Luan Nian about whether to disclose the results of the information leak investigation. Luan Nian simply said, "Considering it's a first offense, we can continue to observe. But a discussion is still necessary—just the three of us." As for who leaked the employee information, it was never mentioned from start to finish.
Reading the email, Shang Zhi Tao recalled asking him last night, "Do any female colleagues from the company come to your home?"
Luan Nian replied, "What? Are you going to meet your sisters?"
She admitted she didn't know Luan Nian well, but today, she found herself somewhat believing him in this matter. Luan Nian might have a sharp tongue, but he wasn't as cold-blooded as his words suggested. At this thought, Shang Zhi Tao suddenly felt a bit scared. Could it be that my brain is being controlled by my lower body? Are the things I see and hear all false?
Lost in deep thought, she didn't hear Lumi calling her several times.
Lumi sat in her chair, pushed off with her long legs, and slid over to her, waving a hand in front of her eyes. "What's going on? Did you lose your soul?"
Shang Zhi Tao snapped back to reality and quickly asked, "What's up?"
"Did you see the announcement?"
"Yeah, I did...""I knew that guy was wronged, and sure enough." Lumi smiled, noticing the marks beneath Shang Zhi Tao's oddly high collar and clicking her tongue twice. "Sis, you know you're just advertising what you're trying to hide, right? Flaunt it proudly—'I had sex last night!' What's there to be ashamed of? Look at Linda from the sales department, always showing off her romantic encounters."
Shang Zhi Tao blushed. "Stop teasing."
She pulled her collar up a little higher, then said to Lumi, "About that research project mentioned in the morning meeting—can I apply to be the project manager? It's a small project, and I noticed no one really wants to take it. I’ve never done one before, so it’s a good chance to learn."
"Of course! If you want it, go talk to Alex. We’ll figure out any problems together." Lumi patted her. "Go for it!"
Shang Zhi Tao smiled sheepishly. "Lumi, why don’t you ever take the initiative to lead projects? You’re so capable and can handle anything."
"Not worth the extra hassle!" Lumi shrugged. "I don’t need the money. Being a regular employee is just fine!"
"Alright, alright." Shang Zhi Tao gave Lumi a thumbs-up. "You’ve got guts."
Lumi patted her head and laughed. "Thank the country, thank my great-grandparents, thank my parents."
Lumi was completely open about it—she had no ambition for her career; having something to do was enough. She was a total slacker, but any task handed to her was done flawlessly. Lumi’s presence made Shang Zhi Tao realize that colleagues came in many types—not everyone was climbing the ladder.
"If I take on that project and don’t understand something, will you still teach me?" Shang Zhi Tao felt she couldn’t do without Lumi. Without her, she might not have lasted this long at Lingmei.
"What kind of question is that! Who else would I help? That annoying Kitty?" Lumi despised Kitty, who put on airs every day, wearing three different faces—one for the boss, one for peers, and another for outsourced staff. This workplace chameleon thrived, and Luke even let her independently handle creative work for a project. Wasn’t that just blind?
"You should learn a thing or two from Kitty too. Look at how she treats the bosses—she always gets the good projects. That’s real money." Lumi spoke earnestly. "Some people just eat that up."
As they talked, they saw Kitty heading into Luan Nian’s office. Kitty dressed provocatively; even in late autumn, she wore a tight, body-hugging minidress and black knee-high boots, revealing a stretch of pale leg. When she walked by, a trail of fragrance lingered.
She carried a printed portfolio and placed it on Luan Nian’s desk. Instead of sitting across from him, she stood beside him, leaning on the table with her hand, her figure fully on display.
"Tsk tsk." Lumi clicked her tongue. "See that? Learn from her. Your figure’s better than hers anyway."
Shang Zhi Tao was reminded of Luan Nian’s ambiguous gaze in the car when his hand had moved over her. Her cheeks flushed slightly. "No. It makes me uncomfortable."
"Be confident, little Tao Tao. You need to be more confident." Lumi returned to her desk and started working.Shang Zhi Tao glanced once more at Luan Nian's office; he was frowning, seemingly deep in thought.
Luan Nian frowned because he disliked Kitty's perfume. He believed women should wear perfume, but it should suit the occasion—today's scent was too strong. Luan Nian pointed to the seat opposite him: "Kitty, sit there and wait for me a moment."
"Okay." Kitty sat upright across from Luan Nian, one leg crossed over the other, her gaze fixed intently on him.
Luan Nian paid no attention to her stare.
He was reviewing the creative draft Kitty had submitted. Kitty was a highly talented individual; her latest print concept was bold in color and visually striking. However, it lacked strong alignment with the brand.
"Communicate with the client about this," Luan Nian suggested, not directly pointing out the issue. Letting her engage with the client herself would help her grow faster.
"Sure. Should we meet in person? The client is in Shanghai."
"Meet in person."
"Would you come with me? I feel less confident without you," Kitty said, showing vulnerability and loyalty. Luan Nian smiled at her: "Let Grace accompany you."
"Alright."
After Kitty left, her perfume lingered in Luan Nian's office. He stood up, pushed open the window, and as he sat back down, he noticed several people from the marketing department chatting in the hallway. Shang Zhi Tao, with her hair tied in a ponytail, looked clean, simple, and stood perfectly straight, standing out from the surrounding atmosphere.
Quite lovely.
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