Chapter 365: An Evening of Surprises

“Deliberately avoiding us?”

“Yeah, I only discovered this company a few days ago. They were operating quietly before, but now that it’s growing so fast, they can’t stay hidden anymore.”

Lin Zheng Ran finished his last bite and set down his utensils. Jiang Qian watched him thoughtfully and asked curiously, “How was dinner tonight?”

Lin Zheng Ran thought Jiang Qian’s topic jumped unexpectedly, but he praised, “It’s really good. This restaurant lives up to its price, especially since most of these dishes are exactly what I like.”

Jiang Qian took a sip of wine and looked at Lin Zheng Ran with a cool gaze. “Funny, they’re my favorites too.”

Jiang Qian wasn’t picky with food. She always believed that any dish could taste great if the chef was skilled enough. So, once she learned what Lin Zheng Ran liked, her tastes started to match his.

Since she ate like him every day, it wasn’t a lie to say she liked them now.

A knock sounded at the door. Jiang Qian called out, “Come in.” The hall manager entered, carrying a tray of after-dinner desserts.

“Dear guests, I’m the manager here. Given your spending tonight, we’re offering a complimentary set of desserts, all crafted by our chefs. Please enjoy.”

Jiang Qian showed no expression, but Lin Zheng Ran said, “Thank you.”

They cut a piece with their forks and tasted it. The dessert was rich and flavorful, not overly sweet, with a lingering aftertaste.

Jiang Qian said, “It’s quite good.”

The hall manager nodded. “Thank you.”

As Lin Zheng Ran ate the dessert, he glanced out the floor-to-ceiling window at the view.

The hall manager smiled and said, “If you’d come a month earlier, you could’ve seen that flower garden.”

Lin Zheng Ran asked curiously, “Flower garden?”

The hall manager pointed to a shadowy spot in the city:

“Right there. In summer, it’s full of vibrant flowers and even has fountain shows at night. It’s famous around here as the perfect spot for proposals. They say couples who confess there stay together forever.”

Lin Zheng Ran looked at the dark circular area but didn’t think much of it. Tales like that existed everywhere, mostly for promotion.

It was all just hype.

Han Wenwen had mentioned something similar in her sleep during middle school, about the south having one too…

He replied casually, “Really? That’s something.”

But Jiang Qian focused on that dark spot and took Lin Zheng Ran’s words to heart.

Magical? So Lin Zheng Ran thought this place was magical?

“Do couples who confess there really stay together forever?” she asked the manager coolly.

The hall manager chuckled, “Of course! Everyone says it’s effective, or it wouldn’t be so popular. But sadly, it’s about to be torn down.”

He sighed, “They’re turning it into an art landmark. By next year, it won’t be there. That’s why I said it was a shame you didn’t come sooner.”

Jiang Qian frowned, “Torn down? Why?”

The hall manager explained, “It’s in the way of city development. The area is large and near the road, so for safety, it’s being removed. Still, it’s a loss of a beautiful spot.”

Lin Zheng Ran stared at the place and said softly, “That’s a real shame.”

Hearing Lin Zheng Ran’s words, Jiang Qian looked back at the dark flower garden and pressed her lips together, lost in thought.

Confess there and stay with the one you like forever…

The dinner ended quietly that night. Jiang Qian and Lin Zheng Ran walked side by side downstairs.

They gazed at the bustling, lit-up city.

Jiang Qian said, “Well, that’s it for tonight. Thanks for coming out to eat with me.”

“No need to thank me.” Lin Zheng Ran pulled a delicate small box from his pocket and handed it to Jiang Qian.

“Here, a gift for you.”

Jiang Qian stared at the box in his hand, stunned. “A gift? For me?”

Lin Zheng Ran explained, “You helped me last week, and I was going to treat you to dinner. But when I called about the place this afternoon, they said you’d already paid, so I thought I’d give you a gift instead as thanks. I made it myself.”

Jiang Qian paused, her usually cool eyes flickering. “You made it yourself…”

She took it with both hands and gazed at the box. “Can I open it and see what’s inside?”

“Of course.”

Jiang Qian carefully untied the ribbon and opened the box. Inside was an intricate piano model.

Though small, the piano was detailed and elegant, with every part perfectly crafted.

Jiang Qian couldn’t help but admire, “What beautiful craftsmanship… You made this complex model by hand?”

For Lin Zheng Ran, anything complicated was easy with the right materials. He’d even added a touch of spiritual energy to this gift, so it could help relax and soothe whoever kept it in their bedroom.

“Yeah, it looks complex, but it’s simple to make.”

Jiang Qian held it like a treasure, her cheeks flushed. “Thank you… I’ll cherish it.”

Lin Zheng Ran said goodbye, “Alright, I’m off. Tonight’s dinner was fun. I’ll keep an eye on what you mentioned. Bye.”

Jiang Qian looked up, her usually icy tone softening just for him, “Bye. See you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow.”

Lin Zheng Ran hailed a taxi and left.

Jiang Qian watched until he vanished at the end of the street, then glanced back at the delicate piano model, a happy smile tugging at her lips. “He made this gift for me… It makes me so happy…”

Half an hour earlier, on a street in this bustling city.

An Audi car sped along the road. In the back seat, a man in a suit rested his head on his hand.

The driver and front passenger were seated up front.

The driver laughed, “Mr. Yang, we’ve closed another deal tonight. Got to say, our boss is amazing. After her training, everything’s been going so smoothly.”

The front passenger added, “Our boss might be young, but she’s a genius in every way.”

The man in the back reminded them, “Stop calling her ‘boss’ like that. It’s ‘our boss.’ I’m telling you again, drop those old habits. Don’t bring that rough vibe into things, or you’ll cause trouble for me and the boss. If not, head back where you came from.”

The driver slapped his own face, nervous. “Sorry, sorry. It’s ‘boss.’ I forgot again.”

The front passenger sweated and stayed quiet.

The Audi stopped at the intersection.

The man got out, and the driver and front passenger followed.

They walked to the end and spotted a figure. The man named Zhang Yang, leading them, nodded respectfully to the woman. “Boss.”

The two behind echoed, “Good evening, boss.”

The woman stepped out of the shadows, her silver shoulder-length hair catching the light.

Her beautiful, young face showed no emotion as she looked at the man. “How’s business been lately?”

Zhang Yang smiled, “No issues. Don’t worry.” He handed her the folder. “This is what you asked for. The company’s operations are running smoothly.”

The woman took it and flipped through. “I’ve been busy lately and can’t visit the office as often as during my break.”

Zhang Yang said loyally, “I’ll handle things closely. Have you eaten? If not, let me treat you.”

She didn’t look up. “No need. I have more to do and can only spare a moment.”

Zhang Yang hesitated but nodded.

“If you need anything, just call. I’ll take care of it right away.”

The woman kept scanning the documents:

“I don’t have much for you. Just follow my instructions and manage the tasks I assigned. Remember, the Jiang Group is struggling with new product development. If our business conflicts with theirs, steer clear—even if it means losing money.”

Zhang Yang nodded, “Got it. You said before, we’d rather take a loss than mess with the Jiang Group or Zheng Shi Company’s business.”

“Just keep that in mind.”