Chapter 218: Whispers from the Past

After Pan Lin left the office, Jiang Jingshi smiled at Lin Zheng Ran.

She led him to the company’s specially designated private kitchen.

This was Lin Zheng Ran’s first time in the head office’s private kitchen, located in a small three-story building behind the main office, on the third floor.

The first two floors were for employees to cook and eat, though the company didn’t have dormitories yet.

That meant only the general manager’s office and the deputy general manager’s office had private bedrooms with beds.

The private kitchen on the third floor was small but elegantly designed.

As Lin Zheng Ran entered, he saw the gleaming kitchen tools and a side cabinet stocked with various wines and dinnerware. He couldn’t help but remark, “Jiang Jie really has her own kitchen everywhere.”

Jiang Jingshi slipped off her lady’s suit jacket and hung it on the wall, leaving just her fitted white fleece shirt.

Her fair and delicate neck stood out beautifully.

Jiang Jingshi had an incredibly graceful figure; from her legs to her upper body, nothing seemed particularly standout at first glance.

Yet, her overall proportions were perfectly balanced, highlighting a classic, elegant curve.

“It’s my hobby, after all,” she said. “So, what about you, Zheng Ran? What’s your hobby? I’ve never really asked.”

“Reading books.”

“Hmm?” She paused slightly.

Lin Zheng Ran repeated, “I said, reading books.”

Jiang Jingshi laughed. “That’s a unique hobby—common enough, yet oddly rare. No wonder you’re so good at everything you do, Zheng Ran.”

In his past life, Lin Zheng Ran had loved diving into all sorts of books—novels, obscure histories, encyclopedias, and even some borderline questionable reads. He avoided proper books but got lost in the chaos, though he often forgot details afterward.

So, in this life, with the system in place, reading had become his way of cultivating. Lin Zheng Ran spent his days buried in books, partly for the growth and partly out of genuine interest.

Jiang Jingshi had just started preparing the pot for cooking.

But her phone rang again, and she felt a flicker of irritation. Normally, calls from Jiang Group didn’t bother her, even if they were tiring.

Today was different, though; she didn’t want to waste this precious time on work.

Especially not on those troublesome tasks that didn’t involve Lin Zheng Ran.

Lin Zheng Ran asked, “Why aren’t you answering?”

Jiang Jingshi glanced at her phone and said, “Sorry, Zheng Ran, just a moment.”

She stepped aside, picked up the call, and discussed some solutions with the other person. After a brief chat, she added,

“I have important matters today, so unless it’s urgent, don’t call me. Handle the clients yourselves for now. I’m hanging up.”

She ended the call, tied on an apron, and went back to cooking.

Lin Zheng Ran sat nearby on a stool and asked, “Is Jiang Group always this busy?”

“Yeah, I’m in charge of promotions, so the group always needs me to attract investments or expand clients. Most clients are easy to deal with, but some out-of-province companies cause issues, and they end up calling me.”

She sighed deeply as she spoke:

“To be honest, Jiang Group’s performance has been slowly declining these past few years. With the rise of the internet, our old products aren’t as popular anymore. It’s only because the company is large and I’ve brought in new projects that it isn’t obvious yet.”

She continued, “Of course, this isn’t some big secret. The internet has wiped out so many traditional industries, especially for small businesses—they’re barely making money these days.”

Lin Zheng Ran said, “So, since you’ve shifted your focus here, the decline over there has sped up, and that’s why your workload has piled up. In a way, I feel like I poached you.”

Jiang Jingshi paused, then turned with a smile. “Wait, isn’t it the other way around? I was the one who wanted to work with you. How did it become you poaching me?”

Lin Zheng Ran didn’t respond; they just locked eyes.

Until Lin Zheng Ran smelled something and quickly said, “Watch the pot—don’t let it burn!”

Jiang Jingshi hurriedly flipped the ingredients, feeling a bit embarrassed.

It wasn’t just about nearly burning the food; Lin Zheng Ran was right. In her parents’ eyes, he had indeed drawn her away, since he was the general manager of this new company, not her.

But thinking back to that childhood incident, it might just be her personality. As a woman, no matter how capable, she still wanted to follow the guy she liked, not the other way around.

Lin Zheng Ran gazed at Jiang Jingshi’s back and suddenly asked, “Jiang Jie, did we meet when we were kids?”

In that moment, Jiang Jingshi’s eyes widened, and a blush crept across her cheeks.

Her hand holding the spatula froze for a second before she slowly continued stirring.

Without turning around, she said gently, “Why would you say that? Have you remembered something?”

Lin Zheng Ran thought about the countless pretty girls he’d met as a child—so many and so varied that it was hard to tell, especially since people change so much growing up. Those brief encounters blurred together:

“It’s just a feeling. Mainly, you’ve been so kind to me from the start. You said it’s because you admire me or because I’m Jiang Qian’s classmate, but I can’t shake this sense that we might have met before.”

Jiang Jingshi’s lips curved into a small smile, her voice soft:

“Are you saying I’ve been too nice to you? You might not believe it, but around you, I’ve been holding back quite a bit.”

Her last few words were so quiet that most people wouldn’t catch them.

Jiang Jingshi raised her voice a little, trying to steer the conversation away. She didn’t want to dwell on that fleeting childhood meeting.

If there was ever a chance for her and Lin Zheng Ran, she hoped it would be based on who they are now, making that past encounter true fate.

Otherwise, it would just be a twist of luck, a missed connection:

“Whether we met before or not, I’m more curious about what’s ahead. The future is what matters most.”

Once lunch was ready, Lin Zheng Ran sat at the table in the private dining area.

He marveled at how meticulously she prepared the food; even the plating looked professionally studied.

Jiang Jingshi stood by the beverage cabinet and asked, “Still want a drink?”

“Yeah, but no alcohol.”

As she opened the cabinet to grab a bottle,

Lin Zheng Ran noticed her unsteady steps and quickly got up to steady her.

“Watch out!”

Jiang Jingshi leaned into his arms, her head clearing slowly as her cheeks flushed. She gripped his arm and steadied herself, saying,

“I’m fine… My head just buzzed for a second out of nowhere.” Why was she always ending up in his arms like this? It almost seemed intentional, but…

Lin Zheng Ran supported her:

“Sit down and rest for a bit. Let me check you out.”

“Oh, no need—probably just from not getting enough rest lately.”

“It’s just a quick pulse check; it won’t take long.”

Lin Zheng Ran sat with her at the table and took her wrist.

Jiang Jingshi asked with a slight blush, “Everything okay? It’s still amazing to me that you can even diagnose like this… You’re so versatile.”

Lin Zheng Ran didn’t answer right away; instead, he frowned slightly as he looked up at her.

This time, his All-Encompassing Mastery had reached the second level:

“Jiang Jie, is there any family history of heart or blood vessel issues?”

Jiang Jingshi’s eyes widened.

“What?”