Chapter 5: Get in the car! Smirk.jpg

Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=5310224
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com

At seven in the evening, the office building was still brightly lit. In the finance industry, working overtime had become routine, and a nine-to-five schedule was almost impossible.

Ji Lianxing's team had a total of 8 people. Except for Lao* Wang, who took a day off, everyone else was working overtime.

*old

“Ai, every Monday is so busy! I'm afraid we'll have to work until ten!" The team leader stood up, supporting his back, and grinned in pain. Due to sitting for long periods over the years, he had developed back problems, so he needed to stand up after working for a while.

Lu Fan laughed at him, "Boss, your back isn't doing well, huh~"

The team leader glanced at him, "When I was your age, my back was in great shape~"

Ji Lianxing focused on her computer, diligently working on the last set of data. 

When she worked, she usually didn't engage with them. One reason was that she wasn't interested, and another was that she thought it was a bit of a waste of time. Everyone had long been accustomed to her being like this.

Xiao* Ji, the least talkative one in the team, hardly ever joined the tea parties**. Her time management was efficient, and because she worked the fastest, she also finished work the earliest.

*young/little

**gossip 

At seven-twenty, Ji Lianxing let out a sigh of relief. She gently kicked her calf, slid the chair back, and stretched.

"Finished?" Lu Fan asked her.

"Mm-mm."

"Heading out?" He noticed that Ji Lianxing had already shut down her computer. She was truly enthusiastic about leaving work on time as if she was unwilling to spend even one more second working for the company.

Ji Lianxing picked up her bag, smiled faintly, and nodded, "Mm-hmm, I have to go, there's something I need to do."

After working together for three months, Lu Fan's impression of Ji Lianxing was: she really came to work just to work. She kept her work and personal life very separate, didn't gossip, and didn't waste time. She worked with astonishing efficiency.

So, there's really no problem with her leaving work early, right?

No, no, no! There was a problem! Could you slow down a bit, big sister!!!

****

Ji Lianxing silently exited the work area. Since she deliberately left work a bit earlier today, she was the only one waiting for the elevator.

She watched the numbers on the elevator slowly rise, 18, 19...

During the day, when Jiang Shu asked her to go to the office, she had actually imagined many bad scenarios, but in the end, she convinced herself.

After all, Jiang Shu was her boss. Calling her to the office certainly wouldn't embarrass her. Perhaps it was just to discuss business, and there was no need to overthink it. Besides, it wasn't a matter of whether she wanted to go or not; she had no choice. Even if she didn't want to go, she had to.

Ding.

The elevator stopped on the 25th floor. Ji Lianxing entered and pressed the number "28". This was her first time going to a floor higher than the 25th. The elevator slowly ascended, and her distance to Jiang Shu was decreasing...

Soon she arrived at the 28th floor. Ji Lianxing walked out of the elevator and immediately saw the front desk.

As their eyes met, the receptionist already had a standard smile on her face. Ji Lianxing wondered if this young lady had prepared that expression the moment the elevator dinged.

"Hello, do you have an appointment with President Jiang?"

"President Jiang asked me to come see her during the day."

"May I have your name?"

"Ji, Ji Lianxing."

The young lady tapped on her tablet twice, probably verifying the information.

"Okay, please follow me."

She followed the receptionist, observing the surroundings. The layout of the 28th floor was noticeably different. It was much more spacious in comparison.

The cubicles downstairs looked more like a workspace, whereas the 28th floor was so vast it reminded Ji Lianxing of an art gallery.

The design theme was white and gray, focusing on a clean and high-end look. The corridor had silver reflective surfaces, and with each step, Ji Lianxing saw another version of herself in the reflections, as well as the slender legs and waist of the receptionist.

The receptionist finally stopped in front of a frosted glass door. "Here it is. Do you need me to knock for you?"

Her voice was very gentle. She had a standard oval face, and when she smiled, she showed her neat, white teeth. Even though Ji Lianxing knew it was a professional smile, she liked it when others smiled at her.

"Thank you, no need. I'll do it myself."

****

Before knocking, Ji Lianxing took three deep breaths, telling herself not to be nervous.

Knock, knock...

The glass door made a crisp sound.

"Come in."

Ji Lianxing pushed the door open and her view expanded. As expected, the interior layout exceeded her expectations.

???

In this expensive commercial district, Jiang Shu's office was a bit too large.

The design theme was similar to the outside, mainly gray and white, but the lighting was brighter. The floor-to-ceiling windows provided a broad view, showing the entire city's nightscape.

Ji Lianxing glanced to the side, her gaze landing on Jiang Shu's face. A pair of silver-framed glasses rested on her elegant nose. Her hair was pinned up while she worked, revealing her slender cheeks.

She just sat there, yet she gave off a cold and aloof vibe. The top button of her shirt was fastened, making Ji Lianxing think of the word: ascetic.

In just a second, Ji Lianxing moved her gaze away.

Forget it, don't make eye contact. It's better to look out the window.

Jiang Shu pushed the tablet aside, removed her glasses, and crossed one leg over the other. Leaning back slightly in her chair, she looked at Ji Lianxing and said, "Don't daze. Come in and sit down."

"Oh." Ji Lianxing walked over to the sofa and sat down. It seemed to be genuine leather; it was very soft and provided strong support.

"Come sit over here," Jiang Shu said, lightly tapping the desk with her finger.

Ji Lianxing had no choice but to stand up, walk over to Jiang Shu's desk, and sit down across from her.

Anyway, she's going to die anyway, then just die. Ji Lianxing steeled herself, facing Jiang Shu with the resolve of a ship braving a storm. She raised her head, forcing herself to meet Jiang Shu's gaze, and kept her tone as neutral as she could. "President Jiang, is there something you need from me?"

As soon as Ji Lianxing met Jiang Shu's eyes, she felt her heartbeat quicken.

Jiang Shu's eyes were like a deep, unfathomable abyss, concealing any discernible emotion, with a coldness that was indifferent and unfeeling. This detachment held a magnetic allure for Ji Lianxing; she was captivated by the cool elegance and confident distance in Jiang Shu’s gaze.

"You left something with me last night." Jiang Shu opened a drawer, took out a silver bracelet, and placed it on the desk.

"So it was here? I looked for it everywhere!" Ji Lianxing's voice seemed to rise a pitch as she took the bracelet, holding it in her hand with a look of deep gratitude in her eyes.

She had thought she left it at the bar during last night's performance and had called the owner, who also said they couldn't find it. She had considered it might be with Jiang Shu but was too nervous to remember many details from last night.

“Thank you, President Jiang.”

“No need to thank me.” Jiang Shu looked at her with a smile, it seemed this ordinary bracelet was significant to the little hedgehog.

She stood up, turned, and poured herself a glass of water, casually adding, “Oh, by the way, I meant to return it last night, but you blocked me, and my calls wouldn’t go through.”

......

Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=5310224
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com

Ji Lianxing's heart raced, and her smile froze. Help, her social death scene was still waiting for her, and she really didn’t know how to answer. How could she explain?

Jiang Shu held a glass and took a sip, her eyes filled with amusement. Those eyes seemed to say, Let's see how you will respond.

Ji Lianxing swallowed hard, awkwardly smiling, and said, “Oh… really?”

Jiang Shu tilted her head, her smile widening. “Wasn’t I? I thought I was blocked because my calls were immediately cut off.”

Ji Lianxing looked down, her face turning red. She couldn’t come up with a single word to say.

Because Ji Lianxing had indeed blocked Jiang Shu, and it was clear Jiang Shu was now teasing her, not admitting it would only make things worse.

The atmosphere became awkward as they both fell silent.

Jiang Shu watched Ji Lianxing keep her head down in silence and thought of how the little hedgehog would curl up and protect itself when scared. She really did resemble that tiny hedgehog, the kind that could fit in the palm of one's hand.

For some reason, seeing Ji Lianxing's flustered, speechless expression brought an indescribable pleasure to Jiang Shu's heart, despite the fact that it was brought about by a bad taste.

“Alright, alright, I was just teasing you.” Jiang Shu placed the glass on the desk, picked up her suede bag, and said, “Let’s go. It’s off work time; I’ll go with you.”

****

In the cramped space of the elevator, Jiang Shu stood in the center while Ji Lianxing stood in one corner, keeping her distance.

This was Ji Lianxing’s first time riding in a VIP elevator. Besides not having to wait as long, it was much like an ordinary one. She suddenly wondered why Jiang Shu would squeeze into the regular elevator in the morning when she could ride the VIP one. It’s strange.

At this moment, Jiang Shu took a slight step back and stood beside Ji Lianxing. Whether it was due to a keen sense of smell or something else, Ji Lianxing found herself easily detecting the subtle fragrance of roses and cedar that Jiang Shu wore. It wasn’t strong, but it was memorable. Ji Lianxing was curious about what perfume she used.

Ji Lianxing had a peculiar feeling. Whenever Jiang Shu was near, even just a little closer, all her dormant senses would awaken, attuned to everything about Jiang Shu.

The red numbers in the elevator continued to count down.

“You seem to be afraid of me,” Jiang Shu suddenly said.

Ji Lianxing’s fingers trembled slightly. “Not really.” She paused and then added, “Maybe a little. You’re the boss, so I guess I’m a bit afraid of you.”

Jiang Shu was amused by Ji Lianxing's blunt honesty. Her laughter was soft but clearly reached Ji Lianxing's ears.

Curious, Ji Lianxing looked up and saw Jiang Shu smiling with a relaxed, natural expression. It was a little surprising as if she was seeing a different side of Jiang Shu.

"We're off the clock now, so there's no need to be afraid of me," Jiang Shu said as the elevator doors opened and she stepped out.

Ji Lianxing followed, only to realize they had arrived at the underground parking lot. It was a bit awkward as she hadn't noticed Jiang Shu had pressed the B1 button.

"Shall I give you a ride home?" 

“No need to trouble you, President Jiang. I can take the subway,” Ji Lianxing said.

“I'll take you there," Jiang Shu insisted. She had already parked in front of a black sports car, and with two beeps, the car flashed twice. She didn't give Ji Lianxing a chance to refuse and opened the car door for her in advance.

Ji Lianxing stood there, a bit dazed. She imagined how out of place this sleek car would look parked in her old, peeling-walled neighborhood. It would be out of place.

“Little hedgehog, get in the car, don’t just stand there~” Jiang Shu got into the driver’s side, the engine already running, waiting for her.

“Little hedgehog? What’s that about?” Ji Lianxing was confused.

“Get in the car, and I’ll explain when you’re inside.”

Author's Note:

Jiang Shu: Get in the car. You won’t suffer any loss if you do. I’ll tell you when you get in. Come on quickly. Hey, hey, you’re so good~

Xiao Ji: Afraidjpg.