Fresh out out of the oven. ???? I edited this in a hurry so let me know if you spot any errors.

Jiang Yu Nan continues to be sweet and attentive. I suppose that’s what will make the heart break even more painful. Xu Ziqing is up to her antics as usual..

Chapter 28

“Ms Yan, this is what mixing up public and private lives looks like…”

These words still rang in her ears. Yan Liang arrived at the regular Monday morning meetings. She saw that all the people were already in the room for some time, except Mr Jiang who arrived late. She couldn’t help but feel a bit awkward.

She quietly sat down and looked down at the files

Fortunately the meeting started normally.Jiang Yu Nan was as calm as ever. He seemed to have switched on his professional mode and Yan Liang sighed with relief.

Recently, the focus of the company was concentrated on “ Ya-Yan’ and ‘Secret’. Xu Ziqing started to talk about ‘Secret’, fortunately, this time she brought some good news.

“After repeated contacts with Jiang Shi Jun, the Li Bo group has finally agreed to a private reconciliation.”

‘Perfect Look’ was pulled off the shelves at the last moment; even the company’s shares were affected and were trading at a loss for a few days. Though the stocks were stable now, the incident had brought great losses to the company.

Jiang Yu Nan looked serious, “ What are the terms of the reconciliation?”

Xi Ziqing looked embarrassed. She hesitated a moment before saying, “ His condition is that Li Bo will buy the ‘Perfect Look’ makeup series to put this matter to rest.”

Yan Liang almost shot up from her seat on hearing this. If they agreed to this, didn’t they indirectly own up to the fact that Xu copied Li Bo?

But she held back, quietly fisting and un-fisting her hand. This was to do with ‘Secret’, not her area.

Jiang Yu Nan did not express any views. Xu Ziqing looked at his face and quickly explained, “ I have not promised Jiang Shi Jun anything yet, but I think if we reconcile, it will be more conducive to the company.”

Jiang Yu Nan nodded.

The next one to speak was Yan Liang.

She gave a full report of ‘Ya-Yan’. She touched upon the sales during that period, the proposed additional advertisement volumes and the request for hiring a spokesperson for the product.

After receiving a lot of praises, Yan Liang’s assistant handed over the budget for Jiang Yu nan’s approval.

Jiang Yu Nan read the budget proposal and signed on it. Yan Liang continued to explain, “After the additional advertising, the provincial distributors will co –operate with us to start a new advertising campaign on major TV channels in all big cities where Ming Ting operates.”

The budget proposal was returned to Yan Liang. She had finished her speech and handed over to the department heads to start their reports. As she opened the folder with the budget proposal to see Jiang Yu nan’s signature, she was shocked.

There was a note attached to the folder, “ 12 o clock, the restaurant opposite. Box 2”.

Yan Liang closed the folder, and kept her head down for a long time trying to compose her expressions. Finally, she raised her head and looked at his chair.

The president was listening intently to the department head’s report, his chin resting on his hand, his demeanour so professional that Yan Liang almost felt that the note was imaginary.

But when she came to the restaurant on the top floor of the opposite buiding at 12 o clock and pushed the door of Box 2, she found Jiang Yu Nan sitting in the otherwise empty enclosure. She peeked at her watch.

He looked up as the door opened, his expression clearly unhappy. “You’re half an hour late.”

Yan Liang was silent. She did not apologise for her tardiness, just pulled over the chair and sat down. Jiang Yu Nan seemed to accept this and turned to the waiter, “Please serve us.”

After the waiter left, Yan Liang casually flipped over the menu, “What is the matter?”

Jiang Yu Nan did not answer her, but reached over the table to touch her hand. Yan Liang did not raise her head and continued to browse the menu.

Jiang Yu Na got up, sat by her side and held up her face with his hand, “What happened?”

Yan Liang could no longer avoid him, She looked up with widened eyes and said, “What do you mean?”

Jiang Yu Nan looked at the woman’s face he was holding up. At the surface, it was calm but there was a hidden trace of something. “You can deceive others, but you can’t lie to me.”

Saying this, he let go of her chin and moved away slightly, as if to give her some space. Looking at him, Yan Liang’s thoughts went back to what she had witnessed half an hour ago.

She would have reached the restaurant at 12 o clock as planned, but unfortunately, just as she reached downstairs she encountered Xu Ziqing.

Or, it would be more accurate to say, she saw Xu Ziqing in Jiang Shi Jun’s car.

Yan Liang was standing at some distance from the car, but was still able to see Jiang Shi Jun in the back seat smiling at Xu Ziqing. Xu Ziqing was slightly bent over, and it seemed as if Jiang Shi Jun was trying to tell her something.

After that, Xu Ziqing turned to leave, but Jiang Shi Jun caught her wrist. Xu Ziqing leaned towards him again ,half her body on the back seat.

Yan Liang’s view was blocked by Xu Ziqing’s body, but it was easy to guess from Xu Ziqing’s posture and the angle of Jiang Yu Nan’s body that they were engaged in a farewell kiss.

This wasn’t the West. Xu Ziqing was not someone who was westernized and Jiang Shi Jun was not her friend..

Yan Liang was shocked.

As she turned towards the Xu building, Xu Ziqing saw Yan Liang and was surprised for a moment,

Both of them were frozen for a moment. Jiang Shi Jun’s car behind Xu Ziqing did not drive away. In the blazing sun, the black body of the car glowed, as if it was a spectator to the show.

Yan Liang could see Jiang Shi Jun’s face behind the black windows.

Then the car drove away, and almost at the same time, Xu Ziqing moved forward to the building, not even giving Yan Liang so much as a glance.

Yan Liang stood frozen in front of the building. Her brain kept replaying the intimate scenes between Xu Ziqing and Jiang Shi Jun. Unexpectedly, she recalled Xu Ziqing say in the morning meeting, “After approaching Jiang Shi Jun many times, Li Bo has agreed to a private reconciliation..”

…… …

Yan Liang’s thoughts returned to the restaurant, she looked up at Jiang Yu Nan who was still staring at her. She lowered her eyes, and then looked up again, her eyes cold and her expression hidden this time. “Nothing.”

“You……”

Jiang Yu was about to say something, but was interrupted by a knock at the door. Jiang Yu Nan temporarily stopped speaking; the waiter pushed the door open and started to serve them. The empty table was soon full of food. Yan Liang seemed really hungry, she started to serve herself.

Jiang Yu Nan looked at her; there was a trace of hesitation in his eyes. After a long time, he decided to say nothing and just took a plate.