CH 15.3

The following morning, Song Shiyu set off from his parents’ house to his company to work. As the clock approached lunchtime, he quickly cleared up whatever he was handling before heading to the restaurant he had agreed on with Ji Fanyin.

He arrived fifteen minutes ahead of time. 

While he was still looking through his email, he received a call from his mother.

Thinking that he might have left something behind in his parents’ house, he picked up the call. But before he could say anything, his mother got straight to the point and asked, “Shiyu, it’s going to be lunchtime soon. Have you arrived at the restaurant yet?”

“I am already there,” replied Song Shiyu as he glanced at his watch.

Ten more minutes to go.

“Good, good,” replied Mrs Song happily. “I’ll have Miss Chen meet you there. She’s a wonderful young lady. You can have lunch with her and your colleagues. Make sure not to make things too awkward for her, alright?”

“… Mom, I’m already eating with my colleagues,” protested Song Shiyu.

“Aren’t they all your subordinates?” Mrs Song thought nothing about it. “It’s no big deal for you to bring a friend along with you for a social gathering. She should be arriving soon. Make sure to treat her well, you hear me?”

Mrs Song hung up right away, not giving Song Shiyu any chance to turn down the meeting. Song Shiyu tried to call her back, but the line was busy.

At this rate, that Miss Chen or something is going to bump into Ji Fanyin.

Song Shiyu quickly rose to his feet and began making his way to the front reception. While walking, he took out his phone and swiftly browsed through his list of contacts to look for Ji Fanyin’s phone number. 

But before he could press the ‘Call’ button, the front receptionist suddenly brought a demure young lady over. 

The lady seemed to recognize Song Shiyu as she directed a graceful smile toward him and said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr Song.”

Song Shiyu’s finger froze in place. He quickly put on his usual elegant smile and returned the greeting, “Yes, it’s a pleasure to meet you too. I’ve just received an urgent call from my company, so I’ll have to excuse myself for a moment. Do feel free to enter the compartment room first and wait for me there. I’ll be right back.”

“Of course,” the lady replied with a slightly flushed face. “Work should take precedence. Go ahead and do whatever you need to.”

Song Shiyu tilted his body sideward so as to create some room for them to pass by him. After that, he continued heading out with his phone in hand.

But just as he was about to call Ji Fanyin to inform her that she didn’t have to come anymore, he suddenly spotted her at the end of the corridor. 

She was standing there with her hands behind her back and a gentle smile on her face. It was clear that she had witnessed everything that had happened earlier, but she still met his eyes clearly without any fluctuations in her emotions.

Song Shiyu’s footsteps froze for a brief moment before he continued striding toward her, until he was finally standing before her. 

“Shiyu,” Ji Fanyin called out with her head tilted in confusion. “You invited another woman to have lunch with us?”

Song Shiyu couldn’t see any anger or sorrow on her face. He was silent for a few seconds before asking, “Ji Fanyin… is there nothing else you want to say?”

Isn’t Ji Fanyin supposed to be in love with me? Why isn’t she reacting at all?

“Hmm…” Ji Fanyin pondered for a moment before switching over to her professional smile. “Does this mean a paid break for me?”