Chapter 13 : Provocation

“Maybe the rich are better at keeping secrets. Alright, let’s hurry back, or people will start laughing at us.”

Lin Ran pulled her up, but when they reached the door of the private room, Liang Meiqi hesitated.

“Lin Ran, I can’t do it. I can’t go in. Just thinking about how indifferent Fu Xingjian’s gaze was makes me unable to bear it.”

“Just make an excuse for me and say that I wasn’t feeling well and had to go home. Please take my bag and coat with you, and bring them to the office tomorrow.”

Before Lin Ran could respond, Liang Meiqi dashed away like a rabbit.

Lin Ran helplessly shook her head and pushed the door open to enter.

The people in the room were all seasoned individuals, and no one asked about Liang Meiqi’s sudden disappearance.

Soon, the gathering came to an end, and the group stood up to accompany Fu Xingjian to the door.

Mao Quanan reacted first, “Ah, this doggone weather, it’s raining again!”

Lin Ran instinctively began to rummage through her bag. Sure enough, she had forgotten her umbrella again. With her memory, she wouldn’t be surprised if she ended up forgetting herself at home one day.

Zhou Xu turned to look at her, “It’s raining. It’ll be inconvenient for you to take the subway. Let me give you a ride home.”

Fu Xingjian’s dark and deep eyes also turned to her.

“Mr. Zhou, you live in the west city?”

    Zhou Xu nodded, “Yes, the upper district of the west city.”

Fu Xingjian nodded and said indifferently, “Then I’ll take Lin Ran. I live closer.”

The people around them were stunned, their eyes flicking back and forth between Fu Xingjian and Lin Ran.

Lin Ran was about to decline when he added, “It’s only right to send an old classmate home.”

Mao Quanan’s mouth fell open in surprise.

“Old classmates?”

Who’s an old classmate with whom?

To prevent him from talking nonsense, Lin Ran quickly interjected, “Uh, Mr. Fu and I were undergraduates together. Mr. Zhou and Mr. Fu were graduate school classmates.”

“Oh, I see,” Mao Quanan nodded in understanding.

Zhou Xu chuckled and teased, “You and Xingjian were classmates? You never told me that! I thought this project was won using my face.”

Lin Ran smiled carefully, “I’m not very familiar with Mr. Fu. It would be awkward for me to use his classmate status to claim credit, especially since with his current standing, it might look like I’m trying to ride his coattails. The reason Yutou trusts us is that our product is solid and well-matched with Yutou’s business needs.”

Her words were flawless, and Zhou Xu seemed quite pleased.

Mao Quanan secretly admired her quick thinking and high emotional intelligence.

Only Fu Xingjian’s face darkened, his voice cold: “Manager Lin is very dedicated, always promoting her own company. Mr. Zhou is truly lucky to have such an employee.”

Zhou Xu shrugged, “What can I say? My employees are just that good. Please, Mr. Fu, take her home. I’ll buy you a coffee tomorrow.”

Lin Ran was holding a pile of things in both hands, planning to sit in the back. But as soon as she sat down, Fu Xingjian, in the driver’s seat, coldly ordered, “Come to the front.”

Lin Ran stretched her neck to look at him. “It’s inconvenient with so many things.”

“Can’t you think a little? Put the stuff in the back and sit in the front.”

Lin Ran hated being called dumb, and she immediately exploded, “No! I want to sit in the back!”

She came from a poor family, wasn’t beautiful, and didn’t have a great figure. The only thing she was proud of was her smart brain. She couldn’t stand being mocked for being stupid.

After speaking, she froze for a moment, then slumped into the back seat like a deflated balloon.

Why did he always manage to provoke her so easily?!

Why? Why?

In the past five years, she had clearly been doing better and better, her confidence growing more and more, and yet… she had long since forgotten the past.