Chapter 7: 007

Su Xiaomi had suddenly become very busy these past two days.

On one hand, Ruan Tian had been resting in the company dormitory due to an injured foot, and all of her workload had been transferred to Su Xiaomi.

On the other hand, after work, Su Xiaomi had to take care of Ruan Tian—buying her meals, fetching water, accompanying her to wash up, and helping her to the restroom.

So, not only was she swamped at work, but she was also equally busy at the dormitory, barely having time to catch her breath.

However, after spending these days together, Ruan Tian’s attitude toward Su Xiaomi had become noticeably warmer.

Su Xiaomi was quite happy about this change—after all, being in the same department and sharing a dormitory, a friendly relationship was far better than a distant one.

That morning, as soon as Su Xiaomi entered the Social News department, Putao handed her a newspaper with a smile.

“Xiaomi, your article on the traffic accident was successfully published! The editor-in-chief didn’t change a single word after reading it. Congratulations!”

As an “experienced journalist,” this wasn’t the first time Su Xiaomi had an article published.

However, it was her first independently completed report since joining Yihang Media.

She took the freshly printed newspaper from Putao and carefully read the article, even paying attention to her byline at the bottom.

Amused by her excitement, Putao teased, “So happy? Shouldn’t you treat us to a meal to celebrate?”

Su Xiaomi nodded boldly.

“No problem! Dinner’s on me tonight!”

Except for the editor-in-chief, who had an independent office, everyone in the Social News department shared one large office space.

So, when Su Xiaomi made the announcement, everyone immediately cheered in unison.

Even the editor-in-chief, holding a thermos cup, wandered out of his office.

After understanding the reason behind the celebration, he enthusiastically said, “How could we let an intern treat us? Dinner’s on me—it’s a welcome party for our new team members!”

Su Xiaomi gave the editor-in-chief a grateful look but hadn’t had time to speak before he suddenly remembered something.

“I recall that President Jiang specifically called me into his office to ask about this article. He even praised you. Since we’re celebrating because of this, it seems only right to invite President Jiang to join us.”

The moment the editor-in-chief said this, everyone looked thrilled.

Only Su Xiaomi froze, her face pale with shock.

She stammered, “Uh… that’s not necessary, is it? President Jiang is so busy. How could we trouble him over such a small matter?”

The editor-in-chief chuckled.

“No harm in trying. I’ll arrange it. Putao, find a good restaurant nearby and reserve a spot in advance.”

Putao responded crisply, “Mission accepted!”

The dinner was eventually arranged at the Fengnian Grand Hotel, not far from Yihang Media.

Su Xiaomi had gone back to the dormitory with a colleague to pick up Ruan Tian, so by the time they arrived, most of the dishes had already been served.

Standing at the doorway, Su Xiaomi instinctively scanned the room and was pleasantly surprised to find no sign of Jiang Yi.

Her anxious heart immediately settled.

As she expected, how could such a minor dinner invite someone as important as President Jiang? She had been overthinking it.

Unlike Su Xiaomi’s relief, Ruan Tian couldn’t hide her disappointment.

She hadn’t wanted to attend the dinner initially, but upon hearing that Jiang Yi might be there, she had carefully dressed up and endured her leg pain to show up.

Yet, he hadn’t come at all.

If not for the presence of the editor-in-chief and other colleagues, she would have turned around and left immediately.

But despite her reluctance, she forced a smile and let Su Xiaomi help her to a seat at the table.

After sitting down, Su Xiaomi eagerly waited for the meal to begin, but everyone was still chatting and sipping tea.

Unable to bear it any longer, she whispered to Putao beside her, “Why aren’t we eating yet? I’m starving.”

Before Putao could respond, the door behind Su Xiaomi was pushed open.

She turned around instinctively and first saw a beautiful waitress in a cheongsam with a sweet smile.

Behind her, a tall figure in a sharp suit stepped into the room—it was Jiang Yi.

The moment Jiang Yi appeared, everyone, including the editor-in-chief and deputy editor, stood up.

Su Xiaomi reacted a beat too late, still sitting there dumbfounded and staring blankly at Jiang Yi.

It wasn’t until Putao tugged at her sleeve under the table that she snapped out of it and jumped to her feet.

Her sudden movement drew everyone’s attention.

Su Xiaomi’s face turned crimson in an instant.

Her skin was naturally pale, so when she blushed, it was glaringly obvious—as if a touch could smear red onto someone’s hand.

Jiang Yi looked at her and couldn’t help but recall their high school days.

His earliest impression of this girl was her tendency to blush whenever they spoke.

Jiang Yi had never met someone who blushed so easily, and with her delicate complexion, he often worried that her cheeks might burst a blood vessel.

He hadn’t expected that after all these years, she still had this habit.

Wasn’t she now bold enough to casually discuss those kinds of mangas with her male colleagues?

With these chaotic thoughts running through his mind, Jiang Yi kept his face expressionless and walked over to sit at the seat reserved for him at the head of the table.

As soon as Jiang Yi sat down, everyone else followed suit, but the atmosphere was noticeably less lively than before.

However, Jiang Yi didn’t seem to mind.

He casually removed his suit jacket and draped it over the chair, raising his hand to signal that everyone could begin eating.

From the moment Jiang Yi arrived, Su Xiaomi had decided to minimize her presence as much as possible—she planned to stay silent and just focus on eating, avoiding any unnecessary actions or conversations.

But while she stayed low-key, some people couldn’t resist.

The editor-in-chief said, “Xiaomi, do you remember I told you that President Jiang really appreciates you? That article you wrote about the traffic accident, even before it was published, President Jiang had praised you. It’s rare for President Jiang to attend our department’s dinner, and you’re not going to say anything?”

Su Xiaomi wasn’t foolish.

She could tell that the editor-in-chief was looking out for her, and since he had been so clear about it, if she kept playing dumb, it would not only embarrass the editor-in-chief, but also be disrespectful to Jiang Yi.

So, she obediently poured herself a glass of beer and stood up.

“Thank you, President Jiang. I’d like to toast to you!”

Jiang Yi casually picked up his teacup and, with a half-smile, replied, “I drove here, so I can’t drink. I hope you don’t mind me using tea instead of alcohol.”

Su Xiaomi quickly responded, “I don’t mind at all. Then I’ll drink, and you can take it easy, President Jiang.”

She finished the entire glass of beer in one go.

But when she sat down, she noticed that Jiang Yi had only taken a small sip from his tea.

Su Xiaomi: “…”

Fortunately, during the rest of the dinner, everyone’s attention was focused on Jiang Yi, so no one paid any further attention to the humble intern, Su Xiaomi.

She successfully managed to lower her presence to the minimum, and by the end, she had eaten far more than she expected.

When it was time to settle the bill, Jiang Yi picked up the tab.

As they left the Fengnian Grand Hotel, Jiang Yi finally noticed Ruan Tian’s injured leg and couldn’t help but ask with concern, “What happened to your leg?”

Ruan Tian smiled awkwardly. “I just twisted it a bit; it’s nothing serious. Thank you for asking, President Jiang.”

Jiang Yi paused for a moment, then suddenly asked, “Where are you staying? If it’s on the way, I can drive you back.”

Ruan Tian excitedly gave him the address, and Jiang Yi thought for a moment.

Not only was it on the way, it was practically right along his route.

He twirled the car keys in his hand and said casually, “Alright, you wait here. I’ll drive the car over.”

Su Xiaomi had no chance to decline, so the plan was set.

Once Jiang Yi left, she looked at Ruan Tian helplessly.

“How about you let President Jiang drive you? I’ll just take the subway.”

Ruan Tian was actually more than happy with that suggestion, but the thought of being alone with Jiang Yi made her nervous.

She tightly hooked her arm around Su Xiaomi’s and said, “No, don’t go! If you’re not with me, how can I go back to the dorm by myself? It’s not good to have President Jiang drive me alone, is it?”

Su Xiaomi thought about it and agreed with Ruan Tian’s reasoning.

She gave up the idea of leaving alone and hung her head low, like a drooping cabbage, as she waited with Ruan Tian for Jiang Yi’s car by the side of the road.

Soon, a white Maserati pulled up in front of them.

As Su Xiaomi thought to herself, Capitalists really are extravagant and corrupt, she opened the rear door and helped Ruan Tian into the car.

Just as she was about to walk around to the other side to open the back door, she saw Jiang Yi roll down the window and give her a stern look.

Su Xiaomi’s mind raced, remembering the etiquette that one shouldn’t sit in the back seat of the car when being driven by a leader—it would make the leader feel disrespected.

Under Jiang Yi’s watchful gaze, Su Xiaomi didn’t dare ignore the etiquette, so she reluctantly grabbed her bag and opened the front passenger door.

Jiang Yi seemed satisfied with this.

Su Xiaomi, feeling a headache coming on, wiped her forehead, though there was no sweat, and thought to herself, Jiang Yi is becoming more and more difficult to please.

The car drove quietly along the road, with no one speaking.

Jiang Yi’s personality made him naturally silent; Su Xiaomi didn’t dare speak, and as for Ruan Tian, who was sitting in the back seat, she was silently annoyed at Su Xiaomi.

What was this?

She was left alone in the back seat while Su Xiaomi took the front passenger seat for herself.

Before, she acted as if she wanted to stay far away from President Jiang, but now, at the crucial moment, she eagerly moved up to the front.

It was so hypocritical.

Su Xiaomi had no idea Ruan Tian was thinking this about her, and if she did, she would probably cough up blood in disbelief.

In the end, it was Ruan Tian who broke the silence, starting a conversation with Jiang Yi about a recent trending social news story that happened overseas.

Su Xiaomi was eager for Jiang Yi to ignore her presence, so she stared out of the window, acting as if she were a statue, silently praying, Please don’t let there be a traffic jam, please don’t let there be a traffic jam…

But of course, the thing she feared came true.

Seeing the heavy traffic outside the window, Su Xiaomi felt like she had nothing left to say.

Jiang Yi, however, didn’t exhibit the typical frustration that most drivers would show in a traffic jam.

Su Xiaomi could tell, though, that he wasn’t as calm as he appeared on the surface, because through the glass, she could see Jiang Yi lightly tapping his fingers on the steering wheel.

It was a habitual gesture he made when bored.

Back when they were in school, every time Jiang Yi finished an exam and couldn’t submit his paper early, he would sit at his desk, bored, staring out the window.

His fingers would rhythmically tap on the desk.

What was Su Xiaomi doing back then?

Oh, she was secretly glancing at Jiang Yi’s answer sheet.

Thinking of this, Su Xiaomi quickly raised her hand to cover her eyes, unable to bear it.

In her mind, the nightmare of getting zero in a math exam resurfaced.

What had Jiang Yi said in that dream?

—I would never like a woman who gets zero in a math exam!

Ha, men are all liars! Because when it was time for her college entrance exam, she scored 135 out of 150 in math, yet Jiang Yi still rejected her confession!