Chapter 78

Under the scorching sun, Ji Ran lowered her gaze to the top of the man’s head.

His short hair was jet-black, tinged with a faint bluish sheen under the sunlight.

As if drawn by some invisible force, Ji Ran quietly reached out her hand, but her palm froze just before touching his hair.

Because she suddenly felt her foot being yanked upward.

Then, the stubborn resistance under her foot vanished, and she felt light again.

Shen Zhi slowly stood up, his eyes fixed on her foot.

The delicate black-strapped high heels accentuated the pale, slender curve of her instep, leading up to her straight, graceful calves.

Even in her twenties, she still carried the delicate, almost fragile aura of a girl.

As he rose, Ji Ran’s head tilted up along with his movement, her chin lifting slightly.

By now, the storm of emotions she had felt when he first appeared had settled, and the tightness in her throat had eased.

She raised her small face and said softly, “Thank you, Shen Zhi.”

“Next time, don’t wear such a short skirt,” Shen Zhi’s voice was deep, his tone not exactly friendly.

Ji Ran glanced down at her skirt and retorted, “What’s wrong with this skirt? Doesn’t it look good?”

Shen Zhi turned his face away slightly.

Because it looks too good.

When Shen Zhi’s car had passed by earlier, he saw her standing by the roadside like a little fool, completely motionless.

But after a few seconds, he realized she wasn’t choosing not to move—she couldn’t move.

She had been desperately trying to pull her shoe out from the sewer grate.

Sitting in the back seat, Shen Zhi suddenly chuckled.

The sound made both the driver and his assistant in the front seat turn to look at him.

After all, it was rare to hear the director laugh.

The two of them were a little unnerved, unsure if this was a good or bad sign.

Fortunately, Shen Zhi just told them to stop the car—he was getting out.

Even though it wasn’t a parking zone, the driver didn’t dare argue and immediately pulled over.

Seeing that he wasn’t responding, Ji Ran sighed inwardly.

He had always been a man of few words.

While she usually preferred men who spoke less—finding them more charming—his level of reticence was almost too much.

She was struggling to keep up.

But then, an idea struck her.

“How about I treat you to a drink?”

There was a Starbucks downstairs from the company.

Maybe they could sit down and chat, maybe even improve their communication.

“I have a business meeting to attend,” Shen Zhi said coolly, glancing at his watch.

Ji Ran’s shoulders slumped.

“Oh.”

Fine, no drinks then.

“You can treat me to dinner instead.”

When that deep, pleasant voice spoke again, Ji Ran’s head snapped up, her eyes wide.

No time for drinks, but time for dinner?

Happiness had come too suddenly—she was caught off guard.

But Ji Ran was never one to let opportunities slip.

If Shen Zhi was handing her this chance on a silver platter, she’d be a fool not to take it.

So she nodded immediately.

Shen Zhi really did have to leave.

Ji Ran watched as he strode away, his driver waiting nearby with the car.

As the vehicle drove off, she clenched her fists, barely stopping herself from jumping in excitement.

But once she stepped into the elevator, a realization hit her: Shen Zhi had said she should treat him to dinner, but he hadn’t specified when, right?

Could it be tonight?

Ji Ran immediately pulled out her phone, instinctively opening WeChat to message him.

But after scrolling through her contacts from top to bottom, she came to a grim conclusion: She didn’t have Shen Zhi’s WeChat.

At first, she thought it couldn’t be possible—they worked at the same company, after all.

Then she remembered: They had work-related group chats, but no direct contact. And since they communicated through the company’s internal email system (a choice she’d made back then to maintain a cold, professional distance), they’d never exchanged personal socials.

Ji Ran covered her face with her hands.

The sins of the past are coming back to haunt her.

Swallowing her pride, she dug through the group chat, found Shen Zhi’s profile, and tapped “Add to Contacts.”

Sitting at her desk, she clutched her phone, willing the friend request to be accepted instantly.

Just as she was lost in thought, her phone buzzed.

A notification popped up.

Ji Ran stared at the message: “Shen Zhi has accepted your friend request. Start chatting now!”

Her fingers hovered over the screen, debating what to say—something warm but not overly eager.

Then her phone buzzed again.

Shen Zhi: [Ji Ran?]

Two words.

That man was not only sparing with his speech but also with his typing.

WeChat doesn’t charge by the word—would it kill him to type a little more?

She remembered back when he used to text her—his messages were at least five words long.

But Ji Ran didn’t want to dwell on trivialities.

She typed back without hesitation:[It’s me. How about dinner tonight?]

The moment she hit send, she froze.

At twenty-seven, she was decisive and quick to act—even her texting habits reflected that.

But now, she wondered: Was that too direct? Too cold?

She tossed her phone onto the desk, leaning back in her chair as she stared blankly at the wall.

Memories from seventeen still felt vivid, yet here she was, starting from scratch. And now, it seemed she was the eager one, while Shen Zhi remained the aloof, untouchable prince.

A wave of melancholy hit her.

Then her phone buzzed again. Ji Ran’s eyes flew open, and she snatched it up.

Shen Zhi: [Fine. I’ll book the restaurant.]

Ji Ran’s mood instantly lifted.

But then she realized—she was supposed to be treating him, so why was he making the reservation? After a brief exchange, Shen Zhi explained that he was a VVIP at a certain place.

Ji Ran immediately stopped arguing.

If there was one thing Ji Ran couldn’t resist in life, it was good food.

The restaurant Shen Zhi mentioned was a high-end kaiseki place that required reservations at least a week in advance.

Ji Ran loved it but had never been able to secure a same-day booking.

In the past, she would’ve been furious that Shen Zhi had one-upped her again.

But now, clutching her phone, she was grinning like an idiot, thinking only one thing: The man I like is just that amazing.

Always has been.

With the date settled, Ji Ran turned her attention back to work.

She worked in the direct investment division of Gaotong Securities—a department that invested in promising startups or future industry giants.

If you had recognized Alibaba’s potential twenty years ago, you’d be an investment legend.

Shen Zhi had risen to Managing Director at such a young age, achieving in half the time what took others decades, precisely because of his stellar track record.

He had been the first to spot the potential in drone technology, pushing for an investment in a then-unremarkable drone company.

Last year, when that company went public, it delivered a 40x return on investment.

Ji Ran could list his other successes one by one—after all, she had once considered him her greatest rival.

Of course, now that she liked him, she wasn’t about to slack off and let him overshadow her forever.

She was reviewing a project her team had been working on for the past two months.

Admittedly, the company in question was struggling.

But the industry it belonged to was still emerging—ripe with potential, just like logistics, food delivery, and ride-hailing had been in their early days.

The gamble was whether this sector would take off.

The top players in those once-unpromising industries had eventually brought astronomical returns to their early investors.

Ji Ran threw herself into work, spending the entire afternoon discussing the project with her team.

When her phone rang, she answered absentmindedly, wedging it between her ear and shoulder as she flipped through an analyst’s report.

“Hello?”

A cool, detached voice replied, “When are you getting off work? I’m waiting in the parking lot downstairs.”

Ji Ran’s head jerked up at Shen Zhi’s voice, but the sudden movement sent her phone tumbling.

She scrambled to pick it up and stepped out of the conference room.

Looking around, she realized the office was half-empty, and the sky outside had darkened.

Glancing at the time—7:00 PM—she quickly said, “Sorry, I lost track of time.”

“It’s fine. I just got back to the office too.”

Shen Zhi’s voice was as calm as ever, but to Ji Ran, it inexplicably soothed the restless heat in her chest.

“I’ll be right down. Wait for me,” she said hurriedly, afraid he might leave if she took too long.

After hanging up, she dismissed the meeting and announced they were done for the day.

Her team was young—she had been involved in hiring them.

While their inexperience was sometimes a hurdle, she believed their drive could compensate for it.

Besides, her team consisted of graduates from China’s top two universities and elite international schools—some of the sharpest minds in the world.

They just needed time to spread their wings.

Seeing her rush off after a single phone call, someone teased, “Boss, you’re not running off to a date, are you?”

She was.

But Ji Ran wasn’t about to reveal anything before it was official.

So she played it off.

“No.”

“That call definitely sounded like a boyfriend.”

“Agreed.”

Ji Ran’s cheeks warmed.

Earlier, when Shen Zhi’s voice had echoed in the conference room, she had instinctively checked if anyone noticed.

For some reason, it felt like she was sneaking around.

After all, who would’ve guessed she was having dinner with Shen Zhi?

But Ji Ran decided to keep this surprise under wraps—at least until they received her and Shen Zhi’s wedding invitations.

Just thinking the words “wedding invitations” made her ears burn.

The sudden change didn’t escape her team’s notice.

Now that work was over, they were relaxed and ready to poke fun.

“Boss is blushing!”

“Case closed. Denial is useless. When’s the wedding candy?”

“Just give me the date—I’ll be your front-line soldier against the groom.”

Ji Ran feigned sternness.

“If no one wants to leave, you can all stay and work overtime. I’ll even treat you to midnight snacks—order whatever you want.”

That shut them up.

Everyone scattered.

Ji Ran moved even faster, grabbing her bag and heading straight for the elevator.

One of her colleagues nudged Fang Qian.

“You’re closest to the boss—you must know who her boyfriend is. Spill.”

“I don’t!”

Fang Qian shook her head like a rattle-drum.

She really didn’t.

“No boyfriend? What about someone she’s seeing?”

Fang Qian was about to shake her head again when a terrifying name flashed through her mind.

It wasn’t the name itself that was scary—it was the idea of pairing it with Ji Ran that sent chills down her spine.

But considering Ji Ran’s recent behavior, Fang Qian wondered if her wild guess might actually be true.

Wuwuwu, I can’t say it—I’ll be murdered.

Ji Ran, in her nine-centimeter heels, made her way to the underground parking lot.

She knew where Shen Zhi’s designated spot was and headed straight for it.

But as the black Bentley came into view, her steps slowed.

The stunning woman in high heels turned the parking garage into her personal runway, her every move exuding effortless grace.

As she approached, the driver’s side door opened, and Shen Zhi stepped out.

After a glance at her, he circled the car and opened the passenger door.

Ji Ran walked over, offering a demure smile.

“Thank you.”

Once they were both inside, Ji Ran sat with her knees together, hands resting lightly on her skirt.

Shen Zhi glanced at her posture but didn’t start the car.

Instead, he reached back, grabbed his suit jacket from the rear seat, and handed it to her.

“Cover up.”

Ji Ran blinked but took the jacket, draping it over her lap.

“The AC is strong,” he added, just as she was turning away, embarrassed.

Ji Ran exhaled softly.

This is what they call “protesting too much.”

The kaiseki restaurant wasn’t far—about twenty minutes away.

But instead of a high-rise, it was a standalone villa by the lake, exuding understated elegance with its traditional Japanese entrance.

As their car approached, another vehicle was trying to leave when a girl suddenly darted out, blocking its path.

The girl’s desperate, almost suicidal determination startled even Ji Ran.

Then the girl began pounding on the car window, but the driver didn’t roll it down—instead, he tried to drive off.

Ji Ran frowned.

Who causes a scene like this in public?

So inconsiderate.

But when she got a clear look at the girl’s face, Ji Ran froze.

Wen Qianxia?!

She immediately pointed at the fleeing car.

“Shen Zhi, cut him off—don’t let him get away!”

The Mercedes, ignoring Wen Qianxia’s grip on its side mirror, was about to speed off.

But the driver hadn’t expected the Bentley to suddenly block his exit.

The black luxury car parked defiantly in front of him, its message clear: If you want to leave, you’ll have to ram through me first.

Of course, he didn’t dare.

He wasn’t blind—he knew exactly how much that car cost.

Ji Ran, seeing Shen Zhi had successfully trapped the car, got out and strode over, knocking on the window.

This time, the window rolled down, revealing a bespectacled man with a polite, scholarly demeanor.

“Miss, could you move your car? I’m in a hurry.”

“Oh, you’re in a hurry, are you?”

Ji Ran’s voice dripped with sarcasm, but the man missed it entirely, nodding earnestly.

Ji Ran’s temper flared.

The beautiful, impeccably dressed woman glared at him, her voice icy.

“You must be in a hurry—too busy to look in a mirror and see what a monster you are.”

The man gaped at her, stunned.

Ji Ran pressed on.

“Did you not see her hanging onto your mirror? If you drove off like that, she could’ve been dragged under your car!”

“It’s fine—she would’ve let go,” the man said, as if it were the most reasonable thing in the world.

Ji Ran’s temple throbbed with anger.

She turned to Wen Qianxia.

“I’ve run out of words. He’s your problem—handle him.”

Wen Qianxia, already fuming, unleashed her fury.

“You spineless, pathetic coward! You don’t even have the guts to break up with me face-to-face? A text message? You think dumping someone is like throwing out a dog? Even pets get more respect than that!”

Ji Ran stood quietly to the side, suddenly realizing—Wait, isn’t she kind of insulting herself with that analogy?

“Get the hell out of the car!”

Wen Qianxia grabbed his collar, trying to yank him out as she ranted.

“Listen, asshole, I don’t want you either—but I refuse to let you off easy. Be glad I caught you here and not at the office, or I’d have humiliated you in front of everyone.”

Watching Wen Qianxia, Ji Ran marveled at how much time had changed her.

The girl who once trembled before school bullies had grown into a fearless warrior, ready to publicly shame a scumbag.

The man shoved her hand away.

“Are you insane? I told you—we’re just not compatible. Can’t we end this cleanly?”

“No.”

“No.”

Two voices answered in unison.

Ji Ran and Wen Qianxia exchanged a glance.

Then Wen Qianxia lunged again, this time shaking him by the collar.

The man, trapped in his seat, couldn’t fight back effectively and was nearly rattled senseless.

Ji Ran scanned the area, searching for something—until a pair of shoes entered her line of sight.

Shen Zhi asked, “Looking for something?”

Ji Ran answered without hesitation, “A suitable weapon.”

“A brick?”

His voice was cool but laced with faint amusement.

Ji Ran: “…”

I’m not that violent.

“I thought you might need this.”

Shen Zhi handed her a long, slender object.

Ji Ran took it and realized—it was a golf club.

Of course, a man like him would keep one in his trunk.

But the fact that he’d handed it to her now was… unexpected.

This is even more hardcore than a brick.

Shen Zhi watched her hesitation and finally smiled, reaching out to ruffle her hair.

“Now, go do what you want to do.”