Chapter Thirteen: Something Is Missing

No matter whether in Jiangcheng or Lan City, the Ruan family has always been the Jian family’s biggest business partner. This time, when Jian Yanzhi personally brought his team to Jiangcheng to establish a branch of the Hanhai Group, Ruan Mianmian had resolutely invested all her savings to buy shares in Hanhai.

Aside from Jian Yanzhi himself, Ruan Mianmian was the largest shareholder in the Hanhai branch!

If Jian Yanzhi hadn’t repeatedly stressed before that she was not to use her position as a shareholder to throw her weight around, she would have reluctantly accepted a minor managerial role; otherwise, how could she tolerate these people before her bossing her around?

The sudden revelation sent everyone in the office into a frenzy—shock was written across every face, and no one dared to believe it so easily.

Shen Ting was startled at first, but then she let out a cold laugh, her gaze toward Ruan Mianmian growing ever more disdainful.

She couldn’t believe a word Ruan Mianmian said. If she was really the company’s top shareholder, why would she subject herself to such a lowly position as a minor supervisor?

Shen Ting knew the Ruan family had some capital in Lan City, but here, she was not about to let Ruan Mianmian spout nonsense unchecked!

“Ruan Mianmian, do you take us all for fools? You, the majority shareholder? How is that possible? Besides, I’ve worked at Hanhai for five or six years. If you were the majority shareholder, how could I not know?”

Arms crossed, Shen Ting looked at Ruan Mianmian with a mocking smile. After her outburst, the others seemed to awaken to the truth.

No matter how one looked at her, Ruan Mianmian did not seem like the company’s majority shareholder.

When has any company’s largest shareholder ever been treated like this?

By now, everyone was likely convinced Ruan Mianmian was bragging, deliberately trying to fool them!

“I think she’s just putting on airs, trying to scare us before she leaves!” someone sneered, and gradually more voices joined in agreement.

Ah Kuan had been left outside the door by Ruan Mianmian, but he could hear every word clearly. He hadn’t expected people at Hanhai Group to be so out of line!

Should he report this to the boss?

Ah Kuan felt conflicted. Miss Ruan had given so much for that Jian boy, yet this was how she was treated in the company. If the boss found out, he’d probably be furious!

Suddenly, a sharp slap sounded from inside the office, followed by a commotion.

Had Miss Ruan been struck?

Worried, Ah Kuan poked his head in. He wasn’t sure what had happened, but Ruan Mianmian was surrounded by a crowd, the atmosphere tense and fraught.

At that moment, Ruan Mianmian let out a cold laugh. “Believe it or not, you’ll all find out soon enough.”

Ruan Mianmian took a step to the side. At her feet lay the broken shards of a cup Shen Ting had angrily thrown at her earlier, now smashed to pieces.

“Yes, we will find out soon enough,” Shen Ting replied smugly. The CEO’s meeting would be ending soon, and by now he was probably already in the elevator. Once he returned, it would be Ruan Mianmian’s turn to eat her words.

Just then, a series of footsteps sounded outside the door. Shen Ting’s smile grew even wider as she turned to Ruan Mianmian and said, “Ruan Mianmian, the general manager will be here any second. If you apologize now, I might just put in a good word for you. What do you say?”

Ruan Mianmian rolled her eyes. Did Shen Ting really think she would go to any lengths for Jian Yanzhi?

As far as she was concerned, Jian Yanzhi meant nothing to her now!

“Shen Ting, let me tell you: from now on, I have nothing to do with Jian Yanzhi! Don’t think you can use him to threaten me anymore!”

As soon as Ruan Mianmian finished, the room fell silent, and the footsteps behind her came to an abrupt halt.

She suddenly realized what Shen Ting’s earlier smugness meant—Jian Yanzhi must have returned.

As expected, everyone nodded in the direction behind Ruan Mianmian and greeted the CEO. She turned just in time to meet Jian Yanzhi’s cold, narrowed eyes.

She noticed he was scrutinizing her as well, though there was something different in his expression.

Jian Yanzhi, dressed impeccably in a tailored suit, looked as composed and striking as ever, exuding a magnetic charisma unique to a protagonist—wherever he went, he became the center of attention.

Yet, in Ruan Mianmian’s heart, not a trace of excitement remained. The joy and anticipation she once felt at the sight of him had completely vanished.

This surprised Jian Yanzhi, too. He hadn’t expected that something he once found so irritating could suddenly disappear, leaving him so unsettled.

“What brings you here? Are you looking for me?” Jian Yanzhi forced down his earlier frustration, replacing it with this question.

Even he didn’t seem to realize that his tone had lost its usual arrogance, replaced instead with patience and hope.

“No, I’m not.”

Ruan Mianmian replied coldly, then continued, “I’m here today to resign and collect my belongings. Such a trivial matter hardly requires the CEO’s attention.”

With that, she walked straight to her desk, her indifference and resolve leaving everyone stunned.

She dared to ignore him? This was a first. Jian Yanzhi pressed his lips together.

The mood in the office grew heavy, and everyone could see the sudden storm brewing on Jian Yanzhi’s face.

Ruan Mianmian reached her desk, staring at the empty surface—she was a little speechless.

She knew her predecessor had merely filled a seat at the company, but to do so so blatantly was astonishing.

At the very least, shouldn’t there be a few documents or reports?

But there was absolutely nothing.

Not that it mattered. She was only here to retrieve her USB drive; the rest was irrelevant.

She bent down, opening the second drawer as she recalled, but found it as empty as the desktop.

Panic seized her: Where were her things? Where was her USB drive?

“Who touched my desk?” Ruan Mianmian glared at the others in the office.

Shen Ting came forward and mocked, “Miss Ruan, are you about to claim you’ve lost something, and now you suspect someone here took it?”

To Ruan Mianmian, the USB drive was a matter of utmost importance, so she had no patience for verbal sparring.

Her face cold, she raised her voice: “I’ll ask again! Who touched my desk?”

Her stern demand startled everyone present. In the past, Ruan Mianmian had always been timidly eager to please the CEO—who had ever seen her question people like this?

Even Shen Ting found it unbelievable; the Ruan Mianmian she saw today seemed like a totally different person.