Chapter Seventy-Two: There’s Truly Something Ambiguous Between You!

"Ruan, when I was in the garage just now, I noticed someone acting suspiciously, circling around your car," A-Kuan said, putting down his glass of red wine. There was a seriousness in his gaze as he looked at Ruan Mianmian.

Ruan Mianmian looked up, puzzled. "What do you mean? Could someone be trying to steal my car?"

"It didn't look like that," A-Kuan replied, recalling the scene. The person had been wearing a security guard's uniform but moved with extreme caution, glancing around constantly as if afraid of being caught.

Ruan Mianmian continued, "You should report this to the security team later, have them keep an eye out."

"I doubt it'll help. The guy was dressed in a security guard's uniform," A-Kuan said.

"In a security uniform? Maybe he was just on patrol and lingered because the car is so eye-catching?" Ruan Mianmian speculated. A-Kuan rolled his eyes at her.

"I don't think it's anything serious," Ruan Mianmian mused. The security at Hanhai Tower had always been reliable. If the person was in uniform, it was probably nothing.

A-Kuan nodded slowly and said nothing more.

Just then, Duan Lingyue suddenly appeared at the doorway of Ruan Mianmian's office, holding an invitation in her hand, looking somewhat troubled.

Lately, everyone could see that Director Jian and the department head had fallen out again, and the two of them barely appeared together at the office anymore. Even if they did cross paths, they treated each other like strangers, never exchanging greetings, which had set the office abuzz with gossip.

So every time Duan Lingyue had to come to Ruan Mianmian alone with a message, she was anxious. She remembered that in the past, she had often had to smooth things over between Director Jian and Ruan Mianmian, and Ruan had rarely been pleasant about it.

Now that Ruan Mianmian was the department head, Duan Lingyue felt even less certain and always had to take a few deep breaths before entering.

"Knock, knock—"

Duan Lingyue rapped on the door.

"Come in," came the reply quickly from inside. Duan Lingyue immediately put on a bright smile and gently pushed open the office door.

Ruan Mianmian glanced at her. "Is there something you need?"

Duan Lingyue respectfully handed over the invitation. "This is from Kaiyue Group. Their chairman is holding a wedding banquet at the Marble Hotel next month and is inviting you to attend as a guest."

"Kaiyue Group?" Ruan Mianmian took the invitation and glanced at it, puzzled. "Which Kaiyue Group is this?"

Duan Lingyue froze, embarrassed. "It's the Kaiyue Group that's always been working with our company. You didn't know, Director?"

As soon as she said it, she regretted it. Everyone knew Ruan Mianmian was a figurehead as department head; it wasn't surprising that she didn't have all the details.

Duan Lingyue watched Ruan Mianmian carefully, afraid she’d offend her by accident. Fortunately, Ruan Mianmian didn’t seem to mind. She looked up and asked, "Why did they invite me? Shouldn't Director Jian be going?"

"They invited both of you," Duan Lingyue explained. "Director Jian said you should attend together."

"Oh..." So that was it. Ruan Mianmian nodded and set the invitation aside. "Alright, I understand."

"Then... I'll head back to my desk," Duan Lingyue said.

"Mm."

Once Duan Lingyue left the office, she finally let out a sigh of relief.

A-Kuan, who had been quietly observing the whole exchange, suddenly showed interest in the invitation on the desk. "So it's that Kaiyue Group."

"You know them?"

"I do!" A-Kuan explained, "The chairman of Kaiyue is notorious for his lechery. He's getting on in years, but every year he marries a young woman. It's old news by now."

"Hmm?" Ruan Mianmian detected something fishy and decided to look it up online.

What she found shocked her. The Kaiyue chairman was already in his fifties, and according to public records, he had only married his last wife in March of this year—yet barely a few months later, he was having another wedding.

"Unbelievable, what a dirty old man," Ruan Mianmian muttered under her breath.

A-Kuan laughed. "There's no one in the world more devoted or faithful than our boss!"

"Oh..." Ruan Mianmian replied noncommittally.

"Hey! What's with that reaction?" A-Kuan complained. Ruan Mianmian, uninterested, tossed the invitation aside again.

When it was time to leave work, there was still no word from Jiang Ce.

As she walked, Ruan Mianmian grumbled, "Your boss is paying less and less attention to me."

"Our boss has only ever kept you in his heart!"

Ruan Mianmian shot him a glare and said nothing.

A-Kuan seized the chance to clear his throat. "Ahem—"

Seeing that posture, Ruan Mianmian knew at once he was about to ask something. Sure enough, A-Kuan leaned in conspiratorially. "Ruan, what's really going on between you and the boss?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it doesn't seem like you're together, but then again, there's definitely something going on. I just can't figure out what you're thinking."

Ruan Mianmian paused, lost in thought. She herself found the relationship awkward. Sometimes Jiang Ce couldn't hide his feelings and would kiss or hug her, but he still hadn't said that one crucial thing.

And she, too, had her own reservations. But thinking it over, it didn't really matter. She was Ruan Mianmian now, no matter what had happened in the past. Drawing such clear lines seemed pointless.

But as for confessing first, her stubborn pride just wouldn't allow it.

In her mind, confessions should always be the man's job.

She pouted. "Why don't you ask your boss that? He's the one kissing and hugging me, yet won't take responsibility!"

"Now that's not fair to the boss! Heaven knows how much he wants to be with you. You're the one being impossible!"

Ruan Mianmian raised her hand as if to smack him, and A-Kuan instantly fell silent.

"Heaven knows, but I don't. Anyway, your boss just doesn't want to own up! Don't make excuses for him—I'm not listening."

She haughtily covered her ears.

A-Kuan shook his head helplessly, then suddenly his eyes lit up.

"Hey!"

He looked at Ruan Mianmian with a teasing gleam, gesturing with his eyes.

"What now?" she complained, following his gaze.

She hadn't noticed when Jiang Ce had appeared, standing quietly by the car, eyes deep with meaning and a wicked curl to his lips.

Ruan Mianmian instantly froze, while Jiang Ce licked his back teeth and started striding toward her.

A-Kuan silently slipped away, vanishing from the scene.

Left standing awkwardly, Ruan Mianmian wondered nervously: I didn't say anything too outrageous just now, did I?