Feng Feng felt a little flustered, but her psychological resilience, honed over many years, kicked in. She glanced at Shen Su, then quickly composed herself, offering a smile to her colleague and greeting him, "Li Wen, you stayed here last night too?"
Li Wen paused for a moment, perhaps surprised by Feng Feng's candidness. He nodded and followed up, "Ms. Feng, are you staying here as well?"
Feng Feng replied, "Yes, what a coincidence. I just ran into Mr. Shen when I came downstairs, and now I've run into you here."
Her words were skillfully chosen. Anyone with experience in the workplace could discern the underlying meaning. She wasn't deliberately explaining or clarifying, but with an air of casualness, she distanced herself from Shen Su, letting Li Wen know that their encounter was purely coincidental.
Li Wen was also astute and didn't press the issue further. He smiled and said, "That is indeed a coincidence, but this hotel is quite renowned."
Shen Su chimed in with a smile, "Yes, I used to come here often with friends." This statement subtly supported Feng Feng's earlier remark. If they had come to the hotel together, they wouldn't have been mere acquaintances. Shen Su was essentially implying, in his own way, that he had a girlfriend.
After speaking, Shen Su invited Li Wen to join them for breakfast. However, Li Wen had plans with other friends, so they couldn't form a single group. Shen Su then, with a feigned smile, said, "In that case, I'll have to eat with Ms. Feng. It seems we're both on our own."
Feng Feng didn't respond. She picked up a cup of coffee and placed it back on the table before heading to get her breakfast. With Li Wen present, she couldn't ask Shen Su for help as she had before. Once they were seated, their conversation was noticeably less frequent than before.
Observing Feng Feng's efforts to maintain a distance, Shen Su suddenly felt a mischievous impulse. This clandestine feeling was quite thrilling. Initially, he had been bothered by Feng Feng's reluctance to openly acknowledge their relationship. Now, however, he saw it as a form of playful intrigue—provided their relationship had indeed improved.
Feng Feng took a bite of bread and looked up, only to see Shen Su smiling with his eyes narrowed. His expression indicated that he was up to no good. She lowered her voice and cautioned him, "Don't cause trouble for me."
Shen Su replied, "Did I say I was going to cause trouble? Ms. Feng, you really do misjudge people."
Feng Feng ignored him and focused on her meal.
Feng Feng and Shen Su finished their breakfast first. Before leaving, Feng Feng went to bid farewell to Li Wen. Shen Su, unnoticed, followed her, and they ended up saying goodbye to Li Wen together. Li Wen seemed unfazed after their earlier exchange, but his friends, seated opposite him, cast much more suggestive glances.
After Feng Feng and Shen Su departed, Li Wen's friends eagerly questioned him, "Are your two colleagues a couple?"
Li Wen explained, "The woman is my colleague, and the other is a client from our firm, the CEO of Jin He."
After clarifying their identities, Li Wen added, "They aren't a couple."
"They're definitely a couple!" one of his classmates asserted confidently, slapping his chest. "If you don't believe me, let's bet five thousand dollars."
Li Wen responded, "...I already asked them. They just happened to be staying here."
"Are you in or out on the bet? If they're not involved, you can chop off my head and use it as a soccer ball!"
Li Wen remained silent.
Feng Feng maintained a stern expression while checking out. On the taxi ride back to the hotel, she didn't offer Shen Su any pleasantries.
Shen Su appeared wronged, "Ms. Feng, what have I done to displease you now?"
"Stop being sarcastic," Feng Feng said. "You know exactly what you did."
Shen Su certainly did. "Is it because I spoke with Li Wen alongside you earlier?"
Feng Feng closed her eyes, feigning sleep.
Shen Su continued, "If I had deliberately separated from you, that would have been more likely to cause misunderstanding. Avoiding suspicion by being too cautious can itself raise suspicion."
"Do you usually go out of your way to avoid anyone? If you deliberately kept your distance from me, people might think I was trying to exploit you," Shen Su said, his tone becoming more playful as he moved closer to Feng Feng.
Just as he was about to reach for the necklace around her neck, Feng Feng slapped his hand away. "Get away from me."
Shen Su tutted, "Such a temper."
After New Year's Day, colleagues gradually returned, and Li Ran, having other commitments, flew out first.
The colleagues were all staying at the same hotel, and Feng Feng still subconsciously maintained a distance from Shen Su. Fortunately, work resumed after the third, and once immersed in their work routines, Shen Su became less frivolous in private. Despite his playful nature, he knew how to distinguish between different settings.
Upon returning from the holiday, there was a meeting. Feng Feng sat with her colleagues from the firm, while Shen Su and the Jin He team were seated opposite them.
Coincidentally, Feng Feng and Shen Su were seated directly across from each other. Next to her sat Li Wen, whom she had encountered at the hotel. Even with her strong composure, Feng Feng couldn't entirely ignore her awkwardness, especially with Shen Su across the room giving her an amused, watchful look.
Feng Feng could clearly decipher his intent: he was asking her, "Nervous?"
Feng Feng's gaze swept past Shen Su, completely ignoring him, and she lowered her head to open her laptop. Seeing this, Shen Su's lips curved into an unconcealed smile.
Since sitting down, Li Wen's mind was occupied by his friends' words from the other day. He had initially dismissed their suspicions, but their persistent remarks had planted a seed of doubt. He began to scrutinize Feng Feng and Shen Su, and to his surprise, he started noticing something amiss.
Li Wen had witnessed the exchange of glances between Feng Feng and Shen Su just moments ago. Although he didn't understand the exact meaning, he recognized that the ability to read each other's expressions clearly indicated more than just a professional working relationship.
Once the thought arose, it became difficult to shake. Throughout the entire meeting, whenever Shen Su and Feng Feng communicated, even if it was about work matters, or if they engaged in strong debates with opposing views and a refusal to yield, Li Wen couldn't help but feel they were involved in something more.
During the meeting, Feng Feng and Shen Su did indeed have some disagreements, and no resolution was reached by the end of the discussion. It was already lunchtime, so Shen Su adjourned the meeting and asked Feng Feng to stay behind for a private chat in the conference room.
As Li Wen left, he couldn't resist casting a few extra glances. He hadn't thought much of it when Feng Feng and Shen Su had private meetings before.
Though the conference room was now empty, Feng Feng remained in a state of intense focus. She looked at Shen Su and said, "The accounts you're referring to are unfeasible. It's impossible."
Shen Su replied, "What I need from you is a proposed alternative, not a direct refusal."
Feng Feng stated, "As I said, three days."
Shen Su countered, "That's too long. By tomorrow afternoon."
Feng Feng acknowledged, "Alright, I understand."
She packed her laptop and glasses and left the conference room without looking back.
Upon returning to the office area, Feng Feng bumped into Li Wen. Seeing her stern expression, Li Wen began to doubt himself again. If there truly was a relationship between them, would they be arguing so fiercely?