Upon arriving at the company entrance, Shi Ran paid the driver and got out of the car.
The moment she opened the car door, a blast of cold wind seeped into her neck, sending a shiver down her spine. She tightened the red scarf around her neck and, carrying her bag, headed towards Zhuo Rui Technology.
Entering the company lobby, she looked at the row of access control cards by the elevator entrance and felt a pang of worry. She turned and walked towards the front desk. "Hello, could you please help me contact your President Qing? Just tell him it's Shi Ran, and I need to see him about something."
The receptionist frowned, scrutinizing Shi Ran. She asked indifferently, "Do you have an appointment with our President Qing?"
Shi Ran bit her lip, shaking her head awkwardly. "No."
"I'm sorry, but without an appointment, you cannot see our President Qing," the receptionist replied firmly.
What was a receptionist's job?
Besides providing information, it was to block those without appointments.
That was their responsibility.
"I am the best friend of your Mrs. Qing. Please tell President Qing, he..."
Shi Ran tried to explain, but the receptionist interrupted her. "You probably don't know yet, but President Qing is already divorced."
When Qing Muye and Meng Jingwei publicly announced their divorce, everyone outside believed they were indeed divorced.
The reason they hadn't announced their "remarriage" yet was that Qing Muye had other plans.
Shi Ran then remembered this matter.
She felt it was impossible to enter the company, so she decided to wait by the entrance for Qing Muye, or Song Jun, or Song Ci to come out.
Just as Shi Ran turned to leave, she happened to see a few people walking out of the elevator.
Leading the group was Tang Si, with Lu Yanming and Han Yu behind him.
When Shi Ran looked at Tang Si, he was staring directly at her.
In that instant, various emotions surged in their eyes: surprise, longing, grief, hatred...
A myriad of feelings, like a shattered five-flavor bottle, left them with a complex mix of emotions.
Shi Ran thought that since she was wearing a mask, she could take a chance and turn away, hoping Tang Si wouldn't see her.
But then she heard someone call out, "Shi Ran? Hey Han, isn't that Shi Ran?"
The speaker was Lu Yanming.
"Shi Ran?!" Han Yu shouted loudly, then nudged Tang Si. "Hey, isn't that Shi Ran up ahead."
Tang Si: "..."
I'm not blind.
With such loud calls of her name, Shi Ran couldn't pretend not to hear.
She turned, nervously clutching her bag, and raised her hand to greet them. "President Lu, Brother Han Yu." After greeting the two, her gaze finally landed on Tang Si. "President Tang."
The address was unfamiliar, the distance deliberately created.
Tang Si sensed her indifferent attitude but failed to detect the hint of sadness in her tone.
The receptionist saw her boss's good friends coming down. As they were greeting the woman, the receptionist smiled and stepped forward. "Gentlemen, this lady said she knows President Qing and wanted to see him, but she didn't have an appointment, so I didn't let her up."
The receptionist bowed respectfully. "You are friends with President Qing. Do you know her?"
This time, before Lu Yanming and Han Yu could speak, Tang Si immediately said, "We don't know her. What, have you forgotten the company rules? This is not a place where any Tom, Dick, or Harry can just walk in."
The receptionist was confused. They were just greeting each other moments ago, so why didn't they know her now?
She didn't dare to act on her own, casting a pleading look at Lu Yanming and Han Yu. She saw them lift their eyes, rub their noses in unison, and finally look away with tacit understanding.
After all, they were brothers, and in any situation, they had to side with their own.
A dull ache spread through Shi Ran's chest, making her throat tighten and her breathing feel painful.
She looked at Tang Si with her bright eyes, only to be pierced by his cold, sharp gaze once again.