"She won’t go with you! She’s mine now!"

——

These were the last words Tan Yiwen said to Zhang Hongyun before closing the door.

Zhang Hongyun was so angry outside, pounding on the door and shouting, while inside the room, it suddenly became quiet.

Tan Yiwen stood at the door, looking at the woman in front of him, and Fan Qing looked at him doubtfully. Did he really mean what he just said?

She, his person?

Did those words mean they were boyfriend and girlfriend?

He stepped a little closer, and Fan Qing slightly backed away until he slowly caught her hand. Her heart seemed to forget how to beat, as she foolishly stared at the man nearly a head taller than her.

"Sorry, I..."

"No, no need to apologize! I won’t take it seriously!"

Fan Qing felt scared hearing that apology and immediately lifted a hand to cover his mouth, not wanting to hear him continue, not the part where he says he didn’t mean to say it, responding to him with nervousness and disappointment.

Tan Yiwen raised his hand to hold hers that was on his lips, then lowered his head to take a good look.

"Qingqing, if I said I want you to be my girlfriend, would it be too much?"

He looked at her with gentleness, asking her softly.

Fan Qing felt her heart suddenly beat intensely fast, and she couldn’t believe her eyes as she looked at him, not knowing how to respond.

Wasn’t it her who first fell for him?

But now, he was confessing to her? 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"You can think about it; I can wait!"

Seeing her hesitate to respond, Tan Yiwen finally spoke again.

He was habitually proactive, maybe due to his profession or simply because he was a man.

Fan Qing’s heart stirred over and over, with countless expressions flashing in her eyes.

"From now on, don’t lend money to Zhang Hongyun anymore!"

After much thought, that’s all Fan Qing said in response.

There was no pure "I do." Relationships between adults seemed to need a bit more realism.

Tan Yiwen couldn’t speak for a while, just looking at the woman in front of him who put all her effort into this statement, and then gradually, he began to smile.

——

Time will eventually carry away the bad past, and people will move forward, willingly or unwillingly.

After kicking the door without a response and seeing a neighbor’s child open their door with a silent, resistant gaze, Zhang Hongyun finally left in exasperation, only to receive a call from Boss Cong just as she descended the stairs.

She was scheduled to report to the company tomorrow, tonight...

Looking at the time, Zhang Hongyun strode over to her car, unable to resist kicking it in anger.

"Ah!"

The toe inside her high heel throbbed painfully as if broken.

Yet, she still had to deal with Boss Cong, just the thought of it made her feel sick. He had already investigated her identity, yet still wanted to take advantage of her. Was she too weak, making him think she was easy to bully?

She drove to AM, and upon arriving, called Tan Yiwen, telling him: "I might get taken advantage of by an old man tonight, whether you want to come help me is up to you, I’m at AM!"

At that time, Tan Yiwen was having a simple dinner with Fan Qing, who was in a good mood. But after he took the call, they exchanged looks, and he hesitated as he looked at Fan Qing.

"A call from Zhang Hongyun?"

Fan Qing asked.

"Yeah! She said she’s at AM. Do you know who she’s been seeing lately?"

Tan Yiwen thought for a moment, turning his report into a question.

"There’s a boss with the surname Cong. She’s been trying to climb up by using this boss. I heard this boss has some dealings with Qin Mu’s husband."

After listening, Tan Yiwen let out a bitter laugh shortly: "She really hasn’t changed, has she?"

Still all for Mu Yichen!

Tan Yiwen felt a bit annoyed. If he went, Zhang Hongyun would surely seek him out for help in the future. If he didn’t go, Zhang Hongyun’s father had been kind to him, making him feel ungrateful.

"Shall I go with you?"

Fan Qing suggested after some thought.

Tan Yiwen felt touched, as Fan Qing was always more magnanimous and composed than he expected.

So, the two of them cleaned up and headed to AM.

Meanwhile, Mu Yichen was heading to AM for a meeting with a new secretary.

Unexpectedly running into Boss Cong, Mu Yichen chuckled faintly after Cong greeted him warmly: "Boss Cong, found a new love?"

"Oh, Mr. Mu, what are you saying? This is my new secretary, Zhang Hongyun. Mr. Mu, did you also get a new secretary?"

Boss Cong looked at the woman beside Mu Yichen, who was decent-looking but seemed a bit stern, and inquired. After all, he knew Xi Meng, who had been with Mu Yichen for many years.