Of course, everything that Mo Yan had said was not true, but also not false. Mo Chou had indeed considered handing down his position after 6 years of hard work but he didn't want to insult other people by thinking that he had abandoned his work.
He was satisfied with his life now. The Mo family lived happily in the comfort of their large mansion situated in the outskirts of the city where they owned 3 acres of land. The blood, sweat and tears he had sacrificed over the years have not been in vain.
Thus, the feeling of contentment outweighed the ambition to reach higher to the apex of the world. However Mo Yan's words of considering her as a candidate stuck on his mind.
He may have wanted to retire earlier than most people but he did not want to hand down the position to just anybody. He needed a suitable candidate that can still hold the company together with strong leadership and charisma. An unimaginable built of trust and a strong bond would also be ideal, to ensure that the company is in safe hands. It just so happens that his sister fit the image perfectly.
Meanwhile, Zhi Ruo did not manage to keep up her stoic and uncaring attitude and so her mask had crumbled and she felt embarrassed. The mask she had developed and nurtured to an outstanding degree crumbled in a matter of seconds because of Mo Yan's words. And that wasn't the worst part, it was related to Mo Chou!
Suddenly she felt her cheeks burn red with embarrassment as she contained her emotions and returned to her usual expression. However, her curiosity had been successfully ignited by Mo Yan. How could she hold herself back?
"Can I ask why?" Zhi Ruo had asked.
With this, Mo Yan inwardly smirked to herself for being so smart. See brother, this elder sister of yours is a genius! I will personally see to it that the two of you mend your broken relationship.
"I thought you don't want to be affiliated with me?" Mo Chou had interjected.
Zhi Ruo felt her cheeks redden even more but suppressed it and swallowed hard. "Don't misunderstand, this is purely for the sake of business. If you were to quit, who will I come to for negotiations? Also, a change in leader now at the most critical juncture of your career would severely damage your reputation. A chain reaction would follow and we would undoubtedly be affected also."
It was a good thing that Zhi Ruo managed to quickly come up with such a reasonable excuse despite exposing herself in an embarrassing manner. With this, he would no longer question her motive and she wouldn't be misunderstood by her idol, Mo Yan.
Mo Chou raised a brow. He did not believe her excuse even though it was logical and aligned with business. But he was quite touched that she cared about his reputation. At the very least she wasn't so heartless. This gave him a little confidence in pursuing her.
"Oh my gosh, I think someone is calling for me! Sorry to cut this conversation short but I have to go. It was nice seeing you again dear!" Mo Yan grabbed the ends of her dress and scurried off to who knows where.
Zhi Ruo smiled her way but quickly changed back into a blank face. This caused Mo Chou to feel helpless.
"Do you really want to know?" Mo Chou asked again.
"Of course I do! The company has already agreed to let you work on the Europe project starting next month."
"Them come with me," he said curtly before grabbing her hand and pulling her away. He had already felt the curious and prying eyes of the public and wanted to talk somewhere more private.
Zhi Ruo frowned at his hand gripping hers. "Hey! Where the heck are you taking me?"
Although she badly wanted to remove her hand, kicking up a fuss now would only cause negative public opinion of her and ruin her grandparents reputation if they ever find out about her background. Thus, she didn't struggle much but let Mo Chou pull her away. Though the frown on her face became deeper.
Finally, they arrived at a secluded veranda located just outside the hall. Mo Chou removed his grip on her hand.
"Why did you drag me here for? We could've just talked in the banquet hall," Zhi Ruo sat down on the small bench by the side. She really hated standing.
"I wanted to talk to you properly. Away from prying eyes. Wouldn't want to accidentally spill some gossip right?" Mo Chou leaned on the railings.
Zhi Ruo crossed her arms and shivered slightly. The cold autumn breeze had become colder with each passing day. Not even wearing sleeves caused her to feel cold.
Mo Chou did not fail to notice this and removed his blazer, handing it to her. "It's already so cold. You know you get cold easily yet you fail to bring a coat."
Zhi Ruo only then realized that she did bring a coat, however when she saw him standing there at the podium, she had forgotten all about it, and it was his coat that she brought.
"I did bring one but I have forgotten about it. It was yours," Zhi Ruo mumbled while accepting his coat. She wouldn't be so petty and refuse to take the coat.
It was cold and she needed something to keep her warm, it just so happens that the person beside her had a blazer. Only an idiot would let themselves be cold despite having a coat to get warm.
Mo Chou then realized that he did lend her his coat not too long ago. "We'll find it later."
"Okay. Continue what you were saying then."
He looked at her with such a calm gaze that you wouldn't believe that his heart was pounding so hard. "Why do you care?"
She frowned. "I thought I already told you the reason."
"That's not a viable reason."
"What do you mean by that?"
She could feel him getting closer and closer, his eyes holding a hint of curiosity.
"Why would you care about my reputation? This isn't just a matter of simply conducting business. There are plenty of companies willing to work on the Europe project but why specifically care about me?"
Zhi Ruo averted his gaze. She felt that if she stared any longer then she was going to explode with shame.
Wait a minute... Why was she the one cowering? She was supposed to be Zhi Ruo, the indomitable figure people look up to. Where had her charismatic self gone?
Just because he had appeared before her in all his glory, she had forgotten how she usually was. She should be the one with a sharp tongue. With this thought, she was angry.