"Mr. Mu, your dishes are all served. Enjoy your meal!" Suddenly, the voice of the waiter interrupted Mu Yingchen's thoughts.
Snapped back from his memories, he was momentarily under the illusion that they had returned to the past, back to those beautiful days, but Su Wanxia's subdued emotions reminded him that it was now six years later, six years after they had parted ways.
Why were two people who once loved each other so much now sitting opposite each other in silence?
Su Wanxia looked at the dishes laid out on the table, her expression changing instantly as an inexplicable mix of complex emotions welled up in her heart.
These... these were all her favorites, the ones she used to love the most.
Why would he...
A touch of sorrow flickered in her eyes. She dared not think any further, nor could she afford to.
"After eating overseas food for six years, don't you miss the taste of home?" Mu Yingchen placed a piece of corn rib on Su Wanxia's plate.
Her hand holding the chopsticks hesitated for a moment, she suppressed the bitterness in her heart and managed a slight smile, "Yes, I do."
"Then why haven't you come back for so many years?" There was a faint chill in Mu Yingchen's tone.
"Ah, I've been too busy with work over there..." Su Wanxia said softly.
Mu Yingchen scoffed when he heard her say this, "Indeed, as Queen of Variation, the designer Summer, you must be quite busy with work."
Su Wanxia's mouth opened and closed, but in the end, she didn't say anything.
Mu Yingchen sighed and stopped talking, silently continuing his meal.
After the meal, Su Wanxia intended to follow Mu Yingchen back to the Mu Group because her car was still there, but he drove her straight home instead.
Just as Su Wanxia got out of the car, her mother walked out of the villa. Seeing her, she happily called out, "Xiaxia," and then walked towards Su Wanxia.
"Xiaxia, who brought you back? Won't you invite your friend in for a sit?"
Su Wanxia laughed awkwardly. How unlucky to be caught by mom right at this moment.
Mu Yingchen rolled down the window and politely greeted Su Wanxia's mother, "Auntie!"
When Su Wanxia's mother saw it was Mu Yingchen, the gentle smile at the corner of her mouth froze for a moment before she reacted, "Hehe, it's Yingchen, why don't you come in for a cup of tea?"
"No, thanks. I have work at the company. I'll be going now," and then he glanced at Su Wanxia and left.
Watching Mu Yingchen disappear, Su Wanxia's mother then turned to Su Wanxia, sighed silently, and walked inside.
Sensing her mother's concern through her expression, Su Wanxia knew she must be worried and followed her in.
"Xiaxia." Su Wanxia's mother sat on the sofa, looking worriedly at her.
"What's wrong, mom, why that look?" Su Wanxia snuggled up next to her mother.
Su Wanxia's mother's expression grew serious as she took hold of Su Wanxia's hand, "Xiaxia, have you and Yingchen reconciled?"
"No, mom, you're overthinking it."
"Xiaxia, I don't want you to have any further involvement with him."
Upon hearing her mother's words, Su Wanxia's face paled slightly, then quickly returned to normal, "I know, mom. Don't worry."
Su Wanxia's mother finally nodded in relief.
Only Su Wanxia herself knew the pain in her heart, almost suffocating.
The next morning, Su Wanxia left the house carrying some documents. Since she hadn't driven her car back the previous day, she had to take a taxi to the Mu Group, oh no, to her temporary office.
She hadn't gone far when a familiar black car pulled up in front of her. "Get in!"
She hesitated, but ultimately opened the car door and got in.
The two of them remained silent all the way to Mu Group. After getting out of the car, Su Wanxia was heading toward the public elevator when Mu Yingchen, without a word, pulled her into the executive elevator.
Su Wanxia rolled her eyes. How domineering could this guy get!
Ding! The 67th floor was reached, and Su Wanxia stepped straight out of the elevator, paying no attention to Mu Yingchen who was following behind her.
Seeing Su Wanxia act this way, Mu Yingchen couldn't help but raise his eyebrows with resignation, her temper still so fiery.
The Mu Group's building was not only tall but also vast, and it took Su Wanxia five minutes just to find the so-called Architecture Department.
But as she entered—
"May I ask who you are?"
"I'm Summer from the Bali Island project." Because the entire office was made of glass, Su Wanxia could see Meng Can inside, waving at her and then pointing to something hanging around his neck that looked like a work badge.
Su Wanxia instantly understood; to enter the office one needed a magnetic card badge.
"Your badge is in the president's office, Director Ji instructed us about it yesterday," said the administrative assistant politely.
A surge of nameless anger sprouted in Su Wanxia's heart. Was Ji Hua crazy? Why did he leave her badge with Mu Yingchen?
"Can you help me get it?"
"I'm sorry, but we are not permitted to enter and leave the president's office at will."
Su Wanxia broke out in a sweat, having just rolled her eyes at Mu Yingchen, and now she had to visit his office again. Oh heavens! How harmonious the world is, yet how tragic her own situation...
Reluctantly, she made her way to the top floor, intending to drag Ji Hua out to fetch her badge for her, but to no avail, as he was nowhere to be found.
"Miss Su, are you looking for President Mu?" asked the secretary with enthusiasm as she approached her.
Su Wanxia didn't understand why this secretary always seemed so enthusiastic upon seeing her.
What she didn't know was that the secretary had witnessed at a banquet how she flirted with Mu Yingchen and then was tenderly carried away by him.
She had never seen their boss care so much for any woman. Who knew, she might be the future Mrs. President? Of course, she had to be enthusiastic.
"Heh, yeah, I'm here to get something from him," Su Wanxia replied with a chuckle.
"Why don't you help me get it? It's the magnetic card badge for entering the office!" Su Wanxia looked at her hopefully.
"President Mu just instructed us not to disturb him casually," the secretary said apologetically.
"Alright then, I'll go by myself," she said as she resigned herself to going to the president's office door.
She knocked gently twice, but there was no response. She knocked again, still no response.
Su Wanxia furrowed her brows with curiosity and then carefully cracked the door open, slowly poking her head in, a thought striking her—was she behaving like a thief?
When she saw what was happening inside, she froze; Mu Yingchen was in a video conference. That's why there was no response; he was too busy to pay any attention.
"Pause!" Mu Yingchen meant to tell the person at the door to leave, but when he saw it was Su Wanxia, he called for a pause on the screen instead.
"What is it?" Mu Yingchen asked, eyebrow raised.
It was unethical to interrupt someone's meeting, and Su Wanxia felt somewhat embarrassed, "Um, is my work badge with you?"
Mu Yingchen pointed to a magnetic card badge lying next to his computer.
Su Wanxia bent over and crept to the computer, picked up the badge, and then crept back to the doorway.
"Phew—what a workout," she exhaled.
"Make sure you attach a photo; there's a fine if you don't," Mu Yingchen stated coolly, maintaining his boss's demeanor.
The corners of Su Wanxia's mouth twitched, and she said almost inaudibly, "Got it," then closed the door with a huff, internally cursing Ji Hua.