After the Real Young Miss Became My Canary - Chapter 52

Chapter 52

“The temperature in Country A is quite low lately. Remember to wear warmer clothes when you go out, and don’t drive with the windows open.”

As Chen Fen said this, Song Zhi’s restless hand was already pulling back the curtain and opening the window. Outside, the world was white with snow, and a faint, pale daylight filtered over the snow that had fallen and yet to melt. A bone-chilling draft streamed in through the open window, hitting Song Zhi’s hand resting on the sill, which was warmer than usual.

Chen Fen keenly sensed something amiss in Song Zhi’s silence: “What are you doing?”

Song Zhi casually closed the window: “What’s wrong? Secretary Chen is here; you don’t need to worry.”

Chen Fen wasn’t reassured. She knew Song Zhi’s character better than anyone. Likewise, Song Zhi’s nonchalance could fool anyone but her. However, since Song Zhi clearly didn’t want her to worry, she wasn’t tactless: “I mean, please be careful on this trip back. Shen Ying is powerful now, and you two had an absolute falling out before. If she finds out you’re alive, she definitely won’t let it go. You need to be cautious this time, just in case you’re discovered.”

Seeing that Chen Fen was about to launch into a lengthy speech, Song Zhi immediately interrupted: “What did you say? The signal here is bad.” To feign seriousness, she held the phone away: “I can’t hear you. I’m hanging up now.”

Chen Fen snapped: “I’m serious!”

Song Zhi couldn’t help but laugh: “I’m in Yanjing; she’s in Gangcheng, four thousand kilometers away from me. How is that possible?” No one could be that unlucky. When she had someone check the day before yesterday, Shen Ying was still in Gangcheng. With that, she hung up.

Chen Fen was the acting CEO when her company was founded. She was British, a graduate of an average university, but was extremely capable. Eight years ago, she repeatedly hit roadblocks in her job search due to her academic background but was immediately selected by the then-high school student, Song Zhi. Over the years, the two had become friends.

They had been fine for the first six or seven years, but ever since Song Zhi went abroad five years ago, Chen Fen had undergone some kind of stimulus or heard something. Her personality was gradually shifting from a lone wolf to a worrying mother hen. She was utterly convinced that Shen Ying had approached Song Zhi with ulterior motives all along and even intended to kill her.

Song Zhi didn’t agree and had patiently explained to Chen Fen several times that the people involved couldn’t have been arranged by Shen Ying alone; it was more likely that Shen Ying and Song Qin had struck a deal to eliminate the biggest obstacle in their lives: her. Yet, every time Chen Fen heard this theory, she would look at Song Zhi with a bizarre, heartbroken expression, as if Song Zhi were some naive woman who had been deceived. After correcting her several times to no avail, Song Zhi let it go.

Even though she disliked hearing it, Chen Fen was speaking the truth: Shen Ying was likely the person in the world who most wanted to hear of her death. After all, only with her confirmed death would Shen Ying have no identity-related worries.

Still, she was in Yanjing, thousands of miles away from Shen Ying in A City (likely Gangcheng/Hong Kong given the distance). There was truly no need to worry.

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

Song Zhi: “Come in.”

He Rong, the secretary, walked in on high heels: “General Manager Song, the owner of Ruizhe has agreed. However, she is only available tonight. She said to meet at Mingrui at 6 PM.”

Song Zhi smiled faintly: “Thank you for the hard work, traveling so far with me. Your bonus will be doubled when we return.”

This should have been an effortless, large contract, but at the last minute, the other party regretted it and specifically requested Song Zhi handle the negotiation in person. Song Zhi shouldn’t have had to fly back for this, but with relaxed policies in Country H, she had invested most of the company’s existing liquid capital. A project that had been stalled due to procedural issues was now being relaunched, and the company’s cash flow simply couldn’t handle it. Song Zhi figured that if she could secure billions in funding, even upfront capital, by making a quick trip back, it was worth it.

He Rong was a young woman who had only graduated two years ago—technically the secretary of the second-tier secretary—and was also a native of Huaguo (China), specifically Yanjing. This business trip shouldn’t have been hers, but the original secretary had a family emergency. Seeing that this was a trip home and knowing the other secretaries weren’t fluent in Mandarin, she volunteered for the assignment. She had expected her boss, whom she had rarely seen at the company, to be strict. Yet, after a few days, she found the boss was completely different from her imagination. Not only was her personality good, but the bonus for just a week’s trip was doubled.

She quickly said excitedly: “Thank you, General Manager Song.”

Song Zhi stood by the window with her legs crossed. Her eyes were still fixed on the snow outside. She told Chen Fen: “It’s getting late.” This was a cue to change clothes. He Rong should have immediately left and had the driver wait downstairs. She looked up at Song Zhi. Song Zhi’s face was pale, and the faint, not-yet-set sunlight behind her cast a cold glow on her profile, making her look frigid, like the snow outside. He Rong was momentarily stunned.

In that moment, He Rong felt that the senior colleagues at the company were right: Song Zhi was outwardly warm but inwardly cold. She paused and said: “General Manager Song, you should wear more layers. It’s cold outside.”

Winter in Yanjing was not like Country H, which was spring-like all year. When it was winter, it was winter. The temperature had dropped from ten degrees to near freezing overnight. Song Zhi, who valued style over warmth, had worn a thin trench coat back from Country H. Her face started flushing just from the walk from the plane to the car. Song Zhi had immediately thought the change was bad, and once the hotel’s heating kicked in, she started running a fever.

Song Zhi waved her hand: “I know.”

He Rong hesitated: “How about we negotiate with them again to change the time?”

Song Zhi smiled, her two dimples faintly appearing: “Thank you for the concern, but that won’t be necessary.”

Since the top boss had spoken, He Rong could only obediently go down to make arrangements. In less than twenty minutes, Song Zhi descended in thin high heels. He Rong stood by the car door, and in the moment before Song Zhi got in, she couldn’t resist a quick, stolen glance.

Her eyes lifted, meeting Song Zhi’s gaze perfectly. He Rong froze. Song Zhi was wearing a small white V-neck shirt, light-blue straight-leg trousers, and a matching knitted knee-length cardigan—perfectly bright and perfectly cold.

Perhaps because she had stared too long, Song Zhi smiled and raised an eyebrow: “Aren’t you getting in?”

He Rong snapped back to reality and rushed to the passenger seat: “Coming!”

The snow began to fall thickly. Before long, a thick layer covered the roads where the previous snow had melted.

The driver was speaking while driving: “General Manager Shen, the snow is heavy. We might be a little late.”

Shen Ying was on the phone. She pinched the bridge of her nose when she heard this, then, after clearing her head slightly, she hummed in acknowledgment. She told the person on the other end of the call: “I might arrive a bit late.”

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