RAHHSFL - Chapter 80
Chapter 80
"Attention passengers for Los Angeles, flight CA1365 is now ready for check-in. Please proceed to the counter."
"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I have your attention please: We are now ready for check-in for flight CA1365..."
The boarding announcement played for the third time. Zhou Ziqing glanced at his Rolex, frowning impatiently. "Does your President Qin always have a problem with punctuality? What time is it? Nan Jie is going to miss her flight.”
Wang Yuan Yuan and Huang Ying walked over, shaking their heads. "She’s not answering."
Feng Qing, pulling a suitcase, glanced at Zhou Ziqing, then spoke up. "If they’re running late, they’re probably packing or concentrating on driving. It’s normal not to answer the phone.”
Zhou Ziqing glared at the new assistant, who seemed to have inherited Qin Juran's thick skin. "If the chairman misses her flight, it’s the assistant’s fault. You’ll be fired.”
Feng Qing was momentarily speechless. Huang Ying came to her rescue. "Stop scaring her. Juran and Nan Jie haven't been apart for more than a week since they got together. Now that she’s going abroad, they probably stayed up all night talking."
...
Huang Ying had simply meant that Qin Juran and Ruan Nan probably had a lot to talk about, but her words hung in the air, and everyone exchanged knowing glances, then quickly averted their gazes, blushing.
As they coughed awkwardly, Huang Ying suddenly exclaimed, pointing. Qin Juran, wearing a black trench coat and combat boots, holding some documents, was walking towards them, pulling a luggage cart.
The cart was empty, except for a young woman wearing a baseball cap pulled low over her eyes.
Qin Juran “pulled” Ruan Nan over and quickly handed the documents to Feng Qing. "Everything else is taken care of?"
Feng Qing nodded quickly. "Yes, President Qin. We can go directly through the VIP channel.”
With Lin Wei gone, no one dared to tease Ruan Nan. Zhou Ziqing, seeing her like this, asked with concern, "Nan Jie, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
Ruan Nan struggled to get out of the cart, but Qin Juran, having just handed off the documents, simply lifted her into her arms. Ruan Nan straddled her, her face crimson, and Qin Juran, in full girlfriend mode, carried her towards the gate.
Ruan Nan playfully punched her shoulder. "Qin Juran, put me down! They’re all staring!"
Qin Juran, looking unfazed, said, "Should I tell them to turn around?"
"...No. Put me down. I can walk.” Qin Juran carried her a few more steps before finally putting her down. "Really? Can you walk?"
"Yes."
"Ah Ruan, I was a bit too impulsive last night."
Ruan Nan shivered, pulling up the collar of her sweater, her face burning. "Don't talk about it~"
Qin Juran grinned mischievously and gently placed Ruan Nan on her feet. Ruan Nan wore a white turtleneck sweater, a thin cotton vest, casual pants, and a black baseball cap.
She looked rather dashing, too bad.
Ruan Nan had brought her usual water bottle and wanted to empty it before going through security. Qin Juran told her to let Feng Qing handle it, but Ruan Nan said she also needed to use the restroom and asked Qin Juran to go with her.
Hearing she needed the restroom, Qin Juran immediately became concerned. "Are you feeling unwell?"
Ruan Nan’s face burned even brighter. This woman was so annoying.
"I just need to pee!"
Qin Juran relaxed and accompanied her to the restroom. Ruan Nan took off her vest and handed it to Qin Juran before going inside. Zhou Ziqing, Wang Yuan Yuan, and the others hadn’t had a chance to speak to them since they arrived; saying goodbye felt strangely anticlimactic.
Feng Qing walked over, holding the boarding passes. "President Qin, everything's ready. We can board as soon as Director Ruan is ready. The flight’s about to depart. You should hurry.”
Qin Juran glanced at the time and gave a brief acknowledgement.
As they waited, Ruan Nan’s phone vibrated in her vest pocket. Qin Juran ignored it, but the vibrating continued.
After a while, Qin Juran took out the phone. It was a call from Ruan Huyue, along with a WeChat message:
[Nan Nan, why aren’t you answering your phone?]
It seemed he had called earlier, and Ruan Nan hadn’t answered.
Qin Juran looked at the caller ID, hesitated, then walked to a quiet corner of the airport and answered.
Airport announcements echoed in the background. Ruan Huyue’s anxious voice came through the phone. "Nan Nan, why didn’t you tell me you were flying to America today?"
"Hello, this is Ruan Nan's classmate, Qin Juran.”
There was a pause on the other end. "Qin Juran? You’re with Nan Nan? Why aren’t you letting her answer the phone? Put Nan Nan on.”
"She doesn’t want to talk to you.” Qin Juran’s voice was cold.
Ruan Huyue, already anxious, became even more agitated by Qin Juran’s tone. “I’m calling my own daughter! I don't need you to tell me whether she wants to talk to me or not!”
Qin Juran retorted, unflinching, "Indeed. Do I need to repeat myself?"
"..."
Ruan Huyue lowered his voice. "Qin Juran, I know about you. Nan Nan's high school and university classmate. You suddenly became close to her in your third year, then started your own company, and Nan Nan has been running around, helping you. I haven't investigated whether Nan Nan invested in your little company, but if I find out you approached her for that purpose, you better watch out!"
Qin Juran scoffed. "Mr. Ruan, you almost had me in tears with that heartfelt speech."
Ruan Huyue paused. "What do you mean?"
"You sound like such a caring father, so concerned about your daughter's studies, career, and love life," Qin Juran said, emphasizing the last three words with dripping sarcasm.
Sensing his hesitation, she continued without giving him a chance to respond. "I'm guessing your dear wife, Ah Ruan’s stepmother, is your source of information. I won’t question how she embellished the story, but since you called, let me tell you this: I care about Ruan Nan, I want what’s best for her, perhaps even more than you, her biological father, do.”
"If you want to play the role of a good father, if you ever hope to redeem yourself, think about why a young girl like Ruan Nan would push her stepmother into a pool, almost drowning her. Think about how your relationship has changed over the years, thanks to her efforts to mediate between you. Instead of wasting your time with these pointless, angry phone calls, reflect on your own actions.”
"How dare you speak to me like that!" Ruan Huyue was completely flustered by Qin Juran's words. The pool incident, the stepmother's manipulations, it was as if the carefully constructed facade of their family life had been shattered. His mind raced.
Qin Juran paused, softening her tone slightly. "I was with Ah Ruan at the cemetery that day."
"Mr. Ruan, on the anniversary of your wife's death, the day you promised your daughter you would be there, where were you?"
Silence hung heavy in the air. Airport announcements continued to play in the background. Qin Juran, certain he wouldn’t respond, hung up.
Ruan Nan had returned. Seeing Qin Juran putting down the phone, she paused. "You answered?"
"Yes."
Ruan Nan studied Qin Juran's expression, her right hand clenching involuntarily. "What did he say?"
Qin Juran looked into Ruan Nan's eyes, her throat bobbing slightly. "He told you to dress warmly, make sure you eat breakfast so your blood sugar doesn't drop, and that if you need money, just ask.”
Ruan Nan’s eyes widened. "Really?"
Qin Juran smiled faintly. "Really."
Ruan Nan didn't say anything more. As they were about to head to the check-in counter, Qin Juran suddenly pulled her into a familiar embrace, neither too tight nor too loose, the subtle scent of freesia enveloping her.
"Ah Ruan, I’ll wait for you to come back."
"Okay, Ju Ju. I’ll be back."
Qin Juran released her, turning to Feng Qing with a brief instruction. "Take Director Ruan to the boarding gate, then meet me in the parking garage. I’ll wait for you there.”
Feng Qing was surprised. "Wait, President Qin, you're leaving now?"
Qin Juran smiled, gave Ruan Nan one last look, and, without turning back, waved and said, "I won't see you off," before quickly walking away.
Her black pants and combat boots gave her an air of strength and determination, her retreating figure a mix of loneliness and confidence.
Zhou Ziqing frowned at Qin Juran’s abrupt departure, but Ruan Nan, looking at Qin Juran's back, simply smiled. "It's okay, Ziqing."
After seeing Ruan Nan off, Qin Juran returned to the company. They had already chosen their next project theme. After deducting influencer fees and staff salaries, Ju Nan Cultural Media was projected to be profitable within a year.
Feng Qing and Huang Ying, despite their bluntness, weren’t naive. Although President Qin tried to hide it, they sensed her loneliness. This was just the beginning; Ruan Nan wouldn't be back until August. Five long months to endure.
Huang Ying was fine; the finance department had regular working hours. Feng Qing, however, wasn’t so lucky. She felt obligated to stay as long as Qin Juran did. On her first day, they worked until almost midnight.
During that time, Feng Qing asked Qin Juran what she wanted to eat. Qin Juran said anything was fine. Feng Qing browsed the takeout options and ordered something she thought Qin Juran might like.
A steaming pot of fish maw, pork tripe, and chicken soup arrived. Qin Juran took a couple of sips, then put down her chopsticks.
...
The lights in the office dimmed, the hallway silent. The ticking of the clock echoed hypnotically. Just as Feng Qing was about to doze off, her head falling towards the keyboard, a hand reached over and closed her laptop.
Feng Qing startled awake, quickly composing herself. "President Qin, are you done working?"
She was truly exhausted, her eyes drooping, her hair disheveled, staring blankly at the CEO.
Qin Juran put on her high heels, slipped into her coat, and ran a hand through her hair, putting the remaining documents into her bag. She turned to Feng Qing. "From tomorrow onwards, you can leave at the normal time. If I need your help, you can stay until nine at the latest.”
Feng Qing was surprised and quickly waved her hands. "It's okay, President Qin, really. I can stay and work overtime with you. You don’t have to worry about me..."
"You’re overthinking it," Qin Juran interrupted her.
"With Ah Ruan gone, I don't want to spend too much time alone with any other woman.”
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