Jiang Jiang silently swallowed back the words she had not spoken.
When Ji Xu'an heard Zhou Zisuo's voice, she finally gave her a glance, but answered irrelevantly, "Are you very familiar with my girlfriend?"
Usually Ji Xu'an treated everyone with the same indifference. It was rare for her to show her dislike so openly.
Jiang Jiang could not help but look at Ji Xu'an a little more, and then her gaze fell on Zhou Zisuo.
Zhou Zisuo was clearly hurt by Ji Xu'an's words. On her face appeared an expression mixed with sadness and nostalgia. She parted her lips and explained softly, "Miss Xie and I are not familiar. We did not say much just now, only chatted a few sentences."
Ji Xu'an gave a light "Mm," her tone airy. "Since you are not familiar, there is no need to greet each other next time."
Her right hand was still tightly clasping Jiang Jiang's fingers, so it was obvious these words were directed at Zhou Zisuo.
Zhou Zisuo took a deep breath, her voice even softer. "Ji Xu'an, are you still blaming me?"
Jiang Jiang felt as if a huge piece of gossip had been placed right in front of her. She looked at Ji Xu'an, then at Zhou Zisuo, and suddenly felt that her presence was somewhat unnecessary.
But that thought had only just flashed through her mind when, the next second, her hand was gripped even tighter by Ji Xu'an.
Ji Xu'an's expression was calm and undisturbed. "I never waste time on irrelevant people."
After saying that, she turned her head and lowered her eyes to look at Jiang Jiang. "Are you still coming to the company with me later?"
Zhou Zisuo was also looking at Jiang Jiang. Beneath the brim of her hat, her eyes seemed to shimmer with moisture for a fleeting moment.
Jiang Jiang pressed her lips together. "Mm."
Ji Xu'an then led her hand and walked downward. After the two of them had gone several meters, Jiang Jiang turned her head back and saw Zhou Zisuo still staring fixedly at Ji Xu'an's back.
She withdrew her gaze and softly said to Ji Xu'an, "Miss Zhou seems to still have something she wants to say."
Ji Xu'an's expression did not change. "There is nothing between her and me worth talking about."
But after those words left her mouth, Ji Xu'an suddenly remembered something — Jiang Jiang seemed to have watched Zhou Zisuo's variety show at home.
A bad thought suddenly surged into Ji Xu'an's mind.
Could Jiang Jiang be Zhou Zisuo's fan?
It should be impossible. She comforted herself. How long had Jiang Jiang even known Zhou Zisuo?
But to prevent such a situation from happening, and at the same time not wanting Jiang Jiang to suspect her, after bringing Jiang Jiang back into the car, Ji Xu'an did not start the vehicle immediately. Instead, she softly explained, "Three years ago Zhou Zisuo endorsed one of the company's products. Did Fu Xiaoyin tell you about this?"
Jiang Jiang nodded. "Mm, Sister Fu mentioned it."
But she did not say more.
For example, Fu Xiaoyin had also said that Ji Xu'an and Zhou Zisuo seemed to have had some emotional entanglement.
Ji Xu'an gazed at Jiang Jiang's brows and eyes, speaking slowly, "At that time, choosing Zhou Zisuo was a decision made by a vote of all the company's shareholders. It was not my personal intention. Before that, I was not very familiar with her."
"Objectively speaking, Zhou Zisuo's image did indeed fit the company's requirements very well, but her character is truly hard to compliment."
However, for certain reasons, Ji Xu'an did not clearly explain what Zhou Zisuo had actually done. Jiang Jiang could only guess from her attitude that the matter must have made Ji Xu'an very angry, which was why Zhou Zisuo had asked, "Are you still blaming me?"
Ji Xu'an continued, "So later we terminated the contract with her. Since then, we have never cooperated again."
That was exactly the same as what Fu Xiaoyin had said, Jiang Jiang thought.
Seeing that she did not speak, Ji Xu'an could not help feeling a little uneasy. "Jiang Jiang, Zhou Zisuo is far from as kind and harmless as she appears to you."
"The entertainment industry is the place most adept at currying favor with the powerful and trampling on the weak. Everyone has countless ulterior motives. The fact that Zhou Zisuo can thrive there like a fish in water proves that she is not a simple person."
Because simple people cannot last long in the entertainment industry.
"If she said anything to you, do not believe it. Her ability to deceive is superb, beyond what ordinary people can match."
It seemed Ji Xu'an truly disliked Zhou Zisuo, which was why she so bluntly spoke ill of her in front of Jiang Jiang.
But this only made Jiang Jiang more curious about what had happened between Ji Xu'an and Zhou Zisuo.
Ji Xu'an refused to tell her. Was it because she also knew very well that if Jiang Jiang learned about those things, she might feel unhappy?
Jiang Jiang verbally agreed with Ji Xu'an, but in her heart she was still guessing at the truth.
It was not that she deliberately doubted Ji Xu'an. Although on the surface Ji Xu'an seemed to dislike Zhou Zisuo very much, Jiang Jiang could never forget that there was still a Sister Zhou at home.
Sister Zhou was very likely an informant Zhou Zisuo had arranged inside the Ji family. Even Jiang Jiang, who had not been there long, could see this. She did not believe Ji Xu'an was completely unaware of it.
Ji Xu'an clearly knew Sister Zhou was Zhou Zisuo's person, yet still allowed her to remain in the Ji family, even letting her go to Xingyue Bay every day to cook. If there was no other meaning behind this, Jiang Jiang absolutely did not believe it.
Many things do not arise from nothing. Moreover, Fu Xiaoyin was not only Ji Xu'an's subordinate; the Ji and Fu families were old family friends. They could be considered half friends.
If even Fu Xiaoyin thought so, it must be because at some moment Ji Xu'an had given her a similar impression.
Jiang Jiang kept recalling in her mind the scene just now when Ji Xu'an's and Zhou Zisuo's gazes met. Unfortunately, Ji Xu'an's attitude had always been very indifferent. Jiang Jiang did not discover anything unusual.
The topic of Zhou Zisuo passed just like that, but neither of them truly forgot about it.
Jiang Jiang was thinking whether Ji Xu'an had lied to her. Ji Xu'an, on the other hand, thought of what Zheng Zhouzhou had said.
Zheng Zhouzhou had said that in the future she would be together with Zhou Zisuo. Was that true, or was it only meant to sow discord between her and Jiang Jiang?
If Jiang Jiang found out about this, it might become a thorn in her heart.
Ji Xu'an had to consider this issue. Jiang Jiang already did not like her that much. Perhaps she still could not forget her former fiancé. From the very beginning, Ji Xu'an's chances of winning had not been great.
If she also had emotional entanglements with others, Jiang Jiang might despise her even more.
After thinking it over, Ji Xu'an made up her mind not to tell Jiang Jiang about this for now. After she met Zheng Zhouzhou again, she would then consider whether to tell Jiang Jiang everything.
—
All afternoon Jiang Jiang stayed curled up in Ji Xu'an's office typing. Military training would begin tomorrow. For a period of time afterward she might not have the chance to write her novel, so she had to rush out the next chapter.
Ji Xu'an appeared even more nervous than Jiang Jiang. Although the hottest period had already passed and the weather was neither cold nor hot, just right, Ji Xu'an was still worried Jiang Jiang might get sunburned. She specially searched online and then made a list for Secretary Zhao.
Secretary Zhao went in and out of the office several times that afternoon. Each time, what he held in his hands had nothing to do with work. This scene, falling into the eyes of others on the same floor, quickly spread through various small group chats.
After confirmation from certain informed individuals, the news that "President Ji seems to be a lovestruck brain" had already circulated throughout the company.
Perhaps because everyone was used to seeing Ji Xu'an's iron-faced and impartial appearance, suddenly learning that she might have such a contrasting side made everyone somewhat excited.
Every time Secretary Zhao went out, he was met with shining eyes from all directions.
But this was normal. After all, eating gossip is the essence of humanity. No matter how busy with work, people will not forget to gossip about the boss's emotional life.
As the one most frequently interrogated, Secretary Zhao inevitably felt a bit resentful, and when he looked at Jiang Jiang, his gaze carried a trace of it.
Jiang Jiang: ?
She asked Zhao Zitang, "Secretary Zhao, is there something you need?"
Ji Xu'an also looked toward Secretary Zhao. His heart suddenly tightened. "Nothing."
He did not dare play tricks in front of Ji Xu'an and honestly said, "A colleague asked me when you and Miss Xie plan to hold the wedding."
Ji Xu'an and Jiang Jiang were currently in a semi-official state. They had not deliberately hidden their relationship, but neither had they publicly admitted that they were dating.
Ji Xu'an wanted to. She wished she could use the group's official account to announce their relationship immediately, but she could not guess Jiang Jiang's thoughts.
Although when she held Jiang Jiang's hand and walked into the company Jiang Jiang had not refused, still…
Ji Xu'an could not help looking at Jiang Jiang, only to find that Jiang Jiang was also looking at her.
After the two met each other's gaze, Jiang Jiang asked, "Can this be said?"
Ji Xu'an's heart settled slightly. "It can."
She turned to Secretary Zhao. "Just tell the truth. When the time comes, I will treat everyone to wedding candies."
Secretary Zhao understood. "Alright, President Ji. I understand."
He quickly left. For a moment Jiang Jiang lost her inspiration for writing.
She picked up her phone, found the Weibo icon among the pile of apps on the screen, and tapped into it.
Jiang Jiang had never followed Zhou Zisuo, but after typing "Zhou Zisuo" into the search bar, the first result that popped up was Zhou Zisuo's account.
Jiang Jiang's fingertip paused, then she tapped into it.
The first thing she saw was a post Zhou Zisuo had published more than ten minutes ago.
Zhou Zisuo had not said anything, only shared a song.
Jiang Jiang silently lowered her phone's volume to the minimum, then opened the link Zhou Zisuo had shared and carefully read through the lyrics.
The song was about regret and longing in love.
It seemed to describe a pair of lovers who had broken up. One wanted very much to reconcile, while the other was still angry and rejected the request to get back together.
The whole song was filled with a sorrowful atmosphere.
Zhou Zisuo's fans were guessing her intention in the comments.
Although most fans thought it was just an ordinary share, quite a few suspected that Zhou Zisuo had broken up.
Jiang Jiang saw a highly liked comment that said:
[Fan No.1: Wife, did that white moonlight of yours hurt your heart again?]
Under that comment were many replies telling that person not to say it again. They were extremely evasive about the identity of this "white moonlight."
Jiang Jiang pondered.
Was this so-called white moonlight Ji Xu'an?
She did not obtain any useful information from the comments, so after thinking for a moment she exited Zhou Zisuo's Weibo and typed a few new words into the search bar.
"Who is Zhou Zisuo's white moonlight?"
All kinds of answers appeared. Jiang Jiang browsed carefully, trying to find what she wanted.
Behind the desk not far away, Ji Xu'an was secretly observing Jiang Jiang.
She had been looking at her phone the whole time, with such a serious expression. What was she looking at?
Ji Xu'an thought gloomily. When the two of them stayed in the same space, she could not help constantly looking at Jiang Jiang, yet Jiang Jiang rarely looked at her.
Jiang Jiang really does not care about her enough.
—
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