Such a person is born to be a superior.
If Chen Xiangrong hadn’t seen it with her own eyes, she would never believe that a teenage girl could possess such grace.
The temperament that exudes from her, orchid-like and bamboo-like, is something no one can emulate.
Steadfast like bamboo, valuing integrity as one would treasure jade.
Elegant as an orchid in a secluded valley, graceful and poised.
In her eyes, only a solemn, pedantic middle-aged man could possess such meticulous thoughts and profound insights.
Chu Jin smiled pleasantly, her voice light, "You don’t need to thank me, you got this job on your own merit, and I believe that in the near future, you will surely bring better software to The King and ascend to a higher position."
It was the first time that Chen Xiangrong had received such formal acknowledgment and the first time someone was willing to trust her. She had grown accustomed to loneliness over the years, and suddenly someone was telling her they were willing to trust her, which inexplicably brought a sourness to her heart.
Bowing slightly to Chu Jin, she sincerely said, "President Chu, rest assured, I won’t let you down."
"Good," Chu Jin nodded slightly, her gaze meeting Chen’s, "I believe you." Although it was only a soft murmur of four words, it was resolute.
After she explained a few things to Qin Zhenglin, Chu Jin left.
Time flew by quickly, and before long, dusk fell.
The evening gloom stretched her shadow long.
A dark figure followed her at a consistent distance, his posture erect, wearing a fitted black trench coat and a black hat that shadowed most of his face, leaving only the sharp lines of his chin and tightly pressed lips visible.
A cold aura surrounded him, like a black spider lily roaming the mortal world, mysterious and powerful.
She quickened her pace, he did too; she slowed down, he mirrored her movements.
His footsteps always remained in sync with hers.
The summer breeze carried a pleasant fragrance.
Chu Jin walked slowly, with an oil-paper umbrella in hand, occasionally greeting familiar elders with a smile.
The girl’s sweet voice carried through the breeze into his ears, and the stern corners of his lips unconsciously curved into a slight smile.
Indeed, Chu Jin had noticed the anomaly behind her long ago; she simply chose not to confront him. Partly because she felt no malice from the man, and partly because it was not appropriate to take action in public.
Turning a corner, Chu Jin hid behind a sturdy Chinese parasol tree, holding the oil-paper umbrella in one hand and checking the time on her phone with the other.
It was 6:58 PM, two minutes to 7.
The light from the phone’s screen reflected on her face, casting a luminous, jade-like glow in the dark. In the obsidian night, her eyes, clear as polished glass, shone with an edge as sharp as a blade.
A second passed, then two.
Chu Jin narrowed her eyes slightly, watching as the figure slowly approached from the side.
Now!
Chu Jin stepped forward, pocketed her phone, and with a swift flick of her wrist holding the umbrella handle, the tip of the umbrella became a sharp edge poised at the man’s shoulder!
Yet the man had anticipated the move and sidestepped the attack with agility.
In the shadowy light, it was hard to see his face clearly; only the faint hint of a smile on his lips was visible.
But the scent on him was unmistakably familiar, a light tobacco essence mixed with a hint of mint, instilling a sense of calm.
As Chu Jin stood there slightly stunned, the man quietly immoblized her wrist, and with a forceful pull, she was drawn into a cold embrace, her back hitting his chest wall, and a chill surged through her body.
Chu Jin raised an eyebrow, tried to attack with her elbow, but he seized her arm and held it still.
"It’s me." His voice, low and cool, rose from behind her.
That voice was all too familiar.
Almost at the same moment they exchanged blows, Chu Jin knew it was Mr. Mo, which is why she had let her guard down.
But it was clear the person who had been following her was not Mr. Mo, so how did he suddenly appear?
"Why is it you?" Chu Jin took advantage of his momentary carelessness, reversed her hand, and clasped his right hand, swiftly gaining the upper hand as a groan escaped him.
It must have hurt.
"Who did you think it was, hmm?" His tone rose teasingly at the end, implying more than the words conveyed. He then captured her hand, pulling her into his arms; one of his embraced her while the other held her hand, resting his head on her shoulder.
The man’s body was devoid of warmth, like ice from the depths of a deep pool.
Chu Jin arched an eyebrow slightly and with a gentle twist of her elbow, she broke free from the man’s embrace, "Lurking around in the dead of night, aren’t you a creepy old man...?"
"In the dead of night," Mo Zhixuan clutched at his chest, lifting his brows, his deep-set eyes brimming with gentle indulgence, "Madam, are you plotting to murder your husband?"
Wife?
It was quite something for Mr. Mo to utter such a term in all seriousness.
It was as if she heard a resigned sigh in the night.
Sad, lingering, carrying endless sorrow.
Accompanied by a gentle breeze, it seemed both close at hand and far in the distance.
It was hard to tell if it was reality or illusion.
Chu Jin subconsciously looked around, her gaze sweeping the endless night interwoven with the dim streetlights. The occasional passerby, mostly elderly folks at dusk, passed by.
"Were you the one following me just now?" Chu Jin looked up at Mo Zhixuan.
"Yes," Mo Zhixuan nodded slightly, countering, "Otherwise, who did you think it was?" In the darkness of night, his deep, pool-like eyes gleamed with a chilly light.