Due to the impromptu outing, Song Baiyan was not dressed in a suit or overcoat. Wearing a white shirt and black trousers, he epitomized the look of a successful individual and did not seem underdressed amidst the spring-like warmth of the building.
Upon hearing Tang Li’s prolonged clarification, Song Baiyan couldn’t help but smile and glanced at her right hand propped against the elevator as he softly asked, "Placing your hand there, what are you trying to do?"
"..." Tang Li withdrew her hand: "Nothing."
Then, she continued, "My palms are a bit sweaty, so I was just looking for a place to wipe them."
To make her explanation more convincing, Tang Li walked to the other side and rubbed her left hand against the elevator wall as well, then put both hands back in her pockets, gazing at Song Baiyan with her bright, deer-like eyes and deliberately saying, "Now I’ve wiped them off."
Song Baiyan did not respond but a gentle smile appeared in his eyes.
At this moment, the elevator reached the third floor.
Arriving at the office, Tang Li sat on the sofa while Song Baiyan stood in front of the large desk and asked his secretary over the phone to bring in a juice for her.
After he hung up the phone, Tang Li said, "Actually, water is fine for me."
"Recently, female staff in the department have taken a liking to brewed juice, and the purchasing staff have nearly filled up the cabinet in the pantry," Song Baiyan said, his gaze landing on Tang Li, "Don’t you like juice?"
"...It’s not that I dislike it."
Tang Li stated, "It’s just that I don’t really mind drinking or not drinking it."
As she looked up, she noticed that Song Baiyan was leaning against the desk, gazing at her.
The man’s look was gentle yet profound.
He was looking at her as if sizing her up, yet not exactly.
It seemed to contain other emotions.
Tang Li wanted to shift her gaze, but her body didn’t cooperate. It was only a few seconds, yet it felt like half a century. She randomly picked up a magazine on the coffee table to cover the lower half of her face, revealing only her eyes, with a somewhat accusing tone: "Why are you staring at me?"
Song Baiyan smiled warmly, his expression exceedingly generous: "Can’t I look at your face?"
"...It’s not that you can’t." Tang Li pivoted, "But if you look for too long, a certain fee must be charged."
Song Baiyan laughed upon hearing this, moved to the back of his large desk, and picked up the document he hadn’t finished reviewing, yet spoke to her, "Then let me take you out for dinner tonight as payment for that."
Tang Li’s lips curled behind the magazine.
Shortly afterward, the secretary entered with a knock, bringing in a cup of orange juice.
Seeing a young girl in the Finance Minister’s office, the secretary paused. He hadn’t seen Song Baiyan bring anyone in as he was only aware the Finance Minister had stepped out briefly; placing the juice in front of Tang Li, the secretary remembered something and asked Song Baiyan, who was reviewing documents, "At 7 pm tonight, is the Finance Minister still attending Minister Liu’s grandson’s first birthday banquet?"
Song Baiyan signed the document: "I have other plans tonight. Let Jenny prepare a gift, and you can go on my behalf later."
The secretary nodded in agreement.
Once the office door closed, Tang Li said, "If you’re busy tonight, it’s fine not to have dinner with me. I just happened to be passing by; no other intentions."
Song Baiyan looked up, his warm gaze met hers: "Not returning to Diannan tomorrow?"
"Returning, I’ve already booked the flight ticket for noon."
"Since you are returning to Diannan, let’s have dinner together tonight," Song Baiyan closed the document and continued, "Consider it an early New Year’s Eve dinner."
The dinner location in the evening was still at Fuyuan.
The only difference was, it was not the same private room as last time.