Lixue glanced up at him, her expression thoughtful. "I know. But I’m not afraid of it. Let them look, let them talk. I’ve spent enough time hiding in the dark."
Mo Ran’s lips twitched into a faint smirk. "That’s my wife. Always bold."
The elevator doors slid open, and they stepped inside together. As the doors closed, Lixue glanced at their joined hands, her fingers lightly brushing against his.
"Mo Ran," she said softly, her tone teasing but carrying an undercurrent of sincerity, "you’d better be ready to keep up with me. Things are about to get a lot more chaotic."
His smirk deepened, his eyes locking onto hers. "Wifey, chaos is where I thrive. Bring it on."
She chuckled, her laughter filling the space between them as the elevator descended.
The shock was palpable, and as they walked toward the elevators, whispers began to break the silence like a ripple in a still pond.
"Who is she?" one staff member murmured to her colleague.
"Did you see how close they were? I’ve never seen the boss walk with anyone like that!"
"She’s gorgeous! Is she... someone important?"
"Important? She walked out of his office with him! That’s more than important!"
One bolder intern whispered loudly enough to be heard, "Do you think that’s his wife? No way, right? The boss is married?"
Mo Ran’s sharp gaze flickered to the side, and the intern instantly looked down, cheeks reddening as he pretended to fumble with his phone.
Lixue, entirely unbothered by the attention, wore a faint, amused smile. She leaned slightly closer to Mo Ran as they continued walking, and that simple action sent another ripple of hushed gasps through the hallway.
"Did you see that? She leaned toward him! Who is she?"
"Wait, do you think she’s a client? Maybe someone from the entertainment industry?"
"No way. Did you see how he looked at her? That’s not how the boss looks at clients. That’s... something else."
The whispers followed them like a trail, growing more incredulous with every step. By the time they reached the elevators, the entire floor seemed to be buzzing with speculation.
Lixue glanced at Mo Ran, a teasing glint in her eyes. "You really are popular here, aren’t you?"
Mo Ran’s expression remained stoic, but there was a faint twitch at the corner of his mouth. "It’s not me they’re talking about right now."
The elevator doors opened, and they stepped inside, leaving behind the stunned staff. As the doors closed, cutting off the whispers, Lixue let out a soft chuckle.
"Well," she said, folding her arms. "I think I’ve made quite the impression on your employees."
Mo Ran leaned against the elevator wall, his hands slipping into his pockets as he regarded her with a small, knowing smile. "They’ll get used to it."
She raised a brow. "Used to what? Me crashing your meetings or walking out of your office with you?"
"Both," he replied smoothly.
She laughed again, shaking her head as the elevator descended to the lobby.
When the doors opened, the same pattern repeated. The receptionists, the visitors, and even the security guards couldn’t help but stare. The usual professional demeanor of the staff seemed to crumble in real-time as Lixue and Mo Ran passed through the lobby.
"Did you see her?" one of the receptionists whispered, trying to keep her voice low. "She’s stunning!"
"Who is she? I didn’t know Mr. Mo had a girlfriend... or a wife?"
"Maybe she’s a model or an actress? Look at how elegant she is!"
The whispers followed them all the way to the exit, but Lixue paid them no mind. She kept her head high, her steps confident, as though she were completely unaware of the storm of curiosity she’d just unleashed.
Once outside, Yan stood waiting by the car, and even he couldn’t entirely mask the flicker of surprise that crossed his face as he saw them approach. However, he quickly opened the door, schooling his expression back to its usual professionalism.
Lixue slid gracefully into the backseat, and Mo Ran followed, settling beside her. As the car pulled away from the building, she glanced at him, her lips curving into a sly smile.
"Well," she said lightly, "I think it’s safe to say your employees won’t forget me anytime soon."
"No one would wifey."
The car glided smoothly through the bustling city streets, the soft hum of the engine filling the comfortable silence between them. Lixue leaned her head back against the seat, her fingers tapping lightly against her lap as she stared out of the tinted window.
"What’s on your mind?" Mo Ran’s voice broke through the quiet, his gaze fixed on her.
She turned to face him, her lips curving into a faint smile. "Just thinking about today. How... different it felt to finally take a step forward."
"Was it everything you expected?" he asked, his tone calm but laced with curiosity.
"Better," she admitted, her eyes gleaming with determination. "For the first time in a long time, I felt like I had control. That I wasn’t just someone watching from the sidelines while others dictated my life. It’s liberating."
Mo Ran’s lips twitched into a small smile. "That’s the woman I married."
Lixue laughed softly, shaking her head. "You have a lot of faith in me."
"I’ve seen what you’re capable of, Lixue," he said simply, his tone steady. "That’s not faith—it’s fact."
Her laughter faded into a warm smile, and she looked at him with something close to gratitude. "Thank you, Mo Ran. For letting me figure things out on my own. For not pushing me."
"You’re my wife, Lixue," he said, his voice firm but gentle. "It’s my job to support you, not control you."
For a moment, she didn’t respond, her eyes searching his face. Then she reached over, her fingers lightly brushing against his hand. "I don’t say this often, but... I appreciate you."
He raised a brow, a teasing glint in his eyes. "Only ’appreciate’ me?"
She rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide the smile that tugged at her lips. "Don’t push your luck, Mo Ran."
He chuckled, his hand turning to grasp hers gently. "Noted darling, I appreciate you being in my life."