Perhaps not wanting Jiang Si to witness her embarrassment, Chris deliberately picked a fight.
"You left already, didn’t you? What are you still doing here?"
Jiang Si found her behavior baffling. Closing her notebook, she replied calmly,
"Is there any rule stating I can’t be here?"
Chris grew agitated. "This is an embassy district. Unauthorized personnel aren’t allowed to wander around!"
"True, this is the embassy district," Jiang Si met her gaze, her tone steady. "But ultimately, this is Chinese territory. As a Chinese citizen, walking on my own land—what’s the issue with that?"
After a pause, she added, "Don’t forget, this design project was initiated by your invitation."
In other words, she was here for work.
What right did Chris have to question her?
Chris seemed to realize this as well. She wanted to argue back, but after racking her brain, she couldn’t find a single counterpoint.
After a long silence, Chris suddenly deflated and slumped onto a nearby wooden bench.
"Do you always have to be so infuriating when you speak?"
"Depends on the situation." Jiang Si, having stood for a while, felt her legs growing sore. She sat down beside Chris. "In China, we have a saying: 'Courtesy demands reciprocity.'"
"I don’t understand," Chris muttered.
"Roughly, it means I’ll treat you the way you treat me." Jiang Si glanced at her. "You haven’t exactly been friendly toward me, have you?"
Chris fell silent.
Just as Jiang Si assumed she wouldn’t respond, Chris turned to face her.
"I like him. You can tell, right?"
Jiang Si nodded. "Anyone with eyes could see that."
"Do you know who he likes?"
"It doesn’t matter. Who he likes is his freedom—just as your feelings for him are yours."
"But he doesn’t like me." As soon as the words left her mouth, Chris’s tears began to fall, one after another.
At first, it was just quiet sobbing.
Perhaps the more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt—or maybe she had been holding it in for too long. Soon, she was weeping uncontrollably.
Jiang Si froze, unsure how to react.
She wasn’t good at comforting people.
And she certainly never imagined the person she’d be comforting would be Chris.
After all, their previous encounters had been anything but amicable.
Still, after a moment’s hesitation, Jiang Si pulled a fresh handkerchief from her bag. "Stop crying."
Chris took it, about to say, "I didn’t expect you to be so compassionate."
But before she could, Jiang Si added, "Hurry and wipe your tears. If someone sees you like this, they’ll think I bullied you."
Chris’s hand froze mid-wipe.
"You’re really something—always so sharp-tongued."
"Likewise."
Seeing her expression, Jiang Si suddenly smiled.
"We also have a saying: 'Three-legged toads are hard to find, but two-legged men are everywhere.'"
"You’re not lacking in any way. There’s no need to tie yourself to just Chi Heng."
Chris’s father had once given her similar advice.
But she had stubbornly refused to listen, insisting, "There may be many good men in the world, but Chi Heng is one of a kind! He’s irreplaceable!"
She repeated the same words to Jiang Si now.
Jiang Si neither agreed nor disagreed.
"But you know what?" She looked at Chris, her gaze serious. "Chi Heng may be unique, but so is Chris. There’s only one of you in this world."
Chris was stunned.
It took her a long moment to process the words.
It was true—her family background, education, looks… No matter where she went, she was exceptional.
Why obsess over someone who didn’t return her feelings?
Why take her frustration out on others because of him?
"Why are you comforting me?" Chris suddenly asked, puzzled. "Last time, I humiliated you in front of everyone… I was so rude to you…"
"But I didn’t lose out, did I?"
Jiang Si quoted another proverb—"Better to make peace than hold a grudge"—before saying earnestly,
"Your feelings for him are between the two of you. I don’t want to get involved, nor can I. I just hope not to be dragged into it."
"Believe it or not, Chi Heng and I will only ever be friends—nothing more."
Having said her piece, Jiang Si checked her watch. "It’s getting late. I should go."
"Wait." Chris suddenly called out. "Are you free for lunch?"
Jiang Si paused. "You need something?"
"Yeah." Chris stood up as well. "Today’s my birthday. I was planning to confess to him publicly, but he already turned me down."
"So, you’re inviting me to lunch?" Jiang Si remained as blunt as ever.
Chris had grown accustomed to it. "Yes. I already paid for it—seems a waste not to eat."
She looked at Jiang Si. "Would you join me?"
Jiang Si didn’t know what came over her. Without thinking, she nodded.
Unsurprisingly, when the two arrived at the restaurant, they drew curious stares.
Many had witnessed their near-public spat the other day.
They had expected these two to either fight to the death or avoid each other forever.
Who could’ve imagined they’d sit down for a peaceful meal together?
But the real shock came after lunch, when Chris personally escorted Jiang Si to the embassy district’s exit.
By the time Chi Heng rushed over upon hearing the news, he saw Jiang Si handing something to Chris from a distance.
It was a fountain pen—one she had bought recently but never used.
"Is this for me?" Chris was visibly surprised.
"Yes."
Jiang Si nodded. After enjoying a free meal, it was only right to give something in return.
"Happy birthday. And here’s to our 'no discord, no concord' friendship."
"Thank you. Really." Chris spoke sincerely. "I was wrong last time. I shouldn’t have taken my anger out on you, especially not in public."
Her previous apology had been half-hearted.
But this time, she meant it.
Jiang Si understood. What she didn’t expect was how drastically Chris’s attitude toward her would change after that day.
In her free time, Chris began seeking Jiang Si out.
Whenever Jiang Si visited the embassy district for work, Chris greeted her warmly.
Even Chi Heng was taken aback. "You and Chris… became friends?"
Jiang Si considered it. "You could say that."
Chi Heng didn’t pry further, shifting to another topic.
"By the way, how’s the progress on what you mentioned last time?"
Jiang Si answered truthfully, "Not very smooth."
She had already discussed the three names on the list with Chi Heng during her last visit.
The Design Management Division held approval authority, while the Materials Supply Office handled resource allocation.
Deputy Minister Xu oversaw the finance department as well as the infrastructure planning division.
Jiang Si’s first test was directed at the design management division.
Her method was simple.
While revising the design plans, she intentionally marked two incorrect figures. As a result, the proposal was promptly rejected by the management division that same day.
Because of this, Director Ming of the management division even took the time to speak with her privately.
His tone was laced with concern, and he repeatedly reminded her to be extra careful when modifying design blueprints in the future.
Not the slightest mistake could be tolerated.
As for Director Dai from the materials supply department, there was no need for testing.
Previously, a batch of substandard steel bars had already been delivered to the construction site, but Director Dai had immediately notified both her and Director Yang.
"That leaves only Deputy Minister Xu," Jiang Si mused.
Chi Heng had interacted with this man quite frequently. From their first meeting, he had sensed that Deputy Minister Xu was shrewd in his dealings—balanced yet far from mediocre.
"Exactly," Jiang Si agreed with that assessment.
But after observing him closely over time, she hadn’t found a single flaw in Deputy Minister Xu’s conduct.
Originally, she had hoped this opportunity would reveal who the mole was.
Yet after her tests, she was only more confused.
"Honestly, I can’t tell which of the three is the traitor now," she admitted.
"Don’t rush. They won’t stay hidden forever—sooner or later, they’ll slip up," Chi Heng reassured her.
Jiang Si nodded, though she didn’t dwell on it.
She knew Chi Heng’s words were just meant to comfort her.
But no one expected "sooner or later" to arrive so soon.
The very next day, as soon as Jiang Si arrived at work, someone came looking for her—
