Sang Lu paused mid-slurp of her noodles.
A French dinner banquet?
Could it be the kind often seen in TV dramas—meticulously plated, exquisitely presented, with a single peanut-sized portion elegantly arranged on an oversized plate?
The image flashed in her mind.
Instantly, the Kangshuaibo braised beef noodles in her hands lost their appeal.
She fired off three rapid replies:
Sang Lu: ["I'm in! I'm totally in!"]
Sang Lu: ["Raising hand.jpg"]
Sang Lu: ["Eagerly raising hand.jpg"]
This was the first time Feng Yan had asked her to accompany him to a formal dinner.
No need to overthink it—he wasn’t the type to invite her without reason.
It had to be an event requiring a plus-one.
Setting aside practical considerations, the mere mention of a "French dinner banquet" had her buzzing with excitement.
Her lips curled into a grin as she tapped out another message:
["How fancy is it? Do I need to wear an evening gown or something?"]
Better to ask now than embarrass herself later.
Feng Yan replied swiftly:
["Feng: Casual. Wear whatever you like."]
Sang Lu: ["Okk~"]
Through the screen, Feng Yan could almost picture Sang Lu’s gleeful, animated expression.
Yet, his stern brows furrowed slightly in confusion.
"Ok" made sense.
But "Okk"?
He understood it, but couldn’t comprehend why.
Why did she even add reduplication to English words?
This wasn’t the first time he’d felt this way.
He didn’t understand how she could find joy in organizing trivial flyers.
Or why her social media was always brimming with endless topics to share.
Or how she could rewatch the same comedy, lines memorized, over and over.
Or why something as mundane as washing her hair warranted a playful head-scratching gesture in his direction.
A man accustomed to dissecting the logic of things, he fell into contemplation once more.
His long lashes lowered, veiling his deep gaze.
He searched for an answer.
A moment of silence passed.
Nothing.
---
At closing time, the private elevator chimed as it reached the first-floor lobby.
The stern-faced man stepped out with measured strides, his tailored suit accentuating his tall frame.
As he passed the reception desk, two employees were whispering:
"Wow, I just saw Xie Sinan’s fan photos from the airport on Weibo—he’s ridiculously handsome!"
One employee nudged her tablet toward the other, who leaned in and gasped:
"So good-looking! Even in a close-up candid, he’s flawless. Oh, there’s a girl in the shot too?"
"She’s gorgeous! They look great together. Is she his new co-host?"
"Comments say she’s just a colleague from the TV station."
"Ah, got it. Any fan videos? I’d love to hear his voice—it’s so soothing and charming. He’s always quick with a witty reply, never awkward!"
"I’m pretty witty too, but you’ve never showered me with compliments like that!"
"You? Compared to Xie Sinan, you might as well be mute."
The click of dress shoes halted their chatter.
Their hearts nearly stopped when they realized it was the CEO.
Though off-duty gossip wasn’t strictly forbidden, the sudden appearance of Feng Yan sent a jolt of panic through them.
As Feng Corporation employees, they were used to his commanding presence and unreadable demeanor.
But this time, something felt different.
Had his gaze flickered toward the tablet screen? His expression seemed sharper than usual, radiating an almost palpable intensity.
Oh no.
Had he overheard them?
Even though the company had no explicit rules, words like "mute" were tacitly off-limits.
Regret washed over them. They never should’ve gotten so carried away gossiping in the lobby.
---
Sang Lu had always considered overtime a drag.
But the prospect of a French banquet swept her exhaustion away.
Humming a tune, she wrapped up the final tasks on-site.
Her phone rang, cutting off her cheerful melody.
Seeing the caller ID, she answered:
"Hello, Director Wang?"
"Xiao Sang," Director Wang’s voice carried a note of warmth, hearing the background noise of crew members moving props. "Still working late?"
"Yeah, just finishing up some last-minute arrangements."
"Good, good—" Director Wang’s tone softened with approval.
Ever since learning that Sang Lu was married to Feng Yan, CEO of Feng Corporation, he’d felt awkward.
He wasn’t sure how to assign tasks to her anymore.
In the past, young female colleagues who married well often grew indifferent to work—some transferred to easier roles, others quit outright to focus on family.
Director Wang had worried silently: Would Sang Lu, with such a privileged marriage, stick around?
He admired her work ethic, and it’d be a shame to lose her.
But to his surprise, she threw herself into her job with undiminished zeal, spinning like a top every day.
It left him deeply impressed.
"Director Wang, was there something you needed?"
Her question snapped him back.
"Ah, right. You and Xie Sinan should prepare a presentation for next week—share what you learned from the exchange with Qinghe TV. Coordinate with him on how to structure it."
"Got it, Director Wang."
As soon as she hung up, a WeChat friend request popped up from Xie Sinan.
She tapped to accept.
Xie Sinan: ["Hey."]
Xie Sinan: ["Did Director Wang fill you in?"]
Sang Lu: ["Yep, just got off the phone with him."]
Xie Sinan: ["Cool. I’m recording now, but let’s chat later tonight? Would that work for you?"]
Sang Lu: ["Ok, works for me."]
Xie Sinan: ["Great, talk soon [smile]"]
The thought of discussing work after hours made Sang Lu decide she deserved a treat.
She was putting in effort.
So, before heading home, she detoured to the supermarket.
Qinghe Bay was nestled in the upscale district of the city, surrounded by luxury villas. A high-end grocery store catered exclusively to the area’s affluent residents.
Normally, Sang Lu avoided it.
Reason? Highway robbery.
Six lychees packaged in a gift box for 399 yuan?
They were clearly fleecing the neighborhood’s deep pockets.
But with time tight, she had no choice but to play the sheep tonight.
Between her savings, Feng Yan’s generous allowance, and the nest egg from her parents, she was comfortably well-off.
Sang Lu—petite tycoon—quickly justified the splurge and loaded her cart with chips, chocolates, juices, and sodas.
Today, luck was definitely on her side.
Not only did she receive the wonderful news of having French cuisine to look forward to the day after tomorrow, but she also encountered an unexpected stroke of luck.
As she walked out of the supermarket, she passed by a newly opened flower shop in the neighboring upscale residential area. The beautiful shop owner inexplicably handed her a bouquet of tulips.
The owner said she found Sang Lu sweet and radiant, and for the sake of good fortune on her opening day, she insisted on pressing the flowers into her arms without taking no for an answer.
Sang Lu froze for a moment.
But she didn’t accept the gift without returning the kindness.
She opened her shopping bag, lifted it up, and let the lovely shop owner pick any snack she wanted.
After all, it’s only polite to reciprocate~
The shop owner, graceful and unreserved, didn’t decline. With a smile, she took a bottle of grape-flavored soda.
Today was truly a day overflowing with good luck and joy.
Holding the flowers, Sang Lu thought happily.
