Jiang Tang was slightly taken aback.
Shen Yihan?
Was this his way of apologizing for yesterday’s abruptness?
She glanced at the roses again and said to her assistant, "Go buy a vase."
She wasn’t particularly fond of keeping flowers.
But she couldn’t just let such beautiful blooms wither away.
Shen Yihan was still the same well-mannered Shen Yihan.
He must have been provoked by something last night.
The assistant quickly returned with a white porcelain vase.
The Polar White and Red roses looked stunning in it, adding a splash of color to the office.
The assistant smiled and said, "President Shen has excellent taste. This variety of roses is quite rare—he must have chosen them especially for you, President Jiang. They suit you perfectly."
A faint smile graced Jiang Tang’s cool, elegant features. "Is that so?"
Well, since Shen Yihan had put so much thought into his apology, she might as well forgive him.
She took out her phone and sent Shen Yihan a WeChat message:
[President Shen, I’ve received the flowers. Thank you.]
Shen Yihan replied almost immediately:
[As long as you like them.]
The flowers didn’t have a long blooming period. Five days later, they began to wilt.
Before leaving work that day, Jiang Tang asked her assistant to dispose of them.
To her surprise, the next day, another fresh bouquet arrived in her office.
This time, it was Apple Jack roses—creamy white at the center with ruffled red petals.
She looked at her assistant in surprise. "What’s this?"
The assistant grinned knowingly. "Another gift from President Shen. These were flown in from Ecuador—the secretary picked them up from the airport."
"The meaning of these flowers is, ‘In the days I can’t see you, I hope you stay happy.’ President Shen is really putting in the effort, President Jiang."
Jiang Tang was baffled. "Just put them in the vase for now."
She pulled out her phone and messaged Shen Yihan:
[President Shen, why are you sending me flowers again?]
The reply came swiftly:
[I’m pursuing you.]
Jiang Tang’s pupils dilated, her breath hitching for a second.
Wait—hadn’t he said to pretend he’d never spoken those words the other day?
The calm surface of her heart rippled once more.
[President Shen, do you realize what you’re saying?]
Of course Shen Yihan knew what he was saying.
He had endless patience when it came to the person he liked.
Jiang Tang might not reciprocate his feelings yet, but she didn’t reject him either. He could take his time.
She was a workaholic—sending flowers every day might annoy her since she’d have to tend to them.
So Shen Yihan decided to send them every few days instead, ensuring her office always had fresh blooms.
Every time she saw the flowers, she’d think of him.
He replied:
[I know. That day, I was too abrupt. I should have courted you properly.]
Those words made Jiang Tang’s heart pound like thunder.
So that was what Shen Yihan had meant.
The corners of her cool lips curled slightly as she typed:
[I’m not easy to win over, President Shen.]
Back in university, her ex-boyfriend had pursued her for over half a year before she agreed to date him.
Shen Yihan replied:
[It’s fine. You don’t have to answer me now. I’ll take my time to show you my sincerity.]
From that day on, Jiang Tang’s office was never without flowers.
She had assumed Shen Yihan was getting updates from her assistant about when the flowers needed replacing.
Only later did she discover that Shen Yihan kept one flower from every bouquet he sent her in his own office.
When his flower wilted, he knew hers would be due for a refresh too.
Moreover, Shen Yihan often switched up the flower varieties, each time pairing them with a gift.
The latest watch, a stylish bag that matched Jiang Tang’s elegance, a hard-to-find collectible plushie…
Before long, Jiang Tang found herself eagerly anticipating what kind of flowers—and what kind of gift—Shen Yihan would send next.
A month passed like this.
Their exchanges grew more frequent, yet they hadn’t met in person once.
The Beijing North headquarters had signed several new collaboration projects with the Xu family of Beijing South, keeping Shen Yihan swamped.
Jiang Tang was equally busy, constantly traveling for work.
That day, another bouquet began to wilt.
Before leaving work, she cleared it away, already looking forward to the next morning.
The following day, when Jiang Tang arrived at the office, she spotted a tall, broad-shouldered man in a tailored suit standing at the entrance.
A string of black Buddhist beads still adorned his wrist, contrasting strikingly with the Polar White and Red roses in his hands.
Forbidden yet indulgent.
