The people in the studio hurriedly stood up: "President He."
He Siyu nodded. "Carry on with your work."
Everyone sat back down nervously and resumed their busy tasks.
Zhang Liang quickly rose to greet him. "President He, what brings you here?"
He Siyu's gaze swept past Nan Sangning before settling on Zhang Liang's computer screen. "Just passing by to check in."
"We've just finished the prototype, but it's not fully polished yet..." Zhang Liang hastily explained.
He Siyu gave a slight nod. "It’s decent work."
Zhang Liang exhaled in relief, having feared the boss was here to nitpick. He scratched his head with a chuckle. "Thank you for the praise, President He."
After reviewing the demo, He Siyu looked up at Nan Sangning, his tone casual. "Miss Nan, what brings you here today?"
Sangning replied politely, "I heard the prototype was ready, so of course I had to come see it."
"Oh? Is Miss Nan satisfied?"
Sangning paused, finding his words oddly unsettling.
She met his eyes, but his expression was calm, as if he were simply inquiring about the product.
Sangning smiled. "It’s quite good. With President He personally overseeing it, I have no concerns."
He Siyu’s lips curved slightly. "You’re too kind, Miss Nan."
Standing nearby, Ye Qian couldn’t help but shiver, inexplicably unnerved by the strangely harmonious atmosphere.
He Siyu asked Zhang Liang a few more questions about the product, to which Zhang Liang responded cautiously.
Then, He Siyu left the studio.
The entire team collectively sighed in relief.
Ye Qian briefed Sangning on the project’s progress and upcoming plans, and once Sangning was sufficiently informed, they wrapped up.
At noon, Ye Qian dragged Sangning to the company cafeteria for lunch.
Sangning swiped Ye Qian’s employee card, and the two settled by the window.
"Is Zhang Liang not joining us?" Sangning asked.
"He’s stuck debugging a section of code and hasn’t finished yet. No appetite. I’ll bring him something later," Ye Qian said, shaking her head. "He’s always like this—stubborn to a fault."
"That’s too much."
"Hardly! Before, he didn’t even have the chance to work this hard. This product is Zhang Liang’s biggest dream. When Huiyao agreed to fund it, he was over the moon."
Sangning smiled softly. "I envy you two a little."
"Envy us?"
"Having a shared dream, walking the path together, understanding and loving each other—it’s rare." Sangning’s tone was earnest.
Ye Qian covered her face, laughing. "You’re making me blush! It’s not that romantic. It’s just endless work every day!"
Sangning chuckled and took a sip of yogurt, then frowned slightly—too tart, not sweet enough.
Suddenly, Ye Qian’s expression turned serious. "Actually, there’s something I want to tell you."
Assuming it was about the project, Sangning set down her yogurt and focused. "What is it?"
Ye Qian glanced around to ensure no one was nearby, then leaned in, lowering her voice. "I think President He might like you."
Sangning’s eyes flickered.
Ye Qian spoke with conviction. "I sensed something off at the ski resort last time. When you got bumped into, President He was so frantic. And recently, when you weren’t around, he came by the studio. Zhang Liang told me President He specifically asked if you’d been here. And today, he showed up again!"
"Our project is technically under General Manager Fang’s oversight. President He doesn’t personally manage projects. And think about it—Huiyao invests in so many ventures. Why would he pay this much attention to our little studio?"
Ye Qian’s voice was firm. "My gut says he’s definitely into you!"
Sangning froze for three seconds. "Really...?"
"Come on, what do you think? A man like President He—you’d be crazy not to at least consider dating him!" Ye Qian’s tone grew increasingly excited.
Sangning stiffly avoided Ye Qian’s eager gaze, picking up her yogurt and taking a long sip through the straw.
After lunch, Sangning returned to Nan Corporation.
With Nan Zhenming ousted from the company, no one dared question her comings and goings anymore. She felt lighter than ever.
That evening, as she left work, she spotted the familiar black Bentley parked outside.
She approached, and the window rolled down. "President He, is there another issue with the AI medical project?"
He Siyu’s brow twitched, but his expression remained stern. "No."
Pursing his lips, he spoke in a restrained, almost stiff tone. "There’s something else I need to discuss with you."
"What is it?"
"Get in."
Sangning opened the door and slid into the passenger seat.
As he drove off, his voice was calm. "Grandma He asked me to deliver New Year’s gifts to you. They’re in the back."
Sangning turned and saw a gift box on the rear seat.
"What is it?"
"I don’t know."
Sangning blinked. "Oh. Well, please thank Grandma He for me."
He gave a curt nod. "Mm."
Sangning studied him curiously. Was it her imagination, or did he seem... different today?
Almost unusually agreeable.
"What would you like to eat?" he asked.
"I’ve already eaten."
"What could you possibly have eaten? Another bag of toast to tide you over?"
Sangning hesitated. "Aunt Chen has been bringing me dinner these past few nights."
After Nan Zhenming’s downfall, her standing in the Nan household had skyrocketed. Aunt Chen had become more attentive, even delivering meals when she worked late.
But—
She turned to him. "How did you know I usually just eat toast at night?"
Since their breakup, she’d been too busy to bother with proper dinners, often grabbing a bag of toast from the convenience store on her way home.
His grip on the steering wheel tightened imperceptibly. For a fleeting moment, his usually composed eyes betrayed a hint of disarray.
Keeping his gaze fixed ahead, he forced his voice to remain steady. "A guess."
She blinked. "Oh."
His lips pressed into a thin line as he adjusted his tie.
Sangning glanced at the unfamiliar road ahead. "Where are we going?"
"The beach."
Sangning was taken aback. "Why the beach?"
His expression had already smoothed back into casual indifference. "To walk off dinner."
