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墨書 Inktalez
“Junxi…” Zhou Xuanyu pulled her close.
Junxi grasped Zhou Xuanyu's collar with her hand, not applying much force, yet he felt as if that small hand was tightening around his throat, making it hard for him to breathe.
“Zhou Xuanyu.”
Junxi looked deeply into Zhou Xuanyu's eyes.
Her watery gaze held so much pain that it made his heart ache in response.
“We can’t be together anymore,” Junxi said slowly, each word heavy with finality.
He could see how resolute she was in her decision.
“No,” Zhou Xuanyu said, cupping her face and shaking his head seriously. “No!”
Junxi pulled away from his grasp.
“Don’t follow me,” she said, taking a few steps forward. When she saw him starting to follow again, she quickly added, “Please, don’t come after me.”
Her shoulders trembled, her frail body shaking more violently with each moment.
Zhou Xuanyu knew that her rationality was on the brink of collapse. If he continued to follow her, it would only make it harder for her to remain calm.
He stood there without moving.
Seeing that he had compromised, Junxi pressed her lips together and nodded, then walked forward without looking back.
Her thoughts were chaotic, completely losing the ability to think. As cars passed by her, she reached out to hail one. Most of the drivers ignored her, and a rare few would lower their windows and shout at her from a distance, "Are you crazy?"
Yes, she was crazy.
If she weren't, how could she place so many hopes on these fleeting lives? These unfamiliar drivers were the same as Zhou Xuanyu... He should have remained just a name lying in her diary, someone she was never meant to reunite with.
Junxi didn't know how long she had been walking; in any case, Zhou Xuanyu's car had never caught up to her, and she hadn't looked back. Finally, a taxi approached her from the opposite direction.
"Miss, need a ride?" the friendly driver asked as he lowered the window.
Junxi didn't respond; she simply opened the door and got in.
"Where to?" The driver remained enthusiastic despite her cold demeanor.
Where to?
Junxi didn't know.
In this vast world, where could she find a place for herself? No matter where she went, it would be the same warmth and coldness of human feelings. No matter where she went, it would be the same hypocritical faces.
Who else did she have to rely on?
"Take me to Yigao," Junxi said.
"Alright."
The driver made a turn and headed towards Yigao.
When Junxi arrived at Yigao, Jun Xuan was in class. She registered at the school gate and contacted Jun Xuan's homeroom teacher through the security office, which allowed her to enter.
Without Zhou Xuanyu by her side, many conveniences were no longer available.
Upon learning that she had arrived at school, Jun Xuan temporarily requested a study period from his homeroom teacher to meet his sister.
To avoid disturbing others during class, they specifically went to a secluded little garden behind the school.
Jun Xuan did not look well; compared to his energetic appearance during the winter break, he now had a pale complexion and puffy eyelids.
It seemed that he was under a lot of academic pressure.
"Sis, why are you here?" Jun Xuan asked as he looked at Junxi's downcast expression, gently patting her head.
Junxi had initially wanted to suppress her emotions, but the moment her brother's gentle touch brushed against her forehead, she could no longer hold back the grievances inside her.
"It's nothing, I just came to see you." She lowered her head, trying to maintain an air of nonchalance.
Jun Xuan pouted.
"Don't give me that. You usually don’t come to see me." As he spoke, he hooked his finger under Junxi's chin, forcing her to look up at him. "Now tell me, what's really going on?"
Junxi blinked and smiled lightly.
"Really, it's nothing. You didn't come home last week, so I specifically came to check on you to see if you needed anything. If you do, I'll go buy it for you."
"Food and drinks are all in the cafeteria, and we're all wearing uniforms. What could I possibly need?" Jun Xuan replied.
Junxi suddenly realized and nodded.
"That's true."
"Why are you acting so strange?" Jun Xuan's suspicion grew.
Junxi had acted on a whim when she said she would come to Yigao; her mind had gone blank, and the only people she could think of were her brother and grandmother.
It was impossible for her to go back to her grandmother, as the journey was too far. She only had her brother left.
"I..." Junxi knew that she could never tell her brother about their parents' situation. It was a truth she couldn't bear; how could she expect her brother to handle it?
"What do you mean 'I'? If you don't say anything, I'm going to call Xuan Yu Uncle and have him take you back. I still have classes to attend," Jun Xuan said, flicking Junxi's forehead like a little adult.
Junxi winced in pain and covered her forehead.
"That hurt!" Tears welled up in Junxi's eyes, using the pain as an excuse for her tears. "Don't call him!"
Jun Xuan stared at Junxi for a moment, taking in her awkward demeanor.
Then he suddenly realized, "Oh, I get it. You must have had a fight with Xuan Yu Uncle, right?"
Junxi remained silent, allowing her younger brother to misunderstand the situation. Perhaps it was better this way; even if she couldn't hold back her tears, at least she had a legitimate reason.
"I mean, sister, you're an adult now and have seen quite a bit of the world. Can't you stop throwing tantrums like a little girl?"
"Why do you think it's always me throwing a tantrum first?"
"Because Uncle Xuan Yu dotes on you so much that he wouldn't want to see you upset. So it must be your fault," Jun Xuan stated confidently.
Junxi curled her lips slightly but didn't deny it.
"See? You not saying anything means I guessed right, doesn't it?" Jun Xuan laughed triumphantly. "Just be grateful; aside from Uncle Xuan Yu, where else are you going to find a man who spoils you like this? Anyway, in the future, there's no way I'll ever spoil a woman like that!"
As Junxi watched her brother's expression while he spoke about Zhou Xuanyu, the deep affection he held was evident. A wave of unease washed over her.
"Jun Xuan..."
"Alright, alright, let's go." Jun Xuan touched her face as if trying to peel away her sorrowful mask. "It's just a love quarrel. You even came here to complain about it."
"I didn't."
"Still not admitting it? I promise you that when I see Uncle Xuan Yu next time, I'll have a good talk with him. How dare he bully you..." Jun Xuan said as he rolled up his sleeves, striking a pose as if showing off muscles.
Junxi wanted to laugh, but looking at her brother's arms, which were as thin as twigs, made it impossible.
"Okay, I'm leaving now. Don't put too much pressure on yourself; learning is something that can't be forced."
Jun Xuan let out a soft laugh.
"Can't force it? You sound like someone who's just had their heart broken."
Junxi ignored her brother's teasing and turned to wave goodbye. "I'm leaving now. If you need anything, just give me a call."
Jun Xuan made an "OK" gesture, but as Junxi took a few steps away, he called out to her again.
"Sis, no matter what happens, don't get into a fight with Uncle Xuan Yu. I can tell he really loves you."
Tears welled up in Junxi's eyes. She didn't turn back or respond.
Love? Does he really love me?
If he loves me, why has he hidden so much from me? If he loves me, why hasn't he ever said he loves me after all this time?
When Junxi met Jun Xuan, she had hoped to find some comfort. But instead, her worries only deepened.
As she walked through the school hallway, just as she was about to head out the main entrance, she suddenly heard someone calling her from behind.
"Jun Xuan! Jun Xuan! Wait a moment!"
Junxi turned around and saw her homeroom teacher running towards her, breathless.
"Is there something else?" Junxi asked, looking at the panting teacher, completely puzzled.
"There is something," the homeroom teacher said as she stopped in front of Junxi. "I don't know if Jun Xuan has told you, but he suddenly fainted in class yesterday."
“Fainted!?”
“Yes,” the teacher nodded. “Although he woke up quickly and insisted that he was just hungry and anemic, I’m still a bit worried. I hope you can take him to the hospital for a check-up if you have time.”
“Has he been under a lot of academic pressure lately?”
“The pressure is considerable. Plus, with a series of competitions coming up, it seems he’s feeling overwhelmed.” Jun Xuan's homeroom teacher smiled at Junxi. “He’s truly a hardworking and smart kid; it’s no wonder Mr. Zhou takes such good care of him.”
“Mr. Zhou? Zhou Xuanyu?”
“Yes. Mr. Zhou is quite busy, but even so, he makes time to call every week to check on Jun Xuan.”
Junxi nodded.
Why, at this moment, were so many people praising Zhou Xuanyu, while she could only suspect his motives?
Why was Zhou Xuanyu being so kind to her and her brother? Was he trying to atone for his brother's sins?
After returning home, Junxi didn’t even bother to cook dinner. She buried herself under the covers and fell asleep. She tossed and turned in the first half of the night, unable to sleep, but in the latter half, she fell into a deep slumber as if she had fainted.
Nightmares haunted her; there was always someone chasing her with a sharp knife. The more she ran, the weaker she felt, until she despaired and thought that perhaps it would be better to just sleep forever in that dream than to wake up and face the complexities of reality.
However, the sun rose as usual the next day, and the world did not stop turning because of her immense sorrow.
She rushed to the company early in the morning and headed straight for Human Resources to inquire about the resignation process.
The HR girls were so intimidated by her demeanor that they didn't dare to make a move. After all, in everyone's mind, Junxi was still Zhou Xuanyu's girlfriend. She was a candidate for the future Boss Lady, and no one wanted to casually assist her in processing her resignation. Perhaps she was just throwing a little tantrum with the president?
Taking advantage of Junxi's distraction, one of the HR girls secretly notified Galen. Galen was the person closest to Zhou Xuanyu.
They couldn't dissuade her, so they had to let Galen or Zhou Xuanyu handle it.
Not long after the call was made, Zhou Xuanyu arrived.
He must have just gotten to the office; he still held his car keys in his hand.
"Mr. Zhou, Junxi wants to resign," someone reported softly.
Zhou Xuanyu nodded.
His urgent arrival clearly indicated that he already knew the details of the situation.
"Come out with me," Zhou Xuanyu said to Junxi.
"No need, Mr. Zhou. I've made up my mind. There's nothing you can say that will change it," Junxi directly rejected him.
With no other option, Zhou Xuanyu turned to the HR girls and said, "You all can step out for a moment."
The girls nodded awkwardly, not daring to go against the president's wishes. They quickly tidied up their unfinished breakfast and hurried out.
In this spacious room, only the two of them remained.
Junxi still refused to look at Zhou Xuanyu, who had directly moved in front of her.
"Are you really that eager to leave me?" His hand gripped her shoulder, the force of it reflecting the anger that was bubbling uncontrollably within him.
Junxi's shoulder throbbed with pain, and her heart ached as well.
So much hatred, yet she still dared not meet his gaze.
"It's not that I'm eager to leave you; I just wish we had never been together at all."
"You..." Zhou Xuanyu felt like he could crush her with his bare hands. "How can you be so heartless?"
"Heartless? My parents have been in prison for five whole years. Who are they supposed to blame for being heartless?"
"I will definitely get to the bottom of this and give you an explanation."
"Oh? Is that so? Are you saying you haven't investigated thoroughly enough? Or are you simply unwilling to tell me the truth?"
"Junxi!"
"That person is your brother," Junxi said, furrowing her brows. "So from the moment I learned the truth, I never expected you would stand by my side."
Her reasoning left Zhou Xuanyu speechless.
After a few seconds of silence, Zhou Xuanyu sighed.
"But you need to work. You don't have to rush to leave here."
For Zhou Xuanyu, even if he couldn't keep her heart, he still wanted to hold onto her presence.
"Yes, I need a job. But I absolutely will not bow down for five pecks of rice." Junxi surveyed the office's decor and added, "This company is named Zhou, but I don't want anything to do with anyone named Zhou anymore."
"You're being irrational."
"Even if I have to pay for my irrationality by going hungry in the future, I must leave."
As she spoke, Junxi pulled out a resignation form from the desk, quickly filled in her basic information, and slammed it down in front of Zhou Xuanyu.
"Mr. Zhou, whether you sign it or not, today will be my last day in this company."
The beast within Zhou Xuanyu roared. He grabbed Junxi's hand, twisted her back against the desk, and kissed her fiercely...
This kiss was not just a kiss; it felt more like a bite.
Junxi pushed him with all her might, knocking everything off the desk in the struggle.
But Zhou Xuanyu showed no signs of letting her go.
In a moment of desperation, Junxi bit his lip.
"Mm." Zhou Xuanyu let out a muffled grunt.
Seizing the opportunity, Junxi escaped from his embrace and ran out without looking back.
Zhou Xuanyu pressed his hand against his sore lip, watching her panicked figure retreating, and felt his heart sink like water.
This wasn't the first time she had bitten him like this, but this time, it truly felt as if flesh had been torn away.
Junxi ran back to her desk, ignoring the gazes of those around her and refusing to answer anyone's questions. She hurriedly gathered her things and clutched a box as she dashed downstairs.
She didn't even know why she was running so urgently; perhaps it was because she feared Zhou Xuanyu would chase after her.
However, even when she reached the ground floor, Zhou Xuanyu did not come after her.
Junxi found herself feeling ridiculous. Why, at the very last moment before their relationship reached a breaking point, did she still hold onto some hope? What would it matter if he did chase after her? No matter how much she loved him, she couldn't forgive him.
It was no longer just a simple matter of love and hate between them; it was the feud between the Wen and Zhou families.
"Junxi!"
Just as Junxi stepped out of the elevator, she heard someone calling her name—it was Xue Waiwai. She looked around but found it difficult to locate Xue Waiwai among the unusually large crowd in the lobby today.
"Junxi! I'm over here!" Xue Waiwai waved her hand and rushed toward her, accompanied by another girl.
"What are you doing here?"
"Don't mention it. The entire Zhongyuan Building is out of water today, so we came over to use the restroom," Xue Waiwai said, gesturing vaguely to indicate that all these people in the lobby were "migrating" from Zhongyuan Building.
Junxi replied with a brief "mm," intending to say goodbye to Xue Waiwai when Xue Waiwai noticed something was off first.
"Where are you going with all that stuff? Did you quit your job?"
She let out a soft "hm."
"What's going on?" Xue Waiwai immediately raised her voice.
The girl beside Xue Waiwai seemed to sense that they had something to discuss and tactfully said she would head back first.
Junxi and Xue Waiwai walked out of the Hengfu Group building and found a nearby bubble tea shop to sit down. Xue Waiwai snatched the box from Junxi's hands, examined it carefully, and after confirming it was the "luggage" of someone who had resigned, she asked again, "What exactly happened? Weren't you with Zhou Xuanyu?"
In everyone's eyes, based solely on her relationship with Zhou Xuanyu, she had no reason to resign.
Junxi lowered her head and remained silent.
This matter couldn't be explained in just a few words, and she still hadn't built up the courage to talk about it openly. After all, everything had happened too suddenly.
"Did you have a fight? Or did you break up? Regardless of whether it was a fight or a breakup, I don't think it's worth giving up your job over."
"Breakup."
Xue Waiwai exhaled, wanting to ask something more but afraid of hitting Junxi's sore spot. Since Junxi wasn't ready to talk, she didn't want to push.
"Alright, I won't ask about that anymore. I'll just ask one more thing: what are you planning to do now?"
Junxi shook her head. "I don't know what to do."
"You were so eager to leave Hengfu Group; didn't you have a plan or another job lined up?"
Junxi shook her head again.
She was determined to leave Zhou Xuanyu and Hengfu Group, without considering much else.
As Zhou Xuanyu said, she was indeed being too irrational.
But in matters of the heart, who is truly rational?
"With your current financial situation, how can you manage without a job?"
Indeed, not having a job was not an option. She had to pay rent and support her brother's education. Even with a job, things were tight; how could she cope without one?
"Why don't you consider coming to our company? We currently have a vacancy."
Junxi had no intention of going to Zhongyuan Group. Firstly, it was just a street away from Hengfu Group, and if she went to Zhongyuan, she might run into Zhou Xuanyu on her way to work. Secondly, the president of Zhongyuan was Shen Yunchong, and she had no idea how he would react if she really jumped from Hengfu Group to Zhongyuan.
However, after Xue Waiwai's persuasion, Junxi decided to give Zhongyuan a try.
After all, compared to everything else, filling her stomach and surviving was the most important thing.
The position Zhongyuan was hiring for was also a translator, but it wasn't for fieldwork; it was an internal position in the translation department. Junxi thought that an internal role wasn't bad at all since the salary was decent and it was far removed from the pressures of the frontline.
She focused on avoiding Shen Yunchong as best as she could, but fate had other plans. On her very first day interviewing at Zhongyuan, she ran into Shen Yunchong.
Following the route provided by Xue Waiwai, Junxi made her way to the Human Resources Department on the tenth floor of Zhongyuan. Xue Waiwai mentioned that the interview would be conducted directly by HR, with one or two colleagues from the translation department present for reference. However, the final decision would still rest with HR.
Xue Waiwai had even sent the photos of several managers and deputy managers from the Human Resources Department to Junxi's phone, urging her not to offend these faces.
She was here for an interview, not a fight; how could she possibly offend anyone?
The Zhongyuan Building was just as expansive as the Hengfu Group. In terms of interior design, compared to the simple and elegant style of Hengfu Group, Zhongyuan's structure was more intricate and delicate. This made it particularly difficult for Junxi to locate the so-called "meeting room."
After stepping out of the elevator, Junxi texted Xue Waiwai to ask for the exact location of the meeting room while looking around in search of it.
"Bang!"
She collided with a group of people at a corner, causing her interview materials to scatter all over the floor.
"Are you okay?" someone asked urgently.
Junxi kept her head down, focused on picking up her documents, completely ignoring any pain.
"I'm fine," she replied.
"Is everything alright, President Shen?"
This time, when the person added a title to their question, Junxi realized they were not asking her at all.
President Shen? Shen Yunchong?
Junxi quickly looked up and indeed saw Shen Yunchong looking down at her with an imposing presence.
"Mr. Shen..." Junxi hurriedly stood up, but in her rush, several pages of her materials slipped from her grasp and fell again.
At that moment, Shen Yunchong bent down to pick it up for her.
"Which department are you from? Don't you watch where you're going?" The man following Shen Yunchong glared at Junxi menacingly.
Before Junxi could respond, Shen Yunchong waved his hand at the man, signaling him to be quiet.
"Teacher Wen, what brings you here?" Shen Yunchong looked with interest at the few pages of documents he had picked up.
"I'm here for an interview," Junxi replied honestly.
Shen Yunchong's interest deepened.
"What? Has Hengfu Group mistreated Teacher Wen?" Although Shen Yunchong was asking about Hengfu Group, he was actually more concerned about Zhou Xuanyu.
"Hengfu Group? So you're a spy sent by Hengfu Group!" the man beside Shen Yunchong interjected again.
Shen Yunchong pressed his temple: "Manager Luo, it seems you've been talking a bit too much lately."
The man referred to as Manager Luo immediately lowered his head. "I'm sorry, President Shen. I didn't mean to. I'm just worried that the spy from Hengfu Group might leak information about us in Zhongyuan. After all, the presidents of Hengfu Group are all petty people."
Shen Yunchong remained silent, simply watching Junxi as he awaited her response.
"No, I left for personal reasons," Junxi said softly.
She had always heard rumors about the longstanding discord between Zhongyuan and Hengfu Group, but she didn't know the true reason behind their rivalry.
Now, with so many people watching her, several faces were familiar from the photos sent to her. And since her previous employer was Hengfu Group, that alone was enough to become a reason for her potential failure in the interview.
“Did Mr. Zhou not leave Teacher Wen behind?”
“Since I have decided to leave, it wouldn’t matter who stays.” Junxi replied firmly.
Shen Yunchong nodded knowingly while smiling.
“May I ask if Teacher Wen is genuinely interested in joining Zhongyuan?”
“Mr. Shen, rest assured, this is inevitable. Whether it was the Hengfu Group back then or now Zhongyuan, as long as the company is willing to give me a chance, I will be wholeheartedly committed.”
Junxi spoke sincerely, but the few people behind Shen Yunchong seemed unconvinced.
Shen Yunchong glanced at the expressions of those behind him and pondered for a moment.
“Logically speaking, we at Zhongyuan do not accept employees who have worked at Hengfu Group. However, Teacher Wen, you are special.” Shen Yunchong turned to Manager Luo. “Manager Luo, remember this face; this lady will be unconditionally accepted for any position she interviews for.”
“Unconditionally accepted?” Manager Luo exclaimed, and everyone present was in an uproar.
“Yes, I am determined to have this employee.”
Junxi wanted to enter Zhongyuan quietly, but after being so publicly accepted by Shen Yunchong, her dream of keeping a low profile was completely shattered.
During lunch, Xue Waiwai came to find her and spoke candidly.
“You really can catch big fish wherever you go; everyone is speculating whether you are President Shen’s new favorite.”
"From what I hear, your new flame, President Shen, keeps changing?"
"Of course. Our President Shen is famously handsome, and he also has a reputation for having many girlfriends."
Junxi deliberately missed the point, and Xue Waiwai was easily led off track by her.
Once the topic of Shen Yunchong's romantic history came up, Xue Waiwai couldn't stop talking. During this meal, Junxi simply listened to the gossip about Shen Yunchong.
Due to Shen Yunchong's favoritism towards Junxi, many employees in the company, not just the female ones, had opinions about her.
Junxi was just trying to make a living, and since she already had Xue Waiwai as a companion in Zhongyuan, she didn't feel the need to put in extra effort to make more friends. Let the rumors circulate; it didn't matter much.
However, because of this situation, Junxi suddenly realized how correct Zhou Xuanyu's decision to make things difficult for her on the day of the interview was.
Although she had her fair share of scandals at Hengfu Group, at least no one could say she got in through the back door. Everyone knew she had performed exceptionally well during her interview.
Even though her outstanding performance was intentional...
As Junxi was enjoying her lunch, her phone suddenly rang.
It was an unfamiliar number.
As soon as she answered with a "Hello," she heard Minya's loud voice on the other end.
"Sister Junxi!"
"Minya." Junxi had guessed that Minya would call her, but she didn't expect it to be so soon.
"Sister Junxi, I heard from Dad that you are already working at his company, right?" Minya's voice was filled with excitement.
"Yes."
"That's great! So whenever I want to hang out with you, I just need to ask Dad to give you a day off, right?"
Minya thought it was that simple, leaving Junxi unsure of how to respond.
At that moment, someone snatched the phone from Minya's hand.
Junxi heard a faint reprimand on the other end, essentially instructing Minya not to disturb others casually. Minya's voice immediately turned sweet and clingy as she pouted.
Minya only acted this way when facing her father.
"Teacher Wen."
Sure enough, Shen Yunchong's voice came through the line.
Everyone had been saying that President Shen didn't come to work today because he had partied too hard at the nightclub last night and couldn't get up. But it turned out he was at home with his child.
"Yes, President Shen."
Although Shen Yunchong had never changed how he addressed her, Junxi felt compelled to switch from "Mr. Shen" to "President Shen."
He called her "Teacher Wen" as a courtesy, but she couldn't disregard the hierarchy.
"I was wondering if you have time tonight?" Shen Yunchong asked politely.
"I have nothing going on tonight..."
What else could she have? Without Zhou Xuanyu, she felt like a walking corpse every night, devoid of any soul to support her.
"If you have nothing else, I wonder if Teacher Wen could come over and have dinner with Minya?"
Shen Yunchong extended the invitation, and just as Junxi was contemplating whether to accept, he quickly added, "Minya is sick today and won't eat properly. I thought since she listens to you, maybe you could come and persuade her..."
Shen Yunchong appealed to her emotions, and naturally, Junxi couldn't refuse.
She agreed.
Fearing that she might not have anyone to pick her up, even before work hours ended, the driver sent by Shen Yunchong had already arrived.
Xue Waiwai knew she had accepted the invitation and repeatedly emphasized that she should be careful. After all, one was a cunning old fox who had thrived in the depths of the mountains, while the other was merely a naive little lamb. Such a combination could easily lead to trouble if not cautious.
Junxi couldn't help but laugh at Xue Waiwai's serious demeanor.
"What are you thinking? The main thing tonight is to keep Minya company."
"Using your daughter as an excuse is even more terrifying."
"…"
Junxi thought that perhaps Xue Waiwai hadn't yet moved on from Gao Yuan's heartbreak, which made her analyze every man repeatedly before daring to draw any conclusions.
This is pain, as well as the wisdom and sorrow that comes from learning through experience.
Junxi arrived at the Shen Residence in the car. She used to come here every day, but recently, this seemed to be her first time entering the Shen Family after settling her tutoring fees.
Fortunately, everything in this house was just as she remembered.
As soon as Minya saw Junxi enter, she rushed out excitedly.
"Sister Junxi, you finally came!"
Although Junxi had promised Minya multiple times that she would have a meal with her, today was truly the first time she fulfilled that promise. Thinking about it made her feel guilty towards Minya.
Junxi crouched down and hugged her.
"It’s been a while, Minya."
Minya wrapped her small arms around Junxi and said like a little adult, "Sister Junxi, you’ve lost weight. Make sure to eat more today."
Junxi couldn't help but feel her eyes welling up.
Shen Yunchong observed all of her expressions closely.
"Alright, Minya, bring Teacher Wen over to sit down," Shen Yunchong called out to them from a distance.
"President Shen," Junxi said as she took Minya's hand and walked towards Shen Yunchong.
"Since you’re here, don’t be so formal. Also, I prefer you call me Mr. Shen," Shen Yunchong replied with a half-smile.
Junxi was taken aback but quickly complied, calling him Mr. Shen.
The meal was relatively pleasant, as Minya clung to Junxi, even insisting that Junxi feed her the last bit of food, which left Shen Yunchong feeling somewhat helpless.
"Minya, this isn't right," Shen Yunchong said to his daughter.
However, Junxi was unsure what he meant by "not right." Was it wrong for Minya to cling to her? Or was it wrong not to eat properly?
"Dad, I haven't seen Sister Junxi in a long time. I just want to play with her a little longer," Minya pouted, clinging to Junxi's arm.
"But you can't have Teacher Wen feed you," Shen Yunchong replied, tapping the table. He told Minya, "Go eat by yourself first, and then you can come back to play with Teacher Wen."
Minya pouted again, clearly reluctant. She looked at Junxi as if seeking help.
Just as Junxi was about to speak up, Shen Yunchong immediately cut off any thoughts she and Minya had.
"No one can plead for you; you must eat by yourself. How can you still be so spoiled?" Shen Yunchong said firmly.
Although he knew his daughter should be cherished, there had to be principles in that affection.
Seeing her father so resolute, Minya had no choice but to comply.
She took her small bowl and quietly went off to eat alone.
Suddenly, only Junxi and Shen Yunchong remained at the dining table. Although Junxi had already finished eating, she found herself sitting across from Shen Yunchong in an awkward silence, feeling somewhat uncomfortable.
"Teacher Wen," Shen Yunchong suddenly called out to her.
"Yes, Mr. Shen."
"Today is a family gathering, so you don't need to be so formal," Shen Yunchong tried to ease her tension.
Junxi nodded, indicating that she understood. But in reality, she was still quite nervous.
Shen Yunchong stood up and personally poured a cup of tea for Junxi. When she reached out to take it, he pulled back his hand, leaving her grasping at air.
"Mr. Shen..." Junxi chuckled awkwardly as she looked at Shen Yunchong.
Shen Yunchong genuinely laughed.
"I'm sorry, I just thought you looked too tense, so I made a little joke," he said, placing the teacup in front of Junxi.
Hearing the hint of laughter in his voice, Junxi finally relaxed completely in that moment.
"After all, Mr. Shen is no longer just Mr. Shen to me; it's only natural for me to feel nervous. It would actually be strange if I felt completely at ease," Junxi said sincerely.
Shen Yunchong did not respond directly but simply nodded.
This girl was always so honest that it left him at a loss for words.
"Teacher Wen, I never invite employees over for dinner. In my heart, you are still Minya's teacher and my friend. So I hope that for the next questions, you can answer me as a friend," Shen Yunchong said.
"Okay. Ask away."
Junxi's straightforwardness surprised Shen Yunchong as well, but he smiled—a smile of genuine satisfaction.
"I want to know, is there some conflict between you and Zhou Xuanyu? Is that why you chose to oppose the Hengfu Group and side with Zhongyuan?"
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