Proofread by Peter Gong

Sitting on the bed with knees in her arms, Si Wan lowers her eyes and gets lost in her thoughts. The tolerant and sad tears in her eyes drop a little only when no one is watching.

After sitting stiff for half an hour, she finally adjusts her mood and called Xiaoyu with an expressionless face: “Let the cleaner change the sheets immediately and clean the whole office as carefully as possible. Don’t miss even a corner.”

Seeming to be accustomed to this, Xiaoyu makes her prompt response and then turns away.

The Conference Room

Si Wan sits at the head of the table calmly; the blue light from the projector screen behind her falls and submerges her delicate face into colorful silhouettes, making her mood more and more unclear.

The Vice Director Liu Qing is introducing the creative advertising with fervor and a.s.surance: “Our company has recently launched a new collection of jewelry named “Angel” with the slogan of “true love” and “recollection with emotion”. We have decided to get Han Jingjing, the popular actress, to be our spokesperson. As we all know, Han’s screen figure has always been positive as she has little pink news; and she is also keen on public charity, which meets the image requirements of our jewelry.”

“Han Jingjing is not suitable.” While everyone else says yes, Si Wan opens her mouth suddenly and expresses her disagreement.

Liu Qing casts a sidelong glance at Si Wan and then speaks in an aggressive tone, “Director, isn’t it a personal revenge that you reject Han Jingjing?”

This means that the whole company has known about Han Jingjing’s flirtation with Gong Siming in Si Wan’s office just now…

As an old hand in the advertising department, Liu Qing has a strong character and some real talents. Liu Qing was going to get the position of director after several years of efforts, but as Si Wan got in by the back door, she was forced to accept such an inferior place as the vice director. So she hates Si Wan a lot.

And this time, Liu just finds the opportunity to satirize and suppress Si Wan: “Director, I advise that you make a clear distinction between personal and business matters so that your decision won’t be indiscreet.”

Si Wan ignores Liu Qing’s words and stands up calmly. She looks around the room: “Sorry. Such an insignificant person as Han Jingjing does not deserve my attention and refusal.”

After raising a hand to lightly lift a wisp of long hair over her ear, Si Wan speaks in a calm voice: “It is a truth that Han Jingjing is a popular star and has a large number of fans; but as she came from a talent show a few years ago, after which she only performed in some bad movies instead of producing good masterpieces, her fan base is correspondingly not stable. To a large extent, Han Jingjing’s screen image is created through marketing accounts, which cannot withstand any test at all. We need to notice that once signed, the contracts of jewelry endors.e.m.e.nt will last for five years, due to the changeable future, there is no need for us to take risks.”

Liu Qing’s face turns stiff for a moment. She is furious but speechless, as what Si Wan said just now is all truth.

Other people dare not utter even a single word, so Liu Qing has no support, which contributes to her reluctant compromise: “Then change the spokesperson.”

Casting a glance at her, Si Wan then mentions some other questions and arranges for the person in charge of the new product launch to finish the work.

The long meeting lasts for nearly two hours. When all people leave the meeting room, Si Wan rubs her forehead and feels a little tired, “The new product launch of the collection of “Angel” jewelry is coming soon, so the media should be arranged in advance and communication is necessary if there are any problems possibly present in front of the cameras. And remember that all of these should be reported to me later.”

With all instructions given, she looks at Xiaoyu: “Any other arrangements for today?”

Xiaoyu thinks for a while. After a peek at Si Wan, she responds in a low voice: “Xiaoan has just come to inform us of the charity auction scheduled for tomorrow evening…”

She hesitates in speaking, “The Chairman of Board asks you to attend the auction with Boss Gong...”

Si Wan nods and takes a deep breath, “I see.”

Villa of the Gong Family

After dinner, Si Wan sits silently on the sofa; in the big villa, only the servant tells her as usual that: “Mr. Gong only came back once in the morning and never returned at other times.”

Nodding and looking around the empty villa, she feels a hole in her heart: Gong Siming’s father has not returned from his work, his mother may have gone out to business, and his grandfather is recuperating abroad.

Every day after work, facing these empty rooms, she feels her heart is like duckweed, unable to find its place.

After taking a bath Si Wan lays in bed, with cell phone grasped in one hand. She can’t help turning over and over as she is entangled with the idea that he should be very angry because of today’s conflict. How can she persuade him to attend tomorrow"s charity dinner?

Indulgence Bar

Gong Siming leans lazily on the sofa, with his expressionless face he drinks a mouthful of wine. Between the lights and shadows, his facial features become more and more blurred.

Seeing the situation, the barkeeper Zhuo Ni cannot help laughing and joking, “Mr. Gong, are you seeking solace in drink?”

Fu Gongyan stops what he is doing and turns to see Gong Siming drinking alone. He feels instantly happy, and his voice sounds quite evil. “For that Si Wanagain?”

Born in a Mafia family, Fu Gongyan talks like a ruffian and enjoys teasing.

“Shut up.” Gong Siming glances at his friend and recaptures his gla.s.s with a casual air. A complex expression flashes across his face.

Although he is the CEO of Gongs.h.i.+ Group, and the Gong Family also holds a pivotal position in the military-political circles, actually it"s impossible for the Gong Family to get to where it is today only depending on legal activities, and sometimes, even legal activities still need the support from the underworld. In this world, things have never been as simple as white and black.

The Zhangs and the Gongs are old family friends. Zhang Qilin, the eldest son of the Zhang family, knows clearly the entanglement between Gong Siming and Si Wan, “You haven"t divorced with Si Wan yet!”

Fu Gongyan is happy to watch the fun: “Gong, for women, you can take them easy; now I have a batch of goods, but are blocked by your father"s subordinates.”

He gives Gong Siming a push, “Gong, you are always so kind to women. So how can you be harsh to your friend? Why not help me persuade Uncle Gong to make an exception in my favor?”

Gong Siming disdains to argue: “Fifty-fifty, if you agree, I will release the freight immediately.”

The corner of Fu Gongyan’s eye twists and he gives Gong Siming a curse: “You deserve to be tortured by women. How can you be so cruel? Fifty-fifty, why don’t you go to rob?”

Gong Siming keeps silent and indifferent to Fu Gongyan’s bothering. Finding that there is nothing he can do, Fu wilts and hits Gong with a punch, “OK, Fifty-fifty.”

Losing his huge profits, Fu Gongyan turns his anger into l.u.s.t. He asks Zhuo Ni to call in many beautiful women.

“The most beautiful one...” Fu Gongyan points to the woman standing in the middle who has a terrific figure, “Serve Boss Gong well.”

The woman"s eyes light up. At the first sight, she sees Gong Siming, the man in a black suit who looks handsome, luring and a little evil.

After sitting down in a charming posture, her boneless body starts to lean towards the man who keeps unmoved. Gong Siming’s reaction makes Dingdang bolder: she puts one of her hands into the black suit, and it goes down slowly. Her tone is vague and seducing near his ear, “Boss Gong…”

The woman’s soft boneless body lies in his arms, but his body is tight. In his mind, Si Wan’s expression in her eyes that hates his dirtiness appears for no reason. His blood suddenly freezes, “Get away.”

Receiving a heavy push, Dingdang staggers backwards. In a grievance, tears run down her cheek: “Boss Gong, where I’ve done wrong?”

Fu Gongyan is astonished: “What’s the matter with you?”

Ignoring the woman"s tearful eyes, Gong Siming lights his cigarette and speaks coldly, “I’m not in a good mood. Don"t bother me.”

While other people sigh, Gong Siming’s cell phone rings. He makes a gesture, and the private room turns quiet at once.

“Mother, what’s up?” Gong Siming is concise and his mother Yan Xiuya also comes straight to the question: “There is a charity auction tomorrow night; you need to go with Si Wan.”

Gong Siming frowns and refuses in a cold voice: “No, I won’t go.”

Yan Xiuya’s tone sounds calm and she doesn’t try any further persuasion: “Si Wan will contact you, and it’s your own business to communicate.”

After her words, Yan Xiuya hangs up the phone immediately. Staring at the screen that slowly turns dark, Gong Siming feels more annoyed…