Deliberate Hint
Does Shen-jiejie not have a girlfriend yet?
After finishing a day’s work, Shen Man got off work.
She sat in her car, thought for a moment, and picked up her phone to call Lin Shu.
Lin Shu picked up instantly, her tone carrying a few points of impatience, “What is it?”
Shen Man heard noisy sounds from the other end of the phone and asked softly, “Shushu, are you guys still shopping?”
“Done shopping. Getting ready to find a place to eat,” Lin Shu said.
“I just got off work; how about we have dinner together?” Shen Man said with a smile.
The other end of the line went silent.
A moment later, another voice, charming and coquettish, came through, “Is that Shen-jiejie? Long time no see. Let’s eat together.”
“Okay,” Shen Man agreed, following good advice like a flowing stream1.
Ni Shuang quickly rattled off an address.
The instant she finished speaking, the call was hung up.
Shen Man put down her phone and drove toward the destination.
It was currently rush hour, and the roads were a bit congested.
A twenty-minute drive took Shen Man nearly an hour.
Seeing Lin Shu’s car parked at the entrance of a high-end restaurant, Shen Man parked her car as well.
Just as she got out of the car, she saw Ni Shuang standing in the lobby with a slender, graceful posture.
Their gazes met.
Ni Shuang revealed a seductive smile, twisting her slender waist as she walked elegantly toward Shen Man. “Shen-jiejie, you’re finally here.”
“Where is Shushu?” Shen Man asked, distant yet polite.
“Lin Shu is waiting for us in the private room,” Ni Shuang said with a smile, her voice dripping with affectation.
Shen Man nodded and walked toward the elevator.
The two entered the private room.
Lin Shu was leaning back in her chair, engrossed in playing on her phone.
Shen Man sat to the side, glanced over, and seeing a screen full of photos, said with a smile, “Shushu, did you have fun today?”
Lin Shu didn’t answer, her fingertips rapidly editing photos.
“With a great beauty like me keeping her company, of course she had fun.” Ni Shuang teased her hair, speaking smugly.
Lin Shu let out a cold snort from her nose. “If you weren’t there, I would have been even happier.”
“Shen-jiejie, Lin Shu is bullying me.” Ni Shuang pouted her small mouth, acting coquettishly toward Shen Man.
Lin Shu immediately shot a cold glare over, lowered her head, and said, “Hurry up and order. We’re going back after eating.”
Ni Shuang picked up the menu, looking aggrieved.
She looked it over, then gazed at Shen Man and said, “Shen-jiejie, what do you like to eat?”
“I’m fine with anything,” Shen Man answered with a smile.
“Then I’ll just order whatever,” Ni Shuang said, loudly announcing the dishes she picked.
Listening to her, Shen Man added a few dishes that Lin Shu liked to eat.
Ni Shuang closed the menu, the corners of her mouth lifting to reveal a gossipy smile.
Staring at Shen Man, she asked with a grin, “Shen-jiejie, do you not have a girlfriend yet?”
She deliberately emphasized the word ‘girlfriend’; as she spoke, she glanced at the menu, the meaning in her eyes understood without speaking2.
Hearing this, Lin Shu’s finger trembled, and the edited photo was accidentally deleted.
She lowered her gaze, her hands gripping the phone tightly.
“Work is too busy; I don’t have the time,” Shen Man gave a formulaic answer, picking up the teacup on the table to take a sip.
Ni Shuang immediately showed a look of regret, resting her chin in her hands and dragging out her tone, “What a pity. I wonder what kind of great beauty could be worthy of Shen-jiejie.”
As she spoke, her eyes glanced toward Lin Shu.
Lin Shu felt an intense gaze, and her heart tightened.
Her long eyelashes trembled nervously, casting a shadow over her face.
Shen Man chuckled lightly and said in a flat tone, “I am just an ordinary person with a common background, not as outstanding as you say.”
“But what about you, Shuangshuang? Do you have someone you fancy in your heart?”
“She is currently pursuing someone with whom she has a slim chance,” Lin Shu answered quickly.
Raising her elegant brows, she glared at Ni Shuang. “I’m not wrong, am I?”
Ni Shuang was instantly poked in a sore spot.
Covering her mouth, she laughed quietly, suppressing her voice to sound cutesy, “That is renjia’s3 secret; you can’t ask about it.”
Lin Shu scoffed, giving her no face.
Shen Man smiled but said nothing.
The waiter brought the dishes to the table.
Ni Shuang immediately changed the subject, showing an excited expression. “Shen-jiejie, hurry and eat. Take me back after we’re done, okay?”
“Didn’t you say earlier that you wanted me to take you?” Lin Shu frowned, issuing a warning with her eyes.
Ni Shuang pretended not to see it and whined coquettishly, “It’s rare to run into Shen-jiejie; renjia just wants to ride in Shen-jiejie’s car.”
“Okay.” Shen Man agreed, following good advice like a flowing stream.
As soon as the words fell, she received a cold glare from Lin Shu.
Shen Man looked over with a smile, her expression calm and frank.
Lin Shu puffed out her cheeks in annoyance and lowered her head to eat.
By the time the three finished dinner, the sky was dark.
Ni Shuang blew a flying kiss at Lin Shu and happily got into Shen Man’s car.
“Since you don’t need me to take you, I’m happy to have the break,” Lin Shu said coldly.
After speaking, she glared at Shen Man, yanked the car door open, and slammed it shut with a bang.
Shen Man smiled faintly watching this behavior filled with anger.
She got into the car, and while fastening her seatbelt, asked, “Shuangshuang, where are you living now?”
Ni Shuang smiled and gave an address.
Shen Man’s expression changed upon hearing it.
She quickly recovered, looking ahead and asking, “Did you buy a house there?”
“No, I’m staying temporarily at a friend’s house.” Ni Shuang raised her eyebrows smugly, the corners of her eyes curving with a hint of allure.
Hearing this, Shen Man suppressed the speculation in her heart and focused on driving.
The car arrived at a residential complex, and Shen Man stopped the car in front of a building.
She rolled down the window and looked to the side; a familiar figure came into view.
Their gazes met.
Wen Lan’s eyes widened in astonishment, and she stood dazed for several seconds before coming to her senses.
She hurriedly trotted to the car and said respectfully, “President Shen, why are you here?”
“I brought a friend of yours over,” Shen Man said with a smile, turning back to look at Ni Shuang. “Shuangshuang, we’re here.”
Hearing this form of address, Wen Lan looked at the person sitting in the back of the car and asked, uncertain and surprised, “President Shen, you know each other?”
“Of course we know each other,” Ni Shuang said smugly, opening the car door and walking over with a seductive smile.
Hooking her arm around Wen Lan’s, she said in a sweet voice, “Lan-jiejie, did you come down specifically to pick me up?”
“I…” Wen Lan couldn’t speak, struggling slightly to break free.
This action drew a curious look from Shen Man. Wen Lan hurriedly stopped, revealing a forced smile to explain, “President Shen, this is a friend of mine.”
“What do you mean ‘friend’? We are good friends.” Ni Shuang retorted coquettishly, deliberately emphasizing the words ‘good friends’.
Wen Lan’s expression instantly became awkward, and a flush appeared on her fair, small face.
Shen Man looked at their intimate posture, her elegant brows furrowing slightly.
After a pause, she smiled and said, “I’ll be going now.”
“Take care, President Shen,” Wen Lan bowed slightly, speaking politely and courteously.
Shen Man nodded with a smile, closed the window, and started the car.
Watching Shen Man’s car disappear, Wen Lan let out a heavy sigh of relief.
She slowly pulled her hand away and said with a serious expression, “I have something to talk to you about.”
“What is it that requires being so serious? You’ll scare renjia,” Ni Shuang said with an exaggerated expression of fear.
“Come upstairs with me,” Wen Lan said, walking toward the stairwell.
Seeing this, Ni Shuang roughly understood what was about to happen.
She hooked the corners of her lips and followed behind with a relaxed expression.
Shen Man drove back to Lin Shu’s house.
Opening the door, she heard the sound of the TV coming from the living room.
She changed her shoes, walked over, and said with a smile, “I’ve already dropped her off at the place.”
“Oh,” Lin Shu responded coldly, her eyes fixed intently on the TV.
Shen Man sat to the side, her fingertips tapping lightly on the sofa.
The force wasn’t heavy, but it was enough for Lin Shu to feel it.
Lin Shu turned her head in dissatisfaction.
Staring at Shen Man, she said with anger, “If you have something to say, say it. Don’t disturb me watching TV.”
Hearing this, Shen Man smiled, her brows relaxing.
She leaned in close and asked in a low voice, “How does Shuangshuang know my secretary, Wen Lan?”
“How would I know!” Lin Shu said loudly and unhappily, frowning with a look of disgust. “Don’t get so close to me.”
“Since Shushu doesn’t know, then I’d better go ask Shuangshuang directly.” Shen Man straightened up and said with a smile, “I think Shuangshuang would be very happy to share this secret.”
After speaking, she lowered her head and took out her phone.
Lin Shu huffed and ignored her.
She picked up some fruit from the table and ate while watching TV.
Shen Man leaned back comfortably against the sofa and typed quickly, “Shuangshuang, how long have you known Wen Lan?”
“A long time,” Ni Shuang replied instantly, followed by a blushing face emoji. “Probably since a past life.”
Shen Man paused, tapping her finger a few times lightly.
She typed a reminder with a serious expression, “Wen Lan is not a person of this circle.”
“She just isn’t right now,” Ni Shuang typed back with a smile, her charming face full of confidence. “Shen-jiejie really is a good boss, even caring about an employee’s private life.”
The words ‘private life’ were deliberately enlarged, standing out clearly in the chat history.
Shen Man’s eyes narrowed.
After thinking for a moment, she put down her phone.
“Well, did you find out?” Lin Shu asked with a look of schadenfreude.
Shen Man shrugged and stood up from the sofa. “I’m going to take a shower.”
Lin Shu clicked her tongue and went back to watching TV in peace.
Just as it reached an exciting part, a ringtone sounded; the caller ID showed ‘Xiao Ke’.
Lin Shu picked up a tissue and wiped her hands.
Pressing the answer button, she spoke first, “Shen Man went to take a shower; what’s up?”
“Oh, Lin Shu. Help me tell Manman that this Wednesday at 4 PM, I’ve invited a few friends to have dinner together and discuss some business,” Xia Ke paused for a moment, then said with a smile.
“Who will be there?” Lin Shu asked.
“Once Manman goes, she’ll know naturally,” Xia Ke said mysteriously, her laughter carrying a chill.
Lin Shu frowned, paused for a moment, and asked, “Why didn’t you invite me?”
“This is a matter within our circle,” Xia Ke reminded her.
Lin Shu understood the meaning behind the words but insisted, “Since it’s business, I’m also a bit interested.”
Hearing this, Xia Ke hesitated for a while before nodding and saying, “Alright then, you come along with Manman when the time comes.”
“Mn, I’ll notify Shen Man,” Lin Shu said, then hung up and tossed the phone casually to the side.
Shen Man finished her shower and came out wearing a bathrobe.
Drying her wet hair with a towel, she asked with a smile, “Shushu, who were you talking to on the phone just now?”
“Xia Ke. She invited us to dinner,” Lin Shu said, glaring fiercely at Shen Man. “I didn’t expect President Shen’s preferences to be known to everyone.”
Shen Man was stunned for a moment, but quickly understood the meaning behind the words.
She said with a calm expression, “I never hide my preferences.”
Hearing this, Lin Shu became even more indignant.
She stood up, staring straight at Shen Man. “Remember your own status; don’t go around attracting bees and butterflies4.”
Hearing this, Shen Man couldn’t help but laugh.
She said in a teasing voice, “With Miss Lin’s orders, how would I dare act recklessly?”
“It better be like that,” Lin Shu said, puffing up with anger.
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