Wang Anran understood at once and accepted Fang Rong's gesture smoothly. As he lowered his head to respond, his demeanor betrayed an undeniable respect.
Fang Rong had to remind him quietly: "Relax. We're just friends having a meal now. This can wait—we'll talk after we finish."
Wang Anran nodded quickly and reluctantly relaxed his posture.
The meal ended like a performance. By the time the two finished eating, Tao Xinrou and Zheng Shuhui's dishes had just arrived. After saying goodbye, Fang Rong got into Wang Anran's car and left.
"Who did you say was also investigating this matter?" Ying Jingsheng instantly shed all pretense, his aura turning cold. Leaning back in the rear seat, he flipped through the folder Wang Anran handed him and asked in a low voice.
"It's Tao Xinrou. During our investigation, we found that she had applied to enter the archives but was rejected." Wang Anran looked at him through the rearview mirror and added, "President Ying, the surname Tao isn't very common. It just struck me—could the Tao Haizhen we found be related to Tao Xinrou?"
At Wang Anran's reminder, Ying Jingsheng's hands froze on the documents. His fingers paused as he happened to pull out a photo—it was a group photo of Tao Haizhen with the construction team.
In the photo, Tao Haizhen wore a gentle smile and an approachable expression. He had his arm around a teammate from the construction crew, looking very familiar.
Ying Jingsheng stared closely. Tao Haizhen's facial features bore a resemblance to Tao Xinrou's.
Tao Haizhen… Tao Xinrou…
With suspicion, he felt there must be a connection between them.
Ying Jingsheng held the photo in his hand, his eyes growing deeper.
It seemed Tao Xinrou was far from as simple as he had thought.
But since headquarters hadn't let her in, she would definitely try other means.
A smile curled at the corner of Ying Jingsheng's mouth as an idea spun in his mind.
Maybe he needed to be more grounded to get the inside scoop.
"Continue the investigation. Make sure to find out exactly what happened with the Southwest Branch's illegal project," Ying Jingsheng said coldly.
"Yes, President Ying."
"I'll keep this photo. Take the rest back. Just drop me off at the intersection ahead. And don't let anyone discover your actions."
"Yes," Wang Anran replied solemnly, gently pressing the accelerator as the car merged into the night.
*
Tao Xinrou's vigilance grew stronger from this point on. She wanted to know why Fang Rong was disguising himself at the grassroots level, so covert observation became her daily routine.
What brand of perfume he used, what watch he wore, even what toothpaste he used—all were under Tao Xinrou's surveillance.
A determination to prove that Fang Rong meant her harm spread through Tao Xinrou's life.
Until one day, just as everyone was about to clock out, a sudden rain was about to arrive.
The sky was gathering lead-gray clouds, the air muggy and humid. Employees quickened their pace, eager to leave before the raindrops fell.
Just as Tao Xinrou reached the employee exit, large raindrops began to pelt down, instantly forming a curtain of rain.
She thought, 'Oh no,' and hesitated whether to dash to the bus stop or retreat to the lobby. Then the beep of a vehicle came from nearby.
Just then, Fang Rong rode his new electric scooter and stopped abruptly in front of her.
"Didn't bring an umbrella? Want a ride? This rain won't stop anytime soon," he said with a smile.
"Ah… well…"
Tao Xinrou instinctively wanted to refuse. After all, last time she had let the president drive her. Now letting the president give her a ride on his scooter—wouldn't that all be recorded in a little book later?
But the rain at hand…
While she hesitated, another gust of wind swept in with rain, and she instinctively hunched her shoulders.
"Put this on. I'll take you home. Don't get wet," Fang Rong said, smiling at her.
But a string in Tao Xinrou's mind suddenly tightened.
Why was the president being so nice to her? Was there some conspiracy?
Could he be the one behind her being denied access to the headquarters archives last time?
She squinted suspiciously, but saw that Fang Rong had already taken a raincoat out of his storage box and handed it to her.
Seeing Tao Xinrou still standing, Fang Rong seemed a bit hesitant. "Should I put it on for you?"
"Ah, no, no, no." How could she dare to trouble the president to dress her?
Tao Xinrou reluctantly climbed onto the back of the scooter. Space was limited, but they maintained a restrained distance.
The scooter started and drove into the hazy rain.
It wasn't fast, steadily weaving through the streets that were beginning to puddle.
The world was enveloped by the sound of pouring rain, which only made the small space under the raincoat feel strangely quiet.
"You can relax a bit. My driving skills are decent; I won't drop you."
Tao Xinrou went "Oh, okay," but how could she relax? She was only afraid the president had some ulterior motive.
What if he rode into some alley and offed her?
Probably because it was too quiet, Tao Xinrou decided to use this chance to probe the president.
"I didn't expect you to be such a good driver. By the way, your scooter's color is quite unique. It's rare to see a guy choose mint green."
"Oh, the seller said this color is trending recently, so I bought it. I've had it for two weeks, and you just noticed. Speaking of which, you haven't been leaving with me lately. Are you avoiding me?"
Tao Xinrou's heart tightened.
Oh no, the president got to probe first.
She composed herself. "No, I've just been busy lately and left a few minutes earlier. But speaking of which, it's amazing you could borrow the security department's tablet last time. I have to fill out a form just to borrow a projector."
"Want to know the secret?"
"Mm-hmm."
"Just treat the admin department to bubble tea. They have spare access cards for all departments stashed in their drawers."
Tao Xinrou's eyes lit up. "Really?!"
"Fake." He turned back, his voice laced with even more amusement. "Actually, I helped the security department with some small tasks last time. Consider it a thank-you from them."
...
Fine. She hadn't found out anything.
The president won.
"We're almost there. I'll drop you off at your building so you won't get wet."
Tao Xinrou got off the scooter. Fang Rong asked again, "By the way, I'm going to the convenience store to buy some breakfast for tomorrow. Auntie has been working hard making breakfast lately. Do you want some bread? I remember you like that mango mochi bread from that store. Should I bring you one?"
Tao Xinrou was stunned for a moment, then nodded.
But watching Fang Rong's back as he left, her suspicions deepened.
Lying, hiding, this president is anything but simple.
Author's note:
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No update tomorrow, so don't come looking.
Random small red envelopes until 6 PM tomorrow night.
Happy Valentine's Day in advance!