A Twisted Love Affair-Chapter 223: Are you with him now (1)_1

It was Sun Qiyan who came to the temple to pick up Shen Jing.

She did not disturb the couple praying for a child.

In the afternoon, she went with Sun Qiyan to the old district to have beef noodles.

He had thought that if Sheng Peng had been overlooked by the committee, she would feel aggrieved. He had been worried, rushing all the way from Shanghai to see her.

But looking at her, fresh from a visit to Yonghe Palace, she seemed utterly serene.

Seeing how she always hid her grievances deep inside, Sun Qiyan gently placed his hand by her temple, the tenderness in his eyes growing ever more intense.

After a while, the noodles were served. The owner had forgotten his instruction, and the bowl was full of green onions. Sun Qiyan tapped his chopsticks and patiently picked the green onions out for her.

"The gods may show their grace."

She chuckled and then said, "I just came to visit the temple to calm my mind. It’s been over thirty days since I submitted the application, and I haven’t received any news. If Sheng Peng has no future prospects, I might as well go to the main company and work in media operations."

"That won’t happen." Sun Qiyan pushed the bowl of noodles towards her and added, "Where’s your laptop? When we get home, I’ll help you try submitting the application again."

Shen Jing lowered her head and ate. "I’ve come to realize," she said, "that the committee members wouldn’t make such a significant error as to overlook it. It’s more likely they disdained to even glance at Sheng Peng’s application materials."

She knew those people had high standards and demanding expectations; small fry like them simply wouldn’t catch their eye.

Her efforts had likely all been in vain.

Just when she and everyone else were considering giving up, and she wondered if Yonghe Palace was really that effective, the invitation from the committee was suddenly mailed to the company. It was buried among a pile of documents and would have gone unnoticed if not searched for carefully.

The black envelope, stamped with the EMEAP logo and sealed with an old-fashioned wax seal, conveyed a distinct sense of ceremony.

She carefully opened it to find a transparent acrylic invitation, hand-gilded with "F.I.T."

In the bottom right corner was the committee’s signature seal.

The invitation indicated they were awaiting her new fund product project proposal.

There was still time to prepare.

Besides telling her grandfather and elder sister, she had momentarily forgotten to share the news with the one person who would trust her unconditionally.

Only when she saw the white Mercedes parked downstairs from the company did she notice him. The man stood beside the car, wearing a beige turtleneck wool sweater. He was a conservative man, even his attractive Adam’s apple hidden beneath the sweater’s collar. Above it, a pair of clear eyes smiled at her.

She couldn’t believe it. Sun Qiyan had said just yesterday that he was returning to Shanghai for work, yet here he was, standing before her today.

She understood. She understood his intentions and his care for her. Emotionally, he never pressured her or forced things. Instead, he offered steady, gentle companionship, his politeness, restraint, and tenderness gradually permeating her life.

Likewise, she had promised him roses.

But it felt as though something was still missing. What was it? If Zhou Luchen were standing there, she would throw herself at him without a second thought, knock the cigarette from his lips, and tell him she had succeeded.

Clutching the invitation, Shen Jing walked towards Sun Qiyan.

"Qiyan."

Her tone was endearing, and Sun Qiyan’s heart stirred.

The autumn air in Beijing was growing colder rapidly as temperatures dropped. She didn’t like wearing suits to work, preferring her own style: short skirts paired with milk-colored cardigan sweaters.

From a distance, she quickened her pace, resembling a bewildered young deer.

Sun Qiyan sighed and walked up the curved steps to meet her. "Slow down, don’t trip."

Just as they were about to draw close, they both stopped intuitively.

Sun Qiyan, ever polite and restrained, took the laptop bag from her hand. "Congratulations."

Then, taking her wrist, he led her down the steps. Her wrist was so slender. Despite him feeding her so well every day, it was a wonder she wasn’t chubby.

"You already know."

"Yes, I’ve been keeping an eye on things," he replied, his voice warm and cultured, tinged with joy.

Shen Jing shared his joy.

"You knew what I was hoping for! It must have been the deities of Yonghe Palace showing their grace."

"The committee really has excellent judgment. Do you know what they said? They said Sheng Peng has operated for eight years without a single penalty from the securities regulatory commission, and they praised its strong commitment to legality. This includes the Shen Family’s main company, which has been around for forty years with no business violations and good employee welfare. That’s why the committee was willing to issue an invitation."

"Moreover, our profit margins have been good in recent years, and customer feedback is positive. All aspects align with the important policies of this World Trade Conference for fostering small businesses. It’s all thanks to my elder sister’s excellence."

She didn’t praise herself, only Sheng Peng and her elder sister.

But in Sun Qiyan’s eyes, she was the one who truly deserved the invitation.

He knew how hard she had worked this past month, striving for breakthroughs in various areas.

Sun Qiyan opened the car door, his hand hovering protectively above her head as he watched her get in.

"For the past two years or so, Sheng Peng has been under your management, and you’ve grown with it. Aren’t you going to praise yourself?"

She looked up, grinning. "I can’t take credit. It was my elder sister who devised the strategy. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have realized how crucial joining the summit would be for Sheng Peng. I hadn’t even properly considered Sheng Peng’s future."

Without rushing to close the door, Sun Qiyan ruffled her hair, his palm brushing through its soft fluffiness. "Silly girl, you are excellent. That’s why your elder sister trusts you."

Shen Jing had never imagined she could actually succeed. Getting the committee’s approval after their rigorous review felt even more thrilling than winning the lottery.

"Come with me to New York," Shen Jing said, pulling on her seatbelt. "I’m scared of the homeless, and Old Master Xie will be celebrating his birthday soon, so my elder sister won’t have time to accompany me."

Sun Qiyan chuckled, leaned in, and fastened her seatbelt properly. "Alright, I’ll definitely go with you. I’ll arrange the itinerary."

A bouquet of roses arrived on time, fulfilling her promise to him.

「In the hotel suite.」

Sun Qiyan stood silently by the floor-to-ceiling window.

He didn’t particularly like roses. Holding a glass of whiskey, he took a sip, his gaze quietly appreciating the bouquet on the tea table.

The Cappuccino roses were not vividly colored, but a gentle, dusty pink, exuding a soft, vintage charm.

It felt like they were in a gentle, emotional buffer period.

The restaurant manager was on the phone. "Boss, will you be coming back to manage the accounts?"

Sun Qiyan slowly set the whiskey glass down. "Not for now. I’m going to New York next month."