"What? He… he's your first love?"
Upon hearing the introduction, Mu Linjing shot up from her seat in surprise.
The newcomer was named Song Yifan, and he had once been in a relationship with Wei Yumeng. However, their relationship had ended due to certain circumstances. For everyone, first love always leaves a lingering regret in their hearts, and it was no different for Wei Yumeng. Now, she was Zhan Mohan's wife and should have long put the past behind her. Yet, seeing Song Yifan, she couldn't help but feel a stir in her heart. They had both changed so much since they last met.
"Mr. Song, let's not dwell on the past," Wei Yumeng said. "But I still appreciate you coming to visit me."
"Yumeng, are you still angry with me?" Song Yifan asked, a hint of sadness in his eyes. Wei Yumeng's current attitude towards him was like that of a stranger, yet they had once been so intimate. The moment he made that choice, he had regretted it, which was why he had returned now, specifically to find her.
Wei Yumeng shook her head. "What's the point of talking about it now? Besides, I don't care anymore."
Mu Linjing watched the two of them, sensing a subtle atmosphere. It was understandable, though; if they had been together then, Wei Yumeng wouldn't be Zhan Mohan's wife now.
"Right, I have something I want to give you personally this time."
As Song Yifan spoke, he took out a small box from his bag. Inside was a ring crafted from amethyst. Wei Yumeng's heart skipped a beat upon seeing it. This was… When they were together, they both believed they were meant for each other and even imagined their future married life. Wei Yumeng had always wanted her wedding ring to be a ring like this, made of amethyst. Song Yifan had promised then that he would fulfill Wei Yumeng's wish and give her the grandest wedding. However, at some point, it had become just a naive dream of her youth. Song Yifan's appearance now, and his presentation of the ring at this moment, carried an unspoken meaning.
Wei Yumeng took a deep breath and looked at Song Yifan with a determined expression. "Mr. Song, I cannot accept this ring. I think you know very well that I am married now. Although we had a relationship in the past, that is in the past. Your actions will only put me in a difficult position."
Mu Linjing felt a bit awkward being caught between them but understood Wei Yumeng's feelings. She also knew that Wei Yumeng's relationship with Zhan Mohan was irreplaceable. She was even prepared to call bodyguards to escort Song Yifan away if he persisted. However, upon hearing Wei Yumeng's words, Song Yifan simply smiled with relief and put the ring back.
"I am happy to hear you say that. It seems your relationship with your husband is very good, and that puts my mind at ease. However, I hope you won't deny us the right to continue being friends."
Seeing Song Yifan's accepting demeanor, Wei Yumeng finally felt much more relieved. "Of course not. I'm happy to reconnect with an old friend like you."
"Old friend?" Song Yifan's lips curved into a self-deprecating smile.
Afterward, Song Yifan and Wei Yumeng talked a lot about the intervening years. He mentioned that he was now a project director at a foreign company and that his current trip to China was for a collaboration project between his company and a domestic enterprise. Wei Yumeng's conversation, on the other hand, largely revolved around her children and family. Song Yifan's conversational skills were so good that Mu Linjing naturally joined their discussion. The initially subtle atmosphere surprisingly turned harmonious. It wasn't until Song Yifan was called away for work that Mu Linjing turned to Wei Yumeng again.
"Yumeng, this Mr. Song seems like a good person. Why did you break up before?"
Wei Yumeng knew Mu Linjing would ask this question. "We met in college. He was my senior. But as you know, many campus couples choose different paths after entering society, and we were the same." Wei Yumeng spoke with a hint of nostalgia, as past events often carry a rosy filter. "He was scouted by a foreign company and needed to work abroad. I wasn't as capable as him, nor could I go with him. So he was in a difficult position. But as you can see, we didn't end up together."
Mu Linjing nodded thoughtfully. From her current perspective, such things might just be different life choices. But for Wei Yumeng at the time, it must have been difficult to accept.
"Don't look at me like that. It's all in the past, and I truly don't mind anymore," Wei Yumeng said, taking a deep breath. "However, it was indeed a surprise to see him again."
Thinking about what had just happened, Mu Linjing felt that even though Wei Yumeng had moved on, she wasn't sure Song Yifan felt the same. His coming to see Wei Yumeng specifically spoke volumes. It seemed Zhan Mohan might face trouble again.
With the help of psychologists, doctors, and the support of her family, Wei Yumeng recovered after half a month. Although the experts still recommended rest at home, Wei Yumeng, being a person who couldn't stay idle, soon returned to work at the Zhan Group. Initially, Zhan Mohan, considering Wei Yumeng's health, privately assigned her some simpler tasks. But this soon led to Wei Yumeng's dissatisfaction.
"Mohan, I think we need to have a serious talk."
Wei Yumeng sat opposite Zhan Mohan's desk with a serious expression. Although Zhan Mohan was in the CEO's seat, Wei Yumeng's aura was more commanding at that moment.
Zhan Mohan replied helplessly, "Okay, speak. I'm listening."
"I know you care about me, but I'm also a member of this company. You're being too obviously protective. I'm really fine and can handle normal work, not just these miscellaneous tasks."
Zhan Mohan, however, said, "I'm sorry, Yumeng, it's not that I'm not giving you projects to work on. It's just that the company doesn't have any new projects going on right now. I promise, as soon as there's a new one, I'll assign it to you." Zhan Mohan said this out of concern for Wei Yumeng. Such an excuse might seem far-fetched, but it left Wei Yumeng with no room to retort. Yet, at that very moment, Wei Yumeng's eyes caught sight of a document on the desk.
"In that case, just give me this project to handle."