"Your taste hasn't changed at all," Song Yifan said, looking around Wei Yumeng's office with a hint of nostalgia. Despite Wei Yumeng's appearance having changed considerably, some things remained the same.
"I remember this doll. You really liked this company's products back then, finding them very comforting and fluffy. But they were too expensive, so it was always just a dream." Song Yifan smiled gently. "And this, it's from the same company as the pens we used to use. I didn't expect you to still be using them."
Wei Yumeng simply explained, "Their products are indeed of very good quality, and besides, I've grown accustomed to them."
Song Yifan nodded in understanding, but he felt there were too many things in the office that reflected the past. Wei Yumeng found the atmosphere between them a bit strange, and Song Yifan's lingering gaze made her uneasy. The more Song Yifan showed his nostalgia for the past, the more she wondered if his return was solely for work. What if he said or did something she couldn't accept at this moment?
Wei Yumeng shook her head; she couldn't let things continue this way. Their relationship was purely professional, nothing more. "Mr. Song, you can rest assured about my work environment and that of my employees. These things will not affect our work status," she said, her tone slightly unfamiliar, pulling Song Yifan back to the present.
Song Yifan felt a pang of helplessness. Wei Yumeng's attitude was firm, and no amount of reminiscing would change it. It was true, Wei Yumeng was different from him now. She had a husband and children, a perfect family. Only he was being punished for past choices, remaining alone even now. If only he had chosen Wei Yumeng back then, would everything have turned out differently?
"Right, regarding the project's next steps, may I get an update first?" Song Yifan decided to focus on work. Being able to spend more time with Wei Yumeng through work was still something. As long as he could still interact with her like this, there would be future opportunities.
"Of course. Actually, I've already made preliminary arrangements for the upcoming process..." This was Wei Yumeng's first formal discussion about the project with Song Yifan. She had to admit that Song Yifan's capabilities were indeed commensurate with his current status. His insights into the project were unique, even considering the differences between domestic and international markets.
"We're not just planning to conduct this project domestically, but also to have a trial run overseas. If it's successful, we'll officially launch it abroad," Song Yifan said. He then turned to see Wei Yumeng engrossed in the project-related documents, her expression serious. Unconsciously, a gentle smile appeared on his face. He remembered how they used to be like this in college, discussing a problem. Although it was a long time ago, it felt like it happened just yesterday.
Before he knew it, Song Yifan reached out and tucked a stray strand of hair behind Wei Yumeng's ear, just as he had done countless times before. Wei Yumeng froze, her heart skipping a beat. Although she knew what she should and shouldn't do, Song Yifan's every action stirred buried memories within her. She couldn't say she felt nothing; in fact, the ambiguous feeling was intense.
Wei Yumeng had once read celebrity gossip about a situation similar to theirs. A celebrity had a former boyfriend she couldn't have. After she got married, she met him again, and they rekindled their old feelings, leading to an affair.
"I'm sorry," Wei Yumeng said, pushing Song Yifan away nervously. Song Yifan also seemed to snap back to reality. "I should be the one apologizing. I was just reminiscing about many past events and unconsciously reached out. I hope you can forgive me."
"It's okay," Wei Yumeng replied, though she didn't feel entirely at ease. The more she thought about similar scenarios, the more she couldn't help but consider the worst. She took a deep breath. At least she knew what true love was and what was merely lingering nostalgia due to regret. As long as she could distinguish between these two emotions, those things wouldn't happen. Everything here might carry traces of the past, but in reality, it all existed because of Zhan Mohan. She would always remember that.
When she looked at Song Yifan again, her eyes were clear. She had nothing to be conflicted about.
Zhan Mohan and Fang Xun had been waiting at the door for a long time, but the two of them hadn't emerged. In that time, anything could have happened inside the office. Zhan Mohan had already lost patience several times and wanted to barge in, but Fang Xun had restrained him. It would be terrible to cause unnecessary trouble if it was just a misunderstanding. However, Zhan Mohan's patience was wearing thin. He would wait for another minute at most. If they didn't come out by then, he wouldn't care about anything else.
Just then, Wei Yumeng and Song Yifan finally walked out of the office, appearing to be in pleasant conversation. Zhan Mohan's relieved heart tensed up again. He felt that Wei Yumeng seemed happier when she was with Song Yifan than with other business partners.
Zhan Mohan finally strode forward and approached them. "Mohan?" Wei Yumeng was surprised by Zhan Mohan's sudden appearance. After all, Zhan Mohan had entrusted the project to her. Why was he here in person? Was he worried about her?
However, Wei Yumeng introduced them, "Mr. Song, this is Zhan Mohan, the CEO of Zhan Group, and my husband."
Zhan Mohan nodded at Song Yifan in greeting, then possessively pulled Wei Yumeng to his side. Wei Yumeng sensed a palpable tension radiating from Zhan Mohan and immediately understood the situation. Song Yifan was slightly displeased by Zhan Mohan's domineering behavior. Nevertheless, he said, "I've already spoken with Mr. Zhan online. As I imagined, Mr. Zhan is indeed talented and handsome."
Zhan Mohan replied indifferently, "Mr. Song flatters me. After all, I am merely Yu Meng's husband and not as remarkable as you say." His words, no matter how one heard them, sounded off, especially since Zhan Mohan deliberately emphasized his relationship with Wei Yumeng again. Wei Yumeng felt helpless; Zhan Mohan was indeed jealous.