Jiang Nan Fang tapped his plate with her chopsticks.
"Did I say I didn't know? Don't you understand? You keep asking."
"If you're that curious, go ask him. You're all men, it'll be much easier for you to ask."
"..."
Finally, everyone fell silent.
A moment later, Zhan Bei Jue returned with a plate full of food.
He lowered his gaze and peeled the food with light and elegant movements. Zhang Gong, unable to restrain his curiosity, spoke up.
"Mr. Zhan."
"Mm."
"Are you not feeling well recently? I noticed your leg..."
"Mm," Zhan Bei Jue replied with a placid expression. "I had a small tumor on my leg. I had it removed during the Lunar New Year break, and I'm still in the recovery period."
"Oh... then it's really not suitable for us to eat seafood today, it's not good for your wound."
"It's fine. I said I'm treating you, and I'm not eating. As long as you're happy."
After speaking, he picked up the small dish with several chunks of peeled meat next to him and pushed it towards Jiang Nan Fang.
"Don't you love oysters? Eat more."
All eyes at the table turned towards them.
Jiang Nan Fang felt increasingly uncomfortable with his repeated actions.
She picked up the dish and poured the meat into Zhang Gong's: "If you don't want to eat, just sit and rest. Don't peel them for me."
"I don't like things peeled by others."
Zhang Gong was momentarily embarrassed by this blatant rejection of Mr. Zhan's overtures, and by her re-gifting his offering.
Fortunately, Zhan Bei Jue didn't seem to mind. He glanced at Zhang Gong and calmly picked up a napkin to wipe his hands.
"It's really hard to pursue your Engineer Jiang."
"Am I too foolish, or does she already have someone she likes? No matter what I do, she's not satisfied. It's so difficult to get her to look at me more."
"!!"
Everyone's gaze snapped back to him simultaneously.
He admitted it himself?
Mr. Zhan actually admitted in front of them that he was pursuing Engineer Jiang. This...
Seeing their stunned expressions, whether from shock or disappointment, Zhan Bei Jue was satisfied.
At least he had declared his claim. From now on, he'd see who dared to have designs on Jiang Nan Fang.
"Why are you all looking at me like that? Is it so surprising that I'm pursuing Engineer Jiang?"
"Are we too mismatched? Am I not good enough for her, or does she truly have someone else she likes?"
"Cough cough..." Zhang Gong coughed violently, startled.
"No, no, no, of course, it's not surprising that you're pursuing Engineer Jiang. Not surprising at all."
"No one is more suitable for Engineer Jiang than you. A talented man and a beautiful woman, you're a perfect match."
This person really knew how to talk.
Zhan Bei Jue was pleased. "Is that so?"
"Of course. Engineer Jiang probably doesn't like anyone else right now, otherwise, she wouldn't bury herself in the office all day and never come out."
The other colleagues finally dared to join in. "Exactly. Engineer Jiang is the most work-obsessed woman we've ever met."
"Besides work, we've never seen her think about anything else. She doesn't look like she's in a relationship at all."
Zhan Bei Jue nodded. "Then it seems my way of pursuing her is wrong."
"I don't know what kind of pursuit your Engineer Jiang likes, or how to satisfy her. Can everyone brainstorm and give me some ideas?"
It was as if Jiang Nan Fang wasn't there, as they discussed how to pursue her right in front of her.
Seeing Zhan Bei Jue deliberately playing mind games, she felt she was too soft-hearted. She thought he had some dignity, but she had given him too much face just now, leading him to get carried away.
She coldly put down her chopsticks, deciding to make her stance completely clear.
"Don't bother. I don't like men like you. No matter how you pursue me, I will never agree."
"If you guys want to keep talking, go ahead. I'm full, I'm leaving. Remember to be at the company on time tomorrow."
With that, she grabbed her bag and stood up to leave.
Zhan Bei Jue followed. "I'll give you a ride."
"No need. Besides, you're still limping. Take care of yourself."
"Isn't this limp for you? Why don't you give me a ride?"
Zhan Bei Jue insisted on leaving his seat.
How had she not noticed his thick skin before?
Shameless, no self-respect.
Jiang Nan Fang rolled her eyes at him and strode out with her bag.
Zhan Bei Jue said goodbye to everyone. "Eat slowly, eat more. I've already settled the bill."
"I will continue to pursue her from now on. Please help me keep an eye on her. If there's any slightest change or unexpected situation, report it to me immediately."
After saying that, he endured the pain in his leg and strode out to follow her.
Watching their figures disappear out the door one after another, the group of men in the room erupted.
"Holy crap, what's going on? The CEO of Zhan Group is actually pursuing our Engineer Jiang? And he's so approachable, chasing her so humbly..."
"Exactly. I used to think Mr. Zhan was very aloof. I didn't even dare to strike up a conversation when I met him at the company. I never expected him to be like this in private..."
"Hey, speaking of which, do you all remember when we went to the Northwest for land reclamation? Engineer Jiang got sick that time. In the middle of the night, in the pouring rain, Mr. Zhan personally drove her to the hospital."
"I remember, of course, I remember. The conditions were so poor and the situation so urgent back then. I was a bit surprised when Mr. Zhan suddenly appeared. Looking back now..."
"Damn, if Mr. Zhan had already been interested in her since then, that's incredibly devoted. It's been almost a year, and Engineer Jiang still has this attitude?"
"Tsk tsk, who was foolishly fantasizing about pursuing Engineer Jiang back then? Fortunately, I didn't make a move."
"She doesn't even look at a man as handsome and rich as Mr. Zhan, let alone us!"
"Alas, it's so hard to be a man in this world. Even a man as outstanding as Mr. Zhan is trying so hard to win over a woman. What hope do we have!"
Jiang Nan Fang walked directly to the roadside and raised her hand to hail a taxi.
The Lunar New Year had just passed, and the weather was still very cold. When she went out, the driver had the car running, and she was dressed lightly.
Standing in the cold wind now, even her hair was trembling.
Before she could flag down a taxi, Zhan Bei Jue took off his coat and caught up to her.
He draped his coat, still warm with his body heat, over her shoulders, trying to get her to turn around.
"Nan Fang."
However, no matter how cold it was, Jiang Nan Fang refused his clothes.
She shrugged her shoulders and pushed his hand away. "Stay away from me. Is this meaningful, Zhan Bei Jue?"
Zhan Bei Jue ignored her and firmly pressed the coat onto her shoulders.
"Don't be angry anymore. I know I shouldn't have come to find you after such a long time, but you were angry a few days ago, and I was afraid of adding fuel to the fire, so I've been holding back."
"You know what I mean, Nan Fang. Let's not act on impulse. Let's find a place to sit down and have a good talk, okay?"
He sounded so affectionate.
Don't be angry anymore? Been holding back from finding her?
Have a good talk?
Jiang Nan Fang really wanted to bite his hand.
Where were you all this time?
When your mother was still alive, when Ke Teng hadn't had an accident, when everything could still be turned around, where were you?
If you had even a tenth of the persistence you have now back then, we wouldn't have ended up like this!
"Talk about what? Talk about how your mother hated me when she was alive and how much she didn't want me to be with you, or talk about Ke Teng's illness?"
Jiang Nan Fang sneered.
"You won't forget so quickly, will you, Zhan Bei Jue? It wasn't that I didn't want to be with you, it was that your mother didn't agree."