Tong An'an felt unhappy every day after work. Within two days, Jiang Jingyu noticed her abnormality and asked her what was wrong.
Tong An'an didn't want her colleagues to be implicated, so she said she had been staying up late recently and wasn't in good spirits.
Jiang Jingyu didn't know what else he could do besides helping her with her work. She also refused to change departments.
Seeing a CEO having to help her with work after returning from work made Tong An'an feel even more uncomfortable.
What method should she use to resolve the current situation?
One day, when her mind was blank, she was scrolling through short videos on her phone and came across one related to South Africa.
She suddenly remembered what her supervisor had said about the South Africa project, so she found a lot of information and videos to understand it.
She finally discovered that the conditions in South Africa were indeed very harsh, chaotic, and plagued by diseases.
However, she felt that besides going to that place to challenge herself and prove her abilities, there seemed to be no other way.
Having made up her mind to strive for this project, Tong An'an made an effort to please Jiang Jingyu.
After work that evening, Jiang Jingyu was lounging on her sofa reading documents. She主动 climbed into his arms and touched his lips.
Jiang Jingyu held her and kissed her deeply, and Tong An'an started the conversation.
"Do you think we'll really get married in the future?"
Jiang Jingyu was infatuated with her at the time, so he naturally didn't think they would separate.
Moreover, he thought Tong An'an was hinting at something.
"What? You want to marry me? Are you ready?"
Tong An'an said shyly, "I'm just asking. Do you really plan to marry me?"
"Of course. I've been ready since the moment I decided to pursue you. I just thought it was too soon and worried you weren't ready. Otherwise, would I have kept you until now?"
Tong An'an felt quite guilty. She nestled in his neck, stroking his chin.
"I know you're good to me, and I really want to marry you, but I'm only 25. I've studied for so many years, and I haven't utilized my value yet. To get married and have children like this, I feel unwilling."
Jiang Jingyu understood her thoughts and patted her.
"Don't worry, I won't force you. 25 isn't old. If you don't want to get married, we can wait."
"That's not what I mean. Jingyu, I want to be honest with you about something."
Hearing her serious tone, Jiang Jingyu pushed her up and looked at her face with equal seriousness.
"I knew you seemed strange lately, like you had something on your mind, but you wouldn't admit it. What's wrong? What is it?"
"It's nothing. It's just that you went to our office before and talked about that South Africa project."
Jiang Jingyu immediately understood and stared at her face for several seconds.
"You want to go?"
Tong An'an's tears "whooshed" down.
There was worry about her unknown future, reluctance to leave Jiang Jingyu, and the courage of a desperate gamble.
"I seem to have hit a bottleneck. If I continue like this day after day, being looked at with prejudice by everyone, I might become depressed."
"Moreover, as I become more skilled at work, it's just repetitive mechanical work day after day, which feels a bit boring. I want to challenge myself..."
Before she could finish, Jiang Jingyu exploded.
"I think you want to challenge me! Do you know what kind of place South Africa is? It's not suitable for girls at all! And you have to stay there for at least a year! I don't agree!"
Tong An'an had prepared herself for his disagreement, but hearing Jiang Jingyu say it still shocked her.
After all, besides being his girlfriend, she was also an employee of the company.
This was a company project, and even if she didn't go, others would.
Why could others go, but she couldn't?
Her question stumped Jiang Jingyu.
Indeed, her life was precious, but so were others' lives.
They were all born of parents; if he couldn't rest assured about Tong An'an going, could he rest assured about others going?
But he still couldn't bear it. "Don't give me that moral high ground, trying to shut me up with those high-sounding words."
"I don't care about others. I give them compensation of equal value. It's a matter of mutual consent. But you're different, you're just not allowed to go!"
Tong An'an asked, "Why am I different? If I go, I'm also giving compensation of equal value. I'm not going for free."
"Do you think my ability is inferior to others, and you're afraid I won't do a good job if I go and tarnish the company's reputation?"
Jiang Jingyu said, "Of course not. I've never doubted your work ability."
He paused and looked at her with great reluctance.
"I just can't bear to be separated from you. You know, I won't have that much time to fly to see you. At least for a year, are you sure you can handle a long-distance relationship for that long?"
Tong An'an was sure.
Because she had confidence in Jiang Jingyu, he wouldn't change his mind casually.
She also had confidence in herself and would never betray Jiang Jingyu.
However, the loneliness of a foreign land and the emptiness of not seeing each other for a long time were things she couldn't imagine.
Seeing her staring at him without speaking, with a determined, foolish, and stubborn look, Jiang Jingyu felt both love and resentment towards her.
"Why are you so foolish? You don't need to prove anything to those people. In my heart, you are always the best."
Tong An'an couldn't help but cry again. "That's what you think. I can't be without self-awareness. There's a reason why everyone looks down on me. Don't mention them; I understand myself why you like me."
"I don't want to lie down and be protected by you without even trying. My education doesn't allow it. I believe I can shine if I seize the opportunity. Please consider it as me finding my confidence, letting me hit a wall, and supporting me one more time, okay?"
With her like this, how could Jiang Jingyu refuse?
He just set a few conditions for her.
"You can go, but only after you meet the conditions I've set."
Before applying for the spot, she had to pass the TOEFL English test to ensure she could communicate without barriers in any situation.
She had to exercise, doing two hours of aerobic and anaerobic exercise daily to improve her immunity.
She also had to learn basic medical knowledge to ensure she could take care of herself for minor illnesses.
Tong An'an agreed to everything, but Jiang Jingyu still felt uneasy.
"Will your mother agree?"
"Certainly not, so I plan to keep it from her."
"...Are you entrusting your life to me alone like this?"
Tong An'an said, "I'm not worried. At worst, I'll die by your hand. You're so much more accomplished than me, so dying by your hand is worth it."
"Silly girl, don't say such silly things in the future. We are one. What do you mean I'm more accomplished than you? I'm just better at choosing you."
"Mr. Jiang is really good with words."
Jiang Jingyu kissed her. "Since we've gone public, and you're planning to go to South Africa, shouldn't you also meet my family?"
"Ah?"
"Don't be afraid. My family is as easy to talk to as yours. They won't make things difficult for you. And if anything happens, I'm here. If anyone dares to bully you, I won't let them off."