Chapter 55: Looking Stealthily

Shen Manli mustered up her courage and pushed open the heavy door to Lu Ranzan's office.

Sunlight slanted in through the window, illuminating Lu Ranzan's stern face and adding an extra layer of unyielding authority.

Standing at the doorway, Shen Manli clenched her hands so tightly that her fingernails nearly bit into her palms. She swallowed hard, forced a meager smile, and said, "President Lu, I really need to take a leave of absence. Back at home..."

Lu Ranzan raised her gaze from the towering stacks of documents, her cold eyes sweeping over Shen Manli's slightly trembling, nervous figure. After a brief silence, she spoke slowly, her voice low and firm: "I understand family matters. I'll approve the leave this time, but not the next."

Shen Manli let out a breath of relief, nodded, and murmured, "Okay."

At that moment, she felt as though she had suddenly uncoiled from a tautly stretched spring.

Lu Ranzan's gaze returned to the paperwork, her fingertips tapping lightly against the desk while her mind calculated something entirely different.

She pulled open a drawer and retrieved a delicate small box, inside of which lay a quiet, miniature tracking device.

She picked it up gently, her fingertips sliding across the cold metallic surface as a flash of imperceptible resolve crossed her eyes.

Shortly after, she skillfully operated her computer and placed an online order for several identical devices. The confirmation button flashing on the screen seemed to signal that she was in control of everything.

In the office, where sunlight and shadows intertwined, a complex expression shadowed Lu Ranzan's face.

When Lu Ranzan stepped through her front door, the night was already deep, and the lights cast a soft glow across the living room.

Hearing the sound, Si Qinyu hurried forward to greet her with a flattering smile, holding the bouquet of white roses she loved most. Their faint fragrance seemed capable of soothing the exhaustion of the entire day.

He gently handed over the flowers, his tone full of apology: "Ranzan, I know I was wrong. I won't let you down again. Look, I specially prepared dinner for you—all your favorite dishes."

With that, he guided Lu Ranzan toward the dining table. The flickering candlelight reflected their intertwining silhouettes, creating an atmosphere both warm and laden with an unspoken tension.

Gazing into his sincere eyes with a storm of mixed emotions in her heart, Lu Ranzan accepted the bouquet.

Si Qinyu's apologetic words echoed softly in the air. He lowered his head, his voice carrying a trace of tremor: "What happened last time was my fault. I... I truly regret it."

As he spoke, he raised his eyes, filled with sincerity and remorse, and gently placed both hands on Lu Ranzan's shoulders.

Lu Ranzan looked at him with a complex gaze. The candlelight danced in her eyes with a subtle sheen. For a moment, the air seemed permeated by a delicate sense of reconciliation and anticipation.

Lu Ranzan shook her head and said, "I know you didn't mean it."

Her voice was soft yet firm. She lowered her long eyelashes, casting a faint shadow across her eyelids, and a subtle smile curved the corners of her lips—a smile harboring forgiveness and understanding.

A flash of surprise and deep emotion flickered in Si Qinyu's eyes. He grasped Lu Ranzan's hands tightly, as if holding onto a lost treasure regained.

"I'm so glad you understand," Si Qinyu said.

He gently pulled Lu Ranzan into his embrace, resting his chin on the crown of her head while breathing in the fragrance of her hair.

Lu Ranzan rested her hands lightly against his waist.

Gently easing the distance between them, a look of reluctance and helplessness in his eyes, Si Qinyu spoke in a gentle voice: "Ranzan, my company is busy. I need to go on a business trip."

With that, he pulled an itinerary from his suit pocket and handed it to Lu Ranzan.

She took it, her fingertips brushing lightly across the paper. Every single word on it felt like a heavy hammer striking her heart. She looked up at Si Qinyu, her eyes flashing with a complicated light.

"When?"

"In the next few days," Si Qinyu replied.

His words carried a hint of apology.

Lu Ranzan's fingers lightly caressed the itinerary, her brows furrowing slightly as her gaze revealed a trace of worry.

She looked up at him as the moonlight streamed through the window onto his face, carving out his resolute profile.

He gently took Lu Ranzan's hand and said tenderly, "I'll be back as soon as possible. Wait for me."

The corners of Lu Qiqi's lips curved into a cold sneer, full of mockery and resolve.

"Go ahead. I have things to attend to."

She abruptly shook off Si Qinyu's hand, turned, and walked toward the garage with firm and unhesitating steps.

Inside the dimly lit garage, the black sedan Si Qinyu frequently drove sat quietly in place.

Lu Qiqi pulled the tiny tracking device from her pocket, skillfully manipulated it, and attached it to a concealed spot on the vehicle.

Once finished, she stepped back a few paces, her cold gaze assessing the car as if waiting for the fish to take the bait.

The night breeze drifted in through the gap in the garage door, carrying a touch of chill that did little to dispel the resolve and frost in her eyes.

At dawn, the first rays of sunlight pierced through the gaps in the curtains, dappling Lu Qiqi's face.

She rose from bed, but the room felt empty, mirroring a sudden hollow feeling in her heart.

As she walked downstairs, Fang Lehong's shrill voice had already pierced the quiet morning: "Lu Qiqi, look at what time it is! You're still sleeping until the sun is high! What kind of behavior is this?"

Standing in the center of the living room with a furious expression, Fang Lehong pointed a finger that nearly touched the tip of Lu Qiqi's nose.

Lu Qiqi rubbed her sleep-heavy eyes, met Fang Lehong's furious gaze coldly, and let out a disdainful smile.

Ignoring Fang Lehong's reproaches, Lu Qiqi walked straight to the dining table, picked up a slice of toast, spread some jam on it, and began to eat unhurriedly.

At that moment, her phone vibrated, and a text message flashed across the screen: "President Lu, the contract has been placed on your desk."

A playful smile touched the corner of Lu Qiqi's mouth, and a clever glint sparkled in her eyes.

She put down the toast, stood up, adjusted her makeup in the mirror, and picked up her car keys, striding purposefully toward the garage.

Trembling with rage, Fang Lehong turned ashen, her eyes seeming to breathe fire.

Watching Lu Qiqi's unhurried silhouette, she clenched her fists so tightly that her fingernails dug into her palms.

The garage door slowly rose, and the black sedan sped away into the distance, leaving a trail of exhaust lingering in the air.

Fang Lehong stood rooted to the spot, panting heavily with a violently heaving chest, as if she needed to vent the boundless fury boiling inside her.

With a sudden, vicious kick, she struck a nearby trash can, sending it crashing to the floor and scattering its contents across the ground in a messy heap.

She glared malevolently at the receding vehicle, her eyes filled with bitter resentment and lingering grievance.

Driving down the road toward the company, Lu Qiqi lightly glided her fingertips across the steering wheel until they accidentally brushed a hidden button. The dashboard screen quietly flickered to life, displaying the real-time feed transmitted by the tracking device.

On the screen, Si Qinyu was sitting inside an intimate restaurant bathed in soft lighting and an ambiguous atmosphere.