"荣先生,你知道的,我从来就不想要这个.在我遇见你之前,我甚至没有男朋友.
"说着,她的睫毛飘动着,在她的眼睛下投下柔和的阴影.她苍白的脸上夹杂着孤独和脆弱,但她的表情中也有一丝倔强.
"荣先生,我知道像你这样的人,一定觉得这种事情微不足道.这对你来说可能是很常见的事情,但对我来说,这简直就是一场噩梦.
当她的情绪达到顶峰时,她的眼睛红了.
"我真的只是一个普通人.大学毕业后,我努力工作,让一家小公司维持生计.我的商业伙伴看不到任何利润,一个月前,他们撤回了投资.为了维持公司的生存,我不得不卖掉我唯一的财产.荣先生,我真的,真心希望您不要让我难受.
说完这些,荣兆南弹了弹手里的香烟,让灰烬落下.
他的声音微微提高,也许是出于好奇.
"我让你更难了?"
她又低下了头.她瘦削的脸显得更加脆弱,她的表情比以往任何时候都更加破碎和可怜.
她的声音随着她的继续而减弱.
"我已经告诉左助理了,那天晚上的事情是个错误.我不要你的怜悯.我也不需要钱.就算我绝望了,我也不会这样贬低自己.
荣兆南仔细端详着她.他平时平静的脸上现在有了几道阴影,仿佛有什么东西在他锐利的目光后面搅动着.
"如果我没记错的话,这几天你一直在拼命想联系左,安排再见我一次.我错了吗?
谎言被揭穿了,但没有尴尬.相反,她慢慢地抬起了头.
她用自己的目光与他深邃的目光相遇.
"没错.我一直很想见你.正如我所说,这个孩子是一场意外.他是我这辈子最大的耻辱.我不会利用他来威胁你.等我把事情搞定了,我就把他除掉.
她坚定的语气似乎使他停了下来,脸上露出沉思的神情.
他端详了她很久,屋子里一片寂静.然后他突然感觉到指尖有一股刺痛的温暖.
直到这时,他才意识到他没有抽的香烟已经烧到了过滤嘴.
他慢慢地把烟灰缸里的火熄灭了,然后转向她.
"如果你的公司问题需要这么长时间,为什么不明天去医院呢?"
作为对他审视的回应,她抬起了她脆弱的身体,脸色苍白,肩膀微微颤抖.她看起来好像已经失去了所有的精力.
她眼中的光芒暗淡了一半.
"我希望我能这样做,但我现在甚至没有足够的钱来堕胎."
她就是那么破产.
At that moment, Rong Zhaonan seemed to understand her purpose for coming.
"Could it be that you rushed here today to ask me for money, so you can have my child aborted?"
She softened her tone.
"Maybe... it's a girl."
A girl.
Rong Zhaonan raised his gaze slightly, turning back toward the large floor-to-ceiling window at the far side of the room. He dropped the pregnancy report on the table and absentmindedly traced his long fingers over it twice. The sound of the contact echoed louder with each touch.
She watched his back, sensing the atmosphere was growing tense.
Why was he silent now?
After a long pause, he finally spoke, but it wasn't to her.
"Zuo."
Assistant Zuo entered quickly.
"Mr. Rong."
Rong Zhaonan turned slightly and raised his hand. Assistant Zuo understood immediately and took out a cigarette, lighting it for him.
He took a drag and exhaled a long stream of smoke. The smell made her uncomfortable, causing her to furrow her brow.
"I'm not one to shy away from what you call a 'flirtation debt.' I understand the situation. Miss Shen, you can go back now. Tomorrow, my assistant will contact you."
Shen Ming finally sighed in relief and nodded.
"Alright." But she didn't stop there and emphasized, "I hope Mr. Rong can meet my request soon. There's a time limit, and if it drags on too long, it'll be harder to handle and cause more damage to my health."
"Don't worry."
He took another drag, noticing how she had been frowning since the moment he lit his cigarette.
When he spoke again, his voice was smoother, the tone softer, and the words more measured.
"Zuo."
"Yes?"
"See Miss Shen off."
"Understood."
Assistant Zuo personally escorted her downstairs.
By this time, people were beginning to speculate. Who was this woman, who seemed to have earned the privilege of being personally escorted by Assistant Zuo? They had talked for quite a while in there, and it seemed like a significant conversation.
People's minds raced.
Rong Zhaonan hastily ended the evening's gathering and went downstairs to send Gu Feng off to her car.
Gu Feng sat in the car, her expression full of worry.
"Zhaonan, aren't you coming back with me?"
"No, I have some matters to take care of tonight."
Their families had been close for generations, and their houses were nearby. It had been a while since he had gone back to the family home.
"Alright," Gu Feng lowered her head, a little deflated. "I just wanted to tell you my brother has returned. It's been so long now, I really hope you two can make up."
Rong Zhaonan gave a perfunctory reply.
"Let's hope so."
He closed the car door for her.
"Get home safely. Take care."
"Goodbye, Zhaonan."
Assistant Zuo drove Shen Ming away. As he did, he couldn't help but glance at her in the rearview mirror.
The more he looked, the more familiar she seemed. She resembled someone he knew very well.
That person... Su Yu Yan, the third son of the Su family.
Su Yu Yan, the man who was known as the most handsome in the city of Hai, had a face that could rival a painting. His beauty had caused a stir in the high-society circles of Hai City for years.
He was a childhood friend of Rong Zhaonan, but their relationship had fallen apart at some point, though no one knew exactly when.
"Do you think I look like someone you know?"
Suddenly, Shen Ming spoke, breaking the silence in the car.
Her voice was cold, emotionless.
She had been quietly working on her tablet, responding to emails, but now, she lifted her chin and locked eyes with Zuo in the rearview mirror.
Her gaze was sharp.
Zuo turned his head, glanced at the driver, who was focused on the road, then straightened up, obeying.
"It's true that you look a bit like someone I know, but in this world, there are so many people who resemble each other. It's really nothing to be concerned about, Miss Shen."
Shen Ming pursed her lips, giving a quiet, disdainful laugh.
Her gaze turned toward the window.
"Maybe it's not so common."
Just then, the car stopped.
The driver announced, "Assistant Zuo, we've arrived."
Zuo looked outside, surprised.
What was going on?
The very person they had just mentioned was suddenly standing right in front of them.
How did Su Yu Yan get here?