Blossom through the Cloud - Chapter 8

Chapter 8

By the time the elevator reached the fourteenth floor, Ni Tong finally regained her composure.

Ruan Sixian?

She mentally repeated the name several times, finally recalling it at the exact moment the elevator doors closed once more.

Ruan Sixian was the very person who had relegated her to a "budget version."

Yet how could she possibly have returned?

And as a pilot in the flight department, no less?

During that fleeting moment of distraction, the elevator descended all the way to the ninth floor. By the time Ni Tong snapped back to reality and frantically mashed the buttons, it was already too late.

When she finally made her way back up to the fourteenth floor, the safety seminar had already begun.

As expected, she was late.

Fuming with irritation, Ni Tong forcefully pressed her fingerprint against the attendance scanner at the entrance, then slipped quietly through the back door to take a seat in the back corner.

The colleague beside her whispered, "Why are you so late?"

Annoyed and restless, Ni Tong pulled her phone from her bag while replying, "Don't ask, I'm at my wit's end."

Locating Jiang Ziyuel's WeChat chat, she immediately began typing: Master, is Ruan Sixian back?

After sending the message, she suddenly remembered that Jiang Ziyuel had left for a vacation in Spain a few days ago and should have taken off not long ago.

Her colleague continued speaking in a hushed tone, "You have no idea—just now, when Wang Lekang checked the attendance and saw you were the only cabin supervisor missing, his face turned pitch black."

Dropping her phone, Ni Tong turned to ask, "Did Ruan Sixian come back?"

The colleague blinked in confusion. "Who?"

Clearly, she had no idea who that person was.

"Never mind," Ni Tong dropped the subject.

She simply figured that perhaps the person she heard earlier was named "Ruan Sixian" with different characters, or maybe "Ruan Sixian" with yet another set, or even "Ruan Sixian."

In any case, it wasn't an especially unique name; what if it was just a coincidence of identical names and surnames?

Otherwise, judging by Jiang Ziyuel's account, given what had transpired, how could Ruan Sixian possibly return to Hengshi Airlines?

Especially under the flight department managed directly by Fu Mingyu.

If it were her, she would rather die than ever return to Hengshi.

While Ni Tong's thoughts were wandering, Ruan Sixian had already completed her onboarding procedures at the human resources department.

While the HR staffer was busy entering information into the intranet database, Ruan Sixian raised her head to survey her surroundings.

From the moment she stepped into Hengshi, she noticed quite a few changes.

On the right side of the spacious first-floor lobby, a large model of the ACJ31 had been installed, standing out prominently like a landmark.

The reception desk staff had increased from four to six people, outfitted in brand-new uniforms that had discarded the dark, dreary little suit jackets of the past.

The human resources department had also relocated from the original sixth floor to the fourteenth.

Moreover, all along her walk here, Ruan Sixian hadn't laid eyes on a single familiar face.

Then again, she hadn't run into many people to begin with.

"I'm all set on my end," the HR staffer said as she handed two forms of differing sizes to Ruan Sixian. "The small one contains your intranet account, employee ID, and various other login passwords. This procedural form is the second one—take it up to the flight department on the sixteenth floor to get it stamped, and once you're done there, head over to the logistics department to pick up your uniform."

Ruan Sixian expressed her thanks and walked out of the office clutching her documents before finally examining her new employee ID.

In truth, she could still recite her original employee ID by heart; only the prefix letter had changed.

Hengshi organized its employee ID prefixes based on the company's corporate structure, starting with the supervisory board and cascading downward. The cabin department prefix was "E."

Now, however, the prefix on her employee ID had changed to "D"—the flight department.

The HR representative for the flight department branch was a young woman who occasionally glanced up to size Ruan Sixian up while stamping her paperwork, revealing two shallow dimples at the corners of her mouth.

"This is my first time seeing a female pilot," the woman said briskly while continuously signing and stamping documents, though it didn't hinder her from making small talk. "And for the ACJ31 model, no less! I heard this batch is exceptionally formidable, and the competition was immense. A couple of the ones our company recruited would easily qualify as reserve chief pilot candidates at other airlines."

She cast a shy, sideways glance at Ruan Sixian. "You're even the top student—that's so impressive."

With that, she whipped out her phone. "Let's add each other on WeChat, a personal account. Is that okay?"

"Sure." Ruan Sixian pulled out her phone, only to discover an incoming call right at that moment.

The phone number displayed directly on the screen, indicating it wasn't someone saved in her contacts.

However, Ruan Sixian was sensitive to numbers, and this string of digits wasn't unfamiliar; she must have interacted with it recently.

"Do you mind if I take this call first?"

The HR staffer smiled and nodded. "Mm-hm, go ahead. I still have a lot of data to input on my end."

Ruan Sixian walked out holding her phone, making a right turn into a glass-enclosed corridor.

This corridor connected the flight department's international conference room to the administrative department. Seven or eight meters wide, natural light streamed through the integrated glass walls, casting a chilly, high-tech ambiance that made the space feel even more secluded. It also possessed an acoustic amplification effect, allowing distant footsteps to echo halfway around the corridor.

Ruan Sixian couldn't shake the feeling that the atmosphere here resembled somewhere else, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"Hello? Who is this?"

"Ms. Ruan, it's Yan Ang."

Ah, Yan Ang—the president of Beijing Airlines, who had used this number to contact her some time ago.

"President Yan, hello. Is there something you need?"

"Nothing much, really. I just wanted to ask—have you reported to Hengshi yet? If you haven't checked in yet, would you be open to reconsidering?"

His tone carried a hint of roguish charm, landing somewhere between flippant and bantering, completely distinct from Fu Mingyu's stern and aloof cadence.

It sounded like he was joking, making it easy for people to let their guard down.

"What a coincidence, I'm actually at the human resources department right now and have already completed my registration. Thank you for your kind offer, President Yan."

"Sigh..."

Yan Ang let out a heavy sigh.

Was he really that full of regret?

Unaware that Yan Ang and Fu Mingyu had always looked at each other with mutual disdain, Ruan Sixian simply thought it was remarkable how sought-after she was. Had she known, she should have extorted an even bigger sum out of Fu Mingyu.

Offering triple the annual salary might even have been acceptable.

"So, Ms. Ruan, I'm genuinely curious. I remember clearly that you were practically ready to sign a contract with us. Why on earth did you end up choosing Hengshi in the end?"

Why?

When Ruan Sixian had signed the contract, she deliberately counted the decimal places—three times over.

Her current salary alone, just in terms of tax deductions, was nearly catching up with what she used to make back when she was a flight attendant.

Who would ever pick a fight with money?

Not to mention that half of it came directly out of Fu Mingyu's personal account.

Thinking of how he had essentially used money to "plead" with her, Ruan Sixian felt every cell in her body relax in pure comfort.

Double the annual salary brought tenfold the joy.

Still, she couldn't very well say that out loud; it sounded too tacky.

"About that..."

Without missing a beat, Yan Ang playfully chimed in with his unbridled teasing: "Did Fu Mingyu slip you some kind of love potion? Did he use his pretty face to seduce you, huh?"

Since the person had already been poached, Yan Ang wasn't going to waste energy on futile struggles; he simply found this woman rather intriguing, and his tone naturally took on a bantering edge as he spoke.

Picking up on the gist of Yan Ang's remark, Ruan Sixian smiled and replied, "Why would President Yan say that?"

The person on the other end grew even more relaxed, letting out a sour note of jealousy: "Isn't it true? That guy Fu Mingyu usually relies on that face of his to bluff and deceive people, ruining plenty of young girls along the way."

Oh, absolutely. He probably looked in the mirror every morning upon waking up and thought he looked drop-dead gorgeous.

An image of Fu Mingyu admiring himself in front of a mirror inexplicably popped into Ruan Sixian's mind, prompting a chuckle. "Well, President Fu is, after all, a man of exceptional talent, dashing appearance, and extraordinary bearing—"

Mid-sentence, she glanced at the LED reflection showing a massive procession of people approaching, with the person in the lead being...

Yet Ruan Sixian's train of thought didn't break a sweat; she kept right on praising him.

"—refined, elegant, and impeccably dressed..."

The figure behind her stopped in their tracks. A dozen gazes shot forward in unison, with one of them radiating intense, searing heat.

Ruan Sixian's voice tapered off into silence.

No.

This was not how she had envisioned their reunion.

She had originally intended to join Yan Ang in mocking Fu Mingyu, but getting caught red-handed like this meant he would undoubtedly jump to the conclusion that she was expressing undying affection for him.

An urgent conversational U-turn was required right this second.

"—Suave, unrestrained, and free-spirited—none of these have anything to do with him."

The final sentence landed with a resounding thud. This abrupt redirection caught her eavesdropping audience completely off guard, leaving them collectively wishing they were suddenly struck deaf.

They promptly spun around, pretending not to have heard a single word, and resumed walking forward—albeit with slightly stiffened strides.

In the glass corridor, only Ruan Sixian facing the wall remained, along with Fu Mingyu standing behind her, accompanied by Bo Yang and four assistants who kept their eyes fixed strictly downward.

Through the elongated glass corridor, a series of chilly drafts seemed to sweep past.

Ruan Sixian finally remembered why this place felt so chillingly like a morgue.

Over the phone, Yan Ang burst into unrestrained laughter that sounded remarkably like a honking goose.

"Ms. Ruan, you certainly speak the unvarnished truth! I just love your unique taste in—"

The call in her ear was abruptly cut short. A mechanical female voice chimed through the earpiece: "Please hold; the other party is currently on another call. Please do not hang up."

Simultaneously, a male voice resonated from behind her.

"Yan Ang, are you particularly free these days?"

She didn't need to guess who was speaking. Before turning around, Ruan Sixian spotted a lengthened shadow cast on the floor.

Bathed in the shimmering sunlight, phone in hand, he stepped closer to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Ruan Sixian. However, his gaze bypassed her entirely, fixing straight ahead out the window.

His tone carried zero warmth, bearing an uncanny affinity with the chill of the glass corridor. "If you have nothing better to do, try figuring out how to handle that internet celebrity who just dumped you and is currently cursing you out on Weibo. Stop coming over to harass my people, and don't even think about poaching."

At that point, he spared Ruan Sixian a fleeting glance, sweeping past her briefly before retracting his gaze. "Kindly observe industry rules, or else I won't mind cutting you off at the pass regarding that Bali tourism contract you're holding. By then, you can check whether your grandfather decides to let you rest in peace a few decades ahead of schedule."

With that, the call dropped. Fu Mingyu turned to face Ruan Sixian, executing the entire sequence of motions with fluid precision, as if Yan Ang had been disconnected right along with the phone call.

His voice softened considerably. "Ms. Ruan, on our first official meeting, do you happen to harbor some kind of misunderstanding about me?"

Had it been any other woman, gazing into Fu Mingyu's gentlemanly eyes and feeling the distinct wave of favoritism rippling through his softened tone, she might have fallen hopelessly on the spot.

Ruan Sixian, however, simply wanted to roll her eyes.

What did he mean by "first official meeting"?

You heartless scoundrel, have you forgotten about Ruan Sixian by the banks of the Thames River?

Have you forgotten the woman who waited for you all night long?

Noticing Ruan Sixian's expression of utter bewilderment and confusion, Bo Yang—who had been holding back a massive breath of air—finally seized the opportunity to let it out. He stepped forward and announced, "This is President Fu."

"Oh!" Ruan Sixian feigned alarm and took a step back. "Did you hear what I just said? I'm so sorry, I was just repeating gossip. I had no idea President Fu himself was actually so..."

"Mm." Surmising that Ruan Sixian was about to repeat those seven idioms to showcase her vocabulary, Fu Mingyu cut her off in time. "Who said it?"

Ruan Sixian paused. "A friend who wishes to remain anonymous."

—Her surname happened to be Ruan.

Seemingly seeing through Ruan Sixian's theatrical hypocrisy, Fu Mingyu automatically placed the blame back on Yan Ang for badmouthing him behind his back, too lazy to bicker further.

Just then, Bo Yang hinted at the time, prompting Fu Mingyu to lift his foot and prepare to leave.

He was leaving?

Ruan Sixian felt a wave of indignation—how could he possibly have forgotten her?

How was she supposed to slap him across the face now?

She was the very same lady by the banks of the Thames whom he once looked down upon and now had to pay a fortune to recruit!

"President Fu!"

Ruan Sixian suddenly called out to stop him.

Fu Mingyu halted his steps, turning back to ask, "Anything else?"

Never mind.

The moment those words left her mouth, Ruan Sixian instantly regretted it, feeling like an absolute fool. Still, she excelled at making verbal U-turns.

"I'm sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have listened to idle rumors and spoken ill of you behind your back. I should have formed an authentic understanding of you firsthand."

—And then continued speaking ill of you.

His expression relaxed slightly. "It's fine."

Listen to that—how magnanimous, how gentlemanly.

Anyone unaware of the truth would be ready to prostrate themselves at his tailored suit pants.

Ruan Sixian said, "Then I'll take my leave. I still need to go collect my uniform."

Uniform...

An image of that photograph flashed into Fu Mingyu's mind unbidden: Ruan Sixian dressed in pilot uniform, the crisp shirt drawing tightly and tapering sharply at her slender waist before curving gracefully outward, flowing down into sleek, straight-cut black trousers.

He nodded and turned away.

Speaking of uniforms, Ruan Sixian hadn't expected Hengshi Airlines to thoughtfully revamp its policy, issuing two sets each for spring, summer, autumn, and winter, piling together into a bulky, massive duffel bag.

Fortunately, pilots maintained a high standard of physical fitness; even as a woman, Ruan Sixian didn't find carrying it particularly strenuous. It just didn't look very aesthetic, making her feel even more conspicuous next to the groups of glamorous flight attendants passing by.

Right on cue, the considerate Bo Yang appeared, stepping forward with a smile to take the bag from Ruan Sixian's hands. "Let me take that."

The two had met back at the flight academy, and Ruan Sixian held a favorable impression of him, figuring that as Fu Mingyu's secretary, he hadn't caught any of those insufferable executive airs, so she smiled back at him.

"Thanks a lot."

"You're welcome."

Bo Yang guided her toward the exit. "President Fu asked me to come, saying there are too many uniform sets and it's too tiring for a female employee to haul around."

Ruan Sixian: "...President Fu is truly wonderful. I am deeply moved."

Bo Yang: "Mm, I'll be sure to pass along your gratitude."

...

Who asked you to pass anything along?!

It seemed he hadn't managed to dodge that bad habit of over-interpreting things after all.

The two stepped out of the elevator, and Bo Yang escorted Ruan Sixian all the way to her car before heading back inside the building—a scene that was witnessed precisely by Ni Tong, who had just emerged from a meeting.

Ni Tong snapped a photo with her phone and sent it directly to Jiang Ziyuel.

"Look, that's her."

Far away in Spain, Jiang Ziyuel zoomed in on the photo for a moment and delivered her verdict.

"Couldn't be her. How could she possibly have such a good relationship with the vice president's secretary?"