The Early Spring - Chapter 37

Chapter 37 - Long-Term... Secret... Emotionless

Alex handed the small project over to Shang Zhitao. None of the department's colleagues were willing to take on such a minor research project because it was notoriously difficult to produce impressive results there. But Shang Zhitao was willing; no matter what, this was her very first time serving as a project manager.

She felt a mixture of excitement and nervousness, and after receiving the initial project materials, she remained glued to her workstation without moving. Annual industry research was a mandatory undertaking for the company, used to support different departments in formulating advertising strategies for various industry clients.

Even though it was a small project, it was exceptionally complex. Cross-departmental demand research, previous years' input-output analysis, selecting research firms, and setting project milestones—every single item had to be accounted for. Having shadowed Lumi through several similar projects and read up on the subject herself, she felt much like a student who had thoroughly completed all her daily homework and was finally about to step into the examination hall.

It was already very late by the time Shang Zhitao finished reading through all the materials. When she raised her head, the surrounding area was completely empty, with only Luan Nian’s office still illuminated. She pondered for a moment, took out her phone, and began typing: "I independently took on a project today." Her finger hovered over the send button for a long time before she ultimately deleted it. She didn't know if they were close enough to share everyday occurrences, and a person like Luan Nian had zero interest in other people's lives. So she deleted it, yet she still wanted to tell him about it—even though it was a small matter, it represented her personal progress.

"I independently took on a project today," she sent to him.

Luan Nian glanced at his phone, put it down, and did not reply. As Shang Zhitao packed her backpack, she kept checking her phone, but Luan Nian never answered. Sighing, she slung her bag over her shoulder and left the office.

She had great luck today; as soon as she stepped outside, she flagged down a taxi. Plugging in her earphones to listen to music, her eyes remained glued to her phone the entire time. It wasn't until she was about to step through her front door that she saw Luan Nian's reply: "Do a good job. Keep it up." There was never anything more formal than that tone.

"Thank you."

Shang Zhitao's project quickly drove her to distraction. The very first step of demand research hit a brick wall—specifically, at the Creative Center.

Kitty consistently refused to provide the Creative Center's requirements scope. When Shang Zhitao urged her twice, Kitty claimed she was too busy and hadn't done it yet. Shang Zhitao felt a bit bewildered; given that this was a service project meant to boost business operations, why was Kitty being so uncooperative?

Lumi suggested that Shang Zhitao escalate the issue and have their boss put pressure on Kitty, but Shang Zhitao felt that wasn't a good idea—it hadn't reached a level that warranted escalation yet. Kitty already thoroughly disliked her, and if she escalated it now, there would be no smoothing things over later on.

When it all boiled down to it, Shang Zhitao was still afraid of conflict. After agonizing over how to handle it for a long time, she finally couldn't help messaging Luan Nian on Wednesday evening: "Luke, sorry to bother you. I'm running an independent project, but I'm stuck at the demand research stage. Could I ask for your advice on how to get everyone to cooperate with the project schedule?" She didn't want to rat anyone out; she just wanted to solve the problem properly.

Luan Nian replied quite quickly this time, saying: "Hold a project alignment meeting that doesn't target anyone in particular, and have all parties report on their progress. Then send out a mass email copying the designated executors from each department."

A moment later, another message followed: "Don't be afraid of conflict."

Seeing him tell her not to be afraid of conflict, Shang Zhitao felt that Luan Nian truly saw right through her. Even though he had never paid special attention to her, he knew exactly what kind of person she was and what kinds of things would make her hesitate and stall.

"Got it, thank you."

"You're welcome. How is the basketball friendship match cheerleading squad coming along?"

"We're having rehearsals on Thursday and Friday."

"Good. Hard work." After pausing to think, Luan Nian added: "Being an independent project manager is a good thing, but the most important part of project management is managing people. Once you handle the people, the progress will fall into place."

He left her time to think independently.

After sending his reply, Luan Nian packed his things and left the office for a dinner appointment with Jiang Lan. Jiang Lan was the vice chair of the industry association, and the board of directors had asked him to put in a good word so she would serve as a consultant for the domestic industry association. Luan Nian had suggested the board pick someone else, but the board insisted they couldn't—Jiang Lan simply liked him.

Luan Nian drove to the designated restaurant, a Japanese eatery. Jiang Lan hadn't arrived yet, so he sat there waiting without rushing her. After waiting for about forty minutes, he called Jiang Lan, who picked up and profusely apologized: "I'm so, so sorry, I got stuck in traffic."

"It's fine. Should we reschedule for another day?"

"Don't. Let's do it today. Since I'm late, dinner is on me tonight. Sorry to have kept you waiting."

"Alright."

Luan Nian hung up the phone, well aware that Jiang Lan was playing power games. Accustomed to being on the client side, she carried an air of natural arrogance. Luan Nian understood. He simply took out his laptop to handle some work. When Jiang Lan finally arrived, he stood up to greet her. "Rough traffic?"

"Apologies for keeping you waiting so long."

"No worries. Give me ten minutes—I just received an email that needs urgent attention." Of course there was no urgent email; it was just a petty retaliation. He opened an email inbox, randomly tapped a few keys, and frowned to make it look convincing. Jiang Lan sat nearby waiting, and after twenty minutes, she finally chuckled: "You're petty."

Preigning ignorance, Luan Nian put away his laptop. "Shall we eat?"

"I solemnly apologize to you. The feeling of waiting for someone is truly awful."

"Must be starving, right?" Ignoring her remark, Luan Nian said to a nearby waiter, "Please go ahead and serve the meal."

"Would you like a drink?" Jiang Lan asked him.

"I drove here."

"What about your chauffeur?"

Luan Nian smiled. "Then I suppose I can have a little drink."

Luan Nian and Jiang Lan shared a bit of light alcohol, and just like last time, the two of them steered clear of work talk. Jiang Lan brought up the time she went to Hokkaido alone for a few days following her previous breakup: "Back then, I felt romance was utterly exhausting. I'd rather never date again."

"A wise generalization from a bitter experience?"

"Don't you feel the same way?"

"Not at all."

Jiang Lan smiled. When she smiled, her eyes crinkled into slender crescents, carrying a hint of allure. She was the kind of woman who knew precisely where her charm lay and was exceptionally skilled at displaying it. "Yet I heard your last relationship gave you quite a headache."

"To be honest, it didn't. Why torment yourself over nothing?"

That was simply the kind of person Luan Nian was; he cherished his freedom above all else right now. Propping her chin in her hand, Jiang Lan looked at him, thinking this man looked truly pleasing to the eye. She had only consumed a tiny sip of alcohol during the meal and eaten just a few bites of food before saying to Luan Nian, "I need to practice some self-discipline. Maintaining your figure is just too hard."

"Understood." Luan Nian nodded.

Over the course of the meal, Jiang Lan shared a great deal about her past. It seemed she hadn't opened her heart to anyone like this in a very long time; once the floodgates were open, she couldn't shut them. She even talked about her first time—on a drizzly night at a motel outside Las Vegas.

Luan Nian listened to her quietly, chiming in only occasionally.

His patient listening made Jiang Lan feel immensely gratified. When all was said and done, despite how bustling her life appeared on the surface, she utterly despised vulgar men. She liked men who possessed a bit of backbone, and as for her, she loved gradually stripping away that backbone until she and the man became one. She enjoyed that game of hunting. And Luan Nian was the finest prey of all.

Emerging after their drinks, the night breeze was intoxicating. Jiang Lan felt slightly tipsy and her footing faltered for a moment. Luan Nian reached out to steady her arm, guiding her into the car, and asked, "Where should I drop you off?"

"My place, I suppose." She recited an address, and Master Liu nodded. "Understood."

Jiang Lan gazed at Luan Nian’s face in the alternating light and shadow—what an extraordinarily handsome face. Pressing her palm against his knee, she leaned closer to him and whispered into his ear, "Do you want to come up to my place for a bit?"

"I don't do one-night stands."

"Long-term... secret... emotionless..."

"I don't have that habit." The moment Luan Nian finished that sentence, he suddenly thought of Shang Zhitao—the very Shang Zhitao who had asked him where she should stash her contact lens case, bathrobe, and pajamas. A man really could lie without even blinking an eye. How could he not have that habit? He was actively cultivating it right now!

Pulling himself out of his thoughts, Luan Nian sighed. "I thought our relationship was of a higher caliber."

"Such as?" Jiang Lan leaned back, resting her head against the headrest, and turned her head to look at him with her collar slightly parted, exposing a breathtaking expanse of skin. It was the kind of sight that would cause almost any man to surrender unconditionally. Yet it left Luan Nian entirely unmoved.

Luan Nian smiled at her, offering no answer to her question.

Turning his head to look out the window, he thought to himself that next time he should find someone else to deal with Jiang Lan—it was thoroughly exhausting. After dropping Jiang Lan off, he finally arrived home, took a shower, and lay down in bed. Remembering Shang Zhitao's dilemma, he called her: "Has your problem been resolved?"

Shang Zhitao was climbing the stairs, and her voice sounded slightly out of breath. "Not quite resolved yet. I've sent out the email, and tomorrow I'm inviting all parties to attend the project progress alignment meeting."

"I didn't receive your email."

"...I didn't send it to you."

"Why? When you hold a project progress alignment meeting, you aren't inviting the bosses of each department? What are you using to intimidate people? Relying on your own flailing claws? The stray cats downstairs at the company are fiercer than you."

"I..."

"What time tomorrow?"

"Three in the afternoon."

"Got it." Luan Nian uttered that single word, and upon hearing the sound of unlocking a door on Shang Zhitao's end, asked her, "Home?"

Lowering her voice, Shang Zhitao spoke softly into the phone: "Yes." She was afraid of waking her roommates. Zhang Lei had been working overtime and traveling back-to-back recently, Sun Yuanzhu had plunged headfirst into that autonomous driving project and flipped his schedule upside down, and Sun Yu had been roped into helping research matchmaking websites—in short, everyone was busy and desperately needed a good night's sleep.

She quietly closed her door, tiptoed toward her bedroom, shut the door behind her, and said, "Luke, I'm home. Aren't you going to sleep yet this late?"

"I just got home."

"Oh."

"Go to sleep."

"Goodnight."

Hanging up the phone, Luan Nian thought to himself that he must genuinely have nothing better to do with his life, caring about an ordinary employee's project progress in the middle of the night. Shang Zhitao, however, was a grateful sort; even after hanging up, she sent a text message to thank him: "Luke, truly thank you for guiding me through my project."

Luan Nian didn't know how to respond, much like that day she had suddenly announced to him that she had independently taken on a project. So he tossed his phone aside, closed his eyes to prepare for sleep, but a moment later picked the phone back up: "No problem, don't mention it. Do a good job."

"I'll work hard."

I know.

Luan Nian had never seen anyone work as hard as Shang Zhitao. It was merely a job, yet she pushed herself as if she had no fallback options and no safety net whatsoever. That day when Tracy had consulted him regarding the company's staffing strategy for the upcoming year and mentioned wanting to recruit one or two more people like Shang Zhitao, her exact words were: "Did you see that? Shang Zhitao is a human experiment, and the results of this experiment tell us that as long as you have a tiny shred of talent coupled with sufficient effort, you can bridge any divide caused by educational stratification."

Tracy had looked rather smug; Shang Zhitao was a tremendously successful test subject of hers. That day, Luan Nian hadn't argued with her.