Zhen Lian

In the early morning light, Yang Liu woke up with a renewed sense of purpose, eager to tackle the day ahead. After whipping up a quick breakfast, she sent her stepson, Han Wei, off to school with a warm hug and a cheerful goodbye. As she watched him leave, a wave of excitement surged through her. She couldn't wait to discuss an upcoming school activity with her husband, Han Chen. The project involved painting a picture for Han Wei's school, and she had some creative ideas she wanted to share.

Determined to reach him, Yang Liu picked up her phone and dialed Han Chen's number. The phone rang twice before Secretary Jian answered, his tone polite but formal. "Hello, madam, this is Secretary Jian. I apologize, but Han Chen is currently in a meeting and cannot take your call. Is there something I can assist you with?"

Yang Liu felt a twinge of disappointment wash over her at the news. "Oh, it's nothing urgent. I just wanted to discuss an activity at Han Wei's school with him. I can call back later," she replied, attempting to keep her voice light despite her letdown.

Secretary Jian glanced toward the closed door of the meeting room where Han Chen was seated and quickly assured her, "That's perfectly fine, madam. I will make sure to pass along your message so he can return your call as soon as possible."

"Thank you, I appreciate it," Yang Liu said, relief washing over her, though a lingering sense of letdown remained as she hung up the phone.

Sighing softly, she attempted to shake off her disappointment when Butler Ling entered the room, accompanied by a striking woman. The newcomer had short hair, an effortless sense of style, and stylish sunglasses perched on her nose. Pulling the sunglasses down, she smiled warmly and said, "Yang Liu?"

Yang Liu's face lit up with recognition. "Yes, that's me! You must be Zhen Lian?"

"Absolutely!" Zhen Lian replied with a warm laugh. She hooked her arm through Yang Liu's in a friendly gesture, as if they were old friends reunited. "You look even more beautiful than before! I can tell you're going to shine in the painting class!"

As they stepped out of the door together, laughter and chatter filled the air, creating a cheerful atmosphere that lifted Yang Liu's spirits. Meanwhile, Butler Ling stood back, watching them with a bemused expression, already sensing a potential future headache coming his way.

On the other side of the building, Han Chen emerged from the meeting room, a satisfied expression on his face. "Everything went well in the meeting; we can head home today," he announced to Secretary Jian, who stood nearby.

Secretary Jian looked at his boss with a puzzled expression, finding it strange that Han Chen had woken him up at 5 a.m. to schedule an urgent meeting just to leave early. He couldn't help but suspect this sudden change in behavior was somehow related to the boss's wife, as Han Chen had never been this unpredictable before. With a sigh, he recalled Madame's earlier call and added, "That's good, boss; Madame called while you were in a meeting."

Han Chen paused, surprise flickering across his face at this revelation. "Oh? What did she want?" he asked, curiosity piqued. He reached for his phone and noticed a missed call from Yang Liu that lasted three minutes. Looking back at Secretary Jian, a hint of concern edged into his voice. "What did you two discuss?"

Secretary Jian felt a slight jolt of panic at the sudden intensity in his boss's gaze. He stammered, "Um, nothing serious. I just told her you were in a meeting, and she mentioned something about an activity at your son's school."

Han Chen processed the information with a thoughtful expression, feeling a mix of curiosity and concern about what Yang Liu might have wanted to discuss. "I see. Let's head home," he said, a newfound urgency in his voice. As they walked out together, he couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Yang Liu's call than met the eye.

Secretary Jian followed closely behind, contemplating the increasingly unpredictable behavior of his boss. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for whatever surprises lay ahead.