Chapter 3 (One more)

Mu Hanxia was slightly stunned.

Although she had spent some time with him that day, the dim night lights and shadows seemed to veil his features. Now, it was different. He stood under the bright supermarket lights, his short hair impeccably neat, and his suit sharp and crisp. Underneath was a black shirt, worn without a tie.

His hands were pocketed in his suit trousers, his chin slightly lifted, those eyes, just like that night, coldly and quietly sizing her up.

And Mu Hanxia's second impression of him was the same as the first: the man was the embodiment of pride. The strokes might be faint, but they were etched deep into his bones.

"Miss Mu." He began slowly.

Mu Hanxia showed a puzzled expression, "You are...?"

His face changed subtly.

For some reason, Mu Hanxia found this slightly satisfying. Then, with a sudden realization and a smile, she said, "Ah, it's you, I remember now. Is your wound all healed?"

Only then did he let out a light "hmm."

Mu Hanxia genuinely smiled, looked into his eyes, and said, "Congratulations."

He glanced at her, took in their surroundings, and then said, "Let's find a place to sit and talk."

"I can't leave right now," Mu Hanxia replied, "Do you have something else you want to say to me?"

He was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled, "A sales clerk?"

"Mhm, I told you I wasn't lying to you," Mu Hanxia said, hands behind her back, looking at him, "Don't forget the prefix—'beautiful and clever sales clerk.'

He gave her a look but did not laugh at her humor or cheekiness. Instead, he looked down, casting a high and mighty gaze over the cookies she had made on the counter, as if appraising her craftsmanship.

Mu Hanxia generously took out a few pieces and offered them to him, "Try some, they're on me."

He picked up a piece and put it in his mouth. Mu Hanxia couldn't help but notice his hands because they were so different from those of the male colleagues around her. His fingers were long, fair, with bony joints and not much flesh.

"How's the taste?" she asked.

He didn't answer directly but said indifferently, "Pack them all up."

Mu Hanxia was taken aback. He really was acting like a rich young master, contracting a whole basket of her cookies priced at 5.50 per pound! She laughed and said, "That won't do, I can't let you take them all, I'll give you at most half a pound."

She quickly weighed and packed them for him, as he stood quietly outside the counter, watching her movements.

Mu Hanxia handed him the cookies.

For a moment neither of them spoke, and Mu Hanxia didn't know what to say to him. A thought suddenly sprang to mind—could he be about to write her a check to show his gratitude?

Awkward, but also a bit nervously excited...

Then, he indeed reached into his pocket. Mu Hanxia watched his movements from the corner of her eye, and her face began to slowly heat up.

And then he took out... a business card? He handed it to her.

Mu Hanxia was a little startled; it was a business card.

The card was made of thin, tough pale-gold paper, scentless and unadorned. Printed on it in black, simplistic Song typeface were two lines:

Fengchen Trading Co., Ltd.

General Manager, Lin Mochen.

She had never heard of the company's name before. As for Lin Mochen, these three lean, tall characters seemed to exude strength, and it felt fitting that they belonged to his name.

The bright, clean light overhead continued to shine down purely, the warm scent of baked goods enveloping the air around them. Mu Hanxia gently wiped her hands on her apron to remove any grease before taking his business card.

"Come to my company, be an administrative assistant," he said.

Mu Hanxia was stunned.

She had never expected that what he was offering her was a job.

"You..." She found herself at a loss for words, a warm current of emotion welling up inside her.

As if he anticipated her reaction, he smiled faintly, "Take your time to consider it."

"No..." Mu Hanxia interrupted him, her face lit with an uncontrollable warm smile, yet she shook her head, "Thank you, Lin Mochen, for thinking highly of me. But there's no need, I would rather stay here at Leya, thanks anyway."

Lin Mochen said nothing.

Mu Hanxia was still reveling in her own joy, thinking whether to give him some more cookies, when she suddenly realized something seemed off about him.

Again, he looked at her with that cold, quiet gaze, and the atmosphere around him seemed to be growing cooler.

"Are you saying you'd rather stay in the supermarket and be a sales clerk?" he asked.

Mu Hanxia smiled. She thought to herself that she was about to move to the management department, but she solemnly answered, "Yes, I enjoy being a sales clerk the most."

He fell silent again. But Mu Hanxia could clearly feel that the atmosphere seemed to have become a bit tense. She thought to herself that he really had quite an attitude. Wasn't he here to express his gratitude? It was fine for her to decline his offer, so why the glum expression?