Chapter 16: Waiting for three words

The weather seemed exceptionally fine today. There were a few clouds overhead but the sky was a brilliant blue, indicating perfect weather for an outing. Outside the majestic building with the words J.I.D, two young women strode confidently and adorably into the building.

A security guard appeared with an amiable smile.

“Sorry, Misses, please stop for a security scan.”

They complied, observing the man use his handheld scanner a short distance from their clothing.

“Okay Misses, apologise for the interruption. Have a nice day.” The guard’s eyes radiated with charm as the girls smiled before they disappeared into the distance.

If a security guard could be that handsome, what more could be the designers of JID? Xin Ran smiled. Watching Janny’s expression, she could only think that Janny must be considering the same thing in her head.

For her first day at JID’s office, Xin Ran donned a frilled blouse with formal work pants. In her former office, they weren’t particular about what their employees wore to work, but Xin Ran found herself most comfortable in Ying Xue’s black pants. She wasn’t however, a fan of the frills on Ying Xue’s blouse, but the apartment was suffering a water shortage that prevented her from doing her laundry.

The lady from JID’s HR department, Amaryllis, greeted them at the lobby with a fine smile. She was a 160-centimetre beauty that required heels to look tall enough. With a sharp nose and eyes that darted around as she spoke, Xin Ran found her moves somewhat suspicious. Amaryllis was there to give the two of them a safety induction and tour around the building.

Though Xin Ran did not seem to recall having learnt anything about Health, Environment and Safety protocol, she found what Amaryllis briefed her appearing to click in her mind, as Ying Xue had known it before. This didn’t seem very difficult for her.

She was more concerned about her tasks at JID. Mainly, because she had been working at the office and studied enough cases to get a whiff of what architectural work was like. But the issue was that JID was a different place altogether. She was expected to work with an interior designer with the level of an assistant architect. She wasn’t sure if she was up to this just yet.

A supportive glance from Janny encouraged her to go on. Amaryllis told Xin Ran on the confidentiality practices of the company and informed them who they would be assigned with for the duration of the project.

“Miss Janny, you will be assigned to Super Liu, our senior designer. And you, Miss Tang, you will be assigned with our lead designer, Jing Yue.”

Jing Yue? Xin Ran almost fell backwards upon hearing the name. She knew Jing Yue was an able designer and had years of experience in that field, but the fact that he was the lead designer of JID left her astounded. Plus, she was assigned to him, of all people!

“Shall I bring you for a tour of the premises now?” the lady asked, nervously looking around the area. Seeing that her friend was silent, Janny took the initiative to ask where the coffee machine was located.

“Oh, the pantry. I’ll take you there!” Amaryllis said courteously. Obviously, Janny was not thinking ahead and saying whatever she thought on the top of her head, without considering consequences. Just less than an hour in this new office and she was thick-skinned enough to ask directly for the coffee machine.

In the pantry, a man was standing tall while enjoying a mug containing a thick latte. Janny looked on excitedly, recognising the man as the apple of Ying Xue’s eye, Jing Yue himself! She stared towards Xin Ran, smiling excessively.

“Ying Xue, it’s your chance,” she whispered erratically. Xin Ran pressed her lips together, unsure. Jing Yue scrutinised her carefully as he indulged in his latte.

“I’ll be going to the ladies for a bit,” Janny excused herself, dashing across the corridor and leaving her friend standing alone in the pantry with Jing Yue. Even Amaryllis had vanished and the corridor was empty, except for the two of them.

“Welcome to JID,” Jing Yue said in a deep and solemn voice. “I presume, Amary has concluded your induction?” He offered her an empty discardable mug for her to dispense her drink into.

She nodded. “Thanks.”

Her heart was beating hard against her chest with every word and gesture from Jing Yue, but she bit her lower lip and urged herself to remain calm. The machine dispensed both tea and coffee, and she chose an americano as usual.

“I see that you have started to enjoy coffee,” Jing Yue conveyed. She just smiled and sipped the bitter black coffee slowly. His eyes wandered around her curved figure and observed how great she looked in her attire today. As if remembering the events of their drunken encounter the other night, he abruptly looked away, uncomfortable.

Should she ask where her workstation is? Xin Ran wondered, trying to catch his gaze. She finished what was left of the coffee and dumped the styrofoam mug into the bin nearby.

“Perhaps you should consider bringing your own mug next time. It’s better for the environment,” he mouthed. She nodded again, unsure what to say.

“Later, we have a meeting outside,” he announced.

We? Did he mean just him and her, or the company in particular?

“Do you mean we as in…”

“Me and you,” he answered. “There’s a client who wants to see me about a potential project. I will pass you the file later.”

So, it was all about work, she heaved a sigh of relief and trudged after him. Since she reported to him directly, did it mean her workstation was close to his office?

How was it like working with Jing Yue? Would this mean more opportunities for her to get closer to him? But the fact that he was Fang Yiqi’s incarnate bothered her a lot. No matter how strong a woman was, they would have a soft spot in their hearts. Xin Ran’s soft spot was her emotion and how she looked forward to being loved.

She didn’t want to get hurt a second time. Especially, when Fang Yiqi was the one who had hurt her. Though it was merely a memory she had, the pain of dying without love plagued her terribly. She wanted to love desperately, but she didn’t want to get hurt like how she had been.

Three hours ticked away without Xin Ran realising as she went through the files and various cases Jing Yue wanted her to handle with him. Eventually, the others left for lunch at noon exactly while she was still working hard. She heard the phone on her desk ring and Jing Yue instructed her to come to his room.

A bento box lay on the table, which Jing Yue offered her as according to him, he had overprepared. She felt her chest throb slightly with her feelings for him. Feelings that she had not forgotten, although she was dismayed by what had happened with him earlier.

“Xin Ran, I’m sorry,” he whispered. She felt his hands wrap around her as he suddenly, without warning, pulled her into his warm embrace. All of a sudden, she felt loved, something she had never seen coming.

What she really wanted to hear from him, was the three words and how she had never got the answer from him in her past life.