Chapter 111: Here to Protect You

"..."

Ruan Mianmian looked up at the ceiling in exasperation. In the end, utterly frustrated, she dragged Jiang Ce over to the luxury loungewear section. "Look for yourself," she said. "How is this any different from those?"

Jiang Ce lowered his gaze, his eyes lingering on a piece of sheer, delicate lingerie. Leaning close to her ear, he whispered, "If we're talking about sleepwear, I think this one would suit you."

"..."

Was this the legendary art of acting like a rogue with a perfectly straight face?

Ruan Mianmian shot him a freezing glare. He quickly averted his gaze, rubbing his nose with a lingering smile.

Fortunately, Jiang Ce had leaned down and spoken in a low voice. To onlookers, they merely looked like they were sharing an intimate whisper, and no one could hear what he actually said.

Ruan Mianmian's cheeks flushed, but she had to force herself to act as if nothing had happened.

"Let's go to another store."

Ruan Mianmian glanced at Jiang Ce and walked out on her own.

Jiang Ce followed her silently.

In the end, under Jiang Ce's relentless recommendations, Ruan Mianmian settled on a simple, long black dress. It had no elaborate embellishments, looking elegant and understated.

Ruan Mianmian was too tired to keep browsing anyway; to her, all these evening gowns looked more or less the same.

On the way back, Jiang Ce said in a slightly sullen voice, "You've never dressed up this much just to see me."

Ruan Mianmian didn't bother to reply. She simply leaned back against her seat with her eyes closed, a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing on her lips.

Two days later, the wedding banquet of Zhou Kai, the president of Kaiyue Group, arrived as scheduled.

Ruan Mianmian and Jian Yanzhi only needed to attend the evening reception, so Ruan Mianmian had to bring her gown to the office first. She would change into it when it was time to head over for the evening.

Two hours before the end of the workday, Jian Yanzhi appeared at the entrance of the design department right on time.

Usually, Jian Yanzhi dressed in his signature black trousers and business attire. His tall, upright frame exuded the charm of a mature man. Today, he had changed into a grayish-blue suit, which gave him a slightly more relaxed air than usual, though he remained as handsome as ever.

Moreover, he had styled his hair today; his neatly parted short hair was styled with a touch of deliberate, casual messiness. It was obvious he had dressed up with care.

The moment he appeared, almost everyone in the office turned their eyes toward him.

"Wow! Mr. Jian looks so handsome today!"

"Right? It looks like he even styled his hair. Is he going on a date?"

The people in the office began to whisper among themselves.

Amid the flurry of whispers, Ruan Mianmian looked up to find Jian Yanzhi already walking slowly toward her.

"Let's go."

Jian Yanzhi eagerly extended his hand to her.

Behind them, the onlookers' eyes lit up with excitement. Was Mr. Jian going on a date with Director Ruan?!

Under everyone's expectant and envious gazes, Ruan Mianmian quietly ignored Jian Yanzhi's outstretched hand. She grabbed the bag beside her and walked out the door without saying a word.

Looking at his empty hand, Jian Yanzhi couldn't help but shake his head with a smile before following her out.

Once they were inside the elevator, Ruan Mianmian couldn't help but complain. "Why did you dress up so extravagantly? Anyone who didn't know better would think you were the one getting married!"

"I would love to get married, but I'm missing a bride. Would you care to introduce yourself to me?"

"No, thank you."

Ruan Mianmian rejected him coldly without even looking up.

The elevator stopped at the third basement level. Ruan Mianmian stepped out first, and Jian Yanzhi silently went to get the car.

After the car drove out of the garage, Ruan Mianmian froze for a moment. She asked, "Aren't we going to the Wanbaoli Hotel? This isn't the right direction."

Jian Yanzhi replied with a light smile, "It's still early. I'm taking you to get styled."

"Hmm?" Ruan Mianmian frowned and countered, "Do you think I'm too embarrassing to be seen like this?"

Jian Yanzhi's gaze swept over Ruan Mianmian's bare, makeup-free face, and he smiled. "I don't mind, but shouldn't you at least style your hair a bit?"

He remembered that Ruan Mianmian used to like wavy curls, but at some point, she had switched to this long, straight black hair. It made her look less flashy and more like a student. Moreover, Ruan Mianmian rarely wore makeup now, making her look much fresher and cleaner than before.

"I don't think it's necessary. I'm fine like this."

Ruan Mianmian flatly rejected Jian Yanzhi's suggestion, and silence fell over the car.

"Are you really Ruan Mianmian?"

Jian Yanzhi's sudden question broke the silence. Ruan Mianmian whipped her head around to look at him, her face filled with surprise.

She asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Could Jian Yanzhi have noticed something?

Before Ruan Mianmian could press further, Jian Yanzhi shook his head and smiled. "Nothing. I just feel like you've changed so much. It's as if the twenty years I've known you were all for nothing."

"Ha!"

Ruan Mianmian let out a silent sigh of relief and sneered. "You make it sound as if you knew me so well before. The truth is, whether I was good or bad, innocent or seductive back then, you never cared anyway. How could you possibly remember what I used to be like?"

Jian Yanzhi was silenced by Ruan Mianmian's sharp retort.

At the next intersection, Jian Yanzhi silently turned the car around and headed toward the Wanbaoli Hotel.

Upon arriving at the hotel, Jian Yanzhi booked two rooms so Ruan Mianmian could rest and change.

"It's still early. The official banquet starts at seven, so you can rest for a bit," Jian Yanzhi said as he stood by her door, looking as though he wanted to say more but hesitated.

It was only six-thirty, leaving them with half an hour.

Ruan Mianmian simply nodded, and with a loud thud, she shut the door in his face. She was so ruthless that she didn't leave him a single second for small talk.

Jian Yanzhi stared at the closed door in a daze for a moment before silently walking to the room across the hall.

Not long after he entered his room, a familiar figure suddenly appeared in the hallway. The person was dressed as a waiter, holding an empty tray. He wore a Bluetooth earpiece, showing he was on a call.

"Sister Ruan has gone into her room. Yes, two rooms. She's alone in hers. Don't worry, I'll keep a close eye on her."

A-Kuan hung up the call and walked over to the door of room 1701.

*Knock, knock.*

Ruan Mianmian paused as she was adjusting her shoulder straps, looking toward the door with suspicion.

*Knock, knock.*

The rhythmic knocking sounded again.

Tolerating her discomfort, Ruan Mianmian pulled her clothes back on; she hadn't had the chance to put on the evening gown yet.

"That damn Jian Yanzhi! Can't he just let me change in peace?"

Muttering in annoyance, Ruan Mianmian walked to the door. But the moment she pulled it open, she froze.

"What are you doing here?"

Ruan Mianmian's bright eyes widened slightly. Looking at the familiar face before her, she asked in surprise, "And why are you dressed like that?"

A-Kuan slipped into the room and grinned at her. "The boss sent me to protect you."