Chapter Twenty-One: A Bit Difficult to Handle

Akwan furrowed his brows slightly, pondered for a moment, and replied, “I don’t think so. Boss isn’t picky about food, but I don’t recall anything he especially likes.”
If there was something he was truly fond of, it would be... Miss Ruan.

Ruan Mianmian pursed her lips, suddenly feeling that Jiang Ce was just like the kind of person in legends—impervious to persuasion, difficult to deal with.

But on the way, Ruan Mianmian noticed a flower shop. Outside, there were displays of dried flowers, green plants, and a variety of blooms—some budding, some in full, radiant blossom.

Without a word, she asked Akwan to stop the car and walked straight into the flower shop.

Akwan didn’t follow her, staying behind in the car. As soon as Ruan Mianmian got out, a teasing male voice rang out inside.

“What’s Miss Ruan up to?”

Akwan grinned, lowering his voice, “That’s a secret. Miss Ruan wants to surprise the boss.”

On the other end, Shen Qing let out a drawn-out “wow,” but something seemed to happen, and the line suddenly went silent—then Jiang Ce’s voice came through.

“Come back early. Don’t linger outside for too long.”

Akwan straightened his expression at once. “Yes, Boss, don’t worry!”

But the call didn’t disconnect. Akwan vaguely sensed that someone on the other end wanted to ask something but was too embarrassed to speak up.

Akwan teased, “Boss, are you looking forward to it too?”

Jiang Ce’s eyes paused, then he replied coldly, “Are you looking for trouble?”

Akwan instantly clapped a hand over his mouth, but his eyes curved into a line with laughter.

Soon, Ruan Mianmian returned. With the shop assistant’s help, she’d chosen several types of flowers and had them arranged into a perfect, beautiful bouquet. She hugged the bouquet and quietly settled into the back seat.

As the car started slowly, Ruan Mianmian caught a glimpse of Akwan’s odd expression in the rearview mirror.

“What are you grinning about?”

Caught red-handed, Akwan immediately pressed his lips together and shook his head vigorously.

Ruan Mianmian eyed him suspiciously, but then settled quietly in the back until they returned to the garage at Starfish Bay.

On the way back to her room, Ruan Mianmian could feel curious glances from all sides—some were simply inquisitive, others were clearly teasing, and some were bold enough to come right up and ask.

“I heard you’re preparing a surprise for the boss?”

Seeing the amused look in Li Zheng’s eyes, Ruan Mianmian shot a cold glare at Akwan behind her.

That big mouth!

She put on a fake smile, meeting Li Zheng’s gaze directly. “What, do you want one too?”

“No, no! I couldn’t possibly accept!” Li Zheng shook his head, still grinning. “I’m about to get off shift. I probably won’t see the show later, so I came to greet you in advance.”

Ruan Mianmian rolled her eyes. “How generous of you.”

Suppressing his laughter, Li Zheng walked past. Ruan Mianmian couldn’t hold back any longer; she lifted her foot and aimed a kick at Akwan behind her.

“Are you the gossiping old lady from the village? Can’t keep your mouth shut!”

Akwan covered his mouth, laughing without dodging. Of course, Ruan Mianmian didn’t really use any force. Just then, he pointed ahead with a finger.

Ruan Mianmian’s heart sank. She turned her head—and there was Jiang Ce behind her, looking at her with a gaze too complex to describe.

“I’ll deal with you later,” Ruan Mianmian muttered through gritted teeth, giving Akwan a sharp look.

He nodded rapidly and slipped away, not forgetting to wink mischievously at Jiang Ce as he passed.

Jiang Ce: “...Looking for trouble?” Akwan vanished in a flash.

Ruan Mianmian let out a long breath, thinking to herself: Next time I kick someone, I really need to use all my strength!

Jiang Ce, on the other hand, remained calm, as if nothing had happened. His gaze was as cool as ever, but tinged with a hint of puzzlement.

At first, Ruan Mianmian didn’t think much of it, but after all that fuss, she found herself inexplicably nervous—especially with Jiang Ce showing up at just the right moment.

Seeing her frozen in place, Jiang Ce stepped toward her. Ruan Mianmian scratched her head, rooted to the spot.

Was she supposed to say something now?

Before she could decide, Jiang Ce had already walked up, but he didn’t pause—he simply walked right past her.

“You...” Ruan Mianmian was stunned. Without thinking, she reached out and grabbed Jiang Ce’s arm.

“What is it?” He looked at her with a cold, unreadable expression.

That look immediately made Ruan Mianmian lose her nerve. She hurriedly let go of his arm and shook her head. “Nothing.”

Jiang Ce glanced down at the golden bouquet in her hand, said nothing, nodded slightly, and walked away.

“Ugh—what a stone-faced man!”

Ruan Mianmian took a deep breath, shooting a furtive glare at his retreating back. Once the door closed behind him, she felt as though she couldn’t catch her breath.

Not long after, Akwan slipped back in, on a mission for information. Spotting the bouquet still sitting untouched on the table, he was a bit surprised.

“Ruan, why didn’t you give it to him?” Akwan quietly adjusted his way of addressing her.

Ruan Mianmian slumped onto the sofa, glaring at Akwan. “You talk too much!”

Akwan hurried to explain, “It wasn’t me who spilled the beans!”

Clearly, you were talking while the boss was listening in... but Akwan wisely kept that to himself.

Ruan Mianmian didn’t answer. In truth, what bothered her wasn’t that—rather, it was Jiang Ce’s attitude, which was just too daunting.

“Forget it, I’ll just keep the flowers and admire them myself,” she muttered weakly.

“No way!” Akwan urged her on, “Ruan, how can you give up so easily? Didn’t you say earlier, no matter what, you’d win him over—?”

“Tch—” Ruan Mianmian let out a dry laugh. Thinking back to the bold declarations she’d made in the car, she now felt utterly powerless.

“Seriously, your boss is way too difficult. Didn’t he say I’m his true love? Wasn’t it supposed to be the kind of love that takes your breath away? So why’s this the treatment I get?”

She couldn’t help but mentally complain about the unscrupulous author. If it weren’t for those bizarre settings, she wouldn’t have ended up in this predicament.

“You’ve misunderstood our boss,” Akwan whispered, leaning closer. “He’s famous for his loyalty and deep feelings. Ruan, you need to trust yourself!”

“Really?” A new spark of hope flickered in Ruan Mianmian’s heart.

Akwan nodded earnestly, “Really!”

She sat up straight at once. If that was the case, she ought to make a bit more effort.

“By the way, what kind of woman does your boss like? Cute and lively? Sexy and elegant?” Ruan Mianmian mused—maybe it was time to change tactics.

But Akwan just laughed. “Just stay as you are, Ruan.”

Really?

Ruan Mianmian began plotting mischievously. According to the author’s settings, Jiang Ce was always devoted to Ruan Mianmian—no matter what she did, that should never change.

With that thought, her spirits lifted. She jumped up, grabbed the bouquet, and declared, “Fine, I refuse to believe I can’t win him over!”

Akwan cheered her on with a tiny fist, “You got this, Ruan! Believe in yourself. I’ll be waiting for your good news!”