Chapter 45: It’s Been a Long Time

"Su Nuo!" Duan Yubai grew even angrier.

Yet, seeing Su Nuo's cringing posture, he sighed again.

Perhaps she truly had suffered out there over the past few months.

Even if she had orchestrated the whole thing herself, she had still ended up wandering away from home for such a long time. For a girl accustomed to luxury and pampering since childhood, even spending a few months in a five-star hotel and starving herself down to this state counted as suffering.

He shoved a packet of tissues into Su Nuo's pocket.

"Your clothes are quite expensive. Use tissues instead."

Su Nuo murmured an assent, then followed behind him.

Just as she was about to step into the elevator, her footsteps halted.

Mo Xiaoxue had told her she was no longer allowed to use the executive elevator.

"What are you standing around for?" Duan Yubai asked impatiently, reaching out to block the elevator door.

Su Nuo licked her lips. "I'll take the employee elevator."

She turned to run, but her arm was firmly gripped by Duan Yubai.

"What are you acting up for? Can't this elevator fit you? There's barely any flesh on you, just a spine full of defiance."

He yanked her into the elevator and felt somewhat better when he saw her obediently standing in the corner.

"It's not like you haven't used it before. You'll keep using it from now on."

As soon as he said this, feeling he had been too soft, he added, "Just don't get in the way of my work."

Su Nuo nodded silently, though in her heart she had already resolved never to use this elevator again. The president's time was precious; if she used the elevator and ended up disrupting Duan Yubai's work, would she be expected to pay compensation? Her meager salary wasn't even enough to cover her meals; she shouldn't even entertain the thought.

When the elevator reached the underground parking garage, Chi Ling and Mo Xiaoxue were already waiting there.

Seeing the two of them come down together, Mo Xiaoxue smiled and walked up to them.

"Su Nuo, I'm sorry. My stomach wasn't feeling well, so President Duan asked you to come over and help block the drinks."

Su Nuo lowered her gaze and nodded, understanding most of it now.

So it turned out that the apple of his eye had a stomachache, which was why she was being summoned here to suffer. With so many people in the President's Office, every single one of them capable of drinking and negotiating business, why insist on her coming if not to torment her?

Duan Yubai frowned slightly, but the words of explanation remained unsaid. He hadn't brought her here specifically to block drinks; since she had entered the company, she had to do something eventually. In the past, her mind had been entirely focused on him. Now that she was finally showing a bit of obedience, she needed to learn how to work. If her abilities turned out to be decent...

Duan Yubai glanced sideways at Su Nuo sitting in the passenger seat. Perhaps, to fulfill her wishes, keeping her by his side as a secretary wouldn't be a bad idea. It seemed that apart from a brief period of docility when she first arrived at the Duan family household, things had never been like this.

He found it rather pleasant.

Upon arriving at the Sicilian Restaurant, Su Nuo felt a lingering sense of melancholy. In the past, she had been a regular here, frequently dining with a crowd of fair-weather friends. It was only during this period after her return that she realized what those so-called friends truly were—mere companions for eating and drinking.

The messages she had received on WeChat during this time were all identical:
[Xiao Nuo, are you kidding me? Playing it this big this time, did your brother take pity on you?]
[Which country did you even go to? Or did you go charter a private island?]
[Cut it out already. If Duan Yubai is genuinely angry, you're dead. Let's go out for drinks another day! It's your treat!]

No one believed what she had been through, and not a single person even asked how she was doing. During the time of her disappearance, only a few people had invited her out, but every single invitation was just asking her to attend birthday parties, bluntly stating beforehand what gifts they wanted.

The young heiress of the Su family was wealthy, capricious, and threw money around like dirt. She used to think being generous to friends was only natural. Seeing those messages now, however, she felt only a chill in her heart.

Sensing her dejection, Chi Ling slowed his pace until he was walking beside her.

Catching the scent of Chi Ling, Su Nuo's breathing grew much lighter. Subconsciously, she synchronized her steps with his, maintaining an identical pace. Chi Ling walked at a moderate speed, each stride moving at a steady velocity.

Walking beside him, Su Nuo suddenly cast aside her vexing thoughts, and her mood grew tranquil.

Duan Yubai cast a sideways glance at Su Nuo trailing behind him. Seeing her quiet and submissive demeanor, a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"Su Nuo, come here."

"Yes!"

Su Nuo almost instinctively broke into a light jog, stopping half a meter behind him.

"Sit next to me later. Xiaoxue, brief her on this project."

Mo Xiaoxue was slightly startled, but instantly composed her expression.

"Su Nuo, this project is a large-scale amusement park in partnership with Hezhong Real Estate. Your Marketing Department should have the materials; since you've been working for a full day, you must have come across them. I asked Manager Zhao to specifically let you look over the documents. You've read them, right?"

Su Nuo's footsteps faltered, while her mind screamed: *Here we go again?* She had spent almost the entire day in a daze, and Zhao Zheng hadn't dared assign her any work at all. The only real work she got in the afternoon was photocopying documents.

Seeing her expression, Duan Yubai let out a cold hum. "You've been clamoring to come work at the company, and this is your attitude? Slacking off on your very first day?"

"No, that's not it."

Su Nuo instinctively wanted to explain, but catching Mo Xiaoxue's threatening glare, she could only lower her head once more.

"I'm sorry."

"President Duan, Miss Su..."

Before Chi Ling could intercede, Mo Xiaoxue had already turned around.

"Chi Ling, today is just a private gathering; the few of us can go up. Right, President Duan?"

Duan Yubai was still burning with anger; he simply grunted an assent and stepped into the elevator first.

Meanwhile, Mo Xiaoxue directly linked her arm through Su Nuo's. "It's fine, with me here, there won't be any problems with the project. But I'll have to count on you for the drinking part."

Chi Ling watched them head upstairs, finally releasing his tightly clenched fists. With a hint of irritation, he returned to his car, his gaze fixed unblinkingly on the illuminated private dining room.

Duan Yubai didn't say another word to Su Nuo.

As for Mo Xiaoxue, she pinched Su Nuo's arm viciously, whispering in a voice audible only to the two of them just before pushing open the door: "Drink properly. If this business deal gets botched..." She shook her phone menacingly, and Su Nuo instantly fell silent with fright.

Mo Xiaoxue smiled with great satisfaction before pushing open the door to the private room.

"Director Wang, I'm so sorry to keep you waiting."

The moment Su Nuo stepped inside, a foul odor assaulted her senses. Someone's gaze immediately locked onto her, making her scalp tingle. She was far too familiar with this sensation—so familiar that it churned her stomach with nausea. Back in the compound, she had long since learned to distinguish people's attitudes toward her: goodwill, malice, and ill intentions.

Clearly, someone in this room harbored ill intentions toward her.

Subconsciously, she shrank behind Duan Yubai, but Mo Xiaoxue violently yanked her out.

"Director Wang, I'm feeling unwell today, so I can only ask our esteemed Miss Su to accompany you for a few drinks."

Su Nuo caught the sickening stench emanating from the man and felt on the verge of vomiting. Then, she heard a sticky, unctuous voice purr:

"Well, well, Xiao Nuo. It's been quite a long time."