The CEO Outsmarted Me

Qingcheng, Lijiang Hotel. At 9 PM, the third floor inner hall of the hotel was hosting a birthday party. Unlike the brightly lit outer hall, the inner hall was dimly lit but not dazzling. The lighting was a mix of darker hues cast onto the elaborately decorated walls and carpet. Paired with pleasant jazz music, the atmosphere of the party was perfectly set. “Ruan Ruan, I heard you went on a blind date a few days ago?” The birthday girl, Miss Jiang, asked this while Ruan An’an was gently lifting her glass to take a sip of wine. The sharp taste spread across her tongue, and she nearly choked upon hearing the question. ...How did news get out just as soon as she went on the date? “Well, little birthday star, how come you’re so well-informed?” Ruan An’an swallowed nervously and turned her head. “I’m in the U.S. and you already know I went on a blind date?” “Hey—my brother knows him, and he mentioned you when he came to my house today, I just happened to overhear,” Jiang Yi’s eyes widened with excitement as she lowered her voice. “You didn’t deny it! So it’s true?!” Indeed, just a few days ago, Ruan An’an had her very first blind date in life. —Though it ended in failure. And it wasn’t exactly by her choice; basically, she just followed the elders’ advice, had a meal, and met someone. But if one insisted, it could be called a blind date. “So? Any chance? Did you like him?” Jiang Yi fired off a series of questions, adding, “My brother even praised you a lot!” Ruan An’an’s blind date, the eldest son of the Cheng family, was good friends with her brother. They were like brothers who said everything openly, not hiding anything from her. At first, Cheng Yi’s compliments were subtle, but then, for some reason, he got carried away, praising her more and more ridiculously — almost calling her a fairy. Ruan An’an tilted her head slightly, her expression as if organizing her words. She had a small, pure, and beautiful face; her off-shoulder dress fully revealed her swan-like neck and collarbones, a wine glass held delicately in one hand. Her slender wrist and porcelain skin contrasted sharply with the dark red liquid — a striking and captivating scene. Since they met, Jiang Yi knew she was beautiful, but after three years, her beauty had reached an even higher level. No wonder the eldest son of the Cheng family went crazy over her. Jiang Yi stared at this fairy-like face before her. After a few seconds, the “fairy” finally spoke, answering the questions one by one: “No chance. No spark. Not my type.” “...” Jiang Yi couldn’t help but roll her eyes so hard it almost hurt. “No spark” — that phrase again! They had known each other for ten years. Back in middle and high school, Ruan An’an had the nickname “Lawn Mower.” Because, statistically, she had received the most confessions from class, school, and various popular boys. Back then, she rejected them all for roughly the same reason. —No spark, no chemistry. No attraction to their faces, no love possible. As her best friend for ten years, Jiang Yi knew very well that though Ruan An’an looked like a fairy, deep down she was a die-hard face-lover. She could obsessively gush over a beautiful woman who matched her aesthetic, but was extremely picky about men. “You’ve been studying at Harvard for years; if foreign guys don’t fit your type, fine. But there are so many rich young masters here, and none of them do it for you…” But... even as a lifetime member of the “looks club,” she just couldn’t find the face she loved most. Kind of sad, actually. Thinking that, Jiang Yi stopped herself from complaining. She joked casually: “I think the man who’ll catch your eye hasn’t even been born yet. Ruan Ruan, be patient and wait for him.” Ruan An’an naturally picked up the thread: “Yeah, and then?” “Hmm? Then what?” Ruan An’an drew out her words slowly: “I’ll wait for him to grow up... but by then, I’ll be old.” “...” Jiang Yi blinked: “Huh?” Ruan An’an said: “Casual flings only lead to pregnancy.” “???” What kind of ridiculous poetic line was that? And it even rhymed? Weird, that’s enough nonsense to call for a volunteer to take her away. Jiang Yi gave her a “you’re crazy” look: “Did Harvard teach you how to write bad poetry? Have you had too much to drink? Want some peanuts to sober up?” Ruan An’an had indeed drunk a bit too much, and Jiang Yi’s reaction made her feel good, so she laughed for a while. Ruan An’an drank a few more rounds with the birthday girl but noticed more people around trying to talk to Jiang Yi, hesitant because of the unfamiliar girl standing nearby. They kept glancing over at her, as if silently saying, “Enough hogging Miss Jiang, let us have a turn.” After receiving so many looks like that, Ruan An’an got a bit bored. She put down her empty glass on the tray and said, “Babe, I’m heading out first. Jet lag from the flight yesterday hasn’t worn off, and I’ve got something to handle tomorrow. I’ll hang out with you properly another day.” “All right, rest well then,” Jiang Yi paused, “But you’ve only been back for a few hours, what could you possibly have to do tomorrow?” Ruan An’an hesitated but then thought it would be public soon anyway, so there was no harm in saying it. She adjusted her hair and casually said, “Going to donate a building to C University.” “Pfft…” — Ruan An’an slept until noon the next day, fully recharged and refreshed. Following her plan, after breakfast she drove to C University. Qingcheng had distinct seasons. Approaching September, the early autumn breeze brought a slight chill, making even the afternoon comfortably cool. C University, established for a hundred years, had a long history. Despite fierce competition among top universities, it never fell out of the top three in national rankings and held first place in several key majors — finance and computer science, the latter being Ruan An’an’s major. This time, “Fanlin” was about to invest in cooperation with C University in the computer science field. Ruan An’an never liked studying hard. She was the kind of student who refused to repeat exercises once she grasped the concept. She spent more time tutoring Jiang Yi in senior year than studying herself. Like a carefree student, she maintained top grades in class rankings. When she was admitted to C University, she chose computer science, her favorite major. She expected a carefree four years, but fate changed, and after only one year, she transferred to Harvard to study finance. Her experience there was different from what everyone expected. Ruan An’an was good at academics and left unmonitored, but used to being laid-back. She never missed extracurricular activities. But at Harvard, there were basically no “idle people” like her. Disliking the intense study atmosphere and thinking differently from others, following the principle of “jump early, finish early, die early, reincarnate early,” she studied day and night, worked hard to earn extra credits, and persevered for three years to get a degree that others took six years to obtain before finally returning home. Though hard, it saved her three years of hardship — a win for her. A familiar figure appeared at the campus gate. Ruan An’an smiled and greeted. Though once a student here, this time she came as a representative of the “Fanlin” investor, shaking hands with several people. She saw the old president’s smile, whom she hadn’t seen in three years. President Li, in his early fifties, with a classic Mediterranean hairstyle, greeted her warmly, “Little Ruan—” Ruan An’an laughed, “Hey? You still remember me, President?” “That’s what I said!” President Li glared in disagreement. “I remember every one of my proud students!” Indeed, Ruan An’an had been one of his proud students for one year. Though the president, he was also a top computer science professor. When there was a national college computer competition, to compete with neighboring F University, he personally coached, leading C University to victory. Ruan An’an was part of the finals team. She laughed even more joyfully. “It’s such an honor to be remembered by you.” Ruan An’an came alone, dressed casually. She and the C University team first inspected the agreed construction site on campus, then toured the area, and finally headed indoors for signing. The details had long been drafted, so the visit was simple. Though away for three years, she still remembered most of the campus. The president’s office was on the top floor. Inside the teaching building, she pointed to the restroom, “You go ahead, I’ll be right there.” Everyone nodded and entered the elevator before her. Ruan An’an turned and went to the restroom. After finishing, she washed her hands and checked her reflection in the mirror. She’d applied sunscreen before leaving and was basically wearing no makeup. Maybe due to good sleep, her face was fair and glowing, eyes bright and clear. Wearing casual clothes, she blended perfectly with the campus atmosphere. When she stepped out, the previously empty corridor now had several girls. One had a high ponytail, another big waves, and another a braid. They gathered near the elevator, obviously unaware of her, talking rapidly and intensely. Ruan An’an walked over and pressed the elevator button, overhearing their exclamations: High ponytail: “That guy just now was so handsome! Which department is he from? How have I never seen him before? Our school has such a hottie and I didn’t know?!” Big waves: “Give me a moment to recover... I can’t! I just made eye contact with him, front on! His face is unbeatable!” Braid (quietly): “Could he be from the neighboring film school?” High ponytail immediately rebutted: “No way, it’s not another school. It’s only August 30th, clearly he’s a student who came early to settle in, just like us!” “Ahhhh, I so want that handsome guy’s number!” Big waves poked the braid: “Honey, you’re wearing makeup today, why don’t you go ask?” ... Their excitement was obvious. Ruan An’an — the ultimate face-lover — thought to herself. Hottie? Super handsome guy? Really... that handsome? At that moment, the meme “Let me see your face” popped into her head.