Chapter 433: CEO Mo, Nice to Meet You (3)
Shen Mu's eyes were sharp, and he immediately caught sight of her. After taking a look in her direction, he greeted her as he approached, "CEO Ji."
By calling her CEO Ji instead of Miss Ji, Shen Mu displayed his understanding behind her appearance here and did not bring up the matters of the past.
Ji Nuan nodded toward Shen Mu and had no choice but to meet eyes with Mo Jingshen.
There was a moment when their gazes collided head-on. The man's line of sight had shifted in her direction, and his clear black pupils were clearly focused on her.
They were surrounded by a large crowd, and most of the attention was focused on them. Ji Nuan smiled and casually greeted, "CEO Mo, nice to meet you."
She offered six simple words and did not even bring up how long it had been since they last met. All she said was, 'CEO Mo, nice to meet you.'
Mo Jingshen nodded in response. He watched her as though this was their first time meeting in the business world, and there was nothing special about her.
The man glanced away and headed toward the other side of the room, where Shine Group's logo was clearly displayed.
Earlier, the distant composure and indifference Ji Nuan had seen in the man's eyes were just as she remembered.
Ji Nuan's smile remained unchanged; it was polite and slightly cold.
This sort of peace was good as well; at the very least, they wouldn't have to avoid each other intentionally.
Shen Mu saw that CEO Mo had left and turned to offer Ji Nuan another smile: "There probably won't be much opportunity to speak with Miss Ji again in such an event. Did you come alone?"
Ji Nuan did not reply. She smiled at Shen Mu and made a 'please' gesture with her hand, indicating for him to go busy himself. There was no need for him to be so polite to her.
As Ji Nuan shifted her gaze away, she caught sight of the suit Mo Jingshen was wearing from the corner of her eyes. As usual, he was dressed in a deep, black color. The appearance of his attire was sufficient to erase all of the storms that had once occurred around him. Despite the passing of fleeting time, he appeared unaffected. He had kept away his original reserved and gentle temperament, leaving behind only ruthlessness and cold detachment. Even though he only stood several meters away, it felt as though he was standing on the horizons of the world and had become even more difficult to reach.
Nonetheless, the man remained handsome and tall; he stood out clearly from the crowd.
Mo Jingshen was no longer the decisive and ruthless man who had separated from her for ten years. He also wasn't the man who had once doted on her endlessly and was willing to sacrifice his life for her. It was as though he had become a complete new him, and this was his true appearance.
Shen Mu saw that Ji Nuan did not have any intention of speaking and could only nod to her before turning away to leave. Mo Jingshen had already headed to the other side of the path and did not waste an extra look on her.
This reunion had come too abruptly and ended too abruptly.
Nonetheless, it unfolded appropriately and did not leave her embarrassed or uncomfortable.
—-
An evening party was held after the exhibition. Ji Nuan was still contemplating the invitation to stay at the seaside resort.
Earlier at the exhibition, she had seen two familiar figures. At the time, the provincial and city leaders were speaking and were inviting bids and discussing various construction projects with the attending business elite. Everyone was focused on the future development of Hai City, and it wasn't convenient for her to move about as she pleased in the formal exhibition.
Finally, when the exhibition came to an end, melodious music filled the air. Every now and then, the attendees would raise their glasses and drink in groups of threes and fives.
Various old CEOs also came to greet Ji Nuan with their wine glasses. When they learned that Ji Nuan was MN Group's CEO, they would heap on praises and exchange business cards. Ji Nuan couldn't take a temporary leave.
She was beautiful.
Her beautiful features and the indifferent detachment emitting from her figure further encouraged men to crowd around her. Everyone had the intention to find out more about a woman like her.
At this moment, two familiar figures approached.
When Ji Mengran appeared before Ji Nuan's sight with her hand on Sheng Yihan's arm, Ji Nuan's gaze only lingered on her face for several seconds, as though to confirm that Ji Mengran was truly alive. On the other hand, Ji Mengran's eyes were filled with sharp thorns as though she was attempting to burn Ji Nuan alive.
Ji Nuan glanced at Ji Mengran indifferently and vaguely raised her glass toward her as a signal. Ji Hongwen had already informed her of Ji Mengran's situation. Thus, Ji Nuan had no intention to speak to her.
On the other hand, Ji Mengran remained holding onto Sheng Yihan's arm as she pretended to be intimately nestled up to him. As Ji Nuan gently raised her wine glass toward her, she raised her brows and chuckled: "I thought you planned to stay in England forever. Who would have thought that you would return after only three years. Are things not working out in England? Why have you returned to a small place like Hai City?"
Ji Nuan's gaze indifferently shifted back to her, before moving onto Sheng Yihan. When she turned back to Ji Mengran, her lips had curled into a vague smile: "Hai City is indeed a small place. I've only just returned, and I already met both of you. You say, how small must this place be? Even though Mengran had clearly disappeared for so long, you still managed to return. Did your attempt to leave Hai City's circle go poorly, or were your efforts to create results outside futile? Did you have no choice but to return and look for a dependable person to rely on?"
Ji Mengran harrumphed and turned to look at the person by her side: "Brother Sheng, it's been a long time since you last contacted Ji Nuan, isn't it? She seems completely unaware of our relationship."
Sheng Yihan's arm was placed by his side and was tightly held by Ji Mengran. Even though Sheng Yihan completely did not plan on being intimate in public, he only paused for a moment and did not push her away. He watched Ji Nuan, who had grown to become even more dazzling, and was quiet for a moment before speaking: "It's only been a few years, and the little woman has transformed into a world-famous career woman. This is truly eye-opening. However, in a place like Hai City, the crowd gathered is far too diverse. There are too many matters that are difficult for you to control. Since you've returned, remember to keep away some of your edges. It's better to maintain a low profile."
Although his words sounded like kind advice, with Ji Mengran standing by his side, they were clearly mocking.
Ji Nuan naturally understood that in the local business circle, only those who knew when to retreat would be able to protect themselves. Although MN Group was currently renowned amongst Chinese, it had only been a few years since its establishment. It wasn't especially difficult for someone to step over them.
"Can CEO Sheng's words be considered bitter medicine?" Ji Nuan was unmoved as she glanced at him. She carelessly played with the untouched champagne glass in her hand and replied calmly: "I'm quite aware of my own career status and am somewhat experienced with ups and downs. On the other hand, I heard that..."
She paused and looked at Ji Mengran with a cold chuckle: "Ji Mengran received a large sum of investment from you, and has also opened a property studio in Hai City?"