01.

Shen Qianzhan’s long-distance proposal at the awards ceremony unexpectedly went viral. Overnight, the “long-distance proposal meme” became popular across all major social media platforms.

As for the person who was proposed to, Ji Qinghe, she naturally became the focus of enthusiastic netizens’ attention.

Below Bu Zhong Sui’s official Weibo, emotions were running high, with everyone helping relay to Shen Qianzhan the public sentiment: “She’s ready, President Ji can propose now.”

That evening, Bu Zhong Sui’s official Weibo had originally planned to post a video advertisement.

Unexpectedly, when staff logged into Weibo, they first saw the interaction section flooded with nothing but “urging marriage” messages.

The sheer volume of information was identical to when Bu Zhong Sui was caught in the eye of public opinion half a year ago.

Thus, faced with this bewildering situation, Bu Zhong Sui held an emergency PR meeting overnight.

The meeting initially began seriously, focusing on “how to transform this netizen trend into brand promotion for Bu Zhong Sui, maximizing benefits.” But gradually, as a certain employee whose focus had wandered suddenly suggested, “Should we relay the public sentiment and let President Ji prepare to do a four-part series?”

Seeing everyone’s sideways glances, the employee licked their lips and explained dryly, “We could perfectly integrate Bu Zhong Sui’s jewelry brand. There probably isn’t a better promotional plan than this… right?”

Everyone nodded in agreement, feeling Employee A made perfect sense: “Making a proposal special would both document President Ji’s unforgettable love story, serve as witness for the boss and boss lady, and achieve brand promotional effects. President Ji might agree.”

“Right! Don’t netizens love watching people show affection and spread dog food? Let’s write copy tonight, draft a short piece. This would absolutely be what everyone wants to see, with built-in traffic flow.”

This idea was quite fresh.

No one thought it bold or presumptuous to target their boss with this scheme. Everyone brainstormed together, working overnight to create a PR proposal. As soon as dawn broke, they handed the planning document to Ming Jue.

The person in question, who had spent last night with the enchantress Shen and heard not a whisper of this development, showed a moment of distraction when seeing the planning document: “Did she really say that?”

Ming Jue’s hand paused while handing him the pen, his tone stiff: “You didn’t know?”

Ji Qinghe had accompanied Shen Qianzhan down the red carpet last night, watched her win the Golden Award for Best Producer, then left early to host a video conference. Naturally, he knew nothing about her subsequent interview content.

But in front of Ming Jue, he naturally wouldn’t admit this.

Ji Qinghe even recalled last night’s unusually passionate behavior, finally capturing in his frame-by-frame mental replay her mischievously hidden teasing.

She did it on purpose.

As one of the parties involved, Shen Qianzhan, after dropping Ji Qinghe at the airport, drove to the company to chair the regular meeting.

During the filming of “I Want to Hide You and Time Away,” Shen Qianzhan had also accomplished something major while multitasking – registering a film and television media company as the starting point for her independent production career.

Her ambition had never been small. Once the company took initial shape, she began expanding outward.

The Best Producer award carried significant weight.

Since last night, she had been receiving cooperation invitations falling like snowflakes, not to mention the message notifications that hadn’t stopped since she opened her eyes this morning – some congratulating her on winning, others extending olive branches.

Like a shell that had been dormant for half a year was suddenly cracked open, peace shattered everywhere. Everywhere she looked was a world full of prosperity and excitement.

For the past six months, Shen Qianzhan had devoted herself to producing, ignoring all outside commentary and refusing to speak out.

When you close the door and ignore the knocking, the world can do nothing to you. But if you care, even the lightest breeze feels like bone-gnawing, blood-swallowing torment.

She had experienced ridicule and condemnation from thousands, and also experienced the sudden kindness after a complete reversal.

Shen Qianzhan knew she was just one light point among countless beams. So after resolving the issues, she didn’t capitalize on the momentum but instead laid low, focusing on her work.

This half-year of ascetic, strictly disciplined life had obviously helped her deliver the best possible results. Only now did she reveal her ambition, gradually expanding her territorial map step by step.

After the meeting ended, Shen Qianzhan estimated Ji Qinghe’s flight had landed. Standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, she called him.

After a brief busy tone, there was a slight vibration alert sound, faintly coming from the corridor outside.

She glanced at her watch and didn’t think much of the sound from the corridor.

Until—

The glass door of the meeting room was gently knocked, and the phone’s vibration sound was infinitely amplified in the quiet small conference hall.

She turned around in amazement.

The man who should have landed in Xi’an was now standing at the door, holding a rose.

Shen Qianzhan opened her lips, looking at him in disbelief: “Didn’t you…”

“Didn’t leave.” He leaned against the door without approaching, staying there with a half-smile as he looked at her: “The ring just hasn’t been delivered yet. If you’re not in a hurry, give me two more days?”

Shen Qianzhan still couldn’t process his return. She blinked, with only one thought: Damn it, her passionate bar night tonight was probably going to be ruined.

She put away her phone, cleared her throat, and said sheepishly: “Did you get off the plane?”

“Never boarded.” He glanced at the guilty-looking Shen Qianzhan twice and asked: “Do you have plans tonight?”

Shen Qianzhan denied: “No.”

Ji Qinghe guessed blindly: “Meeting Song Yan? Or Lin Qiao?”

The stubborn Shen Qianzhan: “Really, no.”

Ji Qinghe smiled slightly: “Fu Yang and Jiang Juanshan – should I randomly verify with one of them?”

Shen Qianzhan, no matter how stubborn, had to bow to reality: “I made plans with both.”

Ji Qinghe nodded: “Bar? Or private club?”

“…”

Seeing that everything was about to be exposed, Shen Qianzhan scratched her temple with her finger, walked a few steps to stand in front of him, smiling radiantly with captivating charm, trying to use beauty to deceive and muddle through: “Health tea house.”

Ji Qinghe didn’t expose her lie. He reached back to close the glass door and lowered the venetian blinds around the meeting room.

In the sound of mechanical gears and electrical currents, Shen Qianzhan was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. She immediately pointed to the surveillance camera in the corner of the conference hall: “There’s a camera here.”

“I see it.” Ji Qinghe bent his finger to loosen his tie, took a few steps to carry her into the surveillance blind spot, pressing her against the glass window.

The rose he held in his hand had its stem broken in half and inserted into the lapel of her suit jacket.

As if this intimidation wasn’t sufficient, he called Su Zan, his voice slightly hoarse as he instructed: “Move a chair to the meeting room door and guard it. Don’t let anyone in.”

Su Zan was crunching on sugarcane when he heard this. A mouthful of sugar got stuck in his throat, nearly choking him. Clutching his phone like a startled lackey, he stuttered: “I… I don’t think I can handle this. I’m young and hot-blooded. If I hear something… I’m afraid I won’t be able to take it.”

After speaking, he cleared his throat and asked seriously: “Is one hour enough?”

Ji Qinghe didn’t answer. He hung up casually, his eyes gazing deeply at Shen Qianzhan who had gone rigid against the glass window, chuckling softly: “Did you hear that?”

Shen Qianzhan hesitantly nodded.

Ji Qinghe lowered his head to bite her lower lip: “So what do you think? Is one hour enough?”

This deadly question was as difficult as “If your mother and I both fell into the water, who would you save first?” Shen Qianzhan used her little brain and answered: “Theoretically, it’s not enough.”

Ji Qinghe raised an eyebrow slightly, looking at her.

His gaze was deep and lustful, making her throat itch slightly. Shen Qianzhan swallowed and let her gaze fall on his slightly exposed collarbone, pausing for a moment before saying: “In practice, it’s probably still not enough…”

She stood on her tiptoes, actively embracing him. Her nose nuzzled into his neck, deeply inhaling the cold pine scent that belonged only to him: “If I don’t let you go, do you think you can leave this room today?”

Her way of acting coquettish was always unique.

Ji Qinghe enjoyed it, holding her waist to fit her into his embrace, lowering his head to kiss her cheek and nose tip, negotiating with her: “Take a few days off and come back to Xi’an with me, hmm?”

That wasn’t impossible.

She kind of missed Ji Lin.

Ji Qinghe hummed in agreement, then added: “Perfect timing to have dinner with my parents.”

Shen Qianzhan instantly stiffened.

Before she could find an excuse to decline, Ji Qinghe slowly added another sentence: “Uncle and Auntie have also agreed to come.”

“Since everyone will be there, let’s set the wedding date, hmm?”

Shen Qianzhan completely petrified.

Wait.

What about the proposal?

This wasn’t quite the same as what was agreed upon!