FLWS 05

Chapter 5 – Do You Know Lu Li?

Author: Mint Summer, 2022-10-19

“Hey, how come you’re back so soon?” Yin Bing pulled over the colleague walking beside Lin Yun and asked in a low voice.

“Don’t even mention it, the interview fell through,” the male colleague said bitterly.

Yin Bing was taken aback and glanced at Lin Yun from the corner of her eye — no wonder her face looked so sour.

“Where’s Wanwan?” came Zheng Hao’s voice from upstairs.

Everyone looked up. “Chief Editor.”

“Chief, the deputy editor went out, but she should be back soon,” Yin Bing replied.

“Alright. When she comes back, tell her to come to my office,” Zheng Hao said. Her gaze then swept toward Lin Yun. “Oh, and Lin Yun — you don’t need to handle the interview with Lu Li anymore.”

Lin Yun pressed down the unwillingness in her heart. “…Got it.”

After giving the instructions, Zheng Hao turned and went back to her office.

Knock, knock, knock—

Three crisp knocks sounded, then stopped.

“Come in.”

Mu Wanwan pushed the door open and stepped inside.

“Zheng-jie, you wanted to see me?”

Seeing her, Zheng Hao set down the document in her hands and gestured to the chair opposite her. “Sit.”

Mu Wanwan pulled out the chair and sat down, waiting for her to continue.

“Wanwan, I need to ask you something,” Zheng Hao said, fixing her with a steady gaze for several seconds before speaking.

Her serious tone made Mu Wanwan frown slightly in confusion. “Mm?”

“Do you… know Lu Li, the president of the Lu Group?” Zheng Hao asked tentatively.

At those words, Mu Wanwan’s body stiffened slightly. She quickly composed her expression and said evenly, “Zheng-jie, why are you asking that? Did something happen?”

Zheng Hao had been in the industry for nearly ten years. She might not know everything, but she was good at reading people — and she could tell Mu Wanwan was deliberately avoiding the question. That alone gave her a good idea of the truth.

So she decided to be straightforward. “Wanwan, today Lin Yun and the others went to the Lu Group for the interview, but for some reason, Lu Li insisted that you be the one to interview him. Otherwise, the interview’s off.”

Mu Wanwan’s pupils constricted sharply, and her hands clenched tightly in her lap.

He knew.

He knew she was working here.

“Wanwan, Wanwan…”

After calling a few times with no response, Zheng Hao raised her voice. “Wanwan!”

Snapping out of her daze, Mu Wanwan murmured, “Sorry.”

“Wanwan, Lu Li said he’ll only accept the interview if you do it. Maybe you should consider it?” Zheng Hao said, seeing how lost in thought she was. “Just think of it as doing a favor for the magazine, okay? Please think about it seriously.”

Mu Wanwan frowned slightly. “For the magazine?”

“Lu Li’s assistant, Yu Yang, called. He said if you refuse, the Lu Group will acquire our magazine,” Zheng Hao explained.

Mu Wanwan froze, utterly stunned. Her heart twisted with mixed emotions.

Lu Li, what exactly are you trying to do?

After a long silence, she finally spoke, her voice low and hoarse. “Zheng-jie, please let me think about it. I’ll give you my answer tomorrow, alright?”

Seeing that there was still a chance, Zheng Hao quickly agreed.

That night, the night market was bustling with life.

The tempting aroma of food filled the air from one end of the street to the other. Stalls lined the road, and the chatter of people mixed with the sizzling sounds of grills and fryers — a vibrant, noisy scene.

“Why did you suddenly ask me out for drinks tonight?” Qiao Le came over after work and raised an eyebrow when she saw Mu Wanwan had ordered a whole case of beer.

Something was definitely up.

Mu Wanwan grabbed a bottle, took several big gulps, and her pale face flushed with the faint pink of intoxication. “Lele, what should I do? He knows. He knows…”