Chapter 400: 0400 Not mind   Chapter 400: 0400 Not mind                                   Xiao Ran had been eerily quiet these past two days, not only did she not pick fights with Su Ran, she even seldom showed her face.


    Perhaps she had beenpletely focused on the investment in Chongguang, so much so that not even Ye Zhichen and Yun Feng had been seen around much during these days.


    In the evening, Ye Zhichen called Su Ran to invite her for dinner. After hanging up, Su Ran walked through the back garden toward the restaurant.


    The golden afterglow bathed the entire International Convention and Exhibition Center. People’s shadows were reflected on the ground, stretched long by the setting sun.


    However, while passing by the pavilion, Su Ran encountered someone she knew on another path.


    She paused briefly, a spark of shrewdness shing through her starry eyes.


    Across from her, Mark’s face erupted into a smile as soon as he saw Su Ran, and he politely nodded to her.


    “What a coincidence, Miss Su. Are you also heading out for dinner?”


    Su Ran’s lips curled slightly, her eyes deep with yful significance.


    A coincidence?


    “Yes, is Mr. Mark also?”


    Mark nodded, his face the picture of benign gentlemanliness.


    “Would Miss Su mind mypany?”


    Su Ran smiled, “Not at all.”


    So, the two of them walked together to the restaurant. Along the way, neither spoke a word, and the atmosphere was somewhat serene.


    Mark discreetly observed Su Ran. Under the pale sunlight, her delicate profile seemed to be touched with ayer of light. She was tall and slender, delicately curvaceous; unlike a typical well-born youngdy with her open and proper manner, she was gentle and demure, but with a bit more of an assertive and aloof air that otherscked.


    Dressed casually in a European-style suit, she was the archetype of a career-driven power woman — so dazzling one couldn’t look away.


    Mark’s gaze flickered momentarily as an inexplicable pressure welled up inside him — a feeling he couldn’t quite ce.


    Whether it was the charm or the aura, he had experienced something simr with someone else before.


    It was like an unspoken agreement!


    Mark pondered for a moment, then, with a smile, looked at Su Ran.


    “I didn’t expect Miss Su, at such a young age, to possess piano skills of such excellence. The music lingers in the ear as if still echoing in the hall. How long have you been ying the piano, Miss Su?”


    Su Ran smiled, “Mr. Mark is too kind. It’s been over ten years, I’d say, but I’ve been too busy with work to y muchtely. I’ve grown somewhat rusty now.”


    “Miss Su’s parents have raised her very well. My daughter also loves the piano and pesters her mother to teach her every day, but she doesn’t have the same natural ability as Miss Su. Despite years of lessons, she hasn’t achieved much.”


    Nheless, Mark spoke of his daughter with a proud and indulgent expression.


    He paused slightly, his peripheral vision inadvertently ncing towards Su Ran.


    “Was it your mother who taught you the piano, Miss Su?”


    Su Ran’s cool gaze settled on Mark, her expression calm and unwavering, betraying no ws.


    “Yes.”


    “Your mother must be very aplished to have raised Miss Su to such excellence. Is Miss Su’s mother… from Hua Country?”


    At that question.


    Currents stirred in Su Ran’s eyes, and a fleeting glimmer passed, too quick to catch.


    She simply looked at Mark, her presence so imposing that it startled him.


    The oppressive sensation that seemed to squeeze his organs now pressed against his face, and the next second, that suffocating feeling vanished without a trace.


    Su Ran raised her eyebrows and then said:


    “Of course, both my father and mother are from Hua Country.”


    Su Ran added another sentence, “I am a Hua Country person too!”


    Mark paused, surprised as he looked at her.


    He hadn’t expected her to be so perceptive over a casual remark.


    Su Ran didn’t speak any further, and soon they both arrived at the restaurant.


    After greeting Mark, she went directly to find Ye Zhichen.


    By the time Su Ran found her, Ye Zhichen had already ordered and was waiting.


    “Here you are, take a seat!”


    Su Ran pulled out a chair and sat across from her.


    “You’re early today. Have you finished with your business?”


    Ye Zhichen poured her a ss of water before smiling and saying,


    “That should be about it. This exchange meeting was quite fruitful.”


    Su Ran nodded and then asked her,


    “Are we staying the night, or are we going straight home this evening?”


    “We’ll leave tomorrow morning, there’s still some work to wrap up.”


    Su Ran didn’t mind, “Okay!”


    Ye Zhichen gave her a look before asking.


    “Where’s President Fu? Howe I haven’t seen him these past two days?”


    The person who would rather be glued to her side was actually allowing Xiao Ran to dine with her.


    That didn’t fit his “character” at all!


    Su Ran’s eyes moved slightly, and after taking a sip of water, she said softly,


    “Busy.”


    Ye Zhichen raised an eyebrow.


    –


    After the two had finished dinner, they strolled around the garden for a while, and the sky hadpletely darkened.


    When they were about done with their walk, they headed toward the hotel.


    Halfway there,


    Su Ran frowned and paused mid-step.


    “What’s wrong, Xiao Ran?”


    Ye Zhichen wondered, looking up at her.


    Su Ran pursed her lips and continued walking forward, whispering,


    “Don’t make a sound, someone’s following us.”


    Ye Zhichen frowned, turned her head, and indeed saw a sneaky figure lurking in the distance. However, it was dark and too far to discern the face.


    As they got closer to the hotel, the lighting became brighter, and gradually, that person didn’t follow anymore.


    Once inside the hotel lobby, Ye Zhichen finally breathed a sigh of relief. She quickly grabbed Su Ran’s wrist and rushed her straight to the elevator.


    “Xiao Ran, about that person just now…” She still sounded shaken.


    “Mhm, I know.”


    Su Ran nced at the rising floor numbers nonchntly.


    “You knew already?”


    She looked at her in astonishment, somewhat incredulous.


    Su Ran contemted for two seconds before speaking, “Well, not too early.”


    “When?” asked Ye Zhichen.


    Su Ran blinked, “The first day of the exchange.”


    Ye Zhichen: “…”


    “Alright, it’s nothing serious. You should go back and rest early.”


    Ye Zhichen frowned, “But…”


    “No buts, don’t worry, I can handle it,” said Su Ran in a tone that brooked no argument.


    Looking up again, the floor where Ye Zhichen was staying had arrived.


    In the end, she had to leave the elevator under Su Ran’s firm gaze.


    Once in her room, Su Ran didn’t rush to wash up. She sat on the sofa with one hand propping up her chin and angling her forehead, nced at the time, it wasn’t even nine o’clock, still early!


    She sat quietly on the sofa, doing nothing, her gaze fixed on the outside scenery, her expression obscure.


    The living room was left dark, lit only by the dim lighting in from outside, blurring Su Ran’s delicate features.


    Her starry eyes shone under the light, deep and mysterious like the ocean at night. Her usually clear eyes reflected a more silent andplex light at their depths.


    Mr. Mark’s probing words kept surfacing in her mind, and despite her attempts to avoid them, she couldn’t help but pay attention.


    Su Ran slowly stood up from the sofa and walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window. On the tree-lined path lit by streetlights, the shadows of the trees danced. As the wind blew, it took root and sprouted along with the suspicions in her heart!