Return to before death

"I understand, but why are you suddenly interested in the Zong Group?" The assistant couldn't contain his curiosity, especially after hearing the gossip about Madam Zong and President Sheng, and the fact that Madam Zong used to deliver meals to Sheng Xuanling every day. He couldn't help but imagine a bunch of possible novel and movie plots.

"Why are you so curious? This is none of your business. Go do what I just told you to do." Sheng Xuanling knew what he was thinking just by looking at his expression. She waved her hand like she was shooing away a fly and sent her assistant away with a wry smile.

His assistant is very capable, but as a grown man, he's too gossipy. I've also heard that he likes to watch strange TV dramas and then imagines real-life people in the plot.

Fortunately, he only thought about it and didn't actually do anything outrageous in reality. If he had brought his work partners into the story and treated them with subjective and imagined attitudes, Sheng Xuanling would have fired him long ago.

After finishing her morning work, Sheng Xuanling leaned back in her chair with a relaxed expression, and then habitually took out her phone as if to dial that familiar number.

Realizing his subconscious action, he quickly stopped his finger from pressing the dial button.

Looking at his phone screen, his expression was complicated, and it was impossible to tell what he was thinking.

Not long after, about five or six minutes later, he placed his finger on the play button and gently tapped it with his slender, strong, and well-defined fingers.

"Miss Yan? Would you mind taking a moment to exchange the information we've each found?"

Yan Ran, who was having dinner with Yu Xiao at the restaurant, was stunned for a moment when she heard the incoherent voice coming from the phone before replying, "Okay, I just don't know when Mr. Sheng, who is always busy, will have time."

Yu Xiao, standing to the side, looked at her with an ambiguous expression and a smile on her face.

Yan Ran frowned and shook her head when she saw Yu Xiao's expression.

"Okay, then let's do it tomorrow. It's settled then." Yan Ran hung up the phone after saying that.

Yu Xiao reached out and lifted her chin with her fingers, teasingly saying, "Our Xiao Ran is indeed always so popular. Even without that bastard Zong Zhengqing, she doesn't have to worry about not having anyone who likes her."

"Xiaoxiao!" Yan Ran blushed and looked at Yu Xiao, trying to explain her relationship with Sheng Xuanling, "There's nothing between him and me, just some work-related communication."

"Okay, okay." Yu Xiao looked at her with a smile, her eyes full of doting affection.

Thinking of Zong Zhengqing, she straightened her expression and her tone became somewhat serious: "But Xiaoran, tell me the truth, have you and Zong Zhengqing divorced?"

Yan Ran's expression darkened upon hearing the word "divorce," and she shook her head, saying, "No. But it will be soon; I've already talked to her mother."

Yu Xiao felt a pang of heartache at Yan Ran's expression. Although she didn't know the specifics, she roughly understood the attitude of the matriarch towards Yan Ran. She sighed, pinched the face of the person in front of her with both hands, and pulled it to both sides. "Don't think about it anymore. Come on, smile."

After saying that, she added with some concern, "I don't care whether you and that guy surnamed Sheng are together or not, but you and Zong Zhengqing are not divorced yet, so you should be careful, lest you give people something to talk about."

Seeing her friend's worried expression, Yan Ran put on a reassuring smile, "Okay, I understand. I know what I'm doing, so you don't need to worry too much."

However, the truth is that long ago, her act of delivering food to Sheng Xuanling had already drawn the ire of many people. Her getting out of Sheng Xuanling's car also led Zong Zhengqing to misunderstand and imagine a bunch of reasons to defend himself, such as "you left me because of him."

The next day, Yan Ran arrived at the building where Shengshi Haoting was located on time as invited.

After informing the receptionist, I walked briskly to the elevator, but the receptionist's pitying and disdainful look as I left puzzled me.

She'd seen so many disdainful looks that she was no longer bothered, but what was this thing called pity?

However, upon arriving at Sheng Xuanling's office, the person before Yan Ran instantly made her understand why... Liu Xinyin.

After the last charity gala, Sheng Xuanling had already explained to the Liu family his intention to dissolve the engagement. However, Liu Xinyin remained undeterred and infatuated. Although she no longer visited Sheng Xuanling every day, she continued to obstruct the dissolution of the engagement. The Liu family, not wanting to give up on the Sheng family as a powerful ally, kept delaying the process.

Until today, Sheng Xuanling went directly to the Liu family and told them that she wanted to break off the engagement, and there was no room for negotiation.

The Liu family had no choice but to agree and immediately dissolved the engagement.

This farce is remarkably similar to the divorce of the "Zong couple".

Sheng Xuanling looked at the woman pleading desperately in front of him, and recalled the words he had just heard from the people he had sent to protect Yan Ran. He thought about it with amusement.

"You're here? You're one minute and three seconds late." Ignoring the unreasonable woman beside her, Sheng Xuanling saw Yan Ran step out of the elevator, raised her hand to look at her watch, and said jokingly, "You're here to greet me."

"It's you! What brings you here!" The person next to her had a different reaction when they saw Yan Ran, looking at the person at the elevator entrance with a somewhat flustered and jealous expression.

"Alright, there's nothing for you to do here, go back now."

Sheng Xuanling didn't even lift her eyelids, giving the only response to Liu Xinyin's words in such an indifferent tone.

Sheng Xuanling's reaction instantly brought tears to Liu Xinyin's eyes. "Xuanling, you!" She paused abruptly, as if speechless, then her eyes reddened even more, her tearful expression adorning her exquisitely made-up face, making one's heart ache. "I won't leave. I won't let this vixen be here alone with you, whispering sweet nothings!"

“Miss Liu, I misunderstood you. Mr. Sheng and I just wanted to talk about work, but it's a trade secret, and it might be a bit inconvenient for you to be here.” Looking at Liu Xinyin’s pitiful appearance, Yan Ran smiled gently, seemingly with sincerity, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes.

"How is it inconvenient! If it's not something shameful, why would it be inconvenient! Yan Ran, you're already married, why are you still trying to seduce Xuan Ling!" Liu Xinyin originally wanted to reconcile with Sheng Xuan Ling today, but who knew that such a "roadblock" would come. What business secret? He probably just wants to get rid of her.

"Miss Liu, please watch your words." Yan Ran's smile vanished instantly, her eyes flashing with a warning.

Liu Xinyin felt a chill run down her spine, stunned by Yan Ran's appearance. She froze on the spot, opening her mouth but unable to say anything. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sheng Xuanling, who seemed to be trying to escape some monster. She turned to look at him with an awkward smile, only to find him looking at her with a half-smile. Instantly, she changed her expression, returning to her pitiful look from before.