Chapter 4 The Discovery of Jian Wei's Identity

The morning at Mei Ling's office unfolded with the same routine as always-emails, calls, reports, and meetings that lasted longer than expected. Although the day seemed to begin like any other, something had changed in the air. Since her last date with Jian Wei at the night market, Mei Ling couldn't help but feel different. Not in a dramatic way, but there was a lingering sensation, a slight restlessness she couldn't shake off. Something had awakened inside her, but she refused to admit it, not even to herself.

As she sat at her desk, absorbed in a report she had to submit before noon, she couldn't stop thinking about that night at the night market. Jian Wei had managed to make her laugh, and she had felt more relaxed with him. However, she couldn't allow those feelings to influence her professionalism. She wasn't there to think about dates or relationships. Her priority was work.

Just at that moment, Jian Wei entered the office, his presence as calm and assured as ever. He greeted a few colleagues with a confident smile before heading straight to Mei Ling's desk. As always, his eyes sparkled with a mix of warmth and mystery.

"Good morning, Mei Ling," Jian Wei said in a warm voice, as if nothing had changed.

Mei Ling looked up, somewhat surprised to see him there, just as she had been thinking about him. However, she quickly composed herself.

"Good morning," she responded, trying to sound neutral and professional.

Their colleagues, who had been discreetly observing the interaction, couldn't help but notice the slight spark in the air. There was something different between them, something that didn't go unnoticed.

"It looks like there's good chemistry between you two," commented Liu Wei, one of Mei Ling's colleagues, in a teasing tone as he passed by their desks.

Mei Ling frowned and shook her head.

"It's not like that," she replied quickly, her voice firmer than she had intended. She couldn't let rumors start. She had dealt with enough office gossip in the past to allow this to escalate.

"Sure, sure, nothing to worry about," Liu Wei said with a playful smirk. "But you two do get along quite well, don't you? You can't deny that."

Mei Ling glanced at Jian Wei with a hint of discomfort, looking for a quick way out of the situation. Jian Wei, on the other hand, remained as composed and relaxed as always, seemingly unbothered by their colleagues' remarks.

"We're just a client and a supplier," he said with an easygoing smile. "Nothing more."

Although Jian Wei didn't seem to give it much importance, Mei Ling couldn't help but feel slightly uneasy about the attention they were receiving. There was something in his words that made her recall how everything had started between them-a simple outing, a date at a night market. Nothing serious, nothing to worry about.

But as the day went on, a strange feeling took hold of Mei Ling. Something didn't add up. There was something about Jian Wei that didn't quite fit. Suddenly, she remembered something he had said during their date: "I always come to this market."

Mei Ling wasn't an overly curious person, but her intuition told her there was something behind those words. Something that unsettled her. She decided to do some digging.

That afternoon, after finishing her tasks, Mei Ling took a moment to look up information about Jian Wei. What she found left her stunned.

On the website of the courier franchise she worked for, Jian Wei was mentioned multiple times in the company's reports. He wasn't just a high-ranking executive, as she had previously assumed-he was the owner of the entire chain. The calm and friendly young man she had shared an evening with at the night market turned out to be the owner of the company she worked for. In fact, he had bought the franchise a few years ago and had since expanded it significantly.

Mei Ling couldn't believe it. How had she not noticed before? It had been so obvious, yet she had completely overlooked it. All this time, she had been interacting with the company's owner without knowing it. And the date at the night market? How casual could it really have been?

The final piece of the puzzle clicked into place in her mind when she recalled Liu Wei's words at the office: "It looks like there's good chemistry between you two." What if the chemistry she felt with Jian Wei wasn't just between a client and a supplier? What if there was something more, something he had also been feeling?

That night, as she walked home, Mei Ling couldn't stop thinking about it. Jian Wei, the owner of the franchise, had been so... accessible. He had acted as if he were nothing more than a regular customer, an ordinary man with casual interests and jokes. Why hadn't he mentioned any of this before? Was it an act of humility? Or had he wanted to get to know her without the label of boss and employee?

The next morning, Mei Ling decided to confront him. She couldn't keep ignoring what she had discovered, especially after the tension-filled interaction they had had in the office the day before.

When she saw Jian Wei enter the office, her heart skipped a beat. She knew she had to talk to him, but she didn't know how to bring it up. She didn't want to seem shaken, nor did she want what she had learned to change their dynamic. However, she couldn't leave the mystery unresolved.

At noon, when they had a brief encounter in the office kitchen, Mei Ling decided to speak up.

"Jian Wei," she said as he prepared a cup of coffee, "there's something I need to ask you."

Jian Wei looked at her, his expression calm, as if he already knew what she was about to say.

"What is it?" he responded, still smiling.

Mei Ling took a deep breath, gathering her courage.

"Why didn't you tell me you're the owner of the courier franchise?" she asked directly.

Jian Wei stopped smiling for a brief moment, but it was only an instant before his expression returned to its usual relaxed demeanor.

"And what difference does it make?" he said calmly, as if it wasn't an important matter.

"It's just...!" Mei Ling paused, struggling to find the right words. "It's a huge difference! You're the owner! And I... I'm just an employee. Why didn't you tell me before?"

Jian Wei leaned against the counter, casually holding his cup of coffee.

"Because I didn't want you to see me as a boss, Mei Ling. I wanted you to know me for who I am, without labels. I wanted our relationship-whatever this is-to be genuine."

Mei Ling fell silent for a moment. Despite her surprise, she couldn't help but feel a mix of admiration and bewilderment at his honesty.

"So..." Mei Ling finally murmured, "has all of this been... genuine?"

Jian Wei smiled-a deeper smile this time, as if he had been waiting for this question.

"Everything has been genuine," he replied without hesitation. "But the real question is... what will you do with that now?"

Mei Ling didn't know how to respond. Everything had changed in an instant, and she wasn't sure what to do with this new information. The only thing she did know was that whatever was happening between them wasn't something she could easily ignore.