First Marriage Then Love 《先婚厚爱》Chapter 69 (1) Translation

069. That beauty (1)



When Su Yi Cheng dropped off An Ran it was exactly at 8:55AM. Going up the stairs, she arrived right on time at 9:00AM. She puts her brief case in the drawer of her desk, then turns on the computer. Just as she places her phone on the table it goes off. It was a call from Lin Li.

She takes the call and holds it on one hand, while the other begins to arrange the work on her desk. She says, “Lao Fo ye, calling me at first light, do you have any instructions, ha?”

The person on the other line wasn’t as carefree as usual. Today Lin Li seemed a bit taciturn. After a while she then starts to say, “An Zi.”

“Yeah.” As if sensing that something wasn’t right, An Ran asks, “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

On the other line, Lin Li sighs. Then she asks, “You know…. At that time when Mo Fei betrayed you, you know how it felt!” Her voice was empty, devoid of spirit.

An Ran was shocked. She has a bad feeling. She frowns, and cautiously probes, “Lin Li, did something wrong happen between you and Cheng Xiang?”

Silently, only the sound of breathing can be heard. An Ran grips onto the phone, and frowns even more.

After a long time, so long that An Ran had thought that she had already hung up, Lin Li finally says something, “I saw a text on his phone. It was very ambiguous, very intimate.”

An Ran was shocked. She never thought that the course would veer towards betrayal, or believe that Cheng Xiang would betray her!

“Did you get it wrong? Cheng Xiang, Cheng Xiang isn’t that kind of person!” They’ve known each other for nearly 10 years. Cheng Xiang’s behaviour is just as kind and harmless as he appears. He treats Lin Li well and tolerates everything about her. To tell you the truth, she found it really hard to believe that Cheng Xiang would betray her. What’s more, they already have a child, and these past few days they should have been preparing for marriage. “Have you asked him? Did he admit it?”

“No, he’s on a business trip. He forgot his phone at home.” Because he didn’t bring his phone, that’s how she came to see that kind of text. She also couldn’t believe that Cheng Xiang was that kind of person, but that kind of text, was hard to dispute.

An Ran was silent for a while, then says, “Lin li, I feel like you should wait for him to come back and ask to get things straight. It might be a misunderstanding. You’ve been with Cheng Xiang for 10 years, what kind of person he is aren’t you the most clear about it? You can feel the manner that he treats you, do you really believe that he will betray you, betray 10 years of your affection?”

There was silence again. It was while until An Ran could hear something from the other side. It seemed as if she forced herself to smile, and say, “Yeah. Are you at work yet. You should get back to work, I’m okay.” Finishing that, she hangs up.

An Ran holds her phone, looking at the black screen again. She was worried, and was about to call back, when suddenly the door opens. She looks up, only to see Huang De Xing’s smiling face standing at the door.

An Ran was obliged to put the phone down again. She stands up, and asks, “Director, is there something you want?”

Huang De Xing raises his hand to tell her to sit down, and he seats himself at the chair in front of her. He smiles and says, “This morning Special Assistant Su must’ve dropped you off?”

Being asked that, An Ran felt uncomfortable. She nods, and asks again, “Director, did you need something?”

“Hehe, it’s nothing.” Huang De Xing laughs, and unexpectedly puts on a smile, and somewhat seriously, says, “However, aren't you too discrete, you getting married is such a big issue, why didn’t you notify us?”

An Ran blushes. At the time she and Su Yi Cheng got their certificate at an astonishing speed, where would there be time to notify people! Furthermore after the event they didn’t want to do a wedding, plan to entertain guests, and no one said it was a necessity for these things.

She forces at laugh and says, “Hehe, we feared it’d be too much trouble.”

Huang De Xing nods, and smiles warmly. He says with apparent regret, “An Ran ah, you’ve been here at the company for 6 years now. Looking at it, I also thought I was half a teacher to you.”

An Ran looks at him, nods. Not only half, ever since she came out of school, from her first blueprints not only did he not pass them, up until now she could independently design a building and a neighbourhood. Bringing up all of these, she couldn’t possibly leave out his guidance. Even though he could be very strict at times, and his speech unreasonable, but strict teachers put forth brilliant students! Regarding that point, she is still grateful.

Seeing her nod, Huang De Xing immediately smiles and answers, “Since I’m considered to be kind of a teacher, then when you get married you should always let the teacher know. How about this, tonight at Kai Long I invite you and Special assistant Su for dinner? After all this is to wish you guys a blissful marriage.” In reality this was his purpose for his visit today. Who was Su Yi Cheng, of course he’s been a member of the Jiang city team for the past few years! Besides, according to recent news, he might be in charge of Ke Ji* city. Before it was always difficult for him to even get close to these kind of connections, but this opportunity, he completely did not expect that he was An Ran’s husband. Since it’s this way, it gave him fair ground, so he can form a good relationship with Su Yi Cheng. Perhaps when the moment comes to building Ke Ji city he could have a share of the profits.

*T/N: before I always translated this as Science and Technology city… I decided to change it to Ke Ji, didn’t realize it was an actual name for the city haha.

An Ran was silent for a while. Even though she wasn’t that bright, she can see what the meaning of this so-called meal was for. In this field, working for 6 years, these kind of political dinner parties she really has seen a lot of them. Chinese people will appear to always love conversing over dinner, and it’s absolutely necessary to do it with alcohol. And alcohol, will always be the reason why people make mistakes, make people say the wrong thing.

Seeing her stay silent for too long, Huang De Xing gently calls out to remind her, “An Ran?”

An Ran’s spirit returns, and smiles apologetically, “Sorry Director, Yi Cheng, Yi Cheng has something today. I’m afraid there’s no need for dinner, however I thank Director for your blessings. Thank you!” Although she doesn’t know if Su Yi Cheng has been to a lot of these dinner parties, but she doesn’t need to ask for his opinion on this matter. She won’t act on behalf of him on anything else, after all his status is too extraordinary!

Huang De Xing was unwilling to give up, and asks, “Is that so? Then what about tomorrow?”

“He’s very busy these days.” An Ran says without changing expressions.

Huang De Xing looks at her. A while later, he suddenly smiles, and says, “An Ran, isn’t there something you have to attend to!”

“Director is joking, what is there for me to attend, it’s just recently Yi Cheng really has been very busy. He’s always coming home in the middle of the night.” An Ran says apologetically, “How about this, next time when he has time, we as a married couple will invite Director, as you’ve taken care of me and trained me for so many years.”

Seeing her say that, Huang De Xing doesn’t say any more. He looks at her in the eye, smiles and nods, “Alright. Oh right, how is the design going. Tomorrow is the submission date.”

An Ran nods, and replies, “I just need to touch up a few things.”

“Ok. When you’re finished I can take a look at it. If you have any problems, just come and ask me.” Huang De Xing says and gets up, “Alright, there’s nothing else, you should get back to your work.”

An Ran nods, and accompanies him out the door. And when she was watching him leave, she was about to close the door when suddenly, at that time Xiao xiao was leaning against the opposite side of the room. She only sees her stare at her, then turns, “Bang!” with the door.

An Ran only felt inexplicable. She doesn’t know when she had offended her. Whenever she looked at her it seemed as if she was going to eat her.

But she can’t control how others think or act, just the atmosphere, naturally won’t be the same, getting angry from imaginary things. She just goes into her office, and sits down to go back to work.

After going through Huang De Xing’s mix, An Ran went back to calling Lin Li, but her phone was turned off. She frowns and calls Lin Li’s home phone, only to meet the ice-cold voice of the answering machine, reminding her that the number was temporarily unavailable. An Ran knows, and was afraid that Lin Li was purposely blocking her calls. She starts to worry even more.

Slowly, it was finally noon. At first she wanted to dig around and find Lin Li’s whereabouts, because in the end she was still anxious. Lin Li is normally carefree and doesn’t think much of anything, but if there really was something, in reality she has a fragile heart. At that time when she and Cheng Xiang just got together, it hadn’t been that long when Cheng Xiang went and disappeared for a week, no sign from him. Even if she tried to find him at home she didn’t know where it was. That week, Lin Li was completely cut off from all communications with him, and it was also because of that week, because of her anxiousness, Lin Li had lost 10 kilograms, completely depressed, and her normal personality was nowhere to be found.

She watches the time to hit break-time, when a call from the construction site comes in. There was a problem with the blueprint, and she has to come over to the site immediately. If the blueprint isn’t good then it would impede the project’s progress. It can’t wait, so she rushes herself and tidies up, grabs her bag and leaves. When she was leaving, she didn’t even close the door to her office.

The sun above hangs high. It was clearly not yet the hot season or month, but the sun was still ruthlessly fierce. When she had reached the site it was almost one, body was grey. Now her throat felt like it was full of dust, somewhat itchy.

Because Su Yi Cheng had dropped her off in the morning, An Ran didn’t drive today, and the site was out in the suburbs. There are usually few traffic there, and even less taxis. She walked around for a good few blocks, when finally she managed to flag a taxi. By the time it reached the company it was almost two, and she was starving. She goes to the coffee shop near the company and bought some bread and coffee, and heads back to the company.

‘Ding!’

When the elevator arrived, An Ran was about to go in, when she sees Ling Lin come out bantering with someone. She looks up and sees An Ran, and quickly calls out, “Gu jie, you came back from the site!”

“Yeah. There was some trouble, so that took up some time.” An Ran says. Right then she meets the eyes of the woman that was standing beside Ling Lin, and that person was beautiful. Looking closer, she seemed to really resemble Ling Lin.

The person smiles and nods at An Ran. Stemming from manners, An Ran also smiles back.

“Sis, let me introduce you, this is our company’s architect, and also my teacher right now, Gu An Ran.” Standing in between the two people, Ling Lin gives a simple introduction.

“Gu jie, this is my sister, Ling Ran. She just came back from the States, and came to visit me.”

An Ran smiles and reaches out for a handshake, “Nice to meet you.”

The beauty looks at her, smiling slightly. She returns her handshake, “Nice to meet you.” She looks at An Ran with an inquisitive expression, but doesn’t say anything strange.

An Ran retracts her hand, and says to Ling Lin, “Alright, you guys go ahead and chat, I’m going up first.” Saying that she directly carries her bag, her coffee and her bread and goes into the elevator.

Ling Ran just watches her back, until the doors to the elevator closes, and she continues to look in that direction.

“Sis.” Seeing that her sister was still staring at the elevator, Ling Lin probes and asks, “Jie, what’s wrong? You know Gu jie?”

Ling Ran then takes back her line of sight, and smiles at her younger sister, “Nothing. Let’s go.”

Ling lin looks at her older sister suspiciously, but doesn’t say anything. She turns and pulls on her hand to lead her out.

An Ran returns to her office, and was about to take her key out to open it. She hadn’t pushed it open yet, because the door was already opened. Then she remembers that when she left in the afternoon she forgot to lock the door. She doesn’t think much about it, and goes in, puts her bag down, and was about to settle her ‘late lunch’. Out of habit she takes out and opens the blueprint across her desk. She was about to take a look at where she should edit, when she opened the print. Suddenly, her two eyes pop out, and the coffee in her hand falls down in a flash. The yellow liquid flows out of the plastic cup, and onto the white tiles on the floor.

An Ran suddenly springs up, looking at the wrecked blueprint. She turns pale. She pushes her chair away and goes out of her office, stands at the door, and in a stern voice says, “Who came into my office at noon!”

The people in the hall all stopped their motion at An Ran’s shout. They look at her confused, not understanding what had happened.

A younger colleague looks at An Ran’s ashen face, and couldn’t help but ask, “Gu jie, what’s wrong? What’s the matter?”

An Ran walks to the middle of the hall, and stares down at every person there. Once again in her stern voice, she repeats, “This noon, who came into my office!” This time she was really angry, she was about to explode. She had worked on that draft for half a month, and in just one afternoon, once she left and returned, the blueprint was torn in half by somebody, leaving behind an unrecognizable design.

Everybody shakes their head, seeming to fear An Ran’s angry appearance, no one says a word. No one knows what had happened, but seeing An Ran’s appearance, they feared it was something serious.

An Ran coldly says, “No one’s willing to fess up huh. Alright, then I will go through today’s monitor.” Saying that, she turns around and was about to leave, when at that time Xiao xiao comes in.

Xiao xiao looks at everybody, then looks at her. She smirks, and asks, “What’s happening? I heard the commotion; I can hear it from the door. What, now that your status isn’t the same, your voice is also bigger?”

An Ran looks at her, and only stares. A while later, she slowly says, “You. Came. Into. My. Office.” It wasn’t a question, but a statement.

Xiao xiao looks at her, sweeping her wavy hair. She carelessly says, “Why would I come into your office.”

“My blueprint, you tore it.” As before, it was a statement. During this period, she was targeted by Xiao xiao. If it was her that tore up her design, it wasn’t impossible.

Hearing that, the people in the office started to talk, commenting one after another. Everyone knew which blueprint An Ran was talking about. Tomorrow was the evaluation submission date, and An Ran’s design was torn to shred. Furthermore, the person who would benefit most from it would be An Ran’s rival, Xiao xiao.




---END OF PART ONE--


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Sorry guys, this chapter's just wayyyy too long haha. I'm just going to post up what I have so far... It's not even a third of it, I swear lol.