Chapter 12 – She Had Changed

On her first day of work, nothing much happened. She managed to get acquainted with the workings of the company and got off work early. Mo Li Xin got a pleasant surprise when Ji Nan Feng came to pick her up.

“Why are you here?”

“I’m here to fetch you. Get in the car,” Ji Nan Feng simply replied.

Mo Li Xin yielded and entered the car obediently. The recent Ji Nan Feng was one that she could not fathom.

After traveling a distance in silence, Ji Nan Feng asked, “Why are you so quiet?”

Mo Li Xin did not know how to answer that. She drew blank when trying to come up with a topic. This made her realize that they did not share anything in common.

It was no wonder. No wonder, Duan An Ran could get along so swimmingly with him at that time. She graduated with the same degree as him; regardless of whether it was about history or cultural geography, they both have a good rapport with each other.

“Tomorrow, we have to attend an evening party. I’ll bring you to choose an evening gown,” Ji Nan Feng informed her when he saw that she had remained silent.

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“How about this store? Shall we go in and have a look?” Ji Nan Feng suggested.

Mo Li Xin looked at the establishment that Ji Nan Feng was talking about. The first impression she had of it was elegant. She liked the feeling it gave her so she decided to step in.

“This is… Jiu Zi!” Mo Li Xin was a little amazed. She liked the wedding dresses designed by Gong Yue. Recently she found out that Gong Yue was Jiu Zi’s founder. However, she did not know that other than wedding dresses, Jiu Zi dabbled into other clothing lines. And from the looks of it, they looked pretty decent too.

“If you like any, we’ll take it!” Ji Nan Feng beamed at her reaction.

“Any of them?” Mo Li Xin asked unprecedentedly. She knew that this was how he was like when he was prepared to spend money.

“En! This little bit of cash, your husband is still able to afford,” Ji Nan Feng’s mood got increasingly better. Not including his fixed monthly wage from working as a Ph. D. advisor at the university, his thirty percent shares in Ji Shi Group would be enough for him to live luxuriously without working for several lifetimes. What’s more, he was fond of dabbling into investments. He owned shares in several other large companies. He could be considered as a nouveau riche husband.

“Why is it you again?!” a shrill female voice exclaimed.

“It’s you?” Mo Li Xin recognized the familiar face when she turned around. It was the employee she met at Mei Shang that day, the Celestial Star series imitation stop.

“What? Did you think that I wouldn’t be able to find another job after Mei Shang closed down?” The employee bragged complacently.

Mo Li Xin felt that this person must be bored, she seemed to be constantly trying to find trouble with her without rhyme or reason.

“I’ve never thought so, and neither do I care. Madam, I fear you’re suffering from persecutory delusional disorder!” No matter how mild Mo Li Xin’s temperament was, she could not stand this person’s repeated provocations.

Ji Nan Feng witnessed this scene the moment he came back from the toilet.

“What’s wrong?” Ji Nan Feng questioned as he gently placed his hand on her back.

Mo Li Xin looked back at him, “It’s nothing. I just met someone I don’t like.”

The employee who spoke stared dazed when she saw Ji Nan Feng. What a dashing person, cladded in a purple sweater and a pair of gold-framed spectacles; he was an embodiment of those scholarly suave rascals told in legends.

Watching the lady gaping at Ji Nan Feng as though her saliva would drip out, Mo Li Xin felt irritated, “What are you looking at?! This, this, and this! I want them, so wrap them all up!”

Mo Li Xin was so disgruntled that she could not be bothered to care about everything else. It was a rare sight for Ji Nan Feng to see her like this. This caused him to be in an exceptional mood and his smile became more prominent.

“Yes, yes, yes, wrap all these up. With hubby here to pay, there is nothing to be afraid of!” Ji Nan Feng indulgently coaxed.

The employee who looked down on Mo Li Xin previously became stupefied when she heard Ji Nan Feng claiming to be Mo Li Xin’s ‘hubby’. She originally assumed that Mo Li Xin was not someone of importance, considering that she dressed so plainly. When she first joined, all her superiors forewarned her repeatedly never to spurn any customers who entered the store. Yet, she failed to comply and committed that mistake. Now pondering about it, to be able to frequent these establishments, these people were not to be trifled with.

“Third Master Ji, welcome to our store! Why didn’t you notify me in advance?”

The employee was about to say something when she heard the voice of her manager. This caused her to pale in fright.

‘Third Master Ji,’ Ji Nan Feng was ranked second in Ji’s family, but others addressed him as Third Master Ji. ‘It was most likely arranged in the order of the group of sworn brothers,’ Mo Li Xin thought.

The manager sounded like she was very familiar with him. But Ji Nan Feng did not recognize her. Hence, he did not answer.

This left the manager who stood at the side to feel slightly awkward.

“When did you start accepting employees of such calibre?” Ji Nan Feng asked sarcastically after a long pause.

The manager trembled, “Xiao Liu, chase this person out the same way you brought her in! And you can forget about this yearend bonus!”

The manager instructed another employee not too far away.

“Boss… but this…” The other employee wanted to quibble, but in the end, she chose not to say anything. After all, she was the one that brought her in. She was also the one that instructed her on the rules and the company’s policies. Who would have thought that on the first day of work, her cousin-in-law would offend someone so important? Who else could she blame but herself?

“Sister-in-law…” The woman wanted to plea for leniency. But after she glanced at Ji Nan Feng and the manager, she was too afraid to even make a sound.

Although she was stupid, she knew that she had provoked people who she should not have crossed. She was extremely remorseful, but it was too late for regrets.

Mo Li Xin was speechless. Why was it that on these rare occasions that she stepped out of the house she always encountered something unpleasant?

Mo Li Xin was originally in a good mood, but after this incident, her mood was ruined. It was not her intention to cause that lady to lose her job. Yet, she could not find it within herself to sympathize with her considering the lady’s snobbery previously. Who would have expected that the lady had issues with her and it showed for all to witness through this fateful incident?

She was no Virgin Mary, forget about saving others, as long as it did not indirectly affect her, she would have been plenty grateful. In the past few months, she has fully realized what it meant to be baselessly accused of something she did not do.

~~~~

After knocking off from work the next day, Mo Li Xin made a trip home to dress up before leaving again. She French braided her hair, donned a black fishtail evening gown, five centimeters high heels, and applied light makeup. She was a pure beauty, but after all this, she became more alluring and enchanting.

The party was held not too far from Ji Nan Feng’s University. He had originally wanted to drive back to pick her up, but she insisted that it was too troublesome. So he finally caved and let the chauffeur drive her there.

~~~~

“Brother Ji, where’s your little beauty Duan?” A man with a stubble, dressed in a crimson suit stride over to Ji Nan Feng with a glass of red wine in hand.

When he heard someone call out to him, Ji Nan Feng was in the midst of a conversation with the host of the banquet, Elder Teng. After a lifetime, he realized that he was unable to recognize certain people. It took him a long time before he recalled who the speaker was.

The man was Wei Yan. He was known for living the high life, a happy-go-lucky person that rode on his father’s coattail. He was also extremely arrogant and conceited. This person was hateful, but he had never done anything immoral. Nevertheless, whether it was the previous or current life, he was deemed hateful due to his vicious tongue. In Ji Nan Feng’s last life, Wei Yan would constantly jab him with sarcastic remarks, especially regarding Duan An Ran.

“Brother Wei, who are you referring to? I can’t seem to recall such a person,” Ji Nan Feng replied.

Wei Yan narrowed his eyes as he remembered something. He commented, “It was rumored that you met with an accident recently and lost your memories. It seems that it must be true.”

After speaking, Wei Yan left.

“Nan Feng, I just knew that you would come!” Just as Wei Yan left, Duan An Ran popped out from nowhere.

Duan An Ran automatically linked her arms with Ji Nan Feng’s. Those women who were peeping at Ji Nan Feng were in shock that their eyes nearly popped out.

Although Ji Nan Feng was not like those domineering presidents in books, he had an air of refinement. Many women’s eyes would sparkle in admiration at the sight of him. At the banquet, excluding those that were not within his age range, it was safe to say that at least half of the single women were eyeing him.

Duan An Ran knew this fact all too well. Hence, in spite of everything, she clung onto Ji Nan Feng as if to warn others that he was taken by her. Unknown if she had forgotten about the incident that occurred at the hospital or was in denial. In short, she pretended that everything was fine between them.

Coincidentally, this was the sight that greeted Mo Li Xin when she stepped into the banquet hall.

Everyone in that social circle knew of a person named Mo Li Xin. Allegedly, she loved Ji Nan Feng so much that she wanted to be with him even in death. Hence, just last month she set the hotel on fire. These statements were intentionally or otherwise, spread by Duan An Ran.

Mo Li Xin was initially very beautiful. She usually wears plain unassuming clothes thus her beauty did not shine through as notable. However, this evening, after she dressed up, she became even more breathtaking.

Yet, everyone stared at Mo Li Xin with a look of ridicule. In their opinion, so what if she was attractive? She still could not obtain Ji Nan Feng’s affections.

Mo Li Xin felt a wave of sudden and inexplicable anger surged through her. What was his purpose for inviting her? Was this an attempt to humiliate her? Even if she has a good temper, she was not foolish nor was she that blindly in love with him.

Ji Nan Feng wanted to explain, but stopped when he heard Mo Li Xin declared, “He’s mine!”

Her sentence was delivered without tension or tremor, and there was no trace of fear in her voice. Mo Li Xin pointed at Ji Nan Feng and said while gazing steadily at him.

Only Mo Li Xin truly knew how utterly nervous she was at the moment.

While everyone watched on, waiting to see a good show, they saw Ji Nan Feng smile. His grin was directed at Mo Li Xin as he broke away from Duan An Ran’s grip and walked towards her.

At this moment, Ji Nan Feng knew that the Mo Li Xin in this life had changed, and he liked this version of her even more.

If it was said that the reason why he wanted to protect her in this life was because of guilt, then now, he could certainly say that it was because he genuinely adored her. He liked the fact that she was willing to stand up for herself, liked that she loved and protected herself more, and liked that she was more straightforward and daring.

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