After Flirting, She Runs Away, Chasing the White Moonlight to the Ends of the Earth - Chapter 3

A week later,

Lu Jin’an, busy handling emails in her office, received a personal congratulation from her business partner Xu Kun.

The glass door was pushed open abruptly, and Xu Kun, dressed in an exquisite casual suit, announced with a grin, “Surprise~”

Lu Jin’an, swamped with work, barely glanced at him and snapped, “Cut the suspense and get to the point!”

Xu Kun laughed heartily, “Congratulations, Professor Lu! We’ve secured the LNVM case!”

LNVM was a multinational luxury conglomerate with countless product lines. Landing a contract with such a company meant financial stability and guaranteed income for the duration of the agreement.

It took Lu Jin’an a full three seconds to process the news. “What? We got it?”

Her surprise wasn’t unwarranted. During the proposal presentation, she had stepped out at a critical moment to take a call, leaving the head of the project, Director Ning, visibly displeased. Their subsequent encounter in the elevator had been far from cordial.

By the time she left that day, she had already mentally written off the opportunity.

And yet—here they were?

She had somehow landed the deal?

What kind of dream client was this?

“Wait, are you sure it’s a full-service agency contract?” Lu Jin’an pressed. If it was just a small project, managing such a high-profile client wouldn’t be easy.

Xu Kun nodded firmly. “Full-service agency, one year.”

Even after verifying the details in the latest email, Lu Jin’an still couldn’t quite believe it.

“Damn, we actually got it.”

This was an eight-figure contract. Typically, multinational corporations of this scale opted for larger firms, yet they had chosen Qing Design.

Xu Kun reminded her, “There’s a supplier cocktail party this weekend hosted by LNVM. Key executives will be there, and we’ve received an invitation. You should prepare well.”

Multinationals loved these kinds of events—informal settings to quickly build rapport.

Having worked at an overseas magazine, Lu Jin’an was no stranger to such gatherings and understood their significance.

“Oh, I’ll go,” she agreed, still puzzling over which part of her performance had won over Director Ning.

Xu Kun, familiar with his partner’s occasionally eccentric personality, hesitated at her phrasing.

“Wait, say that again?”

Lu Jin’an smiled politely. “I said, I’ll attend.”

Only then did Xu Kun relax completely. “Good, good!”

Soon, the weekend arrived.

The lobby of the Shangri-La Hotel was now enveloped in LNVM’s branding.

Over a hundred suppliers had arrived early, dressed to impress, eagerly awaiting their esteemed clients.

On the stage, a striking figure in white delivered a speech.

Her message was simple: LNVM valued its partnerships and looked forward to a bright future together. As the newly appointed executive, she would uphold this principle.

Ning Nai spoke succinctly and humorously, drawing light laughter and admiring glances from the crowd of business partners below.

As the newly appointed CMO stepped down, she was immediately surrounded by long-time collaborators.

Nicole stood by, handing out business cards, collecting those from others, and doing her best to remember each face.

In no time at all, two entire boxes of cards had been distributed.

Nicole sighed inwardly: Thank goodness Ms. Ning reminded me to bring extra—otherwise, we’d have run out.

Upon taking office, Ning Nai had immediately reached out to partner companies—a mature approach to business, given that many pitfalls lurked among these very people.

She needed to carefully reassess and select each one.

All the partners knew this newly appointed CMO was no ordinary figure.

Rumor had it that in an overseas market, she had achieved remarkable results within a year, becoming one of the rare executives at LNVM Group to rise to such a position before the age of thirty.

Her methods were formidable, demanding serious attention.

Fortunately, the reception was light on drinking—just a sip here and there—and the partners were the ones downing full glasses while Ning Nai kept it casual.

Even so, the social demands left her drained. These networking events were always exhausting.

After making the rounds, Nicole noticed her fatigue and tactfully found an excuse to steer her boss away from the crowd.

Ning Nai smiled. “It’s fine. You should take a break too.”

The evening’s activities had left her stomach empty despite two small cocktails. Feeling peckish, she headed toward the quieter dessert area.

She remembered there being some light snacks—a few of her favorites—and perhaps an opportunity to observe further moves from the partners.

That was the real purpose of tonight’s reception.

Spotting a few adorable pastries, Ning Nai’s appetite stirred. She sampled two or three before her peripheral vision caught a figure lingering in the corner.

Alert, she turned her gaze and saw Lu Jin’an’s smiling face.

The woman wore a nude off-the-shoulder dress that ended at the knees, revealing slender, fair calves. Her feet were clad in matte gold stiletto heels studded with tiny diamonds, accentuating the elegant curve of her ankles.

Loose curls cascaded over her shoulders, and a delicate gold chain glimmered against her pale, delicate collarbone. Holding a small plate, she approached and remarked,

“Those pastries are quite good.”

Ning Nai swallowed a bite of sweetness and returned a polite smile. What a coincidence.

To run into each other in such a quiet corner.

She had expected Lu Jin’an to flit about the reception like a social butterfly—with her charm, she’d surely gather plenty of connections.

Not hide away with desserts.

“Why aren’t you over there with the drinks, Ms. Lu?” Ning Nai asked casually.

“Just a bit hungry. Didn’t expect to run into you, Ms. Ning.” The woman’s lips curved into a soft smile.

“Thank you for your confidence in Qing Design.” Her eyes remained fixed on Ning Nai’s face, shimmering with warmth.

Dressed to impress, Lu Jin’an was undeniably breathtaking—her poised yet alluring smile radiating the full charm of a mature woman.

Ning Nai’s heartbeat skipped. It took her a second to respond. “I’ve always respected professionalism. I hope you’ll prove my choice right with results.”

The words couldn’t have sounded more formal.

Faced with this enigmatic client, Lu Jin’an could only nod emphatically, lavish praise, and promise future success—there really wasn’t much else to say.

Fortunately, a server arrived with a tray of drinks.

Lu Jin’an gracefully picked up two glasses of champagne and handed one to Ning Nai with a gentle smile.

As the host, Ning Nai naturally accepted the glass and lightly clinked it against the other.

“Clink.”

Lu Jin’an beamed like spring sunshine. “Don’t worry, President Ning, I’ll make sure you’re satisfied.”

A seemingly ordinary remark, yet Ning Nai caught a faint hint of something more beneath the words.

Ning Nai: Hmm?