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The grand, towering building of Liang Conglomerate loomed before her, shining under the morning sun like a palace of glass and steel.
Lin Yue stood by the entrance, her hand clutching her bag tightly. Her heart pounded painfully in her chest as the glass doors slid open.
His assistant Jin Shu walked beside him, discussing something quietly, a tablet in hand. Lin Yue's eyes locked on his face—so familiar, yet so cold. Her breath caught in her throat.
He looked directly at her.
But there was nothing. No recognition. No flicker of emotion.
Just a fleeting glance—as if she were merely part of the background.
Like she was a stranger.
Her heart clenched so hard, it felt like it would shatter. She took an unsteady breath, her fingers tightening around the strap of her bag.
After a few deep breaths, she forced herself to steady. You're not here to cry.
When the elevator doors closed behind him, she finally allowed her eyes to flutter shut. For a moment, she just stood there, swallowing the ache burning in her chest.
After a deep breath, she composed herself and approached the receptionist.
The receptionist welcomed her warmly. "You must be Miss Lin Yue. Please follow me."
They walked through the pristine corridors of Liang Conglomerate until they reached the HR office.
There, a woman in a blazer handed her a badge with her name and employee number.
"You're assigned as a temporary artist with the Cultural Design Team," the HR rep said. "You'll be working on the Chunhua Cultural Centre Renovation Bid."
Lin Yue nodded, accepting the badge with both hands. "Thank you."
She was then led upstairs to the design department, her heels clicking softly on the floor. Inside the open-plan office, the team bustled with energy—people sketching, typing, and holding hushed discussions over mood boards.
Several team members looked up as she entered.
A tall woman in a chic lavender dress walked toward them. Her posture screamed confidence.
"This is Miss Lin Yue," the HR staff introduced. "She'll be joining as a temporary artist for the project."
The woman extended a manicured hand. "I'm Zhang Qian, the team manager. Welcome aboard, Miss Lin."
Lin Yue shook her hand politely. "Nice to meet you. I'll do my best."
"Come," Zhang Qian said, leading her to a desk beside a window. She placed a stack of neatly organized files on the table. "Get familiar with the current concept drafts and competition brief. We're currently preparing to submit for the Chunhua Cultural Centre Renovation Bid. It's a massive opportunity, and we're in tight competition with Tian Group and Xu Corporation."
Lin Yue took the files respectfully. "Understood."
The woman nodded. "Don't hesitate to ask if you need anything. We value creativity and precision here."
Lin Yue sat at her desk, flipping open the files with growing focus. Sketches, 3D models, mood boards… The project was breathtaking.
They were to redesign a historic cultural site without losing its heritage essence—bridging the past and the future with a modern interpretation.
This… this is something I can pour my heart into, she thought.
She flipped through the documents, her brows furrowing slightly as she absorbed the details.
"You look serious," a gentle voice said.
She turned her head. A petite girl with big round glasses and a ponytail leaned over the partition.
"What's your name?" the girl asked curiously.
"Lin Yue."
Du Liyao leaned in playfully. "Yueyue, then! You call me Yaoyao, okay? We're deskmates now, so we're friends."
Lin Yue chuckled softly. "Alright, Yaoyao."
Just as she was about to turn back to the documents, Du Liyao tilted her head and asked, "Do you know anything about architecture though?"
Lin Yue raised an eyebrow and stared directly into her eyes, making Du Liyao visibly flinch under the intensity of her gaze.
Du Liyao quickly sit back, laughing awkwardly.
"Forget I asked! You must be talented to be here anyway!"
Without saying a word, she returned to her papers.
---
She didn't realize how much time had passed until Du Liyao nudged her again. "Yueyue! It's 1:30. Aren't you going for lunch?"
Lin Yue blinked. Already? "I'll eat here."
Opening her bag, she pulled out a carefully packed meal made up of quinoa salad, grilled chicken, avocado slices, and a neatly cut fruit platter with pomegranate and strawberries.
Du Liyao's eyes widened. "Wow! You eat so healthy. I feel bad for my instant noodles now."
Lin Yue chuckled softly. "I'm used to it."
As she ate quietly, she thought back to the proposal draft. What if they incorporated hand-painted elements? Something emotional to tie the theme together… Her fingers itched to draw.
Her phone rang, vibrating softly on the desk. Seeing Mo Yuwei, she smiled and answered.
"Hello?"
"Yueyue! How's your first day?" Mo Yuwei's cheerful voice came through.
"It's… good. The project's intense but exciting."
"I'm glad. Just remember to take breaks and don't stress too much, alright?"
"I will. Thank you, Yuwei."
They chatted for a few minutes, with Mo Yuwei giving her more encouragement. After hanging up, Lin Yue gathered her lunch box and stood up.
In the hallway, she walked toward the break room to rinse her dishes. The polished floors gleamed under the bright lights.
Just as she rounded the corner, the exclusive CEO elevator chimed.
The doors opened.
Liang Yexuan stepped out with another assistant walking beside him. He was on the phone, his deep voice cool and businesslike.
Her breath caught.
He looked like he belonged in a magazine—his black hair slightly tousled, his sharp jawline, that mole under his lower lip... His long legs carried him with grace, his expression unreadable as he spoke into the phone.
He walked past her like she didn't exist.
Again.
Something cracked inside her.
She lowered her head quickly and walked briskly to the break room. Inside, she placed the dishes in the sink and stood frozen.
Tears streamed silently down her cheeks.
Why... why was it like this?
Why did he look like he'd never seen her before?
Why has he pretending not to know her? Not even a bit?
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