C3 The Plot Deviated from the Original Plan

Joan nervously pushed open a heavy door, certain she had seen the man head in this direction. Her heart pounded. She had approached men before, but for some reason, the thought of facing this particular man left her feeling uncertain and flustered.

As the door swung open, Joan realized the place was more than it seemed. It perfectly matched the essence of the Hibiscus Garden—a charming, open-air space with a vintage feel and a vast array of hibiscus flowers. The owner must really love hibiscus, she thought, considering the name and the sea of pink and purple blooms. Coincidentally, she loved hibiscus too.

Hibiscus blooms last only a day, opening in the morning and wilting by evening, earning them the nickname "morning bloom, evening fall." Yet, as one flower fades, others continue to blossom, exuding an endless vitality. Joan believed life should be like that—endlessly resilient.

Lost in the flurry of pink and purple petals, she raised her hand, letting the flowers fall into her palm. A cool breeze jolted her back to reality. Oh no, she had forgotten her purpose here!

Scanning her surroundings, her gaze fixed on a tall, striking figure standing by the floor-to-ceiling window of a nearby building. The soft, mysterious lighting cast an aura of solitude and isolation around him.

It felt like he was staring right at her. How long had he been standing there?!

Ever since this man appeared, Qiao Ann felt like she was constantly losing her train of thought. Like now, she should be striking a pose, casting him a glance that was half anxious, half shy, and then gracefully walking toward him. Instead, she was frozen like a statue.

And just her luck, the sky suddenly opened up, pouring down rain in torrents. Her plan to charm the big shot turned into a frantic, clumsy dash for cover. Internally, Qiao Ann let out a silent scream, "Oh, come on!"

"Ding-dong—" Qiao Ann took a deep breath and pressed the doorbell.

The door opened, and the man's tall figure filled the doorway. Anyone else, and Qiao Ann might have greeted them with a sweet, "Hello, Mr. So-and-So." But this man, with his deep, dark eyes, always seemed to make her feel inexplicably subdued.

"Uncle Mo!" Qiao Ann's brain short-circuited, and out came those words.

"I didn't know I had a niece," the man replied, his voice rich and smooth, sending an unexpected shiver through her.

"Mind if I come in?" Qiao Ann asked, batting her eyelashes and glancing past him.

"Not really," he replied coolly.

Qiao Ann was taken aback. She must have left her luck at home today. Her carefully planned script had gone off course, the target had changed, and he wasn't playing by the rules.

She just couldn't believe it.

"Can't open the door for you, huh? Pretentious!"

Qiao Ann's red lips curved slightly as she lifted her enchanting eyes, stepping inside with a confident stride, her soft figure brushing past Mo Kai's shoulder as if unintentionally.

"Bang—" The sound of the door closing echoed behind her.

Qiao Ann scoffed inwardly, "Men."

She stood by the entrance, leaning slightly as she lifted her fair leg to unbuckle her high heels, her movements slow, accentuating every curve.

Mo Kai leaned lazily against the doorframe, hands in his pockets, watching with interest.

Qiao Ann thought to herself, "I've been striking this pose forever, can't I get a reaction?"

Before she could get one, she lost her balance, stumbling to the side.

In her panic, she reached out to grab whatever she could.

"Pop—"

Three buttons from Mo Kai's shirt flew off, revealing his toned chest, now marked with a long red scratch from her sharp nails...

As the culprit, Qiao Ann clung to his shirt, not letting go, staring at the defined muscles with a gulp.

But she swore, it wasn't on purpose.

To ease the awkwardness, Qiao Ann thought hard and finally said, "Uh, your shirt's quality isn't that great..."

Mo Kai frowned slightly. "Let go."

Only then did Qiao Ann realize she was still clinging to his shirt, practically hanging onto him. Her face flushed with embarrassment as she quickly let go and slid to the side, quietly watching Mo Kai walk into the other room.

After a moment, he returned, now wearing a gray casual sweater, the kind without any buttons. Qiao Ann smirked, wondering who he was trying to keep at bay.

Mo Kai sat on the sofa, crossing his legs and folding his hands, his lips parting slightly. "Miss Qiao, have a seat."

Qiao Ann initially wanted to sit close to him, but his aura seemed to create an invisible barrier, guiding her to a single chair nearby.

Mo Kai glanced at his watch. "I have a video conference in five minutes."

Qiao Ann was momentarily taken aback but quickly gathered herself.

"Director Mo, here's my business card." Qiao Ann pulled a small card from her purse and handed it to him.

Mo Kai's gaze fell on the card: Fuyang Pharmaceutical Technology Co., Ltd., Marketing Manager, Qiao Ann.

Her tone was no longer as playful as before; instead, it was earnest. "I'll get straight to the point. Fuyang is interested in collaborating with Huachen on the Swiss SRI project."

"Getting close to Wang Hee, is that why?" Mo Kai's finger lightly traced the name on the card, his expression stern.

Qiao Ann was momentarily stunned by the directness of the question but answered truthfully, "Yes." She felt that with this man, there was no point in beating around the bush.

"Miss Qiao, is this how you always achieve your goals?" Mo Kai looked at her, his gaze growing increasingly intense.