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When Jin Shiya arrived at the restaurant building, it was already 8:15. She had been touching up her makeup in the taxi. On one hand, she worried that Noland might have left already, not waiting for her any longer; on the other, she was concerned whether her makeup was okay.
Fortunately, the restaurant manager informed her that Mr. Harris was still waiting for her.
Following the manager to the elevator, he pressed the button for the top floor and then left. While standing in the elevator, even in such a brief moment, Jin Shiya didn’t forget to check herself in the mirror. In the rush earlier, her lipstick had smeared a little… She wiped her lips, feeling a bit deflated.
For a woman in the workplace, makeup is not a mere decoration; it is an essential weapon. This time, in her hurry, Jin Shiya hadn’t even finished her makeup properly.
She encouraged herself, deciding to go with the flow. After all, she wasn’t really planning to secure that project—she was here to build a connection.
She fixed her bangs once more and, when the elevator stopped, flashed a perfect smile as she stepped out.
The Jin Yue Building is 108 stories high, with the top floor being a scenic restaurant that overlooks Shangcheng and the entire beach. It’s considered a landmark. Although it was once popular as an Instagram hotspot, the high dining costs kept most would-be visitors away.
Jin Shiya had spent her birthday here last year so, she wasn’t unfamiliar with the restaurant.
However, at this moment, she felt a bit lost.
The restaurant was eerily quiet—there wasn’t a single customer. Not only that, but the entire place was dim, with only a few border lamps lighting the way.
The waiter led Jin Shiya to a table by the window. At that moment, Noland was sitting there, his head propped up with one hand in a relaxed pose, the other playing with his phone. When he noticed Jin Shiya arriving, he didn’t even bother to look up. If Jin Shiya hadn’t been looking down from above, watching him play a matching game, she would have thought he was dealing with something important.
This man!
Though his behavior could be quite exasperating, his clothing style was annoyingly suited to Jin Shiya’s taste. Today, he wasn’t in formal attire—he wore simple gray-blue jeans with high-top boots, a white cotton T-shirt, and a soft beige knit sweater over it.
His accessories matched his outfit, with a black wristband featuring a stone the same color as his jeans, and a matching necklace around his neck.
His hair, neatly styled the last time they met, was now loose, and his bangs looked a bit messy, but he appeared much younger.
On the table was a small lamp with a lampshade, casting a warm yellow glow that softened the sharpness of his facial features, creating an overall relaxed and comfortable atmosphere.
It was a stark contrast to Jin Shiya, who was dressed in formal business attire.
“You made me wait for over twenty minutes,” Noland remarked.
It was 8:23 PM on an autumn evening, and Jin Shiya, the daughter of RM Company, was at the top-floor restaurant of the Jin Yue Building. The view outside the window, overlooking Shangcheng’s seaside, should have been refreshing. But instead, Jin Shiya couldn't shake the feeling that maybe she should see this man less often. Meeting people could be tiring but meeting him—was draining.
