On the day that Qiao Mo Ran found out through the internet that she was the top scorer in the civil service exam she had taken, she also received a strange phone call. She did not know who was on the other end of the line, yet the stranger called out her name accurately.
"Qiao Mo Ran, hello!"
"Hello, may I know who's speaking?" Qiao Mo Ran was taken aback.
An unfamiliar deep male voice came from the other end, saying, "Congratulations on earning the top score on the exam!"
This left Qiao Mo Ran puzzled, slightly stunned. She'd just found out her score, how could there be a call already, and from a stranger at that. She hesitated, then finally said, "Thank you, sir. May I know if we have met before?"
"Miss Qiao, let's meet. I'm waiting for you at the Rongfeng Hotel coffee shop for a discussion," the man replied in an unhurried yet resolute voice.
"Sir, feel free to discuss the matter over the phone!" Qiao Mo Ran didn't think that meeting with a strange man in a coffee shop was appropriate. Not to mention, he refused to give his name and didn't specify what the matter was about, so she didn't plan to honour the appointment.
Hearing Qiao Mo Ran's response, the man let out a chuckle. His voice, although deep, was pleasant. He followed up with, "I didn't expect Miss Qiao to be this cautious. Alright, I work in the human resources department, my surname is Gu. Don't worry, there is a matter I wish to discuss with you about the interview for the exam. It has to be done face-to-face."
Qiao Mo Ran found it puzzling, from the human resources department? Wanting to discuss her exam interview? She hesitated for a few seconds before finally nodding, "Alright, when would you like to meet?"
Hearing her response, the man confirmed, “How about right now, if it's alright with you?”
Qiao Mo Ran was once again taken aback and replied, "Sure, but you'll have to wait a while. I'll need some time to get there!"
"I can arrange for a car to pick you up," the man offered.
Qiao Mo Ran immediately declined, "No need, I'll take a taxi there!"
"That works too!" The man didn't insist, "Then I'll reimburse your cab fare!"
Qiao Mo Ran was speechless, still unsure about the identity of this person. Nevertheless, she decided to go. She quickly changed her clothes, washed her face and let her hair down, thinking since it wasn't an actual job interview, there was no need for a formal outfit.
Qiao Moran continued her school-style outfit, a grey cotton dress, a dark blue plaid cotton shirt, wearing sneakers with bare feet, quiet and clear.
She didn't take a taxi, instead, she took the bus, which took exactly half an hour to get there.
She went straight to the hotel's café. Looking over the expansive space, she tried to spot who among the crowd she had just talked to on the phone.
When she first walked in, she saw several people, men and women, none of whom seemed likely. Guided by instinct, Qiao Moran moved towards a quiet spot by the window. Indeed, she spotted a man seated in the southeast corner by the window. He wore all black, stood quite tall, though from a distance, she could not make out his features.
Qiao Moran pulled out her phone, then dialed the number she had just called.
Next, the call went through without ringing, yet she saw that man feel for his phone and seemed to look her way. His face obscured in shadow, she couldn't make out his features, but intuitively felt his gaze on her. Hence, she confirmed her suspicion and approached him.
When Qiao Moran approached the coffee table, she saw the man stand up.
She was about to speak when, upon seeing his face, she was instantly stunned.
The man's presence was like a disaster she couldn't avoid. It was him!
She stood there, her lips trembling slightly, frozen in place while looking up at him, her heart in a state of turmoil.
The man stood in front of her, noticing her blinking slightly. He wore a black shirt with the top button undone, revealing a slender neck. His deep eyes were full of arrogance, yet, upon seeing her clearly, there was a moment of bewilderment.
Upon meeting the man's gaze, Qiao Moran had the feeling like something was tearing her anxiety apart. Images of that night flashed through her mind.
She wanted to turn and run away, yet she forced herself to calm down, reassuring herself that he wouldn't know who she was!
