Deliberately Approaching
Chapter 229: The Girl in the Oil Painting

Chapter 229: Chapter 229: The Girl in the Oil Painting

Tang Xiaowan’s sweet voice came from outside, along with Leng Lingxiao’s hearty laughter.

They were talking without any reservation.

"Huahua, this place is not bad, very comfortable, and there’s a lot of good food."

"Of course, everything’s well taken care of."

"So now you can tell me, did you trick me into coming here just to show off your mansion?"

"Am I that boring?"

Tang Xiaowan raised an eyebrow, "Pretty much."

"I’ll give you another chance, say it again."

"What’s with the seriousness?"

"Hurry up, this is about a man’s dignity and face, no one’s joking with you."

Tang Xiaowan chuckled and ate a grape, "Actually, you’re quite interesting, just a little lame at naming things. Jinshan Villa, sounds so tacky, like a rich man’s property."

"You named it, you said it’s near Jinyuan Mountain and it’s on Jinshan Road."

Tang Xiaowan: "..."

I chose such a tacky name?

No way, did I lift a rock only to drop it on my own foot?

Seeing Tang Xiaowan silent, Leng Lingxiao continued to tease, "Including Qingcheng’s South Suburb Villa, it was also your idea. You said we have too many properties, naming them this way makes it easier to remember, so you don’t get lost."

"Oh, true, it’s simple and clear, I’m quite amazing, really good at naming."

As the words fell, there came a proud laughter.

Leng Lingxiao nodded in full agreement and then gestured for Tang Xiaowan to go upstairs with him.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t argue, he just didn’t want to; for 15 years, it had always been this way of interacting. As long as Tang Xiaowan was happy, he was happy.

When it was time to lose, he knew when to stop, and when it was time to win, he would step up without hesitation.

The hall suddenly became quiet.

Tian Jiaojiao in the small conference room slowly picked up her teacup and looked at Zhao Renjie.

"Brother Zhao, they have gone upstairs."

Zhao Renjie just hummed in response, continuing to swipe on his phone screen.

He was reading about Leng Lingxiao.

The hot search had not yet faded and still topped the charts with all kinds of reprints.

Fortunately, the overall public sentiment was positive—either marveling at Leng Lingxiao’s wealth or praising his love-driven madness to spare no expense. Of course, there was also a lot of fangirl gushing, calling him a gentleman as pure as jade, with sword-like brows and starry eyes, a good image, and fine demeanor, quite the international superstar style.

Tian Jiaojiao had seen this as well.

She ridiculed those people verbally for being superficial and inexperienced, yet in her heart, there was nothing but blinding envy.

She envied the girl who had just been taken upstairs by Leng Lingxiao, the place she had always wanted to go but dared not venture into. From her very first day at Jinshan Villa, Zhao Renjie had warned her.

Here, on the first floor, as well as in the garden, she could wander freely, but she was absolutely forbidden from going upstairs.

Having worked through all the difficulties to get her job, how could she act rashly, even if her curiosity was great, it was never as important as her livelihood.

As she was muttering to herself, the door opened.

A man holding a folder strode in, dressed in a black suit, white shirt, and gray tie—a standard business ensemble.

His name was Huang Yi, the chairman’s senior assistant.

This position, close to the core of power, was enviable both in terms of resources and information, but the pressure was not to be underestimated.

"Brother Zhao, you’re here too."

Although outwardly, Zhao Renjie was just the butler or at most could be considered a personal secretary, Huang Yi never took him lightly and always respectfully addressed him as "you."

Zhao Renjie nodded and continued looking at his phone.

"Assistant Huang, what’s up?" Tian Jiaojiao stood up and asked with a smile.

"Get everything sorted out quickly, upload it to the email, and don’t delay the video conference at four o’clock in the afternoon. There’s no need to notify Manager Feng again, he’s already aware."

After saying that, Huang Yi placed the file at the corner of the table.

"Okay, no problem."

During the time when Leng Lingxiao was not at the Chicheng Headquarters, Huang Yi had been working with Tian Jiaojiao over the phone and email to assist with Leng Lingxiao’s daily work, and now they finally met face to face.

However, this made Tian Jiaojiao feel threatened, suspecting that she was just a temporary replacement, expendable, and that as soon as Leng Lingxiao returned to Chicheng Headquarters, she would be out of a job.

After all, she was just someone running errands.

Tian Jiaojiao’s little concern had long been seen through by Zhao Renjie, so when Huang Yi left, he put down his phone and turned to look at her.

"Are you worried about losing your job?"

"Yeah, it feels like I’ve been working here for a while now, but the chairman rarely speaks to me. I don’t know if... maybe there’s something I’m not doing right?"

"Just do your best at your own tasks. If the position was created, there’s a reason for its existence. Besides, since you’ve come, I’ve been able to relax a bit more, even watch videos while sipping tea. You’re doing quite well."

"That’s good to hear, thank you, Brother Zhao."

"Oh, by the way, I remember... you have a rare blood type, right?"

"Yes, and it’s of the O type. When I joined the company, Assistant Huang even joked... that my blood is very valuable."

"Indeed it is precious. If someone needed your blood for a donation, would you agree to give it?"

"If it’s to save someone, of course I would."

"What a kind-hearted young lady!"

With that, Tian Jiaojiao instantly felt much warmer inside, and her feelings of inferiority and dejection were alleviated.

...

Third floor, corridor.

Tang Xiaowan was admiring the paintings one by one, while Leng Lingxiao followed at a respectful distance, like an attendant or bodyguard.

"They’re all nice, but which one to choose?"

"It’s up to you."

"You’ve got to tell me at least where this painting is going to hang, what’s it for?"

"The study, to refresh the mind and stimulate the brain."

Leng Lingxiao answered succinctly.

Right then, Tang Xiaowan also happened to stop in front of a painting.

A girl in a floral dress, barefoot, with the sea waves and sandy beach, blue sky and white clouds—everything was so serene and beautiful.

But the more she looked, the more something seemed off, the more she felt the person in the painting was herself.

Same little floral dress, same barefoot run, same long black hair down to her waist—if she weren’t wearing casual clothes today, she’d really pose the same, making comparisons.

Could it be that Huahua has had a crush on me for a long time?

Maybe the blurry little girls in the paintings I saw on the second floor... were all me too?

No, this seems a bit too vain!

Tang Xiaowan didn’t ask but touched the tip of her nose, and with a grin she replied, "If you trust my judgment so much, then let’s go with this one. The vigorous waves are quite impressive, plus there’s a beauty to keep company. It’ll be less lonely when working, how about that?"

"Good, name it."

"It doesn’t have a name?"

Leng Lingxiao shook his head, his eyes smiling.

"Then let’s call it Running Girl, how about that? Fits well, doesn’t it?"

"Okay, Running Girl."

Seeing Leng Lingxiao’s satisfied look, Tang Xiaowan leaned in closer, raising an eyebrow, "By the way, Huahua, there’s a portrait of grandma in the Mei Garden storage room, with Lingxiao flowers behind her climbing all over the rockery. You painted it, didn’t you?"

"Of course, who else could it be but me for such an excellent work?"

"Cut it out, you’re not modest at all."

Originally, Leng Lingxiao didn’t like to paint; he just wanted to capture the touching moments related to Tang Xiaowan in photographs.

Later, after hearing Tang Xiaowan say that people who can paint are amazing, he started to like it.

He didn’t like small floral patterns either; he only liked the girl wearing the floral dress, mischievous and always getting into trouble several times a day.

"Grandma, Tangtang knows her mistake, let’s not make her run anymore, she might get heatstroke."

"She has to run, otherwise she won’t learn."

Memories flooded back. The mischievous little girl of the past had grown up into a graceful, beautiful young lady, both sweet and spirited.

Leng Lingxiao always held Tang Xiaowan close to his heart, yet never confessed his feelings.

Not enough love? Impossible.

He had twice risked his life to save Tang Xiaowan. There was no doubt that he loved her; it was just that his love was deep, cautious, too precious to be reckless.

"Huahua, where is this painting going?"

Tang Xiaowan bit her lower lip, tilted her head, her resolute eyes almost certain that the girl in the painting was indeed her younger self.

Leng Lingxiao raised an eyebrow, "It’s a secret."

"Ugh, always so mysterious, keeping people in suspense."

"Let’s go, to the fourth floor."

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