Chapter 59: Smiles Other Than Cold Ones

It seemed that Mr. Shen was in a rather good mood today.

“Who’s next?” Shen Hanzhi’s indifferent voice rang out.

Ordinarily, this voice sounded like a summons from the underworld, and no one dared respond. But today…

“Mr. Shen, I’ll go!” A young man stood up, volunteering himself.

Since it was only a matter of time before meeting his fate, he figured he might as well take his chance now, while Mr. Shen seemed to be in a good mood—perhaps he’d escape unscathed.

Seeing someone step forward of their own accord, Shen Hanzhi showed a hint of surprise. “Go on.”

…

In the office.

After receiving Shen Hanzhi’s reply, Lin Nanxun obediently sat on the sofa, waiting patiently while scrolling through WeChat and exploring its features.

Not only could she chat with others, but there were also games to play. She could even send photos.

Curious, Lin Nanxun opened the camera feature. Before she quite understood how to use it, she accidentally snapped a photo.

It was taken from above, making her look a little silly. She wanted to delete it.

As she fumbled to erase the accidental photo, her fingers slipped, and she hit send by mistake.

By the time she realized, the picture had already been sent to Shen Hanzhi.

Startled, she frantically tapped at her phone, trying to cancel it, but she didn’t know how. All she could do was clutch her phone anxiously.

…

Meanwhile, in the meeting room, Shen Hanzhi was listening intently to the young man’s report.

His phone, lying on the table, buzzed again.

Glancing down, he saw another message from Lin Nanxun—a picture this time.

He tapped it open and was greeted by a selfie taken at an unflattering angle, her face filling two-thirds of the frame.

Her wide eyes were full of confusion, and her pink lips were slightly pursed.

Her expression was one of utter bewilderment, as if she’d been startled by the sudden appearance of the photo.

Surprisingly… it was rather cute.

Shen Hanzhi looked at his phone, unable to suppress a smile.

Though he never took selfies himself, it was clear this one had been snapped by accident.

She must be trying to figure out how the camera function worked, but was still at a loss.

The thought made Shen Hanzhi’s lips curve into a faint smile.

This fleeting smile left everyone in the room utterly perplexed.

It was the first time they’d seen a smile on Mr. Shen’s face that wasn’t cold or sardonic. It wasn’t icy, but its meaning was impenetrable.

“Mr… Mr. Shen…” the young man standing there was caught completely off guard.

Had Mr. Shen really been pleased with his report?

It was only when he heard the murmurs around him that Shen Hanzhi realized his expression had slipped. He quickly wiped it away and pocketed his phone.

“Go to HR and settle your wages,” he said coolly, glancing at the young man who had just spoken.

At those words, the young man was dumbfounded.

“Next.” Without further explanation, Shen Hanzhi’s tone turned cold once more.

A heavy silence fell.

…

By the time Shen Hanzhi finished the meeting, it was already the end of the workday.

Dusk had fallen.

He didn’t arrive at the villa until after dark.

Following dinner, Lin Nanxun—her hair being dried by a servant after her bath—sat quietly. Aunt Xu was on vacation abroad today.

…

Elsewhere, Shen Hanzhi, fresh from his own bath, leaned against the bed, staring at a thick English book but unable to take in a single word.

On the nightstand, the clock ticked away, minute by minute.