CHAPTER 186: CHAPTER 186 RIVAL IN LOVE COMES KNOCKING (1)_1

Across from the desk, there was another set of rosewood sofas, with a couple of books placed on the coffee table.

Opposite the sofas was a small tea room. The half-moon-shaped tea table was bare, but beyond it was an assortment of teas, instant coffee, and coffee beans. You could have instant if you wished, or brew your own. A standard water dispenser stood inside. These furnishings were far less luxurious than those in Glades Horne’s office, but they were genuinely practical.

Outside the tea room, two pots of lucky bamboo were arranged. It had grown quite tall, its leaves exceptionally lush. People say that the state of lucky bamboo reflects one’s fortune: verdant leaves symbolize good luck, while yellowing leaves indicate misfortune. The lush growth of these two pots of lucky bamboo signified that Huayi’s business was doing exceedingly well.

"Ms. Bluen, do you need to visit the workshop?" asked Vice President Li with a gentle smile, his peripheral vision always catching the scrutinizing gaze of Glades Horne, who stood beside Julia Bluen.

Julia Bluen shook her head. She still had to check on the other five subsidiaries as well as the eighteen chain stores. She planned to use the afternoon to get a general overview of all the companies under her name, so she could officially start work the next day. "Vice President Li, please go on with your work. I’ll just take a look and then leave."

Vice President Li nodded, gave another respectful nod to Glades Horne, and then left the General Manager’s Office, considerately closing the door behind him for Julia Bluen.

Julia Bluen approached the desk and casually flipped through some documents. Then, looking at the large bookshelf behind the desk, she couldn’t help but exclaim softly, "So many books." She stepped forward, reached out, and took down a book about management. She had majored in management and minored in accounting. After graduation, she rejected her father’s arrangements and chose not to join the Bluen Family consortium. Instead, she sought her own employment. She initially looked for management positions, but lacking experience, most companies were hesitant to give her a chance. Consequently, she looked for accounting jobs. Although she also lacked practical work experience in accounting, she at least had a diploma in the field. Relying on her eloquence, she eventually managed to get into Cosmos Group.

Glades Horne moved to her side, his tall figure seeming to envelop her. His deep eyes gazed at her profile as he asked in a warm, deep voice, "Do you like it here? Do you want me to help you redecorate?" The working environment here was too austere. He wanted to brighten it up for her, at the very least by changing those dark curtains. When drawn, the curtains made the office seem several shades darker, creating a somewhat gloomy atmosphere.

Julia Bluen turned her head, smiled at him briefly, and then surveyed the entire office. Her gaze finally settled on the dark curtains. She responded, "Everything else is fine. It’s just that these curtains are too dark; they’re not very nice. But you don’t need to help me. I can find someone to replace them." How could she talk about self-reliance if she needed his help even to change curtains?

Glades Horne’s eyes deepened further, and his full lips curved into a faint smile. Their thoughts were aligned; they both found the curtains too dark.

"What’s so funny?" Julia Bluen asked, turning to face him with the book still in her hand, a hint of curiosity in her voice.

His long arms suddenly opened wide, as if to welcome her.

His black, hawk-like eyes held an enticing gaze as they rested on her pretty face.

Julia Bluen’s cheeks flushed pink, but she still leaned gently into his embrace.

After hugging her firmly, he released her. He then walked over to the floor-to-ceiling windows and pulled open the dark curtains, instantly brightening the office by several degrees. From the third floor, looking down from the window, the view wasn’t from a great height, but it offered a complete panorama of the small garden below. Outside, dense clouds overcast the sky, and a chill wind had begun to blow.

It indeed seemed like rain was on the way.

The temperature, originally around twenty-five degrees Celsius, had dropped a few degrees with the sky’s sudden change. People accustomed to sunshine instantly felt the cold.

Julia Bluen returned the book to the shelf and casually pulled out another: a catalog of toy designs. It was a compilation of all the toys, large and small, that Huayi had ever produced, amounting to over ten thousand varieties.

Glades Horne took out his phone and dialed Ruiz’s number. Once Ruiz answered, he instructed in a low voice, "Ruiz, buy some brightly colored curtains and send them to Huayi. Have all the curtains in the General Manager’s Office replaced."

"All right."

Ruiz didn’t object to being asked to do such a minor task, accepting the order and arrangements with his usual obedience.

"That’s it then," Glades Horne said, ending the call without further ado.

Overhearing his phone call, Julia Bluen couldn’t help but smile. She knew he would still replace the curtains for her.

After lingering in the office for a while, they left.

As they stepped out of the Office Building, the wind that greeted them was piercingly cold. The sky had indeed begun to shed a fine drizzle, driven by the strong wind. What might usually feel like a refreshing breeze now felt bitingly cold.

Although Julia Bluen was wearing two layers of clothing, her outer jacket was quite thin. Having just stepped outside, she felt a distinct chill.

Suddenly, a strong arm reached out from beside her. Glades Horne wrapped an arm around her shoulder. She immediately felt a bit warmer. Turning her head, she saw that Glades Horne had unbuttoned his suit jacket and was using one side of it to shield her, ensuring she wouldn’t feel so cold.

"It’s gotten chillier; you should wear more clothes from now on," Glades Horne advised, his tone like that of a doting mother. His voice—low, deep, and magnetic—struck Julia Bluen as the most beautiful sound in the world.

"It’s raining. I brought an umbrella. Grandma had the foresight to tell me to bring one before I left the house." His actions warmed Julia’s heart; she felt as though no amount of wind could chill her now.

Glades Horne knew she had brought an umbrella; he had seen it.

Looking at the fine drizzle, it wasn’t heavy, but it was enough to get their hair wet on the walk to the parking lot.

"Julia—" Glades Horne began, intending to tell her to wait while he fetched their umbrella—he would rather get drenched himself than let her get wet.

Before he could finish, a front desk clerk suddenly approached, handing a slightly used umbrella to Julia Bluen. "Ms. Bluen, please use this umbrella."

This spared him from the rain as well.