chapter 16 think of her again and again

Andrew Li's brow furrowed slightly, irritation flashing in the depths of his eyes. Was he mistaken again? Once or twice would be acceptable, but for two consecutive days, he had seen that figure in different places. However, that elusive figure always vanished before he could get a clear view. Unable to suppress a cold scoff, Andrew averted his gaze. He must be losing his mind to keep thinking about that woman! "Sir, the clients have been waiting for quite a while. Shouldn't we go in?" Barry Lu waited for a moment, noticing his boss's hesitation, and cautiously inquired. Andrew Li closed his eyes briefly, composed himself, and replied calmly, "Let's go." With that, he strode forward with long strides. Barry Lu hurriedly followed. ... When Ja Jiang and Clark Gu entered the private room, all the staff from the research institute had already gathered. Clark gestured for her to take the main seat, sitting down beside her. He introduced her to everyone, "Many of you have already met Dr. Jiang during the day, but now, I'd like to formally introduce her to all of you." All eyes turned to Ja Jiang, and she nodded gracefully, acknowledging their presence. "This is Ja Jiang, Dr. Jiang. Her name might not be very familiar to you in its Chinese form, but her international name is renowned among us—Professor Gary Lu's accomplished student, ja." Hearing that name, everyone couldn't help but pause, and after a moment, their expressions were filled with admiration. Ja, this name was well-known among the medical community, both in the U.S. and internationally. She had gained fame at a young age for her exceptional medical skills. It was said that she inherited about 80% of Professor Gary Lu's abilities, making her a role model for the younger generation. They had always pictured Ja as someone with short hair, wearing glasses, and exuding an air of seriousness, the quintessential scholarly type. But they never expected her to be so beautiful in person! Once they realized who she was, some admirers immediately stepped forward. "Is it really you, ja? I admire you so much! I've read every paper you've published abroad. I'm such a big fan of yours!" "Working alongside Ja is our honor!" ... The praises flowed from everyone, their faces filled with genuine admiration. Ja Jiang glanced at each of them and smiled softly, "Thank you all for your kind words. I hope we have a pleasant collaboration in the future." With that, she raised her glass, leading the toast. The others followed suit, raising their glasses and downing their drinks. Ja Jiang was friendly and approachable, with no airs or graces, and the staff respected her even more. The dinner proceeded merrily. Many people came over to toast, and Ja Jiang graciously accepted each one. She had a good tolerance for alcohol, but with so many people offering drinks, she began to feel a slight buzz. As the dinner neared its end, Ja Jiang excused herself, claiming she needed to use the restroom. She stood up and walked to the restroom to splash some water on her face to clear her head. As she exited the restroom and made her way back to the private room, her phone suddenly vibrated. Ja Jiang glanced at it and saw messages from her two little ones at home, asking when she would be back. The sight of the messages brought a warm smile to her face, and she was about to stop and reply to them. Suddenly, her shoulder was forcefully bumped by someone, nearly causing her phone to fly out of her hand. Ja Jiang tightened her grip on the phone and immediately began to apologize, "I'm sorry..." Before she could finish her apology, the man who had bumped into her erupted in anger, his voice filled with frustration, "Can't you watch where you're going? Damn it, it's late at night, what bad luck!" As he spoke, a strong smell of alcohol wafted over. Ja Jiang furrowed her brow slightly and discreetly put some distance between them. The intoxicated man finally got a clear look at her face, and his voice trailed off abruptly. His eyes stared at her in astonishment, and he seemed to have forgotten to close his mouth.