Mao Li adjusted his glasses nervously, hiding the twitch in his jaw as he tried to maintain composure.
Hua Jing's eyes narrowed, and her smile turned faintly mocking. "President Mao, you must really think I'm desperate."
There was a brief pause, heavy with tension. Then she added, almost casually, "I can come back… but on one condition."
Mao Li leaned forward, curiosity evident in his voice. "And what condition would that be?"
Hua Jing gazed at him and then said softly, "I can come back… but I want her to go."
The silence that followed was deafening. Mao Li's expression stiffened, his eyes snapping up in disbelief. For a brief moment, he simply stared at her, as though the woman sitting before him wasn't the same Hua Jing he had once known. His lips twitched, and after a few seconds, he leaned back in his chair, letting out a low, incredulous laugh.
