CH 9.2

The meeting didn’t end until six o’clock.

Luo Qi sent a message to Pei Shixiao: [I’m done with my meeting.]

It was raining again outside. Luo Qi and Secretary Ju didn’t go out to eat anymore and instead had the buffet at the hotel.

After eating, they returned to the room they shared, but Pei Shixiao still hadn’t replied yet.

Luo Qi turned on the TV and found a movie to watch with Secretary Ju.

Halfway through the film, Pei Shixiao finally replied: [Have you had dinner yet?]

Luo Qi: [Already digested.]

Pei Shixiao made a video call; Luo Qi plugged in her earphones and went to the bathroom. She leaned against the washstand and accepted the call.

Pei Shixiao was in his office, making coffee. He could see that the place behind Luo Qi was not the bathroom in her house, “Staying in a hotel tonight?” 

“Mmm.” She was not very interested in answering and didn’t talk much.

Pei Shixiao stared at her face, “What’s the matter? You don’t look happy.”

“I’ve been in a meeting all afternoon, I don’t want to talk.” 

“Having a meeting with the big boss, you were focused the entire time—it’s normal to be tired. If you don’t want to talk, then don’t talk.” Pei Shixiao found the phone holder and stuck his phone on it, “Just stay with me while I work overtime, so you don’t need to talk. Tell me when you feel like talking.”     

But Luo Qi didn’t feel tired from the meeting, and she couldn’t tell why her heart felt exhausted. 

On the other side of the phone, Pei Shixiao was reviewing some information on his computer, turning his head to look at the phone screen from time to time. Seeing that she was still online, he would then go back to work with peace of mind.     

They often accompany each other to work overtime like this. A sense of both strangeness and familiarity rushed over Luo Qi.     

“Qi, do you want to eat barbecue? I’ll order you takeaway.”    

“I’m not hungry. I had buffet tonight.”    

On the video screen, Luo Qi could only see his profile. Suddenly, he raised his head and looked in the direction of the door. Someone might have come in, but she didn’t hear the knock on the door—maybe the knock was not loud and it wasn’t transmitted in the video. The next second, Pei Shixiao turned his head and said to her, “Someone is here to report on work.”     

Luo Qi said, “You’re busy.”     

Pei Shixiao struggled for a few seconds—reason prevailed, and he didn’t cut off the video, “Qi, you don’t have to hang up, just wait two minutes while I sign something.”

Later, Luo Qi heard an unfamiliar female voice say, “Three copies in total.”

Soon, Pei Shixiao signed and handed the documents back.

Luo Qi heard the sound of high heels fading away. She didn’t know many people in his company, and she wasn’t used to asking him who came in just now, and even if she asked, she still wouldn’t know who it was. 

But it was certain that that woman should be an executive, and that she was very familiar with Pei Shixiao, because she didn’t address him as Chief Pei, and only said “Three copies in total.”

Pei Shixiao didn’t shy away from it, didn’t cut off the video, and Luo Qi didn’t think too much about it.

After accompanying him work overtime for an hour and a half, her mobile phone battery ran low and they ended the video.

… …

The next morning, the contract was successfully signed.

He Wancheng admired Jiang Shenghe’s courage, and he liked to deal with straightforward people. Jiang Shenghe didn’t need to expressly ask for it. He Wancheng himself offered: if there was anything he could do for Yuanwei Medical, just ask.

In the evening, He Wancheng hosted a banquet for them, and Lu Baisheng arrived on time.

Jiang Shenghe was waiting for him in the lobby of the hotel, and the two went upstairs together.

“Did you tell the students that you’re not at school tonight?”

“No. Let them think I’m in the office.”

“What a cruel heart.”

“…” Lu Bai was speechless.

Jiang Shenghe laughed—one of his few pleasures in life was to make fun of Lu Baisheng.     

Lu Baisheng didn’t care about him anymore, and asked, “Luo Qi and Secretary Ju haven’t arrived yet?”     

“Already here, up in the private room.”

Jiang Sheng especially waited for Lu Baisheng, and they went upstairs first.

There was chatter and laughter in the private room. He Wancheng and his party were also already there and were chatting with Luo Qi. 

During the early stages of the project, He Wancheng had contacted Luo Qi several times. He was also from Suzhou, and sometimes he would speak a few words of Suzhou dialect during the chat, lending him an intangible degree of familiarity.

The door of the private room was pushed open, and Jiang Shenghe entered, followed by Lu Baisheng.

He Wancheng got up to greet him, and everyone sat down after talking.

There was an empty seat next to Luo Qi, so Lu Baisheng sat down there.

“Mr. Lu, we meet again,” she greeted in a low voice.

Lu Bosheng joked, “You guys are working, I’m just here for a meal.”

When everyone arrived, the waiter began to pour the wine.

Jiang Shenghe was talking to He Wancheng, when he suddenly turned around and asked Luo Qi, “Assistant Luo, Director Jiang said you are allergic to alcohol, is that right?” 

After the words fell, Luo Qi, who was talking with Lu Baisheng, suddenly raised her head. She was not allergic to alcohol, but she could not drink a lot. If she drank too much, she will have a stomachache, and she can only get over it by taking an intravenous drip every time.