Amidst the hustle and bustle of the world, she felt dazed, as if she were hallucinating, as if everything had already faded away, leaving only the warmth of his smile in her eyes.
The meal lasted a long time. When we left the tea restaurant, the streets were quiet. It was a cool and soft early spring evening, and the streetlights shone brightly, illuminating the flat road with a layer of orange light.
It was late, and she wasn't wearing a coat, so Qian Duoduo covered the sides of her neck with her hands as she inhaled. "Are you cold?" He turned his head to look at her, his fingers twitching beside him.
The hotel was in sight in the distance. The two walked parallel to each other along the short stretch of road, their shadows intertwined and scattered on the ground. She didn't feel cold; that dazed feeling lingered. She hadn't drunk any alcohol, yet she felt a slight intoxication, and even felt like laughing foolishly. "I'm fine, how about you?" "Me?" He laughed out loud. "How could that be?" Why couldn't it be? It was funny, but she felt relaxed and happy all over. She simply smiled.
They were just a few steps away from the hotel entrance. He usually took long strides, but this time he slowed down and gradually fell behind her. After a few steps, he realized that no one was around, so Qian Duoduo stopped and turned around.
"Duoduo." He stood not far behind her, looking at her. "Hmm?" Still feeling slightly drunk, she surprisingly responded with another "hmm" as a question, completely unsuspecting.
He chuckled before speaking, but his tone was firm, devoid of any genuine smile. "That's not a joke, I'm serious." Good heavens! Not again?
Stunned, Qian Duoduo was so frightened that she lost control of her body and suddenly took a step back.
A fierce internal struggle raged within her; she wavered between the two extremes of outright rejection and running away. The man before her remained motionless, standing quietly in place, waiting for an answer, his expression resolute.
The streets were quiet and deserted, with the lights of countless homes in Sha Tin behind him. Against this backdrop of prosperity, he stood alone, his silhouette clearly defined, which seemed somewhat out of place.
It felt as if a small beast, dormant for years, was stirring within her, yearning to pounce in that empty little house. Suddenly, her nose stung, her steps faltered, and she was speechless. To suppress the surging feeling, she lowered her head, trying not to look at him. With her head down, all she could see was her own shadow cast on the ground, lonely and utterly jarring.
The orange street surface, the long, solitary black shadow, suddenly another shadow looms over you. Before you can even be surprised, you are embraced. The lush woody scent wafts over you, your cheek brushes against soft velvet, and then your warm lips.
Unable to get a reply, she lowered her head in front of him, her black hair shining quietly, the ends falling down her shoulders and landing on her white cheeks.
I just wanted to reach out and brush her away so I could see her expression clearly, but once my fingertips reached out, I couldn't control myself. She was like a giant magnet, and my body's instincts beat my consciousness. The next second, I was already kissing her.
The moment that had haunted her memory for months returned: the moist sweetness on her tongue, the intertwining of breaths at her nose. This time, she hadn't drunk any alcohol, yet her body reacted even more acutely. Her skin trembled, and she could almost hear tiny fireballs exploding in the air. The pleasure was so intense that it made her tremble.
Knowing he was out of control, yet unable to, he kissed her deeply, his breath hot, his hands holding her tightly, his palms warm.
When they parted, he pressed his forehead against hers, wanting to speak. As soon as their lips separated, the cool air made her still moist lips tremble slightly. It was too stimulating, and she suddenly took a big step back.
She took a deep breath to calm herself, but her heart was churning, her fingers were trembling, and many words were clashing on her lips. Afraid that she would utter nonsense if she opened her mouth, she struggled for a long time before she could utter a few words, "Kenny, don't do this."
"Why?" he countered. "I'm older than you," she said, stating the fact, both to him and to herself. "So what? My mom's eight years older than my dad." Ah, I see—Qian Duoduo's eyebrows twitched; indeed, it was a strong family trait. "We work in the same company, superior and subordinate, how could that be?" "Is there a connection?" he asked, puzzled. "I don't care about those things."
"I care!" Qian Duoduo yelled, exasperated, then turned her head away and gritted her teeth. "I'm not one of those twenty-something girls. Don't come to me if you want to play games."
“I told you I’m serious.” He frowned and repeated. “I’m serious too!” she yelled back. He fell silent, and Qian Duoduo felt a sudden, inexplicable frustration wash over her.
She has feelings for him; otherwise, she wouldn't be so confused and anxious. But she's truly exhausted and doesn't want to be in a relationship anymore. What's the point of being in a relationship? Does it guarantee a happy ending? Can it truly free her from all this trouble?
She sighed, feeling disheartened and wanting to leave. But then she felt a warmth on her face; his hand covered her cheek, as if pressing on her heart.
There was a voice in my ear, very low, it was him repeating, "Don't be afraid, I'm serious." This is too much, I can't understand it at all.
But her nose tingled and her eyes stung. She hastily closed her eyes, only to have another kiss fall on her lips. Her body was weak and she could no longer resist such a strong desire. She sighed again and slowly hugged him back.
Chapter 59
The second day of the UVL Asia Regional Annual Meeting was held on time in the company's newly completed building in Hong Kong.
As the Asian region has been playing an increasingly important role in the global plan in recent years, this year's annual meeting was unprecedented in scale. Qian Duoduo was fortunate enough to meet many legendary bigwigs, and even the president himself came all the way from London.
The summary report was well-prepared, and with the added bonus of excellent market share and performance, the effect on the spot was very good. While she was giving the summary report on stage, she could see those big bosses constantly smiling and nodding at her.
Making an impression on these people is one of the best guarantees of promotion. She knew that many of her colleagues had risen through the ranks in this way, which was a great opportunity.
In the past, she had been blinded by countless worries, but now her mind was clear. She suddenly realized why Xu Fei had insisted on bringing her here and letting her go on stage alone. When she finished her report, she stood in the light with a smile, her eyes unable to stop looking in the direction where he was standing.
He stood to the side of the stage, dressed in a very formal suit, and smiled slightly at her, even winking playfully.
Oh no, she was so happy that she was afraid she would burst out laughing on stage. Qian Duoduo quickly looked down at her computer to try and hide her emotions.
Xu Fei had a director-level meeting in the afternoon, so Qian Duoduo returned to the hotel alone.
There were tour buses parked at the entrance. Waiters came up to help with the luggage, and tourists were talking loudly around her. She was originally walking briskly, but when she encountered such a large group of people, she had to slow down and carefully walk through the crowd.
Suddenly, a child darted past her like a fish, followed by their mother's loud call. Unable to dodge in time, she stumbled backward and almost fell.
Out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly saw a couple hurrying past. The man looked familiar, with slightly graying temples, and looked remarkably like Niu Zhensheng. The woman beside him was very young, fashionably dressed in a short skirt and boots, and her profile even bore a slight resemblance to his own. Niu Zhensheng and a girl who looked somewhat like him—? How ridiculous! How could that be?
Although she told herself this in her heart, her eyes couldn't help but follow their figures to try to make out their identities. Unfortunately, her eyesight was poor, and they were walking in a hurry, so she only caught a glimpse of them before they disappeared from sight.
Is it an illusion? There's no time for digging deeper or guessing games, Qian Duoduo walked straight towards the elevator.
The hotel room connected to a large balcony facing the central garden. She dragged over a white wicker chair and sat down at the small table. Her laptop had long been left in the room. The thought of finally being able to put everything down and have a good rest made her feel relaxed, and she had no desire to open it anymore.
She hadn't felt this way in a long time. When she first started working, she felt like she had achieved her goal and accomplished something great after completing each project. She would think about how to reward herself, go on vacation, spend money, and feel great after indulging in luxury.
As I climbed higher and higher in rank and projects grew larger, the goals I wanted to achieve seemed further and further away. The sense of accomplishment after completion was no longer easily satisfied; I was often already worrying about the next project before the previous one was even finished. I was constantly busy from the beginning to the end of the year, and all the money I earned just became numbers in my account.
You should resign. You work at the same company, you're in the same department, he doesn't have any psychological issues, but she does.
She wondered how to tell Xu Fei, but the thought of him made her heart ache. She couldn't describe the feeling. She sat alone for a long time, and gradually became sleepy.
The phone was on the table in front of her. The ringing woke her up. When she opened her eyes, it was already evening. Xu Fei's cheerful voice came from the other end of the line, "Duoduo, I'm back."
She smiled slightly as she held the phone, but carefully concealed the smile from her voice. "Okay, come to me. I have something to tell you."
He walked in and smiled at her, the right corner of his mouth turned up high, revealing a sharp canine tooth. She had never looked at his smile so closely before, and at that moment she felt a sudden dizziness.
Before sitting down, he couldn't resist reaching out and tugging at her loose hair.
Suppressing the urge to laugh out loud, Qian Duoduo took a step back with a serious expression. "Don't move. I really have something to say."
Before I could even speak, the phone rang in my ear, and before I could answer it, another one rang, a different kind of music playing in unison, as if it wouldn't stop until it was answered.
Who's so in sync? Qian Duoduo temporarily gave up on speaking and reached for her phone. The number was familiar; it was her mother calling. Calming herself, she took a deep breath and began to respond. She heard Xu Fei also answer the phone, speaking in French.
Completely unaware of her daughter's current state, Qian's mother simply told her that the temperature in Shanghai had suddenly dropped and that Duoduo should wear an extra layer of clothing when she returned.
Turning around, he had already ended the call and was smiling at her, her reflection flickering in his dark pupils. So tempting! Qian Duoduo gripped her phone, took a deep breath, and then looked at him seriously. "Okay, can I talk now?" He glanced at his watch, looking slightly annoyed, but his eyes were full of smiles as he spoke to her. "We don't have time. Can we talk on the go?" "What's so urgent?" "You haven't eaten yet, have you? Someone's waiting for us downstairs. Let's grab something to eat and talk." "Who? What are they talking about?" She reacted quickly. "Keros and Mr. Yamada, they're discussing the acquisition of Wada." Immediately remembering the document she'd glanced at on the plane, Qian Duoduo gasped. "That document was approved? So fast!"
"It's alright, it's just a preliminary plan. The plan is to first acquire Hotan's sales channels and downstream factories, and then enter the market after production begins. These things will take time to implement, so there's no rush." He pulled her outside, explaining as they walked.
"Not in a hurry? Kenny, wait a minute." Pulled forward by him, Qian Duoduo spoke anxiously, "Why do I have to go? What's going on?"
“I’ll explain it to you after you sit down,” he winked at her.
“Kenny!” Qian Duoduo frowned, trying her best to emphasize how serious she was. “The company has never used the method of acquiring a domestic enterprise to enter a new market before. Before we left, Li Weili even came to me to subtly discuss the proposal. So what if it was approved? Are you sure it can proceed smoothly? The conservatives have been in the country for so many years, they are not so easy to persuade. And what about Kairos? Isn’t he still in the European region?”
The elevator doors closed. He glanced at her, didn't answer her question, but a sudden smile appeared in his eyes. Then he lowered his head and kissed her. Startled, Qian Duoduo shifted her feet, leaning against the elevator wall, her shoulders held in his hands.
Her head was buzzing, her cheek was close to his, and his breath brushed against her face. In her haste, she instinctively closed her eyes. When he kissed her, it wasn't particularly domineering or forceful, but it was still firm and powerful. No matter what she did, she couldn't break free.
The kiss was short. When they parted, he held her shoulders with both hands and continued to stare at her.
Afraid he would kiss her again, Qian Duoduo covered her face with her hands before speaking, her voice muffled, "Wait a minute, I just said—"
"Duoduo, are you worried about me?" He smiled, his lips still slightly moist from the kiss, glistening faintly.
Before they could answer, the elevator doors opened, and someone was about to step in. They paused slightly when they saw them before speaking in a polite voice, "Kenny, Ms. Qian, hello."
Blushing, Qian Duoduo turned around in surprise, her gaze meeting a perfectly groomed face with long, slender eyelashes and a complex expression. "Huizi?" What's she doing here? A little unsure, she turned to look at Xu Fei. He smiled naturally and replied as he stepped out of the elevator, "Have you been waiting long? Sorry."
Chapter Sixty
The French restaurant inside the hotel wasn't crowded, and the soft music made it feel even quieter.
There were already two people waiting in the seats. She recognized Kelos, but the other was a completely unfamiliar elderly Japanese man with gray hair. He must be the Mr. Yamada that Xu Fei had mentioned.
After introductions, Kelos, though French, spoke fluent English, shook hands with her, and then invited her to sit down. Mr. Yamada was even more courteous, standing to speak with her and leaning forward as he shook her hand.
When they sat down, Keiko sat next to Yamada in a very generous manner and called him father. As she slowly came to her senses, Qian Duoduo turned her head and glanced at Xu Fei, her eyes full of reproach. He smiled and pulled out a chair for her.
The waiter began serving the food, and the people at the table chatted about new trends in the Japanese market. Kairos, an authority figure among the company's radicals, was undoubtedly a strongman, speaking concisely and with great authority. Yamada, on the other hand, was the complete opposite—a typical elderly Japanese man with a square face, speaking in a kind and extremely polite tone.
Feeling out of place in this place, Qian Duoduo could only bury her head in the food in front of her, silent, occasionally smiling to deal with the stares of others.
She couldn't eat, yet she couldn't stop. It was a difficult meal for her. The French cuisine was served with great care and attentive service, with each course being brought out in its entirety. It took her a long time to finally get through the first main course.
The large, gleaming gold-rimmed plate in front of her was cleared away, and the second main course was served. Huizi picked up a snow-white napkin to wipe her mouth and turned to her, "Ms. Qian, what do you think of the Hotan acquisition project?"
Qian Duoduo still had half a piece of herb-roasted lamb chop in her mouth when she was suddenly called out. She looked up, trying to swallow and speak, but almost choked.
Yamada, watching his daughter, laughed. "Keiko, why are you so interested in China lately? Kenny was in charge of this project, and he's right here. Why are you asking about Miss Qian?"
Xu Fei took over the conversation and began to talk about the growth points in the domestic market. The others at the table listened carefully. After he finished, Kairos nodded and said, "Let's put some issues aside for now and deal with them after I take office. Dona, well done."
What does that mean? Upon hearing this, Qian Duoduo was jolted. She had vaguely known some inside information before. Her former director had reminded her that Kairos might appear in the Asian region as a dark horse, but she really didn't expect it to happen so soon. She was suddenly singled out, the situation was chaotic, and she was caught off guard. The good mood she had relaxed after deciding to resign vanished into thin air. Qian Duoduo's left hand unconsciously clenched under the table, but then she felt a warmth on the back of her hand. It was the man next to her who reached out and gently held her hand.
He's really bold, doing this in front of a whole table of people—Qian Duoduo was startled again, but the back of her hand was warm, the temperature was like an anesthetic, gradually spreading throughout her body, and her original chaotic emotions disappeared. She felt that only the small space around her palm was glowing and warm, and suddenly she felt very happy.
Okay, that's why we're in love. Our skin cravings are fully satisfied, and we feel happy even from just a tiny bit of touch.
"Miss Qian?" Someone called her from across the table. It was Huizi, who looked at her with a strange expression. Snapping back to reality, Qian Duoduo answered. The only thing she was thankful for at that moment was that she had finally swallowed the lamb chop in time. She had never eaten such a tiring meal before. Finally free, Qian Duoduo didn't want to go back to her room and walked straight out of the hotel. She heard footsteps behind her, but she was angry and didn't want to turn around, continuing on her way.
The same quiet street, the lamplight cast two long, slanted shadows. Gradually, his shadow fell over mine, then my hand was grabbed, and I heard laughter in my ear, "Miss, would you do me the honor of having a late-night snack together?"
"I just ate, sir. Please don't touch me while we're talking." She pulled her hand back and spoke sternly.
"What's wrong, Duoduo? I don't have much experience in coaxing girls. Is it too late to learn now?" He said honestly with a bitter face, then put his hands on her shoulders from behind and wouldn't let go.
Good heavens, why does it feel like he's being affectionate? Having learned from experience, Qian Duoduo wisely refrained from making money this time. This man is a bit crazy when he's alone with her. Fearing that he might grab her and make a scene in public again, she wisely stopped and stood still.
"Kenny Xu, you used me." Although she didn't move, her tone remained serious. This accusation was serious; he immediately shook his head, revealing his small, adorable canine tooth.
"Yamada Keiko is very interested in you. Your own father has even intervened. Why don't you take advantage of this French dinner and try to win her over?"
"We're all colleagues, what's the big deal?" He smiled. He had worked with Keiko Yamada in Japan for two years. Although she had a special background, she was diligent and focused on her work, and they worked together happily. However, he never thought about having a cross-cultural romance with a rich girl, so he always pretended not to know about her subtle advances.
Unexpectedly, even Kairos stepped in this time. Fortunately, she was by my side. Thinking of this, I couldn't help but reach out and hug Qian Duoduo, who was frowning. I was very satisfied.
"What nonsense is this?" Qian Duoduo had never seen a man act so presumptuously before. She suddenly wanted to reach out and slap him on the back of the head. "Tell me everything honestly, one thing at a time. Let's start with the proposal."
"Do you want to talk standing up?" His face fell, like a child. This tall man suddenly buried his face in her shoulder and secretly nibbled on her neck.
A tingling, electric-like sensation coursed through her body. Qian Duoduo abruptly rolled over and pushed him away, her face flushed. "Don't do anything reckless! This is the street!"
He looked up with a grin, then took her hand and led her unsteadily toward the porridge shop from yesterday. "Let's find a place to sit down and talk while we eat."
She wasn't afraid of the elite superhero type, nor did she eat the serious type, but she just couldn't get angry at this shameless guy. Helplessly, she was dragged forward by him, and Qian Duoduo couldn't help but mutter, "Aren't you full yet? How many dishes were there just now?"
He gripped her hand tightly, openly and honestly. The man had long legs, and his originally large strides slowed down as he tried to match her pace. He smiled sweetly as he spoke, "Are you full? I saw you only swallow one bite after a long time."
The street was quiet and peaceful, with only occasional passersby walking by. When they saw the formally dressed couple strolling hand in hand, laughing and chatting, they all looked on with envy as they passed by.
Qian Duoduo's long-suppressed vanity was greatly satisfied, and the relaxed atmosphere around her made her unconsciously relax. Before speaking, she couldn't help but smile slightly, "I've never seen anything like this before, I was shocked. You're different, you were prepared. How can you compare to me?" He chuckled, his hands wandering, pulling her hair again, "I'm speaking up for you, there's no time to eat." After sitting down and ordering food, Qian Duoduo didn't bury herself in eating this time. She first held up her chopsticks and asked him, "Tell me the truth." He was just spooning a spoonful into his porridge when he heard this, he looked up and smiled, "Don't you already know?"
"Stop joking," Qian Duoduo asked him seriously, "Don't you think acquiring Hotan is risky? We've always held the top spot in the soft drink market, but our previous tea and juice drinks haven't taken off. Hotan is a completely private company. Although it has a near-monopoly in the juice market, how big is that market?"
"We have little room for further growth in market share in traditional markets. The company is optimistic about the potential consumer power in the domestic market, and transforming to capture the entire market is a plan that has been in place for a long time."