Yi Yi laughed at her expression. "What? Do you think I'm making you worry?"
"Yiyi," Qian Duoduo said seriously, "I'm not joking. I want to know, if there are problems in your marriage, how would you handle it?"
"The marriage is in trouble? You mean the two of you are having relationship problems?" She turned her head to look at Qian Duoduo. "Duoduo, I've said before that there are many aspects to maintaining a marriage. Steve and I have been married for so many years, it's normal for our feelings to have faded."
"So, does that really mean marriage will become the tomb of love? If feelings fade, you can always try to salvage them." Qian Duoduo frowned slightly, surprised that Yiyi spoke about this topic so calmly.
“We have feelings for each other,” Yiyi continued with a smile. “Even if it’s not romantic love, it’s family affection.”
“But if that’s the case, what if…” Qian Duoduo hesitated.
"What if what?" Yiyi put down her spoon and looked into Qian Duoduo's eyes as she spoke, "You mean what if he wants to abandon me, right?"
Yi Yi has big eyes with deep double eyelids. When she looks directly at you under the light, her eyes are clear and bright, as if she can see through everything. Duo Duo is shocked.
"No, it won't happen." After a glance, Yiyi lowered her head and continued to hold her spoon. When she spoke again, her voice was a little muffled because she had something in her mouth. "Steve's company is so big. Did we sign a prenuptial agreement? If he really wants to separate from me, how will we divide our joint property? He's already busy enough with business matters. Why would a man have the time to create trouble for himself?"
A chill ran through her, and Qian Duoduo could no longer respond.
Before she could even speak, the phone on the table rang again, the screen flashing. When she answered, Xu Fei's voice was right in her ear.
"Duoduo, I'm on my way, about half an hour." Her mind in turmoil, Qian Duoduo simply hummed in response. Yiyi, watching her from across the table, mouthed, "Who?"
Qian Duoduo covered the phone and answered softly, "It's Xu Fei. He'll be coming to pick me up later."
Upon hearing Xu Fei's name, Yi Yi perked up, put her hands together, and said, "That's great! Then go quickly!"
"No rush, he's on his way, he'll be here in a bit." Qian Duoduo hurriedly ended the call, put down her phone and continued eating, but she couldn't taste the food, and after eating for a long time, she didn't even know what she had swallowed.
Yi Yi, on the other hand, was very interested and asked her many questions about Xu Fei. Unable to resist her, Qian Duoduo had no choice but to tell her everything. Yi Yi listened with sparkling eyes and occasionally exclaimed softly, her emotions far exceeding those of Qian Duoduo, the person involved.
Qian Duoduo was in a daze during the meal. When the two said goodbye, they walked to the intersection together. At the bay-style parking area at the side entrance of the shopping mall, taxis and private cars waiting to pick people up were lined up in a row. Xu Fei's car had not yet arrived, but Yi Yi's alligator car was already waiting there.
The driver saw them from afar and got out of the car to open the door. The extended luxury car was shiny and eye-catching. As Yiyi walked over, everyone around her cast envious glances, intentionally or unintentionally. Qian Duoduo was just a step behind her. She could see those gazes clearly, but she felt terrible. She felt her steps getting heavier and heavier.
As they approached the car, Yiyi suddenly turned around and looked at her. "Duoduo, you're acting strange today. Is there something you haven't told me yet?"
Qian Duoduo's heart skipped a beat, but she shook her head. "It's my own problem. I'm upset. My mom has been pressuring me a lot lately. I keep thinking about what marriage is."
Having reached the car, Yiyi leaned against the door and smiled calmly at Duoduo, "Actually, marriage is not the end but the beginning. Does marriage mean you don't have to worry anymore? You're wrong. It's still a place where you need to put in a lot of effort, and it's not much simpler than the workplace."
As close friends for so many years, they would naturally talk about such topics in the past, but Qian Duoduo had never been married, so there was always a veil between them. Yiyi rarely spoke so frankly. This time, his tone was calm, but his words were cold, making Qian Duoduo feel a chill run down her spine.
Chapter Seventy-Three
Before she could answer, another car turned the corner and pulled up beside her. It was Xu Fei, stopping behind Yi Yi's car. He opened the door and spoke to Qian Duoduo, "Duoduo, I'm here." Then he turned to Yi Yi, nodded and smiled, "Is this your friend?"
"This is Yiyi, my best friend. Yiyi, this is Kenny."
Qian Duoduo introduced them, and the two got to know each other briefly. Yiyi had already returned to her usual self, smiling as she spoke. Before leaving, she winked at Qian Duoduo and mouthed clearly, "Great, enjoy yourself."
Enjoy? I didn't expect her to be so straightforward on the street. Qian Duoduo was too embarrassed to look at Xu Fei.
Yi Yi finally left, and Qian Duoduo turned around and got into the car. The passenger seat was comfortable and spacious. Feeling exhausted from the day, she lay down on the seat and didn't move.
"What's wrong? Are you tired?" He reached out to fasten her seatbelt. "Come with me to get something to eat? I haven't eaten anything yet."
"Okay," she replied simply.
He was standing sideways in front of her, their cheeks close together. She readily agreed, but he could clearly see the exhaustion on her face. Qian Duoduo was usually full of energy, and it was rare to see her so weak. He wondered what had happened.
Actually, he also encountered a lot of troubles that day, but seeing Qian Duoduo like this, he instinctively felt sorry for her and couldn't help but reach out and brush her long hair that fell on her shoulder. His voice softened, "If you're very tired, that's fine. I'll take you home."
The chill from before was still there, but the sound and movement softened her heart. Qian Duoduo sat up straight and urged softly, "It's okay, I'm fine. Let's drive, we can't stop here for long."
Xu Fei was very busy. He even took several phone calls while driving, and he never took off his wireless earphone. Qian Duoduo didn't want to talk either, and sat silently to the side. Yi Yi's words were still echoing in her ears. She thought about them over and over again, and felt frustrated no matter what.
Over the years, although she didn't want to admit it, she had envied her good friend deep down when she was occasionally defeated by setbacks and felt desperate about loneliness.
Yiyi had a clear goal since childhood: to marry into wealth. Over the years, she has lived a life of luxury, never worrying about making a living, and has never experienced the cutthroat competition of the workplace. Sometimes, when the two of them walked in front of the mirror together, Yiyi always felt that compared to her comfortable life, her own face looked haggard.
But just now, when she talked about marriage in front of her, her voice was indifferent, and she said that it was also a place that required a lot of mental and physical effort, and it was no simpler than the workplace.
So what exactly is marriage? She's no longer a naive girl; she no longer believes in fairy tales of princes and princesses living happily ever after. But deep down, she still harbors fantasies that marriage is the final safe haven, a place where she can temporarily escape the troubles of the world, catch her breath, and then turn around and continue to work hard with renewed vigor.
It was just a safe haven; she didn't expect it to be some idyllic paradise, full of blooming flowers. She just wanted peace and quiet throughout the four seasons, a moment of tranquility. But even that simple request turned out to be an illusion.
If marriage can't bring a sense of security and stability, if she still has to face risks and hunts, and still have to work hard, what could be more terrifying? If that is the source of all the greatest potential harm, then what can she expect?
Suddenly feeling disheartened, the man beside her was still on the phone. At that moment, he glanced at her in the midst of his busy schedule, then turned back to continue looking straight ahead.
But then she felt a warmth and a weight on her left shoulder. He had freed one hand, threaded it through her hair, and gently squeezed her shoulder. Feeling that such comfort was a luxury, Qian Duoduo sighed and leaned her head against his shoulder.
After getting on the bus, Yiyi sat alone in the back seat, gazing out the window in a daze. This road was located in the city center, and it was bustling and crowded at night. She encountered red lights at several intersections in a row, with all kinds of vehicles in front, behind, and to the sides.
Someone in the taxi next to her was staring intently in her direction, then patted his friend on the shoulder and pointed at her, speaking with great enthusiasm.
Looking at everything through the car window tint, she knew that people couldn't see her clearly and were mostly just talking about the car, but she still felt impatient. Looking down, she saw her hands, which were resting on her handbag, tightly clasped together, and the rings still gleamed in the shadows.
She clenched her fist, thought for a moment, then reached for the phone to call her husband.
The first call lasted only five seconds, during which the message, "I'm talking about something very important," was disconnected almost instantly.
She was actually used to this situation, but this time, for some reason, she felt a tightness in her chest. After a minute of hesitation, she grabbed the phone and dialed again. All that was left on the other end was a mechanical female voice repeatedly saying, "Sorry, the number you dialed is switched off. Sorry, the number you dialed is switched off."
That monotonous and emotionless voice had already numbed her, but tonight it actually caused her pain, a pain as if her eardrums had been ripped open.
Not wanting to make any more calls, she tossed the phone onto the seat beside her and continued looking out the window.
They were almost home. Yiyi had been silent in the back seat the whole way. The garage door slowly rose, but she remained silent and motionless. The driver found it strange and looked back at her from the driver's seat while waiting. "Madam, are you very tired today? Get some rest."
She suddenly woke up, looked up at him, nodded, and reached out to push the door open.
The garage door was already up, and the driver was about to step on the gas when he was startled by her movement in the rearview mirror. He slammed on the brakes and yelled, "Watch out!"
She stopped what she was doing, said "Oh," and didn't turn around. Her face was hidden in her hair, so her expression was not visible. A few seconds later, she suddenly smiled.
It was a smile, but it sent a chill down the driver's spine. He didn't dare say another word. He quickly drove the car into the garage, got out, and opened the door for her.
Chapter Seventy-Four
Xu Fei drove quickly, and their destination was clear. It wasn't the first time they had eaten together. They didn't like crowds and preferred quiet, family-style restaurants. Their favorite Taiwanese restaurant was right downstairs from his apartment building. By this time, the car had turned onto the quiet street in front of the residential area, and the familiar restaurant was right in front of them.
Xu Fei stayed in a serviced apartment building on a high floor. The bottom two floors of the building were filled with restaurants from various countries. At night, all the lights were on, and the glass walls were unobstructed, making it look bright and transparent from a distance.
The security guards in the community recognized them. Before the car even got close, they had already raised the barrier, stood to the side, saluted, and smiled at him, saying, "Hello, Mr. Xu."
He had been on the phone in various languages the whole way, and was still speaking English when he apologized to the person on the other end, then turned and smiled at the security guard before replying, "Hello."
He finally ended the call when he got out of the car. Qian Duoduo had been listening the whole way, and although she was preoccupied and only heard snippets of his words, she still felt something was wrong. So she stood by the car and asked, "What's wrong? Is there a problem with the project?"
"Let's sit down and talk." He locked the door, turned back to look at her as he took a step, smiled reassuringly at her expression, and then opened his palm to her.
The lights in the neighborhood were soft, and the surrounding greenery was lush. His fingers were long and beautiful, and he tightened his grip on hers with great strength.
Such a firm and reassuring grip made Qian Duoduo momentarily dazed, as if all her unease and hesitation could be dispelled. Her nose suddenly stung with tears, and the joy she felt at that moment seemed like a sin. Feeling conflicted, she lowered her head and fell silent once again.
Dinner time had passed, and the restaurant wasn't crowded. The owners, a middle-aged couple from Taiwan, were chatting at a table near the door, smiling at their regular customers.
On the way there, Xu Fei had already ordered his things. The boss had a lot to talk about with him, and then he stood up and started talking to him about a new car he had his eye on, with his hand still in the boss's palm. Qian Duoduo stood by and listened.
After wearing heels for a whole day, she felt tired after standing for a while. She shifted her weight between her feet to relieve the fatigue. He turned to look at her and pointed to their usual spot. "Duoduo, go sit down. I'll be right there."
The waiter had already brought the food, but Qian Duoduo only ordered a cup of milk tea. When the proprietress came over to serve him, there was obvious envy in her eyes. She smiled and then turned to look at him.
He was having a great time chatting with his boss, and the two of them were laughing heartily, their eyes crinkling at the corners. The man's simple and pure joy seemed to come from the moment he sensed her gaze. He turned his head and looked over, blinking at her from a distance.
Unable to hold back any longer, Qian Duoduo, holding her milk tea, burst out laughing. As she laughed, she felt that this man had a magical charm; wherever he was, any space would be pleasant.
After the lighthearted chat, Xu Fei came over to check in. He was clearly starving, as he immediately started eating without even looking up.
"What went wrong? Is it a big problem?" Qian Duoduo continued to ask.
He put down his chopsticks and looked at her as he spoke, “The letter of intent for the acquisition has been submitted to the relevant government departments. Hotan has had initial dealings with them before, so there shouldn’t be any major problems. However, there were rumors yesterday that MEC also intends to join the bidding for Hotan. Although it’s just a rumor, Hotan’s senior management is somewhat hesitant.”
“Mec?” Qian Duoduo was stunned after hearing this.
He suppressed his smile, his brows furrowing slightly. It was rare to see him with such an expression, and Qian Duoduo was startled. Suddenly, she realized that MEC had taken a liking to her, and was surprised by their quick reaction. She frowned, "MEC has recently become very interested in healthy domestic capital, but Hotan is a real economy company that focuses on essential needs. I didn't expect them to want to get involved as well."
"It's not surprising. Recently, every investment company has been coming to China looking for investment opportunities. After our intention to acquire Hotan was announced, its stock price rose rapidly, so it's normal for it to attract attention. This is not puzzling. However, after looking at MEC's recent financial reports and investment flows, there is one thing that is really hard to understand."
"What?" Qian Duoduo was used to discussing work with others in the marketing department, but since he left, the two of them were always busy with their own things and hadn't had such an opportunity in a long time. She quickly accepted the milk tea.
“Recently, a large amount of capital has been continuously buying up MEC’s shares. Several of its investment projects in Asia are also in cooperation with the same fund. I also checked the background of that fund, and Yamada Group also has a share, and a very large one at that.”
"Yamada? You mean Yamada Keiko's father? Isn't he a major shareholder of UVL Asia?" His words weren't complicated, but Qian Duoduo was completely bewildered.
"It may be a coincidence. The Yamada Group is very large and is not headed by Keiko's father. He started cooperating with the company when UVL first entered Asia and is considered a veteran on the Asian board of directors."
After thinking for a while, Qian Duoduo slowly spoke, "Yamada's funds are cooperating with MEC, Yamada Keiko is involved in the acquisition project, and now MEC has announced its participation in the bidding. With so many coincidences, don't you think there's something wrong with it?"
Xu Fei smiled faintly, "His costs are higher at UVL. There are no permanent friends or enemies in the market. All of this is just data on the surface. Anyone with a little effort can find out. If Yamada really wanted to mess with the company, there was no need to make it so public, right?"
Qian Duoduo shook her head. "You can still laugh? Even if Yamada has nothing to do with this, it's a fact that Wada is wavering. What if this plan is shelved?"
“Such a large acquisition is not easy. We had already negotiated with Hotan on many occasions and the bottom price was almost agreed upon. Moreover, I recently asked Zhang Qian to check some data and we need to wait for the results. Hotan’s initiative to delay is actually just what we need.”
She knew Zhang Qian; he was currently working on bioengineering at the research institute. But weren't they talking about the acquisition of Hotan? Why was Zhang Qian being brought up again? The more she listened, the less she understood. Qian Duoduo opened her mouth, wanting to ask again.
He put down his chopsticks and looked at her leisurely, his mouth already open. But Qian Duoduo quickly realized that these matters involved business secrets, and she wasn't the person in charge. Asking too many questions wouldn't be a good thing. With that thought, she immediately shut her mouth and remained silent.
“Kailos just arrived in the Asian region, and Hotan is wavering at this crucial moment. You—” Qian Duoduo finally spoke again, holding the cup, after almost finishing her milk tea.
What she really meant was that if problems arose, Kairos, having just arrived in China, wouldn't have a stable foundation. Even if things didn't break him, he would inevitably face some challenges, and when the burden fell on him, it would be his shoulders again.
The most difficult position for foreign executives is that of a non-foreign executive like him, caught between his overseas superiors and the complex situation in China, pleasing neither side. Xu Fei seems to be facing a very troublesome situation right now, as Qian Duoduo's brows were furrowed when he spoke.
"Duoduo, are you worried about me?" He had already finished eating, and after hearing this, he grinned and grabbed her hand to kiss it.
This man always dressed formally at the company, managing to appear mature and composed among a group of middle-aged executives in their forties and fifties. But in private, especially in front of her, he would occasionally reveal his childlike side, making her both amused and exasperated in public.
There weren't many people in the restaurant, but Qian Duoduo still felt shy and struggled to pull her hand away. However, the man's fingers were strong and gripped her firmly, so she couldn't break free. In the end, he pulled her over, and she felt a warmth on the back of her hand. His lips gently brushed against hers, and he was looking down at her with a smile in his eyes.
Sigh, the emperor isn't worried, but the eunuchs are; why is she doing this to herself?
But her heart softened and she felt so sweet that she couldn't speak. Qian Duoduo, dressed in a suit, blushed like a little girl.
Chapter Seventy-Five
It was late at night when they left the restaurant. The neighborhood was very quiet. They walked side by side towards the building. Qian Duoduo wanted to say something, but then she yawned.
Having reached the car, he grabbed her and wouldn't let go, sighing as he spoke, "Duoduo, aren't you tired of running around? Why don't we move here? I have plenty of space here."
She wanted to laugh, but Qian Duoduo spoke with a straight face, "Vice President Xu, mind your image."