He admired Song Qing very much. Such a woman was perfect as a partner for a marriage of convenience; otherwise, he should have stuck to his own opinion and let his feelings develop, which would have made Song Jing owe him an even greater favor in the end.
Fuhua's solid foundation, its promising future after listing, and Song Qing—all of this has become a piece of meat that is already in hand, irresistible, and within reach. In the face of this, personal feelings are so thin and fragile that one can easily discern their relative importance.
Personal gains and losses have long been forgotten in the face of greater interests and righteousness, and he believes that this is also true for Song Qing.
However, the time is not yet ripe.
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Song Ning thrived in Zhenhua's research lab. Her naturally lively and outgoing personality, coupled with her charmingly celebrity-like appearance, made her a formidable asset in winning over people. She quickly became very close with her lab colleagues.
Moreover, she is the chairman's daughter, and everyone is eager to have her.
When Song Qing heard about her condition, all he could say was "good".
Xu Zhihan is coming back soon? That person seems difficult to deal with, but it doesn't matter. Song Ning patted her already packed luggage. Everything has been settled, and she will soon be able to deliver a fatal blow to Song Qing at the right time.
In a very good mood, she made a phone call to Yan Xunan.
"Ning'er, are you sure you want to do this?" Yan Xunan's voice came coldly. He felt that the distance between him and Song Ning was getting further and further away, but habit and need tied a strong and unbreakable thread between them.
From the moment she impulsively and resolutely committed suicide, she left an indelible scar on his life.
"What, are you scared? You didn't refuse at the beginning, did you?" She chuckled, looking down at her bright red nail polish, which shimmered brilliantly.
Yan Xunan leaned back in his chair, exhausted and helpless, his face full of dejection. Weisheng's situation had been really bad lately.
"If Fuhua goes public, you will become a major shareholder," Yan Xunan reminded him.
Song Ning's carefree laughter echoed on the phone, just like her behavior in the days before her suicide that year. He closed his eyes deeply, his body full of contradictions. Song Qing, why did you force me to this point?
"Xunan, you're the only one I care about. Ever since she came back, my heart has never been at peace. You can't possibly understand how I feel."
After laughing, Song Ning burst into tears, heartbroken. Yan Xunan frowned and rubbed his brows, feeling that the image of her calm and lively over the past ten years was like a fleeting glimpse of glamour, easily dispelled by the wind.
"I will marry you," he said helplessly. Over the past ten years, he and she had developed feelings for each other, and he had grown accustomed to having her by his side. He even agreed that if Song Qing hadn't returned to Linchuan, they would have continued to live peacefully and habitually, just like every day of the past ten years.
But life doesn't offer "what ifs".
"Xunan, everything I've done is for you. I'm willing to pay any price. This family has never cared about my existence, and all I have left is you."
"I know, but there's no need to do it this way. You know what doing so means." He slumped down, his voice becoming unsteady. Song Qing's current success was a stark contrast to the setbacks he had experienced after abandoning the cooperation agreement.
The entire company was extremely dissatisfied with his decision to abandon the cooperation project without authorization, and even so, he couldn't gain Song Qing's forgiveness. Now, he was caught in the middle, facing a very difficult situation.
"Xunan, don't worry, with my investment, everything will be fine. You don't need to apologize. After we got married, everything I had would naturally be yours," Song Ning said, regaining her composure.
"Xunan, you promised me you would work hard for our future. This time, it has to be this time. Only if you do this can I believe in your determination. Ten years, Xunan, we've been together for ten years. No one is more suitable for you than me. At least, in my heart, there has only ever been you. I can give up everything else." This is something Song Qing could never promise Yan Xunan. She had too many responsibilities and concerns.
How did things turn out like this? Yan Xunan hung up the phone and fell into deep thought.
Qing'er, how did we end up like this?
Chapter Twenty-Three: Fate
"Today is a very private event to celebrate our new boss's birthday. If you are journalists, please come another day."
-waiter
"Mr. Yi."
At five o'clock, the closing music started playing softly. Song Qing smiled and hung up the phone with Yi Zhengwei.
"Miss Song?" Yi Zhengwei looked at the progress chart with a headache. There was a big birthday candle drawn on it today. He kept holding the pen and flipping it up, down, left, and right.
Song Qing's voice was lively and cheerful. She laughed on the phone, "Mr. Yi, I'm sorry, a friend of mine is coming to visit today, so I'm afraid I can't have dinner with you."
"Oh? Is that so? Okay then, take the day off." He relaxed his brow, the pen twirling nimbly between his fingers before returning to its original position. He smiled upwards, pursing his lips, and drew a checkmark on the candle.
"Oh, by the way, I'd like to add one more person to the IPO planning team. We'll discuss that tomorrow." After keeping everyone in suspense, she hung up the phone in a good mood.
Bill's arrival did give her a sense of security; after months of hard work and fighting alone, she was really struggling to keep up.
Yi Zhengwei smiled in agreement with me, picked up the keys, and rushed to the hospital.
"Hey, Mr. Bamboo."
"Yes, Mr. Yi." Zhu Yongxin, the owner of Zhuyuan, replied with a hint of regret.
"I wanted to inform you that the banquet tonight can proceed as scheduled."
"Okay, no problem, I'll have them prepare right away, but the guests..." He hesitated, this was his last day of business at Bamboo Garden.
"It's alright, we'll keep all the guests here. I'll cover all the expenses. It'll be more lively with more people." He easily dispelled his doubts.
"Oh, thank you so much." Takeoshiko bowed unconsciously.
"I have one request."
"Please give your instructions." He held his breath.
"Please be strict and don't allow any reporters to enter. If any problems arise, this deal isn't over yet," he said in a low voice. For the first time, a vague sense of frustration welled up inside me.
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Haotian Hotel is built entirely in the British architectural and business style. Linchuan is a completely open metropolis with frequent and close exchanges with the outside world. In this city that embraces all rivers, everything seems leisurely, unique, and incredibly rich.