No matter how angry Xia Yuan was, Meng Xiyue didn’t care at all. Assistant Li and Secretary Gao accompanied her in the reception room, waiting for Xia Ke’s response.
“President, the Xia Corporation and Tianyu have always been close in cooperation, and privately, the two have grown up together as friends. I’m worried…” Assistant Li expressed his concern.
Lately, Tianyu has been targeting them in secret, causing many previously agreed collaborations to suddenly fall through. If the negotiations with the Xia Corporation fail this time, it would not bode well for N.S’s future.
Meng Xiyue was processing documents on her tablet: “The Xia Corporation won’t refuse the benefits this cooperation brings.”
As for the suppression from the male lead’s company, although it caused quite a bit of trouble, Meng Xiyue didn’t take it to heart. In City S, the male lead might have unchallenged authority, but the Kingdom of Flowers is so vast, it was not something Li Ting can cover with one hand alone.
Secretary Gao, who was beside her, pushed up his glasses. He was highly paid by Meng Xiyue to join N.S. Having been with N.S for less than two months, he was deeply impressed by Meng Xiyue’s business capabilities. Although he was three years older than Meng Xiyue and had spent much longer in the business world, he couldn’t compare to Meng Xiyue’s sharp business acumen and foresight.
Not to mention, Meng Xiyue had never formally studied business management, yet N.S achieved its current success just four months after she took over.
Secretary Gao respected and admired this woman.
“President, the United States has extended an olive branch, inviting you to discuss in detail.”
Meng Xiyue was not surprised by this news: “When?”
Secretary Gao dutifully replied: “The third of next month.”
That was in seven days.
Meng Xiyue: “Hmm, arrange the itinerary for me.”
Secretary Gao: “Understood.”
The three discussed business matters, and time flew by unnoticed. When the reception room door was gently knocked on, thirty minutes had already passed.
“Miss Meng, President Xia invites you over.”
Meng Xiyue closed her tablet, “Alright.” Before leaving, she nodded to Xia Corporation’s female secretary beside her: “Thank you.”
The female secretary, meeting Meng Xiyue’s cool and sincere gaze, blushed slightly: “No… no problem.”
It wasn’t until Meng Xiyue had entered President Xia’s office that she finally came back to her senses.
She had actually been charmed by a lady.
“Pleasure doing business.”
“Pleasure doing business.”
After shaking hands with Meng Xiyue, Xia Ke said before leaving, “Miss Meng, are you free tonight?”
Having just established a cooperative relationship, Meng Xiyue wouldn’t refuse and nodded.
Xia Ke smiled, “Then, let’s meet at xx restaurant at eight tonight.”
“Okay.”
At 7:55, Meng Xiyue had already arrived at the restaurant she and Xia Ke agreed on.
The elegant piano music played, and with Xia Ke’s demeanor and good looks, the conversation was lively.
Xia Ke had no other intentions in meeting Meng Xiyue, just simply wanted to make a friend. Surprisingly, they hit it off well, and Xia Ke became even more enthusiastic.
Meng Xiyue could tell that Xia Ke genuinely wanted to be friends, and her smile became more genuine.
While they were enjoying their conversation, Xia Ke’s phone rang, and he frowned slightly, “Sorry.”
Meng Xiyue smiled lightly, “Business comes first.”
Not long after Xia Ke left, the quiet western restaurant seemed to have a gap punched through it, becoming noisy.
Meng Xiyue put down her cutlery and looked up to see Xia Yuan storming in, looking like she was catching a cheater, talking to Li Ting.
“Brother Li, did you cancel our date for this woman?”
Being publicly questioned by Xia Yuan, Li Ting’s face didn’t look good. He glanced at Ding Yaoyao’s teary eyes, impatiently saying, “Yu An, you’re not a child anymore, can you please stop making a scene?”
Hearing this, Xia Yuan felt a pang in her heart, her gaze falling on the innocent-looking Ding Yaoyao, feeling nauseated, “Ding Yaoyao, you really know how to act. Today you said you had nothing to do with Brother Li, and now you’re wearing the dress he gave you, having a candlelit dinner together.”
“You really have no shame.”
Hearing this, Ding Yaoyao’s tears suddenly fell, looking pitifully: “I didn’t, Miss Xia, you misunderstood……”
Feeling the scorching gazes around her, Ding Yaoyao’s face turned red with shame, and she got up wanting to leave but was held back by Li Ting grabbing her wrist.
Li Ting looked at Xia Yuan with disgust, and thinking of Xia Ke actually signing with N.S, he angrily said: “Xia Yuan, I only see you as a sister. My personal matters are none of your business.”
“Don’t make me feel disgusted by you.”
Xia Yuan looked at Li Ting in disbelief, her eyes reddening instantly, and she grabbed Li Ting’s sleeve excitedly, “Brother Li, you weren’t like this before, you were always nice to me……”
Seeing Xia Yuan’s pitiful look, Li Ting’s heart softened for a moment. After all, they had grown up together. Just as he was about to speak, Ding Yaoyao broke free from Li Ting’s hand and rushed out of the restaurant.
Li Ting wanted to chase after her, but Xia Yuan held onto him tightly, even threatening him: “Brother Li, if you chase after her, I will never talk to you again.”
Immediately, the bit of pity in his heart disappeared, and Li Ting pushed Xia Yuan away, disappointed: “Yuan’er, you’re still so willful.”
Xia Yuan stood there dumbfounded, her eyes red for a long while, until her feet went numb. She noticed the gazes around her, “What are you looking at.”
Wiping her eyes and about to leave, she saw Meng Xiyue sitting there, and immediately felt incompatible with her. Every time they met, she was in her most embarrassing state.
Her feet unconsciously moved towards the door, then she thought, why should she leave, she wasn’t someone who couldn’t face others, and walked over briskly.
Seeing the dishes on the table that hadn’t been cleared yet, she asked with raised eyebrows, her eyes still red: “Got stood up?”
Meng Xiyue automatically ignored the other’s schadenfreude, “The other party had work matters and left first.”
Xia Yuan had never seen someone as uninteresting as Meng Xiyue. She called the waiter and ordered another portion.
Xia Yuan didn’t speak, and Meng Xiyue wouldn’t initiate conversation either.
Then, while eating, Xia Yuan suddenly started crying.
Meng Xiyue: “……”
Silently handed her a tissue, Xia Yuan wiped her eyes, her voice choked and tearful: “Why are you so annoying.”
Meng Xiyue quietly looked at Xia Yuan, her long, snow-white legs together, her waist slim and graceful, her long and dense eyelashes slightly drooping, her lips red as if dyed with morning dew roses, tears dropping one by one, her small nose twitching, her usually bright features now all wrinkled.
Pitiful to the extreme.
After a moment, Meng Xiyue spoke up, “Your makeup is smudged.”
There were two black streaks under her eyes, making her look like a little crying cat, pitiful yet comical.
Xia Yuan paused in wiping her face, her eyelashes fluttered, her pupils dilated, and she stared at Meng Xiyue in disbelief, forgetting to cry, “…Why are you like this?”
Her voice had a trailing tone, somewhat enticing.
Meng Xiyue took a sip of red wine, “Sorry.” She really wasn’t good at comforting people.
Xia Yuan sniffled, took out a small mirror, and upon seeing her makeup ruined by tears, she let out a soft sigh, picked up her bag, and headed to the restroom to fix her makeup, calling Meng Xiyue to come along before she left.
Alone, she felt extremely embarrassed.
The restroom was empty at the moment, so Xia Yuan quickly fixed her makeup, stealing glances at Meng Xiyue through the mirror from time to time.
Under the light, the other’s face was exceptionally porcelain-white, with pale lips, perfectly matching the aloof style beneath her eyes.
Thinking this, Xia Yuan huffed.
“I’m done, let’s go.” Xia Yuan huffed, screwing the cap back on her lipstick.
Meng Xiyue glanced at the blood-red lips, then noticed a bit of red smudged below her lip, her fingertips twitched.
After leaving the restaurant, Xia Yuan was ready to leave. She wanted to go to a bar to vent her emotions, calling up her usual friends for a night out. She glanced at Meng Xiyue, who was dressed in formal attire, curled her lip, and with a pretense of seriousness, her eyes twinkling, asked, “Wanna go to a bar?”
Afraid that Meng Xiyue would refuse, Xia Yuan started listing the benefits of going to a bar, non-stop talking…
Meng Xiyue’s gaze remained on Xia Yuan’s lips, her eyes growing deeper.
Until Xia Yuan felt something was off, “Why… why are you looking at me like that?”
Meng Xiyue stepped forward, lowered her gaze, and reached out to wipe away the excess lipstick, “Goodbye, Miss Xia.”
After she left, Xia Yuan touched the corner of her lips, the cool sensation seemingly not yet dissipated, and after a while, she muttered uncomfortably:
“What’s with her, crazy.”
