After a good night rest, work resumed as usual. Pei Yueran and Li Chuanmo got to the office very early. They were meeting the representative from Gaoyi Group that day, and although it was only a preliminary meeting, they wanted to be prepared.
They also shared some lovey dovey moments in-between, holding hands and looking into each other's eyes while drinking coffee. Gong Anwei almost went blind looking at them.
Something had changed between them again. He just hoped that they would stop torturing him with these random ambiguous moments. He was innocent, alright?
Min Shiyi's focus was on an entirely different matter for once. Special Assistant Pei was putting on a new ring. On her fourth finger. Glowing and looking radiant.
All these random pieces of information put together, would lead to what conclusion?
A weekend proposal???
And that ring, why did it look so familiar? She had seen something like that before, online.
Min Shiyi considered herself well-informed on matters she wanted to know, so it didn't take her long to dig it out.
"Wait, could that really be the Phoenix's Soul? The number one fire diamond on earth? The one that had been with the royal family for several centuries?"
She almost bit herself in a bid to manage her excitement. This was massive, humongous news!!!
Her bosses were really not giving other people a chance to breathe!
Other people were very happy to get a silver ring, but her boss directly smashed down with a one of a kind, rare diamond ring.
Could other couples live at all?
On the other hand, Pei Yueran really wanted to stomp her feet in frustration. After such an exhilarating weekend, she thought she now had the capacity to accept anything that came her way.
But the very first time that resolve was tested, it crumbled.
Because the main representative from Gaoyi Group, who was rumored to be very spoilt and hard to please, was no other than that person who pestered her on the flight to City A.
When Li Chuanmo and Pei Yueran got to the hotel conference room where the meeting was to take place, everyone stood up in order to show respect and courtesy.
Everyone — except Gao Tinghua, that is.
He slouched in the chair, making it swivel as he drawled, "For the chairman of a company, you're quite tardy. You should get here faster next time, we've been waiting for you for quite a while."
Li Chuanmo walked unhurriedly to his seat and pulled out the chair beside his for Pei Yueran, who sat down gracefully, before sitting himself. He totally ignored Gao Tinghua's taunt.
Gao Tinghua raised an eyebrow when he saw Li Chuanmo's action of pulling out the chair. His masculine instincts kicked in and he immediately became hostile.
Was this his rival?
He narrowed his eyes at Li Chuanmo, who looked back at him with a glare cold enough to freeze steel.
Gazes met across the meeting table and clashed, sending sparks flying everywhere for long seconds.
At last, it was Pei Yueran that broke the stalemate with a soft cough.
Both guys immediately stopped glaring at each other and directed their gazes towards her. Li Chuanmo asked softly, "Are you okay?"
Pei Yueran nodded.
She apologized for their late coming, citing the traffic. In actual fact, they weren't late at all. Besides, two employees, who were part of their team for this project, had gotten to the venue before Gao Tinghua's team of four.
But she didn't refute his words because diplomacy was a key strategy in business.
Hearing her talk to him, Gao Tinghua sat up with smiles. "Hi Yueran, it's nice seeing you again."
Pei Yueran, as well as Li Chuanmo raised their brows.
What kind of greeting was this? Since when had they become friends on a first name basis?
"Hello Mr. Gao, good to see you too." Pei Yueran said with a thin smile, emphasizing on the words "Mr. Gao." It was obvious she was lying about the second part of the sentence.
Gao Tinghua pretended he didn't understand and kept chatting, pushing the meeting agenda aside. The second representative, who was the deputy leader of their team, got more anxious by the second, adjusting his tie ten times in two minutes.
First Young Master, is this what we came here to do? Why can't you ever focus on the work at hand? And can you please use your eyes? Can't you see the company chairman is growing angrier? I'm about to be frozen by his glare!
And indeed, Li Chuanmo was glaring at Gao Tinghua, who was pretending not to see him. The only reason why Li Chuanmo had not reacted further was because Pei Yueran had been signalling to him with her eyes, indicating that she would handle it.
She gently cut in before Gao Tinghua could continue rambling. "So Mr Gao, can we see your company's proposal now? Let's skip these unnecessary talks and get down to business.
Gao Tinghua finally relented. "Alright." He signalled to the other representative, who almost jumped out of his chair in happiness.
He went to the front and gave his presentation. After listening to him, Pei Yueran and Li Chuanmo asked questions and discussed with each other in quiet tones.
The more they talked, the more annoyed Gao Tinghua became. It was obvious they were very close—they were almost completing each other's sentences. What right did Li Chuanmo have to be able to sit so closely by her and even put that head of his so close to hers?
He was practically seething at the end of the meeting, but he still adjusted his mood and quickly put up a smile.
"Yueran, do me the honor of eating lunch together. We can continue our discussion and you know, catch up on old times."
Pei Yueran smiled politely, "I'm sorry, I have another appointment now. Please excuse me."
"Come on, just spare me a few minutes. You need to eat anyways."
Pei Yueran tried to keep in touch with her patience, reminding herself that he was an important business partner. "I'm sorry Mr. Gao, maybe some other time."
"Please Yueran, no time is as good as the present. Come, I have something I would like to show you..." he said, reaching for her hand.
He paused mid-sentence as his hand was intercepted by a large palm with fair, slender fingers.
"Do show some respect Mr. Gao, and keep your hands to yourself, else we can just forget about this whole thing." Li Chuanmo said, his aura freezing cold.
It's funny that Gao Tinghua is trying so hard to woo someone who has zero interest in him)
One the other hand, one-sided love can really be painful (not like I'm speaking from experience though)
Thank you for reading!