Politics and Rivalry

After a few seconds of pause, Zhang Yu Han agreed to Li Qin Yao's invitation. He poured himself a cup of coffee and had the cook prepared a cheese omelet before he headed back to the table.

Li Qin Yao has been eyeing the dish on Zhang Yu Han's plate since he returned. She watched Zhang Yu Han picked up his cutlery and cut through the fluffy golden yellow egg. The brunoise cut red tomato and chives were visible, and the aroma of cheddar cheese wafted to her nose.

Subconsciously, Li Qin Yao swallowed her saliva as her gaze followed the omelet in the fork entered the man's mouth.

Quickly, Li Qin Yao looked away before he would notice that she had been staring at him. Then, she resumed to eat her porridge and took note to try the omelet later.

"Miss Li."

"Huh?" Li Qin Yao jolted when she heard the man in front of him calling her name in his low voice. "What?"

Zhang Yu Han curved his lips into a small smile. "I was asking your thoughts on the breakfast choices here?"

Li Qin Yao felt her face grew warm at the thought that her mind was previously preoccupied with the fluffy cheese omelet. "Well, the porridge and soy milk tasted good. There are plenty of choices on the buffet table too and every one of them looked appetizing."

"I'm glad you had a good review so far. As I have said earlier, my grandfather loves good food. You can be assured that the food served in our hotels would be really good."

The two of them continued to have their breakfast and made a small talk revolving the hotel and Zhang Yu Han's grandfather. Although Zhang Yu Han wanted to continue to accompany Li Qin Yao until the breakfast period in the coffee house ended, he had no choice but to excuse himself with work as his excuse.

After all, he did not want to scare her with his feelings.

Although he could not get closer to her right now, Zhang Yu Han was satisfied as long as could be around her like that. He did not want Li Qin Yao to distance herself from him upon learning that he liked her. Li Qin Yao had a boyfriend, and he did not want to make her uncomfortable.

Li Qin Yao watched as Zhang Yu Han left the coffee house before she headed to the egg station and ordered herself a portion of cheese omelet. She watched the cooking process before she went back to her seat and savored the taste.

Liang Sheng finally showed up at the hotel as Li Qin Yao was enjoying a plate of flaky pastries. She finished her pastries and pushed aside the plate.

"Miss Li, sorry. Have you been waiting long?" Liang Sheng said as he rushed forward.

Li Qin Yao glanced at her wristwatch and smiled. "It's fine. You're not late. Have you had your breakfast yet?"

"Miss Li, don't worry about me. I already ate."

"Well, we'll wait until my friend arrives before we can begin our discussion," Li Qin Yao gestured to the seat in front of her and Liang Sheng pulled a chair and sat down. After a while, a waiter walked over to their table and Li Qin Yao ordered two cups of coffee.

As the breakfast period in the coffee house ended, a young girl with short hair walked in into the cafe. Once she saw Li Qin Yao from a distance, Bei Ruo Xi walked over to the table and greeted Li Qin Yao.

"You're here," Li Qin Yao pointed at the empty seat next to her and the girl tacitly sat down.

"Sorry, the traffic was crazy this morning," Bei Ruo Xi apologized.

At this time, the waiter returned and Bei Ruo Xi ordered another cup of coffee. Once the waiter walked away, Li Qin Yao began to introduce the two of them. "Liang Sheng, this is my former assistant, Bei Ruo Xi. Ruo Xi, this is the assistant that Chairman Li send to help me. He is Assistant Liang's son."

The two strangers greeted each other politely. Then, Li Qin Yao began to discuss the upcoming shareholders' meeting.

"Miss Li, I think that Manager Zhao Wei and her daughter Li Mu Chen has been acting strange recently," Bei Ruo Xi reported once they have concluded their discussion on the presentation.

Li Qin Yao frowned. "Strange? How?"

"Li Mu Chen came over to Manager Zhao Wei's office last two week and the two had a long talk," Bei Ruo Xi said. "Once Li Mu Chen left, Manager Zhao Wei was in a bad mood and I had a feeling that she was wary of me."

"Did you say Li Mu Chen?" Liang Sheng turned to Li Qin Yao. "Your cousin?"

"Yes, that's her." Bei Ruo Xi nodded.

Liang Sheng frowned as he recalled that he had met Li Mu Chen at Li's Residence last two weeks. "Miss, you remember that I went over to Li's residence to hand over the first report of the project. I met her at the residence coincidentally," he paused for a while and spoke with hesitant. "Do you think she knew that I was working with you?"

Li Qin Yao thought of the day she walked around B City with Han Yue Xiu and her mother. On that day, she saw Li Mu Chen around, so it wouldn't be impossible that Li Mu Chen had seen her too. Perhaps, Li Mu Chen saw Liang Sheng and her in B City and suspected something when she saw Liang Sheng again in Li's Residence?

"Perhaps. If Li Mu Cheng and Zhao Wei suspected that we were working together, then, they definitely will come to the shareholder meeting tomorrow prepared. It will not be easy to present our report and gain the shareholder's support," Li Qin Yao analyzed.

Ever since Li Mu Bai was elected as the President, Li Qin Yao knew very well that most of the shareholders in QL Group was on Zhao Wei's side. Zhao Wei is Li Mu Bai's mother. Naturally, the shareholders wanted to get into the President's good side with siding with his mother.

"Even if we have Chairman Li's support, the project will not be passed if we did not have enough votes," Li Qin Yao continued. "Currently, with my shares and Chairman Li's shares combined, we won't have enough."

Liang Sheng exhaled with frustration. He and everyone else had worked hard for the last few months. They did not have enough resources and manpower, but they worked hard to ensure that the plan was perfect and they could finish them within a short deadline. Liang Sheng had faith in Li Qin Yao's arrangement and plan.

It was a big project and it was expected to bring in a lot of profit, but due to the company's politics and rivalry among the shareholder, there was a big chance that the project might not see the light. Of course, he was frustrated!