Chapter 16

Walking back into the office, he found her fast asleep, curled on her side. One hand was under her head, serving as a pillow, while the other was cradling her phone. Her legs were drawn upwards, giving her the appearance of a child. She looked like a fairy, unsullied by the world.

Looks were deceiving though — Xie Weiwan taught him that. She had the looks of an innocent beauty, with doe eyes that invoked pity. But she gouged out his heart and fed it to the dogs. And what about his own biological mother?....

He sighed. He reminded himself to stay rational. Pei Yueran had done nothing to him yet, not that he was ever going to give her the chance to do anything.

He had sworn off women. Father, Mother and Li Yuchen –that rascal– were enough for him.

*****

Everytime Pei Yueran fell asleep from exhaustion, her normal alarm could not get her to wake her up. But for someone like Li Chuanmo, who suffered from insomnia, a slight noise would always get him to wake up, let alone Pei Yueran's alarm that sounded like the battlecry of a million soldiers going to war.

At the horrifying sound, Li Chuanmo sprang up from the sofa like an arrow released from a bow. After a few seconds, he located the source of that horrible noise and he switched it off immediately.

He took a few seconds to orient himself. He had fallen asleep on the sofa he was sitting on the night before. Thankfully the office was warm, else they would have frozen by now.

He looked at the Pei Yueran's phone that was still in his hand, the time was 6:46am, and he could see that she had another alarm set for 7am.

He apologized quietly before pressing "ignore". He felt like if he heard that noise one more time, he would go crazy.

He hesitated, how should he wake her up now? He called out, "Special Assistant Pei"

She didn't stir.

Li Chuanmo proceeded to pat her hand a few times, calling her name as he did so. Just as he was wondering what else to do after repeating that three times, she finally woke up, stretching as she did so. Then it clicked for her.

"Oh my, I'm so sorry Chairman Li, I slept off before you came back yesterday. I apologize for the inconvenience.", she said standing up from the chair in a hurry.

"It's okay. I apologize too, because I was gone for so long. Do you plan to go back home? Did you bring your car?"

Pei Yueran looked down at her outfit. Leaving aside the fact that it was too casual for her first day of work at the headquarters, it was also wrinkled because she slept in them all night. She decided to go back home and set out ordering a taxi.

"I'll go home. I didn't bring my car, but I'm calling a taxi already."

"Alright." The both of them busied themselves getting ready to leave, and Pei Yueran sent a message to Fang Bo to come pick her up by 7:35.

They then took the Chairman's elevator together. Pei Yueran stopped at the first floor and said her goodbyes, while Li Chuanmo proceeded to the underground parking lot to drive his car home.

****

By the time Pei Yueran got home, it was 7:19am, thanks to the speed of the driver and the lack of traffic. She raced in, freshened up and dressed in a pale yellow skirt suit with a black inner shirt. She paired the outfit with black two-inch heels and she was set to go.

Fang Bo pressed the doorbell at 7:35am, just as she was picking up her bag, and they were soon on their way. They got to the company some minutes to the start of work.

The atmosphere was distinctly different from the day before. Employees moved about, getting coffee or talking to their colleagues while on the move to their offices. It had a sort of orderliness to it and reminded her of AiChen Mobile.

She met Li Chuanmo in the elevator. They greeted each other and kept quiet, each busy with their own thoughts.

"Good morning Chairman Li, Special Assistant Pei", their secretary Min Shiyi greeted as they approached. They responded and Li Chuanmo asked her to bring the files that needed signing to his office, while he told Pei Yueran to come over so they could continue their yesterday's discussion.

Min Shiyi: "....." Her gossipy nature was instantly ignited. Yesterday's discussion? was it online or in person? where did it take place? She could not straightup ask them though.

Fortunately she was a hard worker and very efficient, so she didn't dwell on that for long. There would be more time to see them "in action" and catch them "red-handed"!

Pei Yueran and Li Chuanmo continued their discussion for the rest of the morning. They had similar views on the basic management principles as they both learnt from the same person, so they had a very engaging conversation.

Both of them declined lunch and only requested for a cup of coffee. It was only when Min Shiyi came to inform them of the meeting with the various directors and managers of the company that they realized so much time had gone.

They went together to the conference hall, where people were already seated. Everyone rose up as they entered. They acknowledged their regard and Li Chuanmo motioned for everyone to sit down.

The meeting began in earnest with a speech from Li Chuanmo. He thanked them for their work and support of the company during the tenure of the Retired Chairman, then outlined the goals that had been set for the next quarter.

He asked for everyone's continued support, so as to be able to take the company to new heights. He ended his speech to a round of applause.

Then the various Directors of Sales, Personnel, Marketing, Technology, Planning, Design and Finance departments presented their progress reports and goals for the coming quarter.

The meeting ended by 4:30pm, and Li Chuanmo and Pei Yueran had thirty minutes before their next appointment – a press conference. Min Shiyi had already ordered food for them, so each went to their office and ate.