Chairman, CEO & Vice President II

Alucard then sat them in their respective seats before taking his own and pressing a button underneath the circular table where the three sat in a triangle formation, right at the middle of the room.

A waitress then entered the room and bowed before giving them the menu and retiring.

"How about we have our meal before starting our business? I also have a few questions to ask the two of you regarding our alliance." The Chairman smirked and suggested.

"That's alright with me Vlad." Ruoxi nodded with a smile and took the menu.

"I agree, thanks for your invitation Chairman Tepes" Mo Qianni also agreed, her back hadn't ever been more straight before.

Alucard noticed her tension and smiled, "You don't need to be so tense Mo Qianni, you're Ruoxi's best friend so you don't have to act with me like you're in front of the prime minister. She has told me a lot of you"

Ruoxi's eyebrows lifted slightly but Mo Qianni seemed very surprised.

"R-Really? what has she said?" Asked the vice president with genuine curiosity, knowing that Ruoxi wouldn't be able to scurry her way out of this!

"Well, she said that you're quite headstrong, that you're more lonely than a cactus in the desert and that if you keep going this way, you might die a virgin."

...

The two women could only gape. One from shock, the other... She didn't know if it was shock or depression!

"W-What!? When did I say that!?" Lin Ruoxi stood up and was about to grab Alucard by his collar!

"R-Ruoxi you!" Mo Qianni stood up faster and was about to pull Lin Ruoxi by her collar instead!

"Hahahaha, let me finish."

"She said that but, she also said that you're the most loyal person she could have ever met, that you're her best friend and will ever be and that you're the person she trusts the most in this world. Therefore, I have a good assessment of you Qianni." His words made the pair blush in shame.

Lin Ruoxi because although she hadn't said anything like that to him, those were the things she had been thinking regarding her friend! He was basically telling with his mouth what she had in her mind!

Whereas Mo Qianni didn't know that Ruoxi thought so deeply of her, the two had been friends since childhood, but their connection had more than dwindled when Ruoxi became a CEO, since then, they hadn't shared more than a few occasional outings.

Slowly, tears started to gather in Qianni's eyes, "F-Fool, do you think that just because you said that, I will forget that you called me a Cactus!?" however, her mock bravado got completely uncovered when she hugged Ruoxi tightly.

The latter couldn't do anything except let herself be hugged as her eyes locked on Alucard's who winked at her.

She smiled and hugged her friend back, "Yes, you're like a cactus, but you're my cactus Qianni~"

The vice president laughed heartily and Ruoxi joined her for a brief moment before they calmed and sat back again.

"Sorry, for that display, Chair- Vlad... Can I call you that?" Qianni asked with a little apprehension, even if the tension wasn't the same as before, she still couldn't forget that he was someone way above her league, one thing was Ruoxi whom she had spent most of her life with, but this man was mostly unknown to her, even if his personality was like a breeze of fresh air, she still didn't have much confidence.

"Yes, you can call me by name. How about we order? You two can order as much as you want, it's on me. I suggest that Ruoxi order for us because I have never been here before, how about you?" Alucard decided to hand that issue to them and crossed his legs.

"Ah, yes, I haven't ever eaten here either. Ruoxi you should recommend us something~", Mo Qianni now felt really relaxed and comfortable, under normal circumstances she would have to be straight, lying saying that she had already come here despite the fact that she had never. Ask for a dish she didn't even know how to pronounce the name just for the sake of formality and yadda-yadda.

But Vlad himself had just said that he'd rather Ruoxi chooses because he himself had never come here, so, why couldn't she just do the same?

Ruoxi giggled and took it upon herself to order a few extraordinary dishes for them before pressing the button.

Now more comfortable the trio spoke freely, mostly about the two girls' experiences during their childhood, Qianni asking Alucard about himself and where he came from.

He told Alucard that she was originally from the mountain region of China, her family wasn't really studied but her mother owed a small well and a small farm.

She didn't want that life so she escaped to the city where she struggled until Ruoxi's grandmother found her and technically adopted her.

The two had been friends ever since.

Alucard was a little surprised when Cai Yan and Cai Ning's names were mentioned out of the blue, the world is truly small.

By the time the food came, Ruoxi and Qianni were like fish in the water, speaking freely and unhindered.

Alucard could naturally notice Qianni's glances that contained complicated feelings.

They ate peacefully and when they finished their dinner, it was time for business as he didn't have much time before leaving for Catherine's.

"Tell me what is your problem." He said and their visages changed, still comfortable with the environment but more professional.

"It's like this..." Qianni herself told him what had happened today regarding the geezers that wanted to mess around with Ruoxi and Yu Lei.

As Alucard expected, this was the problem. He didn't really know what to say as this problem should be solved in a day or two when those geezers simply disappear.

"You did well in giving your member of staff a leave, she was truly in danger, in fact, she is now, you should send some guards to her house to make sure she's okay once we part ways." He instructed and Ruoxi nodded.

"As for those geezers... Maybe you should just give them some time to reconsider the offer that you gave them..." He said with one eye open and the other closed, glancing at them.

"Huh? Do you think they are going to consider anything? They obviously don't want to sell!" Ruoxi uttered, not believing waiting was a solution.

"She's right Vlad, I believe we should make more conclusive decisions, like electing two new board members for the remaining 5% of the decision board," Qianni added a suggestion.

"That's a good option, but it won't achieve anything. 50% it's already in their grasp, trust me on this. You only have to wait, I assure you, they're going to reconsider~ It might even be faster than you expect." He said with a wink and sipped his wine, making them blush harder.

Ruoxi sighed and also took a sip of her wine, "Very well, I will do as you say, but if it's not inconvenient, could you be a board member? You hold a share of Yu Lei after all, and we have two spots vacant..."

It then turned for Alucard to sigh, "Sorry Ruoxi, but I don't have time to be a board member there... You could have Alcina however..."

"Hmph! As if I'd let her have a voice in my company!" She harrumphed and looked sideways, much to Qianni's confusion, who didn't know Alcina.

"Excuse me but, who is this Alcina?"

"She's Vlad's... Secretary and business partner, Alcina Dimitrescu, very competent but she and I don't get along." Ruoxi technically growled slanting a giggle out of Qianni, 'So you're jealous huh... I don't even have the qualifications to be jealous...'

"You could also have Qianni as a board member~"

"Huh?" The two stopped in their tracks upon hearing his words.

"Sorry but, in order for them to accept me as a board member, I will need to have a considerable percentage of shares... I don't have the money to afford it." Qianni said dejectedly.

Usually, anyone could be a board member, but it had to be decided among the current board members, it didn't even make sense nominating her, those old fools would reject her right away, that unless she held a considerable percentage of shares, in which case she could squeeze her way in but...

5% was already too expensive, it was hundreds of millions, and if they were even available, with Yu Lei's current increase, nobody is willing to sell.

"You needn't worry, I will give you that money."

"Huh!?" The two girls stood up exalted.

"No! I-I can't accept-" Qianni was about to refuse adamantly!

"Stop, let me explain first. Ruoxi is my girlfriend, I obviously want her to have an easy time in Yu Lei, if you become a board member capable of supporting her instead of just the vice president, it will be helpful for me as well..."

His explanation made sense, but, it was not enough for her...

"But-"

"As for that money, you can pay a part to me later and another part like this: I happen to have the need of a temporary CEO in Hermes as mine is already retiring due to old age. Until I find someone capable, would you like to take the job?"

...

Now the two girls were left without words.