Jiang Nanshu’s joyful smile was like a needle to her eyes.
It turned out happiness really could make one smile.
But she had forgotten how to smile.
After finding out that Su Ran was friends with Jiang Nanshu, President Wu started making more of an effort to chat with Lu Qingyan.
“President Lu, did you see the product I sent you last night at eleven? This project has really great prospects.”
Lu Qingyan’s expression remained calm, “My wife doesn’t let me stay up past ten o’clock every night.”
Jiang Nanshu almost spat out her drink.
Since when did she set rules for him?
Besides, they had slept in separate rooms last night.
Feeling Jiang Nanshu’s gaze, he turned his head, his eyes frank yet filled with tenderness, “Don’t stay up in the cool air at night, drink less, or your stomach will hurt.”
He replaced the icy drink in Jiang Nanshu’s hand with warm water.
Jiang Nanshu: “…”
Everyone: “…”
President Wu laughed it off, “It’s good to go to bed early. I used to stay up late all the time in my younger days and wore out my health. Now I have to take supplements every day, haha.”
Lu Qingyan glanced at his protruding belly and said indifferently, “I probably won’t end up bald and with a big belly in middle age, my wife likes handsome men.”
President Wu: “…”
Damn!
His face almost turned green on the spot.
He even heard the stifled laughter of the two presidents next to him.
Jiang Nanshu silently ate her food.
For a moment, she couldn’t tell if he was here to do business or to start a fight.
President Wu laughed again, “President Lu really knows how to joke. I just didn’t take care of myself later on. I didn’t think about it when I had money. What do men need to be so refined for, as long as they can make money, that’s good enough.”
Lu Qingyan looked surprised, “Even if you did take care of yourself, there wouldn’t be much difference. It’s mainly about the foundation. Your facial foundation is not good, no amount of care can make it refined. Also, making money isn’t easy. In some time, I’ll hold a wedding for my wife and replace her ring with one worth a hundred million. It’s really a shame for her to only be able to wear such a cheap one; I’ll replace it with a better one later.”
The room fell silent.
Jiang Nanshu found the warm water she was drinking a bit too hot to handle.
This was too much.
Did President Wu dig up his ancestors’ graves or something?
Even a fool could see that he was targeting President Wu.
But President Wu, not giving up, once again broke the tense atmosphere with a chuckle, “I’m definitely not as handsome as President Lu. As a man, it’s good to be responsible and take care of the family.”
Lu Qingyan glanced at him and smiled, “You do have some self-awareness but, speaking of looks, you’re not even in the running. My wife loves this face of mine, and I can’t afford to let myself go and end up like you or I’d have a divorce on my hands.”
President Wu slammed his hand on the table.
Lu Qingyan’s smile faded, his eyes grew cold, “Hm? What’s with the slamming?”
Lazily leaning back in his chair, he left President Wu with nothing to say. Someone in a position of power can make life difficult for another’s company with the slightest action.
Cold sweat broke out on President Wu, who lamented his impulsiveness. Su Ran, on the other hand, was good at being unnoticed, staying silent beside him like she was invisible.
He slapped her face hard in a backhand motion, “Bitch, didn’t you see that huge mosquito biting me? Why didn’t you help shoo it away?”
He pretended to scratch at the flab on his body, making a show of itching all over and smiled apologetically, “President Lu, please don’t be angry. I was just smacking a mosquito.”
Knowing this deal wouldn’t happen, and staying here would just result in more humiliation.
He stood up, grabbed Su Ran by the arm, and, with a smile to the others, said, “Enjoy your meal and drinks. There’s an emergency at the company, so my wife and I will take our leave. Let’s meet up another time.”
Lu Qingyan didn’t stop them.
Su Ran, clutching her cheek, silently passed by them.
Jiang Nanshu took a sip of the bland warm water and whispered to Lu Qingyan, “Do you believe that with President Wu’s slap, Su Ran will end up hating me instead?”
Some people, once they form certain biases, come to believe that their misfortunes are because of a particular person.
And the person Su Ran hated the most was her.
By coincidence, she was also present, which only fueled her resentment.
Lu Qingyan raised an eyebrow, the corner of his lips curling slightly as he replied softly, “Just a clown trying to be seen.”
The others, intimidated by Lu Qingyan’s sharp tongue, felt their legs go weak and wondered if today’s collaboration was still on the table.
After all, it was meant for Lu Qingyan to choose one from among four.
Yes…
It was a choice between four.
He would only partner with one of them.
Now that President Wu had left, they had one less competitor.
Bao Yan buried his head, just drinking without speaking.
Xu Xingwan’s attention shifted from Jiang Nanshu to him.
Worry filled the depths of her eyes, but as a woman, she didn’t know how to intervene in the affairs of men’s business, so she chose silence.
And Bao Yan thought, the Bao Family of old would never have been in a position to be picked over by others.
The Jiang Family had failed to seal the deal, leaving him drastically weakened.
The Cheng family, once on the same boat as him, had turned against him, and they were on non-speaking terms.
And Fang Minghe sided with Jiang Yisen; he was helpless against the two of them banding together.
The once-glorious enterprises — his was the only one that started to decline.
He had ambitious plans to acquire the Jian Family and level with the Lu Family.
Now, leveling with them was out of the question.
Lu Qingyan had directly pushed him into a pit, making it hard for him to climb out.
To climb back to the peak days of the Bao Family was even harder.
He downed another sullen drink.
Of the remaining two, one of them weighed his words carefully, “President Lu, if you need to rest early tonight we won’t disturb you, but what about after work in the afternoon? We could find some time to discuss the partnership; our newly developed project has great prospects.”
“My wife wants me home on time after work,” he said with a hint of helplessness in his eyes, “I can’t help it; that’s what it’s like after you’re married, she can’t do without me.”
Everyone: “…”
Did they just hear that right? He’s tossing the dog bowl after raining down dog food on them?
Jiang Nanshu: “…”
Who couldn’t do without whom!
Why create an image like they’re inseparable?
Jiang Nanshu stood up, her smile polished, “You guys talk, I’ll go to the restroom.”
Joy shimmered in Lu Qingyan’s eyes.
Hmm, starting from tomorrow the news of his wedding would spread, and everyone would know that he and Jiang Nanshu were legally married.
Their relationship out in the open, Lu Qingyan couldn’t help but be more genial, “President Ma, I’ve reviewed your proposal. It’s quite creative, but we still need to produce the actual product.”
…
Jiang Nanshu went to the restroom.
While washing her hands at the sink, the door suddenly opened behind her.
Jiang Nanshu’s washing motion didn’t stop, and through the mirror, she saw Xu Xingwan standing at the doorway.
She averted her gaze, pulling out a cotton towel from the side to dry her hands before heading out.
Xu Xingwan leaned against the wall, calling out to Jiang Nanshu as she emerged, “Jiang Nanshu, can we talk?”
Jiang Nanshu paused.
Xu Xingwan was not her enemy, nor could she be considered a friend, at most a slightly familiar stranger.
She nodded in agreement, “What do you want to talk about?”