Water and Fire~Chapter 3: Add a Bowl of Longevity Noodles

 

Chapter 3: Add a Bowl of Longevity Noodles

Chu Qianmiao said to the people in the room, "Sorry, I'm late."

The dignified man next to Ren Yan said, "It's not too late. Please take a seat."

The man was in his early forties, lean and capable, with an imposing presence.

Chu Qianmiao guessed she had been honored by Zhou Hanhai, the chairman of Hanhai Home Textiles. Zhang Teng beckoned her to sit next to him.

Just as she settled into her seat, Chu Qianmiao saw the two bamboo doors open again. A young man walked in, shaking water from his hands. He seemed to have just returned from the bathroom.

The young man's seat was directly across from Chu Qianmiao's. As he sat down and looked up, their eyes met.

The young man immediately gasped in surprise, "Oh, it's you!"

Chu Qianmiao was also amused by this surprise: "Yes, what a coincidence!"

The young man immediately went from surprise to confusion: "You're the colleague Lawyer Zhang just mentioned coming with you? Chu..."

"Chu Qianmiao." Chu Qianmiao quickly filled in the blank and introduced herself.

"Hello, Lawyer Chu. My name is Qin Qianyu, and I work for General Manager Ren!" The young man handed her a business card.

Chu Qianmiao quickly took it with both hands and apologized, "Sorry, I'm out of business cards and haven't printed new ones yet!"

She actually still had her old business card, but Zhang Teng had told her on the way here that since she had been certified for a year, she shouldn't use the one with the "Paralegal Assistant" title printed on it today.

After sitting down, Chu Qianmiao quickly glanced down at Qin Qianyu's business card. His title was Senior Manager. It seemed he was quite experienced in the capital markets.

Zhang Teng watched them from the side, a hint of curiosity piqued. "Why do you seem to know each other so well, yet so unfamiliar?"

Qin Qianyu smiled and replied, "Lawyer Zhang has excellent eyes! We met downstairs five minutes ago, and Lawyer Chu just did a good deed without leaving her name!"

He recounted the incident downstairs, how Chu Qianmiao, like Lei Feng, volunteered to help clear the traffic jam and direct people backing in an orderly manner; how he'd been so nervous driving Ren Yan's Mercedes-Benz, fearing a scratch, and how, in his panic, he'd been trying to back into the space, unable to do so. And then he recounted how, just then, a slender man, whose gender was indistinguishable, had blundered out of nowhere and snatched the parking space, only to be swiftly and swiftly dispatched by Chu Qianmiao.

He spoke eloquently and humorously, and everyone at the table was amused.

Zhou Hanhai smiled and said, "Lawyer Chu is so enthusiastic and clever!"

Chu Qianmiao quickly replied, "No, no, I'm just being clever. I couldn't resist your compliment, Mr. Zhou!"

As if suddenly realizing something, Zhou Hanhai turned to Ren Yan beside him and said, "Hey, Mr. Ren, if you're honest, Lawyer Chu did you a favor just now. You should toast her later!"

Ren Yan glanced up at Chu Qianmiao.

Chu Qianmiao's heart raced.

He raised a faint smile and said, "Okay, I'll toast Lawyer Chu later." His tone was so calm and polite that it didn't sound like he was talking to someone he'd known before.

Chu Qianmiao's heartbeat slowed.

He still didn't recognize her.

***

Everyone was present. Those who hadn't exchanged business cards exchanged them. After a few initial greetings, Zhou Hanhai signaled to the waiter, "Serve the food." Hot and cold dishes arrived one after another, and the groups chatted as they ate.

Chu Qianmiao ate without hesitation, her ears and eyes intently listening to the conversations around the table.

Zhou Hanhai briefly explained his company's situation and expressed his intention to go public.

"I used to think my company had enough money and didn't need to go public. Going public is too troublesome, with taxes and various fees. But after a chat with Mr. Ren last month, I realized I was too narrow-minded. Going public actually has many benefits!" Zhou Hanhai said, picking up his teacup and taking a sip.

Zhang Teng immediately jumped in, "Yes, the most obvious benefit of going public is raising capital, but beyond that, there are many other tangible benefits. For example, the IPO process can improve a company's financial structure and strengthen its corporate governance. Afterward, it can enhance a company's market image and industry competitiveness. Being a listed company provides a sustainable financing platform, which is incredibly powerful. It can provide a steady stream of funding for every stage of the company's future development strategy!"

Zhou Hanhai smiled and nodded. "Lawyer Zhang, you and Mr. Ren clearly see eye to eye. Mr. Ren told me roughly the same thing!"

Zhang Teng then asked Zhou Hanhai about the company's equity structure, financial assets, patents, and operating performance. After the inquiries, Zhang Teng quickly provided preliminary feedback based on the information he had received, outlining the company's current strengths that could be further optimized and its shortcomings that needed improvement. He articulated these points clearly and insightfully from a legal perspective.

Chu Qianmiao initially listened while eating. Then she put down her chopsticks and listened intently, savoring the food carefully. She noticed that Zhang Teng was subtly directing the conversation between him and Zhou Hanhai. He asked questions, provoked responses, and then quickly responded to the information he had learned. Without much effort, he demonstrated his professional competence. Through this back-and-forth, he made it clear to the other party that he was a seasoned lawyer with extensive project experience in the capital markets.

Chu Qianmiao immediately felt that the experienced still had their wits about them. She had much more to learn than just professional matters.

Suddenly, Zhou Hanhai called her out again.

"Lawyer Chu looks very young. Did she just graduate from college?"

Chu Qianmiao quickly replied, "I have been out for a year!"

Zhou Hanhai raised an eyebrow. "She's indeed young."

Zhang Teng immediately said, "Although Chu is young and has only been working for a year, she's very capable and learns quickly. She's helping me with the project, and I'm in charge of all the major project issues."

Zhou Hanhai's brows relaxed, a look of relief. He resumed his cheerful conversation.

Chu Qianmiao knew there had been a small undercurrent of discussion—Zhou Hanhai was worried that a freshly graduated lawyer like her wouldn't be able to handle his project.

As an entrepreneur, you might only ever go public once in your life, so naturally you want every agency assigned to your company to be highly qualified and elite. She understood Zhou Hanhai's doubts, and it didn't bother her. She understood that when faced with workplace doubt, it's better to improve yourself quickly than to feel bad about it.

The people at the table began chatting, and after a while, the topic somehow drifted back to Chu Qianmiao. Perhaps because she was the youngest woman at the table and quite pretty.

Zhou Hanhai smiled and asked Chu Qianmiao, "If it's been a year since you graduated, Lawyer Chu, you'd be 23 this year, right?"

Chu Qianmiao blurted out, "Yeah, I just turned 23 today."

After she said that, she felt a little regretful, as if she were bragging about someone having a birthday.

Fortunately, straight men aren't particularly sensitive to birthdays, holidays, and anniversaries, so Zhou Hanhai and the others present didn't react particularly strongly to her question.

Zhou Hanhai continued, "Which school did Lawyer Xiao Chu graduate from?"

Chu Qianmiao mentioned the name of the Wudaokou school (Tsinghua University).

Zhou Hanhai raised an eyebrow. "Then you and Mr. Ren are classmates," he said, turning to look at Ren Yan beside him. "Did Mr. Ren and Lawyer Xiao Chu know each other when they were in school?"

Chu Qianmiao held her breath and stared at Ren Yan, waiting for his answer.

Ren Yan smiled faintly and said, "I really don't."

***

Chu Qianmiao choked.

When a senior from the same school said he didn't know her, she had to quickly explain herself. It wasn't that she wasn't good enough, but rather, "There's a lot of people in our school, and if you're not from the same class or department, it's hard to get to know each other," Chu Qianmiao said with a chuckle.

Zhou Hanhai nodded, then suddenly changed the subject: "You make it sound like your school is easy to get into. Even with so many students, I didn't get in back then."

Chu Qianmiao reacted quickly, saying, "But those of us who got in are now serving you, so you're the real deal!"

She always remembered what Zhang Teng had told her on the way here: say things people like to hear.

Zhou Hanhai clearly appreciated her words; he smiled.

"Lawyer Chu is really good at talking."

Chu Qianmiao's eyes flickered to Ren Yan's expression.

Ren Yan was looking at her with a half-smile, his lips tilted up, and he met her gaze without averting his gaze.

Chu Qianmiao's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly lowered her head to drink from the teacup.

The tea flowed down her throat, drowning her throbbing heart. Ren Yan overheard Zhang Teng say, "Lawyer Zhang, I have a friend in private equity, Lei Zhenzi. He's worked with you on a project before, and he was the one who helped us connect this time." He paused, his eyes drifting past Chu Qianmiao to Zhang Teng. "I heard earlier that your right-hand man seems to be a female lawyer named Cheng, who's very capable."

Chu Qianmiao immediately realized he was referring to Attorney Cheng Xiaodong. Cheng was a few years older than her, and had just been apprenticed by Zhang Teng. She was now capable of independently handling projects.

"Xiaocheng is now the head of another project," Zhang Teng replied to Ren Yan.

Ren Yan nodded, then added, "Our workload will be very intense. Can you, a sharp-tongued new apprentice, handle it?"

Hearing this, Chu Qianmiao's radar buzzed as she sensitively interpreted Ren Yan's entire tone.

She felt he was asking two questions. One was, where is your former experienced assistant? Why bring a newbie this time? Secondly, this project is going to be tough. This newbie you brought in might be quite the talker, but can she actually do the job?

She figured he probably thought she was being too eloquent just now.

Thankfully, Zhang Teng saved her face.

"Mr. Ren, look at how crisp Xiao Chu is with her words now. Once she gets on the project, she'll be just as crisp. This kid's got a lot of work!" Zhang Teng said to Ren Yan with a smile.

Ren Yan nodded and smiled, looking away, no longer looking at her.

At that moment, Chu Qianmiao suddenly felt like the man before her was truly a stranger to her. He truly hadn't remembered their year together on the university campus.

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but feel a little melancholy.

Just as she was feeling disappointed, someone knocked on the door of the private room. The bamboo door opened, and the lobby manager walked in, politely asking, "Everyone, the kitchen will be closing soon. Would you like some more staple food?"

Zhou Hanhai asked if they wanted more. Everyone nodded their heads in agreement.

The lobby manager was about to leave when Ren Yan suddenly spoke.

"A bowl of longevity noodles, please." His voice held a subtle magnetism.

Chu Qianmiao looked over at Ren Yan. He was staring at her, a slight smile playing on his face. He looked both arrogant and handsome, like a charming villain in a gangster movie.

"Didn't Lawyer Chu just say she turned 23 today? Bring her a bowl of longevity noodles."

Chu Qianmiao immediately lost track of how to write the word "melancholy."