Water and Fire~Chapter 32.3: I Want to Meet Her

 

Chapter 32.3: I Want to Meet Her

After a while, Chu Qianmiao lowered her hand, revealing her face. She composed herself and forced herself to change the subject.

She and Ren Yan decided to elevate the conversation to a higher level, to add some value. Once they did, all the awkwardness would disappear. Because what could be more awkward than discussing the fundamental principles of life?

Tonight, she was going to discuss with him the human touch of helping others, and whether it was right or not.

Ren Yan flatly rejected her. His answer was so rational and calm that it bordered on cold-blooded.

"The workplace is a brutal place, and the capital market is even more money-driven and profit-driven. Going public sounds simple, but it's actually a vast ocean, unfathomable, turbulent enough to drown. These two words contain so much unpredictable human nature and so much heartlessness. Sometimes your willingness to help others and your kindness are weapons others use to harm you. Sui Huan's case is a lesson for you. Your kindness is a burden, and I hope you'll keep it to yourself when working on future projects. The workplace doesn't need your warmth."

Chu Qianmiao expressed her own opinion: "I think Sui Huan's fault wasn't mine, it was Sui Huan's. My willingness to help others isn't a bad thing. She was the one who took the blame after receiving help. She's the villain."

"We shouldn't let others' mistakes put our virtues away, right? So, I'll continue to help others, but before I do, I'll weigh the pros and cons: Is this person worthy of my help? Will she appreciate it? Will she turn the tables? This is what I learned from this incident."

I'm not going to withdraw my humanity and seal it away just because I encountered someone inhumane. If everyone were like that, how cold and indifferent would the world become?

Ren Yan glanced back at her again, saying coldly, "When you've been wronged by human kindness a few more times, you'll come back and tell me you were wrong, you were just too young."

His cold attitude inexplicably made Chu Qianmiao feel uncomfortable. For a moment, he seemed like an alienated person, devoid of warmth and emotion.

"I was young before, I'm young now, and I'll always be young!" She argued with him, then, impulsively, gave him a slap.

Ren Yan looked at her sinister expressionless, "Grow up. People can't live in a utopian world forever."

Chu Qianmiao: "People can't live in a world without emotion forever!"

"Acting on emotions is childish," he said with disdain.

"Without any emotion at all, you're a cold-blooded animal!" "She replied excitedly.

"I still hope you'll be more rational at work." His voice was flat.

"I will be rational, but I won't lose my humanity. Seriously, senior, do mosquitoes not bite you in the summer?"

"Why do you ask?" "

"Because you're inhuman..."

...

Ren Yan sent Chu Qianmiao home and then headed back home.

When he got home, he didn't go to sleep right away. Instead, he settled into the wicker chair by the window.

How could he describe his feelings tonight?

He'd thought it would be a touching birthday night, but... it ended with a heated argument with her.

It seemed like things that moved him never had a happy ending.

He suddenly smiled. A silent laugh in the night.

It was already one o'clock, and the night had grown quiet outside the window. This was the first day of his thirtieth birthday, and he had begun a new life with a debate about whether or not he should be humane.

Qin Qianyu told Chu Qianmiao that, having worked on so many projects with Ren Yan, the Jialeyuan project was the most exciting.

As he said this, Zhou Shuqi, once again disguised himself as a handsome delivery boy, came to visit Chu Qianmiao with a load of food and drinks.

Knowing that Chu Qianmiao had recently moved from Jialeyuan to Litong Securities and that the old man with level 10 debating skills would no longer be guarding the door downstairs, Zhou Shuqi would occasionally find some excuse to force his way over to Chu Qianmiao's place.

For example, he'd arrive with a pile of coffee and cakes but no documents, saying he had to deliver documents to Chu Qianmiao.

His arrival would bring laughter to the conference room. Besides being a bit of a middle school kid, he was also quite serious. Every time he came, he found a topic to debate with. For example, on his most recent visit, he got into a fight with Qin Qianyu over whether a younger brother who liked a younger sister was actually lacking in maternal love. Qin Qianyu said it was okay, but Zhou Shuqi insisted he clarify his stance: was it lacking, or not?—that was his point. Chu Qianmiao felt that even their arguments were so crooked, yet they could still clash; they really looked like a pair of brothers.

Twice, Zhou Shuqi was approached by Ren Yan. Ren Yan first froze Zhou Shuqi away with a stern face, then knitted his brows together and said to Chu Qianmiao, "Chu Qianmiao, this is an office, not a private space." "

Chu Qianmiao said, "But Mr. Ren, my junior came during lunch break."

Ren Yan skipped over her response and said, "It seems you don't have enough work to do, so you have time for constant banter."

Ever since Ren Yan turned 30, when Chu Qianmiao had a disagreement with him, she felt less intimidated by him.

Whenever he argued, she dared to challenge him back.

"Mr. Ren, my junior's return hasn't delayed my work at all. Besides, I can't handle constant banter alone. It would have been hard for me to do it..." Chu Qianmiao said the last sentence, looking at Ren Yan with a pointed look.

As soon as she finished speaking, Qin Qianyu and the others fell silent. They thought she had given up on life for daring to contradict Boss Ren.

Ren Yan: "Are you saying I'm picking on you?" "

Chu Qianmiao: "No, no, I didn't dare say that. You figured it out on your own."

Qin Qianyu couldn't help but chuckle at her words.

Ren Yan rolled his eyes at him, but didn't even ask if he didn't want to work anymore.

He looked back at Chu Qianmiao: "You're just following Lawyer Zhang. A small-time lawyer like you wouldn't live to see tomorrow morning if you were working under me."

Chu Qianmiao's cheeks puffed out, a perfect combination of cowardice and recklessness: "I, I don't want to follow you either. You'll kill me if I work with you!"

Ren Yan nodded, curling his lips and letting out a breathy laugh: "Then remember not to fall into my hands in the future. If you do, you'll be dead."

With that, he turned and walked out of the meeting room.

Qin Qianyu turned to watch him walk away. Once he was sure it was safe, he turned back to Chu Qianmiao and said, "Qianmiao, I guarantee with my wife and I's love that President Ren must have been pissed just now!" Our CEO Ren, that old fox who can pull off a classic from a Chinese studio with just a puff of smoke, is the first person in years to be able to infuriate him and then keep him from getting angry again! You're amazing! Come on, teach me this skill! I'll need it someday..."

Chu Qianmiao thanked Qin Qianyu for the compliment and said she'd teach him everything she knew once she figured out the secret.

She had argued with Ren Yan, but the next time Zhou Shuqi came with something, Chu Qianmiao would escort him out the side door. As she walked him to the door, she told him with reason, "Don't come here anymore. This isn't my company, after all, ha!"

Zhou Shuqi was about to throw a tantrum, but Chu Qianmiao glared back at him.

"How much did you spend on shopping today?" Chu Qianmiao asked, as usual.

Zhou Shuqi said, "Food and drinks totaled 270, but don't give me any money this time. I'm willing to spend it on you, senior!" Chu Qianmiao ignored him and pulled out three Mao Zedong notes from her wallet, shoving them into his pocket. "You're a student, you haven't even graduated yet. Your internship salary isn't even enough to buy you a pancake. Take it!" "

Zhou Shuqi's eyes fluttered with joy as he accepted the money.

After seeing Zhou Shuqi off, Chu Qianmiao planned to return to the conference room.

She entered through the side door and passed by Ren Yan's office. His office was directly opposite the side entrance of Litong Securities. She had been so busy seeing the little boy off that she hadn't noticed anything going on in Ren Yan's office. Now she realized his door was open. As she passed by, she glanced inside and saw a handsome man with a European and American look, his features defined by deep, defined features.

He was sitting in a leather chair across from Ren Yan's desk, legs elegantly crossed. Catching her gaze, he too was glancing toward the door, a smile on his face, a smile that blossomed like a blossoming peach.

Chu Qianmiao withdrew her gaze and returned to the conference room.

In Ren Yan's office, the handsome man had a truly remarkable name. Lei Zhenzi asked Ren Yan with a smile, "Is this the young lawyer? Interesting!" She's a sharp talker, but a good hearted person, never letting her junior spend any more money. After a pause, he added, "What's truly remarkable about this is that she's kindly paying for the forced spending her junior has incurred. If her junior hadn't brought the items, or if she hadn't felt bad about him spending the money, then she wouldn't have made the purchase."

Ren Yan looked up at his only best friend, the only person in the world who understood the ins and outs of his emotional life. He twitched the corner of his mouth, chuckling playfully, and said, "If everyone were as calculating as you, everyone would be a capitalist."

Lei Zhenzi's eyes blossomed with laughter. "This girl is so interesting! I absolutely must meet her!"