Water and Fire~Chapter 112: Treat Her Better

 

Chapter 112: Treat Her Better

Ren Yan pondered for a long time that night. The city where he was on a business trip was quiet at night, and his room was even quieter. It was so quiet that he could almost hear his own heartbeat. Even his frustrations seemed to have a voice, echoing in his ears.

He had drunk that night hoping to numb himself. But alcohol, precisely when needed, failed. He wanted to be more confused, believing that confusion always made life easier. But his mind was clear enough to allow him to sense even the slightest hint of dejection.

He had originally planned to find a suitable opportunity to tell her some things, after he and his little girl became close. He could only reveal these things to her once their relationship was strong enough.

Ever since that night in the apartment, when they had unabashedly given each other their most vivid selves on that black bed sheet, he had believed they had become the most intimate of relationships. But only now did he realize that their intimacy was only physical. Her heart was so independent, unwilling to rely on anyone, nor to fully trust anyone.

He had made her like this. In the dark room, he gave a wry smile, a wry smile to himself.

Perhaps this is what you sow. He thought with a wry smile.

Now he no longer had the confidence to tell her all that. Only before she gave him her complete trust, until they became not only physically close but also spiritually close, would he have the confidence to share those things.

He was afraid he couldn't keep her.

Later that night, Lei Zhenzi chatted with him. They didn't have a video call, so Lei Zhenzi went to the trouble of calling him overseas. He said he didn't want to embarrass himself by showing his lovestruck face.

What a coincidence, he thought. He didn't want to do that tonight either.

Lei Zhenzi murmured on the phone that he missed Sister Sheng. He said he didn't want to have so many girlfriends anymore. The people he thought he'd forget about kept coming back to him, but instead, they left him with a deeper and deeper feeling, leaving him feeling emptier and emptier. After explaining his plight, he forbade sympathy and abruptly changed the subject.

Lei Zhenzi changed the subject and asked Ren Yan, "When are you going to tell Qian Miao about all that?"

Ren Yan was silent for a long moment, then said he'd wait. After another pause, he told Lei Zhenzi about his and Chu Qianmiao's current situation.

Lei Zhenzi was silent for a long moment before advising him, "You can't rush this situation. You need to slowly influence her. The person who caused the trouble must untie it. Since you've been the one who subtly influenced her into this state, then you should treat her well, treat her with all your heart, and you'll definitely be able to win her back."

Ren Yan, clutching his phone, replied with a barely audible "hmm."

Lei Zhenzi then took another turn, "But you also have to be mentally prepared. Expecting her to revert to her old, naive, all-consuming devotion to you seems unlikely. After all, everyone's a member of society now, and it's inevitable that they'll weigh the pros and cons and create a safe haven deep within their hearts that they won't open to you."

Ren Yan interrupted, "Stop talking."

Lei Zhenzi paused for a moment before continuing, "But you can try this: First, try to gain her 50% trust and reliance."

Ren Yan said coldly, "Stop talking."

Lei Zhenzi continued, "I know you don't want to hear it, but you have to listen. Lack of trust can't be rushed. You have to take it step by step. Wait until she trusts and relies on you 50%, then work hard to get to 80%, and finally 99%. That's it. Forget about the remaining 1%. Don't force it."

"Lei Zhenzi, stop talking. I beg you." Ren Yan, his voice hoarse from alcohol, interrupted Lei Zhenzi's rambling.

"I just want her 100%," Ren Yan said.

After Chu Qianmiao finished her phone call with Ren Yan, she felt a little puzzled. She had actually heard the word "marriage" from Ren Yan, which she found very un-Ren Yan.

She believed her current attitude and approach perfectly matched his perspective on love. If he wasn't satisfied, she didn't know what to do. She didn't understand what was going on with him.

The next day at work, in the due diligence office, Chu Qianmiao overheard Lu Zhonger and Wang Sian chatting, "Last night, Lao Qin and his team had hot pot with the leadership again. This time, Moutai reached a new high, and they finished eight bottles."

Wang Sian sighed, "Oh my god," and then asked, "Did everyone throw up?"

Lu Zhonger said, "The climax wasn't the vomiting. The climax was when everyone except President Ren cried. At the end, everyone cried and sang 'I stand in the fierce wind, wishing I could wash away all the lingering pain.' Can you imagine that?"

Wang Sian laughed heartily.

Amid his laughter, Lu Zhonger looked up at Chu Qianmiao and said, "Qianmiao, we've managed to save half our lives on this project."

Chu Qianmiao's focus shifted to, "Did President Ren sing Farewell My Concubine along yesterday?"

Lu Zhonger looked at him with a look of astonishment, "What kind of alien question are you asking?"

"How could Mr. Ren possibly sing? I think it's a monumental achievement in human history that Mr. Ren can even come out and have dinner with us from time to time. His singing is unimaginable. It's like telling me that even gods have to take off their pants to go to the bathroom. I can't accept it."

Chu Qianmiao: ""

Okay. So he really did drink yesterday. No wonder he was acting so strangely.

But then she thought: the last two times he'd had hot pot and Maotai set meals, it was because she'd gone out to dinner with Tan Shen, and he felt uncomfortable.

So why was he uncomfortable this time? Was it because she said she didn't completely trust him?

But that statement was based on the premise that she didn't even completely trust herself.

Alas, to get her to tell the truth, she'd have to wait for Qin Qianyu and the others to play Farewell My Concubine.

The Zhufeng Auto Parts project was progressing smoothly according to Chu Qianmiao's pre-planned schedule. After the project entered the coaching phase, Chu Qianmiao, Wang Jun, and Tang Jie discovered another significant issue. They arranged a meeting with Du Xiaofeng and Liu Zheng to resolve the issue.

On the day of the meeting, the agency representatives were present, but neither Du Xiaofeng nor Liu Zheng showed up.

Chu Qianmiao called both of them, but couldn't get through. She had no choice but to try Du Xiaofeng's assistant.

The assistant told her that the two "bosses" were in the hospital. Their phones were dead, and he was rushing to the hospital with his hospital supplies and a charger.

Chu Qianmiao quickly inquired about the situation and why both of them were hospitalized.

The assistant replied, "Don't worry, Ms. Chu. Mr. Du is the one who's in the hospital. He was drinking at a party yesterday and got drunk. He insisted on walking home alone, stepped into a pit, and broke his head. He also sustained a deep gash on his body."

Chu Qianmiao quickly asked, "Is Mr. Du's head injury serious?"

Such a graceful man should not fall and become mortally wounded.

The assistant said, "The head injury is fine, just superficial. The injuries to the body are more serious. Mr. Du called Mr. Liu yesterday after the fall, and when Mr. Liu arrived, the ground was reportedly covered in blood."

According to the assistant's description, Chu Qianmiao had a vivid vision.

When Liu Zheng arrived at the site of the injury, Du Xiaofeng was still lying in his own blood, smiling at them. Terrified, Liu Zheng immediately wanted to take him to the hospital, but Du Xiaofeng refused, gesticulating, "Old Liu, help me up. I'll go home and drink some brown sugar water to replenish my blood. I'm not going to the hospital, I'm not going."

Chu Qianmiao didn't know whether to worry or laugh at this. This old man was so carefree.

In the end, Liu Zheng insisted on taking Du Xiaofeng to the hospital.

The doctor then asked why they hadn't brought him there sooner. If they had, they wouldn't have needed a blood transfusion.

Du Xiaofeng had lost a lot of blood, yet he still told the doctor, "Don't be so harsh with him. I told him not to send him off."

At this point, the assistant remarked, and if Liu Zheng hadn't been married, Chu Qianmiao could have heard a hint of sweet affection in Du Xiaofeng's words to Liu Zheng.

Later, when Liu Zheng heard he needed a blood transfusion, he rolled up his sleeves without a word and told the doctor, "Hurry up, we have the same blood type, take mine."

The doctor was speechless. He had never seen two grown men so uncooperative. He told Liu Zheng, "Have you watched too many TV dramas? We have blood in the hospital's blood bank."

Liu Zheng quickly apologized, "Sorry, doctor, I was so anxious that I lost my mind."

The assistant finally told Chu Qianmiao, "Mr. Du is now stable and has been admitted to the hospital. Mr. Liu is caring for him there."

After hanging up, Chu Qianmiao shared the situation with Wang Jun and Tang Jie.

The three of them discussed it and decided to go to the hospital to see Du Xiaofeng. They bought a flower basket and a fruit basket on the way.

Upon entering the ward, they saw Du Xiaofeng, his head wrapped in a white bandage and dressed in a hospital gown, reclining on the bed, playing Connect the Dots on his phone.

Chu Qianmiao observed his appearance. While his complexion certainly didn't look well, his mental demeanor didn't look anything like a patient. He stretched out his arms, ready for another drink.

Du Xiaofeng seemed particularly delighted to see them. If the nurse hadn't come over to give him an injection and pushed him back onto the bed, he would have personally set up stools for them, clutching his head and stomach.

Chu Qianmiao was almost convinced by Du Xiaofeng.

After the nurse finished the injection and left, Du Xiaofeng, tied to the IV tube and unable to get up, reluctantly half-lying, half-leaning on the bed, smiled sheepishly at Chu Qianmiao and said, "Shame on you!"

Chu Qianmiao suppressed a smile and quickly said, "It's okay, Mr. Du, it's normal. My dad got drunk at home and called me by my nickname. He scolded me all night."

Du Xiaofeng burst into laughter, clutching his head and stomach.

Chu Qianmiao first inquired about Du Xiaofeng's injuries. After confirming he was alright, she asked, "Where's Mr. Liu? I heard from your assistant that he's also in the hospital."

Du Xiaofeng said, "Old Liu took care of me all night yesterday and almost gave me a blood transfusion. I'm full of energy now. I don't need his care. I told him to go home and get some sleep. He was so tired yesterday because of me."

Hou Lin sighed, "Mr. Du, you and Mr. Liu have a truly strong bond."

Du Xiaofeng said, "Of course," with a hint of pride. "I, Du Xiaofeng, am a man of action. I don't care how much money I make, but the friends I make are all true friends." He suddenly remembered that he had a meeting scheduled for today and turned to Chu Qianmiao, "By the way, Ms. Chu, are you guys going to discuss something with me today?"

Chu Qianmiao looked at him and asked, "Are you in good spirits?"

Du Xiaofeng quickly replied, "Very much. I'm getting so tired lying down that I'm hoping you'll find me something to do."

Chu Qianmiao then told Du Xiaofeng, "Mr. Du, here's the thing: Mr. Tang, Attorney Wang, and I have discovered that in addition to Zhufeng Auto Parts in the south, you've also co-founded a company in the north with a man named Lu Fenglin, called Xiaolin Auto Parts. The problem is that you're a major shareholder in both companies, and their core businesses largely overlap, which constitutes intra-industry competition. Regulatory agencies require that companies seeking to go public must eliminate intra-industry competition."

Du Xiaofeng asked what intra-industry competition meant.

Wang Jun explained, "Simply put, you're a shareholder and actual controller of Zhufeng Auto Parts. Besides Zhufeng Auto Parts, you also own another company that operates the same business as Zhufeng Auto Parts. Therefore, you and Zhufeng Auto Parts are competing against each other, and this competition must be eliminated if you want to go public."

Du Xiaofeng turned back to Chu Qianmiao and asked, "How do we eliminate this?"

Chu Qianmiao said, "We suggest you use Zhufeng Auto Parts to acquire Xiaolin Auto Parts."

Du Xiaofeng thought for a moment and said, "I think that's a good idea. I'll start implementing this plan when I'm discharged from the hospital in two days."

After returning to the office from the hospital at noon, Chu Qianmiao received a call from Ren Yan in her office.

She addressed him in a businesslike manner, "Mr. Ren."

Ren Yan was silent for a brief moment, then told her, "Buy tickets back to Beijing this afternoon." After a pause, he offered some explanation. "You and Qin Qianyu are now members of the company's core team. There's a core team meeting tomorrow. You and Qin Qianyu should both come back to attend."

Chu Qianmiao immediately said, "Okay, Mr. Ren, I'll book the tickets right away."

After hanging up, she was in the middle of booking her tickets when she received another message from Ren Yan.

Ren Yan sent her three messages in quick succession. After reading the last one, Chu Qianmiao hurried out of the office to cool herself down. Her face was burning so intensely it could have sent the mercury in a thermometer through the top.

Ren Yan, I'm already in Beijing. I'll pick you up tonight.

Ren Yan, stay at the apartment tonight. I've already packed a change of clothes.

Ren Yan, what color underwear do you prefer? Is white okay?

Chu Qianmiao fanned her face with her hand, wondering if this investment banker had become too down-to-earth lately.

The author has something to say about Ren Yan: I actually like black. It's sexy. I don't understand what he's saying.