Chapter
120.1: He Must Fall
Chu Qianmiao answered the phone, and Du Xiaofeng's cheerful
voice came through the receiver.
He told Chu Qianmiao that he had arrived in Beijing and
asked if she had time to have dinner together.
Chu Qianmiao quickly said, "Of course. As we agreed,
I'll be the host."
She and Du Xiaofeng had arranged to meet for dinner. After
asking for the address of his hotel, she said, "I'll find a restaurant
near yours. I'll text you when I've made a reservation."
Du Xiaofeng smiled generously and agreed, adding that it
would be a real relief to have dinner with her. He wouldn't have to walk any
more.
Before hanging up, Chu Qianmiao glanced at Ren Yan, then
said to Du Xiaofeng, "Mr. Du, if you don't mind, I'd like to bring a
friend with me to dinner."
Du Xiaofeng quickly corrected her, "Don't call me Mr.
Du. I'm not the CEO anymore. Call me Brother Du." After a pause, he said,
"Don't just bring one friend, bring seven or eight. It'll be a blast, and
you'll pay anyway, hahaha."
Chu Qianmiao also laughed.
After hanging up, she said to Ren Yan, "Mr. Ren, are
you interested in accompanying me to my appointment tonight?"
Ren Yan raised an eyebrow and asked calmly, "Is that
the boss from your previous auto parts project? Why did you think of bringing
me along?"
Chu Qianmiao thought to herself, "Don't look so curious
when you hear me talking to the man named Du on the phone."
However, to save her boss's boyfriend's face, she said,
"I want others to see how outstanding our managing director's looks and
vision are—a benchmark in the industry."
Ren Yan raised his lip slightly. "The looks are
self-explanatory. But as for the vision, how should I put it?"
Chu Qianmiao leaned forward and whispered, "You're such
a good picker of a girlfriend! Even your taste is impeccable."
Ren Yan looked at her, turned his head away, and smiled.
Now she even knew to include him in her flattery.
That evening, Chu Qianmiao, Ren Yan, and Du Xiaofeng met at
the restaurant they had agreed to meet.
As soon as Chu Qianmiao entered, he introduced Ren Yan to Du
Xiaofeng, saying, "Brother Du, this is my immediate superior, the pillar
of our Litong Investment Banking Department, President Ren Yan."
Du Xiaofeng quickly shook Ren Yan's hand and said,
"Nice to meet you."
During the meal, he made no secret of his special fondness
for Chu Qianmiao, a feeling he held in a different light. However, his
affection and special regard were both forthright and aboveboard, ensuring no
one at the table felt uncomfortable.
After three glasses of wine, Chu Qianmiao asked Du Xiaofeng
how he was doing. She didn't directly inquire about the progress on the Zhufeng
Auto Parts issue, fearing that if the matter remained unresolved, Du Xiaofeng
would fall into melancholy and sadness.
Du Xiaofeng, however, smiled heartily and proceeded to
explain the Zhufeng Auto Parts situation.
"It's true that I've been doing well lately, but it's
also true that I haven't been doing well either. Qianmiao, I've transferred my
shares in Zhufeng Auto Parts."
Chu Qianmiao's eyes widened at the words, silently startled.
Zhufeng Auto Parts was Du Xiaofeng's lifeblood over the past decade and his
ultimate hope for the future. Yet, he had actually transferred all his shares.
So, he must have been deeply hurt and disappointed by Liu
Zheng to have done this.
She felt a pang of sadness.
But Du Xiaofeng smiled and said, "Hey, look at that
expression on your face! Someone's willing to take over my shares, and the
price is quite high. Seeing Liu Zheng upset again, I think transferring my
shares and getting a large sum of money would be a win-win for everyone,
wouldn't that be a win-win situation?"
Chu Qianmiao understood the logic, and while it was true,
Zhufeng Auto Parts was Du Xiaofeng's lifeblood. To get Zhufeng Auto Parts
listed, Du Xiaofeng had even transferred his shares in Xiaolin Auto Parts. But
now, he couldn't even keep Zhufeng Auto Parts.
If he hadn't been completely disheartened by Liu Zheng's
betrayal, he wouldn't have made such a decisive move.
Ren Yan said, "Mr. Du is so cool and decisive, which is
rare." After a pause, he added, "If I'm not mistaken, Mr. Du has a
lot of idle cash after transferring his shares. After running two auto parts
companies, you probably don't want to continue in the industry. So, this time
you came to Beijing mainly to see if there are any good investment projects
that can increase your money."
Du Xiaofeng's eyes lit up. "I've heard Qian Miao and
others say that their leader is a genius. This time I've finally seen it. Mr.
Ren, you are indeed a genius. Your guess is always right. This is why I came to
Beijing this time. Beijing is a financial center, and good projects and
resources are converging here. A few days ago, a friend I've met told me that
there will be an investment summit in Beijing soon, so I rushed over to check
it out."
Chu Qianmiao turned and glanced at Ren Yan. If Du Xiaofeng
hadn't been there, she would probably have turned into a fangirl. Ren Yan was
Ren Yan, always an irreplaceable veteran in her heart.
Ren Yan smiled and said, "If Mr. Du is trustworthy, I
can introduce you to a friend in investment who can help you find some
reliable, high-quality projects."
Du Xiaofeng quickly toasted Ren Yan and thanked him.
"In investment these days, reliability is the most valuable thing. I have
to thank Mr. Ren very much."
Before the meal ended, Du Xiaofeng said to Chu Qianmiao,
"Qianmiao, I've tested you. You've found a good boyfriend. He's generous,
not suspicious or jealous, and willing to share his resources. That's great.
You two are a perfect match."
Chu Qianmiao's ears suddenly burned. So he'd seen through
it. So his display of affection during the meal was intentional.
She smiled shyly and slightly embarrassedly and asked,
"How did Brother Du tell that?"
Ren Yan remained calm. Du Xiaofeng looked mischievous.
"I, your brother, have also experienced the pleasures of romance. My gaze
on you two may have strayed a bit, but I can still see through people who are
truly in love. The way you two occasionally exchanged glances was so intense, I
knew it all at once."
Chu Qianmiao apologized frankly, "I'm sorry, Brother Du. I didn't mean to hide it from you. It's just that the time has come for us to make our relationship public."
Du Xiaofeng waved his hand. "What's there to apologize
for?" He turned to Ren Yan and laughed heartily. "Mr. Ren, you're
lucky. The more a girl like Qianmiao sees the world, the more people will like
her. But such a wonderful girl wouldn't choose you over others. I'm quite
envious of you, brother. Honestly, you must cherish her."
Ren Yan shook hands with Du Xiaofeng again before parting.
The two didn't say much else, but much was said between the men in that
handshake.
On the way home, Chu Qianmiao couldn't help but sigh,
"No one lives as clearly as Du Xiaofeng. Anyone else would still be
entangled in the Zhufeng Auto Parts equity mess, but he was able to walk away.
He's truly capable of letting go and living a carefree life."
She turned to Ren Yan and said, "He really inspired me
today. When faced with a difficult situation, it's better to simply withdraw.
Staying involved may always lead to a dead end, but withdrawing could open up a
whole new world."
Ren Yan looked at the road ahead, reflecting on her words.
She was so carefree now that it was a little frightening.
After the National Day holiday, Chu Qianmiao's project team
arrived at the company site, along with Tang Jie and Wang Jun's accountants and
lawyers. The project team was virtually identical to the Zhufeng Auto Parts
project, as they had collaborated before. Everyone had a strong rapport when
they resumed work, and everything was proceeding smoothly and smoothly.
The coordination between the various intermediaries was
flawless. The company was in Beijing, so everyone stayed home and didn't have
to travel for long periods of time, which was a blessing. The only problem was
that there were a lot of difficult people within the company.
Tang Jie privately lamented to Chu Qianmiao, "I used to
think that having Dou Shan at Liya was enough to make us suffer. Now, with Dou
Shans all over the company, I'm practically drunk."
Given the sheer number of difficult individuals, Chu
Qianmiao, in addition to applying her professional skills to project
management, also had to employ interpersonal skills to mediate relationships,
pacify difficult individuals, and appease the project team. She increasingly
felt that being a leader in a coordinating role was not an easy task. It was
only after assuming this position that she truly appreciated the amount of
interpersonal turmoil and corporate pressure that her predecessor, Ren Yan, had
shouldered for them, creating a peaceful space for them to focus on their
projects.
In November, a major event in Chu Qianmiao's life occurred.
She and Gu Miaoyu both bought houses, conveniently located for their respective
workplaces. Next up was the house renovations. Once the decor was finished and
the smell had settled in, it was time for them to move on. Their long-standing
companionship would come to an end, and they would embark on their own
independent journeys.
Chu Qianmiao's house renovations were entrusted to Gu
Miaoyu's company, with Gu Miaoyu personally designing them.
Chu Qianmiao proudly said to Ren Yan, "Our little rice
grain, Ms. Gu, things are different now. Not everyone can get her to design
their own designs. My childhood friend is amazing, isn't she?"
Ren Yan smiled, patted her head, and said, "Whatever
you say is right."
Chu Qianmiao felt a little sad at the thought of having to
move after the house was finished. Gu Miaoyu felt sad too. They had worked
together since graduation, going out together every day, riding the crowded
subway together, squeezing and being squeezed by others, ultimately achieving
all they had today. With that success came the time to part.
Saddened by the impending separation, the two agreed to
cherish their final moments together. During the renovation period, they would
both reduce their stays outside, making the most of the few days they had left
to rely on each other.
Gu Miaoyu stopped sleeping at the office after overtime, and
Chu Qianmiao also tried to minimize her stays at the apartment. Even when she
did go to the apartment, she would return home after feeding Ren Yan.
Gu Miaoyu sighed deeply, "Shuishui, I'm so touched! You
went to sleep with Ren Yan and then came back to be with me. You must have such
strong willpower to crawl back from his bed."
Chu Qianmiao immediately frowned. "What are you talking
about? What do you mean by 'I went to sleep with him'? I went to sleep with him
and then quickly came back to be with you?'"
Gu Miaoyu nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes. This change
touches me even more. It feels like you haven't even had enough fun yet, yet
you're running back to be with me."
Chu Qianmiao: "..."
She had heard Zhou Shuqi say that Shao Yuan was coming back.
She hoped Gu Miaoyu would still have the energy to tease her so lively by then.
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