Ding Yong sighed. "Yeah, that’s why I’m calling. Could you ask that friend of yours if there’s an opportunity?"
"There’s an opportunity!"
Ding Yong hadn’t expected Li Guoqiang to reply so quickly. He was stunned for a moment before saying, "So, are you going to help me set up a meeting, or...?"
Li Guoqiang said, "This afternoon should work. I’ll arrange it in a moment. Their President Xu is always around!"
He hadn’t realized Chen Xiao was also at Yunfeng. Since Xu Wu was the general manager for this project, the discussion would have to start with her.
A short while later, Li Guoqiang called to tell Ding Yong the meeting was set. Ding Yong was ecstatic. ’My buddy’s the one I can count on!’
Around the same time, Xu Wu reported to Chen Xiao that Li Guoqiang was bringing Ding Yong over in the afternoon to discuss the Hongmeng Intelligent Selection project. She asked if he wanted to attend.
Chen Xiao already knew the project’s return on investment, so he couldn’t be bothered to attend. When it came to professional expertise, ten of him couldn’t hold a candle to Xu Wu.
She was the expert, after all.
He told Xu Wu to take the lead. He had already reviewed the project and deemed it viable; he’d let her handle the details.
’Don’t employ those you doubt, and don’t doubt those you employ.’
He was happy to be a hands-off boss, and Xu Wu was happy too. Being fully empowered was the only way for her to truly showcase her abilities.
’Talent is common, but a good judge of talent is rare.’
Xu Wu saw herself as that talented horse, but then she suddenly blushed and cursed herself internally. ’I’m not a horse! If I were a horse, wouldn’t that mean Chen Xiao would ride me?’
「Jiangzhou High-speed Railway Station.」
Zhao Xiangjun parked in the underground garage and checked the time. Xu Jia would be arriving any minute!
She went straight to the arrivals gate to wait.
Even a Descente tracksuit couldn’t conceal her incredibly alluring, perfect figure. Paired with her goddess-like, aloof expression, she was the perfect combination of ice and fire.
She turned every single head as she walked by.
While she was waiting, a man who looked to be in his thirties approached. Dressed head-to-toe in Givenchy and wearing a Vacheron Constantin, he practically screamed "successful businessman."
He was staring intently at Zhao Xiangjun. She turned away slightly, focusing on her phone.
She was used to being stared at whenever she went out and knew how to deflect the attention.
"Hey, beautiful. You’re really tall!"
The man was clearly trying to hit on her. Zhao Xiangjun kept her eyes on her phone, ignoring him completely.
"Beautiful, you have a boyfriend?"
Zhao Xiangjun looked up, exasperated. "I’m married," she said. "With three kids."
She was on the verge of telling him to just shut his mouth already; he was incredibly annoying.
The man paused, looking her over. ’There’s no way someone who looks like that is a mother,’ he thought. He quickly realized she must be lying to him.
He flashed a smile he thought was suave, rolled up his sleeve to reveal the Vacheron Constantin, and then "accidentally" pulled out the keys to his Rolls-Royce.
"Mind if I try and tear that wall down?"
Thoroughly annoyed now, Zhao Xiangjun retorted coldly, "The only thing you can dig up that easily is a weed. A cornerstone can’t be moved."
The man roared with laughter. "Beautiful, you’ve got some personality! Let’s get acquainted. I’m Xia Bin—Xia for ’summer’ and Bin for ’refined and courteous.’"
But Zhao Xiangjun couldn’t be bothered to respond, leaving Xia Bin in an awkward silence.
He was the complete package—tall, rich, and handsome. He frequented all the best places and was never short of beautiful women hitting on him.
He was used to getting any woman he pursued, and with great success. This was the first time he’d ever met someone so beautiful and with such a strong personality.
He had no idea, however, that Zhao Xiangjun had dealt with countless men like him. Her usual strategy was to ignore them first. If they persisted, she’d shut them down with a few sharp words to make them back off.
And if they were shameless enough to keep pestering her, she’d simply treat them like they didn’t exist.
And now, Zhao Xiangjun was treating Xia Bin as if he were air. He’d been talking to himself for several minutes, and she hadn’t spared him a single glance.
Finally, she saw Xu Jia exiting the station and walked over to meet her. Xu Jia, with a personality far more energetic than her own, came bounding over with a few happy skips.
She even shouted, "Xiangjun, I’ve missed you to death!"
She immediately threw her arms around Zhao Xiangjun in a hug.
Watching from the side, Xia Bin was sick with envy. He also learned her name: Xiangjun.
He observed Zhao Xiangjun and her friend, noting that they were both dressed rather plainly. ’They probably aren’t very well-off,’ he concluded.
Zhao Xiangjun was dressed a little better in a Descente outfit, but that was a brand even a senior office worker could afford.
Her friend, on the other hand, was wearing generic mall brands—basically the Chinese equivalent of Uniqlo.
Seeing this, he felt his chances were quite high. ’After all, how many people can refuse a life of luxury?’
’Besides, it was love at first sight,’ he thought. ’This isn’t like the other times when I was just playing around. I’d actually be willing to marry this girl.’
’Yes, willing to marry her.’ He lifted his arrogant chin, as if he were a god-king selecting a consort, bestowing upon her a great honor.
Zhao Xiangjun, however, noticed none of this. When she was out, she never paid attention to other people, mostly because other people were always paying attention to her.
So she deliberately pretended to see nothing at all. Xu Jia, however, noticed. She quietly tugged on her sleeve and whispered, "There’s a really handsome guy over there, and he’s been staring at you!"
"If you like him, go for it."
"Tch! Do you think I’m the type to ditch my best friend for some guy?"
Zhao Xiangjun replied, "Whether you even count as a person is debatable, isn’t it?"
"You’re asking for it! Just wait, I’ll get my revenge tonight!"
’Zhao Xiangjun was instantly filled with dread. If she spent the night with Chen Xiao, he’d wear her out completely. If she spent it with Xu Jia, the little devil would stay up all night and loved to tickle people.’
Xu Jia had an ordinary appearance, with looks that were just about average. She was a bit chubby but loved to laugh, giving her a cheerful and festive air.
As the two of them walked on, Xu Jia asked, "Xiangjun, it’s been forever! What are you treating me to?"
Zhao Xiangjun thought for a moment. "Liangpi and rice noodles?"
Xia Bin, trailing behind them, stumbled and nearly fell over.
’Looks like her financial situation really is average,’ he thought. ’Otherwise, why would she treat a friend who came all this way to cheap noodles?’
Xu Jia said cheerfully, "Yeah, yeah! And I want a grilled sausage, too!"
Xia Bin was left speechless. ’This friend isn’t very sharp, either,’ he thought, ’getting so excited over cheap noodles.’
He wasn’t intentionally tailing them, as it happened. He was also heading toward the parking garage.
Xu Jia and Zhao Xiangjun texted almost every day, so she naturally knew about Chen Xiao and that Zhao Xiangjun now drove everywhere she went.
She also knew that Chen Xiao had bought her a house.
But words on a screen were one thing. It was only after getting into the Wisdom Realm R7 that she truly understood how exquisite the car was.
"Girl, your Chen Xiao really treats you well!" Xu Jia said, looking around at the interior and pressing on the surfaces.
Nearly every surface inside the car was wrapped in leather, giving it a very luxurious feel.
"Mmm," was all Zhao Xiangjun said. Her replies were always concise.
The car activated its autonomous driving mode and, to Xu Jia’s gasps of amazement, began driving to their destination on its own.
"No wonder you can drive to work every day now! I always said your driving skills are worse than mine. I was wondering how Chen Xiao could possibly trust you with a car!"
"Mmm. He doesn’t trust me," she said. "He trusts the car."
She was certainly self-aware. The car’s autonomous driving was incredibly smooth, weaving through traffic as gracefully as a dragon in the sea.
The Rolls-Royce Cullinan behind them couldn’t even keep up. After a short while, he lost them completely. Xia Bin furiously slammed his fist on the steering wheel. But he had memorized the license plate number. He was sure fate would bring them together again.