Chapter 85

The acquisition took place promptly at 10:00 AM. She was groggy from all the drinking yesterday, but she managed to get a good night's sleep without any nightmares...

In the dressing room, Gu Cunxi took out the clothes she had chosen yesterday. It was a high-end custom-made black suit, the overall cut of which fit her figure perfectly. She stood in front of the mirror to change her clothes, selected a brooch, pinned it on her chest, unbuttoned two buttons of her white shirt underneath, revealing her beautiful neck, and paired it with a Bulgari black ceramic necklace. After tidying herself in front of the mirror, she hurried out of the house...

At seven o'clock in the morning, she stopped a car downstairs and drove to the Hyatt Hotel. On the way, Gu Cunxi checked her private mailbox. Liu Ran had already sent the revised file to her account.

The morning rush hour in North City was very congested. She looked at her watch and saw that she still had plenty of time, so she sat in the back seat and checked the documents.

After the planning department's expedited rectification yesterday, the document was no longer problematic and would not affect today's merger and acquisition. She breathed a sigh of relief.

Last morning! Later, we'll complete the final integration of the acquisition with Fanghua Company and sign the merger and acquisition agreement. Our work here can come to a temporary end!

…

The car quickly stopped at the door of the hotel. Gu Cunxi paid the bill and got out of the car, but was surprised to see Jiang Rao standing at the door, looking at him.

“!”

"I finally got you. I was just about to call you." Jiang Rao came over and handed her a breakfast.

"Wait for me... Is there something? I have to rush to the company, we can talk later if there's anything!"

After saying that, Gu Cunxi walked quickly towards the parking lot. Seeing this, Jiang Rao quickly followed him.

"I know you're busy today, so I won't disturb you. Can I wait for you at the company, Cunxi?"

“…”

"Wait for me at the hotel. You won't feel comfortable in the office, and I'll be away for a long time."

"It doesn't matter, it can take as long as you want. I'm really bored staying in the hotel alone. Let me go with you!"

“…”

Jiang Rao did not give her a chance to refuse and quickly walked to the passenger seat. In order not to waste time, Gu Cunxi let her follow him.

"Then wait for me in the office when we get to the company. We'll have dinner together after the acquisition is completed."

"We're leaving this afternoon. Let me make it clear, I don't have time to take care of you. People from Fang Hua's company will be here this morning. If you want to follow me, you'll have to stay in the office!"

"Don't worry, I won't cause you any trouble."

Along the way, Gu Cunxi avoided congested roads to buy time, and while driving, he made a phone call to explain the various matters of the morning meeting.

"Notify all department managers and above to conduct a final review of today's acquisition documents."

"The person responsible for receiving Fang Hua should be prepared in advance. President Xu will be at the company soon. Don't make any mistakes."

Hang up the phone

She stepped on the accelerator and drove towards the company at high speed

Everyone in Nansheng Group was on high alert, not daring to make any mistakes.

"Would you like some coffee? If you need anything, just ask Xiaolin to arrange it for you." Gu Cunxi put his coat aside and said while looking through the documents in his hand.

"Okay, go ahead and do your work. I'll be waiting for you in the office."

"Hmm..." She put down the documents and nodded. "If you're bored, play on the computer for a while. Just don't mess with the documents on the desktop! I have to go to the meeting first!"

…

The office returned to silence, with only the sound of the laptop on the desk running. After being inactive for a long time, it had entered locked mode...

“…”

I don’t know Gu Cunxi’s computer password, and it’s not a good idea to disturb her now... Jiang Rao thought about it and gave up, but curiosity drove her to keep looking at the computer screen. An idea gradually emerged in her mind, wondering if her password was related to her!

But... she didn't know anything about Xiao Peiyin. They had only met once in four years, and their conversations were few and far between...

“!!”

Suddenly! Jiang Rao remembered the day he met Xiao Peiyin...

They were sitting in a coffee shop. When she mentioned that Gu Cunxi had given her the car, Xiao Peiyin's expression was very lonely. She murmured, "It's because of the license plate..."

Her voice was very soft, but she could hear it clearly.

Could it be that the license plate on the car is related to her...

0114…could it be my birthday, or some other date?

“!!”

Jiang Rao entered the four-digit password on the computer, his fingertips fell on the keyboard, and he was hesitant to press the confirm button...

If the password is correct, can it prove that Gu Cunxi still loves her...

The hand that was suspended in mid-air did not fall...

She closed her eyes for a long time and pressed the confirmation button. There was no expected error sound reminder... What entered her ears was the sound of the computer starting up.

“!”

My heart...sunk to the bottom in an instant

As expected...she still loves her!

She has remembered this number for four years?

In the quiet office, Jiang Rao couldn't help but want to cry. At this moment, she felt a little disgusted with Xiao Peiyin, but also very envious of her...

She had left so decisively back then, and after four years of separation, without a word, yet Gu Cunxi still missed her so much. Such love, cherished as a treasure, was given to Xiao Peiyin by fate...

Jiang Rao spent the entire morning sitting at her desk, staring blankly at the gray sky outside. She turned off the computer, not wanting to explore further...

It doesn’t matter even if Gu Cunxi still loves her... As long as they haven’t gotten together, she will always have a chance!

…

At one o'clock in the afternoon, the acquisition was successfully completed

The office door opened from the outside, and Gu Cunxi walked in. He saw Jiang Rao sitting at his desk, staring out the window without moving, and he didn't even notice him approaching.

"Jiang Rao?" She walked over and called her

The voice came from the side and entered her ears, startling her back to her senses. She was afraid that Gu Cunxi would notice her abnormality, so she hurriedly turned her head away to avoid looking at her.

"It's over?" Jiang Rao lowered his head and spoke in a low voice.

"Well, it ended successfully!"

Hours passed unnoticed... She had been sitting here ever since the password incident, and her legs were numb and stiff...

"Are you hungry? What do you want to eat?" Gu Cunxi looked at her profile and felt something was wrong...

She walked closer and stood in front of Jiang Rao, carefully looking at the woman in front of her. Her eyes were slightly red, as if she had been crying and had a dazed look as if she had just woken up.

"Jiang Rao? What's wrong with you? Why are your eyes red?"

"Oh...it's okay." She raised her hand and rubbed her eyes, then turned her head away: "I just slept for a while. I didn't get enough rest last night, so my eyes are a little uncomfortable..."

“…”

Seeing her tired face, Gu Cunxi stopped talking and walked to the table. He handed her a small bottle from the drawer and said softly, "A little eye drops will make you feel better. You should take a rest."

"Thank you." Jiang Rao smiled and took it, holding it in his hand.

"!!" Gu Cunxi turned around and looked at her in surprise

The serious and polite tone... made her uncomfortable. She always felt that there was something strange about Jiang Rao.

…

My tense nerves relaxed the moment the acquisition was completed, and I felt exhausted.

There was a soft knock at the door. "Come in."

Xu Shengnan came in from outside

"Mr. Xu" Gu Cunxi stood up and walked over

"Cunxi, the acquisition is going smoothly. Thank you for your hard work during this period!"

"I'll leave the subsequent internal integration to Vice President Han. I remember you said you wanted to go back to Jiang Huai. When will you leave?"

"Just today, due to the recent acquisition, the branch's business has been put on hold. This time when I go back, I plan to take charge of that business."

"Hmm... that's fine. Xiao Nuo has always been in charge of the branch office. She has good business skills, but lacks foresight and market analysis. Although the performance is stable, there has been no breakthrough. I feel relieved to have you lead the branch office. I will contact Xiao Nuo later, and she will assist you with all the work in Jianghuai City!"

"good"

"That... Mr. Xu..." Gu Cunxi paused, "Regarding... the equity transfer..."

"Cunxi... I told you that this is a document that you must sign in person," Xu Shengnan said seriously, his tone tolerant of refusal.

"I'm over sixty... You should at least let an old man like me take a break!"

“…”

"But…"

"No buts! You have to sign. There's no rush. We'll do it when you come back from Jiang Huai." Xu Shengnan patted her shoulder, as if caring for an elder.

He raised his hand to check the time, then turned around and found that there was another person in the office

“!”

"Your friend?" Xu Shengnan asked

"Well, I forgot to introduce myself. This is my friend, Jiang Rao, a lawyer."

"Hello, Mr. Xu," Jiang Rao stood up and walked over, smiling and nodding.

"Hello" Xu Shengnan looked at her with a smile on his face.

"I always thought this girl didn't have many friends. In all these years, you are only the second friend I've met."

"It's really strange, Cunxi." Xu Shengnan said with a hint of teasing in his tone, turning his head to look at her

“…”

"Am I really that unpopular... Mr. Xu?"

"I didn't say you have bad relationships..." Xu Shengnan chuckled

"What I mean is that the people who can be friends with you are not ordinary people."

“…”

"I booked a table at the restaurant downstairs, thinking of sending you off after the acquisition. Since your friend is here, let's have a simple meal together."

“…”

Gu Cunxi wanted to refuse, she turned her head and looked at Jiang Rao, she didn't care, but she didn't know if such a dinner would make her uncomfortable

Seeing Gu Cunxi's eyes looking at her with a hint of inquiry, she felt a little happy in her heart. At least she would care about her feelings a little bit!

Jiang Rao smiled at her and nodded.

"Okay, let's get together at noon," Gu Cunxi replied.

"Oh, by the way, Cunxi..."

"And Chen Jiamao, he will come too!"

“!!”

Mentioning Chen Jiamao, Gu Cunxi was slightly startled. In the past few years, Chen Jiamao has always kept in touch with her, like a friend. It must be said that he is indeed a suitable candidate for marriage. He is humorous, takes relationships seriously, and is a man of style. Gu Cunxi looked at Jiang Rao, remembered what she had said about not getting married, and gave up the idea in her heart.

"Okay, that's perfect. I haven't been in touch with Mr. Chen for a while, and the company's previous projects were largely thanks to his support."

The three of them left the company and came to the restaurant downstairs. From a distance, they saw Chen Jiamao standing at the door, still in his suit and tie.

"Jia Mao, you must have been waiting for a long time. The company's acquisition case just ended, so it delayed you for a while." Xu Shengnan walked over and patted his shoulder, saying with a smile.

"No, Uncle Xu, I just got here a while ago!"

Chen Jiamao turned around, looked at Gu Cunxi and chuckled, "Let's go in first."

Following the waiter's lead, the four of them sat down in the box. Jiang Rao said nothing along the way and felt a little uncomfortable sitting next to Gu Cunxi.

"Cunxi, this is your friend, right?" Chen Jiamao looked at her and asked

"Well, let me introduce you, Jiang Rao, my friend. She came to Beicheng to discuss a case. We had an appointment to have lunch together at noon, so she came together."

"I've ordered the dishes according to your tastes, but I didn't know if you would bring friends, and I don't know if they would suit Miss Jiang's taste."

After that, he called the waiter to take the menu and handed it to Jiang Rao.

"Ms. Jiang, please see what you like to eat and add a few more dishes."

Jiang Rao was not used to such occasions. Although she would occasionally discuss cases with clients and have dinner together, it was only a few

Gu Cunxi saw her discomfort clearly. She lowered her head and chuckled, then took the menu from Jiang Rao and said gently, "I'll help you order."

After spending the past two days together, she probably has a better idea of ​​Jiang Rao's taste.

Such perfect care warmed Jiang Rao's heart. She turned her head and looked at Gu Cunxi with a smile.

“!”

Chen Jiamao, who was standing by, saw Jiang Rao's expression and had a complicated look on his face.

Ever since he knew about Gu Cunxi's sexual orientation, he retreated to a friendship and stopped bothering her.

Four years ago, Gu Cunxi suddenly returned from Jianghuai City. He was extremely surprised, but such an ending was also expected...

Gu Cunxi kept silent about that woman, and he never asked about her either. Four years had passed, and this Jiang Rao who suddenly appeared seemed to have a different feeling for Gu Cunxi, more than just a friend. Thinking of this, Chen Jiamao lowered his head and chuckled.

"What are you laughing at?" Xu Shengnan looked at Chen Jiamao and laughed softly, and couldn't help but asked curiously

"Oh... nothing, I just suddenly realized that Cunxi has a double standard towards others."

“???”

Gu Cunxi paused as he flipped through the menu, completely bewildered. He had no idea where Chen Jiamao's talk of double standards came from...

"Chen Jiamao, what do you mean?"

"As a friend, I never saw you treated this way when I went to Jiang Huai...

“…”

"Not only were your words sharp, but you also left me on the side of the road. You were very considerate to Miss Jiang."

"..." Gu Cunxi rolled his eyes at him after hearing this.

I thought Chen Jiamao really holds a grudge. It was such a long time ago, but he still remembers it so clearly and teases me from time to time.

"Chen Jiamao...don't accuse me in front of Mr. Xu. I didn't abandon you on the roadside back then. I just didn't let you ride in my car. It's been so many years, and you still remember..."

"Of course! I'll probably remember this for the rest of my life."

“…”

Xu Shengnan looked at the two people in front of him and laughed. It was a pity that Gu Cunxi didn't like it, otherwise these two people would be a good match.

In the blink of an eye, the dishes were all served, and the four of them slowly started to eat. Jiang Rao seldom spoke, and Gu Cunxi beside her would talk to her from time to time to ease her discomfort.

"Eat more, these are very light and suitable for your taste"

After that, she took the soup bowl in front of Jiang Rao and poured her a bowl of crucian carp soup and placed it in front of her, saying: "This is wild crucian carp, very nutritious, good for the skin. Drink more."

“!”

Jiang Rao didn't expect Gu Cunxi to serve soup for her. She was so happy that her eyes lost focus for a moment. She picked up the bowl of soup in front of her and started drinking.

"Miss Jiang..." Chen Jiamao said jokingly, "Isn't the soup that Mr. Gu personally served delicious?"

“!!”

Jiang Rao was speechless when Chen Jiamao suddenly asked her this. She always felt that there was a hint of smile in Chen Jiamao's eyes when he looked at her, as if he saw through her thoughts and said with a playful tone.

"Ahem..." She put down the soup bowl, paused, and said, "It tastes very fresh, different from ordinary crucian carp soup!"

Chen Jiamao looked at her with a smile in his eyes, then turned to look at Gu Cunxi. He decided to tease this woman in front of Mr. Xu...

"Cunxi, there are three people sitting here, and you only served soup to Miss Jiang. You are too partial!"

“…”

Gu Cunxi turned to look at Jiang Rao, then looked at Chen Jiamao, and immediately understood his malicious ridicule, and chuckled helplessly.

"Jia Mao... Jiang Rao is in North City for the first time. As a friend, it's my duty to take care of her. Why are you joining in the fun..."

"Really?" Chen Jiamao curled his lips and said with a smile: "Then... the time I went to Jiang Huai..."

Before he could finish, Gu Cunxi interrupted him.

"Pass the bowl..."

Chen Jiamao handed the bowl over with an expression of success.

After filling Chen Jiamao's bowl, Gu Cunxi also took Xu Shengnan's, two full bowls of crucian carp soup, and turned them in front of the two of them, which blocked Chen Jiamao's mouth.

"Okay, Chen Jiamao, let's move on from this bowl of soup."

"Mr. Gu's soup must be tasted carefully." Chen Jiamao took it with satisfaction, looked at the soup in front of him, and smiled bitterly.

Then he put away his joking tone and became serious: "Cunxi, I heard from Uncle Xu that you are going back to Jianghuai for a while. Are you leaving this afternoon?"

"Well, regarding the branch office, I want to take advantage of the current rapid development of Jianghuai City to expand some of the business there."

There were some words buried in Chen Jiamao's heart. He wanted to ask but couldn't speak. Besides, Mr. Xu was here, so it was even more inconvenient to say it. After thinking about it, he gave up.

"Hmm," he nodded thoughtfully, "then I wish you all the best over there. If you need any help, you can tell me!"

"good!"

…

Seeing that the food in front of them was almost gone, Xu Shengnan called the waiter. After paying the bill, the four of them hurriedly left the restaurant.

"Boss Xu, I won't be going back to the company," Gu Cunxi said, turning around.

"Okay, you'll be in charge of everything at that branch office. If you have any questions, you can call me. Oh, and don't just focus on work..."

After saying that, Xu Shengnan left without waiting for her response, leaving the three of them standing there. Gu Cunxi looked at Chen Jiamao, knowing that he had something to say, but she didn't mention it, just stood quietly by and waited for him to speak.

"I wish you all the best!" Chen Jiamao said

“!!”

She frowned slightly and was stunned for a moment. She knew in her heart that Chen Jiamao was not referring to work, but other things... She didn't know how to answer for a moment.

There are many questions in life, and silence is the answer. Chen Jiamao knew he guessed right!

Although she hadn't said a word in the past four years, he knew clearly in his heart that her heart had never stopped, just like his!

"Thank you... I'm leaving now, no need to see me off," Gu Cunxi nodded.

She didn't stay for long, pulled Jiang Rao and turned to leave, leaving Chen Jiamao standing there, staring at her gradually receding figure in a daze.

…

"If I can't have you, I wish you happiness. I still have this bit of grace!"

He only started to whisper until Gu Cunxi disappeared from his view in the distance...

--------------------

The author has something to say:

It has been dragged on till now... It's time to arrange for the two to meet, the plot can never be finished... Am I too long-winded "covering my face"