Chapter 12—That was actually a very well-surrounded area…

Dan Yan was taken aback. Tianzhe had risen to prominence in recent years. In addition to regularly providing medical equipment to partner hospitals and institutions, it had also done a lot of charity work. It had a good reputation in the industry, and its behind-the-scenes boss was low-key and rarely appeared in public. However, Song Mingli's expression did not seem fake. He hesitated for a moment, but Song Mingli had already closed the document: "Let's go."

Dan Yan looked at him, and Song Mingli glanced at him sideways: "Didn't you say you were leaving this afternoon? I'll treat you to lunch so you can work well after you've eaten your fill."

Dan Yan laughed when he heard this: "Then I'm going to Fuxiang Pavilion, and I'll get twenty Australian lobsters first!"

-

Sure enough, someone came to him early the next morning to coordinate work. Ying Shixue turned to get the documents and progress chart that had been organized on the table. When he looked up, he met Zou Xinlei's gaze, which was filled with sympathy but dared not speak.

“Secretary Ying,” Zou Xinlei said sincerely, “I know it’s not good to be dropped halfway through a project, especially since the boss has to take you to remote places like Yuancheng, which is exhausting… But the boss isn’t targeting you on purpose. Don’t look at things now,” Zou Xinlei looked around and leaned closer to him and whispered, “Even Secretary Tang was reprimanded several times when she first came here and couldn’t save face.”

Ying Shixue was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing after realizing what she meant.

The entire SK Group operates on the principle of "the more you work, the more you earn." In addition to the basic salary, a significant portion of the monthly income comes from the monthly performance bonus. He had been working on this project for almost half a month and had already completed half of it when it was suddenly halted and replaced. To others, this meant that he had worked so hard for so many days without any results.

But he wasn't really here to be a secretary; it was just that his daily tasks had changed... He gently shook his head: "It's okay... I'll send you the relevant electronic information about Xiyan first."

This was the scene that Song Mingli saw when he came out of his office.

Ying Shixue stood by the table, supporting himself with one hand on the table while operating something on the computer. This slightly bent-over posture made his legs look extremely long and his proportions excellent. From behind, the lines from his back to his waist and legs were smooth and beautiful, and a section of his fair white hair was exposed behind his ear.

Tang Ronghan braked abruptly, narrowly avoiding a collision, and looked at Song Mingli, who had suddenly stopped in front of her, with a puzzled expression.

What's wrong now?

Ying Shixue clearly noticed this as well. The faint smile that had just appeared on her face gradually faded, and she slowly stood up, regaining her calm and silent demeanor.

Years of experience told Tang Ronghan that it was now his turn to say something, so he decisively stepped forward and said, "Secretary Ying, we're ready to depart."

Ying Shixue hummed in agreement. Zou Xinlei looked around, then suddenly had a flash of inspiration. She said, "Secretary Ying, that's about it, I'll be going now," and slipped away to the side.

On the bus

The distance from Fancheng to Yuancheng is not far, but it still takes three or four hours to drive there. Tang Ronghan took the driver's role and drove in front. When they were halfway there, Song Mingli suddenly said that he needed to go upstairs to get something. Ying Shixue stood in front of the car, thought for a moment, and then sat in the back seat.

A few minutes later, the back door opened again, and Song Mingli sat down next to him with an air of nonchalance.

The Alphard is a standard business van with a spacious interior, but when two equally tall and long-legged adult men, especially after Song Mingli entered, the air suddenly felt cramped.

Ying Shixue subconsciously raised her hand and loosened her tie slightly. After a moment, she stopped and turned her head to look silently out the window.

Song Mingli didn't say anything either. He had a laptop on his lap, and his fingers were tapping as if he was dealing with something.

Tang Ronghan was an excellent driver, and the car was stable with just the right amount of slight bumps. Before long, Ying Shixue felt her vision and consciousness gradually blurring.

He tilted his head slightly to the back of the seat, blinked slowly, then closed his eyes, his thoughts beginning to wander intermittently.

In reality, the wine business is just an ordinary division within the massive SK Group, but Song Mingli seems to attach great importance to this project, even going so far as to personally visit the winery in Wonseong before discussing further cooperation.

Why? Ying Shixue thought back to the night she discussed the initial cooperation intentions with Ruihong. The two parted on bad terms after meeting in the conference room that day. Since Song Mingli returned a month ago, he had never given him the slightest bit of a friendly look.

As she was thinking, she suddenly felt a weight on her body. Ying Shixue lifted her eyelids slightly and recognized Song Mingli's coat through that corner of her eye.

The other person probably thought he was asleep, and gently pulled the clothes up to his shoulder and neck. Ying Shixue moved, and the outstretched hand obviously froze. A few seconds later, as if to confirm that he had not woken up, the other person breathed a sigh of relief and sat back in his seat. The whole process was almost cautious.

Ying Shixue paused as she was about to push her clothes away, then put her hand back on her lap a few seconds later.

......never mind.

Ying Shixue closed her eyes completely and buried her face slightly deeper into her coat.

—He hadn't slept like this in a long time.

Whether it was because she was really too tired, or because the scent of the coat covering her was so familiar and comforting, Ying Shixue actually fell asleep. When she regained consciousness, the car was already parked in the parking lot.

He glanced at the time somewhat belatedly; the car must have been parked for almost half an hour by the time he arrived.

Ying Shixue slowly straightened up from his seat, his coat sliding down to his knees with his movement: "..." Why didn't you call me?

However, he didn't ask the question in the end, or perhaps he already knew the answer in his heart. In the end, he just pursed his lips and reached for the car door to get out.

The car door had barely opened a crack when it was slammed shut again. Song Mingli said succinctly, "Wait a while after you wake up before getting out of the car. It's chilly outside."

Ying Shixue paused for a moment, then slowly uttered an "oh".

He lowered his eyelashes, and it was only then that he noticed that because he was closing the car door, Song Mingli had almost leaned half his body over, with one arm across his front and the other naturally resting on the back of the seat behind him.

—That was actually a gesture that conveyed a strong sense of encirclement and protection.

Ying Shixue's eyelashes trembled, and she tilted her head to avoid the two people getting too close: "...Ruihong is late for the appointment?"

Song Mingli said casually, "Let them wait."

Why aren't you taking your arm back... Ying Shixue reached out and pushed him. Song Mingli's gaze lingered on the slender, fair fingers on his arm for a moment, then he sat back down with a normal expression.

The group still didn't go to Ruihong. Song Mingli asked Tang Ronghan to drive to a restaurant where they had made a reservation. After watching Ying Shixue eat half a bowl of rice and vegetables and drink the soup, he finally drove to Ruihong.

Ruihong's reception staff had been waiting eagerly for a long time. When they saw them come down, they rushed to greet them and led them to a welcoming feast. However, Song Mingli refused, and in the end, they reluctantly took them to the wine-making site as originally planned.

As a long-established industry that has been around for over a decade, even though it has declined and is not as good as before, it has not lost its foundation. The winery has a relatively complete system in terms of equipment and the entire process.

The entire factory showed great sincerity in this visit. A veteran craftsman who had been in the industry for half his life introduced the visit, and General Manager Luo Hongjun personally accompanied him. Later, Cui Chengzhou, who had initially discussed cooperation, and others were also present. The professionals brought by SK listened and took evaluation notes.

Upon seeing them arrive, everyone from Guangyun wore an expression of 120% enthusiasm and sincerity. One of the experienced staff members, who was giving a presentation on the process, choked up as he spoke, shaking their hands and thanking SK for this opportunity, promising that they would guarantee the quality of the wine.

The once-thriving company is no more, and everyone's faces show a hint of melancholy. Tang Ronghan said, "If this really succeeds, it will be a rare win-win situation."

Ying Shixue was beside him at the time. Upon hearing this, she took a deep look at the massive steel behemoth, then lowered her eyelashes and said nothing.

Guangyun's manager, Luo Hongjun, was a somewhat overweight middle-aged man. His well-tailored suit prevented him from looking disproportionately short. He had part of his hair permed in a pretentious way. He had been smiling from the beginning and didn't say much while listening to the conversation between the two sides. However, a shrewd glint would occasionally flash in his small eyes that made people uncomfortable.

Over there, Choi Sung-joo and SK's technical staff were exchanging information about technology costs. Luo Hongjun approached Song Mingli and subtly probed him with his questions.

Song Mingli remained indifferent and noncommittal until Luo Hongjun finally couldn't contain himself any longer:

"Mr. Song, as you've seen for yourself, the factory has really been struggling these past few years. In fact, the entire industry hasn't been doing very well either, sigh..."

Song Mingli watched the machine operate without showing any emotion on his face.

Luo Hongjun clenched his fist, leaned closer and lowered his voice: "If this cooperation goes smoothly, Ruihong is willing to reduce the price by another three percent!"

Song Mingli's expression was impeccable, and his tone was calm: "President Luo is joking. Doing business is about give and take, cooperation and win-win. Naturally, we won't let one party suffer losses by lowering the price."

Luo Hongjun quickly added, "Yes, yes, that's the truth..." He opened his mouth as if to say something more, but Song Mingli had already taken a step and walked to the next place.

"We'll be leaving soon," Luo Hongjun gritted his teeth and took a few steps forward with a determined air, "President Song!"

Song Mingli turned around, and Luo Hongjun's face showed a do-or-die attitude: "I can make the decision. If it works out, Ruihong is willing to adjust the profit sharing ratio to this."

He gestured a number with his hand.

Song Mingli stopped walking and slowly scanned the area. Because of his height, he looked down at people with a natural sense of superiority, and his sharp gaze seemed to pierce through their appearance and see into the deepest part of their minds.

Luo Hongjun felt cold sweat trickling down his back as he was stared at. He clenched his fists, barely managing to maintain his composure, while his mind was in turmoil.

That doesn't make sense.

He recalled the information he had found. The young master of the Song family was born a sure thing to be the crown prince. He was of noble status and surrounded by attendants. He showed his talent very early. At the age of sixteen, he made a brilliant acquisition of Changzhou. While studying, he was already making waves in Haizhou. After returning, he gradually took over the business. He had almost never lost a battle with anyone!

Talented people are bound to be arrogant, and once a person has a little arrogance, they will inevitably look down on their opponents and become haughty. In addition, given the huge disparity in strength between the two sides and the immense benefits involved, how could Song Mingli not be tempted?

Luo Hongjun was a little anxious and wanted to scratch his hand, but he restrained himself. Finally, after a moment, Song Mingli softened his tone and said, "Let's go."

Luo Hongjun was stunned for a moment, then realized what he meant and smiled broadly: "Hey, I've been meaning to welcome you with a feast. Yuancheng has a lot of great food. Come on, Mr. Song, let's talk slowly."

Inside the private room

Ying Shixue leaned slightly on the table, listening to their toasts and exchanges of drinks in a half-hearted manner.

Almost all of Ruihong's top executives came this time, including Luo Hongjun from the distillery and several veteran executives.

The meal lasted for almost three hours, and by the end everyone was quite drunk. Luo Hongjun held up his glass and offered drinks to everyone.

Many middle-aged men have this problem: they still adhere to the rules of drinking parties from ten years ago. They get drunk and smell nauseatingly of alcohol and cigarettes. Several people from SK who were with them frowned when they got close to him.

"Come on!" Luo Hongjun turned around, then chuckled and walked across the table to Ying Shixue, raising his glass to her: "Hey bro, how about a drink?"

Before the wine glass could be handed to Ying Shixue, a large hand suddenly appeared and firmly slammed it onto the table. Song Mingli said, "He doesn't drink."

Luo Hongjun turned around and saw Song Mingli, and he was overjoyed.

The evening's conversation went so smoothly that he couldn't help but feel a little smug and forget himself: "President Song, now I have something to say about you."

He glanced at Ying Shixue subtly, a fleeting glint of lust in his eyes.

He noticed this pretty girl as soon as she entered the room. Her small face, long legs, and waist as thin as a bamboo shoot made her look like a pampered young master from a wealthy family if he hadn't already known she was just a secretary.

Luo Hongjun slurred, "We're all young people. It would be a shame not to have a drink today, since it's such a happy occasion for our two companies to cooperate."

As he spoke, he reached for the wine glass again, his hand gripping the edge as he tried to lift it, but suddenly his wrist trembled, and he couldn't lift it at all.

One hand gripped the outer rim of the wine glass, seemingly without applying any force, but in reality, it firmly pinned the glass to the table.

Song Mingli had completely suppressed his smile, his dark pupils fixed on him with an unwavering, cold intensity.

“I said, he doesn’t drink.”