Chapter 415 Zhou Mubin, wasn't that going too far?
When Cui Xiao revealed the embarrassing incident, Zhou Mubin's face immediately darkened.
He was too angry to speak, and Cui Xiao just wanted to end the meal as soon as possible. Silence spread across the table, broken only by the soft clinking of bowls and chopsticks.
After a while, Zhou Mubin took the initiative to break the deadlock and brought up their company's new project, "I heard that East Asia Group is planning to compete for the Zhou family's cooperation?"
The Zhou family planned to find a partner to share the risks and develop the land in the south of the city.
Zhou Mubin didn't really concern himself with company affairs, but the representative of Dongya Group was Cui Xiao. When Zhou Weicheng saw the proposal, he contacted Zhou Mubin immediately.
Cui Xiao put down her chopsticks and met his gaze.
Zhou Mubin leaned back, crossing his legs. "I've read your proposal for the Chengnan commercial complex. The layout of the family-oriented businesses is very innovative. How did you come up with the idea of adding this section?"
At work, Cui Xiao is a professional, and she answered seriously and in detail: "I have done market research. There are five high-end residential communities within three kilometers, and the proportion of school-age children is 37%, so there is a huge gap in the demand for parent-child consumption."
"It seems Vice President Cui has done a lot of homework." Zhou Mubin put down his wine glass and leaned forward slightly. "Actually, Zhou's originally wanted to award this cooperation to Anda Group, but after reading your proposal, I think you are more suitable. Should I go back and mention it to my brother for you?"
This was undoubtedly a good opportunity, and Cui Xiao would have agreed immediately to anyone else, but she hesitated when it came to Zhou Mubin.
"What benefits is Attorney Zhou trying to get out of me this time?"
Zhou Mubin smiled and said, "Give me a kiss, and I'll help you."
Immediately, Cui Xiao's face turned ugly. "Then there's no need. If there's nothing else, I'll leave after I finish eating."
She still had about half a bowl of rice left, clearly indicating she had little appetite.
As Zhou Mubin watched her get up, he suddenly spoke up, "Cui Xiao, would it hurt you to kiss me? You're so stubborn and inflexible. If you just soften up and say something nice, I'd give you my life, let alone say a good word for you?"
His voice lacked some of its composure and contained a hint of barely perceptible grievance.
Cui Xiao stopped in her tracks, turned around to look at him, and the light fell on her face, revealing a clear sense of estrangement.
Cui Xiao seemed to want to say something, but ultimately didn't. She simply said softly, "I've repaid the favor. I'll head back now."
Zhou Mubin did not get up. His well-defined fingertips tapped rhythmically on the heavy dining table, his gaze fixed on her tall and straight back.
Seeing her go to get her bag, his tone was laced with arrogance, "What's the rush? I haven't finished eating yet. Besides, you cooked this meal yourself, you can't expect me to clean up the mess by myself, can you? You can only leave after I finish eating and wash the dishes."
Cui Xiao's feet suddenly froze on the spot, her high heels making a short, soft sound as they hit the marble floor.
She slowly turned around, her delicate features covered with a layer of frost, her tone as cold as ice, "Zhou Mubin, isn't this going a bit too far? I'm not your assistant anymore."
She hadn't expected that the usually composed Zhou Mubin would use such a shameless method to keep her here, and her resentment deepened like a tidal wave.
Zhou Mubin slowly picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of tomato covered in sauce, paused for a moment at his lips, and then put it in his mouth.
A faint smile played on his lips as he precisely struck at her weak point: "One should finish what one starts. You can't just wash your hands of things and abandon things halfway through, can you? Vice President Cui has always been thorough and principled in his work. It's not appropriate to leave a mess behind and walk away."
These words precisely struck at Cui Xiao's weak spot. Having worked in the workplace for many years, she had always established herself with meticulousness and thoroughness. If she really threw down her chopsticks and turned to leave, affecting the cooperation between Dongya Group and Zhou's, she would not be able to explain it to President Hou.
She gritted her teeth, her silver teeth almost digging into her lip, but she turned back, pulled out the dining chair heavily, and sat down again, but never touched the bowl or chopsticks again.
Cui Xiao stood ramrod straight, like a delicate yet cold sculpture, quietly keeping him company as he passed the time.
Zhou Mubin was clearly deliberately slowing down his eating, chewing each mouthful of rice slowly and deliberately, and occasionally bringing up a few work-related topics to chat with her. Cui Xiao, however, only occasionally let out a "hmm" or "okay" from her nose, her tone so cold it was almost icy.
They talked for a full hour, during which Zhou Mubin even asked her to reheat some food. After they had eaten and drunk their fill, he put down his chopsticks, picked up a wet wipe, and elegantly wiped the corner of his lips, saying with a hint of feigned sympathy, "Thank you for your hard work, Vice President Cui."
Zhou Mubin was deliberately mocking her by calling her "Vice President Cui" repeatedly.
Cui Xiao didn't reply. As she got up, the chair scraped against the floor with a screeching sound. She picked up the bowl and chopsticks and headed straight for the kitchen.
She turned on the tap, and the icy water gradually heated up, washing away the oil stains on the porcelain bowl. Foam gathered and dispersed at her fingertips. She stared at the pattern on the bottom of the bowl, with only one thought in her mind.
Hurry up and finish packing, then get out of here.
She had kept the kitchen spotless, with the dishes neatly arranged in the sterilizer and the apron folded and hung back on the hook.
After checking one last time to make sure nothing was missed, Cui Xiao turned and walked hurriedly towards the entrance, as if she were fleeing a famine.
But just as I reached the entrance hall to change my shoes, a loud "whoosh" sound suddenly came from outside the window, and large raindrops pounded against the glass, instantly blurring my vision.
Cui Xiao's heart tightened, and she subconsciously looked towards the window.
The torrential rain poured down, as if a curtain of water had been hung between heaven and earth. The glow of the streetlights was blurred into a hazy yellow in the rain, and even the security booth at the entrance of the community was not clearly visible.
She immediately took out her phone and opened the ride-hailing app. The bright red words "120-minute wait" on the screen made her heart sink instantly.
Zhou Mubin appeared silently behind her without her noticing, his tone full of surprise, "Oh, this rain came so suddenly."
In fact, Zhou Mubin had already checked the weather forecast for tonight on his way to pick her up from the East Asia Group. The torrential rain was expected to arrive right on time at 11 p.m.
Making her cook and deliberately delaying her washing dishes were just ways to keep her around the rain.
Zhou Mubin had never put so much effort into any woman in his life; all his thoughts and schemes were focused on Cui Xiao.
Cui Xiao didn't respond to him. Her fingers gripped her phone tightly, the edge of the screen almost digging into her palm. She opened the entryway cabinet to get an umbrella, but Zhou Mubin stopped her as soon as she took a step.
His hand gently rested on her wrist, the warmth of his palm seeping through her silk shirt. "It's raining so hard, you'll get soaked to the bone if you go out. Even if you manage to catch a ride, standing in the rain for ten minutes is enough to catch a cold. Don't you have an appointment to meet my brother tomorrow?"
"No need for Attorney Zhou to trouble himself."
Cui Xiao tried to pull her wrist away, but found that his grip wasn't strong, but it felt like it was welded to her wrist, making it impossible for her to break free.
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