Chapter 80: Done, Sign the Agreement Tomorrow
While Duoduo wasn't looking, Shi Zhenglin pulled Long Weihe from the living room into the room, holding her against the door. "You saw someone last night, and you saw someone again tonight. How are you going to make it up to me?" She had just said she was going out that night. Lin Yuxun called to ask her something and wanted to invite her for dinner. The unexpected invitation had been accepted immediately. She smiled. "So? I have to meet that person tonight. It's not about making money on the orders; it's about Lin Yao, a big deal. I'm going to help her with her loneliness." "Your sense of order is terrible. I'm going crazy." He was indeed going crazy now. He had been away from work for over a month. For the first two weeks, she considered it a period of adjustment for him, worried that he would feel a gap at home, so she didn't control the time they spent with him. She indulged him in whatever he wanted and helped him adjust his pace and approach to Shi Shi. He learned quickly from her about raising children and had become quite adept at caring for Shi Shi. He had found a fulfilling and stable life for the past two weeks, and Shi Shi was happy, but Long Weihe had other issues. He clung to her relentlessly, their lives practically overlapping. Qian Duoduo nearly caught them being intimate several times and even asked her why her uncle was at our house so often, but she fooled him out of the way. She felt it would be harder to fool him further. Lin Yao hadn't been to her house in two weeks, completely oblivious to her. She hadn't even complained about being lonely anymore, and had become much quieter. Long Weihe knew she was speaking less because she was truly lonely. She re-established a new routine with him, agreeing to stay home Monday through Friday unless necessary, and spend Saturday and Sunday together with the kids. On Saturday nights, they would ask Aunt Xu for help and go out to get a room for the night. This was a way of establishing a new routine. He respected her. After two weeks, he couldn't stand it anymore and would find excuses to bring Shi Shi over to stay the night. When she told him about it, he remarked on her terrible sense of order. Her re-establishment of boundaries frustrated him. Their morning and evening routines were identical to their working hours; he had too much time in the day. Besides taking care of Shi Shi, exercising outdoors, going to the gym, meeting friends, and taking care of some chores, he had plenty of free time. A man with such high energy, he had nowhere to release his energy. He didn't work until Shi Shi told her grandfather about it. Long Weihe had heard Shi Shi's grandfather repeatedly call, asking them to go to the United States for a while, saying that Shi Shi's grandmother had been in poor health. She supported them, urging him to take Shi Shi there as a way to relax. He insisted they take her and Duoduo with him, and he'd arrange visas. She refused, which made him a bit frustrated. "I'll take you there." "What about them? Take them out for dinner tonight. Thank you for your hard work," she said.
While Duoduo wasn't looking, Shi Zhenglin pulled Long Weihe from the living room into the room and held her against the door. "You saw someone last night, and you saw someone again tonight. How are you going to compensate me?"
She just said she was going out in the evening. Lin Yuxun called and said he had something to ask her and wanted to invite her to dinner in the evening.
It was an unexpected invitation, and she accepted it immediately.
She laughed, "As for that? I have to meet that person tonight. It's not about making money from the orders, it's related to Lin Yao, a big deal. I'll solve her loneliness problem."
"Your sense of order is so terrible, it's driving me crazy."
He is indeed going crazy now.
She had been away from work for over a month. For the first two weeks, she considered his adjustment period and worried he'd feel a sense of disconnection. She didn't control the amount of time they spent together, but indulged him in whatever he wanted. She also helped him adjust his pace and approach to raising Shi Shi. He quickly learned from her about raising children and had become quite adept at it.
He had a fulfilling and stable life in the past half month, and Shi Shi was also happy, but Long Weihe had other problems.
He clung to her without restraint, their lives practically overlapping. Qian Duoduo had nearly seen them being intimate several times and had even asked her why her uncle was at their house so often, but she had fooled him into thinking it would be harder to fool him further. Lin Yao hadn't been to her house in two weeks, and she hadn't been able to get a foot in the door. Now she didn't even complain about being lonely anymore; she'd become much quieter.
Long Weihe knew that she was talking less and must be really lonely.
She talked to him again, and they would not contact each other from Monday to Friday unless there were special circumstances. They would play with the children together on Saturdays and Sundays. On Saturday night, she would ask Aunt Xu to help her get away and go out to get a room for the night, so as to establish a new order of getting along.
He respected her.
After two weeks of this, he couldn't bear it anymore and would find an excuse to bring Shi Shi to stay overnight. When she told him about it, he would say her sense of order was terrible. Her re-establishment of boundaries made him feel frustrated.
His morning and evening routines were exactly the same as when he was working. He had too much time in the day. Besides taking care of Shi Shi, exercising outdoors, going to the gym, meeting friends, and handling some affairs, he had a lot of free time. Even for someone with a lot of energy, he had nowhere to release his energy.
Shi Shi had told her grandfather about his absence from work. Long Weihe had heard Shi Shi's grandfather repeatedly call, asking him and his daughter to go to the United States for a while, saying that Shi Shi's grandmother had been in poor health. She supported the move, urging him to take Shi Shi there as a vacation to relax. He insisted that she and Duoduo go together, and he would arrange visas. She refused, and this made him somewhat annoyed.
"I'll take you there."
"What about them? Take them out for dinner tonight. Thank you for your hard work." She hooked her arms around his neck, kissed him, and coaxed him.
"Call Aunt Xu now and ask her to come over right away. I'll pick you up and won't disturb you."
She could see the dimness in his eyes lately. She knew that, having lost the career he loved, it would only be a matter of time before he would feel that way, and that these dim moments would only increase as time went on. She also knew that his deep attachment to her and her desire for order and space would eventually clash. She had countless moments of weakness, like now, when he clung to her, she couldn't refuse.
She didn't tell Lin Yao about meeting Lin Yuxun.
She figured she wouldn't be able to go if she told her. She'd long wanted to understand what was going on between them. She knew Lin Yao was more calculating than feeling, lacking in relationship experience, and might still be influenced by personal factors, making it difficult to perceive true feelings. She couldn't just accept her side of the story.
Lin Yuxun had booked the PaDi Zhujiang restaurant where Lin Yao had previously invited him to dinner. He must have grown to like it. It was also a good place for chatting. It was just that they had moved indoors instead of outdoors because it was too cold.
Seeing her, he straightened himself, pulled out a chair for her, and put her bag down.
She expressed some apology for slapping him in the face, and also helped him pick up Qian Duoduo from the kindergarten, and responded to him respectfully and politely.
After ordering, she took the lead in the conversation in a paternalistic manner.
"Aren't you and Lin Yao studying together now?"
"I have something to do and can't go to class."
"You haven't met recently?"
"I met her today. I went to school to find her and asked about the cooperation agreement."
He paused, then took the opportunity to explain his purpose. "I wanted to ask her for a private order before, but she refused, which delayed me for a long time. Later, I thought there was no need to worry about it, so I asked you to help me at her request. She said she wanted to discuss it with you and respected your opinion, but... I didn't get any feedback from her until today, when she refused to accept it in person. So I wanted to ask for your advice on what terms we can negotiate. Feel free to ask."
He raised his teacup to her. "It's been about half a year since I started discussing this with her, and it hasn't been finalized yet. It's mainly because of me, I have more concerns. It's a pity that we have waited so long. I want to get your support."
After a statement of facts, she finally understood the whole story of their cooperation.
How could a client be so humble as him? It was completely out of character. She knew what was going on just by listening.
"There are so many people and headhunters out there, why do you have to look for Lin Yao?"
She wanted to pick out the emotional aspects of him.
"There are many people, but trust is difficult. My matter involves family privacy, so I can't just entrust it to anyone. I have no choice but her. I trust her."
"If you believe her, why didn't you contact her during this period? It seems like you disappeared for a while?"
"There are some things at home that need my attention, and... disturbing her will only increase her troubles. I choose to wait for her news."
He half-explained the reason and half-concealed it.
For more than three months, he had been secretly testing her and himself.
The result of testing her was that she was so indifferent that she didn't even ask what happened to him. If he thought he didn't go to school, she would always ask. It was like he never existed in her eyes.
He wanted to let go of her indifference and disregard. The pressure was heavy, his focus was busy, and he had no time for distraction; it was an opportunity to try to let go. But the truth was, time hadn't softened his feelings for her. The more pressure he felt, the more he missed her, suffering the dual pain of physical and psychological yearning. This was the result of three months of self-testing. He felt he deserved it.
Going to find her was the decision I made as soon as I woke up in the morning.
It was just pathetic. Seeing her today, he was absolutely certain he was in trouble, yet he had to stand in front of her and tell her he had no feelings for her, just to get a chance to work together. He really needed her help.
If they worked together, at least they could meet and there was a possibility of further development. If they rashly confessed their feelings and were rejected, there would be no chance at all. He thought she simply lacked the opportunity to understand him. He wanted to be more patient and take things slowly.
Now sitting in front of her partner, he didn't reveal the slightest bit of his thoughts.
But she knew everything.
She observed him carefully for the whole night. He was a scheming man, but he was restrained and polite. He didn't have the ostentatiousness of the playboy that Lin Yao had described, nor did he have the arrogance of his class. His eyes were bright and sincere.
If she were to make the decision, she would choose to respond with trust and kindness, agree to his request, and do her best to help him. But she had to protect Lin Yao's feelings.
She smiled and said, "Thank you for your trust. Whether I accept the order or not, I will definitely respect Lin Yao. I will discuss it with her when I get back. If she is willing to take it, I have absolutely no objection and will fully support her."
"When will I contact you again?"
He didn't want to set a time limit, so he tried to test the waters.
She simply told him, "Tonight, I'll do it for you tonight, wait for my call. If it works out, we'll sign the agreement tomorrow. If it doesn't, it's God's will. Let's just believe in fate."
She said this because she was determined to persuade Lin Yao.
She went straight to Lin Yao's place after class. She went home for a while after class.
"Do you have a cold?" She saw her sneezing non-stop.
"Yeah, a little."
She had just taken a hot bath and pulled out a small computer operating table in front of the sofa, ready to do this week's homework.
When Long Weihe told her that Lin Yuxun was looking for her, she pushed the computer desk aside and asked, "Why did you go to see him?"
"For money, I want to make money. Don't you want to make money? If you don't take the money that comes to your door, you will be struck by lightning. Isn't that what you always say? Let's make a lot of money from this young man this time."
She was speechless, pulled the table back, and started operating the computer, as if it had nothing to do with her. "You went to the meeting without telling me. If you want to sign, then sign. It has nothing to do with me."
Long Weihe laughed. She didn't expect that she didn't need to be persuaded at all. She was so stubborn and abnormal.
"Okay, okay, it has nothing to do with you. I want to make money. I want to sign. I'll sign tomorrow."
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