Chapter 370 Farewell to the Past Life
Lihai Group, President's Office.
Song Xu stared at the name on the caller ID, as if he was daydreaming, and was reluctant to press the call button.
The phone kept vibrating on the desk, and the assistant couldn't help but remind him, "Mr. Song, aren't you going to answer the phone?"
Song Xu hesitated for a long time, but finally answered the call.
The moment the phone was against his ear, the familiar voice from the receiver tugged at his heartstrings: "Mr. Song, do you still remember me?"
"It's hard to forget, right?" Song Xu sneered, and it sounded like a bitter smile.
"Do you have something to talk to me about?" He didn't want to talk about the past, so he pretended to be indifferent and asked her the purpose of her sudden contact.
"Are you free to meet in the afternoon?" Ji Lan asked directly, his tone unpretentious, unusually.
Song Xu tapped his fingers lightly on the desk. Ji Lan's voice was like a key that opened his long-forgotten memory box.
He heard himself answer in a voice so calm that it was almost indifferent: "Miss Ji, are you going to arrange a meeting now, or use group messaging?"
There was a chuckle from the other end of the phone, and Ji Lan's voice was filled with a calmness he had never heard before: "This time it's only sent to you. Three o'clock, the usual place, the coffee shop, I'll wait for you until four o'clock."
After hanging up the phone, Song Xu stared at the computer screen in a daze. The assistant asked cautiously, "Mr. Song, the board meeting at 3:30..."
"Postpone it until tomorrow." Song Xu stood up and picked up his suit jacket. "I'm going out for a while."
At 3:15 pm, Song Xu pushed open the door of the coffee shop. This small shop in the corner of Financial Street was the place where they had their first date.
He didn't expect Ji Lan still remembered it.
She sat by the window, the sunlight filtering through the glass casting mottled shadows on her.
Song Xu paused.
Ji Lan wore a simple white sweater and black wide-leg pants today, with her hair tied into a neat ponytail. She didn't wear any heavy makeup or even nail polish.
This is completely different from the Ji Lan in my memory who always dresses sexy and has exquisite makeup.
"You're here." Ji Lan looked up at him with clear eyes, "I ordered your favorite Blue Mountain."
Song Xu sat down opposite her, his eyes falling on the file bag beside her: "It seems you are not here to reminisce about the past."
"I'd like to ask for your help." Ji Lan opened the file bag and took out a business plan. "This is my business plan for a women's vocational training center."
Song Xu raised an eyebrow and took the document to look through it. The business plan wasn't very professionally written, clearly the work of an amateur, but the concept was quite good. He looked up at her and asked, "When did you become interested in business?"
"Recently." Ji Lan folded his hands on the table, his posture straight, "I plan to end my past life and start anew."
Song Xu closed the file and leaned back in his chair: "Why are you looking for me?"
"Because you're the only person I know who knows I'm just playing around, but still stays with me sincerely." Ji Lan looked him straight in the eye. "Besides, I want to learn business, and no one around me has more experience than you."
Song Xu's heart skipped a beat. He took a sip of coffee, bitterness spreading on his tongue. "It's a good plan, but I don't think we have a basis for cooperation."
"I understand." Ji Lan nodded. "So I don't want to cooperate with Lihai Group. I plan to open my own training institution, and I would like to ask you to help me find any areas that can be improved in this plan."
"Open your own business?" Song Xu narrowed his eyes. "Do you have the startup capital? Rent, labor, utilities, equipment—these are all costs. Your monthly living expenses alone are definitely not enough."
Ji Lan took out another document and said, "This is the ownership certificate of the three properties under my name. I will go to the bank to mortgage them for a loan later. I have found a suitable shop, so I will start small."
Song Xu looked at her in shock: "Are you crazy? Those houses were left to you by your mother!"
"That's why I have to do this." Ji Lan's voice was soft but firm: "If my mother knew what I have done over the years, she would definitely be disappointed. Now I want to do something meaningful. Even if I fail, at least I tried."
The sunlight shone on her plain face, and Song Xu seemed to see the girl holding a book on campus seven years ago.
He had been attracted to her since he first saw her on the university campus, but as the heir of the Lihai Group, he had a heavy responsibility and had no time to care about his love life.
Until three years ago, she suddenly appeared in front of him, staring at him with the eyes of a prey and saying ambiguous words to him.
He knew very well that she was just acting on impulse, but he was still willing to indulge in the brief intimacy and fall into her gentle embrace.
In the end, she simply gave me the identity of an "ordinary friend" and sent me away.
He should have hated her, but perhaps he knew the outcome from the beginning, so he was willing from beginning to end and naturally could not hate her.
Even facing her slightly helpless look at the moment, he couldn't help but want to help her.
"No need to go to the bank." Song Xu's fingers unconsciously rubbed the rim of the coffee cup and made an impulsive decision: "Mortgage the property to Lihai Group. Lihai will lend you 5 million yuan. The annual interest rate is calculated according to market standards."
Facing Ji Lan's eyes that suddenly lit up and showed a hint of surprise, he said calmly, "I need a week to evaluate this project."
Ji Lan opened her lips slightly in shock, obviously not expecting such an outcome: "Are you willing to cooperate with me?"
Song Xu couldn't stand her staring gaze, so he looked away and took a sip of coffee. "I'll make a decision after evaluation."
Ji Lan laughed heartily. For the first time, she felt how exhilarating it was to work hard to achieve a goal. She said frankly, "Meng Anran is right. Although I've always exploited other people's feelings, they also serve as my network. But this time, I'll exchange sincerity, not lies."
Hearing Meng Anran's name, Song Xu seemed to be lost in thought. He stood up and said, "Wait for my news."
The moment he pushed open the door of the coffee shop, he heard Ji Lan calling him: "Song Xu!"
Turning back, he saw her standing in the sunshine, giving him a genuine smile for the first time. She trotted over and pulled out a business card from her bag: "I forgot to give you this just now. Here's my new contact information."
Song Xu took the business card, which had "Ji Lan" and a line of numbers printed on it. There were no fancy decorations or exaggerated titles.
"For work?" he asked.
"I use this for both my personal life and work," Ji Lan said. "Now I only use this one number."
It symbolizes saying goodbye to the past life.
Song Xu put the business card into the inner pocket of his suit, nodded, and got into the Rolls-Royce parked on the side of the road.
Ji Lan waved at his back: "Thank you for coming to see me today."
The car started and drove forward, and Ji Lan's figure became smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror.
Song Xu took out the business card from his pocket and gently stroked the familiar yet unfamiliar name with his fingertips.
Will it be different this time?
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