Miss Li
Fumao's headquarters are located in a high-end office building on the Northwest Third Ring Road, which is quite close to Li Fuqiang's home. His office is on the top floor, occupying most of the floor, and there is a dedicated elevator to go up there.
Zhiwei followed Li Fuqiang into the office and saw a floor-to-ceiling window that covered an entire wall, offering a view of a corner of the Forbidden City—a sight that would inspire awe in anyone. The office was indeed furnished with a complete set of mahogany furniture, opulent and magnificent. One of the daybeds, made of small-leaf sandalwood, looked quite old.
Zhiwei said, "It is indeed magnificent. I have to take my comb back. Compared to this daybed, my comb is nothing."
Li Fuqiang put his arm around her waist and said, "That won't do. It's a keepsake that Xiaowei gave me, and I have to keep it safe."
Just then, Li Fuqiang's assistant, Qian Dayou, came in. "Mr. Li."
He was taken aback when he came in and found Zhiwei there as well. He then politely said, "Hello, Miss Chen."
Zhiwei said, "Mr. Li, are you having a meeting? Perhaps I should leave now?"
Li Fuqiang said, "No rush, let's see where you plan to put your masterpiece."
He said to Qian Dayou, "Xiaowei drew a cartoon portrait of me. I'll bring her to see where it would be most suitable to put it and how to decorate it."
Qian Dayou smiled and complimented, "Miss Shen has a masterful hand at painting."
Zhiwei thought to herself, "You've never even seen it before." But she smiled naturally on her face.
She said to Li Fuqiang, "Your office is very spacious. My painting isn't very big, and a small frame wouldn't fit on the wall. Why don't you put it on your desk?"
Li Fuqiang naturally nodded in agreement.
Zhiwei smiled and said, "Then I won't bother you any longer. I'll take my leave now."
Li Fuqiang was about to see her off when Qian Dayou quickly said, "Would you like me to show Miss Chen around?"
Zhiwei said, "No need, you guys go ahead with your business, I can go by myself."
After Zhiwei left, Qian Dayou, seeing that Li Fuqiang was in good spirits, quietly asked him, "Mr. Li, that Xiaobai has come to me several times, saying he knows he was wrong and wants to apologize to the boss. I'm worried that if I don't stop him, he might offend someone. What do you think, boss?"
A fierce look flashed across Li Fuqiang's face, but he quickly regained his composure and said, "Tell him that if he really knows he's wrong, he should stay put and not cause trouble for himself."
Qian Dayou understood what he meant. "Yes. I'll warn him later."
Zhiwei's life remained leisurely. She spent her days designing new products, visiting the store, or entertaining Li Fuqiang. Before she knew it, the Spring Festival arrived. Li Fuqiang was spending the holiday in Beijing. A couple of days earlier, Zhiwei had moved into Rongdi, much to Li Fuqiang's delight. He repeatedly instructed Shenping to make the year's celebrations lively.
On New Year's Eve, Zhiwei was having lunch at home with Li Fuqiang. The staff were all dressed in red traditional Chinese clothing, and couplets and paper-cut window decorations were pasted everywhere, creating a festive atmosphere. Just as they were eating, Shen Ping's delighted voice came from the doorway, "Miss is back!"
Li Fuqiang hurriedly got up to look, and sure enough, his daughter, whom he hadn't seen for several years, was standing in front of a pile of boxes being pushed by the driver, looking impatient.
"Jiaqi is back! That's great! You didn't even say anything, otherwise Daddy would have come to pick you up."
Shen Ping chimed in, "The young lady said she wanted to give you a surprise and told you not to tell her."
Li Fuqiang held his daughter's hand and looked her up and down. "Let Daddy see you. You must be tired. You haven't eaten yet, have you? Come on, we're eating right now."
He led his daughter into the dining room. Zhiwei, who had been sitting upright, stood up when she saw them enter, only smiling and not saying anything.
"who is she."
"Jiaqi, this is Zhiwei. Zhiwei, this is my daughter Jiaqi."
Before Zhiwei could speak, Li Jiaqi snorted coldly, "Coming into your home on New Year's Eve, how attentive! It seems your new favorite is quite favored."
"Jiaqi, Zhiwei and I are engaged. If you're tired and don't want to eat out, I can have someone bring your food to your room, okay?"
Jiaqi looked at the dining table. Zhiwei was sitting to her father's left. In previous years, when she spent the New Year at home, this seat was hers. Was it going to be changed now?
"What, can't I even sit at the table to eat in my own home?"
The atmosphere wasn't exactly harmonious, but Zhiwei remained calm, standing there with a smile, not saying a word. After all, what did their father-daughter feud have to do with her?
"Sister Chen, please add another set of chopsticks and a bowl for the young lady."
Observing the atmosphere in the dining room, Shen Ping quietly added a set of chopsticks and a bowl for Jiaqi to Li Fuqiang's right.
Li Jiaqi walked coldly to Li Fuqiang's right and sat down. Li Fuqiang, seeing that although she looked displeased, at least agreed to sit, breathed a sigh of relief. Zhiwei then slightly bowed to the right, called out, "Miss Li," and sat down with a cheerful expression.
The way she addressed him made everyone present pause for a moment. It was neither the affectionate "Jiaqi" nor the distant "Miss," striking the perfect balance.
The meal was eaten quietly. The only sound was Chen Ping occasionally serving dishes: "Miss, try this, your favorite crab meat lion's head."
Li Jiaqi forced a smile: "It's kind of you that Sister Shen still remembers."
"The gentleman was talking about it a few days ago when he ate crab roe soup dumplings," Shen Ping cleverly countered.
Following up on the conversation, Li Fuqiang placed a lion's head meatball on his daughter's plate, saying, "Yes, try it."
Zhiwei ate quietly, her posture elegant, as if she were detached from the world around her. She particularly favored the boiled cabbage in clear broth, the soup so clear yet so deliciously flavorful.
After the meal, Shen Ping served Pu'er tea. The cup given to Zhi Wei had a unique plum aroma and was specially prepared for her from Meiziqing.
Li Jiaqi smelled the aroma of the tea, and her eyes turned even colder. The aroma was clearly not to the male host's taste, so it seemed to have been specially prepared for him.
Zhiwei accepted the tea, bowed slightly, and said softly, "Thank you for your trouble." The tea, at the perfect temperature, had a faint sweetness in her mouth. She closed her eyes comfortably, savoring the floral fragrance.
After Li Fuqiang and his daughter finished their meal, Zhiwei put down her tea and said softly to Li Fuqiang, "You two have not seen each other for a long time, you must have a lot to talk about. I'm going to rest now."
She nodded to Li Jiaqi, then turned and walked towards the small suite on the first floor—her usual place when she visited Rongdi. Li Fuqiang had offered her the master bedroom, but she declined, citing that she was a light sleeper. She was very clear about certain boundaries.
Li Fuqiang and his daughter went upstairs to the suite. Zhiwei didn't care what the father and daughter were going to talk about. She took a book to read and planned to get some sleep when she got sleepy.
In the afternoon, Li Fuqiang came to her room to see her and found her lying on a recliner in front of the living room window of the suite, leisurely reading a book.
He sat down next to her, took her hand, and said, "You seem quite relaxed."
"I have nothing to do, so why shouldn't I enjoy this carefree life?"
"Jiaqi, she---"
"Yes, Miss is still a child. She doesn't have any bad intentions, she's just a bit straightforward. Don't take what she says to heart." Zhiwei interrupted him before he could finish, and she was already doubled over with laughter.
Li Fuqiang smiled helplessly. Come to think of it, the young lady, who is still a child, is older than Zhiwei. Look at their emotional intelligence and maturity, they are far inferior.
Zhiwei could tell from his expression, "It's not surprising. Poor children mature early. If I were in the position of a rich young lady, I might be even more spoiled than her."
"Don't say that, Xiaowei, you're a good girl."
"I'll keep watch with Mr. Li tonight, then we'll head back to Ya Garden. It's rare for Miss to be back, so you and your father should spend more time together. Tomorrow, Xiaoyu and I will go to the temple fair. This is my first year spending the New Year in Beijing. I've heard about this temple fair before, but I've never seen it before."
Zhiwei was always so understanding, Li Fuqiang patted her face. After staying up all night to welcome the New Year, Li Fuqiang personally accompanied Lao Wu to drive her and Xiaoyu home. When they arrived at her door, he gave Zhiwei a box and said, "A New Year's red envelope, wishing you good fortune."
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