Chapter 74 Will you come home with me from a foreign land?
The repercussions of the Ke Yanchen incident continue to simmer in Nanhai City, with public opinion remaining high. Despite Ke Qingfeng's massive investment in crisis management in an attempt to quell the storm and salvage his reputation, the Ke Group's operations are collapsing at a visible pace.
Brand trust has plummeted, business cooperation has been repeatedly hampered, and the downward trend is difficult to reverse.
Taking advantage of the situation, Zhenpin Real Estate launched an offensive, with rapid expansion of projects, market share grabbing, and resource acquisition all showing a strong momentum. Under this relentless pressure, Ke's living space was compressed to the extreme, leaving Ke in a passive situation where it could hardly breathe.
To alleviate the cash flow crisis, Ke Qingfeng had to secretly dispose of several properties. For some unknown reason, this news was leaked unexpectedly, which not only failed to stabilize the situation but also sent a negative signal to the outside world that "Ke's cash flow is on the verge of collapse," directly leading to the complete collapse of confidence among core partners and a flood of termination notices.
The Koch Group is like a sieve with holes on all sides, riddled with internal flaws and facing layers of external pressure. Its overall operations are on the verge of collapse and could crumble at any moment.
......
Ke Yanchen had been dealing with messes at the company for several days in a row. His health was already poor, and the long-term high pressure made his head throb with pain. He instructed his assistant Zhang Zhi to buy medicine. Zhang Zhi responded and went out, but after a moment he knocked on the door and came back in, his expression inscrutable, and said, "President Ke, President Cheng is here."
Ke Yanchen paused, his fingers pausing as he pinched Zhang Zhi's temples. He slowly raised his eyes, looked at Zhang Zhi, and frowned as he asked, "Which Chancellor?"
Zhang Zhi pursed his lips and replied, "Cheng Yi."
Ke Yanchen frowned even more deeply. "What's he doing here?"
Zhang Zhi: "It's said to be about the Xique project."
Ke Yanchen frowned and gestured for him to come in.
......
Cheng Yi strolled in leisurely, bringing an immediate sense of oppressive force with his presence. He casually surveyed Ke Yanchen's office, as if finally satisfied, before placing the Xique project transfer documents on Ke Yanchen's desk with a half-smile.
Ke Yanchen's gaze sharpened, and a mocking smile curled his lips. "What? President Cheng wants to transfer the Xique project to me?"
Cheng Yi readily admitted, "Yes."
"If I remember correctly, the original purchase price was 10.1 billion. Now the land price has increased several times. Mr. Cheng is overestimating me."
"I won't do the West Gate project; I'll only sell it to you. The price is based on mortgaging all of the Ke family's assets, including real estate, commercial properties, stocks, and certificates of deposit."
Ke Yanchen suddenly realized what was going on, squinted, and abruptly asked, "What are you trying to do?"
Cheng Yi's eyes were dark, his face calm and expressionless, and he spoke slowly in a distant tone: "I prefer open strategies to intrigue."
An open strategy is a plan that is based on rules, interests, human nature, or the general trend, and is laid out in a transparent manner so that even if the opponent sees through the nature of the strategy, they will "have no choice but to fall into the trap" because of their own needs.
Cheng Yi put his hands in his pockets, his gaze fixed on the dappled sunlight reflecting off the office building windows outside. "I can tell you that there's a huge time bomb in the Xique project. I know how it will explode, but I won't tell you. Only two people, including myself, know about this bomb. I can guarantee this secret will be kept absolutely tight. Once you take over the Xique project and prevent this bomb from exploding, the Ke family will not only be revived, but its scale will even multiply exponentially."
He slowly looked over, his face full of certainty, "I bet you'll definitely join the game."
Ke Yanchen stared coldly at Cheng Yi, "Wasn't the Xique project a trap you set for me a long time ago?"
Cheng Yi nodded with a cold expression, readily admitting it.
"Are you behind Zhenpin Real Estate as well?"
Cheng Yi's dark pupils held a faint hint of mockery. "You do have some brains."
Ke Yanchen knocked on a cigarette, his cheeks puffing out as he exhaled a puff of smoke. "You spent a whopping 10.1 billion to buy the Xique project, and then established Zhenpin Real Estate to gradually devour the Ke family. Was it all for the day when the Ke family had no choice but to gamble everything on the Xique project?"
Cheng Yi stared at him silently, which was taken as tacit agreement.
Ke Yanchen lowered his eyelids and sneered. After a moment, ambition burned brightly in his eyes. "I agree."
He spoke again in a sinister tone: "But let me tell you, don't think you can easily win Yu Zi's heart. There's a ticking time bomb between you two."
Cheng Yi stared at him coldly.
Ke Yanchen leaned back lazily and laughed self-deprecatingly: "Now I finally remember that forgotten part of my high school memories, including all the details."
"You two will never be together."
Cheng Yi didn't want to waste words with him, so he tapped the table. Ke Yanchen looked up and casually but imposingly said, "You are the one who is absolutely the one."
He turned and strode away.
*
Yu Wu planned to go abroad to clear her head. Having heard that the Ke family was in dire straits, she intended to make up for Ke Qingfeng and Yan Congrong's financial situation. Feeling that the balance on her own card wasn't enough to show her sincerity, she opened the card Ye Hongmian had given her, saw the countless numbers on it, and fell silent.
She had to admit that Ye Hongmian had been very generous to her since she paid off her family's debts, giving her seven-tenths of her earnings.
She asked an acquaintance to give her bank card to Yan Congrong, and went home for a meal before going to Ireland.
Both felt guilty, so the overall atmosphere was still quite warm. Ye Hongmian didn't force her to do anything, and even secretly wiped away her tears behind her back.
Yu Wu found an opportunity to ask Yu Jianting, "What's wrong with my mom? Why is she crying?"
Yu Jianting smiled bitterly: "Your mother feels sorry for you because you've had too many hardships."
Yu Wu felt a pang of sadness and didn't return to Xi Ting that night.
*
The night before Yu Wu left the country, she received a bank card from an acquaintance, along with Yan Congrong's words, "Girls should keep more money for themselves." So she stopped worrying about it.
The next day, Yu Wu packed her luggage, said goodbye to her friends and family, and boarded the plane.
As soon as she boarded the plane, she asked the flight attendant for a blanket, put on her headphones and an eye mask, and fell asleep.
So when Yuwu woke up after the plane landed at midnight, she saw the tall, handsome man beside her and her mind went blank for a moment.
I haven't seen you for a while.
The man still carried the familiar scent of cedarwood. At this moment, he presented her with his handsome, aloof profile, his eyes lowered as he stared at his phone. The veins on the back of his hand bulged with a cold, alluring curve, making her heart itch.
The mechanical female voice of an airplane, mixed with the buzzing of electricity, was broadcasting announcements. The sound of leather shoes stepping on the carpet was light and hurried, along with the clatter of zippers being pulled open and the gurgling of suitcase wheels.
The mist seemed far removed from the noisy background noise, with only the man before her reflected in her pupils, creating a specific and subtle atmosphere.
The familiar scent evoked intimate memories, yet the current aloofness and indifference made Yuwu's heart ache slightly.
The flight attendant came over to remind him, and Cheng Yi lifted his eyelids, stood up, and walked out.
I didn't see her at first glance.
...
Did he notice her?
Yu Wu silently followed his retreating figure.
He had only taken a few steps when he suddenly turned around. Yu Wu almost bumped into his straight back. She slammed on the brakes and looked at him in confusion.
Where to?
Yu Wu gave the hotel name, and Cheng Yi gave a nonchalant "oh" and continued walking forward. Then he stopped and handed her his phone.
It's about the recent news of Chinese people being brutally murdered while taking ride-hailing services at night.
Yu Wu pursed her lips, and Cheng Yi spoke in a distant tone: "I have a driver, I'll give you a ride."
Yuwu was a little conflicted.
Cheng Yi glanced at her sideways, subtly revealing a powerful and wicked aura.
Yuwu felt forced to agree.
"Okay." To him, it was just a small favor.
......
There was silence inside the car.
Heavy snow blanketed the entire city, falling thickly and gently onto the ground.
The two sat at opposite ends of the back seat, their eyes occasionally meeting before immediately looking away. A strange current flashed through their minds, and the air felt so tight it was hard to breathe.
I didn't dare look at him.
So Yuwu kept looking out the window.
Cheng Yi's attention was also focused on the view outside the window. When he turned his head, the veins on his neck were clearly visible, and the lines were smooth.
Upon arriving at her destination, Yu Wu lowered her eyelashes and offered a soft thank you.
Cheng Yi looked out the window, not glancing at her at all, and showed no intention of saying goodbye.
Yu Wu got out of the car, and the driver kindly got out to help her with her luggage. She thanked him, then walked through the snow toward the hotel's dazzling lobby.
"Ikuko."
A deep, captivating male voice came from behind.
She turned around.
Snowflakes drifted down like scattered fluff, casting a warm yellow glow from the vintage streetlamp at the hotel entrance, gently covering the man's broad shoulders and casting a long, solitary shadow. A shadow fell across his high, straight brow; his face was calm, his eyes deep and focused, giving off an aura of security. He held something in his hand to hand her, but as she approached, she realized it was the teddy bear that should have been separated from its body.
The wind, carrying snowflakes, swept past my ears, bringing with it the occasional sound of a horn from afar.
"Where did you come from?" She exhaled a puff of white mist, which scattered into fine snowflakes under the streetlight. She paused, then asked in confusion, "Did you sew this up?"
Cheng Yi's dark, deep eyes remained fixed on her, his tone calm, "Do you think that's possible?"
His gaze made Yu Wu's heart flutter uncontrollably. Yu Wu took the teddy bear and mumbled a thank you.
"Okay, let's go in."
"...Okay, you guys should go back early too."
Yu Wu turned and walked towards the warm light emanating from the hotel's glass doors. Her footsteps crunched in the snow, leaving a clear trail of footprints that were gradually covered by falling snow.
Yu Wu did not turn back.
A strong emotion surged through my chest, then, like a heartbeat, gradually subsided into a calm stillness, rising and falling slowly with each passing second.
That was all between them. Yu Wu told herself.
...
Yuwu never expected such bad luck to happen to her.
The hotel receptionist informed her that due to a system malfunction, the room she had booked was already occupied, and that they had refunded her double the room rate. They also informed her that the hotel was fully booked and had no spare rooms.
It was already 1 a.m., and Yu Wu was exhausted. She spoke a few words to the front desk, who suggested that she look for a nearby hotel.
Yu Wu didn't want to argue anymore. Alone in a foreign country, she needed to find a safe hotel immediately.
...
"Mr. Cheng, the tires are fine." The driver, a Chinese man, was shivering in the snow. He didn't understand why his boss was also standing in the snow and freezing, insisting that there was a problem with the tires and asking him to check them.
"Okay, check it again." Cheng Yi instructed calmly.
The driver then walked around the car again, inspecting it carefully.
......
Yu Wu came out of the hotel lobby and was surprised to find that Cheng Yi was still there.
"You haven't left yet?" As she finished speaking, snowflakes slid down her hair and into her collar, melting instantly and bringing a slight chill. She couldn't help but shrink her neck.
Cheng Yi stood there tall and dignified, lifting his eyelids to gaze at her hunched neck. He gave a soft "hmm" in a flat tone: "There's a problem with the tires."
He frowned and asked, "Why did you come out?"
Yu Wu was a little annoyed and explained the situation.
"Will you come home with me?"
Yu Wu's heart skipped a beat, her breathing became heavy, she glanced at him, and then quickly looked away.
Cheng Yi was still waiting for her.
The snowflakes fell gently, each one damp, melting into tiny droplets on her eyelashes. She lowered her eyelashes and blinked, the mist blurring her vision.
"Do you want me to go?" she asked softly.
"The important thing is whether you want to go or not," he replied slowly.
Yu Wu looked up and met his deep gaze. As if possessed, she murmured "okay."
...
The driver left after dropping me off.
The underfloor heating made the house warm and cozy, and only the two of them remained in the spacious living room.
It was too hot inside, so Yu Wu took off her white down jacket, revealing a light pink fitted long dress underneath, which showed off her full figure.
Cheng Yi also took off his cashmere coat, leaving only a black turtleneck cashmere sweater, which highlighted the three-dimensionality of his facial features and his superior jawline, making him breathtakingly handsome.
With just one glance, Yu Wu looked away, her breathing becoming erratic.
I didn't dare look at him.
In the silent night, a lone man and woman were alone in a room, the tense and oppressive atmosphere constantly reminding them of a blatant possibility.
Just being in the same space, exchanging glances, without any inappropriate words or physical contact, she felt her mouth go dry.
That's too ambiguous.
She wished she could immediately meld into his body.
Yu Wu was startled by her sudden burst of clamorous desire and quickly lowered her head to hide her expression.
Yu Wu sat on the sofa with her head down. A pair of well-proportioned hands handed her a glass of warm water. Yu Wu swallowed and reached out to take it.
Skin contact.
He felt very hot.
A warm touch shot forcefully into her heart, causing it to skip a beat. Yu Wu's breath hitched, and she almost immediately wanted to pull her hand back. But Cheng Yi, as if testing the waters, or perhaps with some unwavering determination, extended his slender fingertips and gently slid them across the back of her hand, bringing a tingling, itchy sensation. Slowly, he pressed down, enveloping her entire hand, making it impossible for her to break free.
This shouldn't be happening.
She knew she was aiding and abetting his transgressions. But when he actually wrapped his arms around her, she couldn't help but almost scream. Her breathing became heavy and she looked up in a panic, meeting Cheng Yi's deep, dark, and unfathomable eyes.
With little reason left, it seemed like a dangerous situation was about to escalate.
-----------------------
Author's Note: Hmm, what happens when a lone man and woman are alone in a room? [Panda head][Panda head]
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