Chapter 31
On Saturday, Liang Shi got up very early. She was going to be very busy today. Just as she was about to call Fang Tong, he called her. It must be about his artist.
"Mr. Fang, please rest assured, I am available anytime today and will definitely come to apologize in person."
Fang Tong didn't seem to care: "You mean Shen Yue's matter? No need to apologize. I've heard about it. It's all because of that guy surnamed Jiang's character issues. It has nothing to do with your Fan Ning. But I'm not someone to be trifled with either. That guy's already in jail, probably for more than ten days. Will that affect your company's other cooperative projects?"
"Mr. Fang, bad people must be severely punished; that's our company's stance. We don't plan to cooperate with him anymore. Ms. Shen, are you available today? I'd like to apologize in person!"
After all, there are still issues involved, such as reshooting and contract compensation.
Fang Tong smiled and said, "Don't worry, as long as you're ready, Shen Yue can go over to film anytime. Liang Shi, have you forgotten that I was the one who made this call to you?"
Hearing his positive response, Liang Shi felt relieved, but he still had a vague feeling that something was wrong.
"Mr. Fang, what are you trying to say?"
"Important people often have bad memories, Miss Liang. Have you forgotten the Jay Chou concert tickets I gave you last time? They're for tonight."
No wonder Fang Tong called him. Shen Yue's matter was a trivial matter in his eyes, so why would he call her personally? It turns out she had another purpose.
"Um, I..."
"Don't tell me you're too busy! You just said you're free anytime today. Jay Chou's inner circle tickets, going to listen to him wouldn't be a bad thing, would it?"
Liang Shi didn't want anything to do with Fang Tong, but if he refused now, his future collaboration with Shen Yue might fall through. Although Fang Tong was young, he had been in this industry for many years and was already a shrewd operator.
"Great! I'm a Jay Chou fan too, I can't let this inner circle ticket go to waste."
"Shall I pick you up at six?"
Tsk, you can't answer that now. Answering it would reveal her address and indirectly make the man think she's acceptable to him.
"I have to go to the company this afternoon. I can just go there directly. There's no need to trouble Mr. Fang."
"Okay, but Miss Liang, I'm not one to stand people up."
That last sentence, no matter how you look at it, sounds like a threat.
Liang Shi did go to the company, and ran into Gu Feng and Li Junqian in the elevator.
"Both of you, are you working overtime too?"
Gu Feng, still half asleep, yawned and pointed at the person next to him with annoyance: "This company probably wouldn't function without him. He insisted on dragging me here for an interview on a perfectly good weekend."
Liang Shi was taken aback; interviewing new employees wasn't the job of the two big bosses!
"ah?"
Before Li Junqian could speak, Gu Feng continued, "That guy surnamed Jiang delayed the filming, but I didn't know he was so quick. He invited several advertising companies to interview people to solve the immediate problem. Perfect timing, your project too, shall we do it together?"
After Gu Feng finished speaking, he lowered his head and peeked at the two of them. Tsk, how awkward. They like each other but they torture each other like this. Life is short and they've missed each other like this!
So, he was working overtime on the weekend to interview her? It hasn't been long since the incident happened yesterday, and Liang Shi wondered, how did he end up contacting so many advertising companies?
However, due to the urgency of the situation, the companies that came for the interview were unprepared, and their on-the-spot responses and ideas for shooting lipsticks proposed by Liang Shi were not compatible.
After the last company he interviewed with left, Li Junqian threw his pen on the table, probably annoyed by the lack of success from these companies: "This level of competence?"
This was the first time Gu Feng had ever seen his good friend so angry. Li Junqian would never express his dislike for someone or something so bluntly; at most, he would just think it to himself. The only person who could make him like this was probably the other person present.
Liang Shi glanced at his watch; it was already lunchtime. "Gentlemen, I'll continue looking for an advertising company. Thank you both for your hard work with today's interviews. I'll treat you to lunch."
Gu Feng's little brain was working like crazy: "I made an appointment with Zhou Yun, and I didn't instigate this today. If you want to thank someone, thank him. By the way, Karsten didn't eat breakfast because of this. Liang Shi, you should take him to eat quickly, he has a bad stomach."
Liang Shi knew exactly what Gu Feng was thinking, but since she had already said it, she couldn't go back on her word. Anyway, they had already made it clear that for the next six months they would only be in a superior-subordinate relationship, and now that her superior was being so considerate of her, she definitely had to express her gratitude.
"Okay, shall we go downstairs together?"
After the two left the building, Liang Shi was debating what to eat with him. This guy was very picky, but given their current status, going to a high-end restaurant wasn't appropriate...
As if reading her mind, Li Junqian said, "Cantonese cuisine, please."
Cantonese dishes are served in small portions and are exquisite, which suits his elite persona. Moreover, the food is served quickly, and each table is quick, so there is no need for two people to face each other for too long!
Liang Shi thought it was okay: "Great, a light diet is good for the stomach."
Liang Shi was really hungry. He ate two shrimp dumplings as soon as they were served, and there were only three in total. Although he was craving them, Liang Shi still put one on Li Junqian's plate: "These shrimp dumplings are pretty good!"
To her surprise, the shrimp dumplings reappeared in her bowl the next second.
"I was going to order another basket, but we just ordered a lot of food and I was afraid of wasting it. Since you like it so much, you should eat more."
Liang Shi: "..." When did this guy become so frugal?
Li Junqian ate a little and then stopped eating, his eyes fixed on Liang Shi, who had transformed into a glutton. Since the two started dating, they had kept their private time separate: "What are your plans for the weekend?"
Liang Shi was enjoying his meal when he said, "I'm going to watch Jay Chou's concert tonight."
Li Junqian frowned when he heard the name Jay Chou. He had just seen Fang Tong's post on WeChat Moments that morning, saying that he wouldn't be going to anyone's appointments that night because he had already made plans to go to Jay Chou's concert.
With whom?
Liang Shi almost blurted out Fang Tong's name, even choking on his congee: "Friend."
After saying those two words, Liang Shi came to her senses. She didn't need to tell her boss about her private matters.
"Fang Tong?"
Liang Shi frowned slightly, and this expression was quickly noticed by the person opposite him: "Didn't I tell you to stay away from him? Shen Yue is an artist in his company. Is he going to use this to threaten you?"
Actually, this wasn't really a threat; Fang Tong had already given her the tickets before Shen Yue. It would be a real shame if she didn't go to such a rare concert.
"No, I went on my own initiative. The inner circle tickets are being resold for 50,000 or 60,000 yuan each. Do you think I'd be stupid not to go?"
Li Junqian was puzzled: "You're so happy about such a small gain? Liang Shi, even if you lose Shen Yue, there's still Gao Yue, Chen Yue, and Wu Yue. You don't need to compromise yourself for the company's projects. The concert was so chaotic; you'll regret it if Fang Tong does anything inappropriate to you. Also, we've reached a verbal agreement that we're just in a superior-subordinate relationship, but you can't be ambiguous with other men because of that. After all, you said you'd prioritize your career for the next six months."
Liang Shiyue found it increasingly difficult to eat. She had never realized this man was so stubborn! She was rebellious, and the more he said this, the less she wanted to listen.
"Li Junqian, don't judge me by your own standards. I just consider him an ordinary friend. According to you, I can't have friends of the opposite sex? Are you my parents or the Emperor himself? Why are you so nosy!"
Liang Shizhen was furious: "If you can eat this meal, then eat it. If you keep spouting nonsense, then let's call it a day!"
Presumably stunned by her outburst of anger, Li Junqian lowered his head and played on his phone with a somber expression.
Liang Shi didn't want to pay attention to him. He ate while scrolling through his phone and happened to see a short video about the Northwest desert that Huo Zhongming had posted five minutes ago. Although it was only half a minute long, it contained a lot of exotic scenery. With the smooth transitions, Liang Shi felt like he could buy a plane ticket to the Northwest right now.
Thinking of something, she quickly put down her chopsticks and rummaged through her bag, finding the business card in a compartment: Zhongming Advertising Photography Company. Tsk, there's a saying that goes, "You can search high and low without finding it, but then it comes to you effortlessly!"
Li Junqian thought for a long time and realized that he had just lost his composure. Just as he was about to apologize to Liang Shi, he saw the smile that she couldn't suppress: "What's so funny?"
Liang Shi waved Huo Zhongming's business card in front of Li Junqian: "I just looked him up on Baidu. I didn't expect the second young master of the Huo family to be so amazing. He won so many awards abroad, yet he's so low-key when he comes back to China. I originally thought he was just a photography enthusiast, but I didn't expect him to be so talented. I just saw the video he posted on his WeChat Moments. The filming and editing are really impressive. If we could get him to collaborate with Fan Ning, it would definitely complement each other perfectly!"
Li Junqian raised an eyebrow, clearly unmoved by the suggestion: "As far as I know, Huo Zhongming has lived abroad for many years, and his recent return to China was due to his grandfather's poor health. His company is just starting out..."
Liang Shi glared at him: "Li Junqian, you must get rid of this habit of judging others by yourself. Leave Huo Zhongming's matter to me, I'll go talk to him."
After she finished speaking, she suddenly felt confident, put on gloves and ate the roast pigeon. When she looked up, she saw Li Junqian's sour face again. How annoying!
"Li Junqian, can you be normal for once? Stop with your fantasies. Don't worry, Huo Zhongming and I are impossible. Just eat already, okay?"
She made herself clear, and only then did the man regain his happy expression. Liang Shi really didn't expect this man to be so naive!
At the restaurant entrance, Liang Shi was debating whether to take a taxi or the subway home when Li Junqian pulled her into his car.
"In that case, would you please give me a ride, Mr. Li? I got up too early today and need to go home and catch up on some sleep."
Li Junqian responded indifferently. When the light turned red, the brakes were suddenly slammed on, and Liang Shi, who was almost asleep, was nearly thrown out. Luckily, he was wearing a seatbelt.
Today, Li Junqian is truly not a gentleman at all! Or perhaps he was just pretending to be a gentleman before!
Are you sick?
She grabbed Liang Shi's outstretched hand: "How can I avoid going to the concert?"
Oh my god, why is this man calling back?! Didn't I just explain? Why won't he listen?!
"Me and Fang Tongzhen..."
"Liang Shi, I admit I'm jealous, can you please not go?"
Good heavens, Liang Shi really wanted to take out his phone camera right now and record what Li Junqian just said and his expression. This usually serious person was actually acting like a timid little wife! It was so funny!
"A concert with over 100,000 people, what do you think he'd do to me? Li Junqian, you're over thirty, how can you be so naive!"
The person persisted: "As far as I know, concerts usually end close to midnight... shall I pick you up then?"
"Please, with so many people leaving, who's going to find you? Don't worry, I'll take care of myself!"
The light turned green, but the person still wouldn't leave. The cars behind were honking. Liang Shi had no choice but to add, "I won't let Fang Tong take me home. Are you satisfied? Drive!"
It has to be said that Huo Zhongming, though seemingly approachable, actually had the airs of a spoiled young master and disliked being manipulated. She had to call him several times before she finally agreed to have dinner together.
When Huo Zhongming arrived, he politely apologized: "I'm sorry I'm late, Ms. Liang. Actually, I made it very clear on the phone. My original intention in starting this company was to stop my parents from gossiping. In fact, I don't want to make this company big. My goal is still to become a photographer who can shoot all over the world. I have never thought about cooperating with a company as big as yours, Fanning, and I will never agree to it."
Liang Shi prided herself on her eloquence, but Huo Zhongming was completely unyielding, so she had no choice but to give up. As lunch break was ending, Liang Shi didn't return to her office. She ran into Li Junqian in the elevator, but pretended not to see him, didn't greet him, and simply stood in front of him.
Anyway, there were still people in the elevator, so this guy definitely wouldn't do anything reckless. But who would have thought that everyone else had left on the fifth floor, leaving only her and Li Junqian? If she didn't say hello, it would seem very impolite!
"Mr. Li, there were many people there, so I didn't greet them."
Li Junqian put away his phone: "Frankl treated us to lunch, and I wanted to invite you to have lunch with me, but Marry said you weren't here."
Does she have to be there just because the big boss invites her to dinner? Inviting someone to dinner isn't something you can just do on a whim; doesn't he even consider whether she has the time? Huo Zhongming's attitude towards her was infuriating, but she was just sulking.
"I'm going to have some delicious food. If the big boss is treating next time, please let me know a little in advance."
The elevator was a huge mirror. When Liang Shi looked up slightly, she saw Li Junqian staring at her from behind. She glared at him speechlessly.
"Judging from your expression, it doesn't look like you've eaten anything delicious. Tell me, what happened?"
Liang Shi was in a dilemma. He had mentioned Huo Zhongming to Li Junqian before, and she had been very confident at the time, but who would have thought that this person would be so difficult to deal with.
"It really didn't escape Mr. Li's sharp eyes. I invited Huo Zhongming to lunch, thinking I could persuade him to help, but I was ruthlessly rejected. The restaurant was good, but it was a bad start, and I had no appetite at all."
To her surprise, the person behind her laughed. What kind of time is this to be laughing? She turned around, frowning at him: "What are you laughing at? Are you mocking me?"
Li Junqian's smile faded. He walked to her side and looked in the mirror in front of the elevator. The woman, wearing black high heels, only reached his chin. Looking at her beautiful face, he saw an undeniable stubbornness.
"Don't put too much pressure on yourself, Xiaoshi. I'll figure out how to handle things at the advertising company."
The elevator doors opened, and Liang Shi left without answering. She was angry, angry at herself. She had just returned to China, had no connections, and was very passive in doing many things.
She was in a low mood all day. Just before leaving get off work, Liang Shi received a call from Huo Zhongming. Could things have taken a turn for the better?
After she hung up the phone, Liang Shi still had no idea what was going on. This young master Huo's change of heart was too fast!
When asked why, the other party did not give a direct answer, but said that they wanted to try again, but only for this one advertisement shoot, and would not sign a long-term contract.
Once the immediate crisis is resolved, everything will be fine. Liang Shi took out her phone, almost calling Li Junqian. It was a completely unintentional action; she was startled. Why was she about to call him?
On the way back, Liang Shi thought that it must be because he didn't believe in her abilities. But then, things took an unexpected turn.
Overjoyed, Liang Shi, having finished her meal, settled into the sofa to binge-watch a drama. Thinking it over, she decided to call Li Junqian. Yes, she was just feeling smug and wanted to show off in front of him.
Who would have thought that when she answered the phone, she would receive a call from a drunkard? Could it be that he was at a dinner party to discuss business because of her?
"Have you been drinking?" That light, casual "Hey" startled Liang Shi. This man could be so sexy when he wasn't being serious!
The man on the other end of the line actually hung up the phone! Liang Shi panicked. This man was so drunk; if something happened, wouldn't she be guilty if she, who knew about it, didn't take any action?
Just as he was about to return the call, a text message arrived with the address of a restaurant. Without thinking, Liang Shi grabbed a coat, went downstairs, and hailed a taxi. When he arrived at the restaurant, he saw Li Junqian and his group exchanging greetings and saying goodbye at the entrance.
Tsk, Liang Shi glanced down at his pajamas and trench coat combination, looking utterly ridiculous. Of course, someone as shrewd as Li Junqian couldn't possibly be drunk! He was chatting with… a beautiful woman for no reason!
A designated driver on a small car passed by her. Just as she lifted one leg to walk away, the driver yelled at her in a very bad mood. Liang Shi cursed inwardly that he was crazy! This commotion was seen by the group of people at the door. Liang Shi felt very embarrassed, especially since Li Junqian stared at her for a long time.
Li Junqian drank quite a bit tonight. It was a rare high school reunion, and he couldn't refuse, so he treated it as a social obligation. He didn't expect that everyone had not only gotten older, but also become more adept at urging him to drink, so he reluctantly drank a few more glasses. However, his mind was still clear.
He initially thought he had misheard, but when he realized she had actually come, Li Junqian smiled, realizing that this girl had feelings for him.
Bai Mengjiang waved her hand in front of him: "What are you looking at? I didn't drink today. Shall I take you home?"
A gust of cold wind blew by, and Li Junqian pulled his trench coat tighter, instantly sobering up considerably: "No need, the designated driver I found has arrived."
Bai Mengjiang looked in the direction he had been staring at for so long. There was a person with loose curly hair, wearing clothes that she couldn't understand, standing there playing hopscotch. She didn't pay attention to him, but she was curious as to why Li Junqian had been watching him for so long.
"Oh, right, about the interview I was talking about..."
Li Junqian had been listening all night and now just wanted some peace and quiet: "I'll consider it. I'll go over there and put in a good word."
If she had known it would be this cold and she would have to wait in this cold wind, she would have worn more clothes before coming out. Besides, those people all looked like elites. Liang Shi felt that if Li Junqian had inexplicably invited her over, she would definitely be in trouble, and she wouldn't be able to explain her relationship with Li Junqian.
Of the thirty-six stratagems, running away is the best. Liang Shi turned and walked to a nearby convenience store. A few minutes later, the phone rang, and he knew who it was without even looking.
"They've left?"
Liang Shi bought a bottle of rock sugar pear juice from the heated cabinet to warm his hands: "Have you finished warming up at the convenience store next door? Are you done over there?"
Accompanied by a cough, the voice on the phone overlapped with the voice of a man who came out of the convenience store as the door opened: "Yeah, I'm here. Where are you?"
Liang Shi hung up the phone, sat in the dining area, waved to him, and pointed to the chair next to him, indicating that he should sit down.
Li Junqian showed no intention of sitting down, and even handed her the car keys, laughing, "I didn't expect you to actually come. Now that you're here, I don't need to find a designated driver."
Liang Shi took the key, feeling ashamed of his spoiled brat-like manner of speaking: "If it weren't for the fact that you drink yourself into oblivion for the company, I wouldn't have come all this way. So, how did the talks go tonight? Are there any companies you're interested in collaborating with?"
Li Junqian raised an eyebrow, initially not understanding her meaning, but then realizing why she had come.
"Tonight, I'm attending my high school reunion."
A class reunion? Liang Shi was stunned for a moment and almost dropped the keys in his hand.
"Then why did you send me the address? If it weren't for your contribution to the company, I wouldn't have come. Oh, so this is your female classmate. I'm sorry to have interrupted your reunion. Here's the car key back, Mr. Li. You should find a designated driver yourself."
Before he could even toss the car keys, Liang Shi's hand was grabbed: "Jealous?"
Who the hell is jealous? Liang Shi tried to shake off his hand, but he wasn't strong enough: "Why would I be jealous? It's the middle of the night, and I have to go to work tomorrow. I'm not going to keep up with Mr. Li's drunken antics!"
Seeing her angry expression and her insincere demeanor, Li Junqian smiled and said, "It's too late. I'm worried about you going home alone. There's a designated driver at the door. I'll take you home first."
Liang Shi thought that she was still wearing her pajamas and it was so late, which was indeed a bit dangerous. Anyway, there was a designated driver, and Li Junqian wouldn't dare to do anything reckless. Besides, she had something to tell him.
The car was much warmer with the air conditioning on. The driver probably hadn't driven such a luxurious car before, so he was going very slowly. Liang Shi was afraid that if he didn't speak up, Li Junqian next to him would fall asleep.
"Li Junqian, I have something to tell you."
Li Junqian raised his hand and rubbed his temples: "Is it a good thing or a bad thing?"
"There are good and bad aspects. The good thing is that Huo Zhongming agreed to help Fan Ning shoot an advertisement for the Young series lipstick. The bad thing is that he only agreed to help this time, and we will have to continue to look for advertising companies in the future."
Liang Shi thought Li Junqian would be somewhat surprised to hear that Huo Zhongming had agreed to help, but he didn't expect him to be so calm. Could it be that he had drunk too much and was not thinking clearly?
"It's strange, though. He bluntly rejected me at noon today, but then inexplicably agreed later. What do you think of Huo Zhongming..."
"Xiao Shi, as I said, I will handle this matter."
Liang Shi was taken aback, then belatedly asked, "You weren't the one who contacted him, were you?"
Li Junqian leaned back in his chair and looked at her: "His brother owes me a favor."
So that's how it is! No wonder Huo Zhongming, such an arrogant young master, was suddenly willing to help!
"Ha, if you did it, why didn't you tell me? I was stupid enough to come all the way here to tell you!"
Hearing her angry tone, Li Junqian explained, "This is not only to help you, but also to help Fan Ning. I suddenly attended this party tonight, and I originally planned to tell you tomorrow."
Liang Shi felt that getting angry was childish. Indeed, as he said, everything was for the company, and as the vice president, he had to do the company's best interests even more. Whether he told her or not didn't matter.
"In any case, I still have to thank Mr. Li. I apologize for my poor attitude earlier. Consider this a favor I owe you."
The next day, in Gu Feng's office, Li Junqian sat across from him drinking coffee. Gu Feng felt uneasy under Li Junqian's gaze: "Are you crazy? You have your own office, why are you sitting here with me?"
"I've told you everything. What do you think her attitude was last night?"
Gu Feng rolled his eyes at him mercilessly: "First, as someone who's been there, I think Liang Shi still has feelings for you, otherwise a sophisticated girl like her wouldn't have gone to find you in her pajamas. Second, on a side note, Bai Mengjiang's talk show is very popular. If you could agree to participate, I think it would benefit Fan Ning. Women's Day is coming soon, and if you were to sell your looks for a show, Fan Ning would definitely..."
Li Junqian slammed his coffee cup on the table, nearly spilling it: "Get to the point."
Gu Feng pursed his lips speechlessly: "You used to only talk about work, but now you're smitten and you're even talking about love in my office! Li Shizi, I'm telling you, you're not stupid, so why do you become so clueless when it comes to relationships!"
Li Junqian raised an eyebrow: "What do you mean?"
Gu Feng chuckled: "You made Huo Zhongjing use his brother to repay a favor, and Liang Shi owes you a favor for that. If you're going to be even more despicable, just make her repay a favor to you. Of course, this favor can't be repaid casually. Make her repay it in a way that strengthens your relationship!"
Zhou Yun knocked on the open door, and Li Junqian said softly, "So you have Zhou Yun completely under your control?"
Gu Feng stared at his girlfriend as she slowly walked over and laughed, "You'd better hurry up and think about how to deepen your relationship with Suzie! Go back to your office! Don't disturb me and my girlfriend while we're working!"
If looks could kill, Gu Feng would have been torn to pieces by Li Junqian's cold gaze.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
