Chapter 47
When Liang Shi finally reached this position, he had to admit that Li Junqian was truly exceptionally capable.
Two months passed in a flash before Liang Shi finally caught his breath.
Marry, whom she had reassigned as her assistant, brought over the freshly released financial statements for the past two months. Liang Shi carefully reviewed them, and as expected, all products in the Young series were selling very well.
After all, most of the money earned during the summer vacation comes from students who are still on campus.
Liang Shi rubbed his temples: "The tasks for this quarter have been successfully completed. Send out a notice that all departments will hold a quarterly meeting tomorrow to give a detailed report. Is Frankl here?"
"President Gu is waiting for you outside. He said he would come in to see you after I finished reporting to you. I guess he has something to say to you? I'll go and call President Gu."
In the past, Gu Feng would have definitely barged into the office, but now he doesn't dare. After all, this woman has been working herself to the bone for the company since she took this position, and he, the president who has practically been a hands-off manager, doesn't dare to cause her any trouble.
If he really causes trouble, someone might come after him.
Gu Feng sat down at Liang Shi's desk and pointed to his watch: "It's almost time to leave work, shall we have dinner together?"
For the past two months, Liang Shi has hardly ever left work on time. Today's plan was to review the quarterly plans submitted by each department, but Gu Feng's invitation came as a surprise.
"Could this be a trap?"
Gu Sheng fiddled with her vice president's nameplate and chuckled, "How could that be? I'm just celebrating how much money you've made for the company since you took office. You wouldn't be so disrespectful, would you? Tell me, in the past two months, the two of us presidents haven't even eaten together. Gossip has spread that we don't get along, but that's completely unfounded! The atmosphere at our Fan Ning Shanghai branch is great, so we definitely have to dispel that rumor. By the way, Zhou Yun is coming too. I've booked a Japanese restaurant for her, what do you think?"
Now that things had come to this point, Liang Shi naturally couldn't refuse any longer. However, she had a strange feeling that tonight's dinner was not simple.
She hadn't seen Li Junqian for over two months since she left Singapore. Although there was no time difference, they didn't chat on WeChat very often. However, Li Junqian would call her every few days to ask about her work and life.
The agreement had long expired, but neither of them mentioned it. In fact, Liang Shi was a little angry. She originally thought that Li Junqian would pursue her aggressively, but she didn't expect it to disappear without a trace.
Perhaps he's taken a fancy to some beautiful Peranakan girl in Singapore.
"Sure, it's been a while since I've had dinner with Helen. Send me the time and place. Or maybe we can go together?"
Liang bought a Tesla a month ago for commuting and is probably already familiar with the traffic in this busy city.
Gu Feng smiled and said, "I have to go home with Zhou Yun. See you tonight?"
Dinner was at 7 p.m. Liang Shi didn't go home. If he drove home, he would be stuck in traffic and wouldn't get home until 7 p.m. The waiter led him into the private room and was taken aback when he opened the wooden sliding door.
"Karsten? Why are you back?"
Sure enough, her hunch was right.
This man went back to Shanghai without telling her? But then again, why should he?
The man stood up and hugged her: "Surprise."
Li Junqian helped her hang up her bag, and Liang Shi raised an eyebrow: "So, Frankl and the others aren't coming back, are they?"
The man smiled and gestured for her to sit down: "He has another appointment with Helen. Sorry to surprise you like this. I'm back now."
To be honest, Liang Shi was really pleasantly surprised. He was always dealing with reports and documents or attending meetings, so seeing such a handsome guy was a real relief for him.
Wait, what does "coming back" mean...?
She deliberately said, "You're only back for a few days this time? Mr. Li, aren't you worried about the morale of the troops in Singapore being unstable with your sudden return? But then again, with you back, I'm afraid everyone is already making preparations in advance. Well then, welcome back, Mr. Li."
As they clinked their sake cups, Liang Shi drank, but his eyes remained fixed on Li Junqian. Singapore truly is a livable city; how come this man looks younger and younger?
Li Junqian submitted his resignation to headquarters a week ago. Although Richard called him several times to ask him to stay and offered him a better job, he declined.
Having worked in this field for many years, it is indeed difficult for him to leave, especially since most of his network is within this circle. Now, he needs to re-plan his life.
Because he wanted to completely possess the woman opposite him through the integrated method.
Actually, he had returned to Shanghai a month ago. Zhao Jiaren had a big argument with the board of directors, which triggered pneumothorax. Li Junqian flew back to Shanghai overnight. Although his mother was very strong-willed and he often disagreed with many of her actions, she was his closest relative.
Zhao Jiaren, lying in her hospital bed, held his hand, urging him to return to Shanghai and take over several companies under her name. These companies were her mother's life's work, and he wouldn't abandon them. But Li Junqian didn't agree immediately.
He made a condition.
That day, Zhao Jiaren squeezed his hand tightly, with great force, but he could withstand it.
"Just for that woman? It has to be that woman? I'm still sick, do you think it's appropriate to bring this up?"
"I love her."
"Are you sure that woman isn't after your money? Li Junqian, you've disappointed me greatly."
“Liang Shi came to our family when she was sixteen. She gave you a card at Father’s funeral. You shouldn’t have forgotten, right? Do you think that if she were that kind of person, she would have given you the money and then left? Mom, I don’t know why you are so hostile towards her. All her efforts today are earned by herself step by step. I am proud of her, and I think Father must feel the same way.”
"Mom, how long did you work hard for your career and dreams back then? It's undeniable that you are an outstanding entrepreneur. You postponed your wedding with Dad to work hard, just like you forced Liang Shi to give up me because you knew she couldn't give up her career."
"To be honest, this isn't a condition, I just wanted to find an excuse to bring this up with you. I will take over your company, but I won't give up on Liang Shi either. I will make arrangements in Singapore as soon as possible."
Zhao Jiaren couldn't quite put her finger on why she disliked Liang Shi; it was probably because of her background. However, after having someone investigate her, it was undeniable that she had indeed worked hard over the years.
As people get older, it's easy to lose heart in an instant. Zhao Jiaren's original plan was to work for a few more years, but her spirit and physical condition were no longer in sync, so she thought it was time to retire.
She had tried to arrange her son's marriage many times, but each time it ended in failure. Her father had even given up on getting involved, saying that his only wish was to see his proudest grandson get married.
If a woman were to affect her relationship with her son, Zhao Jiaren felt this was a bad deal. Having previously courted so many so-called ladies of high society, she'd found them to be all show and no substance, not as practical as Liang Shi…
"You decide what to do. I only have one request: plan your future well, and work shouldn't be everything. I won't spell it out, but you should understand what I mean."
Li Junqian understood, of course, that urging marriage was only for the ultimate purpose.
Of course, this kind of thing can't be rushed. The most important thing right now is to truly embrace the girl he loves.
Li Junqian proactively poured her another cup, and under her inquisitive yet expectant gaze, he spoke, saying that he had a lot to tell her.
"It's been two months since we parted in Singapore, and I think about you every single moment. But work is so busy, and you have a new identity now, so I don't want to distract you. That promise has expired, and I know you're waiting for me to find you..."
This man really knew she cared about him. Liang Shi pretended not to care: "Oh? Who said I was waiting for you? I'm very popular, it's just that I'm too busy with work to think about marriage!"
The man opposite smiled gently: "Really? Then thank you for exploiting my labor. I'll have to treat Frankl to a meal sometime. Continuing from what I just said, Xiaoshi, I resigned and just got back to Shanghai today. I won't be leaving again. The main purpose of this meal is to tell you that I'm going to start pursuing you. It's up to you when you say yes."
Liang Shi: "...???"
More than things that Liang already knew in his heart, he was more concerned that he had actually resigned!
"Why? Not everyone can sit in that position, and you're giving up like this? Li Junqian, you don't need to sacrifice so much for me!"
Over the past two months, she's occasionally had some wild thoughts, like, if he stays in Singapore, should she still say yes to him? Initially, she couldn't accept a long-distance relationship, but gradually she's come to terms with it…
She's not against long-distance relationships, it's just a matter of paying a little more for airfare.
Seeing her face suddenly turn serious, Li Junqian didn't want her to feel guilty: "Xiaoshi, the resignation has little to do with you. You know, my mother is getting old, she needs me, and her company needs me too. We'll be in the same city from now on, let's have a drink?"
So that's how it is! A month ago, she heard about Zhao Jiaren from Zhou Meng. She was actually quite uneasy. She had considered visiting her, but ultimately gave up. After all, if Zhao Jiaren saw her, her condition would probably worsen.
She downed the sake in one gulp and calmly stated, "I've heard about your mother's situation. How is she?"
"I rested in the hospital for a month and was just discharged these past two days."
"That's good."
She quickly added with a smile, "Actually, I originally wanted to visit her, but as you know, your mother doesn't like me very much."
"She actually admires you."
Liang Shi looked incredulous: "Really? Li Junqian, don't say such irrelevant things just to pursue me."
Zhao Jiaren's hurtful words are still vivid in my mind; I'll probably never forget them in this lifetime. So, admire her? Absolutely not!
“From the moment I said I wanted to pursue you, I, Li Junqian, will never tell you a lie.”
Looking into his sincere eyes, Liang Shi found it unbelievable. He must have said something to Zhao Jiaren, otherwise how could Zhao Jiaren possibly agree with her?
Over the years, she has worked incredibly hard, largely because of Zhao Jiaren's hurtful words. Only through hard work could she turn her life around and stand shoulder to shoulder with the person she admires. Now in her thirties, after more than a decade of hard work, if Zhao Jiaren truly appreciates her, Liang Shi feels it has all been worth it.
His emotions surged quickly. Liang Shi thought, "This wine isn't very strong, so why am I crying after just one sip?"
Seeing her slumped over the table, her shoulders heaving, Li Junqian felt a pang of heartache. He got up and went to embrace her, saying, "Xiaoshi, I'm here for you. If you're willing to trust me, let's enter each other's future together."
She nestled in his arms for a long time, feeling incredibly at ease. His chest was broad and strong, a safe haven for her, an orphan who had nothing.
He carried a familiar scent, the fragrance of 'Timing'. This name, along with the perfume bottle bearing her initials (number 001), represented his unique romance, and also hers.
After a long while, she looked up at the man she had been attracted to since she was sixteen and said softly, "Karsten, I am a simple person. Every time I see you, I fall into your romantic and peaceful trap. However, I like it very much. Please take care of me in the future."
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