Chapter 08 Chapter 8
It was raining again. An Jiyue, who had just regained some consciousness, heard the sound of the rain and allowed herself to fall back into sleep without resistance.
She knew this city never slowed down for a second because of the rain. The subway would still leave at 5:40, the breakfast cart belching heat would pull up ten minutes earlier, and a stream of people, dripping umbrellas clutched, would stream into the station, slapping plastic bags over their heads before cramming into the trains. Underground, long lines of cars crisscrossed, while cars on the road honked their horns and slammed their brakes. No one paid any attention to the raindrops falling from the sky and the splashing whitewater from the wheels. With the wipers on, it was just a trace of water to be repeatedly wiped away, nothing more.
But An Jiyue, living in P City, had never had much ambition. The only career she'd ever pursued was the media industry she loved, but she couldn't afford to work non-stop for years, not to mention the costs involved. After two weeks of working overtime, she was nearing her limit. She muttered a few words over the gentle white noise, clutching the corner of the quilt anxiously.
A minute later, a pair of hands tugged at her blanket, but they couldn't pull it away. An Jiyue pressed down on the edge of the blanket while struggling to get inside. She quickly escaped, her cotton pajamas left on the pillow as Yue Hui picked her up and threw her to the end of the bed.
"Big sister, ancestor, please get up and go meet the project manager. After the meeting, I will directly take the bed and you can push it all the way back to the bedroom, okay?"
An Jiyue rubbed her hair, leaning forward with her bare shoulders, creating a stark contrast to the dressed-up woman standing beside the bed. Feeling incredibly guilty, she obediently got up, washed, and headed out the door to the car. As soon as she settled into her seat, she was handed a cup of rich cocoa and a project plan.
"Round B...is there anything else I need to see?" She flipped through the finely bound papers and faintly smelled the fresh air in the car. She couldn't help but take a few more breaths. "You're the expert on finances."
"They said they must meet you," Yue Hui replied. "This CEO has a strange personality. As far as I know, he's already contacted a number of institutions, but he hasn't made a clear offer to any of them. If everything goes well today, we'll likely be the lead investor this time."
An Jiyue perked up a bit and started reading the project book from the beginning. After a few seconds, she uttered an unbelievable sound: "Huh?"
"how?"
"Zhu Ling? Is this Zhu Ling's project? Handmade flower tea?"
She looked up and saw the tea bags in the handbag in front of her. Suddenly, she understood the reason for the lingering fragrance. This sister is truly extraordinary. An Jiyue stroked the financial report with admiration. She even appeared on a dating show during such a crucial project. "It seems that truly successful people are able to balance career and love."
"Who are you talking about?" Yue Hui glanced at her, "Your ex-boyfriend?"
An Jiyue shuddered when she heard that. "No. But could you please stop calling him my ex-boyfriend? He has a name, Lu Ye."
Lu Ye, Lu Ye, Lu Ye—it seemed as if hearing that name a few times would make one immune to it. She forced herself to suppress the turbulent emotions that had been surging from yesterday to now. It was just a chance encounter at the swimming pool; if she thought too much, she would lose. An Jiyue secretly glanced at Yue Hui. It was more important to negotiate today's project, otherwise she would feel so sorry for her.
The primary market has been sluggish since the beginning of the year, with major conglomerates signing very few projects, and Anshi Capital having barely even opened. For Zhu Ling to be able to launch a new consumer-focused project at this time, one can only imagine the dedication she's put in. But why did she insist on meeting him? Anshi Capital never releases photos of her, and recently, she's been keeping a low profile on set, wearing a wide-brimmed hat and hiding behind a monitor. An Jiyue calmed herself down and decided, well, just treat it as meeting a beautiful woman.
The car drove out of the city, turning from the dusty, crowded national highway onto a sparsely populated rural road. It soon stopped in front of a tranquil and peaceful manor. They were led through several artificial flower fields of varying styles, and An Jiuyue looked around with interest. Most of the flowers and plants here were not expensive, yet they possessed a vibrant, unbridled growth. Take the Phalaenopsis orchids, often used for urban decoration. While the flowers cultivated along the CBD roadsides were exquisite, they looked dull and gray in comparison. Some of the flowers here were crooked, while others grew wildly, facing the scenery, unobstructed.
"Director An, why don't you come in and have some tea first? I'll take you for a nice tour later."
An Jiyue responded with a "yes" out of habit. When she came to her senses, she realized that Zhu Ling had been standing beside her without her knowing when, holding an umbrella for her with a smile on her face.
She was embarrassed for a few seconds after being exposed in a second, but quickly adjusted to a mentality of making the best of it. "Boss Zhu, I've been wanting to try your flower tea for a long time."
Zhu Ling gestured toward the brightly lit hall a short distance away, signaling An Jiyue to proceed. She paused, her head tilted slightly as she gazed at the figure from behind, a look of deep thought. An Jiyue, unusually dressed today, wore a simple suit made of rich fabric. She applied light makeup to enhance her complexion, her hair tied in a gentle low ponytail, and a hairpin studded with a dark amethyst. She walked with a steady and serene demeanor, wearing high-heeled leather pumps. She exuded a calm and nonchalant air, as if she were simply visiting an art exhibition that interested her.
If they hadn't met in advance, Zhu Ling would never have been able to connect such a decent and elegant capital operator behind the scenes with the low-key female director on the set who often wore a white shirt with casual jeans and no makeup.
Zhu Ling worked her way up from the sales floor to become the head of a channel division, and judging people and assets comes naturally to her. Director An, present at the recording session, is young yet capable of his own work. Although occasionally unskilled, he's generally quiet and down-to-earth. So, it was surprising to learn that she was the heir to Anshi Capital. I thought she was just a rebellious young lady who had simply inherited the family business and then slipped away to pursue her dreams, but now I realize she's truly the boss. Is presenting a show just a hobby? Or perhaps investing in projects is a side hustle?
However, this "Boss An" was a much better match for Manager Lu. She had long noticed Lu Ye's elusive mood swings, and the figure sitting behind the monitor, hat brim pulled down, was always visible in her peripheral vision. Zhu Ling narrowed her eyes and smiled, then raised her hand to pour tea for An Jiuyue. She listened as she unequivocally inquired about the details briefly mentioned in the project document, from customer base stability to expanding monetization channels. Her meticulous attitude made her admire the vision of the young woman before her.
"I might be alright for now. But I'm a little curious. I heard that Boss Zhu has already discussed this project with quite a few companies, but since you insisted on meeting with me today, does that mean our collaboration is the highest priority?"
Zhu Ling was inwardly amazed. Such a direct question, she wondered, was it due to her wealth or her inexperience? Lu Ye's previous probing had been much more subtle. Although she had long harbored the desire to seek Anshi's lead investment, she couldn't bring herself to say it outright, so she gave a noncommittal smile.
"Ever since Anshi Capital changed its strategy five years ago, although its overall scale has shrunk, the difference between each project it invests in is basically the difference in profit. I believe that large institutions can provide sufficient funds, and I have even offered to promote SKUs, but they may not necessarily recognize the value of the project. If Anshi can lead the investment, it will definitely be a star project that attracts the attention of the entire market, and subsequent resource allocation will be easy."
Zhu Ling twisted the tea bowl, and the jade bracelet on her wrist touched the purple clay teapot, making a crisp and pleasant sound. "Thank you, Mr. An, for coming in person today."
An Jiyue took the tea but couldn't drink it. She moved her lips, but decided to remain silent. Inside, she was in a state of confusion. It wasn't until today that she realized Zhu Ling's intention in offering Lu Ye the scented tea. She feigned composure as she drank the tea, silently sympathizing with the many people who had chosen the wrong couple with her. Seeing that everyone was enjoying the conversation, Yue Hui diligently pushed forward the drafting of the letter of intent. After the business was over, Zhu Ling seemed to see through her partner's absent-mindedness and couldn't help but tease.
"What is Director An thinking? Are you going to have to trouble you to break up the couple and change the script again? In my opinion, there is no need to go through so much trouble. You can change the guests. I am willing to give way to you."
An Jiyue was embarrassed when her thoughts were revealed. Yue Hui was confused: "Boss Zhu, what couple are you talking about?"
"'Lewdrop' CP, 'The Last Days Lovers' paired me and Lu Ye together."
Lu Ye, Lu Ye, Lu Ye. I hadn't seen this person before today, but I'd heard the name several times. Director An, feeling a bit irritated, managed to maintain a stiff smile. Just then, Zhu Ling's assistant came in. "Mr. Zhu, Manager Lu is here. He said his visit was sudden and he didn't want to interrupt your conversation. You can just wait in the reception room."
You really shouldn't talk about people behind their backs. Zhu Ling had a playful expression on her face, and didn't answer the assistant. An Jiyue closed her eyes resignedly. Yue Hui, with a quick mind, came to the rescue at the right moment. "Since Mr. Zhu still has guests, we'll go back first. We had a pleasant chat today, and we'll keep in touch later."
Yue Hui made a phone gesture next to his ear and then pulled up his useless Mr. An. He squeezed out some polite words from between his teeth, "Jiyue, don't just stand there. Say goodbye to Mr. Zhu."
"...Goodbye, Boss Zhu!" An Jiuyue, who had completely lost her aura, quickly said this and hurriedly followed Yue Hui out.
Fortunately, the matter was settled before the truth was revealed. This was Yue Hui's greatest comfort, so he didn't even blame her. Instead, he felt pity for her panic and confusion. For the first time in his life, Yue Hui didn't spit on her for her man's incompetence. Instead, he patted her shoulder and sighed softly.
"Sister, did you like him so much back then? It's been so long—"
"I like him." She interrupted Yue Hui absentmindedly, finally facing the turbulent feelings that had been swirling since she met Lu Ye again. An Jiyue took over the conversation, "After so many years, it seems that I still like him very much."
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