Chapter 38 Chapter 38
An Jiyue came out of the Traffic Management Bureau and looked up to see Liang Sinan waiting by the car door.
There was a Fuente cigar between his fingers. There was no one around, and the aroma of burnt nuts and a faint smell of leather were carried into her nostrils by the wind.
She knew that Liang Sinan occasionally smoked cigars in private, but she rarely saw him in person. The last time she caught him smoking was in City G, after his trip to the Liang Mansion.
In broad daylight, what is this all about?
She was stunned for a moment before she walked up to him lightly, patted his broad shoulders, and looked at him quietly with her head tilted.
Liang Sinan saw Zhang Qingxiu's gentle face in the smoke and was stunned for a few seconds.
As he lit his cigar, he stared at the flickering spark and was momentarily lost in the past, a few years ago. Back then, An Jiyue was still a young girl, bewildered, knocking on his door with an investment proposal.
And if he showed the slightest impatience, even if he just said "think about it yourself", her eyes would redden and she would be on the verge of tears.
Later, perhaps because he'd been told so many times, or because Yue Hui had exposed his paper tiger mask, An Jiyue seemed to have developed immunity to it. Even when he was furious, he had to sigh in her velvety chocolate eyes, calm down, and analyze her word by word.
She probably understood that she didn't need to be afraid of him, so she was finally able to put aside her caution and face him frankly.
Just like her now, catching him smoking a cigar, tilting her head and smiling at him with her eyebrows raised.
She had wiped away her tears, and had gathered herself together. Her deep brown eyes were once again filled with a rich and colorful light.
But he seemed to be back to the winter when he was twelve years old.
Twelve-year-old Liang Sinan boarded an international flight, lightly dressed. A light snow fell upon landing. The ground wasn't particularly cold, but he shivered with the chill that seeped from his heart. From then on, he only preferred the tropics.
He wanted to take back the Liang Group with full legitimacy, even if he had to fight alone and be deserted by his friends and relatives.
The cigar between her fingers was snatched away by the woman's slender, white, and nimble fingers. Liang Sinan had a blank expression and let her put it out before putting it back into her pocket.
An Jiyue was puzzled by his sudden wooden-like state.
In her memory, Sis Liang was always as alert and agile as a cheetah, but recently, he often looked so lost in thought, with a gloomy expression.
The tall figure, who was more than a head taller than her, moved stiffly. Liang Sinan looked down at her, as if he was considering something.
"What's the matter?"
She was really worried that Brother Nan might have encountered some difficult problems, otherwise he would never smoke a cigar easily.
"Well." Liang Sinan's thin lips were filled with the rich and complex aroma of cigar tobacco, and his voice was light, "Are you willing to marry me?"
An Jiyue stood there in a daze, the hem of her emerald green skirt, which had just reached her knees, suddenly fluttering in the wind.
My first reaction was, "He's joking about child marriage again," so I immediately thought about how to respond with a few witty remarks.
But his eyes no longer held the same mischievous smile as before. Even the corners of his mouth, which were always raised, now drooped slightly, and every muscle on his face abandoned the upward curve that was most common and natural to him.
Liang Sinan was serious. Such a shocking thought suddenly flashed through her mind, and her fingers couldn't help but clench the hem of her skirt behind her.
After a few seconds of silence, the jacaranda trees above their heads suddenly dropped petals in large numbers, many of which landed on the ends of her hair.
Liang Sinan raised his hand and gently patted off the blue and purple embellishments for her, his fingers touching her white earlobes from time to time.
He paused, his eyes cautious and tentative, his hands moving slower and slower, almost touching the side of her face.
His chocolate-colored pupils suddenly widened, like a frightened deer. An Jiyue gasped and jerked her head to avoid his warm palm.
Liang Sinan's heart sank as if he were on a losing elevator. He closed his fingers and put them back in his pocket.
"Brother Nan, you...are making fun of those old things again."
She stumbled, her words barely articulating, yet she was still trying to smooth things over. Her trembling voice made him feel sorry for her.
"I still have to go to the company. I have some unfinished work. Are you going home? It doesn't seem to be on your way, so I won't bother you to give me a ride."
An Jiyue lowered her eyes, clenched her fists, and finished speaking in one breath, then tried to escape. Liang Sinan grabbed her.
He looked down at the woman who didn't dare to meet his gaze and couldn't help but sigh. It was his fault. She seemed to have turned into the cautious An Jiyue again.
"If you really need help, I'll take you back to the company." He tried his best to regain his usual cheerfulness and spoke in a kind tone, as if it was just a joke. "If you have nothing else, come with me for dinner."
As if guessing that she was going to refuse outright, Liang Sinan added before she could speak: "It was Yue Hui who asked us to have dinner together."
Yue Hui. Her heart lit up, as if she had grabbed a life-saving straw. In the past, every time Liang Sinan scolded her, it was Yue Hui who supported her.
But then she hesitated. All the grievances she had previously vented to Yue Hui were serious matters related to the company's business. Yue Hui was an expert himself, and a veteran of Anshi Capital, so he could naturally engage in a fierce debate with Liang Sinan.
The three of them were close friends. But the topic just now seemed like an invitation to rebuild a new relationship, and Yue Hui was not among them.
Can she still tell Yuehui?
An Jiyue arrived at a private restaurant in P City with a heavy heart. The waiter led them into the largest private room. The moment the door opened, there was a sudden "bang" and fireworks exploded from all directions, accurately surrounding the two people who had just entered.
Liang Sinan, dressed in a casual shirt and trousers, stood in the center of the fireworks waterfall with the gentle An Jiyue.
An Jiyue's vision suddenly went dark. For a moment, she even suspected that this was Liang Sinan's deliberate arrangement. When she looked over with anger and disbelief, she found that his fear was even greater than hers.
"Welcome our Chairman of Anshi Capital, Mr. An!"
There was enthusiastic applause and cheers at the scene.
"And Mr. Liang, the head of our Anshi Capital's overseas business!"
The audience continued to applaud and cheer.
Yue Hui held a wireless microphone and stumbled towards them. After solemnly introducing the two of them, he poked the microphone directly under An Jiuyue's eyes.
"Director An, say something to your friends!"
An Jiuyue, still in shock, brushed away the fragments of fireworks in front of her and looked around blankly. A few familiar faces gave her a hint.
The sweet-smiling receptionist, the diligent older brother doing the calculations, the methodical young man giving his report...
They are all employees of Anshi Capital, her own employees.
It turned out to be a team-building dinner for Anshi Capital. An Jiyue was at a loss for words; she, the boss, was the last to know.
Yue Hui single-handedly oversees all matters at Anshi, from project collaboration and resource management to personnel and organizational structure. Her decisiveness and meticulousness are evident throughout the company, and no one present is unconvinced.
On the other hand, this colorful young girl...
Not many people actually wanted to hear her speak.
Everyone thought that she was living a carefree life as a hands-off boss, just sitting back and collecting money every day, and had no idea that the new director Xiao An was working like a slave in another company every day.
An Jiyue calmed herself down and spoke politely, introducing herself tactfully: "Hello everyone, I'm An Jiyue."
"I don't usually get the chance to meet you all, so I won't take up too much of your time today. I hope you all enjoy yourselves, eat well, drink well, and have fun. Thank you all for your contributions to Anshi!"
She was about to hand the microphone back, but Yuehui put his arm around her shoulders, hooked his arm around her neck, and moved closer.
"Guys, President An has you all in his heart!" Yue Hui declared loudly, "Come on, President An, let's finalize our mid-year and year-end double bonus plan today! Announce it!"
The room, which had shown little interest, fell silent. Dozens of eager eyes were simultaneously cast in one direction. An Jiyue felt as if she were back on set, her every word and action exposed, unprepared, under the intense spotlight.
I dare not laugh, and I dare not cry.
An Jiyue's legs went weak from being held in her arms. She didn't care about anything else and subconsciously looked at the tall man next to her for help.
Liang Sinan had regained his composure, but he casually put his hands in his pockets and glanced at the two of them with his usual playful expression on his face, as if he was watching a play.
She turned away angrily and resignedly. It was her fault for having just offended him.
No, it was clearly him who crossed the line first, what was my fault?
She straightened up, her backhand supporting the waist of the woman leaning on her shoulder, standing like a kapok tree. Her gentle and generous features were full of energy, and she smiled brightly and resolutely, grasping the microphone in Yuehui's hand.
"We originally planned to wait until mid-year to pay it directly to everyone's account, intending to give everyone a surprise, but General Manager Yue got excited today and ruined the surprise. So, I'm announcing to everyone in advance that Anshi will give everyone a double bonus this year. The mid-year bonus will be paid at the end of June, with a minimum of one month and a maximum of four months. The year-end bonus will not be affected and will be paid out as usual."
The news was so explosive that no one responded for a long time after she finished speaking.
An Jiyue looked calm, but her heart was beating fast. Could it be that it was too little? She had been working in the media industry for three years, and every year at the end of the year she wouldn't even get two months' bonus.
Suddenly, enthusiastic applause erupted from the corner, like a boulder dropped into a lake, instantly creating a ripple. It was as if the ceiling of the box had been lifted off, and the employees of Anshi Capital applauded and cheered relentlessly. The younger employees even chanted, "Mr. An is awesome!" and "Long live Anshi!"
An Jiyue smiled and let out a long sigh.
This was the first time she had met with the employees of Anshi Capital since she took over the responsibility of Anshi from her parents.
That year, Anshi encountered an unexpected change and its business focus temporarily shifted to overseas. This not only made it easier for her, Yue Hui and Liang Sinan to do their work, but also provided an opportunity to avoid the fierce competition in the domestic market.
The three of them form a team, so Anshi only has one overseas office to date.
While they were diligently cultivating overseas, the entire floor of their domestic office fell into a long period of stagnation, and for a time they could only survive by taking on sporadic small cases. Most of those who can still stay here today are loyal and capable old people.
It is no wonder that Yue Hui, who only likes to talk about the essence of cooperation and hates drinking competitions, would drink and talk with them and open his heart.
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