Do you want to drink this glass of wine?
Lin Xiaoning herself didn't know when she closed her eyes. The sleep that followed extreme exhaustion was like a coma, dragging her into a dreamless, dark abyss, until a sharp knock on the door pierced this protective layer like a needle.
“Bang, bang, bang!”
I was awakened by a knock on the door.
"Xiao Lin, are you there?" Sister Wang's anxiety could be felt through the crack in the door. Her voice was like a compressed spring, ready to explode at any time.
Wow, it's already eight o'clock... Lin Xiaoning snatched up her phone from the bedside table. The screen lit up, stinging her eyes—28 missed calls, the red unread mark glaring. Finally, something went wrong. Where were her clothes? She threw back the covers and stepped barefoot on the carpet. Her champagne-colored dress still hung solemnly in the closet, but the matching invisible bra and stockings had been thrown somewhere in last night's chaos.
In a hurry, I opened the door and let Sister Wang in. Sister Wang almost squeezed in, still holding a cup of unfinished soy milk in her hand, wearing the uniform of a logistics staff, with a look of "something bad is going to happen" written all over her face.
"Auntie, you seem to be sleeping soundly. The whole world is looking for you... I have knocked on the door three times... Hey, Miss... hurry up, mom and dad are here..." Sister Wang muttered, and her speech speed was as fast as a machine gun.
While helping Lin Xiaoning to fix her hair, she said, "The chairman attaches great importance to this annual meeting, you can't bury yourself..." Her fingers were rough but her movements were surprisingly gentle. She quickly curled up the side of Lin Xiaoning's hair that was flat on her face and barely fixed it with the styling spray she brought with her.
While zipping up Lin Xiaoning's shirt, he said, "I heard... you were chosen by the chairman... well... you can't mess this up..." The subtle sound of the zipper scraping across his back made Lin Xiaoning tense. Chosen? What did this mean? An opportunity, or even greater pressure?
"Sister Wang, can you please stop talking? I'm anxious too." Lin Xiaoning shook Sister Wang's arm and acted coquettishly, trying to use this method to suppress the nausea that was welling up in her heart due to lack of sleep and high tension.
At Sister Wang's beckoning, the makeup team filed in, three or four of them carrying boxes, like a group of skilled emergency doctors facing a critically ill patient. Powder puffs quickly applied, concealing the last traces of dark circles under her eyes; precise strokes of eyeliner instantly brightened those pupils, slightly squinting with panic. In no time, it was done.
Bright red lips, wavy curls... Looking at herself in the mirror, Lin Xiaoning was stunned for a second. The woman in the mirror had delicate features, sharp and alluring, her figure adorned with exquisite curves, her figure draped in gorgeous clothing. The fragile, anxious self of last night, even obsessed with shame, seemed completely obliterated. A powerful, almost theatrical, emotion seized her—yes, that wouldn't charm those stinky men... The thought flashed through her mind, tinged with a tinge of vengeful pleasure. Perhaps the target was Zhao Qing, or perhaps everyone waiting to see her laugh.
She practically trotted through the hotel corridor in her high heels. The huge double doors of the annual meeting venue were right before her, and she could hear the warm-up music and the buzz of voices coming from inside. Ye Yidong was standing at the side of the entrance, constantly checking his watch. His bow tie seemed a little tighter than yesterday.
The moment she saw Ye Yidong, Lin Xiaoning could even see beads of sweat on his forehead, gleaming faintly under the dazzling crystal chandelier at the venue's entrance. She felt an inexplicable pang of heartache, wanting to reach out and wipe the mess away, but the urge was immediately overwhelmed by the even more turbulent embarrassment of last night's dreams and fantasies. She could only quickly step forward and lower her voice, "I'm sorry I'm late."
The annual meeting went smoothly. A giant LED screen flashed the company's glorious history, and the music soared. Employees shared their paychecks, beaming with joy; partners received their contracts, shaking hands and celebrating. Lin Xiaoning, drawing on her experience, improvised three times to avoid forgetting her lyrics. She even managed to flash a perfectly timed, slightly playful smile to the audience at the last moment, drawing even more enthusiastic applause. She gradually regained her sense of control, like a fish back in water.
Finally, Chairman Xu Wu took the stage. His lean figure, clad in a tailored suit, swept the room with a commanding gaze. He passionately laid out the company's three-year IPO strategy: "further technological innovation, further market expansion, more streamlined management, and leading green development." His voice, carried throughout the venue by the top-tier audio equipment, was imbued with undeniable power and allure. Everyone in the audience lit up, as if they saw the golden road to financial freedom right before their eyes.
The atmosphere at the dinner party intensified, fueled by alcohol and ambition. Beneath the crystal chandelier, cups clinked, conversation and laughter flowed, yet the underlying calculations and complexities of human nature could not be concealed.
Chairman Xu Wu was naturally the sun of the room, everyone orbiting around him. He held a wine glass, lean yet imposing, his words commanding authority, as if he held the future of the entire industry in his grasp. The blueprint for the IPO he had just outlined made everyone present gleam with the promise of wealth.
Next to Xu Wu was General Manager Wu Jiaming. In stark contrast to Xu Wu's extroverted demeanor, he resembled a serene foundation. He was about fifty, his hair graying, and he wore old-fashioned glasses. Behind the lenses, his eyes were focused yet slightly weary. He listened mostly in silence, responding only when Xu Wu inquired about production details and capacity reports with concise, even somewhat dry, data. Then he fell silent again, his fingertips tapping the table unconsciously, as if calculating a cost formula. He was the company's workhorse, diligent and dedicated, yet seemingly forever trapped in the details, lacking the unrestrained energy of a leader.
In stark contrast was Zhao Qing, the Finance Director. She was wearing an expensive custom-made suit, her makeup delicate, yet her expression couldn't conceal the shrewdness and caustic nature of her expression. She was smiling as she spoke to a supplier representative. Her voice was low, but words like "rebate," "credit period," and "cost control" were faintly audible. Her smile was as precise as a calculator, measuring the value of every relationship. Her gaze on Lin Xiaoning was particularly cold, as if she were evaluating a distressed asset about to fetch a premium.
Professor Li, the honored guest of Xu Wu, was a highly paid "chemical expert" hired by the company, holding several prestigious association consultant titles. He was twirling the stem of his goblet, expounding on the red wine in it: "Fine tannins, richly layered fruit aromas, a Burgundian spirit with a touch of New World exuberance..." His words were full of pretentious elegance, but no one had ever heard him offer a single insightful insight into the company's core chemical process challenges.
Vice President Lao Zhou, in charge of production, was a veteran who had worked alongside Xu Wu to build the company. His complexion was swarthy, his knuckles thick, and he wore indelible marks. Unaccustomed to such situations, he seemed a little awkward, but his loyalty to Xu Wu was almost blind. Whenever Xu Wu spoke, he nodded emphatically, agreeing loudly, "Chairman, you're right! Let's do it!" His unwavering loyalty made him the most stable, yet also the least adaptable, link in Xu Wu's power structure.
Sales General Manager Liu Feng, on the other hand, was in his element. He shuffled between tables, wine glass in hand, his face flushed and his voice booming. He patted everyone on the shoulder and called them his "brother." He boasted to a client, "Don't worry! For your order, I'll give you priority even if I have to slam my head on the chairman!" His words were a mixture of truth and falsehood, shrewd and cunning, but they always managed to liven up the atmosphere.
As for the chairman of the board of supervisors, he sat quietly in the corner, almost like a transparent decoration. He occasionally smiled and raised his glass frequently, but never expressed any substantive opinions, as if his presence was just to meet the formal requirements of the listed company's governance structure.
Ye Yidong, the company's legal officer, maintained a perfectly balanced distance. Standing a little distance away, he spoke politely, his gaze calm, and occasionally, when he glanced in Lin Xiaoning's direction, a subtle hint of worry would flicker. His professionalism and sobriety seemed somewhat out of place in this frenetic atmosphere.
At the center of the storm was Lin Xiaoning, soon to be promoted to head of the public relations department. Her champagne-colored figure was a bright spot in the crowd, her graceful demeanor and charming smile captivating her. The chairman's secretary, a beautiful but unremarkable "vase," paled in comparison.
The most significant glance came from Zhang Jun of Triumph Capital. He was a key investor in the company's current round of financing. He was slightly overweight, his eyes etched with the undisguised sharpness of a prey. He offered several toasts to Lin Xiaoning, his words filled with compliments like "youth is formidable" and "talent and beauty coexist." But the fleeting touches of his fleshy hand on the back of her hand and waist, and the increasingly blatant admiration he displayed as the wine drained, made Lin Xiaoning's stomach tighten.
Xu Wu was clearly pleased to see this happen. He brought Zhang Jun back to Lin Xiaoning and personally poured her a small half-cup of baijiu. He spoke meaningfully, "Xiaolin, Mr. Zhang is a benefactor to our company, and even more so to your future. Your new position will require the support and guidance of experienced individuals like Mr. Zhang. The position of PR Director isn't just about issuing press releases; it's more about maintaining the company's core strategic relationships, especially with Mr. Zhang." He patted Zhang Jun on the shoulder and laughed, "Mr. Zhang, our Xiaoning will be in great trouble from now on! She's the most talented girl in our company. Please take good care of her!"
Zhang Jun smiled complacently, squinted his eyes and scanned Lin Xiaoning from head to toe again, raised his glass and said: "Chairman Xu, don't worry, I will definitely teach my all to a talent like Miss Lin. It depends on whether Miss Lin... is sincere." He drank the wine in the glass and showed the bottom of the glass to Lin Xiaoning, his intention was obvious.
The glass of wine was pushed in front of Lin Xiaoning again. The swaying liquid reflected her perfectly made-up face, as well as Xu Wu's expectant eyes, Zhang Jun's greedy smile, and the gazes of the people around her, all with their own thoughts.
This is no longer just a glass of wine.
It was a token of loyalty, a stepping stone, a shortcut to power and wealth, but it could also be... the beginning of her downfall. The chairman's words almost made it clear—the company's successful financing and future ambitions now seemed subtly linked to her ability to "protect" this investor.
She was torn between her longing for the future and the predicament she faced. On one side was the position within her grasp and the "heavy responsibility" that Xu Wu "expected" her to shoulder, while on the other was her uncompromising pride and a lingering sense of clarity deep within her heart.
Lin Xiaoning's fingers trembled slightly. She took a deep breath, her eyes glancing over the glass of wine, towards Ye Yidong in the distance, who seemed to be about to step forward but paused. Finally, an incomparably bright, impeccable professional smile spread across her face. She slowly reached out her hand and grasped the cold stem of the glass...
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
