Chapter 16 Can you take me home?
After working for half a month, Ruan Yao has basically adapted to the fast-paced work at Lexing Island.
From initially struggling to keep up with her seniors, she has now been able to independently follow up on some small projects. Even Huo Jing nodded in approval of several design ideas for derivative products related to "Summer Wonderland" that she proposed during project team brainstorming sessions.
Her colleagues gradually accepted this parachuted-in employee who was so beautiful that she didn't seem like a capable person, but who was full of ideas.
The only thing that made Ruan Yao feel a little disappointed was that she had never seen Huo Yan at the company since the day she joined.
She knew that the Huo Group and Lexing Island were not in the same building, but she still harbored some unrealistic fantasies.
What if?
What if he happens to be visiting his aunt's company?
With a "ding," the elevator doors opened in front of us.
Ruan Yao subconsciously looked up and saw that the person who came out was the director of the next department. The light in her big eyes quickly dimmed, and she politely stepped aside to make way.
She felt a little ridiculous, like a silly bird waiting to be fed.
When the get off work bell rang, Ruan Yao packed her things, said goodbye to her colleagues, and left the office building.
As expected, Ruan Sheng's car was already waiting by the roadside.
Ruan Yao opened the car door, got in, and put her bag on her lap.
"Designer Ruan, you're off work? I've been waiting for you here for ages." Ruan Sheng turned his head, flicked his car keys, and spoke in a nonchalant manner.
Ruan Yao fastened her seatbelt. "Brother, you're making fun of me again."
Ruan Sheng stepped on the gas, and the car smoothly merged into traffic. "I'm a project director, for goodness' sake. Now I'm your personal driver every day. How much do you pay your brother a month?"
Ruan Yao chuckled and got away with it by being cute.
Ruan Sheng glanced at her. "So, why don't you take a taxi home yourself? Are you avoiding Chen Yu again?"
Ruan Yao's shoulders slumped slightly, which was taken as tacit agreement.
Ruan Sheng immediately perked up, leaning closer with a gossipy look on his face. "No way? I told you to talk to him the other day, and he confessed to you?"
Ruan Yao shook her head.
"No?" Ruan Sheng looked at him with exasperation. "Then why are you hiding? I thought that kid would have some sense of crisis after hearing that you had someone you liked, and would seize the opportunity to pursue her. But this is it? Looks like it won't work."
He sighed and said regretfully, "That's right, he seems to be really busy lately, spending all his time at the company, and he has some industry summit to attend soon. With no favorable conditions, it seems like there's really no chance for you two."
Industry summit?
Ruan Yao felt the name sounded familiar, and a fragment of memory that she had forgotten in a corner was instantly pieced together.
She remembered that in her previous life, it was at this industry summit that a cultural tourism development project in the south of the city was announced.
At the time, the Huo family was one of the main organizers, and countless companies were scrambling to get a piece of the pie.
Finally, a well-known, established company in the industry won the contract for the most profitable supporting facilities, and thanks to this project, the company's market value quadrupled.
That project happened to fall right into the Ruan family's business scope.
In their previous life, the Ruan family didn't even qualify to participate in the bidding because they missed the information.
Seeing his peers' stocks soaring, Dad was green with envy.
Ruan Yao's eyes lit up, and she suddenly grabbed Ruan Sheng's arm.
"Brother! You absolutely have to go to that summit you mentioned!"
Ruan Sheng was startled by her. "What's wrong with you? Why are you making such a fuss? Our company sends people to those summits every year to hear the latest news. It's not our business."
“Yes!” Ruan Yao sat up straight, her eyes shining brightly. “I… I think I overheard Director Huo on the phone in the company’s break room a few days ago. He mentioned a cultural tourism project in the south of the city, saying that it was spearheaded by the Huo Group and that the profits would be very considerable!”
She dared not go into too much detail, and could only make up stories that were half true and half false.
Ruan Sheng was taken aback at first, then his eyes lit up. "Really? Oh my god, you're so useful now! Aren't you a corporate spy?!"
But he quickly calmed down and frowned. "That's not right. How many big companies are eyeing this kind of S-level project led by the Huo family? How could it be our Ruan family's turn? Our company is too small. We probably can't even get a ticket."
This is also what Ruan Yao is worried about.
In the previous life, the company that gave them the opportunity was a leader in the industry, but the current Ruan family is indeed not qualified.
If you're given a second chance at life, are you just going to watch the opportunity slip away again?
Ruan Yao bit her lip.
She shook Ruan Sheng's arm, her tone carrying a hint of coquetry.
"Brother, just give it a try, it can't hurt. What if you get lucky?"
Ruan Sheng was intrigued by her promise and, unable to resist his sister's coquettish behavior, had no choice but to agree.
"Okay, okay, I'll go home tonight and work overtime to make a plan for you, alright, my dear?"
Only after receiving his sworn promise did Ruan Yao finally let him go, completely satisfied.
As Ruan Sheng was pondering whether this matter was reliable or not, he saw Ruan Yao suddenly stare straight out the window, as if her gaze was fixed on something.
The next second, she spoke hastily.
"Brother, stop the car!"
Startled, Ruan Sheng slammed on the brakes, bringing the car to a screeching halt on the side of the road. "What's wrong?"
Ruan Yao stared intently at two figures on the roadside not far away.
It was Huo Yanzhi, and Gu Huai.
His car was parked right next to him.
More than a week later, she finally saw him.
Ruan Sheng followed her gaze and recognized Huo Yanzhi as well.
Looking at his younger sister's expectant expression, her eyes practically glued to the man, he chuckled and asked, "What, want to go up and say hello?"
Ruan Yao shoved the bag off her lap into his arms and pushed open the car door, saying, "Brother, you go first. I'll go home by myself later."
She was about to push open the door and get out of the car when she said that.
Ruan Sheng, holding her bag, looked puzzled. "Wait, where are you going? You're not going to take your bag?"
Ruan Yao had already gotten out of the car. She turned around, put her index finger to her lips, and nervously made a "shh" gesture, signaling him not to make a sound and disturb the people over there.
"Hurry up, bro, don't let him find out."
After saying that, she quietly closed the car door, crouched down like a little squirrel stealing food, and ran away.
Ruan Sheng, who was used and discarded, held up his sister's bag and muttered something to the furtive figure outside the car window.
"Young men have no conscience, and women cannot stay in college."
Ruan Yao hid behind a sycamore tree and watched Ruan Sheng's car merge into the traffic and drive away completely before she breathed a sigh of relief.
Huo Yanzhi had just finished speaking with Gu Huai and was about to open the back door of the car.
"Mr. Huo."
A nervous yet slightly excited voice rang out from behind.
He paused, then turned around.
The girl stood a few steps away, the soft light shining on her, making her skin appear even more delicate in her light-colored dress.
It was Ruan Yao.
She walked up to him in a few steps, clutching the hem of her clothes somewhat awkwardly. "Mr. Huo, can you help me?"
"I think I lost my bag, and my phone is in it... I can't get a taxi now, and I can't go home."
She looked up, her eyes quickly welling up with tears, and tentatively asked, "Could you take me home?"
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