Chapter 32 Chapter 32 He stood there
Chen Cheng suddenly remembered that Chen Jiashu was the man in that photo.
The changes are significant. The man in the photo had smiling eyes like the bright stars and moon, but now, his brows are sharp, and he carries a faint sadness like frozen seawater.
"Chairman Chen, I've heard so much about you." He greeted him.
It's common knowledge that men have eye problems, but the arrogant attitude of ignoring it made Chen Cheng extremely embarrassed.
"Why did you suddenly become an investor?" Chen Jiashu asked Qin Qiao.
Qin Qiao's expression stiffened slightly, then she subtly curled her lips: "It seems Chairman Chen is quite concerned about my financial situation... Actually, it's all thanks to you... that sum of money back then, with interest, was just enough for me to test the waters."
The gentle words were tinged with a chill by the night.
Chen Jiashu was visibly stunned by Qin Qiao's words, a slight look of astonishment on his face.
Since Sister Qiao is divorced, and considering the photos of the two of them together, this Mr. Chen must be her ex-husband.
With someone as outstanding as her, it's not surprising that her ex-husband would be Chen Jiashu.
Chen Cheng turned his gaze away, wanting to leave, but the force on his arm tightened, showing no intention of letting him go.
"Speaking of which, I have to thank you for your generosity."
Qin Qiao's sincere words made Chen Jiashu's face turn so gloomy it seemed like black water could be squeezed out.
Inside, in some venue, a meeting had ended; there were quite a few people dressed in suits.
People surged out, making a commotion for a while, then dispersed, bypassing them.
"Qiaoqiao...that's not what I meant."
Chen Jiashu gripped the cane tightly, the veins on the back of his hand bulging, showing that he was trying his best to suppress himself.
Her gaze slowly shifted back to Chen Jiashu's face, where a flicker of pain flashed in his eyes, which happened to fall into her own.
She admitted that Chen Jiashu's question, "Are you short of money?" stung her, and she reflexively retaliated. However, Chen Jiashu's speechless reaction did not make her feel much better.
Taking a deep breath, Qin Qiao released Chen Cheng's hand: "Chairman Chen, let me lead the way for you."
Chen Jiashu's lips twitched at her fluctuating emotions, but he only paused slightly before replying, "Let's go."
As Chen Cheng watched the two walking side by side, the first thought that popped into his head was that they were a perfect match.
As the two arrived at the conference room door, the room was closing up. Hundreds of people were rushing out like birds in a jungle. Qin Qiao reached out and grabbed Chen Jiashu's forearm, leading him to the wall.
People started greeting Chen Jiashu, including some industry veterans, whom Chen Jiashu could recognize thanks to his good memory and keen hearing. However, there were exceptions.
"Chairman Chen, it's been a long time."
Judging by his height, he was about 1.7 meters tall, and slightly overweight. Most of these old Dongs were of this build.
The voice was deep and husky. Chen Jiashu's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, but it didn't immediately come to mind.
She feigned surprise, took a half step forward, and extended her hand solicitously: "Chairman Wang, it's an honor to meet you! I've been watching all three episodes of Kangyi's live stream where you appeared. I never expected to meet you in person today."
"Who are you?" Mr. Wang asked blankly.
Qin Qiao introduced himself: "Qin Qiao from the News Department of the Provincial Radio and Television Station. I usually read financial news articles."
The two shook hands, and Chen Jiashu stepped forward with his white cane, then switched the cane to his left hand and extended his hand: "Chairman Wang, your prediction on stage three years ago about the future transformation direction of the real economy was spot on."
Chairman Wang laughed twice and shook hands with him, then opened his arms and patted Chen Jiashu's arm: "Your memory is better than my eyes. I just said it casually on stage back then, I didn't expect you to remember it."
Chen Jiashu laughed and said, "You flatter me. My eyes are not very good, so I can only force my ears to work harder."
After exchanging a few words, Chairman Wang left first.
Chen Jiashu turned to Qin Qiao to express his gratitude: "Thank you." He thanked her for getting him out of that predicament.
"You're welcome."
Zhu Ao strode over from the other end of the corridor, having heard the words from afar. As soon as he reached them, he smiled and asked the two who were pretending to be distant, "Why don't you two come to the lounge for some tea?"
Zhu Ao glanced at Qin Qiao's calm and composed face and nodded with a slight smile: "The Blue Mountain coffee beans in the lounge are the ones you used to praise."
"I'm just passing by today, so I won't disturb your business conversation any longer." She added with a smiley face, "Next time, you can treat me to an even better drink."
Qin Qiao left without looking back, and Zhu Ao looked back at Chen Jiashu's increasingly gloomy face.
He urged, "Let's go. Next time I invite her, I'll invite you too."
*
That night, Chen Jiashu tossed and turned in bed, the weight of the silk quilt becoming unbearable. He reached for his phone on the bedside table, and as soon as he picked it up, the phone recognized his face and entered the system interface.
01:30
He propped himself up with his arms and sat up, the blanket slipping down to his stomach and piling up there. Unable to sleep, Chen Jiashu simply got out of bed and walked into the study, feeling his way along the wall.
He pulled out his office chair, sat down, picked up the Hengyu Group's brochure, put on his glasses, and turned to the first page.
Chen Cheng: 28 years old, double degree in Medical Engineering and AI from the University of Toronto
Paper: "Dynamic Physiological Signal Enhancement Based on Generative Adversarial Networks"
...
There are also several awards.
With an impressive resume, Chen Jiashu closed the cover, took off his glasses, leaned back in his leather chair, and let out a sigh of relief.
He opened his eyes again, and Tian Jiayue placed a freshly brewed cup of coffee on his desk.
The rich aroma of coffee wafted into his nose, and Chen Jiashu sat up, holding onto the armrest, his gaze falling on the tablet with its screen off.
I didn't sleep well last night and dozed off.
"Brother, Mr. Chen from Hengyu has been here for half a day. Mr. Zhu has already received him. Mr. Zhu asked me to ask you, are you still going to see him?"
Chen Jiashu picked up his white cane: "Let's go take a look."
At three o'clock in the afternoon, the small conference room was filled with sunlight, and the white walls were tinged with a pale yellow.
The green plant against the wall is one or two meters tall, with dark green leaves that resemble palm fans, layer upon layer. A red ribbon is tied to the trunk, with a few yellow characters faintly visible, which should be a gift from a partner.
Green helps relieve eye strain, and Chen Cheng's eyes felt much more comfortable. When he looked up, he saw the glass door open from the outside, and Chen Jiashu walked in with his white cane, followed by the female secretary who had been with President Zhu earlier.
Chen Cheng immediately stood up. He was sitting very close to the door. Chen Jiashu walked a few steps to him, switched his cane to his left hand, and then extended his hand to him: "Mr. Chen, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."
Logically, he should have taken action, but Chen Jiashu was different; he had an eye ailment.
"Of course." Chen Cheng reached out and shook hands with him, then Chen Jiashu pulled out the chair in the main seat and sat down.
The secretary sat in the first seat to Chen Jiashu's right, which was opposite Chen Cheng.
"Chairman Chen, these are our financial reports for the past three months." Chen Cheng pushed the documents in front of Chen Jiashu.
As he withdrew his hand, he suddenly realized that his action was somewhat inappropriate. Sure enough, Chen Jiashu did not take the financial report; instead, it was taken by the secretary next to him.
Chen Jiashu remained calm, turning his head to whisper to his secretary.
Light footsteps occasionally echoed in the hallway outside. Chen Cheng twirled his thumb as he looked down at the clear growth patterns on the wooden table.
Yesterday, he received three letters of intent for cooperation. Even Dongsheng Technology, which jumped to the top of the industry last year, extended an olive branch to him. However, he agrees more with Sister Qiao's words about "strategic shareholders who can bring resources". After careful consideration, he hopes to cooperate with Qiao Shu.
Chen Jia placed his hands on the table, fingers interlaced, and turned to ask him, "Mr. Chen, in which section of our store do you think the 'Smart Health Monitor' should be placed?"
Chen Cheng considered for a few seconds: "We can put it in the 'smart health zone' of the store and display it together with the refrigerator and air conditioner; the data can be directly synchronized to the home appliances, which is a free value-added service for everyone."
The secretary, who was reviewing the financial report, looked up. Chen Cheng smiled politely and continued, "What home appliances lack is stickiness, while our monitors can achieve high-frequency interaction, such as measuring morning blood pressure, measuring blood oxygen saturation after lunch break, and performing a comprehensive test before bed. These high-frequency usage scenarios allow consumers to naturally integrate our smart home ecosystem into their daily lives."
From a small health monitor to the ecological blueprint of future smart homes, the two gradually became more enthusiastic, talking about scenarios that might be realized in two years, and even imagining that perhaps one day in the future, a refrigerator that can automatically turn food into a "Manchu Han Imperial Feast" will really be born?
Tian Jiayue listened intently to their conversation and gradually realized that the two had similar narrative styles. Their words were concise yet to the point, and they would occasionally throw out a dry joke that fit the situation. Their emotional inclinations were both objective and calm.
Finally, both parties stood up and shook hands again. Mr. Chen successfully obtained the "Letter of Intent for Investment". Beneath his thick eyelashes, his narrow eyes shone with joy.
Chen Cheng: "Chairman Chen, the due diligence materials will be sent to your group's legal department within three days. It's a pleasure working with you."
"It's a pleasure to work with you."
Chen Jiashu nodded and asked Tian Jiayue to see Mr. Chen off.
Tian Jiayue escorted President Chen downstairs. On her way back, she remembered that the small cake she bought on the way at noon was still in the car. She ran out and saw President Chen, dressed in a sharp suit, gracefully sit down on the car seat, push his crossbody bag to his side, and drive away on his small yellow electric scooter.
She couldn't help but laugh. The image of him upstairs, so serious and sophisticated, made him look rather cute in comparison to his slightly timid appearance now.
Back upstairs, Tian Jiayue told Chen Jiashu what she had just seen and heard. His eyes moved away from the tablet screen and slowly fell on her face.
He asked in a deep voice, "Isn't being hardworking, ambitious, and insightful very appealing?"
This is what Qin Qiao said about Chen Cheng last night on the way to the conference room.
The man's seemingly random words startled Tian Jiayue. Her brother's words sounded like a compliment, but they also sounded like they'd been soaked in lemon juice.
"Mr. Chen is indeed very insightful. Brother, have you noticed that you two are somewhat alike?"
Tian Jiayue's eyes curved into crescent shapes: "For example, the tone of your voice, your punctuation, and your opinions on certain things—maybe you two can become good friends in the future."
Chen Jiashu chuckled softly, but the smile didn't reach his eyes: "Are you saying the surname is similar?"
*
As night fell, Chen Cheng parked his car downstairs and excitedly rushed into the company, holding up a document high in front of all his colleagues:
"Ladies and gentlemen, we've got the letter of intent! Let's pop the champagne!"
The man with black-rimmed glasses retrieved two bottles of champagne that had been prepared beforehand from under the table, and strode towards the long conference table, holding the bottles by the necks.
With a loud "bang," the wine bottle slammed onto the table, eliciting cheers from everyone.
"Knock knock!" Someone knocked on the glass door.
The boiling was abruptly interrupted, and more than a dozen pairs of eyes turned to the doorway at the same time.
With the sound of the automatic doors slowly sliding open, Qin Qiao walked in, her high heels clicking on the floor. The first thing she saw was Chen Cheng. The man was still in a celebratory pose, his arm holding the letter of intent frozen in mid-air, the lingering flush on his face turning to astonishment the moment he saw her. But the next second, a brighter light shone in his eyes, and he rushed to her in three strides.
"Sister Qiao, it's done!"
She came to deliver the document that Chen Cheng had left in her car yesterday.
Just as Qin Qiao opened her lips, a loud bang resounded, making her eardrums ache.
Gold foil, sequins, and rainbow-colored confetti sprayed from the fireworks tubes, falling like salt, with a few pieces sticking to her hair and eyelashes.
Her curled eyelashes trembled slightly as a piece of paper brushed against her delicate cheek and quietly fell to the ground.
It was so similar to the scene in my memory.
As soon as Chen Jiashu stepped into the office area, Zhang Shuang pulled him into a crowd: "Come on, come on! Let's wish our group a prosperous future and have some fun!"
Zhang Shuang shoved a champagne glass into Chen Jiashu's mouth: "Don't hold back, start shouting and yelling!"
The usually restrained man surprisingly accepted the wine glass this time, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp.
Her Adam's apple bobbed with an exceptionally sensual way, and it was too late for her to stop it.
"Wow, Chairman Chen, you have a good capacity for alcohol." Zhang Shuang took the empty glass, laughed, and poured himself a full glass, this time drinking it himself.
Zhang Mi gave him a sharp rap on the forehead. Zhang Shuang laughed heartily, then scooped her up and pulled her into his arms, showering her with kisses.
Amidst the scattering of fireworks fragments, accompanied by shouts and screams, everyone let loose, spinning, jumping, and yelling wildly.
Shoulder to shoulder, amidst the clinking of glasses and the revelry, smiling faces were reflected in the windowpane.
Someone pushed her, and she stumbled into Chen Jiashu's arms. The man lowered his hazy, slightly tipsy eyes, and without saying a word, wrapped his arms around her legs and lifted her up.
Then he shouted with joy, hugged her, and spun her around and around.
"Bang!" Another explosion.
The champagne glass touched her lips, slightly cool. Chen Cheng's lips curled into a wide smile, his cheeks flushed, and his stiff black hair was adorned with colorful paper, like a galaxy above his head.
Cheers and music resounded around her as she swam between illusion and reality, as if being pulled down by an invisible hand.
She took the glass of champagne, which was six-tenths full, and drank it all in one gulp.
This is the third cup.
The restlessness lurking in my blood is like a volcano erupting.
The sound of heels striking the ground overlapped with distant memories, enveloping her layer by layer, her smiles as beautiful as flowers, as ethereal as mist, and the clamor like wave after wave.
The light was dazzling, and the woman's smile was like that of a white peony. Her long hair, which fell over her shoulders, was covered with shimmering light spots under the lamp.
Chen Cheng swallowed hard, flustered and at a loss, and had no choice but to force himself to turn around and hastily blend into the crowd.
The people in the room stomped their feet on the floor, making a "thump, thump, thump" sound. They spun around and around, and the champagne reflected Qin Qiao's happy face. In a daze, she seemed to see Chen Jiashu in the swaying wine.
She stopped abruptly, instinctively calling out, "Jia Shu."
Chen Jiashu suddenly turned around.
Afraid he would leave, Qin Qiao didn't have time to look closely before stepping forward and grabbing his thin shoulder with her free hand.
Unexpectedly, the man's body stiffened at her touch, his trembling pupils filled with shock and fear.
It's not Jia Shu; Jia Shu wouldn't do this.
Qin Qiao recoiled as if burned, hastily taking half a step back. The glass door behind her sensed her and opened automatically.
But just as she turned her head, she inadvertently caught a glimpse of a black figure standing quietly beside the door.
His unwavering gaze seemed to be penetrated by the darkness of the night outside, sending chills down one's spine.
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The author's note: Yesterday's letter of intent was written incorrectly.
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