Chapter 36 Summit "Mr. Zhang, is there an appointment this afternoon?"...
Feelings are feelings, but you still have to focus on your work.
Tang Yi got up early to put on makeup, while mentally reviewing the layout of the venue and the entire summit process.
At 8:30 a.m. sharp, she sat down at a small table in the hotel’s executive corridor, a cup of coffee on the table, steaming from its rim.
Zhang Minglang hadn't arrived yet. After confirming the driver's itinerary again, she crossed her arms and stared blankly at the table.
Tang Yi stood very straight. To suit the formal occasion of the summit, she had specially changed into a white shirt and a black pencil skirt. The dark red soles of her high heels were faintly visible as she crossed her legs.
However, even with her aloof demeanor, she couldn't hide the mature charm she exuded in every gesture.
Therefore, when Zhang Minglang strolled towards her from behind, all he saw was her slender back.
Sitting opposite her was a man in a suit whom she did not recognize.
He originally intended to go straight up, but suddenly felt playful and quietly walked behind Tang Yi to sit down.
He wanted to hear how Tang Yi dealt with such advances.
The man across from me had his hair blown to one side, and under the warm yellow overhead light of the restaurant, it even shone with a slight sheen.
Tang Yi gently gripped the handle of the coffee cup in front of her, brought it to her lips, and took a sip. Throughout the entire process, she kept her eyes lowered, never once looking up at him.
"Beautiful lady, you've heard of Guangyao Group, right?" the man opposite asked, his manner extremely arrogant.
Zhang Minglang, who was eavesdropping behind him, almost laughed. What lowly henchman? He'd never even heard of him.
But Tang Yi raised her eyes, nodded slightly with an unperturbed expression, and said in a calm and even voice, "I have long admired your name."
The man opposite seemed to have been given courage in an instant, even straightening his back a little: "Judging from your appearance, are you a secretary? May I ask which company you work for?"
Zhang Minglang wanted to laugh even more.
It will scare you to death if I tell you.
He was so engrossed in eavesdropping on the conversation behind him that he didn't notice a waiter walking towards him.
"Hello sir, what would you like to order? Would you like coffee?"
The waiter's sudden voice startled him.
"A glass of..."
Suddenly remembering something, he quickly stopped what he was about to say, cleared his throat, and deliberately lowered his voice to hide his original tone: "A cup of black coffee without sugar."
Hearing the noise, Tang Yi raised an eyebrow thoughtfully, lowered her eyes to think for a moment, then looked up and smiled: "Small company, not well-known."
Sure enough, a sneer came from behind.
Tang Yi couldn't help but smile. But then, realizing she was in front of a stranger, she slammed on the brakes and composed herself.
However, the man who had struck up a conversation with her was taken aback by her smile. After a moment's thought, he took out a business card from his briefcase and slowly pushed it in front of her.
His tone was full of smugness and confidence: "Meeting you is fate. I can consider bringing you under my wing, what do you think?"
Tang Yi remained seated, watching him without any emotional fluctuation, showing no sign of surprise or anticipation.
This woman is quite composed.
But the man behind her wasn't so composed.
Poach his people right in front of him?
Seeing that Tang Yi had stopped talking, Zhang Minglang became even more restless.
Could it be that she's actually seriously considering it?
Thinking of this possibility, he couldn't help but stand up and turn around, only to find Tang Yi staring at him with a mischievous and playful look in her eyes.
She did it on purpose.
Zhang Minglang narrowed his eyes.
Tang Yi lowered her head to hide the smile in her eyes, and got up to make room for him.
Zhang Minglang sat down casually, his naturally imposing aura making the man opposite him feel suddenly inferior.
But he still pretended to be calm, stood up and politely extended his palm to him: "Hello, President of Guangyao Company, Chen Residence."
However, his outstretched hand remained suspended in mid-air. Zhang Minglang didn't even lift his head.
Chen Zhai chuckled awkwardly. He withdrew his hand and pressed on, "May I ask if you are this lady's?"
“I am her boss.” Zhang Minglang raised his eyelids and then extended his right hand to Tang Yi beside him.
Tang Yi tacitly handed him the business card she had prepared beforehand.
Zhang Minglang extended his index and middle fingers, holding a corner of the business card, and handed it to the other party. Chen Zhai took it, glanced at it briefly, and when he saw the words "President of Junmao Group," he suddenly looked up, his eyes shining.
He glanced deeply at Tang Yi beside him, then stood up respectfully again and bowed to Zhang Minglang, this time extending both hands: "Hello, hello, Mr. Zhang."
But Zhang Minglang still ignored his outstretched hand.
The atmosphere seemed to freeze for a moment.
Tang Yi acted at the opportune moment. She nodded slightly to the man opposite her, whose attitude had completely changed 180 degrees: "Mr. Chen, you're too kind. I'm Mr. Zhang's secretary, my name is Tang Yi."
Chen Zhai glanced at her gratefully and nodded.
"Mr. Chen, is there something else you need while sitting here?"
The imposing figure beside him finally spoke slowly, but there was not a trace of politeness in his tone.
Chen Zhai wanted to take this opportunity to say something more. But when he looked up at Zhang Minglang, whose expression was as cold as ice, and Tang Yi, who was polite but distant beside him, he had no choice but to get up and leave in a dejected manner.
It wasn't until the Chen residence was quite far away that Zhang Minglang finally broke down.
He turned his head, looking like he was going to settle scores with Tang Yiqiu: "You clearly knew I was here, why didn't you just call me?"
Tang Yi's face looked serious, but her eyes were still full of a smile that hadn't completely faded: "Isn't this just so you can watch the show?"
He scoffed, "Tch, watching the show? If I don't step in and kick him out, you're not really going to seriously consider switching jobs, are you?"
Seeing that he was actually quite serious, Tang Yi decided to tease him first.
She didn't rush to answer, but slowly reached for her coffee, took a sip, and gently put it down. Only after completing this series of actions did she finally speak: "Yes, I am considering it."
Zhang Minglang was like a bomb, instantly ignited by her casual remark. He turned to look at her in disbelief.
Tang Yi originally wanted to act a little longer. But when she saw his face, which looked like a spilled spice bottle, she couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Her eyes crinkled into crescents, her expression unusually lively: "I was just kidding."
As Zhang Minglang stared at her smile, his own lips unconsciously curved into a smile as well.
After going through most of the summit's proceedings that morning, Zhang Minglang had only one thought: Tang Yi's decision to refuse the summit without consulting him was indeed for a reason.
After the morning session ended, Zhang Minglang refused to waste another afternoon of his life.
After quickly finishing the buffet lunch provided by the organizers, the two got into the car back to the hotel.
Tang Yi's phone vibrated a few times. She glanced at the WeChat message and saw it was from Xu Xiaoxiao.
[Just a laugh: By the way, since you're in City B, could you bring me back a bottle of their specialty jam? I went there for a trip last time, and it was so delicious I can't stop thinking about it!]
After reading the message, Tang Yi felt a little hesitant.
After all, he's here on a business trip, not for tourism. I wonder what Zhang Minglang plans to do this afternoon.
However, Tang Yi was unaware that the man beside her was also secretly making plans.
He was determined to go back to the branch office to find General Manager Lin and find out more about Tang Yi's past. But he couldn't think of a good excuse to get Tang Yi to stop following him.
So, with the same ultimate goal in mind, the two of them coincidentally spoke at the same time.
"Mr. Zhang, this afternoon..."
This afternoon I...
The two of them paused as soon as the words were spoken.
Zhang Minglang gentlemanly gestured for her to speak first.
Tang Yi organized her thoughts for a moment, but only managed to ask, "I just wanted to ask about your afternoon schedule. Is there anything else I can do for you?"
"No!" Her words were exactly what Zhang Minglang wanted to hear. As if afraid she would take back what she had said, he quickly and decisively replied.
His somewhat excessive reaction only aroused Tang Yi's suspicion. She turned to look at him from the front row with a probing expression, and slowly asked, "Mr. Zhang, do you have an appointment this afternoon?"
"The second step to attracting her attention is to create an imaginary rival to make her jealous!"
So the prepared statement swirled on his tongue before he swallowed it back down.
He paused deliberately for a moment before saying in a deliberately relaxed and indifferent tone, "Yes, my parents wanted me to meet a classmate's daughter. I declined in every way possible, but I had no choice but to agree."
After saying this, Zhang Minglang's throat went dry with nervousness, but he still had to remain calm.
He secretly glanced at Tang Yi out of the corner of his eye, but of course he could only see the back of her head.
She looked straight ahead at the traffic and replied calmly, "Okay. Then I'll free up the afternoon to take care of my appointment."
After saying that, she raised the corners of her mouth, turned her head, and added with a sincere expression of blessing, "I also wish you a pleasant date."
The driver stepped on the brakes just as she finished speaking.
"We've arrived at the hotel."
Tang Yi thanked him, then got out of the car and walked around to Zhang Minglang's side of the car door, opened the door for him, and turned to the side as if to invite him to get out of the car.
While Zhang Minglang was still pondering the truth of her claim of "his own date," she seemed oblivious to his fascinating expression and politely urged, "Mr. Zhang, the driver was provided by the organizers, and it's inconvenient for us to use him."
Knowing he was in the wrong, he gave Tang Yi, who was still smiling, a complicated look before stepping out of the car.
The car sped away, and after watching it leave, Tang Yi turned and flagged down another taxi on the side of the road. Before Zhang Minglang could react, Tang Yi had already settled into the seat.
She rolled down the car window, waved to the man outside with a furrowed brow, and said in a raised tone, "Mr. Zhang, I'm in a hurry to keep my appointment, so I'll be going now. Please call me anytime if you need anything."
Zhang Minglang let out a soft "Hey," but the only response he received was a long trail of car exhaust fumes.
What kind of date is it? Why the rush?
He had completely forgotten that what he had said in the car earlier about "meeting his parents' and classmates' daughter" was pure nonsense, and he only felt a sour feeling welling up from the bottom of his heart.
What a terrible idea Cheng He came up with! I'm never listening to him again.
As Zhang Minglang walked towards the hotel entrance, he silently cursed his good brother, who was thousands of miles away and had been innocently blamed.
Tang Yi, who had already arrived at the mall, was carrying the jam she wanted and was video chatting with Xu Xiaoxiao.
"Brilliant, absolutely brilliant! Your move to turn the tables was absolutely brilliant!" Xu Xiaoxiao praised Tang Yi repeatedly on the other end of the screen after hearing her report.
Tang Yi smiled and said "You flatter me, you flatter me" a few times.
She and Xu Xiaoxiao chatted aimlessly as they wandered aimlessly through the mall. Suddenly, she stopped, her eyes drawn to the exquisitely displayed merchandise in a shop window.
"What are you looking at so intently?"
"It's nothing." She looked away, took a few steps forward, but then, as if drawn by something, turned back to look again.
After a few absentminded chats, Xu Xiaoxiao suddenly had something to do and hurriedly hung up the video call.
Tang Yi turned off the screen, spinning her phone twice in her palm. A couple walked past her hand in hand. Watching their backs as they leaned on each other, she inexplicably turned her shoes around and stepped into the store she had already passed.
"Hello ma'am, welcome to Brioni menswear~"
*
"Mr. Zhang, why didn't you send someone to inform us of your arrival? We could have arranged for someone to receive you." Inside the branch office, Executive Vice President Li followed behind the briskly striding Zhang Minglang and asked cautiously.
Zhang Minglang walked confidently to the president's private elevator, but President Li pressed the elevator button before him.
"I only want to see President Lin this time. Don't disturb anyone else." Zhang Minglang's voice was deep, and when he deliberately made his tone serious, it naturally carried a sense of pressure.
Mr. Li repeatedly agreed: "Mr. Lin just attended a meeting and is on his way back. I have already informed his secretary, and he will arrive as soon as possible."
As they were talking, the elevator arrived at their floor. Zhang Minglang stepped out of the elevator and walked into the VIP room to sit down.
"Mr. Zhang, would you like some tea or coffee? I'll have my secretary make it for you right now!"
Unexpectedly, Zhang Minglang leaned back in his chair with his hands folded, his lips moving as he uttered only the words "No need."
After all, Mr. Li had worked with him for a year or two and knew his personality and tastes. He still instructed his secretary to prepare a cup of coffee.
Mr. Li, with his hands hanging at his sides, looked extremely respectful: "Mr. Zhang, it's been a month or two since you last visited the branch office. How about this, since Mr. Lin hasn't arrived yet, I'll give you a briefing on the branch office's recent performance and such?"
Zhang Minglang lazily looked up at him, somewhat impatiently: "I said, I only want to see President Lin. I didn't come here to inspect the work."
Before he could finish speaking, the door to the VIP room was pushed open, and the secretary standing outside greeted him in a low voice, "Hello, Mr. Lin."
With a sigh of relief, Mr. Li took a step to the side, greeted Mr. Lin behind him, and then waved for his secretary to come out quickly.
"Wait a minute," Zhang Minglang suddenly said, his voice very low.
President Lin glanced at him, pulled out the chair opposite him, sat down, and placed his hands together on the table.
Upon hearing this, Mr. Li, who was originally planning to make a quick getaway, broke out in goosebumps beneath his suit and shirt.
But Zhang Minglang simply said, "Don't bring the coffee in yet."
He turned around, bowed slightly, and echoed "Okay," before quickly turning away from this tense and contentious place.
The door was closed softly, and Zhang Minglang's gaze shifted to the smiling face of President Lin.
"Mr. Lin," he said, his voice tinged with respect, "I've come to the branch office to discuss some personal matters with you, so..."
He deliberately interrupted his speech, his gaze falling on the secretary behind President Lin.
Mr. Lin understood and waved for his secretary to leave.
The huge VIP room was instantly emptied, leaving only the two people sitting face to face.
Seeing that Zhang Minglang didn't seem to be going to speak first, President Lin smiled and said, "President Zhang, congratulations on the Zero Point project's instant success! Seeing you again today, you are indeed like Chairman Zhang, achieving fame at a young age and possessing the demeanor of a great general."
Zhang Minglang didn't want to hear his flattery. But he still nodded slightly as a sign of politeness and said, "Thank you for the compliment. This project is not just my achievement."
He paused, looked up to meet President Lin's unfathomable, murky eyes, and continued, word by word, "My secretary, Tang Yi, has been a great help to me."
Upon hearing the name, President Lin's eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly, but it still did not escape Zhang Minglang's notice.
He leaned back as if to relax, then leaned forward as if suddenly remembering something: "If I remember correctly, Tang Yi was trained by you, wasn't she?"
Mr. Lin raised his head, and a vague and inscrutable expression appeared on his wrinkled face.
But it only lasted for a fleeting moment.
He laughed loudly, "Yes, yes, you're not mistaken, she used to work for me."
Zhang Minglang said with feigned emotion, "As expected, a great teacher produces a great student. Speaking of which, I really have to thank you for raising her so well; she is so proper in everything she does."
"Not at all, this little girl is very quick to understand, it has nothing to do with me."
Seeing that the pleasantries were almost over, Zhang Minglang suddenly leaned forward, lowered his voice, as if he wanted to share a secret: "I am very satisfied with her work ability, but there is one thing I don't quite understand. After thinking about it, I can only ask you."
Mr. Lin looked at the young man opposite him, his eyes filled with what appeared to be genuine curiosity. So he gestured for him to speak.
Zhang Minglang stared intently into President Lin's eyes, his gaze sharp and his voice low yet carrying undeniable weight: "I already know almost everything about Tang Yi. I'm here today not to seek confirmation from you, but to hear your perspective as her former superior on that 'past'."
The moment he heard those words, the smile that had lingered on President Lin's lips vanished.
Zhang Minglang was not in a hurry to continue the pressure; instead, he relaxed and seemed to be quietly waiting for his response.
Mr. Lin was still considering his options. Seeing that he didn't seem inclined to speak immediately, Zhang Minglang even got up, opened the door, and called for Mr. Lin's secretary to pour him a cup of coffee.
After he finally brought in the coffee and sat down, President Lin finally finished her final internal struggle and slowly looked up at him, looking ten times older.
His gaze was fixed on Zhang Minglang across from him, like a powerful laser beam that could see through any disguise.
Mr. Lin's voice trembled slightly: "How much do you know about Tang Yi's matter?"
Zhang Minglang's fingers, which were holding the coffee cup, twitched.
They've taken the bait.
Author's Note: I've thought about it a lot...
Decided to be a diligent pomegranate
So starting tomorrow, I will be updating twice!
It's still 9 AM!
I have to push myself [crying emoji] even though my drafts are in jeopardy [crying emoji]
Try it for a week first. If your physical and mental state doesn't work out...
I'll just chicken out and resume single updates [doge emoji]
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