Chapter 187 I thought we were at least friends
Zhou Rui's voice was mellow, with the most familiar tone.
The person in front of him was obviously Mu Tianrui, but Su Tang felt that he was completely different from the previous person.
His tone was relaxed, as if he was inviting an old friend.
Su Tang stopped and looked calm, as if he was just rejecting an ordinary invitation.
"Mr. Zhou, long time no see. Congratulations on your return home in glory. But I'm sorry, my child is still young and needs to be alone. I have to rush home to make him dinner, so I won't drink the coffee. I appreciate your kindness."
Her tone was distant and polite, and her reasons were sufficient and justifiable. After she finished speaking, she nodded slightly and turned sideways to leave.
"Doctor Su."
Zhou Rui raised his voice slightly, took a wrong step, and blocked her way again without leaving a trace.
The smile on his face remained unchanged, and even deepened, but there was no smile in his eyes behind the lenses.
"It's just dinner, it doesn't matter if we eat later. If you're worried about the child, I can find someone to help you.
I think, with the modest contributions I've made to the army, I wouldn't be so embarrassed to invite the wife of our great hero, Captain Lu, for a cup of coffee and discuss... our future donation plans, right?"
His words were still sugar-coated, but they revealed his inner toughness.
First point out your own contributions and reputation, and then subtly involve Lu Xiao.
In the end, the simple invitation for coffee was elevated to the level of discussing serious business, as if if Su Tang refused again, it would be inconsiderate and might even affect the interests of the army.
He leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice even lower, with an unmistakable sense of oppression.
"It's in the coffee shop on the corner. It's quiet and convenient for conversation. I've already reserved a table. Dr. Su, will you please?"
He stretched out his hand and made an invitation gesture. His posture was elegant, but with a sense of firmness, as if Su Tang's rejection had never existed.
Su Tang's heart tightened slightly, knowing that he couldn't avoid this cup of coffee.
Zhou Rui made it clear that he would not allow her to refuse.
If she insisted further, she would appear guilty or rude, which would be exactly what he wanted.
She took a deep breath, and instead of showing the panic that Zhou Rui had expected, her face revealed a very faint but decent smile. That smile was even more like an impeccable mask than Zhou Rui's.
"Mr. Zhou is so enthusiastic. Since this is for serious business, it would seem immature of me to refuse."
Her tone was calm, even helpless, and she skillfully transformed the tough invitation into a warm welcome that was hard to refuse.
The coffee shop on the corner is newly opened and is a fresh Western sight here.
There was a small bell hanging on the door, which jingled when you pushed it.
The light inside was dim, and the booths were made of dark green patent leather, some parts of which had been worn to a white finish.
There was a sweet aroma in the air.
The waiter attentively led them to a relatively quiet booth at the innermost part.
He pulled out a chair for Su Tang very gentlemanly and said with a smile: "Doctor Su is really hard-working. You have to work and take care of the children at the same time. Captain Lu is in the capital all year round. You have to support the family and the outside world by yourself. It's not easy."
His words sounded considerate, but in fact they accurately described her husband's absence, subtly hinting at her helplessness.
Su Tang said calmly, "It's a soldier's duty to defend his country. He's serving the country at the front, and I'm taking care of our family at the back, so he doesn't have to worry about anything. It's only natural. It's not hard work."
She used little effort to achieve a great result and neutralized Zhou Rui's provocation.
The waiter brought two cups of coffee in rough white porcelain cups. The liquid inside was dark with a thin layer of foam floating on it.
Zhou Rui stirred gently with a small spoon, and the silver spoon touched the wall of the cup, making a small sound.
He spoke casually.
"Speaking of which, after returning this time, I saw that my hometown has changed a lot, and the army is getting better and better. I'm really happy. So I want to do my part, especially in logistics support. Only when the soldiers have peace of mind about food and supplies can they train and perform their missions better. Isn't that right, Doctor Su?"
He raised his eyes and smiled gently, looking really like the former Mu Tianrui.
"I heard that Doctor Su seems to have some unique opinions on imported food supplies recently. He even went to my grandfather and several logistics leaders to remind them. He's really meticulous."
He finally revealed his true intentions. Although it was a question, it contained an interrogation that could not be avoided.
The air around seemed to be stagnant.
Su Tang picked up the boiled water in front of him, moving neither hurriedly nor slowly.
Then she looked at Zhou Rui, her eyes clear and calm, with a hint of doubt.
"Mr. Zhou, what's the origin of this? I don't have any unique opinions. I just read in the newspaper a while ago that some places seized substandard imported canned food and people got sick from eating it."
"I might be a bit of a pessimist, but safety is paramount when it comes to procuring and receiving donations for our troops, so I mentioned it to the elders while chatting."
"I also hope that such a good thing can be handled more safely and without any mistakes, which would disappoint the kindness of such a kind-hearted person like you, Mr. Zhou."
She smiled slightly, and her tone even had a hint of sincerity.
"Mr. Zhou, you've come back from a big place like Hong Kong. You have a lot of experience and connections, so I'm sure you'll have good things to offer. I'm just worrying about nothing. After all, this isn't like Hong Kong, and many things are new to us. It's always better to be cautious."
"What do you think, Mr. Zhou?"
Her words were flawless.
In the end, he praised Zhou Rui, threw the question back lightly, and completely stayed out of it.
Zhou Rui paused almost imperceptibly while stirring the coffee.
He looked at the woman in front of him. She was sitting there, thin and weak, looking like she needed protection.
But the words he said were like the most slippery koi fish, making every time he tried hard, he would fall into nothing.
The smile on his face gradually deepened, but a very faint haze flashed across his eyes.
Zhou Rui chuckled, his voice still mellow: "Doctor Su is very thoughtful. It's right to be cautious."
He picked up the coffee cup, took a sip, and his eyes passed through the mist and fell on Su Tang's calm face again.
In this first round of testing, he didn't gain any advantage at all.
"By the way, Dr. Su, I thought we were at least friends."
"If it's Mu Tianrui, maybe, but Mr. Zhou and I have never been on the same page."
From the moment he appeared to the moment his identity was revealed, he always had a purpose and was trying to exploit others.
Su Tang had nothing to talk about with him.
Especially after she knew that the content of the original book was different from what she knew.
"What a pity! I really hope we are friends."
Zhou Rui's tone was full of regret. He took a sip of coffee, and a complex emotion flashed across his eyes.
It seemed that no matter what he said, she would not believe him.
Since that’s the case, then we’ll just have to fight to the death.
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