Chapter 15
Song Shiyu did not leave immediately.
He drove the car to an inconspicuous corner on the side of the road, turned off the engine, and sat quietly in the driver's seat, his eyes passing over the neatly trimmed lawn and falling on the house not far away.
One of the windows on the second floor was lit, and the warm yellow light filtered through the blinds, creating a small patch of warm light in the deepening night.
He just sat there, doing nothing, just looking at the window, letting time pass quietly.
He wasn't even sure whether that was Ji Zhiqi's room, but he subconsciously felt that there might be someone there he wanted to see.
It was not until Zhou Yue called and asked him to pick someone up that Song Shiyu came back to his senses, retracted his already somewhat stiff gaze, started the car and slowly drove away.
When Zhou Yue was found, he was leaning against the gorgeous pillar at the entrance of the club, with his eyes closed, looking very drunk. There was a young boy next to him who seemed to want to support Zhou Yue, but Zhou Yue avoided him.
Song Shiyu stepped forward to support him and was about to walk towards the parking lot when the foreign man who looked very young and had red eyes suddenly rushed over and stared at Zhou Yue.
"Zhou, is this your new fling?" The man's voice was choked with sobs, full of grievance and unwillingness.
Zhou Yue leaned half of his body on Song Shiyu. He didn't even bother to raise his eyelids when he heard the words. He squeezed out a very impatient English sound from his nose: "Hmm. So, get lost now."
Upon hearing this, the man glared at Song Shiyu resentfully, as if he wanted to eat him alive. Then he turned his head abruptly and quickly disappeared into the night.
Song Shiyu looked helplessly at Zhou Yue who was leaning on him, and helped him to continue walking forward, "Can you be a human being?"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Yue stood up a little straighter, pulled up the corners of his mouth, and revealed an expression that seemed to be a smile. There was a bit of his usual cynicism in that smile, but upon closer inspection, there seemed to be a hint of inexplicable loneliness hidden in it.
He didn't respond, but opened the passenger door, sat in swiftly, closed his eyes and pretended to sleep.
Based on Song Shiyu's understanding of Zhou Yue, this amount of wine was not enough to make him really drunk. His previous behavior was probably just an act to get rid of him.
The day of bidding soon arrived.
It was a sunny day, and sunlight poured into the International Tendering Center venue through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows.
Song Shiyu and Zhou Yue, wearing well-tailored suits, arrived at the scene early and sat calmly in the designated area.
It was also here that Song Shiyu first met Ji Wei, the chairman of ECLAT International.
The chairman, who is well-known in the international business community and rarely appears in public, was present in person this time, which shows ECLAT's determination to acquire this piece of land.
Ji Wei is about fifty years old, with a serious face, sharp eyes and no expression on his face. However, the oppressive aura of a multinational corporate leader emanating from him made everyone present clearly feel his determination to win.
The bid opening ceremony was conducted strictly in accordance with international open bidding procedures.
The staff checked the sealed bids submitted by each company one by one. After confirming that they were intact, they opened them in public and read out the key quotations and technical points.
The entire conference hall was silent, so quiet that one could almost hear the subtle sound of papers turning and the involuntary breathing of some people.
Everyone held their breath, waiting for the moment that would decide their fate.
After an intense first round of screening and review, several companies with weaker capabilities or unsatisfactory bids were eliminated. Ultimately, only four companies remained for the final review: Song Shiyu's HERMEZ, Ji Wei's ECLAT International, and two other companies with equally strong international backgrounds.
The moment for the final results finally arrived. The host stood at the microphone, holding the envelope containing the results. Ji Wei sat in the front row, his expression as calm as ever, as if he was confident in his decision, without a trace of nervousness or anxiety.
“The winning bid for the development rights of Lot A-05, Eastern District, goes to—” The host paused, whetting everyone’s appetite, then announced clearly and forcefully, “HERMEZ Group!”
A low, suppressed buzz of discussion suddenly rang out in the venue, mixed with exclamations and congratulations. HERMEZ once again demonstrated its extraordinary strength in this bidding.
Song Shiyu stood up calmly, accepting the envious, inquiring, and scrutinizing looks from those around him.
This result, although exciting, did not exceed his expectations.
In order to prepare this highly competitive bid that meets international standards, he and his entire multicultural team spent countless nights polishing and optimizing every international convention and localization detail.
Their victory is the inevitable result of the combination of hard power and full international preparation.
This is the second time that ECLAT International has lost to HERMEZ in a bidding for an important overseas project.
Ji Wei slowly turned his head, his eyes passing through the crowd and falling accurately on Song Shiyu and Zhou Yue.
The eyes were as sharp as an eagle, with a cautious look and a barely perceptible coldness, which was definitely not friendly.
Song Shiyu did not dodge at all, but looked back calmly, his eyes steady and firm, as if silently declaring the victory of fair competition.
In the end, Ji Wei was the first to look away, stood up expressionlessly, and left the venue silently surrounded by his subordinates.
"Let's find a place to celebrate tonight?" Back in the car, Zhou Yue loosened his tie and suggested, his tone much more relaxed.
"Okay." Song Shiyu fastened his seat belt, nodded, and did not object.
During this period, the entire multinational team has been too tense and really needs to relax appropriately and build morale.
The evening celebration banquet was held in a private room of a stylish restaurant, and the atmosphere was very lively.
Amidst delicious food and constant laughter, team members from different countries released all the stress they had accumulated over the past few days.
However, Song Shiyu, the protagonist, walked onto the terrace alone when the atmosphere was at its most lively.
The evening breeze blows, bringing with it the cool air unique to the night in an exotic city.
He leaned on the railing, looking at the dazzling city night scene in the distance, flickering.
The excitement belongs to them, but at this moment, he has an indescribable worry lingering in his heart.
He didn't know whether Ji Zhiqi's cold had healed, whether he had taken the right medicine on time, and whether his body had recovered.
Colleagues in the company all admire and like the young boss.
He is highly capable and possesses an international perspective, leading the company forward;
He has a handsome appearance, but he never acts arrogant because of it; he is always calm and polite to his subordinates from different cultural backgrounds.
Excited employees kept coming over with wine glasses, wanting to toast him to express their congratulations and admiration. Song Shiyu politely raised his teacup and explained in English with a smile: "Thank you all for your hard work during this period. Please allow me to serve tea instead of wine. Enjoy everyone."
Zhou Yue left at some point with a handsome stranger, a foreign man. Before leaving, he just winked at Song Shiyu.
Song Shiyu understood Zhou Yue's personality, so he didn't ask any more questions and just let him go.
After the celebration banquet, Song Shiyu did not go back to the apartment directly.
He was driving and unknowingly came to the area where Ji Zhiqi lived.
Just like the night before, the lighted room still emitted a warm yellow glow, which was particularly eye-catching and warm in the dark night.
Song Shiyu parked the car in the familiar old spot, turned off the engine, sat quietly in the driver's seat, and stared up at the window.
He was actually not sure whether that was Ji Zhiqi's room. Perhaps it was just a futile wait, but he still kept looking at it, as if he could draw some inexplicable comfort and strength from it.
It was not until late at night, when the warm lamp quietly went out and merged into the darkness, that he slowly started the car and turned around to leave.
If... if Ji Zhiqi knew that there was a person who was not really familiar to him, who quietly parked his car near his house every night like a thief, just to see the light in his window that might have nothing to do with him, he would probably think that this was a perverted stalker with weird behavior and unreasonable behavior, right?
Song Shiyu held the steering wheel, with a bitter and self-deprecating arc on the corner of his mouth.
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