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"Aren't you very jealous of him?"
Gu Yunhao frowned.
In fact, what he just said was different from what he had prepared before coming here.
Before meeting Ning Yuxuan, Gu Yunhao made up his mind that no matter how much this woman begged him, he would never agree to let the manufacturer cooperate with Ning Yuxuan at the original price.
At most, the price increase will be reduced from 10% to 8%, or even 5%.
This was a lesson he was teaching Ning Yuxuan, showing her that with just a flick of his finger or a couple of phone calls, Gu Yunhao could cause her shabby hotel to lose a fortune.
She won't get away with going against Gu Yunhao.
It was only after Ning Yuxuan had said a few words that Gu Yunhao couldn't help but offer her even more tempting terms, forcing her to give in.
He desperately wanted to see her beg him.
When they were still together, all of these things were clearly within his grasp—
He could find her submissiveness, obedience, and pleading all at once.
The woman before him was as beautiful as he remembered, even more radiant, yet he could hardly earn a single smile from her.
Realizing he was staring at Ning Yuxuan in a daze, Gu Yunhao cleared his throat.
“Ning Yuxuan.” Gu Yunhao stepped forward. “Did you not hear what I said? I said, as long as you are willing to humble yourself and beg me properly, I can consider helping you negotiate with the factory to get them to sign an order with you at the original price.”
Ning Yuxuan suddenly smiled.
To attend the banquet, she changed into a formal gown, paired with exquisite jewelry and delicate makeup.
Gu Yunhao was stunned.
The next moment, Ning Yuxuan smiled and said, "Gu Yunhao, in the end, is it just that you want to hear me beg you like a dog?"
Gu Yunhao: "..."
Even though he knew her words were laced with sarcasm, he couldn't help but admit, "So what if they are?"
“As long as you beg me…” Gu Yunhao stared at her, “I can let Hua Yuan off the hook for now.”
Ning Yuxuan's smile vanished, and she took a step back: "You're dreaming."
Gu Yunhao: "You—!"
He couldn't understand where Ning Yuxuan's confidence came from.
Gu Yunhao was furious, but remembering that they were still in a public place, he lowered his voice and said, "Are you being so tough because you've gotten close to Xie Zhiyan?"
Ning Yuxuan raised an eyebrow: "So what if it is?"
The woman's confident expression not only enraged Gu Yunhao but also fueled his intense jealousy.
Gu Yunhao gritted his teeth and said, "Ning Yuxuan, look carefully. You've come to the banquet alone because of the supplier issue, trying every means to see Wu Shangdong. Where is your General Manager Xie at this time?"
Seeing that Ning Yuxuan did not answer immediately, Gu Yunhao revealed a mocking expression.
Sure enough, everything was under his control.
Gu Yunhao scoffed lightly: "I bet you already contacted Xie Zhiyan before you came here, right? You know, he could easily resolve this for you with just a phone call, without even showing up in person. But Xie Zhiyan still refused to help you, so don't you understand your true place in his heart?"
Ning Yuxuan looked at Gu Yunhao quietly.
After he finished speaking, she didn't answer his question. Instead, she smiled knowingly and said, "Gu Yunhao, you keep talking about Xie Zhiyan. Are you very jealous of him?"
Gu Yunhao's pupils contracted: "...What did you say?"
Ning Yuxuan smiled and said, "If I remember correctly, Xie Zhiyan is only three years older than you. But now he is the head of Hengjiang Group, one of the most powerful people in Beicheng, and can make the business world go round with a single word. And you—"
She gave Gu Yunhao a sympathetic look: "You can only rely on your status as the eldest grandson of the Gu family to trip up Hua Yuan and me, and then rush to the banquet hoping that I will beg you to satisfy your pitiful pride."
Ning Yuxuan did not follow Gu Yunhao's line of thinking: it was meaningless to prove to Gu Yunhao that she held a place in Xie Zhiyan's heart.
Instead of proving yourself, attack the other party.
It would be even better if Gu Yunhao's hatred could be diverted from Hua Yuan to Xie Zhiyan, saving her future efforts.
Just as she expected, Gu Yunhao turned pale with anger after hearing these words.
He arrived with a glass of red wine in his hand, but now his right hand is trembling slightly, causing the wine glass to sway constantly.
She touched a nerve.
Gu Yunhao has never lacked anything materially since he was a child; his greatest desire is for the approval of others.
However, under the shadow of Old Master Gu and his elders, while others outwardly respected him, they secretly referred to him as the good-for-nothing eldest grandson of the Gu family.
If there hadn't been many other guests around, Gu Yunhao would have almost immediately lost his temper.
"Ning Yuxuan, you—"
Before the words were finished, an older male voice rang out beside them.
“Isn’t this Xiao Ning…and Yun Hao?” A kind-faced man, around fifty-five years old, walked over.
The man who came was named Guo Zhihong. He was in the building materials business and was known to everyone as "Chairman Guo".
Guo Zhihong and Wu Shangdong are on good terms, and their families have collaborated many times in recent years. Guo attended the banquet to show his support for the Wu family.
However, compared to Wu Shangdong's reputation for being difficult to deal with, Guo Zhihong was much more humble and polite in public, and he didn't put on airs in front of the younger generation.
Guo Zhihong smiled and gestured to the waiter, instructing him to hand Ning Yuxuan a glass of red wine.
"Xiao Ning," Guo Zhihong said with a smile, "I saw you at Old Master Gu's birthday banquet last time, but unfortunately I didn't get a chance to greet you properly. Do you remember me?"
Ning Yuxuan didn't know the purpose of the other party's sudden visit, but she still accepted the red wine and replied politely, "Of course, Mr. Guo, hello. Mr. Gu praised the Five Blessings Surrounding Longevity painting that you gave him last time."
Guo Zhihong laughed loudly, "Hahaha, Xiao Ning, you flatter me. Young people have such good memories; even after so long, you still remember what I gave you that day."
He gestured to Gu Yunhao with his wine glass, saying, "I saw you and Yunhao here, so I came over to say hello. What are you two talking about?"
Gu Yunhao's expression was somewhat unpleasant, and he forced a smile, saying, "Chairman Guo, Yu Xuan and I were just having a casual chat."
He had just been provoked by Ning Yuxuan and was already somewhat out of control. Now, seeing that Guo Zhihong was even more eager for Ning Yuxuan than for himself, he felt even more strange.
Although she knew that these people did not value her, Ning Yuxuan was only Xie Zhiyan's temporary girlfriend. Why should she receive special treatment from Chairman Guo?
Guo Zhihong smiled and nodded: "You younger generation always have so much to talk about. Yunhao, please give my regards to your grandfather and father."
Gu Yunhao: "Yes! I..."
He wanted to say a few more words, but Guo Zhihong had already turned to Ning Yuxuan.
"Xiao Ning, I just heard Shang Dong say that he and that person under your name..."
Ning Yuxuan added at the opportune moment: "Huayuan."
Guo Zhihong nodded and chuckled, "Yes, yes, Huayuan. Shang Dong said he just reached a cooperation agreement with Huayuan, and he even praised your eloquence to me! It's not easy to get a compliment from Shang Dong, I'm quite impressed with you."
Ning Yuxuan chatted casually with Guo Zhihong for a few more minutes. Guo Zhihong politely expressed that he would look forward to cooperating with Huayuan if there was an opportunity in the future.
Given Huayuan's current size, it would be an honor for Ning Yuxuan if they could truly cooperate with Guo Zhihong.
Guo Zhihong didn't lack Huayuan as a business partner; he just happened to hear that Wu Shangdong and Ning Yuxuan had a good chat, so he came over to exchange a few pleasantries.
If Huayuan fails to succeed in the future, he will not suffer any loss.
Ning Yuxuan and Guo Zhihong chatted for a few minutes, but Gu Yunhao only heard almost one sentence—
Wu Shangdong has actually agreed to cooperate with Ning Yuxuan and supply goods to Huayuan?
This is Wu's territory, and almost every guest present wanted to chat with Wu Shangdong. Given Ning Yuxuan's status, it would be difficult for her to find an opportunity to speak with Wu Shangdong alone.
Moreover, how could someone as picky as Wu Shangdong possibly be interested in Hua Yuan's small plot of land?
how so?
No matter how unwilling Gu Yunhao was to believe it, he knew that Guo Zhihong, given his status, would not speak carelessly.
Now that Chairman Guo has brought up this cooperation, it's practically a done deal that the Wu family will become Huayuan's new supplier.
Gu Yunhao's face turned pale and then red.
No wonder Ning Yuxuan was unusually calm just now. Not only did she not beg him, but she even took the opportunity to mock him.
It turned out that she had already been confident of victory.
Guo Zhihong had many people to greet at the banquet, so he wouldn't spend too much time on Ning Yuxuan, a junior.
After exchanging a few casual words, Guo Zhihong and Ning Yuxuan exchanged contact information, and then Guo Zhihong went off to chat with others while holding his wine glass.
Gu Yunhao looked at Ning Yuxuan, his hands clenched into fists.
He wanted to say a few more sarcastic remarks to her, but when he thought about how Ning Yuxuan had already solved the supplier's problem, and how he had been smugly hoping that she would beg him, Gu Yunhao couldn't say a word.
What was she thinking at the time? Was she deliberately trying to make him look bad?
But at this moment, Ning Yuxuan was in no hurry to leave.
She swirled the wine in her glass, took a slow sip, as if waiting for him to continue speaking.
Gu Yunhao was both angry and resentful.
He glared at Ning Yuxuan with hatred, and finally choked out, "These people are only doing this because of Xie Zhiyan. Once he completely abandons you, let's see if they'll still care about you."
Ning Yuxuan chuckled: "Anything else? Is there anything else you want to say? Why don't you take this opportunity to say it all at once?"
Having just experienced the blow, Gu Yunhao had long lost his initial arrogance.
However, faced with Ning Yuxuan's provocation, Gu Yunhao still couldn't suppress his anger.
He gritted his teeth: "Ning Yuxuan, you may be able to be smug for a while, but let me tell you this: in less than six months, you and your shabby little hotel will be doomed, and then you won't even have the chance to come begging to me."
Ning Yuxuan said "Oh": "Since you care so much about my hotel, I'll leave you a message too."
Gu Yunhao: "...What?"
Ning Yuxuan: "Remember to watch the news more often these days."
After saying that, she left in her high heels.
Ning Yuxuan found a slightly secluded spot in the banquet hall and glanced at her phone.
My mother sent me a message.
Ning Fei: [Xuanxuan, Mom supports you exercising more. But don't push yourself too hard, don't drink too much alcohol, and try to come home early.]
Ning Yuxuan didn't tell Ning Fei in detail about why she came here tonight, only saying that she had to attend a banquet and might not get home until later.
However, Ning Yuxuan did not deliberately hide her intention from her mother, so Zhou Lin had probably already given Ning Fei a detailed report of the whole story.
Ning Yuxuan could tell that her mother was worried about her, but didn't want to put too much pressure on her.
That's why I didn't ask about the specifics, but just told her to go home early.
Ning Yuxuan wanted to tell Ning Fei in person the good news that Wu Shangdong had agreed to supply Huayuan with goods at a low price.
So she simply replied: "Mom, don't worry, I didn't drink much, I'll definitely be home before 10:30!"
Ning Shiyue also sent a message, which was an arrangement from his film crew.
Filming in Haicheng has been completed. The main cast and crew will take the high-speed train to Jiangcheng late tonight, have a day off on Tuesday to rest, and start filming again on Wednesday.
Because the filming schedule is constantly changing, the schedule has only been finalized now.
Ning Shiyue: [I've already called Mom, I'm just texting you to let her know. Mom said she's booked her flight for tomorrow noon, you probably already know that, right?]
Ning Shiyue: [I've already made a reservation at the restaurant. See you there.]
Ning Yuxuan remembered that she and Ning Shiyue had made a promise to eat spicy food together.
However, Ning Fei hasn't told her about the plane tickets yet, probably because she's worried about things not going smoothly with the hotel and doesn't want to put pressure on her.
Ning Yuxuan replied to Ning Shiyue with an "okay" emoji.
Finally, she opened Xie Zhiyan's information.
Xie Zhiyan: [I heard from Liu Cheng that you went to Wu Shangdong's banquet. Should I pick you up?]
He didn't ask her why she didn't invite him to come along.
Ning Yuxuan had initially considered simply asking Xie Zhiyan to help her solve the problem.
Gu Yunhao was right about one thing: it all came down to Xie Zhiyan with just one phone call.
If she really speaks up, Xie Zhiyan certainly won't be stingy.
However, Ning Yuxuan was somewhat unwilling. It was indeed the simplest way to deal with any problems directly by contacting Xie Zhiyan, but what if the agreement expired in the future?
Even if he likes me a little now, what if he doesn't like me anymore?
So she came alone. As for whether Wu Shangdong had considered her relationship with Xie Zhiyan when he agreed to cooperate, Ning Yuxuan didn't mind.
Things must be done step by step; you can't get fat in one bite.
At least the cooperation was negotiated face-to-face between her and Wu Shangdong, so given her current situation, it can be considered a success.
Her marriage of convenience with Xie Zhiyan lasted for two years, giving her time to improve gradually.
Ning Yuxuan replied to Xie Zhiyan: 【If you happen to be nearby, that's fine too.】
Xie Zhiyan: [Not too far, about twenty minutes.]
Ning Yuxuan thought to herself, "This isn't close at all."
At this time of day, traffic in the city is not so congested anymore; twenty minutes is enough to travel more than ten kilometers.
However, Xie Zhiyan was happy to come, which saved her the trouble of troubling Uncle Li.
Ning Yuxuan: [Okay.]
Eighteen minutes later, Xie Zhiyan arrived as promised.
Xie Zhiyan's arrival was not particularly high-profile; he was wearing a simple suit, which was slightly different from the formal attire for the banquet.
However, his status prevents him from being too low-key.
Upon hearing that Xie Zhiyan had suddenly arrived, Wu Shangdong hurried to the door to greet him.
When Xie Zhiyan said he was there to pick up Ning Yuxuan and didn't plan to stay long, he was both shocked and relieved.
When Wu Shangdong's wife said she would introduce Ning Yuxuan to him, Wu Shangdong did not know that Ning Yuxuan was Xie Zhiyan's girlfriend.
However, although Mrs. Wu is very high-profile in the wives' circle, she has always been very sensible about her husband's work and never interferes in the Wu family's business.
Since his wife rarely spoke up this time, and her request wasn't difficult, Wu Shangdong agreed.
I only found out now that Ning Yuxuan and Xie Zhiyan actually had this kind of relationship.
Xie Zhiyan even came to pick him up in person.
Wu Shangdong quickly added, "It's such a coincidence that Xiao Ning and I just finalized a cooperation agreement. I'll have to thank you for your continued support in the future."
He raised his glass as he spoke.
Xie Zhiyan returned the toast: "Chairman Wu, you flatter me. I only gave Huayuan a small amount of money; it's not like I'm taking care of them."
Wu Shangdong understood the implication.
It's unclear whether Xie Zhiyan's intention was to elevate Ning Yuxuan's status or simply to distance himself from her.
“Yes, yes,” Wu Shangdong replied. “Xiao Ning is very smart, and I believe our cooperation with Huayuan will go smoothly.”
Xie Zhiyan didn't chat with Wu Shangdong for too long; his main task here today wasn't socializing.
When others came over to offer him a toast, he politely declined them all.
Xie Zhiyan found Ning Yuxuan near the dessert table.
“It’s not good to eat too many desserts at once,” Xie Zhiyan said gently. “If the main dishes here don’t suit your taste, we can drive to a nearby restaurant.”
Ning Yuxuan and Xie Zhiyan went down the elevator together and went directly to the parking lot.
Today, Xie Zhiyan's driver came over.
The driver had met Ning Yuxuan before, so he wasn't surprised at all that Xie Zhiyan had suddenly left the dinner party early to say he was coming to pick her up.
Since President Xie and Ning Yuxuan got together, he has witnessed more than one or two rare and unusual things.
After getting on the bus, Xie Zhiyan asked Ning Yuxuan where she wanted to eat.
Ning Yuxuan thought for a moment: "I suddenly want to eat a hamburger. Shall we go to a fast food restaurant?"
She promised Ning Fei that she would go back soon.
Although it's still early before 10:30, going home early will make my mother worry less.
Xie Zhiyan agreed and had the driver take him to a nearby fast food restaurant.
The car soon stopped in front of the fast food restaurant, and Ning Yuxuan and Xie Zhiyan got out and went inside.
This restaurant is open 24 hours, but there weren't many customers at this time, and there was only one staff member at the order counter.
When Ning Yuxuan came to order food wearing a formal gown and full makeup, the staff couldn't help but linger on her for a couple of seconds.
Ning Yuxuan knew that her attire was somewhat out of place with the environment, but she calmly let people look at her.
Two seconds later, the clerk came to her senses: "Hello, miss, what would you like to order?"
For a night shift worker, this wouldn't be something to make a fuss about for more than three seconds.
Ning Yuxuan ordered her own first: a hamburger and a Coke.
Then she asked Xie Zhiyan if he wanted to eat.
"I've already eaten," Xie Zhiyan said.
He came from a dinner party.
When he set off, the dinner was almost over. He had already eaten his fill and had been toasted several times.
Ning Yuxuan glanced at Xie Zhiyan and said to the shop assistant, "That's fine."
Clerk: "Eat here or take away?"
Ning Yuxuan thought for a moment and said, "Let's eat here."
She wanted to get home as soon as possible, but she wasn't in a hurry for more than five minutes.
Eating in the car could easily get on her clothes, and although Ning Yuxuan wasn't a germaphobe, she still felt it would be a waste to get salad dressing on such an expensive haute couture dress.
The food was served quickly; in less than two minutes, the hamburger and cola were on the plate.
Xie Zhiyan stepped forward, took the tray, and walked to the side: "Sit here?"
Ning Yuxuan nodded: "Okay."
A window seat also offers a view of the night scene outside.
She first washed her hands at the sink next to her, and then sat down opposite Xie Zhiyan.
Ning Yuxuan took the hamburger out of the box, took a bite, and squinted her eyes in satisfaction.
Compared to the fancy but impractical things at a dinner party, this kind of high-calorie junk food is much better for eating when you're hungry.
Ning Yuxuan took a bite and looked at Xie Zhiyan: "You really aren't going to eat anything? Do you perhaps think this kind of junk food is unbecoming of your status?"
Xie Zhiyan chuckled: "You're overthinking it. I just came from a dinner party, and I'm really not hungry."
Ning Yuxuan shrugged: "Okay then."
She picked up the Coke on the table and took a sip.
The soda cups at this fast food restaurant didn't come with straws; they only had a small opening on a plastic cap.
Ning Yuxuan felt that drinking like this wasn't enough, so she simply opened the lid and took another big gulp, letting out a comfortable sigh.
Soda tastes best when you drink it in big gulps!
She now thinks the person who invented the hamburger with iced cola was a genius!
However, it felt a bit strange that she was eating and drinking like this all by herself.
Especially since the man opposite her was just watching her silently.
Ning Yuxuan blinked: "If you're not going to eat, how about you drink something?"
Xie Zhiyan: "Alright."
Ning Yuxuan was about to tell him that he could order by scanning a QR code and didn't need to go to the front desk to order.
Xie Zhiyan picked up her glass of cola and took a sip.
Ning Yuxuan: "..."
Did this man genuinely misunderstand her, or was he doing it on purpose?
Ning Yuxuan tried to find the answer in Xie Zhiyan's face.
But the man's expression remained unchanged, and after finishing his drink, he put the cola back.
Before eating, Ning Yuxuan blotted her lipstick with a napkin, but she was wearing a bright red lipstick with a matte texture, which wasn't so easy to wipe off.
She was in a hurry to eat, so she naturally didn't have the mind to clean it carefully.
The rim of the glass, facing her, bore the red lipstick mark she had left when she drank from it.
For some reason, after realizing this, Ning Yuxuan felt her cheeks get slightly hot.
The only saving grace was that Xie Zhiyan drank from the other side of the rim of the cup, so he didn't touch her lip print.
After hesitating for two seconds, Ning Yuxuan silently picked up the cup and took another sip.
If she shows too much concern, then she's the one who loses!
However, because she still felt a little awkward, her movements became much smaller this time, and she only took a small sip, completely different from her previous bold drinking style.
A low chuckle came from in front of him.
Ning Yuxuan silently raised her eyes and glared at Xie Zhiyan.
So he did it on purpose!
He knew she would care, yet he still deliberately took her cup!
Ning Yuxuan: "I'm just having a drink, what are you laughing at?"
Xie Zhiyan's smile remained unchanged: "You drink so elegantly."
Ning Yuxuan: "..."
It's confirmed; this man did it on purpose, and there's absolutely no possibility of him being wrongly accused.
Ning Yuxuan glanced at the half-eaten hamburger in her hand and suddenly felt a strong urge to get revenge.
She pushed the hamburger forward and blinked her eyelashes: "I can't eat anymore. Wasting food is shameful. How about you finish the rest for me?"
She refused to believe that Xie Zhiyan could calmly drink water from the cup she had used, and eat the hamburger she had half-eaten, with half a tomato and cheese left, and covered in salad dressing, without batting an eye.
[Author's Note]
Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 23:30:00 on June 23, 2024 and 23:50:00 on June 27, 2024!
Thank you to the little angel who threw the landmine: Meow~ 1;
Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: Long Xiaozan 20 bottles; Qingning, shestuit 10 bottles; Wooden Penguin 5 bottles; Muxi, 67579511 3 bottles; Youku's "The Legend of the Tibetan Sea", "Evening Sun and Cold Crow", Wu Labaha 2 bottles; Good Luck Comes to Make a Fortune, Sanli Qingfeng, Yi Er San Si Wu, Qingqing Danggui, Fu Suo Yi 1 bottle;
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