Chapter 34 Another winter vacation begins...
The winter vacation has begun again, which is also a time of struggle for Lu Xiao and Dou Dou.
"DouDou, get out of here. We need to go to class. Your teacher and classmates are waiting for you." She stood in front of the car door and said to DouDou, who was reluctant to unbuckle her seatbelt.
DouDou gripped the seatbelt, looked up and asked, "Mommy, when can we stop having art class? I want to rest."
“You only have a winter break of about twenty days. Do you want to suffer first and then enjoy the rewards, or enjoy the rewards first and then suffer?” Lu Xiao said. “If I rest first, then I’ll have to go to class later. If I go to class first, then I can rest until the day before school starts.”
"When you have a break, can you and Dad take me on a trip?" Dou Dou's expression softened a little. "When my classmates have holidays, their parents take them to a certain city to play. I want to too."
"Of course you can."
In fact, Shen Nanfeng is busy with work and usually can't find the time, which is why Lu Xiao was able to agree so readily. She thought that she could just bring Dou Dou with her, which would avoid their awkward interactions.
"Great! We can go on a trip now!" With the promise granted, DouDou happily unbuckled her seatbelt and jumped up and down.
"Come on, take it slow." Lu Xiao led him toward the institution, encountering many children of various ages along the way.
The teachers from the institution were already waiting at the classroom door. Lu Xiao said to Dou Dou, "Say hello to the teacher."
DouDou waved: "Good morning, teacher."
"Good morning, DouDou." The teacher smiled and half-squatted down. "You seem very happy to come to class."
Seeing Dou Dou staring curiously into the classroom with his big eyes, a stark contrast to his earlier resistant demeanor, Lu Xiao gradually relaxed. "He really enjoys drawing."
"Hurry up and go inside with the teacher," Lu Xiao said.
After saying goodbye to her, DouDou went into the classroom with the teacher.
Lu Xiao was looking down at her phone, typing and asking Huang Shiyu about the band, when she suddenly stopped and her gaze fell on the two people in front of her.
They looked like a mother and son, but the woman was very young, probably only in her early twenties, while the son looked to be about thirteen or fourteen years old.
"You're a bad woman, a bad woman!" the boy roared angrily at the woman. "Don't think that just because you're carrying my dad's child, I'll accept you as my mother. Absolutely not!"
She had no intention of eavesdropping on other people's family affairs, but the two people were standing in a position that was the only way out of the institution, and she was really in a dilemma.
Before she could figure it out, the woman's voice sounded familiar, but she couldn't quite place it.
“When I met and married your father, your mother had already passed away. I didn’t interfere in your father-mother relationship, so why would you call me a bad woman?” the woman said clearly and logically. “Besides, I’ve already contacted the person in charge of this institution. You like painting, right? I’ve hired the best teacher in the industry to tutor you one-on-one. Your father will be very happy to know that.”
Lu Xiao remained motionless and silent, watching the grand family drama unfold before her, her mind already conjuring up a series of melodramatic plots from TV dramas. If Huang Shiyu were here, she would definitely launch into a long, drawn-out lecture, explaining how TV dramas always portray a stepson versus a wicked stepmother.
To her surprise, the boy reacted as if his sore spot had been touched, shouting, "Did you even ask for my permission?! How could you just make decisions for me like that?! I'm not going! Forget about it! You really think you're my mother, huh? No way!"
"Even if you don't really like me as your stepmother, I'm still your elder in terms of age. It's not appropriate for you to say that." The woman's tone contained a subtle threat.
"Now that my dad's dead, your true colors are showing, aren't you? Starting to put on airs with me." The boy gasped for breath. "Pah! You think you can tell me what to do? Don't even think about it."
Seeing the boy about to leave, the woman reached out to grab him, calling out, "Xiao Zhu."
"Don't bother me." The boy pushed her away, and when he saw her fall to the ground, he was a little surprised, but he didn't intend to help her up. "I have an exam tomorrow, I'm going home to study."
Then he left without looking back.
"Are you alright?" Lu Xiao, who had been standing behind them out of their sight, quickly helped the woman up. If she hadn't misheard, the woman was pregnant. If something had happened, she couldn't be sure what would have happened.
The woman used her hand to support herself and stood up straight. Her reaction was calm: "It's okay. It's alright to be pushed down. The important thing is that I can get back up."
This is a woman with outstanding looks. Her facial features are smooth and her features seem to have been carved into a smooth white sheet of paper with a knife, each stroke deep and clear.
A woman's intuition is usually very accurate, and Lu Xiao felt that the elegant woman in front of her was definitely not as simple as she appeared.
Lu Xiao stared at her for a while before saying, "Children don't necessarily harbor hostility towards you. In every child's heart, the mother holds a very important place. Being a stepmother is always more difficult."
"You must be very good at raising children, right?" the woman asked.
"It's our first time being a mother, so we're still learning."
The woman looked at her and asked, "Raising children must be difficult, right?"
"Who can argue with that? I went back to work eight months after giving birth. Although I was in the workforce, I had to worry about my child from the moment he was born. Raising a child is not easy, and my child didn't come easily either. After successful fertilization, I had ascites like I was six or seven months pregnant, which made my stomach uncomfortable. I felt frustrated and uncomfortable, but I was still very happy for his arrival."
Once the topic of children comes up, Lu Xiao can't stop talking. She's very talkative and happy to share her parenting experiences.
"Actually, children are just as sensitive as adults. His fear might be that you will take his mother's place." Lu Xiao could guess why the boy had reacted so strongly just now. Every child's feelings for their biological mother are something that no one else can touch. No matter how good this stepmother is to him, she can't compare to his biological mother.
The woman didn't refute, perhaps because she felt a little wronged after the little incident and wanted to confide in someone, hoping someone could understand her. For her, Lu Xiao was the best choice; not knowing her was the best choice. She slowly said, "His own mother died, and his father married me. This child is like a cub whose territory has been invaded and who feels insecure. He thinks I'm going to replace his mother and treats me like an enemy. I can understand the child's feelings. After all, it's quite hard to accept the arrival of a new mother all of a sudden. But I never thought of replacing his mother's position in his heart."
"Your child may not know what you're thinking, but you need to show him through your actions that you don't want to replace his mother." Lu Xiao only touched on this point, after all, it was someone else's family matter, and it wasn't good to say too much.
The woman thought to herself, "That makes sense."
She paused for a few seconds before speaking: "Action, what you said makes a lot of sense."
Lu Xiao remembered the school uniform she had just seen on the boy and casually asked, "I saw the school badge on his uniform, so he must be from Chengxin School, right?"
The woman nodded: "Yes, I am the school board member."
"You're a member of the school's board of directors?" Lu Xiao asked with a smile. "Would it be convenient for me to add you on WeChat?"
The woman didn't even lift her eyelids, a smile playing on her lips. She knew exactly what the other person was going to do, but she wouldn't embarrass them in public. "Sure, I'll add you to the group."
The two quickly became friends. She saw the name the other person sent and felt that the name "Lu Xiao" looked familiar.
She casually asked, "Your husband must be very supportive of your career. It seems like you balance your family and career very well."
Lu Xiao smiled and said, "No one can balance family and career perfectly. There will always be some sacrifices. My husband is a judge and he is usually very busy. It is common for us not to see each other for ten days or half a month."
Is the judge the one she's thinking of?
"Where are the judges so busy?" she asked.
“It’s the courthouse, just a few steps away,” Lu Xiao replied. “If you read the newspaper often, you should know him; Shen Nanfeng is my husband.”
Indeed, she suddenly had another idea.
"Here's what I'll do: I'll add you to the freshmen group next year." Giving before taking is her usual tactic, and she naturally had ulterior motives for adding Lu Xiao to the freshmen group.
“Okay.” Lu Xiao was in an excellent mood, feeling like she was floating on clouds.
Are we going to stand here and chat forever?
Before they knew it, they had been standing there for quite a while. Seeing this, Lu Xiao suggested, "I know a really good restaurant nearby. Let's go, I'll treat you. We can eat and chat."
"Is it far?" The woman didn't move. "What if your child can't find you after class?"
Lu Xiao shrugged: "No, it's still a long way off."
After saying that, Lu Xiao gestured for the other woman to walk forward. The woman smiled slightly at her and then walked with her toward the entrance of the institution.
Evening, after get off work, at the Shanghai People's Court.
Shen Nanfeng, as the supervising judge, had just finished instructing the interns on several case analyses and was about to go to the cafeteria with them for dinner when his assistant rushed over to tell him that Lin, the anchor from the TV station, needed to see him and was already waiting in his office.
He knew who the TV anchor, Lin, was.
Lin Shuyu is a mainstay of the financial channel's midday news program.
Shen Nanfeng was still holding a thick stack of documents in his hand. He said "I understand" and handed the documents directly to his assistant, Chen Baipeng.
Chen Baipeng caught it and watched Shen Nanfeng's departing figure amidst the hurried footsteps passing by. He had clearly seen the subtle movement of Shen Nanfeng's furrowed brows. Shen Nanfeng himself might not have noticed, but as perceptive as he was, he knew that for the usually composed Judge Shen to show such an expression, something big must be about to happen.
He wondered, could it be the case Judge Shen had asked him to investigate before? The poisoning incident involving the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Group? Could it be that?
This was the third time this month that he had seen Shen Nanfeng show this expression, and it was also the third time that anchor Lin had come to visit.
Before he could think it over, Shen Nanfeng had already walked to the door. The office door was half open, and the person inside turned around when they heard footsteps.
"Judge Shen."
If Lu Xiao were here, she would see the person who had just said goodbye to her a dozen minutes ago now appearing in Shen Nanfeng's office again.
Shen Nanfeng stood in front of the door, nodded slightly, and asked, "My assistant told me that Anchor Lin wanted to see me. What brings you here?"
"I apologize for disturbing you today, but it is because of the case of the poisoning incident involving the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Group twenty years ago."
The "poisoning incident involving the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Group twenty years ago" she mentioned was a shocking case that caused widespread damage to the immune systems of 100,000 infants and young children, resulting in multiple organ failures. Shen Nanfeng was one of those 100,000 infants and young children. However, his symptoms were milder. Many of those 100,000 infants and young children had already died, and the surviving children all had some organ problems. Without exception, all of these infants and young children had received vaccines developed by the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Group. At the time, all the witnesses and physical evidence pointed to Li Mingsheng, the chairman of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Group, but the matter was never resolved, and no one could explain why.
“I don’t understand what Anchor Lin is saying. There are quite a few cases backlogged during the pandemic, so I won’t keep Anchor Lin for tea.” He stepped aside, gesturing for the other person to leave. “Please go ahead.”
However, the woman he called Anchor Lin did not leave. She remained standing by the window, speaking calmly: "I think Judge Shen will grant me this unreasonable request. After all, you have a child, and you also hope that he can grow up healthy."
Shen Nanfeng understood the underlying meaning. It seemed like she was thinking of him, but in reality, she was threatening him because he had a child and he had a weakness.
He hated being threatened, but despite his dislike, he pretended not to understand. "Anchor Lin is so young, why does she talk so mysteriously?"
The woman opposite her chose to directly expose the truth, saying, "Even at this point, is Judge Shen still going to pretend nothing's wrong?"
"As far as I know, the new drug from Shenzhen-Hong Kong Group will be launched soon. Do you want your child to experience the same pain that you and your family have gone through?"
Her voice was soft and gentle, yet she could pronounce each word with intonation, just like when she broadcast the news on financial news.
These words echoed in Shen Nanfeng's mind, as if saying, "Don't you remember what happened after the incident? Don't you know what the listing of the new drug by Shenzhen-Hong Kong Group means?"
"Absolutely not." He said it with certainty, and his voice was much louder than before.
"Judge Shen is indeed as virtuous and upright as the outside world says, and is a person who enforces the law fairly."
It sounds grand and dignified, but I don't know if it's meant to be sarcastic or not.
Shen Nanfeng's expression remained unchanged, and his voice returned to its normal volume, "If we can't find out the truth and can't bring him down, then we're digging our own grave. Losing our jobs is a small matter; losing our connections is a big one."
Lin Shuyu stared at him for a long time, seemingly lost in thought, before finally parting her lips to say, "So we must win with one decisive move. I hope we can both achieve our wish."
"I'll go back and ask my wife. If she's willing to let me take the call, then I will." Shen Nanfeng made a gesture of invitation, indicating that today's conversation was over.
Lin Shuyu naturally understood, and having already achieved her goal, she had no intention of staying any longer. "The two must have a very good relationship. This is certainly a good strategy."
As she brushed past Shen Nanfeng, she tilted her head slightly and suddenly smiled, "Then I look forward to Judge Shen's good news."
After Lin Shuyu left, he was still preoccupied with the "Shenzhen-Hong Kong poison" incident. The case was closed, so how could he investigate further? Where should he begin?
He was so engrossed in thought that he didn't notice Chen Baipeng until he was already standing right in front of him.
"Why haven't you left yet?" Shen Nanfeng asked, looking at him.
"I have to go, I have to go. I don't want to waste my short life on overtime." As she spoke, she stopped as if she remembered something and said mysteriously, "Didn't you say last time that you sent strawberries to Sister Xiao and she was indifferent?"
"Yes."
“It’s in a woman’s nature to always feel like she’s missing a dress, a bag, or a lipstick in her wardrobe. Judge Shen, you can start there,” Chen Baipeng smiled at him. “Good luck.”
He watched Chen Baipeng's departing figure, then turned away and walked into the office. The lights were off, and even the blinds were closed. The only light source seeped in from here, creating a tone of light and shadow throughout the office. He walked over and pulled the blinds, and the afterglow of the evening sunset seemed to come from afar, bathing every corner of the office in a golden glow. He slowly lowered his head and looked out the window at the endless stream of cars.
Inside the car, Li Xingzhou hung up the phone and glanced unconsciously at the rearview mirror. He noticed that Huang Shiyu's gaze kept falling on his face, her hesitant expression suggesting she had something to say to him. "Is there something on my face? Why are you looking at me like that?"
Huang Shiyu was slightly taken aback, then realized that her little actions just now were too obvious. After a pause, she asked him, "No, does Xiang Zhinan also keep cats?"
"yes."
As soon as those words were spoken, the car returned to its initial silence. Just as Li Xingzhou was about to try to liven things up, he heard Huang Shiyu ask, "Xiao Mi, is it alright?"
After hesitating for a long time, she finally asked the question, even though she knew that asking it might instantly shatter the hard-won relationship between the two of them.
Li Xingzhou turned his head, stared intently at her, and suddenly smiled. The smile seemed very light to her, as if he were mocking himself. "You still care about it? I thought it was buried in the river that summer night, just like that box."
Upon hearing this, Huang Shiyu's breath hitched.
She wanted to retort, but couldn't find any words to refute it. After all, Li Xingzhou was right; she had said she didn't want the box of things and the cat, so saying anything now would be pointless.
After a long silence, she finally said dryly, "How is Xiaomi now? Has she grown taller or gained weight? Or is she still a picky eater like before..."
“It’s dead.” Li Xingzhou interrupted her. “Even if it were alive, given the highly sensitive nature of cats, even if they don’t hold grudges, they will remember everything you did to it and said to it. They have very good memories and are very difficult to coax.”
This answer left Huang Shiyu in a daze for several seconds.
I say I don't hate them.
In fact, Li Xingzhou still hated her and still held a grudge about what happened back then.
But she didn't blame him.
Put yourself in her shoes; if someone treated her like that, she would definitely retaliate fiercely.
"When did this happen?" she asked.
"I don't remember. Is there any point in asking this now?"
His words left Huang Shiyu somewhat at a loss, unsure how to continue the conversation. She wasn't particularly good at speaking, and her ability to be more tactful over the years was merely a matter of survival.
Seeing Huang Shiyu standing there silently, not even saying a few words, he was furious at her lack of understanding and at her inability to see through his pretense.
He couldn't help but chuckle: "You really do know how to hurt my feelings, as always."
"When it comes to heartbreak, you're the one who hurts people more."
Li Xingzhou looked puzzled: "What do you mean?"
In order to break the deadlock, Huang Shiyu took a deep breath and decided to throw caution to the wind and speak her mind. She had been thinking the same thing all along, so she took this opportunity to say, "Some people are so biased when they raise funds for other people's projects. They don't even need to write a business plan; the money is transferred directly. Unlike me, who works day and night and has to go through layers of procedures, not knowing where I'll fail along the way."
At this point, Huang Shiyu's tone was undisguisedly sarcastic, "For some people, my project might not be that important."
Li Xingzhou: "..."
"I didn't mean to imply anything about you, I was just telling the truth."
What she really wanted to say was, "Yes, I was making veiled accusations."
Li Xingzhou smiled and said, "Can I take that as you being jealous?"
She's jealous? What's she jealous of? She's just stating the facts, okay? What's going on in Li Xingzhou's head all day...?
"What, did I hit the nail on the head? You're jealous of a grown man? I'm not interested in grown men."
"I know."
"So you're just being jealous out of nowhere, huh? But that's pretty interesting. As for the former you mentioned," he looked at Huang Shiyu and said seriously, "Why would I invest my own money in Xiang Zhinan's racing club? You should know that Xiang Zhinan's eldest sister is a famous financial tycoon in the United States, and his second sister is also a well-known SFO in the United States. I heard she's about to be officially promoted to CEO of the family office."
The implication behind these words was quite profound. Even though Li Xingzhou didn't say it explicitly, Huang Shiyu understood. Putting herself in Li Xingzhou's shoes, she would have done the same.
As the car turned into the next intersection, she heard Li Xingzhou continue, "So, they say you're obligated to those who feed you, and you're bound to be obligated to those who give you gifts. Who knows what I might need their help in the future? I'm just being prepared, you can understand, right?"
Huang Shiyu looked out the window at the towering buildings and chuckled silently. This man was cunning, and all he could do was be cunning.
"Don't worry, with your abilities, your project will definitely go public successfully in the end. Have confidence in yourself. I trust you far more than you trust yourself. Are you happy?"
Huang Shiyu thought to herself, "Thank you so much."
The next second, as if she suddenly remembered something, she shifted her gaze from looking out the window to Li Xingzhou's face and said, "Didn't you say you would introduce me to that plant sound therapist when I moved last time?"
She finally remembered this matter; that's really something.
Li Xingzhou was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this, but only for a second. "It's not that I don't want to give you my contact information, it's just that the plant sound therapist is currently not in the country; she's in Toronto."
"What's the connection between giving me her contact information and her being in Toronto? Just give me her contact information." She was completely baffled.
"It's not that I don't want to give you my contact information, it's just that the plant sound therapist is blind."
She didn't understand what Li Xingzhou meant by those words. Did he not want to help her and wanted her to back down?
The sky was just right, and the afterglow of the setting sun was sweeping across the city. She looked at a building in front of her, stopped thinking about it, and said, "Hey, park your car here."
Ahead stood rows of tall office buildings.
He asked, "What?"
"Sign the contract."
Li Xingzhou glanced at her, pulled the car over to the side of the road, and simply asked, "What kind of contract?"
While unbuckling his seatbelt, Huang Shiyu said without even looking up, "I had Wang Ping find me a building to rent for my company. It's 250,000 yuan a year, with a minimum two-year lease. It just happens to be on my way."
After five o'clock, the city, bathed in the glow of the setting sun, is sharply defined and unambiguous, with every aspect of it bathed in its light. The setting sun, too, shimmers with golden light overhead after five o'clock.
He stared at Huang Shiyu, his brows furrowing slightly: "I knew you'd get in my car."
Huang Shiyu got out of the car, turned around, and smiled gently: "To save on travel expenses."
Under Li Xingzhou's gaze, she forced another flawless smile: "Then thank you, Mr. Li."
This heartless brat actually treats him like a driver?
The driver also has to pay for gas. What does he have? Oh, and a thank you from Huang Shiyu.
"Does Mr. Huang even know the rules? You use people and then throw them away?" Li Xingzhou chuckled. "I'll go with you, so you don't get scammed again."
Huang Shiyu paused as she was about to close the car door. She had thought the other person was going to tease her, but to her surprise, Li Xingzhou was actually thinking of her. Had the sun set in the east today?
She looked up, but there was nothing there.
The city skyline captured the last rays of sunlight.
With winter approaching, Shanghai has very short days and is freezing cold, making it really unsuitable to stand outdoors.
Huang Shiyu sniffed and exhaled white breath.
With a seat between them, she kept her hand on the car door. Her gaze fell, but unexpectedly met those eyes that held a deep smile. She looked at Li Xingzhou quietly, nodded, and said nothing more.
She thought, "Let Li Xingzhou go if he wants to. He can even give me some advice."
The wind swirled up the fallen leaves on the ground, and the two walked side by side up the steps into the building in front of them.
The agent had been waiting inside for a long time. She and Li Xingzhou followed the agent, walking from floor to floor, to tour the building. The office building was large, with five floors, and the surrounding transportation was very convenient. The subway was just a few hundred meters away from the office building. Huang Shiyu was very satisfied with this. Although she used to take the subway to and from work every day, it didn't stop her from appreciating how convenient it was to commute by subway.
After exploring all five floors, she decided not to let the agent follow her any longer, as she planned to look around on her own and told the agent to go about other things.
As we walked, it grew darker, and all the lights in the office building came on.
For reasons unknown, Huang Shiyu asked him, "What do you think?"
Li Xingzhou nodded: "It is quite good."
"Then let's sign it." Huang Shiyu took out his phone, intending to call the agent over to sign the contract.
Li Xingzhou glanced at her taking out her phone and asked, "Do you have money?"
"Who do you think you are?" Huang Shiyu looked up at him.
It was less of a look and more of a sidelong glance at him.
Li Xingzhou remained silent.
He didn't look down on Huang Shiyu, but he hoped she would think it over carefully and not act impulsively when making decisions, because impulsiveness is the devil of success.
"With the water, electricity, and labor costs, it'll be more than 250,000 a year. Do you have that much money?" Li Xingzhou always spoke bluntly, because in the business world, there's no room for hesitation, otherwise good projects won't wait for anyone.
Unexpectedly, Li Xingzhou was worried about this. She stared at the building for a long time without speaking, and after a while, she slowly said, "We'll talk about the water, electricity, and labor costs later. We still have the money for the rent."
"Okay." Li Xingzhou didn't say anything more.
As she stepped out of the building, Huang Shiyu glanced at the distant spire. With her astigmatic eyes, it looked remarkably like the Oriental Pearl Tower, but she knew it wasn't.
"Money is secondary; the most important thing is whether it's suitable."
She spoke casually, as if it were just a casual remark.
“Five floors, with a hundred workstations on each floor. Do you have that many employees?” Li Xingzhou said with a half-smile.
Upon hearing Li Xingzhou's words, Huang Shiyu's expression faltered, and he was momentarily speechless. After a pause, his thoughts returned to normal. "A person should have ambition. Just because you don't have it now doesn't mean you won't have it in the future. What you're saying is short-sighted."
The cold wind made her pause again as she spoke. "Besides, five floors isn't much. We need a reception desk, gym, cafeteria, reception room, conference room, R&D center, and some other miscellaneous things that we haven't thought of yet."
The fallen leaves on the ground were blown to their feet by the wind. Li Xingzhou looked down and asked casually, "So, according to you, you're going to sleep in the whole bedroom?"
"It's not that it's impossible."
She wasn't joking at all. If Speed Technology hadn't been small-scale back then, with shared office space instead of its own independent building, she would have liked to have a break room in her office so she could just lie down there when she was too busy, and she wouldn't necessarily have to go home.
Under the cover of night, Huang Shiyu gazed at him, her eyes brimming with tenderness, and everything around her seemed so affectionate and tender.
After looking at it for a while, Li Xingzhou looked away, his expression softening slightly: "You'd better choose a good partner this time."
Knowing what he meant, Huang Shiyu nodded, his tone relaxed: "I know him inside and out, so I can rest assured."
Li Xingzhou seemed dissatisfied with her answer and added, "You can't be too naive in business, or you'll suffer losses. The same goes for trusting people. There's no such thing as knowing someone inside and out. The person who gives you money isn't necessarily a good person."
He dared to say this because he didn't give Huang Shiyu money, but rather technology as equity. After all, in the field of AI healthcare, a massive medical database is of paramount importance, which is far more worthwhile than so-called money.
"I trust my own judgment," Huang Shiyu said with a smile. "So, have you insulted yourself in this situation?"
Did he? Li Xingzhou thought no, after all, he didn't give Huang Shiyu any money, but was he a good person? He didn't think so.
"The way you're talking, making the conversation so dead-end, how can I believe you can make money in business?"
"Don't worry, Mr. Li." She turned slightly to the side and pointed with her hand, "All my assets are in this building."
Li Xingzhou's gaze moved from her face to her finger, and then to the spot she was pointing to, and he commented, "Your building is quite large."
“Mr. Li, you’re joking. It can’t compare to Sunac.” She said confidently, “When I have money, I’ll move to a bigger building.”
Having goals, desires, and ambitions are all good things.
Li Xingzhou shifted his gaze back to her face and asked, "Okay, what do we do now?"
Huang Shiyu put his hands in his pockets, walked forward, and left behind a casual remark.
But Li Xingzhou heard her clearly; she said "withdraw money."
Just as Li Xingzhou started the car, he heard Huang Shiyu ask him, "Do you want to reconsider the chip share issue? Look, I've already finalized the deal for this building."
Li Xingzhou looked at her with a puzzled expression.
Despite the not-so-frightening gaze, Huang Shiyu asked again. She knew that rights had to be fought for, and it didn't matter if she was rejected once, twice, three times, or even hundreds of times. Eventually, she would achieve her goal.
He clearly knew what Huang Shiyu meant by chip share, but he had already explicitly rejected her last time. He didn't expect her to still be persistent.
Li Xingzhou continued driving: "While chips are a problem, the biggest problem isn't there. It's management, the team, and the talent. That's what you need to consider right now."
He wasn't questioning Huang Shiyu's management skills; on the contrary, the fact that she made Speed Technology so successful was enough to prove that her work ability was undeniable and that she truly had something to offer.
However, he really can't give up or give away the chip market share; it's not something he can decide on his own.
She was rejected by Li Xingzhou again, but she was not discouraged. Instead, like an unkillable cockroach, she adopted a different approach: "Let me ask you, let's switch places. If I put it this way to you, how would you solve the chip problem?"
Huang Shiyu glanced at him and saw that he was staring straight ahead, focused on driving, as if he hadn't heard her. She knew that Li Xingzhou didn't want to answer her question, but it didn't matter. Huang Shiyu was thick-skinned, especially in business. She could be the one who was thick-skinned and relentlessly pursued.
"I'll take this as a sincere request for your advice."
Li Xingzhou said, "Then let's find another job. Why insist on sticking to the same old path?"
Knowing he would be rejected, but not so soon, Huang Shiyu pouted and said, "You make it sound so easy. You think you can just sit back and enjoy the benefits of a powerful backer? Do you even understand the suffering of ordinary people?"
Li Xingzhou glanced at her in the rearview mirror: "I'm just telling you the truth, don't be upset. And let's not talk about this anymore. You're a sensible person."
She wasn't really angry, just inexplicably feeling a bit irritated. The chip was the core and soul of the entire project, and Sunac's Qidian was able to take the lead in the field of AI mental health precisely because it was equipped with 3nm technology, which is rare among brands on the market.
So she really wanted to get her hands on this chip!!
Before she could even begin to use the abacus, familiar music began to play in the car.
Huang Shiyu's breathing slowed down.
She hadn't heard this piano piece in a very long time.
It was the piece that Li Xingzhou played in the music room back then, but he played it more than once, and she heard it more than once.
"You seem to really enjoy this piano piece. Is this person your idol?" Huang Shiyu asked.
Li Xingzhou watched the magnificent stream of cars ahead, crawling laboriously in the sunlight. Suddenly, he glanced at the screen playing a piano piece, which had just reached its most exciting part. He couldn't help but picture Ming Xi playing the piece, her nimble fingers moving like a folding spring knife, deftly maneuvering across the keys.
This level of skill was one he could never reach, no matter how many years he practiced. Just thinking about it made his heart clench, leaving him somewhat dazed.
Seeing that Li Xingzhou gently shook his head without answering her question, Huang Shiyu pressed on, "Then what is it?"
Li Xingzhou kept staring ahead, his expression unchanged, but Huang Shiyu felt something was different. He said, "I wouldn't call myself an idol, but I've been to her concert before. Her playing style makes you want to fall asleep without even realizing it."
He paused, then added, "I also hope that the topics we talk about won't be so boring."
Huang Shiyu felt that he was the one who killed the conversation.
"I also wanted to say I wanted it all."
Once Huang Shiyu said those words, it was like a stone breaking open a calm lake, and the ripples on the surface continued for a long time.
Then she heard Li Xingzhou say coldly, "Get out of the car."
Huang Shiyu: "..."
She thought Li Xingzhou had heard her outrageous remarks and was going to kick her out of the car. "What?"
Li Xingzhou parked the car on the side of the road and pointed with his chin to the entrance of the residential area. "We're here."
Huang Shiyu: "..." I was overthinking it.
Even excluding traffic jams, it would take them more than an hour to drive from the city to their suburbs. They also went to see an office building and went to the bank to withdraw money. By the time they got home, it was almost lunchtime, but neither of them intended to have lunch together. Huang Shiyu got out of the car and said goodbye to Li Xingzhou.
Then she made some very formal remarks, like inviting him to dinner next time. Li Xingzhou didn't even look at her or say a word before driving away, clearly annoyed by her hypocritical behavior.
Huang Shiyu was used to being hungry, so he didn't feel hungry at the moment and decided to revise the financing plan first.
She had just finished drinking water when her phone, which was lying next to her, vibrated. Because of her work, her phone was always with her, constantly on vibrate.
Huang Shiyu looked at the words Li Xingzhou had sent on the screen, raising his eyebrows, wondering what the other party wanted to do. However, he still obediently walked towards the door. He turned the doorknob and the face he had seen not long ago appeared in front of him again.
Just as she was about to ask him a question, before she could even speak, he handed her a cup of milk tea, saying it was for her. He gave it to her in such a hurry that he took a phone call and left, and Huang Shiyu could barely catch a glimpse of his back.
However, she didn't linger at the door. She went back inside and looked down at the label on the milk tea.
"Let's start our day with this cup that's seven-tenths sweet, and encounter the beauty of life!"
It was very sweet. She tasted it, but then realized she hadn't even had a chance to thank him before he left without even leaving a trace.
Then I thought about it again.
In fact, Li Xingzhou didn't need a thank you from her, just as he hadn't needed a meal from her before.
Thinking of this, and looking at the label in her hand, she couldn't help but recall when she was seventeen, her homeroom teacher gave each of them a slip of paper and asked them to write down their expectations for themselves ten years from now.
She was the only one in the class who didn't write anything. It wasn't that she didn't know what to write to get by; she just didn't pick up a pen for even a moment.
Her homeroom teacher asked her, and Li Xingzhou also asked her why, but she didn't say. It wasn't that she didn't know what to write; she just felt that her future self, ten years from now, would give her present self a satisfactory answer.
Therefore, she didn't want to limit herself to her future self based on that note.
Huang Shiyu sipped her milk tea absentmindedly, walked to the window, and looked down at the flowers, trees and shrubs that the property management was busy arranging below the community. Several strings of red lanterns hung on the bare branches, which looked like warm nests built by birds from a distance.
Wow, she'll be twenty-eight soon. After the New Year, in a few months, in the city where she dedicated her best years, Huang Shiyu, now twenty-eight, will be facing her own judgment.
She actually had a sliver of hope.
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