This time, they really just chatted under the covers.
She had been exhausted all day, and He Qianshan couldn't bear to bother her anymore. He told her a bedtime story and lulled her to sleep.
Wu Pengpeng woke up when the sun was already high in the sky. She opened her eyes groggily and saw He Qianshan sitting by the window, looking over some documents.
He hung his head, concentrating intently. The sunlight shone through the gaps in the curtains, casting a soft halo over him.
Suddenly, Wu Pengpeng's heart was filled with happiness. This was the life she had always wanted!
She tilted her head and stared at He Qianshan for a while before smiling and saying, "It's so early!"
Hearing her voice, He Qianshan looked up. His eyes met Wu Pengpeng's smiling ones. He got up with a smile and walked over, planting a good - morning kiss on her forehead. "Good morning."
Wu Pengpeng reached out and hooked her arms around his neck, pulling him back into the covers. She nibbled on his ear playfully. "Am I less attractive than your work? It lured you away so early in the morning."
The desire that He Qianshan had just managed to calm flared up again. Soon, he took the upper hand.
The two of them had a bit of fun that morning. By the time they finished washing up and went downstairs, Aunt Tang had already prepared lunch.
Seeing them come down, she looked up and smiled at them. "I was just about to go up and wake you up!"
Wu Pengpeng replied guiltily. She was secretly glad that she didn't have the habit of having breakfast. Otherwise, if Aunt Tang had gone upstairs just now, it would have been so embarrassing.
The thought made her blush deeply. She lowered her head and rushed to the dining table, silently burying her head in her meal.
He Qianshan sat down beside her and didn't say a word, but he kept putting the dishes she liked into her bowl.
Wu Pengpeng, for once, didn't act silly or cute at the table. She just obediently ate her meal.
Aunt Tang looked at the two of them acting so awkwardly and couldn't help but ask with concern, "What's wrong with you two?"
Wu Pengpeng buried her head in her rice guiltily and mumbled vaguely, "Nothing's wrong!"
Aunt Tang sized them up and down, then shook her head seriously. "No. I've noticed that something's been off with you two since yesterday afternoon."
Suddenly, she put down her chopsticks and looked at them worriedly. "Did you two quarrel?"
How could she tell that they were quarreling from this pink - bubbly atmosphere?
Wu Pengpeng accidentally choked on a rice grain and started coughing violently.
He Qianshan quickly handed her a glass of water. While feeding her water, he patted her on the back to help her catch her breath.
After drinking half a glass of water to stop the coughing, Wu Pengpeng glanced at Aunt Tang.
Her look seemed to say, "Do we look like we're quarreling?"
But Aunt Tang looked even more worried. "… Did you two fight?"
Wu Pengpeng was stunned. What kind of comprehension did this old lady have!
Suddenly, a thought flashed through her mind, and her face turned red. Did "fighting" in bed count?
Seeing that Wu Pengpeng was about to bury her face in the bowl, He Qianshan quickly came to her rescue. "No, Aunt Tang. How could I ever bear to fight with Pengpeng?"
Hearing He Qianshan say this, Aunt Tang felt relieved.
She knew how much He Qianshan cherished Wu Pengpeng. He was like someone who was afraid that she would break if he held her in his palm and melt if he put her in his mouth.
If he said it was okay, then it must be okay.
She picked up her chopsticks again and ate her meal in peace. "As long as you two are okay."
Wu Pengpeng looked at the old lady sitting across from her. Suddenly, she was seized by a playful impulse. She secretly reached out her hand and patted He Qianshan's thigh under the table.
He Qianshan grabbed her mischievous little hand and turned his head, giving her a meaningful smile.
Wu Pengpeng was so scared that she quickly shifted her gaze and didn't dare to tease him anymore.
After lunch, He Qianshan was called back to the company by a phone call from Fu Heng.
Having nothing to do, Wu Pengpeng decided to go to the company and "torment" her little assistant.
Recently, the little assistant had a new boyfriend, and Wu Pengpeng liked to give her gifts, from big things like cars and houses to small things like bags and skincare products.
At first, the little assistant was reluctant to accept them because the gifts were too expensive. Wu Pengpeng made up an excuse that it was a dating benefit for the company's employees, and the little assistant happily accepted them.
Of course, in return, she had to tell Wu Pengpeng about the dating spots she had been to so that Wu Pengpeng could take He Qianshan there next time.
Wu Pengpeng was sharing dating tips with her little assistant when there was a sudden knock on the door. She casually replied, "Come in."
The door opened, and Zhao Hongtao walked in with a big smile on his face, looking as if he had just received great news.
Wu Pengpeng quickly composed herself and assumed the demeanor of a successful businesswoman. She got up and led Zhao Hongtao to the guest sofa.
"Mr. Zhao, why have you come?" Especially with this look of elation on his face, it made Wu Pengpeng feel uneasy for no reason.
Zhao Hongtao sat down on the sofa and then said with a smile, "I'm here to tell you some good news."
Wu Pengpeng's hand that was boiling water and making tea paused for a moment, then quickly returned to normal. She glanced at him casually. "What good news is it that's worth you coming here in person, Mr. Zhao?"
"I've found a partner for the fire - fighting ladder project!" Zhao Hongtao leaned forward slightly, unable to hide his joy. "There's a scientific research team in Italy that has developed a ladder that can reach up to 500 meters. However, this technology was bought by a wealthy businessman in our country. At first, I didn't have much hope. Guess what?"
Without waiting for Wu Pengpeng to answer, he took out a folder from his briefcase and pushed it in front of her.
"Today, the other party called us on their own initiative and wants to cooperate with us. The strategic cooperation agreement has already been signed."
Wu Pengpeng was stunned by this shocking news. It took her a long time to come to her senses. "How much does the other party want?"
Now she could only hope that the other party would ask for an exorbitant price. The higher the better.
"The other party will provide us with free technical support for this project." Zhao Hongtao opened the file and pointed to the free - of - charge clause for Wu Pengpeng to see. "Once our project is successful, it will be like advertising for them."
Wu Pengpeng felt as if her heart had died instantly. She subconsciously glanced at her right wrist.
Her energy meter had jumped directly from light orange to dark red, without even passing through yellow. It was so fast that she didn't even have time to think of any remedial measures.
Wu Pengpeng was extremely angry. She had finally found a project that was a bottomless pit of money, and now it was all ruined.
To prevent any more accidents, when she first cooperated with Zhao Hongtao, she had repeatedly told him that he had to discuss any important decisions with her in advance.
"How could you do this? Why didn't you discuss it with me in advance?"
If he had said something in advance, this contract definitely wouldn't have been signed, and she wouldn't have been in such a passive position.
Zhao Hongtao didn't know why she was angry. He was stunned for a moment and then explained, "I called you, but your phone was turned off."
Only then did Wu Pengpeng realize that when she had arrived at the company just now, her phone had run out of battery and turned off automatically. She had just left it there to charge.
Later, when she was discussing dating with her little assistant, she had completely forgotten about it.
"If you couldn't reach me, why didn't you come to the company to find me?" If only he had taken her words to heart, this tragedy wouldn't have happened.
Zhao Hongtao felt very wronged. Such a great opportunity was fleeting. If they didn't seize it, they might have to wait another ten years.
He looked at Wu Pengpeng strangely. "This project is almost successful. Why aren't you happy? Don't you want to succeed in this project?"
Of course I don't want it to succeed!
Wu Pengpeng refused to admit it. "Of course I want to succeed… I just want to rely on my own strength. Aren't we developing fire - fighting technology? Why are you in such a hurry?"
Zhao Hongtao countered, "What if it doesn't succeed?"
Wu Pengpeng was speechless. She had never thought about success. At least before the task was completed, this research couldn't succeed.
"Such research could take three to five years at the shortest and more than a decade at the longest." Zhao Hongtao looked at her, his expression extremely sincere. "I'm 54 years old this year. I'm already half - buried in the soil. I can't afford to wait any longer."
"I want to leave my name, Zhao Hongtao, in this world!"
"I want everyone to know that I've been in this world and what I've done for it."
He paused for a moment, his eyes shining with a light that refused to be mediocre, a light so dazzling that it was scary. "I don't want to be just a nobody in this world."