After Hao Zhibin entered the office, he slowly let out a sigh of relief.
"General Manager Wen, you're really capable. Deputy General Manager Shen didn't scold me at all."
Shen Ximan was flipping through the contracts piled on the table. The messy scribbles inside made her frown. "Are these processed?"
"Um... I guess so. Anyway, few of the contracts sent here were successfully negotiated. I've been so idle all day that I've run out of sunflower seeds to munch on."
She put her hand on her forehead speechlessly.
She had thought that Shen Shiyu had at least a bit of business acumen, but she never expected that she didn't focus on her work at all. All she knew was to fall in love and figure out how to please men.
"Where is she?"
"I'll go out and check," Hao Zhibin said as he pulled open the door. He ran out and came back within two minutes. "The receptionist said she went home to pack her luggage for a vacation and asked me to let you know."
"......Got it." Shen Ximan felt even more exasperated.
But it was also a good thing. It meant that Zhong's Oil hadn't officially started operating yet. She could insert her own cooperation projects and make preparations in advance.
"Tell the employees below that they're on vacation today."
"Really? Oh, it's so great to be your employee!"
Hao Zhibin grinned from ear to ear.
Shen Ximan smiled faintly. "Take an early vacation to relax. Be prepared to work overtime starting tomorrow. Of course, there will be overtime pay."
With that, she picked up her small bag and left.
As soon as she came out of the company, she saw the familiar car parked at the entrance.
But Shen Ximan pretended not to see it. She took out her car keys and walked towards her own car, looking very busy.
"Miss Shen... General Manager Wen! General Manager Wen, wait a minute!"
Qian Li quickly got out of the car and chased after her, almost calling her the wrong name out of habit.
"What's the matter?"
Blocked by him, she asked coldly.
"Second Master wants to invite you to dinner. The hotel has already been booked."
Shen Ximan squinted her eyes. "Invite me? What does he want to do?"
Qian Li didn't like it when his master was questioned.
"Second Master just simply wants to invite you. There's no other meaning."
"Oh, really? Why didn't he come in person? That's so insincere."
She deliberately spoke harshly, hoping to make him misunderstand.
To make him think that she was a heartless and unscrupulous person now.
"General Manager Wen, please come with me. Second Master is dealing with Miss Li's employment matters now. Please understand."
Out of professional ethics, Qian Li didn't lose his temper immediately.
If it were Ruo Chi, he might have exploded by now.
"Oh, he's picking up his fiancée to work in the company. He's really a dutiful fiancé. Since he's so dutiful, isn't he afraid of being discovered if he secretly invites me out for dinner?" Shen Ximan said sarcastically.
He endured his dissatisfaction and still said respectfully, "Please come with me."
She had met Li Xiaoru a few times. Since Juan Yi went bankrupt, she heard that it was always Bo Jingyu who had been supporting her.
This time, she went to work in Bo's. She must have taken Shen Ximan's existence into consideration and wanted to build the persona of a fiancée to make her give up.
Such a clumsy trick couldn't deceive her.
"Okay, let's go. Remember to drive my car back."
She strode into the back seat and calmly touched up her makeup.
Qian Li let out a sigh of relief and quickly got into the car and started it smoothly.
Half an hour later, they stopped in front of a Chinese-style restaurant.
The plaque bore three bold and powerful characters - Yun Ding Qing.
"General Manager Wen, please come in."
Following Qian Li's guidance, Shen Ximan walked through several winding corridors before reaching the pavilion on the second floor. It was so quiet that only the chirping of birds could be heard.
This kind of atmosphere made her feel as if she had entered the mansion of a marquis in ancient times. The buildings were all made of mahogany. There was a gurgling stream under the small bridge, and she could even clearly see the red-and-white carp in the stream.
Standing on the bridge, the gentle coolness stirred the grass, making her involuntarily get goosebumps.
Just as she was about to take a step forward, someone draped a coat over her.
Shen Ximan was startled and took several steps back, almost falling into the stream.
Fortunately, the warm big hand grabbed her waist. He was looking into her eyes affectionately. "Sorry, I scared you."
Thump, thump...
Her heart started beating irregularly again!
"You... Let go of me."
Her cheeks were flushed. She lowered her head and pushed Bo Jingyu away with all her might.
She thought she had buried this throbbing feeling long ago, but unexpectedly, with just this little trick of his, she felt it again.
Sly!
"I thought you were lost, so I came to check."
Bo Jingyu wasn't angry. He said softly.
"You pick such a maze-like place for dinner. I'd get lost for three days and three nights!" Shen Ximan glared at him accusingly.
"Sorry, I didn't think it through. Are you hungry? Come with me."
He turned around and walked slowly, leading the way.
She had never seen this gentle and good-tempered side of him before.
In the mansion before, he either lost his temper easily or did some inexplicable things with a sudden change in his personality.
"What's wrong?"
Bo Jingyu stopped in the middle of the way and looked at her.
"......" Shen Ximan didn't say a word and strode forward to catch up with him.
The coat on her body still retained his warmth. The oversized coat wrapped around her small body and could even cover her buttocks.
A smile curled up on his lips, but it quickly disappeared.
"I took the liberty to order the dishes. If you don't like them, I'll order a few more dishes you like." Bo Jingyu sat down and poured tea for her.
This kind of special treatment made Shen Ximan a little flattered.
"Do you have something to tell me?"
His eyes were always burning, and there was no sign of other emotions mixed in.
"Do I have to have something to talk to you about to invite you to dinner?"
She smiled. "We're not at a time when we can sit down and have a peaceful meal. My time is very precious."
Bo Jingyu nodded thoughtfully and picked up the teacup to take a sip of tea.
"I'm quite impressed that you were able to take over Zhong's Oil in a short time."
Shen Ximan's smile froze. "How do you know?"
She didn't tell anyone about this, including when she talked to Bo Siming on the phone that day. There were only Xue Xiaoqi and Yan Kun in the office.
Did they two betray her?
"Don't worry about how I know. I just want to ask you one question. Why didn't you discuss it with me in advance? Do you like to act alone so much?" Bo Jingyu's eyes turned a bit colder, and there was even a bit of blame in them.
"This is my business. I don't need to explain it to you."
Shen Ximan averted her eyes, not wanting to look into his eyes anymore.
Her mood at this moment was like a newly pasted window paper that had been deliberately poked a big hole by someone. She couldn't calm down for a long time.
"Have you forgotten how you promised me? We have a common enemy now. We have to discuss everything we do!"
Bo Jingyu's tone was tough, a mixture of pain and anger.
"I did promise to cooperate with you, but it doesn't mean that I've entrusted my spiritual thinking and ability to act to you. General Manager Bo, please make it clear. Don't try to control me with your will anymore!"