Chu Shichen suppressed his surprise and called Xiang Kun's assistant back. Before he finished speaking, Xiang Ruxu's voice came on the phone. It was estimated that the younger generations of the Xiang family had rushed to the hospital.
Xiang Ruxu restrained his voice: "Secretary Chu, there is no one around me, tell me the truth where my brother is?"
Chu Shichen said: "Mr. Xiang has already boarded the plane."
"Don't lie to me." Xiang Ruxu said, "I know you are going to Beijing too, so why didn't you get on the plane with him?"
Chu Shichen pondered and said, "Mr. Xiang, you should know how important this project is to the company. We can't afford to delay it."
Xiang Ruxu said angrily: "The old man is sick now! I don't want to embarrass you, where is Mingzhang, tell him to answer the phone!"
Chu Shichen glanced at the sofa. Xiang Mingzhang was talking to Meng Tao. He performed his duties and followed orders. He said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Xiang is not convenient."
After hanging up the phone, Chu Shichen felt something strange.
When Xiang Xingzhao celebrated his birthday, Xiang Mingzhang did not personally choose a gift, but asked his secretary to take care of it. On the night of the birthday banquet, Xiang Mingzhang could not help but lose his temper, causing Xiang Xingzhao to cry and feel sad. Today, Xiang Xingzhao was hospitalized due to an emergency, and Xiang Mingzhang chose to go on a business trip without hesitation.
Xiang Xingzhao suffers from dementia, and his likes and dislikes are fickle, so he doesn't care what gift he gets, so Xiang Mingzhang is perfunctory. The birthday banquet touched his sore spot, so Xiang Mingzhang lost control. This project is crucial, so Xiang Mingzhang can't let it go.
But things never happen more than three times. If you have an excuse every time, it means you have no excuse at all.
But Chu Shichen saw with his own eyes that time in the Xiang family mansion that Xiang Mingzhang was very obedient to Xiang Xingzhao, and the old man only valued and relied on Xiang Mingzhang.
Is it fake
When it was time to board the plane, Xiang Mingzhang waved at him and said, "Let's go."
Chu Shichen couldn't figure out the reason, but he thought that family affairs and privacy were not something outsiders should worry about, so he followed and turned his phone to flight mode.
The first-class cabin environment was comfortable. Xiang Mingzhang brought two poetry collections. Night flights were not suitable for reading long works, so this kind of eye-protection literature with a few words per line was most suitable.
He asked Chu Shichen: "There is another one, do you want to read it?"
There was no response from the seat next to me.
Xiang Mingzhang turned his head to look—Chu Shichen was sitting upright, his expression solemn but full of longing, his bright eyes slowly scanning the entire cabin.
This was Chu Shichen's first time riding on a modern aircraft, and he felt it was a novel experience. The structure and facilities inside the fuselage were all good, and the noise was low. It was a pity that it was pitch black outside the window and he couldn't see the vast clouds.
Two hours later, the plane landed safely in Beijing.
The hotel's special car was waiting at the airport. Along the way, Chu Shichen looked out the window silently.
The old appearance of the imperial city could be vaguely distinguished among the lights of thousands of houses. Passing through the prosperous urban area, he suddenly realized that the former Peking had changed greatly and became the capital Beijing.
Although it was night, the hotel we booked was not far from the conference center. There was a constant stream of vehicles at the entrance, and many people came to stay there tonight.
At the front desk of the lobby, there were several lines waiting to check in, and Chu Shichen was standing at the end with his ID.
Director Meng felt a little carsick and went to the bathroom. Xiang Mingzhang handed the suitcase to the porter and wandered around the outside of the line doing nothing.
Walking next to Chu Shichen, Xiang Mingzhang asked casually, "What room did you book for me?"
The rooms are in short supply these days, so there aren't many choices when booking. Chu Shichen said, "Executive suite."
Xiang Mingzhang asked again: "Where are you and Meng Tao?"
Chu Shichen said: "We are in the ordinary VIP room."
Xiang Mingzhang: "You guys?"
Chu Shichen tilted his face and said, "Since we have enough travel expenses, of course we will each have a room. What do you think, Mr. Xiang?"
Xiang Mingzhang said: "As long as it's sufficient, it's fine. If it exceeds the budget, it will be deducted from your salary."
"So you're worried about the price." Chu Shichen picked up the phone, "The double room is cheap, you can change it."
Xiang Mingzhang retorted: "You are not allowed to change it. Director Meng is carsick and needs to rest well. What if your snoring disturbs his sleep?"
Chu Shichen hooked his hand around the velvet rope of the quarantine team. That day, she tricked him into getting the documents wet, and now she was spreading rumors that he was snoring. He said in a voice that only two people could hear, "Snoring is not a big deal. The main thing is that I am a man, and if I am in the same room with another man, I will probably be unable to control myself."
Xiang Mingzhang frowned: "Meng Tao is married and straight, what are you thinking about?"
Chu Shichen took a deep breath and finished his words: "I was thinking - she might not be able to help but mind being in the same room with me."
Xiang Mingzhang was tricked. It would be better to be direct than to beat around the bush. He admitted, "I don't know whether he minds or not. I mind a lot. This way I feel relieved."
He was so straightforward that Chu Shichen fell silent and stopped talking: "Can you move a little further away? People will think you are cutting in line."
The three rooms were on the same floor. After completing the check-in procedures and going upstairs, Chu Shichen first called home to report that he was safe.
The temperature in Beijing was slightly low. After taking a shower, Chu Shichen walked around with his computer, then simply went to bed and crawled under the covers to look up information. The light from the ceiling shone directly on the screen, and his eyes ached after looking at it for a long time.
Near the dawn, he received a WeChat message on his mobile phone. Xiang Mingzhang guessed that he had not slept yet, so he sent the message: We will leave at 7:30 tomorrow morning, so go to bed early.
Chu Shichen replied: Okay, good night.
At dawn the next day, the footsteps in the corridor continued without stopping.
Chu Shichen packed up and went to the opposite room to find Xiang Mingzhang. Meng Tao had recovered his energy after a night's rest. They had a simple breakfast and set off for the conference center.
The reception hall of the auditorium was filled with company representatives attending the conference. In addition to well-known large companies and integrators in the industry, there were also many manufacturers specializing in the research and development of single components.
It is like producing a car. The core drive is provided by Company A, and the tires are provided by Company B which specializes in manufacturing tires. A complex system also requires such division of labor to reduce costs.
After signing in, Chu Shichen and Xiang Mingzhang walked forward side by side and said, "If Xiang Yue is responsible for the entire system, and one of the hardware needs to be made by a separate manufacturer, does Party A need to decide on this manufacturer?"
"Not necessarily." Xiang Mingzhang explained, "Generally, large companies have friendly cooperative manufacturers. As long as the qualifications and quotations of the manufacturer meet the bidding specifications, Party A will not waste time intervening."
As they were talking, a man came over and said, "Mr. Xiang, nice to meet you."
The man who greeted him was the CEO of "Zhitian Chuangxiang", Shang Fusheng, who was nearly fifty years old and wearing a low-key dark gray suit. As he approached, he extended his right hand towards Xiang Mingzhang.
Xiang Mingzhang shook his hand back and said with a smile, "Mr. Shang, I was just wondering if I would meet you."
"I just came here to join in the fun and wander around." Shang Fusheng, who was a head shorter than him, smiled warmly, "Did you arrive in Beijing yesterday?"
Xiang Mingzhang said: "Last night."
Shang Fusheng said, "I will host you after the meeting. Let's have a meal together. It's a rare opportunity for you to come to Beijing, so let me show my hospitality as a host."
Xiang Mingzhang agreed: "Then I will be disrespectful to refuse it."
Chu Shichen read the information last night. Zhitian Chuangxiang is a large company ranked in the industry. It is headquartered in Beijing and its business mainly covers the northern market.
Xiang Mingzhang started his business in his sophomore year. At that time, Shang Fusheng was already famous. When Xiang Yue entered the initial development stage, its human resources and technology were not stable enough, and Zhitianchuang tried to poach more than one large project.
With Xiang Mingzhang's personality, he must have doubled his efforts to collect the debt. After that, Xiang Yue continued to grow, and in recent years its market share has exceeded that of Zhitian Chuangxiang.
The two sides occupy the south and the north, and they live in peace. Once they encounter a big project worth competing for, neither of them is willing to lose.
After Shang Fusheng left, Chu Shichen said, "This Mr. Shang seems very confident."
Xiang Mingzhang said: "When competitors meet, they have to pretend to be extremely confident even if they are not sure."
Chu Shichen asked: "Do you really want to have dinner with him tonight?"
"Since he is willing to spend money, we will honor him." Xiang Mingzhang said, "Didn't you say that Peking's roast duck is delicious? Let's eat more tonight."
Chu Shichen's expression froze, and he said a little late: "It's Beijing."
It's time to enter. The conference hall can accommodate hundreds of people. The atmosphere is solemn. This much-anticipated cultural and tourism project has officially kicked off.
Official speeches are always grand and elegant. Thirty minutes into the meeting, the main points were finally discussed, but the professional aspects were expressed very vaguely.
The most important requirements lack details and are not specific enough.
The standards for Party B are not very clear and not targeted enough.
This is a common problem in official meetings, the narrative is too grand. Xiang Mingzhang expected this and picked out the key points to take notes.
Chu Shichen flipped through public documents and checked the numbers as usual. The initial investment for this project was several billion yuan, which would be shared by local governments.
The first half of the meeting was silent, but there was finally some movement in the second half. Due to the large scale of the project, the authorities intend to split it into two lots, which will be managed by two companies.
Everyone is eyeing it covetously, but they want to split the cake into two halves
This is undoubtedly a variable. Meng Tao came over and asked, "Mr. Xiang, do you have any definite news?"
Xiang Mingzhang shook his head and consoled him, "This is just an official tendency. As long as there is no contract or seal, any manipulation is possible."
Shang Fusheng's assistant caught up with them and invited them to have lunch together. Since Xiang Mingzhang had agreed, he would not go back on his word. It was a good opportunity to have a chat and test the other party's attitude.
The restaurant is located in a hotel, of state banquet standard, and only accommodates two tables at lunch.
The private room, which is over a hundred square meters in size, is elegant and quiet. In the center of the large round table is decorated with a celadon vase with a thin mouth, and a few newly blossoming yellow plum blossoms are shyly waving their hands.
Shang Fusheng, along with his assistant and the general manager of Zhitian Chuangxiang, also a group of three people, joked that it was like a negotiation between the two parties.
The cold dishes were served, and everyone was poured a cup of Maotai liquor. Xiang Mingzhang said, "Thank you, Mr. Shang, for hosting us."
Shang Fusheng drank it all in one gulp: "It's my pleasure, please feel free to do as you please."
Chu Shichen had not touched alcohol for a while, breaking his vow, but the white wine was not as spicy as he had imagined, leaving a light burning sensation in his throat.
At this time, the waiter pushed in a food cart, and on the white porcelain plate on the cart was a golden roast duck.
Across the table, Chu Shichen was facing the dining car. He looked over Huang Mei and watched the chef's skillful movements. Slices of crispy and juicy roast duck were cut and arranged neatly.
The last time he sat in a high-end restaurant in Peking and watched a pornographic movie was in 1941.
At that time, the whereabouts of a sum of relief supplies were unknown, and patriotic people from all walks of life demanded that the accounts be made public, causing the bank to be in a state of panic. He investigated and found out that the supplies were detained in Peiping, so he immediately brought an assistant manager to Beijing for negotiations.
The official in charge was a director named Qiu, who was in a high position of power, but he ignored the bank's demands and the public's condemnation, and just kept playing Tai Chi. After several conversations, no progress was made.
He stayed in Peking for a full seven days.
In the first three days, he went to appeal again and again, refusing to give up. In the last four days, the police were dispatched, detaining him in the name of protection but in fact under house arrest.
On the last night, he was taken to a restaurant. He had lost some weight due to the days of training, but he was still sharp. Director Qiu looked at him for a long time and said, "Manager Shen, please take a seat."
Shen Ruozhen straightened his clothes and sat down.
When a slice of roast duck was served on the table, Director Qiu said, "Manager Shen is from the south, so I'm afraid he won't know how to eat it. You can ask the guys here to teach you."
Shen Ruozhen had a blank expression on his face. He watched the waiter dip the duck meat in sauce, add chopped green onions and wrap it in a pancake. He then put the rolled roast duck on his plate. He asked, "Is this my last meal in Peking?"
Director Qiu said: "Whether to leave or stay, to practice or something else, it depends on what Manager Shen chooses."
Shen Ruozhen picked up the chopsticks, picked up the roast duck and put it into his mouth whole. A drop of sauce fell onto the snow-white plate.
Director Qiu shook his head: "It's only authentic if you pick it up and eat it."
Shen Ruozhen raised his eyebrows slightly, revealing a hint of meaningful disgust: "I'm afraid of dirtying my hands."
Director Qiu paused, then laughed with interest, shaking his glass and said, "What should I do? I'm really hungry. Could you trouble Manager Shen to roll one for me?"
Outside the window, on the snow-covered street, a car braked suddenly and the assistant manager of Fuhua Bank was thrown out with his hands twisted.
Shen Ruozhen's face was gloomy. He stood up from his chair without saying a word. He followed the waiter's method and rolled up a roast duck and put it on Director Qiu's plate.
Director Qiu took a bite and said, "Too little crispy skin, not fragrant enough."
Shen Ruozhen rolled the second one, and Director Qiu said, "There are too many chopped green onions, which overshadow the main theme."
Shen Ruozhen rolled the third one.
Director Qiu swallowed the food and said, "Manager Shen is really flexible. I admire that. It's a pity that you can't take the supplies back."
Shen Ruozhen said: "I thought it was only natural to return the property to its original owner, but I was naive."
"There's nothing we can do." Director Qiu spoke earnestly, but each sentence was actually a threat. "The current situation in Peking is also very tense. How can a hungry wolf bite the meat and let go? Not only can you not take the supplies away, but if you continue to insist, you and the assistant manager outside may not be able to leave the imperial city."
Shen Ruozhen washed his greasy hands and came out of the restaurant. It was the middle of winter, and the cold wind dried the water droplets on the palms and backs of his hands, causing him to feel a piercing pain.
The high-ranking officials are like scoundrels. They enjoy delicious food and wine inside, but there is bitter wind and snow outside. I don't know how many lives have been frozen to death because of the seized and embezzled supplies.
The assistant manager came forward with his shoulders hunched, and asked sadly, "General Manager, what should we do?"
Shen Ruozhen said, "Go back."
The assistant manager was worried: "How can I explain it when I get back..."
Shen Ruozhen exhaled a breath of white air, turned around and walked on the snow. Feeling disheartened, a new idea emerged in his mind: "I will think of another way. If this way doesn't work, then I will find another way out."
Chu Shichen came to his senses by the aroma of wine, and the waiter came over and filled his cup.
The sliced roast duck was served on the table. Apart from the unpleasant memories of Peking, all that remained was the delicious roast duck.
Chu Shichen picked up the wine cup and drank it all.
The meal lasted a long time. Both sides exchanged views on the content of the meeting, each had reservations, and tested each other.
There were no other arrangements in the afternoon, so they returned to the hotel after dinner. Xiang Mingzhang noticed during the meal that Chu Shichen was a little distracted, and coupled with his unusual silence throughout the meal, he thought it was because he had been drinking.
Director Meng was on the side, and Xiang Mingzhang said, "Take a nap and rest for a while."
Chu Shichen nodded and entered the room.
His chest felt stuffy, so he took off his tie and unbuttoned four buttons of his shirt. The quilt was neatly spread out, and he fell on his back, leaving an dent in the bed.
The phone slid out of his pocket and rang.
Xiang Mingzhang was worried and sent a message asking: What's wrong with you
While trying to comfort himself, Chu Shichen couldn't think of a good excuse. He felt his chest getting even tighter. He made up a story and replied: My eyes hurt.
After pressing send, he regretted it again. A grown man, he seemed to be complaining to Xiang Mingzhang, worrying about missing the withdrawal deadline.
Fortunately, Xiang Mingzhang did not continue to reply, probably because he did not care.
Chu Shichen put down his phone, lay down and turned over. Just as he closed his eyes, the doorbell of the room rang.
With a premonition in his heart, Chu Shichen got out of bed and walked quickly to the door. When he opened it, Xiang Mingzhang was standing at the door with a small bottle of eye drops in his hand.
"Two drops before going to bed."
Chu Shichen stretched out his hand: "Thank you."
Xiang Mingzhang didn't give him any, "I came all the way here to help you, and you won't let me in?"
Chu Shichen was receiving a favor from someone, but he was too embarrassed to expose it. How far was it from the opposite room
The ordinary VIP room did not have a separate living room. One could see the end at a glance. The curtains were wide open, and the sunlight made the bedding look snow-white. Xiang Mingzhang walked to the bed and said, "Lie down. I'll help you."
Chu Shichen was used to being served, so he lay down on the bed, his jet-black hair scattered on the light-colored pillow.
Xiang Mingzhang sat on the bedside, next to him, leaning over him. This angle and posture seemed familiar. He suddenly felt a little uncomfortable and blinked several times.
"What can I do about this?" Xiang Mingzhang complained, holding Chu Shichen's head with one hand, inserting his fingers into his hair, and pressing the tip of his thumb against the corner of his eye, "Don't move, keep your eyes open."
Chu Shichen's whole body froze, and a drop of cold liquid fell into his eyes.
After dripping the drops into both eyes, Xiang Mingzhang said, "Close them."
Chu Shichen closed his eyes and asked, "Is this okay?"
Xiang Mingzhang rubbed the dense tuft of hair, withdrew his hand, and said, "Okay, go to sleep."
Chu Shichen kept his clear eyes closed without opening them, his thoughts floating in the darkness, his eyelashes drooping wetly under his eyes.
Xiang Mingzhang sat quietly without saying a word. When his breathing became more even, he pulled the quilt over Chu Shichen and covered him with it. Then he reached out and brushed the hair on Chu Shichen's forehead aside to prevent it from prickling his thin eyelids.
The laptop was placed on the bedside table to charge. Xiang Mingzhang said to himself, "No wonder my eyes hurt. I must have stayed up late looking up information last night."
Chu Shichen was half asleep and half awake, and replied in a confused state: "Yeah."
Xiang Mingzhang laughed, and then asked, "Now, does it still hurt?"
There was no movement. Xiang Mingzhang refused to leave and pinched Chu Shichen's chin viciously: "I'm asking you, Chu Shichen?"
"No… "
"No what?" Xiang Mingzhang asked, "It doesn't hurt anymore, but you still don't want me to touch you?"
The person on the pillow has fallen into an old dream, completely defenseless and forgetting all disguise.
He murmured, "Not Chu Shichen."
(End of this chapter)