Shang Zhitao dragged her suitcase out of the airport.
Suzhou in June had continuous plum rain weather, but she still had a layer of sweat on her body. She got into a taxi and called Alex: “Boss, I’ve arrived. I’m going to check in at the hotel now, then head straight to the venue.”
“Thank you for your hard work, Flora. Luke and the planning department will be on your next flight. The main group will arrive tomorrow morning.”
“The cars to pick up the bosses have been arranged, don’t worry. I’ll report other details to you after I assess the situation at the venue.” Shang Zhitao was still prone to sweating and took out a tissue to wipe the fine sweat from her forehead.
“How do you feel about your first independent business trip?” Alex suddenly asked.
Shang Zhitao thought seriously: “Actually, I’m quite nervous.”
“There’s nothing to be nervous about. If you encounter any difficulties, tell me immediately.”
“Alright, thank you, boss.”
Shang Zhitao hung up the phone and opened her laptop in the taxi. This season in Suzhou had its unique charm, but she had no heart to appreciate it. The day after tomorrow was the company’s regional tour exhibition in East China. They had given up Shanghai, where they went every year, and chosen Suzhou instead. She reviewed the entire venue plan once more, then called the exhibition company: “Hello, how’s the site coming along?”
“We’re starting to set up this afternoon. Currently taking inventory of supplies.”
“Great, I’ll go to the hotel to drop off my luggage first, then come find you.”
The taxi driver looked at her through the rearview mirror and finally couldn’t help saying: “Such a young girl already working?”
“I’m 23 years old!”
“You look like you’re only 17 or 18.”
Shang Zhitao blushed a little at the driver’s words. She secretly looked at her vague reflection in the car window, thinking that she should start wearing makeup, otherwise people would always think she was very young. She needed to look more mature.
Ling Mei had chosen a location by Lake Tai this time because they were launching a Chinese-style plan this year—the localization of international brands and the creation of traditional cultural elements for local brands, which was a very new topic at the time. Luan Nian said that since they were doing this, the four major regions should choose places that matched the theme: East China in Suzhou, North China in Xi’an, South China in Fuzhou, and Central China in Luoyang. The other locations had large-scale events, but for the East China region, only S-level clients were invited—smaller scale but with a high budget. Alex thought for a long time and decided to entrust the East China event to Shang Zhitao.
The scale was small, but it was the first stop and all were S-level clients, which made Shang Zhitao a bit nervous. She had secretly asked Alex why he would entrust such an important task to her.
Alex said: “If not you, then who?”
Shang Zhitao couldn’t figure out what this meant, but Lu Mi understood it perfectly and asked Shang Zhitao: “Aren’t you due for a promotion review? Without a project, what can you use for your promotion? Just diligence? Ling Mei is very practical. When leadership gives you an opportunity, take it and weigh your approach. Treat Alex to a meal afterward.”
Shang Zhitao treasured this opportunity very much.
After checking into the hotel, she took a taxi to the venue, checking all the pickup vehicle information and guest details on the way. When she met with the event company at the reception, she saw Luan Nian checking in. Luan Nian was the only one from Ling Mei staying at the conference hotel because he had to accept interviews and have one-on-one exchanges with several S-level clients after the meeting, so they had simply booked him a room here.
Luan Nian put away his ID and turned to see Shang Zhitao, along with the fine sweat on her forehead, thinking to himself: Why do you sweat so much?
“Hello, Luke,” Shang Zhitao greeted him, then introduced him to the event company people: “This is Director Wang from the event company, and this is our boss, Luke.”
“Please rest first. We’ve reserved a private room here tonight to treat you and Flora to a simple dinner.” The company that won Shang Zhitao’s project was a new supplier added this year, not a large company, but thorough in their execution. The boss personally supervised the work with a sincere attitude.
“Thank you, but we have an internal company meeting a bit later. I appreciate the gesture,” Luan Nian smiled at Director Wang, then asked Shang Zhitao: “How’s the progress?”
“The inventory count is complete, and they’ll start setting up soon. We can rehearse after 3 PM tomorrow, and the client reception has also been arranged.” Shang Zhitao spoke concisely, providing the important information. She already knew Luan Nian well and understood what he cared about.
“When will Alex arrive?” Luan Nian asked again.
“Tomorrow with the main group.”
Seeing Luan Nian and Shang Zhitao discussing work, the supplier said: “Flora, I’ll wait for you over there. After you two finish discussing, you can find us at the venue.” The supplier’s politeness was cultivated through the daily process of serving clients, and now Shang Zhitao had also become a “you” (formal address).
“It’s fine, you go ahead first. After you’re done, Flora can go through the overall process with me once more, and we’ll bring Alex in online.”
“Alright.”
What was there to review about the overall process? They had gone over it eight hundred times already. Shang Zhitao was a bit puzzled as she turned and went to the venue. Just as she stepped into the venue door, she received a message from Luan Nian: “11188, my room number.”
Shang Zhitao’s face instantly turned red. She replied: “I’m not going.”
“?”
“It wouldn’t look good if someone saw me.”
“? What are you thinking? It’s for a meeting.” Luan Nian snorted coldly. He could see right through those thoughts in Shang Zhitao’s mind.
“Oh.”
Shang Zhitao felt that she had been caught by Luan Nian again. They hadn’t seen each other for over a month, and she thought Luan Nian was referring to something unmentionable. Any adult man or woman would have wild thoughts if they received a room number like that.
She stayed at the venue for nearly three hours, going through all the details with the exhibition company before finally taking her laptop to Luan Nian’s room. Standing at his door, she suddenly remembered that time in Guangzhou at his room door, with all those jumbled thoughts in her head, and she blushed again. It was strange—logically, they should be very familiar with each other by now, at least in bed, but standing at his room door today, she still blushed.
Blushing and nervous. Her heart pounded loudly. She took a deep breath before reaching out to press the doorbell. Luan Nian was on the phone when he opened the door. Seeing it was Shang Zhitao, he stepped aside to let her in, then said: “Alex, Flora is here with me now. We’ll both join the other meeting later.”
Shang Zhitao thought Luan Nian was open-minded and felt full of admiration for him. She looked up at him, only to see him raising his eyebrows at her with a bit of mischief. Shang Zhitao’s face instantly turned red as she sat in the chair opposite his hotel desk. Seeing the fine sweat on her forehead, Luan Nian opened the mini-fridge, took out a small Coca-Cola, opened the tab with one hand, and placed it in front of her. His fingertip then pinched her earlobe. Luan Nian liked Shang Zhitao’s earlobes—soft, full, and the first part to turn red when she was embarrassed.
Shang Zhitao didn’t dare move, afraid of disrupting his phone call.
Luan Nian was a bit distracted. Over the past month, he had been too busy, only staying at the company for half a day. On several nights when he couldn’t sleep, he had thought of Shang Zhitao’s beautiful body in the darkness.
Shang Zhitao didn’t dare breathe, and finally couldn’t help but push his hand away, her eyes standing at attention, telling him to behave.
Luan Nian was in a good mood. He pinched her face with one hand, squeezing her lips into an O-shape before sitting back down across from her. This meeting was a bit lengthy. Luan Nian tossed the menu to Shang Zhitao, asking her to help order dinner. Shang Zhitao went out to call the hotel front desk and ordered dinner for two. When she came back in, she saw that Luan Nian had already hung up the phone and was standing by the window looking at her.
She suddenly felt a little weak in the knees, with a tingling sensation creeping up from her kneecaps. The room was a bit dark, and she couldn’t see Luan Nian’s expression clearly, but she could see the straight, verdant bamboo landscape outside the window behind him.
She pressed her lips tightly together, and that nervous, flustered feeling she had the first time at his home surrounded her again.
“Flora,” Luan Nian called her.
“Hmm?”
“The meeting is starting.”
It was a meeting. The ambiguity between the two of them just now couldn’t be dispelled. Sitting across from Luan Nian, Shang Zhitao felt she was truly foolish for being so deeply affected by his seductive poison.
She sat across from him, listening to the meeting, but didn’t dare look at him. His gaze seemed like it would devour her. During the meeting, when it was Alex’s turn to report on the progress of the day after tomorrow’s activities, Luan Nian sat across from her and watched her speak intently.
Shang Zhitao had transformed. She no longer reported her work in a few words like before. She knew well what the leaders focused on, hitting every key point concisely and succinctly. Except for her blushing face.
Their room’s doorbell rang—the meal had arrived. Alex proactively called for a break: “It’s past seven, and everyone’s a bit hungry. Shall we take forty minutes to eat first?”
“Alright.”
Shang Zhitao got up to clear the table. Luan Nian looked at her. Adult men and women didn’t need to pretend too much; at this moment, what they most wanted to do was clear to both of them. On the soft bed, in her urgency, Shang Zhitao called his name: “Luan Nian!”
Luan Nian rarely heard her call his name directly. He stopped and looked at her, brushing away the strands of hair scattered on her face: “What is it, Flora?”
“The event company might look for me…”
“Mm…” Luan Nian’s lips pressed against the back of her ear, and he asked her: “Did you miss me?”
“What?”
“During these past months, did you miss me?”
Shang Zhitao didn’t speak but took his hand to prove it to him. Yet her gaze was innocent and clear like a child’s. Luan Nian covered her eyes, and the two of them sank deeply into the bed.
Shang Zhitao didn’t dare make a sound. When she couldn’t hold back, she bit Luan Nian’s finger. He winced in pain and pinched her face: “Are you a dog?”
His lips pressed down, trapping her voice within.
Like fighting.
In the end, they were ten minutes late getting online.
“Sorry, I just took a private call. Let’s begin now.” Luan Nian glanced at Shang Zhitao. She was pulling up the zipper of her dress, gradually covering her beautiful back. Luan Nian took her hand away to help her, but his movement paused, and his lips fell, silently pressing against her back.
Shang Zhitao jumped away, glaring at him, but he just shrugged his shoulders and opened his mouth to ask questions to the online meeting, acting proper.
Shang Zhitao was starving. She quietly ate while listening to their meeting. Luan Nian wasn’t so fortunate; he was seriously participating in the discussion. Occasionally, Shang Zhitao would feed him a bite, which he swallowed whole. Seeing Shang Zhitao eating with such pleasure, he kept glaring at her.
The meeting lasted until eleven o’clock. Shang Zhitao promptly sent out the meeting minutes and began packing up her computer.
“I’m leaving now.”
“Not staying here?”
“No.” Shang Zhitao shouldered her large bag: “I still need to check the venue once more. They’re setting up overnight today.”
“Mm.” Luan Nian opened the door for her and casually asked: “You’ve applied for a promotion?”
“Yes. I asked Alex, and because my rank is low, this promotion can be evaluated internally within the department. Alex told me to feel confident about applying.” Shang Zhitao honestly told Luan Nian: “But I haven’t had time to prepare the promotion materials yet.”
“When is the presentation?”
“Next Monday.”
“Are you prepared for failure?” Luan Nian scared her.