“Fu Qingyu? The Fu Family Heir.”
Of everything Qiao Ningran had said, Ji Yanli seized on one very important name.
“That’s right, the Fu Family Heir, Fu Qingyu. What, don’t tell me you know him too?”
Know him? How could Ji Yanli not know Fu Qingyu?
The two groups were currently working together on a major project. And just half an hour ago, Ji Yanli had deliberately had Yu Fei turn down Fu Qingyu’s request for a business meeting.
And now, they were face-to-face…
No. No way!
The more Ji Yanli thought about it, the more he felt he had to get out of there.
“Hey, that Ji-whatever-his-name-is, what are you spacing out for? I’m talking to you! Do you know my man, Fu Qingyu?”
“I don’t. I’ve only seen him on my phone.”
After answering perfunctorily, Ji Yanli turned to Xia Feifei. “Ms. Xia, I’m sorry. I just remembered I have something very important to take care of. I have to go right now, so I’ll leave you two to it.”
Since she already felt awkward about the difference in their status, and had barely known what to say with him there, Xia Feifei immediately assured him, “It’s fine, Mr. Ji. Go take care of whatever you need to. Don’t worry about me.”
“What? What’s that supposed to mean, that Ji-whatever-his-name-is? I just called my man over, and now you’re making a run for it?”
“You can’t leave. I’m not letting you go until Fu Qingyu gets here and you’ve seen him.”
“Hey, Ji! I’m talking to you. Are you listening? I said you’re not allowed to leave. Stay here a few more minutes before—”
Qiao Ningran’s incessant protests filled his ears as she kept insisting that Ji Yanli stay.
He simply ignored her, called over a waiter, and paid the bill. But just as he was about to leave, Qiao Ningran called out, “Fu Qingyu, we’re over here.”
Ji Yanli froze in his seat, caught between leaving and staying, utterly awkward.
Had it been five minutes since she called him? Or three?
What was wrong with Fu Qingyu? His girlfriend called, and he came straight over. A total lovesick fool.
“Qiao Ningran, are you all right? Where are you hurt?”
Fu Qingyu hurried over and immediately pulled her close, looking her over. Only after checking several times and confirming she was fine did he let her go. The urgency in his voice cooled as he asked, “All right, what is it this time?”
“What do you mean, ‘this time’? If you don’t know how to talk, then don’t. I just wanted to introduce you to someone.”
As she spoke, Qiao Ningran grabbed the stony-faced Fu Qingyu and turned him toward the table, lifting one small hand.
First she gestured toward Xia Feifei, who’d been watching the drama unfold and hadn’t managed to get a word in. “Mr. Fu, long time no see.”
As Xia Feifei awkwardly greeted him, Fu Qingyu followed Qiao Ningran’s gesture and looked at Ji Yanli, who sat beside her with his body deliberately turned away. Ji Yanli was now desperate to dig a hole and slip away.
“That Ji-whatever-his-name-is, come on, now you can—”
“Ji Yanli? President Ji?”
Qiao Ningran had barely begun when the low, slightly surprised question from the man beside her cut her off.
She paused, then quickly asked, “What do you mean? Fu Qingyu, you know him? And what’s this ‘President Ji’ business? Wait, are you sure you haven’t got the wrong person?”
“President Ji, what brings you here?”
Under the scorching gazes fixed on him, Ji Yanli had nowhere left to hide. He could only turn around and stand up to face them.
“President Fu, what a coincidence! Fancy meeting you here. What a stroke of fate.”
Ji Yanli didn’t dare linger after saying that, nor did he give anyone a chance to speak. He hurried on, “President Fu, don’t tease me by calling me ‘President Ji.’ I’m just an employee my company sent to discuss a partnership with yours. I really don’t deserve the title.”
“Oh? Is that so, Ji Yanli? Mr. Ji?”
Hearing the teasing edge in Fu Qingyu’s two forms of address, Ji Yanli couldn’t tell what he was thinking. But to keep his secret identity from being exposed, he had no choice but to pull out all the stops.
“Of course. Of all the proposals submitted, I’m very pleased with the one the Fu Group sent me. If it suits you, I’ll report back to my superiors today, and we can finalize the contract within three days. How does that sound?”
Faced with such a sudden windfall, Fu Qingyu would have had to be an idiot to hesitate.
He had no idea what kind of role-play Ji Yanli was putting on, but that was none of his concern.
He’d never been one to meddle in other people’s business, and now he’d landed a bargain to boot. He caught on at once and played along. “All right. Please pass along my message, then: a partnership between the Fu Group and your company would make us stronger and help us maximize our profits.”
“Stop, stop, stop!”
As soon as Fu Qingyu finished, Qiao Ningran—who had been holding back and growing more convinced by the second that something was off—couldn’t take it anymore.
“What is this, Fu Qingyu? Did you come here to talk business? This Ji-whatever-his-name-is ignored me just now. He arrogantly snubbed your woman, and now you’re still—Mmm! Fu Qing—Mmm! Let go—”
Before Qiao Ningran could finish her complaint, Fu Qingyu clapped one large hand over her red lips. Her words became muffled and indistinct.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Ji. Qiao Ningran is impatient and hot-tempered, and she can be blunt, but she means no harm.”
“If she’s offended you in any way, please accept my apology on her behalf.”
Hearing Fu Qingyu say that, Ji Yanli immediately and graciously assured him it was fine. That only made Qiao Ningran struggle harder to break free of Fu Qingyu’s hold.
But the difference in their strength was too great. Her protests and resistance only made Fu Qingyu carry her away with even greater determination.
From the moment Fu Qingyu arrived to the moment he left with Qiao Ningran, Xia Feifei had been eating snacks and watching the drama. At last, she finally got a chance to speak.
She ate the small piece of pineapple in her hand, set down her fork, and looked at Ji Yanli beside her. Slowly and seriously, she asked, “President Ji? Well, it’s been a long time—though it’s only been a day. So, Mr. Ji, what exactly is going on?”
Ji Yanli had imagined his secret identity might be exposed, but he’d never expected it to happen so quickly.
He’d thought he could pay to make the problem go away. He’d deliberately kept the Fu Group waiting, refusing to budge because their offer hadn’t reached the price he wanted.
And now he’d lost on both fronts: he’d taken a financial hit and blown his cover. A complete loss.
“Um…”
He opened his mouth, then weakly shut it again. Ji Yanli wanted to tell her he hadn’t meant to deceive her, but the facts were right there before them, and for a moment he couldn’t think of what to say.
After turning it over in his mind, all his apologies came down to the most helpless sentence of all.
“Ms. Xia, I’m sorry.”