The boardroom smelled like fresh coffee and old paper, department heads already seated by the time Nuocheng walked in, Chenxi trailing a step behind with his tablet already open.
"Apologies for the delay." Nuocheng took his seat at the head of the table, folding his hands in front of him. "Let’s get started."
The shipping director, a stout man named Bo Wentao who’d been with the company longer than Nuocheng had been alive, cleared his throat and pulled up the first slide on the projector.
"We’re seeing a fifteen percent increase in delivery delays across the eastern routes this quarter." Wentao clicked through to a chart lined with red. "Mostly weather-related, but two of our contracted carriers have also had equipment failures that pushed several shipments back by nearly a week."
"Which carriers?" Nuocheng’s voice stayed even, though his eyes sharpened on the numbers.
"Hengda Logistics and Baiyun Transport." Wentao adjusted his glasses. "Hengda’s already issued an apology and a partial refund on the contract. Baiyun’s been slower to respond."
"How much slower?"
"Three weeks and counting, sir."
Nuocheng exchanged a brief glance with Chenxi, who was already typing something into his tablet.
"Draft a formal complaint to Baiyun today," Nuocheng said. "If they don’t respond within five business days, pull the contract and redistribute their routes across our other carriers."
"That’ll increase costs on the remaining carriers," Wentao warned.
"Then it increases costs. I’d rather pay more than keep losing shipments to a carrier that can’t be bothered to respond to a formal complaint." Nuocheng leaned back slightly. "What else?"
The next twenty minutes moved through routine matters, warehouse capacity projections for the upcoming holiday season, a proposal to add two new distribution hubs in the southern region, and a brief, tense exchange about a batch of expired packaging materials that had somehow slipped past quality control before being caught at the last inspection point.
"Who signed off on that batch?"Nuocheng asked, jaw tightening slightly.
"Quality control lead in the southern warehouse, Li Changming," Wentao said. "He’s already been suspended pending review."
"Good. Make sure it doesn’t happen again. I don’t care how busy the quarter gets, but expired packaging going out under our name is not something I’m willing to explain to the press if it ever gets out."
A murmur of agreement passed around the table. One of the newer department heads, a woman overseeing regional sales, raised her hand slightly before speaking.
"There’s also the matter of the southern hub expansion. We’ve had three separate site proposals come in this week. Would you like us to move forward with an initial site visit, or hold until after the holiday season numbers come in?"
Nuocheng considered it for a moment. "Move forward with the site visits now. If the holiday numbers come back strong, we’ll already have a head start on construction timelines instead of losing another quarter waiting."
"Understood."
"Anything else pressing?"
Wentao shook his head. "That covers the major items for today. We’ll have the full report on Baiyun’s response by Friday."
"I await the response then," Nuocheng stood, buttoning his jacket. "Thank you, everyone."
A murmur of agreement passed around the table. Chenxi made another note, glancing up briefly to catch Nuocheng’s eye, a small, approving nod passing between them that no one else in the room seemed to notice.
The meeting wrapped roughly forty minutes after it started, department heads filing out one by one, a few pausing to shake Nuocheng’s hand or exchange a few words about weekend plans before heading back to their own floors.
Wentao lingered longest, thanking Nuocheng for the quick decision on Baiyun before finally excusing himself as well.
Once the room emptied, Nuocheng exhaled and rubbed at his temple, the last of his patience from the car ride catching up to him now that the adrenaline of the meeting had faded.
"You did well." Chenxi closed his tablet, tucking it under one arm. "Decisive. Efficient. Barely mentioned Han Sicheng once."
-_-
"Why the fuck would I do that?"
"Cause it’s something you can do?" Chenxi grinned, heading for the door. "We’ve got twenty minutes before we need to leave for the farm. Want coffee, or are you going to spend it staring meaningfully out another window?"
"Coffee." Nuocheng stood, straightening his jacket. "And stop bringing that up."
"You know I won’t."
They walked toward the small kitchenette down the hall together, Nuocheng’s mind finally settling into something closer to calm now that the numbers and logistics had given him something concrete to focus on instead of the tangled mess of everything happening at home.
Chenxi poured two cups without being asked, sliding one across the counter.
"For what it’s worth," Chenxi said, quieter now, some of the teasing dropping out of his voice, "he’s not going anywhere yet. Whatever’s going on between you two, you’ve got more time than you think to figure it out."
Nuocheng wrapped both hands around the warm cup, staring down into it for a long moment.
"I know." He finally looked up, something more sincere replacing the earlier irritation. "Doesn’t make it easier."
"Nothing worth having usually is." Chenxi clapped him once on the shoulder, already moving back toward the door. "Now finish that coffee. The old bastard’s waiting, and he hates it when we’re late."
"He hates everything."
"True. Except he likes you." Chenxi paused at the doorway, glancing back. "Once he sees you, he starts acting like a dog in heat."
-_-
"Can you not remind me! I feel disgusted."
Chenxi nodded, for a man that busy he seemed to magically have time when Nuocheng was involved.
To protect him from his advances, he made it so that he could only meet Nuocheng once.
Once per quarter.
"Don’t look so glum. I have a surprise for you, I’m sure it would make your time at the farm interesting."
Nuocheng raised a brow, what could Chenxi be planning now?
They got to the garage in record time. Chenxi had been grinning from ear to ear.
Which made him even more curious.
Just beside the car was Han Sicheng, dressed in a black tuxedo.
Nuocheng raised a brow, why was he here?
He doubt he got lost, after all Sicheng would rather be anywhere than with him.
"There you are. I’m glad you took the gig."