### Chapter 25: Didn’t I Feed You Enough Just Now?…
Sensing the sudden chill in the air, Lin Siyi said to Cheng Yixiu, “Boss, I’m already full.”
Cheng Yixiu replied, “Then let’s go, it’s getting a bit late.” He then called the waiter to settle the bill.
On the way back, Lin Siyi deliberately dawdled.
Cheng Yixiu asked her, “What’s wrong with you?”
Lin Siyi was worried her boss would think she was a glutton who couldn’t stop eating, but she just couldn’t help it! They had passed by a night market earlier, and she could smell the aroma of grilled meat from afar, which had completely whetted her appetite.
She wanted Cheng Yixiu to go ahead so she could sneak back and buy some food without being noticed.
“Boss, I need to buy something. Why don’t you head back first?”
Cheng Yixiu checked the time on his watch, “It’s too late for you to be wandering around alone. It’s not safe, and you’re not familiar with the area. If you get lost, I’ll have to report you as a missing person.”
Lin Siyi: “…”
“The police station requires a person to be missing for 24 hours before filing a report. By the time you file it, I’ll already be back, okay?”
Cheng Yixiu insisted, “What exactly do you need to buy? Personal items? I can accompany you and wait outside the store, so it’s not a problem.”
Seeing no way to refuse, Lin Siyi finally confessed to Cheng Yixiu, “I’m just craving some snacks from the nearby night market.”
Cheng Yixiu: “…Didn’t I feed you enough just now?”
Lin Siyi detected a hint of disdain in her boss’s micro-expression, but the phrase “feed you enough” sounded a bit ambiguous!
Cheng Yixiu thought it wasn’t practical to linger here late at night, “Do as you please, but make it quick.”
“Yes, boss, you’re the best!” Lin Siyi couldn’t help but cheer.
Lin Siyi practically ran over to the night market.
Cheng Yixiu, having just eaten, preferred to walk slowly. After all, he was getting older and needed to start paying attention to his health, especially since someone had just called him old.
Not wanting to eat alone, Lin Siyi planned to buy a few more items to share with Cheng Yixiu. After all, sharing joy is better than enjoying it alone, right?
In hindsight, she thought she shouldn’t have gone to the restaurant earlier. Compared to eating proper dishes in a restaurant, the flavors of the night market had a much better vibe!
Lin Siyi’s eyes sparkled as she watched the vendor at the barbecue stall skillfully slice the hanging grilled meat into pieces, instructing him to pack it to go. She also ordered charcoal-grilled squid and teppanyaki mackerel from the neighboring stall, and for a balanced diet, she added three or four seasonal vegetables.
Turning to ask her boss what he wanted to drink, she found him standing far away from the crowd.
Lin Siyi approached, “Boss, why are you standing so far away?”
Cheng Yixiu didn’t hide his disdain, “Because the smell of oil and smoke here is too strong.”
Lin Siyi: “…” Almost forgot that Yixiu, you usually eat like a herbivore and can’t stand the smell of oil and smoke!
“Are you done buying? If so, let’s hurry up and leave!”
“I’ll just pay, and then we can go.” As they were about to leave, Lin Siyi deliberately turned back to ask, “Boss, do you want a black bean sesame paste drink? Shall I get you a cup?”
Cheng Yixiu thought of the sticky texture of the drink and declined with a wave, “No need.”
Lin Siyi added, “I heard it’s good for the kidneys!”
Cheng Yixiu: “…”
Without waiting for his response, Lin Siyi went back to pay and brought back the snacks she had chosen. While Cheng Yixiu wasn’t paying attention, she really did buy two cups of black bean sesame paste.
The two walked back along the way they came until they reached the hotel. As they passed by Cheng Yixiu’s room, Lin Siyi handed him one of the drinks, “Boss, this is for you, to prevent hair loss.”
Before he could say anything, Lin Siyi quickly swiped her card and hid in her room.
Cheng Yixiu brought the drink inside and placed it on the cabinet by the door. He wasn’t planning to drink it, but thinking it was a kind gesture from his assistant, he couldn’t just throw it away.
He inserted the paper straw into the cup lid and took a small sip. It wasn’t very sweet and didn’t have the texture he imagined.
One sip led to another, and before he knew it, he had finished the entire cup while sitting alone on the sofa by the window.
The next morning, Cheng Yixiu woke up at the sound of his 5 AM alarm. He found Lin Siyi’s number in his call log and dialed it.
“It’s me. Are you up yet?”
Lin Siyi had trouble sleeping in the new place last night, and after eating all those snacks, she felt a bit stuffed. Luckily, she had prepared some Mosapride dispersible tablets to help with digestion.
Still feeling sleepy, she asked, “Boss? Are we leaving this early???”
Hearing her voice, Cheng Yixiu knew she wasn’t fully awake, “The strategy meeting starts at nine this morning, but we need to arrive half an hour early. The hotel where the meeting is held is nearby, so it’s a short walk.”
Lin Siyi, puzzled, couldn’t help but ask, “If that’s the case, why didn’t we just stay at that hotel yesterday? Wouldn’t it have been more convenient?”
“Because the food at that hotel isn’t very good.”
Lin Siyi: “…” You’re so picky, does your dad know?
“Today’s meeting will last until the afternoon. I have to stay there for lunch and attend a roundtable meeting with a top private equity firm. The morning meeting should end around 11, and you can explore the area and have lunch. I’ll contact you when I’m done.”
“Can I eat anything?”
“Yes, it’s part of the official meal, so you can expense it.”
“Can I have caviar, foie gras, and sea urchin…?”
Cheng Yixiu, exasperated, said, “I can tell you’re not fully awake. The reimbursement is limited to Lanzhou cuisine and Shaxian snacks. Anything beyond that, you’ll have to pay for yourself.”
Lin Siyi: “…” Just kidding, just a little morning entertainment!
Cheng Yixiu: “You should get ready now. We’ll leave at eight for breakfast.”
The meeting venue was arranged at the Miranda International Hotel’s first conference hall on the second floor in Yu City.
When Cheng Yixiu and Lin Siyi arrived, there were already staff from the securities firm waiting at the entrance.
A few people were gathered in the waiting area on the second floor, chatting.
Cheng Yixiu first took Lin Siyi to the registration desk. At the entrance of the conference hall, there was a fun raffle box.
The staff perked up when they saw a handsome man and a beautiful woman approaching, excitedly reminding them, “Mr. Cheng, since you’re here, why not try your luck with the raffle? The winning rate is 100%.”
They recognized Cheng Yixiu, but it was Lin Siyi’s first time there, and they thought she might be his girlfriend.
Cheng Yixiu introduced Lin Siyi to them, “This is a new hire at my company. I’m bringing her today to get acquainted.”
He then turned to Lin Siyi, “Go ahead and draw one, see how your luck is today. If you win something good, I’ll give you an extra reward.”
Lin Siyi’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
Eagerly, Lin Siyi reached into the bright red raffle box, randomly pulling out a folded slip of paper, and handed it to the staff.
“Congratulations to both of you! You’ve won a bottle of Kérastase anti-hair loss shampoo and a dozen eye drops!”
Cheng Yixiu and Lin Siyi: “…”
Cheng Yixiu chuckled, “What’s the grand prize today? Has it been won yet?”
“Not yet. The grand prize is an Israeli hair growth device. Our headquarters really went all out today, with nearly two hundred private equity firms attending. Over 80 bottles of shampoo have already been won out of the 100 prepared. There are also smaller prizes like mosquito repellent bracelets and floral water.”
Lin Siyi: “You guys really put a lot of thought into this.”
Staff: “Of course, as a sell-side institution, we serve the buy-side institutions. We have to be attentive!”
Cheng Yixiu said to Lin Siyi, “Since you won, you should keep it. You’ll need it sooner or later.”
Lin Siyi: “…” Boss, who are you talking about? No matter how you look at it, you’ll need it before I do, okay? Ever heard of respecting the elderly and caring for the young?
After collecting the prize, Lin Siyi followed Cheng Yixiu to their pre-arranged seats.
Today’s seating arrangement was quite strategic. Private equity firms like Yiyang Capital, with hundreds of billions in scale, were seated at the front, surrounded by prominent figures in the private equity world.
Just as Lin Siyi sat down and was about to open a bottle of mineral water, she heard someone calling Cheng Yixiu’s name.
“Hey, Mr. Cheng, long time no see.”
The newcomer was a middle-aged man, about the same height as Cheng Yixiu, but not as well-maintained, looking a bit prematurely aged, with a beer belly that seemed five or six months pregnant.
For some reason, Lin Siyi sensed a hint of displeasure from Cheng Yixiu sitting beside her, “Mr. Zhang, it’s been a while indeed.”
Seeing the man extend his hand for a handshake, Cheng Yixiu deliberately ignored it, not even sparing a glance.
The man, referred to as Mr. Zhang, awkwardly withdrew his hand, trying to reminisce, “I’ve watched you thrive in this industry over the years, often regretting not recruiting you back then. Now you’ve become my formidable competitor. Truly, the younger generation is to be feared.”
Cheng Yixiu deflected, “I wouldn’t dare say that. Just a small business, trying to make a living. You’re giving me too much credit, Mr. Zhang.”
Mr. Zhang: “You’re too modest. Among everyone here, how many can claim managing hundreds of billions is just making a living? If you’re just making a living, then what are we doing, begging?”