Lin Su’s timely appearance had saved Ye Tong from the awkwardness of having to decline Zhong Lingyun’s dinner invitation. However, Lin Su was also a massive trap; she had dragged Ye Tong to lunch, and the meal itself had been somewhat uncomfortable.
Because the moment Ye Tong thought of the Lin Su from last night, she found it impossible to look her in the eye…
The site inspection was scheduled for 3:00 PM, leaving them with at least two hours of free time. Both Lin Su and Ye Tong were in the habit of taking a midday nap, so they returned to the hotel by mutual silent agreement, planning to rest for an hour.
Ye Tong assumed Lin Su had business to attend to, which explained the decision to return to City S the following afternoon. She also considered that the inspection starting at 3:00 PM would likely take three or four hours, making an evening flight too rushed; returning tomorrow was a reasonable compromise.
Before their nap, they had a brief discussion in the living room about the progress of Project A. Seeing Lin Su head into the study while Ye Tong remained on the sofa with a book, Xiao Ziyu coughed a few times. “Director Ye, I’d like to discuss something with you.”
Ye Tong replied with an “mm,” prompting her to continue.
“It’s like this: our company is hosting a year-end gala in half a month. The Clothing Project A you’re leading is looking excellent, so we’re planning to use the joint clothing brand as the theme for the gala and host a fashion show. It will help build momentum for the brand’s launch, and we’d like Director Ye to be the host of the show.”
Xiao Ziyu watched Ye Tong’s expression closely, terrified of a rejection. Ye Tong set down her book, a flicker of surprise crossing her eyes, though her expression remained calm. “That sounds great. Is this your idea?”
“Ah…” Xiao Ziyu awkwardly scratched the back of her head and chuckled. “You caught me. Actually, it was the boss’s idea.”
Ye Tong: “Is there a proposal plan?”
She asked with genuine interest, but Xiao Ziyu stammered, unable to provide any details. There was no formal proposal; she had only heard the boss mention it a few times, and nothing had been finalized.
“There is,” a calm voice replied from behind. Lin Su had emerged from the study and walked calmly to Ye Tong’s side, handing her a document. “Take a look.”
Xiao Ziyu shot a resentful look at the composed and self-assured “overbearing CEO”… She understood now. No wonder the boss had been working late these past few days she had been sneaking through the passage to win over some favor…
Ye Tong took it and flipped through a few pages. Her brow furrowed at first, then smoothed out, and she couldn’t help but offer Lin Su a faint smile. “General Manager Lin does not fight battles she isn’t prepared for. The proposal is very detailed and thoughtful.”
“The year-end gala will host several major companies in the clothing industry as guests; they are giants in the field. Using the banquet to host a fashion show to showcase our work will be the finale of the gala, and it will be very helpful for your project. It’s worth considering.”
Lin Su shifted her tone. “However, you only have half a month to prepare. Are you confident?”
Ye Tong didn’t thump her chest in guarantee; she simply smiled. “I will do my best.”
“Good, I look forward to it.” Lin Su curved her lips into a smile and added, “However, hosting a fashion show isn’t simple. Director Ye, if you have any needs, feel free to speak up. If there are any flaws in the proposal, point them out, and we can discuss improvements together.”
“Then I won’t stand on ceremony.” Ye Tong was very interested in the plan Lin Su had personally drafted and lowered her head, flipping back and forth through the pages.
Lin Su: “There is no need to be formal, Director Ye; this is mutually beneficial for both companies.”
It was indeed a win-win, but without Lin Su’s support, such a plan couldn’t be executed smoothly. Furthermore, Ye Tong hadn’t expected this seemingly simple plan to be so intricate. She politely said, “I still have to thank you, General Manager Lin.”
“You’re welcome. If you really want to thank me, Director Ye, you can treat me to a meal when you’re free.”
Ye Tong replied without thinking, “Sure.”
Once the words were out, she couldn’t take them back. Ye Tong realized there was something a bit off about the situation. She instinctively looked up at Lin Su, who was sitting on the opposite sofa. Seeing Ye Tong look at her, Lin Su curled her lips into a soft, warm smile.
Lin Su was usually stoic and stern, exuding the natural aura of a person in power, but when she smiled, she was gentle, possessing the charm of a mature woman that captivated the soul and drew the eye. Ye Tong inwardly called her an “old fox” several times and averted her gaze, but the words were already out. A meal in exchange for an interesting proposal on second thought, it seemed like a pretty good deal.
Ye Tong continued to flip through the document while Lin Su sat there watching her.
Xiao Ziyu glanced at the focused Ye Tong and then at Lin Su, who was sipping tea with leisurely grace. At that moment, she felt a sense of awe for her boss. A true powerhouse is a powerhouse—she had used work to tether them together with ease. If Ye Tong could temporarily cast aside her prejudices against Lin Su, given enough time, the “boiling a frog in warm water” strategy would be well on its way to success.
Tsk.
The boss was a bit devious.
Returning to the company tomorrow was going to be busy.
Xiao Ziyu decisively pulled out her phone and sent a message to the “monster” Luo, who was also keeping tabs on them: “I can see the dawn of victory!”
A few seconds later, Luo Huan poured a bucket of cold water on her: “My dear, don’t worry. With your boss’s personality, the dawn of victory is just a flash; the long road to winning her wife back is still far off.”
“…”
She sent a string of ellipses.
Luo Huan replied flirtatiously: “My dear little baby, I’ll come find you tonight. Can we take it easy this time? My back was almost broken at work today. Let’s take it slow, let’s try a different routine—first the sofa, then the bathtub, then the bed?”
With a “snap,” the phone was tossed onto the sofa by Xiao Ziyu. Ye Tong and Lin Su looked over simultaneously. Xiao Ziyu silently picked up her phone, rubbed her aching lower back, cursed the little devil a few hundred times in her heart, and forced a calm smile. “Why are you looking at me? I’m fine, the phone is just acting up again.”
Xiao Ziyu’s ears were bright red. “I’m going downstairs to rest. See you at 2:30.”
She scurried away.
Ye Tong looked at Lin Su and, for once, asked her on her own initiative: “What was Secretary Xiao shy about?”
“Why don’t you ask her yourself?”
“…”
Midday nap time had arrived. Ye Tong took the proposal and went to her bedroom. Lin Su didn’t need to guess to know that Ye Tong wouldn’t be able to sleep; she would definitely be studying the proposal. At 3:00 PM, they arrived on time at the HJ Group’s fabric factory for the on-site inspection.
Because the big boss of LT had arrived, HJ didn’t dare to be perfunctory. Huang Dan led the team himself, enthusiastically showing them around the factory’s facilities, fabric quality, and production conditions.
Since Ye Tong was primarily coordinating with Zhong Lingyun, they stayed close during the inspection. Zhong Lingyun was highly capable, knew every fabric inside and out, and answered every question Ye Tong posed with calm, logical, and flawless explanations.
Four hours passed in the blink of an eye. By the time they finished, it was already dark.
Ye Tong walked out of the factory with Zhong Lingyun, while Lin Su and Huang Dan were still inside. Zhong Lingyun turned to look at Ye Tong and smiled, extending an invitation: “Would you like to have dinner together tonight?”
Ye Tong assumed Zhong Lingyun was just being polite, so she smiled and politely declined: “I’m sorry, I already have plans for this evening. Maybe next time.”
“Alright then, what a pity.” Zhong Lingyun didn’t like to force anyone, but it was rare to meet someone she felt a connection with. She asked softly, “Director Ye, you wouldn’t mind us becoming friends, would you?”
“Of course not. It is my honor to know you and become your friend.” Ye Tong was sincere. She and Zhong Lingyun had similar professional experiences and clicked well; she didn’t mind having another proactive, positive friend in her life.
“Director Ye, it’s time to go,” came Xiao Ziyu’s voice from the side. Ye Tong turned her head and saw Lin Su walking toward them.
Ye Tong withdrew her gaze, reached out to Zhong Lingyun, and offered a soft smile. “General Manager Zhong, it was a pleasant cooperation. I look forward to seeing you again.”
Zhong Lingyun shook her hand. “We will meet again. Safe travels.”
Ye Tong: “Thank you.”
Lin Su glanced at Zhong Lingyun, who responded with a calm, faint smile. Lin Su gave a slight nod in return. They got into the car together, and Xiao Ziyu looked back and winked: “Director Ye is certainly popular; you’ve made a friend so quickly.”
With Lin Su sitting beside her, Ye Tong replied simply: “There is a certain magnetic field between people of the same sex, so we are drawn to each other naturally.”
Ye Tong: “And that leads to friendship.”
Lin Su didn’t comment on Ye Tong’s remark. She curled the corners of her lips and asked calmly, “Shall we go out for dinner, or eat at the hotel?”
Xiao Ziyu answered for her: “Boss, we’ve been walking around all day and we’re exhausted; let’s just go back to the hotel.”
“What about Director Ye?”
Ye Tong shook her head: “I have no preference.”
“Then let’s head back.”
After a half-hour drive, they arrived at the hotel around 8:00 PM. Xiao Ziyu called the hotel kitchen to have a meal prepared for them in the suite. After they finished eating, Xiao Ziyu slipped away again.
Ye Tong suspected that her secretary had something going on. Was the iron tree that hadn’t bloomed in thirty years finally beginning to blossom? She actually had a good relationship with Xiao Ziyu, but their contact had been cut off because of Lin Su.
After dinner, Ye Tong didn’t hesitate to take the initiative to talk to Lin Su about the fashion show. Seeing her rarely so interested, Lin Su sat down and patiently accompanied her, explaining some of the more technical aspects.
When it came to knowledge and cultivation, Ye Tong had to admit she wasn’t Lin Su’s equal. She acknowledged that Lin Su was an outstanding woman one in a million. After the discussion, Ye Tong went to take a shower. When she returned to the living room, Lin Su was no longer there.
Ye Tong continued to flip through the proposal Lin Su had left on the coffee table, only to find several places where notes had been made. The content of those notes addressed the exact areas where she was weakest.
Truly professional. Ye Tong found the proposal much easier to understand with Lin Su’s annotations. Though she didn’t like to show it, she couldn’t help but admire that clever old fox; it seemed there wasn’t a single thing Lin Su couldn’t do.
She hadn’t been looking for long when the phone on the coffee table rang. When she saw the caller ID, her head instantly began to ache. She answered with resignation: “Mom, why aren’t you asleep so late at night?”
Mother Ye: “You aren’t asleep either. I’m not scolding you, but work is important, and so is your health. Don’t stay up late after the call, you hear?”
“I know, you should get some rest too.”
Mother Ye: “How could I sleep? Tongbao, you little ingrate, for the sake of your lifelong happiness, I haven’t been able to eat or sleep well for days. I’ve lost ten pounds in a month. Tell me, what should I do with you?”
Ye Tong pinched the bridge of her nose. “I recall you always saying you wanted to lose weight.”
“Are you talking back to me now? You brat! If you have the guts, don’t come home for the New Year, come home for a blind date!”
“Mom, please don’t start with that. I beg you to say something normal.” Ye Tong knew she shouldn’t have answered the phone this late. She quickly added: “No need to rush my marriage; I won’t accept it.”
Mother Ye became anxious: “Tongbao, you are a thirty-year-old woman. Look at the neighbors you’re the only one left who isn’t married. Tell me what kind of person you like. If you really can’t marry someone, can you at least bring someone home to marry you?”