Compatibility - Chapter 61
Chapter 61
"General Manager Zhang, you wanted to see me?" Liu Zhaoran pushed open the door and walked into Zhang Kai's office, feeling some resistance to the fact that he had summoned her to the company first thing in the morning.
She wasn't sure if it was her imagination, but Liu Zhaoran felt that Zhang Kai had been calling her over far too frequently lately, so often that at times she could barely maintain the surface-level "pretense." Liu Zhaoran felt it necessary to have a clear talk with Zhang Kai.
"Mm, have you had breakfast?" Seeing Liu Zhaoran, Zhang Kai smiled and handed her the coffee and cake he had bought. In the past, Liu Zhaoran would naturally have accepted them so as not to offend Zhang Kai. This time, however, she didn't reach out.
"General Manager Zhang, I've already eaten. What did you want to talk about?" Liu Zhaoran didn't take the coffee or cake. Zhang Kai frowned slightly. Though his expression soured, he didn't make an issue of it.
He set the breakfast aside and handed Liu Zhaoran a document.
"This is the biggest project the company has this year. I only received this invitation today. I never expected the Dis Family to approach us for cooperation on their own initiative. They seem very sincere about it. The person they sent is the Dis Family heir."
Hearing Zhang Kai's words, Liu Zhaoran could more or less guess part of the reason. Thinking back to the phone call she had received a few days earlier when she returned to the country, a hint of suspicion rose in her heart.
"That's true. If we can secure this cooperation, WCRR might be able to reap profits in excess of a hundred million from this single deal. General Manager Zhang, what do you mean..."
Liu Zhaoran looked up, intending to see what Zhang Kai had in mind, when he suddenly took her hand. The man's palm was somewhat rough, and the feel of his clasp wasn't pleasant. Liu Zhaoran frowned and tried to pull her hand back. Sensing her intention, Zhang Kai only gripped it tighter.
"Ranran, you know very well what this cooperation project is worth. If you secure it as the lead, no one will question it when I promote you to deputy general manager. I'll place this cooperation entirely in your hands."
Zhang Kai's meaning was obvious, and Liu Zhaoran understood the deeper implication buried in his words. She hadn't expected Zhang Kai to hand her this opportunity on his own initiative, but she still pulled her hand back.
"General Manager Zhang, I understand that you value me, but I hope that the reason you're giving me this work is my professional ability, not the relationship between you and me."
Liu Zhaoran said this deliberately, stressing "you and me." It was an ambiguous phrase, one that seemed to place the two of them in the same camp and reduce everyone else to outsiders. Clearly, her words pleased Zhang Kai. He didn't notice the rejection in her eyes, and was so flattered by her remark that he became carried away with himself.
"Yes, you're right. Ran... Director Liu, it's precisely because I trust your ability that I want to put you in full charge of this cooperation. There's one more thing. In a few days, I'll be away for a while to handle other work. Ranran, I'll miss you."
Zhang Kai said this softly, his gaze toward Liu Zhaoran turning much gentler. Sensing that he was about to embrace her, Liu Zhaoran smiled and sidestepped without a trace, then raised her hand and straightened Zhang Kai's tie for him.
"General Manager Zhang, I'll secure this project. I won't let you down."
Having casually dealt with Zhang Kai, Liu Zhaoran turned and went back to her own office. She had barely sat down when her phone began to buzz. She opened it and found that Song Nanyin had sent her several messages.
There was a red number 7 on the cartoon lion avatar. She really was anxious.
"Are you at the office?"
"Black-Hearted Lotus, did that Zhang Kai call you over?"
"If anything happens, call me. I'm right downstairs."
"Mm, be careful. Don't let that sleazy man take advantage of you."
"Anyway, if you don't come out within five minutes, I'm coming to find you."
"Hmph."
"Fine, don't reply then."
Song Nanyin had sent seven messages in total, her attitude shifting rapidly from concern at the start to tsundere by the end. The transformation was quick, but utterly adorable.
Without even looking, Liu Zhaoran could picture Song Nanyin waiting downstairs in worry, then going back up to the 21st floor in a huff because Liu Zhaoran hadn't replied to her messages.
Even so, Liu Zhaoran didn't intend to reply by message. Instead, she took the initiative to make a video call.
"What?" The call had barely connected when Liu Zhaoran heard Song Nanyin's cold tone. The video on her end was black, which meant a certain someone had covered the camera.
"Nothing. I just received your messages, and I missed you." Liu Zhaoran said such things naturally and easily, her voice alluring.
She could clearly feel that after she said this, the phone on Song Nanyin's end wobbled. Like a fawn hidden in the undergrowth, startled and sweeping a large patch of leaves, only exposing itself in the process.
At the image, Liu Zhaoran couldn't help but let out a soft laugh. Her laughter traveled through the phone, and Song Nanyin's brows knitted right along with it.
"It's work hours. Cut it out with that kind of talk. Um... are you okay? Zhang Kai didn't give you any trouble, did he?" Song Nanyin asked quietly. Judging by the environment on her end, she was probably in the changing room.
"Nothing much. He just handed me a decent project. Looks like we'll have our hands full from now on."
Liu Zhaoran's words weren't without foundation. She truly foresaw that from now on, whether in work or in her personal life, she was unlikely to be as free as she was now.
"Liu, do you have time? I just got off the plane. I'd like to see you." Before the end of the workday, Liu Zhaoran received a message, one she had expected. She thought for a moment, replied with an "okay," then sent a message to Song Nanyin.
"Team Leader Song, I have a business dinner tonight. You should head home first. I probably won't be back for dinner."
"Oh. Then don't drink too much. If you need me, I can come pick you up."
Before leaving work, Liu Zhaoran touched up her makeup. She didn't make a point of changing clothes, simply going to the agreed restaurant in her suit. A waiter received her at the door and led her to the reserved private room.
She pushed the door open and walked in. The man was already seated inside. They hadn't seen each other in several years, and he hadn't changed much.
He had clearly placed great importance on this meeting. His medium-length dark brown hair was carefully styled, his center-parted bangs revealing a well-defined face, deep-set eye sockets, and amber-colored eyes. With his tall, slender frame and good taste, he genuinely possessed every quality that could make most women's hearts flutter.
This man was the boyfriend Liu Zhaoran had been with the longest, and the one she had stayed in contact with longest after the breakup.
"Liu, long time no see." Seeing Liu Zhaoran, a glint of admiration flashed in Luo Ning's eyes. He rose and, in a most gentlemanly manner, pulled out the chair for Liu Zhaoran.
As the man drew near, he carried a very faint scent of men's cologne. For most men, choosing a fragrance that wasn't heavy or sharp was already a point in their favor... one couldn't ask too much of them.
"Mm, it really has been a long time. To be honest, I'm quite surprised that you came to Jiahai City and sought cooperation with WCRR." Liu Zhaoran said softly, noticing that the dishes had already been ordered, most of them ingredients and flavors she loved.
"To be honest, the main purpose of my return this time concerns you. Liu, I'm not one to beat around the bush, and I imagine you're the same. You understand that the parting back then wasn't my choice. I like you very much, I respect you, and I understand your way of thinking."
"I came this time for you. I know you've always been very interested in quantum chip research, so I brought this project along."
"If you marry me, I'll transfer 10 percent of the shares in my hands to you. I'm also willing to hand over control of several overseas companies of the Dis Family to my partner."
If Zhang Kai that morning had been easy to fob off, the Luo Ning before her now was clearly not so easily managed. The Dis Family was a prominent American family. Back then, most of the reason Liu Zhaoran chose Luo Ning had to do with his family background.
At the time, she had been well aware that there would be no real outcome between her and Luo Ning. The man was her stepping stone into the business world, an excellent tool for Liu Zhaoran's use. When the breakup came, Liu Zhaoran left cleanly, but she still had the ability to keep this man thinking of her.
But now, Liu Zhaoran hadn't expected Luo Ning to offer such generous terms. Whether it was the shares, the control of those companies, or even the quantum chips he mentioned, all of it was reason enough to stir Liu Zhaoran's heart.
If it had been before, even just half a year earlier, Liu Zhaoran would have agreed to Luo Ning's proposal and demands without hesitation. But now, she found herself hesitating.
Amid her tangled thoughts, Liu Zhaoran thought of Song Nanyin. The messages Song Nanyin had sent were still on her phone, expressing worry that she might drink too much that night, even offering on her own initiative to come pick her up.
Liu Zhaoran suddenly realized that Song Nanyin occupied no small place in her heart. So much so that when faced with such tempting terms, her first thought wasn't how to use them, but of Song Nanyin, to the point of wavering.
This was abnormal, so abnormal that she, clever as she was, couldn't find a reason for it at the moment.
"To be honest, I didn't expect you to still care about me. But so much time has passed. I can't guarantee that the two of us can still be the way we were back then. Luo Ning, give me some time."
Liu Zhaoran didn't refuse, but she didn't agree either. She spoke softly. Seeing that Luo Ning didn't press her relentlessly, but nodded and accepted her wishes, Liu Zhaoran, for some reason, breathed a sigh of relief.
Having ended this not entirely easy "meeting with an ex," Liu Zhaoran politely declined Luo Ning's offer to drive her home and called a car to take herself back.
She pushed open the door and found Song Nanyin still sitting on the sofa, holding a bag of potato chips. She turned her head to look over the moment Liu Zhaoran came home.
"Back so early? You didn't drink much?" Song Nanyin had assumed that Liu Zhaoran's so-called business dinner would probably last very late. But now, it wasn't even 10 p.m., and she was already home, with no strong smell of alcohol on her, only a faint scent of men's cologne.
Song Nanyin noticed it, but since she figured the cooperation partner was probably a man, she didn't ask anything more.
"The partner today was easy enough to handle, so I didn't drink much. What about you? Were you waiting for me on purpose?" Liu Zhaoran sat down beside Song Nanyin, leaned against her shoulder, and picked up a potato chip.
"Black-Hearted Lotus, I've discovered that you're really full of yourself. Was the drama not good, or was the novel boring? Do you think I have that much free time?"
Song Nanyin crunched her potato chips noisily. Hearing her refuse to admit it with insincerity written all over her face, Liu Zhaoran smiled and nuzzled her forehead against Song Nanyin's shoulder.
"Fine, I was flattering myself. Lately, Team Leader Song, is there anyone you like?" Liu Zhaoran suddenly changed the subject. Hearing her bring up the word "like," Song Nanyin choked for a moment, not understanding why Liu Zhaoran was suddenly asking this.
If she had to name someone she liked, wasn't it someone who, though seeming far away, was right before her eyes...
It was just that her secret crush had failed, and her confession hadn't succeeded either.
"Why do you ask?"
"Nothing. I'm just a little curious what Team Leader Song would do if she had someone she liked."
"What do you mean, what would I do? I'd just do whatever comes naturally."
Song Nanyin didn't understand why Liu Zhaoran was asking this out of nowhere. Liu Zhaoran looked at her for a while, fell silent, and didn't continue the topic.
The life they had now seemed fine just like this. It was only that... Liu Zhaoran herself wasn't content with it. At the thought of the terms Luo Ning had offered tonight, Liu Zhaoran felt a little agitated and suddenly rose from the sofa.
"Team Leader Song, I'll go take a shower first. Good night." With that, Liu Zhaoran gave Song Nanyin no chance to speak, turned, and went upstairs.
Watching her slip away in a flash like that, Song Nanyin was stunned for a moment. Instantly losing her urge to "watch the drama," she tossed the potato chips carelessly onto the sofa and followed her upstairs.
So watching the drama and eating the chips were what was truly "incidental," weren't they?
Oh good, Liu loves her
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