Chapter 72: The Business Trip (Part 1)

Originally, she had intended to find Gu Liyan to discuss her salary, but after being stirred up by Du Feng, Zhou Xiaoru lost interest in seeking him out.

She sent a WeChat message to Du Feng, saying that perhaps she had spoken a bit too harshly earlier and asked him not to take it to heart.

Shortly after, Du Feng only replied with two words, "It's fine," and then there was no further word.

Zhou Xiaoru couldn't help but secretly curse herself for truly courting disaster!

Having refused so decisively before, now she was worried that he was angry or unhappy, and if he didn't respond to her, she would just let her thoughts run wild.

It really is: if you don't stay silent while courting disaster, you will perish while courting disaster!

After thinking it over, since she had to go on a business trip tomorrow, she should just properly handle this first business trip of her life.

As for the salary matter and the Du Feng matter, she would just wait until she returned from the business trip to talk about them.

Speaking of which, she had her thesis defense at the beginning of next month, so she needed to seize the time to practice for it.

She couldn't just get up on the podium and stand there knowing nothing when asked!

Today, other than some unpleasantness with Du Feng at noon, nothing else had happened.

Gu Liyan hadn't come to cause her trouble either; there hadn't even been a phone call or a message.

This couldn't help but let Zhou Xiaoru breathe a small sigh of relief; how did she find that now, inside Tengyuan, there were time bombs targeting her everywhere?

She was somewhat looking forward to Tuesday's business trip, to the point that she was so excited she didn't sleep all night.

The next morning, past five o'clock, she got up.

Simply packing two sets of clothes to change into and carrying a small suitcase, Zhou Xiaoru left the dormitory building feeling refreshed.

It was almost summer now, the sky had long since brightened, and the air this early morning was truly fresh.

There was also the sound of birds chirping, which made one's mood feel different upon hearing it.

Although she hadn't slept much last night, she felt as if she had been injected with chicken blood; her whole body was full of energy and overflowing with endless strength.

She hadn't been to W City yet; it was an international metropolis, and going there this time was a perfect chance to broaden her horizons.

And last night, Xiao Lan and Jiang Bufan had also worried themselves sick over her first business trip.

They had each brought out their own precious cosmetics and skincare products, letting Zhou Xiaoru dress up carefully for the trip.

Jiang Bufan felt that this creature Zhou Xiaoru usually lived a bit too roughly! If it weren't for the fact that she was a woman by anatomy, she would really suspect this creature was a man!

Other young girls at this age had desks piled high not with books, but with skincare products and cosmetics—things that could make themselves beautiful.

Even Yao Xiang, who only knew how to read, had a few bottles and jars of skincare products on her desk.

Looking at Miss Zhou's desk, besides a bottle of Dabao, there wasn't a single jar.

If a jar did occasionally appear, it was just a leftover Eight-Treasure Porridge can.

She herself hadn't cared, saying she was naturally beautiful and didn't need to rely on these things.

In the end, no matter how unwilling she was, her suitcase was still stuffed with the lotion, skincare cream, and toner provided by Jiang Bufan.

Xiao Lan provided a box of facial masks, and Yao Xiang also stuffed a bottle of body lotion into her bag to use.

Facing everyone's "deep affection," Zhou Xiaoru was "moved to tears" while simultaneously wanting to secretly throw these things away.

But then she thought, some of them had to be returned to those idiots later; if she threw them away, wouldn't she have to pay for them?

After thinking about it, forget it, she would just take them.

By the time she arrived at Tengyuan Building, it wasn't even six-thirty yet, still half an hour away from the meeting time.

Despite this, several black business cars were already parked outside the building.

Mao Mao had said that besides her, there was one other person from the Personnel Department who would go, but when she asked specifically who it was yesterday,

Mao Mao had said it wasn't decided yet and she would only know today.

Standing outside with nothing to do, she took out her phone and shouted in their Personnel Department group chat.

Who is going on the business trip with me today?

After a few minutes, someone in the group replied; Colleague B first sent a surprised emoji, then replied.

The Personnel Department only sent you for today's business trip!

Then they also sent an envious and jealous emoji.

The people in the Personnel Department had only learned after work yesterday that this business trip task required sending one person from the Personnel Department to handle the writing and documentation.

Originally, this was a matter for the Administrative Department; she didn't know why it had fallen onto the Personnel Department.

And onto an Intern at that!

This caused the crowd of onlookers to instantly explode in the group chat.

Everyone was saying things filled with envy, jealousy, and hatred.

It was just that Zhou Xiaoru, on one hand, was puzzled as to why only she was sent to go on a business trip with people from other departments, and on the other hand, she found it strange what these onlookers were jealous of.

Isn't it just going on a business trip? They were acting like they were going to see a handsome man.

However, not long after, she would know what everyone was jealous of.

After waiting for ten minutes or so, the Executive Secretary of the President's Office, Zhang Haiyan, arrived.

As soon as she saw Zhou Xiaoru, she quickly put on her signature polite and courteous smile.

She even personally led her onto one of the business cars.

Zhou Xiaoru didn't suspect much, just thinking that since the President's Executive Secretary had personally taken action, this business trip seemed very important.

It was just that after she sat in the car, Zhang Haiyan followed and sat in as well.

And she placed the stack of folders in her hand entirely into Zhou Xiaoru's hands.

Zhou Xiaoru stared at the things in her hands, looking up and down in confusion.

"What are all these?"

Zhang Haiyan let out a breath; in fact, she had been holding these things and waiting here since before six o'clock, waiting for Zhou Xiaoru to arrive.

She had just gone to the restroom, and upon returning, she found that this person had already arrived.

She instructed, "These are the materials needed for the bidding trip to W City this time. These folders marked with red are the financial reports of several listed companies in W City, and the yellow ones are the budget reports the Finance Department worked on all night last night. When President Gu arrives, remember to show him the yellow-marked files first, and the red ones..."

"Wait... wait... wait a second!"

Zhou Xiaoru interrupted Zhang Haiyan's rapid-fire, mantra-like chatter with a stutter.

What President Gu?!

Didn't Mao Mao tell her that the colleagues on this business trip were from other departments! What does someone surnamed Gu have to do with this!

"Um, I'd like to ask, is our big President Gu going to W City this time too?"

If she said yes, she would get off the car immediately!

Zhang Haiyan pushed up her black-rimmed glasses and replied, looking puzzled.

"Yes! For such an important project as the bidding, President Gu naturally has to go in person. What's wrong?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xiaoru's face turned completely black!

How could she have forgotten that Mao Mao was Gu Liyan's number one lackey!

Zhang Haiyan stared at her ever-changing expression, which was like a brewing storm.

"What's wrong with you? Did no one tell you that President Gu is going too!"

After being stunned for several minutes, the girl, having been stiff for a long while, finally found her voice.

She placed the somewhat heavy folders in her hand back into the hands of the bewildered Zhang Haiyan.

Waving her hands, she said, "Um, I almost forgot, I still have my thesis defense in a few days. I'm afraid this business trip isn't very convenient for me. Sister Yan, you should arrange for someone else. Besides, I'm a specialist in the Personnel Department; I don't understand these bidding matters, so it's better to send someone who does."

Zhou Xiaoru had already started to back out; she had to leave quickly, otherwise, if she waited until Gu Liyan arrived, she feared it would take more than a little effort to get away.

Just as she was shifting her bottom on the seat, clutching her small suitcase, and planning to get off from the other side of the car door...

With a *whoosh*, the sliding door of the business van opened.

The forced smile on the girl's face dried up completely!

Does anyone need to buy a fake smile? She has plenty of them here!

Standing outside the car door was a handsome man so dashing that not even a speck of dust could settle on him!

Gu Liyan was wearing a light blue shirt today, black suit trousers, and a pair of sunglasses...

He looked just like a model posing at the airport!

Aside from handsome, he was just handsome!

Oh my god! Zhou Xiaoru's little heart was pounding wildly as she watched.

If she was already unable to look away just because a handsome man was wearing a simple pair of sunglasses.

By the time she came to her senses, the gentleman had already squeezed in, carrying his black suitcase.

And Zhang Haiyan took the opportunity to rattle off the following passage like a broken record, without even taking a breath.

"Don't forget the things I told you, what you need to do specifically for this business trip is written clearly in the gray folder, if you encounter anything you don't understand, aren't clear about, or don't know, remember to contact me immediately, finally, I wish you a pleasant business trip!"

After finishing, she hopped out of the car with a *thud*, and before she left, the mountain of folders in her hands *clattered* back into Zhou Xiaoru's arms.

And as Zhang Haiyan quickly exited, she swiftly pulled the sliding door shut from the outside.

Zhou Xiaoru, however, stared at the closed car door in a state of shock, bewilderment, and utter speechlessness!

Just now... what happened?!!

At this moment, the gentleman's command reached her ears.

"Xiao Chen, drive! Let's go!"

"Yes! President Gu!"

The driver in the driver's seat received the order and started the car.

Only then did Zhou Xiaoru's brain, which had crashed, finally reboot completely.

She hurriedly shouted, "Wait a second! I want to get off!!"

The man sitting beside her slowly took off his glasses, glanced at her sideways, and asked.

"What's wrong, is there something you don't understand?"

Seeing the car already moving, Zhou Xiaoru's mind felt like it was exploding.

She turned around and glared at the man beside her.

"I want to get off, I'm not going on this business trip, I still have to prepare for my thesis defense! If I can't graduate, are you going to issue me a diploma?"

The man curled the corner of his mouth, "Your graduation defense is on the fifth of next month; we'll be back this week from our business trip, so you'll make it in time!"

"........"

Zhou Xiaoru couldn't help but widen her eyes. How did this guy know so clearly? She quickly changed her strategy.

"I need to go to the bathroom!"

"We'll talk when we reach the service area!"

"I'm going to pee right now!"

"Hold it!"

"You!!! I need to take a dump!"

"Hold it!"

"I can't hold it! If you don't stop the car, I'm going to... I'm going to take care of it right here in the car!"

The young lady was truly backed into a corner with no other options.

The driver, hearing this, almost let the steering wheel slip from his hands.

At this moment, the gentleman turned his head again and said with a somewhat expressionless face.

"If you dare to take off your pants, I don't mind; go ahead and take care of it, right here, I'll watch!"

"........"

Zhou Xiaoru was completely speechless!

What a disaster! Why did she have the illusion that she had been sold out again!

Ever since that night Du Feng came to confess to her, and this guy suddenly showed up at their school, she had been suspicious.

Was there someone behind her back, sending her information to this guy!

Gu Liyan did not show too many other emotions, just a business-like demeanor.

"This business trip is for a very important project. As a formal employee of Tengyuan, please do not bring personal emotions into your work!"

Hearing this, Zhou Xiaoru's eyes nearly popped out.

"Who is bringing personal emotions into work! Besides, if you are going to bid, take your Executive Secretary or your special assistant!"

Why take a small staff member from the Personnel Department like her! Is this a joke!!

Gu Liyan replied like this, "This is the company's arrangement, it has nothing to do with me; you should go ask your Supervisor or the Personnel Assistant!"

This one sentence pushed everything away completely.

Zhou Xiaoru had no choice; she was now in a dilemma, having boarded a pirate ship, and jumping off carried the risk of being hit and killed, so she could only take it one step at a time!

Who knows what will happen on this business trip...