Chapter 84: The Dinner Party (Part 1)

Tonight's dinner party was arranged at a five-star hotel within the city.

Following several bigwigs to that hotel for the meal, Zhou Xiaoru was stunned by the luxurious layout inside, the ultra-high-class decor, and the golden glitter shining everywhere.

Looking at that resplendent splendor, it was as if she were seeing a room full of moving gold!

The people eating this time, besides the other company's President Yan, included several shareholders from their company, plus her and Gu Liyan, totaling only five or six people.

Yet the large private dining room they sat in could seat a full twenty people.

The positions where that President Yan and the several shareholders sat were centered around Gu Liyan, creating an illusion of being surrounded.

As for Zhou Xiaoru, she sat alone opposite them; from the looks of this dinner party, she was the only woman.

This made Zhou Xiaoru somewhat restless; although the chair was very soft, she kept shifting her sitting posture.

Her bottom had nowhere to settle!

Just as she was secretly regretting that she shouldn't have come along for the meal, several more people walked in from outside.

Looking at these unfamiliar faces, the young Miss Zhou kept a smile that was awkward but polite on her face, until she saw the last person to enter.

The awkward smile on her face froze instantly.

Now, because of this person's arrival, she wasn't just somewhat regretful—she was extremely regretful!

The last to enter was a meticulously dressed woman with flaming red lips and an air of seductiveness.

This woman was none other than Fang Qingkong, whom the young Miss Zhou had splashed with coffee that morning.

As soon as Fang Qingkong entered the private room, she hurriedly called out in a sweet, affected voice.

"Uncle-in-law, long time no see..."

Gu Liyan had not expected Fang Qingkong to appear here either, and upon hearing this "Uncle-in-law," he, like Zhou Xiaoru, felt a trace of an ominous premonition rise in his heart.

As President Yan replied with a smile, "You girl, I don't see you often, how do you have time to come today?"

Fang Qingkong hugged Yan Qihua, who was already seated, affectionately and said.

"Oh, it's just that I missed you and Aunt, so I came; Aunt said you had a dinner party here, so I just came along to mooch a meal."

"Good, good, good, sit down quickly. Let me introduce you; this is President Gu of Tengyuan Company in A City, and this is my niece, Fang Qingkong..."

"Uncle-in-law, no need for introductions. We know each other, and... we're quite close."

These words were somewhat ambiguous, making Gu Liyan feel displeased, and causing Zhou Xiaoru to scoff in disdain.

And as someone long-experienced in the business world, how could Yan Qihua not sense that there was more to this than met the eye?

"It's great that you know each other. Come, sit next to President Gu; tonight, you are responsible for hosting President Gu well."

After saying this, a shy expression appeared on Fang Qingkong's face.

This gave Zhou Xiaoru, who was watching all this from across the table, the urge to go straight outside and throw up.

Wacka-wacka! What is this all about!

Is this an Oscar competition scene?

At this moment, various praises came from all around.

"Since when did President Yan have such a beautiful niece? We didn't even know."

"She really looks just like a big movie star."

Zhou Xiaoru was already too lazy to watch this chaotic drama; it seemed this meal tonight was destined to cause indigestion.

Not long after, plate after plate of exquisite delicacies was brought out amidst a chorus of flattery.

Following a remark from the bigwig Yan, "Everyone, don't be formal. Today is to welcome President Gu, who is visiting our city for the first time. I believe that our company and Tengyuan Company joining forces will surely expand our business even better."

Then everyone raised their glasses, and the dinner party mode was activated.

Meanwhile, the handsome Gu kept a graceful smile on his face the entire time.

"To our successful cooperation!"

Zhou Xiaoru held her glass and took a small sip of the red wine inside, then lifted her eyes from the rim of the glass to secretly glance at the man opposite her.

But it was this one glance that made her face go numb, as if she had suddenly been electrocuted.

Because that gentleman was also looking at her.

And Fang Qingkong, who was at his side, saw their "exchanging glances" and a cold, sinister light flashed in her eyes.

If she hadn't investigated everything thoroughly this time, how would she have rushed here from out of town?

The coincidence was that the company to cooperate with after winning this bid was the one her uncle-in-law managed single-handedly.

This undoubtedly provided her with a shortcut!

She didn't believe that Gu Liyan had completely forgotten her and had no feelings for her at all.

Now with Yan Qihua as her trump card, she wasn't afraid that Gu Liyan would reject her again.

The spots for the bid were already internally decided; tomorrow's conference would just be for show.

Even if only for the sake of this cooperation, Gu Liyan would have to give Yan Qihua face and give her face as well.

Thinking this, a trace of smugness rose in Fang Qingkong's heart.

The dinner party was underway, and because of that glance just now, Zhou Xiaoru no longer paid much attention to the situation across the table.

Instead, she buried her head and ate voraciously!

Toasts had been made round after round, and the bigwigs chatted about nothing more than work matters and the current state of the market economy.

Except for Fang Qingkong...

She kept helping the man beside her add food to his plate. After looking at the large table already full of dishes, she called over a waiter nearby and said.

"Please add one more dish."

"Yes, what dish would you like?"

"Crab roe soup."

"Very well."

After he finished speaking, everyone present heard these words, and Yan Qihua let out an "oh" and said.

"Qingqing likes to eat crab roe soup?"

Fang Qingkong first shyly glanced at the man beside her, then replied somewhat bashfully.

"Uncle, it's not that I like to eat it, it's that Gu Liyan likes to eat it."

And these words also led a group of bigwigs to start teasing them.

(From here on, I will use A, B, C, and D to represent the various unnamed bigwigs!)

Bigwig A, "President Yan, the relationship between your niece and President Gu is not simple."

Bigwig B, "That's right, you even know what he likes to eat most; aren't you two boyfriend and girlfriend?"

Bigwig C, "I was wondering why President Yan decided so quickly to hand this investment plan to Tengyuan. They say charity begins at home; it turns out there was this private connection involved."

Listening to these teases, Fang Qingkong's face was getting redder and redder, while conversely, Gu Liyan was very calm.

He neither admitted it nor refuted it.

But this sentence, that he likes crab roe soup the most, sounded like a thorn in Zhou Xiaoru's ears, piercing directly into them!

And after hearing this sentence, Gu Liyan also subconsciously glanced at the person opposite him, his brows furrowing slightly.

At this time, Yan Qihua said happily, "We don't understand the affairs of young people, but as for my niece, I cherish her like my own daughter. My wife and I only have one son, and that brat runs off all day without a trace. In the future, I have to rely more on my niece."

Bigwig B, "Hehe, that's true. Speaking of President Yan's niece and President Gu, they really look like a match made in heaven."

"Yes, yes, a talented man and a beautiful woman, a perfect match."

"In that case, we will soon be drinking at President Gu's wedding. You must remember to send me an invitation when the time comes. I will definitely go, hahaha..."

"That's right, I'll go too, everyone sitting here will go."

Yan Qihua was so happy his eyes were practically blooming, "Hehe, you guys don't even ask the people involved and just stir up trouble there."

Just at this moment, a certain gentleman who had rarely spoken from the beginning until now slowly stood up, raised his wine glass, and said.

"Thank you all for your concern. I would like to propose a toast to everyone regarding this cooperation."

After speaking, he had already downed the wine in his glass in one gulp.

While putting down the glass, whether intentional or unintentional, Zhou Xiaoru, who was sitting opposite, clearly felt his gaze glance toward her side.

He continued, "Everyone, please rest assured, if I get married, I will definitely send everyone an invitation. However, business is business; I don't like to bring up private emotional matters on such occasions. This cooperation between Tengyuan and your company relies on strength, not nepotism. Although I have known Miss Fang before, our relationship is limited to that of ordinary friends."

After saying this, as he sat down, he lowered his head and said one more thing to the person sitting beside him whose expression had already begun to change.

"Miss Fang must have remembered incorrectly; I am allergic to seafood and cannot eat crab roe soup!"

This sentence was truly a slap in the face.

Hearing it, Zhou Xiaoru felt a secret thrill in her heart!

And these words were enough to clarify Gu Liyan's stance, also making the group of bigwigs who were stirring up trouble feel somewhat awkward.

Indeed, work matters being mixed with private emotions made people think that winning this bid was because of Fang Qingkong's connection.

Before tonight, Gu Liyan didn't even know that Fang Qingkong and Yan Qihua had this connection.

The few hours of meeting discussions in the afternoon, and finally Yan Qihua finalizing that the cooperation partner was Tengyuan, had nothing to do with outsiders.

Now, because of this woman's arrival, it had all completely changed flavor.

How could the great President Gu allow these people to continue talking nonsense, making it seem like he relied on a woman to get this bidding opportunity?

And Fang Qingkong's arrival this time undoubtedly made that gentleman feel even more repulsed.

The subsequent meal was spent in silence.

Until it was almost over, Yan Qihua, who had been awkward for half the day, also felt that their people had spoken somewhat inappropriately.

When Gu Liyan came to see him for an interview in the afternoon, he had brought a very detailed and thorough project plan, and he had ultimately decided on Tengyuan based on long-term development.

This had absolutely nothing to do with anyone else!

Nowadays, among major enterprises, there are too few young, promising, and visionary elites like Gu Liyan.

Cooperating with Tengyuan is an inevitable trend.

Thinking of this, in order to ease the previous unpleasantness, Yan Qihua took the initiative to apologize for the previous slip of the tongue.

"I'm really sorry just now, President Gu. How about this, I will punish myself with three cups first." After speaking, he poured the wine in his hand directly into his stomach.

Watching him about to go for the second cup, Gu Liyan's hand had already reached out to stop him.

"President Yan, there is no need for this; it's fine once things are cleared up. We will have many things to do together in the future. I have always highly respected President Yan's character; not only do you keep your word, but you also possess a sense of loyalty that many modern businessmen lack! Just for these reasons, our company must strive for the opportunity to cooperate with your company."

These words instantly gave Yan Qihua a big step down.

"I didn't expect President Gu to have such a high opinion of me; I truly feel ashamed."

At this moment, Gu Liyan had successfully taken the wine bottle from the hands of the bigwig Yan, "President Yan, too much alcohol is harmful to the body. You still have to give a speech at the Bidding Conference tomorrow, so please don't overindulge."