Chapter 653: Another Girlfriend, Difficult

"Xie—Xie Zong."

Cheng Qiuqiu hurriedly greeted her, her voice carrying a hint of caution.

"It really is you; I thought I saw wrong." A genuine smile appeared on Xie Shu Yu's face, carrying a hint of joy at meeting an old friend again. "Long time no see. What a coincidence; I didn't expect to run into you here."

She had a deep impression of this inspirational designer she had once collaborated with.

Not only because of Cheng Qiuqiu's outstanding figure and appearance, but also because of her talent and spirituality.

Back then, the website redesign, mini-program UI, and poster design for 【Shimmer Coffee】 all came from her hand.

Not only was the work excellent, but her efficiency was also extremely high.

Later, when she heard that she had resigned from Inspirational Design, Xie Shu Yu had felt quite regretful; she hadn't expected to meet again here.

"Long time no see, Xie Zong." Cheng Qiuqiu tucked her hair somewhat shyly. "Are you going on a business trip?"

"Mm, going to Rongcheng. How about you?"

"Me too, my home is in Rongcheng."

"Oh, right, I have a bit of an impression; I remember you mentioned it before."

The two chatted simply for a few sentences, and the broadcast for the train entering the station sounded.

Ticket checking, boarding.

Inside the first-class carriage, a 2+2 seat layout was adopted, and the large leather seats had plenty of legroom.

This was Cheng Qiuqiu's first time sitting in first class, and she couldn't help but look around curiously.

When she found her seat according to the ticket information, she discovered that she and that Xie Zong were actually sitting next to each other.

Seeing this, Xie Shu Yu smiled, walked in first, and sat in the window seat.

Cheng Qiuqiu sat beside her, and her whole person became constrained and nervous.

She was extremely unskilled at socializing, especially in such an enclosed space.

When they met and interacted before, they could at least chat about work.

But now—this train ride would last a full seven hours; for her, it was simply a long, agonizing ordeal.

Seeming to notice her unease and the strangeness of the atmosphere, Xie Shu Yu took the initiative to speak, chatting with her about the food and weather in Rongcheng.

As a self-made female entrepreneur, Xie Shu Yu naturally possessed superb social skills.

Facing a "person" as introverted and quiet as Cheng Qiuqiu, she didn't discuss any topics that would cause tension, just sharing her experiences easily like a friend.

The train started slowly, and the familiar winter scenery of Yancheng outside the window began to fly backward rapidly.

After chatting for a while, the atmosphere in the carriage eased significantly.

Xie Shu Yu took a Pad with a keyboard out of her handbag and put on her headphones.

She said softly to Cheng Qiuqiu, "I'll handle some work first," and began to busy herself seriously.

Cheng Qiuqiu let out a sigh of relief, lowered her head, and began to stare blankly.

This time returning to Rongcheng, she hadn't contacted her mother in advance, and she didn't know what attitude to face that woman with.

In fact, ever since she started college, she had rarely returned to that cold "home."

Choosing to stay in Yancheng after graduation was, to a large extent, because she wanted to escape completely.

Near noon, the sound of the dining car hawking came. Cheng Qiuqiu opened the 12306 APP, preparing to order a lunch.

She looked at Xie Shu Yu, who was still busy beside her, and hesitated for a long time. Her lips moved, and she still asked politely in a small voice, "Xie Zong, would you like to eat something? Shall I order for you together?"

Xie Shu Yu's gaze didn't leave the screen; she just said casually, "An eel and beef double-combo rice, please. Thank you."

"Okay." Cheng Qiuqiu sighed in relief, added the eel and beef double-combo rice, and ordered her favorite chili pork rice for herself.

Soon, she received a transfer of 40 yuan for the meal fee from Xie Shu Yu on WeChat.

The attendant delivered the steaming hot meal.

Xie Shu Yu still didn't stop working, just took off one earphone and ate her meal in small bites while talking on the phone.

"I don't want to hear any excuses; I just want results."

"... No, we cannot accept a 3% increase; this is our bottom line. You tell President Li that if they can't provide a new plan by the time they get off work today, we will immediately activate the backup contract with that factory in Jiangcheng."

Watching her decisive, strong-woman demeanor, Cheng Qiuqiu secretly sighed in her heart.

She had always known that this Xie Zong was a workaholic, and very serious, very concerned about cost control.

Many projects in the company were outsourced, including design, development, and even the employees of the coffee shop; many were part-time.

Many projects in the company are outsourced, including design, development, and even the café staff; many are part-time.

Back then, the old employees of Inspirational Design didn't want to take this job, which was why they arranged the task for her, a newcomer.

However, she actually liked it very much.

Because Xie Shu Yu never beat around the bush when speaking or doing things, and could clearly point out even the slightest dissatisfaction with a design draft.

Official business was handled officially; she never engaged in flashy human relationships.

For her, who wasn't good at socializing, this was the best client.

This was also the main reason she respected Xie Shu Yu from the bottom of her heart. After finishing her meal, sleepiness gradually surged up like a tide.

She hadn't slept well last night, and now that her spirit had relaxed, she couldn't hold on anymore.

Leaning against the soft seat back, thinking about the various troublesome matters of returning home this time,

she fell into a deep sleep without knowing it.

After four o'clock in the afternoon,

when Cheng Qiuqiu woke up from a slight bump,

she discovered that at some point, a warm cashmere coat with a faint perfume scent had been placed on her.

She was stunned, turned her head to look, and Xie Shu Yu was closing her iPad, her face carrying a trace of fatigue.

"Awake?"

"Xie Zong—" Cheng Qiuqiu's cheeks turned red instantly, and she hurriedly picked up the coat on her body and handed it over. "Thank you, I'm sorry, I—"

"It's okay." Xie Shu Yu took the coat, put it aside, and smiled warmly. "Seeing you sleeping so soundly, I was afraid you'd catch a cold."

She looked at Cheng Qiuqiu, as if finally having some leisure time, and began to chat with her actively: "By the way, I haven't asked you yet, where did you jump to after resigning from Inspirational Design?"

She truly appreciated Cheng Qiuqiu.

Now that 【Shimmer Coffee】 had completed the first step of its nationwide expansion deployment,

the brand visual system upgrade would become very important; outsourcing it again wouldn't be appropriate, and she was currently building a team.

If possible, she didn't mind taking action personally to dig this talented and honest designer directly under her command.

In fact, her eye for people had always been very good.

Back then, the three long-term outsourced partners of Shimmer Coffee—Tang Song, who was responsible for technical development; Wen Ruan, who was responsible for marketing planning; and Cheng Qiuqiu, who was responsible for visual design—

were all top-tier talents.

However, there was definitely no need to dig Tang Song and Wen Ruan.

It was Cheng Qiuqiu before her who might still be worth fighting for.

"At a clothing e-commerce company," Cheng Qiuqiu answered softly, "still doing visual design."

Xie Shu Yu was instantly interested. "Clothing e-commerce? That's a good industry. For a designer, the development space in this industry is very large. The feedback cycle is short, and you can directly contact the most real user data."

"Mm, that's indeed the case." Cheng Qiuqiu nodded.

The two chatted for a while about the topic of clothing e-commerce.

Xie Shu Yu asked casually, "What's your company's name?"

Cheng Qiuqiu answered seriously, "Songmei Apparel Trading Co., Ltd., over at Yunxi Building."

Xie Shu Yu was stunned, her face full of surprise. "Songmei Apparel?"

"Mm, Xie Zong, you know it?" As soon as she finished speaking, Cheng Qiuqiu suddenly reacted. "Oh right! Xie Zong, you also know our Tang Zong!"

Her state today was truly too poor; she had been thinking about family matters all along and had forgotten that Tang Song was previously the outsourced programmer for Shimmer Coffee.

She and Tang Song had also met at the Shimmer Coffee headquarters, introduced by Xie Shu Yu.

Recalling the scene of their first meeting, she couldn't help but curl her lips upward.

That day, Xie Shu Yu had called her to the Huayun Center, saying she needed to connect the visual plan with the development personnel.

She had run into Tang Song, who was wearing Under Armour sportswear, downstairs.

He had stared at her when he saw her riding her bike over downstairs, and even secretly took a photo of her with his phone.

Therefore, her first impression of him wasn't very good.

Who would have thought so many things would happen later.

Xie Shu Yu chuckled, her tone carrying a hint of just-right teasing. "Alright, so you were dug away by Tang Song. He's truly not authentic; digging someone I had my eye on without even knowing to tell me in advance—how can I say, I was the one who introduced you two."

Cheng Qiuqiu, hearing this, immediately defended Tang Song subconsciously: "No, Xie Zong! I encountered problems at the company and was recruited by a senior. Tang Zong—he also only found out later that I had joined the company—"

Xie Shu Yu looked at her appearance of nervously defending him, her brows lifting imperceptibly, and her gaze flickering accordingly.

She seemed to have guessed something.

"Hehe, you misunderstood; I didn't mean to blame him. You might not know yet, but he is now a major shareholder of 【Shimmer Coffee】 and participated in our Series A financing."

"Ah? Is that so—"

Xie Shu Yu nodded, drank some water, looked into her eyes, and said, "And, I am his girlfriend now."

Boom—a buzzing sound filled Cheng Qiuqiu's head.

Another girlfriend?!

And it was Xie Zong?!

In her heart, Xie Shu Yu was a presence close to an elder.

Not only because the other party was 10 years older than her, but also because of the mature, capable aura Xie Shu Yu carried, as well as that self-made, admirable female entrepreneur halo.

In her eyes, this was an elder she respected, even feared a little.

She hadn't expected her to be Tang Song's girlfriend?

She looked at this "female CEO" before her, who had an outstanding temperament and was impeccable from every angle, then thought of the senior, Tian Jing,

and Xu Qing.

Her brain was a tangled mess.

How—how many girlfriends does he have?!

"Why did you stop talking? Is it very strange?"

Xie Shu Yu's voice sounded again, pulling her back to reality from her chaotic thoughts.

Her tone was still gentle, but those bright eyes carried a hint of imperceptible scrutiny, watching her quietly.

"No—nothing," Cheng Qiuqiu subconsciously avoided the other party's gaze, her voice panicked. "Just a bit surprised, that's all. Congratulations, Xie Zong."

"Thank you." Xie Shu Yu nodded lightly, leaning against the seat back, observing the young female designer beside her without moving a muscle.

An exquisite face that could be broken by a blow, full of collagen.

A figure with curves in all the right places, sexy to the extreme.

Her appearance and temperament were somewhat cold, but she was also full of a girlish feel.

Somewhat like the big star Su Yu.

Xie Shu Yu was examining Cheng Qiuqiu's appearance head-on for the first time, feeling many emotions.

Youth is truly good.

After all, once some things pass, they never come back.

She subconsciously touched the corner of her eye and sighed in her heart.

Recently, she had truly been too busy.

A new round of nationwide expansion, strategic docking with Smile Holdings' coffee suppliers, and the upcoming trip to Rongcheng—every single thing kept her from being able to spare herself.

She and Tang Song, although they were boyfriend and girlfriend in name, had pitifully little time to meet.

Regarding this point, her heart was actually filled with deep guilt and unease.

So she never interfered with his private life; that was also something they had agreed upon from the beginning.

And at this moment, seeing the girlish feelings Cheng Qiuqiu, whom she had once viewed as a "junior," revealed for Tang Song,

a subtle sense of crisis and possessiveness belonging to a woman still made her throw out that sentence of "asserting sovereignty" subconsciously.

Perhaps she really should let go of work a little.

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but feel a surge of inexplicable nervousness.

For this kind of intimate relationship that needed to be maintained with sensibility, she was actually very unconfident.

5:17 PM.

After a smooth ride lasting more than seven hours, the high-speed train finally pulled slowly into Rongcheng East Station.

The sky outside the window was still bright, and the winter sun was hanging on the western horizon.

It plated this provincial capital city of the "Land of Abundance" with a layer of soft golden halo.

The train stopped steadily.

The two walked out of the carriage one after the other, following the crowd toward the exit.

Rongcheng East Station was massive, its design full of modernity and a sense of technology.

Under the huge glass dome, people were surging, full of that unique, leisurely yet vibrant atmosphere of the Southwest region.

Walking out of the ticket gate and arriving at the spacious exit hall,

Xie Shu Yu stopped and turned to ask, "Cheng Qiuqiu, which district is your home in? A friend of mine is driving to pick me up; if it's not out of the way,

I can give you a ride."

Cheng Qiuqiu hurriedly waved her hands. "No need, Xie Zong, I'll just take the subway myself; it's very convenient."

"Alright then." Xie Shu Yu didn't insist further. She looked at Cheng Qiuqiu, her bright, spirited eyes revealing a hint of warmth. "I'll be staying in Rongcheng for a while; if there's anything, you can call me anytime."

"Mm, thank you, Xie Zong. You also—take care and rest."

After a simple farewell, Cheng Qiuqiu dragged her suitcase and walked toward the subway entrance.

Soon, she merged into the surging crowd.

Xie Shu Yu stood in place, watching her figure disappear around the corner before slowly withdrawing her gaze.

She turned and walked toward the exit on the other side.

Just as she walked out of the passage, a familiar figure came into view.

"Li Xiaoyu!"

A woman wearing a khaki trench coat with neat short hair was leaning against a black Audi A6L, waving at her with a smile.

"Ranran."

A truly relaxed smile finally appeared on Xie Shu Yu's face.

The person who came was her good friend of many years, Meng Ran.

She was also her college roommate and good sister.

"I thought you would be later." Xie Shu Yu walked up and hugged her lightly. "How is it? The matter I asked you to check, is there any progress?"

"Don't worry," Meng Ran helped her put her suitcase into the trunk, and while closing the car door, said, "That Chen young master from 【Shu Shu Xian Cold Chain】 has a very complex situation. Let's go, get in the car and talk; I'll take you to taste the most authentic private kitchen food in Rongcheng along the way."

The two looked at each other and smiled, getting into the car.

The black Audi A6L merged into the crowded evening rush hour traffic, driving toward the depths of the city.

Twilight was slowly descending upon this bustling metropolis.

Subway Line 7 was traveling steadily through the underground tunnel.

Looking at the familiar station names flashing past outside the window, listening to the Sichuan-Chongqing dialect rising and falling in her ears,

Cheng Qiuqiu had an indescribable feeling of a lifetime having passed.

Her home, or rather, the place her mother lived now, was in an old relocation residential area near Shanbanqiao.

That place belonged to the East Second Ring Road of Rongcheng, a place full of thick, worldly atmosphere where new and old buildings were mixed.

It was also the place where she had spent her entire repressed adolescence since middle school.

Every small alley there, every yellow barrel tree, and even the smell of hot pot base mixed with dampness that permeated the air, had all been a past she had tried her best to escape.

And now, she was back.

The subway stopped at "University of Technology" station.

Cheng Qiuqiu carried her bag, followed the crowd off the train, transferred to a bus, and rode for another four or five stops before finally getting off at that familiar yet strange station.

The sky had completely darkened, and the streetlights emitted a dim yellow light, stretching her shadow long.

Passing through a noisy street filled with human voices,

her figure stopped under a red-brick family building that looked quite aged.

Step by step, she climbed the stairs.

Finally, she stopped in front of a dilapidated anti-theft door on the 4th floor.

She took out her key, inserted it into the lock, and turned it gently.

"Click—"

The door was pushed open.

Everything before her eyes was so familiar, yet so strange.

Walking into that tiny room of her own, she stood her suitcase in the corner and looked around.

The room was very small, only less than ten square meters.

A single bed, an old wardrobe, and a desk occupied by various books and painting tools were almost everything.

The walls were covered with many posters of Su Yu.

Here, it was as if time had frozen, and everything was maintained in the state it was in when she left.

In her eyes, a hint of nostalgic yet resistant emotion flowed out involuntarily.

After putting away her luggage, Cheng Qiuqiu didn't linger too long.

She took out her toiletries and change of clothes, put them in her backpack, lowered her head, and walked out without saying a word.

Coming out of the residential area, Cheng Qiuqiu hailed a taxi on the side of the road and headed straight for the Rongcheng Second People's Hospital.

Inpatient building, 6th floor.

The air was filled with the smell of disinfectant alcohol.

The corridor was very quiet, with only the occasional conversation from the nurse station and the "beep-beep" sound of instruments.

She walked to the door of Room 603, looking through the glass window on the door.

At a glance, she saw the weak figure lying on the bed, eyes closed, receiving an IV drip.

Just at this moment,

a familiar voice came to her ears: "Oh my, Cheng Qiuqiu! You finally came!"

Cheng Qiuqiu turned her head and saw Aunt Wang Aijuan, who was holding a water cup and walking over from the hot water area.

"Aunt Wang, thank you for your hard work. How is my mom?"

"The doctor said it's nothing major, just a mild concussion; she'll be hospitalized for observation for a few days, and she can be discharged when she's fine." Wang Aijuan put the thermos on the ground and said again, "I've already paid the hospitalization deposit with the money you transferred before; the excess can be refunded when she's discharged."

"Thank you."

"Don't be polite, we're all old neighbors." Aunt Wang patted her shoulder. "I'm relieved now that you're here; your mom is asleep. I have to go back quickly; there's a pile of things waiting for me at home."

After a simple farewell, Aunt Wang left in a hurry.

Cheng Qiuqiu stood at the door for a long time before finally gathering the courage to push open that door.

This was a standard large ward, with five hospital beds lined up inside, all occupied.

In the air, there was a mixture of medicine, food, and the unique scent of patients, somewhat stifling.

She walked to the innermost hospital bed and sat down on a plastic stool.

She looked at the woman with a thick bandage wrapped around her head and a pale face.

In her memory, this woman was always shrewd and sharp-tongued, her back straight, speaking as fast and loud as a string of firecrackers.

For her as a child, that was a presence full of oppression.

But at this moment, she looked much older than in her memory, as if all her energy had been thoroughly drained along with this accident.

Also, she loved money so much.

She valued money more than her own life.

To make money, she ran from her hometown to Rongcheng, opened a small snack shop, worked from early morning until late at night, and couldn't even take care of herself.

Now, her life savings had gone down the drain, and she was lying here.

Time flowed away bit by bit in this silence.

Cheng Qiuqiu just sat there blankly, without saying a word.

I don't know how much time had passed.

Li Meihua's eyelashes trembled slightly, and she slowly opened her eyes.

She was stunned at first, seemingly not reacting.

"Cheng Qiuqiu, why did you... suddenly run back—"

Cheng Qiuqiu asked back in a tone without any emotion: "Isn't it you who called me every day urging me to come back?"

Li Meihua opened her dry lips, wanting to say something, but it was as if something was blocking her.

Finally, she subconsciously avoided her daughter's gaze.

There was no more sharpness in her eyes, only confusion and shame.

Cheng Qiuqiu didn't speak again, taking an apple from the fruit basket on the bedside table.

The blade slid across the peel, making a faint "rustling" sound.

Li Meihua turned her head away, tears gradually welling up in her eyes.

Rongcheng, Yulin area, deep in a quiet alley, Zhaimen Private Kitchen Restaurant.

In the courtyard, bamboo shadows swayed and streams gurgled, and the air was filled with a faint scent of gardenia.

Xie Shu Yu and Meng Ran sat opposite each other, with a few of the most authentic Sichuan-style home-cooked dishes in front of them.

Without the tension of daytime work, having shed all identities and disguises,

they seemed to have turned back into that pair of good sisters who talked about everything in college.

Looking at her friend across from her, Xie Shu Yu's eyes were full of the gentle luster of memories.

Once, she and Meng Ran walked out of college together and broke into that magnificent, flowery world of Shanghai.

When they were young, they wore ZARA they were only willing to buy after getting their paychecks, drinking hand-brewed coffee at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery.

Carrying the CHANEL WOC they bought on installment, they ate fine dining French food on the top floor of K11.

They would go shopping at Galeries Lafayette hand in hand on weekends, and even if they couldn't afford anything, they were still tireless.

They would also shout out their dreams loudly on Huaihai Road in the middle of the night without any scruples.

Naively thinking that they could stay young in that city forever.

They were considered a relatively lucky batch of post-90s generation favored by the era.

It was just that later, they chose different paths.

Xie Shu Yu keenly discovered the commercial prospects of the coffee track, resigned from her job, returned to Yancheng, and plunged into the sea of bitterness of entrepreneurship.

Amidst struggles and ups and downs, she finally achieved today's success.

While Meng Ran chose another, more stable path.

She had been working hard within the giant enterprise 【Alibaba】, and now she had become an operations executive for the Southwest region of 【Hema Fresh】.

In fact, purely in terms of personal achievement, if 【Shimmer Coffee】 hadn't been raised in valuation by Tang Song, she might not necessarily have been better than Meng Ran.

After all, the huge influence of a platform is something personal effort is hard to reach.

"Clink."

The green plum wine glasses clinked lightly in the air, making a crisp sound.

Meng Ran took a sip, put down the glass, and her expression became solemn. "Nostalgia is about enough; next, let's talk about the important business you care about most."

"Mm." Xie Shu Yu sat up straight immediately.

"Li Xiaoyu, you must be cautious about Chen Hao from 【Shu Shu Xian Supply Chain】. Trying to bypass him and the Chen family behind him in the Southwest region is nearly impossible." Xie Shu Yu listened quietly, her gaze flickering, and her heart gradually sank.

Now, the coffee bean production and roasting link upstream of 【Shimmer Coffee】 was fully handled by 【Yuntong Zhi Cui】, a top-tier supplier under Smile Holdings, and the quality and supply were impeccable—this also fueled her greater ambition to integrate the logistics system.

After all, to maintain flavor consistency to the maximum extent, it was necessary to deliver these roasted coffee beans with extremely short shelf life, as well as matching high-quality dairy products and fresh-baked semi-finished products, to every store in the country in the most efficient and low-cost way.

A perfect cold chain logistics system was the top priority.

【Shimmer Coffee】's stores in the Southwest, as a temporary transition, were cooperating with 【Shu Shu Xian Supply Chain】 introduced by the local catering association.

But having cooperated for these two months, the other party's falsely high quotes, rigid delivery efficiency, and occasional product loss all made her extremely dissatisfied.

All along, she had had a nearly paranoid pursuit of cost control.

To compress expenses, she rarely even sat in business class when traveling, and most of the company's non-core businesses were all outsourced.

And the Southwest was the next most important strategic expansion area for Shimmer after North China.

Xie Shu Yu naturally wanted to be perfect.

This trip to Rongcheng was originally prepared for a showdown and changing suppliers.

But now it seemed that things were far more difficult than she had imagined.

【Shu Shu Xian Supply Chain】 belonged to the local logistics giant, Zhongshu Group.

General Manager Chen Hao's father was not only the chairman of Zhongshu Group but also the vice president of the Provincial Catering Association.

It was said that there was also an official background behind it.

If she really gritted her teeth and changed them, it would mean thoroughly offending this local snake entrenched here.

Subsequent actions might bring about a series of chain reactions. ===== CHAPTER 654 =====

If one were to really bite the bullet and replace them, it would mean completely offending this local tyrant entrenched here.

Subsequent actions might trigger a series of chain reactions.