Chapter 869

After Ning Pingping entered the door, she first greeted Li Ye and then saw the dishes on Li Ye's table.

Then she said with a smile: "Student Li Ye... oh, now I should call you Deputy Factory Director Li. I came half an hour early specifically to invite you to dinner, but I didn't expect to be late after all..."

Li Ye asked strangely: "You want to invite me to dinner? How did you know I was on duty at the unit today?"

Ning Pingping smiled faintly: "I have my own clever ways."

"."

Li Ye's brow frowned slightly.

Ning Pingping was someone Li Ye had assigned Hao Jian to arrange for overseas advanced studies in the name of Fenghua Clothing the year before last. Li Ye hadn't seen her for nearly two years. Today, seeing Ning Pingping again, Li Ye felt that she had changed a lot.

Li Ye first saw Ning Pingping in the clothing performance team formed by the Textile Academy. At that time, Ning Pingping was stubborn.

Because of secular prejudice, the situation of the first generation of models in the mainland wasn't very good. So when Wen Guohua, Li Ye, and others watched their rehearsals, she used a faint indifference to try her best to cover up the greenness and panic in her heart.

But after Ning Pingping got to know Wen Guohua, the stubbornness on her body gradually disappeared. The last time she met Li Ye at the gate of the COFCO compound, the resentment and grievance in her eyes had already made her lose herself.

But today, her confidence seemed to have returned, and there was even a hint of faint "arrogance."

Li Ye had seen this kind of arrogance in many people, such as Li Dayong's ex-girlfriend Lin Qiuyan.

Facing this kind of arrogance, Li Ye could also understand. After all, they were all rare university students in this era, and they had all studied "advanced experience" overseas, so being a little proud was inevitable.

But the premise of this understanding was that you shouldn't mistakenly regard your pride as a reliance for being superior to others.

And now, Ning Pingping's attitude toward Li Ye was somewhat inexplicably condescending, just like the way Li Ye's senior sister Cai Minying looked when she first met Li Ye.

It's just that when Cai Minying faced Li Ye now, she no longer had that arrogant flavor. Li Ye only used three moves to beat her humility out of her.

Li Ye glanced at Ning Pingping and said with a faint smile: "There's no need to invite me to dinner. If you have something to say, sit for a while. Wait until I finish these two bites. I remember you went abroad to study the year before last, right? Is this a leave of absence to come back for the Spring Festival?"

"No, American universities have a credit system. I have already finished all the credits ahead of schedule and obtained a master's degree, so I graduated early."

Ning Pingping smiled and explained to Li Ye, with a sense of pride in her words.

She was also a university student at the Textile Academy in China, and after "skipping grades" and graduating early overseas, she had a sense of self-superiority from the bottom of her heart that "I am very excellent."

"Oh, that's also quite good. No matter how good it is outside, it's still not as good as home."

Li Ye nodded and focused on his lunch. In the middle of winter, the four dishes and one soup brought by the younger sisters weren't for him to eat cold.

But because of this, Ning Pingping became a little uncomfortable.

【Did he not hear that I want to invite him to dinner?】

During her years of internship in the Lighthouse, Ning Pingping, relying on her outstanding appearance and figure, as well as her identity as an elite student, deeply felt the treatment of "ladies first" and was really not used to Li Ye's indifferent attitude.

Logically speaking, shouldn't Li Ye throw away these lunch boxes and thermos cups and enthusiastically accept her invitation to go to a restaurant for a big meal?

But how could Ning Pingping know that even the best star-rated restaurant wasn't as good as the home-cooked food sent by family.

Ning Pingping instinctively wanted to leave, but finally held back, so she had to turn her gaze elsewhere to divert her attention.

Then she discovered the other little girls in the office looking at her with flickering eyes, some curious, some gossiping, and some vigilant.

Ning Pingping smiled sheepishly and said: "I seem to have come at a bad time, I'm really sorry..."

Little Li Ying looked at Ning Pingping and said with a smile: "No, no, we're just here to bring food to our brother. You don't need to worry about us."

【I don't worry about you? But you're in the way here!】

Ning Pingping chuckled. Seeing Li Juan writing some program on Li Ye's computer, she changed the subject: "The mainland has developed very fast in the past few years! You even use microcomputers. I used IBM's personal PC in the Lighthouse, it was indeed very Nice. What brand is yours?"

Li Juan raised her eyelids and looked at Ning Pingping, saying in a deep voice: "This is produced by our mainland ourselves."

Ning Pingping was stunned and said in a tone full of doubt: "Produced by the mainland itself? How is this possible? Personal PCs are cutting-edge technology in the Lighthouse, and important CPUs can only be produced by a few companies. Which electronics factory in our country can produce CUP integrated circuits?"

"It's produced by ourselves."

Li Juan muttered a sentence, lowered her head, and ignored Ning Pingping.

She actually knew the situation of the Fengyu computer, and many of its main components were imported, but she just couldn't stand Ning Pingping, so she stiffened her neck and argued with her.

But Li Ye was a person who sought truth from facts, so he explained faintly: "This personal computer is indeed produced in the mainland, but it uses a lot of overseas technology. It can be considered cooperative production!"

"Oh, I knew it!"

Ning Pingping smiled lightly, sat on the sofa, crossed her legs, and stopped arguing with Li Juan.

But the disdain in her eyebrows immediately caused Li Juan's displeasure.

This child had a straight personality, a hot temper, and whatever was on her mind was easily hung on her face. She immediately wanted to reason with Ning Pingping: You drank two sips of foreign ink, do you still remember your surname?

But little sister Li Ying snatched the conversation before Li Juan: "Are you studying computer science in the Lighthouse? I'm also very interested in computers!"

Ning Pingping shook her head and said: "No, I'm studying clothing design, but I just happened to come into contact with some computer knowledge."

"Clothing design! I also like clothing very much! No wonder the clothes you wear are so beautiful! Did you design them yourself?"

"You could say that! I made a little modification myself..."

"Oh, oh, oh, then you are really amazing. Which academy did you study at..."

Li Ying chatted with Ning Pingping, and soon they were chatting hotly, making her sister Li Juan wish she could kick her in the face.

【Didn't you see that I'm at odds with her? Whose side are you on?】

But soon, "Second Sister" Fu Yiruo also joined the chat, also talking and laughing, making Li Juan unable to vent her anger.

If Li Juan didn't like Li Ying, she could still fight with her fiercely, but forget about the second sister; she had already played bloodline suppression to the point of perfection.

Li Ye watched Li Juan tapping the keyboard with a clatter, and couldn't help but sigh secretly at this silly child, not seeing that Li Ying and Fu Yiruo were "teasing" Ning Pingping.

The two cooperated tacitly, constantly fishing for words from Ning Pingping's stomach, such as how the academy she studied at in the Lighthouse compared to the Rhode Island School of Design, Parsons School of Design, or Italy's Marangoni Institute?

Or, for example, when she was studying in the Lighthouse, what influence did the master's supervisor she followed have in the industry, which design school did she belong to, and so on.

Ning Pingping could cope at first, but after a while, her expression gradually became unnatural.

Why were the questions of these two little girls so tricky?

Because although the Rhode Island School of Design, Parsons School of Design, and Marangoni Institute were world-renowned universities in clothing design, they had no fame at all in the mainland. 99% of people hadn't heard their names, right?

You are now asking me point-blank how the second-rate institution I attended compares to these schools? Isn't that like a Peking University student asking "What advantages does Hangzhou Normal University have compared to us?"

So Ning Pingping found an opportunity and asked Li Ying and Fu Yiruo with a smile: "You seem to know a lot about overseas schools! How about it, do you also want to go abroad to study? Then what school are you studying at now?"

Little Li Ying blinked and said embarrassedly: "I'm still in high school in Hong Kong! But these two sisters of mine are both studying at Peking University..."

"Studying high school in Hong Kong?"

Ning Pingping's smile stiffened on her face.

And the resentment in her heart flooded again like two years ago.

Why are they both "climbing high branches" phoenix men and phoenix women, but have such different fates?

She clearly loved Wen Guohua sincerely, but was forcibly broken up by everyone. Finally, she was given a chance to study abroad, which made her happy for a long time.

Moreover, Fenghua Clothing also supported all of Ning Pingping's living and study expenses overseas, and she didn't need to lower her head to endure discriminatory eyes to work, which also made her full of gratitude to Wen Guohua and Li Ye.

But look at Li Ye, who climbed up to Watching Wen Leyu now. It can be said that one person attains the Tao, and the chickens and dogs ascend to heaven. Even a younger sister can go to Hong Kong to study middle school?

Going overseas to study middle school! What kind of treatment is this?

Compared to him, what is she?

Li Ye is a country child, and she still has a Beijing household registration!

【I want to be strong, don't show my weakness in front of anyone.】

Ning Pingping took a deep breath, held back the water mist in her eyes, and said with a full face of joy: "Hong Kong! That's quite good! I've come into contact with several students from Hong Kong in the Lighthouse, and I feel they are all very qualified and well-educated..."

Li Ying's eyes narrowed, a sharp gaze flashed quickly, and then she said with a smile: "Yes, yes! I also met many good compatriots while studying in Hong Kong, but there are also many Hong Kong people who make people very uncomfortable,"

"They are clearly Chinese, but when they talk to me, they either speak English directly, or if their English is not good, they speak half English and half Chinese, which is as choking as half-cooked rice..."

The smile Ning Pingping just squeezed out froze again. Half English and half Chinese—isn't that talking about herself just now?

Just now, when Ning Pingping was chatting with Li Ying and Fu Yiruo, she kept inserting English vocabulary into long paragraphs of Chinese. She felt it was quite fashionable, but now described by Li Ying as half-cooked rice, it sounded incomparably harsh.

And Li Ying hadn't finished speaking yet, and the next words were even harsher.

"Of course, most Hong Kong people are still very good. They worship our ancestors, like our culture, and have a deep obsession with Han culture,"

"It's just that some other people who hold British passports all day long are really ridiculous. They clearly have yellow skin and black hair, and clearly their ancestors for eight generations all originated from China, but they believe in that Queen who is ten thousand miles away,"

"I'm just puzzled, does the Queen not know the truth of 'those who are not of my race must have a different heart'? Is she not guarding against them?"

Li Ye smiled lightly.

【Good, my sister is a firm nationalist. It was not in vain that I cultivated her.】

But Ning Pingping's face was almost flushed red. She really didn't understand where she had offended this little girl, causing her to satirize herself so much.

Could it be because in the chat just now, she expressed the superiority of the Lighthouse relative to the mainland several times?

But when Ning Pingping saw Li Juan sitting in front of the computer, lowering her head and laughing constantly, she seemed to understand something.

The argument she just had with Li Juan made these little girls act in a way of "helping relatives instead of helping reason."

But Li Ye, what are you laughing at?

Are you also so unqualified? How did Watching Wen Leyu take a fancy to you?

Ning Pingping took a deep breath and said: "Li Ye, can I talk to you alone?"

"."

The eyes of the younger sisters in the room were cast on Li Ye's face in unison.

Li Ye waved his hand at Fu Yiruo, Li Ying, and others, and said gently: "You guys go out and stay for a while, don't close the door."

The eyes of the younger sisters immediately became wonderful, with vigilance, gossip, and curiosity, complex and inexplicable.

The meaning was clearly—【What is your relationship with this star? What can't we hear? Be careful, we'll tell Sister-in-law!】

Li Ye said with a bitter smile: "Your sister-in-law knows Ning Pingping, don't think too much."

"."

Fu Yiruo and others went out helplessly.

After they left, Ning Pingping straightened her body and said solemnly: "Li Ye, two years ago I was very grateful to you, grateful that you gave me the opportunity to step out of the country and see the world,"

"But now, I know that the price I paid was the most important time with Guohua..."

Li Ye raised his eyebrows and said faintly: "Are you blaming me? But I'm very curious, what does the most important time with Wen Guohua mean?"

"Could it be that you think if you didn't go abroad, you would have a chance to become the daughter-in-law of the Wen family?"

Ning Pingping's chest heaved violently. Li Ye's few plain words were even more hurtful than Li Ying's sarcasm just now.

She gritted her teeth and said: "If I didn't leave, there would always be a chance, but I left, and there was really no chance at all."

【You have a chance? What chance do you have? Could it be taking advantage of the deep affection with Wen Guohua to add a grandson to Teacher Ke?】

To tell the truth, if Ning Pingping had let go of her status and gotten pregnant before marriage two years ago, she might have really won a chance, but she was proud and perhaps disdained to use those means, so she finally missed the only chance.

Li Ye looked at Ning Pingping and said: "Since there is no chance at all, why are you looking for me? You don't want compensation from me, do you?"

Ning Pingping shook her head slowly: "No, I want to cooperate with you."

Li Ye was silent for a few seconds and said with a smile: "Cooperate? I am a car factory here. Are you going to sell me lathes and machine oil? Or are you going to help me introduce car production technology?"

Ning Pingping was stunned and showed a sarcastic smile: "Li Ye, let's not talk in riddles. Others may not know how Fenghua Clothing developed, but I know. If the Wen family hadn't given you enough support, how could you have today?"

"Of course, it doesn't matter if you don't want to admit it. You just need to pass a word to Hao Jian, and I will go talk to him myself."

【What word do you want me to pass? Say you are the third party of my brother-in-law? At the beginning, Pan Xiaoying wanted to fix you, and I didn't agree, which already gave you face. You still...】

The smile on Li Ye's face slowly disappeared, and his expression and tone became incomparably cold.

The reason why he was silent for a few seconds just now was that he was considering whether Wen Guohua knew about Ning Pingping coming to find him.

According to common sense, Wen Guohua should talk to Li Ye himself if there is something, but Li Ye knows that during a certain period of time, people similar to Wen Guohua did have situations of "raising lovers," so the sense of proportion here is not easy to grasp.

But after listening to Ning Pingping's words just now, Li Ye determined that Ning Pingping's so-called "cooperation" had nothing to do with Wen Guohua; it was her own initiative.

When Fenghua Clothing was developing rapidly, it did receive support from the Wen family. Watching Wen Leyu even fought with Guo Donglun!

But Wen Guohua would absolutely not reveal to Ning Pingping the meaning of "without the Wen family, where would you Li Ye be today."

The intimacy between Ning Pingping and Wen Guohua was lower than Li Ye expected. Ning Pingping completely didn't know the fate entanglement and true relationship between Li Ye and the Wen family.

Li Ye said faintly: "Since you think that without the Wen family, there would be no Li Ye today, then you should go to the Wen family for cooperation, instead of coming to me from far away."

Ning Pingping didn't answer immediately, but took out some materials from her bag and handed them to Li Ye.

"This is an investigation report from the most authoritative investigation company in the Lighthouse. You read it first, and then we will talk about cooperation."

Li Ye took the materials and glanced at them casually, and roughly guessed Ning Pingping's meaning.

This is an investigation of the most popular TV and movie stars in the mainland. The first place is Liu Xiaolingtong, followed by Liu Xiaoqing, Tang Guoqiang, and others, and Ning Pingping's ranking is surprisingly high in third place.

Li Ye pondered for a while and did not deny the authenticity of this investigation ranking on the spot, because in recent years, Ning Pingping's exposure has indeed been quite large.

Ning Pingping is an advertising star who grew up with Fenghua Clothing.

In this era where a party and a song can make an artist popular, Ning Pingping, who "launches new products" on TV stations every quarter, absolutely belongs to the top traffic. Otherwise, how could Li Ying recognize her at the first time?

And this time, taking advantage of Ning Pingping's opportunity to study in the Lighthouse, Fenghua Clothing shot many commercials on location in the Lighthouse. The "international" style achieved quite good results. In the eyes of the audience, Ning Pingping's influence is indeed not small.

Li Ye put down the materials and asked faintly: "If you think this is your capital, then what do you want to exchange for?"

Ning Pingping said calmly: "I admit that my fame benefits from the support of Fenghua Clothing, but I also contributed my own value to the development of Fenghua Clothing,"

"So I only want the independent management rights of the Fenghua series. I don't want the rest of the Docou series and Liren series. In addition, I can continue to endorse Fenghua Clothing in the future."

"Li Ye, you are also a person who has seen the world. You should know how high the value of celebrity endorsement is in Europe and America overseas."

"Heh~"

【After all, she was blinded by the prosperity overseas. She only saw the glory of those stars, but didn't see the darkness they endured.】

If Li Ye told Ning Pingping the story of a certain father, I don't know if she would dare to mention cooperation with him.