After Flirting with the God-Tier Beautiful Tycoon - Chapter 72

The victory gala was held at the rooftop banquet hall of the Shuiyuan Resort. On the vast terrace, there were no round tables instead, it was styled as a cold buffet to facilitate networking among the guests.

Chen Yi pushed Old Master Bai’s wheelchair toward the banquet hall, surrounded by a cluster of people.

Although she had already become the Chairperson of the Chamber of Commerce, she still gave Old Master Bai ample respect today. After all, he was the one who had groomed her, and her success was inseparable from him.

“Master Bai, now that Seventh Mistress is taking over the Chamber, what are the considerations regarding the upcoming mergers?”

“That’s right, Master Bai. This matter isn’t easy to discuss at the dinner table, so we were hoping you could give us a little inside track.”

the merger these two were referring to involved two electrical companies, a case Old Master Bai had been handling personally.

Even though these people had voted for Chen Yi at the first opportunity, they didn’t truly respect her in their hearts. When issues arose, their first instinct was still to turn to Old Master Bai. Everyone knew Chen Yi was ruthless and possessed formidable methods, but in their eyes, she was merely someone from a “street” background who had spent her career in the service industry. They didn’t truly take her to heart.

Old Master Bai raised a hand, and Chen Yi stopped pushing the wheelchair.

“Originally, I hadn’t made a final decision on the merger. Now that the election is over, I will begin transferring these matters to Xiao Qi (Seventh) step by step. In the future, if you have any thoughts, you can report directly to her.” After speaking, Old Master Bai took two walnuts from his assistant and began rolling them in his hand leisurely.

The two men who had spoken up felt rebuffed and a bit sheepish.

They glanced at Chen Yi’s profile, only to see a hypocritical smile that looked like a mask.

Under the enchanting lights, the “Cheongsam Beauty,” already stunningly vibrant, appeared even more graceful.

Whether sincere or fake, everyone offered their congratulations. Chen Yi nodded to each one, her smile brilliantly exquisite.

Whether it was genuine or theatrical, she didn’t care. From now on, she was the master of the Chamber of Commerce and the master of Nancheng. She had plenty of time to… pluck out these crooked sprouts.

Becoming the Chairperson was only the first step in expanding her empire.

“Grandpa.”

Chen Yi looked up and saw Bai Shuhua approaching with a look of genuine pleasure.

“Little Director Bai,” Chen Yi greeted her first, appearing sincere and polite.

Bai Shuhua raised her wine glass. “Chen Xiao Qi, what’s this? On such a big day for you, don’t you plan to have a drink?”

Chen Yi smiled composedly and glanced at a nearby waiter. Sensing her intent, the waiter immediately brought over a glass of champagne.

Tiny bubbles surged in the pale yellow liquid, breaking silently as they reached the surface. At the bottom of the glass, the bubbles followed one another like moths to a flame, loyal unto death.

Chen Yi raised her glass and lightly clinked it against Bai Shuhua’s. “I’ll drink. I must drink.”

Bai Shuhua let out a laugh.

“Xiao Bai, what is wrong with you today?” Old Master Bai asked.

Bai Shuhua looked at the old man. “Grandpa, what do you mean by ‘what’s wrong’? Are you talking about my ‘abstention’?”

Old Master Bai remained noncommittal.

Bai Shuhua wore an air of reckless abandon. “The positions were all decided internally anyway, weren’t they? Besides, you never wanted me to be the Chairperson and go against you.”

“Outrageous!” Old Master Bai coughed several times in anger.

Bai Shuhua downed her drink in one gulp and placed the glass upside down on the waiter’s empty tray, raising both hands in a gesture of surrender. “Alright, alright, I won’t say another word.”

Chen Yi leaned over, gently patting the old man’s back to help him catch his breath.

“You… if you were even half as sensible as Xiao Qi, I wouldn’t have to worry every single day,” Old Master Bai said earnestly, clutching his chest. His health had been declining recently, and he really shouldn’t be getting agitated.

“I know. It was just a joke. I came over just to tell you both that my project…” Bai Shuhua looked at Chen Yi, then at Old Master Bai, and finally let her gaze settle on Chen Yi, as if she only wanted to say this to her alone. “…is a success.”

Chen Yi froze for a second.

In just a few short days, Bai Shuhua’s project had actually succeeded.

If it was a success, why did she abstain from the vote? She could have used her speech to claim she could change Nancheng’s existing industrial system and accelerate the transition from Industry 2.0 to 3.0.

As if reading Chen Yi’s mind, Bai Shuhua said pointedly, “I simply feel that being the Chairperson is boring. I prefer my current state, free of official duties and lighthearted.”

Old Master Bai prioritized traditional commerce and felt that “technology driven business” was just a deceptive gimmick, nothing more than child’s play. He didn’t care to say more. After a while, citing poor health, he left the gala early.

Chen Yi moved to a corner to meet with Bai Shuhua privately.

“What, don’t you need to accompany those old fossils?” Bai Shuhua had taken off her white coat, revealing a white tube top underneath.

Chen Yi brushed off the question with another: “The project success you just mentioned is it what I think it is?”

“What do you think it is?”

The corners of Chen Yi’s narrow eyes tilted up slightly, her voice lazy and fox-like. “As far as I know, there is no one in your team capable of breaking through that technical barrier in such a short time.”

“Hmph, you certainly investigated thoroughly,” Bai Shuhua said. “You must have planted quite a few spies around me.”

There was no longer any need for Chen Yi to lie. She gave a simple “Mhm.” “To know oneself and one’s enemy is the only way to win a hundred battles.”

“You won,” Bai Shuhua wasn’t angry. “It indeed wasn’t a member of my team. It was that student you saw at the elevator doors last time. She helped me solve it.”

Chen Yi’s expression stiffened. Her wrist jerked violently, nearly spilling the champagne in her glass.

“It was her…”

“Yes, it was her.”

Chen Yi’s heart skipped a beat. Her mind involuntarily replayed the name she missed the most.

“She is truly formidable,” Bai Shuhua said, a cigarette dangling unlit from her lips, a hint of pride flashing in her eyes. “I only gave her the initial code to look at in advance. Without even comparing it to the physical hardware, she spotted the issues in the program at a glance. Even more miraculously, she single-handedly brought my dormant robotic arm back to life.”

Every word was laced with admiration and joy.

Chen Yi gripped the stem of her glass so hard her knuckles turned white. It was fine to praise Shen Xiaojiang, but to do so with that tone, that look, and that mood… Chen Yi didn’t like it. It felt as if her most cherished possession was being touched by someone else.

“Is she interning at your company now?” she asked.

The Shuiyuan Resort was far from the Nancheng city center and close to the sea. The evening temperature was pleasant. A warm sea breeze brushed against Chen Yi’s face, blowing back her stray hairs and further unsettling her heart.

Whenever Shen Xiaojiang was mentioned, she would lose her composure. She suspected she might go mad because of that little girl.

“Not yet,” Bai Shuhua put down her glass and leaned her hands on the black railing, looking out into the distance. “No rush. I want to take her to the United States first to see some CNC exhibitions, to accumulate knowledge and build a network. Then, she can participate in some new research projects and put what she’s learned into practice.”

Bai Shuhua had considered everything comprehensively. No wonder she didn’t want to be the Chairperson; she had things she truly wanted to do.

“What? You’re taking her to the US?” Chen Yi was momentarily dazed, even losing her composure.

Unaware of the history between the two, Bai Shuhua was a bit puzzled. “Is that not allowed, Chairperson Chen?”

Chen Yi blinked, suddenly remembering her new role and the baggage that came with it.

“No,” she said.

Bai Shuhua smiled. “Then it’s fine.”

Chen Yi’s heart felt like it was about to explode. She continued her interrogation: “Since you’ve already broken through the technical barrier, why did you still abstain?”

Bai Shuhua shook her head. “I have no interest in the Chairperson’s seat. I only liked competing with you. But, thinking about it, Grandpa was right, I’m not cut out to be the Chairperson. Besides, without your financial support, my team wouldn’t have lasted until the day Shen Xiaojiang helped me break through. In the end, I should still thank you.”

“Compared to this title, my products, my intellectual achievements, and my partners are more important.”

“Your partner?” Chen Yi narrowed her eyes, her tone unfriendly.

Bai Shuhua nodded. “Yeah. To me, Shen Xiaojiang is very different. She’s a very special partner like a soulmate or a mentor who truly understands me. She seems to really get me and understands exactly what I want.”

Chen Yi’s wrist wouldn’t stop trembling. She did her best to make her voice sound normal. “And what does she think?”

Bai Shuhua suddenly looked a bit bashful. “I… I don’t know.”

If Bai Shuhua hadn’t said anything it might have been better, but that bashfulness made Chen Yi want to kill her.

Chen Yi pressed: “I’m talking about the US. Is she willing to go to the US with you?”

As she spoke, her heart pounded fiercely. The thumping sound was loud enough to drown out the background music.

“Her?” Bai Shuhua composed herself and said, “I haven’t told her yet. But she has a strong interest in CNC programming and coding. Going abroad would give her a huge boost. I don’t want her to miss out. Since she’s on summer break now, I plan to find an opportunity to bring it up with her.”

Yes, this was Shen Xiaojiang’s opportunity, and Chen Yi knew she shouldn’t stand in her way.

“Do you two meet frequently?” Her other hand, hanging at her side, tightly gripped the fabric of her cheongsam, as if she were about to tear it apart.

Bai Shuhua felt no sense of urgency at all. “It’s alright. We’re busy with this project, after all; it would be weirder if we didn’t meet.”

Chen Yi’s gaze was exceptionally cold. As she looked at Bai Shuhua, her eyes shot out countless daggers. If looks could kill, Bai Shuhua wouldn’t have known how many times she would have died already.

After Bai Shuhua left, Chen Yi’s hand relaxed, and the crystal flute filled with champagne hit the floor with a sharp shatter.

The transparent glass broke into countless shards, much like Chen Yi’s heart becoming fragmented and torn. Many people ran over to check the situation after hearing the noise, but Chen Yi seemed possessed. She crouched down and began picking up the shards with her bare hands, piece by piece, being careful, then even more careful as if she were picking up her own heart.

Her fingertips were sliced open, and blood flowed freely, yet she felt no pain.

Half a month later, at Feifei Pet Shop, Shen Xiaojiang was deworming Princess.

With her light khaki fur and azure blue eyes, a casual glance from the cat was truly captivating she was such a beautiful cat. Indeed, she couldn’t be called “Two Idiots” anymore, she had to be called “Princess.”

Shen Xiaojiang pinched Princess’s ears with both hands and stroked her gently. “Two Idiots, I might be quite busy soon and will have to leave the shop for a while. You have to be good and listen to Sister Meng and Sister Xiaoyue, okay? And also, stop scratching your owner.”

“Meow!” Princess’s voice was soft and sweet, burrowing into Shen Xiaojiang’s arms as if she were acting spoiled. It seemed she really liked her even more than she liked her own owner.

“Alright, alright, I’m dirty.” Every time Shen Xiaojiang saw Princess, she thought of Chen Yi. At first, she had been somewhat resistant, pushing any tasks involving Princess onto Sister Meng or Xiaoyue. But as time passed, Shen Xiaojiang had found a lot of closure. The fullness of her life left her no time to worry about other things.

Bai Shuhua’s project was nearing its end, and she had sent Shen Xiaojiang a detailed internship contract. Regardless, Shen Xiaojiang had to make a decision.

Lately, she had been seriously pondering the meaning of her future. To her now, her life goals were, on a small scale, to save her first 100,000 yuan, and on a large scale, to realize her professional ambitions. Wanning Electronics was the best choice.

At that moment, Shen Xiaojiang’s phone rang. It was her mother, Shen Lanxin.

“Nan Nan, have you had dinner?” When Shen Lanxin’s voice sounded, it brought an immediate sense of home.

Shen Xiaojiang gave a soft “Mhm.” “I’ve eaten.”

“Are you asleep yet?”

“Guess. If I were asleep, would I still be talking to you on the phone?”

Shen Lanxin’s laughter came through. “Always so cheeky.”

“Is there air conditioning in your rental?”

“You need to clean the rental often, or there will be bugs.”

“No matter how busy you are, you must eat well, okay?”

“Even if the weather is hot, don’t forget to cover yourself with a blanket when you sleep at night.”

Though they were the same old platitudes, Shen Xiaojiang didn’t want to miss a single word. She put Princess back into the pet room, rested her cheek on one hand against the table, and stared blankly into space. “I know. Oh, by the way, Mom, you’re a veteran accountant, right?”

Shen Lanxin pretended to be displeased. “Please remove the word ‘veteran’.”

“Hahaha, okay, okay. Senior Accountant can you help me look at a contract? It involves some financial terms I don’t quite understand.” Shen Xiaojiang immediately corrected herself.

“What contract? From the part time shop?”

“No, I’ll send it to you in a bit.”

“Alright,” Shen Lanxin’s tone was light, as if something good had happened. “When are you coming back?”

“Huh? I only asked you to help me with a contract; does it have to be in person?” Shen Xiaojiang was confused. Although she had planned to go home for a while anyway, she hadn’t expected it to be so soon.

“Oh my, there’s a surprise!” When Shen Lanxin spoke, her excitement almost overflowed from the screen.

“What surprise? Don’t tell me I’m going to be a big sister?” Shen Xiaojiang often joked with her mother. Shen Lanxin doted on her and never took it to heart she would snap back at her daughter but was secretly delighted.

“I only need you as my one and only darling,” Shen Lanxin paused. “Your father and I only love you.”

Shen Xiaojiang froze for a second. One thing she had always loved about her mother was that she was never stingy about expressing affection. Growing up, she didn’t know how many times she had been praised or how many times her mother had confessed her love. If everyone could be like Shen Lanxin, how wonderful would that be? No need to guess back and forth.

“Okay, I’ll head back after this week ends,” she said.

Returning to Haishi, this time both her father and mother came together to pick her up. They drove through the city, winding around to buy many things. Shen Xiaojiang’s favorite small cakes, various fruits… in short, the trunk was packed to the brim. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say it was like a major shopping spree for the Lunar New Year.

Ever since she went to college, every time Shen Xiaojiang came home, her parents would host a “welcome back” feast. Those who knew the situation understood that her parents missed their daughter; those who didn’t might think she was part of a peacekeeping force, going out to “fight” at fixed times every year and risking her life in everything she did.

Shen Xiaojiang sat in the back seat on the left, looking out at the familiar scenery, lost in thought. The last time she returned was already two months ago. The difference was that last time, she wasn’t alone.

“Nan Nan, how long do you plan to stay this time?” Shen Lanxin turned around, asking with a beaming smile.

Shen Xiaojiang’s thoughts were pulled back, and she answered faintly, “Mhm… I don’t know.”

“Don’t know?” Shen Lanxin suddenly remembered something. “By the way, that contract you sent me. I think it’s good.”

Shen Xiaojiang moved forward slightly, resting one hand on the back of the seat, looking at her mother with interest. “It’s good?”

“Yes, but,” Shen Lanxin narrowed her eyes and said seriously, “is this Wanning Electronics really the Wanning Electronics your father and I know?”