I Revealed My True Identity After Confessing My Love - Chapter 16

The two took a taxi to the client’s branch office. The secretary was already waiting in the lobby and led them to the meeting room, then poured two cups of hot water.

Ye Nanning took a sip and found the water a bit too hot. She picked up the cup in front of Du Xiran, added some cold water, tested the temperature, and only set it back down once it felt right.

Du Xiran, meanwhile, took out the documents, flipping through them to confirm every detail.

“Thank you, thank you. Making you come all this way.” The client walked in with a smile. He was in his forties, a textbook businessman beer belly, Mediterranean hairline though his smile was friendly. Once he entered, he froze.
“You two… which one of you is President Du?”

Ye Nanning immediately looked toward Du Xiran.

The client extended his hand to her with a laugh. “President Du is so young and pretty. Truly didn’t expect that.”

“You flatter me, President Chen,” Du Xiran said as they shook hands politely and exchanged a few pleasantries.

“Since you’re already here, why not take a tour?” President Chen suggested.

Du Xiran had no objections the more she understood, the better.

President Chen led his secretary and two senior executives, while Du Xiran brought Ye Nanning. The group toured the entire branch.

After looking around, while President Chen chatted with the others, Du Xiran quietly asked Ye Nanning, “What do you think?”

Ye Nanning whispered back, “The employees here all seem unmotivated, no drive. Looks like there’s no attractive performance incentive to excite them. We can close this deal.”

Du Xiran smiled faintly.

“You’ve seen it yourself. This branch has had negative growth for three consecutive years. If headquarters hadn’t kept supporting it, it would’ve collapsed long ago,” President Chen sighed once they returned to the office.

“I understand. We’ll find a suitable company as soon as possible to acquire your subsidiary. We’re already in discussion with several highly compatible companies. I believe we’ll have good news soon.”

“That’s good. I trust your firm. I hope you won’t disappoint me,” President Chen said. “This is our first time working together, but your proposal was truly impressive. The moment I saw it, I picked yours.”

When deciding to sell the subsidiary, he had contacted multiple security firms and teams, selecting from among their proposals.

Du Xiran smiled. “You overpraise me. I only provided suggestions that aligned with your needs.”

President Chen laughed heartily, and they spent the rest of the afternoon discussing company valuation, market analysis, and potential buyers.

The secretary refilled their water several times. By the time the sky darkened, the meeting finally ended. President Chen enthusiastically said he would take them to a five star hotel for dinner.

This kind of business dinner was impossible to decline, so Du Xiran agreed.

On the way to the hotel, Du Xiran rubbed her temples, tapping her fingers on her knee, mentally reviewing the key points from the afternoon. She muttered, “The proposal…”

“I recorded the key points for the proposal,” Ye Nanning suddenly said.

Du Xiran looked at her in surprise she had been so focused earlier that she completely forgot about the intern. “Let me see.”

Ye Nanning handed her the notebook. “These are the points President Chen cared most about. It’s his first time selling a company, so he has a lot of concerns.”

Du Xiran carefully read the meeting notes. The handwriting was neat, the logic clear everything was easy to follow.

“Good job.”

She hadn’t expected Ye Nanning to surprise her. She’d heard coworkers complain before that interns fresh out of school either had big egos or were meek and overly careful rarely able to contribute quickly and always needing hand holding.

Originally, Du Xiran had brought her along just to do errands book hotels, accompany her at dinners, that sort of thing.

Du Xiran opened her bag, took out two anti-alcohol pills, and handed one to her. “Take this first. You’ll probably have to drink later.”

Ye Nanning obediently swallowed it.

At the dinner, even more executives joined them. At first, the atmosphere was pleasant, everyone talking about work and industry prospects. After they were full, the real drinking began.

Perhaps because drinking culture was so ingrained, businesspeople always preferred to talk deals over alcohol; otherwise, they thought you were being disrespectful.

One executive said, “President Du, you’re truly young and capable. So young and so beautiful. If only my daughter were as competent as you. Come, I’ll toast you!”

Du Xiran exchanged a few compliments with him and drank the glass.

Ye Nanning noticed that every time she drank, she would unconsciously frown a little. She didn’t know what her alcohol tolerance was, but it was definitely not something she enjoyed.

After several glasses, Du Xiran tried to stay quiet and draw as little attention as possible. But she was the only outsider at the table she stood out no matter what.

Sure enough, another executive raised his glass toward her again.

Just as she picked up her glass, a slender, pale hand pressed down on her wrist then took the glass from her.

Du Xiran turned her head and saw the usually quiet Ye Nanning raising the glass.
“President Du doesn’t handle alcohol well. She still has to review the contract with President Chen tomorrow. To avoid any mistakes, I’ll drink on her behalf tonight.”

President Chen immediately nodded. “That works. President Du mustn’t get sick.”

But, of course, a table of drinkers found it boring to drink without a main target, so their attention shifted to the intern. She was also very pretty, so they praised her while drinking with her.

Seeing her down glass after glass, expression barely changing, Du Xiran grabbed her arm and whispered, “Are you okay? Don’t push yourself. Pretend to be drunk.”

With alcohol courage amplifying her boldness, Ye Nanning patted her hand. “Don’t worry. I can hold my liquor.”

After the meal, President Chen called a taxi for the two of them and asked his secretary to make sure they got back to the hotel safely.

Du Xiran had only had a few glasses herself she was warm but far from dizzy. She supported Ye Nanning into the car. The girl’s face was flushed, but other than that, she didn’t look like someone who had drunk that much.

The secretary sat in the front passenger seat, and the two of them sat in the back. Du Xiran twisted open a bottle of water and held it to Ye Nanning’s lips. “How do you feel? Dizzy?”

Ye Nanning lowered her eyes to look at the bottle, opened her mouth, wrapped her lips around it and did nothing else.

“…”

Du Xiran gently lifted her chin and tilted the bottle, letting a little water in. Only then did Ye Nanning slowly begin drinking.

“Do you want to lean on me?” Du Xiran patted her own shoulder. “It might feel better.”

Ye Nanning stared at the offered shoulder, then suddenly dropped her head her forehead thumping right onto it.

Worried she had hurt herself, Du Xiran lifted her chin again and touched her forehead. “Does it hurt?”

Ye Nanning was slow to react. Her gaze stayed fixed because right in front of her were Du Xiran’s lips, rosy and slightly parted, strangely captivating.

Ye Nanning slowly puckered her own lips.

Du Xiran: “?”

Ye Nanning whispered, “Ran… Ran.”

With a laugh, Du Xiran pinched her cheek. “Well now, getting drunk and calling your boss by her nickname?”

“Ranran… Ranran…”