My Weekend Lover Turned Out To Be My Boss - Chapter 50

Chapter 50: Prelude to Trade War. “Disfigured”

After clumsily applying aloe vera gel to the burn, my sobbing slowly subsided. I sniffled, wiping away my tears, and refreshed my WeChat Moments countless times. There was still no update from her. The thought sent a fresh wave of grief through me.

Just then, Su Wei called: “Phoebe, I’m going to the school to pick up Qingfan later. She’ll definitely make a fuss if Xiao Fan isn’t there today. I’ve invited Soso to come along, too. Do you want to join us?”

My foot was still throbbing with a fiery sting, but I agreed without a second thought: “Yes, okay.”

Leaning back against the sofa with one hand supporting my head, I closed my eyes in a pained daze. I could hide the truth of Feifan’s departure from my friends, but how could I easily hide it from a child? Children are the most sensitive of all. Even if I could fool everyone for a moment, what would I do if Feifan didn’t come back for a long time…

Ever since the day I let Xiduoduo loose to wreak havoc at Guan Shuyun’s place, that old fox seemed to have vanished. But that was fine; as long as Qiao Xin wasn’t making any big moves, it was a relief for me. I left the office early and drove to the school, arranging to meet the others under the teaching building. When I arrived, Soso and Su Wei were already there, chatting by the entrance.

The two of them turned toward me at the sound of my footsteps. Su Wei frowned as she walked over: “Have you not been resting lately? Why do you look so haggard?”

“The company has been extremely busy, you know that.”

“Are you feeling unwell? If you’re sick, I’ll have a doctor go to your house…”

“Don’t overthink it. I just haven’t slept well.”

Soso chimed in: “Gosh, Phoebe, your schedule is too grueling! I wish I could give you some of the fat on my stomach to keep you warm; you’re way too thin! Hey… I heard Feifan went traveling. That girl has some nerve, leaving us all behind to go enjoy herself!”

To stop Soso from trying to contact Feifan, I lied again: “It wasn’t just for her to have fun. Mainly, I wanted her to reflect on herself. She’s been arguing with me constantly lately; her attitude was terrible.”

Seeing my displeased face, Soso and Su Wei shared a helpless smile and took me by the arms on either side. “Alright, alright, let’s go. School just let out.”

As we walked toward Qingfan’s classroom, we bumped into her homeroom teacher. Seeing me, the teacher’s expression became notably more polite: “Oh, Qingfan’s mother is here! Usually, Miss You comes very early and waits in the office before school is even out. I was just thinking how strange it was not to see her today.”

I replied casually, “She’s busy, so I’m picking up the child today. Is Qingfan well-behaved in school?”

“Very obedient. She doesn’t make trouble and gets along well with her classmates.”

“Mama!”

Qingfan called out from afar, weighed down by her large backpack. She let go of He Xiaozhuang’s hand and sprinted toward me. As she got closer, she slowed down, looking at the three of us. Her lip trembled, and she asked with a sob, “Where’s Big Fan?”

Su Wei moved to comfort her, but I patted Su Wei’s shoulder: “I’ll handle it.”

I knelt down in front of her. She was getting too big for me to carry, so I just took her hand. “Mama came to pick you up today. Are you not happy?”

She shook her head piteously and whispered, “Where’s Big Fan?”

“Big Fan had to go away for a while for work, so she’s not home. Mama will take care of you during this time, okay?”

Hearing that Feifan was gone, Qingfan clutched her hem, and suddenly, tears began to stream down her face. “Big Fan said before that wherever Mama is, she is. She said she wouldn’t go anywhere. Does Big Fan not want us anymore?”

I looked up at Soso and Su Wei, forced a smile, and said, “How could that be? She just went out for fun and said she’d bring you a gift when she comes back. If you don’t believe me, ask Auntie Su Wei and Auntie Soso!”

Su Wei and Soso took the cue and played along perfectly: “Yes, yes! Big Fan even said you have to be very good and listen to Mama while she’s away, or else she won’t bring a gift back for you.”

Looking at the child’s tearful eyes, I felt a crushing sense of guilt. I had lied to everyone, including my child. I pulled her into a hug. “Qingfan is a big girl now. You have to learn not to be so dependent, okay? Be good.”

“Mm!”

When the three of us returned to the ancestral home, Da Zhuang arrived with Pu Ke and Xi Er. Everyone sat in the living room drinking tea and chatting. The topic shifted from the children to Feifan. Maintaining one lie after another was exhausting. However, while everyone was there, I decided to make a request.

As soon as I spoke, the room went quiet. Everyone looked at me in confusion. I held my teacup to hide half of my face, trying to speak as calmly as possible. “Actually, a big reason Feifan suddenly went traveling is that we’ve had too many conflicts and arguments lately. We both want to handle this calmly, so I ask that you don’t disturb her during her trip. No need for comfort or advice; we want to resolve this ourselves this time.”

“Phoebe, is it that serious this time?” Soso put down her cup, worried.

Pu Ke added, “She came to the bar to get drunk the other day. I haven’t seen her like that in a long time. What exactly happened?”

“It’s my fault that our relationship has issues. For anything else, wait until Feifan returns. For now, let’s leave it at that.”

I spoke with an air that brooked no argument, and our friends showed their respect, deciding not to interfere. When I returned to my bedroom to rest, I let out a long sigh. Just then, my phone buzzed with a message from Guan Shuyun.

‘Qiao Xin said she has settled the business in France. She’ll be returning to China in a few days—supposedly to settle down for good.’

I caught my breath and tossed the phone onto the bed.

…

I had thought the supply chain issues at Beisheng International weren’t that serious, but soon, the entire circle of suppliers defaulted collectively. Several meetings failed to calm the situation. However, a foreign-funded enterprise similar to Beisheng International soon entered my radar. I had Xiao Du check the company’s background, but found almost no information. The other party was very cautious about protecting their data; they had come prepared.

On the other hand, for extra security, relying on the Doris Fund alone as a VC wasn’t enough. To find more investors, I informed Jian Yumeng about the cooperation with the Guan Group. Since we were all in the construction industry, and because our relationship was too close, I couldn’t push her Jian Group into the line of fire. She responded quickly by introducing me to a company with a strong background.

The owner of this company was a woman around Jian Yumeng’s age named Bi Lan. Jian Yumeng said that seeing Bi Lan was like seeing a mini version of me: cold, quiet, serious, with a hobby of collecting antiques. Miss Bi Lan was very interested in the proposal. We had several dinners to talk business, and her sharp decision-making made me feel I had found the perfect partner.

However, according to the agreement, Guan Shuyun had to agree before Bi Lan could participate in the investment. I conveyed this news to Duoran over the phone. Mentioning the search for more VCs, she didn’t quite understand my intent.

“Isn’t Doris enough? How many VCs are you looking for?”

“It’s about being prepared. Do you understand? Doris is my trump card; it can’t be used as a stepping stone so easily. Remember, when you return, go to Guan Shuyun with the utmost sincerity. Let her see Doris’s massive strength and desire to cooperate. I want you to stand on her side and oppose me.

Whatever terms Miss Bi offers, you match them. If the funds allow, increase the bid. I repeat: let Guan Shuyun see your sincerity and believe that Doris is antagonistic toward the Lan family. If all goes well, Doris should be able to take half of that 30% investment stake.

As for the rest, Miss Bi will take a share, and Guan Shuyun can do whatever she wants with the remainder. Most importantly, on the surface, everyone must think the Lan family is at a disadvantage and that the Guan Group holds more actual shares than us.”

“So? What’s the point of this? To show weakness to Guan Shuyun?”

“We have reached a common goal. We both want to use each other’s strength to occupy this market, yet we must also restrain each other. Both boards have approved this; the formation of the new company is inevitable. We held a press conference today, and the agreement is signed. I have a dinner with Guan Shuyun tonight to discuss the VCs. Come back as soon as possible; we can’t delay anymore.”

“Don’t worry, I just reached the airport.”

“Let me know when you land. I’ll pick you up.”

…

Guan Shuyun still preferred hosting at home, but this time, it was just me. I left the office early and drove to her estate. No matter how many times I came, this ostentatious place made me uncomfortable. We sat in the garden enjoying the greenery. Today, Guan Shuyun was different; the smile on her lips was ambiguous, and she only wanted to talk about the past.

Guan Shuyun brewed a pot of black tea and handed me a cup. “If I’m not mistaken, President Lan, you were also educated abroad. I’ve heard you’re a talented musician and even won major piano competitions while overseas.”

Mentioning studying abroad and the piano felt like a lifetime ago. I shook my head helplessly. “Yes, I studied in France. After returning, work was endless. I haven’t touched a piano in years; I’m quite rusty.”

She reached out and took my hand, leading me toward the villa. “Come. Today is a good day. In the spirit of leisure, I’m going to be bold and ask you to play a piece so I can admire your talent. The pianos in this house are just for show; it’s time they were used. You mustn’t refuse me.”