Pharmaceutical Negotiator - Chapter 44

Qi An had given Qi Shenli a heads-up, believing that since she had come out since high school, her family’s tolerance should be quite strong.

The reality was exactly as she thought. Qi Shenli calmly nodded and asked when they should arrange to eat together.

Qi Shenli was a very strong woman. Like Zhang Sitan, she knew that if Qi An was truly determined to be with Zhang Sitan, they would face many difficulties in the future.

Although she nodded on the surface, it was only because she loved Qi An too much and didn’t want to give her negative emotions.

She understood Zhang Sitan; the person was capable and responsible. But in the face of reality, she was unsure if human nature could withstand the test, or if Zhang Sitan would be a deserter halfway through.

The negotiation ended smoothly, and there should have been a celebratory dinner.

Qi Shenli, as usual, booked a private room and invited Zhang Sitan and the others for a meal.

Two months had passed, yet it felt like two years. Sitting together at the dinner table again, they felt a sense of unreality, that so much had actually happened.

After Qi Zhiguo’s incident, Zhang Sitan had not inquired about Qi Shenli. She knew Qi Shenli was strong and trusted her to deal with it herself.

Seeing her now, she was still as spirited, clip clopping across the floor in her high heels, smiling warmly at the guests who came to the banquet.

“Please take your seats.” Qi Shenli sat in the main seat, and the rest took their places in order.

This was Zhang Sitan’s second collaboration with her, and clearly, this time was much smoother than the last.

“Come, let’s raise a glass first. Thank you to the Medical Insurance Bureau, and thank you to Sitan for rushing over from Beijing again.”

“Hahaha, and thank you to CEO Qi. Thanks to CEO Qi’s coordination, the negotiation went so smoothly.”

Everyone raised their glasses and clinked them together. Qi Shenli tilted her head back, and her lipstick, stained with wine, became even more vibrant.

As she tilted her head, she looked through the transparent wine glass, glancing sideways at Zhang Sitan.

Zhang Sitan was wearing a floral print long dress today, which was very gentle, even a bit casual. Her hair was tied up with a wide white floral hair tie, making her face look small.

Before knowing Qi An was with her, Qi Shenli thought Zhang Sitan had a very proper appearance the kind of “nationally secure and prosperous” look in the eyes of Shandong people.

Now that Qi An had told her herself, whether it was psychological or not, she felt Zhang Sitan’s eyes were very alluring. The outer corners of her eyes curved upwards, a thin black eyeliner delicately tracing a smooth arc, with a touch of light green eyeshadow lightly applied to the upper eyelid, which matched the floral dress.

“I still have my red wine stored in the cellar of this hotel, Sitan, would you like to come and retrieve it with me?” Qi Shenli placed her wine glass back on the table and looked at Zhang Sitan.

“Of course, it would be my honor.” Zhang Sitan slightly bowed and followed Qi Shenli to the cellar.

In the cellar, the dim yellow light made faces look somewhat illusory. Zhang Sitan was wearing a skirt, and the skin on her lower legs was exposed to the air. The environment was too cool, and she couldn’t help but get goosebumps.

“Do you know why I asked you to come?” Qi Shenli asked the waiter to fetch the wine, then sat down on the sofa, signaling Zhang Sitan to sit as well.

Zhang Sitan sat on a nearby single sofa: “I do.”

Qi Shenli smiled: “I probably understand Qi An better than you do. She’s not a person who acts on impulse. Just like going to Beijing, once she sets her mind to it, you can’t pull her back.”

Zhang Sitan nodded: “She is indeed very driven in her work.”

“So I worry that you are just having a temporary fling, but she is still young, and her career has just begun. If you break up, it will have a significant impact on her.”

Qi Shenli added: “Of course, I’m not saying what will happen to the two of you in the future. It’s just that as a mother, you understand, I need to consider all possibilities in advance.”

“Mmm, I understand.” Zhang Sitan looked at Qi Shenli very seriously, “Actually, I share the same worries you mentioned.”

Zhang Sitan chuckled, feeling like it was the first time she had said something so sentimental: “I’m more afraid of us breaking up than you are. I’m more mature than Qi An, and like her, I don’t want to lose my job. Similarly, no one wants to be together well more than we do. So, before deciding to be together, I knew it would be difficult, I knew how complex reality is, and I have prepared myself for it.”

“CEO Qi, like you, I want Qi An to be happy.”

Qi Shenli looked at Zhang Sitan for a long time. At this point, the waiter had finished aerating the wine and was waiting outside the door for her instructions.

She lightly lifted the corner of her mouth: “Before you leave, come to my house for dinner with Qi An. I’ll cook for you.”

Zhang Sitan smiled and agreed, then followed Qi Shenli out of the cellar.

It was the third day after returning to Beijing before Zhang Sitan finally told Qi An about her conversation with Qi Shenli in the cellar.

Qi An was confused, never imagining that the two of them had a conversation behind her back. But she immediately felt very touched. Although Qi Shenli was a strong businesswoman, she never missed a moment of her growth and had always quietly paved every road for her.

When she self-willedly said she wanted to go to Beijing, she let go. When she fell in love with her superior, and in a unit with very strict regulations, she was still willing to let her try and make mistakes.

Qi An pouted, her eyes moistened, and two tears fell.

Zhang Sitan saw them, wiped them away, and asked, “Do you have faith in us?”

Qi An hurriedly nodded: “Absolutely.”

“That’s good.” Zhang Sitan chuckled lightly and patted Qi An’s head, “I do too.”

“We might argue in the future, we might face society’s censure, our parents will also get old one day, maybe one day we’ll want to have a child, or maybe it will just be the two of us until that old age.”

“But,” Zhang Sitan put her arm around Qi An’s shoulder, “just like the little octopus you tossed in the entryway, it has a crying face side and a smiling face side. Life won’t only give us one side.”

“Ah.”

Hearing Zhang Sitan mention the little octopus, Qi An stopped crying and said in surprise: “I forgot to flip it over! I wanted the smiling face side out.”

Zhang Sitan laughed softly, leaned down, and kissed her recently cried-upon eyes: “I just flipped it over. The smiling face side is facing out.”

August was almost over. August was the month Qi An was most reluctant to see go.

When she was a student, August was the most pleasant summer vacation. After starting work, August was also a good time when even the leaders took it easy.

The sun was scorching; any slight exercise would make you sweat profusely. Every morning after her run, Zhang Sitan would have to walk briskly for a while to cool down.

After she finished showering, she would plunge into the kitchen again to prepare breakfast.

Various ingredients would steam, boil, and roll in the pot, and then the aroma would spread from the small apartment. A small figure would walk out of the bedroom, rubbing her eyes, dressed in water-green pajamas, and head toward the kitchen.

At this time, Zhang Sitan would tell her to go wash her hands first, but she would insist on clinging to the person who spoke, wrapping her arms around her waist, and drowsing for a little longer.

The End of the Story