Yue Ling stares dumbfoundedly at her assistant. Seeing him act this way, she couldn’t decide whether to laugh or cry.
He had been so serious about being scared that she thought Manager He had done something frightening. However, it turned out to be his own imagination running wild.
She sighs a deep breath to calm herself from his unusual way of thinking. Reaching a hand for her work bag, she takes out the black folder containing the supply contract between De L’amour and Cloth Co.
Scooting the chair back, she stood up and walks over to sit on the couch across from him. She ignores his unprofessional appearance and set the folder on the table between them.
"Starting tomorrow, we will be working with Cloth Co."
Liu Shan turns his head to look at her then down at the folder. His childish behavior takes a 306 turn and he abruptly returns to the assistant that he is.
However, he doesn’t sit up but looks back up at the ceiling.
"So that means we’ll be buying from them for ten years?"
Understanding his words, Yue Ling shakes her head and opens the folder. Placing the tips on her fingers on top, she turns it to face him and leans back on the couch.
"I convinced Lu Tian to agree to five years. If things progress well for both companies, I will propose another contract later."
Liu Shan wanted to ask why she didn’t just keep the ten-year contract since she and Lu Tian were getting married but stop himself.
Out of all her subordinates, he is the closest to her and knows better than anyone why she declined the offer. Especially knowing that the other party is a company that belongs to someone she knows.
Not because she doesn’t trust or want to work with the other company, but because she doesn’t want to mix her personal life and work together.
The other party this time is Cloth Co., and it belongs to the Lu family. Once the collaboration begins, combined with Yue Ling and Lu Tian’s engagement, others will start to speculate that his boss is able to succeed because of the Lu family’s help.
Of course, this means little to Yue Ling, but as the person she is, she doesn’t want others to speak ill of the other party without knowing anything.
Liu Shan sighs aloud and sits up. He grabs the folder and flips through the contract.
Five years. They will be working with Cloth Co. for five years, but will his boss be okay?
In the past, when she was still a model, some people criticized her for being a model for Beauty. Rumors spread that she got to where she is today because of how popular Beauty is in the industry.
However, only a few know that she got to where she is because of her own hard work.
She was able to become a renowned model because of how naturally good she is. Whereas Fate and H-International were indeed passed down to her, but it was also because of the outstanding capability that made each one formidable to this day.
The same goes for De L’amour and An Qing. Both fashion companies started off as small boutiques before reaching their highest peak.
And all these things were done solely by Yue Ling and her hard work.
As the memories of the past flooded his mind, Liu Shan looks at his boss. An unexplainable wave of emotion flash in his heart that sent a sharp stab to him.
A bittersweet smile curls on his lip and he sighs inside for her.
She is only one person but has to carry so much weight on her shoulders.
Averting his gaze from her, he lowers his head and looks down at the folder in his hands. Thinking to himself, he closes it and sets it down on the table.
"For someone who has many responsibilities, I applaud you for always standing your ground and never faltering."
He leans back on the couch and looks her in the eyes.
"For this, I have followed you for many years. And be it in the next five years or ten, I will continue to trust your decisions."
Yue Ling stares back at him and she felt like the luckiest boss in the world to have an understanding assistant like him. Never once has he ever questioned any of her decisions.
Of course, there were times when he tells her his opinions, but if he finds her reason reasonable, he will agree without another thought.
As Yue Ling and Liu Shan discuss over the matters between De L’amour and Cloth Co., inside a small restaurant in the distance, Xu Long and Zhao Ya’Er had just finished lunch.
Xu Long held the door open for Zhao Ya’Er as she walks out after thanking him for paying. She couldn’t help but think about the delicious meal she had just eaten and place both her palms on her cheeks.
"You were right about this place. The broth was so delicious and flavorful, if I weren’t too full, I would have drunk it all."
Hearing how satisfied she was, Xu Long stuck out his chest and his nose grew proudly. He has been coming to this restaurant since he was young and has never encountered another restaurant that can beat the hot pot here.
"Next time, if you want to come here again, just let me know."
He leans a little closer to her and giggles a whisper.
"I know all their discount days."
His words fell with confidence, but remembering something, he stops in his steps.
"Ah, can you wait here for me? I forgot something inside."
Zhao Ya’Er stops with him and smiles a nod. She doesn’t walk to the car but takes a step to the side and waits while Xu Long runs back inside the restaurant.
He needed to ask the elderly man if Qin Jun, Kira, or Song Jing Li stopped by to give information on Choi Li Sun. After all, this place is where they settle to exchange intel.
Oblivious to his true reason, Zhao Ya’Er didn’t think much and looks around the area. At the same time, she was happy about having lunch with Xu Long.
Never once did he make her feel uncomfortable. He spoke to her like they had known each other for many years.
However, thinking about how good he is, she sighs inside.
"If only he wasn’t bent."
The second she murmurs to herself, she hears her name being called from behind. Thinking Xu Long had come back, she turns around to look at him with a smile.
"You’re back already?"
However, when she faced the person, she thought to be Xu Long, the smile on her face disappears.
Her face turned as pale as a ghost and her body slightly trembles in fear.
"W-Why are you here?"