As soon as Lin Mengyao stepped into the bedroom, Xu Ke followed with a glass of honey water and asked, "Did I upset you just now?" Xu Ke handed the honey water to Lin Mengyao and said in a low voice, his soft and fluffy hair standing atop his head, much like a big dog waiting to be scolded for its mistakes.
"Thank you, this has nothing to do with you. We've never gotten along well; if not today, we were bound to argue tomorrow." Lin Mengyao took the warm cup, heated by the water, and spoke softly.
"Have some honey water. I noticed you've been upset today. Did something happen at the office?" Xu Ke asked, sitting on his own sofa.
There was a small sofa in their bedroom, bought by Lin Mengyao when they got married, and Xu Ke had slept on it for the past three years. Although it wasn't tiny, with Xu Ke's height of almost 1.9 meters, he had to curl up to fit on it without falling off.
In the past, Lin Mengyao would never discuss company matters with Xu Ke. Perhaps it was the meal he prepared today, or maybe his behavior during the engagement ceremony affected her, or it could just be that the beautiful moon stirred something within her, compelling her to speak.
The urge was overwhelming, and by the time she realized, she was already speaking. "That's how it is," Lin Mengyao recounted what had happened during the board meeting.
People are like that; it's always difficult the first time you open up, but once you do, the words begin to flow more freely.
Lin Mengyao tightened her lips into a straight line, using the cool moonlight and Xu Ke's inability to see, she revealed her vulnerability and sadness in her shimmering eyes for the first time.
"So, what are your plans?" Xu Ke asked in a deep voice.
"What else? I'll give it a try," Lin Mengyao responded with a self-mocking laugh.
"Even though the hope is slim, I still don't want to give up. I don't want to let my grandfather down, and I don't want to leave the Lin Group in disgrace. I won't give up until the very last moment." The vulnerability in Lin Mengyao's eyes gradually turned into determination.
In Lin Mengyao's dictionary, there's no such thing as giving up without a fight.
"Which company is Lin Group planning to collaborate with?" Xu Ke asked.
"Jiahe Group," Lin Mengyao told Xu Ke instinctively, even though she didn't understand why he was asking.
"Jiahe Group." Xu Ke repeated quietly, finding the name strikingly familiar. After a few seconds, he realized it was a subsidiary of Xu Group, where he, as the largest shareholder, held absolute power.
"You'll succeed," Xu Ke said confidently.
Lin Mengyao's lips curled slightly, but she didn't take Xu Ke's words to heart. She still thanked him for his company that evening. "Thanks for your kind words and listening to me. Rest early; we must get up early tomorrow." With these words, Lin Mengyao closed her eyes, and the bedroom fell into a silence that made the earlier conversation seem like Xu Ke's imagination.
Lying down facing Lin Mengyao, Xu Ke watched the outline of her form on the bed, his eyes filled with a gentle tenderness and indescribable heartache. Although he couldn't see her face due to the angle, he clearly envisioned her features in his mind.
"You'll succeed," Xu Ke silently and firmly said, his determined gaze like a promise.
That night, Lin Mengyao slept soundly.
The midday sun blazed in the sky, making the tops of heads steam. The glare reflected off the tall buildings' glass, blinding anyone who dared to look.
Xu Ke stood at the entrance of the Jiahe Group building, squinting as he looked up at the tower towering above him before entering.
"I want to see Xu Jie," Xu Ke said to the impeccably smiling receptionist.
"Do you have an appointment?"
"No."
"I'm sorry, you can't go in without an appointment."
Unperturbed by the receptionist's refusal, Xu Ke responded calmly, "Just tell her that a person named Xu Ke has come to see her, and she'll understand."
"Sir." The receptionist's polite expression disappeared, and she regarded Xu Ke's attire, which couldn't have cost more than a couple of hundred dollars, with a cold and slightly mocking tone. "People like you, trying every trick in the book to meet Manager Xu, pass by eight or ten times a day. But it's my first time seeing someone as down-and-out as you acting so important. Next time you pretend to be someone, choose better clothes and take a look in the mirror, okay? How could our Manager Xu know someone as shabby as you? It's like you're insulting my intelligence." The receptionist rolled her eyes to conclude her speech.
Xu Ke's face turned cold, "I'm not joking with you. Either you let me up now, or call Xu Jie so she can come down and fetch me."
"Do you not understand human language? Do you think you can just come and see Manager Xu? Before I call security, you'd better leave," the receptionist slapped a booklet on the counter, her tone hostile.
Xu Ke's gaze hardened completely. Just as the two were facing off, another receptionist, who had previously been absent, came over and asked gently, "What's going on here?"
"Not much, Sister Li, just a pauper stubbornly insisting on meeting our Manager Xu." The previous receptionist rolled her eyes dramatically and said with a hint of disdain.
The woman referred to as Sister Li examined Xu Ke closely and observed that, although his clothes were simple, his demeanor wasn't that of a poor man, likely he was just another mischievous heir from a wealthy family. With these thoughts, Sister Li maintained her professional smile.
"I'm sorry, sir. Xiao He is a new staff member and has much to learn. If she has offended you in any way, please don't take it to heart," Sister Li appropriately bowed to Xu Ke, apologizing for her colleague's earlier behavior.
"Sister Li, what are you doing? Why apologize to this pauper?" Xiao He hastily tried to tug Sister Li's arm, looking displeased.
Xu Ke remained silent but mentally noted to think highly of the woman known as Sister Li. A receptionist acts as the face of a company to a great extent, shaping the first impression of that company. Sister Li was undoubtedly an excellent receptionist.
Behind the counter's cover, Sister Li pinched Xiao He hard, her smiling eyes clearly warning, but as she turned back to Xu Ke, her demeanor softened like a spring breeze. "If you don't have an appointment, I need to confirm permission before I can let you go up. I hope you understand. Please provide your name." Sister Li spoke softly and enunciated clearly.