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"Then we'll be on our way," Xu Tao said with a cheerful smile.
"I won't see you off then. Take care," Chen Rui replied, watching the elevator doors close before lowering his waving hand.
After achieving their goal, Xu Yao and Xu Tao were clearly eager to leave. Chen Rui couldn't force them to stay, so he simply went along with their departure.
Back in the conference room, Chen Rui received a call from Zhang Shi, who was inviting him to a gathering.
"What the hell? A gathering just popped up out of nowhere. What do you expect people to think?" Chen Rui didn't understand Zhang Shi's intentions.
"I saw the message you sent me last night—no, this morning. I think we can take this opportunity to secure Yu Shiming and Liu Xiwen directly," Zhang Shi's voice was filled with excitement. "If the gathering goes well, it aligns perfectly with my plans and we can smoothly implement the listing strategy."
"Last night? This morning?" Chen Rui rubbed his temples, searching his memory but couldn't recall anything about it.
"It was one of your subordinates. The person was there when we discussed the listing," Zhang Shi explained.
Realization hit Chen Rui; it was Xiong Kai who had passed the information to Zhang Shi, leaving him feeling somewhat displeased.
"Alright, alright, you call the shots. What time?" Chen Rui didn't want to continue this idle chatter with Zhang Shi and urged him for details.
"Tomorrow at 1 PM. The location is Golden Fortune Tower, B Building Platform. There's a Luminous Entertainment Club there that's not open to the public," Zhang Shi said, his excitement tinged with impatience, as if he wanted to start the gathering immediately.
Upon hearing the address, Chen Rui felt reluctant. "What's going on? Are all the clients attending?"
"Exactly! Otherwise, how could we achieve such great results?" Zhang Shi wouldn't take no for an answer and hung up the phone, leaving Chen Rui standing there in a daze.
The rapid pace was something Chen Rui had never experienced before, and he genuinely felt a bit overwhelmed.
However, a fast pace isn't necessarily a bad thing. A quicker rhythm allows for an earlier conclusion to this task, which means more trial participants. In the end, even if there is a possibility of danger, it reduces the odds.
Chen Rui entered the conference room with a smile. The empty environment inexplicably evoked a sense of loneliness that made him uncomfortable.
He chuckled at himself, settled into a chair, opened his laptop, and began organizing the materials he would need.
Just then, his phone rang again. Chen Rui frowned; he usually didn't receive this many calls. Pulling out his phone, he saw it was a call from Yu Shiming. Likely inquiring about the gathering, Chen Rui felt reluctant but knew he had to answer.
"Chen Rui?" After a few days apart, Yu Shiming's voice sounded even more aged.
"Yes, what can I do for you?" Chen Rui asked with a smile, feigning ignorance.
"I heard you organized a client event. I wanted to confirm some details with you. Am I bothering you?" Yu Shiming noticed Chen Rui's slightly impatient tone but still asked gently.
Chen Rui rubbed his temples. "Yes, that's true. You probably know the time and place already. This is an event we planned; I apologize for notifying you so abruptly. If you have other commitments, please let us know so we can reschedule."
"No need for that. My wife and I happen to be free tomorrow. We were originally planning to go to the movies, but now we can cancel that and make time for the gathering instead." Yu Shiming's laughter was delightful; even over the phone, Chen Rui could sense his happiness.
"Oh? If you need us to adjust the timing, we can do that. May I ask why you're so pleased that your original plans were interrupted?" Chen Rui couldn't help but wonder; most people would typically dislike having their plans suddenly disrupted.
Yu Shiming laughed even more heartily and then seemed to realize he was being overly jovial. He adjusted his tone to explain to Chen Rui, "Well, this was my decision in the first place, but my wife isn’t fond of going to the movies. She’s the type who can't sit still. Now that she has something to do, she’ll be very happy about it. So why should I complain?"
Hearing this explanation made Chen Rui smile naturally. "You really are quite gentle; your relationship is wonderful."
"Of course! By the way, when are you getting married?"
"You must be joking! I haven't even found a partner yet; how could I get married?" Chen Rui chuckled at Yu Shiming's words.
"That's not acceptable! How old are you and still no partner? That can't be right! With your career and looks, how could you not attract any girls?" Chen Rui began to sense what Yu Shiming was implying and hurriedly tried to end the call.
"That's great! You must be on time tomorrow. Well, I'll leave it at that for now. If anything comes up, I'll give you a call." Chen Rui smiled, but the expression on his face grew increasingly unnatural.
"Hey! Why are you in such a hurry? I haven't even finished yet!" Did you really have to go out? Chen Rui felt a wave of panic inside.
"Alright then, I'll hang up now. Goodbye."
"Okay! Goodbye."
After hanging up the phone, Chen Rui realized he was sweating profusely and couldn't help but feel self-deprecating. At his age, he couldn't even make a joke? He couldn't even find a partner? How useless!
With nothing to do in the afternoon, Chen Rui wanted to find someone to hang out with, but suddenly realized that his social circle consisted solely of colleagues and clients; he had lost touch with all his old friends without even realizing it.
Losing touch didn't mean he couldn't reach them anymore; it meant that their relationships had faded, feelings had diminished, and over time they no longer interacted.
Helplessly, Chen Rui quietly slipped out of the company. It was shameful to leave early with colleagues or subordinates; in reality, they all had plans anyway.
Ever since he realized his wardrobe was lacking, Chen Rui had thought about buying clothes. After covering living expenses and sending money back home each month, he still had quite a bit left over. Over the years, he had saved a considerable amount.
Walking down the streets of Beijing, the familiar environment felt strangely foreign to him. Even while trying on clothes, he seemed distracted and felt so lonely...
"Sir? Sir!"
Chen Rui quickly shook his head and smiled at the sales assistant, signaling her to continue.
"Your tall figure is perfect for this year's new arrivals just imported from the UK..."
The sales assistant enthusiastically recommended the latest Burberry trench coat to Chen Rui. He wondered how much commission she would earn from selling this ridiculously priced coat.
After wandering through four stores in a daze, Chen Rui felt his hands were already full and decided to head back home.
Chen Rui liked to refer to his house as "home," as if there was always someone waiting for his return. However, that was far from the truth.
Pushing open the door, he was greeted by the same emptiness as always.
Chen Rui set down the items he had bought on the bed and began to organize them.
He had purchased a formal suit, a casual outfit, and a trench coat. Opening the wardrobe, he hung the clothes on hangers. Looking at the suddenly fuller wardrobe, Chen Rui couldn't help but smile silently; it seemed he really needed a woman to take care of him.
After tidying up the room a bit, Chen Rui collapsed onto the bed. Since finishing his recent mission, he hadn't had a proper sleep. Finally finding a moment of peace amidst his busy schedule, he thought that sleeping was the best option.
He plugged his phone into the charger, and the computer speakers were still playing his favorite song, "Bad Girlfriend." Most people wouldn't fall asleep to such intense music, but Chen Rui found that only rock music with strong rhythms and high energy could lull him to sleep. He didn't even know when this habit had formed.
Lying on the bed, Chen Rui stretched comfortably and soon drifted off.
The loud ringtone and vibrations of his phone jolted him awake. Rubbing his eyes, he got up and pulled back the curtains; it was already bright outside, indicating he hadn't slept long.
Checking his phone, he saw it was Liang Yu calling. Habitually letting it ring for a moment longer, he answered just before it was about to disconnect.
"What’s up? Aren't you supposed to be resting? Why are you bothering me?" Chen Rui yawned, speaking in a muffled tone.
"Big Brother! Check the date! Are you still groggy? We have a gathering today; did you forget? I'm almost at your building; hurry up! It's nearly nine-thirty!" The sounds of cars driving by could be heard in the background; Liang Yu must be on the street.
Hearing Liang Yu's words, Chen Rui quickly glanced at the date and realized he had slept straight from four in the afternoon until nine-thirty the next morning—quite rare for him.
He hurriedly got up to take a shower. It was still warm outside; autumn hadn't fully settled in yet. After a refreshing shower, Chen Rui quickly threw on some casual clothes and dashed out of the house like a student rushing home after school, just in time to bump into Liang Yu who was preparing to get on the elevator.
"In such a hurry? You might trip," Liang Yu teased with a mischievous grin.
"With you as my cushion, I'd rather fall! It's your fault for rushing me," Chen Rui replied while adjusting his clothes. The interaction felt oddly charming, reminiscent of the shyness of a first date.
"Hey! Is it my fault? I just came to pick you up, and who knew you were still in bed, sleeping like a pig. You're something else," Liang Yu teased, pointing at Chen Rui's disheveled collar.
Chen Rui hurriedly replied, "Can you help me fix this? I didn't expect to sleep so long; it's not my fault, really." Liang Yu helped straighten Chen Rui's clothes, and he immediately looked much neater.
Suddenly, Chen Rui remembered, "Wait, how did you end up coming here? I didn't ask you to join the gathering!"
"I'm your assistant, remember? Wherever you go, I have to follow diligently!" Liang Yu said with a mock-serious expression. When she saw Chen Rui's lack of response, she hugged his arm and added, "Please, I just want to have some fun!"
Chen Rui wasn't used to Liang Yu's cutesy tone. Even though she seemed much more adorable than before, he honestly couldn't handle it. "Alright, alright. Just don't cause any trouble once we're there. Don't hold me back or say anything random. If someone asks you something, think before you speak."
"Okay, okay, got it," Liang Yu released Chen Rui's arm and switched back to her normal tone, though her words still revealed her excitement.
Over the past two years of following Chen Rui around, Liang Yu had learned all his weaknesses—like how he couldn't stand girls causing a scene, crying, or acting helpless.
Basically, as long as it was a girl and their relationship was good enough, she could get her way with him.
"Look at you; you're really under the thumb of women. I wonder how you'll manage when you get married in the future," Liang Yu jumped in front of Chen Rui with a playful smile.
Chen Rui smiled wryly. "If I ever get the chance, I'll definitely have your boyfriend keep an eye on you. A girl doesn't belong to her father anymore."
"Shut up," Liang Yu laughed as she playfully scolded him.
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