?
The car stopped at the base of the apartment building.
Su Banxia was about to get out, reaching for the door handle, but the door was locked.
She looked at Pei Shaoze in confusion, not understanding. "President Pei, is there something else?"
Pei Shaoze just looked at her, not speaking for a moment.
Su Banxia didn't know what he wanted, so she didn't say anything more, quietly waiting for him to speak.
After they stared at each other for a while, Pei Shaoze finally said, "Tonight, you did very well. No need to apologize!"
Huh?
Su Banxia was stunned, a bit surprised.
She wanted to ask more, but then she heard a sound in the car—the door unlocking.
Then came Pei Shaoze's low voice, "Go back and get some rest!"
Although Su Banxia found it strange, she wasn't one to pry, so she didn't say much and simply replied, "Thank you, President Pei!"
With that, she got out of the car.
When she got home, Su Hao and Guoguo were both there. Guoguo was playing with a toy, and Su Hao was reading a book.
Fang Shiqing was also there, apparently washing fruit in the kitchen.
As soon as Su Banxia entered, Guoguo rushed over to her, saying in a baby voice, "Mommy, you're finally back!"
Holding Guoguo, Su Banxia looked at Fang Shiqing in the kitchen and said, "I'm back."
Fang Shiqing came out with the fruit and looked at her. "Is the exchange meeting over?"
Su Banxia nodded. "Mm."
"Judging by your expression, it doesn't seem too optimistic?"
"Mm. I ran into Ren Yuan and Gu Feifei—that couple."
With the kids around, Su Banxia didn't want to say anything unpleasant.
Fang Shiqing nodded, understanding. "I bought a lot of grapes. Have some first."
They sat on the sofa. Guoguo clung to Su Banxia and played for a while before Su Hao took her back to the room to rest.
Only Su Banxia and Fang Shiqing were left.
Fang Shiqing looked at her. "Pei Shaoze drove you back just now?"
Su Banxia nodded. "Mm."
"What's going on between you two..."
Fang Shiqing seemed unsure how to phrase it, pausing before continuing, "What do you think about Pei Shaoze?"
An accident six years ago had tangled them together by chance, and now they were caught in an endless entanglement. If it were just the two of them, it might be manageable.
But with two children in the mix, things between them were inevitably messy and hard to sort out.
Su Banxia sighed. "There won't be anything between Pei Shaoze and me. I'll probably leave Dingsheng soon."
Now that Lin Tongze was back, once things were cleared up, she would leave Dingsheng, find a job she liked, and live quietly with Guoguo and Su Hao.
As for Pei Shaoze, after they parted, they might as well be strangers.
Fang Shiqing didn't ask further. Some things had to be decided by the person involved.
As an outsider, she couldn't do much.
They didn't talk long before both went to rest.
...
The next day.
When Su Banxia went to the company, she couldn't help noticing that the atmosphere was off.
Her first thought was of what she'd done at the hotel last night. Though satisfying, it was ultimately wrong.
She was Pei Shaoze's secretary, and pushing Gu Feifei into the pool in public—what would draw even more gossip was probably the scene of Pei Shaoze defending her.
It seemed Pei Shaoze was right. In today's Yanshi news, they really were the headline.
Su Banxia walked into the company, trying to keep a low profile.
Just as she reached the president's office, she ran into Pei Shaoze, who was heading to a meeting. Out of politeness, she said, "Good morning, President Pei."
Pei Shaoze glanced at her and said, "Come with me."
Su Banxia was a bit confused. Morning meetings were normal, but Pei Shaoze usually didn't bring her along because she wasn't needed for them.
But why this time?
Without asking, she grabbed a pen and notebook from the meeting room and followed Pei Shaoze inside.
In the meeting room.
As soon as Su Banxia entered, she froze. She saw a familiar face.
Lin Tongze.
He was sitting at one end of the table, flanked by several men in suits carrying briefcases.
It looked like they were here for negotiations.
Their eyes met for just a moment. Su Banxia was slightly startled, then followed Pei Shaoze to find a seat.
Most of the attendees had arrived.
After Lin Tongze exchanged greetings with Pei Shaoze, they began discussing the partnership.
Su Banxia didn't fully understand at first, but as she listened to their negotiation, she pieced it together.
Lin Tongze planned to expand into the domestic market and wanted to collaborate with Pei Shaoze.
In the meeting room.
Lin Tongze's expression was grim, and it had been from the start.
"President Pei and I, after all, are old acquaintances. I thought you'd be happy about my expansion into the domestic market?"
Pei Shaoze looked coldly at the man across from him, his face stern. "I am happy, but I've never liked others... interfering."
Lin Tongze frowned slightly. "Interfering?"
A cold laugh echoed through the room, particularly jarring.
"I've always known President Pei is domineering in his dealings. Today, I'm truly... enlightened."
Su Banxia: "..."
She was confused. It seemed these two had known each other before?
And their relationship wasn't exactly friendly.
Listening to their exchange, everyone else felt like outsiders.
She could tell that neither of them was genuinely interested in negotiating. This was more like a confrontational way of meeting.
After a long, tense standoff, they ended the pointless conversation.
Pei Shaoze tossed out a final remark, "Goodbye, President Lin. No need to see you out."
Then he turned and left.
Pei Shaoze walked out with his people.
Su Banxia couldn't have much interaction with Lin Tongze, so they just exchanged a glance before she left.
In Pei Shaoze's office.
Su Banxia followed him in. Seeing his bad mood, she didn't say much.
She went straight to her desk and sat down.
After a long silence, Pei Shaoze spoke, looking at her. "You used to be in France, right? What do you know about the Lin Group?"
Su Banxia froze.
Her nerves tensed up almost instantly.
Hesitating, she replied, "I didn't pay much attention to the Lin Group when I was in France, so I don't know much."
Pei Shaoze narrowed his eyes at her. "I recall from your resume that you were in France, working under the Lin Group's umbrella..."
She hadn't expected him to bring that up. Her nerves tightened, and she gripped the files in her hands tightly.
Pei Shaoze stepped closer, his dark eyes fixed on her.
Su Banxia knew that if everything were laid bare now, she wouldn't be able to stay at Dingsheng.
"I was at a small company. It might have had business dealings with the Lin Group, but nothing close. I don't know the details."
Su Banxia backed away a few steps as Pei Shaoze approached.
Her heart was racing, and she felt at a loss.
Pei Shaoze looked at her, unsure whether to believe her or not. The corner of his mouth lifted as he said, "Su Banxia, you seem nervous right now."
In this situation, saying she wasn't nervous would be impossible.
Su Banxia forced a fake smile. "President Pei, anyone would be nervous with you like this."
Pei Shaoze let out a cold laugh. "I thought you were special."
"There's probably no one special to you."
Su Banxia said, glancing at the scattered files nearby.
Pei Shaoze chuckled lowly and said no more.
He just gave her a brief look and said, "Get back to work."
"Knock, knock!"
A knock came from outside the office.
Pei Shaoze straightened up, stepping back from Su Banxia, and raised his voice. "Come in."