16 Settled (1/2)
To SMQ and Chen Zheng, the day seemed to go by like a gentle breeze.
Chen Qi sat in the project team's office of SMQ and arrogantly said, ”Strive for the best and present a tender that will defeat all rivals. You can report to me any time you encounter any issue. Make sure it's the best deal Ming Sheng can get. Even if some terms are outrageous, don't hesitate to tell me. I'll report to the Chairman and make an exception. Only success is allowed!”
Everyone responded with stern enthusiasm:
”Sure!”
”Rest assured, General Manager!”
”SMQ will definitely own this project!”
Chen Zheng nodded his head in satisfaction and exited the office building. It was dawn, and people were filling in the enormous industrial park, creating a lot of hustle and bustle. Chen, full of overconfidence, stood in front of the building.
Aidan's sudden collapse this year had marked SMQ's leap from number three to number two in the industry. And this spectacular advance had happened right after Chen Zheng's succession of his father. He had opened a new chapter for SMQ.
But Chen wanted to do better.
He indeed wanted to use the Ming Sheng project to bring Aida to its knees, and to avenge what had happened after The Carcinogen Scandal. However, this was also the first time SMQ had set foot in such a large-scale project initiated by a state-owned corporation. And New Bori, the leader of the industry with its high profits, wide range of contacts, and huge influence, had always had a monopoly on such types of projects.
Cracking into the market was all Chen could think about—even if it cost him dearly with a low-price strategy.
Maybe in the near future, SMQ could officially become New Bori's equal.
...
The same invitation to tender had been sent to New Bori Group. After receiving it, the administration department had immediately ordered a special messenger to deliver it to the penthouse, where the CEO office was located.
Ning Huai, the CEO of New Bori, wore a new suit with a rose-carmine tie that day. He sat behind the office desk with a dark luster, his amber cuffs gleaming.
When the secretary brought in the invitation to tender, Ning, who had just made the cover of Fortune magazine, was on the phone. He said tenderly and languidly, with a gentle smile on his face, ”Do you like the flowers? Ah... How could I forget what day it is today? I'll pick you up at seven o'clock this evening. Remember to wear the dress I ordered.”
After him hanging up, the secretary complimented him with a smile. ”Mr. Ning, you're so considerate to your wife! People are so jealous that you're so close even you're this busy.”
Ning Huai smiled. ”Today is our three-year anniversary and she wants to go to a loud concert. Cancel tomorrow morning's meeting for me—I won't be asleep until midnight.”
The secretary nodded his head, his heart filled with admiration for this young CEO.
Ning Huai had been born and raised in an ordinary family. But now he ran New Bori Group after becoming the son-in-law of the chairman of Zhu's. He was a man with both an amazing career and an amazing love. No one was luckier than he was.
Ning Huai took the documents, skimmed through them quietly, and smiled.
The secretary whispered, ”Based on what we know, SMQ and Aida are both sure of winning this project and are likely to use the low-price strategy. Our pricing system is always stable, and our price is relatively high. The marketing department wants a clear instruction on whether we should also lower our price or not—”
”Tell them not trouble themselves,” Ning Huai interjected. ”We'll stand by this time.”
The secretary hesitated. Noticing this, Ning Huai smiled, and said with a gentle voice, ”Why're you still so rigid after being my secretary for so long? For one thing, 'Burn not your house to frighten the mice away.' It'll lead to chaos if we lower our price. Also, the most important thing being in the market is to know your rival. Right now, Chen Zheng is the only one who is a threat to us. Just let him compete with Aida fiercely and lose his shirt.”
”But… It's probable that Chen Zheng wants to challenge us for the Ming Sheng project,” said the secretary
Chen Zheng glanced up. ”Then we'll take him down,” he said.
”Noted!” said the secretary. ”I'll tell the people we put there to keep an eye on them and notify us if anything new happens.”
”Okay,” Ning Huai said softly.
…
With the bidding day approaching, Lin Qian was getting busier and busier. In the afternoon of that day, Lin Qian had moved into the same accommodations as the project team, following Li Zhicheng's order.
With a ponytail tied, Lin Qian read the latest version of the tender crafted by the project team.
For days the project team had been writing the tender and the three executives had been examining it over and over again. Each time they checked the document the project team had to redo it, and Lin Qian had to read it along with them, which made her exhausted.
After skimming it for a while, Lin Qian put the document aside and tried to rest on the bed. But she couldn't help thinking about how she had confessed to Lin Zhicheng that she thought him a born leader and a genius that day.
Ugh, it's so dramatic, Lin Qian thought.
But still, it was true.
The phone rang, and it was Xue Mingtao calling. ”Ms. Lin, we've made some alterations to the tender and just sent it to your email. Has Mr. Li slept?”
”He was just going through some material. I bet he hasn't. Let me show it to him right now.” Lin Qian smiled as she spoke.
After hanging up the phone, Lin Qian recalled what she'd witnessed and confirmed that based on their respectful attitude, Li Zhicheng had earned some prestige within the company.
Li Zhicheng was staying next door to Lin Qian. It was already ten o'clock in the evening and the corridor was nothing but quiet, except for the illuminating road lamps. When Lin Qian arrived at Li's room with her laptop, she found the door ajar.
It was likely that someone had forgotten to close the door after leaving because in the last couple of days, Lin Qian, Gu Yanzhi, and the others had been going in and out his room. She didn't take notice of it and walked straight into the room after knocking on the door out of courtesy.
But no one was there.
She walked to the desk, put down the laptop and looked up, noticing the bathroom door was closed. And then she decided to wait beside the desk quietly.
Without waiting for long, someone opened the bathroom door and came out. ”Boss, I brought the new…” Lin Qian hesitated, a professional smile still on her face, ”…tender for you.”
The staff accommodation was neither luxurious nor spacious. A topless Li Zhicheng stood around six feet away from Lin Qian, wearing a pair of long tracksuit pants and a towel in his hands. He looked up at her, with his hair and body wet, water vapor steaming off of him and clouding his eyes.
It was not unusual to walk into a topless man in a corporate-run dormitory crowded with staff. But it was indeed a bit awkward that it so happened to be the young CEO.
Lin Qian turned her back calmly, turning on the computer while briefing him, ”I've marked all the alterations just made. Are you going to read them now?”
Suddenly a thought struck her: There has been a lot of these awkward encounters with Boss recently.
”Okay,” still in the flat voice.
Following that voice was a ruffling noise. Li must have been getting dressed now. And even though Lin Qian stared at the words on the screen, she couldn't help thinking about what she had just seen:
Broad shoulders, small waist, and balanced muscles, all of which composed a v-shaped body. Even more striking was the way he had stood there straight with his sculpted, nonchalant face. Around his waist were those ridiculously baggy pants. Um… The scene had looked just like a photo of a hot male model deliberately showing his body in a seducing way.
Lin Qian, that was a real treat just now, she thought to herself.
Lin Qian felt the corners of her mouth curve, and she didn't turn her head sideways to look at him until she heard footsteps.
She was again dazed by what she saw.
Maybe because it had happened all of a sudden, but Li Zhicheng had only put on a white shirt with the first button open, and the collar was still a bit messy.
He stood in the light, looking down at her. Biting his lips, he seemed lukewarm.
She moved her eyes from him after catching a few stunning glimpses and Li's focus turned to the computer. He bowed down and put his hands on the mouse to scroll through the pages.
Lin Qian peeked at her boss and thought, How is it possible that he looks so handsome? And every time I look at him, he just gets more handsome.
She pulled the chair from beside them over and placed it behind his back, saying, ”Mr. Li, please sit.”
”Okay.” He glanced at her. ”You also sit down. I'll tell you which parts should be corrected.”
”Yes, sir.”