Chapter 89
The car arrived at its destination quickly.
Fang Bai’s words to Hao Yingman hadn’t been a joke. She had originally intended to avoid meeting Lu Raomei and wait for Hao Yingman in the car.
But Hao Yingman had said, “If she refuses to partner with me because she’s targeting you, then I should thank you.”
Then Fang Bai had been dragged by Hao Yingman into the hotel.
They hadn’t arrived early, and the banquet hall was already filled with people, the sounds of clinking glasses and cheerful laughter echoing.
They were all influential figures in South City.
And in these people’s eyes, Hao Yingman was just an arrogant and spoiled young lady who relied on her father and had no real ability.
Hao Yingman scoffed at this. Everyone looked down on Hao Yingman, yet everyone wanted to be her.
That was the logic. Few people in South City didn’t envy Hao Yingman.
Although they all looked down on Hao Yingman, they still smiled and surrounded her after she appeared, out of consideration for her father’s reputation.
After a brief greeting, Hao Yingman and Fang Bai walked to a windowed area of the hall.
Standing by the window, the scenery of South City was clear at a glance, with its bright lights and bustling nightlife. Further in the distance, the sea could be seen.
Hao Yingman took a glass of wine from a nearby round table and handed a glass of juice to Fang Bai, asking, “How is it? Not bad, right?”
Fang Bai nodded. “Mmm.”
Hao Yingman took a sip of wine. “There’s a restaurant on the top floor with an even better view. I’ll take you up to have a look later.”
Just as Hao Yingman finished speaking, a waiter walked up to her and whispered a few words.
After the waiter left, Hao Yingman turned to Fang Bai and said, “Some uncles over there are calling me over. Do you want to come?”
Fang Bai glanced in the direction the waiter had come from. Several middle-aged men in suits were standing there. She had no interest in greeting strangers and smiled at Hao Yingman. “I’ll wait for you here.”
“Okay~” Hao Yingman made a gesture and left.
When only Fang Bai remained by the window, she stood there with her arms crossed. Her eyes seemed to be looking straight out at the scenery, but in reality, the light in her pupils was scattered, and her attention was no longer on the night view of South City.
F.J.
Hao Yingman had said the person’s last name was Ji, that they were related to the Lu Corporation, and still a college student. Then this person must be Ji Yuning.
J was Ji Yuning, then F…
The answer was obvious, but Fang Bai told herself it was impossible. However, the thought in her mind grew stronger and stronger.
Her breathing gradually became erratic, and her brow furrowed slightly.
When she knew that Ji Yuning didn’t hate her, Fang Bai had been puzzled, not understanding why Ji Yuning’s feelings for her had become like this, so dependent and trusting.
Thinking about it now, Ji Yuning being so clingy… had she accepted her and was treating her like a stepmother?
That… wasn’t entirely impossible.
Lost in thought, Fang Bai didn’t notice that in the reflection of the glass, a beautiful woman had walked up behind her.
It wasn’t until a faint fragrance filled the air around Fang Bai, the rich perfume enveloping her like a net, that Fang Bai reacted and tried to leave, but she couldn’t move.
Fang Bai turned around and looked at the person behind her.
The moment their eyes met, Lu Raomei’s lips curved into a smile, and her red lips parted slightly. “Baby~ Long time no see.”
Fang Bai had thought that with so many people at the banquet, they might not necessarily meet, but she hadn’t expected to run into her so quickly.
She only paused for a moment before nodding and calling out, “Ms. Lu.”
Lu Raomei narrowed her eyes, smiling alluringly. “Three years, and you’ve become even more beautiful.”
Fang Bai replied, “Ms. Lu too.”
She wasn’t being insincere. There were no traces of time on Lu Raomei’s face. It was her unique aura, even more charming than it had been three years ago.
Fang Bai tilted her head back and took a sip of juice, slightly moistening her lips before speaking proactively, “I didn’t expect to meet Ms. Lu here.”
“Otherwise, who did you want to run into?” Lu Raomei gently swirled the wine glass in her hand, raising an eyebrow. “Ji Yuning?”
Fang Bai was silent.
Lu Raomei imitated Fang Bai, taking a sip of her wine and sighing softly. “I also didn’t expect to see you again, and on the signature line of another company’s proposal.”
At first, Lu Raomei had thought it was a coincidence of names, but when she learned that Ji Yuning had come to South City, she knew it wasn’t that simple.
Putting the wine glass on the table, Lu Raomei leaned slightly, looking at Fang Bai with amusement in her eyes, and asked, “Where have you been?”
The question was simple, and an uninformed person might not understand its meaning.
Fang Bai replied, “Traveling.”
“Heh,” Lu Raomei chuckled softly, “How carefree.”
Lu Raomei’s reaction deviated from Fang Bai’s expectations. She always felt that Lu Raomei’s attitude towards her seemed a bit different. The words that followed from Lu Raomei seemed to confirm Fang Bai’s guess.
Lu Raomei tsked. “Actually, you could have just said you didn’t want to partner up, no need to run away, right?”
After saying that, Lu Raomei quickly followed up, “I want to ask you something.”
Fang Bai looked at Lu Raomei.
Lu Raomei’s full red lips parted slightly. “Did your leaving have anything to do with me?”
Did her leaving have anything to do with Lu Raomei?
It seemed not.
Lu Raomei was more like a catalyst that prompted her departure, simply informing her that the plot had moved ahead.
Fang Bai’s eyelashes fluttered. “No.”
“I knew it,” Lu Raomei said.
Knew what?
“You’ve met Ji Yuning, haven’t you?” Lu Raomei asked.
Fang Bai: “.”
“Even if you don’t say it, I know she came looking for you.” Lu Raomei picked up her wine glass, took a sip, and said, “You should know that F.J. belongs to Ji Yuning, right? Then do you know why I’m here today?”
A light flickered in Fang Bai’s eyes. She didn’t know, but she wanted to know.
Since F.J. belonged to Ji Yuning, even if Ji Yuning was busy, she wouldn’t possibly give this partnership to Lu Raomei, would she? Weren’t the two of them like fire and water?
Fang Bai didn’t show any desire to know, just asked seemingly casually, “Will Ms. Lu tell me?”
Lu Raomei smiled. “Of course.”
Without waiting for Fang Bai’s reply, she said to herself, “But there’s a condition. As long as you agree, I’ll tell you the reason.”
Fang Bai had expected that Lu Raomei wouldn’t bring up something for no reason. “What is it?”
Lu Raomei’s expression was unusually serious, her eyes sweeping over Fang Bai. “Run away again.”
Fang Bai: “?”
Lu Raomei said, “This time I’ll help you, guaranteed Ji Yuning won’t find you.”
Fang Bai was puzzled. “Ms. Lu is joking?”
“Don’t worry, I won’t make you really run. Just try it,” Lu Raomei continued seriously. “I just want to see what Ji Yuning looks like when she loses control.”
Fang Bai chuckled for a moment, not thinking about why her leaving would make Ji Yuning lose control. Instead, a resolute light appeared in her eyes as she looked at Lu Raomei and said coldly, “From beginning to end, Xiao Ning hasn’t targeted you, nor has she had any intention of harming you. Ms. Lu, why are you being so aggressive? Arguing with a junior? Or is Ms. Lu just someone who bullies the weak?”
No target? Bully the weak?
Lu Raomei’s eyes shifted, thinking, were these words describing Ji Yuning?
Was Ji Yuning just a weakling in Fang Bai’s eyes?
Lu Raomei smiled at Fang Bai, her tone teasing. “Do you know how I’ve spent these past three years?”
“…?” Fang Bai was taken aback. The other woman’s reaction was somewhat unexpected. Shouldn’t Lu Raomei refute her or say some harsh words like a villain should?
Lu Raomei took in the dazed look on Fang Bai’s face, a thoughtful look flashing in her eyes before she finally said, “Judging from your appearance, you don’t seem to know anything.”
Lu Raomei leaned towards Fang Bai, just like when they first met, and picked up a strand of Fang Bai’s hair, twirling it around her finger. Her lips moved close to Fang Bai’s ear. “There’s something quite interesting. Want to hear it?”
Fang Bai took half a step back, wanting to distance herself from Lu Raomei, but before she could move, a hand suddenly grabbed Lu Raomei’s wrist. It was Hao Yingman’s voice. “Hey, what are you doing? Why are you getting so close?”
Hao Yingman shook off Lu Raomei’s hand. Seeing it was someone she hadn’t met before, although quite beautiful, but why so frivolous?
“Who are you?” She stood in front of Fang Bai, half-clenched fist with her thumb pointing at Fang Bai, saying, “Don’t you know she’s taken?”
Lu Raomei didn’t show a trace of anger. Instead, a hint of amusement rose in her eyes because of Hao Yingman’s words. “You’re the owner?”
“Who I am is none of your business!” Hao Yingman retorted, realizing the person behind her had tugged at her clothes, so she turned her head to ask Fang Bai, “Are you alright?”
She had come over from the uncles’ side and saw a person standing in front of Fang Bai. Although she couldn’t see the face clearly, she felt it was a beautiful woman. She thought it was someone hitting on Fang Bai, so she didn’t rush forward, turning back to chat with someone else for a couple of sentences.
Who knew that when she turned back again, that woman was almost sticking to Fang Bai.
If one didn’t know better, they would have thought the two were being intimate.
But Hao Yingman saw Fang Bai’s brow furrowed, clearly uninterested in the woman’s closeness.
Fang Bai nodded, indicating she was okay. “She’s—”
She spoke, wanting to remind Hao Yingman that the person in front of her was Lu Raomei, but she was interrupted by Hao Yingman as soon as she opened her mouth.
Hao Yingman said, “Don’t put up with this kind of harassment. Don’t be afraid of causing trouble, just kick her directly.”
She knew Fang Bai’s personality; she was afraid of causing bad influences for her. But would she care? If she cared, she wouldn’t be Hao Yingman.
If Fang Bai suffered any grievance on her turf, she wouldn’t be able to live with herself.
Fang Bai felt touched and spoke the words she hadn’t uttered: “She’s Lu Raomei.”
Just when Fang Bai thought everything was fine, she forgot that Hao Yingman always spoke faster than she thought.
“I don’t care what kind of coal she is, even if she’s a black coal ball, you can’t let her take advantage of you—” Hao Yingman didn’t say the word “advantage,” suddenly pausing.
Lu what?
What Raomei?
Hao Yingman blinked at Fang Bai: Lu Raomei? That female devil?
Fang Bai half-lifted her eyelids: Mmm.
In just a second, Hao Yingman reacted. She calmly turned to look at Lu Raomei, extending her hand without a trace of awkwardness: “Ms. Lu, hello, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Ms. Hao.” The smile on Lu Raomei’s face didn’t diminish. She raised her hand and grasped Hao Yingman’s hand, which happened to be the one Hao Yingman had shaken off earlier.
Even though Hao Yingman tried to act calm, the stiff smile at the corner of her mouth couldn’t quite hold. She cleared her throat softly: “Ms. Lu knows me?”
“I’ve read your company’s proposal, it’s very well written.” Lu Raomei glanced at Fang Bai. “I was just discussing some details of the proposal with Ms. Fang, I didn’t expect Ms. Hao to misunderstand.”
Fang Bai looked at Lu Raomei. When Hao Yingman looked at her for confirmation, Fang Bai nodded. “Ms. Lu and I were discussing the proposal.”
Although she didn’t know why Lu Raomei was explaining, since Lu Raomei had proactively brought up work matters, Fang Bai went along with it.
Hearing this, Hao Yingman took half a step forward and grasped Lu Raomei’s hand again. “I apologize, Ms. Lu. I was just being straightforward and spoke without thinking for a moment. I hope Ms. Lu won’t take it to heart.”
“Not at all.” Lu Raomei’s lips curved. “It’s the first time someone has called me a black coal ball, quite novel.”
Hao Yingman “…”
Fang Bai “…”
Indeed a black coal ball, but with a black heart.
Hao Yingman looked at Fang Bai imploringly, wondering how to respond to that sentence.
Fang Bai received her gaze, stepped forward to Hao Yingman’s side, and said to Lu Raomei, “Ms. Lu, why don’t we sit down and chat? Our President is here, and I’m sure she can answer some of your questions better.”
Lu Raomei’s gaze swept over Hao Yingman and Fang Bai. After a few seconds, she smiled charmingly: “Alright.”
In the end, the three didn’t get to chat because several people in the distance, seeing Lu Raomei and Hao Yingman standing together, exchanged a knowing look and one of them walked towards the window, interrupting their conversation.
Lu Raomei was invited to the other side. After she walked away, Hao Yingman rested her elbow on Fang Bai’s shoulder and let out a long breath. “Finally gone.”
Hao Yingman tapped Fang Bai’s shoulder. “Well, you already had a conflict with her, and now I’ve given her a nickname. This partnership looks like it’s going to fall into someone else’s hands no matter how you look at it.”
Fang Bai said softly, “Aren’t we going to chat anymore?”
“Chat about what?” Hao Yingman looked towards the center of the hall, her eyes catching the woman’s swaying figure. Then she mocked herself, “Coal business?”
Fang Bai lowered her eyes. “Sorry.”
Hao Yingman chuckled. “What does it have to do with you? You already reminded me, I just didn’t react.”
Hao Yingman put her arm around Fang Bai’s shoulder. “Let’s go, while I still have money, I’ll take you out for a big meal.”
The restaurant on the top floor of the hotel, the one Hao Yingman said had a great view.
After ordering, Hao Yingman went to the restroom.
Fang Bai sat alone at the dining table, looking down at her phone.
She had a habit of deleting chat windows and would always go to the list to find people.
Fang Bai wanted to find Ji Yuning’s, but when she saw another contact in the X list labeled “Xiao Zhang,” her finger involuntarily stopped.
Ji Yuning’s profile picture was Beibei.
And Xiao Zhang’s profile picture was also a cat.
Although their sizes were very different, somehow…
Fang Bai opened her photo album and flipped through the few photos she had saved of Beibei’s back.
After comparing them, Fang Bai knew it wasn’t her illusion, nor was it just looking more and more alike, but that fat cat that looked like a “pig” was Beibei!
Then this Xiao Zhang…
Fang Bai opened Xiao Zhang’s profile picture.
Fang Bai: [Xiao Ning.]
Fang Bai: [Why didn’t Auntie know you changed your last name to Zhang?]
Author’s Note:
Xiao Ji: I really thank you, Black Coal Ball!
T/N: Haha… Caught red-handed! 😆
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