(Extra chapter for the Dreamland gift from EvC!)
The secretary quickly said, "Mr. Song, the deputy general manager is right beside me. He's more professional in this regard. May I hand the phone to him?"
Song Jiaye gave a grunt of assent.
After getting Song Jiaye's approval, the secretary quickly passed the phone to the deputy general manager and briefly explained the situation. "Mr. Song is asking how to speed up the listing process."
The deputy general manager nodded. When it came to work, he quickly put away his nonchalant look and became professional and serious.
He took the phone. "Hello, Mr. Song. I've inquired. Our company's short - coming is that our cash flow isn't very good. If we can produce a super - profitable blockbuster project in the near future or get a major shareholder to invest with a stable source of funds, then our listing process will be a sure thing."
The Li Corporation has always taken a steady - going approach. Although it has a good reputation, its output is indeed limited. When preparing for listing, this has become a shortcoming.
Song Jiaye gave a grunt on the other end of the phone and said, "I see." Then he hung up.
The secretary and the deputy general manager were left there looking blank.
The deputy general manager said, "What's Song Jiaye up to in the middle of the night?"
The secretary shook his head. "I don't know either."
On the other side, in Xiyu Villa, after Song Jiaye hung up the phone, he sat alone at his desk, lost in thought for a long time.
He had never been so upset before. No matter how difficult a project he had faced, even when he had to change the leading actor in a project that was already in production, his heart had been as steady as a rock.
But now, this "rock" was causing trouble, churning up his mind like a tempest and making it as chaotic as a ball of tangled threads.
He knew it was because of Li Qiyu.
The next morning, both Song Jiaye and Li Qiyu had dark circles under their eyes. They bumped into each other at the stairway but silently understood not to say a word.
Li Tong seemed to notice something. At the dining table, he ate while looking at them.
"Auntie and Uncle are bad. They secretly played without taking me."
Sister Liu knew that Li Qiyu and Song Jiaye were in a bad mood, so she came out to smooth things over.
"Be good, Tongtong. Your auntie and uncle have something important to do. They didn't mean to leave you out."
"Auntie Liu, are you lying to kids? Auntie and Uncle have panda eyes. They must have played games together last night."
Song Jiaye was drinking soybean milk at that moment. Li Tong's words almost made him choke.
Sister Liu sighed. Kids were just kids. Did Li Qiyu and Song Jiaye look like they had "played games"? If they really had "played that kind of adult game", Sister Liu wouldn't have to worry so much.
Li Qiyu said seriously, "The Li family motto says, don't talk when eating and don't talk when sleeping."
Song Jiaye almost instinctively continued, "Be upright in both conduct and sitting."
This tacit understanding made them both look up at each other. But the other's eyes seemed to burn. As soon as their eyes met, they quickly looked away.
They didn't even dare to look at each other for a second longer.
After breakfast, Song Jiaye went to work. Li Qiyu stood by the window, watching the black car drive out of the villa and gradually disappear.
Sister Liu came over and couldn't help but persuade, "Miss, why are you doing this? You obviously still have feelings for him."
Hearing this, Li Qiyu quickly retorted, "What feelings? There's no such thing."
Sister Liu was an experienced person. Just by looking at Li Qiyu gently, she made Li Qiyu feel flustered.
She didn't dare to say there were no feelings anymore. She could only emphasize, "I'm doomed to be with him."
"In this world, there's no predestined impossible marriage. There are only two people who are not willing to work hard."
Hearing this, Li Qiyu felt a pang of pain in her heart.
"Sister Liu, you don't understand. I've tried. After almost dying once, I want to let myself go."
Sister Liu thought Li Qiyu was referring to the time when she jumped into the river. Hearing her say this, Sister Liu felt heartache.
She had witnessed firsthand how Li Qiyu and Song Jiaye had tortured each other before. At that time, Sister Liu also hoped that they would separate because being together was just mutual torture.
But she couldn't understand. Clearly, Miss Xiyu was much gentler now, and Mr. Song didn't dislike Miss Xiyu as much as before.
The two had been at home for the past half - year and hadn't even had a single argument.
They didn't have any deep hatred. So why couldn't they live together?
Sister Liu could only sigh. She opened her arms, hugged Li Qiyu, and gently patted her on the back.
"Our miss has suffered."
What often makes people's emotions collapse is not a fatal blow or tons of pressure, but just a few words of heartfelt concern.
Li Qiyu, who had walked through a forest of swords and endured all kinds of intrigues, and even survived a near - death experience, had always been like an indestructible cockroach. But because of this simple "You've suffered", she completely broke down. She buried her head in Sister Liu's shoulder.
Sister Liu had a faint smell of soap mixed with the smell of cooking oil. It wasn't exactly pleasant, but it was warm.
Li Qiyu couldn't hold back her tears any longer, and they poured out.
On the other side, through the rear - view mirror, Song Jiaye watched Xiyu Villa getting smaller and smaller. Until the car turned a corner and he could no longer see it, Song Jiaye then withdrew his gaze.
Since Song Jiaye got in the car, Xiao Wu had noticed that Song Jiaye was in a bad mood. He guessed that Song Jiaye must have had a big fight with his wife last night, which was why he had such a gloomy face.
Xiao Wu didn't dare to add fuel to the fire. He even breathed carefully and kept praying in his heart.
"Forget me, forget me."
But obviously, the gods didn't favor him. Song Jiaye spoke up and called his name.
"Xiao Wu."
"Ah." Xiao Wu was startled.
"Don't go to the company today."
Xiao Wu quickly stepped on the brake and asked, "Where do you want to go, Mr. Song? I'll set the navigation right away."
"Go to the Mingyue Hotel." The Mingyue Hotel provided both dining and accommodation. In an instant, Xiao Wu thought of Song Yunsheng who was staying at the Mingyue Hotel.
"Ah? Are you going to meet a guest, Mr. Song?" he asked tentatively.
"He's not a guest." Mentioning that person, Song Jiaye's expression became even uglier. He might as well have written the words "disgust and aversion" on his face.
Song Yunsheng and Song Yi'an. One was the current apparent successor of Old Man Song, and the other was the legal and expected successor of Old Man Song. Both of them were hard to deal with.
Xiao Wu was calculating in his mind whether he should inform Old Man Song. At that moment, as if Song Jiaye could read his mind, he ordered, "Also, when we get there, call Old Man Song and ask him to come over when he has time."