After meeting Wu You, Qingyan was driving home when she suddenly received a call. Recognizing the familiar number on the screen, she pressed a button on the steering wheel to reject the call.
But Luzenhai seemed persistent and kept dialing again and again.
"What's the matter?" Qingyan finally answered impatiently, her tone carrying a hint of annoyance.
"Yan Yan... Let me get straight to the point. I saw you having dinner with the CEO of Ou Yan Corporation tonight. Do you know each other?"
"What does that have to do with you?" Qingyan didn't expect him to call and ask such a pointless question. She was about to hang up.
"Yan Yan, tell your dad the truth. Is Wu You interested in you? Is he pursuing you?"
Qingyan: ??
"He's not trying to get involved with our family company, is he?"
Qingyan: ...
"Actually, it's a good thing if you can climb up the social ladder, but it also requires your natal family to have some standing, right?"
Qingyan's icy gaze held a touch of coldness. "What do you mean?"
"Your biological parents are in the countryside. Not to mention a dowry, it would be embarrassing to even mention them! But I can support you, think about it, the richest man in Dongcheng City is your dad. We can prepare a proper dowry for you, and you can marry over there with great fanfare, how good would that be!"
"... " Qingyan coldly curled her lips. "What are you trying to do?"
"As long as you help me get in touch with Wu You, arrange a meeting for us, and facilitate our cooperation again..."
"I can't do it."
Qingyan was about to hang up the phone when she heard him pleading, "Yan Yan, I've raised you for eighteen years! Are you really going to let me down? The company is facing a crisis now!"
"What does that have to do with me?" Qingyan said indifferently. "I don't know where you get the audacity to talk to me about these things. My grandmother raised me, have you ever given a penny in all these years? Have you ever come to see me?"
During every summer and winter vacation, she was sent to learn various skills from a group of old men, while her so-called parents never noticed her existence!
One can imagine how many times they've come home!
"I'm busy making money, and I have no choice..." Lu Zhenhai's voice trailed off.
Qingyan ended the call, not willing to waste any more time with him.
"So, how did that stubborn girl respond?" Xu Aiqin, who was waiting on the side, saw Lu Zhenhai's dejected look after he hung up the phone and guessed the outcome to some extent. "She refused?"
"I told her! Treat her better! Don't make it too ugly! You didn't listen, and now look!" Lu Zhenhai sighed, unsure of what else he could do.
Xu Aiqin felt annoyed. "There's not just this one way to go! We can't rely on that unreliable girl. Don't we still have Yao Yao? Damn it, the VIP ward must have been arranged by the Gao family. Tomorrow night, let's invite them to dinner and tell them about our difficulties. Besides Ou Yan, there are two other corporations that aren't cooperating with us, right? Those two companies have a close relationship with the Gao family. Let the Gao family help us bridge the gap..."
"We can only do that."
Remembering that the Gao family could help, Lu Zhenhai felt a bit better. "Someone, call Yao Yao down," he said. He had something to say.
Just then, Lu Muyao happily ran downstairs, beaming with joy. "Dad, Mom, I got second place in the national piano competition!"
"What?" Lu Zhenhai and Xu Aiqin couldn't believe their daughter was so talented. Wasn't she raised by a janitor since she was a child? How could she play the piano and win an award?
Lu Muyao quickly showed them her phone. "Look, this is the ranking! Li Yusha, the heiress of the Li family, got first place, and I got second!"
"You're right below the daughter of the richest man!" Xu Aiqin was so proud of her. She couldn't help but turn to Lu Zhenhai and say, "Zhenhai, this is a great opportunity..."
Lu Zhenhai also realized, "Yao Yao, with your second-place achievement, do you think you can invite the Gao family to have a meal with us?"
"Even Uncle and Aunt Gao?" Lu Muyao was somewhat surprised.
Lu Zhenhai explained the company's difficulties to her, and unexpectedly, she confidently assured them, "Mom, Dad, leave it to me!"
"She's truly a good child!"
...
After returning home, Qingyan suddenly noticed that there were quite a few people gathered in the living room, all complimenting Li Yusha.
"Miss Yusha, you're amazing! Getting first place in the piano competition!"
"I'm so lucky to work in this household. I can listen to such elegant music every day and be influenced by it..."
"Miss Yusha's piano performance is truly marvelous!"
It was Song Qiaoying who first noticed Qingyan's return and immediately approached her. "My dear Yan Yan, you're back from work? Are you tired on your first day? Did anyone give you a hard time at the company?"
"Miss Qingyan is back?"
"People at the company are saying that the person who came today as the team leader is really capable! They don't even know that person they're talking about is my precious daughter, hahaha..."
Seeing everyone gathered around Qingyan, Li Yusha felt somewhat discontented. She walked over gracefully. "Sister, you're back? How about we all go out for a meal together tomorrow? We can celebrate your official takeover of the company and also welcome you back to this family! How does that sound?"
She intentionally didn't mention her own first-place achievement, making it seem like she was always thinking about Qingyan's well-being.
"We haven't taken you around since you came back, making you suffer at work. Let's go out for a meal..."
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Li Yusha linked arms with Song Qiaoying and Li Yuanfu, acting coquettishly. "Dad, Mom, how about it?"
Qingyan:...
"I think it's a good idea." Song Qiaoying looked at Li Yuanfu, who nodded. "What do you think, Yan Yan?"
"I'm fine with it." Qingyan didn't want to dampen her parents' excitement. Seeing them happily making hotel reservations, she casually went upstairs, washed up, and went to bed!
The next day, Si Yechen drove her to work. On the way, he heard that she had a family banquet in the evening and his tone turned slightly sour, "Didn't you promise to give me all your time from now on?"
Qingyan paused, "I forgot."
Last night when she agreed, she truly didn't expect him...
"You didn't even bring me to the family banquet?"
"Next time."
"Well, then you have to compensate me doubly." Si Yechen held her hand tightly. "You didn't have dinner with me, so we'll have lunch together."
"Okay."
After a day at work, Qingyan arrived at Lanshan Restaurant with Si Yechen's pick-up. "Alright, you don't need to pick me up later. I'll ride home in my parents' car."
"Call me when you get home."
"Okay."
On the other side...
Lu Zhenhai did everything he could and finally managed to book a private room at Lanshan Restaurant. Although it was an entry-level room, without the status of the richest man in Dongcheng, it was really difficult to book!
Madam Gao didn't think highly of Lu Muyao at first because Lu Muyao was adopted by a janitor and carried an air of poverty all over her. Even if she dressed in fine clothes, it couldn't hide the occasional glimpse of inferiority and sensitivity in her eyes.
Today, when she heard that Lu Muyao had won a second prize in piano, her complexion improved slightly. But when she heard Lu Zhenhai's roundabout request, Madam Gao wiped her mouth with a napkin, "Mr. Lu, I'm afraid we can't help with this favor."