Halfway through the meal, Li Cao's phone rang; it was a work call.
Ji Corporation's latest machines have begun selling, but the new machines are in a break-in period and always have problems.
"Xiaolong, Asi, and the others can't handle it; the client is anxious," Li Cao explained. "I need to rush over and take a look."
Ji Huailuo nodded: "You've worked hard. Remember to take them all out for a good meal; the company will reimburse you."
Li Cao: "Don't worry, Young Master Ji."
Just as he was about to leave, Li Cao suddenly stopped: "Xiaoxing, you..."
Ji Huailuo interjected: "I'll take her; you go ahead."
"Okay."
After finishing dinner and chatting for a while, it was only eight o'clock, and Li Xiaoxing wasn't used to troubling others.
"I'll take a taxi back," Li Xiaoxing said softly. "It's very close."
Ji Huailuo: "Where do you live? Still in Tangxin District?"
Xu Zhiqiao's eyelids flickered: "Brother, you still know where Xiao Xing Jie lives?"
"..."
"No," Li Xiaoxing said, "Tangxin has been demolished. I bought a small three-bedroom apartment next to the company two years ago, in Jinhu Garden."
She and her friends started a foreign trade company in Jinhu District.
"That's perfect," Ji Huailuo said casually. "Jiang Shan and the others invited me to play ball at the newly opened ballroom in Jinhu."
Xu Zhiqiao raised her hand: "I want to go too."
Zhou Cong immediately grabbed her hand: "We need to go home to sleep and do prenatal education."
"The ballroom is smoky and stuffy," Ji Huailuo said displeasedly. "I'll break your leg."
Xu Zhiqiao was annoyed: "Are you going to play ball, or are you going to pick up girls? I feel uncomfortable just hearing the surname Jiang!"
Speaking of which, she shifted her gaze and reported to Li Xiaoxing: "Xiao Xing Jie, do you know? When my brother turned 22, Jiang Bin brought a group of fox friends and dog friends and got a cool beauty to lie on the table..."
Zhou Cong and Ji Huailuo both changed their expressions.
"Did you see that?" Ji Huailuo said darkly. "Didn't I block you?"
Zhou Cong said coldly: "So there's this."
He had been cleared away at the time, only hearing Jiang Bin's insincere words of flattery towards Ji Huailuo.
Xu Zhiqiao said word by word: "Red gauze, nothing underneath..."
Zhou Cong suddenly covered her mouth, a murderous look sweeping over Ji Huailuo.
"I haven't associated with him for a long time, okay!" Ji Huailuo said anxiously. "That was an accident! Jiang Shan is a classmate of ours from Class Two, and he doesn't know Jiang Bin. Ask Li Xiaoxing if you don't believe me!"
Being called upon, Li Xiaoxing nodded: "Jiang Shan is from our Class Two, the Discipline Committee Member."
"See," Ji Huailuo spread his hands. "I didn't lie to you, did I?"
Xu Zhiqiao pulled Zhou Cong's hand away: "Why did you ask Xiao Xing Jie to testify for you? Can't my husband?"
"Your husband's character," Ji Huailuo sighed. "Do you believe him?"
Zhou Cong: "?"
Xu Zhiqiao suddenly shut her mouth.
Zhou Cong laughed angrily.
Was she convinced just like that?
"Honey, let's go home," Xu Zhiqiao said nervously. "I'm tired."
Zhou Cong had a headache and had to act humble and coax her: "Jiang Shan really is the Discipline Committee Member; he's very upright..."
"Don't say it," Xu Zhiqiao mumbled. "The more you explain, the more it seems like Xiao Xing Jie is lying."
Zhou Cong: "."
Watching the two leave, Ji Huailuo rubbed his head and sighed: "I told you, as soon as they came back, my ears would explode."
After sighing, Ji Huailuo's expression paused.
Li Xiaoxing was smiling.
Their eyes met, and Li Xiaoxing's smile subsided, appearing refined: "I'm sorry, I just think Qiaoqiao is very cute."
Ji Huailuo stretched: "Do you want to sit here and smile for a while longer, or should I take you home?"
"..." Li Xiaoxing stood up. "Let's go. I still have an email to reply to."
The car drove towards Jinhu District. In between, Ji Huailuo took several calls, one of which was Jiang Shan urging him to hurry up.
It didn't seem to be a casual lie.
Ji Huailuo glanced at the passenger seat: "Is the email urgent?"
"Hmm?"
"The email," Ji Huailuo said, "If it's not urgent, come and play together; we're all classmates."
Li Xiaoxing shook her head: "I'm used to going to bed early."
Ji Huailuo seemed to smile slightly and didn't speak again.
When the car arrived at Jinhu Garden, Li Xiaoxing got out of the car. The two politely said goodbye, and then Ji Huailuo sped off.
The cold wind raged on the November night.
Li Xiaoxing stood there, stunned.
Perhaps without reason, Ji Huailuo was the same as he was during dinner, carefree, but she felt that after she said she wanted to go to bed early, Ji Huailuo also became indifferent.
An invisible indifference.
Was it because of her refusal?
-
The ballroom wasn't far, but the parking lot was under construction, so Ji Huailuo could only find a parking space outside.
Jiang Shan called again to urge him.
Ji Huailuo said angrily: "Can't you guys play without me?"
"It's been so long since you've played with your brothers. I heard you agreed to come, and everyone arrived early," Jiang Shan complained. "Even as CEO, don't forget your roots."
"Keep your skin tight," Ji Huailuo sneered. "Your boss is downstairs!"
At that moment, a call came in from an unknown number.
Ji Huailuo answered the call.
It was Li Xiaoxing.
"I might have left my laptop in your car," she said, with the sound of wind in the background. "Could you put it at the reception desk? I'll go get it now."
Ji Huailuo leaned over to the passenger seat and found a small notebook in the gap between the seat and the door.
He held the notebook: "Haven't you gotten home yet?"
"Hmm," Li Xiaoxing said, "I found the notebook missing when I was getting my keys and am currently hailing a cab."
Ji Huailuo lowered his eyes: "Wait at the convenience store next door; I'll bring it over."
"No need," Li Xiaoxing said, "Just leave it at the ballroom reception..."
Ji Huailuo suddenly said: "How can I leave it there if they don't have a reception desk? Li Xiaoxing, what are you afraid of? If you don't want me to use our being deskmates to get closer, I promise I won't mention it again. I'll leave after I deliver it."
"..."
Ji Huailuo hung up the phone, fastened his seatbelt again, and started the car.
Ten minutes later, Li Xiaoxing wasn't at the convenience store; she was standing where she had gotten out of the car earlier. There was a streetlight there, the light was white, and it looked cold.
Ji Huailuo did as he said and handed her the laptop.
He still had the phone to his ear: "I'm coming, I'm coming. What's the rush? Can't I have some private matters?"
Li Xiaoxing's nose was red from the cold.
After shouting that sentence, Ji Huailuo suddenly handed the phone to her ear and said softly: "Say something."
"..." Li Xiaoxing was stunned. "What?"
The complaining voice on the phone stopped abruptly.
Ji Huailuo took back the phone: "I didn't lie to you; it's really Li Xiaoxing. I met her at the hospital yesterday."
"If you want to call them, call them," his emotions were unclear. "I can't."
After a few seconds, Ji Huailuo turned on the speakerphone.
Several bright voices immediately came through: "Li Xiaoxing, come out and play! It's been so many years since we last saw each other. You've made a fortune and don't recognize your old classmates, right?"
Ji Huailuo hung up.
"Okay," his eyelids were lowered, his expression unclear. "Let's go back; it's too cold outside."
Through the lowered window, Ji Huailuo's sleeve resting on the windowsill was unexpectedly grabbed.
Li Xiaoxing said shyly: "Can I go with you?"
----------------------------------------------------------------