Chapter 58

Contract signed with Baiduo Industries, completed share transfer procedures, and Wei Lai began planning to visit her mother’s two supplier friends, similar to last year’s itinerary, with the final stop being to meet with Qi Linsheng in Beijing.

Tang Yi wanted to accompany Wei Lai last year, but at that time she was just a former colleague, which was a bit inconvenient. This year is different, it’s considered a work trip.

Wei Lai added more than fifty new stores, the purchasing volume is several times higher than before, and cooperation with several suppliers needs to be renegotiated.

“I’ll accompany you. When discussing, I can help you supplement any details you might overlook.”

Wei Lai checked the calendar, confirmed the departure time, and replied to Tang Yi, “Alright, pack for a week at least, maybe six days, in case there’s heavy snow, it might even take seven or eight days.”

“A few more days are fine.” Tang Yi was used to business trips lasting ten days or half a month when she was with Mu Di. She asked, “Should we take your Cullinan?”

“The company’s business car will be driven by the driver.” Wei LCullinanai explained deliberately, “Traveling long distances in a business car is more comfortable than in a Cullinan.”

“I was planning to bring a pair of sneakers so we could take turns driving.”

Not having to drive themselves was nice, they could chat leisurely during the journey.

The departure time was set, they would leave early the day after tomorrow.

Wei Lai informed Zhou Sujin so he wouldn’t come to Jiangcheng while she was away.

【I’ll be on a business trip for about a week these days.】

Zhou Sujin was in a meeting, and he replied briefly: 【Let me know when you’re back in Jiangcheng.】

Wei Lai: 【Alright.】

After the meeting, Zhou Sujin instructed Yang Ze to cancel the flight to Jiangcheng the day after tomorrow.

As for the reason, there was no need to explain it to subordinates.

As the others left the meeting room one by one, Zhou Jiaye signaled for the secretary to leave first, he had something to discuss with Zhou Sujin.

When only the two of them and Yang Ze were left in the meeting room, he opened the window and lit a cigarette, speaking frankly, “What’s going on between you and Wei Lai?” It wasn’t a weekend the day after tomorrow, applying for and then canceling the flight was not normal, both things were abnormal.

Zhou Sujin didn’t hide anything, “There’s a problem.”

It seemed like a big problem, otherwise he wouldn’t adjust his work to fly to Jiangcheng.

Zhou Jiaye exhaled smoke, then asked, “Because of Zhao Lianshen?”

The matter of Wei Lai Supermarket’s strategic cooperation with Baiduo Industries had been mentioned by Lu Yu, he only knew roughly about it. Now, he hadn’t paid attention to the specific situation.

“The trigger was Zhao Lianshen, and the reason is me.”

Zhou Sujin signed the last document that needed to be signed and handed it to Yang Ze.

Yang Ze didn’t want to hear about the boss’s privacy at all. He took the document and almost walked out of the meeting room in four steps, closing the door behind him.

Zhou Jiaye couldn’t give advice on emotional matters, “You can consult with Auntie. She’s good at resolving marital conflicts.”

Zhou Sujin closed the pen cap and said, “No one needs to consult. Long-distance relationships, personal space, my character, and habits developed over the years. Even if Auntie is good at it, she can’t solve my problem.”

There were still things to do, so he left the meeting room first.

【Whatever you want me to do to appease you, just tell me.】

He sent it to Wei Lai.

—

On the morning of the fifth day of the trip, Wei Lai arrived in Beijing and made an appointment with Qi Linsheng for lunch at noon.

Qi Linsheng had put a lot of effort into cooperating with Lemon Food. There was a snack gift box that only Wei Lai sold, it was a special edition, and Qi Linsheng had fought for it for them in the company.

Qi Linsheng raised his glass to congratulate her, “When you went to Jiangcheng in May, Wei Lai only had three stores, now it’s fifty-six, and by the end of next year, it will conservatively exceed a hundred.”

“Are you planning to open one in Beijing?” he asked.

Wei Lai drank the wine he toasted with before replying, “There’s a plan.”

The team in Beijing would have to wait until after the New Year to be formed. The selection of store locations was already underway, all handled by Chen Qi, so she didn’t need to worry too much.

Qi Linsheng smiled and said, “Next time I want to eat bread from your Wei Lai Supermarket, I won’t have to go to Jiangcheng.”

Wei Lai Supermarket’s bakery was good, even he, who didn’t often eat desserts, thought so.

Wei Lai also smiled and said, “Next time you want to eat something, I’ll deliver it to you.”

They talked until nearly half past two, and although they talked about work, it felt more like friends catching up.

At noon, she treated Qi Linsheng alone, while Tang Yi went shopping.

After leaving the restaurant, she had the driver take her to the Kunchen Group headquarters.

Tang Yi messaged her, “Haven’t you finished chatting with Mr. Qi yet?”

“Just finished, take your time shopping, I have something else to do.”

“Can you tell me what it is?”

【Go see Zhou Sujin.】

Tang Yi sent a voice message to her, “You scared me! I thought you two were arguing because of Zhao Lianshen. I didn’t even dare to mention Mr. Zhou along the way.”

They hadn’t argued, thankfully.

“Do you have anything you want to buy? I can help you look around.”

“No need.” Wei Lai wasn’t interested in shopping at the moment.

She hadn’t informed Zhou Sujin in advance before coming, nor did she call Uncle Yan to make sure Zhou Sujin was in the office.

Wei Lai kept looking out the window, and the scenery of the road backward gradually became familiar.

As the car passed by, S.Z. Restaurant, and the overpass where Zhou Sujin once walked with her, it was snowing heavily that night, covering them both.

Today, however, it was sunny, and the sunlight fell on the backseat.

When she saw the logo of the Kunchen Building, Wei Lai snapped out of her thoughts and messaged Zhou Sujin: 【Are you at the office? Are you busy right now?】

Zhou Sujin: 【I’m outside for a meeting. Are you back in Jiangcheng from your business trip?】

Wei Lai: 【No. I don’t have anything urgent. Call me back after you’re done.】

After a moment, his call came in.

“It’ll be another two hours before I finish.”

Listening to his familiar and magnetic voice, Wei Lai suddenly didn’t know what to say, she still missed him.

She didn’t say anything, and Zhou Sujin asked, “Is something wrong with your mood?”

“No, I bought you a New Year’s gift.” Wei Lai got out of the car with a shopping bag in hand. “I left it at the front desk on the first floor. Remember to pick it up.”

Zhou Sujin hesitated for a moment, “Are you in Beijing?”

“Yeah, I came to discuss business with Qi Linsheng and invited him to lunch.” Wei Lai stopped at the top step. “I won’t wait for you to come back. I have to rush to the neighboring city tonight to meet with the mall manager about the settlement. After the meeting, I’ll head straight back to Jiangcheng.”

There was a moment of unusual silence on the phone.

Zhou Sujin broke the silence, “When did you arrive?”

“This morning.”

He was still in a meeting, and Wei Lai decided to end the call. “You’re busy, I’ll take the things in.”

Zhou Sujin didn’t hang up. “Which hotel are you staying at tonight? I’ll come to see you.”

“No need. You must have social engagements tonight, and I don’t know what time I’ll be done.” Wei Lai said goodbye and hung up.

Just like last year, she bought a coat for Zhou Sujin.

In the shopping bag, she included a card:

Mr. Zhou, Happy New Year.

—Wei Lai

Zhou Sujin received the coat at six o’clock in the evening, specially brought back by Uncle Yan.

He pinched the card between his fingers, looking at it repeatedly.

It had been a long time since she called him “husband.”

Lu Yu called him, asking where he was.

As Wei Lai said, he did indeed have an engagement tonight, one he couldn’t refuse.

He said to Lu Yu, “I’m downstairs, you can start without me.”

Lu Yu was almost speechless, “…How can we start without the host?”

Zhou Sujin put the card next to the coat in the shopping bag and went back to the private room upstairs.

Lu Yu vaguely sensed that Zhou Sujin’s mood was not high tonight. In the past, at dinners he hosted, besides discussing cooperation, there would always be some jokes or other conversations, but tonight there were none.

Zhao Lianshen had gone to Jiangcheng, and he had thought that the internal struggle between Wei Lai and Baiduo Industries was about to begin, but unexpectedly, everything remained calm.

It was said that Zhao Lianshen gave Wei Lai· Baiduo a Beijing-registered business car that he often used, which made it convenient for the management team to travel to Beijing on business.

Now, there were Wei Lai Baiduo fresh supermarkets on every street in Jiangcheng, popping up like mushrooms after the rain.

Lu Yu couldn’t figure out Zhao Lianshen’s mind. This person often played by his own rules.

“Mr. Lu.” Someone toasted to him on the table.

Lu Yu smiled and raised his glass.

“I haven’t seen you in a long time.”

“I’m stationed in Jiangcheng now. I spend twenty days there every month.”

“Another new project?”

“Almost.”

After a year, Kunchen had completely withdrawn from Xinming Group, and after the New Year, Zhou Sujin would probably have to deal with Zhang Yanxin.

“I thought a project was holding you back.” The other person smiled, “Is Jiangcheng that charming?”

“Exactly. Jiangcheng is quiet, no one nags me about getting married.” Lu Yu joked again, “Mainly because I haven’t used up the supermarket coupons I’ve saved.”

He laughed again, realizing that Zhou Sujin had glanced at him faintly.

—

At this time, in the neighboring city,.

Wei Lai had just finished meeting with the mall manager and had a pleasant conversation. She had only managed to go through the contract process before the New Year, and after the New Year, she could start the renovation.

The smooth process of settling in is largely thanks to Baiduo Industries. Wei Lai supermarkets were only famous in Jiangcheng and unknown outside of it. Now, with the cooperation with Baiduo and considering Baiduo being its largest shareholder, whether negotiating to settle in a new city or discussing cooperation with upstream suppliers, everything went smoothly.

Coming out of the manager’s office, the mall was next door. Tang Yi hooked her arm with Wei Lai’s. “Want to go window shopping?”

Wei Lai thought for a moment. “I don’t need to buy anything.”

In the past, Tang Yi would say that window shopping didn’t mean they had to buy anything, but today, she followed Wei Lai’s lead. “I don’t need anything either. I bought everything I needed in Beijing. Let’s head back to the hotel.”

Although Wei Lai had gone to see Zhou Sujin today, she still felt that something was off between them.

She and Wei Lai were hired together at Mu Di Company, fresh graduates who returned to Jiangcheng because of homesickness. They quickly became acquainted and unexpectedly worked well together. After several years, even though Wei Lai didn’t express her emotions outwardly, Tang Yi could still sense that there was something on her mind.

However, Tang Yi couldn’t bring herself to pry into matters of the heart.

Wei Lai took out her phone to search for nearby restaurants. “We don’t need to rush back to the hotel. Let me treat you to dinner.”

Tang Yi smiled. “As you wish. Thank you, Ms. Wei.”

Their hotel was just across the street, and they chose a bustling local restaurant that was only a ten-minute walk away.

To satisfy their appetites, they had to wait in line for nearly an hour and a half.

During the waiting period, Wei Lai dealt with messages in her work group.

A message from Zhao Yihan popped up: [When are you coming back from your business trip?]

Wei Lai: [I’m coming back tomorrow. How did you know I was on a business trip?]

Zhao Yihan passed by the main store of Wei Lai Supermarket after work, bought some New Year goods, and then went upstairs to see Wei Lai. When he knocked on the door and got no response, he asked Aunt Cheng and learned that Wei Lai had been out for almost a week.

She heard from their boss that Zhao Lianshen had come to Jiangcheng a few days ago and had dinner with a few friends, not hiding the fact that he was a major shareholder of Baiduo Industries.

Now many people knew that Weilai was running a supermarket with Zhao Lianshen, which came as a surprise to many.

[What’s Zhou Su Jin’s attitude? I remember telling you before that anyone who offends him will bankrupt their company, and that person is Zhao Lianshen.]

Wei Lai: [Zhou Su Jin doesn’t care.]

Zhao Yihan’s understanding of “not caring” and Wei Lai’s “not caring” were completely different. [As long as he doesn’t mind. I used to worry that Zhou Sujin wasn’t suitable for you, but now it seems he’s quite good. You’re busy, so I’ll leave you be.]

If feelings weren’t forced, Zhou Sujin was the best marriage candidate, without a doubt.

Following the way they interacted when they signed the contract, it would be a very relaxed marital relationship.

These days, she had figured it out and wouldn’t push it anymore.

After enjoying the food, it was already late when they returned to the hotel. Wei Lai was blow-drying her hair when her phone rang.

Tang Yi saw Zhou Sujin’s name on the screen and handed the phone to Wei Lai. “It’s your husband calling.”

Wei Lai turned off the hairdryer. “Hello, are you done with your work?”

Zhou Sujin: “Yes.”

The dinner had just ended, and he was still in the private room.

He asked, “What time are you leaving tomorrow?”

“Probably around seven o’clock. I’ll try to be home by evening.”

“Send me the hotel address, and I’ll be there before seven.”

“Why rush to come over when you’re already here?”

“If you’re here, why not meet?”

Wei Lai didn’t say anything.

“Wei Lai?”

“Okay, I’ll send it to you right away.”

Wei Lai hung up and sent the hotel address.

She placed her phone aside and continued blow-drying her hair.

Tang Yi put on her headphones, found a movie to watch, and assumed that Wei Lai probably didn’t want to chat.

Wei Lai finished drying her hair and returned to bed. In the plastic girlfriend group, they were discussing where to go for New Year’s Eve.

Yin Le planned to go skiing with her husband this year and also take photos of the Milky Way. Recently, she had been obsessed with photographing the starry sky: [My husband said I must have some fun this year.]

Qiao Sitian: [My husband also wants to go skiing.]

Yin Le: [How about going together?]

Qiao Sitian: [He’s worried I’ll feel cold, so he suggested going to the Southern Hemisphere instead.]

Yin Le: “…”

They were showing off again.

Qiao Sitian Weilai: [Baby, do you and Mr. Zhou have any plans?]

Wei Lai: [Not yet.]

This year, her mother was spending New Year’s Eve in Haicheng, so she would most likely be having the reunion dinner alone.

She exited the group chat, set her phone to silent, and went to sleep.

The next morning, she woke up without the alarm clock ringing. She picked up her phone and saw that it was only six o’clock, and the sky was still dark.

They had agreed with the driver to leave at seven-thirty, so at seven o’clock, she and Tang Yi went downstairs to have breakfast.

“Did you get up?” Zhou Sujin messaged her.

Wei Lai: [Yes, just give me two minutes.]

She said to Tang Yi, “Zhou Sujin is downstairs. You go ahead and eat.”

“Go ahead, don’t worry about me.”

Wei Lai checked her makeup and hair in the mirror of the elevator and soon reached the ground floor. It felt like it had been a long time since they last met, although it was just over ten days ago.

Zhou Sujin was waiting in the car outside the hotel. When he saw her coming out from the side entrance of the hotel, he pushed the car door down. Wei Lai’s hands were in the pockets of her coat, and her steps were not too slow but not too fast either.

This time, she didn’t rush into his arms.

As usual, Zhou Sujin reached out and pulled her into his embrace.

Wei Lai held back her grievances and placed her hands in the pockets of his coat.

Zhou Sujin lowered his gaze, thinking that she had just raised her hand to hug him.

“Is the coat fitting?” he asked.

Zhou Sujin nodded. “Yes.”

Without saying anything else, he tightened his arms around her and gave her a strong hug. “After the New Year, I’ll have about ten days to accompany you. Arrange your work and find a snow mountain to see the stars.”

He asked her, “Which country do you want to go to? How about Switzerland?” and mentioned a town there.

Wei Lai replied, “I’ve been there before,” and explained why she didn’t want to go there again. “Yin Le and her husband are also going there for vacation, so I don’t want to go to a similar place with them.”

Zhou Sujin looked at her. It seemed that Zhang Yanxin had taken her there before, and she didn’t want to go again.

He said, “Then let’s go somewhere else.”