Chapter 337: Chapter 307: Don’t Bother Me Anymore
Li Jing quickly closed the door of the private room, but Mu Shuoqian felt as if he had been struck by an immobilizing point. The vivid image of the charming face he had just seen surfaced in front of his eyes—the face he had longed for during countless days and nights.
She was wearing a white shirt with a light orange cardigan over it, her hair tied up high, revealing a smooth forehead. Although she was looking down, her long, thick eyelashes and large eyes seemed to grasp tightly onto his heart, causing the blood in his entire body to rush to his head, giving him a surreal sense of dizziness.
When had she returned, and would she leave again this time?
Now a locally renowned gourmet and fine wine critic, she had written articles about wine for many famous restaurants and magazines. Unlike those senior wine critics, her articles were full of personality, which quickly made her stand out among the homogeneous crowd of critics.
He had also heard that several small taverns on the brink of closure miraculously came back to life and thrived after having her write a review that was published in a magazine.
"Young Master Qian, Young Master Qian." A gentle voice suddenly rang in his ears.
Mu Shuoqian frowned and realized that everyone at the table was watching him, and not far from him, a woman in a dark green dress was holding a wine glass and seemed to have been standing there for a long time.
"Second Young Master of Mu Family, what are you thinking about? Xixiao has been calling you for a while now, you’re not going to refuse to toast, are you?" Bai Chengxi couldn’t help but speak up for the beauty.
Mu Shuoqian silently lowered his eyelashes, as if he hadn’t heard.
Xixiao felt extremely awkward. As a top celebrity of Star Motion, she was adored everywhere she went, but today, having taken the initiative to toast, he chose to ignore her.
She had heard long ago that the Second Young Master of Mu Family was indifferent to women, but she also heard recently that he was raising a nearly four-year-old son alone. If he was indifferent to women, where did this son come from? Thus, rumors are just rumors after all.
Bai Chengxi secretly kicked him under the table, damn it, she’s the golden goose of Star Motion, at least show some face!
Mu Shuoqian then slowly picked up his wine glass and lightly raised it.
Xixiao was finally not completely snubbed, and happily smiled: "Young Master Qian, I’ve heard that you have stomach issues, so drink less wine, just a gesture is enough."
Mu Shuoqian did not respond but instead picked up the glass and drained it in one go.
Xixiao, accustomed to such scenes and having dealt with many difficult people, did not feel embarrassed and followed suit by downing the wine in her glass as well.
The contract that Mu Shuoqian brought today was Star Motion’s major initiative for the year, investing five billion. The movie had not even started shooting yet but was already creating a buzz, so securing the role of the female lead was crucial for Xixiao. Although she was currently a top star, several younger actresses were rapidly catching up, especially Zhou Xiaoyu, who had once caused a scandal with Mu Shuoqian and had since become highly successful. So, she had to solidify her position, deterring others from even thinking about surpassing her.
Although Mu Shuoqian was only responsible for the investment and never interfered with who played what role or how the performances were, having put in so much money, his word was definitely influential.
After three rounds of drinks, Mu Shuoqian stood up to go to the restroom. He pushed the door open and began to stare vacantly across at the private room opposite, his feet feeling nailed to the spot, unable to move even slightly.
Gu Qili and Li Jing were sitting face to face, and their ordered dishes had already been served.
"Miss Gu, I didn’t expect you to be so beautiful in person," Li Jing said, seeing her for the first time and was instantly struck by her beauty, "and so young too."
Gu Qili politely smiled, "President Li, you flatter me. Here is the proposed collaboration document for you to review."
She placed a document in front of Li Jing.
However, Li Jing did not hurry to read the document but instead said with a smile, "Miss Gu, attempting to restart such a big winery requires a substantial investment, and, being so young, you probably don’t have much experience. I can’t rashly make a decision on my own."
Li Jing’s words gave Gu Qili a bad premonition. She had already assured him about these issues before, providing him with future development prospects and plans, which he had agreed to, but unexpectedly, he changed his stance upon meeting.
"President Li, I think I’ve made things very clear before, and you’ve had plenty of time to conduct your own investigations, not just taking my word for it. So, I’m not sure where the real issue lies, but if it’s just because I’m young, then I must say your decision is quite unconvincing."
"Ha ha," Li Jing laughed, "Miss Gu is quite articulate, so I’ll just say it directly—I’m not doubting the future prospects of the winery, I’m just a bit interested in Miss Gu."
Li Jing’s blunt words made Gu Qili choked for a moment, but she still remained composed and steady: "So, President Li, you mean after finishing this meal, I should accompany you back to the hotel, and then we can sign the investment contract, right?"
Li Jing was also choked by her words, but quickly reached out his hand, trying to touch Gu Qili’s slender hand on the table. However, as his hand was halfway there, Gu Qili knocked over the teapot in front of her. The freshly brewed tea was still scalding hot, and it splashed solidly onto his hand.
Li Jing exclaimed in pain, quickly withdrew his hand, and glared over with fury in his eyes.
Gu Qili picked up her handbag beside her, stood up composedly, and while looking at Li Jing whose hand was still sticking with tea leaves, she said: "President Li, to be frank, there are many investment companies in Aus City. I didn’t only talk to yours, and it’s not the case that without your money, I can’t establish my winery. Conversely, there aren’t many enterprises that can make huge profits for you after investment. Giving up this cooperation is your loss, not mine. You’re smart, President Li, and wouldn’t do something now that you’d deeply regret later just for a bit of feminine charm."
Speaking thus, she was about to take back the document. The burning pain on Li Jing’s hand served as a reminder of how foolish he had just been. He had indeed investigated beforehand; Gu Qili’s project had broad prospects. His money wouldn’t be wasted, and the returns would be immense. Yet, he was momentarily swayed by her beautiful appearance.
Suddenly a large hand pressed down on the document. Li Jing, with piercing eyes, looked toward the indifferent face of Gu Qili, "Miss Gu, I like your temperament, but I, Li Jing, am not generous enough to smile after being splashed with hot water. So, let the document stay, whether we cooperate or not will depend on my mood."
"I’m very sorry, but it’s not a matter of what President Li feels like now; I’m simply no longer interested in cooperating with you." Gu Qili forcefully pulled the document back, "This meal is on me, President Li. Please sit down and enjoy, I won’t accompany you any longer."
"Miss Gu, are you sure you want to do this? In Aus City, our company stands among the top," Li Jing suddenly said, feeling very unwilling. Actually, he had kept the document wanting to give himself a way out, still contemplating on continuing cooperation with Gu Qili.
"Your company is indeed among the top, and my winery will be too, so, I’m sure."
Gu Qili smiled sweetly at Li Jing: "President Li, hope to meet again if there’s a chance."
"Miss Gu." Just as Gu Qili’s hand touched the doorknob, Li Jing sighed behind her, "Alright, you win. I’ll sign the contract."
After saying that, Li Jing picked up the pen clipped in the document and swiftly signed his big name. In business, he is a businessman who understands proprieties: "I admire Miss Gu’s bearing, and at the same time, I apologize for my earlier behavior, hoping we can cooperate pleasantly in the future."
Facing Li Jing’s proffered hand, Gu Qili shook it lightly.
Gu Qili still maintained a calm facade, yet underneath that serenity, she was already elated,
In Aus City, she was most optimistic about Li Jing’s investment company, having talked with several others that weren’t as stable and reliable as Li Jing’s. Moreover, before coming here, she also had some understanding of Li Jing’s character—he was someone who could be tough and not easily swayed.
Mu Shuoqian came out of the restroom, walked to the sink to wash his hands, and just as he was pulling out a paper towel to dry his hands, a graceful figure appeared in the mirror.
"Young Master Qian, I was worried you might have had too much to drink, so I came to check on you." Xixiao wore a dark green long dress today,
Mu Shuoqian ignored her, finished drying his hands, and threw the used paper towel in the trash, walking out.
"Young Master Qian, I didn’t drive today, could you give me a ride later?" Xixiao caught up to him, her voice carrying a hint of pitiable frailty.
She thought, any man could understand the implication in her words.
Suddenly, Mu Shuoqian stopped, the light overhead making his features appear even more refined,
To Xixiao’s surprise, he pulled out two hundred yuan bills from his wallet and tossed them to her: "This should be enough for your cab fare, don’t bother me again."
The hundred yuan bills hit Xixiao’s shoulder, fluttered down, and finally fell onto the tiled floor. His almost disgusted demeanor, like swatting away a fly, almost crushed Xixiao’s self-esteem,
The private room was still buzzing with noise; Bai Chengxi had been made to drink quite a bit, and the man who was there earlier was now gone, only his jacket was still neatly placed there.
He left?
Li Jing was sitting in a chair making a phone call; twenty minutes earlier, Gu Qili had already excused herself, and after taking a call, he wasn’t in a rush to leave.
After finishing the call, he hung up, preparing to leave. Just as he rose, the door of the private room was pushed open. He looked at the person entering, stunned for a moment before saying: "Young Master Qian?"