The next day, Ren Xiaoguang took the initiative to find Ou Yunchen.
Ou Yunchen, still hungover, was napping in his office and didn't hear anyone knock or even enter.
Ruby: "Ou..."
Ren Xiaoguang stopped Ruby and told her not to disturb Ou Yunchen's sleep, suggesting she wait in the conference room.
Ruby: "Manager Ren, please wait in the conference room then."
Ren Xiaoguang: "It's fine, I have my laptop. Don't mind me. Just notify Ou Yunchen when he wakes up."
Ruby: "Alright, Manager Ren."
It wasn't until lunchtime that Ou Yunchen was finally woken up by Ruby.
Ruby: "Mr. Ou, Manager Ren from Bixiu Garden has been waiting for you in the conference room all morning. Could you perhaps..."
Ou Yunchen scrambled out of bed. He was still wearing the clothes from late last night and hadn't had time to change before joining the video conference.
He had finally made it through the night and wanted to lie down on the sofa for a bit, but he overslept.
Even though the Wang family had tormented him into drinking until he threw up every day, Ou Yunchen hadn't forgotten that he had thousands of people to support. Therefore, he dared not neglect his work.
Ou Yunchen: "Why didn't you wake me up earlier?"
Ruby: "Manager Ren didn't want me to disturb you..."
Ou Yunchen quickly tucked in his shirt, ran his fingers through his hair using his phone as a mirror, and even spritzed some perfume to mask the smell of alcohol.
Ruby: "I'll go get Manager Ren."
Ou Yunchen: "No need, I'll go myself."
When Ou Yunchen arrived at the conference room, Ren Xiaoguang was indeed sitting there, working on her laptop.
Ou Yunchen: "Manager Ren, I'm so sorry I've kept you waiting. It's already noon, let me treat you to lunch."
Ren Xiaoguang smiled and closed her laptop.
Ren Xiaoguang: "That sounds great. But before we eat, I need you to help me with something."
Ou Yunchen: "Please tell me, Manager Ren."
Ren Xiaoguang: "Let's talk as we walk."
As Ou Yunchen and Ren Xiaoguang left, the employees of Xio were whispering behind their backs.
They were surprised to see that the formidable female CEO, whom they had the honor of meeting, was actually as gentle as an elder sister in private. And she seemed to be very kind to Mr. Ou.
If it were any other client, they would have likely left upon seeing Mr. Ou asleep, let alone waited patiently.
***
It turned out that Ren Xiaoguang's "favor" was for Ou Yunchen to go home, take a good shower, and change his clothes.
Ou Yunchen: "I'm so sorry. I've been extremely busy these past few days. I've made quite a spectacle of myself..."
Ren Xiaoguang: "It was my fault for being so impulsive, coming to your office without notifying you first."
Ou Yunchen: "Not at all. I'm truly embarrassed that you saw me in such a disheveled state, sleeping there."
Ren Xiaoguang: "You go up. I'll wait for you downstairs."
Ou Yunchen: "Okay, I'll be back soon."
Ou Yunchen quickly returned to his apartment and took a much-needed shower, finally ridding himself of the recent haze.
When he reappeared before Ren Xiaoguang, he looked as refreshed as when they first met.
Ren Xiaoguang: "This is for you."
Ren Xiaoguang handed him a small luxury shopping bag, inside which was a small box.
Ou Yunchen: "Manager Ren, this is too extravagant."
Ren Xiaoguang: "It's not expensive. I saw it and thought it would suit you, so I bought it."
Ou Yunchen: "It's just..."
Ren Xiaoguang: "Consider it a birthday gift."
Ou Yunchen: "My birthday was a while ago..."
Ren Xiaoguang: "I wasn't in the country for your birthday, so this is a belated gift."
Ou Yunchen: "Thank you, Manager Ren."
Ou Yunchen opened the box to reveal a very beautiful tie clip that perfectly matched his suit.
Ren Xiaoguang: "Let me help you."
Ou Yunchen: "It looks great. Manager Ren, your taste is truly impeccable."
Ou Yunchen: "By the way, Manager Ren, why aren't you back at Bixiu Garden headquarters? The training camp ended yesterday, didn't it?"
Ren Xiaoguang: "Yes, I had some unfinished business, so I'm staying an extra day."
Ou Yunchen: "I see. So, why did you come to find me today?"
Ren Xiaoguang took out a folder containing photocopies of her class notes.
Ou Yunchen: "Manager Ren, thank you so much. I was just wondering what I was going to do since I missed these past few days of training."
Ren Xiaoguang: "You don't need to worry. The principal won't make things difficult for you."
Ou Yunchen: "But I even missed the principal's class. I was prepared to be expelled."
Ren Xiaoguang: "That won't happen."
Ou Yunchen took Ren Xiaoguang's words as reassurance, as he genuinely couldn't extricate himself from the Wang family's affairs.
More importantly than attending classes, he had to figure out how to secure a spot from Chairman Wang for Yang Danzhou's pharmaceutical company.
Ren Xiaoguang: "Do you have a friend who was burned in a fire?"
Ou Yunchen: "Yes, severely disfigured. Manager Ren, how did you know?"
Ren Xiaoguang: "Yang Danzhou mentioned it. She said one of the guests at our sanatorium is your friend and is undergoing reconstructive surgery. How is it going? Was it successful?"
Ou Yunchen: "It was successful. They'll be able to remove the bandages soon."
Ren Xiaoguang: "I... have a friend who is very interested in Yang Danzhou's medication. However, Yang Danzhou flew abroad for business right after class yesterday, so I was hoping you could introduce me."
Ou Yunchen: "Of course, I'd be happy to help."
Ren Xiaoguang: "Great. The thing is, my friend only has time to meet me today. She's also very busy, so as long as it doesn't interfere with your other work..."
Ou Yunchen: "It won't."
***
Ren Xiaoguang took Ou Yunchen to a restaurant.
Ren Xiaoguang introduced the lady before them to Ou Yunchen.
Ou Yunchen: "Hello, Sister Zhang."
Zhang Mengni: "I'm Ren Xiaoguang's college roommate. I'm nowhere near as impressive as her, inheriting a billion-dollar empire right after returning to the country. I don't have a business card, I hope you don't mind."
Ou Yunchen: "Not at all. A friend of Manager Ren is my friend."
Ren Xiaoguang smiled subtly. At this moment, Ou Yunchen had no idea that Zhang Mengni would one day reappear in his life under a completely different identity.
By then, Ou Yunchen would become much more cautious, unable to utter even a single insincere word.
Zhang Mengni: "I heard from Xiaoguang that you're currently selling a drug that can treat burn victims, is that right?"
Ou Yunchen elaborated on the situation of "Z" to Zhang Mengni, explaining the entire reconstructive surgery and the medications used.
Zhang Mengni nodded frequently as she listened. During their conversation, Ou Yunchen could tell that Zhang Mengni at least understood pharmacology.
Or rather, she was involved in research in this field and had a thorough grasp of the technical terminology.
Zhang Mengni: "What I'm most curious about is why this medication is so expensive. Would ordinary families be unable to afford it?"
Ou Yunchen: "If we exclude research and development costs, then it's the profit margin."
"Moreover, to be frank, Yang Danzhou currently considers this medication to be purely cosmetic and doesn't intend to sell it to the general public..."
Zhang Mengni: "But this drug has all the necessary approvals, correct?"
Ou Yunchen: "Yes. As far as I know, a long time ago, there was an idea to include this drug in medical insurance, but for some reason, it never materialized."
Zhang Mengni: "If this skin regeneration drug were indeed approved for medical insurance, it would be a tremendous help to burn patients every year."
Ou Yunchen: "While it may not be life-saving, it can truly save spirits."
Zhang Mengni: "Well said! Mr. Ou, how much did you spend in total on this medication for your friend?"
Ou Yunchen glanced at Ren Xiaoguang. Ren Xiaoguang simply nodded, as if there was nothing they couldn't discuss with this new friend.
Zhang Mengni: "I'm not as wealthy as Xiaoguang. I know many people who have been burned. I'm asking about the price for them."
Zhang Mengni's humor and wit made Ou Yunchen laugh several times with her self-deprecating jokes and cheerful demeanor.
Ou Yunchen: "My friend's burns were quite severe, and this medication is calculated by the square centimeter..."
"His total burn area exceeded eighty percent. For a single treatment, the cost is around five hundred thousand, and it requires at least ten injections..."
Zhang Mengni quickly did some mental calculations and shook her head slightly.
Ou Yunchen: "Indeed... it's very expensive..."
Ren Xiaoguang: "Is there any hope?"
Zhang Mengni: "While no small group should be overlooked, the price is simply too high."
Ren Xiaoguang: "Let's talk it over. My brother works very hard."
Ren Xiaoguang patted Ou Yunchen's shoulder. Ou Yunchen was still a bit dazed, thinking Ren Xiaoguang was just trying to hard-sell a product.
Zhang Mengni: "Mr. Ou, knowing you and Ren Xiaoguang, can I get a discount?"
Ou Yunchen: "Certainly. There are even group discounts."
This time, it was Zhang Mengni's turn to burst into laughter.
The serious discussion seemed to end quickly, and Ou Yunchen didn't get Zhang Mengni's contact information.
Or rather, he perceived that Zhang Mengni didn't possess significant wealth. She was as unassuming as a passerby, a world apart from Ren Xiaoguang.
Yet, Ou Yunchen couldn't quite explain it; he was drawn to a certain strength in Zhang Mengni, as if he were destined to meet this interesting woman again.
After the gathering, Ou Yunchen expected to escort Zhang Mengni away with Ren Xiaoguang, only to discover that they were both taking the same flight to another city.
It wasn't until they were at the airport, watching the two of them wave goodbye to Ou Yunchen, that he remembered something.
Did Zhang Mengni fly from another city specifically to learn about that medication?!
Ou Yunchen scoffed at himself, attributing his slow thinking to too much drinking lately.
Just then, Sister Hong called.