Chapter 8: CEO Su, you... are bankrupt?
Inside the narrow compartnt, the atmosphere was even warr than the previous night.
After the steaming hot bird's nest porridge went down, the chill in every limb was finally completely dispelled.
"Little brother, your cooking skill... Oh no, your talent for 'picking up bargains' is truly amazing." Chen Man ate until sweat beaded on her forehead, so she simply took off her military overcoat, revealing the leopard-print camisole underneath.
Her manner of eating was not rough; rather, it possessed a wild beauty.
The spoon moved between her red lips, and occasionally a drop of porridge would stain the corner of her mouth, which she would then lightly lick away with her tongue.
Jiang Chen sat opposite her, and his line of sight perfectly swept over her heaving chest.
He quickly lowered his head to drink his porridge. This scene was too stimulating; if he kept looking, he would get a nosebleed.
"Eat slowly, no one is snatching it from you." Lin Wan helplessly offered her a tissue, then turned to look at Jiang Chen, her eyes as gentle as if she were looking at her own sensible younger brother. "Little Jiang, you should eat more yourself. You sat up all night like that; your body can't handle it."
As she spoke, she naturally picked up the serving chopsticks and placed the best piece of pickled cucumber into Jiang Chen's bowl.
This kind of silent, gentle care made Jiang Chen, who had studied alone in a foreign land since childhood, feel a sting in his nose.
"Thank you, Sister Wan."
Su Qingge hadn't spoken much throughout.
She ate very slowly, her movents elegant as if she were attending a dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant.
Although her long legs were hidden by the table, Jiang Chen could sense her subtly shifting her posture beneath the table.
Were her feet, which were icy cold last night, warm now?
Just then, the phone next to Su Qingge's pillow suddenly vibrated.
Buzz— — Buzz— —
In the quiet compartnt, the sound was exceptionally jarring.
Su Qingge paused while eating her porridge, glanced at the screen, and her brow instantly furrowed.
She didn't answer but directly silenced it and placed the phone face down on the table.
However, the caller clearly wasn't willing to give up.
In less than ten seconds, the phone vibrated again.
This ti, even Chen Man stopped her spoon and looked at her with so worry: "Sister Su, why don't you answer? Is there an ergency at the company?"
Su Qingge put down her spoon, picked up the phone to look at it, and her complexion turned several shades paler than when she was frozen last night.
"Sorry, I need to step out to take a call."
She grabbed her phone, threw on the military overcoat, and hurriedly pulled open the door to step outside.
The mont the door closed, Jiang Chen saw the knuckles gripping her phone turning white.
"Sigh..." Lin Wan let out a soft sigh. "It seems Miss Su has it tough too. I noticed she was frowning even in her sleep last night."
"Who has it easy?" Chen Man pouted, fiddling with her empty bowl. "They look glamorous on the surface, but who isn't a ss behind the scenes? Nowadays, bosses have it worse than employees; they might end up on the rooftop tomorrow."
Jiang Chen didn't reply, just listened quietly.
Although they had been together for less than twenty-four hours, he could feel the taut string on Su Qingge's body seed ready to snap.
Not long after, the door was pushed open.
Su Qingge was back.
The expression on her face had returned to its usual coldness, but her eyes were slightly red, as if she had just been exposed to the wind.
"What's wrong, Sister Su? Are you alright?" Jiang Chen asked tentatively.
"Nothing, the signal is bad," Su Qingge replied flatly, sitting back down on her bunk.
But she didn't touch her chopsticks again, just cradled the now sowhat cool tea, staring blankly at the rapidly receding snowy landscape outside the window.
It was a look of vacancy following extre exhaustion.
Jiang Chen saw it, and the impulse to 'do sothing' in his heart grew stronger and stronger.
It wasn't just because of the system task; it was more because of the feeling these won gave him.
In this confined space, they had let down their guard and treated him as a man they could rely on, rather than just a young kid.
"Sister Su."
Jiang Chen suddenly spoke, his voice not loud, but very firm.
Su Qingge snapped back to attention and turned to look at him: "Hmm?"
"That secret you ntioned last night, does it still count?" Jiang Chen looked into her eyes, a slight smile playing on his lips. "I'm full and satisfied now, perfect for listening to stories."
Su Qingge froze for a mont, then gave a wry laugh.
Of course, she rembered.
Last night, she had just said it casually to keep warm, never expecting this kid would actually rember.
"You want to hear it?" Su Qingge put down her teacup, leaned back slightly against the compartnt wall. Her military overcoat was open, revealing the fitted professional attire and curves underneath.
That sense of pressure and charm belonging to a mature woman was fully displayed at this mont.
"I want to hear it," Jiang Chen nodded.
"Fine." Su Qingge took a deep breath, as if making a decision. "Since you want to hear it, then I'll tell you."
The compartnt fell silent.
Chen Man and Lin Wan also unconsciously softened their breathing, as if anticipating hearing so earth-shattering gossip next.
Su Qingge looked at Jiang Chen, her gaze sowhat hazy, her voice low:
"Many n think what won want is money, bags, those vain things."
She gestured toward the expensive leftovers on the table.
"It's true, those things can make people happy. But I'm telling you, what truly makes a woman completely fall is never about how much money you spend on her."
Jiang Chen subconsciously asked: "Then what is it?"
Su Qingge suddenly leaned forward, her exquisite face close to Jiang Chen's, so near that even their breaths mingled.
Jiang Chen could sll the faint scent of her perfu, mixed with the unique freshness of the morning.
"It's a sense of security."
Su Qingge exhaled like a gentle breeze, her eyes fixed directly into Jiang Chen's pupils. "It's when she is at her most wretched, most helpless, and coldest, you wrap your coat around her without her needing to say a word, and warm her feet... in your embrace."
She whispered the last half-sentence very softly, so softly that only Jiang Chen could hear it.
Jiang Chen's heart skipped a beat.
This woman was simply a siren.
"Last night..." Su Qingge leaned back, resting against the wall again, a self-mocking smile curling her lips. "If it weren't for my company's capital chain breaking, if it weren't for those debt collectors blocking my front door, I wouldn't have bought this soft sleeper ticket to run away."
"What?" Chen Man exclaid, "CEO Su, you... are bankrupt?"
Su Qingge didn't deny it, just shrugged: "Pretty much. This trip to the provincial capital is to beg for one last round of financing. If the negotiation fails..."
She didn't finish, but the aning was already very clear.
If the negotiation failed, this aloof female CEO might truly lose everything.
"Originally, I was quite desperate," Su Qingge looked at Jiang Chen, her gaze softening. "But last night, there was a foolish boy who, despite having no money himself, treated us to a al, bought a coat, and even..."
She paused, a suspicious blush creeping onto her face.
"Even let use him as a hand warr."
"At that mont, I thought: Heaven never seals off all paths. Since even such a foolish boy can be so optimistic in a desperate situation, why should I, Su Qingge, admit defeat?"
Jiang Chen scratched his head, feeling a bit awkward: "Sister Su, I did that because..."
"It doesn't matter why you did it," Su Qingge interrupted him, her tone becoming extrely serious. "Jiang Chen, thank you. This al is sothing I owe you. When I turn things around, I'll pay you back with interest."
"Forget paying back," Jiang Chen smiled, his tone carrying a bit of youthful arrogance. "If Sister Su really wants to thank , why not..."
"Why not what?" The three won looked at him simultaneously.
Jiang Chen blinked: "Why not let accompany you to discuss that financing when we reach the provincial capital? I've always had good luck, a so-called 'wife-blessing' constitution. Maybe it will work out?"
"Pfft— —" Chen Man spat out the water she had just taken a sip of.
"Wife-blessing?" Su Qingge was also amused, and the heavy atmosphere instantly lightened considerably.
She looked at Jiang Chen's confident face and nodded on impulse.
"Alright. Then I'll borrow your luck."
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