She had to complete the portrait to 99% likeness so she could secure the contract. This contract was very important to her and the company.
"Your pace has certainly slowed compared to before," Qi Longbing said with a laugh, amused by her serious deanor. She took this matter very seriously.
"This is being responsible to you," Hua Xiaomo said, continuing with her work. She glanced at Qi Longbing’s face while painting. Who knows how much ti passed, with only the SWISH, SWISH, SWISH of her brush lingering in the air.
Qi Longbing found it amusing to watch her so focused and didn’t want to interrupt. However, he really wanted to tell her that if she truly wanted to be responsible towards him, then they should be together—forever. But he wasn’t quite ready to say those words yet.Why was that, he wondered? Perhaps he wasn’t sure he could really be with her.
An unknown amount of ti slipped away before Hua Xiaomo finally completed the portrait. She looked up at Qi Longbing, her face breaking into a smile that had been absent for far too long.
"It’s done. Co have a look and see if it resembles you," Hua Xiaomo called out, gesturing to Qi Longbing. A confident smile graced her face.
Qi Longbing quickly walked over to her, his eyes lighting up as he looked at his own image in the painting. He hadn’t expected that after five years, her paintings could still be so vivid, so lifelike. It might not be a 100% likeness, but it was roughly 98%, and not at all inferior to the portrait she had painted for him five years ago.
"What do you think, President Qi? My painting should et your standards, right?" Hua Xiaomo asked. Her cheeks were smooth, and her current expression was quite captivating.
Five years! He had grown even more manly and composed. Such a man would surely attract many girls, wouldn’t he? But strangely, he still seed to care so much about .Was it an unshakable fate? No matter where he went, no matter where he was, his heart still seed to be fixated on .
Qi Longbing was looking at Hua Xiaomo. Suddenly, Hua Xiaomo, turning her head, t his gaze fixed on her. A smile adorned his handso face.
"I’ve noticed you still enjoy looking at my face. What is it? Do you think I’ve beco even more handso than before?" Qi Longbing said, changing the subject with a cheerful smile directed at her.
"You were already devilishly handso. If you got any more handso, you’d be the ultimate devil among devils," Hua Xiaomo replied with a laugh, not feeling overly uncomfortable with the banter.
Qi Longbing watched her, then looked at the portrait, a subtle, hidden emotion flickering in his eyes.
"Compared to your earlier work, this painting shows significant maturity. And looking at it now, Xiao Mo, it’s clear you haven’t slacked off on your painting skills at all!" Qi Longbing said slowly, looking at her.
"Yes, I never stopped painting, no matter how tiring or tough my day job was. I made sure to dedicate two hours every evening to my art. That way, my skills wouldn’t get rusty," Hua Xiaomo said with a self-deprecating smile. She then walked over to the counter, picked up a glass of Lafite, and took a slow sip.
"And now you’re a chairman? Honestly, you don’t have to work so hard," Qi Longbing said with a smile.
"Well, you’re President Qi, the CEO of Qi Imperial Court. You could take it easy too, couldn’t you? But can you? Of course not. That’s why those at the very top have to work harder than anyone else," Hua Xiaomo said. Looking at Qi Longbing, she found herself truly understanding the imnse hardships he faced as a CEO.Perhaps in the past, she had thought he was just a bit short-tempered, always scheduling etings at noon with little consideration for her, and she hadn’t understood many of his actions. But now that she occupied a similarly lofty position, she understood.She now knew that a manager’s schedule was never fixed. When decisions were needed, etings had to be called imdiately. Delaying by an hour or two wasn’t an option, as lost ti equated to lost opportunities to make money.
Hearing Hua Xiaomo’s words, Qi Longbing gave a knowing smile. He walked over to her side, poured himself a glass of Lafite, and clinked his glass against hers.
"I appreciate you understanding my perspective now. It seems we have common ground again. We can learn a lot from each other about business in the future." Qi Longbing had barely finished speaking when he laughed and quickly added, "Actually, perhaps I should say that you should learn more from about managing a company. That way, your company can develop faster."
Hua Xiaomo looked at him. Although she felt a little uncomfortable, she couldn’t deny his success as the manager of a large enterprise. In contrast, she was just starting out as a manager and could only be considered moderately successful, not exceptionally so.He said she should learn from him, and she could accept that. She wasn’t one to be overly self-deprecating, nor was she blindly arrogant to an incurable degree.There was no need for false modesty. In an era where ability spoke for itself, too much humility could actually be a hindrance in society.
"Alright, that’s a matter for the future, sothing we can discuss later. For now, let’s address the issue at hand," Hua Xiaomo said, her gaze shifting from the painting back to his face. "Didn’t you promise before? You said that if my painting satisfied you, you would agree to sign a contract with us. You haven’t forgotten, have you?"
"Did I really say that?" Qi Longbing countered with a teasing smile.
Suddenly, Hua Xiaomo felt her teeth clench in frustration.
"You’re a tycoon worth hundreds of millions, for crying out loud! How can your words be just hot air? Qi Longbing, how could you be like this?" Hua Xiaomo blurted out, unable to contain her annoyance.
Alright, she wouldn’t be polite with him anymore. She didn’t want to attack him with harsh words, but she couldn’t control herself. She realized his temper hadn’t changed at all; he was still as roguish as ever.It was truly annoying, so frustrating! Why did he have to be like this? He always made her feel so uncomfortable.
"Alright, alright, don’t be angry. I was just joking with you. We’ll collaborate; I never said we wouldn’t, did I?" Qi Longbing said with a smile, seeing she was genuinely upset. He then casually put an arm around her shoulders and, without giving her a chance to refuse, pulled her into an embrace. "You’re the chairman now, and I’m just a general manager. When it cos down to it, your position is even higher than mine! So, it’s perfectly understandable for to listen to you, isn’t it?" Qi Longbing said, still smiling.
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