Ji Rui’s hands were still on the keyboard, with the screen displaying the materials needed next.
Ti was pressing, and despite his reluctance, Ji Rui still forced himself to refuse Le Tong.
He stuffed the lunch box into Le Tong’s hands, "Can’t eat now, we’re almost out of ti."
Le Tong had basically finished organizing the materials in her hand. Glancing at the lunch box that had been forcibly returned to her, and then at Ji Rui, who was intensely focused on the screen with his fingers flying rapidly over the keys, she steeled herself and shalessly offered a forkful of pancake to Ji Rui’s mouth.
"Weren’t you having constant stomach pains recently? Just have a couple of bites."
Le Tong despised herself for forcing her concern on Ji Rui like this. Indeed, once a person starts being shaless, it’s hard to stop.
Ji Rui was slightly stunned, glanced down at the pancake on the fork, then up at Le Tong. She thought her goodwill was being interpreted as an obnoxious attempt to curry favor, and a strange annoyance flickered in her eyes. Just as she was about to retract the fork, Ji Rui, after a mont’s hesitation, opened his mouth and swiftly took the pancake off the fork.
"Thanks!"
A simple thank you instantly lifted Le Tong’s spirits.
Seeing Ji Rui typing away while happily chewing, watching his Adam’s apple move, she speared another piece and offered it to him again.
This ti, Ji Rui was not the least bit polite. He tilted his head slightly, stretched out his tongue, and quickly wrapped the pancake into his mouth.
This happened a few tis, and soon all the pancakes in Le Tong’s lunch box ended up in Ji Rui’s stomach.
Le Tong stared at his attractive lips for a while before rembering that Ji Rui’s car was generally stocked with lots of food, including bread and milk.
Thinking of it this way, forcing him to eat her pancakes just now seed a bit overbearing.
He probably didn’t refuse out of politeness!
"President, would you like so milk?" Le Tong reached for the small storage box behind her.
Initially, Ji Rui wanted to shake his head but reconsidered, then nodded, "Mm."
This ti, Le Tong regretted her ddling even more.
Earlier, when eating pancakes, Ji Rui didn’t trouble her much, and it didn’t take long to finish them all.
But now, when she handed over a milk carton with a straw, he was biting the straw and sipping slowly, a look similar to when he drank fine coffee.
Ji Rui took a good few minutes to finish the milk, and Le Tong could feel her fair skin slowly turning a scorching red.
Le Tong tried hard to act normally, but as she increasingly felt Ji Rui’s warm breath brushing over her wrist, her face turned red from cheeks to earlobes, then from earlobes to neck.
When Ji Rui finally finished the milk, his gaze seed to absentmindedly sweep across her face, looking a little surprised.
"Are you having a fever, or is the heater in the car too warm?"
With Ji Rui’s question, Le Tong blushed a bit more.
"...It should be... the heater being too warm." She could only go along with Ji Rui’s words to find herself a way out.
Inside the car, a subtle atmosphere slowly began to brew. Just as Le Tong felt she could no longer endure it, the car slowly ca to a stop.
Le Tong looked up and saw the sign of the hotel where they were having the eting, feeling relieved.
The eting went smoothly, thanks in part to the materials they rushed on the car. The atmosphere between both parties was harmonious, and they noted down portions that couldn’t be agreed upon temporarily, expressing that they would make appropriate adjustnts afterward.
Lunch was served in two private rooms in the hotel, personally hosted by the president of the other company with a few senior executives.
The other company’s president, surnad Ma, raised his glass to toast Ji Rui as soon as the dishes were served.
"Mr. Ji, here’s to our first successful collaboration."
Although the collaboration wasn’t officially finalized, both parties had negotiated almost all terms to their limits, indicating a love-hate relationship between the two.
"President Ma, to a successful collaboration!"
Ji Rui raised his glass and drank it in one go with President Ma.
From so point, Ji Rui no longer needed Le Tong to shield him from drinking.
While Le Tong felt grateful, she couldn’t avoid feeling a bit of sadness.
One feels happy when needed by others.
If the other party constantly gives off the impression that "you are superfluous," it indicates that you an nothing in their eyes, hence feeling sad is entirely normal.
"Mr. Ji, it’s ti for your stomach dicine."
Le Tong reminded softly, but loud enough for President Ma to hear.
President Ma clearly heard Le Tong, and his hand pouring wine paused. "Mr. Ji, is your stomach unwell?"
Ji Rui gave Le Tong a faint glance, then turned to President Ma.
"Yes, lately I’ve been eating irregularly, so my stomach’s been acting up. Aren’t you the sa?"
Generally, most people who work hard without rest, their stomachs all tend to be like this.
President Ma nodded, not only did he cease pressuring Ji Rui to drink, but he also stopped drinking himself, motioning for the service staff to remove the wine and glasses. Soon, a tea set was brought in at his request.
The two ignored the lively surroundings, sipping tea and chatting leisurely.
"Mr. Ji, how about we hold the next eting at the Ji Family?"
Ji Rui nodded and agreed readily, "Sure, I’ll check my schedule later."
After lunch, the driver took Ji Rui and Le Tong back to the Ji Family.
There was so traffic on the way back, turning what was supposed to be a little over an hour’s drive into more than two hours, finally reaching the parking lot of the Ji Mansion.
Possibly due to the heavy lunch, Le Tong quickly dozed off in the car and slept all the way to the Ji Mansion.
When the car stopped, there was no sign of Le Tong waking up. Ji Rui glanced at her a few tis, seeing her long, dark eyelashes not moving at all, indicating she was in a deep sleep. Not waking her up, he leaned over and softly instructed the driver.
"Let her sleep for a while!"
Implying that Driver Li should also keep her company in the car. Though surprised, Driver Li didn’t dare ask much, and after agreeing, he lowered the car windows slightly to keep the air circulating inside.
After giving his instructions, Ji Rui quickly slipped into the elevator, carrying his briefcase.
When Le Tong woke up, she opened her eyes groggily, taking a while to get her bearings.
It took leaning against the seatback for a while before she realized she had fallen asleep in President Ji’s car.
"Brother Li, I’m sorry, I fell asleep. Where’s the President?"
"He went up to work, specifically asking to stay here with you."
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