PB - Chapter 23
Chapter 23
Qiao Qi’s flight to Cape Town was in the morning, with a layover in Frankfurt. The entire journey would take a day and four hours, an utterly exhausting trip. During the brief stop in Frankfurt, Su Jiayin called. Whenever Qiao Qi had a long flight, Su Jiayin always made a point of showing excessive concern.
“Your headache in Shenzhen last time was so severe. It would be a huge hassle if it acted up again while you’re abroad. You’d better take the medicine I prepared for you on schedule for the next few days. Try not to stay up late. Your health is important.”
“I know, Doctor Su. I’ll follow your orders.”
“When have you ever listened obediently? Did Xu Yangpu and Yao Qiu both go with you?”
“I only brought Yangpu.”
“Why didn’t you bring Yao Qiu? It would be more convenient for her to take care of you.” Doctor Su asked again, “Did you bring anyone else?”
“Besides three people from the accounting and law firms, I also brought two from the marketing department.” Qiao Qi’s light laugh traveled through the phone before she asked seriously, “Doctor Su, is this call to check on my health or to pry into Ruifeng’s secrets?”
Su Jiayin was amused by Qiao Qi’s mock-interrogative tone. “Alright, I won’t bother you anymore. Be safe on your journey.”
After hanging up, Qiao Qi rubbed her temples with her long fingers. Doctor Su’s words had been a self-fulfilling prophecy; her headache had been relentless since she got off the plane. Seeing her movement, Xu Yangpu knew her headache was acting up. Considering they were only halfway through their journey and the many inconveniences of being in a foreign country, he handed her a painkiller to temporarily ease her discomfort.
Xu Yangpu asked with concern, “Doctor Su prepared some sleeping pills. President Qiao, would you like to take one after we board?”
Qiao Qi nodded. “Thank you.”
Thanks to the sleeping pills, Qiao Qi was able to sleep on the plane. They arrived in Cape Town the next day. The air at eight or nine in the morning in April’s Cape Town was crisp and cool. She wore a trench coat over her skirt suit. Xu Yangpu and the others followed behind her as they deplaned. Charles Bonnet, the general manager of TIE Company, had been waiting at the airport since early morning.
The woman with the East Asian face, followed by six men of varying appearances, immediately caught his attention. Although he had spoken with Xu Yangpu via video call a few times, he still approached politely and asked in English if they were the representatives from China’s Ruifeng Company, while discreetly observing the woman leading the group. Qiao Qi smiled and gave an affirmative answer, also in English.
Qiao Qi’s first impression on Charles was one of gentleness, but it was accompanied by a cool aloofness. The gentleness was a product of her upbringing and politeness, but the coolness was her unique temperament, one that placed him firmly in the category of a business partner. For this reason, Charles found Qiao Qi captivating—a woman one would remember after a single glance.
Charles said, “Welcome, everyone, after your long journey. The hotel has been arranged. Please, follow me.”
The group thanked him politely and followed him into three separate cars. Qiao Qi naturally got into the one Charles was driving. Out of consideration for him and to avoid any awkwardness, Qiao Qi’s occasional conversations with the other two passengers were not in Chinese. Charles had always been exceptionally observant, so he caught this detail of their English conversation, which made him look forward to their future cooperation with positive anticipation.
Charles had originally arranged for them to stay at the Bay Hotel, but on the way, he diverted to a valley hotel instead. The place was a former winery, nestled in a tranquil valley. The surrounding green vegetation bathed in the sunlight. From the third-floor balcony, one could see the vineyard, which had been preserved to this day, as well as the vibrant wildflowers on the mountainside. Qiao Qi liked it here very much.
Without a word, Charles recognized the delighted expression on Qiao Qi’s face and felt pleased with his spontaneous decision. He said, “Miss Qiao, you’ve had a long journey. Please rest here for now. I’ll come back to pick you up for dinner.”
“Thank you, Mr. Bonnet.”
“You’re welcome, Miss Qiao.”
After Charles left, the Ruifeng group returned to their respective rooms to rest. Xu Yangpu received a call from Qiao Qi and went to her room. The moment he entered, he wasted no time in reporting the itinerary again.
The medicine had worn off, and Qiao Qi began rubbing her temples again. “What’s the stock price now?”
“It hit the daily limit up for the fourth consecutive opening.”
From the moment Ruifeng’s Vice President Qiao announced her intention to fly to South Africa personally to negotiate the acquisition, to the planned press releases about their departure and arrival, everything had been orchestrated. As a result, the company’s stock had hit its daily limit up for four consecutive days. If nothing unexpected happened, it would do the same tomorrow. Therefore, both Lin Zhi in the US and Qiao Qi in South Africa had to accelerate their acquisition plans.
Qiao Qi stopped rubbing her temples. “What’s the attitude of those two shareholders now?”
“They’re still choosing to sell their shares at the original price. They’re well aware that we’re the ones manipulating the situation from behind the scenes. Also, I heard from them that Lin Zhi’s side seems to have sent people to Cape Town to meet with them as well.”
“Alright. Thank you for your hard work. You should rest today. We’ll continue with all work tomorrow.”
“Then I won’t disturb your rest, President Qiao.”
After Xu Yangpu left, Qiao Qi finally relaxed and lay down on the bed. Fortunately, the mattress was soft enough. She found a comfortable position and rested with her eyes closed, still fully dressed. Her headache was getting worse. Without adequate rest, she feared she wouldn’t be able to accomplish anything tomorrow. So, she tried her best to clear her mind and maintain a steady breath to help herself fall asleep. At that moment, she thought how nice it would be if her personal sleeping aid, Gu Jianchu, were there.
When Charles returned to the hotel, Qiao Qi was strolling through the vineyard at dusk. Cape Town was bathed in ample sunlight, and the unique beauty of the East Asian woman seemed to illuminate the valley. He walked over to her.
“Miss Qiao, are you satisfied with your hotel room? Do you have any other special needs?”
Qiao Qi returned his smile and greeted him, “Hello, Mr. Bonnet. Everything here is wonderful.”
“Does Miss Qiao have any particular preferences regarding seafood? I’ve arranged for a famous local seafood restaurant tonight. If you don’t like seafood, I can also recommend an authentic French restaurant.”
“I have no special requirements for seafood, and I’m looking forward to the local cuisine tonight.”
“Then we’ll arrange for French food tomorrow. What do you think, Miss Qiao?”
Qiao Qi had almost forgotten that Charles was French; no wonder he was so insistent on French cuisine. “I have complete faith in your decision.”
A breeze blew through the valley, and Charles caught the scent of Qiao Qi’s perfume—light and elegant. “If you don’t mind, I can tell you about the history of this hotel. We might even have time to visit the wine cellar and see the owner’s private collection.”
“I’d appreciate that, Mr. Bonnet.”
While Qiao Qi was having dinner in Cape Town, Gu Jianchu was boarding a flight to the United States. The project she had been negotiating last time was not progressing smoothly. After rushing to handle matters at home, she had hurried back to the US. Fortunately, the private jet had a rest area where she could get a good night’s sleep.
The next day, after she landed, Gu Fanchu came to pick up his sister personally. Gu Jianchu had rested enough on the plane and showed no signs of fatigue, but Gu Fanchu still asked, “Rest first, or go to the office?”
“To the office.”
Gu Jianchu’s answer was no surprise. He continued, “I haven’t told George you’re in the US yet, but Lin Zhi’s side probably already knows.”
This outcome was also expected. With Gu Mingyi around, Lin Zhi would naturally know her movements. So, before Gu Fanchu could even drop her off at the company, flowers from Lin Zhi had already arrived, just as they always did back home. Liu Yanyan accepted the flowers, and Gu Jianchu walked straight into her office.
In the afternoon, Lin Zhi actually found the time to visit her in person. His previous worried expression was gone, replaced by a cheerful invitation to dinner. Gu Jianchu knew this man had always been supremely confident, but the fact that he still had the mind to pursue her during such a critical period for the acquisition only confirmed her suspicions. She sat at her desk, looking at the mountain of work, and feigned helplessness.
“You can see for yourself.”
“I already felt terrible that I couldn’t play the part of a proper host last time you were in the US. You have to give me the chance this time. Besides, you shouldn’t be working right after getting off the plane today.”
“Tomorrow. How about tomorrow?” To end the entanglement with him as quickly as possible, Gu Jianchu’s tone softened considerably. “It wouldn’t be right for me to leave now that I’m already here.”
Gu Jianchu’s soft plea was very effective on Lin Zhi, who now played the part of a magnanimous gentleman. “You’re the one who said tomorrow. You can’t break your promise. Since you have so much work, I won’t disturb you any longer. See you tomorrow.”
“See you tomorrow.”
After sending Lin Zhi off, Gu Jianchu glanced at the time. It was the middle of the night back home, so it wasn’t convenient to call Su Jiayin. She sent a text message instead and then returned to the work Lin Zhi had interrupted. Su Jiayin called back shortly after Gu Jianchu woke up the next morning. As they spoke, one was having breakfast while the other was having a late-night snack.
“It’s quite interesting, actually. The collaboration with Lin Zhi was originally just in the discussion phase. Who knew Gu Mingyi would come knocking on our door? I had no choice but to go with the flow and do him a favor.” Su Jiayin genuinely found the coincidence amusing. “When you want to mess with someone, even the heavens help you. But this is good, too. Our family can stay out of it when the time comes.”
“That’s because the bank he was originally working with is being courted by his rival. I just didn’t expect Gu Mingyi to step in and help. He came to see me yesterday, beaming with success. I guessed then that his funding gap had been filled.”
“The qualification review should be done, so they’re probably in the loan disbursement preparation stage. He’s getting complacent before the money is even in his hands. He lacks composure. He’s really not right for you.”
“You really worry about my love life. With this much time on your hands, you’d be better off checking on Qiao Qi’s situation. I imagine that with your family’s support, Ruifeng’s acquisition process will also be hindered.”
“Our family isn’t supporting him. Don’t worry. With Qiao Qi’s abilities, she can handle a situation like this. I can’t talk anymore, I have something to do. I’m hanging up.”
Qiao Qi had indeed run into some trouble. The two shareholders she had been negotiating with to sell their shares had suddenly changed their minds. Their reason was both sufficient and unconcealed: the people Lin Zhi sent had promised to buy their shares at a better price. For businessmen, no one would refuse greater profits.
Upon hearing the news, the two supervisors from Ruifeng’s marketing department cursed the other party for going back on their word. Xu Yangpu frowned, his expression equally displeased. Only Qiao Qi remained as steady as a mountain, calm and composed. She spoke in a soft, pleasant voice to soothe her subordinates.
“It’s alright. We’ll wait.”
The man from the marketing department opened his mouth, wanting to ask what there was to wait for, but the words that came out were, “President Qiao, Witton has come prepared. If we raise our price, it will turn into a bidding war.”
“Yangpu, didn’t Mr. Bonnet arrange for us to do some sightseeing here for a few days? Go and reply to him. Tell him we would be delighted to tour the area and that we’ll leave all the arrangements to him.”
“I’ll go right away.”
The supervisor who had just spoken saw that Qiao Qi not only wasn’t calling an emergency meeting to revise their plan but was also unhurriedly thinking about sightseeing. He was about to speak up and remind her, but before he could open his mouth, the person next to him pulled him back. Seeing the other man give him a look, he thought for a moment and suppressed the words in his throat.
Once he was out the door, he couldn’t hold back any longer. “What is that woman thinking? The other side has the upper hand, and she can still think about going out to have fun. I bet the rumors are true—she must have relied on the Chairman to climb to her current position.”
The other man was quite displeased with his words. “Where did you hear such gossip? Has any project President Qiao handled ever ended in anything but complete success? I didn’t pull you back because I was afraid you’d talk back to her; I did it because I believe she must have a plan, which is why she’s not in a hurry. You should stop spreading those baseless rumors in the future. If Special Assistant Xu heard you, do you think you’d still have a place at Ruifeng?”
Suddenly, the two fell silent, because Xu Yangpu had just appeared in front of them. His face was already expressionless, but now his gaze was even sharper. He said, “Do your own jobs. Don’t let there be a next time.” After speaking, he walked straight between the two of them without a sideways glance.
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