NOVEL NEXT Chapter 11: Chapter 11 - Dinner
Marian walked to her seat only to find her belongings had been moved. A WeChat message came through immediately: "Hey Marian, sorry! I moved your stuff to my spot. This seat is closer to Mr. Fu!" Marian could only respond with an emoji of a knife to a puppy's neck.
In truth, this arrangement suited her—being farther away from him made it easier to breathe in the high-pressure atmosphere.
The second half of the meeting focused on acceptance criteria for the project, as well as ongoing maintenance and staffing support, ending with a Q&A session.
On the vendor side, Marian zeroed in on the delivery standards, repeatedly clarifying them so everything was precisely recorded. When it came to product requirements, Liang Meiqi flicked her newly permed, wavy hair and smiled. "No problem on my end—anything you want can be done." She threw a barely perceptible glance at Aaron.
Her hairstyle was the result of much research: after gathering all sorts of rumored details about Aaron's personal tastes, she'd hired a private stylist to achieve this look, hoping to appeal to him.
Marian frowned and, sparing no one's feelings, pointed out, "It's best if you specify the scope of requirements. Adding more mid-development would throw off our timeline."
Aaron also looked over and nodded in agreement. "Marian's right. It's always better to clarify everything upfront rather than make drastic changes in the middle."
A few pairs of eyes shifted to Liang, whose face reddened as she lowered her head. "Sure, I'll put everything together and send it around later."
Once the Q&A ended, they should have been heading off, each to their own place. But the YuTou Fund project manager, Mao Quan'an, suddenly proposed they all grab a meal at a nearby restaurant to get acquainted—after all, they'd be working together for at least six months.
Julian agreed, saying he'd foot the bill. He looked at Aaron. "Are you coming?"
Mao Quan'an waved him off. "Mr. Fu is way too busy, there's no—"
"I'll join you. I'll come later."
Mao's eyes went wide in shock—Mr. Fu had time for a group meal? The sun must have been rising in the west!
The restaurant was located right beside YuTou Tower, and everyone walked over together.
Along the way, Liang Meiqi trudged along, looking dejected.
Marian, walking on her right, gave her a light nudge. "What's wrong? Are you upset?"
Liang pouted, "No!"
But she obviously was.
Marian gently explained, "I didn't mean anything by it. It's for the project's sake."
Liang turned her head away, refusing to respond.
Marian shifted to her left side. "I truly didn't overthink it. Here's the deal: at dinner, you can sit next to Aaron. I won't say a word."
Finally, Liang's mood seemed to brighten.
Seconds later, she was back to chattering, "Mr. Fu is just so handsome. Gorgeous face, great build, and above all, that calm, dependable aura—he's the embodiment of all my CEO fantasies! I have to date a man like that someday!"
Before long, they arrived at a private room in the neighboring restaurant. Mao Quan'an began ordering. After selecting a few dishes, he passed the menu to Julian, who made one cursory choice and then handed it to two female colleagues. Mao scooted over eagerly, leaning in next to them. "Miss Liang, how about you pick something you like?" He then squeezed himself onto the bench.
Marian had to move to another seat.
Mao's fawning and Marian's resignation didn't escape Liang's notice. She smiled coyly, as though throwing a playful tantrum. "How about sweet-and-sour pork ribs? I'm a sucker for sweet-and-sour flavors."
"Sweet-and-sour is perfect—just like you, Miss Liang. All tender and sweet," Mao flattered.
Marian, on the sidelines, could only frown.