Thinking differently, since Ke Teng was going to invest in Tongcheng, if she didn't try, how would she know he wouldn't agree?
"I understand, Director. I'll go back and study it carefully."
Back at her desk, Jian Fei read the document meticulously, her mind racing with thoughts. Then, she sent Ke Teng a WeChat message.
She hadn't deleted Ke Teng after leaving Shangcheng, but they usually didn't contact each other. She didn't know if he had deleted her.
She tried sending a comma, and to her surprise, it went through.
Ke Teng had just woken up and was lying in bed sending WeChat messages when his phone vibrated.
He exited the app and saw the message from Jian Fei.
Even though it was just a simple comma, he couldn't help but smile and replied to her.
"What's up?"
Jian Fei hadn't expected him to reply so quickly.
Looking at her comma and his question, she felt a bit awkward.
Coming to him for help right away seemed too opportunistic.
So, she was unusually generous.
"I wanted to ask if you're free today and invite you to dinner."
After knowing each other for so long, this was the first time she had been so generous.
Before, when she lived at his place, she would practically charge him for a glass of water.
Ke Teng sat up excitedly.
"Are you thanking me for saving your life yesterday?"
"Something like that. Are you free?"
"I naturally have time for dinner, I'm just afraid you don't have enough money in your pocket."
Jian Fei: "...If you know I don't have money, don't order something so expensive."
Ke Teng couldn't help but laugh heartily over the phone.
Women all had a certain vanity, why did she have none?
She didn't even bother with polite pretense, which was very interesting.
"You're not going to invite me to eat a bowl of instant noodles, are you?"
"Something like that. Not instant noodles, but not much more upscale either. I'll treat you to some local noodles from our place. Do you want to eat?"
Having eaten refined food, trying simple fare occasionally wouldn't be bad.
But Ke Teng was about to attend a meeting, and he didn't know when it would end. Dinner would definitely be arranged.
"I'm not free today. I'll find you when I'm free."
However, Jian Fei couldn't wait.
This was just an ordinary administrative job, and there weren't many opportunities to showcase her abilities.
If she didn't seize this big opportunity now, it would be very difficult to get a promotion and a raise.
Her father was resting at home and would likely be bedridden for at least two months. Her sister was already at an age where marriage was on the horizon.
She didn't want to wait any longer.
"Aren't you free right now? Eating noodles won't take much time."
Unexpectedly, she was so insistent, appearing determined to meet him, Ke Teng felt inexplicably happy.
"Do you want to see me that much?"
This was a question where answering or not answering would be awkward, so Jian Fei chose not to answer.
"If you can come out, I'll ask the director for leave. Are you coming or not?"
The meeting started at ten-thirty, and it was now eight-thirty. Ke Teng thought for a moment.
"Where to?"
For the first time, Jian Fei let out a chuckle into her phone. She quickly sent an address and then went to knock on the director's door.
It was just an ordinary breakfast street, an ordinary noodle shop.
Ke Teng had experienced hardship before, so he didn't find it unpleasant. They each had a bowl of noodles, eating and chatting.
Jian Fei pushed the printed project proposal towards him.
"Take a look first. You said you were coming for investment promotion, see if there's anything you might be interested in."
Ke Teng flipped through it casually while eating, showing little interest.
"Was your director talking about this yesterday?"
"Yes. This is a task assigned to our department by the hospital. If we don't complete it, we won't get any bonuses at the end of the year."
"Jian Fei, you were indirectly crying poverty yesterday, and today you're crying directly. What's going on? Do you want me to invest in you?"
"My poverty is a fact, you know that without me crying."
Jian Fei was frank.
"I won't take your money for nothing. Take a good look, our project really has its advantages and is a good opportunity to enhance your company's image."
"If you're willing, we can consider it a collaboration, mutually beneficial. Please don't look at me as if I'm begging you for a favor."
This was the first time someone had asked for a favor in such a refined manner.
Ke Teng smiled again.
"But you know, I'm a businessman, a successful businessman, only interested in big projects."
"With your hospital's poor conditions, how much can it improve my image?"
These two sentences left Jian Fei speechless.
To her, their hospital was already a very large and remarkable place, but in Ke Teng's eyes...
"I was just saying, to see if there's any possibility. If you're not interested, then forget it."
She took back the documents and lowered her head to continue eating her noodles.
Seeing her look a bit embarrassed by his words, Ke Teng felt a pang of sympathy.
"You're something else. I find you truly unfathomable. Sometimes you're very stubborn, never giving up until you achieve your goal, and sometimes you compromise so easily."
"If this is your job and it's very important to you, shouldn't you at least try? Just because I say I don't want to look at it, you'd give up immediately?"
After all, it involved money, and Jian Fei felt awkward saying too much, as if she were morally blackmailing him based on their acquaintance.
After a few seconds of silence, she sighed.
"You know what my major is, and I never dreamed I'd be out here discussing this."
"You've already said it's not possible, so it must not be. I believe you. Anyway, if I can't do it, the director will find a way. It's pointless to force you to invest."
Ke Teng looked at her slightly awkward expression, her plump lips, and suddenly felt an urge to pinch her.
"With such a negative work attitude, it seems unlikely you'll get promoted or a raise in the future."
"Please don't discourage me," Jian Fei forced a smile.
"I've already realized that. With my personality and job nature, there's no hope of making big money. I should probably research side hustles in my free time."
"What kind of side hustle? Like before, being a private doctor for someone, living in their house and taking care of their children?"
"That's not impossible. If you know any disobedient children like yourself, help me find some business."
The two of them exchanged a look and couldn't help but laugh.
"See, when it comes to your profession, you're still very confident and willing to fight for it. Why were you so negative just now?"
Ke Teng comforted her.
"Alright, give me the stuff. I'll take a good look when I get back."
A flicker of pleasant surprise flashed in Jian Fei's eyes.
"You don't need to pity me or make decisions reluctantly to take care of me. I'm very clear about my personal and professional life, and I absolutely won't morally blackmail you."
"That's good. Then I won't be disappointed when I reject you."
After finishing their meal and sending her back, Ke Teng asked.
"When you go back, your leader will definitely ask how the discussion went. What are you going to say?"
Jian Fei thought for a moment. "I'll say you need to consider it."
Foolish.
Ke Teng took out a business card and gave it to her.
"Just say you didn't see me, give him this card, and have him contact me."
"Ah? You have two kinds of business cards?"
"Yes. Do you want a promotion and a raise?"
"Yes."
"Alright. Then go back and do as I say."