Chapter 18 This Time is Late

That afternoon, I stayed with Wang Rui at the beauty salon. It had the most complete one-stop service. She had a beauty treatment and a hairstyle done. I also had my hair trimmed at her suggestion. The hairstyle was quite fashionable, or rather, it was the style Wang Rui preferred. Then, I had a comfortable spa treatment.

Finally, I had a good sleep there. It was already five o'clock when we came out. I slept very deeply, making up for my recent insomnia.

As soon as I got in the car, Pei Shi Yu's call came. As soon as I answered, I heard a very bad tone...

"Where are you?"

"I'm coming, already on the way. What about you?"

"We've already arrived." Pei Shi Yu's tone was a little stiff.

"Coming... coming... there's a bit of traffic."

"Is it only during today's peak hours that there's traffic?"

"Okay, don't complain. I had a spa this afternoon and took a nap. I'll tell you the reserved seat directly. Just wait a little while."

"Do you know what's most important when discussing cooperation?"

"Being punctual and keeping promises. I'm driving, I'll talk to you later."

I didn't expect them to have gone so early. I could understand Pei Shi Yu's feelings. Her instinct was to have Wang Rui and me come to make up the numbers. This way, she would probably feel very restrained in this kind of situation, because she wasn't someone who liked to chat.

I hung up the phone and saw Wang Rui looking at me with amusement, saying, "Being punctual and keeping promises, you recited the formula well, but it's a pity you didn't do it. Now you're unpunctual and untrustworthy. When it comes to diplomacy, Pei Shi Yu is no match for me. She's smart to have pulled me in."

"Stop teasing me, quickly send the reserved seat to Pei Shi Yu." I threw my phone to Wang Rui.

Today happened to be a weekend, and the traffic jam was worse than I imagined. The more anxious I was, the longer the traffic lights seemed to be, one after another.

I began to complain to Wang Rui, "The shop you chose is too far from the hotel. Now we're stuck in traffic, it's impossible to escape."

"Anyway, we're already late, so be patient. What's the use of being anxious? Safe driving is the fastest speed."

I drove anxiously and irritably all the way. By the time I drove into the hotel, it was already six o'clock. Pei Shi Yu had been waiting for us for a full hour. I turned off the engine and walked inside on my own, taking big and fast steps. Before entering the hotel, I stopped and looked back at Wang Rui, which made me angry. At this time, she was still acting like a young lady, walking very slowly, as if she was deliberately competing with Pei Shi Yu.

When she approached, I just glanced at her dismissively, and then we walked into the elevator together...

I walked in front, with Wang Rui following behind me. When I went up, the first thing I saw was Pei Shi Yu and the others.

The four of them were chatting, and the atmosphere wasn't as cold as I had imagined. The American lady was very polite and was chatting with Pei Shi Yu with a smile on her face.

I shook off Wang Rui and walked up to them, immediately saying in a very funny tone, "Hello!"

The American looked at me and immediately stood up. I quickly signaled him to sit down and said apologetically, "I'm sorry, I'm late. There was a traffic jam, you know."

The American didn't cooperate with me and looked at his watch seriously, replying, "You're too late. Don't do this next time."

I smiled and said, "I promise."

Wang Rui, who arrived later, began to show off her English as soon as she arrived, saying a long string of words, and shaking hands with them one by one. Her behavior at this moment seemed to have changed, and although I couldn't understand her, her demeanor and words were very appropriate and worthy of her boasting earlier.

I quickly pulled her and whispered, "The man understands Chinese, I don't understand, please take care of me."

Wang Rui deliberately looked at me and said, "Oh."

Then she said in Chinese, "I ordered the dishes at noon, are you used to Chinese food?"

"I like Chinese food very much."

"What about your wife?" Wang Rui continued to ask.

"It's okay too, we had Chinese food for lunch."

Listening to their polite words, I felt my head start to ache. I slowly sat down next to Pei Shi Yu and leaned close to her ear, saying, "Leave the socializing to Wang Rui, she said you're no match for her."

I used reverse psychology, thinking that Pei Shi Yu would be angry, but she laughed. While Wang Rui was chatting with the foreigners, she replied, "I can see that, I didn't invite the wrong person."

"How's the cooperation going?"

"Yes, it's going well, we've already signed the contract."

"Are they going back tomorrow?" I continued to ask softly.

"They're going to Shanghai tomorrow."

"Are you sending them off?"

"Or do you want to send them off?"

"Is that appropriate?" I asked back.

"It's not appropriate, the American isn't leaving, his wife is going back home."

"Indeed." I smiled awkwardly and admitted.

Today, Wang Rui behaved generously and appropriately. She deliberately sat next to the American lady, and even during the meal, she kept taking care of her, and they were constantly talking to each other. Shen Yi sat directly opposite Wang Rui, and also occasionally stared at Wang Rui with admiring eyes.

The atmosphere throughout the meal today was very good. Wang Rui was like a natural socializer, chatting happily with everyone, including the taciturn Shen Yi. Of course, except for Pei Shi Yu, it seemed intentional, there was no direct conversation.

Taking advantage of the atmosphere, I looked at the American and asked, "Have you considered my last suggestion?"

"I have plans, but cooperation has to be done one step at a time. I'm not going back home yet, we'll have a good talk in a few days."

I immediately smiled and helped him pour a small glass of red wine, saying, "For your sincerity, let's make a toast."

"Okay, I like your personality."

It was rare for someone to praise me. At today's banquet, Wang Rui and I seemed to have become the main characters, and even Pei Shi Yu didn't talk much. Moreover, Wang Rui was already chatting with Shen Yi, discussing their respective companies, and they were having a very speculative conversation. I deliberately paid attention for a while and felt that the two personalities were quite complementary. Shen Yi was a bit dull, but under Wang Rui's lead, he was now also talking eloquently in the conversation.

I heard Shen Yi say to Wang Rui, "We can also cooperate if we have the opportunity."

"Looking forward to it." Wang Rui replied without hesitation.

Just like I said beforehand, maybe Wang Rui would also gain something. Now it seems that it has come true. Although there is no specific intention of cooperation yet, they chatted very speculatively, and I saw that they exchanged phone numbers with each other. I poked Pei Shi Yu's arm and said softly, "Do you mind if they cooperate?"

"It's good, mutual profit makes everyone a winner."

"Yeah, the company needs to develop in many ways." I said perfunctorily.

Perhaps because Pei Shi Yu's cooperation had already been signed, her words were particularly pleasing to the ear. In this way, everyone felt very comfortable, including the American and his wife, and at the same time, it pushed today's banquet to a climax.