I Am the Only Fertile Woman in the Game-Chapter 209: The Little Potential Stock
After several more sharing sessions, Qiao Suisui listened carefully, participated when appropriate, and even took some notes. After the sharing ended, there was a casual cocktail party. The CEO who had a good impression of Qiao Suisui found her and invited her on the spot to join his project team, and on hearing that she was only a freshman, his eyes showed surprise.
He laughed heartily and said, "The younger generation surpasses the older one indeed. The youth nowadays are remarkable. At such a young age, you already have a global vision. You have potential."
Guan Weizhi was talking to a few people who had come up to network, holding a wine glass, his gaze seemingly casual, but in reality, he was always paying attention to any movement nearby Qiao Suisui. Seeing the investment manager from Zhonghe coming over to toast to him, he said, "Perfect timing, let me introduce you to someone."
So Guan Weizhi took Larry towards Qiao Suisui, and seeing her engrossed in conversation with the CEO, he deliberately said in a familiar tone, "I thought you’d be shy, but it seems I worried for nothing. You’re really in your element."
On seeing Guan Weizhi, the CEO was startled for a moment, then he extended his hand to greet him. After exchanging greetings, the CEO’s eyes shifted back and forth between Qiao Suisui and Guan Weizhi, then he ventured, "Do you two know each other?"
Guan Weizhi said, "This is my student." He then pointed to Qiao Suisui and said to the smartly dressed Larry, "This is the person I wanted you to meet, a dark horse. Make sure you seize the opportunity."
"Teacher Guan is joking. I’m just a freshman," Qiao Suisui humbly smiled.
Larry sighed with relief internally.
Thank goodness, she’s not an illegitimate child; otherwise, if that got out, the group’s stock price would plummet.
His facade remained that of a business elite as he shook hands with Qiao Suisui, "I was very impressed with your answers earlier. Would you be interested in joining the dark horse project?"
As expected, Larry extended an olive branch to Qiao Suisui, promising that her tuition until graduation would be funded by Zhonghe, but the first year’s income from her post-graduation job would be returned at 10%. If the total surpassed the cost of tuition, there wouldn’t be another payback, but if it was insufficient, they would continue to collect until it equaled the investment.
Of course, Qiao Suisui had no reason to refuse such a reasonable win-win proposition.
She hadn’t expected that by just attending an event today, she would resolve the tuition fees for her next three years of study. This immediately lifted a huge financial burden from her shoulders!
Qiao Suisui did not dwell on whether Larry invested in her because of her talent or to curry favor with Guan Weizhi. To truly flourish, one must rely primarily on overt strategies and use covert tactics as a supplement. Being able to leverage the resources at hand to turn what isn’t yours into yours is a true skill. While her peers, and even some recent college graduates, were still hung up on what’s right or wrong, shouting black is black and white is white, Qiao Suisui had already discarded such a binary worldview.
At that moment, she felt that she was indeed no longer a child. Yet in a corner of her heart, she still harbored some unrealistic fantasies. For instance, she was as excited as she wished Ruka and the others could be there by her side to share in her joy.
After the event, before getting out of the car, Qiao Suisui took out a beautiful box from her backpack and handed it to Guan Weizhi.
"What, you only now thought to bribe me?"
Guan Weizhi opened it and found a pair of exquisite cufflinks inside.
"Happy birthday, Teacher Guan."
Guan Weizhi froze, looking up at Qiao Suisui, unsure if he had lost control over his expression in that moment.
"I saw your ID by chance once and noticed that today is your birthday. I thought these cufflinks would suit you, though they surely can’t compare with your taste."
Seeing Guan Weizhi looking down at the cufflinks in his hands, silent, she couldn’t quite tell if he liked them or not, so she chuckled awkwardly and got out of the car, bidding him goodbye.
When Qiao Suisui was walking around to the other side of the car, planning to head towards the entrance of the residential area, Guan Weizhi called out to her from inside the car.
She turned her head and approached the driver’s side window, asking, "Teacher Guan, is there something else?"
Guan Weizhi rolled down the entire window, leaned out from the car, and his strong hand gently touched the back of her head, pulling her into his embrace. freēwēbηovel.c૦m
In the night breeze caressed by the wind, a street singer’s voice could be heard nearby—
[Hey, let’s blossom.]
[All pretenses are a waste, your awkwardness and charm,]
Guan Weizhi, with emotions churning in his eyes, asked her in a trembling voice, masked by the song, a hint of expectation on his face, "Why give me a birthday gift? You know this crosses a line, don’t you?"
Qiao Suisui was taken aback, having never seen him so out of character, and said, "I just wanted to express my gratitude, Teacher Guan. You’ve helped me a lot, a lot... And I might not be able to give you what you want."
Guan Weizhi’s feelings were pierced for the first time, and he hadn’t expected it to happen in this manner. He understood Qiao Suisui’s subtle rejection and instantly his body stiffened.
At that moment, a street singer was forcefully strumming his guitar, belting out loudly—
"Something called love at first sight, careful now,"
"If I say it’s right, it’s right, all that fuss is unnecessary,"
"I don’t want your love, nor your hate, it’s all damn bothersome—"
"What I want is simple, just honesty, to properly enjoy the ordinary—"
Qiao Suisui gently broke free from Guan Weizhi’s grip and took a step back. She was about to say goodbye when, in the next instant, Guan Weizhi pulled her back.
The wind blew her long hair, and the man pinched her chin, kissing her without reservation.
He had wanted to kiss her on the lips directly, but in the moment of approach, he restrained himself and changed direction, kissing her cheek instead.
The kiss, light as a dragonfly’s touch, conveyed more care and cherishing than force and release. It was like a goodnight kiss given to a child before bed.
Guan Weizhi whispered in her ear, "Regardless, thank you for the birthday gift, my little prospect."
Having said that, he returned to the driver’s seat, didn’t look at her again, and drove away.
The street singer continued, eyes closed, pouring his heart into the song—
"What I want is for you to love me, not hate me, why all the trouble,"
"What I want is simple, just honest, to properly enjoy the ordinary,"
"What I want has to be right, because I’ve missed out, the wound occasionally still aches,"
"It will get better, it definitely will,"
...
"It’ll get better, everything will turn out okay."
Kai wrapped the soaked Carl in a towel, repeatedly saying to him, "If she were here and saw you like this, wouldn’t she be sad?"
"Carl, endure it, it will get better."
"Carl, control yourself, don’t make the same mistake over and over again!"
In the dim room with the curtains tightly shut, blocking out the world’s light, Carl cowered in a shadowy corner, his hands trembling, his gaze scattered. If it weren’t for Kai restraining him, uncontrollable impulses would have overwhelmed his will, wreaking havoc inside him.
It seemed as though every cell in Carl’s body was screaming, craving that deadly comfort. After Qiao Suisui had left, unable to bear the torment of missing her, he had secretly used hallucinogens, becoming addicted. His breathing was rapid, his skin covered in a cold sweat, and he was enveloped by escalating anxiety and despair. As he struggled, the towel slipped off, revealing his arm covered in bruises and needle marks.
He was always looking in one direction, his eyes lackluster.
"Kai... turn on the light... please, turn on the light..." Carl panted, looking towards the warm orange lamp, mumbling unconsciously, "You turn on the light for me, I have to wait for her to come back..."
Carl lay on the ground, laughing soundlessly, as a tear fell from the corner of his eye. Because under the influence of the hallucinogens, Qiao Suisui’s smiling eyes and voice once again appeared before him and echoed in his ears.
—Aren’t you afraid I won’t ever come home?
—Then I’ll just wait for you. If you don’t come back, I’ll keep the light on waiting for you.
