The city they were traveling to for business was just next door, a forty-minute high-speed train ride away. Lin Xi and Duan Yiheng were both lightly dressed. As they exited the station, a young man in his early thirties greeted them. "Mr. Duan?"
Duan Yiheng nodded. "Nice to meet you." "Nice to meet you." The man extended his hand to Duan Yiheng. "I'm a client manager from Hongsheng Bank. You can call me Xiao Zhao." "Manager Zhao," Duan Yiheng introduced him. "This is my secretary, Lin Xi."
Lin Xi and Manager Zhao exchanged greetings. "Come on, this way, the car is waiting." Lin Xi followed Duan Yiheng to a parked van. Manager Zhao suggested the driver go to the hotel first, but Duan Yiheng refused outright: "Let's go to your bank first; business is more important."
Manager Zhao was delighted and offered a few flattering words. The bank's senior management was already waiting in the conference room. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the two sides got down to business. Duan Yiheng's presentation was clear and his data detailed; the initial meeting seemed to be going smoothly.
Back at the hotel, Duan Yiheng took Lin Xi to a restaurant. He had declined her invitation to dinner earlier, citing fatigue. Lin Xi, perceptive of the situation, asked as soon as she sat down, "Have you changed your mind about this collaboration?" "Why do you say that?"
Duan Yiheng smiled, his eyes filled with undisguised admiration. Lin Xi chuckled, "You didn't even have dinner with them, I knew it wouldn't lead anywhere." Duan Yiheng: "You were in the whole meeting, tell me your thoughts." "They're too eager."
Lin Xi thought for a moment, then said, "They've only had initial contact and negotiations, yet they've already laid out all their cards. It doesn't seem very professional." Duan Yiheng nodded: "Continue." Lin Xi:
"Cross-border payments involve a large flow of funds, and the risks are not to be underestimated. They have a low risk tolerance for this project. On the one hand, they want to use our technology, but on the other hand, they impose many restrictions on the project and are unwilling to take any risks."
Duan Yiheng decisively said, "Prepare to end the trip early and inform them that Yinfan and Hongsheng have differences in philosophy and cannot proceed with cooperation for the time being." "Okay." Lin Xi planned to inform them during the afternoon work hours, "Then when do we return?"
Duan Yiheng was about to speak when his phone rang. It was his grandfather calling. From Lin Xi's perspective, Duan Yiheng seemed listless. After the call ended, Lin Xi asked him, "What did Grandpa say?" Duan Yiheng looked at her for a while and said,
"The trip doesn't need to end early; we'll still return on Sunday afternoon." Lin Xi was curious for a moment: "Why?" Duan Yiheng cleared his throat and casually made up an excuse: "To reassess the market and find new partners."
The old man was preoccupied with his marriage, urging him to finish his work as soon as possible so he could meet the Tan family. He couldn't be bothered to meet them; he'd avoid them for a couple of days if possible. After dinner, the two went upstairs to rest together.
When Lin Xi got off the elevator on the 22nd floor, Duan Yiheng hesitated for a moment, then followed her down. "Didn't you say the 32nd floor? You came down to the wrong floor." Lin Xi turned around, speechless. "Why did you come out? Your room is 3201, mine is 2208."
Duan Yiheng frowned. "Come upstairs with me." "Are you crazy?" Lin Xi couldn't help but curse. "I'm your secretary. We're here on a business trip. Are we going to share a room?" The corridor was empty at the moment. Duan Yiheng chuckled.
"It's not exactly a simple superior-subordinate relationship, after all, we kissed." Lin Xi: "...Shut up. Hurry up and go upstairs. I need to rest." Duan Yiheng grabbed her. "I'm not kidding. I'm worried about you downstairs." "What's there to worry about?"
Lin Xi broke free from his grip. Duan Yiheng: "News stories about women staying in hotels alone happen every year. I'm staying in a suite with two bedrooms, a living room, and a meeting room. It's convenient for us to communicate and for work; this is an order.
It's no different from sleeping at home, just a bit smaller." Lin Xi hesitated: "What about my room?" Duan Yiheng: "It doesn't matter whether you cancel or not, it's up to you." "Let's go upstairs first; I still need to inform the bank about your stance," Lin Xi said. The two went up to the 32nd floor, swiped their cards to enter the room, and Lin Xi looked around. She had booked the room, so she naturally knew the layout. Two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a small kitchen, and a dining area.
Lin Xi chose the smaller bedroom and took out her notebook to start writing a script for refusing cooperation. It wasn't enough for her to simply say she wouldn't cooperate; the other party would readily agree. She needed to consider all aspects to respond to their questions.
At 2 PM, she called Duan Yiheng, then took her notebook to a small meeting room. After showing it to Duan Yiheng, Lin Xi finally made the call. Everything proceeded smoothly. Duan Yiheng, chin in hand, watched Lin Xi work.
Currently, she only lacked experience; her abilities were still considerable. Given time, if she were involved in projects, she could be groomed for a promotion. The old man's health was deteriorating; he would eventually have to return to the group to take charge, and Yinfan Technology would then welcome a new president.
Three years—just three years—he could easily promote Lin Xi. But if the old man didn't survive three years, and Lin Xi wasn't yet capable of handling things independently, who would he entrust Yinfan Technology to? This was his life's work; he didn't trust anyone else.
Half an hour later, Lin Xi finished her work. Her eyes crinkled as she smiled at Duan Yiheng. Duan Yiheng smiled back: "Want me to praise you?" Lin Xi felt embarrassed at having her thoughts exposed, but stubbornly replied:
"I'm not a kindergarten child; what praise do I need?" Duan Yiheng chuckled: "You did a great job." Lin Xi's lips curved into a smile. "Want a little red flower?" Duan Yiheng leaned back in his chair, enjoying the moment.
Lin Xi snorted, "No need. Didn't you say you were looking for new cooperation channels? I'll sort through the information on various banks and financial institutions." Duan Yiheng shook his head:
"No rush. Not every project will succeed. This initial trip is just a trial run. I considered this possibility before coming here." Lin Xi: "So you're not going to do anything?" Duan Yiheng's eyes sharpened: "I have something for you to do."
Lin Xi leaned towards him: "What is it?" Duan Yiheng glanced at his watch and said, "Change your clothes. You're not doing anything at the hotel. Go out for a walk, grab a drink, and we can talk slowly."
He didn't want to put too much pressure on Lin Xi; he wanted to find a relaxed place to talk and test her attitude. Lin Xi's curiosity was piqued: "Is it about the company?" Duan Yiheng nodded: "Of course."
They were discussing business, but the itinerary was private, so Lin Xi wasn't dressed too formally. A sweater, jeans, and sneakers—she looked every bit the naive college student. The trip was short, and Duan Yiheng only brought Lin Xi along.
Now that the collaboration was over and there was no driver, the two of them had to take taxis. It was naturally cold outside the hotel, so Duan Yiheng put on his coat and reminded Lin Xi to bring a jacket.