"A pity she is a gilded exterior with a hollow core."
At that thought, his interest waned, and he looked away.
Ren Jifeng was indeed struck by Rong Ci's beauty, but his impression of her was much the same as Qi Yuming's. Thus, he turned his face away in immediate distaste.
Yao Xinbo, however, found himself quite fond of Rong Ci's particular charm. He was reluctant to pull his gaze away until he saw Ren Jifeng's reaction. "What's with that look? Did she offend you again?"
Ji Qingyue also withdrew his gaze.
Ren Jifeng proceeded to recount everything that had happened at Changmo a few days prior.
"Well..." Yao Xinbo remarked, "it's hard to believe Miss Rong is that kind of person just by looking at her."
Ji Qingyue paused mid-sip of his wine. "Perhaps there is some past grievance between her and Miss Lin that we aren't aware of?"
Ren Jifeng was dismissive. "Even if there is a grievance, does that give her the right to use her position for a personal vendetta?"
Without knowing the full story, Ji Qingyue found it difficult to reach a conclusion, so he said nothing more.
The moment Rong Ci and Yu Moxun arrived in the banquet hall, they were surrounded by a crowd. People flocked to offer their compliments to Yu Moxun.
"You flatter me," Yu Moxun replied. "Changmo's success today is the result of the collective effort of every employee in the company." He paused and looked at Rong Ci. "In particular, Little Ci deserves the most credit."
Whether it was the previous CUAP project or the two more recent ones, the core technology rested with her. However, her identity still could not be made public. This time, the core personnel involved in the project had even signed non-disclosure agreements with the government.
Her identity was a secret, but Yu Moxun could still emphasize her importance to the world.
Public attention on Changmo had grown lately, and many were aware that Rong Ci was not just an employee but was also very close to Yu Moxun. He would even delegate authority to her to handle company affairs in his absence.
Hearing Yu Moxun speak this way, many instinctively assumed Rong Ci was quite capable. As for his claim that she was the one responsible for the company's current status, they didn't take it literally. After all, word was that Rong Ci had only joined Changmo two or three months ago.
They figured Yu Moxun was simply head over heels and didn't want anyone to look down on her. Rong Ci was certainly beautiful enough, and Yu Moxun was currently at the height of his success; it was only natural for him to be spellbound by her.
Though they thought this privately, their faces remained masks of polite smiles. "Miss Rong is truly a rare combination of talent and beauty," they complimented.
Standing some distance away, Lin Wu let out a mocking smile upon hearing this. She glanced at Feng Tingshen, only to see him look toward Rong Ci briefly before indifferently retracting his gaze.
Lin Wu looked away coldly as well, only to notice that He Changbai was staring intently in Rong Ci's direction.
No, he must be looking at Yu Moxun, she told herself. She knew He Changbai wanted to collaborate with Changmo.
As for Rong CiHe Changbai already disliked her. How could he possibly be staring at her? No matter how beautiful she was, he wouldn't be interested.
Noticing her look, He Changbai withdrew his gaze. "What is it?"
Lin Wu smiled. "It's nothing."
He Changbai didn't press the matter. Seeing the crowd around Yu Moxun and Rong Ci thin out, he said, "I'm going over to greet Yu Moxun. Tingshen, have you decided on the partnership with Changmo? If so, why don't we go over together?"
"I'm in no rush," Feng Tingshen replied. "You go ahead."
"Alright then," He Changbai said.
He Changbai walked over and came face-to-face with the pair. "CEO Yu, Miss Rong."
Upon seeing him, Yu Moxun's smile faded slightly. "Ah, CEO He."
Rong Ci also greeted him politely. "CEO He."
At that moment, Ren Jifeng also approached. Unlike He Changbai, he only acknowledged Yu Moxun. "CEO Yu."
Yu Moxun's smile grew even thinner. "CEO Ren is here as well? My apologies, I was too busy to notice earlier."
Ren Jifeng naturally sensed that Yu Moxun was even less welcoming than their last encounter. He wasn't surprised. He threw a cold glance at Rong Ci. He knew she must have been whispering in Yu Moxun's ear about what happened the other day.
Ignoring Yu Moxun's attitude, he said, "I visited Changmo a few days ago. I wonder if CEO Yu was informed?"
"I was. Little Ci told me," Yu Moxun replied. "I've reviewed your proposal, CEO Ren. While I think it's good, I personally find it... unappealing. So, I'm afraid the partnership"
Ren Jifeng hadn't expected Yu Moxun to be so blinded by Rong Ci that he would lose his professional judgment to this extent. He frowned. "I took CEO Yu for a man who kept his private and professional lives separate."
"I am," Yu Moxun laughed, now that things were out in the open. "But only when it suits the occasion."
The implication was clear: where Rong Ci was concerned, there was no such thing as being "strictly professional."
Ren Jifeng's father had instructed him to make the partnership with Changmo a priority for the next two years, noting that the prospects for these two projects were even better than the public realized. Despite the unpleasantness with Yu Moxun, Ren Jifeng had no intention of giving up.
"If CEO Yu finds a problem with this proposal, I will bring a new one to Changmo another day," he said. He glanced at He Changbai and added, "Since you are busy, I won't overstay my welcome. Until next time."
With that, he turned and left. Ren Jifeng hadn't mentioned Rong Ci's name once throughout the exchange.
He Changbai listened from the sidelines. From Ren Jifeng's refusal to even look Rong Ci in the eye, he guessed that Yu Moxun's reluctance to cooperate was tied to her.
He didn't ask questions. Pretending he hadn't heard a thing, he said, "I have also prepared a new proposal. I wonder if CEO Yu and Miss Rong would be free for dinner this Monday?"
Knowing how close He Changbai was with Lin Wu and Feng Tingshen, Yu Moxun had never been fond of him, regardless of how good his proposals were. However, seeing He Changbai set aside personal grudges and include Rong Ci in the invitation gave Yu Moxun a better impression of him.
Still, he kept his response strictly formal. "Monday? I'm not certain yet. I'll get in touch when I have a moment. Rest assured, CEO He."
He Changbai was patient. "With your word, I am content."
As he spoke, the host of the banquet took to the stage to deliver a speech. Shortly after, the host and his wife began to dance to the rising music and the applause of the guests. Many others began to join in.
The gala was filled with the beautiful daughters of the Capital City's elite. At that moment, a stunning socialite approached He Changbai. "Mr. He, may I invite you for a dance?"
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