Returning - Chapter 101
Chapter 101: Marriage Alliance
Three days later, Zhao Yu finally saw Ji Sui.
In the internet age, all kinds of news spread rapidly, and handling public opinion crises is naturally best done as quickly as possible. On the very day the negative news broke, each company had issued responses in quick succession.
Some openly admitted their mistakes and promptly offered solutions to compensate customer losses, while others stubbornly denied everything and found various excuses to dodge and weave. Huacan and Lanxi, without exception, chose the former.
Being exposed for quality issues by the Administration for Industry and Commerce was practically a death sentence. Being obstinate about it solved nothing at all.
Therefore, Huacan placed the emphasis of its statement on "non-standard product labeling" and "discrepancies between the precision of testing instruments and ordinary instruments." It managed to sound sincerely apologetic while also plaintively insisting it had been treated unfairly. In Xia Nan's words, Huacan was playing the sainted victim to perfection.
Lanxi's PR approach was similar to Huacan's—suppressing the negative news while holding a press conference to apologize and clarify, then diverting focus with new products and various promotional activities. However, in the process, Lanxi also proactively released another piece of news: it was about to resume its partnership with Yiyuan Group and would soon sign a contract with the already industry-prominent TNC Studio.
Hearing this news, Xue Zhan was slightly surprised, but Zhao Yu was even more shocked.
The outside world only knew that the cooperation between Lanxi and Yiyuan had been severed four years ago. Although some rumors suggested it was due to personal enmity between the Zhuang and Ling families, this theory was generally dismissed. After all, letting personal grudges affect the cooperation of entire corporations was something only a fool would do.
Yet Zhao Yu knew very well that this widely disbelieved theory was, in fact, the truth. Moreover, that grudge between the Zhuang and Ling families back then had started because of her.
She just could not understand. When Zhuang Ye and Ling Jianwei had their falling out back then, they had nearly killed each other, causing a huge uproar between the two families and directly impacting their companies' cooperation. With such deep-seated hatred, why was it suddenly resolved just like that?
Even if it was normal for two families to set aside past grudges for the greater good, TNC Studio belonged to Ling Jianwei—he should have the right to decide. How could he agree to cooperate with Lanxi?
This question was answered for Zhao Yu when she met Ji Sui. The Zhuang and Ling families were forming a marriage alliance.
To be precise, Zhuang Ye was going to marry Ling Jianwei's cousin, Ling Jianhuan.
"Are the two of them dating? I seem to remember you mentioning that your brother suffered some emotional trauma and was undergoing psychological treatment, that he never had a girlfriend?"
Seeing Zhao Yu's innocent and bewildered expression as she asked this, Ji Sui smiled and patted her head. "People like them make decisions based on the company's interests first. In relationships like this, feelings don't matter."
"Ling Jianhuan, like my sister, is a career-driven strong woman. She's not marrying Zhuang Ye; she's marrying into the Zhuang family. As for Zhuang Ye, he's currently in a state of indifference about whoever he marries. His sister proposed this, and his sister has always treated him very well, so he won't refuse."
When it came to business matters, Ji Sui always maintained propriety, never mentioning confidential things he shouldn't to Zhao Yu. But regarding the Zhuang family's private affairs, he never held back from Zhao Yu, considering her one of his own.
So he continued explaining: "The Zhuang family situation is quite complicated. You've probably heard some of it—Chairman Zhuang has several illegitimate children. Their existence has already threatened the interests of my sister and Zhuang Ye, so..."
At this point, he looked rather helpless. "It's just like in TV dramas. Power struggles in wealthy families, fighting for influence and inheritance. This negative news about the spot check was mainly caused by oversight in my sister's management. There have been dissenting voices not only within the company but also at home, where things have already blown up."
So, Zhuang Yiqing, beset from both front and rear, not only sought a marriage alliance to secure a powerful backer for herself, but now also needed her own brother's marriage alliance to help her consolidate her position?
Zhao Yu snorted inwardly with derision and looked at Ji Sui teasingly. "So by that logic, you might need to form a marriage alliance one day, hmm? Marrying some well-matched young lady from a good family..."
"Aren't you my perfect match right here?" Ji Sui laughed and pulled her into his arms. "Don't worry, that won't happen. I make my own decisions. Besides, I don't bear the Zhuang surname, so even if others sought an alliance, they wouldn't come looking for me."
"That's not necessarily true." Zhao Yu smiled charmingly, relentless. "You are a shareholder of Lanxi, holding so many shares. You have immense value for a marriage alliance..."
The rest of her words disappeared into a suddenly descending deep kiss.
Ji Sui cupped her face in both hands, his lips pressed tight against hers. His nimble tongue had already slipped into her mouth, entwining with her tongue in a wild dance, sucking and licking and swirling through every corner of her oral cavity.
Only when he had kissed her until she was panting breathlessly, her chest heaving, did he reluctantly release her. "I won't. I only want you."
That sexy voice, that heated gaze, that raw sexual charge pouring off him... A few seconds under that close, intent stare were enough to make Zhao Yu's heart race and her face grow warm. She looped her arms around his neck and proactively offered her lips.
Having not seen each other for so long, with a body newly initiated into the pleasures of the flesh, how could Ji Sui withstand such torment? Just kissing and embracing her for a short while left him burning with heat all over, his groin rigidly, abnormally stiff.
He scooped her up in one motion and laid her on the large bed in the bedroom. His fiery body quickly pressed against her, and in a few moves, he had stripped Zhao Yu completely bare. His damp, warm lips and tongue traced kisses over every inch of her skin, teasing her until her whole body turned soft and yielding, spring waters overflowing.
Clearly the one most unable to resist temptation and most prone to physiological reaction, yet his patience was also the best. Every time, he gently ensured the foreplay was thorough, waiting until she was completely ready before slowly sliding himself inside.
No matter how experienced Zhao Yu was, she was no match for a man with stamina that felt downright unfair. After several rounds of passion, she was already so exhausted she didn't want to move.
Ji Sui carried her to the bathroom, washed her first, then returned to wash himself. Zhao Yu lay listlessly on the bed, seriously analyzing the current situation of the Zhuang family.
A buzzing vibration sounded from beside the pillow. She turned her head for a glance. It was Ji Sui's phone, but the caller ID displayed Zhuang Ye's name.
Calling Ji Sui at this hour? Could it be to discuss the marriage alliance?
Zhao Yu smiled, yet, as if driven by some inexplicable impulse, she reached for the phone and swiped to answer.
She didn't make a sound, and neither did the person on the other end. But she could clearly hear noisy music, along with occasional screams and clamor. It seemed to be a place like a bar.
"Brother..." After a long while, Zhuang Ye's voice came through, low, hoarse, and somewhat slurred. "Brother, but I still can't forget her. What should I do?"
Comments
Post a Comment