Morning Longing for Warmth – Chapter 64

Business Trip

Shiyi, I love you too.

Shiyi woke up at the first light of dawn. After waking, she held Wei Hui’s unclothed body, nuzzling her forehead against her chest, contentedly listening to her heartbeat. Last night’s excitement still lingered in her mind, making her smile involuntarily at the memory.

            

Wei Hui was too wonderful, even more wonderful than she had imagined.

Thinking this, Shiyi licked the red point before her with her tongue tip, only rising after it became moist. Wei Hui was already awake: “Is it time?”

“Did I wake you?” Shiyi sat on the bed’s edge wearing her small blouse, buttoning it up. Wei Hui half sat up, embracing her from behind, lips pressed against her earlobe: “No, I couldn’t sleep anymore.”

            

“Has Pei Tian arrived?”

Shiyi’s body trembled slightly as she turned to kiss the corner of Wei Hui’s lips, saying softly: “Almost. It’s past seven, and we need to go to the airport.”

Wei Hui nodded, smiling: “Come back soon.”

            

Shiyi stood up, holding her suitcase. Unknown emotions suddenly welled up in her heart, and she abruptly turned back, embracing Wei Hui tightly, her voice lowered: “Wait for me to return.”

Wei Hui patted her head: “I know.”

“I won’t go anywhere, I’ll wait for your return.”

            

Only after hearing her promise did Shiyi slightly release her. Wei Hui lay on the hospital bed, her complexion slightly pale, her short elegant hair having grown somewhat longer recently, scattered across her shoulders. Her black hair made her skin appear even more fair and translucent. Her beautiful and dignified features, especially her phoenix eyes were filled with tenderness. Her lips held a smile, as if waiting for her lover’s return. Shiyi realized that the longer she spent with Wei Hui, the more she understood this person – cold exterior but soft-hearted, not forceful at all. Why had she ever been afraid of her?

Shiyi stared at Wei Hui and chuckled, while Wei Hui’s fingers touched her own face: “What is it?”

Her voice was clear and crisp. Shiyi parted her lips: “Nothing, just thinking how foolish I was before.”

            

Wei Hui was puzzled: “Hmm?”

Shiyi hugged her: “I should have clung to you from our first meeting, held you, asked to be with you. That’s what I should have done.”

Wei Hui laughed at her jest, and after a moment said: “If you had done that at our first meeting, I would have definitely thrown you out.”

            

They looked at each other for several seconds, breaking into simultaneous laughter. The room’s atmosphere was tranquil, until Shiyi’s phone suddenly rang. She said to Wei Hui: “I’m leaving now.”

Wei Hui gazed deeply at her retreating figure, her eyes profound, as if wanting to carve this silhouette into the depths of her heart and mind. Just as Shiyi opened the door, she called out: “Shiyi.”

Shiyi turned around as scattered sunlight leaped through the window, illuminating Wei Hui. She saw Wei Hui’s weak smile, her pink lips parting lightly: “I love you too.”

            

Shiyi’s throat tightened, and she didn’t speak again, merely nodding before turning to leave.

As the room door closed again, Shiyi leaned her back against the doorframe, heat suddenly welling up in her eyes, making them turn red, her nose stinging. She forcefully swallowed the ‘fishbone’ [魚刺 | yú cì | metaphor for something stuck in one’s throat, usually emotion] in her throat and strode away from the Wei residence.

Pei Tian stood waiting outside. Seeing her emerge, he took the initiative to place her luggage in the car, asking: “Won’t Third Miss see you off?”

            

Shiyi shook her head: “She needs more rest.”

Pei Tian glanced toward the second floor, nodding: “Then let’s depart.”

Shiyi followed his gaze to the second floor, where someone stood at the window. Seeing her look up, that person waved, and Shiyi waved back.

            

The black sedan quickly drove away.

Huaicheng was unlike Jiangcheng’s every inch of gold [寸土寸金 | cùn tǔ cùn jīn | idiom meaning extremely valuable land]. This was a third or fourth-tier city, remote in location with slow development, commonly known as a place where chickens don’t lay eggs and birds don’t defecate [雞不生蛋鳥不拉屎 | jī bù shēng dàn niǎo bù lā shǐ | idiom for an extremely desolate place]. So while everyone knew there was a plot of land up for auction, few actually came to bid, and those who did were familiar faces.

Luo Zhouping was among the first batch to arrive. He first surveyed the surrounding environment, and combining the information from Assistant Qiao, became increasingly certain that this place would indeed be developed. While Huaicheng’s development hadn’t been smooth in recent years, next year there would be a high-speed rail line directly reaching here, with the station platform near the land up for auction. Hence the plans for establishing a commercial street. The intelligence Assistant Qiao gave him was confidential, obtained at great expense, so it couldn’t be false. Therefore, after examining the terrain, he was very satisfied.

            

His satisfaction stemmed from the remote location, meaning few would participate in the auction. He could acquire it at a low price, and when the land’s purpose would be revealed at year’s end, he could easily sell it off.

He wasn’t foolish. Although the branch company was thriving, the Shen family had helped considerably, especially regarding funding. Shen Corporation held the majority shares. If he could just acquire this land and sell it, having capital in hand, he could kick Shen Corporation out of the branch company.

No one likes being controlled by others, and Luo Zhouping was no exception. He disliked following others’ orders – this branch company was his, so he should have the final say!

            

He had thoroughly examined everything for several days. By the time Shiyi arrived in Huaicheng, he had already been drinking and dining with Huaicheng’s leadership. After arriving, Shiyi didn’t immediately inspect the terrain – Wei Hui had come earlier and briefed her about the general situation. She wouldn’t waste time on this, so to Pei Tian’s confusion, she just stayed in the hotel, occasionally meeting with Du Yuehan.

Du Yuehan had also arrived, coming shortly before or after Shiyi. Jiangcheng had dispatched the Du family, Wei family, and Luo Zhouping this time. Originally, people hadn’t thought much about this plot of land, but upon seeing these three, discussions began to stir.

【Is this Huaicheng plot useful?】

            

【Any news from above?】

【Is it actually worth anything?!】

【Worth my ass, it’s just rich people’s games to drive up property prices. You want to fight for it? You’ll lose everything if you can’t resell it!】

            

【That’s true.】

【But I heard the Wei family sent someone too, they never make losing deals.】

【All merchants are equally black-hearted!】

            

Rumors began flying around on Shiyi’s third day in Huaicheng, while she continued eating and drinking in the hotel without showing any reaction. Luo Zhouping did come once, but was turned away by Pei Tian, who said Shiyi was resting and not receiving visitors.

Luo Zhouping couldn’t figure out Shiyi’s intentions. Logically, they shouldn’t know this land’s purpose, and even if they did, they should be contacting Huaicheng’s various officials now, not just sleeping in after arrival. Could it be as rumored, merely to drive up the price?

It seemed unlikely, especially since Du Yuehan had also come. Du Yuehan had grown quite close to Wei Hui in recent years. If he could get information about this land, there was no reason Wei Hui wouldn’t know, and therefore Shiyi must know too.

            

But why?

Luo Zhouping couldn’t solve this puzzle no matter how hard he thought. He wanted to sound her out in advance, but couldn’t even get a meeting. Besides meeting various officials, he spent time deep in thought in his room, finally concluding that regardless of everything, this land must be his! Even if Shiyi tried to block him, he had ways to make her back off!

Luo Zhouping was quite confident in his trump card. In the evening, he called his confidant: “Bring the documents to me personally tonight.”

            

Heavy rain fell in Huaicheng. His confidant walked in the middle of the road, holding an umbrella, nodding: “I’ll bring them to you right now.”

The night is long and dreams are many [夜長夢多 | yè cháng mèng duō | idiom meaning many things can happen overnight], Luo Zhouping thought for a few seconds before agreeing: “Very well, come over.”

Half an hour later, there was a knock at the door. Luo Zhouping stood at the entrance as his confidant handed him a thick stack of documents. A hint of a smile finally appeared on Luo Zhouping’s gloomy face of many days. After receiving them, he heard his confidant say: “I just saw President Wei downstairs when I came.”

            

“President Wei?” Luo Zhouping frowned: “Which President Wei?”

His confidant leaned close to his ear and whispered: “Wei Nuan.”

Finally willing to come out.

            

Luo Zhouping smiled darkly, nodding: “You go back first, I’ll go meet her.”

After speaking, he returned to his room, locked the documents in the safe, then closed the door and headed downstairs.

Shiyi was drinking tea. Though Huaicheng was small, it had a long history, emphasizing the tea ceremony and health cultivation. She was thinking about bringing Wei Hui here next time to sample the tea when she suddenly heard a voice beside her: “President Wei?”

            

Shiyi turned her head, smiling: “President Luo.”

Luo Zhouping stood behind her, lifting his chin: “Do you have an appointment?”

Shiyi swirled her cup: “No, please sit, President Luo.”

            

“Assistant Pei, pour the tea.”

Pei Tian poured a cup of tea for Luo Zhouping, remaining standing behind Shiyi like a dutiful bodyguard. Luo Zhouping’s gaze swept over him. Once, Pei Tian had been his first target for recruitment, but this man couldn’t be swayed by either soft or hard approaches. No matter how he tried to curry favor, Pei Tian remained unmoved, so he had given up and tried other approaches.

Shiyi took a sip of tea: “The rain is really heavy.”

            

Luo Zhouping followed her gaze outside, nodding: “Indeed it is.”

Shiyi stared through the glass: “Wonder if it will clear up after the rain.”

Luo Zhouping said: “Of course it will clear up, it can’t rain forever.”

            

Shiyi smiled: “President Luo is right.”

She stood up after speaking: “I have some personal matters to attend to, I won’t keep you company any longer, please take your time.”

Luo Zhouping frowned – he hadn’t even started his questioning, but Shiyi was already preparing to leave. He immediately called out: “President Wei.”

            

Shiyi turned her head, saying to Pei Tian: “Assistant Pei, go settle the bill. This cup of tea for President Luo is my treat.”

Luo Zhouping nodded slightly, raising his cup: “Then I thank President Wei in advance.”

Shiyi caught his implied meaning, her fine eyebrows knitting together. After entering the elevator, she called Wei Hui.

            

Hearing several coughs from the other end, Shiyi’s heart ached: “Caught a cold again?”

Wei Hui lay on the hospital bed, gesturing to Su Ziyan to stay quiet. She said: “No, just choked on some wind. How are things on your end?”

Shiyi said: “Just met with Luo Zhouping. He seems determined to succeed.”

            

Wei Hui smiled weakly: “He’s probably met with all Huaicheng’s officials and secured relationships. It doesn’t matter – in an auction, there’s little room for manipulation. The highest bidder wins.”

Hearing her speak so much, Shiyi’s suspended heart returned to its place: “I know. Don’t worry about things here, just take care of your health.”

Wei Hui made a soft sound of agreement and hung up. As soon as she did, she turned to the trash bin and vomited violently, as if expelling her gallbladder, her face deathly pale, body trembling uncontrollably. Su Ziyan patted her shoulder, immediately setting up an IV drip, saying anxiously: “I told you to stop concerning yourself with company matters! Why won’t you listen!”

            

Wei Hui’s vision blurred, ears ringing. She could barely hear what Su Ziyan was saying, only vaguely making out a few words. She took the towel he handed her, wiped her lips, turned to lie on the bed, and slowly exhaled.

Su Ziyan said to her: “The examination results are in—you—”

Wei Hui interrupted him: “Has Dr. Bai responded?”

            

Su Ziyan shook his head: “Dr. Bai is doing research. His assistant said not to disturb him.”

Wei Hui closed her eyes briefly: “What are the examination results?”

Su Ziyan gripped the medical record, lowering his eyes: “Surgery must be performed no later than the day after tomorrow.”

            

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