Chapter 7 Chapter 6: Costs and Rewards in Love

Love has a cost. At this time, who can ignore the sacrifices and rewards?When you are young, even if your head is bleeding, even if you have suffered a crushing defeat, at worst, you will get back up after you fall, or start over from the beginning if you fail.And now, can it still be? The next week was still very busy, Qian Duoduo hurried to work every morning, and returned home in the evening wearing stars and moonlight. Mother Qian didn't have time to catch her daughter and ask her about the progress of her personal problems. Knowing my mother's habits and thoughts, and fearing that she would press her to ask questions urgently, half of Qian Duoduo's time this week was really busy, and the other half was definitely on purpose.Therefore, for several days and nights, he became the left-behind figure after the people from the marketing department left the building.

The marketing department is the source and core of all projects, and all departments must cooperate and integrate with it. The huge office area is busy with people coming and going every day.The more lively the place, the greater the contrast once it quiets down.When I was working alone, the bright overhead light shone on the empty desks, making me feel pale. All the computer screens that flickered during the day were completely dark at this time, and the things on each table seemed much more abrupt than usual, and every movement seemed to have an echo. It's not like I haven't had this kind of experience in the past, in fact, I'm used to it.If she didn't fight like this, she wouldn't be able to achieve this position.Sometimes it's too late, and she occasionally has a whim, feeling that the world has passed the biochemical crisis, and there are no living people outside, and she is still in a corner, busy with a job that is no longer useful, completely unaware of what she is. The only remaining fruit of all mankind.

Thinking about it, she couldn't help laughing. Sometimes when she went out and saw the security guard of the building, she still couldn't restrain her smile.She is enjoying herself like this, but in their rumors, she is the first brand of UVL who worked overtime to the point of insanity. It's a pity that such fun is gone now, no matter how late, there are people in the office who are fighting with her.Glancing at Marumi who was sitting obliquely on the side and buried in typing, Qian Duoduo secretly sighed. The "left and right hands" are there, and their immediate superiors are of course there.Mr. Director has a heavy workload recently, so the "left hand" and "right hand" take turns to accompany him to work overtime, which is very ostentatious.She has a lot of money and is miserable. She didn't keep a single assistant, and they all scattered like birds and beasts.

The computer issued a simple reminder to receive the mail, and Qian Duoduo returned to open the E-mail.The letter was addressed to the director, and it was probably a reply to the revision of the report she had just sent.Work, work, she was engrossed in reading the letter. The content of the letter is very simple, just a few words, few revisions, and a greeting at the end: "Dora, I just observed the street view outside the window, and everything is normal. Sorry, the biochemical crisis you were looking forward to still hasn't happened." Qian Duoduo raised his eyebrows as he followed the standard time telling at the beginning of the AD in a serious manner.

After getting along for a long time, he helped her a lot that day, and she was not an unreasonable person, so she gradually stopped being on guard against him in every possible way.And he was better, he was less and less like her immediate boss in private. But no matter how harmonious they are, there should be a limit. Qian Duoduo is now starting to regret that he has talked too much with him unknowingly in the past two days. Some people just play crazy from time to time just because they are young.She glanced at the director's office. The blinds of the big window were all open, and she could see Xu Fei's beautiful silhouette every time she turned her head.He was constantly busy behind the wide desk, and looked never tired. At this moment, he seemed to feel her gaze, looked over from a distance, and blinked at her.

How can someone be in such good spirits forever?I have worked for more than ten hours, and I still look refreshed when I smile. Besides, if I become a director and work so hard, will I still give others a way to survive? Jealous, Qian Duoduo hurriedly turned his head away from him. Marumi handed over the exquisite food box with a smile on the side, "Manager Qian, there is still sushi, do you want to eat some more?" Qian Duoduo opened his mouth to say don't call the manager, but he realized that it was completely useless, so he shut up automatically, then took it and nodded very politely, thank you, picked one up and stuffed it into his mouth.

Qian Duoduo gradually got used to being polite with them.It's good to have them here, at least the benefits of working overtime every day are good, and they eat well. After eating, she returned the food box to Marumi, she stood up and took it with both hands.At this time, the phone on the desk rang, and she said "excuse me" again before answering it. She spoke Japanese while answering the phone, hi-hi, and her voice was so gentle that Qian Duoduo didn't dare to type too loudly on the keyboard. After hanging up the phone, Marumi stood up and went to Xu Fei to talk, it seems that she asked to end work early.When he came out, he said goodbye to her again, and was polite again. When she disappeared, Qian Duoduo's smile froze.

Looking down at the watch, the time is almost up, and I plan to hurry up and modify those places before going home.As soon as she opened the file, a voice suddenly came from above her head, "I forgot to mention, this place needs to be changed." She knew who it was, maybe the director suddenly remembered that there was a place that was not ordered in the email.At this time, he personally walked to her, propped one hand on the corner of her table, and pointed at the screen with the other to speak. "Is it necessary? This part has never been listed in detail in the past." Qian Duoduo said truthfully.This is not the first time she has made such a report, she has always been familiar with it, but this time is different, Xu Fei's demands are unprecedented, and she is also eye-opening.

"This Asian meeting is very important. I also have a proposal on the large-scale introduction of new beverages to the market, which will be presented at another meeting after this summary. Dora, you must first catch everyone's attention." "A new type of drink? Do you really want to..." He has been working overtime frequently with him recently, and there are many things that he doesn't keep secret from her, and sometimes he doesn't even hide it.She also contacted him about the reasons and consequences of coming here, and she already had a vague guess about the content of this proposal.

It was just a guess. To be honest, she couldn't believe it. Coupled with the delicate situation, she kept her mouth shut in front of anyone during this time. She didn't expect him to bring it up first, it was so surprising, she blurted out her question. He was originally standing behind her, but now he looked down, "Why?" Confused?Why are such questions asked?Big regret!Qian Duoduo immediately fell silent. "By the way, there is still here." As if the conversation just now had never happened, he pointed at the screen again.Xu Fei was tall, and he bent down naturally when he was talking. He also worked all day, but his smell was still miraculously fresh.It is reminiscent of a green tree in the shade, soaked in the sun, and it seems to have a faint woody fragrance when it comes close to the nose.

He stood behind her, and the two of them were not close to each other. It was obviously a natural movement, but she was at a loss.She moved her body, trying to get a little distance away, but when she turned her head, she saw his side face close at hand, with neat short hair.The hair may have just been trimmed, and the roots of the ears are exposed, clean and fresh with a touch of white. "Dora?" Realizing that she wasn't listening, he stopped talking, frowned, and looked down at her again.The chin was brought closer to her forehead, and the warm breath passed by lightly. There was the sound of a card swiping at the gate, and then the sound of the automatic door moving away.Someone walked in and said "Hey" when they saw the two of them. "Kerry, Dora, are you still working overtime?" It was Ren Zhiqiang, the astonishment flashed across his face, and then he walked straight to his desk, "I forgot a document. It's almost eight o'clock, have you eaten yet?" Old world!Ren Zhiqiang said these two sentences perfectly, as if what he saw just now was the most normal scene in the world. The truth is, there is nothing abnormal about it. Qian Duoduo cursed in his heart for his abnormal reaction just now. After Ren Zhiqiang left, Xu Fei also returned to his office, and the two of them were busy for a while.After Qian Duoduo scolded himself in his heart, he settled down and concentrated on doing things. He didn't know where the energy came from, but instead he went all out and accelerated a lot. After checking it one last time and pressing the send button, she stood up and stretched her neck, then turned to look at the director's office. He had received the mail and looked up at her again. Deciding to call it a day, Qian Duoduo mouthed goodbye to him. While waiting for the elevator, footsteps came from behind her. Looking back, she saw that the director had also come out, standing beside her and waiting for the elevator together. "It's been hard work, are you hungry?" "I'm not hungry, I haven't digested the sushi before." It's good to work overtime with the director, she has enjoyed a lot of Japanese food in the past two days, "Besides, my mother will definitely force me to eat another meal when I go home. no." "How nice, someone is waiting for you to eat at home." "Yeah, the appetite is getting bigger and bigger. How about you?" "Me? I'm alone." She looked up at the lights on the elevator, and he lowered his head to answer the question.Right now is her shoulders, the ends of her hair are smooth, falling softly on the shoulder cuffs of the small black suit, glinting secretly. "Where are the rest of the family?" It was too late, only one elevator opened, and it was delayed on which floor, and it did not move for a long time. "My parents? It's been a long time. They are biologists. They should be in South America now. It is said that they have discovered some kind of exotic species that is endangered. They are very happy." "You don't even get in touch?" It was the first time I heard of such a family. "There is no phone call in the rain forest. It was great to see them once a year in the past." He laughed amusedly, "But it's much better now. After all, technology is advanced, and I can hear them say me at least once a month." "How long have you been alone?" This kind of family is so special, she couldn't help being curious. "I've been alone since junior high school, and I've gotten used to being in a boarding school since I was a child. There are many classmates, so I don't think it's too bad." Can you get used to this too?Thinking of the parents I see every day, it turns out that there are no two identical leaves in the world. The elevator door finally opened, she walked in, habitually stood to the right, and stretched out her finger to point to the second basement floor. His habit is the same, leaning over at the same time, rubbing against her shoulder.She suddenly smelled the inexplicable woody fragrance again, her nose was greedy, like an animal's instinct, she wanted to get closer and take a deep breath. Animals know the danger more instinctively.She took a step back and let her hair cover her ears that were suddenly hot. Neither of them spoke, it was too quiet.In order to conceal that weird feeling, Qian Duoduo forced himself to continue saying, "Don't you feel tired all the time by yourself?" He looked down at her, there was no wind in the elevator, and her long hair fell quietly on her shoulders.Qian Duoduo seldom puts on makeup. After working all day, his face is only a little tired, and he doesn’t have the troubles of makeup and makeup that many girls have. When he talks, his eyes are fixed on the elevator door. The curve of his forehead is beautiful, delicate and comfortable. , the small ears are buried in the hair, showing a little red. He wanted to help her get that strand of hair out of the way a little, but he couldn't help but move his fingers slightly, and then restrained himself. "Fortunately, I have a secret." "Secret?" If there is a secret to staying radiant at all times, she would really like to hear it. "I'm running." The elevator had reached the garage, and he winked at her after holding the door, with a cute expression on his face. running?What kind of secret is this?Qian Duoduo really wanted to refute, but suddenly remembered the scene in the subway when they met for the first time - he was dressed sportily, stretched his limbs, and chased her bag back in the eyes of everyone.She couldn't help asking for confirmation, "That day in the subway..." "Remember?" He stood in front of the car and replied, looking back with a smile, "I just finished running, and I went down when I saw the subway station. I didn't expect to meet you." That smile was bright, and the sun suddenly flashed across the underground garage, and his heart pounded again.When Qian Duoduo said goodbye, he pretended to be calm, but when he got into the car, he beat the armrest box with his hands. Lust, lust, lust!Masculinity misleads people!The family's national righteousness has been ruined, what can she do if she continues like this? The exit of the underground parking garage was narrow, and their cars drove out slowly one after the other.Qian Duoduo drove a small hatchback with a rounded and compact rear. When the intersection split lanes, the brake lights flashed twice lightly as a farewell. He sits in the car staring, feeling warm for a farewell to a flickering light. I didn't expect that I would talk about my parents with her, it was very natural. "Aren't you tired of being alone all the time?" That's a good question, but he's a man, not delicate enough to associate loneliness with being tired. When I was young, I went to boarding school, and I was busy all day after work. No matter how bad I was, I could find a group of friends to relieve my loneliness.For a while, his apartment was always like a messy party venue. Occasionally, when the music ended and the room was empty, he suddenly felt that a piece of his chest was missing, but the next morning he recovered and continued to be full of energy. He still remembers when his father took him to the jungle when he was very young, he saw a small animal drinking water alone by the stream, and its parents stood far away.Its parents stared at it from a distance for a long time, and then disappeared without a trace, allowing it to raise its head and stand there, whimpering softly, facing the beginning of independence. It was a law of nature, and he had understood it from childhood.So later, when he was endowed with unlimited trust and left alone in China since junior high school, he didn't care at all, and even felt that it was an affirmation of his ability, which gave birth to a little pride instead. Being used to being alone, he doesn't even miss the company of his parents very much.It's just that recently, I've gradually gotten used to the presence of another person in my life, used to look up and see her busy silhouette with her head down, used to work overtime together until the moon and stars rise together, and also, got used to such a simple and warm farewell. He was in a constant trance while driving, so he wasn't going very fast.It started to rain outside, the night rain in early spring, as fine as silk, the apartment is not far from the company, and the building is right in front of you after turning the corner.He didn't turn on the wiper, the road was quiet, there were no cars in front and behind, and a girl walked alone on the side of the road, without an umbrella, and her steps were very big.Feeling a little weird, he took a quick glance. The light was not good, and her hair was loose again, and the long ends of her hair dangled back and forth. After a glance, she felt familiar, so he took another look. It's strange, maybe because he always thinks about the relationship with one person, he actually thinks that the woman on the street looks like Qian Duoduo. He smiled helplessly.When he arrived at the gate of the community, he turned his head and turned his head. Suddenly there was a flash of blinding lights, and a car sped out from the community. The front of the car passed by his car dangerously. No matter how proficient his driving skills were, he couldn't help being surprised. Steering in a hurry, the sound of the brakes was sharp and harsh, and the front of the car slammed to the side of the road.Startled by the sound of brakes and the sudden accident, the girl backed away in panic. The roadside was slippery. She didn't maintain her balance and fell to the ground almost touching his body. Everything happened in an instant, the headlights of the car were bright and dazzling when they crossed, and the movement of her falling seemed to be in slow motion, her eyes were frightened and blank. The adrenaline was soaring with the brakes, and his heartbeat was at least 200. He didn't care about the car that caused the accident that had already driven to nowhere, so he jumped out of the car and went to help her. She had already worked hard to get up from the ground, and when she looked up at him, her face was as pale as death, without any blood at all. "Are you injured? I'll take you to the hospital if necessary." She refused his support, supported the car body to stand firm, and then turned her head to look in the direction where the car disappeared, without making a sound for a long time.Her fingers were trembling, and she seemed terrified. "Miss?" Looking closely, the girl's facial features are indeed somewhat similar to Qian Duoduo's, but her skin is oily, her forehead is plump, and she is at most in her early twenties. There is a huge age difference between the two. The security guards in the community have already run out, and they all recognize Xu Fei.The security guard first came to protect the owner, "Mr. Xu, the car just now belonged to a visitor, did you scratch your car? The camera has recorded it. If there is any problem, we..." "My car is fine." He raised his hand to stop them from talking, then turned to ask her, "Miss? Do you need to go to the hospital?" She finally turned around and gave them a positive look.Someone from the group of security guards spoke again, "Miss Ma? How did you come back today? Where's the car?" She didn't answer, but just nodded to Xu Fei, and twitched the corners of her mouth to show that it was all right, "You go, I was just shocked just now, and I wasn't hurt." "Wait a minute." Seeing that she was about to go in again, he stopped while making a phone call. He called the driver, asked a few words before hanging up, and then took out the insurance card that was attached to the driver's license holder. An aunt hurried over, probably because she had been notified by the security guard. When she called her, her voice was a little anxious, "Miss Ma, why did you come back? Mister called several times." As expected, she was a resident here. Before she left, Xu Fei gave her the insurance company's phone number, and copied the car's insurance number next to it, "Miss, if you have any questions, call them, the camera here has video evidence, insurance The company will send someone to deal with it." She had already walked to the aunt, and hurriedly said thank you when she turned around to take the card, and then urged the aunt in front of her to leave quickly. Not looking at them any more, Xu Fei then turned around, standing behind him was the security guard who had spoken just now, looking at the direction in which the girl disappeared with a strange expression on his face. "What's wrong?" He asked casually before getting into the car. "Mr. Xu, you are too kind, and it's not your responsibility. This woman just lived here a while ago, and was taken care of by others. The man who took care of her is quite old and rarely comes here. Who knows what's going on! This kind of woman deserves it if she is killed." He pursed his lips and spoke in a disdainful manner. Yeah?It turned out to be like this.Still so young, looks a bit like Qian Duoduo.It's a pity that it looks a bit like her. It's not a peaceful world, this kind of thing happens every day in the city.Not wanting to listen to the security guard's gossip, Xu Fei smiled and got into the car. When the elevator opened, there was no one there, the walls were crystal clear, and only he and himself in the mirror walked in.It was a busy day, and at the end of this accident, he felt a little tired, so he wiped his face with his hands. With such a high intensity every day, if men are so tired, wouldn't women be more exhausted?It's no wonder that many men and women are willing to lean on another human body, happy to sit back and enjoy it. Thinking of Qian Duoduo again, and thinking of her tiredness in the elevator just now.She had no makeup and was pretty, and asked him, isn't she tired by being alone?He frowned slightly when he spoke. After getting out of the elevator, he opened the door and entered the room. He took a shower and changed clothes, and then turned on the computer to revise the proposal.The mailbox notification popped up. It was an encrypted email from France. The content was not long, but it took him a long time to read it, and he didn't reply immediately after reading it. He stood up and reached for the phone. Standing in front of the window and looking at the Wanjia lights in the distance to dial the number, the answer on the other end was a bit slow, and the background was a very homely TV series, crying and laughing, lively and lively. He only said "Hello", and Qian Duoduo's voice suddenly became muffled, obviously hastily covered the phone and turned back to talk: "Mom, turn on the TV a little bit, I'll answer the phone." "What's the matter? Kerry." When she spoke again, she seemed to have moved to a quieter place, but she was still vague. "Are you eating?" She was eating an apple, and just took a big bite, but couldn't spit it out, sighed inwardly, covered the microphone and tried to swallow it before speaking: "Okay, you go ahead." Fantasizing that there was a squirrel struggling to swallow its mouth full of food, he saw his frown reflected in the window slightly relaxed. After asking a few questions, she listened intently, and then there was the sound of the computer starting up, "Okay, I'll tell you the data now." The time to wait for the computer to start up was very short, but the continuous silence felt a little weird. Qian Duoduo casually asked with the microphone between his hands while entering the password: "Have you eaten?" He forgot to eat, but Marumi's sushi was very hungry, and after reading the letter just now, he didn't even feel hungry at all. "Not yet, eat later." "I want to eat. Be careful if you have a stomach problem. It will be miserable like mine." She answered while looking for it, and then said "ah", "I found it." He went back to the desk to take notes of the data she reported, the pencil rubbed against the paper and made a sound of brushing, "Okay, thank you. I'm sorry it's so late." "Well, it should be. See you tomorrow." She answered quickly. "A lot." Knowing that her next move was to hang up the phone, he stopped it aloud. "Hmm?" Qian Duoduo was a little slow to respond when he heard him address himself that way for the first time. "The work is so intense, don't you feel tired?" The BOSS suddenly said that, according to the amount of money in the past, he would definitely be on guard suddenly, and his heart would run wild.But at this moment, the lighting in the room is soft, the armchair under him is comfortable and soft, and he still holds half an apple in his hand.The apple was gnawed into a mess, like a funny smiling face.It's so easy!The low voice on the other end added to the relaxed atmosphere. She was paralyzed by all this, and replied with a smile without any vigilance: "Didn't you say that you are in a prosperous age? The director said it the day before he entered the stage, and this is the best opportunity to prove yourself, right here." time and place." The mood was very complicated at first, but after listening to her words, I still laughed out loud. Such a vibrant woman who seems to be able to start by stomping her feet.how nice! After making this phone call, he opened the email again and read it again, and finally pointed down to reply, but just after typing the first word, he raised his head unconsciously and glanced again at the phone that was quietly put aside. After hanging up the phone, Qian Duoduo continued to bite the apple, and pressed the power off button with the other hand.Close the window and pop up, followed by the sound of the mailbox notification. Sighing, she clicked the cancel button, and then resignedly opened the mailbox to check for messages. The email was sent by Li Weili, the deputy general manager, and the content was very simple, asking her to come to his office for an interview tomorrow morning. Slowly sitting up straight, she stared at the line of simple English sentences in a daze. finally come!She put her hands on the keyboard, and she didn't type the simplest OK for a long time. Power change, high-level competition, this is a foreseeable storm, but I didn't expect it to come so soon. It was only a few months since Xu Fei came to the company, and the smell of fireworks had already reached her nostrils.so what?The marketing department is now on the cusp of the storm, and no matter what she does, she can't be alone. With a wry smile, she moved her fingers, and finally sent the reply. Thinking about what problems he would encounter the next day and how to answer them, Qian Duoduo opened his eyes and turned over and over for a long time that night. In the past, when she first entered the workplace, in the first year, she witnessed and experienced the struggle between the manager of her project team and another colleague at the same level for power, status and promotion opportunities, and this struggle has been extended to the team everyone.With distinct factions, where can we talk about communication and cooperation? She had naively thought that no matter what kind of faction disputes there would be room for the neutral faction, as long as she could make things at hand seamless and not get too close or alienated from other people, she could avoid conflicts, but the result was She was treated with indifference from all sides. When she finally broke her face to see the truth, her attitude was regarded as a different kind.The work assigned to her by the supervisor is repetitive and routine work. The more trivial it is, the easier it is to find faults and flaws. No matter how exhausted she is, there will be no good results. Fortunately, she got acquainted with her immediate boss during the exhausting process, and then a sudden order saved her from fire and water. On the first day of entering the marketing department of the head office, the first lesson given to her by the senior manager at that time—that is, the elite woman who persuaded her to weigh her bright future was: "Dora, your ability is fine, But there are tens of thousands of capable people in this world. It is more important to come out to do things and handle all aspects of the relationship well." The words are smooth and mellow, but in fact there is only one real meaning: if she wants to continue, she must be with the right person, the same everywhere. Good words are close to gold and jade, but reality is cruel.She couldn't agree with this point of view before, but at that time, she had to nod and be educated. These years of ups and downs, she feels that she has already practiced eighteen martial arts.Even if the sudden promotion failed this time, it was just that I was depressed and struggled for a while, and then I slowly swallowed it, and continued to work hard and do things as usual. But this time is different, it is related to the replacement of high-level officials, and every move at the moment may cause fire.The entire Asian region is in the delicate cold war period, with clear barriers at the top, which is equivalent to a superpower; the middle-level people are in the second world, and they all stand still and wait for the wind; and then go down to the third world like her, if it is not done well, it will be cannon fodder best role. what to do?Annoyed, she turned over again. Drowsy in the middle of the night, she was really tired, and finally she fell asleep. She had something on her mind, so she couldn't sleep well, and dreamed again.In the dream, I was running alone in a daze, the street was empty, and the sound of the heels landing quickly spread far away.It was empty even when she ran to the house, she opened every room frantically looking for it, and suddenly she was hugged from behind.She didn't feel any fear, she just felt the warmth of that man's embrace, and she was finally able to settle down.She clasped those arms back, but it still felt like it wasn't enough.The body that had been alone for too long longed for a hug, and she tried hard to turn around again. Just as she turned her head, suddenly the alarm bell rang in her ears, and she jumped up in shock. It was still early, and she sat on the bed with her arms around her knees in silence, feeling cold and helpless in the early spring morning. It turned out that I was wrong, and it turned out that she still needed it.She needs someone to be loved and trusted by her.The most important thing is that even when the whole world turns its back, she still has him by her side. No matter how unwilling, time still passed by every minute.Qian Duoduo still arrived outside Li Weili's office on time. She took a deep breath before knocking on the door.When he pushed in, Li Weili had already stood up, smiled at her kindly, and let her sit down. Pulling himself together, Qian Duoduo smiled and said, "Willie, you just got back?" "Yeah. I went to the London headquarters once, and I just arrived in Shanghai yesterday. By the way, I met Danli and played a game of golf with him. He specifically mentioned you and said it's been a long time. Let me send a greeting." Danli was her BOSS when she was in Singapore, and later he was promoted to the London headquarters. Qian Duoduo was deeply impressed by him because of his powerful personality and exquisite appearance. "Really? He still remembers me. Thank you." "Why don't you remember? You have always been excellent at your work, and you are a famous beautiful manager everywhere. This time, even people in the European area have asked me about you." "You're kidding. How come?" "Hehe, where are you joking? Whether you are a good job or a beautiful manager, it is a fact." He smiled kindly, and then sighed, "Dora, in fact, I have always been very optimistic about you. ?" coming!Alarm bells were ringing in his heart, Qian Duoduo was extremely nervous, but he spoke very slowly.Before answering, she paused for a second before speaking: "Recently several projects are coming to an end, the market feedback is good, the cooperation and cooperation of various departments are very smooth, and the demand in inland cities is increasing rapidly, which I specifically mentioned in the report. " Talking nonsense for a long time, she played Tai Chi well, and her push hands were fast, "Very good. The marketing department has always been efficient, which is obvious to all. Now that several projects have been successfully completed, I'm just waiting for the next one. It's time for the main event. How are you getting ready?" The question came to the head, Qian Duoduo paused again for a second, and then said with a smile: "Of course we are always ready to accept the task and go all out." "Very good. Dora, the new director was very successful during his work in Japan, and he is also the focus of the headquarters' attention recently. He has just arrived in Asia, and you spend more time with him. If you have the opportunity, learn more from him." "Yes, I will." She continued to smile. "By the way, speaking of Kerry, his previous projects in Japan are really impressive." With a chill in his heart, Qian Duoduo weighed his words carefully, "Yes, Kerry is really capable. However, Japan has always been listed as a separate market for independent operations, and the projects there may have less communication with here, so we are not very familiar with it." Her words were impeccable, and Li Weili didn't force the result.He is a Singaporean. He is over 50 years old. He used to work as a regional director at the London headquarters. He went to the Asian region a few years ago.This position has a great name, but not much real power, so this person usually acts low-key and only wants to be safe. He smiled and exchanged a few more pleasantries, and then let her go downstairs with the excuse that there was a meeting. The tense nerves did not relax until he walked into the elevator. Qian Duoduo looked at himself on the mirror door and let out a sigh of relief. Unexpectedly, Li Weili was the first to come forward this time.He is a fringe figure of the conservative faction, he came to Asia just to seek a safe retirement, and he was pushed out to test her, presumably because he was in the arena and couldn't help himself, so he just walked through the motions with a few words, and let her go like this. Was she the first to be brought up?Do you think she will be dissatisfied if she fails to get promoted, so it is easier to start?Or is she already the last? The previous director had left, and she failed to take a step forward.With unknown background and uncertain future, he may have been classified as a marginal figure, so it is not worth talking about. And what is the connection between Xu Fei's past project and the proposal he is about to propose now?Whose territory was disturbed?Unrelated ramblings won't work here, at least not on this floor, every word is mysterious, and she feels her brain swell just by thinking about it. Li Weili just came here to find out. In the future, I don't know how many people are waiting to test her loyalty and direction. Just thinking about it so far, I feel so tired that my heart is about to collapse.The elevator continued to descend. Qian Duoduo looked around and saw that there was no one around. Suddenly, he became very irritable and violent. Qian Duoduo, who was dressed in a professional lady's attire, couldn't help stepping into the blind corner of the camera, and kicked hard behind him. Elevator corner. Violence can't solve any problems, and Qian Duoduo's depression continues at work.In the afternoon, she went to the factory alone, and it was past dinner time when she got home.Mom and Dad are watching TV, but there are meals for her on the table.When Qian Duoduo came in, his mother stood up and muttered: "I said, are you going to work or are you going to prison? It's so late every day. Wait a minute, I'll warm up your meal." "Mom, don't be too busy, I'll do it myself." Afraid of evoking a long speech from his mother, Qian Duoduo rushed to pick up the meal and walked into the kitchen. After eating, she went into the kitchen to wash the dishes, and heard her mother answering the phone in the living room.Mom was very angry when she spoke. She was washing the dishes in her hands, and she could hear clearly through the kitchen door, "Really? We will have a banquet next month? Well, I will definitely be there then. Oh! Sweet-born I hugged her back then, and I'm going to get married in a blink of an eye." After sighing for a while, the mother's voice suddenly raised, "How many people are there in our family? Sigh! Don't mention it, this child has worried me to death..." He reached out and turned on the faucet. Qian Duoduo tried his best to pretend not to hear, but there were footsteps behind him, and when he turned around, he saw his father also hid in.Dad held the teacup in one hand and reached for the water bottle in the other.She glanced at the glass, then said in a low voice, "Dad, the glass is full." Papa Qian chuckled, and replied in a low voice, "Shh, I just came in to hide." learn!Sighing, Qian Duoduo and his father smiled wryly at each other. After walking out of the kitchen, seeing her mother's face pulled down again, Qian Duoduo lowered her head and entered the room knowingly, closed the door and turned on the computer, pretending to be busy. There were indeed a lot of things to do, but she was upset and couldn't calm down. After writing a simple analysis of the situation for two or three hours, it was still a mess. There was the sound of the mail being delivered from the computer, she opened it and saw that it was from Xu Fei, and a list of questions were all about that report. The target was not urgent, but she still clicked to reply.Ten fingers down the keys to answer, but after thinking about it, he gave up and dialed his number directly. As soon as the bell rang, he picked it up and called her name. His voice was a little hoarse, but he still smiled. She discussed the report with him, and the sound of typing across the question-and-answer room told him he was still working. "Still in the company so late?" She looked at the time. "No, at the hotel." "Hotel?" she was surprised. "I'm in Tokyo and I'm going back to Shanghai tomorrow." He answered briefly. Tokyo?She was stunned, no wonder she hadn't seen this man all day today, and the marketing department meeting that he was supposed to host in the morning was also canceled temporarily, it turned out that he had gone abroad. Another glance at the time, counting the time difference, isn't it already midnight over there?I can still work up to this point after going back and forth every two days. Sure enough, it is good to be young. Once again, Qian Duoduo was dejected. She didn't know what else to say, but her ears seemed to be used to the slightly hoarse voice, she held the phone blankly and didn't want to move. "Dora?" He couldn't wait for an answer, and the other end didn't hang up.Two seconds later, he suddenly added softly: "Do you want to hear a joke?" "Huh?" Boss was telling jokes during the international long-distance call in the middle of the night, and she was really stunned this time. He has already started to talk: "Listen well! When the flood happened, all the animals got on Noah's Ark. It was too heavy and the boat would sink. Everyone said that we would compete to tell jokes, and some people would throw them down without laughing. Dinosaurs are the first One, the joke was very funny, everyone laughed, only the pig had no expression, so we had to throw the dinosaur down. The second was the cow's turn. The cow was stupid and nervous. After speaking, no one laughed, only the pig I laughed loudly with my belly, which made everyone laugh. After laughing, everyone asked the pig, what is so funny? The pig said, "It's so funny, the joke told by the dinosaur is really funny." 这笑话很长，他一开始说的时候还有些断断续续，后来就顺了，最后还哑着嗓子连说了两句“好好笑”。她听完再也憋不住了，扑哧一下笑出了声。 “好了，早点儿休息。报告的事情等我回来再说，也没那么急。”他也笑着补了一句，然后与她道别。 放下电话，钱多多又在电脑前坐了一会儿，心里想着把那段情况说明写完，但耳边翻来覆去都是那句“好好笑”。实在写不下去了，她最后笑着上了床。 这一天烦心的事情很多，原以为自己会辗转反侧，但奇妙的是，她躺下之后居然睡得很好，嘴角都是弯弯的。 许飞第二天就回了上海。接下来的几天，整个市场部都处于极度忙碌的状态，一直持续到香港年会前的周末。 周日就要飞香港，整个周六钱多多和许飞都在公司加班，再三确定那份总结报告不会出一丝纰漏。 她从早忙到晚，中午就随便吃了点儿东西，到最后饿得前胸贴后背。等待许飞最终肯定通过的时候，她坐在宽大的办公桌前，几乎能听到自己胃部发出的饥肠辘辘的声音。 等不下去了，她终于忍不住推开椅子站起来告辞：“Kerry，我想去吃点儿东西，要不等下再过来？” “你饿了？”他停下笔看了看表，然后笑得有点儿不好意思，“这么晚了，我都没注意到。” “你不饿？”她挑起眉毛反问。 “一起去吧，这份报告可以了。要吃什么？我请客。”他还年轻，这样的笑容居然还依稀带着腼腆。明知道那是绝不可能的事情，但钱多多仍然目眩。 老了老了，自己真是老了。她竟然羡慕一个男人笑起来眼角没有细纹，钱多多目眩之余忍不住叹息。 “不用麻烦，还有一点儿就做完了。我桌上有外卖单，随便叫点儿东西进来吃就行。” “我也有。”他立刻打开抽屉拿出一沓，什么国家的菜系都有。他还用笔指了指最上头那张，“中午我叫的是伊藤家的定食，还不错，不过你不是胃不好吗？别等了，我们还是出去吃吧。” 堂堂总监，周六晚上一个人看电影，周日整天加班，中午一个人叫外卖吃……依依说得没错，他看上去好可怜！钱多多今天不断受到冲击，渐渐麻木了。 所以说，这就是为什么人家是总监，而她至今还是个高级经理。 钱多多坐回原位，继续埋头，在他有点儿诧异的眼光里闷声说话：“我突然不想吃东西了，还是先忙完吧。” 他不说话了，低头又去拉抽屉，那抽屉靠近她这边，她忍不住好奇，眼光一扫。 全是胃药，还有一包是拆过的。 上回那痛苦的一幕又回来了，钱多多眯着眼睛看他，“干吗？” 他笑笑，“以防万一。” 这人笑着说话的时候杀人不见血啊！好吧，身体是革命的本钱，她犯不着为了一口气糟蹋自己，钱多多投降。 休息日，这个点儿上金融区到处堵车，彻夜不眠的狂欢派对正要开始。懒得开车，他们出门拐弯，直接进了旁边大楼。 三层有茶餐厅，她叫了艇仔粥，一边吃一边听他讲接下来的工作计划。 “饿坏了？” “还好。”粥很香，钱多多吃得起劲，头都不想抬。 “明天由你上台，没问题吧？” “为什么？”照惯例一向是由总监上台的，虽然她全程参与了报告的修订，但上台这种机会，哪里轮得到她？ 小姐上了点心。虾饺皮薄，晶莹剔透，他夹了一个放到她面前的小碟里，也不解释，只弯起眼睛笑笑，说了两个字：“加油！” 官大一级压死人，她再迷茫也只能接受，想了想，又眯着眼睛叹气，“Kerry，记得以后别这么对我的助理们笑，她们最近工作状态很差。”他笑意更深，低下头舀自己碗里的云吞，随口问下去：“为什么？” “年纪小，对某些虚幻的闪光点没有免疫力。” 他失笑，“你呢？” “我？”她失笑，“得了吧！我都几岁了？什么年龄就该有什么年龄的样子。” “你介意年龄吗？我不介意。” “你是男人，当然不一样。”她没在意，继续吃着。 "What's the difference?" “择偶啊，”她讲话一向直，放松的时候尤其如此，“男人择偶年龄宽得很，专注事业好了，年龄再大都是黄金单身汉。女人就不一样，正忙着工作呢，一抬头，转眼就被人叫剩女了。” 他笑起来，眉目舒展，看着让人觉得风光无限。勒令自己不要多看，钱多多努力埋头吃。 “年龄算什么，喜欢你的人不会介意的。” “谢谢安慰。”她就差没有抱拳。 “不是安慰，”他停下勺子，看着她的眼睛说话，“有感觉就好，我不觉得年龄会是问题。” “说得简单。”被他看得有点儿不自然，钱多多低头继续喝粥。 “钱多多。” “啊？”突然被点名，她正把一勺粥放进嘴里。渔乡塘的艇仔粥，用料讲究，鱼片软滑，花生炸得爽脆，一直是她最喜欢的。嘴里味蕾绽放，脑子运转就稍微迟钝了一点儿，只来得及回答了一个单音节。 “我说了不介意，你还要听几遍？”她有时真是很擅长把人气死。 什么态度？总监了不起啊？正想张口反驳，但是突然朦胧地感觉到他的话意有所指。震惊，然后呛住，钱多多捂住嘴大咳，差点儿被半颗花生害死。 旁边几桌都看过来，她脸涨得通红，咳完，伸手接过他递来的杯子，大口灌下去压惊。 手机响，她说了声“不好意思”，接起来是叶明申，声音很清晰，“多多，你在家吗？” 看了一眼许飞，他正招手让小姐过来加水，表情很自然。开始怀疑自己刚才幻听，要不就是理解错误，要不就是他坏心眼跟她开玩笑。well!跟年纪小的人就是有代沟，她老了，人家的话都听不懂。 喉咙还有些痒，她咳嗽一声才回答：“我今天加班，现在正跟我们总监在外面吃饭。” “是吗？”那头背景有些杂乱，然后隐约听到很熟悉的声音在旁边讲话：“小伙子，这车位是有人的……” 那声音太熟悉了，怎么听怎么像自己的老妈。钱多多忍不住多问一句：“你在哪儿？” “就在你家楼下，有话想跟你说，刚把车停了，有个阿姨让我挪地方。我先跟她打个招呼，等下再打给你。” “等等。”阻止他挂电话，另一个声音还在那头继续，“哎，说你哪，听到没有？” 无力了，钱多多说了最后一句话：“别麻烦了，那是我妈。” 脑子有点儿混乱，钱多多按断电话之后匆匆告辞：“有朋友到家里找我。不好意思，我要先走了。” “男朋友？”他直直地看着她说话，眉梢飞起。问得突兀，她被盯得有点儿错愕，不知不觉竟说了老实话。 “不是，还算不上。” “是吗？”他忽地一笑，可惜钱多多这时候已经转身要走，完全没有注意到。 “Dora。”她刚想大步流星，身后突然有叫声，回头正对上他的脸，那双漂亮的眼睛里光亮有神。 “嗯？”模糊地觉得忐忑，她答的时候有些迟钝。 他说话前先停顿一秒钟，然后笑了，微带点儿羞涩的样子，跟平日里的光芒万丈全然不同，“现在你觉得，我比你强了吗？” 简简单单的一句话，只是反复在耳边打转，很想努力抓住意思，但就是无法理解。她睁大了眼睛看着他不说话，想好歹说句什么，问他，你在跟我开玩笑吗？但找了半天都找不到自己的声音。 他也不说话，在那里安静地等着。Miracle!隔着三尺以外，她的眼前好像有一面百倍放大的魔镜，竟然连他眼底的那一抹隐约的期待都清晰可见。 之后的数秒钱多多表情迷茫，然后突然吸了口气，猛地往后退了一步，一瞬间满脸惊恐。 现在你觉得，我比你强了吗？ 多年前的那个午后又回来了。她眼前仿佛有幻觉——自己在阳光下没心没肺地笑，对着面前的年轻男孩子声音揶揄，“那好吧，等你什么时候能够让我心服口服地说一声'弟弟，你真的比我强'的时候，再来说'追求'这两个字好了。” 但是怎么可以？又怎么可能？ ! 她被吓到了，猛地后退了一步，惊恐过度。大风大浪前都进退有度的钱多多，这一刻竟然转头拔腿飞奔，众目睽睽之下没用地逃走了。 跑得太急了，终于坐进车里，钱多多砰地合上车门，然后抓着方向盘气喘吁吁。 车窗的玻璃上清楚地映出自己现在的样子，头发披散，满脸惊恐，眼睛瞪得大大的，好像刚才见了鬼。 电话响，她手指一抖，竟然不敢去碰，低头看到是自己家里的电话，这才放到耳边。 妈妈的声音难得笑意满满，不等她出声就在那头开始讲：“多多，小叶来找你，我已经请他上来了。你在哪儿呢？快点儿回来。” 倒抽一口气，钱多多这才想起自己离开餐厅的最初目的，刚才被许飞那么一吓，差点儿忘了个精光。 Ok.人生坎坷，充满意外。她接受现实，现在开始一样一样地解决。 暂时抛开刚才所受的惊吓，她一路飞车回家，在家门口一眼就看到叶明申的那辆三厢大众端端正正地停在自己的车位上，一副理所当然的样子。 心里知道大事不好，她把车随便停了，三步并作两步往楼上跑。 开门的时候她急，钥匙孔都没对好。大概响声大了，门从里面被拉开，迎面就是妈妈的笑脸，好久不见的那排上牙龈都露了出来，一片阳光普照。 “多多，你回来啦！小叶等你很久了。”说完侧身让她进去，还贴心地把她的包接了过去。 已经很久没有受到自己妈妈像这样春天般温暖的对待了，此刻的钱多多却无心感动，一偏头看到叶明申和自己的爸爸坐在沙发上，正一起看着她。 叶明申手里还拿着一本书，看到她过来已经搁下。那么朴素的封面，一看就是她爸唯一结集出版的那本《中国史学探究》。爸爸的脸上也是春风和煦，一手还点在那书皮上，明显刚才两个人讨论得正酣。 有点儿气他自说自话登堂入室，钱多多走过去的时候眼睛瞪得老大。 “爸爸妈妈，这个是……” “哦，不用介绍了，小叶刚才跟我们说过了。你说你这孩子，都跟小叶约会这么多次了，也不知道请人家到家里来坐坐，还好今天让我们遇上了。” 钱妈妈走过来说话，笑得眉眼弯弯的，还对着叶明申点头，“小叶啊，以后可要多来玩，她爸爸最喜欢讲这些古老得没边的东西，也就是你跟他聊得来。” “好，”他答应得很爽快，又转头对着钱爸爸说完之前的话题，“七四年中华书局的《明史》，我家正好有一套，今天来得仓促没准备，下回我带给您。” “真的吗？七四年的？现在还有？”钱爸爸心花怒放，两只手搓在一起，就差没有握住叶明申的手叫一声“知音”。 what is this?跑到她家来先搞定大后方？她才刚刚决定不再跟这个人继续，现在他独自唱的又算是哪一出？ 一口气上来了，钱多多走过去拉他，“先出来一下，我有话跟你说。” 她声音压得低，钱妈妈正转身往厨房走，也没听清，这时回头看过来，笑眯眯地看着他们说话，“别急着走啊，小叶，留下来吃消夜。阿姨今天煮了木耳莲心红枣。” “妈妈，我跟他有话要说。”急了，钱多多拉着叶明申就往外走。 “多多！”钱妈妈一声断喝，这声音威力巨大，钱多多和钱爸爸听完一起缩了缩肩膀。 气氛突变，叶明申倒是仍旧笑得四平八稳，说话声音和缓，“阿姨，多多一定是有些话想跟我单独说。今天这么晚了，我还是不打扰你们休息了。” 说完他又转向钱爸爸，“伯伯，下回我把书带来，再跟您好好聊。” 短短几句话，就说得钱爸爸钱妈妈同时脸绽笑容。送到门口，钱妈妈还叮咛：“一定要再来啊！下回来吃饭，早点儿跟阿姨说，阿姨烧拿手好菜给你吃。” 一走出大楼，钱多多就把手放开了，然后回身瞪着叶明申说：“你怎么来了？还跑到我家里。” “我有话跟你说，你妈妈很热情，刚才邀请我上去，我也不好推辞。”他微笑回答，然后和她并肩继续走。 天冷，他穿着粗绒线的毛外套，里面的衬衫领露出来，浅蓝色的。他的笑容很淡，在月光下却显得光华流转。 虽然有点儿生气，但是钱多多看着这样的风景还是叹口气。 这男人处处完美，可惜她就是接受不了。 “我也有话要跟你说。谁先说？” “你先吧，女士优先。”他很绅士地抬了抬手。 小区有园景，他们慢慢走在小径上。很晚了，又是冬天，四下没什么人，立柱灯光是乳白色的，照得两边树影婆娑。自家的地方，环境熟悉，钱多多觉得心里安稳，说话前先整理一下思路，然后才开口：“我想过了，我跟你，以后还是做朋友吧。” “怎么了？”他回问，声调都没怎么变。 “我不想做替代品，就这样，拖拖拉拉没意思。”钱多多一鼓作气，说完了心里一阵轻松。 他没回答，站定身子侧头看她。夜色深厚，他眼里的神色看不清楚，只是让钱多多突然觉得一阵凉。她忍不住想双手环抱，但心里还想着要硬撑个架势，最后变成两手交缠在一起，有些不伦不类。 可能觉得她的样子很有意思，叶明申突然展颜一笑，然后伸出手来握了握她按在胳膊上的手指，“冷吗？” 他手掌温暖干燥，但钱多多本能地缩了缩指尖，笑得有点儿干，“我刚才说……” “多多，现在该我说了。”他收回手，一点儿也不勉强，只是带着她往车的方向走。 公平起见，钱多多保持安静。 他打开车门示意她上车，钱多多迟疑着问：“还要去哪里？” “不，我只是怕你会冷。”他笑容很安静。感觉愧疚起来，钱多多终于顺从地坐上去。 车厢里没有声音，他不着急说话，先从仪表台上拿了张照片给她。钱多多接过来，低头，车里没开灯，环形花坛边的装饰灯光并不是太亮。照片上风景很大，人物很小——海边，依稀可见一个女孩子凭栏临风。灯光不好，她看的时候只觉得一片模糊。 “你觉得像吗？” "what?" “像你吗？” “谁？我？”大概明白他的意思了，钱多多伸手去按亮顶灯仔细看。 光线亮起来感觉就清晰很多，虽然只是一个很小的剪影，但眼角眉梢的确跟她有些相似之处——只是有些而已，谈不上揽镜自照那么可怕。 看完了又觉得有点儿荒谬，钱多多把照片还给他，笑笑，问：“干吗给我看这个？” 他随手接过去放回仪表台上，然后看着她的脸，一开始没做声，慢慢露出一个笑来，“好吧，忘了那个。多多，你觉得自己真的需要一个婚姻吗？” 没想到他这么问，钱多多愣了一下。车厢里亮着灯，小小的空间被照得朦朦胧胧，面前的大楼里家家灯火昏黄，星星点点。四周安静无人，他们仿佛处在人间烟火中孤零零的一个小岛上，如此格格不入。 突然感觉苍凉，这世界人人都融在灯光中享受家庭温暖，为什么她钱多多却被自己的妈妈当做滞销品？恨不能把她推到面前的这个男人怀里。 被刚才那样苍凉的感觉打倒，一直很有劲的钱多多，难得眼露迷茫，“我不觉得，真的。我想坚持到底。” “坚持什么？”他微笑，眼神里颇多鼓励，鼓励她说下去。 “坚持什么？坚持婚姻是爱的结果，坚持我爱他他也爱我，坚持在一起是因为我们想在一起，一切水到渠成。” “是很好！为什么不坚持到底？”他的笑容慢慢收敛，但是声音仍旧柔和。他是当老师的，声音里天生带一点儿劝诱的味道，温和入耳，像一块渐渐化开的太妃糖，过程甜蜜，让人不知不觉想多听一些。 静夜，车厢，面前是刚刚决定只和他做朋友的男人，气氛很忧伤。钱多多叹息，“年龄。” “年龄又怎么了？” “年龄是放弃坚持的最好借口。你不知道吗？算了，你是男人，不会知道。女人到了一定年龄，就是跟郁闷作斗争。” “结婚就不郁闷了？如果结婚以后，你又遇到想要为之水到渠成的另一个人，怎么办？” what to do?忽地转回头看他，钱多多总结发言，“怎么办？你说怎么办？一直等吗？如果他一直不出现，难道我白发苍苍，一直等到跟杜拉斯那样，老了再写本书聊以自慰？” “杜拉斯？她活得很丰富，并不苍白，白发苍苍的时候写的书叫。”他笑，但并不带嘲讽的意味。车顶灯仍是亮着的，他眼角弯着，耐心地侧着身，看她像在看一个小女孩。 “那是她。如果是我，就只能写《我至死都没等到的情人》！”今天受的打击太多太大，钱多多索性借此机会一吐为快。 他没回答，也不笑了，突然黯淡了眸色，然后抬手关了顶灯。 习惯了那亮度，车厢突然一暗，钱多多禁不住“咦”了一声。 但是额头上一暖，是他的嘴唇低头亲过，然后轻轻补了一句