Soon, Ye Zhi pressed the answer button.
“Chen Wei, is something the matter?” Ye Zhi asked.
“It’s like this, President Ye,” Chen Wei said somewhat hesitantly. “My friend Wei Peng recently came to Kyoto. In the past, during my most difficult times, he was the one who supported me, exempting me from rent…”
“I recall,” Ye Zhi said with sudden realization. “He is indeed a friend worth befriending. Are you trying to ask for leave? Is half a month enough? It’s paid leave, take your friend around Kyoto properly.”
Chen Wei, on the other end of the phone, didn’t know what to say at this moment.
Although Ye Zhi was so considerate of her subordinates, which truly moved him, he wasn’t calling to ask for leave.
“President Ye,” Chen Wei said with great difficulty. “I’m not calling to ask for leave…”
“Then what is it for?” Ye Zhi asked curiously.
“It’s about my friend…” Chen Wei became even more hesitant, gritting his teeth and saying, “He wants to invite you to dinner!”
“Ah?” Ye Zhi was bewildered. “Why does he want to invite me to dinner?”
“To show off to his relatives and friends,” Chen Wei said speechlessly.
Ye Zhi: …
This reason was truly unpretentious.
“President Ye, it’s perfectly fine to refuse directly,” Chen Wei said hurriedly. “It’s my friend, he insisted that I ask you if you’re willing…”
Ye Zhi smiled faintly. “Alright then, what time shall we have dinner?”
Chen Wei was stunned, and in the next moment, he said joyfully, “How about tomorrow noon?”
“Okay. You pick the place and send it to me directly, and also…” Ye Zhi continued, “You’re paying for the meal.”
She knew Chen Wei was wealthy, but they wouldn’t dream of spending her money on such a private meal.
Chen Wei: …
Should he say he wasn’t surprised at all?
Chen Wei agreed and then hung up the phone.
Ye Zhi got up and went to the balcony, seeing Qi Xuan standing by the window.
“Dinner together tomorrow?” Qi Xuan asked gently.
“Ah…” Ye Zhi said awkwardly. “No, I have plans tomorrow.”
Qi Xuan: …
You have plans, yet you sent that message to seduce her?
Seeing Qi Xuan’s somewhat mournful expression, Ye Zhi leaned against the balcony railing and said with a smile, “I’m having dinner with someone else.”
Qi Xuan’s eyebrows twitched slightly.
“A man.”
Qi Xuan’s brows furrowed.
“Two of them.”
Qi Xuan: …
He understood. Ye Zhi was teasing him again.
“I’m going too,” he said in a deep voice.
“You can’t go,” Ye Zhi said with a cheerful laugh. “They don’t know you, and it would be awkward if you went.”
Qi Xuan’s expression immediately became more mournful. “Azhi, I’m jealous.”
Ye Zhi laughed with delight, her laughter like crisp silver bells, making Qi Xuan’s heart flutter.
“Don’t worry~” Ye Zhi explained with a faint smile. “I’m going to have dinner with Chen Wei and his friend.”
Then, Ye Zhi briefly explained the situation.
After listening, Qi Xuan said lightly, “Actually, if it’s to show off to relatives and friends, bringing along Mr. Qi doesn’t seem impossible?”
“They didn’t invite you!” Ye Zhi said bluntly.
Qi Xuan: …
Fine.
“Then I wish you a pleasant meal tomorrow,” Qi Xuan said resentfully.
“They invited me for tomorrow noon, and I’ll be with them then. I can be with you in the evening~” Ye Zhi said with a smile.
Qi Xuan looked at her with amusement. The way she put it made her sound like a time management master.
“Okay,” Qi Xuan agreed with a smile.
***
The next day at noon, Ye Zhi arrived at the appointed restaurant.
Chen Wei and Wei Peng were already there. After Ye Zhi entered the private room, Wei Peng was so excited to see her in person that he shook her hand and took photos.
Wei Peng patted Chen Wei on the shoulder with a laugh. “Chen Wei, you’re really capable. You actually managed to arrange for President Ye to meet me! I’m telling you, I can brag about this to those relatives for a lifetime! Hey! They just didn’t believe me, that my best friend works at Taoxun, and he’s a prominent figure right under President Ye…”
Listening to Wei Peng’s endless chatter, Ye Zhi found it amusing.
Wei Peng became happier as he spoke. “I’m treating for this meal today. Neither of you dare to fight me for it!”
“No need, I’ll pay for this meal,” Chen Wei said. “Wei Peng, all your expenses in Kyoto recently will be covered by me. I’m earning a lot of money now…”
“Hey! Look at what you’re saying, as if I don’t have money!” Wei Peng immediately became displeased. “I dare say you’re definitely not as rich as me right now!”
“Wei Peng, you shouldn’t speak too definitively,” Chen Wei said with a smile. “Our Taoxun has great benefits, and President Ye recently allocated an apartment to me, so I’ve even saved the money for buying a house…”
“What’s that!” Wei Peng proudly lifted his head. “My family had our house demolished for redevelopment!”
Chen Wei: …
Ye Zhi: …
Although she didn’t know why the conversation had suddenly turned towards showing off wealth, Ye Zhi suddenly felt a bit envious.
She had been to Wei Peng’s home. His family lived in a building in the urban village, and the area was not small. According to what Chen Wei had said before, Wei Peng’s family owned three such buildings.
Looking at it this way, he was indeed richer than Chen Wei.
Chen Wei remained silent. In the next moment, he directly got up, went to the private room door, and opened it.
“Why are you opening the door?” Wei Peng asked, confused.
“You can leave,” Chen Wei said resentfully. “I don’t want to be friends with you anymore. I’m envious of the rich.”
“What, so I’m not worthy of being your friend now that I have money?” Wei Peng said with a wry smile. “You brat, hurry up and come back and sit down, don’t let President Ye laugh at you!”
Chen Wei sighed. He glanced at Ye Zhi, who was trying to stifle a laugh, and quickly sat back down.
He had originally thought that with Wei Peng coming to Kyoto this time, he could cover all his food, accommodation, and entertainment, as a way to thank Wei Peng for his past care. But he didn’t expect to be shown off to so thoroughly.
“President Ye, why didn’t your boyfriend come with you?” Wei Peng asked curiously. “I was thinking if you both came, I could have double the bragging rights!”
Ye Zhi: …
If you wanted Qi Xuan to come, you should have said so earlier! She had already refused him!
“He’s free in the evening, how about we have dinner together tonight?” Ye Zhi said with a faint smile.
“That would be great!” Wei Peng happily agreed, so quickly that Chen Wei didn’t even have time to stop him.
Suddenly, Ye Zhi’s phone rang.
Seeing that the call was from Su Ming, Ye Zhi was a little surprised.
She excused herself to the two men, then picked up the phone and walked to a nearby window.
“Chairman Su, is something the matter?” Ye Zhi asked.
“It’s like this, President Ye,” Su Ming said somewhat unnaturally. “Cen Xiucheng wishes to meet you. May I know if you are willing?”
Cen Xiucheng?
Ye Zhi was surprised. Had he come to China? But why did he want to see her?
“He wants to see me? That’s fine,” Ye Zhi said coldly. “Tell him to pay five million first!”
Wei Peng, who was standing nearby, immediately changed his expression.
He couldn’t help but ask in a low voice, “Chen Wei, does it cost five million to meet President Ye?”
Chen Wei was stunned for a moment. “That’s probably the price for an ordinary person to meet President Ye. You’re different, you’re my friend…”
Wei Peng gasped, “So, this means I’ve just earned ten million out of nowhere?!”