"Sister Liu."
By the time Qiu Xi and Wang Yanyan arrived, Liu Qingxi was already waiting.
"Mm." Liu Qingxi's voice was faint. Her gaze swept over the two of them, lingering a moment longer on Qiu Xi.
This child was quite the surprise.
She was exceptionally attractive, and it turned out her capabilities were also outstanding. Liu Qingxi had underestimated her initially.
However, after a brief moment of contemplation, Liu Qingxi urged them to get ready.
"Take your things and come with me."
"Okay, Sister Liu."
With that, the two followed Liu Qingxi towards their next destination.
"Once we go in, do you both understand what your tasks will be?" Liu Qingxi asked as they walked.
The two nodded. "We understand."
Their duties were to record information and answer simple questions during subsequent interactions. In essence, they were there to help the person in charge conclude this meeting; that was the sole focus.
"Good, it's good that you understand."
"Let me add a few more things. In a moment..."
Liu Qingxi specifically reiterated some of her rules to them to prevent any mistakes later on.
...
The next stop was a specially prepared conference room.
This was a place Qiu Xi was quite familiar with, as she frequented conference rooms in various locations.
"I'm sorry to have kept everyone waiting."
Upon entering, the people in the conference room were already waiting. There weren't many of them, less than ten. Wang Yanyan, following behind, felt a sense of relief at that moment. This meant she could still maintain her composure.
"Qiu Xi, Wang Yanyan, you two can sit there. We're ready to begin."
Before they went up, Liu Qingxi indicated their seats to Qiu Xi and Wang Yanyan. They were the two empty seats at the front, designated for them to answer questions more conveniently later.
The two nodded. "Okay, Sister Liu."
With that, they took their seats. They sat up straight, their expressions serious, as composed as could be. Liu Qingxi glanced at them and nodded. So far, she was quite pleased.
"Alright, thank you all for waiting. Our meeting will now commence." As she spoke, Liu Qingxi operated the projection screen, beginning to share the content of the meeting.
Time ticked by, and only Liu Qingxi's voice echoed in the conference room. It took about half an hour for her to finish presenting all the necessary information. Qiu Xi and Wang Yanyan simultaneously put down their pens as she concluded.
"Alright, now we'll move into the free discussion period. If anyone present has questions they'd like to discuss, feel free to raise them, and we'll do our best to provide answers." Liu Qingxi smiled at the dozen or so people present.
As for issues she couldn't answer... well, they would have to move to the next venue. Saying "we'll address this later" had become her catchphrase. After all, she wasn't an "encyclopedia," and there would inevitably be questions she couldn't resolve. Everyone present was well-prepared; who could outlast whom?
One had to admit, if Liu Qingxi's current thoughts were heard by Wang Yanyan and Qiu Xi, they would likely be quite astonished. Seeing such a seemingly assertive and powerful woman, they wouldn't have expected her internal monologue to be this way.
However, the others didn't give the three much time to dwell on it. The moment Liu Qingxi's voice fell, the ten or so people were already eager to speak. After Liu Qingxi took her seat, the first person spoke.
"Hello, Ms. Liu. We're quite interested in a point you just mentioned. Would it be possible to learn more about it?"
Liu Qingxi glanced at the speaker and nodded. "Of course. Please state your question directly."
"Okay."
"Then I'll be direct!"
"You mentioned a point about economics earlier, which I found very interesting. I'd like to explore it further. If we decide to discuss cooperation later, will it be handled as you just described?"
This was a trap! It was originally intended as a platform for exchange, but demanding a firm commitment now was clearly unreasonable. However, her question did reveal their interest.
Liu Qingxi chuckled and gently shook her head, looking at the woman who had spoken.
"Madam, as you must know, as long as something hasn't begun, anything is possible."
"If you have intentions, I can introduce you to the relevant professionals later."
She was adept at the skill of deflecting and offering vague assurances – saying a lot without actually saying anything.
Qiu Xi: "..."
Hearing a speech is like hearing a speech. She understood! She hadn't expected this kind of maneuver to be employed in such a setting.
Wang Yanyan was even more surprised. She truly hadn't anticipated witnessing such a scene in this context. Could this be considered an alternative form of "arguing" among educated, intelligent individuals?
"..."
The speaker paused for a moment before reluctantly nodding.
"Alright, I'll have to trouble you again later, Ms. Liu."
"You're welcome. It's my duty."
The woman nodded and said no more. The silence lasted only a few seconds before the next person spoke.
"Ms. Liu, I'd like to ask..."
...
Subsequently, the questions raised were diverse, covering a wide range of topics.
"Qiu Xi, I need to step out for a moment. You two will manage things here."
Due to an urgent message, she had to leave and brief someone. Qiu Xi and Wang Yanyan were clearly caught off guard by this sudden development.
Wang Yanyan: "..."
She was just a follower right now! Would her word carry any weight on such a significant matter? Watching Liu Qingxi's retreating back, Wang Yanyan felt a wave of melancholy until the questions from everyone else brought her back to reality.
Then, she found herself solely focused on Qiu Xi... Little Xi, her savior! Observing Qiu Xi sitting there after Sister Liu had left, responding to questions with solemnity. Her demeanor was impeccable!