Chapter 81: Collaboration

She was an exceptionally beautiful young woman, with an oval face and long, lustrous hair cascading down to her waist, so glossy it gleamed in the light. She wore a honey-colored trench coat over a primrose turtleneck sweater, her tall figure exuding an aura that matched Ling Xuan’s in both poise and presence.

By comparison, Ling Xuan’s own attire seemed rather plain. She had no current fame or popularity; the entertainment industry now thrived on a “fast-food culture” of instant idols, and for someone who had only enjoyed brief, modest success, she no longer held the audience’s favor. Dressed in an ordinary office uniform, she felt herself subtly overshadowed. Straightening her back, she asked, “May I help you?”

“I’m looking for Xiao Kaitian. Is your President Xiao in?” The young woman swept her long hair aside and spoke gently, “I’m Gu Luoyan, an old friend of his from childhood. I came specifically to see him.”

“A friend of President Xiao?” Ling Xuan couldn’t help but widen her eyes. Among women—especially beautiful ones—the spirit of rivalry was strong. As she looked at Gu Luoyan, whose looks and bearing rivaled her own, Ling Xuan secretly grumbled: Xiao Kaitian must be outrageously lucky; why are all these beauties coming and going around him?

Gu Luoyan smiled and nodded, her gentle demeanor making her hard to refuse. Ling Xuan hesitated, then glanced over and picked up the reception phone, dialing the extension.

Soon, the call was answered by Guo Lei’s voice, “Yes?”

“There’s a Miss Gu Luoyan here, says she’s a friend of President Xiao. What do you think, President Guo?”

“One moment,” came the reply. The past period of training, coupled with Xiao Kaitian’s deliberate guidance, had lent Guo Lei’s tone a touch of vice-presidential authority. Ten seconds later, her crisp voice returned, “Let her come up.”

“Thank you.” Gu Luoyan nodded graciously to Ling Xuan. “If I’m not mistaken, you’re the famous Miss Ling Xuan, aren’t you?”

“Heh, yes.” Ling Xuan wasn’t sure how to respond, but since Gu Luoyan recognized her—perhaps as a fan—her impression improved, and she became more enthusiastic in leading the way.

Bringing Gu Luoyan to Guo Lei’s office, Ling Xuan pushed open the door to find Xiao Kaitian in a deep blue tailored suit, standing by the window, giving instructions to Lin Xiang and Guo Lei: “Next, focus on recruitment; I’ll handle the production line design, but as for the manufacturer, Guo Lei, that will need your best effort. Wherever Lin Xiang falls short, you’ll have to make up for it.”

Hearing the knock, he turned around and saw Gu Luoyan’s smiling face. He nodded slightly, “You two can go now.”

The other two exchanged glances, sensing the odd shift in atmosphere. They gathered their documents and stood up. “We’ll get back to work, then.” With that, they exited, closing the door behind them.

“Have a seat,” Xiao Kaitian gestured toward the sofa, taking the host’s seat himself. Gu Luoyan set her handbag aside, adjusted her pencil skirt, and, smiling, sat down as well. “Sorry to disturb you, Brother Xiao.”

Xiao Kaitian’s gaze flickered slightly. In truth, he was reluctant to see Gu Luoyan; she gave him a strange feeling. According to her, they had grown up together, but Xiao Kaitian always felt things weren’t as simple as she claimed.

Besides, he was no longer the original Xiao Kaitian, and too much interaction with Gu Luoyan might risk exposing himself even sooner.

But he was not the type to shrink from difficulty. Since Gu Luoyan already knew of his return, and if they truly had ties, her coming here was only a matter of time. Avoidance was not a solution; this was why he hadn’t refused to meet her. “Would you like some tea? I’m afraid I don’t have coffee here, my apologies.”

Gu Luoyan laughed softly, her demeanor charming. She watched with interest as Xiao Kaitian rinsed the teacups, resting her chin lightly on her right hand. “Brother Xiao, you seem different from before.”

His hand paused briefly, but he naturally discarded the old tea leaves and opened a pack of Rou Gui, shaking some leaves into the teapot. “Perhaps you don’t know, but I had a car accident in Japan and lost my memory. Since you know me, you must know Churan as well. Have you two been in touch?”

Gu Luoyan’s flawless face stiffened slightly at the mention of Jiang Churan, as if caught off guard. She squirmed a bit, but soon regained her gentle smile. “A car accident and amnesia? Are there any lasting effects? What exactly happened?”

“Nothing serious,” Xiao Kaitian said, steering the conversation elsewhere. He poured hot water over the tea leaves, rinsed them, and emptied the water. “It’s all resolved now. Still, when I recall the past, it feels like a dream. Of course, much of it is a blur.”

He glanced at Gu Luoyan as he spoke, and under his gaze, her expression grew distant.

“No wonder you seem so changed,” Gu Luoyan said, accepting the cup of tea he placed before her. The air was filled with the rich aroma of rock-grown tea. She took a delicate sip. “Excellent tea. So, Brother Xiao, now that you’ve returned and set up Qixi Media Consulting, are you planning a comeback?”

“I’m just taking things one step at a time,” Xiao Kaitian replied, leaning back on the sofa. His gaze swept over Gu Luoyan, as though trying to discern her true intentions. “So, what brings you here today?”

“Well,” Gu Luoyan began, setting her teacup down and fixing Xiao Kaitian with a steady look, “I’ve learned about Qixi Media Consulting and find it quite intriguing. With the Future Century project behind you, I sense this time you’ve returned with a real difference. So, on behalf of the Gu family, I’d like to propose a partnership with you.”

A hush fell over the room, as if time itself had paused. Even the wisps of steam curling from the teacups seemed to freeze midair.

“The Gu family,” Xiao Kaitian finally spoke. He recalled that “he” had once teased the second daughter of the Gu family in his younger days. Was this the same Gu family? “Don’t you have a younger sister? I seem to recall…”

He reached for his teacup, his eyes fixed on Gu Luoyan.

Her lips twitched ever so slightly. She moistened them before speaking, “The past is behind us. My sister was young and naive back then. If she caused you any trouble, I hope you won’t hold it against her.”

“That’s quite the thing to say,” Xiao Kaitian crossed one leg over the other. “After all, the fault was mine. I don’t think it had much to do with your sister.”

Gu Luoyan bit her lip, unable to respond.

“I have no intention of partnering with anyone for now,” Xiao Kaitian stated directly, unwilling to beat around the bush. “It’s true I’m short on funds, but I’m not looking for partners at the moment—including the Gu family.”

“I see…” Gu Luoyan lowered her head, a hint of disappointment in her voice, though she maintained her gentle tone. “Brother Xiao, this really has nothing to do with my sister. I am only speaking from a business perspective.”

“I understand, but my position remains the same.” Xiao Kaitian smiled, placing his teacup on the table with a soft, definitive click.