Chapter 184 - Invitation

After setting up his office, Ye Fan’s desk faced Hu Jing’s along the wall, with both of their backs to the same side wall, so they couldn’t see what the other was doing specifically.

Of course, Ye Fan’s position was certainly not as good as Hu Jing’s.

Ye Fan sat at his desk, turned on the computer, and then breached the firewall to see how his US Nasdaq stock account was performing.

Last night at midnight (note: daytime in the United States is exactly opposite to that in China), he had opened an account on Nasdaq and transferred 300 million US dollars from Swiss International Bank, then authorized Robert Laurenson to manage and operate the account.

He checked and saw that the money from his main securities account had been distributed across nineteen subaccounts, and that seven of those accounts had bought about 10 million dollars worth of stocks at the day’s low price for Tongyi Group.

After looking for a while, Ye Fan, not very knowledgeable about stock operations, logged out of his account and browsed some webpages.

Around 10:30, unexpectedly a call came in, and when he checked, it was Zhao Shuaijiang, whom he had met last time at Yonghui Club.

Speaking of Zhao Shuaijiang, this was already the second time he had taken the initiative to call him.

Stepping out of his office, Ye Fan answered the call in the hallway.

“Haha, Brother Ye, do you still remember me, Zhao Shuaijiang?” came Zhao Shuaijiang’s hearty laughter over the phone.

Ye Fan chuckled and replied, “Of course, I remember.

I’ve been busy lately and haven’t had the chance to return your call, sorry about that.”

“Hehe, don’t mention it,” Zhao Shuaijiang laughed, “Are you free tonight?

Want to go out for dinner and have some fun?”

“Sure,” Ye Fan agreed.

This was the second time Zhao Shuaijiang had invited him, and he had a good impression of Zhao Shuaijiang, who was also an acquaintance of Bobo.

Additionally, he was interested in expanding his social circle in Hua Hai, and he heard from Bobo that Zhao Shuaijiang was one of the “Four Young Masters” of Hua Hai’s new generation.

Getting into Hua Hai’s social circle through Zhao Shuaijiang seemed like a good path.

So, since Zhao Shuaijiang was again eagerly inviting him, it wouldn’t hurt to interact more with him.

Hearing Ye Fan agree, Zhao Shuaijiang immediately laughed heartily, “Haha, great.

Then let’s meet at Mingxuan on Tianyuan West Road in Liu Family District at seven tonight.

Oh, and bring Bobo along.”

“Hehe, alright.

See you tonight,” Ye Fan laughed.

After ending the call with Zhao Shuaijiang, he inevitably had to call Bobo.

He dialed Bobo’s number.

After two or three rings, the call connected.

“Hehe, Brother Ye!” Bobo’s joyous laughter came through the phone.

Ye Fan couldn’t help but smile and said, “Hehe, Bobo, how have you been these days?”

“Hmm, pretty good.

Just not as fun as going out with you,” Bobo said cheerfully, “Brother Ye, did you need something?”

Ye Fan teased her, “Can’t I get in touch with you if there’s nothing up?”

“No no no,” Bobo quickly denied, “You can contact me anytime, even if there’s nothing.”

“Haha,” Ye Fan laughed out loud, “Nevertheless, I actually do have a matter this time.

Zhao Shuaijiang just called to invite me to dinner at Mingxuan on Tianyuan West Road in Liu Family District tonight at seven.

Do you want to come along?”

“Yes yes, I’d love to!

I really enjoy joining for a meal,” Bobo immediately giggled.

Ye Fan said with a smile, “Then good, let’s meet up after I get off work and head to Mingxuan together.”

“Okay!

Giggles…” Bobo laughed happily.

Then the two talked for a few more minutes before He Jiaqiang reluctantly ended the call.

Back in the office, Ye Fan handled some work documents.

Around 11:30, remembering Lu Xiaoman had been down for the past few days, Ye Fan took out his phone and sent her a message: “Let’s have lunch together, I will come to your office after work.”

Soon after sending the message, Lu Xiaoman replied, “Okay.”

With about two or three minutes until noon, Ye Fan shut down his computer and stood up to meet Lu Xiaoman a bit earlier.

Seeing this, Hu Jing sarcastically commented, “Starving, are you?”

“Heh heh, yeah,” Ye Fan turned and laughed, “Being tall has its downsides, I get hungry fast.

Plus, I can’t leisurely enter the leadership’s special cafeteria like you; I need to compete for common cafeteria food with everyone else.”

“Giggle, if you’d like, I can take you into the special cafeteria,” Hu Jing said slyly with a light laugh.

Ye Fan quickly shook his head, “I wouldn’t dare enter the leadership cafeteria, afraid of the gossip and backstabbing.

Anyway, I’m off to grab some food.”

With that, he left the office.

Knocking and entering Lu Xiaoman’s office, she already knew that Ye Fan would come early, so she had finished her morning tasks ahead of time.

“Ye Fan,” she called with a forced smile, her beautifully knit brows slightly furrowed with a light worry.

Ye Fan felt a wave of sympathy, reaching out to hold her tender hand, “Sister Xiaoman.”

Her hand clasped, Lu Xiaoman’s cheeks gently flushed, touched by Ye Fan’s concern, easing some of the depression in her heart.

The two quietly looked at each other for a moment, and, as it was time for lunch, they went to eat together.

Of course, Lu Xiaoman withdrew her hand as they left.

Since they went to the cafeteria early, Ye Fan and Lu Xiaoman managed to get a table by the wall, suitable for eating while having a quiet conversation.

Knowing Lu Xiaoman was not in high spirits, Ye Fan intentionally told her a few jokes from the internet.

Listening to them, Lu Xiaoman couldn’t help but laugh.

Hu Jing finished her morning tasks at a few minutes past twelve and left the office to go to the cafeteria.

As she entered the cafeteria, she suddenly remembered Ye Fan leaving work early to “grab food” and couldn’t help but scan the cafeteria briefly.

Despite the crowd being noisy and chaotic, Ye Fan’s tall, distinct posture, and Lu Xiaoman’s outstanding beauty made them noticeable, even at the least conspicuous wall-side table.

Hu Jing easily spotted Ye Fan and Lu Xiaoman having lunch together.

Seeing Ye Fan and Lu Xiaoman sitting face to face, chatting and laughing, she felt slightly annoyed, “So he was rushing to meet his lover, yet he lied to me about going to grab food.

How dishonest!”

Hu Jing was aware of Ye Fan rescuing Lu Xiaoman from He Jiaqiang not too long ago, and had even gone out of her way to learn more details than most.

As one of the ‘Three Beauties’ of Emali Group, she felt inferior to Li Zhaojun but had a psychological advantage over Lu Xiaoman, so she couldn’t help but pay more attention to Lu Xiaoman’s situation.

“Ye Fan sure is lucky to have a chance to play the hero and win over Lu Xiaoman so easily,” Hu Jing haughtily thought to herself, “If it were me, hmph, even if you saved me, I’d just thank you, but offering myself in return?

No way, not by a long shot—let’s see where he stands after another ten years.”

She pondered this, feeling somewhat indignant for Lu Xiaoman but also slightly taking pleasure in her misfortune.

Just when she walked through the corridor into the executives’ special cafeteria, Li Zhaojun entered the main cafeteria with such presence that the noisy room quieted down, almost everyone’s focus unavoidably drawn to her tall, graceful figure and stunningly beautiful face.

As soon as Li Zhaojun walked into the cafeteria, her gaze instinctively swept through the room, searching for Ye Fan.

When her eyes landed on Ye Fan and Lu Xiaoman intimately sitting together, her gaze turned cold, and she let out a barely audible cold snort through her delicate nose.

She shifted her gaze forward, stepping rhythmically, and passed through the crowd like a queen, making her way into the special cafeteria.