Bond?
It was hard for Gu Jiao Wu to accept the disparity between the Qiao Tan Yuan’s bond with Xiao Bao and his bond with Xiao Bao. Xiao Bao was attached to Qiao Tan Yuan, but Xiao Bao would cry in his arms.
Qiao Tan Yuan didn’t want to waste her energy fighting with Gu Jiao Wu, and she didn’t want him to see her breast feeding Xiao Bao again. She carried Xiao Bao past him to her bedroom, locked the door and breast fed Xiao Bao.
Xiao Bao fell asleep in Qiao Tan Yuan’s arms. She smiled and wished adults were easily satisfied, eating and sleeping like Xiao Bao. She carried Xiao Bao back to the nursery, and didn’t care where Gu Jiao Wu disappeared to.
When Qiao Tan Yuan laid back on her bed, she thought about the price she would have to pay if Du Lei Xin gave Qiao’s company the short term loan. One million wasn’t petty cash, but she would rather owe Du Lei Xin than Shen Cheng. She didn’t hear news about Sheng Cheng, she hoped Shen Cheng was doing well and regretted using Shen Cheng. It was all Gu Jiao Wu’s fault. If Gu Jiao Wu stopped pressuring her… she shook her head. She needed to stop thinking about Gu Jiao Wu, and not let Gu Jiao Wu get to her.
If Qiao Jie knew how to use a brain, Qiao Tan Yuan would be overseas with Xiao Bao and out of Gu Jiao Wu’s reach. If she kept her distance from Gu Jiao Wu then he couldn’t break her heart again. That night she had another sleepless night.
In the morning, Qiao Tan Yuan went to work and called Du Lei Xin.
‘Lei Xin, what did your client say?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked.
‘I’m sorry I can’t help you,’ Du Lei Xin said. ‘My client said I declined their offer last time, and invested money in a different investment.’
‘I understand,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. Even if she understood the business world, she was still disappointed. ‘I’m sorry for troubling you, I’ll look for someone else to help-’
‘Wait,’ Du Lei Xin said. He knew Qiao Tan Yuan would hang up if he didn’t interrupt her. ‘I can’t help you, but there is someone who can help you.’
‘Who?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked.
‘Gu Jiao Wu,’ Du Lei Xin said.
Qiao Tan Yuan would rather hear Du Lei Xin suggest Shen Cheng than Gu Jiao Wu.
‘No, I don’t need his help,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
‘Why not?’ Du Lei Xin asked. ‘You gave birth to his daughter. He’s not cold blooded. If you open your mouth, he would help you.’
Qiao Tan Yuan gripped the phone. ‘Thank you, but I don’t need his help.’
Qiao Tan Yuan hung up the phone. She didn’t want to listen to Du Lei Xin persuade her to change her mind.
Qiao Tan Yuan’s heart was racing as fast as her anger overflowing. Ask Gu Jiao Wu for help? The price was too high. He would blackmail her into marrying him again, and it would give him the right to have custody of Xiao Bao. Afterward he would break her heart, divorce her again and shut her out of Xiao Bao’s life.
Qiao Tan Yuan diverted her anger into productivity. She called Hu Zui Ren, he said he would be back in town soon. Then she called Qiao’s company lawyers, and discussed if there were any contract clauses to void the contract. But lawyers informed her that the contract was binding because Qiao Jie was in a positon to authorise the transaction, and he signed the contract using the Qiao’s company’s seal.
If Qiao Jie wasn’t Qiao Tan Yuan’s little brother, she would strangle him. Qiao’s company’s a.s.sets were valued at one hundred million, but Qiao’s company’s shares could plummet because of a one million dollar sink hole investment. How did Qiao Jie expect to keep his position if their employees lost faith in his decision making ability to help lead Qiao’s company in the right direction?
At lunch time, Qiao Tan Yuan wanted to go home to breast feed Xiao Bao. On the way out of her office, she saw Qiao Jie walking toward her office with a young man she didn’t recognise.
‘Big sister,’ Qiao Jie greeted.
‘Qiao Jie, did you need something?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked.
‘Big sister, I want you to meet Zheng Quan’s company’s CEO,’ Qiao Jie said.
Qiao Tan Yuan a.s.sessed the sink hole company’s CEO. He looked under thirty, tall, had a straight nose and was smiling condescendingly at her like women were inferior. Yes, he looked like a narcissistic sink hole. The type of man she hated the most. He was the one who set up the trap for Qiao Jie to fall in, it made him more repulsive in her eyes.
The young man sensed Qiao Tan Yuan’s disapproval. ‘Who is she?’
‘My big sister, Executive Qiao of Qiao’s company,’ Qiao Jie said proudly.
‘Oh,’ the young man said. He thought Qiao Tan Yuan was another simpleton woman. ‘h.e.l.lo, I’m Quan Zheng Hao.’
Quan? Qiao Tan Yuan hid her surprise. The sink hole had a redeeming silver lining. She was relieved if Quan Zheng Ha failed there was someone to clean up his mess.
‘Qiao Jie, I thought the money transfer was scheduled for tomorrow,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
‘That’s right,’ Qiao Jie said. ‘CEO Quan came here to treat us lunch to mark the start of our collaboration.’
‘Lunch?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked. She didn’t hide her disdain in front of Quan Zheng Hao. ‘Wouldn’t that be too premature? If he believes he is in the position to treat us lunch then he wouldn’t need our investment. He shouldn’t waste time treating us, and spend it on making profitable products, and give us a decent return on our investment. When I see his success on our bank statements then he’ll be in a position to treat us lunch.’
Quan Zheng Hao’s interest in Qiao Tan Yuan inclined.
‘I have confidence my company’s products will be successful on the market,’ Quan Zheng Hao said.
‘Qiao Jie, you two should stop standing idle here and go find ways to make profits,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Qiao Tan Yuan didn’t want to see the hood winked Qiao Jie’s face anymore. She walked to the elevators. She didn’t know why Qiao Jie a.s.sociated with someone like Quan Zheng Hao who was all air and no substance. One day left, where was she going to find one million?
Quan Zheng Hao watched Qiao Tan Yuan walk to the elevators.
‘Your big sister’s impatience is impressive,’ Quan Zheng Hao said.
Qiao Jie laughed. ‘Um, impressive indeed.’
‘Is she married?’ Quan Zheng Hao asked.
‘Married and divorced,’ Qiao Jie said. He looked down at Quan Zheng Hao. ‘If you want to pursue my big sister, hurry up and make a profit or my big sister will kill me because you’re a liability.’
‘Relax, my company’s products are close to the implementation phase, and the products will be profitable,’ Quan Zheng Hao said. He patted Qiao Jie’s shoulder. ‘Then you can sit back, and count money.’
‘I hope so,’ Qiao Jie said.
Qiao Jie was scared if Quan Zheng Hao failed, he would become a leper at Qiao’s company.
At the Qiao Mansion, Qiao Tan Yuan breast fed and played with Xiao Bao.
‘Tan Yuan, you don’t have to worry about Qiao’s company,’ Mrs Qiao said. ‘If you want to go to Denmark, you should go.’
‘Mum, am I not a member of the Qiao Household?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked. ‘How can I do nothing when Qiao’s company is in trouble?’
‘But…’ Mrs Qiao said.
Mrs Qiao didn’t want to see Qiao Tan Yuan exhausted taking care Xiao Bao, and Qiao’s company’s problems.
‘Mum, I’ll stay here until everything is resolved,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
‘Tan Yuan…’ Mrs Qiao said.
Mrs Qiao didn’t know what to do with the stubborn Qiao Tan Yuan.
‘Go and do what you need to do,’ Mrs Qiao said. ‘Aunty and I will take care of Xiao Bao.’
‘Thank you mum,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Qiao Tan Yuan walked to the car, and sped back to her office. On the way to her office she cursed Qiao Jie for taking a risky one million dollar gamble on Quan Zheng Hao. She was too preoccupied cursing them that she almost ran a red light if she didn’t brake suddenly.
Qiao Tan Yuan looked out the window, and noticed a familiar black car was parked in front of building. Gu Jiao Wu’s black car? It was his fault she was too familiar with the interior of his black car.
A second later, a young woman stepped out of Gu Jiao Wu’s car… Chu Da?
End of Chapter Fifty-Seven