Because of her fear of cancer, Chen Mingxi had completely resigned herself to fate, thinking that no matter how much time was left in her countdown, she would spend it all accompanying her parents and family.
Chen Xiao noticed her dejected expression and guessed her thoughts. He felt both heartbroken and exasperated as he said,
"Mingxi, I understand how you feel right now. However, your mother has never liked me, so I won't go to the first canteen to embarrass myself. Moreover, I'm not just comforting you. As long as you arrange your time to receive my treatment regularly, you will definitely recover."
"I..."
Chen Mingxi hesitated to speak, her dejected gaze gradually regaining some of its sparkle. After all, Chen Xiao had never lied to her since she was a child. Furthermore, Meng Baobao's overt admiration for Chen Xiao, while she couldn't understand it, didn't seem faked at all. This gave her, with her muddled mind, even more confidence in Chen Xiao's medical skills, and she finally managed to break into a smile through her tears.
"It's fine if you don't go to the first canteen, but you have to eat this meal with me. It's already lunchtime after work, you can't possibly skip a meal, right? If you don't agree, I'll call my aunt."
As she spoke, she also hugged Chen Xiao's arm and acted spoiled, her soft, warm chest rubbing against Chen Xiao's arm, making her seem like a charming little temptress.
Chen Xiao was completely defeated. He quickly withdrew his arm, which was tightly held by Chen Mingxi, and turned back to the office to clock out.
"I actually have something to attend to outside for lunch. If you don't mind the trouble, you can come along!"
Half an hour ago, Jin Yongping had specifically messaged Chen Xiao, saying that she had contacted a company that integrated design and production to discuss cooperation for the outer packaging of the Xumi Jiezi Paste, and hoped Chen Xiao could spare some time after work to attend.
"Of course, I don't mind the trouble!"
Chen Mingxi was eager, and as she spoke, she even unceremoniously took off Chen Xiao's white coat and then, like a shadow, hopped and skipped after Chen Xiao straight to the underground parking lot.
She recalled Chen Xiao driving Song Yan's Maserati to Wang Hailong's housewarming banquet a couple of days ago and naturally assumed Chen Xiao was taking her to the underground parking lot to get into that luxury car. She couldn't help but nervously say,
"Brother, what exactly is your relationship with that young lady from the richest Song family? Why would she lend you a Maserati worth tens of millions? And that villa in Swan Lake is so expensive, why do you own Villa No. 8?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Chen Mingxi suddenly felt like she was facing a formidable enemy. She saw that Gao Fei's car was still parked next to her mother Wang Xiaoxia's car. And as she and Chen Xiao emerged from the elevator into the underground parking lot, Gao Fei suddenly got out of his car with three burly men, their murderous intent palpable as they surrounded them.
Instinctively shielding Chen Xiao behind her, Chen Mingxi questioned him warily,
"What do you want?"
Gao Fei made no attempt to hide his greed for Chen Mingxi. With a sinister grin, he threatened,
"Of course, I want to have lunch with you! Mingxi, you wouldn't want to see your cousin get beaten up, would you?"
With the support of the three thugs, he hadn't even glanced at Chen Xiao from beginning to end. As he spoke, he brazenly reached out towards Chen Mingxi's exposed fair waist.
"Ah! Don't touch me!"
Chen Mingxi cried out and instinctively pulled Chen Xiao back, dodging repeatedly.
Gao Fei missed and instantly flew into a rage, gritting his teeth and cursing,
"You ungrateful bitch, why are you getting involved with Chen Xiao, that useless piece of trash? Are you two involved? Putting aside that you're cousins and there's no future, even if you weren't related by blood, how am I worse than him? Does he have a car? A house? A father to rely on? He's just a bastard born without a father, spit!"
As he spoke, he even spat viciously towards Chen Xiao, causing the three burly men surrounding Chen Xiao to erupt in laughter.
"Gao Fei, you scoundrel!"
Chen Mingxi had known for a long time that Gao Fei was no good, but she never expected him to say such vulgar words. She was both ashamed and angry, her eyes welling up with tears.
Chen Xiao, for Meng Baobao's sake, had initially not intended to bother with Gao Fei, but Gao Fei's words were simply too unbearable!
Since he could no longer tolerate it, why should he continue to endure?
His gaze turned icy. He suddenly grabbed the hair of the two burly men on his left and right, forcefully slamming their heads together until they bled. Then, he swiftly turned and delivered a fierce kick to the chest of the burly man behind him, who was laughing heartily, sending him to his knees and vomiting uncontrollably. He then glared at Gao Fei and said word by word,
"If these three useless guys are your confidence in repeatedly provoking me, then you can kneel down and cripple your own hands and feet! Don't force me to act, otherwise, even if Dr. Meng is your aunt, you'll be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of your life!"
"You... you you you..."
Gao Fei, having witnessed Chen Xiao incapacitate his hired thugs in an instant, was as terrified as if he had seen a ghost. He stammered for a long time, unable to utter a complete sentence. After a moment's thought, he decided to flee towards the nearly million-dollar luxury car parked not far away.
"You think you can just bully me and then run away? Dream on!"
Chen Xiao, still seething with anger, caught up in three quick strides. He secretly activated the Great Dream Vajra Divine Skill and effortlessly pinned Gao Fei against the car's hood.
"Ah—"
Gao Fei's face turned ashen with terror. Having almost lost his life, he stammered in panic,
"Chen... Chen Xiao, you... you should know about Jingzhi Design, right? It's a comprehensive large company under the richest Song family, and... and I'm the manager of the marketing department. I'm about to go to Zhegutian to negotiate an order with a major client. If... if you dare to delay my work, the consequences... you'll bear the consequences..."
Fearing that he couldn't intimidate Chen Xiao, he hastily pulled out his car keys and handed them over, his voice even more panicked.
"But... but as long as you let me go, this Porsche my dad bought me recently, worth over eight hundred thousand, is yours! You... you and your mother depended on each other since you were young, living on the meager income from Jishitang. You must... you must have dreamed of owning a luxury car, right?"
"Heh."
Chen Xiao noticed the unconcealed terror in Gao Fei's expression and the wet patch on his pants. He couldn't help but smile cruelly and said with utter contempt,
"The major client you're talking about, could it be Jin Fang Pharmaceutical?"
Chen Xiao wasn't clairvoyant. Jin Yongping had specifically mentioned "Jingzhi Design" when she messaged him earlier, and the negotiation location was indeed Zhegutian.
Gao Fei was slightly taken aback, then subconsciously glanced at the stunned Chen Mingxi. He gradually regained some confidence. After all, he had specifically boasted to Wang Xiaoxia and Chen Mingxi about representing Jingzhi Design to negotiate a major order with Jin Fang Pharmaceutical. He said,
"Since Mingxi told you, you should know that Jin Fang Pharmaceutical is discussing a multi-million dollar deal with me! If this is further delayed, even if you and your mother sell everything, it won't be enough to compensate!"
As he spoke, he struggled a few times while lying on the car hood, but he still couldn't break free from Chen Xiao's grip on his collar.
"So, Jingzhi Design's business is your confidence in repeatedly provoking me, right? If that's the case, I hope you won't regret it too much. Spit!"
Chen Xiao said, spitting fiercely on Gao Fei's face. Then, he pulled Chen Mingxi, who was still stunned, and walked away, not even glancing at the car keys in Gao Fei's hand.
"Ah! Chen! How dare you..."
Gao Fei completely lost his temper and could no longer suppress his fear. He bared his teeth and started cursing again. But as soon as he spoke, he was shocked to see Chen Xiao driving a fiery red Porsche parked nearby with Chen Mingxi. He was dumbfounded, and after a long pause, he could only shake his head in disbelief and try to console himself,
"It's fake, right? I had to cry, throw a tantrum, and threaten to hang myself to get my dad to buy me a Porsche worth over eight hundred thousand. That useless Chen is driving a car worth tens of millions? It's been modified! It must be modified! After all, even selling Jishitang wouldn't be worth that much!"
Just then, he suddenly received a call from his direct supervisor:
"Manager Gao, Mr. Jin from Jin Fang Pharmaceutical and I are already at Zhegutian. Where is the cooperation plan you prepared? Don't blame me for not reminding you, if you mess up even just delivering a pre-prepared cooperation plan, your father won't be able to protect you anymore. Jingzhi Design doesn't keep idlers!"
"Red... Director Hong, please rest assured, I... I'll be there immediately. I guarantee... I guarantee I won't mess it up."
No matter how incompetent Gao Fei was, he knew that the so-called delivery of the cooperation plan was a test from his new direct supervisor, Hong Lajiao. If Hong Lajiao found any fault, she would definitely target him, or even his deputy director father, to achieve the Song family's drastic layoffs. He dared not be careless. After hastily hanging up the phone, he quickly drove towards Zhegutian.
...
In a spacious, antique, and elegantly decorated private room at Zhegutian, Jin Yongping and Hong Lajiao were chatting and laughing around a dining table.
Jin Yongping, in her early forties, had a simple yet not casual fashion sense, and her every move exuded the grace and elegance of an heir from a traditional Chinese medicine family.
Hong Lajiao, in her thirties, wore a pure black OL suit, pure black stockings, and pure black high heels. Her jet-black hair was tied up high, further accentuating her fair skin, beautiful features, and voluptuous figure. From head to toe, she exuded the mature feminine charm of a woman and the competence and efficiency of a white-collar professional.
Hong Lajiao had always been a straightforward and forthright person. After a brief chat, she couldn't help but get straight to the point,
"Sister Ping, didn't you tell me not long ago that you were planning to sell Jin Fang Pharmaceutical and take Qianqian abroad for treatment? Why are you suddenly looking for me to discuss cooperation? And you're talking about a multi-million dollar order right off the bat!"
She was very curious. After only a few days, why did Jin Yongping, who had looked worried before, suddenly appear so radiant?
Jin Yongping, remembering Chen Xiao's instructions, spoke with a mix of truth and falsehood, without hesitation,
"Qianqian's illness is being treated by the Super Doctor King, and her recovery is in sight. As for Jin Fang Pharmaceutical, it has also been fortunate enough to receive huge investment from a mysterious consortium and is about to launch a new drug called Xumi Jiezi Paste. They urgently need design and mass production of the outer packaging. And you just happened to be appointed as the Marketing Director of Jingzhi Design, so of course, I had to find you to discuss cooperation!"
"The Super Doctor King who can treat complex congenital heart disease? A mysterious consortium with huge investment? A traditional Chinese medicine paste whose outer packaging alone costs millions?"
Hong Lajiao was completely bewildered and almost dizzy. Her expression clearly showed her curiosity.
Just then, Chen Xiao arrived, followed by a stunned Chen Mingxi.
Jin Yongping quickly and enthusiastically got up to introduce them,
"Lajiao, Chen Xiao is the Super Doctor King who treated Qianqian, and he's also Qianqian's junior high school classmate. I specifically invited him here to help with advice. Chen Xiao, this is Hong Lajiao, the Marketing Director of Jingzhi Design I told you about earlier. She's my good friend, you can call her Aunt Jiao."
The moment Chen Xiao's eyes met Hong Lajiao's, he was taken aback and said,
"You... aren't you the manager of that flagship mobile phone store near Central Hospital?"