The Wealthy Tycoon's Game of Life

Chapter 1276: Chapter 489: Retreat (Part 2)

”If I say it can be real?”

Xia Xiwei said softly.

Zhou Wang was taken aback, but he saw Xia Xiwei somehow had approached a bit more, and the distance between them was just about six or seven centimeters.

Her dark eyes were clear, her slightly trembling eyelashes seemed to reveal her inner tension, and somehow, Zhou Wang’s gaze uncontrollably drifted down to fixate on her lips.

Her cherry-red lip gloss shone with a glossy hue on her full lips, causing Zhou Wang to suddenly feel a dry throat, his throat involuntarily moving.

Just when Zhou Wang was finding it hard to control himself, hurried footsteps suddenly came from beside him.

”Phew, Boss, you’re here, soon you’ll have to give your speech again, do you want to prepare a bit first?”

The newcomer was the slightly breathless Xu Wenqian, whose abrupt intrusion broke the peculiar atmosphere here, Xia Xiwei subtly leaned back, and Zhou Wang came to his senses.

”Is it time?”

Zhou Wang smiled apologetically at Xia Xiwei, then got up and left with Xu Wenqian.

Xia Xiwei sat on the chair, staring at Zhou Wang’s back with a complex expression, then murmured to herself:

”Xia Xiwei ah Xia Xiwei, how could you do such a foolish thing...”

...

In a temporary lounge adjacent to the banquet hall, Li Xiaoya and Xiang Ming stood in the corner, feeling the heavy atmosphere of the lounge, somewhat embarrassed.

At this moment, Jiang Jiaxing and Li Xiaolei both looked rather displeased, while standing opposite them was Jiang Qingkui with a semblance of stubbornness.

”Dad, Mom, I think I’ve made it clear enough, Zhou Wang and I... have never been the kind of relationship you imagine. I am his secretary, he is my boss, that’s all, nothing more.”

”But didn’t you say earlier that you had feelings for him?”

Jiang Jiaxing asked somewhat angrily.

”I did say so, but I never mentioned how he felt, did I? You can interpret it as some thoughts I once had but were long shattered...”

Jiang Qingkui responded calmly, seeming to have already prepared herself mentally.

”Bullshit!”

Jiang Jiaxing seemed infuriated, clearly unable to accept Jiang Qingkui’s nonchalant explanation, ”If you’re really clean and innocent, then explain to me what about all those things Zhou Wang sent our family, those high-end medical insurances he bought us, and those luxury items, holiday greetings...”

”Those are just employee benefits, everyone who works with him gets them.”

Jiang Qingkui responded, biting her lip.

”You...”

Jiang Jiaxing, dizzy with anger, still wanted to question, when Li Xiaolei, who had been observing their daughter for a while, stopped him.

Li Xiaolei suddenly stepped forward, holding Jiang Qingkui’s hand, ”Qingkui, be honest with Mom, you... do like Zhou Wang, right?”

”I...”

Jiang Qingkui originally wanted to deny it, but somehow, facing her mother’s all-knowing eyes, she just couldn’t say it.

”Now, tell me, is Zhou Wang truly uninterested in you?”

”...”

Jiang Qingkui still wanted to deny, but again couldn’t say it, because she essentially wasn’t one to lie.

She just suddenly recalled a certain night in Spring Eye Apartment, under dim starlight, he watching her at the bedside, and later, she watched him in bed...

Such moments weren’t mere entanglements but surpassed entangling, how can nothing have happened?

During the many nights Zhou Wang was unaware, Jiang Qingkui with headphones on always revisited those passionate moments in her life.

That’s why she couldn’t deny it.

She also knew Zhou Wang always had a greedy possessiveness towards her, if not for Jiang Qingkui maintaining her clarity most of the time, she might have already fallen.

”Is it because he already has other women around him?”

Li Xiaolei finally confronted, asking the crucial question.

Jiang Qingkui remained silent, which also served as a type of reply.

Li Xiaolei deeply inhaled, seeming to suppress her fury too, looking shared surprise with Jiang Jiaxing, then spoke, ”Qingkui, rest assured, with your dad and me, we’ll stand up for you, we’ll go find Old Zhou and his wife for answers...”

”Mom, let it be.”

Jiang Qingkui pulled Li Xiaolei, tiredly shaking her head, ”Honestly, Zhou Wang and I really don’t have anything, maybe some emotional entanglement, but... I’ve thought it through.”

”What is that supposed to mean?”

Li Xiaolei frowned.

”I still have several projects I can’t leave now, it’s my responsibility to bear, once those are finished, I... might resign.”

Jiang Qingkui deeply inhaled, spoke lightly, ”So you don’t need to do anything for me, these matters between me and him, I can handle them myself.”

Seeing Jiang Qingkui’s firm yet appearing somewhat self-deprecating tone, both Jiang Jiaxing and Li Xiaolei felt a heartache.

Their daughter who had always been so proud from a young age, when had she ever shown such a fragile look?

Even when caught in a whirlpool of emotions from which she could neither advance nor retreat, Jiang Qingkui maintained a proud stance, preferring to withdraw completely rather than continue entangling with Zhou Wang.

But also, precisely because she chose to retreat, it sufficiently illustrated she indeed was moved by Zhou Wang... she was also fearful, fearing that even that remaining shred of sanity might eventually vanish.

Jiang Jiaxing, having words left unsaid repeatedly, finally sighed, ”This is also good... Sorry, Qingkui, I shouldn’t have yelled at you just now, anyways no matter what you choose, your dad and mom always support you.”

Jiang Qingkui shook her head, indicating it didn’t matter. At this point, the music outside suddenly quieted, Jiang Qingkui checked the time, hurriedly spoke:

”The next speech segment is soon, Zhou Wang previously requested I must be present, Dad, Mom, and Aunt, let’s go out first.”

...

”Good evening, everyone, yes, it’s me again.”

The clock hit eight-thirty, Zhou Wang once again stood on stage, speaking into the microphone with a smile, ”I apologize for interrupting your dining time again... Speaking of eating, the roasted chestnuts in the snack platter are freshly roasted by my classmate, very delicious, everyone is welcome to try them, like them, feel free to buy them at Tangchen Yipin’s entrance.”

Having given a little ad for Guo Nansheng, after the attention of the audience shifted, Zhou Wang continued:

”Actually, those familiar with me know I’m not one to waste words, so standing here again is actually to announce something significant...”

”What, a donation?”

Hearing the teasing from Young Master Zhang and others, Zhou Wang couldn’t help but laugh, ”Seeing as this is a charity fund, there must naturally be a donation segment, but don’t rush, there’ll be a dedicated segment shortly to let everyone donate, also, in return, I have prepared some interesting little gifts, to ensure you won’t go home empty-handed, you’ll find out soon.”

”Now, back to the point, about what I’m about to announce, it’s going to have quite an impact on me, many others, and even on the future commercial landscape of Magic City.”

Zhou Wang set the tone first, some bright people already guessed, revealing understanding yet eager expressions.

But then, Zhou Wang suddenly shifted, ”However, before announcing, I want to invite someone on stage... someone very special to me.”

Saying so, Zhou Wang scanned around, quickly locking onto a direction, smiled, ”Qingkui, what are you waiting for? Come on up.”