"Them?"
Bai Zhiyuan was a little confused. What was going on with this endless stream of people?
From Lu Li's "Crush Strong Hands" onwards, things had begun to spiral out of control.
First, a group of beat cops had shown up, hostility radiating from them as they intended to cuff Lu Li.
Then, the station chief arrived, scolding everyone.
Although they no longer insisted on cuffing Lu Li, the necessary procedures still needed to be followed.
In the end, even the bureau chief was alerted, and with a wave of his hand, he let Lu Li go.
The situation had taken a truly bizarre turn.
As a workplace elite and a novice in society, Bai Zhiyuan couldn't quite grasp the intricacies of it all.
"I suppose I was being overly solicitous."
Zheng Ting's gaze towards Lu Li held a hint of approval. "Even if our Nanshan Pizza Hut didn't intervene, Mr. Lu Li would have come out of this unscathed."
"You can't say that. I've noted down your good intentions, President Zheng. And..." Lu Li waved his hand. "Never mind, no need to explain. It's a dangerous world out there, and it's good to know a lot of people."
...
"What's going on? What's happening?"
Gao Yuxin was utterly bewildered. "If I had known hitting someone would be okay, I would have gone up and landed a couple of punches myself!"
In the quiet coffee shop, Gao Yuxin gestured animatedly. Even now, she still hadn't figured out what had just transpired.
She just felt that it was incredibly cool that Lu Li could just leave after hitting someone!
"Is it really alright?"
Bai Zhiyuan was still a bit uneasy and asked again.
"It's not even the preliminary stages yet, and our Director Bai's heart has already flown away."
As the atmosphere gradually warmed up, everyone's awkwardness began to dissipate. Even a usually stern leader like Zheng Ting joined in with a lighthearted joke.
"Yes, yes!"
Gao Yuxin, slow on the uptake, suddenly slapped her thigh. "Brother, you have no idea. Our Little Bai is so cold at the company. She only grunts 'mm' during morning meetings, and at other times, she's practically invisible. The most important thing is that her department's work is the best... Oh my, why are you pinching me, Little Bai?"
"Hahaha."
Lu Li burst into hearty laughter. "Classmate Gao Yuxin, I'm very curious how you managed to reach your current position without being fired."
"It's a rare opportunity for a company-sponsored trip, so why not have some fun? Otherwise, constantly facing all the overwhelming news from your Lingjing would drive anyone crazy!"
"Mm, I seriously suspect the mental state of our colleagues in the publicity department."
Lu Li nodded with feigned seriousness. This woman truly possessed a wild streak.
"Has Mr. Lu Li considered developing in Shenzhen? The climate is pleasant, the scenery is picturesque, and there's an abundance of talent."
The jesting concluded, and Zheng Ting steered the conversation toward business.
"Hmm..."
Lu Li subtly glanced at Bai Zhiyuan, noticing she was also nervously stealing glances at him. What was most infuriating was that she didn't look away immediately, her gaze making his face flush.
"Cough, cough..."
"Of course, I've considered it. Shenzhen, with its year-round spring, has always been a place I've longed to visit. The winters in Haicheng are too cold."
"However, with a giant like Penguin already in Shenzhen, there aren't many opportunities for our Lingjing to develop."
"It's not easy for small companies to grow. The environment has been fraught with internal and external challenges for the past two years."
Zheng Ting's eyes widened in surprise.
"Small... Small company?"
Is this boasting?
If Lingjing is a small company, are there any large game companies in China?
"It truly is small."
Lu Li said earnestly, "In China's territory, everyone cultivates their own fields, each having achieved their own accomplishments. Although Lingjing was founded early, its rise was a bit late. We can barely survive on meager gains in China, but to expand further, we can only swallow market share from others. This... isn't that easy."
He shrugged. "However, if you've investigated Lingjing, you should know that our ambition isn't confined to China. It's not that I'm pessimistic, but most Chinese players have been 'domesticated' by Tencent. The rest have already been absorbed by Lingjing. To continue expanding, we can only keep increasing our investment in overseas markets. In that case, we could consider establishing a branch company in Shenzhen specifically for the overseas market."
Zheng Ting nodded thoughtfully, looking earnestly at Lu Li, wanting to hear his further plans.
Lu Li spoke unhurriedly, "The expansion of overseas markets is extremely difficult, no less so than snatching food from Tencent. But overseas has one advantage: our primary development direction significantly overlaps with that of major overseas companies. Winning by reputation isn't impossible, especially in the era of VR prevalence, anything is possible."
Ignoring Zheng Ting's surprised gaze, Lu Li continued, "The VR boom is not only an opportunity for Lingjing to seize the moment and regain market share but also an opportunity for all major domestic game companies. We are all starting from the same starting line now."
"The outcome is undecided, both you and I are dark horses."
"Therefore, I placed such importance on this VR seminar, only to find it was all just hype. However, there is one piece of encouraging news: the review system for VR will not differ significantly from that of PC platforms. A flourishing era is subtly emerging, and we must all seize the tail end of this era!"
Lu Li didn't fully trust Zheng Ting, his words mixed with truth and falsehood. He only believed in interests, not in human nature, even though his relationship with Bai Zhiyuan was quite good.
This was because human nature couldn't withstand trials, especially when it concerned the survival of a giant corporation.
Afterward, Lu Li chatted with President Zheng for a long time.
However, regarding official matters, both spoke with a mixture of truth and falsehood, each knowing the other's intentions.
Finally, as the coffee induced a slight tipsiness, Lu Li saw Zheng Ting and Gao Yuxin home.
Under the constant suggestive glances from Gao Yuxin's large, expressive eyes, Bai Zhiyuan, with a blush on her face, stood with Lu Li.
Without the buffer of a third party, the atmosphere once again descended into an awkward silence.
Both of them, having been single for over a decade and practicing their "craft" in solitude, were utterly inexperienced in such situations.
Bai Zhiyuan lowered her head, trying to focus on her toes, but found only a pair of proud peaks meeting her gaze. Her vision was obstructed, and her face grew even redder.
"To be unable to see one's toes when looking down is truly a sign of being a charmer!"
The ancients were truly not deceiving us.
Lu Li averted his eyes, focused his mind, adjusted his breathing, and tried his best to make his gaze appear as clear as possible.
With one hand in his pocket, he adjusted his trajectory.
He looked at Bai Zhiyuan and asked gently, "Are you hungry?"
"How about you come back to my place, and I'll cook noodles for you?"
"Isn't your place in Haicheng?" Bai Zhiyuan met Lu Li's clear eyes, which, despite appearing devoid of any impurities, possessed a black hole-like attraction.
"Ah... ha, yes. I mean, it's getting late, why don't I drive you home?"
"Okay."
...
(My decision has changed. I'm going back to my hometown for a blind date this weekend and will start looking for a job on Monday. Full-time work isn't really suitable for me.)