Chapter 180: My fire’s already gone out

“Fortunately, there’s still someone hiding in the wardrobe.”

Xu Tingsheng instead rejoiced a little at Zhang Xingke’s presence now. With an outsider like him present, it could ensure that he would not truly lose his mind. Unable to take it? Things being as they were, he had to take it even if he couldn’t take it!

Xu Tingsheng’s expression and reactions were all seen by Yu Xinlan. Through her many years of accumulated experience, she could determine with a single glance whether a man had any desires and urges towards her.

Yu Xinlan had always been very clear on her assets and charm, not believing that this young male before her possessed sufficient willpower to resist her. Thus, she felt that she could carry on with the next step.

“You just had a friend over, Boss Xu?” Yu Xinlan asked as she pointed at the half-empty cup of tea that Zhang Xingke had been drinking just earlier.

“Oh, yeah...He left just a short while ago. There’s still a teacup there; I’ll go brew another cup for Chairman Yu.”

Xu Tingsheng made use of this chance to stand up and flee his original position. He plugged in the electric kettle again, got another glass cup and rinsed it with hot water before placing in the tea leaves that he had brought himself and waiting for the water to boil.

Yu Xinlan took the liberty to stand up as she said, “I feel like using the washroom. Can I?”

“Go ahead.”

As Yu Xinlan was in the washroom, Xu Tingsheng hurriedly ran over to the window and moved his bag and clothes from that single-seater sofa to the bed, thinking that he definitely wouldn’t sit opposite her anymore...he might really die from that.

“How about it? Powerful, right?” The wardrobe opened a slight crack as Zhang Xinke whispered.

Xu Tingsheng earnestly nodded repeatedly.

“The heck, I almost imploded just watching it from inside. Whew...” Zhang Xingke said.

“I won’t be able to get out of here...how about you pretend that I’m not here? I won’t look, I promise,” Zhang Xingke said.

Xu Tingsheng pointed towards his ear. They smiled in unison. As the sound of a door opening and closing now resounded from the washroom, Zhang Xingke covered his mouth, pulling the door of the wardrobe closer in. Then, he pushed it slightly out again.

Xu Tingsheng was instantly rendered speechless. The hell! You’re freaking preparing to watch!

Yu Xinlan causally brewed the tea, carrying it over.

Xu Tingsheng hurriedly sat down on the now freed up sofa.

Yu Xinlan placed the teacup on the table.

Then, Xu Tingsheng watched on dumbfounded as she did not go back to sit on the other sofa, instead moving back after having put down the teacup, moving two steps to the left and sitting on the bed...leaving them still seated face-to-face.

The bed was slightly higher than the sofa.

As Yu Xinlan sat down and put a leg over the other, Xu Tingsheng caught another glimpse...

This time, he didn’t clearly see what he wasn’t supposed to. However, he discovered that while the black stockings were still there, the white...was already gone.

Xu Tingsheng glanced at Yu Xinlan’s chest area ‘just for confirmation’. Indeed, ‘that’ was gone as well.

Therefore, it was already very clear what Yu Xinlan had gone to the washroom to do just earlier.

Xu Tingsheng’s head rung as a fire blazed in both his body and his mind.

“It seems she’s determined to eat me up. Sacrificing herself like this-I wonder what this woman wants?”

Xu Tingsheng tried his best to calm down. He directed a casual glance towards the wardrobe. Zhang Xingke might have seen it, might have reacted as well. Still, looking towards that slit of darkness, Xu Tingsheng was unable to see his reaction.

“It hasn’t even been a year since Boss Xu founded Hucheng Education?” Yu Xinlan asked.

“Right. You should have this in the information your company collected,” Xu Tingsheng said.

Yu Xinlan smiled, nodding, “That’s right. It’s just that not personally asking, it’d just feel a little difficult to believe it. The current appraised value of Boss Xu’s Hucheng Education outside is very high, while Boss Xu is just 20. I feel that...this is really just too inconceivable.”

Xu Tingsheng said, “Thank you. It was just luck.”

Yu Xinlan said, “You are currently working on a Hundred Cities plan? It seems like it’s already reached almost twenty cities now? I’ve heard an analyst say that as soon as this plan of yours has been completed, the value of Hucheng Education might already have surpassed a billion.”

Yu Xinlan unconsciously emphasised on the ‘billion’ a little heavily.

With the Hundred Cities plan achieved, that would also mean that the expansion of their services would have been completed. A billion? Xu Tingsheng felt that the analyst Yu Xinlan was referring to was really much too lacking in his appraisal of the value of the internet.

Of course, there was no need for him to tell Yu Xinlan this.

Xu Tingsheng said, “I’m actually not very clear on this myself. I’m just doing things one step at a time.”

Yu Xinlan next asked Xu Tingsheng about Cao Cao’s mausoleum and other things that were related to him. Throughout this entire process, she exerted all possible means, ceaselessly thinking of ways to exhibit her body to him.

“Consolidating all these, Boss Xu’s charm is really too great. There’s a great sense of mystery around you that makes one curious, wanting to find out more. Having heard that I would have a chance to meet Boss Xu this time, I was moved to the point of almost being unable to sleep. Having seen you today, I’m even more unable to sleep now...”

Xu Tingsheng could not help but interrupt her, “In having found me, Chairman Yu, it must be for the matter of recruitment and management?”

Yu Xinlan shook her head, hesitating for a moment before she said, “That’s for discussion at the table. I’m actually here to ask Boss Xu. Are you interested...in buying Dexin? If Boss Xu is interested, I would actually be able to help you with it.”

“How many desperate traitors is Dexin breeding?” Whilst feigning nonchalance, Xu Tingsheng glanced towards the wardrobe again. What might Zhang Xingke be feeling now?

Xu Tingsheng smiled before asking rather interestedly, “I wonder how Chairman Yu intends to help me?”

“If you have me, it’d actually be very easy to handle this. Dexin currently only has 150000 yuan in liquid assets in its account. Also, all their hopes of holding on are on Boss Xu. Therefore...”

Yu Xinlan explained her plan.

Xu Tingsheng was almost rendered dazed. Aside from the person doing the ‘follow-up actions’ having turned into Yu Xinlan herself, this plan of hers was virtually exactly the same as Zhang Xingke’s.

Xu Tingsheng unconsciously directed his gaze towards the big wardrobe once more. Yu Xinlan curiously glanced over along with him. Fortunately, she did not discover anything abnormal.

Seeing that he was silent, Yu Xinlan asked softly, “Boss Xu?”

Xu Tingsheng regained his wits, “Yeah?”

Yu Xinlan said, “Actually, we can discuss this problem on the bed. Let’s not stand on ceremony.”

Xu Tingsheng, “...”

Yu Xinlan asked, “Is Boss Xu interested in me? What I mean is that tonight, and in the future, I can...fulfil whatever you ask.”

Yu Xinlan bit down on her lower lip, breathing even more heavily as she stared at Xu Tingsheng...

“If Boss Xu acquires Dexin, Xinlan will naturally become your subordinate, and will have to listen to whatever you say...”

A thirty-year-old woman was using a voice overflowing with allure that almost seemed like a voice from one’s dreams as she spoke respectfully to a twenty-year-old boy, saying ‘listen to whatever you say’.

“If Boss Xu is not interested in Dexin, can you bring me to Hucheng along with you? What a pity, I should have worn a skirt here today. Then, yeah, Boss Xu would have been able to watch me being a secretary to you...”

Yu Xinlan leapt up, extending a hand to pull down the zipper of her dress behind her as she tried to grab hold of Xu Tingsheng’s hand with her other hand...

......

Now, both Xu Tingsheng’s handphones beeped simultaneously.

Xu Tingsheng told Yu Xinlan ‘sorry’ before taking out both his phones and placing them on the table. He took one of them and checked it.

“Uncle, I really can’t eat barbequed duck anymore. Also, there are so many people here. It’s so crowded! We bought a lot of things just now. I just finished packing helping to pack the luggage, I’m so tired. Goodnight,” Xiang Ning sent over.

Xu Tingsheng replied, “Rest well. Goodnight.”

Xiang Ning replied, “I’ve got a present for Uncle. Looking forward to it?”

Xu Tingsheng replied, “I’m really looking forward to it!”

Xiang Ning replied, “Wait for it! Goodnight.”

Xu Tingsheng replied, “Goodnight.”

After having said goodnight, Xu Tingsheng unconsciously looked downwards and smiled. The sweetness that overtook him made it feel like he should be able to take it...the fire in his body was already gradually going out on its own.

He put down that phone, picking up the other one.

“I’ve applied to study Computer Science and Information Studies,” Wu Yuewei had sent over.

Qingbei’s Computer Science and its related majors had and would produce many premier figures of the Internet. Xu Tingsheng was very clear on this. However, Wu Yuewei was a girl, and she hadn’t really touched computers at all before having graduated from senior high. She definitely wouldn’t have an interest in it...

Therefore, it actually couldn’t be any more evident why she had applied for such a course. The sole explanation for this was that Xu Tingsheng currently ran an Internet-related business.

Xu Tingsheng replied, “If you aren’t interested in it, you can’t randomly apply for it.”

Wu Yuewei replied, “Hehe, but I already did. I will be interested in it.”

Xu Tingsheng could only reply, “Then, when you’re travelling to school, stop by Yanzhou along the way...is that convenient? After that, take a plane from Xihu City. I’ll buy the ticket for you.”

Wu Yuewei replied, “I intend to take a train over. Flying is too expensive. Since Mum and Dad have also never travelled far before, I intend to go alone. Still, I can take a train from Yanzhou.”

Xu Tingsheng had originally been thinking that since he didn’t to intend to return to Libei for the summer holidays, he should accompany Wu Yuewei to buy a rather more high-end laptop to take along to Qingbei as she passed by Yanzhou on her way there.

A laptop would cost some tens of thousands, and Wu Yuewei definitely wouldn’t have bought one herself. However, she would need it for her studies.

Now, however, Wu Yuewei had mentioned that she was intending to head over to report alone.

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Actually, she wasn’t wrong. If her parents sent her over, she might end up being the one taking care of them throughout the entire journey. After that, she would still have to worry about their return journey.

However, that would be a train journey of a few days to the distant and foreign Yanjing. She was a young girl who similarly hadn’t travelled far before. Carrying all her luggage, going over alone?

Xu Tingsheng’s heart ached a little as he replied on the spur of the moment, “Come to Yanzhou. I’ll send you over.”

Wu Yuewei was silent on her side for a bit before she replied somewhat disbelievingly, “Huh?”

Xu Tingsheng replied, “What I mean is-you come to Yanzhou first, and I’ll send you over to your university following that. I’ve never seen what Qingbei University is like. I’ll be able to make use of this chance to go take a look at it with you.”

Wu Yuewei was silent for a while again before she replied, “What do to? I want to, I’m so happy. But I also want to pretend to be sensible and say that I don’t want to hold back your time.”

Xu Tingsheng replied, “You won’t. We’ll take a plane over from Xihu City. It’s very fast; we’ll be there in just around two hours.”

Wu Yuewei, “That fast?”

Xu Tingsheng, “Yeah.”

Wu Yuewei, “I won’t take a plane then. I want to take the train.”

Xu Tingsheng, “...”

Wu Yuewei, “I’ll take a plane. Where are you now then? What’re you doing?”

Xu Tingsheng, “At a motel in Shenghai. I came over here to discuss a business deal today.”

Wu Yuewei, “Motel? Then, how many people are there over on your side?”

Xu Tingsheng thought for a moment before replying, “Three.”

Wu Yuewei, “Three? That’s good then. It must be tough on you. Rest earlier, goodnight.”

Xu Tingsheng, “It’s really three. Goodnight.”

Xu Tingsheng had spent more than ten minutes replying Xiang Ning and chatting with Wu Yuewei. Now, his fire had already gone out completely. The reason for this was actually not time, but people.

Yu Xinlan still had a hand on her back, unable to strip, yet also unable not to...she had been in this posture for more than ten minutes.

Seeing Xu Tingsheng finally put the phone down, Yu Xinlan composed herself before smiling, “Girlfriend checking up on you?”

“Is this counted?” Xu Tingsheng looked at the two handphones on the table before looking back over as he said, “You could say that.”

Yu Xinlan smiled in a graceful, natural manner before gazing at Xu Tingsheng’s eyes, “Now that the checks are over, can we continue?”

Xu Tingsheng scratched his head, saying awkwardly, “My fire’s already gone out.”