Who would still start a business seriously after being reborn?

Chapter 634 Do you want a lover or not? (Third update)
Cheng Yi smiled gently, raised his glass, and joked, "You're a big star now, you don't really need to attend events like this."

Cheng Yi pointed at the group of guys who were getting carried away and laughed, "They're all a bunch of rough men."

"Since it was arranged by the group, of course I had to come." Rao Yuan smiled and quickly raised her cup with both hands, gently clinking it against Cheng Yi's.

Perhaps because I was too nervous, I didn't control the force when clinking glasses, and some of the wine in my glass splashed out.

However, Rao Yuan was a superstar who had seen all kinds of big events, and she quickly composed herself and calmed down.

She stared intently at Cheng Yi, her naturally beautiful eyes brimming with a strange expression.

Her captivating eyes, which seem to hold a timeless, unforgettable allure, have driven her fans wild. With the added allure of her star power, these fans are instantly smitten the moment Rao Yuan catches their eye.

Because they believed in love.

Rao Yuan downed the small cup of fruit wine in one gulp. She had a lot to say, but she didn't know how to say it. She was usually eloquent, but whenever she faced Cheng Yi, she would always stammer.

"Then...then I won't bother you any longer." After saying that, Rao Yuan smiled with a star-like demeanor, and turned to leave with a dignified and elegant air.

Although Rao Yuan's toast was brief, it quickly spread among the slightly tipsy employees around her.

As soon as she left, suppressed whispers rose from several nearby tables.

"Rao Yuan just went to see President Cheng."

"I knew it! What's being said in the company isn't just a rumor."

"What a perfect couple! Rao Yuan's eyes are practically glued to her..."

"Keep your voice down, are you crazy? But President Cheng is really lucky, Rao Yuan is the goddess of so many people in our group."

"Hey, you think President Cheng is like you? I heard that not only Rao Yuan, but also President Zhang..."

These gossips, as if they had grown wings, fermented rapidly amidst the aroma of beer and barbecue skewers.

Although the internet was tightly controlled by the group's public relations department and there was no word of it, within Momo Group, the romantic escapades between Cheng Yi and several women had long been a popular topic of conversation among employees.

Rao Yuan, due to her celebrity status and the occasional special attention she showed towards Cheng Yi, naturally became one of the female protagonists in the rumors.

Cheng Yi had excellent hearing, and the discussions that were deliberately suppressed but still drifted into his ears made him shake his head helplessly.

Wherever there are people, there is gossip.

Gossip can relieve employee stress, which is actually quite good.

He was too lazy to explain or stop such things.

Especially in situations like this, when people have had a few drinks and are relaxing, it's perfectly normal to chat about harmless gossip. Forcibly suppressing it would only make things worse.

As long as it doesn't get out and doesn't affect our work, let them be.

He tilted his head back and downed the rest of the beer in his glass in one gulp, already feeling a little drunk.

He did drink more than usual tonight.

The celebration banquet lasted until late at night.

Ultimately, alcohol knocked out the vast majority of people.

Du Yusheng had long lost his image as chairman. He put his arm around Huang Wenrong's shoulder and called out Huang Susu's name repeatedly. In the end, he was forcibly separated by his three assistants and two security guards and was practically carried out.

After his trip to Donglu Province, Du Yusheng's alcohol tolerance improved significantly, and his three assistants were now adept at supporting him.

Although Huang Wenrong still retained a sliver of consciousness, his steps were already unsteady, and two secretaries supported him on either side.

Zhang Lingyu proved to be just as capable as any man. Although her face was flushed, she was still able to walk on her own and was loudly directing the security department to arrange vehicles and designated drivers to ensure that every drunk executive and employee could get home safely.

Yu Sen and his fellow veteran programmers were completely drunk. After finishing their songs, they slumped in their chairs, looking at each other and grinning foolishly, before being taken back by their respective assistants.

The cafeteria was a mess, filled with the exhaustion and satisfaction of the revelry.

Slightly drunk, Cheng Yi rubbed his temples and whispered to his assistant Lin Yongxing, who had been following him like a shadow, "Let's go, we'll go back through the side door."

Lin Yongxing nodded immediately. He hadn't touched a drop of alcohol all night and had remained highly vigilant.

He stood guard on either side of Cheng Yi, skillfully avoiding the drunken crowd, and quietly left the cafeteria through the side door.

Stepping out of the cafeteria, the crisp, cold winter air instantly lifted Cheng Yi's spirits.

He took a deep breath and looked up at the night sky above the Momo Technology Industrial Park. There weren't many stars in the sky tonight, and it seemed a bit cloudy.

He didn't let Lin Yongxing drive the car, but instead walked to his executive apartment.

Most of the group's senior executives have now bought detached houses or duplexes.

But Cheng Yi didn't like it.

He even developed psychological trauma in his previous life.

Few people can understand what it's like to live alone in a villa.

That was truly loneliness, a constant companion.

He really liked the executive apartments in the group. Not only were they warmly decorated, but they also had elite Black Panther security team members patrolling 24 hours a day. All people entering and leaving had to undergo strict identity verification and access control.

For someone like Cheng Yi who cherishes his life so much, this place is better than anywhere else.

On the other hand, it's also because he often lives alone.

After Lin Qingyin finished her postgraduate entrance exam, she spent most of her time living in the dormitory at Jingzhou University. Especially after she and Jiang Yuxi were assigned to the same dormitory, she returned even less often.

Thinking of Lin Qingyin, Cheng Yi couldn't help but shake his head inwardly.

Her personality is like a clear, calm lake, seemingly possessing a natural indifference and casualness towards matters of love and sex.

If Cheng Yi doesn't actively ask for it, she never seems to deliberately demand it or think about creating a world for the two of them. She is basically immersed in her academic and professional fields, having her own little world.

This is completely different from Zhang Lingyu, who is passionate and needs to exercise vigorously every now and then.

Sometimes Cheng Yi felt that being with Lin Qingyin was more like a spiritual connection and companionship, peaceful and profound.

His relationship with Zhang Lingyu was a direct collision and release of flesh and desire, intense and exhilarating.

Cheng Yi and Lin Yongxing passed through the side door of the canteen and entered the Momo Commercial Plaza, which is connected to the main area of ​​the industrial park.

Although it was late at night, the place was still brightly lit and bustling with people, a stark contrast to the revelry that had just ended in the cafeteria, presenting a different kind of lively and vibrant atmosphere.

This plaza was built to the standards of a top-tier commercial complex, and its scale is in no way inferior to any commercial complex in the world.

Beneath the enormous glass dome lies a spacious and brightly lit indoor pedestrian street lined with shops on both sides, covering all aspects of daily life, including clothing, food, housing, and transportation.

It boasts a full range of facilities, including international fast fashion brands, well-known chain restaurants, high-end digital experience stores, large supermarkets, children's playgrounds, and cinemas.

The soft, warm lighting reflected on the marble floor tiles, giving it a touch of science fiction.

As you walk past a bakery, you can smell the sweet aroma of freshly baked bread wafting in the air.

Soft, soothing music played in the bakery. A group of children played and frolicked near the entrance, occasionally glancing back at their parents, hoping they would understand why they had chosen to play there. But they couldn't bring themselves to say anything; they would be scolded.

Even at this time, there are still quite a few Momo employees who have just finished get off work wandering around here.

Couples were holding hands looking at the posters for the latest movie releases, families with children were strolling around the free amusement area, several young programmers wearing hoodies with the Momo logo were sitting on roadside chairs having an enthusiastic discussion about a technical problem, and you could even see some students from nearby universities using this place as a perfect dating spot.

"Hello, Mr. Cheng!"

"President Cheng!"

Occasionally, employees who recognize Cheng Yi will greet him with a mixture of surprise and trepidation.

Cheng Yi nodded slightly in response, his signature gentle smile always on his face.

Looking at everything before him, the slight loneliness brought on by his tipsy state seemed to be diluted by the rich atmosphere of everyday life.

This square was built by him despite opposition and with a large investment.

At the time, many people did not understand and thought that it was a waste of resources to build such a large-scale commercial complex in a science and technology industrial park.

Only Cheng Yi knew the necessity of doing this. He wanted to ensure that the employees who were working hard for the future could enjoy the most convenient and high-quality living services and have a sense of belonging, where "home is where the heart is."

In retrospect, that decision was absolutely right.

This plaza has not only become the living center for the park's employees, but has also driven the prosperity of the surrounding area, and has even become a new economic landmark in Jingzhou City.

The only downside is that housing prices have risen too fast.

Leaving aside the residential areas within the Momo Technology Industrial Park, the price per square meter in the university faculty and staff housing complexes just ten kilometers away has already exceeded 10,000 yuan, almost approaching the housing prices in Yanjing.

In the past, housing prices were criticized by many people, and the decline of physical stores was even attributed to housing prices.

However, Cheng Yi believes that as long as wages and housing prices rise in tandem, it is not only not a bad thing, but also a necessary foundation for rapid economic growth.

Just like the shops in the commercial street of Momo Industrial Park, the rent here is not low. Because if the rent were low, these shops would basically end up in the hands of people with connections, and ordinary people wouldn't even have a chance to get them.

Does high rent necessarily mean a sluggish business for shops?

No.

This is a market economy, where all prices are determined by the market.

If the rent is too high and the shop can't make ends meet, it's naturally unlikely that the shop would be foolish enough to renew the lease.

The same applies to housing prices.

When the average monthly salary was 300, the price of a house was 30000.

When the average monthly salary was 3000, the price of a house was 300000.

When the average monthly salary was 30000, the price of a house was 3000000.

When the average monthly salary can no longer keep up with the rate of increase in housing prices, housing prices will naturally fall. All talk of macro-control and micro-control is just nonsense.

In a market economy, the rise and fall of housing prices can reflect the rise and fall of the economy.

Because despite all the changes, everything is ultimately determined by the general public's consumption and income levels.

Fueled by alcohol, Cheng Yi strolled to the end of the commercial street.

Just as he was about to turn onto the quieter path leading to the executive apartments, he stopped in his tracks.

Ahead, under a simply designed street lamp, stood a slender figure.

It's Rao Yuan.

She seemed to have been waiting here for a long time. The temperature tonight was chilly, and she rubbed her hands together as she waited.

The cold white glow of the streetlights bathed her, casting a hazy glow on her slightly curled hair and delicate profile, creating a stark contrast with the rather thin Xizi Hanyan custom-made coat she wore.

Lin Yongxing noticed the figure in front of him almost immediately. He took a half step back very naturally, his figure blending into the shadows beside him, like a professional backdrop, leaving space for Cheng Yi and Rao Yuan.

Rao Yuan heard the footsteps and turned around.

Upon seeing Cheng Yi, she didn't show any surprise on her face. Instead, she gave him a smile that was both familiar and not overly intimate.

“President Cheng, what a coincidence.” She spoke first, her voice exceptionally clear in the quiet night.

Cheng Yi laughed and said, "Yeah, what a coincidence. Why aren't you going home to rest so late? Aren't you afraid of being photographed by paparazzi standing here in the cold wind?"

"The company is my home, what am I afraid of paparazzi for?" Rao Yuan smiled and walked naturally to Cheng Yi's side, saying, "I just felt a bit stuffy, so I came out for some fresh air. I didn't expect to run into you."

Cheng Yi naturally knew that Rao Yuan hadn't thought of this.

Because this is the only way to the executive apartments.

However, he didn't point it out.

Speaking of which, he hadn't had a private chat with Rao Yuan in a long time. Back when he was promoting the Momo girl group, Cheng Yi wrote songs and personally arranged promotions, putting in a lot of effort.

Thinking about all the past experiences he had with Rao Yuan and the other two, Cheng Yi couldn't help but smile.

The two walked side by side, chatting about many things from the past. Both of them were slightly tipsy, and their usual restraint was gone. They spoke in a relaxed tone, as if they were old friends having a casual chat.

“Sometimes when I think about it, it really feels like a dream.” Rao Yuan turned her head to look at Cheng Yi, the light from the streetlamp swirling in her peach blossom eyes, reflecting complex emotions: “If I hadn’t made up my mind about you back then, I might be working a nine-to-five job in some office building now, right?”

"It's because you worked hard enough and seized the opportunity," Cheng Yi smiled.

As they walked, Rao Yuan even brought up the rumors circulating within the company about her and Cheng Yi, saying in a generous and even self-deprecating tone, "The people in the company are spreading such vivid rumors, saying that I am your hidden darling, and I almost believe it myself."

She giggled, but her eyes were carefully observing Cheng Yi's reaction.

Cheng Yi shook his head and said very seriously, "The name Ajiao is unlucky. Don't use it to describe yourself."

"Huh? Why?" Rao Yuan was taken aback.

"It's just my personal feeling."

They chatted casually like this, the atmosphere was very harmonious, and neither of them showed the slightest awkwardness or unnaturalness.

The path soon came to an end, and the heavily guarded executive apartment building was now in sight. Even the faces of the Black Panther security guards standing at the entrance were clearly visible.

Just as she was about to reach the light at the apartment entrance, Rao Yuan suddenly stopped.

Cheng Yi also stopped and looked at her with a slightly questioning expression.

Rao Yuan turned around and faced Cheng Yi.

The relaxed smile that had been on his face gradually faded, replaced by an extremely serious expression.

The streetlights shone from behind her, making her face appear somewhat hazy, but her peach blossom eyes shone with an astonishing brightness, seemingly churning with emotions that had been suppressed for a long time.

She took a deep breath, as if summoning the greatest courage of her life, and said, "Cheng Yi, do you want a lover?"

(End of this chapter)