After returning home with the child, her ex-husband knelt down and gently coaxed her.

The following morning at 9:00 AM, in the conference room of the Auten Group.

"The food segment of the Auten Group had a relatively satisfactory turnover in the first half of the year, but it was still 0.2 percentage points lower than expected. Recently, Haowei Food Company has also developed a new industrial chain specializing in nutritional meals and has repeatedly extended olive branches to the Auten Group, hoping to achieve a project cooperation and a win-win situation in this segment..."

After the professionals finished reporting the relevant information, Liang Xu glanced at the man in the main seat and ended the meeting.

The man's expression was cold. Liang Xu tapped his slender fingers on the table, his phoenix eyes slightly narrowed. "Not concentrating on the meeting? What are you thinking about?"

Lu Xiyan didn't reply to him. He tossed the documents in his hand aside, raised his eyes slightly, and said, "A small company like Haowei is nothing compared to Ou Teng. They want to cooperate because it's good to be under a big tree. But for Ou Teng to cooperate with such a small company is no different from doing charity."

His words were blunt, but Liang Xu disagreed. "Haowei is not a small company, and they have been working in the food industry for many years. Now they have new ideas, so I think we can have a chat."

Lu Xiyan looked at him, a hint of disdain in his indifferent eyes. "The company you thought was worth discussing with last year caused Ou Teng to lose over seventeen million."

"That was just a small loss. Times have changed." Liang Xu chuckled, opened his computer and clicked on a few folders. "Besides, they're making quite a splash now, recruiting everywhere and hiring top-notch nutritionists to participate in the project."

"It's just a show; Ou Teng doesn't have the time or energy to mess around with such a small company." Lu Xiyan's words showed his utter disdain for the other company.

"But Sun Liangying, the project manager of their company, is already on her way to Ou Teng with several senior nutritionists and several project proposals."

Unable to withstand Sun Liangying's earnest and persistent pleading, Liang Xu tentatively asked Lu Xiyan, "Why don't we take a look at their proposal before deciding? Besides, I heard that the people she brought are all outstanding professionals in the country. What do you think?"

After saying that, he casually clicked the mouse a few times, preparing to hand the computer to Lu Xiyan.

The next second, he frowned, stared intently at the computer screen for a few moments, and then turned off the computer. "Fine, you're right. Let's not cooperate with Haowei Company for now, it's just a small-scale operation. I'll have someone notify Sun Liangying and the others to go back."

The person who was just strongly recommending Haowei has suddenly rejected the collaboration.

There must be a demon in the abnormal situation.

Lu Xiyan raised his hand, extending his slender fingers. "Give it to me."

"There's nothing to see here. They're not talented people at all; they're all just newcomers."

Lu Xiyan remained silent, his gaze fixed on Liang Xu with an unwavering determination that brooked no refusal.

"Here you go, here you go." Liang Xu said helplessly, pushing the laptop in front of Lu Xiyan. "Take a look, take a look, take a look!"

He opened the document, and a white-background ID photo appeared before his eyes.

Lu Xiyan's expression immediately turned cold, and he remained silent.

The woman in the photo has fair skin, delicate features, large, round eyes, and a perfectly curved smile.

Lu Xiyan once adored her smile.

He was even willing to give her his heart just to make her laugh.

But now, he only feels irony.

Her personal information was clearly written on the document.

[Anning, 28 years old, Senior Nutritionist]

His eyes unconsciously glanced at the marital status section.

Divorced - Unmarried

His deep pupils suddenly contracted.

Divorced and unmarried?

"You know why I don't want you to see her, right?" Liang Xu slammed the laptop shut. "When you see her, you're like you've lost your soul."

"Xi Yan," Liang Xu said seriously, "I'm asking you very seriously, An Ning is back, you don't still want to rekindle your old flame with her, do you?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Xiyan let out a short chuckle, his cold eyes fixed on the closed computer screen.

"Do you think there's any lingering affection between her and me," he looked up at Liang Xu, a cold glint in his eyes, "?

Liang Xu was also taken aback by his gaze, and breathed a sigh of relief after regaining his senses, "It's good that you can figure it out yourself."

He raised his hand and patted Lu Xiyan on the shoulder. "Xiyan, don't forget, you're getting engaged soon."

Lu Xiyan stood up and casually asked, "When will Haowei's people arrive?"

"You want to see Jane Sun and the others?"

"As for investment cooperation, let's see if they're qualified." After saying that, Lu Xiyan strode out of the conference room.

......

"I'm telling you, today's planning exchange is very important."

Dressed in a smart business suit, Sun Liangying addressed the group of people she had brought in the empty meeting room, saying, "The project proposal I had you work on yesterday is the key to getting into Haowei Company."

Her short, ear-length hair was meticulously styled, and her bright red lips parted slightly as she spoke, "Whoever's proposal wins the favor of the head of the Ou Teng Group will pass this second interview and officially stay with Hao Wei."

An Ning sat below, her fingers unconsciously tightening around the documents she had brought with her.

Before she arrived, she was unaware that Hao Wei was going to cooperate with the Ou Teng Group.

They had no idea that the project manager would bring five or six of them to the Ou Teng Group.

I was severely humiliated by him yesterday, so how should I face him today?

Given how much Lu Xiyan dislikes her, her project proposal might not even pass the test.

Does this mean the job I just found is going to fall through?

Sun Liangying glanced at the five or six people sitting below. "Before coming here, I had heard that Mr. Lu of Ou Teng has particularly high standards for work. You must present your best and most satisfactory project proposals. Do you understand?"

"Yes!" everyone answered in unison.

The woman below kept her eyes down, dressed in a simple white shirt and black pants, her hair pulled back, looking absent-minded and lost in thought.

Her female colleague whispered to her, "Anning, what's wrong? You don't look well."

My female colleague's name is Li Hui. She is a young woman who graduated just a year ago.

I met Anning when we took the bus here together this morning.

"It's nothing." An Ning shook her head gently, pulling her mind back from the jumbled thoughts.

"Don't be too nervous, you'll definitely be fine," Li Hui comforted her. "I saw your resume this morning, and you've won quite a few prestigious awards in Jining City. I have the highest hopes for your project planning presentation this time."

"Thank you." Anning smiled gently. "You're great too."

"You look so pretty when you smile, you should smile more." Li Hui looked at her gentle smile and noticed her lips. "But your lip color is too light, you look a little pale. Here, I'll lend you my lipstick, you can touch it up in the restroom."

Li Hui generously took out her lipstick and gave it to An Ning, saying, "There's still some time, hurry up and go."

"Thank you, I'll be right back." Anning thanked her and hurried to the restroom.

......

Anning has fair skin and only wore light makeup when she came in the morning. Now, the color on her light lips is not as noticeable, making her look even paler.

She took out the lipstick that Li Hui had lent her, stood in front of the bathroom mirror, dabbed some lipstick with her finger, and then applied it to her lips.

With the lipstick applied, her complexion instantly improved, appearing much brighter.

She took a deep breath and comforted herself, thinking that even if she came to Ou Teng, she might not necessarily see Lu Xiyan.

He's so busy, how could he possibly have time to attend their little meeting?

She prayed silently that she would not see Lu Xiyan.

At least, not now.

She can't lose her job because of Lu Xiyan.

I had just come out of the restroom and was about to walk to the meeting room.

With a "ding," the sound of the elevator doors opening echoed in the corridor.

She looked in the direction of the sound and saw a tall, slender figure emerge from the elevator and walk towards her.

An Ning suddenly froze in place.

There's a saying that goes something like this: what you fear most is what will happen.