novelraw Chapter 486 - 485: Indirect Proposal (Part 1)
Chapter 486 - 485: Indirect Proposal (Part 1)
A man worth over ten billion, priced at one cent, with a lifetime usage period—if these words were spoken by a playboy, they might just be sweet talk to please a lover.But when Ji Rui, a man so serious and cold, says them, they aren’t merely sweet talk.
Is he, in a roundabout way, proposing?
Thinking of this possibility, Le Tong tightened her grip on the phone, her knuckles turning white, and her palms sweating.
"So, do you buy it?" The man asking this, though thousands of kilometers away, seemed to Le Tong as if he were standing right next to her, his warm breath wrapping around her ears, making her blush and her heart race.
After dropping this torpedo into Le Tong’s heart, the man quietly waited for her response.
It took Le Tong a lot of effort to adjust her breathing and compose her thoughts, but the huge hole blasted by the powerful torpedo remained unhealed for a long time.
The big hole in Le Tong’s heart gradually filled with a flood of familiar and unfamiliar things—there was emotion, sweetness, confusion, and bewilderment, as well as a jumble of other feelings she couldn’t sort out, all slowly filling the cavity.
Le Tong curled up in the large armchair, holding the phone and whispering softly, "Ji Rui, weren’t you not going to pressure me?"
A long exhale came through the phone, indicating that Le Tong was not the only one feeling tense.
"I’m not pressuring you. I just wanted to let you know, you’ve already made the payment, and I’m ready to deliver at any time. Let me know when you’re ready to accept!"
For a man who always acts decisively, it seems he had now reserved enough patience to wait for Le Tong to come around, slowly.
If someone else had said this, Le Tong would have cut them off sharply, telling them not to have too high expectations of her.
But with Ji Rui saying it, Le Tong couldn’t bring herself to end it so ruthlessly.
Knowing that Ji Rui was waiting for her at some point made her feel not pressured, but rather joyful and reassured.
She felt like a toddler learning to walk, with Ji Rui standing not far away, smiling and reaching out like a parent, encouraging her to walk steadily and confidently towards him.
"Hmm... I got it..." The big hole in Le Tong’s heart was finally filled with a mix of emotions, and the previous tension and panic were gradually replaced by reassurance.
"Did the inspection go smoothly?" The man finally changed the subject, probably realizing that this matter couldn’t be rushed.
"Yes, it went smoothly. There are a few small issues, and the inspector asked Minister Yu to go to the tax bureau tomorrow to clarify. It shouldn’t be a problem."
Le Tong swiftly switched to assistant mode, even sitting up straight and gazing at the computer screen.
"Do you need me to call to understand the situation?"
"Not for now. I’ll call them tomorrow morning first. If necessary, I’ll accompany Minister Yu, and if it still can’t be resolved, I’ll give you a call."
From a personal standpoint, Ji Rui worried if Le Tong could handle it. But from a professional standpoint, Ji Rui’s concern hurt Le Tong’s self-esteem.
As his lover, she could occasionally act spoiled in his arms. But as his work partner, if she always relied on him like a baby, unable to help and only dragging him down, then she wouldn’t be qualified to stand by his side and fight together.
"Hmm." The man seemed to understand this too and didn’t insist.
"And how are things on your end?"
Compared to the matters in Y Country, this inspection was just a minor issue.
"I’m still asking around for help, but there hasn’t been much progress for now." The man was honest and didn’t say empty words to deceive Le Tong.
Although his answer disappointed her, his candid attitude warmed her heart. It felt wonderful to be trusted and believed by him!
"You’ve worked hard, don’t worry, there’s still time!" Le Tong gently comforted him.
The man’s tone was calm, suggesting he was still quite optimistic. They talked about it for a while and then the conversation shifted from work to Baobao.
"Baobao has been with his grandfather since childhood and is quite dependent on him. You can be a bit firmer, no need to accommodate him so much."
Even though Le Tong expressed that she didn’t mind, the man seemed not to want Baobao to have too much contact with Mr. Ji.
After a few more words, a voice urging him came through the phone, and the man hurriedly reminded Le Tong to take her medicine on time, then quickly hung up.
The next day, as soon as Le Tong returned to Ji Family, she made a call to the tax bureau. The other party was very polite, and after a brief chat, they reassuringly mentioned that Minister Yu’s visit was just a routine task, nothing to worry about.
Relieved, Le Tong left the documents to Minister Yu to take to the tax bureau while she called her mentor, Professor Liu.
"Tongtong, when are you coming to see your teacher’s wife?" As soon as the call connected, it was snatched by the teacher’s wife, who scolded her immediately.
"Teacher’s wife, I’m sorry, I’ve been really busy lately..." Le Tong admitted sheepishly.
It’s been over a year since she visited her mentor and his wife, last seeing them at her teacher’s wife’s birthday last year.
"I see, you’ve got your precious son now, and you don’t care about this old woman anymore, huh? Whenever you can, bring Baobao to see us."
Le Tong had told her mentor and his wife about Baobao a few days ago, though she skipped the details, only mentioning she and Ji Rui had a brief relationship.
Professor Liu and his wife grumbled a bit, but they couldn’t be too harsh, especially after seeing the handsome, adorable, and incredibly smart Baobao on video. Learning about Baobao’s condition from Yang Sheng, they completely forgave Le Tong.
"Maybe later, Baobao isn’t quite ready for traveling long distances yet." Besides being busy, Baobao indeed needed to avoid fatigue.
"Alright... Once I’m fully recovered, Old Liu and I will come to see you and Baobao." The teacher’s wife had been ill for a while, so despite always planning to visit, they hadn’t been able to.
"Teacher’s wife, is the professor available? I have something to discuss with him."
Le Tong’s main purpose wasn’t just to chat but to discuss business with Professor Liu.
"I kicked him out, wait a moment, I’ll go get him." The teacher’s wife chatted with Le Tong while opening the door, and soon Professor Liu’s voice came through the phone.
"Tongtong, what do you need?"
"Professor, I would like you to introduce me to a few people, is that alright?"