It’s Not Okay to Kiss Me as Soon as We Meet (ABO) - Chapter 10

Lin Huaiyi’s computer screen displayed the search results. The part numbered 8924 used in the X1 water purifier equipment employed technology patented by Yamamoto Corporation, but Shen Corporation had not obtained authorization from Yamamoto Corporation.

Shen Li and Lin Huaiyi exchanged a glance. Their hard work had not been in vain; they had finally found it.

Shen Li checked the record on the folder for the handler of part number 8924: Jiang Lin and Liang Wenbin.

Shen Corporation Group had always adopted a model of one person handling and another reviewing, yet neither had caught such an important issue. It was truly thought-provoking.

Shen Li suddenly thought of something and searched for these two names in the company’s personnel system. Sure enough, both had already resigned. There was also no information about these two on the industry website, just like the former director Zhang Luming.

Lin Huaiyi reminded her, “Shen Li, we can investigate the reasons behind this later. Right now, the urgent matter is to solve the problem at hand first. Once we stand firm, it will not be too late to catch these little rats.”

Shen Li nodded in agreement. Intellectual property issues could be big or small; if exaggerated, they could shake the company’s foundation.

She hated this kind of behavior that treated the company’s reputation as nothing, but right now was indeed not the best time to pursue it.

According to the strategy discussed by Lin Huaiyi and Shen Li, once they identified the specific infringing part and the patent-holding company, they would immediately contact the other company, request authorization, and pay the authorization fees for past use.

Shen Li looked at Lin Huaiyi with concern. “You did not sleep at all last night. I can handle the rest. Go home and rest.”

Seeing Lin Huaiyi about to retort, Shen Li stopped her with a look. Lin Huaiyi thought about it and agreed. For the subsequent company coordination, Lin Huaiyi was neither a high-level executive nor a professional public relations person, so there was little point in her going along.

The workplace was like a battlefield. To be an undefeated general, one had to know that resting well was also a strength.

Lin Huaiyi followed the procedure to request compensatory leave at the company and returned to her apartment not far from the company. She went into the bathroom for a simple wash, returned to the bedroom, drew the blackout curtains, threw herself onto the soft bed, and within two seconds, the sound of her sleeping breath rose.

Shen Li washed her face in the break room to refresh her spirits.

If an ordinary person slept slumped over a desk all night, they would definitely wake up with a sallow face. Shen Li was exceptionally gifted; she had naturally fair skin. Not sleeping well for one night did not make her complexion haggard. It just added a bit of fragility, tempering her usual icy and aloof temperament and giving her a sense of story.

After splashing her face with cold water, Shen Li felt much more spirited. She downed a cup of espresso, and instantly, the confidence she had lost yesterday returned fully.

Shen Li turned and walked out of the office, heading straight to the 88th floor where the boardroom was, and handed the evidence to Shen Jun.

Shen Jun perked up upon hearing that they had identified the problematic part. He immediately instructed the public relations department to fully support Shen Li in contacting Yamamoto Corporation and obtaining authorization as soon as possible.

Lin Huaiyi ultimately could not sleep soundly and woke up after only three or four hours. With Shen Li’s situation on her mind, she washed up quickly and hurried back to the company.

Lin Huaiyi greeted Yang Qiang and then headed straight to Shen Li’s office on the 48th floor.

Lin Huaiyi: “What did the public relations department say?”

She saw Shen Li, who did not look at all like her usual aloof self outside, currently cleaning the office frantically.

Lin Huaiyi: “Shen Li, what are you doing?”

Shen Li let out an impatient “tsk.” “I told you to call me Director Li. I am two years older than you, after all. Do not call me by my name so casually every day.”

Lin Huaiyi, who was over fifty when combining both lives, was choked by this remark about being casual and felt like she had eaten bitter herbs—unable to voice her grievance.

In her heart, Lin Huaiyi grumbled inwardly: Casual? This Alpha has eaten more salt than you have walked roads, okay? You little O have not seen much of the world and do not know how deep the ways of it are.

Shen Li wiped everywhere with a small cloth while glancing back at the phone every three seconds, ready to pick up the moment the public relations department called.

Lin Huaiyi checked her watch; it was already one in the afternoon. Seeing Shen Li like this, she definitely had not eaten lunch.

How could someone grow to one meter seventy like this? Lin Huaiyi pursed her lips.

Knowing full well that verbal persuasion was completely useless, Lin Huaiyi took action directly, pushing Shen Li out the door to eat.

Shen Li scolded her with a straight face for being casual but could not resist the Alpha’s strength and had no choice but to be pushed along step by step.

The two chattered away, filled with Shen Li’s complaints about Lin Huaiyi. Lin Huaiyi turned a deaf ear, her heart fixed on one thought: Food warrior, food soul!

Every floor for Shen Corporation executives had only one office, meaning the elevator area on the 48th floor was used only by Shen Li daily.

Ding. The elevator doors opened, and their bickering stopped abruptly the instant the doors parted.

Shen Jun stood inside.

Lin Huaiyi’s inner thought: SOS.

Shen Jun was always impeccably suited, the picture of an old gentleman, with a temperament of icy aloofness identical to Shen Li’s.

Shen Jun had clearly heard a bit of the commotion outside the elevator just now and looked at Shen Li and Lin Huaiyi with evident surprise.

Then he winked at Shen Li, thinking it was subtle.

Shen Li’s eye twitched as she shot her dad a look: It is not what you think.

Lin Huaiyi pretended to be a mushroom in the corner of the elevator compartment, ignoring the undercurrents between father and daughter, just wanting to shrink a little more, hoping the famous two icebergs of Shen Corporation would not notice her.

Fortunately, Shen Jun did not continue teasing his daughter. At the second floor, he left with his secretary. Shen Li and Lin Huaiyi headed straight to the negative first floor, the Shen Corporation Group cafeteria.

Lin Huaiyi no longer expected Shen Li to take care of herself and get food for her tray. She signaled for her to go sit obediently first, then dutifully took two large trays to fill with food.

Lin Huaiyi had seen a joke before about a husband who, before a long trip, worried his wife would go hungry and made a big pancake to put over her head. When he returned, his wife had still starved to death, and the pancake around her neck had bite marks only near her mouth.

Lin Huaiyi felt Shen Li was the same, the type who would starve to death even with a pancake in front of her. But unlike the joke, Miss Shen probably would not even take those few bites near her mouth; she might starve to death while working and drawing blueprints.

The cafeteria offerings were still rich today. Lin Huaiyi filled Shen Li’s tray first. From her observations, Shen Li had light tastes and did not like greasy or spicy food, fitting all the stereotypes of an icy beauty.

The cafeteria had simmered fresh chicken soup for several hours; get a serving. Very fresh seasonal shrimp stir-fried with vegetable hearts; get a serving. Need to supplement some protein; get a serving of three-cup chicken. Oh? Freshly baked grilled durian, too fragrant, no good. Did not know if Miss Shen ate durian; no matter, grab a serving first. If she did not eat it, Lin Huaiyi would.

Then get Miss Shen a small cup of juice to avoid choking while eating.

After carefully selecting for Shen Li, afraid she would get impatient waiting, Lin Huaiyi just grabbed a few things in front of her for herself, making do to eat. After all, a young Alpha found everything delicious.

Shen Li looked at the full tray in front of her emitting cold air. “Do you think I can eat all this?”

Lin Huaiyi smiled innocently. “Do not worry. Anything you cannot finish, give it to me. I will help you eat it.”

Shen Li was speechless. Chopsticks were stuffed into her hand, and though very annoyed, she could only start eating with puffed cheeks.

It had to be said that Lin Huaiyi had a knack for picking dishes. This meal balanced meat and vegetables, not too wet nor too dry. And because Lin Huaiyi had carefully observed Shen Li’s preferences, Shen Li unknowingly ate quite a bit.

When there was some she really could not finish, she pushed the tray toward Lin Huaiyi and said huffily, “It is all your fault for taking so much on your own. Now I cannot eat it. You said just now you would help me eat it.”

Shen Li just wanted to scare Lin Huaiyi and had no real intention of making her eat her leftovers. But she also felt Lin Huaiyi’s acting on her own was really hateful. She had clearly said she did not want to go out to eat; she just wanted to clean the office and wait for the phone!

Who knew Lin Huaiyi would take her tray without hesitation and start eating the leftovers.

Shen Li grew anxious again, her face flushing. “Hey, how can you be like this? You eat other people’s leftovers. Is it not dirty? Stop eating!”

Lin Huaiyi educated her solemnly: “When the sun is high at noon, till the fields with sweat drops falling to the soil. Who knows the meal on the plate, every grain comes from hard toil.”

Shen Li was instantly speechless and turned away, refusing to look at this eyesore!

Back in the office, Shen Li checked the phone first thing. The public relations department had not called yet.

She looked at her watch; four hours had passed. By rights, if things were progressing smoothly, there should not be such a delay without a reply.

The unease in Shen Li’s heart intensified, and she decided to take the initiative to ask about the situation.

Shen Li dialed the public relations department. “Please transfer to Public Relations Director Guan Xi. Thank you.”

Public Relations Director Guan Xi was a magical Omega. If she had a choice, Shen Li really did not want to deal with her.

Guan Xi: “Yo, my little icy treasure Li Li. It has been so long since you came to find me. I missed you so much.”

This was Guan Xi’s style. Clearly an Omega, but she always spoke to Omegas in such a cloying way. Through the phone line, Shen Li could almost smell the intense perfume wafting from Guan Xi.

Although, as public relations director, being so adept at socializing was very reasonable, Shen Li still felt creeped out thinking about interacting with Guan Xi.

Shen Li could not help but recall the fear in her heart the first time she met Guan Xi, when she was enthusiastically hugged in her arms, her face pressed into that softness and rubbed, forced to smell Guan Xi’s perfume, nearly suffocating.

Shen Li desperately pulled herself out of the past fear and tried to bring the tone of this call back to normal. “Mm, Sister Xi, I want to ask about the authorization matter with Yamamoto. They have not replied to us yet?”

When it came to work, Guan Xi’s tone turned serious. “Mm, I had someone send an additional email over. But I feel something is off about this. Normally, for patent authorization issues, the other company’s response would be very proactive, after all, it is money coming in while sitting idle. There is no reason for such a long delay without a reply. I worry there might be some other issue in between.”

Shen Li’s gaze darkened. Her inner unease was confirmed. The person behind the scenes had gone to such great lengths to set this killing trap, and she had not expected it to come to this step. Checking the infringing part of the X1 water purifier equipment was complicated, but with Shen Corporation’s strength, finding it was normal. If she were the one laying the trap behind the scenes, she would definitely tamper with the authorization company link too. It did not need much; just drag it to the fourth day, and Shen Li would lose.