Sweet as Honey and Sugar - Chapter 27:
Her heart tightened at once, a chill spreading through her chest.
What happened? she whispered.
Xiao Wu leaned close, speaking fast and low. Su Chenyi and the model at Booth 1 seem to be having
an allergic reaction. The model’s all right just itchy but Su Chenyi’s swelling up,
dizzy, short of breath. We tried to get him to go to the hospital, but he refused.
Took two allergy pills and insists he’s fine. We can’t talk him into it.
He Qingrou frowned. Allergies weren’t something to shrug off. Some people got off easy,
others could die from it. And Su Chenyi already looked that bad he needed a doctor.
She acted at once, calling another staffer over to watch the floor.
After giving a few quick instructions, she followed Xiao Wu to the prep room behind the exhibit.
Inside, Su Chenyi sat on a tall stool, a cup of warm water at his side.
Someone was trying to persuade him, but he kept his head down, pretending nothing was wrong.
Maybe the itching had gotten unbearable. He kept scratching.
When He Qingrou came in, the people around him moved aside instinctively.
Xiao Wu, find someone to drive them both to the hospital down the hill, she said,
scanning the room. Her eyes landed on the model from Booth 1 also scratching
and she stopped her sharply. Don’t scratch. It’ll get worse.
Both of you, go wait by the main entrance. Hospital, now.
The model nodded quickly. Her symptoms were mild, and the pills had already helped,
but she still looked uneasy, as if her whole body were crawling.
No need for the hospital, Su Chenyi said suddenly. He rose to his feet, looking straight at her.
Team Leader, I just took the medicine. I’ll be fine in a bit. I’ll be ready before the show starts.
His tone was firm, his gaze steady.
He and Xiao Wu were both new interns fresh graduates from top 211 universities.
During campus recruitment, He Qingrou had picked Xiao Wu directly,
but Su Chenyi had barely scraped through, ending up assigned to
Jiang Fengyi’s workshop on the assembly line.
A 211 graduate doing factory work when she’d graduated, that would’ve been unthinkable.
But times had changed. Talented young people were everywhere.
Half the résumés sent to Dongning Auto came from elite 985 and 211 schools,
some even from graduate or overseas programs.
Compared to Xiao Wu’s stacked résumé of awards and research projects, Su Chenyi’s file was plain.
The company hadn’t planned to hire him, but he’d boldly volunteered to start at the bottom.
His humor, confidence, and handsome face had made an impression.
When the interviewer joked Even the factory line? he’d grinned and said yes.
Then actually did it.
He Qingrou never quite understood how his mind worked.
He could have found something easier, yet chose this path.
Still, when the company needed a spokesperson for the car exhibition,
Jiang Fengyi had personally recommended him. Su Chenyi fit the image perfectly,
and his trial presentation had been outstanding, so she’d approved him without hesitation.
It was his first real opportunity, and now, right before it began, this.
No wonder he couldn’t accept giving up.
He stood stiffly before her, lips pressed tight, waiting anxiously for her verdict.
She understood his determination—but she couldn’t let him risk his health.
You can’t go on like this, she said evenly. Go to the hospital first.
Su Chenyi’s mouth twitched in protest. He was tall, broad-shouldered,
but the swelling made his face look oddly puffed, almost comical in its misery.
Her heart softened. She patted his shoulder, voice gentle. I’ll report everything properly.
If you stay here, you’ll just make things harder. Go get treated.
Come back tomorrow or the day after I’ll keep your spot open.
Each booth had backup staff in case of emergencies.
Su Chenyi had refused to leave because he feared replacement.
Her assurance eased him a little.
Thank you, Team Leader, he murmured. His eyes were red, his voice rough.
Work was never easy for anyone.
There wasn’t time for sympathy. He Qingrou had them sent off immediately
and arranged replacements for both the model and the spokesman at Booth 1.
Once that was handled, she began asking around.
Both Su Chenyi and the model were allergic to seafood,
but food safety had been emphasized beforehand.
This wasn’t some random accident. Someone must have done it deliberately.
Whoever it was had a cruel, ruthless streak this needed a full investigation.
Yet after questioning everyone related to the food prep, she found nothing.
She finally had to set it aside. Once Xiao Wu came back from the hospital,
she sent her to check the surveillance footage, while she turned back to the day’s main work.
By the time she returned to the floor, the team from Hexin International had arrived to coordinate.
Things went smoothly from there.
It was still early; the main hall was quiet until after nine, when the crowd began to build.
The joint Dongning–Hexin exhibit at Booth 1 drew the biggest crowd layers of people pressing
around it. The substitute announcer and model performed admirably,
and at last He Qingrou could breathe again.
Every company was fighting for attention, from booth design to the car models’ outfits
glamour everywhere, every kind of strategy.
Dongning’s concept this year leaned toward tech chic.
The booth gleamed in silver and blue, two four-meter-tall automotive robots flanking the center.
Booth 1, front and center, showcased their new energy car; on either side,
the flagship and classic models stood polished under the lights.
The models had dropped the usual sultry look for tailored black suits and stiletto heels
a forest of long legs, poised and elegant, commanding attention without trying.
He Qingrou moved constantly between stations, giving instructions,
greeting visiting executives, smoothing details one after another.
By noon, she finally managed to sit for a few bites of lunch.
When she returned to the floor, she ran into Song Tianzhong and the
company’s deputy general manager, both making inspection rounds.
Song Tianzhong’s expression was typically stern,
lips pressed in a straight line while the deputy tried to chat cheerfully beside him.
General Song, Vice President, she greeted politely.
Xiao He, said Song Tianzhong. His usually rigid face relaxed a little.
Busy with something?
The vice president nodded faintly at her.
Just small things, she replied with a smile. I just had lunch.
Have you two eaten?
We have. It’s lively here, so we thought we’d drop by, Song Tianzhong said.
If you’d like, I can show you around, she offered. I’m familiar with this section.
He agreed, the deputy trailing along. She led them first to Booth 1, introducing the setup briefly.
The place was still crowded, so they could only look from a distance.
Song Tianzhong didn’t care much for cars themselves
his attention was caught by the massive robots instead.
You’ve done better than we have, he said with genuine approval.
Though Dongning and Hexin were partners this year,
there was always a hint of competition between them.
Their booths stood side by side, inevitably compared.
He Qingrou followed his gaze and smiled. Robotics are trending now.
When we planned the concept, we decided to borrow a couple
from the lab to add something modern.
The robots were just models, of course no thing like the transforming kind in the movies
but they drew plenty of visitors for photos. The idea worked perfectly.
Not flashy, Song Tianzhong remarked, nodding toward the models in suits.
The older generation didn’t care for overly revealing styles.
Professional and elegant very nice.
He Qingrou flushed at the praise and continued the tour,
showing them the remaining booths
and the upstairs section.
After the circuit, Song Tianzhong excused her to return to work.
She escorted them to the entrance, then headed back to her post.
When Xiao Wu returned, He Qingrou caught sight of the Aneng Group representative
again the same one who’d given her that strange smile that morning.
Remembering it, and what had happened yesterday, suspicion stirred in her again.
Could Aneng be involved? It was only a guess, but the thought stuck.
The man’s mood seemed worse now. He glared when he saw her, face dark.
Probably sulking after losing face yesterday and seeing Dongning’s booth outshine
theirs today only rubbed salt in the wound.
He Qingrou hid her amusement behind a neutral expression and walked past without slowing.
Xiao Wu found her a moment later and pulled her aside. He Jie,
I talked to Su Chenyi and the model. They only had breakfast this morning.
I also checked the cameras—nothing suspicious.
Breakfast was picked up by the model’s contact from the cafeteria,
handed over straight to the prep room. No chance for tampering.
What did they eat? He Qingrou asked.
Soy milk and steamed buns. The cafeteria’s menu is fixed meat buns and vegetable buns.
They finished everything, so we can’t tell which they had, Xiao Wu said.
Soy milk and buns shouldn’t trigger a seafood allergy. He Qingrou frowned, thoughts racing.
A theory began to form in her mind, faint but unsettling.
She’d need help later to confirm it tonight, maybe. Right now there was too much on her plate.
How are they doing? she asked.
Fine now. I called before lunch. Su Chenyi wanted to come back this afternoon,
but I told him to rest longer. I’ll pick him up later, Xiao Wu said.
Good. Allergic symptoms usually fade within twenty-four hours anyway.
A little rest won’t hurt. He Qingrou nodded in agreement.
All right, she said. Go finish your work, then come help with cleanup around five.
I’ll head to the outer hall for a while.
Keep an eye on things here.
Xiao Wu nodded.
The afternoon dragged by in a blur of logistics and preparation for the next day.
By the time she started wrapping up, it was past five, a few small issues cropped up
and delayed things further. When she finally looked at her phone, the time read six-thirty.
The race must have ended by now.
She’d promised she’d go but she hadn’t. After a long pause, she called Lin Nai.
No answer. She hesitated, then called again. Still nothing.
Just as she was about to give up, her phone buzzed. Lin Nai was calling back.
She steadied herself, swiped to answer. On the other end, no words only the faint rush of wind,
broken and uneven. Lin Nai was driving.
A minute later, the sound stopped. The car had parked.
Lin Nai’s voice came through, calm and low. Still at work?
He Qingrou looked toward the exit. After a moment, she said quietly, Just finished.
Then I’ll wait for you, came the reply, followed by the soft click of a car door closing.
Outside the exhibition hall.