Tomorrow Will Still Love You - Chapter 11:
The meeting began.
Pei Ning opened the seating chart the secretary had given her earlier and
tucked it under her notebook. For a moment, she felt like a student again
hiding a cheat sheet under her textbook.
She glanced sideways. Ye Xicheng was already looking at her.
His gaze was deep, unreadable.
She turned away quickly.
After Chairman Ye’s brief opening remarks, the vice presidents of
each division began presenting their reports.
Pei Ning took notes swiftly, key points captured both on paper and in her head.
She used two pens, alternating colors to highlight priorities.
Ye Xicheng’s attention wasn’t on the meeting. His eyes kept drifting toward her
watching the curve of her profile, or what she was writing.
Every few minutes, he stole another glance.
Chairman Ye noticed his son’s distraction. He cleared his throat twice in warning,
but Ye Xicheng didn’t respond. In that moment,
nothing existed in his world except Pei Ning.
The second to present was the general manager of Huaining Energy.
As of last month, he reported, their battery sales for the year had
already matched the total sales of the entire previous year.
Overseas sales were up thirty-five percent year-on-year,
and car battery orders were fully booked until early next year.
The current production lines could no longer meet demand.
Market research predicted the next three years would be a peak period for electric vehicle
production, with over twenty new manufacturers obtaining licenses this year alone.
The management team therefore proposed expanding the battery production line.
Immediately, some directors voiced support.
The country is heavily subsidizing new energy vehicles right now, one said.
We need to seize this chance and secure our position as the market leader in batteries.
Another added, If we imagine the growth of this industry as an upward-opening parabola,
then right now we’re only at the beginning of the climb.
The distance to the peak is long and that distance is our window of opportunity.
As they spoke, Pei Ning unconsciously drew an X and Y axis on her page.
Her pen moved quickly, jotting down formulas,
and soon she had sketched a perfect downward opening parabola
with a big question mark beside it.
She was just about to cross it out when her notebook was suddenly taken away.
Startled, she turned her head. Ye Xicheng had taken it, scanning the page.
Without a word, he placed it under his left hand,
uncapped his pen, and began tracing over her parabola
once, twice, until the lines darkened into shadow.
She stared silently.
The room buzzed with heated debate.
Some directors opposed the expansion.
The electric vehicle industry looks like it’s booming because of subsidies, one argued.
But those incentives won’t last forever. Once the policy fades,
many companies will collapse overnight, and we’ll be left with overcapacity.
We can’t blindly chase mass production, another said. We need to think long-term.
Supporters countered just as fiercely.
Every industry goes through growth, prosperity, and decline, one said.
We can’t stay paralyzed by fear of the future.
Opponents retorted, Some industries have long lifespans.
Even after peaking, their decline is gradual or transformable.
But most EV startups are flashes in the pan gone before they mature.
The argument grew louder.
Chairman Ye drank his tea slowly, saying nothing.
Ye Xicheng sat in silence, expression cool and detached,
as if none of this concerned him. His hand, however,
kept tracing the same curve on that page, over and over, until the line blurred.
When the debate finally died down, Chairman Ye spoke.
Xicheng, what do you think?
The room fell quiet. All eyes turned to him. His presence alone, even without speaking,
carried enough weight to still the air.
He handed Pei Ning’s notebook to the secretary and motioned toward the projector.
Pei Ning froze. What was he doing?
The secretary hesitated, glancing curiously at him before placing the page under the lens.
The image flashed onto the massive screen a magnified version of her doodled parabola,
so clear the repeated strokes formed visible shadows.
Her mind went blank.
Ye Xicheng took a slow sip of water before speaking.
If the vertex of this parabola sits at the origin,
he said evenly, then even at its peak of prosperity, it still returns to zero.
Then he looked at her.
Assistant Pei, explain why it returns to zero.
She almost choked. She had drawn that curve on impulse
how was she supposed to explain it now?
The room was silent enough to hear a pin drop.
Every senior executive turned to study her.
This was the first time most of them had met Pei Ning in person.
They’d heard the rumors, of course the chairman’s handpicked executive assistant.
They were curious to see what made her special.
And, given the subtle glances exchanged around the table,
some already suspected she might be destined for something… more personal.
Everyone waited.
Ye Xicheng, calm as ever, seemed entirely confident she would deliver.
Pei Ning took a breath, her mind already assembling words at lightning speed.
Returning to zero, she began, is the worst possible outcome.
At the moment, consumers are still cautious about fully electric vehicles.
You barely see them on the streets, which means market acceptance is weak.
Think of it this wayif we produce ten million cars a year but
nine million nine hundred ninety-nine thousand sit in store,
then our market share effectively returns to zero.
A murmur ran through the room. Technically, she wasn’t wrong.
She continued.
When a product fails to win consumer approval,
its period of prosperity and decline happen almost simultaneously.
What Huaining needs right now isn’t more production it’s innovation.
We should channel resources into R&D, break through technical bottlenecks,
shorten charging time, extend battery life, and build long-term
partnerships with reliable EV manufacturers. That way, even if government subsidies disappear,
and weaker companies collapse, our position remains secure. That’s my first point.
Everyone leaned in, waiting for the second.
Secondly, she said after a pause, when subsidies are eventually withdrawn and the EV market
contracts, we’ll need to develop higher-efficiency batteries.
She answered her own question before anyone else could.
Because only when the market follows you do you stop being eliminated by it.
Wan, sitting nearby, watched her out of the corner of his eye. He already knew what she’d say next.
Sure enough, she added,
For example, proton-exchange membrane fuel cells.
That’s the true direction of the new energy future.
Then her tone shifted, light but deliberate.
Huaining’s success today is thanks to the foresight of Chairman Ye and our board of directors.
No one interrupted praise was always welcome.
I’ve been reviewing our company’s operations this week, she went on,
and Assistant Wan mentioned that our board has always been strategic and forward-thinking.
Long before most battery companies began competing over lithium cells,
our leadership had already turned their attention to proton fuel cell technology.
Wan silently lowered his gaze. Aside from Ye Xicheng, no one had brought that up before.
Pei Ning ended smoothly.
There’s a motto from one of our board members that I really admire:
When others have none, we create. When others have some, we excel.
When others excel, we transform.
Right now, lithium battery technology is reaching saturation.
Our competitive edge is shrinking. So perhaps it’s time to transform.
That’s my humble opinion. Thank you.
Applause broke out.
Especially from the director who had earlier compared the industry to a parabola ironically,
the same one who’d opposed investing in fuel cells.
The motto she quoted was his favorite saying.
He suddenly found himself being eloquently out-argued… by himself.
After the applause faded, Ye Xicheng motioned for
Wan to report on the EFG acquisition project.
Many directors had previously opposed it, citing the immaturity of the
EV market and the risk of fuel cell technology.
But after Pei Ning’s analysis, resistance softened.
Wan realized something then Ye Xicheng and Pei Ning were perfectly in sync.
He had given her the spotlight, and she had used it to clear his path.
The meeting lasted until noon and was set to resume at one-thirty.
After lunch, Pei Ning returned to her office. There were forty minutes to spare,
so she reclined in her chair, set an alarm, and closed her eyes.
Fifteen minutes later, a knock sounded.
She opened her eyes instantly she was a light sleeper.
Ye Xicheng stood at the door.
Fifteen minutes left, he reminded her.
She sat up straight.
Got it. I’ll be right there.
It should’ve been her job to remind him of the time. Somehow, that had flipped.
She grabbed her makeup pouch, went to the restroom to fix her hair and touch up her lipstick.
When she came out, he was still there, leaning casually against her desk, scrolling his phone.
He looked up as she approached.
No rush, he said.
Her alarm rang the one she’d set before her nap.
She reached for her phone, but he had already silenced it for her.
There was still time. She unscrewed her cup and poured herself some water.
The dispenser in the conference room was on the other side
she didn’t want to walk past the chairman again.
For some reason, she poured hot water this time.
When she turned, Ye Xicheng was still on his phone. She assumed he’d pick it up himself.
Instead, he waited for her and, as they stepped into the elevator together, accepted the cup again.
He adjusted his cufflinks, voice casual.
Buy me a few pairs of new cufflinks.
She looked at him, puzzled.
He didn’t elaborate.
Ask Wan where he usually gets them.
Alright, she said quietly.
So… Wan bought his cufflinks too?
Back in the meeting room, everyone had already arrived except the chairman.
Pei Ning leaned toward Wan and whispered,
Assistant Wan, where do you usually get cufflinks for President Ye?
Wan smiled knowingly, tore a page from his notebook,
and scribbled a list of brands and nearby flagship stores.
Here these are his usual ones.
She tucked the note away.
Thanks.
Ten minutes earlier, Wan had received a message from Ye Xicheng listing those same stores.
He hadn’t understood why at first until now.
When she turned back, Ye Xicheng picked up her cup again.
Careful, she whispered, I poured hot water.
He looked at her for two seconds.
Perfect. Mine’s all cold.
She gave him a look that said really?
The meeting ended at four-thirty.
Back in her office, her phone buzzed it was Yao Yuan.
Working late tonight? he asked.
His tone was low, strained.
What’s wrong? she asked instead.
A pause. Then,
She’s getting married.
Pei Ning didn’t know the woman he meant, but she guessed an ex.
She hesitated, then said softly,
Let’s go for a drink tonight.
They picked a place and hung up.
As the office emptied for the day, Pei Ning stopped by
Ye Xicheng’s office to check if he needed anything else.
No, he said, still typing an email. Then he looked up.
I’m meeting Jiang Yunzhao tonight. Come along.
She had already promised to see Yao Yuan.
President Ye, I’ll call Jiang later to follow up on the investment details.
I already made plans this evening.
He studied her for a few seconds. Then nodded.
Alright.
She gave a polite nod and turned to leave.
But just as she reached the door, his voice stopped her.
Assistant Pei.
She turned.
Yes?
Tomorrow morning, no need to come to the office, he said. I’ll pick you up at nine.
We’ll go straight to the airport.
Their flight to Hong Kong was at noon.
Understood, she said. She thought that was all until he added,
And tonight, remember to buy those cufflinks.
She blinked.
That urgent?
But she just smiled faintly.
Okay.
Ye Xicheng arrived five minutes early to his dinner with Jiang Yunzhao.
Jiang was already there, lounging back with one leg crossed, scrolling his phone.
When Ye approached, Jiang looked up instinctively then glanced behind him.
Where’s Pei Ning? he asked.
Did you invite her? Ye countered.
No, but I figured you’d bring her anyway. You’ve been glued to her
twenty-four hours a day lately. What happened, sudden self-restraint?
Ye said mildly, She went home to rest.
Jiang eyed him, trying to read his face.
Makes sense, he said finally. With women, slow and steady wins the race.
Hold too tight and they’ll slip away.
He glanced around the elegant restaurant and frowned.
But if she’s not coming, why’d you pick such a romantic place?
Two men eating here looks suspicious.
He offered Ye a cigarette.
Ye shook his head.
Don’t smoke.
You quit? Jiang asked, raising a brow.
For now.
Because of Pei Ning?
Ye didn’t answer. But the truth was, since she’d come back to Beijing,
she’d been sensitive to the dry climate. A faint cough sometimes
escaped her when she caught a whiff of smoke.
Jiang chuckled and gestured to the table. He’d ordered half the dessert menu,
expecting her to join. Now, with two men facing a spread of
pastel-colored sweets, passersby gave them strange looks
as if they’d stumbled onto a date.
Ye glanced at the cakes and said calmly,
Pack them all.
You call Ningning. I’ll deliver them myself.