Chapter 147 — The Long-Awaited...

Yang Xutang nodded, though he was puzzled. By rights, this kind of venue-allocation work shouldn't be handled by an outside company; the jewelry association should be running it directly. He didn't know what this meant—whether they trusted Mingyang too much, or whether they intended to delegate authority. Yang Ce couldn't figure it out, so for the time being he stopped thinking about it. Without asking the parties involved, it was hard to get to the bottom of such things anyway.

Still, seeing that the exhibition was entirely run by his own people, Yang Ce stopped worrying. If Zhao Sisi still couldn't get a good spot, then she must have deliberately declined one—there was no way they wouldn't have kept a good spot for her.

After finishing his conversation with Yan, the manager noticed Bao Shuping, who had come with them, and immediately recognized him. He froze, and inwardly began to curse bitterly. Damn it, if you knew Brother Yang, why didn't you say so earlier? If you'd said so, it would have been a single sentence—why bring Brother Yang here in person? This was clearly meant to make a fool of him.

If President Bao or President Hou got wind of this, they'd be furious again, and who knew how they'd punish him. At that thought, the manager put on a smile even uglier than a crying face and said ingratiatingly, "Mr. Bao, you see, if you'd just mentioned that you knew Brother Yang that day, that would have been enough. There was no need to trouble Brother Yang to come in person. My attitude that day really was a bit poor. I'm truly sorry."

Bao Shuping was stunned by the manager's complete about-face, but then he thought over what the man had said and roughly understood.

The manager must have misunderstood. He thought Bao Shuping had brought Yang Ce along to make good on his words that day—to come and make a fool of him. Little did he know that a lucky encounter on the road had solved the problem just like that.

At this thought, Bao Shuping felt a surge of satisfaction, as though he had finally vented a long-held grievance. But Yang Ce was right there beside him, and he would not let himself grow too smug. The goal had been achieved, and that was enough; there was no need to press his advantage. So he said, "Ha ha, we merely ran into each other by chance. My wife and Mr. Yang's wife were classmates and dear friends, very close."

The man in charge would not have believed it, of course, but since Bao Shuping put it that way, he gladly took the easy way out. "Of course, of course. But as for your spot at the trade fair, rest assured—I will make certain you are satisfied."

Since neither Brother Yang nor Bao Shuping was inclined to pursue the matter, the man in charge naturally said nothing more.

At that moment, Zhang Yue's gaze toward Xiao Qing had grown even more complicated than before. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that Xiao Qing would find herself such a formidable husband.

To be continued.

1065. The Test Results

1065 The Test Results. Bao Shuping's impression of Yang Ce was now even more firmly confirmed; Yang Ce's standing in Songjiang was no trifling matter—even Mingyang Company treated him with the utmost deference.

Deference—the kind mingled with a measure of fear and humility, not mere courtesy. Bao Shuping saw this with perfect clarity. The look in the man in charge's eyes could not lie.

Even after they had walked all the way out of the convention center, Bao Shuping was still reeling. The shock he had just received had simply been too intense. It was not until he had signed a contract for an excellent display cabinet that he still felt a sense of unreality.

"Zhang Yue, your classmate is really something. Didn't you say she couldn't have children, that her husband abandoned her on their wedding day? She doesn't look so pitiful to me," Bao Shuping whispered. "She looks full of life."

"Who knows? Maybe she's been cured. Medicine is so advanced now—that kind of illness isn't a death sentence anymore. There must be a way." Zhang Yue sighed.

From now on, it seemed, he would have to keep a lower profile. Compared with Xiao Qing, he realized just how far he fell short—and the gap was truly considerable.

"Keep in closer touch with her from now on. Weren't you two close in university?" Bao Shuping said. "We'll be counting on them a great deal here in Songjiang."

"I know. I'll reach out to her." Zhang Yue nodded. She was no fool; a connection like this had to be held on to tightly.

On the way back, Xiao Qing asked curiously, "Yang Ce, why did he call you Brother Yang?"

"Ha ha, he's one of a friend's subordinates. Naturally he's polite to me," Yang Ce said. "And this time, I'd say none of your classmates will dare look down on you anymore. They'll all be trying to curry favor with you, I expect."

"Listen to you, so capable." Xiao Qing laughed and lightly tapped Yang Ce on the forehead. "They'll think I married a rich man."

"Heh heh, let them say what they like. Their mouths are their own. They're jealous of you, so of course some will make biting, sarcastic remarks—sour grapes, that's all." Yang Ce said, "Sister Xiao Qing is one in ten thousand. If the rest of them were offered to me for free, I wouldn't take them."

Xiao Qing gave a radiant smile, then suddenly her expression changed. "Ah—no, I can't hold it. I need the toilet."

"What?" Yang Ce broke out in a sweat. "You're kidding. Now? Are you sure?"

"Yes, now." Xiao Qing's face was pinched with distress. "I can't hold it anymore."

"But right now—" Yang Ce looked around. There was simply nowhere to go. The car was on the elevated expressway; if she had to go, the only option was to do it right there, which was obviously out of the question.

Yang Ce pulled the car over to the side of the road. "How about this—you do it inside the car. The windows are all tinted anyway; no one can see in."

"Then what are you, not a person?" Xiao Qing gave Yang Ce a half-amused glare and scolded him playfully. "In the car—how could I possibly?"

"Heh heh, it's not as if I haven't seen it before. I've seen it a hundred times." Yang Ce chuckled. "You don't need to be shy with me. A living person can't just burst from holding it in. It has to be here—there's no other way."

Xiao Qing considered the situation, and indeed it was exactly as Yang Ce said. Apart from that, there was truly no other solution. So, gritting her teeth, she could only nod. "This is the only way, then."

"Let me help you." Seeing how cramped it was inside the car and that Xiao Qing would have trouble managing on her own, Yang Ce bent down without another word and reached toward the inside of her leather skirt. "Ah!" Xiao Qing started violently, flustered and mortified. "Yang Ce, what are you doing? I'll do it myself."

Though Xiao Qing and Yang Ce had already shared the most intimate of relations, this was a different matter altogether. How could she possibly let Yang Ce do such a thing?

But Yang Ce had already pulled down her stockings. Since he was bent over there, Xiao Qing could not bend down as well; she could only let Yang Ce do as he pleased. Mortified as she was, she had no way out.

Yang Ce took the plastic bag the hospital had given them and placed it in front of Xiao Qing. "All right, there we go."

"Don't—" Xiao Qing shook her head desperately. "Yang Ce, look up. Don't look."

Yang Ce acted as though he had not heard, keeping his head down—and even began to whistle. Xiao Qing had already been at the limit of her endurance; now that Yang Ce was whistling, her body responded of its own accord. At last, under Yang Ce's gaze, she finished this humiliating business, her face burning red as a lump of glowing charcoal. She felt as though her whole body were on fire.

"Okay, mission accomplished." Yang Ce held up the plastic bag in his hand and said.

"Ah, put it down, quick!" Xiao Qing said, reaching out to snatch the bag from his hand.