Absolute power in officialdom

Chapter 157 Inviting the Beautiful Boss

In the morning, accompanied by the sales manager of Xingye Trading Company, Wu Zhiyuan visited Dadi Company. His stated purpose for the visit was to discuss cooperation on packaging materials.

He had previously made contact with Hu Ruoxi by phone.

Executive Vice President's Office.

This was the first time Wu Zhiyuan met Hu Ruoxi.

Before coming, he had already seen Hu Ruoxi's photo on the Dadi Company's official website.

I am prettier and more elegant in person than in photos.

"Hello Mr. Hu, sorry to bother you. I'm Wu Zhiyuan from Jiangzhou Xingye Trading." Wu Zhiyuan handed over his business card. "We spoke on the phone before. I'm here today mainly to discuss cooperation on packaging materials."

Hu Ruoxi took the business card, quickly scanned it, and said in a cold voice, "Regarding your company's proposed packaging material cooperation plan, our purchasing department has conducted a preliminary evaluation, and the cost-effectiveness does not seem to be the best option."

Wu Zhiyuan was prepared and responded calmly: "Mr. Hu is right. If we simply compare unit prices, we may not be the lowest."

However, Xingye Trading's core advantages lie in stable quality control and efficient logistics response. In particular, we have unique experience and solutions for packaging and protecting special materials, which can effectively reduce the risk of loss during transportation.

As far as I know, a batch of high-purity rare earth samples recently exported by Dadi Company was slightly contaminated during customs inspection due to packaging issues. Although the loss was minor, it did affect delivery efficiency.

Hu Ruoxi was somewhat surprised: "Mr. Wu seems to know a lot about our company."

Wu Zhiyuan smiled calmly: "Only by knowing yourself and your enemy can you achieve long-term cooperation."

We aspire to be a trusted partner of Earth Corporation, not just a supplier.

Hu Ruoxi asked calmly, "Tell me your specific plans, especially the designs for pressure resistance, moisture protection, and anti-static properties?"

Wu Zhiyuan spoke eloquently.

He had done his homework beforehand.

In fact, many national security investigators have more than one identity, which serves as a cover.

As an excellent investigator, to protect one's identity, one must not only have complete credentials and a credible background, but also internalize the professional qualities, behavioral logic, and even subtle habits of the role and put them into practice, leaving no room for error.

At this moment, he is General Manager Wu of Xingye Trading, a shrewd and capable deputy general manager who strives to secure orders.

By the end of the meeting, Hu Ruoxi's attitude had softened considerably compared to the beginning: "President Wu's professionalism is impressive."

We will study the proposal further and provide you with a response within next week.

As he was saying goodbye, Wu Zhiyuan stood up and extended his hand: "Mr. Hu, I look forward to hearing from you. I hope to have the opportunity to have a more in-depth exchange, and perhaps, besides work, I can also ask you for some insights on business management."

"I wonder if Mr. Hu is free tonight? If it's convenient, I'd like to have a cup of coffee with you."

Hu Ruoxi also stood up and shook hands with Wu Zhiyuan politely: "Mr. Wu, you're too kind. I still have some documents to process, and I'm not sure if I'll have time."

Wu Zhiyuan was overjoyed. Although Hu Ruoxi did not explicitly agree, she did not outright refuse either.

He said calmly, "Mr. Hu, please go ahead with your work. I won't bother you any longer. I'll contact you again later."

"Okay, goodbye." Hu Ruoxi nodded, signifying that she was seeing her off.

Wu Zhiyuan left Dadi Company, got into his car, and carefully considered Hu Ruoxi's final reaction.

That ambiguous attitude is quite rare for a high-ranking executive like her.

She didn't refuse outright, which meant there was a chance to ask her out that evening.

The so-called document processing is more like a pretext.

Opportunities need to be seized proactively, but one should not appear too eager.

At four o'clock in the afternoon, Wu Zhiyuan sent Hu Ruoxi a message:

Mr. Hu, good afternoon. I apologize for bothering you. Are you free later? I'd like to invite you for coffee to relax. This is a purely personal invitation, unrelated to business, and there's no one else around; it's just a chance for us friends to get to know each other better. Looking forward to your reply.

About half an hour later, just when Wu Zhiyuan thought the chances were slim, Hu Ruoxi replied with two words: "Okay."

Wu Zhiyuan replied to the message, setting the location as "Jing'an," a café known for its tranquil environment and privacy, at around 7:30 pm.

He deliberately chose a booth by the window that was partially surrounded by greenery, which was both elegant and ensured a certain degree of privacy for the conversation.

At 7:25, Hu Ruoxi arrived.

She changed her outfit, no longer wearing a business suit, but a light gray cashmere dress with a beige trench coat on top. Her long, smooth hair was draped over her shoulders, giving her a more gentle and graceful look, but she remained aloof.

"Mr. Hu, this way." Wu Zhiyuan stood up to signal.

Hu Ruoxi nodded slightly, walked over and sat down, placing her handbag aside.

"Sorry, there was a bit of traffic on the way."

"It's alright, I just arrived too." Wu Zhiyuan waved to a waiter. "What would Mr. Hu like to drink?"

"A hot latte, please," Hu Ruoxi said gently.

Wu Zhiyuan ordered a few dim sum and snacks, looked at the beautiful woman opposite him, and said with a smile, "We talk about work at the company during the day, so the atmosphere is more formal."

Let's relax in the evening and chat about things outside of work.

What do you like to do to relax in your spare time, Mr. Hu?

Hu Ruoxi replied casually, "Nothing special, just reading a book occasionally, or doing some exercise."

"Sports? It seems Mr. Hu pays great attention to health management. What kind of sports do you like? Running? Gym?" Wu Zhiyuan followed up the conversation, trying to find common interests.

"I don't go to outside gyms anymore. There's a gym in my basement where I run, do yoga, and swim."

Wu Zhiyuan chimed in, "I also really enjoy swimming. I swim at least two or three times a week. I feel especially relaxed and relieved of stress when I'm in the water. Morning runs are also a habit of mine."

Hu Ruoxi nodded and said, "Yes, swimming really does calm people down. It's a habit I developed when I was studying abroad."

"It seems we have common interests," Wu Zhiyuan said with a smile. "Besides running and swimming, I also practice Sanda (Chinese kickboxing) occasionally, mainly to improve my health and also to defend myself in a critical moment."

Hu Ruoxi looked at Wu Zhiyuan: "You know Sanda (Chinese kickboxing)?"

Wu Zhiyuan humbly replied, "It's just fancy footwork."

After the coffee and snacks were served, Wu Zhiyuan turned to talk about the local customs and culture of Jiangzhou, as well as recently released movies.

He was humorous, insightful, and adept at controlling the pace and atmosphere of the conversation.

After chatting for a while, Wu Zhiyuan casually made a joke: "If your boyfriend finds out that a woman as outstanding and beautiful as Ms. Hu is having coffee with me alone at night, and it causes any misunderstandings, then I would be in a terrible position."

Hu Ruoxi said calmly, "Mr. Wu, you're overthinking it. I don't have a boyfriend."

"Oh?" Wu Zhiyuan looked surprised. "Someone with Mr. Hu's qualifications should have many suitors."

Hu Ruoxi stirred her coffee gently, her tone still calm: "When it comes to relationships, it's all about fate; you can't force it. Besides, I'm already busy enough with work."

Speaking of which, Mr. Wu is young and promising; surely he prioritizes his career?

Wu Zhiyuan sighed softly: "Sigh, I had a relationship before, and I thought it would work out, but she betrayed me. Maybe I wasn't good enough and couldn't give her the life she wanted."

Hu Ruoxi was silent for a moment, then said softly, "Let bygones be bygones. Focusing on the present and the future is more important."

"Mr. Hu is right." Wu Zhiyuan nodded and took the opportunity to steer the conversation to a deeper level. "Actually, sometimes I feel that similar feelings are inevitable in my work as well."

For example, Dadi Company embodies your father's life's work. Although state-owned control is a strategic necessity, even I, an outsider, feel that the current situation is unfair.

He asked cautiously, closely observing the changes in Hu Ruoxi's facial expressions.

Hu Ruoxi's tone became serious: "President Wu, you may have some misunderstandings. Enterprise restructuring is based on the overall consideration of national strategic resource security, and I fully understand and support it."

When my father was alive, he often taught me that corporate interests must be subordinate to national interests. There's no such thing as fairness or unfairness; it's a matter of responsibility.

Hu Ruoxi's answer was resolute, revealing her patriotic stance.

This only made Wu Zhiyuan more wary; either she truly cared about her country and its people, or she was hiding her true intentions very well.

He immediately knew when to stop, and said apologetically, "President Hu has a high level of understanding, I admire him, I misspoke."

The two chatted about other things for the rest of the time, and the atmosphere became relaxed again.

Around nine o'clock, Hu Ruoxi checked the time and said it was time to go back.

Wu Zhiyuan offered to take her there.

To his surprise, Hu Ruoxi hesitated for a moment, then agreed: "Then I'll have to trouble you, Mr. Wu."