A Divine Farmer

Chapter 211 - Done!

“If you've come just to mock me, save it, Zhang Xiaolong. The outcome is uncertain until the very end,” Su Mei's icy voice transmitted through the phone.

“Look, Su Mei, if you truly believe I'm that sort of person, then I'm at a loss for words,” Zhang Xiaolong, recalling Chen Yaru's earnest cautions, replied with the most soothing tone he could manage, “But regardless of your opinion, you'll always be a friend to me, a lovely and endearing younger sister…”

He was cut off mid-sentence by the abrupt click of the phone hanging up.

Feeling a bit embarrassed and under the receptionist's intrigued look, Zhang Xiaolong was ready to leave.

Internally, he grumbled, “My dear wife, it's not for lack of effort on my part; it's just that the other party is too obstinate, and I'm out of options!”

Then the front desk phone rang, and after a brief pause, the receptionist urgently called out to him, “Mr. Zhang, Director Su requests your presence upstairs.”

With a sigh, Zhang Xiaolong thought about how Su Mei really knew how to stir things up. With no other option, he followed the receptionist's directions and headed for the elevator.

The receptionist continued to mumble to herself, “Director Su is too gullible. It only took a few words for her to agree to a meeting. This guy must have a way with words!”

Zhang Xiaolong, overhearing this, chose not to clarify anything and simply made his way to the eighteenth floor.

Stepping out of the elevator, he was greeted by a poised white-collar professional. “Are you Mr. Zhang Xiaolong? Director Su is waiting in her office. Please come this way.”

After nodding in confirmation, Zhang Xiaolong followed the woman, noticing the covert glances from passersby as if he were some enigmatic character.

“Mr. Zhang, I'm not privy to the misunderstanding between you and Director Su that kept you two from ending up together,” the secretary-like professional interjected, “But Director Su has been having a tough time lately. I hope you won't say anything to upset her, as she's not in the best of health at the moment.”

“Did they not end up together?” Zhang Xiaolong furrowed his brow. “I'm quite curious about what Director Su said concerning our relationship.”

“Actually…” The secretary's gaze flickered. “Director Su didn't say anything, but… you'll find out once you're in the office.”

Puzzled, Zhang Xiaolong entered Su Mei's office and was greeted by a life-sized portrait on the wall. Although abstract, he could immediately recognize the subject.

?What rendered Zhang Xiaolong speechless was the portrait riddled with over a dozen darts, and even the dart-free areas were peppered with pinholes. It was clear the painting had been used for target practice extensively. How deep was this grudge?

“What can I do for you?” Su Mei swiveled in her chair to follow his gaze. “The portrait? It's tradition here to throw darts at it upon entering. Care to give it a try?”

“Do you really hate me that much?” Zhang Xiaolong now realized the multitude of holes wasn't the work of one person alone.

Su Mei arched an eyebrow. “What do you think? I'm swamped. If you don't need anything, please leave. I have a lot of work to get through.”

“Do you intend to hate me forever?” Zhang Xiaolong asked, a note of resignation in his voice.

His question left Su Mei momentarily speechless. After a long silence, she offered no reply.

Truth be told, hate was a strong word for her feelings toward Zhang Xiaolong. If anything, it stemmed from affection that hadn't been reciprocated effectively.

Despite the common knowledge at the company that Director Su's most despised person was Zhang Xiaolong, everyone also recognized that there must be complex, unresolved issues between them. Otherwise, there wouldn't be such a portrait in her office.

“I've come to apologize. Can we make amends?” Chen Yaru had coached Zhang Xiaolong through this line by line, including the expression to use.

Though he hadn't mastered it completely, it seemed to have had some impact.

“I didn't intend to ignore you at the Xu family,” Zhang Xiaolong explained with patience. “I was nearly exhausted from overpowering those gunmen. It took a full day and night of sleep to recover. I admit, I was too harsh in my words later on. But none of it was meant to target you personally. Can we stop fighting now?”

?After hearing those words, Su Mei felt her once frozen heart thaw in an instant. The last sentence, “Can we stop fighting, please?” struck a chord, and her tears began to fall.

“Do you think I'm not obedient enough, not gentle enough, and that I just act like a spoiled brat? That I only throw around the Su family's money, and that's why you don't like me?” Su Mei said through her tears.

“I don't dislike you,” Zhang Xiaolong hurried to clarify. “Everyone has their own temperament. You're just very frank, acting on your impulses without holding back. Even though you can be impetuous, you're genuine, which makes you far more endearing than many insincere people.”

“Really?” Su Mei's tears gave way to a smile, but then she hesitated. “But you still won't make me your girlfriend, will you?”

“It's not because you're not good enough,” Zhang Xiaolong replied earnestly. “It's just that Yaru came into my life first. She's my wife, and I can't wrong her just because you're a good person too. That's fair, isn't it?”

“So you're saying, if I had met you first, you would have chosen me, right?” Su Mei asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Zhang Xiaolong chuckled, “That's a maybe. Hypotheticals are hard to pin down. But I can assure you, if you were my girlfriend, I wouldn't abandon you just because someone else seemed better.”

“Fine,” Su Mei sighed deeply, “I'll accept your apology, considering how earnest you've been. Now, what's the real reason for your visit? It can't just be to apologize, can it?”

Seeing her demeanor soften, Zhang Xiaolong got straight to the point. “Apologizing was my main goal, but now that we've cleared the air, there's no need for hard feelings. Strong Dragon is facing a lot of challenges, and I'd like to know if you're willing to sell it to me. You have incredible business acumen, but maybe I'm a better fit for the company. We can negotiate the price at your convenience; I won't let you lose out.”

“I knew you were up to something!” Su Mei's expression turned cold once more.

Zhang Xiaolong's heart sank along with her mood. He couldn't help thinking, ‘She can't be this fickle, can she? Everything was fine just a moment ago, and now she's turned on me again, as quickly as flipping a page.'

“You won't be able to purchase Strong Dragon,” Su Mei stated resolutely. “But I can offer you an alternative. It's up to you whether you're willing to consider it.”