Chapter 123: You’re welcome, this is what I owe you.
Seeing Situ Haonan stop, the directors also ceased their pursuit. However, if they were to let Ji Xiangyu go so easily, they wouldn’t be the board of directors known for their ferocity!
The elder director proposed to everyone, “Our Chairman is still very young and lacks management experience. Why don’t we give the Chairman a probationary period? How about three months? If after three months the hotel’s turnover continues to decline or worsens, then we can vote on whether to remove him. What do you all think of this proposal?”
Situ Haonan, a smile playing on his lips, looked at Ji Xiangyu with a hint of pride and asked, “What do you think, nephew?”
Ji Xiangyu’s face was cold. Those people today would not give up until they achieved their goals, and he had no need to fall out with the board of directors, only to have his grandfather clean up his mess later. He couldn’t disgrace Grandfather Ji!
Considering all aspects, Ji Xiangyu finally nodded and agreed to the three-month period. Although he knew that nothing would happen even if he refused, he didn’t want to rely on his grandfather’s support right after arriving at the hotel. In that case, what would be the difference between him and a parasite?
After receiving a satisfactory answer, the board of directors left one by one! The only ones remaining were Athena, Ji Xiangyu, and Situ Haonan.
Situ Haonan walked up to Ji Xiangyu with a friendly demeanor and said, “Nephew, Jingyi came home last night and said she invited you to our uncle’s house for dinner. You refused, is that true?”
Situ Jingyi? Athena searched for the woman’s name in her mind. Her memory only held the scene from a few days ago at the banquet where she had attacked her fiercely! Yet, she felt a sense of familiarity! She felt a peculiar sense of closeness!
Ji Xiangyu answered Situ Haonan’s question, “Uncle, I appreciate Jingyi’s kind invitation, but I’ve been too busy to get away recently. I was busy with my concert tour for a long time, and I apologize for making you and Jingyi unhappy!”
Situ Haonan also knew that Ji Xiangyu had been performing for a long time before his retirement. If he hadn’t retired and had continued as a pianist, Situ Haonan wouldn’t have had to worry about this.
Ji Xiangyu was indeed an excellent son-in-law. He had no children, and Situ Jingyi was deeply in love with Ji Xiangyu. If Ji Xiangyu could become their family’s son-in-law, it would be killing two birds with one stone!
Situ Haonan didn’t say much more to Ji Xiangyu. As he left, he gave Athena a meaningful glance. Athena looked back at him with doubt, a smile still on her lips!
“Thank you, Athena!”
Ji Xiangyu then said to him gently. Before this, Athena had heard from an employee that Ji Xiangyu was a stern, cold-faced man! At this moment, he was speaking to her in such a gentle voice that she felt a little overwhelmed! For a moment, she didn’t know how to respond. After these few exchanges, Athena realized that whenever she spoke to him for a few sentences, her subconscious mind wanted to escape!
She wanted to escape again now! What should she do?
Athena tried her best to maintain an elegant, natural, and composed response, “Uh, Chairman, I wasn’t actually helping you, and you don’t need to thank me. This is what I owe you!”
After saying that, Athena felt a little regretful. That sentence sounded a bit unfeeling!
When Ji Xiangyu heard Athena’s words, his mind went blank and returned to five years ago. At that time, Qing Tian also refused his kind help. They were so similar in this regard!
Ji Xiangyu asked probing, “Have you ever thought that you actually knew someone a long time ago, and he loved you very much?”
Athena was asked inexplicably. She replied reflectively, “A long time ago? I can’t remember. I have no memory of past events!”
This sentence shocked Ji Xiangyu, “You don’t remember the past? Why, did you have an accident and hit your head?”
Ji Xiangyu’s string of questions left Athena speechless, “I didn’t have an accident, nor did I hit my head. I just don’t know why I can’t remember. I’ve been to the hospital for check-ups, and the doctors all said I’m normal, with no abnormalities in my brain!”
Ji Xiangyu grabbed Athena’s shoulders excitedly, “If there’s no problem, then why can’t you remember? This is not scientific at all!”
Athena was startled by Ji Xiangyu’s excited emotions. She wanted to break free from Ji Xiangyu’s grip, but he was too strong. Her expression contorted as she looked at Ji Xiangyu and said, “Chairman, you’re hurting me!”
Ji Xiangyu looked at Athena apologetically and regained his composure, saying, “I’m sorry, I got too excited. It’s just that you look very much like a friend I used to know!”
Hearing this, Athena saw a hint of sadness in Ji Xiangyu’s eyes. She casually asked, “Is she the woman you deeply loved?”
Ji Xiangyu smiled faintly, then returned to his usual cold demeanor and said, “Yes. Someone I once deeply loved, but now I only hate!”
Athena looked at Ji Xiangyu’s overly sad expression. Although he said he hated her, she suspected he was saying it because he was afraid of forgetting the person he deeply loved, thus turning love into hate. The depth of love is the depth of hate, isn’t it!
Athena didn’t voice this speculation but instead comforted him, “For those who can’t return, it’s good to hate them. At least you can still hold someone in your heart!”
Looking at the understanding Athena, a warm current surged through Ji Xiangyu. In this regard, Athena was very different from Qing Tian. Qing Tian wouldn’t talk to him like this, like an intimate friend!
Ji Xiangyu smiled faintly at Athena and said, “Miss Athena, you’re not married yet, are you?”
The question was too sudden, and Athena was a bit caught off guard, saying, “Chairman, you’re asking such a private question, it puts me in a difficult position!”
However, was the dear Chairman smiling just now? She really doubted it, this gentle smile blooming on Ji Xiangyu’s face.
Ji Xiangyu reached out his hand, habitually wanting to stroke Qing Tian’s hair as he used to. However, he withdrew his hand halfway, his eyes turning sharp the next second. Without a word, he turned and left coldly!
Athena looked at the incredibly handsome retreating figure with some bewilderment, muttering to herself, “What an unpredictable person!”
【 Second update. Will add more!! Tonight~~~~】
