"Hmm, I was just saying. Everyone’s on holiday, it’s easy to get complacent, and if something goes wrong, it’s not good. The ’crisis’ of the top security can be a ’opportunity’ for us, but let’s not let it become a ’crisis’."

"Understood, you’re busy too. I’ll report this to the company immediately and communicate with other security team leaders to raise everyone’s crisis awareness."

As Li Yan patted his shoulder and was about to leave, Yang Dalong remembered something and called him back, "By the way, Old Li, did you ever know a receptionist named... Chen Xiaoen?" 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Li Yan was taken aback. Chen Xiaoen? Indeed, he did know someone by that name. She used to be a receptionist at the Prince Hotel. During the anthrax crisis, she gained Zhang Yurong’s appreciation and was brought to work at the headquarters building, also as a receptionist. He would greet her when going in and out, and once, even Hai Fu caught him, thinking he and Sun Hui were flirting with the receptionists. It wouldn’t be surprising for Yang Dalong to notice.

"Yes, I don’t know when she left, and she didn’t tell me. What’s up?"

Yang Dalong shook his head, "I’m not sure if I saw correctly, but it seems like I’ve seen her a few times near the company these days. But she didn’t come over, doesn’t seem to be looking for or waiting for anyone. I just remembered that you knew her, so I mentioned it."

"Oh, she hasn’t contacted me either." Li Yan thought for a moment and instructed, "If you see her next time, you can ask if she’s in any trouble or needs help. Help me check on her, okay?"

Yang Dalong thought for a moment and understood. Perhaps Chen Xiaoen was really in trouble but didn’t want to owe Li Yan anything. They had seen each other often before, so they were familiar. Perhaps he could help Li Yan inquire. "Alright!"

...

Li Yan had no ambiguous intentions towards Chen Xiaoen. Although he had kissed her once, helped her out of a situation, and watched a movie together, it was all in a polite manner, maintaining a distance of colleagues and friends. Even when she reacted or other receptionists joked around, he didn’t pursue it further. Perhaps for this reason, Chen Xiaoen didn’t particularly inform him when she left.

But there is still a difference between unfamiliar colleagues in the same company and familiar friends. And friends can come in many forms; you don’t have to have a particular interest in someone to help them. If there’s genuinely an issue, even an ordinary friend can lend a hand.

Of course, with Huang Ying’s precedent of helping and generating feelings, even if Chen Xiaoen truly needs some assistance this time and Yang Dalong inquires about it, Li Yan might help discreetly, through Yang Dalong, to avoid any misunderstandings.

Since it was agreed upon, Li Yan drove himself to the Eastern Seaside. As for the restaurant reservation, knowing the outcome, he naturally got it done early.

The Eastern Beach Bathing Beach is one of S City’s most famous vacation spots. Besides local residents, there are many tourists coming here. However, the peak seasons are summer and fall when it’s great for escaping the heat; in winter, as it gets cold, fewer people come to the beach. Even though there’s an event under the Wish Tower tonight, and it’s free, the crowd isn’t large, unlike the lively summer or even the charged autumn beach music festivals.

In such a seasonal tourism area, businesses charge without blinking in peak seasons, and offer great discounts during off-peak seasons, grabbing whatever they can. Hotel room prices drastically reduce, and restaurants don’t have the peak season bustle. It’s easy to reserve tables.

Although there’s a New Year’s Eve event tonight, with local and neighboring city underground bands, P.U.B singers taking turns to perform, and a few lesser-known singers, it doesn’t attract the mainstream young consumers tonight. It’s still the environment! Compared to the bustling city districts, it takes over an hour to get here by bus without traffic. Even taxis aren’t worth it due to time and cost, and more importantly, the New Year’s Eve activities go past midnight when there are no buses back to the city, and taxis will surely be in high demand. So it’s mainly suitable for those with private cars.

Young people with private cars often can afford high-priced concert tickets. If they’re going out to have fun, why not go to livelier, star-studded New Year’s Eve concerts? Successful people also don’t have the leisure. As a result, the main participants tonight are local residents, tourists in the area, and citizens staying overnight for vacation. Thanks to the New Year’s holiday, it’s not too deserted.

When Li Yan drove there, it was already getting late. The restaurant he chose was the one where he had lunch with Hai Fu after their hotel stay, where they ran into Yu Hong and Li Jie together.

He was somewhat hoping history would repeat itself and they would again encounter Yu Hong and Li Jie dining here.

After parking and arriving at the restaurant entrance, he recalled the scene from that day, looking towards that direction. Currently, there were already some guests inside, but not too many, and naturally, no sign of Yu Hong or Li Jie. Tomorrow is New Year’s holiday, so perhaps Chen Mingying and Yu Hong would return to the villa? Xiaodi coming out seemed even more unlikely.

After a silent sigh, Li Yan informed the waiter of his reserved table. Then he went to the reserved private room and sent the restaurant and room name via message to Wen Qianyi. Since he said he was coming as Wen Qianyi’s friend, he didn’t send it to Zhang Yurong or Hai Fu, leaving Wen Qianyi to inform them.

Considering the three strong women had been busy all day and drove a long way, they must be tired and hungry... um, I should say hungry and thirsty... So Li Yan did not maintain the courtesy of letting the ladies order, and instead, ordered some signature dishes like seafood and pigeon first. He essentially ordered main courses for four to five people, instructing the restaurant to start cooking. Once they arrived, they could add dishes of their choice as they preferred.

...

This gathering was initiated by Zhang Yurong and involved only people from Paradise Group; no outsiders were invited. They basically all left work at the same time, and even if there were delays due to the holiday, it wasn’t by much. They arrived one after another, but they didn’t enter as courteously as Li Yan and instead contacted each other outside to enter together.

Jiang Xueyin was the instigator of Zhang Yurong’s invitation, but she only wanted her cousin and sister-in-law to go on a date, thinking the seaside was more romantic than the city. Since they lived far away, after the New Year, they might just get a room at the hotel for some HAPPY time, which would likely deepen their relationship. Of course, she didn’t want to be a third wheel.

Though Zhang Yurong later told her she also invited others and that she wouldn’t be the only third wheel, Jiang Xueyin felt it was because her cousin was being shy, hence calling her and further more others. If it was just the two of them, like an old married couple, there wouldn’t be any awkwardness, so she resolutely didn’t come.

Zhang Yurong, Hai Fu, and Wen Qianyi all had their own cars. Wen Qianyi arrived first and made a phone call to Li Yan, asking him to come out to greet them. Li Yan, however, said he had already ordered food, and if the only person present left, the restaurant might suspect they were dining and dashing.

Having no choice, Wen Qianyi had to wait until Hai Fu and Zhang Yurong arrived to search for the place.

What level of beauty is Zhang Yurong? Even in a place like the Heaven Group Headquarters where beautiful women are everywhere, she stands out as the goddess of ice that even diamond bachelors hold in reverence. Even without extravagant makeup or attire, her mere presence attracts all attention.

And Wen Qianyi, full of sensuality, embodies an irresistible allure, especially with her ever-friendly smile that captivates anyone without even trying. Plus, her aura and fancy sports car, while waiting, already attracted many secret admirers who dared not approach her for a chat. When she joined Zhang Yurong, it was as if everything else faded into oblivion.

Although still clad in her company’s formal attire, Hai Fu, without the relaxation brought by the earlier events, appeared much more subdued compared to the other two. She wasn’t self-conscious, though; her beauty was reserved for Li Yan alone, and that was enough. Moreover, losing to Paradise Group’s peerless duo is nothing to be ashamed of. (To be continued, if you want to know what happens next, please log in to www.qidian.com for more Chapters and show your support for the author and genuine reading!)