Come on, What Kind of CEO Chases His Roommate Back to the Country? - Chapter 32

Pei Song listened carefully. Jin Shangxuan was a long-established local restaurant business that had recently been acquired by SNK due to poor management.

“This brand leans toward tradition, but it has a solid reputation among older diners,” Zhou Feng said. “We want to modernize it while preserving its traditional charm, and your experience in Country D will be valuable.”

Pei Song nodded. “Understood.”

“Liu Yan previously worked on this project. I’ll have him assist you and provide some guidance.” Zhou Feng paused. “Make sure you communicate with him often.”

Pei Song maintained a professional smile. “Of course, I’ll consult Team Leader Liu.”

Zhou Feng seemed like he had more to say, but upon seeing Pei Song’s calm expression, he simply added, “That’s all for now. Come to me if you have any questions.”

As Pei Song left the meeting room, he spotted Liu Yan whispering to Li Ming.

The moment they saw him, they stopped talking.

After the meeting, Pei Song sent Liu Yan an email: “Team Leader Liu, Mr. Zhou asked me to consult you about the project. Do you have time to discuss it?”

Liu Yan didn’t respond at all. Two days later, he finally sent a lazy reply with a PowerPoint file, “Here’s a similar case I worked on before. Take a look.”

Pei Song opened it and immediately saw that it was a rough draft. The data and analysis were superficial, clearly, Liu Yan had no intention of actually helping.

“Li Ming, from now on, don’t hand project materials directly to Pei Song. They need to go through me first.”

“But Mr. Zhou said…”

“This is for his own good,” Liu Yan raised an eyebrow. “Newcomers aren’t familiar with the process. If he makes a mistake, it won’t look good.”

Pei Song listened in silence, already on guard.

Sure enough, every time he asked Li Ming for documents after that, the response was always the same, “I need to check with Liu Yan first.”

By Friday evening, Pei Song realized his project files were missing.

According to protocol, the proposal had to be presented at Monday’s department meeting.

“Li Ming, have you seen my project files?” Pei Song asked.

Li Ming looked troubled. “I didn’t notice… Want me to help you look?”

Pei Song caught the glance Li Ming exchanged with Liu Yan. He didn’t need to guess, this was a deliberate trap. If he went into Monday’s meeting unprepared, Liu Yan would definitely take the opportunity to attack him.

“No need,” Pei Song smiled. “I probably misplaced them myself.”

Back at his desk, he turned on his computer. Fortunately, he had a habit of backing up all important files. Not only that, he had anticipated something like this happening and had embedded key data markers in the document. 

Calmly, he continued refining the proposal, updating the numbers and making adjustments. If anyone tried to use an outdated version against him, it would be the perfect opportunity to expose them.

Monday, Department Meeting

“Pei Song, how’s your progress?” Zhou Feng asked.

“I still need to refine a few details.”

Before he could present, Liu Yan interrupted, “Mr. Zhou, I’ve prepared a full analysis.”

Liu Yan placed a document on the table. “Since Pei Song is new, I took the initiative to do some research to help him out.”

Pei Song glanced at the document, it was his “missing” draft.

“Alright, let’s hear Liu Yan’s thoughts first,” Zhou Feng said.

Liu Yan’s report closely followed Pei Song’s original ideas. However, when he got to the key points of brand revitalization, Zhou Feng frowned.

“These numbers seem off,” Zhou Feng interrupted. “Jin Shangxuan recently updated their store data last week. This analysis doesn’t reflect the latest figures.”

Liu Yan froze. “This is…”

“Pei Song,” Zhou Feng turned to him with a serious expression. “If this is your project, why haven’t you updated the latest data? This is an important task, and you’re being careless.”

Li Ming quickly tried to smooth things over. “Maybe he’s still getting used to the process…”

Without explaining, Pei Song opened his document. “Mr. Zhou, here’s my updated version, including last week’s store data.”

He presented a detailed analysis of the latest market trends, outlining opportunities and risks. The newly updated data starkly contrasted Liu Yan’s outdated version.

Zhou Feng listened intently. His expression softened. “This approach is much more thorough than before.”

He paused. “Since you’re a team, why can’t you collaborate and refine the proposal together?”

Pei Song took the initiative. “That’s my responsibility. I’ll improve communication with Team Leader Liu from now on.”

After the meeting, Zhou Feng pulled him aside. “Remember, skills matter in the workplace, but teamwork is just as important. Don’t always work alone.”

Pei Song nodded. “Understood.”

As he left the conference room, he saw Liu Yan looking smug.

On the surface, it seemed like Liu Yan had won this round. But Pei Song wasn’t concerned, this was just the beginning.

Back at his desk, he casually placed the finalized report on Liu Yan’s table.

“Team Leader Liu, here’s the complete report. We can discuss it together.”

Liu Yan’s face darkened, but he said nothing.

Later that evening…

Pei Song hesitated for a moment before sending a message to Shi Yancheng, “Are you free tonight? Can I come over?”

Shi Yancheng replied almost instantly. “I’m at the hotel. Waiting for you.”

Pei Song took a cab to C City International Hotel. Before he even reached the lobby, he saw Shi Yancheng standing outside.

Dressed in a dark trench coat, his tall figure looked even more imposing.

“Why are you waiting here?” Pei Song asked as he approached.

Shi Yancheng didn’t answer. He simply turned and led the way.

The elevator took them straight to the 42nd floor, where a luxurious suite awaited at the end of the hallway.

As the door opened, Pei Song froze. By the floor-to-ceiling window, a beautifully set dining table stood, complete with fine dinnerware and a bottle of decanted red wine.

Several exquisite dishes, illuminated by the warm lighting, gave off a tempting aroma.

“These are…” Pei Song leaned in, realizing that every dish was something he had perfected while in Germany.

“I had the hotel chef recreate them using your recipes,” Shi Yancheng said. “Not sure if they taste the same.”

Pei Song took a bite of the twice-cooked pork. It was delicious, but something was missing.

“The heat control is slightly off,” he said instinctively, then quickly added, “but it’s already really good…”

“I figured,” Shi Yancheng smirked slightly. “That’s why I had the hotel leave the kitchen open for you.”

Only then did Pei Song notice the fully equipped open-concept kitchen. Every ingredient and seasoning was neatly arranged, including the ones he usually preferred.

Tying an apron around his waist, Pei Song got to work. Shi Yancheng leaned against the bar, watching him in silence.

Their coordination was seamless. Shi Yancheng always handed him the exact spice or tool he needed, right on time.