The elevator stopped on the 27th floor. As soon as they stepped into the lounge, Mrs. Huang became enthusiastic, lavishing praise, "Qianqian, try this coffee. Isn’t it authentic and tasty? Xiaojue’s company truly has exceptional taste. Even their beverages are premium. They also give their female employees rose chocolates—how thoughtful! It really shows the grandeur of a major company. The people working here are truly fortunate..." "Exactly. Xiaojue is so capable, managing such a large company at his age. My dad always says Xiaojue is a rare talent with limitless potential." "Your father is indeed discerning. My Xiaojue is surely destined for great things..." "Yeah, my dad says the same thing." Qianqian’s surname was Lin, and her family was in the real estate business. Over the past two years, the number of Mrs. Huang’s son’s unsuccessful blind dates had reached double digits. Unwilling to accept this and worried her son would become a "leftover man," Mrs. Huang had sought matchmaking help from everyone she knew. Finally, she found a daughter from a genuinely wealthy family. Fortuitously, Lin Qianqian’s father had known Huang Xiaojue for a long time and highly approved of him. The parents from both families hit it off immediately and were determined to make the marriage happen. Mrs. Huang was now determined not to let this marriage fall through. She was incredibly warm towards Lin Qianqian, inviting her for meals and buying her gifts. Soon, they became as close as mother and daughter. Today, she had specifically brought Lin Qianqian to the company to help her son and Lin Qianqian cultivate their relationship. But they waited and waited, and Huang Xiaojue didn’t show up. By ten-thirty, both women were getting restless. Just then, the door swung open. Upon seeing her son, Mrs. Huang approached him with a beaming smile. "Son, Qianqian and I came to see you. Since it’s Christmas and we were passing by, we thought we’d drop in. How about we all have lunch together..." Huang Xiaojue replied politely, "Isn’t it working hours, Mom? You and Qianqian should go shopping first. Don’t wait for me." "Can’t you leave work a little early today? You’re always flying all over the country. Can’t you take just one day off? Son, I haven’t seen you in two months! If I didn’t come looking for you, you’d probably forget what Dad and I even look like, wouldn’t you?" "It’s just because I’ve been too busy. Once this rush is over, I’ll treat you and Dad to a big dinner." "No, we have to eat together today at noon. Look, it’s almost eleven. I’ll go make a reservation..." "I can’t today, Mom. I already have plans for lunch. I’ll treat you and Dad another day." Upon hearing this, Qianqian excused herself to go to the restroom. Looking displeased, Mrs. Huang lowered her voice. "Son, how could you say that?" He grinned. "What’s wrong with treating you to a big dinner?" Google seaʀᴄh n0velfire.net "You didn’t invite Qianqian." He pretended not to hear and walked towards his office. Mrs. Huang followed him into his office and closed the door. Her smile vanished. "Son, no excuses today. I’ll be supervising you myself. Last time, you promised to have a meal with Qianqian. I waited and waited patiently, but even after three months, you supposedly couldn’t find the time. I refuse to believe you’re *that* busy. Even the President of the United States takes holidays and spends time with family! If you don’t have lunch with us today, I’m not leaving!" Huang Xiaojue shrugged, gesturing to a thick stack of documents on his desk. "Mom, look, I really don’t have time. I have to ensure our company maintains its top performance ranking in the group, right? Headquarters has high expectations of me. See? There are only a few days left in the year, and we’re still tens of millions short on our performance target. I have to push myself relentlessly these next few days. I can’t afford to rest for a single moment. Otherwise, all our hard work this year will go down the drain..."