Those Classmates who Suddenly Disappeared
Chapter 1094: Have a Meal Together

Chapter 1094: Chapter 1094: Have a Meal Together

In the evening, Li Shi was ready to head home, but Boss Ding wanted to give her a ride, which she tactfully declined.

Boss Ding had wanted to insist, but Gu Fan faked a few coughs and made Boss Ding think twice, breaking off the idea of driving Li Shi home.

Honestly, Boss Ding’s intentions were too obvious, and if things continued, the entire company would likely see that Boss Ding was targeting Li Shi.

Gu Fan packed up his things and then left work, just in time to see Li Shi waiting for him in the lobby of the building. She greeted him with a smile as soon as they met.

"You aren’t waiting for me, are you?" Gu Fan was surprised, and Li Shi put on a resentful expression, "You called me all this way, and now it’s so late. I’m hungry. Shouldn’t you offer something in return?"

"Alright, I’ll treat you to dinner. I know a great restaurant nearby." Thus, at Gu Fan’s suggestion, they walked together.

Soon, they arrived at an elegantly decorated, atmospheric restaurant, where most of the diners were young couples, making Gu Fan and Li Shi appear as if they were a couple themselves.

"It seems quite busy here," Li Shi casually remarked, and Gu Fan nodded. Then he remembered that the patrons of this restaurant were primarily couples. How had he overlooked that?

Gu Fan felt nervous, fearing Li Shi might misunderstand, so he changed the subject, "I came here last time with some college friends, and they all spoke well of this restaurant."

Li Shi just responded with an "Oh," slightly disappointed. She wasn’t stupid; she understood the implication of Gu Fan’s words.

To ease the awkwardness, Gu Fan brought up a topic, "Your company is working for X Fund, so essentially, you are working for X Fund too. That means the articles you write about X Fund might not necessarily reflect your true opinion, right?"

At this, Li Shi nodded and then grew curious, "You seem to have a prejudice against X Fund, as if you always have something to say about it."

Gu Fan thought carefully, then emphatically said, "At first, I had no issues with X Fund. It didn’t affect me in any way. But X Fund buying your company and making you only write favorable reports and not the negative ones is disadvantageous to those in the market who can’t control the information."

"I know, but it’s my job, and I have to write it. Even if I don’t, someone else will," Li Shi turned somewhat angry, feeling like Gu Fan was blaming her.

Gu Fan quickly explained, "Don’t misunderstand. I also work for someone, and I understand sometimes we are compelled. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with your reporting. I’m just talking about X Fund."

Li Shi calmed down but then found it strange, "Gu Fan, do you really need to be so upright? Criticizing X Fund as if you’re trying to stand up for justice?"

"Stand up for justice? How so?" Gu Fan immediately defended, "Since Boss Ding made a fortune with the help of X Fund, the company profited too. As a minor shareholder, I also get dividends. I should be happy, but I’m just worried..."

Li Shi understood Gu Fan’s concern, "You’re still worried that X Fund has ulterior motives and might eventually trap Boss Ding."

Gu Fan scratched his head, "Yes, if Boss Ding puts too much trust in X Fund and invests more money, and then if he’s scammed, leading to a break in the company’s financial chain, the company could go under..." Suddenly, Gu Fan seemed to recall something crucial, displaying a shocked expression.

Li Shi immediately inquired, "What’s up, did you think of something?"

Gu Fan quickly regained his composure, then remained calm, "Nothing. I just remembered a very important piece of work I forgot to complete at the company. There’s actually nothing to worry about."

Although Gu Fan explained it that way, Li Shi pretended to believe him, but she was smart and could tell that Gu Fan’s expression was not just about company matters.

Gu Fan added, "You have access to a lot of information. Could you help me look into the operations of X Fund, preferably going back a hundred years?"

Hearing this, Li Shi’s eyes widened, feeling that Gu Fan was starting an investigation into X Fund.

Li Shi, of course, didn’t know why Gu Fan was so concerned about X Fund now. For a normal company, no matter how they schemed or scammed, Gu Fan would not bother, but if X Fund was possibly linked to Organization X, then it was worth Gu Fan’s attention.

Ultimately, Li Shi agreed to look into it thoroughly, though tracing back a hundred years wouldn’t be easy to find and would require more time and effort, "I’m just a weak woman. The task you’ve given me is too heavy, and one meal is not enough."

Gu Fan immediately got the hint, indicating that he would invite Li Shi for meals every now and then to exchange industry information.

Li Shi smiled, "What, inviting me for meals every few days? Our old classmates don’t even meet up so actively and often for meals."

Hearing this, Gu Fan felt embarrassed and could only offer an awkward smile.

Li Shi then switched the topic, "I don’t mind. Someone is inviting me to dine; why not enjoy it? But the problem is with you. If your girlfriend finds out, would she let you off the hook?"

"My girlfriend is understanding, especially about work matters. She would definitely understand," Gu Fan said, though he already envisioned Lin Xi transforming into a fierce tiger upon finding out.

Li Shi smiled slightly, "I heard from an old classmate that last time they saw you shopping with a girl who was very pretty. Was that your girlfriend?"

"Probably!" Gu Fan could only say so, noting a slight hint of disappointment in Li Shi’s eyes.

Li Shi managed to be polite, "Congratulations then, on finding a beautiful girlfriend."

"Thank you!" Gu Fan politely responded, admiring Li Shi’s beautiful smiling face, which involuntarily took him back to their awkward high school days.

Back then, in the school cafeteria, because there were no seats, they ate lunch face-to-face, joking with each other and attracting everyone’s attention.

Afterward, having finished their dinner, they said goodbye and each went home.

Having walked just over ten steps, Gu Fan couldn’t help but look back at Li Shi, admiring her graceful figure, and sighed, then continued walking on, thinking it was just a missed opportunity, and what mattered most was cherishing the people around him.

Li Shi also looked back, catching a glimpse of Gu Fan about to disappear into the crowd, silently wishing him well, maybe life was just meant to have regrets.

*****

Meanwhile, in Luo Jingrong’s office, who was originally brainstorming about resolving finance issues and expanding production scale, someone unexpectedly offered help, claiming to be from X Fund’s Haywes.

X Fund had already started making its move in this city, and the very concerns Gu Fan feared were gradually unfolding.