Nicole Sawyer.
Chapter 306: Nicole Sawyer
After finding a secluded room, Tai closed the door and looked around with a sharp gaze. He raised his hand and made a cutting gesture.
Xia Fei was very puzzled. There was only him and Tai in the room, so he had no idea who he was doing this for.
"This is a secret of the military. Unauthorized personnel are dismissed," Tai said in a deep voice.
Xia Fei realized that this was the Jian family's mansion, so there might be a secret surveillance system in the room. Tai was reminding the security guards not to peep.
Xia Fei felt that it was not a secret that Tai had decided to talk to him in such a place. As the person in charge of the Alliance's military, being cautious was a necessary principle for Tai. Perhaps he just did not like people spying on him. Besides, even if the security guards of the Jian family heard anything, they would not dare to say anything. Any carelessness in front of the powerful military could lead to their demise.
Even so, Tai's vigilance toward his surroundings still gave Xia Fei a good impression of the silver-haired general.
"The energy-shield booster you invented is very effective. After a comprehensive evaluation by the military's laboratory, the military plans to list Quantum Holdings as an A-list supplier. In other words, Quantum Holdings will still be a private company in name, but it will be strictly managed by the military. Of course, all this still needs to be approved by the Congress and then signed by the president," Tai said straightforwardly.
Xia Fei was stunned, but he was pleasantly surprised. Everyone knew that the military had already approved it, and the Congress and the president would not object unless there was a special reason. At most, they would just go through the motions, so there was at least a ninety percent chance that this matter would go through.
Xia Fei knew very well what it meant to be an A-list supplier to the military. He could not help but feel energized, his eyes gleaming.
"General Tai, thank you and the military for appreciating Quantum Holdings. Please believe that this will be one of the best decisions you've ever made," Xia Fei said in a tone that was neither servile nor overbearing, his tone unusually calm.
Tai nodded. The first impression left between strangers was extremely important. So far, Xia Fei had not displayed any traits that Tai disliked. He was a businessman, but deep down, he still possessed the calmness and composure that a warrior should have.
"Originally, I planned to wait for the official approval before talking to you, but since we've met by chance today, why don't we use this opportunity to make things clear? I've always believed that talent is the most important part of a business. The kind of leader a business has will directly determine the success or failure of the business, so I'm used to talking directly with all the business leaders who serve the military."
"You don't have to be nervous because of this. These are just a few simple questions. Just tell me what you think."
Xia Fei smiled and nodded. This was like a leader evaluating his subordinates. From a certain perspective, once Quantum Holdings obtained the military's A-list supplier status, it would be equivalent to becoming an affiliated company of the military, and Tai would become Xia Fei's superior.
"First question. How do you plan on increasing the efficiency of the company's operations so that you can provide the best products for the military?" Tai asked.
Xia Fei thought for a moment before answering, "Actually, I won't go out of my way to produce the best products for the military, because the products we provide to the military or to normal customers will all be of the same quality. No matter who it is, Quantum Holdings will always provide the best products, and inferior products will never exist in Quantum Holdings."
Xia Fei's answer was somewhat out of Tai's expectations. He furrowed his eyebrows. "The military will be your only and irreplaceable customer, yet you won't produce the best products for your biggest customer?"
Xia Fei answered, "If I can provide a better product for the military, that only means that the current quality isn't perfect. General Tai, there's no room for improvement in the energy-shield boosters at the moment, because we've already done our best to make them the best we can. If there's a day when the technology is upgraded, we'll upgrade all our products, too, so be it you or normal customers, you'll all get the best products. Right now, Quantum Holdings does offer differentiated services, but that's only limited to the intensity of the energy-shield boosters. As for the quality, they'll all be the same.
"I don't think you'll trust a company that has such an uneven quality, right? Every energy-shield booster sold by Quantum Holdings is of the highest quality. As for the inferior ones, they've already been destroyed on the spot. "
Tai seemed to be very satisfied. To put it simply, Quantum Holdings only provided products of the same quality, so there was no distinction between the quality and the inferior ones. This was proof of the company's strict attitude.
"The second question …"
About half an hour later, Tai and Xia Fei walked out of the Jian family's mansion. The crowd, who had been waiting for a long time, immediately surrounded Tai like a tidal wave. After all, even these nobles with illustrious backgrounds did not have many chances to meet the number one boss of the military.
In comparison, Xia Fei's surroundings were much more deserted. Everyone looked at him strangely, but no one took the initiative to approach him. To be precise, everyone was very suspicious of Xia Fei, but that did not mean that Xia Fei would be acknowledged by the upper class. Even now, Xia Fei still did not belong to the top circle of the Alliance.
In a corner of the reception, Xia Fei was sitting there, tasting the expensive champagne. He did not expect Nicole to approach him for the second time. Xia Fei was very puzzled. They had only met by chance, and all he had done was help her fix a pair of heels that did not fit her, but for some reason, she seemed to be very interested in talking to him.
Sitting down beside Xia Fei, Nicole discreetly took off her heels and rubbed her feet. It was rare to see a girl who did not know how to wear heels, especially one who grew up in a wealthy family like her.
"Tai's question isn't too difficult. Two months ago, when I took over the family business, Tai called me into his office to ask me about it. I was very nervous at the time, thinking that something had gone wrong," Nicole said in a self-deprecating tone.
Xia Fei asked, "You seem to know a lot."
Xia Fei had only just learned that Quantum Holdings was about to become an A-list supplier to the military. Even Thuram, who held a high position in the Adjudicator Union, had not heard anything about it, so it was likely that he was kept in the dark, too. However, Nicole knew everything. It could only be said that the relationship between the four major warship companies and the military was much closer than Xia Fei had imagined. It was as if they were basically one entity with the military.
Xia Fei lit a cigarette and did not answer Nicole. He was still a little wary of this young woman and did not want to get too close to her. Tai had once said that the contents of their conversation had to be kept a secret. There was no guarantee that Nicole was not an undercover agent sent by Tai to investigate if he had strictly followed Tai's instructions.
Xia Fei's silence made Nicole uncomfortable. She could clearly sense that Xia Fei did not want to talk to her. After awkwardly muttering to herself for a while, Nicole stood up and dragged her aching feet back into the crowd to socialize, a very natural smile on her face.
"Congratulations. I didn't expect the military to really list you as an A-list supplier. This is great news and will greatly help your position in the Alliance. When do you plan to tell that old fart Qin Mang about this?" Thuram walked up to Xia Fei and whispered.
"Once the dust settles. The Congress hasn't approved it yet." Thuram chuckled. "The Congress is just going through the motions.
Thuram chuckled. "The Congress is just going through the motions, calling you over to file a case and asking you a few casual questions. Although the military is part of the Alliance, it is independent from the other departments and has a high degree of autonomy. To put it simply, the military is loyal to the entire Pan-Human Alliance and not to a certain president. Don't worry, you'll get that shiny badge in a few days."
Xia Fei nodded. He curiously asked, "Just who is Nicole Sawyer? She took the initiative to chat with me twice while I was sitting here. She's behaving very strangely."
Thuram burst into laughter. "Kid, where did you learn to be so paranoid? You're actually suspecting that such a beautiful lady has ulterior motives when she's hitting on you? "
Xia Fei softly replied, "There's no such thing as love without a reason in this world, and there's no such thing as hitting on someone without a reason."
Thuram pursed his lips and glanced at Nicole, who was chatting away cheerfully. Xia Fei suddenly realized that Thuram's eyes were actually mixed with sympathy and pity.
"Sigh." Thuram sighed heavily and downed the Hibernian malt in one gulp. The alcohol was extremely strong, and Thuram could not help but grin after drinking it.
"Actually, Nicole is a very pitiful lady."
Xia Fei was a little confused. If being born in the Sawyer family was considered pitiful, did that not mean that the children of the poor in the world had no way to survive?
After a pause, Thuram asked in a deep voice, "Do Nicole and Avril look alike?"
Xia Fei thought about it for a moment. "Their identities are quite similar. They're both young ladies of top families in the Alliance, the only daughter and heir to the family, but Avril's personality is more naive, like a carefree princess. Nicole is more mature than Avril, able to come and go as she pleases in the business world, not showing her emotions, which is something Avril can't do."
Thuram's eyebrows drooped as he said in a slightly hoarse voice, "Actually, the two of them have something in common: They were both kidnapped. I wonder if you've noticed Nicole's wrist? There's a faint pink mark there, which was left behind by the kidnappers."
Xia Fei was stunned. It was no wonder Nicole was wearing accessories on both her wrists. It turned out that it was to cover up this mark.
"The difference is that you were there when Avril was kidnapped, risking your life to save her. Nicole, on the other hand, didn't meet someone like you when she was kidnapped. She was kidnapped and tortured for half a month before she was finally rescued. This incident has left a shadow in her heart that she will never be able to erase.
"She and Avril are very similar, be it in terms of age, background, or even what they went through. Avril has you, but she doesn't. Perhaps she thought that if she had someone similar to you by her side, she would not have to go through all this, which is why she saw you in a different light and said a few more words."
It was the same kidnapping, but because the people around her were different, the outcome was completely different. Xia Fei looked at Nicole, who was currently at the ball, and he no longer had his guard up against her, leaving only some sympathy.
Xia Fei did not continue the topic and asked about Avril instead. Thuram said, "It's also an unwritten rule. The host will only appear at the end, and they'll be performing the first dance of the night. It's almost time, so I hope you've practiced your dance steps."
Xia Fei was nervous. "You mean …"
Thuram laughed heartily. "Kid, if you don't even know how to dance, you're going to embarrass yourself tonight."
…
The ball gradually reached its climax. There were more than ten thousand people on the mountaintop, and there were quite a number of waiters and bodyguards. The originally spacious mountaintop plaza was packed to the brim.
Xia Fei suddenly had a malicious thought. If terrorists were to secretly drop a bomb at this time, the entire Alliance's economy would probably regress by at least twenty years. After all, there were too many rich heirs, politicians, and celebrities present. The wealth they possessed would definitely be astronomical.
Unfortunately, aside from the military and police warships flying across the sky, there were no terrorists. The security agencies were obviously taking this banquet very seriously, sending out a large number of soldiers to maintain order.
Those who should be there and those who should not, as long as they belonged to the upper class of the Alliance, would not miss this gathering. Li Mo and his father, Li Guan, quietly appeared, followed by Bai Ye and Moon Song.
Li Guan was busy greeting the people he was familiar with, beaming with joy, but Li Mo, who was next to him, felt a little uneasy. He knew that he had become a laughing stock in the circle for not being the champion of the Golden Finger Cup. Those who were covering their mouths and sneaking glances at him were definitely not saying anything good.
Bai Ye was like a lackey of the Li family, respectfully following behind Li Mo. Moon Song, on the other hand, appeared very angry, crossing her arms and looking very aggressive. Moon Song's parents were also present a distance away. From the unnatural smile on their faces, it was obvious that it was a blessing for them to be able to attend such a prestigious ball. It was obvious that it was all thanks to the Li family.
Li Mo was the first to see Xia Fei in the corner. The latter raised his glass and smiled at Li Mo.
Li Mo gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. His face alternated between white and green, his eyes filled with anger.
"Xia Fei!"
Moon Song immediately smiled when she saw Xia Fei. She rolled up her skirt and ran over, not caring about her image.
* Smack! *
Moon Song punched Xia Fei hard. "Why are you here, madman? I almost didn't recognize you when you were dressed like a dog. "
Xia Fei took a glass of wine from the waiter and handed it to her, smiling. "I haven't asked you the same thing yet."
Moon Song had a look of disgust on her face. "If it weren't for my money-grubbing parents dragging me around, who would want to come to a place like this, not to mention with a hateful guy?"
The hateful guy that Moon Song was referring to was, of course, Bai Ye. Xia Fei knew very well what was going on between them, so he did not ask further. After all, everyone had their own difficulties.
Bai Ye rushed over angrily from behind and grabbed Moon Song with one hand. "Moon Song, I have something to say to you."
Xia Fei knew that Bai Ye did not want Moon Song to be with him. The more he did that, the more Xia Fei felt disgusted.
Xia Fei raised an eyebrow and asked coldly, "What can't be said here?"
Moon Song pushed Bai Ye far away. "If you have something to say, just say it. Can't you see that Xia Fei and I are chatting?"
Bai Ye was exasperated. "What do you two have to talk about?"
Xia Fei smirked. "We're talking about the time when we were together. We fought seventeen rounds in one night, sweating profusely every time."
"Moon Song, are you free tonight?" Xia Fei deliberately asked in a flirtatious manner.
Moon Song had always been bold and bold, so why would she care about such things?
"Yeah, but remember to bring a few more clothes this time. Let's role-play."
Bai Ye's anger could no longer be described with words. Never in his wildest dreams would he have imagined that Xia Fei would act like a scoundrel. What was even more infuriating was that Moon Song was even more of a scoundrel than Xia Fei!
Fortunately, Moon Song's parents appeared at this moment. Even if Xia Fei was lawless, he still had to give them some face. The two of them pulled Moon Song toward a crowded area, and she pouted her lips, looking very unhappy.
"Hmph!" Bai Ye coldly harrumphed. At this moment, he looked very much like the white face in the opera. His handsome face was completely devoid of blood. It was obvious that he was very angry at Xia Fei and Moon Song's prank.
Like a small interlude in a boring banquet, Xia Fei was once again alone in a corner after Moon Song left.
As the night deepened, the climax of the banquet finally arrived.
The orchestra began to play an elegant and lively sonata, and the crowd suddenly quieted down. Xiao En, dressed in an evening gown, slowly walked to the center of the dance floor.
His face was full of smiles, and even the wrinkles on his face were a lot less than before.
Avril and her father, Newman, followed behind Xiao En.
Avril was wearing a snow-white evening gown. Her smooth, swan-like neck was adorned with a string of snow-white beads that shone dazzlingly. She had light makeup on her face, and her golden hair was combed into a complicated bun, accentuating Avril's beautiful face.
Her smile was elegant and confident. She frequently greeted the guests with the most noble etiquette, using different dialects to greet them sincerely.
Xia Fei was stunned. When Avril masked her childish innocence, she revealed the beauty of a fairy.
At this moment, she was no longer that little girl who liked to vent her anger on a teddy bear. She was now a real woman with a face that could suffocate the world.
Xia Fei suddenly felt that all the waiting had been worth it. Be it the annoying Li Mo, the good news Tai brought, or the nonsense with Moon Song, none of it mattered anymore.
Tens of thousands of people had disappeared, and Xia Fei only had eyes for Avril. Aside from her, he could ignore everything else in the world.
"What are you waiting for?" Thuram grabbed Xia Fei's hand and walked through the crowd to the innermost floor of the dance floor.
Avril saw Xia Fei, too. Two flowers bloomed on her cheeks, and she blushed. She looked at him deeply, not looking away.
Xia Fei felt like he was in a dream. He already knew that Avril was beautiful, but he did not expect her to be this beautiful tonight. It was as if such beauty should not exist in this world.
Xia Fei could not hear Xiao En's passionate speech.
Xia Fei did not notice the enthusiastic applause from the guests, either.
The two of them looked at each other, forming a bridge among the tens of thousands of people. Aside from Xia Fei and Avril, there was no one else on the bridge.
Many people saw this scene. Envy, jealousy, hatred, and all sorts of other emotions spread in their hearts. Li Mo wanted nothing more than to grind his teeth into pieces and swallow them into his stomach. The veins on his handsome face were bulging, and his eyes were blazing with anger.
Unfortunately, no matter how angry he was, Xia Fei and Avril ignored him.
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