The Scheming Ex-Husband's Courtship
Chapter 214 - 201: This Time It’s Going to Be Embarrassing

Chapter 214: Chapter 201: This Time It’s Going to Be Embarrassing

Li Ruhai and the assistant both looked astonished as if they heard something unbelievable.

Li Ruhai cautiously asked, "Miss Gu, I didn’t hear wrong, did I? You said you can recite the self-introduction letter from memory? If I remember correctly, this document is over twenty pages long."

Although the self-introduction letter was written by Gu Qili, it went through several revisions. Finally, Li Ruhai, who practiced for two days, was able to read it fluently. Who wouldn’t be terrified to give a speech from memory on such a lengthy document?

"Yes, I know," Gu Qili nodded calmly. "I have this habit. Anything I write down, I make sure to memorize it."

Just like the last time at Palm Island during a training, although Luan Yi had thrown away her notes, by then, she had already memorized the content she wrote. Saying she has a photographic memory might not be an exaggeration; she might not recall everything she reads crystal-clear, but what she writes down indeed gets imprinted in her mind.

If she didn’t have such exceptional memory skills, she wouldn’t have acquired the highest certification in four languages within four years.

Overwhelmed with excitement, Li Ruhai almost wanted to cry, he grabbed her hand and shook it vigorously, "Miss Gu, I’m counting on you. You have no idea, if we can’t secure this project, the president might have to resign due to guilt; he made a bet with Mu Shuoqian."

"Resign due to guilt?" Gu Qili seemed surprised.

Li Ruhai briefly explained the cause and sequence of their bet, and added at the end, "Miss Gu, you are now shouldering the fate of two people’s futures."

He pointed at himself, "I’m already at such an age, I really do not want to start looking for another job."

Gu Qili nodded towards him, straightened her back, "Don’t worry, Director Li, I will do my utmost to strive for it."

Soon, enthusiastic applause rang in her ears; Jia Lihua’s presentation had also finished, with everyone’s presentations being more splendid than the last.

Reynolds, who had been listening attentively, occasionally whispered to the translator. Finally, his gaze shifted to Gu Qili as she slowly walked toward the podium, his blue eyes suddenly brightening.

Outside the council hall, Mu Hewen and Qi Meihui appeared side by side,

Just as they were about to enter, they saw Mu Shuoqian who appeared still travel-weary.

Mu Hewen stood in place waiting for him to approach, with a triumphant smile on his face: "Just got off the plane? In such a hurry to come here, do you want to see how your people help pull you down from the president’s position?"

Although Mu Shuoqian was still weary from the journey, upon seeing the two, he still raised a cold smile full of interest, his aura overpowering Mu Hewen.

"Quite the opposite," he responded coolly, "I am here to see how they help me secure my position even more solidly."

"Really? Relying on that old man Li Ruhai, or your young wife who hasn’t even graduated from college?"

Mu Shuoqian did not reply but instead shot back, "What about you? What are you here for?"

Qi Meihui was the first to respond:

"Oh, so you guys also know you can’t explain yourselves to dad, huh?" Mu Shuoqian sighed meaningfully, then ignored them and walked into the council hall with Xiao Ran through the back door, as the entrance was tightly packed with reporters. He did not enter but instead stood in a corner by the door.

Mu Hewen and Qi Meihui also walked in hand-in-hand, taking seats at the front.

At this point, Gu Qili was already standing at the podium. She adjusted the microphone in front of her, scanned the dense crowd below where the flashlights never stopped flickering. She seemed to be in a vortex or possibly the focal point of everyone’s attention, but also potentially the target of everyone’s criticism.

"Isn’t it? Why did they send a young girl to make the presentation? Does she have the presence required?"

Gu Qili looked far too young, standing there like a student at a lectern, lacking any deterring presence.

"Ha, it looks like they’re out of tricks, trying to stand out but came up with such a stale idea. What people want is genuine comfort, thoroughness, and safety."

"Yes, it looks like it’s going to be embarrassing this time."

Listening to the discussions below the stage, Gu Qili’s already nervous mood became even more unsettled. In fact, she didn’t expect herself to stand here and make a statement on behalf of everyone, as before this, it had always been Li Ruhai’s job.

Even though she could recite the self-recommendation letters completely, it didn’t mean she wasn’t nervous, especially under the gaze of so many eyes and cameras.

Gu Qili clenched her fists, and suddenly her gaze fell on the crowd behind, where Mu Shuoqian stood casually with his hands in his pockets, a simple presence like scenery.

When had he come? Was it just now or had he been here a long time? But it didn’t matter, because his mere standing there dispelled all the nervousness in Gu Qili, like a sudden breeze in the summer or a fire lighting in winter, her passion surged because of his presence.

Mu Shuoqian gave her a gentle lift of his lips, standing out uniquely among many, shining like a pearl even if buried in sand. At this moment, his eyes held only her.

Gu Qili straightened her spine again, adjusted the microphone to the best height, then greeted Reynolds and everyone in the audience section.

As soon as she spoke, it was in impressively beautiful French, clear and resonant.

Li Ruhai was shocked again; he originally thought Gu Qili would stick to the self-recommendation letter for a formal statement, but she translated the content directly instead.

Since these words were mainly for the envoy, she naturally didn’t care whether others understood or not.

A sudden silence fell over the listening area, only the sound of flashing cameras continued incessantly.

Gu Qili’s hand holding the microphone still trembled uncontrollably a bit, but her voice was calm as water, and the beautiful French words that came from her mouth sounded like the most melodious notes. Although more than two-thirds of those present couldn’t understand what she was saying, everyone listened extremely seriously.

Because they came to meet the envoy, the executives brought interpreters, so as Gu Qili made her statement, the interpreters provided explanations on the side.

At the beginning, Gu Qili was reciting from the script, but after a few minutes, she began to speak freely and candidly following her own thoughts.

"She, she isn’t looking at the script?" Someone finally noticed that Gu Qili’s eyes were always looking forward, seemingly focused on a particular spot, her lips carrying a soft and radiant smile, and she hadn’t bowed her head once no matter how long she spoke, with no script or anything in front of her.

This discovery made those present even more alarmed, this young lady was really going all out.

Gu Qili silently thanked those speech competitions she participated in while in school, truly from primary to university, the trophies almost filled her room. She once thought those speeches were impressive but useless, but now it seemed, without that solid foundation, she wouldn’t have today’s calmness.

"What did she say?" Mu Hewen, who started off confidently, now looked anxious, quickly turning his head to ask Qi Meihui, "Can you understand what she’s saying?"

Qi Meihui’s complexion was pale, lowering her voice annoyed: "Didn’t you say everything was settled? Then why can she still stand there as if everything is normal?"

Mu Hewen was also confused; he had arranged everything, Li Ruhai and his team were not supposed to have any scripts, so why could Gu Qili still make such fluent statements? Could she have memorized the script? And looking at the envoy sitting there, who had a smile on his face and never shifted his gaze from her face.

Gu Qili looked towards Reynolds, her eyes slightly curved, speaking in words that only he could understand: "I met a man in France, whose status is noble yet claims to be ordinary. He took me to visit his estate, then pointing at the green expanse told me he had worked there for ten years. And one of the chefs at our French Restaurant, in his quest to find the finest goose liver, traveled to every breeding farm in France, living and eating with the geese, observing their habits, recording their diets, learning everything that could make the goose liver more delicious. Five years later, he brought back what he thought was the best goose liver, and that dish is still a signature at our French Restaurant."

Suddenly, someone who understood muttered softly, "There’s such a story behind the dish, it makes me want to try it now."

Reynolds’s blue eyes remained fixed on her, as he heard her describe their brief time in France with such beautiful syllables, his lips involuntarily curved upwards.

Gu Qili’s statement took over an hour, much of the content was improvised by her. Her calm and composed demeanor on the stage, the enchanting beauty in her pronunciation, and her earnest and confident actions astonished those who didn’t understand French.

Although she was young, the passion characteristic of youth emanated from her, bringing a vibrant life to the originally dull meeting room, making even the managers of several hotels shift from initial skepticism to serious listeners by the end.

Mu Shuoqian stood in an uninhabited corner, quietly gazing at the girl commanding attention on the stage.

Just like years ago, he stood in the magnificent hall, she stood on the high podium, dressed in a white shirt and black skirt, introducing herself with her pleasant voice: "My name is Gu Qili, from Aus City’s 38th Middle School."