The three discussed many more details. Zhou Qiang and Huang Xueli did most of the summarizing, while Wang Xiaoliang put pen to paper, recording each scattered but crucial point. In the end, they had a rough three-party cooperation agreement with clearly defined rights and responsibilities.
By the time they finished, it had quietly slipped past three in the morning.
Zhou Qiang stretched, his joints making a series of faint pops. "Come on, let's get some noodles, then head home."
Huang Xueli glanced at the freshly drafted agreement on the table. "Aren't we signing it?"
"No rush." Zhou Qiang seemed relaxed. "We can wait until tomorrow, after the school announces the official bidding requirements. If anything changes, signing now would just mean revising it. Too much trouble."
Without further discussion, the three went to the twenty-four-hour noodle shop Wang Xiaoliang frequented. At this hour, only the owner was there, dozing off. He raised his head groggily at the sound of their arrival.
They each had a steaming bowl of beef noodles.
The aroma of the noodles seemed especially rich in the stillness of the night, dispelling the late-night chill and the fatigue of their lengthy discussion.
After eating, they parted ways. Huang Xueli went home alone. Zhou Qiang said he was heading the same way as Wang Xiaoliang.
The night breeze was cool and bracing.
The two walked silently down the deserted streets, with only the streetlights stretching their shadows long.
"Xiaoliang, we haven't signed the agreement yet. There's still time."
Wang Xiaoliang looked at him in puzzlement.
"What I mean is, with something this big, shouldn't you talk it over with your family, and with Zijin too?" Zhou Qiang's tone was level, but carried an unmistakable seriousness.
"There's no need to discuss it with my family." Wang Xiaoliang shook his