Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Hearing this, Ye Zhiqiu smiled. "What did you go to the Fashion Institute for?"

Qi Xin had delivered lunch at noon, when there was almost always a crowd outside.

Qin Jianhe remained silent, only slightly lowering his gaze to look at him. His thick eyelashes hid the emotions in his eyes, making him somewhat inscrutable.

Ye Zhiqiu was momentarily stunned, but then he understood.

Qin Jianhe really doesn’t like to be at a disadvantage.

It was clear that unless he answered Qin Jianhe’s question, Qin Jianhe wouldn’t answer his first.

"Not him," Ye Zhiqiu said. "Even if I had a boyfriend, it definitely wouldn't be him."

"Even if?" Qin Jianhe repeated with a meaningful tone.

Ye Zhiqiu: "…"

"Then," Qin Jianhe asked again, "was the food at the school cafeteria not good enough?"

"Huh?" Ye Zhiqiu blinked, not quite understanding what he meant.

"Forget it." Qin Jianhe looked at him for a moment and then suddenly smiled faintly. "Go take a shower first."

The entire fifth floor, apart from the separate shower area, was a vast, sapphire-like swimming pool.

At the moment, someone was swimming in the pool, creating white waves on the surface.

On the long benches beside the pool, waiters were diligently serving fruit platters and coffee to many people who had just finished their workouts and were resting.

Qin Jianhe casually draped his coat over the back of one of the chairs. "I’ll wait for you here."

Seeing the confusion on Ye Zhiqiu’s face, he explained.

"There are people here who specifically target newcomers, especially ones like you who look so delicate," he said calmly. "Since it’s your first time here, without someone accompanying you, you might get harassed later."

Ye Zhiqiu had heard Jin Baobao talk about how some wealthy older men liked to target innocent male students.

He didn’t expect to find such people even in a fitness club.

"Isn’t this place quite legitimate?" Ye Zhiqiu looked around, puzzled.

To be precise, this place wasn’t just legitimate; it was among the most high-end fitness clubs.

Each floor was fully equipped, including relaxation areas after workouts, and there was no shortage of security personnel.

"Being legitimate doesn’t mean there aren’t bad people," Qin Jianhe said succinctly.

Ye Zhiqiu acknowledged this truth.

"Thanks, then," he said.

Because someone was waiting outside, Ye Zhiqiu took a quick shower, barely drying his hair before changing into fresh clothes and coming out.

His steps were hurried, but upon seeing Qin Jianhe, he unconsciously slowed down.

Qin Jianhe was still sitting where he had been, relaxed and casual, one hand on the tablet on his knee, slowly scrolling through the screen.

Hearing footsteps, he slightly raised his eyes, turned off the tablet, and stood up.

"I’m done," Ye Zhiqiu said, his eyes slightly curved. "Shall we go?"

He glanced at the tablet in Qin Jianhe’s hand. "If you have something unfinished, we can wait a bit."

"There’s nothing urgent," Qin Jianhe said, his gaze falling on Ye Zhiqiu’s slightly damp hair.

"As for you," he reached out and touched Ye Zhiqiu’s black, soft hair, "your hair isn’t dry."

Ye Zhiqiu’s hair was black and soft, yet dense. When Qin Jianhe’s palm brushed against it, he couldn’t help but think of layered clouds.

"It’s fine," Ye Zhiqiu said, smiling and touching his slightly damp hair tips.

He was very experienced with this.

In his previous life, during the years he helped Qi Xin build his career, sleeping well was a luxury, let alone drying his hair.

Quick showers, changing clothes, and rushing into the cold for meetings, negotiations, or various shows...

This was routine for him.

Sometimes his hair would freeze, but he never had time to care.

Fortunately, his hair, though not short, wasn’t too long either, and it dried quickly in warm places.

"What do you mean by ‘it’s fine’?" Qin Jianhe looked at him. "You’re afraid of the cold."

He stated it as a fact, not a question, without any doubt. "Continuing like this will give you headaches in the future."

Seeing that Ye Zhiqiu hadn’t moved, Qin Jianhe added, "Go dry your hair."

His tone was always calm, and even when his eyes showed a hint of warmth, his words lacked the warmth others conveyed.

At this moment, his voice carried an undeniable authority.

But strangely, Ye Zhiqiu felt warmth instead.

He involuntarily lowered his eyes and, after a moment, smiled. "Okay."

He also said, "I'll be quick."

"No rush," Qin Jianhe said, naturally taking the cotton coat and backpack from him. "Dry your hair thoroughly before you come out."

Ye Zhiqiu went back in.

This time, he took his time, carefully drying his hair until it was warm at the top before coming out again.

"Have you had dinner?" Qin Jianhe asked.

Originally, when Ye Zhiqiu first encountered Qin Jianhe here, he had intended to avoid him.

But now, for some reason, he found himself shaking his head unconsciously.

"No," he said, "I ate a bit too much at lunch, so I came straight here after school."

"Is Qi Xin's cooking that good?" Qin Jianhe asked, neither warmly nor coldly.

Ye Zhiqiu: "......"

"Let's go," Qin Jianhe said, placing the woolen hat on his head. "There's a new restaurant nearby. Want to try it?"

"How about I treat you instead?" Ye Zhiqiu said. "I still owe you a meal, don't I?"

"Next time," Qin Jianhe said.

"Hey, do you know how bossy you are?" Ye Zhiqiu followed behind Qin Jianhe.

"Really?" Qin Jianhe laughed. "I didn't know."

The restaurant was near the previous Western restaurant, just a few minutes' walk from the boxing gym.

When they arrived, it was peak dining time, and all the private rooms were occupied.

Fortunately, there was a window seat available on the second floor, with the previous guests having just left. They were lucky enough not to have to wait.

"What would you like to eat?" Qin Jianhe handed the menu given by the waiter to Ye Zhiqiu. "You choose."

"Let's have some soup," Ye Zhiqiu said.

"Sure," Qin Jianhe agreed.

Ye Zhiqiu ordered one soup and two dishes, while Qin Jianhe added two more dishes and a dessert.

"Do you often come here to practice fighting?" Ye Zhiqiu asked.

Qin Jianhe had figured out that whenever this person wanted to keep a distance or be polite, he would call him Mr. Qin or "you."

If he was angry or had deeper emotions, he would call him "Qin Jianhe."

"Not really," Qin Jianhe said. "It's year-end, and the company is busy. I only come occasionally."

"Qin..."

"Hmm?"

Ye Zhiqiu pursed his lips; the words on the tip of his tongue suddenly wouldn't come out.

He actually wanted to ask why Qin Jianhe was being so nice to him.

Was it because he wanted him to end the cooperation with VIA and join Q.L?

But the issues with VIA and Jin Qi were still unresolved. Even if he had such intentions, he could easily send anyone from the company, and it would be enough.

Or perhaps...

Ye Zhiqiu frowned slightly.

Just now, in the boxing gym, after drying his hair, he had carefully examined himself in the mirror.

Without a doubt, the face in the mirror was indeed very attractive.

Even after looking at it for so many years, even though he had become gaunt in his last life, it still deserved the word "beauty."

So, he knew his advantages well.

Apart from his talent and skill in design and the information advantage of his rebirth...

He also had this face blessed with innate beauty.

Therefore, he had no hesitation in using this face as a weapon, whether against Qi Xin or Gao Wenye.

However, he could ask Zhao Keqi something like "Do you want to pursue me?" but couldn't say the same to Qin Jianhe.

In his past life, up until the day he got into trouble, Qin Jianhe seemed unmarried and had no dating news.

Back then, Qin Xusheng was still alive, but his personality had become even stranger.

Reporters would always surround him during hospital admissions and discharges, listening to him berate Qin Jianhe for being cold and unfeeling.

Among the various accusations, one was about Qin Jianhe's marriage.

Ye Zhiqiu had seen it occasionally but remembered it clearly because he envied Qin Jianhe so much back then.

Looking back now, the marriage between Qin Xusheng and Nie Fengjun shared some similarities with his relationship with Qi Xin in his past life.

However, Qin Xusheng and Nie Fengjun had genuinely loved each other, but after achieving success through Nie Fengjun, they could no longer resist the increasing temptations outside, or perhaps, had no intention of hiding their true selves anymore.

As for Qi Xin, he had treated him as a transaction from the beginning, a deal between him and Tao Ruoqing.

From the very beginning, he was always the stepping stone and shortcut for getting closer to Jiang Nan.

After using himself to achieve success, he still had the task of cleaning up after Tao Ruoqing, which is why he would further deepen his PUA tactics on himself...

To think of it, Nie Fengjun was much luckier than him.

But does it make any difference?

Such two relationships filled with manipulation can only lead to complete disappointment in love.

For him, it was so.

For Qin Jianhe, who was only six or seven years old at the time, witnessing his parents' marriage fall apart and seeing his father's absurdity and debauchery, it probably wasn't much better for him either, right?

If not, he wouldn't have been so determined to choose to stay with his mother back then.

But if that's not the case, isn't Qin Jianhe being too good to him?

Ye Zhiqiu couldn't figure it out.

"What's wrong?" Seeing him slightly lost in thought, Qin Jianhe asked.

"Nothing," Ye Zhiqiu shook his head.

"If there's anything you want to ask me," Qin Jianhe said, "you can ask."

"Hmm?" Hearing this, Ye Zhiqiu blinked in confusion, not quite understanding what he meant, "Ask about what?"

"Isn't there going to be a negotiation with Meilan tomorrow?" Qin Jianhe looked at him and smiled slightly, "There's a mid-range brand under the Qin Group that has some ties with Meilan. If you need help, just say so."

"This, huh." Ye Zhiqiu smiled and then shook his head, "No need, I've got it covered."

"That's good," Qin Jianhe said.

After finishing their meal, they walked together for a while before parting ways at the same traffic light where Qin Jianhe had waited for Ye Zhiqiu last time.

Qin Jianhe headed towards Q.L, while Ye Zhiqiu walked back to the boxing gym to pick up his car.

"Mr. Qin," Ye Zhiqiu took a few steps and turned around again, his eyes particularly bright in the darkness, "Wait for my good news tomorrow."

"Mm." The warm orange glow of the streetlight softened the man's cold and sharp features, and he responded with a faint smile.

"And," Ye Zhiqiu added, "thank you."

This time, Qin Jianhe didn't respond, only nodding slightly before turning to walk forward.

The streetlight stretched his shadow long, and the corner of his coat fluttered in the wind like a butterfly's wing, creating a beautiful arc.

Ye Zhiqiu's mood inexplicably became lighter.

As if those wings had grown on his heart, allowing him to soar with the wind.

*

The negotiations with Meilan were scheduled for the next morning at nine o'clock in the conference room on the top floor of Century Blue Ocean Business Hotel.

Given that both sides had already shared the basic framework of the negotiations and reached a consensus on each other's demands, the negotiations went smoothly.

Without any significant objections, two hours later, the conference room doors opened on schedule.

This negotiation was conducted in silence; no information had been leaked to the outside world prior, waiting until noon to simultaneously release the cooperation announcement.

After seeing off the Meilan representatives, the VIA team took the elevator down to the fifth floor.

Sun Wei had booked a private room, and everyone took the opportunity to have a meal together and celebrate.

At noon, when everyone had a slight buzz from the alcohol, Sun Wei smiled and shook her phone, "It's here."

Some people got up to gather around Sun Wei to check the announcement, while others pulled out their phones to look at the information.

Ye Zhiqiu stayed in his seat, smiling as he opened his phone.

He first checked VIA's official website and official Weibo account.

VIA's announcement was simple: "Welcome to my new partner, @Meilan. Pleasant cooperation."

In contrast, Meilan's announcement was much more interesting.

"@Meilan: Grateful for our meeting, fortunate to join hands, @VIA. Let's walk the flower path together without worrying about betrayal."

"Wow!" A young boy from the operations department couldn't help but exclaim, "Did you bribe someone, Sister Sun?"

"Are you stupid or drunk?" another girl laughed, "This is from Meilan. How could Sister Sun bribe them?"

"Meilan is a real man, openly mocking Jin Qi like this, how refreshing."

Sun Wei: "..."

Sun Wei was also stunned.

On the negotiation table, Meilan didn't give an inch. Why would they speak up for them after the negotiations?

This was not part of their obligations, let alone such a level of support, even among good friends, would be considered very righteous.

"Xiao Ye," Sun Wei looked at Ye Zhiqiu, "did you talk to your senior about something?"

"No," Ye Zhiqiu smiled and shook his head, "besides, my senior is just a director, he doesn't have that kind of power."

"True," Sun Wei smiled.

"Regardless, it's a good thing," Ye Zhiqiu said.

He lowered his eyes and tapped open Qin Jianhe's chat window, about to type something when Qin Jianhe's message came in.

"QIN: Congratulations, you got what you wished for."

Ye Zhiqiu smiled slightly, but didn't ask the question he had intended to.

He typed, "Thank you."

His phone vibrated again. Assuming it was still Qin Jianhe, Ye Zhiqiu looked down, only to see a message from Qi Xin.

"Qi Xin: Xiao Qiu, I've arrived. The weather has cleared up today. Do you want to eat at the cafeteria or by the lakeside pavilion? You choose."

"Yezhiqiu: Sorry, I'm not on campus today."

"Qi Xin: ???"

"Yezhiqiu: Check Weibo's trending topics."

In just a few minutes, VIA and Meilan's incident had already made it to the top of the trending list.

In the past few days, Jin Qi had heavily invested in marketing, so now that public opinion had flipped, they were hit hard with backlash.

"I always felt there was something off about Jin Qi. I've never seen a company treat its partners so disrespectfully. If they don't like someone, they could just not work with them, but Jin Qi seems to deliberately set traps and then ambush people, which is extremely malicious."

"+1. When I said this before, I was attacked by their shills. Hilarious, isn't it? Now they're getting slapped in the face."

"Hilarious. Didn't Jin Qi just want to prove that VIA's products are as low-quality as their own tacky giveaways? Now they've been slapped in the face by Meilan. Meilan is way more prestigious than Jin Qi, almost on par with Ruilin, their high-end brand. If they say Meilan is degrading itself, aren't they also insulting themselves?"

"Jin Qi really shot themselves in the foot. They're jumping around like clowns, looking both stupid and evil."

"So, doing things that harm others without benefiting yourself is really not worth it."

"With Jin Qi's actions this time, anyone who wants to collaborate with them in the future will think twice."

"Meilan is truly commendable and righteous."

"Ahhh, I didn't even know VIA before, but now I'm going to support them. I checked their official website, and their clothes are stunning. There aren't many domestic brands that can match them. Why aren't they more popular?"

"Ahhhh, I haven't even gotten my hands on anything yet, and suddenly there are so many people trying to grab them?"

"Look at the designer names listed under the designs; it should be Ye Zhiqiu, right? He's the champion of this year's international fashion competition. He definitely has some skills, stopping VIA's downward trend."

"Yeah, I only noticed the designer's name after someone mentioned it. This designer's aesthetic is indeed impressive."

"Very impressive, go to VIA? Funny."

"..."

Qi Xin scrolled through the comments, unsure how he felt.

Initially, when Jiang Nan betrayed VIA, he was somewhat angry, but mostly worried that Ye Zhiqiu would blame him again.

After all, it had taken a lot of effort to make Ye Zhiqiu happy, and he didn't want to ruin everything.

So, he waited outside Jiang Nan's company until late at night.

First, he wanted to apologize for the phone call and try to win Jiang Nan back. Second, he hoped to plead with Jiang Nan to go easy on VIA.

Unfortunately, he never saw Jiang Nan.

Knowing he was waiting outside, Jiang Nan took a detour and went home through the back door.

Later, Ye Zhiqiu didn't blame him, so he put the matter aside.

Thinking everything was over, but now, VIA had made a comeback.

It was clear how difficult Jiang Nan's current situation must be.

He hadn't even had a chance to explain the phone call to Jiang Nan, and now...

Qi Xin felt a sudden darkness cloud his vision.

Moreover, he had braved the cold wind early in the morning to buy groceries and cook, only to find out Ye Zhiqiu wasn't there and hadn't even told him beforehand.

Clearly, Ye Zhiqiu had never changed toward him.

When he was happy, he gave a smile; when unhappy, he made him run around like a monkey.

No matter how hard Qi Xin worked, Ye Zhiqiu dismissed him without a second thought, not even bothering to explain.

Caught between Jiang Nan and Ye Zhiqiu, Qi Xin stood in the cold wind, feeling torn apart.

With a cold expression, he replied to Ye Zhiqiu.

"Qi Xin: I went through a lot of trouble to prepare this meal."

"Yezhiqiu: Aren't you going to eat too?"

Qi Xin: ...

Qi Xin took a deep breath.

If he didn't know deep down that Ye Zhiqiu didn't care about him, he might have suspected Ye Zhiqiu understood him well enough to hit his anger points precisely.

After a moment of contemplation, Qi Xin used a line from a scoundrel's playbook.

"Qi Xin: I don't mind cooking meals or wasting time for you. I do it willingly, but you didn't even mention handling VIA's matters this morning. Were you afraid I'd tell Jiang Nan?"

"Qi Xin: I promised you I wouldn't contact him anymore. Don't you trust me?"

Through his past experiences, once this sentence came out, the other party would fall into a self-justification trap.

No matter how aloof someone was, they would instinctively turn around to explain to him that they didn't distrust him.

Soon, Ye Zhiqiu's message came back.

"Yezhiqiu: Trust you? Why should I trust you? Who are you to me? We've only known each other for a few days. Why should I trust you?"

"Yezhiqiu: Hey, whoever you are, don't take yourself too seriously."

A series of rhetorical questions left Qi Xin dazed and confused, his head spinning uncontrollably.

This was not what he had expected; it was far from it.

The cold wind blew over, causing his hand holding the phone to tremble slightly.

Qi Xin calmed down for a moment, started typing on his phone, but couldn't help making frequent typos.

After finally finishing a message and clicking send, an unforgiving red exclamation mark appeared in front of him again.

Ye Zhiqiu had blocked him once more.

Qi Xin: "…"

Damn it, he had just coaxed him back!

What the hell had possessed him to get angry at Ye Zhiqiu?

As public opinion escalated, many netizens who had been used as pawns by Jin Qi gradually realized what had happened and turned their guns on Jin Qi.

And because Jin Qi had bought hot searches a couple of days ago, plus today's dramatic reversal, VIA got free publicity without spending a penny.

Not only that, several major clients who had long since left returned during this turmoil, sending orders like snowflakes.

VIA rose again, not only reversing its decline but also showing signs of soaring high.

And the name Ye Zhiqiu once again shook both inside and outside the circle, drawing the attention of countless people.

Among them, those trying to poach him were numerous.

Compared to VIA's jubilant atmosphere, Jin Qi's internal mood was much more somber.

Jiang Nan sat silently in his office with a grim face, while the usually doting Old Master Jiang was so angry that his blood pressure rose.

Just now, Old Master Jiang, on behalf of Jin Qi, issued an apology statement to VIA, admitting that inexperienced staff had made a grave mistake and repeatedly apologized to VIA.

Although the apology statement naturally drew ridicule, in the long run, it was much better than stubbornly refusing to admit fault.

Looking at the sharp comments in the comment section, Old Master Jiang was furious.

"I told you not to cooperate with VIA, that kind of no-name brand, but you wouldn't listen. Now look what you've done, you've helped that VIA," Old Master Jiang's frown deepened, "Your parents sent you abroad for years after graduation to hone your skills. What exactly did you learn? Even if you had these ideas for your own company, that would be fine. VIA was going downhill, and you handed them a lifeline. How could they not be thrilled?"

"Stop it." The more Old Master Jiang spoke, the more irritable Jiang Nan became.

Seeing Ye Zhiqiu rise to fame once again, he felt a gnawing pain in his heart.

He was frustrated and regretful, unable to imagine how VIA managed to connect with Meilan.

How could it be so unbelievable?

Even if his family cooperated with VIA, they only gave them the least significant Jin Qi, and even then, Old Master Jiang thought VIA wasn't worthy of Jin Qi.

Meilan, a powerhouse like that, how could they possibly be interested in VIA?

Jiang Nan couldn't understand it.

"You go home first." Old Master Jiang felt exhausted, "Reflect at home for a couple of days, and when you've figured things out, come back to the company."

"Do you have to make me look so bad?" Jiang Nan had just returned to the country and was trying to establish authority in the company, but he stepped on a landmine right away.

He was already furious, and instead of supporting him, his father, who always doted on him, was putting him down.

Wouldn't those subordinates who already didn't respect him become even less respectful in the future?

"What else do you want?" Old Master Jiang was also angry, "Do you want us to pamper you? Do you think everyone else is blind?"

Jiang Nan: "…"

In a fit of anger, he stood up and walked out.

As night fell, Jiang Nan reached the door and suddenly felt lost, unsure where to go.

He opened his phone, found the contact named "Yu" in his address book, and stared at the phone number, slightly dazed.

Qin Jianhe must know about this by now, right?

Would he be happy for Ye Zhiqiu?

Would he occasionally think about his own situation?

If he called now, would he answer?

Jiang Nan hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and gathered his courage, tapping the number, dialing the call instantly.

After a while, the other party picked up, and a low, pleasant voice sounded in Jiang Nan's ear, "Hello, this is Qin Jianhe."

Jiang Nan was overjoyed, suppressing his heartbeat and adjusting his voice.

"Hello, Brother, this is Jiang Nan..."

Beep, beep, beep. The other party hung up without a word.

Jiang Nan: "..."

Jiang Nan stood in the cold wind, looking at his phone that had gone black in his hand, almost on the verge of tears.

After a while, he lifted his finger again and dialed Qi Xin's number.

*

Time flew by quickly. After that pivotal event, VIA soared to new heights, with orders already booked until the second half of next year.

As VIA rose, a new energy company called "Yunkai" also began to gain prominence in the industry, rising rapidly to fame.

With the Spring Festival approaching, Sun Wei knew she could no longer keep Ye Zhiqiu.

She didn't really intend to hold him back either.

Ye Zhiqiu was both VIA’s and her own benefactor; she didn’t want to hinder his progress.

Anyone could see that Ye Zhiqiu was indeed underutilized at VIA.

As the holidays approached, Sun Wei called Ye Zhiqiu into her office and handed him a large red envelope.

"This is for the kids as New Year's money," she said. "For those design drafts, I plan to pay you a commission."

"Thank you." Ye Zhiqiu smiled, not being overly polite.

Sun Wei's proposal came as a bit of a surprise to Ye Zhiqiu.

But since she was so generous, he didn’t mind helping her further.

"Have you decided where you're going?" Sun Wei asked.

"The other day, Mr. Meng Da from Q.L contacted me," Ye Zhiqiu smiled. "I'll probably be joining Q.L."

"What do you mean 'probably'?" Sun Wei's eyes lit up upon hearing this. "You should definitely go there."

Ye Zhiqiu smiled again.

Since that night, apart from bumping into each other twice at the gym, he and Qin Jianhe hadn't been in contact.

During this time at the gym, his basic movements had become very stable, and he had already scheduled training sessions with Coach Zhou Hong, whom Qin Jianhe had introduced him to.

In addition, he had become quite close with Zhao Keqi and visited Teacher Zhang Wenyuan several times on his own...

Although they hadn't met, Qin Jianhe's presence oddly filled his life.

However, he still hadn't had the chance to treat Qin Jianhe to that promised meal.

At year-end, even Sun Wei was swamped with work, let alone Qin Jianhe, who managed the entire Qin Corporation.

Therefore, unless something important came up, Ye Zhiqiu hadn't initiated any contact with him.

"I have some conditions," Ye Zhiqiu said to Sun Wei. "Q.L might not agree to them."

Sun Wei nodded.

"Everything can be negotiated," she said. "Your value is evident. I believe the industry will give you a fair evaluation."

Then she sighed softly: "Although VIA has brought in fresh blood, I'm still worried about a gap after you leave."

"Ms. Sun," Ye Zhiqiu smiled. "If you trust me, I can introduce two people to you."

"Of course," Sun Wei immediately responded. "When have I ever doubted you?"

"One is my senior, now a junior, named Zhang Ting. If you have no objections, I can introduce her to you for a face-to-face meeting," Ye Zhiqiu smiled slightly. "The other is named Zhou Wen, currently working at a small brand and considering a job change. You can reach out to him."

These two were future rising stars in the fashion design world.

While not universally known in the fashion circle, they were more than sufficient for a brand like VIA.

"I don't know how to thank you, Xiao Ye." Sun Wei was incredibly grateful.

"You've paid me more than enough, and I've gained a lot at VIA," Ye Zhiqiu smiled. "It's been more than enough."

By the time he left, it was already dark outside. Ye Zhiqiu received another call from Meng Da.

"Xiao Ye," Ye Zhiqiu is now a hot commodity everyone wants, and Meng Da feared losing the opportunity if he wasn't careful, "let's meet for dinner these next few days."

"Sure." Ye Zhiqiu smiled, then paused and added, "But I have some conditions that may require a personal meeting with Mr. Qin."

"Mr. Qin?" Meng Da was a bit surprised.

"Yes," Ye Zhiqiu smiled. "Is that inconvenient?"

"No, no, no," Meng Da quickly assured him without consulting Qin Jianhe. "Mr. Qin is just a bit reserved and formal. I’m afraid you might find him hard to deal with."

"It's fine," Ye Zhiqiu said.

"Xiao Ye," Meng Da still wasn't fully reassured. "You must wait for my confirmation before making your final decision, okay?"

"Sure, thank you, Mr. Meng," Ye Zhiqiu smiled, reassuring Meng Da. "I won't commit to anyone until I meet Mr. Qin. Don't worry."