Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Early in the morning, Meng Da was already pacing outside Qin Jianhe's office.

Go in...

It was just about hiring a designer. Logically, it should be a matter for Human Resources and the Design Department.

This was the first time the boss himself needed to personally interview a candidate.

He feared that before he could even speak, his boss would kick him out.

But if he didn't go in, he couldn't miss Ye Zhiqiu.

The arguments he had prepared overnight seemed not quite perfect yet. Meng Da, with his hands behind his back, kept walking from east to west, then from south to north.

Just as he was hesitating, Zhou Tongxin, Qin Jianhe's secretary, walked over with a stack of documents from the secretarial office.

"What's up, Professor Meng?" Zhou Tongxin said with a smile. "The secretaries have been watching you pace around the boss's door since early this morning. What's going on? It's not like there's a hot stove in front of the boss's door."

"Who are you calling a kid, brat," Meng Da laughed, amused. Seeing Zhou Tongxin about to knock, he quickly pulled him aside. "Secretary Zhou, when you go in, can you check how the boss is feeling today?"

Zhou Tongxin: "...Did something major happen in the Design Department?"

"No, no," Meng Da hurriedly replied. "Something else."

As he spoke, Zhou Tongxin adjusted his expression and knocked on the door.

Zhou Tongxin went in, and Meng Da waited. He turned to the break room to make himself a cup of coffee.

After finishing the coffee, the door to the CEO's office finally opened, and Zhou Tongxin came out again with another thick stack of files.

"How was it?" Meng Da hurried over.

"Hmm..." Zhou Tongxin thought for a moment, then shook his head reluctantly. "You know, the boss never shows his emotions. It's hard to tell."

Meng Da: "..."

"You're an old hand; the boss wouldn't refuse you," Zhou Tongxin said. "If you don't dare to knock, I'll do it for you."

Before Meng Da could react, Zhou Tongxin had already knocked on Qin Jianhe's door and quickly walked away, heading back to the secretarial office.

"Brat." Meng Da laughed in frustration, muttering under his breath.

From inside the office, Qin Jianhe's voice, as always, sounded indifferent: "Come in."

A quick death or a slow one, Meng Da thought while organizing his words and pushed the door open.

Qin Jianhe was busy signing documents, not looking up at all.

"We have a morning meeting in five minutes," he said. "What is it?"

Five minutes?

Five minutes was perfect.

Enough to explain everything without leaving time for the boss to scold him.

Meng Da thought to himself.

From the start, he hadn't expected this to be easy and was prepared to persistently plead his case.

"Boss," Meng Da began, "Do you remember Ye Zhiqiu, the champion of this year's International Fashion Competition?"

The pen, which had been moving swiftly, suddenly paused. Meng Da heard Qin Jianhe give a low acknowledgment: "Hmm."

"Right, my memory," Meng Da slapped his forehead. "You met him at Old Huang's fabric factory before."

"His contract with VIA has expired," Meng Da continued. "I want to bring him into our Q.L."

"Hmm," Qin Jianhe finally looked up. "When have you not wanted to?"

Meng Da: "..."

"Three minutes left," Qin Jianhe said.

"Here's the thing," Meng Da spoke slowly, approaching the hardest part. "The young man is quite satisfied with us, especially with you. He admires you greatly..."

Meng Da paused.

Was it his imagination, or did he see the boss's usually straight lips twitch slightly?

"Admires you greatly," seeing Meng Da pause, Qin Jianhe raised an eyebrow. "And then?"

"And then," Meng Da smiled ingratiatingly. "He wants to meet you to discuss the terms of joining our company."

He quickly added, "Although Xiao Ye is young, his achievements at VIA this year were significant. Even M.H is showing interest now. Considering these conditions, I think his requests are reasonable."

As he spoke, he carefully observed Qin Jianhe's expression.

Qin Jianhe showed no particular emotion, only glancing at his watch after Meng Da finished speaking.

"Fine," he said. "Set up a time."

"But, boss, he really is..." Meng Da instinctively thought Qin Jianhe would refuse, so he started explaining but stopped abruptly. "What?"

Qin Jianhe had already stood up to gather the meeting materials. Seeing Meng Da standing there like a stunned goose, he couldn't help but find it amusing.

"Do I need to repeat myself?" he asked.

"No, no, no," Meng Da immediately got up and rushed out the door. "I'll take care of it right away."

Once Meng Da's figure disappeared at the door, Qin Jianhe paused in packing his things.

This time, he paused for a bit longer. After a while, he slightly lowered his eyes, and the corners of his lips lifted.

With the year-end rush, Meng Da left Qin Jianhe's office and quickly headed to the secretary's office to confirm Qin Jianhe's schedule with Zhou Tongxin.

There was less than a week until the New Year, and after flipping through the calendar for a while, Zhou Tongxin finally found a small gap on the evening of the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month.

"Hey, it's Valentine's Day?" Zhou Tongxin muttered to himself and then said to Meng Da, "This time is quite special. I need to confirm with the boss if we can schedule it. What if there's a private date?"

"What private date could the boss have?" Meng Da replied. "Valentine's Day is even better. Everyone else will be on dates, leaving only the boss. Let's set it up, let's set it up."

"You're right," a young assistant nearby covered her mouth and laughed. "The boss's friends have broken up and gotten back together so many times, but why hasn't the boss dated anyone?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Tongxin glared at her, and the assistant immediately ran out with her files still covering her mouth.

"I'll go ahead and schedule it for you." Once the assistant had run far enough, Zhou Tongxin couldn't help but laugh. "I'll ask the boss when we go to the meeting room. I'll send you a message either way."

"Thorough and well-organized." Meng Da immediately breathed a sigh of relief and gave Zhou Tongxin a thumbs-up.

*

When Meng Da called, Ye Zhiqiu hadn't yet gotten out of bed.

With the New Year approaching, school was already on break, and now he could officially consider himself unemployed.

Unless something unusual happened, he wouldn't need to go to VIA anymore.

"Xiao Ye," as soon as the call connected, Meng Da excitedly said, "Are you free on the fourteenth evening?"

Ye Zhiqiu was still groggy, his mind blank. After a moment, he said, "I'm free."

"Good, good, good," Meng Da said.

After Meng Da went over several points about meeting Qin Jianhe, Ye Zhiqiu realized that Meng Da was talking about the day he would meet Qin Jianhe.

"Okay," he said, opening his calendar to check the date.

Three days left.

"Are we meeting in the office?" Ye Zhiqiu asked, somewhat puzzled. "Isn't it past working hours?"

"It doesn't matter," Meng Da said. "I've already confirmed with the boss."

"Alright," Ye Zhiqiu said.

He got up, washed up, changed clothes, but instead of going downstairs for a meal, he sat down and opened his laptop to check the email Zhang Mian had sent him.

Although Yun Kai had been established for a short time, with its technological advantages and Zhang Mian's understanding of the new energy industry, they had secured numerous orders.

Naturally, Zhang Mian had accumulated a lot of documents and reports.

Ye Zhiqiu first went through the data roughly, then called Zhang Mian, and they arranged to meet in a discreet location.

Afterward, Zhang Mian reported to Ye Zhiqiu about the company's current direction and project progress...

Before the call ended, someone knocked on his door.

"Young Master," Aunt Zhao's voice came faintly from outside. "Young Master Qi has arrived."

After that incident, Ye Zhiqiu ignored Qi Xin for half a month before speaking to him again.

When Qi Xin reappeared in front of him, he had noticeably become "more obedient."

Under Ye Zhiqiu's humiliation and "training," his sharp edges were gradually smoothed out.

In front of Ye Zhiqiu, he became increasingly submissive, his personality and characteristics fading, and his self-esteem weakening.

Whether it was an act or genuine, Ye Zhiqiu didn't care.

He relentlessly emotionally manipulated Qi Xin, occasionally rewarding him, tightening and loosening the reins, weaving a trap around him with nonchalance.

However, no matter how they interacted privately, in front of Tao Ruoqing, Ye Zhiqiu always acted as if he had been moved by Qi Xin.

Ye Zhiqiu had many admirers, but he had never taken any of them seriously.

In Tao Ruoqing's eyes, this was the first time he seemed genuinely interested.

So, to stabilize Qi Xin, Tao Ruoqing had given him some investment funds.

All of this money had been painstakingly saved by Ye Ding over the years.

She dreamed of Qi Yun becoming the next VIA, elevating her along with it.

With real money in hand, Qi Xin naturally became more compliant with Ye Zhiqiu, fearing that this ancestor might get upset and cause the eggs in the basket to fly away.

"Let him wait," Ye Zhiqiu said.

"Someone is looking for you?" Zhang Mian asked.

"It's not important," Ye Zhiqiu said calmly. "Tell me about your contact with 'New Power.'"

"I was just about to tell you about that," Zhang Mian said. "Recently, the state has issued new policies, increasing support for new energy sources. So, New Power has indeed put the industrial transformation on their agenda. Since our proposed production technology effectively avoids high-cost precious metals like cobalt and nickel, they are quite interested in our proposal and technology."

"Hmm," Ye Zhiqiu acknowledged.

"However, given the size of our company, they have significant concerns."

"We'll see how ambitious Wang Qitang is," Ye Zhiqiu chuckled. "In recent years, the proportion of both new energy vehicles and hybrid vehicles has been increasing. Some domestic and international car manufacturers have already abandoned traditional cars and focused solely on new energy vehicles. If they hesitate any longer, they might not even get a sip of the soup in the future."

"Ye Zhiqiu," Zhang Mian sighed upon hearing this, "do you still have any good stuff left that you haven't taken out?"

There was indeed more, but those were his bargaining chips for future negotiations with Ruiyi and Nie Fengjun. Ye Zhiqiu wasn’t planning to reveal them just yet.

"Is this not enough?" he chuckled.

"It's enough, more than enough," Zhang Mian said, "but I can't help being curious, can I?"

"Handling these well is enough to ensure your livelihood." Ye Zhiqiu said, "Take it one step at a time."

Despite being five or six years younger, Ye Zhiqiu spoke in an oddly mature manner.

"I understand," Zhang Mian smiled.

After hanging up the phone, Ye Zhiqiu got up and went downstairs.

Qi Xin was chatting with Tao Ruoqing over tea; upon hearing footsteps, he instinctively stood up.

"Xiao Qiu," he smiled, "since you have some free days, would you like to visit Qi Yun?"

As they spent more time together, and with Ye Zhiqiu inadvertently loosening their boundaries, Qi Xin no longer hid his family business as he used to.

Sometimes Ye Zhiqiu wondered if while he was psychologically manipulating Qi Xin, Qi Xin wasn’t entirely passive either.

He was gradually revealing the specifics of Qi Yun to him, laying the groundwork for future demands.

"No thanks," Ye Zhiqiu stretched lazily, "looking at fabrics and making samples every day, can't I take a break?"

"I'm too eager," Qi Xin said, "is there anything you want to do? I’m free this morning, so I could take you out to relax and have lunch together."

"Don't feel like going out," Ye Zhiqiu sat on the sofa, eating his breakfast.

The morning sunlight shone on him, illuminating his fair skin almost to translucence, and his casual demeanor resembled a beautiful, lazy cat.

"I've never seen such a lazy kid," Tao Ruoqing urged, "go, go out with Xiao Qi."

"The Spring Festival movies are out, there are a few good ones," Qi Xin smiled, "we won't go far, just nearby."

Ye Zhiqiu reluctantly moved his legs, "Alright then."

Ye Zhiqiu had little interest in movies, especially since Qi Xin chose an artsy romance film, which made him drowsy.

Exiting the cinema, Ye Zhiqiu was still dazed, listening to Qi Xin take a call.

"Aren't we close to the New Year?" Qi Xin said, "Zhou Hao and Wang Qun want to meet up for dinner. They're nearby. Should I ask them to come over?"

"I don't like them," Ye Zhiqiu quickly sobered up, his face turning cold, "didn't I tell you last time?"

"Qi Xin," Ye Zhiqiu asked, "do you really like me?"

"Of course I like you," Qi Xin panicked immediately.

"Like me? That Wang Qun looks at me so lecherously, and you still want me to meet them?" Ye Zhiqiu asked.

Qi Xin: "..."

Qi Xin: "His eyes are just naturally narrow, he didn't mean to be disrespectful."

"Is that so?" Ye Zhiqiu laughed, "since they’re so important to you, why don't you go alone?"

"I won't go, I won't go," Qi Xin hurriedly sent a message to decline, "see, I’ve already refused them."

"Qi Xin," Ye Zhiqiu suddenly stopped, his delicate eyebrows slightly furrowed, "my father already looks down on your family, and my brother has thoroughly investigated your social circle. I keep telling you not to associate with such low-class friends, why don’t you listen?"

Qi Xin: "..."

They weren't exactly low-class.

Wang Qun and he, along with Jiang Nan, were schoolmates, and Wang Qun now worked as a designer in a small clothing factory, always supporting him and Jiang Nan.

Zhou Hao’s family owned a medium-sized fabric factory that offered Qi Yun excellent prices and terms, helping him greatly, showing great loyalty.

But when Ye Zhiqiu said this, he dared not refute.

Seeing this, Ye Zhiqiu didn’t even finish his meal and turned to leave.

"If you can't figure it out, don't come looking for me," he said.

In his previous life, Qi Xin used various means, soft and hard, to subtly isolate Ye Zhiqiu from his friends, making it easier to control him.

Now, Ye Zhiqiu was returning the favor, slowly turning him into a lonely man.

Especially Zhou Hao, who in his previous life helped Qi Xin out of many tight spots.

Such a good friend, how did Qi Xin deserve him?

"Alright, alright," Qi Xin hurried after him, "no more contact, no more contact."

Only then did Ye Zhiqiu stop, looking at him with a slight smile.

"Then these few days, shall we go out often?" Qi Xin asked.

"I want to rest quietly for a few days," Ye Zhiqiu said.

"What about Valentine's Day..."

"Weren't we agreed that before Qi Yun takes off and my father approves, we'll only maintain our current friendship?" Ye Zhiqiu frowned, "what does Valentine's Day have to do with friends?"

Qi Xin: "..."

"Xiao Qiu," Qi Xin finally asked, "in the future, if you enter Q.L, could you give Qi Yun the design drafts that some companies can't adopt?"

Seeing Ye Zhiqiu looking at him with a half-smile, Qi Xin hurried to explain.

"I haven't thought of taking advantage of you," he said, "but I desperately want to make your father proud as soon as possible and be worthy of you. I desperately want to be with you, Xiao Qiu."

Hearing this, Ye Zhiqiu laughed, seemingly very pleased.

"Sure," he said with a smile, "if I can get into Q.L."

*

Three days later, Ye Zhiqiu arrived as scheduled, stepping into the first-floor lobby of Q.L promptly at six in the evening.

After identifying himself, the staff politely escorted him to the dedicated elevator, which went straight to the top floor, heading for Qin Jianhe's office.

The office door was knocked on, and a familiar voice faintly replied, "Come in."

The staff member smiled and gestured for Ye Zhiqiu to enter, opening the door for him.

Qin Jianhe's office was large, divided into working and leisure areas.

The leisure area was spacious enough to accommodate a small team meeting of a dozen people.

Comfortable sofas were arranged in a semi-circle by the window, with a partially played chessboard on the coffee table.

Qin Jianhe looked up from behind his desk and gestured, "Take a seat."

Ye Zhiqiu sat down, and shortly after, an assistant brought in two cups of hot milk.

"Can I drink it?" Although he knew it was for him, Ye Zhiqiu still asked since Qin Jianhe hadn't spoken.

He hadn't driven today but had taken a taxi instead.

Valentine's Day was bustling everywhere, so traffic was naturally congested, making driving less convenient.

He had gotten out of the taxi across the street and walked over.

Even though the walk, including waiting for the red light, took only about ten minutes, his hands were already cold.

"Yes," Qin Jianhe said with a smile, sitting opposite him, "would you let it cool without drinking it?"

Ye Zhiqiu smiled slightly, holding the cup in his palms.

"What conditions do you have?" Qin Jianhe asked.

"Well, I won't beat around the bush," Ye Zhiqiu said, "firstly, I must state that all my conditions and requests are based on not affecting the company's normal operations."

He was wearing formal attire today, adding a touch of elegance and refinement to his usual appearance.

His well-tailored suit accentuated his beautiful physique while also giving off a sense of restraint due to its formality.

Qin Jianhe looked at him, his deep-set phoenix eyes narrowing slightly.

"Hmm." He responded, holding the other cup of hot milk in his hand.

"First," Ye Zhiqiu said directly, "I don't want a fixed annual salary. I hope my compensation can be linked to my output, including the designs adopted by the company and the subsequent production and sales figures."

"Very confident," Qin Jianhe chuckled, "Agreed."

"Second," Ye Zhiqiu continued, "I hope to work part-time as a costume designer or stylist for film crews, provided it doesn't affect my primary job."

"Ye Zhiqiu," Qin Jianhe chuckled, "aren't you being too greedy? Studying, working, learning leathercraft, and taking on additional jobs..."

"Are you a superhero?" he asked.

"Do you agree?" Ye Zhiqiu asked.

They locked eyes briefly, and after a moment, Qin Jianhe nodded slightly, "Agreed."

"Also," Ye Zhiqiu said, "some designs unsuitable for Q.L, I might give to others."

Hearing this, Qin Jianhe pondered for a moment.

Those dark eyes stared straight into Ye Zhiqiu's, "Are you short on money?"

"Sort of," Ye Zhiqiu said softly after a while.

"Actually, I didn't have to mention this," he pursed his lips, his fingers unconsciously tightening around the cup, "but I don't want to deceive you."

For some reason, the expression in Qin Jianhe's eyes softened.

"Anything else?" he asked.

Ye Zhiqiu shook his head.

"I know my requests may seem excessive," Ye Zhiqiu smiled slightly, "so I'm prepared for you to reject them."

"If I reject them, what will you do?" Qin Jianhe asked, "Will you try to sneak around or give up on Q.L?"

"Neither," Ye Zhiqiu smiled, pulling out a file from his backpack and handing it over, "I might try to convince you."

This was the data Sun Wei had compiled for him, showcasing his sales performance at VIA, a veritable sales miracle.

It was enough to prove his value.

"Ye Zhiqiu," Qin Jianhe didn't take the file but asked seriously, "do you think you're worth this price?"

Ye Zhiqiu's expression turned serious, and he nodded earnestly, "Yes, I am."

"There you go," Qin Jianhe's lips curved slightly, "since you're worth it, why would I disagree?"

Ye Zhiqiu: "…"

Ye Zhiqiu: "Qin Jianhe, isn't this interview a bit of a joke?"

"Drink the milk," Qin Jianhe said, lowering his eyes. "We'll go out for dinner later."

He chuckled again. "Don't think you're getting away with anything. When I need to use you, I won't hold back."

Ye Zhiqiu: "…"

"Today is Valentine's Day," Ye Zhiqiu obediently drank the milk, feeling warmth spread through his body. "Restaurants will be crowded outside."

"Hmm," Qin Jianhe didn't look up, starting to pack his things. "That's why I reserved a private room early."

Ye Zhiqiu put on his down jacket and couldn't help but smile.

"It's nearby," Qin Jianhe said. "We can walk there."

"Okay." Following behind him, the two went downstairs.

The streets were bustling with couples walking hand in hand, some even sharing kisses boldly…

There were also children selling flowers, their baskets filled with bright red roses, watching the passersby with wide eyes.

"Big brother, big brother," someone tugged at the hem of Qin Jianhe's coat. "Won't you buy a flower for your big brother?"

The child spoke in a childish voice, "Only this big brother doesn't have a flower."

Qin Jianhe glanced sideways and teasingly said to Ye Zhiqiu, "Did you hear that? Even the little girl said only my big brother doesn't have a flower."

The flower-selling girl: "…"

Ye Zhiqiu pursed his lips, but couldn't hide the smile at the corners of his mouth.

He squatted down and picked the most vibrant rose from the basket, bought it, and handed it to Qin Jianhe. "Happy Valentine's Day, Mr. Qin."

The phone rang, and Qin Jianhe took the flower with a smile before answering the call.

"Mom," he called out.

The person on the other end said something, and he straightened up, looking around.

A moment later, Ye Zhiqiu heard him say with a laugh, "Got it."

After hanging up, he suddenly laughed heartily.

It was different from his usual polite, distant smile. This one was genuine, radiating warmth and joy deep into his eyes, highly infectious.

"What happened?" Meeting his eyes, Ye Zhiqiu smiled too.

"My mom is nearby; she said she saw me," Qin Jianhe said.

Ye Zhiqiu was taken aback and couldn't help looking around.

"She said it's rare to see someone giving me flowers, so I should treat you well."

"Hey, Ye Zhiqiu," Qin Jianhe asked, "Am I not treating you well enough?"