Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Qi Xin and his father Qi Ruichang ultimately did not come to the Ye family to pay New Year's greetings.

The unexpected incident during the New Year’s Eve dinner further intensified Tao Ruoqing's anxiety.

She had instructed Qi Xin to send a text message to request a visit to the Ye family for New Year's greetings. However, he chose precisely the moment of the New Year’s Eve dinner to do so.

Was it genuine stupidity or just sheer impatience?

Regardless, neither was a good omen for Tao Ruoqing.

And then there was Ye Zhiqiu. She had assumed he would avoid Ye Hongxian and secretly discuss things with her.

But instead, knowing that Ye Hongxian disliked Qi Xin, he brought it up at the dinner table.

Both of them were playing their cards unpredictably, leaving her in a very passive position.

Tao Ruoqing slowly sipped her tea, unable to help but slightly furrow her brows.

Qi Xin was one thing; they were on the same boat. But Ye Zhiqiu...

She truly could not determine whether his actions were intentional or accidental.

Lowering the teacup, the clay cup collided with the marble tabletop, producing a crisp sound.

Tao Ruoqing lowered her eyes, unable to help but sigh softly.

If he had done it intentionally, his behavior that night showed no trace of it, even seeming as carefree as before.

But if it was unintentional...

Recalling how Ye Hongxian had lashed out at Ye Zhixia during the New Year, she felt a deep unease.

If Ye Hongxian had directed his anger at her, she could have ignored it.

After all, from the moment she aimed to rise in status, her goal was merely to escape her undignified background and the hardships of reality.

Simply put, it was all about money.

As long as she had money and her position as Mrs. Ye remained unshakable, she did not particularly care whether Ye Hongxian returned home or was happy.

But when he took out his anger on her children, especially those who stood in front of her, it caused her immense distress and intolerance.

The tea had turned cold. Tao Ruoqing lifted her hand to pour it into the tea basin, her thoughts returning to Ye Zhiqiu.

It must be said that judging by his outward appearance, Ye Zhiqiu had not changed much from before.

However, the path he was now walking was entirely different from the past.

In the past, he would always listen to her advice.

He was inherently lazy and overly indulgent, making it almost impossible for him to study and work simultaneously.

But now...

Tao Ruoqing recalled carefully, beginning to blame herself for her earlier negligence.

This time, it wasn't that Ye Zhiqiu didn't listen to her; rather, she hadn't offered any suggestions in the first place.

She knew nothing about fashion, but Qi Xin did.

So initially, knowing that Ye Zhiqiu going to VIA would only ruin his future and make him easier for her and Qi Xin to control, she did not stop him.

This led to the current situation, giving him the opportunity to enter Q.L.

From Ye Hongxian's attitude alone, she understood that once Ye Zhiqiu entered Q.L., it would be much harder for her to interfere with his career path.

Previously, Ye Zhiqiu lagged behind in everything, even being admitted to the Fashion Institute through special talent.

She had thought that with his casual approach, this field would only be a passing fancy, barely earning him a graduation certificate.

Moreover, the fashion designers she knew mostly copied designs and were treated like servants in factories, few truly succeeding.

For example, Qi Xin, despite years of studying fashion design abroad, couldn't even establish his own brand.

With so many pitfalls along this road, why did Ye Zhiqiu manage to succeed?

Tao Ruoqing sighed again.

What troubled her most now was not Ye Zhiqiu's career path.

After all, as long as she could still control his future relationships and marriage, she could destroy everything he had gained.

Her greatest concern was the young master of the Qin family mentioned by Ye Hongxian.

Although she had never met him and the media had not captured any clear photos, his presence and demeanor suggested extraordinary qualities.

Not to mention, he possessed such wealth.

Tao Ruoqing could control many things, but she had to admit that Ye Zhiqiu's beauty was striking.

Just like when she first saw Lan Yue, the shock and impact were profound.

With such looks, anything was possible.

If Ye Zhiqiu really connected with Qin Jianhe, then her nearly two decades of careful planning and enduring humiliation would become a mockery.

At that point, no matter how hard she and her children tried, they would never surpass Ye Zhiqiu.

Most importantly, if it really came to this step, Ye Hongxian would undoubtedly hand over the Ye family's business to Ye Zhiqiu without any doubt.

Even though Ye Zhiqiu had never been close to his heart since childhood, once he found a strong enough support, all those previous matters would immediately become insignificant.

The phone rang, and Tao Ruoqing hesitated for a moment before reaching over to pick it up. Seeing Qi Ruichang's name on the screen,

After the New Year's Eve dinner, she had sent a message harshly scolding Qi Xin. Qi Ruichang was now trying to smooth things over.

"Old Qi," Tao Ruoqing asked casually, "what's up?"

"I just got back from our hometown," Qi Ruichang said, "and I brought some local specialties with a taste of home. I was thinking of dropping them off at your place sometime."

Not mentioning New Year greetings anymore.

"Don't come to the house," Tao Ruoqing paused quietly, then gave the name of a hotel, "let's have dinner together tomorrow."

"Sure, sure," Qi Ruichang agreed, "see you tomorrow then."

Pausing slightly, he laughed again, "I also want to see that kid."

Tao Ruoqing felt a bit impatient, but Qi Ruichang mentioning their "hometown" today made her wary.

After all, some foolish things she did in her youth might not be secrets to Qi Ruichang.

Moreover, having cultivated Qi Xin for so long, she truly couldn't bear to discard this pawn.

"Alright," Tao Ruoqing said, "I'll check his schedule."

Hearing footsteps faintly coming from the stairs, Tao Ruoqing didn't say more and hung up the call.

Turning around, she saw Ye Zhiqiu coming down the stairs in slippers.

"I'm starving," he rubbed his eyes, "is there anything to eat?"

"I'll ask Aunt Zhao to heat up some food for you," Tao Ruoqing smiled and got up, returning a moment later.

Tao Ruoqing's small "tea room" was set up near the floor-to-ceiling windows in the dining area, where she could comfortably bask in the sunlight.

Ye Zhiqiu sat down at the table near her, resting his cheek in his hand, lost in thought.

The sunlight illuminated his side profile, making his slowly blinking eyelashes particularly noticeable.

"Still sleepy?" Tao Ruoqing asked, "you've been going upstairs early these days, haven't you?"

"Been busy with something," Ye Zhiqiu smiled, then seemed a bit embarrassed as he pursed his lips.

"Tell me, what have you been busy with?" Tao Ruoqing poured a cup of fresh green tea and asked with a smile.

"Do you know Qi Xin's family has a clothing factory?" Ye Zhiqiu suddenly looked at her.

The sunlight shone on his eyes, making them clear and transparent like crystal without any impurities, causing one to feel a slight unease.

"Yes," Tao Ruoqing lowered her eyes to drink her tea.

"Qi Xin asked me to help design some new clothes," Ye Zhiqiu didn't hide anything from her, which made Tao Ruoqing feel she had overthought it, "that's why I've been staying up these past two nights."

"You're helping him design clothes?" Tao Ruoqing raised her eyes.

"Of course," Ye Zhiqiu wrinkled his nose, "you saw how my dad doesn't like him much."

"That's true," Tao Ruoqing said calmly.

"Isn't it just because Qi Xin's family isn't as well-off as ours?" Ye Zhiqiu laughed, a hint of sarcasm in his voice, "I want to make Qi Xin stand out and see what he has to say then."

"Just to spite your dad?" Tao Ruoqing chuckled.

"Sort of," Ye Zhiqiu's expression darkened, "whenever I needed him, he was never around. Now that I don't need him, he starts telling me what to do."

"I don't even bother with him," he said angrily.

Tao Ruoqing didn't say anything else.

One of Qi Xin's original goals was to use Ye Zhiqiu's talent to develop his own brand.

Thinking about VIA's development, regardless of Ye Zhiqiu's reasons for helping Qi Xin, it was undoubtedly good news for Qi Yun.

It wasn't in vain that she had invested a large sum of money into it.

Moreover, with Ye Zhiqiu's current rebellious attitude, Ye Hongxian's previous opposition might not be a bad thing after all.

Father stubborn, son even more so—wouldn't that be better?

"After sending Xia Xia back to the filming set tomorrow," Tao Ruoqing said, "I've arranged a dinner with Uncle Qi and Qi Xin. You should join us."

"No," hearing this, Ye Zhiqiu stopped eating his soup, "I already made plans early. Tomorrow, I'm going to visit my teacher to wish him a happy New Year. My teacher's wife specifically asked what dishes I like, so they must have prepared them already."

Tao Ruoqing: "..."

Even suggesting he go to the hotel after visiting his teacher seemed blocked.

"You're always like this," she smiled, "your teacher's wife is just being polite, and you actually let her prepare everything for you."

Ye Zhiqiu blinked, then asked, somewhat puzzled, "What should I do? I already told them."

And he complained, "Why didn't you remind me earlier about this?"

He had always been self-centered, and Tao Ruoqing was used to it, feeling a bit relieved.

Ye Zhiqiu quickly finished his meal and went upstairs.

"Tao Ruoqing said, “Are you still going to help Qi Xin with the drawings?”

"Of course," Ye Zhiqiu replied. "I promised him."

He paused for a moment, then couldn’t help but complain in a rather childish manner.

"After collaborating with Q.L, I can't just give my work to other companies anymore, but his lousy brand is still far from being established," he said irritably. "I have to take the risk of breaching my contract to help him draw. It's really frustrating."

After venting, he didn’t wait for Tao Ruoqing’s reaction and stomped upstairs.

Tao Ruoqing was stunned for a moment. After fully digesting his words, she smiled slightly.

"Aunt Zhao," she called out, "the young master has been working hard. Please cut a fruit platter and bring it to him."

After a pause, she got up. "I’ll bring it to him myself."

*

On the third day of the New Year, early in the morning, Uncle Wang and Tao Ruoqing sent Ye Zhixia back to her filming set.

Ye Zhiqiu didn’t come downstairs. Just like last time, he stood upstairs watching Uncle Wang carry things for Ye Zhixia trip after trip.

Previously, he had already entrusted Li Shaojun to send Uncle Wang’s hair sample to the testing center.

Along with it was a nail sample from Ye Zhixia.

Compared to Uncle Wang’s caution, Ye Zhixia’s sample was easier to collect, and he didn’t have to try too hard.

However, since it was still the holiday period, the testing center wasn’t accepting urgent cases yet, so they could only wait.

But even if they waited, how many more days would it be?

Watching Uncle Wang’s car drive away, Ye Zhiqiu sat back down and finalized the design drafts in his hand.

He worked until around ten o'clock, did a final check, and then minimized the files, sending a copy to Meng Da’s email.

Considering it was still the holiday, he didn’t want to disturb Meng Da’s vacation, so he didn’t call after sending the email.

Meng Da would naturally contact him when he had the chance to check his email.

He also sent some designs to Qi Xin.

These were the ones he had prepared for VIA but never used.

If Qi Xin wanted to fly, he would let him soar for a while.

After all, only by experiencing the view from above, feeling the thrill of quick gains, and enjoying the attention of the masses...

Would he truly feel the pain of falling, truly experience the stark contrast...

The impact and suffering would be magnified infinitely.

He never intended to let Qi Xin off easily, crashing before he even took flight.

That little pain was nothing.

If he was going to give him any hardship, it would be an abyss from which he could never climb out again.

Just like the one he had given himself.

Ye Zhiqiu changed clothes in front of the mirror, looking at the cold and sharp eyes of the young man reflected there, and he slightly curled his lips.

Then, he took the gifts he had prepared long ago, went downstairs, got into the car, and headed to Zhang Wenyuan’s house.

*

At noon, Tao Ruoqing returned to the city from the film set, and Uncle Wang drove her directly to the hotel where she had previously arranged to meet Qi Ruichang.

When they arrived, Qi Ruichang and his son were already waiting in the private room, and Qi Xin kept looking towards the door of the private room without stopping.

Seeing only Tao Ruoqing, he was somewhat stunned and slightly disappointed. "Where’s Xiao Qiu?"

It had been several days since he’d seen Ye Zhiqiu, and he unexpectedly missed him very much.

"Could it be that you’ve really fallen for him?" Tao Ruoqing asked with a half-smile.

"How could that be? He’s not a child who lacks sense; otherwise, you wouldn’t have trusted us enough to collaborate, right?" Qi Ruichang quickly explained on behalf of Qi Xin and asked, "Is the boy not coming?"

"He went to his teacher’s house to pay New Year greetings," Tao Ruoqing said. "We’ll see him next time."

Since Tao Ruoqing had already ordered the menu when booking the private room, the food was served shortly.

After exchanging a few private words, Tao Ruoqing smiled at Qi Xin.

"He’s been staying up late these past few days to draw designs for you."

"Really?" Qi Xin’s eyes lit up upon hearing this.

He hadn’t expected Ye Zhiqiu to keep his word so faithfully.

Moreover, he had just entered Q.L and hadn’t even drawn a single stroke for them yet, but he was using his holiday to rush designs for him.

Clearly, despite Ye Zhiqiu’s bad temper and unpredictable nature, he genuinely cared about him.

For some reason, Qi Xin felt a warm sensation in his heart.

He couldn’t help but unlock his phone and send a message to Ye Zhiqiu.

"Qi Xin: Do you have time to meet tonight? I miss you."

Ye Zhiqiu took a while to reply.

"Yi Ye Zhiqiu: No time."

Qi Xin: "…"

Though he was used to being rejected, Qi Xin still felt uncomfortable every time he received a refusal from Ye Zhiqiu.

But this time, even the most discouraging words, "No time," seemed endearing to him.

If Tao Ruoqing weren't sitting right across from him, he would have laughed out loud.

After finishing their meal, Tao Ruoqing and Qi Xin's father went downstairs together.

Qi Xin moved the local specialties from his trunk to Uncle Wang's car.

The three of them parted ways, and Tao Ruoqing opened the social media feeds of several ladies she frequently contacted.

During the Spring Festival, it should have been the busiest time for mahjong games, but for some reason, no one had invited her to play in the past few days.

Most of the posts were about enviable New Year gifts, and Tao Ruoqing couldn't find any clues.

Until she came across a post by a Mrs. Zhou, who had just shared a location at a nearby teahouse.

Tao Ruoqing thought for a moment and asked Uncle Wang to turn around and head towards the teahouse.

This teahouse was a regular spot for her and the other ladies, so the waiters all recognized her.

Seeing her arrive, the waiter assumed she had made prior arrangements as usual and led her directly to the private room on the second floor.

In the private room, several ladies were playing mahjong, with waiters standing by to help refill tea and water.

"I said she was too kind to come," one lady said with a smile as she dealt the cards.

"As they say, if it's not your own mother, you can't rely on her," another lady commented while sipping her tea. "No matter how good she is to you normally, one big event like marriage can change everything."

"At least the child is doing well," Mrs. Wu added. "I heard she got into Q.L."

"Oh, that's quite impressive."

The door to the private room was knocked on, and Mrs. Wu, who was hosting today, said, "Come in."

The door opened, and Tao Ruoqing appeared at the entrance.

The teahouse had good privacy and soundproofing, and the ladies' voices were not loud, so they exchanged glances and smiled meaningfully.

Tao Ruoqing sensed something was off but couldn't figure out what.

Among these people, she was the only one without a degree or a distinguished background, and the Ye family was the least prominent.

She managed to maintain her footing in this circle by being observant and humble.

Often, when there was a need for a fourth player in mahjong or someone to join for tea, these ladies would think of her.

And for over a decade, she had maintained her image well.

As she entered, Tao Ruoqing quickly reviewed her recent behavior and, finding nothing amiss, relaxed.

"You guys came here for tea without calling me?" she said with a casual smile, taking the teapot from the waiter. "I've been so bored at home these days."

Then, as usual, she waved the waiter away and personally refilled the tea for the ladies.

Mrs. Wu lowered her eyes, hiding her expression.

But another lady wasn't as kind; she looked at Tao Ruoqing with a barely concealed sneer.

*

With the extended holiday, the Spring Festival break lasted eight days, but it ended quickly.

On the morning of the first day back, Qin Jianhe arrived at the office and called Meng Da up via the intercom.

By the time Meng Da knocked on his office door, Qin Jianhe had already opened his laptop and clicked on the email.

"Happy New Year, Mr. Qin," Meng Da said, greeting him with auspicious words.

"Happy New Year," Qin Jianhe replied coolly, his gaze still fixed on the computer screen. "What do you mean by forwarding this email to me?"

"Aren't we already roughly decided on the exhibition pieces?" Meng Da explained. "But these sets by Xiao Ye are truly exceptional. I wanted to include them and thought I should report to you."

For any fashion company, participating in an exhibition is no small matter.

The showcased pieces represent the company's image and reputation, and some may even set trends for the season or years to come, influencing the company's position and influence in the industry.

"These sets could indeed be the face of our fashion week this year," Qin Jianhe said indifferently. "But you could have made this decision independently."

"But Zhou Lang is impossible to communicate with," Meng Da complained. "Others might withdraw their pieces reluctantly but accept it when they see Xiao Ye's work. He just keeps arguing with me."

"That's your problem," Qin Jianhe said in a low, cold voice. "Either handle Zhou Lang, or pack your things and leave. I'll find someone else."

Meng Da: "…"

"Alright, sorry Mr. Qin, I'll go figure something out," he said, getting up to leave.

But just as he grabbed the door handle, Qin Jianhe called out again.

"Meng Da."

"I can do it, I will manage," Meng Da immediately responded.

Qin Jianhe looked at him in silence for a moment before speaking again. "Has Ye Zhiqiu arrived at the company yet?"

"He has," Meng Da let go of the handle, eager to share more. "You wouldn't believe how diligent Xiao Ye is. He drew those sketches during the holiday and came in early this morning to clean his assigned office thoroughly. He's so hardworking and likable."

"So likable?" Qin Jianhe seemed to chuckle, asking.

"The girls on this entire floor can't help but light up when they see him. You say he's not popular?"

At this point, Meng Da suddenly realized something. "You mentioned Xiao Ye just now. Do you need him to come to your office? Should I call him over?"

Qin Jianhe's eyelashes lowered slightly, as if he was lost in thought. After a moment, he said, "No need."

"Oh," Meng Da said. Just as he was about to leave, he heard Qin Jianhe ask, "Which room is his office in?"

"Next to Zhou Lang's. It's the largest among the remaining offices."

"Have him switch rooms," Qin Jianhe said indifferently.

"Huh... What?" Meng Da stood there, unsure if he had heard correctly. "What did you say?"

"Move him to the room farthest from Zhou Lang," Qin Jianhe said indifferently, already starting to handle the work piled up during the holiday.

"But..." Meng Da didn't leave, showing a determined resistance. "The room farthest from Zhou Lang is nearly one-third smaller than his current one. Besides, Xiao Ye just cleaned this one out. Isn't this arrangement a bit unreasonable?"

Seeing that Qin Jianhe remained silent, Meng Da gathered his courage. "Xiao Ye truly has a lot of talent. You saw those design drafts just now; no one in our company can match them. Even if you don't like him, shouldn't you be a bit more considerate?"

This time, Qin Jianhe didn't respond, only lifting his eyes slightly.

"I'll go, I'll go," Meng Da immediately came to his senses. "I'll go tell Xiao Ye to move right away."

With that, he rushed out of Qin Jianhe's office.

The Design Department and the CEO's office were on different floors, so Meng Da didn't wait for the elevator and went down the stairs directly.

Ye Zhiqiu's current office was at the end of the corridor, by the window, with good lighting and ample space. He was very satisfied.

Having just joined the company, he hadn't been assigned an assistant yet. He had just finished cleaning the desk and was about to go to the storage room for tools.

As soon as he opened the door, he almost collided with the hurriedly approaching Meng Da.

"Mr. Meng?" Ye Zhiqiu chuckled. "Why are you in such a hurry?"

Meng Da: "..."

He really couldn't bring himself to speak.

"Oh," Meng Da said, "I wanted to say that we're having a welcome dinner tonight to celebrate your arrival. It's a chance for everyone to get to know each other."

"Sure," Ye Zhiqiu smiled. "No problem. Thank you, Mr. Meng, and all the seniors."

But Meng Da still didn't leave. He stood there, staring at Ye Zhiqiu.

"Mr. Meng, if you have anything to say, please go ahead," Ye Zhiqiu joked. "Your expression makes me wonder if the company suddenly doesn't want me anymore and is sending me home."

"Not quite," Meng Da oddly sighed in relief. Compared to being sent home, moving offices was a minor inconvenience. "It's like this. It's my fault; I forgot this office was reserved for another purpose. Xiao Ye, could we switch rooms?"

Immediately, he added, "This time, I'll help you clean it."

Ye Zhiqiu smiled, knowing this must be Qin Jianhe's order.

After all, based on his understanding of Meng Da, such a straightforward person wouldn't normally make such abrupt changes.

But why did Qin Jianhe want him to move offices?

Ye Zhiqiu couldn't figure it out and didn't intend to dwell on it.

He believed that Qin Jianhe must have a reasonable reason.

"Of course," he smiled gently. "Thank you for telling me now. Otherwise, once the machines and tools are moved in, it would be much harder to move."

"Xiao Ye..." Meng Da was touched. Ye Zhiqiu's understanding and cooperation made him feel a stark contrast to his superior upstairs.

Meng Da's frozen heart instantly warmed up.

"Come on," he said. "Let me show you."

The new office was near the stairs. Ye Zhiqiu pushed open the door and walked in.

It wasn't large, but it was sufficient.

"This one is fine too," he smiled. "It's enough."

His phone vibrated in his pocket. Ye Zhiqiu checked it and saw a new email from Li Shaojun.

Usually, Li Shaojun wouldn't send him emails unless there was something important.

Ye Zhiqiu guessed it must be the results of the paternity test.

The phone vibrated again, with Li Shaojun's name flashing on the screen. Ye Zhiqiu didn't answer immediately.

He stood still, slightly lowering his gaze, and tapped to open the email, then the attached report.

Skimming through the first half of the report, Ye Zhiqiu focused on the crucial line.

In black and white, it read: The cumulative probability of the parent-child relationship (RCP) is 99.9999%.

Based on DNA analysis, the owner of Sample 1 and the owner of Sample 2 are suspected to have a parent-child relationship.

His slender, pale fingers tightened around the phone.

Although he had anticipated this result, seeing it confirmed still caused his heart to skip a beat.

A moment later, he smiled.

"Hey, Xiao Ye..." Meng Da, who was about to fetch cleaning supplies, paused when he saw Ye Zhiqiu's deepening smile.

Could this child have become foolish?

Despite being targeted by the leader like this, can you still smile so happily?