Chapter 36

Chapter 36

"Hmm? Teacher Meng." Hearing Meng Da call him, Ye Zhiqiu smiled and lifted his eyes.

"I'm going to fetch a tool. Take another look at these machines and shelves. See if there's anything that needs adjusting. If you need help, I can call a couple of the younger guys over to assist with moving things around," Meng Da said, pointing at the cabinets along the wall where fabrics and tools were stored. "If it weren't for the timing of your arrival coinciding with the holiday, everything should have been set up properly by now."

Ye Zhiqiu turned off his phone and began to carefully examine the office in front of him.

Apart from a thin layer of dust, the office was actually quite tidy.

Moreover, most of the tools he needed for his work, including a sewing machine, storage racks, a workbench, a computer, a mannequin, as well as smaller items like fabric scissors and measuring tapes, were all present.

If he had to say what was missing, he might gradually set up a tool wall later on.

But there was no rush.

Ye Zhiqiu stepped forward and gently brushed away the light dust on the sewing machine.

The sewing machine was still new and appeared to have been used very little.

And it was exactly the brand and model preferred by fashion designers.

It even had over a hundred different stitch patterns, which was more than enough for his needs.

This office must have been used before, but not for long.

"This is great," Ye Zhiqiu said with a smile, turning around. "The previous designer took good care of everything. The tools are all in working condition."

"Heh... Heh..." Meng Da chuckled and then explained, "Actually, this office used to belong to Mr. Qin."

"Oh?" Ye Zhiqiu smiled. "Mr. Qin didn't study design when he was in school, did he?"

"When he first took over Q.L, he specifically hired a teacher for a while," Meng Da said. "Maybe he wanted to understand the industry better."

Hearing this, Ye Zhiqiu laughed again.

"This office is right below the CEO's office, making it convenient. Since he doesn't use it often, he just arranged it for convenience," Meng Da added with a smile.

His phone vibrated wildly again; it was Li Shaojun.

Ye Zhiqiu didn't answer immediately but walked towards Meng Da instead.

"This place is pretty clean," he said with a smile. "There's no need for major changes. I'll take care of the rest myself."

"Alright," Meng Da nodded. "If you need anything, let me know or go directly to the warehouse."

Seeing Ye Zhiqiu's phone still vibrating, he didn't say much more and pointed downstairs. "The cafeteria is on the basement level. I'll take you there for lunch."

"Sure, thank you, Teacher Meng," Ye Zhiqiu said with a smile, watching him leave and closing the door. He answered the call just before it ended.

"What's up?" he asked.

"What do you think?" Li Shaojun said. "Whose samples were those?"

"We talked about this before," Ye Zhiqiu replied. "I'll tell you later."

"Are they yours and someone else's?" Li Shaojun asked, his voice suddenly rising. "Is Ye Hongxian not your real father?"

He didn't even call him Uncle Ye anymore.

Hearing this, Ye Zhiqiu couldn't help but laugh.

"Have you lost your mind, Li Shaojun?" he asked.

Surprisingly, Li Shaojun had guessed the direction of events, just the wrong person.

Not him, but Ye Zhixia.

"Oh," Li Shaojun came back to his senses after being scolded. "I didn't mean to say anything bad about Aunt Lan."

Ye Zhiqiu: "..."

Your explanation makes it worse.

"Don't jump to conclusions," Ye Zhiqiu started organizing the desk. "I'll tell you when the time is right."

"Okay," Li Shaojun had to concede, complaining, "You're so mysterious lately."

Ye Zhiqiu chuckled and hung up the phone.

After saving and encrypting the report, he pondered for a moment.

When he first suspected Uncle Wang, he had considered two possible outcomes.

Now that it was confirmed, only one path remained.

He didn't plan to expose Tao Ruoqing and Ye Zhixia right away.

Firstly, even if Qi Xin was a mess, what Ye Zhixia and Gao Wenye did in his past life was equally unforgivable.

Ye Zhixia hadn't truly experienced the pain of betrayal by someone she deeply loved.

Nor had she felt the cruel torment of a rotten marriage.

She should savor it properly.

He couldn't deny her that opportunity.

And Tao Ruoqing should also taste what she has been eagerly wanting to impose on him, the painstakingly prepared script for him...

How would she feel if it ultimately fell upon her own son?

In addition, Tao Ruoqing and Qi Xin's collaboration needs to continue.

After all, over the years, using Ye Zheng's position in the company, they have managed to extract quite a bit from Ye Ding.

Once she has vomited everything out, when she is left with nothing, only then will it be time to move on to the next step.

It is indeed not yet the time to startle the snake in the grass.

However, at this stage of events, staying in the Ye household no longer holds much significance.

Ye Zhiqiu began to consider whether he should find a suitable opportunity to move out.

Acting with those people wasn't tiring; the mask of "Ye Zhiqiu" seemed long embedded on his face.

But although it wasn't tiring, it was nauseating.

Especially every time he called Tao Ruoqing "Mom" and Ye Hongxian "Dad."

After tidying up the office, Ye Zhiqiu reopened his phone and found that Meng Da had added him to the Design Department's work group.

"Old Meng: Welcome our new colleague @Ye Zhiqiu."

"Old Meng: Welcome dinner tonight, same place as usual. Everyone is welcome to join."

Below were a series of welcomes, looking exceptionally harmonious.

Ye Zhiqiu specifically looked through them and didn't find any information about Zhou Lang.

But there was one message that specifically mentioned Zhou Lang.

"Lin (Designer): Now we have the second-place winner, and the champion is here too. Teacher Zhou might feel threatened now @Teacher Zhou."

Zhou Lang, like Ye Zhiqiu, had won an award in the international fashion competition, but back then, he had taken second place.

This award held significant weight, and Zhou Lang indeed had talent, so he was always extremely arrogant about his abilities.

During the years Qin Weian was in charge of Q.L, relying on his relationship with Qin Weian, Zhou Lang even once pushed Meng Da off the top spot in Q.L's Design Department.

Unfortunately, it didn't last long, and after Qin Jianhe took over Q.L, Meng Da reclaimed his position.

This is why Zhou Lang resents Meng Da in every way.

In terms of design talent, Meng Da indeed falls short compared to Zhou Lang, but in terms of character and the desire to nurture talent, Zhou Lang is far inferior to Meng Da.

If Zhou Lang were still sitting in Meng Da's position today, he would never have extended an olive branch to Ye Zhiqiu.

This person fears anyone stronger than himself.

The title of runner-up in the fashion design competition has weighed on him for years, and he despises it deeply.

Having been the chief designer at Q.L for so many years and holding the top spot, his world can no longer tolerate any word other than "first."

Now someone is using Ye Zhiqiu as a weapon against him, and even if he doesn't want conflict, he has already offended Zhou Lang thoroughly.

This is also why, despite the tight schedule, he must attend this fashion week.

Whether it's Q.L or M.H, such top-tier companies are inevitably entangled in office politics.

Even if Ye Zhiqiu doesn't want to participate, it's hard to remain completely uninvolved.

Rather than being used as a target for others' benefit, it's better to take the initiative.

Since offending someone is inevitable, he might as well secure the benefits firmly in his hands.

Ye Zhiqiu smiled, recalling some news about Zhou Lang from his previous life.

In his previous life, he hadn't had the chance to meet Zhou Lang and thus didn't know much about him.

But since they were in the same industry and Zhou Lang had always been renowned, he knew a little about him.

On the stage of the fashion week, he had seen many of Zhou Lang's works.

As for Qi Xin, he admired Zhou Lang greatly.

After Qi Yun developed, Qi Xin tried to invite him, but Zhou Lang didn't take it seriously.

Until many years later.

Ye Zhiqiu couldn't remember the exact timeline, probably around seven or eight years later, Zhou Lang was involved in a major scandal.

In his previous life, until the scandal broke, Zhou Lang was still Q.L's chief designer.

For so many years, no one could surpass his talent and fame.

Naturally, such a person wouldn't lack followers.

After all, having the opportunity to learn from a good teacher could significantly change one's future.

Zhou Lang had many students and subordinates, and various projects and teams under his supervision.

Later, these students and subordinates joined forces to expose him for claiming their designs as his own and using his authority to harass female students and assistants.

This incident caused a huge stir, dominating headlines for a while, and Q.L was thrust into the spotlight.

Qi Xin was therefore immensely relieved that Zhou Lang hadn't accepted his invitation before.

Ye Zhiqiu smiled and started typing on his phone.

"Yezhiqiu: Thank you, seniors. I will work hard. I hope we can collaborate smoothly. Bowing.jpg."

After sending the message, he put his phone aside and turned on his computer.

The content on the computer had been cleared, but all the necessary software was installed. Ye Zhiqiu transferred the files from his tablet and officially began his work at Q.L.

At noon, Meng Da came as promised to invite him for lunch.

As they rode the elevator down, Meng Da introduced each floor's departments, responsibilities, and their respective heads. He also mentioned where to go for cooperation in various areas.

Ye Zhiqiu listened silently, taking it all in.

Q.L's cafeteria served excellent food with a balanced mix of meat and vegetables, offering a wide variety of dishes.

The dining hall was quiet, with almost no one talking loudly, giving off an air of professionalism.

Meng Da ordered a few small dishes, while Ye Zhiqiu chose a steaming hot clay pot.

The beef balls in the clay pot were especially firm and springy when bitten into.

Halfway through the meal, Ye Zhiqiu couldn't help but look around.

"Does Mr. Qin come here for meals?" he asked.

"Occasionally..." After saying three words, Meng Da suddenly coughed as he looked towards the entrance.

Following his gaze, Ye Zhiqiu saw Qin Jianhe.

The man was dressed in a suit, accompanied by several formally dressed executives. They were walking while listening to someone speak.

The person speaking to him was a middle-aged woman of average height, and Qin Jianhe was slightly leaning towards her.

His posture somehow gave a sense of reassurance.

Though he still appeared cold, his innate manners always inadvertently showed through.

Ye Zhiqiu smiled and instinctively cupped his clay pot.

"Oh, Xiao Ye," Meng Da exclaimed in surprise, "what are you thinking? This is a clay pot; you can't touch it with your hands. What if you get burned?"

Hearing this, Ye Zhiqiu froze and quickly withdrew his hands, feeling a bit scared afterward.

He didn't know why he had cupped it like a water cup, but clearly, he had been distracted.

Fortunately, the clay pot was already half-empty and only slightly warm.

"Hurry, let me see," Meng Da said anxiously, pulling his hand, "you can't hurt those hands."

"What's wrong?" A deep, pleasant voice came from above, and Ye Zhiqiu stiffened slightly before looking up.

Qin Jianhe had arrived beside them and was now looking down at him.

Ye Zhiqiu realized that Meng Da was still holding his hand.

Ye Zhiqiu: "..."

He quietly pulled his hand back.

"Mr. Qin," Meng Da explained, "Xiao Ye just got a little burn. I'm checking if he's injured."

"It's really nothing," Ye Zhiqiu said awkwardly, "the clay pot isn't hot anymore."

"You held the clay pot with your hands?" Qin Jianhe looked at him with an unclear expression, his tone seemingly disapproving.

Whether he saw it or guessed, he hit the nail on the head.

Ye Zhiqiu: "Heh... heh..."

The boss didn't seem to like the young man much, and it wouldn't be good if he thought he was careless in his work too.

Meng Da quickly tried to salvage Ye Zhiqiu's image.

"Xiao Ye is a bit casual in his daily life," he said with a smile, "but he's very meticulous in his work."

"Really, sir," Meng Da emphasized.

Ye Zhiqiu: "..."

Maybe you shouldn't explain?

"Sir," Ye Zhiqiu, being a new employee and not just any ordinary one—he was a rising star in the fashion industry, known for both his talent and achievements—wanted to secure some special treatment. "The Design Department is hosting a welcome party for Xiao Ye at the bar across the street tonight. Would you have time to join us for a drink?"

"We'll see," Qin Jianhe said, his voice as cool as ever, "depending on my schedule."

"Sure, sure," Meng Da hurriedly replied.

Seeing the shareholders who had entered with the boss seated in a corner, he sat down, not wanting to disturb them further.

But Qin Jianhe did not leave.

He stood there for a moment.

"Be more careful next time," he said, his voice indifferent, "don't get hurt."

Before Ye Zhiqiu could respond, Meng Da quickly spoke up for him.

"Xiao Ye will definitely remember this time. Thank you for your concern, leader."

Ye Zhiqiu: "……"

"Hmm." After a moment, Qin Jianhe responded indifferently.

The shadow of the blocked light fell on Ye Zhiqiu's hand again as Qin Jianhe left.

*

The bar was particularly lively at night, almost deafening with noise.

The colorful lights flickered incessantly, dazzling the eyes, and the figures in the dance floor swayed dizzily.

Ye Zhiqiu swayed to the beat a few times, remembering that he used to love going to bars at this time in his previous life.

He laughed and found a passing waiter to ask about Q.L's private room, then walked forward.

After passing through a not-too-long corridor and receiving countless invitations, Ye Zhiqiu finally pushed open the door to the private room.

Inside, everyone was having a great time—some drinking, some singing, and others making bets.

"Today, the boss asked the leader if they would come. Let's see if the leader shows up," a young girl said with a smile. "I remember that only Teacher Zhou got the big boss to come when he visited."

"That was years ago, back when it was Old Mr. Qin. The world has changed several times since then," another neatly dressed man said.

"Our leader won't come," a man in his thirties laughed. "Our leader probably doesn't even know how to write the word 'favor.' No matter how many championships Xiao Ye won in the past, that's all history now. Isn't it enough that Boss Meng is here? He's already giving him face."

Laughter erupted from the crowd, and the man continued, "Look, Zhou Lang didn't come either. He really thinks he's the second-in-command of the Design Department, putting on airs."

Ye Zhiqiu had seen photos of these people on the internal network today and could recognize some of them.

The one speaking was Lin She, also known as Lin Qunsheng, who had stirred things up in the group chat earlier.

"I think the leader might come," another person said. "After all, he is the champion. He does have talent."

"Wanna make a bet?" Lin Qunsheng laughed. "Being a champion means nothing. Didn't he use it just to get into Q.L? How many of you young ones in the big office can say you have your own private office at such a young age? They've already given him enough face."

He chuckled and added, "But the leader's warning today was quite interesting. Even though Boss Meng gave him a large office before, why did they move him to a small one? Isn't the signal clear?"

"Forget it," the person who thought Qin Jianhe would appear said. "I'm not betting then."

Hearing this, Lin Qunsheng proudly tapped him with his hand.

Lifting his eyes, he saw Ye Zhiqiu.

The boy had jet-black hair and smiling eyes like a spring. He had just taken off his coat, revealing a milk-white cashmere sweater that made him look exceptionally fair and gentle.

Seemed easy to handle.

"Xiao Ye is here." Meng Da also spotted Ye Zhiqiu and immediately stood up, clapping his hands.

The private room fell silent for a moment, and everyone's attention focused on Ye Zhiqiu.

"Let's welcome our new colleague, Ye Zhiqiu," Meng Da's voice was particularly enthusiastic.

Immediately, applause filled the room.

"I've seen your competition entries; they're amazing," a young female designer looked at Ye Zhiqiu with bright eyes.

"Of course," Meng Da said, somewhat smugly. "I've been watching Xiao Ye for a long time before he joined our company. Do you think he's easy to invite?"

Lin Qunsheng rolled his eyes.

"Thank you, seniors," Ye Zhiqiu smiled and stepped forward. Someone handed him a glass of wine, which he raised. "I'm young and may sometimes be inconsiderate. Please bear with me in the future."

"Ye Zhiqiu," a young male designer called out his name. "Are you being humble or bragging?"

"Maybe a bit of both," Ye Zhiqiu smiled.

After all, being so young and winning a championship while getting an independent office at Q.L was indeed enviable.

However, if these people knew the terms of his contract, they would be even more envious.

But Ye Zhiqiu's words lightened the atmosphere, and laughter broke out in the room.

The young man who had asked him if he was being humble laughed and put his arm around Ye Zhiqiu's shoulder. "Not bad, buddy. I like you."

"Wu Qiong," someone joked, "you can't say that casually."

Everyone laughed again.

Amidst the laughter, more people gathered around Ye Zhiqiu, especially the younger ones, quickly breaking down any barriers.

"Thank you, seniors. I'll need your help in the future," Ye Zhiqiu smiled and raised his glass again, drinking it down.

"Xiao Ye, want to sing?"

"Xiao Ye, do you have a partner?"

"Xiao Ye, everyone needs to drink tonight, or you won't be able to leave."

"……"

The private room became lively, and Ye Zhiqiu was quickly downing several glasses of wine.

His phone vibrated constantly in his pocket, but he had no time to check it.

"Brothers and sisters, let me catch my breath," after another glass of wine, Ye Zhiqiu pleaded with a smile.

"Sooner or later, you'll have to drink," Lin Qunsheng approached with a smile. "Come, Xiao Ye, let me toast you. May you have a bright future and win the crown on this floor."

The private room door was pushed open again. Ye Zhiqiu turned his head with a smile and saw Zhou Lang with a cold expression.

"Ah, Teacher Zhou is here," Lin Qunsheng, never one to miss a spectacle, immediately waved the wine glass in his hand. "Then I'll hold off on this drink. The champion and runner-up should have one first."

The room fell silent, except for Meng Da who threw an empty can at Lin Qunsheng.

Lin Qunsheng dodged it with a laugh, conveniently clearing the seat next to Ye Zhiqiu.

"Hello, Zhou Lang." Zhou Lang walked over.

"Hello, Ye Zhiqiu." Ye Zhiqiu smiled and extended his hand. "I've heard much about you."

"You're more famous," Zhou Lang said with a half-smile, "being the champion."

"Hmm..." Ye Zhiqiu chuckled. "The title of champion has already been used as a stepping stone for Q.L and earned me a private office. It's all used up now."

He glanced at Lin Qunsheng with a smile. "Everything starts anew from now on."

Hearing this, Lin Qunsheng's expression of relishing the drama finally froze.

Not as easy to handle as he looked?

"Let's not delay it then," Ye Zhiqiu continued smiling. "How about we all have a drink together?"

"Come on, everyone, let's have one together. We're colleagues now," Meng Da quickly interjected.

In an instant, the room became lively again.

That night, Ye Zhiqiu drank quite a bit.

Just as his head started to feel fuzzy, the door of the private room was pushed open once more.

Qin Jianhe's tall figure appeared at the entrance, blocking the hallway lights behind him.

The room fell silent again.

Mixed looks of confusion, envy, and disbelief were cast at Ye Zhiqiu.

Only Zhou Lang's face turned particularly grim for a moment.

After all, such honor had only belonged to him before.

Now, he was no longer unique.

"Boss, you're here?" Seeing this, Meng Da greeted him cheerfully, and Zhou Lang hurriedly stepped forward to stand beside Meng Da.

"Mm." Qin Jianhe nodded slightly. "I came to have a drink for welcoming the new colleague."

Someone immediately poured a drink and offered it to him, and everyone stood up to make room for him.

"No need." Qin Jianhe spoke softly. "I still have work."

Meaning he would leave after this drink.

Taking advantage of their conversation, Ye Zhiqiu lowered his head and refilled his glass.

"Thank you, Boss, for taking the time to come. It's an honor." He raised his glass with a smile toward Qin Jianhe.

"I'll drink mine; you can take it easy." Qin Jianhe said. "We have work tomorrow, don't drink too much."

With that, he raised his glass, lightly clinking it against Ye Zhiqiu's, and downed the drink.

Ye Zhiqiu also raised his glass, took a couple of sips, and Qin Jianhe laughed softly, "Enough."

Ye Zhiqiu put down his glass.

Beside him, Meng Da felt a headache coming on.

The boss had finished his drink, but Xiao Ye was slacking off.

Kids these days really needed some teaching.

This welcome party was different from usual ones.

Ye Zhiqiu's aura was too strong, and people had different motives. If they kept drinking, Meng Da worried Ye Zhiqiu might not even get out of bed tomorrow.

Taking advantage of the boss being there, Meng Da suggested, "Everyone's had plenty of social engagements during the holidays, and today is the first day back at work. For everyone's health, let's call it a night."

With the boss present, no one dared to object. Everyone cooperated, gathering their things and preparing to leave.

"I'll go ahead." Qin Jianhe said to Meng Da.

After the holiday, work had piled up like a mountain. He had indeed been busy all day and still had to return to work.

Ye Zhiqiu also found his phone and finally saw the messages and calls he had missed.

Eight out of ten were from Qi Xin.

"Qi Xin: Should I pick you up today?"

"Qi Xin: Xiao Qiu?"

"Qi Xin: Have you returned home? I didn't see you at your doorstep."

"Qi Xin: ..."

Ye Zhiqiu replied with a downward glance.

"Yi Ye Zhiqiu: The company held a welcome banquet for me, which just ended."

Qi Xin immediately replied.

"Qi Xin: Have you been drinking? I’ll come pick you up."

Ye Zhiqiu thought for a moment. Since he’d have to wait for a designated driver anyway, he might as well let Qi Xin come if he wanted to.

He got up and followed the crowd out. They exchanged a few pleasantries at the bar entrance before parting ways.

Walking down the street from the bar, ahead was the Q.L building. Ye Zhiqiu looked up and saw that the lights on the top floor were still on.

He paused in the cold wind for a moment before stepping toward Q.L.

Upon reaching the Design Department’s floor, Ye Zhiqiu realized that someone had also returned to work overtime there.

Q.L was indeed very busy.

Ye Zhiqiu couldn’t help but think of Q.L’s rule about not hiring students.

Working here could easily affect their studies.

Entering his office, Ye Zhiqiu sat quietly with his chin in his hand for quite a while.

Perhaps it was too quiet and too focused, making the warmth from the alcohol on his cheeks feel particularly distinct.

Suddenly, Ye Zhiqiu felt an urge to smoke.

He rummaged through his backpack for a while and finally found a pack of cigarettes and a lighter.

Then he stood up, holding the cigarette box and lighter, and walked out into the stairwell.

As he leaned against the wall and lit the cigarette, Ye Zhiqiu suddenly thought of something.

Why did he need to come out here to smoke when he had his own office?

But then again, it would prevent the smoke from lingering when others came in.

The red ember flickered as Ye Zhiqiu gazed absentmindedly at the grayish-white smoke.

After an unknown amount of time, a sound broke the silence; someone’s footsteps descended steadily from upstairs.

Ye Zhiqiu was startled and looked up.

However, the person didn’t come down, seeming to stop on the landing halfway up the stairs.

Then, Ye Zhiqiu heard a familiar click.

His alcohol-addled brain took two seconds to realize it was the sound of a lighter.

For some reason, he suddenly felt like laughing.

So Qin Jianhe had found him a feng shui spot; everyone was smoking here.

Curious, he stepped up a few stairs.

The motion sensor light turned on, and Ye Zhiqiu saw the tall figure.

Qin Jianhe was leaning against the window at the stairwell corner, quietly smoking with his eyes lowered.

Ye Zhiqiu: "…"

Qin Jianhe: "…"

There was an eerie silence in the stairwell for a few seconds.

A moment later, a faint smile slowly appeared in Qin Jianhe’s deep, dark eyes.

"Do you still want to take photos?" he asked, his voice low. "Didn’t you say you wanted to take them for ten years?"

Ye Zhiqiu was momentarily dazed before slowly realizing what he meant—whether he still wanted to take photos of him.

Indeed, it had been a long time since he last took his photo.