Chapter 49

Chapter 49

As the phone in his palm grew slightly warm, Ye Zhiqiu finally shifted his position.

He got up to tidy the cluttered fabrics and tools on his workbench, preparing to go out for a meal.

On the weekend, the entire corridor of the Design Department was exceptionally quiet.

Although a few people were there to work overtime, most offices were empty, making any sound particularly noticeable.

Ye Zhiqiu walked toward the elevator with his mind elsewhere. Just as he was about to turn the corner, he heard a door opening and closing behind him.

The sound wasn't small, and instinctively, he glanced back.

He saw a young, unfamiliar face just coming out of Zhou Lang's office.

Ye Zhiqiu had not been at Q.L for too long and usually spent most of his time working diligently.

But he was somewhat familiar with the faces in the Design Department.

And this person, he was certain he had never seen before.

Perhaps it was a colleague from another department, he thought.

Although it was odd that someone from another department would be in Zhou Lang's office on a weekend.

But it had nothing to do with Ye Zhiqiu, so he didn't give it much thought.

While waiting for the elevator, the man also entered the elevator bay.

Despite the spacious elevator bay, he stood right next to Ye Zhiqiu.

"Are you Ye Zhiqiu?" he asked.

"Mm." Ye Zhiqiu responded casually, looking up at the other person.

"You don't know who I am, do you?" the young man looked at Ye Zhiqiu, his gaze somewhat inscrutable.

Ye Zhiqiu's expression was calm, and his attire was simple.

Underneath a plain white coat, he wore a black high-neck sweater.

The neckline hugged his slender neck gracefully, appearing particularly elegant.

Judging by the material, it seemed to be the finest cashmere.

Though simple, the outfit did not diminish his presence.

Seeing Ye Zhiqiu up close, the young man couldn't help but show a hint of admiration in his eyes.

However, Ye Zhiqiu remained unmoved by the admiration in his eyes.

"Do I need to know who you are?" Ye Zhiqiu gave a light laugh, filled with sarcasm.

The other person looked good, but at best, he was on par with Qi Xin.

Having just experienced something better, Ye Zhiqiu wouldn't consider this kind of person worth his attention.

"Of course," the other person seemed to find it amusing.

Ye Zhiqiu disliked pretentiousness, especially since his mood was already poor.

Feeling like he could take on anyone, he certainly wouldn't be polite now.

"Is that so?" he glanced at the other person with a neutral expression, his tone sharp and biting, "I don't see why."

The elevator arrived, and he stepped inside without further acknowledgment.

"Let's get acquainted," the other person extended his hand, "I'm Qin Weian."

This name sounded familiar to Ye Zhiqiu, and he was sure he had heard it before.

In a different context, he might have remembered easily.

But since it didn't often appear in his life and he was currently distracted, he couldn't recall where he had heard it.

Seeing Ye Zhiqiu's slight hesitation, Qin Weian thought his name had finally impressed the other person and smiled smugly.

But soon, his smile froze.

"Qin Weian?" Ye Zhiqiu looked at him, "Sorry, I haven't heard of you, and I'm not interested."

From start to finish, he hadn't shaken the other person's hand.

Qin Weian: "..."

The elevator reached the ground floor, and as they stepped out, security personnel were patrolling.

Upon seeing Qin Weian, one of them greeted him, "Young Mr. Qin."

Ah~

Ye Zhiqiu finally understood why the name sounded familiar.

It was Qin Jianhe's unambitious younger brother.

Then, he recalled Qin Weian coming out of Zhou Lang's office.

Previously, he had learned that during Qin Weian's tenure at Q.L, Zhou Lang had once replaced Meng Da and become the head of the Design Department.

It seems the two of them get along quite well.

Even after the change in leadership, they still meet frequently, and within Q.L itself.

This suggests that behind Zhou Lang, there is likely support from Qin Xusheng as well.

"Ye Zhiqiu," seeing that Ye Zhiqiu remained silent, Qin Weian took the initiative to speak, "I've heard much about you. How about having dinner together?"

"Sorry," Ye Zhiqiu replied coolly, "it's not convenient."

Just as Qin Weian was about to say more, Ye Zhiqiu's phone suddenly rang, interrupting him.

Pausing slightly, Ye Zhiqiu casually pulled his phone out of his coat pocket.

It was Ye Hongxian again.

"Dad," he answered, lowering his gaze.

The sunlight outside was bright, and Ye Zhiqiu stopped at the entrance of Q.L, somewhat curious why Ye Hongxian, who usually didn't think about him for half a month, had called several times in one day.

"Why aren't you answering my calls?" Ye Hongxian began with an angry tone.

Ye Zhiqiu leaned lazily against the pillar outside the door, gesturing to Qin Weian to leave first.

"Alright, I'll go," Qin Weian said, but made no move to leave.

Before Ye Zhiqiu could respond, Qin Weian lowered his voice, "If there's a chance in the future, would it be an honor to have dinner with Professor Ye?"

Ye Zhiqiu was slightly annoyed but didn't want to continue this conversation, especially with Ye Hongxian on the phone.

Besides, whether there would be an opportunity wasn't entirely up to him.

Thus, he gave Qin Weian an "OK" gesture.

Satisfied with the answer, Qin Weian nodded at Ye Zhiqiu and politely left.

Qin Weian was dressed formally, in a suit, and behaved politely, but Ye Zhiqiu knew that beneath this proper appearance lay a beast in human clothing.

In his previous life, Ye Zhiqiu hadn't paid much attention to the Qin family's affairs.

But being a part of high society, gossip was inevitable, and he had heard some rumors.

He had no good feelings towards Qin Weian.

"I was working overtime," Ye Zhiqiu said, watching Qin Weian leave, "needed to focus, so I put my phone on silent. I just came out for lunch."

"Is there something you need?" he asked.

"What's going on with Qi Xin?" Ye Hongxian asked, "He came to the house last night, and now I see his car at the gate again?"

"I told you to keep your distance from him," Ye Hongxian lectured, "what's the point of keeping you two if you can't even do that?"

Perhaps because Ye Zhiqiu hadn't been answering his calls, Qi Xin dared not come to the company anymore, so he went to the house instead.

However, Ye Hongxian rarely stayed home on weekends, and it was just Qi Xin's bad luck to run into him twice.

"Aren't I keeping my distance?" Ye Zhiqiu laughed, "If I weren't, he'd be here eating with me instead of waiting at home."

Ye Zhiqiu's reasoning made sense, and Ye Hongxian was momentarily speechless.

"Just handle your own affairs properly," he finally said.

"Understood," Ye Zhiqiu replied, sounding overly obedient, which made it hard for Ye Hongxian to vent his anger.

Recently, Ye Ding's business had been struggling, and Ye Zhixia had been causing trouble at home, putting Ye Hongxian in a foul mood.

Encountering Qi Xin repeatedly today only worsened his temper.

Ye Hongxian was about to explode, but Ye Zhiqiu had been unusually compliant lately, making it difficult to scold him.

So, the harsh words on the tip of his tongue were ultimately not spoken.

Upstairs, Tao Ruoqing turned around with a cold face after seeing Ye Hongxian drive away, looking at Ye Zhixia.

At the last celebration party, Tao Ruoqing had secretly let Ye Zhixia out.

Unfortunately, that night, Ye Hongxian unexpectedly returned home.

Finding Ye Zhixia gone, he flew into a rage and severely reprimanded Tao Ruoqing.

Since then, Ye Zhixia had not been allowed out again.

"Ye Zhiqiu is moving out," Tao Ruoqing said coldly, "all because of you."

"If he moves out, he moves out. Didn't you want him to leave all along?" Ye Zhixia sneered, "Why? Now you're feeling sentimental?"

"Speak properly, don't be sarcastic," Tao Ruoqing scolded coldly.

"What?" Ye Zhixia continued sarcastically, "Now that Ye Zhiqiu is moving out and won't be under your control, are you planning to control me?"

Tao Ruoqing: "..."

Tao Ruoqing felt her heart ache with anger.

"Look at yourself," Ye Zhixia continued.

"Even Baiyou, that lowlife, got a role as the second lead in a movie. You keep me locked up, preventing me from meeting Gao Wenye, going to school, or getting any roles," Ye Zhixia threw her phone at Tao Ruoqing, "Don't you know how Ye Zhiqiu's friends used to mock me? Are you trying to make me look even worse?"

Tao Ruoqing's heart turned cold.

"Xia Xia," she asked, "Mom will ask you one more question. Are you absolutely certain about Gao Wenye for the rest of your life?"

"Yes," Ye Zhixia said without any hesitation.

Tao Ruoqing laughed, her heart instantly turning to ashes.

She never imagined that despite her rational and calculated life, she would have a child who was so emotionally driven.

"On this matter, your father will definitely not agree," Tao Ruoqing said. "So, even if you are expelled from the Ye family and lose your inheritance rights, you won't regret it?"

Being expelled from the Ye family did not scare Ye Zhixia, but losing his inheritance rights made him hesitate.

Throughout his life, Tao Ruoqing had always groomed him as the ultimate heir of the Ye family.

Everything in the Ye family belonged to him; it was a deeply ingrained belief in his mind.

Moreover, based on his understanding of Gao Wenye, he had already vaguely sensed that Gao Wenye initially accepted him because of his background.

Ye Zheng, who shared the same mother but different father, was not Ye Hongxian's biological son and thus could not inherit the Ye family business.

If he thoroughly angered Ye Hongxian, the only beneficiary would be Ye Zhiqiu.

Thinking about the humble messages Gao Wenye sent to Ye Zhiqiu, Ye Zhixia clenched his fists with red eyes.

Whether for himself or for Gao Wenye, the Ye family's assets must remain in his hands.

"Also," Tao Ruoqing continued, "if one day, Ye Zhiqiu finds someone a hundred times better than Gao Wenye, will you regret it?"

From childhood, Ye Zhixia had always been overshadowed by Ye Zhiqiu in appearance.

Therefore, he was even more competitive in other aspects.

Outdoing Ye Zhiqiu had become an instinct deeply rooted in his genes.

But this time, Tao Ruoqing's words only elicited a sneer from Ye Zhixia.

"Don't worry," he said with a cold smile, "apart from Qi Xin, who else could he find?"

Moreover, he did not believe Ye Zhiqiu could find someone better than Gao Wenye.

The higher up the social ladder, the less freedom people had in marriage.

The reason he still had choices was that Tao Ruoqing had meticulously prepared for him over the years.

Although Ye Zhiqiu had many suitors, most of them were only after his beauty.

Entering into marriage was not easy.

This was why Ye Zhiqiu never paid attention to those people.

Over the years, the only one who truly caught his eye was Qi Xin.

But even that was arranged by Tao Ruoqing...

Thinking about this, Ye Zhixia couldn't help but laugh.

However, Tao Ruoqing was far from optimistic.

She frowned slightly, looking at Qi Xin's car in the distance, feeling something was off.

Last night, Ye Zhiqiu did call back saying he would work overnight.

Today, she had called him no less than three times, but none of them were answered.

Now, before he even moved out, she felt like a kite cut loose.

This made her restless.

"Qi Xin being afraid of him is not a good sign," Tao Ruoqing said after a moment of silence.

However, Ye Zhixia was completely unconcerned.

Thinking about the bottle of medicine he gave Qi Xin, he was confident.

"Mom, you're too impatient," Ye Zhixia said. "It's just the beginning. Qi Xin still needs to coax him. Once he gets hooked, things will be different."

Ye Zhixia had a point.

And their original plan was indeed such.

Tao Ruoqing turned around.

"The issues with Ye Zhiqiu are not problems," Ye Zhixia said. "What's important now is me."

Seeing Tao Ruoqing looking at him without speaking, Ye Zhixia slowly said, "If you can't help me, I'd rather die."

Last time, he threatened her with photos of him and Gao Wenye in bed. Now, he was using his own life.

Tao Ruoqing felt anger, resentment, and helplessness, wishing she could slap Ye Zhixia to make him come to his senses.

She took a deep breath, and the room fell into an eerie silence.

Ye Zhixia would never actually die.

A mother knows her son best, and Tao Ruoqing knew this well.

But even so, the threat posed by his words was significant.

Even if he was just putting on a show to achieve his goals, once things got out of hand, the secret she had kept for years might no longer be hidden.

Growing up, Tao Ruoqing always appeared to dote on Ye Zhiqiu the most, but in fact, the one she protected the best was always Ye Zhixia.

Therefore, Ye Zhixia had rarely suffered any major injuries.

Even when it came to choosing roles for him, she carefully selected characters that would never put him in danger.

Over the years, Ye Zhixia had, of course, been injured and fallen ill, but thanks to Ye Hongxian's irresponsible nature, it was always her and Uncle Wang who took him to the hospital.

So naturally, Ye Hongxian had never seen his medical reports.

But suicide is different.

No matter how angry, irresponsible, or resentful Ye Hongxian was...

He would certainly go to the hospital and pay attention to every detail.

Unable to help herself, Tao Ruoqing rubbed her temples again.

"You arrange a meeting with Gao Wenye," she said, "I want to talk to him."

"What for?" Hearing this, Ye Zhixia looked at her warily.

The child she loved the most now looked at her as if she were an enemy.

Tao Ruoqing felt a deep ache in her heart.

"Even if your mother can fulfill your wishes," Tao Ruoqing said, "it must be after I meet with Gao Wenye."

Ye Zhixia watched her cautiously. After a long while, the tension in his expression finally eased slightly.

"Gao Wenye I want," he said, "and I also want the Ye family's assets."

"Mom, teach me," his tone softened, "what should I do?"

Tao Ruoqing turned around and looked far out the window.

"No matter what you think, first keep a distance from Gao Wenye," she said, "then listen to your mother and meet those young men she approved of, make friends, and put on a show for your father..."

Suddenly, Qi Xin's car downstairs started up and turned away.

Tao Ruoqing paused instinctively, then continued, "First put on a show for your father, and I promise the Ye family's business will be in your hands."

*

Receiving Ye Zhiqiu's call, Qi Xin was overjoyed.

"I didn't expect to run into Uncle Ye," Qi Xin said while driving, "Xiao Qiu, I really, really want to become strong enough for Uncle Ye to willingly entrust you to me."

"No," Ye Zhiqiu interrupted, "I am not anyone's possession, neither my father's nor yours."

"Sorry," Qi Xin immediately apologized, "that wasn't what I meant."

"I'm going to eat now," Ye Zhiqiu said, "you can order something when you get here."

"Okay," Qi Xin said, "I'll let you know when I arrive."

Recently, the clothing designs Ye Zhiqiu created have gradually gained influence since their release.

Not only have retail sales increased rapidly, but many wholesalers have also begun contacting them through the platform.

Among them, some were small brands that Qi Xin had known about for a long time.

Once negotiations were finalized, the order quantities would be substantial.

This could potentially bring in the first significant earnings for Qi Yun since its establishment.

What surprised Qi Xin the most was a brand with considerable influence in the mid-range market.

They hoped Qi Yun could provide more new designs to facilitate their first collaboration.

In theory, Qi Xin studied fashion design too, but compared to Ye Zhiqiu's designs, he lacked confidence.

That's why he was so eager to find Ye Zhiqiu recently; it wasn't just because he wanted to see him, but mainly due to this issue.

He knew Ye Zhiqiu was busy and didn't dare to visit his company, but since he wouldn't answer calls, he had no choice but to wait for him.

However, no matter how many times, Ye Hongxian's attitude was always a huge blow to him.

When he arrived, Ye Zhiqiu was finishing up, holding a bowl of soup and sipping the last bit.

There were leftovers on the table, and Qi Xin didn't order anything else, simply picking up the chopsticks and eating.

While eating, he recounted the situation.

"I know you're busy," he said, "but this opportunity is really important for us."

"Xiao Qiu," Qi Xin paused, "I really want your father to acknowledge me and our relationship."

"Finish eating first." Ye Zhiqiu smiled faintly, "Actually, I called you here to tell you not to wait for me at the Ye residence anymore."

"But I..." Qi Xin hesitated.

He couldn't find Ye Zhiqiu anywhere.

Calls went unanswered, and he got angry last time at the company, and now he was upset about waiting at home.

Ultimately, it was because his career wasn't developing well enough.

Without mentioning Q.L, if Qi Yun could achieve the same level as VIA, he believed Ye Hongxian would not treat him like this.

The new products of VIA still largely consist of designs Ye Zhiqiu created before he left.

Additionally, Sun Wei has discovered two rather talented designers, and the collaboration with Meilan has further bolstered their efforts...

Now, VIA has firmly established itself and is steadily on the rise.

This is the miracle Ye Zhiqiu created.

And now, the sales figures on the operational platform, along with the increasing attention on Qi Yun, all indicate that Ye Zhiqiu can bring about miracles for Qi Yun as well.

Qi Xin was originally full of ambition.

But now, Ye Zhiqiu's attitude felt like a bucket of cold water dumped over his head, immediately dampening his appetite.

He put down his chopsticks and silently looked at Ye Zhiqiu.

The window in the private room was large, and Ye Zhiqiu sat by it.

The sunlight shone on him, making his fair skin almost translucent.

At this moment, he rested his cheek on his hand, slightly lowering his eyes, lost in thought, not looking at Qi Xin.

"Xiao Qiu..." Qi Xin called out cautiously.

"Hmm." Ye Zhiqiu raised his eyes. "Sorry, I'm a bit tired."

"Tired where?" Qi Xin asked.

Tired everywhere, but especially his waist and legs. Thinking about Qin Jianhe's ferocity last night, Ye Zhiqiu couldn't help but smile.

Young people who couldn't handle a little teasing were truly amusing.

"My legs," he said.

"Let me massage them for you?" Hearing this, Qi Xin immediately stood up and humbly squatted beside Ye Zhiqiu.

Ye Zhiqiu looked down amusedly, meeting Qi Xin's passionate and sincere gaze.

"Sure." He said, kicking off his shoes and changing his posture. "Start with my feet."

His feet were wrapped in white socks, and their shape was particularly attractive.

Due to his posture, a section of his pale calf was exposed.

Qi Xin: "..."

Qi Xin unconsciously swallowed.

Without saying anything else, he quietly took one of Ye Zhiqiu's feet into his hands, recalling the techniques used by the masseuse when he had a foot massage, and began to earnestly rub Ye Zhiqiu's feet.

Surprisingly, it was quite comfortable.

Ye Zhiqiu leaned back against the chair.

The warm sunlight made him close his eyes slightly.

Qi Xin squatted by his feet, and after an unknown amount of time, Ye Zhiqiu finally lifted his foot slightly.

"My legs," he said, then added, "Just the calves."

Just the calves...

As he said this, a mix of malice and satisfaction surged within him.

Last night, the calves Qi Xin was now massaging were held by another man, swinging with every movement.

Sweat dripped, passion ignited.

It was similar to how, in his past life, Qi Xin would come home from fooling around outside and have him wash clothes, cook meals, and undress him...

Ye Zhiqiu felt there was a certain irony in the situation.

Subconsciously, a faint smile crept across his lips.

"Two sets," he said, "That's fine."