Chapter 51

Chapter 51

From the start of the Spring Festival until now, Ye Zhiqiu had been busy without a moment's rest.

At this moment, everything was finally settled, and as he breathed a sigh of relief, he couldn't help but feel a bit tired.

It seemed that even the backpack in his hand suddenly felt heavier.

Voices could be heard from inside the room, and Ye Zheng's voice faintly came through.

"Yes," he said, "given the condition of this equipment, the price should still be negotiable."

Hearing this, Ye Zhiqiu paused for a moment, recalling how in his previous life, Ye Hongxian had purchased outdated equipment discarded by others to enter the new energy battery industry.

At that time, the factory area where Yun Kai is now located was rented by Huo Jun to Ye Hongxian and converted into a production site for battery cathodes.

And indeed, the Ye family did reap some benefits from it.

Although the equipment was old and the output low, just like the diaphragm industry and the charging pile industry, there were always some crumbs left for the smaller players after the big fish had their fill.

However, those benefits had nothing to do with Ye Zhiqiu.

At that time, he had already completely fallen out with Ye Hongxian.

Soon after, he was expelled from the Ye family by Ye Hongxian.

Although now, his relationship with Ye Hongxian is still not good, compared to the previous life, it is a world apart.

In the previous life, due to Tao Ruoqing's deliberate manipulation and Qi Xin's influence, his relationship with Ye Hongxian was at its worst.

So bad that he never believed Ye Hongxian would regret kicking him out of the house.

And he, even when he later fell into destitution, never considered coming back to bow to Ye Hongxian.

Later, as technology advanced further, the structure of new energy batteries underwent a complete transformation, forcing Ye Hongxian to phase out his old equipment.

But fortunately, that old equipment did earn money for the Ye family.

For a wealthy family, it might not have been much, but for the Ye family, it was enough.

So, Tao Ruoqing dismantled the swing set in the courtyard and built a tea pavilion, inviting those ladies over for tea and card games every few days.

Later on, when Ye Hongxian's health deteriorated, Ye Zhixia officially took over "Ye Ding."

From that day on, Ye Zhiqiu no longer had a "home."

Ye Zhiqiu stood quietly outside the corridor, pondering the date today.

It was just early March.

Perhaps Yun Kai's sudden appearance had put immense pressure on Ye Hongxian.

In this life, Ye Hongxian decided to buy the equipment three months earlier than in the previous life.

This was why, when Yun Kai signed the contract with New Power, Ye Zhiqiu specifically requested that the details of the cooperation not be made public.

Once revealed, Ye Hongxian might reassess the value of this equipment.

He might even abandon the plan to transform.

Initially, Ye Zhiqiu thought that if New Power's research progressed too quickly, it might also affect Ye Hongxian's decision.

But now, it seems as though even fate is helping him...

Ye Zhiqiu lifted his foot, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Oh, young master is back." As soon as he entered, Aunt Zhao saw him.

"It's rare for you to come home for a meal today," Aunt Zhao smiled, wiping her hands. "Madam sent someone to buy the freshest bass early this morning; we're having fish hotpot for lunch today."

"Good," Ye Zhiqiu smiled. "Thank you, Aunt Zhao."

"The whole family has been waiting for you." Seeing him appear, even amidst his busy schedule, Ye Hongxian couldn't resist turning around to jab at him.

From yesterday to today, Ye Hongxian seemed to have spent most of his time at home.

Even without asking, Ye Zhiqiu knew that he must have grown tired of his current mistress again.

Ye Zhiqiu laughed lightly, not taking his words to heart, and instead turned to look at Ye Zhixia on the sofa.

In the past few days, whenever Ye Hongxian was at home, Ye Zhixia wasn't even allowed to come downstairs for meals.

But now, he was sitting here, and Ye Hongxian was ignoring him.

Clearly, they had finally reached some sort of agreement.

Although Ye Zhixia had been allowed to come downstairs, he probably received a scolding from Ye Hongxian before being released. His face didn't look good.

Seeing Ye Zhiqiu enter, he quickly turned his head away.

Seeing this, Ye Zhiqiu couldn't help but recall carefully.

Growing up, the two of them had fought countless times.

Of course, because they were close in age, they also had many intimate moments together.

This was the first time Ye Zhixia had shown such a determined stance against him.

Clearly, Gao Wenye was indeed his Achilles' heel.

In the previous life, Ye Zhiqiu always thought that Ye Zhixia schemed against him with Gao Wenye merely to help her birth mother.

But now he understood that things were not as he had imagined.

The reason Ye Zhixia schemed against him was partly to cooperate with Tao Ruoqing, but most importantly, he hated him.

Perhaps this hatred began accumulating from childhood, when Ye Zhiqiu always stole the spotlight, and later, when everyone he liked also liked Ye Zhiqiu.

And Gao Wenye was just the final trigger that made it impossible for him to hide his hatred any longer.

No matter what Gao Wenye did, even if he gave his heart to Ye Zhixia, Ye Zhixia would still hate him.

This was inevitable; they were destined to be enemies.

If in the previous life Ye Zhiqiu still harbored resentment over this matter, now he no longer cared.

"Ye Zhixia," he said with a smile, "you're down."

This sentence sounded gentle, but both Ye Zhiqiu and Ye Zhixia knew it was a blatant provocation.

Perhaps fearing that Ye Zhixia might act impulsively and ruin the hard-won situation, Tao Ruoqing subtly held his clenched fist.

"Xiao Qiu," she said, changing the subject with a smile, "we were just talking about your boss's love gossip. Did you see it on the way here?"

"Mm." Ye Zhiqiu nodded, smiling slightly. "Talking about how well they match, right?"

"Who wouldn't say so?" Tao Ruoqing laughed joyfully. "Thank goodness, from now on, those ladies won't bother me anymore asking about your information."

With Qin Jianhe's scandal, apart from Qin Xusheng, Tao Ruoqing was probably the happiest.

Previously, Ye Hongxian had repeatedly hinted that he hoped Ye Zhiqiu could get close to Qin Jianhe.

Given the Ye family's background and status, Tao Ruoqing didn't believe there was much hope for that.

But Ye Zhiqiu's looks were indeed too good, which made her somewhat uneasy.

Now, she felt relieved.

Compared to this, what did the ladies' gossip matter?

Hearing this, Ye Zhiqiu hadn't spoken yet when Ye Hongxian interrupted impatiently.

"Enough, enough," he frowned irritably. "You can't stop talking about one thing. A rumor with a female celebrity, and you take it seriously? Why aren't you usually this naive?"

"Qunqun is not an ordinary celebrity; her family background is excellent." Although still not looking at Ye Zhiqiu, Ye Zhixia finally turned his head.

Hearing this, Ye Hongxian glared at him fiercely. "What do you know?"

Ye Zhixia: "..."

Suppressing the urge to roll his eyes, Ye Zhixia turned away angrily again.

"Come on, why bother with others?" Seeing this, Ye Zhiqiu laughed and casually threw his coat and backpack aside, sitting down at the dining table. "I've been craving Aunt Zhao's fish hotpot. Having it before leaving will definitely boost my spirits along the way."

"People change once they start working," Aunt Zhao said happily. "Young Master has been speaking so pleasantly lately."

Hearing this, Ye Hongxian involuntarily glanced at Ye Zhiqiu.

Honestly, he also found Ye Zhiqiu's words more pleasant than before.

Most importantly, he seemed to no longer argue with him as he used to.

Could it be that his rebellious phase is over? Ye Hongxian wondered.

"Dad," noticing his gaze, Ye Zhiqiu took the initiative to pick up his chopsticks and put Ye Hongxian's favorite beef tail into the pot. "I placed the beef tail in the clear soup for you."

Ye Hongxian: "..."

It was like seeing the sun rise from the west.

"Hmph..." Seeing Ye Zhiqiu fawning over Ye Hongxian, Ye Zhixia sneered. "Suck-up."

Hearing this, Ye Zhiqiu didn't respond as he usually did, only smiling faintly and lowering his eyes.

It was as if the roles had suddenly switched.

Before, it was always Ye Zhiqiu who talked back, and Ye Zhixia who fawned over.

Every time Ye Zhiqiu talked back, and Ye Zhixia fawned over, it was like pouring oil on fire, causing Ye Hongxian to explode.

Ye Hongxian never took responsibility for his children.

He always lashed out indiscriminately.

Hearing Ye Zhixia's words, Ye Hongxian's face immediately turned cold.

"What are you saying?" He frowned at Ye Zhixia. "Keep acting like this, and go back upstairs to reflect!"

Seeing Ye Zhixia sulking without speaking, Ye Hongxian became even angrier. "Have you apologized to your brother for what happened earlier?"

Ye Zhiqiu smiled, adding fuel to the fire. "No need, Dad. He's younger; I should let him be."

"Listen to this, listen to this," Ye Hongxian pointed at Ye Zhixia's nose. "Listen to how sensible your brother is. You're not much younger than him, why are you acting like a barbarian?"

Then he turned to Tao Ruoqing. "Doing nothing all day at home, not even teaching the child properly."

Tao Ruoqing: "..."

Seeing his mother and brother being scolded, Ye Zheng calmly looked at Ye Zhixia. "Apologize to Xiao Qiu."

Ye Zhixia's eyes reddened as she glared hatefully at Ye Zhiqiu.

Tao Ruoqing lowered her eyes without showing any emotion and kicked him under the table, not too hard or too soft.

Perhaps truly afraid of being locked up again, Ye Zhixia stayed quiet for a while before finally speaking: "I'm sorry."

The tone was more like demanding a debt than an apology.

Hearing this, Ye Zhiqiu laughed.

Ye Zhixia, feeling both shame and anger, was about to flip the table when she felt Tao Ruoqing and Ye Zheng each grab one of her hands from either side.

"Brothers," Ye Zhiqiu said with a smile, "there's no need to be so distant."

It seemed they had passed this hurdle.

But for some reason, Ye Zhixia felt that Ye Zhiqiu's words carried some hidden meaning, making her uneasy.

"Let's put this matter to rest," Ye Hongxian said, not really caring about the squabbles of children, just going through the motions, "as brothers, you should get along well in the future."

Ye Zhiqiu and Ye Zhixia both responded with a "yes," and the family could finally eat in peace.

Aunt Zhao was skilled at making fish hotpot. The twin pots, one white and one red, steamed and filled the air with their aroma.

Ye Zhiqiu preferred the spicy broth and sat on the red soup side, but during the meal, his gaze involuntarily drifted to the bubbling white soup.

For some reason, he recalled the pot of chicken soup Qin Jianhe had made that morning.

That pot of soup must have been simmered for a long time; it was creamy white, with all the floating oil carefully removed.

Ye Zhiqiu remembered drinking two bowls in one go.

Occasionally, messages came in on his phone.

Jin Baobao and others were chatting in the group, planning a farewell party for Ye Zhiqiu, and there were also entertainment news updates, mostly speculating about the past connections between Qin Jianhe and Zhang Qunqun.

One by one, they acted like wise men after the fact, talking confidently.

Ye Zhiqiu glanced at a couple of messages while eating, finding them boring and slightly annoying.

So when the phone beeped again, he irritably unlocked the screen, intending to turn it off.

But this time, it wasn't a detailed analysis of their relationship, but rather an official statement from Zhang Qunqun's side.

Ye Zhiqiu paused his hand from turning off the phone.

Even though he knew such statements from celebrities might not be entirely trustworthy, he still clicked back in.

Zhang Qunqun's statement was official and simple.

Apart from clarifying that there was no romantic relationship with Qin Jianhe, she also announced her next movie.

The statement humorously read: "Just discussing business, but thanks everyone for building hype for our movie early."

After reading it, Ye Zhiqiu lowered his eyes and thought for a moment.

Instinctively, he went back to check if Qin Jianhe had made any statements.

Though he didn't know Qin Jianhe's Weibo account or whether it was him or the PR department making the statements.

But if he wanted to look, the trending topics would lead him there.

However, just as he returned to the homepage, a new message popped up in his chat app.

Sender: QIN.

Ye Zhiqiu pursed his lips and opened the chat app.

Ignoring the messages from Jin Baobao and Li Shaojun in the group, he directly opened the chat with Qin Jianhe.

"QIN: Just posted the statement, image.jpg"

Ye Zhiqiu: "…"

His fingers tightened slightly around the phone, feeling an inexplicable awkwardness.

Why did Qin Jianhe send it specifically to him?

He didn't mind, did he?

And besides, he had eyes and could see it himself.

"Xiao Qiu, eat." Ye Zheng placed a piece of mutton on his plate. "If you don't eat now, there won't be any left for you."

"Thanks, Brother." Ye Zhiqiu smiled and looked up.

"What are you looking at so intently?" Ye Zheng asked.

"Oh," Ye Zhiqiu waved his phone, "Zhang Qunqun just sent a message to clarify rumors, saying she was only discussing business with my boss."

He chuckled. "The company group is lively, so I took a few extra looks."

Hearing this, Tao Ruoqing's chopsticks paused.

Ye Zhiqiu understood and smiled again. "But, you know, celebrity statements often contain a lot of water."

He looked at Ye Zhixia. "If Ye Zhixia were dating someone, she probably wouldn't be able to announce it right away for career reasons."

Despite her reluctance, Ye Zhixia had to admit that Ye Zhiqiu was right.

After all, even if he couldn't wait to go public with Gao Wenye, the agency would never agree.

"That's true," Tao Ruoqing thought for a moment and then smiled. "They're such a perfect match, it would be a shame if they weren't together."

Ye Zhiqiu smiled and continued eating without changing his expression.

After lunch, just as he was about to head upstairs, Ye Zheng called out to him, "Xiao Qiu."

"Hmm?" Ye Zhiqiu turned around with a smile. "Brother, what is it?"

"I'll take you to the airport tomorrow," said Ye Zheng.

"No need," Ye Zhiqiu smiled. "Isn't Uncle Wang available?"

"Since this is your first long trip away, I don't trust anyone else," Ye Zheng insisted.

Ye Zhiqiu didn't say anything for a moment, then nodded. "Alright."

He asked, "Won't it interfere with your work? I heard you talking to Dad about buying equipment."

"It won't," Ye Zheng said. "Nothing is more important than family."

Ye Zhiqiu looked at him for a moment and then nodded. "Thanks, Brother."

He added, "I'm going upstairs now."

"Go ahead," Ye Zheng said. "You've been busy, so rest well today."

Resting wasn't an option; Ye Zhiqiu still had to finish Qi Xin's two sets of designs today.

Abroad, he not only had his own show to prepare but also needed to visit other brands and designers' shows.

He didn't want to, nor did he plan to give any time or energy to Qi Xin.

Moreover, this was the first time since his rebirth that he would live in an environment without Tao Ruoqing, Qi Xin, and Tang Yue.

No more acting, no more worrying about slipping up...

Even though the workload would be heavy, it should be much more relaxed compared to life in the capital.

His luggage was mostly packed last night, and Ye Zhiqiu did some final checks.

Two large suitcases leaned against the wall in his bedroom—one contained his personal items, and the other held the recently completed backup designs and cut fabrics for the show.

In addition, there were tools aplenty to ensure he could handle any situation.

With everything settled, Ye Zhiqiu's gaze unconsciously fell on a handbag atop the wardrobe.

Inside was the outfit he had worn from Qin Jianhe's place.

Thinking of Qin Jianhe, he remembered the message he had sent.

Ye Zhiqiu reopened the chat app and clicked into the conversation with Qin Jianhe.

He hadn't replied, and neither had Qin Jianhe sent another message.

His fingers hovered over the screen for a moment before Ye Zhiqiu finally typed a few words.

"One Leaf Knows Autumn: Yes, I saw it."

He hit send, then exited and entered the group chat.

Seeing he hadn't replied, the group was filled with messages for "Master Qiu."

"Fortune Bringer: Master Qiu?"

"Le Le: Master Qiu?"

"Lishaow: Master Qiu?"

Ye Zhiqiu pursed his lips, feeling a release of tension, and finally smiled.

"One Leaf Knows Autumn: No need for a farewell party. I have things to handle tonight, but I'll bring back gifts for you. Let me know what you want."

"Lishaow: Master Qiu, why don't I take care of you from now on? You're busier than a president!"

"Fortune Bringer: Help me look for trendy accessories abroad to reference for my parents' new products."

"Le Le: Whatever, it's fine if you don't bring gifts given how busy you are."

"One Leaf Knows Autumn: Noted. Except for baby, no gifts for the other two."

"Lishaow: ... I'm worried sick about you, and you exclude me from the gifts. You really have guts."

"Le Le: It's okay if I don't get one."

"Lishaow: I want a gaming console or a motorcycle."

"One Leaf Knows Autumn: ... Got it."

"One Leaf Knows Autumn: I need to get back to work."

The group erupted with more comments, but Ye Zhiqiu ignored them and opened his computer to start drawing.

These two design drafts for Qi Xin were crucial—they needed to significantly boost sales and gain influence.

It was time to elevate Qi Yun.

Ye Zhiqiu lowered his eyes, holding the brush as he slowly sketched on the PAD.

Soon, simple lines appeared on the computer screen, but as time passed, those lines became increasingly elegant. Stroke by stroke, the outline of a dress quickly took shape.

The room was very quiet, with only the occasional sound of wind from outside. The sunlight shifted from directly in front of the windows to a corner of the sill...

The sky darkened.

As the sky darkened, the meeting finally came to an official end.

The moment he stepped out of the conference room, Qin Jianhe unlocked his phone and entered the chat with Ye Zhiqiu.

There was only one reply, a simple four-character message with two common punctuation marks.

"Ye Zhiqiu: Yeah, I saw it."

Qin Jianhe stared at those words for a moment, unable to imagine Ye Zhiqiu's tone and expression when he said them.

He didn't reply further, instead exiting to join the nearby group chat of four people.

Ever since Zhang Qunqun and he were photographed at noon, the group chat had been buzzing.

Even after both sides issued statements and up until now, the chatter showed no signs of stopping.

"Yu Renzhi: Wow, guys, did you see the trending news?"

"Wang Qitang: It's everywhere; you can't miss it."

"Yu Renzhi: @Qin Jianhe, tell us what happened? How did you end up with Zhang Qunqun? What are you going to do about the little beauty?"

"Wang Qitang: He and Zhang Qunqun never got along even as kids, so it's impossible now."

"Yu Renzhi: That's probably for the best."

"Meng Qingyan: ..."

"..."

Qin Jianhe lowered his eyes, quickly scrolling through the chat history, skimming over the messages.

When he walked onto the sky bridge again, he paused slightly, letting the wind blow against his face.

"Mr. Qin." Qin Jianhe's strides were long, and Zhou Tongxin hurried behind him, almost failing to stop in time.

"You go back first," Qin Jianhe said calmly.

Today's misunderstanding...

Zhou Tongxin didn't dare say much and left with the documents.

Leaning against the railing, Qin Jianhe slightly lowered his gaze.

A moment later, he typed a message on the screen.

"Qin Jianhe: Why is it best not to be with Zhang Qunqun? Is she not good enough? @Yu Renzhi"

As soon as he appeared, the group chat, which had calmed down a bit, exploded again.

"Wang Qitang: Meeting over? When are you coming back?"

"Meng Qingyan: You guys are amazing. Our team was planning to announce the cast today, but your commotion scared us off, forcing us to reschedule."

"Yu Renzhi: Because if you choose Zhang Qunqun, I'll chase after the little beauty. Then we might end up fighting, dog head.jpg."

"..."

The wind was strong by the sea, and Qin Jianhe seemed to laugh softly, a low chuckle that was instantly carried away by the wind.

He lowered his head to reply.

"Qin Jianhe: Then you might not see tomorrow's sun."

*

At around three o'clock in the morning, Ye Zhiqiu attached two design drafts to an email and sent them to Qi Xin.

After sleeping for four hours, his door was knocked on, and Ye Zheng came to call him for breakfast.

Ye Zhiqiu got up, washed up, and went downstairs with Ye Zheng, each carrying a large suitcase.

After having breakfast together, Tao Ruoqing gave numerous instructions before Ye Zheng personally drove Ye Zhiqiu to the airport.

When he was busy, he was fully focused and didn't feel tired, but now that the car was moving, Ye Zhiqiu immediately felt sleepy.

"Didn't sleep well last night?" Ye Zheng asked.

"Mm." Ye Zhiqiu lazily leaned into the seat, responding half-heartedly, "I had insomnia."

"Insomnia or just didn't sleep?" Ye Zheng asked, "Your light seemed to be on all night."

"I drew two design drafts for Qi Xin last night," Ye Zhiqiu smiled, deciding to be honest.

"Dad doesn't want you to associate with him," Ye Zheng asked, "you should listen to him."

"What's wrong with him?" Hearing this, Ye Zhiqiu's eyes immediately widened, "He works hard, is ambitious, and treats me well. Why can't Dad accept him?"

Seeing his agitation, Ye Zheng pursed his lips and remained silent.

"He just needs a little help with his career. With my support, he'll get better soon."

Ye Zhiqiu's expression changed rapidly. Just moments ago, he was indignant, but now he smiled innocently, full of hope.

"Then Dad will surely look at him differently."

At the traffic lights, Ye Zheng stopped the car.

He did not continue to comment on the matter but asked, "Can't you move out?"

"Sooner or later, we'll have to move out," Ye Zhiqiu said with a smile, looking at Ye Zheng. "Brother, we've grown up."

The car fell silent until the green light came on again, and Ye Zheng nodded. "You're right."

Ye Zheng was actually quite different from Tao Ruoqing and Ye Zhixia.

In his previous life, he hadn't directly harmed Ye Zhiqiu much.

However, he continuously helped Ye Ding accumulate wealth, doing everything possible to ensure Tao Ruoqing and Ye Zhixia had no worries.

This was equally unforgivable.

Ye Zhiqiu knew that what he just said would soon reach Tao Ruoqing's ears.

If the words he exchanged with Zhou Hao last time could have any effect, then this time, Qi Xin would likely seek investment from Tao Ruoqing again.

Ye Zheng could continuously provide Tao Ruoqing with private funds, but unfortunately, he also had ways to drain her completely.

The car soon arrived at the airport, and Ye Zheng accompanied Ye Zhiqiu into the departure hall.

Only one or two of the participating designers had arrived, but almost all the accompanying assistants were there, chatting excitedly together.

Gao Yang and Wang Ru were among them.

Seeing Ye Zhiqiu, they immediately stepped out of the crowd and hurried over, each taking a suitcase.

"Brother, you can go back now," Ye Zhiqiu said with a smile, looking at Ye Zheng.

"I'll wait until you board," Ye Zheng said.

"I'm not a child anymore," Ye Zhiqiu smiled.

Seeing Gao Yang and Wang Ru watching curiously, Ye Zheng also smiled and ruffled Ye Zhiqiu's hair.

"Then I'll head back first," he said. "Remember to call home if anything happens."

As soon as Ye Zheng left, Meng Da, Zhou Lang, and the other two designers also arrived.

Meng Da raised his boarding pass, about to count the people, when a small commotion arose in the crowd.

Following everyone's gaze, he saw Qin Jianhe walking over from a distance.

"Oh, Mr. Qin," Meng Da hurried over. "Why are you here?"

"Just happened to be nearby," Qin Jianhe smiled faintly. "I came to see you off."

"This is a first. You guys are really making an impression," Meng Da said with a laugh to the group.

The crowd erupted in excited chatter.

Qin Jianhe smiled slightly and took a few steps forward, his gaze subtly sweeping over the team.

When his eyes met Ye Zhiqiu's smiling ones, his lips curled up.

"Thank you for your hard work," he said with a smile.

Unlike his usual corporate image, he was dressed casually today.

Young, handsome, yet approachable.

Everyone laughed. "Not at all, not at all."

Gao Yang chimed in, "Mr. Qin, I've been looking forward to going abroad for a long time."

More laughter filled the air.

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

"Mr. Qin, you still need to get back to the company, right?" Meng Da asked.

"Yes," Qin Jianhe nodded, his gaze subtly passing over Ye Zhiqiu. "I'll leave right away."

"Rest assured," Meng Da assured him. "We will definitely return with great success, meeting the expectations of our leaders."

Qin Jianhe nodded with a smile, glancing at his watch.

There were about twenty minutes before boarding.

Instinctively, he looked at Ye Zhiqiu again.

"Wish you all a smooth journey," he said.

"Got it, Mr. Qin," Meng Da said, handing the list to an assistant. "I'll see Mr. Qin out. You check the names and see if anyone is missing."

As Qin Jianhe's coat disappeared behind the large Roman pillars of the airport, Ye Zhiqiu smiled and looked away.

"Hey, this is our first trip, and the leader personally came to see us off. What do you think that means?" Gao Yang was asking Wang Ru.

"What does it mean?" Wang Ru asked.

"It means everything will go smoothly," Gao Yang exclaimed, clapping his hands.

Ye Zhiqiu's phone vibrated in his pocket, and he pulled it out to check.

QIN: "Come to the restroom on the west side of the waiting hall."

Ye Zhiqiu: "…"

"Cough," he cleared his throat subconsciously and said to Gao Yang, "I need to use the restroom."

"There are still about ten minutes," Gao Yang checked the time, "Boss, please be quick."

"Alright." Ye Zhiqiu smiled.

The crowd was always the thinnest on the west side of the waiting hall, and the fewer people there were as he walked further in.

When he pushed open the door and entered the restroom, the first thing Ye Zhiqiu smelled was the familiar scent of tobacco from Qin Jianhe.

A citrus aroma mixed with a light, cool mint fragrance.

Qin Jianhe was leaning against the sink smoking; when he saw Ye Zhiqiu come in, a faint smile appeared in his eyes.

"Qin Jianhe." Ye Zhiqiu subconsciously looked around.

Qin Jianhe didn't say anything, stepped forward, grabbed his wrist, and led him into a stall.

The stall was small to begin with, and even more cramped with two tall guys inside. As soon as they entered, they were almost instantly pressed together.

Ye Zhiqiu could feel Qin Jianhe's hot breath brushing past his hair.

With a click, the stall locked.

Ye Zhiqiu: "…"

He lifted his eyes, but before he could speak, he was firmly kissed on the lips.