Chapter 59

Chapter 59

Amidst the faint aroma of alcohol in the private room, Wang Qitang pushed the file folder in front of Qin Jianhe.

"Originally, I was going to visit Ruiyi," he said, "but since Aunt Nie isn't around and Renzhi is coming over for a meal, I'll hand this to you first. You can pass it on to Aunt Nie later."

Year after year, this year marks another round of supplier selection at Ruiyi.

Domestic and international manufacturers of various components and automotive parts all want to seize this rare opportunity.

This includes, but is not limited to, radar systems, audio systems, communication modules, domain controllers, shock absorbers, air conditioning, and CDC shock absorbers.

Although there are already established partners in each field, every three years, Ruiyi still re-tenders to bring in fresh blood.

To ensure that the company's products, both in quality and functionality, remain optimal.

Recently, several innovative companies have emerged in the fields of communication and shock absorption. Nie Fengjun has personally led the team to evaluate them.

If their equipment, quality control, and production capabilities meet Ruiyi's standards after comprehensive assessment, Ruiyi will send them a formal tender notice.

"Not urgent?" Qin Jianhe glanced at the tightly sealed brown paper bag and asked.

"Not urgent," Wang Qitang replied. "It's just some of the latest experimental data. I want Aunt Nie to take a look."

If nothing unexpected happens, the new battery being developed by Xin Dongli and Yun Kai will inevitably enter Ruiyi's new energy or hybrid vehicle production line.

Since the final product hasn't been released yet, Wang Qitang handing the documents to Nie Fengjun now suggests only one thing: the experimental data must be impressive.

Of course, there is also Wang Qitang's ulterior motive.

With the arrival of Ruiyi's new tender season, he needs Nie Fengjun to secure a place for Xin Dongli.

This document serves as a reminder.

After all, with so many options available, Ruiyi might not always remember the project Xin Dongli is working on.

"I really admire you guys," Yu Renzhi complained while feasting. "Every time we meet, it's all business."

Although Qin Jianhe was away for only two days, it was almost the first time he had officially appeared in public in years.

And it caused quite a stir domestically.

Netizens dug up old stories about Nie Fengjun, Qin Xusheng, and even Qin Jianhe's childhood.

Yu Renzhi was a bit worried and insisted on coming over to check.

Since Meng Qingyan was currently sequestered studying a script, Yu Renzhi only invited Wang Qitang along.

"The reports about Xiao Ye these past few days have been overwhelming," Wang Qitang said nonchalantly. "Just looking at the photos taken by photographers gives a sense of extreme visual enjoyment; seeing him in person must be even more stunning?"

"Hmm." Qin Jianhe looked up and caught Yu Renzhi's sneaky eyes peeking from his bowl.

Seeing this, he raised one corner of his lips slightly and directly exposed their secret thoughts: "Don't worry, I'm fine."

He carries Nie Fengjun's blood in his veins. Though deeply emotional, he is also incredibly resilient.

No matter where he falls, he never allows himself to linger in self-pity.

Even if the scars within still exist, the things he couldn't bear as a child, he can now carry with ease.

"Oh." Yu Renzhi carefully spat out the fish bones, feeling completely relieved.

"But honestly," Yu Renzhi added, "I mainly came here to eat the food and to hear about Xiao Mei..."

Seeing Qin Jianhe's cold gaze, Yu Renzhi quickly corrected himself, "Sister-in-law, to hear about Sister-in-law's heroic deeds abroad."

"Heroic deeds?" Qin Jianhe smiled faintly.

In fact, he didn't think Ye Zhiqiu had any heroic deeds.

In terms of professional achievements, Ye Zhiqiu has always been humble.

He never showed obvious excitement or boasted to anyone.

Compared to his age, his conduct is remarkably steady.

The truly impressive part was the order numbers and amounts for his exhibits at the post-show ordering event.

As for Ye Zhiqiu himself...

It seems only passionate kisses and entanglements, and an ambition to dominate him both in and out of bed.

But Qin Jianhe likes this ambition in him.

"He is excellent and very capable," Qin Jianhe said.

"And then?" Yu Renzhi immediately widened his eyes in curiosity.

"Isn't that enough?" Qin Jianhe raised an eyebrow.

Pfft...

Wang Qitang couldn't help but laugh at the two of them staring at each other.

"No way?" Yu Renzhi said, "There's nothing else? Or..."

His eyes turned mischievous, "Or, when not at the show, you're both in bed? Sister-in-law doesn't get a chance to show you her triumphant side, surrounded by adoring fans?"

Qin Jianhe is usually cold and restrained, so how could Yu Renzhi let this opportunity slip away so easily?

It's a pity that fate doesn't always align with one's wishes. At this precise moment, Qin Jianhe's phone buzzed.

Seeing it was a message from Wei Jie, Qin Jianhe held his silence.

"Wei Jie: Mr. Qin, the real estate agent just informed us that Xiao Ye's friend has officially purchased the house, and all the paperwork is completed."

"Qin Jianhe: Good."

A simple word, seeming somewhat indifferent, but as he sent the message, Qin Jianhe's lips involuntarily curved into a slight smile.

"Sister-in-law?" Yu Renzhi guessed immediately.

"Not her." Qin Jianhe put down his phone.

Watching him pick up the diced chili fish head again, Wang Qitang couldn't help but feel curious.

"I remember Xiao Yu didn't used to like fish heads, right?" he said.

Qin Jianhe isn't particularly picky about food. Whenever they came to this restaurant, it was mostly because of Yu Renzhi.

And in every meal, Qin Jianhe rarely touched the fish head.

He preferred bamboo shoots or mushrooms.

"Someone likes it," Qin Jianhe said, looking up. "I want to try it more often to see if I can replicate it."

The diced chili fish head here is exceptional and has been a signature dish for many years.

Almost every table orders it when dining here.

It tastes much better than the fish head at the old couple's shop near Ye Zhiqiu's school.

However, Ye Zhiqiu, being kind-hearted, prefers to support the elderly couple whenever he eats out or invites others.

Subconsciously, Qin Jianhe's expression softened.

"Xiao Ye?" Wang Qitang asked with a smile.

"Mm." Qin Jianhe responded softly, "I want to cook it for him once."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Yu Renzhi clicked his tongue, but then he seemed to realize something.

"So, my taste and Sister-in-law's are similar?" Yu Renzhi exclaimed joyfully, "That's why we're a match, we can eat from the same pot."

"Similar tastes mean you'll fight over food." Qin Jianhe glanced at him, delivering a fatal blow.

Yu Renzhi: "..."

Yu Renzhi clutched his chest and complained to Wang Qitang, "Look at him."

"Eat your food." Wang Qitang said.

Yu Renzhi: "..."

"Let me tell you, I turned down Jiang Nan's invitation today to come here, and this is how you treat me," he said.

"Are you saying Jiang Nan wanted to date you?" Wang Qitang teased him.

"Of course not, he likes..." Yu Renzhi stopped himself, "Today is their company's first show. I was going to attend, but guess who I found among their partners?"

"Who?" Wang Qitang asked.

Yu Renzhi is straightforward and innocent, never seeking conflicts, and usually very tolerant of others.

Wang Qitang couldn't imagine who could provoke such a strong reaction from him, making him ignore a personal invitation.

"Tsk," Yu Renzhi said, pursing his lips, "That Qi Xin."

There was a moment of silence. Qin Jianhe recalled that day at the hotpot restaurant in New York when Qi Xin called Ye Zhiqiu.

Growing up in a complex environment, and later witnessing his grandfather's illness and his mother's struggles to run Ruiyi, he had seen countless battles and political intrigues.

The villa on the hillside had been in turmoil for nearly a year.

One person after another...

Later, when he took over Q.L., he saw the true ugly faces behind the ordinary masks.

But that day, Qi Xin's audacity still infuriated him.

Liking someone without wanting to give anything back, instead trying to steal their hard work...

How could he say it so shamelessly?

If Ye Zhiqiu hadn't had his own plans, the show might have been removed from the venue list long ago.

"The Jiang family has some collaboration with our family," Wang Qitang said, "Is it okay if you don't go?"

"What's not okay about it?" Yu Renzhi shrugged, "I used to hang out with him because he was sweet, calling me 'big brother.' But after he betrayed Sister-in-law and almost pushed her into a corner, I don't want to play with him anymore."

"Boring," Yu Renzhi muttered.

At two o'clock in the afternoon, the sports arena opened for the Jiang family's first show of the year.

For Qi Xin and Qi Yun, however, this was their "first-ever" show.

*

Qi Xin invited quite a few friends, colleagues, clients, and even some fashion buyers and critics he could contact publicly online. He hoped to leverage public opinion to make the name "Qi Yun" stand out.

However, despite sending out many invitations, only colleagues, clients, and friends showed up; the others mostly didn't come.

This season, fashion shows were abundant both domestically and internationally, with some venues hosting over thirty shows in a single day without a break.

For most people, they still preferred established brands or designers they recognized.

But fortunately, there was Jiang Nan's side.

Though it was just a mid-range brand, the Jiang family had been in business for years and had built up a considerable network.

The audience wasn't entirely full, but it was about three-quarters occupied.

Among them, Tao Ruoqing sat in the front row.

As the lady of the Ye family, Tao Ruoqing always valued her image. She usually bought clothes from light luxury brands.

First, she looked at the brand, then the style, and whether it suited her.

But even so, she didn't really understand the concept of "fashion."

Nevertheless, she could accurately judge the popularity of the outfits Ye Zhiqiu designed for Qi Xin.

Because every time the two models from Qi Yun walked out, they sparked lively whispers among the audience.

Many attendees who were initially dozing off suddenly became wide-eyed and alert.

After the show, during the backstage order session, she felt completely reassured.

Seeing how busy the two staff members from Qi Xin were, barely having time to drink water, she was certain that her investment in Qi Xin had paid off.

Leaving the venue, Tao Ruoqing was in an excellent mood.

However, Zhou Hao, who was with her, was not feeling as cheerful.

Several outfits showcased by Qi Yun had already been ordered for materials, and Zhou Hao remembered they were clearly Ye Zhiqiu's designs.

But now, for some reason, Qi Xin's name was listed as the designer.

Even the host introduced Qi Xin as the designer.

After the show, Zhou Hao wanted to ask Qi Xin about it.

But in such a public setting, he worried about potential misunderstandings.

Such reputational issues were significant for any designer.

If he bypassed Qi Xin and contacted Ye Zhiqiu instead, he thought they might have already discussed it as a couple.

In that case, he would be left in an awkward position.

After a moment of hesitation, Zhou Hao ultimately did nothing and left the venue with a heavy heart.

Outside the venue, photographers were snapping pictures of the attendees.

Just as Zhou Hao and Tao Ruoqing exited the venue one after the other, the camera clicked, capturing their contrasting expressions: one relaxed and joyful, the other heavy and troubled.

Zhou Hao drove home, while Tao Ruoqing got into Uncle Wang's car and headed towards the Fashion Institute.

About a kilometer away from the Fashion Institute, there was a medium-sized teahouse.

When Tao Ruoqing entered the private room, she saw Tang Yue waiting for her.

The server came in and, following Tao Ruoqing's usual preferences, washed the tea leaves, brewed the tea, and served it to her...

Taking the first sip of the golden tea, Tao Ruoqing relaxed and gestured for the server to leave.

"Did he really say that?" she asked, looking at Tang Yue.

"Yes," Tang Yue unlocked his phone, opened the group chat, and showed Tao Ruoqing the conversation.

Tao Ruoqing slowly read through the messages. After a moment, she suddenly laughed.

"Ye Zhiqiu is really good to you," she said sarcastically, "even telling you not to feel pressured."

She shook her head lightly, "If my son's graduation design was ruined, I would tear that person apart."

Tang Yue pursed his lips.

"I did this to complete your task to the best of my ability," Tang Yue said.

Tao Ruoqing didn't speak immediately, but repeatedly read through Ye Zhiqiu's reasons for refusing Tang Yue.

"Lovers these days..." she mused, then laughed, "I always wondered how he could resist doing something out of line at his age?"

Previously, Ye Zhixia and Gao Wenye had slept together, but Ye Zhiqiu kept Qi Xin at arm's length, which had made her feel unbalanced.

"It turns out it was all an act," Tao Ruoqing scoffed, "all that talk about work was just an excuse to cover up his cheating."

With this realization, Tao Ruoqing felt truly relieved.

"Ye Zhiqiu is even going to help you deliver a gift to your senior," Tao Ruoqing pondered for a moment, "Has that senior given you any trouble recently?"

"Xiao Qiu said Professor Li helped contact the dorm management," Tang Yue replied, "I immediately changed my dorm. Perhaps that senior is busy fixing things, so he hasn't caused any trouble yet."

Tao Ruoqing lowered her eyes to sip her tea, then picked up her phone after a moment and instructed Uncle Wang to buy a men's watch for no more than thirty thousand yuan.

"Even Li family's little rascal was willing to offer a gift to help smooth things over for you, so of course, Auntie will help too," she said. "However, given your financial situation, if you give something too expensive, others might doubt its authenticity and become suspicious. Thirty thousand yuan should be enough."

"Thank you, Mrs. Ye," Tang Yue said.

Unless he was at the Ye residence or in front of Ye Zhiqiu, he addressed Tao Ruoqing as "Auntie" just like Jin Baobao and Li Shaojun.

Privately, he preferred to call her "Mrs. Ye."

The small purple clay teapot was refilled twice before Uncle Wang returned on schedule.

He silently handed the gift box to Tao Ruoqing and retreated.

"Go give this to your senior and apologize properly," Tao Ruoqing said. "So that you don't get bullied again in the future."

"Thank you, Mrs. Ye," Tang Yue said again, putting the elegantly wrapped box into his backpack.

Tao Ruoqing put down her teacup, picked up her bag, and stood up. "It's getting late; let's go back."

After Tao Ruoqing left for a while, Tang Yue slowly rose.

His face showed no emotion as he slung his backpack over his shoulder and headed to the nearest bus stop to return to school.

It was dinner time, and the dormitory hallway was quiet. Tang Yue walked to the door of his former dormitory and knocked.

The door opened, revealing the senior.

Unlike his usual neat appearance, he looked particularly haggard and disheveled.

"You still dare to come back?" Lin Xuehua glared at him. "If it weren't for Ye Zhiqiu's sake, do you think you could have gone out these past few days?"

He wouldn't feel any relief unless he beat Tang Yue so badly that he couldn't get out of bed for a week.

"Sorry, Senior," Tang Yue said sincerely but did not take out the watch. "I really didn't mean to. I was admiring your work when my hand slipped..."

Tang Yue lowered his eyes, looking pitiful. "I really didn't mean to."

After the incident, Tang Yue had indeed apologized sincerely.

But Lin Xuehua still harbored doubts.

Without saying anything, he slammed the door shut.

The other roommates were all at the cafeteria, knowing about his current predicament and offering to bring dinner back for him so he could focus on organizing his thesis materials.

Although it seemed there was still enough time, Lin Xuehua worried about encountering difficulties that would delay everything.

He hadn't slept all night yesterday, only closing his eyes briefly at noon, and had been working nonstop since.

With the door closed, Lin Xuehua closed his eyes and forcibly suppressed his anger, taking a long moment before opening them again.

If Ye Zhiqiu couldn't help, he would have shown no mercy and dragged Tang Yue down with him.

A beating...

A beating would be too light.

Thinking of Ye Zhiqiu, Lin Xuehua unlocked his phone.

No need to search; Ye Zhiqiu's news was right on his home screen.

Checking the time, Ye Zhiqiu might already be awake.

After hesitating for a moment, he sent a message first to gauge the situation.

"Lin Xuehua: Junior Ye, are you resting now?"

The reply came quickly. Within moments, Ye Zhiqiu's message arrived.

"Yi Ye Zhiqiu: Just woke up. Senior, is there something you need?"

"Lin Xuehua: Can we talk on the phone?"

As soon as the message was sent, Lin Xuehua's phone rang.

"Hello, Junior Ye," Lin Xuehua said. "Most of the initial materials I prepared are still intact. From yesterday until now, I've basically organized them. Could you take a look when you have time?"

Without pausing, he explained, "My original progress wasn't fast because many parts needed to be redone. Given the current situation, I can't afford to continue exploring step by step. I need to finish it in one go."

"No problem," Ye Zhiqiu said. "Send it over, and I'll sort it out for you in the next couple of days."

"Thank you," Lin Xuehua sighed heavily, still unable to suppress his anger.

This time, he was furious not just because his half-completed thesis was ruined.

Most importantly, he suspected that Tang Yue had done it intentionally.

When the incident happened, he was washing socks in the bathroom. The moment Tang Yue spilled the water, it coincided with him opening the bathroom door.

Because it happened so quickly, he couldn't see Tang Yue's actions clearly.

However, from Tang Yue's standing position and the way he held the cup, even if his hand slipped, the cup would have only fallen and shattered on the ground.

Even if some water splashed onto his work, it would have been just a few drops.

But Tang Yue almost poured the entire cup of water onto his work.

The cup finally landed as if Lin Xuehua's sudden opening of the bathroom door had startled him.

But then, Tang Yue's subsequent apology was so sincere...

Doubt, without evidence, coupled with an extremely sincere apology...

All of this left Lin Xuehua in a precarious position, feeling utterly frustrated.

"If it weren't for you," Lin Xuehua's voice turned cold, "I really wouldn't let him off."

As if hearing something extremely amusing, Ye Zhiqiu on the other end chuckled softly.

The morning dawn had just begun; pulling back the curtains, the rosy clouds spread across the sky.

Ye Zhiqiu stood by the window, his smile cold.

He woke up so early today entirely because of Qi Xin.

Qi Yun's first show predictably got off to a great start, and Qi Xin was so excited that he kept sending messages late into the night.

Perhaps he thought Ye Zhiqiu would be equally happy.

Ye Zhiqiu ignored all the messages, not replying to a single one.

Calculating the time, it was just six o'clock when Qi Xin's call came in.

Ye Zhiqiu directly rejected it.

Seemingly finally realizing his mistake, Qi Xin sent a flurry of apology messages.

Among them were two messages from Lin Xuehua.

Another call came through the headphones, but Ye Zhiqiu ignored it.

He spoke slowly, "Le Le did indeed make a mistake."

Perhaps not expecting him to say this, Lin Xuehua paused for a moment.

"At his age, how can he be so careless? What if he causes even bigger trouble in the future?" Ye Zhiqiu slowly lifted his eyes.

The morning light reddened half of his face, and the cold gray in his eyes gradually rose, yet was tinged with the fiery hues of the dawn.

It seemed as though ice and fire were rapidly converging and colliding in his beautiful eyes.

A breathtaking beauty.

"He should indeed face some consequences and learn a lesson," Ye Zhiqiu smiled, "don't you think, Senior?"

There was silence on the other end for a while before Lin Xuehua's voice finally came through.

"Junior Ye is right," he said, "it's for his own good."

The conversation with Lin Xuehua lasted no more than five minutes, but after hanging up, Ye Zhiqiu found over ten new messages and three missed calls on his phone.

He lowered his eyes and calmly blocked all of Qi Xin's contact methods.

Finally, the world was quiet again. Ye Zhiqiu sat back down at his desk and opened his drawing software.

A moment later, he received an email from Lin Xuehua containing the previous graduation project data and content he had retained.

Ye Zhiqiu opened it and read it carefully.

Based on the information, he quickly found a new breakthrough point and patiently outlined clear subplots for Lin Xuehua.

This situation was unexpected.

But since Lin Xuehua suffered such undeserved misfortune, it was indeed partly his fault.

Therefore, he was willing to do his best to remedy the situation, ensuring Lin Xuehua could complete this crucial work smoothly and splendidly.

That very evening, after Tang Yue returned from washing up in the bathroom, he found that a cup of icy water had been spilled on his clean bed.