Chapter 60

Chapter 60

The cotton mattress absorbed water very effectively. When Tang Yue came out, a large dark stain had already spread across the sheets.

Without even looking, he knew that it must have been thoroughly soaked underneath.

He stood quietly for a moment, his heart feeling as if it had sunk into an icy abyss.

Clearly, everyone had been quite friendly when he arrived yesterday.

Could it be because news of Lin Xuehua's thesis being destroyed had spread today?

Or...

Perhaps Lin Xuehua hadn't shown any mercy towards him, despite needing Ye Zhiqiu or fearing him?

Tang Yue pursed his lips and asked after a while, "Who did this?"

The other roommates were engrossed in their activities—some playing games, some reading, and one texting his girlfriend. None of them responded to him.

"I asked who did this?" Tang Yue suddenly turned around and raised his voice.

"What's all the noise about?" The gamer yanked off his headphones, looking annoyed.

"Can't take it?" The one texting his girlfriend stopped typing. "Is your bedding more important than someone's thesis?"

The reader lifted his eyes coldly, "I don't want my thesis to be ruined either."

Tang Yue stood there for a while before slowly bending down to pull out a box from under the bed.

Inside the box were bubble wraps. He took them out, removed the ruined sheets, and placed the bubble wrap over the wet mattress. Then, he fetched new sheets to replace them.

The dorm door opened, and a guy from the neighboring dorm walked in, still drying his hair.

Seeing the dark stain on Tang Yue's bed, he chuckled and teased, "Hey, Tang Yue, did you wet the bed?"

This comment made someone burst out laughing.

Tang Yue, bent over, remained silent and ignored them.

"Hey," the gamer was not pleased, "I wear headphones to play games so that my roommates can rest peacefully. Now you're going to make rustling noises at night? How are we supposed to sleep?"

"Exactly, no consideration for others?" The one texting his girlfriend chimed in, "Why don't we apply for a different dorm? Let him have this one all to himself."

Tang Yue said nothing and finished making his bed.

Then, he calmly undressed, climbed into bed, put on his headphones, pulled the blanket over himself, and ignored whatever they were saying outside.

Meanwhile, at nine o'clock in the morning in New York.

Someone knocked on Ye Zhiqiu's door.

Wang Ru and Gao Yang were peeking outside.

"What's up?" Ye Zhiqiu rubbed his slightly sore eyes and smiled at them.

"Are you busy?" Wang Ru asked.

"Yes," Ye Zhiqiu gestured for them to sit down, poured two glasses of water, and placed some chocolate snacks on a fruit platter. "I'm helping my senior organize some materials."

Looking at Wang Ru and Gao Yang, he added, "Aren't you two going out today?"

There was a fashion show by the Korean brand OW today, which didn't conflict with Q.L's schedule. Wang Ru and Gao Yang had already planned to attend.

"It starts at ten-thirty," Wang Ru said. "We still have time."

She paused before asking, "Teacher Xiao Ye, did you see the group message?"

"Group? Which group?" Ye Zhiqiu was a bit confused.

"Our group," Gao Yang laughed at his puzzled expression. "Zhang Lan just sent a message saying Zhao Zhi might be fired."

"He shouldn't be fired for this," Ye Zhiqiu said, rummaging through a drawer for instant coffee and slowly sipping it. "Although he spilled coffee on Zhou Hui, no one can prove it was intentional."

During exhibitions, everyone is careful, but things don't always go smoothly. Small mishaps are normal.

Unless the exhibit is extremely intricate and requires significant effort, preparing a backup is usually standard practice.

Ye Zhiqiu's piece had some complex details, but due to the tight deadline, he chose a simpler, elegant design.

Even so, anyone else would struggle to create a backup within such a short timeframe.

This is why Zhou Lang's team was confident that Ye Zhiqiu had no backup and decided to tamper with his exhibit.

However, without evidence, it's hard to take action.

Innocent until proven guilty, especially for a first offense...

Firing someone in such circumstances would be unreasonable and could harm the company's reputation.

"So..." Wang Ru and Gao Yang exchanged glances, "there's nothing we can do about it?"

"Gao Yang," Ye Zhiqiu said, having been busy all morning and now too lazy to find his phone, "send Zhang Lan a message. Let her know that whatever others discuss is their business, and she shouldn't get involved."

If before, everyone admired Ye Zhiqiu's talent and his generous spirit in sharing knowledge with subordinates, but still privately thought of him as just a kid a few years younger than themselves...

Now, after several days at the show, the age difference between them had quietly vanished.

Ye Zhiqiu's image in their minds was no different from that of a true teacher or even a senior.

Upon hearing this, Gao Yang immediately lowered his head to send the message: "Understood, Teacher Xiao Ye."

With Ye Zhiqiu's stance clear, the two did not continue to dwell on the matter.

However, what they didn't know was that Ye Zhiqiu had other thoughts about Zhao Zhi.

In fact, early on, Ye Zhiqiu had guessed that even if it wasn't outright dismissal, the company would likely not keep Zhao Zhi around.

Otherwise, there would have been no need for Qin Jianhe to call him back halfway through the exhibition.

But since the official announcement hadn't come out yet, he hadn't mentioned anything to the two of them.

It didn't matter, though.

Since rumors were already circulating within the company, it meant the official announcement was not far off.

As expected, that evening—morning the next day back home—the official announcement came out.

Zhao Zhi was formally asked to leave.

In the group chat, many people speculated about the reasons, and Zhang Lan sent Ye Zhiqiu a screenshot of the announcement just released by the HR department.

Today was Q.L's last show in New York. Before this, some brands had already moved on to London.

When they saw the message, everyone had just returned from the show.

Everything was as expected, so Ye Zhiqiu simply let it go.

After several days of non-stop work and learning, everyone felt exhausted. Since it didn't conflict with the schedule, Meng Da ordered everyone to take a day off and head to London the day after.

Back at the hotel, Ye Zhiqiu sat down at his desk again and carefully organized the remaining part of Lin Xuehua's design content.

By the time everything was settled, it was around three in the morning. Ye Zhiqiu double-checked the materials and sent them back to Lin Xuehua via email.

Then, he shut down his computer and went to bed.

Due to Qi Xin's situation the night before, he hadn't slept well, and after another full day of work, Ye Zhiqiu fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

He woke up again around four in the afternoon the next day, the sun slanting across the sky. It took him a while to realize he had slept for over thirteen hours.

He got up, washed up, and turned on his phone.

As soon as it connected to the internet, a flood of messages poured in.

Most were from Lin Xuehua.

She had sent over a dozen messages and two emails in a short time, clearly showing her excitement.

To Lin Xuehua, Ye Zhiqiu had not only clarified all her doubts and difficulties but also broke down the areas she had sensed but couldn't grasp, feeding them to her bit by bit.

This gave her an immediate sense of clarity.

Moreover, because the ideas were clear and presented in a simple manner, along with the emergence of new branches, Lin Xuehua's thinking became much smoother and opened up new possibilities.

Looking back now, her previous approach seemed too narrow.

Ye Zhiqiu's feedback exceeded her expectations by far.

Thus, Lin Xuehua's thinking flowed without any blockages.

For the first time, she experienced the feeling of seamless progress.

...

Ye Zhiqiu looked at Lin Xuehua's messages, sensing her excitement, and smiled slightly.

In his view, Lin Xuehua's issues weren't really problems at all.

They were just common phenomena due to a lack of experience.

Having handled numerous designs in his past life, he had enough experience to see through her bottlenecks and break them down.

If Lin Xuehua worked for another two years and then looked back, these issues wouldn't seem like significant problems.

Ye Zhiqiu politely replied.

"Yi Ye Zhiqiu: Senior, you flatter me. Actually, I saw a similar design done by a senior at the company before, which helped me modify it quickly."

Then, he opened the email from Zhang Mian.

Ever since joining Q.L, Zhang Mian, understanding his workload, had never bothered Ye Zhiqiu unless absolutely necessary, regardless of the issue, as long as he could handle it himself.

Today's email was probably sent after Zhang Mian checked his schedule.

After flying over tomorrow, they would have one more day of rest in London.

Then, the exhibitions in London would officially begin.

Ye Zhiqiu lowered his eyes and opened the email.

The email contained last month's financial statements, which were even better than he had expected.

When he opened the recent order numbers, he was slightly surprised.

Compared to the previous number of clients, Zhang Mian had used his industry connections to add several new clients in just one month.

The email content was simple, with Zhang Mian only mentioning a few points.

First: After the payments from the previous orders came in, they had some spare cash. He assured Ye Zhiqiu not to worry and to spend where necessary.

Second: For future development, the factory they were currently renting from the Huo family was becoming too small and insufficiently equipped. Zhang Mian was considering taking out a loan to buy land in the suburbs and build their own factory.

As Ye Zhiqiu read, he couldn't help but laugh and mutter, "Sneaky old fox."

On one hand, Zhang Mian was considerately telling him not to be frugal, while on the other, he was planning to take out a loan to buy land...

Not to mention buying the land itself, the construction of the factory and procurement of equipment would all require significant expenses.

On the surface, it seemed generous, but in reality, it was still about saving money.

Subconsciously, Ye Zhiqiu rubbed his temple, then continued reading with a smile.

The third point concerned the progress of the new battery project with Xin Dongli.

It was roughly as Ye Zhiqiu had estimated; in about two months, samples could be sent for professional testing.

Zhang Mian had also forwarded the experimental data, which Ye Zhiqiu reviewed carefully.

Xin Dongli, being a well-known domestic company, lived up to its reputation with solid and reliable experimental data, even better than he had imagined.

After rereading the email, Ye Zhiqiu was about to reply when his phone vibrated. Wang Ru had sent a message.

The "Do Not Disturb" sign on Ye Zhiqiu's door had been hung last night upon his return.

Now, seeing that a new day was almost over and the sign was still hanging, Wang Ru was somewhat worried.

Having been busy late into the night and waking up without a break, Ye Zhiqiu had forgotten about the sign.

Seeing Wang Ru's message, he immediately got up, removed the sign, and called her back.

"Teacher Xiao Ye," Wang Ru said as soon as she answered, "we brought you lunch when we went out. Would you like it now?"

She paused and added, "But it's cold now. Should I order a hotel meal for you?"

"No need for now," Ye Zhiqiu smiled and thanked her, "wait a few minutes for me, and I'll take you and Gao Yang out for Chinese dinner."

"Chinese dinner?" Hearing this, Wang Ru's voice brightened, "really?"

Before Ye Zhiqiu could respond, she excitedly replied, "Great."

There were quite a few Chinese restaurants in New York, but everyone's schedule was tight, making it hard to find time to visit them.

Occasionally, they would try one, but the food was usually mediocre.

Wang Ru and Gao Yang had been craving good Chinese food for days.

Especially Gao Yang, who drooled every time he saw food broadcasts from home.

After hanging up, Ye Zhiqiu sent an email to Zhang Mian.

He had already thought about the factory issue. The plot of land under Ye Ding's name was sizable, with a large empty area besides the existing factory building.

In the future, if planned properly, the empty area could operate independently alongside the existing factory.

There was no need to buy additional land.

After sending the email, Ye Zhiqiu got up and took Wang Ru and Gao Yang out for dinner.

Previously, Qin Jianhe had recommended several good restaurants.

Unfortunately, due to various events, Ye Zhiqiu had only managed to visit one Cantonese restaurant.

He hadn't had the chance to try the others yet.

Originally, today he should have taken Gao Yang and Wang Ru to a new restaurant.

However, he subconsciously gave the driver the address of the hot pot restaurant Qin Jianhe had taken him to before.

No one in the group couldn't handle spicy food, so they ordered a spicy pot.

Wang Ru was fine, maintaining her usual poise, but Gao Yang was truly hungry and ate voraciously.

Seeing this, Ye Zhiqiu quickly added a few more plates of freshly sliced lamb.

"Teacher Xiao Ye, how did you know about this place?" Gao Yang asked between bites.

"A friend recommended it," Ye Zhiqiu smiled.

Just then, the owner entered to deliver the additional plates of lamb and overheard the conversation.

"In the past, Mr. Qin always came alone," the middle-aged owner said with a gentle smile, "you are the first guest he has brought here."

Ye Zhiqiu didn't say anything, just smiled and nodded politely at the owner.

The boss smiled. "Speaking of which, you and Mr. Qin are truly well-matched."

Seeing several large platters of mutton enter, Gao Yang was getting excited.

Upon hearing this, the piece of mutton in his hand dropped onto the table with a slap.

Wang Ru also widened her eyes slightly, looking at Ye Zhiqiu: "Your boyfriend?"

Ye Zhiqiu: "..."

Ye Zhiqiu: "Heh heh."

The boss: "...Sorry, I see..."

"It's fine." Ye Zhiqiu raised his eyes and nodded with a smile toward the boss.

The boss gave an apologetic smile and retreated.

Seeing that Wang Ru and Gao Yang were still looking at him gossipy, Ye Zhiqiu had to explain.

"Not really," he said with a faint smile, his voice very light. "Just ordinary friends."

*

Unlike New York, everyone relaxed after getting familiar with the venue in London.

The entire team, including the show director and dressers, was fixed.

Their cooperation was already smooth, and the models knew each other's positions so well that they wouldn't make mistakes even with their eyes closed.

Soon, a week passed in London, and Q.L's final show finally arrived.

It must be said that the runway is indeed a magical place.

In just two weeks, Zhou Hui and Wei Tingjin had become incredibly popular.

Wei Tingjin was fine; it was mainly about the quantity and quality of his work rapidly increasing. It was especially true for Zhou Hui.

Zhou Hui had never been favored before and hadn't even signed with a formal company.

Now suddenly rising to fame, her value skyrocketed, and major modeling agencies started extending olive branches to her.

Among them were several New York-based modeling agencies known for cultivating supermodels.

These companies had excellent resources and high standards. Once signed, one's future would undoubtedly be bright.

Zhou Hui didn't expect that coming out to work timidly would result in her likely not being able to return home for a long time.

Knowing that Ye Zhiqiu was returning to China after this show, she came out from backstage, having changed her clothes, and continued their conversation.

"Teacher Xiao Ye, which one should I sign with?" Zhou Hui asked.

She had an inexplicable feeling towards Ye Zhiqiu, like a fledgling bird.

For such a big decision as signing with a company, it seemed she couldn't make up her mind unless Ye Zhiqiu approved.

Facing Zhou Hui's pitiful yet eager gaze, Ye Zhiqiu felt a bit soft-hearted.

He lowered his eyes and seriously thought about what happened in his previous life.

In his previous life, when Zhou Hui entered his field of vision, she was already quite dazzling.

If someone told him that she had once been so humble before her fame, he probably wouldn't have believed it.

Seeing Ye Zhiqiu deep in thought, Zhou Hui repeated the names of the companies.

Among these companies, Jns was the best, followed by MB, and IC was third.

As far as he could recall, Zhou Hui had signed with IC back then.

He remembered that year when Qi Yun went to New York for an exhibition and complained about the significant price increase at Jns. Due to Zhou Hui's international influence, he ultimately chose to cooperate with IC.

"IC," Ye Zhiqiu said.

There was no other reason.

In his previous life, Zhou Hui shone brightly at IC, which could only mean that she adapted well to both the company's management and culture.

Although JNS and MB were more famous and had more high-quality supermodels, the competition was also extremely fierce.

Zhou Hui's personality had just started to emerge; going in might not necessarily suit her.

"Okay," Zhou Hui immediately said, without even asking why.

"Teacher Xiao Ye," knowing that Ye Zhiqiu was returning to China, Zhou Hui felt reluctant. "When you hold your own fashion show in the future, can I come too?"

"For free," she quickly added.

Hearing this, Ye Zhiqiu looked at her amusedly.

"Sure," he said.

The music changed, and without lifting his eyes, Ye Zhiqiu knew it was Zhou Hui's turn to walk.

After Zhou Hui stepped onto the stage, Wang Ru couldn't help but laugh.

"Teacher Xiao Ye, I think if you opened a modeling agency, Zhou Hui wouldn't sign with any big company. She would definitely follow you."

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

Zhou Hui had indeed complained before that she wasn't studying fashion design; otherwise, she could have worked alongside Ye Zhiqiu like Wang Ru.

"She's still young," Ye Zhiqiu said. "After flying high and far for so long, seeing the vastness and wonders of the world, she should realize how ridiculous her current thoughts are."

At the last show in London, Ye Zhiqiu stood up, flanked by his models as they led him onto the stage to take a bow.

Bowing and then rising, the lights on and off the stage illuminated together.

Amidst the thunderous applause from the audience, Ye Zhiqiu couldn't help but be slightly taken aback when he looked up with a smile.

Below the stage, Zhao Keqi was smiling up at him, looking as if he wished he could clap until his hands were sore.

Zhao Keqi had accompanied his father, Zhao Yunzhuang, here.

The show was thoroughly enjoyable, and especially seeing Ye Zhiqiu in person, Zhao Yunzhuang developed a strong liking for him.

Leaving the venue, Ye Zhiqiu booked a restaurant to treat the Zhao father and son to a meal.

Amidst the clinking of glasses, Zhao Yunzhuang sighed.

"Before, when Zhao Keqi said he could invite you to be an actor, I laughed at him," Zhao Yunzhuang said with a smile. "But now that we've met, I immediately had the same thought."

Whether Ye Zhiqiu could become famous through film and television styling, Zhao Yunzhuang only dared to give it a fifty-fifty chance.

But if he became an actor, with such exquisite looks, perfect physique, and graceful demeanor, Zhao Yunzhuang was certain he could elevate him to the pinnacle.

Originally, he had come to find a stylist for a new movie, but now he genuinely considered encouraging Ye Zhiqiu to become an actor.

"Thank you, Mr. Zhao, for your kindness," Ye Zhiqiu replied with a smile, politely declining. "My younger brother has already entered the entertainment industry as an actor, so I want to give myself a chance to try something different."

"Your younger brother?" Zhao Yunzhuang was slightly surprised and then looked at Zhao Keqi. "Have I met your brother?"

"I don't think so," Zhao Keqi said, leaning close to Zhao Yunzhuang. "He's the one who recently worked with Gao Wenye, Ye Zhixia."

His eyes had been shining, but upon hearing it was Ye Zhixia, Zhao Yunzhuang's enthusiasm dimmed.

He knew this person, but compared to Ye Zhiqiu, there was a significant difference.

"Xiao Qiu," Zhao Keqi said. "Today, my father came here for the matter I mentioned earlier."

"The costume designer for the production?" Ye Zhiqiu asked with a smile.

"Yes," Zhao Yunzhuang confirmed.

"I am quite interested," Ye Zhiqiu said. "If Mr. Zhao agrees, I'd like to give it a try."

As they chatted, they stayed until ten o'clock before leaving the restaurant.

London was colder than New York, and the wind blew Ye Zhiqiu's scarf up. Zhao Keqi reached out to adjust it for him.

"Thank you," Ye Zhiqiu smiled at him, openly appreciative.

"When are you going back?" Zhao Keqi asked.

"I'm leaving tomorrow," Ye Zhiqiu smiled. "What about you and Mr. Zhao?"

"My father has another animation copyright collaboration to discuss, so we might stay for two more days," Zhao Keqi said.

"In that case, see you back home," Ye Zhiqiu said.

The car they called had arrived, and Ye Zhiqiu went forward to open the door for Zhao Yunzhuang.

Zhao Yunzhuang liked him even more and waved goodbye to Ye Zhiqiu from inside the car, "See you back home, Xiao Ye."

As the car drove away, Ye Zhiqiu waited for a moment until another car pulled up before getting in.

He slept until morning, and upon opening his phone, he was startled by the numerous messages and notifications, even from unknown numbers.

It took him a while to understand that some tabloid reporter had taken photos of him meeting with Zhao Keqi and posted them online.

Now, their names were trending on the hot search list.

"Ye Zhiqiu and Zhao Keqi in Hot Romance, Seen Holding Hands Meeting Parents."

Ye Zhiqiu: "?"

He was truly amazed by these reporters' ability to spin stories from photos.

Moreover, in the photos, he and Zhao Keqi weren't holding hands.

If anything, there was only one photo where, due to the angle, they appeared intimate.

It was the moment when Zhao Keqi adjusted his scarf, and Ye Zhiqiu looked up and smiled at him.

To be honest, at that moment, the person who flashed through his mind wasn't Zhao Keqi.

It was Qin Jianhe.

He remembered Qin Jianhe tying his scarf and putting on his woolen hat for him.

Ye Zhiqiu: "..."

Fine, whatever.

He got up, dressed, packed his luggage, and prepared to head to the airport.

The flight was booked for nine o'clock in the morning.

The flight lasted nearly thirteen hours, landing just after five in the morning, the quietest time at the airport.

Unbeknownst to him, while he was indifferent to the scandal, someone else couldn't sit still anymore.

Ye Zhiqiu had blocked him for over a week now, and Qi Xin was already at his wit's end.

He had tried every possible method, but there was no way to contact him.

This should have been the most triumphant time for him recently.

As each fashion show went on, Qi Yun gained more recognition, and orders were pouring in like wool.

Even Tao Ruoqing saw the business opportunity and invested more money.

But the only problem was that he couldn't reach Ye Zhiqiu.

Looking at the photo of Ye Zhiqiu's breathtakingly beautiful face under high-definition lenses and his eyes filled with gentle smiles, Qi Xin felt as if his heart was being cut by a thousand knives.

From morning until now, this gloomy mood had tormented him for several hours.

Feeling anxious and insecure, Qi Xin could no longer bear it.

He gritted his teeth and dialed Tao Ruoqing's number.

Tao Ruoqing was indeed in high spirits lately.

With her investment in a surefire business, she even felt more confident at the mahjong table these days.

Mrs. Wu across from her laid down a tile and smiled at her, "Your Xiao Qiu is quite capable."

Tao Ruoqing made a pair and thanked Mrs. Wu with a smile, "Who could disagree?"

Mrs. Zhou, however, had other thoughts.

"The eldest son of the Qin family has also cleared up the scandal from last time. When your Xiao Qiu comes back, could you ask him to help me find out?" Mrs. Zhou smiled, "I have a very good child who adores him."

"How good is this child?" asked Mrs. Li opposite her, "Better than their Xiao Qiu?"

"Isn't their Xiao Qiu already..." Mrs. Zhou paused.

The relationship between Ye Zhiqiu and Qi Xin was no secret among the ladies, but today another scandal had emerged.

Moreover, the investor surnamed Zhao was well-known and held a prominent position and wealth in the capital circle.

For a moment, the name "Qi Xin" stuck in her throat.

Just as Tao Ruoqing was feeling annoyed and unsure how to refuse Mrs. Zhou without hurting feelings, her phone rang.

"I'll take this call," she said with a smile.

As soon as the call connected, Qi Xin's voice came through.

"Aunt Ye, does Xiao Qiu... does Xiao Qiu have any other way to contact him?"

Previously, Qi Xin had never mentioned that Ye Zhiqiu had blocked him, fearing Tao Ruoqing would be unhappy.

Now, with no other options, he had to seek help from Tao Ruoqing.

"There isn't any," Tao Ruoqing frowned, noticing the three pairs of gossiping eyes on her at the mahjong table. She didn't elaborate, instead asking, "What happened?"

"He got mad at me and blocked me," Qi Xin's tone carried a hint of frustration, "I can't reach him now, and there's another scandal..."

Hearing this, Tao Ruoqing laughed.

Ye Zhiqiu had been working overtime to design so many outfits for Qi Xin amidst his busy schedule. Even when moving out, he did so to spend time alone with Qi Xin, neglecting even Tang Yue, whom he usually cared for deeply...

She didn't believe he could suddenly fall for someone else within days.

"It's all just a scandal," she said, "Don't worry."

How could Qi Xin possibly feel reassured? The thought of Ye Zhiqiu with someone else was like a cat clawing at his heart.

After a moment, he booked a ticket to Paris.

He couldn't even bother with the business at hand.

The London show had ended, and Ye Zhiqiu was likely heading to Paris soon. He decided to go find him personally.

To beg for forgiveness, apologize, and plead to be removed from the blacklist.

After hanging up with Qi Xin, Tao Ruoqing played two more rounds, and it was already noon.

As the game ended, Tang Yue's call came in.

"What's up, Le Le?" Tao Ruoqing was in a good mood after winning some money.

"Mrs. Ye," Tang Yue asked, "I want to move out. Could you help me with some rent?"

"Why do you suddenly want to move out?" Tao Ruoqing asked, then realized, "Is your senior still giving you a hard time?"

On the other end, Tang Yue remained silent.

Unlike Ye Zhiqiu's recent success, his past few days had been particularly difficult.

The incident where Lin Xuehua's thesis project was destroyed had been posted on the school forum, and the accuser claimed he did it intentionally.

He did do it intentionally, but no one had any evidence.

Initially, he thought that as long as he remained humble and endured any punishment, denying everything, the matter would eventually blow over.

He never expected it to blow up this much.

Not only does everyone in the dormitory shun him now, but even when he goes to class, hardly anyone is willing to sit with him anymore.

But that's fine.

When he does things, he doesn't focus on the process; as long as the final result is satisfactory, that's all that matters.

However, almost every day in the dormitory, his clothes and belongings are doused with water.

No one hits or curses at him, but his bedding is almost never dry.

The weather is currently experiencing a late cold snap, making it very cold indeed, and enduring each day has become incredibly difficult.

Tang Yue hasn't had a good night's sleep in ages.

It feels like he's being splashed with water even in his dreams, waking up wet every day with no end in sight.

The physical and mental toll has quickly become too much for him to bear.

"That won't do," Tao Ruoqing said. "I'll go talk to your senior."

Tang Yue hadn't given the watch to Lin Xuehua.

Hearing this, he immediately said, "No need."

"If you still want me to look after Xiao Qiu," he said, "then please help me this once."

On the other end, Tao Ruoqing was silent for a moment before her voice turned cold.

"Then look for a place to live recently," Tao Ruoqing said. "Keep the budget in mind."

*

At a little past five in the morning, Ye Zhiqiu pulled his luggage out of the gate.

Apart from Q.L's exhibition team and Zhang Lan, he didn't tell anyone about his return.

Thinking no one would come to pick him up, he heard someone calling his name just as he exited the gate.

The man's deep, pleasant voice was as always: "Ye Zhiqiu."

Ye Zhiqiu looked up in surprise, seeing Qin Jianhe in a black suit walking briskly toward him.

At this hour, there weren't many people at the airport, and those who were there mostly looked exhausted.

With his height and long legs, Qin Jianhe reached him almost instantly.

"How did you...?"

"How did I come?" Qin Jianhe asked, looking down at him.

Ye Zhiqiu was dressed in light beige casual wear, his dark hair and red lips showing no signs of fatigue from the long flight.

After a few days apart, Qin Jianhe found him even more attractive than before.

"Your early return," he said softly, "Meng Da mentioned it to me earlier."

The weight of his luggage suddenly lessened as Qin Jianhe took over the suitcase, and then he grasped Ye Zhiqiu's other hand.

"Hey," Qin Jianhe's restrained eagerness amused Ye Zhiqiu, and he tried to pull away. "Be careful, someone might take a picture."

"What's wrong with that?" Qin Jianhe stopped, looking down at him.

His eyes were deep and intense, fixed on Ye Zhiqiu's still smiling face.

Ye Zhiqiu: "..."

"Of course it's not good," Ye Zhiqiu chuckled. "Keeping multiple fish is exciting, but if it gets exposed, it's not exciting anymore."

"What is it then?" Qin Jianhe asked him.

Ye Zhiqiu smiled slightly but didn't say anything.

They entered the elevator one after the other, heading straight for the airport's underground parking lot.

Qin Jianhe's car was modest and parked next to a large pillar.

The pillar blocked most of the outside view.

Seeing him put his suitcase in the trunk, Ye Zhiqiu was about to get into the car when Qin Jianhe grabbed his wrist.

"Professor Ye." He looked down at him, pressing a hand firmly on Ye Zhiqiu's shoulder, pushing him against the pillar, leaning in close.

Almost immediately, the familiar scent of woodsy cologne enveloped Ye Zhiqiu completely.

"Do you enjoy excitement so much?" he asked. "Why don't we try something even more exciting?"