Chapter 76

Chapter 76

The fingers holding the phone tightened abruptly, and Ye Zhiqiu froze in place.

After a while, he gently moved his body, hugging the script with only a few pages left and the phone that had been set to silent, and quietly retreated from the bedroom.

The lights in the living room were still on, and Qin Jianhe's windbreaker and tie were casually draped over the neatly arranged sofa he had tidied up.

It was a slightly cold, light gray tone.

Under the light, the fabric reflected a faint, noble sheen, inadvertently amplifying the coolness.

This was how Qin Jianhe should truly look.

He had somehow forgotten when it happened.

Ye Zhiqiu silently stared at the two pieces of clothing for a moment before slowly walking over.

Placing the things in his hands on the coffee table, he bent down to pick up the tie and windbreaker, intending to hang them on a coat rack.

As he moved, something slid out of the windbreaker pocket, rolling on the floor before coming to a stop at his feet.

It was a candy, a peach-flavored lollipop.

The wrapper gleamed brilliantly under the light, still gently swaying by his foot.

Twinkle twinkle.

Ye Zhiqiu bent down and tightly clasped the candy in his palm.

For a moment, he felt an urge to secretly put the candy in his own pocket.

But ultimately, he rationally placed it back into Qin Jianhe's windbreaker pocket.

Half of the window on the balcony was open for ventilation. Ye Zhiqiu walked over, lit a cigarette, and sat down on the swing chair.

The cool breeze gradually calmed his somewhat agitated heart.

The phone flickered on and off, indicating lively activity.

Ye Zhiqiu leaned back into the comfortable, soft backrest of the swing chair and bit the cigarette as he unlocked the phone screen.

It was Tang Yue, who had posted photos of his new home in the group chat.

A sky-blue bedsheet and a light blue single sofa at the foot of the bed looked equally warm through the filter.

One could see his eagerness to move, unwilling to spend another night in the dormitory.

The group chat was naturally lively, with Jin Baobao always supportive.

"Zhaocai Jinbao: Wow, Le Le has already moved to the new place? So fast? Why didn't you call us to help?"

"Li Shao: Looks pretty good."

"Le Le: Not really, the whole house might be smaller than your bedroom, but it's really nice for me. It's much more comfortable than the dormitory, and I like it a lot."

"Zhaocai Jinbao: As long as it's cozy, such a small corner looks very warm too."

"Zhaocai Jinbao: Show us other parts of the place."

"Le Le: Picture.jpg."

"Le Le: Picture.jpg."

"..."

Tang Yue then sent a series of photos.

"Le Le: I plan to remove the dining table and set up a small workspace to focus on preparing for the upcoming competition."

"Zhaocai Jinbao: Le Le is participating in another competition?"

"Le Le: Yes, it's a domestic fashion design competition. I want to give it a try."

"Zhaocai Jinbao: Keep it up; with your hard work, you'll definitely get rewarded."

"Li Shao: What about Autumn? Is he participating?"

"Le Le: He's already won such a big award, so he probably won't participate this time."

"..."

It was clear that Tang Yue was genuinely happy about the move.

Someone usually quiet in the group chat tonight sent message after message.

Soon, the topic shifted back to the house he was now renting.

Jin Baobao and Li Shaojun were already discussing what gift would be most useful and space-efficient for Tang Yue.

They quickly reached a consensus, deciding to replace the old kitchen utensils in Tang Yue's kitchen.

Ye Zhiqiu lowered his eyes, pondering slightly.

Perhaps he had truly let go, for honestly, he hadn't thought about what gift to give Tang Yue for his new home.

Even now, realizing this, he couldn't be bothered to think about it.

The tip of his toe lightly touched the ground, and the swing chair swayed gently. Ye Zhiqiu quietly leaned back in the chair, finishing his cigarette without joining in.

Then, he picked up the script and flipped through the last few pages.

With a vivid image of the character in his mind, Ye Zhiqiu lowered his head to jot down inspirations and keywords on his phone before getting up and entering the bedroom.

By the time he finished his shower and got into bed, it was already past midnight.

Though he moved quietly, the slight dip in the mattress caused the person sleeping deeply to reach out instinctively, pulling him into an embrace.

Familiar scents and warmth quickly enveloped him. Ye Zhiqiu lifted his eyes and saw Qin Jianhe's thick, dark eyelashes and the subtle upward curve at the corner of his eye.

He seemed as unapproachable even in sleep.

However, beneath the thin skin over his heart, there was a strong and steady heartbeat, contrasting with his exterior.

Caught off guard by being pulled into the embrace, Ye Zhiqiu did not move but simply rested his head on that warm chest.

Listening to the strong heartbeat, thumping heavily against his ear.

Qin Jianhe usually spoke very little.

But his heartbeat seemed particularly fervent.

In the rhythm of this heartbeat, Ye Zhiqiu gradually closed his eyes and drifted into a peaceful sleep.

*

In the morning, the alarm clock rang as scheduled, and Ye Zhiqiu slowly opened his eyes.

The other side of the bed was already empty, but when he reached out, he could still feel the lingering warmth.

Clearly, Qin Jianhe had only been up for a short while.

Ye Zhiqiu closed his eyes to gather himself before getting up to change clothes and heading to the bathroom to wash up.

He also unlocked his phone and left a message for Director Zhou Lian.

"Yizhiqiu: Director Zhou, I've finished reading the script and have some initial ideas for the character's appearance. Do you have time these next two days to visit Teacher Li Xun together?"

"Yizhiqiu: If you're too busy, I'll go visit Teacher Li Xun with Liu Yisi these next two days."

Liu Yisi was one of Li Xun's assistants.

Since Ye Zhiqiu temporarily lacked an assistant and needed someone to facilitate communication with Li Xun, Liu Yisi had been temporarily assigned to assist Ye Zhiqiu during the filming of Building No. 8.

After sending the message, Ye Zhiqiu walked out in his slippers.

Unlike the previous times when he slept in, today he woke up earlier, but as soon as he opened the bedroom door, the aroma of freshly baked bread wafted over.

Accompanied by the sweet scent of milk.

Involuntarily, Ye Zhiqiu leaned against the door frame and smiled.

Qin Jianhe placed the toasted bread on a plate and took a step out of the kitchen, then paused.

The bedroom door was half-open, and Ye Zhiqiu was leaning against it, looking towards the kitchen.

He wore a white shirt, his hair soft and dark, and his light brown eyes were smiling, like honey, making everything seem sweet.

It was hard not to smile along with him.

Placing the plate on the dining table, Qin Jianhe stepped closer and pushed the door wider open.

"Wake up so early?" he asked.

Then, "Why are you hiding here and peeking at me?"

Ye Zhiqiu: "..."

"Who's peeking at you?" Ye Zhiqiu said with a laugh, lifting his eyes.

"Isn't that what you were doing?" Qin Jianhe looked down, reaching out to pinch Ye Zhiqiu's soft cheek. "Isn't it?"

Ye Zhiqiu tried to turn away but was blocked by Qin Jianhe's arm, and he was kissed on the lips.

The kiss was gentle, a brief touch.

"I have a meeting today," Qin Jianhe said, his dark eyes slightly lowered. "Why are you up so early?"

"I'm officially working now," Ye Zhiqiu smiled. "Shouldn't the best subordinate be punctual?"

"The best subordinate to me?" Qin Jianhe said, his voice slightly deeper, his eyes filled with playful laughter.

While it wasn't wrong, hearing Qin Jianhe say it made Ye Zhiqiu feel a bit odd, almost like they were playing office games.

"Hey, Qin Jianhe," he said,

"Hmm? Ye Zhiqiu." Qin Jianhe looked at him, stepping closer. "Didn't you say you'd make me a coat before?"

"Huh?" Ye Zhiqiu was slightly puzzled, searching his memory but couldn't recall promising to make Qin Jianhe a coat.

"A long coat, one that can cover your feet," Qin Jianhe reminded him softly.

Ye Zhiqiu: "..."

Ye Zhiqiu blinked, suddenly remembering the casual joke he had made when he received Qin Jianhe's message abroad.

He pursed his lips and couldn't help glancing outside.

The sunlight outside the window was just right.

"Spring is about to arrive; are you sure you still want the coat?" he asked.

"Yes," Qin Jianhe said, lowering his eyes to look at him, his voice slightly deep and resolute. "I can wear it every winter from now on."

Considering the context of their previous conversation, his words were essentially saying, "I want to wrap you in this coat and hold you every winter from now on."

Ye Zhiqiu was slightly taken aback, and his hands curled unconsciously by his sides.

But then, Qin Jianhe took hold of his wrist.

He led him to the dining table.

"Come, let's eat first," he smiled. "We can do other things after we're full?"

"You're very flexible with your 'doing,'" Ye Zhiqiu said. "It makes me wonder what exactly we're doing?"

Hearing this, Qin Jianhe chuckled and ruffled his hair gently.

"What do you want to do?" he looked at him, his voice slightly deep. "I can do anything."

They sat down opposite each other, and Qin Jianhe pushed one of the cups of hot milk closer to Ye Zhiqiu.

Ye Zhiqiu quickly picked it up and took a sip. "Whatever we do, it has to be later. I'm quite busy these days."

Qin Jianhe smiled and lowered his eyes, cutting into the fried egg. "I have an important meeting today, so I need to go early. That's why breakfast is simple."

Ye Zhiqiu looked down at the table.

Apart from the hot milk and toasted bread, there were two golden fried eggs and a small fruit platter. In one corner of the platter, Qin Jianhe had placed two large pieces of beef jerky for him.

"I don't think it's simple," he said. "It's quite good."

Hearing this, Qin Jianhe looked at him, his dark, deep eyes filled with a smile.

"Is today's meeting related to those executives from last night?" Ye Zhiqiu asked.

"Mm," Qin Jianhe nodded.

None of the executives in the company were easy to deal with; they had all been through many battles in the business world.

If they disagreed or opposed a proposal, even dealing with one would be challenging, let alone a group.

Ye Zhiqiu understood and didn't say anything else.

The dining table fell silent, only the occasional slight clink of utensils could be heard.

Ye Zhiqiu finished the fried egg and used his fork to give a piece of beef jerky to Qin Jianhe's plate.

Qin Jianhe didn't say anything, just naturally accepted it, his eyes filled with a warm smile.

After eating the beef jerky, Qin Jianhe stood up just as Ye Zhiqiu's phone rang on the table.

With a glance, he saw Qi Xin's name.

Without showing any emotion, he glanced at Ye Zhiqiu.

Ye Zhiqiu was also looking at his phone screen.

Seeing the caller's name, his lips tightened slightly, and he hung up the call.

If before, Qin Jianhe had thought that Ye Zhiqiu might have had feelings for Qi Xin.

Now, he had a different perspective.

However, since the day they started dating, he knew that Ye Zhiqiu harbored many secrets within himself.

He had time and patience to slowly help him open up.

There was no rush.

"I'm leaving." He fastened his watch strap with a click and ruffled Ye Zhiqiu's hair again.

"Mm." Ye Zhiqiu didn't get up, just looked up at him with his chopsticks in hand.

From this angle, his eyes always seemed wide and round, revealing his emotions clearly.

Clear and innocent, like a naive kitten.

Qin Jianhe couldn't help but chuckle, leaned down, and kissed his forehead.

Without another word, he opened the door and left.

As the door closed, Ye Zhiqiu's slightly pursed lips slowly relaxed, forming a gentle curve.

His phone rang again. This time, Ye Zhiqiu answered it.

He put it on speaker and said, "Qi Xin?"

"Xiao Qiu," Qi Xin's voice came through. "Are you awake?"

"Mm," Ye Zhiqiu said. "I'm having breakfast."

After hanging up yesterday, Qi Xin had contacted Tao Ruoqing and already knew where Ye Zhiqiu lived.

But now, he pretended to ask, "Where did you move to? I didn't get a chance to ask before."

Ye Zhiqiu never hid things he couldn't keep secret, so he told Qi Xin the name and location of his neighborhood.

"That's good," Qi Xin said, "it's close to your company."

"Did you call just to tell me this?" Ye Zhiqiu asked, his tone growing impatient again.

Qi Xin assumed he was still affected by his earlier mood and didn't dare to say anything else.

"Aren't we meeting today?" he asked, "which restaurant do you want to go to? I'll book a private room in advance."

Ye Zhiqiu pondered for a moment, "I don't have any particular craving."

"How about I pick you up near your company at noon?" Qi Xin suggested, quickly adding, "somewhere a bit further from your company, okay?"

"No need," Ye Zhiqiu finished the milk in his cup, "send me your location, I have more time in the afternoon and can come to your factory to take a look."

Qi Xin was taken aback but quickly agreed.

Was Ye Zhiqiu coming to his territory a sign that their relationship could finally progress further?

Or perhaps, because of the rude words he had said to him and his father before, he felt remorseful and was making an effort?

"The factory is small, don't laugh at it," Qi Xin said humbly, suppressing his joy.

"As long as it makes money, even a small place is a gold mine," Ye Zhiqiu laughed indifferently.

"Alright, alright," Qi Xin felt more reassured.

After hanging up, he promptly sent the factory's location to Ye Zhiqiu and called a few people in to clean and tidy up his and his father's cluttered office.

Then, he had someone bring Qi Ruichang over from the factory.

Starting this clothing factory, Qi Ruichang had endured much hardship and suffering.

But it also made him instinctively more adept at seeking benefits and avoiding harm, being as flexible as possible in front of "important people" and as stubborn as possible in front of those he looked down upon.

Qi Xin couldn't help feeling a headache when thinking about how to convince his father to be polite to Ye Zhiqiu.

Qi Ruichang didn't think highly of Ye Zhiqiu.

Although the Ye family was much stronger than the Qi family, with Tao Ruoqing around, Ye Zhiqiu was destined to end up with nothing.

In his eyes, someone who would be so devoted to his son yet unable to provide significant assistance to the Qi family was someone he could easily manipulate.

Moreover, Qi Xin's relationship with Jiang Nan was currently quite good.

With the Jiang family as a carrot dangling in front, the Ye family naturally became less significant.

Not to mention, Jiang Nan treated him politely while Ye Zhiqiu treated him rudely...

Qi Ruichang still harbored anger that he hadn't found a chance to vent, and now asking him to be humble to Ye Zhiqiu was even harder.

"Dad," Qi Xin, still not fully recovered, started coughing as soon as he spoke.

His clothes seemed looser, and compared to two weeks ago, he had lost weight and looked much more haggard.

Not only had he been flying back and forth between domestic and international destinations without rest, but upon returning, he had to handle numerous orders and manage funds that were already short.

Seeing this, Qi Ruichang couldn't help feeling some concern.

"Still worried about that advance payment?" he asked.

"No," Qi Xin said, "recently, orders have increased significantly. Just Xinge has added several orders, and Mrs. Ye has agreed to transfer a sum of money over the next few days."

"It seems Tao Ruoqing has been doing well these years," Qi Ruichang said after drinking some water, showing a thoughtful expression.

"Dad," Qi Xin seized the opportunity to bring up Ye Zhiqiu, "if it weren't for Xiao Qiu, our factory wouldn't have improved so much this year."

"What? Are you going to speak well of him again?" Qi Ruichang immediately responded, "I've already said it, fake is fake. You shouldn't waste your time on him. Wouldn't it be better to spend more time with Jiang Nan?"

This time, the Qi family's luck brought them many orders. In Qi Ruichang's mind, new designs were important, but what mattered most was that Jiang Nan gave them the opportunity to showcase themselves internationally.

"If we can continue such cooperation with Qi Yun, that would be crucial," Qi Ruichang said, "we lacked the resources to hire designers before, but once these orders are completed and the payments received, we should hire a few people and establish our own Design Department. Then you won't have to rely on them anymore."

Qi Xin subconsciously rubbed his temple.

"Establishing our own Design Department is necessary for Qi Yun's development," he said, "but we're talking about the present."

Seeing him coughing, Qi Ruichang remained silent.

"Right now, besides the few popular models, we clearly lack follow-up strength," Qi Xin finally managed to say after coughing for a while.

"What?" Qi Ruichang asked, "do you want me to apologize to that brat? I didn't say anything, and just a few words got him so upset?"

"No," Qi Xin explained, "when Xiao Qiu went to Paris, he was already drawing designs for me. Given his usual speed, he should have finished by now, but he hasn't given them to me. I suspect he's still holding a grudge."

Hearing this, Qi Ruichang frowned.

"He's coming to the factory today," Qi Xin continued, "I'm asking you to put aside your pride and help me keep him happy so I can ask for the designs. Mrs. Ye might then increase her investment."

After saying this, Qi Xin started coughing again.

Qi Ruichang, intending to say something else, softened at the sight.

"Do as you see fit," he said, patting Qi Xin's back, "as long as it's for the company and you're not really developing feelings for him, everything is fine."

*

At ten o'clock in the morning, Ye Zhiqiu received a message from Zhou Lian in his office.

Zhou Lian happened to be planning to visit Li Xun at the hospital these two days, and they tentatively agreed to meet the next day at noon.

Just as he put down the phone, his phone rang again; it was Ye Zhixia sending a photo.

There were no words in the message box, only two large red marriage certificates neatly placed on the desktop.

One of them was opened, revealing an intimate photo of Ye Zhixia and Gao Wenye.

Ye Zhiqiu laughed softly, having no intention to delve into Ye Zhixia's mindset for sending these things to him.

However, now that they were truly married, he felt relieved.

He first replied to Ye Zhixia with a simple message, just the word "Congratulations."

Then, he forwarded the marriage certificate to Li Ling, adding a note: "Once the official announcement is out, you can proceed."

"Teacher Xiao Ye." As soon as he put down his phone, Zhang Lan came over with two pieces of fabric for Ye Zhiqiu to see. "Take a look at these two cotton-linen fabrics. One is from a small factory I recently visited. The quality feels almost the same as Dongqi's, but the price is more than one-third lower."

Ye Zhiqiu took them and looked down.

The sunlight outside was perfect, shining on the two pieces of fabric of the same color. The diagonal weave made the material appear particularly smooth, and running his fingers over it felt equally soft and comfortable.

Cotton-linen has always been one of Ye Zhiqiu's favorite materials.

Lightweight, breathable, and comfortable, most importantly, it is casual and healthy.

Its usage always spikes during summer.

Given the incident where Zhou Lang had threatened the factory, Ye Zhiqiu had asked Zhang Lan to scout for a few more factories, just in case there were any issues, to have backup options.

"Not bad, right?" Zhang Lan asked expectantly.

"Mm. Both are linen, both with the same density; the feel is almost indistinguishable." He put the fabric down and smiled at Zhang Lan. "Have them send samples of different yarn counts later. It would be best if they could provide swatches too."

"Sure, Teacher Xiao Ye." Zhang Lan immediately agreed, putting the fabric back on the rack before leaving Ye Zhiqiu's office.

With the door closed, the room became exceptionally quiet.

After finishing the work piled up during his leave, Ye Zhiqiu took out his tablet from his backpack, connected it to his computer, and began refining the unfinished design drafts seriously.

His hand-drawn sketches were incredibly lifelike, with gold threads embellishing the intricate skirt designs, making them particularly beautiful.

Stroke by stroke, he worked until noon when Zhang Lan came in again from outside.

She stood behind him, her gaze fixed on the nearly completed suit on the screen, hesitant to speak, afraid of disturbing Ye Zhiqiu.

Eventually, it was Ye Zhiqiu who spoke first.

"What is it?" he said, still drawing. With each movement, two flowing ribbons appeared on the screen, ethereal and graceful.

"I..." Zhang Lan pursed her lips, taking a moment before saying, "It's so beautiful."

Ye Zhiqiu chuckled and stopped drawing.

He saved the draft, exited the software, and then smiled at Zhang Lan. "What did you want to say?"

"Oh," Zhang Lan remembered, "I wanted to ask where you'd like to eat. On my way back, I ran into Wu Qiong. He said if you're eating at the company today, he'd like to join you."

Hearing this, Ye Zhiqiu subconsciously checked the time on his wrist.

There were less than five minutes left before the end of the day.

Although he had returned to work yesterday, since he hadn't shown himself in public spaces, most people probably hadn't heard the news yet.

Moreover, although he had planned to visit Qi's factory, due to the distance, he intended to have lunch in the city before heading over.

It was time to make an appearance at the company.

Ye Zhiqiu thought.

After all, Qin Weian had spent two full years at Q.L, and among the staff, there might be more than just Zhou Lang who was close to him.

"Let's go to the company cafeteria then," Ye Zhiqiu smiled.

"I'll let Wu Qiong know," Zhang Lan took out her phone and sent a message, then added with a smile, "He talks the most, and he'll definitely pester you about the exhibition."

Ye Zhiqiu smiled but didn't say anything.

Sure enough, after work, as they took the elevator downstairs, Wu Qiong's questions never ceased.

Ye Zhiqiu was particularly patient, answering every question, which drew everyone's attention.

The food at Q.L's cafeteria was always excellent. Upon entering, everyone grabbed their trays to select their meals.

Since he hadn't eaten vegetables for breakfast, Ye Zhiqiu deliberately picked more, stacking colorful greens on his tray. When Wu Qiong saw this after selecting his meal, he couldn't help but lecture him.

"All the beef steaks today are top-quality grass-fed beef, sourced from a farm we negotiated with. Why are you eating vegetables?"

As he spoke, several assistants from the top-floor secretary's office came down, and Ye Zhiqiu didn't answer immediately, his gaze drawn to the people behind them.

"What are you looking at?" Wu Qiong followed his gaze and then whispered gossip.

"I heard there's some new investment decision, and they've been in meetings all morning." Wu Qiong lowered his voice. "Even Zhou Tongxin, that gluttonous old fox, hasn't come down, so the workload upstairs must be heavy."

He kept cutting his steak while observing.

Indeed, those few young assistants from the secretary's office each carried meals for two or three people, carrying bags and heading back upstairs.

"So busy?" Ye Zhiqiu murmured, "They can't even eat properly?"

"At least they're eating in the office," Wu Qiong said, "but the food doesn't taste as good once it's taken upstairs."

Ye Zhiqiu didn't say anything further.

After eating, he went straight downstairs, ready to drive to the Qi family's factory.

He knew that road better than anyone else, so he didn't even need navigation. Throughout the journey, he didn't even take his phone out.

But when he opened the car door, he was slightly taken aback, and then a gentle smile appeared in his eyes.

A crystal-clear candy, just like the one from that day, appeared on his driver's seat.

It must have fallen out of Qin Jianhe's pocket before and then been put back, only to end up here again.

Bending down to pick it up, Ye Zhiqiu held the candy in his hand while fastening his seatbelt and taking out his phone.

He unfolded his palm and took a photo of the candy with his phone.

Then, he opened Qin Jianhe's chat window and sent the photo.

"Yezhiqiu: Aren't you busy? How did you have time to send down a candy?"

As the car started up and slowly climbed the slope, the outside light grew brighter, and his phone vibrated.

"QIN: This time, I had Uncle Li drop it off. It seems a bit lacking in sincerity, but next time, I'll do it myself."

Ye Zhiqiu looked at the message for a moment, couldn't help but laugh for a while, then turned the steering wheel to merge onto the main road.

He placed the candy on the dashboard, where it occasionally swayed with the movement of the car, reflecting a bit of dazzling light.

Reflecting the brightness of his smile.

Not long after he started driving, his phone rang.

It was an unfamiliar number.

Ye Zhiqiu's heart skipped a beat as he answered the call and put it on speaker.

"Hello," he said, the laughter still evident in his voice. "Who is this?"

"Teacher Xiao Ye, it's me, Qin Weian. Do you remember me?"

Finally, thought Ye Zhiqiu, responding casually, "Hello, Mr. Qin."

"You sounded pretty happy just now," Qin Weian laughed on the other end. "Why did your mood change when you heard it was me?"

"I'm afraid of you, Mr. Qin," said Ye Zhiqiu. "Let's be straightforward. What do you want?"

"Should I talk about business or personal matters first?" Qin Weian asked.

"There can't be any personal matters between us, Mr. Qin. As for business, my contract is with Q.L, so I can't work for you. However..."

Pausing here, Ye Zhiqiu let out a light laugh.

"I have a friend who owns a clothing factory. He often uses some of my discarded drafts, and they've been well-received. If you're really interested in collaborating, I can introduce him to you. How about that?"