Chapter 94

Chapter 94

As night fell, a long queue of vehicles once again formed on the elevated highway in the distance.

Tail lights flickered, forming a dark red river that meandered forward slowly.

Yu Renzhi sat in a private circular booth by the window on the third floor, occasionally glancing towards the direction of the elevator.

Though his expression remained calm, his actions betrayed a slight sense of anxiety.

Wang Qitang, on the other hand, maintained his usual composure, smoking while gazing out at the traffic he had seen countless times before.

The weather was neither too cold nor too hot, making it the most pleasant time of year. All the large windows in the venue were open, allowing a gentle night breeze to blow in, creating an especially comfortable atmosphere.

"Ah, they're here," Yu Renzhi's tone suddenly relaxed and became lighter.

Only then did Wang Qitang turn his head, looking towards the slightly dim light near the elevator, where a tall figure was approaching steadily.

"You still showed up?"

"Why didn't you bring Xiao Ye along?"

Both of them almost simultaneously addressed Qin Jianhe.

"The company is busy," Qin Jianhe, as always, spoke succinctly.

He chose a seat, slightly tilting his head and loosening his tie around his neck.

Indeed, he was quite busy.

Just from his well-dressed appearance, one could tell he had come directly from work.

"As I said," Wang Qitang smiled, flicking his cigarette ash, "ask him about Xiao Ye, and he definitely won't answer."

Hearing this, Qin Jianhe gave a faint smile, lowering his gaze to pour some golden-brown liquor into the empty glass in front of him.

The amber liquid swirled in the bottom of the glass, somewhat resembling the color of Ye Zhiqiu's eyes.

"He took his team out for dinner today," he said softly.

It was May, and most designers were already preparing for the Spring-Summer Fashion Week in September and October.

Ye Zhiqiu's team was no exception.

He had taken Zhang Lan, Wang Ru, and Gao Yang out for a meal, discussing plans and arrangements for their upcoming work over dinner.

"No wonder..." Yu Renzhi began with a sarcastic tone, "I was saying, little..."

His dark eyes lifted slightly, but before Yu Renzhi could finish saying "little beauty," Qin Jianhe looked over.

"I was wrong," Yu Renzhi immediately corrected himself, still sarcastically, "I was just wondering why you finally decided to come out today. Turns out it's because your wife isn't home."

"Yes," Qin Jianhe replied straightforwardly.

His honesty left Yu Renzhi unable to continue teasing him.

No matter how hard Yu Renzhi tried, Qin Jianhe remained unperturbed.

"Did you go to the film set the other day?" Wang Qitang asked with a smile.

"Yes," Qin Jianhe said, "to pick up Ye Zhiqiu."

"You're so clingy," Yu Renzhi couldn't help but say, "aren't you considering going public with your relationship soon?"

The soft strains of a violin filled the air, and the ambient lighting cast a gentle glow, softening Qin Jianhe's usually sharp features.

"He doesn't want to yet," he said.

His tone was calm, tinged with a subtle gentleness.

"What?"

"You're kidding, right?" After a moment, Yu Renzhi spoke again, "You're Qin Jianhe."

Qin Jianhe had always been cold and decisive, capable of solving any problem.

Since childhood, Yu Renzhi had admired him deeply.

Despite being slightly older than Qin Jianhe, Yu Renzhi always called him "Brother."

This demonstrated Qin Jianhe's significant place in his heart.

But someone actually didn't want to go public with him?

After a brief silence, Yu Renzhi still found it unbelievable.

If it were him, he would have announced it to the world long ago.

Still puzzled, Yu Renzhi asked, "Why? Your wife... How can she be so composed at her age?"

"Hmm," Qin Jianhe said, smiling, "Maybe it's because he's too good, so he needs more time to see if I'm worthy of him."

"Tsk..." Wang Qitang laughed.

"Tsk..." Yu Renzhi protested, "you're killing us with this dog food again."

As they were talking, a waiter suddenly approached and whispered a few words to them.

"A Mr. Jiang knows you're here and would like to come over and say hello," he asked. "Is that convenient?"

"A Mr. Jiang?" Upon hearing this, Yu Renzhi and Wang Qitang both looked at Qin Jianhe.

Qin Jianhe raised an eyebrow, thinking for a moment before saying, "I don't know any Mr. Jiang."

He certainly knew quite a few people surnamed Jiang.

But someone who knew all of them and came here for entertainment...

He had no recollection.

"Jiang Nan," Yu Renzhi couldn't help but say. "He's been coming here almost every day for over a month. It's obvious he's after you."

Qin Jianhe: "..."

To be honest, he had actually forgotten about this person.

He didn't even have a clear memory of what he looked like.

But hearing his name reminded him of the incident where he secretly took photos of Ye Zhiqiu and sent those materials to him.

"No," he said without hesitation.

Seeing this, Yu Renzhi quickly added, "Tell him to leave."

"Yes," the waiter nodded and immediately turned to go downstairs.

On the second floor, the waiter politely relayed the message.

As Jiang Nan listened, his face gradually turned pale.

In fact, it wasn't that he was particularly polite or wanted to make a good impression on Qin Jianhe; rather, it was because Budo had its own special membership system.

Members on the third floor could freely enter the first and second floors, but members on the first and second floors did not have the privilege to enter the third floor.

Most importantly, the threshold for third-floor membership was extremely high, and not just anyone could obtain it.

Therefore, Jiang Nan had to ask through the waiter for their opinion.

"Sorry, Mr. Jiang," seeing his poor expression, the waiter quickly apologized.

Jiang Nan said nothing, only sitting quietly in his seat, drinking.

He had been coming to Budo for a long time now.

Every night, he would give a generous tip to the same waiter to inquire about Qin Jianhe's whereabouts.

Unfortunately, during this period, Qin Jianhe hadn't come by, while Yu Renzhi and Wang Qitang had visited a few times.

Among these visits, Yu Renzhi had twice sent a message through the waiter to greet him on the third floor.

But today, the response was a clear rejection, which Jiang Nan knew must have been Qin Jianhe's decision.

He sat there in a daze for a while, then silently got up and went to the underground garage.

Given the chance to meet Qin Jianhe, Jiang Nan always dressed meticulously whenever he came.

Even the fatigue on his face was perfectly concealed, making him look very handsome.

His sadness easily evoked sympathy.

Watching his dejected back, the waiter couldn't help but sigh softly and put away the half-empty bottle of wine.

Meanwhile, upstairs, the conversation had shifted.

Since Qin Jianhe hadn't been out drinking with them for quite some time, Yu Renzhi had accumulated several matters to discuss.

Wang Qitang also mentioned the latest progress on the collaboration project between Xin Dongli and Yunkai.

"The first batch of samples is ready," Wang Qitang smiled. "They are currently in line for testing."

"Needle penetration tests, right?" Qin Jianhe asked.

"Mm," Wang Qitang nodded. "If we don't do it, we won't pass Aunt Nie's inspection."

He added, "If everything goes smoothly, we should announce the project in June."

Everyone knew what this meant.

Not only was it a significant breakthrough in the field of new energy batteries, but it also marked the successful transformation of Xin Dongli.

With such outstanding results, all previous concerns and crises of Xin Dongli would be resolved, and its status in the industry would improve.

This made Wang Qitang's smile more vibrant than usual.

"You haven't met the true mastermind behind Yunkai yet?" Yu Renzhi never forgot his gossip.

Wang Qitang shrugged, "No."

Then he laughed, "Although Xin Dongli can't compare to Ruiyi, we are still a veteran company in the industry. While we are just starting in new energy, we are among the top three brands in engines. Honestly, I've never seen a partner who doesn't even qualify to meet Xin Dongli."

"Will he still not show up when the announcement is made?" Qin Jianhe found this interesting and put down his glass, looking over.

"I'm not sure. I asked Zhang Mian, the public representative of Yunkai, and he said it depends on that person's wishes," Wang Qitang smiled. "Anyone looking at Yunkai's scale would think we hold the upper hand in this collaboration, but somehow, they manage to keep control firmly in their hands."

"This time, the initiative is entirely in their hands," Qin Jianhe said. "New energy companies are different from traditional enterprises; technological superiority is equally crucial."

"That's why we've been fully cooperative with them, without a single complaint," Wang Qitang added with a smile. "Think about it—if they had chosen any other battery manufacturer instead of New Power for this collaboration, our transformation plan might have been doomed from the start."

As Wang Qitang spoke, he couldn't help but feel grateful to Nie Fengjun, both professionally and personally.

The three men continued chatting and drinking. Midway through, Yu Renzhi even made a call to Meng Qingyan.

Around nine o'clock, Qin Jianhe's phone rang. He glanced at it and decided to end the conversation.

"I'll head back now," he said. "You two can stay a bit longer if you like."

"It's only nine," Yu Renzhi complained. "Are you already settling into an old man's routine?"

"Xiao Qiu's event is almost over," Qin Jianhe explained. "He didn't drive tonight because we're drinking."

"Tsk..." Yu Renzhi said.

"Tsk," Wang Qitang echoed.

Without further ado, Qin Jianhe sent a message to Uncle Li and then got up to leave.

In the garage, Uncle Li was already prepared. Seeing Qin Jianhe approaching, he stepped out of the car and opened the door.

However, Qin Jianhe didn't make it to the car.

A young man suddenly emerged from another vehicle, blocking his path. It was clear that the young man had had too much to drink. Uncle Li's heart skipped a beat as he rushed over.

"Brother," Jiang Nan said, standing in front of Qin Jianhe. "Xiao Yu, do you remember me? I used to follow you around when I was little, calling you brother."

"Sorry, I don't know you," Qin Jianhe replied coldly, his dark phoenix eyes showing no warmth.

As he tried to walk around Jiang Nan, the younger man persisted.

"It's me, Jiang Nan." Emboldened by alcohol, Jiang Nan desperately wanted to convey his long-held feelings. "Back then, my father supported Uncle Qin just for business reasons. But I always missed you and Aunt Nie."

"Xiao Yu, I really liked you, even when I was a child. I came before Ye Zhiqiu, and I liked you even earlier than him."

Qin Jianhe knew it was Jiang Nan, even though he couldn't recall his face. The name had just come up that evening.

"So what?" he asked, his tone cold and cruel.

"Huh?" Jiang Nan was stunned. Seeing Qin Jianhe about to leave again, he hurriedly and humbly asked, "Could... could you look at me more?"

Uncle Li arrived just in time to pull Jiang Nan away, but Qin Jianhe raised his hand to stop him.

Seeing this, Jiang Nan felt a surge of hope, almost on the verge of tears.

But when he met Qin Jianhe's gaze, his heart sank once more.

Qin Jianhe looked down at him, his dark eyes icy and intimidating. He took a step forward, causing Jiang Nan to instinctively take a step back.

"Weren't you the one who secretly took pictures of Ye Zhiqiu last time?" he asked.

Jiang Nan shuddered, surprised and confused by how Qin Jianhe knew.

"I... I didn't," he stammered, his alcohol-addled mind moving slowly.

But Qin Jianhe ignored his denial and said coldly, "I've given you one chance already."

Though he left the rest unsaid, Jiang Nan understood the implication.

"I've given you one chance already. If there's a next time, you might pay a price you can't afford," Jiang Nan silently completed the sentence in his mind.

He was terrified, yet more than fear, he felt a deep sense of unwillingness.

Why did Qin Jianhe have to like Ye Zhiqiu?

If Ye Zhiqiu was acceptable, why wasn't he?

"How could a family like the Ye's ever be worthy of you?" Jiang Nan blurted out, despite knowing he shouldn't say more.

Qin Jianhe seemed to smirk, his eyes filled with cold disdain.

Without saying anything, he walked towards his car.

His tall, straight figure loomed over Jiang Nan, weighing heavily on his heart.

Wanting to chase after him, Jiang Nan felt so weighed down that he couldn't move.

The car started, drove away, and disappeared from sight. Jiang Nan finally broke down and cried.

He crouched down, burying his face in his arms.

But soon, he stood up, quickly got into his own car, and followed closely behind.

There was a bit of traffic at the entrance of Budu, and it took a few minutes to get out.

Once on the main road, the car sped toward the restaurant where Ye Zhiqiu was dining.

Jiang Nan gritted his teeth and followed closely.

He didn't know why he was following Qin Jianhe.

Every glance and every word from Qin Jianhe felt like a sharp blade, piercing the most vulnerable part of his heart with icy indifference.

Yet, instinctively, he still wanted to stay by his side.

Along the way, Qin Jianhe's strikingly beautiful yet chilling eyes kept replaying in his mind.

The spring night wind blew against his face, causing the alcohol to surge uncontrollably to his head.

His face grew hotter, but his heart grew colder.

No matter how deeply ingrained the concept of suitable matches or alliances with higher social classes might be, Jiang Nan gradually came to understand.

Qin Jianhe simply didn't care about these things.

And as the future inheritor of both Q.L and Ruiyi, the two leading enterprises, he didn't need to care about them either.

Or perhaps, even if he had been educated that way, still...

For him, Ye Zhiqiu was an exception.

He could overturn all established notions for Ye Zhiqiu.

This realization almost made Jiang Nan's eyes tear with rage, and he lost all sense of where he was going or where he was headed.

He gritted his teeth, his hands clenching the steering wheel as if he wanted to crush it.

The car sped along the road.

It wasn't until the car ahead slowly stopped at a restaurant that Jiang Nan suddenly snapped back to reality and hit the brakes.

As the car door opened, Qin Jianhe's tall figure reappeared in his field of vision.

But soon, another figure caught his eye.

Ye Zhiqiu was leaning against a pillar at the restaurant entrance, smoking. Seeing Qin Jianhe approach, he smiled and raised his hand.

Qin Jianhe walked toward him, his dark, almond-shaped eyes filled with a deep, warm smile.

That smile was indulgent, gentle, permissive, joyful...

Such a look was something Jiang Nan had never seen before.

If not for seeing it with his own eyes, he wouldn't have believed such a gaze could belong to Qin Jianhe.

Though the look was so tender, to Jiang Nan, it was sharper and more cruel than the coldness he had experienced in the garage, making his heart ache almost to the point of stopping.

In his field of vision, Qin Jianhe had already reached out and taken Ye Zhiqiu's extended hand.

Then, he pulled him into his embrace.

In the dim light cast by the pillar, Ye Zhiqiu smiled and tilted his head slightly, whispering something.

Qin Jianhe then leaned down, kissing his lips passionately as if unable to resist.