Chapter 113

Chapter 113

The window was small and faced away from the sun, so very little light filtered in.

In the half-light and half-shadow, two figures, one tall and one short, were intimately intertwined.

Qin Jianhe's phoenix eyes were slightly lowered, his dark gaze fixed on Ye Zhiqiu's face through thick lashes.

Ye Zhiqiu's face was small and pale, still as smooth and white as jade even in the dim shadows.

Qin Jianhe raised his hand, rubbing his thumb gently against Ye Zhiqiu's soft lips, with a pressure that was neither too light nor too heavy, yet it made one want to follow closely.

"Do you want to kiss me?" he asked hoarsely.

"Mm." Without restraint, Ye Zhiqiu tilted his face up and slowly rose on his tiptoes.

The distance between their lips was just a thread apart, their breaths already mingling, but Qin Jianhe smiled and moved back slightly.

That laugh was low, echoing in the quiet, empty stairwell, exceptionally sexy and enticing.

"I want to kiss you too," he said.

Ye Zhiqiu pursed his lips, which had been rubbed until they were slightly warm, and couldn't help but let out a light laugh.

However, his laughter was quickly swallowed by another, carrying a hint of muffled resonance.

Qin Jianhe lowered his head again, kissing him passionately.

Inside the car, Jiang Nan's hands trembled violently.

The heavy phone slipped uncontrollably once more, landing squarely on his foot.

But he seemed oblivious, gritting his teeth tightly, his eyes bloodshot, overwhelmed by the pain and suffocation in his chest, leading to utter defeat.

Ye Zhiqiu's words alone had already torn his heart to shreds.

Yet, the faint sounds of intimacy and closeness coming from the other end were far more devastating than anything Ye Zhiqiu had said.

Jealousy tore him apart, contorting his face, sweat and tears mixing, smearing his makeup.

The world seemed utterly empty, and he could no longer feel his heartbeat.

After an unknown amount of time, the driver's frantic knocking finally prompted Jiang Nan to move.

He leaned forward slightly, startled by his own reflection in the rearview mirror—pale, sweat-streaked, and smeared with oily makeup.

Despair pierced him like an arrow, pinning him to the spot.

He frantically ordered the driver to go away, not wanting anyone to see his ugly, disheveled appearance.

Panic-stricken, he fumbled for his makeup bag, applying makeup while trying to grasp the fleeting glimmer in his dazed mind.

Finally, he seemed to remember something, immediately bending down to grab the phone from the floor and hastily dialing Qi Xin's number.

Qi Xin was also in a state of turmoil, unable to patch up one problem before another arose.

The collaboration with Man Qing had gone awry, yet Qin Weian, who had previously been full of sweet talk, refused to meet him.

In just a few days, he had become noticeably thinner and more haggard, his eyes filled with spiderweb-like bloodshot veins.

Even Qi Ruichang, brimming with grievances, held back his complaints, swallowing them unwillingly.

Though he refrained from further complaints about Qi Xin, he would not spare Ye Zhiqiu any courtesy.

Seeing Qi Xin grovel and plead during a customer service call, he rubbed his face vigorously, but could not erase the exhaustion.

He had long forgotten the joy he felt when Ye Zhiqiu introduced Man Qing to Qi Xin.

"If it weren't for Tao Ruoqing's stepson insisting on introducing that Qin guy to you," he spat out bitterly for what seemed like the hundredth time, "would you be in this mess? I think he had ill intentions; otherwise, his family wouldn't have fallen so quickly."

"Pah!" He spat rudely, "Instant karma."

"Dad," Qi Xin, already overwhelmed, rubbed his temples in restraint, "this isn't Xiao Qiu's fault. He meant well."

He paused, unable to hold back, "Can you please stop meddling?"

Qi Ruichang could not help but meddle.

After all, losing so much money would unsettle anyone.

Moreover, if a solution wasn't found soon, not only would Qi Yun suffer, but the factory he had painstakingly built over a lifetime would also be at risk.

Seeing Qi Xin's distressed state, he opened his mouth but eventually sighed heavily, holding back his words.

Qi Ruichang looked older recently.

Especially during this crisis, his white hair had increased dramatically.

Hearing his heavy sigh, Qi Xin felt a pang of guilt.

Qi Ruichang had not had an easy life.

Back when the factory was just starting, knowing Qi Xin wanted to learn the trade, despite financial strain, he managed to send him abroad.

Over the years, while the factory hadn't expanded significantly, it had accumulated a stable clientele.

If Qi Xin had been more pragmatic instead of overly ambitious, the factory might have had a future.

But now...

"Let's wait a bit longer. At the business association meeting at the end of the month, we can take Xiao Qiu's design drafts with us. Perhaps we'll encounter a new opportunity," Qi Xin comforted him. "Besides, even if Qin Weian continues to avoid and evade responsibility, we can always sue them. I don't believe that if the court orders enforcement, Manqing wouldn't be enough to cover our losses."

The phone rang. Thinking it was another debt collector, Qi Xin reflexively rubbed his face.

But Qi Ruichang's eyes lit up, and he immediately urged, "It's Jiang Nan, answer it quickly."

Qi Xin felt a bit resentful about Qi Ruichang's attitude toward Jiang Nan, but seeing Qi Ruichang's expectant gaze, he eventually answered the call.

Before he could speak, Jiang Nan's voice came through, hoarse and urgent, making Qi Xin pause slightly in surprise.

"Hello," he said, "is this Qi Xin?"

"It's me." Qi Xin frowned slightly, holding the phone away from his ear to look at Jiang Nan's name on the screen.

There was a laugh from the other end, sharp and mocking, causing Qi Xin to frown deeply again.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Do you know about Ye Zhiqiu..."

"Why do you always mention Xiao Qiu when you call?" Qi Xin interrupted, frowning.

Not only did he mention Ye Zhiqiu, but there was an inexplicable malice in his tone that made Qi Xin extremely uncomfortable.

In the past, he liked Jiang Nan and could tolerate anything he did.

But now, he had no feelings left for Jiang Nan, only hidden disgust.

With everything going wrong lately and his mood already irritable, he had even less patience to indulge him.

Qi Xin's tone was quite unfriendly, and Jiang Nan's face, filled with madness, suddenly turned cold.

Qin Jianhe was like the moon in the sky; he would chase after him even at the cost of his life. But what was Qi Xin, daring to look down on him?

His face darkened, and his clenched fist pressed his nails into the bloodied marks on his palm.

The pain rose from his palm, and Jiang Nan's mind finally cleared a little.

He suppressed the nauseating feeling, "What, are you so close to him now? Can't I even ask?"

On the other side, Qi Ruichang glared at Qi Xin for his impatient tone, raising his hand as if to strike.

Qi Xin turned his head, trying to soften his tone.

"Um." Considering Qi Ruichang was watching, Qi Xin spoke vaguely, simply responding with a short "um."

"Didn't you say that Ye's family has accepted you?" Jiang Nan asked again.

"Um." Qi Xin couldn't stand his father eavesdropping, so he walked out into the empty courtyard of the factory. "After Ye Zhixia and Gao Wenye's matter is settled, we will get married."

Originally, he wanted to expose Ye Zhiqiu's two-timing to Qi Xin, but hearing this, Jiang Nan paused again.

That faint hope, which he deliberately imagined even though he knew it wasn't real, slowly rose in his heart once more.

Already confused, he felt like an insect caught in a spider's web.

From where he stood, paths stretched out in all directions, yet he couldn't tell which one led to safety.

For so long, he hadn't told Qi Xin about Ye Zhiqiu and Qin Jianhe's relationship, hoping that Ye Zhiqiu would ultimately end up with Qi Xin.

If initially he wanted to show Ye Zhiqiu his special feelings for Qi Xin,

now, he didn't want to ruin their relationship. Honestly, he wished they would stay together.

That way, Ye Zhiqiu wouldn't touch his Qin Jianhe anymore.

He closed his eyes, swallowing the words that had almost slipped out, and after a moment, slowly said, "Is that so?"

"Of course." Qi Xin replied without hesitation.

"Fine." Jiang Nan muttered, almost gritting his teeth, "I'll give you another chance."

Without warning, he hung up the call.

Qi Xin was baffled, frowning after a moment and muttering, "What's wrong with him?"

What did his relationship with Ye Zhiqiu have to do with Jiang Nan?

Who did he think he was, giving them a chance?

Was he really someone's father?

It was utterly absurd.

If not for the resources Jiang Nan had, he wouldn't want to talk to him at all.

It was already noon, and the scorching summer sun should have made his back feel hot.

But remembering Jiang Nan's hoarse and gloomy voice, as if he had just crawled out of hell, Qi Xin felt a chill run down his back, making him extremely uncomfortable.

After a moment of silence, he unlocked his phone, dialed Ye Zhiqiu's number, and called him.

The ringtone sounded for a while before Ye Zhiqiu answered, his voice clear and bright, "Hello, Qi Xin?"

Hearing this voice, Qi Xin immediately felt warm and comfortable, and his expression softened involuntarily.

"Xiao Qiu," he asked, "what are you doing?"

"Ye Zhixia is back," Ye Zhiqiu said, "everyone is at the hospital, I'm heading over there."

At this moment, Qi Xin finally realized that Ye Zhiqiu was driving, as his mood had calmed down.

Because he had lost all his money and even owed debts, Qi Xin felt guilty and didn't dare to visit Tao Ruoqing in the hospital.

Hearing this, he felt a bit embarrassed. "Do you need me to go with you?"

"No need," said Ye Zhiqiu.

Ye Zhiqiu's mood seemed excellent, his voice carrying a light trace of amusement.

Qi Xin couldn't speak for a moment, but a sweet warmth slowly filled his heart.

"We're almost there," Ye Zhiqiu said from the other end. "I'll hang up now."

He always acted this way, rarely listening to Qi Xin's thoughts or opinions.

As soon as he finished speaking, Qi Xin opened his mouth to say something more, but Ye Zhiqiu had already hung up decisively.

Qi Xin stood there with his mouth half-open, and after a moment, thinking of Ye Zhiqiu's youthful arrogance and self-will, he couldn't help but smile.

Ye Zhiqiu...

He silently repeated Ye Zhiqiu's name in his heart, feeling as if his weary and dejected soul had been infused with energy, rekindling a strong sense of hope and vigor.

In such a difficult low point in life, it seemed that only Ye Zhiqiu could bring him that last bit of hope.

On the other side, Ye Zhiqiu hung up the call and threw his phone onto the passenger seat with utter indifference, focusing on driving.

His previous message had worked; Ye Zheng and Ye Zhixia had returned.

Now, along with Ye Hongxian, they were all at the hospital visiting Tao Ruoqing.

The private hospital of the Li family had excellent conditions. Ye Zhiqiu had hired a top-notch caregiver for Tao Ruoqing and customized her menu with various dishes.

This attitude left no room for criticism.

However, Tao Ruoqing had not been living comfortably recently.

Previously, Tang Yue, who had been calmed down, began frequently harassing her with phone calls a few days after Gao Wenye and Ye Zhixia's incident.

Perhaps in his eyes, a dying camel was still bigger than a horse.

Or perhaps, he just couldn't face reality and wanted to cling to the last straw...

He used both soft and hard tactics on Tao Ruoqing, acting particularly crazed.

Tao Ruoqing started to feel a bit regretful.

At first, she thought Tang Yue was an honest and simple country boy, easy to handle compared to most people.

But she hadn't expected him to have such cunning and ambition.

And those without anything to lose never feared those who had everything...

Tao Ruoqing was disturbed by him, despite coming up with countless excuses. This time, however, Tang Yue was unresponsive.

At this critical juncture, it was crucial that nothing went wrong with Tao Ruoqing, so Ye Hongxian could forgive and accept Ye Zhixia again.

Therefore, although she was being exceptionally well cared for these past few days, Tao Ruoqing rapidly became haggard.

She looked as if she truly had a serious illness.

Ye Zhixia, having experienced a double blow in both love and career, looked even worse.

To soften Ye Hongxian's heart, she didn't even put on makeup this time, her pale face showing a sickly yellow hue, looking particularly listless.

Mother and son, each looking more miserable than the other, couldn't help but burst into tears when they met.

Seeing his mother and brother in such a state, Ye Zheng also felt a deep sorrow.

Standing by the window, he touched his cigarette pack, but remembering it was a hospital, he reluctantly suppressed the urge.

Ye Hongxian, however, showed no patience, constantly scolding Ye Zhixia, blaming him for bringing shame and making him lose face among clients and friends.

In his anger, he even raised his foot several times to kick her, but Ye Zheng quickly intervened each time.

The ward was in chaos. Frustrated, Ye Zheng opened the window to let in some fresh air.

His gaze inadvertently fell on Ye Zhiqiu's figure below the hospital building.

The young man's black hair was slightly blown by the wind, wearing a white T-shirt and black pants, his posture upright. He stepped onto the stairs and entered the hospital lobby.

The fresh air brought some comfort to Ye Zheng.

Within three to five minutes, the ward door was knocked on, and Ye Zhiqiu pushed it open.

He carried a fruit basket filled with fresh strawberries, large and red, looking fresh and sweet.

Ye Zhixia loved cherries, while Tao Ruoqing preferred strawberries. These were also the fruits Uncle Wang often bought.

Silently, Ye Zhiqiu placed the fruit basket on the bedside table and glanced at the sobbing mother and son.

Seeing Ye Zhiqiu enter, Ye Zhixia's competitiveness and pride flared up again. She wiped her tears, withdrew from Tao Ruoqing's embrace, and sat up straight.

Thinking Ye Zhiqiu would definitely not miss this chance to target her, Ye Zhixia instantly became defensive.

However, Ye Zhiqiu ignored her and smiled at Tao Ruoqing. "Are you feeling better?"

"How could I?" Tao Ruoqing continued to sob. "Seeing my brother like this, my heart aches every time."

"Good to have you back." Ye Zhiqiu smiled. "He's still so young. There will be plenty of opportunities for him to do and learn whatever he wants in the future."

"Hmph..." The thorns on Ye Zhixia finally stirred. "Don't pretend to be so kind-hearted. When I was in trouble, neither you nor your entertainment industry friends said a single word for me."

"Xia Xia." Hearing this, Ye Zheng's brows furrowed slightly as he spoke out to stop him.

Ye Hongxian, already at his limit, kicked Ye Zhixia, sending him tumbling onto the hospital bed.

"You damn brat, didn't I tell you that guy surnamed Gao wasn't right for you? You were like a brick shithouse, insisting on him no matter what, even threatening suicide. It's all your doing, yet you expect others to speak up for you?" He ranted. "If it weren't for you, would our company's business have plummeted so drastically?"

Ye Zhixia wanted to argue back, but Ye Zheng glared at him fiercely, silencing him.

Seeing this, Tao Ruoqing pulled up Ye Zhixia's shirt to check if he was hurt, then started crying again.

"Cry what?" Ye Hongxian paced back and forth irritably. "It's demoralizing."

"Dad," Ye Zhiqiu looked at Ye Hongxian without changing his expression. "How is the company doing recently?"

Hearing this, Ye Hongxian's brows furrowed even more.

Ye Zheng explained to Ye Zhiqiu: "Ever since Yunkai introduced their new technology, other companies have been busy lowering prices. Our company has lost its advantage..."

He paused, his tone somewhat dejected. "Our business volume and customer retention rate have dropped by eighty or ninety percent."

This was the general data reported to him by his assistant when he called the company on his way to the hospital after landing.

With eighty or ninety percent of the business and customers gone, one could imagine how difficult things had become.

Hearing this, Tao Ruoqing was stunned and stopped crying.

This data sent a chill through her heart, making her feel instantly insecure.

"What about us..."

"What 'us'?" Ye Hongxian interrupted her irritably, then gritted his teeth after a moment. "That Yunkai, who knows who's behind it, always seems to be targeting Ye Ding?"

In fact, Ye Zheng had the same feeling.

He frowned deeply, remaining silent for a moment.

Ye Ding's situation was truly dire.

The battery equipment they had bought just a few months ago was now essentially useless under the pressure of the new technology.

And they still owed the bank tens of millions.

Most importantly, even if they wanted to sell now, they couldn't find any buyers.

For a moment, the air was quiet. Then, Ye Zheng and Ye Hongxian's phones rang almost simultaneously with the sound of incoming emails.

Ye Zheng opened his email first, but after a moment, his face turned pale.

Noticing his distress, Ye Hongxian also opened his phone and checked his email.

His temper was always short, unlike Ye Zheng's patience, and he immediately raised his phone to throw it.

But for some reason, he didn't end up throwing it.

"Damn it," he growled, veins bulging on his neck. "This Yunkai is going too far. If I find out who's behind it, I'll skin them alive!"

Without looking, Ye Zhiqiu knew that Zhang Mian must have just sent an official acquisition proposal to Ye Ding.

He lowered his eyes, concealing a flash of coldness and mockery beneath his thick lashes, and his lips curled slightly.

"The terms of the acquisition are too poor." Ye Zheng also frowned, saying after a moment, "It's indeed a bit too much."

"I heard that after Yunkai and Ruoyi formally negotiate, they will hold a press conference," Ye Zhiqiu slowly lifted his gaze, looking at Ye Hongxian with an unclear expression. "At that time, why don't you go and plead with them? Perhaps there might still be room for negotiation."