Our Glamourous Time
Author: Ding Mo
Date: 2022-10-27T18:54:55.228000+00:00

Chapter 1

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The train was rumbling along, traveling from deep in the snow-capped mountains to the endless horizon.

The scenery outside the window was like a movie, jumping from one frame to another; towering mountains, drifting clouds, sparkling lakes, and herds of cattle and sheep hidden in the grassland that was troubled by the wind.

All the colors in the landscape of Tibet appeared pure and tranquil. Every glance of them seemed to touch the deepest parts of the heart.

Lin Qian sat by the window.

The entire carriage was filled with people except for the space around her, which was deserted. Everybody seemed to be very careful in keeping a polite distance from the young woman.

Lin Qian was somewhat embarrassed but thought it kind of funny at the same time. She held her forehead in one hand and distractedly read a book in the other. Whenever she looked up, she saw a crowd of army green. She could feel the men’s gazes fall upon her from time to time, making her blush slightly.

Indeed, it was unusual for a young woman with just a backpack to find herself in a carriage packed with soldiers and then traveling eight hours with them.

It was only two days ago that Lin Qian had been in an accident in the snowy mountains.

Because of her new job, she had allowed herself to take a vacation before starting. She had gone hiking in Tibet, a trip that she had been dreaming of for a long time.

Hiking shouldn’t have been that difficult considering her physical state and experience with outdoor activities. But on her way back, her rented pickup truck had stopped working halfway down the mountain. An unexpected change in the weather had brought overnight snow, which added to her anxiety.

Luckily, at dawn the next day, a group of passing soldiers rescued her. The border guards were so friendly that they had offered to put her on a special train that transported veterans newly-retired from their service. The train could take her all the way to Lhasa.

A soldier sitting on the other side of the aisle took the initiative to ask, “Miss, where are you from?”

All of the soldiers had likely heard about her situation, so they were being particularly nice to her. Lin Qian smiled. “I’m from Lin City.”

Upon hearing that, a soldier down the aisle said cheerfully, “I’m from Lin City too, so we’re from the same area!”

Lin Qian looked up and smiled at him as well. She had a sweet face. Even though she was bundled in a jacket and wore no makeup, she still looked pretty and neat. Her smile made the soldiers’ hearts skip a beat.

The soldier laughed and asked again, “So I’m guessing you’re a university student?”

“No, I’ve actually been working for a few years,” she answered politely. Her soft, gentle voice seemed to carry a kind of unhurried natural ease, which made the soldiers feel comfortable. They again said she looked like a young student.

“What company do you work for in Lin City?”

Lin Qin replied, “Um, Aida Group.”

“Impressive!” The fellow-townsman gave her a thumbs up. “That’s the top enterprise in our city. It’s said it has billions in assets…”

Lin Qian acted natural, but in between the conversations she occasionally stole glances at the man sitting in front of her at an angle.

This man was the most silent yet conspicuous person in the entire carriage. It was hard for her not to notice him.

He wore a woolen military coat and, even though he sat with his back to her, appeared very tall and stood out from the general height of the soldiers around him. The wide-brimmed army cap was pulled so far down that most of his face was covered, leaving his clean-cut profile to be barely visible. His skin looked lighter than the others.

No matter how heated the yells, conversations, and singing were in the carriage, he remained motionless, as if he had fallen into a deep sleep.

How strange.

It was a long journey, and it was beginning to get dark.

The soldiers were getting tired too, and most of them were snoozing in their seats. The carriage became cold and quiet. Lin Qian leaned against the cool windowpane and closed her eyes. Now, she could only hear the rumbling of the train against the tracks.

When they arrived back in Lin City, she would be busy again. Vacations always flew by and she felt reluctant to go back.

Gradually, the sound faded and Lin Qian found herself opening her eyes.

The windowpane was still cold. Outside, it was dark and silent. The silhouettes of mountains and lakes were barely visible. Up in the sky, bright stars twinkled softly.

The train stopped.

They were in the middle of nowhere. There was no platform either. Apparently, it was only a temporary stop. More attentive than Lin Qian, the soldiers were already all awake. Most of them stretched their necks and looked out of the window.

“It’s all right,” the soldier sitting opposite comforted her. “The road isn’t in a very good condition around here, so there might be some temporary issues that can be handled quickly.”

“Okay.” Lin Qian glanced back outside and caught a glimpse of the vacant seat in front of her. The man who had been sitting there sleeping was gone.

It wasn’t long until somebody came. It was a young officer standing tall in the carriage doorway, loudly giving a string of orders.

“Squad 2 and Squad 4, report to the front immediately. Squad 5, stay in charge of the security in this carriage before the train restarts; everyone else, stay where you are on standby.”

His voice had hardly died away when the soldiers all stood. “Yes!”

Lin Qian watched them all closely until the soldiers got to work. She then took a cap out of her backpack and got ready to fall back asleep. Just as she was about to curl up in her seat, she suddenly felt the eyes of all the soldiers resting on her.

She sat up straight again.

The officer had walked up to her side, with no expression on his face but a serious look in his eyes.

“Miss, please grab your luggage and follow me.”

With the soldiers still watching, Lin Qian stared up at him squarely. “Sorry, what seems to be the issue?”

The officer didn’t reply. He simply waved his hand and had another soldier put her luggage on his shoulder. Then they strode towards the carriage door.

The space between the carriages was dimly lit and the night air was cold.

Lin Qian hurried to follow the two tall military men, walking through one carriage after another, each one full of soldiers. She drew curious looks all throughout the train.

Finally, they reached the door of a soft sleeper carriage, far from the soldiers. The officer gestured to the soldier to lay down the luggage and leave, and then looked at Lin Qian.

She looked back at him. Her white face grew paler in the darkness and her eyes were sharp with tension.

Probably uncomfortable from being stared at for so long, the young officer moved his eyes away with a bit of uneasiness and explained flatly, “There is a small landslide out front. Soldiers have been sent to clear the tracks. There will be frequent staff activity in the train tonight, and there are wolves in this area too. It’s not convenient for you, a girl, to stay in that carriage, so our major ordered me to bring you to this sleeper for the night. There’s no one here and it’s safe and quiet. We’ll see you off at dawn.”

Huh?

Lin Qian continued to stare at him.

So, he’d acted in such a menacing manner but was actually helping her?

She burst into laughter and immediately gave him a bow. “Thank you, thank you very much.”

Somewhat embarrassed, the officer quickly said, “No problem,” and left.

The corridor was empty with only two soldiers standing guard at the carriage door. It was indeed quite safe and quiet here.

Lin Qian lowered her head, breathed warm air onto her cold hands, and reached for the compartment door.

Before her hands reached the handle, she heard a click come from the door.

She was startled. Is there someone inside?

Before she could react, she heard a clatter and the door opened from the inside.

Lin Qian quickly backed away and leaned against the windowpane.

A man appeared at the door.

With no light in the compartment, the man’s face was hard to make out. Dressed in uniform, he was very tall, a head taller than the officer she’d just met. His cap brim was so low that it covered his eyes. She could only tell that he had a straight nose and a neat, clean chin.

Is it him? The man who was sleeping in the carriage?

Though she could not see his face clearly, his figure and presence told her that he was the same man.

Well, why he is here?

Lin Qian smiled at him. “Sorry, I didn’t know you were inside. The officer told me there was nobody here.”

“Mmm.” With a sound seemingly forced out of his throat, he quickly moved his long legs and strode through the compartment without further delay, passing by her.

Lin Qian stayed where she was but turned her head to look at him. Suddenly, she realized who he was.

“Are you the major?”

“Mmm.” He had already opened the carriage door.

Lin Qian was surprised. She had been thinking that the major who dispatched his officer to bring her here must have been a strong and swarthy military man. She hadn’t expected it to be someone like him at all. She hurried over without thinking and said, “Thank you.”

He had already slammed the door behind him without paying any attention to her. His tall and straight figure quickly hurried away.

It was bright and warm in her new carriage. Lin Qian sat by the window, looking around one more time.

The four bunks all looked tidy, with quilts that were folded in neat squares. On the wall by one of the upper bunks, a military coat was hung up. There was also a stainless steel mug on the small table in front of her.

It looked as if this was the carriage where officers stayed. This must be his bunk, which he had lent to her.

What a nice man. But why had he avoided her like the plague? Was there something scary about her?

Lin Qian couldn’t help but smile.

Sleeping until midnight, Lin Qian opened her eyes and found the train still hadn’t moved. She wasn’t sleepy anymore. Putting on a coat, she got up and looked outside.

She was stunned when she opened the door.

The corridor was quiet outside and the two guards were still standing not far off. But on the bench a dozen feet away from her, an officer sat quietly, dressed in a woolen coat and a pair of black army boots. Wasn’t he the major who had ignored her?

Unlike the cold and straight figure from a short while ago, his whole body leaned against the seat with his head drooped down, cap pulled low, and face covered by his coat collar. His posture reminded her of a lounging boy. Or a snoozing cat.

There was no doubt that the sound of the door opening alarmed him. His head lifted an inch but was still buried by the collar. It seemed like he was too lazy to look up at her; he was just waiting for her to speak up.

Lin Qian walked out and spoke to him a few steps away: “I’m not so tired anymore. You can go ahead and sleep inside.”

He was motionless for a few seconds.

Lin Qian thought he was about to speak up, so she waited quietly. However, gradually, he lowered his head until his original posture was resumed. And then there was no more movement from him.

“Okay then… Goodnight.” The only thing she could do was retreat back to the compartment and gently close the door.

At dawn, the train finally arrived in Lhasa.

Lin Qian got up, washed her face, and packed up. Outside was the bright and narrow corridor with the soldiers standing at the end. Where was the major?

She thought for a moment, took a pen and a piece of paper out of her bag, and wrote down her cell phone number and a quick note: I don’t think we will meet again. But if you have a chance to come to Lin City, please call me. I’ll be a good tour guide and a friend. Lin Qian.

Lin Qian bought a ticket for the first flight home. In the evening, she arrived in Lin City and took a taxi to her destination.

At the far end of the straight highway, she could see a vast industrial zone, in which stood several tall, white buildings that were neat and stylish. The large gilded letters Aida Group were particularly eye-catching.

Lin Qian asked the driver to stop in front of a residential building, almost a thousand feet away from Aida Group.

She had started renting an apartment here a month ago. After entering the room, she put her suitcase away and threw herself onto the bed.

Lying down for a while, she felt better. She looked at her cell phone; as expected, there were no new text messages or unanswered phone calls.

In all honesty, it was the first time that she had voluntarily given her phone number to a man. She was such a loser!

She stood up smiling and pulled open the curtains.

The golden light of the sunset flooded in, and Aida Group’s buildings, plants, and the green field behind them were bathed in the endless sunshine.

Lin Qian took a deep breath and felt surprisingly happy.

She decided that it had been a pretty good start: The warm encounter with thousands of people, the beautiful and flourishing city, and the new career she was about to take on.

Back at the expressway entrance to Lin City, a troop of military trucks was parked and ready to transport veterans back to their hometowns.

After talking in hushed tones, a few officers were about to get into a jeep. At that moment, a soldier ran up, running out of breath. He ran to the officer in the middle, stopped and neatly saluted. Then he said, “Major Li, I’ve finally found you. I found this when I cleaned your train compartment earlier.” He handed the man a note with a phone number and a few lines of writing on it.

The man, “Major Li,” took the note and looked it over; his face remained expressionless.

“You didn’t need to give this to me,” he said in cool and calm voice.

He hadn’t tried to cover the note at all. The two officers to his left and right, though standing straight, couldn’t help peeking at it too.

Hearing this, one of them couldn’t help saying, “Lin Qian… Isn’t she the girl who had an accident and rode with us? I saw her this morning. She’s pretty. Don’t you live in Lin City too? Why don’t you keep her number?”

The people around Major Li stared at him expectantly.

He lowered his brim again, straightened his collar, and stepped into the jeep.

“No need,” he said lightly, “she and I will see each other again very soon.”

Chapter 2

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

It was gloomy and chilly in the early winter. The bus station was noisy, full of voices, footsteps, and announcements from speakers.

Still dressed in the woolen military coat, Li Zhicheng jumped off a bus with a small traveling bag in his hand. His tall and straight figure stood out in the crowd. He looked around quietly and quickly, and focused his attention on a Cadillac parked at the station entrance. He strode over to the car.

Gu Yanzhi was leaning against the car door with his arms crossed, looking at him with a faint smile on his face. “Oh hey, who is this dapper man coming back from the military?”

All the people around turned their heads and watched their interaction.

Seemingly oblivious to their surroundings, Li Zhicheng kept walking until he stopped in front of Gu.

The two stared at each other. Li spoke up lightly, “Your cousin.”

Gu Yanzhi grinned, and reach out to Li Zhicheng’s shoulder. A smile appeared on the face of Li Zhicheng too, and the two men hugged each other tightly.

The car ran smoothly on the Second Ring Road.

Gu Yanzhi had his hands on the steering wheel, his fingers lightly tapping the sides. It was warm and quiet in the car. He looked up at the rearview mirror and saw Li Zhicheng sitting upright, rigid as a tree and was looking out of the window. His face was still emotionless, clearly warning others to keep their distance.

To Gu Yanzhi, this was the most annoying thing about Li Zhicheng, who was only at his twenties. However, if you didn’t make conversation with him, he would act indifferently all day; as cold as ice.

“You’ve grown even taller,” Gu Yanzhi teased casually.

Still peering at the city familiar yet foreign to him, Li Zhicheng said in a calm and cool voice, “Mmm. I’ve been taller than you since I was twelve.”

Gu Yanzhi chuckled and turned the steering wheel along the roundabout. He changed the topic. “Shall we go to the Group first or the nursing home first?”

“The Group.”

Gu Yanzhi smiled and said nothing. He thought, This guy has been away for years, but still knows the old man’s temperament well. He can tell that the old man has used his own illness as a pretext for bringing him back.

The most important thing to the old man was still the family business.

Lin Qian stood in front of the Aida Building, feeling quite unsettled.

Things were different from two months ago when she had come for her interview.

At that time, in front of the grand building there parked many vehicles, many expensive vehicles. The well-dressed office staff had ushered guests in and out, and they seemed very busy. Behind the building had been the industrial park, where she had seen red banners with inspiring slogans everywhere and workers bustling around. The whole scene had been flourishing and ambitious.

And now?

The same grand building, the same clean park. But it was quiet and deserted. In front of the building, only two security guards were idle and seemingly in a trance. Most of the plants behind looked dull with workers squatting in the doorways, smoking and chatting—apparently, the production had already stopped. And those once-dazzling red slogan banners had all disappeared.

Oh, she did spot one. Half of it was hanging on the wall and the other half drooped onto the ground.

While Lin Qian was staring blankly ahead, a subtle yet luxurious car passed by her quietly.

She turned her head.

To her surprise, she recognized the man in the driver’s seat.

His face frequently appeared in magazines and newspapers. It was Gu Yanzhi, the First Vice CEO of Aida Group, and the nephew of the Chairman of the Board.

He looks younger and more handsome in person than in his pictures. I wonder if he is as cunning as they say he is?

Her gaze shifted to the back seat, where another man sat. Through the dark glass, she couldn’t make out who the person was—someone who was able to have the famous Gu Yanzhi be his chauffeur.

Gu Yanzhi also saw the woman outside. After casually glancing over, his eyes lit up when he saw her. The woman was very young and wore a black business dress which flattered her slim figure. She had pretty facial features. She was walking gracefully in front of the dark gray buildings and plants, and looked elegant and refined.

He turned around and found that Li Zhicheng was watching her as well. Gu Yanzhi smiled at him. “Well, do you know her?”

Li Zhicheng withdrew his gaze without expression. “No.”

Half an hour later, Lin Qian stood in the Human Resources Department of Aida Group. The HR manager reviewed the resume in her hand and glanced up at the girl in front of her, feeling troubled.

The information in the resume was clear: Lin Qian. Female. Age 25. Work Experience: three years. Her recruitment had been confirmed two months ago for the position of CEO Assistant. The scheduled starting date was today.

However…

She looked at Lin Qian. “I remember you. But something here has changed recently. There were news reports on it. Haven’t you heard anything?”

Lin Qian was a little embarrassed. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

She’d always believed in the motto, “Be kind to others and be kinder to yourself.” When she’d decided to change jobs, she decided that a good break was deserved after years of hard work, and that she should enjoy some decent amount of time off before starting her new job.

So when she had received the offer letter, she made excuses to set her first day two months later than requested. Because the CEO of Aida was impressed with her and didn’t need her assistance that soon, her request had been granted.

She had traveled to many places in her two months and had stayed in Tibet for over one week, carelessly spending her time at leisure. After the accident in Tibet, she had hurriedly returned to report for duty. She really had no idea what had been recently happening.

The HR manager hesitated a little bit and said, “The operations in the Group have run into some difficulties. A week ago, the former CEO took responsibility for it and resigned. Now, the CEO position is temporarily empty.”

Lin Qian stood without saying a word.

Books on job hunting skills hadn’t taught her what to do when she applied for a CEO assistant and the CEO stepped down for having destroyed the company.

…

Up in the penthouse, in the office of the vice president, Gu Yanzhi made two cups of Pu’er tea and raised his head. He saw Li Zhicheng standing in front of the scattered light of the French window, gazing at the vast park below in contemplation, his long eyebrows furrowed.

He had taken his coat off, and was dressed in a green army shirt and a pair of army pants; he was long and slim. Maybe because he was immersed in the military life for so many years, even though all he did was simply standing there, he still looked cool and elegant.

Gu Yanzhi smiled. He walked over and handed him the tea.

Li Zhicheng spoke up, “How bad is the situation?”

Gu Yanzhi sat down on the sofa next to Li, sipped his tea, and said, “It’s terrible. The CEO, to whom we paid a whopping salary, lost two billion dollars in overseas markets. And he was incredibly good at hiding the truth, even better than I am! Now that things are out in the open, he’s screwed and we are in serious trouble, too!”

There was no expression on Li Zhicheng’s face but a calm look around his eyes and brow.

“How much do we have left?”

His wording was vague, but Gu Yanzhi understood. “Do you mean how much is left in the market share? It’s a mess in the overseas market, so forget about it. As for the domestic market, resources and funds have been mobilized to develop the overseas market, and at the news, other competitors rushed to take advantage of this opportunity. SMQ has taken the most from us. Aida’s market share has fallen from twenty percent to eight percent.”

Li Zhicheng stood still with the tea cup in his hand, and said nothing. Then he brushed his long fingers gently against the smooth edge of the celadon cup. “I see.”

They said no more. The room filled with silence and the aroma of tea.

Gu Yanzhi looked at him, feeling that he was being a bit distant.

Of course, they’d had a great relationship since they were kids. But they had barely seen each other in recent years, and what he knew about Li Zhicheng was all based on rumors. Rumor had it that the troops Li Zhicheng commanded always had excellent performance in their military exercises, and therefore it was challenging to obtain the approval for his retirement and demobilization.

Rumor had it that he’d directed his military operations in an equally decisive, relentless, and unpredictable way, which was why he was called the “Wolf of the Southwest.” This was completely unlike his handsome and restrained appearance. Young as he was, he had no interests other than his military affairs. Money, women, power, they were all alien ideas to him. In this era of luxury and debauchery, he seemed like a boring, old-fashioned man from a different time period.

Gu Yanzhi smiled slightly. Why did the chairman decide to call back this son of his? And why had he even agreed to return?

Though the old saying went that “a business war was like a real war,” the two were actually very different. The business world involved scheming and Machiavellianism. And as for him? Despite his outstanding military talents, he knew nothing about business, nor did he have any experience in the field. Besides, he was so quiet and aloof that he seemed reluctant to speak to others. How could he manage an enterprise of thousands of people?

At that moment, the secretary knocked on the door and came in.

She had a resume from the HR department.

Gu Yanzhi waved the secretary out. He sat down in his executive chair, flipped through the pages casually, and said, “Geez, under these circumstances? Our employee turnover rate has reached 30 percent this month, and somebody is still coming to us ready to work? Is she stupid or just unique?”

Li Zhicheng kept silent.

Gu Yanzhi went on to say, “Our former CEO was an *sshole, but he did well with internal management. Everyone he recruited can be considered high performer. He hired this person for himself, so I think she should be quite good. You need an assistant anyway. Do you want to keep her?”

“Your call.” A cool voice. It was as if he had no interest in the person or the matter at all.

Catching a glimpse of the picture on the resume, Gu Yanzhi laughed, “Wow. It’s the pretty girl we just drove by on the road.” He read from the resume: “‘Lin Qian. Graduated from the Department of Economics & Management in China XX University.'” He paused for a second. “She was a senior specialist of the Marketing Department in SMQ with excellent performance for consecutive years…”

Li Zhicheng turned to look at him. “Keep her.”

Chapter 3

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The HR manager came back with the leaders’ comments, and Lin Qian was surprised at what they said.

Well, surprised and moved a little. The wording was sincere and nice: “Miss Lin, since we, Aida, offered you this position, we won’t break our commitment because of the temporary difficulties in our operations. If you decide to stay, your pay scale will remain unchanged. As for your position, it won’t be set until the new CEO takes office. If you decide to leave, we wish you good luck on finding a better job in the near future.”

While waiting for the HR manager, Lin Qian had Googled all the news about Aida Group on her cell phone. She thought about it, and answered sincerely, “Thank you. I’ll think it over and give you a reply tomorrow.”

When Lin Qian left Aida Group, it was still early, barely 12 o’clock at noon. She walked home slowly. She ordered two dishes at the small restaurant near the entrance of her development and ate them in low spirits. She then went upstairs to her own apartment. After opening the window and turning on some music, she walked out to the balcony and gave Lin Mochen a call.

It was around dusk there in the USA. The deep voice from Lin Mochen seemed to carry a kind of indolence and arrogance typical of Manhattan. “Your call came later than I expected.”

She was suddenly frustrated. “Of course you knew about it.”

The whole world knew about Aida’s recent dilemmas. How could this man, her brother, who worked specifically in financial investment on Wall Street, not know about it?

Dressed in an iron-gray tailored suit, Lin Mochen stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window on the top floor of a skyscraper. Behind him were staff members who were occupied with data analyses and investment reports.

Through the window were starry lights sparkling all over the city and the Hudson River winding its way through the skyscrapers.

He chuckled and asked, “What’s your plan?”

“I’m still not going to work for you.” Lin Qian sounded sullen.

Lin Mochen frowned a little but said in a flat tone, “Oh really? So where are you going to work?”

Lin Qian replied, “I was thinking that I should stay at Aida.”

In all fairness, despite the plight Aida was facing, “a lean camel is bigger than a horse,” as the old saying went. There was still the possibility that they would be able to strike back and return to their previous success. Besides, they had impressed her with the brief interaction they had today.

“I feel a bit bad to give it up,” she said.

Gazing at the starlight above the skyscrapers, Lin Mochen tapped the tabletop at his side with his fingers. “Lin Qian,” he said, “feelings are the most useless thing. As my sister, you should think more reasonably and objectively.” He came off cold and somewhat bossy.

Lin Qian didn’t become annoyed. Instead, she went along with him and said softly, “All right then, brother, then could you help me with an objective analysis? Is it worth staying?”

Lin Mochen kept silent for a moment, which made Lin Qian a little nervous.

“You may give it a try,” he answered steadily.

Lin Qian burst into laughter. She didn’t ask for a reason because the terminologies from him, like net asset value, yield rate, etc, would give her a headache.

“Thank you, brother!”

On the other end of the line, Lin Mochen’s lips also revealed a barely noticeable smile. “Xu Yong, the Chairman of Aida, is getting old and weak,” he said flatly. “He is no longer in charge of daily operations. His eldest son, Xu Yiyang, died in a car accident three years ago. Based on Xu Yong’s personality, I bet he won’t choose anyone outside of his family. So, there are only three candidates. First, Gu Yanzhi. Second, Xu Chengyan, his illegitimate son, still studying in the USA. And third, the son of Xu Yong and his ex-wife, details still unverified. I’ll check.”

Hanging up the phone, Lin Qian buried her head in her arms and stared into the distance.

After a while, something caught her attention.

There was an army-green truck. It ran through the city along the highway and stopped outside the gates of Aida Group.

Soldiers in camouflage uniforms jumped off the truck, each carrying a backpack. The truck drove away, leaving them standing there. Soon, someone came out of Aida and brought them in.

Demobilized soldiers? Well, meeting those soldiers is the only good thing I’ve done the past few days. Are some of them coming to work for Aida?

That’s when she made up her mind to stay.

The next morning, after the induction, Lin Qian was taken to meet the legendary Gu Yanzhi.

The whole building was surrounded by an indescribable air of depression, so it was refreshing for Lin Qian to walk into the office of this court-like room, which was stylish and spacious.

Gu Yanzhi was sitting behind his executive desk and looking at Lin Qian, his new employee.

As a candidate for Li Zhicheng’s assistant, she shouldn’t have been interviewed by him. But Li Zhicheng had rushed to the nursing home to see his father overnight, leaving the interview up to Gu Yanzhi. The boss had also discreetly given him an order to temporarily keep quiet. The secret, of course, referred to his identity and arrival.

Gu Yanzhi had asked, “Why though?” Since Li Zhicheng had taken over the Group, he would have to meet all the staff sooner or later. Did it make any difference when he revealed his identity?

“I need to know the situation first, ” Li Zhicheng stood by the window with his hands in his pockets and continued indifferently, “in an undercover way.”

Dumbfounded for a second, Gu Yanzhi had suddenly understood.

He had spoken in an emotionless way, but actually…

He was treating it like a battle and planned to conduct secret strategical observations of his enemies before revealing his identity.

Gu Yanzhi couldn’t help smiling with this in mind. He glanced at Lin Qian, who stood in front of him, and said steadily, “You must know the current situation of our company. The more difficult our situation is, the more we need talented minds to help. If you are skilled enough, you will naturally be put into an important position. But if you are mediocre, we won’t keep you as a burden. Everything is up to your performance.”

It was an expected sentiment, tempering justice with mercy, so Lin Qian nodded calmly and said, “I will do my best.” Looking at the smile on his face, she thought, He doesn’t seem as sinister and difficult as the rumors describe him to be.

Gu Yanzhi wasn’t in the mood to talk much, so after a short conversation he made a decision. She would work in the CEO office first, taking on the daily work of that department.

So, Lin Qian’s career at Aida started without much of a formal introduction, and she immediately noticed that everyone’s work was nerve-wracking and chaotic.

The CEO office sounded appealing, but there were only three people in total, including Lin Qian. The other two were new university graduates. The HR employee explained, “This department didn’t even exist until the former CEO came and established it. There were sixteen or seventeen people in its prime, but they all eventually left, one after another.”

Lin Qian accepted things as they came. Advised by Gu Yanzhi’s secretary, she searched and collected industry information and news every morning, and then compiled a report for the leaders to reference. A duplicate copy of weekly work plans and summaries from every department in the company were sent to her, which she would make an independent report out of. Of course when any big incidents took place in or out of the company, she also needed to gather and summarize relevant news references.

In short, she had to keep writing endless report after report.

The job was tedious and boring, far away from actual business operations. Lin Qian didn’t like it. But she later thought that since she was new to the company and since she had come directly from the company’s competitor, it would be weird for them to put her in an important department in an important position at the very beginning. Thinking this made her feel relieved and she focused her attention solely on reports. After a few days, she was familiar with the basic information of Aida.

But she wasn’t sure if Gu Yanzhi even read her reports as she sent every one to his secretary. Later, Gu told his secretary to secretly request that Lin Qian send a copy through email to an appointed email address every time she filed a paper report. Lin Qian looked at the email address: “Apache2013@126.vip.com.”

Is “Apache” the English name of Gu Yanzhi? It doesn’t look like a personal name. Maybe it’s a word or an acronym. Urged by a whim, Lin Qian tried to figure it out, to no avail.

On the weekend, Lin Qian got up early and took the bus to the nursing home on the other side of the city.

Built after 2010, the Luyuan Nursing Home was the best and most comfortable nursing home in the city in terms of both facilities and space. Guided by a personal support worker, Lin Qian walked along the leaf-covered river wall with a bag of fresh fruit in her hand, and saw He Qingling sitting alone under a large tree.

She walked up to her with light steps. “Mom…”

In her fifties, He Qingling had wrinkles all over her lean face. She looked at her calmly. “Well, I see that you’re back.”

Mother and daughter talked for a while. Lin Qian did the talking while He Qingling listened. Soon, He Qingling said that she felt tired and needed to rest.

“I know you’re busy with work, so I won’t keep you,” she said.

Sitting in a wheelchair, she was pushed away by the personal support worker. Lin Qian stood still for a while and took out her cell phone to call Lin Mochen.

“I’m in the nursing home. Mom looks well.” She paused for a moment. “Would you like to talk to her?”

It was probably late at night over on Lin Mochen’s side. She couldn’t hear anything but his calm breath.

“Lin Qian,” he said, “I don’t need to know how that woman is.”

Lin Qian didn’t respond.

Since the year He Qingling had insisted on divorcing her husband, and each parent had started taking care of one child, Lin Mochen had refused to call her “Mother.”

That afternoon, Lin Qian took a tour of the small town near the nursing home and then visited a former classmate living nearby. When she left the classmate’s house, it was past nine o’clock.

She declined the offer of a ride from her former classmate. She didn’t want to take a taxi either. Instead, she strolled to the bus station alone. The night around the suburban area was dark and quiet. The platform was empty with only a street lamp glowing dimly.

Soon, the last bus came.

Lin Qian took a window seat in the back of the bus.

It was a departure station. Most likely because it wasn’t the departure time yet, the driver spoke to her loudly. “Miss, keep on waiting. We’ll leave in another five minutes.” He then took a nap on the steering wheel.

Lin Qian wrapped up her coat and looked out the window into the dark sky, her mind quiet.

At that moment, she heard footsteps outside coming towards the bus. A tall man got on.

Lin Qian took a casual glance at him and turned to look outside the window.

A few seconds later, she suddenly turned to him again.

Under the dim light of the bus, the man was dressed in a dark gray windbreaker, black sports pants, and outdoor shoes. At first glance, Lin Qian knew that they were basic articles of high-end brands. He wore a cap as well, the brim pulled so low that only his straight nose and clean-cut chin were exposed. Even without seeing his entire face, you could tell that he was handsome and neat.

Lin Qian felt a skip in her heart.

A feeling of deja vu came over her. His build and height were exactly like that man from before, and he had the same strong and unique sense of—how to describe it? Strength, defiance, and aloofness. Even if he did nothing, it was impossible for others to ignore his existence.

He was striding towards her with his long legs. Lin Qian quickly turned to look out the window.

His pace was steady yet brisk, passing her quickly. From the fuzzy reflection in the window, Lin Qian saw him sit down in the last row.

The bus left.

The night was as chilly as ice with a bright moon and sparse stars visible in the sky. The bus rattled along the quiet road.

Sitting for a while, Lin Qian couldn’t hold back her curiosity. She simply turned around and looked at him directly.

Well…

He was sleeping again.

He had positioned his tall body squarely in the seat. One arm was resting on the back of the seat in front of him, in which he had buried his face, and the other hand rested casually on his lap. The cap on his head covered his entire face. Not far from him, Lin Qian could hear his even breathing.

Hi, Big Cat.

Lin Qian held back her laughter.

She leaned forward and lowered her head, trying to look at his face from underneath to see if he was the same man. But it was dim and shadowy on the bus and she could only see vague details of his profile.

“What are you looking at?” A clear and deep voice burst out of the silence.

Startled, Lin Qian swiftly straightened herself up and blushed. Lifting his head slowly from his arm, he stared at her patiently with his bright, black eyes.

Chapter 4

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

“What are you looking at?” he said in a cool and deep voice.

Lin Qian, caught in the act, blushed for only a second, and then quickly composed herself. Why should she feel ashamed?

She stared straight at him.

The rattling sounds of the bus continued, with the soft orange lights still on overhead. He sat upright, straightened his cap and looked up at her.

There was no doubt that he had an attractive face. His eyes were dark and clean, like deep water with a dark reflection. His cheekbones were high, making his face appear clean cut. His thin lips were closed as if he were reluctant to speak, as usual.

Overall, he looked handsome and put together.

Lin Qian gave him a friendly smile. “I’m looking at you.”

Without showing any other emotions, his eyes were clear and calm.

She continued and said, “You look like a soldier I’ve met before.”

Having finished her explanation, Lin Qian waited for his reply. To her surprise, he raised his hand and pulled his cap back down. Apparently losing his last bit of interest, he leaned back in his seat and began to sleep again.

Lin Qian watched him silently.

The bus then entered a more urban area. The city lights flashed through the windows. There were more passengers getting on and it was becoming crowded.

Putting in her headphones, Lin Qian also leaned back in her seat and looked out of the window at the brightly-lit streets. But she couldn’t ignore the presence of the man behind her, even if he was resting. He finally straightened back up in his seat, appearing taller with his long legs stretched out. The cap brim blocked his eyes, which made Lin Qian unsure if he was asleep or looking at the outside view like she was.

She was, of course, too shy to immediately turn around again and look at him.

After a while, she couldn’t help but take off her headphones and turn around. “Hey, are you the same man or not?”

He sat still, not even looking up.

“Mmm.” His voice was low.

Lin Qian grinned. “Okay, thank you.”

She turned around. Determined not to harass him again, she pulled her coat hood over her head, curled up in her seat, closed her eyes, and began to sleep.

Nothing major happened on the way.

“This is the last stop! Everyone has to get off. You two in the back, wake up!” The rough voice woke Lin Qian up. Opening her eyes, she saw that the bus was parked at a platform, and the familiar gate of Aida Group was not far away across the road.

“Oh,” she exhaled, but abruptly paused. At the bus door, a few steps away from her, was his slim figure striding through the exit.

Lin Qian was surprised. She had thought he would get off back in the downtown area.

It was already past ten o’clock. The road was quiet and dimly lit. He walked straight, two hands in his pants pockets. Lin Qian was walking behind him, a dozen steps away. There were only the sounds of their footsteps echoing off the long road.

Wouldn’t he think she was stalking him? She was amused by this thought.

Halting his walk, he stopped at the company gate. Lin Qian stopped too without thinking.

He turned to look inside.

He was standing right under the light, the cap brim casting a shadow over his clean-cut profile. Under his straight nose, the corner of his mouth was slightly raised.

Huh, is he smiling?

At that moment, a clamor of footsteps and voices drew close. Several security guards came out of the Group gate excitedly.

“Commander!”

“Major!”

“You’re finally here!”

Though confused for a moment, Lin Qian soon smiled too.

She kept walking but casually stole a few glances at them from the corner of her eye. She saw him surrounded by the soldiers who used to be under his command; they were all chatting energetically. She had no idea what they were talking about. The security guards burst into laughter at hearing his responses. He stood upright and kept a slight smile on his face.

One guard turned around and saw Lin Qian. He looked surprised.

Lin Qian recognized him too: the soldier from her hometown that she had met on the train.

“Hey isn’t that… Miss Lin!” he exclaimed loudly. “Commander, it’s Miss Lin! We met the other day on the train. She’s right over there!”

Lin Qian stopped at hearing his exclamation.

Sir, you really don’t need to let him know I’m here. He’s sharper than all of you guys.

Hearing this, everyone turned around and looked at Lin Qian. So did the commander, with no expression but his dark, relaxed eyes under the hat brim.

Lin Qian walked over, calmly composed. “Hi, everyone!” She looked directly at him on purpose. “Hello to you too, Major.”

It was always nice to meet old friends; whether it be for the recently-unlucky Lin Qian, or for the newly-arrived security guards. They had a friendly discussion (of course not including the Major, who stood quietly to the side for the entire conversation). Lin Qian learned that they had all been assigned to work for Aida.

As for his position, no one brought it up, and Lin Qian didn’t ask either.

It was getting late. The group of security guards all crowded around him, saying they were going out for drinks. The apartment Lin Qian was renting was in the other direction, so she said goodbye to them with a smile.

She hadn’t walked two steps when she heard footsteps chasing behind her.

It was the neighbor-soldier with a kind smile on his face. “Miss Lin, I can walk you home.”

Lin Qian said, “Oh, it’s not necessary. I live really close. I’m right over there, in that building.”

He didn’t listen, just continued to walk by her side. “Yeah, it’s our battalion commander’s—Actually, I should call him ‘Boss’ now. He gave me the order. I have to walk you home. And it’s dark out here and not safe for a girl. Let’s go.”

Lin Qian was surprised.

The commander? Sending someone to walk her home?

She turned around quickly, only to see the group of people disappearing back through the Group gates.

Lin Qian smiled at him. “He’s the manager now?”

The guard answered quickly, “Mmm! Don’t you know about it? Our battalion commander also came to work for Aida. But he has a high ranking, so I’m guessing he will be a manager or a middle-level leader. We’re all predicting that he’ll be the security manager.”

Before falling asleep that night, Lin Qian laid down in her bed in a good mood.

My brother is right. Women are emotional creatures. Just thinking about how a nice group of people like them would be working alongside her in the difficult environment of Aida Group warmed her heart.

And then there is the strange major.

The friendly guard had just told her information on the major. His name was Li Zhicheng. He was 25 years old and the youngest major in the greater southwest military area. Reserved as he was, he was quite famous in the army.

Such a handsome and cool security manager! It’s hard to believe.

The next day, Lin Qian arrived at the office and quickly discovered some bad news.

Earlier in the morning, a shocking news headline had quickly put the entire media in a frenzy: “High-end handbags contain carcinogens. Top three in the industry are involved!”

Murphy’s law stated that things always tended to get worse. Lin Qian thought that Aida had already fallen to the bottom of the valley. Who knew that there was still such a dangerous swamp underneath the valley waiting to swallow it up?

A few days later, the sun was setting and the dusk light was beginning to fade. Carrying a stack of reports, Lin Qian walked out of the elevator and onto the top floor.

Before reaching Gu Yanzhi’s office doors, she heard him shouting angrily.

“Who the hell wrote this kind of foolish news!?”

Lin Qian’s heart sank.

The Carcinogen Scandal had been going on for two days. The situation was especially bad and had only gotten worse.

The carcinogens did exist, but the quality inspection agency had verified it was the fabric that was the problem, and this batch of high-grade fabric was supplied by European manufacturers.

However, the domestic consumers wouldn’t buy it. Recently, convinced by the massive criticism in the media, the public outrage was getting high. Several big companies, including Aida, were experiencing an extensive return of goods, and some customers even claimed that they were going to file lawsuits.

The pressure from government authority was even worse. This scandal seemed to put the entirety of Aida Group into a difficult haze.

The secretary near the doorway gave Lin Qian a helpless smile.

Lin Qian laid down the reports. “Here are this week’s reports and then a report solely on the crisis.”

As she walked back to the elevator, she heard the two front desk ladies muttering, “Hey, who was that handsome guy just now?”

“A friend of President Gu, I think. They say he’s a demobilized soldier.”

Lin Qian’s reports, together with a pile of other documents, were put on Gu Yanzhi’s office desk. They were untouched until later, after dark, when a large hand picked her reports out of the pile and looked through them carefully, one page after the other.

Gu Yanzhi had lost his temper for the last few days, up until a couple hours ago. Still, he wasn’t relieved at all.

So far, their competitors, including New Bori and SMQ, had all kept silent. They were suffering from the same consequences. It was still a controversial topic within Aida’s management as to how to handle the crisis.

Some were suggesting that they take the initiative to apologize and accept the blame.

But even more people thought that they should stay silent because, “The nail that sticks out the most gets hammered down.” After all, this was what the other enterprises, those that were better off than Aida, were doing.

As the interim leader before the new guy took office, Gu Yanzhi would be under great pressure no matter what decision he intended to make.

He turned around and saw Li Zhicheng sitting on the sofa with his eyes fixed on the papers in his hands. He took off his tie, left it on the table, and walked over. “What are you reading?”

Li Zhicheng didn’t even bother to raise his head.

Compared to a few days ago when he had first come to the office, with his silent and cold behavior, he now seemed to have adapted much more to his surroundings. He leaned his long body back into the sofa, looking relaxed. He even had his legs slightly crossed, appearing casual and relaxed.

“You didn’t read it?” he asked slowly.

Gu Yanzhi sat down beside him and shook his head. “You know I don’t like reading this stuff. For me, important information comes from discussion, not from reading. A piece of information revealed accidentally by an important or even an unimportant person is sometimes more useful than a 100-page report.”

Li Zhicheng didn’t offer any comments and just kept reading. Seeing him highlight a paragraph, Gu Yanzhi became interested and bent over.

After reading it over, he paused for a bit and then laughed.

The report from Lin Qian included a suggestion on how to deal with the current crisis. Her opinion was that Aida should be the first to stand out by apologizing and taking the blame.

In the first part of her report, she used a large portion to cite many successful cases of PR crises as examples. She also had an analysis of consumer mindsets. Overall, it was detailed, clear, and quite impressive.

The paragraph highlighted by Li Zhecheng read:

“As the first to apologize, Aida will also put the competitors in a more difficult position. If they don’t follow our lead, they will be put under public criticism and outrage, and the pressure on them will intensify. They’ll have to apologize as well. But even if they do, in the eyes of consumers, only the first one who stands out and apologizes has real sincerity, while the others are just followers, doing so without having another option. Their reputation will be tarnished. All the companies have suffered the same financial loss but will each rebuild their reputations differently. Aida could take advantage of this incident to effectively attack the competitors as well.”

Gu Yanzhi straightened up. With his arms crossed and one hand on his chin, he said, “Not to say whether her point of view is correct or not, but how could such a sweet-looking girl come up with such a ruthless idea? She’s determined to somehow harm the competitors.” He smiled at his own words.

Lin Zhicheng smiled slightly too. He put down the report and left it on the coffee table beside him.

Gu Yanzhi asked, “When do you intend to step up into the position?”

“I’ll take over when this crisis has been handled.”

Early next morning, an announcement was dispatched to all the departments in Aida.

The company had decided to set up a task force to deal with the crisis. The task force consisted of ten people, the strongest of each key department. It was required that they move into the Group dorm for closed supervision. And Lin Qian, a name unfamiliar to them all, was strikingly listed at the end.

After receiving the notification, Lin Qian went home and packed up. She also took the time to call Lin Mochen.

Lin Mochen’s response was nonchalant. “They’re testing you.”

He was wondering on what grounds a new employee coming from a rival company would be put on such an important task force—even if she was talented. It was likely that they were testing her to see if she could be trusted and to find out if she was a spy from SMQ.

Lin Qian didn’t take his warning seriously. “It must be my reports that have impressed the leaders,” she said. “They could think that I don’t need to be tested at all. I’ll take things as they come. They can bring it on.”

Lin Mochen smiled at her arrogant comments. “Such a large company has collapsed very quickly. Maybe there really are spies in Aida. What nasty things are too far for some enterprises in China? I’m warning you, be careful.”

Chapter 5

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Gu Yanzhi suspected that there were spies inside the company.

He was still shocked, however, at the measures being taken by his cousin, who was now also his boss.

The winter sunshine was bright and warm. Dressed in light casual clothing, Li Zhicheng stood in front of his office desk, handsome and quiet. The papers and other items that had cluttered his desk had now been moved into the bookcase and put neatly away. On the desk, instead, were a dozen black button cameras. With his long eyebrows furrowed, Li Zhicheng focused his attention on testing the irregularly-shaped device in his hand.

Gu Yanzhi picked up a camera and looked at it closely. “Don’t tell me that you’re going to install these within the task force?”

Unbothered, Li Zhicheng kept nimbly playing with the device with his long fingers. “You told me you suspected the spy was in the task force,” he responded in a calm voice.

The answer seemed to imply a yes.

Being a daring person himself, Gu Yanzhi thought about it and agreed. They must detect and eliminate the spy quickly, accurately, and ruthlessly. They didn’t have time to be bothered by other trivial concerns. He was worried that Li Zhicheng might not be quite familiar with the relevant laws and rules, so he said, “Okay. But I’ll arrange for someone else to do it. After all, it might not be legal, so you and I should stay away from it.”

It was now Li Zhicheng who paused. He looked up at him. “You think I’m not well-aware of the laws?”

Gu Yanzhi thought about it and answered seriously, “I’m not sure.” And he then laughed.

Li Zhecheng threw a piece of paper to him.

Gu Yanzhi looked down at it. Good lord, it was the floor plan of the office building and the staff dormitory that the task force was going to stay in. The places where cameras would be installed had been marked by him, mostly in the conference room, office areas, inconspicuous corners in corridors, entrances, and exits. Densely distributed, they were still in no areas that would invade the employee’s privacy. The members of the task force would be under 360-degree surveillance as soon as they left their respective private rooms.

“No, you’re not ignorant of the laws at all.” Gu Yanzhi turned to give him this compliment. He then pointed to the device in his hand and asked, “What’s this then?”

Leaving the device on the desk, Li Zhicheng put his hands into his pants pockets and said, “A signal detector.” Seeing Gu Yanzhi still looking puzzled, he added, “Within its scanning range, it will detect signals from electronics such as cell phones and radios when they are in use, and intercept the signals within eight-hundredths of a second.”

Gu Yanzhi finally understood. Because he had ordered all the members of the task force to hand in their cell phones and use the appointed phones instead, any spy would be easily caught if they were sneaking messages out.

The high-tech equipment is good, but…

Gu Yanzhi kept silent for a moment, and nodded his head approvingly. “Good, very good. Ever since you came in, the security of our company has been raised to a military level.”

His tone was teasing. Li Zhicheng was not affected and kept sorting out his valuable new technology.

Gu Yanzhi left him alone as he had a meeting to attend. He hadn’t yet stepped out of the office doors when Li Zhicheng heard Gu Yanzhi muttering to himself.

He didn’t hear him clearly at first. After he had walked a few steps away from the office, he figured out what he had said: “A military man will resort to every conceivable means to reach his end.”

Lin Qian was also secretly keeping an eye out to see if there were any spies within in the task force.

It was the team’s first meeting. More than a dozen people sat in a large conference room waiting for Gu Yanzhi, the standing team leader, to arrive.

Except for Lin Qian, everybody there had been coworkers for a long time and greeted each other warmly. Lin Qian introduced herself to them as well. From her perspective, everyone looked normal: this included the female head of the administration department in her thirties, the young technician in the technical department, and the middle-aged manager in the department of production management.

Soon Gu Yanzhi arrived, followed by his secretary, still looking like an arrogant boss. Without wasting words, he concisely stressed the seriousness of the dire situation. He would personally guide the whole process of managing the crisis this time, and gave them a lot of encouraging words, saying that everyone would be a hero as long as they successfully helped tide over the storm.

After listening to his speech, everyone looked serious and confident—at least superficially.

The final part was to assign tasks.

The Head of Administration, as second in charge, announced the assignments on behalf of the leader. Someone was in charge of media liaisons, someone was in charge of government public relations, someone was in charge of advertising…

The last person was Lin Qian, who was assigned with chores and errands.

On the first day, the whole team worked overnight, including Gu Yanzhi. After intense discussions and revising over and over again, the preliminary countermeasures to the crisis were finalized at dawn.

Against all the odds, Gu Yanzhi insisted that Aida should be the first to stand out and apologize, recall all the products in question, and bear the loss. His plan was even more drastic than Lin Qian had thought. Absolute confidentiality beforehand, a press conference of unpredicted scale, strongly worded public statements. They must make their mark on the first shot, shock the consumers and the competitors as well, and knock out their rivals before they could even react.

Lin Qian was impressed with Gu Yanzhi.

Under the new schedule, everyone started to work diligently into the night.

At eleven o’clock the next night, Lin Qian was still doing overtime alone in the office.

No one else was strong enough to work for such a long time. By that evening, Gu Yanzhi had finally allowed everyone to go back to their dorms and rest for a stronger fight the next day. But Lin Qian had to finish photocopying and binding the brochures for the press conference, so she had stayed.

It was a freezing winter night in the south. The office was too big to warm up, even when the heat was turned on. The security guard in charge of the building had started burning charcoal early to keep everyone warm.

That security guard was one of Li Zhicheng’s juniors and the friendly neighbor of Lin Qian. His name was Gao Lang. He helped Lin Qian a lot these days, with things like ordering food, changing the water jugs, and delivering documents.

It was quiet at midnight. Lin Qian warmed her hands by the charcoal fire. Outside the window, the silence of the night made the darkness feel gloomy. In the office, only the repeated sounds of the running photocopier could be heard, making it feel colder and quieter in the spacious office.

After a while, someone else came in.

It was Gao Lang with a bag in his hand, which looked heavy. His breath was cold when he walked up to her. “Why are you still here?”

Lin Qian smiled at him. “I’m going to be finishing up soon.”

He took something out of his bag and handed it to Lin Qian: Four sweet potatoes, not big, but round.

“They’re from my hometown and they’re very sweet-tasting. You must be hungry, right? Go ahead and bake them. Bury them in the charcoal and they’ll be done quickly.”

This was a pleasant surprise as Lin Qian was indeed hungry. She thanked Gao Lang repeatedly. Gao Lang gave her a generous smile and left, not daring to stay in the office any longer.

Li Zhicheng hadn’t yet reached the gate of the office building when he smelled the baked sweet potatoes.

He turned and saw Gao Lang squatting in the security room, devouring one himself.

Li Zhicheng pulled open the door and walked in. Gao Lang jumped up to his feet like a spring and stuffed the rest of the sweet potato into his mouth. “Commander… or no, Boss!”

Li Zhicheng nodded and sat down next to him. Without saying anything, he took a sweet potato out of the charcoal ash and began to eat.

He quickly finished one.

Li Zhicheng looked up at Gao Lang. Having no idea what he wanted, Gao Lang stared back to him.

Li Zhicheng said, “Do you have more?”

Gao Lang chuckled, “I gave the rest to Lin Qian.”

Li Zhicheng looked up at the second floor where a light was still on. “Is she still here?”

“Mmm, she’s still working. It’s tough for a young girl like her. Boss, don’t you think that the leader of our company must be being controlling and mean?”

It was so boring waiting alone for the photocopier to finish copying! Lin Qian took a book out of her handbag and began to read.

The appealing smell of baked sweet potatoes became stronger.

Shouldn’t they be done? she thought. With her eyes still fixed on her book, she reached out for a sweet potato. But when the round potato was in her hand, it felt too hot.

“Ouch!” She dropped the sweet potato, frowned, and shook her hand in the air.

D*mn, that was really hot!

The crispy, crusty sweet potato rolled and stopped at the feet of a person by the door. He picked it up with his slim fingers.

Lin Qian looked up.

He was wearing a black windbreaker. The color made his defined facial features and white complexion stand out more with his cool air. He stood there quietly, resembling a tall bamboo tree.

“Li Zhicheng? What are you doing here?”

Li Zhicheng looked at her and then at her burned finger, which appeared red. He then walked towards the desk without an expression on his face and put the sweet potato down.

“I’m here to pick up documents for CEO Gu,” he answered.

In fact, he was the one who needed to look through some documents. He had asked Gu Yanzhi about it and was told that there should be no one in the office at this time. So he had taken the key and come alone.

Lin Qian glanced at the pass hanging from his neck. It was specially designed to access this building. She nodded. She was about to ask what documents he needed, but suddenly felt that her finger was still hurting from the burn!

“Sorry, I have to cool down my figure with water.” She stood up.

It was close to the wee hours of the morning. A faint wind blew, rustling the trees out the window. Most lights had been turned off in the buildings throughout the industrial park. It was dark outside, and even more so in the corridor.

Lin Qian wanted to rush out, but at sight of the darkness, she became scared.

She turned to look at Li Zhicheng.

He stood there still, quiet, and calm.

“You come with me,” Lin Qian said, trying to look calm.

He watched her quietly.

Lin Qian had a good reason. “CEO Gu sent you for the documents, but there is a lot of confidential material in here. I can’t leave you here alone, so come with me.”

Li Zhicheng shot her a glance before turning around and walking out first. Lin Qian quickly followed him.

At the end of the hallway was a row of sinks.

The lights over the sinks were turned on by Li Zhicheng, giving off a yellow and warm glow over the slippery surfaces. He stood next to her with his hands in his pants pockets.

Satisfied, Lin Qian reached out to turn on the faucet, and put her burned finger under the running water.

She hissed at the freezing temperature.

There was no heat in the south, so water from a pipe in the middle of winter was as cold as ice. After a while, Lin Qian couldn’t bear the cold any longer. She withdrew her hand and was about to turn off the faucet. “It’s so cold. I’ll go and apply some toothpaste.”

“Keep rinsing,” a deep and powerful voice rang quickly in her ear, “for at least five minutes.”

A little startled, Lin Qian cast him a sideways glance.

Still without much expression, he stood upright under the light, like a sculpture. Probably because he had said it in a commanding tone, there was a touch of harshness on his face.

Seriously?

Saying nothing, Lin Qian looked down at her wristwatch and reached out the finger to the running water again, her teeth clenched.

Li Zhicheng’s gaze shifted quietly from her locked eyebrows to her burned finger. Under the clear, flickering running water, her fingers were white and slim with the burned part as red as bright paint.

Li Zhicheng quickly moved away his gaze to the vast park in the distance.

Five minutes later, Lin Qian looked at her watch. As soon as the time was up, she turned off the faucet, not one second more or less.

She looked down at her finger and held it up to show him, a sweet smile on her face. “Thank you! It worked.”

He glanced at her and nodded lightly.

Lin Qian said again, “Look, it’s frozen stiff and doesn’t hurt anymore.” Flashing him with another sweet smile, she turned around and walked into the office without waiting for his response.

Li Zhicheng stayed where he was, watching her quietly bend her finger while walking. Motionless for a second, he had a slight smile on his face as he finally walked steadily into the room as well.

Back in the office, Lin Qian made a midnight phone call to Gu Yanzhi, out of precaution. “Mr. Gu, sorry to disturb you. I’m in the office. Manager Li Zhicheng just came and wanted to pick up some documents. I’d like to verify it with you.”

Gu Yanzhi’s voice coming from the other end of the line didn’t carry any drowsiness but did have a glimmer of inexplicable amusement. “Li Zhicheng… the manager? Mmm, I did arrange it. Give them to him.”

Lin Qian sorted a few documents out, handed them to Li Zhicheng, and said, “The brochures are still printing. Wait a few minutes. I’ll give you a copy after I have counted them all. You can have a seat for now.”

Saying nothing, Li Zhicheng sat down opposite her.

It was quiet in the large room. They sat face to face for a while before Lin Qian spoke up: “Come on, let’s finish the sweet potatoes.”

Li Zhicheng looked up at her with his dark and calm eyes. Thinking that maybe he didn’t want to eat, she was about to say she would have them herself when she his low voice.

“Mmm.”

With only one finger hurt, Lin Qian was able to peel a sweet potato with her own two hands. When she finished peeling one sweet potato, she looked up to see that Li Zhicheng had started eating.

They remained sitting opposite the charcoal fire. He was large and tall, a sweet potato small in his strong hand. He chewed with his mouth closed, looking handsome and refined.

A little touched, Lin Qian started to grow curious. Since they didn’t know each other well, she was not in a good position to ask why he had left the army for the business. So she asked in a seemingly casual way, “Are you liking your new job?”

He paused and said in a calm voice, “Yeah.”

Lin Qian nodded and asked nothing more.

Lin Qian was full after finishing one sweet potato. Seeing him stop eating, she said, “I’m not going to eat any more. I’m full. Finish the rest if you like.”

He then finished the other two quickly and quietly.

After sorting all the documents out, Lin Qian yawned and gave a copy of the brochure to him. “Okay, here it is.”

A stack of documents in his hand, he stood still, looking at her distantly.

Lin Qian blinked. “Anything else?”

“I have some ointment for burns,” he said in a clear and slightly indifferent voice.

Chapter 6

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Chen Zheng, the son of the SMQ Chairman and the General Manager of SMQ, had unexplainable anxiety these days.

At that moment, his right eyelid was twitching for no reason.

He didn’t believe in any Feng Shui omens, but he trusted his instincts. It was around twilight and the light from the streetlamps shined through the window. Everything felt calm and warm, giving the illusion of peace and prosperity. He leaned back in his executive chair, closed his eyes, and began reviewing in his mind the big events that had taken place these past few days.

The Carcinogen Scandal was, of course, the most critical one, but it wouldn’t be so bad. Nobody was a fool in this industry. It was obvious that first, the law usually couldn’t be enforced when were too many offenders, and second, consumers would easily forget things. As long as they kept calm and waited until the storm passed over, consumers would come back to buy what they wanted and their sales would return to normal.

The procurement project with the domestically-renowned Ming Sheng Group was going well. Despite the presence of their strong competitor, New Bori, he was determined to get the bigger order. As for Aida? Chen Zheng would have treated them as the biggest competitor in the past, but now… he chuckled mischievously to himself.

What have I missed?

Thinking for a while, he called his assistant in.

“Go ahead and call them, ask them how the two companies are doing,” he said thoughtfully.

The assistant understood. “They” referred to the spies they had planted in New Bori and Aida.

He called the spy in New Bori. The call was quickly answered and the spy said everything was normal there. Their production and marketing were both in order. They had just postponed the introduction of their new products into the market in order to stay away from the brunt of the Carcinogen Scandal.

Chen Zheng was satisfied. As the top company in the industry, New Bori had reacted well this time.

The assistant then made a call to the spy in Aida. The number was powered off. Chen Zheng looked serious and sat up straight.

After a while, the assistant made the call again only to get the same result.

The assistant hesitated. “Is it out of battery? I’ll have someone check.”

A sullen look on his face, Chen Zheng waved to let him out.

Leaning back in his executive chair for awhile, he took out his cell phone and searched out a number from his contact list.

Lin Qian.

In all 28 years of his life, Lin Qian was the first woman who had smashed flowers from him right in front of his face.

He had heard that she had transferred over to Aida and was promoted to the position of CEO assistant. If this were true, this woman genuinely didn’t care about him, her former boss.

A grim smile on his face, Chen Zheng pressed the call button and held the cell phone to his ear.

Sorry, the number you are calling is currently not available.

Throwing the cell phone onto his desk, Chen Zheng called in the assistant again and ordered, “It doesn’t look right at Aida. They might have made some big moves these past few days. Who knows what this guy Gu Yanzhi is going to do while he’s in power? You go and check it out at once.”

…

The night was dark and still. There were barely any stars in the sky, except a few scattered lights sparkling above the industrial park.

Lin Zhicheng walked ahead, followed by Lin Qian a few steps away. They walked towards the dorm building that was a few hundred feet away.

The concrete pavement, on which echoed Lin Qian’s ankle boots, was flat and grey. She looked up at the straight and quiet figure in front of her. His hat blocked his eyes again.

“Don’t know when it’s going to snow this year,” Lin Qian said, speaking to herself.

Thinking he wouldn’t give any response, Lin Qian unexpectedly heard his cool and deep voice. “You want it to snow?”

Lin Qian looked up and saw him with his hands in his pants pockets, walking vigorously forward. Cold air came out of his mouth in a white vapor from him speaking.

“Yes,” Lin Qian answered with a smile. “I think the snow is nice. I like it.”

“It’s going to snow tomorrow.”

Pausing for a second, Lin Qian watched him reach the dorm gate, pull it open, and enter.

The weather forecast didn’t say it was going to snow.

Is it just the intuitive wilderness survival skills that a military man has? He can just look at the sky and know when it’s going to be windy or rainy?

It’s undeniable that a military man, no matter the circumstances, is practical and useful.

They walked into the corridor.

The sensor light turned on immediately. With a big and tall guy by her side, Lin Qian felt that the corridor had become narrower. Her room was the first one on the left. She rubbed her cold hands against each other, took the key out and inserted it into the lock. For a moment, she paused.

Was she seeing things? Why did she think she caught a glimpse of someone, like a shadow, disappearing quickly around the corner of the hallway at the other end?

She turned around swiftly to look at Li Zhicheng, only to find him staring at the other end with a sullen look.

It wasn’t her imagination. Someone had been there. It was so late at night—shouldn’t everyone be catching up on lost sleep in their room after working endlessly for one whole day and night?

Lin Qian took a soft breath and lowered her voice. “You go and keep guard at the gate. I’ll go over and check. Don’t act recklessly.”

She was about to creep forward stealthily until she felt two sharp eyes fixed on her.

Li Zhicheng was looking at her with his clear eyes.

She gave him a wink that said, What’s the matter? Go!

She hadn’t finished the wink when she felt a push on her waist.

“Shush. Get in.” It was a short and powerful order. His dark, clear eyes were very close to hers.

He ignored her own command; he gave her an order directly against it.

The door opened and, staggering forward a step, she was forced into the dark room. The door was closed behind her with a click.

Dumbfounded for a moment, Lin Qian quickly turned around and leaned against the door, looking outside through the peephole.

Really worthy of her nickname for him, “Big Cat,” Li Zhicheng walked so quietly that she had no idea which direction he had snuck towards.

It was quiet in the hallway. Nothing was moving around.

Staying in this uncomfortable position, Lin Qian kept watching for quite some time. Finally, she grew tired and gave up.

She kicked off her boots, walked to her bed, and laid down.

A few minutes later, she heard a knock at the door.

The knocks were neither soft nor loud and were in a uniform rhythm.

Lin Qian got up feeling suspicious and looked outside through the peephole again. She saw a familiar hat and a black coat, and quickly opened the door.

Li Zhicheng stood under the light with a calm expression and steadily handed her a tube of ointment.

He looked at her as if nothing had happened.

Lin Qian was still worried. Glancing around and seeing nobody, she said in a hushed tone, “Come in and tell me what happened.”

Li Zhicheng raised his eyebrows and walked in just two steps. Staring at her in silence, it seemed that he was waiting for something.

Lin Qian closed the door softly. “How did it go? What happened? What did you see over there?”

Quiet for a moment, Li Zhicheng replied, “There was nobody.”

Lin Qian didn’t quite believe it. “Are you sure?”

He looked at her and turned around to reach for the door.

Lin Qian grabbed his arm. “I’m not finished! If they investigate the incident tomorrow, you’ll have to testify for me. I was with you the entire time and don’t have any unusual motives.”

He turned to look at her and said in a deep and strong voice, “A clean hand wants not to be washed.”

Lin Qian sniffed. “That’s a saying used to fool kind people.”

He stared at her in silence.

A head taller than her, he stood close, blocking nearly all the light from falling on her. A little uneasy by his sharp gaze, she asked, “What?”

“Is there anything else you need?” he asked in a steady voice.

“Well, no.”

He immediately pulled open the door and left.

As soon as he was gone, Lin Qian felt partly relieved.

This Big Cat! He looks so scary when he’s serious.

Early the next morning, everything seemed normal. No one was under investigation, nor did anyone bring up the unusual incident that had happened last night.

Lin Qian said nothing either.

After several hours of hard work, she was called in by Gu Yanzhi.

Despite being a temporary office, Gu Yanzhi’s was still furnished in style. Behind the polished dark executive desk, a large folding screen split the room into two parts, a front and back. Gu Yanzhi sat by the desk, looking bright with pride.

Somewhat influenced by his expression, and because she was also confident about the current crisis management, she asked with a big smile, “Mr. Gu, you wanted to see me?”

He dropped a stack of papers in front of her. “Take a look at this and give me some advice.”

It was his speech draft for tomorrow’s press conference as the leader of the company. This was a top priority in the public relations section of dealing with the crisis.

She took it dutifully. She had hardly finished reading a few lines when she knew that she approved of it.

It was clear and concise, getting straight to the point. And the apology section felt sincere and natural, without any fake or ingenuine statements.

Lin Qian quickly finished reading and looked up at him. “I think it’s well written.”

Gu Yanzhi stared at her with a faint smile in his face. “Of course it’s well written. Would I write one that was poorly written? What I need is constructive criticism.”

Neither embarrassed nor hesitant, Lin Qian thought about it and said, “It could be improved with two small points.”

Gu Yanzhi then became interested. “Go ahead.”

“First, expose our disadvantages. Take an example from the previous toxic baby milk scandal. Everyone blamed the dairy companies but few attacked the dairy farmers, who were said to be the chief culprits. According to the basics of human psychology, including the consumers, most people’s sympathies go towards the disadvantaged and it isn’t likely that they’ll challenge the disadvantaged situation.

“We’re in the same situation. It is an objective reality that we at Aida are facing operational difficulties. We might as well mention it in the speech and reveal our own disadvantages. I think it will surely cause the consumers to become sympathetic, and we’ll become more likely to be forgiven over the others.”

Gu Yanzhi didn’t give her any comments.

Lin Qian went on to say, “Secondly, I reviewed the pollutant test report. We are one of the companies who had the least amount of pollutant values in the handbags. We might as well make that data known to the public.” She paused for a moment. “Once we make the data public, the consumers will surely come to their senses and demand that the other companies publish their data. So they will be under even greater pressure.”

After Lin Qian left, Gu Yanzhi took the draft, went to the other side of the folding screen, and threw it to Li Zhicheng who was sitting on the hidden sofa.

Although the two points mentioned by Lin Qian happened to match up with what they had discussed themselves, Gu Yanzhi still couldn’t help exclaiming with his eyes narrowed, “I told you that this woman is clever—in an honest way. Such a talented woman! How could SMQ let go of such a genius?”

…

Ever since offering ideas to her boss, Lin Qian felt like her workload had become much heavier.

Apart from the photocopying, tea making, water refilling, and errands, she was also involved in writing other important documents and in the external operations as well.

As the clock ticked away, the team’s preparation was coming to an end, and the work in the task force was becoming more and more intense. Lin Qian was so busy that she felt so much time had passed, but in reality it had only been three days since they had started working in the restricted area.

During this time, she only saw Li Zhicheng passing by occasionally, either alone or with the security guards. The person working next to her saw him too and asked, “Who is that guy? I’ve never seen him before.”

Lin Qian said, “It’s the new security manager. You don’t know him? He’s a veteran. Responsible and nice, but very quiet.”

On the morning of the fourth day, the press conference finally came after heavy overnight snow, just as predicted by Li Zhicheng.

The news release was set to be downtown in the Beihai Shengting Hotel.

At 8:00 am, the media still hadn’t yet arrived. The conference hall, adorned with lights and flowers, was also equipped with cameras and a sound system.

Lin Qian’s job today was to work with the head of administration for on-site coordination. Wearing a formal black pantsuit, a pair of low heels, and light makeup, she was busy in and out of the hall the entire morning.

The others were just as busy as her. People were saying that Gu Yanzhi had locked himself in his hotel room, busy practicing the speech that he was going to present at the conference.

Lin Qian checked the on-site equipment one more time and made sure it was in good condition. She then went to the check-in desk by the door, where the focus of her tasks would be for the rest of the today.

As soon as she had walked out of the doorway, she unexpectedly saw Li Zhicheng at the other end of the hallway.

Not only did she notice him, but many of the staff members walking by also turned and recognized him.

He looked different today.

He wasn’t wearing that hat, and his short hair was black and soft, making his face stand out. He had deep, large eyes, full cheekbones, thin lips, and fair skin.

Instead of the sporty windbreaker, he was dressed in a long, black coat with a white shirt on. He looked even taller than usual.

Hands in his coat pockets, he stood under the light, his whole presence seeming to glow. He glanced around. His eyes fell on Lin Qian for just a second and then shifted away without making an expression.

Lin Qian chuckled. Seeing that the security guards had all worn black suits today, it was natural that he was dressed like that.

She was about to walk over and talk to him when her cell phone rang.

Because the press conference was being held today and the competitors wouldn’t have enough time to take any countermeasures on the same day, it was no longer necessary to keep it a secret anymore and everyone’s cell phones had finally been returned.

Glancing at the number, Lin Qian paused for a second and then picked up.

Unexpectedly, it was her former supervisor, the marketing manager of SMQ. At least, she had been when Lin Qian had worked there.

Lin Qian smiled before speaking. “Hello, Manager Su.”

Manager Su was a socially-active woman in her thirties. She spoke in a mild yet powerful tone and said, “Lin Qian, how have you been? Long time no see since you left. Sorry about that.”

Lin Qian could guess who had ordered her to make this call.

It was impossible for Aida to hide from their competitors after making such a big move today. Chen Zheng must have been curious to see what Aida was planning to do and sent someone to ask questions and find out.

Speaking of Chen Zheng, Lin Qian had always had a good impression of him from the very beginning. As the young son of the chairman, he was energetic, daring, and decisive. Everyone praised him as young and talented.

She didn’t know why he had been attracted to her. She guessed it was probably because she had been a new and fresh face at the company? He had started his intense pursuit of her as if he had totally forgotten about the fact that he already had a fiance, who was the daughter of a chairman.

“Be my mistress for three years, and you’ll be able to get almost everything you want,” he had said at the time, completely stunning Lin Qian.

Just as Lin Qian expected, Manager Su changed the topic shortly and asked, “By the way, I heard that Aida is going to hold a press conference today. Is it about the pollutant incident? What’s Aida going to say? Let us know so we can be better prepared.”

Lin Qian paused.

A few feet in front of her, some reporters began to enter the hall. By the wall on the desk next to her were the brochures about the incident that she had been in charge of printing.

Lin Qian cleared her throat and answered, “I don’t know. It’s only been a short time since I came to Aida—” She hadn’t finished her sentence when she heard a clatter on the other end of the line. It seemed like the phone had been taken by another person.

She then heard Chen Zheng’s voice. “You don’t know? Aren’t you a member of the task force? Tsk, tsk, how long have you even been away from SMQ? How can you already be so loyal to Aida?”

Chapter 7

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

It hadn’t crossed Chen Zheng’s mind that Aida would have the courage to stand out and confront the whole industry until he received a secret report from his spy in the morning.

Gu Yanzhi was experienced and resourceful. But to make a move at the risk of offending the whole industry was not an action that matched his usual sophisticated style.

This decision was made by someone more inexperienced. Chen Zheng suspected that there was someone working behind Gu Yanzhi.

Rumors were going around saying that Aida’s chairman was planning to choose his successor from his two other sons.

Chen Zheng was anxious to find out who his new rival would be. In this scandal crisis, his new rival had already come at him hard. How could he not get revenge and try to knock him or her down as well?

Even the spy didn’t know who the person was.

So he thought of Lin Qian.

Well, she’s a clever girl. And even though she’s new to Aida, she may have noticed something anyways. Also, Aida is on the verge of collapsing, so she might not be so loyal anymore…

Lin Qian said, “It’s you, Mr. Chen. You’ve left me speechless. Oh, they’re calling me for a meeting. Sorry, but I have to go!”

With her finger quickly tapping on the screen, she hung up without further delay.

On the other end of the line, Chen Zheng heard the call end, sneered, and threw his phone onto the desk.

On her end, Lin Qian turned around and became lost in her thoughts for a moment.

She had a strong feeling that a huge fight was going to break out between Aida and SMQ.

But isn’t that normal in the business world?

She looked up thoughtfully.

In the bustling crowd, the first thing she caught sight of was Li Zhicheng again. He stood in the same spot as before with his hands in his pockets, staring in her direction. To be honest, he looks even better in a dressy coat. He’s handsome, put together, and definitely eye-catching. If someone posted his picture on the Internet, he would undoubtedly become famous overnight. He’d be known as the most handsome security guard in the world.

Lin Qian smiled at him and then turned to enter the hall.

The press conference went well.

At 2:00 pm, Gu Yanzhi, dressed in an ironed black suit, sat in the middle of the stage.

By the stage was a crowd of reporters holding up cameras, waiting attentively for him to give his speech. Lin Qian sat down on a staff seat near the back of the hall, feeling a little nervous.

Underneath the spotlight, he looked around with a smile and said, “In regards to the recent public concern, ‘Pollutants Detected in AD509 Ladies Handbags,’ we, Aida Group, make the following public announcements and commitments.

“First, we have tested and found out that the source of contamination was the fabric being supplied by our European agent. We have terminated all business with them and have also filed a lawsuit against them.

“Second, no matter what the results of the lawsuit are, Aida will fully cover any consumer losses from buying Aida products. We’ve decided to have a full recall on this batch of products and will give a full refund to our customers. Aida will bear the loss on our own.”

The first question was raised by a reporter from Lin City Daily. “Hello, Mr. Gu. As far as I know, all of the luxury handbag companies are involved in this pollutant incident. While the whole industry is still keeping silent, why is Aida the first to stand up and speak out?”

Gu Yanzhi spoke with a light smile: “At Aida, what’s most important is not competing with others, but fulfilling our promises to our consumers. We are the first to stand out, but I believe that we won’t be the last.”

Sitting in the back of the hall, Lin Qian was a little surprised.

It turns out that even the reporters have been planning ahead. The questions and answers sound genuine and fair, but they also drag the competitors out into the open at the same time.

Staring at Gu Yanzhi on the stage, she thought, He’s smart!

The second question was, “Aida’s business performance hasn’t been up to expectations over recent years. Will your company suffer greatly from having to bear such a huge loss at this time?”

This time, Gu Yanzhi didn’t give an answer right away, but slightly hesitated.

“It is indeed difficult,” he said with a remorseful look. “But we won’t use this as an excuse to push aside our responsibilities.”

After the press conference, Gu Yanzhi walked backstage. The first thing he did was check with the secretary to see if the red payment envelopes for the reporters had been sent out properly. After getting an affirmative response, he went to an isolated corner in high spirits and called Li Zhicheng.

At the beginning of the conference, he had seen Li Zhicheng standing by the door, but now he was nowhere to be found.

He picked up his call quickly.

Gu Yanzhi said, “Are you happy with how it went, Boss?”

“It was okay,” responded Li in a steady voice.

Gu Yanzhi smiled. “Well, I’ve dropped this huge bomb for you, and I remember you said you’d take things over right after. I’m relieved. Now, I’m going to have dinner with the reporters. What about you?”

“I’ll drive to the Group.”

While she was cleaning up the conference hall with her coworkers, Lin Qian found some time to check the updated industry reports on her cell phone.

The responses to the press conference were even better than she’d expected.

Before the conference, the top three industry news headlines had been “Carcinogen Scandal,””Ning Weikai, the CEO of New Bori, Cover of Fortune Weekly,” and “A Fight Between New Bori and SMQ for Orders from Ming Sheng Group.”

But now, “Aida Press Conference” was ranked in the third place, and the popularity of this article was still on the rise.

Everyone was feeling excited and so was Lin Qian.

There was a bunch of things left in the conference hall. Lin Qian, along with some younger workers, stayed behind to move the stuff to the parking lot.

After walking back and forth several times, she saw Li Zhicheng walk out of the elevator and into the parking lot while she was still out there.

It had been the first close encounter between them since he had stared at her the other night.

Their eyes met. It was obvious that he saw her, but he walked around her coldly.

Lin Qian, who was still working, suddenly got an idea and immediately stopped him. “Hey, wait a second.”

He stopped walking.

Lin Qian asked him for help in a friendly way. “Li Zhicheng—Mr. Li—there’s still a lot of stuff upstairs. Could you please send some of your men to help?”

Li Zhicheng stared back at her with his dark eyes.

Lin Qian put her palms together and said, “Thanks so much!”

“Mmm.”

When Lin Qian was in the elevator, Li Zhicheng entered the parking lot and got in a Hummer SUV.

As he started the car, he took out his cell phone and called Gu Yanzhi.

Gu Yanzhi was at dinner, having a good time with the leaders of a few media organizations. He was surprised to receive a call from Li.

“What’s the matter?”

“Send a few people to help the task force.”

…

Lin Qian hadn’t expected what happened that night.

A bus took the task force team back to Aida. When they arrived at Aida’s gate, it was already dark. It was a cold and quiet winter night with only a few people walking down the streets. The team members got off the bus, all carrying something in their hands.

Being in charge of inventory, Lin Qian was the last one to get off the bus. The other people had already walked far ahead, leaving her behind. She had barely walked a few steps when she had the feeling that something was wrong.

Suddenly, she heard a loud bang.

Startled, a few more bangs immediately followed, and she was so frightened that she quickly dropped everything in her hands and squatted down with her head in her arms. She looked up and saw stones flying out of the darkness and hitting the side of the bus next to her and the iron gate of the building.

Lin Qian was about to hide when she heard another bang and felt a sharp, painful blow hit her ankle. For just a moment, her ankle went numb.

Immediately afterwards the sharp pain returned.

Everything happened so quickly that at first the two security guards at the gate were too shocked to react. Coming back to their senses, they dashed forward.

Their heavy engine sounds starting up, a few large motorcycles drove out of the trees’ shadows and hurried away. It was impossible for the security guards to catch up with them.

“Aida harmed their consumers!”

“Their fake apologies will never be accepted!”

In the distance, many people were shouting, and she heard another round of crashes.

Lin Qian was terrified and her right ankle was in tremendous pain. She looked at her ankle and found it bruised and bleeding.

A security guard helped Lin Qian to her feet and said, “Are you ok? Damn, where are these troublemakers from?”

Another guard said angrily, “What’s the matter with these guys? The company has already apologized and promised to take on the loss. Why are they still making it a huge deal?”

Still suffering from the pain, Lin Qian said, “They’re not ordinary people.”

A few days ago, right after the scandal had broken out, some consumers had also caused trouble around the company and the company’s stores. She had a feeling that things were different today.

A security guard said, “I’m going to call the police right away!”

Lin Qian immediately stopped him. “Don’t call them yet! I’ll ask CEO Gu for instructions.”

Once the story spread, another headline would be added to the news reports the next day: “Refusing to Accept Apologies from Aida, Consumers Clashed with Their Staff”.

The positive responses to the conference might get lost between the clashing headlines, and the incident that had just happened could even turn into a scandal.

Five minutes later, being helped by a guard, Lin Qian walked slowly to Aida’s clinic.

She’d just made a call to Gu Yanzhi. As expected, Gu Yanzhi hesitated for a moment after learning that there was no other personal or property damage and said, “Don’t report anything to the police for now. Let’s handle it with a low profile.” He also gave her some words of encouragement.

Moving a few steps forward, Lin Qian saw a Hummer SUV driving by. She didn’t pay attention to it until it pulled over and a man got out.

She saw a black coat, leather shoes, and familiar long legs.

Li Zhicheng turned around and saw her.

Lin Qian looked right back at him.

He’s driving a Hummer!

He paused slightly and then walked towards her.

Lin Qian wasn’t surprised at his sudden reappearance. Wasn’t he the security manager? The guards had probably reported the incident to him.

She didn’t know it was Gu Yanzhi who had reported the incident to him.

When he was in front of her, Lin Qian said, “I’m okay. I’m afraid that you’ll have to raise the security levels around here tonight.”

Li Zhicheng’s clean-cut face looked chiseled under the night sky. He glanced at her and looked down at her ankle.

He squatted down next to her.

Lin Qian felt something brush her ankle and then saw that it was in his hand. Looking down from her position, she watched him examine the injury quietly and attentively. She could feel the warmth and force of his fingers on her skin.

Knowing that he liked to hide his kindness with cold looks, Lin Qian was touched. She was, of course, also a little embarrassed as he examined her ankle so closely. She turned to the guard next to her and said, “You go in first. Thank you! I’ll be okay staying with your manager.”

The guard looked a little surprised but he needed to keep watch at the gate, so he just nodded and went away in a hurry.

Thinking that he probably was experienced with injuries as a veteran, Lin Qian let him keep examining her ankle. After a while, he stood up and said calmly, “It didn’t damage your bone.”

Relieved, Lin Qian gave him a smile and was about to say thanks when he turned around and strode away.

Lin Qian was shocked. “Wait! How could you just leave me here? Take me to the clinic! Come back!”

The night was quiet and cold. Their long shadows were visible under the streetlights.

With one hand on Li Zhicheng’s arm, Lin Qian walked carefully to the building where the clinic was located.

They didn’t talk.

After a while, Lin Qian couldn’t help but say, “Don’t give me such a long face. I got hurt while working. You’re in charge of the Group’s security. It’s part of your responsibilities.”

Li Zhicheng turned to look at her with his dark eyes and said nothing in response. Lin Qian realized that at a closer distance, while his eyes and eyebrows were beautiful, his highly-arched eyebrows gave him a stern look. As he was staring at her, she had no idea what he was feeling or thinking.

“Lin Qian,” he suddenly spoke. “When did I say that I was the security manager?”

Lin Qian was surprised.

He said nothing else and continued to help her walk ahead.

Lin Qian stole a glance at him.

Of course, she knew he was close to Gu Yanzhi. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have had access to Gu Yanzhi’s office and wouldn’t have been sent to fetch confidential documents for him. If he isn’t the security manager, then… She thought about it and came to a conclusion.

He’s either Gu Yanzhi’s assistant, or was assigned by Gu Yanzhi to some other department. But it seems like he’s been lounging around recently, doing nothing important.

“Oh, I see. Then what’s your position?” Lin Qian asked.

He stopped all of a sudden and looked at the ground.

Following his gaze, Lin Qian saw a large puddle of melted snow. There was no way for her to step around it.

“What should I do?” she asked, putting her question about his position to the side.

Li Zhicheng bent down with his back facing her and said, “Get on my back.”

Lin Qian was surprised by his invitation. After all, a favor like this was kind of intimate. But on second thought, she came to another explanation. As a veteran, he must have rescued dozens of flood-stricken people by carrying them on his back, so it must be natural for him to carry me like this.

She couldn’t help but think again that, A military man, no matter the circumstances, is really practical and useful to have around.

Not acting shy at all, she quickly hopped onto his back. As soon as she was holding onto his shoulders, he quickly got to his feet and crossed over the puddle in one long stride. Startled by his sudden movement, Lin Qian nearly yelled out. Then she laughed.

“That was so scary!” Lin Qian patted his shoulder. “That’s your way of taking care of the injured?”

“You can get off if you’re not satisfied.”

Lin Qian shut herself up because there were more puddles ahead.

After a few more steps, Lin Qian’s cell phone rang. It was Lin Mochen.

Lin Mochen’s voice, coming from across the ocean, was deep and powerful. “I saw the news.”

Lin Qian smiled at once. “Not bad, huh?”

Lin Mochen smiled lightly and said, “I’ve already found out all the information.”

Lin Qian felt her heartbeat quicken. She took a discrete look at Li Zhicheng underneath her and found him still walking steadily ahead with his head bent low, seemingly unable to hear the voice coming from her cell phone.

“Go ahead.” She grew serious too.

Lin Mochen said, “Your new boss, the second son of Aida’s Chairman, is special. He’s a veteran. His name is Li Zhicheng.”

Lin Qian gripped her cell phone and remained silent. She looked at the man who was walking steadily with her on his back, and suddenly felt her forehead twitch with nerves.

Chapter 8

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

It was a sunny morning. The sun shined on the vast and clean marble flooring in the Aida building, making its surface sparkle like bits of scattered gold. The plants in the indoor flower beds were neatly trimmed, and their flowers and green leaves were glistening in the sunlight after being watered.

A group of staff representatives, led by the manager of the administration department, stood in front of the building’s doorway. Dressed in suits and holding flowers in their hands, they all waited expectantly.

Upstairs, through every window, even through the shades, people were looking outside occasionally.

The two younger girls in the CEO office, of course, couldn’t wait either. All morning, they kept glancing out the window while discussing in low voices what the second son of Aida’s chairman, who had never appeared in public before, would look like.

Influenced by their conversations, Lin Qian felt a little restless too. She also kept looking outside without thinking.

Finally, it was eleven o’clock, the scheduled time.

Led by Gu Yanzhi’s Cadillac, several black cars drove in a line from the highway exit. The cheapest brand among them was Audi. They drove all the way up to the front of the company and pulled up to the building one by one.

The two girls were amazed by the scene. With her chin in her hands, Lin Qian watched what was happening outside as well.

It wasn’t long before everyone started getting out of their vehicles. Most of them were head managers from all the departments. Gu Yanzhi got out of the Cadillac from the front passenger seat, dressed in a well-ironed suit.

One of the managers walked forward and respectfully opened the back door of the Cadillac.

A young man got out.

Dressed in a black suit, a white shirt and a pair of dark, shiny leather shoes, the young man had short black hair and stood out from the crowd with his height.

Surrounded by the department managers being led by Gu Yanzhi, he walked up to the entrance. After some brief commotion, the front area grew quiet as all the higher-ups were in the elevator, heading directly to the top floor.

Lin Qian still had a lot to do that day.

Since the press conference, she’d had to keep a close eye on the competitors’ movements.

Worthy of the nickname “Flagship” within the industry, New Bori had reacted more quickly than she had anticipated. They announced early that morning that they were going to hold a press conference that same evening. While SMQ was still remaining silent, it was said that Chen Zheng would make his position public in no time as well.

The news about the “Aida Press Conference” had become the most popular topic overnight amongst industry news. There were also negative responses that accused Aida of simply staging a publicity stunt. However, they were minor and most likely from the competitors themselves. The mainstream media and the Internet had only praise for Aida. Lin Qian predicted that the positive responses would improve Aida’s low sales.

But just by a little and that’s it. There’s no such thing as a business miracle that would allow one PR action to completely turn around a company.

“Miss Lin Qian,” said the woman named Song Xianxian. Sitting on her seat, she turned to look at her and said, “I heard that the new boss is going to speak to every department head.”

Another girl, Yang Xiru, also said, “Yeah, Miss Lin Qian, you might be called on sometime soon.”

The pen in her hand stopped moving. Lin Qian looked up at them and said with a smile, “Mmm, we’ll see. I’m waiting for the call anytime now.”

Song Xianxian and Yang Xiru both nodded and agreed with a smile.

Since the day Lin Qian had started this job, the two girls seemed to follow her lead on almost everything. Looking at their expectant eyes, Lin Qian understood their intentions well. As newly-graduated business newbies, they were confused about most things and were eager for guidance. She had been the same way at their age.

And ever since she had been dismissed from the task force, the two girls had basically taken her on as their leader, reporting everything back to her and accepting her assignments. Their respect for her was both heartwarming and flattering. She took things as they came and tried her best to give them good advice. Although she had only three years of work experience herself, she believed she could lead the two new graduates well.

Their discussion about the new boss was distracting Lin Qian from the work she had been concentrating on.

It reminded her of the night before.

Ah, last night.

After getting off the phone with Lin Mochen the night before, Lin Qian, on Li Zhicheng’s back, hadn’t been able to feel anything but her quickening heartbeat: ba-dum, ba-dum, ba-dum…

“Let me down,” she said.

Her new boss, the topic of all the gossip, stopped and loosened his hold, letting her slowly slide off his back. He straightened himself up after she was off.

She quickly stepped aside, keeping a polite distance from him.

Under the dim streetlight, he looked down at her. He looked even taller and more slender in the neat black coat, with his broad shoulders and narrow waist. He had a cool look on his sophisticated face, his eyes dark and focused.

Lin Qian didn’t know what to say.

He spoke up instead, still with a cool voice. “What?” he said steadily. “You don’t need me to carry you anymore?”

What? Lin Qian exclaimed in her head. He asked why! Why would he ask me why I didn’t want to be carried anymore?

Is he so used to helping others as a veteran that he doesn’t understand why an ordinary person like me would deny his help, or did he just overhear Li Mochen on the phone and is trying to figure me out, as my boss, and what else I know?

Looking into his dark eyes, Lin Qian found that she couldn’t see through him.

“Because… I just remembered that I have something else I need to do, and my ankle doesn’t hurt that much now. I won’t bother you anymore.” Lin Qian used a simple excuse and gave him a sweet smile. “Why don’t you go back and get some rest?”

Hm, it was smart to say that. It won’t cause problems—whether he thinks I know him as a security guard or as a CEO.

He stared at her flatly.

“Mmm.” He put his hands in his coat pockets. “See you tomorrow.”

Lin Qian kept her smile and replied, “Yeah, see you tomorrow.”

He turned around and strode away in a cool and poised manner—as usual.

Watching his back with the smile still on her face, Lin Qian suddenly realized something.

Did he just say ‘see you tomorrow?’

We don’t see each other every day. Did he speak without thinking or purposely with an implication?

Lin Qian stayed where she was, confused again.

She then figured that she must have been overthinking it. She was nervous at the fact that this quiet, solitary, veteran security guard was actually going to be the new CEO, and was the son of the previous CEO. He must not have meant to imply anything.

Then, the next morning, as soon as she had arrived at the office, she and the other staff members were notified that the new CEO was coming in and that they should be prepared to greet him.

See you tomorrow, indeed. Her new boss had simply spoken honestly by saying that to her.

“What a great entrance our new CEO had!” Song Xianxian was still impressed by the great display from earlier.

Yang Xiru echoed, “Yeah, it was really impressive!”

Hearing their amazement, Lin Qian thought, Of course he came in with such a dramatic entrance. If I were him, I would have made the same decision. The company is now on the verge of collapsing. During this critical time period, the more powerful and superior the leader seems to be, the more confidence the staff will have in their new leader.

Lin Qian couldn’t help but remember the night Li Zhicheng sat in front of her eating sweet potatoes. She remembered his tall figure, his hat, his quiet demeanor, and his cleanly-cut chin moving as he chewed.

Obviously, he isn’t arrogant. He just comes off as cold.

But now, no matter what kind of person he is, he’s been placed at the top position, to be looked up to by all of the employees in Aida. I have to look up to him as well.

That evening, Lin Qian heard that every department head had been called in by the new CEO. Finally, the phone on her desk rang.

It was Gu Yanzhi’s secretary. Li Zhicheng didn’t have a secretary of his own yet.

“Assistant Lin, CEO Li would like to meet with you.”

Stepping again onto the top floor where the senior management office was located, Lin Qian was a little excited. Her heart beating fast: ba-dum, ba-dum, ba-dum.

She was pretty confident that Li Zhicheng would still offer her the position as CEO assistant.

She knocked softly on the light-brown wooden door and heard a familiar cool voice from the inside. “Come in.”

Lin Qian opened the door, with a smile as perfect as any anchorwoman’s.

She took one step in when she abruptly stopped.

He was standing in front of the tall window. The sunset outside was setting on the horizon, creating a magical and soft background light. He looked extremely slender and stood upright with his hands in his pants pockets. Hearing her footsteps, he turned around, and Lin Qian saw him from the front.

There was no hat brim covering his eyes. His black hair was styled short and neat. His expensive, tailored black suit and ironed white shirt set off his clear dark eyes. When he stared at Lin Qian with a cool expression, she heard nothing but her heartbeat again.

It’s a totally different look from when he is dressed in a military coat or a windbreaker. He looks poised and elite.

Pulling herself together, Lin Qian spoke up with a bright smile on her face. “Hello, Mr. Li.”

She had practiced this smile in her mirror the night before. It looked open-hearted, sincere, and genuinely cheerful. The smile was supposed to say, “So you’re the new CEO! What a lucky coincidence for us.”

Of course, she was actually far more embarrassed than cheerful.

Unexpectedly, Li Zhicheng continued to stare at her with his dark eyes as if he hadn’t heard her.

In silence, they looked at each other, separated by the spacious room.

She became a little uneasy.

“I mixed up your position and I’m so sorry about that,” she gracefully said with the same sweet smile.

This time, her boss finally spoke up, still in a calm and clear voice. Lin Qian, however, didn’t expect what he said.

“Lin Qian, you don’t have to act… insincere.”

Lin Qian started to feel her nerves twitching in her temples again.

What did he say? Don’t act insincere? Does that mean he got the impression I’m acting fake or deceitful?

Damn it!

His eyes were still dark and calm, and Lin Qian couldn’t tell whether he was unhappy with her or was just joking.

Or, is he telling me not to pretend and to be myself?

Though her thoughts were a mess, Lin Qian still kept a calm smile on her face and replied quickly, “Mr. Li, this side of me is actually who I really am.” As soon as she finished speaking, she felt surprised by her own words.

She thought that she could see a flicker of amusement flash in his eyes, but Lin Qian couldn’t be sure of it.

He walked towards her and sat down on the sofa. His hands, with his long fingers and defined knuckles, rested on his knees.

“Have a seat.”

Lin Qian sat down obediently.

Silent again for a while, he looked up at her and asked, “What should be my top priority right now?”

Confused for a second, Lin Qian quickly understood what he was asking, which made her feel better about herself.

She knew how it was supposed to go. Although there were job descriptions, it was actually someone’s individual performance that determined how much a person, as CEO assistant or secretary, could achieve and what status he or she could reach within the company.

If you didn’t have skilled abilities and put yourself in a lower position, you would be treated as such, then quickly replaced, as you were of no special value to the leader. If you had the skills to both offer bright ideas and handle the lower jobs well, and if the ideas happened to coincide appropriately with the leader’s concerns, you would become invaluable. Everyone, from the CEO to the ordinary staff members, would look up to you.

How could she not be happy hearing Li Zhicheng ask her this question?

She paused for a moment and then spoke, following a script she had prepared earlier in her mind. “Mr. Li, I thought about this earlier. New Bori, Aida, and SMQ used to be the three best in the industry. Aida relied on having the best quality to maintain their status. We’re facing temporary difficulties now, but we still have a solid foundation, and we also have the chance to turn things around. But how I think we should turn things around are just my own opinions.

“Market shares are usually based on a first come first served basis, so your market share will keep increasing once you finally land a big one, and vice versa. We can’t keep chasing New Bori and SMQ at a slow and steady pace. In no time, the market share they took from us will become fixed, and it will be impossible for us to catch up.

“So, in my opinion, we need to launch a full recovery plan as soon as possible. The success from our recent PR actions gives us a good opportunity to do so right now. What we should do is find the right angle from this opportunity and turn things around.”

After finishing her speech, she observed Li Zhicheng’s reaction. He still looked calm and emotionless.

What are employees most afraid of? They fear that they won’t be able to read their leader’s thoughts and intentions.

Lin Qian thought that right now she was, without a doubt, one of the most terrified employees ever, because her boss looked completely unreadable.

She decided to be bold and try to display her loyalty while catering to his personality at the same time. She added, “Mr. Li, if we think of this in war terms, I’d like to be your adjutant, charging forward with a strong spirit and eagerly throwing myself into the fight.”

Catering to one’s interests worked on everybody, including him; the use of the military metaphor finally triggered a reaction from him.

He raised his eyebrows slightly, his eyes seeming clearer and sharper than before.

A flicker of a rare smile flashed on his lips.

“Mmm. Thanks so much for today,” he said, “and I’ll consider your suggestions, Adjutant Lin.”

…

Later that same day, when it was nearing midnight, Chen Zheng was just getting back home.

He didn’t go straight to bed, but instead went to the study upstairs. As expected, he saw his father, Chen Yanmin, sitting alone and reviewing a company financial statement.

In his teenage years, Chen Yanmin had started from scratch as a hard labor worker. After years of struggling, he had finally founded SMQ. As wealthy as he was now, he had an entirely different temperament from his son. Now in his fifties, he had never cared for sex, luxury cars, or anything else unnecessary.

The one thing he loved was money. The thing he enjoyed doing the most was checking his inventory and properties every day. He was generous to nobody except for his son. And no one else could manage to get even a tiny piece of his private property from him. The industry had given him the nickname, “Stingy Chen.”

Chen Zheng sat down in front of his father, took off his tie, and threw it on the desk, looking agitated.

Chen Yanmin looked up at him from the account book. “Is everything finished?”

Of course, he was referring to the Carcinogen Scandal. Chen Zheng nodded and cursed in a low voice, “Aida doesn’t know how bad they’re going down this time!”

“What’s your plan?” asked Chen Yanmin.

Chen Zheng chuckled. “They’ve made such a huge publicity stunt that it’s obvious they want to use this opportunity to make a comeback. We’ll see. I’ve instructed the vice president, who’s in charge of marketing, to cut down any of Aida’s attempts to do so at all costs. They’re going to try and make a breakthrough with their products to get more of a market share.”

Unexpectedly, Chen Yanmin looked at him and said flatly, “Son, you’re focusing in the wrong direction.”

Chen Zheng was surprised.

Chen Yanmin gave him a faint smile and said, “It seems like you don’t even know what’s going on in your fight with Aida. The man, Li Zhicheng, had the guts to confront the whole industry. Obviously, he is a man who thinks big and acts bravely. Of course, he is also a man of excessive confidence and of little sophistication.”

Chen Zheng listened attentively.

Chen Yanmin went on. “A man of such character won’t take his time to wear you down in the consumer market. What he plans to do is probably more than you think. You can’t take him lightly. And right now, what business can he get within the industry that can offer him an opportunity to turn things around?”

Chen Zheng’s face slowly dropped. “Are you talking about… the 40-million-dollar order from Ming Sheng Group?”

Chen Yanmin nodded.

Remaining quiet for a moment, Chen Zheng smiled. “The way things are now, Aida’s assets are not even close to being one fifth of ours. They won’t be able to compete with us on this order. If they do, we know that strength is everything.

“I’ll offer our top products to Ming Sheng at our lowest prices. So low that Aida won’t be able to compete with us. Even if we lose money, we need to do this so they’ll lose any opportunity to get back on their feet. When they’re officially screwed and lose their market completely, we can start making money again.”

Finally satisfied, Chen Yanmin nodded and said, “Very good.”

Chapter 9

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

To be a good assistant, you needed to know your boss well, and you needed to know him better than anyone else did.

Having been working in the business world for years, Lin Mochen understood this even better than Lin Qian. So when Lin Qian went home that night, she had a new email from her brother.

The email had all of Li Zhicheng’s personal information. His experience was simple and was all listed with just a few lines.

He was the second son of Xu Yong, Aida’s Chairman of the Board, and the youngest grandson of an army commander in the Southwest Military Region. It suddenly seemed obvious.

He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. No wonder he joined the army. Having a career in business might not have originally been what he wanted to do.

He had a brilliant record within his first few years. At his university, he won awards like “Best Military Performance” and “Leadership Award in Global University Student Military Forum.” After joining the army, he won more awards, like “Third-Class Personal Merit,””Second-Class Group Merit,” and “Outstanding Contribution Award in Falcon Confrontation Action,” etc.

There was also some trivial information about him in the email. Lin Qian wondered how Lin Mochen had even gotten it.

For instance, he had given out financial aid to a number of out of school children using his own military salary but had refused to ever meet the children in person. That reminded Lin Qian of the episode they had on the train. He had lent her his bunk to sleep in, but had refused to exchange a few words with her. How much does he hate talking to other people? He’s so strange!

Another piece of information was that he didn’t have a girlfriend and seemed to have never had one. That surprised Lin Qian. He’s already a 25-year-old man! The military life really must be abstinent and dull.

On her way to work the next day, Lin Qian was still thinking about the new information. He’s single. It’s great that I won’t have to take care of his possibly complicated private life like some assistants and secretaries do. He doesn’t have a secretary, which is something that I have to consider. I should ask HR to recruit him a secretary. Someone smart and competent, but not so smart and ambitious as to threaten my own value in the future.

Dawn had just broken when Lin Qian arrived at the office.

She’d come that early on purpose. An assistant should, of course, show up before her boss. As a veteran, Li Zhicheng must have a habit of getting up early. Who knows what weird time he might show up.

The day before, soon after their meeting, she received notification of her nomination as CEO Assistant from the HR department. Lin Qian quickly packed and moved her stuff to the cubicle outside of the CEO office on the top floor. Though hating to part with her, the two girls, Song Xianxian and Yang Xiru, were jealous of her as well. But according to the message from HR, her position was still within the CEO Office, so the two girls would still be under her guidance for the time being.

Opening the office door softly, Lin Qian found the room dark and empty. It seemed like no one was inside.

Lin Qian turned on the light.

Left by the former CEO, the office had been furnished elegantly and luxuriously, with bright lighting. Now that it had its new owner, the tall black bookcase had been nearly emptied. The file cabinet next to it was empty too. The spacious room looked vacant.

Some newspapers were scattered on the desk. Lin Qian tidied them up, and put the chair neatly back behind the desk. She then got some good tea out of the tea cabinet and started looking for cups.

Hmm, where are the cups? When I came in yesterday, I thought I’d seen one on the desk. Oh wait, that was actually just a huge green military thermos. Well, it isn’t there now.

She searched around the room for a teacup, humming, but to no avail. She finally opened the door to the balcony.

Looking up, she was startled.

The balcony had also been built by the flashy former CEO. It had a green mini golf course on one side and a beach umbrella with a couple of patio chairs on the other.

Li Zhicheng was sitting in one of the woven chairs, dressed in a suit. He wasn’t wearing a tie and his shirt collar was slightly open. He looked calm and casual, a look rarely seen on him. He had an open book in one hand and rested the other on the arm of the chair.

Hearing the door open, he put down the book and evenly turned his head.

As soon as Lin Qian took in the scene, the first thought that came to her mind was, Damn! What time could he have possibly gotten up? Does this mean that I’ll have to get up even earlier to beat him here?

Her second reaction was to quickly look around.

Well, it’s no surprise that his huge military thermos is on the coffee table next to him. It looks like there’s a dark and fragrant tea inside of it. So he likes drinking fermented Pu-erh tea. And the book in his hand is…huh? Sun Tsu’s Art of War? He has a worn classic edition.

By his knees were a few pieces of paper, with notes taken in pen. Lin Qian glanced at them. His handwriting was clear and firm. She saw many sayings and phrases like “pay someone back in their own coin,””use a cat’s paw to get rid of someone,””feint somewhere and attack in another place,””suit the action to the word,” and “wait at ease until your enemy is exhausted,” etc.

Lin Qian looked back up at him and found him staring at her with his dark, clear eyes.

They watched each other. He slowly began closing his book, put the pieces of papers inside of it, and stood up without making an expression.

Thinking about what he was doing now and what she had learned about him the night before, Lin Qian instantly figure it out.

Is he studying military strategies and tactics, something he already understands, to try and apply them to the business field?

He walked towards her. She quickly smiled at him and said, “Good morning, Mr. Li.”

“Morning.” His voice was calm and collected. He walked past her without emotion.

Lin Qian immediately turned around and followed him back into the room.

It looked like her boss was relying on war tactics to save his business. To that, Lin Qian could only keep her fingers crossed.

When she had started her own business career, Lin Qian had also bought a bunch of books on applying war principles to business; she had tried to gather different ideas and then keep any of importance while getting rid of the junk.

They were books like 36 Military Stratagems Applied to Business, Secrets about the Art of War in Business, and so on. But the only thing she had gained from them were random interesting stories on ancient wars. She considered the lengthy discussion on the application of military science to business as tedious and a waste of time. She didn’t think that one could become a successful business worker just after reading some books on the art of war. Between the two fields, there was still a long way to go. It would involve a lot of real-world experience and intense fighting within the business field.

But as an assistant who had just started her job, Lin Qian wouldn’t tell her boss that he was doing something useless. There was plenty of time in the future for her to find the chance to do so.

For now, she would do exactly what she was expected.

Watching Li Zhicheng sit down behind the executive desk, Lin Qian asked with a smile, “Have you had your breakfast? The restaurant downstairs should have opened by now. The porridge and beef buns they have are pretty good. I haven’t eaten breakfast yet, so would you like me to buy something for you as well?”

She thought that she had phrased everything appropriately by not showing an excessive amount of attention to him while still taking his needs into consideration. He seemed to be a breakfast person as well.

Li Zhicheng looked up and glanced at her lightly. “It’s not necessary.”

Silent for a second, he stood up and strode out of the room.

Lin Qian wasn’t bothered by it and continued to tidy up the office.

Twenty minutes later, Lin Qian had put all the books and files in order. Finally, she placed a small potted plant, which she had brought herself, on the corner of her desk. Clapping her hands together in satisfaction, she settled down in her desk.

With still an hour to go before work officially started, there was no one else on the top floor yet. Lin Qian was just about to stand up and go downstairs for breakfast when she heard low and steady footsteps walking down the hallway.

Those footsteps sound like…

Lin Qian looked up and watched Li Zhicheng come back in. His tall figure was standing straight. His skin was light and he had on a relaxed expression. One hand was in his pant pocket and the other was carrying a small plastic bag. The scent of something steamingly hot wafted through the air.

Lin Qian stifled a laugh.

Well, he didn’t want her to buy him breakfast, but he did go and buy it himself.

He walked through the open glass door. With a polite smile on her face, Lin Qian waited for him to enter his own office. Unexpectedly, he steadily turned around to put the plastic bag on her desk and then immediately turned back to walk into his room.

Lin Qian stopped him. “Mr. Li, is this—”

“I’ve already eaten breakfast,” he said lightly.

Lin Qian was completely surprised. So this is…

“Lin Qian,” he said with a cool look, “I don’t need a woman to run errands for me, even if she is my adjutant.”

Later, at around nine o’clock in the morning, After having a big breakfast, Lin Qian sat down in her cubicle in a good mood. She began sorting out the documents that had just been submitted from different departments for Li Zhicheng to review.

His office doors were closed. Gu Yanzhi was inside meeting with him. About half an hour later, he came out. He smiled at Lin Qian and asked her to go inside the office.

Getting straight to the point, Gu Yanzhi spoke with a faint smile on his face, “Lin Qian, I won’t beat around the bush. This is the first time that CEO Li has been in charge of a company. Frankly speaking, a more experienced assistant should have been given to him. But we’d like to give you a shot. Do your job well, and use your senses in the matters that he’s concerned with.”

Gu Yanzhi was a sophisticated man from the business field. His message was a mixture of threats and rewards, and appreciation and depreciation, which made Lin Qian a little worried. She quickly calmed herself down and replied with a smile, “All right, Mr. Gu. I will.”

Looking surprised for a moment, Gu Yanzhi gave her a final smile and waved goodbye.

Chapter 10

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

As the saying went, “A new broom always sweeps clean.” Not only did the new CEO intend to do a good job, but his employees also wanted to prove themselves in front of their new boss.

It was just past nine o’clock in the morning. Lin Qian had already received countless requests from the heads of departments to have a meeting with Li Zhicheng. Everyone was saying that he or she had something urgent to report to their boss.

Lin Qian didn’t think it was possible that there could be so many urgent and important things to report at one time. She was careful not to make any promises to anyone. She just told them that she would try her best to make arrangements for them. Then, she made a full schedule and took it to Li Zhicheng for him to review.

The sun shined that winter morning. Sitting behind his well-polished dark desk, Li Zhicheng was reading some basic information about the company, such as their products, markets, suppliers, techniques, etc. After hearing what Lin Qian reports, he looked up and frowned.

Lin Qian carefully watched his expression and tentatively gave her opinion. “Maybe you could pick from some of the main departments and meet their head managers to start?” She then handed him her schedule, on which she had marked with a pencil a few appointments that she thought were more important than the others.

She had done so just in case that Li Zhicheng had no idea how Aida operated. After all, he had no experience working in business. If that were the case then she, as his adjutant, would help him, the commander, by giving him suggestions. But to her surprise, her suggestions turned out to be pointless. Li Zhicheng took the schedule, glanced at it, and just put it down on the desk.

“Cancel them all.” In a calm and cool voice he said, “We’re going out this morning.”

Lin Qian was impressed. In her opinion, only leaders who had their own ideas could become good leaders, no matter what kind of experience and abilities they had. Seeing him get up and reach for his coat, she didn’t ask any more questions. She quickly went to her cubicle to pick some stuff up and then followed him out.

To her surprise, their first stop was the Security Department.

Curious as she was, she was smart enough to know that she should keep quiet and not ask questions. She followed him quietly, walking through the long hallway in the Security Department. On their way, some employees passed by them but no one recognized Li Zhecheng. It was probably because he was walking so fast and that he had also rarely made public appearances since taking up office. Wearing a pair of high heels, Lin Qian had to try very hard to keep up with him and she ended up attracting a lot of attention from the other employees. Still, she was lagging behind him.

Striding a few more steps, he suddenly stopped and turned around to look at her. His gaze fell on her feet.

Quickly holding her hands up as if she was surrendering, Lin Qian said, “I’ll wear flats tomorrow.”

“Mmm.” He turned around and continued to walk forward.

Lin Qian didn’t move but chuckled to herself. Well, I’m afraid you’re probably the only male boss who doesn’t like it when his female assistant wears a nice pair of heels to work.

Gao Lang sat in the surveillance room at the end of the hall, dutifully working. He didn’t look surprised seeing them come in. Lin Qian guessed that Li Zhicheng must have made an appointment with him earlier.

Still, he looked uneasy and said in a low voice, “Mr. Li, Assistant Lin, a moment please.” He then took a black bag out of the cabinet and handed it to Li Zhicheng. He stood aside and kept quiet, his head bowed and his face red.

Li Zhicheng took the bag and watched him. Quiet for a second, he said, “What are you afraid of?”

Gao Lang shook his head at once. “No, no, I’m not afraid! I’m just a little bit uncomfortable. I’m good, I’m good.”

Knowing well that she shouldn’t interrupt the conversation between them, Lin Qian stood quietly aside with a smile on her face.

Li Zhicheng went on to say slowly, “There are reasons why I didn’t tell you who I was before.”

Still as calm as she looked, Lin Qian grew more alert to what he was going to say next. Unexpectedly, she heard Gao Lang say, “Well, Commander, we all understand. They say that business is like a battlefield and to know yourself and know your enemy. You’ve come through hundreds of battles undefeated. It was right for you to have done some secret investigation at first for a better understanding of the situation.”

A faint smile appearing on his face, Li Zhicheng nodded to him and said, “Mmm.”

Their conversation revealed a good relationship between the two, and Lin Qian became lost in her thoughts as they chatted.

So he’s been treating the company like a battlefield and originally decided to do a private preliminary inspection of the situation on his own. No wonder I would see him wandering around looking serious and nonchalant.

Staring at his sharp profile, Lin Qian continued to think, Boss, you really are clever and dedicated. I’m lucky to work for you. But, you’re still really insensitive as well.

Li Zhicheng and Lin Qian left the Security Department and went to the parking lot. When they arrived, they walked directly towards his Hummer. Seeing him walking towards the driver’s seat, Lin Qian hesitated for a second and said, “Mr. Li, do you want to let me drive?” She thought that CEO’s weren’t supposed to drive themselves.

Not even glancing at her, Li Zhicheng opened the car door and said, “No.”

“Okay.” Lin Qian couldn’t argue with him.

Aida Group had two production bases, an older one and a new one.

The old one was in the vast industrial park behind the main building. The luggage and bags produced there were mainly for the domestic market. Now that their market had shrunk dramatically, production had been put on hold in many locations.

Lin Qian guessed that Li Zhicheng had already carried out a full inspection at the old base, as they were driving directly to the new base located around thirty miles away in Xiangchuan County. With relatively low rent and a good transport system, the county had attracted many manufacturers from Lin City to set up their bases there.

However, Lin Qian didn’t expect that the situation at Aida’s new base would be even worse than it was at the old one.

Built under the supervision of the former CEO, the industrial park was, without a doubt, new and beautiful. Aida had heavily invested into this base to specially produce high-end luggage and bags for their international market. But currently, there were only a few people working, even at this location. Lin Qian guessed that at least ninety percent of the plants had halted production based on what she was seeing. She figured that only a few plants were still running to support the poor sales in their overseas market.

Lin Qian had already realized that Li Zhicheng was pretty much permanently expressionless, so she wasn’t surprised to see that he had remained emotionless since they had stepped into the dismal industrial park. She could see him walking up ahead, looking as he usually did. Lin Qian knew better than to act worried because she realized that any normal person would be uncomfortable with the fact that what he was taking on was such a mess. She decided to keep quiet and act carefully so she wouldn’t annoy her boss.

They quickly arrived at the gates.

After putting on the dark blue smocks that Gao Lang had prepared for them, and clipping on and the passes that Li Zhicheng kept in his car, they entered the plant.

The plant was still running with long rows of rumbling machines. The employees were working the assembly line, looking unmotivated and dazed.

They had barely taken a few steps into the plant when a bulky supervisor came over looking grim. “Who are you guys? And why are you here?”

Li Zhicheng was observing the semi-finished bags on the assembly line and didn’t even bother looking up after the man spoke. Confused, the man stood there and waited. Lin Qian thought, Although Li Zhicheng usually doesn’t act arrogant, he does have a powerful presence. She immediately showed the supervisor their passes and her employee card, and then dismissed him.

After a full tour through the base, they finally stopped at the large warehouse that kept the raw material inventory.

It was nearly noon. The sun shined brightly on the concrete floor from outside the warehouse, looking warm. But inside the warehouse, it was cold and unbearably quiet.

It was the most depressing scene she had witnessed since joining Aida. There were huge piles of raw leather that was used for making their luxury bags. They were stacked up like mountains, from floor to ceiling.

It’s all money, wasted money, causing bills of unimaginable prices! Lin Qian was deeply concerned about it.

Having written many reports over the past few days, Lin Qian understood the details of Aida’s downfall well. Following the seemingly impressive plan of entering the overseas market that he had developed himself, the former CEO had implemented the strategy of quickly expanding their production scale and sales to increase their profitability. Because of this, they had stocked up on large amounts of raw materials to prepare for the potential “explosive upcoming growth.”

Eventually, something did explode, but it was only the crisis. Aida is now at risk of collapsing.

While she was criticizing the former CEO in her mind, she stole a glance at Li Zhicheng by her side, only to see him staring at the piles of raw materials with a cold look, hands resting in his pants pockets.

Chapter 11

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Around noon, Lin Qian and Li Zhicheng sat down at a small restaurant near the newer production base to have lunch.

The owner of the restaurant served them a small steaming hot pot, which smelled spicy and delicious. But no food, no matter how good, could cure the cold and foreboding expression on Li Zhicheng’s face. He sat up straight like a military man, eating quickly and quietly.

Lin Qian concentrated on eating too, trying to look humble and hide most of her presence.

With a clang, the restaurant door opened again. Lin Qian heard the owner ask, “How many?”

Soon, Gu Yanzhi, dressed in a suit, sat down with them, throwing his car keys on the table.

“Hello, Mr. Gu,” said Lin Qian immediately. She then asked the owner to bring another set of plates and chopsticks for him.

Li Zhicheng looked up at him briefly and then continued to have his lunch.

Lin Qian hadn’t had any friendly experiences with Gu Yanzhi in a normal situation before this. She saw that he could be very easy going. He took a pair of disposable wooden chopsticks from the restaurant owner and rubbed them together. He then asked Lin Qian for a cup of hot water and started eating.

After a few bites, he put his chopsticks down and asked Li Zhicheng, “How was your morning?”

Lin Qian also stopped eating and looked at Li Zhicheng.

Having already finished his lunch, he was sipping water, his head slightly bent. “As bad as I thought it would be,” he replied.

Gu Yanzhi nodded. “I’ve arranged a two o’clock meeting for this afternoon. As we talked about yesterday, all the vice presidents and the important department heads will join us for a meeting on our future work priorities.”

“Mmm,” Li Zhicheng replied.

Lin Qian felt her heart skip a beat. Li Zhicheng can finally start working and get to the real point of his position.

As if guessing what she was thinking, Gu Yanzhi suddenly turned to look at her and asked evenly, “I heard that you suggested Mr. Li’s next priority should be finding a turning point and making a comeback’?”

Lin Qian hesitated for a second and was about to answer yes, but suddenly paused.

Did Li Zhicheng tell Gu Yanzhi everything I said the other day?

Lin Qian blushed without speaking.

Her bold statements like “I’d like to be your adjutant” and “this side of me is the true me” had been spoken naturally in front of Li Zhicheng. But to someone else besides her boss, Lin Qian was a little embarrassed. Even worse, it was Gu Yanzhi, a long-time member of the business world.

She looked up and saw a faint but meaningful smile on Gu Yanzhi’s face. She even detected a hint of a smile from Li Zhicheng, who was sitting quietly.

After a moment of silence, Lin Qian spoke up with a smile, as if nothing had occurred in her thoughts. “Yes, that’s what I think. I hope Aida can improve.”

That answer wasn’t enough for Gu Yanzhi. He quickly asked again, “Oh, is it? Since you’ve come up with such an interesting idea, could you tell me what turning point you’re referring to? I don’t want a generalized statement. What I need is a real solution and plan.”

Lin Qian kept quiet for a moment.

In all honesty, when she had expressed her loyalty to Li Zhicheng the other day, she had indeed kept some things to herself. Like Gu Yanzhi said, she had only given Li a vague idea, not an actual solution. At the time, she wasn’t sure if she would get the position of CEO assistant. It would have been too hasty for her to suggest the solution then. Besides, it was a plan full of risks.

A workplace rule that Lin Qian had always believed in was to “brush off petty things tactfully, but to face important things bravely and practically.” If she had to deal with everything tactfully and couldn’t openly express her ideas, how exhausting and boring would things be?

So she replied, “Mr. Li, Mr. Gu, I think the most appropriate turning point for the time being would be the Ming Sheng Group project.”

She stopped to gauge their reaction. Unexpectedly, she found them both watching her in silence, as if they were waiting for her to continue.

So Lin Qian decided to take a risk and started her long speech.

“I think that because we need to turn things around, Aida needs to do something that will really reinvigorate us. I’m not suggesting the Ming Sheng project because it can bring us a large profit. On the contrary, the profit from it might be very low, or close to nothing at all. It would be difficult for us to get the project too. But, I still think that it’s the best way for us to get out of our dilemma right now.

“First, we would have to create a new market through the project. The consumer market is now being held firmly by New Bori and SMQ. Although that was a big share of ours, it will be too difficult and time consuming for us to make any breakthroughs in that particular market.

“On the other hand, Ming Sheng Group is one of the top fifty enterprises in China and is state-owned. An order from them is almost like a getting a government procurement, which can greatly improve Aida’s reputation. Besides, Ming Sheng has close relations with many peer companies in the system of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission. More orders will come to us as long as we complete this order efficiently. We don’t necessarily have to make money directly from the Ming Sheng project.

“It’s also about morale. Our company’s attitude and enthusiasm are as important as our performance. An important order like this one will surely boost the morale throughout the entire group and bring all the employees together under Mr. Li.

“Lastly, the new base inspection we did this morning has really reinforced my idea. The raw materials that can’t be used for the domestic market can be used in the Ming Sheng project. That way, our inventory can be used in one go and the state-owned companies will be impressed by our low prices and high quality. Aida’s production chains will be revived as well.

“So, the employees, our production levels, and our market shares will all come back. Everything will be revamped.”

…

It was early in the morning back in the eastern United States.

Having finished a full work day, Lin Mochen rubbed his face and habitually opened his personal email. He smiled when he read Lin Qian’s email, which only said, “Thank you.”

He was curious about the status of her current career choice, mostly because it was unconventional. He took out his cell phone and dialed her number.

When Lin Qian received the call, she had just gotten back from lunch with her two bosses. Seeing the caller’s number, she went to an empty stairwell to pick up the call.

“Hey Lin Mochen, shouldn’t you be sleeping?”

Lin Mochen smiled lightly and said, “Assistant Lin, how do you feel about your new job?”

Remembering what she had gone through that morning, Lin Qian smiled and replied, “Well, are you going to cheer me up?”

“Mmm,” he said, “I want to see how long you can actually survive.”

“Aw, Lin Mochen, can you stop being so evil?” said Lin Qian, noticing that he seemed to be in a good mood. His investment had probably gone well that day.

Lin Mochen was in such a good mood that he continued to joke around. “Oh, when I finished my work yesterday, I had some free time to do some simple research on Aida,” he said casually.

“Wow, that’s so kind of you.” Lin Qian was excited. She knew well that “simple” research from Lin Mochen would be worth thousands of dollars to an outsider.

He smiled and said, “Based on an analysis of their current situation of markets, debts, and assets, with the compensation being deducted for the loss resulting from the Carcinogen Incident, I’ve calculated that the capital that the entire Aida Group can raise and use in the future can’t be more than ten million dollars. And their overall business is experiencing negative growth, so if there isn’t a new growth point, that ten million dollars will continue to shrink rapidly, and Aida will soon go bankrupt.”

Lin Qian was shocked speechless.

Ten million dollars? Only ten million? That’s what’s left of a company that used to have a billion dollars in assets?

Chapter 12

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

It was nearly two o’clock in the afternoon. Lin Qian had documents for the meeting prepared and carried them into Li Zhicheng’s office. When she opened the door, she saw him standing in front of the window, lost in thought.

Lin Qian put the documents on his desk and was about to leave, when she heard his clear and cool voice. “You join me in the meeting.”

Surprised at first, she soon became inwardly delighted. She remained calm and said, “Alright.”

He was allowing her to participate in such an important and confidential strategic meeting. Lin Qian thought it meant that he trusted her. Well, young and inexperienced as he is, the boss knows how to judge people and use them.

In the well-lit meeting room, eight people sat around a long, auburn-colored meeting table made of oak. These were Li Zhicheng, Gu Yanzhi, the vice CEO in charge of production and technology, the vice CEO in charge of functional divisions, the marketing director, the production director, the finance director, and the purchasing director.

Currently, they constituted the core management team of Aida.

Li Zhicheng sat in the middle. And Lin Qian had, of course, no place at the table but sat behind him on a seat by the wall.

The meeting was hosted by Gu Yanzhi. His attitude was still free and easy despite the critical topic they were going to discuss. He looked around and said steadily, “Okay, let’s begin. I’ll say a few words first.

“The meeting today is for discussing the future development of Aida. I believe you all know our current situation better than Mr. Li and I. Mr. Li just took over our company a short time ago. So the objectives and rules for today’s meeting are: practical and realistic attitudes, full and thorough discussions, a consensus on the direction of future development, and strict implementation of future development. Okay, Finance Director, you go first.”

The meeting room was then silent. Lin Qian was impressed by Gu Yanzhi’s speech. What bureaucratese he’s speaking! But on second thought, he really did use every word purposefully!

She glanced at Li Zhicheng and found him appearing calm and focused. Amongst the group of middle-aged people, he appeared extraordinarily young and handsome.

At that moment, the finance director turned on the projector. After a brief overview, he went straight to the point and dropped a bombshell: “We’ve checked and found that after we have paid off the Carcinogen Incident, with both accounts receivable and accounts payable included in the calculation, the capital that the entire group can mobilize in the short-term is roughly…” He paused for a second and then continued, “Two to five million dollars.”

Silence fell on the meeting room again. People looked at each other, speechless. Lin Qian felt her heart skip a beat. On her lap was a notebook, on the top left of which she had written “10 million.” She then crossed it out and instead inserted “2 million.”

It turned out that the situation was even worse than what her brother had estimated.

Two million dollars! What can a company do with two million dollars nowadays, especially a company of thousands of employees like Aida?

She couldn’t help but glance at Li Zhicheng again, only to see him sitting straight and looking up calmly at the finance director, one hand resting on the table.

The grand scene of when he had been escorted into the office by a fleet of expensive vehicles two days earlier came to Lin Qian’s mind. It was a great contrast to the current situation. Lin Qian started to take pity on him.

After a moment of awkward, depressing silence in the room, it was the marketing director’s turn to speak.

His name was Xue Mingtao. A capable man in his forties, he looked composed and refined. Lin Qian knew something about him: When the former CEO had been pushing to open foreign markets, Xue Mingtao had been treated lightly and given little power. Now that there was a new CEO, he had regained control of marketing. He had been an underdog for so long that he was ready to launch a marketing campaign to turn things around.

As expected, he put forward a complete and systematic marketing plan.

He started with the four categories of products in Aida: high-end leather bags, casual bags, bags with special functions, and luggage. He then broke them down into dozens of small categories. In each small category, he made an analysis of current markets, pointed out Aida’s advantages and disadvantages compared to the competitors, suggested ways of improvement, and proposed marketing strategies and plans.

For example, the quality of Aida’s men’s mountaineering bags wasn’t so good, so he suggested changing product materials and strengthening quality control. In regards to trolley cases, in which the end-user marketing wasn’t adequate, he proposed a larger investment in advertising and more sales teams.

It was a profound, detailed plan. Someone without years of marketing experience or a deep understanding of the sales of the company wouldn’t be able to make such a plan. It was like a map, not only with an overall objective, but also with detailed outlines for improvement on every single item. It was reassuring for the others to hear such a plan.

Marketing and sales were the core of Aida’s business and also the focal point of the meeting. So, upon hearing his speech, the other managers whispered to each other with excitement. The atmosphere in the meeting room became lively.

A light smile on his face, Gu Yanzhi nodded repeatedly at Xue Mingtao. Li Zhicheng took the printed presentation material and looked through it one page after another while listening to Xue Mingtao. Lin Qian even saw him take some notes on it.

Lin Qian found the speech instructive as well; she felt as though she were taking a lesson. She just hoped that Xue Mingtao would mention the Ming Sheng project so that her idea could be reinforced.

But he didn’t. Xue Mingtao’s concluding remarks at the end of his speech were: “We will rebuild the Aida marketing empire in the next five years!”

Everyone else nodded. But Lin Qian was a little disappointed.

The room became quiet again. Everyone looked thoughtful, and some stole glances at Li Zhicheng, trying to deduce how the new boss would react to the development plan, which seemed to be the most reliable one up until now.

Li Zhicheng put the documents down on the table and looked up.

So, all eyes fell on him.

“Good plan,” he said slowly. “I’ll study it.”

Xue Mingtao’s face gleamed in delight. Lin Qian gave Li Zhicheng a thumbs up in her mind: Boss, how cool you are to stay so calm and collected!

But Li Zhicheng went on to say, “Someone suggested to me that we get the Ming Sheng Group project and that it could save Aida. What do all of you think?”

He said it with a calm stare, sitting upright.

Sitting behind him, Lin Qian felt her heart beating faster.

Someone? Does he mean me?

After a moment of silence, Xue Mingtao took a report out of his folder on the table and handed it to Li Zhicheng. “Mr. Li, concerning the Ming Sheng project, we have also done a SWOT analysis. The project is, of course, very good. If we can get it, we can quickly change Aida’s position in the industry and open a new market as well.

“But, frankly speaking, we face two strong competitors: New Bori and SMQ. We haven’t had any involvement yet, while they have been following up with Ming Sheng for months, establishing a network of contacts. We’ve never had any state-owned enterprise as a client before. If we join the competition, our chances of success will be slim. Besides, they have been keeping a vigilant eye on our movements. So even if we win the project, I think it would be a Pyrrhic victory, with little or no profit. I don’t think it’s worthwhile.”

Li Zhicheng remained silent.

Although Lin Qian was present at the meeting as an observer and minute taker, she still felt great pressure hearing Xue Mingtao’s words. It was true that she had been too optimistic about the project, only considering the benefits that the project could bring and its ability to save Aida. The realistic difficulties brought up by Xue Mingtao, to which she hadn’t given any serious consideration, were actually vulnerable points in marketing: a late start, no network, and no money. On what grounds could Aida compete against the others?

At that moment, the vice CEO in charge of production and technology, who had been quiet, suddenly spoke up.

His name was Liu Tong. About 50 years old, he was a long-term employee and had been the number one aid to Aida’s Chairman Xu Yong in the inception of Aida. Sitting in front of Li Zhicheng, he didn’t appear cautious or tentative like the others. Instead, he looked open, candid, and even a little paternalistic.

“Zhicheng,” he said, “I don’t agree with getting involved in the Ming Sheng project and opening a new market. Was Aida not ruined by this type of idea? Are we going to repeat the same mistake? As a company dealing in luggage and bags, our biggest market should be with millions of domestic end-users. Since the market has been taken by others, we need to get it back. The government or enterprise procurement is utterly inadequate to solve our problem, as it usually requires high standards and low prices in their orders. I don’t agree with accepting that kind of order. I side with Mingtao. We should make a solid effort to re-establish the end-user market!”

A straightforward man, he spoke with dignity and determination. Most people nodded as his words resonated with them.

But Lin Qian frowned.

And Li Zhicheng still remained silent even though it was obvious that he had been targeted by Liu Tong. He had a strong, authoritative presence even when he was quiet, and no one knew what he was thinking. The meeting seemed to be in deadlock.

Gu Yanzhi looked around and exchanged a glance with the vice CEO in charge of the functional divisions. The latter then broke the silence, trying to smooth things over. “Well, I think Mr. Li has heard our opinions. Maybe we should allow some time for Mr. Li to think them over, and we can discuss our priorities and future development next time?”

Others nodded. Lin Qian thought, That might be the best way.

Everyone looked at Li Zhicheng again. Trying to make it clear that it was nothing personal, Liu Tong added, “Zhicheng, I’m straightforward. I hope you don’t mind it and take my words into consideration.”

Unexpectedly, Li Zhicheng nodded at Liu Tong; he looked around and said in his low, calm voice, “I don’t need any time for further consideration.”

Everyone, including Lin Qian, was surprised.

He continued to say, “I made my decision at noon: Get the Ming Sheng project at all costs.”

…

Later that afternoon, Lin Qian sat in her cubicle, sorting through the minutes of the meeting that had just ended, feeling a bit unsettled.

That was probably because of what Li Zhicheng had said: “I made my decision at noon.”

For Lin Qian, the key phrase was “at noon.” At that time, they had been eating a hot-pot when she had suggested he get the Ming Sheng project.

Does it mean that my words had a great influence on him?

Excited as she was, Lin Qian was under unprecedented pressure.

He had spoken so firmly in the meeting that the atmosphere in the room had become awkward. Liu Tong’s gaze had changed instantly; Xue Mingtao had remained silent; the administration vice CEO had looked surprised. But before anyone could speak up, he had added, “Our company is in turmoil and we must work together. As the representative of the absolute shareholder, I have veto power. So, from now on, there may be numerous voices before I make a decision, but there can be only one after I make a decision. The meeting is over.”

At this moment, his office door was closed. Gu Yanzhi and Liu Tong were inside with him. Lin Qian had no idea what the three bosses were talking about. At first she could hear Liu Tong speaking fiercely, but then nothing could be heard at all.

After a while, the door finally opened. Lin Qian stood up at once and saw Liu Tong walking out with a sullen look, followed by Gu Yanzhi, who looked calm. It was hard for Lin Qian to tell how they felt. They didn’t pay attention to her but went directly back to their own offices.

Lin Qian waited for a while before entering Li Zhicheng’s office to show him the minutes of the meeting she had just sorted out.

She thought, There is no doubt that his behavior at the meeting today will cause quite a stir in the company. What will the managers and employees think of him? Authoritarian, paternalistic, and impersonal? Or will they think of him as determined, independent, and confident?

For Lin Qian, she hadn’t quite expected that he, who usually appeared cool and quiet, could be so assertive and decisive.

When she entered the office, the sun was setting, giving a touch of gold to the room.

Li Zhicheng was sitting on the sofa in the middle of the room. A little different from his cool, upright posture as usual, he rested his hands on his lap and seemed to be lost in thought. On the coffee table in front of him were two steaming-hot teacups that had been left by Liu Tong and Gu Yanzhi.

She walked briskly towards him and said, “Boss, these are the minutes of the meeting.”

He looked up at her, his gaze calm and steady, took the minutes, and started reading.

It was quiet in the room. Only the sound of his page-turning and the gurgling of the water in the goldfish tank could be heard. Unsettled as she was, Lin Qian spoke up.

“I think the opinions of Mr. Xue and Mr. Liu today were profound and well-grounded.”

Li Zhicheng looked up at her again. He was so close to her that she could see his sharp facial features more clearly. He said with a cool look in his eyes, “Are you wavering?”

Lin Qian realized that while the boss talked to people in a succinct and concise way, he always directly got to the point—so directly that you had to wait a moment before you could react.

She had wanted to speak tactfully, but now that he had asked so, she shook her head. “No,” she answered, “I’m not wavering. What I meant to say is that their analyses are complete and well-grounded, but they focus too much on the inside, such as how to solve our inner problems and how to improve ourselves. Nowadays, the outside competitions are so severe that unlike years ago, we might not win the market even if our products and staff members are high-quality. That’s because the competitors can do just as well as we can.

“I have been insisting on the Ming Sheng project not because I believe we can definitely succeed in the project, but rather because I don’t think the traditional way can work any longer. I’ll make an analogy, which might not be appropriate: If New Bori and SMQ are like elephants, Aida is like a lamb. Can a lamb defeat an elephant by improving itself? I don’t think so. The only chance for it to win is to carry out a surprise attack.”

She spoke freely and openly. When finishing, she looked up at Li Zhicheng. His eyes were bright and fixed on her, but he still looked calm and cool.

Then he replied to her long speech with only three words: “I trust you.”

Chapter 13

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The cold moonlight gleamed through the window; there were few stars in the night sky.

Lin Qian was in her pajamas. She sat on the bed with her legs crossed, chin held in one hand, staring blankly ahead of herself.

“I trust you.” Li Zhicheng’s voice, low and clear, was still lingering in her ears and swirling around her head.

There was no denying that Lin Qian was starting to feel a little off.

The feeling had actually started when he’d said, “Someone suggested to me that we get the Ming Sheng Group project.”

Her uneasiness had amplified when he’d said, “I made my decision at noon.”

When he had lightly said “I trust you,” the somehow-overwhelming feeling had finally made her realize that the uneasiness and excitement inside her was flattery.

Her entire career she had been valued no matter where she was. Her university professor used to depend heavily upon her, and she had been the backbone of several student organizations. While at SMQ, she had been such an excellent employee for three years in a row that the boss, Chen Zheng, had valued her a little bit too much…

It seemed a completely different story being valued by Li Zhicheng.

Li Zhicheng didn’t have any experience from the business industry; he was a soldier, a man of action.

Lin Qian hadn’t once heard him acknowledge his employees except for this instance of him telling her “I trust you.” It made her feel more valued than hearing it from someone else would have.

Lin Qian felt like she had become a crafty, misleading worker. But wasn’t this the truth? The young boss, dazed and confused, relied heavily on her, and had a misleading representation of her in his mind. She had forced her flawed idea onto the company by sweet-talking him, in a way. This was the result of him traveling around the company incognito and knowing her beforehand; the result of him appreciating her character as well as her talent. Another thought popped into her head, ludicrous and ambitious, but she ignored it.

Whatever it was called, all these opportunities had placed her in the perfect position to become important to Aida.

The thought made her pick up her phone and dial Lin Mochen’s number.

Hearing her request, Lin Mochen smiled slightly. “Why? You came across so much trouble during the three years you worked at SMQ and you never once asked me for help. You’ve been the assistant of Aida’s president for just three days and you’re already asking me to help your boss?”

Lin Qian laughed, “I’ve got everything under control. Don’t you trust my judgment?”

…

The next morning, Lin Qian sat at her desk, holding a working plan for the Ming Sheng Project. It had been finished over a few nights by the marketing department.

Following what Xue Mingtao had said the other day, it was mentioned in the working plan that the biggest challenge at the moment was building a relationship with the clients. And the most important part of that relationship was obviously their senior managers.

Ming Sheng played a decisive role in the country, and their senior leaders were important figures in the national business industry. A private enterprise like Aida didn’t even come close to their standard.

Considering they had just started, the best case scenario would be connecting with the same level as the office manager and procurement director. To reach the senior level, it would definitely take some time and a few key opportunities. The worst case scenario was that they wouldn’t be able to contact them and meet with their senior managers before Ming Sheng officially started the bidding. That would be a failure for the project.

Xue Mingtao walked out of Li Zhicheng’s office with a few marketing directors. They all looked serious and in a hurry as they rushed out. Lin Qian took the advantage. She went into the office after knocking on the door.

Instead of sitting behind the big desk, Li Zhicheng sat in the middle of the couch. He was deep in thought, with his arms resting on the knees, and fingers crossed, holding the chin.

Considering it was quite rare to see him so focused, Lin Qian slowed down. She first put away the paper cups, then added some hot water into his large canteen before bringing it to him.

He then finally looked up and stared at her, quietly waiting for her to say something. Li Qian smiled, “President Li, regarding the Ming Sheng Project, maybe I can—” Before she could finish, the door was pushed open. Gu Yanzhi walked in. Seeing them in the office together, his facial expression remained the same. He walked straight to the couch next to Li Zhicheng, “Let’s have another discussion about it.”

Li Zhicheng remained silent; he turned to Lin Qian, “You can continue.” Gu Yanzhi also raised his eyebrows, staring at her.

Lin Qian paused a little before cutting to the chase. “My older brother is working for an investment company in America. His previous employer, DP Investment Group, was the foreign shareholder that held part of Ming Sheng’s tradable shares. He is on good terms with them. I’m thinking, if it’s convenient, we could have him help us connect. Maybe that way we could arrange President Li to meet up with the senior managers from Ming Sheng.”

Lin Qian noticed Gu Yanzhi’s eyes clearly brighten even before she finished talking. She knew that she’d done exactly the right thing, and was secretly feeling delighted.

They both turned to Li Zhicheng.

Leaning against the couch, he had already straightened his posture, looking peaceful. Without any obvious signs of relief on his face, he seemed to be considering her suggestion.

However, after the brief silence, in a low voice, “I don’t need your connections.” There was almost a hint of stubbornness in his calmness.

Lin Qian was speechless.

It also took Gu Yanzhi by surprise. After sharing brief eye contact with Lin Qian, he smiled slyly. “Lin Qian, your dear President Li is too used to the military,” he bantered. “He hasn’t left it behind yet. His least favorite thing would be taking advantage of… um, nepotism, to reach his goal. ”

Lin Qian was still speechless.

Nepotism?

Gu Yanzhi sounded half-joking, leaving Lin Qian confused for a second. But, Boss wouldn’t be this stubborn, would he?

She turned to Li Zhicheng. He was staring right at her.

Lin Qian said, “I’m offering this because it’s quick and convenient. Plus…” Li Zhicheng’s jet-black eyes were like bottomless pits. Staring at him, Lin Qian suddenly thought of what he had said to her the other day. “I trust you.” The memory made everything around her heart feel warm.

“Plus what?” Li Zhicheng suddenly asked, breaking from his normal silence.

Lin Qian glared at him, responding in a low voice, “Plus, throughout the ages, nepotism has always been useful and practical.”

Stunned, Gu Yanzhi, standing next to them, immediately burst into laughter.

Even Li Zhicheng’s eyes widened, which was followed by the rare upturn of the corners of his lips. His stern face appeared much softer.

Lin Qian felt a hint of warmth on her face.

Gu Yanzhi then stood up. “Alright, since Lin Qian had to use such wise words, as leaders, we have to be grateful. I’ll be in charge this time. Zhicheng, you can stay out of it. The decision has already been made. Lin Qian, you can start on that now.”

Li Zhicheng remained silent. Without looking at him, Lin Qian quickly responded, “Sure.” She turned around and left.

…

Considering his one and only younger sister had reached out to him, Lin Mochen didn’t wait for her to get permission from her managers first. As soon as Lin Qian walked out of Li Zhicheng’s office, her brother was already calling. “The appointment has been booked. Four o’clock tomorrow afternoon.”

Amazed, Lin Qian immediately started to praise him, “You’re truly amazing.” But secretly she thought to herself, You’re still that freaking bossy! What if Li Zhicheng turns it down?

Lin Mochen was pretty clear on this. Regarding her kind offer, the president of Aida would have to accept it whether he liked it or not.

According to Lin Mochen, the president of Ming Sheng, Kang Mingcong, would be back from his business trip from Beijing tomorrow at noon. Lin Qian thought about this; she believed that the timing of her brother’s plan was perfect. Since Ming Sheng closed at 5:30 pm, there couldn’t be many arrangements scheduled in between his landing and closing time, allowing them to communicate for 60 to 90 minutes. It would be a rare opportunity with plenty of time for them.

Taking her time at her desk, Lin Qian then returned to Li Zhicheng’s office to give them the information. Cheerful, Gu Yanzhi immediately called in the staff from the marketing department. Li Zhicheng remained quiet, glancing at her.

He isn’t upset, is he? Lin Qian worried. He should be… content, right? After all, the situation is looking better after using a connection.

In the evening, Xue Mingtao left the office with his trusted staff just like earlier. Only this time, everyone was clearly in a good mood. Lin Qian looked up with a polite smile. Surprisingly, Xue Mingtao walked towards her, reaching out his hand.

“Assistant Lin, I heard the story from President Li. Thank you so much. You solved a huge problem for our marketing department.”

Lin Qian quickly stood up, grinning.

Huh? Boss gave me a compliment?

She waited until after they left, then walked across the room. Lin Qian was peeking through the latched door into the office. Still not planning on leaving? Are you even pleased?

In the middle of her thoughts, a cold and clear voice came through the office. “Come in.” It almost felt like he had been watching her as well.

She pushed the door open to see Li Zhicheng’s eyes were fixed on her as he stood by the desk.

“Can I help you with anything?” she asked, smiling.

There was silence as though he were deep in thought. He then turned, walking towards her.

The late afternoon sun fell slanted and gloomy through the window. But the rays of bright sunshine looked like ripples shimmering above his head, leaving his facial features gentle and glowing.

He stopped a step away from her; he just stood there, glaring at her.

The jet-black eyes of his were deep without any expression. Lin Qian began to worry a little. Why’s he standing so close to me? I thought he never approached strangers.

She composed herself under his penetrating gaze.

In a low, calm voice, he asked, “Why are you helping me like this?”

Slightly stunned, Lin Qian responded honestly, “Because you deserve it.”

He stared down at her, eyes appearing to become more peaceful.

“Thank you, Lin Qian.”

Blinking, Lin Qian knew he was honestly expressing his gratefulness.

She looked down at the small distance between them, then looked up at his stern, handsome face.

Boss, considering how close you’re standing, are you trying to show me your sincerity and formality? You are just… too humble.

Lin Qian paused, returning his clear gaze.

It was a skill to appropriately accept compliments from the boss. You could neither act too proud nor too humble. So she gave him a little smile, adjusted her posture, and casually waved her hand. “My pleasure, sir.” She then saluted him like a proper soldier.

As expected, this was received well by him.

Li Zhicheng’s dark eyes appeared to be smiling. So did Lin Qian’s.

People always said that employees should be able to manage their superiors, so she was doing a great job, wasn’t she?

Such an emotionless person, but he had smiled at her twice.

Just as she was becoming excited, he said, “I’ll return the favor. From now on.”

…

The afternoon of the next day quickly came.

A Cadillac slowly cruised through the city. Lin Qian was sitting in the passenger’s seat, and Xue Mingtao was behind the wheel. In the back sat Gu Yanzhi and Li Zhicheng.

The car was heading towards the west CBD district. The skyscraper for Ming Sheng’s headquarters could be seen amongst other skyscrapers from afar, appearing dark and mysterious.

Greeting them was Ming Sheng’s associate director, a lean man in his forties. He appeared to be moderate and well-mannered. After a short conversation, they were led to a small meeting room located on the top floor in the general manager’s office area.

“It won’t be long,” he said. “There is a visitor with President Kang. I’ll take you in once the meeting is over.”

The associate director then headed out after seeing that Aida was okay with waiting.

It was 3:45 pm. They were a little early, and spent the time quietly looking around at each other and the room. Gu Yanzhi broke the silence.

“Later, it would be great if President Li could do a little more talking,” he joked with Li Zhicheng. “I’ve heard that President Kang graduated as an engineer, and is also very quiet. Just make sure it’s not completely silent in there.”

Both Lin Qian and Xue Mingtao burst into laughter. Li Zhicheng raised his eyebrows, deadpanning, “Very well. We are like-minded and know silence is golden.”

Li Zhicheng’s lack of facial expression astounded Li Qian and Xue Mingtao. They didn’t figure it out until seeing Gu Yanzhi cackle. Unless… Boss is being funny? It brought everyone to laughter once they realized.

Even though it was a joke, what Gu Yanzhi had just mentioned was really consuming Lin Qian. Should Li Zhicheng meet up with someone of his equivalent level? It was unlikely to expect the Boss to be socially active. She truly had no idea how this would turn out. The clock was ticking.

At four o’clock sharp, the same assistant manager walked in. Everyone including Lin Qian stood up. With a smile on Xue Mingtao’s face, he asked, “Can we?”

Surprisingly, his smile seemed apologetic. “President Li, and Manager Gu, I’m sorry but President Kang’s last visitor is still there. They are in the thick of it. I’m afraid I can’t interrupt.”

Immediately Gu Yanzhi answered, “No worries. We’ll just be sitting here for a little longer. Thank you.”

Smiling, the assistant manager nodded and left.

But 4:40 pm eventually came. Impatient, Gu Yanzhi sent Xue Mingtao to double check, only to discover that was a wild goose chase. In contrast, Li Zhicheng appeared calm and patient. The waiting also slowly took a toll on Lin Qian.

Min Sheng would close at 5:30 pm and, according to the assistant manager, President Kang was also scheduled for dinner in the evening, right after work.

There were less than 40 minutes left for them.

This was a terrible start already. Knowing the importance of meeting their senior managers, if they failed to leave a great impression on them, it would be unlikely for them to schedule another meeting after this. Let alone expect President Kang to favor them for this project.

Why were they having such bad luck? It was already incredibly hard to schedule an appointment. Who could possibly cut the queue and talk with the president for so long?

It was almost 5 pm. “I’m going to the bathroom,” said Lin Qian. Just when she pushed the door open, she saw a group of people leaving the other side of the office lounge, all decently dressed. President Kang’s office was in that direction. The group was led by someone who was tall, handsome, and smiling… who else could it be besides Chen Zheng?

Followed by a group of employees, he shook hands with the assistant manager. “Thank you so much, Mr. Liao. You can stop right here. The meeting with President Kang was such a pleasure, hopefully it didn’t take too long. We’ll meet up for tea sometime.”

“You’re welcome. I’ll walk you out,” said the assistant manager with a broad smile on his face.

Suddenly Chen Zheng seemed to notice something. He looked up towards the door. With Lin Qian standing outside, it was too late to hide. She could merely stand there and stare at him from a distance.

It didn’t catch Chen Zheng by surprise that Lin Qian was there. The corner of his lips slightly raised, he left surrounded by his staff.

…

At the moment, the president of Ming Sheng, Kang Mingcong, was sitting on the big comfy couch in his office, rubbing the space between his brows.

As an entrepreneur in his fifties, he looked stern and severe. Usually he was reserved, but for the people who had known him for a while, coming from an engineering background, he had a lot of plans and excellent ideas for the management and development of the business.

The procurement project this time was to acquire the same briefcase for tens of thousands of staff members working at the branches of the company from over 30 provinces. He believed that when it came to their image as a whole and the way they treated their staff, despite the size of the project, quality was always what was most important.

Dealing with New Bori and SMQ made him realize that regarding the former, despite their great quality and top rank in the industry, their prices were rather high. Considering New Bori supplied multiple state-owned businesses, the listed price could only be higher. Therefore, it had already been eliminated by him.

Even though SMQ wasn’t as competitive as New Bori, they were willing to provide them high-quality products at the lowest prices on the market. When he had first met Chen Zheng, he hadn’t been the biggest fan of the superficial young man. But they got along, and as they spoke, Kang Mingcong had slowly gotten used to him. In addition, SMQ and Chen Zheng had both received positive reviews from his managers from other departments; so, Kang Mingcong didn’t have much problem leaving the project with him.

He had scheduled a meeting with Chen Zheng after being told it was a serious matter they needed to discuss. The first thing Chen Zheng had done was give an introduction on the new core product from SMQ. He had also gifted an antique GO manual to Kang Mingcong.

Kang Mingcong was hooked after flipping through just a few pages. There was no denying that this gift was right up his alley.

As to Aida, introduced by the foreign shareholders? He had heard that they were on the edge of bankruptcy—god knew how they had connections with the foreign shareholders. He might as well meet up with them so he could put an end to it.

…

It was a few minutes past five when Gu Yanzhi and Li Zhicheng entered President Kang’s office.

Lin Qian sat the small meeting room. Divided by a wall, she stared at the shut door of President Kang’s office, praying that they come out as late as they could.

She worried that they would be told to leave only ten minutes or so into the meeting. She was also simultaneously blaming Chen Zheng for their late start. It was such a simple, clever thing that he had done, making the meeting with President Kang so long right after his flight. He must’ve been exhausted. Plus, he had dinner scheduled at 5:30 pm, so their meeting couldn’t last any longer than 25 minutes.

Soon it was 5:30 pm. Lin Qian’s eyes were fixed on the door.

The assistant manager also noticed the time. He walked up, knocked on the door, and poked his head in the office. She couldn’t be sure what he was saying, but soon enough he retreated, gently pushing the door shut.

Umm?

Lin Qian made eye contact with Xue Mingtao; both were quiet.

At 5:45 pm, they were still inside.

At 6:00 pm, they were still inside.

The assistant manager knocked on the door, stuck his head in just like last time, and once again left quietly. Lin Qian supposed that his dinner was canceled when she saw him calling someone in another office.

Lin Qian and Xue Mingtao both couldn’t help getting excited. It looked like the meeting was going well? It must have been. Even though Li Zhicheng wasn’t the best at conversation, with of Gu Yanzhi’s sophistication and knowledge in the business industry, maybe they were winning Kang Mingcong over.

The clock read 6:30, and they were still inside.

When it was 7:00 pm, the doorknob clicked, and the door was pushed open. Gu Yanzhi walked out of the office first, smiling. He was followed by Li Zhicheng, who had a slight grin wrinkling his soft brows; he appeared to look up in her direction. Lastly, Kang Mingcong walked out of his office, looking cheerful.

Chapter 14

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Had you ever won a jackpot before?

That was what the inexplicable excitement that Lin Qian was experiencing right now felt like.

Kang Mingcong still ended up attending the dinner appointment. He did not invite Li Zhicheng and the rest for dinner. But, their conversation had been very long—over two hours—so that was good enough.

The car moved steadily as night descended; the passengers’ faces were lit by the glittering lights from the street. The smile on Gu Yanzhi’s face was as mellow as wine. He leaned against his seat in a good mood, and after taking a sip of mineral water, he finally revealed to Lin Qian and Xue Mingtao the truth behind this “mission impossible.”

“They played two rounds of GO. Despite being the CEO of a company on the Fortune 500 list, Kang Mingcong was no match for Li Zhicheng! Not satisfied with his loss, Mr. Kang invited Li Zhicheng to meet again this weekend.”

“Wow!” both Lin Qian and Xue Mingtao exclaimed in amazement. They glanced at Li Zhicheng, who was sitting in the back. He was sitting straight, his legs crossed, gazing at the night view outside the window. He looked composed, as usual, showing no sign of joy or contentment. The only difference was his slightly rosy cheeks, perhaps due to their long stay in a warm room just now.

Xue Mingtao, a veteran in business like Gu Yanzhi, immediately took the chance to express his deepest admiration for Li Zhicheng. Lin Qian was in no rush to butter Li Zhicheng up though; as his assistant, she would have plenty of chances to do so in the future. Therefore, she just smiled and nodded in agreement.

But… thinking back to the information provided by her brother, she did not recall any mention of her boss being good at GO. Of course, her brother’s information was not necessarily complete.

So, was today’s incident purely because of luck?

As she was thinking, she unconsciously peeked at Li Zhicheng through the rear-view mirror. Boss, you can continue to remain silent as long as you’re always useful and practical. Ha!

At the same time, Li Zhicheng, who was staring outside of the window, suddenly shifted his gaze; his eyes met hers.

Lin Qian gave him a big smile.

His appearance was impeccable, his eyes were bright.

Just when Lin Qian was about to look away, his lips lifted a little; he gave her a soft smile.

Lin Qian’s heart skipped a beat. She blushed.

Gosh… This handsome boss, who is slow to speak, after accomplishing something big, chose only to beam at me. This is quite flattering.

Lin Qian smiled back at him, then she looked away.

Gu Yanzhi spoke again: “I reckon we will receive Ming Sheng Group’s invitation to bid next week. However… SMQ seems to have a very deep connection with Ming Sheng Group,” he said flatly.

Lin Qian and Xue Mingtao stared ahead in silence.

Indeed, right after they had set up the meeting time, Chen Zheng had swooped in with an earlier appointment. Someone from Ming Sheng Group must have tipped him off; said person was capable of arranging SMQ’s appointment before Aida’s. The connection must run deeper than they had expected.

The four of them had dinner in a hurry, then rushed back to Aida.

While getting out of the car, Gu Yanzhi shook Li Zhicheng’s hand, saying, “Leader, now you will focus on playing GO with the higher-ups. Leave the rest to us.”

Li Zhicheng smiled. “Mmm.”

After that, Gu Yanzhi went to the marketing department with Xue Mingtao. Lin Qian followed Li Zhicheng to the top floor. She understood what Gu Yanzhi had meant just now: the two presidents had bonded well. During this period of time, they needed to employ all possible means to build connections with the other departments of Ming Sheng Group in order to compete against SMQ.

This was the murky, intense, intriguing battlefield of the salesmen.

The night went on.

Lin Qian returned to her seat, tidied the documents, and checked the time. It was past eight o’clock.

Li Zhicheng shut himself in the office when they had come back. The room was quiet.

She knocked and entered.

As expected, he was sitting behind his desk, which was littered with a pile of Aida’s products, department reports, and market data. Having been working with him for a bit of time now, Lin Qian sincerely felt that he was determined and passionate about this business. She was moved by the shape of his handsome profile and his dark eyebrows under the light. She had initially wanted to ask him when he planned to leave, but she decided not to; instead, she quietly filled his green military thermos with water and left the room.

Lin Qian strived to be “the perfect assistant.” Considering the boss was still at work, she would stay as well. In case he needed anything or had any orders, she would be at his service. However, since she had been tense the whole day, she was not in the mood to continue working; she turned on her computer and went online to game.

Time flew by. It was soon 9:00 pm.

She pushed away the keyboard. Erm… bathroom break.

At this time of night the top floor was vacant. Even the front desk receptionist had left. Most of the lights were off; the only lights left on were the few from the CEO’s office. The vast space seemed deserted; the path to the bathroom was dark and eerily silent.

Lin Qian contemplated for a while, and at last she mustered her courage; the sound of leather boots galloping towards the toilet filled the hall.

It was not until she finally returned to her seat that her pulse returned to normal again. At the same time she checked the CEO’s office.

Huh?

The lights were… off? The door was… shut?

Lin Qian jumped to her feet and gave the door a slight push. It was locked.

Lin Qian was speechless.

Damn it… she had been faithfully accompanying him despite her fear of ghosts and monsters.

The moment she went away for a little while to use the bathroom, the boss left without a word; he even went the extra mile to lock the door.

Did he seriously think that she was devoted to working overtime?

She looked around. The office was cold and quiet. Shuddering, she packed up her stuff right away.

Click! The sound of the door opening sounded exceptionally sharp in the night. Lin Qian felt her pulse racing. She looked up; Li Zhicheng had both his hands in his pants’ pockets, with a cold look on his face, and was coming out of the bathroom.

Lin Qian was dazed.

He glanced at her, expressionless; then strode past her to the elevator.

Walk slower! Wait for me! Lin Qian cried internally. Immediately she shut her computer, packed her things, grabbed her bag, and dashed out.

He was still standing in the lobby; under the light, his silhouette was slender and well-proportioned. Lin Qian caught her breath. Yay! The elevator was not here yet. Lucky thing she had acted quickly. She then strutted towards him gracefully.

“Mr. Li, please have a good rest,” she said politely, still a little out of breath.

He didn’t reply, obviously thinking there was no need to respond to her conventional greeting. Meanwhile, he raised his finger and pressed the “going down” button of the elevator.

Lin Qian was stunned.

So it was not that she had walked fast. He had been standing here for a while but hadn’t yet pressed the button.

…Was he waiting for her?

She felt a tug at her heart.

Throughout their interactions the past few days, it seemed more and more that she was being touched by his gentle gestures.

He is a great leader, just a little rough around the edges. She was lost in thought while gazing at his well-defined profile.

The elevator door opened; both of them stepped in.

“Thank you, boss,” Lin Qian said.

“Mmm,” he murmured.

They remained silent all the way down.

The night was dark and quiet when they stepped out of the building. The air was chilly.

Lin Qian knew that he stayed in the complex. She straightened her collar and was about to say goodbye when she noticed him staring ahead, his eyes lighting up. Following his gaze, she saw at the end of the pavement a few familiar figures walking towards them and waving.

“Mr. Li!”

“It’s off hours now. Call him ‘Commander!'”

“Assistant Lin is here too!”

It was Gao Lang and the group of security guards.

Lin Qian grinned.

They surrounded Li Zhicheng and her. After exchanging a few words, Gao Lang said, “Lin Qian, we’re going to have dinner with the commander. Want to join us?”

Li Zhicheng stood quietly, his expression hard to read. Of course Lin Qian declined politely. “It’s okay. You guys go ahead.” Gao Lang was also just being polite; to be honest, it would be awkward if a girl tagged along with a bunch of dudes who were going out for drinks and a bite to eat. Just when he was about to reply, “Okay,” the CEO-commander spoke.

“If you are free, you should join us.”

Though confused for a moment, Lin Qian soon beamed. “Sure! I suppose obedience to my boss is better than politeness. Sorry to intrude.”

They made their way out of Aida. Lin Qian naturally walked beside Li Zhicheng, keeping one step behind him.

Lin Qian took his invitation as a sign of trust. He had acknowledged her as his right-hand “man.” Therefore, he had brought her into his social circle. Hehehe…

The location for supper was a small vendor in an alley.

Sitting down, Gao Lang and another security guard placed their orders without hesitation. “Boss, a dozen beers, two hundred sticks of mutton skewers, a hundred gristle skewers…”

Lin Qian was tongue-tied listening to their complicated order; a soothing voice cut through the noise and reached her. “If you have any order, just let them know.”

Lin Qian turned and saw Li Zhicheng sitting right beside her. He looked slender and cool in a black coat that matched his black pants and black leather shoes. His facial features seemed sharper under the dim streetlight.

“I am fine with anything. I am not picky,” Lin Qian responded with a smile.

His eyes seemed to flicker with amusement, but he did not say anything. Lin Qian thought she must have been mistaken. Boss was not easily amused; plus, she had not said anything funny.

The table was lively. The guys were very comfortable, even in Li Zhicheng presence. They reminisced about the good old times in the army, and laughed loudly listening to each other’s recent embarrassing work stories. Lin Qian laughed along and joined in the conversation once in a while. The mood was joyful.

The beer was served. The glasses filled the table. Someone put one in front of Lin Qian.

“Do you drink?” his deep voice rang.

Lin Qian was still smiling. She hesitated.

If this were a normal friends gathering, she would decline because she didn’t like drinking. But right now, her boss was offering, so she needed to reconsider…

He noticed her split-second hesitation. His large hand and well-defined knuckles, reached out, took the glass of beer, and put it at his spot. Then he said to Gao Lang, “Give her a cup of water.”

Lin Qian was touched.

In private, her boss was more approachable than during office hours. Oh… and somewhat more dominant.

Is this how he was in the army? Reserved, easygoing, and a bit dominant. So unlike how he is during work where he stares at people with his dark eyes, speaking little, his few words cold and harsh.

He has it rough there. Lin Qian inwardly sighed; she removed his beer glass and replaced it with a full one. He cast her a side glance.

“I’ve heard people say that the secret to pouring beer is to let it flow down the side of the glass,” Lin Qian said with a smile. “I see that it’s true.”

Upon hearing her statement, everyone was confused for a moment. Looking at her action, they realized what she meant. That’s right! The translucent beer was slowly flowing into the glass from the side without a trace of froth.

All of them, including Li Zhicheng, laughed. After she filled his glass, Lin Qian raised her cup of water and said, “Mr. Li, cheers to you.”

The rest of the men were stirring with excitement. “Drink! Drink!”

“That’s not right. For every cup Lin Qian finishes, Commander should finish three!”

Lin Qian interrupted, “Just sip as you please. It’s the thought that counts.” She took a sip of the water. Then she saw Li Zhicheng glance her way, raise his glass calmly… and finish the beer in one shot.

They were drinking from one-liter mugs, and the winter air was freezing. Lin Qian was startled by him chugging down a whole mug of beer. She had no intention of getting her boss drunk! But the men were exhilarated.

“Commander, you seriously chugged down a whole mug!?”

“Miss Lin, you should be honored. Commander usually doesn’t even like to drink!”

Lin Qian laughed dryly. She wanted to say “thank you boss,” but she heard him say lightly, “Of course I am going to empty my glass for her toast.”

The surrounding area was noisy and his voice was close to a mumble, so not many people heard him.

But Lin Qian felt her chest tighten.

She glanced his way and saw him raise his glass to drink with Gao Lang; his expression was calm and indifferent.

Lin Qian felt relieved. She secretly laughed at herself. Her boss’s way of speaking had always been straightforward and sincere; she couldn’t believe her cheeks had reddened and her pulse was racing because of this…

Gosh! What are you thinking?

She immediately suppressed this abnormal feeling. Who was she? She was Lin Qian. She wouldn’t let something as unprofessional as a workplace romance happen to her.

This was, undoubtedly, a warm winter night. The group of upstanding and sincere young lads chatted, laughed, and even sang for Lin Qian. The chubby shopkeeper served them lots of piping hot and spicy skewers. Once in a while he would join in the conversation to tease the soldiers, then he would turn around and bicker with his wife about the slow service.

Lin Qian ate until her belly was loaded; she ate to her heart’s content without bothering to wonder whether eating this much late at night would make her fat. When life was on a high, enjoy it with full delight. Li Zhicheng sat beside her quietly, his expression soft with a smile on his face. Lin Qian could tell that casual downtime like this made him relaxed and happy.

It was around 11 p.m. when dinner ended. This time, without Li Zhicheng’s orders, the soldiers happily walked Lin Qian all the way back to her block. Li Zhicheng followed behind, his hands in his pockets. When she was about to go upstairs, he spoke to her across the crowd, “Tomorrow I’ll come in at eight.”

This meant she didn’t need to wake at dawn. Lin Qian responded joyfully, “Okay! Goodnight!” Then she saluted them from afar before happily heading upstairs.

The troop of half-drunk soldiers walked home in a crooked line. Some of them forgot about their status or any other concern. They wrapped their arms around Li Zhicheng’s shoulders, talking in a daze. “Commander… Miss Lin is so pretty…”

Continuing to stride forward, Li Zhicheng murmured, “Yup… not bad.”

…

That same night, Chen Zheng lied on the king size bed in his villa, unable to sleep.

He had received the latest news from his insider at Ming Sheng Group, and he was pissed. Godd*mmit, how conveniently unfortunate it was that he just presented Kang Mingcong with an antique GO manual, stirring up his GO addiction, and suddenly that dumb-soldier-CEO of Aida stepped in as a pro GO player?

Although he had been involved with Ming Sheng for a long time, Chen Zheng had never felt that he’d captured Kang Mingcong’s heart. At most, he could say that they had established a good foundation working with each other. Kang Mingcong was famous for his righteousness: he never accepted any expensive gifts. In Chen Zheng’s mind, he was merely pretentious. But Kang Mingcong made it hard for people to catch his fancy. GO set made of nephrite jade? Nope, too expensive for his liking. Overseas trip to watch an international GO match? Nope, he had no time for it.

Finally, a few days ago, a subordinate who knew the antique market had told Chen Zheng that there was an ancient GO manual on sale. It had been a good opportunity, so he’d bought it right away. The price of this kind of thing was hard to gauge, so he’d reckoned that Kang Mingcong would surely accept it, and that he would achieve his goal of messing up Aida’s plan.

Who would have known…

He had become the fool who parted water so the wise men could catch fish! He had been there to deliver a gift and show his sincerity in working with Kang Mingcong. Aida had been there for a formal business meeting. But Li Zhicheng had played GO with Kang Mingcong for two straight hours; they had such natural, in-depth, casual interaction. In comparison, Chen Zheng was losing. Would Kang Mingcong’s next step be to make Li Zhicheng his soulmate?

Hmph! He gazed at the night sky. It was fine. A little favor from Kang Mingcong did not mean that he would pass the project to Aida. As far as he knew, the procurement system and process-flow of Ming Sheng was thorough and objective. Kang Mingcong’s opinion was only ten percent of the final decision-making process. They would inspect the company’s ability, products, and many other aspects as well.

SMQ had the absolute advantage. It was impossible for him to lose.

…

One week later.

…

As predicted by Gu Yanzhi, they received the invitation to bid from Ming Sheng. Of course, alongside them was a total of six other companies—including New Bori and SMQ—that received it.

During this period of time, the elites in the marketing department employed all their means. Xue Mingtao’s exact words were: “We have connected with all the people in Ming Sheng that we can. We have tried our best. All that’s left to do is wait for the bidding result.”

Gu Yanzhi ordered the marketing department to continue expanding their influence; the preparation for the tender became the final and most important task.

This afternoon Lin Qian was at her seat. In her hand was the tender document they had received from Ming Sheng this morning.

Judging from the information provided, Ming Sheng was going to evaluate the companies who were bidding based on a few aspects: the ability of the company, the price of the product, the quality of the product, and the date of delivery. Based on Lin Qian’s understanding, usually this kind of state-owned enterprise would have an additional “leader evaluation” session, attended by all the high-level committee members. So, there was a total of five aspects.

She mentally made some rough estimations. They made her nervous.

In terms of company ability, it was no doubt that SMQ was currently way ahead of Aida. She could only hope that Aida would gain some merit from the way they had handled The Carcinogenic Scandal.

In terms of product price, based on her understanding of Chen Zheng, he would definitely keep the price incredibly low. Of course, Aida could lower their price as well, but could they make it as low as his? This needed a bit of luck.

In terms of product quality, objectively speaking, Aida’s overall quality of products was better than SMQ’s. While she was working with SMQ, she had noticed the quality of their products often fluctuated. But if Chen Zheng was aiming for this project, he would keep a keen eye on the quality as well. So both companies were equal when it came to quality.

The delivery date was out of question. Considering Aida was going downhill now, SMQ would definitely be faster and better than them.

Leader evaluation. Even though Li Zhicheng and Kang Mingcong had now become Go-mates, Li Zhicheng wouldn’t necessarily have more influence on Kang Mingcong’s opinion than Chen Zheng would. Also, the number of executives who would choose SMQ was no doubt much larger than the number who would choose Aida.

Their chances of winning were slim.

Right after receiving the tender document, Li Zhicheng and Gu Yanzhi had locked themselves in the office for discussion. Lin Qian had no idea how their conversation went. But the circumstances did not leave much room for them to work with; therefore, she was confident that their decision would be the same as hers.

When she reached home that night, she was still thinking about the tender. After pondering a while, at last she still picked up the phone and called Lin Mochen.

When else to ask for his advice if not now?

Lin Mochen had most likely just gotten out of bed. Displeased at being disturbed, he spoke in a slightly sullen tone. Lin Qian tried to cheer him up. “Brother, wait until I have a closer relationship with my boss, then I will let him know that you are actually his teacher—the mastermind behind all of this great advice!”

Lin Mochen sneered, but he still listened to her talk about the current situation. Pausing for a while, he said, “Quantitative evaluation based on five aspects, and the highest scorer wins the bid… Quantitative evaluation. Quantitative evaluation. Lin Qian, no matter how quantitative an evaluation is, the scores are assigned by people. An objective and impartial evaluator will have subconscious biases. This rule holds true regardless of country or era.”

He added, “So, this tender. If I can give any advice, it’s that yours has to be the most persuasive, impressionable tender. It should have attractive, indisputable advantages. For example, in terms of price, did they say the lowest offer would win? You should show them, steer them into thinking: ‘Ah, actually, even though Aida does not offer the lowest price, their price is the most reasonable one. I am utterly impressed by what they have written in the tender.’

“Same for the other aspects. Even though you are weak now, don’t let yourselves be led by the nose by the customer. You should lead your customer. This tender is your last chance to influence their decision. Do it well. Do your best and leave the rest to God.”

Chapter 15

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Early the next morning, the project team was set up once again.

Marketing director Xue Mingtao was not allowed to be the team leader. So, the four members of the group consisted of a high-quality marketing manager, Chen Dong, and three other members were Lin Qian’s acquaintances within the company. They were members of the previous emergency public relations project team during The Carcinogen Scandal; this included the administrative supervisor, Zhou Yaxin, the technician, Ge Songzhi, and the production supervisor, Yong Yong. Due to their previous stellar performances, they were roped into this group.

In the afternoon, Lin Qian had just finished her lunch and returned to her desk when she saw Li Zhicheng walk out of his office with his coat on. His expression was cold and hard. “Go to the project team.”

The walk from the main headquarters to where the project team was located in a separate, isolated building required a bit of time. Since it was a little after lunchtime, the walk did not have many people. The two of them had swiftly walked for a period when Li Zhicheng suddenly asked, “How high do you think are our chances of winning?”

Lin Qian halted in her footsteps. Why would Boss ask me this? What sort of answer does he want to hear?

It’s a sticky situation, isn’t it?

When she looked up, he was standing beneath a withered tree, gazing at her with dark intensity and depth.

After a moment of silence, Lin Qian honestly replied, “Not even… 50 percent.”

Staring at her, he calmly answered, “Yup, that’s also what they think.”

Lin Qian was taken aback for a moment.

“They” naturally referred to Gu Yanzhi, Liu Tong, and other executives. Earlier, Lin Qian had sensed that they would have the same judgment.

But now, Boss looked very dejected telling her that…

Why did that make her feel a little heartache for him?

Just as she wanted to say something to lighten up the mood, Li Zhicheng had already set off on his long legs, briskly walking ahead.

As usual, the project team had positioned themselves in the closed-off section of the office. When Lin Qian and Li Zhicheng entered the building, they were seated in a large office space, their heads buried in work.

Xue Mingtao reported to Li Zhicheng about the plans for the day: they needed to settle the materials needed for sorting out and crafting the bids as well as carefully calculate the bid price and product turnover dates. They aimed to come up with a rough plan by evening.

Li Zhicheng nodded and made his round of the area. He took cursory glances at the materials before leaving with Lin Qian soon after.

The sunlight was perfect when they exited the building, and Lin Qian figured they were about to return to the office. However, Li Zhicheng unexpectedly headed towards the parking lot without hesitating or giving her a second glance. “We’re going to Spring City Street.”

Lin Qian was stunned for a moment, but quickly caught up.

Spring City Street was a commercial street with many commercial buildings located in the heart of the city. The flagship stores of Aida and SMQ were located on this very street.

The Land Rover stopped by the side of the road. Lin Qian gazed at the end of the street and sighed heavily; on the left was where Aida’s “flagship store” was. She then looked at the right side of the road where the SMQ flagship store was and sighed again.

She really wanted to curse, “The nobility are so selfish. They hoard all the good stuff and leave measly leftovers for the poor!”

While both brands had their tall flagship stores very majestically renovated, the customers visiting Aida were few and far in between. Aida’s lighting was noticeably dimmer than SMQ’s and, at a glance, not a single promoter could be seen in the store. Outside, on the window, there was an eye-catching “promotion” sign, and two units on each level… had been rented to other merchants that promoted themselves with, “Factory has gone bankrupt, all down jackets priced at 99 yuan.”

It was simply a tragic sight to behold.

SMQ, on the other hand, had bright blinding lights and their storefront was bustling like a busy city, with a steady stream of customers flowing in and out. Electric signs that read, “New product just released!” with lights shining were pasted on its windows. The young and energetic promoters were kept busy and were constantly on their feet, running around the store, all of them appearing to be in high spirits.

In regards to that, Lin Qian pondered how a loss in a business battle could destroy an exceptional company, even one that had been operating for over ten years at an unimaginably cruel and fast speed.

She secretly stole a glance at Li Zhicheng, who stood by her side.

As usual, he did not allow any emotions to paint his face. He maintained a calm and collected demeanor as though he were an ice mountain. The only observable thing was the slender finger on his hand resting on the steering wheel—it could not stop lightly tapping.

Lin Qian thought through her words before saying, “President Li, based on the quality of products alone, we are not any worse off than SMQ or New Bori. Just based on the results of my personal analysis, I actually believe that our product quality exceeds theirs. Our foundation is still very good. Regarding Ming Sheng’s tender, although they issued an invitation to tender to six companies, only us three companies can mass produce such high-quality leather goods within the country with our production also meeting a such a high standard.

“I personally believe that as long as we do our tenders well, we still have a very good chance of winning. The same goes for our physical storefront. It is not that our products are lousy, but rather because before… we were thoroughly defeated, and other companies ganged up to defeat us, which ultimately caused all our good stuff to be unsellable—even as we dropped the prices. Actually, as long as we get our cash flow moving in the future, increase our investments, and establish our brand visibility, I don’t believe our sales will be all that dismal.”

These words were her honest views. It was just that in this world, regardless of conducting oneself or carrying out something, knowing the way was always much easier than actually doing it.

Li Zhicheng turned to look at her with a little hope shining in his crestfallen eyes.

“Yup. Let’s do this step by step.”

Spoken in his calm and powerful voice, coupled with his naturally comforting tone, the words touch Lin Qian’s heart.

Lin Qian was seldom swayed by a person’s words, but what her boss said at this moment gave her a refreshing insight into the strength and perseverance embedded within him.

As witty as she was, she simply didn’t know what to say in that moment.

No, just leave it be, nothing has to be said. With an intelligent smile, she gazed back into those dark eyes. No words were needed in that moment. They were each other’s superior and subordinate, but they also felt like each other’s confidantes. Yes, this is the exact feeling to incite in soldier-like Boss—hehehe…

Meanwhile, Li Zhicheng stared at her, and his eyes also shined with slowly-surfacing amusement.

Out of the corner of her eye, Lin Qian caught sight of an unusual movement.

She turned her head to look and immediately felt a tremor in her nerves.

Chen Zheng!

Enemies indeed tend to bump into each other!

He was in a smart suit and shoes and lead several men. Just as he was coming out of his black Mercedes-Benz, he lifted his head to look at the SMQ flagship store, before seemingly inadvertently looking over to her side.

“Boss!” Lin Qian called out in a low warning, simultaneously ducking down to avoid the possibility of being sighted by Chen Zheng. Seeing as Li Zhicheng was sitting still and not moving, she instinctively grabbed hold of his hand and pulled him down with her.

However, Li Zhicheng’s reaction was surprisingly fast. Just when her hand made contact with his wrist, he reacted, and her wrist became tightly enclosed in his iron-like grasp.

Lin Qian was shocked and then saw him calmly give her a look. He had managed to bend his body and hide beneath the steering wheel.

Her hand was still gripped within his and he was not letting go. At that moment, their bodies and faces were close, and his magnified handsome face was just 10 centimeters away. She could clearly see each and every black eyebrow hair of his, as well as her own reflection in his dark black irises. Meanwhile, she could also feel his breath grazing her cheek.

He set his gaze on her.

Lin Qian’s face heated up slightly; she attempted to explain, “President Li, I was just thinking that since we are here to spy for information, we shouldn’t be found out by our competitor, right?”

She also felt like Chen Zheng was a ruthless man who would do anything—someone who liked shaming people to their faces. If they bumped into him, she was afraid that he would not hesitate to send his people over to pick a fight.

How could she allow Li Zhicheng to experience such a thing? But at the same time, she couldn’t reveal this fear to him.

“Alright,” he softly replied, with an expression as serene as always. She couldn’t tell if he saw through to her true intentions. But the thing that bothered Lin Qian the most… was that the close proximity between them was slightly inappropriate.

Her hand was still in his. Perhaps her boss was still in his protective state from just now and hadn’t had the time to react properly. This would explain why he had yet to let go. Is it a big deal? Lin Qian also couldn’t just tear her hand away—that would only heighten the awkwardness. Just that with a man’s dry yet gentle hand, coupled with a burning intensity… she could even clearly feel the thin calluses on his fingers against the cold, soft back of her hand.

An unrelated thought surfaced in her mind: When he isn’t in military uniform and wears a Western suit instead, he really looks like some rich, noble son. But actually, with his strong hands, he’s indeed still very manly.

Meanwhile, Li Zhicheng was as stoic as a mountain; he maintained a crouching position without moving and quietly kept his gaze on her. In that narrow, slightly-dark space, Lin Qian even felt as though their breath was lingering in the air together.

Not good, not good, this is really not good.

She immediately turned her head to face the other side, with the back of her head facing him. She masked it as an attempt to hide even lower, at the same time hiding her intentions by asking, “Shall we go?”

Li Zhicheng was above her and could observe the situation outside with a slight raise of his head. Lin Qian heard him remain quiet for a moment before answering, “Not yet.”

Lin Qian maintained her position.

However…

Slowly, she realized that this position was also slightly inappropriate. Li Zhicheng’s breath was on her neck, and was even more palpable with a slight warmth that made her ticklish. She was sure he didn’t mean to do it, but the feeling was as though a feather was stroking her neck, slowly gliding here… and gliding there…

Like most other girls, Lin Qian had a mildly sensitive neck. However, at that point, she could do nothing but endure the feeling and stay as still as possible. She could feel a warmth slowly spreading up her neck and onto her face. Without even having to look in the mirror, she knew for certain that her face was red.

F*ck… Why is this annoying Chen Zheng taking his sweet time? Isn’t he always as fast as lightning? He even walks fast on a normal basis. Why would he linger at the storefront for so long today? He was seriously born to be my enemy!

After a fair bit of time had passed, so long that Lin Qian’s neck was sore, she finally heard Li Zhicheng’s clear voice ring in her ear, “Let’s go.”

Lin Qian straightened up her body in an instant and let out a long sigh. At the same time, Li Zhicheng appeared to have just noticed, and finally let go of, her hand.

Blushing, Lin Qian acted like nothing was out of the ordinary and pulled her hand back. Smiling at him, she said, “Boss, where are we going now?”

Li Zhicheng appeared to not have taken the slight awkwardness from before to heart. With his gaze set forward, he returned his hands to the steering wheel and simply said, “Back to the office.”

Naturally, Lin Qian would also not take such a small occurrence to heart. Upon returning to the office, she was quickly immersed in her busy job. When early evening came, she followed Li Zhicheng once again to pay the project team a visit.

Not only those two, but Gu Yanzhi and the vice-president in charge of production technology, Liu Tong, also came. These three core executives worked together in evaluating the rough report for the tenders prepared by the marketing team.

It was twilight outside the window and the large garden seemed empty and quiet. The only light came from above their heads, so bright that it could jolt one awake.

When Xue Mingtao commented on this report for the tenders, his expression was solemn and focused. “…Price-wise, the lowest we can go for a single bag is 1,500 yuan. We can’t go any lower. On one hand, we are using the most expensive production materials, and even if we buy in bulk, there is a limit to lowering our cost. On the other hand, if we go any lower… even the customer’s down payment will be insufficient to support our production…

“…Concerning the delivery period of our products—since the expectation of the quality of production of this batch of bags is extremely high, even if we calculate by the fastest possible speed where the workers work three shifts without a break, we will still need at least six months to complete all the orders…”

After he finished saying his piece, all the members of the project team looked at the three executives with tiredness in their eyes, but at the same time with excitement and expectancy. Lin Qian knew what they were excited about. Based on conventional calculations in this field, such pricing and delivery periods would already put a company at a huge advantage. But…

The three executives all remained silent.

In the end, Gu Yanzhi was the first to speak. “Good, but it may not necessarily be good enough. As far as I know, Chen Zheng has always been ruthless in the things he does. This time, when we pit ourselves directly against them, I believe he will offer a condition which will potentially have a lot of destructive effects on our company.”

Most of the audience fell silent and Liu Tong knitted his eyebrows. “Then what should we do about it?” He looked towards Xue Mingtao. “Is there no way to adjust it any more?”

Xue Mingtao shook his head in despair. “We have already done everything to the best of our abilities and brought them to the limits.”

At this moment, Li Zhicheng, who had remained quiet this whole time, suddenly looked towards Lin Qian, his gaze clear and bright. “What condition do you think he will offer us?”

Lin Qian’s heart skipped a beat; everyone’s eyes were on her.

Lin Qian was quiet for a moment, before looking him in the eye and replying, “I don’t know for sure. But based on my previous experience, their price will probably be able to go as low as 1300 to 1400 yuan. And their delivery period will likely be reduced to five months.”

The moment she finished talking, the meeting room seemed to become even more silent. The expressions of all the people in the project team were tense and dejected—none of them said a word. Liu Tong picked up his teacup and sipped a mouthful, before frowning and placing it down again. Gu Yanzhi retreated to lean on a leather chair, his expression cold and his fingers knocking against the table repeatedly. Meanwhile, Li Zhicheng, who was seated in the center, kept his posture as straight as a pencil, his gaze forward with a dark intensity, and, as usual, coolly avoided the gaze of any others.

Then, Lin Qian and all the people present in the room listened to the longest address that he had ever given in history.

“When I was in the army, I often had to formulate battle plans. The main point of these battle plans was to, first of all, ascertain what the crux of winning the battle was. As a commander, I did not care about miscellaneous worries, nor did I consider how hard it would be to achieve my goal, as those were not the things I needed to worry about. My task wasn’t to care about the costs or sacrifices put into achieving my goal, but to ensure that my side had a strong grasp on the advantages we had in our favor that would help us win the battle, and finally take the win from there. I think, the commercial battlefield shares the same concept.

“This tender is our last shot at securing our win, and our winning goal is to win over the hearts of our customers. Peppering the tender with flowery words isn’t of utmost importance, nor is completing it with complicated details. The most important thing we need to have is a strong-minded attitude in order to promote the several undeniable and attractive advantages that we boast. When Ming Sheng sees it, we will leave a deep impression in their minds, such that they will never forget. We will completely capture their hearts.

“Thus, I suggest making the following amendments to the tender:

“First, we should continue lowering the price to a level comparable to what was previously mentioned by Lin Qian. Along the way, if we do meet with any financing issues, I will figure something out. At the same time, we will sell these high-quality suitcase-style bags at the normal price standardized across all our stores—do not conduct any special promotions on it again. Xue Mingtao, please indicate on the tender in an eye-catching manner that we have been supplying these style of bags at a price 30 percent of what we used to sell in overseas markets. Do also make a market comparison infographic. According to what I have observed, SMQ has a lower market price than us, with their discounts only at 40-50 percent.

“Second, promise Ming Sheng that we will provide a five-year warranty for this batch of suitcase-style bags as compared to the market standard of only one year. The executive president is in charge of production, and if there should be any problem with the quality of materials, there will be no questions asked and Aida will provide a refund for the goods within three days. Ming Sheng will not have to bear any of the costs or responsibility.

“Third, the delivery period. Relatively speaking, this is the only area where we can really set ourselves apart. The delivery period has to be compressed to within three months. It is currently a matter of life-and-death for Aida. If we cannot make it in time, vice-president Gu and myself will personally contribute in the production line. This particular task is set, with no room for discussion and no room for delays.”

He raised his head and scanned the room, and with a sharp look, he concluded, “For this project, even if I do win, it will be a miserable win. But it can get Aida temporarily back on its feet again in order to face future battles.”

Everyone in the room was stunned.

Lin Qian looked at the clear outline of Li Zhicheng’s side profile and her heart thumped against her chest. It had started beating powerfully as though it were synced with his meditative speech.

Liu Tong slammed the table and said, “Great! I agree with what president Li says! That’s exactly what we’ll do! If we have insufficient production hands, I will join the production line—even my wife and children will join in to contribute! Back when we first started this company, I also worked my way up like this with the chairman!”

Gu Yanzhi also smiled, his gaze electrifying and bright.

Xue Mingtao said, “Great! Listen to what president Li has said! Let’s get down to work!”

Meanwhile, the project team had conflicting feelings reflected in their eyes. Lin Qian had mixed feelings like them, including sadness, discomfort, excitement, and resolution.

He said that this would be a miserable win. But it could get Aida temporarily back on its feet again in order to face future battles.

The night got darker.

Lin Qian returned to her little cubicle in the office building. After sitting for a while, she could not help but raise her head and look towards the president’s office. However, under the bright light, she could only see his figure looming.

Lin Qian felt that she had to reevaluate her perception of her boss’s capabilities. She would never have expected him to be able to give a speech like that. The things he mentioned about “securing the crux of winning the battle,””undeniable and attractive advantages,” and “to win over the hearts of our customers,” were all exactly the same concepts that Lin Mochen had mentioned to her yesterday.

Who was Lin Mochen? In the financial sector, he was a character who had the ability to move mountains and oceans, easily manipulating his way around billions or even tens of billions at a time. He proclaimed to be a top business genius.

But Li Zhicheng was different from Lin Mochen. At a glance, one could tell that Lin Mochen was a “profiteer” who had deep thoughts, while Li Zhicheng was always aloof but decisive. The words he had said earlier still felt as though as they were jumping around her ears, making her unable to calm down even hours later.

Why did she feel the sudden impulse to sacrifice herself for her confidante? No way. She definitely had to express herself and let her feelings out in order to feel comfortable.

“Boss.” She knocked on his office door and entered.

Li Zhicheng was currently standing by the window, gazing out into the star-filled night. He turned his head to look at her, his expression calm and collected.

“Boss, I think that we will succeed for sure.” She looked him straight in the eye and continued, “Because we are under your leadership, because you are a genius—you are a genius leader. I have said my piece, and it’s not an attempt at bootlicking, but rather my true feelings!”

The moment she finished talking, her face inexplicably heated up. Ah, did she get a little too excited? Under his brilliant, quiet gaze, Lin Qian could not help but feel uneasy. Yet, she put on a calm front, smiling naturally before turning to leave.

Li Zhicheng kept his gaze on her briskly-disappearing back, all the way until she walked out the door before he returned to looking at the night sky outside the window. His lips curled up and he slowly broke into a smile.

Chapter 16

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

To SMQ and Chen Zheng, the day seemed to go by like a gentle breeze.

Chen Qi sat in the project team’s office of SMQ and arrogantly said, “Strive for the best and present a tender that will defeat all rivals. You can report to me any time you encounter any issue. Make sure it’s the best deal Ming Sheng can get. Even if some terms are outrageous, don’t hesitate to tell me. I’ll report to the Chairman and make an exception. Only success is allowed!”

Everyone responded with stern enthusiasm:

“Sure!”

“Rest assured, General Manager!”

“SMQ will definitely own this project!”

Chen Zheng nodded his head in satisfaction and exited the office building. It was dawn, and people were filling in the enormous industrial park, creating a lot of hustle and bustle. Chen, full of overconfidence, stood in front of the building.

Aidan’s sudden collapse this year had marked SMQ’s leap from number three to number two in the industry. And this spectacular advance had happened right after Chen Zheng’s succession of his father. He had opened a new chapter for SMQ.

But Chen wanted to do better.

He indeed wanted to use the Ming Sheng project to bring Aida to its knees, and to avenge what had happened after The Carcinogen Scandal. However, this was also the first time SMQ had set foot in such a large-scale project initiated by a state-owned corporation. And New Bori, the leader of the industry with its high profits, wide range of contacts, and huge influence, had always had a monopoly on such types of projects.

Cracking into the market was all Chen could think about—even if it cost him dearly with a low-price strategy.

Maybe in the near future, SMQ could officially become New Bori’s equal.

…

The same invitation to tender had been sent to New Bori Group. After receiving it, the administration department had immediately ordered a special messenger to deliver it to the penthouse, where the CEO office was located.

Ning Huai, the CEO of New Bori, wore a new suit with a rose-carmine tie that day. He sat behind the office desk with a dark luster, his amber cuffs gleaming.

When the secretary brought in the invitation to tender, Ning, who had just made the cover of Fortune magazine, was on the phone. He said tenderly and languidly, with a gentle smile on his face, “Do you like the flowers? Ah… How could I forget what day it is today? I’ll pick you up at seven o’clock this evening. Remember to wear the dress I ordered.”

After him hanging up, the secretary complimented him with a smile. “Mr. Ning, you’re so considerate to your wife! People are so jealous that you’re so close even you’re this busy.”

Ning Huai smiled. “Today is our three-year anniversary and she wants to go to a loud concert. Cancel tomorrow morning’s meeting for me—I won’t be asleep until midnight.”

The secretary nodded his head, his heart filled with admiration for this young CEO.

Ning Huai had been born and raised in an ordinary family. But now he ran New Bori Group after becoming the son-in-law of the chairman of Zhu’s. He was a man with both an amazing career and an amazing love. No one was luckier than he was.

Ning Huai took the documents, skimmed through them quietly, and smiled.

The secretary whispered, “Based on what we know, SMQ and Aida are both sure of winning this project and are likely to use the low-price strategy. Our pricing system is always stable, and our price is relatively high. The marketing department wants a clear instruction on whether we should also lower our price or not—”

“Tell them not trouble themselves,” Ning Huai interjected. “We’ll stand by this time.”

The secretary hesitated. Noticing this, Ning Huai smiled, and said with a gentle voice, “Why’re you still so rigid after being my secretary for so long? For one thing, ‘Burn not your house to frighten the mice away.’ It’ll lead to chaos if we lower our price. Also, the most important thing being in the market is to know your rival. Right now, Chen Zheng is the only one who is a threat to us. Just let him compete with Aida fiercely and lose his shirt.”

“But… It’s probable that Chen Zheng wants to challenge us for the Ming Sheng project,” said the secretary

Chen Zheng glanced up. “Then we’ll take him down,” he said.

“Noted!” said the secretary. “I’ll tell the people we put there to keep an eye on them and notify us if anything new happens.”

“Okay,” Ning Huai said softly.

…

With the bidding day approaching, Lin Qian was getting busier and busier. In the afternoon of that day, Lin Qian had moved into the same accommodations as the project team, following Li Zhicheng’s order.

With a ponytail tied, Lin Qian read the latest version of the tender crafted by the project team.

For days the project team had been writing the tender and the three executives had been examining it over and over again. Each time they checked the document the project team had to redo it, and Lin Qian had to read it along with them, which made her exhausted.

After skimming it for a while, Lin Qian put the document aside and tried to rest on the bed. But she couldn’t help thinking about how she had confessed to Lin Zhicheng that she thought him a born leader and a genius that day.

Ugh, it’s so dramatic, Lin Qian thought.

But still, it was true.

The phone rang, and it was Xue Mingtao calling. “Ms. Lin, we’ve made some alterations to the tender and just sent it to your email. Has Mr. Li slept?”

“He was just going through some material. I bet he hasn’t. Let me show it to him right now.” Lin Qian smiled as she spoke.

After hanging up the phone, Lin Qian recalled what she’d witnessed and confirmed that based on their respectful attitude, Li Zhicheng had earned some prestige within the company.

Li Zhicheng was staying next door to Lin Qian. It was already ten o’clock in the evening and the corridor was nothing but quiet, except for the illuminating road lamps. When Lin Qian arrived at Li’s room with her laptop, she found the door ajar.

It was likely that someone had forgotten to close the door after leaving because in the last couple of days, Lin Qian, Gu Yanzhi, and the others had been going in and out his room. She didn’t take notice of it and walked straight into the room after knocking on the door out of courtesy.

But no one was there.

She walked to the desk, put down the laptop and looked up, noticing the bathroom door was closed. And then she decided to wait beside the desk quietly.

Without waiting for long, someone opened the bathroom door and came out. “Boss, I brought the new…” Lin Qian hesitated, a professional smile still on her face, “…tender for you.”

The staff accommodation was neither luxurious nor spacious. A topless Li Zhicheng stood around six feet away from Lin Qian, wearing a pair of long tracksuit pants and a towel in his hands. He looked up at her, with his hair and body wet, water vapor steaming off of him and clouding his eyes.

It was not unusual to walk into a topless man in a corporate-run dormitory crowded with staff. But it was indeed a bit awkward that it so happened to be the young CEO.

Lin Qian turned her back calmly, turning on the computer while briefing him, “I’ve marked all the alterations just made. Are you going to read them now?”

Suddenly a thought struck her: There has been a lot of these awkward encounters with Boss recently.

“Okay,” still in the flat voice.

Following that voice was a ruffling noise. Li must have been getting dressed now. And even though Lin Qian stared at the words on the screen, she couldn’t help thinking about what she had just seen:

Broad shoulders, small waist, and balanced muscles, all of which composed a v-shaped body. Even more striking was the way he had stood there straight with his sculpted, nonchalant face. Around his waist were those ridiculously baggy pants. Um… The scene had looked just like a photo of a hot male model deliberately showing his body in a seducing way.

Lin Qian, that was a real treat just now, she thought to herself.

Lin Qian felt the corners of her mouth curve, and she didn’t turn her head sideways to look at him until she heard footsteps.

She was again dazed by what she saw.

Maybe because it had happened all of a sudden, but Li Zhicheng had only put on a white shirt with the first button open, and the collar was still a bit messy.

He stood in the light, looking down at her. Biting his lips, he seemed lukewarm.

She moved her eyes from him after catching a few stunning glimpses and Li’s focus turned to the computer. He bowed down and put his hands on the mouse to scroll through the pages.

Lin Qian peeked at her boss and thought, How is it possible that he looks so handsome? And every time I look at him, he just gets more handsome.

She pulled the chair from beside them over and placed it behind his back, saying, “Mr. Li, please sit.”

“Okay.” He glanced at her. “You also sit down. I’ll tell you which parts should be corrected.”

“Yes, sir.”

Little did Lin Qian know that it would take a few hours for them to complete.

Li Zhicheng made some suggestions as they read it. She marked them down in the document and sent it back to the project team when they finished. It seemed the team was inspired by the boss and sent the updated version back quickly, along with some other attachments. Li Zhicheng and Lin Qian went on reading without noticing that the time flew by.

Lin Qian eventually became exhausted when it hit three o’clock in the morning. Diligent as she was, she never stayed up late because she didn’t want to age quicker.

Lin Qian glanced at Li Zhicheng again. He still sat up straight and stared at the screen with a luster in his eyes, fully absorbed in the document. There was no sluggishness inside him.

Lin Qian yawned.

“Are you sleepy?” Li Zhicheng asked tonelessly.

I can’t say I’m tired when the boss is not, she thought to herself. And she said with a smile, “Not exactly. I’m going to make myself a cup of coffee and be back soon.”

Just as she was about to get up, she saw him frown, look up and say, “Drinking coffee in the middle of the night?” Li Zhicheng asked, calmly but firmly.

Lin Qian looked at him blankly and stood still.

Boss doesn’t want me to have coffee? Is he trying to take care of me?

Lin Qian felt warmth in her heart. But when she was just about to say something, Li said, “Go to bed and take a fifteen-minute nap if you want to sleep. I’ll wake you up later.”

Lin Qian unconsciously glanced at the bed, which was spotless, tidy and large. The quilt was folded like a chunk of tofu.

Lin Qian was somewhat of a hygiene freak when it came to bed because she thought of it as a very private place that touched her body. She never liked the idea of others sitting or sleeping on her bed, and neither did she like being on others’ beds—not to mention that this was the bed of her boss.

“There’s no need. I’ll just sleep at the desk,” said Lin Qian with a smile.

Li Zhicheng looked at her noncommittally for a second, and then turned to the computer. Lin Qian put her arms on the desk and buried her head in them.

She could see nothing with the light being blocked temporarily. But somehow what was happening around her became clearer.

She could hear the sound of his steady breath, together with that of the gently turning pages and clicking of the mouse, all of which made the night warm and peaceful.

She lifted her head and saw her surroundings, and then smiled.

The computer in front of Li Zhicheng had already been closed and the documents had been organized and put aside. It seems the work has been finished? Li Zhicheng was still sitting on the leather chair beside her, but with his hands put on the armrests and his head leaning back. He’d already fallen asleep.

Lin Qian looked down at her watch and stuck out her tongue. It was already five o’clock and she’d been sleeping for an hour.

Boss had told her that he would wake her up, but instead he’d fallen asleep himself.

When she was just about to get up and creep away, she realized that someone had put a suit coat on her. The male coat was of course too large for her, almost wrapping her entire body. She felt cozy and warm, and the smell was pure and fresh.

She looked at her scantily clad boss, took off the coat and put it on him. His body was still under the light. He seemed to have fallen into a deep sleep.

It was almost dawn. Lin Qian planned to go back to her room first without waking him up. But it was difficult to get around the burly Boss. There was only a narrow aisle between the bed and the desk. And his large leather chair was in the way, the back of the chair close to the side of the bed; his two legs stretched all the way to the bottom of the desk and his knees almost touched the desk, leaving very limited space for her to pass.

She was reluctant to step on his bed because she didn’t want to touch it. She roughly measured the distance and decided that she should be able to make it. Then she tiptoed with her body closely leaning over the edge of the table. Her legs were long enough for her to cross over him. As long as he didn’t wake up then everything was fine.

After the first move, one of her legs stood between his knees.

With a second move, she had successfully moved to the other side.

Before there was time for her to be content, the man beside her seemed to be disturbed, and his body trembled. Lin Qian lost her balance somehow, and accidentally stepped on his instep.

Although Lin Qian was following her boss’s instruction not to wear stiletto, there was still a pointy heel under her shoes. The man took a sharp breath and suddenly jerked his stepped-on foot.

How was Lin Qian still supposed to stand with such a trip? Her body swiftly started to fall to the ground.

“Ah!” she cried out.

All of a sudden, she felt a force nearing her; Li’s hand grabbed her body and pulled her into his lap.

Lin Qian turned her head and looked at him in a stupor.

He had already opened his eyes, and peered at her with a drowsy face, due to him just waking up.

“What’re you doing?”

Lin Qian stayed silent.

Boss, could you please, for once, not be so responsive? Every time I touch you even a little bit, you stop me with your grasping hands.

“I’m not doing anything. I was just trying to get out,” she said. “Did I hurt you?”

He looked at her wearily and whispered, “Um… Yes.”

Eh… Lin Qian didn’t know what to say.

During this conversation, his hands were still pressed against her waist, and Lin Qian could even smell his breath given how close they were.

And under her, his thighs were warm and firm.

She got out of his arms and stood up hurriedly, blushing.

“Sorry. I’ll leave now. Good night.”

Lin Qian felt her face after going back to her room; she was boiling.

Falling into her boss’s arms was nothing but embarrassing.

…

Dawn had arrived. After only an hour of sleep, Lin Qian couldn’t fall asleep on her bed.

Her heart was beating rapidly. A ridiculous thought struck her: Boss might have mistaken her as a spy sneaking up on him.

Of course not.

God, that was so embarrassing. That can never happen again.

Two days later, Gu Yanzhi led the project team to the headquarters of Ming Sheng Group himself. Ming Sheng didn’t announce the results on the scene.

The following days witnessed the same old Aida, with everyone overwhelmed by work. And those who had something to do with the project were anxiously waiting for the result, including Lin Qian.

She just had this hunch that Aida would win the bid.

Whenever she thought of what Li Zhicheng had said the other day, and the tender which Lin Mocheng had described as “couldn’t be better,” she became sanguine.

And she believed that the client would also be impressed.

The news came during the afternoon of the next Monday.

The executives of Aida were having a regular weekly meeting, and Lin Qian was there taking minutes. Gu Yanzhi’s phone rang in the middle of the meeting. Everyone went into silence as though they already anticipated something. He gave Li Zhicheng a wink, and picked up the phone. After saying a few words, he hummed and hung it up. He looked at everyone calmly without giving anything away.

“Ming Sheng has reached a decision. SMQ won the bidding.”

Chapter 17

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The sun was setting. In the spacious CEO office, it was so quiet that Lin Qian could hear her own breathing.

She peeked again. Li Zhicheng was sitting behind his desk, still reading through the documents from various departments, his face expressionless as before.

He had been sitting there for an hour since they received the bidding result.

It was almost time to get off work; the top floor was about to clear out. Lin Qian was not in the mood to work; she rested her chin in one hand, the other hand twiddling the leaf of the small-potted-plant, one time… two times… three times…

Finally, Li Zhicheng rose from his seat. Lin Qian immediately sat up straight, put on a sedated look, and stared at him. He turned off his computer, put on his coat, and walked out.

Lin Qian stood up. “Boss.”

Li Zhicheng stared at her. His dark brows, as though dyed with black ink, were distinct and appeared exceptionally calm under the light.

Pausing for a while, he ordered, “Tomorrow morning, ten o’clock, gather the high committee for a meeting.”

“Okay,” Lin Qian instantly replied; inquiring further, she asked, “The agenda?”

“The next step of the group’s development plan.” His voice was as before, deep and convincing.

Lin Qian was moved, and answered with a smile, “Okay. I will inform them first thing in the morning.”

Li Zhicheng nodded, turned around and walked towards the exit.

“Are you going home now?” Lin Qian asked.

Li Zhicheng straightened his collar; his face nonchalant. “No. Going out for a walk.”

Lin Qian stood still, staring at him walking away, stepping into the elevator; the elevator door gradually shut. She then sat down, stared in a daze at the closed dark brown, paulownia wood door of the CEO’s office, and released a long sigh. Then she put her head on the table, listless.

The last rays of twilight scattered over the industrial zone. Li Zhicheng exited the building, looked up, both hands in his coat pockets; he passed by the workers straggling to the rows of factories in the back.

Since he had become the CEO, he often came and walked around the industrial zone. However, he seldom made himself known, usually walking briskly with his head low so very few people recognized him.

At the security booth beside the factory, there was a group of people chatting. It was not until Li Zhicheng had walked away, that Gao Lang, silently tracking him, reverted his gaze back to the group.

Beside him, a forklift operator in his early thirties whispered, “It is said that the big deal with Ming or something is off. Is that true?”

Another security guard immediately responded, “It’s true. Didn’t you know? The word has spread since this morning! My sister-in-law works in the administrative department and she said it’s over!”

Gao Lang frowned as he listened.

“So what will happen to Aida?”

Everyone sighed.

The night was approaching; the people walking around the zone were becoming sparse. Gao Lang sat quietly among the noisy workers and security guards. He scratched his head anxiously. He was worried for Li Zhicheng, but he was clueless as to what to do.

Suddenly, a security guard sitting beside him stared at the factory in front, exclaiming, “What’s that?”

Gao Lang followed his stare; a few security guards cautiously stood up.

Beneath the dark sky, a few dozen workers in blue workers jumpsuits were marching towards the office with sullen looks on their faces.

…

When Lin Qian stepped out of the office, the sky was already dark. She was deep in her thoughts, so she was unaware of the surrounding noise. She only felt something was wrong behind her when she reached the center of the parking lot outside of the building.

She turned around and her eyes widened.

A large group of workers in blue was approaching the office building threateningly. Lin Qian even spotted a few of people in the crowd with something like metal rods in their hands. Another thing caught her attention: a few security guards were rushing towards their direction, and leading in front was no other than Gao Lang!

They blocked the workers’ path. Gao Lang questioned them, “What are you planning to do? Where are you heading?”

The leaders were a few fiendish-looking, big and tall men in their thirties. One of them shouted, “Get out of the way! We want to reason with the board! Justice shall prevail! They are behind in payment, working in collusion with the outsiders to bring down Aida. They have never cared whether senior employees like us live or die! We demand an explanation!”

Right after he finished his speech, a few people in the mob loudly echoed their agreement. The rest kicked up a fuss as well.

Most of the security guards were inexperienced lads; they were stunned and did not know what to do. Gao Lang alone dared to say loudly, “You are just stirring up trouble! There is no such thing going on. Go back now!”

When she heard the troublemaking leader spew these accusations, the first thought that popped into in her mind was:

Is it New Bori or SMQ?

Her pulse started racing; she turned around and walked further away to a safer place. At the same time, she took out her cell phone and called Li Zhicheng. The call hadn’t even been put through when suddenly she heard another outburst. Someone shouted angrily, “Beat him! This brat is one of them too! They are here just to bring down Aida!”

Lin Qian’s heart sank. Instantly she turned around, and all she saw were the men in blue jumpsuits and the security guards in dark grey jumbled in a mess. Punching, kicking, tearing, mobbing; ruthless faces were mixed among the frightened looks. They were genuinely fighting! Under the dim night light, someone lifted a metal rod up high and slammed it down. Not knowing whether it hit someone or the ground, a loud crack sounded out.

Lin Qian’s heart thumped with fright. Finally the call with Li Zhicheng had been put through. The sound of the call connecting rang at her ear, but for the longest time no one answered the phone. Irritated, Lin Qian hung up and dialed 1-1-0 instead.

Meanwhile, other people noticed what was happening. The staff walking out from the building, the operators from the industrial zone behind, the security guards up front… Some of them came forth and tried to stop the fight, but most of them stayed in the outer circle just like Lin Qian, afraid to move.

Suddenly, from the fighting crowd, a worker glanced at Lin Qian. Pointing to her he shouted, “That girl used to work at SMQ! Grab her and ask her!”

The crowd stared at Lin Qian.

Lin Qian’s heart sank deeper. She couldn’t be bothered with calling the police now. Surely someone would call. She turned around and ran.

It’s SMQ! This is undoubtedly SMQ’s doing!

Since this was a planned riot, there were likely gangsters involved. Lin Qian would definitely not stay and “confront” or “stop” them, because it would be of no use.

Turning swiftly, she sprinted away; within the blink of an eye she had left the parking lot, leaving the few men who were chasing her behind. But when she jumped down the stairs, a few people from the crowd were suddenly there blocking her way.

Lin Qian immediately turned around and tried to escape, but one of them had fast reflexes. He caught her by the shoulder and dragged her back. The sky was completely dark now, the trees cast dark shadows, and the streetlights had not turned on yet. Lin Qian could only make out a few tall and big shadows surrounding her. Then one of them suddenly raised his hand. Whack! She had been smacked in the face.

The slap made Lin Qian see stars, a burning sensation spread across her cheek, the taste of blood filled her mouth. Then the men let her go; they quickly walked towards the front gate of the complex, and disappeared among the crowd.

Lin Qian was rooted to the spot, her hand on her cheek, tears gushing forth. She felt weak in her knees too. She stared in the direction of the men who ran, then she turned towards the office building. Beneath the dusky night, more and more people were gathering there, chaos ensuing.

She fought back tears, took out her phone and continued dialing 1-1-0. She had not even finished dialing yet when suddenly she heard footsteps hurrying towards her. She felt her heart in her throat again. She immediately turned around.

She met his pair of familiar dark eyes.

Li Zhicheng was standing in front of her. His figure stood tall, his breathing a little fast, his gaze locked on her.

Lin Qian’s heart was still fluttering, but her voice had calmed down. She stared at him, speaking slowly and clearly, “I’m fine. Quick—go and handle it. I will call the police. Be careful.”

Before she could finish talking, her hand, still covering her face, was held tightly by his. Lin Qian stared at him blankly. He moved her hand away, his gaze pausing on her swollen face. His eyes turned cold. “Who did this?”

For some unknown reason, upon hearing his words, her eyes turned watery again. She quickly sniffed, answering, “I didn’t see clearly. They ran away.”

Li Zhicheng did not say another word.

Their eyes met. He stared at her intently; his hand still holding her wrist, his fingers warm and powerful.

Being stared at by him like this, Lin Qian felt her brain stop functioning all of a sudden. She felt even more uneasy.

From behind him, two soldier security guards ran towards them, standing behind Li Zhicheng.

Li Zhicheng was still staring at her, but he ordered the security guard behind him, “Take her away. Don’t let anyone touch her.”

“Yes sir!”

Lin Qian hadn’t made a sound, but he had let go of her, turned around, and strode away.

Lin Qian walked away under the escort of a security guard.

Turning around after a few steps, she saw Li Zhicheng already making his way into the parking lot, walking without hesitation towards the group of troublemakers.

Lin Qian was brought to the security department. She stood on the balcony applying an ice pack that had been provided by the security guard to her swollen cheek.

The sky was pitch black now. The hullabaloo in the parking lot was still unresolved. It seemed like another group of security guards and workers in blue was rushing towards the crowd.

In this night full of terror, Lin Qian was very anxious. Are Li Zhicheng, Gao Lang, and the rest hurt? How’s the situation now? Why are the police not here yet?

Face still swollen, her brain flashed back to the moment she had been surrounded by those men. She had been terrified and was now enraged. She was eager to call Li Mochen, but as she put her fingers on the keypad, she let the idea fall away.

The security guard who had accompanied her came out of the house and joined her. Looking into the distance, he wore a long face as well. He peered at her, speaking hesitantly. “Miss Lin, is Aida… really going down? Are we losing our jobs soon?”

Lin Qian stared back at his dejected look; his hopeful eyes stared at her. For a moment, she was unable to answer.

Her phone, which she was holding tightly, suddenly rang.

It was an unknown number.

She absentmindedly picked up the call. “Hello.”

The other end of the call was noisy, with loud music, chatter, and laughter.

Lin Qian had a bad feeling about this.

Then she heard the familiar and disdainful voice of Chen Zheng, slowly uttering, “Lin Qian. Does it hurt fighting with me?”

Chapter 18

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

“You dared mess with me? Upset now?”

In such a noisy night, the man’s scornful and gloating voice was like a sharp knife, lancing Lin Qian’s eardrum. Her acrimony was like a wild animal trapped inside her body, about to burst at any moment.

But she held it in.

When your enemy has just beat you, but you can’t retaliate, what should you do?

At the very least, don’t give him the impression that he has successfully gotten to you.

Lin Qian stayed silent while holding the phone.

…

On the other end of the line, Chen Zheng was surrounded by debauchery, gripping his phone and smirking.

He was really looking forward to Lin Qian’s reaction.

Unexpectedly, the other end remained silent. Not even the noise of breathing could be heard.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of a chuckle. The tone was very light, as though someone was sneering.

And then she hung up the phone.

Women around Chen Zheng started to give him a toast, but Chen pushed them away. He put down the phone and took a sip of his drink, feeling bitter and bored.

He had specially asked those people to slap her—not too harshly, but enough to give her a warning.

And then he had just waited there in satisfaction after phoning her. Tears? Fear? Maybe even some exasperation and shouting? All the different reactions he had expected.

But none of them happened.

This woman always knew how to make him feel uncomfortable.

…

Lin Qian sat in the chair on the balcony with her arms around her knees. She could still feel the burning sensation on her face and the tears that fell on the back of her hand. She stared at the dim starry sky; memories flooded her vision.

She remembered first coming to Aida for an interview; the company had been thriving and the people there had all been inspiring. And she had held so much faith in this new job back then.

She also recalled the day when the crisis public relations conference had been successfully held. In the frigid winter air, Li Zhicheng had carried her on his back, striding across one puddle after another, and then gave her a lukewarm glance. “When did I say that I was the security manager?”

The day when Li Zhicheng had taken office with a high profile often came to her mind. When they had gotten the request for the tender document, she remembered how Li Zhicheng, who was always silent, had sternly said, “If we can get this project, we can catch a break and prepare for future battles.” Everyone on the scene, including her, had been emboldened by his speech.

She thought about the focused days everyone had intensely concentrated on preparing the bidding document. One time, as she walked out of the project team office, the two newly-graduated women from the manager’s office had asked her, “Ms. Lin, what are our chances?” Their eyes had been full of hope but their voices full of dismay.

She had nodded her head, beaming, “Highly likely.”

Lin Qian had once heard that an army burning with righteous indignation was bound to win, but they had just suffered a crushing defeat.

And with this thought, she burst into tears. After crying for a while, she looked down at her phone and became furious.

She yelled at her phone, “Go to hell, Chen Zheng!”

But she decided that was not enough, and then she went on shouting, “Revenge is a dish best served cold! Just wait for it, Chen Zheng! I’ll have my revenge at all costs!” Only after lashing out she could finally calm herself down. She put her phone down, turned her head, and saw a silhouette standing at the entrance of the balcony. He looked very indifferent, and it seemed he had been gazing at her for a long time.

Lin Qian had already cried herself into a complete mess. Upon seeing him, she hastily turned her back and wipe her tears with some tissues. Then she stood up like nothing had happened.

“How’s everything, Mr. Li?” she asked.

Li’s coat had at some point been taken off, and he was now only wearing a shirt with the sleeves rolled up and suit pants. He looked a bit sloppy. He stared at her. But instead of answering her question directly, he went over and sat in the chair beside her, eyelids appearing heavy.

Lin Qian followed Li and also sat down.

“Everything’s been taken care of,” he responded calmly. “Some got away but most of them were captured. The police have also arrived. Gao Lang and his fellows were slightly wounded.”

Lin Qian let out a sigh of relief, but she still felt a sense of heaviness.

Neither of them said anything for a moment. Rather, they looked at the scenery of the night and its endless horizon.

After a while, Lin Qian peeked at him out of the corner of her eyes, noticing he’d lowered his head and was staring at the floor of the balcony.

Lin Qian was a bit rattled by the vast amount of tissues that littered the area.

“I’ll wipe the floor later,” she whispered. But he’d already raised his head, looking away.

“Lin Qian,” he said slowly, “I’ll remember these tears.”

Lin Qian had already recovered from her emotional breakdown, but what he had just said made her want to weep again.

Just try to hold it.

She turned and stared at his sculpted profile.

Li Zhicheng, please don’t say anything like that. You’re just making me more upset.

Lin Qian adjusted her breathing. When she spoke out again, she was calm, but still sounded a little hoarse.

“Mr. Li, I’m sure that SMQ secretly planned this. But, given that they have the guts to do something like this, they basically have nothing to fear. And even if those men are taken to the police station, they won’t confess anything.

“But this move of theirs will cost us greatly. It will make our people more sluggish, and those who don’t know the truth will start to question the board of directors and start to question you. We’ve already lost the Ming Sheng project and the company is in turmoil. What they just did is deadly.

“But we can’t raise the white flag yet. Mr. Li, everyone is expecting something from you right now. I think the most important job for you is to make the people in Aida a team again before continuing our business. We must figure out how to let all the staff know your perseverance. Or… We can organize some inspirational CEO activities and get sentimental when necessary. We can definitely move most people by doing this…” She trailed off, because Li Zhicheng, who had been looking ahead of himself, turned his head abruptly. He looked at her, quietly but fiercely.

“What is it?” she tried to ask.

All of a sudden, he reached out his hands to her.

Before Lin Qian could react, he had already put his hands on her slightly-swollen cheeks. Lin Qian’s heart skipped a beat, thinking he might just want to check the condition of the injury.

She turned her head, trying to pull away from him.

“Nothing serious, it doesn’t hurt anymore,” she said.

Without letting her finish, he bent down, and suddenly his beautiful face was attached to hers. Lin Qian was astounded. She stared into his deep and dark eyes, which resembled two black holes. She could see her reflection inside them.

His soft and cold lips covered hers.

Lin Qian was completely stunned and bewildered.

She instantly realized what was happening. Li Zhicheng’s face was touching hers, pressing against her lips; and his tongue slipped into her mouth, exploring. His fresh scent seemed to be mixed with his masculine temperature, and both of them washed over her body.

Lin Qian was heated. Moaning, she tried to back off. However, she was sitting right next to him. His left hand was on the armrest of her chair, while his right hand was holding her face, and his black eyes stared at her from no distance. She was almost completely trapped by him and there was no way she could escape.

There was only one thought in Lin Qian’s head, and she was extremely confused.

Li Zhicheng is kissing me! He is actually kissing me!

Was he falling in love her because she was the first friend he had made? Because she was one of the few women he had trusted and learned from after finishing his military service and taking on the difficult task of running Aida?

As she was still trying to wrap her head around what was happening, he loosened his grip and slowly moved his face away, ending the sudden kiss.

“You don’t need to mention that anymore.” He was still gazing at her with his dark eyes. “I know.”

Lin Qian remained silent.

At the same time, Li Zhicheng stood up, unconcerned and tranquil, like nothing had happened. But Lin Qian’s could see that his lips were a bit moist. He turned back and started to walk out with his hands in his pockets.

Lin Qian sat there, staring at his back.

When he reached the door, he suddenly stopped.

“Lin Qian,” he said without looking up, “tomorrow is a brand new day. Everything is going to be fine.”

…

It was late at night and the city had fallen into darkness. Nearby was Aida Group, which seemed to have resumed its peacefulness.

Lin Qian lied on the bed, staring at the ceiling blankly.

The pain on her cheek didn’t matter anymore. What really matter… She touched her lips.

Up until now she had remained completely calm, and she thought there were two explanations.

First, Li Zhicheng might really be into her. But they were not fit for each other. Li Zhicheng was not her cup of tea, not to mention she always disdained workplace romance.

She closed her eyes and contemplated what type of men she really liked: strong, mature, and intense. Although she planned to be an office lady in the future, she still wanted a man who could easily capture her heart.

But Li Zhicheng was the complete opposite case of that… It was she who had conquered him.

Suddenly, Lin Qian thought back to the kiss, and his cool eyes, tall nose, high cheekbones and moist lips.

Lin Qian’s heart skipped a beat before hastening.

Well, while working together he had certainly impressed her—he was, after all, a charismatic man with a handsome face.

But that isn’t supposed to be love.

Lin Qian was disoriented. This kiss had just made things completely awkward between them. If he really wanted to pursue her, she would definitely reject him. But she couldn’t bear being so cruel. He was neither a shameless, spoiled guy like Chen Zheng, nor a college brat who was pursuing her. He was principled and moral… What girl in the world could possibly break his heart?

Or maybe there was another possibility?

Lin Qian got up, walked over and looked into the mirror.

Everyone knew that the sparks happening between two people were highly susceptible to their environment, and sometimes it was difficult for a person to control his or her impulses.

Li Zhicheng was a man who, in his prime, had never dated anyone, so he was probably hormonal. And tonight was a stressful, special night: his company had been severely struck and his assistant had sobbed in front of him. Could it be that when Li Zhicheng saw her, he had felt so empathetic that he kissed her? Then it would just be his stress and mutual consolation, which didn’t mean anything else.

But… she looked at her slightly swollen face, red eyes and nose, and her messy hair.

She didn’t think it looked like a face that a man would want to touch or protect.

…

Just as Lin Qian had said, after what happened, everything looked to Li Zhicheng for their future plan. But Li Zhicheng seemed much calmer than others expected he would be.

In the murky night, he had returned to his office, sat in his chair on the balcony and looked over some of Aida’s building from a distance; a cup of hot tea was in his hands and a lamp hung above his head.

When Gu Yanzhi returned from the police station, it was already eleven o’clock. He was also disoriented by what had happened. Walking up to the balcony, he sat down beside Li Zhicheng.

“Chen Zheng’s such a rat bastard,” he growled. “How dare he do something so filthy! The police said the leads are all just no-name rioters and they will be in jail for a couple of months. But they are all saying they did this because they hate Aida, and that no one is behind this. There’s no point in us trying to get to the bottom of it.”

“Okay.” Li Zhicheng nodded his head mildly.

Gu Yanzhi patted Li’s shoulders after staying silent for a while and said, “I have faith in you.”

Li Zhicheng didn’t say anything.

Gu Yanzhi went on saying, “I heard Lin Qian was slapped. Is she okay?”

Li Zhicheng responded, “Yes. Her face is swollen.”

Gu Yanzhi chuckled, glanced at him and said, “You really care about her, don’t you?”

Li Zhicheng didn’t answer him. After a while, he suddenly turned his head towards Gu and said, “Yanzhi, you told me before that the market is like a war zone. Everyone racks their brains to destroy others and it’s a matter of life and death.”

Gu Yanzhi was dazed. This was exactly what he had said to Li Zhicheng when Li decided to retire from the military. He nodded his head. “Yes, I said that. What’s on your mind?”

“Nothing,” Li Zhicheng said mildly. Then he turned to look at the night in front of him, muted.

Nothing indeed.

But such a cunning lady is willing to treat me so sincerely—just like the image of this night, so within reach, pure and crystal-clear.

…

Lin Qian rested at home for a whole day.

Li Zhicheng’s instruction was for her to take two days off actually, but there was no way Lin Qian could rest assured. Hence she went directly to Human Resources to cancel her sick leave when the swelling had reduced.

Her heart started to beat faster when she went returned and looked at the president’s office. When she approached the office, she noticed that Li Zhicheng was not inside. Somehow, she felt relieved.

The phone rang after she had been sitting for a short while.

It was Yang Xiru from the general manager’s office, who was also her confidant now.

Yang Xiru started the conversation by asking how her recovery was going, and suddenly changed the topic and said, “Do you why we lost the bid, Ms. Lin? It’s because there is a spy in our company.”

Lin Qian was shocked, and whispered, “A spy?”

“Yes,” Yang Xiru said. “There was information leaked by someone from Ming Sheng. All the conditions SMQ offered were in line with ours, but every condition was slightly more appealing. This is how they won the bidding, by sneaking a peek at our bidding document. I heard that Mr. Kang’s secretary from Ming Sheng called Mr. Li after the bidding and told him Mr. Kang was really disappointed.”

“How do you know this?” Lin Qian interrupted.

“People have been spreading the word since yesterday.” Yang Xiru answered with hesitation.

“I see,” said Lin Qian. “Then who’s the spy?”

“They said it was Ge Songzhi, the technician, who also served as a member of the project team twice,” said Yang Xiru. “He was taken into custody in this morning. Mr. Gu and Mr. Liu also went along. Apparently some evidence has been found, some CCTV videos and his email records.”

Lin Qian fell into a contemplative state after hanging up the phone.

She had sensed that something was weird after they lost the bid. But she hadn’t actually foreseen a spy scandal coming.

She suddenly remembered how during their preparations for the crisis public relations conference, she and Li Zhicheng had seen the silhouette of someone in the corridor. Was that Ge Songzhi? It was terrifying to imagine such a disingenuous person, a spy from SMQ, hanging around them all the time.

However, if she was guessing correctly, it was definitely Gu Yanzhi and his fellows who had leaked the spy scandal.

Did Li Zhicheng take my advice?

She smiled faintly. People at the company were lost and confused. A spy scandal could inspire the staff to stand in solidarity with them.

The phone rang when she was still pondering the possible results of what had just happened.

It was the general accounting office. “Ms. Lin, the thirty-million-yuan transfer is complete. Please notify Mr. Li once you see him.”

“Thirty million?” Lin Qian was a bit baffled.

The person from general accounting office lowered his voice and said, “Yes. Mr. Li pledged part of the assets from the second manufacturing factory as a mortgage to the bank to get the loan.”

Lin Qian felt heavy after hanging up the phone.

Absent for one day, and the breaking pieces of news came one after another.

Li Zhicheng had to resort to selling property? They had been standing at the edge of a bottomless pit—were they already falling in?

A tall, familiar man walked in with a mild and handsome face. He was wearing a newly-ironed suit. Holding a folder in his hands, he seemed to have just finished a meeting.

Li Qian stood up immediately, stared at the button of his suit to evade looking at him directly, and said, “Good morning, Mr. Li.”

“Oh,” Li replied calmly. “Come in.”

Lin Qian’s heartbeat paused for a second, and then she hurriedly followed him into his office.

“Your face has recovered already?” Li Zhicheng sat on the couch and looked up at her.

“Yes. Thanks for asking, Mr. Li.” Lin Qian continued staring at the suit button. But she could clearly feel him giving her a cold stare.

“There was a call from the general accounting office and they said the 30 million yuan has been transferred.”

“Okay,” he responded. “Pay the wages first, and then put the rest into our account.”

“Sure.”

Then, as usual, he briefed her on the tasks that needed to be completed, such as meetings, reports, and following up on the spy scandal. Lin Qian grabbed a pen and notebook to marked down everything he mentioned. While taking notes, she became flustered. She stole a glimpse at him, then looked down again at her notebook.

He was acting like nothing had happened, but he had definitely kissed her the other day. Why wouldn’t he say anything about it? Did he not care about it at all?

As she was secretly contemplating this, he stood up.

Lin Qian lifted her head and her eyes met his.

“Lin Qian,” he murmured.

Lin Qian’s heart skipped a beat.

It’s finally coming!

She lowered her head to avoid looking at him, her face red.

I’m going to reject him now…

But after she waited for a while with her heart pounding, she heard his mild and calm, even seemingly amused voice.

“I have had a plan,” he said slowly. “I’ll outflank SMQ.”

Chapter 19

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

“I have a plan,” Li Zhicheng said gradually, “I’ll outflank SMQ.”

Lin Qian was a bit confused. The first thing that came to her mind was Li Zhicheng’s lack of experience. Was “outflank SMQ” what she understood it to be?

What it meant to outflank a competitor, was to blaze a trail to besiege the rival.

Burger King’s “grilled but not fried” strategy to challenge Mcdonald’s and KFC was a foreign example. Domestically, Shunfeng Express’s insistence on air transport made it to the top of the industry after being in the market for only a short while.

In the former instance, it was impossible for McDonald’s or KFC to substitute their fried chicken on a global scope; and in the latter one, other express delivery companies couldn’t just give up their original land transportation and change the whole internal logistics process just to buy new planes.

The trick to succeed in outflanking was not to introduce brand-new products that had never been seen in the market, but to make the products competitive in an original way and to make the existing market leader incapable of emulating them.

Outflanking was much more difficult than it seemed.

Lin Qian stared at Li Zhicheng after hearing this. Aida was struggling to merely survive now. How could it possibly outflank SMQ?

Li Zhicheng just looked at her, calmly and steadily.

Lin Qian looked at the documents he had just brought. She was astounded after reading only a few lines.

Li Zhicheng dared to…

…

Chen Zheng was very complacent these days.

The Ming Sheng project was not going to be highly profitable. But from his perspective, this move succeeded in both challenging New Bori and suppressing Aida.

One must think in the long term if he wanted to be the lead in such a meager-profit industry.

When his subordinates brought up some doubts about the Ming Sheng project, he immediately dismissed them.

“Mr. Chen, we promised Ming Sheng Group in our bidding document that our supply price won’t be 30 yuan more expensive than that of the similar products on the market. And in the past, we have always provided an 11-percent discount on our luxurious bags. Should we do that this year? Will Ming Sheng ask us to further lower our price if they know?”

Chen Zheng sneered upon hearing this. “Do you really think a huge group like Ming Sheng will care about our price? Don’t worry about it. We’ll continue this year.”

The subordinate nodded his head and said, “And by the way, our supply cycle is three months, which means in the coming few months, we will be in shortage of high-end bags.”

Chen Zheng thought for a moment and said, “As long as we can pull through these months then everything will be fine. Don’t lose a great deal by trying to save a little. Our focus should be the Ming Sheng project now.”

After the subordinate left, Chen Zheng sat in his chair, swirled around, looked at the scenery outside and started to contemplate.

Indeed, he wasn’t worried about the issues brought up just now. For domestic manufacturers, sales of high-end bags only made up a small portion; it was borderline meaningless, though it was not bad enough to be given up. However, it was also like an appealing yet poisonous fruit, an unattainable Arcadia. There was no way one could possibly compete with those foreign luxury brands. Aida had tried that before, and look where it had gotten them now?

What did he need to worry about? Aida’s insurgency by a sharp increase of high-end bags sales? Even New Bori couldn’t accomplish that, not to mention the company was being run by that inflexible soldier and the only-slightly-witted Lin Qian.

He shook his head, assuring himself that was impossible.

However, his spy in Aida had been discovered, which was a bit unfortunate. But he had nevertheless sent the full text of Aida’s tender, helping him strike a deadly blow to Aida. He also hadn’t confessed anything in the holding cell and hadn’t brought any trouble to SMQ. In a way, he’d “retired” after winning merit.

…

Lin Qian took the elevator from the top floor to the floors below and arrived at the marketing department first.

In contrast to being desolate in the past, the department was fraught with people today. Even the office of the general accounting department downstairs had been temporarily taken over.

Following the CEO’s orders, two hundred employees with great sales records, a willingness to stay at Aida, and more than three years experience were called upon to the headquarters and had formed this temporary “customer services center.”

Lin Qian walked through the office area hearing phones ringing, typing, and footsteps, all of which made a person tense. She walked into the office of marketing. Xue Mingtao beamed upon seeing her. “Ms. Lin, you have a good grip on literature. Would you mind helping me check what I just wrote?”

Lin Qian smiled and walked to him, took the paper, read it and nodded her head, “I think it’s pretty good.”

Xue Mingtao looked a bit tired. He stared at the staff all buried in work and said, “They’ve been doing overtime for a whole week sending messages and emails to thirty thousand old customers. What they’ll now do is call them one by one, starting tomorrow. I hope we can have a good start when the project starts.”

After inspecting the process of the marketing department, Lin Qian took the elevator down to the IT department.

She was still holding the document Xue Mingtao had just given her. It was the full text of emails and messages the temporary customer services center sent to old customers. And these old customers had bought middle-end or high-end bags in one of Aida’s branches in the past three years.

“Thank you so much for your support for Aida. We will have a 60%-off special promotion in our online flagship store on the fifth day of this month. Only the first 2,000 people can get the discount. One bag for each account with a one-million-yuan giveaway. The odds of winning are 100%. This promotion is for online sales only and we are doing it for our old customers.

“President of Aida,

“Li Zhicheng.”

This is how Li Zhicheng planned to outflank SMQ. The idea was very simple: a price discount.

However, a price discount was something everything would and was able to do. Doing it effectively was the real challenge.

When Lin Qian had first seen Li Zhicheng’s plan, she was amazed. It was a very simple trick, but it was delicately arranged—an idea that could only come from someone with experience. And there was no better time to do it than now.

First of all, it appealed to the old customers who knew and recognized the quality of Aida’s products, which gave them a great chance to get a good sales record at the beginning.

And then, the goal of this plan was to attract the customers from second- and third-tier cities. In other words, Li Zhicheng wished to use the lower-priced high-end bags to win over the middle-end bag market currently dominated by SMQ. Selling online was also probably the fastest way to build their reputation.

What Li Zhicheng was doing now was exactly what people in Aida had wanted to do but never actually had after its decline. And it was a strategy the other two companies were incapable of implementing now.

In the past SMQ could have done it and could have even entered a price war with them. But due to the Ming Sheng project, the prices and supplies of high-end bags would be significantly impacted, exhausting their capacity to fight back in such a short term.

For New Bori, it was an enormous corporation that could not suddenly change its pricing system. If they did, not only Aida would be affected, but New Bori’s current middle-end-product market would be affected as well.

Wasn’t this exactly the best time to strike?

When the elevator stopped, Lin Qian thought to herself, If this were Lin Mocheng’s doing, I would definitely suspect him of intentionally losing the Ming Sheng project. The market we’re targeting now is much larger. We have no competition at the moment, and we have a high possibility of seeing huge profits. The Ming Sheng project’s pyrrhic victory would be nothing compared to this.

But it was Li Zhicheng who had seen this path when Aida’s very existence was at stake, and he had come up with the entire plan without any mentoring. She had to admit that he was a genius with unshakeable dedication and perseverance.

As for the kiss.

Neither of them had mentioned it, and what happened in the past should stay in the past. I know for sure that he was just being impulsive that night. I guess I was kind of taken advantage of somehow, but whatever.

The sun started to set.

The IT Department had designated a small office for Lin Qian. She sat in front of her computer, skimming the anonymous articles to be posted online. They had been written by different designated posters from the IT Department.

This had been her suggestion and Li Zhicheng at first hadn’t given a clear response to ut. But he ended up giving her the job, so she needed to be extra watchful over it.

“Inside news from netizens: Famous brand Aida will sell its high-end bags at 50%, discount for old customers only…”

“Aida’s online flagship store’s address please!”

“Can the quality of domestic high-end bags compare to foreign ones?”

“Shopping List: This same bag was 800 dollars in American stores,” (with picture) “but only 300 dollars here. I’ve saved a lot!”

Lin Qian made alterations while scrolling through the pages.

Not bad, not bad. This is something we should keep up with, feted but controversial. Gaining public attention is the major task.

After finishing with her corrections, she thought for a while, opened a new document and started typing.

“It’s rumored that Aida is supported by the military.”

Right as she typed these few works, a familiar voice came in. “When did Aida gain military support?”

Lin Qian was dumbfounded; she turned her head and looked at him. “Mr. Li…” She started to secretly curse him. Boss, you’re a CEO now, not a member of the special forces. Don’t come and go without a trace. It’s so scary.

Li Zhicheng seemed not to realize that he could sometimes intimidate others. He sternly he stared at her screen and asked, “What is this?”

“Umm…You know, Mr. Li, there’re lots of misleading information online. Ordinary people think executives at the military are mysterious. It’s for our plan in three days.”

Li Zhicheng glanced at her without saying anything.

Lin Qian rejoiced at her heart, knowing he had just given tacit consent. Although Boss played by the book, he was actually very intelligent. He must have known what she meant.

Boss is becoming “sneakier.”

All of a sudden, Li Zhicheng bent over with one hand on the back of her chair and the other on the desk, and said, “Let me see the others.”

Lin Qian went numb for a second.

He had originally been standing right behind her. After bending over like this, the side of his face was so close to her hair that they were almost touching. She could smell his natural male scent—just like that night.

However, he did this sequence of moves naturally, like a boss inspecting his juniors’ work. And he looked exactly the same: calm and concentrated without any other thoughts.

Lin Qian blushed with butterflies in her stomach. She was just about to stand up. “Please sit, Mr. Li.”

Before she could finish, he pressed his hands down on her shoulders and said, “No need.”

Lin Qian’s heart skipped a beat.

A weird thought struck her.

This is incredible. Why is he playing this kind of flirtationship with me? Is he doing it on purpose? Or am I being too sensitive?

Chapter 20

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

At that point in time, Li Zhicheng was staring at the screen and asked, “Where are you planning to post these? Specifically, how should they be arranged?”

Lin Qian hastily replied, “I have the detailed documents with me…”

…

Li Zhicheng meticulously went through the documents and questioned them one by one, with Lin Qian thoroughly clarifying his doubts. Without them realizing, 30 minutes flew by.

These files were the work Li Zhicheng had allocated to Lin Qian. Although they appeared pompous, they were an accumulation of her hard work. Needless to say, these technicians walked a fine line in grey areas, lived on the edge, and acted smart and pretentious. When she was in command of them, she felt like she was in her comfort zone, working in a job suitable for her.

Therefore, by the end of her presentation to Li Zhicheng, Lin Qian had shed her awkwardness and was speaking with passion and flair. Seeing Li Zhicheng nodding from time to time, with the occasional hint of a smile on his face, she knew for sure that her boss was satisfied with her work. Hahaha.

With that, she gained the confidence to show him the last posting, the particular post that had left her very undecided and conflicted. “Mr. Li, look at this. It does not reveal your face clearly and fully. But I think if we post it, it will definitely garner a very good response.”

Featured largely on the screen was a title in red, cute, and rounded font: “Come and take a look: New Successor of the Aida Organization, the Enigmatic President.” This was followed by a picture and a few sentences after scrolling down with the mouse.

Li Zhicheng looked at the picture and frowned slightly.

The picture had been sneakily taken from a smartphone while he had been working. He was wearing a suit and sitting at his desk, his head lowered while looking at some documents. It was blurred due to the backlighting, revealing only the silhouette of his sharp nose and his overall facial contours. From a glance, he looked like an upright yet quiet young man.

Li Zhicheng raised his head and looked at her. “Delete it.”

This idea had actually been from another woman in the IT department. Lin Qian was just doing her job, believing that it was feasible and making the necessary preparations. She had been told by Li Zhicheng to make the decisions by herself, and that reporting to him about everything was unnecessary. Thus, she had left everything to be clarified by him all at once at the end.

Lin Qian was not surprised by his outright rejection and nodded her head. With quick movements of the mouse, she deleted the picture and all traces of it from the computer immediately.

By this time Li Zhicheng had already straightened up and put some distance between them. He asked, “Are there more in your phone?”

“…Yes.”

Gosh, there was no doubt her boss hated people secretly taking pictures of him. Back when she had taken the photo, she’d had limited time in close proximity with him, so she’d just conveniently snapped a picture.

Just as she was about to promise to delete the pictures, his calm voice drifted over, “Do not send it to others.”

Lin Qian immediately replied, “Alright.”

Oh, does that mean I don’t have to delete it?

By the time she looked over, Li Zhicheng had already turned around to leave.

Three days later, at 9:50 am, it was just ten minutes before the start of Aida’s flagship store’s spring season online sale.

Lin Qian was seated in the IT department’s little office. Just outside, there were a few technicians ready to respond to any call of duties. Meanwhile, Gu Yanzhi and Xue Mingtao kept watch at the customer service center.

As for Li Zhicheng, he was idling in his office and was not personally present at the frontlines of such a crucial day.

Lin Qian felt that this was good. She believed that the more crucial the matter, the more the leader should remain calm and unmoving.

Finally, the clock read 10 am sharp.

Lin Qian squinted in anticipation.

The screen in front of her was the flagship store’s online homepage, which was made open to the public.

The webpage design was the result of the careful discussions and talents from the marketing department. Apart from the title on the homepage, there were not that many colorful, eye-catching promotions.

The webpage boasted a refreshing, modest, and vintage style. Right at the top was a brief introduction of Aida’s luxury sub-brand, “Vinda,” including the quality of leather imported from Italy, the American designers’ signatures, a feature of the intricate production process, and so on.

Below that was a steady stream of pictures of every bag. They each came with three price descriptions: overseas pricing, physical store pricing, and promotional pricing.

…

At 10:02 am, the first order form was submitted.

Lin Qian watched as the background data started to change; she got a bit excited and at the same time secretly finding it amusing.

They only earned 500 dollars from a bag made of such high-quality materials. Now, they could only hope that the number of orders would start to climb.

At 10:10 am, the number of orders hit 20.

By 11:00 am sharp, the number of orders hit 155.

…

As time passed, the number of orders continuously increased. Of all the orders, 80 percent was contributed by repeat customers and 20 percent was contributed by new customers. And by word of mouth of the repeat customers, coupled with the easy flow of information online, she saw the stable increase of the online traffic on the webpage.

Lin Qian spent the entire morning feeling calm yet mildly nervous.

She had also fantasized about the possibility of today’s sales increasing explosively, with the online store becoming an instant hit. However, it was proven that a miraculous online sales gig was not all that easy to pull off. Although the day’s sales were considerably substantial, it was still increasing at a rather constant rate, and there were indeed no miracles that simply fell from the sky.

By 7:00 pm that evening, the total sales had hit over 800 pieces, with a turnover of more than two million, and a gross profit of more than 400,000. To a company that rolled in billions per year, such a sales result would not count as much. However, to the Aida of today, it was already viewed upon as the light at the end of the tunnel.

The employees in the IT department were all rejoicing and busy taking turns eating their packed dinners. Meanwhile, Lin Qian was still unable to fully relax and unwind.

She was very clear that Aida’s products were high-quality. However, it was still crucial that they observe whether or not consumers would accept this sub-brand. Whether or not this side-battle had successfully provided a means of survival for the company was still dependent on the next day.

After the repeat customers spent to their limits, would there be any new customers coming in? Would they be able to maintain their sales? It all depended upon the next day’s performance.

8:00 pm sharp.

It was the day’s second obstacle.

Based on the rules of the activity that had been announced, the first 2,000 buyers could participate in the 8:00 pm lucky draw, which was based upon the “lucky draw eggs” method commonly seen on the web. It was a 100 percent sure-win draw. Twenty lucky people would receive the top prize of 10,000 yuan each, followed by the other prizes, where the prize money would decrease to 5,000 yuan, 2,000 yuan, 500 yuan… all the way down to 10 yuan. The entire lump sum of the prize money amounted to a million yuan. When looking at this number alone, the prize money was extremely attractive.

Nobody would miss out on a free red packet. In this segment, Lin Qian could take on a relatively relaxed attitude and watch from the sidelines.

Indeed, the moment after 8:00 pm hit, there were already a number of IDs logging in to the lucky draw eggs portal at the same time. And according to plan, the results of the draw would pop up on both the activity homepage and the background randomizer simultaneously.

Lin Qian kept her eyes glued on the screen.

Lucky lady—the first egg she chose to crack is the top prize.

“Congratulations to our customer from Shandong, ‘Linda,’ who hit the top prize. Please bring an identification document with you to any Aida storefront to redeem your 10,000 yuan red packet.”

Lin Qian smiled. Could this be a good sign?

The second notification appeared closely after, and it was another top prize.

Lin Qian was slightly shocked but she smiled. What a coincidence.

At that moment, a technician in charge of monitoring the operations of the website outside the room stood up suddenly. “Some… something went wrong!” The person beside him also had a drastic change in expression. He looked at the screen and exclaimed. “They are all top prizes! We’ve been set up! We’ve been set up!”

Lin Qian felt her heart jolt. She lowered her head to look, only to find that the entire page was flowing with notification after notification:

“Congratulations to our customer from Henan, ‘Rotating Apple,’ who hit the top prize…”

“Congratulations to our customer from Hunan, ‘Yaya,’ who hit the top prize…”

“Top prize.”

“Top prize.”

…

Within a short period of time, there were 20 winners, far exceeding the initial allocation of 10 top-prize winners, and the number was continuously increasing. She immediately stood up and ran outside. Meanwhile, the technicians had all noticed the abnormality, and were all covered in cold sweat while looking towards the branch manager and Lin Qian.

The branch manager also had cold sweat all over his head. He shared a glance with Lin Qian and asked solemnly, “How long will it take to repair this?”

Someone replied, “We have to temporarily close the website if we want to repair it. Currently, we are unable to gauge the degree of the setup, and hence we are unable to guarantee the time we will require…”

The branch manager’s face had turned blue by now, but he had no other choice. With much effort, he turned to look at Lin Qian. “Assistant Lin, please report this situation to President Li. It was negligence on our part. We have to close down the website immediately. If not…”

He did not finish his words, but it was already enough to cause Lin Qian’s hands to sweat uncontrollably. Because of this little trick, there were already over a hundred “top prizes.” Lin Qian could almost imagine the whole swarm of customers that would come to snatch their effortless 10,000 yuan.

“I will give him a call immediately.” She turned around and entered her little office before closing the door tightly behind her.

As she dialed his number, her fingers trembled slightly.

So many days of hard work and effort—this was their last hope. Li Zhicheng had to sell his house and land to cash out 30 million before he could even embark on this battle—how could it just fail now?

Upset, she was terribly upset. Indignant, she was terribly indignant.

Was is SMQ or New Bori?

When the line connected, her voice naturally stabilized as usual. “President Li, something went wrong. Our online flagship store has been set up, and every egg that is being hit is a top prize. The IT department needs to suspend the website immediately to repair it. Really… sorry.”

On the end of the line, Li Zhicheng remained silent for a while.

Grasping her phone in her hand, Lin Qian was on the verge of bursting into tears.

However, she hadn’t expected Li Zhicheng to reply to her in such a way.

“Lin Qian, what do you think? Right now, should we suspend the website or not?” His clear voice was slow, but at the same time powerful.

Lin Qian’s heart jolted and she paused in shock for a moment.

He asked me whether or not to suspend the website?

If they suspended it… they would lose the trust of the customers, which was equivalent to giving up on their past efforts. Their establishment of a good start—which had taken so much effort—would be affected by this serious setback. Tomorrow’s sales would definitely be dismal.

Don’t suspend? Simply lose 20 million?

She shut her eyes, and she could only see darkness.

“…Don’t suspend the website!”

Chapter 21

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

After the words burst from Lin Qian’s mouth, she felt her heart lift somewhere high, wobbly and uncertain.

“Okay,” was the only thing Li Zhicheng said.

Lin Qian hung up the phone. She could feel herself covered in an icy frost, yet the palms of her hands were hot and sweaty.

Pacing around the room, she had no idea when Gu Yanzhi had come in. He stared at her from the doorway and looked sullen.

“I already know,” he said. “We can only try our luck now.”

Gently biting her lower lip, Lin Qian nodded in agreement.

This was a gamble, a massive one—one that could cost 20 million. But it was their last hope.

The gamble carried all of their strong desires: fear, luck, reluctance, and their unwillingness to give up.

The two stepped out of the room together.

“Manager Gu,” Lin Qian said, lowering her voice, “I think for our next step we slow down the process and drag the online promotion along.”

As the words came out from her, oddly, she found herself already calming down. But her heart pounded intensely.

Unexpectedly, Gu Yanzhi glanced at her with a smirk. How could he laugh at this point?

“That was also our opinion,” he responded.

Soon, on behalf of Li Zhicheng, Gu Yanzhi placed a new order—keep the website open, but lower the access speed of the servers and the event pages. The customers’ payments could only come through around one out of every ten orders.

Meanwhile, they needed to release an announcement saying they had been working on fixing the website attacked by hackers.

Lin Qian returned to her computer and started to cook up a commercial hype in various online shopping websites, their related forums, and the popular discussion groups in the second and third-tier cities.

…

The lights of the Aida headquarters were on throughout the whole night.

The customers’ shopping craze lasted until one o’clock the next morning. The first 2,000 bags containing the first prize were finally sold out. However, even after the promotion was over, the sales volume still grew for another 800. The main event page had over 5 million visits, leaving the comment section overloaded. The heated posts also kept coming on all the other major forums.

For those who failed to be one of the first 2,000 visitors, it was a shame. But the majority of them believed the sale was justified, as they were happy with the quality of Aida’s bags.

Those who managed to get the first prizes were extremely pleased. They started to post their proof for winning on their social media. However, there was also a lot of skepticism, questioning if Aida would be able to pay these prizes worth 20 million yuan due to the mistake.

Some people posted blogs and claimed that they would give up the prize because they were loyal customers of Aida, and they understood Aida was in a difficult situation. Some others proposed to Aida that there was no need to pay out the full 10,000 yuan prize, but it would be appreciated if Aida could reduce the payment for each prize after an explanation.

But, for the most part, the customers wouldn’t acknowledge the fact that Aida’s website had been hacked. They believed that this was the company’s own business. So they suggested Aida give away the red envelopes—that way they would be loyal to them forever.

Aida was already in the center of the media’s attention after the previous Carcinogen Incident. But after that night, multiple media platforms and websites had all started to forward this ridiculous news. The title of one of the articles read, “20 million dollars. Are you sure?” Yet Aida remained silent throughout the heated skepticism.

According to the previously released activity rules, the promotion would only last for three days. Only after three days could the winner could bring their ID to collect their prize in cash at appointed stores.

Because Aida remained silent during these three days, along with the skepticism and judgments from the customers, the media, and everyone’s anticipation to receive their prize, a lot of attention was placed on the company. The total visits to Aida’s website reached 100 million and the number was growing every minute. “Aida’s 20 million prize” also became one of the top 10 most searched terms online. It also was the second most discussed topic on Twitter.

Three days later, at 8:55 am.

Holding her forehead, Lin Qian sat in the IT department’s tiny office, staring at the computer screen closely. Outside, the other employees also worked around the clock.

Only five minutes left. Soon, the customers could collect their prizes. There were also only five minutes left before Aida’s public announcement would be made, and she was staring right at it.

Written by Li Zhicheng himself, the announcement was simple and brief. At a time like this, no one dared to write one for him. There had been a few different versions coming across Lin Qian’s mind, but having read Li Zhicheng’s, after considering back and forth, she finally decided his was the best, as the simpler, and the safer:

Dear customers, online users, and friends from the media,

As you all know, three days ago, Vinda, the online flagship store of Aida, came under attack by hackers. This resulted in 2,000 first prizes to be distributed by mistake. With respect to such a hostile attack, our company will carry out a series of investigations to defend our justice as well as maintaining a fair marketing environment.

As to our customers, Aida has always followed the managing concept of keeping our commitment, regardless of the past, present, or future.

For the 2,000 customers who have won the first prize, please refer to the activity rule and head over to the appointed stores to collect your ten thousand in cash.

Wishing all a happy New Year

Aida President – Li Zhicheng

Now that the announcement was made, what reactions could they expect from the customers and Internet? Lin Qian could almost picture the image in her head—it would definitely be well received, leaving everyone satisfied. She even predicted that the visits to Aida’s online store would continue growing rapidly in the next few days, or even hours.

What about the sales volume? Would it also swell? She wasn’t so certain anymore—she even started to worry a little.

There were some perfect examples from the last three days. The crazy amount of visits to their website had created a record. And she also believed that this was the most amount of attention and popularity that Aida had ever seen. However, the sales were scraping the bottom with barely any growth.

First day: 427 purchases. Second day: 633 purchases. Third day: 780 purchases.

Lin Qian had no idea if these numbers represented a “wait and see” period from the public and if the trend could end up changing. She also had no idea if the crazy amount of visits was just from all the public attention they were getting and actually meant nothing for their future sales.

Her headache was getting worse just thinking of these numbers. After experiencing sleep deprivation for several days under such cold weather, combined with her constant mental strain, she knew she was under the weather.

She grabbed some medicine from the drawer and then swallowed it down with water. Feeling determined, she continued staring at the screen. Occasionally, some irrelevant idea would pop into her head from out of nowhere. Lately, she was busy downstairs, directing the Internet Water Army, moving around. Besides the reports and occasional meetings over the phone, she barely saw Li Zhicheng. He also didn’t arrange any other work for her.

How did he feel, sitting in the president’s office on such a high level? His calm and cold face—did it ever look worried or relieved at seeing all the different types of news?

There he was, placing himself in a difficult situation; here she was, giving it all she had to fight back.

Ugh… Why does it sound so sad? I want what’s best for the company…

It had been a bumpy ride working at Aida, but she wasn’t sure she could call it that since she felt the obligation to dedicate everything she had.

There was a lack of experience, sophistication, and luck for him. Yet he’d already shown his great potential and talent despite having just begun. From that generous bidding document to Ming Sheng, to the marketing strategy that was off the beaten track, to the current situation where he had decided to sacrifice himself… There was no denial that some of his greatest qualities, like wisdom and decisiveness, were incomparable.

…

No one would have expected that on the top floor of Aida’s headquarters, Li Zhicheng and Gu Yanzhi were, at this critical moment, playing Go.

That was all they needed: tea with a sharp aroma, and a black and white Go board.

Gu Yanzhi was close to losing the set for the fifth time; annoyed, he pushed away the Go board. “Lame… I quit.” He had never been gifted at this game. He was only playing it now because he had been asked to.

Was Li Zhicheng trying to seek some confidence from his satisfying victories over Gu Yanzhi? Or was he purely trying to kill some time?

Looking up, Gu Yanzhi smiled slightly. “Aren’t you worried at all?”

Ignoring him, Li Zhicheng’s dark feathery brows stayed put.

One white piece, followed by a black one. He started to finish off the rest of the game by himself. Despite being young and handsome, his oddly cold, sophisticated personality was starting to intimidate and inspire awe.

“No rush.”

…

Two hours later, the situation really started to take a toll on Lin Qian, who was still staring at the computer screen.

There had been no progress. Since the announcement, only 147 items had been sold.

Between her sickness and frustration, Lin Qian was beginning to feel worse and worse. She felt like her mind was soaring above her body, and she had trouble reading the computer. Looking up, she saw her quiet colleagues outside also seemed tense.

She moved around the chair, heading downstairs before notifying the IT manager.

…

By the time her eyes opened, she was looking at the dark night outside the window.

Astonished, she threw the blanket off of her and sat up.

A middle-aged female doctor sat across from her, writing under a lamp. She looked up, grinning. “You were just measured, the fever is gone.”

Lin Qian quickly thanked her. She didn’t understand how she could have slept for so long—especially through the daytime.

“Someone called this afternoon looking for you,” the doctor continued. “When he heard you were sick, I was told not to wake you up so you could rest well.”

“Who was it?”

“A young male colleague,” the doctor responded, smiling.

There was always extra sensitivity to the cold immediately after waking up, and Lin Qian felt that now. She wrapped herself up in her coat and then headed out of the building’s medical office.

Across was Aida’s headquarters, brightly lit. She could see the silhouettes of her colleagues working hard through the windows.

The day had finally come to an end.

Lin Qian surprisingly felt a little lazy and took a seat on the bench next to the garden.

It was already past 7:00 pm, quiet, and most people had headed home. Resting on the bench, gazing at the building and the dark winter sky, she released a long breath.

Footsteps sounded on the trail next to her. Slowly approaching her was a long shadow cast on the ground. Lin Qian didn’t pay it too much attention and allowed her mind to keep wandering.

Until someone stopped next to her.

Before she looked up, she knew was him. “President Li…” Just when she was about to stand, he took a seat next to her.

Lin Qian glanced at him. Black coat with a shirt and tie beneath, he looked simple and fresh even in the gloomy winter. Staring back at her, the shine of his black eyes was amplified under the light.

“All good?” he asked.

Lin Qian already knew he was the person who had called the doctor. She felt some warmth in her heart, but also confused panic. Politely, she answered, “Yeah. Thank you, President Li.”

After a pause, staring straight, he continued, “Why are you sitting here?”

In a low voice she replied, “I’ve been sleeping all afternoon. I don’t know how the sales went. So I thought sitting out here could help me mentally prepare.”

Hearing this, Li Zhicheng’s eyes appeared to shine with a different shade of light. But the light soon faded after what she said next.

“I’m afraid that we’ll lose everything.”

It was rare for her to be so open about her concerns in front of him. She then looked up, staring at him right in the eyes, as if she was trying to guess today’s results from his face.

Yet he was the same as always, calm and emotionless, gazing back at her. Sitting very close, their eyes were fixed on each other.

He then lifted his hand and put it behind her on the back of the bench.

“I disagree,” he said. “What I want, I already see, and it’s just within reach.”

Shocked, Lin Qian wondered what it was.

Mesmerized by his jet-black eyes, her heartbeat was getting fast and her face was getting warm.

But Boss, this is not the time to talk about our feelings. I’m feeling so tense already—I can’t even breathe properly. Can you just stop pressuring me?

But she misunderstood.

Because Li Zhicheng had already stood up, hands stuck in his pockets, and was staring down at her. “Aren’t you going to take a look? At the results for today?”

Quickly, Lin Qian also got up. “Sure, I was just about to.”

A warm smile started to appear on his face again; in a low voice, he said, “You won’t be disappointed.”

Chapter 22

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

‘You won’t be disappointed.’

He said…’you won’t be disappointed.’

His words were like spinach to Popeye the sailor man. Although at first they were dejected and frail, Lin Qian’s eyes brightened up instantly.

She found it hard to believe what she had just heard. The sales were still very low in the morning, but now it was enough for Li Zhicheng to say “not disappointing,” so did it mean that the sales were… good?

Over two thousand? No, Li Zhicheng definitely would not be satisfied with that. Three thousand? As far as four thousand even?

As she followed behind Li Zhicheng, they stepped into the building, took the elevator, and moved towards the IT department. Lin Qian’s heart pounded quickly, as if it were about to leap ahead of her to reach the computer.

As soon as they stepped into the office area, she saw all of her colleagues—who had been wearing long faces in the morning—looking radiant and joyous. Noticing their arrival, the coworkers turned to greet them. “Mr. Li!””Mr. Li!””Mr. Li, Miss Lin!” Their eyes sparkled with excitement.

Xue Mingtao, Liu Tong, Gu Yanzhi, and the other higher-ups were there too, sitting in the room chatting. When they glanced their way, all of them had smiles on their faces.

Lin Qian could not wait any longer. She bent over the computer screen of the co-worker closest to her. “How were today’s sales? I wasn’t here during the afternoon so I don’t know.”

This colleague had grown closer to Lin Qian over the past few days, and now her face was as brilliant as a sunflower. She turned the computer screen towards Lin Qian. “Miss Lin, see for yourself!”

Lin Qian saw the number on the screen. She couldn’t believe her eyes.

“Seven thousand eight hundred fifty-three?!”

The crowd burst into laughter. Everyone started speaking at once.

“Yup! Around two or three hours after the CEO made the public announcement, only then did the sales increase rapidly—five hundred, a thousand, and then more. Good Lord! The orders that are coming in now can only be delivered after three months, but the number is still increasing!”

Another person added, “Miss Lin’s online posts have contributed greatly too!”

“I can die without regret now!” A young lad exclaimed. “I really can die without regret now!”

Lin Qian felt her forehead twitch with nerves.

F*ck! This happiness came way too suddenly! Is God finally deciding to be fair for once?

Hahaha! Chen Zheng, you bastard! We sold 7,853 items in a day! Will you be pissed when you hear this figure? Should I just send you a text tomorrow? I’ll write: ‘Mr. Chen, thanks to you, we sold 800 items yesterday. Oh wait, sorry, I missed a zero at the end! Hahaha!’

As she was immersed in her fantasy while staring at the screen, the higher-ups came out from the room. Smiling, Gu Yanzhi said, “Mr. Li is back. Let’s welcome Mr. Li to say a few words.”

Everyone stared at Li Zhicheng; Lin Qian turned around to look at him too.

He stood a few steps away from her. His handsome face remained indifferent after hearing what Gu Yanzhi had said.

Lin Qian’s lips could not resist lifting. He seemed to be more suitable and comfortable sternly cheering on soldiers. What would he say now?

Li Zhicheng stood under the light. He calmly glanced around the room at everyone before he spoke. “Today’s victory would not be possible without all of you here.”

He paused. Everyone’s face gleamed with delight.

He then continued, “Now, we can basically conclude that we have seized the victory for this flanking counterstrike. Our opponent is unable to fight back anymore. In the near future, we can predict that their market of mid-range priced products will be encroached upon by us. And the sales of our other products will slowly recover as well.” He paused again. Staring at everyone, he finished off with, “Finally, we’ve saved Aida.”

A plain speech delivered in a calm tone. Nothing he expressed was exceptionally provoking, yet everyone was stunned—he had used the term “we’ve saved Aida.” For some unknown reason, this term made everyone’s chest tighten. Despite looking grave, another type of emotions was silently brewing.

Nobody spoke.

After a short silence, everyone seemed to finally come to their senses again. They began cheering, clapping, and dropping the documents in their hands to hug each other.

Lin Qian actually teared. While Li Zhicheng spoke, she gazed at him the whole time. It was a simple and manly speech, but why did it make her feel full of affection and pride for him while listening to?

Damn it! What kinds of feelings did she have for him now? Why did she feel gratified to see his growth? And why did she have mixed feelings of happiness and nervousness?

Noticing her gaze, Li Zhicheng turned around and looked at her. Lin Qian, returning to her normal battle mode, automatically wanted to say something to butter him up; suddenly she felt her arm being squeezed. A tall, young male engineer beside her pulled her close and hugged her tightly. “Miss Lin!” he laughed.

Before Lin Qian could respond, he had let go and went on to hug another senior engineer.

Lin Qian grinned; she gave out a few high-fives and hugs to the people around, celebrating their success. Hehehe! Lin Qian thought to herself. From now on, the IT department is considered one of my allies.

She turned around, still deep in thought, and saw the executives joining in with the engineers too. Li Zhicheng shook the hand of the engineer who had hugged her, murmuring something; the engineer beamed with pride. Li Zhicheng let go of him, shook a few more hands, then he turned and stood in front of Lin Qian.

Lin Qian was in a great mood; without thought, she extended her hand with a smile, openly buttering, “Long live the boss!”

Li Zhicheng looked extremely slender under the light; beneath his vibrant short hair, his gaze was notably gentle and profound. Feeling her arm being squeezed, Lin Qian was pulled into his embrace before she could react. His hand gave her a gentle pat on the back, just like everyone else, as a sign of encouragement.

Lin Qian’s heart was thumping. She could clearly smell his faint scent. His hand, holding her wrist, was as strong as iron. His other hand on her back, his fingertips pressing down, tightly held her against him.

The bystanders were all busy talking and laughing, oblivious to their moment. They did not appear out of the ordinary.

“Lin Qian,” he gently whispered in her ear. “I’m glad I didn’t disappoint you.”

…

Today was just the beginning. By midnight, the day’s total sales had passed 8,500.

The second day, they reached 12,000.

A few days later, their sales gradually dropped down and stabilized; but they still maintained a high sales level unattainable by similar online flagship stores.

By the end of the year, the total annual sales of Aida ranked number one in China for mid-range priced leather bag. Their sales were more than the combined sales of those in second, third, fourth, and fifth place. Exactly as predicted by Li Zhicheng, even though the sales of other types of suitcases weren’t as good as previous years, they gradually recovered too, following the lead of the main brand. At the end of the year, Aida’s total annual turnover approached close to SMQ’s, completely restoring the company.

But this all happened later that year. They were still celebrating after that first night.

By the time Lin Qian reached her home it was quite late. After the rollercoaster ride of emotions that day, she didn’t have the energy to sort out the mass of chaotic thoughts in her head. She quickly took a shower and just as she was lying on her bed about to drift off to sleep, the long-awaited call from Lin Mochen came.

During this period of time, Lin Qian hadn’t called him and vice versa. The siblings had achieved a silent agreement that, during this life-or-death period of Aida’s, if she didn’t mention anything he would not ask.

Now that everything was over, after the storm came the calm, and the situation was peaceful.

Lin Qian, lying on the bed, lazily asked, “Brother, what’s up?”

Lin Mochen answered with a smile on his face. “Congratulations.”

Lin Qian replied, “Thank you.”

Lin Qian was close to her brother, so she couldn’t resist sharing with him all the thrilling and interesting adventures she had experienced the past few days—she only left out the part about being slapped. Listening quietly, Lin Mochen chuckled when she mentioned how she had suggested to Li Zhicheng to lose the twenty million. “Suit the action to the word. Well-played.”

Lin Qian was still smiling, and was about to continue talking when she paused.

Had her brother just said “suit the action to the word?”

“Suit the action to the word” was a proverb that originated from the story of Shang Yang, a politician during the Warring State Period who had earned the trust of citizens by fulfilling his promise. The gist of the story was to earn trust from the public by fulfilling promises made, regardless of how ridiculous they were.

This saying was not used that often anymore. But Lin Qian had come across it not too long ago, so when he brought it up now she immediately remembered it.

It had been her first day as Li Zhicheng’s assistant. She was on the balcony. He was reading The Art of War by Sun Tzu. He had scribbled some words on a piece of paper. Hadn’t some of them been, “suit the action to the word?”

As she was deep in thought, Lin Mochen said lightly, “Silly girl, can you see it now? You were talking about being his teacher, but he was capable of designing a perfectly-interlocking plan to fool a much stronger opponent. He is at my level. You should be more vigilant with your speech and actions from now on. Learn from him. Don’t embarrass me.”

Having said that, he hung up, leaving a befuddled Lin Qian.

What did brother say just now?

Lin Qian felt her forehead twitch with nerves; her brain wide awake, her thoughts rambling. The drowsiness left her. Brother’s words and that familiar saying “suit the action to the word” filled her brain with a marvelous yet unbelievable thought.

Actually, throughout her journey with Li Zhicheng, this possibility had been long embedded in her mind. However, every time her beliefs inclined towards it, she vetoed it. How is it possible?

Her heart beat vigorously against her chest. She jumped down from the bed, grabbed her backpack, and pulled out her notebook. She remembered seeing him write down a few sayings the other day. Out of her mentality of needing to understand her boss, she had recorded them in the notebook.

As she flipped through her notebook from cover to cover, her brain was struck by a sudden realization, connecting everything.

If it were as Brother said, and everything had been planned by Li Zhicheng, then everything that had happened at Aida since she’d started needed to be reconsidered.

So, his initial plan of fighting for orders from Ming Sheng Group had been a decoy to lure SMQ in. His purpose? Yes—he’d proposed harsh terms for the tender: supplying at a price only 30-percent of what they used to selling in the market, and delivering everything within three months. That had been his objective! Restricting the price and the stock of SMQ at the market of high-quality suitcase-style bags, so that they could not snipe Aida.

Had his target always been SMQ’s large mid-range leather suitcase market? Or was he just feinting an attack before truly attacking the other side instead?

And the spy? Had he already been aware of the spy beforehand and had just used him to his advantage? Even getting him sent to jail in the end?

Yes, the 20 million. Why had he fixed the number of lucky draw winners at 2,000 people? She didn’t think clearly about it before, but now as she recalled, the 20 million from selling the land was just enough to cover everyone’s prize money! Was it possible he had prior knowledge that something was going to go wrong?

As her thoughts rambled on, she finally found the notes. She pulled herself together, her heart pounding, and she stared at the five sayings from The Art of War. Her pulse raced even faster than before.

Because the five sayings were:

“Pay someone back in their own coin.”

“Use a cat’s paw to get rid of someone.”

“Feint somewhere and attack in another place.”

“Suit the action to the word. ”

“Wait at ease until your enemy is exhausted.”

Lin Qian held on to the notebook, staring blankly as she sat on the side of her bed.

She felt something she couldn’t quite describe. It was sudden, shocking, befuddling… and unfamiliar.

That was it: unfamiliar.

She had never really seen through him. Not once.

Li Zhicheng’s face popped up again in her mind. But this time, it wasn’t the glimpse of his silence on the train, it wasn’t the gentleness when he had given her a piggyback ride through the melted snow. It was his gaze, dark as a winter’s night, when he had been sitting beside her earlier tonight. He had been staring at her, his tone firm.

“What I want, I already see, and it’s just within reach.”

Chapter 23

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The winter sky in the morning appeared white, grey, and icy, leaving the broad industrial park looking extra cold and bleak.

The day after their first victory was nothing different for Li Zhicheng. As usual, he arrived at the office before 7:00 am.

At 7:00 am sharp, he sat on the couch, looked down at his watch, and then looked out at the cubicles outside the door.

Under the bright lighting, Lin Qian’s desk seemed clean and tidy; a tiny green succulent sat in the corner.

She hadn’t arrived yet.

Li Zhicheng slowly stood up, headed to the bookshelf, then took out an industry magazine, turning to a certain page. He walked back to the couch, leaving the magazine open on the coffee table.

He was waiting.

When it became 8:00 am, Lin Qian, who usually arrived around the same time as him, still wasn’t there yet. Again, Li Zhicheng looked up at her desk, then he looked down and kept on reading.

Until the working bell started ringing at 9:00 am, among a group of footsteps, he spotted the noise he was most familiar with heading to the cubicles. This was followed by more familiar noises of her actions, from taking off her jacket to sitting down and turning on the computer. Suddenly, the phone on her desk began ringing.

In a sweet and soft voice, she answered, “Hello, this is the President’s office.”

Li Zhicheng, who sat on the couch, looked up. Through the half-closed door he could see the side of her clear, pale face and her bright red lips.

He kept reading, but his eyebrows lifted softly.

Her voice and appearance suggested that she must have felt a lot better.

…

Hanging up the phone, Lin Qian stared at the reports awaiting Li Zhicheng’s signature. She became quiet for a few seconds.

She had actually gotten up pretty early this morning, but she had deliberately arrived late because she was just not feeling up to coming to work. The idea of getting along with each other alone for a couple of hours like they usually did felt a little odd.

Clearly, he was a wolf—perhaps even the most fierce and ruthless one she had met—why had she treated him like a sheep?

She sighed quietly. Why do I just want to storm in and give him a good scolding to his face?

Of course she wouldn’t really scold him. She even managed to put on her professional smile when picking up the documents, then quietly knocked on his door. But she couldn’t laugh with him as she had before—not anymore. A cheesy smile was all she could do.

Huh. Who did he think she was? Although his plan was justified, he shouldn’t have set her up too. Was she just an ordinary, simple individual to him?

Just when she was getting upset thinking about it, an opposite idea slipped into her head.

He had never deliberately tried to hide his talent and ability away from her throughout the whole plan. Despite dealing with him every day, she hadn’t noticed any clues at all. Were they even on the same level?

Stop it, what am I doing?

From now on, I need to be extra vigilant when facing this… unpredictable man.

She pushed the door open and looked up at Li Zhicheng sitting on the couch.

The warm sunshine appeared from behind the clouds, shining through the window, bringing a sweet orange light into the room. As usual, he was in his black trim suit and clean shirt. There was a hint of casualness in his silence as he sat with a nice posture with his hands resting on his knees. Hearing her footsteps, he looked up, his pitch-black eyes calm and peaceful.

Lin Qian’s heart skipped a beat the moment they made eye contact. Silly! She thought to herself. Take a look at him! The expression in his eyes, his posture—he’s clearly evil-minded. Why had she thought him a quiet, humble cat? A freaking cat and a wolf were completely different things—why hadn’t she been able to tell?

Although there were millions of thoughts going on in her head, her smile was getting more and more perfect. She passed over the documents, “President Li, this is the report from the IT department. And this is…”

Li Zhicheng took them. Their rapport was just as usual. She spoke simply, and he read carefully while commenting briefly. She wrote the things he said down in her notebook.

During the process. Lin Qian unconsciously looked up. She noticed how concentrated he was. Below his dark brows, the rich black lashes and tall nose were beautiful and serious, like a painting.

An idea that popped in her head made her realize that she had never really taken a serious look at him.

Soon, the procedure was finished. Picking up the documents, Li Qian was ready to leave—she even looked rushed. “Hold on.” Li Zhicheng’s voice was clear and unexpected.

Lin Qian paused, turning around with a smile. “President Li, do you need anything else?”

His head down and his eyes locked on the document, he patted the couch next to him. “Sit over here.”

Lin Qian could feel her heart racing again.

“Sit… over there?”

She started to imagine their hot, rugged kiss from the other day. The weirdly cool and clear feeling between his arms suddenly started to appear around her.

He seemed to have noticed her hesitation, and slowly looked up at her with his clear eyes.

“Last year’s review for top ten bags was in this magazine.” His fringes lighted tapped on the authoritative magazine from earlier. “An item from SMQ was also included in it.”

Lin Qian realized he wanted her advice.

She decided to play dumb.

Calmly, she walked over to him, but still deliberately kept a distance from him when she sat. Overlooking his focused gaze on her face, she picked up the magazine and began to read with all her attention.

She soon remembered that at some point in the past she had read this article. The authoritative magazine had come up with the top ten most popular bags in 2013 based on the reviews of their quality, appearance, value, sales, and reports from online users.

She was pretty surprised at the article because the top three were all from New Bori. Following were some bags from SMQ and other companies. The bag from Vinda, promoted by Aida, was ranked 8th. It was just that last year’s sales had done poorly.

Would Vinda make it in the top three next year?

Meanwhile, out of habit, Lin Qian picked up the report; based on her knowledge, she began explaining, “President Li, it was a casual-styled bag from New Bori that ranked at number one. As far as I know, the bag had already been released for three years, and the rank was all due to the stylish look, decent quality and affordable price. Ranking second was a professional outdoor sports bag from New Bori. It was quite unusual for a domestic company to design some quality outdoor gear. New Bori sold a lot of them, but they were also slightly pricey…”

In the middle of speaking, it suddenly hit her. What was she doing? Still taking him as that fearless and adventurous boss who needed advice? Considering how he had been able to easily manipulate SMQ, how come he had zero knowledge of this basic information?

What did he even need her for?

Glancing up, Lin Qian kept muttering to herself. She could see those long legs of his slightly crossed as he sat comfortably against the couch next to her, one of his arms resting on the arm rest behind her and the other one on the knee. She could still feel his gaze without looking up. It was like air, everywhere, shrouding her.

Immediately her face turned red.

This guy…

It quickly flashed in her head that he was a man with clear goals.

Her face was getting redder and redder just by thinking about it. Putting down the magazine quickly, she wanted to dash out of there. “President Li, that is all I know.”

After a brief silence, in his low voice right next to her he said, “You look red.”

She remained quiet for a little while, then looked up at him. “Yeah, maybe the flu is still lingering. I’ll sit further away so I don’t pass it on.” She was ready to leave immediately so as to avoid his unpredictable arms.

Surprisingly, her shoulder started to feel heavy the moment she moved. His hand was on it, pressing her down.

Lin Qian’s pulse pounded—this time she really was held under his arm.

The two gazed at each other. His handsome face was very close to hers, and the same hand still gripped her should tightly, making her unable to move around. Her small panicky image was reflected in his dark but distant eyes.

They didn’t talk. The heated air in the room steamed almost as much as his fingertips, leaving her face feeling burned. He just stared at her; she was surrounded by the couch and his figure, tall and slender.

Lin Qian’s heart pounded harder and harder. A voice emerged in her head, Why is he acting like this? Who courts this way? Quiet but intense. Why are you sure I’ll surrender?

The other voice in her head was cold and smirking. Lin Qian, are you sure he’s into you? It’s only the tip of the iceberg he’s shown you. You don’t even know what he’s up to. Aren’t you afraid of the consequences?

…

Lin Qian calmed down, looking at him sitting next to her. “President Li, I think this incident was Aida’s darkest hour before the dawn.”

Glancing at her, his eyes seemed to get heavier.

With her loud pulse, Lin Qian felt this was slightly unfair; there was panic in her but strange courage as well. She continued, “Although we’ve lost Ming Sheng, on the plus side, the outlook for SMG’s mid-range bag marketing is bright. God helps those who help themselves—it appears we’re still blessed.”

She felt calm telling Li Zhicheng this, and then she looked straight into his eyes.

He stared back without any change in emotion. The staring lasted for a while.

All of a sudden, Lin Qian started to feel like she was being absurd. He must have understood what she had said since he was so smart. Even though he might’ve figured out the hidden meaning, it didn’t mean she’d have to clarify anything. But today, for some reason, with her shoulder held down, she felt she had to.

With all the emotions she felt between her struggles, regrets, and impulses, the last thing she expected was Li Zhicheng to continue staring at her without revealing any emotion.

“Are you upset?” he quietly asked.

Lin Qian remained silent.

He considered her deeply for a moment, then quickly let go of her shoulder as well as shifted backwards, creating some distance between them for now.

Lin Qian was instantly relieved. But there was a touching sensation that seemed to linger in the shoulder he had just grabbed. She glared at him, unsure what to say.

Calm, he opened a book on the left corner of the desk. Lin Qian realized it was Master Sun’s The Art of War.

She was shocked.

He took out a piece of white paper from the book. He turned and then placed it in front of her. Lin Qian glanced at him—wasn’t this the piece of paper he had recorded his tactics on? The same powerful handwriting, just like before, that included, Pay someone back in his own coin, and Killing with a borrowed knife…

“I’ve never meant to hide anything from you,” he slowly said. “It was the situation.”

Lin Qian didn’t respond.

What was he doing? Offering her some explanation?

As such a complicated person, why was he being this honest?

Hmm…

As she was still silent, Li Zhicheng remained quiet for a little while. Looking straight at Master Sun’s The Art of War, he opened it quickly and steadily, taking out a folded note and turning to her.

“I wrote three copies. This is the second one.” Keeping the note in between his slender fingers, gazing at her with his clear eyes, he asked, “Wanna look?”

Chapter 24

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

It had still been winter when Lin Qian first arrived at Aida to start working one month ago. And Li Zhicheng had only just retired from the military.

Standing to the west of Lin City was the Luyuan Nursing Home, covered in a wintry landscape. Leaves on the trees behind the river had withered, and the water was chilly.

Xu Yong, the chairman of Aida, was staying in a house behind the river. It was sunny, and care workers and secretaries moved him to the grassland. Under the sunshine, Xu Yong was drinking a hot cup of tea.

After a short while, the guest the old man was expecting arrived.

The young man took off his military uniform. Even in casual outfits, he was still more strapping than others. His long silhouette cast itself on the luxuriantly green hill.

“Father.” He stood in front of Xu Yong’s wheelchair. Though already a grown man, he was still silent like when he was young, a calm and sophisticated stare on his face. Even his own father, who had been in the corporate world for decades, couldn’t figure out what he was thinking.

Xu Yong became a little sentimental, patted the bench beside him and said, “Sit.”

After exchanging pleasantries, Xu Yong learned that he had retired from the military, and had convinced his grandfather, who held a high position in the military, to allow him to go to the corporate world. Xu Yong’s heart leaped with joy.

As for Li Zhicheng, he asked the secretaries and care workers about his father’s health. After affirmatives that his father was in good shape, he just nodded his head without expressing much emotion.

Xu Yong was old after all. When a person got old, he got more carefree. All his interests and hopes were invested in his own son. He asked with a smile, “Why are you willing to come back and take over Aida?”

Li Zhicheng pushed the wheelchair under a tree where no one was around, and answered, “I made a pact with my big brother before he died.”

Xu Yong grieved at the mention of his first son who had died in a car accident three years ago. He knew that thanks to his divorce, the siblings had been separated since childhood. But they had always been very close. If there was someone who could open Li Zhicheng’s heart, it had been his big brother.

“A… pact?” Xu Zhen asked in a hoarse voice.

Li Zhicheng stood behind him. His cap covered his eyes and facial expression. He answered mildly but firmly, “If something happened to him, Aida would be my responsibility.”

That was why he had returned.

A gentleman’s agreement was a pact he must follow. Even though they were separated by death, and even though the path was fraught with difficulties. He just needed to conquer them all to fulfill the promise.

“I have three requirements,” Li Zhicheng said after both of them had been quiet for a while.

…

Xu Yong sat under the tree and started to contemplate.

His secretary, standing behind him, tried asking, “Chairman, are you worried?”

Xu Yong smiled. “No. Just caught up in some memories.”

He couldn’t help being emotional when thinking about the three strict conditions his son had brought up.

Although he was still his loyal, trustworthy son with filial piety, he had been trained well by his soldier grandpa. He was already a wolf to the core.

Perhaps he might be able to save Aida.

However, even though he had come back to fulfill his promise, just like a wolf, he would completely own and control Aida. Even his father wouldn’t be allowed to have a say in the future.

…

Under the sun, Li Zhicheng walked alongside the river with his cap lowered.

Fate was a marvelous thing. When he looked up, he saw a familiar lady standing under a tree nearby and looking in the other direction. She looked dazed.

Li Zhicheng’s first impression of Lin Qian was that she was a loud woman with a sweet voice. Coincidently, she worked for Aida, which meant she worked for him. That was why he had given her a hand.

Another impression of her was from the headquarters of Aida. He had heard Gu Yanzhi refer to her as someone who had applied to be the secretary of the last CEO, an unfortunate lady who was unwilling to leave and beaming in her photo.

But right now, she sorrowfully stood under the tree all by herself, trying to control her tears. She looked like an abandoned pet, silent, wronged but staunch.

There was only one road leading out of the nursing home. She walked in front of him slowly, and Li Zhicheng followed her quietly. He glanced at the empty suburb at dusk after seeing her get on a bus. Watching her sitting on the gloomy bus alone, he walked on after waiting for a while.

…

Present day in the president’s office; this was the day after Aida had succeeded in outflanking its competitors during the first battle.

“Do you want to read it?” Li Zhicheng asked mildly. He looked calm, and was difficult to read.

Of course Lin Qian wanted to read it. She wanted to read it so badly that she couldn’t keep her eyes from following the paper in his hands.

However, he was sitting completely still in front of her. Sunshine fell on his body, making his black suit and short hair glint. He put one hand on the coffee table in front of the sofa, and the other that held the paper on its backrest.

He stared at her. “If you want to read it,” he said slowly, “then come get it.”

Though he hadn’t said anything outrageous, Lin Qian blushed.

Why did it sound like he was implying that she needed to fall into his arms if she wanted to read it?

Lin Qian didn’t move; she stared at her hands, which were tightly squeezing her knees.

Yes, that’s exactly what he means.

If his next move was on that paper, then it was crucial information that concerned Aida’s multi-million dollar businesses in the future. He didn’t need to show it to her.

Unless she belonged to him.

Unless she chose to go to him.

He was candid, forthright and intense with his seducing. He couldn’t be more straightforward.

The blush deepened on Lin Qian’s face.

She lifted her head and stared at him quietly.

There was sophistication in his eyes, and he sat there like a statue.

Lin Qian remembered the night he had been sitting beside her silently, eating sweet potatoes with his hands moving forward and backward.

“Mr. Li,” she murmured calmly, “I’ve decided not to read it. I’ll let myself out if there’s no other business.”

She nodded at him, got up and walked to the door.

With a glimpse she could see him sitting still and staring at her. Just when she was about to walk out, she heard him call her name.

She stopped, turned her head around and smiled mildly, “Anything else?”

He watched her quietly. “That night was my first time kissing a woman.”

Lin Qian’s heart skipped a beat, but she didn’t say anything. Again, she heard his calm voice. “And the first time I really desired a woman.”

Lin Qian suddenly looked up at him.

Damn…

He’s professed his feelings!

After her dodging, instead of backing off, he’d become more outright.

Looking at his beautiful dark eyes, she felt like the whole place started to tremble with her intense heartbeat.

Okay… How am I supposed to answer?

…

The same morning, Chen Zheng sat in his office, completely dazed by Aida’s sales number that had just been reported by his subordinate.

It was a bit difficult for him to believe what was happening, but the facts were real. An assumption struck him, a whimsical guess—one that made him dismay.

In the end, he finally put the pieces together after remaining silent for a long time. His facial expression changed again and again, and eventually, he sneered.

His subordinate asked, “Mr. Chen, what should we do now?”

Chen Zheng grabbed the cup on his desk and threw it to the ground.

“‘What can we do?’ There’s nothing we can do now,” he answered contemptuously.

He looked up at the bright winter day outside the window.

What Li Zhicheng was targeting was clear to everyone who could think straight.

SMQ’s domination over the market of middle-end products had been severely challenged.

He made a promise to himself that he would definitely take it back when the Ming Sheng project was finished.

…

In the CEO’s office of New Bori, after hearing what his secretaries had to say about Aida, Ning Weikai staggered, and then smiled.

“You’re saying the spy we put in Aida has been arrested for changing the online data?” he asked in a whispery voice.

“Yes,” the secretary answered. “But we can’t confirm whether that’s his doing or not.”

Ning Weikai’s office desk shined with an incredibly dark luster. He sat behind it and flicked on his desktop. After a while, he smiled, looked up at his secretary and said, “Yuanjun, there’s competition now.”

His secretary, Yuan Jun, had been following Ning Weikai since the beginning of his career, so he understood immediately what he meant. He thought for a moment, nodded his head and said, “This Li Zhicheng is indeed something. But even if Aida builds its reputation, it’s still not New Bori’s rival. If he tries to compete with us, it’ll be like throwing an egg against a rock.”

Ning Weikai nodded his head. “Yes it will. But my expertise is in suppressing the weak and sparing no one and nothing.”

Yuan Jun gave him a weak smile and handed over the documents of everyone in Aida to him.

Ning Weikai read through them. The corners of his mouth curved up as he approached the end. “Lin Qian? The 25-year-old lady who graduated from the University of XX? The girl who looks sweet but is actually aggressive?”

“You know her, Mr. Ning?” Yuan Jun was a bit surprised.

Ning Weikai, who had his wits about everything, suddenly fell into silence, staring at the woman’s face for a long time before lifting his head.

“How could I not know her? She was my first love.” He beamed. “I completely broke her heart when we ended the relationship.”

Chapter 25

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

“And the first time I really desire a woman.”

After saying those words, Li Zhicheng raised his head and stared at Lin Qian.

As expected, her originally flushed face became even redder. Even her ears were tinted red. The usually-witty pair of eyes were now flickering and darting around the room in an attempt to avoid his gaze.

Li Zhicheng also fell silent for a moment. He languidly lifted his teacup and dipped his head to casually take a small sip.

It was needless to say that she had him in her heart. The night of the riot, after both of them had to deal with the rioters, she’d gazed at him with wet eyes that shined with many complicated feelings—some that she may not have fully wrapped her head around.

If a woman didn’t love a man, she would not gaze at him in such a way. Her gaze had sent his heart to the point of silent agitation.

He was determined to win her over. At this instant, however, after he had confessed his feelings, Li Zhicheng silently gazed at her blushing face as well as her tightly intertwined fingers resting in front of her. Even his normally-still heart that usually rested calmly in his chest was quickly beating.

His woman. She was probably the only woman in the world who could have such ownership of his heart.

But she was still hesitating. Hesitating about whether or not to come closer.

“Lin Qian.” He fixed his gaze on her and gently said, “Don’t hesitate.”

As expected, the moment he finished speaking, her expression became even more distressed. Her small white teeth bit gently on her lip and her face became as red as fire.

Just then, the phone in the separated cubicle behind her rang all of a sudden.

Then, Li Zhicheng caught Lin Qian’s face noticeably relax as if a huge stone had been lifted off her chest for a moment before she recovered and acted as if nothing had ever happened.

“President Li, I’ll go get the phone!” She guiltily cast him a quick glance before turning around and swiftly leaving, with her footsteps echoing away.

Li Zhicheng planted himself at the same spot without moving. His quiet and sharp gaze was constantly following wherever she went. He watched her beautiful side profile as she focused on her work outside.

A moment later, he cast his gaze down and slowly started to smile.

Loosening the reins would allow him to grasp her better. He could already see some hope for his success.

…

“Transfer application.”

Lin Qian typed those words onto the keyboard and then stared at them for a moment, at a complete loss. Then, she slammed the backspace key to delete them all.

She collapsed onto the table and sighed. Out of the corner of her eye, she looked into the office only to see the shadow of Li Zhicheng pressed onto the wall, which made her sigh again.

So early in the morning and her boss had decided to confess.

Now what should she do? In this small office, it was not uncommon for them to bump into each other.

Without a doubt she harbored feelings for Li Zhicheng, who was honest and had a fighting spirit. But those feelings alone were insufficient to make her simply agree to be his girlfriend. Moreover, he was no longer the person he had been before. She had yet to fully come to terms with it.

She felt very estranged from herself. A sort of empty kind of unfamiliarity, one that she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

Except why did she experience a distasteful feeling when she thought about this?

At that moment, the phone on the table rang again.

Unexpectedly, the phone call that had basically saved her life earlier was from a shareholder.

Aida was not a listed company but its shares were clear. Li Zhicheng’s family was definitely the biggest shareholder and hence the main decision maker in the company. Apart from that, the other portions of the shares were distributed among other managerial personnel and some of the veterans. The person who had just made the call was a retired shareholder with a small portion on hand. He also used to be one of the chairman’s best buddies This was the first time Lin Qian received a call from someone of such a high profile.

He wanted to meet Li Zhicheng, and at the same time asked about the sales garnered by the online flagship store. When one read between the lines, it appeared that he was very concerned as to whether or not he would receive a payout.

Lin Qian understood immediately. For the longest time, Aida had barely scraped by. Now it was finally making a comeback right before the eyes of many. Hence, the relevant parties who would benefit would naturally hear of the news. Lin Qian did not dare to agree so easily. She estimated that there was a greater than 50-percent chance that Li Zhicheng would not meet with this shareholder, and thus did not commit to any of the possibilities.

This current call had also surprised her quite a fair bit.

It was a call from the sales manager of a large district in the Eastern Region. People like him, who were in charge of the sales of over ten stores in a large district, were very talented.

“Assistant Lin, a few of our large district managers would want to meet with President Li in person,” he laughed without humor. “The online store has currently established prices that are very low. Business was hard before, but doing it now will be impossible. What should we do?”

…

Upon hanging up, Lin Qian took down the crux of the two phone calls. She took a deep breath before looking at the President’s office with the door slightly ajar. Then, she stood up and walked over.

Li Zhiqiang was already seated behind the large table and lifted his head upon hearing her footsteps. He stared at her silently with his dark piercing eyes.

Before Lin Qian could say anything, her face automatically heated up under his gaze.

Damn… She silently cursed in her heart. Keeping her eyes on his shoulders, she avoided his gaze and said, “President Li, there were two calls that came in just now…” She placed the note with the important details from the call in front of him, simultaneously giving him a brief explanation. Following that, she simply remained silent and waited for his decision.

Sure enough, as she had expected, Li Zhicheng fell silent for a moment before his calm voice said, “No meeting.”

“Alright.” She gave a straightforward reply and her mind wandered quickly. In Aida’s original state of hopelessness, Li Zhicheng had taken over the reins at the crucial moment with backbreaking effort and a series of bold decisions. However, this company involving thousands of people was bigger than it seemed, and relationships between beneficiaries were complex. Him winning this segment did not equate to a revival of the company, and more importantly did not equate to him having firm control of the company. Even though there was new hope, even the slightest carelessness could make it all amount to nothing. And by then all his efforts would have gone to waste.

Lin Qian could not help but lift her head to take a look at his silent demeanor.

Even with his initial victory, the road ahead would not be easy.

Wait, what was she thinking? She was seriously still treating him as the man with insufficient experience, unconsciously feeling pity for him and thinking on his behalf.

Pfft… He doesn’t need it in the least bit.

“Is there anything else?” His clear, low voice rolled over her once again.

Lin Qian was startled, realizing that she had zoned out in his presence for too long.

She didn’t even have to look up to feel his gaze on her. It was as pervasive as oxygen, enveloping her from all directions. That question, “Is there anything else?” seemed to have a hidden meaning, which caused her heart to tense up.

The entire office was seemingly engulfed in his strong, cold aura, sinking it into an ambiguous atmosphere.

With her flushed face on display, Lin Qian lifted her head and looked at him.

He also looked at her silently with those dark black eyes of his. As usual, those eyes were so deep that she couldn’t see into their depths.

Lin Qian maintained a strong gaze. Her voice, however, became as weak as a mosquito’s. “President Li, I am personally not planning on entering a relationship right now. Sorry.”

Chapter 26

Ten minutes later.

Lin Qian rested her chin on her hand, glued her eyes to the screen, seemingly preoccupied and focused.

Her ears were, however, involuntarily listening for any sound stirring in the room next door.

The sound of her boss standing up, pacing around the room. The sound of him sitting down again, typing on his keyboard. Rustling sounds… him flipping through some documents…

Everything sounded normal, very productive even. Not a trace of frustration nor sudden change in emotion, common symptoms in a lovesick person.

Lin Qian breathed a sigh of relief.

On second thought, she was definitely worrying for no reason! People like him must be good at controlling their emotions and feelings. Or perhaps, even though unrequited in love, romance for him in general was not a priority. One could figure this out from another specimen his species, Lin Mochen.

But Lin Qian was a little restless; mouse in hand, she clicked aimlessly on the screen.

When it comes to relationships, it’s not like rejecting him or not loving him makes you the winner and you can rejoice without any worry. It always takes two to work at a relationship; it’s also a double-edged sword.

Right after she had finished the line, Lin Qian wanted to bite her tongue off. Why had her tone sounded guilty and foolish, like a student admitting her mistake to the teacher?

Then, she had seen him sitting behind his office desk, expressionless as before, staring at her using his dark, deep eyes. He had kept staring at her. His gaze had made her feel uncomfortable.

She had lowered her head, avoiding his gaze; she’d come up with an excuse and left the room.

“What are you thinking about that you are so absorbed?” a familiar voice rang.

Lin Qian was surprised; she looked up. Gu Yanzhi and Xue Mingtao were standing in front of her. She didn’t know how long they had been there.

She immediately collected her thoughts, smiling. “Mr. Gu, Mr. Xue, is there anything I can help you with?”

Gu Yanzhi smiled without a word; he seemed refreshed. Also smiling, Xue Mingtao said, “Where’s your coat? Aren’t you coming?”

Lin Qian paused momentarily; only then did she notice that both of them were in coats, and Xue Mingtao had an office bag in his hand, ready to leave. Before she could respond, she heard steady footsteps walking over to them. Li Zhicheng’s deep voice rang out. “She is going.”

Lin Qian froze for a moment, then she quickly stood up, tried to look normal, turned and said with a smile, “Mr. Li.”

She was surprised.

Li Zhicheng had his coat on, still the same black coat that made him look tall and cool. Beneath his short hair, his dark eyes were indifferent; his gaze paused on her for a while, his deep voice ordering, “Grab your coat. We’re going out.”

Nothing peculiar, expressionless as before. He looked just the same as usual. In contrast with the dominance and enthusiasm shown in the office just now, he felt like a different person.

“Okay,” Lin Qian replied. She turned off her computer, put on her coat, and followed after the three of them to the elevator.

The car cruised steadily on the ring road.

Xue Mingtao was the driver; Lin Qian was in the passenger seat as usual.

Today’s sales were still rising; therefore, Xue Mingtao was chatting happily with the two bosses while driving. Gu Yanzhi was obviously in a good mood too; he even teased Li Zhicheng, saying that he should treat them.

Lin Qian, sitting in front, could see Li Zhicheng out of the corner of her eyes. He sat straight up, unperturbed. When faced with Gu Yanzhi’s teasing, he chipped in a few words as a response. Not sure if she was overthinking, Lin Qian felt like his voice was especially low today, and his cold and composed aura filled the car. Occasionally when he raised his head to look in front, Lin Qian could feel his clear and keen gaze silently land on her.

An unsettling feeling washed over her, so she was quieter than usual.

But her silence drew attention from the others.

Xue Mingtao turned the car into a brand new industrial zone, glancing at Lin Qian at the same time. “Lin, why are you so quiet today? Still feverish?”

Lin Qian realized she hadn’t said a word since she had gotten into the car. Today was the joyous day after their first triumph in battle, so her silence was indeed abnormal.

As soon as Xue Mingtao finished speaking, she could feel the gaze of both men in the back seat settle on her. She instantly pulled out a bright smile. “A little.”

She just wanted to get by the question with a vague answer, but it happened that the traffic light turned red, so the car stopped. Xue Mingtao turned to her, looking concerned. “Show me your tongue?”

“Huh?” Lin Qian said.

Xue Mingtao was over forty; he thought highly of her after their first battle, so he treated her like a dear sister. Seeing her stunned, he chuckled, “I used to practice traditional Chinese medicine. Let me examine your tongue and your throat.”

“Oh.” Lin Qian turned towards him, opening her mouth and sticking out her tongue. “Ahh.”

When she darted her eyes from this angle she could see Li Zhicheng sitting straight up in his seat, both hands on his knees, revealing the white cuffs beneath his coat. He was staring at her; his gaze was similar to when he had confessed to her in the morning, bright and piercing.

Lin Qian was taken aback by his stare. Her tongue was still out. Suddenly her face reddened. She quickly closed her mouth shut, tilted her head aside, avoiding his gaze.

Don’t let him see.

Confused, Xue Mingtao gave her a look, “Why are you suddenly dodging… It looks fine, there should be no inflammation. It’s just odd that your face is red. Do you have a fever?” As he spoke, he put his palm over her forehead.

And so Lin Qian could sense more intensely that Li Zhicheng’s stare was fixed on her face once again, pausing at the spot touched by Xue Mingtao.

Lin Qian continued to blush. Xue Mingtao was nagging her to drink more water and such, but she wasn’t listening.

Godd*mnit… what is this?

She had already rejected him. But right now, why did the interaction between both of them give the… the illusion that she was already his? Her every move seemed to be locked under his gaze. And it was strange that she automatically filtered out other people, only caring about his actions.

Could it be… Li Zhicheng’s aura and presence were too dominant?

The car stopped at a new industrial zone not far away from Aida Group.

It was almost noon. The brand-new, large, grey office building area was bathed in sunlight. The compound was filled with green plants; the scenery tranquil and picturesque. Lin Qian was aware that this area had been built with the investment from the state government, and was for sale or for rent. Because it was still very new, only a few blocks had been built, the company’s sign hanging on them. There was not a single person in the area.

What are they doing here? Most of Aida’s industrial zone was still left abandoned and unattended; a portion of it had been mortgaged to the bank.

The three men were tall so they walked fast. Lin Qian was trotting behind them. As they were walking, Xue Mingtao introduced the area to the two bosses in a low voice; Li Zhicheng, leading in front, didn’t look at her or speak to her.

Finally, they entered a white three-story building. Contrasted with the classic nineties design of Aida’s main office, the layout here was clean, elegant, and modern, using black and white as the base tone.

Lin Qian looked around. Suddenly a thought popped into her head: this place had been designed and decorated based on Li Zhicheng’s preference.

She lifted her gaze to look at Li Zhicheng. Hands in his pants pockets, he was overlooking the surrounding area.

Why does he want to buy or rent a new office? What is he trying to do?

But they didn’t explain, so she kept the question to herself. The four of them visited every room one by one; most of the time Gu Yanzhi was the only person nitpicking, commenting on the interior design. Li Zhicheng only pointed out one or two alterations to be made. Xue Mingtao readily promised that after this he would ask the workers to make changes accordingly.

Once in a while, when Li Zhicheng turned around to walk out of a room, he would come face to face with her. She would avert her gaze, acting dumb by not staring at his eyes. His side profile was calm; his steps steady. He would walk past her like normal.

Lin Qian slowly calmed down with his calm demeanor. Yup, that’s right. Back to the status of boss and assistant. That’s very good.

She actually still very much preferred to work alongside him.

The south wing on the third floor of the area was obviously reserved for the administrators. The space was segmented into small rooms; the interior design was more delicate too. When they reached one of the rooms that faced south, Lin Qian paid extra attention to it. This was because the room was decorated with warm colors. Even the office desk strayed from the regular black color of the desks in the other rooms; instead, it was a bright and clean beige color. The glass window on the side was carved into beautiful geometrical shapes. The whole room looked refreshing and stylish.

When Gu Yanzhi entered this room, he smiled without saying a word. He didn’t nitpick on anything either. Xue Mingtao looked around, nodding. “I feel like this room is the best. In terms of the direction it’s facing, design, and style.” After he finished speaking he looked at Lin Qian with a smile.

Lin Qian paused momentarily. Is he hinting for her to comment as well?

Before she could speak, Li Zhicheng, initially standing alone quietly in front of the desk, turned around and looked at her too. His voice was distant and flat. “What do you think?”

Lin Qian stared straight into his dark eyes.

Finally… he speaks to me again. She replied with a smile, “I think it’s quite good.”

He didn’t say anything else, turning to look at the other side.

Lin Qian understood. Was it possible that this office was being prepared for an incoming female manager?

Who would that person be? Enough for Li Zhicheng to take notice of the design, and even speaking to her to ask for her opinion.

Lin Qian, with a stomach full of questions, followed behind them as they left the area.

When they reached Aida, Xue Mingtao sent the two bosses upstairs. Then he asked Lin Qian to accompany him to look for the contractor to convey the changes discussed just now. Lin Qian gladly agreed. She didn’t want to go back to the office to face Li Zhicheng. It would be better if they could give each other some time to cool off.

While they were on their way, Lin Qian finally couldn’t hold it in anymore and asked, “Mr. Xue, the new office that we saw today—what’s it going to be used for?”

Xue Mingtao looked at her, surprised. “You don’t know yet? I figured Mr. Li had told you since he asked you to go check out the office as well.” He smiled, lowering his voice. “Very soon Mr. Li will separate the hot-selling Vinda out to form a new subsidiary company. The relationship between Vinda and Aida will become investor and debtor. As for the rest, you can witness it yourself.”

Lin Qian was dumbfounded.

So, that was how it was.

In the morning she had still been worried that Vinda would be dragged down by the mess of Aida Group. She’d been worried about how Li Zhicheng would be able to control the company. However, looking at the new office today, it seemed like Li Zhicheng was not only focused on the marketing war with other companies, but he was preparing to rectify the situation in the company as well.

Now that they had seized victory outside, he had started to take drastic measures to control the inside. Step by step, each step interconnected, carefully planned with every conceivable possibility taken into account.

Exactly how shrewd is this man?

When Lin Qian returned to the office again, it was already past 7:00 pm.

She first went to the IT department to inquire about today’s sales. After receiving a surprising result, her mood brightened. Even the trace of gloominess caused by her incident with Li Zhicheng had gone with the wind.

But the aura of her boss was impeccable. When she stepped out of the elevator and set foot on the top floor, it only took her a glance at his half-closed office door from afar to get anxious again.

They were both adults. There wasn’t anything embarrassing about working together now, right?

He would not stare at her again with that rattling gaze, right?

When she moved closer, she saw someone in her seat. It was a familiar face, Yang Xiru, her subordinate from the CEO office.

Lin Qian walked towards her, smiling. “What’s up? Looking for me?”

Yang Xiru immediately stood up; the smile on her face was lovely and compliant. “Miss Lin, I am here to familiarize myself first. If you have any orders, feel free to assign them to me first.”

Lin Qian was puzzled. “What are you familiarizing yourself with?”

Yang Xiru was surprised too. She replied, “CEO assistant’s duties.”

She was a smart girl; seeing that Lin Qian’s expression didn’t look right, she immediately lowered her voice, answering truthfully, “Miss Lin, I received a call from Mr. Li an hour ago saying that you’ll be transferred to another department soon. He asked me to get ready to be the CEO’s assistant.”

Before Lin Qian could speak, a familiar bass voice called from inside the room. “Lin Qian, come in.”

Yang Xiru made a face at her, but Lin Qian couldn’t smile. She pushed the door open, walked in, and locked the door.

When she raised her head and saw Li Zhicheng sitting on the sofa, calm and collected, a thought flashed through her mind.

Because of the incident this morning he’s transferring me away?

Indeed, as superior and subordinate, this method was the best solution for them. Hadn’t she thought of applying for a transfer in the morning as well?

But her resigning was one matter. Him transferring her away was another.

His feelings for her, as it turned out, could only last for a day. Once he’d been rejected, he was going to immediately send her away?

“Sit.” He calmly looked at her, his demeanor cold and handsome as usual. But his gaze was not as sharp and deep as it had been in the morning; it was peaceful like it normally was.

Lin Qian sat down quietly.

Li Zhicheng pushed a document on the table towards her. Lin Qian glanced at the cover page: “Dismissal Agreement.”

This came way too suddenly. Lin Qian tried to settle her nerves. She couldn’t believe it, but the paper was right in front of her.

She didn’t even bother flipping through the dismissal agreement. Pride rushed through her. She stared at him across the table, glaring at him. “Is it because of what happened this morning?”

Her tone was harsh. Li Zhicheng’s eyes darkened, staring at her slightly reddened cheeks.

After a moment, his pair of unfathomable eyes flickered with amusement. He looked down, reached out, and opened the dismissal agreement for her.

“What are you thinking?” he asked lightly. “Do you think I would let you go?”

Lin Qian’s heart quivered. She couldn’t care to figure out whether his words had a hidden meaning. Instead she bent her head to read the content of the dismissal agreement. It was written on the first page: “Due to Lin Qian voluntarily offering to work at Vinda company, this agreement has been made between her and Aida Group, and the contract of employment shall be terminated…”

Lin Qian blinked. Vinda company? The new subsidiary company mentioned by Xue Mingtao? The new office visited by them today? So soon? Her anger vanished, replaced with confusion and curiosity.

“Look at the back.” Li Zhicheng’s words were succinct.

Lin Qian flipped to the back; it turned out there was a copy of the new employment contract attached. She opened it and she was shocked again.

“Lin Qian… Assistant CEO…”

CEO’s assistant, Assistant CEO. The titles merely differed in sequence, but the ranking varied tremendously. Assistant CEO was genuinely a high-ranking position, usually managing a few departments.

Lin Qian stared at this title, her heart beating fast. A phrase popped up in her head: a meteoric rise to fame.

No wonder he had brought her along to see the office today. No wonder they had asked for her opinion of the office.

That office… could it have possibly been prepared for her?

She was speechless for a while.

Apparently noticing the hesitation in her heart, Li Zhicheng said calmly, “This delegation has nothing to do with love. From now on, you take charge.”

His concise words, as usual, caused Lin Qian to feel a sudden gush of blood pulsing through her veins.

Yes—if it were for love he would keep her close, not let her go. He was not someone who would let a relationship impair his judgment and career.

Since this was unrelated to love, then it was due to her ability and outstanding achievement. Lin Qian’s ability was indeed strong; furthermore, she had contributed greatly in this battle.

So, he really wanted to let her go out and take charge?

Lin Qian stood up, holding the contract of employment; her expression was more serious than it had ever been. “Mr. Li, I will definitely do my best. I will not disappoint you.”

Li Zhicheng sat on the sofa, both hands on his knees, staring at her. “I will never be disappointed in you.”

That night for Lin Qian was a sleepless night. Her thoughts roamed.

As for Li Zhicheng, he spent the night sitting in the quiet office, setting up a Go game, and inviting someone over for a match.

He’d grown up with his grandfather and had long been trained to play Go. He was the one behind intentionally releasing the antique Go manual into the market for Chen Zheng. Other than to lure him in, he had also gained Mr. Kang as his Go-mate. The effort had been worth it.

But looking at Aida, only Liu Tong, deputy CEO and veteran, was worthy of playing against him.

Liu Tong gladly accepted his invitation. The two of them sat facing the lonely moon outside the window, playing Go in silence.

After they ended a round, Liu Tong chuckled, “Zicheng, I’ve had five matches with you so far, and I’ve lost all five of them. However, today is rare because, for once, I see a chance of winning.” He glanced at Li Zhicheng. “Today you are a little impatient and distracted. Isn’t the online flagship store a success?”

Li Zhicheng paused for a moment, replying slowly, “An unrequited pursuit results in impatience and distraction. One should resist the temptation, toughen his nature, and slowly lay out the scheme.”

Liu Tong was stunned. He took a stone and set it down gently, saying flatly, “Never regret decisions made.”

…

A month later.

…

Tomorrow was the Lunar New Year’s eve. The office had a joyous atmosphere. Lin Qian, in a business suit and high heels, first went to inspect the customer service department. After ensuring that everything was normal and the sales were increasing steadily, she motivated the workers and then left feeling pleased.

After that she went to the IT department. This was not a department she managed, but it was one of the core departments in the company who worked closely with her. After chatting and exchanging New Year’s pleasantries with the IT department manager, she then turned around and returned to her office on the third floor.

It was almost time to leave work. After tomorrow they would start their long holiday. The hallways were packed with workers hastily walking around; when they saw Lin Qian, they would smile and nod. “Manager Lin!””Hello, Manager Lin!””Manager Lin, happy new year!”

Lin Qian would nod in acknowledgment to each and every one of them.

It feels good to be a leader. She was like a fish in water; the person who chose her for this position had chosen the right person for the right job.

Outside the window, the tree branches had started budding; the chilly air was no longer as frigid and bitter as it was during winter. Lin Qian stared at the spring scenery and her heart sighed with emotion.

Since the day she had received the employment contract, her work focus had shifted to preparing the new “Vinda” subsidiary company. She had slowly gotten to know more insider’s news as well. For example, before taking over Aida, Li Zhicheng had negotiated with his father that he would exchange the ten percent of Aida’s share in his hand with the ownership of the brand “Vinda.” At the time, since Vinda had been selling terribly overseas, all the shareholders had agreed without giving a second thought.

Chapter 27

Li Zhicheng, Li Zhicheng—what a sophisticated man he was.

For the past month, this man had been unrelentingly revealing his capability. Not only did he separate Vinda from Aida Group to become its main brand, he also totally restructured Aida Group. After gaining a firm foothold in online sales, Li Zhicheng, along with Gu Yanzhi and Liu Tong, immediately implemented a new organizational structure.

The bulky, complex, and redundant organizational structure of Aida was completely broken down. In the headquarters, only core functions such as production, procurement, and post-sales customer service were left. In addition, the headquarters also took control of all sales networks. Each of the product lines and brands became their own business divisions, and each was responsible for their own strategic planning, budgeting, and accounting—this was similar to the relationship between Vinda and Aida.

All the adjustments were announced one night and then executed the next day. The decisions were final and the execution allowed no chance for changes or rejections.

The internal management issues Lin Qian had previously been worried about, such as incapability, redundant employment and disconnection from the market, were resolved by Li Zhicheng’s bold and decisive move. For the division leaders who were incompetent, if they could not bring in profit, there would not be enough to pay their own salary, and they would have no choice but to leave. On the other hand, for the competent and creative leaders who were able to bring in new ideas and profit to Aida, they were promised with attractive bonuses and profit-sharing by Li Zhicheng.

“To resist foreign aggression there must be internal stability.” At such a critical time, it was necessary to use unusual methods. If “stabilizing the company” was Li Zhicheng’s second move of his overall strategy, then Lin Qian had to say it had started to show its positive impact. During the restructuring of Aida Group, the originally dull and spiritless Aida had regained vitality and inspiration. What was more, during this process, Li Zhicheng had also obtained the absolute control of his company.

And Li Zhicheng, this handsome, cold and ruthless CEO, had quickly earned his reputation among all the staff. When speaking of their boss, everyone was full of awe. Rumor had it that some of the young female employees called themselves “Lychee” and had formed a club dedicated to supporting Li Zhicheng, just like some fans would do for their favorite celebrities.

The new Vinda company was established ten days ago, with Xue Mingtao being the president and the IT manager from Aida being the vice president. Lin Qian, as the assistant president, was responsible for the customer services center, along with office administration, human resources and finance.

The new company had a brand-new atmosphere. Sales in the online store remained high, and the internal management system was both simple and effective. This new company with several hundreds of staff members had become the biggest point of profit for Aida.

Lin Qian returned to her office humming. Upon arrival, she noticed that some employees looked abnormal. They all seemed terrified and quiet, but also a bit excited.

Lin Qian’s heart skipped a beat. One of the employees stood up and whispered, “Ms. Lin, Mr. Li’s here. He’s in your office.”

Lin Qian stood in front of her office, knocked on the office door gently, and didn’t open the door until she heard that familiar and deep voice said, “Come in.”

Sunshine quietly cast itself into the room. Li Zhicheng was sitting in her chair with his back to her and looking at the sunset through the window.

Lin Qian had seen him quite a few times in the past month. However, they met mostly during work occasions, with Lin Qian participated in reporting or discussion as one of his subordinates. Sometimes she could only catch a glimpse of his calm and solemn face across the crowd.

She was now accustomed to looking up at him like everyone else did. The honest and reserved man she had once thought him to be had completely vanished. The Li Zhicheng was now no longer a stranger because this was what he truly was.

She seldom thought of him due to her own busy schedule. Only when looking at the soft tone of the curtain and the geometric shapes of the window after a long day of excessive work could did she remember that this office had been specially designed for her by him.

Who would have expected a cold man like him to be so attentive to a woman?

Lin Qian sometimes felt a little guilty about the situation. He had planned on professing his feelings for her and taking her to the new office without expecting her rejection. She had actually been very cruel in a way.

Every time she thought of this, she would tell herself, It’s already over. Now I’m his right hand, entrusted with imperative tasks. I need to be more hardworking. Just be more hardworking.

Lin Qian sat down across from him and smiled. “Mr. Li, what brings you here today?” she asked in a tone that could not be more polite or formal.

When Li Zhicheng turned around to look at her, however, the atmosphere changed. He was sitting several feet in front of her; the image looked almost the same as a month ago when he would sit in the chair in his office next door to her every day. She looked at his statuesque body, nicely-tailored suit, and slender hands on the armrest of the chair. His slightly high cheekbones marked a handsome face that was delicately contoured. When he turned and looked at her, Lin Qian saw his dark eyes, his face, and his strong neck—her heart missed a beat. She felt like an oasis had suddenly grown in an arid, unsettled land.

Sometimes, only when a person sat in front of you, when you could clearly see his face, could you realize that the impact and feeling he brought to you had always been there, regardless how long you hadn’t seen him.

“I’m here to check the sales at Vinda,” he said in a low voice, turning through some of the financial statements on Lin Qian’s desk.

“Sure. Perhaps allow me to brief you?”

“Okay.”

The two people sat very still in the quiet room. As Lin Qian spoke she could hear people’s footsteps and conversations from outside. The vat of goldfish on her shelf swam dreamily back and forth.

Lin Qian couldn’t help glancing at him.

It seemed that he’d just had a haircut, and his forehead was showing. Lin Qian had noticed before that his eyes were slightly larger than other men’s, deeply-set and pure. But now he looked a bit weary. Was it because he’d been too busy the past few weeks? She could even smell mild alcohol on him, and the way he sat in the chair seemed more languid and uncalculated than usual. Had there been a luncheon he’d needed to go to? Although he was the leader of a large corporation, it was still necessary for him to engage in business entertainment with government officials and important partners. It was hard to picture what he was like during these types of events.

Lin Qian finished reporting after a short while. “Mr. Li, this is the current situation. Do you have any instructions?”

“No.” He was still skimming the documents without any expression.

Lin Qian stared at him blankly.

Nothing? If there’s nothing, why did you, as the CEO, choose to come to my office instead of the president’s or the vice president’s office?

She was guessing that Li Zhicheng had come to her office to specifically assign her some confidential tasks.

They silently sat facing each other.

Even though he focused on the documents instead of making conversation, she could still feel his innate detachment.

Lin Qian couldn’t sit still. Noticing the glass in front of her boss was empty, she started to stand. “I’ll fill you up.”

“No need,” Lin Zhicheng interrupted without even lifting his head. “I’m a bit tired and it would be great if you could just sit there and spend some time with me.”

A bit tired and spend some time with me.

Lin Qian paused, dazed for a moment. She suddenly felt flushed and something else that she hadn’t felt in a long time.

She’d always believed there was nothing going on between the two of them after she had rejected him. What had happened between them was already in the past tense. However, this casual comment made her feel that the possibility of a relationship between them was not over yet.

The good thing was that Lin Qian had followed his instruction to lead a division of dozens of people alone, which had made her much more mature. She calmed herself down quickly.

Take things as they come. She continued quietly sitting across from him as he went through the documents.

After half an hour, she became a bit bored, and her mind started to wander. Ancient people talked about how it was much better to read with a beauty sitting beside them. Does he think it’s nice to read through these boring documents with me by his side?

Stop the nonsense! What are you thinking?

In what way was she more mature? She thought she had been a confident “ruler” in her own turf. However, now the real “emperor” had come, and with one sentence had made her lose all her usual calmness. Li Qian was unsettled.

Lin Qian was the type of person to put in extra effort when encountering difficulties; but whenever she was unsettled, she would try to find a disguise. That was why she tried to find a topic of conversation. “Mr. Li, how’s the headquarters doing now?”

She apparently picked the right topic. Li Zhicheng put down the documents and looked up at her. “Yesterday, the adjustments of the organizational structure and personnel in the corporation were finalized.” He spoke with a rare smile on his face.

Great! Lin Qian thought. This meant Li Zhicheng had completely finished internal consolidation and had resolved the biggest challenge.

Just when she was about to enthusiastically compliment him, she noticed that Li Zhicheng was staring at her with his quiet and dark eyes. Then he suddenly changed the topic. “So now I can focus on pursuing my other goals.”

Lin Qian nodded. “Yes, so that we can…” Before she finished, she realized what he’d said.

Pursuing other goals?

Li Qian’s cheeks flushed red—bright red.

Was she too sensitive and overthinking things?

No matter how she tried to interpret what he said, it sounded like a “redeclaration of war.” Was he implying that since he’d already taken full control of the situation in Aida, he now had the capacity to deal with her?

In the middle of Lin Qian’s jittery discomfort, he picked up a document on the desk as if he’d just said nothing. He pointed at a set of data and started to ask for the details.

Lin Qian hesitated.

Perhaps he was just referring to work?

She calmed herself down and started to explain the data to him carefully.

After a while, someone knocked at the door.

It was Jiang Yuan, Li Zhicheng’s new secretary, who had been transferred from the marketing department. When Lin Qian had left Aida, his secretary had been Yang Xiru, put in place by Gu Yanzhi. However, at some point Yang Xiru had been replaced by this new guy.

Lin Qian felt relieved with a third person present. Although Jiang Yuan was young, he was kind and capable. He took two tickets out of the folder and put them on the desk. “Mr. Li, these are the tickets from Mr. Kang at Ming Sheng Group. They’re for the New Year’s Eve’s tea party in Rong Ya Guildhall tomorrow.” He hesitated. “Are you going? I’ll arrange transportation in advance if you are.”

“Just put them here,” Li Zhicheng said evasively. Jiang Yuan smiled at Lin Qian, walked out and closed the door.

Li Zhicheng went on reading the document without even glancing at the tickets. In contrast, Lin Qian couldn’t help moving her attention to them. Rong Ya Guildhall was the most famous place to go in Lin City. Situated deep inside the ancient and tranquil town, it provided the best dining and traditional opera performances in southwestern China. It was difficult to get a ticket even for their regular shows. Lin Qian had gone there several times before and she couldn’t love it more if she tried. This annual New Year’s Eve tea party was extremely exclusive. The ticket numbers also indicated they were for the VIP box, which made them even more tempting.

She hadn’t expected Mr. Kang from Ming Sheng Group to give these to Li Zhicheng. It seemed they were still on good terms.

Just when she was still lost in thought, she heard a cool voice ask, “Do you want to go?”

Lin Qian was startled; she lifted her head and looked at him.

Li Zhicheng also stared at her.

“I played Go with Mr. Kang for five hours yesterday and won these two tickets.” He spoke as though it were not at all a big deal. “Do you want to go with me?”

Lin Qian’s heart started to pound at a swift pace. She was rendered silent for quite a while. Maybe because of her silence, Li Zhicheng said, “Don’t overthink it. Just go if you want to. Treat it as an end-of-the-year bonus for my deputy.”

Lin Qian flushed even more hearing the completely ordinary word “deputy.” He spoke with indifference, as if he were actually talking to “Deputy” Lin Qian instead of “Miss” Lin Qian.

She luckily didn’t need to make a choice. She lowered her head and said, “Thank you, Mr. Li. I would love to go to this tea party, but I’ve already booked a ticket for tonight. I’m going to America the spend New Year’s.”

That evening, silver moonlight spilled over the decorated Lin City. Everyone was preparing for the Chinese New Year’s Eve.

It was 8:00 pm when Li Zhicheng arrived at the nursing home. His secretary, Jiang Yuan, followed him and carried the presents he’d bought for the chairman.

Xu Yong was exhilarated when he saw his son. He knew that Li Zhicheng was radically restructuring the Group. He was both thankful for the success and a little saddened by the changes. He remembered the three conditions that Li Zhicheng had put in place when he had agreed to take over the company. The first condition Li Zhicheng had placed was to trade shares for Vinda. The second one was that nobody would be allowed to interfere with the affairs of the corporation—including his father.

They both sat on the patio, a pot of tea in front of them and moonlight pooling on the ground.

“I’m so happy to see that you’ve revived Aida. I’m not going to make further comments because there’s still a long and difficult path ahead of you. Be even more careful when experiencing prosperity. The leaders from New Bori and SMQ are both handfuls.”

“I know that,” Li Zhicheng said.

“Have you figured out the next step?” Xu Yong asked.

Li Zhicheng nodded his head.

Xu Yong’s interest was piqued. “What’re you going to do?”

As usual, Li Zhicheng was not willing to share. He answered in a low voice, “You’ll see.”

Xu Yong studied him with a smile. How he’d feinted an attack before actually attacking the competition had amazed everyone with experience in the industry.

Now judging from his plain language—which sounded unwavering and decisive—he couldn’t help picturing the bloody war his son was about to wage.

However, his son was an extremely reserved person. Nobody could tell what he was thinking unless he planned to give it away. Xu Yong smiled while sighing, “You can’t even tell your own father? Okay, just forget it. Let me ask you this: are you going to tell your wife after you get married?”

All parents worried about their children’s marriage, including Xu Yong. His son had just achieved something remarkable in his career and was in his twenties. As a father, Xu Yong brought the topic up naturally—he didn’t Li Zhicheng was going to answer him. However, Li Zhicheng remained silent for a moment, thought of something, and then broke into a rare smile.

Xu Yong was astonished, and asked immediately, “What are you thinking about? Do you have a girlfriend?”

Li Zhicheng looked up at the moon and answered, “I was going to tell her the entire plan.”

“And then?”

“She didn’t want to know,” Li Zhicheng murmured.

After a moment of complete shock, Xu Yong burst into laughter. He patted his son’s shoulder and said, “You’re saying you still haven’t got her yet. What’re you going to do?”

Li Zhicheng, calm once again, lowered his head and glanced at his watch. “Dew turned to frost tonight, and the moon is brighter. Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve. This might be my chance since she’s going abroad for the holiday.”

Xu Yong was a bit lost. Li Zhicheng said, “I’m not spending New Year’s Eve with you. I’ve booked a ticket to America—I’m flying in two hours.”

Chapter 28

For most people, this New Year’s Eve was nothing special.

Ning Weikai was still with his wife, having the family reunion dinner back at the old House of Zhu. Holding her by the window at midnight and watching the New Year’s fireworks, he made another lifelong romantic promise to his wife.

As usual, Chen Zheng was on the debaucherous dance floor surrounded by overly-enchanting women. Intoxicated, he smirked at the indulgence around him. Tonight, he just wanted to let himself go and have a great time.

Xue Mingtao was still working at the office. Gu Yanzhi had mysteriously gone overseas. And Gao Lang was on his duty in the security office, the thought of getting his end-of-the-year bonus making him content.

But there was one thought that came to everyone’s mind: Next year, I’d like to…

For example, I’d like to keep New Bori at the top of the industry and eliminate all the possibilities of competition and aggression.

I want revenge on him, and her, vengeance is the only way.

I don’t understand the ‘big picture,’ but I know I’ll follow the commander, do my job well, and save more money so I can send it back to my parents.

Desire was a black hole in everyone’s heart, constant, and complicated.

After a flight that was over ten hours long, dragging her luggage, Lin Qian appeared in front of a quiet and classic apartment on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, fantasizing over her own desires. Next year, I must get stronger and reinforce my senior executive position.

But for now, I need to look after my lonely and aloof brother.

Ding dong!

The doorbell rang but no one answered.

Lin Qian shrugged her shoulders; she would not be surprised if Lin Mochen were working overtime considering it was a weekday. But in order to surprise him, and so he wouldn’t worry, she hadn’t mentioned her trip to him at all.

Without hesitating, she opened the door with her own key.

An hour later she was soaking in the bathtub; she had a bottle of vintage red wine from his collection next to her. The crimson wine inside could be seen through the crystal glass. Gazing out the window at the sky full of stars, she felt relaxed and pleased.

With so many New Year’s messages from her colleagues and friends, her phone wouldn’t stop buzzing. Even her rival Chen Zheng sent her a message wishing her good luck in her future endeavors and hoping that all her wishes would come true. It was signed, “Chen Zheng from SMQ.” Lin Qian figured it was a group message; finding it a bit funny, she didn’t respond.

Since she was overseas, most of the messages were ignored. She only picked a few managers to send a New Year’s message to. When it came to Li Zhicheng, she hesitated.

Not sure why, but the thought of his casual invitation yesterday to an opera show was making her unsettled.

After some consideration, she started typing, ‘President Li, wish all your dreams come true and for greater achievements at Aida in the coming year.’ She also added, ‘Hope you enjoyed the end-of-year party. Have a great night.’

Within a minute, she got a response. ‘I didn’t attend.’

Staring at the simple response, she was a little astounded and also slightly guilty.

The image of his calm and handsome face the other day made her feel a sense of hidden desolation from his impression of coolness and distance.

Meanwhile, some noise was coming from downstairs. Lin Qian pulled herself together, putting the phone away and leaving the bathtub.

…

Downstairs Lin Mochen entered his home; it had been a rough, busy day for him. The thought of celebrating the New Year hadn’t even come across his mind. What for? Should he get drunk alone and drown his sorrow? Or, like other single men in America, look for a fling at some bar? He didn’t have the time or the mood. Plus, he usually found the women in the bars were too unattractive.

He had been working up until this moment. He’d invited a few business partners over to his place without any fuss, and they all headed directly to his balcony. It was classic and elegant, full of plants and bright lights. They sipped tea while discussing an investment project they had been working on lately.

Just 30 minutes into their conversation, a dark-skinned partner of his suddenly paused, asking him, “Jason, did you hear something?”

Accordingly, everyone started to quiet down; they heard the sound of slow and light footsteps coming from upstairs: pat, pat, pat…

Everyone began to stare at each other. Judging from the footsteps, Lin Mochen had already figured out who that could be.

He smiled—a rare, sincere and delighted smile. His deep and clearly sculpted face appeared ridiculously handsome under the lights. The female business partner sitting next to him came to a realization. “Jason, there’s a woman in your home?”

“It’s my younger sister,” he responded. Soon after that, a young lady elegantly walked down the stairs, smiling.

“Brother! Hi guys.”

Men are all about looks, and most of the Wall Street elites there were male. At this moment, regardless of age or skin color, as long as they were male their attention was on Lin Qian.

The Chinese lady in her twenties was in a simple black hoodie and jeans, and on her feet were furry slippers. Her long, damp hair was lying on her shoulders. There was a pop of redness to her pale and youthful cheeks, adding a little dewiness to her skin. Although this was not the most gorgeous face they’d ever seen, with her fresh and pretty facial features, she appeared exotic, pure, and lively.

Lin Mochen’s gaze was on his sister, and then it landed on the rest of the men.

He unconsciously raised his eyebrows.

Standing up, he forced a smile. “Shall we just call it a day? I have a visitor here.”

He quickly dismissed all the guests. Five minutes later, they had all left the premise.

Standing by, Lin Qian walked the last visitor out, grinning. Lin Mochen quickly glanced at her. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming? What were you gonna do all by yourself?”

Lin Qian chuckled. She grabbed his arm and they walked inside. “I just wanted to surprise you. Brother, were you nervous hearing my slow footsteps on the stairs? Haha!”

Lin Mochen quietly chuckled without commenting.

It had been a while since they’d last seen each other. Lin Qian had meant to get him some presents before the visit, but she hadn’t found the time to go shopping. She had been busy all the way up to the last day she had worked at Aida before vacation. So the present she’d gotten him was just an average male wallet from Aida.

As expected, once Lin Mochen received the wallet, he threw it over the couch after sparing it an impatient glare.

“You can’t just refuse all our domestic brands,” Lin Qian said with a frown. “The quality and craftsmanship are actually pretty good. It’s from the company I’m working for—we’re talking about the time and effort I’ve put in here.”

Lin Mochen replied, “I’ll consider using it once you and your colleagues make it in the global top five.”

Lin Qian didn’t like the sound of it. Just when she was about to argue, the term “colleague” reminded her of Li Zhichen. It reminded her of his passion and persistence when encouraging others to fight for the Ming Sheng project as well as his strategies and determination.

Why was she suddenly feeling so confident in front of her arrogant brother?

Unlike herself, she calmed down and smiled. “Huh… That day will come, you can count on it.”

Just across the road from the apartment was a luxurious five-star hotel. After some flurries of snow had fallen from the sky to cover the trees and all the pedestrians’ hair, the reflection from the lights left everything white, bright and clear.

Sitting at the hotel restaurant, overlooking the beautiful view outside the window, Lin Qian slowly became distracted.

Opposite to her was Lin Mochen, elegantly cutting his steak with a silver knife and fork. He had been quietly observing his sister’s facial expression.

“Are you seeing someone?” he suddenly asked. “Seeing that Li Zhicheng?”

Frozen, Li Qian turned to look at him.

“How did you know—No, I’m not seeing anyone. But why him?”

Lin Mochen chuckled, “Cause you’ve set your bar pretty high.”

Stunned by his sharp observation, after a brief silence she decided to be completely honest. “We’re not dating. He has expressed his feelings for me, but I said no.”

Staring at her, Lin Mochen became quiet.

Even though she calmly rejected the idea, she didn’t realize that she kept stabbing the high-quality steak on the plate with her knife and fork.

With sunken eyes, Lin Mochen responded, “Good—you shouldn’t. I wouldn’t support it either.”

“Why not?” Lin Qian looked startled.

He put down the knife and fork, then picked up the serviette to wipe his mouth. “Because he’s different,” he said calmly. “Lin Qian—when it comes to relationships, for the men who always rack their brains, the more they do it, the more ruthless you need to treat them. You need to do this until there’s nothing left to them but their true hearts.”

Thirty minutes later Lin Qian was dressed in a puffer jacket, a hat, gloves, and a scar, and stood under the porch of the restaurant. A few moments later, she turned her back and looked through the window; seeing Lin Mochen was still on the phone, sitting on the same spot with a calm look, she couldn’t help but judge him.

What a strong-headed brother!

She had only pointed out the truth to him after his previous comment. “Brother,” she had said, “you’re also this type of man—have you ever been treated ruthlessly?”

Lin Mochen had become agitated right away and had started giving her the silent treatment.

Li Qian really had no idea what his romantic history looked like. But she had also figured something out, so she didn’t keep asking. While he’d been caught in the phone call, she’d come out for some fresh air.

The hotel was decorated in a European style. Under some shade from the big trees between the buildings, there was a small garden covered in snow that was illuminated under the soft dim light. Some red Chinese lanterns were hanging on the glass wall nearby, red and bright and very impressive. Some notes were also stuck on them; written in Chinese, they appeared to be the traditional Chinese lantern riddles. Surrounding the lanterns were some people looking around.

Lin Qian was also coming along for the ride.

She picked up a piece of a riddle. Hmm, interesting. It read, “The world for men.” Lin Qian was trying to solve the riddle when she heard the petite, fresh-looking girl next to her. She seemed to be Japanese and spoke to her friend in English. “We can stop now. Someone just guessed all the riddles.”

Her friend said, “He must be getting first prize.”

Intrigued, Lin Qian turned around, hearing the Caucasian waitress answer, “That’s right, by a very handsome guy. Gosh, he just returned with the prize.”

Accordingly, they looked over, and so did Lin Qian. She saw a man coming out of the corner in the front hallway with one hand in his pocket, the other one carrying the lantern.

The lighting was quite dark; she could roughly see him in a black jacket, tall and slender, with heavy footsteps. Under the light, his vague but long silhouette portrayed a distinctive impression; cold, stern, calm and handsome.

Lin Qian found him… somehow familiar.

But it couldn’t be possible.

The Japanese girl next to her said to her friend, “Is he Korean?” They soon stepped up, trying to find out what he looked like.

But Lin Qian happened to be blocking them.

Unwilling to lag behind, she also moved ahead, walking around them and taking a good spot at the front trying to get a closer look.

The man was approaching.

The shape of his figure was becoming more and more familiar, and she was becoming more and more amazed.

He looked up, completely ignoring bypassers’ discussions and attention, staring straight at her.

Instead of a suit, he was wearing a normal black jacket and casual pants, appearing younger and eye-catching. Under his long black eyebrows, there was a hint of a smile from his dark eyes as they reflected some light.

“Happy New Year, Lin Qian.”

Li Qian’s response was to first rub her eyes.

“President Li, why are you here?” Why are you carrying a lantern?

Surprised, the waitress next to her asked, “Hmm, sir, why didn’t you get the iPhone for first prize? The lantern belongs to the third prize winner.”

Lin Qian glanced at his hand. In it was a very delicate octagonal lantern, the rice paper thin and soft with some jet-black spikes. A Chinese portrait of ancient ladies was printed on the canvas’s soft and gentle lining, feminine and realistic.

The Japanese girls nearby were still quietly watching and commenting while Lin Qian still stood stunned. Li Zhicheng looked at her softly. “Give me your hands. Both of them.”

Confused, Lin Qian stared at him, holding up both of her hands. Her heart was pounding from his sudden appearance.

Surrounded by the dim light, his face looked both soft and hard, like a relief sculpture. Gazing at her with his pitch black eyes, he put the lantern into her left palm.

In a low, gentle voice: “Take it.”

“Umm, okay.” Holding it tightly, Lin Qian thought, Is this because he’s shy after being caught with a lantern, so he’s handing it to me? Hmm, and why both hands?

Her right hand had suddenly become warm.

He was holding it.

His dry and cool hands grabbed hers, closing all her fingers.

Lin Qian quickly looked up at him.

He was also staring at her quietly. His eyes were dark as night; he held her hand tightly and didn’t seem to plan on letting it go.

In a low voice, the girl next to her gasped, “Woah…”

Thump, Thump, Thump. Lin Qian’s heart wouldn’t stop.

He had just arrived in front of her out of nowhere, greeting her with, “Give me your hands.” With one of her hands holding the lantern, and the other one held by him, this was all too …

Gazing at each other for a split second longer, he then pulled her hand, leading her outside without saying anything.

Lin Qian carried the lantern, walking fast to keep up with him. The hand tightly held by him was hot as an iron. She ignored the stares from others and the noise all around them. The two quietly walked past the crowd and the hotel to the busy streets covered with falling with snow.

Chapter 29

It was still snowing.

Lin Qian stared at the tiny snowflakes that had accumulated on the man’s head and shoulders; her heart beat so quickly she thought it might pop out of her chest.

What is he doing?

Crossing the ocean on New Year’s Eve, appearing in front of her, giving her a lantern, walking away with her without a word while holding hands—it was as though they were eloping. And as the person being blindlessly dragged along, she was a little confused about the situation.

Thinking it over, it wouldn’t be difficult for him to find her. She only had two emergency contacts listed on her employee personal profile: one was her best friend in the entire country, and the other was her brother. His address was included too.

As for a US Visa… Well, not long ago during a board meeting, Xue Mingtao had suggested for Li Zhicheng to visit Europe and the Americas for an educational trip; he would be able to gain experience from other excellent suitcase enterprises. Li Zhicheng had answered, “Let’s discuss this another day.” But after that Lin Qian had no longer been his assistant, so she was unfamiliar with his schedule—it was possible he had gotten his Visa after her departure.

Lin Qian turned her gaze to their hands again. His hand was coarse and strong, warmly clutching hers. Her pulse was racing even faster than his firm steps were.

“Mr. Li, please let go of my hand.”

At this time both of them had reached a fountain outside of the hotel. The surrounding area was quiet and cold. The pedestrians were few; a couple was kissing beside the sparkling waters of the fountain.

Li Zhicheng paused in his step; at the same time he let go of her hand, turned around and looked at her.

As soon as Lin Qian’s hand—which had been tightly held by him for a long time—regained its freedom, her heart felt relieved. She couldn’t make out her own feelings anymore. She quickly stuffed her hands into her pockets, but their soft warmth didn’t feel like anything. His tight grip and warmth were both still lingering on her skin.

Standing beneath the streetlights of Manhattan, Lin Qian dreamily stared at the surreal figure of Li Zhicheng. He was not in a suit today. His black collar was up. His figure was slender and cold as usual, his profile handsome and distinct. He was gazing at her with his deep, dark eyes, the same silent gaze that always made her heart jolt.

“Lin Qian,” he said, his voice slow and deep. “I just had the sudden urge to come and see you. You don’t have to feel pressured.”

Lin Qian lowered her gaze, staring at his feet, avoiding his eyes.

HOW. COULD. I. NOT. FEEL. PRESSURED?

Was it true that women were naturally vain creatures? Considering his feelings for her and that his mind was shrewd and deep, this trip of his was certainly a step to further conquer her heart. However, considering he was a CEO who had once been a restrained soldier, was someone who had apparently never left the country before, had just given up his new year to come all the way to the United States for her… She felt a surge of tenderness and sweetness in her heart. But beneath that sweetness, she vaguely sensed a hint of danger.

That dangerous scent belonged to this man.

As compared to Lin Qian’s thoughts whirling wildly, Li Zhicheng’s heart was much more calm and steady.

He stood under the light, carefully admiring the woman in front of him.

Contrasting with her usual neat and professional outfits at the office, she looked like the girl-next-door now in a light-colored hoodie layered with a down feather vest. She was also wearing a simple pair of dark blue jeans. The everyday attire couldn’t hide her elegance. She looked stylish.

Her delicate hands still held onto the red lantern. The light from the lantern hit her face, making her cheeks rosy and causing her eyes to sparkle.

Beautiful.

This was the woman he wanted. The woman he was determined to get.

Irreplaceable.

He wanted her from this moment onwards. He wanted her to only shine for him.

Of course, Lin Qian was unaware of his heavy thoughts. She contemplated the situation for a while, then acted as if nothing were on her mind. “Mr. Li, have you had dinner?”

Li Zhicheng gave her an intense look. “Not yet.”

Lin Qian was a bit surprised. It was past 8:00 pm after all. Was it possible that he’d come to see her right after getting off the plane?

Her heart softened again. “Let me treat you to dinner.”

Li Zhicheng cracked a smile. “No need. I will treat you.” He glanced at the hotel not far away. “Let’s go.”

Lin Qian glanced at the hotel too. Suddenly she came to her senses.

Oh crap! She had totally forgotten about her brother. If he noticed she was missing after his phone call, he would definitely look for her. Her cell phone was still on the dining table, so he wouldn’t be able to contact her. If he asked the attendants outside, he would find out that she had left holding hands with a man.

Lin Mochen’s face appeared in her mind, and his cold voice rang, Until there’s nothing left to them…

Lin Qian quickly glanced at the hotel entrance. Good, Lin Mochen hadn’t appeared yet. She immediately looked at Li Zhicheng. “Mr. Li, lend me your phone for a moment.”

Of course, she couldn’t dine with Li Zhicheng at the hotel right now, but she couldn’t leave him at the side of the street either. While dialing, she raised her hand to call for a cab, speaking to Li Zhicheng at the same time. “Mr. Li, I just ate here—the food was horrible. Let’s go somewhere else.”

Li Zhicheng looked at her flickering gaze—her expression was adorned with anticipation. She was unaware of the trace of a gentle plea in her tone. Her bright eyes twinkled; her hair flowed softly in the wind.

A cat.

This woman had always been like a sly and agile cat. There must have been something about him going into the hotel that made her nervous.

As he stared at her excited movements, his heart felt like it was being gently clawed at by a cat. It was ticklish. He desired more.

“Okay,” he responded flatly.

Lin Qian was glad to hear his simple reply. The cab arrived. Out of habit, she was about to get in the passenger’s side to allow Li Zhicheng to have the back all to himself. But he went ahead of her and opened the back door. “Get in.”

In the meantime, her call was connected. Lin Mochen’s attractive bass voice came through. “Hello?” Lin Qian immediately got into the back seat; covering the speaker, she quickly told the cab driver a location. Only then did she speak into the phone. “Brother, it’s me. I forgot my cell phone just now when I left. Are you done eating?”

Li Zhicheng sat beside her and listened quietly.

Her voice was extremely docile, even meeker than when she had been shamelessly buttering him up.

But Lin Qian’s luck was indeed good. Lin Mochen had just ended his call from work, so he hadn’t realized the “missing status” of his sister. His phone call had presumably gone well because he sounded pleased. “Yup. Where are you? Why aren’t you back yet?”

Lin Qian very briefly explained, “Brother, you can head home. I have a friend over. I’ll go home after I have dinner with him.”

Lin Mochen paused, moving the phone away from his ear to glance at the incoming phone number.

It was a mainland Chinese number.

Oh… roaming in the United States.

“Friend?” he deadpanned. “Is it him?”

Choking on his words, Lin Qian faked a laugh out of reflex. “Nope.” She was about to say it was a different friend. However, after peeking at Li Zhicheng sitting beside her as still as a mountain, she realized that saying so would get her into trouble on this end.

On the other end of the phone was… a wolf. Sitting right here was… another wolf.

Noticing her hesitation, Lin Mochen didn’t ask any more questions. He said lightly, “Pass the phone to him.”

“Huh? What for?”

“He took my sister away on New Year’s Eve. As your guardian, don’t you think I should say a few words to him?”

“Uh, there’s no need to.” Lin Qian inadvertently glanced at Li Zhicheng again. He was staring at her with his dark gaze. Considering his attentiveness, it would be surprising if he hadn’t figure out the situation by now.

She was starting to panic. There was no way she could say something like: Even though I rejected you, my brother has already marked you as an enemy that he has an ax to grind with. If he were any other man, he would for sure be ravaged by her brother. But he was Li Zhicheng. There was no certainty yet which of the two would be ravaged.

Lin Qian cut it short, telling Lin Mochen, “That’s it. Brother, happy new year. Bye bye.” She hung up on him and turned off the phone. She raised her head; only after noticing Li Zhicheng’s stare did she realize her actions had been a little inappropriate.

Luckily he didn’t say a thing. He took back his phone and slipped it into his pocket. He didn’t turn it on either. Lin Qian was touched by this. This was the benefit of being with a smart guy. You didn’t have to say anything; he would be considerate even when it came to the minor details.

While Lin Qian was still praising him in her mind, he looked at her calmly and said, “Tell the driver to turn around and go back to the hotel.”

Lin Qian was stunned. “Go back? For what?”

Li Zhicheng spoke slowly. “I didn’t think it through when I suddenly decided to come here. Today is New Year’s Eve, you should be with your family. I will send you back. Besides,” he paused, staring at her with his dark and deep eyes, “I think he and I will eventually meet to talk things through and get to know each other. You don’t need to be too nervous.”

Startled, Lin Qian felt her heart thump. Her face turned red.

What’s this… She’d always believed she was thick-skinned, but in reality her boss’s skin was much thicker than hers. She hadn’t accepted him—she’d even rejected him few times—but he was still extremely confident and self-assured. Wasn’t this a little too dominant and confident though?

“Well, we’ll see,” she muttered, avoiding his glare.

Without warning, he switched to say, “The Ming Sheng project—I have been looking for an opportunity to thank him in person.”

Lin Qian froze.

He was referring to this?

Raising her head, she stumbled upon his deep gaze. His expression was calm, but his eyes flickered with amusement. He stared at her thoughtfully.

Lin Qian suddenly realized something.

He wasn’t teasing her on purpose, was he?

This seemed to be the case.

Outside the car window were the long traffic jams of The City That Never Sleeps. Colorful neon lights, brilliant and vibrant, shined on their faces. The silent falling snow shrouded everything.

For some reason, under his cool, smiling gaze, Lin Qian’s face reddened like it had never before. Her pulse beat faster, stronger than it had ever been.

After being silently distilled by his gaze for a while, Lin Qian raised her head, calmly rejecting his suggestion. “There’s no need to go back. My brother has an interesting nightlife. Even if we go back, he might not entertain us. If you want to see him, maybe next time.”

In a condominium a few blocks away, Lin Mochen had just taken out his keys to open the door.

He stood at the entrance, looking at the empty, lavishly-furnished home; a refreshingly chill breeze swept past him into the condo. He couldn’t help but sneeze.

Ha… that girl. She had said she was here to celebrate New Year’s Eve with him, yet she ran away with that lad in a blink of an eye. She had even turned off the phone, worried that he might interrupt them.

It seemed that the lad was quite skilled at picking up women.

Since her “guardian” had been alerted, both of them knew the drill. Tomorrow, the lad would surely come over to meet him. Lin Qian, that silly girl, thought she could fool both sides.

Chapter 30

Lin Qian brought Li Zhicheng to a Western restaurant.

It was past 9:00 pm and there were not many people inside. The lights from the window shined silently into the snowy night, making the entire place feel exceptionally quiet.

The waiter came forward to take their orders. Li Zhicheng accepted the menu but placed it onto the table.

“My English is not good. You decide.”

Lin Qian could empathize. Many Chinese citizens were unwilling to speak up when they ventured overseas. Li Zhicheng also used to be a soldier and hadn’t ever left the country before. It would have been unbelievable if he could speak fluent English.

Lin Qian didn’t beat around the bush. She looked over the menu and named several dishes to the waiter in English without delay. After stealing a glance at Li Zhicheng, who was seated opposite her, she spoke even faster, instructing the waiter, “He doesn’t eat tomato sauce, so don’t add it to any of the dishes. He prefers his beef in large pieces. Also, don’t add onions, he doesn’t like them. Do you serve tea? Yes, it’s fine as long as there is tea, and British black tea is fine… No, he absolutely does not drink milk tea…”

As she was explaining the other dietary preferences he had, she suddenly became aware of his piercing eyes on her face.

However, upon lifting her head, she saw Li Zhicheng’s eyes were slightly lowered. He had picked up the glass cup in front of him to slowly drink some water. Everything seemed normal.

Lin Qian’s face started to heat up.

He didn’t… understand all that, right? If he could understand that, then his English comprehension for the college entrance examination must have been at least full marks—he’d have no problem listening to something like the BBC on a usual basis.

Impossible. A soldier wouldn’t normally have to use English.

When she thought of it that way, she began to calm down again.

Lin Qian quickly realized that she wasn’t feeling extremely anxious or nervous—the night wasn’t as unbearable as she had feared it would be.

While waiting for their food to be served, she tried to decide what conversation topic would be most casual and natural for them. Opposite her, Li Zhicheng had removed his jacket to show off a dark grey outdoor fleece. His hands rested lightly on the table. Lin Qian’s gaze fell on his clothes. Hmm… His style is very practical—water resistant and warm. He looks nice as well. His figure seems firm and proportionate. He’s rather knowledgeable about fashion products, and… actually has rather good taste in fashion.

Just then, Li Zhicheng asked in an even voice, “Do you dine in this restaurant often?”

Lin Qian immediately responded, “Not very often. I’ve never stayed in America for a very long—only a few weeks at a time back in university during winter and summer breaks. My brother brought me here a couple of times and I thought it was alright.”

Li Zhicheng looked at her with a dark intensity and nodded.

Lin Qian started talking about the food, chefs, and the surrounding attractions of the restaurant. Li Zhicheng had always been a man of few words. Even though he sometimes said things that made her heart pound and her face flush, they were always short and concise things. However, Lin Qian noticed today that if he had the desire to engage in a deep conversation with someone, he could take the lead and do so.

She was speaking the most right now. However, with just the occasional sentence or two he could lead the conversation from the restaurant to her university life, and then from there to her hobbies and interests. By the time Lin Qian noticed this, she had basically revealed every major life event, family relationship, good and bad habit—he seemed to immediately commit everything she said to memory.

Quietly inching towards its prey was the specialty of the wolf.

However, she had to admit that the conversation was still casual and enjoyable.

Li Zhicheng maintained the same attitude from the beginning of the night and did not stress her out much during the meal. It was only whenever she got too engrossed in talking that he’d stare at her with those dark eyes. His unwavering gaze seemed to carry a hidden meaning. He stared at her for so long sometimes that her heartbeat became unsteady. But she did not hate the feeling. In fact, subtle, dangerous traces of a warm and sweet feeling washed over her.

As they were almost done with the meal, Lin Qian, having been led in the conversation so far, decided to take the lead herself.

Her pulse was slightly unsteady as she stared at Li Zhicheng’s handsome smile under the light. The zip of his jacket was pulled all the way up to his neck, making his collar stand upright. He looked like a very cool, young college kid—neither the cold-hearted man who wore suits in the office, nor the experienced veteran who could prepare sophisticated battle plans. This was an intriguing feeling. It was almost as if he was slowly revealing another side of himself in her presence.

The side of him that was a harmless, average man.

Noticing her stare, Li Zhicheng set his cutlery down and waited for her to speak.

Lin Qian asked, “President Li, can I ask you three questions?”

Li Zhicheng maintained eye contact with her. “Yes,” he said in a low voice.

“The first question…” Lin Qian smiled. “How did you come up with those tactics for the commercial battles and what are your secrets for them?” If it were another person, Lin Qian would not have asked. What was there to really learn? Commercial battles were fought using one’s instincts. Could she, for instance, learn from her brother to be calculative and ruthless? She couldn’t.

But Li Zhicheng was different. His decisions were always interconnected, and parallels could be drawn between his business and warfare tactics, which set him apart from others. It was a nagging question that Lin Qian had harbored for a long time now. Today, she finally asked him because the atmosphere was perfect.

After hearing the question, Li Zhicheng’s eyes became laced with slight traces of amusement.

In his low voice, he asked, “You want to learn?”

Lin Qian’s face burned, but she replied, “Yes. Anyone else they would be interested in learning too.”

Li Zhicheng did not immediately reply. He picked up his teacup and took a casual sip. After that, he lifted his head to look at her. “There is only one principle. The most basic principle that is well-known by all commanders in the army.”

Lin Qian’s heart quivered. He continued, “All of my action plans were set out to achieve one goal: identify all potential obstacles in order to secure the crux behind our win. With that knowledge I could allocate the optimum manpower and harness our advantages to ultimately trap our enemy quickly and effectively.”

Lin Qian was shocked.

So simple? Just that one statement?

She carefully tried to analyze his words.

Identify all obstacles. During the business “battle” they’d had, Li Zhicheng had feinted both an attack and defeat only to actually attack from another direction. He had lured SMQ into the trap of the Ming Sheng project, forcing them to adhere to a series of limiting conditions: production period and price.

When Li Zhicheng had changed his focus to target the mid-range bag market, SMQ couldn’t spare any resources to fight him in the lower-priced market. Was this the method of harnessing advantages to ultimately trap the enemy that he had mentioned? SMQ’s overall ability far surpassed Aida’s. But just as he’d said, all of his action plans were large-scale and complicated; the line between truth and false was blurred. All of it was to rob SMQ of their biggest strengths—their manpower and resources—which was an end-goal he had in mind from the very beginning when he had formulated the plan.

Upon closer inspection, it was indeed as easy as he’d claimed.

She felt something stir deep within her heart. Her blood started rushing through her veins—the familiar feeling he’d give her back when Aida had first fallen deep into the dumps.

She lifted her head to look at him, her gaze clear and bright with a hint of a smile on her face. “Thank you, Professor,” she said crisply.

Li Zhicheng sat quiet and unmoving. He committed her smile, the knit of her eyebrows, and the color of her lips to memory. Again, he started in a low voice, “As for the specific plan…” As expected, her eyes lit up once again, and she gazed at him in awe.

Amusement flashed in Li Zhicheng’s eyes. He stared at her and took his time to speak. “It’s understandable to me but difficult to illustrate in words, so I can’t teach it.” He caught disappointment quickly flash over her face. However, he calmly lifted the beautifully-patterned white porcelain pot to pour another cup of tea. He set it in front of her. “But, my next battle will start in about two months.”

Lin Qian’s heart skipped a beat and she mechanically lifted the tea he’d poured to take a small sip. She hadn’t realized how dry her throat and mouth had become after speaking for so long. She gulped another huge mouthful. A thought briefly surfaced in her mind. He’s actually rather thoughtful.

The thought flashed past momentarily. Then, she caught him lifting his gaze to look at her. “The big battle is nearing. If you would like to learn a thing or too, just follow me. We will walk through every step of the way together.”

Lin Qian’s heart started thumping so hard that she could hear it.

She was still unsure about some things.

But she was unable to resist some other things.

She nodded her head resolutely. “Alright. I will definitely put my entire heart into learning.”

Amusement flashed past Li Zhicheng’s eyes once again. In this foreign land and unfamiliar restaurant, his handsome appearance—with the jet-black hair and dark eyes—was as cold and contemplative as ever.

“The second question?” he breathed.

Lin Qian had been a little rash in saying that she had three questions. She lowered her head and poked at her unfinished plate of salad with the silver fork. She asked in a steady voice, “The second question… Do you also use these strategies when pursuing women?”

She didn’t raise her head but could tell that he was staring at her. He appeared to be deep in thought.

“Lin Qian, if I had used my strategies on you…” He paused before continuing, “Even if your heart is not with me, officially, you would have become Mrs. Li by now.”

Lin Qian’s heart violently skipped a beat. She lifted her head to look at him.

But she was only met with his calm eyes.

Her heart rate went out of control once again.

Yes, this was a dangerous atmosphere.

He was serious. If he had used his sly and ruthless methods on her, she really had no confidence that she would have been able to escape him.

Even though his unbelievable words seemed oblivious and preposterous, he said them with such a calm and serious demeanor that he left no room for doubt.

Lin Qian looked down and continued using her fork to poke the pile of food on her plate. She poked and poked and poked—and she understood what he meant by his next sentence: “So, you don’t have to be cautious around me.”

Those concise words successfully transformed Lin Qian to a flushed red version of herself.

“I’m not even trying to be cautious,” she stammered. “I’m just casually chatting with you.”

“Alright.” He stared at her red face and softly said, “Very good. Indeed, we should really ‘casually chat’ more often.”

Lin Qian’s face was still burning. “Why?” she asked without a second thought.

“Because, regardless of whether you are my subordinate or my woman, you should really understand more about me.”

His voice was low and insistent. Lin Qian was shocked for a moment and silently sat there with her red face.

“What’s the third question?” he asked.

Lin Qian got a hold of herself.

Lifting her flushed face, she looked him directly in his eyes with her bright gaze.

“What would you do if one day, the woman you love brought you a pain so unbearable it went right to your bones?”

Li Zhicheng calmly stared back at her for a few silent moments.

“If it’s the woman I love,” he said gently, “I could only bear it.”

It was no longer snowing when they walked out of the restaurant.

The night was even more silent than earlier, but the city was still brightly lit. Delicate snowflakes fell from the branches onto the slushy pavement from time to time. The weather was cold but refreshing.

These were the kinds of nights people were more inclined to wander.

Wander through this foreign land on a tranquil New Year’s Eve.

So when Li Zhicheng suggested to “walk around,” Lin Qian nodded her head agreeably.

Perhaps they had spoken too much in the restaurant. It was the first time the two of them had engaged in such deep conversation. While they strolled along the pavement under the snowy trees, neither of them spoke.

They continued walking for a bit until they heard singing coming from somewhere in front of them. It sounded as though many people were singing the Chinese song, “Descendent of the Dragon.”

Lin Qian smiled. “I remember there’s a park up there. Perhaps there’s a choir.”

“Let’s go take a look,” Li Zhicheng said.

The entire park was a giant circular field of grass situated in the heart of the city. Li Zhicheng and Lin Qian stepped onto a white platform. Raising their heads, they could see the gentle green slopes of the hills as well as the meandering of the white stone paths in between. Through the shadows of the trees they could see a stage with its lights shining and its music melodious. Quite a number of people were gathered downstage singing along to the music.

After they had taken a few steps, they saw a few young Chinese people who seemed to be students swiftly walking over. Upon seeing them, they warmly greeted, “Hi, are you guys Chinese? Happy new year!”

Lin Qian smiled. “Happy new year! What’s going on over there?”

“It’s the New Year’s Night Party organized by the International Students’ Association,” someone replied.

Lin Qian turned around and looked at Li Zhicheng with a smile. “Let’s go and take a look at this “New Year’s Night Party” together.”

In the dark of the night, Li Zhicheng’s eyes also flashed the hint of a smile. “Alright.”

Once they got closer it became apparent there weren’t actually many people surrounding the stage: maybe 40 to 50 people. The stage was located on a piece of the park’s open-air structure. Even though it had been snowing before, it seemed as though no one’s cheerful mood had been affected.

One the stage a young girl dressed in a shining gold traditional costume held a fan. She was performing the traditional dance, the “Water Moon Flower.” Even though her movements weren’t professional, she was still greeted with cheers and applause from the audience. Li Zhicheng and Lin Qian stood at the outskirts of the crowd. Li Zhicheng appeared emotionless while Lin Qian had a bright smile plastered across her face.

Humankind was a very weird species.

They had become desensitized to the Chinese New Year while in America, and were largely disinterested in all the beautiful decorations that were hanging around. But now, seeing these international students hosting their own simple night party, the excited audience downstage, and even some people tearing up slightly, Lin Qian felt a surge of feelings well up her chest.

She watched so intently that she couldn’t tear her eyes away, clapping and laughing joyfully with the people around her. For a short moment she even forgot about Li Zhicheng standing beside her. Until she unintentionally turned her head, she didn’t notice that Li Zhicheng had been tilting his head to look at her. His handsome face looked as gentle as a carved sculpture under the lights, his gaze bright and focused. She wasn’t sure how long he’d been staring.

When you stand on the bridge admiring the view, the person who is admiring the view is actually gazing at you.

This powerfully romantic phrase surfaced in Lin Qian’s mind for a moment. That little bit of dangerous sweetness made an appearance in her heart once again.

However, at this moment, Li Zhicheng opened his mouth to speak. “You get flushed very easily.”

Lin Qian was mildly stunned.

Lin Mochen had said she was too soft-hearted and was overly gullible by giving her genuine self away without wanting anything in return. But she didn’t think there was anything wrong with that. Lin Mochen had taught her that she needed to torment guys, but she would never be able to do that to the guy she loved.

At the very least she could be more cautious and not allow him to easily take advantage of her—especially if he already thought he held her within his grasp.

She did not respond in detail to Li Zhicheng’s assessment. Instead, she vaguely replied, “Yup. I’m currently doing my best to become stable and reliable.”

Unexpectedly, he slowly answered, “There is no need.”

Lin Qian turned her head to look at him once again.

However, he had already turned away to look at the performance, leaving only his refreshingly handsome profile for her to stare at.

Lin Qian watched him for a moment before turning her head to face forward as well.

He said there was no need.

Did that mean he approved of her personality and felt that she didn’t need to change? Or was it because… she did not need to become stable and reliable because she would have him?

Once again, Lin Qian’s face became hot.

She was a goner. She’d been triggered by him numerous times when he hadn’t even done anything. Now, his words obviously held no flirtatious meaning, but her brain had started to fill in the missing gaps…

The two of them watched for a while longer before leaving the area. They walked along the white stone path over to the other side of the park.

Lin Qian started making some calculations. It was currently just past 10:00 pm. It would be great to hail a cab home by the time they weaved through the park to get back. She would send the big shot, Li Zhicheng, back to his hotel first and she could even perhaps make the last ten minutes of the night to count down into the new year with her brother. She needed to go and placate this other big shot as well.

After walking for a bit they could see a huge, black rock wall standing in the distance before them. It was over 30 feet tall and they could even see the silhouette of inverted figures at the top—there seemed to be some obstacles along the face. They realized that it was a rock-climbing wall.

Under such weather, it was surprising to see a few young people buckled into harnesses and scaling the rock-climbing wall. There were some others on the ground directing them and cheering in English, looking on in excitement.

Lin Qian stopped in her tracks and gave it a second glance.

Then she heard Li Zhicheng casually say, “Do you want to give it a go?”

Eh?

Lin Qian turned to look at him.

She had to admit: staring at Li Zhicheng now, she felt that he was extremely handsome.

His head was tilted slightly downwards and he swiftly removed his jacket, tossing it onto the grass. Then, he rolled up the sleeves of that beautiful outdoor fleece jacket to reveal those long muscular arms of his before removing his watch and storing it in his pocket. He then looked at her and said, “Do you want to make a bet?”

Lin Qian’s interest was piqued. “What bet?”

He smiled slightly. “If you manage to climb to the top first, you can make one request of me and I will agree no matter what. If I manage to climb to the top first…”

Lin Qian’s heart skipped a beat.

It was time.

The time had finally arrived.

She took a deep breath but unexpectedly heard him continue in a steady voice. “Tonight at 12:00 am, you will accompany me in welcoming the New Year.”

Lin Qian’s eyes darted around.

Was that all?

It wasn’t that he wanted her to be his girlfriend?

Phew… She released a sigh of relief.

“Then isn’t the bet not worthwhile for you?” she asked. “What would you do if I won and ask for the ownership of Aida to be transferred to me?”

He didn’t answer; instead, he smirked and, brushing past her shoulders, started to walk toward the rock-climbing wall.

“It’s a gentleman’s promise. If you can win, Li Zhicheng will be yours to destroy.”

Lin Qian grinned. Her competitive spirit was ignited by his calm and confident demeanor. She thought to herself that although he was a soldier, he had spent most of his time commanding troops and honing his shooting skills. He was not some kind of rock-climbing expert. In any case, she was considered to be rather good at this sport and she intended to win.

Thus, with newfound vigor, she removed her jacket, gloves, hat, scarf… all those burdensome items. Then, she coolly threw them onto the snowy grass and made her way toward the rock-climbing wall.

Those who loved the outdoors often had cheerful personalities. Between fellow Chinese citizens abroad, often even without many words, kindness and hospitality were usually exchanged.

After hearing Lin Qian say that they also wanted to give it a try, a young African American immediately gestured to his peers to attach to their harnesses. Then, he even said in unpolished Mandarin, “Happy… New… Year! Go, go, go!”

At this point the night sky was very dark, but the music that was playing in the night party not far away could be distinctly heard, warming the hearts of those listening on. The sky above the park emitted a gentle light that bounced off the clouds, shining so that light and darkness appeared to be converging around the rock wall.

Lin Qian and Li Zhicheng only had a few feet separating them and stood shoulder-to-shoulder at the base of the rock-climbing wall. She turned her head a little and gazed at him provocatively. “Can we start already?”

Li Zhicheng lifted his head to look toward the top of the rock wall and his lips curled into a smirk. “Begin!”

Lin Qian gave it her all and climbed up step by step while pressed against the rock wall like a cat. Not knowing how far she had climbed, she suddenly felt like something wasn’t right. Stopping, she turned around only to see Li Zhicheng still standing in the same position, his handsome face calm. He hadn’t moved an inch.

“Why aren’t you moving?” Lin Qian asked.

He calmly met her confused eyes, and his voice as cool as water said, “I’m giving you a five-minute head start.”

If earlier his confidence had incited the competitive spirit within her, then at this point her entire being was irritated by it.

Giving her a head start of five minutes?

This wasn’t considered a very tall rock wall—he was going to give her an extra five minutes? Five minutes was enough time for her to cover a large portion of the wall.

Lin Qian would never reject an unconditional benefit she could take advantage of. Right now, it was obvious that Li Zhicheng belittled her ability, but she would not feel shame or anything of the sort. If he wanted her to win, could she stop him? She would gladly allow him to let her win.

With this thought in mind, Lin Qian focused and continued making her way up once again.

Meanwhile on the ground, there were several Chinese people amongst the group of youths. Upon hearing their conversation, they cheered loudly, at the same time explaining the situation to their peers of different nationalities. After climbing up a bit more, she heard encouraging cheers from the ground directed at Li Zhicheng.

“Nicely done, buddy!”

Li Zhicheng simply tilted his head slightly toward them and nodded in acknowledgment. Then, with his hands in his pockets, he continued to look up at the woman who was so set on winning as she seized every moment and continued advancing upwards.

His lips curled into another smile.

Lin Qian had already climbed 70 feet. The segment of the highest difficulty was not far away from her. Just as she started to give it her all, she heard someone below shout, “Five minutes is up!”

Her heart tremored.

Although Lin Qian was “easily flushed” as Li Zhicheng had mentioned, when she really got down to doing things her psychological attitude was very calm and she became extremely focused on her task. At this point, she told herself not to look down and not to care whether or not he was catching up. All she had to focus on was her own pace.

However, at this moment, she heard a clear voice from below: “Lin Qian, I’m going to start chasing you now.”

Lin Qian had just stepped on a little groove in the rock wall. She didn’t know why, but when she heard his calm, powerful voice, her heart skipped a beat and her foot slipped, almost causing her to lose her footing.

She inhaled deeply.

She didn’t know if it was a deliberate effort to disrupt her focus. She could not help but curse that was a close call in her heart before lowering her head and continuing her climb upwards.

Before long, she arrived right beneath the toughest segment of the rock wall.

Even as Lin Qian kept telling herself not to care about him, the continuous stream of exclamations and cheers from the ground was too telling. She could not imagine just how fast and beautiful his movements were.

The “finishing line” was just before her eyes. She finally couldn’t stand it anymore and tilted her gaze downwards.

She got a huge fright seeing that Li Zhicheng had already climbed all the way to just beneath her feet! There was only a body’s length gap between them now.

Just what kind of unbelievable speed was he going at? Had he been part of the special forces?

In that short moment, she could see his healthy physique and nimble movements. His long legs stepped onto the rock wall with immense strength, his hair was slightly tousled by the blowing wind, and his handsome face was displaying calm determination and focus. In an instant, he pulled himself incredibly far upwards and his arms were at the level of her calves.

Lin Qian hurriedly turned back and climbed upwards with all her might.

Even though it was a rock wall placed in the park, the final inverted hook-like obstacle was at a 120-degree angle and was extremely difficult. In addition to the fact that the rock wall was exceptionally slippery, Lin Qian was unable to climb up it even after several attempts.

By then, she no longer had to look back at Li Zhicheng. Within a moment, he had already climbed to the same level as her. His black silhouette looked like an agile panther in the darkness of night, crouching relentlessly not even a foot away from her.

And he temporarily took a rest. Instead of climbing further, he turned his head to look at her. His voice was laced with slight amusement. “Are you finally willing to admit defeat?”

Lin Qian, immersed in a competitive mindset, completely forgot that this person was her boss for a moment. She also forgot that he always strived to be the strongest and most powerful version of himself. She didn’t even lift her head before confidently saying, “Screw you!” Then, she garnered all her strength and tried to flip herself past the obstacle once again!

She unexpectedly stepped on a protruding rock that was wet and slippery like the rest but also slightly loose. The support beneath her foot wobbled and her heart braked to a stop!

Her body suddenly lost its balance and she was off the rock wall in an instant—falling.

A wave of shocked exclamations and sorrowful gasps came from the ground. Lin Qian’s body was like a kite, randomly oscillating along with the harness attached. She felt her stomach fly into her throat. The rock wall, Li Zhicheng, the trees and the stage lights in the distance were all swirling before her eyes. She instinctively grasped at air and tried grabbing something to stabilize herself whenever her body made contact with the rock wall. She suddenly felt something tighten around her right arm. Someone had caught onto the harness and was securely holding on to her. She felt a strong tug and her body was pulled over by this strength in an instant.

In her faint-like state, she could only focus on Li Zhicheng’s dark and cold pair of eyes. Then she felt something tighten around her waist. She was wrapped tightly in his hug, her entire body pressed against his chest. With a twist, he secured her against the rock wall, preventing her from losing balance and swinging off again.

“Are you alright?” the people on the ground asked.

“My God! How did he do that?!”

Lin Qian swallowed giant gulps of air. Although her body was attached to the safety harness, the sudden plunge from such a height and her suspension in the air left a lingering fear in her heart. She lifted her head to look at Li Zhicheng, who was very close, and said in a hoarse voice, “I’m alright.”

Li Zhicheng only lowered his head to stare at her and did not say a word.

The light from high above was subtly etched on the top of his head. They did not realize from when but a light snow had started again and were falling by their bodies. Since Lin Qian was nervous, her heart still beat extremely quickly. His hand was still tightly planted onto her waist, locking her in the space between him and the rock wall. His body was warm and heavy. Lin Qian could even feel his heartbeat because his chest was closely pressing into her. Thump, thump, thump. She was surprised to discover that it beat just as fast as hers did.

Was he… worried about her?

“I’m alright, it’s no big deal,” she said softly.

“Alright.” His answer was also soft and gentle, but the hands locked around her waist tightened even more. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Lin Qian gazed at his dark eyes and couldn’t help but smile. At that moment, the thick sound of a bell traveled to them from an unknown, faraway location.

Ding ding ding. Coupled with that sound was the international students’ countdown in unison not far away. “Ten, nine, eight, seven…”

It was nearing midnight.

Li Zhicheng and Lin Qian, as well as all the youths on the ground, all gazed in the direction where the sound came from.

“Four, three, two, one!”

Nearby, an enthusiastic round of cheers broke out. Even other nationalities and races among the youths on the ground mixed some broken Mandarin with English, and shouted, “Happy New Year!””Happy New Year!””Horse… Year… Happy!”

Lin Qian cautiously turned her head to look at Li Zhicheng.

He was also looking at her.

The two of them simultaneously broke into a smile.

“Happy New Year.”

“Happy New Year.”

Lin Qian’s shock had worn off. She was infected by the mood around her and regained her vitality. She smiled and lifted her head, saying, “I’ve already fulfilled my promise from the bet I lost.”

The smile on Li Zhicheng’s lips hadn’t worn off—even after a few minutes. “Yup.”

Lin Qian looked into his eyes and truthfully said, “My New Year’s wish is for Aida Group to be filled with vitality and return to its glory days.”

Li Zhicheng stared at her without saying anything.

At this moment, the people on the ground had started to holler at one another and tugged on the harness attached to Lin Qian’s body. They wanted to gently lower her to the ground. But this tug couldn’t get her moving.

Lin Qian felt their pull. As Li Zhicheng’s arms looped around her waist with such strength, she didn’t move in the slightest.

He suddenly tilted his head downwards.

Lin Qian’s heart skipped a beat. Did he want to kiss her?

But he passed her face, and she could only feel his breath brush her cheek before he lightly buried his face into her shoulder.

It was not a kiss. It was a hug.

A hug as they hovered in mid-air.

Lin Qian’s face pressed against his chest, and she took in the refreshing scent of his body. Then, she heard him say softly into her ear, “My New Year’s wish is…”

Lin Qian’s pulse spiked.

For her to be his girlfriend?

For her to marry him?

She did not expect his answer. With a gentle, throaty voice that she’d never heard from him before, he said, “For Assistant Lin and I to always share days like this—every year and across lifetimes.”

Chapter 31

Lin Qian felt like Li Zhicheng had turned the relationship between them into something new. They were like friends with lots of possibilities.

Instead of being assertive like before, he wanted her to slowly accept him.

His intention was still conspicuous. However, after that night she accepted his point of view. It was like a seed planted inside her heart, and it germinated.

She ought to learn more about him.

I’m not going to settle but I’m also not going to withhold my emotions. I shouldn’t let this intelligent and excellent man slip by without trying first.

I should pursue a love in which the man is my sole purpose, and I can’t help thinking about him. Where all the natural beauty in the world can’t amount to him. Where I won’t hesitate to burn in hell if it’s for him.

Lin Qian sat at the back of the taxi, staring at the luminous lights outside while feeling the calmness of the man beside her. She no longer felt anxious—rather, she felt a sweet joyfulness.

This night had been more than amazing, and no words needed to be spared.

As for Li Zhicheng, he was covered in beads of sweat after the intensive exercise. Every single one of his muscles was sore after doing nothing for so long but sitting in the office. But there had been a woman working out with him, which made him feel fantastic both physically and mentally.

He looked at the woman’s profile quietly. Her eyes were shining, which meant her mind was wandering again.

Li Zhicheng’s heart soared.

Lin Qian, I’ll put that kiss on the rock face on hold.

I’ll suppress my feelings and win over you gradually.

The lust in that moment—I’ll fulfill it one day when you drop your defenses and answer me with your heart and soul.

The taxi stopped in front of a line of luxurious apartments.

Lin Qian exchanged some pleasantries with the driver, paid him and got the change. Li Zhicheng looked up and saw the dimming light coming from the second floor, where a tall man stood by the window, gazing down at the street.

The exterior of Lin Mochen’s apartment was white and elegant, which matched his arrogance.

There was a yellow fence in front of the apartment, with some snow-covered plants that had been seeded by Lin Qian last year.

Lin Qian stood before the fence and beam at Li Zhicheng. “Good night… you. Get back to the hotel soon.”

For some reason it was difficult for her to call him the familiar “Mr. Li” after having fun with him all night. But calling him “Zhicheng” would have been weird, so she’d just resorted to using “you” the entire car ride.

Li Zhicheng stood in the darkness with his black coat and damp hair. He nodded his head and smiled. “Good night.”

The door opened, and the light at the entrance turned on. Someone walked outside.

Li Zhicheng looked over calmly. Lin Qian, however, quickly closed the gate fence and walked to the door. “Brother, I’m back! Happy Lunar New Year!”

Lin Mochen wore a light grey sweater and a pair of black trousers. This was how a Wall Street elite was at home: leisurely but elegant. He glanced at his sister, who wanted to pretend that nothing was happening, and at the handsome man outside the fence, who nodded at him politely.

They were home sooner than he’d expected.

He pondered the situation for a while, and then said in a deep voice, “A friend coming from afar. Would you mind coming inside for a chat?”

Lin Qian was stunned.

LI Zhicheng said smoothly, “Well, it’s better to accept differentially than to decline courteously, right?”

Lin Qian was speechless.

Why the heck did you say yes?

When she turned back, she saw Lin Mochen walking into the house with Li Zhicheng following right behind him. Both of them were suave and solemn.

It was one o’clock in the morning on New Year’s Day.

Lights blazed in Lin Mochen’s home and the fragrance of tea permeated the air. Lin Qian looked at the two men sitting on the sofa and jokingly thought that her brother’s nightlife was finally getting more exciting.

He had chosen to interrogate his imaginary enemy, Li Zhicheng, instead of sleeping during the early hours of New Year’s Day.

However, Lin Qian calmed herself down after letting Li Zhicheng in. She served the tea and sat down beside the two of them. “Allow me to introduce you two to each other,” she said. “Brother, this is Lin Zhicheng, the president of my company. Mr. Li, this is my brother, Lin Mochen, a senior partner of the MK investment management firm.”

Just as she was about to continue, she saw Lin Mochen look over at her coldly. “It’s very late. Go upstairs, take a shower and go to sleep. I’ll talk with Mr. Li in my office.”

Lin Qian smiled. “I can’t do that. He’s my guest, Brother. I can’t just leave him here and go to sleep.”

Lin Mochen’s face fell. Before he could say anything, Li Zhicheng, who had been sitting quietly, said, “Just go to sleep.”

He said it to Lin Qian in a husky voice, a smirk on his face. Lin Qian was stunned and stared at him.

They made eye contact, and Lin Qian saw placidness and resoluteness within him.

Lin Qian stayed quiet for a while and got up. “Okay, then I’ll accept differentially rather than decline courteously. But don’t stay up too late.” When she finished talking she started to go upstairs. When she reached the second floor, she couldn’t resist looking back—the two of them were following her with their eyes.

What the heck! How can their minds be in sync?

The second she closed the door, she heard Li Zhicheng’s voice, neither meek nor arrogant, “I’ve always wanted to thank you for helping us with the Ming Sheng project. Though, I sadly came here in a hurry. It’s inappropriate for me to come without any gifts for you on New Year’s Day. I’ll definitely visit you again sometime in the near future…”

Lin Mochen invited Li Zhicheng to conduct their conversation in his office.

They sat beside a coffee table. Right outside the window was the terrace, where there was a sharp chill floating in from the dark night.

Every successful person in the business world was energetic, and these two were no exception. Although it was already late at night, they still looked wired and ready to go.

Li Zhicheng was the guest, so he just sat there and waited for Lin Mochen to start talking.

Lin Mochen reflected upon how his sister hadn’t followed his own instruction to “go to sleep,” but had gone after exchanging eye contact with the man sitting beside him.

Ha…

He internally sneered and stared at Li Zhicheng with a straight face. “Mr. Li, I’ve heard that you’re pursuing my sister.”

Li Zhicheng looked at him and nodded his head. “Yes. It seems that she’s already brought it up.”

Lin Mochen picked up his cup of tea and took a sip, then he put it down and lifted his head.

“What do you have?” He asked this while giving Li Zhicheng a cold glare. Anyone who had done business with him before knew that this look meant this handsome, clean-cut man was about to offer an argument.

Li Zhicheng didn’t even blink an eye when suddenly being questioned aggressively like this. He replied, “What do I need to have?”

Lin Mochen nonchalantly leaned back on the black velvet couch.

“Your company’s value based on the current debt-to-equity ratio of Aida reveals that even if Vinda has a stunning sales number, your net worth will be no more than three hundred million yuan.” He eyed him coldly. “I can find tons of men around me with net worths several times yours. Your corporation barely escaped total collapse, and we both know Aida will be fiercely challenged by its counterparts. You know that your career is in jeopardy—how could I rest assured if my sister were with you?”

Li Zhicheng stared at him quietly.

After quite a while he lowered his, picked up the teapot beside him and filled Li Mochen and himself up.

And then he picked up his cup and sipped it. “Running water is never stale and a door never gets worm-eaten. Three hundred million yuan is indeed too little for the Lins. But this is only the current situation, not next year or the year after that. It’s not the future I have in mind for me and Lin Qian.”

Lin Mochen raised his eyebrows and eyed him sullenly.

Li Zhicheng put down the cup and looked up at him. “Mr. Li, are you willing to have a gentlemen’s agreement with me?” He paused for a moment. “If I can give her a promising future, please don’t worry about me being with her.”

…

Lin Qian lied on her bed.

Outside the window, a heavy snow was falling. In contrast, it was dead silent downstairs.

It was already two o’clock, which meant they had already been chatting in the room for an hour.

There was a saying: “Killing someone can only award you a useless dead head.” Neither of them was talkative, so it really surprised Lin Qian that they could have a conversation for such a long time.

But on second thought, this was probably a good thing. Lin Mochen always disdained people he couldn’t benefit from, and had no tolerance for people he didn’t like. Lots of people had been escorted out after less than a quarter of an hour being with him.

Does this mean Brother kind of likes Li Zhicheng?

What am I thinking? Wolves always stick with and appreciate each other.

Now that she was more curious than worried, she really wanted to know what they were talking about. Besides, it was better to let Lin Mochen get to know Li Zhicheng because she would need his approval sooner or later.

Um… Isn’t that exactly what Li Zhicheng said before? Lin Qian covered her eyes and curled up on the bed. Tisk, tisk—we must always respect our significant others.

In the middle of her thoughts, she heard the sound of footsteps and a door opening, along with low voices.

Lin Qian jumped out of bed.

The door was ajar.

She saw lights blazing in the living room, with two silhouettes at the gate.

Had Li Zhicheng already been escorted out?

Lin Qian ran to the window. Just as she had expected, Li Zhicheng was walking out through the fences with his hands in his pockets and his collar popped. He smoothly walked along with a poker face as usual.

Lin Qian exhaled deeply, gripping the corner of the curtain.

I almost forgot that he has “facial paralysis.” There’s no way to tell how the conversation went from the look on his face.

Li Zhicheng seemed to sense her, and suddenly turned back. Just that quick glimpse caused both of their looks to blaze hot. Lin Qian scooched sideways to avoid eye contact.

Her heart pounded rapidly—perhaps due to her rapid movement.

She thought, It’s totally the right move to dodge him. We agreed that we should take things slow, so if I act too inviting he will see right through me.

She only turned her head to the outside again after the sound of footsteps withered away.

“Still haven’t had enough?” a cold voice drifted over to her.

Lin Qian turned quickly and smiled at him. Lin Mochen leaned against the door and stared at her with apathy.

“We’re just friends and nothing more. Why were you grilling him?” Lin Qian walked over and slipped an arm through his.

Lin Qian glanced at her without saying anything.

Lin Qian went on asking, “What were you guys talking about for so long?”

Lin Mochen tittered mysteriously and pulled his arm out of hers.

“Don’t worry about it. He won’t dare to pursue you in the short term.”

Lin Qian blinked her eyes.

A few minutes later, she lied in her bed once again and stared at the ceiling.

Lin Mochen’s face had darkened considerably during her questioning and he’d told her to go to sleep after saying something inscrutable. It seemed he didn’t plan on telling her what had happened.

And if he didn’t want to give something away, no one could possibly change his mind. Not even Lin Qian.

Her phone suddenly buzzed—a message was sent to it.

Who sent the message?

She picked up her phone. It was Li Zhicheng.

‘I’ve arrived at the hotel. Good night.’

Lin Qian replied, ‘Okay. By the way, what were you and my brother talking about?’

Li Zhicheng quickly replied, ‘Don’t worry about that. I can handle him.’

Lin Qian flushed. The tone…

But she was more curious than worried, and put her phone aside.

What the heck had happened? Both of them had told her not to worry, but neither of them had said a single word about the conversation.

Humph. They’re speaking of “private business” and excluding me.

After a while, he thought back to the night, when Li Zhicheng stood in the heavy snow and murmured “I wish that you’ll always have today’s glory. Let today’s good memory always be with you.”

Her blush had faded away; she felt unusually soft and touched.

And then she thought of her brother.

He had been suffering from insomnia for years. It was difficult for him to fall asleep even at this late hour.

She got up and went downstairs, seeing Lin Mochen sitting in the living room, staring at the snow outside with a hot cup of tea in his hands. He seemed to be pondering something.

Lin Qian’s heart ached a bit. She walked to his side, sat down, put her hands over his and said, “Brother, I haven’t said my New Year’s wishes to you.”

Lin Mochen turned his head to her and smiled.

“I wish the two of us, as a family, will always have today’s happiness. Let the good memory of today always be with us.”

Night overtook the city.

Neither of them was going to sleep. They instead chose to watch the recording of The CCTV New Year’s Gala. Lin Qian shook her head and sighed while watching, unsatisfied with the quality of the show. As for Lin Mochen, his attention was clearly not focused on the comedic dialogue, sketch comedy, or Chinese acrobatics he hadn’t watched in years.

He glanced at his sister after his thoughts had wandered for a while.

Lin Qian had said that Li Zhicheng was similar to him.

Based on what he’d witnessed today, they were indeed in the same class.

However, they were different.

He saw something in Li Zhicheng that he also saw in Lin Qian.

Under the ingenious, shrewd disguise, he had the same sincerity and perseverance that Lin Qian did. It was something that Lin Mocheng had lost a long time ago.

As for the gentleman’s agreement between them, they both knew it would remain valid.

If Li Zhicheng were both capable and sincere, he would be with his sister.

However, if he lacked either one of these qualities, all his fortunes would be gone, and his status and reputation would be lost.

Lin Qian didn’t wake up until tomorrow afternoon. She saw the message Li Zhicheng had sent her in the morning.

It was brief: ‘There are some company issues I have to deal with and I’ve taken the earliest flight back. See you in China.’

This surprised Lin Qian. She later learned from Jiang Yuan that it was Mr. Kang from Ming Sheng Group who had introduced him to the chairman of another state-owned corporation—he was interested in ordering products from Aida. The chairman had happened to be visiting his relatives in Lin City, thus Li Zhicheng flew back immediately.

Lin Qian arrived at Aida on time the first day after the vacation.

All the industry giants, including New Bori, SMQ and Aida began the new year’s business.

And the new year’s battles.

Chapter 32

On Monday, the regular meeting for the company management was held.

Lin Qian arrived rather early. After sitting for a while, managers of the various departments and the company’s executives started to stream in.

Snow was falling heavily outside the window and it soon became a blurry image of white. The meeting room was bright with a tranquil atmosphere. The New Year’s decorations hanging from the ceiling that had been hung the “previous year” hadn’t yet been taken down. They added some warm colors to the room. No matter how much tribulations there had been in the past year, the managers all wore grins on their faces; they welcomed one another back warmly and enjoyed themselves by joking around.

Whenever the big boss wasn’t present, the meeting room was always bustling with activity.

Lin Qian was the youngest woman in the room but she was a smooth-talker; she knew when to step back or when to take initiative. This enabled her to strike up an impromptu conversation with the middle-aged managers from the production department sitting near her, and they got along pretty well.

But they would of course get along well. The first thing she’d done that morning was bring in the elaborate gifts from America, and then she’d asked her subordinate to distribute them to each and every department. Formalities were often indispensable, and no one would reject gifts—if one had insufficient experience, favors and connections could make up for it.

In the middle of their conversation the meeting room door opened once again. Li Zhicheng, with a suit and a posture as straight as a pencil, walked in wearing a serene expression. Behind him followed Jiang Yuan, who had a warm smile on his face.

The meeting room immediately fell silent.

Li Zhicheng sat down at the head of the table. Jiang Yuan put down his notebook and large military thermos before sitting in the back row, where Lin Qian used to sit.

Sitting in the boss’s chair, Li Zhicheng placed one hand on the table and lifted his head to look at everyone in the room. Lin Qian was dozens of people away from him and could only gaze at him from afar. Even this distance she could feel his strong and cold aura.

She hadn’t seen him in a few days. In the broad daylight and in front of such a large crowd, he seemed slightly different—more like a stranger.

His black suit was neatly pressed and cut in a way that nicely emphasized a man’s shoulders and waistline. His white shirt, navy blue tie, shiny cufflinks, and strong hand spread on the table all contributed to his introverted but stable aura. And when he lifted those deep eyes to gaze at you, you could clearly feel the quiet yet strong aura that was unique to him.

Lin Qian had to admit that looking at him like that made her heart pound even more than it made her feel touched.

She guessed that everyone else in the room also shared the same sentiment. When Li Zhicheng very naturally scanned the room, everyone became even quieter—the quietest it had ever been in there.

“How was your New Year’s?” he asked. His voice was low and cold, but there was amusement floating in his eyes.

Then, everyone broke into a smile. Seated on his right, the vice-president, Liu Tong, was the first to respond. “Mine wasn’t bad. My whole family and I went back to our hometown. I brought back some local specialties which I’ll have my secretary hand out later on.”

“Yeah!””Great!””Thank you, Vice-president Liu!” Everyone took turns cheering.

Seated on his left, Gu Yanzhi smiled. “New year, new atmosphere. During the holiday, our President Li was exceptionally busy—he was never off his feet.”

Most people averted their gazes in turn. Li Zhicheng smiled slightly and did not speak.

Lin Qian who was sitting quite a distance away felt her heart drop for a moment, guilty about the fact that he was never off his feet? Was this sarcasm? A subtle hint that he’d been running everywhere enjoying himself?

She couldn’t help but stare at Gu Yanzhi. However, she was met with his usual expression, and he didn’t look long in her direction.

Fortunately, fortunately. She’d been wondering if Li Zhicheng would really tell Gu Yanzhi what he’d done during New Year’s. If he had told him, she would have felt a little awkward when faced with the sly old fox, Gu Yanzhi.

Just then she suddenly saw Li Zhicheng lift his head. His expression was normal, but he looked in her direction with electrified eyes.

Lin Qian felt her face heat up and she immediately avoided his gaze.

This man…

Even if he wasn’t trying to give her a hint, there was definitely some hidden meaning within that stare.

Lin Qian lifted her teacup and drank a mouthful. Beside her, a middle-aged man said something (she was not sure what) that caused the entire table to erupt in laughter. She didn’t catch it but she just laughed along with everyone. Even though she wasn’t looking at the big boss, and even though she was unsure whether her mind was just playing tricks on her, she felt as though his shining eyes were still trained her way.

This feeling… Why does it feel like an office affair?

It’s rather thrilling…

Meanwhile Li Zhicheng, who was separated by the crowd, subtly watched the woman try to act natural and hide the faint blush on her face.

After several days of not meeting, the memory of the beautiful woman resting in the crook of his arms that night was as vivid as ever.

The marketing department was first to report on the situation of the past few days. The topic was the state-owned enterprise projects that Li Zhicheng and Gu Yanzhi had pushed for so fervently. It had been an unquestionably prosperous start for the new year. Although the project hadn’t yet been finalized, the two presidents had constantly been accompanying President Kang and the other, more senior state-owned company president. Before they left, they had hoped that Aida would hand in a detailed project proposal as soon as possible and even invited Li Zhicheng to personally discuss in detail once they agreed on the relevant sections. They were obviously very interested.

Everyone became very excited listening to the news. Lin Qian was also pleasantly surprised. Along with most people in the room, she looked at Li Zhicheng in admiration. He was currently listening to the reports from the other departments with a slight lift of his handsome face and his gaze full of concentration. Occasionally, he picked up his pen and noted several lines down. His cold voice was hushed and curt when asking questions. The people questioned by him always replied with exceptional caution and took second glances at his face in the hopes that they would find some hint of approval.

Watching this, Lin Qian could not help but internally exclaim, Today is a new day for the company!

She remembered Li Zhicheng’s first time hosting an important meeting. It had been to decide on their battle plan to resurrect the company, and the atmosphere had been much different then than it was now. Everyone had fought back and hadn’t in the least bit respected this ex-soldier who had to report to duty as a second-generation heir.

But now?

After his complete upheaval and revamping of the company, Aida now had over a thousand employees, ten product lines, a few hundred physical storefronts, and so on.

He had an entirely fresh set of subordinates under him who would gladly follow his instructions.

After the respective departments had finished reporting a brief outline of their situations, it was time for their subsidiary company Vinda, which was under a team of three executives led by Xue Mingtao. Just then, Gu Yanzhi interrupted, “It’s such bad news that Vice President Xue has had such an issue crop up on his end. Vice President Xue can just go over the main points.”

The moment those words were said, everybody’s expression became solemn. Lin Qian’s heart tremored. She had just returned to Lin City last night and had rushed over to the company first thing in the morning. She had no knowledge of this matter.

Li Zhicheng’s expression was still and did not reveal any emotion.

Xue Mingtao nodded. First, he briefly reported on Vinda’s sales during the period in the new year before revisiting its total sales thus far. Of course, the numbers were encouraging. Then he said something that completely changed the atmosphere.

“However, according to reliable sources, SMQ will be preparing to launch a subsidiary product line similar to ours this year. At the same time, their large-scale mid-range product range will launch a series of aggressive promotional and sales activities.

“Apart from that, the other companies who are ranked top ten in the market will also be pushing out similar products and carrying out their plans for online advertising and sales. Everyone is capable of fighting for a place in the market, and such moves by our competitors are very likely to impact Vinda’s growth and development, reducing our share of the market.”

The entire meeting room fell silent.

After a moment, Liu Tong took a drag of his cigarette and without emotion said, “SMQ will always be like that. Copying, maintaining low-prices and engaging in underhanded methods of competition. They have no creativity and are extremely shameless.”

Although it was true, the market was a free-for-all. Even if everyone was upset and nervous about the competitor copying them, their actions were still within reason.

After a moment of silence, Li Zhicheng said, “Does anyone have any thoughts or opinions?” As he spoke, his gaze remained calm and relaxed. He leaned back in the boss’s chair, his fingers entwined and lightly resting on his knees. It gave people the sense that he would maintain his usual stable self and have full control of the situation.

Although the competitors were near, everyone had different opinions on how to deal with them.

Some suggested to similarly launch a sale as they wanted to protect Vinda, their only source of hope, to their last dying breaths.

Others suggested that they enhance their online advertising and, instead of lowering prices, strengthen their product marketing instead. This was something that Xue Mingtao, Lin Qian, and the relevant parties were currently and had constantly been doing. The few of them listened and nodded their heads.

However, Lin Qian quickly noticed that in this heated discussion, Li Zhicheng and his other main confidantes—Liu Tong, Gu Yanzhi, and Xue Mingtao—did not express many of their views. They mainly scribbled down valuable opinions from the discussion in their notebooks. This caused Lin Qian to zone out for a moment as she considered how deep Li Zhicheng’s thoughts went and how complicated his means to an end could be. He had probably predicted this problem a while back.

It appeared that the big shots had long since reached a conclusion about how to handle this problem.

However, Lin Qian didn’t expect this “consensus” to be her responsibility.

Because once everyone had thoroughly aired their views and finished brainstorming, Xue Mingtao nodded his head and said, “Everyone’s views are valuable, hence, our company will go into a detailed analysis and discussion in order to best formulate a working plan that will target the root of this problem. Meanwhile, on my end, I’ve also exchanged some ideas with several other experienced presidents and come up with a precursory plan.

“This plan will require a strong and specialized team in order to compete with our competitors. Thus, we would like to set up a marketing department for our subsidiary company. To outsiders, we will promote it as an overarching marketing plan. However, internally, we view it as being specially set up to fight our competitors in this particularly tough battle.”

His words were very reasonable and everyone nodded their heads in turn.

Just then, Li Zhicheng lifted his head to ask, “Who would you recommend to be in charge of this department?”

To her surprise, Xue Mingtao looked at Lin Qian. Then she heard him say, “Vice President Lin can take charge of it. She was born to be in marketing and she’s in charge of Vinda’s online marketing. I feel that she is most suitable.”

A solemn-faced Liu Tong nodded his head. “Alright, I think that works.”

…

An hour later, Lin Qian sat in the CEO’s office, which had long been unoccupied. She stared at a calligraphy painting hanging on the wall and let her mind wander.

This painting had been added after she’d left the position. It was not as grand or over-the-top as paintings that were usually in the offices of experienced presidents. It was square in shape and not very large. There were several long thin stems of bamboo painted on it. There were subtle hints of water flowing, and mountains as well.

However, Lin Qian felt that it had a lot of depth and artistic value.

A person’s art could reveal a lot about their personality. There was a subtle cutting edge to the painting, and the mountains painted with thick black ink had a certain faded quality to them.

She thought, His inner self is actually very virtuous and responsible.

In the meeting that had just been adjourned, Li Zhicheng had asked her after she was nominated as a candidate, “Lin Qian, what do you think?”

What could she say? Since it was his arrangement, she had no choice but to agree wholeheartedly.

Thus, Lin Qian smiled sweetly and told everyone, “I will abide by our leader’s arrangements. If I do take over this department, I’ll definitely give it my all. Under the leadership of President Li, we will definitely fight a beautifully-executed counterattack!”

Even after the meeting had ended, Lin Qian was still talking to Xue Mingtao and the rest. Jiang Yuan just walked over and smiled at her, saying, “Vice President Lin, President Li has asked you to see him in his office in a short while.”

It was the first day of work in the new year. As usual, the president had to make his rounds of the office as a form of encouragement. Lin Qian sat in his office for over ten minutes, but he still hadn’t come.

For the past few days Lin Qian had actually missed him a little. His image surfaced in her mind from time to time.

After being so greatly affected by him, how could she simply go back to normal?

Even though they were only going to talk about business matters, knowing that she would be interacting with him without anyone else around made her heart itch as though there were a tall field of grass growing within. Lin Qian sat for a while longer. She stared at the bookshelf. A row of neatly-placed books on it sat just below the painting, and she suddenly realized something.

She walked to the door and looked outside—there was still no sign of movement. Then, she gently shut the door and hurriedly ran to the bookshelf. Very quickly, she found Master Sun’s The Art of War.

The moment her finger made contact with the spine of the book, she felt overwhelmed with emotion.

The second book, I’m coming for you!

She could not read it in front of Li Zhicheng—that would be equivalent to a silent agreement that she was one of his people. But secretly reading it was a bad decision that she could blame no one but herself for.

She retrieved the book off the shelf, and flipped through it quickly. She soon found a small, neatly-folded note. She hurriedly opened it to take a look. The note read: “Enter the court and borrow a knife to murder people.” This was the first note. She dexterously folded it to its original state and quickly slotted it back in the page. Flipping to the next page, she found another one! Through the white, thin piece of paper, she could seemingly make out a couple of words, “A sword with three carvings…”

Just then, a familiar set of stable footsteps could be heard from outside. Jiang Yuan’s voice rang through the door separating them. “President Li, Lin Qian is inside.”

“Okay.” His voice was as low as the wind. “I’ll be talking to her about some important matters, so don’t let anyone disturb.”

“Alright.”

Lin Qian immediately stuffed the piece of paper back into the book and crammed the book back onto the shelf before running back to the sofa with a thump, thump, thump and planting her backside down. There was a click as someone twisted the knob and pushed the door open.

Lin Qian displayed a wide smile. “President Li.”

Li Zhicheng closed the door with a flick of his hand and lifted his head to give her a look: dark and focused, magnanimous but direct. It was as if the past few days of being apart had never happened and he was still the man from that night who had wooed her without apprehension.

Lin Qian’s expression didn’t change, but she could feel the entire atmosphere of the office become unsteady after the seemingly careless look of his.

Li Zhicheng first walked over to his huge desk and picked up the cup of water on it to drink a mouthful. Then he removed his outer suit jacket and folded it against his arm before placing it on the back of his chair. With his back facing her, the simple shirt and suit pants made his back look even firmer and straighter, and his waistline appeared slim but strong. Meanwhile he took a document from his desk and started to walk toward her. However, he suddenly turned his head to look at the floor beside the bookshelf.

Lin Qian followed his gaze—one quick glance made her heart tremble.

The neatly-folded note that contained the second battle tip had fallen to the floor.

Lin Qian immediately formulated a plan: act like she didn’t know anything.

She watched Li Zhicheng fold his hands behind his back and slowly make his way to the bookshelf. He bent down and picked up the piece of paper. He did not replace it in the book but simply held it in his hand before turning around and walking toward her.

Their eyes met and Lin Qian maintained her relaxed face.

But catching a glance of the battle tip out of the corner of her eye made her heart rate speed up once again. It was a similar feeling to whenever she’d done something wrong as a child and had been discovered by her parents.

She suddenly felt the urge to laugh.

The sofa in Li Zhicheng’s office had three sections to it, including a long section, a single piece and a double piece. Because the single piece was arranged towards the upper right, the subordinates were all used to giving it up and allowing their boss to have it to himself. Lin Qian sat on the long section, at the side which was closest to the single piece, so as to facilitate a more convenient discussion.

Unexpectedly, Li Zhicheng took a large step around the single piece of the sofa and walked toward her. Lin Qian was slightly shocked. He was not going to sit in the main seat, but instead sit beside her in the position that was meant for people of a lower rank.

His unique, familiar aura enveloped her. It was completely silent in the office. The two of them sat shoulder-to-shoulder, gazing at each other.

Lin Qian asked, “President Li, what do you need from me that you asked me here?”

Li Zhicheng did not respond immediately. He held up the note that contained the battle tip. Lin Qian’s eyes widened. He stared at her with those dark, relentless eyes before lightly placing it into the left breast pocket of his shirt.

He didn’t say a single word, but the initially-composed Lin Qian felt her face instantly become red. This was because she remembered his words from before: If you want it, then come and get it.

Last time he had just held it above the sofa. But this time…

He acted as though as he was completely unaware of his actions, once again confusing her heart and feelings. Li Zhicheng placed the file he held in front of her. “Have a look.”

Lin Qian opened the file. It contained the resumes of six people, all employees of Aida. Lin Qian flipped through the pages and understood. These were the resumes of people from each product event team who had performed exceptionally well lately. Most of them had already worked over five years and were considered to be part of the more reliable staff members.

Good soldiers were strong soldiers.

Did he want to give them to her?

Just as she was about to ask, she heard Li Zhicheng say in her ear, “What do you think of my decision today?”

Lin Qian was stunned. Putting down the documents in her hands, she turned to look at him.

He leaned into the sofa with his long legs loosely crossed together, one arm behind her on the back of the sofa and the other hand lightly resting on his knee. His handsome face was slightly tilted as if he was deep in thought while staring at Lin Qian, who sat in his half embrace.

Lin Qian stared back at him. “I have a question.”

“Say it.”

This question had been stirring within her since the meeting. However, due to everyone’s excitement and the intimidation that came when facing a crowd, she hadn’t wanted to bring it up.

“I have been trying to grapple with the concept of the battle that you led,” she said.

“Okay.”

“Actually, since we are on the topic, we are considered to have suddenly whipped out a surprise move at the last minute. To sell of high-quality products at a low price before switching our focus to mid-range products is a strategy that only us at Aida can pull off. New Bori cannot do it, and neither can SMQ.”

Amusement flashed in Li Zhicheng’s eyes.

Lin Qian sucked in a breath before continuing, “Because before this, Aida was doing very well. When we lost out in the high-quality and lower-range product markets it was synonymous with losing the entire company, and we were basically done for. Hence, we used a strategy that would not have many negative effects on the company.

“However, New Bori and SMQ are different as their entire operation functions very well. If they were to do as we did, wouldn’t it mess up their entire pricing system and all their cataloging? What we did was necessary for us to continue building our company, but if they did it, it would be like sabotaging themselves.”

“Yes, so?”

“So even if SMQ and other competitors are out with a vengeance to get rid of our brand Vinda, we won’t have to worry about the smaller companies because their quality can never match ours. As for SMQ…” She paused for a moment. “No matter how fiercely Chen Zheng may bark, the company’s bark is worse than its bite as it can absolutely never lower prices to the extent that we can. Also, our product has already created a name for itself. The products that hit the market first have a huge advantage in this industry. They definitely won’t be able to beat us in this competition.”

She looked at Li Zhicheng brightly. “So whatever was brought up in today’s meeting is not much of a concern. Even so, you’ve set up a special department.” She glanced down at the resumes.”You’ve even collected all this talent for me. So… what is my real objective here?”

She had started to keep in mind that whenever Li Zhicheng did something, he always had a hidden motive. Whatever appeared at first glance was surely the thing that he wanted you to see. His true intentions were always obscured beneath thick layers of haze.

In today’s meeting, he’d made a big deal out of things and had wanted to specially create a department of talents in order to go against SMQ’s preliminary provocation. It sounded perfectly reasonable—it was a company’s normal reaction in a commercial battle.

Li Zhicheng definitely had a bigger objective that he could not reveal to anyone, and it was likely hidden within this department.

Indeed, he stared at her for a moment before cracking a small smile.

“What seems false is true,” he said softly. “What seems true is false. My objective is New Bori. The largest portion of the market that once belonged to Aida is still monopolized by them.”

Lin Qian felt a tremor in her heart.

New Bori. Working behind the scenes was the extremely capable Zhu’s. They were a leader in the field that no one had been able to overthrow for years. Li Zhicheng, however, had them as a target, and this made Lin Qian’s blood run cold.

She stared in shock at his calm profile.

How courageous was he? How strong of a heart did he have?

In comparison to a company like New Bori, Aida was just a newborn sheep that had just learned to stand. Could he really lead this company to defeat the stronger company? Was this some legendary battle story?

At this moment he treated her as someone he could easily reveal the deepest depths of his thoughts to.

Did he really not have any filters around her?

A thought floated through her mind. If this is the case, what’s so scary about going into a relationship with him?

Li Zhicheng was someone who would obviously never act without thinking. He always wasn’t arrogant. She could tell because he looked at her and slowly said, “Against competitors like SMQ, relying on Aida’s current products and feigning some attacks was enough. However, for New Bori… we need to unleash our true weapons and abilities.”

He removed his hand from behind her and entwined his fingers to rest them on his knees before lightly saying, “So, I will require a longbow.”

Lin Qian was stunned. “Longbow?” She had never heard of this classic business story. So, did he mean…

Indeed, she heard him say, “Something close to perfection that hasn’t been seen on the market, and that has a competitive quality to it, will become our longbow to shoot into New Bori’s market. While you…” He turned his head to look her straight in the eye.

“Officially, you are to protect Vinda’s product expansion. However, your real task is to help me secretly craft this longbow.”

Chapter 33

“However, your real task is to help me secretly craft this longbow.”

Without a doubt Li Zhicheng made Lin Qian feel excited. But in addition to her excitement, she hadn’t yet completely submitted to this man she admired, and was still thinking straight.

“But…” She hesitated. “You’re sure now’s the time?”

Under the bright light, with his deep eyes, Li Zhicheng stared at her closely.

“Umm. Any questions?”

His low breath softly tickled her ears.

“Revenge is a dish best served cold.” She looked him in his cold eyes. “Although New Bori took up our mass market, Vinda just got a firm foothold, dealing with the retail giant New Bori right after the competition with SMQ finished. Isn’t it too… too…” Arrogant? Presumptuous? Impatient? That was the right word.

“Are we being a little too impatient?” she asked, putting it nicely.

It really makes sense. Even though you, Li Zhicheng, are a great genius, I still think you need to be practical and keep a low profile.

Staring at her, he remained silent for a few seconds.

“You think I’m aggressive?”

She hesitated. “Aren’t you?”

Sitting closely, his arm once again rested on the couch behind her back. They stared at each other, with him looking down and her looking slightly up. They were clearly having a serious discussion about business, but every inch of their bodies, and every breath they took created chemistry between them.

“No.” He suddenly lowered his head and gently brushed his lips against her cheek—it happened so quickly that his lips were there and gone in an instant.

Thump, thump, thump. Lin Qian’s heart pounded.

She could still see his dark eyes gazing at her even though their lips were no longer touching. Lin Qian turned her head to the side, avoiding his eye contact—the cheek he kissed was still red and hot.

Thought my brother said he wouldn’t act so hastily.

Had she misunderstood Lin Mochen? After all, he was also a grown man. Did the term “hasty” mean something more intimate to them?

Then his voice suddenly began again. Just like the other kiss, this was natural and effortless, with no explanation required. “You were wrong about one thing. Vinda is resting easy for now, and SMQ might not be able to come up with a sub-brand as competitive, but New Bori can.”

Stunned, Lin Qian looked up at him.

Though his voice was low, every word he said was vital and left a mark on her mind.

“New Bori will come up with a completely different new brand no later than the second half of the year, shutting out Vinda and leaving it with zero or even negative profit.”

Lin Qian felt her heart sinking. He was right. New Bori was very competitive; the financial group behind it branched out to areas including real estate, finance, industrial manufacturing and so much more. Focusing on the bigger scale, despite losing everything on this particular brand, they could still knock down Aida as well as occupy this new market. A sustainable plan would always make a profit, so why not? No one could compete with New Bori’s bold schemes or ability, and along with Ning Weikai’s cunning and arrogance, they were very likely to succeed.

“So before that happens,” he said in a low voice, “We should get rid of them first.”

…

Aida’s recently-popular subsidiary company had opened up a new marketing department.

Despite the normalcy of the news, it was overheard by both Chen Zheng and Ning Weikai.

Chen Zheng just sneered at the news.

The rule of marketing had always remained the same: compete until there was only one survivor left in the end. Perhaps Li Zhicheng’s first trap had worked, but the competition in marketing wasn’t about clever, temporary tricks—it required true ability.

And that was what SMQ had been best at over the years.

Rumor had it that Xue Mingtao had held some meetings with his staff, inspected the shops, and even had some spies in SMQ. It looked like they were getting ready for a fight with SMQ.

Good, we shall see.

At this stage, it didn’t occur to Chen Zheng that he’d already started seeing people like Xue Mingtao as his direct competitor. He also didn’t realize in the slightest that he had been overlooked by Li Zhicheng and Lin Qian.

Yet it was a different situation in New Bori’s president’s office.

Ning Weikai’s assistant, Yuan Ling, handed him over a report. “Lately the conflict between SMQ and Aida has been pretty aggressive. Aida even started a special department. Here are the department functions and the list of staff members.”

After flipping through some pages, Ning Weikai grinned. “Concerning our preparation for the new brand and bringing down Vinda, do you think that soldier pretending to be weak would realize?”

Yuan Jun was caught off guard.

Ever since the fight with Vinda, the term “the soldier pretending to be weak” was used by the president to refer to the well-known Li Zhicheng in the industry.

“Yes,” he replied.

Ning Weikai nodded. “So he must have a solution. Under the calm guise, and with an air of pretension, he’s even sent his trusted employee Lin Qian to start a marketing department. Huh.. so fake. He must have a plan for me, ready to set me up somewhere.”

Yuan Jun smiled. “It’s not easy to set you up, sir. But you can’t let him get away with it. President Ning, should we put more pressure on them in the market to find out?”

After some consideration, Ning Weikai shook his head. “Not necessary. We shall just wait.”

Glaring at the blue sky outside the window, he calmly continued, “Think about this. If an elephant is in a fight with a sheep, would the elephant chase after the sheep? There’s a possibility it could fall into the sheep’s trap. So, of course, he’s going to wait for the sheep to go under his feet and then step on it. ”

…

It was a nice and sunny Saturday with only a few light clouds dotting the bright blue sky. Early in the morning, Lin Qian was exercising in her bedroom when her phone started to ring.

“I’m downstairs,” Li Zhicheng said, short and brief.

Huh?

With her phone in her hand, Lin Qian walked to the balcony. She saw under the morning light and through the shadows of the trees on the sidewalk that Li Zhicheng was leaning against his car, holding his phone and staring up at her.

“Come down, I’ll take you on a hunt for the longbow.”

The weather was still freezing, a light layer of frost soon started to appear on the car’s windows.

Li Zhicheng wore the same outfit he’d worn in America, but his dark grey fleece had been traded for one in off-white. His eyebrows looked extra striking on his sharp face. Hands on the wheel, his fingers were long and slender. With less soldier-like coldness, the vibe of a noble rich son coming from him was becoming stronger.

Lots of women loved to look at men’s hands, and Lin Qian was no exception. The color of his hands was slightly darker than the rest of his skin, and they were strong and slender at first glance. But if terms like “beautiful,””delicate,” and “handsome” could be used to describe hands, his would be described as handsome, delicate, nicely proportioned, slender, and strong. But upon closer inspection, she could see that the backs of his hands were lightly scarred. At the knuckles and the webbing between the thumbs and index fingers, the scars were deeper.

But presently, instead of guns or military bags, it was the future of a company he was holding. And… Perhaps her own hands at some point.

Lin Qian thought of something and then she then turned to him. “The fleece… you didn’t get multiple ones in different colors, did you?”

Holding the wheel, he took a steady turn. “Yeah, a few.”

Lin Qian was speechless.

She had heard that when it came to clothes they liked, some men would buy a dozen of every time. As a decisive soldier, it made sense that he would as well.

“You don’t like it?” he asked quietly.

Despite it being such a simple question, she could feel the butterflies in her stomach again.

From the tone, it was clearly a “girlfriend question.”

“No, I just think it’s interesting,” she replied honestly.

He stared at the traffic ahead. Lin Qian watched his handsome profile. He said to her, “I’ve never had a woman pay attention to this stuff for me.”

Lin Qian hummed. She turned her head and pretended to look at the buildings outside.

The idea of taking “baby steps” with him now meant allowing their feelings to develop.

Once the romance started, it would be spotted everywhere. A conversation and a slight movement could give it away—a glance, or a prolonged hug could also reveal their relationship.

But romances tasted sweet and smooth. Like a wide and bright stream of water, slowly filling in your heart and submerging you bit by bit.

An appropriate relationship—could it make men more manly and women more feminine? In the end, would they become more attracted to each other?

A few days ago, the brief kiss from him, had it been… a spontaneous urge?

Li Zhicheng took Lin Qian to Chun Du Street. The biggest shopping center in Lin City was located here, and its departments for New Bori, Aida, and SMQ were also the biggest in the whole country.

Before they left the car, Li Zhichen took out two hats. One was for him, and he put the other on her head. Lin Qian realized that they were going to do some market research so they needed to keep a low profile. She copied him by lowering the brim of her hat and stuffing her loose shoulder-length hair under it. She then looked up at him. “I’m ready.”

Crap. The brim of her hat was too low—she couldn’t even see his face, just his chin.

Then she heard his voice from above. “You sure you can see the road?”

Embarrassed, Lin Qian lifted the brim of her hat. Her eyes were able to meet his, and they also stared at her from under the brim of his hat. His eyes were calm, deep and quiet, the same temperament as the day they had first met.

Yet at this calm and ordinary moment, she abruptly realized something. Because of his identity, she had been ignoring his subtlety.

Seeing her face and eyes under the brim of the hat, Li Zhicheng’s eyes expressed more stillness and intensity.

With such a brief and intense gaze, Lin Qian’s heart missed a beat.

“The hat was from my high school,” he said quietly. “It looks good on you.”

Although it sounded plain, she could feel the butterflies in her stomach again.

Why did this feel so intimate even though she was just wearing his old hat?

The day happened to be the Lantern Festival; the shopping center was filled with people as the spring sales had just begun. The music playing was fast-paced and the crowd was bustling.

Li Zhicheng took her straight to the top floor on the elevator; it was jammed with people and he held her shoulders, keeping her between his arms. Lin Qian had to admit that she was enjoying it.

She thought about how for years after her brief and dramatic relationship with Ning Weikai during university, every time she went shopping she was either alone watching the affectionate couples or she was with her girlfriends watching the affectionate couples. Always watching people share chemistry.

In the past she had always felt very sturdy standing against the crowd—however it moved around, she remained still.

In comparison, she could tell that with someone like Li Zhicheng right next to her, the other people in the crowd no longer pushed her around like they used to. If someone squeezed by her, they’d avoid Li Zhicheng’s hands. When a person turned around, seeing they were a couple, they’d stop pushing them and would even leave them some space. They were trying to avoid any physical contact with the intimidating Li Zhicheng’s woman.

Lin Qian thought that this was probably a normal physiological reaction.

But even as the result of a normal reaction, this tiny amount of special treatment was able to bring someone the secure sense of happiness—more than money, power, or anything else.

The door to the lift opened and they were on the floor of outdoor brands.

Lin Qian was slightly amazed. Li Zhicheng let go of her shoulders, and the two of them shared eye contact. In a low voice, Lin Qian asked, “Are you… planning to make outdoor gear?

Li Zhicheng avoided answering the question; he looked ahead. “Have a look first.”

Nodding, Lin Qian followed him around and they visited the departments one by one. They obviously had to start at the renowned international brands, and they were also on sale. But the majority were 10 to 20 percent off—only a few products went as high as 50 percent. But they had already attracted a lot of customers.

In terms of popularity and sales volume, the most successful brand was New Bori’s “Long Journey.” There were a lot of admirable aspects about New Bori contributing to their current success. New Bori was the only domestic company that largely covered the outdoor area. They sponsored the National Mountaineering Party and hired sports celebrities for endorsements. Although not cheap, they were more affordable than international brands.

Their department was bustling. Almost everyone around rushed to purchase outdoor backpacks and shoes at a large discount. The consumer group was made of all sorts of customers, including the elderly, middle-aged individuals, teenagers in shirts and jeans, and mothers with babies.

But because New Bori’s specialty was bags, these were sold the most.

Leaning on the railings outside, Li Zhicheng and Lin Qian observed the busy shop.

He asked in a low voice, “Do you remember the article from the magazine I had you read?”

Lin Qian had to think for a moment. “I do.” That had been in his office after the battle against SMQ. They had read an authoritative professional magazine and had discussed the results of the top ten best bags from 2013.

Ranked at number one had been a casual bag from New Bori.

Number two was an outdoor bag, also from New Bori. It was one of the most sold items in the department at the moment.

Although it was just a review article, it also reflected the current market structure. New Bori took up the majority of the market in the area of casual bags, and also outshined the others in the outdoor bag area.

“Hmm.” Li Zhicheng stared ahead. “Let’s kill two birds with one stone by getting rid of these two main brands from New Bori at once.”

Instantly frozen, she looked into his eyes only to meet their bottomless darkness.

“How?” she asked, slightly raising her voice.

Without responding, Li Zhicheng gestured for her to follow him. When they reached a relatively large and quiet empty corridor he stopped walking. Looking at the New Bori department down the hall, he asked her, “What’s special about their customers?”

Following his gaze, Lin Qian quickly answered, “Although it sounds quite helpless, the majority of their customers are just ordinary people, not outdoor activity junkies.”

Li Zhicheng gave her a side glance.

She hesitated. “Did I say something wrong?”

“No,” he said. “You said exactly what I’m thinking.”

Lin Qian cheered up slightly.

It was true. The professional athletes and extremely outdoorsy people usually went for international brands—including her and Li Zhicheng. But products like New Bori’s were more preferred by people on a budget, and ordinary individuals were attracted by the name.

Perhaps they would never be involved in an outdoor activity, but the idea of possessing some stylish outdoor gear made people proud. The quality of outdoor gear was also better than that of normal products.

“Who are the customers of casual bags?” Li Zhicheng continued.

“They’re just completely ordinary people.”

Why is he asking me these questions?

What does this have to do with the longbow we’ll work on?

Hold on… Did he mention killing two birds with one stone?

Then Li Zhicheng whispered in her ear, “What we’ll be working on is a longbow that has the quality of outdoor gear, a price around the same as casual bags, an impeccable exterior, and the best value on the market. The brand must be registered overseas, targeting the normal urban residents.”

Even though he only spoke a few brief sentences, Lin Qian’s heart started pounding.

The creed of a bagging company was to begin with categorizing the products, then specializing and perfecting them, and then building the brand’s budget.

Outdoor bags were about specializing in professional and outdoor areas, improving the current technology, and working painstakingly hard in order to compete with the international brands. But the results usually didn’t turn out the way they wanted.

For casual bags the goal was to have many styles, for them to look pretty, and for the company to be constantly coming up with something new. The quality of casual bags just needed to be good enough for daily wear. These two types of bags were very different.

Even though someone had tried to bring the outdoor functions into casual bags, he was just dabbling, just playing small. He would never reach the standard. After all, the public believed the majority of Chinese people were just curious about the outdoor brands. The demand from the market wasn’t that great.

Yet Li Zhicheng dared to ignore all this.

It never occurred to him to follow the law of “trying to specialize and perfect the products, increasing the company’s competitiveness.” He also clearly didn’t plan to spend a lot of money on the pursuit of fame or high-endness.

He also never thought of following the consumers’ current habits, regardless of the cities residents’ gradually increasing consuming capacity. Also, not many people asked for the casual bags to include outdoor functions. But he really wanted to introduce a new type of product that didn’t exist in the market (at least not in an influential brand). Or to call it…. “City Utility Bag?”

If they were to strongly promote these type of bags, it meant guiding the consumers’ demand, and exploring their potential demand, rather than following the consumers’ lead.

But the idea was also very practical. Just like he said, the bag could be waterproof, light, stylish, durable, made overseas, and affordable… and also defined as an urban casual bag, but would anyone really buy it? Would it attract the consumers from both of New Bori’s brands?

She had no idea what the market would be by then. Maybe nobody would show any interest in their new brand and it would end up failing miserably. Or maybe… was it possible to distinguish themselves right away, and become the dark horse of the whole market?

Looking up at him, Lin Qian spoke out of nowhere, her voice almost sounding raucous. “Boss.”

She called him “Boss” instead of other names, just like before.

“Boss, the concept is excellent, but also very risky,” she continued. “Do you know how difficult it is to make a perfect bag like that?”

Li Zhicheng’s stood straight and cold beside her and stared down at her slightly red face. “Yeah. It’s difficult—extremely difficult.”

The two stared at each other for a moment. In a thick voice, he continued, “So are we doing it or not?”

Feeling the blood rush to her face and ears, she replied, “We are.”

I won’t look around, and I won’t hesitate. The road ahead of us is bumpy and rocky, but you’re aiming high. What else can I say?

During the lows, I’ll keep going and work harder by your side. During the highs, we’ll enjoy the success together.

Chapter 34

That afternoon, the two ate at a fast food restaurant in the shopping mall.

Both the men’s and women’s leather bags were on display at the level where shoes and leather goods were sold. Since they had already made their way down, they decided to take a look on the way. Just as they got off the escalator, Lin Qian glanced toward the drink stall sitting by the main entrance on their left. Their lunch had been rushed so her throat and mouth were starting to feel a little dry.

Then she looked to the right and saw the sign for the bathrooms. Then she told Li Zhicheng, “I’m going to run to the bathroom.”

Li Zhicheng nodded. “What do you feel like drinking? I’ll buy.”

Lin Qian was confused. “Huh?”

He glanced at the drink stall to indicate what he meant.

“Lemon kumquat.” The corners of her mouth lifted into a smile. “Thank you.”

She thought to herself, That was like telepathy, wasn’t it?

The two temporarily went their separate ways at the foot of the escalator.

After walking several steps, Lin Qian suddenly realized how strange that had actually been. He had asked her what she felt like drinking instead of whether she wanted something to drink.

How did he know that she was thirsty?

So, was he always… noticing her body language and expressions?

She stopped in her tracks and looked back to see Li Zhicheng standing in line behind dozens of people amidst the bustling activity all around. She guessed he had never bought something like this before, as he focused intently on the large sign above the stall.

Once again, when you stand on the bridge admiring the view, the person who is admiring the view is actually gazing at you.

Lin Qian continued to stare quietly before turning around and heading into the bathroom.

Facing the clear, bright mirror, Lin Qian removed her hat and washed her face. Lifting her head again, she looked at her damp and thoughtful expression. Her feelings were confused and complicated.

No wonder he had told her that the “big battle is nearing” back in America. Was this the “big battle?”

This could create a huge upheaval of the entire market.

After a moment of silence, she reattached the strap of the hat and dolled herself up a little in the mirror. Only when she felt that she looked spirited and pretty did she walk out of the bathroom.

The hallway leading to the bathroom was as straight as a pencil. Lin Qian thought about what Li Zhicheng had said earlier and walked with her head lowered. Behind her, a man followed, his footsteps going thud, thud, thud. He wasn’t too near but he wasn’t very far either—she did not notice him. At the end of the hallway it once again opened into the mall, returning her to the loud and crowded shopping area.

When she reached the exit, she lifted her head and noticed two men dressed in suits standing by the side as if they were waiting for somebody.

Lin Qian found them rather familiar as she appeared to have seen them previously in the competitor’s store. Was it New Bori, Cheng Pin, or SMQ…?

She naturally spared them a few more glances. Eventually, she heard an emotionless voice from behind her. “What are you looking at?”

Lin Qian was extremely familiar with this voice. A sudden wave of anger erupted within her but she immediately suppressed it.

She turned around and smiled at him with a very magnanimous and appropriate attitude. “President Chen, what a coincidence. I can bump into you even while going to the bathroom.”

While it was a logical comment, the moment it left her mouth it seemed as though she was making a dig at him. Lin Qian internally scolded herself.

Meanwhile, Chen Zheng stared at the woman before him and felt a mixture of feelings. Disdain, injustice, desire, melancholy at his inability to get close to her despite desiring to, and a slightly-hurt ego from what she had said. These feelings had been festering within this man and finally they culminated in a wave of violent anger.

He hadn’t thought he still had any interest in this woman, but Chen Zheng came from an entrepreneurial, farming family background, and was the same as his father. He was set on revenge and wanted an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. When faced with someone that made him unhappy, he would definitely make her unhappy as well—whether it was scaring her or making a dig at her. Since they had bumped into each other today, she had better not think it would be easy to escape.

Chen Zheng gave his two subordinates a look, indicating for them to keep their position. Then, he turned to Lin Qian as if he was smiling—he wasn’t. “Does your face still hurt? Let President Chen have a look.”

Lin Qian turned to walk away without saying a word.

After she had walked two steps he caught up again, this time looming even closer than before. Right in front were several displays of internationally-renowned leather products. The store’s lights were bright and customers were continuously streaming in. Lin Qian tried to hurriedly retreat and almost collided with a customer who just exited the stall. Chen Zheng, who was beside her, pulled her over to a display surrounded by fewer people. “What are you going off for? What can I do to you? Give you another slap?”

Finally, Lin Qian could no longer hold it in. She tilted her head and snarled, “Chen Zheng you bastard! Are you even still a man!?”

Cheng Zheng’s expression started to shift and he stared at her without a word.

Although he looked fierce, Lin Qian was not in the least bit afraid and she coldly glared at him. She thought about Li Zhicheng, who was getting the drinks, and wholeheartedly wanted to leave as soon as possible. But Chen Zheng’s face was not amicable and his tall body blocked her path. The two of them stood next to the display and glared at each other, neither wanting to relent.

A dense sound of footsteps came from behind Lin Qian, as if a whole group of people was grandly walking over.

Lin Qian had yet to turn around but Chen Zheng, who was opposite her, had already lifted his head and his eyes flashed.

Then, Lin Qian heard a man’s voice that was strangely familiar. “Isn’t this SMQ’s President Chen? Such a coincidence—are you here to check up on the stores as well?” Then, as if he was talking to others, he chuckled, “I said this earlier: today’s a great day. Look, not only has my flagship store broken its sales record, I even got to bump into my good friend.”

Lin Qian’s back went rigid.

That…

It was the first day of their huge sales as well as the first weekend after the New Year, so it was natural for the bosses of the big corporations to make their rounds. Moreover, making rounds and checking up on stores were about the most important things in the business. However, it seemed a suspicious coincidence for her to bump into both of them—something just didn’t add up.

The low voice that hinted at a lazy smile; the thick skin to warmly and outrightly call a competitor a “best friend.” Who else could it be other than Ning Weikai?

Today was different from days past. Lin Qian had no need to acknowledge him so she simply remained quiet and slightly lifted her head to get a sense of what was going on. She could see Ning Weikai in his suit and shoes, not a single strand of his short hair out of place, and his face as white as jade. Behind him stood a large crowd: men and women, young adults and middle-aged folks, and a secretary beside him holding his jacket. He looked at her and Chen Zheng with amusement, calm and controlled with an extremely ostentatious presence.

Chen Zheng had regained his usual demeanor, and his two subordinates had hurried over to stand beside him. He smiled and took a step forward, extending a hand toward Ning Weikai. “President Ning, long time no see. The last time we met was at the industry’s annual meeting in September. Why, it’s such a nice weekend and you’re not out spending time with your wife? Instead you’re going solo, like a bachelor such as myself, making your rounds of the stores.”

The people beside him laughed as if they were placating him. Lin Qian actually found it a little funny as well. Everyone in the industry knew that Ning Weikai had married the daughter of the president of Zhu’s—this was how he had propelled into his position at New Bori. With Ms. Zhu’s two older brothers at the same level, they each got hold of the Zhushi consortium’s property, the financial service industry, and the bag business respectively. Chen Zheng’s words may have seemed a light-hearted joke, but people who were more sensitive could tell that there was a hidden meaning.

And by Lin Qian’s standards, Ning Weikai was a very sensitive man.

Watching from the outside, it was definitely funny. But if Lin Qian did not leave now, when would she?

Just as she was about to take off, she heard the voice laced with lazy laughter ask, “And who is this?” His tone still held a little uncertainty.

Lin Qian did not have to turn and look to know that many gazes had fallen upon her.

Even though Lin Qian was a small fry, ever since Li Zhicheng’s very successful battle, Aida’s group of talents had once again established a name for themselves in the market. In this market where competition was tough, everyone believed in the mantra that “only by knowing yourself and your enemy well will there be a guaranteed win every battle.” It would not be unbelievable if several people there recognized her.

It was too late to try and get out of the situation.

She maintained a perfect smile and slowly turned around, looking at everyone with bright, shining eyes.

She heard Chen Zheng laugh, “This is Miss Lin Qian from Aida Group—President Li Zhicheng’s precious and beloved subordinate.” He glanced at her again. “She used to be part of SMQ’s staff and is also my friend.”

Lin Qian cursed bastard at him in her heart again. Then, she looked up at Ning Weikai with a smile. “Hi President Ning, I’m Lin Qian.” As for a handshake—there was no need for that!

Ning Weikai put on a slightly shocked expression. “President Li’s most precious and beloved subordinate is so young!” He smiled at her. “Manager Lin, it’s my pleasure to meet you.”

Someone beside him immediately chirped, “Still so pretty.”

She could not tell if that line was genuine or not. But at that moment, Lin Qian was a woman standing in a crowd of mostly men. Such a comment, when analyzed in detail was often not a compliment, but rather a flippant remark.

Lin Qian smiled without a word. Ning Weikai also had a smile on his face and looked at the person who had said that. It was a basic store holder who did not often have the chance to see the president. Even though the president was smiling at him, why did it feel very cold? He obviously did not approve of people cracking such jokes. The store owner immediately lowered his head, reducing his presence in the room and trying to blend into the crowd.

The little detail that most did not notice Lin Qian had immediately picked up on. She understood Ning Weikai’s character well. Even though he wasn’t loyal when it came to relationships, he was extremely respectful and courteous to women of all ages, appearances and social status.

That was why Lin Qian had agreed to be with him all those years ago. She’d been blinded by the gentle and refined side of him.

Even so, Lin Qian still lifted her gaze and shot him a grateful look. Meanwhile, his gaze was as still as water and his demeanor was completely unchanged, making her unsure if he even noticed it.

Chen Zheng briefly exchanged some greetings with Ning Weikai, and without many other words he said his goodbyes. As he left, he didn’t even glance at Lin Qian.

Lin Qian took the chance to say her goodbyes as well but before her mouth could open, Ning Weikai looked at her with a smile. “Manager Lin, I’m very interested in the brand Vinda that your company has recently launched. I’ve heard that Vinda’s products have been selling very well and has broken the market’s record.” He turned his head again and told the others. “Considering that Aida created such a successful brand in such a stale market, they should really be a model for others.”

Most people took turns to agree, but anyone could say polite words. Lin Qian did not want to listen to any of this praise.

People can be very strange. She obviously knew that the man in front of her was no longer the youth he once was. If he did not have those cruel tactics that were so similar to Li Zhicheng’s, even if he was the son-in-law of the company, he definitely would not have been able to secure his position as the president of New Bori for so long. Neither would he have been able to lead his organization to such heights and allowed it to progress so quickly.

But staring at his profile, which was nearly identical to how he looked years ago, and watching his cunning eyes, Lin Qian couldn’t help but feel that deep down he was still the sly, gentle, kind person… with a hunger for power and fame, and an unpredictable nature.

Lin Qian smiled. “President Ning is too kind. Our President Li is also full of respect for President Ning. New Bori is this field’s benchmark—” Just as she was about to finish her string of polite nonsense, she heard President Ning softly go “Oh!” before getting excited and looking around. “Has your President Li come today?”

From where they stood now they couldn’t see the drink stall—Lin Qian became very anxious. She reckoned that Li Zhicheng still had many people in front of him, and since the drinks had to be freshly made, perhaps he would still be a while. She simply gave him a vague smile and evaded his question, saying, “President Ning, since you’re busy, I—”

“Miss Lin,” Ning Weikai cut her off once again; his smile was as refreshing as a spring breeze. He gestured to her. “Come over here by my side.”

Lin Qian was stunned. The surrounding crowd silently observed.

There were a few feet between them. Lin Qian had no idea what his ulterior motives were. This version of Ning Weikai gave her both the sense of familiarity and unfamiliarity at the same time.

Under the scrutiny of the crowd, she walked over, closing their distance to 20 to 30 centimeters before standing still. Ning Weikai tilted his head to look at her. He extended his arm and pointing to the top level of the mall. He said, “That’s New Bori’s store with the highest sales. Has Miss Lin gone to have a look today?”

Lin Qian blinked and answered, “Oh, today I’ve been blindly going all over the place. I have probably gone already.”

Ning Weikai smirked at her. Then using the back of his hand to support his head in a thinking position, he was seemingly deep in thought. “I hope in the future, our two companies can work together more often to revitalize this industry. I also invite you and President Li to visit our stores more often and to give me some suggestions.”

These words were definitely too amiable, but the crowd all quickly agreed and seconded the idea. “President Ning is extremely correct!””Exactly, one must have such an attitude when doing business!”

Amidst a sea of approval, Lin Qian had no choice but to continue smiling. However, regardless whether it was the unfamiliar Ning Weikai of the present or the familiar Ning Weikai of the past, these passionate and selfless sentiments were fake. Lin Qian became completely incapable of adding any more flattering words.

Amidst the hubbub of voices from around and the background music, she could suddenly hear a man’s low, amused voice come from above her head; so soft that only the two of them could hear, he said, “You’ve grown taller. Last time you were only as tall as the second button of my shirt, and now you’re nearing the first.”

This light and airy voice made Lin Qian go numb.

What kinds of things was he saying?! Their relationship had seemed to come out of a play: they had broken up after only ten days together. How could he say such nostalgic things? What was it for?

He was crazy!

In a low voice again, she heard him say, “However, your appearance has become a bit worse. You’re all dressed up like a man, and you didn’t even put on makeup. And what kind of lousy hat is this—it looks terrible.”

Lin Qian could not stand it for a moment. She turned her body slightly and blocked the view of the people standing around. Then, she lifted her head, her face still etched in a smile and whispered vehemently, “Ning Weikai, would you die if your mouth was less cruel?!”

His thin lips gently pulled upwards into a smile that was as cold as a snowfall.

“Zero dollars, long time no see.”

Lin Qian had been initially irritated by his words. But now, hearing this, she didn’t know why, but she suddenly smiled too. She was about to retort, “Lame!” Before she did, however, she realized that it would be a little odd.

Turning her head, she saw Li Zhicheng. He had one hand in his pocket and the other one carried a plastic bag with their drinks. He was amongst the flow of people walking by about 30 feet away. He appeared to have just walked over from the drink stall and lifted his head to look in the direction of the bathroom. His gaze paused for a moment before he looked in her direction.

Through the dark and packed crowd, and in the loud environment, he spotted her at a glance.

Chapter 35

The second Lin Qian saw Li Zhicheng, the first thought that struck her wasn’t that there would be any new-love-old-romance drama, or that one of them would annoy or be jealous of the other. The only thing she could think of was not allowing them to meet each other.

There were two reasons for that.

First, Ning Weikai was a cunning fox. If he saw Li Zhicheng and her together visiting the stores, he would wonder what was going on. Although they had been low-key without drawing any attention, the less trouble the better.

Second, Ning Weikai had come here with ostentation – all suited up and were centered by his followers. In comparison, however outstanding Li Zhicheng was, he would be outshined in his casual outfit and accompanied only by her. Besides, this was somewhat of a date for the two of them—they wore matching hats. If they were spotted matching by others, it could spark rumors. Ning Weikai would laugh at her—at least on the inside—and his sidekicks would judge Li Zhicheng and her, thinking there was an inappropriate relationship between a superior and a subordinate.

Humph, Li Zhicheng isn’t someone they can look down upon.

He wasn’t ostentatious because he was sophisticated. He spent every second with her because they loved each other and only each other reciprocally.

When she saw Li Zhicheng walking toward her with the beverages, all she could think about was protecting him from being despised by the worthless. She did not want anyone to stand a chance of thinking little of Li Zhicheng.

After making up her mind, she stepped back, beamed and bowed toward Ning Weikai. In a clear voice she said, “Mr. Ning, I’ll leave you alone now. Take care.”

The area was packed with people. Ning Weikai concentrated on Lin Qian without noticing Li Zhicheng in the crowd. Seeing her try to get away from him as though he were a contagious disease, he couldn’t help chuckling.

Lin Qian said goodbye to the executives behind him. Seeing this, everyone thought Ning Weikai had already bid her farewell, so they all pretended to be polite and waved her goodbye.

Ning Weikai didn’t say anything further. He glanced at her one more time before leading the crowd behind him away.

Lin Qian was relieved. When she turned her back, she saw Li Zhicheng approaching her. He looked in the direction Ning Weikai had gone and then looked back at her. That look was a bit…enigmatic.

Lin Qian walked hurriedly to him and grabbed her beverage.

“Thanks. Let’s go.” She smiled at him.

He stared at her without a word.

Lin Qian lightly pulled on his sleeve and said, “Let’s go.”

“Sure,” he murmured. Lin Qian rejoiced in her heart and started to walk away with him. Suddenly, she felt some pressure on her shoulders—it was his arm. Lin Qian just followed him and they leisurely walked out of the mall.

Just when Li Zhicheng was about to open the exit door, with his woman in his arm, he turned his head.

Diagonal from them was the escalator where Ning Weikai and his fellows were. The light was blazing in the mall, and both men had acute senses. From across the crowd, they exchanged eye contact and then turned their heads away, marching toward their own destinations.

Li Zhicheng still had businesses to deal with that afternoon. He left the urban area and drove Lin Qian home first.

Golden sunshine spilled on the grey road, making the light inside the car shimmer. Lin Qian felt a bit languid. She lied in the shotgun seat and started to sip her lemon kumquat juice.

Li Zhicheng focused on driving—as usual without facial expression. Lin Qian looked down at his drink. It was first flush oolong tea. It was so typical of him to get a beverage without any sweetness in it.

Li Zhicheng reached to the oolong tea, sipped it and put it back.

The simple motion made Lin Qian’s heart pound rapidly.

She had to admit that sometimes a man was just handsome from top to bottom, and sometimes every move he made flaunted his suaveness. Even the way he drank was different from other men: he looked steadily ahead while accurately landing his hand on the cup. After picking it up, instead of holding the bottom or covering the whole thing with his palm and gulping it down like others, he left his hand slightly open and pressed his fingers on the bottle with equal strength in each finger. It kind of resembled how ancient people held their wine cups decorously and magnanimously, making his hands looked slender and captivating.

How could drinking water look magnanimous in her eyes?

“What are you looking at?” he suddenly asked.

Lin Qian hadn’t expected that question. She smiled awkwardly and said, “Nothing. I’m just wondering, you really don’t drink anything sweet?”

“No,” he murmured. “I don’t like sweet.”

“Oh, okay.”

After a moment of silence in the car, he asked, “Do you like sweet?”

Lin Qian thought about it for a moment and answered, “Actually, I like all sorts of flavors.”

Everything had its best flavor, whether it was sweet, sour, spicy, salty or bitter. She was willing to taste them all and she enjoyed discovering new things.

Li Zhicheng smiled following her ordinary answer.

Lin Qian blushed. “What are you smiling at?”

Li Zhicheng peeked at her without saying anything.

He was innately tepid while she was enthusiastic about everything.

She was like a colorful flower blossoming in his quiet soul.

Though he wasn’t talking, Lin Qian could sense that he was in a good mood.

It’s now or never.

Lin Qian sipped her drink and said as though it was not at all a big deal, “Ning Weikai and I have met before.”

Why would she want to tell Li Zhicheng about this past relationship?

Lin Qian had thought it through. To sustain a relationship, two people should be honest with each other.

In the mall, Li Zhicheng had seen her and Ning Weikai speaking in what had appeared to be an intimate manner. Although Ning Weikai was pretending to be a “teacher,” Li Zhicheng was an intelligent person who could extrapolate from tiny issues. He probably wondered why Ning Weikai had spoken to a nobody such as herself. It was possible that he already suspected something, but just wasn’t revealing his thoughts.

After she said this, he stopped concentrating on driving for an instant and glanced at her. The look was a bit aggressive, which made Lin Qian feel bashful.

All she had said was “met before,” but the look he gave her made her feel like he already knew everything solely based on that. But no one could see through something that vague.

The car arrived at the neighborhood where Lin Qian lived. He turned the steering wheel gradually, looked in the rearview mirror, and started to back the car up. Lin Qian dived in while he wasn’t looking at her. “Umm… He was a senior when I was a sophomore in college. We were originally close friends, but then we dated for around half a month. We broke up quickly because we weren’t compatible.”

Lin Qian concealed something. She had broken up with Ning Weikai not because of incompatibility, but because he’d cheated on her. However, it was kind of a disgraceful thing to say, so she made up a reason.

Li Zhicheng expertly parked the car while she “confessed.” Instead of saying anything, he turned his head and stared at her quietly.

How does he feel? Jealous? Angry?

Lin Qian thought she’d already told him everything. However, the bafflingly complex look on his face and his hands, which gripped the steering, wheel made her feel like she was feather-plucking a tiger—dangerous but exciting.

“I’m leaving now. See you on Monday.” She unfastened her seat belt and reached for the doorknob.

Suddenly she felt her arm being pulled. Just when she realized what was happening, he had already leaned toward her and put his lips on hers.

This was a completely different kiss from last time.

Stronger, deeper and more aggressive.

Lin Qian’s heart raced rapidly—she felt numb because her tongue and lips had completely surrendered. Li Zhicheng trapped her in the chair with his arms and body, putting one of his hands on her waist and pressing her body against his chest, rendering her unable to lean away; his other hand held her head. Her entire body was trapped in his, and she couldn’t move whatsoever.

His face rubbed against her cheeks. She could even feel his tall nose pressed against her face. His breath gushed out on her cheeks and eyes. She could feel the light scent of oolong tea from his mouth while his tongue chased hers, leaving her no choice but to be completely intimate with him.

After kissing him for a while, Lin Qian slowly lifted her hands and pressed them against his chest, gently grabbing his shirt.

The kiss lasted for a long time.

Three minutes? Five minutes? Maybe even ten minutes?

He didn’t move his face away until Lin Qian’s lips felt sore. He stared at her with his beautiful brooding eyes. There seemed to be an undercurrent within their depths.

Lin Qian flushed, her hands still on his chest. She didn’t say anything, and he still held her waist.

“Don’t you have a secret deal with my brother,” she said in a low voice, “that you won’t make a move on me in the short term? You don’t think that counts?”

She sounded more coquettish than questioning.

Lin Zhicheng watched her blushing face and murmured, “Today’s an exception.”

“Why?”

“If you can tolerate him talking to you like that, can you tolerate me making an exception?”

Lin Qian was dazed. The corners of her lips curved. She didn’t expect the hand on her wait to forcefully pull her forward again. Li Zhicheng lowered his head and kissed her once again.

This time, Lin Qian wasn’t as unprepared. She closed her eyes when his lips covered hers, her body slightly trembling.

And this time, his kiss was smooth and calm; the aftertaste reminded her of appeasement. After the kiss, he moved away from her.

“Go back home,” he said, “or I can’t guarantee whether I’ll make you stay in my car or not.”

He spoke calmly, but Lin Qian’s heart skipped a beat. She sensed that he was not joking, so she hurriedly opened the door. When she realized what he’d just said, she flushed again.

Make you stay in my car—that’s wild.

Li Zhicheng also got out. Afternoon sunlight shined down on the car and their faces. He stood by the car door with his hand in his pockets, watching her go upstairs.

Possibly due to a hallucination, Lin Qian saw a modest red tint on his straight face. However, he stood there still like a statue. The red made him look more like a real person.

He was a man in his mid-twenties who was in love instead of just a cunning businessman.

But alas, that young and lack-of-ripeness look was only an illusion.

After walking away a few seconds, Lin Qian turned her head back and asked him, “What is the pact you made with my brother? Would you please just tell me?”

He stared at her and reverted back to his intricate, impassive old self. “It’s not the time to tell you yet.”

“Okay,” Lin Qian said.

After arriving back at home, Lin Qian did nothing but lie in bed.

Recalling the passionate kiss that had almost boiled her entire body, her heart throbbed, and she could barely even see straight. She touched her lips, took her hat off, stared at it, and then put it back on her head.

There wasn’t any engine sound from outside. Has he gone?

Lin Qian jumped out of bed and walked to the balcony. She was dazed by what she saw.

Li Zhicheng and his car were still there. He leaned against his car, and not far from him was the pond with goldfish swimming around. Surrounding the pond was nearly a dozen kids running around and having fun.

Um, he likes kids?

Lin Qian leaned against the balcony with her head resting on her left hand, looking down at him. After a while, she went back to her room, took out a piece of paper and started to fold it.

As a matter of fact, Li Zhicheng didn’t have any particular liking for kids. He stood there to think things through.

His chest, where her hands had just pressed against, was still warm. And there was a sweet and velvety scent in his mouth.

An unfamiliar but luscious feeling slowly grew in his heart and before he realized it, there was a smile on his face.

And what came to his mind was the look on Lin Qian’s face when she glanced up at him from across the crowd in the mall.

Tender and delicate.

In those large and bright eyes, all he could see was delicate tenderness.

It had been best for both of them that he didn’t show himself in the mall given the circumstances, and she was astute enough to see that.

And after a quick decision, he went to her. But then he heard her voice. “Mr. Ning, I’ll leave you alone now.” After which she bowed and the man walked away, the problem resolved before he had even arrived.

When he had been in the army, everyone was full of respect whenever talking about the “wolf of the southwest,” Li Zhicheng. And after the battle against SMQ, everyone at Aida looked at him with awe.

When that woman had learned of his true mind, she’d become wrong-footed and hadn’t wanted to touch him with a ten-foot pole. But now she seemed to have reverted to her old attitude, thinking of him as a naive fellow, showing delicateness and pity in her eyes.

He was trying to dominate the whole market and planning to destroy his competitors in the near future. But she still worried he could be wronged.

Li Zhicheng put his hand on the rearview mirror and started tapping on it.

So bright is the moonlight

And on your dainty face doth shine

So willowy is your body

Which makes my nerves tight

He heard a whistle from above. Li Zhicheng looked up and saw a white paper plane spiraling down to him—it almost looked like a dove. Lin Qian’s stood on her balcony, looking at him with her head in her hands.

Li Zhicheng was agile enough to catch this mischievous paper plane. There were words written on it. He opened it. “Aida will win for sure!” she had written.

Li Zhicheng chuckled. He looked up again with the paper plane in his hand. With more than ten flights of stairs between them, he couldn’t see her face clearly. Nonetheless, he could see the shine of her smile, and that radiant light could have melted his heart.

It was about time to leave. Li Zhicheng stared at her for another moment before getting into the car. He folded the paper back to the shape of a plane and put it on the dashboard. Whenever he glanced at the paper plane while driving, he found it difficult to control his feelings. He picked it up and caressed it.

The Changgong Project team was secretly operated under Lin Qian’s marketing division. Nominally, she was the single point of contact from the leadership team; but actually, all the executives and experts from Aida were involved in it.

Li Zhicheng was the person in charge overall; Liu Tong and Gu Yanzhi were directly under him. These three people comprised the kernel of the project, responsible for the design, production and marketing of the new products.

Under these three were four sub-teams: materials technology, design, marketing and production control. Every team had a leader, and Lin Qian was the leader of the marketing team. Her performance would, however, be inspected by Gu Yanzhi.

After that passionate kiss, Lin Qian didn’t have the time to see Li Zhicheng in private. The whole project team had started to operate without a break following his instructions.

Lin Qian wouldn’t overthink anything during a time like this. Something was clear, some feelings were confessed, however it was not the right time to let out the emotions. Therefore both of them would had to suppress their desire of each other’s company. Regardless, every time there was a meeting, she couldn’t resist sneaking a peak of him.

Sometimes, their distant eye contact would make Lin Qian’s heart palpitate. There were undercurrents in both of their eyes. Something only the two of them could understand.

As for Li Zhicheng, he was buried in the project, spending twenty-four seven in his office and deprived of private leisure time. Lin Qian knew that he was the busiest person in the entire company because everything would ultimately come to him.

There were five experts working under Lin Qian. However, the materials for and the exterior of the new project hadn’t been finalized—there was only a general idea for each. The marketing team could only make some rough draft, being less busy than other teams.

When Lin Qian went to Gu Yanzhi to ask him about the key points of their current work, Gu Yanzhi was preparing to go on a business trip. He waved his hands and said, “Mr. Li and I are going to Europe to negotiate for a new type of fabric, and we won’t be back for about a week. Just mull it all over until I come back. Give us something brand new and invaluable because this product is going to be brand new, never before seen by this world. Capiche?”

His request was much more demanding than his tone. Lin Qian could only acquiesce to him, thinking how tiring it would be for Li Zhicheng to go on such a rushed and faraway business trip.

In the afternoon, she got a message from him. ‘Business trip to Europe. Be back in six days.’

Lin Qian smiled and replied, ‘Got it. All the best.’ She thought of typing ‘I’m here waiting for you,’ but deleted it on second thought because she felt that it was too clingy.

Since Lin Qian did not get the clear guideline from higher-up executives, she decided to find the guideline herself with her team. To be fair, the overall direction of the new product explained by Li Zhicheng was quite clear, and everyone thought there was plenty of potential in it. Lots of great ideas were generated after countless discussions, such as how to promote it, which forms of advertisement should be utilized and whether hunger marketing was needed and so on.

However, Lin Qian felt that something was missing. None of their ideas matched what Gu Yanzhi had described as “brand new” and “invaluable.”

After the meeting, she locked herself in her office and soaked in a deep rumination. Her final thought was something Li Zhicheng had said to her in the mall.

He had said that the product must be the most cost-effective, and that it would top the two major brands offered by New Bori.

She had asked, “Do you know how difficult it is to make a perfect bag like that?”

She remained quiet for a while and called Lin Mochen, disregarding the time.

It was midnight in America and Lin Mochen sounded languorous. He was still, of course, very sharp. “What is it?”

Lin Qian glanced at the clock and said, “Sorry, brother. I was deep in thought and didn’t notice the time before calling you.”

Lin Mocheng chuckled lightly and sit up, facing the blazing lights of Manhattan out the window. “What were you thinking about?”

Lin Qian explained the situation to Lin Mochen. “I think that instead of planning on how to quickly promote the product, the marketing team should conduct a market survey first.”

“A survey? Why?”

“This industry has been developed for years—it’s pretty mature already. All the established brands are there, and hardly anyone will be willing to conduct a customer survey on a particular line of bags.

“But I think we should do this. What customers think of this brand, whether there is a demand for it. Who’s going to be our target group, and what functions should it have to better meet their expectations—provided that they’re interested in it. We can’t know any of this without a field survey. So I plan to choose several cities and conduct a small-scale household investigation in order to get the most accurate information.”

After listening, Lin Mochen became quiet for a while—then he beamed. “I support your decision.” He paused and said, “From past to present, and for every industry, the more you want to do the best, the more you should be earnest and down to earth. If you want to make some extraordinary products, you need to study the market before marketing.”

After hanging up the phone, Lin Qian thought, That’s just the way it should be. Li Zhicheng said that unlike the case of SMQ, using “tricks” are not enough to defeat New Bori. The bags must be extremely high quality, thus the effort to craft this perfect “longbow” must be high quality as well.

A perfect commercial war meant they must take each step with exceptional care. As a result, the birth of such products would mark the end of the race within its industry, just like what iPhone did in the cell phone industry, and what their “longbow” would potentially do this to the bag market.

The next day, Lin Qian led her team, together with some other top performers, to start the survey in different locations.

Chapter 36

When they heard the news of Lin Qian organizing some market research, Li Zhicheng, Gu Yanzhi and Jiang Yuan were dragging their suitcases and just stepping out of the Milan Malpensa International Airport.

Further on the horizon was the rising and falling view of a forest and mountains. The beautiful city was situated not too far ahead. Whether or not they would find the materials suitable for the new product was still a big question mark.

Hopping in the taxi, staring at the message from Lin Qian, Gu Yanzhi laughed; he said to Li Zhicheng, “She’s even thought of doing marketing research. I didn’t expect that from her—she’s more patient than I thought.”

Li Zhicheng responded, “She always has her own ideas. If we give her a direction and leave her with enough space, that’ll be enough. She’ll amaze us with the results.”

Gu Yanzhi chuckled. “Did you learn this manipulation method from the military? Like when they usually talk about disciplining an eagle, and training a wolf?”

He was joking. Jiang Yuan, who sat in the front, also burst into laughter. Li Zhicheng couldn’t be bothered to answer. Staring at the clouds in the sky, he suddenly broke into a slight smile.

Discipling an eagle?

It appeared that he was the eagle. A wild world was waiting for him, but he had been tied up by her softness and sweetness, and was most willing to surrender.

He received a message from Lin Qian. ‘I’m going on a business trip. Doing market research in all the places. Will be back in about ten days.’

His slender fingers lightly tapped the screen; he responded, ‘Good, see you in ten days.’

…

Around two weeks later spring arrived. Although there was still some chilliness left in the breeze, the sunshine had become warm and dazzling.

At noon, standing in front of a stylish apartment block in Chang Sha, under the bright sun, Lin Qian squinted at a towering coffee-colored building.

Soon, the young members of the group—about a dozen of them—scattered to the elevators with surveys. She also took out a few surveys from her backpack, as well as a delicate little present (a small desk calendar). She took the elevator straight to the top floor and knocked on the door of each household.

Household surveys that were so formal had only been carried out by the National Water Supply General Company, State Grid, and the National Census. So every time the residents opened the door for her, they were surprised. “Household survey? Where are you from?”

Lin Qian usually responded with a smile. “We’re from a company. We just want to get some information on our consumers.” She then handed over the little present. “I’m not selling anything, just want to ask you a few simple questions.”

Most people still didn’t like the sound of it. “Not necessary,” they would say, pushing her out and shutting the door.

However, there were a few willing to cooperate. Perhaps because of Lin Qian’s friendly manner and the good impression she made—and the fact that she didn’t look like someone from a pyramid scheme—some residents actually ended up filling in the surveys for her. When she happened to meet people who were really into the outdoors or outdoor gear, they would even have a nice chat with her.

Even for such a tall building getting five or six surveys done by the end of the afternoon could be considered lucky.

At the beginning of the task, under Lin Qian’s encouragement, everyone had been full of motivation. But as time went on, they began to complain. After all, none of them had done such a menial task like sending out surveys since college. It was also hard to deal with the constant rejection—they felt dejected and depressed.

Lin Qian consoled them. “The tougher experiences are, the more valuable they become.” And because we’re the first in the industry to do this, once the new products become a success, we’ll be the role model of the entire industry.” She also used her own experience as an example. Regardless of the apartments in whichever city they were in, she was always thick-skinned and jumped to action first by knocking on their doors.

The members slowly calmed down, and they also started to ignore rejections. They focused on the idea of “fully understanding the consumers’ needs” itself. Over a period of about three weeks, after traveling between five cities, they gathered 1,500 useful surveys. Although not much, with the accumulation of the data, and the gradual in-depth communication with the urban residents, everyone was able to brainstorm and contribute excellent ideas regarding the “longbow.”

As a result, guided by Lin Qian, these ideas were later integrated into super effective marketing plans after the launch of their new brand, Aito. These plans largely contributed to the booming success of Aito and its ability to distinguish itself right off the bat. This will be discussed in detail later in the story.

It suddenly hit Lin Qian that about three weeks had already passed.

Every time she returned to the hotel—in the dead of night, exhausted, all by herself—she would lie heavily on the cool, fresh-smelling bed. She felt as though somewhere beneath the shell of an indomitable female boss, the proud and energetic Lin Qian was finally coming to life.

Staring past the dark yellow curtain at the clear moon outside the window, a lot of things flashed through her mind.

She thought of her perfected speaking skills. “The tougher experiences are, the more valuable they become.” Hehe, how did I come up with that?So wise—everyone was speechless. Haha!

She then thought of the ideas and plans they had worked on together as a team—they were bright like gems. She couldn’t help but get excited every time she thought of them.

Not sure how Li Zhicheng is doing with his business. I’ll sure surprise him—does he know about the progress?

Tomorrow, she and her team were finally heading back to Aida.

Lying on the bed, her mind drifted for a while. She looked up; seeing the hat on the nightstand, her heart felt like it was being pinched by someone.

‘We’ll be back tomorrow,’ she typed on her phone.

The message was sent, but after a while there was still no reply.

Holding her phone, Lin Qian flipped around on her bed.

He must be busy, that’s why he hasn’t responded.

But he must have no idea how badly she’s been missing him lately—he wouldn’t expect it.

Love is a bizarre feeling that you have absolutely no control over.

A month ago, she had still been following the rules, taking it slow, trying to get to know him before starting their relationship. She had also believed herself smart and selfish. Since he’d fallen for her first, and with such subtlety, she’d only feel secure knowing he fancied her more than she fancied him. She’d even had a theory that was rather mean. Although, her brother’s theory was a little extreme: that perhaps men like him pursued women who were hard to get.

But, after the impulsive passionate kiss they shared the other day, her heavy heart had become… lighter.

She no longer wanted to control it; she no longer could control it.

Every morning when she opened her eyes, her first thought was of him. Before going to bed at night, her blurry mind was on him.

Whenever colleagues mentioned “President Li,” her ears perked up. Words that had nothing to do with her, as long as they were related to him—even when he had raised his temper at the meeting that day—her heart palpitated. She seemed to gradually miss him more and more.

When she was questioned by her team the first time, her passionate speech had managed to stabilize the situation but only just temporarily—and barely. But once she left the meeting room, standing under the light all by herself, she felt lonely. Then she thought of him, of his cold, focused look, and the smile in his eyes. She took out her phone, wanting to send him a message, but worried that he could be a hundred times busier than her. So she put the phone back in her pocket and looked out at the strange city through the window. Into the dazed darkness of night, she stared blankly.

When the exceptional idea of celebrating had come up for the first time, she had smiled and waved everyone out the door. “We have to celebrate. Dinner is on me tonight!” Everyone was excited and cheered loudly. Even as she headed out, surrounded by the group high in spirits, it had still been him floating around her head.

Even though everything was going so well, he wasn’t by her side. She just wanted to hold his waist and bury her head in his chest—though she had never done that before.

His distance made her restless. This greedy lust had come from nowhere—was he even aware of it?

Her melodious ringtone suddenly started ringing in the empty room.

Lin Qian immediately got off the bed. She stared at the familiar name on the screen: Li Zhicheng.

“Hello.” She became quiet after saying only one word.

There seemed to be some background noise on his end of the line. Li Zhicheng’s voice was also very soft: “I was in a meeting just now.”

“Erm, me too.”

He also became quiet. Lin Qian could hear his light, shallow breathing.

“What time do you arrive tomorrow?” he asked.

Immediately she replied, “The flight is at ten, so maybe around noon.”

“Good,” he whispered. “I’ll be waiting for you.”

Hanging up the phone, Lin Qian’s face became hot, and so did her heart. She was tormented by the response, “waiting for you.” She buried her head in a cool pillow for a little while, and she couldn’t help smiling.

After what felt like a long time, Lin Qian finally returned to the company.

…

It was 1:00 pm, and the breakfast on the plane had not been filling. Starved, some colleagues said to Lin Qian, “Let’s go grab a bite together!”

Lin Qian was also a little hungry, but she said “I’m good,” as if she weren’t. “I’m heading over to report to the executives. After lunch, you could come back to the company and inspect the data again. I’ll be back in the afternoon.”

Stepping in the long-awaited office area on the top floor, Lin’s feelings were flying out of control.

They would soon be together.

This awareness stayed on the surface of the most obvious spot of her heart. But how should she phrase it? Like, “I want to see your second trick.” Or she could put it in his way, “If this distance can be tolerated, what can’t be tolerated?” That way, he would understand.

Or… she could just skip the talk, and give him a kiss?

What about that mysterious deal with her brother? Something about taking baby steps?

Who cares!

Feeling sweet and excited like never before, Lin Qian walked toward his office.

The cubicle outside was empty. Jiang Yuan wasn’t around either. She cleared her throat and knocked on the door.

No response.

Huh? No one here?

She took out her phone, and after thinking for a moment called Jiang Yuan.

“Manager Lin.” It sounded very noisy on Jiang Yuan’s end. “President Li and I just came to Workshop Five. He’s busy right now, but he said you could come straight over.”

Lin Qian knew how busy Li Zhicheng had been lately. Based on his character, even though he’d said he would wait for her, it wasn’t surprising he had ended up at the workshop all of the sudden—even during lunch time. Clearly he was swamped and didn’t have a choice.

Workshop Five was at the very end of the industrial park, and it was also the biggest factory. It was being used as the “secret headquarters” for the experiment and production of the new product.

Lin Qian walked into a noisy environment. Some production lines were in operation, the machines were making low pitched noises, and the lights were very bright. A lot of technicians in green, and workers in blue, walked around. People all over spoke loudly—it was a busy and stressful place.

Lin Qian was observant. She soon spotted about a dozen people gathering around a machine not far from her; they seemed to be holding some fabric and making comparisons. And the guy in the middle of the crowd—wasn’t that Li Zhicheng?

Lin Qian took a few steps forward, staring quietly about 20 feet away.

They were in the middle of a performance test. A dozen types of fabrics had been placed on the square table in front of them. It looked like they had been either soaked in water, burned by fire, or damaged by friction. A foreman next to Li Zhicheng was picking up a piece of fabric and telling him, “This is the result from the test of fabric A7. This is A8. This is A9… Compared to the previous batch of fabric, the performance has already made some great progress.”

As soon as the remark was made, the workers, technicians, and staff members from the office all nodded in agreement. Lin Qian was also delighted. Unexpectedly, Li Zhicheng, after carefully reading the test report in his hands, calmly commented, “No, it still hasn’t met my standards. Thank you everyone for working hard. This batch of fabric is eliminated—keep the trials going.”

Lin Qian thought it a shame, but the people around him seemed accustomed to this answer. They nodded their heads, then they scattered and continued working. Li Zhicheng looked up and saw her.

He still looked the same but in a shirt today without the tie. In order to test the fabric, his sleeves were rolled up. One of his hands was stuck in his pocket and the other one was pressed onto the table. He stared at her quietly.

Instantly, a faint smile flashed in his shining black eyes. With him staring at her like this, Lin Qian felt that her entire heart was full. She had missed him for over a month. That simple gaze of his made her so satisfied and so comforted that she immediately lost her self-control.

Someone approached Li Zhicheng and handed him a document. Lin Qian quickly walked over to him and they smiled at one another. She said, “President Li, we’ve returned from our research and would like to report the results to you.”

“Hmm, give me a second,” he responded without looking up.

Pff, he’s even more pretentious than I am.

Lin Qian somehow felt warmth in her heart again.

After the worker left with his signature, he turned to her. “It’s noisy here—let’s go to the office.”

The office he referred to was the cubicle next to the production lines. At the moment, there were a lot of people around. Not far away, Jiang Yuan, standing with a few other managers, smiled at her and nodded. Lin Qian also smiled, and then followed Li Zhicheng into the office.

Two technicians in the office sat at a table. Looking down at the work, they quickly typed away on their keyboards. Seeing them walk in, they both stood up. “President Li, can we help you with anything?”

Li Zhicheng sat down on the plain couch nearby. “It’s all good, you could keep working. We’re just having a conversation.”

With or without anyone around—Lin Qian couldn’t care less anymore. She was okay with anything as she could watch him and stay with him. Moreover, she really wanted to report the results to him as soon as possible.

Sitting in the chair across from him, with a small coffee table in between. They gazed at each other.

A technician walked over holding two cups of tea. Lin Qian quickly thanked him. Li Zhicheng asked at the same time, “How was it?”

Lin Qian took out a long-prepared, thick stack of research reports from her bag. “We visited five cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Changsha, and Harbin, and collected 1,500 valid surveys. Here is the original Statistics Report.” She handed the report to him.

Knock! Knock! Someone was at the door. A technician poked his head in. “Let’s go get some food.” Seeing Li Zhicheng was there, he immediately lowered his voice. “Ehh, President Li. I’m asking everyone if they want some food. Have you eaten yet?”

The two technicians stood up. Li Zhicheng said, “We’re good. Close the door when you head out. It’s too noisy outside.”

Lin Qian focused on the report in his hand. Every character seemed to jump off the paper, but none of them could jump into her heart. Li Zhicheng also lowered his head, focused on the report she just gave.

The technicians soon left. The room was quiet again. Once the door shut it became warm and quiet in there, a huge contrast to the noisy area outside, almost like an entirely different world.

He glanced up and looked straight at her. His penetrating stare almost stopped her heart. But with so many people outside, anyone could come in at any time. She also couldn’t rush over and just immediately kiss him.

Even with so much to tell him, she didn’t know how to begin.

“Let’s finish the important work first.” She picked up another report and handed it to him. “We have also made recommendations for marketing, please—Oh!” she couldn’t help but exclaim.

Her wrist was firmly grabbed by him. Those dark, heavy eyes stared at her from a close distance.

The small coffee table sat between the two of them. With his strength, Lin Qian was pulled over it toward him.

The two stared at each other. Lin Qian could almost make out each eyelash of his, and saw the thin layer of light reflected on his nose.

Lin Qian had no doubt that in the next second he would pull her into his arms and kiss her.

Even if this was his company, he was still… very brave.

Lin Qian almost giggled. She looked at him and softly said, “Li Zhicheng, I—”

Knock! Knock! The sound of knocking at the door could be heard. “President, it’s me, Jiang Yan.”

Li Zhicheng let her go. Lin Qian kept the rest of her thought to herself, immediately sitting back down in her seat.

“Come in,” he said quietly.

Lin Qian bowed her head, pretending to look at the files. The wrist that he’d held was hot. The lingering strength of those five fingers remained on her skin, and broke into her bones.

Jiang Yuan glanced into the office and said, “President Li, it’s almost time. The car is here. Shall we head to the airport?”

Lin Qian looked up at Li Zhicheng.

He nodded toward Jiang Yan and then turned to Lin Qian. “I have to go to Taiwan at the last minute for a business meeting with a fabric manufacturer. If it all goes well, I’ll be back in two or three days.”

A few more people came to the door. Lin Qian immediately put on a smile and stood up. “Okay, President Li. I’ll fill you in with the details when you come back.”

Li Zhicheng glanced her way again before standing up. “Good.” He turned around and walked toward the door, followed by Jiang Yuan and the others, and soon enough they disappeared.

Alone, Lin Qian walked out of the workshop. Gazing at the clouds in the sky, she sighed.

Despite being exhausted, and without even making time to get some food, she had rushed in just to see him.

He was so busy that he had to leave again after seeing each other so briefly. They hadn’t even had the time to talk.

It felt like… she had been given a sweet date and it was taken away from her before she had time to enjoy it.

Damn. Love can be so cruel sometimes.

Kicking the gravel on the side of the road, she looked nothing like the professional, skilled person who usually appeared in front of her colleagues. Only after her high-heeled shoes were covered in layers of dust did she realize how annoying the situation was and become upset.

Her phone rang. It was Jiang Yuan.

Love me, love my dog. Lin Qian even saw Jiang Yuan’s calls differently now. She picked up. “Jiang Yuan, what do you need?”

Jiang Yan’s voice sounded very friendly. “Manager Lin, are you still at work?”

“I am.”

“President Li forgot to grab your report. He wants to read it during the flight. We are right in front of the building—would you minding bringing it over?”

Cheered up, Lin Qian quickly headed toward the company’s front gate. It wasn’t too far away.

Gao Lang was on guard today, and he greeted her with a smile. Without time to chat, she quickly nodded to him before walking out the door. A black car was parked on the curb. Jiang Yuan leaned out of the window next to the driver’s seat, waving at her.

By the time Lin Qian ran over, the rear door was already opening from the inside. She could see from the shadows that Li Zhicheng sat rigidly in his suit, his legs crossed and hands on his knees.

Lin Qian put a hand on the door and bent over. Seeing his face, she broke into a sweet smile and passed him the files. “President Li, the report.”

But deep down, she thought, Bold. No wonder he didn’t bring the files earlier—he deliberately left them behind. Now we have to meet up again.

Instead of taking the files, Li Zhicheng stared at her. He had the eyes of a man looking at a woman, not those of a boss looking at his subordinate. Lin Qian felt delighted, smiling. She stared at him, revealing a slight reluctance as seeing him leave. “President Li, have a safe—”

She didn’t get to finish.

Because Li Zhicheng immediately grabbed her hand and pulled her into the car. He lowered his head and kissed her.

The kiss was so sudden that Lin Qian’s heart nearly exploded. With her hand and waist tightly held by him, she could only cling to his arm, enabling him to do whatever he wanted to her. But his kiss was slow and steady, cool and deep. He ignored the people around them and appreciated, through the lips of a woman, that long-awaited sweetness and beauty.

He was undoubtedly a natural master at kissing, with his strong and powerful entanglement, and an alluring masculine vibe, he could easily make a woman head-over-heels. However, today, Lin Qian was not in the mood to appreciate or enjoy the kiss whatsoever. She was firmly held to his chest, all the hairs on her body seemed to stand on end. She even forgot to shut her eyes and looked around.

Sitting in the front were Jiang Ye and the chauffeur, both looking straight, and sitting quietly, as if they didn’t exist. But this made Lin Qian’s face turn even redder. She then shifted her eyes to the back of the car. Vaguely seeing some people walk along the road, she wondered if they were from the same company.

Just when Lin Qian could feel all her blood rushing to the top of her head, Li Zhicheng released her. That handsome face of his looked indifferent, as if nothing had happened.

“Wait for me to be back,” he whispered, one hand still holding her waist.

Lin Qian blushed so hard she felt as though blood were about to drip down her face. Even stronger, though, was a sweetness inside her that she couldn’t describe.

“Okay.”

About 30 feet away, in the security booth at the entrance, the three security guards, including Gao Lang, stared at the blurred image in the rearview window of the president’s car. Their eyes almost fell out of their heads.

One of the young security guards hesitantly asked, “Monitor Gao… did the president just pull Manager Lin into the car and kiss her?”

Gao Lang was also stunned, and came to the full realization just now. After a quick thought, he harshly replied “Neither of you should tell anyone. Do you understand the rules of the workplace? You’ll get sacked once you tell anyone, understood?”

Chapter 37

In the afternoon Lin Qian found out that Li Zhicheng’s overall plan was not going very smoothly.

After Li Zhicheng had gone to the airport, she returned to the subsidiary company. As she reported about her work to Xue Mingtao, the two ended up talking for quite a while.

“We’re just stuck on the fabric materials,” Xue Mingtao said. “Boss has already talked to around seven fabric companies in the past few days, but to achieve the production quality at the cost he wants is not an easy feat.”

Lin Qian nodded her head.

Fabric was the largest investment in the production of bags. And since they had hoped their “longbow” would be water-resistant, resistant against oil and grease, lightweight, fast-drying, and both soft to the touch and durable, they had to use a special outdoor-technology fabric.

But just like other internationally well-known specialty fabrics such as Gore-Tex, WINDBLOC, Cordura and others, their prices were relatively expensive. The profit margin wouldn’t be very big if they used one of those expensive materials. In this case, Li Zhicheng’s “longbow” strategy would basically become a bunch of empty talk.

Li Zhicheng hoped to find an outdoor fabric that was exceptional in quality and price. The brand did not have to be all that prominent but the quality was important. But it was just as Lin Qian had said: “The tougher things are, the more valuable they become.” It had been half a month and there were no results so far. She heard that some of the subordinates were also in disagreement, but Li Zhicheng was adamant in his attitude. “Continue searching.”

That afternoon, they had learned of a production company in Taiwan whose specialized fabrics fulfilled all of his requirements. Although they had also heard the company was extremely tricky and unwilling to collaborate, he still rushed over immediately when he heard the news.

He left behind his sweetheart, whom he hadn’t seen in days, and rushed over without a second thought. Lin Qian thought of it that way.

In the evening, Lin Qian grabbed a coffee cup and sat out on the balcony admiring the glow of the sunset.

She had worked tirelessly for almost a month and since the next day was the weekend, she had given herself and her team a two-day leave. Sitting here, it felt as though all her stiff and tense muscles were completely relaxed; the thought of the soul-stirring kiss in the car that afternoon made her smile uncontrollably.

She wasn’t sure if his trip to Taiwan would be successful.

Such a man like him can also suffer a setback. Huh. Thinking about it made her heart go soft.

Lin Qian fell deep in thought again. Taking out her phone, she sent Lin Mochen a text.

‘What’s your deal with Li Zhicheng? I want to know.’

Lin Mochen replied after quite a while. ‘It’s not the right time yet.’

Lin Qian suddenly had the urge to clench her teeth. The two of them! They had both given her the exact same answer. What were they doing beating around the bush like that!

But she also understood when she considered her brother’s personality. It was definitely her know-it-all older brother ordering Li Zhicheng around, and whatever requirement he wanted to be filled was sure to be difficult.

She didn’t want it to be so difficult… Regardless of whether it was for the family business or whether it was for her personally.

She was just about to send Lin Mochen a reply in a futile attempt to get him to take the initiative in canceling the agreement to lessen the burden and stress on Li Zhicheng’s shoulders. At that moment, a new message came in. Lin Qian saw the name “Li Zhicheng.” Her eyes brightened and she opened it immediately.

‘Already landed.’

Lin Qian felt a sweetness in her heart and typed, ‘Alright, be safe.’ Then she added a smiley face and sent the text.

The page automatically jumped back to the texting screen and Lin Qian continued typing in an extremely good mood.

Yup… The method must be thorough for it to be effective. Her brother had rationalized that his interference was ultimately for her happiness. She had to soften his heart. It would be difficult, but he could possibly change his decision and attitude.

‘Bro, you said that you wanted to make him suffer. But it seems to have had the opposite effect.’

Puke, that’s sorta mushy. Mushy and obscure and worth resenting.

She thought for a while before sending out another one. ‘I miss him—he’s left for Taiwan. I like him a lot. Just ditch your agreement, alright? That’s all.’

After sending this, she sat and stared at the horizon for a bit.

She had initially planned on faking her emotions for a bit so she’d appear pitiful to her brother. However, she had already typed out her true feelings.

Lin Mochen didn’t reply. She couldn’t turn back now, and tried to finish off the conversation by sending one last text. ‘I like him so much that I can’t take it anymore, so you have to scrap your agreement. It’s not easy for me to meet someone I like this much. I haven’t in years. This is not something that you can prevent because I don’t want anyone else besides him. Do. You. Understand?!’

After sending that out, she felt her entire body relax. Then she felt the urge to laugh.

She knew of her brother’s temper, but her brother also knew of her temper. After saying these words, her brother would still remain stubborn. However, even if Li Zhicheng couldn’t fulfill their secret agreement, he would turn a blind eye and allow them to be together.

Hahaha!

Her phone screen started to light up with the delivery notifications:

‘Delivered to Li Zhicheng at 18:46:32.’

‘Delivered to Li Zhicheng at 18:47:20.’

‘Delivered to Li Zhicheng at 18:50:35.’

‘Delivered to Li Zhicheng at 18:52:40.’

At first Lin Qian just glanced at them without a thought and pressed her lips together. So the signal hadn’t been good, and now he would receive all four messages at once.

Just as she was about to put her phone aside, there was an immediate response. She picked it up and looked at the screen. Within a moment, her forehead broke out in sweat.

She had sent them to… Li Zhicheng?

She hurriedly opened the history of the text messages and took another look. She was truly dumbfounded. She didn’t know if she had been too engrossed in crafting the messages or if a glitch had caused the page to change without her realizing.

Every message from the one that had asked him to “be safe,” to the one that fiercely declared, “I like him so much that I can’t take it anymore,” had been sent to the same person.

Lin Qian’s entire face caught on fire and her mind became a mess.

They had sent to him. Those mushy, passionate words: “make him suffer,””missing him a lot” and “not easy for me to meet someone I like this much.”

This would drive her to her death. Only because she’d intended to send them to her brother had she used such over-exaggerated and bitter words.

Even though she did like him, it wasn’t to that level of passion!

Lin Qian’s face fell. Holding her phone, she tried to come up with something to send to make up for it, but couldn’t think of anything.

What could she say? “Sent to the wrong person?””I was purposely trying to placate my brother, don’t misunderstand?”

Looking at her phone, she felt like crying. No tears came out, yet her heart pounded incredibly fast.

Just then, with a ding, a new message came in.

‘From Li Zhicheng.’

Lin Qian was about to go crazy. She clenched her teeth and opened it, but there were only two words: ‘I understand.’

‘I like him so much that I can’t take it anymore.’

‘I don’t want anyone else besides him.’

‘Do. You. Understand?!’

‘I understand.’

Lin Qian looked at this short reply in a daze.

She considered it for quite a while before suddenly screaming and burying her head in her arms.

But after a while, she couldn’t suppress it anymore and broke into a smile.

…

At the Taipei, Taoyuan Airport, the sky was exceptionally blue. Both inside and outside the beautiful, modern airport there was a constant bustling crowd.

Li Zhicheng held his phone and stood outside the terminal, his head lowered and his eyes focused. People streamed around him but it was as though he didn’t notice at all.

It was not until Jiang Yuan called out “President Li” two times did he lift his head.

This was a situation never before seen. Jiang Yuan was slightly breathless, but he smiled while saying, “President Li, the car has arrived.”

Li Zhicheng put his phone away and followed him into the car.

After riding in silence for a while, he lightly asked, “Does Lin Qian have a Taiwanese visa?”

Jiang Yuan’s expression did not change as he replied, “She does. I settled the passports of all the executives.”

It had recently been a crucial period for taking care of business. The executives had needed their official passport documents settled so they could travel around without wasting any time.

Li Zhicheng nodded. He looked out the window at the unfamiliar city scenery and as he thought about the texts he’d just received, his usually stable and cold heart seemed to have been grabbed by the woman’s hand lightly by the corner, making it hard for him to calm down.

I miss him.

This is not something that you can prevent because I don’t want anyone else besides him.

His heart clenched. Lin Qian, I miss you very much too. I want to caress you, finally pull you into my arms in my embrace, dote on you and never let you go.

…

Lin Qian was surprised by a sudden call from Xiaotang.

Xiaotang was Li Zhicheng’s chauffeur and had witnessed their shocking kiss that day. But Li Zhicheng only surrounded himself with people who could think deeply. Even his chauffeur.

His tone sounded very natural. “Manager Lin, what time should I pick you up tomorrow?”

Lin Qian responded with a “Huh?” and her phone buzzed at the same time. It was an automatic message from Air China. ‘The flight that you have booked, CA411 (Lin City, Taipei), will depart at 8:00 tomorrow.

Hanging up her phone, Lin Qian’s heart was flustered but also full. She sent Li Zhicheng a message. ‘Why did you get me a flight to Taiwan?’

It wasn’t that they suddenly needed her help for some work reason, right?

His reply was fast. ‘Come be by my side.’

…

Just before she boarded the flight the next day, Lin Qian sent her brother a message. ‘I’m going to Taiwan. After I’m back from this trip, I’ll probably be with Li Zhicheng. About the agreement—you can just do whatever you want with it.’

Aida had a specialty store in Taiwan that had been left by the previous CEO after a global expansion by the company. These stores had been shut down by Li Zhicheng in most places, leaving behind only a few as the support for their brand image.

An Aida employee from Taiwan came to pick Lin Qian up in a car and drove her directly to the hotel where Li Zhicheng and the others were staying at.

Lin Qian’s room had a large bed. Though it was small, the room had been exquisitely decorated. It was a four-star hotel because Li Zhicheng “never splurged” whenever he had to go out.

There was a little balcony outside the room where she could stand and look down on a busy Taipei street market. Lin Qian stood there staring at the large city, realizing that she was slightly worried for him.

The employee from Taiwan had said that President Li and Assistant Jiang had left for the Mind fabric production factory early in the morning. She’d heard that the person in charge of Mind was an old fogey. He used to be a professor at Taiwan University, but with his sly personality it was uncertain if he would want the deal.

Their trip took an entire day. When Lin Qian had first arrived the employee from Taiwan called Jiang Yuan. They were still waiting to meet with Mind and were temporarily unable to return. Thus, he had asked them to bring Lin Qian back to the hotel to settle in.

At such a critical time, Lin Qian absolutely would not disturb them. So she waited in the hotel.

Slowly, the sky became dark.

Lin Qian went out for a walk by herself, ate some street food in the market, and even bought some little trinkets and interesting toys. When she got back to the hotel, they still had not appeared.

Lin Qian did not find it painful to wait at all. She just felt… a bit worried for him and, ridiculously, felt her heart ache a little.

Was the feeling of liking a person this pathetic?

Why was it that the stronger, busier, and more capable she became, the more her heart ached for him? It was odd. Her inner self was too independent and strong to be used to heartache.

As she let her mind wander, she eventually fell asleep on the bed. The television was still turned on and played a variety of shows, while the night sky outside the window grew darker.

Lin Qian was suddenly jolted awake by the click sound of the door being lightly opened.

She sat up straight in an instant. There was light shining in from the door. Someone’s elongated shadow stretched along the floor. Then she heard Li Zhicheng’s familiar voice say, “That’s all then, early in the morning tomorrow, we’ll go to Mind again.”

Jiang Yuan was also outside the door and he softly replied, “Alright.”

There was a soft sound again as the door closed. He walked inside.

Lin Qian looked at him with wide eyes.

The light in the room was gentle, making everything in the room have a certain blurry quality to it. He wore a shirt with a tie and his suit was draped over his arm; his leather shoes were shiny. His figure looked exceptionally slender as he stood there.

He stared at her without any of the awkwardness that a man would normally have after walking into a woman’s room uninvited. He moved to the bedside, asking gently, “You’re awake? I came in earlier but you were still sleeping.”

Lin Qian’s face heated up. “Yeah…” She realized something. “How did you get my room key?” No wonder she’d only received one key card this afternoon when all the others had received two.

“I got it this morning,” he said, tossing his suit onto the small sofa and sitting on the edge of the bed. His hands casually rested on the bed, trapping Lin Qian between him and the wall. He lowered his gaze to look at her.

Lin Qian only wore a long-sleeved shirt and long linen pants. Although half her body was still tucked under the blanket, she couldn’t help but feel a little self-conscious. She extended her arm and pushed his chest. “You go back to your room first. I’ll talk to you after getting changed.”

Once she said that, his arms tightened around her. He held her, then locked her back onto the bed at the first opportunity.

Lin Qian’s heart palpitated. “You…” Her other hand had also been secured.

He stared at her closely. “Missed me a lot?”

Lin Qian’s blush deepened. His voice was low but clear, like the night breeze blowing at the window, teasing her face and her heart. She turned to avoid his gaze that could penetrate nearly anything and tried to lead him to another topic. “How was the talk with Mind? This is a big deal.” The moment she said it she felt stupid—she’d made it too obvious.

Li Zhicheng’s gaze was still locked onto the woman just an arm’s length away. His voice had a trace of amusement. “Yeah, it’s a big deal. I’ve attained three years of exclusive rights to use their fabric at a hugely discounted price. The agreement was signed this afternoon.”

Lin Qian’s eyes grew wide. Turning to look at him, she said, “Really! That’s great! That’s great!” She unconsciously gripped his wrists while hers were still held in his hands.

Li Zhicheng looked at her joyful smile and the happiness in his eyes gradually deepened. He said softly, “Yes, finally. I have all my things settled and everything’s in place for this battle. Now all we have to do is wait for New Bori to join in.”

His words made Lin Qian excited, and she felt as though she were floating in her own happiness.

He had said he wasn’t good with battles, but being decisive was obviously an innate part of his personality. At the start of this battle, he’d said that they had to be prepared for anything and simply wait for their competitors to enter and die.

He had maintained such composure and had been so merciless.

Being like this gave him a sort of uniqueness and a manly charm that made him irresistible to women.

Lin Qian did not say a word and simply looked at his straight posture and attractive eyes.

He also stared at her.

She thought that he would kiss her. Unexpectedly, he looked at her, held her hand and brought it to his lips before lowering his head and giving it a gentle kiss.

“I made an agreement with your brother…”

Lin Qian perked up. Huh? Is it the right time? Is he finally willing to reveal it?

She looked like a cat, listening intently with her entire body rigid. Li Zhicheng gave a low laugh but continued kissing her hand, at the same time looking into her eyes.

It was just like a knight kissing the princess of his dreams.

“By this time next year, if I’m at the top of the field, he’ll give your hand to me,” he said softly. “Lin Qian, I am very patient and I don’t rush to get the things I want. However, you will become my woman for sure—entirely solely Li Zhicheng’s”

Lin Qian stared at him, stunned.

He put her hand down, returning her gaze with his dark eyes.

Lin Qian laughed suddenly and said, “Two of the most intelligent men I know actually made such a childish agreement.”

Li Zhicheng didn’t say a word.

Lin Qian let out a “Hmph!” and said, “What does us being together have to do with your ranking in the field?” He remained silent, so she leaned forward and pecked him on his left cheek.

“Do you still not understand?” She lifted her head to give him another peck on his right cheek. “I won’t wait for the—ah!”

Something strong grasped her waist. Li Zhicheng had a grip of steel and pulled her to his chest. The sudden action caused Lin Qian to gasp. But she was quickly silenced as Li Zhicheng threw his body forward and secured her against the wall, before lowering his head and planting a kiss on her lips.

Chapter 38

Taipei’s night sky was filled with colorful, dazzling lights.

Inside the room, under the dim lights, Lin Qian could only focus on Li Zhicheng’s silhouette and the smell of his skin.

This time, it was a longer, deeper, and more affectionate kiss than ever before. His position changed without her realizing. His arm was no longer around her waist, because she was already beneath him in his embrace. His hands clasped hers, their fingers interlocking, and he pressed her against the wall. His handsome face tilted slightly, making it easier for him to press his lips completely against hers, puckering and releasing repeatedly.

Lin Qian’s body was firmly pressed against his chest; her legs were held down by his body. These subtle sensations made her pulse race even faster. A sense of nervousness bubbled in her heart.

Woah, woah woah, Lin Qian protested in her heart. This is a romance we both want—why does his kiss need to be so forceful!?

“Tell your brother,” he said in a husky voice, “that this is the first time in his life Li Zhicheng broke a promise he made. He is unable to keep his word.”

Lin Qian’s heart was filled with sweetness, but she replied mindlessly, “Who cares about him?” Suddenly she remembered and asked, “Oh ya, have you had your dinner?” It was already past 9:00 pm.

Li Zhicheng said, “I haven’t.”

Lin Qian felt her heart soften. Did he come to look for her right after finishing his work?

She clung to his arm. “I’ll accompany you for supper. Sounds good?”

Li Zhicheng was actually very hungry. Smiling, he said, “Sure.”

Lin Qian changed into something nice. She looked into the mirror, feeling slim and graceful. Only then did she grab her bag and open the door.

Li Zhicheng stood outside. The temperature in Taipei was slightly higher than it was in Lin City. He wore a long windbreaker with a plain white shirt underneath, but even then he was still handsome beyond words.

Lin Qian’s lips curved; she walked toward him. He naturally wrapped his arm around her shoulder, gently leading her forward. Lin Qian’s heart was pleased, as though the veins inside had finally straightened after being entangled with emotions for the past few days.

The hotel was located in the downtown area, which was filled with lights, traffic and buildings. The two walked for a while to reach the night market a few streets away. At this time the night market was lively and packed with a crowd.

Lin Qian brought Li Zhicheng to the historical Yuan Huan Bian oyster omelet shop. There were a lot of people, so they only managed to secure seats at a small table by the entrance. When the gourmet food was served by the head chef, Lin Qian looked at Li Zhicheng with a smile. “Let me help you season it. This shop is the most famous one around.”

The chef immediately gave her a thumbs up, praising her with his Minnan-accented Mandarin. “Miss, you have made the right choice.” Then he patted Li Zhicheng’s shoulder, saying, “You are a lucky man to have such a pretty girlfriend.”

As he spoke, Li Zhicheng leaned against his chair with one hand placed on the back of Lin Qian’s seat. He gave the chef a faint smile, and sure enough he saw Lin Qian raise her eyebrows while pouring seasoning onto the food. She was pleased, yet a little shy.

Li Zhicheng stared silently at her for a while. Then he reached for her hand, which was under the table, and placed it on his lap.

This simple move made Lin Qian’s heart quiver. She cast him a side glance, then continued to set up the chopsticks and bowl for him using only one hand. After a while, she felt his hand gently rubbing and squeezing hers out of habit.

Sitting among the hustle and bustle of the city, Lin Qian’s pulse raced and her face reddened because of this small action. But she didn’t want to say anything because he technically wasn’t doing anything inappropriate! He was merely touching her hand.

A little while later, she had a sudden realization.

Despite having no prior romantic experience, he was a natural master of love. The same was true for his business strategies. Even though he was inexperienced, with his poker face on, all of his actions hit the nail right on the head of their enemies. It only took holding her hand to make her feel like he was in complete control. Her heart throbbed uncontrollably for him.

Lin Qian turned her head, glancing at his calm profile while he lowered his head to eat.

Master. Grandmaster.

Why did Lin Qian have the feeling that after tonight, she would be dancing in his palm, and shouldn’t ever expect to be let go?

What exactly was she imagining?

After he finished eating, the two went for a walk again. When they returned to the hotel, it was past 10:00 pm.

Li Zhicheng sent Lin Qian back to her room.

“Um… goodnight,” Lin Qian whispered.

“Hmm.” He lowered his gaze, staring at her.

Lin Qian felt like on this day, when they had made their relationship official, she should at least give him a goodnight kiss. So she put her arms around his neck, tiptoed, tilted her head, and gave him a peck on his cheek.

But he moved as swift as an arrow the moment she came into his embrace. His hands, which were initially in his coat pockets, were out in a moment. As before, one of his arms encircled her waist, while the other pressed her head from behind as he lowered his head to kiss her.

Lin Qian was excited as well. She became greedy and was unwilling to part with him. She allowed him to continue kissing her; her eyes closed and she drifted into a daze. Unaware, she was pushed back a few steps as they were hugging and kissing.

He was already in her room when she realized. The door behind her was slammed shut, making a wham sound. He moved his lips away, gazing at her, his voice husky and alluring. “I’ll stay for a while before I go?”

“Okay,” Lin Qian murmured.

…

Jiang Yuan was in a dilemma tonight.

At 11:00 pm, Vice President Liu Tong, who was all the way in Lin City now, sent a copy of the new bag’s exterior design to him. Even though Vice President Liu hadn’t said that the design needed to be shown to Li Zhicheng immediately, Mr. Li had once ordered that such important documents must be presented to him right away.

These days, all the subordinates thought extremely highly of Li Zhicheng. Under no circumstances did anyone take his words lightly.

So Jiang Yuan went to knock on Li Zhicheng’s room’s door right away. And then he reached this dilemma.

Nobody answered the door. He was not in.

He looked toward the room next door. It was Lin Qian’s room.

He texted Li Zhicheng again. After a while, there was still no reply.

Then he went to knock on Lin Qian’s door. Knock, knock. Knock, knock.

After a minute or so, the door opened. Lin Qian stood by the door in a casual jacket and jeans. Her clothes were exceptionally tidy; she looked perfectly calm. “Assistant Jiang, are you looking for Mr. Li? He fell asleep while reading documents in my room. Come in.”

Jiang Yuan straightened himself. He didn’t take a single step in. His expression was calm, his attitude firm. “I don’t think that’s necessary.” He passed the document to her and briefly explained what they were, then he politely excused himself.

Don’t be ridiculous. Mr. Li, who usually had his poker face on, falling asleep in the room of a female subordinate?

The documents had been delivered. What business did he have going in? To be the spectator? It was the boss’s wife’s job to decide whether she wanted to wake him up. He should retreat to safety.

…

Lin Qian closed the door, thinking about Jiang Yuan’s expression just now as he’d tried to pretend that everything was normal. She felt embarrassed.

Those who didn’t know would think that Li Zhicheng was doing something fishy at her place.

She looked at the man lying on the side of her bed. He was asleep.

He’d said he would stay for a while, so Lin Qian had turned on the television to watch it with him. The room was small, so the two of them sat side-by-side on the bed, cuddling. He said he would watch TV, but most of the time he just snuggled her.

Not long after, Lin Qian went to the bathroom; when she came out, she discovered that the lights from the television were casting shadows on his gentle face. He’d already fallen asleep.

Had the past few days worn him out?

Or had he… intentionally fallen asleep at her place so he could stay?

Lin Qian felt that both were possible. After all, this man was as sly as a wolf.

But as she watched his sleeping face, she felt her heart soften. Lin Qian carefully undid his necktie and leather shoes, then put a blanket over him.

Then Jiang Yuan had come.

Lin Qian skimmed through the documents left by Jiang Yuan, deciding, This is important, but not urgent. She put the document aside, turned around and looked at Li Zhicheng again.

She was reluctant to wake him.

She had slept for a long time in the evening, so she was still energetic now. Since she had nothing to do, she pulled a chair over and sat down beside the bed. She stared at him, her chin resting in her hand.

She had dimmed the lights in the room. They cast a thin layer of luster on his short hair and cheeks. Even though he was asleep, every inch of him still radiated with the vibe unique to a young leader.

But Lin Qian still felt something was missing.

After thinking for a while, she took out the cap that he’d given her as an “official” present. Since this was a present from her first love, she would of course carry it around to show that she attached great importance to it.

She gently put the cap on his head, lowering the brim.

Aha, perfect.

The cap covered half his face, revealing only his straight nose and chiseled jawline. Though he was still in his shirt, when matched with the cap his appearance gave out an alluring aura.

Lin Qian’s fingers lightly tapped her chin.

She took out her phone and started taking pictures.

She took more than ten of them consecutively, then she looked through the pictures in satisfaction. When she was saving the pictures, she was in a dilemma about the name of the album.

“My BF?” Too simple and unimaginative.

“My man?” She was a little shy for it.

“Him?” Too cold and sophisticated.

At the end she decided to key in, ‘My man.’

After she finished taking pictures, Lin Qian bent her head to stare at him again.

She thought of the first time they’d met on the train a few months ago. This was how he’d looked: wearing a cap, revealing only an unbelievably beautiful and chiseled jaw, paying no attention to the noises around, ignoring everyone including her.

Actually, from that moment onwards, he’d been imprinted on her heart.

Did he know?

Lin Qian’s heart was mellow. With her hand on the edge of the bed as support, she lowered her head and kissed him softly.

…

Li Zhicheng was indeed very tired. Her scent was also too sweet, so he’d fallen asleep without intending to.

A couple times he awoke in a daze. He was even aware that Jiang Yuan had come over to knock on the door. But since he was on the bed of his beloved, how could he be bothered to get up for anything?

Then he was awakened by the soft, moist, ticklish sensation on his jaw.

Upon opening his eyes, he saw Lin Qian sitting next to the bed, lowering her head and kissing his jaw. Her expression was gentle and soft.

Li Zhicheng had his eyes partially closed; he didn’t make a sound. She didn’t notice him waking, planting a kiss on his jaw again; she seemed aroused. Her look made Li Zhicheng feel a stream of heat rush to his head. He silently reached out and pinched her petite face, which was about to go in for another peck.

Lin Qian was obviously surprised. She trembled and stared at him. “Ah! You’re awake.”

“Hmm,” Zhicheng mumbled. She averted her eyes with a straight face, and he chuckled.

She wore this look every time she was caught.

Li Zhicheng clasped her waist and lifted her onto the bed. Then he turned over, trapping her in between the bed and him.

“Why did you kiss my jaw?” he asked in a low voice.

Lin Qian answered honestly, “Because I think that’s the part of you… with the best lines.”

She had always been enticed by this looming jaw. It was unbelievably chiseled, and she’d fantasize about it.

That chiseled jaw was why she’d left her phone number for him. Had he forgotten about that?

No one had ever said something like that to him before, so Li Zhicheng was stunned. Lin Qian felt like she had made a lovely discovery; she looked at him with a smile.

Then the next second, her smile froze.

Because Li Zhicheng said lightly, “Courtesy calls for reciprocity. My turn.”

This time around, Lin Qian finally experienced what it meant by “you reap what you sow.”

Be careful with every word you speak to Li Zhicheng! He’ll always dig a pit for you to jump in!

Li Zhicheng kept his entire body pressed against hers, only lifting his upper body slightly. Then his eyes silently surveyed her from head to toe. Lin Qian felt like she was a sheep facing a wolf; she was nervous and shy after being stared at by him.

“Where are you going to kiss?” Was the light in the room too hypnotizing? He wasn’t doing anything, but she felt slightly dizzy.

But her objection sounded mellow, not at all like she was resisting. As soon as Lin Qian had spoken, she was in a dilemma. Should I let him kiss me? Or should I not?

At that moment, she felt something moist and slightly numbing on her waist.

He had planted his kiss.

Lin Qian quivered. She arched her neck and looked at him.

So… this was the part of her that he thought had the best line?

Her waist?

He took some time to calm down. He glanced at her. Letting go of her hand, he then rolled over to lie side by side with her on the bed.

Feeling his heavy-breathing beside her, Lin Qian sighed a big breath of relief, but an indescribable feeling lingered in her heart. Was she touched? Nervous? Scared? Excited?

Screw it, I don’t care anymore.

Suddenly, his calm and clear voice was in her ear. “Never been touched before?”

Lin Qian was speechless. Why was he so good at capturing the essence of her words? Her face reddened.

But he spoke again softly, “Did you think I had been touched by other women before?”

His tone seemed to be placating her. Lin Qian’s pulse raced even faster, but she knew it was time to end things for the night. She whispered, “It’s very late now. Rest well after you go back.”

He fell silent for a while. He replied, “Hmm,” and got up from the bed.

The pressure exerted on the bed was reduced greatly; Lin Qian stayed put, watching him pick up his coat and necktie.

“Goodnight.” She hid underneath the blanket, her body still sensing his lingering body temperature. She stared at him with her big eyes.

Li Zhicheng seemed to have returned to his usual composed self. He had his coat on his forearm and the necktie slipped into his shirt pocket; his other hand was placed on top of her head. He bent over to give her a peck on the cheek.

“Goodnight.” His voice was as soft as the wind. He whispered in her ear, “I’ll let you off—for now.”

Lin Qian had pretty much calmed down. But his casual words ignited her pulse once again.

He was serious. He would let her off—for now.

Lin Qian, flustered, watched him turn to leave the room. But she was a little indignant for being on the short end of the stick the whole time tonight, so she mustered her courage and asked, “After you go back… are you going to take a cold shower?”

Damn it, exactly what kind of attitude was this? Why was she so addicted to the trembling insecurity of bearding the lion in his den?

Li Zhicheng paused in his step, turned around and glared at her.

Then he threw his coat on the chair.

Lin Qian’s eyes flashed in bewilderment. She quickly pulled the blanket over her head, blocking his gaze. “I was wrong! I was wrong! Faster, get out of here.”

Outside the blanket was total silence.

After a while, she heard a soft click.

Lin Qian pushed the blanket away. The room was finally empty. The coat was gone. He had left.

This man…

Lin Qian buried herself in the blanket, smiling uncontrollably.

After a while, she suddenly remembered something and got out of the bed. She lifted the corner of her shirt, faced the mirror on the wall, and considered her waist.

A little proud, a little shy.

After a while, she resumed lying down, but she noticed a message just came in from him.

‘Done showering.’

Lin Qian was momentarily puzzled, then she understood and chuckled.

He was done taking a cold shower…

She replied, ‘Good night, Zhicheng. Sweet dreams.’

Chapter 39

Ning Weikai sensed the differences in Aida.

However, these differences were blurred and hard to trace. He could only infer from the subtle moves in Aida that they were going to introduce a brand of new products, and they might be outdoor products. He couldn’t find information that was any more specific.

In the last battle against Vinda, Li Zhicheng and the company had worked together as an irresistible force and pinpointed all the spies New Bori put in Aida. All of them were either held financially accountable or fired. Although none of them had confessed who had sent them, Aida worked as an absolutely cohesive team now.

He had to admit: Li Zhicheng was a very strong competitor.

Monday morning, Ning Weikai went to the headquarters of Zhu’s for a meeting like usual.

The weather was fantastic that day. Ning Weikai’s entrance in the headquarters was a grand spectacle like it always was. Although he only brought his secretary, Yuan Jun, to keep a low profile, everyone graciously welcomed him. He was the Chairman’s son-in-law and New Bori, the business he ran, was the most profitable company under Zhu’s.

The meeting started at 9:00 am.

The head chairman, Ning Weikai’s father-in-law Zhu Boyun, was no longer responsible for the daily operations of the corporation, and wouldn’t show up to such meetings.

Instead, Zhu Boyun’s oldest son, Zhu Hanchong, ran the meeting. He was also a chairman of Zhu’s.

He was a refined and cultivated man wearing gold-framed glasses. He always spoke gently and smoothly. Everyone said that Mr. Zhu was a good leader, only lacking a bit of boldness.

After the operations management department reported last month’s sales record of each subsidiary and business department, he smiled to everyone in the meeting and said, “This is a good start to the year, and everyone has put in their best effort. The chairman must be exhilarated by these numbers, especially the bags sales.” He looked at Ning Weikai beside him. “New Bori surpassed the target number again and took first place. Weikai, thanks for your hard work.”

Everyone looked to Ning Weikai with a polite and respectful smile.

Ning Weikai internally sighed with a bit of contempt. I made them jealous again.

However, the smile on his face was very sincere. “New Bori gained its steady development thanks to the help of the chairman and everyone present. We will strive to do our best in the coming new year and try to give a satisfactory performance to the board.”

Everyone just kept nodding. Zhu Hanchong smiled in silence.

In the meantime, the second Zhu brother, Zhu Hancheng, who was in charge of a real estate business, said apathetically, “I hear that Aida’s booming these days. I also hear they’re preparing a new product to rival the market our corporation is dominating right now. Weikai, is this true?” He just turned twenty-six and was five years younger than his brother. He was a handsome but ferocious-looking man who always talked in an impassive way. He had been successful in expanding the real estate business, so when compared to the bookish Zhu Hanchong, the subordinates awed him more.

Ning Weikai was a bit surprised that he knew about this.

Umm… They’ve been keeping a really close eye on us. Well, I’ve made New Bori so perfect that the Zhu’s are anxious when there are any competitors.

Zhu Hancheng looked to the people in the marketing department and said, “How could you skip something so important during the report? Do you know how many Vinda bags were sold in the past several months? Are they posting a threat to us? Why aren’t you functioning as a marketing department of the headquarters?”

The manager of the marketing department felt wronged. The operations of New Bori were always independent; especially after Ning Weikai had come into power, the headquarters didn’t have a say in how the company was run. They indeed weren’t aware of the situation Zhu Hancheng had just described.

However, why were they the collateral damage of the conflict between the superiors?

The manager didn’t provide an explanation; instead, he answered vaguely, “Sure Mr. Zhu. We’ll pay attention to it in the future.”

“Okay.” Zhu Hanchong started to smooth things over. “Weikai knows a lot about the bag industry and he knows what he should do. Hancheng, you don’t need to worry about it too much.”

The corners of Zhu Hancheng’s lips curved and he looked to Ning Weikai. “Then, Weikai, what happened? Are you prepared for this premeditated attack?”

Ning Weikai didn’t like Zhu Hancheng, who always called him “Weikai,” in the slightest. He was two years older than Zhu Hancheng, but because he’d married his younger sister, he didn’t show any respect for the older.

“I haven’t made any plans yet,” he answered with a smile.

Everyone was astounded by what he said—Zhu Hanchong was also dazed. Zhu Hancheng, however, was as cool as a cucumber.

The meeting room remained quiet and some old members from the board looked at each other at dismay. Yuan Jun, who was sitting in the back and didn’t get a chance to say anything, however, thought his boss was awesome.

Ning Weikai looked around calmly, put one of his hands on the desk, and the other started tapping it continuously, bewildering people.

After a long while, he started to speak without expression. “I’ll first introduce everyone to the history of the market. In the past three years, trend followers such as SMQ, Aida, and Shunkai challenged New Bori with either new products or marketing strategies over a dozen times. And we’ve witnessed a vast number of innovative products of high quality and brilliant marketing ideas. With all of these, if we had let them develop without obstacles, the market structure could have been changed completely and New Bori’s leading position could have been lost.”

Everyone listened to him quietly and Zhu Hancheng maintained a straight face.

Ning Weikai smiled and went on saying, “However, the fate of all these products were the same: they were replaced by products of greater quality and higher popularity that New Bori designed.”

He looked around. “Hancheng, and all members of the board, and all the managers: there’s no need to worry about New Bori. Since we are the leader in the market, competition will never cease. But fortunately, our overall strength and competitiveness are much better than they think.

“We’re much more advanced in independent research, design and foreign technology than any other company. Maybe they have some new ideas. But unfortunately for them, whatever high-quality products they can make, New Bori can also do it and do a better job. In this market, the best talents are all in New Bori and hence all the best products will only come from New Bori.

“I’ve got to say it’s tragic for our competitors. Because all the new market space they think they’ve occupied will eventually come back to us.”

…

Lin Qian sat in the hotel restaurant in Taipei, which was on a small platform filled with sunshine. It was early and hardly anyone was around; she picked up the contract Li Zhicheng signed with Mingde Fabric Factory and started to read carefully.

Li Zhicheng sat right across from her, eating quietly.

To be honest, the conditions in the contract were sensible, but beyond expectations. People said the old man in Mingde was a bit aloof. He held several fabric patents and was reluctant to sell them. Lin Qian had known that there was mystery involved in the deal that allowed Li Zhicheng to convince him.

And this was an expensive “mystery.”

According to the contract, Mingde would provide the two existing fabric technologies exclusively to Aida over the next three years. Also, Aida would have priority over other corporations in utilizing new fabric under the same price. If there were a breach of contract, three times the order amount would be paid.

Lin Qian was relieved after reading this condition.

Fabric cost the most in producing bags, and they had come a long way to find this most cost-effective option.

If Aida introduced new products, New Bori would definitely launch products of the same kind as competition. However, as long as Aida had exclusive rights over the raw material, it would be difficult for New Bori to find fabric as cost-effective and high-quality as theirs.

Everything came with a price. To get the exclusive rights to the fabric, the contract dictated that all activities, sales, and all promotion of Aito, such as television and media advertisement, must include MingDe, which meant Aida must treat Aito and MingDe equally when introducing them to the market.

The cost and work required for Aida to satisfy this condition was immense. Take television advertisement for instance: even one second on CCTV, which might cost millions of yuan, would be split between Aito and Mingde.

Lin Qian closed the contract and looked up at Li Zhicheng.

He was bolder, more resolute, and more capable of understanding human nature than she’d thought.

Usually, negotiations between raw material factories and manufacturing factories only concerned monetary terms. He, however, had been able to bring up a win-win agreement to build the reputation of the other party. The old man in Mingde was innately zealous. It was a small factory and held an incredible patent. The fact that it hadn’t been bought out yet meant he wanted the brand to remain independent. How could he reject such an offer?

Everyone had their ambitions. One was just comparatively more ambitious than others if he was “zealous.”

The sunshine mottled Li Zhicheng’s shirt and his short black hair. Lin Qian stared at his left cheek—there seemed to be a small red mark on it. She rejoiced at seeing that.

That was her kiss. Early in the morning, Li Zhicheng had met her downstairs for breakfast and they had kissed at the gate. And today, knowing she was going to Mingde, she had put on some makeup. Her lipstick was on his face.

“Clean it again.” She gave a tissue to him.

Li Zhicheng understood what she meant. She took the tissue and wipe his face while gazing at her.

“What are you looking at?” Lin Qian asked. “How could I meet someone without putting on makeup today?”

Li Zhicheng didn’t say anything. After a while, he put down the tissue.

Lin Qian stirred her coffee with her head down. “There’s still some on your left collar, and some on your neck.”

Lin Qian smirked. “Okay.”

Lin Qian was a bit embarrassed. What do you mean by ‘Okay?’ Why are you pretending to be weak again? Annoying!

After he finished cleaning himself up, Lin Qian asked, “Although a three-times penalty is stated in the contract, can you say for sure that this Mr. Wang won’t betray us?”

Li Zhicheng said succinctly, “He never will.”

Although she had no idea why he was so confident, the fact that he said so meant he was one-hundred-percent sure. Lin Qian could also rest assured now.

Mingde was located in the suburbs and surrounded by blooming trees and grass. Beside it were several ecological, agricultural companies.

Li Zhicheng was welcomed in by the secretary and conferred with Mr. Wang alone. Lin Qian and Jiang Yuan sat outside in the reception room, looking at the trees and factory outside, waiting quietly.

Lin Qian estimated the assets of this factory to be tens of millions of yuan, excluding the value of the patent. It was indeed mutually beneficial to cooperate with Aida.

After more than an hour, the meeting room door opened. Li Zhicheng walked out with a skinny man in his fifties.

Lin Qian and Jiang Yuan immediately stood up with a smile, observing this person in silence.

He wore a navy-blue Mao suit and had a pair of glasses on, looking like a refined and knowledgeable college professor. Nevertheless, he looked nonchalant and pretentious, with a touch of mystical light shining in his eyes. He glanced at them and his gaze fell on Lin Qian.

Lin Qian shook his hand and beamed. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Li. I’m Lin Qian from Aida.”

Mr. Wang glanced at Li Zhicheng before shaking her hand, and said slowly, “Ms. Lin came from afar. I’m not showing adequate courtesy.”

Lin Qian was a bit surprised hearing him talk so politely—he was well-known for his harshness. It seemed she benefited from her relationship with Li Zhicheng.

Suddenly, Mr. Wang said to Li Zhicheng, “Does Mr. Li prefer his career or his lover?”

Lin Qian was rendered speechless.

Ummm… How does he know?

Jiang Yuan, who stood to the side a bit, was surprised as well. He looked unruffled, however, pretending like he didn’t hear it. Li Zhicheng peeked at her calmly and held her hand.

“Mr. Wang is a senior man in the industry. We should be humble and learn more from him.” He spoke to her in a husky voice and made sure that everyone around could hear.

“Sure, sure.” Lin Qian blushed.

So he was playing the humble junior card?

Lin Qian understood interpersonal relationships very well. The deepest business relationships were definitely not formed just hitting it off out of mutual interests. Instead, private friendships enabled better business relationships.

That was happening right now. Li Zhicheng, after the official business, talked to the pompous professor/factory director along with his girlfriend there. This showed both his frankness and trust—this also worked well on the imperious old man. In his eyes, Li Zhicheng was not just a businessman vying for more money, but also a vigorous young man who cared for his girlfriend.

Lin Qian walked with Li Zhicheng. She stared at his serene face.

Though this man is reserved, he’s quite insightful. He knows quite a lot about human nature.

What relieved her was that he’d already made a promise that he wouldn’t use the same trick on her.

The corners of Lin Qian’s mouth curved up, but she pouted when others were not paying attention. “Why did you tell the others? Especially Mr. Wang?”

Right now, everyone was following Mr. Wang to tour the park. Standing on the two sides were factories and trees. Li Zhicheng pressed his hands against her palms and answered, “We’ll have lots of contact with him—this identity is more convenient.”

Lin Qian was jubilant, but she thought, This identity?

Blah—I’m your girlfriend, and you’re talking like I’m the mistress.

She smirked again when she heard him say, “He can attest to it: I didn’t tell him anything.” He glanced at her and smiled. “He’s quite perceptive and you… You’re not able to hide it.”

Lin Qian, in a daze, glared at him.

The thing she hated the most was this kind of inscrutable behavior from him and Lin Mocheng. They thought they were the only ones capable of handling life. As for her, she was too naive to them.

What triggered her the most was the way they had talked to her: “Don’t do anything. I’ll handle it myself.”

Lin Qian muttered, “I’m not that naive. I was very tactful before meeting you!”

Li Zhicheng chuckled and turned his head to her. She thought he looked emotionally ignited and like he wanted to kiss her.

But it was a public place after all. He just gazed at her quietly and said in a deep voice, “Then use that on me.”

In the afternoon, they flew back to Lin City.

Li Zhicheng was quite frugal in outings, booking economy-class tickets all the time. Nevertheless, Jiang Yuan gave the two seats that were together to them while he sat at the corner two rows away. He could hear his boss’s instructions without disturbing their private time, which was a perfect arrangement.

The seats in the cabin were a bit small. Lin Qian leaned on Li Zhicheng and rested her hands in his lap. She looked at the clouds outside and felt sweet inside.

Huh…

She recalled what he had said in Mingde, telling her to use her tactful nature on him.

However, she was thankful that this man wouldn’t scheme against her. Comparisons were odious, and his shrewdness scared her.

Will my ploys actually work on him? Isn’t it going to be like nothing to me?

The more she thought about it, the more she realized he was the same person as her brother.

She felt kind of down when thinking about her brother. Lin Mocheng hadn’t replied to her since the day she had sent that smug message. She had been so devoted to romance the past two days that she’d overlooked him. Is he really mad?

“Have you talked to your brother at all?” the man sitting next to her asked.

This was the last thing she wanted to talk about.

“I’ll call him when we land,” Lin Qian answered honestly.

“Okay,” Li Zhicheng looked at her as if he were thinking about something. He took out a yellow folder from the laptop bag under him and put it on her tablet.

“What’s this?” Lin Qian asked.

“This is the additional pact I made with him. It’s time to let you know.”

Chapter 41

The aircraft engine was humming; outside the window, the view of the stratosphere flashed past.

Lin Qian stared at the file. The opening was sealed with red wax.

“What was the additional agreement?” she asked.

Li Zhicheng left the document in front of her; he raised his water glass and took a sip, then he said, “He proposed lending me a hundred million in cash.”

Lin Qian was stunned.

She felt sweet and touched. This was so unlike Lin Mochen; on the other hand, this seemed like exactly what he would do for his sister.

What was this? That dictatorial emperor, who wanted to strip Li Zhicheng until there was nothing left of him, had set the strict requirement of him becoming the leader of the industry within a year. But he had also raised such a huge sum of cash for Li Zhicheng to go to war with, ensuring that they could sit back and relax after Aito was launched.

She seemed to be… too harsh on her brother.

She was touched by this sincere sibling love, yet her feelings only lasted for a few seconds, because she heard Li Zhicheng add, “After a year, I need to pay him back two hundred million for both principal and interest.”

Lin Qian stared ahead in shock.

Damn it! She had felt touched for nothing. He was indeed “Lin Flayer.” His provision of one hundred million was definitely a strong helping hand for Aida, but he certainly did not forget his aim to strip Li Zhicheng until there was nothing left of him!

Lin Qian quietly imagined her brother’s face, handsome and arrogant.

Then, she heard Li Zhicheng speak again. “He made it clear that when the time comes, one hundred million of principal will be returned to him, and the other hundred million in interest will be given to you.”

He glanced at the document on the table, saying, “I kept fifty million to be used for Aito. The other fifty million I had put into an investment registered under your name.”

Lin Qian was stunned. She replied, “I never wanted his money. Even if you make a profit using this money, I don’t want it.”

Li Zhicheng glanced at her, his eyes smiling, and spoke softly. “He said it’s your dowry.”

Lin Qian smiled.

Now she had completely understood her brother’s thoughts. Lending a hundred million was not an easy task—even for him. So he was indeed trying his best to help Li Zhicheng, his sister’s lover.

But, his help was conditional. If you treat my sister nicely, the money earned in the future can still be used by the both of you, so I don’t want a single cent of it. But if in the future Li Zhicheng cheated on her and both of them broke up, he would definitely not let him off the hook easily. Did he dare believe the Lin siblings were so easy-going that they would give out a hundred million freely?

But Lin Qian still shook her head. “I don’t want it.”

Li Zhicheng fell silent for a moment, and then he replied, “Okay. When we have earned two hundred million, we will return everything to him.”

Lin Qian was about to nod when she suddenly felt that something was off. She pondered, then she said, “Why do we need to return everything to him? You earned the money. We would return him the one hundred million principal plus the interest rate of the bank loan for a year. The rest you would keep.”

Amusement flashed past Li Zhicheng’s eyes.

Right after she spoke, Lin Qian realized she had taken Li Zhicheng’s side… too much. Sheepishly she said, “I’m being impartial. I’m not siding with anyone.”

“Hmm,” Li Zhicheng murmured.

And so Lin Qian’s face reddened because of his “Hmm.” Was she really someone who put dates before mates and before their own sibling?

Meanwhile, Li Zhicheng gently wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pushed the sealed document in front of her. “This is the content of the investment.”

Lin Qian was burning with curiosity to find out what kind of investment Li Zhicheng would make. He was not like her brother, a genius investor. No matter how smart he was, he had never set foot in financial investments before, and he also couldn’t create miracles.

So where exactly had he invested the other fifty million?

But after feeling uncertain for a while, Lin Qian pushed the document back to Li Zhicheng. “I don’t want to read it.”

Li Zhicheng gazed at her silently.

Lin Qian gazed at him too, saying, “I’m not reading it because this is not important. I will support you regardless of what you invest in and whether it is earning or losing. And to be honest…” She lightly pulled her hair. “I was never interested in investing. So you can take charge.”

Her words sounded light; she rejected the offer crisply. But Lin Qian also had other thoughts on her mind.

Before this she had been drooling with envy at Li Zhicheng’s tricks and business strategies.

But she hadn’t predicted that now, as his girlfriend, even though she was still very interested in his inscrutable scheming, when given a chance by him to read some of it she would change her mind.

Her first thought was that if he won, she would witness his foresight and brilliance. But what if he lost?

It was not that she lacked confidence in him, but anything could happen.

If today she read his plan and he lost in the future, it meant that she had witnessed his ill-judgment. Then it would be a little hard for him to hold his head high in front of her.

Men needed to save face in front of women. She wouldn’t let him lose face; that was the decision a smart woman would make. So she chose not to read it.

Plus, if he really did lose, the pressure from everyone else would be as high as a mountain. She didn’t want it so that when he came back to her side, he would still need to worry about anything else.

So she chose not to read it, leaving some space for him. Whether they won or lost, those were things in the exterior world.

He would always remain her closest partner. There was nothing in between them; they would always cherish each other.

Her thoughts went through innumerable twists and turns. However, Li Zhicheng with his piercing gaze could tell that she—who was always curious—had a reason for falling quiet.

He thought for a while, then he kind of understood.

He stared at her again. Even though she tried to look nonchalant, her eyes could not hide it.

The expression in her eyes was familiar to him; she had stared at him using those eyes more than once before.

She only had this expression in her eyes when she looked at him.

Lin Qian felt a little sheepish being stared at by Li Zhicheng, so she turned her head to look out the window and tried to change the topic. “Ah, ah, ah! We’re almost there!”

Li Zhicheng put the file back into his bag, then he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his embrace.

He lowered his head to look at her face, his hand holding her soft and delicate neck. “Are you sure that you don’t want to read it?”

Lin Qian was a woman with character and mettle. “I am sure!”

Li Zhicheng kissed her.

After a while he released a red-faced and slightly breathless Lin Qian. His fingers gently massaged her neck. He whispered, “Lin Qian, how much longer are you going to protect me?”

Lin Qian’s heart trembled. After remaining silent for a moment, she buried her face into his chest once more. “I could justify any of your actions… just you wait and see. You are blessed to be my boyfriend.”

It was dusk when they reached Lin City.

The driver Xiao Tang came to pick them up again. When they were a street away from Aida Group, Lin Qian told Li Zhicheng, “Drop me off here.”

Li Zhicheng nodded.

The car stopped by the roadside. Lin Qian got out of the car and Li Zhicheng got out of the other side. The two subordinates sitting in front wittingly remained seated in the car.

Li Zhicheng helped unload her luggage from the trunk. The sun was setting now; passers-by were coming and going. It was warm and familiar.

“I should leave now,” Lin Qian said.

Li Zhicheng lowered his head to stare at her.

His hand reached out and pulled her into his arms.

Lin Qian’s hand was in his grasp, locked on his waist. He savored her lips. After a while he let her go.

Lin Qian watched the black car drive away; she then dragged her little suitcase and walked toward her apartment slowly. She couldn’t help smiling.

When love was in the air, every moment was filled with tenderness and silence was more expressive than any spoken word.

When she reached home, Lin Qian took a shower, then she sat on the balcony to call the “emperor.”

It was still early in the morning on his end of the line, but Lin Mochen’s voice was already cold and calculating. “Hello?”

Lin Qian relented as soon as she heard his voice; she called out tenderly, “Brother!”

Lin Mochen’s heart was softened upon hearing her voice. But he said coldly, “Still remembered to call me? I thought you were off busy cooking rice.”

Lin Qian’s face heated up. “I was not!” After that she tried to butter him up by saying, “Brother, you’re so good at using Chinese idioms.” He had left for the United States with their father when he was few years old, so it was surprising that he knew how to use the term “the rice is cooked.” Such a… fancy term.

Lin Mochen sneered. He didn’t say a word.

Lin Qian continued to placate him. “Brother, I really like him. You know, men like you two are very charming. Women can’t help but be drawn in.”

Lin Mochen wasn’t actually angry because of what had happened. So he snorted in amusement at her words.

Out of nowhere, Lin Qian suddenly had an idea. She continued speaking in a low voice. “You said you wanted to strip the man until there was nothing left of him. But brother, if it were a girl you liked, would you be willing to do the same to her?” He remained silent, so she added on, “That’s how I feel. I can’t do it.”

Actually Lin Qian was being very shrewd. Even though she meant what she said, her words were also meant to hit Lin Mochen where it hurt.

After a moment of silence, his voice calmed down. “Lin Qian, Dad passed away many years ago. I am merely acting on his behalf. Whichever lad plans to take you away, don’t you think I should put him through some hardship so he’ll show us his sincerity?”

Lin Qian’s heart softened upon hearing his words. “Hmm,” she replied lazily.

After a while she spoke again. “Brother, have you ever had this feeling before? You feel happy and every second you get to spend with them is precious. Maxim Gorky once said that everything good in this life is measured with seconds. I understand now that, other than him, there is no one else for me.”

The Lin brother had temporarily been placated by his sister. As for the agreement between the two men, Lin Qian felt like it was their business. It wouldn’t affect her relationship with Li Zhicheng anyway.

But the pathetic part was that for the next couple weeks, and even longer, the private time Lin Qian got to spend with Li Zhicheng would really be measured by seconds!

Because both of them were way too busy!

Lin Qian had it slightly better. Since she led a small team, she could still freely arrange their rest time. Plus she was someone who emphasized a proper balance between work and leisure, so even though the team inevitably worked till 11:00 pm or midnight every day, she would try her best to give everyone half a day or a day off every week.

Her team fully embodied her style: hardworking, efficient, flexible, lively, and creative. Quoting her words, “Our marketing department can do overtime and pull off all-nighters. We can fight continuously for 365 days without feeling tired. But we don’t have to do so because we solve our problems with wit and inspiration!”

Her words made other teams gnash their teeth, because other teams like production technology, production, procurement, and design had to persevere and run trials repeatedly before they could come up with the best solution. The nature of their jobs was different from market planning, so when Lin Qian said that wasn’t she looking for a fight?

Because of this, Lin Qian and the others on her team had bought supper for the other teams after work a few times after midnight.

Of course, whenever Lin Qian organized team activities so everyone could enjoy themselves during hard times, she hoped that Li Zhicheng could join in as well. Even though it was not private time together, it would be sweet if they could let their feelings stir for a while from across the crowd.

Unfortunately Li Zhicheng never participated in these activities.

He had no time for it.

Exactly how busy was he?

As the man who oversaw everything, his time belonged to everyone.

He had previously been staying in a mansion a ten-minute car ride away from the Group. The mansion belonged to his dad. But since the day he’d returned from Taiwan with Lin Qian, Aito’s bag production design had entered a critical stage, so he started staying in the company’s hostel straight away. He told every team leader to report to him at any time.

This was what it meant to take the lead.

Lin Qian heard from Jiang Yuan that there were a few nights when he just slept on the couch in his office, and went to check on the production at the workshop again at dawn.

As for their interaction, it was limited to passionate kisses during her occasional visits to his office to report on the progress. Or the days when Lin Qian got off work at midnight and he happened to have free time too, he would walk her back to her place; the two would whisper some lovers’ talk before he let her go inside. Then he would walk back to the office again to continue working.

Lin Qian felt that it was not enough. Definitely not enough.

The feeling was like a well being dug in her heart. Just when the boiling hot spring water was about to gush forth, someone blocked it with a marble slab, leaving only a slit for the water to leak out.

Great tenderness between lovers led to a harmonious and complete-feeling world. She just wanted to stay with him always. No amount of intimate interaction was ever enough.

But compared to her silent unrestrainable desire, Li Zhicheng seemed much more composed—at least from the outside. He always overpacked his schedule. Occasionally he would get intimate with her, but only taking a sip from the cup before putting it away. Even when he turned and left, he seemed to be in a hurry; he would quickly refocus and devote himself to his ambitious plan again.

This made Lin Qian feel like she couldn’t handle him. She felt kind of blue.

But she kept this feeling inside her heart. She knew that at times like this, being rational was more important than being sentimental. He was in the right.

But she couldn’t help feeling a bit down.

Soon enough, it was the weekend again.

Lin Qian’s team was going to take tomorrow off. Everyone was as happy as though they were celebrating the festive season; they felt relaxed from head to toe and happily left the office early.

Lin Qian needed to report on the team’s result, so she was the last one to leave. When she finished her work, it was already dark outside.

She ate some fast food. Sitting in her office, she looked around at the room decorated by Li Zhicheng for her, then she stared at the moon hanging high outside the window. She felt calm and peaceful.

She had heard that earlier that afternoon, the prototype of Aito had been finished. The appearance, functionality, and cost had basically fulfilled Li Zhicheng’s requirements. Lin Qian had not seen it yet, but she was sure that this was a huge step in their progress. They only needed to revise and improve on this foundation in the later stages; not long after, Aito’s sample could officially be rolled off the production line.

He must be very happy.

Would his dark, cold, knitted eyebrows smooth out again because of this?

As she thought about him, the phone on the table rang.

It was Jiang Yuan. “Manager Lin, you are still in the office. It just so happens that Mr. Li is reviewing the latest results of every team. Are you free to come over?”

Free! Of course I’m free!

After Lin Qian hung up the phone she rushed to the Group. It was just a brief meeting to discuss about work.

But after calculating, she realized she hadn’t had close contact with her boyfriend in four days!

Almost everyone on the top floor of the office had left. When Lin Qian walked in, Jiang Yuan stood in front of the table, wearing his coat. He smiled at her and said, “Manager Lin, I have something going on tonight. I’ve told Mr. Li about it. Please help me keep an eye on anything he might need.”

Lin Qian said, “Okay.”

She softly knocked on the door. Li Zhicheng’s bass voice sounded on the other side. “Come in.”

Lin Qian entered the room. It was bright inside. He sat on the sofa, and in front of him were stacks and stacks of documents and a laptop. The army-green thermos was empty.

Lin Qian stared at him, a little dumbfounded.

The man who had repeatedly kissed her that night in Taiwan was still deeply imprinted in her brain. It was as though it had happened yesterday. But now, as she saw him in his suit, sitting in the office with a focused expression, she suddenly realized that it had been many days since both of them hung out together quietly like this.

He raised his head to look at her too; his expression was deep and hard to read.

Lin Qian sat down on the chair opposite him. Usually they would start with discussing work first. She took out the file and pushed a copy over to him. “Should we start now?”

He didn’t look at the document on the desk. Instead, he stared at her.

“I read it this morning. No problem.”

“Oh…”

Li Zhicheng tapped the space on the sofa beside him. “Sit over here.”

His words were like a seductive spell. Lin Qian’s face reddened. She asked rhetorically, “What for?” As she finished her last syllabus, her hand on the table was clasped by him.

“Come over.”

Lin Qian’s heart felt sweet. She barely made her way around the coffee table before she was pulled to sit in his embrace.

The lights were fuzzy; the night misty.

Lin Qian’s hands were locked on the sofa; her body was pressed against his chest. Her face was slightly upturned, and she received a deep smooch from him.

After a long while he moved his lips away, but his eyes, darker than the night, still stared at her closely. “Tonight I need to work overtime again. Stay here with me for a while?”

“Hmm.” Lin Qian was lightly twiddling his shirt above his chest.

Li Zhicheng noticed this little action as she cuddled in his arms; a faint smile flashed in his eyes. He temporarily let go of her, returning to sit in front of the pile of work while saying, “Go and lock the door.”

When she locked the door, Lin Qian felt a little guilty. Then she asked herself, What for? At most the two would exchange a few hugs and kisses.

But maybe he…

The corners of her mouth raised slightly.

Whenever the workload became a little lighter, Jiang Yuan was immediately told to invite her to the office to keep him company, in the name of the job.

Even just being around him counted as a rare pleasure.

The night was quiet.

Sitting on the couch, Li Zhicheng stared down at the documents with concentration in his eyes, appearing calm.

Although Lin Qian kept him company, she didn’t want to interrupt him too much. She was just beside him, constantly refilling his water, and tidying up the files.

Occasionally she would look at the side of his sullen face, stare at his hands on the table, and she would have the urge to kiss him. But of course, she held herself back.

Along with Li Zhicheng’s great concentration, he would become hyper-focused on work. Lin Qian was fond of his determination, but also felt a bit annoyed.

Lin Qian had never been a workaholic. Since she was taking a break from work, she was not going to do anything work-related. Having stayed with him for a while, she was getting bored, so she took out her phone.

Soon it became 11:00 pm. Lin Qian yawned.

Li Zhicheng, who had his head down, noticed.

He looked up at her. “Sleepy?” Then he put down the files and got up. “Let me take you home.”

Just when Lin Qian was about to say yes, she looked at him and rolled her eyes. “No,” she said. “Thought we agreed I’d to keep you company. I’ll just rest on the couch.”

I’m not going home.

I just want to be with you.

Naturally, Li Zhicheng knew what she was thinking. After a brief silence, he picked up a cushion from the couch and put it on the arm of the couch. He then took off his suit jacket from the coat rack and handed it to her. “Cover yourself with this.”

“Sure.” Lin Qian laid down on the couch, pleased. The male jacket was very large, covering most of her.

Meanwhile, Li Zhicheng moved the laptop from the table. It seemed he was going to sit on the single couch and leave the bigger one to her. Without any thought, Lin Qian quickly sat up and grabbed his arm. “No. Just sit here with me.”

Li Zhicheng looked up at her.

He put down the laptop, and went back to sit where he was. There was a faint hint of a smile in his eyes.

Lin Qian’s legs lightly touched his back from behind: intimate and sweet. Playfully, her legs kept rubbing him, over and over again.

Although Li Zhicheng was focused on his work, with a beauty by his side his night was smooth and pleasant. But the bursts of touch and friction between his back and waist created ripples in his heart.

He turned to look at her.

Completely buried in his suit, Lin Qian only had her face sticking out. With her big clear eyes blinking, she asked softly, “How much longer are you working for?”

Li Zhicheng could feel his breath pause a little.

Staring at her sparkling eyes with a hint of anticipation, and those pale slender fingers of hers wrapped around his suit, Li Zhicheng felt a certain tender, soft breath coming out of her hair and fingertips and reaching his heart.

He knew he finally understood what it meant to be tangled in softness.

He was surprised that even he, Li Zhicheng, had this coming too. Despite the work piling up like a mountain, and his strong-as-iron determination, he was profoundly affected by her soft eyes.

He put down the files and closed the laptop.

Taking off his shoes, he was suddenly on top of her. Hands supporting himself on both sides of her body, he stared quietly at the woman under him.

“No more work. I’m spending some time with you.”

Although Lin Qian had initiated this, it was mainly because she wanted to have some fun for herself since he acted like he didn’t care about her when there was work to do.

But at the moment, seeing he had really left his job to kiss her, she felt her cheeks become a little hot. Feeling slightly apologetic, she said, “Have you finished your work already? Maybe you should—”

Li Zhicheng had already lowered his head, sealing her lips.

A while later, lying in his arms, Lin Qian’s hair and clothes looked a little messy.

Although the couch was fairly spacious, it couldn’t accommodate two people lying side by side. So with Li Zhicheng lying flat, she lounged on the inside, leaving most of her weight on him.

“Am I heavy?” she whispered.

Li Zhicheng put a hand behind her head and the other clutched her waist. He looked down at her. “Nope. How bad could it be?”

Women loved comments like that. Lin Qian smiled in his arms, her finger making circles on his chest through the shirt.

“To be honest, I’ve been feeling a little down lately, and I thought you didn’t care about me that much…” She looked up at him.

Only to find that his head faced down. Instead of gazing at her face, he was gazing at…

They made eye contact. Lin Qian followed his gaze and looked down at the slightly-open collar of her shirt: her soft pale breasts were clearly visible. Thanks to her prone position, the deep groove in the middle of them was particularly noticeable.

Lin Qian had not at all expected that was why he was being silent. Her face suddenly turned red. A hand reached upwards to push against his face. “Don’t look…”

Even before she had finished, her heart suddenly did a flip, and the left side of her chest felt heavy.

His hands had already laid on top.

Stunned, Lin Qian stared at him.

He also stared back at her.

“You don’t think I care much about you?” he asked in a low, slightly-husky voice.

Lin Qian moved her lips, but no sound came out.

“I do care about you,” he whispered, leaning down again and kissing her. And that hand, wrapped around the side of her plump breast, rubbed gently.

Lin Qian felt like her entire heart was about to melt with his short reply. With both her hands clutching his collar against his silent tenseness, she closed her eyes, breathing slowly.

He was also gradually increasing the strength in his hand; Lin Qian was starting to feel the heat through her entire body.

And soon, this type of contact would no longer satisfy him.

Lin Qian could feel his hand on her chest suddenly withdraw. He stopped kissing.

Lin Qian opened her eyes, looking at him.

His facial expressions remained the same.

Then Lin Qian saw his hands unbuttoning her shirt.

Her face was getting hotter and hotter. She even started to feel heat and dizziness in her eyes.

Unconsciously, she grabbed his hands and said, “What are you doing? This is your office.” She had meant it as a protest, but her voice was quenched in honey, extremely soft.

Li Zhicheng pressed her entire body into the couch. He looked down at her. “This is my woman.”

Lin Qian was shocked.

Seeing that she was flushed with redness, but pulling on his hands to make them stop, Li Zhicheng stared at her and whispered, “Don’t you want me to kiss you?”

Lin Qian’s face almost began to drip blood. Only one thing went through her mind: Damn it! Why ask? How am I going to respond to this?

However, somehow she became emboldened. “Not unless I kiss you first!”

She was surprised that it came out of her mouth.

Li Zhicheng looked amazed too. But he quickly adapted to the initiative of his woman, a smile flashing in his eyes. He grabbed her hand and pulled it to his chest. “Hmm, fair enough.”

Warm air blew through the silent room.

His short hair had become very messy. His desire tightly pressed against her body. He stared at her with his pitch-black eyes. And his hand, clutching hers, fell on the first button of his shirt.

Lin Qian could feel her dry throat. Her face was sizzling hot, and so were her head and hands. And her thigh, quietly pressed against his member, was even hotter.

She slowly undid his first button.

He stared at her face motionlessly with the willing eyes of prey.

The second one was unbuttoned.

His chest was exposed, flat, well-proportioned, and strong.

Then the third and fourth.

His shirt was open, a strong and attractive body in full view. His burning gaze was unusually deep.

Lin Qian gently bit her lower lip.

Women usually placed love above sex. At this moment, with her body touching his, Lin Qian forgot about her comment to “kiss him first.” She hadn’t thought about how her comments and actions could affect a man.

She stared at the beautiful chest of the man she loved and instantly felt the emotion filling her heart.

I like him, I really do. I want to have him every second.

Driven by this thought, she slowly reached out and grabbed his waist. She gently pressed her face to his bare chest.

“Li Zhicheng, I like you.”

Li Zhicheng went still for a moment.

Looking down, he saw Lin Qian’s closed eyes. She had pressed her cheek to his chest with a pleased look. The warmth exhaled from her petite nose, and her soft strands of hair, both brushed his chest. It felt like tens of thousands of feathers, exploring the expanse of his body for the greatest desire.

When he rolled over, he pressed her down. Lowering his head to seal her lips, he effortlessly found the buttons on her shirt, and easily undid them one by one.

When the phone rang, it was like a flash of lightning, waking up the two indulging lovers.

It also seemed to kill the steamy silence in the room.

Li Zhicheng paused. He then made eye contact with her and got up. At the same time he pulled his suit jacket over her, covering up her delicate body. He then sat down by the couch and reached for the phone on the table.

Lin Qian’s skin burned hotter than a fire. From her forehead to her neck and to her waist, there was still a soft, moist numbness. It made her feel as though she had just woken up from a long dream.

She grabbed his jacket, trying to keep her breasts covered while sitting up. She realized that even as Li Zhicheng answered the phone call, one of his hands still lingered on her, pressing on his jacket to completely cover her body.

The body that belonged to him.

The thoughtful gesture made Lin Qian feel a sweetness in her heart. Quietly lying under his suit, she watched his flushed, handsome face. His shirt was still open, and he sat very rigidly. His lust seemed to be lingering. It made Lin Qian’s heart swell.

Soon he hung up and turned to look at her.

“I’m heading to the workshop.”

“Okay.”

Once again, he lowered his head and brushed his lips against hers. “Button up your shirt. I’ll be back once I’m done.”

“Okay.”

Seeing her acting so obedient, Li Zhicheng stared at her for a moment and started to slowly laugh.

It had never occurred to him that he could explore her body at such a place. He was disappointed by the interruption. However, the fact that he had been able to get so far with her could be considered a blessing.

He rubbed her head, pulled himself together, got up and left.

Lin Qian waved to him. When the door shut, she turned her head and buried her face in his suit, her mind wandering around.

Hmm… how’s he going to cool down without a cold shower?

…

By the time Lin Qian woke up, it was morning and bright.

The soft yellow sunlight shined through blinds, illuminating her face.

The sunlight also gathered on the man’s face; he lied next to her.

Lin Qian looked up at him.

She didn’t know when he had returned. Like his previous sweet gesture, he fell asleep on the couch with the suit covering the two of them. His handsome face was like a sleeping sculpture in the morning light; his large arm was still firmly wrapped around her waist.

Lin Qian stared at him quietly for a moment, then returned to his arms and closed her eyes.

…

After a fortnight, Aito, an exclusive urban utility bag brand of Aida, officially began its production.

The domestic bag industry had broken out of its winter slump. A fireless battlefield was finally rekindled to a raging fire.

Chapter 42

The light in the meeting room had been dimmed and the people inside crowded together, everyone holding their breaths. The lively, animated sound effects from the big screen attracted everyone’s attention.

These were several television advertisements. There was the logo of a certain television channel imprinted on the upper right corner, and the commercial had already started broadcasting on the station today. At this moment, all the people in the meeting room were reviewing the advertisement together.

The first frame was of a tall and refined young man. He wore a simple shirt with a suit, and carried a bag onto the subway. The subway was crowded with people—an everyday scenario that made people feel tired just looking at. However, the scene was done up beautifully and the sound effects were soothing, overall having an effect of a calm within the chaos. It was very artistic. The young man was also soothing to the eyes. Despite not being a star, he was refreshingly handsome and quiet, his gaze bright and gentle.

When the crowd started to push around, he held the support pole with one hand but the bag he carried was knocked around. As he was getting off, the bag scraped against the door of the carriage as he had to squeeze past. At this moment, the camera lens featured the bag and revealed the Aito logo.

Then, following the flow of people, he got off the subway and arrived at the place he worked, which was an IT company. The scene of the office building flashed by quickly, a busy but youthful atmosphere. From the bag, he removed a heavy notebook laptop, then a thick file holder, and several books. He also took out a set of exercise clothes and a badminton racket, placing it in the lowest drawer of his work desk. While he did this, he invited his colleague to play a game of badminton after work.

Although there was no special feature of the bag in this advertisement, after a moment’s thought people would notice what had happened. His bag didn’t look bulky at all, but it had actually been able to store many things.

In the next frame, he had already finished his game of badminton and was going home after work. At that moment, rain started pouring down. Since his companion had brought an umbrella, the two big men went under it together. His Aito bag poked out from under the umbrella, and his companion asked, “Is your bag all drenched?”

The man smiled and replied, “It’s alright.”

Then, he was home. A young and beautiful woman welcomed him, taking his hand and they entered the house together. He casually tossed the bag onto the sofa beside her women’s edition Aito bag. At this moment, a quick shot revealed that the water stains on the bag had quickly evaporated, leaving it dry. After a while, the young man walked over and retrieved a cheesecake from the bag that was completely unharmed and dry. He passed it to the woman, his girlfriend. “Your favorite flavor.”

“Thank you,” the woman said in a happy, surprised voice. “I love you.”

In the last frame, the two were lying on a large bed in each other’s embrace. The young man asked the woman, “Should we go mountain-climbing this weekend?”

She smiled and answered, “Alright.” A gentle light shined on their bodies as well as the two Aito bags propped against each other on the sofa.

The voiceover suddenly started: “Carry on the journeys you love, and travel in the city.”

The frame changed and a large Aito logo appeared. “Aito City Traveler” was also written on the screen.

Right below there was a line of fine print:

“Making use of Taiwan’s Mind technology fabric.

“Water-resistant, fast-drying, light and convenient, hardy, large capacity.”

Gentle music started playing, which marked the end of the first advertisement. The overhead lights brightened, and everyone in the meeting room had a look of delight on their faces. Everyone nodded in praise.

“Not bad.”

“This advertisement is executed pretty well.”

Even Gu Yanzhi, who had a lot of experience in the field and was a very picky person, smiled slightly and nodded his head. “This advertisement will have an extremely good effect on our consumers.”

Lin Qian sat by the corner of the round table. With a grin she received the many congratulatory glances and looks of approval from the people all around. She was the head of the marketing team and this series of creative advertisements was a result of their blood, sweat and tears.

The actual act of putting it together was outsourced to an advertising company. However, Lin Qian agreed with the marketing guru Shi Yuzhu that no one but themselves could understand Aito’s products and Li Zhicheng’s battle plans well enough that they would be able to creatively tailor the advertisements to the product requirements. Thus, in order to produce these advertisements, she and her subordinates had spent this period of time toiling and giving it their all, even skipping a couple of nights of sleep.

Now, was it finally time to reap the fruits of their labor?

Through the crowd, she looked at Li Zhicheng.

He was obviously satisfied as well—a faint smile was etched onto his face. So many people were joyfully talking and so many people were looking at him. However, he immediately felt her gaze on him and turned to look at her.

Their eyes met for a moment before they both turned away. But the silent approval in his eyes made Lin Qian not just proud, but also warm her heart and sweet inside.

There were many like-minded people she knew, and also many people who admired her. However, the Lin Qian of today wholeheartedly just wanted to remain in his commercial empire under his watch… his eyes all on her.

Soon, they were broadcasting the second advertisement.

The creative idea for this advertisement was almost solely contributed by Lin Qian. This made her experience stronger feelings for it while watching.

A group of little children appeared in the scene, standing outside the entrance of an elementary school while waiting for their parents to pick them up. Compared to the first advertisement, this one had a much more lively and pleasant atmosphere overall.

It started to drizzle, and the children all ran to the bus stop to escape the rain. One boy with very white teeth took his time to make his way over. At the same time he rummaged through his little backpack. There was a special logo on it that read: “Aito Children.”

Quickly, the small boy removed a raincoat from the top section of the bag and draped it over himself. Beside him, a pretty little girl exclaimed “Wow!” and said, “His schoolbag even has a raincoat hidden in it!” The children all stared at the little boy in envy; he simply remained cool and calm without saying a word.

The little boy stood at the edge of the bus stop, which exposed his entire backpack to the rain. The pretty little girl said, “Come inside a little more or your bag will be drenched.”

The little boy continued with his calm demeanor and looked at her, saying, “No, my bag won’t get wet.” Then he asked her, “Do you want to stand under my raincoat?” The little girl immediately scooted over and it attracted the envious glances of the little boys all around. Meanwhile, the Aito little boy smiled smugly.

Just then, the scene changed and the sky was dark. There were many cars driving on the road and there was a serious traffic jam. The little girl said anxiously, “The sky is so dark. I’m afraid my mom won’t spot me.”

The little boy said, “My dad will spot me for sure.”

The little girl was stunned as she saw a black saloon car pull up to the bus stop. A young man pushed open the car door and the boy joyfully bid the little girl goodbye before climbing into the car. At this moment, the camera lens focused on a special feature. On his bag, there was a luminous image of a small bear. In the daylight it wasn’t noticeable. When the sky got dark, the glowing blue small bear was exceptionally eye-catching.

The little girl looked at the boy getting in the car with slight envy. Just then, the door that had been shut was opened once again, and the little boy jumped out. In his hand was a pink school bag with its night logo a cute, small rabbit.

He passed the bag to the little girl. “This is a gift for you. Can you go to the zoo to watch the monkeys with me this weekend?”

The girl was elated as she received the bag, her face shining as bright as a red apple. “Thank you!”

The two children smiled as they looked at each other. They hooked pinkies to seal the promise.

The last scene was of a group of children carrying Aito children’s bags, joyfully running toward the zoo.

The voiceover said, “Aito Children, allowing your children to grow on the journey of love.”

After that it was followed by the slogan, “Aito City Traveler,” as well as the Mind fabric’s “water-resistant, fast-drying, light and convenient, safe” and more of this series of key descriptors.

During the first few days of the launch of Aito, the market reaction was lukewarm. Because even with the onslaught of advertisements on the television and Internet, consumers still required time to get to know and accept the product. Meanwhile, they also needed time to distribute the products to the individual Aida specialty stores and the collaborating middle to high-end departmental stores.

This product’s launch was completely different from that of the Vinda subsidiary brand. Vinda was a novel method that used low prices to flank an attack with its target being to surround and cripple SMQ’s mid-range leather products market.

Aito, on the other hand, was a widely-publicized and large-scaled battle. Li Zhicheng had officially engaged with the larger market after gaining proper control over Aida. Even though his goal was to overthrow New Bori, who had the most overbearing presence in the market, it was now uncertain if the other brands would be lucky to even survive.

Lin Qian had utmost confidence in Aito. Such confidence had stemmed from her familiarity with Aito and knowing Li Zhicheng’s thought processes for his battle plans inside out.

She was so familiar with the product’s entire germination, its every creatively unique point, its every unbelievable function, and its every single detail that she was able to clearly see its uncontainable, overflowing potential in the market.

She could tell this was a product the market would be unable to resist, and one that competitors would be unable to go up against or sabotage.

So, she thought, in this market, what other product was there that could compare to this?

Lin Qian felt that Aito would definitely sweep the entire market off its feet and bring in a consumer base they had never thought possible.

Of course, whether or not Aito could really create such a miracle would only be seen after the market warmed up to it, which could be anywhere from days to weeks. The entire staff of Aida had given it their all, and could only wait with wide eyes while waiting to see the end result.

Meanwhile, to Lin Qian and Li Zhicheng, this weekend was a fleeting half-a-day’s rest that had been hard to come by.

After knocking off on Friday, Lin Qian returned home and gave Li Zhicheng a call.

He was still in the office but work had also temporarily come to an end. When he picked up the phone, his tone was no longer the cold one it was during busy periods, but rather low and gentle. “Have you gone home?”

“Yup.” Lin Qian had already removed her professional work attire and was lying on her bed, casually kicking her legs around. “Do you have any plans over the weekend?”

“Sure,” Li Zhicheng answered immediately, smiling as he did.

Lin Qian laughed. “I haven’t even offered an idea yet! And you said ‘sure’ right away.” He was using that method to win her heart again: acting as loyal as a dog. Actually, he had a whole mind full of big ideas that she couldn’t pinpoint or see through.

“Let’s go to Mount Emei,” she said. “Carry our Aito as we go on our travels.” This was a phrase she borrowed from Aito’s advertising campaign and she laughed after saying it.

Emei was not far from Lin City and a trip could be completed within a day—it couldn’t even really be considered a trip. But Lin Qian wanted Li Zhicheng to escape from his high-pressure job and relax a little. Emei was also a sacred Buddhist land, and they could kill two birds with one stone by going to light some incense and praying for Aida.

“Alright,” Li Zhicheng replied.

Lin Qian was excited. “Then I’ll go and book the tickets. Let’s plan on going there and coming back again tomorrow. We’ll return tomorrow night and then have Sunday to rest for a day.” The tickets she was talking about were the bus tickets for their round trip to Emei from Lin City, as well as the local attractions tickets and such.

Li Zhicheng became slightly infected by her happiness as he listened to the joy in her voice. He was seated alone in the quiet office but a smile appeared on his lips. “I will arrange these. Just wait for me to come and pick you up tomorrow.”

Lin Qian was used to being independent. When she heard him say that, the first thought that popped into her head was that having a boyfriend had its perks. She could finally enjoy things being arranged on her behalf and request things without having to do anything.

“Okay,” she answered sweetly.

After hanging up, Lin Qian did not simply wile her time away. She grabbed a bag and left the house to get the necessities for the next day. This included common medications, snacks, water—she even bought herself a beautiful sun hat. Even though she had the cap from Li Zhicheng that had been used to pledge his love, this was a date that was hard to come by, so she couldn’t possibly wear such a tomboyish hat!

On the other side of the line, Li Zhicheng hung up and called for Jiang Yuan.

His relationship with Lin Qian wasn’t a huge secret, but he didn’t want it to garner too much attention during the critical stage of building up the company. He also did not keep it from his secretary.

“I’m going on a trip to Mount Emei with Lin Qian tomorrow.”

“Alright,” Jiang Yuan replied. “Then I will go and arrange the itinerary before letting you have a look.”

Returning to his smaller work cubicle outside, Jiang Yuan gave the familiar travel agency a call. Upon hearing that an important leader would be going on the trip, the travel agency was naturally extra attentive, asking him, “Is it a day trip or a two-day trip? Will he be spending the night at Mount Emei? There are a couple of hotels on the peak of Mount Emei that are not bad, as well as a hot spring. Also, if it’s a two-day trip, how many people will there be and how many rooms are needed?”

The next morning, Lin Qian wore beautifully-colored outdoor clothing with her new sun hat and carried the Aito women’s bag. She was on time, waiting downstairs for Li Zhicheng.

He wore a dark-colored outdoor jacket with a pair of long pants. Driving over in his Land Rover, he looked sportier than he usually at the office. However, his movements, and the stability and power between his brows were the same as usual.

Lin Qian sat in the passenger seat and looked at his profile, thinking, Men have so many sides to them. Other than the image in the workplace where he was professional and mighty, this side of him, which was unrestrained and laced with casualness, was only ever revealed around her.

So proud and so satisfied. Hahaha.

Li Zhicheng could sense the woman’s gaze unrelentingly focused on him, but because he was driving he could only extend his hand and place it on the back of her neck. His fingers traced the soft and tender skin behind her ears slowly. “You’re happy.”

The man’s fingers had a thin layer of calluses. When they brushed across her sensitive skin it made her entire body weak, but there was also an inexplicable comfort that came with it. The comfort was slight but drawn out, a flowing fountain slowly pouring cool water into her heart. It was obviously very stimulating to the senses and made her heart warm and fuzzy.

She did not make a sound. After touching her like that for a while, Li Zhicheng pulled his hand back and continued driving. Meanwhile, the remnants of the gentle womanly fragrance on his fingers moved his heart slightly.

Just then, Lin Qian placed one hand lightly on his shoulder and leaned her body over. Lifting her head, she looked for her favorite part of his lower jawline and placed a kiss there. And when the masculine warmth on his skin spread to her lips, she couldn’t help but nibble gently so as to get more of his unique taste.

However, this kiss was short lived. She quickly removed her lips and returned to her seat. The entire event was just him instinctively stroking the back of her neck, and her kissing his chin.

After this simple fulfillment of both of their desires, she continued to look ahead as if nothing had happened, and he gave her a look before continuing to drive. But both of their agitated hearts were similarly finding it difficult to hold back.

Chapter 43

Mount Emei was around 120 miles away from Lin City. The two of them rode a tour bus and within two hours, they had reached the foot of the majestic and beautiful Mount Emei.

Why didn’t she let Li Zhicheng drive there straight away? Lin Qian said since they were here to enjoy themselves, then they shouldn’t waste energy on driving; they should just focus on relaxing. Taking a bus was quite convenient anyway.

But truth be told, she was reluctant to waste those two hours watching him drive. Normally their encounters were measured by minutes, so even though they only locked arms and sat on a very crowded bus, she felt like their wonderful journey had begun.

There was definitely cuddling, hugging, and teasing between them along the way. She enjoyed the scenery along the road while in his arms. Heaven and earth became a honey jar, sweetening their journey.

When they got off the bus, Lin Qian’s face was radiant with a pink glow and she smiled with her eyes. Their fingers were interlocked. He carried a large bag on his back; most of their things were in his bag. In contrast with Lin Qian’s obviously sweet expression, his look was much calmer. But his dark eyes were smiling too. His words were few, but his hand holding hers was steady and strong.

It was the beginning of spring. Since it was the weekend, there were a lot of people on the mountain, so the two of them ditched taking the cable car. They took a short bus ride, then picked an empty trail and started hiking. No one was there to disturb them.

The trail up to Mount Emei was winding. But Lin Qian, following Li Zhicheng on this unfamiliar path, was not at all worried about getting lost. She had a soldier with excellent wilderness survival skills by her side. What was there to be afraid of? They might even be able to hunt a wild boar or wolf on the way back.

Of course, this was just her imagination; there were definitely no wild boars nor wolves on the main peak of Mount Emei.

But, there were monkeys.

Lots and lots of monkeys.

By the time she realized this, Lin Qian stood on a broad stone step. The noon sunlight filtered through the leaves, etching the path with a layer of luminous gold. Li Zhicheng stood beside her. He was fast, and she was a little short of breath after following him. But his breathing was steady and he didn’t even have sweat on him. He looked calm and composed as if he had just walked out of the office.

Exactly how good is his stamina?

They stopped because a few stone steps away, there was a troop of about twenty black-haired monkeys scratching their heads and brushing their ears. They stared at the couple and blocked their path.

Lin Qian knew that the monkeys on Mount Emei were intelligent. Their eyes were sparkling and darting around. It was a rare sight to see, but it was also a little eerie.

She lowered her voice. “Should we give them something to eat? Leave some money to pay a toll?”

Li Zhicheng’s eyes lit up in amusement. He replied in a low voice, “How much food do you have in your bag? What if their avarice knows no bounds and they refuse to leave?”

Lin Qian gave him a sarcastic laugh. “I have my ways.” She took out three small buns from her bag, removed the packaging, and bounced them lightly in her hand. Li Zhicheng said nothing, hands in his pockets, and looked at her lively antics.

The monkeys were indeed clever; their eyes sparkled upon seeing the food. They were ready to leap forth. Lin Qian acted even faster; her hand moved swiftly, tossing the three buns in different directions. The monkeys followed the smell of the buns and scattered, rushing toward where they had been dropped. Lin Qian was stunned by their lightning speed.

The path was cleared. There were only two or three slow-witted monkeys left by the roadside. They looked to their left and right, then looked at the couple. They seemed unsure of where to go. Lin Qian chuckled and her arm was grabbed by Li Zhicheng. She could hear the smile in his voice as he said, “What are you waiting for? Let’s go.”

“Okay!”

The two quickly got away from the troop of monkeys. They dashed for a few hundred feet until the monkeys were nowhere to be seen before they stopped, panting. Suddenly Lin Qian had an impulse; she wrapped her arms around his neck and planted a kiss on his handsome face.

His beloved had taken the initiative to offer a kiss. Li Zhicheng naturally cooperated and shifted to take the lead. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed his mouth against hers.

Perhaps they had been suppressing their desires for too long due to the heavy workload; or perhaps this was the first time that the two were free to enjoy themselves after being together. Lin Qian felt like his kiss was getting deeper and steamier. The arms around her tightened. His hands moved from her waist to her breasts, fondling eagerly.

When she came to her senses, she was pressed against a tree by him. Her back was slightly aching due to the uneven surface, but since he used his hand as a cushion she didn’t feel much. There was not a single person around; in the mountain only the faint chirping of the birds and monkeys could be heard. Lin Qian felt very different from normal.

It was wonderful and tranquil; passionate and arousing.

Deep in the wilderness, they felt very free—as though they were the only two people in the world. They could put aside everyone and everything, immersing themselves solely in this kiss. Lin Qian could feel from deep within her heart and her body, her desire, which had been incited by Li Zhicheng repeatedly, was slowly awakening. A desire stronger than ever before.

When a pair of lovers made out, how could they not feel connected? Right now, Li Zhicheng had stronger impulses than her. Seeing his lover leaning against the tree in the wilderness, her cheeks flushed and her body quivering, taking in his overbearing demands… her aroused look seemed absolutely stunning in the silence. She was like a dainty flower blossoming in his arms. He just needed to exert a little more force to pluck her and make her his.

Never before had he been so tempted and torrid.

There was only one thought left in his brain: I want her.

He wanted to have her completely.

He had made up his mind. Li Zhicheng’s kiss became tender and long. His mouth moved away from her lips, slowly exploring further down, until he buried his lips and tongue underneath the collar of her messy sweater. His hand slipped underneath her shirt, caressing her, making her short of breath.

Even though Lin Qian felt an enormous desire, women were not a species dictated by lust. And since she was inexperienced, she didn’t complete relate her desire to making love. So after her lips were released by him, even though her body was still under his control, she whispered, almost whimpering, “Okay… stop it now.”

Li Zhicheng agreed that it was time to stop. If they didn’t, he wouldn’t be able to.

“Hmm.” He slowly raised his head—his lips were plum-colored and lush. His hand had come out from underneath her sweater but was still around her waist. She was pressed against him.

Then he moved his waist slightly forward.

Lin Qian could obviously feel his member pressed against her lower abdomen. The feeling was clear like never before—she clearly sensed “its” presence.

She raised her head to stare at him, a little dumbfounded.

He lowered his head to stare at her too. His gaze was deep and piercing.

Smart people sometimes don’t need words to communicate. The two maintained eye contact for a while, and suddenly Lin Qian felt like she was being hit on an acupoint. A ticklish and tremulous sensation spread across her whole body starting from the point where she was touched by “it.”

Her cheeks flushed; her pulse raced like a galloping horse.

Only hinting and contemplating was left in this silence. Suddenly a sharp ook ook and hoo hoo sounded beside their feet, distracting them.

Lin Qian glanced over. Ah! It was a small and furry monkey!

The grey monkey sat on the green grass by their feet was less than a foot tall. Its head was raised, showing its soft furry face. It stared at them with its big eyes and was making hoo hoo sounds at them. One of its hands extended toward them, its palm turned up. It was asking for food.

Lin Qian was amused. There was a smile on Li Zhicheng’s face as well. He let go of her.

Lin Qian squatted down in front of the monkey, smiling. “What do you want?”

“Hoo hoo!” The monkey made the noise again and pulled on the leg of her pants.

Entertained, Lian Qian took out the corn she had bought at the foot of the mountain from her bag and passed it to the monkey. The monkey happily grabbed it; after scurrying around, it settled on a low branch at the same level as the squatting Lin Qian and devoured the corn.

This monkey was too cute. Lin Qian was reluctant to leave; she rested her chin on her hand, squatted in front of the monkey and watched it devour the food. Li Zhicheng squatted down beside her.

Lin Qian turned her head and smiled at him. Without warning, he leaned in and pecked her cheek. He stood right after the kiss.

Lin Qian turned around and looked at him. There was a faint smile on his face, but his gaze was still dark and pressing.

Thinking back to his hint and intention just now, Lin Qian felt her face flush again. She said goodbye to the monkey, stood up, and went ahead alone.

After a few steps, he caught up with her and walked in silence.

Lin Qian was also silent for a while, then she couldn’t help but take a peek at him. She was caught by him instantaneously. He raised his gaze, saying in a low voice, “Why are you walking so fast? Are you scared that I’ll devour you?”

His voice was low and intimidating, and his double entendre made Lin Qian’s heart skip a beat. Lin Qian naturally fought back after being teased beyond her limit. She glared at him. “You… you are turning evil!”

Li Zhicheng smiled, murmuring, “Hmm.”

So Lin Qian, as usual, could do nothing about him, the soldier pretending to be weak. She could only glare at him again; she then turned around to hasten up the mountain. But no matter how fast or how far she ran, that man (who was turning evil) was always half a step behind her. Occasionally when they paused to rest, they would smooch in silence.

The sky turned dark without them noticing. The two finally reached the hot springs resort, situated at the mountainside.

That morning, when Lin Qian had seen the rough schedule from Li Zhicheng, she was a little surprised.

She had been planning on a day trip, but Li Zhicheng had booked the hotel to stay overnight. She was fine with it. This way, they could go to the Golden Peak to watch the sunrise tomorrow early in the morning.

But when they reached the hotel lobby and Li Zhicheng checked in at the counter to get the room card, she was even more surprised.

He had only booked one room, with a commercial king-sized bed.

Of course, at this moment, Lin Qian was not going to be a hypocrite. She stared at Li Zhicheng’s calm expression, silently asking herself, Am I willing?

The answer was obvious.

So she silently took one of the room key cards from Li Zhicheng and slipped it into her pocket. Li Zhicheng put his arm around her shoulders and they went upstairs.

The room was great. The design was delicate; the scent from the pot of pale yellow flowers on the table filled the room. Beyond the balcony door was a great view of the canyon and valley. As night fell, the mountains became a rumpled drape of silk. The air filled her nose with a refreshing and slightly-sweet scent.

Li Zhicheng stood on the balcony, gazing into the distance. After a while, he turned around and stared at the little woman hiding in the room. “Don’t you want to come out here and have a look?”

“Oh…” Lin Qian answered vaguely. She walked to the balcony and stood beside him. Li Zhicheng lifted a cup of tea from the side table and passed it to her.

Li Zhicheng had brought the tea leaves from his house. Lin Qian took the cup and mindlessly sipped it.

She was neither in the mood to enjoy the great scenery nor tea of the best quality.

Lin Qian was a woman with a vivid imagination, but also with little to no dating experience. Sometimes, her emotions and desires were not always synced with her psychological endurance. For example: now, she understood clearly what would happen tonight, and her brain started filling in the gaps and imagining a lot of things.

Of course those images were not specific nor concrete; she couldn’t picture anything specific anyway. But even imagining some generic images was enough to leave her restless and blushing.

For example, seeing each other naked…

Or, what position would they use…

“Ahem.” Lin Qian choked on the tea and coughed.

Standing beside her, Li Zhicheng couldn’t help laughing; he gently patted her back. Lin Qian felt even more self-conscious being touched by him now—all sorts of images rushed into her brain. She immediately evaded the subject by saying, “Let’s go and have dinner!”

Li Zhicheng stared at her cheeks, which had been red since she set foot in the hotel. He didn’t point it out, and merely answered under his breath, “Okay.”

The hotel’s specialties were vegetarian. Li Zhicheng asked for a private dining room. Outside the window was a view of the mountains and a stream. The environment was exquisite and tranquil.

They ordered a few dishes: vegetarian beef, snow konjac, fried rice balls, steamed lotus tofu, and silver noodles.

Lin Qian was a highly adaptive woman. Though she was sometimes caught off-guard in situations and panicked, after a while she would feel okay. Right now, facing a table of delicate and delicious-looking vegetarian dishes, her worries lifted and she focused on filling her stomach.

Occasionally when she turned her head and saw Li Zhicheng staring at her with his dark gaze, she thought: Just do it! Who’s afraid? She put on a sweet, slightly provocative smile.

Li Zhicheng sat beside her with a hand on the back of her chair. He noticed Lin Qian recover her usual combat mode—she even wore complacent (though a little sheepish) expression to provoke him.

He smiled a little.

Actually, he enjoyed this form of teasing very much.

As of now, seeing that she was lively and in a good mood, Li Zhicheng naturally thought of tonight. He felt his blood surge. He lifted the cup and slowly drank from it, allowing her to lean closer and continue to tease him daringly.

Chapter 44

It wasn’t too late when then stepped out of the restaurant. Walking through the hall, they saw a bunch of people wearing bathing suits. They were clothed in coats or covered with towels. Outside the window, the city was soaked in darkness and the lights faintly shimmered. It could be seen indistinctly that the hot springs, scattered around the stone steps, steamed as tourists bathed in them.

Lin Qian didn’t want to miss these spiritual hot springs. She turned around and asked Li Zhicheng, “Shall we go in?”

Lin Zhicheng had no objections.

It was warm in the hotel, so almost all the tourists walked to the hot springs with their bathing suits on. They brought a change of clothes and went back to their rooms after bathing and showering.

Lin Qian realized what would happen only after following him to the room.

Darn it! We need to get changed in the same room.

This wasn’t something outrageous because there was a bathroom in the room. But it was frosted glass instead of a wall that separated the bedroom and the bathroom. Although a person couldn’t see what was going on in the bathroom clearly, a blurry outline was visible.

Lin Qian changed in the bathroom and quickly put on a coat. During this, Li Zhicheng sat on the sofa outside, gazing at the glass. She came out of the bathroom and he didn’t express any emotion. He then went into the bathroom with his swimming trunks.

Lin Qian felt differently about the situation. She didn’t stare at the bathroom, not even the slightest bit. She was the type of person who could take things easy. And now, after getting changed, and knowing that she would frolic with Li Zhicheng in the springs soon, she felt sweet.

Li Zhicheng came out of the bathroom in no time. Like her, he only wore a coat besides the swimming pants. Lin Qian snuck a look at his legs, which were firm and slender. She blushed and followed him out of the room.

There weren’t many people in the springs, possibly because it was still early. It was a cold crisp in the evening in the mountains; they walked for a while with towels on and found a pool without people by the hillside.

Li Zhicheng took off the towel, put it on the hanger and walked into the water. Lin Qian looked at him from the back and found it difficult to look away.

Lin Qian was obsessed with handsome faces. In the company accommodation, when she had run into Li Zhicheng coming out of a shower, she knew that he was in great shape. He had the body of a soldier—of an officer. He was fit but not muscular, skinny but not delicate. Looking at his body, the first word that would pop into your head was “invulnerable.” And when you looked at his face, the next word would be “handsome.”

How could she not like his appearance?

Li Zhicheng sat in the pool and reached out a hand to her. “Come in.”

Lin Qian watched him stare at her as she took off the towel. She had often gone to hot springs and beaches with Lin Mocheng in America, all while wearing a bikini. And, of course, men had stared at her from time to time. She had never taken them seriously.

However, being gazed at by Li Zhicheng like this made her feel shy—and a bit smug.

She wore a tankini. The top piece was a v-neck that stopped just below her breasts with a bow that made it pretty and unique. The bottom piece was an extremely short floral swim skirt.

She stood beside the pool, glanced at Li Zhicheng, slowly walked into the walker and sat down beside him.

“The water’s pretty warm,” she said comfortably.

“Yes.” Li Zhicheng was frugal with words. He put one of his arms on the edge of the pool and stared at her naked back under the dimming light. On the one hand, her swimsuit looked modest, with her shirt-shaped top and moderate skirt. On the other hand, her body was considerably exposed. Her fair skin together with that pink fabric made her look impeccable.

After a short while, several young men and women came, and they were all dazed seeing the two. It was normal for them to react like this: Lin Zhicheng and Lin Qian were a perfect couple with great physiques. The man’s shoulders and upper chest were above the surface of the water, broad and well-proportioned. As for the woman, her shoulders were slightly visible above the water, smooth and snow-white. Under the water, there was a scene of delicate and alluring whiteness; people’s imaginations roamed with such an image in mind.

The newcomers started to talk to each other, leaving Li Zhicheng and Lin Qian in the corner. Li Zhicheng squeezed her hands gently while Lin Qian said with a smile, “Let me give you a massage?”

This was a rather considerate suggestion. Li Zhicheng smiled faintly and said, “Sure.” He turned around in the water and laid his torso down on the edge of the pool with his back facing her.

Lin Qian had learned how to give a proper massage and knew that he would prefer strength, so she rubbed and kneaded his muscles with all her might. Nevertheless, he said he could barely feel anything when she asked him.

Lin Qian snorted and wanted to get mischievous. She rubbed her hands and squeezed his back very hard, which was indeed a little painful. Li Zhicheng laughed in spite of himself and flung his arms around her waist. “You really used your strength, didn’t you?”

“Of course!” Lin Qian looked up at him. Her face was bright like a pearl after soaking in the water. Li Zhicheng looked down at her for a few seconds and then pecked her lips.

Lin Qian’s heart missed a beat after such a sudden kiss. She immediately remembered there were people around after the kiss, so she turned her head to look at them.

Li Zhicheng also remembered. He glanced over—everyone was staring at them. They soon acted like nothing had happened and looked away, but Li Zhicheng could tell that the looks in the men’s eyes were a mix of spectating, surprise and jealousy.

Li Zhicheng murmured, “Let’s go to another pool, okay?”

It was said that the different pools complemented each other with different components in each, so Lin Qian quickly said yes, expecting another experience. They exited the pool, the others following with their eyes. Right after they got out of the water, Li Zhicheng picked up the towel and put it on her.

Lin Qian knew exactly what he was thinking, peeked at him and felt her heart buzz.

Li Zhicheng shot her a glance, which made Lin Qian’s heart skip a beat and rendered her silent. She stared ahead as if she were a serene statue.

She thought about what was going to happen tonight again.

Tonight…

They returned to their room after spending around an hour in the hot springs. They agreed to go back after Li Zhicheng immediately said yes the moment Lin Qian had asked whether he wanted to go back or not.

And there was a reason why Lin Qian left the springs and sent herself back to the room and his lips.

It went without saying that she attracted lots of men around the spring, but a similar thing had happened to Li Zhicheng.

There were more women than men at the springs, and the groups of friends consisted of women of all ages. For Lin Qian, this was the first time she had realized that women were bolder when gazing at others than men were. Wherever Li Zhicheng had gone, women stared at him.

And everything had gone wild when they were in the pool named “Red Wine Pool.” Several middle-aged women sat opposite them. They talked about the spa and debated who had the longer and fairer legs. When they saw Li Zhicheng and Lin Qian, they couldn’t take their eyes off him.

Lin Qian could totally understand their reactions—she would do the same thing if she were one of them. Everyone loved pretty things. But when it happened to her boyfriend, she had a different feeling about it.

All she wanted to do the whole time in the pool was cover his whole body with a cloth and yell “Look away!” to all those women.

She finally couldn’t take it when a woman started flirting with Li Zhicheng. “Hi, handsome. Where’re you from?”

Li Zhicheng answered politely while trying to keep a distance. “Lin City.”

“What a coincidence!” the women said. “We’re from Lin City too!”

An older woman said, “You’re really well-built. Are you an actor? Or maybe a model?”

Lin Zhicheng smiled faintly without addressing the question. He turned and glanced at Lin Qian. “How’s the temperature?” He asked this question to evade the women.

Lin Qian looked at him and asked, “Shall we go back?”

“Sure,” Li Zhicheng said.

As they walked by one pool after another and headed toward the dressing room, Li Zhicheng glanced over at her. He began to mimic her: “Shall we go back?” he teased.

Lin Qian giggled and pretended to be furious with her hands on her hips. “I’m a very controlling person! You’ve got a problem with that? Don’t show your legs and arms in the future! I’ll stamp a ‘Belongs to Lin Qian, No Strangers Allowed’ sign on you tonight!”

She said this fearlessly. Hearing this, Li Zhicheng grinned and murmured, “Sure.”

Lin Qian had said those things to toy with him, and he did the same thing but with only one word. Her cheeks turned red and she peeked over at him.

It was almost nine o’clock when the couple who wanted to own and only own each other went back to their room.

Li Zhicheng took a shower in the bathroom before Lin Qian.

Never in Lin Qian’s life had she ever showered in such a thorough way. She was already very nervous and became more nervous during the shower. Only after an hour did she finish and stand in front of the mirror with a towel covering her up.

She saw a woman with wet hair and crimson cheeks after wiping the mist off the mirror.

She started to sort through her thoughts in front of the mirror.

I really like him. I really do.

That’s why I’m willing to be with him.

And do everything with him.

Thinking like this made her slightly relax. She was still nervous, but she also felt sweet and exhilarated.

She dried her hair and started to get dressed. Halfway through dressing, she started to feel an ache in her stomach.

She was bewildered, because she felt the same way every month.

Lin Qian knew why she got her period early. She’d been very busy the last few days and without a proper schedule. Also, after all the strenuous exercise today she’d bathed in the hot springs, which dredged her meridians.

Fortunately, she was always well-prepared for traveling and had put a small box of feminine products in her suitcase, which was in the closet across from the bathroom.

She opened the bathroom door, grabbed the box and went back to the bathroom without looking at Li Zhicheng.

After cleaning herself up, Lin Qian stared at the piece of bloody tissue in the trash. It was difficult to say whether she was disappointed or relaxed—either way, a day’s worth of strain had suddenly lifted off of her. It was a bit hilarious but also a little frustrating.

However, such complex feelings only lasted for a short while, because she suddenly realized that Li Zhicheng couldn’t do anything to her tonight, and that she didn’t need to worry about anything.

After all, she had almost been pushed to the edge by him—especially with his hints on the mountain. Now that she finally had some leverage, she could finally play some games with him.

She opened the bathroom door and saw the dim light.

Li Zhicheng sat on the bedside in a t-shirt and tracksuit pants with his arms folded. He stared at her.

The city was immersed in the dark night. He looked fixedly at her and said in a deep voice, “Come here.”

Lin Qian was about to tease him, but seeing him like this suddenly softened her. She walked to his side, put one of her hands in his palm and said softly, “Li Zhicheng, I—”

She felt her hands being squeezed just as she finished the word “I.” He put his arms around her waist, held her up and put her on the bad. He opened his legs and kneeled on her body, looking down at her.

After a second of eye contact, he bent and licked her body from her neck down. Lin Qian swooned, grabbed his hair and started to breathe heavily.

In the blink of an eye, he took off her top and saw her alluring body. He suckled, nibbled and kneaded her body. The spots his lips and hands touched were set on fire; the feeling quiet but irresistible. Lin Qian moaned, “Li Zhicheng…”

She was now really depressed that her period had come. She hadn’t realized until now that no matter how nervous or shy she was, being intimate with him was all she wanted. Sex with him was the only way to placate her insuppressible lust.

As for Li Zhicheng, he was enjoying the beauty of the woman in the dimming light and having a much stronger feeling than she was. All of the lust inside him—which had been suppressed for a long time—was entirely provoked and had reached the pinnacle point today. It made him hornier and he kissed her harder.

He recalled many versions of her:

The woman he just met on the train with a sweet and soft voice, and a pretty face.

The woman who saluted him and called herself “Deputy Lin.”

The woman who was slapped and cried sadly but stoically.

The woman who introduced the talented advertisement plan to the executives and glanced at him in high and vigorous spirits.

Li Zhicheng pressed his arms against her waist and tried to be as intimate with her as he could. After hearing her groan, he couldn’t hold the desire inside him. He raised his head, looked at her flushed face and reached his hands to the spot he’d never been to.

He pressed that spot gently with his finger through the soft pants.

Lin Qian was almost paralyzed, and just when she was about to open her mouth, she heard his throaty voice. “Lin Qian, give it to me, okay?”

Lin Qian swallowed hard to nurture her dry throat.

“Li Zhicheng, I was just about to tell you: My period came.”

Chapter 45

For the first time in his life, Li Zhicheng felt the loss of his manliness.

As he distinguished it in detail, the feeling under his fingers was a layer of soft substance. He remained silent for a moment but was still adamant to not resign himself to defeat. He stretched his hand and pressed lightly onto that area of hers, pressing to the point that her body trembled slightly before he got up and lay back down atop her body.

Under the blurry light, the woman looked at him with wide eyes. There was guilt and heartache within the depths of her gaze, but also a trace of slyness.

“Hey, is it very uncomfortable?” she stretched her hand and lightly pushed onto his chest.

Li Zhicheng was very clear that this woman was temporarily feeling her heart ache for him but got over it soon after and regained her usual mindset, deliberately starting to tease him again. At that moment, she had seemingly forgotten that she was lying half-naked in his embrace. Following the lifting action of her hand, the beautiful part of her body revealed an even more vivid and seductive outline.

Li Zhicheng’s gaze got darker as he looked. But Lin Qian was acting if she had not noticed and looked at him while giggling, “Hurry and have a cold shower. Next time, next time it will definitely go smoothly.”

Her smiling face was a sweet, beautiful light that blinded his eyes even more so than a fully naked body.

He had no plans to suppress it any longer.

Lifting his hand, he grabbed one of her hands.

He slowly lay sideways next to her body and allowed her to rest her head on one of his arms, her entire body still remaining in his embrace.

“Lin Qian, help me.”

Understanding his intentions, Lin Qian felt a gush of blood rush to the top of her head, which then rushed to the hand that was in his tight grasp.

As they gazed into each other’s eyes and after a moment of silence, she softly replied, “Okay.”

This was the first time that Lin Qian would touch a man’s part of the body that had the desire to enlarge. In the dim light, she could clearly hear her own breathing and Li Zhicheng’s heart thumping against his chest not far away.

He guided her hand to the area around his waist. The two hands, his hand, her hand, both slowly unbuckled his belt. Lin Qian felt a layer of hot air covering her face, but such heat could not compare to the area where Li Zhicheng had brought her hand and pressed it to.

Meanwhile, when Li Zhicheng was touched by her slightly cold fingertips, his breath caught momentarily. He extended his hand and tightly secured her head in his chest, allowing her hand to freely and jerkily roam his lower areas, randomly kneading it.

Lin Qian was a clever person, and though she had never done it before, she knew the principle behind it. And under the guidance of Li Zhicheng’s low voice telling her a few pointers, she got the hang of it in no time. Between moving up and down, in and out, she felt Li Zhicheng slowly tighten his grasp of her hand. His heartbeat had also seemingly got faster and faster.

Initially, she was rather nervous and shy, but after doing it for a while and getting past the nervousness, she slowly grew more relaxed. Hence, she lowered her head and snuck a glance downwards, her mouth growing dry the more she looked.

Her hand was also starting to play some tricks, suddenly speeding up then slowing down, suddenly using more strength then growing gentle again. At the same time, she even smiled up at Li Zhicheng, “How is it?”

Li Zhicheng felt his blood rush from her playfulness, and extended his hand to grab her chin, looking down at her before saying word by word, “For all that you have done tonight, I will definitely return the favor.”

“…” Lin Qian remained silent.

As they were nearing the end, Li Zhicheng got Lin Qian to bring a towel and place it between the two of them. Then, he hugged her tightly, pressing onto her and kissing her repeatedly. Meanwhile, looking at a man so aroused created such an extreme visual impact that it finally made her feel uncomfortable. Very uncomfortable. The depths of her body suddenly felt extremely dried-up and astringent, causing her entire body to feel out of sorts.

What goes around comes around and the one that ended too fast was her. Now, the one who felt bad had become her too.

Silence took over and the night became darker.

Lin Qian lay in Li Zhicheng’s embrace in discomfort, pulling on his taut muscles. As Li Zhicheng looked at her expression, he slowly broke into a smile.

He picked up her hand and kissed it, asking in a low voice, “How many days?”

Lin Qian was stunned for a moment before she realized what he was asking about. She was embarrassed for a bit, answering, “Around four days.”

“Okay.”

Then, Lin Qian’s heart skipped a beat once again, and she felt sweet yet flustered. She buried her face in his chest and repeatedly grazed it, as if doing so could make up for things.

The night was long and the two fell asleep in each other’s embrace. They slept auntil the sun had long risen, which meant that they had missed even the well-known Golden Peak sunrise.

Since they had already come to a famous mountain, why would they not climb to the peak? Hence, even though Lin Qian’s body was not well, she insisted on continuing the climb up after she woke up. Thus, Li Zhicheng accompanied her and they slowly made their way up towards the peak.

By the time they arrived at the Golden Peak, it was already one o’clock in the afternoon.

It was the exact time when it was the hottest and thus there were not many people. The sunlight pierced through the cloud cover and shone down, causing the mountains and forests near and far to be painted with misty golden rays.

Li Zhicheng and Lin Qian found an empty spot with nobody around, only trees surrounded them with several mountainous rocks and the cliff off the peak in front. The two of them sat on a large piece of round rock. Li Zhicheng passed her some water and asked, “How’s your body, is it still uncomfortable?”

Actually, Lin Qian was still rather not used to having a man so concerned about her these few days. She answered, “Just like that. It’s a bit painful but fine if I don’t think about it.” She was telling the truth. It was period cramps after all, and it varied from person to person. It was just that there would be a dull throbbing pain for her personally.

After hearing this, Li Zhicheng did not say any more. He simply lifted his head and looked into the distance.

Lin Qian looked at the vast mountainous view in front of her and also felt a broad sense of cheerfulness wash over her. Naturally, her mind drifted to Aida being in the midst of an unstable career moment at this point in time.

“Li Zhicheng.” She asked, “Now that Aito has been launched into the market, is it the longbow that you had envisioned? Is it a perfect longbow?”

Under the sunlight, she tilted her head to look at him.

Li Zhicheng lifted up the water bottle and lifted his head, drinking a huge mouthful. After he set it down, he remained in his position looking forward and said, “In this market, the most perfect longbow can only be produced by the most outstanding company.”

Lin Qian was slightly stunned, then nodding her head, she said with vigor, “Right, we are this market’s most outstanding company.”

Li Zhicheng turned his head to look at her, that gaze held an obscure meaning that Lin Qian could not clearly recognize. The sunlight shone down from his side, causing his outline to become even more refreshingly handsome.

“Previously, you did not dare to look at my Art of War.” He slowly opened his mouth, that throaty voice was seemingly laced with amusement, “Now that you’ve already become my woman, you are even more so afraid to look?”

“So what?” Lin Qian lifted her head to look forward, the ends of her mouth betrayed her into a smile, “I have the right to my own decisions.”

The last time he had wanted to share with her his investment plans, she had refused to take a look. Thus, ever since they had fallen in love, the two had never mentioned this one matter. Lin Qian did not know why he brought it up so suddenly at this moment.

She heard him say calmly, “It’s also fine if you don’t look. However, if anything happens in the future, don’t get a shock or cry from shock. Always remember, come and ask me first.”

Lin Qian was stunned for a moment listening to that. The future? What did his words mean? Were there still going to be huge variations in the future?

His words made Lin Qian’s heart go into a frenzied mess in an instant, but she couldn’t open her mouth to ask either. However, he walked over to be in front of her and squatted with his back facing her, “Come on up.”

Lin Qian asked, “Why do you want to piggyback me?”

He turned his head to look at her, “Isn’t your stomach aching? I’ll carry you down the mountain.”

Lin Qian really wanted to say that it was just a little achy and would not affect her much. But when the words were at the tip of her tongue, she swallowed it back in, followed his advice and climbed onto his back. She tapped on his shoulder and said, “Put me down when you’re tired, I can still walk on my own.”

Li Zhicheng did not answer. Carrying her, he turned around and started the climb downwards.

The journey was actually very quick, considering that Li Zhicheng had one person on his back and was carrying two bags, the pace of his steps was seemingly not affected at all, as he took vigorous strides that were as graceful as the moving clouds and flowing water. On his back, Lin Qian was amazed, “You’re meet the special forces standard, right?”

Li Zhicheng answered, “More or less.”

Lin Qian felt beyond fortunate. Stroking his neck, she did not care about the looks from passersby. She leaned on his slightly damp back, helping to wipe the sweat off the side of his forehead and lowering her head to his neck to kiss it from time to time.

As Li Zhicheng was being served by her in this way, even though he did not have many words, he was obviously joyful, quickly finishing such a long mountainous walk.

During the night, the two of them sat on the bus returning to Lin City.

As usual, they sat at the window seat, holding hands and exchanging words in soft voices. However, Lin Qian felt that they had a different sort of deepened intimacy and reliance this time, as compared to the journey before. When you have already become familiar with a man’s every outline, of each and every inch of his body, even if you have not given yourself up to him entirely, you would have already formed a very intimate physical relationship.

You would feel that you truly belonged to him. And he also belonged to you. Such an intimate relationship could tell the two of you apart from any others in the surroundings. It was like a small, inner circle where only the two of you exist, as if a small, exclusive world had finally been formed.

When the bus arrived in Lin City, the two of their phones rang in succession.

Li Zhicheng was first to pick up the call from Gu Yanzhi. His voice was laced with happiness, and one could almost imagine his pair of eyes that looked like that of a fox squinting slightly right at this moment.

“Zhicheng,” he said, “Our Aito can basically be considered a success.”

Li Zhicheng grasped the phone and looked around Lin Qian to the thriving city in the twilight, a smile slowly surfacing on his face.

Meanwhile, the phone call that Lin Qian received was from a marketing employee, a very competent subordinate. Her words were more direct and joyful, “Manager Lin! Good news! After totaling up the data this afternoon, the entire country’s worth of Aida products have already been sold to the point that they are out of stock within just this weekend alone!”

Chapter 46

Things were not going so well for Ning Weikai recently.

First it was that dumb soldier from Aida making a big move as expected, releasing the “City Walker” brand that shocked the whole industry. Furthermore, Aida’s promotional deals, creativity, and investment funding broke all the records in the retail industry. Their move had smacked New Bori, also known as the “market leader”, in the face.

However, Ning Weikai was not someone who cared about publicity. Since the competition had the audacity to bring such a threat to his hold over the market, he just had to shut them out.

As usual, there were serpents and devils giving him trouble internally.

Aito had already been on the market for a month; its sales were increasing rapidly with a seemingly unstoppable momentum. Aito’s commercials could be seen everywhere related to bags; in malls, supermarkets, on the Internet, even the subways and community blocks. Everyone was talking about Aito. Anyone could tell that given a few more months, Aito would become the Apple of the suitcase industry, following an unprecedented turnaround in their fortunes.

If that came to pass, could New Bori still call themselves number one in the market?

At this critical moment, the leaders of Zhu’s Consortium, not knowing who was pulling the strings behind the scenes, strongly urged that a special meeting aimed at New Bori should be held to discuss what they referred to as “an unparalleled crisis”.

But Ning Weikai was not buying it. The meeting notice had been issued for three consecutive days; he called in sick for three days.

During these three days, he locked himself in the CEO’s executive suite, shunning everyone. The two Zhu brothers were uncertain of what he was planning; the meeting, which was a censure disguised as a discussion, would have to be postponed until he appeared.

What was Ning Weikai doing, locking himself in the room?

Was he depressed? Angry? Torn? Unable to find a way out?

No, he was thinking. Thinking rationally.

He wasn’t considering exactly how much of a threat Aito would bring to New Bori. Nor was he prioritizing between resisting Aito’s aggression and the threats from within New Bori to his control.

He was only thinking about one question: Li Zhicheng, that cunning soldier, what exactly was he planning to do?

All of Ning Weikai’s closest associates, including Yuan Jun, along with the other leaders such as vice president and department managers within the company remained calm in this time of crisis.

They were well aware of their CEO’s style. Even though he usually seemed frivolous and arrogant, at critical moments he was decisive and unwavering. This won everyone’s respect. Their past experience had proven that when Ning Weikai made an important decision, he was almost always right. His choices had always led New Bori in a better direction.

This was his most precious leadership capability; to make strategic decisions and have the resolve to stick with his gut.

Feeling lucky to have such a leader, they waited patiently.

Finally, at dusk on the third day, the door to the executive suite opened.

Well-dressed and looking refreshed, Ning Weikai walked out, glanced at Jun Yuan at the door with a smile and said, “Go and gather the Research and Development Department.”

As soon as Yuan Jun saw his expression, he knew that Ning Weikai had made a decision. Yuan Jun was relieved and immediately he convened the leaders of Research and Development, which was the most important department in the company.

Sitting behind his exquisite and luxurious office desk, Ning Weikai only asked them one question, “Can we make a more perfect bag?”

The Research and Development Manager had thought about this problem long before he asked. He replied truthfully and confidently, “With our current technology and design capability, yes!

“In terms of materials, it will be slightly difficult. The Procurement Department will need to find something similar in price and quality to what is produced by Mind, or we need to snatch the contractual rights to Mind’s products from Aida.

“Regarding technology, we can definitely produce on the same level as Aida. Furthermore, during the second half of last year, we brought in a few patented outdoor technologies from Europe. We can use them to create a new bag. This is something unique in the country and Aida can’t compete.

“In design, we have no doubts. Aida’s design was pretty good, but the five most famous designers in the country have all signed exclusive cooperation agreements with New Bori.

“The cost for technology and design would be higher, but it will not be taken into account for the production cost of a single bag. So, we could definitely produce a similar bag which is cheaper and better performing than Aida.”

This kind of conversation was common among Ning Weikai and the leaders in the company. Each time, after Ning Weikai finished listening to their analysis, he would be satisfied and order them to take immediate action while giving them his full support.

This time, after Ning Weikai listened to them, he didn’t say a word. After remaining silent for a moment, he seemed to be thinking out loud, “We need to use costly patented technologies, hire expensive designers, and the material is not necessarily as good…” he raised his head to look at his subordinates, “So based on what you said, if we want to surpass Li Zhicheng, New Bori must use all we have in order to win by a narrow margin?”

His words were cold and acute, the Research and Development Department team hesitated for a while, then they nodded, replying, “Yes. But we have a high chance of winning.”

At the same time Ning Weikai stood up, took a few steps, leaning his body against the desk; his fingers lightly tapping on the flat, firm surface. Suddenly he raised his head and asked, “How long do you need to develop this bag?”

The subordinates pondered for a while, then took the plunge and answered, “Two months! We will go all in!”

Ning Weikai nodded. “Okay. I understand. You can go back to work now.”

Seeing him not making an immediate decision like he usually did, the manager of the Technology department asked, “Mr. Ning, so do we get ready to make this kind of bag?”

Ning Weikai raised his head and looked at him. He smiled.

“Nope. We are not doing it,” he said, “They dug a hole. So why do we have to jump in?”

Early the next morning, of course Ning Weikai would not be as stupid as to go to the headquarters of Zhu’s Consortium to be a target of ridicule. He arranged a car to go straight to the Zhu’s family house to meet his father-in-law.

Luck was not with him, or it might have been that there were too many spies in the Zhu family; when he set foot in the family house, which was as big as a manor, he saw Zhu’s second son sitting under the tree, accompanying his father for breakfast in the garden.

Ning Weikai strode towards them.

Elder Zhu always treated him like a son. He smiled and beckoned to him, “Weikai, you’re here! Have you eaten? Join us.” Zhu’s second son smiled too, “Oh Weikai, you came as well. Such a coincidence.”

Ning Weikai pulled out a chair and sat beside Elder Zhu. He went straight to the point, “Dad, I have something that I would like to discuss with you.”

“Speak.” Elder Zhu was amiable. On the side, Zhu’s second son was staring at Ning Weikai with a mysterious smile on his face.

Ning Weikai briefly summarized what Aida had done that had shocked the market. After Elder Zhu finished listening, he nodded, “This time Aito’s creativity was indeed good. I never thought that after his eldest son passed away, Xu Yong still had such a capable younger son. It’s envious.”

Zhu’s second son’s expression changed slightly. Ning Weikai smiled, not commenting.

“What do you plan to do?” Elder Zhu asked, “Do you need financial support from the Consortium? You can request for anything.”

Ning Weikai lifted the tea cup served by the maid and took a sip, replying, “Dad, this time, I plan to do nothing.”

As soon as he said that, Zhu’s second son was stunned. Even Elder Zhu was a little surprised; he pondered for a while, then said, “Elaborate.”

Ning Weikai had mentally prepared his script. His eyes were as bright and clear as flowing water. He spoke confidently, “Dad, you once said that we are the market leader. As a leader, we need to have both daring and acceptance of our rivals existance. I will always remember those words.”

On the side, Zhu’s second son’s mouth twitched to form a smirk. Ning Weikai ignored him, continuing, “All these years, I have been following your strategies, shutting down many offensives from a variety of brands. But as New Bori grows larger, we are becoming less agile. We should be focusing on steadiness and not being number one in everything.

Before this, you said before, there will be one day when we meet a brand that we could not shut down in this market. Now, the brand has indeed appeared.”

Zhu’s second son couldn’t listen any longer; he sneered. But Elder Zhu listened to him attentively, nodding, then he asked, “So this Aito, is this the brand that you couldn’t shut down?

Ning Weikai nodded, “Yes. I can’t and I won’t.”

Elder Zhu and Zhu’s second son were dumbfounded. Ning Weikai stopped beating around the bush and told them frankly,

“Dad, have you heard of Li Zhicheng and how he took away a large share of the market from the hands of SMQ?

This man was a soldier, but the way he does things is very unpredictable. Last time, he used the Mingsheng project as bait to lure SMQ into a trap, leading Cheng Zheng to spend all his resources on it. In the end Li Zhicheng was just feinting an attack. He then started a new battle by attacking the market of mid-range priced suitcases with a low price tag, turning the market situation around.

Even though the way he does things is unpredictable, it is not illogical. This time he rolls out the brand Aito, isn’t it similar to last time? New Bori almost has to go all out in order to strike down his new brand. I am certain that this is definitely his feint attack. The others maybe could not accurately estimate the power of New Bori and rashly rush forward to let us beat them. But Li Zhicheng is certainly not that stupid.

He has a second move. His goal, is to lure us to produce a similar product to compete with him.”

Elder Zhu fell silent. Even Zhu’s second son was absorbed in his speech. He subconsciously asked, “What second move does he have?”

Ning Weikai shook his head, answering him with a smile, “Hancheng, I don’t know. If I knew, wouldn’t it make me God?”

Zhu’s second son glanced at him, not saying a word. Ning Weikai added on, “I have not decided on what we can do now. But what we definitely cannot do is to straight away produce a competing product and fall into Li Zhicheng’s trap. So I would like to wait and see. I want to probe Li Zhicheng to check what he has up his sleeve before I decide the next step.”

Today he came to see his father-in-law and deliver this speech, his intention was to gain the father-in-law’s support to withstand the pressure from all sides, and to avoid his father-in-law heeding and only trusting his second son’s words.

But before Elder Zhu could speak, his second son scoffed, “Following what you said, are we going to let Aida take up our market share?”

Ning Weikai answered quickly, “Yes. We will let Aida take up our market share.” He stared at Elder Zhu, uttering, “Be tenacious; sacrifice the knights in order to save the queen.”

This was Ning Weikai’s decision.

Similar to many excellent corporate leaders, when making a big decision, he did not depend on the detailed marketing data analysis from his subordinates, nor did he follow the majority rule of a team vote.

Instead he would seize the most crucial decision point, obeying the clearest and strongest instinct in his mind.

This time, when faced with Li Zhicheng’s aggressive strike, his first reaction told him that Li Zhicheng was luring him to strike back in full force. Going all out to counterattack and shutting the opponent down was what everyone thought Ning Weikai would naturally do.

But he deliberately chose not to attack. Because his instinct told him that if he did, he would lose much more. It was even possible that they would be unable to recover.

Yes, that was how he felt. He could clearly sense the hidden danger. A trap made by Li Zhicheng just for him.

So he will definitely not fall for it.

For now, how would they implement a strong attack against Aida?

It’s okay. He could certainly attack from other aspects. For example utilizing public relations with the government, or increasing the promotional sales of outdoor and leisure products, or oppressing Aito’s marketing space, or pressuring other malls and dealers to suppress Aito, or meeting Aida’s material supplier, Mind for a negotiation… Even though they would indeed lose market share, he could minimize the losses. Then he would watch for the proper moment or find another opportunity to retaliate; next year or the year after, he would have his revenge.

After listening to his speech, Elder Zhu’s expression turned serious and sullen. His second son and Ning Weikai, his son-in-law, waited quietly for his decision.

After a while, he said, “Weikai, let me think about this. Afterall, New Bori has never willingly handed over the market to anyone.”

That same morning, Elder Zhu convened all the board of directors of the Consortium for a meeting. Even though Ning Weikai was the head of New Bori, he didn’t have any share in Zhu’s Consortium, so he was not notified to attend the meeting.

In the evening, the board of directors delivered their verdict to New Bori. Following their decision, Yuan Jun notified Ning Weikai on the phone, “Mr. Ning, the board of directors demands that New Bori defend the market by releasing a new product immediately to fight against the Aito brand.”

When he received the news, Ning Weikai was dining in a restaurant with his wife, Zhu Hanyu.

His expression didn’t change much. He put down the phone, seeing a new dish being served, he smiled and said, “This is one of your favourites. Let’s try and see how’s this chef’s cooking?”

Sitting opposite him, Zhu Hanyu had a worried face, she called him softly, “Weikai…”

Ning Weikai chuckled, putting down the chopsticks in his hand, he raised his head to look at her, “Are you here today to dine with me because you knew dad would oppose my idea? Are you trying to comfort me?”

Zhu Hanyu, “Hmm.”

Ning Weikai had always treated this wife with gentleness, but today he was indeed annoyed; he asked half-jokingly, “So what do you think? Is he right? Or am I right?”

This question put Zhu Hanyu in a difficult spot. She bit her lower lip, saying, “I don’t know.”

In the end she was still a princess, living in a palace, who knew nothing. A smile slowly bloomed on Ning Weikai’s face, “You silly girl, you could have pretended to agree with me.” He stood up and walked to sit beside her, hugging her in his arm, he said, “Don’t worry. Even though I have my own point of view, but dad certainly has his own considerations. I won’t take this to heart. Since dad has made the decision, then I will do my best to execute it. This is my responsibility and the attitude that I should have as the younger one. Okay, eat up now. Tonight I will accompany you back to the family house, then I will ask for advice from dad for the next steps. Sounds good?”

Regarding why the board of directors would veto his idea, Ning Weikai thought of many possibilities.

Maybe according to Elder Zhu’s judgement, shifting from the defensive to the offensive was the proper way. Everyone had different opinions. There was nothing wrong with it.

Or maybe, the Zhu brothers said something during the board of directors’ meeting, deliberately going against him.

Or maybe, even Elder Zhu did not hope that he would continue to be this smooth sailing? After all, the shares of Zhu’s Consortium were scattered; so whether the Zhu brothers could win the support of the majority of shareholders, taking over the company smoothly, was still uncertain.

As the outcome was a foregone conclusion, Ning Weikai would not complain.

Since Li Zhicheng set up a trap for him to jump in, he’d better be prepared for the fierce strike-back from New Bori.

The next morning, he called together all the core management teams for a confidential meeting.

“Within two months, we need to come up with our new products. This is an extremely difficult goal. A goal that only New Bori can achieve.

What I want is not just to be better than Aito, but to seize complete victory from Aito. I want Aito dead and out of the market completely.”

Chapter 47

The advent of Aito has affected an incredible amount of companies, and individuals.

Although New Bori appeared to remain still, the outside world was watching, they wondered how the industry leader would respond to this Aito frenzy. Chen Zheng saw the forceful commercials of Aito, and instantly smashed a teacup in the office. But what could he do? It was a war that had nothing to do with him or SMQ.

The life of Wang Taishi, the general manager of Mind Fabric Factory from Taiwan was also changing. His name and his fabrics began to be known throughout mainland China and even across Asia, becoming the hottest high-tech star in Taiwan.

In the fireless battlefield, the biggest winner and the most prominent company at this stage was undoubtedly Aida.

The happiest and most content people lately had also been every Aida employee.

On the second day upon returning from Mount Emei, on the early Monday morning, Lin Qian headed to the conference room on the top floor to attend the managers’ meetings as planned.

She arrived bit later than others and when she got to the conference room, most of the other managers were already there. Looking up again, she saw Li Zhicheng, the Big Boss, coming from his office and walking towards the conference room, followed by Jiang Yuan.

Their eyes met silently across the room. Lin Qian’s face was turning a little red. She lowered her head to went inside, sitting down somewhere at the round table. After a while, Li Zhicheng came in and sat down in the main seat. The atmosphere in the conference room seemed to become heavy and serious the moment he stepped in. His voice was low and heavy, “Let’s start.”

Someone began to report sales data as of this morning. Lin Qian’s side-long eyesight slowly drifted to Li Zhicheng’s calm face, she couldn’t help but feel distracted.

After taking the bus back to Lin City last night, he took the car and sent her home. At night, he was reluctant to leave.

Later they snuggled in her bed, being intimate for most the night, and finally, she used her hand to finish.

As soon as the morning dawned, he kept her on the bed, even asking her to do it again. Lin Qian felt very embarrassed about it, she’d never thought that one day she would become so skilled in this…

The pair had pretty much experienced everything they could, except for the final step. Even the shirt he was wearing right now, was changed early this morning after driving back to his place.

Aito’s sales volume was staggering. Just over a weekend, tens of thousands of items nationwide were sold out.

Meanwhile, every manager’s face was beaming, talking and nodding frequently in agreement.

However, after a short period of excitement and joy, Gu Yanzhi raised the most critical issue at present.

“With the great sales volume, Aito has officially become a hit.” He looked cheerful. “But the following planning, marketing, and management are more important.”

Everyone nodded.

Lin Qian also understood the principal, considering for any new product that just hit the market, it’s far from enough to only fire the first shot. The follow-up publicity, promotion, distribution, management, and other complicated matters must be followed, in order to really make this excellent product find its safe spot in the market.

There already had been some examples for some certain domestic products when they entered the market, despite having great sale volumes and built their reputations. However, due to the follow up they failed to keep up, resulting in running out of stock, bad fluency, customer service legged behind and so on. In the end they had to be aborted, all the previous creations and investments were in vain. Although they were clearly genius products, they were short-lived.

Many of the people in the room were marketing and management veterans. Now that the most difficult juncture was over, this kind of routine work naturally became very familiar to them. The discussion lasted for 30 minutes, and they finally agreed to extract the most elite talents from the various departments, led by Gu Yanzhi, heading to the different cities in the country, supervising, managing and supporting the front-line markets in person. They needed to ensure the communications with the front-line are close and clearly understood, and ensuring Aida, the huge machine had the smoothest operation this time, sending Aito to a higher and better position.

Li Zhicheng had no objection to this proposal. In fact, since he took charge of Aida, he had made more decisions in terms of major strategic directions and options. As to the routine work, he often respected the experience of veterans such as Liu Tong and Gu Yanzhi.

It was also where Lin Qian admired him. Being strong but not indulgent, knowing others’ specialities to use them wisely.

Then they discussed the candidates. Gu Yanzhi’s decision was made fast, after a brief silence, he said: “It takes at least over a month or two to go through all the key markets. Well, Manager Liu, you can arrange some staff from the production and technology department; the recruiters and assessment managers should all come along; form the human resource department, Xue Mingtao, Lin Qian and …” He named a dozen names without a taking a breath. Finally he looked up at Li Zhicheng and said, “That’s pretty much it. What do you think, President Li?”

Lin Qian was also called out, she slightly froze, looking up at Li Zhicheng.

Going away … for a month or two.

But she had no choice.

Not surprisingly, Li Zhicheng’s expression didn’t change in the slightest. Without looking at her, he slowly nodded, “Sure.”

In fact, Lin Qian would have loved to research in the market, if it wasn’t for Li Zhicheng.

From her perspective, at the beginning of the listing of a “great” product, the various reactions in the market and problems in the business were all commendable. Going on this trip would inevitably give her another great experience and increase her skills.

But… what about Li Zhicheng?

At noon, Lin Qian returned to subsidiary Vinda, sitting in her office, muttering and flipping the pens.

Last night, in the end when he held her lying down, he was still whispering in her ear: “3 days left? Huh?”

At the time, she was speechless and could only bury her face in his naked chest, groaning hard.

3 days, sigh, it would soon turn into 30 or even 60 days.

Having thought of this, Lin Qian’s sour taste began to rise, the invincible Boss, didn’t expect to have the misstep either. What’s his thoughts on it right now?

However, this idea was just a flash, it was mainly the reluctance to leave him.

She had always been self-disciplined, separating the professional and personal life. Including last time leaving Li Zhicheng, in order to conduct the pre-market research for the listing of Aito, leading the team for the first time. Despite that being the beginning of their relationship, she still missed him badly. But she was mainly thinking of him, over and over again, intensely, and she was able to control those emotions.

Unlike this time, the thought of being apart for two months was even making her a bit sad. It was a strange feeling, the feeling of unfairness and lack of motivation. It seemed that all the motivation she had was suddenly taken out because of the coming separation.

There was even a flash of thought in her mind to tell Li Zhicheng not to arrange for her to travel. She was amazed that she was looking forward to this result. But she soon suppressed this irrational idea.

If she really missed this trip for him, maybe she might regret it afterward.

Indecisive for a while, by the time she was off work, the day had become dark and most of the staff had left too. She took the elevator and went downstairs.

A line of vehicles were parked in front of the office building. Having had something on her mind, Lin Qian didn’t look around, keeping her head down to the entrance of the industrial park.

Shortly after she started walking, she suddenly heard a “beep” from a car horn.

Stop beeping at me!

In a terrible mood, Lin Qian looked forward with a smirk but was shocked to find a familiar Land Rover stopped just a few meters away. Through the glass, there was a vague silhouette of the driver, who else could it be except Li Zhicheng?

At this time, although it was already after work, there were still company employees passing by. When the car was beeping, some people not too far away started looking up. Lin Qian was caught off guard, swiftly walking up to the car, quickly opening the passenger seat door.

“Why are you here?” She looked at Li Zhicheng.

He glanced at her and starts the car, “To pick you up.”

He sounded like he had taken it for granted. Lin Qian instantly had a guilty conscience. The car was just about to exist the gate of the industrial park, and there must had been lots of security guards and cameras around. Without even thinking, Lin Qian knelt down and buried her face in his knees. Then she could feel his hand on her neck, rubbing it gently, like petting a small animal.

“Get up, it’s all right.” There was a hint of laughter in his voice. But Lin Qian didn’t act accordingly, until they had driven away, She finally looked up and took a long breath.

After she was driven home by Li Zhicheng, while they were sharing a kiss on the couch, she blamed him, “Why did you pick me up today? What if someone sees us?”

Li Zhicheng placed a hand on her shoulder and held her hand in his other, saying, “Don’t worry about it. We should gradually make it public.”

Lin Qian was stunned, what? P…public?

“That’s way too soon.”

Li Zhicheng looked at her and said simply: “It’s not.”

Lin Qian found it a little awkward.

She glanced at him once more. After all, because of his identity, making it public means she’ll be seen as the Boss’ Wife. She always thought that they should wait until at least after the engagement.

“If you make it public now…” Lin Qian leaned against his arms with her fingers circling on his shirt. “If we didn’t end up together in the future, how should we deal with it? Let’s imagine, you’ll become the playful son of the rich who was messing with his staff, and I’ll become a fox relying on the unspoken rules. Hmm… In the future, if you make another girlfriend, you’ll have to to make it public again, perhaps it’ll be a little embarrassing for you…”

She mumbled for a while, only seeing Li Zhicheng had been silent the whole time. Looking up, she realized that his face had sunken. His appearance made Lin Qian slightly guilty, she gave him a harsh glance: “I’m talking about the facts.”

Li Zhicheng grabbed her waist firmly, with a little pressure. Lin Qian reacted, “Whoops”, then she was firmly pushed into in his chest, only able to rest and look up at him, but unable to move around.

“Are you still going to keep that nonsense?” he asked in a low voice, implicitly threatening.

Lin Qian gave him the angry look, silent, but she felt warm in her heart.

After a while, she blinked in his arms and said, “I’ve got the trip coming up tomorrow, so I’m hitting the sack soon. Maybe you should head home.”

Li Zhicheng also looked down at her, his dark eyes were always hard to discern.

“What for?” he said. “I’m staying here for the night too.”

Under his watchful eyes, Lin Qian’s heart completely melted. Reaching out her hand to his neck, she said, “I’m going to be away for at least a month. You must think of me, don’t let our relationship be affected by the separation. Do you understand?”

Once she finished, Li Zhicheng lowered his head and kissed her. Slowly, he laid her entire body on the couch, and his body coming on top of hers quietly. During the long night, the relationship was getting extra intense because of their impending separation. He couldn’t help but want to get more of her body, but it wasn’t the ultimate liberation. All he could do was suppressing his desire even harder and felt more tortured.

Chapter 48

In early April, Ning Weikai travelled to Taiwan.

During his past visits, he liked this place a lot. Warm, moist, prosperous, and chaotic. This confusion was on a spiritual level, hidden under the surface of arrogance and prosperity. In such a place, there were endless opportunities and possibilities; it was where a legend could be created.

However, this time, he wasn’t feeling as relaxed and certain as before.

New Bori had branch offices in Taiwan. The moment he stepped off the plane, he was greeted by the local officials. Three black Honda CRVs were running smoothly across the airport freeway at high-speed; low-key but eye-catching.

Assistant Yuan Jun reported to him, “The Sales Director Of South China has already tried to get in touch with Wang Taishi twice.”

“Is he still avoiding us?” Ning Weikai raised his eyebrows. The Wang Taishi they spoke of was the general manager of Mind Fabrics, the CEO of Mind, a strange old gentleman who used to be a university professor.

Yuan Jun’s face was a bit stiff. “The first time we were shunned; the second time our staff were scolded and kicked out, and this piece of news has spread everywhere.”

Ning Weikai’s brows squeezed slightly and he said motionlessly, “Well, he did a great job at letting the whole industry know that we want to stab Aida in the back, yet we failed.”

Yuan Jun was a bit embarrassed and he didn’t reply. At the same time, he felt pity for the director who had screwed it up.

The news also gave Ning Weikai a bit headache. In the past few years, with New Bori growing and expanding, he gradually realized that compared to the past, he actually had less and less knowledge of who were his truly reliable employees.

Most of the managers who followed him back in the days, who excelled at their jobs and created one miracle after another for New Bori, had moved up in the hierarchy, and stepped into senior leadership positions.

An employee’s attitude was determined by their job position. People in different positions would have different viewpoints and ways of thinking. For example, when he was a sales manager, he would have disregarded the obstacles and done the extreme, even neglecting his acknowledgement of shame and conscience, in order to secure the project for Ning Weikai. After transitioning into senior leadership, it became a different story. He cared more about what I want, which direction I should follow, and then asked his subordinates to do it. As to the hardships and difficulties involved during execution, it wasn’t something he needed to worry about as a senior leader.

The newly appointed group of managers and essential staff lacked the experience for the difficulties in the market, and they hadn’t experienced New Bori’s rapid growth in the previous years or the process of being on top of the industry neither. Therefore, their ability and experience were bound to be inferior to the older generation. It was decided by the larger scope and had nothing to do with their own qualifications. Use the Mingsheng Project from last year as an example, New Bori chose not to bid in order to maintain its own price balance among other state-owned enterprise projects. Although New Bori indeed could afford to lose the project like that thanks to its supreme financial status, it was still not a good thing that the managers could easily jump into the decision to give up such a project without trying.

Right now, seeing this team struggle with the getting in touch with Mind since the beginning, Ning Weikai was determined to review the company’s talent pool. This was the core force for New Bori’s continuing growth, and it was also the foundation he used to resist the Zhu Consortium.

Now that he had made the most important decision, the difficulties ahead were no longer a challenge for Ning Weikai. Having had a brief consideration, he issued an order, “Bring over two staff.” He specifically appointed two employees. Yuan Jun was slightly surprised, as these two used to be Ning Weikai’s subordinates when he first started working for New Bori, as a manager for the sales department. They use to be some of the best known people in the industry. They had now become the first in command for the company’s branches.

“President, the timeline is tight and both of them are now in charge of the branches with hundreds of people…”

This time, Ning Weikai didn’t act as affable and lighthearted as usual. Instead, he looked at him without much emotion and said, “Tell them that within 10 days, I need to see Wang Taishi.”

Soon it was May.

Coming to Shenzhen at that time was not a great choice. The huge city was hot and windless all day. Even without heavy exertion, immediately one would get sweaty, wet and sticky. Occasionally there were thunderstorms and heavy rain, which could be a bit frightening.

However, Lin Qian couldn’t avoid coming to Shenzhen. It was the last stop of the over two-month long national market inspection.

It was almost noon, and Lin Qian and some colleagues had just finished meeting with the employees from the Shenzhen branch. They quickly grabbed some food, then headed to some of Aida’s stores in the city.

The sun was burning, making her eyes hard to open. Due to the busy schedule, she appeared much skinnier. The dark circles under her eyes hadn’t faded for a long time, making her eyes look particularly large, like a slender abused panda.

The colleague joked that she was the Workaholic Xishi. Slowly the nickname spread, and almost all branches in the country had heard that there was a “Workaholic Xishi” from the company’s headquarters. Hard working, beautiful and friendly, she travelled from one branch to another in different cities to provide feedback, support and guidance.

Outside a busy store, a vice president of the Shenzhen branch were accompanying Lin Qian and her team, observing it from a dozen steps away. The vice president was pleased and proud to say, “This week, the Shenzhen branch will surely have the highest national sales volume. We are very confident.”

Lin Qian and others nodded with a smile. Lin Qian said, “Shenzhen’s business environment is very strong and advantageous. The employees of the Shenzhen branch are really the most inspirational I’ve seen.” Having said that, people nodded frequently, because indeed, even during the lowest of Aida Group, the Shenzhen branch still maintained a decent performance, showing the resilience of its team.

The two parties briefly discussed areas for improvement. Some of the managers from the headquarters pointed out a few minor issues with the internal operations and after-sales services of the Shenzhen branch. Lin Qian also stated that they could have more flexibility in market promotion activities. After a few additional conversations, both sides were happy, and it was a perfect ending for the headquarters’ market inspection. The vice president of the Shenzhen branch said, “We are really glad that headquarters can send someone over. To be honest, as the performance of the company in the past few years hasn’t been great, subsidiaries like ours felt like we’re abandoned. Now it’s changed, with such an excellent product from headquarters, we have completely turned around. In the past, we used to walk around the people of New Bori and SMQ, with our heads down. Now they are going to have to detour!”

Everyone laughed. The vice president looked to Lin Qian, smiling, “Manager Lin, maybe sometime you could also invite President Li to come and inspect?”

The reason he asked was that they all knew that Lin Qian used to be Li Zhicheng’s assistant, and now she had become the assistant manager of the subsidiaries, she could be considered as the right hand person of the big boss. Lin Qian heard Li Zhicheng was mentioned, her heartbeat slowed down. She smiled and responded, “I’ll absolutely bring your invitation to President Li.” she paused, “I think he’ll definitely like this place a lot.”

Lin Qian’s flight back to Lin City was at 3 o’clock in the afternoon, she would land by 4.

Because of their exhaustion, the colleagues in the team were all being quiet, or sleeping during the flight.

Yet Lin Qian couldn’t fall asleep. She was sitting by the window, looking at the golden beam from the clouds, thinking of Li Zhicheng.

At noon, why had she told people in the Shenzhen branch with such certainly that Li Zhicheng would like Shenzhen and like the Shenzhen branch? It wasn’t just a polite comment to make them happy. It was because she thought of him as a resilient and goal-driven person. This matched exactly with the business atmosphere in Shenzhen.

She seemed to inadvertently comment more on any topics relating to President Li Zhicheng.

Lin Qian’s eyes were slightly shut, leaning against the back of the seat. Her mind was like flying kites, passing through the clouds and drifting away to the place she had been missing so badly over the past two months or more.

The day since leaving Lin City, she had begun another state of life.

Busy, thoroughly busy, so busy that she was about to vomit, day and night.

The process was full of excitement. She was young and working in a key position. She had followed the top performers from various departments, travelling and researching in all the markets around the country. She felt like a sponge, desperately absorbing everything from the market to after-sales, from internal operations to overall management. It felt like being rebuilt for once. After a long period of hardships, she had been inadvertently reborn.

She also fully exposed her talent without holding anything back. She treated people with sincerity and tried her best to provide support to them, regardless of who they were, and which branch they worked in. Thanks to her great efforts, she had made a lot of friends. The friendships had already been established no matter whether they were with or without genuine intentions. At first, she didn’t what was her reason to all of sudden become a social butterfly with an advantage, since she wasn’t particularly enthusiastic about such things normally.

Later, she slowly learned that the hidden motives of her heart – she did it for the sake of Li Zhicheng.

He could only manage the overall situation while sitting at the tip of the pyramid. So she went down to the earth to explore for him and find out how his business was actually doing. And her building the professional and personal friendships, would be helpful for gaining in-depth understanding of the Adai Group all over the country, and would be beneficial for him to manage and lead the entire company going forward.

He who touches pitch shall be defiled. Gradually, without realizing, she had been planning so much and so far for him, but he still had no clue.

These past two months, more than 70 days, were also a torment for Lin Qian. Because she and Li Zhicheng hadn’t seen each other, not even once.

At first, she was hoping that she would occasionally have a weekend to fly back to Lin City to meet him. Or when he was free, he could come to visit her. Although it was somewhat out of place for a president to do, this was really what he would do. In the United States, he followed her without saying anything, and in Taiwan, he brought her to his side without hesitation. Therefore, Lin Qian believed that no matter where she went, they’d always see each other very soon.

However, if we had viewed Aida as a huge machine, operating at a high speed and plundering the market at the moment, then Li Zhicheng would be the heart of this machine. If Lin Qian was an important part of the machine, then Li Zhicheng would be controlling all the operations and livelihood of all components.

He was busier than her. All market information and incurable problems were sent to his ears. Then he would quickly make decisions with the managers at headquarters. The workload at this time was more complicated and in higher volume than prior to Aito’s listing. Like an elaborate chess board, he was the highest-standing chess player, and he had to be weighing the system, at any time and any place.

That was why he couldn’t leave. Lin Qian understood that during those days, he must be fully immersed in the chess game, because everyone was relying on him. He never mentioned coming to visit her. This truth was making Lin Qian feel uncontrollably down. But she also knew that he should have always been like this. That was the guy she fancied.

So she could only complain in her heart, Li Zhicheng, you just left your woman feeling lonely again.

But she was merely thinking about it, she wouldn’t even mention it to him.

Although they hadn’t met in person in the past two months, the exchanges between the two were very, very frequent. For example, emails, telephone calls, and conference calls…99.9 percent were due to work. But it was enough to make Lin Qian feel some consolation.

During the process, although she hadn’t see him at all, she was able to feel their hearts, with the passage of time, and the distance apart, were getting closer and closer. Because there were a lot of collaborations between them, just as a superior and a subordinate, or a commander and a pioneer. She keenly discovered the problems in marketing and management, and gave him instant feedback. And he would always sought out a clue from a confused or chaotic situation, and made a clear-cut decision after a brief contemplation. This way of collaboration made Lin Qian very comfortable during her work. Since Li Zhicheng was a person with great powers of observation, he would show her a clear direction, but not cause her to feel fully tied-up in any sense.

So often, just from listening to him on the phone, with his deep and warm voice, she would feel her admiration and longing for him had deepend.

Li Zhicheng was not totally unresponsive. For the first time, he said “I miss you” after she left Lin City for more than two weeks. She was in the Suzhou branch that day and the communication with the local staff did not go smoothly. Returning to the hotel at night, she felt full of grief. When she called him to report the day’s results in the evening, her emotions were inevitably a little down.

So Li Zhicheng asked, “What happened?”

Lin Qian didn’t want to mention it to him, nor could she mention it. These matters were very clear to her and she knew it was her own business to have conflicts with the company colleagues. Since her boyfriend was the president of the company, she couldn’t bring it up to him.

So she just softly answered, “Nothing, I’m just a little tired. It was a long day, but really … every day is a fruitful.” Every day … missing you.

And Li Zhicheng would respond in a mild way, “Well, that’s good.”

At the end, she said, “I still haven’t finished my work. I gotta go.”

She waited for his response, but he remained silent.

Lin Qian asked, “Hello? I gotta go.”

He said with a calm voice: “Lin Qian.”

“What’s up?”

“Miss you.”

It was just those two simple words, those bits and pieces of affection and yearning, and a tacit understanding during their work that made her slowly lose track of her days through her two months travelling. She was on the flight to return home, but when she thought about the love they shared the night before she left, it felt it had been as long as a century since her departure.

At four o’clock sharp, Lin Qian arrived at Lin City Airport.

The airport was always busy on Friday afternoons. Lin Qian collected the luggage and dismissed her colleagues, lying that she was about to be picked up by her friend and asked them to leave first. Since they didn’t have to go to the company today, they all headed straight home.

On the phone with Li Zhicheng the day before, she had told him about the flight. He went silent for a second, then whispered, “Ok, I’ll pick you up.” Having missed him for so long, she had talked like she was spoiled by him on the phone before. Now that they were finally about to reunite, Lin Qian somehow felt inexplicably reserved. Hearing that he was coming to pick her up, she only whispered, “Don’t bother if you can’t leave work. I’ll get a cab back to the company very soon.” He was just laughed in response.

As it turned out early this morning, her colleague who was in charge of booking the tickets had discovered that there were still seats available on an earlier flight. He then changed the flight for everyone. The whole team had been missing home badly. If they had taken the scheduled flight due to arrive at six o’clock in the evening, there would be way too much traffic on the road. The adjustment made perfect sense.

After Lin Qian had finished her work at noon, she sent Li Zhicheng a text message to tell him that the flight was changed and she had to arrive at the airport two hours earlier than expected. He was probably busy. After a while he responded with two words, “Copy that.”

Lin Qian was stepping toward the exit of the airport. It was crowded, and lots of people were holding signs. She subconsciously started looking for the familiar figure in the crowd.

To be honest, maybe because she had grown more mature during her market inspection before returning to him, at the moment she was feeling happy yet calm instead of being very emotional. She also felt she had became more mellow and could calmly face her relationship with him with more confidence and ease.

Only her heartbeat couldn’t be controlled by her head, exposing the truth, more and more clear, faster and faster.

Soon, she saw a familiar figure.

But instead of Li Zhicheng. It was Jiang Yuan, standing behind the crowd, he smiled and looked at her, “Manager Lin, you are finally back.”

Lin Qian smiled and walked over, eyes naturally sweeping beside him. It was really just him.

Feeling slightly down, but not revealing it on the surface, she let Jiang Yuan took her luggage from her, “Let’s get in the car first.”

The car was cruising on the airport freeway. Jiang Yuan sat in the passenger’s seat and smiled. The driver Xiaotang, not sure influenced by whom, seem to be in a good mood and had been playing some cheerful music that brightened up the passengers in the car.

Perhaps Li Zhicheng was unable to leave at the moment? Lin Qian thought to herself, that after all, her flight was adjusted, and his plans were always changing.

After a while, it felt like Jiang Yuan could perceive what she was thinking. He naturally started, “President Li has been very busy these past two days. He squeezed all the work of the next week into just these two days. There was an important meeting at 6 pm, arranged several days ago. Didn’t it hit your original flight time? He informed me last night that it was to be advanced to 3 pm, and the dozens of people invited had to quickly adjust their schedules. Then Manager Lin, you suddenly changed your flight today, and came back early. The meeting was happening at the same time…he’s in the middle of it right now. He’s so busy that he didn’t even have lunch.”

Having heard it, Lin Qian was silent for a moment, she slowly smiled. “Ahh, I see. It’s all good, thank you.”

After being away for so long, having seen the familiar Aida Industrial Park again, Lin Qian was somehow excited.

Many other feelings seemed to be slowly returning with her arrival. For example, when taking the elevator up to the top floor, her mind uncontrollably replayed his face and his motions. For instance, she was sent by Jiang Yuan into Li Zhicheng’s office to wait for the boss. She looked at the couch where they had shared a kiss, her heart was softened like being covered in a thin layer of silk. A lot of the thoughts that were buried deeply in her heart, that were suppressed due to the immense work pressure, were starting to come out again. It was a very pleasant, but also slowly torturous feeling. The sophisticated heart she thought she had, turned out to be slightly defeated.

After a while, Li Zhicheng was still in meeting. Lin Qian directly headed outside, to the big conference room where he was. Jiang Yuan, sitting at the cubicle outside, saw her walking towards the conference room, yet pretended to have seen nothing and kept minding his own work with his head down.

She gently pushed through the backdoor to the conference room.

The sunshine of the dusk was soft yellow, and the dim sun ray made the conference room seem warm and cosy. Next to the long, dark bronze conference table, a lot of people were having an intense and focused discussion. With so many people already in the conference, Lin Qian did not cause any attention when she quietly stepped in.

She got herself a chair near the wall, and quietly sat down. A few managers who had met her before, seeing she was back, looked a little surprised, but they nodded and smiled to her. She then looked up, through many dark-haired heads, she instantly located Li Zhicheng, sitting at the head of the table.

The weather had gotten warmer; he wasn’t in his suit, only in a simple shirt and tailored pants, with a dark tie. He looked the most low-key, yet most eye-catching among the crowd. Looking down, he was listening to the discussion of the staff while reading a file. His deep dark brows and eyes were quiet and focused, without noticing she had already come back to him.

Chapter 49

How did it feel to finally see the man you love after a long separation?

It was a bit distant but also familiar. You saw him sitting in the crowd and didn’t belong to you at this moment. And after a while, you felt like you were on the verge of tears.

Lin Qian had never expected she would want to cry when she saw Li Zhicheng again. However, the dampness in her eyes couldn’t lie. She quickly turned her head around to avoid others seeing her, and to suppress the impulse to weep.

She never complained about him not visiting her. But now, she felt a little wronged.

Darn it… Li Zhicheng. Why didn’t you come visit me? It’s been two months. Do you know I almost forgot what it feels like to be with you?

After calming herself down, she turned around and had the round desk in her sight. A sales manager was talking. “Mr. Li, the biggest problem facing Aito right now is,”

he paused, smiled and continued, “we could not keep up with the demand.”

Everyone in the meeting grinned hearing this. Lin Qian couldn’t resist smiling too and turned to look at Li Zhicheng; he had been sitting with his head bowed, but he also gave a wee smile and looked up at the sales manager.

Suddenly, he halted his body movement.

Everyone could tell he was about to say something. However, he acted as if he were paralyzed, keeping his head up until the last trace of smile faded away from his face. He was looking at the sales manager, but somehow it seemed like he was trying to see somewhere else through him. He looked solemn and others could not tell that was in his mind.

This was a brand-new situation which confused his subordinates. Lin Qian’s heart skipped a beat as she stared at his profile. With everyone watching, he didn’t look at her, but she felt like…

It had been only a momentary pause. Soon, Li Zhicheng continued to speak without changing his facial expressions, “How much inventory is on-hand? How much have we raised productivity?”

This corresponded to the sales manager’s comment that “supply could not keep up with the demand”. Liu Tong, who was responsible for production technology, gave him two numbers. Li Zhicheng nodded his head with a fixed expression. He picked up the teacup beside him and had a sip.

Lin Qian grew more and more nervous along with every one of his moves.

And then she saw him put down the teacup, and as he lifted up his head, he looked towards her naturally. His eyes were clear and bright like lakes. He caught her in sight immediately and gazed at her.

As for Lin Qian, she felt like her heart was being grasped by an invisible hand. She became unattentive for a moment and didn’t realize something went wrong when she felt a tear well up in her eye. She lowered her head to avoid eye contact with him.

He’s gotten skinnier, and his chin is a bit pointier. He looks in high spirits with his new haircut, which makes him look more mature but also forbidding.

After a while, she looked up again. Lin Zhicheng was talking to Liu Tong instead of looking at her. “Short supply is both good and troublesome. We’ve already reached full capacity in manufacturing and the production department won’t be able to handle it if sales keep rising,” Liu Tong said.

“How about pausing several production lines for other products and allocate the resources to Aito?” Another person suggested.

This topic temporarily caught Lin Qian’s attention. It was a controversial topic and no consensus was reached. After the group discussed for a time, everyone looked to Li Zhicheng and waited for his opinion. Li Zhicheng looked around the room, and when he made eye contact with Lin Qian again, they both had calmed down. Lin Qian was able to stare at him openly this time.

He sneaked a glimpse at her and said, “Don’t change anything yet. We should be steadier during this booming period. For the time being, everyone may need to put in extra time. Also, tell the Human Resources Department to give this quarter’s bonuses as soon as possible.”

Everyone beamed hearing the word “bonuses”. Gu Yanzhi and Liu Tong knew the bonus amount and distribution thereof. “We haven’t given our staff such a generous bonus for years,” said Liu Tong after reading the bonus plan.

Lin Qian laughed alongside everyone else. It became cheerful and lively after the discussion of serious topics with people talking about different subjects, and no one noticed that Li Zhicheng didn’t stop gazing at her keenly until her cheeks turned crimson and she began to feel awkward. He looked away, called the meeting to a close, and walked out of the room.

Li Qian sat still and looked at his back. She watched him walking, one footstep after another, as if they were stepping on her heart. Her heart followed his direction and couldn’t be soothed again.

What was love?

Love was when you thought you were able to handle your emotions effortlessly, but instead, you were like a floating kite, and one look from him resembled a tug on the string, pulling you back to his palms. Your body, together with you heart.

Lin Qian had just returned from her travels, and following the meeting, several managers wanted to catch up with her. Even executives like Gu Yanzhi and Liu Tong looked at her cheerfully and congratulated her on all her hard work and achievements. Nevertheless, she was a bit embarrassed by the meaningful look Gu Yanzhi gave her before he left.

Lin Qian talked with them for a while, but her mind had already snuck into another room.

Is he waiting for me now?

As the last stragglers drifted back to their departments, Lin Qian walked to Li Zhicheng’s office nervously. She put her hands on her side and felt some sweat lightly forming on her back.

Darn it.

She knew her face must be scarlet, because she felt like she been heated up. A few of her colleagues remained chatting in the corridor. Lin Qian felt the more she tried to pretend to act normal, the more she was giving away her nervousness. She had to lowered her head to avoid eye contact with others and knocked on his doorly gently, while whispering, “Mr.Li?”

“Come in,” he replied.

Lin Qian’s body trembled hearing his voice. She saw Li Zhicheng sitting behind his desk, holding a pen in one of his hands and a pile of documents in the other. He seemed to be checking them, and Jiang Yuan was standing aside, waiting.

Li Zhicheng looked up at her the second she stepped into his office and ceased working.

Li Qian unreservedly surrendered herself to him and her cheeks continued to burn. Knowing he was still busy with work, Lin Qian didn’t say a word, rather, she glanced at him, walked to the sofa along the wall, and decided to wait for him.

Jiang Yuan was also torn. He could have walked out the minute Lin Qian stepped in, but the documents that he needed approval on were also very important. Besides, the process would only take a few minutes, and it was inappropriate for him to just walk out without instruction. He knew that for Li Zhicheng, work always came first, and therefore he did not feel comfortable to just walk out without permission. Just when he was pondering what he should do, he heard Li Zhicheng, whose eyes were fixed at Lin Qian, said, “Jiang Yuan, would you go out first?”

Jiang Yuan blamed himself for not following his instincts to leave, but he responded in an unruffled manner, “Of course.” He walked out hurriedly, carefully closed the door and waited outside without making a sound.

The unspoken understanding between the boss and his assistant made Lin Qian’s heart pound even more quickly. She sat on the sofa and looked at him fervently. Li Zhicheng had already got up and walked to her. The sun cast the long shadow of his willowy body on the floor. The silhouette touched her feet, as if she were about to be swallowed by it. Lin Qian felt anxious and stood up. It had been only two months, but Lin Qian felt like she hadn’t looked at him so clearly and at such a short distance for years. She was still looking at that familiar strapping man with a distinctly contoured face. His deep-set eyes, high cheekbones and light skin appeared to be more elegant with his shirt on him. His eyes resembled an abyss, and one could be trapped inside with one look.

He stared at her in silence.

Lin Qian silently moved her lips. Li Zhicheng lower his head, stretched his long arms and embraced her. Lin Qian couldn’t resist shedding tears any longer, and held his waist with her hands, while his hands were pressing her shoulders and waist with strength. Just like in the past, he wrapped her so tight that she couldn’t move a muscle. Lin Qian’s toes were almost off the ground. In his embrace, she felt her body go limp and her breath begin to rasp. The entire room was quiet except for their heartbeats.

In a while, Lin Qian heard him murmur slowly in a husky voice, “My Workaholic Xishi, my lady, she is finally back.”

Chapter 50

Yearning to Lin Qian, was full of tender feelings. It was deeply attached to the ones in love, and straightforward.

For a man like Li Zhicheng, it was like a lake that nobody knew about, quietly hidden underneath the surface, with the water being deep, and still. But his restraint would always come to an end. As the deep water flowed more powerfully, despite the surface of the lake appearing calm, the turmoil was hidden beneath it, and as soon as there was an opportunity, it would overflow uncontrollably.

When it finally didn’t have to restrain itself, the stream would be as turbulent as he was and could engulf her instantly.

At that moment, Li Zhicheng pressed her onto the couch and kissing her repeatedly. The light and the sun were intertwined and the lovers were painted with bright colors. The room was extremely quiet. Only their breath lingered; clearly audible. Jiang Yuan’s phone was ringing constantly behind the door, and his voice was intermittent, “Ok… I’ll pass it on to President Li…he is busy in a meeting at the moment…”

Lin Qian’s heartbeat began beating faster with each kiss.

During his working hours, in his office, kissing her with his most fervent desire … the thought was making the kisses more passionate and intense.

“Well…” she murmured. “Still in your office… You want to be a self-indulgent leader?”

Her words were jumbled. Li Zhicheng stared at her with his open eyes, heavily sucking on her tongue, leaving her entire body feeling numb. He then got up, holding her.

Lin Qian’s cheeks were getting red, and her shirt was also wrinkled from the pressure, she quickly looked down and tidied up, then stared up at him.

He also looked down at her, and in his dark eyes, there was still turbulence, with an impression like a wolf.

Lin Qian responded with a rush in her heart, as she reached for his tie. She then demanded, “Didn’t you miss me at all?!”

The moment it came out, she started to feel her desire to be spoiled was too obvious, but still acted like a peacock who had been left out, and glared at him arrogantly.

But in her heart, there was a sweet sense of helplessness. Holy god…I am so useless… It took her over two months, having done so much work all over the country, she had finally trained herself into a tough woman.

But when she returned to his arms, it only took two minutes to change herself back to that sentimental little woman…

Damn!

Li Zhicheng watched the woman in his arms, with the bright lighting sparkling in her eyes, her long and light lashes, as well as her pink and soft cheeks, her tender and slender hands, and the soft delicate body of hers, suggesting she had completely surrendered in his arms.

Without responding to her question, nor any explanation, with a strong arm, he picked up her whole body and put her on his lap.

For the first time, Lin Qian was sitting in this position on top of him, in the office where people were coming and going. Her heart was even more alarmed, she whispered, “Let me down! If anybody comes in…”

Li Zhicheng completely ignored her.

“You’re being so bad…” she protested in his cocoon with a mosquito-like voice.

Li Zhicheng’s face was covered in a pale redness, but his eyes were sinking deeper.

“Am I?” he asked lightly.

Lin Qian replied, “You are…you tease me…”

The two kissed passionately, occasionally engaging in meaningless chatter here and there. Li Zhicheng put her body onto him, “teasing” her all he wanted. Unknowingly, an hour passed and the bell from work rang. Li Zhicheng finally raised his head from her chest, looking at her.

Lin Qian was now completely resting in his arms like a boiled shrimp, soft and red. He stared at her, kept buttoning up her shirt slowly, and lowered his head to kiss at her lips, “Go to the parking lot and wait for me in the car.”

“Umm.” Lin Qian took the car keys from his hand. Even after having seen him thousands of times, when her gaze touched his, her heart still turned soft and shuddered. Thinking of the fondling in his office, she felt it was getting even more ridiculous, timid and sweet.

She stood up and turned her head to look at him again. Then she cleared her throat, walked to his desk and picked up his cup on the table, took a large mouthful, moistened her dry throat, and then headed out.

Li Zhicheng’s shirt was ruffled as he sat on the couch, watching her as she left. He then stood up and adjusted his clothes. After the heat from their activity had faded away, he sat back at his desk and called in Jiang Yuan, handing him the documents he had signed.

Then he looked down at his watch; 10 minutes had passed. He picked up his suit jacket and stood up. He picked up the cup of water she had drank from and slowly tilted his head backwards for a refreshing sip before walking out of the office.

Although Lin Qian had complained that Li Zhicheng didn’t miss her, deep down she actually appreciated his great self-control that drove him to put his career and Aida ahead of her. Despite chasing her first, up until this day, he was the one who had been acting freely in the relationship.

However, Lin Qian had no idea Li Zhicheng clearly knew that it wasn’t true.

He didn’t put his career above her, nor did he feel fully capable of acting freely in the relationship.

In the past two months, he had nearly put down the piled-up, brow-furrowing work and flown to see her.

That was when she had been on the business trip for over a month. One night she called him. At that time he was sitting in the office, having just finished the day’s final meeting and was tired. Hearing her voice, he felt as if a stream from a spring rushing in the darkness, feeling careless and lazy.

After talking for a while, she started talking about something small that happened during the day.

“My brother called me today and asked about us,” she said.

“Oh?” he rubbed the space between his eyebrows, eyes closed, and whispered, “What did you talk about?”

Lin Qian seemed to have thought for a while before laughing, “He asked how our relationship is going, and I said I’ve been on a business trip recently. He’s definitely pleased that the two of us can’t see each other, and naturally can’t break through the line of defense he built.”

She spoke with candor and said it flippantly. Noticing that he remained silent, jokingly, she added “I also told him that if he gave me a cassock, I would totally pass for a nun.”

That was a very ordinary yet heartwarming conversation. She was still cute and motivated through the phone.

However, after hanging up the phone, Li Zhicheng looked at the files at hand without turn a page for a long time.

She always had a lot of concerns and considerations when it came to work. But when it was related to him, she never thought too much and was always straightforward. Yes meant yes, and no meant no. After becoming his girlfriend, she always put her sincere and simple heart in front of him.

But this time, after being separated for more than a month, she implied – she tried to made it sound natural yet failed – that she wanted him to visit her. That was why she those sentences. However, she couldn’t bear this to really affect his work, so after many times attempting to tell him what she wanted, she only made a light joke of herself,

… give me a cassock and I would totally pass for a nun…

Thinking of this, Li Zhicheng felt a tightness in his chest.

After a moment of silence, he had called to Jiang Yuan, “Get me a ticket on the earliest flight tomorrow to Nanjing, and one returning the day after tomorrow.” Nanjing, at that time, was where Lin Qian was.

Jiang Yuan paused a little, but he soon came to a realization. But he still had to bite the bullet and embarrassingly advise, “President Li, tomorrow you have appointments with the general managers of two supermarkets, and their time is very difficult to secure. Also, President Kang from Ming Sheng arranged for you and the municipal government’s Business and Industry Bureau to meet in the afternoon.”

Li Zhicheng briefly interrupted him, “Postpone them all.”

Jiang Yuan didn’t say anything again, nodded and went out.

Soon, the ticket was booked and the itinerary was sent to Li Zhicheng’s phone: The earliest flight leaves at 8:00 am. tomorrow. Fly to her side.

Looking at the message, Li Zhicheng sat in the middle of the office that night and slowly smiled. Just when he was to pick up the phone and call her, Jiang Yuan knocked again. This time his expression was very serious and shocked: “President Li, news has just come in that the sales manager of New Bori was planning to discuss their cooperation with President Wang of Mind, but was publicly rejected. This news has spread… ”

Before Jiang Yuan finished his sentence, Li Zhicheng’s cell phone and the landline both started ringing at the same time, continuing for a while. Gu Yanzhi, Liu Tong, the production department, the procurement department… and even his father, were all calling to ask if it would cause any impact on Aida, and what to do afterward.

By the time Li Zhicheng had addressed the matter, it was already 1am. He also arranged a conference call with President Wang and several senior staff members that morning.

Jiang Yuan was also busy following him around. When they finally left the office that evening, Jiang Yuan asked him, “President Li, the flight to Nanjing tomorrow…”

“Cancel it,” he replied.

A few days later, this small disturbance had completely subsided, and there was full communication with Mind. In the dead of night, he called Lin Qian. After chatting for a while as usual, he whispered, “Missing you.” And the simple two words made the woman fall silent for a long time. For the following few days, she still sounded uncontrollably delighted and pleased over the phone.

The elevator slowly descended and Li Zhicheng was standing inside, all alone.

With a ding, the elevator door opened. When he looked up, he saw his Land Rover, quietly parked in the corner not far from the parking lot. His woman was sitting quietly and lovingly inside at the moment, waiting for him.

Chapter 51

Lin Qian sat in the car for a while, thinking about what happened just now; his gaze, his ardent moving hands, and his lingering whispers beside her ear. She couldn’t help but blush and giggle.

It was time to leave work. Many passers-by were coming and going in the parking lot. She waited for quite a while for a chance to sneak into his car. Fortunately his car was parked in a remote spot. She hid in the front passenger seat and no one noticed her.

After sitting for a few more minutes, she saw a shadow approaching from outside the window. The driver’s door opened; Li Zhicheng stepped into the car.

A wholesome and ticklish sweetness permeated Lin Qian’s heart upon his arrival. She didn’t say anything, merely lowering her head and playing with her fingers.

Li Zhicheng said nothing either. He glanced at her thoughtfully, then he started the car.

When the car left through the main gate of the Group, Lin Qian, as usual, was agile like a bunny, lowering her body to avoid from the gazes of others. Li Zhicheng said before she went on the business trip that he wanted to make their relationship be known to the public, but at times like these, she still subconsciously wanted to hide.

While she was hiding, she did not forget to warn him, “Don’t you dare to laugh at me!”

“Hmm.” he replied flatly.

Then she felt a hand gently on her back, a very casual move, as though he was caressing his dearest belonging. Lin Qian could feel goosebumps on her back and neck upon his touch. Not long after the car left the main gate, she straightened in her seat, blushing.

She felt like she must have overreacted. It was just a simple touch, why did… why did… she sense desire from it?

Is it because it has been so long since I’ve had intimate contact with him, so that’s why my thoughts wander? After all, a few months ago, I got greedy too and needed to be satisfied…

Lin Qian was silently embarrassed by her thoughts. Meanwhile Li Zhicheng was staring at the sunset and the blue sky; the car moved steadily and swiftly.

The car continued moving for a while more, suddenly Lin Qian came to her senses.

This was not the way to her home. Her home was only opposite the office, a few hundred meters away. He had been driving for so long without her noticing.

“Where are we going?” she asked. She thought that he would send her home first, drop off the luggage and then go for dinner.

“My place.” his reply was succinct, “We’ll drop off the luggage then go for dinner.”

Lin Qian was stunned.

What… how could he bring her home so naturally? Since when did she agree to stay at his place tonight?

Even though she was judging him silently, in the end Lin Qian said nothing. She pretended to enjoy the scenery and listen to the podcast, allowing Li Zhicheng to drive the car straight back to his place.

His place was located in a development that was freshly built only two years ago, not far away from Aida Group. Because it was in the suburbs, the area was very big. She took a glance and was surprised to see that there were around twenty to thirty blocks standing under the sun.

He stayed at a townhouse by the lake, located deep inside the neighborhood.

Lin Qian immediately took a liking to his house the moment she saw it. She didn’t like enormous mansions; it didn’t feel like home. His house was a small two-storey home with a front yard and a backyard. The backyard was used as a parking lot; the front yard was filled with plants. There was even a wooden rack in the front garden, but it was empty.

Lin Qian touched the tall wooden rack, “What do you plan to plant?”

“Whatever you like.”

Lin Qian felt a surge of sweetness, then she continued to be a character with mettle and complained silently: Tsk, this isn’t even my home.

There was a vestibule immediately after they entered the door. Beyond the vestibule was a spacious living room. The home decor and furniture were all American country style; grand yet homey. Lin Qian scanned the room, then she asked, “You didn’t design this, did you?”

Li Zhicheng threw her carry-on luggage on the sofa, nodding, “It’s my dad’s house. I am staying here for the time being.”

Lin Qian understood. She put her hands behind her back, touring with great interest. Li Zhicheng followed after her, hands in his pants’ pockets.

Living room, dining room, kitchen, guest room… obviously other than the living room, the rest of the first floor was not used often. Walking up a spiral staircase, she first reached a small living room on the second floor. It was quiet and well-ventilated.

Then it was the study. This room was larger and it looked spectacular with a few book racks filled with books.

There was a gym as well. A treadmill and two other pieces of gym equipment filled the space.

Lin Qian stood by the doorside, “Do you still work out every day?”

Li Zhicheng, “I’m used to it.”

Indeed, when he was in the military, he must have done large amounts of exercise every day. Lin Qian turned around and pinched his arm. It didn’t seem brawny, but all she touched were tough muscles. Of course, the most beautiful part of him was his fit and well-developed abs; before she left last time, she even lay on top and rubbed herself against them… Lin Qian flushed, trying to look casual when she left the gym.

Last came the master bedroom. It took up a lot of space, with a brilliant chandelier, thick golden-brown drapes, an arc-shaped king-size bed, and a wardrobe. But the decoration was simple as well. There was nothing except for the bed and the wardrobe. There was only a pillow on the bed.

Seemingly sensing her thoughts, Li Zhicheng’s bass voice rang beside her ear, “Go and get another pillow from the cabinet.”

Lin Qian’s face heated up; she turned around and glared at him, “Get it yourself.”

His eyes were all smiles, he reached for her hand and led her to the cabinet. He opened the door, pulled out a pillow, lowered his head to give her a glance, and threw the pillow to her. Lin Qian caught it out of reflex, then she turned around with a reddened face, and placed the pillow on the bed.

Being playful, she pushed his pillow to a far corner, then she placed her new pillow in the center, occupying the ruling position. After she was done, just when she gleefully wanted to turn her head and show it off to him, she suddenly felt the warmth of his body covering her back and his arms closing around her waist.

Lin Qian was pressed against the wardrobe from behind; one of his hands leaned against the wardrobe, the other held her waist. His lips moved down from her face and her neck nibbling; his hand was fondling her silently. He only let Lin Qian turn around and face him when she had melted into a puddle after being incited by him. But he was still pressing her against the wardrobe, encircling her in his embrace.

“Why did you suddenly kiss me, I merely took your spot…” Why was he suddenly aroused and kissing her aggressively?

When faced with her coquettish protest, he had no smile on his face; his gaze was frighteningly dark and deep.

“Lin Qian, today is the 23rd.”

Lin Qian was confused. He had let go of her and said, “Let’s go have dinner first.”

The dinner took place at an exquisite restaurant outside of the neighborhood. The food was delicious. Following Lin Qian’s temperament, after the past few hours, she had totally forgotten about the sorrow and melancholy she had for the past two months. She had forgotten about the sense of distance with him too. She returned to her usual self, telling Li Zhicheng the interesting encounters she had for the past two months while savouring the food on the table.

Even though he didn’t speak much, he was obviously in a good mood too; one could see smiles in the corner of his eyes. But his dark and deep gaze was always set on her. This made Lin Qian feel slightly anxious.

When they walked out of the eatery, the night was perfect. The sky was clear with a bright moon hanging. The neighborhood was tranquil. Thinking about what would happen later tonight, Lin Qian’s heart did a flip.

After panicking, she subconsciously wanted to delay it.

“A hundred steps after a meal makes living to ninety-nine a reality,” she said with a straight face, “Let’s go for a walk.”

Li Zhicheng glanced at her, saying, “We will make a trip to the supermarket.”

“Why are we going to the supermarket?”

Li Zhicheng wrapped his arm around her waist, “To buy something.”

Initially, Lin Qian didn’t realize what he wanted to buy. The supermarket was crowded and lively on the weekend. She saw the fruits section and happily walked towards it, picking up a few oranges and apples. After she had weighed them, Li Zhicheng took the bag from her, wrapped her shoulder with his arm and led her forward. The two made a round and Lin Qian didn’t have anything else to buy. When they were close to the checkout counter, only did she remember, asking, “What do you want to buy?”

Li Zhicheng didn’t say anything.

He led her in hand, walking past aisle after aisle of shelves, and finally stopped in front of rows of colourful boxes.

Lin Qian saw it now; her face reddened instantaneously. She wanted to let go of his hand, but he reacted faster, holding her hand tighter, making it obvious that he wanted her to accompany him.

Li Zhicheng was a man with deep thoughts. Even though he was unfamiliar with this kind of product, he didn’t say much, nor did he ask for help from the sales person. He stood in front of the shelves, reading carefully, then he picked a box and tossed it into the shopping basket.

Then he lowered his head to glance at her, “Is it okay?”

Lin Qian’s heart was in turmoil. Why does he ask me whether it is okay or not? As though I’m using it?

But…alright, it will be used on me i guess…no wonder he needed to ask me…

These messy thoughts flashed past and filled in the gaps, Lin Qian’s face was heated up even more. She said nothing, taking a glance at that box of Okamoto 003 condoms.

Humph… not a bad choice.

After they came out from the supermarket, every step towards his house was slow torture for Lin Qian.

The two walked side by side. His words were few, his steps were steady. As Lin Qian stared at his composed profile and his tall and well-proportioned body, she thought back to that box of condoms being slipped into his pocket, and she started feeling restless.

She even recalled the few days after their visit to Mount Emei. At night he would press her against the bed and kiss her whole body repeatedly. His hard and scorching desire was held in her hand, lightly pressed against her lower abdomen and nudged her, once, twice, hinting silently. During that time, he would raise his fervent, predatory gaze and stare at her, like a real, unmasked wolf…

Lin Qian continued to silently follow him as they kept walking.

But her every step was filled with thrill and uncontrollable desire.

They quickly arrived at his home.

The neighborhood was exceptionally quiet; there was only the two of them in the house, so the air was absolutely silent. The only sound Lin Qian could hear was her own panting.

But Li Zhicheng seemed calm as usual. He turned his head and glanced at her, “I am going to take a shower downstairs. If you want to shower, you can use the bathroom in the master bedroom.”

Lin Qian, “Oh…”

He lowered his head to kiss her again, “Wait for me upstairs.”

Lin Qian’s heart did a flip again. She couldn’t say anything, so she could only… obey him and went upstairs.

As the hot water slowly flowed down her body, Lin Qian stared at the water streaming through her fingers dumbfoundedly.

She was about to become one with him. He would finally fulfill his wish.

Thinking of this, her heart softened for him, but at the same time, she was also a bit amused. She buried her face in her hands. Li Zhicheng, will we be in love forever? Right now, as I am about to walk towards you, I wish this moment would last forever. Only then will your waiting and desire be worth it, and my decision too.

She also remembered why Li Zhicheng said today is the 23rd.

It was because the last time her period came, it was the 14th.

Today was very safe for sure, with no chance of being interrupted again.

He sure did remember.

Turning off the faucet, she put on her nightgown. It was made of silk, running down to her knees. It had a V-shape collar, revealing a small patch of snow white skin around her chest. Her arms and legs were laid bare.

Lin Qian looked awhile at herself in the mirror, then she pushed open the bathroom door.

As she walked out, she was stunned.

The drapes had been drawn closed, covering the windows securely. The lights on the ceiling were turned off, leaving only a dim floor lamp on; the soft lightning rippled through the room.

Li Zhicheng stood next to the lamp, turning his head as he heard the bathroom door.

He was in a long, black bathrobe, with his hands in the pockets, revealing his calves. The bathrobe was made of silk, pure black and soft; he looked fair and cold in it. His temperament seemed to be more poised and lazy than usual, but equally handsome and charming.

Who knows how long he had been waiting for her.

Lin Qian forgot to breathe, staring at him in a daze.

When he saw her, he took his hands out from his pockets, walking towards her slowly.

Lin Qian’s heart felt like it was about to jump out of her throat.

He stood before her and lowered his head to look at her. Lin Qian’s palms started sweating.

Suddenly he bent over and swept her off her feet. “Ah!” Lin Qian let out a soft cry in alarm; he held her firmly in his embrace.

Their surroundings were still. Her face was pressed against his chest; she could hear his racing heartbeat. He looked down at her; his dark gaze was like the endless night, staring at her.

“Lin Qian.” He slowly asked, “How long have I waited?”

Lin Qian felt her throat dry up, and with a quivering voice she answered, “…seventy-nine days?”

He embraced her, and then turned and led her to the bed behind them.

Chapter 52

Lin Qian’s body was trapped in the soft mattress, and Li Zhicheng was above her, completely blocking the light and her sight. It was exciting, but also agitating. He put his hands on her sides and looked down at her. He seemed to be examining or appreciating her with his dark eyes and wasn’t inclined to start yet.

Lin Qian blushed in embarrassment at his his perplexing look and said in dismay, “What’re you looking at?”

He didn’t answer her, but there was a trace of a smile in his eyes. The smile was rippling like water in a limpid lake, and the waves were drifting off to the deep of his pupils, where the light was gloomy inside.

Then everything returned to quietude. His eyes were bright and mesmerizing again. He gave nothing more than an ordinary look, which, nonetheless, made Lin Qian fluster.

She felt like a prey running for long and finally captured by him. As for him, he was delighted at the moment.

“How should we deal with the clothes?” He stared at her with his head down, and his voice was deep but forceful.

Lin Qian was also looking at him. His eyes were like abyss with gravity, pulling her inside and entangling her while she completely surrendered to it.

“What do you want to do?” she whispered, with a blushing face and quiet movement. She wanted to do what he expected and soon, there were a pile of women’s clothes on the floor of his bedroom.

Lying completely naked right in front of him, Lin Qian felt her face burning and her heart drumming because of this exceptional night. It was still a little chilly outside, whereas inside the room, there was an intangible fire being lit and floating in the air, sizzling everything.

“What about the clothes I’m wearing? You haven’t…” he spoke under his breath.

Lin Qian missed a heartbeat while remaining still. “Why should I undress the both of us?” she protested.

Why am I the one who does all the work?

Li Zhicheng didn’t mind. When he saw her reluctance, he grabbed one of her hands and put it on his waist. He stared at her reticently, as if he would swallow her next second. Lin Qian started to blush again and submitted herself to him. Although she’d seen his body several times, when she actually saw him naked once again, she felt like her heart was jumping out of her chest.

They were sitting opposite to each other, as naked as newborns. This was the first time that there was nothing separating them, and their souls were exclusive to each other. Lin Qian’s throat got drier. She lowered her head and didn’t say a word. Li Zhicheng gradually put his hands on her shoulders and gently pushed her back on the bed. He bowed down instantly and went to the same place as she did.

Lin Qian didn’t feel excited, or impulsive, or even fazed. She felt at ease. She felt his body weight and his heartbeat. An unprecedented sense of steadiness struck her because she was being embraced by this man, and every inch of her body belonged to him. Never before had Lin Qian felt so clearly and fervently that they were meant for each other.

Just when her heart was quavering, Li Zhicheng’s voice, deep as water running ploddingly at night, rang beside her ears. “Lin Qian,” he said slowly, “I’m here.” At that moment, Lin Qian heard her heart racing. “Sure,” she murmured, and grabbed his back.

Never in my life have I been so willing and keen. I will give it all to you, and only to you.

She was finally overwhelmed by the waves of affection and crumbled in his arms. As for Li Zhicheng, he felt a deep connection with her.

She could smell his breath and hear his heart romping, Lin Qian felt a tear welling up in her eyes. Her heart, like her body, was full of him. Filled with joy and empathy. Affection and empathy for this man. She loved his tenderness and perseverance on the bed and empathized with him who couldn’t help but tremble on her.

Lin Qian’s throat was dry, she reached her hands to his hair and caress it, and she murmured, “Li Zhicheng, I love you.”

Li Zhicheng held himself up and looked at her. His eyes were darker than any night, and more limpid than any sea. He stroked her heated cheeks, and his look became more fervent.

“I fell in love with you,” he whispered, “the second I saw you.”

Chapter 53

The next day, when Lin Qian woke up, the sky was already bright. The warm yellow sunlight penetrated the gaps in the curtains and contrasted with the dimly lit room. It was like a gold belt that reached into the room, colorful and quiet.

Li Zhicheng hadn’t yet woken up.

Hmm hmm hmm..

After the intimacy of the previous night, it was like a gorgeous and ridiculous dream to think back on it.

After their almost perfect first time, Li Zhicheng had taken a break, holding her. The two talked intimately for a time.

Then he went again … having thought of that, Lin Qian couldn’t help but be shy, because at the end of it, she wasn’t like herself anymore.

He was still him. Calm, strong, and of few words, but his countless ways of caresses made her totally gave herself in to him again and again.

Lin Qian looked at the man’s sleeping, peaceful face laying close to her.

With the shimmering light in the room, his face looked particularly clean and gentle. The black eyebrows were defined as if they’d been drawn vividly with an inkpen.

However, this lovely and calm face was of course just an illusion.

Lin Qian’s heart was filled with sweetness, and at the same time she felt a bit shy.

Hmm, fine. She was a lazy person. For her, in terms of sex, she would not attempt to be dominant, she was willing to follow his lead for the rest of her life.

After wriggling in his arms for a moment, Lin Qian cautiously pulled her legs away and picked up his hand on her waist and moved it aside.

Unexpectedly, just after the thigh had pulled out from between his legs, when her calf was stuck between his legs, he woke up.

His black eyes slowly opened, firmly looking at her.

Lin Qian, “Morning…”

The response was a sudden and tight grab of her waist. He pulled her back into his arms, pushed himself against every inch of her skin, and looked down at her, “Morning.”

The sound of the man’s low, dull voice, and the thoughtful look, only made Lin Qian slightly flustered, she urgently whispered, “Let go of me! I need to use the bathroom!”

Li Zhicheng took a look at her before releasing her hand.

Without looking back, she could still feel his gaze. Once she had entered the bathroom, Lin Qian deliberately locked the door. She walked into the shower and began to wash slowly.

Truth be told, her entire body was sore, and it was very enjoyable to take a hot shower.

Most women bathe slowly, and today her shower was as slow as a snail, carefully washing every part of her body. Just by looking at the hickies all over her skin, especially her waist and chest, she couldn’t help but blush.

His hands and mouth were both pretty rough.

She was still in her own thought when she suddenly heard a noise from behind the shower curtain, at the door.

Then a slender figure was seen through the curtain and slowly entered the bathroom.

Lin Qian felt extremely embarrassed. Of course, it was his house. Absolutely pointless to lock the door, he must have the key.

Lin Qian covered her body with the shower curtain and stuck only her head out, protesting at the sudden invading man, “I’m in the middle of a shower! Hey, why don’t you show some respect for my privacy… Get out.”

Li Zhicheng was in a black bathrobe, loosely tied around his waist. His short hair was a bit messy, but it made his eyes look more handsome and profound. Pretending he hadn’t heard her, he walked towards her slowly, and said lightly, “I also need a shower.”

Lin Qian, “…”

He had already taken off his bathrobe and stepped into the bath.

Despite the huge bathtub, with two people standing inside, it seemed particularly crowded. Especially when he first came in, he held a hand against the wall beside her, and with the other, hooked her into his arms. Then, under the turbulent flow of water, he looked down at her. The man’s beautiful stature and dark eyes only called for Lin Qian’s heart. She no longer wanted to escape, with her finger painting a wreath of water on his chest, “So…what do you want…?”

The two were standing silently under the stream, letting the hot jets of water rinse their bodies. Without any more talking, they quietly embraced and enjoyed the beauty of the moment.

After a while, Lin Qian looked up at him with a smile, “Should I scrub your back?”

She would never tell him that back when she would watch TV, when a woman scrubbed a man’s back, it felt like a great relationship for an old couple, staying together for a very long time.

Li Zhicheng looked at her and replied, “Ok.”

He turned away from her and reached his hands to scoop up some water, washing his face. No doubt that was a handsome act, with his slender muscular figure, handsome profile, and hair roughly positioned.

Lin Qian couldn’t help but say, “You should try to star in men’s razor or body-wash ads.”

Li Zhicheng turned his head and looked at her lightly.

He gave her a slightly disdainful look. Fine, he was using his eyes to threaten her again.

“Just kidding…”

The body of my man should never be shared with other women.

She began to wash his back.

Then Lin Qian found out that on his slender and tough waist also unexpectedly had some hickeys and hmm… scratches and redness. They were long, shallow and could only be seen with a close examination. She instantly began to feel guilty.

Very well. Her desire didn’t lose to his at all. No loss for her at all.

After scrubbing him for a while, Lin Qian looked at his tall figure and his well-proportioned muscular back, she couldn’t help but tiptoe and gently kissed his neck, “It’s done.”

Li Zhicheng turned to face her. His eyes were still dark, she couldn’t see through them.

“Your turn,” he said concisely.

Lin Qian instantly felt it was very sweet and full of love to help and serve each other. In the bed, he ruled her, and off the bed, as a proper Boss, he had to scrub the back of a woman.

Lin Qian turned cooperatively and put her hands against the wall. “Thank you!”

Lin Qian had no idea that this scene, in the eyes of a man, was so real and lively.

Li Zhicheng kept quiet, he took the bath towel from her hand, covered her back and began to scrub.

The strength of his hands was even and long, and his movements were precise, making Lin Qian feel so comfortable that a noise almost escaped her lips. But in the end, she resisted.

Having scrubbed for a while, he stopped. Lin Qian also felt it was about time, she asked, “Is it done?”

He didn’t reply.

Just when Lin Qian was about to turn back to him, she was held from behind.

Steamy, they couldn’t keep their hands off each other.

By the time Li Zhicheng carried her in his arms and put her back to bed, it was more than an hour later.

Lin Qian once again had a sore back. However, in contrast to her, even though he was the one being more physically active, he had ended up looking just fine. Sitting on the edge of the bed, with his arm around her, he looked down at her, with a faint smile in the dark eyes.

That was the satisfied, happy smile from a man who had just been pleased. It was seen through by Lin Qian, even though she was just being tossed about. It was so rare to see him this happy, like a real young man in his twenties, she also felt sweet and tender at the same time.

“Do you need to sleep for a little longer?” he asked.

Lin Qian looked at the clock on the bedside and it was past eleven. She shook her head, “Let’s get up, I want to get some food.”

They both got up and put on their clothes.

Li Zhicheng took a shirt and put on a pair of black trousers. Lin Qian looked at him, and she became romantic and squeamish all over again, throwing her casual clothes aside and reached out to him, “Pass them over, I’m wearing yours.”

To be honest, wearing a man’s shirt at home was nothing creative but cheesy. But there was no doubt that it was really sexy.

The afternoon sun was clear and bright. Lin Qian was wearing a white shirt of his, with the linen trousers that she wore at home. Swaying in the room, she felt feminine and sexy.

The take-out they had ordered had not yet arrived. Lin Qian cut up the oranges and goldberries from yesterday’s excursion, and carried a full plate into the living room.

Li Zhicheng was sitting on the couch, watching news on the television. He was looking at the Lin City Economy Channel. Since the luggage industry had always been one of the pillars of the local economy in Lin City, this channel often put on a lot of industry news and cutting-edge international information. Lin Qian also watched this when she had free time.

She put down the fruit plate and sat on the couch, leaning against his arms. While watching the news, she picked up the fruit from the small silver skewer and placed them into his mouth, piece by piece.

Li Zhicheng laid a hand on the armrest of the couch, and the other hand was clutching her waist, letting her put the weight of her entire body on him. After having some fruit, he lowered his head and began to kiss her. They were both bearing the flavor of fruit in their mouth; sweet and fresh. Then the kisses increased in length. In the quiet afternoon, surrounded by silence, no one wanted to move nor go out, they just wanted to quietly spend time together.

He buried his head inside the loose and large shirt she had borrowed, doing all he wanted. Lin Qian didn’t think it was a good idea. If they kept kissing like this, then they were going to … do it again. So she pushed him away, hard and determined, “Stop! We’ve spoken about it, and we’ve already done it enough for today!”

Li Zhicheng smiled in his eyes. Just staring at the messy shirt on her body and her delicate private parts, he was quiet for a while, then whispered, “You like to be in my clothes?”

Lin Qian laughed a little, putting on a disinterested face, and looked at the TV. At the same time she began to twist his fingers, “Like it or not, so what?”

Li Zhicheng bowed his head, lightly kissing her forehead, “From now on, at this house, you can keep dressing like this.”

Lin Qian ignored him.

But the corner of her mouth couldn’t help but be upturned.

In the afternoon, the sunshine was particularly bright, and the weather was a little hot. Lin Qian had been in the house for a long time. She wanted to go out for some fresh air, but her legs and feet were sore, and she didn’t want to walk. So she asked Li Zhicheng for some other fun activities.

Li Zhicheng, in fact, had never spent time with a girl like this before. After considering her request, he asked, “Fancy growing some grapes?”

Lin Qian’s eyes suddenly widened.

In this world, is there really anything that can baffle Li Zhicheng?! Growing grapes? It was such a creative entertaining idea that he just came up with, what a great boyfriend.

Li Zhicheng had bought several grape seedlings the previous month. It was because of his workload that he had been putting off transplanting them from where he’d been raising them on his balcony. The two took the seedlings and went to the small garden in the front yard. Lin Qian didn’t know what to do, so she followed his instructions.

Li Zhicheng first took a small shovel and dug a long ditch in the mud. With his great strength, the digging was done nice and quick. Lin Qian looked stunned and asked, “Have you been a sapper? So cool!” Li Zhicheng smiled a little and stood up, brushing on her lips. “You’re flattering me. I was merely breaking a butterfly on the wheel.”

Lin Qian instantly bursted into laughter.

After the ditch was dug, the seedlings were carefully placed into it. For such meticulous work, Lin Qian did very good job, placing each seedling nice and straight. Li Zhicheng simply stood aside, leaving her to enjoy herself.

Soon the soil was buried and the roots covered, and Lin Qian was next to the seedlings. She looked up at the tall wooden frame and blinked against the sunlight.

She wondered if she and Li Zhicheng would still be this close when the grapes were fully grown and hanging there next year.

They must be.

Having been pleased with her thoughts of the future, she stood up. As soon as she turned around, she saw Li Zhicheng standing beside a few plants, with his hands in his trouser pockets. He looked at her intently.

Lin Qian’s heart started twitching, she stepped forward. But she couldn’t hold him when there was still soil on her hands. She could only hold his neck loosely, and tip-toed, to give him a kiss.

“I love you,” she whispered.

Li Zhicheng did not reply.

He only pulled her into his arms and turned her short light kiss into a long, passionate, and warm one under the trellis.

After a few moments, he let go of her, picked up the garden hose from the ground, and handed it to her.

Watering this kind of thing was Lin Qian’s favorite. Watching the water slowly seep into the land, nourishing the root buds of the seedlings, made her feel a particular sense of accomplishment. She gladly took this task and began to pour slowly. Li Zhicheng simply sat down in a chair on the side, and watched her.

Having poured for a while, Lin Qian looked for something else that could entertain her. Looking at him closely, she saw his long legs loosely crossed, his face calm, and in a causal posture.

Lin Qian rolled her eyes, and while he wasn’t paying attention, she secretly turned on the tap. Then she raised her hand, and began to shower him with water.

Li Zhicheng was caught off guard, his shirt around the chest was covered with water, and his trousers were soaked too. When he looked up, he saw Lin Qian standing under the trellis, putting on a serious face, holding the hose, pretending to be surprised and apologetic, “I’m sorry, my hand slipped!”

In the early summer, the water covering his chest only felt refreshing. Li Zhicheng looked at her, and with his hands in his trouser pockets, he stood up.

She had to admit when a man’s clothes were half-wet, there was a special kind of handsomeness. But to see him stand up, Lin Qian was a bit intimidated. She moved two steps back, trying her best to keep acting arrogant, “Hey, I really just slipped, you can’t take revenge!” Seeing him take another step closer, she lifted the hose in a threatening manner “If you come any closer … I’ll keep spraying you!”

Then Li Zhicheng really came closer.

Lin Qian didn’t even think about it, she took a few steps back and fiercely began spraying him again. Since Li Zhicheng was already wet, with more water spraying him, he no longer cared, even greeting her “water gun nozzle”, he rushed straight over and reached out to hug her.

Lin Qian couldn’t help laughing. She screamed and turned to hide. But this time, she overestimated her speed, and underestimated Li Zhicheng’s capability as he pressed her into his arms. Not only that, he also grabbed the hose from her hand. Then, while holding her, he poured the water column on her and wet her thoroughly from head to toe.

“Ahh,” Lin Qian pushed hard on him, but she couldn’t break free. She was held even closer to him. All she could see in front of her was the clear and rushing water. She could only roughly see his face not too far from her, raising his thin lips, and laughing hard. Lin Qian also suddenly giggled, she stopped struggling, and reached out to his chest, “Hey cheeky! You are bullying me!”

Li Zhicheng looked at the wet shirt on her body. Her exquisite curves were sweeping, and without any hesitation, he dropped the water hose and turned his head down, approaching her with his wet lips.

They kissed for a moment before he pulled his head back. But he didn’t let go, instead he lifted her up with both hands and turned back into the house.

Inside, after closing the door, Li Zhicheng still hadn’t let her down. He kept walking deeper into the house. Lin Qian asked, “What are you doing?”

Li Zhicheng, “Having a shower.”

“Oh.”

They could really use a shower. Otherwise, sooner or later they would catch a cold. but…

Li Zhicheng looked at her and flashed a vague smile.

She pretended to act furious, reaching out to push him, “Let me down, I want to go home.”

By this time, Li Zhicheng had taken her upstairs, freed one hand, pushed the door of the master bedroom open and closed it neatly.

“This is your home,” he said. “I’m working tomorrow morning and in the afternoon I’ll help you move over.”

Lin Qian was stunned.

Li Zhicheng held her and entered the bathroom again. Lin Qian reached out and grabbed the door frame, desperately resisting, “Hey, when did I agree to move in with you?!”

Li Zhicheng paused his steps, and looked at her in his arms, “Do you think I will let you go back?”

Lin Qian didn’t know how to react to this, shouting, “You’re bossy! Bossy and cheeky!”

The next day was Sunday.

When Lin Qian awoke, Li Zhicheng had already driven to work. Thinking of the tenderness in the morning, her face blushed, with a pounding heart.

People are in high spirits when involved in happy events, and even though she was physically tired, she was feeling extra cheerful. She slowly made herself some breakfast. Having thought that Li Zhicheng would come back at noon, she decided to visit a supermarket to get purchase ingredients and cook with him when he returned.

Supermarkets were more crowded than usual on the weekends, and occasionally she could see a group of people, not knowing what they were buying. Lin Qian’s thoughts were all on Li Zhicheng. Thinking that it would be their first day living together, she couldn’t help but feel sweet and somehow funny.

Hmm… he had it all planned.

Considering they were both so busy working, if they didn’t live together, they wouldn’t have much time to spend with each other. What could they do? Certainly, they had to live together sooner or later. Otherwise, she couldn’t stand anxiously waiting for him all the time.

But it has only been a little while since we determined our relationship, and he’s already taking the upper hand. No, I have to let him wait for a few days. It’s hard for me to switch the dominance, and keep him waiting, it feels very nice. Hahaha.

After getting some food, she returned to his house. It had just passed 11 o’clock, and Li Zhicheng was still not home yet. To pass the time, she turned the television on, watching while preparing the dishes.

Having thought of his family background, although down to earth, after staying so long in the military, she wondered if he typically cooked for himself or ate at the military canteen. But seeing the fridge was very empty, and based on his personality, perhaps he really never cooked. From now on, she would take great care of his appetite…

While she was thinking, she heard a familiar word was coming out of the television, “New Bori.”

Putting down the ingredients, she looked up at the TV.

It was still on the same Lin City Economy Channel they watched yesterday. At the moment, it was showing live business news.

Lin Qian froze.

The television displayed a live news conference. Many renowned figures in the industry were sitting at the front of the room. Lin Qian recognized them, as they were all the important leaders from New Bori and Zhu’s Consortium.

In the middle was Ning Weikai, in a tailored black suit, looking up at the camera with a smile, very handsome, “This product, is the strategic focus for New Bori this year…”

The voice from an unseen male host was deep and clear, very gentle. But for Lin Qian, it was like the sound of a thunder, every word was loud and explosive in her ears.

“This morning at 11 o’clock, New Bori is officially launching their urban sports utility bag brand, Sha Ying.

The concept of the urban sports utility bag was first created by Aida a few months ago, and its subsidiary brand, Aito had achieved an amazing market performance. The competition in the suitcase and bag industry had always been tough. With New Bori, the leader in the industry, entering this new space, it was not hard to imagine that Aito’s situation of outshining the rest, would obviously be altered from now on…

According to the conference, Sha Ying hadn’t been released to the market yet, but New Bori had already invested hundreds of millions of dollars in this venture. An inside source stated that the famous technology fabric company from Taiwan, Mind, despite previously having a close business partnership with Aida, was very likely to become Sha Ying’s Strategic Partner Supplier…”

Chapter 54

It was afternoon and the sun was blazing overhead. Moreover, it was the outskirts of the city and there was little traffic on the road. There were only the trees by the roadside shining under the sunlight.

Lin Qian stood by the pavement for quite a while before she managed to hail a cab. Of course, her destination was Aida Organization. The moment she entered the taxi, she called Li Zhicheng.

The line was busy.

Knowing he would be under great pressure, she decided not to call again. After such a big announcement, it was not a surprise that he would be swamped with calls.

The cab travelled very quickly on the road. The window was open and wind flooded in. Lin Qian’s feelings were like the wind, pounding and unstable.

The news that she had just watched floated in her mind once again, with Ning Weikai’s demeanor full of confidence, and the several key words: “industry leader”, “hundreds of millions in investments”, “intense competition”… all automatically flowing into her brain.

Her phone was filled with news related to the Sha Ying brand, which had already flooded the internet. Pages and pages of introductions of its features, advertising measures that had covered all grounds, and just looking at it made one tremble in fear.

“Ultra-light”, “ultra-strong”, “water-resistant”, “dirt withstanding”, “designed by the world’s top designer, Jason Wu”, “a whole line of the hottest stars and tens of millions spent on endorsements”, “570 department stores nationwide jointly promoting”…

The rumors regarding “Mind jumping ship” were spreading more and more intensely, such that truths and rumors were no longer distinguishable.

Thinking about these b*stard things, Lin Qian’s fingers just anxiously tapped at the car window to the point that the driver also asked anxiously, “Girl, what has made you so anxious?”

Lin Qian did not say a word in response.

She could still feel a dull ache in her back and legs. Her mind was racing between thoughts of the passionate two days spent with Li Zhicheng, and that their competitor had launched a strong counter-attack. She had no idea how bad the situation was. This made her even more anxious.

Very quickly, Lin Qian’s phone was flooded with calls.

The calls were endless and there were even more messages. In an instant, 50 messages had come in, and opening them, almost all were from the subordinates and close affiliates of the company, asking her what had happened and whether Mind had really jumped ship.

Lin Qian decided not to check anymore.

The phone calls were in the same vein. At such times, the frontline resources were all as anxious as she was. Lin Qian was able to stay composed when dealing with them, reassuring them with a few gentle words and expressing that the organization’s general headquarters would definitely have a countermeasure in place for them to stably continue existing sales. They need not be afraid of New Bori.

However, not being afraid was a lie. New Bori was the leader of the industry, and with their clear and direct challenge to Aida, who wouldn’t be scared? Each and every person who called her had their hearts laden with anxiety.

After a time, Lin Qian simply stopped picking up calls. She silenced her phone to vibration mode and put it in her pocket, lifting her head to look forward.

Not long after, she arrived at the organization’s general headquarters.

The main entrance was still a peaceful scene. Gao Lang and a few other security personnel were seated in the security pavilion, and seeing her walk toward them, they joyfully smiled at her till their eyes were squinting. Lin Qian felt as though a huge stone was pressing onto her chest but still maintained her usual expression and smiled at them, before taking swift strides in.

When she arrived at the top floor, she knew that she wasn’t the only anxious one. To the right of the reception counter of the executive floor, there was a large reception room. At this moment, it was completely filled with people and there were even several people who could not squeeze inside and were standing by the door. Xue Mingtao had brought several of Vinda’s managers. Also, some of the mid-tier staff from the general headquarters had rushed over.

The moment Lin Qian arrived, she was ushered to the reception room by the administrative secretary at the reception counter, “Manager Lin, you can sit here and wait a while as well. Currently, President Li and some other executives are having a conference call meeting with the Chairman.”

Lin Qian nodded her head. Such a executive meeting was not something that she could participate in. Although she desperately wanted to see Li Zhicheng, at such a time, she definitely could not cause trouble.

Her phone was still vibrating non-stop and she turned the phone off. The important people had already rushed over to this place. She greeted Xue Mingtao and some others, and everyone’s face was solemn and serious. They were sitting in the nicely renovated reception room that looked like a luxurious palace and drinking good tea that was served by the administration secretary, but nobody could taste its flavor.

Some people were smoking, some people were silent and others were drinking while scolding New Bori: plagiarizing Aida’s concept and engaging in low-handed means of competition. However, the question everyone was most concerned about was whether or not Mind was really planning to break their contract, becoming New Bori’s weapon to take down Aida?

For now, no one knew.

The reception room was in uproar from start to end. The atmosphere was stuffy and stifling. Lin Qian did not say much and sat on a sofa in a corner, thinking about Li Zhicheng. Her heart was so perplexed, it was as if weeds were growing through it.

No one in the room anticipated that they would end up waiting the whole afternoon. Separated by a wide corridor, the executive meeting room on the opposite side still had its door firmly shut, with no hints of movement.

At dusk, Jiang Yuan came out from the meeting room and came over to pass out orders.

Lin Qian and everyone else stood up.

She had to say, Jiang Yuan was really Li Zhicheng’s chosen man. Even at such a critical point in time, he still maintained his usual gentle smiling appearance. Slowly looking around the room, he said, “President Li wants to get everyone to go back to their homes. Several executives and the Chairman still have things to discuss to produce a solution. Everything that has to be said will be left till tomorrow during work.”

Li Zhicheng had always been held in high regard and with Jiang Yuan saying this, most were nodding their heads and standing up to leave. However, there were a few anxious individuals who approached Jiang Yuan and asked, “Exactly what do you plan to do about this issue? Everybody who gathered here are also very anxious.”

The moment those words were said, everyone, including Lin Qian, turned to look.

Jian Yuan simply smiled, “President Li said that the method used must be flexible.”

Thus, the people did not say anymore, nodded their heads and were convinced to walk out of the meeting room. Lin Qian could almost imagine the way Li Zhicheng had said it, his eyebrows relaxed and his gaze deep and piercing. But those words had indeed made her heart stabilize a lot more. Thinking about the way he gently loved her for the past couple of days, she couldn’t help but feel a wave of palpitation in her heart.

She purposely dawdled until the end and indeed, Jiang Yuan stood on the spot and did not leave. Waiting for her to pass by him, he said in a low voice, “Manager Lin, President Li wanted me to relay that he will be going to Shenzhen with Vice-president Gu to talk to President Wang and will only be back in two or three days.”

Lin Qian said, “Thank you.” Even though she was filled with uncertainty about the potential of Mind jumping ship, now was obviously not the right time to ask.

After Jiang Yuan had finished relaying what he had to say, he turned and left, returning to the meeting room. Lin Qian slowly walked over to the lift and fell deep in thought. Because there were quite a lot of people, the lift had already gone down once. The remaining people left behind were coincidentally Xue Mingtao and a few other people from Vinda. Lin Qian just stood together with them.

With a “ding”, the lift arrived.

Everyone was burning with impatience and did not care to be courteous, with everyone squeezing their way into the lift. Lin Qian remained at her spot until the end. Just as she wanted to enter, she suddenly heard the sound of a door coming from behind her. Subconsciously, she turned her head around and saw that the door of the executive meeting room had just been pushed open. Li Zhicheng was the first to exit, Gu Yanzhi following right behind, as well as Liu Tong, Jiang Yuan and the others. Li Zhicheng’s expression was still as water. He still wore the clothes that Lin Qian had picked out for him that morning. He normally wore a white shirt but today, Lin Qian insisted on him wearing a black one. At this moment, the black shirt with his suit and without a tie, his entire person looked cold, handsome and of large stature. His looks were brought out by the shirt to be particularly eye-catching … eye-catching yet cold.

Just then, a few executives had dispersed to return to their own offices, while he and Gu Yanzhi were walking towards the CEO’s office. As if he had noticed something, when he reached the door, he turned around and looked over to the lift.

Lin Qian’s eyes met with him in mid-air. The feelings in the depths of their eyes were indistinguishable as the two were too far apart. However, Lin Qian’s heartstrings quivered slightly. Even with such a faraway glance, she also felt some reassurance.

At the same time, she also felt her heart ache and a deep worry for him.

The lift doors closed slowly, blocking her line of sight. Meanwhile, Li Zhicheng who was in the distance had also turned his body to walk into the office.

The lift went down slowly.

Surrounding her were all her most familiar colleagues that had a tacit understanding between them, and no one said a word in those moments. Lin Qian thought about what Li Zhicheng had told her before:

For such things, I will write three pieces, and this is the second piece…

If anything happens in the future, don’t be scared…

Was the current situation all within his calculations after all?

She was unable to ascertain that, because this wasn’t a small situation. New Bori had given its all in attacking them, and additionally, Mind was now wavering in its position. Li Zhicheng had even mentioned that Mind would not change its stance. With the way things were developing, it was very possible that things had already exceeded his expectations!

Just then, Xue Mingtao’s phone rang. He picked it up, and hurriedly said two sentences, before hanging up. He raised his head to look at everyone.

“At four in the afternoon, New Bori’s Sha Ying officially launched their first batch of products.” There was a sharp glint in his eyes, “I’ve sent people to get their hands on two pieces.”

At this moment, including Lin Qian, everyone who was in the lift had their eyes light up.

“Immediately send one piece over to President Li,” he said, “The other piece will be brought back to our office and must be analyzed right away!”

“Alright!” Almost everyone responded in unison.

Eight o’clock at night.

Lin Qian, Xue Mingtao and the others were seated in Vinda’s meeting room.

A brand-new black backpack was placed in the middle of a round table. The logo of the bag was very obvious, an abstract eagle spreading its wings was on the top right corner, similar to many of the top European and American brands like ARC’TERYX, Salewa, Black Yak and had the same high-end feel.

For a short period, there was not a single person in the room who spoke. The staff from the technology department had just thoroughly studied it, analyzing the bag’s qualities and data.

The fabric was very similar to what Aida used in their products, but whether or not it was Mind still required further testing.

However, just based on its other aspects, it was already enough to make everyone speechless.

Lin Qian had always thought that Aito was a product that had achieved excellence.

It was not the most expensive product in the market, and neither was it the most popular product that consumers were after.

But it was definitely the first product in history to match up ideally with the aspirations and hopes of an entrepreneur, one that was most able to touch the hearts of people, and had become a leading product in the market.

It was the fruit of all the effort and intelligence from both Li Zhicheng and her, along with every single staff from Aida, the company which had gone through such long periods of obstacles yet remained resilient. It was the hope that could fulfill their ambitions to reach the pinnacle of their industry.

Lin Qian had previously thought that it was such a strong product, they need not be afraid of New Bori’s launch of an attack on them. Ning Weikai could potentially invest more in the market advertising, tap connections that Aida could never reach, or even riskfunds just to defeat Aito… But Lin Qian was very sure of one thing, and that was even if New Bori were to make a copy, their new products would never be as stellar as Aito’s. Even if they wanted to fight, Aito could also respond in kind.

Why? Because in the days that they had devoted themselves so deeply to their work, the staff of Aida had looked into every small detail and ensured its intricacy. Only then did they fulfil Li Zhicheng’s requirement for the “perfect longbow”, casting a market miracle as a result of the past few months.

Hence, Lin Qian was so confident, completely and utterly confident. Her confidence in Aito was as strong as steel.

However, at this moment, looking at the authentic piece of Sha Ying’s product, her steel-like confidence was shattered in an instant.

Sha Ying was actually more outstanding than Aito. Ignoring the marketing tactics and brand name, all aspects of Sha Ying’s quality and character, essentially the bag itself, had actually surpassed Aito overall! And within such a similar price range!

An experienced technician presented his analysis and sighed, “Its weight is 750 grams, lighter than Aito’s 803 grams; its capacity is 35 liters, greater than Aito’s 30 litres; its weight tolerance is also better… Water-resistance, fast-drying and tolerance against dirt have all performed better… Moreover, they’ve also used the YTT zip technology, NK wear-resistant technology…”

Lin Qian and the others grew even more silent. The technologies that were mentioned were known by people in the trade as the newest development in the European outdoor brands (a patented technology). They were so new that local enterprises that specializing in outdoor products had yet to successfully bring them into the market.

No one had anticipated that New Bori had long taken secret actions and used them in the production of Sha Ying.

The technician continued, stating, “As for the exterior…” He had not finished. He didn’t need to. Everyone in the room knew the reputation of Jason Wu, a top designer from America. Even Lin Qian was an avid follower of his. Although beauty is in the eye of the beholder and is subjective, based on Lin Qian’s perspective, this style of bag was clean and modern, with a certain unique beauty to it.

This kind of beauty was not something that the Aito product, which was a result of the blood, sweat and tears of the exterior designers of Aito, could compete with.

That night after Lin Qian had left the office, she did not return to her own home, but continued to wait in Li Zhicheng’s townhouse.

Since she did not know specifically when he would be coming back, she wanted to wait in his home until his return.

The night fell quiet and lonely as she sat under the empty grape frame, looking at the surface of the dark lake and trees, and there was only one feeling within her, a feeling of sadness.

Regardless of whether Li Zhicheng’s had expected these moves by New Bori, regardless of whether they would be able to counterattack in the future, thinking of Sha Ying and Aito now just made her upset.

The most depressing event is when one puts in all their effort to succeed, and at an unexpected moment, realizing someone has surpassed you. All your hard work had ultimately gone to waste.

You thought that you were outstanding enough to resist any attack: diligent, intelligent, dedicated. Why would you not expect to succeed?

But there was bound to be someone who was smarter than you, more outstanding than you, and even possibly with more determination. Lin Qian had to admit New Bori had indeed come up with an even more perfect product than Aito, and had does so in a shorter amount of time. If they didn’t give it their all and put in their blood, sweat and tears, it would have been an impossible feat.

Lin Qian had always prided herself in being the most outstanding talent in the industry, and she had always thought that New Bori’s market advantage was not due to them having outstanding talents and enterprise, but rather because of the support from Zhushi, which had immense wealth.

Now, she realized, Ning Weikai and his team were truly more gifted than she thought.

They were indeed worthy of their title as the industry champion. In comparison, the Aida team was still lagging behind by an considerable distance, and were, perhaps, simply not a match for New Bori.

And the result of such a large gap, was, by looking at the product itself, Aito… had already been defeated.

Lin Qian stayed silent for a long time, finally lifting her head to look at the vast night sky.

By now, Li Zhicheng should have arrived in Shenzhen.

Regardless of how he chose to proceed thereafter, he would have already recognized that Aito had a high possibility of being short-lived, being defeated completely in this market battle.

Li Zhicheng, what’s on your mind right now?

Two days later.

Early that morning, Ning Weikai went to Zhushi headquarters for a meeting.

The moment he entered the meeting room, he felt multiple gazes whizzing by and landing on him. Some were of envy, some were of respect, some were of jealousy, some remained calm and collected.

Ning Weikai smiled slightly, walked over to be next to the oldest son of the Zhu family and sat down on his own seat.

Having competed in the commercial world for so many years, he of course knew that in the most successful times, one had to be even more careful and low-key in order to avoid making enemies. However, he had to admit, looking at the brothers from forcing a fake smile made his heart feel swell with pride.

The operations management department reported on the results and dates of the individual companies and divisions as usual. Sha Ying, which had only been on the market for two days had set a scary sales record that even Ning Weikai himself did not expect.

Their sales were three times that of Aito!

Ning Weikai could almost predict the flopping market that Aito was about to face. No matter if Li Zhicheng had any follow-up plans, Ning Weikai could be sure that Sha Ying was so outstanding that it had exceeded everyone’s expectations.

Now, it was Li Zhicheng’s turn to take a blow.

Through a full morning of meetings at Zhushi headquarters, Ning Weikai had been in a very good mood. Similarly, in a good mood were Yuan Jun and the other core people of the company, as well as the entire newly-formed Sha Ying department.

After returning to his office, Ning Weikai first told Yuan Jun, “Notify the human resource department to distribute the bonus for the Sha Ying division ahead of time. Other than that, take my share of the bonus and distribute it amongst them.”

Yuan Jun said, “You sure? Is this really ok?”

Ning Weikai arrogantly waved him off, “Just do what I ask. They have done so well. As their boss, what’s there for me to be stingy?”

Yuan Jun smiled and nodded his head.

Just then, an executive that was in charge of sales walked in, his face grim, “President, Li Zhicheng has gone to Shenzhen and after Wang Taishi signed the agreement with us. He is now also in Shenzhen.”

Ning Weikai had predicted this. He nodded his head and gave the order, “Watch them closely.”

Looking at him remain so calm, the executive and Yuan Jun did not say more and retreated back out.

Ning Weikai sat in silence for a moment and retrieved a document from his drawer. He walked to the window and dug one hand into his pants pocket, serenely lowering his head.

It was half a month ago when New Bori signed a collaboration agreement with Mind.

According to the contents of the agreement, Mind would break their contract with Aida that month and New Bori would compensate them three times of the contract break penalty. Meanwhile, Mind’s yearly production had to be dedicated to satisfying the purchasing requirements of New Bori to ensure it could supply its goods to other enterprises.

Securing this agreement had not been easy. The old fogey, Wang Taishi, was extremely stubborn, cold and proud. However, there were many methods in this world to cause someone to relent, because everyone has an Achilles heel. Wang Taishi was perhaps a man that was relatively free of weaknesses, but he still had family. What about his wife, son and daughter? The two sales managers that Ning Weikai deployed were experts at manipulating human nature and benefits.

Moreover, Ning Weikai had always thought that in the commercial world, nobody would be unwavering or not tempted by opportunities. If they were not swayed, it was simply because the benefits were not good enough.

Between manipulating his weaknesses, he had also given Wang Taishi sufficient temptation to whet his appetite. Finally, the deal had been pushed through.

At this moment, Wang Taishi should have already come clean with Li Zhicheng.

He lifted his head, looking at the blue sky out the window, and he suddenly felt down, and also a bit of defiant indifference. He called Yuan Jun, “Prepare the car, I would like to go out. There’s no need for you to follow.”

Where should he go? At first, Ning Weikai simply wanted to go out and get a breath of fresh air, but unknowingly, he drove and ended up at New Bori’s flagship store on Spring Street.

He sat in the car and looked at the surging crowds at the doors. Many customers could not even squeeze their way in, which made his heart so, so joyful.

New Bori was his entire blood, sweat and tears. It was Zhushi’s, but also his.

After watching for a while, his gaze was caught by a girl standing on the corner of the street.

She was dressed in casual attire, a cap on her head, with both hands in her pockets, standing on the opposite side of the road and silently looking at New Bori’s flagship store. That expression… cannot be described as sadness, but rather a loss of what to do in the midst of frustration. Her usual intelligent and bright demeanor was nowhere to be seen, appearing to be rather pitiful.

Ning Weikai looked at her for a while before pushing open the car door and walking over.

“Zero dollars.” He walked to her side and looked at her while smiling.

Chapter 55

Lin Qian’s goal when she left that morning was to conduct field observations at New Bori’s flagship store.

It was frustrating to see that Sha Ying was selling like hotcakes.

As she was watching, she naturally got upset and enraged. Who would have expected at that moment, a gentle and clear voice would ring beside her ear, “Zero dollars.”

What Lin Qian first saw under the bright sunlight was the man’s long shadow cast next to her feet.

Tsk, such a small world.

Lin Qian turned her head to him, her face beaming, “Mr. Ning, what a coincidence.”

Ning Weikai was calm today after all, smiling and teasing her, “It is not a coincidence, I deliberately followed you.”

This statement made Lin Qian’s facial expression freeze slightly. But her ability to read the atmosphere was not to be scoffed at. After carefully sizing up Ning Weikai’s expression, she concluded that he was joking.

She laughed along, “You must be bored out of your mind then.”

The interactions among human beings are quite interesting and strange. With some people, you naturally would be straight-faced and properly mannered; while with others, you just couldn’t help but be bickering. Even having drifted apart after so many years, even though Ning Weikai had been in higher position of authority and was no longer a brat like he used to be, after this brief exchange, they fell into their old rhythm.

Her sharp tongue made Ning Weikai chuckle. He extended his hand to pat her head, “Come, let us go grab a drink.” Lin Qian didn’t fancy having any form of physical contact with him, so she quickly tilted her head to avoid his hand.

As for going for tea, she wanted to go. She saw Sha Ying as a thorn in her eye, and upon meeting Sha Ying’s leader, how could she not take to opportunity to inquire a bit?

She nodded gladly. The two of them, each with their own axe to grind, slowly walked into a coffee house around the corner.

The story of Lin Qian and Ning Weikai could be traced back seven years. She had been in her Sophomore year; Ning Weikai had been in his Senior year.

At that time, what kind of man was Ning Weikai? Even though he was of humble origins, he was outstanding. He was handsome, gentle, kind, humorous and suave. He graduated at the top of his class from business school and had been recruited as a management trainee by a company on the Fortune 500 list prior graduated. He had everything that a male university student could ask for.

At the time, Lin Qian was participating in a business simulation competition where she got to know Ning Weikai and share a common group of friends. However, at that time she was more carefree, joining clubs and events at every opportunity. She only viewed Ning Weikai as a friend.

Then Ning Weikai confessed to her. He had his ways of courtship, not as forceful as Li Zhicheng, instead he was extremely tender and caring. Every morning, he would buy Lin Qian breakfast, take her to class, spend time studying with her in the afternoon, and get her water and buy her fruit at night.

He even wrote her love letters. His was a talented writer, no woman could remain unswayed after reading his sincere and tender words.

Lin Qian was touched too. At that age, Ning Weikai fulfilled all the requirements of a perfect boyfriend. Even though prior this Lin Qian said that they were just friends, she actually did have feelings for him.

As for him being poor? Lin Qian didn’t care about this at all.

After being courted by Ning for more than a month, the two began dating. The first week they were together was quite sweet. The two had mutual hobbies; both of them liked to do things out of the box, and they were truly happy being together every day.

Because Lin Qian had always been very easy to get along, she was liked a lot by her friends, and even Ning Weikai could not compared to her popularity. After only dating for half a month, someone secretly came to tell Lin Qian, “Zero dollars, yesterday night, your Ning Weikai hung out with a bunch of people. It is said that he made out with a girl.”

Lin Qian was shocked. But she knew Ning Weikai was eloquent and could find excuses or “proper explanations” to persuade her that he was not at fault, so she was cautious and didn’t confront him; instead she first asked around and coaxed the truth out of other people who were there.

The truth was… they really did kiss. The girl was a pretty, second-generation heiress who had long admired Ning Weikai. That night they were playing truth-or-dare, but their intimacy went well beyond the requirements of the game. It was not certain whether the girl had set him up.

The next day when she broke up with him, Ning Weikai tried to make her stay. He grabbed on to her and tried to prevent her from leaving; she has never seen his sullen expression before, “Zero dollars, that day I was tipsy, and we were only fooling around. I swear that I never contacted her again after that. Please don’t be so cruel, don’t tear us apart.”

Lin Qian brushed off his hand and left.

She subsequently heard vague rumors that Ning Weikai was depressed for quite a while. But she didn’t believe nor respond to it.

As she predicted, after two months, Ning Weikai and that pretty heiress ended up together. They were a good pair in the eyes of others.

Long after, when Lin Qian’s anger had subsided, she found she was not overly heartbroken. Therefore when they saw each other in public or at dinner with friends, they would still greet each other. But it was as though Ning Weikai had ingested gunpowder. He would always bring up the topic to be biting with her. Naturally she did not yield an inch, and responded in kind.

A few years passed. Finally there was news that Ning Weikai had married the renowned Zhu Hanyu, not that pretty girl from university.

Lin Qian’s feelings towards Ning Weikai were those of a melodramatic first love. He had the intellect and looks that every man desired, yet he also had the typical bad habits of men. It was best for them to break up.

Every now and then when she was shifting through her old things, she would come across one of the love letters that Ning Weikai had written for her all those years ago, and she couldn’t help but laugh. Lines like “Since you were in your first year, when I saw you at the freshman ball, I was smitten”, or “I’m deeply fond of you, and was long before you knew”, even lines such as “Would you be willing to rent a place together, live off bread, and bear hardships together to build a future together?”

Hmph, these are all just the sweet words of men. Lies and deceptions.

It was noon. The coffee house sold light meals in addition to tea, so there were a lot of people inside. Ning Weikai guided Lin Qian with one hand; they found a table next to the window at the innermost end. He was even thoughtful enough to let her sit on the shady seat while he sat on the scorching seat directly facing the sunlight.

Noticing everything, Lin Qian commented, “You can pass for a gentleman?”

A smile slid across Ning Weikai’s face, “I have always been like that. You should have known.”

Lin Qian ignored him.

After casually ordering two cups of tea, the two sat facing each other in silence.

Ning Weikai broke into a smile first, “Are you very demotivated recently?”

Lin Qian wanted to scowl at him, but she held it in, replying flatly, “Still okay.”

Ning Weikai took a sip of coffee, raised his gaze and looked at her, “What do you think of ‘Sha Ying’?”

Lin Qian paused for a moment, answering: “Very good.”

“Oh?” Ning Weikai chuckled, “Compared to Aito?”

Lin Qian looked straight at him: “It’s better than Aito.”

Honestly speaking, when Ning Weikai saw her standing outside the flagship store, he thought she was in a bad mood, and therefore was sure to pick a fight.

He never thought that she would openly admit that Aito was not as good as Sha Ying.

He gave her a look, “So now would you admit that I win?”

Lin Qian nodded, “Yes, fair and square.”

Ning Weikai felt…flattered.

Such flattery was different from the praise that his subordinates would give. The satisfaction it brought was also different from the admiration of Zhu Hanyu.

Maybe it was because Zhu Hanyu didn’t really understand how remarkable he was for launching Sha Ying. But Lin Qian understood, because she was deeply affected by it, fair and square, however she wouldn’t give up, resulting in her feeling dejected.

Ha…

Seeing the smiles in the corner of his eyes, Lin Qian took the chance to say, “This time Aida has lost, I have no words to say. But what I want to know is how did you get Wang Taishi to change sides?” She stared intently at him, confused and unwilling, “Benefits? But now Aito is also developing very well, whatever benefits you can offer, we can match.”

Seeing her getting emotional, Ning Weikai put on a faint smile.

Lowering his head, he saw her fingers on the coffee cup, delicate and pale; she was holding it a little too hard, so the hand seemed almost frail.

A thought popped up in his head: after all these years, she is still so… pliable yet tough.

Very feminine, but pliable yet tough.

“Lin Qian,” he stared at her, speaking slowly. This time, his tone was not flirtatious. His temperament was cold and poised, as per usual for New Bori’s CEO.

“Has anyone told you that a woman like you is unsuitable for the business world?” he said. “Truly, you are intelligent, and talented. But you will never act against your conscience or in an immoral manner, am I right?”

Lin Qian stared at him and didn’t make a sound.

“But we will.” Ning Weikai said lightly, “Men in the business world will exhaust all options. Everyone knows that. You ask me about Wang Taishi? Yes, to “convince” him, my subordinate has spent a great deal of effort. But I only care about results. However, you…”

He raised his head to stare at her; his gaze was calm, but his tone was back to being flirtatious. “You should be with a man that knows how to appreciate you. Let him handle everything. You should stay at home, help your husband and teach your children. Don’t get involved in a mess like this.”

8:00 p.m.

Lin Qian was driving Li Zhicheng’s Land Rover back to his townhouse. She stopped at the entrance and began carrying boxes into the house.

These were all items from the house she had rented. Even though she had only been there for less than a year, and had been so busy, she still managed to add a substantial amount to the pile. Aside from three large pieces of luggage filled to the brim, there were also many miscellaneous items that she managed to stuff into a few small storage boxes. There were even uneaten bundles of noodles and half a sack of fragrant rice.

The moonlight shone brightly and the summer night was clear. There she was, slowly moving things into the house bit by bit. Thinking back to the conversation she had with Ning Weikai in the morning, she could only sigh.

Thinking again about Li Zhicheng, her heart was unsettled. One thing she could be sure of was that the betrayal of Wang Taishi was not something Li Zhicheng had expected.

Li Zhicheng, Li Zhicheng. Just thinking his name made her heart feel like it was tied up in knots. She thought about him day and night.

After Li Zhicheng, Gu Yanzhi and the rest got off the plane, they each went home, after agreeing to have a meeting at the company tomorrow to further discuss.

The driver Xiaotang drove the car to the Li Zhicheng’s driveway, the heavy scent of flowers wafting; Li Zhicheng who was sitting in the back seat suddenly said, “Wait.”

The car gradually stopped.

Li Zhicheng raised his head, looking at his house. The lights were on, his Land Rover was parked at the front door with the trunk and the back doors opened.

He opened the door and got out, “You can go home now.”

Xiaotang didn’t ask much. He nodded, then turned around and left.

The weather was hot. Li Zhicheng was still in his shirt and slacks with his tie pulled up; his coat was nicely folded, hanging on his arm. He put his hands in his pockets, stood beside the shrubs a few meters away and watched silently.

After a few seconds, Lin Qian walked out. She was wearing a T-shirt, a pair of jeans and had her hair in a ponytail, briskly walking to the car and taking out a bag from the back seat.

Li Zhicheng felt that the bag was really not that big, but Lin Qian lifted it, weighed it in her hand, apparently thought that it was light enough, then slowly turned around and moved the bag into the house.

Through all this, her eyes stared at the ground. She was clearly deep in thought.

Even with as a large person as Li Zhicheng standing a few meters away from her, she had not noticed and went into the house again.

Li Zhicheng was not in a rush to greet her. Instead he went over to the car and looked inside. He saw the back seat was piled with paper boxes, oxford cloth storage containers, and a few bundles of books. He looked into the trunk and saw two huge pieces of luggage.

Li Zhicheng looked at those things; he couldn’t help but laugh a bit. When he turned his head again, he saw Lin Qian was standing at the door, blankly staring at him.

“Why didn’t you wait for me to get back before moving your stuff?” he asked.

Lin Qian didn’t say a word. She walked towards him slowly and raised her head to stare at him. Li Zhicheng pulled her into an embrace, conveniently pressing her against the car door and lowered his face to kiss her.

This kiss was deep and dominant as usual; Lin Qian instantly felt weak in her knees. Her heart melted too.

“Did you miss me?” he whispered in her ear.

During the two days when he was away, Lin Qian had been silently suppressing and brewing her worries and grievances. But right now she saw his expression was calm as usual; as though his departure was just a normal business trip. Lin Qian felt even more unsettled, but she didn’t question him. She grabbed on to his shirt, nodding, “Hmm. I miss you. Do you miss me?”

Li Zhicheng didn’t answer directly; he stared at her with his dark gaze, saying, “You will know.”

Those provocative words made Lin Qian’s heart skip a beat; she lifted her gaze to look at his face again. But he remained expressionless so she couldn’t read him.

Meanwhile, Li Zhicheng held her hand; looking at all the luggage that packed the car, he asked, “At the speed you were moving, how late were you planning to carry all this?”

Lin Qian was a little embarrassed, answering, “I am free anyway. I can slowly move them.”

Li Zhicheng planted a kiss on her forehead; tossing his coat to her, he rolled up his sleeves and said, “Go in and make tea for me.”

Lin Qian nodded and entered the house obediently. In the end, when she came back after brewing the tea, she saw Li Zhicheng standing in the living room. The two big suitcases had already been moved into the house, together with all the other paper boxes. They were neatly arranged in the vestibule.

Lin Qian was shocked. So fast!

She passed the tea to him. Li Zhicheng’s forehead was covered with a thin layer of sweat; he took the tea and drank it all in one gulp. Then his gaze paused on another pile of her belongings messily stacked in the foyer, and asked, “How did you move these in?”

Those things weighed quite a bit too. Lin Qian replied sheepishly, “Before you came back, I only made about ten trips or so…”

Fine. I know our athletic capabilities vary dramatically … you don’t have to mock me.

She took away the cup in his hand. As she was about to leave the room, she felt something tighten around her waist. He hugged her tightly from behind. His body was hot, burning her back and her waist.

“What are you doing?” she turned her head and asked.

Li Zhicheng didn’t make a sound, instead he dipped his head to nibble on her neck. He only let her go when her whole body was quivering from his attention. He ordered, “Go shower first. Wait for me.”

Lin Qian walked away, restless and deep in thought. Meanwhile, Li Zhicheng moved everything from the car into the house. Finally, when he looked at the floor packed with her possessions, the image of her moving everything alone popped into his mind.

This woman. A few days ago, she was still reluctant to move in with him.

Now, while everyone outside thought that he was tumbling like a landslide after being defeated, she ended up moving in without warning.

Moving silently, alone.

This is his woman.

Lin Qian finished bathing and went downstairs; she saw Li Zhicheng sitting on the sofa, watching news on the TV.

She sat down beside him, watching the news together in silence.

As usual, it was the Lin City’s economic channel and the news was focused on the suitcase industry. The main topic was none other than Sha Ying. A commercial appeared featuring an endorsement of Sha Ying by an A-list celebrity. This commercial had reached over one hundred million views on the internet. The slogan was: “Ultra-light, ultra-strong, more tough, more perfect!”

Lin Qian was in a dilemma.

Before this she was on a high and told Li Zhicheng that she wouldn’t read his masterplan. But now that the situation had evolved to this stage; the rest of the world had turned upside down, so even though she seemed calm now, she was actually frantic with worry.

I want to read it…

But I can’t…

She felt torn, but in the end she decided to remain silent. However, she couldn’t help but took a peek at him. Surprising her, Li Zhicheng, who seemed so focused on the television, reacted quickly by glancing sideway and caught her peeking at him.

Their eyes met; Lin Qian lightly bit her lower lip. She didn’t say anything.

But he seemed to have understood all her thoughts, and slowly smiled. His hand reached out to grab Lin Qian, and pulled her into his lap; he lowered his head to stare at her, “You are quite good at holding your emotions in.”

Lin Qian snorted after he read her mind. She lazily lay on his lap in silence.

But Li Zhicheng hugged her and lifted her up, sitting her on his lap. He made her open her legs wide and sit directly on his waist. Then he clutched her waist, and raised his head to look at her.

This position was too intimate and sensual; no matter how many times they had made love, Lin Qian could still feel her face redden. She lowered her head, drawing circles on his neck using her fingers. Suddenly, she grasped his neck to vent out her frustration.

“Mind jumped ship,” she muttered.

“It’s fake,” Li Zhicheng answered crisply.

Lin Qian quickly raised her head, “But…” Ning Weikai had said with such certainty, as though he had indeed gone through many hardships in order to get Wang Taishi on his side.

Li Zhicheng understood what she was about to say; a sneer flashed past his eyes, and he said, “If we didn’t make it seem real, how would Ning Weikai be deceived? ”

Lin Qian’s heart was thumping. She pressed him further, “But Aito’s share of the market was snatched by Sha Ying.”

Li Zhicheng, “It’s all part of the plan.”

Now Lin Qian was completely speechless.

Li Zhicheng hugged her tighter. Their faces were almost touching; his dark gaze fixed on her, “I sent you a message before I left. Didn’t you read it?”

Lin Qian’s brain was a mess. Happiness, shock, disbelief, confusion… she took out her phone without thinking much, saying, “The other day there were too many messages, so I just ignored them all.”

The two looked at the phone in her hand together. Lin Qian’s pulse was racing as she scrolled through quickly. After scrolling a few pages, suddenly she saw a familiar name, “Ning Weikai”. Eh, today this fellow sent a message to her too? Lin Qian acted before her brain could respond, quickly skipping the message. She peeked at him, and seeing him unperturbed, wondered if he had noticed the name on that message.

Continue scrolling.

Finally she found his message. It was sent to her on the night he left for Shenzhen. Lin Qian was startled as soon as she saw the first line. It was…

“Things that seem fake are real, things that seem real are fake.”

This was the trick up his sleeve. They had discussed this first trick before. At that time he asked her to use the name of Vinda’s marketing department to secretly research and develop Aito.

Did he text her immediately on that day because he was afraid that she might be worrying about it these last few days? She couldn’t believe that she didn’t see it. D*mn it.

Scrolling down, she was stunned again.

Because the following text continued…”Give the enemy something to induce him to lose more valuable things; Give in order to take. Attain the goal with someone else’s labor and money; Advance secretly by an unknown path. Turn the enemy’s battery against himself. Sudden emerge of new force, killing three birds with one stone.”

Chapter 56

Across the strait in Taiwan, the atmosphere at Mind Enterprise was tense and concerned.

Wang Taishi was an eccentric man. Although output of his factory had previously not been exceptional, he was very generous towards those he led. Everyone knew that even though he was stubborn, he was a good boss.

Recently, however, the workers had been avoiding him. His facial expression was just too terrible.

Order forms poured in, sales volume leaped tenfold, possible a hundredfold. A new plant was under construction day and night. When they couldn’t build new factories fast enough, they compensated by buying other facilities in Taiwan to increase production. The media pushed Mind Enterprise to the top of public’s awareness, making them the new darling of Taiwan’s business community.

At the same time a great clamor arose around the rumors that Mind had broken their contract with Aida and partnered with New Bori.

Some said that Wang Taishi was blinded by fame and profit; some said he was merely making a wiser choice.

There were even rumors that Wang Taishi was compelled to join New Bori because his son, and investment banker, was caught in a workplace scandal. Perhaps New Bori exploited this, threatening him.

The veteran employees of Mind did not believe that this man could be bribed. They were more inclined to believe the last rumor that Wang Taishi was compliant because he wanted to keep his son out of jail.

Ten days ago, they had seen Wang Jr. make a trip to Mind. During this visit, he was scolded at by his father. The whole office could hear the raucous growl of the old man, even through the office door.

While it looked easy, riding on New Bori’s coattails, securing a contract with generous conditions, his loyal employees believed their leader was instead feeling sour.

Although their salaries continually increased, seeing their boss cooped up in his little house day in and day out, they could not help but feel concerned, even angry and indignant on his behalf.

At this moment, Wang Taishi was sitting as usual in his small cramped office. His secretary and assistant sitting outside did not dare enter and disturb him, leaving the old man to his own quiet space.

However, contrary to what other people imagined, he was not resentful at all, nor was he feeling guilty or upset.

He had a cup of tea in hand; the night breeze was blowing softly through the window. Wang Taishi was wearing a pair of fashionable wireless earbuds that Gu Yanzhi had given him. His hands were behind his back and he was swaying his head slightly, listening to Yue Opera.

A smile could be seen in the corners of his mouth.

On a wall a meter away, there was a large square landscape painting. It was a beautiful work, with birds and flowers throughout. This was also a gift he had recently received, from Li Zhicheng when he met him in Shenzhen. It was an authentic piece from the Qin Dynasty painter Yun Bing.

This fellow, he has always been full of surprises, be it in taking or giving.

Wang Taishi suddenly remembered the day that he first met Li Zhicheng.

He was such a young man with an extraordinary temperament, standing in front of the window, telling him, “Mr. Wang, let me have a controlling stake in Mind. I will make it the leader in Asia and among the top five global fabric manufacturers.”

Wang Taishi was stunned at the time. He sneered, “With you? With Aida?” adding on at the end, “With Mind?”

Why would a young man want to purchase a floundering fabric company with a doddering old man leading a staff of less than five-hundred employees?

Li Zhicheng put on a faint smile, and said, “It will definitely not be enough with just our efforts. We need to partner with New Bori, the number one company in China and top three throughout Asia in the industry.”

Thinking back to the thrilling, unexpected experience of these past few months, Wang Taishi could feel his heart reverberating with emotions.

The world said that he, Wang Taishi was fishing for fame, acting as if he was superior, and was ignorant of the circumstances. He was holding on to the patent for Mind, refusing to sell. He refused to sell shares of the fabric factory either. They didn’t understand. The Mind fabric, his brainchild, could definitely compete against those famous brands in Europe and the Americas. As such, he would rather hold on to Mind than to sell it to greedy and short-sighted manufacturers in the country.

Now, has the chance finally arrived?

His gaze was set on the beautiful landscape painting again. The flowers were exceptional in their beauty; the flying birds were vivid.

Maybe, in the hands of that man, Mind may succeed.

First in Asia, top five in the world. No one could be unmoved by such a dream.

That same night, Lin Qian was still sitting Li Zhicheng’s lap. After reading the message describing the plan, her emotions were in a frenzy. Although she wanted to inquire more, she didn’t know where to begin.

“Could it be that my brother investing fifty million into Mind…” She didn’t’ manage to finish her sentence, when Li Zhicheng reached out his hand and snatched her phone away.

Lin Qian panicked as she watched him furiously scrolling up the screen, scanning through the messages. She suddenly realized what he was doing and reached out to quickly wrestle it back, “Don’t invade my privacy!”

But resistance was futile. A Special Forces soldier and a normal woman competing in strength just served to display the tremendous gap between them. Li Zhicheng managed to wrestle and lock both of her hands with just one of his, rendering her helpless, while his other hand moved slightly to the edge of the couch, completely out of reach from her.

“You…..you brute!” Li Qian lowered her head to try and bite his hand that was like an iron clamp. Li Zhicheng didn’t budge, allowing her to gnaw away, his eyes remained silently glued to the screen of the phone. Lin Qian really wanted to bite him, but suddenly she couldn’t bring herself to do so. She could only pretend to open her mouth, only to later let go.

Looking at his neatly pressed shirt and his calm profile, then thinking back to the striking three characters “Ning Weikai” on the screen just now, Lin Qian was a little sheepish, yet a little satisfied as well. Are you jealous now? Are you jealous now? Serves you right for being dictatorial, for being enigmatic, humph humph humph…

But what did Ning Weikai send? Lin Qian was also quite curious to find out. Since Li Zhicheng had already found out, she nestled up in his embrace, lifted her head and read the message with him.

Li Zhicheng had found the message and opened it. Lin Qian quickly skimmed through it. The content was short:

“Are you free tomorrow? Want to go for a drink again?”

Lin Qian, “…”

Li Zhicheng chucked the phone onto the sofa, then lifted his head to look at her.

Lin Qian felt that she was misunderstood. The situation was innocent, but Ning Weikai’s text made it seem like something fishy was going on.

“Drink again?” Oh God, why did he have to spill that they had drank together recently?

Li Zhicheng, this man is so hard to deal with!

She remembered a few months ago when Li Zhicheng locked her in his car and had nearly kissed her to death. This was brought on by his knowledge that she’d previously been involved with Ning Weikai.

And now…

His stern face was incomprehensible. His dark pupils were like black holes; looking at them made her heart skip a beat.

She reached out and pinched the bridge of his nose, “Hello, I met him coincidentally when I went to check out New Bori’s flagship store this afternoon. I had a drink with him out of courtesy.” Eh, it feels good. She pinched his nose again.

Li Zhicheng didn’t say anything, still staring at her. His hands that were locked on her waist were burning her skin through the thin layer of cloth, making her ticklish and warm.

“Jealous?” She simply put her arms around his neck and quietly asked.

“Hmm…” He replied dryly.

Lin Qian laughed, rubbing her head against his neck, “Then how do you want me to reply? Do I go? Or do I not?”

Li Zhicheng flexed his hands, hugging her tighter. He forced her to lie on his chest and tilted her head back to look at him.

“What do you think?” He lowered his head to look at her, slowly asking.

Lin Qian burst into laughter, answering, “I will not reply.” She knew her limits with this kind of matter. It was best to ignore it for both professional and private reasons. Obviously those were Li Zhicheng’s thoughts as well. He glanced at her, flatly murmured “Hmm.” Just when Lin Qian was thinking: his jealousy today is tame…Li Zhicheng leaned in and kissed her passionately.

This kiss was voracious; she found it hard to even breathe. His hand was pressing hard against her back, restraining her from moving. Lin Qian felt desired and amused. Sensing the warmth from his cheek and the sweep of his tongue, her heart slowly melted. She grabbed on to the shirt on his chest, slightly panting, matching him.

He only moved his lips away when her every breath was filled with his scent. But he was still confining her in his arms; he lowered his head to stare at her.

Lin Qian was in a daze; her vision was blurry.

Then she heard his cooling voice slowly uttered, “Lin Qian, I will not take the initiative to plot against others.”

“… hmm?”

“But if someone dares to covet my woman, I will make him fail miserably.”

His tone was calm yet fierce. Lin Qian’s heart quivered, subconsciously staring at his indifferent gaze.

But he had already let go of her, sitting her on the sofa, with one arm still hugging her. He took a sip from the tea cup, changing the topic, “Your fifty million, along with some of my shares in Vinda, and all the cash, will be calculated at a discounted rate to purchase Mind’s shares. I have the controlling interest of 51 percent, you hold 20, and Wang Taishi holds 29.”

Lin Qian was stunned, forgetting all about Ning Weikai’s message.

She suddenly recalled the day on Mount Emei, Li Zhicheng said to her that the most perfect longbow in this market could only be made by the best enterprise. At that time she thought he was referring to Aida, but now she admitted, the best enterprise on the market was New Bori.

This was “give the enemy something to induce him to lose more valuable things; give, in order to take”? Li Zhicheng purposely threw Aito, this excellent market idea, this already well-built longbow in front of New Bori, luring them to build the perfect longbow, then…

“Attain the goal with someone else’s labor and money. Advance secretly by an unknown path.”

No matter how perfect Aito was, it would be challenged by New Bori, so Li Zhicheng’s target since the very beginning was the fabric market, not the suitcase market!

Li Zhicheng said, “Liquidated damages, New Bori’s enormous order, and other suitcase manufacturers in the country following the trend…” his finger slowly slid down her waist, “Just with this, our profit at the end of the year will exceed several hundred millions.”

Lin Qian gaped like a goldfish but no words came out.

Brother asked him to pay back two hundred million, but based on what he said, they would definitely make more two hundred millions!

This man… This man…

How ruthless.

At the corner of the side table was his wooden Go board and two jars of stones. Li Zhicheng, with still one arm around her waist, took out two black stones from the jar with his other hand.

“Vinda. Mind.” For every brand name he uttered, he placed a stone on the glass side table. His slender and powerful fingers held the shiny black stones. Such a simple action, but for some reason she felt like it was imbued with power that could sunder mountains and divert rivers.

“In my future blueprint, these two pieces are already in place.”

After he finished this sentence, he turned and looked at her. But Lin Qian could not describe how she was feeling. Shock, enlightenment, respect, admiration, and… bitterness.

A strong thought surged through her brain; In the end, Aito, which was the hard work and hopes of so many people was never his ultimate goal.

It was just a sacrifice.

He had planned to abandon it since the beginning, mercilessly.

Lin Qian moved her lips a little. She didn’t say anything. But even her slight change in expression could not hide from Li Zhicheng’s eyes. He looked at her silently. Suddenly, he lifted her up again and set her on his lap.

“What are you thinking about?” He stared at her while asking.

Lin Qian was sitting sideways in his embrace; her fingers lightly pressed against his chest. His intensity touched her heart, but she also felt a little resistant. It felt like his impeccable, overpowering aura was making her fall deeply for him, yet sometimes it made her… want to hide.

She was not in the mood, so she didn’t answer truthfully. She frowned slightly, giving an excuse, “I am thinking, even though you have controlled the fabric market, New Bori’s Sha Ying is still doing great. Ning Weikai will gain profit as well. Big profits.”

As she was posing this question, Lin Qian had had a rough guess in her mind, but she still felt unconvinced. Because the guess was too bold, too imaginative. It was his next trick: turn the enemy’s battery against himself.

Even in the very beginning, he said that the launch of the new brand was to plunder the two enormous markets of leisure bags and outdoor bags.

But now, Aito fell and Sha Ying rose. In all of mainland of China, the best “city utility bag” was New Bori’s; the best selling leisure bag and outdoor bag were New Bori’s as well.

He wanted New Bori’s new brand to kill off its own two older brands?

Seemingly wanting to verify her thoughts, Li Zhicheng said flatly, “I said before, only the best longbow can penetrate through the whole market. Now, New Bori had made the longbow.”

“But…” Lin Qian murmured, “Can we really kill off his two older brands? Even if Ning Weikai did not think about it now, won’t he think of it in the future? Plus, what’s the big deal even if we killed the brands?” New Bori would still make profit from those two brands!

This time, more than ever before, Li Zhicheng’s reply showed her exactly how shrewd he was. She also vividly remembered how bluntly Ning Weikai had said, “Men in the business world will exhaust all options to the utmost limit.”

Because Li Zhicheng said, “Once Ning Weikai took this step, what happens next is no longer in his control.

“Can he accurately estimate to what extent will Sha Ying plunder the market? Can he ensure the gains outweigh the losses?

“In the next two years, he will indeed make a lot of profit. But what about the future? New Bori is a large enterprise. Their leisure bag and outdoor bag brands in the past have invested huge sums of money and manpower into their marketing, operations and management processes. When Sha Ying outshines the others, these two areas will seriously hold him back. Not to mention…”

He took a glance at her; his gaze was certain, “Even if Ning Weikai has the remaining power to make a decision, I think he will choose Sha Ying.”

Lin Qian looked puzzled. He continued, “All the subsidiary companies of New Bori that are leading the market now have been established for quite some time. The shares are completely controlled by the Zhu family. But Sha Ying is freshly created by Ning Weikai, with his position and influence in Zhu’s now, he will naturally be the major stakeholder of Sha Ying. He might even be the controlling stakeholder…”

After listening to him, Lin Qian had mixed feelings.

That feeling was like following him to dance with him among the shaky clouds. He was spinning fast and steady, but she was already feeling dizzy and flurried.

The final thought that appeared in her mind was actually Ning Weikai’s words, “A woman like you is unsuitable for the business world.”

Keeping silent for a moment, she hopped off Li Zhicheng, saying, “I got it. I… need to digest all this. Continue with your work, I will head upstairs first.” After she finished talking, she ignored his dark and clear gaze, and galloped upstairs. She didn’t go to the bedroom, instead she went into the study and “whomp”, she shut the door.

Chapter 57

The night when summer just arrived was wonderful. The sky was littered with stars, and the night breeze carried the fragrance of flowers. Lin Qian stood by the window and could see that under the bare wooden frame, there were several grape seedlings growing in the wind; the small fruits were supported by large green leaves, making them look delicate and cute.

When would they be able to grow bigger and mature?

Lin Qian remained silent for a while by the window, then took out her phone and gave Lin Mochen a call.

They had not contacted each other for a rather long time. Ever since she began traveling on behalf of Aito, it was as if Lin Mochen had also disappeared without a trace.

Actually, whether or not she called made no difference. He was clear about what would happen next and just like Li Zhicheng, everything was within his control.

It was still morning at the other end of the line and his voice seemed to have a pleasant sunshine yet lazy quality to it, “Hello, Lin Qian.”

Lin Qian’s heart softened the moment she heard his voice. She said, “Brother, thank you.”

Lin Mochen paused for a while, before smilingly replying in a low voice, “You keep that part of the shares in your hands, understood?””Yup,” Lin Qian did not reject him this time.

Why did her brother reach a consensus with Li Zhicheng about this investment agreement back then? Lin Qian understood once she thought it through a little.

Monetary benefits were simply still secondary. More importantly, once she had Mind’s shares, her status was that of the third major shareholder. Looking at it in a certain light, she could be considered to be of the same level as Li Zhicheng and they no longer shared their previous relationship of a boss and his subordinate.

In his love for her, her brother had planned this path.

Taking it one step further, to Li Zhicheng, her having control of this part of the shares was not only of help to him, but could also serve as a restraint.

No wonder that day at Taiwan when Wang Taishi had met her for the first time, he said, “Mr Li prizes his business empire more than beautiful women.” It was not impossible to raise 50 million, but he actually gave her 20 percent of the shares.

Lin Qian said softly, “Brother, I never wanted and never will scheme against him.”

In response to these words from the bottom of her heart, Lin Mochen felt his heart ache, but refused to agree. He calmly answered, “That’s why you should let me be the one who is calculating with him.”

Lin Qian couldn’t help but to laugh again. The scene from that day at Mind floated in her thoughts, when Li Zhicheng had held her hand and in a soft voice, asked her to feel free to use all her intelligence and scheme on him.

She still remembered that from beginning to end, Li Zhicheng had no complaints about this agreement, maintaining an extremely unperturbed disposition.

That was what her brother set up for, then that was what Li Zhicheng agreed to.

She felt a wave of strong palpitations in her heart. That was the feeling that Li Zhicheng often brought her. She did not know when it started, but it was as if it had already permeated into her bones, causing her heart to be deeply touched by this man’s charm.

She asked, “Brother, now that you look again, has he qualified?”

Lin Mochen adopted his lofty stance once again, “I will conclude after further observation.”

After hanging up, Lin Qian stood quietly for a while and walked to the desk.

Li Zhicheng’s had good handwriting with a pen, but his brush calligraphy was even better. His words looked grand and had the style of a famous calligrapher. During his vacations, he would practice writing at home. At this moment, an inkstone and brush were placed at a corner of the desk.

Lin Qian did not know where the impulse had stemmed from, but she spread out a large piece of Xuan paper, ground a little ink and lifted the brush to start writing.

For someone who had never practiced calligraphy, the words that were written were a chore for people to look at. The first line of words she wrote was, “Things that seem fake are real, things that seem real are fake.”

When she had written to the third line “Attain the goal with someone else’s labor and money; Advance secretly by an unknown path”, the door to the study let out a “click” sound.

Li Zhicheng pushed open the door and entered.

Lin Qian lifted her head and looked at him without saying a word.

He had just showered, and changed into a black short sleeve T-shirt with a dark grey lounge pants below. His wet, short hair was pressed against his forehead, and he looked like a… small boy who had just come home after playing basketball.

But the aura radiating of his entire body was not like that. The deep eyes were quietly staring at her, and he walked towards her not too quickly yet not too slowly. As compared to those 30 to 40 year-old men that Lin Qian had seen before, he was even more calm and stable.

Lin Qian lowered her head and continued writing.

Her feelings were somewhat complicated. Just now in the living room, she had not run from his side on purpose.

But at that point… she just wanted to be alone for a while.

Li Zhicheng watched her lowered head without speaking. She was exceptionally focused on her writing. He slowly squatted beside her. Looking at those words, a hint of a smile appeared at his lips.

Lin Qian’s gaze was focused to the point of indifference, but her peripheral vision was following him. Hearing him laugh at her words, she suddenly felt embarrassed, saying to him a dejectedly, “I’m just writing for fun, is there anything wrong with that?”

Li Zhicheng did not answer and only stood quietly at one side, continuing to watch while rooted on the spot. This time, Lin Qian felt like she could not continue writing and after a few strokes, she found that her words were more sloppy with each stroke of the brush. Just as she wanted to put down the brush in anger, she unexpectedly felt a warmth at the back of her hand as his hand wrapped around hers from behind, making all five of her fingers lock around the brush once again.

Lin Qian stood without moving, and his other hand was supported against the desk, encircling her into his embrace. He lowered his head and said by her ear, “Try once more?”

“…Alright.”

Just like that, he hugged her gently, his fingers intertwined with hers and the brush was lifted to write the remaining words in the phrase, “Turn the enemy’s battery against himself…”

Very soon, they were done writing and he led her to put down the brush but continued to enwrap her from the back with their fingers entwined while looking at the words together.

She had to admit, even though it could not compare to his calligraphy, it was ten times better than the characters she had written. Lin Qian nodded her head, “Not bad, I want to mount this piece of writing in the future and hang it up.”

“Okay.” Just as the words were said, Li Zhicheng had already spun her around in his embrace, lowering his head and giving her a kiss.

The kiss was gentle and lingering; it was as if he wanted to tease out the deepest thoughts within her heart, slowly nibbling her bit by bit. That pair of bright eyes kept staring at her, his meaning obscured.

Lin Qian shut her eyes, rejecting his searching gaze.

However, her body language remained loyal to her inner feelings and she was unable to resist indulging in his kiss. Her entire body became soft and weak, and trembling slightly, her love for him silently crept into her heart.

She liked him… so much…

After quite a while, Li Zhicheng let go of her and propped her against the desk.

“Are you angry?” he asked in a soft voice.

Lin Qian shook her head.

“I’m just…” She said, “Li Zhicheng, I’ve got a very silly thought.”

Li Zhicheng gazed at her with his dark eyes.

“A man like you…” There was a hint of a sigh in her voice, “Can I really have a complete hold on you? Can I really conquer your heart?” She paused then continued, “Aito is your abandoned brainchild, I understand that. But it is a combination of dedication and hard work of mine and the others. Yet you could get rid of it without much care. If… If one day, you no longer have any feelings for me, you could simply toss me aside without a second thought and by then I wouldn’t even be able to fight back.”

Li Zhicheng did not make a sound and she lifted her head to look at him, “Li Zhicheng, sometimes, you make me feel a little… terrified.”

In Li Zhicheng’s entire lifetime of 26 years, nobody had said these words to him before.

Li Zhicheng, you make me terrified.

And this person was his woman.

When she said those words, her expression was calm and her gaze was clear and touching. She used the gentle and loving gaze she always had when she looked at him, just that within that gaze, there were also traces of wavering helplessness.

Li Zhicheng was set thinking, and within a short while, his mind was already twisted with thoughts. He thought about it calmly. He imagined the worst-case scenario…his actions causing Lin Qian’s heart to drift away from his, and ultimately she could leave him.

When this possibility was planted in his heart, his gaze turned cold. The various times that the two had spent together previously flashed through his mind as if there was an internal projector.

She remained loyal to him, when everyone thought that he was a useless soldier, she stood by him with much fervor; her heart ached for him, and could not bear her brother making things difficult for him. Could not bear him bearing too much burden; today, she had moved her belongings into his home on her own… Every bit of her that she had given was extremely precious because it was driven entirely by her genuineness.

But if there was a day that she wanted to take all these feelings back…

A wave of cold loneliness silently made his way into his heart.

Li Zhicheng’s face was still as water when he lifted his hand and tightly wrapped around her waist, pulling her entire being into his embrace. This action was so sudden that Lin Qian took in a light breath and looked at him, stunned.

Li Zhicheng did not say anything immediately but extended his other hand and traced the sides of her cheek, slowly grazing it.

“Lin Qian.” His eyes were darker and more moving than the night sky outside the window, “You underestimate yourself and overestimate me.”

Lin Qian’s words just now were her feelings all along. Previously when they were fighting the battle against SMQ, she already had such feelings and thus avoided Li Zhicheng, refusing to accept him.

Now that she vocalized it, her heart felt a lot more comfortable. Hearing him say such things now, she felt like she understood his intention and her heart softened in an instant. Slowly, her hand extended to wrap around his waist and she did not say anything.

“I am a man before I am a businessman.” He said slowly, “I will also have masculine desires to have such a woman…” He looked at her, “Pretty, smart, gentle, and with a talent and boldness not less than a man’s. For her to never leave me and have such good compatibility.”

These words were said very calmly, making Lin Qian’s heart feel a wave of gentle sweetness. She said softly, “I’m not as good as you say…”

“Whether you are or not, I know clearly in my heart,” he answered in a deep voice.

Lin Qian hugged his waist tightly, “Okay… I was actually just trying to be humble for a bit. Continue saying…”

“Before I became a commander in the army, I had to undertake a conceptual education, and it was not about the principles of battle but…” His voice seemingly got even deeper, “Loyalty.”

Lin Qian’s lips hooked up into a smile in a moment. This man, really… He was different from others even when he was saying sweet nothings to pledge his love.

He made it easy for people to be trapped in the love web he had spun.

Just then, he lowered his head and looked at her, “Lin Qian, I’m very clear about what I want. I’m also very clear about what is most valuable to me, during a business war or during a relationship.

“I can ditch Aito without blinking. That is because when money is gone, one can still earn more; when a brand collapses, one can still set up another; giving up certain benefits can give new benefits in return. As Aida’s leader or as the director of my army, since my decision would impact hundreds or thousands of people, I need be able to manage such tradeoffs.”

Lin Qian’s heart skipped a beat as she listened, yet subconsciously nodded her head.

“But you’re different.” He propped her face up with his hand and said in a low voice, “Someone that I love with all my heart, I will not let go of no matter what.”

Chapter 58

It was the dead of night.

Lying in bed, Lin Qian was closely listening the noise from the bathroom. When she heard, “click”, the door was pushed open, and she immediately closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep.

Having freshened up, Li Zhicheng headed back to the bedroom. He instantly laid his eyes on her slightly squeezed brows, and her lightly shut eyes. As a soldier, his excellent eyesight meant he could quickly shoot moving target from hundreds of meters away, let alone right now, clearly seeing her within the confines of his bedroom, with her slightly trembling lashes, he knew she was not asleep.

Li Zhicheng kept walking towards the bed, like nothing had happened, and started to take off his clothes.

Like most men, he only wore a pair of boxer shorts to sleep. Squinting, Lin Qian blurrily saw him lifting the duvet and lie down, his strong and well-proportioned figure looked extra masculine under the light.

Quitely, Lin Qian was still pretending to be asleep.

Then she could feel his body slowly touching hers, with one of his hands on her waist, slowly rubbing, “Are you asleep?”

“Yeah.” eyes shut, Lin Qian only replied with one word.

“Has it sunk in yet?” He continued.

This was from just now, in the study, after Li Zhicheng had revealed to her his plan. Although Lin Qian was full of excitement, she only responded, “Hmm… I understand. I need to let it sink in a little bit more.”

Women were all the same. After giving him the silent treatment, or following a confrontation, regardless of the logic of his argument, it took time for her emotions to calm.

Lin Qian was a very wise woman. From the start to the end, she had known that Li Zhicheng was doing the right thing. He’d said it before, that he would never take the initiative to set someone up. He’d also said that this time, if they didn’t take the initiative to get rid of New Bori, Ning Weikai was bound to start working on a new brand, and force out Vinda, who had just established themselves. Since the entire staff from Aida were immersed in the joy of their victory, he was the only one to see the deadly threat behind all this; it was the perfect opportunity to make this move. There was no other choice but to push our way through. We would either make it or break it.

However, logic was one thing, emotions were another.

She turned around, facing against him, “No. I still need a few more days.”

Since I traded my heart with him, he has became my everything. Shouldn’t I have the right to vent however I want to? Huh…

Should she have seen through his secret plan ages ago?

After having a think, she still felt she shouldn’t have.

Even with a well-planned strategy, it was not as if he had made it through this gamble without risks and challenges. If they hadn’t found the fabric from Mind to be of high enough quality, or if Mind’s president didn’t agree to his shareholding agreement, or even if Ning Weikai didn’t fall for his trap… Li Zhicheng wouldn’t have ended up as he was, with a clearly settled victory. Now he was only waiting to rise to the top of the industry, effortlessly, in the coming year.

Due to his immense capabilities, he was also under more pressure than other. Every step he has taken was like walking on thin ice.

Having thought of this, Lin Qian became tenderhearted.

Meanwhile, she felt Li Zhicheng’s breath was slowing, and his hand on her waist also stopped moving.

Lin Qian listened carefully, she was a little speechless all of sudden. He can’t just… fall asleep?

Christ! I was just desperately looking for some grounds to forgive him, and he just fell asleep so carelessly like this?

Lin Qian listened again, he stayed quiet, with his breath slowly getting longer and smoother. She couldn’t hold it anymore, she instantly turned her head towards him.

But surprisingly, the moment she turned around, she was caught staring right into his gorgeous eyes. Li Zhicheng had been quietly gazing at her in the dark night, God knows for how long.

Surrounded by the dead silence and darkness, just the two of them quietly glaring at each other.

Lin Qian’s heart turned soft again.

Then she heard him, “During your trip, I was missing you.”

Suddenly Lin Qian could feel her eye sockets slowly getting warm, in a low voice, she replied, “Yeah, me too.”

Every day, every second.

It was unclear who started kissing first, only this night, his touch was softer than any other time before; and her reaction was more passionate. Slowly, he followed the tip of her hair, gently kissing her all over; and she was holding tightly on his neck and waist, as if her nails were pressing into his flesh. The grievance, sadness, frustration and previous loneliness, all blended in the touching, breathing, and silent gaze.

In the end when they were released after cuddling, Lin Qian had a feeling of emotional relief. She thought, it’s true, the intimacy of our bodies can really bring our souls closer. Because in a relationship, we’re being the most real and raw possible, uncovering our most naked desire in our heart, that is…

It turns out I want to have all of you so badly. That’s why I was disappointed, and upset. Because I want absolutely no gap or distance in between us.

Regardless of your loyalty or cunning, determination or persistence, that’s part of you that I love. I want to become the person that knows you the best, side by side, rather than looking up to you in the mist.

So there won’t be avoidance or fear from me anymore.

From now on, I need to see the real you all the time, so that I won’t feel upset anymore.

Outside the window, the stars were shining.

With great exhaustion, Lin Qian leaned on Li Zhicheng’s shoulder, dozing, “From now on, all your master plans… they need to be open to me beforehand.

“Sure.”

“If you failed… don’t get embarrassed in front of me.”

He smiled, “I won’t.”

“But the defeat of Aito this time, others are getting upset too…”

“For now. I’ll make it up.” he whispered, “you forgot the last lesson, the rising of a new force. Next year this time, New Bori will withdraw from the casual bag and outdoor bag market, and our Aito will expand to a more comprehensive brand, starting all over again.”

Lin Qian stayed quiet.

It turned out… Aito wouldn’t just get abandoned, but was also a counter move. It was just not time yet.

After some silence, Lin Qian suddenly asked again, “Last time you said, the first time you saw me… you were already interested in me?”

Li Zhicheng was quiet for a little while, “Yeah.”

“Me too.”

The silence lasted for a few seconds, then he lowered his head, kissing her.

The next morning, dawn was just breaking, but Lin Qian was already up. Over the years she had gotten used to sleeping alone. Now, suddenly, there was someone else. She hadn’t gotten used to it yet.

But men clearly adapted faster compared to women. From a short distance, Lin Qian was staring at Li Zhicheng as he slept. He lightly breathed on her forehead, making her excited.

It was like having a dream, recalling their conversation and intimacy. Once, when she would awake, she would feel an emptiness in her heart, but looking at the hazy sunshine outside, a new day was just about to begin. She seemed to feel full of motivation and hope again.

Does it mean it’s love?

The love that had a mixture of both sadness and happiness, but also made people lose control?

She stared at him quietly for a while, ready to get up. Surprisingly, although Li Zhicheng was deep asleep, he still stayed alert. The moment she moved, his eyes opened, steadily gazing at her.

“Morning…” She sounded quiet as a mosquito.

“Morning.” He turned around, lying on top of her.

Very heavy. When a man completely shifted his weight on you, it was very heavy.

No matter how many times, it would still feel heavy.

Sticking her hand in his dark hair, Lin Qian quietly asked, “You… want to do it again?” She had already gotten used to it every morning, but after what happened last night, she was asking in a very soft and gentle tone.

Li Zhicheng didn’t respond, only lifted her pajamas, and started kissing her breasts.

Lin Qian was used to sleeping in pajamas, so every time they finished, she would put her pajamas back on. Even though they had only spent five or six nights together, every morning, her pajamas would still be taken off by him.

In the later days, after a long time, when Lin Qian recalled that night again, their honest heart to heart conversations were still making her feelings billow.

She felt fortunate that neither of them were hiding problems to themselves when there was a disagreement. Instead, they would communicate in honest ways, treasuring and comforting each other.

She would recall, that night Li Zhicheng actually said something wrong.

Instead of overestimating him, she actually underestimated him.

Just like he said himself, because of how determined he was, how sophisticated and subtle he had been, he could see through life better than ordinary people. Behind the benefits and scheming, having seen through the temptations and flashiness in this world, he didn’t ask for a lot. Only wishing for one love in his life, and that she could stay with him till the end.

At that point, after they had resolved their disagreement and ended their cold war, their relationship kept moving forward. Aida’s grand prospect also took a turn at this stage, based on Li Zhicheng’s plan, heading in a new direction.

The next working day, a heated discussion occurred among the company’s management group. Many of them had suggested battling against Sha Ying head to head, but many other had concerns that declaring a war against New Bori was no different than throwing an egg against a rock. However, the senior managers who were aware of the master plan had mostly kept silent. In the end, Li Zhicheng prevailed over all the dissenting views, and chose the strategy of “keeping the current marketing shares, and avoiding confrontation against Sha Ying.” As a fact, it was about governing by doing nothing against their nature.

By the end of that year, Aida remained profitable. Vinda maintained steady revenues, Aito continued to bring in some sales, and the contract-break penalty from Mind had kept them afloat. During this period, Li Zhicheng and others’ attention was focused on the improvement of the internal management as well as their research-and-development group. By the end of December, Aida’s sale volume had matched the revenue levels from before the decline, and also risen back to second position in the market. The employees and workers had received their biggest bonus yet. The layout of the entire baggage industry had also been slowly changing with the passing of time.

Chapter 59

A year later.

It was July in Taiwan, and the weather was extremely hot. The sea breeze mixed with the smell of of the ocean, making people feel slightly damp from head to toe.

Lin Qian was in a military styled short-sleeved shirt and shorts, wearing a white broad-brimmed hat, and a beautiful white-jade bracelet on her wrist. She was driving in a large off-road jeep.

Through the densely wooded path, the sun shined like large chunks of gold and mottled the road ahead. It took ten minutes to reach a row of quiet, white holiday homes. She stopped at one of the front doors and picked up the freshly bought breakfast from the driver’s seat. She pushed the door and walked in.

The room was bright and scented with tea.

Li Zhicheng sat on a lounge chair by the window, and was reading. Hearing the noise, he looked up at her with his dark eyes.

Lin Qian smiled when she saw him.

At the moment, he was wearing a dark green military short sleeved shirt. Just from the top, he was looking very handsome. She had to admit, he looked great in military style, with his shoulders wide and legs long, narrow waist, his figure was so neat and handsome, regardless of the angle.

However, his lower body … Hmm hmm, was in green patterned beach pants. His muscled calves were exposed. Sitting so casually, he appeared lazy and carefree.

There was no denying that the beach pants and his temperament were not the best match. But Lin Qian felt it must’ve been his charisma that allowed him to fuse street-style clothes with a cool and calm temperament.

She nodded and walked up to him, “Not bad.” Putting on a slightly pleased smile, “Didn’t expect you to really put them on.”

When she bought them yesterday and showed them to him, he made no comment. In the end he lightly squeezed his brows, and stared at her, without saying anything.

But today he had voluntarily put them on.

Li Zhicheng flipped down the book on the table, “How do you think the fable of The Boy Who Cried Wolf happened?”

Lin Qian paused slightly, then she immediately giggled. He was talking about these clothes, he only put them on to make her smile.

Meanwhile Li Zhicheng adjusted his posture, grabbing her over to sit on his thighs. Then he looked down at her with his warm and flirtatious breath, “You liar.”

Lin Qian instantly burst into laughter.

She had arrived in Taiwan a few days ago for the production inspection of Mind’s new fabric. Li Zhicheng only arrived last night.

This year, the development of Mind’s fabrics turned out to be what Li Zhicheng had expected. Mind was in full swing, and unstoppable. Not only had they taken an order from New Bori that was worth huge sums of money, they also gradually started to provide raw materials for some bagging companies in mainland China and Southeast Asia. Production was growing, and the business scale was also getting bigger. Accordingly they each had to travel frequently to Taiwan.

Compared to last year, when building Aito and Vinda, when they were busy all day and night, now they were simply waiting for the opportunities to come to them. It was much more relaxing than before. To quote from Gu Yanzhi, they were really “collecting money just by sitting at home”.

Thinking about their hardships and struggles from the prior year in contrast to the easy quick money they were making now, left them feel very emotional. Regarding their relationship, it was amazing how time had flown so fast. Their relationship was still going strong, everyday commuting to work together, sometimes on a business trip together, or occasionally apart from each other for a couple of weeks.

They were enjoying their sweet and intimate time when they were together, and they also missed each other more than anything when they were apart. Day after day, month after month, nothing had changed. She was still very devoted him, and he was equally desirous of her.

Did time always pass by so unnoticeable and fast when in love?

When Li Zhicheng landed and arrived at the resort yesterday, it was already past 1am. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, so with such a great physique, he certainly had his needs, but Lin Qian was concerned over his health after a long day of travelling, so she told him to rest early and promised him that in the morning, she would definitely… please him.

When she woke up in the morning, Li Zhicheng was still asleep. She suddenly thought of the staff from the factory that had recommended to her a special Taiwan dish, “crunchy veggie wraps” that tasted exceptional from a nearby town. It had slipped her mind previously, but now it suddenly hit her, so she drove excitedly to get them.

That was why right now, Li Zhicheng was calling her a “liar”.

Pitifully, Lin Qian handed the breakfast to him, “I’m doing it to please your taste buds.”

Having looked at the breakfast, and his woman, with slightly red skin from the sun, Li Zhicheng lightly responded, “Feed me.”

Lin Qian, “…Oh.”

She opened the wrapping paper, moving the top of the wrap to Li Zhicheng’s mouth. Her hands was acting like his hands, slowly, one bite after another. Whereas his own hand was resting on her waist, with the other lightly tapping on her knee.

Lin Qian goggled at him, he had to put on a calm look, like he was controlling the whole situation even when simply eating a wrap.

The more time they spent together, the more she started to see some deeply hidden bad habits of in her man. The bad habits had been foreshadowed the night they first got intimate. He had asked her to take his clothes off. Apart from taking off her own, she had to take his off too. At that time Lin Qian had already sensed it being a little odd, since he was taking full control during sex. Why was it her responsibility to take their clothes off? Plus, didn’t men love to undress a woman? Why was it totally the opposite when it came to him?

Through the months, Lin Qian gradually discovered even more of him. He was usually fairly quiet, taking full control whether in or out of the bed, with an intimidating vibe. Sometimes however, he… hmm hmm, could be a little clingy. This part of his personality was hidden under his silent, dominating appearance. Among the trivial details in their relationship, these things were very hard to spot without some serious pondering.

He really liked her sitting on top of him. Usually when they were home minding their own business, Lin Qian would suddenly get lifted on his thighs. She thought he was about to have some “deep communication”, but it turned out to be holding her like that, reading all afternoon. As a result, while he was focused on a book, she ended up with a restless mind.

Another example was that he loved her to kiss him on the chin. Even though Lin Qian had mentioned herself that it was her favorite spot, it didn’t mean every time they made out she would want to go for the chin. He would even sometimes press her under his neck, staring at her with his deep dark eyes, in a low voice, asking her, “Didn’t you say you love to kiss it here?”

Every time he returned from a business trip, no matter how late, he would head straight back home; every morning before leaving the house, he would show her his “loyalty”… Like now, letting her sit under his arms and feed him the breakfast.

He soon finished the whole wrap. Lin Qian asked excitedly, “How is it?”

“Average.”

“Hmm.” Lin Qian threw the wrapping paper in the bin, turned her head, and got caught by his lowered head, kissing her.

“Thought you said to please my mouth?” He gently bit on her neck.

It was a pun, and Lin Qian was slightly astounded. Having had a look at the clock on the wall, it was still early, so she reach her hands to wrap around his neck, breathing softly, “How would you want to be… pleased?”

Li Zhicheng picked her up, heading to the big bed behind him.

“Missed me?” he whispered.

In a soft voice, Lin Qian replied, “Li Zhicheng, we’ve already been together for over a year, why am I still missing you even more every day?”

Under the clear and bright sunlight, it was a quiet scene. Smelling the flowers, the two shared their deep affection, and shared their deepest thoughts, at the resort at the end of the earth.

10am sharp.

They two arrived at Wang Taishi’s office on time.

Without any unnecessary greetings, Wang Taishi asked them, “Have you had breakfast yet? If not, try the staff canteen downstairs.”

Li Zhicheng lightly smiled, “We have, had some crunchy veggie wraps, they taste great.”

Wang Taishi burst into laughter, then chatted about Taiwanese food for a moment. Lin Qian was by the side, impressed.

Huh… In the morning he was still saying the breakfast was average.

But he did say she “tastes excellent”.

I was right about him in the beginning, men are really getting “worse and worse”, especially toward me.

Mind’s newly designed batch had already launched off the assembly line. This batch of the fabrics were not designed to be waterproof or dust-proof, but they were lighter, and more tough, and the weave density was also improved. It was precisely the raw material Li Zhicheng was planning to use for the new casual bag brand.

As the three of them had another inspection in the production line, Lin Zhicheng said, “The new factories in central and southern China have already been built up; the ones in northern and eastern China are also under construction. Professor Wang, would you like to have a visit?”

Wang Taishi didn’t respond right away. Having looked at the well-matched young couple in front of him who were also his business partners, he then looked up at the Mind factory that had been largely expanded, and he suddenly started to get a little emotional.

“Zhicheng, Lin Qian” he said slowly, “I didn’t expect that I, Wang Taishi, would still have such ambitions. I really am working hard to achieve something bigger.” Both Li Zhicheng and Lin Qian smiled. After the proud emotions, he turned his eyes to the side at them, “Don’t rush to head back, stay for a few more days in Taiwan. My wife is making hotpot tonight, come over for some dinner.”

They immediately agreed.

That same afternoon, having nothing to work on, the two were just acting like a normal couple, taking a walk on the streets while holding hands.

This year, Lin Qian had been working on the fabric inspection process, so she had visited Taiwan more than Li Zhicheng, and also knew it better than him. So she took him walking down the busy streets, one by one, aimlessly.

The atmosphere didn’t matter, nor did the passersby. What mattered were the people around you, and the atmosphere in your own heart. The old Lin Qian, while wandering in the city with Li Zhicheng would feel every second was sweet like honey, filling up her head and her heart.

At the moment, Lin Qian had a different attitude. Staying by his side, she felt it was like drinking the water lightly infused with honey, it tasted slightly sweet but lasted longer, until at some point it already had infused all over you, and you become used to it.

Maybe it was an occupation related habit, without any realization, they ended up at the busiest street in the city again. This stretch of road had the best collection of bags and luggage brands in Asia. The two stopped under the neon lights among the high-rise buildings, and immediately shifted their focus onto Sha Ying’s LCD ad on the building to their right. The content of the ad looked very stylish, classic, and eye-catching. Below the ad, the last row of text was, No.1 best selling item in Asia.

Lin Qian quietly stared at it for a while. The image of Ning Weikai, who she hadn’t seen for a long time, popped into her head. She wondered how he was feeling, faced with New Bori’s position?

She then looked up at the front. Coincidentally, a billboard not far away, belonged to Mind. The back screen, with four shining silver letters M, I, N, D, appropriately advertised, simple and elegant, just like the brand.

Li Zhicheng also stared at the subtle billboards, nodding.

Lin Qian sighed, “What if he wanted to beat you up?”

Li Zhicheng lightly lifted the tip of his mouth, responding, “Sooner or later, Ning Weikai will find out that you and I are the major shareholders of Mind.” He took a glance at her, “There’s no such thing as friends forever…”

Lin Qian continued, “There’s also no such things as enemies forever.”

For men in the business, there was only benefit forever.

Why did Li Zhicheng and Ning Weikai arrange this meeting? Lin Qian was fully aware of the reasons for it.

After a year’s development, Sha Ying and Mind had already become mingled together, hard to be seperated. Lin Qian had no idea if Li Zhicheng could have seen it coming. But the truth is, both brands were quickly developing.

However, from Lin Qian’s perspective, Mind had been doing a little better than Sha Ying. It was just like back when Intel changed their chips to support different computer companies; it had raised their reputation with consumers. That was why, in the end, they became invincible.

Mind was now in the same situation. Since the Aito interview from last year, Li Zhicheng had started to focus on the building of Mind as a brand. Now the consumers were all aware that the fabrics from Mind, Taiwan, were the best in Asia, reaching for perfection.

Although she and Li Zhicheng’s shareholders’ identity had been a well-kept secret, considering how smart Ning Weikai was, perhaps he had already sensed something. But now, he and Sha Ying were left without any other choice.

The same day.

Standing in New Bori’s building, Ning Weikai was looking down to the ground, full of people, tiny as ants.

He had just concluded Sha Ying’s Seasonal Sales Summary. Everyone was delighted; his staff, trusted employees, suppliers, and key client sales representatives… Because after so many years, this was New Bori’s first Asian-Sales-Champion item.

Thinking about it put a slight smile on his face. But it wasn’t a happy one, his eyes were still cold and indifferent.

Because now, on his desk, there remained New Bori’s overall performance reports. Compared to the great sales of Sha Ying, in the recent months, the sales for casual bags and outdoor backpacks were drastically declining.

As a result, today, the overall profit of the company had became negative.

Standing like this for a while, he only slowly exhaled in the end.

Meanwhile, Yuan Jun knocked on the door to come in, looking a little tense, “President, time to head to the meeting in Zhushi headquarters.” Intentionally or not, the assistant who had been working for him for ages would always add the words “Zhushi” when referring to headquarters.

Ning Weikai nodded, returned to his desk, and picked up his suit coat from the back of the chair. He put it on slowly, still looking charming and distant, just like usual.

Yuan Jun stared at him, suddenly feeling his eyes were getting a little wet. He turned his head to the side, and calmed himself.

Yet in Ning Weikai’s head, he was thinking of the phone calls from last night. They were all from Zhushi, some he was close to, and some were his friends who had great expectations of him. The purpose of the phone calls were all telling, or implying to him,

“Weikai, the board of directors might start something tomorrow…”

“Weikai, the situation is not looking good for you.”

“Weikai, what’s your plan for the future?”

At the same time, he also thought of this morning, before heading out to work, his wife, Zhu Hanyu was in her elegant Chanel maxi dress, with bare feet, standing in the foyer, looking at him, with admiration, sorrow, hesitation and helplessness…

In the end, he put on his tie, and headed downstairs with Yuan Jun, emotionlessly.

Chapter 60

Lin Qian had a dream.

In that dream, Li Zhicheng was working in his study. She made him a cup of hot tea and when she put it on his desk, he reached out his hands and dragged her into his arms. This was such a familiar scene, which had happened so many times in the past year that she smiled during her sleep.

Suddenly, they went to the bed, with Li Zhicheng’s body pressing from above, and all she could see was the contour of his body. He murmured, “Lin Qian, only death could do us apart.”

Lin Qian opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling. They were in the resort in Taiwan, and the sun was blazing outside. It was still daytime, so she wondered why she would have such a strange dream. Li Zhicheng would never say anything so sensational as “Only death could do us apart”. Even if he wanted to express that sentiment, he would say it in a mighty way, “No chance I will let go a person that I trade with my heart.”

She put on a smile and rolled out of her bed. Li Zhicheng was sitting on the sling chair on the porch outside. Lin Qian sighed and thought to herself, “We’re doing exactly what Gu Yanzhi said, collecting money at home. I can still remember how busy we were, and now one of us is taking an afternoon nap and the other is enjoying the sunshine.”

She randomly picked a pair of flip-flops and put them on. She walked to him and gave him a kiss on his neck. “Having a dream about me?” Li Zhicheng asked.

“How did you guess?” Lin Qian was dazed.

Li Zhicheng grinned, pulled her into his arms and they sat on the sling chair together, with the chair swaying. The chair was made a long time ago; it was smooth, bright, and comfortable to touch.

As a matter of fact, Li Zhicheng knew this because he had overheard Lin Qian talking in her dream, “Zhicheng, Zhicheng…” And the corner of her lips was curved up.

“Instinct,” he, however, answered with a white lie.

Lin Qian opened her eyes wide, thought about it and nodded, “synced minds.” Actually, she was thinking of the phrase, “empathy between bodies and souls”, but saying such thing to Li Zhicheng equated to seduction, so she didn’t let it slip.

All ladies would be moved by “synced minds”. Lin Qian blinked, hooked his neck and asked, “Why do we always see eye to eye with each other?”

Li Zhicheng stared at her face, “Because we have empathy between our bodies and souls?” Li Zhicheng rendered her speechless and put her lips on his. After this silent but passionate kiss, Lin Qian sat on his thighs and looked out at the farms, roads and factories.

They were meant for each other now, unlike a year ago when lots of conflicts existed between them. Time flew, as did the conflicts.

Lin Qian recalled the most serious dispute between them, and it was not because of Aito. It was three months after that, when Aida was secretly designing a new brand of leisure bags to prepare for a launch and Lin Qian’s team was responsible for marketing plans.

No matter how well their minds were aligned with each other, it was impossible for them to agree on everything. That time, the plan designed by Lin Qian’s team was vetoed by Li Zhicheng, who said only three words, “No. Redo it.”

In reality, she hadn’t worked on the majority of the plan. Instead, it was one of her subordinates, with support from others on the team who pulled lot of all-nighters to finish it. The subordinate was a young girl; and being criticized like that by her boss in public made her want to shed tears. As for Gu Yanzhi and Liu Tong, they wouldn’t give much thought to a staff member at her level. After reviewing the plan, they censored it too.

Lin Qian’s heart was broken seeing her subordinate dejected in that manner. She thought it was a great plan. Obeying seniors’ direction was key, but it was also important to voice her own opinions. She stood up and began to illustrate her thoughts. Lin Qian’s personality, as Li Zhicheng had once said, was sometimes even bolder than a man, especially when she was trying to reason with people. She brought up eight points to show the plan was great.

After finishing, everyone was stupefied and silent, not because the nay-sayers were convinced, but her eloquence had made people unwilling to argue.

At that point, Li Zhicheng gave her a look from afar, with a vague trace of a smile, and said calmly, “What you said makes sense. However, the market orientation of this product doesn’t match our initial strategy and my expectations. Redo it.”

He went right to the heart of the matter, and people around him nodded their heads. Some people may have agreed with Lin Qian, but they chose to remain silent. Lin Qian couldn’t squeeze out a smile. She sat down darkly and answered, “OK.”

After arriving back at home, Lin Qian turned a cold shoulder to Li Zhicheng. She realized afterwards that she was being immature, but she was still furious at that time. Different opinions aside, she was his girlfriend after all, how could he just embarrass me like that in front of everyone else? She refused to make eye contact the entire evening. As for Li Zhicheng, initially, he didn’t think of it as a big deal, but after arriving home and realizing how angry he had made her, he tried to flirt with her in an opaque way.

He noticed that she only ordered her portion when calling for take-out, so he picked up the menu, ordered the exact same thing and ate next to her. When she tried to dodge him silently, he dragged her into his arms and restrained her. She resorted to finishing the meal while sitting on his thighs.

She stormed into the shower, locked and put a chair in front to the door. He opened the door with his keys, removed all the obstacles and stepped inside the bathroom. He stood and did nothing except stare at her. When she tried to retrieve her towel, he brought it to her and when she was about to reach the face-cleanser, he mistakenly brought her the mask. Lin Qian wanted to laugh, but she managed to resist it.

After all that, they were finally on the bed. Lin Qian turned her back to him. He asked, “Do I need to show you my loyalty again?”

Lin Qian blushed and said, “No need!”

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely!”

“Then turn your back,” he tried a strike a bargain.

Lin Qian then followed his instructions unwillingly and turned to face him, but she kept her eyes closed to avoid eye contact with him.

“Have you ever heard of the term ‘no fight among couples should last overnight’?” he whispered. Lin Qian couldn’t respond. After being kissed and caressed like this by him, she relaxed her body as well as her will.

After recovering from her exasperation, she came up with an incredible idea to deal with those types of situations. She said, “I know we shouldn’t confuse life and work, but … But I’m a woman! I’m sensible and don’t want to be embarrassed. I can’t be rational like you are. My suggestion is, from now on, every time you want to veto my plan in a meeting, instead of being so forthright, touch you left eyebrow and say ‘This is a good plan but I hope to see better’ so that I know you mean ‘This plan is awful and redo it’!” She blinked her eyes, “Does it sound OK to you?”

Li Zhicheng held her in his arms with a bright look. “Yes, ma’am.”

However, he never touched his eyebrow after that. Once he did say the same thing, which agitated her, so she asked him immediately after they arrived home, “Did you forget to touch your eyebrow?”

“No,” he said mildly.

It was only then that Lin Qian realized he was just teasing her.

As for Lin Qian, she was changing too. She came to realize that sometimes it was her naivety that led to confrontations. They were in both a romantic and a work relationship. If they brought issues from the workplace back home, their romantic relationship might be jeopardized, like the Aito incident. After contemplation, she suggested that no discussion of work would be allowed at home, which Li Zhicheng agreed to with pleasure.

“What’re you thinking about?” she heard that low but gentle male voice. Lin Qian was brought back to the ground, turned to him, “Nothing. Just recalling how you’ve bullied me before.” Li Zhicheng was used to this woman’s duplicity. Although she had a stern look on her face, there was a trail of cunning smile in her eyes.

He nodded his head. Since she was “nostalgic” about being toyed with, he didn’t mind seeing more eye to eye with her. “I’m so going to ‘bully’ you on the chair tonight,” he said in a low voice.

“Darn you,” Lin Qian flushed and swore.

Sunset brimmed every street in the town. Youngsters were having fun in their leisure time and whistled when they saw Li Zhicheng and Lin Qian’s car. They were scheduled to visit Wang Taishi tonight. Lin Qian called her brother from the car. It was still the elegant but artificial female voice in English. She hung up and looked at Li Zhicheng who was driving, “I have no idea what my brother’s up to. Every time I call him it goes directly to voicemail, but he’s always like that when he’s working on a big project.”

Li Zhicheng only gave her a faint smile. Lin Qian gazed at him with her jaw on her hands, and said, “Actually, you remind me of him.”

“I’m not your brother,” Li Zhicheng said.

There was a profound meaning behind what he said, and Lin Qian was somewhat bewildered. Lin Qian told Li Zhicheng about her brother’s past. What he meant was…”I will not lose the woman I love,” Li Zhicheng glanced at her. Lin Qian was dazed and didn’t say a word. It really made a person wonder when it comes to life and human nature. Li Zhicheng and Lin Mocheng, were like a twins in the workplace. Unfortunately for her brother, only after he went through agony did he realize what he really wanted. As for Li Zhicheng, he was sincere with her, and from all these days together, he had a stronger and stronger grip on her.

“Nothing’s impossible,” said Lin Qian, “and it really depends on your future performance.”

Wang Taishi lived in a two-story house. The street lights were lit, shining gently across the trees and steps outside the house. Quiet and peaceful, that was how it looked. Li Zhicheng had brought two bottles of Maotai. Lin Qian held his arm and rang the bell. Wang Taishi’s son, the financier who deliberately revealed his weaknesses and tricked Ning Weikai, opened the door. He looked much more handsome than his father, fair-skinned, refined and wearing a pair of golden-framed glasses. He welcomed them inside with a grin and shouted, “Dad! Mr.Li and Ms.Lin are here!”

Lin Qian couldn’t resist glancing at the willowy and handsome Li Zhicheng beside her.

Li Zhicheng and Wang Taishi had become friends and regarded each other as equals. Although Wang Taishi’s children were the same age as Li Zhicheng, they treated him extra courteously. Each time Li Zhicheng sat and spoke with Wang Taishi while drinking tea, the youngsters would sit aside politely.

As for Lin Qian, her heart raced every time when she saw how stable and mature he was compared to his peers. Wang Taishi’s wife was a retired college professor, but in contrast to her husband’s pretentiousness and haughtiness, she was much more easy-going. She was a short woman with elegant make-up and a warm smile on her face. She even sounded a bit naïve when she talked, probably because she’d stayed in an ivory tower for her entire life and was spoiled by her husband.

Everyone was enjoying the hotpot. After only a few drinks, she asked Lin Qian, “Qian, when’re you planning to get married?” Lin Qian was drinking her juice when she heard this. She made an “Ah” sound and did nothing but smile.

Wang Taishi interjected, “A marriage certificate is just a piece of paper for young people nowadays. Your own son isn’t even married yet and you have the time to worry about others?” He changed the topic and looked to his son, “When’re you bringing a girlfriend home?”

Wang’s son nodded his head and said ambiguously, “Yes father, I’m trying.”

Lin Qian knew why Wang Taishi changed the topic. Actually, everyone knew except Mrs.Wang. It wasn’t the topic itself that was off-limits but asking in that way was an invasion of someone’s privacy, especially when Mrs.Wang didn’t know what was in Lin Qian’s mind. Men like Wang Taishi, Li Zhicheng and Lin Mocheng were well-disciplined when it comes to interpersonal communication. Lin Qian didn’t overthink it just like everyone else because she thought this topic was over. However, Li Zhicheng suddenly proposed a toast to Mrs.Wang and said, “We’ll definitely send you an invitation when we’re getting married.”

Everyone laughed. Mrs.Wang clapped her hands, said cheers with Li Zhicheng and glared at her husband, as if she were saying blamefully, “Why’re you disrupting our discussion?” Wang Taishi did nothing but laugh.

As for Lin Qian, her heart skipped a beat when she heard Li Zhisheng speak of marriage. He was wearing a white shirt without a tie today. His cuff was a bit loose and he was holding a porcelain cup; he looked cultivated and attractive. He sensed that she was looking at him, so he looked to her too. There were waves in his eyes, possibly due to the steaming hotpot. The light radiated from the chandelier fell into his eyes. Lin Qian suddenly recalled the time when he first tried to pursue her and said to her, “This is the first time in my life that I want a woman.” And now, after all these days, he was still giving her the same look and trying to tell her without words that he wanted her.

Lin Qian turned her head around and took a sip of juice. At that moment, Li Zhicheng’s cell phone rang. He looked at it and said, “Sorry I have to take this call.” He stepped onto the balcony. Lin Qian couldn’t help following him with her eyes, and the everyone was less engaged in the conversation as if they’d sensed something.

Wang Taishi ate the peanuts in front him gradually with a pair of chopsticks. He was patient and quiet.

Li Zhicheng hang up the phone after a short while and open the door of the terrace. He subtly caught Lin Qian’s eye. She smiled and walked to him. Wang Taishi also joined them. Wang Taishi asked with a bright look, “Any good news?” Li Zhicheng was smiling mildly, and he looked incredibly tall and built at night, “It’s like you can do predict the future.” He looked them two and said, “Zhu’s Corporation just ordered that Ning Weikai is no longer in charge of New Bori and will be transferred to the new Internet subsidiary, where he will be CEO. He still holds a huge share of Sha Ying. And now, the second Zhu’s brothers will take charge.”

Both Lin Qian and Wang Taishi calmed down after he finished. Though the past year, New Bori’s market share in casual bags had decreased, but strenuous efforts were still needed if Aida wanted to wage a war against them, because of the existence of Ning Weikai. The centipede went on wriggling even when it was dead.

But now, New Bori lost Ning Weikai as an eagle lost its wings. Although Zhu Hancheng was a talented man, he couldn’t compare to Ning Weikai, and there would of course be a transition period when he took over. As for Aida, it would soar during while New Bori floundered.

Li Zhicheng definitely understood these outcomes. He looked to Wang Taishi and said, “Mr.Wang, we can start manufacturing Aida casual bags now.”

It was already nine o’clock when they went back at their resort from Wang Taishi’ home. Lin Qian drove them back because Li Zhicheng had drank a great deal. His cheeks were reddened but he was still lucid. He sat on the sling chair and rubbed his forehead after arriving home.

Lin Qian was very considerate of his condition. She made him an after-drink tea and brought him a warm towel. Li Zhicheng drank the tea while Lin Qian wiped his face. “How much did you drink?” Lin Qian asked.

“Quite a few cups,” he replied groggily.

She nodded her head, unbuttoned his shirt, and wiped his neck. Men tended to consume alcohol when given good news. Li Zhicheng and the Wang’s had drank one cup after another. Mrs.Wang would stop and give a toast on occasion, but Lin Qian wasn’t worried at all.

It wasn’t because he could handle much liquor, rather, he was incredibly self-disciplined. Some men would get drunk without even noticing it, but such things never happened to Li Zhicheng. He would stop when he felt he had enough and wouldn’t take another, sip no matter how the others pushed him.

Lin Qian had seen him drowsy but had never seen him drunk, and Lin Mocheng was exactly like him. Perhaps for men like them, it was crucial to remain sober and in control. After cleaning both his face and hands, Lin Qian asked him, “Do you want to go to bed?”

“Sure,” he answered with a low voice.

She aided him in standing up and felt half his weight on her body. Just when Lin Qian put him on the bed, he reached out his hands and dragged her on the bed. “What are you doing?” she smiled, “I need to shower.” Li Zhicheng rolled over and pressed her under his body. The scent of alcohol rolled over her. He gazed at her with his sparkling eyes. “Lin Qian,” he said, “tell your brother that I, Li Zhicheng, am about to be the leader of the industry. From now on, you will belong to me completely and no one will interfere.”

Lin Qian was a bit astounded first, and then broke into laughter. The alcohol had indeed intoxicated him. Li Zhicheng, who was always reserved and serene, showed some insolence today. She hugged his neck and said, “OK. From tonight on, I completely give myself to you with all of my heart,” she halted, the went on, “I’ll be your woman and only yours. We’ll be together, joyful and intimate like this every day. Does that sound great?”

“Great,” he said gradually, “it’s a deal.

Lin Qian’s heart was racing while Li Zhicheng bowed down and started to kiss her. Somehow her body and soul were both keen, probably because success was within reach after tonight or because his scent was too seductive, or both. Their bodies intertwined with each other, zealously but silently. In the room overflowing with moonlight, only her moans and sound of tossing bedsheets were heard.

The same night, across the city, there were many people just as happy as Li Zhicheng; Lin Qian, Wang Taishi, Gu Yanzhi and all the staff in Aida.

Others were sorrowful, while still others were secretly planning something sinister.

Lin Mocheng, who just finished a meeting about an investment project, was sitting in his office on Wall Street. He was looking at the hustle and bustle of New York’s streets. Tired, he rubbed his forehead.

He saw a missed call from Lin Qian when he took out his phone. He looked at the clock, and realized it was midnight in China. He put his phone aside, picked up the newspaper and started to read it leisurely with his legs crossed.

Meanwhile, Ning Weikai, who had just been removed from the leadership of New Bori, had left the building. Tomorrow would be his last day.

As for Chen Zheng, he was still sitting in his office and wallowed in contemplation. News of Ning Weikai’s “banishment” had been delivered to him as well. This year, Sha Ying had wrecked the whole market. SMQ’s line of casual bags had suffered severe damage. And now, the CEO who’d never had a good day in the past year, could finally smile. He felt like this was the time for him to turn the tables.

Chapter 61

The next morning.

This was the first time in many years that Ning Weikai was wearing casual attire while sitting in his office on a workday.

His expression was serene with a mug of coffee in his hand as he read a copy of a movie magazine. Meanwhile, Yuan Jun was directing two secretaries who were currently packing his documents and belongings into boxes. One by one, the square cardboard boxes were stacked by the door. There were not more than 10 in total. It was just the assets that this man once owned and were worth billions, and all the family assets of the president of the industry’s leading enterprise.

Yuan Jun was also very calm, gently giving the secretaries orders. Instead, it was the two female secretaries who did not even dare to breathe too hard. The atmosphere in the office was so quiet, and yet their faces were tense, afraid to make the wrong move. They finished packing up very quickly.

The two secretaries retreated like the wind. Yuan Jun coughed to clear his throat twice and said, “Mr Ning, they are done packing up.””Alright,” Ning Weikai replied indifferently, continuing to hold the magazine as if he was exceptionally focused on it.

Yuan Jun did not make a sound, standing slanted and upright at one side and awaiting his former leader silently.

He did not leave even after the packing was done, but whatever the CEO’s plans were, he simply had to follow his instructions.

The midsummer’s sunlight was so strong that it pierced through the dark-colored glass and spread onto the marble flooring, refracting light gold rays. This pair of leader and subordinate remained quiet, allowing each minute and second to pass by.

Finally, at 10 o’clock someone came to knock on the door. Outside the door, there was the sound of footsteps at the same time. The sound was resounding, dense and disorderly, as if there were a lot of people.

Yuan Jun walked over and opened the door. The one leading the pack to enter was a vice-president of New Bori, followed by the person in charge of the Sha Ying subsidiary brand. They were followed by the manager of the purchasing department, the manager of the human resource department, the manager of the market department, the manager of the information technology…

They all had solemn expressions and Ning Weikai continued to read his magazine with his head lowered, as if he was completely unaware of everyone’s arrival.

Hence, Yuan Jun let everyone in, before shooting the secretary outside a look. The secretary made a hand gesture to indicate that no more people were on their way. Yuan Jun shut the door tightly.

At that moment, Ning Weikai finally lifted his head. In everyone’s eyes, even though this precious CEO was wearing a casual sports jacket and long pants, he still appeared dignified and looked admirable.

“Why? All here to send me off?” Ning Weikai said with traces of a smile, “It is office hours now, why have you all left your posts?”

The people exchanged glances and in the large executive office, the atmosphere was unusually quiet.

The vice-president who had led the pack began to say, “Mr Ning, what are your plans after today?” Most had the same question, “Yeah! We wish to know.””You can’t just leave without saying a word.”

Ning Weikai smiled and stood up, putting both his hands into his pocket and slowly walking to the front of the crowd.

“As of now, I haven’t considered this problem.”

He answered so simply that most did not know how to respond. Just then, the CEO of Sha Ying had something to say. He was a person specifically promoted by Ning Weikai, just over 30 years of age and had graduated from a reputable school. He wore a pair of spectacles and was a smart, decisive person, as well as the most outstanding amongst the new generation of leaders in New Bori.

“Mr. Ning, I have a resignation letter here with me. This is for myself.” He retrieved an envelope from his pocket and passed it to Ning Weikai, then smiled, “Mr Ning, I will follow you wherever you go.”

Ning Weikai looked at it and neither took it nor said a single word.

Most people were not as extreme as the CEO of Sha Ying, but seeing Ning Weikai’s attitude, many of them began to speak to him at the same time.

“Exactly! Mr Ning, we have followed you for so many years, you can’t just leave like this.”

“Can’t it be suggested to the board of directors? An entirely new team of New Bori staff, we can petition for it collectively!”

“Mr Ning, this newly set up internet company has only few dozen people and only a few millions in assets, it is not worthy for you to go! Why don’t you just start your own business?”

When this thought was finally vocalized by someone, everyone else became silent.

Then without any further holdback, they all started the suggests again.

“That’s right, the technology, relationships with suppliers, relationships with the big clients are all within our control. We just have to create a new brand!”

“Manpower is not a problem either. Out of the entire company’s staff, which one of us does not respect Mr Ning? As long as you say the word, I will bring all of the people in my purchasing department and all the relationships we have to you!”

“Mr Ning, I have long wanted to convince you to branch out on your own. With your status in the industry, I have to say something that shouldn’t be said, but it was always New Bori depending on you, and not you depending on New Bori.”

Throughout this process, Ning Weikai remained silent from beginning to end.

But everyone was waiting in anticipation.

All along, he had stood by the principle of letting his subordinates speak their minds and regardless whether it was right or wrong, he would never hold a grudge or let anyone be embarrassed. He would tell you of his decision after carefully and thoroughly thinking it through.

This decision was a step in the right direction for this group of people, and the entire staff of New Bori. Who cared if other brands’ profits were stifled with Sha Ying’s success? Anyone who had eyes could see that this was already the best outcome that he this son-in-law of Zhushi could bring, especially after being fraught with difficulties both internally and externally.

Meanwhile, even Ning Weikai himself did not realize that when the decision to change his role announced, such a large number of people felt sadness, anger and injustice! Sometimes, the prestige that a successful leader builds up is silently all around. Every day, his staff had observed him from afar, hearing of his talent and drive. The most tangible results were the fatter paychecks each year and moving higher and higher up the ranks. To them, Ning Weikai was an icon.

He symbolized tireless innovation, tireless improvement and New Bori, the company continuously maintaining its leading presence in the industry.

Then one day this leader was suddenly asked to leave his post. The office staff, even those who had never interacted with him personally had felt their hearts become empty. They would suddenly waver, thinking that New Bori from now on would no longer be the New Bori it once was.

Ning Weikai lifted his head and looked at them.

He mentally performed a headcount. Out of the people in charge of the 24 departments in the entire company, 16 of them had come today. The people from the critical departments had all come. Very good.

He revealed a smile.

This smile planted hoped in everyone’s hearts and that of his secretary. Yuan Jun was even more filled with excitement, considering the possibility that his boss had a plan. That would be wonderful!

Who knew that his answer would be something nobody had expected.

“I’m very thankful that you have all come to send me off today. I’m also very grateful that you have put so much trust in me, Ning Weikai.” He patted the shoulder of Sha Ying’s CEO, and looked over at the vice-president, “I have received all your thoughts and I will keep them close to my heart. But I’ve been thinking about what I, Ning Weikai, really desire for the past few days. Is it money? Fame? Power?”

Everybody fell silent, but he slowly shook his head, “No, it is not. If I want all these, where can I not get them?” He turned his head and looked at the vast blue sky as well as the wide New Bori business park under that sky and smiled gently, “New Bori is my many years of blood, sweat and tears. Especially for Sha Ying which has only been launched for a year and is now the company’s main source of profit, with even more potential to grow in the future.”

He turned to look at them, his voice slow yet powerful, “Hence, my only wish now is for you all to stay in New Bori, work hard and even more outstanding than before, so as to stabilize the company’s position in the market. Do not ruin the empire that we have so laboriously created simply because of my departure. Taking a step back to look at things, I am still a major shareholder of Sha Ying, so if you work hard, I will also be able to earn even more money.

“As for my plans… If I am really able to make a fresh start in future, it has to be a broader and better field and only then I can recruit you, so as not to let down your trust and expectations of me.”

Before he took over the post at the internet subsidiary company, Ning Weikai requested a month-long holiday from headquarters. His superiors readily agreed. After bidding farewell to his confidantes at New Bori, he had nothing else to attend to and asked Yuan Jun to drive around the city center for the whole day, only going home when night fell.

Ning Weikai’s home was situated in the most affluent area of the city. The environment was extremely beautiful and luxurious, even the road lamps were decorated with crystals, the light rays blurry, making his house look like something from a dream outside of this world.

He pushed open the door and entered, the entire room was filled with a gentle light. Nobody could be seen, but a delicious scent was in the air. Ning Weikai only realized then that his stomach was growling with hunger.

Zhu Hanyu heard some movement and immediately came out of the kitchen. As usual, she was barefooted, wearing a wine-red apron and looked pretty and gentle as usual, still very much the princess who did not know how to take care of herself.

“Put your shoes on,” Ning Weikai said in a low voice.

Zhu Hanyu replied with an “oh” before crouching down and looking for the shoes she had lost by the sofa. Even as her head was lowered, it did not block Ning Weikai from seeing that her eyes were red, as if she had cried throughout the day.

Ning Weikai suddenly felt a tiredness that he hadn’t felt previously wash over him.

When he was in New Bori during the day, even though he had to leave in front of his subordinates, it had been filled with grace and calm. The magnanimous and righteous words he had said to them were his honest opinion, but they were also not his complete and entire opinion.

Deep inside, he had of course thought of moving on in the future, working alone and no longer having to work to the bone for Zhushi.

But not now. He had just been hit by Zhushi with a crushing blow.

He was in no hurry. He wanted to wait for the right time to exact his revenge, but this calm, logical stance of taking things one step at a time all vanished within a second when he returned home and saw his wife.

He felt his whole body grow tired and powerless.

Previously, if he had seen his wife have traces of tears in her eyes, Ning Weikai would have stepped forward and wrapped her up in his embrace, placating her with calming words or showering attention on her in bed.

Wasn’t she his princess?

But today, he really did not want to talk.

“I’m going in to sleep for a bit,” he said and turned around and entered the room after throwing out those words.

Zhu Hanyu who was behind him lifted her head in astonishment, “You… you are not going to eat dinner?”

“Not eating. I’ve eaten already.”

Upon entering the bedroom, he drew the curtains, laid down on the bed and the entire room was dark. Then, he closed his eyes and slowly lost consciousness.

He had not had such a worriless sleep in a long time.

After being in his unconscious state for a while, he suddenly felt someone flop onto his chest.

It was Zhu Hanyu. Her body was like white-jade, delicate as if it didn’t have bones, and her eyes, which were watery like those of a little deer, were looking at him, wronged and worried.

Ning Weikai extended his hand and pulled her into his embrace. He simply did not want to talk and used this action to communicate his apologetic and tired sentiments, hoping she would be able to understand.

Instead, Zhu Hanyu opened her mouth to speak. Her voice was laced with hints of probing as well as sadness, “Weikai, you… will you go against my father and brother?”

Ning Weikai suddenly opened his eyes and looked at her.

Looked at her in such close proximity.

He suddenly couldn’t stand it anymore.

Pushing her away, he got up and pulled on his jacket. Taking long strides, he walked outside. Zhu Hanyu’s voice came from behind him, “Weikai, you…”

He had already closed the door behind him and left the house.

When he received Ning Weikai’s call, Yuan Jun was very surprised, because for so many years, places like bars and clubs had not been visited by Ning Weikai. Even when it was a business discussion that they could not evade, the moment it was nine o’clock, he would always get up and leave, without fail. There were also people who talked behind his back because of this. They said that he was a son-in-law who wasn’t a true part of the family; that he did not even dare to go out and play.

But Yuan Jun knew it wasn’t like that. With Mr. Ning’s capabilities, if he really wanted to go gallivanting outside, he would be able to hide it from Zhu Hanyu, that fragile lady. Hence, he always reasoned that it was due to the strong relationship between husband and wife.

Yet today, Ning Weikai actually asked him to accompany him to the bar.

But with a little thought, Yuan Jun understood. With so many immense setbacks in his career, what man would be able to take it? His boss wanting to relax and even let out some steam could not be criticized.

Soon, the two had sat down at a bar.

At that moment, Yuan Jun saw that Ning Weikai’s eyes still maintained his usual calm and refinement, looking as casual and elegant as ever. Hence, Yuan Jun temporarily felt relieved and ordered a bucket of beers while drinking in comfortable silence.

The bar was the most famous in this city, and it certainly lived up to its name. The dance floor and in every corner of the bar, men and women swayed their bodies to the music. Such body movements did not look erotic in Ning Weikai’s eyes, but rather suppressed yet indulgent.

He smiled, “I haven’t come to a bar in years. The last time I came I was still in university.”

Yuan Jun smiled, “Oh, is it because you were too busy with work?”

Ning Weikai paused in his action of drinking, losing his smile as he shook his head, “No, it’s because I used to play too hard at bars and made a mistake I regretted. I was young back then and in the heat of the moment, I swore never to enter a bar again. Unknowingly, I ended up keeping to this promise for so many years.”

Yuan Jun did not know that Ning Weikai had such a past, but didn’t dare ask for too many details, and simply nodded his head. The two of them continued to look at the dance floor silently.

The bar had always been a place where people hunted for attractive individiauls and wanted to have fun, and Ning Weikai’s outer appearance was outstanding. Anyone with eyes could see just from his well-tailored outfit, and the Mercedes-Benz car key he placed on the table that he was a very well-off man. In addition to the fact that he didn’t have a female companion, as well as his constant scanning of the dance floor, a woman quickly approached him to strike up a conversation.

The one who dared to strike up a conversation with him naturally had a certain amount of confidence. She was a pretty girl just over 20 years old who looked like a university student, wearing a brightly-colored spaghetti-strapped dress and had a very refined demeanor. The color on her lips was vibrant but her eyes were clean and bright. She sat by his side, “Hey, what are you looking at?” Yuan Jun wrinkled his brows and extended his hand to chase her away. Ning Weikai, however, threw him a look that prevented him from doing so and Yuan Jun could only sit back in his spot, felling slightly doubtful.

“I’m not looking at anything,” Ning Weikai answered with a gentle voice.

The girl rolled her eyeballs and extended her hand towards him, “I’m Lydia.”

Ning Weikai gently shook her hand. “Your name isn’t important.”

Lydia giggled, “You aren’t very gentlemanly.” She suddenly scooted over to his ear and said softly, “Brother, don’t think I’m trying to strike up a conversation with you. I just saw that you were so sad and gave you an opportunity to bump into a pretty lady. Are you feeling better already?” With that, she suddenly got up and she did not look back as she walked away.

Yuan Jun looked upon her push and pull method with suspicion, while Ning Weikai looked at the silhouette of the young and slender girl before laughing suddenly.

Why did he laugh? Because he suddenly found himself very ridiculous.

He was already a 30 year-old man, and yet he still displayed his disappointment so obviously on his face. Even a random young lady could see it, and had decided to gift him with what she termed an “opportunity to bump into a pretty lady”.

But his wife could neither feel nor see it.

How long ago had it been that there was also such a cold and transparent girl who once loved him?

She knew of his ambitions and knew of his difficulties; she would laugh with a word he said and when he met with troubles at work, she would squat with her head in her hands thinking of a solution. When he would outline their uncertain future together, the girl never looked down on him, and would even say excitedly, “We’re both so awesome, and if we can continue being so good…it’s not impossible for us to lay the foundations of a business in Lin City together!”

She was even more ambitious than him, and was even more daring and energetic.

But now, his youth was long gone. What he had once thought was love was now just a blurry reflection. To him, Lin Qian was just a proof that in his youth, he could not withstand a small set of obstacles. He clearly knew that he was deeply in love with his own wife. He loved her beauty, her purity, her gentleness, and also loved her wealth.

But what exactly did he lose?

He now had hundreds of millions in wealth, and even if he was sidelined by the Zhu, making a comeback was not at all difficult. Yet why, on such an ordinary night, did he feel so lost, like a young man that had suddenly lost a clear sense of his life?

When Ning Weikai silently vanished from the scene, within the bag industry, the most complacent people had been not those from Aida, but rather Chen Zheng, who had been inactive for very long.

On this night, he stood between his own SMQ’s production vehicles and looked at the busy staff and the batches and batches of new casual bags that had just come off the assembly line. His expression was deep and difficult to distinguish.

Following behind him were the managers of the various departments within SMQ. They felt both uneasy yet full of confidence. From their perspective, Aida had taken a blow last year because of Aito and did not have an exceptional performance from then on; New Bori had undergone some internal hiccups and gave up on the lucrative casual bags market. Now, the market’s enthusiasm for purchasing Sha Ying products had stabilized and it was an opportune time to recover the neglected territory of casual bags. Of course, they were completely unaware that Aida was now the parent of Mind behind the scenes. They had even purchased fabric from Mind, and impressed by the quality, the purchasing department planned to put forward a proposal to build a long-term strategic partnership.

And now, as Chen Zheng stood in front of the crowd, his emotions were a mess.

In the past year, he had seen the mutual exchanges of Aida and New Bori, causing bloodshed in the entire market. After the successive successes of Vinda, Aito and Sha Ying, SMQ who was once the market’s second leading brand, had suffered from a series of unexpected misfortunes. The market presence of their mid-range leather bags, casual bags, and outdoor bags had all gradually shrunk, such that they were the enterprise that experienced the most serious losses out of the three.

Now, he had put in all his funds and taken additional loans to fight this battle. He was determined; he would succeed or die trying! He had to make a comeback and slowly bring SMQ out of the dumps, to get back at New Bori and Aida!

Chapter 62

The commercial was almost a silent film.

The scene opened with a peaceful family of three. The house was decorated in a modern and minimalist style. The young couple were comfortably dressed in house clothes, and they were accompanied by a six or seven-year-old boy on the sofa watching television.

At this moment, if the viewers remembered, they would surprisingly find that the boy seemed familiar.

This was the same boy that appeared in an Aito commercial more than a year ago. A year had passed, the young boy had grown quite a bit taller, but he was still well sculptured, handsome, and cute.

“Oh, tomorrow we’re going for spring vacation!” The young boy shouted out this line, jumped off the sofa and ran into his room. The young parents looked at each other and smiled. This was the only spoken line in the entire commercial.

The scene changed. The man came into the bedroom, took a black backpack out of the closet and started packing. The backpack’s design was very simple, the fabric and straps looked soft but sturdy.

At the bottom of the screen, a line of text appeared, “Men, they only need one”.

The scene then jumped to a walk-in closet. This time, the lady was tip-toeing as she stood, her finger gently touching her lips, her pair of big eyes scanning around. On the rack in front of her, seven or eight backpacks were displayed. Each had its own unique color and style. There was one made of black leather, another with floral cloth…but all were of medium size, exquisite and beautiful.

The subtitles once again surfaced, “Women, they deserve to have more”.

Then, the scene changed to the child’s room. On the small study desk was a child-sized laptop. Though he was small, the child swiftly operated the keyboard and mouse. He quickly entered a webpage which was full of dazzling pictures of children’s backpacks. He chose the backpack’s color, chose from pictures of cartoon animals (bears, hunting dogs, tigers…), chose the external pocket placement, and zipper color. The series of choices flashed past in an instant, and ended with him finally entering his name, “Little Bean,” on the box.

At last, the scene switched to daytime, and an express delivery man came to the house. In his hands was the backpack which he gave to Little Bean. The parents stood behind him and smiled.

The subtitles read, “For children, exclusively custom-made and unique”.

As the music crescendoed, the family could be seen cruising down the suburban streets. There were green trees and flowers all around under pleasant sunlight. And their three backpacks were arranged in the back seat of the car.

The scene faded to black and the subtitles flashed:

“Life with Aier backpacks. So colourful, so simple.”

At the lower right corner of the screen, subtitles flashed for a second and disappeared, “Leisure Bag Brand under the Aito Company.”

This commercial was broadcast on every TV station, and online media at every level; helping to make the new Aier brand famous all around. At that time, Ning Weikai had settled into his new office, temporarily bidding goodbye to the luggage industry that he toiled and strived in for so many years.

His new assignment was with an Internet company. Although it was small to the point of being pathetic, it was still a high tech company, so its office location and rental spaces were all in the city’s busiest, most high-end office building.

At the moment, he was looking at the huge LCD display on the opposite building. Aier’s commercial was being shown.

He watched for a while, finally dryly laughed, and looked down to continue reading the documents in front of him.

At that moment, his cell phone rang. A message came in. He opened the message and a photo popped up. It was probably taken by the girl, wearing a light green cheongsam, hugging an equally emerald green Aier backpack. She was beaming at the camera, her expression petite and cute.

The row of text read, “Don’t be defeated! This is for you. Kick, punch, vent all you want! – Lydia”

Ning Weikai burst into a smile, sending her a reply, “Where are you now? I’ll come fetch you after work.”

At the same time, Chen Zheng was sitting in his ever luxurious office. In his hands were the national promotional plans for the new model of leisure bags that were finalised a few days ago.

Various department heads and executives stood facing him, blankly staring at each other, but all were helpless and depressed, unable to come up with substantial suggestions.

“All of you go out first.” Chen Zheng said coldly.

The crowd left silently.

Chen Zheng grabbed the teacup from the table, and smashed it onto the floor.

Next went the desktop calendar, then the business card holder, and the ten-thousand-word sales plan in his hand!

Previously it had been Lin Qian who watched New Bori launch Sha Ying and had felt so full of shock, despair, and sadness after comparing it with her own Aito. Now, the same scene was happening to Chen Zheng.

He was seething with rage, but there was nothing else he could do.

At that moment, the phone rang on the table. Chen Zheng grabbed it, looked at the number, took a deep breath and picked up the call, “Dad.”

What came next was a thunderous bellow that he had never heard from his father, “You idiot! My life’s work is all ruined in your hands!”

The night slowly descended; the city lights like a sea of pearlescent ornaments.

Lin Qian was holding her phone, while changing into a purple mini-skirt and black heels in front of a full length mirror.

The headhunter on the phone, after chatting for a while, still wouldn’t give up, “President Lin, are you not considering it? Although Aida is a giant in the domestic suitcase industry, TG Group is a multinational enterprise, top 500 in the world, and is the global suitcase industry champion. If you came over to become the director of the China market, your salary would be many times higher, and you could choose between Hong Kong, Singapore, or Beijing as your base. I truly believe that this company is more suitable for your career development.”

Lin Qian smiled helplessly, “Thank you. However, I am currently not planning to change jobs.”

The headhunter said a few words, but knowing that nothing forcibly done was going to be agreeable, she made Lin Qian agree that if she ever wanted to change jobs, she would contact her immediately. Lin Qian agreed. She then added, “Whether it’s Aito, or Aier now, we’ve heard that it was all personally managed by you. President Lin, your creativity is impressive, this was what swayed the leaders at TG. Regardless, I wish you a smooth career and hope that we have the opportunity to work together in the future!”

After hanging up, with a smile dangling on her lips, Lin Qian faced the mirror and tied up her hair. Okay, all done.

Only then did she turn around and look at Li Zhicheng sitting in the chair. Today he was dressed in a suit with and formal shoes. The shirt and tie were chosen by her, the colors chosen were slightly brighter than usual, making his dark eyebrows even more eye-catching.

“Come here.” He reached out his hand to her.

Lin Qian walked before him, placed her hand in his palm, and was dragged into his arms.

“So, not only do I need to be wary of other men,” he said softly, “but also other companies.”

Lin Qian chuckled, pretending to be generous by patting his shoulder, “I understand. If your girlfriend is too outstanding, having a sense of fear is normal. You just need to sort it out.”

Li Zhicheng looked at the woman in his arms. The purple skirt outlined her legs and waist. Her waist and hip lines were perfectly highlighted. After putting on light make-up, her face was glossy and soft like smooth white jade. Her bright eyes were staring at him.

He had been involved in the business world for almost two years. She had been by his side for almost that full time.

He rarely brought her out for entertainment, while other men, be it senior officers or dignitaries, changed the women at their sides over and over again.

For a man with power and wealth, obtaining everything was far too easy. No matter how beautiful or how young the woman, once they lost interest, they would discard them without regret.

That was because none of them had met such a high-spirited and radiant woman like her.

For this kind of woman, the shrewder the man who met her, the harder it was to let go.

Tonight’s arranged location for the celebratory dinner was at the Beihai Shengting Hotel in the city center.

Li Zhicheng left first with his driver while Lin Qian insisted on driving herself. Even after a year had passed, Lin Qian still insisted that their relationship be kept secret.

The situation was not fully stabilized, so she didn’t want their personal lives to draw the public’s attention. It was better for Li Zhicheng to lead the entire company like this.

The culture of a company was not built just by words, it was carefully cultivated. Obviously, Li Zhicheng was well-aware of this logic. Even though the company had always been thrifty in various expenses, tonight was rather extravagant, reserving a whole floor of the banquet hall, decorating it with brilliant, luxurious, and marvellous lights, even hiring entertainment companies from outside to perform.

The opening was a flamboyant Pasodoble dance. A few ladies in fiery red were dancing to the intense music on the stage in front. They attracted everyone’s attention and successfully brought the party to life.

Lin Qian was seated at one of the round tables in the fourth row. The employees that reported to her were all sitting at the tables around her. All the dishes had been served; lobster, grouper, swimming crab, marbled beef… but nobody started eating yet. They were waiting for the CEO to deliver his toast. Lin Qian sipped some juice; her gaze frequently wandered to the head table. Li Zhicheng was sitting in the seat of honor with his back facing her. He took off his coat, wearing only a white shirt. Lin Qian thought he looked very striking in it.

Soon enough, the opening dance was over. The lights were dimmed and a spotlight shone on the stage. Offstage, the hall full of people suddenly became quiet. There were only some footsteps and soft clicking of glasses hitting the tables that could be heard.

The emcee for the evening was an attractive manager from the Administrative Department. She wore a red gown and walked up to the stage gracefully with a microphone and stood under the spotlight.

“Good evening everyone!”

Everyone was already in a great mood, beaming from ear to ear, and now the applause was as loud as thunder. The emcee first greeted the crowd with her best wishes, then she summarized the splendid achievements of Vinda and Aier since they were launched. The crowd broke out in a massive round of applause every time she mentioned sales figures. Lin Qian was sitting among the crowd; she was very excited to be here.

Aida. His Aida, her Aida, everyone’s Aida. There was a time when they hit rock bottom, getting disappointed again and again, to the point of tears. Who would have thought this day would come? The prior year, their total capital was less than ten million; now, they reserved the best hotel in the city for a celebration. Now, who would not tremble with fear at the mention of Aida? Who would not think twice before they act when meeting Aida?

All this was possible because of one person.

The emcee’s slightly excited voice rang, “Next, let’s welcome the president, Mr. Li Zhicheng, to say a few words and to give a toast.”

The applause reached a climax. There were many people standing, while clapping enthusiastically.

Finally, everyone stood up and looked at the man who was sitting in the seat of honor as he walked onto the stage with a white porcelain wine glass in his hand.

The second before, the room had been filled with chatter.

The next second, when he raised his head under the spotlight, silently roving his eyes around the room, the crowd turned as silent as grave.

Only admiration and anticipation remained.

Lin Qian stared at his face and his slightly luminous black short hair. He was holding the wine glass in one hand, the other hand was in his pant’s pocket. His shirt and slacks were plain, yet they outlined his handsome and smooth frame.

Lin Qian’s pulse was suddenly racing.

“I once thought that I would never have anything to do with the business world.” His voice was slow and deep, with a hint of cooling not found in others, seeming to permeate into people’s hearts.

“My elder brother was leading Aida to achieve greater glory, one after another,” he said.

Many of the senior employees suddenly recalled the other young CEO who used to be equally excellent. His strategies and talents might not be as outstanding as Li Zhicheng’s, but he too had led the company to develop steadily for many years in this highly competitive market.

They realized also that this CEO, who was not even thirty, had another identity. He was the man succeeding his father’s company and upholding his brother’s will at the same time. This realization shifted their image of the usually cold and superior CEO to something more vivid and real.

Lin Qian hadn’t met Li Zhicheng’s late brother, but she was probably the person that knew Li Zhicheng the best in the entire room.

This man didn’t like to reveal too much of his feelings; he hid everything under his calm temperament, but he held the people that he cherished dear in his heart.

Did he mention his brother now, because at this moment, when he was finally standing at the pinnacle, overseeing the whole industry, it reminded him of his brother’s will?

Why did she feel so sorry for him being like this?

In the midst of silence, Li Zhicheng continued speaking lightly, “Of course, I was a soldier before this; when I first took over Aida, I made a fool of myself too. Someone had mistaken me as the security manager and asked me to carry stuff…”

The audience burst into laughter. Someone bravely asked, “President, who was he? You should deduct his bonus!”

Lin Qian stared at him. Her heart was sweet; her cheeks flushing. He’d said it on purpose!

As expected, his piercing gaze looked in her direction, but since the room was so big, nobody sensed anything unusual. Only Lin Qian’s gaze lightly interlocked with his; their hearts silently touched.

“Last year at this time, everyone said that Aida couldn’t be saved anymore. This year, we are standing as the champion of the industry.

“Last year, when Vinda was launched, the website was hacked and we lost twenty million. Our colleagues from the IT Department were all nearly in tears in the office. This year, Vinda became one of the five best-selling items in the business; everyone in the IT Department got a handsome bonus…”

The audience laughed again.

Li Zhicheng’s handsome face was calm; his eyes reflecting the lights, like a bottomless sea, making everyone’s hearts surge even more.

“Vinda, Aito…” he spoke slowly, “The future is limitless. Since we have seized the most glorious successes in this business, then follow my lead and let’s keep going.”

It was a dead silence beneath the stage.

Suddenly, a deafening round of applause broke out. Everyone’s face seemed to be blushing from excitement; everyone’s eyes were sparkling with pride.

Lin Qian stared at his dark gaze, seeing a faint smile light up in his eyes. She stared at him raising the glass, proposing a toast, then tilting his head to finish it in one shot… she could only feel her heart thumping, an unprecedented impulse surged.

In the midst of wave upon wave of cheering and prolonged applause, she could only see him.

She suddenly realized a fact. It turned out that she was not only in love with him, she was adored him, just like everyone else here.

Even though previously she had been terrified of him because of his formidability, wasn’t she also deeply adoring him because of it?

It was him that showed her that the commercial war could be so creative and so majestic. It was him that stimulated all her passion and talent. It was him who led her in experiencing the thrill of triumph over the opponents, one after another.

It turned out he was not just a lover to her.

It turned out that in her heart, he was incomparable since the beginning.

After the banquet had ended and after Lin Qian had socialized with some of her close friends in the company, it was already past 10:00 p.m.

Aida had reserved most of the rooms in the hotel. Many employees stayed for the night at the hotel. At night, they looked for some entertainment to relax. Lin Qian sneaked up to the penthouse suite where Li Zhicheng stayed. She lightly knocked the door twice, then she was pulled into the room.

Li Zhicheng had loosened his tie; his collar was slightly open. He smelled of alcohol, but his eyes were as clear as water. Immediately he pressed her against the door and gave her a silent smooch.

Lin Qian matched him while tittering and kicking off her heels. Li Zhicheng lifted her up, with her legs around his waist, and walked to sit on the bed.

“Did you drink?” he asked under his breath.

Lin Qian stuck her tongue out. D*mn it! She forgot about this!

Lin Qian disliked drinking, and men like Li Zhicheng even more so disliked his woman drinking. The two hit it off and agreed that from then on, at any future banquet, she would not touch alcohol. If he was there, he would watch over her. If he was not…

“I can handle it myself!” Lin Qian said excitedly, “Don’t you worry. I have very good self control and I am eloquent. Who can force me to drink?” Back then she was setting up their cohabitation code to demonstrate her position as the boss in the house, but she wanted to seem just and fair. Regarding this code, she had even voluntarily added, “If Lin Qian drinks without permission, for every glass she had she will clean the house for a week, with no upper limit.”

Lin Qian blinked her eyes and stared at him pitifully.

But Li Zhicheng was not buying it. His hand lifted her skirt to slide underneath; his voice was flat. “How many did you drink?”

“… three glasses. But today was special, I was cheering for you…” Fine. There were many female employees drinking juice too, but she was excited after listening to his toast!

“What is the punishment?” Li Zhicheng continued asking.

Lin Qian had a headache just thinking about doing cleaning for three weeks. His house is so big! She darted her eyes, then her face leaned in. Their nose tips were touching; their hot breath intertwining.

Perhaps the lights in the room were too dim, perhaps she was experiencing the side effects of alcohol, or perhaps the man in front of her was too handsome and charming… she heard her own voice, saying softly, “how about we… change to another form of punishment?”

Li Zhicheng froze slightly.

She had already climbed off him, lying in between his legs. Then her fair and delicate hand reached out and unbuckled his belt.

Li Zhicheng reached out his hand suddenly, grasping her long hair; his gaze was unfathomable. Lin Qian raised her gaze to glance at him, then she went down…

Lin Qian couldn’t tell what kind of psychological reason was driving her to do this.

Before this, Li Zhicheng had hinted at it, but because she was too shy, or perhaps because of other psychological reasons, she played dumb. He hadn’t mentioned it since.

But tonight, her brain was filled with his cold and exceptional look when he was standing on the ballroom’s stage. When she thought this was the man she loved, the man she adored, she had an urge to give him all.

So she was willing to come in front of him subserviently, letting him have the pleasure he wanted.

“I adore you…” While she was sucking and swallowing, she said in a low voice, “Li Zhicheng, only today I realized how much I adore you.”

No man wouldn’t be smitten by these words from a woman.

Especially from her who was always proud, to willingly kneel in between his legs and perform this most intimate act for him.

Li Zhicheng’s hand in her hair tightened. His other hand moved down silently, making her moan uncontrollably…

Finally, in the silence of the room, he released after being served by her lips and tongue. Suddenly his hands reached out and pressed tightly on her head. Lin Qian was bashful from all his groping. She hugged his waist and curled up, like a child, on top of him.

After quite a while, he calmed down, turned over and pressed her against the bed. Lin Qian was flushed; her eyes were as bright as the stars. His cheeks were slightly reddened too; his dark eyes were deeper and more breathtaking than ever.

Their eyes met. Lin Qian asked, “Did you feel my loyalty?”

Li Zhicheng burst into a smile. His smile was more like a riot of color blooming in his usually placid eyes.

“Deeply appreciated. I am unable to make any recompense.” His hand gently caressing her cheek, “So I can only let you see my loyalty with interest.”

At first Lin Qian was still engrossed in his words, suddenly she came to her senses, “Hello hello! You don’t have to pay back with loyalty! Really!”

It was too late. Li Zhicheng had moved down slowly, burying his head underneath her skirt. Lin Qian’s protest quickly vanished, in the end she only murmured, “You are so evil…”

When the fervor subsided, the night was already very late.

Perhaps because tonight was too good, even though both of them had spent a lot of energy, they did not feel sleepy. Li Zhicheng, hugging Lin Qian, leaned against the bed and they watched the brilliant city view from the window together.

Lin Qian’s finger was drawing circles on his abs, “When are we going public?”

Li Zhicheng lowered his head to stare at her, “Finally you are letting me into the light?”

Lin Qian nodded, trying to hold her laughter in.

After the new year, her work focus would shift completely to Mind. Even though it was still related to the business of the Group, their work was distinctly different from each other. So she felt like this was a good time.

“How do you plan to make our relationship be known to the public?” she asked again. She was a little anxious thinking about how people would look at her differently from now on.

Li Zhicheng took a glance at her; he didn’t reply. His gaze was a little weird; deep, pensive, and with nuances that she couldn’t comprehend.

Then he said, “There is something in my coat’s pocket. Take it out.”

“Oh.” without thinking much Lin Qian turned around. His suit was hanging on the chair beside the bed. She reached into the pocket and searched around. When she was doing this, she could clearly sense that Li Zhicheng’s piercing gaze was on her.

She sensed that it was a small box so she took it out straight away.

A round, black velvet box.

Lin Qian’s heart skipped a beat.

Li Zhicheng hugged her from behind, snuggling her in his embrace; at the same time, his hands, holding hers, opened the box.

A silver diamond ring was quietly lying inside the box.

“How about like this?” he whispered in her ear.

When the sun came up, it was a new day dawning.

There were people still sleeping, holding their beloved in their arms; there were people starting their repetitive and ordinary day; there were people laying in warm embraces, yet their hearts were empty.

There were also people welcoming the turning point of their fate with mixed feelings. The road ahead might lead to deeper pitfalls, or perhaps revival.

Early in the morning, Chen Zheng, leading a group of SMQ’s managers, stood in the crowded arrival hall of the airport.

They were eager with anticipation.

Some of his subordinates looked excited while others had a serious face on. As to Chen Zheng, his expression couldn’t be read.

Soon enough, the people that they were waiting for arrived.

They were a group of men in suits. There were four or five Asians, an African, and a Caucasian with blonde hair and green eyes. All of them were wearing suits with exquisite workmanship; their luggage were either LV, Hermes, or Armani. A few of them wore sunglasses, looking elegant and stylish.

This was why Chen Zheng found these people from foreign companies intolerable. They loved to show off; wearing shirts and suits neatly on a hot summer day, demonstrating superiority with their heads full of themselves.

The group of people soon approached. Immediately, Chen Zheng, with a big smile on his face, led the rest to welcome them. He took a quick glance at all of them, then his gaze naturally settled on the person in the middle.

He was a tall and slender man with pronounced facial features. His forehead was wide but his eyes were thin and narrow; his nose tall and straight, causing his handsome facial features to look slightly aggressive. This man made people feel like he was born to wear a suit. His snow white shirt was buttoned all the way up to the neck. The black suit accentuated his body lines. He had the great physique of a Caucasian, yet he had the courtly temperament of an Asian.

Right now, his eyes were surveying the people on this side too. His gaze was clear and cool, with a faint smile in his eyes; he was enigmatic.

Chen Zheng had read his profile beforehand.

Jason Lin, vice CEO of MK Investment Management Corporation, a renowned figure on Wall Street. It was said that he was very influential in the North American Chinese business circle too.

The translator beside him had started speaking in English, welcoming the arrival of the party and introducing each other. The first two to be introduced were naturally Chen Zheng, CEO of SMQ, and vice CEO Jason Lin, the lead of the other party.

Chen Zheng extended his hand towards him, speaking in English, “Hi Mr. Lin! Nice to meet you.”

That person’s lips lifted; his voice was low and attractive, but he spoke in Chinese, “Mr. Chen, we are both Chinese, there’s no need for formalities. You can just call me Jason, or Lin Mochen.”

Finally, both parties shook hands.

“Pleasure working with you.”

“Pleasure working with you.”

Chapter 63

In front of Lin Qian was a plan for an organizational restructuring of Aida.

Since Li Zhicheng took over Aida, its internal equity distribution and organizational structure seemed to be confusing to outsiders. But Lin Qian knew to herself that this man was making bold moves; he had already revived Aida. The current Aida was nothing like what it used to be.

However, until now, she had never seen Li Zhicheng’s clear layout for the future.

In a few months, the company he mastered would be renamed “New Aida” with four sub-organizations under it; Vinda, Aito, Mind, and Aida (for now we’re calling it “Old Aida”). The first three covered the majority of his shareholdings; Old Aida only accounted for a small percentage. However, according to Lin Qian’s estimates, before the structural adjustment, he would gradually buy more shares to achieve complete ownership.

Last night, when he proposed to her at the hotel, he revealed to her his top-secret plan.

“Would you like to be its queen?” he asked.

Lin Qian put down the plan, raised her hand and looked at the diamond ring on her ring finger.

Gee, when a man showed his own business empire to a woman in order to propose marriage, it totally hit her in the sweet spot. For the first half of her life, she had waited for a powerful man who could impress her.

Suddenly she thought of a poem — Gather your rosebuds while you may.

In the past, she had never felt such beautiful emotions. Feelings of deep affection, which also stirred her soul.

While Lin Qian’s endless thoughts filled her mind, someone knocked on the door. Lin Qian put the plan into the drawer and adjusted her posture, “Come in.”

In walked one of her trusted staff members. He had great market planning experience. He sat down with a heavy look on his face, seeming to think for some time before opening his mouth, “Manager Lin, I have something to tell you.”

His tone foreshadowed something bad, and Lin Qian could feel her heart sink a little. She creaked a smiled and said, “Sure, go ahead.”

The young man was here to resign. He said it was because another opportunity had arisen, and he wanted to leave. Lin Qian instantly felt let down, the loss of outstanding talent was the last thing a manager wanted. However, she knew that since the employee was a very mature, career-oriented person, it must have been a carefully considered decision.

She didn’t give him a hard time, but still tried her best to keep him. She asked him why he wasn’t happy with the company, trying to find the problem, and retain him. After all, Aida had been doing very well and their turnover rate had been rather low.

The young man showed Lin Qian his admiration towards her, and he said frankly, “Manager Lin, don’t get me wrong, Aida is great, so is President Li, and you, always treat us well. My decision to resign was really based on career development considerations. I’d like to go to a company that suits me better. As to where, it’s really not convenient for me to disclose. I hope you can understand.”

Lin Qian nodded, the young man had already secured a position before resigning.

Destruction pursues the great. The rise of an excellent company would inevitably attract other companies to covet its staff. Having a outflow of talented people was also reasonable.

She could only comfort herself, it probably had something to do with the recent and frequent spotlight on Aida. The victors also had the displeasure of being the winner! Now that the business was running smoothly, would she have to deal with with more management problems like this?

Since the resigning employee’s mind was already determined, Lin Qian nodded. “Sure, I understand what you mean. Before leaving the company, please have a smooth transition during the job handover, and feel free to let me know if you still need anything. Of course, if any time you want to come back, you’re always welcome here. Keep in touch with your colleagues, maybe hang out together sometime.” She paused and looked at him straight in the eyes, softly, “I wish you well in your new position, and hope everything goes smoothly.”

He was getting a little emotional, thanked her again and strongly nodding his head, finally he looked at her and said, “Manager Lin… I hope you and President Li are also doing great, and stay together forever.” He looked at her engagement ring on her finger.

Lin Qian, “…Cheers.”

After her employee left, Lin Qian turned the chair and looked at the tall buildings outside the window, feeling slightly awkward.

The old saying was right. Walls have ears. In fact, she was also faintly aware that although Li Zhicheng hadn’t made it public, there must’ve been quite a lot of people in the company that had already known. After all, when it is between a male superior and a female subordinate, there could be all sorts of rumors.

In that case, when Li Zhicheng put a ring on her, it was indeed the easiest and simplest way to protect her dignity as a woman. Women sometimes lose dignity because a man couldn’t step up and declare himself.

She raised her hand again and looked at the ring in the sun.

Haha … Lately he and she had been sailing smoothly, with great achievements in both their business and relationship, leaving others jealous.

After work, Lin Qian drove to a tea house in the city.

Li Zhicheng had arranged to meet with Ning Weikai there.

During the peak of the rush-hour traffic, since Lin Qian was not a woman who stuck to conventions, she circumnavigated the path to the destination. It was a small world, and when she was passing through a remote intersection, she saw Ning Weikai’s car was stopped in front of a shopping center.

A young girl she didn’t recognize came out of the passenger’s seat and headed towards the shopping center.

Ning Weikai also got out of the car, still with his handsome and unobtrusive appearance, like a momentary frustration couldn’t impact him. He leaned against the door and looked at the girl with laughter. The girl took two steps ahead and turned back to look at him again, with endearment and familiarity.

Then Ning Weikai said something again. The girl suddenly pretended to raise her bag and hit him, only there was a smile in her eyes.

Ning Weikai was also smiling, faintly.

Lin Qian immediately slowed down, and hid in an alley, to avoid facing him directly. After waiting for him to say goodbye to the girl and drive off, she started the car again and followed him at some distance.

Li Zhicheng certainly wouldn’t bring Lin Qian to meet with Ning Weikai. She only followed him purely out of curiosity.

After seeing her enter the teahouse, Jiang Yuan instantly came up to her.

“They’ve already started,” he said with a smile. “Shall I take you to the private room to take some rest?”

Lin Qian nodded. With her openly following all the way here, Li Zhicheng was also aware of it. But it was impossible to directly participate in their conversation, and she also felt it was unnecessary. So she just stayed back and waited for him.

The environment on the second floor of the tea house was more elegant. The door to a private room was closely shut, only leaving the scent of tea and sound of music to be heard from the outside. Jiang Yuan took Lin Qian to one of the rooms and left, returning to the two bosses. Lin Qian looked at Li Zhicheng’s suit jacket on a tatami, and she lightly smiled. While sipping tea, she looked out at the grandeur of the teahouse courtyard and suddenly thought of what she had just seen earlier.

Her mood was suddenly getting a little… complicated.

Until today, perhaps Li Zhicheng and Ning Weikai were the men who had known the most about each other in this industry.

But today, it was their first time sitting together and observing an opponent on their level.

Li Zhicheng was acting as the host, so after asking Jiang Yuan to add some more tea, he faintly laughed and made a toast, “President Ning, after hearing so much about you, I finally get to meet you. I don’t drink, so I will salute you with tea.” After that, he tipped his head back, and finished the cup of tea.

To be honest, when Ning Weikai was looking at the man in front of him, he felt Li Zhicheng was his type of man; broad-minded and subtle, neither arrogant nor deliberated.

This kind of man was truly unfathomable.

Ning Weikai also toasted and drank to it, cutting to the chase, “In fact, I have quite a few of Sha Ying’s shares, but the majority is still controlled by the Zhu family. I don’t understand why you wanted to see me. If it’s to facilitate cooperation between Sha Ying and Mind, I really wouldn’t be necessary.”

Li Zhicheng nodded his head and asked, “What do you think about the future of this industry?”

Ning Weikai was slightly stunned, smiling, “Traditional industries have been developing steadily, and they can’t cause too much of a stir. But…” he took a look at him, “with your involvement, confusing the old structure, everyone has been disturbed. It’s hard to predict the future.”

His words were ironic and sentimental. Li Zhicheng was not angry to hear his opinion. He rested his hands on the armrests of the chair, slowly, asking, “What do you think about luggage companies entering into upstream fabric production? Is it a wise move?”

Ning Weikai became quiet.

Lin Qian had expected the men would be opposed to one another, and the conversation would become unpredictable, and possibly aggressive. As evening dimmed, the men shared a pot of tea, and a few plates of pastries. Their talk lasted more than an hour.

Instead of bringing up the previous grudges, they only talked about the ups and downs of this industry.

In the end, when they pushed the door open, they hadn’t even mentioned whether they would cooperate with each other in the future or whether to keep their previous hostility. In fact, communication between intelligent people sometimes didn’t need to be explained. Ning Weikai had already understood Li Zhicheng’s intention in calling for the meeting.

He didn’t come for concrete cooperation, only to show his friendly attitude and initiative.

Even though you are strong, I’m not weak. You are the only opponent I value in the industry. If we continue fighting to the finish, we’ll both be suffering, no good for anyone.

If we have the opportunity to become allies, in the long run, it must be the best for each other and the development of the entire industry.

Having reached this conclusion, our meeting was already very valuable. As for the specifics of cooperation, it depends on the fate of the future.

He had to admit that Li Zhicheng was smarter than he had thought.

Also more ambitious.

Li Zhicheng walked Ning Weikai out of the private room, and when he saw he was away, he pushed open the door of the room nextdoor.

Lin Qian was sitting by the window, holding her his chin with one hand, wondering about something. Seeing him come in, her eyes flashed, she smiled and asked, “How did it go?”

Li Zhicheng sat down opposite to her and glanced over the ring between her fingers.

“Not bad,” he smiled.

Lin was slightly surprised, but also not that surprised.

Li Zhicheng thought of the people “could have a great conversation with”, including President Kang from Ming Sheng, Wang Taishi, Lin Mochen. The list now included his great opponent, Ning Weikai.

Lin Qian understood that he may join forces with Ning Weikai in the future to achieve a win-win situation, but she still couldn’t help but talk bad behind his back, “Ning Weikai could be a pickle.”

Li Zhicheng looked at her and answered very plainly, “Am I an easy one then?”

Lin Qian giggled, staring at his handsome eyes, and thinking of the same excellent Ning Weikai, she suddenly became a little sentimental.

“Hey, others could be unloyal, but you can’t.” She reached out and held his face. “If you ever become unloyal to me, I’ll…”

Li Zhicheng grabbed her hand and held it in his palm, intrigued, he asked, “You’ll what?”

Lin Qian rolled her eyes, replying, “I’ll sell my share of Mind’s stock for only 1 dollar, so you can only watch and can’t do anything with it. I can piss you off, and whoever posts anything on the Internet to blame you for abandoning your wife, and calls you the name of the homewrecker, will get a free share of the stock from me.”

Having said it so meanly, bossily and firmly, Li Zhicheng looked at her quietly.

“This assumption can’t be established,” he said.

Lin Qian felt it was sweet, but she soon heard him continue, “But you did remind me that if you’re with someone else in the future, I will definitely let that man go bankrupt, and never will he be able to turn it around. I’ll deal with it imperatively, and never show mercy.”

Lin Qian, “…I’ll never change my heart!”

Ning Weikai went to the corner of the second floor of the tea house. Instead of heading downstairs directly, he went to the bathroom.

When he pushed through the door, having had walked a few steps, he suddenly heard a familiar voice behind him.

He paused and turned his back to take a look. From afar, he could see Lin Qian was holding Li Zhicheng’s hand and as they walked from the end of the corridor. After two steps, Lin Qian suddenly stopped and said something. Then she looked up and kissed Li Zhicheng. Later Li Zhicheng simply pulled her into his arms, buckling her waist and stood silently under the lights, kissing.

There was no one in the silent long hallway, only two people passionately kissing, and he was never spotted in the distance.

Ning Weikai smiled, retrieving his gaze and stepped out of the building slowly.

When he got in the car, he took out his cell phone habitually and looked at it; several missed calls, from his assistant Yuan Jun and others from Zhu Hanyu and Lydia.

There were also two unread messages:

One was from Zhu Hanyu. “Husband, are you coming home for dinner tonight? I’ve made rice-wine smoked salmon and seafood soup. Miss you.”

The other was form Lydia, “Hey handsome, I just finished shopping. Are you still around, pr in a meeting? Are you free to be my driver and take me home? PS: I’m not telling you, but I also got something for you, have a guess.”

Ning Weikai dropped his phone on the passenger seat, started the car, and drove expressionlessly.

When he reached the fork in the road, he slowly turned the steering wheel, in the direction of his house, and called Lydia at the same time. Even before he started talking, a sense of happiness was found clear in his voice, “Miss, I’m busy tonight, please suit yourself.”

Lydia grunted, with a snappy response, “I’m getting a cab by myself.” She paused, and said proudly, “I’m making my own super spicy fried bean paste noodles tonight. You can’t enjoy it.”

Ning Weikai paused a little, he smiled and hung up.

The changes were always happening at the most peaceful time.

The gathering and separation were always inadvertently coming.

When Lin Qian came home that evening, while Li Zhicheng was in the shower, she entered the study.

Looking down at the ring on her hand, what was hers would always be hers. She had to let her brother know that his sister was engaged.

He he… So excited just thinking about it.

She called him up, it rang at least seven or eight times before he picked up, “Hello.”

Lin Qian smiled and said, “Brother, are you up yet?” It should be morning in America.”

Then, contrary to her expectations, he smiled indifferently and then said, “Do you mean nine at night? Sorry, I don’t get up at this time.”

Shocked, Lin Qian looked at the clock on the wall. It was exactly nine.

Huh?!

“I’m also in Lin City,” he dropped the bombshell lightly.

Lin Qian’s eyes widened instantly.

At the same time, slowly he said, “Lin Qian, given that we are siblings, our identities and interests are very sensitive right now. In the short term, please do not contact me again. Bye.”

With a light beep, the phone was hung up.

Lin Qian was astounded, staring at the phone in her hand.

However, no one knew her brother better than she did. Lin Qian quickly calmed down.

Lin Mochen’s time was precious. There must’ve been a reason for him coming to Lin City at the moment.

Couldn’t talk to her? Also said that the two parties’ identities are sensitive?

Lin Qian pondered his words.

His investment company didn’t only invest in equity fund bonds, but were also angel investors, injecting assets to entrepreneurs. In addition, mergers and acquisitions were made involving multinational companies.

Aida wasn’t listed yet, and it wasn’t a start-up company. There is only one possibility.

Lin Qian’s heart sank immediately.

She was reluctant to believe, but the truth was right in front of her eyes. Her brother was actually… How could he…?

Then the door of the study was pushed open. Li Zhicheng walked in after his shower and saw her clenched lower lip. He was slightly stunned, walked over and sat down, holding her directly in his lap, kissed her head and then stared at her with his dark eyes, quietly, he asked, “What are you thinking about?”

Lin Qian was still a little distant, she looked up at him, “My brother came to Lin City.”

Li Zhicheng was also a bit surprised.

Lin Qian told him what he had just said over the phone.

His eyes became deep and hard to see through.

Lin Qian looked at his eyes and slowly said, “His call suggested to me that a multinational company has commissioned his company to launch a hostile takeover against us.”

She paused and said, “Not just us. According to the scale of their previous cross-border acquisitions, it’s likely to be the top few companies in the Chinese industry are to be part of… this acquisition.”

Chapter 64

Why would a multi-national corporation acquire a Chinese company? Because the Chinese market was too tempting. Lots of foreign corporations couldn’t adapt to the environment in China, or compete with local companies. At times, acquisition became the most effective means to expansion.

For one thing, it could obtain the mature sales channel, market network, talent and client resources of the local company; for another, acquiring rivals helped annihilate them once and for all. Brands such as “Little Nurse”, “Robust” and “Lekai Film” were prevalent several years ago, but now, they were nowhere to be found. What’s more, buyout of the top firms in the industry led directly to monopoly.

Were there well-known instances? Of course. Hygiene products, cement, snacks, soybean and mechanical manufacturing were all gradually being dominated by foreign companies. If they couldn’t compete with local companies, then they would buyout the competition, which was a trick used repeatedly by foreign corporations.

And now, they stepped into bag industry.

From Lin Mochen’s perspective, it was just the result of globalization. He would never have the struggle that he, as a Chinese citizen, should be patriotic and protect national brands. He only knew that Chinese companies had to go through these ordeals if they wanted to participate at international levels. It would be excellent of someone if they could protect their own company, but they would be the only one to blame if they were eventually conquered.

Cruelty and ambition manifested by western corporations resembled what they demonstrated when they invaded China centuries ago. Even if DG didn’t acquire China’s bag corporations today, there would be other multi-national corporations in the future doing the same thing.

Aida would face the same trial sooner or later, no matter what. Lin Mochen wouldn’t change her fate, nor could he change that of Aida. However, he was trusted by his clients, and he couldn’t reveal any information to her. It was ethical of him to observe confidentiality, and the apathetic way he talked to her was not problematic at all.

It was ten o’clock in the morning.

SMQ, MK Investment Management Corporation and DG Corporation were sitting at the round table. After half a month of negotiation, there was finally a consensus between the three, with DG Corporation buying fifty-one percent of SMQ’s shares and becoming the controlling shareholder. This would inject a large sum of funds into SMQ and make SMQ the first-tier company in Asia-Pacific Area through mutual efforts.

To Chen Zheng, although he acquiesced in this buyout, it might also be a new start for him. According to the contract, DG Corporation would send off a few of the personnel to the executive and management board, but he was still the general manager and in control of the company. Not only could he receive a large sum, but also could he introduce advanced foreign technologies and patents to his firm. Even though there were many harsh conditions in the agreement, this cooperation was indeed a win-win like what the media said.

But for Lin Mochen, only one thing would happen to SMQ. DG acquired SMQ not to help it, but to enter Chinese market under its shield. After a short while, he would use methods like stock splits to gain more control of SMQ, per his client’s desires. In the end, Chen Zheng’s managing power would be removed and SMQ would exit the market gradually.

The process was so smooth that Lin Mochen found it dull. Lin Mochen’s team resided in the most luxurious hotel in the center of the city. But this night, instead of going back to his hotel, he went to another apartment in the downtown area. That was an apartment he purchased a few years ago when he went back to Lin City. He purchased it to have a private place to stay in, and to make sure Lin Qian would have a house no matter what happened.

His apartment was a penthouse. As he opened the door, he saw the blazing light inside and a pair of heels by the door.

He wasn’t hurried, rather, he walked inside slowly. He looked around and found the floor and furniture cleansed. It seemed that Lin Qian had asked someone to clean up. However, the two pots of orchids on the balcony had withered, resembling two slender bones. He frowned seeing this.

Apparently, Lin Qian didn’t take care of this apartment regularly and only did it knowing he would come.

There was no one in the living room while the lamps were on in the bedroom. Lin Qian’s silhouette was swinging, but she didn’t come out after hearing his footsteps.

Lin Mochen sensed something strange and walked there hurriedly.

She was rummaging through his things.

The drawers and closets were all opened. The sister he hadn’t seen for a long while obviously came here directly after work. Her coat was taken off, and she was searching through the closets wearing her white shirt and skirt with her sleeves rolled up.

She barely threw him a flance when she heard him approach the door. That glimpse was clearly mixed with pique. She kept searching without looking at him. Lin Mochen was agitated, “So you’re welcoming me by going through my stuff without permission right in front of me?” This had never happened before. Even when she was visiting him in America, she never entered his room and touched his private articles.

Lin Qian buzzed and answered, “We don’t have shame when it comes to imperialist invasion!”

Only then did Lin Mochen realize that she was looking for the buyout documents.

He stayed silent for a while, walked to her, dragged her to the living room and pushed her to the sofa. “You have no idea what you’re doing,” he scowled.

As a matter of fact, when she first realized that her own brother came to acquire Aida as a representative of foreign corporation, Lin Qian found it hard to accept.

Was he really so ruthless that he didn’t even care about her well-being? What if he was the one in charge of the buyout? Could Li Zhicheng handle it? Where would that lead her and Li Zhicheng if they were in opposition against each other? Would their relationship be jeopardized, and would they break up because of her inhuman brother?

How was it possible?

She even thought that Lin Mochen took this case to fulfill his promise by making Li Zhicheng go through turmoil. However, that was ridiculous even to think about. Lin Mochen always drew a distinct line between public and private affairs. Even if he was mighty, he would go against her to teach Li Zhicheng a lesson.

There was a bigger issue behind this.

She always held a belief that even though her brother was merciless to others, he wouldn’t imperil her happiness for money alone. She came here today to figure out his intentions and to collect some information.

“Why’re you doing this, brother?” she asked straightforward with a glint in her eyes. Lin Mochen didn’t care for the aggressive way she talked, but he didn’t want any misunderstandings between them either. He sat across from her, poured himself a cup of tea and chose not to respond for a long while.

Only when there was a blaze in her eyes did he open his mouth, “I’m not the only partner in my firm. Do you really think it’s possible for them to forgo an acquisition that’s worth multi-million dollars just because my sister’s in one of the companies? Grow up, Lin Qian.”

She knew that this was one of the reasons. She was relieved but still blamed him, “You should’ve told me earlier so that we can be more well-prepared.” Lin Mochen ignored that unreasonable requirement. “But, are you really thinking about acquiring Aida?” she asked, “even if we shouldn’t bring public affairs into our private life. What’s going to happen to me and him? Have you ever considered it?”

Lin Mochen gave her a sophisticated glance. “Lin Qian,” he didn’t address her question, instead, he suddenly changed the subject, “you need to understand that this buyout will happen no matter what. Even if we don’t do it this time, some other corporation will.” Lin Qian was dazed. This sounded brutal but, did he mean it was better him than others to do this? Is he signaling mercy?

In other times, Lin Qian wouldn’t keep asking when she thought she knew the implications because Lin Mochen had strong work ethics. It was inappropriate for him to tell her everything explicitly, and she was sensible enough to understand that.

However, this was about Li Zhicheng and Aida, and when you cared about something too much, you couldn’t think straight. Lin Mochen’s ambiguous answer didn’t satisfy her.

What if I understood it wrong? What if he was being literal? What if he was actually saying it’s better him than others to make the profit? It’s entirely possible given his record.

As she was contemplating this thought, Lin Mochen opened his mouth, “Anything else? Please go back if there isn’t.” Lin Qian didn’t care about that “expulsion order” and decided to drop a bomb. She pulled her right hand out of her pocket and showed it to him. The ring was shining on her ring finger.

Lin Mochen became morose.

“I’m engaged to Li Zhicheng already,” she said, “so tell me openly whether you’re going to help us or not? If you’re not, then you’ve put me between you two, and you cannot blame me if I choose him over you. I’m a person of my word.”

Although Lin Qian wasn’t expressive, she felt apprehensive when looking at his dark eyes. As for Lin Mochen, he was upset the moment he saw that ring. His only sister became someone else’s fiancé without telling him. And now, she was threatening him like this and claiming to choose Li Zhicheng over him?

Huh…

“OK,” Lin Mochen stood up impassively, “then wait for him to be crushed.” Then he walked into his bedroom.

Lin Qian had spewed those word to make Lin Mochen realize the seriousness of this issue. After all, everyone had a soft spot and even if what she said would infuriate him, he was a shrewd person and would take her advice. Even if he needed to deal with Li Zhicheng in the future, he would at least hold back a little thinking about her.

In all honesty, she favored Li Zhicheng more. But on the other hand, she did this to know whether Lin Mochen would help them or not, and if so, how would he help them. Unfortunately, all she accomplished was enrage her brother and made him say threatening things like “wait for him to be crushed”.

Lin Qian wandered in the living room for a while and realized how hurtful what she had said was. She entered the bedroom silently. Lin Mochen was sitting on a chair looking at America’s stock index. He ignored her “Brother,” Lin Qian sat at the edge of the bed and murmured. He kept ignoring her.

Lin Qian hooked his arms, “I admit I was wrong, OK? I knew that you wanted to look after us when you take the case. I just wasn’t sure.” Lin Mochen glanced at her, “Too late, please leave. I’ve changed my mind and will request to execute the acquisition by myself in a couple of days. If he accepts it, that’s good; but if he doesn’t, I’ll collaborate with DG Corporation and use SMQ against you. If you don’t see Aida in the market next year at this time, don’t be surprised, Ms.Lin.”

Lin Qian didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry, when he said “request to do it by myself”. “Brother. I admit I was wrong, totally wrong! I don’t want to be in a war against you!” she held his arms tightly, “my fiancé is important but not as important as my brother. If you really treat me this way, will father be happy? After all these years apart and you didn’t find me until you were sixteen. Can you really bear losing me again?”

She had completely caved in and what she said was extra sensational. Lin Qian originally meant to comfort him, but she did reveal some true feelings talking about the past. Her words and expressions obviously touch him. He gave her a brief look and hummed, but he stopped saying relentless things. Lin Qian knew him perfectly well, so she followed up and comforted him before seeing his smile.

“I won’t be involved in Aida’s acquisition given our relationship, instead, my colleagues will be, and this was the deal with other partners from the beginning,” he finally fulfilled her will by giving her more information, “I’m only in charge of New Bori and SMQ.”

Lin Qian was relieved knowing her brother wouldn’t be involved so there wouldn’t be any frictions between her and Li Zhicheng. And on second thought, things wouldn’t end well for New Bori and SMQ in her brother’s hands.

At ease, she looked up at him and said, “Things are so much easier now that your colleagues are involved. Li Zhicheng’s really good, and if there is going to be a fight and they’re nailed, don’t pity your colleagues.”

Lin Mochen smiled mildly and said, “He was like a clay idol crossing a river now, and I’m the one should worry? Go figure out whether he wants to sell Aida or not. The terms for acquisition of Aida were the best out of all three and he is a businessman much crueler and more pragmatic than you. Are you sure he doesn’t want it?”

Lin Qian was transfixed.

She never talked about selling of Aida with Li Zhicheng.

When she extrapolated something from what Lin Mochen said, she volunteered, “I’ll go to my brother’s and figure it out.”

“Don’t push yourself too hard if it’s not convenient for you,” Li Zhicheng nodded his head.

Lin Qian’s instinct told her that he was not going sell because it was a family corporation. She’d never thought about the cost and benefit in it but now that her brother brought it up, she wasn’t so sure anymore. After all, he gave up Aito without any regrets. “Lost benefits were for great benefits,” Li Zhicheng had said.

Lin Qian felt confused. Disappointed? Not necessarily so, but she was just a bit confused. She brought out her phone and called him. “I just got out of my brother’s home. Where’re you now?” Li Zhicheng’s voice was calm and low as usual, “I just left the office. Where’re you? I’ll drive you home.”

Li Zhicheng was quite tranquil after learning Lin Qian’s brother was planning on a buyout. Lin Qian was a relieved to hear his voice. “No need,” she said, “I’ll drive home myself and it won’t take much time.”

“Sure,” he murmured, “I’ll talk to you at home.”

Lin Qian felt warm somehow. After hanging up the phone, Lin Qian saw a familiar silhouette coming right at her in the parking lot. Darn it! Lin Qian swore in her heart. Enemies cross each other on the path.

Chen Zheng wasn’t surprised when he saw Lin Qian. When he had learned Lin Mochen had a sister named Lin Qian who lived in Lin City from other people in MK corporation, he was astounded and had mixed feelings.

He recalled the slap on Lin Qian’s face he ordered.

He also recalled when he fought with Li Zhicheng for the Mingsheng Project, he had heard someone mention how Lin Qian set Li Zhicheng up with someone. He was surprised back then that Lin Qian had some connections. And now, it was her brother who would acquire SMQ.

If he and Lin Qian were together, what would happen now? Perhaps SMQ could turn things around without losing so many shares. “Lin Qian,” he called her name calmly, “are you here to look for your brother?” He knew this address from Lin Mochen’s colleague.

He only wanted to bond with this influential investor.

Lin Qian could guess what he was doing here. She glanced at him with blatant contempt and turned away. Chen Zheng reach out his hands and stopped her, “Why’re you hiding? I know Mr.Lin already and we’re going to be partners from now on. Can we just let bygones be bygones?”

“You’re sick,” Lin Qian said.

“Lin Qian!” Chen Zheng looked helpless, “I didn’t intend to slap you! I was pursuing you for a long time and you went straight to Li Zhicheng’s arms. What man can take something like that so easily? I just wanted them to scare you. I didn’t think they would actually hit you.”

Lin Qian couldn’t be tricked that easily. She glared at him without saying a word.

Chen Zheng had little self-respect. He lowered his head and drifted closer to her, “Slap me and then we’ll call off the feud, shall we? Do you think I’m willing to sell SMQ to your brother? If it weren’t for the war between Aida and New Bori, which messed up the whole market, SMQ would be in much better shape. You stayed in SMQ for three years, and I treated you well. If that still means something to you, slap me and forget about the past. We’re both Chinese brands, and from now on, please help me in front your brother. I will owe you forever,” he said sonorously and looked at her sincerely. He acted like he never had before.

Lin Qian was biting her lip. She disdained this person emotionally but thinking about his words “Do you think I’m willing to sell SMQ” and what could happen to Aida in the future, she did empathize with him. “No need for me to slap you. I’m not into that,” she said faintly. “As for my brother, I’m sorry but I can’t bring private issues into professional affairs. I can’t help you with that.” She turned and left without caring about him.

Chen Zheng stood there still and saw her drive away. He gradually became sullen.

He didn’t know that Lin Qian had never mentioned the private vendetta between them two, including the slap. At that moment, he recalled all the harsh terms Lin Mochen required during the acquisition and all the pressure he put on SMQ. He was infuriated.

It must be because of that slap. That’s why Lin Mochen treated SMQ so harshly!

Darn it! Lin Qian, Lin Mochen, if you give me any chance in the future, I’ll definitely have my revenge! I swear to almighty God!

He buzzed and went upstairs. When he arrived at Lin Mochen’s door, he was already carrying courteous smile.

Chapter 65

The night was quiet.

Lin Qian walked into the front lawn of the townhouse and the first thing she weaved through was the grape rack.

Under the moonlight, the few seedlings from last year had already grown to almost the height of her waist. The big leaves were gently swaying in the night breeze.

Next year, they should be able to climb up the tall grape rack, right?

Maybe it was because she felt solemn and at a loss that she didn’t go into the house right away but rather took out her phone and took a few photos of them to keep as a memory. Then, she let out a sigh and pushed the door to enter the house.

Li Zhicheng was sitting on the sofa wearing a simple, light grey T-shirt and black sports shorts which made him look clean and sturdy. He lifted his eyes to look at her and patted the sofa lightly with his hand to gesture for her to sit next to him.

Lin Qian sat with him side by side, her focus immediately drawn by the television.

The news that was broadcasting was related to the American company DG Organization buying SMQ.

Of course, the news did not have much information that was of value. Both parties had maintained a low profile and the news that the media got were mostly rumors or based on unsubstantiated claims.

Perhaps the very topic of foreign acquisition brought with it a sensitivity that was hard to pinpoint, but watching this segment of the news in addition to thinking back on Cheng Zheng’s words that day made Lin Qian have an inkling that they may share a common fate.

She turned her head to look at Li Zhicheng and asked him straightforwardly, “Will you sell Aida?”

Li Zhicheng held up the remote control and turned off the television.

“What do you think?” he asked her instead.

Lin Qian said honestly, “I don’t know.”

“What did you talk about with your brother today?” he asked again.

Lin Qian repeated Lin Mochen’s words without leaving out a single word. Of course, she skipped the phrases like “waiting to die” that Lin Mochen had said… After listening, Li Zhicheng nodded his head, and changed the topic to ask instead, “Have you told him that we have gotten engaged?” Lin Qian recalled her brother’s reaction then and naturally did not reveal the truth, answering, “I’ve told him. He was a little upset at first because we didn’t tell him immediately, but he is still happy overall and even congratulated us.”

A trace of amusement slowly found its way into Li Zhicheng’s eyes as he asked in a soft voice, “Really?”

Lin Qian felt self-conscious but was able to keep her composure, “Of course it’s real, if not what else can it be?” Internally, however, she thought, you can sense that something is not quite right? Alright I guess birds of a feather flock together and you are indeed the person who understands him the best in this world.

Luckily, these two fellows need not get into a fight.

Li Zhicheng did not harp too much on the question, but looked at her and said, “Once the matter of acquisition has been resolved, both my father and I will officially call on him and give him a visit.”

Lin Qian’s face heated up slightly, “Up to you.”

As they discussed this topic, the atmosphere in the house seemed to become more romantic. The two glanced at each other and Li Zhicheng extended his hand to pull her into his embrace, his hand gently tracing and stroking her cheek.

“What are you doing?” Lin Qian immediately felt a little frenzied by his touch.

“What do you call me?” he asked slowly.

Lin Qian was stunned as she understood. It was the first time, after all, and she had difficulty saying it out loud. Why did she feel so hesitant?

“You say it first,” she threw the question back at him.

Li Zhicheng lowered his head and pecked her lips; his voice had an indescribably touching quality.

“Wife.”

Lin Qian’s heart felt as if it had been hit by something suddenly.

She did not expect that such a normal term that everyone used could actually make her so…

Touched.

She extended her hand to hook it over his neck and whispered, “Husband.”

His face was close to hers and he looked at her darkly and deeply. In that moment, neither of the two said anything. The air surrounding them had seemingly heated up a few degrees, making her heart palpitate.

After a while, she opened her mouth to speak, “You haven’t told me, are you selling Aida or not?”

Li Zhicheng guided his hand along her waist, slowly grazing it, and his handsome face revealed a certain degree of graveness and solemnness. He stretched out his hand to bring over the chessboard with the chess pieces that were on the other corner of the coffee table.

Lin Qian’s interest was piqued, “Setting up a chess simulation again?”

Li Zhicheng did not answer but simply picked up four black pieces and placed them onto the chessboard from top to bottom.

“If we reject the acquisition by DG Organization, Aida will face these four main threats.” His hand was gently propped against the chessboard, “One, financial resources. DG is much stronger than us in their financial resources and if they start contending for the market in the future we will surely be at an extreme disadvantage.”

Lin Qian nodded her head. This was also what she was worried about. Their battle against New Bori, who was only slightly stronger than them, had required all their effort to get the upper hand. What more would be required when it came to DG who was the world’s number one bag manufacturer , and was so many times stronger than New Bori?

“Two.” His voice was low as he said, “SMQ’s shell. Beforehand, the sales of DG had been unable to take off in China because they had yet to be acclimatized. They were not successful in setting up their sales team and internet marketing, but now, this lethal flaw of theirs has been made up for by SMQ.”

Lin Qian silently nodded her head and was unable to hold back any longer; she scolded vehemently, “Chen Zheng, you fool!”

“Three, the consumers’ mindset.” His gaze seemed indifferent. Lin Qian took over, “Many Chinese citizens have the mindset that international brands are always better than local brands. This has inadvertently become their innate advantage.”

She also had a greater love for international brands… Embarrassing.

Li Zhicheng had seemingly also thought of her whole pile of skincare products, clothes, leather shoes… He gazed at her and Lin Qian immediately felt anger stem from her embarrassment, shouting, “Don’t you also have a lot…”

Li Zhicheng was quick to retort, “Only outdoor equipment.”

Lin Qian was stunned and upon thinking about it found that it really was true. Other than outdoor shoes, caps, jackets, tents and such, his other things were always products of local brands.

“Land Rover!” she burst out, triumphantly.

“The car is the company’s property.”

“That’s true…” Lin Qian furrowed her brows and continued to think when her eyes lit up as she said with a little embarrassment, “… There’s still the condoms!”

Li Zhicheng was slightly stunned, having not expected her to consider this as well.

Slight amusement flashed past his eyes, “Alright, this I admit.”

Lin Qian was speechless, “…” and she turned her head to face the other side. He is annoying sometimes.

“What about the fourth threat?” she asked.

Li Zhicheng extended his hand to gently pinch her cheek that had gone a little red, answering, “People’s hearts.”

Lin Qian was dumbfounded and waited for him continue, “DG wants to buy us out and will definitely offer very attractive benefits wavering the hearts of many. Everyone under the sun is out to get benefits. We cannot prevent the fact that the hearts of the employees of Aida will sway.”

Lin Qian remained silent, as Li Zhicheng picked up a white piece, placing it opposite the black piece.

“What is this?”

“The advantages of agreeing to the acquisition.”

Lin Qian’s eyes widened suddenly as she looked at his cold and handsome profile.

So… he was already considering the possibility of being bought out?

“Any of these four threats individually is sufficient to completely wipe out Aida.” He slowly said, “But if we agree to the acquisition, the outcome is very simple in that we will obtain a very large sum of money. The bag industry is a traditional manufacturing industry with low margins overall. If we are able to take this sum of money and dabble in real-estate, investments… I believe we would easily earn back many times the profit of what we can make in the bag industry.”

Lin Qian still remained silent.

She believed whatever Li Zhicheng had said. With his foresight and abilities, which field would he not excel in making money? When she thought about selling Aida, why was it that she was unable to feel happy?

It was a ridiculously heavy heart and a sense of being lost that she felt instead.

She lowered her head once again to look at the five chess pieces on the chessboard before finally lifting her head to look at him dumbfounded.

So, his decision was to?

“I have indeed harbored the thought of selling Aida off before.” He looked into her eyes and ascertained her guess.

Lin Qian felt her heart move: harbored the thought before? These words meant that…

Li Zhicheng sat leaning against the sofa and looked at her quietly. She was initially seated slanted into his embrace but had now turned her entire body to face him straight on. Li Zhicheng rested both hands on her waist and his gaze had also become pensive.

“This afternoon, I went online to research mergers and acquisitions involving companies in China,” he said. Lin Qian had a feeling that what he was about to say would be important and subconsciously nodded her head, “Yea, then?”

“I found that actually, many of the famous brands in China in the various fields had all been bought out.” He said indifferently, “In the face of foreign acquisition, there is basically no relation between their choice and eventual ending.”

“Mm.” Lin Qian was not extremely patriotic but whenever she saw news reports like these, she still felt like it was a little distasteful. Even if the foreign acquisition meant better technology and products, the brand would ultimately not be China’s anymore. Moreover, the number of national brands that had been taken over was not small.

Li Zhicheng, however, switched the topic of conversation and said, “There’s only one field where there is an overall resistance against foreign acquisition.”

Lin Qian’s heart started to beat fast, taking over, “The household appliance industry!” She had seen news about this before.

Li Zhicheng looked at her and nodded his head, “The news reported that China’s enterprises have held out against international household appliance tycoons for many years and paid very heavy prices before they finally succeeded in chasing them away. And now, the result is…” He calmly looked at her, “Under such competitive circumstances, the Chinese enterprises instead started to tirelessly improve their technology and skills, becoming the global leader in many of the products. Foreign enterprises get scared just looking at China’s household appliances.”

Lin Qian did not know what would be best to say, but felt that because of his words, warm blood slowly started to circulate around her entire body. He extended his hand and with a sweep, he gathered all the chess pieces that were spread out across the chessboard and threw them back into their container.

Then, he lifted his head to look at her and asked, articulating each and every word, “Do you really think it is impossible for Li Zhicheng’s enterprise to win over foreign enterprises? And not become the world’s number one?”

It was already deep into the night.

Lin Qian lay on her bed and her mind could no longer store any other information. All it contained was the words that Li Zhicheng had previously said, which were repeatedly playing in her heart.

Although Aida was now number one in China, there was still a huge gap to becoming the leading enterprise in the world.

But listening to him so calmly speak about such ambitious goals did not make her feel the least bit doubtful.

She just felt full of heated drive.

The bathroom door opened and Li Zhicheng walked out after taking his bath. His figure like a cheetah’s and his damp short hair was a picture of sexy handsomeness. Now, Lin Qian liked him regardless of how she looked at him. She did not even wait for him to come closer before she leapt off the bed and stretched out her hands to hug him.

Li Zhicheng, seeing his woman so passionately run at him to give him a hug, all of a sudden made him pause in his tracks. His reaction was fast as he grabbed her, lifted her upwards and Lin Qian’s entire body was suspended in mid-air, entangled with him.

He looked at her darkly.

Lin Qian looked back at him, saying in a gentle but strong voice, “I still want to be your adjutant. Going through thick and thin, through all the tough times with you!”

“Alright.” He replied softly, “Whatever my lady wants can be done.”

Lin Qian couldn’t help but smile and with a “tsk” she said, “I want to be your adjutant regardless.” Her voice became gentler as she said flirtatiously, “Mr commanding officer, please tell me your intelligently formulated plan.”

Li Zhicheng threw her onto the bed and lowered his head to plant successive kisses on her, before hugging her and lying down together, “As long as you know your opponent as you know yourself, no battle will be lost. I need to understand their situation in greater depth.”

Lin Qian nodded her head as she knew this as well. In the military before the high-ranking officers go out to war, they have to have a complete understanding and knowledge of the opponent’s military strength, provisions and the fighting style of their high-ranking officers. Only then would they be able to ensure victory. Previously, the reason why Li Zhicheng had won both his battles was because he had a tight understanding of Chen Zheng’s and Ning Weikai’s personalities and characters.

She thought for a bit and said, “Those few people in my brother’s company had never made contact with them before. I have specially collated the information on DG company before. I can tell you about it.”

“Great. Thank you so much Adjutant Lin.”

Lin Qian smiled slightly and leaned into his embrace, starting to recall the important information.

“Those few partners of my brother’s, as well as his subordinates, used two words to sum them up: sly and heartless. They will add many restrictive conditions in the clauses of the acquisition agreement. At one glance, one may think that it is nothing much; when something actually happens like the management of the enterprise is unsatisfactory or there is a change in the conditions, these seemingly unnoticeable conditions will be put to good use. They will then have a reason to devour your enterprise in a mouthful. And these conditions are either legal or in the grey areas. One has to admit that regarding the experience in financing and acquisitions, local enterprises are still a far cry from international enterprises.”

Li Zhicheng nodded his head. Lin Qian also sighed, “I reckon, Chen Zheng has definitely done himself in.”

Speaking of Chen Zheng, Li Zhicheng was not the least bit soft-hearted as he said emotionlessly, “He only has himself to blame.” Lin Qian blinked and looked at him. Actually, Chen Zheng was not wrong to say that this time SMQ had reached a dead end and they were really dragged down by them. New Bori’s sales of the casual bags were measly and with such a void in the market, SMQ inadvertently jumped on the bandwagon, before being beaten to the punch by Aida… Li Zhicheng’s “a sword with three carvings” simply referred to the fabric market, the casual bags market and getting rid of SMQ.

She couldn’t help but look at Li Zhicheng again.

Back then, when she had been slapped by Chen Zheng’s underling, he said that he would remember those tears of hers.

However, she never expected that he would wait such a long time before dealing SMQ a fatal blow, at the same time taking revenge for her.

Ah… That slap of Chen Zheng’s had a massive cost after all.

“The several executives of the DG Organization’s Asia-Pacific region, as well as the few in marketing, are also very unique.” She continued, “Some of them specialize in electrical sales, so their businesses in the Taiwan and Hong Kong regions are flourishing. We have to be especially careful of them launching a large-scale online marketing concept.

“The people in their advertising team are the best in the world. Honestly speaking, we cannot even compare. Every time I watch a commercial they produce, I always feel amazed.

“Apart from that, their operating process is highly efficient and extremely fast. According to their methods employed in other countries, they will very possibly be able to launch a “lightning battle” that can take over the entire market as long as they have sufficient preparation.”

The night was quiet and as the two discussed in hushed voices, it unknowingly already inched into the second half of the night.

Lin Qian felt pride fill her chest, but also clearly understood that there was the fear of a bumpy road ahead. They were about to go up against a strong opponent. They had never been pitted against one so strong before and it was still unknown whether or not they would be able to win as the weaker party.

At the same time, Lin Mochen’s plans for acquisition was going ahead in perfect order.

His second target was New Bori.

Chapter 66

Ning Weikai was surprised when he heard that DG corporation became one of New Bori’s major shareholders. Mr.Zhu claimed previously that he wouldn’t sell the shares of New Bori. Now, however, things changed in a short period.

Without much effort, he figured out how it had happened. DG started to buy shares from moderate and minor shareholders, who were the relatives and friends of the Zhu’s. They helped Mr. Zhu build the corporation so they owned part of New Bori. And now? They couldn’t enter the executive suite of Zhu’s corporation. It was difficult for them to resist DG Corporation’s high-priced offers.

tsktsk

However, it was Zhu Hanchong and Zhu Hancheng who put New Bori into an equity crisis.

Lin Mochen, one of DG Corporation’s representatives, secretly met with the two. After a few days, he bought ten percent shares from them combined, which brought DG’s ownership to thirty percent of New Bori and made DG one of the largest stakeholder in the company.

As for Ning Weikai, the only thing he wanted to say to this was, “F*ck!” After all, New Bori was not the established or “raised” by the Zhu brothers, and thus they did not feel sorry for giving this “step-child” up. Ning Weikai could think of lots of reasons why they were willing to sell their shares. First, Ning Weikai himself had been in charge of New Bori for years and was influential. They didn’t feel assured dealing with a corporation with a large group of people who they had concerns with the loyalty. Second, they had only dabbled in the real estate and finance industries before, while traditional and low-profit industries like the bag industry couldn’t attract their interest. Selling part of their shares rewarded them with a huge sum which they could use the to support other areas of the business owned by them. Of course, it could further build their reputation within the Zhu’s Corporation as well. After all, when Ning Weikai was taken care of, they became the only competitors for the chairman position. Lastly, it would be almost impossible for Ning Weikai to ever turn the tables after New Bori was sold. It was like salt in his wound.

Ning Weikai had to admit that if he were in their shoes, he would also sell New Bori.

Now, the situation was unclear. Mr. Zhu owned twenty percent, and the two brothers sold five percent each, not to mention that they were likely to sell their remaining twenty percent. Zhu Hanyu’s fifteen would be sold while the other fifteen percent was distributed among other minor shareholders, who were loyal to Ning Weikai. Other than everything above, thirty-five percent was owned by DG. There was still a question mark about who would become the controlling shareholder of New Bori.

As for Zhu Hanyu, Ning Weikai could completely understand why she wouldn’t sell her shares. It was said that Lin Mochen had approached her but was rejected.

She was naïve and inexperienced, but she was also stubborn. She might not be able to realize how important her shares were, but she didn’t want to sell what belonged to the Zhu’s in the first place.

Ning Weikai looked at the sky and buildings outside and sighed.

As he was thinking about her, Yuan knocked on the door and walked in. He looked a bit odd and was hinting at him with his eyes, “Mr. Ning, Mrs. Ning is here.” Ning Weikai was a stupefied. He saw Zhu Hanyu, who was wearing a sapphire-blue skirt and a white topper, walk in.

They gazed at each other. Ning Weikai’s face was fixed while Zhu Hanyu was expressive in her look. She held her purse tightly, gazing at him. “Yuan Jun, I need a minute,” said Ning Weikai. And then, he stood up behind his desk and approached her with a smile, “Why’re you here, Hanyu?”

This was the first time she set foot in his workplace after she married him.

Zhu Hanyu somehow lowered her head to evade eye contact with him. “You haven’t been home for three days. I’m here to see whether you’re OK.” Ning Weikai looked at her alabaster neck, resembling a smooth jade of high quality. He had never seen another woman with such a smooth and delicate neck. Today, she was in the most ordinary clothing. However, every one of her moves showed what an elegant and refined woman she was. She was born a socialite, a princess. The princess who lived at the ivory tower like in the fairy tale. The princess once in his dream.

Ning Weikai held her hands and walked back to the desk. Zhu Hanyu followed him stunningly without saying anything. Ning Weikai sat back down and dragged her to his lap. Zhu Hanyu felt a bit uncomfortable, “This is the office.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Ning Weikai gave a mild kiss to that delicate neck, “they won’t come in. The acquisition is a huge deal and everyone’s talking about it. I’m busy with the issue so I don’t have time to go home.”

This explanation sounded hollow to her ears. Before, no matter how busy he was, he would go home and be with her as long as he was in Lin City. Zhu Hanyu only nodded her head and handed him a folded paper, “I, I come here to give you this.”

Ning Weikai took it, and was dazed by what he saw, “This is…” It was an equity proxy, which stated that Zhu Hanyu entrusted Ning Weikai with all her fifteen percent of the shares of New Bori, and Ning Weikai would act on her behalf. At the bottom was her signature and seal, slim and frail as she was.

Ning Weikai looked up at her and asked, “Do you know what this means?” It meant the decision of who could be the controlling shareholder of New Bori, either the Zhu’s or DG, was up to him to decide.

There was a trace of vague emotions sparkling in Zhu Hanyu’s eyes. She answered, “It means… together with the shares you have of Sha Ying, you can at least make sure Sha Ying, and other brands are safe in your hands, doesn’t it?” Ning Weikai bowed down and kissed her, “Yes. Thank you, Hanyu.”

Zhu Hanyu suddenly burst into tears and put down her fragile dignity. She held his neck and said sobbingly, “Weikai, it doesn’t mean that I side with my father and brothers. I just don’t want you to fall out. I want everything to be exactly the same.”

Ning Weikai felt like his heart was rocked. He held her tightly and said, “I understand…” Before he could finish, he heard someone knocking on the office door and opening it. “Mr.Ning, I’m here to report my work!” she said in a clear tone, and stood there gracefully.

Both Ning Weikai and Zhu Hanyu turned around and looked to the door. It was a young and pretty girl, wearing a white shirt and an office skirt. She was standing holding the door open. Seeing them hugging each other, she blinked. Yuan Jun stood behind her with a straight face and started to scold her, “Lydia, Mr. and Mrs. Ning were talking. Go out immediately.” Before she could react, the door was closed.

Silence was restored in the room.

Ning Weikai and Zhu Hanyu looked at each other. Just when he was about to kiss her again, she pushed him away, stood up and squeezed out a smile, “Do you still have to work? I’ll leave you alone then,” she halted and looked up to him, “Are you coming…”

“I’m coming back,” Ning Weikai interrupted. He stroked her hair and murmured, “Wait for me.” Zhu Hanyu nodded her head, gave him a brief look and left.

Ning Weikai walked her out of the office and all the way to the ground floor. When they passed by the secretary’s desk, he unintentionally peeked at the girl. She didn’t look at the girl and nor did the girl look at her. She got into the private car and waved Ning Weikai goodbye. It wasn’t until the car turned and he couldn’t see her from the back that Zhu Hanyu began sobbing, with her body trembling.

Ning Weikai receiving fifteen percent of New Bori’s shares couldn’t be kept a secret. Everyone in the industry quickly knew about it. Lots of people visited him, while others were waiting for his next move. As for him, he didn’t meet with anyone, including Lin Mochen, who was renowned in the bag industry. He scheduled a meeting with Li Zhicheng a couple of days later.

Both of them had an explicit intention for this meeting. For Ning Weikai, the only brand he had total control on was Sha Ying. Now that he was beset with troubles internally and externally, this could either save him or doom him. What he needed, was a strong back-up. Li Zhicheng knew Ning Weikai’s situation perfectly, and meanwhile, he needed his help.

On a bright afternoon, they met at the teahouse where they had met previously, without Lydia and Lin Qian. This time, it was Ning Weikai who filled Li Zhicheng’s teacup. He asked him with a faint smile, “I heard that DG made its intention clear that they’ll acquire Aida. How’s the process going?”

Li Zhicheng gave a brief but clear answer, “I’ll respond to that in the coming few days.” Ning Weikai nodded his head without further inquiry. He took up the porcelain teacup and swirled it in his palm. Suddenly, he laughed, “It was a bloody war. I always thought you were the biggest challenger of the industry, without realizing we would all become prey of those multi-national corporations.”

“Not necessarily so,” Li Zhicheng tapped the desk and remained unexpressive, “what do you think will happen if all the Chinese corporations resisted buyout?”

Ning Weikai had contemplated the costs and benefits before. He answered with an obscure smile, “In the short term, it’ll be pyrrhic victory. But in the long term, we will lose without doubt.” Li Zhicheng didn’t even raise his eyebrows. He took a sip of his tea and said, “Have you read the report of Chinese appliance industry?”

Undoubtedly, Ning Weikai had read it. He smiled, “We’re not like them. There’ll be both advantages and disadvantages if we want to compete against the foreign companies.”

“I’m all ears.”

“Although technologies are still required in bag manufacturing, unlike appliances, there aren’t huge quality and technology differences between companies. That’s why, unlike the appliances companies, we don’t have to invest into that intensively and only earn a thin profit margin. And that’s our advantage.” He glanced at Li Zhicheng and continued, “However, appliance customers focus more on cost-effectiveness and don’t care as much about the brand name because appliances are about functionality. For bags, they’re personal consumer goods. To put it plainly, choices of bags represent a person’s taste and social status. DG Corporation is now using SMQ’s marketing network to set foot in the Chinese market and once the customers get to know and accept this international brand, we won’t be able to do anything about it, not even price competition and quality rise, because no one will shun the best international brand and go to local brand just because of a two-digit yuan price gap. Even if we want to wage a price war against others, we might not even be able to win it. We’ll still remain second-tier brands behind DG.”

Although he said it frivolously and coldly like always, what he said showed his perspicacity. He put his hands on his knees and looked at Li Zhicheng after he finished talking.

Li Zhicheng looked at the man in front of him of quietly. His eyes were so dark that he couldn’t even see things clearly. After a short while, Li Zhicheng started to talk.

He took the teacup and put it on the middle of the desk, “That’s why if we want to beat DG and preserve our market share, the only way is to prevent customers from knowing this brand in the first place.”

Ning Weikai lifted his eyebrow.

When talking to Li Zhicheng, Ning Weikai felt pleasure like he’d never experienced before. These were the thoughts ingrained deeply in his mind. Now after inspecting this complicated industry and looking into the core issues of the situation, he came up with the boldest conclusion and most precise deciding point, and Li Zhicheng hit the mark with a single comment.

Is this what is like to meet your rival?

He grinned in his heart. “What’re your plans then?” he said, cutting to the chase.

Li Zhicheng was apparently well-prepared. He took the other two teacups and put them in front of him one by one, “There are two steps.” He looked up at him solemnly and went on explaining, “At the first stage, you’re the lead and I’ll cooperate with you. We’ll pressure them from the outside, and make sure that they’ll have a hard battle when trying to enter the Chinese market.”

Ning Weikai immediately understood what he meant. “Outside” meant all the sales channels, suppliers, retailers, logistics operators and more. He was still the president of the Bag Industry Association and had a large network in the industry. It was ironic that he had thought about using the same trick on Aito in the past, but now Li Zhicheng was asking him to use it on foreign corporations.

Li Zhicheng continued, seeing Ning Weikai remain silent, “I’ll give you all the resources Aida has.” This was immense support. What Li Zhicheng meant was integrating all the resources of the two companies and entrusting them to Ning Weikai, so that the pressure and potential losses faced by the two companies were equal. Meanwhile, he could accumulate more connections and build a mightier reputation, thus preparing for his comeback. Ning Weikai weighed the pros and cons in his heart without giving an explicit response. Instead, he asked, “What’s the second step?”

Li Zhicheng looked at him, leaned back in his chair, and answered, “The first step will disappoint DG, but it will be just a feint. I’ll take charge at the second stage, to build a wall against foreign brands in customers’ hearts.”

It was sunset when Li Zhicheng arrived back at Aida. Almost all the people in the building were gone while Jiang Yuan was still sitting in his compartment. He stood up seeing Li Zhicheng, “Ms.Lin is here.” Li Zhicheng nodded his head and said, “OK. You can head home.”

He saw Lin Qian reading Master Sun’s “The Art of War” beside the shelf under the dimming light. She turned around and twinkled at him. She took out the paper where his third scheme was pulled from the book. “Can I keep this?” she asked.

Li Zhicheng had no problem with that. She folded the paper carefully and put it in her purse. She pretended to look at him tensely and said, “I need to be extra careful because it’ll be the end of the world if someone gets it. And of course, I’ll never show this to my brother.”

Li Zhicheng chuckled, walked to her and sat down holding her in his embrace. “Are you going to Changsha next week?” he asked.

“Isn’t that early next month?” Lin Qian was a bit surprised. The original plan was Lin Qian heading to Mind’s subsidiary in Changsha, taking charge of operations of Mind in mainland China and quitting Aida from now on.

“The war’s drawing near.” Li Zhicheng held her in his arms and said gravely, “Stay there until it’s finished.” Lin Qian remained silent. Li Zhicheng couldn’t make himself clearer, and she understood that it was appropriate for her not to participate in this acquisition like Lin Mochen. Though she made herself clear that she wanted to be his deputy, it was all talk. She had prepared to stand aside, except that she didn’t realize she had to leave so soon.

“Well,” he must have his concerns since he made this plan. Lin Qian flung her arms around his neck, “how long do you need?”

“Three to five months.”

Lin Qian opened her eyes widely, “Three to five months?” Without seeing each other? Seeing her worried, smiles waved in his eyes. He put his hand on her head and kissed her. “I’ll come every week no matter what happens.”

After a few days, Lin Qian flew to Changsha.

Lin Qian was more keen than reluctant for this relocation, although her eyes were wet when she said goodbye to Li Zhicheng at the airport. After a long time of cohabitation, it was fresh and relaxing for her to live alone again. She was also certain that he would keep his promise and visit her every week.

Lin Qian called Li Mochen from the airport and told him that she was leaving. Lin Mochen was surprised, “Wasn’t it next month?”

“You avoided the acquisition. Don’t you think I should do the same thing?” Lin Qian sighed. Lin Mochen said, “That might be a good thing. You’re Li Zhicheng’s only weakness. It’s better for you to leave than stay.”

Lin Qian was dazed. What does he mean that I’m Li Zhicheng’s only weakness? I’ve always been his Man Friday? When did I become his weakness? Does Li Zhicheng think the same thing?

She felt uncomfortable as she stepped onto the plane. However, with the plane flying across the clouds and the sun blazing, she stopped thinking about it. She appreciated the majestic scene outside while taking the piece of paper out of her wallet. This had been was written by them together when she was discussing a strategy with Li Zhicheng at his home. The handwriting was a bit poor, but it didn’t affect reading.

The first step, to lure the enemy into a trap.

Lin Qian read it a few times, then folded it and put it back in her purse. This was the first time that she knew all about his plans, and right now, she thought that there wouldn’t be any problems ahead.

We will win.

Chapter 67

As the first rays of the day shone in through the window, Lin Qian opened her eyes, gazing at the man before her. Short strands of black hair covered his brow, his eye sockets were deep and defined; his full nose bridge and cheekbones, outlined his masculine contours. Then there was her favourite part: his jaw, simple and clean.

Her heart softened, she gently placed her hand on his chest, lifted her head and kissed him. Her lips barely made contact with his skin, when he suddenly hugged her and flipped her over, ending up on top of her.

Lin Qian looked into his clear bright eyes. He lowered his head to stare at her. She understood his look, and also felt a change in a certain part of his body.

“You want to do it again?” She whispered.

“Hmm.” He gently nudged her.

“Oh…”

From the penthouse, you could see the entire Xiang River. This was Changsha’s best season; the early autumn breeze had a bit of summer still lingering in it. It went through the heart of the river, through the forests like a gentle, caressing hand as it passed, finally leaving traces of sunlight slipping through, silent and velvety.

Lin Qian and Li Zhicheng embraced and cuddled, from last night when he arrived, until the early drowsy morning. Time was forgotten in this dark, distant room. Lin Qian had not seen his silhouette or his eyes for a few days. They seemed even deeper and more mesmerising, silently occupying her body and heart.

He took a condom from the bedside drawer.

Lin Qian lay under the sheets, wrapping herself up like a rice dumpling, and smiled at him, “Still using a Japanese brand, tsk tsk tsk. President Li better not let outsiders know, or it will result in the entire industry boycotting foreign investment…”

Obviously, before initiating any form of provocation against Li Zhicheng, one should think twice. This statement held true for life. Because he gave her a look, then threw the condom aside, “I’m not wearing it anymore.”

Lin Qian, “…”

Seeing him actually continuing to work himself up like this, Lin Qian hastily said, “I was wrong, I was wrong. Good enough? Quickly, put it on!”

He gazed deeply at her, cupped her face in his hands and asked, “Is it okay if I don’t?”

His voice was low but cool. Lin Qian’s heart skipped a beat upon hearing it.

He was serious.

She could get pregnant.

Their wedding would be held four months later. Before this they had talked about whether they wanted a boy or a girl. He said he wanted a girl.

But a man like him, standing at the top of his industry, adored by many, was only 27 years old and had just gotten engaged. Yet he wanted a child, at age 27, much earlier than most of his successful peers. For example, Ning Weikai was already thirty, but he had yet to have kids.

Just as she expected, in the end Li Zhicheng was still a man with twenty-year-old appearance but a forty-year-old soul.

Considering her wise conclusion, Lin Qian couldn’t help but laugh.

“What are you laughing at?” he stared at her.

Of course Lin Qian would not say it. As for having a child, she thought it was best to let nature take its course. She nodded, “Okay. Then let’s not use it.”

Li Zhicheng’s gaze changed. Lin Qian couldn’t tell exactly what had changed.

Probably… he was excited.

It was so rare to see excitement in his eyes. Even his excitement was deep, restrained, and hard to notice. If she hadn’t familiarized herself with every inch of him, she wouldn’t have caught it.

This for some reason made Lin Qian excited too.

When they reached the climax together, Li Zhicheng was pressing on her with all his weight. She was panting softly underneath his chest; her voice sounded both like a whimper and a cry of rapture. Only then she realized there was no barrier between them, and when he was leaving his warm liquid inside her body, the feeling was totally different than usual.

She was actually moved. Before this when she read she always came across the word “filled up”, such a straightforward word, she felt it was vulgar. But it turned out that at this moment, only the word “filled up” could conclude how she felt physically and emotionally.

He filled her up using the most beautiful and intimate method between a man and a woman.

Lin Qian’s face was flushed. How could her change in expression escape Li Zhicheng’s eyes? There was still a thin layer of sweat on his forehead; spooning her in his arms, he asked under his breath, “What are you thinking at this moment?”

Lin Qian tittered, then told him about the “filled up” theory.

After Li Zhicheng listened, his lips lifted with a smile, but his gaze looking at her turned deep. Then a certain part of his body nudging her again.

Lin Qian stared at him wide-eyed, “Again? You…”

“You seduced me.” he whispered.

“Since when did I!”

Li Zhicheng stared at her quietly. Of course she did.

“You filled me up.” Such blatant words, yet she said it so innocently.

Could any man could hear that and remain unaroused?

At the end, because it was very close to his flight departure time and she was too tired, he only released once in her hands. When Lin Qian sent him downstairs to catch a ride to the airport, she could still feel something unusual remaining in her body. It reminded her constantly that this man who was leaving in a rush this early morning was already the most intimate person in the world to her.

“Take care. Don’t overwork yourself,” she lifted her head to kiss him.

Li Zhicheng hugged her tight, saying in a low voice, “Go upstairs and sleep for a while longer.”

“Hmm.”

Finally he let go of her and got into the car. The car moved swiftly out of the hotel and disappeared from her sight.

This had been the fourth weekend that they were apart. Lin Qian felt blue every time she sent him off. Wrapping herself tightly in a windbreaker, she hugged her arms and went upstairs.

The hotel room without him turned cold instantaneously. She tidied her belongings and picked up a wedding catalog from the table.

These are all the selected wedding gowns, hotels, and honeymoon locations that she showed him last night. It was a task that he assigned to her. He was too busy, so this kind of preparation could only be done by her.

But Lin Qian knew that Li Zhicheng did not want her to be worrying for him, that was why he left her with this task. He really did leave her here and would only come to fetch her back after he had settled everything.

Lin Qian sighed and opened the wedding catalog. At last she settled on one of the models. A strapless, bandeau wedding dress. The waistline was very slim, layers of irregularly arranged lace seemed like blossoming flowers surrounding the bride.

This was his preferred style.

Because he liked it, that was what made it so soul-stirring to her.

Today was Monday. It was exactly 9:00 a.m. when Lin Qian reached the office.

As the few Mind factories on the Mainland were all newly built, everything was neat and in order, so her management work proceeded smoothly. Actually she was rather free.

As expected, the news was all about the main global brands under DG expanding their business and starting to sell in various large shopping malls and all SMQ franchised stores in China.

This expansion was inevitable, but now the insiders would know that the Luggage Manufacturers Association, led by Ning Weikai, was constantly pressuring DG. The distributors and other business partners were sandwiched in between, finding it hard to please either party, so every step that DG took to advance in China was not easy.

Ning Weikai stood by justice and righteousness at critical moments. Lin Qian saw that on the Internet, the media had started labelling him as a patriotic businessman when they were reporting news about him.

He had made a comeback.

But Lin Qian was well-aware that this was only the first step. This move could only slow down the rate at which DG entered the market; the real confrontation had yet to begin.

Li Zhicheng appeared in her mind again; his tall figure, his pure black suit, his calm and steady demeanour.

His head-on confrontation.

After a while, her secretary sent in a disc, “Miss Lin, the video recording for the strategic meeting last week has been processed and is ready to be saved.”

“Okay. Let me check.”

Lin Qian inserted the disc into her computer.

This was a strategic meeting attended by the whole of Aida’s management board the prior week. The goal was to discuss how to handle the acquisition by DG. Even the Chairman, Li Zhicheng’s father, Xu Yong, who had not made an appearance for a while, came to give a speech to motivate everyone. Lin Qian was out of town, so she joined via video call.

Lin Qian has met her future father-in-law twice before. After she had moved in with Li Zhicheng, he brought her to the nursing home. Xu Yong treated her politely; they both had good impressions of each other, but they hadn’t had any in-depth interaction.

Lin Qian pressed the ‘play’ button. A large group of people appeared on the screen; Li Zhicheng, Gu Yanzhi, Liu Tong, Xue Mingtao… and Xu Yong, sitting in the center, looking hale and hearty with his hair grey. Father and son looked quite similar; both had well defined contours, handsome facial features, and fair skin.

Very soon, Xu Yong spoke. He was important and powerful; everyone in Aida looked up to him with great reverence and trust. He slowly reviewed the history of him starting the company and everyone listened attentively. Li Zhicheng, the most powerful person now, sat beside him and was absorbed in his speech, too.

After that, he changed the topic, saying, “I heard that the DG Group from the United States has approached us with an acquisition offer. Their offer is enticing. They have contacted many minor stakeholders in private, as well.”

The atmosphere in the meeting room seemed to turn more serious than before.

“I have been to DG. When I was young, I went on a trip to study in the United States and Europe,” he said lightly. “This corporation is indeed good. It’s in the Fortune 500 List and it is known as No. 1 in the suitcase industry. But, they have been trying their luck in the Chinese market for three years and have yet to yield results, so now they are resolving to a simple and rough method like acquisition.”

As soon as he said that, everyone laughed. A faint smile flashed across Li Zhicheng’s eyes too. Xu Yong added on, “So, should we sell Aida to them?” He scanned around, the crowd was silent.

“Never!” he said firmly, “I will not sell, no matter how much is offered! One of my sons spent all his life striving for Aida, and in the end he passed away in a car accident while on a business trip. My other son…” he looked towards Li Zhicheng, “he came back from the military which he had served for years, and gave up his position as a senior officer to manage Aida. Aida is the accumulation of our efforts and it is also the cumulative effort and affection of all of us here. So, I will never sell away Aida.”

A booming round of applause burst out and the atmosphere turned lively in an instant. Some of the senior employees, led by Liu Tong, were especially glad and inspired.

After the cheering had ceased, Xu Yong scanned the room with his eagle-like sharp gaze, then said, “Today I am here to declare my stand and also to unite everyone. I am not selling, so all of you should not sell either, because Aida belongs to everyone. If any one of you sold your share, I could only say, from now on you are no longer my friend, my employee, nor part of Aida. You would be standing against Aida. You could even say that you have betrayed the national brands. I, Xu Yong, will never forgive this kind of person.”

The meeting ended with prolonged applause. Even after a few days had passed, when Lin Qian re-watched the recording of this meeting, she was moved by Xu Yong’s sonorous and powerful words.

Was it really like father, like son?

Another thought popped in her head. Xu Yong probably had yet to find out about her brother’s identity as the investor who represented the US party in acquiring suitcase corporations. If not, with Xu Yong’s steely attitude, he would definitely distance himself from her if he found out.

Of course Li Zhicheng would hide it from him.

However, right now Lin Qian did not expect that, after a few days, all the things she thought would not happen, occurred one by one.

Even Li Zhicheng was caught off guard.

Chapter 68

The sun was shining bright and Chen Zheng was bringing the president of the DG Asia-Pacific region and his people to survey the production base of SMQ in the eastern suburbs of Lin City.

It was a warm afternoon. The factory’s machines were working in full gear and the staff in their blue uniforms were hard at work, painting a scene that was bustling with activity. Hence, the bunch of foreigners were nodding their heads and conveying their satisfaction after looking at it.

With regards to the SMQ, Chen Zheng was also more satisfied. One had to understand that there was no such thing as rendering timely help in this world, only such a thing as embellishing what is already beautiful. After news got out that SMQ had been bought by DG, the suppliers and partners whose relationships with SMQ had become stale were gradually changing their attitudes. Everyone was still waiting to see what would happen. At least they did not dare to offend him anymore.

Meanwhile, consumers obviously had a mindset of worshipping foreign goods. Ever since SMQ morphed into a foreign brand, the sales in his stores had seen an increase. And after they obtained investments from DG, his factory was able to start operating once again.

Such a good, virtuous cycle. Without these people, these greedy and prideful foreigners, he would be unable to achieve these heights.

However, there is a saying that willing the deities to come is hard but willing them to go is even harder. Chen Zheng thought that after today’s inspection had been completed, he would completely have fooled these foreigners. Who knew that the moment they took a step out of the factory, the DG Asia-Pacific region president would question him. His attitude was very strict, exploding directly at Chen Zheng, “Ben! Can you explain the goods that are placed in the fifth warehouse? What’s going on?”

Ben was the English name that Chen Zheng had given himself in the past couple of days to ease communication with them. At this moment, his heart skipped a beat but he still did not admit, saying, “Mr Charles, that is our casual bags series.”

Charles was an Australian man who was just over 40 years old and was tall and well-built. He had a pair of extremely big, blue eyes, a high nose bridge, and extremely smooth and shiny skin, which made his appearance look slightly childish.

At that moment, he shook his head and said, “Ben, you didn’t tell me the truth. I saw the examination report for that batch of products before and the product failure rate was very high. A lot of the pieces had off-colored fabric and the internal stitching is messy. There are even a few that used materials that are not in line with the product description and its quality is a lot worse than usual. I’m guessing… this batch of goods were rushed out. Am I right?”

When he finished, everyone fell silent. The people on Chen Zheng’s side were shooting one another glances.

Chen Zheng felt waves of uneasiness. That batch of goods were indeed rushed out.

Half a year ago, when New Bori’s market for casual bags shrunk, Chen Zheng took a loan from the bank and created a new series of product. Back then, because SMQ had already fallen to its all-time low, the drain on the staff was very serious and they were having difficulties with cash flow. Of course, this led to lower product quality.

This batch of bags had been mostly made using very good materials, and a great deal of investment had gone into it. At least from their outer appearances, consumers would be absolutely unable to spot any obvious defects.

Today, since Charles and his people were surveying the place, he even specially instructed the staff in the warehouse to place some pieces that were of better quality on the top.

The documents for the transfer of the company was so long that it would fill several houses. Chen Zheng thought that a strategic leader like Charles would not read through them in detail. Who knew where he had seen the examination report?

Chen Zheng started to fret internally. He had been careless.

Just then, the other foreigners started to discuss fervently. They hailed from different countries and were speaking in English with a variety of accents which made it so noisy that Chen Zheng’s head ached a little.

“Hi, everyone.” His smile was not genuine as he cut them off, “Can I explain?”

They all quieted down.

Chen Zheng smiled as he said, “This batch indeed has some problem with its quality, so we are not prepared to sell it on the frontline markets. Rather, we are planning to drop the prices and place it up for sale in the less developed markets…”

He had not completed his words but Charles had already begun to shake his head once again, “Ben! How can you think like that? Good quality has been the prioritized goal of DG since our founding. Even product lines that are low priced should maintain a certain standard. This won’t do, I disagree.”

Chen Zheng tried to bear with it and continue maintaining his smile while saying, “Charles, can you finish hearing me out?”

Charles looked at him with his eyes wide.

Chen Zheng said, “When we first collaborated, the reason why you were interested in SMQ was because in one sense, we have the widest and most evenly distributed online stores in China. We are also China’s most influential enterprise. Before Aida and New Bori had even set foot into the more undeveloped cities, and even the countryside, we already had export agents. This is very crucial for DG to become number one in China’s market in the future.

“On the other hand, because we are a local enterprise, we have a better understanding of China’s national sentiments. China is different from America and Australia. Our society’s development is extremely unbalanced. The rich areas have their own requirements and expectations; the poor areas have their own spending habits. Based on my experience, these products that you think are average in quality will have no problems at all selling in the more underdeveloped cities and states. They will even sell very well, bringing in abundant profit. And this will not hinder our sales of our mid-tiered to high-end products that is simultaneously ongoing.”

He said it like a serious vow but the external investors that were headed by Charles all still had their eyebrows furrowed.

“Oh, no, Ben!” Charles said, “You are speaking with a lot of sense, but these products go against the aim that DG has pursued for hundreds of years. If such products are sold under DG’s name, we simply have no way of explaining to our headquarters in America, and it will also seriously damage the image of our company. Hence, we feel that this batch of products should be removed from the market immediately. We absolutely cannot give up on our principles just for a moment of profit. This issue has no room for discussion, please…” He said in awkward Mandarin, “Settle it immediately.”

This was the first time since DG had taken the helm of SMQ that the two parties had to settle such a big difference in opinion about management methods.

Of course, such a situation arose many times afterwards. This was the pain that almost every local enterprise had to face after “selling themselves” to foreign investors.

And now, Chen Zheng could feel this pain deeply.

In front of him, a few foreigners were still whispering to one another, discussing in low voices and even glancing at him directly with disapproving looks. Sometimes, foreigners just didn’t know how to carry themselves, and were so stupid that he felt like vomiting blood.

Meanwhile, the few Chinese subordinates behind him were all silent because their boss had been embarrassed and they were also afraid to make any sound.

Chen Zheng smiled after a moment of silence, “Alright, I agree with this point of view. I will get someone to settle it immediately.” Heard the commitment, Charles immediately had a smile on his face and happily kneaded Chen Zheng’s shoulder.

“Ben, thank you for being so understanding and decisive!” Charles was brimming with enthusiasm, “I believe we will work very well together!”

Chen Zheng erupted with laughter, “Of course! Is there even a need to say it?”

As they laughed, all the surrounding people laughed as well. Chen Zheng followed him and was pushed to continue forward by the crowded clusters of people surrounding him. Internally, he vehemently cursed “F*ck”!

To comply in public but oppose in private had always been a part of Chen Zheng’s personality.

This afternoon, when sending the foreign investors to the exit of the factory, he conveyed that he would “solve the problem immediately” before he turned around and returned to the facility.

After several hours, he and several of his confidantes stood by the door of the factory watching as the products that were deemed “failures” in the foreigner’s eyes were transported outside.

The confidantes also felt their hearts ache a little. One of them opened his mouth to speak, “Mr Chen, if we sort through this batch, there is at least 60 to 70 percent that we can sell!”

Another said, “This batch is our investment, and the losses will also be ours. During the year end, if the company’s profits do not look satisfactory, your management rights will be stripped according to the investment agreement. Could it be that those Australians have such a plan in mind?”

Chen Zheng’s expression was also very sullen.

He thought back to a few months before when he had personally stood in front of these products with utter complacency. From what he thought back then, the casual bags market was an unwanted fresh piece of meat that was spat out from some other’s mouth. Whoever had the quickest hands would be able to take the steal.

But reality was cruel.

Li Zhicheng’s casual bag series, Aier, had neither been launched too early nor too late. It had to be launched just when his products had all been sent to the production line and had only a few days left to being launched. If it had been slightly earlier, he would not have to swap his stock; if it had been slightly later, it was hard to say but he may have already monopolized the market.

The past had become nothing but a memory and now, he looked at the blood red sunset as he replied coldly, “Would I not know what Charles is planning to do? Don’t care about them, we will transport this batch of products over today and put them up for sale in the distant stores as planned. Send a few people to watch them closely and if there are any movements, just get the stores to take the products off the shelves first and deal with them!”

The next morning, after getting the news that Chen Zheng had already “started to completely clear the second-grade products”, Charles was very happy. Simultaneously, he had gathered all of the high-ranking executives including Chen Zheng to hold a meeting to define the next step of their battle plan.

The large meeting room was filled to capacity. Charles sat at the head of the table, excitedly saying, “Chinese people have a saying, ‘look at the horse’s head which takes the lead’. Right now, Li Zhicheng is the China bag industry’s horse head.”

The entire meeting room was silent as everyone knew that his metaphor was very apt.

Aida rejected the acquisition and New Bori’s stance was still unclear. Hence, DG’s acquisition business in China had been entirely hindered. Everyone was clear that New Bori was looking towards the big boss of the industry, Aida.

If DG wanted to complete their plan of acquiring all the companies, they first had to deal with Aida.

Based on the conventions of widespread foreign acquisitions, if direct acquisitions are unsuccessful, they would have to launch a direct attack in the market.

They would use their innate abilities to utterly knock out the Chinese enterprises and finally buy them over at an even lower price.

“China also has another saying, ‘if a soft approach doesn’t work then a hard approach is required’.” Charles was immersed in his own joy as he said those words, as if he thought his speech was really not bad. Meanwhile, the Chinese representatives led by Chen Zheng who were all seated downstage were expressionless.

“In view of SMQ’s sales channels as well as China’s consumer situation, I have discussed with Ben, and we want to first launch the lower-tiered brands under DG out into the Chinese market.” When Charles talked about this, he suddenly became serious and calm, “These few brands are also the ones that have contributed the most to DG’s profits. I believe that they will definitely be widely accepted by the Chinese consumers.”

The audience gave a round of applause and Chen Zheng smiled as well. Indeed, those few brands were very strong in their quality and external appearance. One had to admit that an international tycoon was indeed an international tycoon; their products were clearly different. Once they are launched, they would no doubt defeat the likes of Li Zhicheng and Ning Weikai. His SMQ would also be able to conveniently take the opportunity to snatch back its position in the market.

At that moment, Charles turned his head to look at Lin Mochen who was beside him and representing the investors. He had been invited to take part in today’s meeting and provide input when formulating the battle plan. It was surprising that he had not said a word.

“Jason!” Charles was extremely affectionate in his tone towards him, “Do you think our plan will be possible?”

Lin Mochen smiled and interlocked his fingers, balancing them on his legs. He lifted his head and scanned his surroundings, saying, “I’m in investment so I don’t give my opinions on management.”

“Come on!” Charles smiled, “Jason, everyone knows that before you went into investment, you had your own enterprise that even made it to the NASDAQ exchange. You may have left it in the hands of your managers for now. Give me your opinion, alright?”

After this pronouncement, all the Chinese representatives, including Chen Zheng looked at this Chinese investor in a different light.

Lin Mochen did not evade, but nodded his head and said, “My understanding of this enterprise is not deep, so I can’t represent more specific viewpoints. However, being locked on the lower-tiered products is indeed a more profitable business in China. In Chinese words, it is a ‘hotbed that attracts all the competitors’.”

The translator conveyed the message to Charles and his eyes lit up, saying, “You have said exactly what I was thinking. Jason, why were you in charge of the acquisitions of SMQ and New Bori but not that of Aida? If you handled it, I believe the outcome would be better.”

Once the words were said, everyone looked towards Lin Mochen, and Chen Zheng sized him up.

At that moment, Lin Mochen seemingly felt Chen’s prying look and suddenly lifted his gaze to shoot him a glare. This glare made Chen Zheng’s heart go cold as it was penetrating, showing no regard for him, and even more so like a… warning.

In an instant, Lin Mochen had already shifted his glance and said smilingly to Charles, “Personal reasons. Moreover, I have limited energy since I’m only one person so it’s more suitable to let my colleague handle it.”

It was Friday night again.

Lin Qian wore a blue uniform and stood at the front of an assembly line. Beside her were four or five supervisors who were currently displaying the various designs of fabric.

Lin Qian took a look at one, and shook her head once, “No way. This is too thick. This one ranks too low in its wear-resistance. This fabric…really does not look good…”

After four or five fabrics, the head worker became a little helpless, “Ms Lin, just what kind of fabric do you want?”

Lin Qian thought for a while and said, “I want to produce the market’s lightest, most wear-resistant and prettiest fabric, which women will like at first glance.”

The worker was speechless, “…”

Lin Qian giggled and said, “I’m speaking in too of general terms. Tell you what, I will pick out a few colors and production styles, you all try and improve them. This is my personal request. I will give you a bonus that’s guaranteed to be satisfactory, but remember to keep it a secret.”

The workers all laughed, telling her a bonus was unnecessary, and if she needed something done, all she had to do was ask. Everyone knew that ever since Ms Lin took over Mind’s production in mainland China, her management style had always been skilled and affectionate and she would always deliver what she promised. If she said that the bonus would be satisfactory, it would definitely be extremely substantial. Such a request did not require too much work but it wouldn’t have been possible if it was just an average person making the request!

After talking to the workers again for a bit, Lin Qian left the workshop. Just as she had taken a few steps, her phone rang. Every week at this time it rang, and there was no doubt that it was Li Zhicheng.

Lin Qian’s heart started to soar. “Have you reached Changsha?” she asked him.

Who knew that this time however, Li Zhicheng left her disappointed, “I’m still in Lin City, about to go on my business trip.”

“…Oh.” Lin Qian replied, “Alright, see you next week then.”

Even though he had promised to meet every week, when he got really busy, there were also times where he was unable to keep to his promise.

On the other side of the line, he laughed.

“No.” His deep voice seemingly had hints of bewitchment, “You come over.”

Lin Qian replied, “Huh?”

“I’ve already booked you a flight to Beijing tonight and if you immediately leave for the airport you’ll still be able to catch it,” he calmly said.

However, Lin Qian had lost her cool, “Now?! I haven’t even packed a bag!”

“Everything’s at home.” He said succinctly, “I have already helped you pack.”

Lin Qian’s heart started to thump fast. Why did he make it seem as though they were eloping?

“Are you coming?” he asked.

How could she possibly not go?

When she arrived in Beijing, the night was already dark.

Lin Qian simply carried her gloves in her hand and wore her white shirt with a suit and high heels. While walking through a crowd where most were dragging their luggage, she appeared very out of place. At a glance, she spotted Li Zhicheng standing in the arrival hall.

He was slightly better. He had changed out of his suit and was wearing casual attire; his hands were in his pockets as he calmly looked at her. Lin Qian walked over, “Why are you in such a rush?”

Li Zhicheng extended his hand to wrap around her waist, “Spring is short.”

Lin Qian couldn’t help but smile. She lifted her head to look into his sparkly eyes under the light which made it apparent that he was very successful recently. He was in a good mood for him to say such wanton things.

The hotel he had booked was very close to the airport, which surprised Lin Qian a little, “Why are we not staying downtown?”

Li Zhicheng replied, “We still have to fly elsewhere tomorrow.”

It became apparent to Lin Qian.

Early the next morning, after a night of desires, Li Zhicheng who “had his fill” pressed her below his body as his hands traced along her naked back, slowly touching her. Meanwhile, Lin Qian was lying on the bed, her head lowered looking at some information on fabrics on her phone.

After a while, she turned her head to look at him, her eyes sparkling, “Husband, I have a thought.”

“Hmm?”

“I want to start my own brand.”

Li Zhicheng lifted his gaze to look at her.

They looked into each other’s eyes and Lin Qian laughed, a little embarrassed, “Are you thinking that I’m too ambitious? I know this market is already very mature and it will be difficult to introduce a new brand. But…” She stole a glance at him, “Although I’m not you, I still want to give it a try and create an entirely new brand that belongs to me based on my own merits…”

“Alright,” he straightforwardly cut her off.

Lin Qian blinked her eyes and looked at him without saying a word.

“You can do it.” He flipped her over, his hand supporting the side of her body as he lowered his head and stroked her face, “Does my woman also want a share of the market? Then as the leader of this market, should I kill off this new brand or not?”

This sentence was “cruel” and powerful, teasing Lin Qian such that her heart tremored.

“You dare!” She glared at him, “From today on wherever Lin Qian’s brand is, Li Zhicheng please quickly retreat at least 3 feet and you’re not allowed to break the rule!”

Li Zhicheng lowered her head and kissed her, “Let me take charge of the stock.”

Lin Qian stretched out her hand to push him away, “I don’t want! This is a brand that I am creating by myself that has nothing to do with you. Moreover, once I set it up, you are also not to give your opinions as I want to rely on myself entirely to create a new brand. If it fails, I will accept it; if it succeeds…” She looked at him smugly, “you don’t have to be jealous about my profits as I will let you join as a shareholder then.”

What Lin Qian did not vocalize was that since her brother had told her that “you are his only weakness”, she had been rather uncomfortable. Admittedly, her talent could not be compared to Li Zhicheng’s whose talent is only comparable to higher powers. But she wasn’t too bad either.

Indeed, she had always looked up to Li Zhicheng and stood by his side but she had never once beaten herself up over it. But her brother’s words had hooked out a feeling that had been buried deep within her heart. When one stood in another’s shadow for too long, she would begin feel tired, inferior, lost and afraid that she would lose herself one day.

Hence, the idea of creating a brand that belonged to her started to slowly fester and take shape in her heart.

It was not for the money but rather to find a more distinct version of herself.

This process was completely unrelated to Li Zhicheng.

His woman having the ambition to create a startup, and who would only give him the rights to being a shareholder shocked Li Zhicheng. He felt as though his normally stable and calm heart had been lightly pinched by her hands.

It was a little uncomfortable. She would never be completely under his control, but it was as if he saw a more vibrant and liberated version of her.

Then, it dug out and even more intense desire to possess her from the depths of his heart arrived.

“Alright.” He lowered his head and kissed her red lips, “We’ll wait and see. But I cannot guarantee that I will not acquire it in the future.”

Lin Qian replied, “…B*stard!”

Early the next morning, Lin Qian was carried off the bed by Li Zhicheng.

“Such an early flight?” She was a little confused as she thought they were spending the day in Beijing and only leaving at night.

Li Zhicheng smiled gently and carried both of their luggage as he held her hand and went out the door.

When they were going through the procedures of the flight, Lin Qian was taken by surprise, “We’re going to Europe?”

Alright, she could understand that someone took care of her visa without letting her know. Her passport had always been left at home and she had already obtained Schengen visa in the past, and therefore renewing a Schengen visa did not require in person application and could be done by someone else on her behalf. She also knew that he had plans for a business trip in Europe and was a key step in his plans.

However, he had actually “kidnapped” her without a word, just so she could accompany him.

Of course, even if they were there for business, the two of them going to Europe would turn it into a road of bliss. But…

Lin Qian tilted her head to look at his cold and handsome side profile.

He was a rather clingy person after all.

Chapter 69

The hotel faced the street, with rainy lanes on one side and a wet square on the other. The square was surrounded by gray churches and bell towers. In the distance, was the muddy Arno River and an ancient bridge on the top, in the rain shower.

Lin Qian had never been to Florence before, but she had heard of it for years. Now that the battle was on the way, the two of them fled to the small town at the end of the world, as if they were isolated from the rest of the world, feeling calm and peaceful.

She sat on the bed in the hotel room and sorted the clothes in the suitcase. Li Zhicheng sat on the edge, watching.

Everything was packed by him, in Lin City. She soon discovered something wrong.

She picked up a stack of skirts from the box and showed them to him, “Why did you only pack the skirts?”

Li Zhicheng glanced at the stack of skirts and lifted his eyes to look at her. He faintly answered, “Because your legs are beautiful.”

Lin Qian sneared, she couldn’t help but laugh. It wasn’t convenient to only bring skirts on a trip. But she had to accept the fact.

While putting the skirts into the drawer, she thought, He’s never packed clothes for me. Now I’ve finally found out that his preferences are so obvious and monotonous.

But she soon found out that she had come to the wrong conclusion. Because she then discovered a stack of colorful bras and panties. And his underwear, were all black, neatly stacked on the edge.

Lin Qian started counting, red, black, purple, blue, green, white, brown… She turned and looked at him, thinking, among my entire drawer of underwear, it’s not that easy to find so many colors.

“What is this?” She pointed at the stack of fancy lingerie. “Seven colors, are you collecting Dragon Balls?”

Li Zhicheng rested his hands on the back of his head and leaned on the edge of the bed, answering, “They were all random.”

Huh!? I don’t believe he just randomly grabbed all these seven colors.

In a well fitted shirt, shiny shoes, and his fateful look, Lin Qian was looking at the man right in front of her, as an industry giant, she had a very different picture emerging in her mind. Yesterday, when he was alone at home, he was carefully selecting his fiance’s panties and bras, then patiently folding them one by one, into the suitcase.

Fine, she admitted that she suddenly felt it was very pleasant.

When he went downstairs, Lin Qian was looking at his tall straight figure, then something suddenly hit her, although he looks subtle, sophisticated and quiet, in fact, when it comes to sex he’s actually pretty romantic, and full of ideas …Having thought of it, her cheeks grew slightly hot.

From now on, I should also try to spice it up!

Li Zhicheng was standing on the porch and was on the phone. With his ink black hair, sharp jawline, thin coat, and standing in a drizzle, he was handsome like a quiet and still sculpture in the town.

Lin Qian stared at him, with her mind drifting.

“OK, see you later.” He hung up and turned to look at Lin Qian. “The car is coming to pick us up very soon.” She nodded.

She suddenly came to realization, eyes widened, staring at him, “Your English!?”

Did she hear anything wrong? It was fluent, no different from hers at all.

Li Zhicheng put both hands in his pockets and answered indifferently, “It takes practice.”

Come on! Last time in the U.S., he said that he couldn’t even order in English? In the past two years, I’ve never seen him read an English book, not even close. He’s pretending to be weak again! In order to chase me at the beginning, he was really wracking his brain!

Lin Qian put on a rough stare at him, but he just smiled lightly and wrapped his arms around her to get in the car.

In fact, Li Zhicheng’s English was more than just fluent. In the next two days, he even talked to two companies that made leather goods and casual bags. He didn’t need an interpreter to be present, nor help from Lin Qian. He obtained the rights of sales and distribution in Asia from those two companies.

Both of them were local companies and small in scale. One of the companies’ products were not yet sold outside of Italy, and the other was only making their business in central and southern Italy. When approached for cooperation by Chinese industry giants like Li Zhicheng, they were ecstatic. The cost obtain the distribution rights was quite decent, and Li Zhicheng therefore signed the contracts for five years at once, and placed two orders that were considered quite substantial for both of the small firms.

When they stepped out of the office building, it was the evening. The town was flooded with lights, and the shops on both sides of the long street were full of world-renowned luxury brands, just like the Avenue of Stars leading to the unknown.

Lin Qian held Li Zhicheng’s arm and took a look at the black backpack he used for documents, looking proud, “Well, I feel like I am a nouveau riche today, came to Europe to ‘shop’ and place orders.”

Li Zhicheng gave a faint smile, looking ahead, “One day, Aida’s flagship store will also be opened here.”

He rarely spoke so straight from the heart, leaving Lin Qian’s heart beating faster, “Ah,” ambitiously, she pointed at the luxury shops in the front , “my brand in the future, will also reside here! Right next to yours.”

Li Zhicheng paused suddenly, retrieving his arms, grabbing her to his chest and bowed his head to kiss her.

On the streets of an exotic country, there were strangers of different skin colors everywhere. He embraced her, standing in the middle of the rainy street, quietly kissing without any disturbance.

Their dinner was served in a small shop on the street. Red wine and steak, such a simple combination, yet unexpectedly good. Lin Qian was a little tipsy, taking out the documents from his bag and looked while asking, “How many contracts have we got?”

“Including the resale franchising agreement from the domestic companies from back home, five, in total,” Li Zhicheng responded.

Lin Qian carefully looked through the information on the five companies. From German companies with a turnover of more than 100 million euros, to some local companies in Florence, like the those visited earlier in the day; including both leather goods and leisure bags. Most of them were moderately priced, some were supplied to Li Zhicheng at a very low price. The quality also varied. Some of them were second and third tier products, but just as good as DG, some were in the Italian style, but the workmanship was very rough.

However, they all shared something in common, a long history of at least 50 years or hundreds of years.

This was similar to DG. Lin Qian thought in a playful way.

After the dinner, Li Zhicheng held her hand, “Let’s go get the last contract.”

Lin Qian was a bit surprised, “This late?”

The nightlife in the town had already begun. The music in the alleys was roaring, and the buskers were in wide-brimmed hats, leaning against the walls to sway their saxophones gracefully.

Li Zhicheng took Lin Qian, turning a few corners before finding a small door in the alley where the local residents lived. The grayish-brown stone wall contained a square door, adorned with Chinese lanterns, red and hazy.

A tall, young, blond man stood in the doorway and saw Li Zhicheng, greeting him with enthusiasm, “Hey! Li!”

Li Zhicheng also laughed, “Hey, David.”

Lin Qian stood aside, watching the two hug. Very surprising and interesting.

She had no idea, since when did Li Zhicheng have foreign friends?

The two men greeted each other in a whisper, and at the same time, they turned to Lin Qian.

“My fiancee, Lin.” Li Zhicheng said.

David’s blue eyes glowed with passion, “What a beautiful girl! Lin, I’m David. Nice to meet you.”

After the three walked into the shop and had a brief conversation, Lin Qian then found out that when Li Zhicheng was searching around the world for fabrics suitable for the “Longbow,” he met David. He became a friend by coincidence.

This time Li Zhicheng was here to buy the Chinese contract of his family’s ancestral handmade leather goods.

After walking in the store, she discovered that it was actually very large, narrow and long. Even though the outside looked ordinary, the inside was very delicately decorated. Both sides were full of glass cabinets, with beautiful leather bags inside. Lin Qian was also an expert, she could tell that the workmanship was very delicate and was a rare premium product, from a glance.

“Such a big store, all by yourself?” Lin Qian asked.

“No,” David giggled. “There are five girls as waitresses and eighteen workers. I’m only responsible the for the design.”

Lin Qian nodded in admiration, “Excellent. These are the best products I have seen in Florence during our visit.”

David was very pleased, and he took out a nice handbag directly from the cabinet and handed it to her, “For you! For your compliment.”

Lin Qian quickly waved, “Too much!”

David looked at Li Zhicheng, saying even though he looked simple and straightforward, he could tell the difference.”

Li Zhicheng laughed and looked at her. “That’s ok, just take it.”

Lin Qian accepted it. She adored the design and feel of the bag.

It turned out that since David took over this ancient shop from his father, he had been enjoying his freedom. It all depended on his mood, if he wanted to go travelling, he would close the shop, letting the workers go on holiday, and he would end up somewhere else overseas. However, his craftsmanship, workmanship, and design were among the best known in Florence. Even though he only worked perhaps one month a year, it was enough to support himself.

There also had been international luxury brands attempting to buy him and his brand. As to the result? They were severely rejected by him, because he didn’t want his life to be too exhausting.

As to Li Zhicheng’s current visit, on the one had he was planning to receive the contract in Asia and set up a joint venture to build a factory. On the other hand, he also wanted to invite David to visit China and supervise the management of the factory’s production.

With such great conditions, David was certainly happy.

The three sat at the bar, further behind the store, with bright lights shining down on top of their heads. Li Zhicheng took the agreement out of the backpack and sent it towards him, “Take a look, if you have any ideas, you could keep adding to them.”

Surprisingly, David pushed the agreement back to him, “Not necessary, you have covered my travel expenses and accommodation to and from China, that’s enough for the contract. Our family will always make sure it’s a fair deal.”

Lin Qian “…”

Li Zhicheng “…”

In the end, Li Zhicheng made the decision for the young man, the two both signed their names according to his agreement.

Even the next day on the flight back to China, Lin Qian remained tickled by it.

She leaned back in her wide chair and looked over to her man next to her, “You’re kicking ass. We almost traded a contract with a trip.’

Li Zhicheng faintly smiled, “It’s also fate.”

Lin Qian nodded.

Meanwhile, David, who was sitting on the other side of Li Zhicheng, probed, “Li, may I ask you something?

“Of course.”

Lin Qian also looked at him with interest.

“Why did you want to buy my contract?” asked David. “Don’t tell me to it’s for the money. Although my shop is excellent, nobody outside of Florence knows about it.”

Li Zhicheng was silent for a moment and replied, “For the competition.”

He looked up at the vast blue sky and floating clouds outside the window, slowly, “There’s an internationally-renowned brand that wants to get into my country, acquire my company, and my market.”

David shrugged, “That’s why I always say that expansion is the dullest thing. It turns the craft into a business, boring and ruthless. Such awful invaders, I support you.”

Li Zhicheng and Lin Qian both smiled slightly, then Li Zhicheng continued, “In China, many people have this idea that foreign products are better than ours, that they show their personal tastes…”

David exclaimed, “That’s ridiculous!”

Li Zhicheng continued, “… Once a foreign brand enters the Chinese environment, it’ll stand out, and have great advantages over our domestic brands. As soon as it’s learned and accepted by the consumers, our national brands are bound to face some difficult situations. I can’t let it happen.”

Lin Qian arranged several cups on the tray table, one by one, and then said, “What are we going to do then? For example, in the past few years, China has a particularly famous snack called ‘Drop-Dregs Cakes’. Because the taste was particularly good, it swept many cities for a while, but then there were many similar chain stores with different quality, and consumers had no idea how to tell which were authentic. They’ve tried a few places and none of them were as good. In the end, they simply stopped eating Drop-Dregs Cakes. The product kept getting worse and worse, eventually being eliminated by the market. Now it’s rarely seen.”

David started to understand, mouth wide open “So… you buy a lot of contracts, that way the consumers can’t tell which Drop-Dregs Cakes are authentic?”

Lin Qian smiled and nodded. “Yes. But I’m not saying that your product is of poor quality. Yours is excellent and we will sell it as a high-end good. This trick in the old Chinese saying is …” she turned to look at Li Zhicheng.

“Fish in troubled waters”, he said slowly.

In April of that year, it was a very memorable occasion for DG Asia Pacific president, Charles, because DG’s four main sub-brands officially entered the Chinese market.

That April, for Charles, was also very dark, because he encountered a massive lull in sales. How bad was it? The market performance was so bad that he could not believe his eyes. He even suspected that the statistics were wrong. They must have left out two zeros!

How did it get to this point?

In early April, DG China started a large-scale promotional campaign on the Internet, on television, in print ads, and in retail stores. Its main advertising, on prime-time television, was also heavily launched.

The ad began on the elegant Apennine Peninsula, where a blonde woman was drinking coffee on the grass outside an estate. Suddenly, a man with short brown hair and black eyes dressed in a knight’s armor came towards her, on horseback. The two looked at each other in astonishment, and the man pulled her up onto the horse. The woman looked slightly panicked but was still taken away.

In a flash, the picture showed a ball, with old crystal lamps, in an ancient castle, recreating the exact image of the last century. In the room, many servants helped the woman change into an evening gown, jewelry, and finally a lady’s handbag. She took it and slowly stepped out of the door.

In front of a debaucherous dance floor, the man stood a few steps away and reached out to her. The lady gave him her hand.

The two danced in front of a lit window, and the mood was fantastic and blurred.

Finally, the lady ended up in pajamas, spreading her hair out, looking sleepy, just like a girl next door, awoke from the bed of a manor, sitting up.

She seemed to recall a dream from the previous night, and when she picked up her handbag sadly, she went by the window and stared. The glass reflected her beautiful face. For a moment, it seemedlike an eternity.

Text and voiceover both appeared at the same time, “DG, My dream.”

Not only after Charles and his staff, and even Chen Zheng saw the advertisement, they had to admit that it was very artistic. In today’s popular words, it was very classic and elegant, with some elements of traversing back to the ancient times. It suit the Chinese tastes perfectly.

They believed that DG would surely successfully enter China.

As was said before, the launch of a new brand would not have an explosive reaction in the market. Bags, such daily necessities, were a reflection of personal tastes. It would take a while for consumers to recognize and accept this brand.

Hence Charlie, Chen Zheng and others confidently awaited for the market to burst!

But the outbreak didn’t happen, only a pile of fakes.

More than ten days later, when sales in DG’s market started to improve, something terrible happened.

Six! A total of six foreign brands came from nowhere and suddenly appeared in the market.

Moreover, their advertisements had deliberately imitated DG, to a point of irritation.

The first brand, “Rain”, featured a young girl who was fishing on the Apennine Peninsula. Suddenly, a man driving a boat came from the sea. When the young girl saw him, she became infatuated and gave him her hand, stepping onto to his ship. With the twinkling of an eye, it was already under the surface of the sea. The two were able to freely walk and breathe like fish in the water. Their eyes stared with silent affection.

In a flash of the image again. The girl was lying on a wet shore. It was raining and dark, she was surrounded by only her handbag. Holding the tears in her eyes, she looked at the calm sea. Her appearance was not beautiful, but there was a clear and moving cleanness.

The text and voiceover both appeared at the same time:

“Rain, that’s my heart.”

Of course, many viewers saw this ad as better and more attractive than DG’s. And it turned out that the same was true, as of the end of June, Rain’s total sales in China, were even with DG. Of course, this was under the assumption that both sales were not high.

This kind of advertising emerged in an endless stream. Some brand’s advertisements were not necessarily similar to DG, but their advertisements were very malicious.

For example, a brand called “David” was advertised as starting in 1890, 10 years earlier than DG. Charles was very angry when he found out about it, and sent someone to check. The answer was that the company was indeed founded in 1890, and was an ancestral shop in the small town of Florence. Somehow, it also had come to China to interfere.

What did the customers think?

For a while, all they saw was the streets and lanes filled with advertisements for various foreign luggage brands. The advertisements were indeed dazzling. Some were for DG and some were for David; some stated that they had been existing for 109 years (that was, the DG Group), others claimed that they have been founded for 150 years; and some said that they were the most authentic in Italy, some said that they were the oldest in the Apennine Peninsula.

The price and quality were even more varied. Some of them apparently were very ordinary, but they were sold for 3,000 Chinese Yuan; some were of average quality, but the designs were decent and they were quite cost-effective, so they were sold for 300.

As Li Zhicheng and Lin Qian expected, a huge amount of information had hit consumers at the same time, so they became confused and uncertain.

Originally there was only one ‘Drop-Dregs Cakes’ shop in front of them, but suddenly there were ten shops, making it impossible for everyone to remember which was the original.

Of course, after all, DG enjoyed an impressive reputation in foreign countries, there were still many fixed consumer groups that could distinguish them. However, it was the second and third tier sub-brands that entered China first, not the top brand in the world, and consumers who barely knew about them still accounted for the vast majority.

So in the end, even if a customer arrived at a DG’s store, smiled and asked, “You’re the sub-brand of the David Group, right? It’s my favorite brand. Oh…it’s not? Never mind, I’m not taking it.”

Someone also spent a thousand dollars to buy a new DG bag, happy to take it to work. As a result, their colleague looked and laughed, “I also bought a bag from Italy. At the sales in the supermarket yesterday, there were only 200 RMB. Not bad, yeah?”

At the quarterly sales meeting at the end of June, Charles, who had always been very even-tempered, stood up and shouted outrageously, in front of all the Asian Pacific staff, “The Chinese are shameless!”

At the same time, Lin Qian and Li Zhicheng still lived in a hotel on the Xiang River bank. She leaned back in his arms and admired the advertisement she had planned. She sighed to herself, I’m so shameless.

She took a glance at him, all learnt from him!

Chapter 70

In this chaotic battle, other than Li Zhicheng and Lin Qian, the most clear-headed person was most likely the observer, Ning Weikai.

It was a sunny afternoon. He stood in front of the large glass panel in his office, looking at the peaceful city view outside of the window and pondered.

When he first formed an alliance with Li Zhicheng, the exact words of this anti-acquisition battle’s commander were, “I will be in charge of building up a wall against the foreign brands in the consumers’ heart.”

He didn’t mention exactly how he was going to do it, and Ning Weikai didn’t ask. Because they didn’t trust each other fully after all, he did not expect Li Zhicheng to tell him even the most crucial step that determined his company’s life and death.

But now thinking back, his strategy was indeed interesting.

Wasn’t it? What Li Zhicheng said was against “foreign brands” and not against “DG”. Now he had created a market with good and bad products all mixed together and all the foreign brands were mentally blocked by the consumers.

To kill one of them, Li Zhicheng first killed them all.

Thinking about this, Ning Weikai felt slightly uneasy.

He realized he was not good at this kind of creative and unexpected competitive strategy. If he was the person in charge of DG, he couldn’t have thought up this plan either.

He raised his coffee and took a sip.

In the future when he staged a comeback, Li Zhicheng would still be a very strong opponent.

Or should he remain his ally, with each of them going their own way. Would it be better than competing?

While he was absorbed in his thoughts, someone was knocking on the door outside.

“Knock knock. Knock knock.” It was the steady knocks with a brisk rhythm unique to Lydia.

Ning Weikai put down the coffee and turned around, “Come in.”

Since Lydia accidentally walked in when Zhu Hanyu had visited, Ning Weikai prohibited this intern secretary from coming in uninvited like she used to.

The room was naturally brightly lit. Lydia opened the door. She was wearing a black trendy blazer with a light blue mini-skirt; her long legs were slender, and accentuated by her boots. Her face without any makeup was as clean as a girl-next-door’s.

Even though Ning Weikai’s attitude towards their relationship was still somewhat ambiguous, he hated to admit that every time Lydia walked into his office looking energetic like this, his vision seemed to light up.

She blinked, looking straight into Ning Weikai’s peering gaze; she smiled, “Hey. It’s past working hours.”

Ning Weikai smiled too; standing beside his office desk, he spoke slowly, “Why? Miss, what else do you want to assign to your boss?”

His words were flippant; Lydia responded with a “humph”, saying, “I am here to help you relax, to relieve your stress. Tonight I have a friend holding a painting exhibition at Min Wai Street, do you want to go check it out? I will tell you straight up that my friend is kind of poor, so tonight he can only treat us to Sichuan spicy noodles.”

Ning Weikai’s lips were lightly pressed together. He looked at her from a few steps away.

Sometimes, he couldn’t read this girl. She was a good student from a renowned school, but she loved to hang around at pubs and in the streets. She seemed carefree, yet sometimes she would shock you with her cleverness in seeing through things and people.

For example, when they first met in the bar, there were so many people around but this girl could spot his desolation with a glance.

For example, these few days, the suitcase industry was all messed up, but it seemed like it had nothing to do with him. So where did she notice that he needed to “release stress”?

Very quickly he remembered yesterday night at home. All Zhu Hanyu had cared about was, of the two desserts that she made, macarons and lonnie cheese cake, which one did he like better?

Ning Weikai raised his gaze to look at Lydia.

Their eyes met. There seemed to be some sort of hidden passion in their eyes that they both understood.

“I can’t go tonight,” he said, “Hanyu has cooked dinner.”

Lydia didn’t say anything.

Her gaze suddenly made him feel slightly uncomfortable. It was calm, quiet, pitch black, seemingly without any emotions.

Then she shrugged, her face nonchalant, “Okay. Then I will go alone.”

When he left the office, Ning Weikai originally had left the parking lot and drove up to Ring Road, but suddenly he took a turn at the fork and went back to the office.

His car stopped at the roadside far away; he was looking at the bus stop in front of the office. Soon, Lydia appeared. She had taken off her blazer, and was now wearing a pink jacket. She looked stylish and striking among the crowd.

The bus was here. Quickly she tried to board the bus with the crowd. Suddenly, she twisted her foot and almost fell. Only then did Ning Weikai notice that she was in a pair of tall high heels today.

Usually she didn’t like to wear uncomfortable high heels, but every time when she hung out with him, her “friend”, she would change into high heels. Quoting her words, “You are too tall. I can’t be dwarf standing beside you.”

Ning Weikai didn’t move a muscle, staring at her boarding the bus. It was not until the bus had long driven away that he turned around and drove home.

At first he was just keeping this girl whom he met at the pub around because this jolly little girl could enliven the atmosphere.

Since when did it change? The worst timing for it to change.

At the same time, in DG China’s office, the atmosphere was miserable and gloomy.

They were in the penthouse multi-purpose conference room.

Charles had convened all the senior leaders for yet another strategy session. After these few days of failure, even this optimistic and cheerful Australian businessman had a long face. His sunken eyes made him look like a stout panda.

Chen Zheng sat on his left, Lin Mochen as a guest of honor and a friend sat on his right. The long rectangular conference table was silent.

Even though they were sitting close to each other, Lin Mochen still didn’t glance at Chen Zheng.

This time, Chen Zheng had learned his lesson; he didn’t look at this man, whom he couldn’t distinguish as an ally or an enemy.

Charles flipped open the strategy report, speaking seriously, “After communicating with the US headquarters and discussing with the China management team, we have decided to adjust our company’s strategy. Temporarily we will not promote those second and third class brands at a larger scale, instead we will mainly focus on advancing our first class brand: ZAMON.”

Everyone, including Chen Zheng, looked pumped.

Because ZAMON was a world-renowned top class brand; even in China, everyone knew about it. Three years ago, DG had introduced this brand into China and just like other top brands, it was selling well. However, the market for luxury brands was limited after all, so it couldn’t be the main source of profit for the company.

But now Charles said that they wanted to focus on advancing ZAMON.

A strategy analyst started playing the Powerpoint slides and explained to everyone the thought process behind the strategy. Appearing in the middle was surprisingly a line of Chinese characters, “Give the man a taste of his own medicine.”

It turned out that inspired by the China businessman confusing the market, the Strategy Department of the US headquarters had come up with an individualized approach.

Since they used a bunch of weird brands to bury our second and third class brands, they could use our best brand to redeem these brands from being associated with all the others.

Exactly how were they going to do it?

Since ZAMON was renowned worldwide, and there was no Chinese brand that could be on par with it, in fact they were far behind it, so as long as the company used the name ‘ZAMON’, it would be impeccable no matter what Chinese competitors did.

A top class luxury brand was not established with money or tricks!

So, this time DG China would advance from two sides: on one hand, they would strengthen their promotion of the ZAMON brand in China, taking over the luxury market; on the other hand, they would make a new commercial promoting ZAMON, at the same time showing off all the associated second and third class brands.

Because ZAMON had built its image as a high-end product among the consumers, when combined with a commercial like this, the consumers would definitely not confuse their subsidiary brands with other newcomers in the market.

Of course, the cost of doing so was enormous, it was almost putting the future of the whole DG China at risk.

Charles named this marketing strategy, ‘Smash’. They would use ZAMON as a giant tank, leading all the subsidiary brands to smash through the China suitcase market.

After the meeting was over, Chen Zheng purposely stayed back by chatting with a few high ranking officials from overseas. Seeing that Charles had sent Lin Mochen off to the elevator and walked back to his office alone, he followed after Charles.

“Charles,” he knocked on the door, “I have important news that I would like to report to you.”

Until now, Charles was still quite satisfied with this Chinese subordinate. He smiled, nodding, “Come and have a seat. What important news would you like to share with me?”

Chen Zheng paused for a while, saying, “Do you know the main reason why Mr. Lin refuses to take over the acquisition of Aida?”

Charles shook his head, “He said it is because of personal reasons. It involves his privacy so of course I didn’t ask.”

Chen Zheng smiled.

“Both you and Mr. Lin are good at making a clear distinction between public and personal interests, I admire both of you for it. But…” he lowered his voice slightly, “there is a saying in Chinese: all is fair in war. The reason why Mr. Lin refuses to take over Aida is because his sister, Lin Qian is working as an executive in Aida. The current CEO of Aida, Li Zhicheng, who gave us such trouble, is his future brother-in-law.”

Charles gasped in surprise, “So, that’s the reason!”

Since Chen Zheng had told him this secret, which was not really a secret, naturally he expected Charles would tactfully understand what to do next. But after waiting for a moment, he saw Charles frown, asking, “Ben, why do you want to tell me this?”

Suddenly Chen Zheng was a little annoyed with him. Was he doing it on purpose? He purposely wanted him to say it aloud.

Did all foreigners like to fake innocence like this? Hypocrites.

But since beggars couldn’t be choosers, Chen Zheng caved in to his will and told him his plan, “What I meant is, now that we are neck and neck with Li Zhicheng, if the relationship between Lin Qian and Lin Mochen is made known, it will definitely inflict a heavy blow on Aida. We could even spread rumors, saying that Lin Qian is a spy of the investment management corporation in Aida. With this she will at least be investigated by the Public Security Department. Not only will Li Zhicheng lose his advisor, he will lose the trust of others, too. He would suffer a double loss. Even if this is not a death blow to Li Zhicheng, t will definitely benefit DG China…”

Charles was absorbed in his speech.

He seemed to be a little swayed but conflicted. After a while, he shook his head, “Nope, Ben, I can’t do this. This is against my professional ethics and it betrays my friendship with Jason.”

Chen Zheng was stunned. He didn’t expect a foreigner to be this ignorant.

So he blurted out, “Charles, how can you be sure that Jason is not siding his sister? You can’t judge a book by its cover. It might be because Jason is rocking the boat that our subsidiary brands are having a hard time in the market.”

It took no cost to discredit someone. Especially since he indeed felt uneasy about Lin Mochen.

Charles didn’t believe his words at all. He even laughed as though Chen Zheng had said something ridiculous.

“Oh, Ben, you are wrong.” Charles said, “Jason is my most loyal friend. Besides, you have underestimated him. His net worth is more than just a Wall Street investment manager. He doesn’t give a d*mn about small companies like Aida. Someone once estimated that his net worth is…” then he said a figure, a figure worth hundreds of millions of US dollars.

Chen Zheng gasped, cursing in his heart at the same time.

Charles added on, “Let me tell you another secret so that you will be at ease with Jason. A few days ago, I asked for his advice regarding the current market situation. He said he was only in charge of investment and his position is controversial, so it was not suitable for him to say anything.

“In the end when he couldn’t refuse, he wrote a folded note to me. He asked me to only open it after I consulted the headquarters, to see whether his suggestion aligned with theirs.

“And guess what? After I received the instructions from Headquarters to use the ‘Smash’ strategy, I unfolded the notes he gave me. What was written on the paper is the line you saw today: give the man a taste of his own medicine!

“Ben, the suggestion he gave was the same as that from the Headquarters. At first I was still hesitant, after I read his suggestion, then only did I have stronger faith in implementing the “Smash” strategy.

“Moreover, is it even possible that the Headquarters would want to endanger DG China? So you may be rest assured about him.”

A few minutes later, Chen Zheng left Charles’ office.

Thinking about what he said regarding Lin Mochen’s demeanor, Chen Zheng was confused too. Could it be Lin Mochen was really ruthless, completely disregarding his sister and siding with DG?

It was such a coincidence that just when he wanted to “snitch” on him in front of Charles, Lin Mochen was a step ahead of him in earning deeper trust, causing Charles to not want to harm his sister at all?

Why did he feel like… he had been tricked?

It was just that he couldn’t figure out whether Lin Mochen was plotting and being on guard against him, or was he plotting against Charles and DG?

Chapter 71

At this tense moment, everyone was holding his or her beliefs and everyone was striving. Li Zhicheng and Lin Qian were protecting Aida against attacks from foreign companies, Chen Zheng was trying to preserve the position and benefits of his position as the general manager of SMQ. Charles was also striving to improve DG’s operations in China. He thought he could both achieve the business goal of the headquarter and provide Chinese customers with first-tier products, which was meaningful.

Investment managers working for Lin Mocheng were also buried in work. Though there wasn’t any progress in the acquisition of New Bori and Aida, theinvestment management team was penetrating the shareholders of the two corporations. Any interest gaps, any change of minds would be accurately captured by them and they would conquer the target bit by bit.

It was at dusk when Lin Mochen went back to his office in Lin City after a strategy meeting with Charles. His office was at the end of the corridor.

Tender is the night. Lin Mochen greeted everyone leisurely with his hands in his pocket. When passing the meeting room, he could see the light blazing inside. The Aida acquisition team were talking to a man in suit. He looked familiar. Because of Lin Qian, he read all the dossiers of executives from Aida.

He quickly matched that face to a name. He was an indispensable resource within Aida. Lin Mochen frowned slightly, but he didn’t change his facial expression drastically. Neither did he slow his pace. He entered his office directly.

He asked his secretary to bring him a cup of coffee and went through some investment analyses. After that, he leaned into the chair, crossed his legs and turned on the LCD TV with his remote control. It was eight o’clock in the evening and the new commercial showcasing ZAMON under DG would be playing on each major station.

Another bloody war was looming.

Why would Lin Mochen give Charles a note to clarify the situation for him? Because following Li Zhicheng use of the “Area of Effect” scheme on foreign brands, Lin Mochen was almost one-hundred percent sure that the headquarters of DG would utilize ZAMON to preserve their other brands. As it was sure to happen, him counseling Charles wouldn’t change the overall trend. What’s more, he could tighten the bond between him and Charles, and keep it from being sabotaged by Chen Zheng.

Also, Li Zhicheng was shrewd enough to see DG’s “Smash” tactic coming. Given that, his help for Charles might in a way help Li Zhicheng and Lin Qian, too. Besides, doing this didn’t go against his work ethics.

Nonetheless, based on what he just saw, there seemed to be some potential betrayers in Aida. He couldn’t disclose such crucial information to Lin Qian because similar things regularly happened during a potential acquisition, and if he did it, it was highly unethical. If this incident did substantial harm to Aida, they could only rely on themselves to get through it.

But then, if Li Zhicheng couldn’t even handle market intrigues like this, there was no need for him to stay with Lin Qian.

Changsha was still hot like a stove in early September. Lin Qian was inspecting recent test result with several technicians and workers in front of the production line. In the sun-blazing afternoon, she was wearing a blue worker suit with a peak cap and ponytail.

The samples now, compared to those of several weeks ago, already met Lin Qian’s expectations. This meant her new brand was ready for manufacture once the factories, facilities, and staff were ready. Lin Qian was a thrilled; she waved her hands and said, “Dinner on me tonight. You guys have gone through some hard work and it will not be forgotten.”

All the staff cheered. Each had a decision to make, as Li Zhicheng had given them a choice. As founding members of Lin Qian’s new brand, they should remain with the new factory, or return to their original positions. Aida’s businesses were booming everywhere, and everyone wanted to be promoted. Was there a better chance than this?

After booking a table for that night, Lin Qian started to talk with her colleagues in the office of the factory. After chatting for a while, her phone started to vibrate. Lin Qian picked it up and suddenly realized something. She asked the people around her, “What day is today?”

“How busy you are that your forget about it, Ms.Lin? It’s Saturday.”

Lin Qian was astounded.

She had forgotten about Li Zhicheng. She was scheduled to pick him up at the airport at two o’clock, but it was now half past three. And what was worse, Li Zhicheng told her that she didn’t need to go and pick him up while she insisted because she missed him heaps. That’s why he agreed to it, but now…

As where Li Zhicheng stood tonight, nobody would stand him up. Such a thought struck Lin Qian’s mind. She picked up her phone hurriedly and walked to the empty passage.

“Hello,” She sounded defensive.

“Hello,” he, on the other hand, remained calm and steady.

“Sorry, I was so busy that I forgot about it. Where’re you now?” she murmured.

“What were you up to?” he asked, instead of answering her.

“The new brand,” she went through her phone while talking to him and realized that she missed three of his calls. A scene struck her mind that the solemn Li Zhicheng stood at the arrival hall, watching the passers-by while calling continuously without being answered.

She was really wrong! How could she forget that he was in the airport?

“Where’re you now?” she whispered.

“I’ve arrived.”

Lin Qian answered with an “OK” and said, “I’m coming now. Wait for a while.” Then she “bopped” the phone before hanging up. Lin Qian walked others and apologized, “Sorry guys. Mr. Li just gave me a task, could we move our dinner to tomorrow?”

She said it in a high-sounding way. The real task for her was to be with Li Zhicheng.

Everyone agreed.

After working so hard, nobody wanted to stay during weekends. They turned off the lights and power supply and exited the manufacturing plant. Lin Qian was walking at the back with a young female designer, and both of them were talking about the exterior of the new brand. As for Li Zhicheng, Lin Qian thought what he meant by “arrive” was him arriving at the hotel new Xiang River where they met weekly. She decided to drive there directly.

The sun was blazing outside, the trees and the flowers beside the manufacturing plant were blossoming, overshadowing people, which made them feel cooler. They all took a shortcut and went across the path in the grass, with the gate right in front of them.

Just when Lin Qian was chatting with the designer, she caught a glimpse of a person walking out of the parterre. Sunshine was spraying on him through the twigs. He was wearing a plain grey T-shirt, a pair of black pants and a cap. He looked up at her with both of his hands in his pocket.

Lin Qian was too dazed to walk fast. He reached out his hands to her and dragged her into his embrace. Lin Qian was both pleasantly and scarily surprised. She was glad that he meant coming to the factory to pick her up when he said “arrive”. But she was also worried that people in this new factory hadn’t known about their relationship. It was shocking for them to see the chairman of the corporation coming here all of a sudden and being so close to her.

“Why’re you here?” she said in a low voice, “There’re lots of staff here. Let go of me first and I’ll meet you in the parking lot…”

Before she could finish, she saw a trace of a smile from his eyes under the shadow of the cap. And then he bowed and kissed her, holding her in his arms as tightly as possible. Lin Qian struggled to get free from his arms. He’s doing this on purpose! He’s doing this because I stood him up!

Just when they were kissing inseparably, the designer walking at the front noticed that Lin Qian was nowhere to be found. She was confused and shouted, “Ms. Lin? Ms.Lin?” Lin Qian could hear her footsteps drawing near.

Lin Qian gave Li Zhicheng a begging look but couldn’t express herself. Lin Zhicheng’s mouth was fraught with her fresh smell. He lowered his head and nibbled her nose before letting her go.

Lin Qian hurriedly freshened herself up and walked out. She quickly picked up her phone and pretended to be engaged in a serious conversation, and meanwhile, she hinted to the designer with her waving hands that the she should leave first. By then the designer got her point and left.

Lin Qian put her phone back in her pocket and turned to the tranquil Li Zhicheng. He was still standing under the tree, and the way he waited for her to trick her employees was inexplicably prepossessing and neat.

Lin Qian was empathetic seeing him coming to the factory to meet her. She looked around and hooked his neck after she was sure no one was around. She scolded him affectionately, “You bastard.”

“I’ll take it,” he gazed at her, “because only a bastard would by stood up by his girlfriend at the airport.”

Lin Qian burst into laughter, “I admit I was wrong, okay?”

They walked out hand in hand. Lin Qian yanked his hand away when they had almost arrived where people were around. Li Zhicheng glanced at her without saying anything. To people in the subsidiaries, Li Zhicheng was the big boss who was rarely around, so not many workers had seen him before. With a cap on his head and casual clothing on his body, nobody recognized him.

As for Lin Qian, however, several people greeted her warmly on the road, “Ms.Lin!”

“Hello, Ms.Lin!”

Lin Qian nodded with a smile.

Other people would also look at the “stranger” beside her. The man was solemn and looking straight forward, with his cap covering more than half of his face and walking shoulder to shoulder with Lin Qian in silence. It was quite a mysterious and appealing scene.

It was already sunset when Lin Qian finished dinner with him in the hotel. They walked on the bank of the river, enjoying the twilight. It was a spacious and soft sand beach owned by the hotel. There were ducks and water birds swimming across the river, peaceful but lively.

After walking for a while, Lin Qian noticed the shallows in front of them where jagged rocks were spread across, some with brown moss growing on them. Lin Qian’s interest was piqued. She turned around to him, “Do you want to catch crabs together?” Li Zhicheng was well-trained for the task, as he grew up in a military unit with a bunch of men. He smiled, rolled up his sleeves, revealing his firm arms, and sneered, “You can do this?”

Lin Qian, “Huh! I was the crab grabber in Lin City!”

“Oh?” He had already stepped on a rock and started to look for a crab. “Why haven’t I heard of you before?” he said faintly.

“Because you have limited knowledge?” Lin Qian couldn’t help laughing.

Compared to Li Zhicheng, she was more prepared. Not only did she roll up her sleeves, she kicked off her flip-flops and rolled up her pants to her thighs as well. She stepped in to the water straight. They were both competitive during outdoor activities, and so they both concentrated on the movements in the water without talking.

Lin Qian should’ve realized that finding food in the wild was an essential skill for a special forces soldier because after a short while, Li Zhicheng had caught five crabs while she had only caught one. She glared at him and went on searching.

To Li Zhicheng, childish thing like “finding crabs” was not appealing not him. Instead, he only wanted to spend quality time with her. Seeing her frown and get serious about it, he suddenly had an idea. He stopped searching for crabs, rather, he walked to her back silently. Lin Qian was too engaged in searching to realize he stood directly behind her. At that moment, she saw an air bubble rise from behind a rock. She was thrilled, bowed down gradually and put her hands on the rock. Li Zhicheng standing behind her also bowed down. Lin Qian rapidly lifted the rock and saw a huge crab in the crack of rock. Just as she reached her hands to it, a faster hand grabbed the crab right in her face.

Lin Qian was astounded with her eyes wide open and turned to him. He, on the other hand, put the crab on the beach serenely and look at her, calmly but provocatively, “My sixth catch. Thank you.”

Lin Qian was infuriated. She ran out of the water and grabbed his collar, “You’re cheating!”

Lin Qian smiled, hugged her by her waist and murmured, “All is fair in war.”

“Darn you!” Lin Qian wanted to bite his arm but he was more agile. He pinched her chin and left Lin Qian powerless. She went on to bite his finger, but Li Zhicheng bowed down and put a kiss on her lips.

They had fun in the sunset for a long while, and then they sat on the beach shoulder to shoulder. Lin Qian leaned on his chest with her bare feet paddling in the water. Li Zhicheng enjoyed the view of her long, lean body.

Li Zhicheng sensed something wrong these days. He gradually felt it when spending time with her, but he could do nothing about it. What exactly were those feelings?

In the past, it was his schedule that decided when they would spend time with each other. When he was free, he would call, videochat or fly to visit her. As for her, she would always be on the other side waiting keenly. He was the center of her world and they cherished each other, which was a state he was accustomed to.

The same rule applied to work. He planned the direction and she showed talent within that range. It was like her dancing on his palms like a beautiful butterfly.

Since she decided to build her own brand and own career, things started to change. When he called her, she would say she was busy and hang up quickly. Sometimes, she would be so focused on her work that she would flip her phone to “vibrate” and would miss his call.

To prepare for each weekend’s visit, he would finish his work in the first couple of days with Jiang Yuan by pulling several all-nighters. He was too proud to tell her this. But after flying to Changsha with an ardent desire for her, she would be too busy to be with him. Or sometimes after staying with him for a while, she needed to go back to work with her subordinates.

Li Zhicheng could never have imagined that he would be left out by his lady and feel bad about it. He looked down to the “culprit” that messed with his mind. She didn’t realize anything and was still paddling her feet in the water. Her feet were smooth and lovely like white jades under the son.

“Don’t put your feet in the water for too long as a woman,” Li Zhicheng said. Lin Qian was a little surprised, “You know about that?” She pulled her feet out of the water and stepped on him. Her feet were wet, so his T-shirt and pants were quickly dampened. He reached his hands to her feet and pinched them without caring about it. Lin Qian was a bit itchy. She giggled, “Don’t pinch them.”

Li Zhicheng looked up at her and covered her feet with his hands. The warmth coming from the arch of her feet comforted him. His look was solemn and peaceful. In the dimming light at dusk, the trace of gentleness on his face was captivating.

Lin Qian’s heart was pounding with him gazing at her. He lowered his head and had a kiss on her smooth and fair-skinned cheeks. Lin Qian missed a heartbeat. He started to nibble and lick her entire body from her bottom up. Lin Qian was so enthralled by the fresh and exciting feeling that she almost moaned.

She could feel her heart tremble looking at his dark eyes. There were some tourists on the beach near them, which made her more uncomfortable. She pulled her legs out of his arms and held her knees with her arms to avoid intimacy with him.

He looked at her silently. For as long as they had been together, one look from him made her heart race.

“There’re lots of people around!” she protested with a low voice.

“I see,” he put his arms at his back, looked afar and said, “I couldn’t control it.”

She was astounded. The Li Zhicheng she remembered would never say romantic things so bluntly (except in bed). Instead, he would just tease her until she was aroused. And now, he admitted that he couldn’t control himself. He had kissed her before she had done anything. She had to say that she felt fantastic.

“OK, I know it.” She became rampant all of a sudden and caught a sight of him, “All men think with their genitals.” She pretended to sigh. Li Zhicheng gave her a cold look. The look took away Lin Qian’s arrogance.

Nightfall was coming, and they would be going back to the hotel, after which they would…

Lin Qian blushed while feeling loved. She leaned on him and they looked afar together. Li Zhicheng caressed her smooth neck with his hands and said, “Do I need to make a reservation if I want to see you in the future?”

“I can’t say for sure. I’m just starting my own business,” Lin Qian smiled.

“Arrange your time well. Don’t let career meddle with our private time again,” said Li Zhicheng.

“I’ll try.”

He nodded without continuing talking. Lin Qian snuggled in his arms, and the more she thought about it, the more she wanted to laugh. She poked his chest, “Never expected that coming, did you?”

Li Zhicheng knew exactly what she meant. She was filled with joy and affection, which swung his heart. He pinched her finger and murmured, “Um. I’m willing to.”

Sex that night was extra passionate. Li Zhicheng was napping beside Lin Qian, who was lying limply on the bed. It was already eight o’clock in the evening. She was too tired to move even a muscle. She picked the remote control, turned on the television and skimmed through different programs.

Disappointing as it was, she kept seeing that luxurious and delicate ad from ZAMON.

Lin Qian curled her lips and turned to the man beside her, “I’d be worried sick if I didn’t know you already have plans. Sorry to be a drag, but…” she couldn’t resist laughing again after finishing talking.

A trace of a smile appeared in Li Zhicheng’s eyes. However, watching DG’s ad made him look grave again.

It was hard to describe how Lin Qian felt right now. She’d been through a lot with Li Zhicheng, during which she’d experienced ups and downs and was wronged many times. Even though she was not completely satisfied with his ruthlessness and cunning, she was exhilarated like everyone when they came back from hitting the bottom.

But now…

Watching their rivals operate exactly the same way as she and Li Zhicheng (mainly Li Zhicheng, of course), she felt like keeping a huge secret, which mixed pain with her joy. Even though they had a back-up plan, it was still questionable that the plan would actually work with certainty. She was still anxious, although not as anxious as others.

In contrast, Li Zhicheng was always calm and serene.

Lin Qian leaned to him and gave him a kiss, “I love you.”

Li Zhicheng glanced at her and repeated what she said in a throaty voice, “I love you.”

Another issue struck Lin Qian’s mind as they gazed at each other. She asked, “I heard that some minor shareholders in the original Aida sold their shares?”

“Yes,” said Li Zhicheng.

Lin Qian blinked her eyes, because selling shares of the original Aida was not part of their plan. She asked, “Is it going to be okay?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Li Zhicheng answered at ease, “you can’t control everything. Just let it happen. It won’t matter that much.”

It sounds about right.

Although Li Zhicheng only owned ten-percent of the shares in Aida, other shares were mainly owned by Xu Yong, Li Zhicheng’s sister-in-law, Li Zhicheng’s brother and confidants like Gu Yanzhi and Liu Tong. Lin Qian had calculated that even if all the minor shareholders sold their shares, DG could only obtain twenty-percent of the company. Unless two of Li Zhicheng’s family-members and confidants betrayed him, it was impossible for DG to be the controlling shareholder. This was highly unlikely to happen.

Li Qian felt assured and continued watching television. After a while, Li Zhicheng said, “I’ll go to the States in several days.”

This was a vital trip and Lin Qian knew about it. She nodded her head and looked up at him, “Have a nice trip! All the best to you.”

Nonetheless, Lin Qian hadn’t expected that only five days into Li Zhicheng’s trip, a piece of startling news would come from Aida’s headquarters. Later that day, DG held a press conference, and announced that it had purchased more than fitty-one percent of the shares of Aida and become the new controlling shareholder. It was said that chariman Xu Yong had a heart attack on the spot and was immediately sent to the emergency room when he learnt the news in the nursing home.

Chapter 72

This round of DG Organization’s suppressing battle plan had been split into two steps.

The first step was to focus on promoting the ZAMON brand in order to make it China’s most influential luxury brand.

Of course, this step would lose them money. The sale of luxury goods is ultimately limited but the foreigners were very familiar with the principle of “losing some money to gain more visibility”. This would ensure that almost everyone in China would know of ZAMON and DG Organization.

The second step was then produce a market-altering television ad. They would link ZAMON and their other lower-tiered brands together and let the public know that they all originated from the same famous company.

This was similar to how everyone knows that Porsche is a manufacturer of sports cars and if they ever manufactured a bicycle, everyone would also think, “Oh, that’s a bicycle made by Porsche, I’m sure it’s well made.”

DG Organization planned to leverage the same principle.

Why was it necessary to split the plan into two steps? It came from the simplest rule in advertising and media studies which states that the less one broadcasts, the more likely audiences are to accept. Consumers should only be introduced to one concept at a time, so that they will be left with the deepest impression.

A few weeks prior, Charles had just completed the first step and was just about to sail through the second.

Everything appeared to be going smoothly. ZAMON had been launched into the market stably as planned, the individual stores and brands had seen increases in their sales, and investment companies had also conveyed the good news that they already had control over a portion of Aida’s shares. This would be very helpful when DG began launching their competition against Aida.

But at this critical moment, something very important happened.

From the perspective of the Chinese bag industry, Charles had come to steal the largest piece in the market.

Yet in the eyes of these Chinese DG staff, this Australian, middle-aged man was very gentle and affable, diligent and responsible, and even had a bit of sweetness to him.

Whenever he had a bit of time, he would go into each department and converse with each member of the staff; he would also invite the collaborating companies to the office and gift them with Australian kangaroo plush toys. During his last month in China, those people who had come in contact with him, spoke very highly of him.

Precisely because of the detailed way he treated people and handled his tasks, he was able to get ahold of even more key information that was a big help to his plan.

Thus, those who were familiar with him knew that he wasn’t just an easy-going and cute guy but was also one who was decisive and wise.

In the afternoon, he sat in the office of the marketing department and was chatting with several young Chinese staffers. Among them, there were fresh graduates that DG had hired and also those talents that had been stolen from other enterprises, including New Bori and Aida.

Knowing one’s opponent as well as oneself would ensure that no battle would be lost. Charles felt that this phrase was very true, and when he took over DG China, he local talent from within the industry. It had indeed become of use.

At that moment, a girl who had left New Bori was teasing a boy who had come from Aida.

“That trick of Aida’s was really quite a blow,” she said, “Controlling the shares of Mind and in the end when we, New Bori, had managed Sha Ying so well, it was finally given like a dowry to you guys.”

The young man just smiled.

In the previous carnage of war, outsiders probably had no idea about the whole story. But these staff were in the industry and naturally would understand it more clearly than an outsider.

Charles had also seen the news report but he only understood the overall outline. He looked at the boy with interest, “What was the process like, in detail?”

Charles’ feelings were complicated as he returned to his office, because he realized he had completely underestimated Li Zhicheng.

Just now, after his Chinese employees described Aida’s strategy, he clearly understood all the happenings of the previous battle. Under his pressing questions, they had told him all the details of the previous battle between Aida and SMQ as well.

Charles was one who was good at grasping key details. He quickly realized a fact; every time, Li Zhicheng would cast a bait and initiate a provocation towards his opponent. Then, the opponent would naturally go with the flow and fight back.

Eventually, they would fall into Li Zhicheng’s trap. His Aida would appear to not be able to recover from the setback and would be temporarily brought down. But in reality, he had done everything to lead the opponent into doing so.

Then, after a period of time, Li Zhicheng would deliver his fatal blow and completely crush his opponent. And it was those kinds of blows that would totally uproot the enterprise such that his opponent was unable to oppose him ever again.

Why did the front part of this process feel as though as he had experienced it before? Wasn’t it the situation that he and DG China were currently in!?

Although all his thoughts were wild guesses, Charles still broke into cold sweat. Most successful leaders have an acute intuition, and learn to trust their instincts; they don’t base their decisions purely on the analysis of data. Ning Weikai was like that, Li Zhicheng was like that, and the fact that Charles was sitting where he was meant that he was, too.

That afternoon, Charles locked himself in the office and did not see anyone. However, no matter how he thought about it and racked his brains, he still could not decipher what Li Zhicheng would do next.

However, he still managed to realize that there was a common pattern in every one of Li Zhicheng’s great comebacks. He would almost always latch onto the opponent’s fatal flaw and they were thus unable to oppose him.

In the first battle Li Zhicheng fought, SMQ had dedicated all their resources into the Ming Sheng project and were unable to compete against them in time which thus caused them to fall prey to Li Zhicheng taking away the entire mid-tiered bags market.

In the second battle, Sha Ying and Mind fabrics had been tightly bound together. At the same time, New Bori was internally conflicted and its new products had wiped out both their casual bag and outdoor bag markets.

Where was DG China’s weak point now?

Charles thought about it long and hard. With regards to such a leading and outstanding global enterprise like DG, if they had to forcefully pinpoint a weak point, there was only one now:

Chen Zheng.

Determinedly, Charles called over a few of his subordinates he had brought over from Australia.

“You guys keep an eye on Ben for the time being and observe what he has been busy doing. Headquarters also intends to assess if he is suitable to continue in the position of CEO. However, this must be done in secret and it will be best to get a few Chinese employees to work with you. After all, you guys are just like me and are not locals. We’re too eye-catching wherever we go.”

His trusted subordinates all agreed.

A few days later, they brought shocking news back to Charles. After listening, Charles had to control his rage, and immediately roared, “Get Ben to come to my office! Now!”

Chen Zheng was mediocre in a rough business war because he could not be counted as one of the most intelligent businessmen. However, in despicably securing personal gains, he indeed had his way. For example, in the past, he had placed informants in both New Bori and Aida. Now, DG China was his parent company, which both promoted and restricted SMQ. Therefore, he also inserted some informants here.

Thus, on that day, before he had even stepped foot into Charles’ office, he received the news that Charles had flown into a rage and it was likely related to the batch of casual bags he had failed to destroy.

Chen Zheng’s heart started to thump in his chest.

However, he entered Charles’ territory looking as if nothing had happened.

“Hi, Boss,” he smilingly said greeted Charles, who was seated in his chair looking overcast.

Charles’ lungs were about to explode with anger. He was actually typically good with interpersonal relationships, but it did not mean that he had to restrain his anger in front of his subordinate. Especially a subordinate whom he did not hold in high regard, but was unable to get rid of at the moment.

“You’re still selling that batch of casual bags which did not pass the quality test?” he asked, enunciating each and every word.

Chen Zheng said, “What? Of course not, I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

Charles absolutely did not expect that he would flatly deny the accusation. He really had no shame!

“Ben! I clearly told you that the batch of products should not be sold! Yet, my staff spotted them on the shelves in many of the provincial stores! Do all of you Chinese always carry out orders from your superiors in this manner! I am absolutely unable to understand! I will be lodging a complaint with the American headquarters! You are committing a very serious case of negligence of duty!”

Chen Zheng was stunned for a bit before he revealed a confused expression, “Charles, there must be a misunderstanding somewhere. Is it… there were some subordinates in the stores that did not follow orders and secretly took them out to sell? Rest assured I will definitely investigate this case and give you a satisfactory reply.”

Charles was silent, “…”

After a while, he calmed down.

He thought that DG China still could not be independent from Chen Zheng and SMQ if they wanted to expand. Since this incident had already been discovered, they could salvage it before it was too late. As for his complaint, he would wait until the next year once the business had stabilized before swapping Chen Zheng out.

Thus, he changed to a more advising tone, “Ben, I’m sure you completely did not think that this incident poses a very big threat to us.” He told Chen Zheng his analysis of Li Zhicheng from the afternoon (of course, leaving out the part about Chen Zheng being their only weak point). Then, he said, “If this gets discovered by Li Zhicheng, he can take the chance to attack us and the image that we have just gotten the Chinese consumers to accept would receive a huge blow. If that occurs, not only DG’s lower-tiered brands, but SMQ’s brand would not be able to make a comeback. Even ZAMON’s image would be affected. Then, we would be utterly defeated!”

Listening to him, Chen Zheng felt his heart palpitate violently.

The shocked feeling that he got from the realization was far greater than that of Charles that afternoon.

Because deep in his heart he had been curious. He wondered how Li Zhicheng could have precisely launched his new product, and driven high demand, just as he sent a huge batch of casual bags to the production line. He always seemed to have perfect timing; not too early yet, not too late. This caused a large quantity of SMQ’s stock to rot in the warehouse and cut of his cash flow completely. If not for the acquisition by DG, he, Chen Zheng, would have gone bankrupt already, and could even be sent to jail because of being unable to repay his loans.

Now that Charles had made it clear, he suddenly understood that Li Zhicheng had secretly watched over and controlled SMQ’s every move, either by informants or other methods. Only then was he able to choose such an accurate timing.

This man was really too ruthless. He had made up his mind to ruin Chen Zheng completely so that he would never make a comeback!

Meanwhile, what Charles had said earlier was not completely unreasonable. Since Li Zhicheng could understand the development of his products so accurately, it was very likely that he recognized the problems in its quality. With that knowledge, it would truly be as Charles had described; they would be dealt a fatal blow in the near future.

Chen Zheng broke into cold sweat.

Looking at his expression, Charles knew that his words had been effective and temporarily stopped pressing him to take responsibly but instead said seriously, “Ben, please settle this situation immediately.”

Chen Zheng nodded his head, “I will definitely settle it immediately.”

Charles was satisfied.

The two of them started to discuss the details. Initially, Charles thought that they should recall all the products that had been on sale and compensate the consumers for any loss, but Chen Zheng strongly disagreed.

Charles was dumbfounded because he felt that if there was a problem with the products, they should recall it and Chen Zheng’s disagreement went utterly against his long-standing principles. However, he could not risk the company’s image.

Chen Zheng urged him, “Charles, you should conform to local practices and you have to adapt to Chinese people’s competitive styles. With your high morals, if someone comes up with a scheming plan, you will be at a big disadvantage.”

Finally, it was Chen Zheng who managed to think of a solution that would settle things once and for all. They would secretly sell their casual bag subsidiary at a low price to another small enterprise. It would be best if they were relatively unknown.

Those companies had never had products of comparable quality to a magnate like SMQ, and they would not nitpick the problems in the batch of products. Moreover, their enterprise image would not be impacted if the low quality came to light. Even if there were problems in the future, they would be able to become the scapegoat. SMQ even had the power to convince others that black things are white, and the other enterprises would then be unable to fight back.

Charles clapped in agreement and the situation was settled. In the following days, Charles would feel a little guilty very time he thought about their “very low-handed” means of handling the issue.

But as time passed, he slowly forgot about it. He had to be flexible in China and adapt to this market with unfamiliar rules and which was exceptionally intense and ruthless.

After 10 days or so, their casual bags brand had been successfully sold.

Chen Zheng did not turn up in person. According to a report from his subordinate in charge of handling this issue, the company that bought over the brand was a small, old-fashioned village enterprise and were “rather satisfied” with the quality of the products. The subordinate visited their factory to find that their products were exported to less-developed cities and suburbs. It was very safe and would not affect the primary market of SMQ in any way.

This issue had been temporarily settled. However, now, Chen Zheng was faced with a new conundrum.

This was due to one of his trusted employee’s detailed calculations in which it was discovered that even after selling their casual bags brand at such a cheap price, SMQ would not be able to meet its sales target by the end of the year. Even if the ZAMON brand helped to pull up SMQ in the last few months, the losses in the front part of the year had been too big and it was going to be hard to save it.

According to the acquisition agreement that both parties had signed, if SMQ did not hit its target for two consecutive years, Chen Zheng would be forced to step down.

This situation made Chen Zheng extremely troubled. Who knew whether Charles would trip him up again the following year? This foreign devil was so shrewd. Now, he had learned the bad ways, and had already assigned people to secretly keep an eye on Chen Zheng.

Drawing a lesson from a bitter experience, Chen Zheng came up with a bold plan.

To him, protecting SMQ and his own status was more important than the overall sales results of DG China.

He decided to kill two birds with one stone.

A few days later, Chen Zheng went into Charles’ office again. However, this time, he initiated the meeting. He was in a hurry and his expression was solemn.

He did not even knock on the door nor did he care about the secretary restricting him and directly pushed his way in. He slammed the table and angrily shouted, “Charles, we have fallen prey to Aida’s secret schemes!”

Charles was extremely shocked.

Chen Zheng immediately told him the “whole story” clearly.

He stated that early that morning, he had received an emergency report from the production department telling him that the production line had been tampered with by someone. The large batch of the newest DG branded leather bags all had problems in their quality.

Charles was so shocked that he was rendered speechless.

The two of them quickly rushed to the workshop and looked at the mountainous piles of damaged goods. Charles became so angry and sad that he couldn’t say a word. The two of them retrieved the security footage, but realized that it had also been tampered by someone, and had not captured any abnormal practices or suspicious individuals at all.

Charles was enraged. He had never been faced with such a brazen competitor. However, he felt that something was not right deep inside and asked Chen Zheng, “You’re sure it was done by Aida?”

Chen Zheng nodded, “Of course. Last time when we were competing, they often did such things. Moreover, a person like Li Zhicheng, what will he not do? That Lin Qian isn’t a saint either. Just look at the advertisement she planned and how shameless it is! This incident did not come too early, nor too late. It came as soon as our sales had started to take off. Their efforts are very obvious. If it were not for me finding out about it early, I’m afraid all our products would have been ruined by them!”

It was only then that Charles fully believed it and vigorously nodded his head.

Chen Zheng asked again, “Do we report to headquarters about this matter immediately?”

“No!” Charles said immediately.

Recently, they had maintained good momentum in the market and DG was on the track to be a worthy competitor of Chinese enterprises. He had also just received a commendation from headquarters and was about to commence the crucial second step of his plan. If this situation was revealed, headquarters would definitely blame it on his weak management and the legislative support given in the different aspects would be cut back.

Chen Zheng laughed internally. He wanted Charles to conceal the truth and he now had a leverage against him. In the future he would become the locust on the boat; as long as Charles was safe, his status would definitely be secured.

Once again, he acted shocked and asked, “Then what do we do?”

Charles cut him off, “I will handle it! Although this batch has some problems, this is just a problem with one of the subsidiary brands. We can postpone its launch so that it doesn’t affect the overall set-up of our battle plan. We will settle it in that manner.”

“Alright, you are still the one with foresight,” Chen Zheng expressed a helpless look.

After a while, Charles suddenly lifted his head to ask, “The last time you mentioned that by making Lin Qian and Lin Mochen’s relationship public, we would be able to effectively deal a blow onto Aida and Li Zhicheng… How would you plan to do it?”

Chapter 73

A long time later, when Lin Qian recalled those days filled with fire and fury, she realized that everything was happening exactly as Li Zhicheng had expected. For instance, when DG promoted their second and third-tier brands after it set foot in China, or how DG brought ZAMON to the front line of the battlefield after Li Zhicheng used the “fish in troubled waters” tactic. Or how the market was in a stalemate.

ZAMON was like a delicately beautiful crystal ball and was hung at the apex of the market. However, without even realizing it, DG had shown all its cards — funds, personnel, brand reputation and all the channels and resources SMQ had. Besides, DG tied the top-tier brands and the ordinary brands together.

If someone pushed them from the back, ZAMON and the whole of DG China, would fall to the ground and be smashed. Lin Qian thought that it was time to do that.

Then an unexpected event occurred. DG had become the controlling shareholder of Old Aida. There was more than one thing following the misfortune.

Lin Qian was lying in the bed of her apartment and was talking with Li Zhicheng on the phone. “I’m so glad that Mr. Li is okay,” she said tenderly, “I was startled by the news.”

Li Zhicheng was walking hurriedly to the gate for his flight to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, and was dressed in business attire. The light was dimming in the night outside. He watched the plane arrive on the tarmac, and answered in a husky voice, “No need to be worried. I just got off the phone with him in the afternoon and he’s fine.”

“Um. Should I fly to visit him today?”

Li Zhicheng stayed silent for a few seconds and said, “No need. Stay in Changsha for the time being.” Lin Qian acquiesced.

She was upset not because of Li Zhicheng’s response. She knew perfectly what he meant. Old Aida was in the hands of DG now and the news stunned China’s corporations and its media. Although Old Aida only made up an insignificant part of Aida Corporation, it still meant more to them than a business, but was a family business to the Li’s. And for all the staff of Aida, especially the long-time staff, it symbolized Aida.

Aida Corporation, as the leader of the resistance against the acquisitions, now lost its family business. How could the public not talk about it? They would certainly have divergent opinions on it. Some said the board of Aida had been compromised under the pressure of ZAMON and had reached a secret buyout contract with DG, and some said unity in Aida was gone and it was divided into two sides. Of course, it was likely that some people were spreading rumors and exaggerating the situation.

Li Zhicheng didn’t want her in Lin City to keep her away from all the trouble.

As for Lin Qian, she was disappointed both because Aida had been stabbed in its back, and because of her incapability to prevent it from happening. “Who sold the shares? Have you figured out yet?” she asked.

“Yes,” Li Zhicheng looked up at the scene outside and became grave, “Apart from Gu Yanzhi, Xu Chengyan and my sister-in law also.”

At the same time, Mr. Gu Yanzhi, vice-chairman of Aida and universally considered the right hand of Li Zhicheng, was visiting the flagship store of ZAMON in New York while wearing a casual outfit with sunglasses, together with staff from MK Investment Management Corporation and DG Corporation.

Before he went to America, he took a month’s vacation, leaving behind his resignation at the same time. And now, with all these people clustered around him, he looked extra vigorous and leisurely. “Mr. Gu,” a manager from DG Corporation asked with a smile, “are you satisfied with this trip?”

Gu Yanzhi took off his glasses and smiled at him faintly, “Highly. Thanks for your warm welcome. I guess I’ve fulfilled my dreams by earning enough money now. I’ll start traveling around the world, starting with America.” People around him burst into laughter. There was another Chinese manager who had flown to America with Gu Yanzhi. He smiled and stated, “Mr. Gu’s willingness to sell shares of Aida left shocked. We’re all wondering why.”

What he said was a little ambiguous. It was MK Corporation that negotiated the acquisition with Gu Yanzhi, and executives in DG only focused on the outcome. That manager, who’d been a competitor of Gu Yanzhi, was a bit suspicious. Why did Gu Yanzhi sell the shares, leading to DG’s becoming the controlling shareholder of Old Aida? He was fraught with doubts.

Gu Yanzhi only smiled obscurely to all these questions. Seeing several people besides that man gazing at him, he answered briefly, “Personal reasons. Forgive me if I can’t tell more.” But nothing could be kept a secret forever. Why did Gu Yanzhi choose to exit Aida? People from MK Corporation would of course illustrate it to DG.

A few days later, word spread in DG, and to the entire industry. “Get rid of someone as soon as he has finished his work”. This was a habit of all the Chinese who reigned. Gu Yanzhi might have been a prominent and indispensable shareholder of Aida, but since Li Zhicheng had taken charge, he introduced brands like Vinda and Aito one by one. Also, assets of the corporation went through a series of restructuring and stripping, with shares held by Gu Yanzhi severely diluted. His vital status was threatened by all these moves, alongside the rise of people like Xue Mingtao and Lin Qian.

He was resentful of this. And when DG offered a generous buyout, he decided to go along with it.

Opinions were divided among people in the industry. Some said Gu Yanzhi was a traitor who stabbed his former employer in the back, while others thought Gu Yanzhi would do a much better job at starting a business of his own thanks to his extraordinary talents and he was just choosing another path to live.

Regardless, the consensus was that Gu Yanzhi had departed from Aida and cut all ties with his former employer. In the subsequent months, nobody knew where he was, what he was doing; it was as if he had never existed.

As for Lin Qian, she got a call from the secretary of Xu Yong the day after she talked with Li Zhicheng. “Ms. Lin,” the secretary was courteous, “the chairman just gave an instruction and he would like you to come to Lin City to visit him.”

“What is it about?”

The secretary halted.

Although he was the secretary of the chairman, everybody in Aida knew that Li Zhicheng was the man in charge. He, as the person closest to the chairman, knew that the CEO attached great importance to his fiancee

.

He answered inexplicitly, “A new shareholder visited the chairman this morning and mentioned what happened lately, including you. The chairman hasn’t been in good mood ever since.” Lin Qian missed a heartbeat.

Whether she should go to Lin City to visit Xu Yong or not was of no question to Lin Qian. She would look suspicious if she didn’t.

Xu Yong was a man of reason and he asked her there to clarify things. It would be better to go, as she didn’t want any mistrust between her future father-in-law and herself. However, she couldn’t go there unprepared.

After hanging up the phone, she sat on her bed with her jaw on one question “Why did someone reveal the relation between her and Lin Mochen? Why did it occur right after shares of Old Aida were purchased, and Xu Yong was hospitalized for it?”

It might be a coincidence. Or someone did it on purpose. But who? DG? Chen Zheng? Or people in the industry, even within Aida; people who wanted to join DG?

Everyone had their choices when it came to benefits. It wouldn’t be surprising that such kind of people existed. But because of Lin Mochen, it wouldn’t be someone from MK Corporation.

What did they want to accomplish by using this scheme? To estrange Xu Yong from her? No. That would not be enough to crush Aida.

Lin Qian’s heart sunk. If Xu Yong knew this, it wouldn’t be long before the public knew as well.

She and Li Zhicheng had tried to keep it a secret, but they were too discreet about it. Aida was extremely stable, and she and Lin Mochen had refrained from being involved in the acquisition of Aida. Even if it became public, it shouldn’t have been a big deal. There was no reason for her to be afraid.

But now, everything had changed. Not only had the acquisition of Old Aida sensitized the public and the media, but cohesion in Aida was imperiled as well. If someone wanted to take advantage of the relation between her and Lin Mochen, she might not be able to defend herself whatsoever.

Darn it!

Lin Qian hit her bed with her hands angrily. Li Zhicheng was right that it would better for her not to go back to Lin City. She picked up her phone and called Li Zhicheng.

“Sorry, the phone you’re trying to reach is unavailable, please call back later,” he was still on the flight back to China.

At the same time, a call came from Xu Yong’s secretary again, “Mr. Lin, the chairman brought it up again. He is an old man and cannot hold things in his heart. The doctor also said he couldn’t be stressed again. Could you come here today? For his health’s sake?”

“Sure…” she replied. After hanging up the phone, Lin Qian analyzed the situation carefully. No matter where she stayed, Changsha or Lin City, she would be found if her opposition had made up their mind to give her a hard time. What risks would there be if she went to Lin City? The first thing that came to her mind was that Xu Yong hadn’t fully recovered yet. If he got emotional when talking to her and his situation got worse, she wouldn’t be able to handle it, so she decided to book a late ticket and would go there with Li Zhicheng after he arrived at Lin City. It would be better if he was there.

Besides, her rivals might tell the media, or spread rumors within Aida. If it was Chen Zheng, based on his track record, he might start a rampage again, so she would be extra careful to avoid any uncertainties.

But there was a silver lining after all. No matter what their rivals were thinking, they could only make groundless accusations. Lin Mochen and Li Zhicheng were both capable enough to distance her from it and deal with any public backlash. She didn’t need to worry too much.

After comforting herself, she picked up her phone and asked her secretary to book the ticket, after which she called Gao Lang to tell him to bring some guards to pick her up at the airport. Only after such a careful arrangement did she feel relieved.

Though there wasn’t much to be afraid of, she was going into the mountains knowing that there were tigers there.

It was at dusk when Li Zhicheng arrived at the airport of Lin City. He saw three missed calls and one message from Lin Qian when he turned on his phone on the car. “Your father wants me to meet him at Lin City and I’ve arrived,” he heard as her voicemail played.

Li Zhicheng called her immediately, but she’d already turned off her phone. Li Zhicheng thought silently for a while and said to Jiang Yuan, “Stay here and pick up Lin Qian. I’ll go to the hospital first.”

Why would Li Zhicheng go to the hospital first? First of all, he was worried about his father’s health. Also, he wanted to solve the issue with his father before Lin Qian arrived. He didn’t want Lin Qian to face his father’s questions and have to defend herself alone.

It was already nightfall when he arrived at the ICU. Li Zhicheng saw his father lying on the bed when he walked in. He looked much more emaciated than he’d been several days ago when Li Zhicheng had just went abroad. His eyes that used to be sophisticated but clear now seemed a little turbid. Li Zhicheng frowned and sat down beside him.

“I was told that you are stable now,” he whispered and held his father’s hands.

“I was furious at Chengyan,” Xu Yong answered in a hoarse voice, “I can understand that your sister-in-law want to sell her shares, but how could he?”

Xu Chengyan, was Xu Yong’s son born out of wedlock after he was divorced.

“It won’t affect the whole picture,” Li Zhicheng said gradually, “and you don’t need to be angry about it.” Xu Yong didn’t agree with his son. He was both sick and old, and no matter how open-minded he was, he had his own stubbornness.

“The old Aida, what you all call Old Aida now,” he said slowly, “that was my precious. I built it step by step.” He looked at his son with his dim eyes, “Will you get it back for me?”

“I will.”

Xu Yong nodded his head.

After a while, he asked, “Lin Qian’s brother is leading this acquisition?”

Li Zhicheng answered with a straight face, “Yes, but he’s just following his company’s instructions, and he avoided Aida. As for Lin Qian, she went to Mind. There won’t be any impacts.”

He explained everything with a few sentences. Xu Yong looked at him with a fixed stare. “Did you choose not to tell me because you knew that I wouldn’t be comfortable with it?” he asked.

“After all, Lin Qian is my daughter-in-law-to-be, but her brother’s trying to buy the entire bag industry in China. Are you sure he’s not using you to achieve his goal?”

Li Zhicheng looked up at him and said, “He won’t be able to do that, and he can’t use me.”

They both stayed silent for a while before Xu Yong went on, asking, “Must you marry Lin Qian? Have you thought it through? Because I don’t think you two will be compatible.”

“No need to think, I must marry her.”

Xu Yong didn’t say anything.

They stayed silent for a while and Xu Yong said, “If I know, everyone else will know. Protect her at all costs and you’d better take her out of spotlight. Marry her only after this is over. Don’t let a woman face this.”

“I know,” said Li Zhicheng.

He looked at his watch, got up and started to walk out. Just as he reached the door, he turned around and said, “Dad, you’re overthinking this. Only the strongest can have a voice. If I can banish DG from China, who dares to say another word?”

What he said showed his high spirits and fortitude as a young man. Xu Yong smiled and nodded. Li Zhicheng walked out the door. It was quiet in the hallway and the light was giving a soft glow. He raised his head and saw Lin Qian sitting on the bench at the entrance.

Li Zhicheng was perturbed.

Lin Qian also stood up, gazing at him with a complicated look.

Chapter 74

The hospital room was located at the farthest end of the floor, secluded and open.

Lin Qian, standing outside the door, unintentionally overheard the conversation between father and son; most of it at least.

As their voices stopped, she saw the door open. Her heart was full of gentleness when Li Zhicheng looked up as he walked out. But at the same time, it was as though there was a pebble rolling amongst the gentleness of her heart, making her feel uncomfortable.

It was because of the two things Xu Yong had said.

“Must you marry Lin Qian?” and “From my point of view, I think that you two are not suitable.”

Li Zhicheng calmly looked at her.

He had rushed over right after he landed. Perhaps because of the long journey, his suit and shirt were a little rumpled, and the tiredness still lingered on his brow. But the gaze he gave her, was both clear and calm. As though he had instantaneously read her emotions, he extended his hand, grabbing and caressing one of hers.

“When did you arrive?”

Lin Qian honestly answered, “I’ve been here for a while.”

Li Zhicheng nodded his head.

“Can I go in to see him?” she asked.

Li Zhicheng’s hand had not let hers go when he turned to look at the small glass window on the door of the patient’s room. He saw Xu Yong with his eyes closed, the bedlight dimmed, seemingly sound asleep. He said, “He just took his medication, and we talked for a while so he’s probably tired now. We will come again first thing in the morning.”

“Okay.”

Compared to their usual reunion excitement and chattiness, Lin Qian was comparatively quieter. Li Zhicheng looked at her fine lips and black eyes. He said no more and held her hand as they walked off.

The sky was pitch black by then; the bright lights shining on the white pavement contrasted the darkness of the night.

The two of them were in the intensive care ward. Very few people were there, only the lamps above their heads lit their way, casting fleeting shadows.

Lin Qian looked at his tall cool silhouette and suddenly felt a little dimwitted.

How she wished that the two of them could keep holding hands like this.

“Do you feel wronged?” he asked.

He suddenly stopped in his tracks, turning to look at her.

Under the light, his face was handsome and mesmerising as usual. His dark eyebrows had a bit of luster, his high cheekbones gave his facial contour a bit of a wild look. One of his hands was still in his pocket, when another wrapped around her waist as he quietly lowered his head and gazed at her.

Silent, dominant, but gentle.

Lin Qian wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Hmm…” she whispered, “A little. However, compared to someone who went through hell with my brother, this is nothing.”

Their eyes met, and in his eyes you could slowly see a smile.

Lin Qian looked at him but felt something off.

Actually her being wronged wasn’t because of Xu Yong. On the contrary, if she was standing on Xu Yong’s side, she could clearly understand that as a father and a businessman, there were these deliberations and concerns. Also, when Li Zhicheng indicated his stance, Xu Yong immediately accepted.

But she still felt a little wronged. Because her true self, her brother’s true self, the honest, trustworthy versions of themselves, were not seen by others. And in the current situation, she had no way of proving her innocence, no way to prove she was “a woman worthy of Li Zhicheng.” This was objectively so, because her brother’s and her identity and status were thus unchangeable.

“What kind of woman would be suitable for you?” She suddenly asked.

She was just being difficult.

Li Zhicheng gave her a look.

He lowered his head and took her lips passionately, tasting them. Lin Qian’s view was consumed by his entire figure, her body too was encircled by him at a corner of the corridor. Amidst the steaminess, she heard him whisper in her ear saying, ” Do you want me to give you my heart?”

Lin Qian giggled.

Truly, just now seeing him being in front of his father, his rigid mannerisms were enough for her.

“There is no need for weigh the pros and cons. I must marry her.”

“If I get DG out of the China market, who dares speak a word against me?”

Lin Qian looked up at him.

Love was a religion. She submitted to the man in front of her.

And he, using his own unique, decisive methods, was protecting their love.

“I love you.” she whispered.

Li Zhicheng bent down to kiss her again.

Maybe it was because they had been apart for a few days, plus the longing they had for each other before, it was hard for this kiss to end. In the silent hospital hallway, he held her in his embrace, kissing her mouth, eyes, nose, ears…time was forgotten and they were not satisfied enough to stop.

Gao Lang and Jiang Yuan had just walked up to the fourth floor, when they saw the familiar silhouette of the president, pushing a woman against the wall, silently but passionately kissing her.

That woman without a doubt was Lin Qian.

This President Li was so different from the one they knew. And it was only in front of Lin Qian, that President Li would reveal such a willful side of himself.

Gao Lang and Jiang Yuan were both struck speechless. Jiang Yuan was still fine, nothing seemed particularly unusual. Gao Lang however acted like a young boy, actually turning his head shyly away.

“Ahem…” Jiang Yuan faked a cough.

Li Zhicheng had his back towards them. Upon hearing the cough he lifted his head, and at the same time let go of Lin Qian slightly. He was still holding her in his arms. Perhaps because he had been kissing too long and was out of breath, his cheeks were slightly red, but his mannerisms were still silent and stern as he turned to face them. Lin Qian on the other hand was embarrassed for being caught in the act by others. She lowered her head, acting indifferent.

“President.” Jiang Yuan started speaking as he normally did, “There are reporters at the front door, as well as a few unfamiliar people, who seem to be looking to stir up trouble.” Pausing for a while, he continued, “They are riling up a group of people, raising up banners and slogans, saying that we Aida were scheming with foreign investors and betrayed the local brands.””

Li Zhicheng remain unfazed, however, Lin Qian was shocked.

They had come too quickly.

Chapter 75

The night was getting darker. The lights cast shadow across the whole city and made it look like a chessboard of reinforced concrete; the buildings arranged in crisscross patterns extended beyond the horizon.

Lin Qian and Li Zhicheng stood at the gloomy hallway of the Inpatient Department, looking at the dense crowd gathering downstairs.

They seemed restless, excited, and anxious. The journalists were walking around with cameras and video cameras. As soon as someone walked out from the Inpatient Department, all their attention would be focused on that person.

Behind the reporters were around ten to twenty men in blue worker uniforms. The sky was too dark so their faces couldn’t be seen clearly. But the banners that they were holding were very striking:

“Boycott foreign corporate acquisition!”

“Aida’s executives are colluding with foreign corporations and double-crossing national brands!”

After calming down for a little while, they started protesting loudly again.They had clearly practised ahead of their arrival at the hospital; their voices were loud and in unison.

“Protect domestic brands!”

“Reject foreign corporations as stakeholders of Old Aida!”

“Kick foreign spies out of Aida!”

Upon hearing the word “foreign spy”, Lin Qian frowned slightly.

Obviously they were referring to her. Humph.

At that time, even though it was already night, there were still constant streams of cars and passers-by going to and fro from the hospital entrance. As such, this group of protesters quickly attracted many onlookers. The news reporters couldn’t find the main players, so they were snapping even more shots of the demonstration. For the moment, the continuous flash and the ever-increasing onlookers culminated into a mighty, spectacular scene.

Lin Qian quietly let out a “Hmmph”.

Li Zhicheng was supporting himself with one hand on the windowsill and the other was holding her shoulder. His face looked calm; his jet-black eyes peered at the chaos downstairs, asking her, “Who do you think is behind this?”

Lin Qian put both her arms on the windowsill and answered in disdain, “Who else could it be? Chen Zheng.” Who else would use such dirty tricks, if not him?

Evidently this was the answer in Li Zhicheng’s mind too. Indifference flashed in his eyes. He didn’t say anything.

But Lin Qian shook her head, saying, “Actually Chen Zheng is not stupid. Before this when I was at SMQ, I thought that he had a lot of his own ideas and he managed his company quite well. But this guy is… too bigoted. He is too selfish and he doesn’t know when to stop until he reaches his goal. He always does stupid things that need to be kept under the table and can’t yield long term benefits. Now that I think about it, this fellow is actually quite pitiful, sad, and detestable.”

As she took a deep breath, she turned around and stared at Li Zhicheng.

The last few days, and especially that day, she had been feeling down. As she looked at this scene directed by Chen Zheng, which was both a farce and a vicious attack, she felt her heart let out an emotional sigh.

She was contemplating Chen Zheng’s motives, but it seemed like she was contemplating other things too. Even she couldn’t tell.

After Li Zhicheng listened to her, he merely stared at her with his calm and deep gaze. The lights from outside hazily slipped through the window, shining on his black hair and his face. His face seemed exceptionally calm, certain, and inscrutable.

He reached out to pinch her jaw, speaking under his breath, “Well-said. This is his last struggle.”

There was a hint of unperturbed coldness in his cooling voice.

Lin Qian’s heart quivered. She didn’t say a word.

DG and MK Investment Management Corporation directed this acquisition, causing Xu Yong to be hospitalized, and now Chen Zheng was using her to attack Li Zhicheng and Aida…

How could Li Zhicheng let it slide just like that? He was so ruthless; Chen Zheng was probably praying no more once he was on shore.

The intricate plan that Li Zhicheng had arranged was almost ready; the counterattack was about to kickstart in a few months. At that time, he would trounce Chen Zheng mercilessly.

Lin Qian took a sideways glance at the crowd downstairs again. Who knew where Chen Zheng was hiding, gloating over this scene?

Perhaps when they next met, the stare she had for Chen Zheng would be only pity.

“Xue Mingtao is here,” Jiang Yuan came upstairs and nodded at Li Zhicheng.

Following their gazes, Lin Qian saw a few buses stop in front of the hospital entrance, then she saw a few familiar faces; Xue Mingtao and other personnel, leading some Aida’s employees, rushing down from the bus. They tried to restore order, blocking the news reporters and protesters out of the perimeter at the same time.

The current situation truly was quite awkward.

They couldn’t report to the police, because if the police were involved the incident would appear in the headlines. That would escalate the matter further.

They couldn’t just leave it be, otherwise they would be cooped up in the hospital until God knows when. Xu Yong’s rest would also be affected.

They could only use the same tactic in gathering a crowd, and use it against them to suppress them. Luckily Xue Mingtao has brought along many people. In an instant, they had set up their positions and surrounded the mob in the middle.

Xue Mingtao handled the situation carefully. Although Lin Qian could not hear what they were discussing, she could clearly see Xue Mingtao being followed by a few cadre to explain to the reporters that these protesters weren’t even Aida staff. The people he brought along were interesting as well. A bunch of them were strong, young men, all standing in the outer perimeter. Inside the circle were a group of older workers, as well as female workers. If the protesters started trouble, tomorrow’s headlines would show Aida’s workers being beaten up by gangsters. Of course, the men in the outer perimeter would certainly not allow harm to come to the others.

One had to admit that Xue Mingtao was quite devious. He was more than capable of handling Chen Zheng.

His technique was quite effective. It seemed like no conflict occurred on the scene, some of the protesters even started to withdraw. The reporters had surrounded Xue Mingtao and snapped pictures of him, as he was evidently answering their questions.

Seeing that the attention of the crowd downstairs was all on Xue Mingtao, Jiang Yuan hung up the phone and looked towards Li Zhicheng and Lin Qian, “The car is at the side door.”

Li Zhicheng nodded. Taking off his coat, he covered Lin Qian, then he hugged her shoulder, “Let’s go.”

Lin Qian was stunned for a moment.

To reduce major issues to minor ones,and then minor issues to naught, taking evasive action was the best solution to handle the current situation.

Just that…

She looked at the chaos downstairs, then she raised her gaze to look out into the borderless dark night.

Li Zhicheng didn’t say it, but other than him, her, Jiang Yuan, Xue Mingtao, Chen Zheng… everyone else was well aware that her relationship with Lin Mochen would eventually affect the confrontation between Chinese and foreign corporations.

Lin Qian was one of the Aida executives and fiancee of Li Zhicheng. Her brother was the chief investment manager who led the foreign acquisition project. No matter who found out about it, they would still raise questions.

Had Aida been secretly colluding with DG? Was Lin Qian a spy? All these concerns couldn’t be explained easily. To those without knowledge of Li Zhicheng’s upcoming moves, on the surface it seemed like domestic corporations had been losing to DG, which threw even more doubt on the situation. There was still some time before Li Zhicheng could counterattack. During the upcoming days, he would sure to receive even more pressure from the public.

Lin Qian lightly bit on her lower lip; she averted her gaze and calmly followed Li Zhicheng downstairs.

The side entrance was not far from the front entrance, but since the location was more remote and the lights were dimmer, when the car was driven there slowly and quietly, it didn’t attract the attention of the people at the entrance.

Jiang Yuan walked in front, opening the car door for them.

Lin Qian was covered in Li Zhicheng’s suit; his warmth remaining on the suit made her feel warm and well taken care of despite the chilly night breeze. Li Zhicheng was hugging her with one hand, seeming to guard her in his embrace. As soon as Lin Qian raised her head, she could see his stern, close-up look. This made her feel calm and unafraid.

Suddenly she felt touched. Perhaps it was the chilly night, the noises around, and his strong and powerful embrace, her heart was slowly overflowing with the thought of being with him forever.

“It will be fine,” she spoke suddenly, seemingly mumbling to herself and comforting him.

Li Zhicheng looked at her when he heard her.

His eyes were actually slowly smiling.

Lin Qian understood his gaze instantaneously; most likely he was amused that at times like this, she was actually comforting him instead of the other way round.

So Lin Qian couldn’t help but smile too. She gave him a side glance, which meant: since you are not concerned with them, I don’t care too.

It was just a short walk; without the others noticing, their eyes had met and they had read each other’s mind.

Very quickly, the two of them reached the car.

Lin Qian was stunned. Beyond Li Zhicheng, she saw there were a few familiar faces among the crowd who stirred up trouble.

Everything in the world worked in an unexplainable manner. There were so many people gathering there, but she could spot the few of them at a glance.

Those were a few of Aida’s senior workers, they had met before with Lin Qian. She believed that she had made a good impression on them, and had also shown them her ability and dedication.

But now, they were raising banners, standing together with those troublemaking hooligans. Although Xue Mingtao’s men were there to talk to them, they still didn’t leave.

Lin Qian’s heart sunk after she saw this, feeling wronged.

She felt hurt.

Suddenly, she saw a white shadow coming right at her. Then she felt a strong gust of wind hit her face with a brisk sound of “kacha”; her nose bridge and eyes felt a sharp pain. Some sticky and stinky liquid flowed down from her face.

It was an egg! Someone hiding in the dark hit her with an egg!

Lin Qian’s vision was blurred; she felt horrible. Suddenly she felt Li Zhicheng grasping her arm tightly, the anxious voices of Jiang Yuan, Gao Lang, and the rest rang, “Are you okay?”

Lin Qian replied, “I am okay…” Her hand reached out to touch her face. But the hand beside her was faster, picking away the remaining broken egg shell on her face and gently wiping away the egg using his fingertips.

Then over her head she heard his slightly angry voice asked, “How can you say you are okay even before you look at the wound? Don’t move.”

Lin Qian instantly stayed still, with her blurry vision, she could see Li Zhicheng’s face. There was not a hint of smile on his handsome face; he looked tense. His dark and deep eyes were affixed on her; some piercing emotions were about to burst out of him.

His stare made Lin Qian’s heart tighten. Her brain turned from spaced out to feeling awful.

At that moment, she heard “pluck pluck pluck” sounds again, not knowing where the eggs hit. Li Zhicheng reacted quickly by tucking her into the car, then he turned around to look at Gao Lang and the rest, “Seize them! Don’t let anyone of them run away!”

Lin Qian was stunned staring at him standing in the night with a ruthless expression.

Outside the car window, the lights and the shadows were flickering. It was very dark so they couldn’t tell where the attackers were hiding. Then she heard him shout angrily. Some messy footsteps could be heard from behind the low wall opposite them. Gao Lang immediately led a group of people to chase after the attackers furiously.

Li Zhicheng came into the car too, slamming the door and turning around to stare at her. His black gaze was so deep as though he was looking into her soul.

Lin Qian’s face was not painful anymore. There was no blood on the paper napkin she used to wipe her face. She stared at him, whispering, “It’s okay. I am not injured.”

Li Zhicheng nodded, staring at her for a few seconds, then he reached out to pull her into his embrace. To her surprise, his palms were slightly sweaty, the hands holding her were slightly wet and warm. Lin Qian leaned against his chest, through the thin shirt she could heard his pulse beating forcefully, thump, thump, thump…

The car went around the chaos happening in front and dashed out of the exit, leaving the hospital.

When he received the news about Lin Qian being attacked, Lin Mochen was sitting in his office, checking the news on the US stock market.

When he put down the phone, his initially laid back and relaxed face had completely darkened. He was silent for a moment; he didn’t have any other immediate reaction, instead he opened his web browser and skimmed through the news of the industry.

Indeed, the latest news had been updated and they were all reports about tonight’s mass disturbance. Some said that Aida’s employees were in conflict with the management team because they were dissatisfied with their domestic brand being sold, while some said that it was hooligans gathered to stir up trouble.

But all the media’s speculation was focused on the brother-sister relationship between “a female executive from Aida” and “an executive from MK Investment Management Corporation”.

There were many ill-intentioned posts popping up on various forums. Most of them revolved around “Executive Lin from Aida”, alluding to her as the sleeper agent planted by MK Investment Management Corporation and DG Group, and claiming she had brought about this acquisition after she had seduced the CEO of Aida and slept her way to the top. Some of the words used were obscene.

Lin Mochen shut his computer and stood up; his expression was gloomy. He pushed open the door to walk out, immediately the secretary by the door side stood up, “Jason, is there anything I can help you?”

Lin Mochen waved, walking straight towards the conference room where the team in charge of Aida’s acquisition was having their meeting.

He knocked on the door, and pushed the door to enter without waiting for the people inside to answer “come in”.

Everyone looked at each other, then looked at him in confusion.

His hands were in his pants’ pockets. He wore a cold expression as he looked at his colleagues and friends. He chucked the smartphone in front of them, the screen displaying news on Lin Qian.

“What’s going on?” He coldly asked, “I have said before to never involve my sister. When I signed the agreement, we agreed that both parties would skirt this issue of personal relations. Now, who can give me an explanation?”

The head of the group was from Hong Kong, he glanced at his colleagues, fell silent for a few seconds, then stood up, “Jason, this was not orchestrated by us. It was DG China’s idea, Charles and Chen Zheng’s. We just observed.”

Lin Mochen looked at him without saying a word.

Because he was being stared at too furiously, he could only continue saying, “Actually Jason, as I know, the issue has received the acquiescence of many, those who took part weren’t just a few. Aside from DG China, there were also the shareholders that sold us the shares to Aida, and the others in the Chinese industry that hoped to sell their brands to DG…Jason, the Chinese are not united, your sister actually has a lot of enemies.

“We considered your situation, so we did not take part. But the acquisition of Aida has not been successful, so we could only acquiesce without informing you beforehand. In this aspect, I believe we have not done wrong, and we hope you can be professional…”

Chapter 76

After she had received her brother’s call, Lin Qian sat in her hotel room and looked out the window at the blurry night sky, while using a towel to wipe her wet hair.

She had just finished bathing. The was a hotel situated in the northern suburbs of the city and it was also distant from Aida Organization. The driver had brought her and Li Zhicheng there directly.

In one moment, she thought to herself: “It’s unthinkable that she, Lin Qian, would actually also face a situation where she was unable to return home.” Because the reporters and media were following rather closely and they still had to protect against other troublemakers, they were temporarily unable to return to Li Zhicheng’s townhouse or her small rented home.

She did not know how long they had put up with this situation.

At the moment, it was already past 11 o’clock at night. The outskirts were even more silent and all the little villages and towns had no light other than the stars; almost everyone was already in a deep sleep. Only Li Zhicheng was in the living room outside, with Xue Mingtao, Jiang Yuan and the rest with their indistinct voices travelling through the partially opened bedroom door:

“Send them all to the police station and give a greeting to Zhao, the bureau deputy director.”

“Control all the reporters that can be controlled.”

“Gather all the staff who are department managers and above first thing tomorrow morning for a meeting.”

Li Zhicheng’s voice was calm and deep. Because of his composed calmness after being angry, Lin Qian felt that his terrorizing power was even stronger.

Lin Qian walked over and tightly shut the bedroom door. Only then did she tell Lin Mochen, who was waiting on the line, “I’m fine. I’ve already arrived at the hotel with Li Zhicheng… Surprise attack? No, it was just some people making a scene and we were blocked but we took the chance and got in a car to escape… How would they have attacked me?”

With her brother, she usually reported only the good news and not the bad as a rule of thumb. All the more reason that she did not mention about her being hit by the egg.

But this time, she couldn’t hide it. Because Lin Mochen said neutrally, “Still keeping it from me? I’ve already seen the picture of you being hit by the egg.”

Lin Qian was also confused about where he had even seen the picture. However, she knew that her brother had always possessed unusual powers and had many means of doing things, so she did not question him anymore closely. When she heard him speak, she inadvertently felt a little aggrieved and answered, “Alright, I was only hit by one but Li Zhicheng was hit by four or five on his back. It was a little painful but I wasn’t hurt.” She paused for a while and after sighing, she said, “My heart ached way more than my physical pains.”

Her words were said half-jokingly but Lin Mochen grew silent listening to it.

“Where are you? I’ll come over.”

Lin Qian hesitated, “I don’t think that’s a very good idea. Especially at this point when things are in chaos.”

However, evidently, every time Lin Mochen was angry, the overcast aura that enveloped him was different from that of Li Zhicheng. Not only did he have that aura, he also had an ominous aura that made people cautious.

He laughed coldly and said, “Address!”

Lin Qian immediately gave him the name of the hotel and the room number. With a “toot, toot, toot”, the phone had been hung up by him.

Lin Qian felt at a loss whether to laugh or cry. If he wanted to come, then he would come, she had no need to worry if she had done nothing wrong. It was her brother after all, so he definitely would not let the both of them be at a disadvantage again.

Keeping this thought in mind, Lin Qian threw her phone to the side and lay on her bed.

Weird, she had obviously only been hit a little on her face. Why did she feel as though her heart was gripped with worry and fatigue?

She scanned her surroundings and her gaze naturally fell on the shirt that was draped on the table. It was the one that Li Zhicheng had taken off. Back at the hospital, Lin Qian did not notice but only heard a few sounds of eggs cracking from behind her. It was only after getting in the car that she realized Li Zhicheng’s arms and back had been so smashed with eggs that they had become all yellow and white. She did not know why but looking at him get hit actually made her feel more wronged and angry than getting hit herself. There was only one thought in her mind: How could they smash him with eggs? They did not even know how much effort he was putting in to protect the local brands!

Thinking about it made Lin Qian feel a familiar dull mood. She jumped off the bed and picked up Li Zhicheng’s shirt before going into the bathroom.

Li Zhicheng had only taken a very rushed bath before leaving to talk to the other managers. Lin Qian had initially wanted to go as well but perhaps seeing her get smashed with an egg earlier that day made his heart ache too deeply. He had simply lowered his head to kiss her and said, “I’ll go settle it. You rest, stay inside and don’t come out.”

Li Zhicheng had never prevented her from joining in discussions about work matters. This time was out of the ordinary and Lin Qian could feel his intense desire to protect her. Thus, her heart softened and she nodded her head, obediently staying in the bedroom.

The water was flowing and Lin Qian carefully scrubbed his shirt. Thinking about it, this was the first time that she had washed his shirt for him. In the days that they had cohabited, the both of them were busy and their clothes were almost always thrown into the washing machine or taken to the drycleaners. Even though he was a male chauvinist through and through, he was used to doing things himself after staying in the army for so many years. Hence, Lin Qian had not washed a single one of his clothes for him.

As she thought about it, her heart softened and it was as though she could still feel the warmth of his skin while scrubbing the delicate fabric beneath her hands.

She had to treat him better, she thought, and take care of him more.

She was focused in her washing when a soft sound was made as someone pushed open the toilet door.

Li Zhicheng walked in dressed in his usual simple shirt and formal pants, his gaze aimed at her.

Lin Qian looked behind him and the outside had fallen quiet. Hence, she asked, “They’ve all gone?”

“Yes.” He stood by the basin, his gaze falling on her hands, “Why did you come over to help me wash my clothes?”

Lin Qian smiled slightly and raised the shirt to scrub it a little before wringing it dry and hanging it on a clothes hanger and walking back into the bedroom. Li Zhicheng placed both his hands in his pockets and followed behind her.

Lin Qian hung up his shirt on the balcony and clapped her hands. The wind on the balcony was strong but it was as if it had blown away the smog within her heart. She zoned out a little and gazed into the distance. Li Zhicheng wrapped his arms around her waist and lowered his head and lightly sniffed her neck.

Lin Qian’s heart softened into a mess. She grabbed hold of his hand and said in a soft voice, “Zhicheng, I saw a few of Aida’s old staff amongst the crowd that was making trouble just now.”

After saying that, she kept her mouth closed.

They were really Aida’s old staff and were the ones who did not leave Aida for other companies even back when it was faced with the most difficult times. Lin Qian and Li Zhicheng would both notice people like that.

But today, they did not know who instigated them but they were also standing in the crowd of protestors.

And being instigated was just an external cause, perhaps it was because they didn’t understand her enough or because the Old Aida’s stocks were now under the control of DG and it made them too upset. However, looking at them stand over there today made Lin Qian bitterly disappointed.

Li Zhicheng paused in his actions and raised his head.

Both his hands were resting against the balcony and his hands were still wrapped around her, keeping her in his embrace. This pose made Lin Qian feel warmer than ever and she turned her head to graze his neck before lifting it to look at him.

He also lowered his head to look at her, “It’s impossible to have everything go one’s way, but one can only aim to have a clear conscience.”

Lin Qian nodded her head.

Even though it was like that in words, her heart still felt the regret of being wronged by others.

If…

If she, Lin Qian, was not Li Zhicheng’s subordinate, she would not have to participate in his expansion of the business. At least in the eyes of outsiders, she was still Lin Mochen’s little sister so who would have a chance of gossiping behind her back?

This thought flashed through her mind and seemingly opened a window as more thoughts and impulses all started to appear. She didn’t make a sound and just silently thought about these things. Meanwhile, Li Zhicheng had not noticed as he also had his own thoughts. In the moment that Lin Qian was in a daze, he surveyed her forehead, eyes and nose bridge without moving.

Other than the subtle bruise on her nose bridge, her other places weren’t hurt. Li Zhicheng stretched out his hand and his fingertips gently stroked the small bruised area. Lin Qian’s heart softened as he touched her. This man’s love and care was silent, yet so moving.

“Is it very embarrassing?” she pursed her lips.

Li Zhicheng looked at her and stopped his stroking but rather singlehandedly pulled her into his embrace to look at the endless night sky together.

“Yup, very embarrassing.” His voice was low as he answered, “But the more embarrassed one is me when I look at you hurt right before me.”

Lin Qian’s heart skipped a beat as she looked at his beautiful and silent profile in the night light. In the end, she did not say a word but only extended her hand to return a hug.

“Ding dong”.

The doorbell rang and Lin Qian released Li Zhicheng, “My brother is here.”

Li Zhicheng did not comment and held her hand as they walked back to the living room. Lin Qian blinked her eyes, “You just wait by the side.” Releasing his hand, she opened the door.

Outside the door, Lin Mochen was dressed in a black windbreaker, and his tall build and handsome face was as if it was still stained with the chilly night lights. Even his gaze was cold and dark as he focused his gaze on her.

He looked at Li Zhicheng behind her and only then did he walk in as he closed the door.

The living room was warmly lit. Lin Mochen did not even take off his jacket before he extended his hand and grabbed onto Lin Qian, lowering his head to look at her face. Then, his face got even darker and his next action was exactly the same as Li Zhicheng’s which was to stretch out his hand and gently rub on the bruised area.

Lin Qian said in a small voice, “Brother… It’s a small thing, I’m okay.”

Lin Mochen gave her a sweeping glance and released her. As compared to his insuppressible rage back in the office, he had now completely calmed down. Lifting his head to exchange a glance with Li Zhicheng, the both of them walked over to the sofa and sat down.

This time, Li Zhicheng did not chase Lin Qian back to the bedroom so she sat by his side and grabbed hold of his arm.

Three people, six eyes, a moment of silence. Lin Mochen was the first to speak, his voice was smooth, “What do you plan to do?”

Li Zhicheng replied, “All the people have been caught and sent to the police station. This issue…” he looked at Lin Qian, “We plan to not delve into it for a time. We’ll leave it until next time when I will teach the ones who caused the trouble a lesson.”

Lin Mochen nodded his head, his long legs were crossed and his hands were gently tapping on his knees, “Now is indeed not the time to dig deeper into it and worsen the matter.” He also looked at Lin Qian, “Suffer a bit now, I will take revenge for you at a later date.”

However, Lin Qian was tickled by their words. How could she ignore the bigger picture just after going through such a small grievance? Instead, it was them who flew into a rage after the incident had happened. Luckily, they were ultimately both sensible and at the same time came to the decision that they would only act after coming up with a plan.

Lin Mochen asked, “How do you plan to fight after this?”

It was a very normal question but it mildly stunned both Lin Qian and Li Zhicheng.

All along, Lin Mochen had never interfered in the acquisition of Aida and of course had not asked about their counteracting plans so as to maintain his neutrality. Now he suddenly asked…

Lin Qian quickly opened her mouth, “Brother, what are you thinking of doing? Why would you ask this?”

Li Zhicheng looked at her and did not say anything. However, that quiet yet sharp gaze appeared to have already guessed Lin Mochen’s thoughts.

As expected, Lin Mochen gently smiled and said, “Lin Qian, I have my own principles. Beforehand, I would not be biased towards you. With the same logic, now that someone has imposed on you, do you think I will just let it be? It is a ridiculous provocation that’s bringing about his own destruction.”

Li Zhicheng’s eyes had subtle amusement, as if he already knew the meaning in his heart.

“But!” Lin Qian furrowed her brows, “What about your job?”

Lin Mochen answered calmly, “There’s no way. I have already transferred the cases of acquisition on New Bori and SMQ to my colleague. There’s no way of continuing.

Lin Qian opened her mouth but did not speak. He turned away from her and started to chat with Li Zhicheng of his own accord.

“Now, DG is playing the brand card, pushing ZAMON to the top amongst China’s foreign brands.” Lin Mochen said, “What do you plan to do?”

Li Zhicheng replied in a low voice, “The higher they push it up the ranks, the harder they will fall. I have already arranged for people to conduct thorough investigations. Although ZAMON is considered a top-tiered brand in their local American market, it is far from the image of a first-class extravagant brand that they have created for themselves. Their pricing is also the same as luxury goods. There is a huge difference in their image in China and overseas.”

Lin Mochen had a restrained gaze and thought for a bit, his eyes then had a hint of amusement, “You plan to break through from that aspect?”

“Yup.” Li Zhicheng answered calmly, “One of the most important things in buying luxury goods is the pricing. The pricing is in the interests of the customer and higher prices just add on to a brand’s prestige. If their prices attract controversy, the customers would feel as though as their interests are being compromised and the prestige of the brand will collapse together…”

The two of them lowered their heads and with a corner of the coffee table between them, they talked as their posture remained relaxed and their gazes crossed each other’s. Lin Qian had long released her hold on Li Zhicheng and sat by herself on the sofa. She looked at the two similarly cold yet focused expressions and listened to their similarly cold voices as her thoughts trailed far away.

Her first thought was that the problem her brother met with was not as simple as he made it out to be.

If he got involved in the acquisition battle, retreating from the acquisition work team was definitely not enough. DG was his company’s customer and with the development of things, he would have to resign.

Of course, her brother had his own company and these few years of investment were just a hobby. However, she did not want to see that his career plans be affected because of her.

As for Li Zhicheng?

Lin Qian’s gaze focused on his face. His calm, indifferent face. At this moment as he sat with her brother, he looked young, handsome and stable. It was as if he had ten thousand gullies in his chest and didn’t need one woman to worry at all. However, Lin Qian felt uncomfortable just thinking about the doubt he was about to feel.

The thing that made her most uncomfortable was related to herself.

The problem that she had sensed all along, the one that had been dissected time and time again in front of her tonight was something that clearly required her to acknowledge head on. Of course, she could let it be and not care about it, maintaining the current situation. The current situation was very good. The two of them were as strong as two tall mountains and she could freely demonstrate her talent and enjoy life while being shielded by their power. Love and kinship enveloped her and she was already much more happy and fortunate than many others.

But it was still not enough. She knew it wasn’t enough.

Once that thought sprouted in her mind, it incited conceit and hot-bloodedness in her bones.

She thought: If I was not relying on Li Zhicheng’s career to survive now, how would outsiders question anything? Just as Li Zhicheng had said, only the powerful had power in their words. If I had the ability to prove myself not guilty, how would onlookers even dare to say a word of slander again? Chen Zheng would not dare. He would not dare to look upon me as Li Zhicheng’s weakness and provoke us time and again; the reporters would not dare, because my talents and morals would be displayed in front of everyone.

Those old members of Aida would not doubt her either. She would not need to rely on their Li Zhicheng to survive.

These thoughts attacked her brain and became a compelling will and yearning. She knew that she had to do it herself. In life, some things were required of one to do and they were impossible to resist or overlook. It was as if you could already see your fate changing as a voice resounds in your heart, saying, “This is something you must do.”

She lifted her head again and looked at the two men who were secretly plotting in front of her.

“…For this segment, I will remain low-key in handling it.” Li Zhicheng calmly said, “This incident will be explained internally in the company.”

“Not bad.” Lin Mochen raised his brows, “You can get her to hand over all of her share of Mind’s stock to you, which would also solidify her stance.” Looking at Lin Qian again, he said, “She can leave Mind temporarily and not take on any jobs related to Aida, subtly retreating from the public eye.”

Li Zhicheng looked towards Lin Qian and exchanged glances with her for a moment before nodding, “Alright.”

Seeing her slightly stunned, however, Lin Mochen actually smiled and said to her calmly, “Just let Li Zhicheng protect you for this period and leave all the outside stuff for us to handle. Once DG is completely defeated, you will naturally be free of your prolonged injustice. Don’t worry.”

Li Zhicheng extended his hand and massaged her shoulder. Perhaps he saw that she had been quiet all this while and his deep voice gently asked, “Is that okay?”

At that moment, both Lin Mochen and Li Zhicheng thought that Lin Qian would definitely say okay. Because she had always been smart and knew when to step in or retreat. In the face of big things, she would listen and follow the two of their arrangements.

Lin Qian lifted her head and looked at her brother first, before she shifted her gaze to Li Zhicheng.

“It’s not okay,” her clear voice said.

Li Zhicheng and Lin Mochen became silent simultaneously.

Amusement floated through Lin Mochen’s eyes and he leaned into the sofa, picked up his teacup and took a sip without saying a word. Li Zhicheng gazed deeply at the woman in his embrace, and after a moment, he had the same reaction and actually smiled gently.

“Why?” he asked.

It was the first time Lin Qian would be expressing such a view in front of the both of them. She felt a little self-conscious, but more than that she was firm. She lifted her gaze and fixed it on the both of them, saying, “Just like the art of making tea, you have already helped me arrange for the possibilities in future and all the potential obstacles I may face. You have also arranged what I have to do and where to go. But this time, your arrangement may be the safest option for me but it isn’t the one that will benefit me most.”

By this time, both Lin Mochen and Li Zhicheng were slightly stunned. Lin Mochen placed the teacup down and slowly repeated her words, “You feel that our arrangement will not benefit you?” Li Zhicheng, however, was quietly looking at her. Looking at her delicate eyes and brows. Looking at her quiet yet determined expression. His hand was still holding on to her waist and his fingers silently edged closer to her skin. Looking at this strong-headed version of her, he could almost guess what she was going to say.

Then, he felt the sudden urge to envelop her completely in his embrace and not let her escape from his grasp; a protective impulsion took over him.

However, Lin Qian did not notice the dark gaze in the man’s eyes. She simply licked the parts of her lips that were dry and said in a clear voice, “No, you both treat me very well. Brother, you want to quit your current job which will have a detrimental effect on your career and reputation just because of my incident; Li Zhicheng…” she revealed a helpless smile, ” now everyone thinks that you succumbed to the temptation of beauty and are planning to sell off the local brands.”

She stood up suddenly and within their line of sight, took a long, deep breath.

“But, some things require me to face them and resolve on my own. No matter how much effort you put in and how much you sacrifice, it cannot be resolved.

“You can perhaps easily make DG collapse and make the public believe that Aida will resolutely maintain its status as a local brand. But deep inside, will they believe that I, Lin Qian, had never conspired with the outsiders? If I return to the bag industry again, the name ‘Lin Qian’ would always carry a blurred stain. Everyone would think of this rumor that had once been circulated.

“How can I place my hopes on the possibilities of bygones being bygones and people forgetting to clear my name? No, I don’t want to be specious, neither do I want to become an ambiguous topic in conversations. I want to use my own method to completely clear my name. I want to let everyone see clearly that I, Lin Qian, was not ever a spy for DG. I want to stand up for myself, stand in front of them and make a deep impression on them, such that they will never misunderstand me and never see me as ‘some woman who relied on a man to attain her status’.

“I will definitely… let them see.”

When Lin Mochen left, it was already one o’clock in the morning.

Lin Qian sent him outside of the bedroom door.

He turned his body to look at her, his gaze still held a trace of playfulness as usual.

“If you want, I can temporarily keep myself out of things.” He continued unperturbed, “But DG had better pray that you will succeed. For if my little sister cannot do it, it will naturally be her older brother’s turn.”

Lin Qian giggled and reached out her hands to hug him lightly, “Brother, thank you.”

There was a hint of amusement floating in Lin Mochen’s eyes. His gaze went past her to exchange a glance with Li Zhicheng who was in the house. Then, he released her and turned to leave.

Lin Qian watched him get on the lift before she closed the door and reentered the house.

After she had just revealed her true feelings and thoughts, her brother had spontaneously agreed to temporarily stay out of things.

He could actually understand what she wanted as they had been there to pull each other through all these years.

Lin Qian’s heart softened and she raised her head again to look at Li Zhicheng who was on the sofa.

It was already the middle of the night and yet he did not show a hint of sleepiness. Both his elbows were propped against his knees as his fingers interlocked. In this contemplative posture, he gazed at her.

This dark yet bright gaze always made Lin Qian’s heart light and floaty. She walked over to sit by his side and held onto his arm, leaning onto his shoulder. The two of their cheeks were pressed onto each other just like that and Lin Qian could feel him slightly turn his face as he looked at her while his hot breath fell on her forehead.

Lin Qian could not suppress her smile and she said in a soft voice, “I rejected your arrangement, are you angry?”

Actually, she knew that Li Zhicheng would not be angry but she was just teasing him. After she had bared her feelings to these two most important men in her life, she felt merry and unreserved, as if the gloom in her heart had been swept away completely. Now, she wanted so badly to return to her new factory and immerse herself into producing her goods at once. Just as she had said, she wanted to let everyone see Lin Qian’s own brand.

She had not expected that the moment she finished saying those words, Li Zhicheng suddenly extended his hand and placed it round her shoulder, taking the opportunity to press her onto the sofa and gazed down upon her from above.

Lin Qian blinked her eyes and also looked at his unmoving face.

“How long do you want?” he asked.

Lin Qian’s heart softened extremely as she replied, “I will come back once you launch your grand counterattack.”

I will definitely come back.

I will bring with me my own brand; bring with me my loyalty and help you regain your position at the top of this industry.

I will stand by you and that is the love I have been longing for this whole lifetime.

Chapter 77

Three months later.

It has been the best three months for the DG’s business growth in China. It also was the most glorious three months for Charles and Chen Zheng in their lives, which they had never experienced before, and would not experience again. It was so wonderful that Chen Zhen enjoyed indulging himself in it in his later life, just like a wonderful dream. It was so sweet and addictive that he wished he would never wake up from it.

And at that moment, Chen Zheng was still immersed in the beautiful part of life.

At night, inside the Nan Yue Six Star Hotel in Lin City, the hotel’s lights were shining brightly and it was full of the well-dressed guests. On the backdrop at the front was a massive DG China logo, and a series of their astounding figures and results.

“DG China’s annual sale volumes reaching 500 million.”

“ZAMON was announced the No.1 most influential brand in China.”

“Market share over 25%.”

“Monthly sales growth 300%.”

Today was the last day of the year, and it was also the annual celebration party for DG China.

With beautiful music in the background and the attention from everyone, under the bright lights, in his most expensive tuxedo, Charles stepped onto the main stage with a broad smile. He listed out all the results from DG China over the past year; his humorous comments and his wise bearing earned him lots of laughter and applause.

At the end, he invited all the senior executives onto the stage, making a toast to all the staff, guests and media workers present. Standing right next to him, was Chen Zheng, full of high spirits and handsomeness. The two held hands, lifting their arms in a celebratory gesture to the crowd, then Charles grabbed the microphone, “The person I’m most thankful for, is my friend and colleague, Chen Zheng, and all the Chinese staff. Without your support, DG China couldn’t have achieved such great results, and couldn’t contribute our best products in the world to Chinese consumers.”

His speech pushed the atmosphere to a climax. Everyone was cheering and applauding, the senior executives had finished their red wine. Chen Zheng had his arm over Charles’ shoulder, looking at the lights and people below the stage, he hadn’t felt this ambitious and complacent ever before.

He had eventually brought SMQ to a new peak. He thought that he had finally achieved what he deserved.

How could anyone say that China should not be proud of him? His SMQ had become a subsidiary of the best luggage company in the world. They were able to learn the state of art technologies and the most cutting edge management process. Gradually, he’d be even better and achieve even more.

His dream of becoming the best Chinese businessman would come true.

With more uplifting music, people started to move onto the dance floor, Americans, Australians and Chinese… some pretty female staff also came to invite the leaders for a dance. Charles and Chen Zheng smiled to each other, each led their dance partners, and joined the dance floor. It also brought the atmosphere to another highlight.

The music was the Cha Cha dance. The two bosses were surprisingly fluid and relaxed, attracting the attention of everyone. While twisting and moving his arms, Chen Zheng felt his heart filled with the lively atmosphere. A thought started to vaguely pass through his head, wishing the good times would never end. Beautiful as a dream, he hoped the glamorous success would never change.

He never wanted to return to that sad, lonely, angry and hopeless bottom of the cave.

Markets would always bring unexpected results, sometimes even contradictory results. None of the market research experts could ever fully understand and predict the future. Because it consisted of numerous consumers, and was interfered and affected by endless factors.

For example, lately, in contrast to DG China’s great sales success, was the nationwide resistance against DG China online, which had reached its peak. Many student groups teamed up to boycott DG as a brand; lots of luggage and bag companies publicly complained and protesting against the repression and acquisition that they had suffered from DG, both online and through the media. A group of economists had published articles, blaming the malicious violation from foreign corporations to the Chinese luggage and bag industry… Of course, Li Zhicheng and Ning Weikai both contributed to the aggravating rally.

Nevertheless, there was no denying that the better the sales volume was, the more severe the resistance was, and vice versa.

No one could explain exactly why the two extreme situations were appearing in the market at the same time. Many scholars dedicated to protect the local Chinese brands’ were left feeling powerless and frustrated.

Yet, pretty much everyone could sense that the current Chinese luggage and baggage market was like a gigantic balloon, the bigger it got, the stronger the current would build up from the inside. Other than Aida Group, and Ning Weikai’s Sha Ying brand, which were still able to stand up to DG, the rest of the luggage and bag companies all started to feel great pressure. It seemed more and more difficult for them to survive, and their future was harder and harder to foresee.

In addition, the dilemma of accepting the tempting acquisition offer from DG and protecting and holding on to the native Chinese brands was haunting many of the local luggage and bagging companies, including New Bori, whose revenue had decreased dramatically. Its two presidents, the Zhu brothers, were facing a difficult choice.

This was an ordinary night, brothers Zhu Hancheng and Zhu Hanyuan were sitting in a small conference room on the top floor in the Zhu’s headquarters, having another confidential discussion on the matter of New Bori’s stock share. The two looked serious and focused.

Yes, their current situation was a dilemma. The last time they sold some of New Bori’s stock shares, they were badly scolded by their father. But since it was a done deal, the old man couldn’t do much about it.

They initially planned to wait for the change, watching for their chance to raise the price and then sell the rest of the shareholding to DG. They never intended to keep New Bori.

However, now the situation had changed. They hadn’t expected the resistance from the public to be so furious against DG. Lots of media workers and scholars were acting like they’d been watching every move of the native entrepreneurs. Once someone had sold his own brand and company, immediately he’d receive infinite scolding and blame.

The Zhu brothers were raised in a well-established family, and their public images were extremely valuable to them. They would never allow their reputation to be destroyed in that way, nor would they let their own real estate and financial corporations be affected. So with the development of the situation, it had exceeded their original anticipation, deterring them from selling to DG.

However, as DG’s business got better, New Bori’s own business became worse at the same time. Since they wouldn’t let the company be abolished under their management, all they wanted at this stage, was to find a Chinese buyer. As to whether the buyer would sell it to foreign investors or not, it’d be none of their concern. If someone was to be a sinner of the nation, they’d let someone else take the blame. Money was all they wanted.

And now, after talking to a few people, they had finally found a decent buyer.

He was a businessman from Beijing, with the family background relating to the government. He also had a great relationship with lots of state-owned companies in Lin City. They checked, and he had no history of affiliating with Ning Weikai.

Rest assured, they were planning to secretly sign the Share Transfer Agreement the next morning. Despite receiving a much lower price than they had estimated, under the current situation, it was their best option.

There was one concern. Since this buyer decided to become the shareholder of New Bori, naturally he would want to take the advantage of the low price and obtain the voting power of the company by purchasing the majority of the shares. That was why he requested the Zhu brothers to help acquiring the share holdings owned by their father or by Zhu Hanyu.

Of course the Zhu brothers were afraid to mention it to their father, therefore, they planned to start with Zhu Hanyu, who normally lived a very private life and was rarely involve in family business. They were here today to give her a call, and to get a sense of where her mind might be.

After a brief discussion, the younger brother, Zhu Hancheng, picked up the phone and dialed her number.

Lately Zhu Hanyu had always forgotten to charge her phone and carry her phone with her. As her brother called her landline, she happened to have just arrived home, walking towards it with her bare feet, from the porch.

It was around 8 o’clock at night, in a dark room, without any lights on, the trees were reflected by the road lamps outside, all over the room.

Looking slightly exhausted, Zhu Yuhan sat on the couch, with her knees together, pressing on the hands-free button,

In a clear and gentle voice, Zhu Hancheng asked, “Hanyu, are you home? Why’s your phone off?”

Zhu Hanyu paused a little.

Ever since she decided to delegate the shareholdings to Ning Weikai, her brothers were very mad at her, so she hadn’t talked to them in a while.

Now that she heard her brother’s voice again, she turned soft, and emotional, and quietly she replied, “Brother…”

Zhu Hancheng also went silent for a little while, lowering down his voice even more softly, “Our older brother is also here. Hanyu, you haven’t come back to our house for a while. How about tomorrow? Your oldest brother and I will both be home.”

Gently biting her lower lip, Zhu Hanyu’s voice started to sound a little shaky, “… Brother, I’m going to the volunteer service tomorrow, how about another time?”

“Sure,” both of her older brothers replied at the same time. Then the oldest brother began, “Hanyu, we care about you, do you understand that?”

“… I do.”

On the other end of the phone, the Zhu brothers shared eye contact, then the younger one said, “Hanyu, there’s something we’d like to discuss with you.”

He briefly explained their goal to sell New Bori, and the stakes. In the end, he told her, “Hanyu, you might not realize it, but New Bori is already gone, instead of keeping it to us, it would be best if we cash it in. You can also invest and buy some other stocks or real estate. Or just buy the shares from me and our older brother, we’ll sell to you at the cheapest price. It’s definitely better than owning New Bori shares.” Although this speech was very purposeful, it was also honest and for his sister’s benefit.

Zhu Hanyu also understood his point, after a brief silence, she continued, “Thanks, brother, but I’ve already delegated the shareholdings to Ning Weikai. I’m going to have a think about it.”

On the other end, the Zhu brothers exchanged eye contact.

On one hand, they could tell that Zhu Hanyu sounded less tough, rather than constantly defending Ning Weikai, like before; on the other hand, they’d always realized that Ning Weikai had clearly become their biggest problem. So Zhu Hancheng continued to further explain the stakes among these matters. Yet, Zhu Hanyu still decided to sleep on it, appearing very indecisive.

At last, the oldest brother had to say something.

“Hanyu, I’ve never meant to tell you this, but as brothers, we can’t stand seeing you treated like this.” In a cold voice, “Ning Weikai is cheating on you with a mistress, he even brings her to the office, coming in and out together everyday. Why are you still thinking for him…?”

“Brother!”

Zhu Hanshu suddenly started talking, it sounded so sentimental, like never before, roughly interrupting him.

The brothers could even hear her quiet breath from the mood swing over the phone. She sounded like being stabbed in her wounded foot, panicking and quickly said, “Stop it, I promise you I’ll think about it. I’m busy, so goodbye…”

Beep, she hung up the phone.

The Zhu brothers looked at each other, and after a brief silence, the younger one said, “Do you think she’ll sell them?”

The older one shook his head, “Don’t know. Just let her be.” He paused, “Don’t push her anymore.”

On the other end of the phone, Zhu Hanyu pressed down the hands-free button, looking almost disgusted. Then she wrapped her arms around her legs, staring at the quiet and dark night blankly, with her tears falling off, one by one, silently.

Meanwhile, she heard the familiar and slow footsteps behind her.

Surprised, she turned around, seeing Ning Weikai walk out of the bedroom. It turned out that he’d already gotten home sometime before, and had been sleeping in the bedroom the whole time.

In the pajamas she’d carefully chosen for him, his hair was a little messy, and he wasn’t even wearing the slippers. His handsome face was in the room full of darkness, standing just a few steps away from her, looking at her in silence. His eyes, the long eyes that usually appeared happy and positive, now looked intimidatingly dark, like lots of complicated sentiments were written all over them.

She was also gawking at him.

“Hanyu, I’m not cheating.” In his husky and light voice, “From now on, I’ll also never cheat.”

The same night, as usual, Li Zhicheng finished work at Aida, and headed back to the apartment block alone.

It was the busiest time in the apartment blocks every day. All the shops were open, with people and cars moving in and out. In a black jacket, Li Zhicheng slowly walked towards a restaurant.

The food was pretty good there, he and Lin Qian often went there for dinner back in the day.

Although he was still quiet and aloof, having known him for a while, the manager of the restaurant nicely guided him to a quiet table, asking, “Still two dishes, take away?”

Li Zhicheng nodded, “Thanks.”

The female manager couldn’t help but ask again, “Isn’t your girlfriend back yet?” They used to come here together; a good looking couple with great intimacy, leaving others jealous. Back then the handsome man also smiled a lot more often.

Hearing her mention Lin Qian, Li Zhicheng put on a slight smile.

“Yeah, she doesn’t know when yet,” he replied, without showing much emotion.

Since it was close to the New Year, already some kids were setting off firecrackers, one after one, very bright. Li Zhicheng’s fingers lightly rested on the teacup, watching quietly for a while. Then the waitress brought over his order. After paying, he took them and walked out of the loud restaurant, back to the house by the lake that was not too far away.

In the dark night, the shadows of the trees were reflected on the narrow and long path. Carrying the takeaway with one hand, Li Zhicheng’s other hand was in his pocket. He paused when he walked past the grape vine in the front yard.

He was unsure when they had grown, but the grapes were already all over the vine, with prosperous leaves, green and fresh.

Li Zhicheng stared at it quietly, and slowly a smile appeared on his face.

Perhaps next summer, they could eat the fruit they grew themselves. He could almost picture Lin Qian nagging him to pick the grapes, “Hey, I’m just a little shorter than you, otherwise I wouldn’t ask you.”

“Lift me up to pick… move a little bit to the left, eh? Don’t touch my waist, so ticklish…”

Li Zhicheng looked down, the smile on his face gradually disappearing, and he stepped on the stairs to the foyer, with his long legs. The grapes has suddenly reminded him of her, so much of her.

He thought of three months ago, when she was so determined to start her own business, gracefully standing in front of him and Lin Mochen, and in a clear voice, forceful and lofty, “… I’m going to stand in front of everyone and impress them. I want the misunderstanding to stop from now on. I will definitely… make them see it.”

He also thought of the time when she was attacked with eggs. Covered with yolk, her face looking disgusted and messy, but her eyes did not show panic, or fear. There was only “lost” written all over her, so lost that it made his heart tremble.

She said, “When you strike back, I’ll be back.”

So ambitious, but also so profound and affectionate.

What he said to her that day was correct; he was the more embarrassed one.

He had never known that lovesickness could make a man so embarrassed. Even though the embarrassment not visible to anyone, sometimes in the dead of the night, or sitting in the most noisy and intense conference, he would suddenly think of her.

He missed her so badly that he couldn’t rest well. It was only a very light feeling of loneliness, but it lingered in his mind, leaving him constantly cranky, impatient and depressed, but he was unable to have her understand and comfort him.

Yet, just as he told Lin Qian, he was a man with great endurance.

Now that she wanted to chase after her dreams and herself, he was happy to let her go for now.

Once she came back, he’d explain to her how much disturbance she had caused.

She aroused in him a strong desire to conquer and possess her, how could she calm it down?

He pushed the door open, seeing there was an extra pair of shoes in the foyer. The lamp on the floor of the lounge was turned on, the light was dark. A person was on the couch, picking up the remote, turning on the television.

Of course it wasn’t someone he had been waiting for.

Gu Yanzhi switched the channel to Lin City Economy Channel, then turned to look at him, smiling.

Li Zhicheng also smiled lightly, putting down the food on the table, and sat next to him.

“When did you come back?”

Gu Yanzhi’s hair was still damp, clearly he had just got of a shower, “This morning. I got the keys from Jiang Yuan, and headed straight to your place to sleep.”

He slowly glanced at him, “You’re by yourself anyways, your woman was still out. I need to lie low, and hiding at Li Zhicheng’s, who has already “broken off with me”, is the safest.”

Li Zhicheng ignored his taunt, walked to the fridge and grabbed some beers. He handed one to Gu Yanzhi and opened one for himself, and drank slowly.

“The preparation is all done?” he asked.

Gu Yanzhi nodded, “Everything is ready. From tomorrow, the online advertising will start running on multiple websites.”

Li Zhicheng didn’t pursue it further, and he raised the beer and had a cheers, “Thanks for the hard work.”

Gu Yanzhi raised the corner of his mouth, lifted his head up and took a big sip. The cold beer ran down his throat, refreshing and pleasant.

That cold and quiet winter night, the two slowly ate along with the beer. When the DG ad was playing on television, Gu Yanzhi quietly giggled, then he turned to Li Zhicheng, “To be honest, the quality of DG is really good, and the design is also pretty creative and elegant. We should learn from them.”

Li Zhicheng nodded, “To subdue the enemies by learning from their strong points.”

Gu Yanzhi responded with a smile.

While they were still talking, the DG ad had also finished. Suddenly they heard the drum beat, heavy and loud. It had a great rhythm, low and pure, as if there was nothing else, immediately awakening the people.

The two both looked up, tracing the noise to the screen. Meanwhile, in that split second, the LED screen suddenly became dark, black and quiet.

In the center of the screen, two beautiful silver Chinese characters slowly appeared on the screen: Glamorous.

“Stealing their thunder” was the essence in advertising and marketing.

This ad clearly followed through with this concept. Not only Li Zhicheng and Gu Yanzhi, the two giants in business, paid attention. Chen Zheng and Charles, who were sitting in their office appreciating their earnings statement; Ning Weikai, who was at home staring at his wife’s lovely back; Lin Mochen, who was in his apartment, living a quiet life; Xu Yong, who was in the nursing home; and countless others had all noticed this distinctive ad.

Grasping their attention, music began, and the picture lit up at the same time.

It was a train, loudly driving out of the deep and snowy mountains, into a wide green field. The high mountains and beautiful clouds, sunlight shimmering on the lake, and groups of cows and sheep dotting the field, where the grass was blown by the wind.

Since the sound effect was intentionally very soft, it didn’t seem noisy at all. A girl with a pretty and graceful look was wearing her backpack, sitting by the window. Across from her were dozens of veterans with big red flowers on their chests.

Among the crowd, she only noticed him, and he also spotted her.

Under a wide brimmed military hat, he had a handsome and tough face, with a straight and tall figure. He had a pair of clear and slender eyes, very impressive.

Soon the train arrived at the station. Wearing her backpack, she hopped off the train. He also stepped down from the train with his slender long legs. He was behind her, and the two walked out of the train station to the bus stop.

Then they got on the same bus, she was at the front while he was in the back.

When they got off the bus, she walked into an alley, and he was just behind. She finally couldn’t help but turn around and stared at him, “Why are you following me?”

The veteran lightly looked at her, walked past her, to the front of a house, pulled his keys out of his pocket, and pushed the door in, without even taking a look at her.

The girl was standing still, astounded, later she walked into a house opposite his.

She turned out to be the new neighbor.

The picture shifted to the next morning. The girl hung the dripping backpack that she just washed, high on the clothesline in the yard, then she headed back into her room. A strong wind blew, and the backpack was blown away, over the fence, landing in the man’s yard.

He was reading in the yard, and looking down, he saw a red female backpack fall under his feet. That was followed by a close up on the backpack, showing its logo, Glamorous.

Then someone started to knock on the door, “Hello? Anyone here? My bag got blown into your yard.”

The man picked up the bag and walked to the gate.

Meanwhile, the audience assumed he would open the door and return the bag to her. Surprisingly, while walking past the big tree in the middle of the yard, he suddenly jumped up, and in one agile movement, hung the bag up in the high branches.

Then he opened the door, showing the girl in.

When she saw her bag, she was stunned, “How did it end up there?”

The young veteran calmly replied, “The wind was too strong.”

“What should I do? I can’t climb a tree.”

“I can, I’ll help you. Also, I still don’t know your name.”

The wind blew again, under the green and leafy trees, the fallen petals were lying everywhere.

She was in a simple dress, and he was in a simple shirt and trousers. The two were looking at each other, with a tree in the middle. The picture seemed to have stopped, freezing that moment into a beautiful eternity.

The the screen became black again, the romantic scene quickly disappeared.

At the center of the screen, the subtitle popped out, Glamorous Just For Her (in a low and tender male voice, “Just for her”).

Special Female Backpack Brand.

Lin City, Taiwan, Florence.

At the bottom, a row of small pictures of female bags appeared, colorful, decorated in a low profile.

In the end, the picture had gone dark again, all the subtitles had disappeared. After the beating of the drums, six characters were shown on the screen.

Glamorous to be continued … coming soon.

Following the ad the news returned to the television.

The room was quiet, and Gu Yanzhi grinned, holding his drink and watching the television, as if he was carefully reliving that moment.

Yet Li Zhicheng had put down his glass, and after a brief silence, he turned around, at stared at the grape vine outside the window.

The grape vine with luxuriant foliage and spreading branches, tangling all together. The moonlight shone through the vine, sparsely falling on the ground, all over the floor, lightly dotting in the color of silver white. Meanwhile, the moonlight also gleamed on his heart, lingering deep in his bones, and couldn’t be put into words.

Chapter 78

Sunshine sprayed through the meeting room. Lin Qian turned off her laptop and stood up, tired but pleased.

She wasn’t the only one that was tired; the young people all had red eyes, together with messy shirts and hair. However, their eyes were all sparkling like the shiniest stars. Tthe brand “Glamorous” was the brightest star in the bag industry.

It had been five days since the first series of advertisements were released. Sales were surging like that of Vinda and Aito, and naturally, there was excessive work behind this glorious moment. Lin Qian wasn’t even sure whether she had slept more than ten hours in the past few days, combined. She felt faint, but she was also filled with thrill and exhilaration, which helped her sit through the sales meeting in the morning.

She could finally pause and rest for a while.

These people were all from Aida, lots of whom were her close colleagues and subordinates, so there was no need for her to grandstand. She breathed deeply and said, “Success is within reach and we’ve made history. The sales numbers will continue to surge even if we relax slightly. I’m giving you all a day off today and we’ll start preparing for the second-phase of promotion tomorrow!”

Everyone grinned and said, “Sure!”

Her secretary stood up and said with concern in her voice, “Ms. Lin, go to sleep soon.” Before Lin Qian could answer, people around her echoed, “Go to sleep soon!””You can’t continue working!””We won’t be happy if you continue working.”

Lin Qian felt warmth in her heart because she knew that she had reached her limit. She told herself secretly that this would be the last time. She raised her head and smiled, “I’ll go soon. You’ve all put in such hard work. See you tomorrow!”

Lin Qian had put a single bed in the inner room of her office and made it her temporary home, as she was working day and night for the past few weeks. After seeing everyone leave for home, she went directly into her inner room and laid on the bed.

People experienced at working all-night knew that they wouldn’t be able to sleep soundly when they first touched the pillow. Instead, they would toss and turn for a time. Naturally, Lin Qian thought of Li Zhicheng. She took out her phone and wanted to text him, but realized that she didn’t know what to say.

All she wanted to say was in that ad. He must be able to understand it.

Glamorous, glamorous just for you! She adored him, and her yearning for him was beyond words.

She gradually fell into sleep in a gentle but complex mood. She was so deeply asleep that she didn’t notice anything that was happening around her, not the door opening and closing, nor change of light.

Though Lin Qian’s new company used an aggressive and international ad that said “Lin City, Taiwan, Florence”, she knew that it was only a small company. Aida was temporarily fully responsible for manufacturing and cost thereof. There were only dozens of people in this new company.

As for Taiwan and Florence?. There was only one person each. She borrowed two part-timer employees from Wang Taishi and David, and the products were sold in their stores.

She had her own version of thirty-six stratagems.

And this was…

Opening a dyehouse with some colors.

Lin Qian was sleeping in the inner room, but there were still nearly a dozen staff in the open office. There were still many aspects of the business to keep an eye on. The office was quiet and only the sound of typing and occasional whispers could be heard.

That was, until Li Zhicheng arrived.

He walked into the office dressed casually, followed by Jiang Yuan with a smile on his face. Everyone, from the person sitting at the counter, to an experienced manager, stood up with a thrill. They were so amazed that they almost dropped their jaws. It was well beyond their expectations, and they were extremely flattered.

“Mr. Li!””Mr. Li!””Mr. Li!” Everyone greeted him courteously and was secretly excited.

Li Zhicheng nodded at them, put his hand on a partition and looked around. It was neatly and elegantly designed but different from his taste. There were lots of red line patterns on the ceiling and the glass door, making it look like a war room.

This is her ideal office.

Li Zhicheng smiled and said to everyone, “You’ve done a great job.”

“Thank you, Mr. Li,” everyone responded.

Li Zhicheng nodded and asked, “Where’s Lin Qian?”

The secretary was a bit embarrassed, but answered honestly, “Ms. Lin is sleeping in her office.” She pointed at her office and went on, “She hasn’t slept in days.”

Li Zhicheng followed her finger with his eyes. He gazed at the closed beige door, which had her name tag on it: General Manager Lin Qian.

“Give me the keys,” said Li Zhicheng.

Her secretary was dazed. Jiang Yuan stood quietly without looking sideways and pretended that he didn’t hear anything. All the other people in the office were hushed.

Although “Glamorous” Company was still connected to Aida in lots of way, it was completely independent in terms of equity. It was really awkward that Li Zhicheng entered the general manager’s office without invitation, even though he was the CEO of Aida Corporation. Besides, some of the people in the office knew the rumor of Li Zhicheng and Lin Qian. Though it was just hearsay and never confirmed, and neither of them had said a word about it. Now, Mr. Li wanted to enter a room where a woman was sleeping, right in front of everyone.

Only Jiang Yuan knew Li Zhicheng’s desire to see the woman inside. Only because of his deep desire to see her would he squeeze a day out of his tight schedule and fly to Wuhan for her just before launching the counter-attack. Jiang Yuan hinted at the experienced manager beside the secretary with a look. That manager had worked for Aida long enough to know what he meant. He grabbed the keys from the hesitant secretary and gave them to Li Zhicheng, “Mr. Li, Ms. Lin will be thrilled to know you’ve come here for inspection.”

These were tactful words. Everyone, except the secretary who was still blushing and fighting, realized what he meant. They echoed calmly, “Yes! We’re exhilarated that Mr. Li is here!” Li Zhicheng took the keys and nodded his head, “Go back to work.”

He walked straight to Lin Qian’s office, put the key in the lock and opened the door. The door closed after hearing a “clack” sound.

People in the office stood gazing at each other. Jiang Yuan found an empty seat and sit down. He tapped the secretary’s desk and asked, “Could you get me a glass of water, if there is any? Thanks.”

“OK.” The secretary answered and left to get the water. With the sound of her receding footsteps, peace and business were restored in the office. The difference was, there were traces of smiles on everyone’s face, either obvious or obscure. They were touched even though they had nothing to do with it. It wasn’t the CEO of a corporation coming to visit his previous subordinate. It was a man coming to see a woman. Simple but captivating. It was love.

Li Zhicheng saw the room spilled with soft light when he opened the door.

The curtain wasn’t drawn. Clear and neat sun rays were cast upon the woman’s body through the glass window.

She was wearing her shirt and suit pants without a quilt covering her. Her long hair spread on the pillow like a waterfall. Her oval face was still smooth and milky like a piece of white jade, only now her eyes were enclosed with two dark circles. She looked peaceful and didn’t realize when he approached her bed.

Li Zhicheng gazed at her silently for a while and smiled. He turned, walked to the windows and drew the curtains. The room became dark, and he walked back to her.

It was a tiny bed at the corner of the room and there was no space to sit on. He resorted to grabbing a chair.

Minute after another, time went by while the room remained silent. Li Zhicheng took one of her hands and gave it a kiss.

Lin Qian had an erotic and romantic dream. She dreamed of Li Zhicheng coming to Wuhan and her office, which was apparently impossible because in the dream, her office became a hotel room and that small bed became a king-sized bed, where Li Zhicheng was pressing her down and made love to her over and over again.

It was at dusk and the room was dark and quiet. He lowered his head and brushed her forehead, her cheeks, her neck and her lips. Those kisses were like a dragonfly skimming the surface of the water, and were completely out of character. That was why she knew that was a dream because it was impossible for him to kiss her so reservedly. In the past, he wouldn’t stop until he took her breath away. They continued to her breasts, her waist and her ankles. The dream was so real that she actually felt itchy in these places, as if she could actually feel his cool, soft lips and the calluses on his fingers.

Lin Qian curved up the corner of her lips and smiled in her dream. “I’m sorry,” she murmured.

Why would she say she’s sorry? Tears dropped when she said that. She really missed him. How could she miss him so much?

For the past few days, they had barely contacted each other, and hadn’t met each other for three months. Why were they so distant with each other? It was inexplicable for Lin Qian. Maybe after saying words like “I’ll stand in front of everyone”, she felt pressured. She was afraid that she wouldn’t be good enough. It wasn’t easy to build a brand. She was afraid to lose, to lose in front of Li Zhicheng. That’s why subconsciously, she avoided being in touch with him.

Or maybe, she was in a fit of pique. How could they misunderstand her like that? She had to make a career of her own and amaze all of them. With that in mind, the brand was the only thing she cared about, and even Li Zhicheng couldn’t rival that.

She was even afraid of contacting him because she feared that it might distract him. She feared that once she went back to him, she would be trapped in that sweet and tender romance and get attached, which would strip her of her resoluteness.

Sorry. I actually really miss you.

After saying that, she felt relieved. Li Zhicheng in her dream went back to his usual and started to kiss her more enthusiastically. Lin Qian was elated, after which she fell into a deeper sleep, and the dream was gone.

She awoke and saw darkness overflow her office. It was the evening already? She’d slept for such a long time? She took her cell phone and turned it on. It was about six o’clock in the evening already.

She rubbed her head and sat up when she realized that there was a black and large male coat covering most of her body. Lin Qian was stupefied. She jumped off her bed and turned on the light instantly. Nobody but her was inside, and that coat was still lying on the bed.

Lin Qian opened the door and rushed out. She stood still and looked around. It was also very dark outside, where there were still a few staff working overtime. They all looked up at her hearing the sound. Their look was a mixture, kind of like a twinkle but also a bit like embarrassment.

Lin Qian’s face blushed, but she still needed to be refined in front of her subordinates. She said to her secretary at the door calmly, “Come in.”

The secretary was on tenterhooks seeing her awake. She immediately followed her inside, closed the door and gave her a look, which was more eccentric than others’.

“Anyone here just now?” asked Lin Qian.

“Don’t you know it? Have you been asleep the whole time?” The secretary was a bit surprised.

Lin Qian dismayed hearing that, because she felt like she’d missed a lot. She shook her head. The secretary flushed and said, “Mr. Li from Aida was here this morning. You were sleeping then so he grabbed the keys and opened your door and didn’t leave until the afternoon. He urged me not to wake you up before leaving.”

Lin Qian’s heart skipped a beat. Emotions flooded her mind; sweetness, gloom, nostalgia, empathy and lingering. Eventually, there was only one thought left; that she wanted to see him and so much.

“When did he leave?” she asked hurriedly and started to put on the coat on the chair. The secretary also became tense seeing her frantic. She answered swiftly, “Five twenty. It’s been more than an hour.”

“Did he say where he’d go?”

“I didn’t dare to ask…”

Lin Qian nodded her head and said, “I’ll go out first. Just go home if there aren’t more issues.” Just when she was about to leave, the secretary pulled her back and told her awkwardly, “Ms. Lin, look there.” She pointed her fingers at her neck.

Lin Qian was dazed.

It couldn’t be…

She gave a brief look to the secretary while remaining calm. She picked up her mirror on the desk next to her. Her neck was slender and white, where there were hickeys everywhere, red and fresh. Both Lin Qian and her secretary were rendered speechless. If other people in the building saw her rushing out like this, she wouldn’t be able to stay there ever again.

Why would Li Zhicheng kiss her at such obvious spots? Her jaw, her neck and her clavicle. Not only did he kiss her, he left hickeys there deliberately. Lin Qian was lost for words. Now she was obviously tagged by a man.

Was it a punishment for her not returning home for a long time?

Lin Qian turned crimson and dry coughed, “Any scarves?” The secretary said, “Yes.” She rushed out and gave her one that she found in her drawer. They arranged the scarf to make sure that it covered all the marks, after which the secretary said, “Ms. Lin. You can go chase him now.”

It was completely dark outside when Lin Qian stepped out of the building. There was hustle and bustle on the street, where Lin Zhicheng was nowhere to be found.

The line was connected then, after hearing “beep”, she heard Li Zhicheng’s melodious baritone, “Awake now?” That voice was like a mild wind placating her heart.

She stood at the clamorous street and couldn’t resist laughing, “Why didn’t you wake me up?” As a strong career woman who’d been separated from him for so long, she could adapt to her feminine side. She sounded soft and clingy. Apparently, she was being affectionate.

Li Zhicheng stayed silent for a few seconds.

On the other side of the call, there was a clear voice in the airport, “The CAXXX flight to Lin City you’re taking is about to take off…”

“How could I?” he said slowly.

Lin Qian’s heart was racing. She breathed deeply.

He, as a CEO who dealt with a whole host of problems every day, came to Wuhan to visit her from afar, only to discover all he could do was to sit beside the bed for the entire day?

Her nose twitched. “Darn you…” She murmured.

“OK,” there was amusement in his voice, “now that your brand has become public, come home whenever you want to.” Lin Qian bit her lower lip while the corner of her lip couldn’t resist curving up.

Even though this man wants me back so dearly, he is still talking so calmly. Letting the enemies off to catch him later was the worst in the world.

“Um. There are still a few issues I need to take care of. I’ll come back once I finish them.”

“Sure,” he answered, “you’ve made a good start, and now it’s my turn.”

Chen Zheng and Charles had come across some thorny problems recently. A website specializing in procurement services came into being, and its fame was surging. It should not have been a big deal. Overseas procurement of famous brands had always existed. There was a plethora of individual businesses on Taobao and Jingdong.

What was the specific process?

Lots of international brands were cheaper in western countries than in China and some people were taking advantage of it by buying products overseas and reselling them to customers in China. The price would still be significantly lower than that of domestic shops, even after taking international mailing fees into account. However, the scale of this business was always confined, and the wouldn’t have any substantive effects on corporations like DG.

Why not?

First of all, corporations were not allowed to be involved in such businesses. It was concerned with the issue of tariff and agency. How could a corporation without agency rights import multitudinous products from abroad and disturb the market? For that reason, it was always individual business owners who led in this business. Several or dozens of famous-brand bags were nothing.

Also, customers were capable of distinguishing between genuine products and the counterfeits. Knock-offs made by Chinese looked less genuine than the official ones, so credibility was also a big issue faced by the individual businesses.

But now, everything had changed. The procurement store named “Western Style” had caught a great amount of attention ever since it was launched. It was still an online shopping platform like Taobao and those selling foreign brands were still individual business owners. However, on the most visible place of the website, one could see a line of promise, “We will refund ten times your purchase price if you discover a counterfeit.”

All customers would be attracted by such promise, because their biggest fear was relieved. And if you scrolled down, you would notice that most of the products the website sold were ZAMON!

On an afternoon that weekend, Charles held an emergency meeting with all the executives of DG China, including Chen Zheng. It was a languid afternoon with warm sunshine, but inside the meeting room only tenseness was seen. The marketing department provided the latest statistics; in the past two weeks, sales in each ZAMON flagship store had plummeted by ten percent, which was something that never happened for DG. Those stores had been booming in the past six months. What was worse, lots of customers returned to the stores and asked for either returns or a price difference payback. On the website of DG China, there were abundant posts and comments lodging customers’ protests.

It wasn’t a good trend. Charles acutely sensed the greater crisis behind this, and that was why he summoned all his most senior advisors to come up with countermeasures. In the spacious meeting room, everyone was holding their breath and looking to the marketing manager, who opened the “Western Style” website.

Pictures of ZAMON bags were first in their sights, and at the bottom of each picture, there was a discounted price beside the crossed-off original price. Each product had sufficient inventory.

The original prices that were crossed off were exactly the retail prices of ZAMON China. Discounted prices were generally ten-to-thirty percent lower, and some were even seventy-to-eighty percent lower. This wasn’t something unheard of, because in foreign ZAMON stores, there were sometimes large-scale sales promotion of all the luxurious brands.

Charles kept sweating while scrolling down the website. He suddenly recalled that when he saw ZAMON America experience a moderate increase in sales, he thought it was what Chinese described as “good sign”. Shoot!

He was also confused and furious, and yelled at the manager, “Is it legal to run a website like this? Overseas procurement dodges Chinese tariffs! It is unfair competition!” Everyone there had the same question. However, the manager shook his head and said, “No, Charles. This website was delicately designed. It only offered a platform just like Jingdong and Taobao and there’re only individual businesses selling ZAMON products, which makes it individual reselling only. That means it has nothing to do with the website. No laws will prohibit it.”

“Conspiracy! It’s a total conspiracy!” Charles stood up spitefully, and started to wander in the meeting room.

Everyone can see that it is a conspiracy, Chen Zheng thought to himself sitting beside Charles’ seat.

Individual stores could never have enough funds to store such large volumes of products. The so-called shopping platform was nothing more than a hoax, and the person behind this broke up the whole into parts and evaded the policy restraints successfully.

This was directly against ZAMON.

Who else could it be other than Li Zhicheng who had been temporarily in torpor.

The scariest thing about this website wasn’t how many ZAMON products were sold. That wouldn’t account for a single-digit percent of DG sales. What mattered was that it told customers that a luxurious bag sold for five thousand yuan domestically only cost 2000 yuan in America. How could the customers not be irritated? Wasn’t this deceiving? With such thoughts in mind, they would wonder whether ZAMON was indeed a top-tier brand, or not.

When the price system of a luxurious brand was questioned, so was the entire brand. If this couldn’t be stopped, the image ZAMON had fought so hard to build in China would collapse completely.

But now, Chen Zheng, sitting among a group of foreigners and seeing Charles losing his temper continuously while others discussing in English of different accents, a perplexing feeling struck him.

First off, unlike the last couple of times when he was devastated by SMQ’s defeat, he couldn’t empathize witnessing ZAMON’s great crisis. On the other hand, he did feel great pressure. He had a feeling of déjà vu as how ZAMON was being defeated was exactly how he was defeated by Li Zhicheng, twice. It was impossible to guard yourself and you would never know what his next step was. You could only know one thing for sure; when he started to fight back, you would only see yourself falling, step by step. No matter how bitter you were, you could never escape the circle of horror.

Chen Zheng didn’t give away such feelings. After hearing the discussion, he said with the same fury as others, “Charles, what should we do?”

Charles said sternly, “Go check who the owner of this website is! Li Zhicheng and Ning Weikai must be behind all of this! I’ll sue them!”

It was a rather easy job to do. Every company had its legal department, including the online shopping platform. A few day later, Charles and Chen Zheng knew the owner — Gu Yanzhi.

It was as they had expected.

“Boss, we won’t stand a chance,” personnel from the legal apartment said awkwardly. “Even though Gu Yanzhi was a shareholder and a senior of Aida, he sold all his Aida shares to us several months ago, thus he has nothing to do with Aida now, which makes his action completely personal. We can’t sue Aida for unfair competition without evidence and we can’t sue Gu Yanzhi, because based on the agreement on the website, he’s only providing an open platform for online shopping.”

Chapter 79

The appearance of the “Western Style” website had indeed affected the sales of DG China but the effect still was not too serious.

It had also caused distrust in some consumers towards the ZAMON brand but the distrust had yet to become widespread to the point of no return.

Hence, Charles immediately put in place a series of hard-lined defensive measures.

Firstly, he immediately reported the situation to DG’s American headquarters and requested that they lodge a protest to both the Chinese and American customs under the enterprise’s name, making it compulsory for strict checks on the recent import and export of ZAMON products at the border. This request had been met with the strong support of headquarters.

Next, he ordered his subordinates to collect information more thoroughly to ensure that they found some clues about the daily operations of “Western Style” and Aida, as well as their policies and regulations. Chen Zheng did not give up hope on the prosecution, but he was not optimistic about that point. Would Li Zhicheng leave any traces when he did things? It was laughable to think so.

Charles immediately contacted the well-known luxury goods corporations in China, hoping that everyone would agree to submit a joint petition to China’s Ministry of Commerce. This suggestion did not gain much response as anyone who had eyes could see that the existence of the “Western Style” shopping center was a battle between Chinese enterprises and DG. The had only included products from other luxury brands as a token gesture. Most of them even appeared to run low on stock and it was obvious that they were hoping for a clear line to be drawn between the businesses.

The other luxury brands had been DG’s competitors all along. They were also jealous of ZAMON’s development in China, so who would be willing to get involved? All of them acted blurred and stunned, sitting on the fence to watch the battle as an observer.

With regards to this situation, Charles could only angrily scold, “Sh*t!”

Finally, and most importantly, Charles wanted to control the influence that “Western Style” had within the country. He knew that Chairman Mao had a saying, “The fire of the stars can set a prairie ablaze.” A portion of Chinese citizens had a very positive view of DG, and he could not allow this strength to be lost just because of this incident. Things would be bleak if he received large-scale resistance from the consumers.

Hence, after a secret discussion with Chen Zheng, he decided to protect their internet and media components. Chen Zheng had always known the ways of the industry and thus promised while slapping his chest to start preparing to pour money into investing in the various media and internet outlets, which were like a bottomless pit. As the saying goes, money makes the world go round.

However, they only managed to guess half of it.

Li Zhicheng’s next step would indeed make use of “Western Style” to make trouble for DG.

He avoided the tactics he used in the first half of the year, when he used the media to shape public opinion and stir up feelings, as he engaged in a push and pull method.

In a narrow road, the brave one will win. Li Zhicheng used the form of a television advertisement to directly declare war against DG in front of the entire country’s consumers!

Within a night, everyone in the country knew of the price difference between ZAMON locally and internationally. They found out about the huge acquisition battles between companies as a result of the Chinese enterprises wanting to protect the local brands.

So, what do you think the average Chinese would do?

The night breeze was bitingly cold as Lin Qian and her colleagues sat in the office in the midst of preparing for the broadcast of the second edition of the “Glamorous” advertisement.

Recently, the creation of the “Western Style” website had attracted the attention of almost all the people in the industry. Even in her office, many people were discussing it. Some people felt that it was a hard blow to DG, but even more were worried that the international sales model ultimately had a limit and would not have much of an influence. As long as they waited it out, DG’s business would not face substantial damage.

To these comments, Lin Qian would only smile and not say anything, because she was very clear about Li Zhicheng’s upcoming plan.

Once he had identified the opponent’s weakness, why would he not send out a series of unforgiving blows such that the opponent would never be able to stand up again?

Lin Qian was busy but suddenly heard a colleague sigh before gathering everyone, “Ms. Lin, hi, you should all hurry and watch the television!”

Lin Qian and the others turned their heads to where the sound was coming from. An LCD television was hanging on the wall of the office to make it convenient for prompt viewing of news reports and advertisements. Now, it was prime time and right after the news had been broadcast, an advertisement popped out.

The screen was entirely black.

Slowly, three pretty and slightly garish paper-cut Chinese characters floated out on the screen: “Western Style”. In an instant, Lin Qian gave it her full attention.

She knew that Li Zhicheng would be using this method but she was still unsure of how the advertisement would be executed in detail.

Scenes flashed by on the screen one after the other as a man’s clear voice rang, “Tokyo, Paris, New York, Sydney…”

The scenes conveyed the thriving hearts of those international cities. It was executed to be tranquil and gentle, bringing with it a regal feel of peace and quiet within chaos.

The scene suddenly changed again. It was no longer the view of a city but shelves that had many branded leather bags on display. The lighting was bright and the glass cabinets sparkled. The bags inside all appeared luxurious and exuded elegance. It was just that when the lenses panned across, the brands of the bags were blocked and replaced by “XXXXX”.

The voiceover rang out once again, “Internationally, they sell them at such prices.” At this moment, the lenses featured the pricing below the bags: 400, 100 Euros… Then, it showed the values after conversion to RMB.

“Locally, they sell at a different price, instead.”

The scene switched once again to the Beijing Wangfujing, Shanghai Xuhui District, Guangzhou Tianhequ… Similarly, the branded bags were displayed on the shelves but the prices were 8000, 420000, 20000… At one glance it is obvious that it was three times more expensive, or even seven to eight times more than other countries.

Just then, the screen became uniformly orange-red and the background music became more upbeat.

The address of the “Western Style” site jumped up letter by letter, making it look very lively.

The voiceover said, “Western Style, an agent for buying goods from all over the world, authentic products, helping Chinese citizens eliminate the differences in price.”

Then a vertical line of words bounced out:

All the sellers are authenticated;

The website will compensate ten times the price for fake goods;

A hot discount of ten to seventy percent off.

Lin Qian supported her chin and watched the entire advertisement. Everyone else had excitement on their faces and some lads even shot up their big thumb, “Nicely executed!”

Lin Qian also couldn’t help but smile.

Making a mockery … they had really made a mockery.

They did not mention international luxury brands discriminating their prices by region. They had only said “they would help Chinese citizens eliminate the differences in price”. Listening to this phrase, who wouldn’t feel a sense of conceit and unity against the enemy?

However, this was a fact. The tax collection policies in China had forced international brands to have a slightly higher cost to selling in China. But Lin Qian had done thorough investigations and observations, and she felt that it was impossible for the price to be as different as it was then.

So, DG could be considered to have wished this upon themselves because who asked them to assume that Chinese people were foolish with a lot of money to spare?

She took out her phone and sent a text to Li Zhicheng, “It’s so great!!”

Li Zhicheng was definitely busy with something and only replied after quite a while with a few words, “You flatter me, my wife.”

Looking at the message, Lin Qian could not suppress her smile.

This piece of advertising was indeed just as Li Zhicheng, Ning Weikai, Gu Yanzhi, Lin Qian… and the others had predicted – it instigated a big effect even though it was a trivial thing. Very quickly, on the internet, it began circulating amongst citizens and even local and international media.

Many people had started to discuss whether or not the discrepancy in pricing of the international brands was reasonable?

Many people had become “Western Style’s” loyal users and fans.

But even more people started to shift their focus to attack “Western “Style’s” main competitor, DG Organization and its ZAMON brand.

Within a moment, some had called prices into question and protested, while other protective voices all mashed together, and made the forums very noisy and chaotic. Within a night, DG had become an object of public criticism and had made it to the top searches of Weibo and the list of hot search engine topics.

Of course, being an international tycoon, it was still hard to say if DG would fall just with this blow.

However, one couldn’t deny that the sales of their individual brands and in the individual stores had observably declined!

At that moment, Li Zhicheng’s second advertisement was shown.

Just then, the battered Charles and Chen Zheng, and even Lin Qian did not expect that Li Zhicheng still had a second round of attack. It was this new advertisement that was not even 30 seconds long which successfully pushed the feelings of resistance the consumers had towards DG to new heights!

It was the following Saturday night.

The second edition of the “Glamorous” advertisement was planned to be broadcast the next evening. Lin Qian’s big battle was about to begin so she stayed home to rest and conserve her strength.

It was 8:05pm and the “Western Style”l advertisement was broadcast once again. Lin Qian admired it once more. In the midst of being so busy, this had become her joy, which was hard to come by. How could she help it when her husband’s effort of attacking the opponent was seemingly successful?

Who knew that it was this night that Li Zhicheng let her see what “attacking the opponent so completely even after their failure” really was.

At 8:28 she was surfing the news on her computer when her phone suddenly buzzed.

It was a text from Li Zhicheng, “8:30, Star Chinese Channel.”

Lin Qian’s heart tremored and she immediately picked up the remote control to turn on the television.

The television was still broadcasting a candy advertisement with a child laughingly holding a candy. Meanwhile, Lin Qian’s heart got more excited and expectant as the minutes and seconds ticked by.

At 8:30 on the dot the scene suddenly brightened and it was already the scene of a street in Washington.

It had entirely the same introduction as the “Western Style” advertisement in terms of its style, shooting method, key of the music… even the voiceover made Lin Qian suspect that it was the same person.

However, the words were similar but different, “America, Japan, Australia, Hong Kong…”

The scene was filled with images of many storefronts and shelves. But this time, it was entirely real products: Aida’s flagship store in America, Sha Ying’s specialized shelves in Japan, Mind’s storefront in Taiwan… Finally, America’s Amazon webpage even appeared and there were many designs of Aida and Sha Ying bags that were priced in USD.

The voiceover rang out, “Internationally, we are selling at such prices.”

The scene flashed and it came to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Lin City and such, showing the flagship stores of Aida and Sha Ying.

The voiceover suddenly placed more emphasis, “Locally, we only sell them at these prices.”

The lens panned through a series of bags that were priced in RMB but were clearly much cheaper than the prices on America’s Amazon webpage. At the same time, they even used eye-catching red colored characters that gave the discounts in detail: “10 percent off, 20 percent off, 30 percent off…” However, the difference in price was definitely not as big as ZAMON.

The scene suddenly changed and a lot of people appeared. Upon closer scrutiny, many of them were employees and their smiles were bright and good-natured. Of course, behind them were even those staff who were wearing spectacles, their posture and expression refined and wearing a smart suit. There was also a female manager who had a mature aura and was wearing a suit jacket with a skirt, and a mother dressed in home clothes while carrying her child as the child carried an Aida bag… There were even foreigners and actually David himself standing with a few Italian men at the end, laughingly looking at the camera.

The voiceover rang through in a warm yet powerful man’s voice, “Safeguarding our local brands! Chinese people’s conscience, world-class bags!”

This line was said so powerfully that it made Lin Qian’s heart tremor.

Soon after, the screen suddenly turned black.

Then, one by one, the logos of the local Chinese bag brands started to appear non-stop on the screen:

Aito, Aier, Sha Ying, Mind, Vinda… even including some leading brands from famous manufacturers.

Coupled with the deep “clang, clang, clang…” that stole one’s soul, all of them were pulled into the screen one by one. Each brand’s appearance in the commercial seemingly had the power of shocking and impressing others.

In the end, they were packed and lined up in the shape of a phalanx; a neat, solemn and silent phalanx.

Lin Qian was already completely stunned.

All of a sudden, with a swift sound, all the brands disappeared as if they were sucked into the black screen.

The advertisement had ended.

It stopped so suddenly that you would not even have time to make out all the brands on the screen.

Your heart, however, was intimidated by each and every scene that had just appeared on the screen. Those brands were the own brands of Chinese citizens themselves. They could also be renowned and take over the international market; their staff were our own people and had ever appeared on Times Magazine’s “Chinese Workers”.

In the end, they formed an alliance. In the face of foreign acquisition and jostling, they declared the start of the battle.

Lin Qian’s eyes teared up in an instant.

Safeguarding our local brands. It was such a simple sentence that was said so much that it had become annoying.

But how long had she not heard such a resounding and inspiring sound!

The television had already started broadcasting a serial drama. However, she just stared at the screen, and she stared for a very long time.

Finally, the image that appeared in her brain was still that cold, handsome profile of Li Zhicheng and his lanky, quiet figure.

She opened her phone once again and looked at the text that had just been received. It was short yet serene, “8:30, Star Chinese Channel.”

Lin Qian, 8:30, Star Chinese Channel.

Watch me conquer the city and set the skies ablaze.

Lin Qian stretched her hand out to shield her face. She was laughing but there were tears rolling about in her eyes.

She was so in love with him and felt the greatest honor for him.

She was only too glad to look up to him.

Did he know that?

And in that moment, Lin Qian could not imagine that in the countless cities of China and out of so many families; in the countless streets and on the countless websites… how many people were just like her, smilingly watching the “Western Style” advertisement that was ridiculing ZAMON yet finishing the spectacular advertisement on the Chinese bag industry while remaining exceptionally silent.

It was a once in a blue moon example of a crucial event that caused the fall of an international brand in a certain niche, which had rarely happened in the history of modern business.

For example, SKII was revealed to have contained restricted substances which caused it to collapse entirely in China as the brand’s image had been affected and even years later, although it was on a road to a difficult recovery, it could never relive its heyday.

Also, Pepsi Cola had forever lost the trust of consumers in the Philippines which caused its market to collapse entirely and finally had no choice but to retreat from the region.

And now, Charles, Chen Zheng and their DG which had just stabilized on its own two feet were trapped in such a dangerous situation.

On Monday morning, the newest market data report was once again sent to Charles’ table.

In comparison to the fall in sales from previous weeks, this week, the numbers were even more shocking. Charles could almost see that not far in the future, they would fall to an all-time low. Even though Chen Zheng was terror-stricken by Li Zhicheng’s scariness, at such a time, he also became anxious like a fish out of water. He urgently hoped that he would be able to help Charles salvage the situation together.

If not… if not he would be left with nothing!

“You know Ben…” At this time, Charles, however, displayed the perseverance and clear-mindedness worthy of the leader of the Asia-Pacific region, grabbing Chen Zheng’s hand and saying, “There is indeed a very big danger in front of our eyes but we have no other choice. We can only tide through it!” Chen Zheng’s expression became darkly ruthless as he nodded his head.

He understood what Charles meant. In the short time that DG China had been in trouble, Li Zhicheng had attacked them consecutively, finally pushing them to the edge of the cliff. However, they were not dead yet. Even though DG China was bruised immensely, as long as their market had not collapsed completely, even if they only had their last breath left, they just had to tide through this period and it would be fine! Consumers were forgetful and patriotic sentiments were only a result of a moment’s rash decision. With DG’s strength and ability internationally, they could make a comeback in the future!

The two of them reaffirmed their confidence and gathered their confidantes once again to secretly plot a plan, deciding to stabilize the market to the best of their abilities. At the same time, they would hasten some of their charity activities in China, in hopes of changing the consumers’ perspective, by showing how they helped fund China’s poorest areas; get them to see how other Chinese enterprises were willing to be acquired. Why? Because this was a win-win situation from the beginning. They brought the most advanced technology and management theories, and they pushed China’s local businesses to prosperity and development.

However, Charles and Chen Zheng did not think that these measures of theirs had shown results, and a new round of attacks from Li Zhicheng and his people came once again.

It was the beginning of the new year on January 3rd. The previous CEO of New Bori and current chairman of Sha Ying brand, Ning Weikai, announced in a high-profile that he had already obtained more than 51 percent of New Bori’s shares and had become the controlling shareholder cum chairman. In China, DG’s acquisition actions had been slammed badly. New Bori, Aida and the other tycoons had all escaped from their online shopping page, and their plan of acquiring all the competition was long dead.

Under the clear sunlight, on a winter day, which penetrated through the glass window and shone into the office, Ning Weikai stood up and walked right before the full-length mirror to adjust his suit.

The time for the news conference was about to arrive. Yuan Jun and some other confidantes had walked in. In comparison to the calmness of Ning Weikai, their smiles were absolutely too bright.

“Chairman, it’s about time that we should go over,” Yuan Jun said.

Ning Weikai’s lips curled upwards in an action so small that it was almost unobservable.

Yes, this lad really knew how to be a bootlicker. Chairman was such a melodious title. It was a title that he had missed for several years, heh…

“Then let’s go,” Ning Weikai easily and handsomely nodded his head at them and was the first to exit the office. A row of people who were dressed in suits had just gotten off the lift and were weaving through the office all the way to the huge hall that would be used to host today’s press conference.

On the way, he could see every new staff member of New Bori and they were all standing orderly as they bowed and acknowledged the new chairman.

This had not been arranged beforehand and was entirely the initiative of the staff.

Some of their sadness had been suppressed for so long, but New Bori, who was a former powerhouse, had finally gotten their leader back. Clearly, he had yet to do anything but everyone had already harbored visions of their promising future as they held their heads high.

This magnificent sight and mighty aura warmed Ning Weikai’s heart.

Prior to his removal from New Bori, in the face of people’s gazes of respect, he would not have batted an eyelid but instead would have taken it in stride, because he knew that it was part and parcel of the will of the people. They required you to be high and mighty. You need not be amiable and you only needed to bring them hope and confidence.

But today, he had a deep feeling as he took exceptionally slow steps, nodding and smiling to every one of the staff. He used a gaze that was resolute to console the anticipation and hopes in their eyes.

Hence, all the overwhelmed feelings of the staff simply could not be put into words.

“Good day Chairman!” they greeted him. These simple yet congratulatory words rose from all around and finally, it was almost a symphony that was ringing in Ning Weikai’s ears.

Ning Weikai found that his own eyes were a little damp. However, he quickly suppressed it and with the most perfect posture, he waved to the crowd and walked into the multi-purpose hall with a pleasant look all over his face.

There had long been no more empty seats in the multi-purpose hall. The lights were sparkling and shining.

Ning Weikai and Yuan Jun sat backstage and looked at the grand scene with a door between them. New Bori’s news spokesperson was smiling as he responded to the questions from reporters one after the other. Meanwhile, Ning Weikai had been assigned to the final segment of the event to show his face and answer a few simple questions for the event to seem grand.

It was just that at this moment, as Ning Weikai listened to the hustle and bustle from outside, he felt like laughing at himself a little deep inside his heart.

Looking back at the past half a year, he had busy to the point that the sky would spin and the lands become dark. It was also the first time that he had secretly loaned his most talented team to Li Zhicheng so that both parties were able to collaborate and create the website for “Western Style” and so many hyped up advertisements; he had mobilized all of his manpower and resources for this reverse acquisition to constantly build momentum with the citizens, the internet, the media…

However, being low-key had its benefits.

He smiled slightly thinking about the shares users guide that was lying in the drawer of his office.

If it were not for the initial segment when he and Li Zhicheng had purposely let DG’s ZAMON products penetrate the market, how would they have been able to set up the stalemate that ensued? And how would they have been able to make the imminent danger of the acquisitions known to the outside world?

How would they have gotten the Zhu brothers to take the bait and sell New Bori at a low price?

However, he owed Li Zhicheng a favor for this. The Beijing merchant who had bought the shares on his behalf was Li Zhicheng’s friend. It was heard that he was introduced by CEO Kang of Mingsheng back then.

And Ning Weikai had to admit, after half a year of working together, he and Li Zhicheng had formed an inseparable bond. Their admiration and tacit understanding of each other could be felt.

After they had waited out the collapse of DG, the bag industry would perhaps be an entirely new scene from now on!

His pair of long eyes squinted slightly.

Just then, there were staff members who came to knock on the door. Yuan Jun said a few words with them and turned to look at him, “Mr. Ning, it’s about time for you to go out there.”

Ning Weikai nodded his head and stood up.

As he walked onto the stage, and felt the welcoming the lights and applause, Ning Weikai did not think of Lydia whom he had avoided and not seen for many days; he did not think of the Zhu brothers who were now his enemies and how bad of a sight they must be.

He suddenly thought of Zhu Hanyu.

A clear yet strong thought flashed through his brain.

He had already obtained 51 percent of New Bori’s shares. Her husband had become the new owner of the enterprise.

He wanted her to witness this.

When the press conference was broadcast on television, many people had different reactions.

Many of the netizens and many of the average citizens whose patriotism had been stirred by the Chinese bag industry advertisements were in sheer delight, clapping their hands as they celebrated the highest point of local spirit. The fact that their local bag enterprises had one or two that still maintained its own management and did not fall into the hands of foreign investors was news that made them excited and happy!

Li Zhicheng only smiled slightly as he looked at this outcome that he and Ning Weikai had long foreseen.

After Lin Qian had seen it, her good opinion of Ning Weikai increased tenfold and she even broke history by sending him an text, “Nicely done!”

Meanwhile, there were also others who were shaking in fury after seeing this news. This included the Zhu brothers who had fallen into the trap and the disheartened Charles and Chen Zheng.

Alone in Ning Weikai’s home was Zhu Hanyu, who was watching this sudden news in a daze. Looking at the calm and handsome man who was deep in thought in the screen… suddenly, tears streamed down her face and she was overcome with grief.

“Glamorous, two.”

It was the night of January 7th. When the row of words appeared on the television, all of the “Glamorous” product’s followers, as well as many who had yet to purchase “Glamorous” but were very interested in their advertisements, along with many of the people in the bag industry kept their eyes riveted on the screen. They wanted to see what kind of feelings this newly launched female brand would bring and the sales miracle that it would create.

“Dong dong”, it was the usual sound that picked at one’s heart as the scene opened once again.

It was already the cold winter. The ex-serviceman had changed into white shirts and black pants as they rode on bicycles weaving through the water lanes of the small city. By the road, a few students said their greetings to him and he professionally turned into a youthful teacher.

As he passed by a girl’s home, the bicycle stopped. He lifted his handsome face and placed his fingers that had made a circle into his mouth as he blew a whistle. The action was cool and sharp.

The door opened with a “creak” and the girl ran out like a refreshing gust of wind, jumping onto the backseat of the bicycle.

“Where are we going today?” she asked, at the same time slinging her purple bag on her shoulder.

“Play Counterstrike,” he replied enigmatically.

The scene changed and the two of them had already arrived in an outdoor live version of a Counterstrike training base camp.

The two of them were wearing dark green camouflage clothes and were carrying laser gun simulators as they hid below a small mound. The only thing that did not match up was the pretty purple bag that the girl still had slung over her shoulder.

The boy furrowed his brows, “Throw the bag aside! Such a bright color, are you trying to be a live target!”

“No way!” The girl hugged the bag, “This is my favorite bag.” Just as she said that, a bullet was shot over and when the girl had not even reacted the boy quickly pulled her behind him.

Then… he took a shot.

The girl was shocked.

The guy threw his gun aside but smiled instead as he looked at her guilty expression.

“What would you do without me?” he said lightly but with thought put into it. At the same time, he threw his gun aside and became one of the “dead” people, sitting down on the spot.

The girl was stunned for a moment.

At this moment, a series of bullets were shot and she also “died from the bullet”.

The two of them looked at each other, one sitting and the other standing. Surrounding them, lasers were shooting everywhere and people were running around. It was only the two of their soiled faces silently gazing at each other.

Suddenly, they both laughed.

The girl sat down beside him and said in a carefree manner, “Then we’ll just have to keep being together.”

This time, the boy was stunned.

It was so natural but yet it seemed like fate. He propped one hand on the mound behind her and lowered his head to kiss her.

The scene became very beautiful and dreamy.

In the blink of an eye, the girl was already leaning in the boy’s embrace. She dug out a male’s leather wallet from within her purple bag, “Hey, this is a gift from me…” The boy looked at her, speechless.

No wonder the bag was so precious because it contained something that she wanted to give him.

The boy took the leather wallet and looked at her “Glamorous” brand women bag with slight disdain, “This bag is too garish and impractical, I’ll get you an army bag as a gift next time.”

“…Who. Wants. An. Army. Bag?!”

The scene changed and the two of them were riding the bicycle on the way home.

The girl was tightly hugging his waist and leaned her head on him. Meanwhile, the boy had the leather wallet stuck in his shirt pocket. From the corner of his cold eyes, there was a hint of happiness.

“Hey, I will be returning to Shanghai next month. I have already found a new job,” the girl suddenly said in a soft voice.

The bicycle halted and the boy placed his foot on the ground, abruptly turning his head to look at her.

“Do you want to go to Shanghai together?” she asked.

The boy remained silent.

The frame froze before it faded to black.

The words appeared on the screen: Continue watching and anticipate the finale of Glamorous.

Even Lin Qian herself couldn’t help but smile when she heard the male lead say that the Glamorous bag was too garish and impractical, and could not compare to an army bag. As for when the female lead said that she had to go to Shanghai, she also felt a tinge of sadness.

A brand that could touch people’s hearts was a good brand. Lin Qian strongly believed in this fact.

As expected, less than five hours after the advertisement had been broadcast, her vice-president pushed open the door and entered, her face full of vigor.

“Ms. Lin, in the last few hours, our online sales have doubled!” her words were said as though they were heated with passion, which made Lin Qian grin from ear to ear as she listened.

“However…” her tone changed and it wasn’t clear if she was smiling or not, “Everyone is more interested in the advertisement itself and it seems to have exceeded that of the product itself.”

“Wait until the finale has been broadcast, then their focus will go back to the product once again.” Lin Qian said with certainty, “The implications that have been entrusted within a brand cannot be separated from the product itself. Now that they are so vigorously supporting this advertisement, they will also end up transferring those feelings and place them onto the products in the future.”

The vice-president was rather agreeable as she nodded her head, and said again, “Oh, right, just now the people from DG contacted us.”

Lin Qian was stunned before she smiled, “What did they say?”

The vice-president’s expression was very meaningful, “They want to buy us out.”

Lin Qian leaned into the backrest as her fair, slender fingers tapped and tapped on the tabletop, the amusement in her eyes deepened gradually.

Recently, they had heard that DG had still not given up on their acquisition plans and were plotting to split up the alliance between the Chinese corporations.

And they had finally approached her.

Oh, no. It was that they had found Glamorous. Her identity had been a secret all along.

Her fingers paused, and she lifted her gaze to look at her vice-president, “Arrange for some people to continue dealing with them and appropriately reveal some intention of making a deal. But they definitely cannot find out about our relationship with Aida, and they cannot know of my existence.”

“Alright!”

After the vice-president had gone out, Lin Qian sat in her chair and spun around lightly in circles on the spot. Finally, she looked out the window at the brightly lit River Town.

Hee…

A gentleman’s revenge ten years later, was not too late.

The time had finally come.

Ultimately, she still found it hard to read Li Zhicheng and at that moment, she was a little anxious and felt a ridiculous sense of panic, as well as a tinge of hesitation.

However, maybe their hearts were really interlinked as Li Zhicheng always appeared at the moment when she needed him most. Her phone rang and it was him calling.

Lin Qian had yet to pick up but there was already a smile on her face.

“Hey,” it was a lazy, soft and conceited voice.

On the other end, Li Zhicheng sat in his office.

As compared to previously, he was now already a lot less busy. DG China had already exhausted all its abilities and the people’s passion to protect the local brands had been incited to the maximum. Now, they just had to deal a blow at a suitable time to DG China such that it would end their last breath.

Hence, now, the biggest problem was … that his wife had not come back.

“When are you coming back?” he said directly, his voice deep and penetrating.

Lin Qian could not help but smile.

Huh? Even he had times when he could not suppress his feelings? Didn’t he leave after calmly leaving a trail of hickeys all over her and loosened his reins to wait for her to run back into his embrace of her own will?

But Lin Qian understood why he called at such a time.

Looking at the second advertisement, everyone would know that this brand, Glamorous, had completely succeeded. And to return after its success was the promise she made.

Li Zhicheng had always been serious. She was afraid that he would not leave her out to stay for more than it was required.

“Give me a few more days,” she said gently, but there was a hint of slyness within, “Just coming back like that isn’t eye-catching enough.” She paused, then continued, “I’ve said before that I want to let everyone see it.”

Li Zhicheng remained silent for a while.

At that moment, Lin Qian knew roughly his silent feelings.

Listening to his woman clearly and crisply saying, “just coming back like that isn’t eye-catching enough” and laced with her unique slyness and complacency was as if a pearl with a rich display of colors was sewn onto the apex of his heart.

He had to admit that he was completely captivated by this woman.

This was different from the romantic feelings before. Previously, his desires were just as intense and he had also wanted to possess her, but back then he was very certain, certain that she would always remain in his grasp. It was true because even though she was independent, she was still reliant on him in both their romance and career, like a soft yet strong vine twisting around the crook of his arm.

He had to admit that he had always enjoyed her reliance on him.

Now, she was entirely self-reliant. In the field of business that she had control over, she created her own piece of sky. She started to have her own thoughts and plots, which were unknown to him.

Such a feeling was seriously complicated.

But the one thing he was clear about, and was becoming clearer and clearer, was the fact that new feelings were being incited within him by this woman. This included a more intense and fresh interest in her than before.

“Alright.” He answered, “I can still exercise my patience for a few more days.

Lin Qian giggled and purposely said, “Thank you then.”

Li Zhicheng calmly said, “You’re welcome. Sooner or later I will get it back from your body.”

Lin Qian was silent, “…”

From. Her. Body…

It must be her thinking dirty. Even though Li Zhicheng had always been domineering, because of the teachings from the Chinese cultural studies, he would not say such unequivocal words.

Yup, it had to be her thinking dirty. She often did that.

The two of them talked for a bit longer when an idea came to Lin Qian and she said, “Let’s video call!”

“Okay,” he replied bluntly.

This was the first time the two of them had video called. Lin Qian found it odd as she thought about it. Of course, she really wanted to see him but she had never thought of video calling before.

It was perhaps because thinking of such a seasoned man placing his face in front of the computer to chat with her through video call seemed weird.

The two of them each went to close their office doors tight.

The video call connected.

The image that jumped into Lin Qian’s sight was directly Li Zhicheng’s figure seated in front of the window. The black night sky with stars interweaved with the lights of the city, shining magnificently behind him. Meanwhile, his face was the usual calm. He sat in his office just wearing his white shirt, his collar slightly open making him look so handsome.

His gaze was deep and clear like the night sky, at that moment overcoming the distance of over a thousand of kilometers to look at her chillingly.

Lin Qian was stunned suddenly.

She missed him like crazy.

When you clearly saw his eyes, she realized that she had long been missing him like crazy.

That longing was hidden beneath her busy work; hidden beneath her stubborn struggling. Clearly, it was all over the place but yet nowhere to be found. When she locked eyes with him in that moment, it clearly floated into her heart. It was that unstoppable.

All of her words were buried within her throat in that moment. Originally, she was prepared to tease and chat leisurely but she had lost interest in all of it.

There was only one phrase left lingering in her heart and she gently opened her mouth, “I love you.”

On the other side, Li Zhicheng similarly looked at the woman’s face in silence which had slimmed down quite a bit, and those eyes that easily teared up.

His face was calm and his gaze was indifferent.

He gently lifted his finger and his thumb traced the screen, along the outlines of her face, grazing slowly but with strength.

“You had better speed up, my patience is quickly reaching its limit.”

A few days later, an explosive story circulated the entire internet.

According to the news, the most popular brand with the highest recent sales, Glamourous, was likely to sell itself to DG China. To the Chinese citizens who were still harboring feelings of resistance, it was unquestionably a ticking time bomb.

In an instant, criticisms, doubts, lashing outs, disappointments… flooded all the major media outlets and the internet. There were even university students who had organized their own groups to go to the Glamorous office in Wuhan to protest.

However, the white-hot competition that DG once created was similar to the scene that Glamorous had now created. On one hand, there was an increase in doubts and criticisms; on the other hand, the sales of Glamorous nationwide were becoming hotter and hotter by the day. The revenue of this brand was slowly climbing and becoming the favorite topic among experts.

Through this process, the spokesperson of DG China also implicitly expressed: they indeed had been talking about cooperating with some local brands. This incited even more suspicions and anxiousness among the netizens.

However, in the midst of all the public discussion, Glamorous remained silent about this piece of news from start to end.

After a few days, when the suspicions had reached their peak, an even more reliable news had finally been revealed.

According to the report, on the fifteenth of January which was a day that many of the Glamorous fans had been looking forward to, on the day that the finale of the Glamorous advertisement would be broadcast, Glamorous company would hold a press conference in collaboration with DG Organization. They would sign the agreement on the spot and sell this extremely powerful brand over to DG Organization at the high price of two hundred million.

Chapter 80

January the 15th, 4:50 pm.

At the most luxurious hotel in the city, in the Conference Room, under the bright lights, Charles, Chen Zheng, and some of the important staff of DG China were looking forward to what was about to happen next.

Below the stage, the seats were fully occupied by ournalists, holding their cameras, constantly looking back at the entrance of the conference room, hoping to catch the face of the founder of the recently established, and rapidly growing brand, Glamorous.

Rumors said the secret rich female had contributed to the brand’s creation and design all by herself. She used to leave the company to the professional intendants, but now because of the signing of the Share Transfer Agreement, she decided to fly to Lin City in person.

Inside DG, quite a lot of people were against the acquisition this time.

They believed that at the crucial point of the rising patriotism, the fact that DG stood out to claim another acquisition, was doing nothing but adding fuel to the fire and would lead to the stimulation of a bigger boycott.

Yet, Charles held his ground.

The way he saw it, Chinese were different to Americans; when pursuing concepts and justice, the Chinese enthusiasm was always fleeting. When there was too much enthusiasm, or too large a challenge, their enthusiasm would somehow withdraw, like magic, with absolutely no persistence.

So Charles thought that right now, becoming allies with Glamorous, instead of adding fuel to the fire, would be like throwing a wet blanket on the protesters. Their enthusiasm was likely to withdraw because of the blow, rather than continue growing.

Plus, there could also be some other benefits to becoming allies with Glamorous. Not only would it sugarcoat the peaceful appearance of the cooperation between domestic and foreign-capital enterprise and win over more support from the public; it could also bash Li Zhicheng’s union, leaving the staff psychologically unsettled. In addition, Glamorous was a very profitable brand. There would be nothing like injecting the new and fresh blood into DG.

With the fresh blood, DG would be likely to make it back to the top.

The clock was ticking. The atmosphere in the conference room was gradually getting restless.

Five o’clock … already past the said time.

The leading female still hadn’t show up.

The journalists had already began to whisper and look up constantly. Charles, sitting in the front row, was still wearing a relaxed smile, and turned to Chen Zheng.

“Why is she still not here?” he asked, in a quiet whisper.

Chen Zheng was feeling slightly agitated too.

Standing up, he said, “I’m gonna take a look.”

Backstage, a subordinate walked up to him, looking panicked and astounded, “President Chen. They just called us, the deal is off. They’re apologizing to us…”

Chen Zhen suddenly froze.

He almost yelled, quietly, “Give me the phone.”

“Their liaison already hung up.”

Under the bright lights, the discussion outside was getting louder and louder, like a mosquito whining in his ears.

Quietly, he slowly became out of breath.

For the first time in his business career, he met a partner that changed their mind so suddenly, and with such a lack of credibility. A strong idea popped into his head, no way!

Thinking back to the great communication they had with the partner recently … Glamorous had clearly shown a strong interest. They had gone through intense negotiations. If they didn’t mean to sell their company, they wouldn’t have acted like that.

The worst thing that could happen when signing the contract was having already reached an oral agreement but flipping in the end. It would only make the victim enraged, but with nowhere to vent.

As long as they hadn’t signed on the paper, there would be no obligations to either party, nor the legal responsibility.

But this time, after the partner’s suggestion and Charles’ delighted permission, Chen Zheng had invited dozens of media outlets to build up momentum. If they were slapped in the face in front of so much media, the beleaguered DG China would become a complete joke to the public. The boycott would get even tougher.

Having thought of this, Chen Zheng suddenly felt a chill in his heart.

What if… this was a trap?

Looking ruthless, he slowly turned to look at the bright conference room outside.

He remembered, that Charles had said as long as DG China could keep its last breath and hang in till the end, without any mistakes, they could survive.

That last breath, is it still here now?

“5:30pm, the Economy Channel of Lin City.”

While receiving the message from Lin Qian, Li Zhicheng was in Aida’s conference room, in the middle of a meeting with the senior executives.

Looking calm, he put the phone back on the table, looking up at the others, “Let’s take a break.” Then he turned to Jiang Yuan, “Turn the television on.”

Every important staff member was at present, except for Gu Yanzhi, who was on a business trip. Liu Tong, Xue Mingtao… having heard what the president just said, they all excitedly turned to the LED screen on the wall.

The news was on.

A reporter was standing in front of a luxury hotel, looking serious, “… This afternoon, in the conference room of the Beihai Shengting Hotel, there was supposed to be an equity signing ceremony between DG Group and Glamorous. But, it has already passed 5 o’clock, the brand director has not yet appeared. We can also see that protesters are standing in front of the hotel, holding all sorts of slogans, against the acquisition…”

Founding the brand all by herself, was only known to a few people at present. Meanwhile, Xue Mingtao, who was the closest to Lin Qian first grinned, “I knew it! This is the Stratagem of the Empty City, leaving them bamboozled!”

Liu Tong also shook his head, laughing.

Li Zhicheng was staring at the television, emotionlessly and quiet.

Very bold move.

A newly established small brand, would even dare to turn nasty to DG. Although DG was declining, getting rid of her was still easy peasy. But Li Zhicheng was starting to feel a little delighted.

The woman got to do whatever she wanted because he had her back.

Meanwhile, the voice of the reporter suddenly rose, “… I’ve just received the news from my colleague, the founder of the brand Glamorous has returned to Lin City, right in the airport now. Let’s switch the camera to the airport…”

In the conference room, everyone was watching more closely.

When Li Zhicheng heard “returned to Lin City”, he could clearly feel his heart had skipped a beat, and his eyes were getting darker too.

She finally wants to come back.

The woman set free by him.

At the same time, at a lot of places in the city, under the LED screens on the streets, among the protesters in front of the Beihai Shengting Hotel, in a lot of households, in Aida’s building… and in the DG news conference where the media workers were just about to leave, the news quickly spread. Many of them were watching television, taking out their phones, or even sitting in front of computers, watching the sensational news.

Even Charles and Chen Zheng were trying to stay off the media’s camera, looking serious in the office, watching the tv on the wall.

The airport terminal appeared on the screen.

It was already a little dark outside, the entrance and exit were brightly lit up. From afar, a woman in a navy coat and heels, with glasses on, was carrying the luggage, walking out, surrounded by a group of people.

The media workers who had been waiting by the gate quickly walked up to her.

“Miss Lin, Miss Lin!”

“May I ask, are you back to Lin City in order to sign the Stock Agreement with DG Group?”

“Why did you just arrive? It’s already past the signing time, is it because the flight was delayed?”

It was not a matter of how the media found out about her last name, since they knew that she was returning to Lin City, it must’ve been because someone leaked the news.

Meanwhile, Charles and Chen Zheng, standaing in front of the television, were so furious that the muscles on the faces started to shiver.

“Sorry, President Lin is not going to answer anything!” The assistant beside her was doing her job well, trying to get rid of the reporters.

At such a critical point, of course the reporters would stay, leaving the camera flashes to grow more and more intense, blocking the exit.

“That’s ok, ask away.” Her feminine voice was soft and polite, although with the glasses on, they still couldn’t cover up the pale gorgeous shape of her face. Dressed in a low-key manner, she still managed to look glamorous under the public’s attention. Wearing a smile, she was very likeable.

Then the reporters suddenly became quiet.

Followed by a round of more intense questions.

“Are you going to sell the brand of Glamorous to DG?” someone asked loudly and clearly.

It was the most sensitive and important question.

All the cameras were focused on her.

Off the cameras, everyone who had been watching the live news, were also waiting for her response.

At night, her sunglasses lightly reflected the lights, her jaw was in great shape, looking very young.

She became silent for a little while. And that moment of silence made people even more nervous.

Li Zhicheng was staring at the woman on television who he hadn’t seen for a long time. Her long straight hair fell down her shoulders naturally, and her body was in a nice and lovely shape. What she said didn’t matter to him that much anymore. Looking at her just walking out of the airport, he almost could see her walking back to his arms.

When she got back to him, they would definitely become a happy couple.

He slightly looked down, picked up the tea on the table, and took a light sip. The tea was Mengding dew, slight green and yellow, leaving the fragrance between his teeth.

“No,” she said in a clear feminine voice, confidently.

There was even a smile that appeared on her face, and after a little pause, she emphasized, “Never.”

Suddenly, a lot of people started to calm down. Human emotions were interesting. After hearing the word “never”, some sort of emotion was stimulated intensely in their hearts, growing.

The protesters gathered in front of the hotel had an even stronger reaction. They were cheering and laughing, throwing away their boards, clapping loudly. Someone even started to shout, “Glamorous, well done!”

Those who acted even more calm but excited, were the thousands of Aida employees. Back in the days when the rumours of Lin Qian betraying Aida were spreading among the company, some believed, and had doubted, and those who didn’t even know about Lin Qian, the more they thought about it, the more they hated her.

But now, they had all seen it clearly.

Just like Lin Qian wanted.

At the airport, the reporters surrounding in a circle were also getting a little uptight because of her response.

Some asked, “Then why did you agree to sign the contract with DG?”

Of course, in terms of these questions, Lin Qian naturally started to play fast and loose, she smiled, “There’re a lot of uncertainties in business, and also many communication issues. Any other questions?”

“A lot of people now have become loyal fans of Glamorous, their enthusiasm for Glamorous’ mini films is even bigger than tv shows.” A young female reporter asked, “President Lin, when will the fans find out the ending of the Glamorous ad?”

Clearly this was a question fawning over her.

Lin Qian responded to her with a massive smile, “Thanks for letting me know the enthusiasm of the fans, I’m very flattered. Episode three, is also the ending…” She paused, “It’s today, you’ll soon see it.”

Meanwhile, her assistant and secretary were dispersing the reporters, “Alright, thanks everyone, that’s it for today. Manager Lin needs to go home now.”

Lin Qian also put on a polite smile, turning to the black business vehicle parked on the side.

“Glamorous isn’t sold to DG, but it also didn’t join the Chinese Luggage and Bagging Corporation Union!” In another loud and clear voice, covering all the other ones, “Are you planning to keep it as an individual brand?”

Within a second, all the people quieted down.

Lin Qian, who was just about to step into the car, also stopped.

Off camera, a lot of people were also holding their breath.

The question was clever and blunt.

It might’ve looked like the question was about whether to keep the brand individual or not, but what it actually meant was if this high-profile brand was planning to remain alone in the war between Chinese and foreign companies.

It was also quite aggressive.

Lin Qian looked up.

The question came from a chubby young man, he didn’t look like a reporter, and his face looked outraged.

Maybe he was a hardcore supporter advocating national brands.

Meanwhile, the reporter standing the closest to Lin Qian, gave her a look, suggesting that they were live, and maybe she’d like to cut it.

Lin Qian was staring that the guy, remaining calm.

She then put on her sweet smile again.

“As to whether the brand will remain individual…” she said slowly, “If some competitive Chinese corporations are offering…”

Suddenly everyone was getting uptight again by her suspense.

“… for instance, Aida Group.” Her smile was getting bigger and bigger, “I can only say welcome.”

I want everyone to see it clearly that I, Lin Qian, can’t be bothered to be the traitor for DG.

I’ll stand in front of them and make them remember. I will for sure… let them see it.

When striking back, I’ll be back.

Just coming back like this, isn’t eye-catching yet.

Aida, you’re welcome to join the shareholdings.

Staring at her smile almost without restraint on tv, Li Zhicheng had already started to feel emotional. So did all the other men in the conference room.

As a matter of fact, Lin Qian’s speech was no doubt very uplifting, but the part where she mentioned that she’d never sell to DG and would welcome Aida, immediately worked as a foreshadowing, in a unique feminine arrogant way. The uplifting results were even as excellent as their alliance advertising before.

She was the Boss’ woman after all, now she only said smiling and politely, “Welcome Aida.” The way these men saw it, having known the truth, they found it had a sense of courtship. Let alone Lin Qian’s personality had always been straight and responsible.

Of course, not just Li Zhicheng who was just courted felt very proud, but all of Aida Group.

To be honest, Lin Qian’s answer to that question was completely made up the last second, and completely spontaneous. She didn’t even think of the romantic relationship or courting.

But men and women had always seen things differently.

Everyone’s stare in the conference room froze a little on the tv, holding their smile, whether intentionally or not, they all turned to look at the young boss sitting in the middle.

Li Zhicheng remained emotionless. Only on his expressionless face, somehow blushed.

He admitted that he was touched by the way his woman returned. In front of everyone, she expressed her loyalty and love. In a way that was subtle but also passionate. Li Zhicheng’s heart was pumping with excitement.

It was the feeling that was brought by his woman every time. Every time his heart was pounding for her, every time when he wanted her so badly.

A clear thought in his head took over everything, he wanted to see her right away.

And to bring her into his arms.

Meanwhile, Xue Mingtao sounded let down.

It turned out after the interview with Lin Qian, the news was over.

But without any pause, the screen suddenly turned black.

In the center, four characters popped out:

The ending of Glamorous.

“The ending of Glamorous. I don’t mind waiting, as long as in the end, it’s you.”

When these words appeared on the screen, lots of pedestrians on the streets held their breath at the same time.

The vision and sound effect they received was even more intense than Li Zhicheng and others in the conference room. In the broadcast from streets and online, the screen froze after Lin Qian said “Welcome to Aida.”

Without any transition, the screen suddenly turned black.

The drums started beating again, and the glamour reappeared.

Of course, it was arranged by Lin Qian, and she wanted to make sure to shock everyone’s heart with the maximum effect.

At the same time, many people’s emotions were changed according to “Glamourous”. They became excited and cheered for what Lin Qian just said. Once the screen turned black, they seemed to be back to the same romantic and tangling story of Glamorous, feeling sad and getting quiet.

Under everyone’s attention, the glamour was in this moment.

Compared to the last two episodes, the picture and music both seemed to have a sense of sadness.

At the Shanghai Oriental Pearl Square, under the skyscrapers… The girl was dressing up professionally, holding her phone and standing in front of the wall of glass, looking tired, “I’ve been busy lately, so I’m not coming back for New Year. Hmm…”

Later, the screen was split into two.

On the top, it was the girl wearing her backpack, busy working in Shanghai, running around; in a small shared house, she wanted to change the lightbulb but ending up falling off the chair; she was holding the bag, among the well dressed luxurious party, she put on a slight smile in front of her colleagues, but when she turned to look at the night outside the window, there was a flash of loneliness between her brows. She took out her phone, started to dial the number, but someone came and invited her for a dance and a drink, she had to put her phone back into her bag.

At the same time, the picture below was also moving.

The handsome young veteran, was still looking cold and rough. Riding a bike through an alley in the town by himself; he left the office at night alone, headed to the restaurant by the street for some Plain Noodle Soup, he saw the wallet when he took out the money; alone, going to the Counterstrike training base in his cool camouflage clothing, holding the gun while staring at the sunset, then he turned to leave quietly.

The picture changed, into the two on a phone call to each other.

“It’s my birthday next month, can you come and visit me?” she asked.

“I will.” He answered without hesitation.

The girl couldn’t help but smile.

On the other end of the phone call, he also put on a smile. In the dark and quiet night, the two were missing each other terribly.

The picture changed again, the girl was sitting in her rented home by herself, with a little cake in front of her. She continually called the man, but his phone was switched off. Her head was resting on the desk, crying. She pushed the bag next to her hand on the floor, everything fell out, the room was messy.

On the other side of the picture, the rain was pouring down in the small town, the walls of a school were about to collapse. The man was fixing them with others in the rain, as well as protecting the kids to help them leave the dangerous area.

“Why didn’t you come visit me?” She asked.

“The school…”

She hung up the phone.

This relationship, compared to others, was nothing different. She fell in love with him after a glimpse. But when falling hard, the relationship was also getting more and more fragile.

She was most scared of losing him. Compared to loving for the sake of love, a relationship like this was easier to fall off the high cliff.

The subtitle popped up, “In 6 months.”

The way she dressed up and put on her makeup, she looked a lot more sophisticated. Getting out from a BMW, the door was opened by a nicely dressed man.

He walked her downstairs.

“Would you like to be with me? I’ll provide you with a lifelong steadiness and happiness.”

The woman took a look at him, in a way that was made people sad.

Clear, sad, thinking of something else, the tears were held in her eyes.

She thought of someone.

All the people watching the ad right started to feel the suspense.

Above their heads, the ad for Glamorous was playing on the LED screen on the building. It was a backpack in pure red, looking delicate and light, with a lot of zippers in different layers, composing strange and enchanting lines. The voice over off the picture started, “Glamorous, just for her.”

The woman’s response was not revealed in the picture.

Soon she was already upstairs.

At the front door of her home, she froze.

There was a parcel placed in front of the door. Having opened it, she found a pure red backpack, looking delicate and light, with a lot of zippers in different layers, composing strange and enchanting lines.

In the pocket outside, was shoved a letter. She quickly opened it, then her facial expressions changed.

Meanwhile, the voice over off the picture began, in the same voice, “Bags are your favorite thing. I promised to give you one, and today, I finally made one.”

The phantoms started appearing on the screen at the same time, the man was sitting at home, taking a look at her photo, then picked up a soft red fabric, looked down at it, carefully.

“This is the military fabric, very light. Even if you fill it in, it won’t be heavy.”

The picture-in-picture quickly flashed, it was the man comparing between different military bags then drawing and comparing on that red piece of fabric.

“This pocket, you could use for your wallet; inside this zipper… you could put in your female hygiene products; and here, for your makeup; here, for your transport cards everyday on and off work in Shanghai…”

“You don’t need to worry about the color, it’s your favorite, and it won’t fade either… Your room is always messy, when not in use, you can fold it into the size of an egg, and it won’t take up much space…”

The woman reached her hand to cover her face.

“Perhaps I can’t offer you much, but I’ll definitely give you everything I have,” in his low voice.

The woman was already covered in tears, grabbing the bag and heading downstairs. Meanwhile, sad music started, the girl was looking for him like crazy in the crowd, but she still couldn’t find him.

The screen flashed again.

It was back to that dreamy town, under the big leafy tree.

The picture was hard to tell if real or imaginary, everything was blurry.

The man was still in his simple white shirt and black trousers, looking fresh. Only between his eyes, he appeared to be much older. With the same red backpack in his hand, he was standing under the tree in silence.

The woman was a few steps away from him, staring at him.

The two shared eye contact from afar, just like the day they first met.

The screen suddenly turned black.

The subtitles reappeared, “Just for her.”

At that moment, tens of thousands of fans of Glamorous finally fully understood the emotions and meaning behind the brand.

In their heart, more complicated emotions were building up.

On one hand, it was surprise.

All along, “Glamorous” used its appearance and brand image, in other words, it used the romantic story from the brand, in order to touch the female consumers. Of course, its practicality could also be felt by the consumers, light, convenient and suitable for women.

But it officially had never stated so clearly its functions.

Until the ad today.

It was like making a purchase purely because of its beautiful appearance. Yet after the purchase, you found out the functions turned out very well, leaving you amazed.

On the other hand, it was excitement.

As the founder of the brand, what Lin Qian just said made people feel excited. Followed by the sad but beautiful love story and ending with the man offering the perfect female bag, it had become the best ending for the city’s scenery.

Even though just an ordinary love story, it was glamorous.

Feeling moved by love, mixed with patriotism, it somehow made people feel oddly completed and comforted.

Perhaps every ordinary individual had a dream like this, home, country, and her (him), they were everything.

“Come on! Glamorous!”

“Come on! Aida!”

“Come on! Chinese bags!”

Somewhere in the square, people started to shout one after another. The shouting in the end almost joined together, loud and shaking. The night had already become fully dark.

The Range Rover was driving out of the Aida Group, heading into the soft and cold night of the spring. The short drive felt like a long one to the end of the world.

Finally arriving in front of the house.

The wheels rubbed against the ground, steadily stopped. Li Zhicheng looked up, through the green leafy grape vine, he could see the lights in the house, warm and bright. Someone had already come back.

Still in his white shirt from work, he didn’t even have the time to bring his jacket. Stepping out, walking through the grapevine, he stepped onto the stairs of the foyer.

He pushed the door open.

He was greeted by the light aroma of tea, the usual cold and bleak house, now was filled with warmth and lights. She still had her jacket on, standing under the lights, looking fatigued from the trip. She put her hands at the back, shaking the glasses in her hand, and turned to look at him, smiling. Her sharp eyes, slightly raised red lips, with her face clean as jade, all looked exactly the same as when they first met; all beautiful.

Li Zhicheng was still on the porch, with his hand on the handle. The cold and tall figure still seemed to have the wet coldness of the night with him. His deep and dark eyes were like the most beautiful stars on the night sky, from a few steps away, he was gazing at her. Gradually, he smiled too.

Chapter 81

In this world, there have always been winners and losers. One day you are king, the next day you may be an outcast.

Since Lin Qian’s return to Li Zhicheng’s side and Glamorous corporation’s return to the suitcase industry alliance led by Aida, the outcome of the battle between domestic and foreign corporations seemed to be even clearer.

It was Monday morning.

The modern DG China Headquarters which used to be busy, had a depressing atmosphere early that morning.

Charles was the center of all this. The door of his office was shut tight. Occasionally, through the blinds, one could see his gloomy expression.

In recent days, more and more people had resigned from DG China. There was an increasing number of branch offices in different regions which were on the verge of collapse.

A full market collapse was likely coming. Perhaps it was today, perhaps tomorrow, it would come anytime now.

Chen Zheng was living aimlessly, too. He was the type that needed to unleash more when he was more stressed. So after he dealt with the mess of the day, he would indulge himself in debauchery at night.

The more he indulged, the emptier he felt.

He thought of taking revenge on Lin Qian and Li Zhicheng.

After being in business for so many years, he knew people from both the legal professions and the mob. If he found someone to kidnap Lin Qian, he could teach her a lesson or even make her disappear… Li Zhicheng might not be able to catch him.

But after that? After that where would he go?

And Lin Qian…

Chen Zheng was surprised to realize that even though Lin Qian shamed DG China in the presence of the national media, he didn’t hate her. It was an intriguing feeling. Ever since DG China started going downhill, he had been feeling somewhat afloat. It seemed like he was floating beyond all this mess, the pain was still there, but it hadn’t been an excruciating pain.

Anyway, the situation was about to come to an end.

He pushed open Charles’ office door; there was even a smile on his face, “Good morning.”

Charles was definitely not in the mood to smile. The US headquarters had expressed their utter disappointment in him. Right now he was completely lost about his career path. Job-hopping? Moving to another country?

He had a feeling. Since he had taken over DG China, his life seemed to be out of his control. But why it turned out like that, he couldn’t pinpoint an exact reason.

“Ben,” when Charles faced Chen Zheng, he could sympathize with him. He muttered, “Perhaps when this season ends, both of us must take the blame and resign.”

Chen Zheng’s face was wooden. He didn’t say anything.

Right at that moment, a subordinate rushed in with a document in his hand; he was so shocked that he even forgot to knock on the door.

“Charles! Ben! Bad news! We are in big trouble!” Looking dismayed, he passed a legal letter to them.

Charles took it and his face suddenly changed.

It was a legal letter sent by a corporation filing a lawsuit against DG China. The name of the corporation was familiar but Charles could not recall it at the moment.

When he read the contents of the letter, immediately he recalled this corporation.

They were suing DG China for assigning them a batch of low quality leisure bags and its brand. They asked for a large sum in compensation.

“Didn’t you say that they were farmers-turned-entrepreneurs? They didn’t care about the quality!” Charles roared at Chen Zheng, his hands trembling in anger.

A subordinate standing at the side shook his head and said, “No, Charles, even though their lawyer is Chinese, there is an Italian businessman holding shares. This case involves foreign investment. They said they are exporting these goods to Europe, so their company image is deeply affected…”

The lawyer that rushed in said, “No, they can’t win this lawsuit. At that time we had a contract written in black and white…”

Charles suddenly bellowed, “Ah!”. Grabbing his own hair, he turned around and dashed out of the office, leaving Chen Zheng and a few others looking at each other, confused.

Chen Zheng stared at the letter that dropped to the floor, suddenly he smiled.

Slowly, he put on a bitter smile.

It didn’t matter whether they won the lawsuit or not. He and Charles were the ones that signed the contract, he could almost imagine how the news of this lawsuit would spread swiftly across the industry, nationwide.

Finally they had received the last straw that broke the camel’s back.

Li Zhicheng had been keeping this in his hand; now he had revealed it mercilessly.

In the past few day, Ning Weikai had everything going his way.

After going through various hardships, New Bori was finally back in his hands. And this time, he was really in control. He thought he might have reached the pinnacle of his life.

Of course, he would go higher. In the end, how many freakish geniuses like Li Zhicheng could there be? Since the two of them had turned from enemies to friends, based on each other’s temperament, each would surely be going their own way from now on.

What else would he need to be afraid of on the road ahead?

New Bori was indeed quite severely damaged now, but… people naturally were inclined to favor their former leader. He was not at all concerned by the low point that they were in now. Instead he remained poised and handsome as usual, calling all his trusted subordinates over one by one to motivate them. His attitude influenced many people, He influenced the whole corporation. Furthermore, the failure of DG Group in China made almost everyone feel that New Bori was slowly taking steps to go back to their glory days.

But Ning Weikai was not totally free from worries.

For example early that morning, he received a call from the secretary of Zhu’s chairman.

“The chairman would like to see you,” the person said politely.

The chairman that the secretary was referring to was no doubt Elder Zhu, the most powerful person of Zhu’s Consortium and his father-in-law.

Ning Weikai didn’t decline the invitation. He answered with a smile and went straight to the Zhu’s family house.

It was already spring. Elder Zhu, who had semi-retired, was sitting on the white chair in the luscious green field as usual, nodding and smiling at this son-in-law.

The Zhu brothers, who were eyesores to Ning Weikai, didn’t appear.

Ning Weikai had never considered himself as generous. Their absence made him feel much more refreshed. He poured tea for Elder Zhu and the two chatted.

They chatted about the latest situation in the suitcase industry and the revival of New Bori, as well. Both of them looked natural as though they were still a pair of congenial father and son-in-law from a year ago.

In the end, Elder Zhu changed the topic, staring at him with his limpid eyes, “Weikai, after the situation at New Bori has stabilized, you should join the board of trustees. Hanyu knows nothing, so your presence in the Board could make sure everything goes well for her.”

Ning Weikai was stupefied for a moment.

The Board of Trustees that he was referring to now was of course the board of the whole of Zhu’s Consortium. “Making sure everything goes well for her” would mean that he was asking Ning Weikai to share and enjoy the power and benefits that came with her portion of shares.

Ning Weikai used to dream of this opportunity.

Their eyes met for a moment. Suddenly Ning Weikai felt like laughing.

Was the intention of his father-in-law to tie him down with Zhu Hanyu, or to tie him down with Zhu’s Corporation? He used the shares of Zhu’s Consortium as bait. What man could reject that?

Seemingly reading his mind, Elder Zhu admitted frankly. He said lightly, “Hanyu is my favourite daughter. I hope she will be happy forever.”

Ning Weikai was silent for a long while; Elder Zhu waited for him patiently and confidently.

Then he raised his head, looking equally gentle at the old man.

“Thanks dad. But I think I will focus on managing New Bori for now.”

After he left Zhu’s family house, Ning Weikai was whistling the whole way, seemingly in a great mood. Jun Yuan, who was driving, asked him with a grin, “Mr. Ning, did something good happen?”

Ning Weikai smiled and didn’t reply.

He had rejected shares worth a few hundred million. Did that count as a good thing?

Thinking about Zhu’s shares, he thought of Zhu Hanyu who was at home. Ning Weikai’s gaze dimmed, saying, “Let’s go to the fruit market. I want to buy some mangosteens.”

“Okay,” Jun Yuan responded briskly; he couldn’t help but smile again.

How should one put it, this feeling was like they had returned to the past.

Mangosteen was Zhu Hanyu’s favorite food. In the past, even though Ning Weikai was a CEO, he would go to the fruit market himself every time and pick out the fruit for her one by one.

If one were to measure the pampering a man gave to a woman, in the past Ning Weikai had spoiled Zhu Hanyu too much.

Now, had they finally reconciled?

But speak of the devil and he shall appear, right at that moment, Ning Weikai’s phone rang. The phone was ringing urgently. The ringtone was very distinctive; Lydia changed it herself. A ringtone exclusive for her.

Through the rearview mirror, Jun Yuan peeked at his boss that looked as still as water, pretending that he didn’t notice anything at all.

Ning Weikai stared at the name blinking on the screen; after being silent for a moment, he picked up the call, “Hello.”

He could the noises on the other end of the call.

Lydia’s voice was hoarse, with not a hint of jolliness as before. But she was laughing, pretending to be laughing lightheartedly.

“Ning Weikai, are you seriously not coming to send me off?”

Ning Weikai was silent.

He averted the topic, “If anything happens in Europe, you can contact my friend. He stays near your school. He is quite reliable.”

Lydia kept silent for a while, then she laughed, “Are you happy that I chose to study overseas?”

Ning Weikai’s reply was calm, “Lydia, that’s your choice. I have no right to interfere.”

Lydia’s voice was tearing up, “… Older brother, actually I was never in your heart, is that right? You were just too lonely, so you were fooling around with me. I am so pathetic.”

Ning Weikai remained silent.

“That’s why you never touched me,” she said with a bitter smile, “I should have understood earlier. What else could it mean for a man to not touch a woman? Am I not worthy… for even a kiss?”

Ning Weikai continued to remain silent.

“I have never seen someone as ruthless as you.” Lydia hung up abruptly.

Ning Weikai put down his phone.

After a while, he deleted all their phone logs, messages and her phone number.

When he reached home, the sky was completely dark.

Ning Weikai pushed the door open to enter, then he saw a familiar, slender figure standing on the balcony watering the flowers. Her fair and graceful neck was tilted down like a lonely swan.

Ning Weikai put down the mangosteen, approached her slowly, then he hugged her from behind, “What’s wrong?”

Zhu Hanyu had been in a daze for too long; she was taken aback.

“Ah… nothing…” she averted her gaze.

But this didn’t stop Ning Weikai from noticing the tear stains in the corner of her eyes, and her flustered gaze tainted with a hint of desperation and agony. She was so frail and helpless.

This was an expression that Ning Weikai was familiar with.

Every time she encountered something that she couldn’t solve, she would be frightful and lost like this. Similar to his feeling during this period, Ning Weikai felt a deep sense of powerlessness again. But beyond that sense of powerlessness, something was about to break through.

He wanted to change.

That was something that he used to treasure, perhaps it had been sailing on a distorted pathway, and both of them chose to ignore it. But now after experiencing highs and lows, he understood. He was wrong; she was wrong too. Both of them were wrong.

As for today, he could sympathize with why she would feel flustered and pained.

He rejected his father-in-law’s suggestion to join the shareholders; he rejected sharing and enjoying benefits with her; he rejected being more tightly tied down with her.

He did it when their marriage seemed to be failing, when he had seized total control of New Bori and he could spread his wings and fly away.

She was afraid, afraid of losing him.

She was not stupid, attempting to secure their marriage with interests that were most irresistible to him.

He took a deep breath, reaching out and hugging her tighter in his embrace; he lowered his head to kiss the quavering tears on her face.

“Sweetheart, we don’t have to be like that. I don’t want you to be like that.”

Only after so many years did I finally see my own heart clearly.

Could you let go of everything and truly walk into my heart?

Half a year later.

The sunlight of midsummer was bright and dazzling; it passed through the grape trellis, casting dappled shades.

Above everyone’s heads were trellises full of grapes with every bunch looking ripe and juicy, making their mouths water.

Since she had woken up early that morning, Lin Qian had been feeling sick. Even when she looked at the lively and joyous scene, she felt out of sorts.

Gao Lang and his newly acquainted girlfriend were sitting opposite her, adding chicken wings onto the BBQ pit. There were a few other retired soldiers, former colleagues of Li Zhicheng, other Captains, Lieutenant Colonels, and Majors… gathering from all parts of Lin City, feasting on the BBQ. Once in a while they would smile at Lin Qian.

“Sister, do you want some?”

“Sister, why don’t you eat?”

Lin Qian just laughed and waved her hand, serving drinks and beer to the guests Then she sat at one side, placed her hands under her chin and smiled.

Naturally she had been quite close with Gao Lang and the other security guards. Looking at these men in military uniforms sitting beside her, she couldn’t help but think about Li Zhicheng.

If you think about it, the encounters in life were wonderful.

For them to be able to meet, was it really predestined?

If the Aida Group had not encountered a crisis, he would not have returned from the unit he had been with for so many years.

Then they would not have known each other. In Lin Qian’s life there would have never been a man like Li Zhicheng.

The possibility, just thinking about it made her shudder.

Since I have met you, my special one, I can no longer accept the possibility of not having you in my life.

Thinking about this, Lin Qian couldn’t help but turn around and look at the two men in the side hall.

Lin Mochen and Li Zhicheng.

The two were discussing something again. Her brother was sitting in front of the computer desk, Li Zhicheng was half leaning against the tableside while the spoke. They were of the “same species”; their expressions were distant. Across the glass door, Lin Qian couldn’t tell what they were discussing from afar.

Lin Qian pouted, then she turned around to continue mingling with the group where commoners like her gathered.

Meanwhile, Gao Lang passed her a skewer of roasted mutton, “Sister! Eat it while it’s hot!”

Lin Qian lost her appetite instantaneously.

A deep feeling of illness washed over her again. She smiled, waving, “I’m full already. Help yourselves. I’m going in for a while.”

Upon saying that she stood up and walked inside; when she passed by the big tray of mouth-watering grapes, she couldn’t resist and took another bunch.

Hmm… the grapes grown by her were indeed unrefined and extremely sour.

It was appetizing.

When she passed by the side hall, probably noticing her absent-mindedness, she saw Li Zhicheng suddenly raise his dark and piercing gaze to stare at her from afar. His hands were still in his pants’ pockets; his newly cut hair was short and black, looking refreshing.

Lin Qian flushed instantly upon his stare. She hastened and went upstairs.

On the other side, Li Zhicheng told Lin Mochen, “Please excuse me.” Then he left the side hall, following after her.

Lin Mochen stared at this pair of young lovebirds openly showing their affection for each other in his presence; he remained expressionless.

His sister was almost going to be married, the wedding was next week. But when she was facing her man, she was still so bashful, so reticent yet her face was like an open book.

Li Zhicheng obviously fell for it…

Wait a second, what was he worrying about?

Lin Mochen fell silent for a moment, then he laughed at himself.

He laughed at this remaining tinge of gentleness and protectiveness in him.

He put the laptop on his lap and continued browsing through the news.

As for those simple-minded soldiers who kept inviting him across the glass door to eat those unhealthy food… of course he disdained joining them. After declining their offer politely the first time, he then put on his headphones, pretending he didn’t hear them.

In comparison to the liveliness downstairs, it was quiet, nice and cool upstairs. The warm-colored drape was opened; the breeze gushed in from the window, freshening their minds and hearts.

Lin Qian was leaning against the windowsill, her chin resting on both her hands, looking on to the limpid lake water. The sunlight hit the water surface, interspersing and forming flakes of gold that were dazzling.

Sigh. But she felt so sad.

An enigmatic sadness washed over her.

Suddenly she felt a pair of powerful hands on her waist; his warm embrace encircled her from behind.

Lin Qian was taken aback, “Jeez!” This man from special forces still walked without making a sound. Didn’t he know how to fix it?!

Li Zhicheng lowered his head to kiss her slightly sweaty, delicate neck; his warm breath blew onto her skin. He didn’t say a word, because he knew she would surely not be able to hold it in and would tell him what was on her mind.

Indeed, after spooning silently for a while, Lin Qian turned around and faced him. She put her arms around his neck. Their eyes met; his eyes were like a borderless ocean, easily drowning her in them.

Lin Qian suddenly burst into smiles.

He saw her smile silently and it left him hanging. Li Zhicheng remained silent too, moving only his hands. His forceful hand started caressing her ample breast, skillfully.

He knew for a fact that Lin Qian would fall for this. Indeed, it only took a moment before she gave up, pressing herself against his chest, protesting, “How can you do that! Stop touching!”

Even though she said that, when the affection heightened, touch like this made both of them restless and aroused.

The breeze blew gently that summer afternoon. The two of them spooned for a while more; Lin Qian surrendered herself fully in his arms. Li Zhicheng locked the door, pulled a chair to sit by the windowsill, and made Lin Qian straddle him. Then only he asked while slowly fondling her waist, “What happened?”

Lin Qian enjoyed sitting on him a lot. It was a wonderful feeling, as though she owned all of him completely, like she was his master.

She blinked, lowered herself and kissed his thin lips. When their breathing was entangled, she finally murmured the thoughts that she had been considering for the past few nights,

“Zhicheng, become the controlling shareholder in my corporation.” Her voice was soft and tender. It sounded like she was seducing and placating him.

Li Zhicheng was startled; his gaze which was right in front of hers turned inscrutable.

Her suggestion was outside Li Zhicheng’s expectations.

One had to understand that since “Glamorous” was still in its infancy, she had been wary of him like he was a scourge, forbidding him from taking a controlling share.

Glamorous was her precious treasure. The amount of effort she spent on Glamorous was more than that on him.

Now she had proactively invited him to become the controlling shareholder?

“Why?” he asked under his breath.

Lin Qian twitched in his embrace, raised her eyes, which were watery from all his kisses, and looked at him, “I have been thinking about this for a while. The first thing is that I realized I still prefer working in advertising. It is so tiring to manage the whole enterprise. When the company grows bigger, I don’t find it fun anymore. The second thing is…” she leaned in to let their noses touch tips, “I want to have more time with you. In the future, I also need to take care of our family, right…”

Li Zhicheng kept staring at her; he didn’t say anything.

Lin Qian added on, “On top of that, thinking about it I realized I actually love the time where I worked under your command the most…” Even before she finished her sentence, Li Zhicheng had covered her lips with a kiss; his kiss was getting deeper and more voracious. Lin Qian subconsciously tilted back, but since her whole body was on him and there was nothing behind her, only his hand blocked her retreat. For every inch she tilted back he pressed forward another three inches, binding them closer.

“Okay, I will take the controlling shares,” he nibbled on her ear, whispering, “After this you can no longer change your mind.”

“Why would I change my mind?” Lin Qian blinked, “This is… a dowry.”

Li Zhicheng’s heart did a flip.

This woman in front of him was satisfying all his desires.

She was his; her corporation was going to be merged into his business empire as well. Everything belonging to them were inseparable. She satisfied all his possessive instincts towards her, willingly staying close in his embrace.

“Give it to me,” he whispered.

His hand reached out to take off her clothes.

Lin Qian’s face reddened all in a sudden, “My brother and the rest are still downstairs! I don’t want to!”

Li Zhicheng only used one hand to tie her hands behind her back, “Don’t worry, they won’t come up.”

His actions were swift. While he was talking he had unbuttoned her blouse and buried his head in her chest. His hand was searching under her skirt as well. He was about seize the territory soon. Lin Qian panicked and tried to push him away, “No, you can’t!”

Then her hand reached out to protect her belly.

Li Zhicheng paused for a moment.

A person with keen senses could quickly capture any hint of abnormal symptoms, then deduce the most accurate inference.

His gaze paused for while on her as usual flat belly, then he raised his gaze to look at her.

His gaze had changed.

It had changed to fervent, surged with emotions, with traces of surprise gushing forth.

Lin Qian looked at their messy clothes, then looked at the puzzlement in his eyes. Her cheeks flushed, but her smile was sweet.

“So yesterday, I went to the hospital. That…” Lin Qian also didn’t know how to express this reality. So she ended up pulling his hand and placing it on her belly, “there should be a little Li Zhicheng.”

Li Zhicheng had lived for almost thirty years, but he had never thought that at this moment, hearing the words “little Li Zhicheng”, his heart would melt.

Although his heart softened, his expression remained calm and composed. His thumb caressed her waistline and he dryly said, “Well done.”

Lin Qian giggled, “Thanks.”

“I am referring to myself.”

“… D*mn you!”

Lin Qian got up and jumped off his lap, at the same time saying, “So, you cannot touch me for the next few months…” She had barely moved, when he hooked her back, embracing her strongly. In his low, husky voice he said in her face, “I won’t touch you.”

His hands and tongue calmed down. He merely hugged her.

This was a peaceful and gentle kiss. His hands embraced her. He didn’t say a word, just buried his head in her shoulder. Lin Qian listened to his strong heartbeat in his chest, and her heart and mind melted.

After a while, she spoke.

“Hey, why do you like this position? Me sitting on you?”

Li Zhicheng didn’t answer.

After a while, he dryly said, “I love many positions.”

Lin Qian laughed again. Yes, it was true, he definitely loved many… he he…

But this sitting position was still his preference. Lin Qian’s brain couldn’t help but begin to fantasize and fill in the gaps with the past experiences they had. In her opinion, dominant and exacting men like him, at any moment would love to subjugate the woman just like they did in novels.

Only afterward did she realise that Li Zhicheng really loved it when she sat on him. Did that mean that, even dominant men actually secretly desired to be dominated by women like her? Hahaha.

She was so delighted thinking about it, that she couldn’t help but share it out loud.

“Hey, you actually desire being dominated by me, right? That’s why you love this position.” Guy below…girl on top…

D*mn, stepped on the tiger’s tail again.

Li Zhicheng gave her a blank look, his tone calm but pressuring.

“You can try and see.”

Lin Qian, “…”

Threatened by him again!

She begrudgingly bent over to bite his lip. Who knew that he would react faster, picking her up and placing her on the bed, mounting himself on top.

“Hey hey! Didn’t I say you couldn’t touch me?” Lin Qian protested. If not, how would she have dared to provoke him so haughtily! So fearless was she!

Li Zhicheng simply answered, “I know my limits.”

A few minutes later.

“Your…your limits are too extreme…”

A summer afternoon in a peaceful room. The quiet lovers exchange was the sweetest thing in the world. Life was still long, their love was still young. Even if we can’t go back, I would be content.

The master and mistress had invited a whole house of guests, but halfway through, they themselves had disappeared for a while. In this situation, only a simpleton like Gao Lang would ask his girlfriend, “Boss and sister still haven’t come down, should I go call them?” His girlfriend stuffed a chicken wing into his mouth, shutting him up.

The summer day was wonderful. Everyone was enjoying themselves, sitting under the grapevines, looking into the distance, discussing the present, and all was peaceful and soothing.

Meanwhile, on the other side of a glass door, Lin Mochen was still seated in his earlier spot. After reading the news, he began to look at the American stock market and debt market conditions.

About Li Zhicheng and Lin Qian suddenly disappearing? He was used to it.

After browsing for a while, a notification suddenly popped out on the webpage.

He subscribed to quite a few economy and business newsletters. If he encountered predetermined keywords, a notification would automatically pop up.

It was like this every day for so many years. What popped up where three pieces of news.

Lin Mochen quickly glanced through the news. They were all about China’s central bank tightening the monetary policy, Australia’s metal shares collapsing drastically recently, XX Corporation’s new Marketing Department Manager Ms. Mu Hanxia accepting the interview from Beijing Evening News…

Lin Mochen’s hands on the keyboard suddenly stopped.

The brats outside were still making a racket, the sun shone in through the glass door, blindingly bright. Lin Mochen was wearing an indoor sweater and some long pants. Anyone seeing this would feel it was an elegant and graceful appearance.

However, at this moment, he saw a name on the screen, a name that he had not seen in while.

Mu Hanxia, such a unique name, a name that stuck with you. Who could forget it after hearing it?

His heart was suddenly in a daze. The feeling was like a wind blowing on the surface of a once peaceful lake. Finally it slowly died down, drowned in an all consuming cesspool of darkness.

He remained silent while he finished reading the piece of news. Then he closed his notebook as he raised his hand, and with a cold look, got up and walked out.

Gao Lang and the rest were staring at Li Zhicheng’s brother-in-law. They were quite shocked and wanted to ask him about it, but they were frightened by his ice cold expression. Lin Mochen had both his hands in his pants’ pockets, walking out aimlessly. It wasn’t until he had reached the busy street that he suddenly came back to his senses and looked around. His heart had already calmed down.

It was the same summer, but for Chen Zheng it was too hot. There was a trace of agitation in the heat.

It was almost noon; his car left the company. In the morning he had a chat with a few presidents from real estate development corporations. They had a good discussion; he was eager to try it out too.

He drove around on the road aimlessly. He wanted to find a place for lunch, but there were people and traffic jams everywhere.

Chen Zheng lowered the sun visor, wearing sunglasses. When a sexy lady with long legs passed by in front of the car, he casually whistled. The lady turned around, seeing that it was an expensive car with a handsome man sitting in the driver seat, she didn’t get angry. She glanced at him then walked away.

Chen Zheng pulled a smile, stopped at the intersection and continued to wait patiently for the traffic light to turn green.

Actually his days weren’t any different from before.

The business of DG China had hit rock bottom, unable to recover, and he had left DG too. But as compared to Charles taking the blame and resigning, leaving China dejected, he was actually still okay.

Selling SMQ’s shares during the earlier stage had brought him an enormous fortune. Everyone knew that the suitcase industry was too traditional and yielded only slim profits; he could invest put money in real estate, investments… which industry could he not make a profit?

His new company was soon to open.

New career, new life.

The traffic light had finally turned green; he was driving slowly.

Unwittingly, or perhaps out of habit, he drove to the most prosperous business district in the center of the city.

This was also where the flagship stores of many renowned brands in suitcase industry gathered. In the past Chen Zheng would come here at least once a week; throughout the years, he had lost count of how many times he had been there.

He parked his car at the curb, and upon raising his head, he could see DG’s flagship store. But the DG now looked bleak. Visitors were few, and far between. Looking at its pathetic state, he reckoned that it wouldn’t be long before it closed down too, just like other shops.

He sneered; it wasn’t clear whom was he sneering at. Looking further, the most striking and lively shops were undoubtedly Aida, Sha Ying, Glamorous, etc… shops of the whole series of national brands. It was summertime, so every brand had just released new products, obviously attracting the arrival of many consumers.

Chen Zheng sat at the spot and stared for a while, then he turned around and left.

Driving along the business district, he could see the flagship store of a renowned fashion brand on his right hand side. The store was two-stories high, with a gigantic advertising banner hanging from it; the lights were bright, the music was rock’n’roll. The vibe of the shop was cool. It seemed like it was well managed.

Chen Zheng’s gaze calmly slipped past the shop, finally he turned around and drove the car into the crowded traffic.

As he was driving, suddenly he felt his nose getting slightly stuffed.

That space used to be SMQ’s best-selling shop in town. He had not the slightest idea when did the ownership of the building was transferred and SMQ withdrew.

His SMQ, the SMQ which his father had spent his whole life and effort establishing, had almost vanished from the market. Since the beginning, DG was only planning to leverage the brand name of SMQ, now that they were facing operating difficulties, the first brand to be cut off and forsaken was SMQ.

Chen Zheng drove for a while more, finally he stopped the car at the roadside. Lowering his head, he covered his face with his hands and tears rolled down from his cheeks.

All of us once had the most beautiful time; all of us once had the best season. And when I was in those seasons, I might have been innocent and ignorant, I might have been walking and tumbling on the road of life. But when the time had finally passed and when my hair turned grey, when I looked around, I realize that in the end what I anticipated the most in life, was to not disappoint.

I didn’t want to disappoint that young and wild time; I didn’t want to let others’ expectations and gentleness go to waste.

My heart, my young and ignorant heart which was neither strong nor sober enough. There were so many temptations coming my way, there were so many crossroads where I needed to decide on which path to take, how could I continue without wandering astray?

That was our glamorous time. It was rough and full of uncertainties, but because I was fortunate enough to meet you, the special one, we could brace through hand in hand, and everything was not the same.

It had nothing to do with wealth, status, fame, or power. Even if I were to lose the world, even if I were to lose my mind.

Chapter 82-End

I — Story of The Honeymoon

Lately, Lin Qian had not been completely pleased with Li Zhicheng.

The wedding he had organized, had made her feel complicated, sophisticated, and boring. It was held at a luxurious five-star hotel, with attendance from the important figures in business and politics. The MC put on a show so they could display their love, and was also full of well-dressed guests, making it look fancy and glamorous…but their wedding was no different from any rich redneck’s.

Lin Qian was aware that these were all necessary, as they were both leaders in their industry, and he was even more famous than she was.

After the guests had left the wedding, the bride and groom were left lying on the couch, exhausted. She looked at the travel brochure on the table, and thought, that’s it for the wedding, but the honeymoon, I won’t let anyone interrupt. So she sat up with excitement, picked up the photos of the different islands, and asked Li Zhicheng, “I’m planning the honeymoon, do you have any requests?”

Staring at her sexy feminine figure in the red qipao, he looked up, “I’m ok with everything. As long as I have my bride.”

Lin Qian shrugged.

Three days later, they arrived on a tropical island.

The blue sea merged into blue sky on the horizon, with the white sand, and the endless jungle. The two were wearing their backpacks, like any ordinary young couple on a hike. It was a trip that she had been dreaming of for a long time, so naturally she was very enchanted.

The two were heading towards the hotel on the beach, the juncture of ocean and jungle was right next to them. Li Zhicheng was also wearing a light smile, with his hands in his pockets, following her.

In a low voice, he said, “It’s looking complicated in this area, don’t get lost.”

Lin Qian turned around and stared at him.

Ever since their relationship and career became stable, he seemed to be enjoying more and more treating her like a “big bad wolf”. For example, he always acted like he was flirting with her in a careless way, and would trick her, or “eat” her when she was not paying attention…

That was why, even though he was being considerate, from Lin Qian’s perspective, he seemed to have said, everything is under my control, your best option would be relying on me and following me. The “big bad wolf” would never get bored of reclaiming and reliving his sole control.

“Huh, so you know everything about this place, don’t you?” She was playing angry.

“Of course.”

“Let’s make a bet.” Lin Qian’s playfulness and emulation were stimulated, “Let’s play hide and seek. If you can find me, I’ll… wash the dishes for a week!”

Under the bright sunlight, Li Zhicheng’s eyes were half-closed. He took a step forward, looked down at her with his handsome face looking heavy and touching, more than any other young men Lin Qian had seen.

“No. If I win, you’ll…”

Someone was walking by, he lightly lowered his voice, only Lin Qian was able to hear it. Her face suddenly flushed, immediately pushing him away, “Cheeky!”

But the deal was made.

However, since Lin Qian had never won over Li Zhicheng when it came to a bet, this time, she was playing smart, suggesting best of three sets.

The location for the first round was very smart. She would dive underwater. In the blurry water, everyone was in a diving suit with a mask on, it would be impossible for him to find her.

Afternoon, the sun was shining bright, and the wind was nice and fresh by the ocean.

Carrying an oxygen cylinder, Lin Qian proud swam under some rocks. She was enjoying it with the small fish and plants around her, and also avoiding the jellyfish, with the size of a massive alien creature… huh, so pleasant. Next to her were five to six other young women, also dressing in the same diving suit, with similar body types, she knew that Li Zhicheng wouldn’t able to tell which one was her.

Meanwhile, she saw a man swimming in a great posture, quickly approaching them from a small distance.

Lin Qian was delighted, she quickly had a look at the time. Considering it had already been 30 minutes since she and Li Zhicheng were apart, with the small size of this area, he should’ve been getting close. And with that figure and swimming posture, it was getting more and more like him.

So she decided to lie on top of a rock, staying in the centre of the group, otherwise once she moved, he would find out.

The man was getting closer and closer. He stopped when he was a few meters away from them, with his eyes behind the goggles carefully observing them, like he was waiting for the perfect opportunity to make a move.

Lin Qian faked nonchalance, but deep down she was very curious too, waiting to see if he was really that good with his military background. Would he really catch her that easily? Maybe not. Plus he was a Land Warrior, and this is in the water…

Just while she was thinking, she saw him swim towards a woman on his front right hand.

Hey! That’s not me!

Lin Qian was getting frustrated, over excited. Just when he was about to grab the woman’s hand, without thinking, Lin Qian quickly swam in between them, looking up at him harshly. He turned out to be totally the opposite of surprised, suddenly turning around his arms and immediately grabbed her waist. Lin Qian lost balance, struggling around in the water with him, before they finally got hold of their balance, floating.

He was holding her, very tightly. His hands even squeezed on her waist.

Lin Qian soon found out that it was a trap. He had already recognized her earlier, but with a little trick, he was waiting for her to come up to him.

You…

Staring at him, she mouthed, “Shameless.”

He smiled.

“Hmm!” Lin Qian acted like she was going to run away from him, but ended up being dragged to swim up. When they both emerged above the water, her face mask was taken off by him, with his face already looking down, kissing her tightly. The ocean was still shimmering, and the sunset was far away in front, creating a stunning image. He put his mouth close to her ears, whispering, “Thanks for the honor.”

Although Lin Qian’s mind was messed up by his kiss, she still remembered, “Don’t get too carried away. Still two rounds left!”

It turned out, without any suspense, she lost the second round.

The location was still her choice, in the wild deep jungle.

Lin Qian was fan of outdoor activities, and she was confident that she could get away with the chasing from a special forces soldier. Her plan was simple too, she found herself a big leafy tree in the middle of the jungle, then she climbed up, waiting on the trunk.

She knew it’d be unlikely for him to find this particular tree in the middle of the jungle.

As it turned out… he found it.

Five minutes later, Lin Qian grabbed the chunky tree trunk in an uncomfortable position, looking at Li Zhicheng, who was quickly climbing up to her, she started to pity herself.

“Hey, how did you find me?! Did you cheat?” She was reluctant to admit the truth.

Having already climbed right in front of her, Li Zhicheng giggled at her.

“You left footprints all the way here, also the bent twigs…” He pulled her over from the trunk into his arms, “An inexperienced scout could even find you.”

Lin Qian looked down, she couldn’t easily spot the traces he mentioned among the big jungle.

She turned around, trying to climb off the tree, “Fine, you won, I’m gonna head back to do the dishes…”

She was pulled back again.

“Why? Are you going to stack the deck? In his low and clear voice, “You haven’t paid me back yet.”

Lin Qian suddenly blushed.

Same night, in the hotel room, and … on the tree, having cashed the best for the whole afternoon, Lin Qian walked downstairs with a sore body, coming to the bonfire party on the beach hosted by the locals.

Tonight was their third round. It didn’t matter whether she won this one or not. Lin Qian still followed her plan, disguising herself as much as she could. She put on the ghostface mask and a new dress that Li Zhichen hadn’t see before. She even put… hmm, cotton pads in her bra, and wrapped her waist with strips of cloth, in order to change her figure.

To her surprise, it actually worked.

In the dark night, with the vague effect of the bonfire, tons of visitors and locals were mingling together, dancing. Right after they started dancing, she saw Li Zhicheng walk past from not too far away.

Without any disguise, Lin Qian understood that he must’ve felt a need to show-off. So he was just in a simple while shirt and black pants, walking past the group, standing out with his handsome facial features. He took a look in her direction, Lin Qian quickly turned her head down. Surprisingly, he didn’t notice her, he then looked at the other side quickly, with his aloof glance.

Lin Qian was stunned all of a sudden.

She burst out laughing. She wondered how much she really liked him. Just looking at him searching for her in the crowd. She was already feeling her heart ache. She couldn’t even bare the merely wasted opportunity even just once.

Quietly, and softly, she approached him from behind.

“Hey, what are you looking at?” she asked in a clear rising voice.

Li Zhicheng paused, he turned around to look at her, with his brows rising gradually.

“Found you!” he said in his quiet voice.

Lin Qian stood in front of him, only one step away, and she couldn’t help but giggle, “It doesn’t count. I walked out myself, because I… I want to be found by you.”

Without any change to Li Zhicheng’s facial expression, he grabbed her hand, pulling her into his chest.

“I know,” he said, “this whole time.”

Lin Qian’s heart suddenly skipped a beat. Li Zhicheng was gazing at her quietly under the dark sky.

This whole time.

Before falling in love, you only felt tender and protective towards myself, and kept creating opportunities for me to get close to you. Among the interactions every day and night, every time we looked at each other, was filled with love that you didn’t even notice yourself. You wanted to be found by me, and you wanted me to have you, ever since the first day we met.

Of course I knew that it was the most precious thing to a woman, love.

And I was so lucky to finally have you. Let me marry you, and never let you down.

“Hmm, what do you mean by that? You obviously chased me first!”

“Yeah, because I’d received your signal very clearly, then I acted according to it.”

“When have I ever sent you any signal?!”

He reached his hand and pointed to her eye lightly, “Here.”

From a long time ago, the way you saw me.

II — Story of Giving Birth

Whether to give birth to a boy or a girl, Lin Qian was just like most of the women, she had her struggles too.

If they had a baby boy, he would probably act like his father. Having thought of this, she couldn’t help but look up at Li Zhicheng, sitting on the couch across.

It felt… good.

There were also perks to having a girl; considerate, lovely, and most likely spoiled like a princess by her invincible dad. It was beautiful to just think about it.

So she asked her partner, “Would you like a boy or girl?”

Li Zhicheng quickly answered, without even looking up, “A girl.”

Lin Qian was surprised, “Why?”

“A girl doesn’t need to bear too much.”

At first Lin Qian was a little stunned, but after some thinking, she understood.

He’s so chauvinistic!

“In today’s society, the girls are also bearing a lot.” She argued, “And can also bear a lot.”

Li Zhicheng put on a light smile, sitting by her side, crooking his hand.

“Yeah? Who is bearing more between the two of us? In any sense.”

Lin Qian started pondering.

Without a doubt, it has to come from family and business. He has already become the CEO of New Aida Corporation, and he’s also investing in the shares of some companies who he thinks have been doing great lately. He’s developing his own business empire quickly. While I’m still working for my brand, Glamorous, and the interest is still controlled by him… fine, he’s bearing more.

As to family. Err, he’s also bearing more?! He helped his brother, and had married her. He was also visiting her mom constantly. Her relationship with her mother was improving thanks to this son-in-law…

And good health? It also seemed to be him. Regardless of his busy schedule, he had been planning workouts for them two. Under his influence, they had been keeping a healthy lifestyle, enjoying their pleasant life…

Even in bed… Hmm, it was also mainly him.

Lin Qian’s face slightly turned red, “Fine, supposing you have a point. But nowadays, it’s easy to find great women, but not so much when it comes to good men.” She stared at him, as if she was considering something, if they really had a girl, would she have such luck to find a great guy like him?

Li Zhicheng replied, “My daughter, will live the life she wants.”

Five years later.

That same year, Li Zhicheng’s prophecy came true, Li Qian gave birth to a pretty girl, her personality was a lot more like her father, quiet, independent, and already sophisticated for her age.

For instance, now…

In the toy room at Li’s, Li Chenglan and Ji Shu (son of Ji Bai), were whispering to Bo Jian (son of Bo Jinyan).

Ji Shu said, “Bo Jian, just do as I said, stand under the roof. When the sunset is hitting on the ice at 45 degrees, and the temperature reaches 3 degrees celsius, the steam on the ice will turn into a rainbow.”

Li Chenglan, who was two years younger than them, was also adding the trimmings, “That’s right, brother Jian, it was in the book, you should try it.”

Lin Qian walked past the door, and having heard the strange theory they told Bo Jian, she started to feel intrigued, as she’d never heard of it before.

Then she saw the boy Bo Jian carelessly nodding, “Ok, I’ll do it, and I’ll tell you the result.” Then he walked out of the toy room, and seeing Lin Qian, he politely and proudly nodded, like a grown-up, “Aunty Lin Qian.”

Lin Qian was stunned by his “Aunty Lin Qian”. She giggled, “You can just call me aunt.”

Once he left, the two small and naughty kids, Ji Shu and Li Chenglan, started to titter.

Then they sat down, picking up the games and playing against each other.

And Bo Jian on the balcony…

Lin Qian walked up to him, asking, “Have you seen the rainbow they told you woudl appear?”

Looking at the broad snow and ice on the ground, Bo Jian smiled, “Aunt Lin, why did you fall for their childish lie?”

Li Qian was speechless all of a sudden, she continued, “But why did you…?”

Bo Jian put on a rare shy smile.

“Aunt, you probably didn’t get it. The way a girl tries to tell the boy that she likes him, was to make fun of him.” He said calmly, “Although my goal is to solve the case, and won’t say yes to her in the next few years, I can’t reject her directly, so I’ll just let her believe that she’s fooled me.”

Lin Qian, “…”

Bo Jian, you’re only 8 years-old, are you sure you’re not too self-absorbed and thinking too much?

By the time she returned to the toy room, she saw Ji Shu was teaching her daughter to play games, hand by hand. Despite being only 8 years old, he was taller than his peers, with his clearly defined facial expressions, smiling face, and his calm behavior. There was already a hint of gentleness, tenderness and sophistication to him. The two kids were having fun, Li Chenglan kept saying in a sweet voice, “Brother Ji Shu, Brother Ji Shu.”

Perhaps under Bo Jian’s influence, when Lin Qian got back to the lounge, she also began to overthink. She said to Li Zhicheng, “The three kids are great at the moment. When they get older, what if there’s a love triangle? Ji Shu is great, Bo Jian is also excellent.”

Li Zhicheng was reading a newspaper, he was in a shirt and pair of trousers, looking almost as handsome as a painting. Without looking up, he replied, “That’s easy peasy. Of course pick Ji Shu.”

Lin Qian, “…”

Hubby, you’re looking down on Bo Jinyan’s son, is that a good thing?

Table of Contents

- Chapter 1
- Chapter 2
- Chapter 3
- Chapter 4
- Chapter 5
- Chapter 6
- Chapter 7
- Chapter 8
- Chapter 9
- Chapter 10
- Chapter 11
- Chapter 12
- Chapter 13
- Chapter 14
- Chapter 15
- Chapter 16
- Chapter 17
- Chapter 18
- Chapter 19
- Chapter 20
- Chapter 21
- Chapter 22
- Chapter 23
- Chapter 24
- Chapter 25
- Chapter 26
- Chapter 27
- Chapter 28
- Chapter 29
- Chapter 30
- Chapter 31
- Chapter 32
- Chapter 33
- Chapter 34
- Chapter 35
- Chapter 36
- Chapter 37
- Chapter 38
- Chapter 39
- Chapter 41
- Chapter 42
- Chapter 43
- Chapter 44
- Chapter 45
- Chapter 46
- Chapter 47
- Chapter 48
- Chapter 49
- Chapter 50
- Chapter 51
- Chapter 52
- Chapter 53
- Chapter 54
- Chapter 55
- Chapter 56
- Chapter 57
- Chapter 58
- Chapter 59
- Chapter 60
- Chapter 61
- Chapter 62
- Chapter 63
- Chapter 64
- Chapter 65
- Chapter 66
- Chapter 67
- Chapter 68
- Chapter 69
- Chapter 70
- Chapter 71
- Chapter 72
- Chapter 73
- Chapter 74
- Chapter 75
- Chapter 76
- Chapter 77
- Chapter 78
- Chapter 79
- Chapter 80
- Chapter 81
- Chapter 82-End