Futile Devices Scans

Qi Mu lowered his head blankly and looked at the stack of documents on the desk.

He blinked in confusion and finally made out the words on the cover. It was not a contract for acquiring the company… It was merely a research report.

Qi Mu’s rigid back gradually relaxed. He found his own jumpiness ridiculous. That dream had probably been too realistic, causing him to see Jiang Shao approaching him like this… and assume the man had come to acquire his company.

Yet none of that had actually happened.

As for the research report, Qi Mu truly had forgotten about it.

When he assigned the task, he had never believed Jiang Shao would lower himself to do it. He had only wanted Jiang Shao to grow tired of working here and leave as soon as possible…

“Is President Qi not going to look at it?”

The cool voice came from above his head.

Qi Mu abruptly returned to his senses.

He did not raise his head to look at Jiang Shao, lest he reveal his emotions, and pretended to focus on the report in his hands.

Although the esteemed young master submitting the report before Monday greatly surprised him, Qi Mu still did not believe Jiang Shao would have taken the task seriously. He had probably produced something perfunctory merely to get it over with. Qi Mu intended to glance through a few pages before sending him away…

But as he continued reading, Qi Mu’s expression gradually became serious.

Contrary to his expectations, the report was not perfunctory in the slightest. It had been prepared with exceptional rigor and care, without a single error to be found. No… Even if Qi Mu had written it himself, he might not have achieved this level of quality, because it included a great deal of confidential data from competing companies that could never have been obtained through ordinary channels.

As for how Jiang Shao had acquired it… Of course Jiang Shao could accomplish such a thing. He was the Long Aotian protagonist of this world. Naturally, he possessed all manner of abilities and resources.

This was an extremely valuable research and analysis report that would prove useful in determining the company’s future development. Sweat seeped into Qi Mu’s palm as he held the report, and his heartbeat involuntarily quickened. Could this be considered an unexpected windfall…?

But why had Jiang Shao done this?

Or rather, had there been any need for him to take it so seriously?

Qi Mu finally raised his head and looked at Jiang Shao in confusion. He had considered many possibilities, but the one possibility he had never contemplated was that Jiang Shao might actually work properly… It was simply too absurd.

Jiang Shao wore a lazy expression.

Lu Jin Wen had prepared the report. Jiang Shao had not even glanced at it, but judging by the way Qi Mu’s expression had shifted from perfunctory to serious, Lu Jin Wen had apparently done a decent job.

Jiang Shao bent closer and looked into Qi Mu’s eyes, the corners of his lips lifting slightly. “Is President Qi satisfied?”

As Jiang Shao’s face suddenly drew closer, Qi Mu nervously pressed himself against the back of his chair. His chest abruptly burned as though it were on fire. He struggled to maintain a calm demeanor, pressed his lips together, and replied in a slightly hoarse voice, “It’s very good.”

Jiang Shao lowered his eyes and studied the man before him.

The seated man had raised his neck to look up at him, revealing his handsome, delicate features in full. His slightly pale skin was flawless as jade. The distance between them was very close, unlike the distant glimpse Jiang Shao had caught during the ceremony. He could even clearly see the man’s eyelashes trembling faintly like wings behind the lenses of his glasses.

When Qi Mu tilted his head and raised his eyes toward him, the creases of his fair, translucent eyelids deepened, tinged with a faint layer of red. A watery mist seemed to gather in his eyes.

Like crimson clouds blurred by the morning dew.

Jiang Shao’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He had deliberately chosen this hour to deliver such a report because he wanted to test Qi Mu and discover what the man was truly planning.

But Jiang Shao had hardly said anything yet. Why did this man already look as though he were about to cry?

As though Jiang Shao had bullied him…

Looking at Qi Mu’s reddened eyes, Jiang Shao felt inexplicably stifled. Qi Mu was a company president, after all. He was normally impeccably dressed and constantly putting on a proper appearance, yet now he was displaying such a pitiful and enticing expression.

Did he think he could muddle through the situation like this?

The rain outside gradually stopped.

The two men stared at each other in the silent office. Qi Mu was finally unable to endure the stalemate any longer. Unable to determine what Jiang Shao wanted, he tentatively said after a long pause, “You may go home now.”

After saying this, Qi Mu felt somewhat apprehensive. It could be considered an order, and what the Long Aotian protagonist in his dream disliked most was being ordered around. Moreover, Jiang Shao had delivered such a report in the middle of the night. Surely he could not be dismissed so easily…

Had Qi Mu not truly run out of things to say and wished to end this deadlock, he would never have spoken that way.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Shao did not react. He merely shot Qi Mu a somewhat fierce look, then turned and left without saying a word. He even closed the door behind him.

Qi Mu: ?

What a false alarm!

He raised a hand and pressed it against his chest, which still burned as though on fire. The pain had caused his eyes to redden slightly. His chronic stomach condition had flared up again.

People said nine out of ten company presidents suffered from stomach problems, and Qi Mu was no exception.

He had been under tremendous pressure recently, working late every day and occasionally drinking during business engagements. His rest and meals had both become irregular, and his body had finally reacted. The stomach condition that had not troubled him for a long time returned with overwhelming force. Qi Mu’s face turned slightly pale as he stared blankly at the report on the desk.

The company once again returned to its deserted silence.

Jiang Shao had probably already left, had he not?

Perhaps people were more prone to overthinking in the stillness of the night, or perhaps it was an aftereffect of his physical discomfort, but Qi Mu found himself contemplating his life—a rare occurrence.

He thought about everything that had happened since that dream…

And the questions he had constantly used busyness as an excuse to avoid considering.

Everything he had been unwilling to examine too deeply finally descended upon him all at once that night, overwhelming and catching him entirely unprepared.

He wondered whether, if this world truly had a creator, then compared with the male lead upon whom every brilliant quality had been bestowed, Qi Mu had clearly been created carelessly. After all, he was merely an NPC meant to serve the protagonist, a cannon-fodder boss who appeared for a few chapters before being humiliated. Naturally, there had been no need to spend much effort on him, had there?

Even his character design seemed clichéd and thoughtless. After all, who had decided that every company president had to suffer from stomach problems?

He had already stayed up late for so many consecutive nights, yet he was still drinking coffee at midnight without once considering that he ought to rest properly.

And previously, he seemed never to have noticed these trivial details, instead taking everything for granted.

His life appeared to follow a predetermined track. He went through the motions like a walking corpse, doing whatever he was expected to do. Yet the moment the protagonist arrived, he would suddenly cease behaving like himself and commit acts he would never ordinarily consider, plunging himself into eternal ruin.

But he was clearly not that kind of person. He was clearly capable of taking care of himself too.

Qi Mu stared at the coffee beside his hand for several minutes. Then he suddenly stood, poured it away, and fetched himself a glass of warm water instead. After taking his stomach medicine with the water, the burning pain soon eased considerably.

Whatever the future might hold…

At least one thing was certain—

He would not be anyone’s puppet.

…

Jiang Shao strode out of the office building.

The night rain had stopped, leaving only the damp scent of fresh rainfall drifting toward him on the breeze, like the mist that had gathered in the man’s eyes inside the office…

Irritated, Jiang Shao kicked the wall. Only after leaving did he realize that he had obediently walked away just like that, almost as though… he truly had gone there only to deliver a report.

Yet before going inside, he had been thinking about how to tear away Qi Mu’s mask.

He had wanted to discover exactly what calculations and schemes the man was playing at.

In the end, he had learned nothing.

Jiang Shao stared expressionlessly into the depths of the night. Suddenly, his chest vibrated as he released a low, mocking laugh.

He truly had underestimated Qi Mu.

The man not only possessed methods, but also knew when to humble himself. He was certainly adaptable.

However, Jiang Shao was not so easily deceived. As long as he continued staying here, he would eventually find an opportunity to see Qi Mu’s true face.

…

The following day, Qi Mu did not arrive at the company until the afternoon.

That morning, he had already messaged Zhan Xiao Hui and instructed her to notify the company’s senior management of a meeting. When he arrived that afternoon, he took the report Jiang Shao had submitted the previous night directly to the conference room and therefore did not encounter him.

Qi Mu had reread the report several times that morning and gained a number of ideas from it, making the meeting an ideal opportunity to discuss them.

The company had developed well within the electrical-component industry over the years, but growth in the traditional household-appliance market was limited. If it continued clinging to its established market without making changes, it would be difficult to find new avenues for business growth. Competition among similar companies was also fierce, and profits were steadily declining.

Qi Mu believed that the company should attempt certain breakthroughs and changes while preserving its existing operations. Emerging industries such as intelligent robotics were developing rapidly and held enormous future potential. If the company could supply components to those industries and seek out new business partners, it could create an excellent source of performance growth.

With all the executives attending the meeting, the atmosphere in the President’s Office was relaxed and cheerful. It was the perfect opportunity to slack off.

Zhan Xiao Hui and several colleagues snacked on sunflower seeds while chatting.

They moved from discussing what they had eaten at their gathering the previous night to the weather that morning, then to upcoming concerts, television dramas they had recently watched, and celebrity gossip…

Eventually, the conversation turned to Qi Mu.

Zhan Xiao Hui said, “President Qi seems to have been working overtime constantly lately. He’s really working too hard.”

Colleague A said, “Yes. I hope the company gets through this crisis soon. It had better not affect us.”

Zhan Xiao Hui said, “President Qi doesn’t look particularly anxious. He must already have everything under control, so it should be fine. We have to trust him!”

Colleague B said, “President Qi isn’t only handsome. He also gives people such a strong sense of security.”

Zhan Xiao Hui’s eyes sparkled. “Exactly! Most importantly, he’s handsome and kindhearted! Before joining this company, I never imagined such a wonderful boss existed. I’ve also heard that the company has done a great deal of charity work…”

Once the subject turned to President Qi, they excitedly began talking without pause, like a group of devoted fans. They praised everything from Qi Mu’s handsome appearance to his beautiful inner character, even reviewing the clothes he wore each day. Then they discussed the various company rumors surrounding him, as though determined to prove his perfection through every minute detail.

Anyone unaware of the situation might have thought they were discussing some top celebrity idol.

Jiang Shao had originally been sitting there indifferently with his eyes closed, taking a light nap. Yet their words continually wormed their way into his ears, and he could not resist letting out a derisive laugh.

How could anyone in this world truly be flawless?

The more perfect someone appeared on the surface, the uglier they might be underneath. Even the entertainment industry, whose members made their living by selling beautiful illusions, was actually filled with filth and corruption, much less these profit-driven businessmen.

Doing charity? Worshiping gods and Buddhas?

Were they afraid that after committing too many wicked deeds, they would suffer retribution in their next lives?

Jiang Shao had grown up within a world of wealth and power where people destroyed one another without spilling blood. He knew that what this circle lacked least were hypocrites who behaved one way in public and another in private, chasing fame through false virtue. After all, even he himself… could hardly be considered a good person.

But Qi Mu…

Jiang Shao glanced at Zhan Xiao Hui, who was still speaking enthusiastically.

Aside from knowing how to put on an act, the man was apparently skilled at winning people’s loyalty.

…

During the meeting, Qi Mu proposed his new ideas and instructed the Strategic Planning Department to prepare a detailed plan.

On his way back, he was distracted by his thoughts. Before he could react, a little girl rushed around the corner and collided with him. With a splash, all the strawberry juice in her hands spilled across him. The red liquid soaked into his silver-gray suit, quickly forming a large stain.

Before Qi Mu could respond, a loud wail erupted in front of him.

The little girl sat on the floor clutching the strawberry-juice cup in both hands. Only a shallow layer remained at the very bottom, and when she saw how little juice was left, she cried as though her heart had broken.

Everyone in the offices along the corridor heard her.

A plainly dressed woman soon hurried out of the Finance Department. Her expression changed the moment she saw the scene. She pulled the little girl up from the floor and immediately bowed to apologize to Qi Mu. “I’m sorry, President Qi. I failed to watch her properly.”

Her hand trembled nervously as she clutched the child’s. It was clear that her heart ached for the girl, yet she had no attention to spare for comforting the crying child and could only apologize repeatedly to Qi Mu.

She was a single mother.

She had finally found a job with relaxed hours that allowed her to care for her child as well. Unable to bear leaving the girl home alone, she had secretly brought her to the company. She bought her a cup of strawberry juice and sent her off to play while she returned to work. Who could have expected the child to run into President Qi the moment she looked away?

What would she do if she lost this job because of the incident?

Finding work was so difficult nowadays!

Just as the woman grew increasingly frightened and anxious, a gentle voice sounded. “It’s all right.”

The woman raised her head in astonishment.

Qi Mu smiled reassuringly at her before bending down and gently addressing the girl behind her. “I’m sorry. Uncle knocked over your juice. I’ll buy you another cup, so please don’t cry, all right?”

The girl looked at Qi Mu with wide eyes and sniffled. “Really?”

Qi Mu smiled and nodded. “Really. Ask your mother if you don’t believe me.”

Still shocked and confused, the woman nodded.

The girl could not perceive her mother’s complicated emotions. Immersed in the joy of recovering what she had lost, she quickly stopped crying.

The woman finally calmed down as well. Lowering her head, she said to the girl, “You were also at fault. You shouldn’t run around everywhere. Hurry and apologize to Uncle.”

The girl obediently said, “I’m sorry, Uncle.”

The woman handed the girl to a colleague who had come out to help, then turned back to Qi Mu and said with deep guilt, “I’m sorry, President Qi. I… This was entirely my fault. Your suit…”

After the child left, Qi Mu’s expression returned to its usual composure. “It’s fine. What happened?”

The woman sighed. “There’s no one at home to look after her.”

Qi Mu considered the matter briefly. “There’s an unused archive room at the end of the corridor. You may let her play there. During working hours, it would be best not to let her run around or disturb anyone else’s work.”

The woman froze upon hearing this, then revealed an immensely grateful expression.

Not only had Qi Mu refrained from blaming her for bringing her child to the company, but he had even provided a space where the girl could play. The woman felt her eyes begin to burn.

Perhaps after growing accustomed to indifference, even the smallest amount of warmth could leave a person at a loss.

For a moment, the woman did not know what to say…

Qi Mu nodded to her and walked away.

His juice-soaked suit clung uncomfortably to his body. Fortunately, he kept spare clothing in his office. Wanting to change as quickly as possible, Qi Mu strode toward the elevator.

He had barely rounded the corner when—

He saw Jiang Shao leaning lazily against the wall with his arms crossed, his dark eyes fixed deeply upon him.

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