Futile Devices Scans

Even after stepping into the elevator, Qi Mu still felt as though none of this were real. He could not see behind him, but he knew that Jiang Shao was standing there.

Qi Mu’s back involuntarily stiffened. He kept wondering what Jiang Shao could possibly mean by this and remained somewhat distracted throughout the journey.

Driver Zhou had already brought the car around and was waiting outside the company. When he saw that the person accompanying Qi Mu was Jiang Shao, he was not surprised. Instead, he felt as though his suspicions had been confirmed.

Rumors had already spread throughout the company that this newly hired employee with connections was a relative of President Qi’s. President Qi had even made an exception and specifically instructed everyone to look after him. It was only natural that he would bring Jiang Shao along to meet an important client. Perhaps before long, Jiang Shao would be entrusted with a major position.

Thinking that this well-connected employee might soon become his superior, Driver Zhou hurried forward solicitously, took the bags from Jiang Shao, and placed them in the trunk.

Jiang Shao casually handed the bags over, then sat in the front passenger seat. Seeing that Qi Mu was still standing outside, he raised a brow and said with a faint laugh, “President Qi?”

The young man’s voice carried a lazy quality. His deep tone seemed to contain a tiny hook that lightly grazed the shell of Qi Mu’s ear.

Qi Mu finally returned to his senses. He bent down and entered the back seat, turning his face away from Jiang Shao. The skin behind his ears grew faintly warm, and he felt annoyed with himself for his reaction just now.

Although almost ten days had passed since that dream, and although he had repeatedly told himself to treat Jiang Shao normally—to neither offend him nor attract his attention—even though he constantly reminded himself to remain calm… the moment he faced this man, he seemed to lose his composure far too easily.

The interior of the car was quiet and comfortable as it traveled smoothly along the road.

Qi Mu turned his head and watched the skyscrapers and endless streams of traffic receding outside the window. He took a deep breath and finally understood the reason.

This was not his fault.

It was entirely because Jiang Shao refused to follow the expected script. As a Long Aotian who had supposedly come to experience ordinary life, Jiang Shao had not only submitted his report on time, but had also formally requested leave and had not become angry when Zhan Xiao Hui assigned him work… He behaved almost as though he were truly nothing more than an ordinary employee.

That was precisely what had caught Qi Mu off guard. In his dream, the Long Aotian protagonist was always either showing off or humiliating someone. A verbal slight, the smallest trace of disrespect, or some inexplicable offense would be enough to trigger his “the weather has turned cold, so bankrupt the Wang family” mode…

Yet the current Jiang Shao appeared perfectly normal. Aside from behaving according to his own whims, he had not revealed the slightest hint of brutality. Was that because the plot had not yet been triggered?

Or had the story depicted only one aspect of Jiang Shao, causing Qi Mu’s understanding of his character to be inaccurate?

Regardless…

Jiang Shao’s existence and that dream were like a stone thrown into a tranquil lake, disrupting Qi Mu’s formerly quiet and orderly life.

It had left him completely unprepared.

…

At ten twenty, the car stopped precisely on time beneath the Song’an Building. Qi Mu and Jiang Shao got out, while Driver Zhou took the car to the underground parking garage.

After registering at the reception desk on the first floor, Qi Mu was escorted to the sixteenth floor to wait. An assistant poured tea for both of them and politely informed Qi Mu that Vice President Liu was still in a meeting and that they might need to wait a while. Then the assistant left.

As a nationally renowned corporation, Song’an Group occupied a building far grander and more imposing than Qi Corporation’s, although its age gave it a slightly dated appearance.

Qi Mu lowered his eyes and stared at the tea in his cup, sitting silently in the reception room.

Jiang Shao, meanwhile, sprawled directly across the sofa, took out his phone, and began playing with something.

Time passed minute by minute.

The angle of the sunlight streaming through the window gradually shifted.

The tea in their cups had long since gone cold.

Qi Mu raised his wrist and checked his watch. It was now eleven o’clock. They had already been waiting for half an hour, yet Liu Long was still nowhere to be seen.

Qi Mu had anticipated before coming that this meeting would not be easy, but encountering such treatment at the very first hurdle gave him an ominous feeling. He discreetly turned his head to look at Jiang Shao again.

Jiang Shao had changed positions while playing with his phone. Although he was not looking at Qi Mu, his striking, sharply defined brows were lowered. His unsmiling profile appeared even colder than usual. He had clearly begun to lose patience.

On one side was Vice President Liu Long, who had yet to appear. On the other was an increasingly impatient Long Aotian. The pressure from both directions weighed heavily upon Qi Mu, and a faint ache began to pulse in his forehead.

Qi Mu had never felt time pass so slowly.

Just as he hesitated over whether to ask for an update… at eleven fifteen, the assistant pushed open the door and entered, wearing an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry to have kept you waiting. Vice President Liu has returned and would like you to go to his office.”

Qi Mu released an almost inaudible breath of relief. He quickly picked up the bags and followed, with no attention to spare for whether Jiang Shao was coming.

Jiang Shao lifted his eyelids and leisurely rose as well.

The two entered Liu Long’s office. The assistant closed the door behind them and left.

The middle-aged man remained seated behind his desk when Qi Mu entered. He did not rise, merely nodding. “President Qi.”

Although he had waited for a long time, Qi Mu maintained a proper smile, neither impatient nor agitated. He presented the gift box to Liu Long and said warmly, “Vice President Liu, it has been a long time. Please accept this small token of my regard.”

Liu Long glanced indifferently at it. It was an exquisite porcelain set and was probably rather expensive, but not valuable enough to qualify as a bribe. It was an appropriately chosen meeting gift.

Liu Long withdrew his gaze without much interest. “My time is valuable. President Qi, please get straight to the point.”

The moment Qi Mu saw Liu Long’s attitude, he knew the discussion would be difficult. Nevertheless, he remained calm and courteous. “Your assistant should already have informed you about the delayed delivery. I came personally today to apologize and because I hope this matter will not affect our future cooperation.”

Liu Long put on a troubled expression. “Our company ships an enormous volume of products, and all our downstream distributors are waiting for their orders. Every minute of delay costs us money. This cannot be resolved with a simple apology.”

Qi Mu’s expression was sincere. “This matter is indeed our company’s responsibility. We are willing to pay the contractual penalty for the losses caused by the delayed delivery.”

Liu Long chuckled. “But if something like this happened once, who can guarantee it will not happen again? If you repeatedly fail to deliver on time, or if there is some defect in your products that damages our company’s reputation, that small amount of compensation will hardly be enough…”

Qi Mu replied solemnly, “We guarantee that this will never happen again.”

Liu Long neither accepted nor rejected the statement. His tone suddenly changed. “Let’s be frank. There are countless suppliers eager to fulfill our orders. If you cannot do the job properly, plenty of others are willing to take your place. Unless you demonstrate some genuine sincerity, how am I supposed to trust you?”

Qi Mu’s heart sank upon hearing this. It was the worst possibility he had anticipated.

For Liu Long to say such a thing, he might already have another preferred supplier and intended to use this opportunity to remove Qi Corporation. Alternatively, he might be trying to extract greater benefits, such as forcing down their prices or demanding kickbacks…

But these were all matters on which Qi Mu was unwilling to compromise.

The company’s profit margins were already modest. Whether it entered a race to the bottom or satisfied Liu Long’s greed, either choice would harm the company’s healthy development. As for ending its partnership with Song’an Group, that was something Qi Mu wanted even less…

Pretending not to understand Liu Long’s implication, Qi Mu inclined his head slightly. “Naturally, we have come with sincerity. We have comprehensively raised both our production and inspection standards for the replacement electrical components. You are welcome to visit our factories and inspect them personally.”

Liu Long’s expression chilled. “Heh. President Qi has prepared everything in advance. What would we possibly be able to see?”

The two continued their evasive verbal sparring. Qi Mu racked his brain to maneuver through the conversation, his attention entirely focused on Liu Long, when suddenly—

Screech—

The harsh sound of metal chair legs scraping across the floor cut clearly through their conversation. Qi Mu instinctively turned around.

He saw Jiang Shao rise impatiently to his feet.

Jiang Shao did not look at Qi Mu. He merely shot Liu Long a cold glance, then left without a word, slamming the door behind him.

Qi Mu: “…”

When it rained, it truly poured. How had he forgotten about this formidable ancestor?

Qi Mu turned back toward Liu Long in embarrassment and hurriedly explained, “My apologies. He is a newly hired employee at our company. Young people tend to have rather fiery tempers.”

Liu Long had no desire to continue the discussion either. Seeing that Qi Mu would not readily compromise, he dropped the pretense and mocked him coldly. “If all President Qi’s employees have such tempers, it seems President Qi himself must put on quite an imposing air under ordinary circumstances.”

Qi Mu could only smile bitterly.

…

Outside the door, Jiang Shao strode to the end of the corridor and irritably thrust a hand into his pocket, only to find that he had no mint candy. He had probably forgotten to bring any when he left.

Remembering the hypocritical maneuvering between the two men inside and Qi Mu’s obsequious manner, Jiang Shao felt an inexplicable surge of anger rise in his chest.

But it was not as though he did not know what negotiations like this were like. Everything he had witnessed had been dull and entirely predictable. Why had he come along in the first place, and why was he upset because of it?

What did any of this have to do with him?

Jiang Shao closed his eyes, his expression cold.

Yet Qi Mu’s face uncontrollably surfaced in his mind—Qi Mu flattering Liu Long while enduring the man’s deliberate difficulties… Had Jiang Shao not already known that Qi Mu understood when to bend and when to stand firm? Naturally, Qi Mu would not behave that way only toward him. Whenever there were benefits to be gained, Qi Mu could lower himself before anyone.

Jiang Shao told himself—

He certainly was not angry because Qi Mu had tried to please Liu Long. He simply disliked Liu Long’s insatiable greed.

The interior of the Song’an Building had a curved, open-atrium design, with the entire corridor forming a circle around it. The executive elevator on the opposite side opened, and a group of people stepped out.

At their head was a composed older man with an extraordinary bearing. He was Cheng Huai Song, the founder and chairman of Song’an Group.

Cheng Huai Song was walking while giving instructions to his secretary. When he casually lifted his head, his gaze swept across the atrium and landed on Jiang Shao on the opposite side of the corridor. He immediately stopped in surprise.

The secretary beside Cheng Huai Song noticed at once and followed his line of sight. A young man was leaning casually against the corridor across from them, but the secretary did not recognize him. Why had Chairman Cheng’s expression suddenly become so solemn? Could that young man be some important figure?

As a nationally renowned entrepreneur with countless titles, Cheng Huai Song naturally possessed broader experience than his secretary. He remembered attending a conference in the capital two years ago, where he had been fortunate enough to receive a private invitation to an evening banquet.

He had seen many rarely encountered prominent figures there, including Jiang Zong Chao and his eldest son, Jiang Shao. At the time, the young man had worn the same unruly expression, standing lazily and impatiently in a corner of the banquet hall.

It had seemed as though Jiang Shao had been forced to attend an event that countless others would have fought desperately to enter. As an exceptionally socially adept businessman who excelled at remembering people, Cheng Huai Song had formed a deep impression of Jiang Shao at the time. Moreover, Jiang Shao truly possessed a face so outstanding that it was difficult to forget.

But how could Jiang Shao possibly be here?

Cheng Huai Song felt a trace of alarm, but he did not approach. Instead, he turned to his secretary and asked, “What is his name?”

Although the secretary did not recognize Jiang Shao either, he knew how to get things done. He immediately contacted the reception desk and soon received an answer. “He accompanied President Qi Mu here on business. The name he registered under is Jiang Shao.”

Qi Mu?

Cheng Huai Song looked even more surprised.

He knew Qi Mu. The Qi family’s company was one of Song’an Group’s suppliers. If he remembered correctly, although Qi Corporation performed reasonably well locally, it was still only an ordinary enterprise and should not have access to someone on Jiang Shao’s level. How had Qi Mu persuaded Jiang Shao to accompany him—and even wait alone outside?

The secretary cautiously asked, “Chairman Cheng, is there a problem?”

Cheng Huai Song pondered briefly. “Why did Qi Mu come here?”

The secretary happened to know about this matter. “A batch of components from Qi Corporation recently developed a problem and needs to be delivered late. He came today to discuss the matter with Vice President Liu.”

Cheng Huai Song appeared thoughtful.

If only the man’s appearance had been similar, he would not have dared to be certain. It might merely have been a coincidence. But even the name matched. This Jiang Shao was undoubtedly the Jiang Shao he knew.

Yet Jiang Shao had actually come here as Qi Mu’s assistant. That was something Cheng Huai Song could never have imagined.

He had heard some of the unverifiable rumors surrounding the Jiang family, but as an outsider, he had no way of knowing the truth. Regardless, since Jiang Shao had appeared here, his relationship with Qi Mu could not be ordinary. In that case…

Cheng Huai Song’s gaze shifted, and he quickly reached a decision.

…

Liu Long used Jiang Shao’s disrespect as an excuse to make further difficulties. In the end, Qi Mu still failed to persuade him and was dismissed with the words, “We will need to discuss this matter at a formal meeting. President Qi should return and wait for our decision.”

When Qi Mu left Liu Long’s office, he appeared unusually dejected.

If Song’an Group truly ended its partnership with Qi Corporation and triggered a series of chain reactions, the company would suffer a devastating blow even without Jiang Shao interfering this time.

The situation seemed slightly better than it had been in the dream, yet at the same time, it appeared not to have changed very much at all. Was fate truly impossible to alter?

Why had he been given hope only to be placed once again at the edge of a precipice?

Merely because he was insignificant cannon fodder?

Qi Mu took two distracted steps. When he raised his head, his gaze met Jiang Shao’s.

The young man remained standing there with lazy impatience, his dark eyes cold. Although he was clearly unhappy, he had nevertheless waited.

Yet the moment Qi Mu saw him, something sour seemed to flood his chest. The anxiety and pressure that had accumulated over the past several days mingled with the resentment and indignation he had suppressed deep inside. His lungs, which had long felt constricted, swelled as though they were about to burst.

Upon seeing the culprit responsible for everything in his dream, the final thread holding him together finally snapped.

He no longer wanted to suppress himself or endure.

Qi Mu said coldly, “You haven’t left yet?”

Jiang Shao had not expected that after waiting outside for so long, all he would receive was Qi Mu’s cold remark. His eyes widened in astonishment, as though he had heard something utterly inconceivable.

But this time—

The man who was ordinarily gentle and good-tempered did not spare him another glance. He neither reprimanded nor placated him. With a cold expression, he turned and left without hesitation.

On the journey back—

Neither man spoke inside the car.

They did not exchange a single word before returning to the company.

Jiang Shao silently stood outside Qi Mu’s office, watching the man’s cold retreating figure and the door that was mercilessly closed in his face. At last, he confirmed one thing: Qi Mu was genuinely angry this time.

Qi Mu, who had previously remained perfectly composed no matter how Jiang Shao tested him and had never revealed the slightest displeasure, had finally lost his temper with him and displayed another side he had never shown before.

Was this the real Qi Mu that Jiang Shao had wanted to see?

Then why did he not feel pleased?

…

That evening, after everyone else had left the company and the night had grown quiet, the breeze drifting through the window gradually restored Qi Mu’s composure.

He knew that he had taken some of his anger out on Jiang Shao that day. After all, Jiang Shao had done nothing this time. Liu Long had merely wanted to exploit the opportunity to make things difficult for Qi Corporation. Even without Jiang Shao, Liu Long would not have readily agreed to Qi Mu’s proposal. Jiang Shao had simply happened to put himself in the line of fire and provided Liu Long with a convenient excuse to lash out…

Qi Mu should not have lost control because of that.

Losing his temper with a Long Aotian was highly risky. However, Qi Mu was the company’s president. During such an important negotiation, it would have been unreasonable for him to remain completely unmoved after an employee behaved so rudely. That might even have aroused Jiang Shao’s suspicions… Besides, nothing Qi Mu said at the time had been excessive. From the perspective of normal behavior and logic, there had been no problem.

Moreover, Jiang Shao had not become angry, had he? That showed he did not mind Qi Mu’s words.

He probably would not do anything because of them.

Therefore, the true problem at present was not Jiang Shao, but Liu Long.

Anger could not resolve anything. Qi Mu calmly reviewed every detail of that day’s negotiation. Liu Long had clearly wanted to use the opportunity to gain leverage over him, but Qi Mu did not yet know what cards Liu Long held and was therefore in an extremely passive position.

For now, he could only seek solutions from other directions. First, he needed to uncover Liu Long’s position so he would know how to respond during their next discussion. Alternatively, he could search his network for someone capable of mediating… The situation was difficult, but it had not yet become irreversible.

While Qi Mu was deep in thought, the office telephone rang.

Qi Mu was slightly startled.

Who would call his office so late?

Despite his confusion, Qi Mu answered.

A polite and respectful male voice sounded through the receiver. “May I ask whether this is President Qi Mu?”

Qi Mu replied seriously, “Yes.”

The other man’s tone became even warmer. “Hello, President Qi. I am Chairman Cheng Huai Song’s secretary. Chairman Cheng has learned about your situation and specifically instructed me to call you. He greatly admires your company’s honest and responsible attitude and is willing to maintain a positive partnership with your company. May I ask whether President Qi has time to visit tomorrow and meet with Chairman Cheng for a detailed discussion?”

Qi Mu’s face filled with disbelief, as though an unexpected windfall had dropped from the sky and struck him senseless. He did not answer for a long while.

When the other man received no response, he called, “President Qi? President Qi, can you hear me?”

Qi Mu stared fixedly at the caller information. Judging by the number displayed, it truly was a call from Song’an Group. So… this should not be some kind of telephone scam…

After a long pause, Qi Mu finally recovered his voice, though he still sounded somewhat dazed.

“I heard you. Please tell Chairman Cheng that I will arrive on time.”

…

At the same time—

Inside the employee dormitory—

Jiang Shao turned over in bed again and opened his eyes in the darkness for the third time.

Although Qi Mu had lost his temper with him that day, that itself demonstrated that Qi Mu probably did not know his identity and had not previously been trying to win his favor deliberately… Moreover, his rational mind told him that as company president, Qi Mu’s degree of anger had been entirely reasonable. It could even be considered restrained.

Qi Mu had done nothing wrong.

Yet the stifling irritation in Jiang Shao’s heart refused to dissipate.

Jiang Shao stared coldly into the darkness for several minutes before sitting up and calling Lu Jin Wen.

Lu Jin Wen had just finished a meeting with an overseas business partner and had not yet gone to bed. When he saw the incoming call, he answered immediately.

“Investigate Liu Long of Song’an Group for me. See whether he has done anything dirty.”

Hearing the icy voice through the receiver, Lu Jin Wen immediately regretted answering. Was it too late to pretend he had already fallen asleep?

Lu Jin Wen chose his words carefully. “How did he offend you?”

Jiang Shao replied, “He made me wait for forty-five minutes and thirty-eight seconds today.”

Lu Jin Wen: “…”

Speechlessness stretched into a prolonged silence.

Lu Jin Wen knew precisely how skilled Jiang Shao was at patience and concealment. He could plan toward a goal for an extremely long time and had understood how to disguise himself even as a teenager. Whenever he behaved like an arrogant, spoiled playboy, it was invariably because he wanted others to perceive him that way… In brief, Jiang Shao was not someone who would act against another person over something so trivial. On the contrary, every person he dealt with served a particular purpose.

This excuse was simply too ridiculous.

But before Lu Jin Wen could voice his doubts—

Jiang Shao added, “And he doesn’t look like a good person.”

Lu Jin Wen’s speechlessness became deeper and vaster than the ocean. Rather than believe Jiang Shao had transformed into a righteous champion who punished evil and promoted good, he would sooner believe that Jiang Shao was a spoiled young master who caused trouble whenever someone displeased him…

However, Lu Jin Wen could now tell that Jiang Shao clearly had no intention of revealing the true reason. He wisely stopped asking.

He sighed in resignation. “Understood.”

Although Lu Jin Wen had no idea how Liu Long had offended this formidable ancestor, Liu Long now had only one possible way to emerge unscathed—

He had better pray that he was truly as clean as a blank sheet of paper.

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