They were about to leave.
Lu Jin Wen clasped Qi Mu’s hand tightly in both of his and said with feeling, “I had a wonderful time today. Let’s get together again another day, President Qi.”
Anyone who could keep Jiang Shao this firmly under control was absolutely someone Lu Jin Wen wanted as a friend!
Qi Mu replied politely, “Whenever President Lu has time, I’ll be happy to join you.”
Lu Jin Wen said “good” several times, clearly delighted. Before getting into his car, he glanced at Jiang Shao behind Qi Mu and flashed him a subtle, fleeting look of triumph.
Then, with a wave of his sleeve, he breezed away.
Jiang Shao coldly watched Lu Jin Wen’s car disappear. He endured it, then endured it some more, but finally couldn’t resist saying to Qi Mu, “Watch out for that old fox.”
Qi Mu was completely baffled.
Wasn’t Lu Jin Wen the one you called over?
What kind of act are you putting on now?
Before Qi Mu could test the waters, however, Jiang Shao turned and walked away without looking back.
Qi Mu: “…”
Forget it. Who could possibly guess what goes on in Long Aotian’s head?
The next day, Qi Mu went to work as usual.
Someone from Shunxun Technology called him. The man introduced himself as a vice president overseeing the relevant business area and said President Lu had assigned him to coordinate with Qi Corporation and discuss the upcoming procurement arrangement.
Qi Mu thought, Now this is a normal business process.
And compared with an ordinary partnership, sending a vice president was already quite high-level treatment. The man seemed easy to deal with and was perfectly courteous toward Qi Mu.
After the initial discussion, both companies assigned dedicated personnel to handle the remaining work.
Qi Mu gave the project to Zhan Xiao Hui and had Jiang Shao assist her from the side. After all, Qi Mu could hardly make this formidable ancestor do the actual grunt work, but Lu Jin Wen had very obviously come to support Jiang Shao, so excluding Jiang Shao from the project would not do either. Having Zhan Xiao Hui take the lead while Jiang Shao assisted was the most appropriate arrangement.
Zhan Xiao Hui was full of motivation.
And she did not mind Jiang Shao slacking off and coasting in the slightest.
President Qi had entrusted the Shunxun Technology project to her. That was recognition of her abilities and an opportunity for her to prove herself. Zhan Xiao Hui was ambitious enough to understand that. As for Jiang Shao, if the man had connections powerful enough to get them access to someone like Lu Jin Wen, then landing a job through connections was still a skill of its own, wasn’t it?
As a working adult, Zhan Xiao Hui understood perfectly. Even President Qi treated this formidable ancestor like something precious. What opinion could a lowly employee like her possibly have?
Jiang Shao was no longer merely some relative of President Qi’s. He was the company’s God of Wealth!
Three days later.
Shunxun Technology sent over its draft contract.
Qi Mu looked at the contract with mixed emotions.
Neither before that dream nor after it had he ever imagined that he might cooperate with Lu Jin Wen. Yet now a client like Shunxun Technology had simply been delivered to his doorstep with almost no effort.
A contract countless companies could only dream of holding was right there in his hands.
All because Long Aotian worked at his company.
Qi Mu pressed his forehead in frustration. Before, he had not dared fire Jiang Shao. Now that Lu Jin Wen had extended such a valuable olive branch, firing him had become even more difficult.
Qi Mu genuinely could not tell whether this was a blessing or a curse.
…
Qi Mu took a client like Shunxun Technology extremely seriously.
One afternoon half a month later, he gathered the relevant staff for a short meeting in his office.
Both Zhan Xiao Hui and Jiang Shao attended.
Qi Mu instructed Zhan Xiao Hui, “The R&D Department needs to find a way to meet every requirement Shunxun Technology has raised. If there are any difficulties, report directly to me. The company will provide whatever support is necessary. If we handle this order well and establish a solid reputation, we’ll be able to win more orders in the future. It’s also an opportunity for us to improve ourselves.”
Zhan Xiao Hui took notes as she nodded. “I’ll stay on top of it.”
Qi Mu continued, “The factory needs to prepare in advance, and procurement of raw materials has to keep pace. Once production begins, quality has to be guaranteed. We absolutely cannot afford any mistakes.”
Zhan Xiao Hui said she understood.
For the most part, Qi Mu and Zhan Xiao Hui did the talking while Jiang Shao sat to the side listening with obvious boredom.
Halfway through the meeting—
Qi Mu’s phone suddenly rang. He glanced down, answered it, and rose to walk toward the window. “Hello?”
Yu Yue Ning’s boisterous voice came through the phone. “It’s my birthday today! Don’t you dare be late!”
Qi Mu replied, “I know. Stop nagging.”
Yu Yue Ning snorted. “If I thought you knew, I wouldn’t need to call. The moment you start working, you forget to eat or sleep. If you’re late today, I’m not letting you off.”
Qi Mu laughed helplessly. “All right, all right. I’m still in a meeting. See you later.”
Then he hung up.
Jiang Shao watched Qi Mu’s back, his gaze darkening slightly.
Qi Mu almost never answered personal calls while working. No—it would be more accurate to say this was the first time Jiang Shao had ever seen him answer a call unrelated to work.
Ever since Jiang Shao joined Qi Mu’s company and got to know him, Qi Mu seemed to spend every day consumed by work. Everything he did revolved around business. He was practically a workaholic with no private life at all. Even his interactions with Fang Ming Qian existed only because of work.
But now Qi Mu had actually interrupted a meeting to answer a phone call. Jiang Shao had no idea what the other person had said, but he could tell that Qi Mu was planning to meet them that evening.
That familiar, relaxed, teasing tone was rare for Qi Mu as well. It was nothing like the courteous politeness he had shown Fang Ming Qian when they first met. This sounded like someone he had known for many years.
Who was it?
Who could make Qi Mu put work aside to answer a call and act so familiar with them?
Jiang Shao had been in a fairly good mood before, but for some inexplicable reason, he suddenly felt uncomfortable. Before he could even figure out why—
Qi Mu had already walked back.
He told the two of them, “That’s enough for today. You can head out.”
Jiang Shao’s expression instantly darkened.
He’s even ending the meeting early.
Just so he can go meet that person, right?
…
Yu Yue Ning had booked the largest private room at the club and invited his friends to his birthday party.
Qi Mu deliberately left work early and arrived punctually before seven.
Quite a few young men and women were already inside the private room. Most belonged to City C’s wealthy second-generation crowd, and when Qi Mu arrived, they all greeted him.
Qi Mu responded with a polite smile.
Yu Yue Ning walked over, threw an arm around Qi Mu’s shoulders, and pulled him down to sit beside him. Laughing, he said, “Busy man! You’re normally impossible to see.”
Qi Mu glanced at him. “Didn’t we see each other less than a month ago?”
Yu Yue Ning snorted. “You have the nerve to say that when we meet once a month? If a married couple only saw each other that often, they’d end up divorced sooner or later.”
Qi Mu looked thoughtful. “Good thing we aren’t married.”
Yu Yue Ning clutched his chest with a deeply wounded expression, making everyone else laugh.
Qi Mu laughed too.
Of course, he had only been joking.
He and Yu Yue Ning had grown up together as childhood friends. They would not grow distant simply because they rarely saw each other. They were the kind of friends who might not meet often, but if anything happened, either of them would immediately be there for the other.
They saw each other less often simply because their paths had diverged as they grew older.
Qi Mu had chosen to inherit the family business and become a proper successor, while Yu Yue Ning was determined to spend his life in carefree indulgence. Most of the people around Yu Yue Ning were equally fond of partying and had little ambition. Qi Mu, meanwhile, was constantly busy with work, so the amount of time they spent together had gradually decreased.
The private room was extremely lively.
Yu Yue Ning had always had a wide circle of friends, and all kinds of people had come today. They did share one thing in common, though: they talked about racing, celebrities, women, men, art, and practically anything else, but never work.
Put plainly, they were all professional partiers who had no need to inherit the family business.
Qi Mu had little in common with them. He picked up a glass of red wine and raised it toward Yu Yue Ning. “Happy birthday.”
It was Yu Yue Ning’s birthday, so Qi Mu naturally had to give him some face. His stomach had been doing much better lately, and a little low-alcohol red wine would not hurt. With that, Qi Mu took a sip.
Yu Yue Ning looked almost flattered as he raised his own glass and drained it in one gulp.
Looking at Qi Mu’s eternally serious demeanor, Yu Yue Ning’s eyes turned sly. He affectionately hooked an arm around Qi Mu’s neck and said mysteriously, “I prepared a surprise for you.”
Qi Mu looked puzzled. “It’s your birthday. Why did you prepare a surprise for me?”
Yu Yue Ning clapped his hands. Someone immediately took the cue, turned around, and brought in an entire group of people.
There were men and women, fresh-faced ones and glamorous ones, muscular ones and refined ones. Men and women alike crowded toward Qi Mu until they had completely surrounded him.
Everyone else in the private room was entirely accustomed to scenes like this and watched with grinning amusement.
A jumble of perfume and other scents washed over him. Qi Mu immediately stiffened in discomfort and frowned at Yu Yue Ning in confusion. Yu Yue Ning has always been a playboy, but at least he used to date people one at a time. He never played around this wildly or chaotically before.
What’s gotten into him today?
Qi Mu did not particularly like this kind of scene. He frowned reproachfully at Yu Yue Ning and was just about to tell him to stop fooling around—
When Yu Yue Ning swept out one hand grandly and announced, “They’re all for you! Surprised? Excited?”
Qi Mu: “…”
Yu Yue Ning looked at Qi Mu with the expression of someone bitterly disappointed by a hopeless student. “You’re my best friend, but you’re still single even now. Does that make any sense? My greatest wish in life is to live long enough to see you finally stop being single.”
“There’s every possible type here today. I refuse to believe not a single one catches your eye!” Yu Yue Ning looked completely confident.
Everyone in the room immediately began cheering and teasing him.
One wealthy young heiress attending the party even winked flirtatiously at Qi Mu and enthusiastically called out, “Brother Mu, why don’t you take a look at me? I’m available too!”
Qi Mu: “…”
He was beginning to regret coming.
…
The private rooms at the club were extremely well soundproofed. Yu Yue Ning’s room downstairs was practically exploding with noise, yet upstairs it was perfectly quiet, without even the faintest sound carrying through.
Inside a dimly lit private room—
Jiang Shao sat leaning back on a sofa with his fingers interlaced. Most of his body disappeared into shadow, his sharp profile and jawline tense. A dark, brooding aura surrounded him, making him look like some cold-blooded vampire who had just awakened from a deep sleep in a terrible temper and was deliberately suppressing his irritation.
Lu Jin Wen sat very far away from him.
He was a smart man and had no intention of provoking Jiang Shao while he was in this mood.
Lu Jin Wen coughed lightly and spoke with considerable tact. “Didn’t you say you didn’t want anyone discovering our relationship? Why did you ask me to meet here? There are people everywhere. What if someone sees us?”
Jiang Shao replied sarcastically, “I got you out of trouble and did you a huge favor, so you were extremely grateful and rewarded me with an order. Isn’t that the story you came up with? Even if someone sees us, you can just say we’re meeting because of what happened last time.”
It was obvious now. Jiang Shao really was in a bad mood.
Something shifted in Lu Jin Wen’s eyes. There was only one person he could think of who could anger Jiang Shao this badly without Jiang Shao already exploding and causing a scene: Qi Mu. After all, even when facing Jiang Zong Chao, this guy had never been willing to swallow the slightest grievance.
Could Qi Mu be here too?
Sigh. I’m the president of Shunxun Technology. Am I seriously supposed to serve as a relationship expert now too? That costs extra.
Lu Jin Wen’s voice remained mild and soothing. “I pushed back several meetings just to come here with you. If there’s nothing you need, I’m leaving.”
He gave a long sigh. “Time is money.”
Jiang Shao was already irritated. Seeing Lu Jin Wen acting like the sly, calculating type who never lifted a finger unless there was something in it for him only made his temper worse. He gave a cold laugh. “You never properly cleaned up the situation with Li Xin last time. Don’t you have anything to say about that?”
Lu Jin Wen paused midway through standing up.
He gave an awkward laugh. “Didn’t everything get resolved perfectly?”
Jiang Shao scoffed. “If Qi Mu hadn’t shown up, how exactly were you planning to resolve it?”
Lu Jin Wen thought, Who settles old scores like this? Didn’t we already put that whole thing behind us? You wait this long before coming after me, and you expect me to believe this is really about Li Xin? More likely you swallowed some frustration from Qi Mu and came here to take your temper out on me.
I’m one of your boss’s biggest clients now.
Times had changed, and Lu Jin Wen had no intention of continuing to indulge this formidable ancestor. He snorted. “If you want to see Qi Mu, then go see him. What’s so impressive about sitting here taking your temper out on me?”
Jiang Shao’s face darkened. “What does this have to do with Qi Mu—”
Seeing how defensive Jiang Shao had become, Lu Jin Wen suddenly lost all desire to leave. He leisurely sat back down, lifted his teacup, and gently blew across the surface. “True. Maybe you shouldn’t go after all. You might ruin someone else’s good time. Since I’m already here, why don’t I stay and have some tea while we talk about your feelings?”
Jiang Shao: “…”
…
Qi Mu was surrounded by men and women, with voices and laughter rising all around him beneath the deafening music in the private room. His head was beginning to ache. He tried to stand up and leave, but Yu Yue Ning pressed firmly against his shoulder and refused to let him get up.
The room was so noisy that Yu Yue Ning leaned close to his ear and shouted, “Just pick one!”
Qi Mu completely ignored him. A young male college student beside him reached over to touch his hand and leaned closer. Qi Mu hurriedly drew his hand back, feeling as though he had somehow fallen into Pansi Cave, trapped with no way to escape.
Elio’s Notes: Pansi Cave (盘丝洞, literally “Webbed Cave”) is the lair of the spider demons in Journey to the West. Tang Sanzang is captured there by seven female spider spirits, making Qi Mu’s comparison especially fitting while he is surrounded and unable to escape.
Qi Mu looked speechlessly at Yu Yue Ning and was just about to say that he was leaving first—
When a sudden click sounded from the front of the room.
There had been no knock.
The door was abruptly shoved open from outside.
Cold air rushed in through the dark doorway.
Qi Mu instinctively looked up and found himself staring straight at Jiang Shao’s cold face. He froze.
Why is Jiang Shao here?
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