Yu Yue Ning had not yet had time to wonder why Jiang Shao’s attitude had suddenly changed when his attention was immediately diverted by that last sentence. He raised his voice. “What’s wrong with my methods?”
Jiang Shao answered calmly and methodically, “Since Qi Mu normally keeps his distance from women and lives such an abstinent life, that means he must be very picky when it comes to relationships. How could any of those run-of-the-mill pretty faces you found possibly catch his eye?”
Yu Yue Ning was not very pleased that the people he had so painstakingly chosen were being dismissed as “run-of-the-mill pretty faces,” but he also had to admit that Jiang Shao seemed to have a point…
Yu Yue Ning pursed his lips. “You think I don’t know they’re nothing special? But what else am I supposed to do? Qi Mu doesn’t even like my little sister, Yu Yue Ke, and my sister is already the smartest and most beautiful girl in the entire world! Where am I supposed to find someone better than her? I was desperate enough to try anything!”
Jiang Shao’s gaze shifted.
So Yu Yue Ke is Yu Yue Ning’s younger sister. She and Qi Mu aren’t in that kind of relationship either.
His mood seemed to improve even further.
Jiang Shao suppressed the corners of his mouth before they could rise too noticeably. He put on a thoughtful expression, then said after a moment, “I understand. As compensation for ruining your plans yesterday, I’ll help you.”
Even someone as slow as Yu Yue Ning began to sense something was wrong after such a complete one-hundred-and-eighty-degree reversal.
He looked warily at Jiang Shao. “You’ll help me? How?”
Jiang Shao looked perfectly open and sincere as he explained slowly, “You may be Qi Mu’s best friend, but you don’t spend much time together, so you don’t know much about his day-to-day movements. You might not know much about his current… mm, preferences either. But as his assistant, I’m with him five days a week. I’m much more familiar with what he’s doing, and you’ve already seen how much he trusts and values me. Naturally, I can help you.”
Yu Yue Ning was nearly stunned into submission by the logic.
He had to admit Jiang Shao made some sense. Qi Mu was such a workaholic that he spent far more time with work than with Yu Yue Ning. Since Jiang Shao was his work assistant, he probably did know Qi Mu’s schedule better.
If Yu Yue Ning had an inside man like this at Qi Mu’s side to tip him off, wouldn’t it become much easier to help Qi Mu find a partner?
To be honest, Yu Yue Ning was tempted.
Still, he looked suspiciously at Jiang Shao. “You’ll really help me?”
Jiang Shao had looked downright murderous only moments ago. Yu Yue Ning had thought he was about to get beaten up! Now Jiang Shao had not only backed down completely but was even bizarrely offering to help him. It was far too suspicious. Yu Yue Ning was not an idiot—he was not that easy to fool!
Jiang Shao sighed helplessly. “I misunderstood Young Master Yu before. I didn’t know you were President Qi’s good friend. Surely Young Master Yu can be magnanimous enough not to hold a lowly working stiff’s mistake against him.”
Yu Yue Ning studied Jiang Shao’s face closely, as though determined to find some evidence that he was lying. But after staring for a long while, he found nothing.
All he saw was Jiang Shao’s sincere expression and unwavering gaze, looking positively upright and righteous…
Could that really be what he thinks?
Was everything before genuinely just a misunderstanding?
Yu Yue Ning was the sort of person who responded to kindness rather than force. If Jiang Shao had continued opposing him head-on, then one of them absolutely would have needed to establish who came out on top today. But Jiang Shao had lowered himself this much and even admitted fault. If Yu Yue Ning continued making trouble for some ordinary working stiff, he would only make himself look petty.
Young Master Yu was certainly not the kind of person who bullied the weak!
Still, some doubts remained in his heart, and given how hostile they had been only moments ago, he could not bring himself to soften immediately. He merely gave a noncommittal little snort.
Jiang Shao did not seem bothered in the slightest. Seeing this, he smiled faintly and practically spelled things out for him. “I haven’t been at the company long and didn’t know Young Master Yu before, which is why we had this misunderstanding. Now I know you’re President Qi’s good friend and that everything you do is for his sake. If I can help you, then I’m helping President Qi too. And when your matchmaking finally succeeds someday, I’m sure Young Master Yu won’t forget the help I gave you.”
Yu Yue Ning suddenly understood.
So that’s why Jiang Shao’s attitude changed so suddenly.
Now that Jiang Shao knew Yu Yue Ning was Qi Mu’s best friend, he wanted to curry favor with him and get something out of it!
Ha. I knew it.
I’m Qi Mu’s best friend, after all. What does Jiang Shao amount to?
He was merely an employee trying to ingratiate himself with his boss.
Now that Jiang Shao had revealed his “real” motive—
The last trace of suspicion in Yu Yue Ning’s heart finally disappeared.
Yu Yue Ning completely lowered his guard and lifted his chin smugly. “At least you know how things work.”
Jiang Shao merely smiled without replying.
Yu Yue Ning’s expression softened as well.
Since Jiang Shao had taken the initiative to make peace, and Yu Yue Ning needed an inside man like him anyway, he gave Jiang Shao an easygoing grin. “Fine. From now on, you’re my friend.”
Jiang Shao replied modestly, “It’s my honor to be of service to Young Master Yu.”
Yu Yue Ning was naturally straightforward and hearty. He gave Jiang Shao a heavy slap on the shoulder. “Don’t be so formal when you talk to me. I don’t like it. Besides, since we’re friends now, there’s no need to be so distant. Just call me by my name. Guess we wouldn’t have gotten to know each other without that little clash, right?”
The corner of Jiang Shao’s mouth twitched from the slap. His gaze lingered deeply on Yu Yue Ning’s hand for a moment before he barely managed to maintain a calm tone. “Right.”
Yu Yue Ning had no idea that within the span of a single day, his right hand had now come close to being broken for the second time.
He happily said, “Come on, come on. Let’s add each other first.”
Jiang Shao took out his phone, scanned Yu Yue Ning’s code, and added him. Then he continued coaxing him along. “If you have any plans in the future, tell me first. I can help you think them through.”
Yu Yue Ning suspected nothing and grinned. “Sure, sure.”
At last, someone could help him come up with ideas. He was no longer fighting this battle alone. With that thought, even Jiang Shao became much more pleasing to the eye. The guy might look frightening, but he was actually very sensible and knew how to conduct himself.
No wonder Qi Mu valued him so highly.
Yu Yue Ning hooked an arm around Jiang Shao’s shoulders and said earnestly, “Thanks, brother. If Qi Mu really does find someone in the future, you’ll be the number-one contributor! I definitely won’t forget what you did for me.”
Jiang Shao put away his phone and smiled faintly. “Brother Yu, you’re too kind.”
…
Qi Mu spent the entire day in meetings.
By the time they ended, the workday was nearly over.
Zhan Xiao Hui came over with some documents for Qi Mu to sign.
After Qi Mu finished signing them, Zhan Xiao Hui still did not leave, so he asked gently, “Is there something else?”
Zhan Xiao Hui thought for a moment. “President Qi, Young Master Yu came looking for you today.”
Qi Mu paused. “Yu Yue Ning?”
Yu Yue Ning almost never came to his company. Why had he suddenly shown up today?
Qi Mu did not think much of it and casually asked, “Has he left?”
Zhan Xiao Hui replied, “I don’t think so.”
Qi Mu looked surprised. Yu Yue Ning was such an impatient person. He was actually still here? If he had not left, then why had he not come looking for Qi Mu?
Puzzled, Qi Mu asked, “Where is he now?”
Zhan Xiao Hui said, “He might still be up on the rooftop with Jiang Shao.”
Qi Mu nearly thought he had misheard her. His expression changed immediately. “Who did you say he was with?”
Zhan Xiao Hui had originally considered this nothing more than routine reporting, but seeing President Qi suddenly become this nervous, and remembering that the two men had been gone on the rooftop for so long, she became nervous too. If she had known, she would have told President Qi much earlier. Carefully, she repeated, “Jiang Shao.”
Qi Mu’s face went pale. “How long have they been up there?”
Zhan Xiao Hui answered uneasily, “More than an hour…”
Qi Mu’s vision went dark.
He nearly fainted.
Zhan Xiao Hui asked worriedly, “President Qi, are you all right?”
Qi Mu did not answer. Instead, he abruptly sprang to his feet and rushed past her—
Zhan Xiao Hui stared dumbfounded at his rapidly disappearing back. This was the first time she had ever seen President Qi so flustered that he completely forgot about maintaining his image.
Could something serious really have happened?
…
With his thoughts in chaos, Qi Mu ran to the elevators and repeatedly jabbed at the call button. But today, the elevators seemed exceptionally slow. It was also the end of the workday, so they stopped on nearly every floor. All four elevators seemed frozen in place, the bright red numbers flickering while, at the most urgent possible moment, time appeared to have congealed.
No.
There isn’t enough time.
Without hesitation, Qi Mu turned and ran toward the emergency stairwell.
He climbed more than ten floors without stopping once, but just as he was about to reach the final level, his steps abruptly stopped.
Qi Mu gripped the stair railing tightly with both hands, panting heavily. Sweat ran down his temples, and the veins stood out across his hands from how hard he was gripping the rail.
During those few short minutes of climbing—
With every step—
That nightmare had replayed in his mind.
In the dream, it had been a moonless, windswept night, also on an empty rooftop. In the howling cold wind, Yu Yue Ning lay barely alive with his leg broken, staring at Jiang Shao with hatred yet utterly helpless. Jiang Shao, meanwhile, looked down at him from above, Yu Yue Ke held in his arms with tears filling her eyes.
For Yu Yue Ke’s sake, Jiang Shao had deigned to show mercy and contemptuously spared Yu Yue Ning’s life.
If such a ridiculous scene appeared in a television drama, Qi Mu would have mocked it as clichéd, boring, and painfully pretentious.
But if this was the real life Yu Yue Ning was about to face—
Qi Mu simply could not look at such an absurd, ridiculous situation with the detached attitude of a spectator.
Especially when Qi Mu himself had already derailed whatever was supposed to happen between Yu Yue Ke and Jiang Shao.
This time, no one would be there to plead for Yu Yue Ning…
What would Jiang Shao do?
Am I destined to fail to stop it this time too?
Qi Mu did not dare keep thinking. He could only hope he had not arrived too late.
He told himself not to panic. He had to stay calm. Something did not necessarily have to happen. Things did not necessarily have to unfold that way.
It was broad daylight. There were still so many people at the company, and plenty of people had seen the two of them leave together…
Jiang Shao might be cold-blooded, ruthless, and vindictive, but he was meticulous enough never to leave himself vulnerable. Even if he really intended to harm Yu Yue Ning, he would not choose this time and place. That would make it difficult for Jiang Shao himself to escape responsibility.
So Jiang Shao would not kill Yu Yue Ning right now…
Yet despite everything reason told him, Qi Mu’s legs continued trembling. There were only a few final steps left, but he could not make himself move…
He could not stop himself from thinking: if Jiang Shao had not done anything, then why had neither of them come down after so long? Why had Yu Yue Ning never come looking for him?
Was there really anything an utterly unrestrained Long Aotian wouldn’t do?
What right do I have to assume Jiang Shao will think like a normal person and behave like one? Jiang Shao never follows the normal playbook. Besides, even if he really does something, heaven itself will still stand on his side.
So nothing was impossible.
Qi Mu’s heart felt unbearably heavy.
Just beyond one more turn—
Was the door leading to the rooftop.
Qi Mu stared steadily ahead, drew a deep breath, and finally took that step.
Whatever the result—
He could no longer hesitate or retreat.
With the resolve of someone who had burned all bridges behind him, Qi Mu raised his eyes toward the door in front of him—
Only to see the rooftop door standing wide open as cold wind poured inside. Two figures slowly approached against the light…
Jiang Shao and Yu Yue Ning, walking shoulder to shoulder with their arms around each other, chatting and laughing.
Qi Mu: “?”
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