Qi Mu threw himself back into his busy workload.
Some time ago, the company had signed its contract with Professor Lai, and the promised R&D funding had already been transferred. However, there were still substantial amounts that would need to be paid in installments later. On top of that, the company had recently secured contracts with Lu Jin Wen and Fang Ming Qian in quick succession. Production and R&D were already being put into motion, and purchasing raw materials would require another large sum of money. With expenses piling up everywhere, the company’s cash flow had become somewhat tight.
Solving the funding problem was currently the company’s top priority, leaving Qi Mu no time for the moment to think about Jiang Shao.
While looking for new sources of financing, Qi Mu also contacted the bank to discuss a loan.
Qi Corporation had maintained a long-term relationship with Development Bank, and Qi Mu was on good personal terms with President Zhou there. The two arranged to meet after work that Friday to discuss matters.
As the end of the workday approached, Qi Mu called Zhan Xiao Hui over. “I’m meeting President Zhou tonight. Print me a copy of the company’s development plan.”
Zhan Xiao Hui nodded.
She quickly printed a copy, organized it neatly in a folder, and delivered it to Qi Mu.
When she returned to the President’s Office—
She discovered that Jiang Shao had gotten up at some point and was standing in front of her desk. In an ordinary tone, he asked, “President Qi is going out tonight?”
Zhan Xiao Hui replied, “Yeah.”
She looked thoughtfully at Jiang Shao. Jiang Shao had been remarkably proactive at work these past few days, never arriving late or leaving early, and his entire attitude had changed considerably. Yet President Qi never seemed to seek him out anymore. Somehow, it gave her the strange impression that the two of them were having a cold war…
Pah, pah, pah. What nonsense am I thinking?
Still curious, Zhan Xiao Hui asked, “What did you and Young Master Yu go out to do last time?”
Did he offend President Qi or something?
Jiang Shao looked perfectly calm and open. “Nothing. Young Master Yu and I had a misunderstanding, but we’ve already cleared it up.”
Seeing that she was not going to get anything out of him, Zhan Xiao Hui was a little disappointed but did not press the issue. After all, everyone had things they did not want to talk about.
She picked up the office phone and began dialing. Driver Zhou had recently taken leave because of a personal matter. Since President Qi was going out that evening, she was about to call one of the other drivers when Jiang Shao suddenly pressed the receiver back down with a sharp click.
Zhan Xiao Hui looked up at him in surprise.
Jiang Shao said, “I don’t have anything going on. I’ll accompany President Qi tonight.”
“Huh?” Zhan Xiao Hui was somewhat surprised. After thinking about it, she said, “Then go tell President Qi yourself.”
Jiang Shao smiled. “Of course.”
…
Qi Mu finished organizing the documents he needed. Seeing that it was almost time, he got up and went downstairs to the parking garage.
His car was parked in its reserved space.
The headlights were on.
The driver was probably already waiting.
Without even looking up, Qi Mu got into the car, gave the location of that evening’s dinner, and said, “Let’s go.”
A low voice came from the front. “Mm.”
Qi Mu paused and looked up.
Jiang Shao was sitting in the driver’s seat.
Jiang Shao turned and smiled at him. “Driver Zhou had something come up and took leave.”
Qi Mu frowned slightly.
Even if Driver Zhou was on leave, there were other people. It was not as though the company only had one driver. Why had Jiang Shao volunteered for this?
Before Qi Mu could ask, Jiang Shao said, “Driver Liu and Driver Zhao both have families. I’m the only single guy here, with no family in this city, and I don’t have anything to do tonight anyway. Let them go home and have dinner with their families. I’ll accompany President Qi.”
Qi Mu: …How considerate of you.
Qi Mu knew that once Jiang Shao made a decision, he was not someone who changed his mind easily. There was no time to argue with him now either, so Qi Mu said nothing more. He sat in the back and began going through documents and making calls, treating Jiang Shao as though he really were nothing more than the driver.
Qi Mu worked the entire way.
Jiang Shao concentrated on driving the entire way.
Before long, the car stopped outside the restaurant.
Qi Mu was still on the phone, asking someone to arrange meetings with potential investors, and did not notice they had arrived. By the time he ended the call, the car door had already been opened from outside.
Jiang Shao had opened the door for him. Smiling, he said, “President Qi, we’re here.”
Qi Mu: “…”
At first, Qi Mu had not thought much of Jiang Shao volunteering to come along. But seeing him act this proactive and attentive now immediately set alarm bells ringing in Qi Mu’s head. With Long Aotian’s proud, unruly temperament, if Jiang Shao really wanted something, Qi Mu feared the whole of Qi Corporation might not be enough to satisfy him.
Qi Mu stared at him for a moment before slowly saying, “You don’t need to wait for me. Go back first.”
Jiang Shao lowered his eyes slightly. “President Qi, you’ll probably drink tonight, won’t you? If I leave, who’ll drive you home afterward?”
“You don’t need to worry about that.”
Is it that hard to call a designated driver?
But Jiang Shao did not move aside. After a moment of silence, he asked in a low voice, “Did I do something to offend President Qi?”
Qi Mu’s expression stiffened. “No.”
Jiang Shao looked at him seriously with his dark eyes. “If I haven’t, then why won’t you let me come with you? Please believe me, President Qi. I’ll work hard.”
Qi Mu: “…”
Normally, a boss did not need any particular reason for deciding whom to bring along. Anyone with a little tact naturally would not ask. But Jiang Shao’s tall body was blocking the car door, and he looked determined to get to the bottom of the matter before letting Qi Mu go. He was simply being shameless!
Qi Mu drew a deep breath and tugged at the corner of his mouth. “If you want to come, then come.”
If I don’t get out of this car soon, I’m going to be late!
Jiang Shao finally smiled again. He stepped aside, waited for Qi Mu to get out, closed the car door, and followed him inside.
Jiang Shao had better not cause trouble again tonight.
With that thought, Qi Mu pushed open the private-room door and entered.
President Zhou arrived not long afterward.
Before Qi Xiang Dong retired, he had already maintained a working relationship with Development Bank. Qi Mu later took over that connection and continued to maintain a good relationship with President Zhou.
The moment President Zhou entered, he smiled at Qi Mu. “President Qi, I hear Qi Corporation has been doing quite well lately.”
Qi Mu smiled modestly. “President Zhou is certainly well-informed. Nothing gets past you. But I actually came today because I need to ask you for some help.”
President Zhou’s expression became serious. “Tell me what you have in mind first.”
Qi Mu handed over the proposal he had prepared. “This is Qi Corporation’s development plan for the next three years. Based on the company’s development needs, I’d like to enter into a long-term strategic cooperation agreement with your bank and increase our credit line.”
President Zhou took the proposal and read through it carefully. More than ten minutes later, he smiled. “Qi Corporation really has been developing well lately. You’ve applied for several more patents, and you’ve also signed long-term cooperation agreements with Shunxun Technology and Tuoyuan Power. Given Qi Corporation’s prospects, I don’t think what you’re asking for will be a problem.”
Qi Mu quietly breathed a little easier.
President Zhou smiled. “Qi Corporation is already one of the bank’s important clients. This would benefit both sides. Once I’m back, I’ll take the matter to the committee and try to get it implemented as soon as possible.”
Qi Mu raised his glass. “Then thank you.”
President Zhou clinked glasses with him. “No need to be so polite.”
Seeing this, Jiang Shao frowned slightly, but in the end he said nothing.
President Zhou and Qi Mu had a good relationship, and neither of them drank much. They merely had a few light drinks, spending most of the meal eating and talking instead.
The atmosphere at the table was relaxed and pleasant.
From beginning to end, Jiang Shao sat quietly off to the side. He neither spoke nor caused trouble, sitting there so obediently that he looked like a perfectly sensible, qualified employee.
Eventually, the dinner finally ended.
Qi Mu got up to see President Zhou off.
Only then did he turn and look at Jiang Shao.
Jiang Shao had been unnaturally quiet tonight. He had not caused the slightest trouble. He hardly seemed like himself.
On the way back, Jiang Shao once again opened the car door for him.
Qi Mu: “…”
I really hope Long Aotian goes back to normal soon.
This version of him is honestly kind of terrifying.
The riverside avenue was wide and quiet at night. As the car moved smoothly along the road, Qi Mu looked through the reports on his tablet. The longer he read, the sleepier he became, until his eyelids began to feel too heavy to keep open.
Jiang Shao drove to Qi Mu’s apartment and parked in the underground garage. He was about to tell Qi Mu they had arrived when he turned around and discovered that Qi Mu had fallen asleep with his head tilted to one side.
Qi Mu was leaning against the seat with his eyes closed. Even his glasses had gone slightly crooked, and the tablet had slipped from his hand onto the seat. Yet even in his sleep, his brows were tightly drawn together, as though he were still worrying about work in his dreams.
Jiang Shao looked at Qi Mu’s exhausted face. His lips moved, but in the end, he could not bring himself to wake him.
He switched the car’s ventilation to outside-air mode and adjusted the temperature to something comfortable so Qi Mu could sleep peacefully. Only then did he open the door and get out, closing it with exceptional care for fear of disturbing him.
Standing outside the car, Jiang Shao frowned in thought. Since he worked in the President’s Office, he knew the company’s recent situation better than almost anyone.
He also knew what had been troubling Qi Mu lately.
Qi Mu could handle the bank side himself, but his attempts to secure outside financing had not been going particularly smoothly. He had been constantly running around and working himself ragged over it.
The hand in Jiang Shao’s trouser pocket lightly tapped against the edge of his phone. After a moment, he took the phone out and called Lu Jin Wen.
It took Lu Jin Wen a little while to answer.
Jiang Shao went straight to the point. “Qi Corporation has been looking for financing lately. Have someone from Jinjin contact him.”
Lu Jin Wen said, “Why don’t you call them yourself?”
Jiang Shao replied as though it were obvious. “You know it isn’t convenient for me to expose my identity. Besides, didn’t Qi Mu help you out of trouble last time? Shouldn’t you show him a little gratitude? You’re the most suitable person to handle this.”
Lu Jin Wen replied in a deliberately sarcastic tone, “How long ago was that already? You’re making it sound like he saved my life. Giving him a contract wasn’t enough, and now I’m supposed to hand him money too? What do you take me for, a philanthropist?”
Jiang Shao’s expression turned dark and foul. He ground his teeth. If it were convenient for him to appear personally, why would he need Lu Jin Wen at all?
He drew a deep breath. “Call it doing me a favor, all right?”
Lu Jin Wen chuckled. “You should’ve just said that from the beginning.”
Jiang Shao: “…”
Lu Jin Wen’s voice turned meaningful and teasing. “But why exactly are you doing all this? Did he save your life or something?”
Jiang Shao replied impatiently, “Just do what I asked. Why do you have so much nonsense to say?”
With a sharp click, Lu Jin Wen hung up.
Jiang Shao stared at the disconnected call in disbelief and immediately dialed again.
He demanded furiously, “You hung up on me?”
Lu Jin Wen replied, “I don’t enjoy talking on the phone with people who have no manners.”
Jiang Shao: “…”
Lu Jin Wen sighed leisurely. “Asking someone for a favor while acting like that… I think we should just forget it.”
Jiang Shao moved the phone farther away and glared at Lu Jin Wen’s name on the screen as though the daggers in his eyes could travel through the phone and carve that old fox to pieces from a distance.
A full minute passed before he raised the phone again and forced two words through gritted teeth. “Thank you.”
At last, Lu Jin Wen gave a soft laugh. “Since you’re asking so sincerely, I suppose I can reluctantly do you this favor.”
Jiang Shao finally laughed from sheer anger. The phone creaked beneath his grip, and he desperately wanted to smash it onto the ground. But the thought that the noise might wake Qi Mu made him forcibly restrain himself.
Instead, he viciously pressed the red end-call button.
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