The train from Tianhai City to Baihe took a full twelve hours.
When Jiang Chen woke up, he felt a slight soreness in his left shoulder.
He took off his sleep mask and saw that the girl who had been singing the other day was fast asleep, leaning against his shoulder.
He frowned, his instinct telling him that she had recognized who he was and was intentionally trying to get close to him.
It wasn't that he liked to assume the worst of people, but rather that he currently faced a fair share of malice.
There was never any shortage of people around him trying desperately to seduce him for financial gain.
Frowning, Jiang Chen woke her up directly.
"S-Sorry."
Lu Hongluan's cheeks flushed red as she apologized to Jiang Chen, "I really didn't mean to."
Jiang Chen said indifferently, "It's nothing."
Their conversation ended right there.
He had no intention of pursuing any further interaction.
Lu Hongluan was far too timid, her face flushed red the entire rest of the way.
This made Jiang Chen find her somewhat amusing.
Yet it was nothing more than amusement.
A while later, feeling a bit hungry, he bought a meal box.
Though the forty-five-yuan meal tasted awful, it at least filled his stomach.
However, when he returned after finishing his meal at the dining car, he saw Lu Hongluan eating a steamed corn bun with hot water from a thermos.
The dry corn bun was as bitter as the weather in the Northwest.
Jiang Chen frowned, instinctively assuming that Lu Hongluan was harboring even deeper schemes.
The salary for a resident singer at a Tianhai City bar was not low, not to mention that Lu Hongluan was pretty; to keep her, the boss would pay a monthly salary that, combined with support from fans, amounted to roughly fifteen to thirty thousand.
If she encountered wealthy patrons giving tips, her income would be even higher.
While this income wasn't enough to buy a house in Tianhai City, it certainly wasn't low enough to force her to live on a single corn bun.
He concluded that this was a deliberate facade put on to get close to him.
With his guard up, Jiang Chen returned to his seat and began browsing his messages.
Even though he wanted to take a vacation for a while, he couldn't completely ignore company matters.
There were still things that required his personal review.
Fortunately, he was quick at handling such matters and simply worked right there on the bullet train.
Mixed among these messages were some from Liang Hao.
"Damn, you went straight back to the Northwest? Were you hurt that badly by Su Zhi?"
Jiang Chen: "..."
He replied: "It's not about being heartbroken, I'm just a bit tired. I don't feel like working."
"Fine, fine, I believe you."
"When are you coming back?"
Jiang Chen: "Got business?"
"Didn't you ask me if anyone was interested in your company? Well, there really is an interested client. If you genuinely want to sell, I'll help set up a meeting. How does ten days from now sound?"
Jiang Chen: "Alright, thanks."
For Jiang Chen, his current company no longer provided any sense of accomplishment.
He wasn't someone with an overwhelming desire for power to begin with.
So, cashing out and walking away seemed like the better option.
While Jiang Chen was busy dealing with these matters, Lu Hongluan finally finished her corn bun and drank the rest of her water.
She instinctively rubbed her belly.
It felt a bit bloated, completely full.
This sensation gave her a strong sense of security and great comfort.
She instinctively narrowed her eyes, a look of bliss spreading across her face.
Just like a cat.
...
Tianhai City, Su Group, Hongmei Entertainment.
Su Zhi was busy reviewing some documents.
Despite suffering some setbacks in her romantic life, she still had to focus on matters beyond relationships.Currently, the artists of Hongmei Entertainment are not performing particularly well. Following the consecutive contract terminations of two ultra-high-traffic singers, the entire entertainment company's upward momentum has been abruptly halted.
She knows very well that this is the work of their competitors, but she is utterly powerless to do anything about it.
Fortunately, Hongmei Entertainment's cash flow remains relatively healthy, and there are no negative news scandals.
She just needs to proceed step-by-step and then cultivate and promote new talent.
Just as Su Zhi is handling her affairs, a voice message from Qin Yu arrives on her personal phone.
"A-Zhi, where are you? I haven't been back for too long, and I'm a bit unfamiliar with this city. Can you accompany me for a walk?"
He deliberately sends a voice message, his voice carrying a soft, charming tone.
Su Zhi freezes slightly.
She instinctively replies: "I'm still a bit busy right now. You should find some other friends."
She knows Qin Yu has plenty of friends; that very evening, quite a few people were at the airport to welcome him back to the country.
However, Qin Yu responds: "None of them are as considerate as you. Su Zhi, don't you want to accompany me?"
He knows full well that she has feelings for him.
Su Zhi instinctively feels her cheeks burning.
She softly says: "Alright."
...
"Brother Yu, if you ask me, you're still the best. So what if she's the daughter of the Su Family? She's still utterly wrapped around your finger."
At a night bar.
Qin Yu's fair-weather friends are all showering him with praise.
It all started when Qin Yu casually remarked to them: "Believe it or not, with just a single word from me, I can summon Su Zhi right over."
To men, women are inherently the best subject for gossip and bragging rights.
When someone said he didn't believe it, Qin Yu directly sent a message to Su Zhi, saying he wanted to tour the entirety of Tianhai City.
When he recorded a video of Su Zhi rushing over in a flurry of dust and shared it in their private group chat, quite a few of them were filled with admiration.
What else could they say about Su Zhi eagerly playing the role of a doormat?
They could only say that Brother Yu is truly awesome.
Qin Yu's smile is somewhat reserved, yet tinged with a trace of smugness.
He says: "Actually, I'm quite terrified too, hahaha."
Someone laughs and says: "I heard that while Brother Yu was away, Su Zhi found a substitute. Now that Brother Yu is back, she dumped that substitute straight away."
"Brother Yu, this beautiful CEO has truly fallen for you heart and soul."
He winks and makes facial gestures: "When are you going to become the son-in-law of the Su Family?"
Qin Yu waves his hand dismissively and says: "Su Zhi is fine, but that old man of the Su Family is an old fox; I can only plan this step by step."
He is determined to secure the identity of the Su Family's son-in-law.
Only by doing this can he compete for the assets of the Qin family.
He winks and makes a shushing gesture to the crowd.
Then, he dials Su Zhi's phone.
By this time, it is already ten o'clock at night.
"Hello?"
Qin Yu deliberately says: "Su Zhi, I'm a bit drunk. Can you come pick me up? You're the only one I can trust."
Su Zhi is silent for a moment, then says: "Send me the location."
Qin Yu sends the place.
After hanging up the call, he says smugly: "Just watch, only by giving a woman plenty of trouble and making her invest more in me will she never be able to escape."
"Tonight, I'm going to win her over."
He says: "Don't let anything leak out. Once I achieve my goal, you brothers will all get a share of the benefits."
Many of them burst into loud laughter.
When Su Zhi drives to the location, what she sees is Qin Yu looking somewhat hazy with alcohol.
She knits her brows slightly, but quickly composes herself.
After helping him into the car and fastening his seatbelt, Su Zhi returns to the driver's seat.
However, before she can start the engine, her hand is grabbed by Qin Yu.
"Su Zhi... I like you. Kiss me, won't you?"
Su Zhi falls silent for a moment and says: "You're drunk."