“I’ll tell you once more, I’ll never let my personal life interfere with the decisions I make at work. Even if I slept with you this morning, I wouldn’t give you the business simply because we slept. As for the insults directed at me, I don’t want to hear them coming out of your mouth again.”

Song Yu spoke with a low voice, “I’m sorry.” Her face was ghostly pale.

Qi Chengzhi stiffened his lips for a long time before he spoke coldly, “Get out of my car!”

Song Yu did not say a word. She unbuckled the seatbelt with a lowered head, opened the door and got off.

The moment the door closed the Range Rover sped away.

Song Yu let out a sigh. Fortunately, she was dropped off in the city, she could then order a cab back home.

Back home, she took her pajamas to the bathroom for a shower and saw Qi Chengzhi’s briefs hanging on the hook.

No other man had ever stayed overnight other than Qi Chengzhi.

There was something she could not figure out. He wore briefs that morning when he left, it was highly unlikely that he brought a spare everywhere he went?

Song Yu seemed to have come around to something. With a straight face, she grabbed the briefs and chucked it into a bin.

…

After the incident, she had not heard from Qi Chengzhi. No decision was made on Qilin’s end about who was awarded the leisure hotel contract.

The news would definitely spread within the circle if it was known.

Song Yu was kept on her toes as they parted on bad terms the last time they met. She was afraid to call Qi Chengzhi.

When she got to the office that morning, she bumped into Ruan Danchen at the entrance. The two joked and laughed along the way to the office.

Ruan Danchen was curious. “What’s with the commotion? Manager Wang from the engineering department is also here.”

In addition to Manager Wang from the engineering department, Xiao Chen from the sales department was there too.

Ruan Danchen whispered, “Could it be that we won the Qilin business?”

Xiao Chen’s expression was unnatural and sympathetic when he saw Song Yu. Song Yu felt that something was off.

“Aye, Song Yu! You’re here!” Taking the steps in her stiletto, Wang Liwei swayed her hips as she walked toward Song Yu. She greeted Song Yu with unprecedented warmth and a fake smile that was brought to the next level.

“Heh, it’s all thanks to you that Qilin awarded the seven-star hotel contract to us! I’m just about to head over to Qilin with Manager Wang and Xiao Chen to sign the contract.” Wang Liwei beamed proudly. “I really have to thank you for landing me the opportunity to design a seven-star hotel. I will buy you dinner tonight!”

“What do you mean? What do you mean that it’s all thanks to Song Yu and what do you mean by you’re designing? Song Yu is the one who won the business, why are you the one going to sign the contract?”

“What does this mean? Well, it is what it is. This business belongs to me now.” Wang Liwei sneered. “That’s why it’s futile for some people to work hard. In the end, what she does is only paving the path for others but she reaps no benefit. Hehe.”

“Didn’t you tell me to sleep with Luo Yushu to see if I can score this business? I didn’t need to do that and now this business is mine.” Wang Liwei beamed in high spirits. She glanced at her watch. “Well, no time for more chatter. We’re going to be late. Manager Wang, let’s go!”

“Didn’t you tell me to sleep with Luo Yushu to see if I can score this business? I didn’t need to do that and now this business is mine.” Wang Liwei beamed in high spirits. She glanced at her watch, “Well, no time for more chatter. We’re going to be late if we stick around. Manager Wang, let’s go!”

Done showing off, she walked out in her stilettos making the click-clack sound with every step.

When Manager Wang walked pass Song Yu, he glanced at her sympathetically. He knew the hard work she had put in to win the case, but in day and age, hard work was not enough. He shook his head and sighed as he left.

Song Yu was left stunned. Wang Liwei’s words rang in her ears.

All of a sudden, she ran out of the office.

“Song Yu!” Ruan Danchen called out to her worriedly from behind.

Song Yu took a turn to the stairs and called Qi Chengzhi. His cold but composed voice rang from the phone. “Hello.”

“Didn’t you say you’re not going to let private matter affect your business decisions? What are you trying to prove by having another architect to sign the contract?” Song Yu was so frustrated that she left her manners behind.

Qi Chengzhi was dumbfounded. “What do you mean?”

“What do I mean? Are you playing innocent now? Don’t you know that my colleagues are heading over to sign the Qilin contract?” Song Yu asked coldly.

Qi Chengzhi frowned. “I know. I am the one who sent someone to inform your company.”

The hand that she used to hold her phone shook terribly. “Yeah, but the architect assigned to sign the contract is another person! Young Master Cheng, please be forefront with me if I’ve offended you. Why do you have to backstab me? I’m just an insignificant character. Doing this to someone like me is demeaning to your stature.”

Qi Chengzhi’s lips were tight. The moment he spoke again, his voice was as cold as ice. “Song Yu, did you forget what I told you last time? Stop insulting my integrity. I didn’t know about this incident but I will investigate. Qilin isn’t a plaything for others.”

“Did you really not know about it?” Song Yu was stupefied. Her tone changed and she was not as angry as before.

Qi Chengzhi already hung up. There was no reply.

Song Yu stared at her phone blankly. She was blaming herself for rushing to a conclusion. She was too angry to think straight.

Qi Chengzhi was not someone who would treat his business lightly.

Ruan Danchen went straight to Song Yu when she returned to the office. “Song Yu, I clarified with the manager just now. It was apparently Director Zhao’s instruction. She hinted at me that Wang Liwei has been sleeping with Director Zhao. It’s apparently public knowledge within the company. Otherwise, with her skills, she would have been fired a long time ago. The business deal is probably done over pillow talk.”

Song Yu could not imagine Director Zhao, a man in his fifties, to make such a bad move that could potentially jeopardize his own company!

“I will clarify with Director Zhao,” said Song Yu. She took the elevator and head upstairs.

“I will clarify with Director Zhao,” said Song Yu. She took the elevator and head upstairs.

She walked to Director Zhao’s office and barged in without knocking on the door.

Manager Li from the finance department was in the midst of a discussion with Director Zhao. He turned around and he was startled by Song Yu’s sudden barging in.

“Song Yu, we’re having a discussion here,” said Manager Li in a displeased tone.

“Step out first. We can continue later.” Director Zhao dismissed Manager Li.

After Manager Li had left, Song Yu closed the door and came forward to Director Zhao.

“Director Zhao, Qilin selected us because of my design. Why did you hand my hard-earned contract to Wang Liwei?” Song Yu cut straight to the point.

” Xiao Song 1 , calm down.” Director Zhao pointed at the chair opposite of him. “Please sit.”

“No,” said Song Yu in a cold tone.

Director Zhao’s face sunk a little. He said, “Do you still remember Huailu Estate? Your commercial-titled residence design for them received great accolades. As a result, this time around they wanted to appoint you for the design. The customer is king. We can’t object them. If you were designing for Qilin, you will not have the time to work on Huailu. I had no other choice. How about this? To compensate you, I will give you eighty percent of the revenue from Huailu’s project.”

Song Yu took a deep breath but she could not suppress her resentment. “Director Zhao, compared to Qilin’s seven-star hotel, the entire revenue from Huailu’s project isn’t even a hundredth of Qilin’s. Any sensible person would not give up the opportunity to design a landmark building in favor of an unknown commercial-titled residence. Do I look like an idiot to you? The opportunity to design a landmark building is so difficult to come by for an architect and I’m sure you’re aware. For this opportunity, the amount of effort I’ve put in… Well, I don’t think I need to elaborate further. There’s no other reason why Qilin would award the contract to Chengshi. You did not only let someone else steal the thunder but also tried to dismiss me with just a commercial-titled residence project? If you’re not feeling guilty, why are you giving me eighty percent of the revenue? I’ve been working here for three years and I don’t claim that I’ve made any heroic contributions. However, along the way I have worked conscientiously and to the best of my ability. This has helped in building the company’s reputation. I swallowed all the injustices I’ve faced before but this time it’s too much!”

“Song Yu, mind your attitude!” Director’s face sunk. He could not keep up a positive expression with her accusations.

“Attitude? What attitude do I need? Will you award me the business just because of a good attitude? A tremendous amount of effort is nothing compared to sleeping with you! Everyone in the company knows you’re keeping her as a mistress! Your failure in distinguishing between professional and private interests is terribly disappointing! If I let this go today, Wang Liwei’s name would be stamped on all my future designs! What’s more astonishing is that you let Wang Liwei, a half-baked architect, to design a seven-star hotel! Even if she’s using my design, it will not work without detailed calculations. Are you not worried you will be sued to bankruptcy by Qilin if anything goes wrong?”

“What’s more astonishing is that you let Wang Liwei, a half-baked architect, to design a seven-star hotel! Even if she’s using my design, it will not work without detailed calculations. Are you not worried you will be sued to bankruptcy by Qilin if anything goes wrong?”

‘Thump!’ Director Zhao smacked the table violently and stood up. He pointed at Song Yu’s nose and shouted angrily, “Song Yu, I treated you with respect but it seems like my respect was underappreciated. If you feel wronged and don’t wish to stay in the company, leave now! We’ve treated you well enough by giving you a commercial-titled residence to work on. The company doesn’t need people who can’t work well with other employees. Losing an architect like you isn’t going to make a dent to our company! Do you think you’re that great? Didn’t you enter here through the back door? Do you think you’ll be here today if it weren’t for Chengshi? Why don’t you go out and ask whether any other company would want to employ an architect like you!”

“I wouldn’t want to continue working with a company that treats its employees like cannon fodder. I’ll tender my resignation letter to the human resources department by tomorrow.” Since the situation had already escalated to that extent and being able to vent by yelling back at the director, her mood surprisingly turned calm.

She walked out of the office upon finishing her last words and the first person she saw was Ruan Danchen.

“Song Yu, are you really resigning?” Ruan Danchen went up to Song Yu. The latter’s shouts with Director Zhao could be heard throughout the corridor.

Those from outside the director’s office peeked out and chattered. Occasionally, they would turn their head at her.

Although many knew of the injustice, none were willing to come to her defense. The most they could do was sympathize with her in silence.

“What else can I do? If there is a first time, there will be a second time. If I let them be now, what would the future become?” Song Yu felt slightly discouraged.

There was nothing Ruan Danchen could say, so she simply sighed.

Song Yu gathered her belongings since she would be resigning soon. She did not have much left at the company, so she tossed all her personal belongings into her bag and made her move.

She took a cab from the entrance of the company and received a call from Guan Xiaolin not long after she got in the vehicle.

“Song Song, congratulations! I heard that Qilin’s business has been given to you and Chengshi. You’re going to be the next famous architect in the industry!” Guan Xiaolin giggled and said.

“I resigned,” Song Yu replied with a bitter smile.

“What happened? Weren’t you assigned to design the hotel? Why did you resign? Aren’t you on the way to sign the contract with Qilin?” Guan Xiaolin asked suspiciously.

Song Yu explained everything to her succinctly.

“That old bag! How shameful!” Guan Xiaolin remarked angrily. “I told you from the beginning to come directly to our company. You resigned at just the right time. Join us at Guanyu. Sooner or later you’ll become the chief. And also, I’m here, so no one would dare to bully you.”

“I’ll think about it,” Song Yu replied softly.

Guan Xiaolin noticed that there was something off with Song Yu’s tone, so she asked, “You… are okay, right? Where are you now? I’ll head to you.”

“No, please don’t.” Song Yu rejected immediately. “I want to be alone for now. Please don’t come and look for me. Don’t worry, okay. I won’t do anything stupid. This is nothing compared to going through bankruptcy and I’ve gone through that.”

“No, please don’t.” Song Yu rejected immediately. “I want to be alone for now. Please don’t come and find me. Don’t worry, okay? I won’t do anything stupid. This is nothing compared to going through bankruptcy and I’ve already gone through that.”

Guan Xiaolin paused briefly before replying, “Alright then, if there’s anything you need, just give me a call! I’ll come over anytime!”

“Okay.” Song Yu nodded.

Song Yu closed the door behind her after reaching home, slid onto the floor, and cried her heart out.

She endured the unjustness and refused showing her emotions as she detested showing weakness in front of others.

She kneeled on the ground before laying on her stomach. With her face buried in her palms; she shed a continuous and torrential stream of tears.

…

…

Wang Liwei and his company were arranged to wait in the meeting room. She sized up the place upon entering. It was Qilin and it was much grander than Chengshi after all.

Soon enough, the meeting room door swung open by Cheng Dongge, who brought Qilin’s lawyer along with him.

“My apologies for making you wait. I am the Director’s Special Assistant, Cheng Dongge.” He went up to them and introduced himself.

Once she saw Cheng Dongge, she stood up immediately and extended her hand. “Special Assistant Cheng, nice to meet you. I am Chengshi’s architect, my name is Wang Liwei.”

She then looked carefully at him and the lawyer. With a smile, she asked, “Is Young Master Cheng not coming?”

She had only seen Qi Chengzhi on television and magazines, not in person. She went there that day with hopes of meeting him and possibly even establish a connection with him.

Cheng Dongge simply stared at her extended hand. He kept his arms beside him and did not proceed to shake her hand. Instead, he looked at Chengshi’s personnel and asked shockingly, “Didn’t Miss Song come along?”

With her hand outstretched, Wang Liwei’s smile disappeared but she managed to maintain her composure. Not only did Cheng Dongge refuse to shake her hand, he did not even acknowledge her question. To make matters worse, his went straight to the point and asked about Song Yu. Wang Liwei’s smile was not a very pretty one, not at that moment at least.

“Hehe, Miss Song has other obligations, so I’ll be taking over her duties.” Wang Liwei smiled.

“I see!” Cheng Dongge seemed to be speaking profoundly as he made a call right in front of everyone. “Young Master Cheng, Miss Song’s business has been taken over by some other architect from Chengshi.”

Wang Liwei instantly found herself unable to maintain her fake smile and her expression became rather unattractive.

‘What was the meaning of that, Cheng Dongge?’

“Yes, yes,” Cheng Dongge replied and hung up. He turned to them and said, “I’m sorry everyone. The contract signing is cancelled. You may all leave now.”

“What do you mean? Wasn’t it agreed that our company would get it?” Wang Liwei’s expression changed. Her smugness disappeared and panicked.

“We chose to sign a contract with Chengshi because we like Miss Song’s design. However, your company simply sent over some unknown architect to meet us without even extending the courtesy of calling us. It has made Young Master Cheng doubt your sincerity,” Cheng Dongge explained icily.

– – – – – –

Out-of-story interview:

Old Man: “Young Master Cheng, what do you think about Wang Liwei?”

Boss Qi looked on calmly: “Director Zhao slept with her, but if he didn’t, I probably would’ve.”

Old Man: “Hehehehehehehehehe…”

“We chose to sign a contract with Chengshi because we like Miss Song’s design. However, your company simply sent over some unknown architect to meet us without even extending the courtesy of calling us. It has made Young Master Cheng doubt your sincerity,” Cheng Dongge explained icily.

“If a change in architect can happen so simply, who knows what other unforeseen events might happen in the future? Our project is a huge one and if there’s no stability within Chengshi, how would we be confident in handing over the task to your company?” Cheng Dongge remained expressionless and told them, “You may leave.”

“Then… Then what about the engineering contract…” Manager Wang asked despite not having much hope for the answer.

“You and the company are considered as one. Even though that contract 1 was signed separately, we won’t be signing the engineering contract with your company. I refer you to what I said previously, that your company isn’t stable and you went back on your words. Your company replaced the architect without even notifying us, therefore we find ourselves unable to trust that the engineering construction of this project will be problem-free under your supervision.”

“We will once again consider other companies. This incident with Chengshi has caused us significant losses. We have suffered losses from the day we bought the land up until today. Another day’s delay will cause more losses. We won’t continue to pursue this matter with Chengshi but I believe there won’t be another opportunity for both of us to work together. You may leave.” Cheng Dongge left after finishing his statement, bringing the lawyer along with him.

They could even hear Cheng Dongge’s voice from outside. “Secretary Liu! Send them on their way.”

Wang Liwei bit her lip while her pale face – now distorted because of those insults – transformed into all sorts of ugly expressions.

She expected to be feeling proud and pleased, but little did she know that she would have to suffer various forms of humiliation.

What was so good about Song Yu!

“Hmph!” Manager Wang groaned and looked unhappily at Wang Liwei. “You troublesome fool. What a joke. Now you’ve also caused the engineering department to lose out!”

…

…

Song Yu was searching for vacancies online when she received a call from Ruan Danchen.

Going to Guanyu was the last resort. Working under her friend might cause a deterioration of their friendship. That was the reason she declined when, right after her graduation, Guan Xiaolin offered her to come to Guanyu.

However, jobs were no longer easy to come by, especially in the field of architecture. Not only was experience needed, there was also a requirement that one must have the reputation for getting awards.

It had only been three years since she entered the field and this was the lowest requirement to all vacancies available. She was still a newcomer in the industry.

She greeted Ruan Danchen after picking up the call and the first thing she heard was Ruan Danchen’s excited voice. “Song Yu! Don’t look for a job yet and don’t resign so quickly. Do you know what happened when Wang Liwei went to sign the contract at Qilin today? I sure wished I was there! It was all drama! Xiao Chen came back and told me everything so vividly!”

She then recounted to Song Yu what Xiao Chen had told her.

“Hahaha, when Manager Wang said ‘You troublesome fool, what a joke,’ he was truly venting his heart out! I wish I could see how Wang Liwei cried at that time!” Ruan Danchen was laughing uncontrollably, and Song Yu was listening to her laugh for a relatively long some time.

“Hahaha, when Manager Wang said ‘You troublesome fool, what a joke,’ he was truly venting his heart out! I wish I could see how Wang Liwei cried at that time!” Ruan Danchen was laughing uncontrollably and Song Yu was listening to her laugh for a relatively long some time.

After she was done laughing, she continued. “Manager Wang went straight to Director Zhao’s office. He’s is the only one in this company who isn’t afraid of Director Zhao. Since he’s the one in charge of engineering contracts, he knows a lot of people, from those who follow the book to those who don’t. Much of the company’s revenue depends on Manager Wang, that’s why Director Zhao is courteous toward him.”

“Those from the director’s office said that Manager Wang spent quite some time yelling in there. In the end, he forced Director Zhao to fire Wang Liwei, or he would no longer be able to work there.” Ruan Danchen then said, “Needless to say, Director Zhao wasn’t willing to do that, so he tried his best to reason, saying that he would bring Wang Liwei to apologize to you and let you come back to the company. Only then did Manager Wang let the matter go.”

“Still, Wang Liwei went to Director Zhao and cried. She complained plenty about you but Director Zhao insisted on bringing her over to apologize to you. She couldn’t do anything about it because this is a really big issue. When Special Assistant Cheng said his last sentence, that there will no longer be an opportunity for Qilin and Chengshi to work together, Chengshi immediately lost one of its biggest clients. And, this matter is a bad image for the company. Offending Qilin will lead to other big companies choosing not to work with us anymore.”

“This time, Director Zhao will need you to come back and clean up the mess. He’ll be treating you really good for sure. So, don’t resign, cause it’s a pain to find a good job nowadays. By the time they come and say sorry, you’d better slay them. Don’t think twice!”

Having listened to all that, Song Yu told Ruan Danchen not to give Director Zhao her address. She wanted a few days of peace.

Ruan Danchen heard those words and replied happily, “You got it. They ought to be made to wait a few days. They brought it upon themselves.”

Song Yu hung up and switched her cell phone off.

…

…

During the few days of her solitude, Song Yu neither kept up to date with news nor left the house. If she was hungry, she ordered delivery and her days were spent watching American television series.

At the company, Director Zhao kept pestering Ruan Danchen. Song Yu could not be located since her phone was off. Ruan Danchen gave him the same answer, that there was nothing she could do since Song Yu’s phone was off and her whereabouts were unknown.

He then asked Ruan Danchen for Song Yu’s address. He located Song Yu’s form in the company’s human resources records but the address was no longer up to date since she did not stay in that house anymore.

Ruan Danchen shrugged in reply, “It’s not that address? Did she move to a new one? When? I didn’t even know.”

Director Zhao scratched his head in utter helplessness.

After three whole days of being alone at home, Song Yu finally switched on her cell phone.

As the device turned on, a flurry of unending missed-call notifications popped up. The phone was close to exploding.

Song Yu saw that all of them were calls from the company and cleared them without batting an eye.

Right when she was done doing so, another phone call came.

Song Yu picked it up and said, “Hello.”

“Uh, Xiao Song.” It was Director Zhao’s voice.

“Uh, Xiao Song.” It was Director Zhao’s voice.

Song Yu replied indifferently, “Who’s this?”

“Er, this is Director Zhao,” came the embarrassed answer.

“Oh. Director Zhao. Is there anything?” she asked plainly.

“Hehe, Song Yu, I’ve been looking for you these past few days, why didn’t you turn on your phone? Whatever I said the other day was in a moment of anger. Don’t take them to heart. When will you come back to work?” Director Zhao kept his ego in check.

“Oh? But I meant those words that I said that day,” Song Yu remarked sharply.

“Xiao Song, it was my fault.” Deep down, Director Zhao was not very pleased. Song Yu was nothing but a mere employee, but at that moment, he was lowering his voice to beg her.

Earlier on, he confirmed with human resources that Song Yu had yet to hand in her resignation letter. He feared that she was standing her ground arrogantly, on the basis that she got wind of Chengshi’s failed agreement and knew that the company was about to rely on her.

“I wouldn’t dare, it would be shameless of me. There would be no Song Yu today if there were no Chengshi. When Chengshi signed someone like me, a newbie with no experience, the truth is that I should be the one to be eternally grateful to the company.” Song Yu paused her video and put down her tablet computer.

“Song Yu, it was imprudent of me to say those words. Please don’t take them to heart. I called you today to specifically offer my apologies to you because my actions caused you to be disillusioned with the company.” On the other end of the phone, Director Zhao had a hideously sour expression, but his voice remained genial.

“I know there’s some friction between you and Wang Liwei, so how about I bring her over to personally visit you and apologize? If you’re willing to come back and take on Qilin’s business, we’ll have a good discussion about whatever conditions you have.”

“There’s no need to visit me. If Director Zhao sincerely wants to meet me, we’ll arrange a place.”

“Sure, sure, sure.” Director Zhao replied hastily in case she came to regret her decision. He immediately decided on a nearby coffee shop and said that he would be there in half an hour’s time.

Song Yu hung up and smiled despondently.

In truth, she had become disillusioned with such companies, but the chance to design a landmark building was far more important than her feeling of being wronged.

Perhaps that was reason enough for her to go back to Chengshi.

Song Yu tidied her things up and sat back down to continue her television series. She watched them until it was ten minutes past the agreed meeting time – only then did she head out.

…

…

Song Yu was late, and she entered leisurely into the coffee shop. The first thing she saw was Wang Liwei—who looked impatient—telling something to Director Zhao.

Even though Song Yu could not hear them, she could guess that Wang Liwei was badmouthing her.

Director Zhao’s face was embittered too, but he suppressed it as much as he could.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.” Song Yu sat opposite them.

“You’re really full of yourself. Look at how late you are. Do you really think that the company cannot survive without you?!” Wang Liwei remarked sharply and ignored the fact that Director Zhao was holding her back.

“You’re really full of yourself. Look at how late you are. Do you really think that the company cannot survive without you?!” Wang Liwei remarked sharply and ignored the fact that Director Zhao was holding her back.

As the cafe was relatively quiet at that moment, everyone could hear Wang Liwei clearly.

Song Yu sneered. She stood up and said, “It seems like there’s no room for discussion.”

“Song Yu! Song Yu!” Out of a sense of urgency, Director Zhao grabbed Song Yu’s arm. “Take a seat first.”

After a deliberate effort in trying to get Song Yu to stay, Director Zhao turned around and barked at Wang Liwei, “What did I tell you before? I brought you here to apologize! If you can’t mind your manners, you should leave now.”

Wang Liwei was shaken by the harsh tone. She kept her mouth shut—other than successfully getting into Director Zhao’s bed, she had nothing else to offer.

She shared half the responsibility for the company’s loss this time. She became more well-behaved after being scolded by Director Zhao.

She was well aware that she could only get by through the back door. She would not be able to get a job elsewhere with her ability.

The waiter came by, and Song Yu ordered a cup of coffee. Director Zhao spoke again when the waiter left, “Song Yu, I admit it, it’s our fault. As long as you’re willing to work for us again, we will satisfy all your requirements. From now onward, you will be the chief architect of our company.”

Song Yu remained silent, carrying a cynical smile on her face. Director Zhao was restless, and he thought to himself, ‘Is this offer not attractive enough?’

In reality, with Song Yu’s experience, she still had a long way to go before she could fit the hat of a chief architect. This advancement had brought her status up by leaps and bounds.

After a while, the waiter served the coffee.

Song Yu then turned to look at Wang Liwei, “Say sorry, and that you promise you will never steal my case again. You also need to admit that all you’re good at is selling your body.”

Wang Liwei looked up and glared at her fiercely. Her expression was mean and ferocious.

“Song Yu! You’ve crossed the line!” How could she utter such words?!

Director Zhao, who was sitting next to her, had a concerned expression. The statement implied that Wang Liwei had sold her body to him.

Song Yu had blemished the both of them in one statement.

“During the signing, just because you weren’t there, Cheng Dongge and Qi Chengzhi claimed that I’ve stolen the business from you without even clarifying! If this was not due to private interest, how could that happen? Who knows, maybe you’ve served both the master and the servant!” chided Wang Liwei acerbically. Her voice was audible in the quiet cafe.

“We don’t know what dirty tricks you’ve used, or what you’ve done to please Qi Chengzhi in bed to have led him to renege on the signing of the contract in the very last minute.” Wang Liwei sneered, and with a tone of disgust, added, “I wonder how many men you’ve slept with to attain that kind of skills!”

Just when Wang Liwei was done, she stood up abruptly and let out a piercing scream.

—-

—-

As Young Master Cheng had not appeared in two days, to save you from your misery and longing, Anonymous gathered the courage to interview Young Master Cheng again.

Anonymous began, “Young Master Cheng, the readers have missed you a lot since you haven’t appeared in a while. What shall we do?”

Holding his phone, Boss Qi’s two fingers were at the corner of the phone screen. He replied in an indifferent tone, “Let them wait.”

Anonymous was persistent. “When will you appear again with your knavery? Can you let us know?”

“…” Boss Qi ordered, “Get lost.”

Boss Qi went ahead to zoom in on the picture. Cheng Dongge stealthily took a peek at it—it was a zoomed-in image of Song Yu’s lips.

Anonymous and Cheng Dongge were both at a loss of words.

Just when Wang Liwei was done, she stood up abruptly and let out a piercing scream.

The cup of coffee in front of Song Yu was empty.

Song Yu poured the hot coffee the waiter served on Wang Liwei’s face right after she uttered those words.

The coffee was all over her hair and face. Her clothes were stained by the coffee, and it was dripping from her hair, lashes, mouth, and her chin.

Her face was red from the hot coffee, and her makeup was all messed up—the black mascara and eyeliner she wore were smudged. The mixture of coffee and smudged makeup was a startling sight. She was in shambles.

“Ah! It hurts!” Wang Liwei was still screaming. She hastily drew tissue paper to dry herself up, not knowing whether she had been disfigured.

Song Yu looked at her hastiness in trying to salvage the situation. She spoke coldly, “Selling the body is a skill mostly unique to you.”

Wang Liwei was full of vengeance and went straight to the coffee in front of her without thinking.

“You can try throwing it at me.” Song Yu stayed in her place and warned with her ice-cold voice.

Meeting Song Yu’s cold eyes, Wang Liwei did not know why she could not find the courage to pour the coffee on her.

Even though the Song Family had gone broke, Song Yu was still from a prestigious family. The status of her family was akin to that of the Qi Family, which was the reason for the engagement. She was born with this grandeur, and it was something innate.

Wang Liwei had never seen anything like that. It was unsurprising that she was afraid.

“Wait for me at the car!” Director Zhao commanded Wang Liwei.

If she stayed around, she would only offend Song Yu more.

“She’s too much!” Wang Liwei cried to Director Zhao for her grievance.

“I told you to wait for me at the car!” Director Zhao spoke with a stern voice, and the anger on his face sent Wang Liwei to her place.

She was afraid that Director Zhao would break up with her. She did not continue with her plea.

Before she left, she glared at Song Yu resentfully.

Wang Liwei was by the door of the cafe, and just when she was about to step out she heard Song Yu’s audible and arrogant voice, “For Qilin’s case, I want a twenty percent cut once it’s closed.”

Wang Liwei was gnashing her teeth. She held tightly on the door handle while she waited for Director Zhao’s response. Director Zhao hesitated for a while before agreeing, “Okay.”

“Pom!”

Wang Liwei stepped out. She slammed the door.

Director Zhao did not expect that Song Yu would commit such daylight robbery. Twenty percent was a lot to ask.

Unfortunately, he had no other choice but to agree.

However, this was with the pretext that Song Yu was successful. If she returned and failed to close the case, she would no longer have a place at Chengshi.

He would return every humiliation he received from her that day.

He would return every humiliation he received from her that day.

Director Zhao kept the thoughts to himself and said, “You’ve taken a long break. Why don’t you follow me back to the office?”

“I don’t want to be in the same car as Wang Liwei,” Song Yu spoke frankly. “You guys can go ahead. I will go home and pack my things. I can go to the office by myself.”

“Okay,” nodded Director Zhao. He paid and left.

Song Yu could finally loosen up. She leaned back on her chair and sat for a while longer before heading home.

Along the way, Song Yu was thinking about what Wang Liwei said.

Recollecting what happened that morning, from the call to Qi Chengzhi, he obviously was not aware that Wang Liwei had stolen her case. However, after the conversation, Qi Chengzhi became informed of the issue during the signing.

It seemed like what Cheng Dongge said to Wang Liwei was intentional.

Song Yu let out a sigh. She was in deep remorse to have put the blame on Qi Chengzhi.

When she was home, she gave Qi Chengzhi a call.

It hung up just after one ring.

Song Yu frowned, could it be that he was in the meeting?

Pinching on the lunch break timing, she called Qi Chengzhi again. Once more, the call ended after one ring.

Song Yu glanced at her phone, could it be that he had social events to attend over lunchtime?

She packed her stuff and went to the office. Wang Liwei had a change of clothes and had tidied her self up. When she saw Song Yu come in, resentment was written all over her face.

“Song Yu! You’re finally back!” Ruan Danchen pulled her over delightfully. She reported everything that had happened in the office over the last few days to her.

“Wang Liwei was in a pinch these few days. Manager Wang always looks pissed whenever she’s around. It’s important for us in this industry to have a good relationship with the engineering department. They run the show, and hence it’s often the case that making them happy is our priority. However, nowadays Manager Wang treats Wang Liwei as if she is his mortal enemy who had stolen his job. He either looks away or sneers whenever he sees Wang Liwei.”

While she was talking, Wang Liwei called out with her coquettish voice, “Manager Wang.”

Song Yu looked up. Manager Wang was stepping into the design department of the office. He ignored Wang Liwei’s greeting completely and walked straight to her.

“Song Yu, I heard you’re back.” Manager Wang walked toward her.

Song Yu quickly stood up, “Yeah, I apologize for the many troubles I’ve caused you, Manager Wang.”

“It’s nothing. Glad you’re back. All you should focus on is scoring the case from Qilin; otherwise, it’s a great loss on our side. There’s no need to care about those who don’t know their place.” Manager Wang had gangs in his network. His speech carried a code of brotherhood common among gangs. He did not try to suppress his voice. Whatever he said was audible to Wang Liwei. She could only curse in her heart.

“It’s nothing. Glad you’re back. All you should focus on is scoring the case from Qilin; otherwise, it’s a great loss on our side. There’s no need to care about those who don’t know their place.” Manager Wang had gangs in his network. His speech carried a code of brotherhood common among gangs. He did not try to suppress his voice. Whatever he said was audible to Wang Liwei. She could only curse in her heart.

Even Director Zhao favored Manager Wang over others.

No one knew why Manager Wang hated Wang Liwei so much. This time around, Wang Liwei had learned her lesson and did not greet him when he passed by her place to avoid getting another cold shoulder from him again.

In the end, Manager Wang still humphed angrily at her before leaving.

After sending Manager Wang off, Ruan Danchen nudged Song Yu and gloated, “Now you know what an abyss of misery Wang Liwen’s suffering from these few days?”

Song Yu went on and told him about how Director Zhao brought Wang Liwen over to apologize to her, and how she dealt with Wang Liwei. Ruan Danchen raised his thumb towards her with gleaming eyes and exclaimed, “You’re not so bad yourself!”

After returning to her own place, Song Yu gave Qi Chengzhi a call. However, it was just like before where he hung up after ringing just once.

Song Yu let out a sigh. He hung up on her so many times. It would not be possible for him to be busy all the time, right?

She knew that Qi Chengzhi was probably angry at her.

She did not expect such pettiness from a grown man.

Song Yu shook her head and typed out a message, “Young Master Cheng, I am sorry that I misunderstood you previously. I apologize to you sincerely. This has nothing to do with the business. I also know that you’re not someone who muddles formal and private affairs together. Please forgive my impudent remarks. I am fully aware of my mistake, so sorry about that.”

She went through the message once after she was done writing to ensure that everything was alright before sending it out.

Just a second later, she got the notification that confirmed the message was delivered to the recipient.

Song Yu kept on waiting until it was almost time to get off from work, but she still had not received a reply from Qi Chengzhi.

She gave him another call, but it got cut off once again.

After giving a thought, she dialed Cheng Dongge’s number. When she heard his voice, Song Yu said, “Special Assistant Cheng, it’s me, Song Yu.”

“Hi, Miss Song,” Cheng Dongge’s tone was very polite.

“I want to ask if Young Master Cheng has any other plans for the day?” Song Yu tried to ask and test the waters.

Based on Young Master Cheng’s status, his schedule would not be easily revealed. She was also not expecting Cheng Dongge to tell her directly.

This was the last resort she chose since Qi Chengzhi was not willing to pick up her phone call. She already planned to grind Cheng Dongge until he reveals Qi Chengzhi’s schedule.

What she did not expect was for Cheng Dongge to blurt out directly, “Young Master Cheng will be attending a dinner at Dynasty tonight.”

What she did not expect was for Cheng Dongge to blurt out directly, “Young Master Cheng will be attending a dinner at Dynasty tonight.”

Song Yu had so much to say but she could not utter a single word as she was shocked by Cheng Dongge’s cooperation. She gaped in shock.

“So… Is Young Master Cheng busy today?” Song Yu added on.

“Still manageable,” Cheng Dongge took out a notebook and started to iterate Qi Chengzhi’s schedule for the whole day. It was so detailed that the only thing that he did not tell Song Yu was when and the number of times Qi Chengzhi went for toilet breaks.

Song Yu listened and felt that Qi Chengzhi was not really busy today. As expected, he did not answer her phone call deliberately.

“Miss Song, do you want to know about Young Master Cheng’s schedule for tomorrow?” Cheng Dongge asked eagerly over the phone.

“…” Song Yu was speechless, “Special Assistant Cheng, are you sure it’s okay to share Young Master Cheng’s schedule with others so easily?”

“Haha,” Cheng Dongge hung up right after.

After Song Yu got off from work, she packed her things and took a ride to Dynasty.

She entered a cafe opposite of Dynasty and sat at a window seat that had a direct view of the Dynasty’s entrance. She ordered a cup of coffee and a slice of cheesecake and waited.

She paid and left when she saw it was almost time. She waited at the roadside near to the entrance of Dynasty and waited with both her hands in her pockets.

The night wind howled violently, filling her ears with whooshing sounds.

Song Yu adjusted her scarf upwards to cover most of the area around her ears, mouth, and nose, but both of her cheeks were reddened due to the strong wind.

She checked the time periodically while she was waiting. After about an hour, a few people appeared at the Dynasty’s entrance.

One of them was Qi Chengzhi.

Qi Chengzhi glanced towards her direction carelessly and refocused on the people beside him. It was not evident if he saw her during that brief glance.

She could see that Qi Chengzhi gave some orders to someone beside him with a lowered voice, and that person nodded and trotted away shortly after.

The remaining ones looked like his customer. One of them could not even stand straight and required the support of two people to hold him up.

The other one was also tipsy as he had a wobbly stance.

They chatted a bit with Qi Chengzhi before he saw the Dynasty’s valet drove the car over. They bid farewell and entered the car.

After that, Qi Chengzhi walked down the stairs from the Dynasty’s entrance slowly and came towards her direction. He stood in front of her, but his eyes were staring ahead of her as if he could not see her.

Song Yu took a breath, the strong wind made her nasal cavity a little uncomfortable.

“Young Master Cheng,” she called out.

“…” Qi Chengzhi stood there and said nothing.

At that moment, the Dynasty’s valet drove Qi Chengzhi’s Range Rover over. He alighted and handed Qi Chengzhi the car keys with both of his hands respectfully.

Qi Chengzhi overtook her and walked towards his car.

It is recommended to go through the previous chapter before reading this chapter. Read word by word and relate it to this chapter. The part involving the Dynasty’s entrance is key~

——

Qi Chengzhi overtook her and walked towards his car.

Song Yu was so desperate that she turned around and caught his sleeve, “Young Master Cheng, sorry. I came with all sincerity to apologize. I misunderstood you, and I’m really sorry about that.”

Qi Chengzhi stopped, turned around to look at her. He stared at her for so long that Song Yu started to panic.

After quite some time, he finally opened his mouth and asked, “Do you know how to drive?”

“Yes,” Song Yu nodded.

Although she did not own a car, she acquired the driving license when she was trying to find a job.

Qi Chengzhi shoved the car keys into her hands, “You’ll drive. I can’t drive since I drank alcohol tonight. I’m having a headache now. If you have anything to say, say it after you send me back.”

Song Yu blanked out for two seconds. She could smell the faint scent of alcohol and tobacco.

In comparison to those drunken guys who just left, Qi Chengzhi’s department was so much better.

“Where’s your driver?” She asked.

“Chang Lai is on leave tonight, he’s having diarrhea,” Qi Chengzhi turned around after answering her and walked to the other side of the car without hesitating. He opened the passenger seat’s door and sat himself down.

Song Yu was forced to sit in the driver’s seat. She started the car and stepped on the accelerator after Qi Chengzhi mentioned the street address.

Shortly after they left, Chang Lai trotted his way back. He was sweating in this bleak midwinter night after all that running.

He was carrying a bag from the pharmacy. Qi Chengzhi ordered him to buy a bottle of hangover medications at the entrance just now. Chang Lai ran through several streets before he could find a pharmacy as there was none nearby. He was afraid that Qi Chengzhi would run out of patience waiting for him, and therefore, he ran all the way back amidst the strong winds.

However, he looked around and was not able to find Qi Chengzhi and his car anywhere.

Chang Lai was very worried that he would lose his job over incompetence. He called Qi Chengzhi as he trembled in fear, “Young Master Cheng, where are you, sir? Where’s the car?”

In the car, Qi Chengzhi remained extremely calm, “Just take a good rest since you’re having diarrhea. Go and visit the hospital if it worsens, don’t worry about me.”

He hung up the phone right after.

Chang Lai stared as his cellphone in the wind and wondered if it was faulty.

What was Young Master Cheng talking about?

Chang Lai called for help, “Special Assistant Cheng, Young Master Cheng…”

…

…

In the car, Qi Chengzhi fell silent again after hanging up the phone call. Song Yu could not stand the awkwardness in the atmosphere. Also, she had no idea if Qi Chengzhi had decided to forgive her or not.

She secretly stole a glance of the side view of Qi Chengzhi’s frosty face. Song Yu spoke with her heart thumping violently on her chest, “Haha, never thought that Young Master Cheng is so considerate of your subordinate.”

“Uhm, that’s why I’m well respected by my employees,” there was an unprecedented firmness in his tone.

“…” Song Yu almost stepped on the emergency brake because of his response. Luckily, she refrained from doing so, but she could not help but took a glance at him.

“…” Song Yu almost slammed on the brake because of his response. Fortunately, she refrained from doing so, but she could not help but glance at him.

How can someone be so shamelessly narcissistic?

“What’re you looking at?” Qi Chengzhi gave her the side-eye.

“Nothing, I was just thinking how nice it is to be working with someone like Young Master Cheng,” Song Yu said dryly. She could not explicitly express her thoughts that he was so shamelessly narcissistic.

‘Mm’. Qi Chengzhi responded indifferently. He closed his eyes and looked as if he was pondering about something.

Song Yu felt that it would be a waste of effort to figure out this man’s thought and what he meant by ‘Mm’. Hence, she left the conversation hanging there.

…

…

Song Yu drove to the basement of Qi Chengzhi’s house and parked the car in the garage. She then followed Qi Chengzhi into the lift.

Like an attendant, she followed him throughout the journey with her head lowered.

Upon entering, Qi Chengzhi switched on all the indoor lights. Song Yu could not help but observe the furnishing of the house.

The interior design of his house was simple and straightforward. It had a hue of cold colors, similar to a typical dwelling of a man. There was no sign of knick-knacks; those that were usually favored by women. Although it looked classy, it felt more like a showroom where it lacked the feeling of home.

All his furniture were modern-themed and undoubtedly sourced from luxurious brands. Although Song Yu was in the line of architecture, she still had some knowledge for interior design and was able to identify an inconspicuous ashtray to be worth over ten thousand yuan.

“Make yourself at home, I’m going to take a bath,” Qi Chengzhi said. He loosened his necktie and threw it onto the sofa before entering his bedroom.

Song Yu recalled the events that happened after Qi Chengzhi took a bath previously. Her face started to flush as it happened only a few days ago.

She gently slapped herself on the face and tried to regain composure but her cheeks only turned redder after the slapping.

She went to the kitchen and opened the fridge. To her surprise, it was filled with food including vegetables, fruits, meats, and beverages. It was complete.

It seemed like the maid he hired had been replenishing the groceries.

Song Yu picked the ingredients to make hangover soup for Qi Chengzhi.

Qi Chengzhi came out after finished bathing but he observed no signs of Song Yu in the living room except for her bag.

His hair was still damp and he was dressed in casual clothes. It was very different from his usual outfit where he was all suited up. He looked like he returned to earth from the ethereal, other-worldly heavens. Song Yu was not quite used to it.

He was not wearing his glasses. She assumed that he probably does not wear them at home. She wondered how many people had seen him without them.

He was not wearing his glasses. She assumed that he probably does not wear them at home. She wondered how many people had seen him without them.

When she approached him with a bowl of soup in her hands, she could smell the slight fragrance of the body shower as well as the pleasant scent of a man.

“You just had alcohol. I made a bowl of soup, it’s good for a hangover. Have some, it’ll help you feel better.” Song Yu pointed to the bowl in front of him.

Qi Chengzhi stared at her with a burning gaze. It did not look like he was pleased. His gloomy expression made it obvious that he was angry, but Song Yu had no idea what did she do that pissed him off.

“You… are you unhappy that I went ahead and rummage through your kitchen without your permission?” Song Yu’s voice diminished due to anxiety.

He asked in a lowered voice, “Are you that desperate to score this business deal?”

Song Yu was slightly shaken. It dawned on her immediately that he misunderstood her intentions and thought that she was pleasing him in exchange for the business deal.

“I did not cook this soup to please you for the business deal.” She thought that there was a need to clarify herself. “I’m not here to discuss business tonight. Let’s just put that aside. All I want to do is to apologize.”

“I called you today but you didn’t answer, you didn’t reply my messages either. That’s why I went to look for you at Dynasty. I misunderstood you the last time, I’m really sorry. It won’t happen again.”

Qi Chengzhi did not say a word. He held the bowl up and started drinking it but his expression was evidently lighter.

After gulping down half a bowl of soup, he stopped suddenly and raised his head with an ambiguous smile. “Did you know that the way you mentioned how you called and messaged me just now sounded as if I’m your husband who’s under your control.”

Song Yu’s face turned red instantly. She lowered her head and muttered, “I didn’t mean that.”

‘Bang!’

Who knew what got to him this time. Qi Chengzhi slammed the bowl onto the table. There was still a bit of soup left undrunk.

Song Yu was stunned. She raised her head to look at him. She had no idea what tantrum he was throwing, he had switched moods three times within a minute.

“I’m done drinking!” Qi Chengzhi stood up and picked the jacket that he threw on the sofa earlier. “Let’s go, I’ll send you home.”

“I thought you can’t drive, you drank just now.” Qi Chengzhi’s speedy actions left Song Yu stupefied as she remained seated on the sofa staring at him.

Qi Chengzhi lowered his head and teased, “So, do you plan to stay the night?”

Song Yu stood up with flushed cheeks when she thought of that morning’s kiss. “I can call a cab.”

Qi Chengzhi already took the car keys and walked out. “I drank the hangover soup.”

“…” Song Yu hurried and followed.

…

…

Qi Chengzhi stopped the car at her lobby. As she was leaving the car, he said, “We’ve recently been in touch with Guanyu. Once they knew that Qilin did not sign the contract with Chengshi, they were proactive and they showed us a lot of sincerity in continuing with this project.”

Qi Chengzhi stopped the car at her lobby. As she was leaving the car, he said, “We’ve recently been in touch with Guanyu. Once they knew that Qilin did not sign the contract with Chengshi, they were proactive and they showed us a lot of sincerity in continuing with this project.”

Those words led Song Yu to release her grip on the car door handle. She turned to look at Qi Chengzhi.

The inside of the car was dark; on the outside of the car, a couple of streetlights were not working. Qi Chengzhi’s face was obscured in the dark and even without wearing glasses, it was hard to see his ever-enigmatic facial features.

“This event has made me question Chengshi’s approach. All that your company cares about is internal politics and competition, while the client’s best interests are set aside. I don’t feel reassured, so I will reconsider everything pertaining to the signing of the contract. I really do like your design but I need to think it over and consider all the factors.”

“Although Zhao Rongcheng has gotten you back, the contract will not necessarily be awarded to you again. I know that you had no fault in this because you are also a victim. But things have turned out this way and I can’t play a fool with this huge business, such carelessness simply cannot be overlooked.”

“This time, Guanyu has gotten in touch with us and I’ve decided to let them compete. When the time comes, whoever that has what it takes will get it. There’s something I originally wanted Cheng Dongge to inform you of tomorrow – come over to Qilin after work on the evening of the day after, which is Friday. You and Guanyu’s architect will be meeting at Qilin’s entrance. Our company, including myself, Luo Yushu, and the engineering department’s manager will bring everyone to the project site.”

“You’ll be staying there for the weekend and you both can inspect the site. When we return, you’ll both be asked to present a design plan, but this time, I don’t just simply want a simple verbal concept of the design, I want a fully amended plan, complete with the height, load-bearing capacity, and any other precise measurements.”

“I’ll decide only after comparing the two,” Qi Chengzhi said.

Song Yu nodded. She was not at all dissatisfied with his decision. “I understand. This time, I’m determined to win. Young Master Cheng, I can safely assure you that the same thing will never happen in the future.”

Qi Chengzhi did not immediately declare his stand on things but simply said, “You may go up.”

He looked as Song Yu got down from the car and disappeared through the doorway but he did not leave immediately. He looked up to see that the light in Song Yu’s home had been switched on.

He placed his hands in his pocket but they came up empty. Puzzled, he subsequently realized that he was wearing house clothes, the pockets of which did not contain any cigarettes.

With a smile and a shake of the head, he started the car and left.

…

…

After her bath, Song Yu lay down on her bed. Her body was curled up and she was lying on her side. Placing her nose close to her pillow, she sniffed it a few times. To her surprise, Qi Chengzhi’s smell was still present.

In recent days, she found it hard to sleep because of his scent. She wondered how he slept because, within merely a night, her pillow, bedsheet, and blanket were all imbued with his smell.

As long as she closed her eyes and breathed that scent, it felt as though he was right beside her.

As long as she closed her eyes and breathed that scent, it felt as though he was right beside her.

His face – with that kind of half-smiling, mocking expression that no one could see through – repeatedly appearing within the recesses of her mind. There was also his kiss and the scene of him making himself comfortable on her bed.

Song Yu felt her lips heat up. She tossed and turned from sheer irritation and could not fall asleep even though she closed her eyes. Hence, she made a mental note that she ought to wash the bedsheet and blanket at the soonest available opportunity.

…

…

When Friday came, Song Yu told Director Zhao about Qi Chengzhi’s decision. Director Zhao was filled with regret because if it were not for Wang Liwei, the project would have been Chengshi’s and all these inconveniences would not have occurred.

Song Yu brought luggage with her to work. It was only a simple holdall as she will only be away for a weekend; she did not bring too many things. After she got off work, she brought it with her to Qilin.

“Song Song!” Just before she reached Qilin’s entrance, she saw Guan Xiaolin waving at her. Guan Xiaolin smiled and walked to her, then both of them walked together to the entrance.

“Why did you come here personally?” Song Yu asked.

“My father is worried. He wanted me to come so I could help if necessary.” With a nose-scrunching smile, Guan Xiaolin wrapped her arm around Song Yu. “My father is really anxious about this business. He refused to accept defeat when Qilin announced that the project was given to Chengshi. But after the deal fell through and Qilin began to consider Guanyu, my father said that this time, he wouldn’t lose.”

All of a sudden, Guan Xiaolin stopped talking. She explained nervously, “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to bring it up on purpose.

“It’s nothing.” Song Yu smiled and did not take the matter to heart.

“Why did you go back to Chengshi?” Guan Xiaolin frowned. “Why go back to this kind of company? Aren’t you afraid that the same thing’s gonna happen again?”

“If I didn’t come back, I would have lost the chance to design a seven-star hotel.” Song Yu understood that fact. The wind had messed up her hair, so she brushed the stray strands aside. “You said that I could go to Guanyu, but one of Guanyu’s employees was in charge of this undertaking from the very beginning. A newcomer like me wouldn’t have had the power to take that assignment away now, would I? Even if you’re there, you wouldn’t be supportive of me doing that, right? Not to mention that your boss is your father. And I cannot possibly be offending a new colleague on the first day. So, other than going back to Chengshi, there’s no other choice left for me.”

“Okay, no more talking about this. Since you’ve already made your decision, all I can do is support you. But we’re competing against each other now, so I won’t be going easy on you!” Guan Xiaolin smiled.

“I’ll give it my best too.” Song Yu nodded.

“Mm, but no matter the outcome, we mustn’t let matters at work affect our friendship,” Guan Xiaolin remarked. However, her expression betrayed her confidence that she would come out victorious in the end.

When they entered Qilin’s lounge, there was already a woman sitting on the sofa. She presented herself in an astute and experienced manner; she looked like she was older than Song Yu by about two years.

Upon seeing the both of them, the woman welcomed them over and listened as Guan Xiaolin introduced her to Song Yu. “This is Fu Junya, our company’s architect. She’ll be tasked with designing the hotel.”

Upon seeing the both of them, the woman welcomed them over and listened as Guan Xiaolin introduced her to Song Yu. “This is Fu Junya, our company’s architect. She’ll be tasked with designing the hotel.”

Fu Junya extended her hand and smiled. “Nice to meet you. In the past, Director Guan mentioned that she had a talented and very beautiful friend who was working at Chengshi as an architect. Today, we finally meet.”

Song Yu smiled and they shook hands. They then exchanged a few polite greetings.

Ten or so minutes passed when the sounds of ‘Hello, Director’ began to resound. Looking over, Qi Chengzhi was walking over with Luo Yushu and Jian Yi tagging along. Bearing an upright posture and dressed suavely in a suit, he walked ahead of them. His great strides lent him an air of pride and respectableness.

Song Yu overheard Fu Junya’s whispers to Guan Xiaolin, “Director Guan, Young Master Cheng looks even more handsome in person than in the magazines!”

Qi Chengzhi stood before all of them and received a succession of salutations. “Young Master Cheng.”

He nodded his head austerely. Behind him, Jian Yi secretly winked at Song Yu, turning her professional business smile into one that was warmer and more sincere.

Realizing the direction of her gaze, Qi Chengzhi’s face soured immediately, and he simply uttered a cold ‘Let’s go’ before leaving.

Even those among them who were quick-thinking had little time to react. Luo Yushu and Jian Yi hurriedly caught up with him.

Chang Lai was already standing in front of Qi Chengzhi’s Range Rover. The one person who boarded that car was Qi Chengzhi, while the rest of the people sat in the vehicle behind it: a Mercedes-Benz Mini Passenger Van.

The project site for Qilin’s seven-star leisure hotel was situated in the suburbs of B City, and the journey there took no less than two to three hours.

Along the way, Luo Yushu was very much interested in Song Yu’s company. He asked her how the work atmosphere was like, how the colleagues were, and what kind of person Director Zhao was.

On one hand, Song Yu’s was hesitant to answer, but on the other, she replied without thinking too much. Naturally, her statements were half-truths and she was careful when answering him.

Eventually, Luo Yushu remarked, “Our company’s benefits are really good. Our basic salary is high, our commissions are high, and we don’t only have year-end bonuses, we have mid-year bonuses too.”

“Our company’s colleagues are all kind to one another, and there’s absolutely no such thing as taking someone else’s business.”

“Our Director is not out of touch with people. He treats all his subordinates with empathy and care. He has self-respect and would never engage in illicit affairs with his female subordinates.”

“Our Director is fair and doesn’t practice nepotism. Anyone, even those with no background, would equally be able to succeed in Qilin.”

“Our Director…”

Throughout the journey, Luo Yushu had unending praise for his Director. Everyone could hear what he said and they wondered if he was attempting to poach talent from Chengshi.

Once in a while, Guan Xiaolin and Fu Junya would look curiously at Song Yu, and they noticed that she was also finding it odd.

Having reached the hotel where they were supposed to check-in for the night, Luo Yushu concluded, “Our Director is well-loved by all of Qilin’s employees.”

Once the car was stopped, Luo Yushu – who by then had attracted the stares of everyone – was the first to step out of the car.

They entered the hotel lobby and saw Chang Lai helping Qi Chengzhi check-in. Luo Yushu sneakily placed his hand in front of his body. From afar, he signaled an ‘OK’ to Qi Chengzhi.

They entered the hotel lobby and saw Chang Lai helping Qi Chengzhi check-in. Luo Yushu sneakily placed his hand in front of his body. From afar, he signaled an ‘OK’ to Qi Chengzhi.

When Song Yu entered, she saw Qi Chengzhi standing much straighter than before. He had on an almost arrogant expression on his face.

“Was the journey alright?” Qi Chengzhi asked. It appeared as though he stood even straighter.

“It was okay. Manager Luo kept praising you,” Song Yu replied. She thought that he did so because he wanted her to be his messenger.

“Oh?” Qi Chengzhi raised an eyebrow. His lips began curling ever so slightly, but he had no idea what was it he was expecting.

“I think Manager Luo really looks up to you.” She was determined to put in a good word for him.

“…” Ever the expressionless man, Qi Chengzhi stood before her and did not move. He waited for her next sentence, but she seemingly had nothing further to say, so he asked, “That’s all?”

“Manager Luo is a really good employee. He is deeply proud of being a part of Qilin.” Song Yu thought that Qi Chengzhi did not believe her, so she spoke with added seriousness and sincerity.

“…” Qi Chengzhi turned and left. How did Manager Luo handle things!

Song Yu was completely clueless as to why Qi Chengzhi was so angry, but since she did not want to think about it, she went directly to the front desk to settle her check-in. Coincidentally, Jian Yi was just ahead of her.

When the front desk handed over the key card to Jian Yi, Song Yu purposefully took a glimpse at the room number that was written on his card.

Just as Song Yu’s turn came, Luo Yushu rushed over and pulled her aside, saying, “Miss Song, I’ve already taken care of it for you and the others. This is your key card. Miss Guan is waiting for you by the elevator, you’d better get going.”

“Oh, okay.” Song Yu had to leave first. As she walked, she looked at her card and could not help but smile—her room was right next to Jian Yi’s.

“Song Song, hurry up, it’s been a tiring trip, we’d better get back to our room to rest.” Guan Xiaolin dragged her into the elevator.

With card and luggage in hand, Jian Yi was heading to the elevator but was stopped by the hotel manager.

“My apologies, sir, owing to our front desk’s carelessness, you were given the wrong room card.” The smiling manager presented another card with both hands. “This is yours.”

“No worries.” Jian Yi smiled and returned the original card to the manager.

…

…

Song Yu ran a bath to rid her of her exhaustion. She then called room service and requested for dinner to be sent to her room.

She did not ask Jian Yi and Guan Xiaolin out for a meal because the three of them were there on different capacities, making for a rather delicate situation.

Guan Xiaolin was her direct competitor while Jian Yi was the manager of the client company’s engineering department. Meeting with Jian Yi would fuel a misunderstanding among Qilin’s people.

After her meal, she sat on the bed and turned on the television. She switched through all channels but did not find anything to her liking, so she settled on a random Korean television series.

She had absolutely no idea what it was about because her attention was not focused there. She could only hear the television’s noise since her mind had already floated elsewhere.

She had absolutely no idea what it was about because her attention was not focused there. She could only hear the television’s noise since her mind had already floated elsewhere.

When she was fifteen-years-old, the Qi family and the Song family decided for her to be engaged with Qi Chengji. However, they were still young at the time, so the engagement was a simple one that only those within the rich circle knew about.

At fifteen-years-old, Song Yu had no way of refusing, since she had no authority to say no to her family.

Back then, she, Guan Xiaolin, and Jian Yi were always together. He matured into a handsome sunshine of an eighteen-year-old young man, and she began to develop feelings for him.

Those days, she already understood the disparity between their family backgrounds, but she never took it seriously. She was at an age where love trumped everything else.

She was his gentle counterpart, and once in a while, their chemistry could be seen in the way they looked at each other. There was also a strong attraction in the air when they were alone, but neither had ever truly said anything about it, so throughout that time, they were always more than friends but less than lovers.

After finding out about her family’s decision, she ran in search of Jian Yi. He heard what she had to say, and although hurt flashed across his handsome face, he managed to suppress them after some time. He then said hoarsely, “Congratulations. I forgot that Song Song is already grown up.”

“My engagement, don’t you have anything to say about it?” Her lips, along with her voice, was trembling.

He patted her on the head and said, “As long as he treats you well.”

That day, she ran back home, hid in her room, and cried the whole night.

Song Yu’s eyes were inflamed. She felt heartbroken whenever she recalled all that.

She pressed her hand on her chest and thought about what Yu Qianyin said to her, “You’ve been passive ever since you were a kid. You weren’t bothered when Qi Chengji fell in love with someone. On the contrary, you supported him! Now, you’re doing the same thing to Jian Yi. If Jian Yi gets sick of waiting and instead goes for someone else, what’re you going to do?”

Yes, what was she going to do? Was she really willing to let it slip by again?

Her eyes came into focus and she gradually returned to her senses. The actor’s lines from the television were understandable once again.

Song Yu looked at her watch. It was nine twenty-five. She got off the bed and walked to her door. Grabbing her key card, she walked out and stood right in front of the next room’s door.

She took a really deep breath and held it in. That gulp of air was retained at her throat, and she pressed the doorbell, leaving behind any regrets.

It rang, but no one came to the door. She wondered if he had gone out because there was something he needed to do, or maybe Qi Chengzhi called him for a meeting and that was why he was not in.

She pressed the doorbell again, and if no one came to the door, she would go back. It would be a shame though because it took a lot for her to work up the courage.

Song Yu sighed and heard nothing from the room, so she got ready to leave. Then, her eyes spotted the door handle turn ever so slightly.

In a moment the door would be open, but Song Yu immediately grabbed it and prevented the person inside from turning it all the way.

As she saw the door was opening, Song Yu quickly grabbed the doorknob before the person inside could proceed.

“Don’t open the door!” Speaking in an anxious tone, Song Yu repeated, “Don’t open the door. I… have something to tell you. Let’s just do this with the door between us. If I were to say it face to face, I would have lost the courage.”

She could feel the resistance loosen. The person on the other side had stopped attempting to open the door. She relaxed and put both her hands on the door. She rested her forehead on the cold wooden door, lowered her head, and stared at the doorknob unconsciously.

“When I was fifteen, you didn’t stop me from getting engaged to Qi Chengji. Back then, I put the blame on you for doing nothing. However, with maturity, I now know that there was nothing you could do. You couldn’t do anything but to pass me your blessing. If you did as I wished by confessing and blocking the engagement, I would be the one who would’ve ended up in a pinch. I would try my best to go against the engagement, but the reality was that the ending would be the same.”

“My family would have stopped me from seeing you again, and I would still end up with Qi Chengji. I could have even lost the chance to see you again.”

“Because of that, you couldn’t be so selfish to express what your heart truly desired. I finally understand it these days. Qi Chengji and I were still young. Who knew what the future would hold? It was just an engagement. Nobody could say for certain what’s going to happen in the future.”

“Subsequently, my family went bankrupt and naturally, the engagement with Qi Chengji broke off. I was no longer the daughter of Song Family, and many had pitied me. I fell from the cloud in one night, and I had nothing left. I even had to go through days that were tougher than the average person.”

“I held no grudge. It wasn’t as bad as what people thought. On the contrast, I was rather happy. To me, an average person’s life is more meaningful than being a lady from a notable family who had no control over her life. While materialistically speaking, it wasn’t as good as before, but I didn’t need the luxury.”

“Through my own ability, I’ve improved my life bit by bit. I have food to keep me from being hungry and clothes to keep me warm. I also have some extra for leisure. Although work is rather busy, compared to the constant scheming and fighting among the rich and powerful, life is more fulfilling. A busy life is a meaningful life.”

“There was more freedom in being ordinary compared to the days when I was still a part of the rich and powerful. After we went broke, I transferred to a public school to continue my third year of high school. While my result sufficed to qualify for University A, I went to University B because of the scholarship. It would help reduce my family’s burden.”

“During the four years in university, I took up part-time jobs and in between studying and working, I had no time to even think about relationships or love. It was not something that I deemed substantial. By the time I graduated from university, I had landed a job in Chengshi. It was a competitive industry, and I had the lowest qualification among the architects. I could only pursue further studies and continue on the path of keeping a job while studying. When I first started, naturally I had to put in more effort compared to others to be recognized. Adding to that, I had my postgraduate studies, I would say that during those times I had to squeeze really hard to find time to sleep.”

“During the four years in university, I took up part-time jobs and in between studying and working, I had no time to even think about relationships or love. It was not something that I deemed substantial. By the time I graduated from university, I had landed a job in Chengshi. It was a competitive industry, and I had the lowest qualification among the architects. I could only pursue further studies and continue on the path working while studying. When I first started, naturally I had to put in more effort compared to others to be recognized. Adding to that was my postgraduate studies, I would say that during those times I had to squeeze really hard to find time to sleep.”

“To me, a relationship is still a luxury.” Song Yu took a deep breath. “Now that I’m finally on the right track and with less crazy work hours, I’ve been thinking about something that has bothered me more than once.”

“My mom is right. If there’s someone I like, I should go for it. Regardless of what you think, I feel that I need to let you know about my feelings. That’s the only way for me to not have any regrets. I will stop asking myself ‘what-ifs.’”

“Jian Yi, I like you.” She pressed her forehead on the door and spoke softly. She could hear her heart pounding violently.

It was as if a fire had started in her heart and spread all the way to her head. Her face was burning.

At that moment, she felt like she could no longer breathe.

“If… If you reciprocate, open the door. I want to say it to you in-person,” she said. She was suffocating as she continued, “If you don’t see me that way, I apologize for acting up. You can pretend you heard nothing tonight. You don’t need to open the door, and you don’t need to feel bothered by it. Just pretend nothing ever happened. We are still good friends, and I won’t have a second thought about you.”

Song Yu stopped and lowered her glance to the doorknob.

There was no movement. Her heart sank. She was disappointed even though she acted like she would not be bothered by it. It was hard not to be disappointed as she had been in love with him for so many years. She had always thought he shared the same feelings.

Song Yu’s eyes hurt and she felt her tears welling up. Just when she was ready to retreat into her room, the doorknob turned.

“Creak!”

The door opened.

At first, Song Yu saw a pair of slippers. Extending from there, she saw a pair of long, naked legs. Up to the level of the knees, there was a white towel.

Her eyes continued to move up. At the waist level where the towel was tied, she could see a flat and toned abdomen. The abs muscles were clearly defined, akin to those photoshopped models in the magazines. His rock-hard abs were exhibiting the strength underneath.

She did not think Jian Yi was naked!

Song Yu could feel her face burning and steam coming out of her ears.

Standing at the door, he was so close to her. She could feel the radiating heat from his chest on her forehead.

Song Yu was too shy to lift up her head. Her face was all red, and she was staring at her feet, not knowing what to do. She was afraid to look up because the scene was too provocative.

Song Yu could feel her face burning and steam coming out of her ears.

Standing at the door, he was so close to her. She could feel the radiating heat from his chest on her forehead.

Song Yu was too shy to lift up her head. Her face was all read, and she was staring at her feet, not knowing what to do. She was afraid to look up because the scene was too provocative.

“Jian Yi, I…” Song Yu hesitated. She was conflicted.

“Good girl, don’t joke around,” a gentle voice rang from above, but the voice did not belong to Jian Yi. “I’ve already taken off my pants, and you’re telling me you’re into another man?”

His tone was pampering as if he was educating a naughty child.

Song Yu froze when she heard the voice. She looked up unbelievably, ignoring the fact that she was embarrassed to look at his bare chest.

She recalled seeing Jian Yi’s room number on her card. Why was Qi Chengzhi here?

It was apparent from the way he dressed that he was not here for Jian Yi. He was the rightful guest of the room.

Song Yu was stunned. She had gathered the courage to confess but to the wrong person!?

“You…” Song Yu was still in a daze. Despite how astute she usually was, her brain was frozen.

When she was confessing, he was taking his pants off?

This had to be a joke!

Song Yu’s expression was as if a heavy blow just hit her. While she was still startled, Qi Chengzhi pulled her over and closed the door.

Before she recovered, Qi Chengzhi pushed her against the wall.

Song Yu, all flushed felt the heat underneath the towel. She tried to get away, but she had nowhere to hide.

His hair was still wet. It suggested he was just done with showering when she entered. It explained why he did not open the door right away upon the first ring.

The water dripping from his hair onto her shoulder and neck gave her skin a chilling sensation.

“All you’ve said just now gave me a hard-on, but you called out to Jian Yi in the end? What are you going to do about this?” He accused her with a blank expression. His tonality was so harsh, it was as if she had indeed bullied him.

She took a deep breath, and her face was as red as an apple.

“I didn’t know you’re here. I planned to…”

Qi Chengzhi narrowed his eyes. He knew what she was going to say and he knew it was not something that was going to be pleasing. He lowered his head and silenced her. Without hesitation, he invaded her lips.

His kiss was like a storm, and he gave her no breaks. His lips met with hers tightly. Song Yu was kissed senseless. She could not utter a word, nor did she have the energy to push him away.

She was trapped between his chest and the wall.

She did not know what to do, and her reaction speed was declining. Unknowingly, she rested her hands on his chest.

She intended to push him away, but the moment she felt his chest, she lost the energy to.

Her fingers curled a little, coming into contact with his skin. She felt like she was against a solid wall.

His kiss was like a storm, and he gave her no breaks. His lips met with hers tightly. Song Yu was kissed senseless. She could not utter a word, nor did she have the energy to push him away.

She was trapped between his chest and the wall.

She did not know what to do, and her reaction speed was declining. Unknowingly, she rested her hands on his chest.

She intended to push him away, but the moment she felt his chest, she lost the energy to.

Her fingers curled a little, coming into contact with his skin. She felt like she was against a solid wall.

Suddenly, Qi Chengzhi hoisted her up and single-handedly grabbed her hand from his chest and guided it into his bath towel.

Song Yu was already bewildered by the kiss and was not aware of his intentions. Her soft fingertips were taken by him and probed at the bath towel along his waistline. At that moment, the doorbell rang like a thunderbolt in a clear sky.

The ringing of the doorbell came pouring onto Song Yu like a bucket of cold water. She was sobered up in an instant.

She finally noticed where he guided her hand to and retracted hurriedly and pushed him away with all of the force she had using both of her hands.

Qi Chengzhi remained motionless like a wall made of stone. So, she started to struggle incessantly.

Her clothes and hair were in a mess.

The doorbell kept ringing and Luo Yushu’s voice could be heard from outside of the door, “Director, I’m Luo Yushu. You told me to meet you tonight to discuss work-related matters.”

It was the time Qi Chengzhi arranged with him, Luo Yushu did not consider the possibility that Qi Chengzhi may not be around.

Qi Chengzhi could have pretended that he was not around and continue, but somehow he let Song Yu go easily this time.

After both of her feet returned to the ground, he supported Song Yu around her waist just in time when she was about to fall, as if he had known that she definitely would lose balance.

Qi Chengzhi turned around to open the door after he made sure that she could stand upright by herself.

“Director…” Luo Yushu stood at the door and saw that Song Yu was leaning against the wall beside the door when he was about to enter.

Her hair and clothes were in disarray. Her face was bright red, and her lips were swollen and red as well. When he turned towards Qi Chengzhi, he saw that he was only covered with a bath towel that was hanging loosely on the waist. It seemed like it could fall off anytime and there would be nothing left by then.

Luo Yushu was able to guess immediately about what just happened between both of them based on the Qi Chengzhi’s delay when answering the door.

Luo Yushu thought to himself proudly, ‘Little shit, still denying your relationship with the director! Luckily I’m not fooled!”

“Director, you’re busy with Miss Song? Please excuse me,” Luo Yushu said in all seriousness and wanted to leave.

“I’m about to leave,” Song Yu said in a hurry. She lowered her head and dared not look at Qi Chengzhi and Luo Yushu