[Somehow dark, yet tender.]

Zhou Leqi quickly got to grips with the Runyuan Group project.

The company’s development had an interesting trajectory. It experienced a peak during its initial startup phase in the mid-1990s, but after a change in leadership, growth stagnated. For years, its core real estate business lagged behind competitors, and its auxiliary service sector showed little brilliance.

However, five or six years ago, Runyuan’s scale expanded rapidly, and it reported astonishing profits for several consecutive quarters. A quick investigation revealed that Runyuan’s chairman, Yuan Jianxin, was once a shareholder of Haoting Group—seven years ago, when Haoting collapsed, Su Ruini was imprisoned, and the company changed hands. Wang Ran, another shareholder, became the new CEO, but his inability to manage effectively led to Haoting’s delisting four years ago. The company barely survived thereafter.

Yuan Jianxin, Runyuan… Could they really have no connection to Haoting’s dramatic collapse seven years ago?

Zhou Leqi fell into deep thought.

Alvin and Daisy were her collaborators on this project. Alvin, an Associate at the same level as Zeng Ruihong, was technically strong but not particularly eloquent. He dressed formally every day, appearing overly rigid and introverted. Daisy, on the other hand, was the opposite—a bold and beautiful girl with less of an “elite” vibe. She dressed brightly and stylishly, and colleagues often joked that she looked like she worked for a fashion magazine.

On their first day of meetings, Alvin gave Zhou Leqi a formal rundown of the Runyuan project. Daisy, bored, perked up only during the tea break, grabbing Zhou Leqi to tease her about whether there was anything “special” between her and President Pei.

Zhou Leqi frowned and immediately shook her head. “No.”

“Really?” Daisy raised an eyebrow, her striking features exuding confidence. “Simon made it sound so believable. Just admit it.”

Zhou Leqi felt irritation rising but suppressed it and said nothing.

Daisy continued, musing aloud, “You’re so lucky. President Pei has everything. If you marry him, your life will be set. You could quit this job and live comfortably, avoiding all the exhausting travel and overtime. And then people won’t call you ‘investment banker woman’ anymore. Hmph.”

…At this point, Zhou Leqi couldn’t hold back any longer.

“President Pei and I were classmates, and now we’re purely superior and subordinate,” Zhou Leqi said sternly. “Everyone knows why Simon spread those rumors. Rumors end with the wise. Let’s focus on work and stop chasing false information.”

When Zhou Leqi turned serious, she always came across as assertive, and her cold tone was intimidating. Daisy shrugged, realizing she might be in the wrong, and didn’t argue further. Instead, she flipped her hair and lowered her head to scroll through her social media.

Alvin heard their exchange but pretended not to notice until the break ended. Then, he smoothly redirected everyone’s attention back to work, beginning to explain the personnel situation at Runyuan.

“In a few days, some senior executives from Runyuan will come to the company for a meeting. There are a few people we need to remember.”

Alvin clicked on his computer, and a man’s face appeared on the projected PPT—around fifty years old, thin, with high cheekbones.

“This is Runyuan’s second-in-command, Zhang Jun, Yuan Jianxin’s brother-in-law,” Alvin introduced. “He’ll be leading this IPO process, and he’ll personally attend the upcoming meeting.”

“Isn’t Chairman Yuan coming himself?” Zhou Leqi asked.

“He likely won’t attend the early meetings. We’ll probably meet him after due diligence ends,” Alvin replied. “But Zhang Jun is important too. His word carries weight at Runyuan.”

Zhou Leqi nodded.

Alvin went on to introduce several other senior executives at Runyuan, most of whom were related to the Yuan family. As Daisy took notes, she sneered, “Even if this company tries for an IPO, it’ll need major reforms. This kind of family structure is way too outdated.”

Alvin remained expressionless, calmly switching to the next slide of the presentation. When Zhou Leqi looked up, a familiar face appeared on the screen.

…It was him.

A handsome man with deeply penetrating eyes. In his youth, they had been clear and expansive like the open sea, but now they seemed colder, darker, tinged with melancholy.

Beside her, Daisy whistled softly, her tone turning playful. “Who’s this? Does Yuan Jianxin have a son?”

She flipped her hair and smiled coyly. “I’ve never seen such a handsome client.”

Alvin, unfazed by Daisy’s boldness, continued calmly. “This person was just added to the meeting list by Runyuan. It was arranged personally by Zhang Jun. He’s rumored to become Yuan Jianxin’s future son-in-law.”

Zhou Leqi’s left hand under the conference table clenched slightly, but her expression remained completely calm. Daisy, however, reacted more strongly, clearly disappointed. “Tch. So he’s already taken.”

Her tone carried a tinge of resentment.

Several days passed in the blink of an eye. On May 23rd, the senior executives from Runyuan finally arrived at SWD.

The most critical aspect of investment banking wasn’t the business itself but resources. With so many investment banks worldwide, why would a company choose SWD for its IPO? It all came down to connections and prestige. Runyuan was Jason’s resource, so he naturally placed great importance on it. He personally attended the first meeting between the two companies, and Pei Qiming, as the VP leading the team, couldn’t be absent either.

SWD specially reserved its highest-spec conference room to show respect for Runyuan. It could accommodate fifty people. Daisy, along with a few interns, handled the logistics. However, one clumsy intern accidentally spilled coffee on Zhou Leqi while preparing drinks for the big bosses.

The intern was terrified, repeatedly apologizing to Zhou Leqi, calling her “Lucky姐.” Daisy, amused by the situation, glanced at her watch and said, “The meeting starts in fifteen minutes. Jason should arrive in ten. If you want to change clothes, you’d better hurry.”

Zhou Leqi happened to be wearing a white shirt that day, and the coffee stains were glaringly obvious. She didn’t usually keep spare clothes at the office, so if she wanted to change, she’d have to go out and buy something immediately. But even though there was a mall near their building, it would take at least twenty minutes round trip. If she went, she’d definitely miss the start of the meeting.

Frowning tightly, she hesitated. The intern kept apologizing beside her. Just then, Pei Qiming arrived, and the room erupted in greetings of “Good morning, President Pei.” He noticed the commotion in the conference room and was about to ask what happened when he saw the coffee stains on Zhou Leqi’s shirt. His brows furrowed as well.

After a brief moment of thought, he made a decision faster than anyone else. “Go buy a new one. Come back as soon as possible.”

“But…” Zhou Leqi still had concerns, worried about being late and causing trouble.

“It’s fine,” Pei Qiming said calmly. “I’ll explain for you.”

What could be more reassuring than a promise from your superior?

Such obvious favoritism made it clear to everyone in the room: President Pei was particularly protective of his “classmate,” Lucky. With President Pei shielding her, no one could object.

At that moment, Zhou Leqi was focused on solving the clothing issue and didn’t pay much attention to her colleagues’ thoughts or gazes. Hearing Pei Qiming’s assurance, she quickly left the office and headed straight for the mall, thinking:

She couldn’t afford to miss today’s meeting—for both professional and personal reasons.

Fifteen minutes after Zhou Leqi left, the senior executives from Runyuan arrived.

Jason personally greeted Zhang Jun, warmly shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries. Meanwhile, Pei Qiming spotted a familiar face among the crowd.

It was… Hou Zihao.

The junior schoolmate he’d met a few times at Yi Zhong seven years ago.

The first love who had lingered in Lucky’s heart for seven years.

Pei Qiming was completely stunned.

Though he was leading the Runyuan project, as a VP, he didn’t delve into the details of Runyuan’s organizational structure the way Alvin and others did. Naturally, he was unaware of Hou Zihao’s sudden appearance. He never expected to encounter someone he thought had vanished forever, let alone having to address him as “Mr. Hou” under Zhang Jun’s introduction.

As for Hou Zihao, the encounter was equally unexpected.

He had just returned to China and was still in the early stages of understanding Runyuan’s operations. He certainly didn’t have the time or energy to delve into SWD, so he had no idea Pei Qiming worked at this investment bank.

The unexpected meeting stirred emotions within him. At the same time, he recalled something else: When Zhou Leqi was in Rome, she had spoken to Pei Qiming on the phone about work-related matters. If Pei Qiming worked at SWD, then Zhou Leqi…?

Hou Zihao’s expression suddenly darkened.

While the two men exchanged fleeting glances, the staff from both sides had already taken their seats along the long conference table. Zhang Jun and Jason began chatting, and the atmosphere was very cordial.

“Chairman Yuan mentioned to me long ago that Jason is both a good golf partner and a reliable collaborator,” Zhang Jun said with a smile, his sharp cheekbones prominent. “It’s a pity I’m only meeting you now.”

Everyone knew how to exchange pleasantries. Jason, accustomed to being on the client side, spoke even more gracefully, saying things like “Mr. Zhang is too kind” and “Good things come to those who wait.” He expressed confidence that the two companies would have a very pleasant collaboration.

While the higher-ups engaged in diplomatic exchanges, those below naturally shifted their attention to other details. For instance, Daisy noticed that Mr. Hou, the rumored future son-in-law, held a special status. Zhang Jun deliberately seated him to his left, clearly intending to publicly elevate him. Perhaps this IPO would be used as some kind of “political achievement” for this young man?

His future seemed boundless.

It was a pity that such a handsome nobleman was already taken. Still, Daisy wondered if she might have a chance to get close to him somehow—even scraping a bit of gold dust from someone like him would be worth it, enough for someone of her modest background to enjoy for quite a while.

Just as she was pondering this, movement came from the conference room door. Even without turning around, Daisy guessed it was the unlucky Lucky returning. What she couldn’t figure out, though, was why Mr. Hou from Runyuan suddenly changed his expression, looking toward the door with a complex gaze.

Dark… yet tender.

A woman’s intuition buzzed loudly:

Something was going to happen with this Runyuan project.