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By the time Ying Jing left Mingyao Technology Innovation, it was almost eleven o’clock.
At the tail end of winter, even the sunlight carried the warmth of an approaching spring.
As he walked out of Intime Center, Ying Jing shielded his eyes from the brightness. He took a few steps and then looked up at the building again. The imposing structure of steel and concrete housed top-tier capital enterprises.
Offering such conditions was a dream come true for many.
Ying Jing took a deep breath and headed towards the subway station.
Just as he entered the station, his phone rang—an unfamiliar number. Ying Jing answered while walking, “Hello, may I ask who’s calling?”
“Hello.”
Ying Jing recognized the voice and hesitated for a moment, “President Zhai?”
A string of laughter came from the other end, “Your hearing is quite good; you remember my voice?”
The safety announcement echoed in the background. Ying Jing covered one ear and moved to a less crowded area.
Zhai Min noticed this and asked, “Are you at the station?”
“Yeah, the subway station.”
“Which station?”
“Guomao.”
“Then come out, I’m nearby handling some business. I’ll give you a ride.”
Ying Jing was about to decline.
Zhai Min continued, “Regarding your project, there are still a few things I don’t understand. Let’s talk?”
Ying Jing swallowed his refusal.
“Alright.”
They kept the call connected as Ying Jing rushed towards the exit, updating her on his location in real-time. Outside, amidst the bustling crowd, he looked around.
“I see you,” Zhai Min said.
Two short honks sounded from the right.
A red BMW coupe slowly approached, stopping with Zhai Min revealing half her face, large sunglasses covering most of it, smiling at Ying Jing, “Get in.”
“President Zhai.” Ying Jing greeted politely.
Zhai Min scrutinized him. Today, he opted for a casual style, different from the suit he wore at last night’s banquet. This look highlighted his youthful vigor. Ying Jing’s hair, neither too long nor too short, was neatly styled, making him very pleasing to the eye.
With a joyful expression, Zhai Min asked, “Where are you coming from?”
“Buying some things nearby.” Ying Jing said, “Are you busy? If so, I...”
“Not busy, where are you heading? I’ll drop you off.” Zhai Min casually said, “We can also chat more about your project.”
The drive from here to C Hang wasn’t short.
Zhai Min’s flashy red sports car was attention-grabbing. She was an ostentatious and confident woman, even opening the windows in the winter to enjoy the stares. Along the way, she indeed asked several professional questions, and Ying Jing answered them meticulously and lucidly, speaking at length.
Seeing that Zhai Min didn’t interrupt midway, he paused himself and asked, “President Zhai, if there are any unclear points, let me know, and I’ll explain further.”
But Zhai Min laughed, “It’s alright, go ahead.”
Ying Jing’s gaze hesitated.
Her smile deepened as she rested her hand on the steering wheel, a large and exquisite sapphire ring on her index finger, “Your voice is pleasant.”
The sports car crossed the overpass, casting a shadow over them.
Ying Jing’s expression flickered between light and shade.
A few seconds later, the car entered the main road, returning to brightness.
Upon reaching the school gate, Zhai Min finally said, “You are really professional, and I’m quite interested in the project. Here’s what we’ll do: compile your data and send it to me. I’ll take it back to the company and discuss it with the relevant departments.”
Hope reignited in Ying Jing’s heart, a big grin spreading across his face, “Alright!”
Zhai Min gazed at him, silent for a long while.
Ying Jing stepped back slightly, nodding lightly, “Thank you, President Zhai. Drive safely.”
His proactive farewell left Zhai Min feeling a tinge of regret for not prolonging their interaction.
Ying Jing’s upright figure was striking. From behind, his long and sturdy legs resembled two white poplar trees.
Zhai Min raised an eyebrow, put on her sunglasses, and drove away.
On Chu Ning’s side, things were equally hectic.
Work after the New Year gradually fell into place, shaking off the post-holiday leisure. At Ningjing Investment, several large orders negotiated before the year-end were already being followed up. Chu Ning was busy with meetings, entertaining clients, and visiting factories. The little free time she had was spent handling matters for another small company.
Before Guan Yu helped register the company, she asked what the name would be?
Chu Ning was in the middle of a meeting at the time, without much thought, two words popped into her mind: Chu Hang.
She said, “Chu Hang Technology.”
Guan Yu clicked her tongue, making a comment that could be interpreted either way, “You’ve really thrown yourself into this.”
Throwing herself into what? It’s just using the word “Chu.”
Chu Ning paid no heed.
The process of setting up a company was something she was well-versed in. In essence, it was borrowing a new shell to continue the project. With a company, a team, and objectives, the biggest issue now was funding.
Chu Ning invested two million yuan herself, but according to plan, there was still a shortfall of five million. If future investments and outputs increased, the gap might widen.
No need to think too far ahead; stabilizing the present was the priority.
Chu Ning calmed her mind, picked up her phone, and started contacting potential investors one by one. Ironically, it was usually others seeking money from her. Now, the tables had turned.
After a round of calls, the results were meager.
Chu Ning massaged her burning earlobes, reflecting on this irony, and suddenly smiled.
Whether driven by impulse or a new attempt, once she promised that young man, there was no room for retreat. She had already tasted the hardships of entrepreneurship once. Trying again, experience and connections might offer advantages, but times were changing, society was progressing, and capital was evolving. Keeping up with the times offered no ease.
The only difference was that now, she wasn’t fighting alone.
Ying Jing was her ally.
He was the reason she mustered the courage to try again.
———
Originally, Ying Jing planned to stay at school for two days before returning to Xingcheng.
However, after sending the basic project data to Zhai Min yesterday, her calls became increasingly frequent. There weren’t any extraordinary issues—just regular queries. Ying Jing answered every question diligently. Given Zhai Min’s status, any confusion could easily be handled by subordinates, yet she personally took care of it. On busy days, he received up to five calls from her.
Ying Jing considered this a good sign.
Such concern indicated a definite investment interest.
If he could secure this funding, Chu Ning’s pressure would ease considerably.
Ying Jing remained hopeful.
One party sought wealth; the other’s motives were unclear.
In the evening, Zhai Min called again. Ying Jing assumed there were more questions, “President Zhai, please go ahead.”
“Ho ho.” The other end responded with a relaxed laugh, “No questions for now.”
Ying Jing was eating instant noodles in the dormitory; the hot water had just boiled.
Zhai Min: “Do you have time?”
Ying Jing thought for a moment, set aside the instant noodles, “Yes.”
“I’ll pick you up in twenty minutes. Get ready.”
“President Zhai, is there something?”
“Yes.” Zhai Min’s response was vague, “Let’s discuss when we meet.”
No sooner had they hung up than the phone rang again. This time, it was Chu Ning. Ying Jing answered quickly, “What’s up?”
On Chu Ning’s end, it was noisy with various clanging sounds.
Ying Jing asked, “Where are you?”
Silence followed, but the noise gradually diminished as Chu Ning moved to a quieter corner, “I’m busy at the factory. Do you have time now?”
Before Ying Jing could respond, she continued, “I contacted three laboratories, and one has replied, agreeing to the rental terms I proposed. We can discuss further. I can’t leave now; can you go check it out? See how the lab is. If suitable, we proceed; if not, I’ll find another.”
Chu Ning’s thoughts were clear, prioritizing solving the laboratory issue.
In her view, nothing was more important at this stage.
There was a brief silence before Chu Ning asked, “You’re still in Xingcheng, right?”
Ying Jing hummed affirmatively, “Yes.”
“That’s good.”
“But I can’t go.”
Chu Ning furrowed her brows, “Reason?”
Ying Jing turned around, leaning against the edge of the desk, calmly saying, “I have something to do.”
Chu Ning was extremely busy and didn’t have time to inquire further, “Alright, I’ll figure something else out.”
The call ended.
His ears still buzzed.
Ying Jing exhaled deeply, put on his coat, and went out.
Based on Zhai Min’s frequent contact with him over the past two days, he presumed her investment interest in the project was quite evident. Calling him out so late to discuss matters gave Ying Jing a premonition that there was hope.
He was eager and filled with anticipation.
If successful, it would be a surprise for Chu Ning.
Thinking of this, he rallied his spirits, feeling elated.
Zhai Min arrived in the same red sports car. Today, she wore a camel-colored wool coat, exuding a sense of capable beauty. Ying Jing got in, and Zhai Min handed him a cup of hot coffee, smiling, “Drink up.”
Ying Jing accepted it and thanked her.
The car roared onto the main road, engine humming.
Zhai Min was made up today, her perfume strong. Ying Jing subtly covered his nose.
“Little Jing, where are you from?”
“Xingcheng.”
“Oh, quite close.”
“Not bad.”
Zhai Min was in a good mood and struck up a conversation, “Are you an only child?”
“No, I have an older sister.”
“Lucky.” Zhai Min glanced at him through the rearview mirror, then asked, “Beijing’s cost of living is high. Eh? How much monthly allowance do university students like you need nowadays?”
Ying Jing mentioned a number, “I don’t spend much.”
He didn’t need to. His clothes, shoes, and pants were mostly bought by his sister.
Zhai Min misunderstood, implying, “Don’t be too hard on yourself. You’re young; treat yourself well.”
Ying Jing realized something was amiss, “President Zhai, where are we going?”
Heading towards the Guomao commercial district.
Zhai Min glanced at him, “Accompany me shopping.”
———
At eleven o’clock at night, Chu Ning was growing impatient waiting at the school gate. She called again, but the phone was off.
“This damn kid!”
Busy all day at the construction site and then entertaining several clients in the evening, eating, drinking, and enduring the clamor, Chu Ning felt like her head was about to explode. Regarding the lab, she had Zhou Qin help out, inspect it, and bring back detailed information.
Now, the documents lay quietly on the dashboard.
Chu Ning specially drove over, wanting to give Ying Jing the information immediately.
“Turned off! Turned off! Stop using the phone!”
Countless times, Chu Ning couldn’t help but curse the person ten thousand times.
Looking up again, she saw Ying Jing walking from the intersection ahead.
Chu Ning narrowed her eyes.
Ying Jing spotted her car and instantly perked up, full of energy.
“How did you get here?!” He ran excitedly closer and unceremoniously got into the car.
Chu Ning frowned, “Why aren’t you in the dormitory so late?”
Ying Jing smiled and didn’t reply.
Chu Ning didn’t bother to dwell on it, picked up the documents, and threw them to him, “Lab data, the one in Zhongguancun. I haven’t been there myself; I only talked briefly on the phone. They agreed to our rental terms, but timing might be tricky.”
Ying Jing lowered his head, flipping through the documents.
“At present, three other clients are also using the lab. We need to coordinate the schedule, which might not fully align with our progress…”
Chu Ning paused, her gaze falling on the two exquisite paper bags by his feet.
Earlier, she was too busy cursing to notice. Now she realized—they were GUCCI.
Chu Ning’s heart sank, her eyes dimming.
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